Seri Muka

Seri Muka

Seri Muka is amazing Malaysian kuih (sweet cake) made of glutinous rice, coconut milk, sugar and pandan leaves. Seri Muka is a dainty and yummy dessert. It’s been a while since I posted The Recipes Hatiku. Malaysia is a small country and when it comes to a country’s cuisine, there is a limit to the number of recipes available. Unfortunately Malaysia is not China, which has unlimited list of regional Chinese recipes that will probably take a very long time to cover. I still cook Malaysian food and my ultimate food love will always be Malaysian food, nothing will ever change that. However, I have to save some The Recipes Hatiku for the future, if and when I publish a Malaysian cookbook…so for now, please bear with me with fewer The Recipes Hatiku on the site..

Ingredients:

For Bottom Layer:

300 g glutinuos rice (soak for 30 minutes in water)

200 ml thin coconut milk (100ml coconut milk plus 100 ml water)

2 screwpine (pandan) leaves (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

For Top Layer:

200 ml thick coconut milk or coconut cream

2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks

170 g sugar

100 ml pandan/screwpine juice (from 8-10 pandan leaves)

5 tablespoon all-purpose flour + 2 Tablespoon cornstarch

Method:

1.      Mixed all the ingredients for the bottom layer and steam on high heat for 20 minutes.

2.      Meanwhile prepare the top layer. Mix the eggs, coconut milk, sugar, pandan juice and flour. Stir until smooth. Cook over boiling water (using double boil method) until the mixture thickens slightly but still runny enough to pour.

3.      After 20 minutes, take out the glutinuous rice mixture, stir and flatten it with spoon or hands. Make sure it is compact. Use a sieve to pour the egg mixture on to the rice mixture.

4.      Steam on medium heat for 30 minutes. Leave to cool before cutting into diamond-shaped or rectangle-shaped pieces.

Read More

Crab Rangoon

Crab Rangoon (Cream Cheese Wontons)

Crab Rangoon is an appetizer found in many Chinese restaurants in the United States. A classic American creation, crab rangoon is basically cream cheese wontons with tiny bits of crab meat, deep-fried to golden perfection.

Ingredients:

1 brick (8 oz) Kraft Philadelphia Regular Cream Cheese, at room temperature

2 oz crab meat or 2 sticks imitation crab meat (finely diced)

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

20 wonton wrappers

Oil, for deep frying

Method:

1.      Mix all the cream cheese, crab meat, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Stir to blend well.

2.      Place about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper.

3.      Fold the two ends of the wonton wrapper together.

4.      Fold the other two ends to make a tiny parcel. Pinch to seal tight and make sure that there is no leakage. Use a little water to help sealing if needed.

5.       Heat up a pot of oil for deep-frying and fry the crab rangoon until golden brown. Dish out with a strainer or slotted spoon, draining the excess oil by laying the crab rangoon on a dish lined with paper towels. Let the crab rangoon cools down a bit before serving them with sweet and sour sauce.

 

Read More

Crispy Fish Cakes

Crispy Fish Cakes

Thais love fish, in any form, at any time of the day. These crisp and spicy patties could serve as an appetizer, a snack, a hot or cold lunch dish..

Ingredients:

12 ounces firm white fish fillets

1 tablespoon Thai Kitchen® Red Curry Paste

1 egg

8 green beans, thinly sliced or slivered

4 green onions, tops only, thinly sliced

3 kaffir lime leaves, minced (optional)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons Thai Kitchen® Premium Fish Sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

(Cucumber Relish, Spicy Cucumber Sauce, or Thai Kitchen® Spicy Thai Chili Sauce)

Method:

1.      CUT fish into cubes. Place fish, red curry paste and egg in food processor; cover. Process until smooth. Set aside. Mix green beans, green onions, lime leaves and garlic in large bowl. Add fish sauce, cornstarch and sugar; stir to make a smooth paste. Add fish mixture; mix well.

2.      HEAT oil in wok or heavy skillet on medium-high heat. With lightly moistened hands, form 1/4 cup portions of the fish mixture into patties. Slide 3 of the patties into the oil. Fry until golden brown on each side, turning once. Do not overcook. Drain on paper towels.

3.      SERVE warm or cold with Cucumber Relish, Spicy Cucumber Sauce, or Spicy Thai Chili Sauce.

4.      Thai Kitchen Tip: To test mixture for flavor and texture, make a small patty and drop it into boiling water or fry in hot oil. For firmer patties, add additional fish or egg. For a softer consistency, add additional cornstarch or a small amount of heavy cream.

Read More

Roti Canai With Butter Prawns

Roti Canai With Butter Prawns 

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Ingredients:

450 g (3 cups) plain flour

60 ml (¼ cup) milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp caster sugar

150 g ghee, melted, cooled

Butter prawns

1 kg green king prawns

vegetable oil, to deep-fry, plus 1 tbsp extra

30 g (⅓ cup) desiccated coconut

3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

100 g butter, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

6 bird’s-eye chilies, finely chopped

1 cup fresh curry leaves (see Note)

3 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp caster sugar

2 tsp rice vinegar

Method:

1.      Place flour, a pinch of salt, 150 ml water, milk, egg, oil and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Knead for 6 minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 12 equal balls. Place balls in a large dish, pour over ghee and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight at room temperature.

2.      The next day, remove balls from dish. Working one at a time on a clean work surface, using your hands, stretch out dough as thin as possible. Fold in 2 sides to form a rectangle, then working from the shorter ends, fold both ends towards centre, making sure they overlap slightly. Set aside.

3.      To make butter prawns, peel shell away from body of prawns, leaving heads and tails intact. Half-fill a deep-fryer or a large saucepan with oil and heat to 170°C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 15 seconds). Working in batches, cook prawns for 2 minutes or until just cooked through. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Set aside.

4.      Heat a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add coconut and cook, stirring, for 20 seconds or until golden. Remove from pan and set aside. Add 2 tsp oil, then add egg yolks and cook, stirring with a fork, until broken up and stringy. Remove from pan and set aside. Add butter and remaining 2 tsp oil, then add garlic and chilli. Cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add curry leaves and cook for 30 seconds, then add soy sauce, sugar and rice vinegar. Add prawns to pan with reserved coconut and eggs, and toss to combine. Keep warm.

5.      Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Working 2 at a time, add roti and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through. Serve immediately with butter prawns.

Read More

Crispy Swordfish Nuggets

Crispy Swordfish Nuggets

We love seafood of just about any type, but swordfish happens to be a family favorite. I was looking for some new way to prepare a beautiful piece of swordfish we recently bought and decided to cut it into pieces and grill it on skewers. I cut the swordfish into 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch squares and sat looking at them for a while, wondering if I really wanted to grill them..

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Pounds Of Swordfish 1 1/2 Inch Thick

2 Cups Homemade Breadcrumbs

Cracked Black Pepper

Sea Salt

1/2 Fresh Red Chile Pepper, Finely Chopped (Optional)

2 Teaspoons Finely Chopped Fresh Parsley

1 Teaspoon Grated Lemon Zest

2 Eggs

4 to 6 Tablespoons Olive Oil

To Serve:

Lemon Wedges

#These crispy bites of swordfish are great with tartar sauce, or simply with lemon wedges as shown.

Method:

1.      Cut the swordfish into 1 1/2 inch cubes.

2.      Mix together the breadcrumbs, chile pepper, lemon zest, and parsley, then season with salt and pepper.

3.      Beat the two eggs with a fork until frothy.

4.      Dip the swordfish nuggets first into the eggs, then roll in the breadcrumbs pressing lightly to ensure the crumbs adhere well to all of the sides.

5.      Once all of the nuggets are breaded, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

6.      Cook the nuggets until they are golden brown, and just barely cooked through inside.

7.      Place the nuggets on a platter with the wedges and serve hot.

Read More

Baked Lingcod with Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce

Baked Lingcod with Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce 

Have you ever seen a lingcod? They are almost primeval looking – huge, gaping mouths with sharp teeth. As with any fish, the most important factor for how good it tastes is its freshness. I picked up this fillet at Whole Foods (they usually have a good selection of fresh fish) where they told me that the ling cod had just come in that morning. With the lemon-garlic butter sauce it was divine.

Ingredients:

Fish

2 pounds lingcod fillets

Olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce

This recipe makes 2 cups, about twice as much as you'll need for the above fish. Refrigerate what is left over and consider using it as a topping for potatoes or vegetables.

1/2 cup clam juice

1/2 cup dry sherry

1/2 cup whole milk

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp minced shallots

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp flour

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Method:

1.   Put the first six sauce ingredients (clam juice, sherry, whole milk, garlic, shallots, bay leaf) in a pot and bring to a boil. Boil it down by half.

2.   In a separate saucepan (1-qt minimum) prepare the roux. Heat one tablespoon of butter in the saucepan on medium heat until it is foamy. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring a couple of minutes with a metal whisk until well mixed (tan, but not brown).

3.   Slowly add the reduced mixture to the roux, stirring quickly to incorporate. When you first add some of the mixture, the roux will bubble up. Just keep adding the mixture and keep whisking to incorporate.

4.   Turn the heat to low. Slowly whisk in the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time. Add lemon juice, salt, and white pepper. Add some more clam stock or water if the sauce is too thick. Add the chopped parsley right before you serve.

Prepare the Fish

5.   Arrange an oven rack so that when the fish is on a baking pan in the oven it will be 4 to 5 inches from the heat. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

6.   Rinse the fish in cold water, cut into serving pieces if necessary. Remove any bones with fish-bone tweezers or (spotless clean) pliers. Lay the fish flat in a aluminum foil lined baking pan. Rub some olive oil over both sides of the pieces, enough to coat. Sprinkle both sides with a few shakes of salt and pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until just done. To test, use the tip of a knife to gently cut into the thickest part of the fillet. The fish is done when the fish has just turned from translucent to opaque at the center. Once you pull the fish out of the oven it will continue to cook for a few minutes.

7.   Serve the fish with the sauce poured on top. Rice, crusty bread and a simple salad are good accompaniments.

Read More

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken

Straight from a Punjabi kitchen, butter chicken has been an instant hit through the years. Marinated overnight, the chicken is roasted and cooked in tomato puree, cream and masalas. Enjoy the classic creaminess of the dish with this butter chicken recipe..

Ingredients:

700 gms raw chicken

Marinade:

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

Salt to taste

1/2 kg curd

Gravy:

100 gm white butter

1/2 tsp black cumin seeds

1/2 kg tomato - pureed

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

75 gm white butter

100 gm fresh cream

4 sliced green chilies

1/2 tsp crushed fenugreek leaves.

Method:

1.   Mix red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, salt and curd together. Marinade is ready.

2.   Now mix the raw chicken in the marinade and keep it in the refrigerator overnight.

3.   Then roast the marinated chicken in a tandoor or an oven for about 5-10 minutes till it is three fourth done.

4.   For the chicken gravy:

5.   Heat white butter in pan.

6.   Add black cumin seeds, tomato puree, sugar, red chilli powder and salt. Mix it well.

7.   Now add the prepared chicken, white butter, fresh cream, sliced green chillies and crushed fenugreek leaves.

8.   Cook till chicken is done.

9.   Butter Chicken is ready to eat. Serve hot with rice or naan.

Read More

Dumplings

Dumplings

Dumplings are a food that consists of small pieces of dough, either cooked alone or wrapped around a filling. They can be based on flour, potatoes or bread, and may include meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets. They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying, or baking. They may have a filling, or there may be other ingredients mixed into the dough. Dumplings may be sweet or savoury. They can be eaten by themselves, in soups or stews, with gravy, or in any other way.

Ingredients:

1 cup of ground pork or lamb or no need

2 cups of ground beef

2 cups of chopped buchu (Asian chives)

4-5 soaked Shiitake mushrooms

half onion

half package of tofu

3 cloves of minced garlic

salt

sugar

sesame oil

vegetable oil

fish sauce

egg

green onion

mandu skins (60 discs)

Method:

1.   Place 1 cup of ground pork/lamb/no need and 2 cups of ground beef into a big bowl.

2.   Add 1 ts of salt, 1 tbs of sesame oil, ½ ts of ground pepper and mix it by hand and push the mixture of meat on the side of the bowl.

3.   Wash some Asian chives (buchu), and dry well with a paper towel or cotton cloth. Chop them into 2 cups’ worth of chives. Add 1 tbs of oil and mix it up. Place it in the big bowl next to the ground meat.

4.   tip: the oil coats the vegetables so they retain their moisture

5.   Chop 4-5 soaked shiitake mushrooms and half an onion. Put them into a small bowl.

6.   Add 1 ts of soy sauce, 1 ts of sugar, and 2ts of sesame oil to the small bowl. Mix by hand and transfer it to the big bowl.

7.   Squeeze a half package of tofu with a cotton cloth or paper towel and put it into a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and 1ts of sesame oil. Mix it by hand and then put it next to chopped chives.

8.   In the big bowl, add 3 cloves of minced garlic and mix all ingredients by hand. This is your mandu filling.

Now we’re ready to make mandu. For fried mandu:

1.    Put some of the filling mixture into the center of a mandu skin.

2.    Use your fingertips to apply a little cold water to one edge of the skin. This will act as a sealant when you fold it over.

3.    Fold skin in half over filling and press edges together to make ripple shape.

4.    Place some vegetable oil on heated pan and add the mandu you made.

5.    Lower the heat to low-medium and put the lid on the pan to cook.

6.    Turn over each mandu a few minutes later. Add 2-3 tbs of water and put the lid back on the pan. Cook a few minutes more over low heat.

7.    When the mandu is golden brown, transfer it to a plate.

8.    Serve hot with a dipping sauce made of equal parts vinegar and soy sauce.

Read More

Bruschetta With Melted Cheese & Sausage

Bruschetta With Melted Cheese & Sausage

These bruschetta would be great option as a starter for a fall menu when entertaining, or as party nibbles along with a few other appetizers. Want to bring Umbria into your kitchen? Add shaved black truffles, a drizzle of black truffle paste or truffle oil on top!.

Ingredients:

2 Mild Italian Sausage Links Removed From Casings

1 Crusty Baguette Bread, Cut Into 12 Slices

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 Cups Shredded Caciotta Cheese (Or Substitute - See Notes Above)

1 1/2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Fresh Sage

Cracked Black Pepper

Method:

Preheat oven broiler, and place sausage meat in a frying pan, and cook until lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it up with two forks as it cooks.

Place the bread slices on a baking sheet, and brown lightly under the broiler on both sides.

Brush one side of each of the bread slices with olive oil.

In a bowl, combine the cheese, sausage crumbles, sage, and cracked black pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cover each bread slice with the cheese mixture, then place the tray in the oven and bake until hot and bubbly, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve hot.

Read More

Chamchijeon

Chamchijeon

Im pleased to introduce you to this easy and delicious side dish recipe made with a can of tuna. It doesn’t have to be served hot, so it’s good for a side dish at a picnic or in a Korean lunch box (dosirak).

Ingredients:

1 can of tuna (5 oz: 142 grams)

onion

garlic

salt

ground black pepper

sesame oil

egg

flour

canola oil.

Method:

1.Strain out the liquid from a can of tuna and place it in a bowl. tip: You can use cheesecloth, paper towel, or just squeeze with your hands to get the excess liquid out

2.Add ¼ cup chopped onion, 1 minced garlic, 1ts salt, ¼ ts ground black pepper, 1 egg, 1 ts sesame oil, and 1 tbs flour to the tuna and mix it well.

3.Strain out the liquid from a can of tuna and place it in a bowl.
*tip: You can use cheesecloth, paper towel, or just squeeze with your hands to get the excess liquid out

4.Add ¼ cup chopped onion, 1 minced garlic, 1ts salt, ¼ ts ground black pepper, 1 egg, 1 ts sesame oil, and 1 tbs flour to the tuna and mix it well.

5.Press slightly and round the edges with the spoon.

6.Make 6 small size pancakes with the tuna mixture.

7.When the bottom is cooked golden brown, turn it over and cook until both sides of the pancakes are golden brown. Total cooking time is 3-5 minutes

Transfer the cooked pancakes to a serving plate and serve with rice.

Read More