I ate the Angel's Hair...

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...


Hello everyone, oh! it feel so long that I didn't update this blog, took me a month to post a new one but hey... here I am, alive and kicking... *smile*

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One morning, as I was doing apple strudel in my kitchen, someone knocked the door.  Right at the moment when I was playing with flour, butter, lard and milk trying to make a dough for my strudel, then this people want me to open the door.  "Oh, can you come when the strudel cooked??" my heart said. "At least I got something to serve you!", with a little anger.

Without washing my hand, I opened the door.  It was a women, standing like the Statue of Liberty or perhaps she was the statue herself, with her right hand holding unflame torch but hiding her left hand at the cycle of her back but I don't really want to question that.  All I want to know was, why she came and what did she want but I can't help for being curious which has made me speechless like a rock but staring at her up and down. She was wearing a plain white 'baju kurung' like the local school girl except this is all white, not like that old fashion statue of Liberty cloth.

Her blue eyes looking at me, her lips start moving and suddenly she talks "I want to give you something". Not even a smile, she stunningly quiet after those words and moving her left hand out from hiding.

As her left hand shown, a handful of blond hair, she was giving it to me and said, "I am an angel and I just had a hair cut, may be you can get to use it better than me". I, without words pullout my flour gloved hand and took it from her slowly. It was like I was automatically moved my hand to take it and she walked away. I really thought an angel just came to  my door, indeed she is an angel.

I still standing at my door, watching her walked, not a single word still, feels like I was completely in a comma... As she gone, then I realized that I was dreaming while playing the dough, but at the corner of the working table, I saw a packet of Angel Hair Pasta... so, I figured... Today's post is...

Note: 'Baju kurung' is a traditional dress for women.
2nd Note: This is one crap story but I like!!! hahaha

Angel Hair Pasta with Rangat Kupang, Pan Fried Snapper and Acar Mangga.

Ingredients for Pasta

100gm angel hair spaghetti

100gm kupang (washed)

2 nos red chillies (sliced)

2 nos thais chillies (sliced)

Spring onion (sliced)

2 nos garlic (sliced)

Half onion (sliced)

2nos shallot (sliced)

3 tbsp olive oil

Fish stock

Dried oregano

Salt and Pepper

Tips: Kupang is tiny mussels, sized like peanut or almond but its mussel.

Method:

1. Cook pasta to al-dente, drain, keep aside.

2. Heat up a frying pan, add in olive oil, satay saute onion, garlic and shallot until colored a bit brown.

3. Add in kupang and chillies (fig and small) continue saute-ing until a little dry then add a little fish stock, simmer.

4. Add in pasta, stir.

5. Add in spring onion, oregano and check seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Done, you can knock someone else door and give that pasta to them... ;)

Next is....

Pan Fried Red Snapper in Chillies and Lime Juice

Marinating ingredient:

Chillies (big and small), limau kasturi (local lime), tamarind juice, salt and pepper.

You can keep in the chiller after you spread marinating ingredients all over the fish.

Method:

Just fry it already and of course... until cook.

And then....

Acar Mangga (Young Mango Salad)

 Ingredient:

Young mango (sliced), chillies (chopped), lime juice, cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.

(use your judgement...)

Keep in the chiller, in overnight the mango should be soft.

So, you have no idea what is 'Kupang'? me too!!! Kidding... Well kupang is more like babies mussels, they are seasonal, only available for a period of time in a year.  Its a local ingredient and found somewhere in Brunei Bay during low tide.  Fisherman would go into the shallow water and step on the river floor, finding this kupang. 'Rangat Kupang' is the term used for 'kupang' that has already removed from shell which can be found sold in a packet at local market 'Tamu'.

Some Pics...

'Rangat Kupang' in packet, weight 100gm at BN$3.00.

Save your energy to take the kupang out from the shell, as its too tiny and unskilled person could take forever to do this thing.

This still raw.

I am sorry I don't have the picture of this mussels but, its the same with mussel only they're very tiny..

Thats the end of my post... I hope you enjoy reading as I am dancing in the moon light... CIAO!!!

Regards, Chef Nash...

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Cake from obcces for Brunei Foodies v.Pink

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

Today's event at Casa Esperanza was full with sweet lala sweet desserts and obcces was there to share one cake recipe:

Strawberry Layered Cheese Cake

I had trouble cutting this cake actually... which took me almost

half an hour just to keep the shape...

 The first cake I made of the same ingredients...

Tempted??

This is the strawberries (pink) version in cupcakes size with white 

chocolate and home made strawberry jam...

I am not sharing ingredients for this post, you'll have to buy the book when its publish...

The Book...

 

Click picture for more info...

Regards,

Chef Nash

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Duck Confit Cannelloni...

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...


This time, my colleague wants to share one of his specialty... Chef Jimmy with his Duck Confit Cannelloni...

Simple dish with exotic touch...

Duck Confit Cannelloni...

Ingredients: 4 portion

8 nos lasagna sheet or tube pasta

250 gm duck confit

100 gm red and yellow bell peppers (diced)

100 gm button mushroom (sliced)

50 ml cream

50 gm parmesan cheese

50 gm mozzarella cheese

Salt and pepper

Methods:

1.  Cook pasta in a boiling salted water for about 7 minutes, cool down and set aside.

2.  Heat up a non sticky pan and saute capsicum for about 2 minute and add in duck confit, stir.

3.  Add in cream and let it boiled, once boiled low fire and reduce.

4.  Lay pasta sheet on a clean surface (use plastic wrap), put duck mixture on one side of the pasta and roll.

5.  Grease up a tray with oil, place cannelloni on the tray, put some mozzarella cheese on top of it and roast in oven at 200'C for about 5 to 7 minutes (until cheese melted and slightly colored).

Herbed cream sauce

Boiled  same amount of cream and chicken stock and reduce into half.  - use one cup of cream and half cup of stock. Once reduced add in herb (parsley, oregano and basil), add some Parmesan and check seasoning.

Tips: if you are using tube pasta you have to stuff the filling care fully, it might break.

Non-sticky pan help a lot, no oil required...

Ready to be rolled...

Cannelloni companied with sauteed spinach...

Accompanied with cherry tomato... a complete dish...

Chef Jimmy running his Chicken salai stall... jan mare Jim... ;)

*Confit is a method of cooking of meat (mainly goose, duck or poultry) from their own fats, its a long cooking method until the meat really really tender. 

I hope you enjoy and have a great time... ;)

Regards, Chef Nash

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Tagliatelle Sambal Tahai with Eggplant...

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...


Tahai is one of my favorite ingredients at home, as mom always brought it home and yes... cooking it too, her most favorite tahai dishes is 'Tahai Masak Api' - its boiled method of cooking with chillies and tamarind.  Oh, ya... I almost forgot, Tahai is a kind of dried small fish, in the process the fish was grilled and dried and kept in sack.  Sambal tahai is very-very local for Bruneian and you can find it in your Nasi Katuk Stall nearby...

Tagliatelle Sambal Tahai and Eggplant

Ingredients:

300gm Tagliatelle pasta - pasta recipe

100gm sambal tahai

3 nos eggplant

1 nos onion

2 nos garlic

100 gm spring onion

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Cooked pasta in boiling salted water with oil (approximately 7 minute), drained and keep aside.

2. Cut eggplant into chunk and grilled until colored.

3. Heat up a pan, add in oil, saute onion and garlic until a little brown.

4. Add in sambal tahai and continue sauteing.

5. Add in pasta and mix thoroughly with sambal.

6. Check seasoning for taste and salt and pepper.

7. add in Spring onion and ready to served.

Tips: this dish could easily get dried, if neccesary, add some fish stock...

Sambal Tahai...

 Ingredient: onion, garlic, chili paste, tahai (skinned and boned),

shallot, salt and pepper.

Using Lesung (mortar), beat until soft.

But actually, I didnt want to do this, I preffered using electrical blender...

but at the time I made this dish, there was no electricity... 

Tahai... B$2.00 per hundred gms in Pasar Gadong...

I hope you all loving this and want to try it at home, for my foodies from overseas, you can always ordered this 'Tahai' from me... ;)

Until nest time... Have a great time u... ;)

Chef Nash

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Simple but Yummy | Macaroni for Yayai...

Assalamualaikum and salam Sejahtera to all...


I am not a big fan of macaroni but pasta alway be a comfort food for occasions. This recipes has a simple method. To Yayai aka Monyet, I hope you will try this at home... ;)

Macaroni for yayai...

Ingredients | 4 serving:

280gm smoked beef strip (sliced)

1 nos onion (sliced)

3 tbsp corn oil

2nos tomato (sliced)

4 cloves garlic (sliced)

3 nos shallots (sliced)

200 gm parmesan cheese

300 gm macaroni

1 cup cream

1 cup beef stock

Basil and Oregano

Salt and pepper

Methods:
1.   Prepare your ingredients.
2.  Cook macaroni in boiling salted water and oil, cooked about 7 minutes and cool down, set aside.
3.  Heat up sauce pot, add in oil, saute onion, garlic and shallot until soft.
4.  Add beef strip and cook until brown.
5.  Add cream and stock, stir and brings to boiled, once boiled low the fire and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
6.  During simmering process, add tomato, herbs and seasoning.
7.  Add in cooked macaroni and 50gm parmesan cheese, stir, check seasoning again (add salt and pepper)
8.  Heat up oven to 230'C and get a casserole ready. Pour macaroni into casserole and top with parmesan cheese.
9.  Put in oven for about 15 minute, ready to eat.

Method thru pics...

Gather your ingredients...

Sliced garlic, onion and shallot...

Boiled macaroni...

Strip smoked beef (sliced)

Sauteed until soft...

Add in beef and stir...

Browned...

Cream and stock added, simmering process...

Adjust taste...

In Casserole...

 Parmesan cheese on top...

Just come out from the oven...

Yummyyy...

I hope you enjoy and have a great time...

"Healthy food builds healthy mind..."

Regards, Chef Nash

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What do you know about Pizza?

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

Pizza pronoun as ‘pi:t-sa’ as how Italian would say it, some people from this region call it ‘pisa’ ‘pija’ or ‘piza’ or even pijaa, anyhow they would call it, as we know it is always referred as ‘Pizza’ – the world’s popular dish.

How much do you know about ‘Pizza’? Round bread with tomato and a lots of cheese as topping, ‘fast food’, originated in Italy, food for poor people? You could say whatever you want, whats important, pizza is Italian’s proud and that is the reason why ‘Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana’ (True Neapolitan Pizza Association founded in 1984) has set a very specific rules that must be followed for an Authentic Neapolitan Pizza.

 

History:

Pizza is a world popular dish originated from the city of Naples, Italy.  In the 16^th century it was a baker’s tool as dough used to verify oven’s temperature. It was sold in the street and dish for poor people.  Only later in that century it was covered by oil, cheese and tomato.  In June 1889, Chef Rafaelle Esposito (a chef working in ‘Pietro… e basta cosi’, today called ‘Pizzeria Brandi’) created three different kind of pizzas for the visit of King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoy.  The Queen’s favorite was a pizza evoking the colors of Italian flag – green (basil leaves), white (mozzarella) and red (tomatoes). The combination was named Pizza Margherita in her honour.

In the late 19^th century, pizza was first sold on the streets of Italian neighborhoods in the United States.  It was introduced by a peddler who walked up and down at Taylor Streets in Chicago with a metal washtub of pizzas on his head, selling his wares at two cents a chew.  This was the way pizza used to be sold in Naples, in cooper cylindrical drums with false bottoms that were packed with charcoal from the oven to keep the pizzas hot.  It wasn’t long until small cafes and groceries began offering pizzas to their Italian-American communities.

In 1943, the modern pizza industry was born in the Midwestern United States, when Ric Ricardo pioneered what became known as the Chicago-style deep dish pizza in his joint venture with Ike Sewell Pizzeria Uno in Chicago opened. Others might argue that the ‘modern pizza industry’ begun with the birth of Pizza Hut in Wichita, Kansas in 1958.

Today, pizza has become an international food with many different topping but still using the same basic design with an exceptionally diverse choice of ingredients. 

 

Type of Pizza:

In Italy, authentic pizzas are made with local ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes and Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, which is made with water buffalo milk.  The dough itself consists of Italian wheat flour, natural Neopolitan yeast, extra virgin olive oil, salt and water.

From all pizzas, the basic is always Pizza Margherita: dough, tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil. This pizza when added with different ingredients will create many different pizzas.  The most popular Italian pizza among Italian cuisine lovers are Margherita, Romana, Capricciosa, Quatro Stagioni, Quatro Formagi, Bianca and Calzone.

Pizza Marinara was never with seafood, it was said that the pizza was made by ‘la marinara’ the seaman’s wife, prepared the food for her seafaring husband when he returning home from fishing trips in the Bay of Naples. 

Around the world, different places offer different pizzas, for example in Australia, they called it Pizza Australiana (making it sounds very Italian?) which using additional ingredients like: bacon, egg and prawns.  In Brunei, Pizza hut claimed ‘Honey Garlic Chicken Pizza’ is very popular among Bruneian.

 

Baking methods:

Most restaurants with pizza in the menu are using oven with stone brick above the heat source. Some expensive restaurant even used a wood or coal-fired brick oven.  In home cooking, pizza can be cooked using trays, some people used pizza stone that are removable and used it when making pizzas.

Today pizza even pre-baked and sold frozen in supermarket (these are for lazy people.. lol) or even easier, call your nearest pizza delivery services, it is usually cooked per ordered, except in some places they pre-baked the dough.

Health issues:

Some pizzas can be high in saturated fat, salt and calories. In the UK, most pizza takeaway varieties are often loaded with high fat cheeses and fatty meats, a high intake of which can contribute to obesity, a risk factor for cancer.  (I don’t want to say this but sorry guys…) Pizza Hut has come under criticism for the high salt content of some of their meals which were found to contain more than twice the daily recommended amount of salt for an adult.

 

Records:

*The largest pizza was recorded in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the Norwood Pick n Pay hypermarket. According to Guinness Book of Records, the pizza was 37.4 meters (122 feet 8 inches) in diameter and was made using 500kg of flour, 800kg of cheese and 900kg of tomato puree. This was accomplished on December 8, 1990.

*The most expensive pizza was made by the restaurateur Domenico Crolla, which included toppings such as sunblush-tomato sauce, Scottish smoke salmon, medallions of venison, edible gold, lobster marinated in the finest cognac and champagne-soaked caviar. The pizza was sold at auction for charity for £2,150.

My specialty pizza: Pizza Chicken in Pesto with Chilies and Perilla

 

Info taken from Wikipediadotcom

I hope you enjoy reading... have a great Pizza day!!!

Regards, Chef Nash

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