Chef Nash Culinary

What do you do with Kurma after Ramadhan?

2010-11-23T23:33:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

Hello my dear readers... Ramadhan has left us for about 3 months now and guess what? I still have those 'kurnia' kurma in my chiller and since they're untouched, one morning I was thinking to get my hands dirty with flour and I came up with this idea of making cup cakes out of these dried fruit, so then the story begin...

See, how long have I kept this kurma??

Dates Health Benefits
This tiny fruit has more potassium than even a banana does! Loaded with high dietary fiber, and dismissive quantities of calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium make this fruit a vital source of nutrients. An interesting fact about dates is that it is one of the important fruits consumed after breaking fast during the Ramadan holy month in the Arab countries. Just a handful, increases the energy levels of the body that has received no nourishment throughout the day, during fast. Dates are energy boosters with naturally occurring sugars such as fructose, glucose and sucrose that provide the body with loads of energy.

Dates are one of the best natural sources of potassium, an essential mineral needed by the body to maintain muscle contractions, and smooth functioning of the heart muscles. As potassium does not get stored in the body, a regular consumption of dates will continually replenish the body and aid in maintaining a healthy nervous system and the right balance of the body’s metabolism. Calcium and magnesium present in the dates ensure healthy bone development and energy metabolism. Important vitamins, like vitamin A and a variety of B-complex vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, etc) help fight off many infections to maintain and develop a healthy body. Dates contain vital amino acids that aid in smooth digestion and the adequate nicotinic content in them helps cure intestinal disturbances. (info taken from here)

click table for link

Since I love cheese alot, I never missed to mix it in my cakes recipe. This time I used both Philadelphia cream cheese and Mascarpone cheese as key ingredients apart from dates itself. So, I called this cakes...

"Mascarpone Kurma Cuppies"

Ingredients:

250 gm mascarpone cheese

100 gm philadelphia cream cheese

2 nos egg

120 gm sugar

120 gm cake flour

250 gm dried dates

Method:

1. Divide dates into two bowls, use fine blender and chop until fine.

2. Using knife, chop the other bowl of dates manually into small dice/chunk.

3. Heat up oven to 160'C

4. Mix both cheese with sugar in mixer until creamy.

5. Add in eggs and let it mix.

6. Add in the fine blended dates and let it mix.

7. Add in flour and let it mix.

8. Switch machine off and take the bowl, add in diced dates and mix using spoon.

9. Pour batter into cup mold using ladle.

10. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes.

*Natural sweetness from dates actually makes this cakes really sweet, so you might reduce the amount of sugar.

Please follow pics as method:

Kurma or Dates

Using a Blender, blend until creamy (this are really sticky)

Using knife, chop manually into chunk/dice

Add in chop dates in the batter using spoon (make sure to

leave some to be put on top before baking)

Batter in the cup

The leftover chopped dates on the batter just before baking

Oh.. this just came out from the oven..

I didn't have the cakes for presentation because they're gone before I knew it... These cakes were so sweet but rich in flavors... nice... I like... ;))

So, I hope you enjoy and good luck trying this cake...

Regards, Chef Nash

My all time feveret...

2010-11-12T18:40:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and salam sejahtera to all...

This is not a recipe sharing post, not a photo sharing post either, its more like 'just post it' post... well, I've been meaning to post this dish quite sometime ago but, I got carried away with my surrounding and just in case you're asking where I've been or where I am now... I am in the middle of some where and probably you'll get to know where it is... so...

My all time favorite dish is 'Ikan Asam Pedas'. When I was young, dad always bring home fishes cause he was a fish monger and all my life I've been feed proteins from the creatures in the water. I'd say until now I still love fishes and every once a while I'd go to wet market just to get whats fresh in the market. Yeah, I do fishing to, on my free time, just around the riverbed or goin out with friends on boat. Its always been fun to have your own fresh catch and get to cook what you got from the water.

Asam pedas has tamarind and chillies as main ingredients and its taste real good with fishes like snapper (berahan/ikan merah), seabass (selongsong), mackerel (tengiri) and sting ray (ikan pari). It was said to be originated from Peninsular Malaysia's Melaka but I'd say it doesn't matter where it was originated cause where ever it was, I always have love for this particular dish.

In one morning, I've gone cooking for my lunch... here we go...

I used Ikan Berah-berahan (red snapper) for this recipe cause I love

the taste of this fish in asam pedas, thats how I used to eat it tho... ;)

As I love chillies a lot... this ones very HOT!!!

So, there goes Asam Pedas will continue to rules in my line of appetite, until the next asam pedas with a different version... hope you enjoy, have a great time.

Regards,

Chef Nash

I m bored...

2010-11-09T22:15:00.002+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

I haven't been blogging for a long period... yea, and just today I m so bored.. so... I got this tapau food from Secret Recipe brought to me by Baby Girl and I was so bored, I re-plated it with some more veggies I get from Pasar Gadong while I went out shopping for some more ingredients...

This is how it looks when I got the food, its Lamb Shank with mashed potatoes and a bun...

And this is how it looks after re-plating it... Lamb Shank with buttered broccoli and turned carrot with yam...

So, I m thinking to change my blog name again to "Chef Nash gone Home Cooking"... I don't really cook so much at home but I think, I'll start on my free time since I've got someone to cook for... yehhhaaa...

So, until next time...

Regards, Chef Nash

I ate the Angel's Hair...

2010-05-13T00:33:00.000+08:00

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*

Read This!!

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

2010-04-12T00:48:00.000+08:00

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

Duck Confit Cannelloni...

2010-04-06T01:43:00.000+08:00

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

Tagliatelle Sambal Tahai with Eggplant...

2010-03-23T17:22:00.000+08:00

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

Simple but Yummy | Macaroni for Yayai...

2010-03-17T06:04:00.000+08:00

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

Almost perfect: Oreo Choc CheeseCake...

2010-03-08T23:13:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam sejahtera to all...

Hello everyone… then, that day I got up with cheesecake in my head, so, I went to a cake shop and steal this cheesecake from them… hahaha… I hope u enjoy…

Oreo Chocolate Cheese Cake…

Ingredients:

680gm Philadelphia cheese (cut chunk)

3 packets oreo biscuit

½ cup butter (oh yes its melted)

1 cup sugar

6 nos egg

8 tbsp all purpose flour

3 tsp vanilla essence

200 gm cooking chocolate

Method:

1. Heat up oven at 180’C (356’F).

2. Then, crush oreo to crumb and place in mould (I used a disposable aluminum container) and pour butter all over and bake in oven for 10 minute. Cool it down.

3. Melt chocolate in a bowl on a boiling water.

4. In a mixer bowl, mix cheese until soft. Add sugar and chocolate and let it mix.

5. Beat egg in a different bowl and add in the cheese mix.

6. Add in vanilla essence.

7. Once batter mixed evenly, pour on oreo crumb and spread, flattened using spatula.

8. Bake in the oven for about 40 minute at 180’C.

Or you can follow method by looking at pics in below…

So, I let my sister to taste the cake… hmmm, she said I should remove the

cream filling from oreo and the texture is moist… compliment? I guess… ;)

I used to love oreo so much… how about you?

Ohhh… I just love chocolate… can I eat this already?

Tips: let the cheese out from the fridge at least half hour

before use, it’ll help…

Before egg...

After egg...

Nice mixture uhh... spread them dong...

“Hey… oven! open your door, I m coming in…”

After 40 minutes or so, use bamboo skewer to check cake… cooked!!!

So, this is the only problem I got, the base was breaking…

Half gone in my tummy…

So… are you going to try this or not??

P/s: I don’t remember where I got the recipe from but hell I didn’t copy it… ingredients were measured and yes… I call this almost perfect because it is not perfect but I think it will… so, good luck!!!

Regards, Chef Nash…

HMC No. 1: Homemade Sheperd's Pie

2010-02-21T14:54:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

Obcces is on its 12^th month this month and by the10^th of March this year it will be one year in the internet. Since obcces went online there were goodcomments and of course bad ones too. What’smost exciting was getting in the top9 in foodbuzz.com but now foodbuzz don’t dotop9 anymore, so less excitement. As it’s for me, been fun most of the time,getting to get new foodie friends and networking with them and get to shareideas with people around the globe.

For the past three months obcces/I was not as active as itwas before in posting recipes, it’s not because there was nothing to post/writebut I was caught up with few personal things in my professional life that I amnot wanting to share here but I think it is the ups and downs in blogging as Iam not a full time in running this blog.

Now, I am so excited to get obcces moving by adding one newprogram that I called ‘Home Made Cooking’ or ‘HMC’ – which consist of recipes of mycreation or modified and it is aiming for home cooking. Most of this recipes were requested byreaders and some will be taken from my very own collection recipes.

As I understand that in my professional line of work, I cookall the time which slowly killing my interest to cook at home because I don’thave time for it or I don’t have anyone to cook for, ~kidding~ actually, Idon’t like buying ingredients which in the end will be spoiled because I nevercook them. Do you believe that I stillhave the fish that I bought for ‘Ginseng Dory Udon’ in my freezer? Youbetter!!! That’s how lazy I am cooking at home. And this has become habit for me, so I am removing this silly habit.

Cooking at home is way different from cooking in therestaurant. In the restaurant,everything is there, from tiny equipments to the biggest pot, from eggs toBeluga Caviar, so I can just cook anything that comes out from my chef’s brain.While at home, limited equipments and limited ingredients is always the matterof cooking will never be perfect. Theregoes the idea of having this ‘Home Made Cooking’ project taking place, alsobecause my kitchen is one of those kitchen that lack of equipment, small andold but hey… believe me, when you cook good, no matter how limited is your ingredientor equipments, the out come is the most important things.

I will tried to make as simple as I could to present anydishes in HMC’s post, so that you can try them in your very own kitchen. Anycomment or question you can tag in comment box at the bottom of this post. You should be lucky if your have a very niceequipped kitchen or may be you can invite me to your house to cook for you…lol..

As my first post for HMC program… let me introduce to you…

obcces home made Sheperd's Pie

Not your typical Sheperd’s Pie…this was requested by Izzah –

When you cooking this your own, make sure you send me

the picture of your readyto eat pie… ;)

==================================

I am using mashed sweet potatoes as topping instead of the typical mashed potatoes and very basic ingredients. No artificial product used! Now that’s veryimportant in my cooking – always remember, healthy food builds healthy mind!

Gather you ingredients

Ingredients: serving 4 people

500gm minced beef

2 nos red capsicum (diced)

2 nos carrot (diced)

2 nos onion (sliced)

800 gm fresh tomatoes (peeled)

5 nos shallot (sliced)

2 cups veggie stock

1.2 kg sweet potatoes

2 sticks celery (for stock)

Cooking oil (corn oil)

100gm butter

1 tbsp sugar

Tarragon

Salt and pepper

Sauteed the beef

First, you got to sauté the beef until brown and strain outthe fats mixed some tarragon, keep stirring to let it cook in balance. At thisstage, season beef with salt and pepper to taste. Once brown strain out the fats and keep itaside to cool.

Next, you got to make your own tomato sauce, this is my homeversion healthy tomato sauce. You’ll have to peel that tomato by blanching itto make it easy to peel. The method isto cut out the tomatoes eyes, boiled water to boiling point and blanch them forabout 15 second and let it cool in iced water then it’ll be easier to feelusing a small knife.

Tips: make sure you washed the tomato before blanching asyou are going to use the water to boil sweet potatoes.

Tips too: to save your time at this stage you may put insweet potatoes and cook until soft. Make sure you add more water if the wateris draining.

Homemade whole peeled tomatoes.

You can use canned one tho but I am not encouraging... ;)

Then heat up a sauce pot and sauté onion and shallot tobrown color. Then add in tomatoes and a cup of veggie stock, let it boiled. Once boiled, simmer for about 20 to 30minutes. Tomatoes should become soft and easy to crush using spoon. Do not addseasoning. This is a very basic tomato sauce which you can use for othercooking,

Tips: If you are going to cook another dishes that usingtomato sauce, add more quantity of tomatoes and stocks. Sauce you can keep inrefrigerator up to 3 days.

Simmering process, tomatoes already soft

While waiting for tomato sauce to be ready (duringsimmering), heat another sauce pot and caramelized diced capsicum and carrot.Add the beef in, let them blend, keep stirring and control fire when needed.Add in tomato sauce. –see picture below.

Pics from top to bottom: diced

capsicum and carrot,caramelized and

beef added, tomato sauce added.

At this stage, then you can add seasoning: salt and pepperto taste and sugar. Low fire and let it simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, adda little veggie stock if its too dry.

Tips: Add some more tarragon. Do not add too much sugar assweet potatoes already has sweetness.

Tips too: the beef sauce shouldn’t be watery, it should tobe thickened.

At this stage your sweet potatoes must be cooked already,then put them in the bowl and start mashing them, add butter and stir withwooden spoon.

Once the beef ready, pour in to your casserole and flattenedusing spatula. Spread mashed sweetpotatoes for topping. At 180’C oven,bake your pie for about 40 minutes.

Flattened in casserole...

Tips: I used end of fork to make spiral line shape on top ofthe potatoes before entering the oven.

And then, it’s done…

Half gone...

This dish is good to be served in family dinner or partygathering.

==================================

Veggie stock...

Use trimming (carrots and capsicum), onion (cut quarter),shallot (cut half) and celery (chunk). Boil in 2 liter water, once boiledsimmer let it simmer not more then 30 minute.

Tips: veggie stock can be chilled in refrigerator until 3days, you might need it for making soups.

==================================

I wish you good luck trying and always remember… eat healthyfood… ;)

Regards, Chef Nash

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Chicken and Romaine Salad

2010-02-19T03:46:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sekahtera to all...

Chicken and Romaine Salad

Ingredients:

1 no chicken breast

3 leaf romaine salad

½ no red onion (sliced)

½ no grilled red capsicum (peeled and sliced)

Grated parmesan cheese

Black caviar

Seasoning: pinch of paprika, salt and pepper

Balsamic dressing

Pesto

Methods:

Poached chicken in to rosemary water until cooked andsliced, let it cool. Take 3 nos of romaine leaf and sliced julienne. Mixed wellchicken, romaine and red capsicum together with seasoning. Put 2 leaf ofromaine as base on plate, put chicken mix in the middle. Scatter parmesan andcaviar on the salad and put dressing.

==== IMPORTANT TO READ ====

What do we know about Healthy Diet?

A Healthy Diet contains a balance of food groups and allnutrients necessary to promote good health and a good health is one key to ahealthy living which consists of positive social activities, hygiene, stressmanagement and health care. A healthydiet involves consuming all nutrients and adequate amounts of water. Composition of nutrients that are needed forour health growth includes macronutrients(proteins, fat and carbohydrates), energy(chemical reaction from food), minerals,vitamins and fiber.

The concept of healthy eating in our country is never takentoo seriously by most of us because of our environment and lifestyle thoughthere is campaign run by the authorities and individuals to practice healthydiet. It is also notified that chronichealth risks such as obesity, heart diseases, diabetes and cancer mostly causedby improper eating habit.

How do we maintain healthy diet?

· The basic principle of healthy diet is to eat awide variety of foods from natural sources. It is important because differentfoods contribute different nutrition. Apart from fruits, vegetables, grain,legumes (foods high in complex carbohydrates), fiber, vitamins and minerals.Low fat food and cholesterol free should make up the bulk of calories youconsume. The rest should come from lean meat or poultry and fish.

· Maintain a balance between calorie intake andexpenditure, for example, do not eat more then your body can utilize orotherwise you will gain weight. Moreactive or do fitness activity (sports) balance to your leisure activity (watchingTVs etc).

A healthy diet doesn’t mean to eating foods that are blandor unappealing or in other words you can’t eat cheeseburger but just be sure tolimits how frequently you eating such foods.

Healthy living…

In long terms our body got effected from what we’re eatingeveryday from the day one. The foods that we eat influenced our dailyactivities so does it effects our health. A healthy person have a healthy mind and body, there it continues tobuild happiness too.

The British Heart Foundation said “you are what you eat’and have guidance towards what is recommended for our daily eating habits.

Today, most restaurants operators or food manufacturersdon’t really bother about nutrition content of selling food product as long asthey making profits. It is important for us to have knowledge of what to eat ondaily basis.

I hope you enjoy, till next time… Have a great day… ‘)

Chef Nash

Gong Xi Fa Cai...

2010-02-17T11:35:00.000+08:00

OBCCES Crew wishing GONG XI FA CAI to all Chinese community around the globe...

_______________________________________________

The celebration in our Chef's office...

The food, Yee Sang in the middle...

Our Executive Chef, Chef Torsten delivering speech...

Guest of honor arrived with family...

Seasoning Yee Sang by Chef Kenny...

The picture of us eating cannot be published because there is none... I was eating, these pics was taken on the 14th February 2010 at 4pm, in the Chefs office...

We wish you Happy Chinese New Year of Tiger...

Regards, Chef Nash

What do you know about Pizza?

2010-02-10T03:56:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

Pizza pronoun as ‘pi:t-sa’ as how Italian wouldsay it, some people from this region call it ‘pisa’ ‘pija’ or ‘piza’ or evenpijaa, 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, pizzais Italian’s proud and that is thereason why ‘Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana’ (True Neapolitan PizzaAssociation founded in 1984) has set a very specific rules that must befollowed for an Authentic NeapolitanPizza.

History:

Pizza is a world popular dishoriginated from the city of Naples,

Italy

. In the 16^th century it was abaker’s tool as dough used to verify oven’s temperature. It was sold in thestreet and dish for poor people. Onlylater 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 thevisit of King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoy. The Queen’s favorite was a pizza evoking thecolors of Italian flag – green (basil leaves), white (mozzarella) and red(tomatoes). The combination was named PizzaMargherita 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 upand down at Taylor Streets in Chicagowith a metal washtub of pizzas on his head, selling his wares at two cents achew. This was the way pizza used to besold in Naples,in cooper cylindrical drums with false bottoms that were packed with charcoalfrom the oven to keep the pizzas hot. Itwasn’t long until small cafes and groceries began offering pizzas to theirItalian-American communities.

In 1943, the modern pizza industry was born inthe Midwestern United States, when RicRicardo pioneered what became known as the Chicago-style deep dish pizza inhis joint venture with Ike Sewell PizzeriaUno in Chicagoopened. Others might argue that the ‘modern pizza industry’ begun with thebirth of Pizza Hut in Wichita, Kansasin 1958.

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

Type of Pizza:

Italy

, authentic pizzas are madewith local ingredients like San Marzanotomatoes and Mozzarella di BufalaCampana, which is made with water buffalo milk. The dough itself consists of Italian wheatflour, natural Neopolitan yeast, extra virgin olive oil, salt and water.

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

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

Around the world, different placesoffer different pizzas, for example in

Australia

, they called it Pizza Australiana (making it sounds veryItalian?) which using additional ingredients like: bacon, egg and prawns. In

Brunei

, Pizza hut claimed ‘HoneyGarlic Chicken Pizza’ is very popular among Bruneian.

Baking methods:

Most restaurants with pizza in themenu are using oven with stone brick above the heat source. Some expensiverestaurant even used a wood or coal-fired brick oven. In home cooking, pizza can be cooked usingtrays, some people used pizza stone that are removable and used it when makingpizzas.

Today pizza even pre-baked andsold 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 insaturated fat, salt and calories. In the UK, most pizza takeaway varietiesare often loaded with high fat cheeses and fatty meats, a high intake of whichcan 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 theirmeals which were found to contain more than twice the daily recommended amountof salt for an adult.

Records:

*The largest pizza was recorded in Johannesburg,South Africa, at the Norwood Pick n Payhypermarket. 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. Thiswas 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 andchampagne-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

Pizza...

2010-01-05T00:48:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

The restaurant wasn't busy today and I had so much time to play around like usual, so, I ask the person near my station of what pizza they want to eat... thats Wanna, hmmm... or her new nick name 'Pampan' (not telling the story...) anyway, I know, I didn't blog much for the past 2 to 3 months due to some technical problems which is hard to avoid (or should I call it 'laziness'? lol!) but its ok... I will try to catch up and post informative articles in OBCCES the next time... yeah! its a promise... cause I know, there will be changes in 2010, that is "good things will start this year!"

So, what pizza Wanna requested?

Margarita Bolognaise

Extra topping : bolognaise

See Wanna eat...

Earlier that day, I made a big Pizza for everyone... (I shouldn't be telling this but whatta heck!) it was made from 700gm Pizza dough : Pizza Tuna but I didn't have a shot... but its ok... what I can show you is this special pizza I made just before our first guest arrived....

Frutti Di Mare...

Before oven...

After oven...

This pizza used 8 nos chili padi... think u can handle it? ;)

Incase you wants to make your own pizza...

Dough recipe...

800gm bread/strong flour

200gm semolina

30gm dry yeast

50ml EVOO

30gm sugar

30gm salt

500ml warm water approx 40'C

Method:

1. Using Mixer, put in flour, semolina yeast and sugar, mix well.

2. Add EVOO and water, let it mix for about 2 minutes.

3. Add in water and salt, let it mixed for about 10 to 15 minute.

4. Cut dough into portion, one portion at 200gm and shape it round like bun.

5. Rest your dough for about 10 to 15 minute and cover with clean damp cloth.

6. Rolled using rolling pin to flat the dough and spread tomato sauce/mayonaise and lastly put cheese on top.

* dont forget to season, bake in the oven at 200'C and if you wants topping... just put anything on top but I don't prefer you to put raw meat (but if you want... why not!)

* use grated Mozzarella Cheese

Click here for Tomato Sauce recipe

Whos hungry?

hahaha... guess who?

Enough for this time... until next time...

regards,

Chef Nash

Spaghettini's Album - 2009

2009-12-29T02:10:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

In few days 2009 will become memories and 2010 will open a new line of happiness, joy and fun (what about misery?) This going to be my last post for this year and I will try to update as much next year... to all my friends, colleague and readers....

HAPPY NEW YEAR @ 2010

The Trio Heroes from Spaghettini: Chef Nash, Shining D and Naz... Anitah kaja dorang taim abis kaja ne... ke pool deck blajar swimming...

Chef Nash testing pakaian tradisi orang canada di tauh 160Masehi... dah atu menari ya lagu guling tangan... yang lain, mbaca magazine...

Si Ibu marah kepada anak nya yang babal seperti kura2... Kepada adik ayng babal lagi BAJ___ good luck in the army.... wahahaha, and just so u know, nobody miss u... wahahaha

Sitting atas invisible chair... sapa nda nampak anak luar nikah... wahaha copy from ceta p.ramlee...

Aku ngan Sarah dalam dunia yang penuh dengan 'peace' ala kadar... si kiut yang biut yang always be my baby boy.... wahahahaha

Ani gambar taim si Ajoy Besday... prasan ku udah ku masuk kan

gambar ani dlm post... adeh... liat cha c Madi ah... CDP baru kami kli ah ya atu.... hehehe

Jimmy and Nana dalam peraduan conteng2 di Spag kitchen, sapa manang hadiahnya bulih ambil jawatan 'Sous Chef' a.k.a Supervisor di Spag.... haha... aku kan ikut inda kana bawa, so jadi cameraman saja ku...

Daud a.k.a Shining D and Shydah lagi sekali dalam sessi

suai kenal untuk memperjuangkan keamanan dunia yang

balik2 kana tayangkan di CNN... 'PEACE YOOOO'

Spags Beauty contest... dan calon-calon nya ialah....

duduk dari kiri, Dayang SeriBanun, Bu Hjh Putu Mayang,

Siti Kura2 Korea dan Saripah Mayang Mengurai.

Berdiri ialah Puteri Gunung Patoi....

Wahahaha.... dan pemenangnya ialah.... Piano.... jan marah kamu!

Si Nana beteriak mengarik si Saman untuk mengyuyung

lipas yang lapas dari gua lubang idung nya... hahaha

Sessi belajar membaca bagi budak2 sekolah tadika untuk

topik, 'banyak membaca memperkaya minda' - di copy dari iklan libraby bandar....

Aku sama baby girl yang bukan lagi baby, yatah payah kan

menyumbatkan susu arah mulutnya.... Izah, we miss u... hmmm, especially me!

Ex-Satria baja hitam yang udah besara... msa ani, masuk

team power ranger ya udah.... lapasnya belakun ceta

'jan pandang belakang cangkul'

Si Franklin dalam baju babynya... eyh! Frank mana aku

punya brownies? 6 tahun ku nunggu ko kan bagi arah ku....

kek batik jua ah... hehehe

Naz and Daud belakun untuk siri cerita CSI:miau...

bukan miami tu yo... taim dorang membuat pemeriksaan

ke atas pizza yang mati kana bunuh dlm oven...

Yang ani Sous Chef Kami dengan mistres2 nya...

waduh pak.... banyak banget!!!

Eyh! prasan jua doran ani.... mun bukan kamu yang

mbuat mouse bediri atu, jan kan di kacau.... kana ampas

krg leh si Armi yg meliat2 udah ah....

Wow! sapa ne? anilah artis udangan yang didatangkan dari

negara CR... apakan tu benatang nya...

Ani sapa lagi ne? eyh! ada (C)aling di blakang nya ah....

kuat itam nya tu laii.... udahtah itam bekilau lagi... hantap..

hahaha

Jibah, lapas nya ngurek idung nya... ku pikir tah
taie idung nya ani damit.... sekalinya mcm cacing aniwah...
ey... jan liat badan damit taid idung pun damit, basaa kli ah...
disgusting... Bah, we miss u bah... kim salam anak mu ah....

Dua ekor anak kura2 yang baru menetas dari telur...

Eyh! ada mcm kura2 kah dorang anie?

Ani lagi salah satu baby ku yang baru pandai

bejalan... hehehe yang di belakang atu baby babu... hmmm...

Whatta heck are these people doing? looking at what?

Eyh! ada ku nampak tuyul bediri dblakang ah...

Dengan ini mempersembahkan : Sifu dari neraga

kongostan... hmm, sepertinya ku kenal lelaki itam itu...

My dining zone... 7 Star yo....

Guess who? Sapa inda kenal ah... wahaha

Tiga gadis gelap... hmmm... banar kah gelap...
si Shydah atu... yatah ganya kaja tu... peace konon!

Adeh.... sampai angkat2 sekali... cuba si daud ngangkat si

madi... or si aisyah ngangkat si zati...

Band undangan dari Bangladesh Utara... band yang amat

popular di kampung ulu katak... sudah menyiapkan 86 buah

album, msa ane dorang buat tour di amerika tengah...

Si Monster aka Ajim d steward, boyfren kepada siAl...
first day udah kana siram yo... C Fau, atu behapa ya kan tu...?

Sepasang kekasih yang hubungan dorang inda kana
restui oleh anak ucing si Tuti.... hensen eh siAl ah... fewwwiitttt!!! hahaha

Adeh! sangal ku eh.... ani kan tido dlu ku, bah kawan2 ku semua, jangan marah ah gambar kamu masuk blog ani... tujuan ku memang plang kan buat kamu marah.... hahaha

Dan Selamat menyambut tahun baru 2010...

Semoga tahun baru ani kitani semua akan dapat mencapai apa yang di impikan...
Impian ku apa ah.... aku mau kawin dapat?

Chef Nash

Binding food...

2009-12-02T04:51:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all…

Some people say food is the common ground to bind everyone.How do you find this true? It is fact that we need food to survive andingredient is just that important for good food. As simple as the needs to feedfor us, what in life have you tried eating? From simple food to the mostexpensive food in the world, in the end, what is the different? They’re stillfood, isn’t it?

As people has capabilities for traveling and brought theygrew up food/ingredients with them, has infuse according to what is availableat where they’re at. One simple exampleI can give is, ‘noodle or pasta’. Until today, there is no truth about where isit originated, was the Chinese invented noodle and brought to the west andusing ‘west’ ingredients they created pasta? Or vise versa… not a single personwould care to solve this question because, it is food, it doesn’t matter whoinvent what as long as, we live to enjoy food.

And also yes, in some scenario, you couldn’t just claim youinvented scramble egg, while that’s the simplest food you could eat but you canjust remember that, probably about 90% of world populations eat scramble egg(or just egg generally) and the remaining 10% are those with some kind ofsickness that never allow them to eat egg but don’t tell me that you nevertried eating egg or food that are made from eggs in your life. So, that’smaking it probably there are no 10%. Correct me if I am wrong… ;)

So, my question is what takes higher ground to bindeveryone? Can anyone help me to answer this? Yes! It is still food, lets justget to one simple food of all time and very popular, of course. The classicrecipe from both east and west part of the world… its combination that justbind us together which proves the world taste so good on a plate…

Sambal and Pesto… (this suppose to be my post’s topic but…try bind them, what could it be?)

These two foods are well known in places they wereoriginated and for past decades it has been improvised in many ways but theoriginal/traditional still reveal the best of it.

Sambal...

What is Sambal? Wikipedia.com said ‘A Sambal can be acondiment, an ingredient or a dish which will always contain a large amount ofchilies’. I have grown up with Sambal and the best description for Sambal is spicycondiment. Sambal is almostversatile in Asian cuisine, now has become one of the most important food in arestaurants or home. Thru time it has improvised using many differentingredients but the basic recipe still used, that is Chilies (many chilies).

There are two different kind of Sambal, that is raw and cooked, both are using same ingredient except the raw ones doesn’tuse oil because it is not sautéed. It is true that some sambal is extremely‘hot’ but some people just know how to make it eatable for people who can’ttake spicy, it is not even ‘hot’ when using replacement ingredient, tomato andvery little amount of boiled seeded chilies and sugar.

Sambal is also used as ingredients in meat, chicken, seafoodor even vegetables. Sambal prawn is oneof my favorite dishes created from sambal. Some people eat sambal as dip forsalad and some even dip it with fruits, especially sour fruits like young mango(ampalam) or pineapple – with soy sauce as additional ingredient.

It is not known where was sambal originated but the closesanswer was probably from Indonesia’s Minagkabau, which their basic ingredientof sambal are still used until today that is chili pepper or green chiliblended together with garlic, shallot, red or green tomato, salt and lemon orlime juice, brown sugar, then sauteedwith oil until dried or caramelized. Traditionally sambal’s ingredient wasprocessed using ‘lesung’ (mortar) which all ingredients were blended togetherbut today using food processor is the easiest way.

Traditional Malay ‘Nasi Lemak’ (steam rice in coconut milkfragrance with screw-pine leaf) must have Sambal on the side as condiment. Malaypeople have so many different kinds of Sambals which was named afteralternative ingredients for example: Sambal Belacan with shrimp paste asadditional ingredient, Sambal jeruk with ‘jeruk’ (mango pickles) as additionalingredient or Sambal Asam (tamarind) as ingredient.

In some places, they use vinegar or tamarind as replacementfor lime. At home my mom any my sisters used both tamarind and lime but they tooaware of the amount of chilies used as not everyone of us eating hot especiallySal (my elder sister). In my case, the hotter the better (never ask me to makesambal if your ‘hot’ level is none or just mild, you’ll regret to eat mysambal… lol!)

Allright, was that too little or too much about sambal – aspecialty from the east part of the world. Now whats the west has to offer?

Pesto…

What is Pesto? Wikipedia.com said is a sauce originated fromGenoa in the Linguria region of northern Italy. So, it’sa sauce but its more like condiment to me. Help me people… ;)

The basic ingredients for pesto is (or could this be thetraditional pesto) basil, parsley, pine nut, olive oil and crushed garlic. Pestoused a large amount of Basil and blended together with other ingredient.

Historically, pesto is prepared in a marble mortar with awooden pestle. The leaves are washed, dried, placed in the mortar with garlicand coarse salt, and crushed to a creamy consistency. The pine nuts are addedand crushed together with the other ingredients. When the nuts arewell-incorporated into the "cream", grated cheese or olive oil can beadded and mixed with a wooden spoon. In a tight jar (or simply in an air-tight plasticcontainer), pesto can last in the refrigerator up to a week, and can also befrozen for later use.

Pesto is never apart from Italian restaurant all over theworld, it should be known that pesto must be in somehow even if it’s not in themenu.

A slightly different version of the sauce exists in Provence, where is is known as ‘Pistou’. Incontrast with the genovese pesto, pistou is generally made with olive oil,basil and garlic only: while cheese may be added, usually no nuts are included.Pistou is used in the typical soupe au pistou, a hearty vegetable soupwith pistou flavour. The sauce did not originally contain basil, however.Instead, cheese and olive oil were the main constituents. Sometimes almonds are used instead of pine nuts, and sometimes mint leavesare mixed in with the basil leaves.

Pesto is a generic term for anything which is made by pounding and there arevarious other Pestos, some traditional, some modern.

Pesto alla siciliana, sometimes called simply pesto rosso (redpesto) is a sauce from Sicilysimilar to Genovese pesto but with the addition of tomato, almonds instead ofpine nuts and much less basil. Pesto alla calabrese is a sauce from Calabria consisting of(grilled) bell peppers, black pepper and more; these ingredients give it adistinctively spicy taste. Pesto alla genovese is made with Genovesebasil, salt, garlic, Ligurian extra virgin olive oil (Taggiasco), European pinenuts (often toasted) and a grated hard cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano.

Other modern Pestos, some of international and not Italian origin, withingredient variations include: arugula (instead of or in addition to basil),black olives, lemon peel, coriander or mushrooms. A German variety uses ramsonsleaves instead of basil. In the 19th century, Genovese immigrants to Argentinabrought pesto recipes with them. A Peruvian variety, known as "TallarinVerde" (literally "Green Noodles", from Italian tagliarini)is slightly creamier, uses spinach leaves and is served with potatoes andsirloin steak.

Vegan variations of pesto can include mixes of fresh basil, walnut, oliveoil and miso paste.

I think enough knowledge about the both Sambal and Pesto, correct me if I amwrong people and please add more knowledge/info on regards… so, next…

Binding Sambal and Pesto… So, I came up with this idea of binding both all time favorite food fromeast to the west part of the world…

Tagliatelle Sambal Pesto…

Serving 2 person

Ingredients
200gm tagliatelle pasta
80 gm chicken breast (sliced)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2nos garlic (sliced)
½ nos onion (diced)
50gm cherry tomato (quarter)
3 tbsp sambal
3 tbsp pesto
1 tbsp fresh basil (julienne)
Salt and pepper.

Methods

Cook pasta in boiled water until cooked or al-dente.
Heat up a pan and sauté onion and garlic until fragrance.
Add chicken and stir until cooked.
Add in sambal and pesto together with cherry tomato.
Add in pasta stir or much better flip the pan.
Check seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste.
Add basil and ready to serve.

Tips: you can use different pasta if you want or may be replace pasta tonoodle. It is more or less like cooking fried noodle.

So there goes how we bind food but I think food is just a common ground tobind us together and what important is to taste what is around us or even farfrom us because ‘the world just taste so good on a plate’.

I hope you enjoy reading this and have a great time… ;)

Regards, Chef Nash

Duyan Untuh...

2009-11-04T11:29:00.000+08:00

Subs topic : Durian – The King of Fruits…

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all…

Dear reader, may peace be upon you…

Duyan Untuh is ‘kedayan’ phrase as (Chef Nana would sayit) for Durian Runtuh – meaning thefall of Durians fruits, some understand it as ‘luck just got you’.

The month of October is gone, which make this as my firstpost in November. Since I blog in March, last month was the least post with 3posts and yeah I haven’t reach 100^th post yet, it seems a long wayto go though but I believed the moment will come. My work related busy-ness andsome other things has hold me back from posting few post which is drafted (needto be edit). Time passed very fast andunwind, its like yesterday was 2008 but no, its now 2009 and year 2010 iscoming to us, in less than 2 month? And the world is changing too, do you guysnotice? I think you do, I don’t have to elaborate here though, you can get themfrom BBC or local papers… What crap am I saying… lol!

Anyway, lets get to my topic… Durian – ‘The king of fruit’ some saying… Yes! I love this fruit, really I doand now is the season where you can just get it from (temporary) stall on yourway home, together with some other fruits like Rambutan, Langsat, Manggis, Tibadak, Tarap and many more. Somepeople could just pick them from their backyard because they grow the trees(lucky people, I am jealous – I would be waiting for those Durians to fall fromthe tree if I got them in my backyard – ‘menunggu duyan gugur tu lai…’)

Durian sold in bundle - B$6/bundle - its hard to choose which one, tho...

I almost forgot to mention… Durian in English is, hmmm… letme see (referring to Mr. Dick a.k.a dictionary) couldn’t find it, is it ‘spikyfruit’ or ‘thorny fruit’? Well, we can just say durian then… ;)

I got this two Durians from my sister (who hated to open itbut never hate to eat it) but I never eat it as I wasn’t fascinated by itbecause 2 numbers is never enough for my appetite – once I eat durian, willnever stop until finish all and get ill few hours later, haha… and after 2 daysits still on my dining table ‘untouched’ and it started to ripe and crack byitself, making it easier to open… so figured what to do with it when I am noteating it… Durian Cheese Cake (recipes at the end of this post… ;)

Durian was believed to be originated from Brunei, Malaysiaand Indonesia.It is not native to Thailandbut is the largest durian exporter in the World, followed by Malaysia and Indonesia. Other parts of the worldthat grows durian include Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka,the West Indies, Florida, Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, the Polynesian Islands,Madagascar, Southern China (Hainan Island), Northern Australia and Singapore.

Durians is seasonal fruit which will be fruiting from Augustto early November (in Bruneispecifically) because I think in some regions it is fruiting as early as in Mayand ended by late September. As now thefruiting season is going to its end, we’re going to miss durian and otherseasonal local fruits but not to be worried, we can always get imported Duriansin the supermarket, usually called Durian Muntong, from Thailand.

Chantaburiprovince in Thailand holdingWorld Durian Festival day in May,half of

Thailand

’sdurian production comes from here. Inthe Philippines, Davao Cityan annually thanksgiving celebration for their bountiful harvest are hosted,called ‘Kadayawan Festival’ whichfeatures local fruits including durians.

In Brunei,you can smell durians everywhere, offices, streets, malls, supermarket andespecially at the night market. Temporary stall will be open almost everywhereby locals to sell their harvested fruits and durian is the main attraction. Andit is also sad to say that Durian is still imported from neighboring countrymainly from Limbang, Lawas, Sandakanand Tawau but they’re still fresh…

A temporary stall, only open during fruiting season, foundalong Jalan Kg, Rimba, selling durians, cempedak, rambutan, manggis, langsatand kembayau.

Stall like this you can find on your way back home...

People having different ways of picking durians to see (feel,actually) either the fruit is good to be eaten or it is ripen too much, asmostly it is sold with shell. The stem that attach to durian’s fruit will bedried and started to fall off since it got off their trees, it is alsodetermine how fresh is that durians, when the stems still attached means it isfresh. Some people would shake that fruits and when there is sound from insidethe fruits which means the flesh are dry ripe and mature, separated from theshell but for some people they would preferred the flesh to be moist,therefore, it is good to ask your Durian’s vendor to open the durians for you,to ensure their quality (but mind that not all vendors will do this for you).

This is not so fresh durians I got (probably 2 to 3 dayssince picked from trees) ripe and crack, making it easier to open and made thewhole house so durian’s smell…

Opening durian could be troublesome for somepeople, as its thorny might injured your self but for some people they wouldwait for those durians to ripe and crack by itself which makes it easier toopen. There is actually few ‘lines’ ifyou see thoroughly through durian’s skin and this lines separates each partswhere durian’s fleshes are. Use glove orclothes to prevent injury when touching durians, a not necessarily sharp ‘parang’or cleaver may be poked into top of that line and incline your cleaver to letit open, once open you can use your hand/palm to open the rest and get theflesh.

Ripen durians is easy to open and once open you’ll have toeat them straight away and if you cant finish them, call your neighbors to jointhe party but don’t worry, you may chilled durians in the fridge (make sureyour fridge is empty or your water would taste like durian… lol!) its still canbe eaten up to 3 days.

Some people would be disgusted with Durian’s smells, I findthem nasty but hilarious, they say its smells like garbage, dead rat, wet gymsocks, rotten onion etcs but for me, durians has one of a kind either for itssmells or the fruits itself (that’s why it get the title ‘The King’). You can always say, if you are going tosomeone’s house ‘Durian’s smell’ or even in public places… ‘oh! Durians’ andcraving for it instantly , then you’ll have to buy them…

In food, durians is mostly used as flavors in sweets liketraditional malay kuih, bubur (my favorite), iced kacang, ice cream, cakes,biscuit and candies. ‘Tempoyak’ is made from fermented durians as accompanimentfor dishes, as in Bruneiwe eat it together with ‘ambuyat’. I rather eat durians fresh and will beeating like I will never gonna stop. It was also stated durian’s lover wouldspend a lot of money to buy the fruits and gathers their family members to eattogether – this is one traditional way of eating durians and keeping familytogether.

Durians produced heat in our body system which cause us to sweatand that is why Manggis (mangosteen) are advisable as companied when eatingdurians (mangosteen as cooling agents). Durians may cause indigestion too andadvised not to consume wine/ alcohol or any gassy drink after eating it, thisis caused by sulphur content in durians.

Truth about Durian:

- It is known as ‘King of Fruits’ in Asian countries

- It is banned in public places like planes, subways,hotels, mall, etcs

- Durians has been consumes by SouthEastAsian peoplesince pre-historic time

- It is only known by westerners about 600 years ago

- There are 55 different species of durians and about 190clone species

- There is no such things as ‘bald durian’

- Durian trees can grow up to 50 meters and fruits once ayear (in some regions fruits twice a year)

- I love durian!

Tips: for those who never tried durian in theirlife and wanted to try it, my advice do not try the frozen ones, when youtraveling to South East Asia, drop by in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia orBrunei to try the fresh one and I am sure, you going to love these fruits.

Durian Cheese Cake…

Ingredients:

220gm cream cheese

220gm mascarpone cheese

150gm caster sugar

150gm pao flour (Hong Kongflour)

4nos egg

200gm durian flesh

*as I was lazy to make base for its crust, I used sultanasbiscuit which I arranged ar the bottom of the mould.

Methods:

Heat up oven at 180’C.

Mix both cheese in your mixer together with sugar untilcreamy. Add flour and let it mixed. Beat eggs in a different bowl and add inthe mixture in and let it mix. Take out the bowl from machine and add durian flesh using spatula. Arrange sultanas biscuit as base and pour thebatter. Bake in the oven. Halfway baking, make sure your kitchen smells likedurian and wish for the cake to cook faster… lol!

Sultanas biscuit as crust...

Can I have a slice?... and I was lazy to garnish it too buthey… its soo yummmyyyyy… perfect combination cheese and durian… both arecreamy. This cake also has wet/moist textures which is making itperfect for high tea meals after hard works in your office.

I hope you enjoy reading and one way for first-timer to trydurian, this cake is so delicious… heavenly, I ensure, after I made this cake Itold my colleague the next day and we end up making some in my workplace… adefinite sold out!!

P/s: I am having durian when I am posting this…

Regards,

Chef Nash

Replacement for wine...

2009-10-22T01:58:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all…

Cooking with alcohol, well as a Muslim, I am well aware oflimit in my food that I eat everyday or cooking, though there is alwaystemptation of wanting to try anything that is widely available in the marketand yet I still have to limit myself to do so. As my understanding, there isalways alternative/replacement ingredients, one close example is: Carbonara is never a‘halal’ food and as replacement for bacon, we use smoked beef strip (whichtaste almost the same I think).

This post topic is all about replacement for wine, morespecific is red wine. I dare to say thatabout 40 to 60% blogs that I’ve been thru are talking about alcohol in theirfood and for some, about 60-80% were highlighted. So, that makes me thinkthat for a Muslims, those who read blogs are not interested to read any post thatfeatured to non-halal food around (as for me those articles with pork featuredpost, I’ll straight away skip them) but with wine or anything alcoholic in thefood, its still be considered just to add for knowledge.

There were period of time for me, where food is all abouttaste, satisfaction for your appetite and whatever you eat/taste, regardlessreligion, you will have to try to eat them especially foods that looks reallygood, oh! so good!. I know that, it is wrong but for me, you live only once and if you nevertry it you will never get the chance and I am glad that those periods has overexcept under some circumstances, I think.

Red wine is used as marinations, flavoring and finishing. Asa replacement, I use red/white wine vinegar (you’ll have to be careful fortheir amount cause of sour taste), sparkling grape juice and stewed grape(usually home made). These are most available product in our limited markethere in Bruneiwhich I believed that in oversea there are more choices available in themarket.

Maison Rose – Sparkling Grape Drink, this drinkhas sweet taste and far from wine taste, so, I wouldn’t recommend to be used asmarinations.

As for marinations for meat or seafood, I would recommendred/white wine vinegar (I don’t have pics for this, sorry)

Spaghetti Alla Mediterranean prepared by Chef Jimmy usingRose – an improved version of his signature spaghetti

And here is his recipe…

1 tsp garlic (sliced)

1 tsp onion (diced)

3 nos asparagus (sliced)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Black olive (crushed)

Diced tomato

Dried tomato (diced)

Spinach

Chili (sliced)

¼ cup rose

100 gm cooked spaghetti

Salt and pepper

Method:

Heat up a pan, add in evoo, saute onion and garlic to fragrance. Add in chili, asparagus, dried tomato, stir and cook to a bit brown color. Put in rose and reduced, simmer for about 5 minute, add in tomato and black olive, cook for about 2 minute. Add in Spaghetti, spinach and seasoning. Serve hot.

Spaghetti Alla Mediterenean - I am not a Veggie dish fan but this one gets your appetite to top... and I think it would taste better if using wine... let me know...

Rose as a side drink, great combination right? - just like having your dish with wine...

Spaghetti with chicken in cream sauce with touch of Saffron and Rose - another dish that was prepared by Chef Jimmy

I have to highlight here that I still doubt non-halal-nessof wine in cooking (can anyone give me a good answer to this) that alcoholevaporated during cooking process, so, there is no more alcohol. My big question is, no more alcohol in thatso cooked food, is it still consider non-halal?...

Regards, Chef Nash

Two Bite Polenta...

2009-10-08T02:09:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all…

No risotto this time but I want to share one of a greatcolor combination salad turned amuse bouche designed by one of Brunei’sgreatest Chef… (lol! I wish I am). The idea of having polenta as mainingredient is because we always have veggies/meat/seafood as salad and actually got fedup with it, then I turn this dish to a stunning pre-starter course for one bitereason, having the whole salad in your mouth, wow!!! shot me people!... lol!

It is actually a double sized of amuse bouche but for thosewho have a big mouth like my friend Samanta Bajingan can swallow the whole thing at one time… and this one yousee in pictures were made double size (two polenta, one is hiding undermesclun as base), so, I don’t basically called it amuse bouche but it is stilla stunning pre-starter course…

Polenta cut into a rectangle size measuring: 2cm X 3cm wide and0.5cm thick, baked at 200’C oven until light brown color companied with mesclunsalad, grilled asparagus, grilled red bell pepper, caramelized onion, sauted shemeijimushroom and garnish with baby basil. Those three stripes is balsamic reduction.

Get my Polenta cake recipe here... click

In a fine dining establishment like ours, guests usually askfor amuse bouche or if there is a need to make some for them especially whentheir food takes time to cook, thats when they ordering welldone meat or if anyaccident occurs, so, we usually made this kind of dishes for free and yes itsfun too (sometimes headache…)

Just fo pics...

I figured my post is too short then my blog... so, pics and more pics... ;)

Color combination is just stunning as it taste...

That baby basil and shemeiji mushroom... wow!!

It is on a dinner plate... it looks tiny tho...

Do you think I can become a good photographer?

Our boy-ish girl colleague, Chef Nana a.k.a The Mukun Master menunggu duyan kan bawa tarap, esok... with her smile welcome you to Spaghettini's for free Polenta Salad... lol!

And guess who is this? Brunei's greatest Chef a.k.a Chef Kambang si Nash... lol!!!

See that in my hat... a mice!!!

I hope you enjoy seeing our pics... dont bother reading... lol!!! and have a great time... ;)

Regards, Chef Kambang Taie Ayam...

Re-zo-she

2009-10-06T14:36:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

This time is another risotto post, so its true what Angie's Recipes said, soon i'll be publishing my risotto cookbook... lol! And just last night when I was trying to clear up my foodbuzz inbox, I came across seeweed rolls by Elinluv's Tidbit Corner which featured rolled paste of mixed fish, meat and shrimp in roasted nori sheet, that is used for sushi. I think this a another version of seweed rolls but I rather not calling it seweed rolls tho, actually have come up with something I never heard before.

Risoshi pronoun as Re-zo-she, its a combination of risotto and sushi.

Consists of 4 different type of my very typical risotto recipe,

Risotto Mushroom, Medi Veg Risotto, Salmon Risotto and Egg Risotto.

This is not much different from recipe I used for most of my typical risotto, except in this recipe I add a little vinegar and a touch of sugar (I think in your case, adding white wine would give a great sensation in your mouth) The use of seeweed actually give us the sushi taste without wasabi of course (fyi, I didn't tried eating them with wasabi, so I have no idea) And this is definately a great dish for party, as it's mouth sized, it surely a hit in your little gathering and its easy to prepare too... ;)

Rather than using Portobello mushroom for my typical risotto mushroom, I used Shemeiji mushroom, and its now Japanese in Italian taste.

Just like rolling sushi... easy right?

With 400 gms of Risotto, I made up to 15 Rezoshe rolls, 1 Kg should be enough for a small party gathering for your kids birthday, etc. The need to cook that filling seperately is important, and you need to roll that rice when its still warm then chilled them. If you are not sure about the method of cooking risotto, you can use my previous post on risotto... click only, just add a little amount of vinegar or white wine and touch of sugar.

Assorted Rezoshe... great for your party...

So, until the next time... hope you enjoy and have a great time... ;)

Regards, Chef Nash

Risotto Prawn...

2009-09-29T23:11:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all…

Risotto again! Yeah and you gotta love this one, really!cause I do… ;)

I’ve been busy lately and there was actually time for me topost recipes but its just that I got no idea which one to post, wow! so many?No… kidding… and yes! Its going to be another Risotto, just for sharing… ;)

Risotto Prawn

Serving 4 people

400gm risotto

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

12 pieces medium sized prawn (clean and peeled)

Half nos onion (diced)

3 nos garlic (sliced)

800ml fish stock/prawn stock

100 gm asparagus

120 gm parmesan cheese

2 tbsp butter

Chopped parsley

Basil

Salt and pepper

Method:

Heat up a pan and add in ‘evoo’, seal that prawn until lightbrown color, set aside (not necessarily cooked.
And then sauté garlic and onion until lightly brown using the same oil.
Add risotto and stock, cook until the water reduced and stir frequently.
Add in asparagus, let rice cook to al-dente(add more stock if u need to).
Add inprawn, basil and parsley and stir for about 1 minute and then add parmesan andseasoning.
Off fire, put in butter and stir until butter dissolved.

Tips: prawns cook very fast, it better to cook them at lastminute, you can actually replace prawn with other seafood like fish, clams, mussel,squid, crab etc…

Dish garnished with shaved parmesan, tomato, fresh basil and pesto/oil

This in one of my simple recipe and also my short post, justfor update…

Hope you guys enjoy and have a great time… ;)

Chef Nash

______________________

Salad Sotong si AlaiManis...

2009-09-25T00:08:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

'Sotong' is Malay language for Squid while 'AlaiManis' is Sweet Baby, this is what Chef Nana call herself in the kitchen and most of us not agree with it but... haha, whatta heck!!! she is all of the sweetest things in our kitchen and being the only girl... hmmm, (I never treat her as girl tho, always boy or there is no male or female in the kitchen... we're all chefs) but all for all that all, she is one sweet 'Alai' in our group... tia karang... lol!!!

Out of that blue sky, in one fine afternoon, after finished with our preps for that evening service, I found Chef Nana, frying some fresh squid in our boredom lazy moment because nothing else to do but to cook and eat... so, I suggest her to present that squid on plate and take picture and we did.... so...

Salad Sotong si AlaiManis a.k.a Sweetbaby Squid Salad...

This salad was created all of a sudden so, all ingredients was ready to use... and according to Chef Nana... Dont do this at home!!!

Ingredients:
Squid (cut flower)
Mesclun salad
Red onion ring
Roasted red capsicum
Caramelized onion
Balsamic dressing
Vincotto vinegar
Salt and pepper....

Method:
Cut that squid flower style (dont use the head only the tube) season with salt and pepper to taste and fry in fryer... and then... use your immagination (no need to follow that pics) I am so lazy and tired right now... sorry guys, its been a long day and all I wanted to do is, take shower and hit the bed!!! lol!!

But, thats not all... She is giving her 'Balsamic Dressing' recipe too...

Balsamic Dressing...
Ingredients:
Balsamic vinegar
Mustard
Finely chopped garlic
Corn oil
Salt and pepper

Tips: she never mention the quantity and how she do it (it stay as secret, I think)... sorry...

Some more pic...

Malay version....

Dengan request dari si AlaiManis... hmmm... baiktah di balas mukunnya....

Ani bunyi mukunnya...
~daun mangkubung
~daun mangkubung daunnya lebar
~paaut mu buyung, paautmu buyung
~isinya ullaar...

Dah atu, si Nash dengan tarian ayamnya membalas....

~Anaklah sotong beanang di sungai nibung,
~baanang anang di sungai tajumpa tuyul
~paaut mu basa, paaut mu basaa dah atu buyung,
~di gusuk-gusuk lah gusuk ulih lah tuyul...

note: yang ani bukannya pantun tapi lagu mukun, cuba di iramakan stail mukun sambil menaie-naie... nyanyikan dalam versi kadayan, baru ya kick!!!!

mwwahahaha... ktawa2 kli ku time ani ah....

Bakal Pegawai...

Naz served his last day in Spaghettini, congratulation to you Mr. Nasrul... we wish you a great future in the army...

P/s: this post was created while my colleague and me flooding obcces CBox talking nonsense... and right now, I am going to sleep... ;)

Have a great time people...

By: Chef Toyol Pala Tiga campur Dua campur Tujuh tulak Tarik!!!! hahahaha

Melanzane Alla Parmigiana...

2009-09-22T10:39:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all…

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri…

Eid Mubarak…

Today is the 2^nd day of Shawal, 1430 muslimcalendar, this festive month is very exciting for everyone and as I got a lotof visiting to do (not much time for cooking except at work place but so muchtime for eating though). Rather than leaving my blog unposted, I figured,sharing this simple recipe…

I wish Eid Mubarak to every Muslim out there and always begrateful for what we have… ;)

Melanzane alla Parmigiana with herbs cream sauce…

Serving 6-8 person

6 nos medium size eggplant

Flour

Corn oil for frying

400 ml tomato sauce

200 ml herbs parmesan cream sauce

Mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Method:

Thin sliced that eggplant, heat up a frying pan(non-sticky), seal that eggplant with flour and fry until light brown color onboth side. Keep aside on kitchen towel to get rid of grease.
Use a medium size casserole or a deep tray,pour 2 ladle tomato sauce for 1^st layer, spread over tray’s surface,layer with cream sauce, eggplant, mozzarella and parmesan cheese
Follow step 2 until 3 layer or more.
Heat upoven to 160’C and bake for about 40-50 minutes. Cut into potion or serve thewhole casserole on your dining table.

Tips: You got to arrange that eggplant next to each otherfor every layer.

Herbs cream sauce

300ml cream

Pinch of grated nutmeg

50gm parmesan cheese

Parsley (chopped)

Oregano (chopped)

Dill (chopped)

Salt and pepper

Heat up cream in sauce pot, bring to boiled and simmer (letit reduce to1/3) Add nutmeg and herbs, finish with parmesan cheese and checkseasoning…

This one perfect vegetarian dish… hope you enjoy and have agreat time… ;)

Chef Nash

Selamat Hari Raya...

2009-09-21T00:29:00.000+08:00

obcces.blogspot.com

mengucapkan

Selamat Berhari Raya

Kepada seluruh muslimin dan muslimah, maafkan lah jika ada terkasar bahasa dan sebagainya...

obcces.blogspot.com

wish

Eid Mubarak

to all muslim and seek forgiveness for any harsh-ness in our writing...

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri...

Black Risotto...

2009-09-17T01:31:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

This is my first Risotto featured recipe post and whatinteresting? I am giving a black beautiful dish… wow!!. I love rice so much andbeen eating it since a very young age and say how many different rice I’vetried? Hmmm… soo many! (can’t count them).

How about Risotto? As Risotto is notlocally produced, I’ve only tried it in my early days of working in thekitchen, that was back twelve years ago… wow! so long? I was a kitchenassistant after graduated in cooking college, in one of the first Italianrestaurant here in Brunei. I’ve never knew the existence of ‘squid ink’,even I’ve been playing with squid (‘sotong’ in our dialect) since I was alittle boy, what else that black looking dishes… lol, I thinkItalian/westerners have eat so many ingredients that I was so naïve to knowsuch things and that makes me think that I still need to taste as muchingredients the world has to offer… may be you can help… tell me what else Inever try… ;)

So, enough with that… lets get to what I amsharing now…

Squid ink Risotto a.k.a Risotto Al Nero Di Seppia

Serving 2 portion

Ingredients:

200gm risotto

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp squid ink

Half onion (brunoise/cube)

2 cloves garlic (sliced)

600ml fish stock

80 gm asparagus (chunk)

2 tbsp tomato sauce

80gm grated parmesan cheese

1 tbsp butter

Basil (julienne)

Italian parsley (chopped)
Chilies (optional)

Salt and pepper.

Tips: if you buying fresh whole squids, take the squid sacsand put aside, be careful not to break the sacs or else it will be blacky(bloody)… ;)

Method:

1. Heat up a pan and put in ‘evoo’. Sautee garlic and onionuntil fragrance (not necessarily brown).
2. Add risotto in and stir, then put instock, squid ink and tomato sauce.
3. Add asparagus and chilies, stir frequently.
4. Let risotto cook thru and reduced, add more stock little by little if necessary.
5. Taste risotto, when its already al-dente then you may add squid, parmesan,basil, parsley and seasoning. when u happy with the taste, turn off fire, add butterand stir until solved.
6. Ready to be serve.

Tips: Squid cook really fast and if you cook itlonger, it will become tough, so putting it in a very last minute is important,you don’t want to eat tough squid right? ;). I preferred risotto to be al-dentetoo. You may add more parmesan for cheesy taste. Some people add wine in thisdish and you may do so… and to make that dish more Italian like, add ricotta…

My Italian friend (former colleague) used toserve this dish in every party I was invited to, and its funny/lovely to seethe person you talk to with black tooth when eating this dish… nice!!

Who got lucky to eat it?

And guess who got lucky to eat that Black Risotto… Naz, oneof my regular reader a.k.a BarMan and colleague… I actually add 2 nos of ‘LadaPadi’ (hot chili) in that dish… haha, I just love it when its hot, hope youlove that black rice Naz… next time, ask for more lada… lol!
Naz, jangan ko marah gambarmu kluar yoo... suka ku nyimpan gambar mu sini ah hehe...

Close up!

Dish garnished with chives (not actually chivestho, its spring onion…) at background Chef Jimmy staring at that Black Risottowith his sleepless posture, trying hard not to eat it while his saliva alreadydripping… haha!

I used Squid head… much presentable and looksvery octopus-ish… ;)

Thats all for this time, hope you enjoy and have a great time...

Regards, Chef Nash

_______________

Poached Salmon Steak in Soyed Gazpacho Sauce...

2009-09-13T04:25:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

Who doesn't love Salmon? I think babies don't... lol!

I would rank Salmon as one of the most popular fish in theworld… You think? Yes, I think so: Salmon fillet, smoked Salmon, Salmon Roe,Sushi as Sashimi and what else? That red-ish orange fish meat turned pink whencooked!! I think no other fish have what Salmon has and taste wise – ‘just thatkind of fish I’d love to eat’ but it is also expensive, what else at a placelike ours, all Salmon/product are all imported.

Fact: Salmon are born in fresh water, migrate to the ocean,then return to fresh water to reproduce – that I find interesting.

And this time, for the 2^nd time Ifeatured Salmon in my recipe post… but not only that, some other interestingside dishes too, so, keep reading… ;)

Poached Salmon Steak in Soyed Gazpacho Saucewith Gnocchi, Poached Asparagus and Caramelized Onion…

The first thing to do...

Poached Salmon...

Ingredients:

Half carrot

1 stick leek

1 stick celery

Half small sized fennel

1 nos onion

3 cloves garlic (crushed)

3 bay leaves

15 nos black pepper corn

1 nos lemon (cut quarter and get rid of the skin)

300ml fish stock

800ml water

Salt and pepper

Method:

Cut all veggies to maripoix (chunk). Pour stock and water in a pot, add in allingredient and cook until 20% to boiling point (poaching needs to be underboiling point). Check seasoning and putin that Salmon for about 4 to 6 minute.

Tips: remember to not to poach salmon in thatstock for too long, it’ll become over cooked/welldone and not nice, I muchpreferred medium to medium well cooking.

Tips too: if you don’t have fish stock, just use water, asafter poaching that Salmon it’ll become fish stock and you going to use it foryour sauce. Mind you that, if you aregoing to cook this dish with the same sauce from here, I advice not to poachthat Salmon first and prepare the sauce ingredient first, as the sauce takeslonger cooking.

Then you’ll have to prepare that Soyed Gazpacho Sauce…

Note: this sauce is sponsored by Kikkoman (in my dream!lol!)

Ingredients:

3 nos red bell pepper a.k.a capsicum (chunk, no seed)

2 nos tomato (chunk, no seed)

1 nos green apple (peeled, chunk, no seed)

1 nos onion (sliced)

2 nos garlic (sliced)

1 nos lemon (juiced)

Half cucumber (peeled and seeded, chunk)

4 sliced bread (chunk)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Tabasco

Chopped parsley

80 ml fish stock

6 tbsp Kikkoman soy sauce

3 tbsp sweet dark soy sauce

1 tbsp chilled butter

Salt and pepper

Method:

Heat up ‘evoo’ in a pan and sauté onion and garlic to lightbrown color. Blend all chunk ingredients thru food processor together with thatsautéed onion and garlic, fish stock and blend until fine. Put that fine mixinto a pot and cook to boiled, low fire and let it simmer. Add lemon, kikkoman and sweet soy sauce,stir. When sauce thickened and reduced (about 10 to 15 minutes) checkseasoning, add salt and pepper to taste. Add in tabasco and parsley. Lastly, off that fire, add in chilled butterand stir to mix.

Tips: if you don’t like it hot do not put Tabasco. If you don’t have Kikkoman, itsalright you can use any other salted soy sauce but I much advice you to useKikkoman – taste better, that’s why I am a fan… click here to be a Kikkoman fan…

Side kick dishes:

Gnocchi...

This recipe produce about 25 to 30 nos gnocchi…

500 gm mashed potato (finely mashes)

125 gm grated parmesan cheese

125 gm flour

Salt and pepper

Method:

Mixed all ingredients into dough using your hand (in a bowlor on your preps table), then cut into small pieces and shape it round withyour hand/palm. Press it flat – not too flat (see picture) and you might needsome flour next to you as it would get sticky. Put into boiled water for about5 to 7 minute or until it float. Bake in the 200’C oven until color to lightbrown.

Tips: You going to need to boil water and heat up oven at200’C. You may keep that molded gnocchi in your chiller in a tray and cook themjust before you going to eat them.

Poached Asparagus…

Ingredients:

Asparagus (as many as you want and cut them 5 inches longfrom the top)

Method:

Hmmm… I don’t remember how I did it… I think I blanched themin that boiled water… I think so! May be… lol!

Tips: hmmm… do not boil that asparaguses too long, atboiling point water, just blanch them in 15 to 20 seconds, al-dente wise… ;)

The last recipe… that yummy yumma yummies Caramelized onion…
This is one of my favorite side dish of all time!!

Ingredients:

1 nos big size onion (sliced thin)

1 tbsp butter

2 nos bay leaves

Chopped parsley

Method:

Heat up a pan (non-sticky) at low fire, then melt thatbutter and add in that sliced onion and those bay leaves. Let it cook, stirfrequently, cook until onion soft and light brown color… and then sprinkle thatchopped parsley, once cooked place it on a tray lined with kitchen towel to getrid of that grease.

Tips: I never put seasoning in this dish, it is so tastyuntil you can’t see your own ears… lol! even when you eat it in front ofmirror… who does? ;)

Tips too: this is a base method for Onion Soup, if you addsome broth… there you go!!

Wow!! 5 recipes at one post! Hmmm…

This is one recipe post that you can’t skip and it is not asimple cooking… you going to need passion doing them… and I gotta tell you,that Salmon with that sauce… Wow!!! you should/must try it… ;)

Note: before you make any of these recipes from this post, Isuggest you to study them first or read them carefully and understood, as Iunderstand if you are first time in cooking these recipes, not understandingthe method would give you trouble later or not succeed.

Before I end this post… some pictures would help youto decide to save this post… ;)

I can't get enough! don't I?

And some more...

Ohhh... you gotta save this picture... ;)

Alright, I think that’s all for now… I hope you all enjoythis post, good luck and have a great time…

Regards, Chef Nash

_________________

Blueberry Mascarpone Cheese Cake...

2009-09-10T23:53:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

Cupcake again? I couldn’t help it, don’t I? its the easiestcake you could make and also they’re cute but this time I am not calling it cupcake,preferred mini cake, lol, something different I guess.

I got this bucket of Mascarpone cheese in my chiller andbeen stuck there for awhile (its one of my munchies food, can just eat it likethat) so, as I wanted to make cheese cake but figured that mascarpone is not atype for baking method cake, more like chilled cake like tiramisu and parfaitbut I want to use it anyway…

As I love mascarpone a lot, I put big amount in the cake yetmeasured. I’ve never make this cakebefore and I am not quite sure if it will be success or not, so… I think it’s asuccess… ;)

Blueberry Mascarpone Cheese Cake...

Ingredients:

350gm mascarpone cheese

150gm sugar

Half cup full cream evaporated milk

200 gm self-raising flour

5 nos egg (I used small sized egg)

50gm fresh blueberries (I only have little in stock, so, in your case put 100gm)

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

Heat up oven to 200’C, that must me 392’F. Mix Mascarpone,milk and sugar until soft in a mixer machine. Beat egg in a different bowl andadd in the mixer together with flour. Let it mix until creamy and add vanillaessence. Switch mixer off, add inblueberries and mix it with spatula or spoon. Get ready a cake mold and pour it in.Bake in the oven for about 40 minute.

Fresh blueberries, I have to cut them into half because afraid the it will not enough...

The big version...

And congratulation to my sister and family, they won and get to eat the cake... ;)

I only eat the minis...

Mascarpone frosting...

I made frosting just to make it presentable but not presentable enough... ;)

I used Mascarpone cheese for frosting, its tasty but sorry Idon’t measure accurately the weight I put but its easy, just spin thatmascarpone cheese in the mixer with icing sugar and taste it, when you happywith the sweetness, its done… ;)

As I don’t have much of baking equipments and tools, I amactually having trouble to decorate this cake so, I made a piping bag fromgreaseproof paper and just garnished the cakes with blueberry jam and wafer (another munchies of my favorite).

Someone should be happy that I made another cupcakes, as she always asking... lol

you know who you are... ;)

This is one easy recipe after all and I am this happy toshare it with everyone, so I hope you enjoy and have a great time…

Regards, Chef Nash

_______________________________

SatayKu...

2009-09-08T14:36:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

Satay is a very well favorite dish in South East Asia, wasbelieved to be originated from Jawa, Indonesia. Thedish consisting of diced or sliced chicken, beef, goat, mutton, fish and othermeat skewed with bamboo skewer. Marinated with herbs like ginger, tumeric,cumin, shallot, garlic, chilies and added with palm sugar. Ingredients varied from province thatintroduced their own specialty signature Satay. Served with peanut sauce,ketupat (wrapped rice with coconut leaf) and cucumber.

Satay is very popular in Indonesia,Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and SouthernPhilippine. It is developed throughoutthese country’s region that result in many variation of their Satay, namedafter the region where its originated, meat, ingredients and methods ofcooking. For example, Indonesiawith their Satay Madura, Satay Padang, Satay Makasar and many more or in Malaysia havetheir Satay Kajang, Satay lok-lok and others.

No exception Satay in Brunei, influenced by the origin fromher neighboring country, it is become one of national dish and served duringfestive season like Hari Raya and mostly served in parties as in ‘makan-makan’. Satay can be found in many restaurants, stallvendors or pasar malam.

What we can’t get rid of satay is, that charcoal grill,marination and Peanut Sauce or else it will not be called Satay. And also, not exception by me, I have madefew of my own versions of Satay, and here is one of it… an improvised Satay...

Satay Marinated Roasted Chicken Breast with Spicy PeanutSauce, served with Ketupat, Acar and Cucumber Pesto Bruchetta…

Then, Satay always have place in my heart with that and now I amintroducing my SatayKublog as a one stop Satay shop for you to order satay and serve them in any ofyour function… click picture below...

http://satayku.blogspot.com

Satay has developed in many provinces around Southeast Asia and has become one of everyones favorite…and, you should try SatayKu…

P/s: this is much of an advertisement post and recipes notincluded...

_______________________________________

And as addition...

What do you do when you have almost expired bread?

My nephew bought one loaf of bread with expiry date today(its his fault that he didn’t check for expired date), and my sister ask me ifI know how to make Bread butter pudding and I said ‘Yes’…

Then, I made Bread Butter Pudding...

Ingredients:

One loaf of bread (trimmed)

800 ml milk

80gm sugar

5 nos egg

Butter

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Raisin

Method:

Heat up oven to 180'C

Spread butter on bread and arrange them in baking tray withraisin. In a bowl put in egg and sugar,beat until creamy and add vanilla essence. Pour the mix into tray and baked forabout 45 minutes.

This pudding is nice for break fasting dessert...

Satay untuk hidangan Hari Raya... buat tempahan biskita... click

Hope you enjoy and have a great time... ;)

Regards, Chef Nash

Cappuccino Praline...

2009-09-04T01:39:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

Chocolate Pralin... anyone?

I’ve been talking with our Chocolate Master, Chef Mera aboutposting chocolate recipes and she agreed to co-operate, so, this time‘Chocolate Praline’ is the answer… Praline?? Hell yeah, who doesn’t love it, Icould eat dozens and dozens, especially those made by her… ;)

So, does anyone know how to make praline? I’ve tried to makeit quite a few times (only with help from my Chocolate Guru tho) but never makeit on my own but it is easy if you get proper equipment, well, we’re working inan industrial hotel so, it makes it a lot easier…

Get this fact about my Chocolate Guru, got it from Muhibah Magazine, Royal Brunei AirlineInflight Magazine January/February 2007 edition...

“The talentedBruneian Chef makes an average of 1,000 pieces of chocolate a day and hascreated 16 unique chocolate recipes for the empire hotel…”

Chocolate Praline on show...

Selection of Chocolate Praline, thats including my big favorite 'fruity nut' and 'lavender'...

And as a bonus, I am sharing a recipe that was given down tome… ;)

First, you’ll have to get pre-made chocolate shell…

This is ready made chocolate shells, I think you can easily get it in the market... or not?

Cappuccino Praline...

And then you’ll have to make the filling…

Coffee filling…

100gm cream

250gm milk chocolate

50gm butter

10gm ground coffee

50gm glucose

Method:

Boil cream, coffee and glucose. Bring to the boil and allow to rest for about30 minutes. Whilst warm, add the milkchocolate gently stir until melted. Finally, add butter slowly (in three stages), stir gently until themixture becomes shiny and allow to cool completely. Set aside.

White filling…

120gm cream

300gm white chocolate

45gm butter

40gm glucose

Method:

Boil cream and glucose, brings to boiled and allow to restfor 30 minutes. Whilst warm add whitechocolate and stir gently until melted. Finally, add in butter and stir. Set aside.

Cappuccino Praline...

Ingredients:

100pcs pre-made chocolate shell

200gm milk chocolate

20gm white chocolate

Method:

Fill each chocolate shell with both fillig(about 60% coffee filling and 40% white filling). Melt 200gm of milk chocolateand dip the shells into the melted chocolate. Remove and leave to set on a wire rack. Once set, decorate with melted white chocolate.

And I love chocolate so much, say, I would sleep with it…lol

Some of Chef Mera’s creation…

I love this one alot... flowery flower flour... made entirely from chocolate...

And guess what?

I copied the recipe above from that Magazine... ;)

To Chef Mera, thousand thanks for letting me publish this post...

I hope you enjoy this post and have a greattime… ;)

Click this... more chocolate pics

Regards, Chef Nash

That Fruity Loin...

2009-09-01T02:15:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

I suppose to post this recipe a week ago I think but having some trouble posting it and now here it is...

This time I am doing something fruity with meat. Guess what fruit? Keep reading and get the answer straight. See, I am always wanting something different for my own appetite as you can get everything you want in the restaurant or in the market, whenever you feels like craving for something, hit certain restaurant and get to eat what you craving for. I am creating this dish for my own satisfaction and perhaps it is something for my experimentation I guess.

Lamb is always an exotic food to be around, in a restaurant, home dining or even barbeque and always my favorite too, I bet u do too, except when you are vegetarians or too scared to try something you never eat. Combining fruits flavor with lamb could probably not a good idea but its worth to try as, eating is a journey to taste of life…

Let me introduce to you...

That Plum Crusted Lamb Loin with hmmm… keep reading…

Lamb loin is a part of Best-end of Lamb or Mutton trimmed out of its fats and bones there you can find the tender meat of Lamb Loin.

Once you got that loin out then you got to marinate it...

That Marination...

Chopped parsley

Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

Keep that marinated loin in the fridge for at least 2 hours

While that loin 'meditate' in the fridge now lets prepare something fruity...

That Plum Crust

Sliced 7 nos of plum and blend it thru food processor, mixed with breadcrumb and chopped parsley, seasoning.

Tips: Do not blend plum too fine, let it chunky a little bit, so that you’ll have something to bite when you eat it.

And then… Seal the loin on a grill…

Tips: remember at this process, you are only to seal the meat not to cook it, as long as you got the seal color, take it out of the grill and get ready for the next step.

Wrapping that loin...

This could be a tricky process, I wrapped it using plastic wrapper, first you got to spread the crumb on the plastic using spoon to a square shape and then put the loin in the middle and start wrapping it by covering it using the plastic.

Once done, put it on a tray and roast it in the oven at 200’C for about 7 minute (for medium temperature, I put about 15 minute to get it medium well)

So, here are some other recipes that I put together with the Lamb…

That Parmesan herbed Polenta Cake…

Ingredients:

70gm polenta (packet)

125ml fresh milk

125ml chicken stock

50gm parmesan cheese (grated)

Basil (julienne)

Rosemary (chopped)

Oregano (chopped)

Salt and pepper

In a pot, put in milk and stock, brings to boiled. Add in herbs season. Reduce heat, pour polenta slowly and whisk at the same time. Check seasoning and correct it.

Tips: there is so many different kind of polenta in the market, you might have to read the instruction before cooking it, also, remember to whisk it most of the time as it would get burn.

Place polenta into a deep tray lined with silicon/greaseproof paper and leave it the chiller until it gets hard.

Optional: cut polenta into portion.

Sprinkle Parmesan on top and put it in the oven at 200’C for 10 minute. That should be enough to give it color.

And then… grilled Asparagus and Sauteed Mushroom

That Grilled Asparagus...

Cut asparagus about 5inches from the top, marinate with herbs and olive oil and grill.

That Sauteed Mushroom...

Button mushroom (sliced)

Onion (brunoise)

Garlic (sliced)

Olive oil

Basil (julienne)

Salt and pepper

Heat up a pan and put in olive oil, sauté onion and garlic to golden brown and add in mushroom. Add in mushroom and seasoning.

The final stage...

That Minted Pear Demi-glace...

2nos green pear

1 stick cinnamon

1 nos bay leaf

1 tsp mint sauce

Fresh mint leaf (chopped)

3 tbsp demi-glace

100ml beef/lamb stock

2 tsp cream

Caramelized pear in a sauce pan together with cinnamon and bay leaf. Add in demi-glace, take out cinnamon stick and bay leaf and blend it fine. Put back into pan, add in beef stock, brings to boil. Add in mint sauce and mint leaves. When it gets too thick add more beef stock, finish it with cream and stir. Check seasoning.

That Final Touch...

In the end, this dish required time for preparation if you do it from scratch, I m not suggesting you to cook the way I do here, may be you could just cook the lamb and a simple mint sauce and serve it with any veggies (potato) you like.

This dish was purposely made for giving idea to myself and inspired others, that there is no boundary in cooking, as long as you think what you cook can be eaten not to waste in the end and whats most important… you satisfy your own appetite and others… ;)

So, I hope everyone enjoy this dish and have a great time…

Regards, Chef Nash

Pandan Chocolate Cupcake

2009-08-29T02:03:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

Hello everyone, its been a while... really? hmmm, I dont think so... but actually I suppose to publish my last post that didn't published two days ago, it was all because of the new post editor from Blogger but never mind I'll post it next time. This time, I m posting something else and guess what? I m posting a cake, what cake? Cupcake or Crabcake? haha

Yes, I haven't bake for so long, I would say, its been two thousand six hundred and three years (2603) wow!! that long, (kidding) but seriously, I have bake for like I think 3 years now and this is the first time I did in since then and I am excited about it.

So, actually I made a deal with someone that she make a blog I make cupcake and I think it was 2 days ago, finally she made a blog... here it is click take bake taste and create by Shmoopiegurl, I with this, congratulate her for doing that and as the deal goes... here is my Cupcake (as promised) haha, now you owe me a cupcake recipe.. and I personally thank you because, u made me wants to make cake, as I am so lazy to do it and also, welcome to bloggers family and hope you'll keep on blogging... ;)

So, I got my self digging on my old recipes books and 'bibles' and found this recipe Pandan Cake and turn it into Cuppies. Got all my tools and ingredients ready, haha, have to go shopping earlier since at my place has no baking ingredients but hey... I think now I am changing from a Hot kitchen Chef to a Pastry Chef... ;)

In case you don't know what is pandan (sorry I dont know ehat they call it in english), its a kind of bush that grows at my back yard wildly... haha, noo... but this plant has a sweet aroma and taste too... Sorry, I dont have picture tho...

I modified the recipe by adding chocolate crunchy (which was given by my Chocolate Guru Chef Mera) and grated them...

So, here it is....

Pandan Chocolate Cupcake

Ingredients:

350gm cake flour

200gm plain flour

400gm caster sugar

3tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

200gm unsalted butter (soften)

4nos egg

400ml full cream milk

1tsp vanilla essence

200gm chocolate bar (I used Chocolate Crunchy - My Fav)
1/4tsp pandan paste

Method:
1. Mixed all blue ingredients in mixer bowl until sandy texture.
2. During the mixing process, whisk well ingredients red in different bowl.
3. Pour ingredients red into blue slowly while the machine at slow spin. Let is mix thoroughly until creamy.
4. Add pandan paste until the colour mixed.
5. Take out the bowl and grated chocolate bar in and mix using spatula.
6. Place in cup mold and bake in the oven at 180'C for about half an hour.
7. Garnish with grated Chocolate.

Tips: you may add more chocolate if you love chocolate a lot, in my case I was lazy to grate it... haha

After I stripped them off their mold (still hot) sexy!!! ;) and my nephew love the top part when it still hot... yummy!!

Actually I ask my nephew to help me on measuring the ingredients while I was watching Prison Break season one... and a while after my little nephews came over and help me to eat the rest of the cake... ;)

Can you see chocolate inside? but hey you can add more chocolate in tho... ;)

The last round just got out from oven, still hot tho...

So, there goes my Pandan Chocolate Cupcake... I am starting to love baking now, its very easy work to do (only while my little angels around tho) but seriously... you'll see more cake or baking product in my blog from now on... ;)

And I hope you enjoy my little Cupcake story and recipes... and have a great time trying...

Until next time...

Regards, Chef Nash

Cucur Udang Alla Nana...

2009-08-24T23:32:00.000+08:00

Assalaumiualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all…

This time, I m sharing one of a very typical recipe of all time… hehe, Cucur Udang…. What? Cucur Udang, whatta heck is that? Hmmm… it’s Prawn Fritters, but not only that, this one has specialty from one of my colleague who always make this all time favorite in our kitchen…so, who? Chef Nana in the house yooo…

As Ramadan already passed the 3rd day and still a long way to go for Eid Mubarak, see, Ramadan always reminds me of food, especially during day time you’re not eating and your mind is full with this food that you wanted to eat when you break your fast… When I was a younger, there was Cendol, Puspa, Putu Mayang, Pulut Panggang, Bingka, Cucur this and that (wah… I love cucur udang a lot tho among all) Satay, lauk besalai, lauk pais, wow!!... I think I cant stop mentioning… its just too many food during this holy month…

So, Cucur Udang always find its way on everyone of us, my mom used to make it everyday when the season of ‘Tugu’ (a fishing method where fisherman aims for prawns and its get very cheap in the market too) until now when I see extra prawn… what else I m gonna do, fritters them lah…

Cucur Udang Alla Nana…

Fresh from fryer…

Recipes…

500 gm prawns (peeled and clean/wash)
500 gm flour (flower??)
600 ml water (I’d use fish stock)
100 gm carrot (grated)
30 gm chilies (sliced)
50 gm shallots (sliced)
50 gm onion (sliced)
¼ lemon (take juice only)
50 gm spring onion or chives (sliced)
Frying oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Sieve flower put in a bowl, add water in and mixed using ladle or whisk.
Add all ingredient, check seasoning and correct it.
Heat up oil up to 145’C, using ladle, spoon the mixture into fryer until golden brown.

Tips: to check seasoning, you may fry one for test, when u happy then cook the rest, if not then season again. Also, if you don’t eat chilies, don’t put lah… as for me, I’d put as much as I want… love chilies.

This dishes is good to be served when its hot… yummy, and serve it with chili sauce or ketchup… Sorry, you gotta use bottled sauce as I don’t have pics (not recipes) for home made chili sauce, will share in the future…

This sounds like a simple recipe at all, yes, it is… hope you’ll enjoy trying… ;)

So, that’s my recipe sharing and my many-many thank you to Chef Nana for the recipes… Na, jan jara, dah ku kaja ku mau makan cucur udang mu lagi sampai ku mabuk cucur… haha

And… I haven’t do this for so long…

The 1st Cucur Udang eater…

Naz, does anyone know? Our Ex-BarMan or X-Men now become P-Man (P as Pimp… hahaha, jan marah Naz) waiting for the Cucur Udang to be served coz he loves it a lot, and he got a vacuum cleaner stomach too, like me… hahaha

The 2nd Cucur Udang eater…

The tag team, Naz and Fau… eating Cucur Udang that is never in our menu…

Si Fau sampai melangap2 mulut kan mengabiskan cucur udang atu, haha Fau, lawa gambar mu, sampai melangap…!!!

Makcik Kecil frying her cucur udang…

Guess who this be? A small makcik who looks like the makciks yang menjaga kantin… haha, hints: Small and Cute like banana… hahaha

Enjoying our Cucur Udang?

So, this is how our kitchen looks like when Nana cooked Cucur Udang…

Si Naz yang paling awal datang dan yang paling ahir lari… si Sydah, sambil keraja sambil mulutnya kunyah2 makan cucur, mun ada keropok udang, ya jua punya tu… si Dennis, mengira berapa udah cucur udang di makannya, takutnya jadi gamuk… si Nana, membual sydah pasal recipe cucur udang nya tu while si Jimmy, meniup cucur yang panas atu… Eyh!! Ada sorang inda kenampakan… si Samantha betapuk di belakang si Jimmy… nanti ada ni gambar mu… haha

Got Stranger in the Cucur Udang crowd…

Who is that in the blue shirt? Hmm… must’ve been uninvited guest… haha
Si Samantha, inda mau rugi ikut jua makan padahal pinggan banyak tu inda becuci… lol!!!

Who is Chef Nana?

Chef Nana at her station with Makcik Kecil…
Chef Nana is the 7^th species of out seven races as in ‘bangsa’ (our inside jokes) lol... and the makcik kecil never included in the 7 species category… I m the the 1^st…

Not enough with Cucur Udang?

Chef Jimmy teaching our service staffs how to eat properly using knife and forks…
Haha, not enough with cucur udang, they eat more… imagin saja dorang service ani in 2 years coming… gerenti lampuh macam maci di kantin… hahaha

After eating what do they do?

Yatah keraja dorang nie… melepak menunggu kana masakkan nasi goring pattaya… haha

Where was I?

Having my own meal at the back… the whole Cucur Udang… with Lamb and Beef complete with Veggies and served by a waiter named Faie a.k.a cucu (M)aling dari negera Kongostan… ;)

To my dearest colleague The Spag's Crew... jangan marah guys, kurang pahala puasa tu... ;)

Hope you enjoy reading and have a great time…

Until next time…

Regards, Chef Nash

My Lazy Salad...

2009-08-22T01:37:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all...

I think everyone have their lazy time to cook or prepping food, either for themselves or for others like family or friends... haha, no exception, I am one of us sometimes but it doesn't happen all the time tho, may be once in a blue moon, so, as my connection is still bad at this time (I m so angry with my ISP for that), that I have to go to my guardian angel's place just to get online and post this lazy post... and now, here is one of my lazy recipes... ;)

My Lazy Salad...

Ingredients:

Mesclun Salad
Grilled smoked beef strip
Star fruit (grilled)
Pear (grilled)
Black olive (cut half or anyhow u like it)
Grilled capsicum (juliene)
Olive oil
Baby Basil
Salt and Pepper

Method:
Use your Immagination... or you could follow how I arranged it from the pics...

Tips: no tips... ;)

As I always want to try something new for my appetite and at the same time lazy too, so I just grab whatever I can see infront of me and there was pear and star fruit, straight away I sliced them and grill... smoked beef strip for my carbonara, grill...

This is smoked beef strip, you can actually use bacon (I mean the real one) and grill em...

Do I always this lazy? Noooo... have the time to grill and all... thats what I called lazy, especially I still have time to sleep in the store then moved to chiller and come back to plate the salad... haha but then it is one lovely salad and appetizing too after all...

So, how does your lazy food looks like?

With this oppurtunity, I would like to say "Selamat Berpuasa to all my fellow Muslim around the globe and berpuasalah dengan ikhlas kerena Allah S.W.T"

Regards, Chef Nash

Soup Udang Galah...

2009-08-19T00:58:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all…

Hello everyone, its been so long that I haven’t blog and yeah, as Spaghettini’s busy period is over, now I can post as usual. This time I am sharing a soup recipe, that is Soup Udang Galah masam pedas or Fresh Water Prawn in sour spicy soup.

Udang Galah is a fresh water prawn species that is found in fresh water river in Brunei, this prawn is one of the few species of prawn that can be caught by fishing rod or ‘kail’ in local dialect. Usually fisherman caught them in the river of Temburung and Tutung districts in Brunei.

Udang Galah in picture…

Udang means Prawn while Galah is Bamboo, that is a direct translation as its sound funny when you say Bamboo Prawn, so, I much preferred calling it “Udang Galah”… or in English it is popular known as fresh water prawn. The reason why it is called galah is because of its claw, it is long like bamboo…

Soup Udang Galah…

Ingredients:

1Kg udang galah
3 litre wate
2nos onion
3nos garlic
100gm leeks
3 tbsp chilli paste
1nos cinnamon stick
3nos bay leave
1 tsp black pepper corn
2 tbsp asam jawa (tamarind paste)
1handfull dried mushroom
Corn oil for frying
Salt and pepper

Ingredients in picture…

Methods:

First you’ll have to clean and skin the prawns and keep them aside.
And then wash prawn trimming and put in the pot together with water and all ingredients.

Prawn’s trimming in pot (right), simmered soup…

Bring to boil and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Correct seasoning and strain.
After straining put back in the pot and heat at low fire, skimmed and simmer for about 15 minutes.

While doing that, take the claws and cut to take the meat…

Cooked prawn’s claws, cut the claws to get the meat, shred them and keep aside as garnish for the soup.

And than heat a pan with corn oil and pan fried the prawns until cook, place prawn in soup bowl and pour soup in... and get ready to eat your ‘Udang Galah Soup’

Tips: this method of cooking is much into a ‘fine’ dining style as the traditional method is to put all ingredient (including prawns with skin/shell) in the pot altogether, boiled until prawn cooked and you can eat it as main course with rice and other dishes, that’s how my mom used to cooked ‘Udang Galah Rabus’.

Tips too: or you can use tomato paste if you don’t eat chilies…

Close up…

Shredded Udang Galah’s meat as garnish with the claw… nice… ;)

I hope you guys enjoy reading this recipes and please try it and if you couldn’t find Udang Galah at shops around you… hmmm, how? I don’t know, don’t cook it then or may be if your house is close to a river, get your fishing rod and try to catch some Udang Galah there, who knows u might be lucky to caught one or two… LOL!!!, but I think you can replace it with Tiger prawns or big size prawns or perhaps Lobster… ;)

So, that’s it for this time… eeeyyyhhhh, wait!!!

As a bonus, this is my recipe of chili paste a.k.a ‘Chili Boh’… as I always mentioned, home made taste better, right?

Home Made Chili Paste…

Ingredients

100gm dried chilies
1.5 litre chicken stock

Boiled both ingredients in a pot and simmer for about one hour, blend thru food processor until fine and its ready for use.

Tips: you can use water instead of chicken stock, I use stock for extra flavor as my chicken stock taste delisioucities!!! Some dried chilies is not hot especially after u cooked them, some are really hot, so, u might need to ask the chili monger if you don’t eat chillies, but I much preferred the hot ones, it is if you use to make sambal, or much better to make sambal belacan… yummm… nyaman tu…

So, until next time… have a great time everyone… ;)

Regards, Chef Nash

Bridex 2009...

2009-08-10T01:18:00.000+08:00

what is bridex?

click here bridex 2009

Official Hotel

Mr and Mrs Tomato...

2009-08-04T03:11:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all…

Hello everyone… this time I am sharing my knowledge and what in the world I know about Tomato, and as for a start, when I was a boy, I like to watch this cartoon character of Tomato, I dont remember the title of the series but I think it was a Japanese cartoon and actually still remembered how the song was… ‘tomato, tomato, tomato ma tot’ that’s how it was sound… hahaha…

So, how essential is Tomato in your daily cooking? As for me, I used tomato in about 85% of my cooking in many form: mostly sauce, salad, key ingredients and so on. In Italian cooking, Pomodoro is one of a must ingredient in their cooking and an Italian who doesn’t eat tomato, would be a shame… (is it?)… Also, as if your watch in any cooking in TVs or in a magazine or even in cookbook… I would say, every cook book using tomato as one of their ingredient except for those cake book or similar… correct me if I am wrong… ;)

So, the big question is… do you really know its nutritious content, uses and anything about it?

So, this is knowledge for us to learn and it is important that we know what we eat…so, keep reading, I m learning and at the same time, you should too…

Tomato

Tomato was believed to be originated in South America but now it is planted and used worldwide.

Vernacular Names: Tomato, Pomodoro, Love Apple, Rante Raja, Tomat (and many more…)
Botanical Name: Lycopersicon Esculentum Miller
Family Name: Solanaceae

Content: Edible portion of the ripe fruit contains 94% water, 3.6-4.3% carbohydrates, 1% protein, 0.6% fibre, 0.1-0.2% fat, calcium, carotenes, hydroxytryptamine, iron, lycopene, magnesium, narcotine, phosphorus, pattasium, quercetin, tryptemine, vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin E.

Bioactivities: Human skin may develop dermatitis if in contact with raw fruit juice or fresh wet plant. Lycopene is an antioxidant, protects against breast cancer, heart disease, lung disease, prostate cancer. Narcotine is an isoquinoline alkaloid that is analgesic, anticancer, antitussive. Solanine and solanidine are toxic compounds that can cause symptoms of poisoning. Solanine is a glycoalkaliod with antifeeding, antifungal and pesticidal activities; used in the treatment of asthma and epilepsy. Comsuming too much of this compounds can cause gastrointestinal and neurological problems, birth defects, death. Solanine is more toxic than solanidine.

Uses in food: Tomatoes are eaten fresh or cooked, is also dried, canned, made into candies, wine, paste. Green tomatoes are used to make pickles, preserve. Seeds oil is used as salad oil in making margarine.

Tips: Canned tomatoes have less carotenes and vitamin C compared to fresh tomatoes. Dried tomatoes and paste are rich in carotenes and vitamin E. Tomato juice often have much salt added and this hinders the absorption of potassium.

Tomato is antifungal. The antioxidants carotenes, vitamin C and vitamin E helps to lower the risks of many forms of cancer, also cataracts, heart disease and stroke.

Health and Healing:

Leaves: Pounded and applied on the skin to treat sunburn. Pounded with salt and placed on boils.

Fruits: Used as laxative, used to treat gravel, ophthalmia, ortitis, phthisis, typhoid fever. Pulp applied on burns, calluses, corns, heamorrhoids inflammations, scalds. Decoction taken as a diuretic to treat mouth and throat ulcers, urinary ailments. Cut a piece of green fruit to apply on ringworm. Dried fruits make into powder, mixed with water and taken to treat diarrhea.

Caution: Green tomato leaves contain the toxic chemical solanine and should not be eaten or used internally as herbal medicine. Raw green tomato fruits may not be suitable to be eaten. Degree of toxicity depends on the genetic type and surrounding conditions. Solanine cannot be destroyed by cooking. Acid from tomato products can leach out of the lining from the metal or plastic containers. Choose tomato products low in salt and packed in glass containers.

My Cherry Tomato Plant…

Tomato is one kind of vegetable that are easy to grow… this is Cherry Tomato I grow at my backyard, do I have to buy tomato and how essential tomato in my cooking and how fresh is my tomato? I can just pick them from my backyard… and eat it like that… ;)

So, do we all learnt from this… I hope we all do…

Info taken from ‘Ong Hean Chooi – Natural therapy vegetables for health and healing’
(this is not a copy and paste, it more into copy and typing…)

So, anymore info about Tomato you’d like to add, please link me up… or comment this post…

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And… as Bonus I am sharing one of a very basic soup recipe that has rich tomato taste…

Tomato Broth…

Tomato broth is one of the most basic soup that could turn into many different kind of soup…

First you’ll have to make chicken stock… (sorry I don’t have chicken stock pics)

1kg chicken trimming (preferred bones)
3 liter of water
100gm onion (chunk)
100gm carrot (chunk)
100gm celery (chunk)
15 nos peppercorn (white)

Mixed all ingredients in a pot and bring to boiled. Once boiled, simmer for about 2 hours. Remove all fats that surfaced. Strain thru a fine strainer.

Tips: this is a white chicken stock recipe for certain soups that uses white chicken stock, Brown chicken stock used different method that is: chicken and veggies need to be colored (either in oven or sauté in pot) then add water boiled and simmer. Chicken stock can be stored in chiller up to 3 to 4 days, so you can use it whenever you want it…

And then…. Tomato Broth...

Ingredients:

1kg tomato (diced)
100gm carrot (chunk)
100gm onion (chunk)
2 liter chicken stock
1 number cinnamon stick
10gm basil leaves
5nos bay leaves

Mixed all ingredients in pot except for basil which I pun in last minute. Bring to boiled and simmer for about 2 hours. At last minutes, add basil and continue simmer for about 3 minute.

Tips: no seasoning added as this is basic soup but then, it is already tasty… don’t believed me, try it… for more sweetness, you could add more carrots but remember if you put too much it would over taste tomato… and will become carrot broth… ;)

Once ready, get a clean piece of cloth and lined it on a strainer... see pic

You may leave it just like this until all the water drained… it would take sometimes tho… ;) so, may be you could do some more preps for another dishes…

And it took me about two hour to completely strain it because I don’t want to waste every single drop of the broth…

Tomato Broth…

This is one kind of clear soup and of course a ‘Healthy’ choice…

So, I hope you all enjoy this post and learn a lot… so, better check out more of my up coming post for “what can I make out of tomato broth”…

Until next time… have a pleasant time…

Chef Nash

The Trio Tower...

2009-07-31T03:12:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera to all…

Hi everyone, nice to see you again in my recipe sharing post… At work, as time passed and the restaurant wasn’t that busy and I got all my preps done early, so, I got myself doing nothing, so, was thinking to make something to kill time with my sharp knife… haha, as I was prepping for our special menu Chicken Scallapone and got some extra chicken breast, I got an idea of making rolled chicken and was thinking of few world towers at the same time (New York twin tower and Petronas twin tower) and finally I want to make my own tower made from chicken but not twin though, trio sounds better… and here is the result…

Introducing… The world’s new tallest tower ‘The Trio Tower’ in Spaghettini’s kitchen…

Honey glazed rolled chicken with bacon, zucchini and yellow squash served with Pecorino cream Sauce...

Main ingredient:

2 nos chicken breast
6 slice of smoked beef strip*
2 nos medium sized zucchini
3 medium sized yellow squash
Fined chopped parsley
3tbsp honey
2tbsp corn oil
Salt and pepper

*You can actually use bacon strip for this recipe. I used smoked beef strip as I am a Muslim, we are not allowed to eat pork but you can try using bacon, it should give a good result… I think, comment or buzz me…

Tips: you can add up ingredients amount for more chicken tower…

First you'll have to trim chicken breast and using a sharp filleting knife, slice thinly through and keep aside...

And then, you’ll have to slice zucchini and yellow squash this thin as well or thinner. (sorry guys no pics taken… I actually ask the steward to cut the veggies while I went out making coffee… kidding).

Tips: using mandolin is much better, as it would give same cutting. Also, thinly sliced is not easy for some people… but if you don’t have mandolin, you’ll have to slice it manually, sharp knife would helps a lot…

And then arranged chicken breast, zucchini, beef strip and yellow squash in layers like picture and seasoning, sprinkle parsley...

Roll from the bottom end to the upper end (as in the pic, from left to right) make sure you leave some part of chicken without layer (see pic), as it would stick the end part… keep aside and roll some more…

Heat up corn oil in a non sticky pan, fry to light brown color...

This is hows it look like in frying pan…

Tips: fry it from the end part first and roll it using tong.

At this stage, it won’t cook the whole chicken, as the inside still raw… continue cooking in the oven. At 200’C oven, cook it for about 10 minute.

When ready, glaze it with honey using brush or spoon…

Cut the bottom part straight, so it would be standing on the plate…

The Trio Tower…

So… that’s it…

Hey, I’ve tried a sauce with this one and garnished it with grilled zucchini and grilled eggplant…

So, what sauce?

Pecorino Cream Sauce…

100ml cream
30ml chicken stock
Pinch of grated nutmeg
30gm pecorino cheese
Chopped parsley
Salt and pepper

Heat up cream in sauce pan, add in chicken stock, bring to boiled and add pecorino, simmer. Add nutmeg and parsley, check seasoning…

Tips: doesn’t matter if you don’t have chicken stock, just use cream but if you use chicken stock it would give extra chicken-ish flavor.

In the end... The tower with garnish...

I garnish the dish with grilled zucchini, grilled eggplant and grilled cherry tomato but actually you can skip that garnishing part… you can just served the chicken with the sauce eat with your other dishes like pasta or rice.

This is actually one simple recipe after all and I was thinking too, you could slice the chicken and make a salad recipe(s) but its all up to you… let your creativity go beyond, higher than the world’s tallest tower for your own appetite which is reaching the sky sometimes… ;)

So, I hope you like this recipe as I enjoyed my early dinner with ‘The Trio Tower’ made from Chicken…

And last but not least, until next time… have a great time… ;)

P/s: I am quite not happy with the blurry pics because of the camera I used felled into Jacuzzi together with the camera women haha, so, anyone want to sponsor me a camera? Hehe…

Chef Nash and the three dots