Ramadan 2015 Day 29 - Tat Nenas

Pineapple cookies is one of my favorite cookies during Ramadan. The cookie is easy to make.

Ingredients:
For the pineapple jam
1 ripe pineapple. Grated and drain the juice
2 cups of sugar ( I decided to make this super sweet)
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 tablespoon of tapioca flour
A few drops of red food coloring
Cook all of the above until thickened. Let it cool.

For the cookie
3 cups of flour
1 egg
2 sticks of unsalted butter
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

In a big bowl, cream butter and sugar.
Then cream the egg.
Add the vanilla.
Use hand to mix the flour to the batter.
Roll the dough to 1/4 inch and use cookie cutter with the dent in the center for the jam.
Bake in the oven at 350 degree F for 10 minutes. Making sure the cookie didn't turn brown.
Let the cookie cool before storing.
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Syawal 2013 Day 1 - Soy Sauce Chicken

Ramadan is over. Today is the day to feast on good food. After attending the eidul fitri prayer at the mosque, I went home to feast on my home cooked meal.

 This home cooked soy sauce chicken is super easy to cook. I am using all dried spices such as parsley, onion, garlic, ginger,hot peppers, cloves and cinnamon. Simmer them with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 cup of water. Then add dark soy sauce and sweet soy sauce. Simmer on medium low until chicken is cooked. I am using chicken wings.

 I serve this yummy soy sauce chicken with spicy rice and the sambal goreng. Bon Appetite...

 Some of the kuih raya served at my friend's house. She had kuih goyang on the left an maruku on the right.

 Clockwise, peanuts, putu, sugar cookies and peanut butter cookies.

Eid celebration will not complete without these meals.
Eid Mubarak everyone!

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Ramadan 2013 Day 27 - Dodol

I love dodol. This sweet treat took 2 hours to cook.

This dodol is made of 1 cup of ground sweet rice, coconut milk, brown sugar and water.
Cook on medium low heat for 2 hours and keep stirring the dish.
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Ramadan 2013 Day 26 - Almond London

This cookie is known as almond London cookie, but it was not originated from London. To make this cookie is time consuming. But, I love it. So, I gave this cookie a try.

 Ingredients:
3 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of emplex
2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup of icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence
1 cup of roasted whole almond

 For the top:
1 packet of nestle semi sweet chocolate chunks
1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening
some chopped almond

 Roast the almond on low heat until cooked.

Mix the ingredients and make the dough. Add one almond inside each cookie. Bake the cookies at 325 degree F until lightly brown.

Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate chunks and add the shortening. Stir well.
Cover each cookie with the chocolate.
Set it in a small paper cup. Top with some chopped almond.
Let the chocolate set.

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Ramadan 2013 Day 25 - Tat Nenas

Aidilfitri or Eid will not complete without this number favorite cookie, tat nenas, also known as pineapple tart. Superb!

The ingredients:
3 cups of all purpose flour
1 tablespoon corn flour
1 egg
1/2 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 stick of unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the jam:
1 fresh sweet pineapple.
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
 red coloring
1/2 cup of sugar

Method:
Cook the jam first.
Peel the skin of the pineapple. Remove the core. Grate the pineapple. Remove the juice.
On medium low heat, cook the pineapple with sugar and the spices.
Add food coloring and cook until jam is thickened.

For the dough:
Cream butter and sugar.
Add egg and beat for another minute.
Add vanilla extract and salt. Beat another minute.
Add corn flour.
Then add flour. Knead softly.
Use flour and roll the dough.
Cut with tat nenas cookie cutter with center part cab hold the jam.
Add the jam to the center of the cookie.
Bake in the oven at 325 degree F for about 20 minutes or until cookie is lightly brown.

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Ramadan 2013 Day 21 - Kek Bahulu Lapis

Bahulu lapis or pineapple layered cake is one of my favorite cake for the eid. I was in the mood to spend my time cooking in the kitchen for this delicious cake.

Although the layer is not straight but this cake is so good. I used fresh grated pineapple and cook it until it turned into a delicious and sweet jam. I brushed the jam on each layer.
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Peanut Butter Cookies

This is a simple peanut butter cookies. The recipe is using about 2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 egg, 1 stick of unsalted butter, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of smooth creamy peanut butter.
Beat the sugar and butter until smooth. Then add peanut butter and egg. Combine.
Add flour and knead lightly.
If still sticky, add a little bit flour.
Place one raisin at the bottom of the small cup cookie tray.
Press in the peanut butter dough.
Preheat oven to 375 degree F.
Bake cookies for about 12 minutes.
Remove cookies from the cookies tray.
Let it cool before storing.

As you can see from the picture above, I have 3 different shape of the peanut butter cookie tray.
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Rempeyek

I love munching on crackers. Yesterday, I decided to fry one of my favorite crunchy snack called Rempeyek. Rempeyek is lightly salted with garlic and anchovies and has peanut in it.

Ingredients:
1 packet of powdered rice flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon of ground cumin
1 tablespoon of ground coriander
1 tablespoon of ground white pepper
15 pieces of kafir lime leaf
1 packet instant yeast
1 cup coconut milk
1 cube of anchovies bullion
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
2 cups water ( add or less water to thin the batter)
3 cups of peanut (add more as needed)

Above is the laddle I use to shape the rempeyek. You could also use the traditional method that is to spoon some of the rempeyek batter with the peanut and layer it along side the wok near the hot cooking oil. Use the hot oil to release the rempeyek from attaching to the wok.

Method:
Slice the kafir lime thinly.
In a big bowl, add egg. Beat lightly until incorporate the white and the yolk.
Then add the spices - anchovies cube, cumin, coriander, white pepper, garlic, kafir lime, and instant yeast.
Then add coconut milk. Mix well.
Add flour.
Add water. Check to make sure the batter is thin.
In a small bowl, scoop some of the batter and add some raw and washed dried peanut.
Use a tablespoon to pour the batter into the hot rempeyek mould.
Fry in deep oil on medium low heat.
Turn the peanut side down until peanut is cooked.
Then flip to the other side to brown the bottom.
Let the rempeyek cool before storing.
Enjoy!
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Ramadan 28 - Part 5 Biskut Dahlia

This biskut dahlia is one of my favorite cookies for eid. It is very easy to bake.
I was using 2 sticks of unsalted butter.
1/2 cup castor sugar.
1 big can of sweetened condensed milk.
1 egg
4 cups flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla paste

My sous chef, Amira is making her signature cookie, a cute tiny snowman.

Method:
In a mixer, beat butter anmd sugar until fluffy.
Add egg and beat some more.
Add vanilla paste.
Transfer the mixture into a big bowl.
Slowly add the flour and form a soft dough.
Use the piping mould to press the cookies out.
I am using a large drop flower tip.

Another sous chef, Adam was making a big truck wheel using a round donut mould.
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Ramadan 28 - Part 2 Biskut Raya aka Raya Cookies

Yes, today was our Raya cookies baking marathon day. We managed to finish cooking tat nenas(turned out tasted like shortbread), almond biscotti, mazola cookies, and dahlia.
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Syawal 2010

Today is the first day of Syawal of 2010. The ramadan has ended yesterday. I managed to cook my Raya meal last night up until 11 PM while on the phone with my family. I cooked Spicy Red Chicken and Peanut Sauce. Then early this morning, before I leave the house for Eid prayer, I cooked the Lodeh.

I was going to pray at the as-sabereen mosque but then I saw lots of cars already had to park on the main road, I then decided to go to ISGH. There was no one at ISGH. I open my email and double check on the prayer time. I was early then because the prayer will start at 9 am and t was only 8 am at that time.

After the Eid prayer, I met Gertrude. We both went to the Asian store and bought durian. I left the durian outside the house. Not only that the house will not be smelly but it will be easier for me to clean up.

Gertrude bake this delicious and pretty cake for me.

I cannot believe how hot this Spicy Red Chicken or in bahasa Melayu it is called Ayam Masak Merah. Luckily I knew Gertrude can stand the heat. But I forgot to dress this served dish with some cilantro that I just bought from the store.

Pineapple Tart Cookies

Pineapple tart cookies for raya.
Raya or eid fitri is the celebration after Ramadan. The whole month in Ramadan Muslims around the world are fasting. Fasting in Ramadan means no eating or drinking from sunrise to sundown. Muslims are urge to pray and do good thing during this holy month. To celebrate this holy month, Muslims around the world will do an eid prayer in the morning followed by a khutbah or also known as preaching by the imam. After the prayer, the Muslims will pay their respect at the grave of their family. They will read al fatihah or surah yassin, verses from the quran as doa for their loving ones.

The tradition continue with visiting their relatives or friends and ask for forgiveness.
Most Muslims will serve varieties of food to their guests.
Among the delights served is the most popular sweet cookies. It is called the pineapple tart cookies.
Raya will not be festive without this cookies. Although almost all houses serve this traditional cookies, each cookies from each houses never have the same taste.

I have never seen or heard anyone selling pineapple tart cookies in my neighborhood.
So, every year, God willing, I will bake my own pineapple tart.
I like my pineapple tart to be sweeter. So I add sugar in my dough.

Ingredients:
2 fresh pineapples
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 sticks of butter  or 1 lb butter
7 cups all purpose flour
4 tablespoons corn starch

Method
Beat butter and sugar until smooth
Add eggs and beat until smooth
Use a spatula to mix corn starch and flour until blend
Do not over worked
Take a small amount of the batter and roll it flat on floured surface.
Use pineapple tart mould with a dent in the center to place the pineapple jam.
Bake in the oven at 350 degree F for about 15 mnutes.

To make the pineapple jam you need 1 or two fresh pineapples.
Remove the skin and cut the pineapple into 4 lengthwise.
Grate the pineapple.
Drain the access juice.

Note: I use the juice for my drink by adding diet soda and ice. It is refreshing.

In a Big pot, cook grated pineapple with 2 cups sugar.
Add a pinch of red coloring, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, a pinch of ground nutmeg and 1 tablespoon ground cloves.
Cook on medium high heat until jam is thickened.
Keep stirring so crust did not formed at the bottom.
Cool the jam before use.

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Biskut Bantal Kurma

I bought a big container of dates (kurma) from Sam's club mainly because I have been craving to taste biskut kurma or some people call it biskut bantal. I am very happy with the outcome of this first trial.
Thanks to my food processor which could chop the pitted dates in no time and effortless.
For this recipe, I am following the same measurement as for my tart gulung. I brush the top with some egg wash. Bake it in the 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Tat Nenas and Kuih Siput

So far I have made tat nenas, kuih siput and biskut kurma for this year Raya celebration.

Fourteenth Day Ramadan - Kuih Siput

Yes, it is time to start baking and cooking some of those delicious Raya cookies and cakes. To begin with, I am frying this kuih siput (shell shape snack). Growing up, I never miss having this spicy, curry and oniony flavor of this snack during Raya season. As I am kneading the dough, I was thinking about mom. Mom used to knead the dough and I will do the shell shaping. As I am shaping this cracker, I keep thinking mom's advice. She will make sure that I shape the siput small, thinly and all in even shape. Unlike me, Mom was always particular about her food presentation.
As you can see from the picture above, I do not have the shape as thinner, smaller or in even size as Mom thought me. After frying and this cracker is cooling down, I realize that the thicker kuih siput is too doughy. That means it will not stay fresh for a long time in container.
I will definitely make another batch and the next time it will be thinner and hopefully in even size.
The ingredients for this kuih is perfect. I will not change a bit.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/6 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh curry leaves
2 tablespoon ground fried onion ( I am using the ready to use fried onion that I bought from the Asian store)
1 tablespoon thick coconut milk ( I am using Coco King brand)
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter
Olive oil or any cooking oil for deep frying.

Method:
In a bowl add flour, sugar, salt, chopped curry leaves, ground fried onion.
Mix this dry ingredients well.
Add butter. Crumble it into the flour.
Add 1 egg and start kneading.
Add coconut milk and knead.
If your dough is still sticky, add half teaspoon flour.
Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Using the siput mould, start shaping the siput by taking a small pinch of the dough.
Press it on the board and roll it out.
This dough is not sticking to the mould.
Deep fry this kuih siput until golden brown.
Let it cool completely before storing.
This kuih siput is addictive. You will want to keep eating it until they are gone. :-)
Yesterday, while at Sam's club, I bought all of these items as shown in the picture above for my Raya cookies and meal ingredients. I bought dates for dates cookies and breakfasting appetizer. Honey roasted peanuts for kuih makmur and peanut sauce to go with the pressed cooked rice. Two ripe pineapples for pineapple tart cookies and bahulu lapis. Lastly, shelled walnuts for cookies and pies. I have not complete the shopping for the kuih raya ingredients because Sam's club (wholesaler) sell flour and sugar in a humongous bag. There is no way I could use the flour and sugar that much for this Syawal celebration. I will have to make a stop at regular grocery store for flour and sugar.
I shape all the dough into the shell prior to frying.
My breakfasting meal is a simple stir fry green string beans in garlic and turkey strips and battered fried chicken.
I am using 1 tablespoon butter, heat it in the skillet on medium low.
Then I add the turkey strips and washed green string beans.
Stir for 2 minutes.
Add chopped garlic.
Salt and pepper to taste.

As for the fried chicken, I am using egg and milk to wet the chicken.
Shake it in the crumbs. I am using the zatarain's stir fry mix.
Fry until no blood comes out of the chicken when poke with metal fork.

Have a nice day!

Bahulu Cermai - Part 2

I did bahulu cermai 2 years ago for Raya celebration. This year I made this bahulu again.
Ingredients:
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
some flour ( I did not measure because I use the old method)
1 teaspoon vanilla

The bahulu is easily removed from the mould. I spray the mould with pam.
This is how th eold method is. In a small bowl, scoop about 2 senduk( big spoon) of the egg and sugar mixture.
Sprinkle with about 10 tablespoon flour. And fold in nicely.
Bake in the oven on 350F degree for about 15 minutes.