Kek Batik

I joined an event recently and everyone had to bring a dessert that represent their own country.

Kek Batik may not be a true representation of Malaysian's dessert as it is only known around East Malaysia and Indonesia. Being a Sarawakian, it does represent my culture. Yup, Sarawak is just slightly different.

It has been awhile since I made them or eat them as those are not the usual ingredients I would stock in my kitchen. Having a cleaner diet is part of my excuse, which failed miserable when I feel like trying new recipes. Hahaha....

I copied this recipe from somewhere many years ago and added + reduced some ingredients to suit my taste bud. I do not like desserts that are overly sweet and I reckon this is the best combination I had so far and the most successful Kek Batik I had ever made.

100 g            Milo
25g               Cocoa Powder
125ml           Boiling water
190g             Butter, cut into large chunks
200g             Sweentened condensed milk (I used skimmed this time)
100g             White granulated sugar/caster sugar
6 eggs           Lightly Beaten
1/2tsp           Vanilla extract (Optional)
250g             Arnott's Marie Biscuit/Arrowroot biscuit

1. Roughly break the biscuit into quarters.
2. Add boiling water to milo and cocoa powder in a saucepan. Stirring vigorously until it is smooth. Add butter, sweetened condensed milk, sugar, lightly beaten eggs and vanilla to the saucepan.
3. Place over moderate heat and cook. Stirring all the time with a whisk or a spoon until you feel the bottoms starts to thicken about 5 minutes.
4. Turn heat down to low and continue to cook, stirring non stop for about 20mins or until a thick custard forms.
5. Transfer it to a big mixing bowl, add biscuits, Mix well.
6. Transfer into a tin lined with baking paper, bang a few times to avoid having air pockets. Let cool.
7. Cover the top baking paper, chill in the fridge overnight. 

A sneak peep of what others made. My favourite was the Aussie dessert-->TimTam Tart! Yum!

Strawberry Swiss Roll

I made some swiss roll as my housemate's belated birthday present. It was not as successful as the sponge cake was too solid. I like it soft and fluffy. This is beautiful to look at but tricky to cut. Strawberry shortcake might be an easier version.

A twist of Korean/Jap?

This is just one of those nights that I do not know what to eat. 

The Woolworth nearby does not have a lot of fresh fruits and veggies and I can't be bother to get my groceries from the closest Asian area nearby. 

Some brown onion, some minced beef, Korean chili paste, sesame oil and an egg. 

1. Brown onion in heated pan.
2. Add minced beef and sesame oil with Korean chili paste when cooked. 
3. Mix in an egg at the end.

After everything is cooked, crack an egg and stir through

I had them with some lettuce

Korean chili paste

Easy version of Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

I guess I do not miss Asian food as much at the moment as most of my cooking are of international cuisine. Not yet, just not yet. Malaysian restaurants here can be disappointing at times and someday I will have to cook my own malaysian food.

First attempt of risotto and anything with cheese is just unbeatable.

Ingredients:

Onion
Chicken (boneless, skinless)
Field mushroom or swiss mushroom
Risotto rice
Chicken stock/water (liquid)
Grated parmesan cheese
Butter
Mixed herbs
Salt and pepper for seasoning
A heavy base pot

1. Fry onion and diced chicken.
2. Add in field mushrooms and cook until soft.
3. Risotto rice in the pot. Liquid: rice= 2:1
4. Bring to boil and simmer with a lid on with the mixed herbs.
5. Add a bit more liquid if the rice is undercooked.
6. Then parmesan and a tablespoon of butter.
7. Ready to serve. 

Orange Poppy Seed Cake

It has been a quiet weekend. No running event this weekend as the weather has been keeping me indoor most of the time. Experimenting in the kitchen helps with killing time.

Recipe

This is without the orange syrup. The cake itself does not have any orange flavour at all. It might be different with the orange syrup. However, I still prefer a tangy Lemon Butter Cake.

Quick-fix: Carbs and Fat

I always try to keep a balance diet, especially when I started to cook most of my meals. However, I am going through phases of cutting down carbohydrate unintentionally. Cooking rice does not come in handy if you do not have a rice cooker with you. Weeks after weeks, carbohydrate is just out of my diet most of the time but without carbs for awhile does make me crazy. 

I went for a 5km walk/run last week and my whole body was uneasy. I felt hungry the whole day even after I had food. I knew my body is craving for something. Something different and something that feels me up.

So, I made garlic bread. 

Before going in the oven

Yup...That much butter =)

 Ingredients:

• Butter
• Garlic
• Salt
• Mixed herbs

5 slices of garlic bread and they made me one happy kid again!

A new beginning!

It has been awhile since I last blog. I had to delete all the posts which I had them for more than 4 years. They were part of me but I would like to start something new and to have something more mature to show you guys.

I have traveled quite a far bit since I last left Brisbane after I graduated. I also get the chance to taste wonder Asian food all these time. Singapore is a good place to try different local and international cuisine but I am also after something more authentic and exciting. Street food is always the best food you can find in the world. As a real foodie, when it comes to good yummy food, safe and hygienic handling skills might not be the 1st priority. =) Not for the weak tummies!

The tanginess, the spicies that numb your whole scalp and make you sweat; the combination of fresh mango with the sweet and savoury sticky rice in Bangkok; the flavoursome stock with thinly sliced beef; fried eel with rice noodles and the sweet coffee custard drink in Hanoi. The stinky tofu from Taiwan became my favourite Taiwanese food so far. The custard cake along the street in Seoul with the sweet eggy fragrance. All those sweet memories of good food and good company. I am drooling, I am telling you!!

Mango with sticky rice

Baguette that I can never forget, Sapa, Hanoi 

Fried eel noodles in Hanoi

Stinky tofu in Taipei

Other than enjoying good food, I also like to try different recipes and each of them come with stories and people for me to remember. Stay in tune for some experiment that I had or I will be having in the kitchen!!