Salmon Sweet Sour

I always love the taste of salmon. But back in Malaysia, salmon is darn expensive. Here, with Euro currency, it is quite affordable. The price usually around 7Euro/kg. The other day, I bought 3 slices of salmon and I paid around 3 Euro. So while I'm here, I'm going to enjoy the salmon as much as I could!

Salmon usually is nice to be grilled lightly on the pan, sprinkled with a bit salt and pepper and to be eaten with side dishes - steamed vegetables perhaps or any potatoes meal. But since we need to eat it with rice, I had to cook it the Malaysian way - thus sweet sour!

You can do whatever version you like, but mine goes like below:

Ingredients:

- Salmon steak
- 2 tbs chili sauce
- 2 tbs tomato sauce
- Capsicum (any colors will do...the more the merrier) - chopped
- 1 onion - chopped
- Some garlics - chopped
- Some ginger - chopped
- Spring onion/celery leaves
- Salt/pepper/sugar

Method:

- Sprinkle the salmon steaks with some pepper and salt.
- Add a little cooking oil on the grill pan.
- Grill both side the salmon steak until cook.
- Remove the salmon from the pan, put aside.
- Heat up some cooking oil
- Stir in the garlic, ginger and onion. When they turn golden-brown, add the chili and tomato sauces. Add some water if it too dry.
- Add some salt and sugar to taste.
- Add chopped capsicum. Stir for a while. Don't make it too soft.
- Pour the sweet-sour sauce onto the salmon steak.
- Sprinkle chopped spring onion.
- Serve.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

I tried out this recipe because I wanted to clear out the left-over buttermilk I had used for the banana almond cake the other day. So while browsing the net, I found this recipe from Simply Recipe and decided to make an experiment.

Oh, I was surprise to find out that this chicken looks like the KFC output and tastes quite similar to one too. So after this, I don't have to worry if I do not have the ready-made flour to make this type of coated fried chicken.

So the original recipe is:

Ingredients

1 (3 pound) fryer (see Wikipedia on the difference between broilers, fryers, and roasting birds), cut into pieces - I just used chicken!
2 cups buttermilk
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (parsley, tarragon, thyme) or a teaspoon each of the dried herbs. - I used dried thyme and oregano because that were all I had
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper - just found that this pepper is actually spicy chili powder

For coating:

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
2 cups grapeseed oil, or other high smoke-point oil such as canola oil, or peanut oil

Method

1 Soak chicken overnight (at least 8 hours and up to two days) in buttermilk with onions, herbs, paprika, and cayenne pepper.

2 Drain in colander, leaving some herbs on chicken. In a large paper or plastic (sturdy) bag, mix flour with seasonings. Meanwhile, heat 2 cups oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron, stainless steel, or anodized aluminum - something that can take the heat) on medium high heat until a pinch of flour starts to sizzle when dropped in the hot oil (but not so hot that the pan is smoking). Remember when working with hot oil, always have a pan lid close by.

3 Place chicken pieces in bag with flour and shake until thoroughly coated. Add chicken to hot pan and fry on 1 side for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown, and then use tongs to turn the pieces over and fry for another 10-12 minutes, again until golden brown.

Be careful to keep the oil hot enough to fry the chicken, but not so high as it burns the chicken. To do this on our electric stove we have to alternate the settings between high to medium high several times while we are cooking.

4 Use tongs to remove chicken from pan. Place on a rack over a cookie sheet or broiling pan for the excess oil to drain. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Potato Cake with Smoked Salmon

Ok, this is also something from Nigella.


I thought it was interesting to make and yummy-looking. But actually it doesn´t taste so great. Just so-so. And I can´t make my husband eat it!

But I just share it here in case anybody would like to try out.

Anyway, since it's easy, I made this a project for the twins for their cooking experience.

Ingredients:
For potato cake
- 3 eggs
- 125ml milk
- 2 tbs olive oil
- a bit chopped spring onion
- a bit lemon juice
- 60 g potato powder ( i used the potato puree)
- 40 g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder

For spreading:
- sour cream ( I used quark with herbs as I couldn´t get sour cream)
- smoked salmon


Method:

1. Beat eggs in a bowl.
2. Add the remaining ingredients for the potato cake and mix well.
3. In a pan, pour the batter as making small-round pancake.
4. Cook both sides of the pancake until golden brown.
5. Remove the pancake from the pan and place in a plate.
6. Spread some sour cream on top of the cake.
7. Place a slice of smoked salmon on top of the sour cream
8. Ready to serve.

Quesadillas

Another recipe from Nigella Express. Based on the Youtube show, I watched her making Quesadillas, a Mexican recipe again. I like it because it´s quick to make. Suitable for any occasions too.

Again, instead of tortillas, I used dürum. And instead of ham, I used Turkish salami.And if Nigella used pickled jalapeno for the spicy taste, I used thai birds chili. How´s that?

Of course, if you are making for children, please omit the spicy ingredient.

I made this for my husband´s breakfast. And I think this is a good option for his quick-bite midnight snack.

Ingredients:

- Tortillas/döner - as many pieces as uyou want to make
- Several pieces of salami or any relevant substitutes
- Shredded/grated cheese
- Spring onion
- Pickled jalapeno/chili - sliced (optional)

Method:

1. Spread one piece of tortilla
2. Lay down salami pieces of half-side of tortillas
3. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on top of the salami
4. Sprinkle some spring onion on top of the cheese.
5. Add some pickled jalapeno/chili slices
6. Fold up the tortila.
7. Brush up both sides of tortilla with some oil.
8. Grill on the pan until both sides become golden-brown.
9. Ready to serve.

Mexican Scrambled Egg

I´m so into Nigella Lawson now. People said she´s not very much a cook since she´s not a trained-professional chef but I just love the way she cooks in her show. Sometimes she only cooks simple dish but it looks so delicious. And even though it is just a common meal, she´s very creative into adding something different in that meal.

This time I tried her Mexican scrambled egg....or I think I better call it Turkish scrambled egg because instead of using tortilla as in Nigella´s recipe, I used dürum. Dürum is a flat bread originates from Turkey and available in most Turkish groceries stores. It´s very much alike tortillas. If tortilla is used for making burito, dürum is used to make döner, just very much the same like burito, I guess.

Durum

Ingredients:

- 1 piece of tortilla/dürum
- 3 eggs
- a bit of spring onion (minced)
- 1 tomato (seeded and cut into small pieces)
- capsicum (cut into small piece)
- salt
-butter

Method:

1. Roll up the tortilla. Cut into portions of 1cm lengtfh.
2. Heat up some oil in a pan. Stir in the tortilla. Fry until golden-brown. Put aside.
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the spring onion, tomato, capsicum and salt.
4.Heat up some butter in a pan. Pour in the egg mixture and stir continuously to make scramble egg.
5. Toss in the fried tortilla.
6. Ready to serve.

Banana Almond Cake

Hiyeee...I'm back!

It's been a while since I last updated this blog. It was because I wasn't into cooking...well, I still cook continuously, it's just I didn't cook anything fancy or try out any new recipe. I guess my passion into cooking is just periodic.

Anyway, I'm back into the mood of trying out new recipe again. And yesterday I baked Banana Almond cake.


Occasion?

Nothing...it's just I am now joining an English Playgroup for the my kids, and feel like taking something to the class.

Well, I really like this recipe. As mush as I always sucks at baking, this time my baking product is generally successful. The cake is moist and smells good and tangy as it has orange zest, ground nutmeg and cinnamon

I got this recipe from Grouprecipes.

Ingredients

• 1/2 c (1/4 lb.) butter or margarine
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 c sliced almonds
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon
• 3/4 c granulated sugar
• 1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 1/4 c mashed ripe banana
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsps grated orange peel
• 2/3 c buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsps baking powder
• 1/2 c whole-wheat flour

Directions

• Step #1 Melt 1/4 c of the butter.
• Step #2 Pour 2 tbsps of the melted butter into an 8-c bundt pan; brush the butter over pan sides & bottom.
• Step #3 Mix together the brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, & almonds.
• Step #4 Sprinkle top bottom of pan with half the brown sugar mixture; mix the remaining mixture with the remaining melted butter; set aside.
• Step #5 In a large bowl, beat remaining 1/4 c butter with granulated sugar until mixed.
• Step #6 Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until mixed.
• Step #7 Beat in orange peel & banana.
• Step #8 Mix all-purpose & whole-wheat flours, baking powder, soda, & salt.
• Step #9 Add to banana mixture along with the buttermilk; stir until well mixed.
• Step #10 Pour half the batter into prepared pan.
• Step #11 Spoon remaining brown sugar mixture evenly over top; cover with remaining batter.
• Step #12 Bake in a 350° oven until a long wood skewer inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out clean, about 50 mins.
• Step #13 Cool the cake on a rack about 5 mins, then invert cake onto a serving plate.
• Step #14 Serve the cake warm or cool.
• Enjoy the Banana Almond Cake recipe