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

Dorade Tiga Rasa

My friend, gave this fish several days ago. In Germany it is called Dorade. Some say it is similar to seabass or siakap in Malay. But to me, it looks a bit diferent from siakap. But it does taste like one.

At first I thought I wanted to make steamed fish but I don't have steamer. So just made do with fried fish with recipe called "Ikan Tiga Rasa" (Fried fish with 3 Flavours - or Tastes?). It basically has the sweet, sour and hot tastes of sauce.

Ingredient:

Fish - any type that suitable for deep frying, wash cleanly.
Some corn flour
1 onion - cut into small cubes
2 cloves of garlic - mince
1 inch ginger - mince
2 tbs dried chili paste
2 tbs tomato sauce
2 tbs chili sauce
2 tbs oyster sauce
1 green capsicum - cut into cubes
1 tomato - cut into cubes
Salt
Sugar
Salad leaves - for garnishing
Celery leaves- for garnishing
1/2 carrot - cut into thin pieces - for garnishing

Method:

1. Sprinkle salt on the both sides of the fish.
2. Coat fish wih some corn flour
3. Deep fry the fish until golden/brown. Toss and put on a serving plate.
4. On another pan, heat up some oil
5. Stir in garlic, onion and ginger, cook until golden.
6. Add dried chili paste. Cook for a while. Add a little water if it too dry.
7. Add all sauces. Mix well.
8. Add some water to lighten the gravy.
9. Add salt and sugar to taste.
10. Add tomato and capsicum.
11. Pour the sauce onto the fried fish.
12. Garnish with salad, celery leaves and carrots.

Mozarella Cheese with Basilikum & Tomato

Honestly speaking, I didn't make this. It was prepared by my friend, Kak Liza who came to my house the other day as we had 'making kuih raya' session. I never had experience eating the above type of mozarella cheese and before eating it, I had wondered whether the taste was awful. And I never make Basilikum as salad either. I bought a pot of Basilikum plant because I thought Basilikum is basil in english. But basil is daun selasih in Malay, isn't it? And boy, this Basilikum smells like daun selasih too. Can anyone clarify this?

The Mozarella cheese apparently have no taste. It is just plain, that's all. And my other friend said, if it got no taste, why bother to eat it? Quite true but I found it nice to eat them with the basilikum and tomato. It tasted so fresh!

It's very simple to make.

Ingredient:

Several round smooth mozarella cheese
2 tomatoes
Some basilikum leaves
olive oil
grounded black pepper
salt

Method:

Slice mozarella cheese anyway you like it.
Slice the tomatoes.
Arrange the mozarella cheese, tomatoes and basilikum leaves together in a serving plate.
Sprinkle olive oil, pepper and salt.

Ready to eat.

Biji Nangka

Ini dessert dari negeri Kelantan. Cik HB ngidam nak mkn dessert ni, sy x penah buat n x tau camna nak buat (kat mesia dia x penah mintak pon makanan2 camni...maklum la mak dia ada kan) maka sy pon cari la resepi kat MyResepi.

Senang je buat rupanya. Sama mcm buat kuih onde-onde cuma xde inti gula melaka didalam dan dimakan ngan kuah bersantan.

Jom tgk resepi (copy paste dr Myresepi)

Bahan2:

Adunan tepung:

• 1 kampit tepung beras pulut
• 10 helai daun pandan -diblender dan di ambil airnya- sy guna pewarna hijau shj
  
• sedikit air kapur- sy x guna pon

Kuah

• 1 biji kelapa (diambil santannya)- sy guna 1 kotak santan + 1 cwn susu segar 3.5%
  
• secubit halba
• 1/2 inci halia (dipotong halus)
• daun pandan
• gula melaka (secukup rasa)
  
• gula pasir (secukup rasa)
• sedikit garam

*Sy hanya guna gula pasir utk mendapatkan kuah warna putih

Cara-cara

1. adunan tepung: letakkan semua tepung beras pulut kedalam mangkuk dan campurkan dengan air daun pandan serta air kapur tadi. uli sehingga doh sebati.
2. ambil sedikit doh tadi dan gentel menjadi bujur dan ditekan sedikit ditengah-tengahnya ( jgn besar2). habiskan semua doh tadi dan letakkan dahulu dalam dulang.
3. rebus air dalam periuk sebingga mendidih dan letakkan doh tadi sehingga doh tadi timbul, dan baru diangkat dan asingkan dahulu.
4. Kuah: santan yang sudah diperah dimasukkan kedalam periuk dan diletakkan halia, halba dan daun pandan.
5. selepas itu letakkan gula melaka, gula pasir dan garam. kacau sehingga sebati bahan2 tadi dan baru diletakkan doh yang telah direbus tadi.
6. kacau sehingga sebati dan baru diangkat. sedia untuk dinikmati seisi keluarga....
7. selamat mencuba......

Daging Goreng Ketumbar

Ni lauk masak utk berbuka smlm. Aiseh! Amik gambar ni guna handphone cik HB jadi gambar nampak sgt x best!

Bahan2:

250g daging
1 sudu minyak masak
2 ulas bawang putih dihiris
2 sudu kecil serbuk ketumbar
Garam secukup rasa
1/2 sudu kecil lada hitam
Sedikit daun ketumbar
Sebiji cili merah, potong serong
1 biji bawang besar - dihiris bulat2.

Cara2:

1. Potong daging nipis2. Basuh bersih2 kemudian perapkan bersama serbuk ketumbar, dan lada hitam selama 1/2 jam.
2. Panaskan minyak dan tumis bawang putih.
3. Masukkan daging yg diperap. Masak dgn api yg kecil sehingga empuk dan air dr daging kering.
4. Perisakan dengan garam.
5. Masukkan daun ketumbar, cili potong dan bawang besar.
6. Kacau sehingga sebati.

Siap dihidang.

Sayur Goreng Tempe (Fried Vege with Tempe)

I found tempe in Asia Shop yesterday and quickly bought it as there was only one pack left. Some items in Asia Shop are often sold-out even on the first day of its arrival. So when I see those hot-stuff items, I quickly grab it because I dont go to Asia Shop everyday.

Tempe is a good source of protein and I just love everything made from soy beans (err....except for soy beans milk). I just made a simple dish out of this tempe....fried it and cook it with vegetable. The best vege, you can use the long beans or in my case I used kacang buncis (haricot beans).

Ingredients:

1 pack of tempe - cut into small pieces, wash and drain
1 bunch of kacang buncis - cut into appropriate length
1 onion - finely sliced
2 cloves garlic -finely sliced
1 red chili - finely sliced
A bit of turmeric powder
A bit of salt.

Methods:

1. Mix tempe pieces with turmeric powder and salt.
2. Deep fry the tempe until it turns brown. Put aside.
3. Heat up a little oil in a pan, fry the onion, garlic and chili until yellow.
4. Toss in the beans. Leave it to cook for a while.
5. Add the fried tempe.
6. Season with salt.

Singgang Daging (Boiled Beef with Herbs)

This is one of the Kelantan's cuisine, a side dish to be eaten with rice. It has nice aroma and very light and more delicious when you eat it along with budu (anchovies paste). But I dont have budu here so I made sambal belacan (chilies blended with shrimp paste and a bit of tamarind juice) instead.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg beef -cut into small pieces

8 shallots - finely sliced

5 cloves of garlic - finely sliced

2 inch ginger -finely sliced

1.5 inch galanga (lengkuas) -finely sliced

1 tbs coriander - lightly grounded

6 pieces of dried chilies - cut into small length and soak in hot water

1 piece of asam gelugor (sour slice)

A bit of sugar ( I used gula melaka)

A bit salt

Methods:

Simmer all ingredients, except sugar and salt in a pot until the beef is tender. Add sugar and salt to taste.