Chicken Curry

10th of December, 2011 (not October, lol), I saw two of my close friends bid farewell to us. They're going back to Philippines, and I know that we will all see each other again no matter what, the thing is, saying goodbye to a friend is always hard and heart-wrenching. We called ourselves Tropical Depression because it's a running inside joke to our group that we were always depressed. Though a morbid name, our friendship remains one of the best because when we are all together, we share laughter and pains, we are each other's confidant. Everytime we're all together, exuberance flows through our vein that surely, boisterous laughs will fill the room. Eveyday with them is a laugh trip, that no matter how serious and depressing things are, we can always turn the tables around and guarantee each other's hand and comfort. I think it is safe to say that in our group, it doesn't matter if we're depressed, at least we are all together... bonded with friendship and love. To Bonnie and Psalm, this blog is for you and for the rest of the Tropical Depression. Life in abroad could really be depressing, but you guys made my life easier because I was able to find all of you. Thank you for the friendship. See you ghels soon : ) By the way, this is what I cooked for the farewell party of Bonnie and Psalm, and I do admit, that I'm not the best cook in the world, but I always put my heart in cooking, especially that I am cooking for the people whom I truly love. Cooking the chicken curry was bittersweet, for I am able to share my food, but I know that food I cooked is for a farewell party of my two funny and lovable friends. Again, see you all soon : )

Ingredients:

6-8 Pieces of Chicken

4 Potatoes

1 Redbell Pepper

1 Greenbell Pepper

4-6 Tbsp Curry

1 Small Chilli

1 Cup Chicken Stock

400 mls Coconut Milk

Salt

Pepper

Onion

Garlic

Direction:

Sautee onion and garlic on a pan the fry the chicken pieces, cook until the chicken became golden brown. Add the curry on the chicken while frying it. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes on a low fire. Add the potatoes and wait for 5 minutes then add the bell peppers and chilli for 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper or curry to adjust seasoning. Plate it, take a picture before eating. Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Spinach and Pears Salad with Citrus Dressing

Pears used to be my top one favourite fruit, then jackfruit, watermelon and mango made a demand of re-taste that pears was subsequently put into fourth place. Though pears was thrown into fourth runner-up, it doesn't mean that I loathe eating the said fruit, in fact, I find pears very versatile because it can be used as starter, main or dessert without being frowned upon. I like pears in salad because it gives sweetness to the dish. It is certainly a surprise for the tastebud because as you munch on the salad, the tanginess of the dressing and whatever flavour you had used comes out and at the same time, the sweetness and juiciness of pears will come rushing to alter and improve the taste. My oncle has a pear tree on his garden, and it was definitely a heaven when the fruit bloomed that we don't know what to do with the fruits, that it's like we were running out of ideas on how to eat pears. My oncle is very good in making tarte tatin, and since we had so much pears in the backyard, he used pears instead, and I have to admit, I do prefer pears tarte tatin. The one that I prepared, whish is the salad with pears was long time ago, I made this when I was in Qatar, and during that time this was already risque for me. Time has surely changed, and though my love for pears was overthrowned by jackfruit et al, pears will always be one of my favourite and will remain in my heart.

Ingredients:

Spinach (red and green)
1 Pear, chopped
Cucumber
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp grapefruit juice
1 tbsp white balsmic vinegar (or the usual balsamic vinegar)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp chopped toasted walnuts
Parmigiano-Regianno

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash and chop Spinach, Pears and Cucumber. Mix together the balsamic vinegar, orange juice, grapefruit, lime juice, lemon juice. Slowly add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil whil whisking vigorously. Add the walnuts and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Toss salad and dressing together. Take a picture before eating. Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Fusilli Pasta in Bechamel Sauce with Wild Mushroom and Bacon

It's been awhile since I posted something in my blog, not realising that November had already passed. The past two weeks were so busy, I had forgotten the date but now, I'm back with my laid back self. Even though life was busy, we still have to eat, after all, eating keeps us up, without food, we will all go weak and loose focus on the things we need to finish. Since I experienced the wonders of cooking my own food, I enjoyed it so much that I rather cook than eat fast food junks. I do enjoy fast food, but not everyday, because of three reasons: 1. health; 2. body; 3. money. I will not expand and explain it further, for sure you know what I mean, if you don't, just look how much oil they use. Anyway, the food for today is actually my uncle's creation, I just posted it because it was so good. I totally love bechamel sauce, then with bacon and the wild mushrroms, it's like an epiphany. We used two kinds of mushroom, the one that can be bought in Tesco (grocery store), and the other one came from the forest of Poland, specially handpicked by our very good friend who came from Poland (I don't know if I should write his name because of Data Protection. lol). The final product was so good because the creaminess of the sauce blended well with the juiciness and saltiness of the bacon and earthiness of the wild mushrooms. Though I just want to remind everyone to be cautious with using too much bacon and salt, not only for taste reasons, but also for health issues, too much salt and fat is not good. Also, try using skimmed milk rather than full fat milk and not to use too much butter. Try to use healthy options because cooking and indulging with homemade salty and fatty food is like eating out in fast food chains which totally destructs the meaning of cooking your own healthy food.

Ingredients:

Fusilli Pasta

50 gram Unsalted Butter

50 gram Flour

1 litre of Skimmed Milk

Bacon

Wild Mushrooms

Salt and Pepper

Direction:

On a deep pan, melt the butter then sift the flour and add to the melted butter, mix it then gradually add the milk. Make sure that it won't burn and there are no lumps Add salt and pepper to taste.. On a separate pan, fry the bacon and mushroom, you may want to add a bit of salt, but the bacon would do the job for the saltiness. Meanwhile boil the pasta as directed on the packaging, usually, farfalle pasta are boiled for 11-13 minutes. After all of these are done, combine the bacon and mushroom to the white sauce, mix, plate the pasta with the sauce, take  picture before eating. Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Poulet A L'Orange (Chicken with Orange)

Orange is one of the most common and delicious fruit in this world, that is if it's ripe... In my opinion, I want my orange ripe and sweet, though in different countries, there are variations of oranges and the best way to eat an orange belonging to a different genum or whatever is unripe dipped in salt. When I was a kid, everytime I'm sick, I always get an orange because it contains Vitamin C, there are other fruits that have more Vitamin C compared to orange, but the said fruit is the popular one, so get over it. When I have a flu, I eat orange, when I'm having travel sickness, I sniff the peel of this small green kind of orange (dalanghita), when I have other kind of sickness, I drink orange soda called Royal Tru Orange partnered with Sky Flakes (cracker). I have so many fond memories of oranges, and this article made me miss my parents so much because everytime I'm sick, they're the one who automatially buy oranges, my favoorite is this small kind of orange called ponkan, it's very sweet and juicy. When I was in Qatar, I got sick for two weeks after being exposed to the Arabian Winter in the desert of Doha because of ATV riding, and no matter how horrible I felt during that two weeks, I felt like a kid again because my parents were there to take care of me, and yes, they bought me oranges... No matter how hellish the situation is, once you're being taken care of your loved one, all the pain and sorrow disappears because you know someone cares for you. With orange or no orange, I will gladly be sick again as long as my parents will be the one who is going to take care of me. I'm in my twenties, and I don't care for proclaiming that statement because it's true, I love my parents.

Ingredients:

1/3 Cup Butter

4-8 Chicken Thigh

2 Onions, peeled and sliced into rings

4 Carrots

3 Cups Dry White Wine

1 Bouquet Garni

Salt

Pepper

2 Oranges

1 tsp Arrowroot

Juice of 2 Oranges

1 tsp Sugar

Direction:

On a casserole, melt the butter then add the onions, carrots and chicken, fry until the chicken became golden brown, turn frequently to avoid burning. Pour the wine, bring it to the boil, let it simmer until the liquid is reduced slightly. Add the bouquet garni, salt and pepper. Lower the heat then cover the casserole, let it simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the chicken is tender. Bast it occasionally while cooking the dish. On the other hand, peel the orange, make sure that the white veiny stuff are all removed, plunge the orange into a boiling water and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain and dry thoroughly using a kitchen towel, set it aside. On the casserole with chicken, add 1 tsp of arrowroot, juice of 2 oranges and 1 sugar. Add salt and pepper to adjust the flavour. Plate it, take a picture before eating. Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Curried Seafood with Coconut Milk

I did not cook this, it's oncle Benoit who made this dish... Don't worry with the ingredients, the amount of ingredients can make this dish looks like a complicated one to make, but after watching oncle Benoit and reviewing the cook book that oncle used, I think it's not that hard as it looks like. Some ingredients would be tough to find, if you don't have it, then it's alright, just don't miss the important and basic ones. Oncle Benoit really prepared for this dish as it was for Tita Yeng's birthday, that is why the final product was divine!

Ingredients:

225 g Squid
225 g Tiger Prawns
400 ml Coconut Milk
30 ml Thai Fish Sauce
450 g  White Fish Fillets
2 Fresh Chillies
2 Tbsp torn Fresh Basil or Coreander Leaves
Squeeze of Lime Juice

For the Curry Paste:

6 Spring Onions (coarsely chopped)
4 Fresh Coriander Stems
4 Kaffir Lime Leaves
8 Fresh Chillies (seeded and coarsely chopped)
1 Lemon Grass Stalk
2.5 cm Fresh Root Ginger
3 Tbsp Fresh Basil
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

Direction:

First, make the curry paste by mixing it all up with the exception of oil, put in a food processor and process it turning into a paste, add the oil and continue to process it.

Rinse and dry the squid, cut into ring size, heat the wok or pan until hot then add the prawns, stir-fry the prawns without oil for 4 minutes or until they turned pink. Let the prawns cool down and peel the shells off, remove the vein on the back of the prawns.

Pour the coconut milk into the wok, then bring to the boil, stir it constantly, make sure it's on a medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the curry paste you had prepared earlier, the shredded lime leaves and fish sauce, stir well. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the the prawns, squid and fish fillets, cook it for 2 minutes or until the seafood is tender. Stir in the basil or coriander and chllies before serving. Adjust the flavour by squeezing lime juice, plate it, takea picture before eating! Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Chicken in Chili Marinade

I am not fond of spicy food, but I do crave for it once in awhile, also if you cook spicy food, I would eat it as a sign of gratitude, but I have to warn you, I'm such a drama queen and I would make those dramatic oh-ahs. Today, I believe that I had cooked an Indonesian dish, then again, I might be wrong. Anyway, I made this dish spicy because I was craving for something to spice up my night, and this food is absolutely perfect in giving my palate a kick. Speaking of spicy food, before, a friend of mine cooked curry for our family, it was perfect until the after taste... the spice just came rushing through my throat that I almost fainted. It was so spicy that I wanted to run to the bathroom and soak my whole body to the bath tub. Though she promised that the next time she will cook curry, she will lessen the spice, and that's what she did, and I'm telling you, her curry is one of the best curry I had ever tasted, it is absolutely divine! Spicy or not, I think it's nice to cook especially when you're doing it like a concert king/queen and sharing it with your loved ones.

Ingredients:

8 Pieces of Chicken Wings

2 Tbsp. Oyster Sauce

2 Tbsp. Indonesian Sweet Style Soy Sauce

1 Onion

1 Garlic

1 Chilli Pepper

2 Tsbp. Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Direction:

Marinade the chicken wings to the oyster sauce, soy sauce, olive oil, chilli pepper, onion and garlic for 1 hour. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put into the oven for 1 hour on 190 C. Add additional oil (about 2-3 tbsp). Garnish, take a picture before eating. Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Mushroom with Garlic Butter and Parmesan Cheese

I always say that what I cooked and posted here were easy, the truth is, the only reason why I cooked certain food is because it was… well, easy. There were more complicated ones that I had had prepared but in the world of Master Chefs, it’s the equivalent of boiled egg, it’s not even on the half of their scale.  When I was watching Master Chef and saw how stressed the contestants and how ruthless the food critics were made me realize that there is no way I will survive that program. I will probably be the drama queen that I am and start to do all the drama out there. This time though, there is no drama in what I had cooked, it is called Mushroom with Garlic Butter and Parmesan Cheese, it’s easy (I know, that word again) but it absolutely tasted good. The only problem that I had with this dish was the overpowering flavour of garlic that the parmesan cheese became useless. So, the next time, I will lessen the garlic or don’t use Parmesan Cheese, either way, I think the end product will be fabulous.  

Ingredients:

Portobello Mushroom

4-8 Garlic Cloves (finely chop)

100 g Butter (room temperature)

Parmesan Cheese (Optional)

Salt and Pepper

Direction:

On a bowl put the butter and the garlic and mix it. Add the garlic butter on the top of the mushroom, add the parmesan cheese or you may leave that part out. Add salt and pepper to taste, pop it in the oven for 30-45 minutes. Take a picture before eating. Bon Appetit Mes Amis!

Scrambled Egg

I still can't get out of my head how delicious and perfect the scrambled egg that I had in Hotel Iris in Belgium! It is creamy and fluffy, it's like a pudding (dessert) and the colour of the egg was bright yellow, I still find it enigmatic regarding how they made their egg. Then when we went to Holland and had our breakfast there, I ordered scrambled egg hoping to get the same effect, turn out, it was the total opposite. The egg was overcooked, it's too dry and salty, what a disappointment. Anyway, I've been experimenting on how to recreate the same scrambled egg that I had in Belgium, but I never came close to the perfection that was. The scrambled egg that I created today was alright for me thanks to an article that I read before regarding adding the creme fraiche in the last minute of cooking, plus, the onion I used were freshly harvested from my uncle's garden. You can ommit the onion if you're after a gentle and light flavour.

Ingredients:

2 to 4 Eggs (Beaten)
Onion
Creme Fraiche or Heavy Cream
Oil
Salt and Pepper

Direction:

Beat the egg vigorously then heat the pan, sautee the onion on oil and beat the egg once more before putting it in the pan. Turn the fire off and add the cream fraiche or heavy cream on the egg, mix it and add salt and pepper to taste. Take a picture before eating. Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Say Cheese!

Cheese! Just want to post this picture of different kinds of cheeses ( including breads and a sausage) from Belgium and France. It's so nice to taste different kind of cheeses. The flavours are different from one another, I love it so much. Not all people like cheeses though, my bestfriend, Melanie totally hates cheese, it's so funny seeing her face reacts when sighting cheeses on the dishes I had cooked. For me, I can eat only cheeses for a meal, though there are some cheeses that I am not yet ready to munch on, it's just to strong for me... Anyway, my favourite cheese is the one with the nuts, it is lovely!

Fromage (Cheese): goat cheese, medium cheese, brie de meaux, brie de melun, Salade de surimi au crabe, cheese with nuts that is divine but i dont know the name...

Pain (Bread): Croissant, Navette, Pain de Campagne aux Noir

Saucisse (Sausage)

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Beef in Pesto Sauce

Every one of us undergoes heartbreak, whatever is the source of that heartbreak, it is truly like stabbing you in the heart. I recently broke up with someone, and of course as a human being, I had undergone series of dramatic episodes. Episodes which I won’t elaborate since this is a food blog, not a love advice column. In every heartbreak, we do some things that might be deemed conventional or unconventional in the eye of the public. Some people eat their heart out thinking they can drown their sorrows with food, I won’t do that, I don’t want to gain another weight, instead I just cooked. Together with cooking, I sang, I cried, I write, dancing would be nice but I’m not yet ready with dancing, especially what I’m listening to most of the time were sad or inspirational songs, interpretative dance might work, but it will just look silly (I’m imagining my uncle and auntie will caught me doing an interpretative dance of ‘Someone like you’ lol). Anyway, what I cooked was something easy yet looks pretty in the eyes. I saw this in one of the cooking show in BBC, though I actually didn’t follow the whole recipe because I forgot it already, so again, I improvised. It is a wonderful comfort food, so if you’re on a drama mode and feels like indulging on a delightful dish, you may want to try this. It has a blend of sweetness of the bell pepper, juiciness from the meat and the splendid aromatic flavour of pesto. Then again, please don’t drown your sorrows with food, do something recreational, it’s alright to cry. But for now, try cooking this dish and enjoy.

Ingredients:

3 Bell Peppers

1 Kilo of Beef

Pesto Sauce

4- 6 Tomatoes

Salt and Pepper

Parmigiano Reggiano

Onion

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Direction:

Cut the bell peppers, coat it with EVOO and set it aside. On a pan, sautee the onion then the tomatoes, add the beef but don't let the beef cook, for it will be later put in the oven to further cook it with the bell pepper. Add the pesto sauce on the beef, add salt and pepper to adjust the flavour. Stuff the bell pepper with the meat, srinkle it with EVOO, put it in a preheated oven and cook it for 45 minutes on 170 C. Add pamigiano reggiano cheese, take a picture before eating and enjoy! Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Pork with Apples in White Wine and Honey Sauce

Early today, I had a massive migraine, and people who experienced migraine knows how delibitating it is. It's like everything in your life stops because of the intensity of pain you were feeling, you just want to sleep it off but the pain wouldn't let you, it is not a joke nor an exaggeration, migraine is such a menace. Anyway, I wrote that because I'm the one who was going to cook supper tonight, but I was thinking, I am having a migraine and I really don't want to strain myself. So I think of an easy way to make supper for my family that will be enjoyable and looks classy yet effortless, and this dish is what I came up with. My uncle used to make this dish, but I added few ingredients which were white wine and honey. This time though, I cooked without singing or dancing because I still feel beaten by the migraine attack that I had earlier. Good thing my GP (doctor) prescribed a medicine to me, and that kind'a help me with the symptoms. Back to the food, I find pork and apples were a perfect match plus the sweetness of the honey goes very well with the high quality white wine that my uncle had. This meal is so easy, its like not really cooking, you just put it in the oven and then Voila! I partnered this meal with fried potatoes with honey and dill which I will post next time.

Ingredients:

4 to 6 Pieces of Pork
Salt and Pepper
3-4 Tbsp of Honey
4-6 Apples (peeled, cored and cut)
1/4 Cup of White Wine

3-5 Garlic Cloves
25 g Butter
Rosemary

Direction:

Place the apples and rosemary at the  buttered roasting pan and add the white wine. Put the garlic cloves then the pork, sprinkle it with salt and pepper and dot an additional butter at the top of the pork, add the honey then roast in a preheated moderately hot oven (180 C/375 F) for 45 minutes. Plate it, take a picture before eaing and you're finished! Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Oatmeal and Raisin Cookies

Since I was young I tried a lot of new things, even though funds was not readily available, I always find challenging myself. At school, I was probably labelled as an average student or below average (and now, I don't give a damn), but when I think about my extra curricular activities, I think as a kid, my life was pretty hectic. I joined the theatre at school, the choir at our church, did karate-do plus playing scrabble every weekend with a lovely lady (who has a cancer, I know she is peacefully resting in heaven). Even as I grew older, I always engage myself with activities that not only benefits my hunger for something new but as well as helping others, may it be humans, animals or the environment. My last post was all about degrading myself, so I think it's about time to promote myself, or I should start to shut up now. You might think, what's the point of reminiscing and writing my actvities when I was young, well, my point is, because I like trying something new, I tried baking, and believe me, I had never baked in my entire life before. My good friend or whom I call my soul sister (because of the weird connection in terms of likes and same thoughts we have), Princess or P is the real baker, she is also known as the Midnight Baker. She bake mean cupcakes and Victorian Spongecake, and by the looks of it, she bakes wicked cookies, and because of that, I asked her for the ingredients and direction of her famous oatmeal with raisin cookies. I know for a fact that I am nowhere near the prowess of Princess, but I still tried, but to be honest, I failed. I still need to practice my baking skills, but for now let me share this wonderful cookies that I made (yeah right). So, P, if you're reading this, I think you should bake me those famous cookies of yours when I get back to Mother Land! By the way, the ingredients I posted here doesn't came from my friend because of the law called Data Protection since she sells her cookies so I think it is just right not to share the secret of P's cookies.

Ingredients

85 g Unsalted Butter (Room Temperature) 

115 g Brown sugar

1 Egg (Beaten)

115 g Self-raising Flour 

55 g Oatmeal

170 g Raisins

Direction:

Before baking, one must always preheat their oven, you must preheat your oven to 180 C or 350 F at gas mark 4. Get a bowl and beat the butter and add the sugar, wait both of the ingredients became fluffy. Slowly add the egg and beat it. Sift the flour and fold it in the wet ingredients, make sure just to fold it, not mix vigorously, then add the oatmeal and raisins. On a greased baking sheet or if you have this silicon pad for baking, put the mixture using a spoon on it. Bake the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes or until it became golden brown. Let it cool, and take a picture before eating! Bon Appetit Mes Amis!

Tomato and Basil with Ham Frittata

This is one of my early creation when I was starting to learn how to cook because it's easy. My only problem with frittata was making a perfectly shaped one, for the reason of messing the egg when flipping it over on the other side. At first, I was really frustrated with my poorly shaped frittatas, I want it to look presentable but I tried so many techniques that I've seen on the television but with no avail, I still failed. Then I saw in this program Barefoot Contessa where Ina Garten did not flipped the frittata, instead, she put it in the oven and let the upper part of the egg cook, what a clever solution. How come I've never came up with that idea... then again, with a brain like mine, I'm not surprised. lol! Other than degrading myself, I think the first frittata I made was absolutely horrendous, it's too salty and it came as a hybrid of scrambled egg and frittata with a bit of eekiness. Though as time goes by, after how many attempts, I finally perfected (well, not really) frittata, my favorite of all time is the Jackfruit Surprise, it's a frittata with a sweet jackfruit in the middle, I came up with that recipe! People who knows me may be tired of my redundant attempt to promote my Jackfruit Surprise, but I really like it, and people should give it a try. Anyway, since no one wants to eat my invention, I cooked a more conventional kind, tomato and basil with ham frittata, it's very Italian, and it's bellisimo! Oh, I already forgot my Italian... anyway, have fun cooking frittata.

Ingredients:

4 Eggs (beaten)

2 Tomatoes

Basil

Ham

Mixed Herbs

Onion

Garlic

Salt and Pepper

Direction:

Beat the eggs and add salt and pepper. Sautee the onion and garlic on a pan in oil, add the tomatoes (chopped) and ham. Put the beaten egg and let it cook. When the lower part of the egg is already cooked, add the mixed herbs, try dried basil. Don't burn the lower part of the egg. Put the pan with the egg on the oven, just make sure that the pan you're using is compatible with oven (flameproof or whatever). When the upper part of the egg is cooked, take out the egg from the pan and add fresh basil. If you don't have an oven, you may want to buy one, but if you don't want to, try this... When the lower part of the egg is cooked, get a plate that is bigger than your pan, then flip it, carefully return the egg with the uncooked side of the egg on the bottom of the pan, then let the heat cook it. Use low heat. Take a picture before eating! Bon Appetit Mes Amis!

Cook, Sing, Dance, Write, Help

Cooking, Singing, Dancing, Writing and Helping others are my top five favourite past time, and that is not in order, I love doing it in an equal manner.

Before, cooking is exactly not my thing, I grew up in a country where you can have someone to hire to help you, I know it's the same thing in all other countries, but believe me, in my country, it is very rampant. I grew up just waking up without having to problem what to cook, because someone will do that for me. Maybe it is a good thing, but in the later run, it is not exactly helpful, because a child won't be able to learn house chore skills. Like for me, I don't know how to cook, wash the clothes, iron, sweep the floor, clean the toilet and so on, but that was before. Now, I am proud to say that I can do every household chore, well, almost, I still don't know how to iron... I have an irrational fear of irons, and I will not say the real reason. When I lived abroad, that's when I learned the value of being independent, though the first time I went to abroad, I still lived with my parents, minus the helpers, so technically, it's not completely being independent. Just like now, I live with my auntie and uncle, so I couldn't say that I am completely independent, maybe I still feel vulnerable. Though, I can cook now, thanks to my parents who taught me the basics. I started cooking when I was in Qatar, several food were waisted because of failed attempts, but as time goes by, I began to cook decent fritatas, omelets, and other simple food.

Then, when I came to United Kingdom and met my family here, that's where the magic happened. I was very impressed by my uncle's cooking and his wide array of cookbooks, I was motivated to cook complicated cuisines coming from different countries. But mind you, even before I went to Qatar, my cousin, sister and I were already experimenting with world cuisines, though most of the time, I'm just the stirrer. It is my Belgian uncle who taught me the wonders of cooking. I already forgot when was the first time I actually cooked a decent food for my auntie, uncle and cousin, but for sure, my uncle and cousin was totally appauled with my JACKFRUIT SURPRISE... its a fritata with sweet jackfruit, they didn't eat it. lol. Days and weeks passed, I was enjoying and copying cuisines from my uncle's cookbook, some where by the book, but most of the time, I improvise, and I absolutely love it.

Singing and dancing on the other hand comes naturally to me, but believe me (people who knows me will agree), I'm not a singer and a dancer, I just love doing it. Though most people say that I am good in dancing (hahaha! no bragging aside), but for me, I just dance like no one is watching, so most of the time, when I dance, I am just enjoying it without thinking that I'm a terrible or good dancer. In singing, I don't know what happened, when I was a kid, I used to be good in singing, I had a good quality voice, I was even part of the choir at our church when I was young. Then, my attention was diverted to other things and quit the choir. I really think God took my talent in singing because I left the choir, but what can I do, it's already done. Now, I'm just an avid fan of karaokes, I love singing in karaokes, and when I sing, I sing like no one is listening! My favorite song in karaoke is anything that I can belt out a high note because I have a high voice (hahaha! feeling?!). Oh! I just want to mention, when I was young, my friends and I had this titles according to our voice, one of my friend is "the high voice", I forgot the others, but believe it or not, the title they had given me was "the beautiful voice" hahaha! It's like a Twilight Zone or something right? Me, the beautiful voice? lol!

Then comes, writing, even when I was young, I love writing, may it be poems, essays, stories or whatever, I like writing. When I was in grade school, I was a quiet average student, maybe even below average, but when I participated this story writing contest for the first time in my life, I came second place. I know, it's only second place, but for me who never participated in any writing contest, that was a big deal... then that was never followed. I guess, my teachers weren't really sure about me because I'm not a bright student, so they might think I'm a very big risk. During high school, I always recieve positive notes regarding my writing skills with my teachers, though I have to be honest, grammar is my enemy, and up until now, I'm not really good in grammar. I try to correct it, but I'm not perfect, but at least I can convey what I want to say and people still decipher what I am trying to say. Though there are some people who are really particular with grammars, I have nothing against them, it's actually helpful. What I don't like is, people bashing others because of grammar, as if that is the basis of someone's personhood. At University, during my freshmen year, I entered an essay writing contest after how many years, my contenders were students from higher batch and taking up mass communication or journalism, but I came second (I know, second again. lol). Though the first place was a graduating mass communication student, so I felt very happy with my place.

The career I took is not exactly where you can write articles, it's more on nursing notes. Yes, I'm a nurse, and that's where helping other people enters. Due to my course, I was exposed to different people who needs guidance, support and care in many different ways. I was hooked into it, seeing other people smile back at me after I help them is truly a wonderful feeling. That no matter how worried they are, how painful they're feeling or depressed, when I crack a joke, they will laugh or smile. When I became a professional nurse in my home country and started practicing, I was very inspired and motivated to help others because the feeling is beyond words, I coundn't describe it in words may it be written or orally. I advocate the rights of the patients (or service users as they call it in here), so it is very saddening to see other nurses or heathcare workers to be lazy and not doing their job properly, worst is when they verbally or physically abuse individuals. So, for the people who are genuinely passionate in helping, I believe that we must stand up and do our best so that we can take care of other people who are in dire need.

There are many other hobbies I like and would like to do, I would like to gain more eruditions from other people and based on the upcoming experiences of my life. Wherever life will take me, I will embrace it, I couldn't say that I will not regret anything, but for sure, I will accept it, for I am the one who is responsible with my life. It's time to be independent now, gone are the days, when the helpers will do everything for me and all I  can care is to attend choir practice, dance at the hippest bar or write blogs, now it is more than cooking, I have the responsibility to help myself and other people around me even in the smallest thing. I am not a superhero, I'm not perfect, I'm far from that being, but I will do everything that I can to make things new, to make our world a better place to live in.

Potato Crisps

I'm here again, more inspired to blog thanks to this article, http://ph.she.yahoo.com/best-food-blogs-000000834.html and because of this, I was more motivated to share the eruditons that I accumulated from my parents, uncle and my personal experiences. It is true, blogging about food is hard because there are lot of blogs out there, and I think, food blogs are not exactly the thing people want to read for leisure or maybe I am wrong, anyway I am doing a food blog so who am I to judge. I don't cook everyday because of my lovely uncle and auntie, schedule is also a factor and my condition is a hindrance, not being a downer, but I just want to share about my illness, I have this condition called clustered headache, google it if you wanna know. Anyway, that condition takes away my motivation to cook or do any activities of daily living, but as of now, I'm absolutely fine. On the ligher note, what I'm going to post today is something easy, so easy you can do it for 10-20 minutes, but technically, it's not really cooking it's just deep frying. So here's the story, one afternoon, alone in the house, I was doing a movie marathon without crisps (British term for chips, because for them chips are french fries), so I was really craving for a crisp that time and I don't want to spend a penny (literally, not peeing - because "spend a penny" is a British idiom for peeing). Good thing we have tons of potato so I did what a broke person craving for a crisp does... I made my own crisps! After a gazillion years of figuring out how to use the food processor, I successfully make the potatoes into thin slices of heaven, well, after seasosning and deep frying it, then that's where heaven enters. I watched (or re-watched for a million times) Little Black Book and Uptown Girl that day, both film starring the late Brittany Murphy. Brittany was such a good actress, too bad she was given so much bad press, but I truly believe that Britanny was one of the best actress in Hollywood. Anyway, to close things on a positive note, the crisps that I made were truly wonderful, with humility aside.

Ingredients:

Potatoes

Sunflower Oil

Salt

Direction:

If you have a food processor to let the job do for you... good for you, if you don't have, that's alright, you can just chop the potatoes but make sure to chop it thinly. Add salt to taste. Deep fry the potatoes on the sunflower oil, wait until the potatoes becomes golden brown. Take a picture before eating! Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Chicken with Sesame Seeds

It's time to cook Chinese now (but not the human, it's cannibalism and eeky), for I love Chinese food. Anyway, Chinese food have wonderful flavours that are very distinct and delicious. It is very common around the world, since wherever you go, there are Chinese People. This particular dish is absolutely wonderful because of the sesame seeds and oyster sauce giving it a sweet flavour. The procedure is very easy, you just mix all the ingredients and deep fry it, but to be honest, I really find it difficult frying because of the hot oil splashing all around. I'm such a chicken (no pun intended) when it comes to frying, my mother once told me to carefully put the ingredient that I am going to fry so that the oil won't splash, but I always find it scary and difficult. My uncle on the other hand is my hero, everytime he sees me that I am in distress because of the stupid oil, he comes to help me and what's more amazing, he touches the ingredient with his bare hands while frying it... amazing and cool, for me, it's scary. Though this food is absoulutley divine, nothing scary about it, well, if you have a heart condition, you might want to be scared because it is deep fried in oil, and it's not really good for you to eat oily food. Though, I'm sure there are alternative or healthy oils to use so that you won't feel left out and you will be able to enjoy this lovely food. Okay, I'm blabbering now, I'm blabbering... bye.

Ingredients:

6 Pieces of Fillet Chicken Thigh
2 Tbsp. Oyster Sauce
2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
Toasted Sesame Seeds
3 Tbsp. Cornstarch
Salt and Pepper
1 Tbsp. Toasted Sesame Oil

Direction:

Mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch and toasted sesame oil, add the salt and pepper to taste, then marinade the chicken for one hour.

Mix the toasted sesame seeds to the chicken with the marinade and deep fry it. Take a picture before eating. Bon Appetit Mes Amis!

Roast Vegetables

I think, this is one of the easiest food you can prepare that is so tasty and delicious. You don't need effort, just cut the vegetables, toss in oil, add salt and pepper and put it in the oven, then that's it. Wonderful indeed! It was my uncle who did this, but because I liked it so much, I made this again. The first time we cooked this is during summer, and we ate it in the garden with my uncle and cousin. The funny thing is, my cousin passed red urine afterwards, and he was really worried about it, he thought he was ill, turned out it was just the beetroot's fault. My cousin is one of those people who passed bright red colour urine because the beetroot has a pigment called betacyanins which are unstable at extreme uine pH, and I'm guessing that because my cousin had... well, it's too tiring to explain, just refer to this site, http://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/band124/b124-7.html (lol). So, enjoy your food and if the red urine won't go away and your experiencing pain, honey, it's not the beetroots fault anymore, consult your doctor.

Ingredients:

Cherry Tomatoes
Red Bell Pepper
Green Bell Pepper

Orange Bell Pepper
Beetroot
Carrots
Onion

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Direction:

Rinse and cut the vegetables, toss in oil, add salt and pepper, put in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 170 C. Take a picture before you eat. Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Sardine Pasta

I like the idea of garlic and oil pastas because its simple yet tasty. I added sardines on it to make it different... okay, that's a lie, to be honest, I tried cooking oil and garlic for a sauce, but it didn't turned out the way I like it, it's weird, it tasted like oil, I haven't perfected it yet, someday, I will. So for now, there are sardines on my pasta, and guess what, it's nice after all. It gave the pasta a wonderful, flavourful taste of the sea, though I know some people are not a fan of sardines because of the over-powering fishy taste, that is why, it's a good idea to put lemon juice to counter balance the fishiness.

Ingredients:

500 gm Pasta
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 cans of sardines in oil
1/2 cup of presered anchovies
10 garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
lemon juice
3/4 grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

Boil the pasta as usual, with 2 tsp of salt or so. And at a separate pan, sautee garlic at extra virgin olive oil. Then add the 1/2 cup preserved anchovies plus 4 sardines in oil, add salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze lemon on the sauce. And add the sauce to the pasta and add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano... Take a picture before you eat. Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Chicken with Cherries in Cherry Syrup

I first cooked this dish with my sister, this was our first attempt to cook 'internationally' or going out our boundary where our tastebuds are not acccustomed. When I first tasted it, it felt weird, but in a good way because before when we cook, we don't use rosemary, thyme or whatever herbs there is, we just use instant seasoning, in fact it's not me who cook at all, I just let someone cook the food for me. Now, I could say that I totally enjoy cooking. I repeated this dish when I saw a stall selling cherries during the market day in town. Before, my sister and I used canned cherries, this time, it's fresh, and I'm telling you, fresh is better because it's less sweet and the taste is more natural. Taking out the seed of the cherries is time consuming though, but it's worth it because of the wonderful end result.

Ingredients:

6 Chicken Pieces
Olive Oil

Cherries
Salt and Pepper
Rosemary

2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Cup of Water

Directions:

First, take out the seeds of the cherries (10-20 pieces) and put the cherries on a pan, add the water, rosemary, salt, pepper and sugar, bring into a boil or until the syrup becomes thickin consistency. Use the 1/4 of the syrup to marinade the chicken and set aside the remaining. Marinate the 6 chicken pieces into the cherry syrup, leave for 2 hours. Then after two hours, cook the chicken on the oven for 45 minutes on 170 C putting the olive oil, rosemary, 10 pieces of cherries (without seeds), salt and pepper.  When the chicken are now cooked add the cherry syrup, plate it, take a picture before you eat. Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Yakitori

Japan is my top two favorite destination, well, I haven't really been to Japan, but someday, I will. As of now, I cooked this dish called Yakitori, the closest thing I can have that is something Japanese. I always wanted to go to Japan because of the Anime, I love watching Yu Yu Hakusho or Ghost Fighter. That is my ultimate favourite anime, other than that, I always admire the fashion sense of the Japanese people, their care free outlook in fashion. Before Lady Gaga, Madonna, Elton John or whoever, there were Japanese who dressed crazily. Japanese food never came to my mind, but when I learned to eat sushi, that's when I developed a penchant to Japanese delicacy. Once, I went to this Japanese restaurant (Yo Sushi) where the dishes were like in a treadmill, and if you want it, you just grab it. I over endulged in sushi and other japanese dishes that I ended up with a £30 bill. That is why, I cooked Yakitori, because it's tasty and tender. Cooking Yakitori for me though is not simple, because of the procedure that I have done, maybe there are more simpler way to do it. I cooked the chicken on the oven instead of the grill. I have to brush the chicken every now and then to give the chicken a flavour, but because its in the oven, it's hot and I felt like I'm also in the oven being cooked while brushing the chicken, not a wise move. Maybe, if you do it on a grill, you will find it easier. Though the end product was absolutely wonderful, being burned is so worth it. I love how tasty and tender the meat had become, so try it for a change.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Sake

1/2 Cup Mirin
3/4 Cup Dark Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp. of Sugar
6-9 Chicken Thigh Fillet
Spring Onions
Skewer

Direction:

First, soak the skewers to the water for 20 minutes so that when you grill the chicken with the skewer, the skewer won't burn. Pierce the chicken pieces with a skewer alternating the chicken and the spring onions, set it aside. On a pan, mix the sake, mirin, soy sauce and sugar, heat it and bring into  boil. Put the chicken on a grill and cook it for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender and cooked, make sure to brush the meat once in a while with the prepared sauce. After grilling the chicken, put in on a plate and take a picture before you eat. Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Poulet Saute Basquaise (Chicken Sautee Basquaise)

This food is absolutely divine! I could give every French people a hug for being so magnifique in their dishes. I love cooking french cuisine because it takes long so more time in the kitchen, it also means that I will spend more time singing and dancing in the kitchen too. Though cooking is relatively long, the preparation and procedure is not hard, so don't be fooled with the fancy ingredients or the time consuming direction. All you really have to do is mix it up, correct the flavours and wait. It is only 1 to 1/2 hours of cooking, but thanks to Rachel Ray and Jamie Oliver, the trend now is cooking less than 30 minutes, I even saw a celebrity chef in Italy, cooking for less than 5 minutes. Though I can't blame them, we are living in a busy world, where everything must be quick. At least, it's home cook food rather than fast food. I do like fast food for once in awhile, but please, I want a proper meal, cooked with passion. And believe me, this dish is full of passion, the taste of the smokey bell peppers and tomato sauce, delightful. By the way, I wasn't dancing while cooking this because I was listening to the sountrack of Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain, so I could feel that I am back in France, cooking. 

Ingredients:

6 Pieces of Chicken
2 Redbell Peppers
5-10 Cherry Tomatoes
1-2 Cups of White Wine
Spiced Sausage
Ham
1 Onion
1 Garlic
50 g of Butter
Salt and Pepper
Dill (for garnish only)

Direction:

On a large casserole, add oil and butter, heat it up and fry the chicken on a moderate heat until it is slightly golden on all sides. Remove the chicken and set it aside.

Sautee the onion and garlic on the same casserole, add the bell pepper, tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 10 minutes on a brisk heat by constantly stirring it. Add the wine afterwards and bring it to the boil. Lower the heat and add the chicken that was set aside earlier, cook it gently for 45 to 1 hour or until the chicken is tender.

Before the cooking time ends, on a separate pan, gently toss the ham and sausage over moderate heat until it became hot, but be careful not to overcook or toughen the meat. Adjust or correct the flavour of the dish, arrange the chicken with the sauce on a serving platter, garnish with the ham and sausage. Take a picture before eating. Bon Appetit Mes Amis : )

Pork with Peaches in Coconut Milk

One of my favorite meal is anything with coconut milk, and as I've mentioned before I like meats with fruits. Supposed to be, the real ingredient of this dish is pineapple instead of peaches, but because I want to be adventurous, I tried peaches (but not really, I just don't have pineapple stored, just canned peaches). Also, originally, the dish was chicken, not pork but because my uncle was taunting me for cooking chicken most of the time, that is why I used pork (but believe me, my uncle is one of the kindest person you'll ever find -though he once told me that flattery won't get me anywhere, still, Imma do it... or I'm just really mortified with him. Kidding. lol). So feel free to use chicken if you want. Anyway, I really like the end product, I liked it so much, the following day, I cooked it again.

Ingredients:

1 kilo Pork
1 Can of Coonut Milk
1 Canned Peaches
1 Cup of Pork Stock
Carrots
Beans

Onion

Garlic

Salt

Pepper

Oil

Direction:

On a casserole, sautee the onion and garlic on oil, then add the pork. Cook the pork until brownish, add salt and pepper to taste. After the pork became brown in color, add the 1 cup of pork stock. Leave for 30-45 minutes or until the pork is tender (I always read that line on cook books, now I'm using it! yey!). Add the coconut milk and let it boil, then put the carrots and beans, let it cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Take a picture before eating : ) Bon Appetit Mes Amis!

Echine De Porc Au Raisin (Loin Pork with Grapes)

Let's start with the complicated first... I love French Cooking, I believe that, one cannot cook French Food without passion, because French cooking requires patience, intricacy and love...  I have a thing with meat and fruits mixing up on a dish, I love how the sweetness or tanginess of the fruit being mixed up with the juiciness and tenderness of the meat. So how did I do it, here's how...

Ingredients:

5-8 Loin Pork
2 Onion
3 Thyme Sprigs
Rosemary
1 Bay Leaf
Salt and Pepper
2 Tbsp Oil
1/4 Cup Marc or Brandy
2 Tbsp Butter
1 Cup White Wine
Grapes
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

Direction:

On a large bowl, mix the garlic, onion, bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper, add the oil and the marc or brandy, lastly, put the pork in the bowl. Toss the pork for several time and marinade for 2-3 hours.

After marinading the pork, strain the marinade and pork, with setting and reserving the marinade aside for later use. Put the pork on a flameproof pan, dotting it with 50 g of butter and 1 tbsp oil, salt and pepper to taste, put inside the oven with 190 C for 1 hour, occassionally towing it. Drain the oil in the pan where you cooked your pork then put the marinade and the 1 cup white wine, let it cook for one more hour. Put the grapes 20 minutes before you fiished cooking. Separate the sauce with the pork, putting the sauce on a casserole and adding cream on it, let it simmer, add salt and pepper to taste. Take a picture before eating : )Bon Appetit Mes Amis!

Cooking and Blogging - The Beginning.

Here I am again, after a gazillion years of not blogging, I am on the blogosphere once more. I feel like I have missed so much (in term of writing), from the new President of United States of America to the Royal Wedding. Well, that's life, you either get it or you miss it... but let's not get too deep in here, after all, my blog is about cooking!

Believe me, I wasn't like this before when it comes to cooking, during the olden age, I remorse being in the kitchen. I couldn't even fry a sausage or even make a scrambled egg, that's how bad I am... I'm so bad, I messed up the instant noodle, I drained the soup thinking I'm cooking stir-fry noodles (or maybe it's just my stupidity). Either way, I have outgrowned myself, gone are the days that all I can cook are burnt hotdogs or half-cooked fried chickens. Though, with humility aside, I wouldn't learn how to cook without my parents who taught me the basics and my uncle for teaching me the complicated. Thank you very much for inspiring me how to cook. Now, I'm ready to cook and blog for everyone. Bon Appetit Mes Amis!