Nasi Minyak Ayam (Malaysian Chicken Biriyani)

INGREDIENTS

Chicken pieces -  1 kg
Basmati rice  -  1/2 kg
Onion chopped  -  2 nos
Garlic chopped  -  5nos
Coriander seeds  -  2 tbsp
Cumin seeds  -  1 tbsp
Fenel seeds  -  3/4 tsp
Chilli powder  -  1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder  -  1/2 tsp
Clove  -  1/4 tsp
Cinnamon  -  1/4 tsp
Cadamom  -  1/4 tsp
Pepper  -  1/4 tsp
Green lime small  -  2 nos
Lemon grass blades  -  2 nos
Lime leaves  -  5 nos
Salt
Oil

For Chicken:
Make a powder using coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, chilli powder, turmeric powder, clove cinnamon, cardamom and pepper.
Heat a pan with oil and saute onion until golden brown.
Then add garlic and saute for about 5 minutes.
Then add chicken pieces and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the above powdered masala and salt and stir well, cook until is cooked well.

For Rice:
In a pan, boil sufficient amount of water.
Add green lime, lime leaves and lemon grass stalks and rice.
Cook till rice is parboiled.
Strain the rice and remove the lime, lime leaves and lemon grass stalks from them.
To assemble, layer rice and chicken in a pot and make sure that the rice is at the top.
Seal the pot with aluminium foil and heavy lid on top and cook on low flame for 30 minutes.
After opening the pot, fork it gently  and mix.
Serve hot with raita.

Chocolate Marsh Mousse

Mouse is a light yet rich dessert that is beaten until airy. The word mousse means foam in French.
Its origin is believed to have come from France and it is agreed that it was created as a speciality of French chefs in the late 1800s.
Though it originated from France the first written record of Chocolate mousse was in the United States from a Food Exposition in 1892.
Chocoalte Mousse is made using egg white and gelatin. I was thinking to give it a different touch, I used Marshmallow instead of Egg white and gelatin and named it Chocolate Marshamllow Mousse.

INGREDIENTS

Marshmallows  -  1 cup
Softened unsalted butter  -  50gms
Chocolate chopped  -  1 cup
Whipping cream  -  1 cup
Hot water  -  1/4 cup


METHOD

Put the marshamllows, butter, chocolate and hot water in a pan.
Keep stirring it on low flame to melt everything.

Remove from heat after its is melted and allow it to cool.

In the mean time whip the whipping cream using a blender to form a heavy thick cream.

Now add this thick cream to the cooling chocolate mixture and mix well until a smooth mixture is formed.

Pour it into small cups and allow it to cool in the fridge for about 2-4 hours.
Top it up with fresh fruits and serve chilled.

Kari Ikan (Malaysian Fish Curry)

INGREDIENTS

Pomfret cleaned  -  5-6 pcs
Garlic cloves  -  3 nos
Onion  -  1 nos
Fish curry powder  -  3 tbsp
Okra  -  5 nos
Tomato diced  -  2 nos
Green chillies slit  -  2 nos
Tamarind extract  -  1/4 cup
Mustard seeds  -  1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds  -  1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds  -  1 tsp
Curry leaves  -  1 tslk
Coconut milk  -  1 cup
Salt  -  to taste
Oil  -  4 tbsp


METHOD

Put garlic and onion in a blender and make a fine paste and keep it aside.
Mix fish curry powder with 3 tbsp water and make fine paste.
Cut the head of okra and slit it half. Saute it in little oil, so that its stickiness gets removes.
Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.
Then add the onion and garlic paste and saute well for 5 minutes on low heat.
Then add the fish curry paste and cook over low heat and oil starts to separate.
Then add tamarind extract and bring it to a boil.
When it starts boiling add okra, tomatoes, green chillies, coconut milk and salt and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the fish gets cooked well.
Serve hot with rice.

Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Omelette)

INGREDIENTS

Eggs  -   4 nos
Finely chopped potatoes  -  1 nos
Onion chopped  -  1 nos
Capsicum  -  1 nos
Tomato chopped  -  1 nos
Crushed garlic  -  2 nos
Black pepper powder  -  1/2 tsp
Olive oil  -  to cook
Salt  -  as needed


METHOD

Heat olive oil in a pan.
Fry onions and crushed garlic for 2 minutes.
Then add sliced capsicum and soften little more.
Then add chopped potatoes and tomatoes and fry for 2 minutes.
Beat the eggs in a separate bowl with pepper powder and salt.
Pour the egg mixture over the contents of the pan.
Omelette will start to set.
When almost set invert on a plate and slide back into the pan and cook for few minutes.
Invert twice or more cooking the omelette on both the sides.
Serve hot with bread.


NOTE: You can also add sausages instead of potatoes.

Kari Ayam (Malaysian Chicken Curry)

INGREDIENTS

Chicken  -  1 kg
Potatoes  -  2 nos
Coconut Milk  -  1 cup
Red chilli powder  -  2 tbsp
Onion  -   2 nos
Garlic  -  7-8 nos
Ginger  -  1 inch piece
Lemon grass  -  1 stalk

FOR CURRY POWDER

Coriander  -  5 tbsp
Cumin seeds  -  2 tbsp
Fennel seeds  -  2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds  -  2 tbsp
Pepper  -  2 tbsp
Cinnamon  -  2" inch
Cardamom  -  1 tbsp
Red chilli  -  5 nos
Cloves  -  3 nos
Star anise  -  1 no
Turmeric  -  4tsp

Dry roast all the ingredients and and grind it to a fine powder when cold.


METHOD

Cut the chicken into small pieces and also peel and cube the potatoes and keep it aside.
Grind onion, ginger and garlic and make fine paste.
Mix the fine powdered curry powder and mix it with chilli powder and 2-3 tbsp water and make a fine paste.
Heat a kadai with oil and add the ground onion paste, fry till the raw smell leaves and oil separates.
Then add the curry powder paste and fry till oil separates.
Now add chicken pieces along with cut lemon grass stalks a and mix well so that the chicken is coated with masala.
Then add coconut milk and stir well.
Cook till the chicken is half cooked on medium flame.
Then add the cubed potatoes and cook for another 15 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked..
Serve hot with roti or rice.