Monday, May 30, 2011

Certificate awards at International Islamic University, Malaysia



(certificate and the bunga telor)


  (Ustadz looking at me doing the 'goggle-eyes'...hehehe...)


Last Saturday, 28th May , I attended the Tajweed 3 certificate presentation ceremony at International Islamic University main campus in Gombak.  Sofiyah was accompanying me since hubby and the other children already have their own agenda to attend to.  So, together with my coursemate, Hamidah aka Mid, and Sofiyah, we drove to IIU around 8.30am.

Due to heavy traffic along the MRR2 highway, we only reached the campus an hour and a half later.  Usually the journey from my house would only take half an hour.  Anyway we reached IIU safely and after parking my car, we went to the venue which was at the Mini Auditorium, Islamic Centre.

Hamidah and I then registered ourselves and we found out that the event would only begin around 11am.  So, we then had breakfast while waiting for the event to start.  Breakfast of Mee Hoon, 2 types of cakes and tea tarik.

We all entered the auditorium 15 minutes earlier.  My numbered seat was 27 whereas Hamidah was number 40.  Sofiyah had to seat right at the back of the auditorium.  She will have to come forward when I went on stage to receive my certificate, and take my photograph.

The event started with the reading of the Holy Quran by one of the students.  He read the surah Al Mulk.  I was impressed with his reading.  Could be the next Qari representing Malaysia in the musabaqah in the future.  Then came the speeches by the distinguished guests.

After the speeches,  presentation of the certificates to the ‘graduates’ began.  We not only received our certificate, we also received a ‘bunga telor’ complete with the ‘telor’ (boiled egg).  Then came the photography session. 

When the time came for all of us to go on stage to take a photograph with our lecturers,  everyone came up with the guys sitting on the edge of the mini stage, the lecturers on the chairs and we ladies standing behind them.  There were more gals then guys….

For the final shot, I suggested that we gave a ‘free and easy’ kind of pose… and… I, forever mischievous, did the ‘goggle-eyed’ kind of pose……hehehe…the ‘ustaz’ looked at me when I did that….hahaha (see picture above).

We then had a very delicious lunch of nasi minyak, fried chicken and beef kurma.  Yummmmyyyy….







Friday, May 27, 2011

Double Boiled Herbal Duck Soup




 600g duck breast, cut into 4 pcs
1 chicken whole leg, chopped 
800ml water
5 dried mushrooms, soaked

Herbs
30g yuk chok
8g tong kawai
10g tong sum
3 large red dates,sliced
8g kei chi
10g dried longan
100g fresh discorea yam (fresh huai shan), sliced
1 tbsp white peppercorns, lightly crushed


Seasoning
Salt to taste

Blanch duck and chicken pieces in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute.  Drain and rinse clean.

Rinse all herbs.  Place duck, chicken, herbs and mushrooms in a tureen.  Add water and double-boil for 1 1/2 - 2 hrs.  Adjust with seasoning to taste.


Serve immediately








Thursday, May 26, 2011

Roast Duck in Thai Red Curry




Wonder whether can try out this recipe using kampong chicken....hmmmm....

Roast Duck In Thai Red Curry
400g roast duck, cut into thick slices
200ml coconut mi9lk
200ml chicken stock
2 stalks lemongrass, smashed
2 slices galangal
5 tbsp fish sauce
3 kaffir lime leaves, torn
2 tbsp tamarind paste mixed with 125ml water, squeezed and strained for juice
1 red chilli, seeds removed and sliced
15g palm sugar
60g watercress

Red Curry paste (A) - ground
1 onion 
3 cloves garlic
1 coriander root
3 chilli padi
1/2 tsp belacan granules
1 tbsp grated kaffir lime zest
2 tbsp chilli paste
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cummin powder
1/2 tsp fennel powder
1/4 tsp pepper

In a deep heavy-based pot, combine coconut milk and chicken stock.  Bring to the boil.

Add lemongrass, galangal and fish sauce.

Add red curry paste (A) and simmer for 1-2 minutes.  Add kaffir lime leaves, tamarind juice and chilli.

Add roast duck pieces and braise for 10 minutes.  Add watercress and cook for a minute.

Add palm sugar to taste.





Sunday, May 22, 2011

Easy Spaghetti

350g Spaghetti pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chopped garlic
150g beef sausage (sliced thinly)
300g fresh shiitake mushrooms, diced
100ml stock/water
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped chives
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp chicken stock powder


Cook spaghetti in a saucepan of boiling salted water following packet instructions until al dente.  Heat olive oil in a nonstick saucepan.  Add garlic, fry until lightly golden and fragrant.  Add sliced beef sausage.  Cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes then add mushrooms.  Stir until mushrooms begin to soften.  Pour in stock or water and bring to the boil.
Put in pasta and cook to a rapid boil.  Add parsley and chives then season with salt, pepper and chicken stock powder.  Dish out and serve immediately.




Kong Poe Sauce

15 dried chillies
3 cloves garlic
70ml oil
4 tbsp chilli sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp black vinegar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
125 mil water

Soak dried chillies for a while then cut into sections and remove the seeds.  Put dried chillies and garlic into a food processor.  Add a little water and whizz to blend until a coarse texture is obtained.

Remove to a nonstick saucepan.  Add oil and fry for a while.  Add remaining ingredients and cook over a gentle low heat for at least 5-10 mins.

Dish out and leave to cool.  Put into a clean sterilised jar and store in the refrigerator for use when required.



Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Rolled pineapple tarts



Pastry ingredients
500gm flour
240gm butter
1 1/2 tbsp custard flour
1 boiled egg
1 tbsp corn flour

For brushing
1 egg yolk
1/2 tbsp water or egg white
a little food colouring

Pineapple filling
1 ripe pineapple
550-650gm sugar
2 inch cinnamon stick

Method to make pineapple filling
1.  Blend or grind pineapple.  Then squeeze pineapple juice so that not so watery
2.  Then mix pineapple with sugar and cinnamon stick in a saucepan
3.  Stir and cook until water is reduced and put in the cinnamon stick
4.  Continue cooking the filling until it thickens.  Leave to cool.

Method for making the tarts
1.  Peel egg and take only the egg yoke and mashed it
2.  Mix the egg yoke with the flour until smooth
3.  Then mix the above with butter until a dough is formed.  If too soft, can put in extra flour.
4.  Using a tart nozel, pipe it onto a baking tray
5.  Put in the pineapple filling which has been rounded into a ball (approx. 1 - 1 1/2 tsp per tart)
6.  Brush with the egg yolk.
 



Kerbau or Sapi??



I was driving along Lekas Highway from Kajang to Seremban when I noticed these animals grazing on the open field beside the highway.  From a distance, they looked like kerbau (buffaloes), and I told my husband thus. But then he laughed at me and said the animals are not Kerbau but Sapi (I think a cross between a buffalo and a cow??).

Being curious, we stopped on the road shoulder and I took the above photograph.  Well, from afar, they indeed look like kerbau.  Then my husband told me to observe its ears....  oh, really?? Yeah, they were different from the kerbaus... Sapi has longer ears...

There's a Malay proverb that says "Lembu punya susu, Sapi punya nama" (The milk belongs to the cow, but the Sapi got the name), which is when someone did all the hard work and someone else got the credit for it... 

I wonder how the Sapi meat taste like.  I have never eaten Sapi meat before.  Perhaps it taste like kerbau meat.  In my state of Negeri Sembilan, whenever there's a wedding, the family would slaughter a kerbau and cook rendang or masak lemak cili api.  Wondering also if we could cook steak using kerbau meat....Hmmmmm....



Monday, May 9, 2011

Traditional Mutton Soup





 1.5 Kg mutton, cut into pieces
300g mutton ribs
20 shallots, sliced1/2 cup oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
8 shallots, minced


Marinade (A)
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp ginger juice


Spices (B)
1 tbsp ground fennel
1 tbsp ground cumin
5 tbsp ground coriander
3 tbsp ground poppy seeds

Spices (C) - tied together in a muslin bag
2 star anise
10 cardamons, crushed
12 cloves
6-8cm cinnamon stick
1 tsp black peppercorns coarsely grounded

Ingredients (D)
4 screwpine leaves, knotted
4 stalks spring onion
4 stalks celery, chopped
6 litres water or enough according to your own adjustment

Seasoning (E)
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp sugar
4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp thick soy sauce
1 tbsp beef stock powder
1/2 tsp pepper or to taste

 Thickening
1 tbsp rice flour mixed with 100ml water.  Marinate mutton with marinade (A) for at least 1-2 hours.  Heat oil and fry shallot slices until crispy and goldenRemove shallot crisps and leave aside.  With the same oil, fry garlic until golden.  Dish out and leave aside.  Leave the oil for use again.

Reheat the same oil and fry minced shallots and add spice (B) and marinated mutton.  Fry well until fragrant.

Transfer fried mutton with the spices to a deep pot.  Add spice (C) and ingredients (D).  Bring to a boil then add seasoning (E).  Reduce the heat and simmer for an hour or until meat is tender.  Add thickening to the soup.  Dish out and serve with garnishing of shallots and garlic crisps.




Sunday, May 8, 2011

Traditional Medicine - Chinese style



Today is Mothers' Day here in Malaysia.  Last night Sofiyah gave me a box of my favourite chocolate, Ferrero Rocher, nicely wrapped together with two cute tiny teddy bears.... 

Then, this morning my hubby took me to this Dukun Tulang (bone healer) in Seremban to have a look at my heel.  On my last visit to the Orthopaedic doctor, he only prescribed pain killer for me since I still refuse to accept the injection.  So since my hubby wanted to see the bone healer for his ailment (back and shoulder pain), I tag along.

Remarkably there were a lot of patients waiting to see the bone healer. Then when it was my turn, my hubby also came in with me.  I sat on the teak platform and placed my heel on the bamboo stool in front of the healer.  I told him my problem and he proceeded with the treatment.

He held my left heel and when he began to put pressure on the painful spot, I squealed with pain. He then told me that blood had clotted around that area and if untreated, the tiny bone will keep on growing....  Hmmmmm...

Anyway, he then massaged my heel (using this red ointment) and also around the ankle area.  If he put extra pressure only....I started to squeal in pain....Oww!! OWW!!!! OwwwWWW!!! After the massage, he smeared two types of herbs onto my heel and ankle too.  Then he wrapped cottonwool around the area and then he bandaged the area.  Please see above picture.  He told me to remove the bandage after two days (i.e. on Tuesday) and return to the 'clinic' for further treatment either on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning.

Now I have to use sandals or slippers in the house.  Oh yaaa...if I was unable to walk after wearing the bandage, darling hubby might have to carry me to the car.... (like newly weds lah.....heheheh... wonder if he can still carry me!! )...

Happy Mothers' Day to all mothers and mothers to be around the world....




Saturday, May 7, 2011

A Doctor in the house



My son, Khairulzaman bought this book of my favourite Prime Minister of Malaysia (former PM i.e.) at the Tesco Hypermarket in Kajang.  Actually he bought the book for my hubby (my hubby loves reading..especially non-fiction books...and so do I..) as an additional birthday present.  My husband's 53rd birthday was on 3rd May (a day after OBL was killed. I don't believe he had died.  Uncle Sam wants the whole world to think soDamn uncle sam!!) but we celebrated his birthday on Sunday since all my children were at home.

When I look at the picture of Dr M on the book cover, I realized that he still has his original set of teeth intact!!! Hahaha.... I do not think he was wearing dentures..., being a doctor surely he took care of his teeth extremely well..... He has a sweet smile or was he smiling so joyously thinking about the royalty he will be getting from his book sales! Hahahaha...   Still..he so handsome maa...although got plenty wrinkles on his right hand (they forgot to edit his hand lor...). 

Anyway, I still have not started reading the book.  My husband started reading last night.  We were in bed, he was reading Mahathir's memoirs whilst I was reading the newspaper.  Hubby read until page 44.  He slept after that.  But he did read to me certain excerpts from the memoirs.. e.g the part about Dr M having only one wife... (I thought he has two!).  Anyway, if Dr M is a very punctual person, my hubby is the opposite!  
Ooops!! got to stop writing for now... I have to attend my tharannum class at UIA nilai..




Thursday, May 5, 2011

Prawn Omelette Delight




Ingredients (A) 
90g sweet potato flour
5 g rice flour
10g tapioca flour
160ml water


Seasoning (B)
1/2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp chicken stock powder




(C)
120g shelled medium small prawns, halved and cleaned
40g shelled cooked small clams (available at wet markets)
15g sliced leek
3 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
1tbsp chopped preserved radish 
1 tbsp chopped spring onion
2 tbsp chopped coriander (stalk and leaves)
1 tbsp chilli paste




Mix ingredients (A) to form a runny batter then strain to remove impurities.  Combone batter with seasoniong (B).


Heat oil and sesame oil in a frying pan over high heat.  Add chopped preserved radish and garlic.  Fry until fragrant.


Pour in half portion of batter.  Once the batter starts to set; quickly add in prawns and leek.  Stir for a few seconds.  Pour in eggs and cut through the batter with the frying spatula (this is to allow the egg mixture to flow to the bottom of the pan).  Panfry until the bottom layer is crispy.


Cut the omelette mixture into pieces and with the use of the frying spatula push the mixture to the side of the pan, leaving a hole in the centre.  Add clams and the remaining runny batter then stir-fry briskly for less than a minute.


Sprinkle in chopped spring onion and coriander and add cilli paste.  Stir to mix until fragrant.  Dish out and serve immediately.







Ginger Garlic Prawns




10-12 Large prawns
1/2 cup tapioca flour
30g shredded ginger
25g chopped garlic
20g dried prawns, soaked then chopped
2 stalks curry leaves
10 cili padi, chopped
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp sesame oil

Seasoning  
1 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chicken stock powder




Trim the prawns well but leave shells intact.  Dab dry the prawns with paper kitchen towels before tossing in tapioca flour, then shake off any excess flour.


Heat oil in a wok, fry garlic until golden and crispy.  Dish out and drain.  With the remaining hot oil, fry ginger until crispy and golden brown.  Remove and put aside.


Heat oil and sesame oil in a clean wok.  Saute dried prawns until aromatic.  Add curry leaves and cili padi.  Fry for a while then stir in seasoning to mix.


Return prawns to the wok and toss gently until well combined.


Dish out and serve immediately.












Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...