Ruski (instant noodle)

Do not feel like cooking today but I just bought chopsticks for my children. As we wanted to test out the chopstick, I decided to have noodle.

My eldest daughter claimed that it was nice. 

I put in extra stuff like frozen vegetables and eggs.

My hubby didn'tt quite like it but my twins had a few helpings.

Vegetable: Concocted Beef

I served this with the Potato Curry and French bread.
The ingredient:

• sliced beef (dried them first before putting them into hot olive oil. Once they are brown, take them out.)
• onion and garlic (slice them and fry them into hot olive oil. )
• asparagus (cut them. One inch at least)
• fresh mushroom (any kind will do)
• baby carrot
• pounded black pepper (I had this for two teaspoons.)
• water (not a lot)
• corn flour (this is to thicken the sauce)
• salt
• grated cheese

Sambal: Dried Prawn

If anyone out there knows a better version, I would really appreciate it if you could share it with me. I was told of the recipe long time ago. Made a great effort to remember it but I can't remember the exact recipe.

Improvised version

The ingredients:

• Dried prawns (either boil them first or soak them in hot water for a while)
• garlic
• salt
• belacan (pound everything)

Paella (the western version)

All my children are at home (my hubby as well). It is nice to have the whole family together again.

My Paella in the wok. 

Paella is a dish which my hubby will not fall for as it is not spicy nor is it chilli hot. So should serve this with a special sambal.

The ingredients:

• chicken (I had the a few chicken flesh - cut them up to bite size. To begin cooking, fry them in hot olive oil. I didn't put a lot of oil though. Once they are brown, take them out.)
• onion and garlic (slice them and then fry them into hot olive oil)
• tomatoes, red and green capsicum (dice and pour them into the wok)
• peas (pour this in)
• ground turmeric (add this in. I forgot this though. Anyway, put in the fried chicken as well.)
• rice (add this in.)
• chicken stock (add just enough to cook the rice but it would better if it is slightly less as the vegetables would produce liquid and too much of liquid would make the rice soft.)
• mussels and prawns (clean them up. as for the prawn, peel half of the shell. Add them in, once the rice is cooked. 
• almonds (cut them into flake. Then, add them in.)
• salt and pepper (serve paella with slices of lemon)

23 April 2011 - My Thought

I got my Best Friend this week. As not obliged to do the daily pray, I took the opportunity to rest.  I didn't take my dinner at the usual time. I simply refused to carry out the routine. On top of that, I missed my two girls and of course my hubby. (I am not sure how long I can last. At times, I feel as if my feelings are being stretched like rubber. I just hope and pray that my feelings would loose its elasticity.

11th April 2011

Just for your information. The posting on the 9th April, I had them all together. Together, they made your dinner a worth while experience.

You have to try them to believe it.

Salad: Delicious

My children love this salad. They can actually eat this alone ie without other dishes.

Bought the bowl from IKEA. What do you need?

• salad (you need to decide the kind that you like. The supermarket has a variety.)
• mango (sliced this but too thin.)
• sultanas
• roughly pounded nuts (you have a choice of walnuts/hazelnut/almond/peanuts. My favourite is hazelnut.)
• tomatoes (sliced them into eight each)
• fruit dressing from Libby's                                       Toss them lightly so as to mix everything. Should make just enough as keeping it the fridge not a good idea. It does not taste as good later.

Soup: Bean curd

This is my second son's favourite - mainly because of the beancurd. You should really eat it hot. NICE....

I got this from Chef Wan's Simply Sedap. Should get this book. He has a few good and delicious recipes. Mine? I have modified it a bit
What do you need then?

• a few pieces of cut chicken
• carrot (cut it into cubes)
• red and green capsicum (cut these into cubes too)
• Japanese tofu ( I have a mixture of original and the one with egg)
• black pepper (totally forgot to put this in)
• spring onion and coriander leaves (for garnishing. You can also add in the fried onion)
• thinly sliced garlic
• salt                                             Do not use too much oil to fry the garlic. Then add in the carrot, capsicum and chicken. Add in sufficient amount of water and the chicken. Leave to simmer. Finally add in the salt and black pepper. Just before you serve, throw in the spring onion and coriander leaves.

Chilli Con Carne

My sons do not like rice that much. So once a week, or sometime if they are lucky, twice a week, I would serve pasta or mashed potatoes or we simply eat soup with bread.

The Chilli Con Carne was still on the stove when I took this photo. You need to leave it to simmer for an hour at least. (I usually refer to my recipe books whenever I wish to cook. However, I do not follow the measurement. I use my instinct most of the time. Does it work. I think so)
So what do we need to cook this?

• Minced beef (one tube would do. I usually buy the TESCO mince meat)
• kidney beans (one tin would do) 
• diced onions (one big onion)
• nicely sliced chilli (one red chilli)
• curry paste (half a cereal bowl)
• tomato soup ((one small tin)
• salt
• slightly bruised ginger 
• butter                                 Fry the onion in the melted butter. Then add in the chilli and curry paste.  After that, add in the minced beef, kidney beans and tomato soup. Salt at the end. Leave it to simmer for an hour.

Potatoes: Mashed

Ever since I created this blog, my cooking activities have increased tremendously. (He He He but still only during the weekends) My maid thought that I was slightly insane as after cooking I took photos of my dishes. She questioned my action but I refused to tell her the truth. (Pretty embarassing to admit that I use the photos to update my blog. Sound like a show-off. As if trying to tell the whole world that I cook. The truth is that I see this blog as my diary in which I keep all the recipes that I know in the blog. Wherever I go, I can get access to them.)

Next weekend, my two darling daughters would be back. The more reason for me to cook. I have already planned what to do but I wish to keep that as a surprise. Will give the detail next week - definitely.

My mashed potatoes

Ingredients:

• boiled potatoes (mashed this up. Do not leave any lump. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Mashed and mixed them together.)
• milk (use your instinct. not to much as it will be very soft. Not too little either it would be hard)
• butter / margarine (butter better)
• white pepper 
• salt

6th April 2011 - The Sequel

(I am supposed to update my FRP. FRP contains documents regarding the classes that I teach. I will do that later. )

Soupy soup

 This is an ordinary soup...well, most Malays would know this...Malaysian malays would know. Usually, I would make this when the weather is hot. Nonetheless, last weekend my hubby was not well and he wanted it. At times, because I am so lazy to think or even plan, I wait for my hubby to tell me what he want. Then, I will start cracking my head as in what things to get from TESCO.
So, how do I cook this? My way of course...

• onion + ginger + black pepper (pound them. If you do not have pestle and mortar, you could actually use the blender. But I would say the pestle and mortar would be the best equipment to use as you will be able to really pound the black pepper.)
• chicken (cut it into small sizes. A quarter is enough. You do not need to get one whole chicken.)
• carrot (scrap it and then cut it finger size)
• potatoes (skinless ones. Then cut them up. Bite size)
• salt
• fried onion + daun bawang (for garnishing)
• macaroni (dump everything into a pot.)

I also add in sup punjut. I am not sure what that is in English.
Usually, we would eat this with plain rice. Of course, there are other dishes. However, come to think of it, we could simply have this with french loaf...that should be nice for breakfast.

What will I cook next weekends? It depends on the weather. After the tsunami in Japan, it has been raining here. The affect huh.

6th April 2011 - Backdated event

On the 3rd April, I cooked two dishes for dinner: Beef with Mushroom and our common Malay soup. How did they turn out? According to my hubby, they were okay.

Beef with Mushroom

I got this from my mother's collection. Can't tell you the title of the book as the cover has been torn.
The ingredient:

• beef (should get the tender part. Cut it up to bite size. You are to fry this first. My style anyway. The recipe says that you have to fry the sliced onion first. After taking out the onion, you put it the beef. )
• button mushroom (a can product. The mushrooms were rather large so I cut them up into four. Do not throw away the juice. You need that)
• ginger (slice it)
• onion (you are to slice this. Thin slices.)
• soya sauce
• corn flour (this you add in the mushroom juice. the last part, pour it in. the flour is to make sure that the gravy is slightly thick. So do not add in a lot. Too thick, it will not taste nice. It will only give you the gowy look)
• white pepper (as I added in the soya sauce, I did not add salt)

4th April 2010 - My Thoughts

I had not been cooking for quite sometime. I didn't feel the need to do so as quite a number of my family members are not around. (My two daughters are in boarding schools while my beloved hubby works in a different state.) Most of the time, I left it to my maid to figure out the dishes to serve for our breakfast, lunch and dinner. (My three boys and even myself, we are not fussy. If ever we get sick of her common dishes, we just dine out. )

But just recently, my hubby who comes home during the weekends complained.

HE believes that I should cook again. So, for the sake of my hubby, I have decided to cook again...but only during the weekends or when everybody is at home. (My boys are not big eaters unlike my hubby and my second daughter.)

So, this blog is dedicated to the recipes that I am about to destroy...he he..Well, actually, there is this movie that I watched a few days ago entitled Julia & Julie. It has inspired me to create this blog. I am hoping to seek help from anyone who is kind enough to read my blog and help me to become a good cook, help me to make my family members fall in love with my cooking...I hope this blog will explode globally.