17 August 2012 by Crave Malay Mail

Friday AUGUST 17, 2012 S AT I S F Y I N G

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CELEBRATING RAYA DELICIOUSLY

The Delicious Group Executive Chef Kasdi Dahari shares recipes for your upcoming Raya festivities

RENDANG AYAM IJAO (10 SERVINGS) spice paste 200g onions, peeled and chopped 120g shallots, peeled and chopped 40g bird-eye chillies (cili padi) 100g (8 stalks) green chillies 16g ginger, peeled and chopped 36g (1 stalk) lemongrass (white part only) 15g galangal 5g turmeric 200ml cooking oil 1 stalk lemongrass, pounded 250ml water 150ml thick coconut milk 120g toasted kerisik 1 kg chicken thigh, cut into small pieces and deepfried in oil till half cooked 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons caster sugar 1 turmeric leaf, sliced finely 2-3 kaffir lime leaves, sliced finely

Blend the spice paste ingredients in an electric blender. Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Sauté spice paste with the bruised lemongrass, until the oil rises to the surface. Pour water, coconut milk and kerisik; mix to combine. Add the half cooked chicken, salt and sugar. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the

chicken is tender. Add turmeric leaf and kafﬁr lime leaf, continue to cook for a few minutes. Remove from the heat. Keep for at least one day to allow the ﬂavours to infuse, before heating it up and serving with rice. – Recipe by Chef Kasdi. Photography by Kenneth Lim, Gray Studio.

Taster Comments:

“I like the rendang and the recipe is easy and straightforward to make.” DEBBIE TEOH Cookbook author and recipe developer (http://www.debbieteoh.com/)

FRESH WATER PRAWNS BRIYANI RICE (10 SERVINGS)

spice paste 120g shallots, peeled and halved 1 cardamom pod 3 cloves 2 teaspoons ground fenugreek (halba) 100g green chillies 50g coriander leaf, cut coarsely 300g tomatoes, cut into slices sufﬁcient water to move the blades 60g briyani masala powder 60g ﬁsh curry powder 100g kurma curry powder 100ml ghee 50ml oil 3 stalks lemongrass, bruised 1 dried bay leaf 1.4 litres boiling water 375ml thick coconut milk 1 kg (15-20) freshwater prawns (udang galah), cleaned and slitted at the back 1 kg basmati rice, washed and drained in colander salt to taste

Blend the spice paste ingredients in an electric blender, adding sufﬁcient water to move the blades. Add the curry powders; mix to combine together with spice paste. Heat the ghee and oil in a large wok. Saute the blended spice paste and lemongrass until fragrant and the oil rises to the surface. You can remove half of the paste and set it aside for another use. Add bay leaf, water, coconut milk and prawns to the remaining paste. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the prawns are cooked; Remove

the prawns and set aside. Deepfry the prawn in hot oil till golden brown. Add basmati rice to the pot. Simmer with the lid closed for 20 minutes. Continue to cook the rice for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until it is ﬂuffy and cooked. Turn off the heat and leave the lid closed. To serve: Mix half of the deepfried prawns with the rice. Place the rice in a ramekin and remove. Garnish with deep-fried prawns. – Recipe by Chef Kasdi. Photography by Kenneth Lim, Gray Studio.

Taster Comments:

The recipe is a little tedious but worth your time making it. Save time by cooking double or triple of the recipe. You can freeze the extra portions for the family. The extra briyani spice paste can also be used to cook the prawns or other meats like chicken, mutton and beef. Just add a little more coconut milk to thin the paste. For the rice, you can also add fresh mint leaves and sliced tomatoes. The rice goes well with a cooling cucumber and onion salad tossed with yoghurt.” DEBBIE TEOH Cookbook author and recipe developer (http://www.debbieteoh.com/)

RAYA REVELRY This Raya, the Delicious Group Executive Chef Kasdi Dahari is looking forward to making the journey back to his hometown, Alor Setar. For the jovial chef, a must for the festivities is ketupat pulut and his mother’s cooking. “In Kedah, the ketupat pulut has maize and red beans inside it. Usually my mother cooks a very dry rendang using chicken or beef that we call Rendang daging.” he says. The celebration is also not complete with another Raya must-have, the Nasi daging. Similar to a kabsah rice dish, the thought of this delicious dish is enough to set off Chef Kasdi’s hunger pangs. The rice is cooked with beef stock and spices to infuse the

grains with flavour. Just before the rice is ready, the beef is added back into the aromatic fluffy rice. The Nasi daging is served with acar jelatah, and a tangy asam dip made with chillies and tomatoes. With those fond memories of Nasi daging, Chef Kasdi’s recipe for the briyani rice, he shares is based on the same method except it uses prawns instead of beef. The dish was part of the Delicious Café’s Ramadan buffet. And for the Rendang ayam ijao that also debuted in the Ramadan buffet, it was a dish Chef Kasdi cooked for his wife. “She wanted a rendang dish but prefers herbs and all things green hence I made this specially for her,” he says.

FRIDAY 17 AUGUST 2012

THE MALAY MAIL

CHILLED PINEAPPLE CHEESECAKE (4 SERVINGS) biscuit base 100g white chocolate, roughly chopped 50g butter 125g Nutella 250g cornﬂakes, roughly crushed raspberry ice cream center 125g sugar 112g water 90g egg yolks 225g raspberry puree, cooked and reduced to half 70ml UHT whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks

s Bonue for recipaya R

cheesecake zest of 1 lime zest of 1 lemon 90g caster sugar 225g cream cheese, softened 75ml lemon juice 240ml UHT whipping cream 90g mascarpone 3 1/3 teaspoons (8g) gelatine powder, melted in 50ml milk

To prepare the biscuit base: Melt the white chocolate and butter separately and combine together with Nutella. Fold through the cornﬂakes and spread on a tray with greaseproof paper. It should have a thickness of 0.5cm. Chill. To prepare raspberry ice cream: Bring sugar and water to a temperature of 121C. Whisk the egg yolks, then slowly add the boiling sugar. Whisk till cold and thickened. Add raspberry puree and fold in whipped cream. Pour in a container. Freeze until ﬁrm. To prepare cheesecake: Mix zests, sugar and cream cheese together. Whip up the lemon juice, whipping cream and the mascarpone. Add the gelatine and milk mix; fold together. Pour into a piping bag.

garnish canned pineapples, diced raspberries, quartered

To assemble: Using round

stainless steel rings measuring 6cm x 8.5cm, stamp out the biscuit base. Pipe in the cheesecake into the ring until it is ¾ full. Scoop a ball of the raspberry ice cream using an ice cream scoop. Place in the middle of the cheesecake. Top up with cheesecake and level off on the mould. Repeat with remaining moulds. Keep chilled for 2-3 hours to allow it to set. To serve: Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator. Heat the cake ring using a blow torch for a few seconds and gently remove the ring straight up. If it sticks, use a knife to help release the ring. Alternatively place a towel in boiling water, and use it to rub the outside of the ring and gently remove the ring. Garnish with pineapples and raspberries and serve immediately. – Recipe from The Delicious Group

In the Kitchen with Eu Hooi Khaw EDITORIAL NOTE by Lee Khang Yi

The ancient Romans and Egyptians considered mushrooms as food of the gods and only the elite was allowed to eat them. Asians have been cultivating shiitakes for more than 2,000 years, using them to treat colds and ﬂu, poor circulation, upset stomachs and even exhaustion. Shiitakes are rich in beta-glucans which kick the immune system into action. Then there are the matsutake mushrooms, which symbolize fertility, good fortune and happiness for the Japanese, and are harvested in autumn, in the red pine forests where they grow. Up till the 18th century, only Japanese nobility were allowed to savour this mushroom. Basically, mushrooms are fungi. They include the creamy white to beige buttons and ﬂats, gourmet browns, portabella, porcini, oyster and abalone mushrooms and enoki or golden needle mushrooms. There are also the dark pungent morels and chanterelles, with a trumpetshaped cap. Besides beta-glucans, mushrooms are also rich in polysaccharides, complex carbohydrates which trigger an immune response in the body. Antioxidants in them mop up free

radicals, enhance digestion and boost energy, stamina and endurance levels. Mushrooms are also rich in some of the essential minerals and three important Bcomplex vitamins - riboﬂavin, niacin and pantothenic acid. The Chinese usually use dried shiitakes for braising with meat, in soups or serving it with abalone. In Western cooking, different kinds of mushrooms are used in salads, soups, risotto, pastas and pies, added to meat or served as a side dish to main courses. You can use the white buttons in a stufﬁng together with chestnuts, bacon or turkey ham, diced stale bread, onions and mixed herbs for roast chicken. Just rub the bird with salt, pepper and butter and roast.

MUSHROOM AND LEEK FLAN 4 slices white bread, cut diagonally and buttered on both sides 3 cloves garlic, peeled and ﬁnely chopped 120g leek, thinly sliced 80g fresh button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 80g turkey ham, cut into 2cm pieces 80g strong Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced 5 eggs 500ml milk

½ teaspoon salt A generous sprinkling of pepper Preheat oven to 200C. Using a square pie dish, 21x21cm, arrange the bread triangles on the base, with the bread lining the sides too. Sprinkle chopped garlic on top. Bake for 10 minutes or till golden brown. Remove from the oven. Layer the mushrooms on top of the bread, followed by the leeks, turkey

ham and cheese. Beat the eggs and combine with milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into the pie dish. Reduce temperature of the oven to 180C. Bake for 35 minutes or until nicely brown and set. Remove and leave to cool. Note: Swap bacon for turkey ham for a non-halal version. Just cut ham into 2 cm pieces and fry before layering in the ﬂan.

Crave Editor

I’ve always been a fan of the Delicious cafe, since it opened in 2004. Back then, we were all crazy about their chocolate cake with ice cream. Hence, this issue is a memorable one as the Delicious Group Executive Chef Kasdi Dahari shares Raya recipes from the cafe for you to cook at home. His decadent briyani rice uses freshwater prawns and is inspired by a Northern favourite, Nasi daging. The Rendang ayam ijao, uses green chillies to give it a fresh taste. This had us licking our lips for more. And especially for Raya, we have a bonus recipe of the chilled pineapple cheesecake. Found in Delicious cafe, this tangy wonder hides a raspberry surprise center. Get baking with Eu Hooi Khaw’s column as she shares a mushroom and leek ﬂan recipe. It is easy to assemble and perfect for keeping. Last but not least, if you are searching for a place to dine, look towards Penang Flavours for dishes from the North. There’s also the utterly delicious Uncle Cheng’s Special Beef Noodles that will satisfy any beef lover. Email me your feedback at khangyi@mmail.com.my. Selamat Hari Raya!

ADVERTISING SALES Rajan Gopal Senior Manager, Direct & Classifieds Direct line: 03 74951282 rajan@mmail.com.my

FRIDAY 17, AUGUST 2012

NORTHERN NOSH BY Eu Hooi Khaw

WE used to eat at a café Specials of Penang in PJ New Town a few years ago. The mix of Northern specials and Nonya fare was good, and we would buy the fine Nonya kuih at the front of the shop before heading home. Now it’s under a different name – Penang Flavours - but with the same owners in 1-Utama, and it has been here for the past four years. The Asam laksa (RM9.50) was exactly as I remember it, with the sharp sourness from the tamarind, tempered with a little sweetness. All the pungency of fresh herbs is in the broth – laksa leaf (daun kesom), torch ginger flower (bunga kantan) and lemongrass. It had all the right nuances and garnishes, including fresh mint, bunga kantan, red chillies, shallots and pineapple. And there were chunks of ikan kembong in it. It was absolutely yummy. The Penang char kway teow (RM9.50) came, with a hot wok aroma (wok hei) in its trail. We couldn’t resist digging in. Here, the moist, smooth flat strands of rice noodles is hugged by the sauces, garlic and fried egg, combined with Chinese chives, beansprouts, prawns and fish cake. What was not to like? We had the Flavours platter (RM19.90) of chicken satay, chicken lorbak, pie tee and spring rolls. The lorbak had a crispy beancurd skin, which at the bite had a firm, moist, meaty filling redolent of Chinese fivespice powder. It was the best item on the platter, aside from the pie tee, that uses housemade thin and crispy shells. We tried some Popiah (2 pieces for

RM5.50) and we got a mouthful of flavours – the crunchy yambean, crispy dried prawns, deepfried shallots, chilli and sweet sauce on the thin wrapper. It had lots of oomph! Penang lam mee (RM8.90) has the finer yellow noodles that sit in a clear stock steeped from chicken, chicken bones, prawn shells, prawns and roasted flat sole. Often reserved for Nonya birthday celebrations, the noodles are topped with omelette strips, Chinese chives, prawns, deepfried shallots and beansprouts. Eaten with the scrumptiously made sambal belacan here, these noodles are out of this world. You would want to slurp up the very flavourful soup too. The Ju hu char is full of sweetness from the fine strands of cuttlefish, yambean, cabbage, carrots and mushrooms. Usually served as a side item in the Nonya set with rice, chicken curry and an omelette, you can also order it on its own for RM10. Wrap this in a lettuce smeared with sambal belacan and you are in ju hu char heaven.The Mee rebus (RM8.90) here uses a spicy sweet potato stock, with crunchy cuttlefish drizzled with sambal in it, fried beancurd and some spiced crackers garnishing it. It tastes good, but I still prefer the Asam laksa. All the sauces and sambals are made from scratch in the restaurant, even the kaya. So we had high expectations for the Penang rojak (RM5.90), and we were not disappointed. The diced green mango, yambean, pineapple and cucumber, were drenched in a delicious sauce made with prawn paste, belacan and chilli, with the sweet and hot flavours in a fine balance. There was a generously sprinkling of crushed peanuts.

Then there was the Sambal rice (RM8.90), fried with a special sambal together with prawns, fishcake and chicken sausage pieces. The aroma and hotness of the sambal came through the rice, and I liked it very much.The fried chicken is a hot favourite here. It’s marinated overnight with ginger, galangal, lemongrass and fresh turmeric, all the flavours of each soak through the skin and meat. Deepfried, these fragrant and spiced flavours cling to the crispy skin. This chicken is served with nasi lemak but can also be ordered on its own for RM5.50. For dessert, the Ice kacang (RM5.50) was a refreshing treat, the shaved ice drizzled with gula Melaka and rose syrup with a dollop of creamed corn. Dig underneath the mountain of ice, to discover attap seeds, soft cooked red beans, cendol and grass jelly (cincau) cubes. The Cendol (RM4) was good too, the green strands fragrant with pandan in the fresh coconut milk with shaved ice and gula Melaka syrup. Look out for the Kuih ubi lapis (RM2) that is good to eat. The tri- coloured treat is like a kuih bingka, (with tapioca), but there’s also sago pearls in it. Penang Flavours, LG311C (near Cold Storage), 1 Utama Shopping Centre, New Wing, Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya. Tel: 03-77328968. Open daily from 10am to 10pm. Pork-free.

delicious eats (clockwise): Pie tee, Kuih ubi lapis, Penang char kuey teow, Chicken lorbak, Penang Flavours interior, Penang rojak, Asam laksa.

MOO-VE MY BEEF PLEASE “Why bring the cow home? Let our special noodle do the moo!” proclaims Julian Cheng’s name card. The proprietor of Uncle Cheng’s Special Beef Noodle has every right to get Klang Valley foodies, all moo-ing, as his dry beef noodles are incredibly memorable. Cheng who hails from Kluang, fixes up a dish inspired by his Southern roots. It’s not the pure version though, as Cheng also borrowed some tricks from his Seremban relatives, where beef noodles are just as famous. The sought after noodles (usually lai fun or rice noodles) are tossed in the thick dark brown gravy, made from braising beef for hours. It is topped with diced char choy, peanuts and a dash of sesame seeds. Top it with

your beefy choice, whether it is tenderloin, chewy chunks of beef tendon, tripe, beef balls or dry meat, Cheng’s version of meat floss. We guarantee bovine heaven for your tummy. He whips up two types of beef balls. The smooth greyish ones are familiar since you often find them bobbing in Klang Valley’s noodles. But it is the hand-shaped chunky meatballs with a touch of ginger and a soft texture, that had us wishing for seconds. On the side, is a delicious broth full of beefy goodness. Ask for seconds, and you will be rewarded with a piping hot bowl to slurp down. That same broth is also the star of Cheng’s tummy comforting “booster” dish, cooked in claypot, with various beef cuts. In addition, Cheng also

serves herbal lamb shank. Cheng who started his business from a small Section 17 stall, expanded his business to this standalone shop near Taman Megah last year. Expect to wait during weekends as a sizeable crowd zooms in here for their bovine fix. Prices for the noodles range from RM8 to RM13 depending on how many varieties of beef cuts you request. The “booster” dishes are priced from RM11 to RM18, with a choice of tenderloin, brisket and tendon. Uncle Cheng’s Special Beef Noodle, 54, Jalan SS2/4A, Petaling Jaya, Tel:012-3030626, Open 9am to 4.30pm. Closed on Wednesdays. Pork-free. – Photo of the shop by Kash Wong May Wan.

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