Kari Kapitan

Kari Kapitan served with fried rice and spicy vege

For the nyonyas in Penang, this chicken curry is what they are proud of!  My mom cooks this curry once a year during the eve of Chinese New Year for the family reunion dinner. This recipe is taken from Nonya Flavours cookbook.  The ones that my mom cooks according to my sista is the Portugese version, I would one fine day post that version but for today, its this yummy version from Nonya Flavours! And when I tell my mom about this version, she says that this is the one that her mom, my grandma cooks!
Ingredients :
1 kg meaty chicken pieces (lazy cook uses about 8 pieces of chicken thighs, no mess in chopping up those chicken)
1 tbsp tumeric powder
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 cup oil, for deep frying
2 onions, skinned, halved and sliced (omitted this cos hubby hates the sight of onions)

1 cup thick coconut milk (from 1 grated coconut)
1 tbsp finely shredded kaffir lime leaves
1 tbsp brown sugar/palm sugar
2 tbsp lime juice

Spice Paste :
350 gm (20-30) shallots
10 gm (2 cloves) garlic
20 gm (2 cm) ginger
20 gm (2 cm) galangal
10 gm (1 cm) tumeric
10 gm (3) candlenuts (lazy cook uses almond powder)
50 gm (2 stalks) lemongrass
75 gm (6) fresh red chillies
20 gm (10) dried chillies
20 gm belacan, toasted
5 gm (8-10) bird's eye chillies (optional)

Garnish (Optional) :
2 tbsp shallot crisps
2 sprigs mint leaves

Marinate the chicken pieces with turmeric powder and salt overnight.  Lazy cook just marinate for 30 minutes cos forget this step.  Deep fry the chicken in hot oil till golden, drain and set aside.
For the spice paste, lazy cook uses a mix of onions and shallots because shallots are expensive.  Lazy cook uses dry ginger powder, dry galangal powder, dry turmeric powder, almond powder instead of candlenuts, dry lemongrass powder, dry chilli powder and a squirt of harissa (Tunisian chilli paste).  In a blender, I blend the onions, garlic and belacan, then I mix the dry spice into the onion paste to get my spice paste.
Heat half of the frying oil in a wok to saute the spice paste till fragrant.  Add the chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes over medium flame.
Add the coconut milk (lazy cook uses canned), lime leaves (lazy cook uses frozen) and brown sugar.  Simmer till chicken is tender. Add the lime juice and mix well.
Dish onto servicng plate and garnish with shallot crisps and/or mint leaves.  Serve with bread or rice.

Lorbak

This is my son's favourite dish, in France we are fortunate because we could find the beancurd sheets and the five spice powder! 
Ingredients :
500 gm pork, cut into bite sizes
1 clove garlic chopped
1 shallot chopped
3 tbsp sugar, or to taste
2 tsp salt, or to taste
a dash of pepper
3 tsp five spice powder
2 tbsp tapioca flour
2 eggs

Beancurd sheets
oil for deep frying

Marinate all the above ingredients (except the beancurd sheets and oil for deep frying) overnight or for at least 4 hours.  Cut the beancurd sheets into the size that you would like, I normally follow the folds of the beancurd sheets that I buy.  Spoon the meat onto the beancurd sheet and roll them, if the beancurd sheet is too dry use a wet cloth to wet them a bit. Use the grave from the marinade to stick the edges.
Deep fry until golden brown and drain on paper towel.  My mom serves this with a mix of chilli sauce and tomato sauce and some crushed peanuts, also can serve with sliced cucumbers and deep fried tofu.

Lorbak

Chocolate Cupcakes

Yummy chocolate cupcakes

Cupcakes are so addictive, it is so good that I have to try doing another flavour and what other flavour than chocolate.  I gave some to my neighbour and she came back and said the gôut is so good that she cannot find them in the pastry shops!  This is a must try, really really good! Got this recipe from Joy of Baking website:

Ingredients

1/2 cup (50 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 cup (240 ml) boiling hot water

1 1/3 cups (175 grams) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

 

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

4 ounces (120 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

2/3 cup (150 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups (160 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter, or line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Then in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16 - 20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. You can either spread the frosting on the cupcakes with a small spatula or if piping, use a large Wilton 1M open star tip to make lovely swirls. These cupcakes are best the day they are made, but can be covered and stored for a few days.

Chocolate Frosting: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2 -3 minutes). 

This time being lazy, I did not pipe the frosting but use a spoon to cover the top.

Makes about 16 cupcakes.

Chocolate cupcakes before frosting

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/ChocolateCupcakes.html#ixzz1IAiVnDag