Nyonya Acar Fish

Nyonya acar hu

I love this dish a lot, normally in Penang, the fish used is belanak, over here in France, I have used sardine and mackerel.  Today, I use mackerel, and the recipe is from my penang nyonya cookbook.

Ingredients :
1 kg fish fillet or small, whole fish
2 tsp salt
1 cup oil for frying

30 gm (5cm) fresh tumeric root, sliced thinly
4 tbsp cooking oil
100 gm young ginger, sliced thinly
100 gm garlic, sliced thinly
30 gm (3) red chillies, seeded and quartered
30 gm (3) green chillies, seeded and quartered
250 ml vinegar
8-10 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt, or to taste

1 tbsp sesame seeds, roasted

Method:
1  Clean and gut fish and season with salt.  Deep fry the fish until golden.  Drain on paper towel and set aside.
2.  Fry the tumeric in 4 tbsp oil until the oil turns yellow.  Discard the tumeric.  Lazy cook does not have tumeric root, she omits this step.
3.  Using the tumeric oil, lazy cook adds 1/2 tsp tumeric powder into the oil, fry the ginger and garlic till golden brown.  Leave aside to cool before adding the red and green chillies, vinegar, sugar, salt to taste.
4.  Lastly, add the fried fish.  Serve garnished with ginger, garlic and sesame seeds.
Best served the next day as the flavours will develop overnight.  If not consumed immediately, keep it submerged in the vinegar solution in a clean glass jar,  it keeps well for about a week at room temperature and longer in the refrigerator.

Kek Lapis Kukus Cream Cheese (Steamed Cream Cheese Layer Cake)

Steamed Cream Cheese Layer Cake

A steamed cake, a change from the usual baking! Tastes good and hubby just adores it! Got this recipe from kongsi recipe website.

Ingredients :
Cream Cheese Layer
250 gm cream cheese
60 gm castor sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp water/evaporated milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp all purpose flour

Method :
1. Whisk the cream cheese with the sugar till combined.
2. Add the egg, water or evaporated milk, lemon juice and flour. Whisk till combined.
3. Leave to rest while making the chocolate layer.

Ingredients:
Chocolate Layer
2 eggs
1 cup castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup hot water/coffee
1/2 cup evaporated milk/fresh milk
1/2 cup corn oil/vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

Method :
1.  Whisk the egg with the sugar in a separate bowl till pale and fluffy.
2.  Add vanilla essence and salt, continue to whisk.
3.  Add the hot water or coffee, milk and oil and continue to whisk.
4.  Sieve in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cocoa powder, incorporate into the mixture.
5.  Separate in half and leave it to rest while preparing the steamer.
6.  Pour one half of the batter into a greased square 9" cake pan and steam for 15 minutes.
7.  After 15 minutes, pour the cream cheese layer into the cake pan and continue to steam for another 15 minutes.
8.  Lastly pour the other half of the chocolate layer and continue to steam for another 20 minutes.  The original recipe covers with aluminium foil before steaming the layers.  Lazy cook does not cover the cake pan while steaming, she only covers the cake pan with a cloth the last 10 minutes of steaming.
9.  Remove and let cool completely before cutting them. Enjoy! Yum yum!