Bubur Asyura (using the PHILIPS Pressure Cooker)

 

Hari Asyura falls on the 10th of Muharram of the Muslim calendar. On this day, many historical events occured and Muslims are encouraged to fast, breaking their fast with Bubur Asyura. One story which I learnt about the makings of Bubur Asyura, is during a time of famine, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) collected whatever each household had in their homes, put everything in a huge cauldron and cooked it up for the whole community to share as meal together, thus the Bubur Asyura. In Malaysia, there are various versions of the Bubur Asyura. The main ingredients are primarily beans. This version that I am sharing, is how my mum cooks it and this is how most Johoreans appreciate this porridge.

Cooking Bubur Asyura in a PHILIPS Pressure Cooker is ideal as it cooks the beans to perfection. My mum said that she felt all the flavours of the spices were intensified with the use of the PHILIPS Pressure Cooker. With a touch of two buttons and 30 minutes, you will get the perfect Bubur Asyura!

Blended ingredients:~

·      1 onion

·      3 cloves of garlic

·      ½ inch ginger

•   ½  cup rice

•   1 tbsp roasted peanuts

•   1 tbsp split chick peas

•   1 tbsp red peas

•   1 tbsp corn, cooked

•   1 tbsp lentils

•   1 tbsp dhal

•   1 tbsp barley

•   ½  stick carrot, cut into large cubes

•   ½ sweet potato, cut into cubes

•   2 cups water

•   ½ cup coconut milk

•   1 tbsp curry powder

•   1 tbsp kerisik

•   3 cloves

•   3 cardamom

•   1 cinnamon sticks

•   1 star anise

•   1 tsp salt

Garnishings:

•   1 egg, made into paper thin omelettes

•   2 stalks spring onions, sliced thinly

•   2 stalks chinese parsley, sliced thinly

•   3 tbsp fried crispy shallots

1.    Put all the ingredients into the PHILIPS Pressure Cooker.

2.    Press BEANS and the START.

3.    The Bubur Should be ready in 30 minutes.

4.    When serving, top with omelette, chinese parsley, spring onions and fried crispy shallots.

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Shaped Gultinous Rice topped with Prawn Sambal Serunding

I really love re-living memories of food, especially for mum. Pulut Tekan sprinkled with Sambal Serunding Udang was a breakfast typically enjoyed by my gentle & loving arwah Tok Bak... Very very nice indeed and so easy to make :-)

Ingredients for glutinous rice:~

• 1 cup glutinous rice, soaked for 20 minutes & drain
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 cup of thick coconut milk

Ingredients for Prawn Sambal Serunding:~

• 3 tbsp oil
• 8 shallots, sliced finely
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 inch turmeric root, skinned & pounded till fine
• 4 red chillies, seeded & pounded finely
• 1/2 cup dried prawns, soaked in hot water till it swells & pound
• 2 cups grated coconut
• 2 tsp salt
  
• 1 tsp sugar

~Method for glutinous rice~

1. Steam glutinous rice for about 15 minutes in a steamer.
2. Remove from steamer and place in a large clean bowl.
3. Sprinkle with salt.
4. Pour the warm coconut milk over the steamed rice & mix evenly.
5. Shape it into compact circular discs or any desired shape while it is still hot.
6. Put it aside to cool & set.
   

~Method for Prawn Sambal Serunding~

1. In a medium-sized pan, heat oil. Sautee' the onions, garlic & turmeric root.
2. When limp, put in the pounded prawns. Cook till fragrant.
3. Add in the grated coconut & stir till well combined.
4. Flavor with salt & sugar.
5. Continue cooking until desired dryness is achieved.
6. Sprinkle over or coat the shaped glutinous rice with Prawn Sambal Serunding.

tea-time treats

1

Nasi Dhal Ayah

My father loves Fridays! He always insisted everyone to be home for our Friday long lunches before prayers. This day every week, we are treated with every variety of rice dishes you could imagine! Nasi Bokhari, Nasi Tomato, Nasi Minyak,Nasi Beriani Gam and the list goes on. Nasi Dhal is one of the rice dishes that we have and apart from Beriani Gam, it is my favourite rice dish!

Ingredients:~

• 3 cups Basmathi rice
• 3 ½ cups water
• 1 cup of water blended with 2 inches of ginger
  
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup dhal beans, soaked for an hour
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 pieces screwpine leaves, tied into a knot
• 5 cloves
• 5 cardamoms
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• ½ onion, sliced finely
• 5 garlic, sliced
• ½ cup evaporated milk, mixed with 1 tbsp lime juice

~Method~

1. Wash the rice and drain. Put it in the rice cooker with the dhal, water, ginger juice and salt.
2. In a small pan, heat the oil and ghee. Fry the screwpine leaves, then the spices. Put the onions and garlic in the oil and sautee.
3. When the onion softens, pour the oil mixture onto the rice in the rice cooker. Stir briefly to mix the flavors in.
4. Start the rice cooker.
5. When the rice cooks, pour the milk evenly on top of the rice.
6. Let it rest a while. Eat after it rests for 10 minutes.

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Lopes Mak Cik Gah

I felt like a little girl who got a whole bunch of balloons when Makcik Gah stayed for a whole day to teach me 'warisan' dishes. I really loved cooking this Lopes with her from scratch. I guarantee it tastes heaps nicer that the bought ones. Mum said, "A person of Makcik Gah's knowledge of the true traditional authentic food are rare & few. Treasure her."...and I did. I appreciated every second I spent with her & everything she shared with me. I pray for her good health & long life...

~Ingredients~

• 1/2 kg glutinous rice, washed
• 2 cups of water
• 1 tsp air chang/air abu...... I'm not sure why it's called air (as in water) when it actually is clups of powder)
• 35 pieces of banana leaves cut into 5"x10" rectangle sizes, wilted briefly over flame
• 7 rafia strings cut into 2'5" lengths

~Method~

1. Pour the water over the glutinous rice.
2. Sprinkle with air chang evenly over the rice.
3. Mix it in well until the air chang dilutes.
4. Put the rice aside & allow it to rest for about 1 5 minutes or until the rice bloats a little & turns slightly yellowish due to the air chang mixture.

   

5. Pour the rice in a pot & heat it on medium fire.
6. Cook & keep stirring for about 10-12 minutes until all the liquid evaporates. The rice should still have the crunch, when eaten at this stage.
   
7. Transfer it in a bowl.

   

8. Roll the banana leaf into a cone, shiny side out .
   

   

   

   

9. Fill it in with 2 heaped tablespoons of rice. Press tightly until the rice is snug.
10. Flatten the cone to now look like a triangle.

    

    

    

11. Flap the final opened side over, to complete the triangle & seal in the rice.
12. Arrange the filled triangle in stacks of three, with all the corners not in alignment.

    

13. Tie the stack of three triangles with one rafia string at each corner of the triangle.
    
14. This will keep the triangles tightly together when boiling it.
15. When all the triangles have been tied up into 7 batches, place it in boiling water.

    

16. Make sure the Lopes are submerged below the boiling water. Cover the lid.
17. Boil on medium heat for an hour.
18. Remove the Lopes form the water and place in onto a strainer. Allow it to cool.
19. When ready to consume, peel off the banana leaf, coat the Lopes with Grated Coconut & drizzle generously with Palm Syrup.
20. Oh!!! Yummy! I'm desiring it right now!

Ingredients for Palm Sugar Syrup:~

• 1 cup chopped palm sugar
• 1/2 c coarse sugar
• 2 cups of water
• 2 pandan leaves, knotted
  
• 1 tsp sago flour diluted in 1/4 water

~Method~

1. Put the palm sugar, coarse sugar, water & pandan leaves in a pot.
2. Boil on medium heat.
3. After about 10 minutes, pour the sago mixture gradually over the palm sugar syrup.
4. When it thickens, put aside until ready to serve with the Lopes.
   

Ingredients for Grated Coconut:~

• 1 whole grated coconut (white only)
• 1 tsp salt

~Method~

1. Steam the grated coconut over boiling water for about 8 minutes.
2. Remove from steamer & immediately sprinkle with salt.
3. Toss it around until the salt combines.
4. Sprinkle over the lopes when ready to eat.
   

tea-time treats

1

Nasi Minyak

My family loves flavoured rice much more than plain white rice. It could be due to our Johorean upbringing or simply because it's such a treat to have Beriani Gam, Nasi Tomato, Nasi Dhal or Nasi Minyak. These varieties of rice are normally eaten during festivities. So, my home seems like we have special occasions every week, as that's how often we have these flavoured rice!

Ingredients:~
3 cups of Basmathi rice, washed & drained
3 1/2 cups of water
2 inches of ginger blended with 1 cup of water
1/4 cup of oil
1 tbsp ghee
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
5 cardamom
2 screwpine leaves, knotted
5 cloves
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup of evaporated milk combined with 2 tbsp lime juice

Method:~
1. Put the rice in the rice-cooker pot.
2. Pour in the water and the ginger juice.
3. Put in the salt.
4. In a small pan, heat the oil & ghee.
5. Put in the cinnamon, star anise, cardamom & cloves. Add the screwpine leaves.
6. Sautee' the onions & garlic till it becomes transparent.
7. Pour everything in the small sautee' pan into the rice pot, over the rice.
8. Stir everything in and start the rice cooker.
9 As soon as the rice is ready, pour the milk & lime juice mixture over the rice.
10. Allow the rice to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

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Chicken Rice

To be totally honest, I have never checked out any Chicken Rice recipes before, so this really is entirely my own recipe! I cooked this based on my tastebuds and it's ability to detect ingredients as well as my own personal preferences in taste. Hope you enjoy this Chicken Rice as my kids do :-)

CHICKEN SOUP

Blend:

• 1 large onion
• 4 clove garlic
• 1 inch ginger

• 1 whole large chicken
• 10 cups/2 1/2 liter water
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 1 stalk Chinese parsley, cut thinly to sprinkle on soup when serving

Marinade ingredients for chicken:

• 1/4 cup sweet soy sauce
• 1/4 cup salty soy sauce

Method for chicken:

1. Boil all the above ingredients for approximately 1/2 an hour.
2. Remove the whole chicken & put it in a large bowl.
3. Pour the marinade ingredients over the chicken & rub evenly. Let it rest for 15 minutes in the marinade.
4. Deep fry the chicken whole...till done & crispy on the outside.
5. Cut the chicken when you are about to eat.


RICE

• 3 cups of Basmathi rice
• 4 1/2 cups of chicken broth,(made above)
• 1/2 onion, slice thinly
• 2 slices ginger, julienne(cut into thin fine strips)
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• 1 screwpine leaves, tied into a knot
• 1 stalk fresh coriander leaves, to decorate when serving

Method for rice:

1. Wash 3 cups of Basmathi rice & drain.
2. Put the drained rice into a rice cooker.
3. Put the onion,ginger & garlic together with the rice.
4. Pour the broth into the rice cooker.
5. Put the screwpine leaves in & begin cooking.

CHILLI SAUCE

• 10 fresh red chillies, deseeded
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup cooled chicken broth

Method for chilli sauce:

1. Blend all the above ingredients.
2. Pour into a small pot.
3. Boil till the sauce of the right consistency.
4. Taste & put aside.

SOY SAUCE

• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 4 tbsp sweet soy sauce
• 2 tbsp salty soy sauce

Method for soy sauce:

1. Simmer the soy sauce till it boils.
2. Remove from heat & put aside.

SERVING THE CHICKEN RICE

Chicken Rice should be served with the soup, chilli sauce, soy sauce & sliced cucumbers on the side. I find that coriander leaves is a vital finishing touch when serving this dish.

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Beriani Gam

This is a true Johorean Beriani which is an all-time favorite in my household. The main trick to the success of this dish is to follow the water measurements accurately (1 cup of rice to 1 1/2 cups of water), get the best rempah beriani & you should not miss out the coriander... Vital to the final flavor.

Beriani Gam Johor

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Basmathi rice, washed and drained
• 3 ½ cups water
• 8 bulbs shallots, sliced thinly
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• 1 cup ginger juice ( 2inch ginger blended with 1 cup of water. Drain. Keep the ginger juice!)
• ½ cup evaporated milk mixed with 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 pinch saffron, rubbed with ½ tsp sugar & soak in 2 tbsp rose water
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 stalk fresh coriander leaves, cut in 2
• 1 ladleful ghee
• 1 ladleful cooking oil
• 1 stick cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• 6 cloves
• 6 cardamoms
• 2 screwpine leaves, torn & tied into a knot
• 1 handful sultanas
• 1 handful cashew nuts
• 1 handful crispy fried shallots

Method:

1. Put the basmathi rice, water, ginger juice, rose water soaked with saffron and salt in a rice cooker.
2. In a small pan, heat oil & ghee.
3. Put the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, cardamoms and screwpine leaves in the hot oil.
4. Sautee the shallots and garlic.
5. Pour the ingredients from the pan into the rice cooker.
6. Begin the rice cooker.
7. The moment the rice is cooked and steaming, pour in the thairu (milk mixed with lime juice) and throw the fresh coriander in the rice cooker. Close the cover back quickly.
8. Create a hole in the center of the beriani and put the cooked kuzi lamb/chicken and eggs into the hole. Let it rest a while.
9. When serving, sprinkle with cashew nuts, sultanas and crispy fried shallots.

Kuzi Ayam/Kambing

Blend together:

• 20 bulbs shallots
• 8 cloves garlic
• 2 inches ginger

Other ingredients:

• 2 kg chicken/lamb, cut into 16 pieces
• 4 eggs, boiled
• 4 tbsp rempah beriani
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
  
• 1 stick carrot, skinned & cut into finger sized lengths
• 2 tomatoes, quartered into wedges
• 4 tbsp honey
  
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 star anise
• 6 cardamoms
• 6 cloves
• 2 cups water
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup oil
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 sprig coriander roots, cut into 1 inch lengths
• 1 sprig spring onions, cut into 1 inch lengths
• 1 sprig chinese celery cut into 1 inch lengths
• 1 big handful of plucked mint leaves
  

Method:

1. In a pan, heat the oil and ghee. Put in the cinnamon, cloves, star anise and cardamoms.
2. Sautee’ the blended ingredients and the rempah beriani.
3. Put in the lamb shoulder. Coat the lamb with the rempah and blended ingredients.
4. Put in the tomato puree & carrots.
5. Pour in the water. Add the boiled eggs. Cook on low fire covered.
6. When the lamb is tender, add tomato wedges, coriander roots, chinese celery, mint leaves, spring onions, honey & salt to taste.

rice dishes

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Bubur Asyura

During the first month of the Islamic calendar, Muharram, Muslims cook Bubur Ashura to commemorate this time of the year when people in a town in the middle east was suffering from famine one thousand four hundred years ago. Our Prophet went from house to house collecting whatever food people had in their homes, put everything in a large pot and cooked it all together, giving birth to Bubur Ashura. This porridge is primarily made of seeds and beans. I share with you my mother’s version, which I undoubtedly find delicious beyond imagination!!

Ingredients for bubur:

• ½ kg beef, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup rice
• 3 cups coconut milk
• 2 tbsp kerisik
• ½ cup peanuts, deep fried and skinned
• ½ cup chick peas, boiled till tender
• ½ cup green peas
• ½ cup corn, cooked
• ½ cup lentils
• ½ cup dhal
• 1 stick carrot, cut into large cubes
• 1 sweet potatoes, cut into cubes
• 8 cups water
• 4 tbsp curry powder
• 8 cloves
• 8 cardamom
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 star anise
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp ghee

Blended:

• 20 bulbs shallots
• 10 cloves garlic
• 3 inches ginger

Garnishings:

• 2 eggs, made into paper thin omelettes
• 2 stalks spring onions, sliced thinly
• 2 stalks chinese parsley, sliced thinly
• 3 tbsp fried crispy shallots

Method:

1. Boil the rice and beef with water until the rice begins to swell and beef tender.
2. Add all the nuts,seeds,potatoes and carrot. Continue to boil.

3. In a separate pan, heat up the ghee. Put in the spices.

4. Pour in the blended ingredients.Then add the curry powder. Sautee until it is a little dry.

5. Pour everything from the pan into the pot of boiling rice and nuts.

6. When the porridge thickens, season with salt and pepper.

7. When serving, top the omelette, chinese parsley, spring onions and fried crispy shallots.


* You may omit the kerisik if you do not want a strong coconut flavour.
* Curry powder can be exchanged with Rempah Beriani to produce a gentler, milder flavour.
* If you prefer a vegetarian version, you can omit the beef.
* The type of beans & pulses that you decide to use may be varied according to taste & availability.

rice dishes

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Nasi Dagang

Nasi Dagang have always been one of my favorite breakfast, traces it's origin from Terengganu & Kelantan. The combination of glutinous rice & the brown rice (beras nasi dagang) produces a gorgeous fine, almost sticky rich texture....also probably due to the coconut milk it's cooked in. Perfectly suited with Tuna Curry, translated in Malay as Gulai Ikan Tongkol. Not a terribly easy dish to cook but certainly worth every effort.


Ingredients to soak for a minimum of 2 hours I:

• 3 cups brown (dagang) rice, washed & soaked with 1 piece dried tamarind, then drained
• 1 cup glutinous rice, washed,soaked & drained

Ingredients for cooking rice :

• 2 screwpine leaves, torn & knotted
• 1 1/2 tsp fenugreek/halba
• 2 1/2 cups thin coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups thick coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp sugar

Ingredients to slice thinly:

• 6 shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger, julienne(cut into fine strips)

Method:

1. Line steamer with banana leaves.
2. Place the drained rice over the banana leaves. Steam in boiling steamer for 30 minutes.
3. Remove from steamer and mix in all the thin coconut milk, salt & sugar combined......gradually... while stirring it all in.
4. Return to steamer & steam for another 20 minutes.
5. Take off from the steamer. Sprinkle with fenugreek, shallots, ginger, garlic & screwpine leaves.
6. Pour the thick coconut milk & stir it in thoroughly.
7. Steam for a further 15 minutes or till rice is cooked through.
8. Perfect served with Tuna Curry or Gulai Ikan Tongkol.

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Chicken Rice Porridge

There are times when I feel like I've had too much of everything. I just badly need something simple, healthy & wholesome.....and I almost always resort to boiling some rice porridge with the goodness of chicken bones and grated carrots. My favourite touch to the bubur is to sprinkle fresh green peppercorns from my garden. It gave a tangy, pungent, fresh peppery taste. Gorgeous!!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of jasmine fragrant rice, washed & drained
• 6 cups of water
• 2 medium-sized chicken pieces, cut into tiny sizes
• 1 inch of ginger, julienne
• 4 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 stalk of spring onion, chopped
• 1 stalk chinese celery, chopped
• a handful of crispy fried shallots
• 3 stalks of fresh peppercorn

Method:

1. Put rice in water & begin boiling.
2. As the rice begins to soften, add the chicken pieces, ginger & garlic.
3.When the porridge begins to thicken, put in the grated carrots.
4. Add the salt & pepper.
5. After cooking for approximately 30 - 45 minutes, depending on the rice, fire, pot...etc, the porridge should have thickened considerably.
6. Switch off fire, drizzle with sesame oil & sprinkle with spring onion, chinese celery & crispy fried shallots.
7. If you have fresh peppercorns in your garden, sprinkle on the porridge. That's the icing on the cake for me :-)

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Buttered Rice for Kids

I have many Buttered Rice recipes for different occasions & to accompany different dishes but this is the recipe I use consistently when I cook for my kids and little nieces & nephews when they come over. As with all my recipes, it is very simple to make and importantly very tasty! :-)

Ingredients:

• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 sticks fish sticks/fishcakes
• 10 fish balls (optional)
• 4 tbsp/ 1/2 cup of butter
• 4 heaped soup bowls of cooked & cooled white rice
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1/2 carrot, grated (optional)

Method:

1. Heat butter in a pan.
2. As soon as the butter melts, put in the onion & garlic and saute' till it softens & becomes transparent.
3. Put in the fishcakes/fish balls. Mix in till cooked through.
4. Put in the white cooked rice. Mix well.
5. Flavor with salt & pepper. Stir till all the flavors are evenly distributed.
6. Make a well in the center of the rice. Break an egg. Do not stir. Let the egg cook between the rice on low flame.
7. After 2 minutes, toss the rice around. Add the peas or carrots or both.
8. Turn the fire off and serve. I love the rice to have some texture, so I'd have the carrots slightly crunchy. If you prefer to have the sweetness of the carrots to absorb into the rice, just cook longer...on low flame.
9. Enjoy while still hot!

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