Thursday, 30 July 2009

Banana Walnut Cake




Last Friday we had two more guests cum relatives from Malaysia. Mr. Dentist called at 2.30 pm while I was in the lab, cracking on my Western blots which had been such a pain to get them working.

'Let's go to down to Gatwick Airport to fetch Awang and Nani. They are arriving tonight at 8 pm', said Mr Dentist.

'What? Now? No, I need to finish my work first, let's go around 5 pm.' I bargained.

' Okay, we'll go to Abe Yoh's house first to send Skin's baby cot and after dinner we'll push off to Gatwick', said Mr Dentist.

So we met Awang and Nani at 9.30 pm at Gatwick and drove them back to Birm. Stopped at one of the services to fill some petrol and at Mac D to get some fries and coffee. Arrived in Birm at 1.30 am. Wan had prepared delicious fried rice with coriander fried chicken.

Saturday morning, brought our guests to Middleton Carboot and then to Maisarah and Amir's Hari Anugerah Sekolah Malaysia Birmingham. They had invited Ustaz Erfino Johari, the MSD officer to give a talk on Educating Children In Islam. An excellent talk indeed. Wished I had recorded his talk on Do's and Don'ts in upbringing the children based on Tarbiyatul Aulad Series.

After lunch, hurriedly drove back home to send the kids and then rushed to Portmeirion, Stoke to beat the closing time. Portmeirion was 400 pounds richer today from our shopping.

Sunday 26th July 2009, another carboot day at Redditch and Studley. Redditch stuffs were of good quality. It was really worth it. Awang got himself a pair of Timberland shoes just for £5, sling bag, shirts and Nani got an exclusive jacket just for £3.

Studley carboot wasn't that huge that day but still finished £20 from my pocket. From the vege and fruit stall, Wan, Nani and myself bought 2 kgs of over ripe banana each, not knowing that each one of us had already bought similar packets of bananas. We ended up having 6 kgs of bananas at home today. So Wan made banana balls (cekodok) and I made banana cake.

Here is the recipe. It always turn out nice especially when biting the crunchy walnuts within.

Banana Walnut Cake

3 ripe bananas- mashed
1/2 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of brown sugar
2 cups of flour/ self raising flour
3/4 cup of vegetable/ corn oil
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sodium bicarbonate
1/2 cup of roasted walnut- chopped
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt

Methods:
1. Beat sugar and eggs till fluffy. Add oil, mashed bananas.
2. Fold in the flour (already sieved with baking powder and sodium bicarbonate)
3. Add the chopped roasted walnut.
4. Pour in a greased baking tray.
5. Bake for 45 minutes at 170 C.

Wednesday, 29 July 2009

Mama's Sizzling Yee Mee


Photos by Haji Esa MY

Upon request of Princess Maisarah, I made sizzling yee mee today. Tastes delicious, how I wish I could put in some crushed bird chillies, but for the sake of the kids young tongues, I had to for go the wish.

Ingredients:
4 crushed garlic
1 inch crushed ginger
1 tbs black pepper powder
chicken/ beef/ prawns
shitake or any mushrooms
soy sauce
oyster sauce
leafy green vege (i used brits spinach)
sliced carrots
yee mee ( I used spaghetti)
3 tbs cornflour (mixed with cold water)
3 cups water/ chicken stock

Methods:
1. Stir fry garlic and ginger till yellow.
2. Add chicken/ beef/ prawn.
3. Add carrots, water/ stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper.
4. Add corn flour mixed with cold water.
5. Season to taste. Put the sauce/ gravy aside once it has thicken.
6. Boil the yee mee and then sieve.
7. Place the mee in a sizzling pan. Pour the gravy on top.
8. Add green veges and one egg. Let is simmer till the egg is cooked.
9. Ready to serve

Saturday, 4 July 2009

Sambal taucu ikan bilis

Photo taken by my f.i.l cum photographer Hj Esa Md Yunos


Salam siaran..today I will be posting the recipe of sambal tocong Wan. That is how Wan (my mil) pronounce it. I think is has been over a year since I last ate Wan's sambal tocong cicah pucuk ubi kayu. Since there is no pucuk ubi here, we can replace it with watercress leaves, rockets, spinach or other greens you could find on salad shelves in ASDA, TESCO or Sainsbury's.
Ingredients:
5 shallots- sliced
3 garlic- sliced
1/2 inch of turmeric- sliced
1 inch ginger- sliced
10 bird chillies/ red/ green chillies
1 cup of ikan bilis/ anchovies
1 1/2 cup of coconut milk
1 tbs taucu
1 tbs tamarind juice
Methods:
1. Stir fry all the sliced ingredients in little oil till fragrant.
2. Add the anchovies, coconut milk, taucu and tamarind juice.
3. Simmer for a few minutes and season to taste. May omit salt since the taucu is already salty. Nice to be eaten with steaming hot rice.