Pembuka Selera

This dish serve as appetiser or side dish when eaten with rice or porridge. It's ikan kurau berlada from SEDAP program by Asmah Laili.Ikan Kurau Berlada

Ingredients:
300 gm ikan kurau kering, isi sahaja, rendam sehingga kurang rasa garam, kemudian tos.
4 biji bawang besar, dihiris halus
10 biji bawang kecil, dihiris halus
3 biji bawang putih, dihiris
5 biji lada merah, buang biji dan dihiris
5 biji lada hijau, buang biji dan dihiris
1 batang serai, bahagian putihnya sahaja, dirampai
1 jari halia, dirampai
Beberapa biji lada padi kampung, dihiris
Minyak untuk menggoreng

Cara2nya:
1. Ikan kurau digoreng, sehingga garing, tetapi jangan terlalu garing. Ikan ditumbuk halus. Ketepikan.
2. Di kuali yang bersih, tuangkan sedikit minyak. Tumis serai hingga wangi, masukkan halia. Diikuti bawang besar, bawang merah serta bawang putih. Kemudian masukkan lada hijau dan merah. Balikkan sehingga lembut dan garing.
3. Masukkan lada padi dan ikan kurau yang ditumbuk halus. Gaul rata dan matikan api.

Sambal Lotet (Sambal Udang Kering)

My MIL does not eat outside food. Whenever she travels out of spore, this sambal lotet will be her source of food. At times she also bring her rendang or sambal tumis goreng kering. This sambal can be used as a base for nasi goreng, mee goreng mamak or mee kuah or eaten with bread, white rice, etc.

Ingredients:
100 gm dried prawns
3 medium-sized onions
3 cloves garlic
40 dried chilli (boil to soften it)
1 tsp shrimp paste
Lime juice from 3 limes

Method:
1. Grind all the ingredients into fine paste, except the lime juice.
2. Heat oil and fry paste over medium fire.
3. Fry paste till fragrant and thicken. The paste must turn slightly dark (this process will take quite sometime).
4. Pour the lime juice and stir well.
5. Put salt to taste and aji-no-moto if preferred.

Rojak Buah

I like rojak buah. I get disappointed sometimes with the quality of rojak sold at hawker stalls. So, whenever i have the cravings for rojak, I will make it myself.

Ingredients:
Bahan A:
1/2 biji nenas
1/2 biji sengkuang
1/2 biji timun
1 biji apple/mangga
Tauge, dicelur (optional)

Bahan B:
1 bottle (220 gm) of shrimp paste (petis)
3/4 cup thick asam juice
2 tbls lime juice
2 tbls brown sugar
1 tbls chilli paste
10 chilli padi, pound
1 stick bunga kantan, slice thinly
4 cups of roasted groundnuts, pound coarsely (one cup for toppings)

Methods for B:
1. Put all (except groundnuts) in a bowl and stir well.
2. Then put the groundnuts bit by bit.
3. Taste and put in whatever is shortage.

Methods for A:
1. Slice fruits thinly and place it in a bowl.
2. Add in the gravy and stir well.
3. Garnish with generous amount of pounded groundnuts.

Natural potpourri

My mum has the luxury of growing her own garden. Once in a while, she would harvest the flowers and use them as natural air purifiers.

Anyway, you don’t have to own garden to make them. Try this simple, inexpensive and hassle free method.



Ingredients:
Screw pine leave cut into ½ inch sections
Jasmine flowers
Rose petals
Minyak atar seribu bunga

Method:
Mix them all and put in a container and away from strong sunlight.

You can replace any of these ingredients with your favourite flowers or eau de toilette. So what are you waiting?