Sarawak's local sour brinjals or commonly known as Terung Asam

The sourish taste of this brinjals puts our palate 'out of control!'  If this dish is included in our meal, I can definitely assure that we need to cook more rice than usual.  Most people will cook this brinjals with fish in the form of spicy-sourish soup.....

Though only few simple ingredients are needed to cook this sumptuous terung asam with fish, it's a delicacy dish indeed! Here's to share.....

By cutting it into thinner slices it can also be stir-fried, then stewed till it's soften to make a delicious vegetable dish too!

For those who haven't try this dish, make sure you don't miss out, it's a dish that you must try!

BRINJALS....

What I can recall of this vegetable during my childhood years is its long curve shape and its purplish colour!  Today, brinjals are not only purple in colour, some species of white brinjals are being seen at the market place and with other shapes of round and oval.

My mum used to cook brinjals by blanching them in hot water and then stir-fry with dark soya sauce, a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper, and though its just a simple dish but its YUMMY!!! Recently, I've yearn to eat this dish of hers, so I home-cooked it and have it for my lunch alone......

Today, brinjals have been my favourite vege  and its never been miss out  in my marketing list.   Whenever I am having fast food outside I will make sure that its on my plate no matter how its cooked!  

I've tried a hand on several styles of cooking brinjals and it has always turn out to be delicious and yummy! Here's to share with all who loves brinjals like me.....

cooked in tomato and chilli sauce

combination of brinjals with longbeans

deep-fried brinjals with sauce

stir-fried brinjals with meat

boiled brinjals topped with sauce and fried onion and garlic

flesh of boiled brinjals topped with special sauce

For those curry lovers, a bowl of curried vegetables with brinjals will make a satisfying meal!!

Home-cooked Pasta......

The word "Pasta" has never been in my FOOD  dictionary since when I am young.  I never recall eating even the most common one which is the Spaghetti!!!! As such, I never have the urge of consuming it, maybe its simply because its not our staple food; many years back pasta is not easily available or unpopular once upon a time, and maybe its because I don't know how to prepare it!

Once I remember eating it at a friends place and tends to like the way that its cooked and I remember myself saying "how I wish I can cook this pasta dish!"  This wish of mine takes quite a while for it to materialise, as far as I can recall, its due to the fact that my children, as they gradually grows older is having the like for Pasta.  It is from then that I start to acquire the skills of cooking them.  I recall the 'trial and error' situation and at times it can be rather frustrating, but by not giving up I am happy not only because I can cook my own Pasta dishes but also becoming a favourite of this non-Chinese dish!!

Fresh meat, prawns, mushrooms sausages, bacon, ham and others serves well with pasta, and it can either serve with different types of sauces or even dry, as well as makes good salad with combination of veggies such as tomato, potato, carrot, celery, etc.

Pasta salad

Two different toppings (Left) minced meat (Right) Prawns

Recently, I've tried a hand on spicy pasta with side dishes of tomato prawns and deep-fried chicken tender.  

Today, pasta dishes have become a favourite dish for many as it is easily available in most food courts.  Most mothers are also cooking the dish at home as the ingredients are easily available in our local supermarkets or hypermarkets.  

My favourite bitter veg

Bittergourd, a veg dislike by many happens to be one of my favourite vegetable!! I can just stir-fry a whole bittergourd and have it for my meal and a little bit of rice to go with it.......

This vegetable comes in different shapes and sizes.  I prefer buying one that is of medium size since its only consumed solely by myself in my family.  Bittergourd soup is another of my favourite dish.  It is a refreshing soup especially during hot weather.

Recently, I've tried a hand on stir-fried beehoon or rice vermicelli with bittergourd and chicken slices.  I've tried it once at one of our local foodstall but not only that its not that nice but the bittergourd slices are small and too few.  A favourite bittergourd eater like me would prefer a plate of stir-fried beehoon with bittergourd such as this to really enjoy a satisfying meal.......

A veg with a sophisticated name!!

Simply known as Mani Cai in Chinese and Cangkuk Manis in Malay.  I have been trying to figure out whether this veg has an English name???? Anything that is of interest to me I will try to get to its roots!!  YES, it is called Sauropus androgynus......

In Malaysia, this is a popular veg in Sarawak, whereas in Peninsular Malaysia it is not that well known.  To my knowledge this veg is only used for serving 'Pan Mien'.  For us local Sarawakians this veg is not only  a popular home-cooked dish but its also served at restaurants and food stalls.  A simple stir-fry with eggs makes a delicious and appetizing dish and has been long a favourite dish of many.

Another favourite local specialty is stir-fried beehoon with mani cai and it taste awesome with a generous sprinkle of crispy fried dried shrimps *YUMMY!*

This veg also makes a great 'lemak dish' when cooked together with mani cai, sweet potato and coconut milk!!! This lemak dish is popular among the Malays and trust me, its deliciously nice!  So, if any of you, who are not locals, happen to be in Sarawak, make sure you give it a try - don't miss it!

Something interesting about Gingko Nuts

I have always been confused with Gingko Nuts and Lotus Seeds!! Though I have cooked this dessert which is popularly known as 'Tong Sui' for quite a number of times but I still tend to have difficulties differentiating the two. At certain times I'll used both these two ingredients when preparing this dessert, while at times I'll be using only one, it all depends!!

Speaking of Gingko Nuts, it is interesting to learn that we can cook it wholly without having to split it into two and yet able to get rid of the small membrane at the inner core which is bitter in taste. This new technique which I've just learned is worth sharing....... here's to share in pictures!!

The fresh nuts

Crack the nuts

The seeds inside with the skin

After removing the skin

The bitter membrane is removed using toothpick

The unwanted shells & skin

A bowl of 'Tong Sui' Dessert!

From the OVEN......

The word OVEN reminds me of my Secondary school days, roughly thirty-eight years ago!  Home Science or Cookery Class is the much look-forward lesson for us girls at that time.  I always remember anxiously waiting for our teacher, the late Mrs. Tan to walk into class and imparting her cooking experiences and knowledge to us, which I personally trust that it will be of great use in the years to come.  True indeed, as today whenever I do cooking or baking I always recall many of her useful tips which she have shared with us young girls 'once upon a time!'

I love baking, be it cakes, biscuits, pies, quiche or chicken dishes.  A comment by my dear friend Janet who also loves baking "if you start baking you can't stop!" is true indeed!  Once we are in the baking mood we will continue one after the other and it's really a fun thing to do!!

Recently I've landed myself into this 'baking mood' again and here's to share (in pictures) with everyone out there.......

Chocolate with M&Ms

Pizza

Rainbow Cake

Butter & Cornflour Biscuits

Brownies

Light Cheese Cupcakes

Sorry readers for the pictures which are not in proper order as I am not used to the new updated blog format.  Hope to keep up with it soon, esp. with the pictures!

Prawns, a popular seafood dish!

Prawns is one of the popular seafood dish which is easily available everywhere throughout the world. Being a tasty seafood dish, prawns can be cooked in variety of ways - steamed, boiled, grilled or stir-fried and it is either cooked with shell on or off. Another great thing about this favourite seafood of many is that, it can either be cooked as a dish on its on or as an ingredient to compliment another dish.

This seafood is a favourite of all in my family and here's an album of my home cooking on Prawns to share......

Simple dishes that comes handy.......

Most home manageress, be they mothers, daughters, grandmothers, aunties, sisters or nieces, have the thinking that a good and satisfied meal should include all the nice foods of meat, fish, vegetables and soup.

Just imagine, if day in and day out we consume all these great, fabulous and delicious foods, will we be enjoying these foods or are we going to get fed up with it?? That is why at times we long to have something simple, something which opens up our taste bud and appetite and not all the posh foods.

I believe a simple stir-fry can be as good as a stew for the matter. It not only takes shorter time to cook, instead its a good time management cooking method for today's fast pace working mothers.

I love simple stir-fry foods and here's something to share from my home recipe.........