Foodelicious!

This is an all time favorite.... glutinous rice with mushroom and chicken all nicely seasoned with evergreen seasoning like soya sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and a dash of pepper and a pinch of salt.. simple but awesome! It's a great dish for breakfast or snacking.. hehehehehe.... nothing beats a good wholesome snack anytime of the day!

Anyway, I had this nagging craving for this for the longest time. The ones sold outside didnt do the trick, I should know.. hahahhaa.. but being lazy, I thought my craving can be satisfied by getting a serving from the "mills"... hahahaa.. So, when craving wasn't satisfied, I know I have to get my lazy ass up and start making a batch.....

Lazy as I am, I didnt bother to put them into cups or bowls.. I just put them in a tray and when it's ready, it smell so good... I love the taste of steamed glutinous rice.. it has that springy feel and a certain aroma that incite one to eat and eat and eat and eat.. ok! enough said. Hahahaha..

So, I kept some for my snack and the rest I brought to work and share.. it was indeed a joyous occasion where everyone enjoyed a good hearty breakfast! 

I was approached by a lady over the phone one day and she enquired if I was keen to cook for her on Sunday and she drops by to pick the food up. I was taken by surprised!! Hahahahaha.. and so, from that day, I was thrown into the roller coaster of dinner catering ..there is the planning of the menu, the sourcing of ingredients and finally, the works. Tiring but a good experience and an opportunity to explore my cooking creativity. Heh! heh! heh!

As these food are kept in the fridge as most of my customers are working people, I am mindful that the food I propose have to taste just as good if not better after being kept in the fridge. Hence, a lot of times, I make sure I have a variety of meat and vegetables that can be kept for a few days in the fridge and taste as good as it was just freshly cooked.

 

The above is a traditional full moon pack done up for my customer who has just welcomed her grandson. This pack consist of nasi kunyit with curry chicken, 2 red eggs, 2 angkus (this time around, it's round shaped angkus to signify baby boy), preserved ginger and a packet of sweet. The custom of including a packet of sweet I was told is to wish the baby a sweet life with good human relationship. Different dialects have different custom and it's always interesting to note such little but significant customs!

For once, I have a Sunday to myself.. no orders.. no rushing.. no nothing.. it's a great change from my usual Sundays. Hehehe...

I have often seen this kueh being sold in markets and shops but never got around trying it until 1 day... I was hungry and the kueh at the shop looked very interesting! Hehehe.. However, the piece that I bought from the shop wasnt as good as it looked. I was rather disappointed and I made a promise to myself that when I have the time, I shall make this kueh myself....

With the long holidays during CNY, I finally had the time... I made this Kum Kwa Koh using Japanese pumpkin, added on shredded chinese mushrooms, roughly chopped dried prawns and diced chicken fillet.. the result was....

Deliciousity!! Hahahahahahaa.... The taste was very good.. I was trying my luck when I added chinese mushrooms.. hehehehe.. but surprisingly, it was the mushrooms that lend the kueh some texture and flavor. I also add in a bit of nutmeg and pepper to enhance the flavor of pumpkin and yes, indeed it did.

I was surprised that some of my friends who are not pumpkin lovers actually ate this.. not just 1 piece but 2 or 3 pieces.. and that, to me, is a super success!! hahahahaha.. you gotta have friends like mine to know that they dont simply put things into their mouth.. especially if they are not their favorite ingredients.. Hehehe..

Yes! Yes! Yes.. I will be making this again and again.. it's delicious! it's yummy! it's easy to make! it's just simply pretty!!

Making this is a lot of effort.. hence, you dont find this dish nowadays. Even if you do, it's not as good as it should be... This dish is judge base on the cook's ability to balance all the fragrant leaves, rempah and taste, savory, sour, bitter and sweet and her skill of cutting! Oh.. this is all about the cutting!! Daun kadok, daun kunyit, daun kesum, bunga kantan, serai and lots more have to finely cut. Something that it rather impossible for me to do if there is no aunty! Hehehe..

Perut Ikan means fish stomach.. people those days eat every part of anything.. nothing is gone to waste or thrown away.. Everytime, a fish is cleaned, if its stomach is big enough, it will be preserved. The process of preserving the fish stomach is tedious and long to ensure it does not get contaminated or rot... so, again, it's all about skill.... There is no measurement for people then... they perfect their skills by observing.. It is an art!!

To cook this, a lot of work... and it will take a few ladies sitting around the kitchen to make it happen.. hahahhaa.. some will be peeling and pounding, some will be slicing, some will be washing and frying... ooo.. you cannot imagine the work.. but the end result is always a big pot of treasure!! Lovely treasure that will get better as the days goes by..

This is not something I will sell.. no amount of money is worth the effort and patience. But I am lucky to have learnt and watched how this dish is made... long time ago by my aunt's mom and now my aunt... and hopefully one day I will make it and someone will learn... passing on the skill, knowledge and art of making something so great....

Tuesday started cloudy and dark with wind blowing and the many wind chimes around my house were happily dancing to the tune they make. My favorite weather.. aaaahhh... with such weather, it never fail to incite me to make something different.. today is something spicy and contrasting...

Yes, got everything together.. Yes, I always have most ingredients in my house.. either in the garden or in the fridge and slave away! Hahahaha.. yes, making this dish has a bit of slaving away work to do.. Gotta clean the serai, lengkuas, kunyit and a tiny bit of ginger which I yank out from my garden, pluck the chilies from my garden, peel the onions, toast the belacan a bit, put everything into the mortar and pastel and pound away. Yup, with all your might and anger.. very good for anger management! Hehehee... Once that is done, heat up the oil, fry the ingredients with a few pieces of kafir lime leaves, Vietnamese mint and if you have, torch flower till fragrant and oil floats up. Add in some cut up tomatoes and for today, I add in fresh pineapples. Add in tamarind water and once it starts to boil, add in fish, cut up brinjal and ladies finger. I like to season my dish with a twist of lime, sugar and salt and garnish with mint from my garden... My lunch is ready...

For me, it's always easier to cook than to go out to eat. Many a times, I stand and stare around at food court, restaurants, shopping malls not knowing what to eat.. Sad! Such incidents have taught me that it's always easier to cook... hehehe.. a simple meal of steamed 3 types of eggs and blanched vegetables with oyster sauce is just as yummy and satisfying as a meal in the most expensive restaurant cooked by the most renowned chef. Life can be great with simple things....