Kek Lapis Sarawak

My apologies to all for the being really inconsistent in updating this food blog. My camera been faulty for a month, therefore unable to upload photos. But no fear, I have it fixed as new now. Here's to start the new year articles about Kek Lapis Sarawak or in English Sarawak Layer Cakes. These cakes are made famous in the state of Sarawak. The colours and pattern on the cakes are really exquisite, it left you wondering how on earth they come up with that design. Well after gone to Kek Lapis Dayang Salhah in a village near water front kuching, I realise it took sweat and patience having to endure long hour of heat in the kitchen. The process took aproximately less than an hour(for experts) but maybe more for amature. There're over 50 flavours of the cakes at the store, all placed neatly on the rack for customer to choose from. I was told by the employees that all the cakes on the rack would be sold out by end of the day (must be good bonus for the employees). The best sellers are Kek India, Kek Asam Manis and Kek sisik ikan. I bought Kek India which is actually layered with chocolate and butter cake, kek blueberry and swissrolls. Swissrolls are layer cakes that need additional job to produce wonderful pattern on the cakes, its actually put together with Jam, and its required to be stored in fridge for longer selves life. Most kek lapis Sarawak can be stored in the fridge for a month. These cakes price range from RM10 to RM20 per piece, a good deal since we bought straight from the baker. My verdict about this cake is good but it goes well with hot coffee for teabreak.

Perkasa Hotel, Kundasang

I went to Perkasa Hotel mainly for business, we have organized a training program which last for 2 days. SO plenty of time to enjoy the cool environment. We visited a fresh water fish farm at Kg Luanti called Tagal, it's a conservation area where fishes and nature alike been protected by villagers. Fishes swim at the river happily without worry of being end up at some kitchen far far away. It was fun and after the having the evening playing with tame fishes, we went up to Perkasa Hotel for dinner. It was ok, not too bad. I had a good meal, but I don't fancy the place because there's lots of flies here in Ranau.
The soup is yummy, so is the chicken cooked in lemon sauce and Sabah veggie being freshly plucked from the farm early that morning is green and healthy, I am not sure where they get the prawn from but its certainly great because it's my favourite fried butter prawn. I had a good meal and end up so full, not even room for the desserts afterward.

Kuih Makmor

I really don't know how to explain what this to my foreign friends, it's tiny round ball like and cover with icing sugar to taste. I called it golf-ball cookies, it is locally known as kuih makmor, and some country I believe called it Ghee-ball. When I was working in west Malaysia, I couldn't find any of these type of cookies anywhere. Not sure why, maybe they don't have commercial value, however it is widely found in Sabah, my home town. Even then, every family came out with different recipe. I use margerine for the ingredient and sometimes if I want to spurge on good ingredients, I'll use ghee, which is awfully pricey. The ingredients is vastly flexible, so it's no right and wrong to these, its all in the mixing and type of ingredients you use.

so here goes:
Ingredients
100g ghee
100g butter
300g flour
50g brown sugar
Peanut(fried without oil,skinned and crush it into fine grain)
Icing sugar (for decor)

Method
Melt ghee with butter in wok in medium heat. Once both ingredient melted put aside to cool.
In a mixer bowl, mixed brown sugar with the cooled ghee & butter. Then add flour and mix all ingredient together. Put aside while we do the fillings.
We just mix the crushed peanut & icing sugar together and make sure you add icing sugar to your taste. (some prefer sweet, some not too sweet, it's really up to you!)
Then tear a small bit of mixed doh from the mixer bowl, fill in the peanut&sugar in the middle and shape them into mini round balls. Then arrange it in the baking pan. Make sure the size is twice smaller the intended size and put a decent distance between each biscuit.

Preheat the oven for 200 degree Celsius and baked the biscuit for 15minutes. Once cooked. Keep the cookies to cool in room temperature before you coat them in icing sugar.

Nyummy.. I think I'm going to make some of these cookies this Christmas!

Wedding Feast

Last Saturday, I went to a wedding reception for my ex-high school mate. The event is held at Ocean Seafood village near Wawasan Plaza and Promenade Hotel. Its very popular place to organise a big event, it can accommodate up to 3 wedding at one time. Before I move on about the food. I really have to complain about the parking space, imagine a place where there're 3 weddings happening at same time, and to add to my frustration is when it rained that day. No parking, wet pavement and with cars honking at you when you cross the road to the restaurant. Despite meeting my old friends, it really dampen my mood and in fact I decided not have my wedding in Ocean. There, I said it, I won't want to put my guests through the same thing happen to me.
IT really a big blow since the decor and food in Ocean is really not bad. I like the place actually, it just that the parking issue really put me off.
The night dinner starter is Three Hot & COld Combination which is surprisingly yummy and crispy. Then, we moved on to main courses which are sea cucumber soup with crab meat, Steam Red snapper, Deep fried prawns, crispy roasted chicken, braised sea-cucumber & mushroom with brocoli, steamed rice with lotus leaf (individually wrapped and this is also my favourite) and finally Shanghai Pancake(also I like coz it's warm and crispy) as the dessert.
My review about the food is ok, but I really can't stop thinking about the parking space and so seriously when you plan for a wedding, do consider about the guests too.

Healthy eating.

I seriously been trying to avoid writing about food. Ever since I started this blog, I've gained weight gradually, until I step on the bathroom scale..Yikkkss, I need to make certain rules in eating. No doubt my blog makes me hungry and being in Sabah is no help either. Too many good food.
So I started my simple plan and go back to normal eating habit, no more pigging out unnecessarily!!
Yesterday, It's holiday and since I don't feel like cooking, I went to Tanamerah at Lintas for a bit to eat. I had PBJ (Peanut butter & Jelly) sandwiches and tall hazelnut white coffee. Not sure if that help on my diet, but it makes me feel better. I have enough of meat & coconut milk in my meal. (sigh). The other food is nasi lemak chicken wings, hey, I didn't order that, it's actually for my lil' bros. Cost me RM7.80 for the nasi lemak & RM2.80 for the toast. Poor thing, he waited so long and finally when we asked, the waiter actually forgotten his order.
Prior to this, I went for 6 mth grueling training that involved endurance walk, climb and kayaking that put me in real great shape, best shape I even been in years. I feel really bad that after having work (or put to work) so hard in getting trim and shapely figure, I've let go of my sensibilty and gain kg(s) back, and even some extra kg too, don't know where that come from. SO now, my plan to get me a decent weight is by maintaining a balance meal, breakfast a must, lunch & dinner, I don't believe skipping meal can get me the ideal weight, I might lose weight but I don't think it will last. The second is hard for me, which I plan not to have anymore food in between meals. cut back on my favourite snacks, drink more water and start on my light exercise regime (thats the hardest part) I also decided that no more fried char kuey tiaw or fried rice for me, from now on, I will eat noodles soup. Sounded bland but if that's the price of getting me in shape for my wedding, then, one small soup noodles for me please.

Melting moment Recipe

Today, I feel like sharing recipe of my favorite cookies which I am too lazy to make this festive seasons. The cookies are well-known in Malaysia and normally served throughout the year. I hope you will enjoy them as light snacks or tit-bits for your guest. Children and adult alike love them. I tried these cookies last Christmas and its really easy to make and quite delicious.



Melting Moment (Cookies)
1 1/2 cups (210 g) all purpose flour
1/2 cups (70g) Cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cups (30 g) powdered (icing) sugar)
1cup (227 g) unsalted butter (do not substitute with margerine)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Topping (optional):
1 cup (110 g) powdered/icing sugar, sifted

In medium size bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch and salt. Put aside. In bowl of electric mixer or with hand mixer, cream butter and sugar til light & fluffy (cream light yellow color) for about 2 min. Beat in vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat til incorporated. Cover and refridgerate the dough for at least one hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or for me, I just use some left over butter and spread thin layer on the cookie tray.

When dough is firm, form into 1 inch (2.54 cm) balls and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake for about 12 - 14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies start to brown. These also depends on type of oven you use, if smaller oven oven, then you need to make sure to reduce the baking time. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, line another baking pan or tray with parchment or wax paper. Sprinkle about half of the confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar onto the bottom of the pan and then place the slightly cooled cookies on top of the sugar. Put the remaining sugar in a fine strainer or sieve and then sprinkle the tops of the cookies.

Meal in Malaysia

Malaysia has varieties of food, but rice is our staple food. Rice is normally served with fish, meat, vegetable etc. Our meal range from simple (like fish,rice with gravy) to more abundance dishes (Bryanni rice,rendang,satay,lontong,lemang). I prefer my fried catfish with some gravy on my rice. Sometimes I have roast pork, veggie and rice, balance meal I guess. Such meals you can get anywhere around Malaysian's restaurant or even small roadside stall. Price would range from RM3-RM8. But no matter how much it is, you get a full meal anywhere you go. You can also have your meal "to-go" or tapau. I think compare to KL or west Malaysia, a decent meal in Kota Kinabalu is more expensive that's RM5 a dish with 2 veggie and 2 pieaces of small chicken. If you choose fish to chicken, then the price will slightly higher. I had a shock of my life when I have lunch downstair at the federal office cafeteria, the cashier charged me RM5 for 2 pieces of small chicken and tauge veggies, I even asked her how she get to that amount. She said 1 piece of chicken is RM1.50 (what the...!!!), I paid the amount because there a long queue behind me but I am satisfied that I make the clerk felt uncomfortable, the next day with same amount of food, she look at me and say, for you special price lah, RM3.50, there you go...hehe.
In west Malaysia, I'll be getting the same dishes for RM3.50 at chinese mix-rice shop in Kajang. Even cheaper if I have my meal near University area, they even throw in free flow of soup and free Liang Cha (cooling tea) for you.