Sambal Tumis Udang (Malaysian Stir-Fried Shrimp with Spicy Gravy)

This classic accompaniment to nasi lemak basically comprises half a batch of my sambal recipe that I blogged about three years ago, stir-fried (or "tumis" in Malay) with some onions and shell-on shrimp. Thank you to my ever-reliable foodie friend Marisa for helping me perfect this!

Some quick tips before you start:

1) I personally recommend making double or triple batches of sambal in advance to store in the fridge for future use, so you don't have to pull out your food processor every time. You'll thank yourself when your next Malaysian craving hits!:)

2) Stick to frozen shrimp, unless you live near the coast or can see them swimming in the aquarium just before you buy it. The "fresh" stuff sold in cities is often just defrosted previously frozen shrimp, which might already have been sitting around for days. 

3) Use shrimp with at least part of the shell on if possible, as it imparts a richer flavour. I like to use frozen, deveined, easy-peel headless medium shrimp that I can get extremely cheap in Chinatown Manhattan for $10.99/2 lb bag. You can of course use whole ones with the head still attached, or larger tiger prawns instead of shrimp, or if you really must then fully shelled ones are okay too. Whatever the case, if they are not deveined make sure to do it yourself by slicing across the top and cleaning out the black stuff.

4) Make sure to stick to raw shrimp, no matter what kind you choose. Under NO circumstances should you substitute with the pink ready-to-eat cooked stuff, as it will absorb none of the beautiful spices and go completely rubbery.

With that, happy tumis-ing!

Sambal Tumis Udang (Malaysian Stir-Fried Shrimp with Spicy Gravy)

Serves 4-6

Defrost 1 lb of frozen shrimp (which was about 35 pieces in my bag) by running under cold tap water for a few minutes. Make sure it is fully defrosted before cooking. Set aside.

• Prepare the sambal paste

Deseed 50g dried chillies by tearing them in half and shaking the seeds out. Do not skip this step, or you'll burn your tastebuds right off!

Boil the chillies for about 30 mins to further reduce the heat. Drain off the liquid and rinse in cold tap water to cool. Drain.

Chuck in a small spice mill, blender or food processor and grind to a thick paste (or pound with a mortar and pestle if you're a purist): 

The boiled chillies above

2 medium cooking onions, cut into chunks

10 cloves of garlic

1/2 cube ikan bilis stock (or grind whole dried anchovies to a powder)

1/2 tsp belacan (dried shrimp paste)

Ikan bilis stock cubes- I get my supply from Malaysia, not sure where to get it in NYC I'm afraid

• To cook

Heat some oil in a shallow frying pan over medium heat. 

Slice up 1 medium onion to half-rings, and stir-fry for a few mins until softened and a bit charred.

Add the prepared paste and tumis until fragrant. 

Stir in 2 tbsp dark brown sugar or gula melaka (coconut palm sugar), and about 2 tbsp asam jawa (tamarind juice)*. 

*If you've never used tamarind juice, it's simple- just soak a chunk of tamarind pulp in hot water for 5 mins, stir to loosen, then press through a sieve. Discard the seeds.

Throw in the defrosted shrimp and a bit of water. Stir fry for about 5-10 mins until the shrimp turns pink.

Dish up and serve immediately with nasi lemak or plain rice. Enjoy!

With nasi lemak

Now Open Again for Chinese New Year Orders!

Every year for the past 3 years, Chinese New Year has meant three things: sleep deprivation, loss of sanity and an odd warm thrill of satisfaction and accomplishment when the last order is shipped. Handmaking hundreds of intricate bitesize cookies from scratch, one by one, in a tiny kitchen unfit for such purposes is simultaneously fulfilling and ridiculously stressful: I'm thrilled to help homesick Malaysians with CNY cravings get a taste of home, but I turn into a total zombie in the process. Until yesterday I was actually contemplating cancelling my mini-tradition and relaxing for a change, but then a friend sent me this message: "Are you selling cny cookies this year?? Pleaseee!"

I've never thought about it but I guess my little traditional cookies actually mean something to people, especially those away from home like myself. So I've decided. Game on, the Chinese New Year baking frenzy begins! :)

Some nitty-gritty: for New Yorkers, cash upon receipt is the easiest method of payment and delivery/collection can be arranged anywhere within the MTA subway system. For everyone else, shipping is possible (including outside the US) and payment will be made via Paypal. Please drop me a line at bakecookeat@gmail.com for details.

Please get your orders in by January 31st in order to guarantee receipt by February 10th.

All proceeds go towards funding school and my living expenses in NYC. The prices stated below are exactly what you will pay, unless shipping is required. There is no service charge and a tip is not necessary, but if you do want to I won't say no of course :) 

All cookies come in clear plastic deli-style tubs, either small or large depending on the type of cookie. If you're ordering them as a gift, let me know and pretty tins/festive packaging can be arranged.

Happy eating this year of the Snake of course, and Gong Hei Fatt Choy! :)

Kuih Nastar (Rolled Pineapple Jam Tarts)- $20 per tub of 25 pcs

Homemade jam slow-cooked from fresh whole pineapples and aromatic spices, encased in a hand-shaped all butter crumbly pastry

Fah Sang Peng (Peanut Cookies)- $20 per tub of 30 pcs

Extremely addictive, be warned! Fragrant, crumbly and deliciously nutty, made the

proper way with ground whole peanuts (none of this peanut butter business)

Kuih Bangkit (Tapioca Coconut Cookies)- $20 per tub of 40 pcs
Handmade traditionally shaped little cookies with a crisp bite and powdery melt-in-the-mouth texture. Aromatic and tasty with the definitive flavours of tapioca, pandan and coconut.

Open-Faced Pineapple Jam Tarts- $28 per tub of 36 pcs

Made with the same blobs of scrumptious homemade jam as the Kuih Nastar,

only sunny side up with a patterned pastry base

Almond London- $28 per tub of 34 pcs

One for the chocoholics- a whole roasted almond encased in a butter cookie, topped

with melted dark chocolate and chopped nuts

Crispy Beehive Cookies (Kuih Ros/ Kuih Loyang)- $15 per tub of 15 pcs

Large and pretty honeycomb/rosette shaped crunchies, deep-fried until satisfyingly crisp

from a batter of coconut milk and rice flour. Fragrant, lightly sweet, very addictive.

Buttery Coconut Cornflake Crunchies- $15 per tub of 25 pcs

A version of the family favourite Mum taught me growing up! :) A crunchy and

fragrant blend of dessicated coconut and crushed cornflakes

with the added bite of sweet raisins

Mini Honey Cornflake Cups- $15 per tub of 30 pcs

Delectable little bitesize bundles of cornflakes coated in a buttery honey caramel, then baked

until crunchy. Exceedingly moreish- expect to eat a whole box in one sitting.

Bakkwa/Rougan (Chinese Dried Pork Jerky)- sold by weight, $39/lb

Free of the colouring and preservatives usually present in mass-produced versions, this delicious favourite of Malaysians (also known in Cantonese as "yoke gon" or "long yoke")is home-marinated and grilled until the perfect sticky-sweet-salty flavour and texture is achieved. A Chinese New Year staple!

Chunky Avocado Toast

Hello again foodies!

Firstly, I'm SORRY. I know it's been HALF A YEAR since my last post. I am a useless, inconsiderate, irresponsible food blogger :(

By way of explanation, since my post in June 2012 it's been an incredibly busy summer of long rehearsals to dance in the London Olympics closing ceremony, after which I flew straight back to New York to launch into a busy second year. September to November were two stressful months spent juggling school with apartment hunting, followed by the slog of packing, renting a U-Haul truck, and slogging across town with heavy furniture when we finally found one. This trend of most apartments coming unfurnished in NYC? Really not a fan.

ANYWAY, now that I'm finally settled in a little cosy home in Harlem and am on winter break, hello!

Now on to the dish at hand. My fiance Ari, a self-confessed avocado hater before tasting this at the lovely Leather Lane branch of Prufrock Coffee in London, made the following for me in no time at all earlier today. 

Four ingredients, a few minutes and voila: a delectable combination of creamy avocado, crunchy buttery toast, refreshing lime juice, hints of spice and salt to bring it all together. The easiest, yummiest brunch ever!

Chunky Avocado Toast

Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 slices wholegrain bread

Butter

1 large ripe avocado (you know it's ripe if it's soft enough to yield to pressure)

Half a lime

Salt

Chilli flakes, or red pepper flakes, or torn up dried chillies

Toast and butter the bread.

Slice up the avocado and pile equally on each slice of toast. *If you are an avocado virgin, please see "Easy Twisty Way of Cutting an Avocado" below. 

Top each slice with a generous squeeze of lime juice. Sprinkle with salt and chilli flakes.

Stuffyourfacenomnomnom!

Easy Twisty Way of Cutting An Avocado

Cut lengthwise all the way around (working around the seed) and twist the two halves apart.

Tap the blade of your knife so that it's wedged into the seed, and twist to remove.

Score the avocado into strips with your knife.
Spoon the flesh out with a spoon.

Lemon Courgette Cake

If the idea of using any vegetable other than carrots in desserts is alien to you, trust me: this fresh and summery lemon courgette cake is the best excuse to start, and no one (not even picky children) would ever guess unless you told them. Light and zesty, the recipe below produces a moist sponge that is delicious on its own but can be coated with a crunchy lemon sugar crust or cream cheese frosting if desired. I have provided the recipes for both down below.


To top it all off, it's also dead easy. Step 1: Stir everything and bake. Step 2: Surprise everyone!


Lemon Courgette Cake
Makes one 12 x 9 inch rectangular pan

Stir all together in a large bowl until just combined:
1 large (approx 400g) courgette/zucchini, grated
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Handful of sultanas
1 3/4 cup (225g) self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
A dash of ground cinnamon and nutmeg (or mixed spice)
Optional: A handful of chopped nuts


Line a 12 x 9 rectangular pan with greaseproof paper. Pour batter in and spread evenly. Bake 30 mins at 160C fan assisted (180 C without).


If coating with sugar crust, immediately pour topping over when cake is still hot. If using cream cheese frosting, let cool completely before coating.

Above: with the lemon cream cheese frosting

• Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

*It is crucial that your cheese and butter (the butter especially!) is at room temperature so that your frosting isn't lumpy. If you forget to take them out of the fridge in advance to soften, just zap for 5-10 seconds in the microwave before beating.


Beat together with an electric mixer until creamy:
100g icing sugar
200g cream cheese, softened to room temperature
50g butter, softened to room temperature
Juice of 1/2 a lemon


Lift the cake out of the pan onto a large chopping board or flat surface, and peel the greaseproof paper off the sides of the cake (leave the bottom). Spread the frosting over the cooled cake evenly with a spatula. Slice into squares and eat!


To store, keep refrigerated.

• Crunchy Lemon Sugar Crust

Stir together in a small bowl:
1/2 cup (100g) granulated or caster sugar
Juice of 1 lemon


Pour and spread evenly over the cake immediately once it is out of the oven (so the juice soaks through and the sugar stays on top). Leave in the pan until completely cold, then slide out quickly onto a large chopping board or flat surface. Slice into squares.


Store at room temperature.

Catering for the London Film School project "The Waiting Room"

Since I first posted about cooking for low-budget films and the importance of feeding your cast and crew well here, I have received numerous requests by budding producers both in NYC and London asking if I could feed their teams at an affordable rate. Unfortunately I have often been unable to fulfil these requests, either because I am busy with class or because I happen to be in the wrong country at the wrong time!


Last week however, the timing worked out so that I was able to cater for four days on "The Waiting Room", a short film project by students at the London Film School. I thought I would share some pictures of the basic hearty lunch plus dessert I provided them throughout the shoot.


Thank you to producer Tara Verma for getting in touch and to the fun and appreciative crew- it's always nice to cook for nice people! :)

Day 1: Beef ragu lasagne (plus vegetarian version) and dressed salad.

Dessert: Carrot banana cake with cream cheese frosting. 

A HUGE hit this was- I guess low-budget films rarely provide good desserts!

Day 2: Malaysian Nasi Goreng (fried rice) for the mains...

 ... and sticky apple cake for dessert. With a teeny tiny hint of booze. 

Possibly why it got even more 'oohs' and 'aahs' than yesterday's carrot cake :)

Day 3: Sausage and butter bean casserole with garlic and herb bread. 

Mushroom and chunky vegetable version for the non meat-eaters. Warming comfort food for a chilly day.

Dessert: Crunchy top lemon cake.

And last but not least...

Day 4: Olive oil pasta with sausage, bacon and mushroom

Dessert: Chunky chocolate brownies- finally one of the chocoholics!

What you get when you ask hungry eaters to "look candid" while stuffing their face.

Lead actor Edward Hayes-Neary, caught eating more than his share of brownies by producer Christine!