Eat Your Way Through Malaysia (Or Petaling Jaya At Least)- UPDATED

A list compiled from various trips since 2009 through to 2013, of my favourite delicious Malaysian culinary delights (plus a few oddball additions).

Happy eating one and all!:)

New Restaurant Ipoh Chicken Rice (complete with delicious pork balls and tasty broth).  At multiple air-conditioned branches including Damansara Jaya. My favourite food since childhood!

Chicken rice again, but the one-of-a-kind soy sauce variety. Formerly at Restaurant Keen/Kimwah, now down the block at the other corner Restaurant Wan Shoon in Damansara Kim. Luscious!

Proper punchy Penang Prawn Mee- my favourites are the famous RM20 humongous serving dished up by Champs Bistro in Centrepoint Bandar Utama (pictured above), Mee Yoke Lim hawker centre in SS2 and O&S Coffee Shop in Paramount Gardens. (image taken from vkeong.com)


Nyonya Curry Laksa at Bakeri Joy (4, SS 24/13, Taman Megah). Rich with tons of toppings and a delicious sambal paste. Good cheese tarts and moist chocolate cake too.

Village Park- 5, Jalan SS 21/37 Damansara Utama. Pretty much the best version in the Klang Valley of nasi lemak, our default national dish! My sides of choice are fried chicken and beef rendang. (image from vkeong.com)

Finally tried the famous Fatty Crab restaurant after all these years! Thank you Jason- amazing spicy sweet gravy perfect with fried rice just like you said :)

Crabs again, this time the "Kam Heong" variety at South Pacific restaurant. Yum too!

New Paris Restaurant (62-66 Jalan SS2/72)- my family's regular haunt. We ALWAYS order the same things- House Special Tofu, Butter Prawns, Guinness Pork Ribs (or Sticky Marmite Pork is also great), Steamed Tilapia Fish with Spicy Sauce and Crunchy Squid:)

1 month, 3 huge 8-10 course Chinese wedding banquets to attend. The typical

1st "Four Seasons" course is always one of my favourites :)

Rojak Buah (Savoury Fruit Salad), either from the Chinese old man in Damansara Uptown outside the old Fajar, or his two daughters in TTDI outside the KFC. Yummy chunks of jicama, papaya, pineapple and cucumber with crunchy crackers, crushed peanuts and the best gooey prawn paste sauce EVER!

Lavish all-you-can-eat weekend Japanese buffets that are all the rage in Malaysia-

stuffing our faces with all kinds of sashimi, sushi and hot foods for under £10, oh joy!

The diabetes-on-a-plate that is Kayu Nasi Kandar's Roti Tisu (Tissue Bread)- a tower

of crispy buttery sugary condensed milk drizzled goodness. Mmm. (Check out http://www.originalkayu.com.my for a list of branches)

Murni SS2- the embodiment of good mamak grub late at night. Naan, roti special (meat stuffed

murtabak style), roti kaya susu, awesome claypot loh shee fun...

Banana leaf rice, with all the traditional trimmings- make sure to fold the leaf

TOWARDS and not away from you at the end if you liked the meal :) The above is at Sri Paandi's TTDI, though tourists/newbies will like the outdoor atmosphere at Raju's (next to La Salle school off Jalan Gasing)

Ramly Burger- quintessentially Malaysian and unlike ANY Western burger you've ever had! Ask for the Special-a chicken or beef patty wrapped in egg, then sandwiched with chilli sauce, mayo and coleslaw-like shredded veg. Available from streetside stalls even in the middle of the night! :)


Sate Kajang Haji Samuri- delicious moist skewers of chicken, beef, mutton, fish, rabbit, venison or even tripe, on my doorstep in Damansara Uptown without needing to go all the way to Kajang! Served with bowls of thick rich peanut sauce that you can make as spicy as you like. Click here for a full list of branches. (image from vkeong.com)

Dave's Pizza Pasta Vino, 1 Utama Shopping Centre- so many years on, their signature honey mayo pizza, olive oil pasta and the most unauthentic but delicious creamy carbonara ever are still top class (but no longer 1/2 price on weekday lunches unfortunately)

Nothing like local Malaysian fruit! Itty bitty sticky pisang emas (golden bananas), syrupy white-fleshed mangosteens, juicy rambutans, sweet duku langsat, golden mangoes...

More fruit- love the crunchy white guava pieces I can get from these stalls for about 20p, sprinkled with asam (tamarind) powder

ADORE mangoes in any form, but one of the best manifestations has to be KTZ SS2's 'mango loh'!

Absolutely flabbergasting that the UK does not have McDonald's hot fudge sundaes. Why?!

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

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"

SAM TAN'S KITCHEN HAS MOVED! Please visit the new website/online store at www.samtanskitchen.com for all catering enquiries. You can also follow Sam on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Thank you!

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!

Sam Tan's Kitchen is Back in London For Summer!

Hello London foodies!

Hope you are all having a terrific summer! :)

Just a quick note to let you know I am back in town for a few months to perform at the Olympics closing ceremony, and in between rehearsals I will be taking orders for select items until the end of August 2012. So if you have any cravings that need fulfilling, please click on the TO ORDER tabs on the right and get in touch :)

Prices (for most items) have been updated to GBP- for all enquiries please email me at bakecookeat@gmail.com

Until then, happy eating!

x
Sam @ Sam Tan's Kitchen

Fruit Jam Bars

Sometimes the simplest things in life are also the tastiest- I had to bake something in a hurry for my friend Kristen's party yesterday, and these delectable little morsels fit the bill perfectly as they called for the exact ingredients I had left in my cupboards and took almost no time to whip up.

Consisting of nothing more than your favourite fruit jam/preserve sandwiched between two layers of sweet buttery pastry, this particular batch proudly employs some homemade grape jam I successfully experimented with a few months back (only because I had a bunch of withering grapes, a ton of sugar and lemon juice to use up). Making the fruit filling from scratch is NOT a requirement for these bars though- feel free to throw on whatever store-bought preserve (or jelly as they call it in the US) you desire.

Assemble the layers, pop into the oven and prepare to be intoxicated as the heady aroma of butter and sugar baking wafts through your living room... :)

Fruit Jam Bars
Makes about 40 bitesize pieces

Cream together with an electric mixer until fluffy:

2 sticks (225g) butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup (200g) caster sugar


Beat in 2 egg yolks, one at a time.

Fold in to form a soft pliable dough:
 2 cups (250g) plain flour
1 cup rolled oats (optional- I added this for a bit more fibre and bite)

Line a 9" square pan with greaseproof paper and press 1/2 of the dough evenly to cover the base. Spread 1 cup of fruit jam/ marmalade/ jelly/ preserve of your choice evenly over the top of it. Break the remaining dough into rough pieces and press down in a scattered pattern onto the top of the jam gently. You should cover most of the surface but have little swirls and rivers of jam visible.

Bake at 325° F/160C for 45 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool in the pan, then slice with a sharp knife.

Devour!

Spring Potato Salad with Crispy Bacon

Being an acting student with very little money means you often need to cook using whatever you happen to have left in your cupboards- lucky for me, today that meant a jar of mayonnaise, eggs, potatoes, some green scallions that had sprung from some old onions and a few strips of bacon I had frozen months ago. 

There really isn't any science to potato salads- the recipe below is simply what tastes good to me. Feel free to add or subtract anything you see fit.

Spring Potato Salad with Crispy Bacon
Serves 4-6 as a side, or as packed lunch for a few days :)

4 medium potatoes- wash thoroughly and peel if desired (I personally like to keep the skin, so I make sure to scrub them extra clean). Cut them into chunks and cook in boiling water for about 10 mins until tender (test with a fork- it should slide in easily). Don't overcook your potatoes or they'll disintegrate into mush! Drain and let cool.

4 large eggs- place in a pot of water and bring to a boil, then let simmer for 10-15 mins. Drain, and cover in cold tap water to cool. Peel, then mash roughly with a fork.

4 strips streaky bacon- fry without oil over medium heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels, let cool and crumble up.

2-3 sprigs of spring onions- chop finely.

Dump all the prepared ingredients above into a large bowl and add 4 tbsp mayonnaise and season generously with salt and black pepper. Stir it all up until combined- add more mayo or seasoning if necessary.

Refrigerate before serving.

White Chocolate and Almond Fudge

A lot of fuss surrounds the making of good non-grainy fudge, but I've learnt that as long as you adhere to a few guidelines it really isn't hard to produce a smooth and creamy result that can be adapted endlessly into different flavours. Fudge is essentially milk and butter cooked with a TRUCKLOAD of sugar- once you've perfected this blueprint you have free reign to add any variety of chocolate, nuts, dried fruit and flavourings you see fit.

So what are these basic rules? It's simple:

Rule 1: Make sure your sugar is completely dissolved- large crystals mean a yucky sand-like texture.

Rule 2: Know WHEN TO STIR and when NOT TO STIR.

Rule 3: Follow the timings- a clock/watch is useful.

Rule 4: DON'T SKIP the soft-ball stage test- you do not need a candy thermometer (I don't own one), just a glass of ice water.

The following recipe provides detailed step-by-step instructions that I experimented with a couple of years back until I was happy; carry them out exactly and you should be well on your way to candyland.

White Chocolate and Almond Fudge

Makes one 10" x 8" tray

Combine the following in a heavy pot and stir very gently over low heat for about 15 mins (the longer the better) until sugar is completely dissolved: 

350g sugar

175ml evaporated milk (NOT condensed milk)

25g (slight less than 2 tbsp) butter

In the meantime, while the syrup is heating:

1) Chop up 300g white chocolate and a large handful of toasted almonds.

2) Line a 10" x 8" pan with greaseproof baking paper.

3) Get some ice-cold water ready on standby (I place a few small glasses of cold tap water in the freezer)

Increase heat to medium and bring the milky syrup to a moderate boil. DO NOT STIR. Let it boil for about 10-15 mins undisturbed until it reaches soft-ball stage. 

Soft-ball test: Drop a tiny amount of the syrup into one of your prepared glasses of ice water- it should form a soft ball that you can roll between your fingers. If it dissipates immediately or forms a mass at the bottom of the glass, it isn't ready and you should continue letting it boil. Test again after a few minutes with a new glass of ice water. Make sure to use fresh ice water for each test.

Once it's at soft-ball stage, remove from heat and let cool for 10 mins- DO NOT STIR during this time.

Add in the chopped chocolate, chopped nuts and 1 tsp vanilla extract. STIR SLOWLY until the chocolate completely dissolves- the mixture should start to stiffen immediately, and is ready to be poured into tin when it completely loses its gloss, turns thick and makes a squelchy snapping noise when you stir.

Pour quickly into the lined pan and smoothen the top. Allow to cool completely until set, then cut into bitesize pieces. 

Voila- your very own batch of smooth, creamy, luxurious homemade fudge!:)