Tuesday 24 June 2008

Soft, white Baps.

In my search of the origins of Baps, I have discovered other more 'modern' meaning to the word 'Baps'. Partly to the shape of these soft flatish buns, their name, is what describes a certain female anatomy that looks like two of these squidgy breads set side by side...

It is said that Baps are Scottish. There is also a sweeter Irish variation where currants (the smaller version of raisins) are added. The true scottish version is more floury and savoury. Typically used as an edible receptacle for sausages, cheeses and the likes.

Dan Lepard is one of my favourite British bakers and cookbook author and the following recipe is from his webpage DanLepard.com

From left, the flour, cornflour and sugar in the smaller bowl, melted butter, milk and water in the pyrex cup, salt in the small glass bowl and the sponge in the bigger bowl.

Because of the sponge, the kneading time was very minimal and the resting between kneading and shaping was only 15-20minutes.
The photo shows the balls of dough before proving.


After 45 -60 minutes or so... Sift some flour on top before popping them in the oven for that authentic scottish look.

After 25 minutes in the oven. I forgot to take pictures of the internal crumbs. Remembered only after it was finished...and it flew out of the kitchen with a blink of an eye!

I am going to the kitchen now and make some for the crumb photos...

Sotong masak kunyit (Turmeric Squids)

This is one of my children's favourite dish. My daughter, as I write, is asking whether I can cook this for lunch today... It is actually a very simple and quick dish that my mother use to cook for me and taught me when I was very young.

The ingredients are very easy to find. The only hard part is cleaning the squids. Clean the squid by pulling the tentacles from the main body, removing the ink sac and the eyelets. Cut in half. Removing the soft bone from the body and cutting it open, scrapping whatever is inside. I usually keep the egg sac...love the gummy stuff! Remove the skin. Thereon you could choose to slice it in smaller strips or score and keep it whole. It's your choice. I prefer to slice it in smaller pieces as it cooks faster. Then you wash the squids and drain it. Add a teaspoon of turmeric.

From left: Turmeric coated squids, tamarind water (you can use seedless tamarind paste diluted with water), chilli slices, sliced onion, julienned ginger, sliced garlic and sliced shallots.

Heat up a wok with a little bit of oil until hot but not smoking and sautee the chillies, ginger and shallots until fragrant. You can literally smell the frangrance and your tummy will start to rumble. Immediately add the squids and garlic continue to stir fry, just for a couple of minutes. Then add the onions and the tamarind water. Season to taste. Stir for another couple of minutes and you are done!

The dish is really delicious with steaming hot white rice and simple cut cucumbers on the side.

Bon Apetit!

Thursday 19 June 2008

Those yummilicous waffles.

When I am interested in something, I tend to be a bit obsessive. I used to collect self-help book due to whatever reasons. Am over that, but then came the writing-poetry phase. Collected whatever book worth collecting on the subject matter. Currently I am trying to wean myself off cookbook addicition. I may need to form a Cookbookaholic Anonymous, as pointed out by a friend that my wish list in amazon.com will show you my need for 8 pages of books listed on how to bake the same cake or bread 1001 ways, apart from the others books in the list which includes 1001 ways to ten pin bowling, a sport I am currently obsessing about, 1001 ways to write poetry and fiction, 1001 ways to take the perfect photo, sewing, retail and so on.

I have, in that particular list, added a kitchen equipment, but because Amazon doesn't ship kitchen equipments to Malaysia, the list remains as one item to remind me to get that doughnut dropper. Something that I have not found here yet. I think it is because Malaysian just doesn't appreciate the yumminess of the American style fritter doughnuts. We are deluged with the yeast raised doughtnuts with all those branches of doughnut franchise all over KL and Selangor, which to my opinion tasteless, except for the toppings.

One of my favourite food is waffles. I love waffles since I was very young. Hot and drenched with maple syrup and melting butter, it is the ultimate breakfast food. Even better when there are sausages and sunny side up eggs.

We used to have a waffle maker when I was small. My father brought it back from U.S when he came back from his Sabbatical in Santa Babara. It was used so often that the teflon surface lost all its non stickiness! Therefore I was so happy to fork out my money when I saw this Waffle maker being sold at a discount in Bangsar Shopping Complex. I didn't even stop to think and didn't even ask beloved husband if he will contribute his moolah to buy it. Of course we know the answer, if we were to ask him...the typical "Do you really need this?" or "Do you need to use it now?"....I rest my case.

Anyway, here is my adventures in making waffles, after testing some recipes from those 1001 books on how to make waffles:

Sift 300g flour and 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder in the big bowl and add 50g sugar. 3 eggs with a cup of milk with a teaspoon vanilla essence. 110 gm butter melted. You could add a whole 220gm of butter for a more sinfully crunchy and yummy waffle...but I am on a diet ;-). There is another school of thought on the matter, where you separate the egg yolks with the whites. Add the yolk with the milk and whisk the white until soft peak and fold into the batter at the end. But hey! I am feeling a bit lazy today and this recipe works without the extra work

Make a well and pour all dry ingredients. Notice that nifty batter whisk from WMF? Did I tell you I am an obsessive collector...







Mix everything just until it comes together. Don't mind the lumps.








Switch on the waffle maker and wait till the light goes off.











Spray the waffle maker with some oil.











Pour an estimate of 1/3 cup for each waffle.











Close and holding to the handle turn the whole thing upside down so that the batter will be even.










Wait till the steam disappears...











Serve immediately with a pat of butter and plenty of maple syrup....I am salivating!

Wednesday 18 June 2008

Nasi Dhal Tok Det

It was my Birthday last month. My children asked their Abah to buy me a cookbook because they know how much I love collecting cookbooks. The cookbook they bought me was Selera Perdana by Habibah Yahaya and Fadillah Yakin. I eyed this cookbook for some time but with the price of RM200+ I balked at buying it. This book features the 4 Former Malaysian Prime Ministers, the recipes of dishes they like to eat or serve at Seri Perdana, the Official Residence of The Prime Minister and also a lot of recipes from the former housekeeper of Seri Perdana.


The first recipe I tried was the Nasi Dal featured in Tun Mahathir Mohamad's section. As my husband 's family is from Kedah (one of the nothern states of Malaysia) and also related to Tok Det (as he is familiarly called), I thought it was appropriate that I tried this recipe first.

From the photo, you can see that photography is very well done. Most of the ingredients are listed and photographed in the opening pages. There are kitchen hints and tips included too.

Each section features a particular Prime Minister, his history and contribution, food and lifestyle. There are excerpts of interviews of people close to him and also a section of his favourite recipes.

All proceeds of the sale of the book goes to charity particularly to assist single mothers.

Following is my attempt to try out the recipe:


Garlic, onion, ginger, cinammon stick, cardamom, cloves, screwpine leaves, coconut milk and lemon grass.


Basmati Rice and dhal soaked for 15 minute with a little bit of tumeric.


Sautee the garlic, onion, spices and lemongrass in a little oil and ghee until fragrant.

Add the drained rice and dhal with the screwpine leaves. Coat the grains with the oil.







Pour everything into the innerpot of a rice cooker. Add water and coconut milk. Salt to taste. Switch on the rice cooker and leave it to cook.







Viola! Nasi Dhal Tok Det... Really nice with Daging Masak Hitam, a nothern beef dish which you can find in some good Mamak Restaurants. It would be nicer if I had some fried shallots.

Verdict? Hubby and daughter loved it. Redza picked out the dhal and put it on the side.