Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Be right Back

My updates are so long due. 

My readers are running out of articles to read. 

I promised 2 entries by tonight.

One would be an entry of th Rihlah Hadrami which I went to a week ago and the other is about weddings.

I'll go freshen up now and after dinner, I'll be ready with a fresh mind . 

Will be right back!



Upon My Word!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

I miss Baking

It has been 2 weeks I'm at work. As much as I enjoy working at the new place, I greatly miss my baking sessions.

I finished my training and I'm good to go out on the field. Traveling soon - I hoped! I realize that I would be busy form Mondays to Fridays as I'm also packed with 3 wedding plannings. 1 in July and 2 in October. 

How do created the wedding cake? I wish I have 14 days in a week where 7 days are weekends!.

As I was lazing around in my room today, I was browsing through all my cook books. I seriously didn't realize that I have been collecting them since school days. I also kept a personal cook book which is more than 10 years. These are some of my collection which I was reading today.

Then again I realize that baking is not something new to me, it was a passions which has always been in me. From buying the ingredients, to mixing it and then present it to your love ones has always been a pleasurable experience. I remember that I would keep grumbling if I made something wrongly or it just won't turn out right. 

I miss baking.

I love how it kept me busy and how happy they were when I serve them with my treats. I accepted suggestions and criticisms openly just to make myself better.

Since I'm out of ingredients and and today seems to be a perfectly lazy Sunday and moreover nobody is home, I won't bother. 
But I'm prepared for next week. I'll most probably would be making brownies and cookies.

I will be back with more delicacies.

More Jalabiya updates soon! I have found really nice places to buy!


Upon My Word

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Japanese Ramen

I have been craving for Japanese Ramen for a while now. Sadly I could only find one and only halal certified Ramen shop here in Singapore - Ramen Ten. Since Ramen Ten dishes quality has gone absurdly bad, I decided to make my own servings. And so I googled! I only take recipes which are based on a lot of reviews and these is what I've picked up.

The Ramen I love most would be Beef Ramen cooked in beef broth and Spicy Chicken Ramen. I would share with you the recipe where the ingredients could easily be found at our nearby supermarkets like NTUC, Cold Storage, Market Place or Giant and Carrefour.

Spicy Beef Ramen Noodles ( Serves 2 )

Main Ingredients
2 sirloin / faux filet steaks
300g fresh ramen / egg noodles
4 spring onions
Half red onion
Handful bean sprouts ( Optional - As I hate these )
Handful coriander / cilantro
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

Soup Ingredients
1.5 litres chicken ( You may buy ready chicken broth if you like - less oily)
3 tablespoons chili sauce
5 tablespoons nam pla (Thai fish sauce)

Directions:
  1. Mix the chili sauce and the nam pla in a bowl
  2. Heat the chicken stock in a pan and add the chili sauce and nam pla mix
  3. Finely chop the spring onions and the chili into fine strips. Finely cut the red onion into semi-circles
  4. Divide the noodles between two large soup bowls
  5. Finely chop the spring onions and the chili into fine strips. Finely cut the red onion into semi-circles
  6. Boil a kettle and blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water for 30 seconds. Then drain and rinse with cold water
  7. Divide the bean sprouts and chili between the two bowls
  8. Lightly coat the steaks in oil. Sear for 2 minutes on both sides. Baste with the teriyaki sauce. Then cover and rest for 2 minutes
  9. Slice the steaks into thin strips and divide them  between the two bowls and top with the chopped spring onions
  10. Quickly ladle the soup over. Garnish with coriander
This recipe is courtesy of Open Source Food.

Next I would like to share a Spicy chicken ramen recipe. You may top this with golden poach eggs if you like and it would be perfect!

Chilli Chicken Ramen ( Serves 4 )
Spicy noodle soup topped with chicken, beansprouts and spring onions

Ingredients
--------------------
Chicken Marinade
--------------------
 4 chicken breasts (I use boned chicken thighs because they are cheaper and more flavoursome)
2 tablespoons of sake (I skip this as this is not halal)
2 tablespoons Korean Chili paste (or any kind of red chilli paste - I use Thai red curry chilli paste)
2 teaspoons of sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
light soy sauce – enough to mix with ingredients above and coat the chicken.

Coat the chicken with marinade and leave for at least an hour in fridge.
----------------------
Ramen Chili sauce.
---------------------
Ingredients
1 bottle of hot chili sauce (not sweet chilli sauce)
20ml brown vinegar (3 tablespoons)
75ml Fish sauce (6tablespoons)
10g sugar (1 tablespoon)

Mix together well, make sure the vinegar is completely dispersed
Once mixed up, this stuff lasts forever in the fridge.

-----------------------
Chili Chicken Ramen
-----------------------

In addition to the above you will need
Chicken stock – 2 litres
Coriander (one clump)
One red Onion
4 Chilis
Fresh beansprouts ( Optional again! )
Noodles
Lime wedges

I also add any of the following: mushrooms, sliced capsicum (red pepper), spring onions, lemongrass, ginger – all to boost nutrition value.

Heat the stock but don't let boil.
Boil two separate pots of water, about 500ml
Chop the vegies and the coriander.
Grill or Broil the chicken breasts.
When the chicken is done, slice the chicken.

Ingrediants that don't need boiling are: red onion, spring onions, coriander, lime and chopped chilli - set these aside.

Throw the beansprouts, mushrooms, lemongrass, capsicum into the boiling pot of water for about four minutes.

At the same time that the vegetables are boiling, boil the noodles according to the directions on the packet - time it so that they will be ready at the same time the vegetables are.

Pour one to two tablespoons of the chili sauce into the bottom of the four serving bowls.

Pour the stock, then add a bed of noodles into each bowl.

Drain the vegetables.

Layer the chicken on top of the noodles, add a chopped chili, a generous handful of coriander and a quarter of the assorted vegetables.

Serve with soy sauce and chilli oil to ramp up the heat if desired.
 Well for those who want to try Japanese and enjoy that weekend at home - Try it!

Trust me it's nothing like Maggie Mee or any instant noodles. hahahaha!



Upon My Word!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Where I've been..

I've been busy.

I have to stop baking this week onwards cause I started working full-time. 

After waiting for 1 and a half month of reply, it finally paid off. I got as irresistible offer from a well known company in UK and USA which was set up by a Dutch. The pay was awesome, the working hours is reasonable. Apart from that I got 21 days of annual leave and as long as a public holiday falls on a weekend, the office will be close on Monday. Great perks! And since the company has only been set up 2 years in Singapore, I get to be a pioneer and after a year a senior. The best thing I love about it, I get to travel to other offices like the ones in Sydney, Amsterdam, Dubai and more. 

And so sadly my baking journey will pause for a while but I will definitely be back on weekends after training and after I manage to buy the new Chef Master Mixer.

More cupcakes this time - Definitely.

Thank you all my readers for still coming to check on my stories and I will update this more often after training ok!

Oh and if you are wondering which company I'm working for.. Hmmm. 

P.S: Guess what...



Upon My Word!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

The 1st Accident

It was my day out with my girl friends. All pre-planned and booked at the Carousel. As I was picking up the food at the buffet counters, I heard my phone rang. I was faraway to answer it. As I reach my dining table the phone rang again. I thought it was just a random call my husband always make, to let me know that already at work. 

But it was different.

He called to inform me that he was in an ambulance, on the way to the hospital. I thought he was sending someone to the hospital. But then he told me that Farhan's bike skidded while he was on his way to work and he flew off the bike. 

The food I was having wasn't tasty anymore. I got worried, wanting to leave my friends at the dinner table. But baby was so calm, saying that he did not have any major injuries and had asked me to stay wherever I was and he will keep me informed of whatever conditions.

After a few hours, we met. Thanks to Fadli who fetch him from the hospital. 

I was so worried for him. My husband has always been a careful driver even when he tries to speed. I've been with him for 6 years now and he has never met with an accident before , driving any car. It raged me when the accident is caused by a reckless rider. Anyone of you could die and nobody wants that. You all have your loved ones around and you would not want to leave them hanging just by being reckless. It's self-fish!

Alhamdullilah , everyone was ok.

And so let me show the injured pillon. :)

Yah.. He looks in pain? No he's not.. He's just tired of waiting at the hospital.

That was the time he met with the accident.

Though he flew quite a distance, He landed on his hands and knees but only 1 knee was badly hurt.

The accident summary.

I'm ok , seeing that he's ok. I just couldn't afford to see him hurt. He's my life.

To all drivers and riders, please make the roads a safer place.
Upon My Word!