I have been looking like this for the whole of today..

Dear friends...how shall I put it..

..oh my God....I lost something valuable...difficult to accept....end of story...

Savoury Cheese Squares

A very rich and very filling little snack or something to brunch on, these little darlings came from the home of my good friend Bundazasha..thanks bunda!

It was sooo cute, I just gotta try and make it...with a little amendment here and there

Ingredients

5 eggs
60g coarse sugar (original recipe calls for 75g)
1/4tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper (I used black pepper)
100g rice flour
50g plain flour
150g butter (melted)
50ml coconut milk
50g cheese (grated - I used mozarella...u can use any kind)
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley - (I used chopped broccoli)
2-3 medium tomatoes - sliced horizontally



Preheat oven to 160-170 C. Grease a 10-inch square cake tin (I used my 8-inch square)and line with parchment paper. Spray with non-stick spray or just grease a little.
Arrange tomato slices on the bottom part of the pan. I used my 8-inch square pan, so I lined them with 9 slices of tomatoes (3 by 3). Set aside.
In a mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar till thick and doubles in volume.
Add in the rest of the ingredients one item at a time. Pour the mixture over the arranged tomatoes, taking care not to 'move' the tomatoes from their positions.
Bake in the oven for abt 20-30 mins, depending on yr oven. Check for doneness with a cake tester after 20 mins.
Place pan on a wire rack and once it's cool enough, invert over a cutting board. Cut into squares, with the tomatoes as the centre nucleus.Serve with a hot beverage.

Rendang Ayam Tahi Minyak

Chicken in Spicy Stew

Don't let the name fool you or put u off...I dare to guarantee that this dish is gonna make u lick yourself!...hehe...called Rendang Betawi at some point, this is best eaten with rice and pickled veggie but I would always eat the excess thick gravy with bread..aahhh...heaven!..
note : u really have to be patient and make the Tahi Minyak first...its the key..

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 kg of whole chicken, cut into 12 pcs, marinated with 1 tbsp of salt and 2 tbsp of tumeric and 1/4 cup of water, and fried till 1/2 cooked. Drain and set aside.

2 lemongrass stalks - bruised
16 - 20 birds eye chilli
10 pcs or more kaffir lime leaves - coarsely shredded
2 pcs tumeric leaves - coarsely shredded
2 cups of wet rendang mix - (rempah rendang basah) which u can get at the wet market.
1 and 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup palm sugar (gula melaka) - slivered
salt to taste

Tahi Minyak :

800ml thick coconut milk
1/2 cup oil
1 cup of water

Pour the above into a wok and simmer slowly under medium fire, stirring often to prevent big clumps. It will curdle and just stir till u get very coarse granules - but not too dry. This will be your tahi minyak.

To this, add the lemongrass and the rendang mix.
Cook, stir, till it's fragrant, then add 3 cups water, 16 - 20 birds eye chilli, tumeric leaves, lime leaves, sugar, palm sugar and salt. Add in the chicken pieces and let simmer slowly till gravy is reduced to a thick consistency and chicken has absorbed much of the liquid. Adjust the taste of sugar and salt. If salty, add a little more water, if too spicy add a little more sugar. If too sweet, add a few more birds eye chilli.
Serve with rice and Acar Timun Mudah (recipe below).

Acar Timun Mudah

A simple pickled cucumber and carrot relish..

Ingredients

1 large cucumber - discard the pulp, and cut into 2inch strips
1 large carrot - peeled and cut into 2inch strips
10 small round baby shallots - peel and crushed a little
1 red chilli - slashed
1 green chilli - slashed
a few slices ginger
a few cloves of garlic
1 tsp tumeric powder
2 tsp chilli powder or chilli paste
1 and 1/2 tsp mustard seeds (biji sawi)
3 tbsp of oil
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
salt to taste

Sprinkle some salt generously over cucumber,carrots,ginger,chillies,shallots and garlic and leave it aside for a few hours, turning the veg now and then. The salt will leech out any excess moisture from them , making them crispier and not soggy.
Drain.

Heat oil, add chilli paste,mustard seeds and tumeric and saute till fragrant. Add water, vinegar, sugar and salt and stir till sugar dissolves. Add the drained veggie,stir for abt 5 mins and quickly turn off the heat. Do not overcook or veggie won't be crisp.

Serve with the Rendang..