Ayam percik (Grilled chicken)

As the chicken bubbles over the stove, I'm reminded why it's called ayam percik (literally translated: splatter chicken) with the gravy sputtering and splattering all over the place. It's a quick, simple and non-heartbreaking recipe.

Prep time: 10 min

Cooking time: 40min

Ingredients:

To groud till fine:

10 cloves shallots

4 cloves garlic

2" ginger

1" galangal

6-8 pcs dried chilli (pre-soaked)

1 tsp tumeric

4 candlenuts

Others:

500 g chicken

1 piece tumeric leaf (optional)

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup coconut milk

Oil for stirfrying

1 cup water 

Method:

It a wok/pot, heat up the oil then add in the ground ingredients. On medium-Low heat, fry for about 10 mins or till fragrant. While this is happening, thinly slice the tumeric leaves and wash your chicken. Once the ground ingredients are fragrant, add in the chicken and water. Let it cook for 15 mins before adding in the salt, turmeric leaf and coconut milk. Cook for another 10-15 mins or till the chicken is cooked and the mixture thickens. 

Ps: always cook Malay dishes with a medium to medium low heat to develop the flavours and ensure even cooking. 

Shix Cooks: Roast Chicken with minty yoghurt

I adapted this recipe from this from Nigel Slater's simple suppers here http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/grilledprawnswithyog_92524

Ingredients:

 

To marinade:

1kg chicken wings

6 cloves garlic

1 inch ginger

6 red chillies

1 tbsp each of cumin, coriander, black pepper corn and tumeric 

A bunch each of mint and flat leaf parsley (cilantro)

Juice from 2 lemons

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 tsp salt

Dip:

2 tbsp yoghurt

Bunch of mint and flat leaf parsley

Method:

Blend all the ingredients for the marinade.   Marinade the chicken overnight.  Bake at 200 deg C for 30min. 

For the dip, finely chop the herbs and mix into the yoghurt. 

DONE! 

Shix cooks: Broccoli with beef

Cook time: 10 min

Prep time: 5 min (yes I kid you not)

4 cloves garlic

4 cloves shallots

1 inch ginger

100g sliced beef

1/2 head of broccoli 

4 stems of spring onions

3 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp fish sauce

1/2 cup water

1 tsp starch

Method:

1. In a pan, heat up some oil 

2. While that's heating up slice the onions, rough chop the garlic and matchstick the ginger. 

3. Throw in items in 2. into the pan and let it fry till soft. 

4. While that's happening, quickly cut the broccoli florets. 

5. Once onions are soft throw in the beef. 

6. After about 3 min, add in the oyster sauce and fish sauce. 

7. Stir it up the add the broccoli. 

8. Once the broccoli turns bright green, mix the starch and water and pour it in. 

9. Give it a final stir and we are done!

I cooked this, fried an onion omelet and deep fried some chicken ngoh hiang all at the same time and everything was done in 15 min (not incl cleaning up). So do give it a go. Nothing beats a home cooked meal.  

Shix Cooks: Steamed mussels

Steamed mussels - Inspired by steamed French mussels

Cooking time: 15-30 min

Prep time: 10 min

100g butter 

6 cloves garlic

1 tbsp crushed Szechuan pepper 

1 tsp dried tarragon

1/2 tsp salt 

1/2 cup vinegar (I used cider vinegar) 

1/2 cup water 

About 400g mussels

First melt the butter then add garlic, fry till softened. Then throw in the pepper and tarragon. Fry for abt 2 mins then add in the mussels. Mix it up then throw in the salt, water and vinegar. Boil everything for abt 15 min. 

Shix bakes: 4 ingredient banana cake

My cousins came over today so vegan food was in order. For brunch, we had banana cake

Prep time: 10mins

Baking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

7 small over ripe bananas (or 3 large bananas)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 2/3 cups self-raising flour

1/2 cup oil 

Method:

Pre-heat your oven. 

Put all the ingredients in a blender. Blitz them just so and bake in a greased pan. 

Bake at 180 deg for 20 mins. 

Variations:

You can choose to add:

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Instead of self raising flour, I used half the amount and topped it up with wholemeal flour. If you're using plain flour, add 4 tsp baking powder. 

Shix Cooks: Ayam masak kelantan

This chicken dish is a pansy version of lemak chili padi (chicken in a curry of creamy birds eye chili).  Nicely spiced with just enough heat to prevent the dish from being overly rich. 

Cooking time: 45 min

Prep time: 10 min

Ingredients:

3 tbsp oil

10 cloves shallots

3 cloves garlic

1 inch ginger 

5 red chillies

1 lemongrass

1 tumeric leaf

Approx 700 g chicken (1/2 a whole chicken or 8 pcs chicken wings)

100ml coconut milk

100 ml water

Method:

In a pot, heat up the oil. 

In a food processor, blitz the garlic, shallot, ginger and chillies and put it in the oil. 

While the paste is frying, take only the lower half of the lemongrass and bruise it. 

Then, thinly slice the tumeric leaf. 

Place the lemongrass and tumeric leaf in the pot and let everything fry for about 10 mins. 

Once everything is fragrantly frying, add in the chicken. Mix then cover the pot. Let it cook for 20 min. 

Add in the coconut and water and let everything simmer for 10 mins. 

Lastly, add some salt to taste. 

Stir it well and we're done!

Shix cooks: Chinese Style sweet & sour Chicken

This easy sticky chicken is awesome!

Prep time: 1h 15 min

Cooking time: 30 min

Ingredients:

Part A:

500g chicken fillet cubed

2 tbsp corn flour

1 egg

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

Salt & pepper to taste 

Oil for pan frying

Part B:

4 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 thumb sized lump of ginger

1/4 cup tomato or chilli sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce 

1/2 cup cider vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

Method:

In a bowl, mix the chicken, corn flour, egg, garlic and salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside for an hr to allow the chicken to marinade. 

In a pan, put in just enough oil to cover the base and fry the chicken. Wait for the chicken to brown slightly on both sides before leaving it to rest. Remember not to overcrowd your pan to allow it to crisp. 

Once all the chicken is cooked, put the garlic and ginger into the pan to allow it to fry in the chicken oil. Once done, add in the rest of the items. 

Wait for the sauce to bubble before adding the chicken. Mix it up till it's nice and coated then turn off the flames. 

Serve with rice over a bed of greens.