Sambal Tumis Ikan Bilis (Fried Chilli Paste with Anchovies)

This week I'm at my in-laws and I've been put into kitchen duty. I now work smack in the city and by the time I leave work - traffic! Ah the thief of time. Cooking for a family of 5 who loves traditional Malay home cooked meals can be daunting. Especially when the head chef is 75 years old, with years of experience in cooking and tasting good food. It is a challenge to make meals perfect. Time is also a factor as this household eats early. I need to arrive home by 6:00 pm and to be ready to eat at 7:00 pm.

Malay cooking need not be such a hassle. Some of us feel that it does take more out of your time. In reality, the key to any success in a kitchen is really time management. Factor in preparing key ingredients well before cooking time and everything else will fall into place. If you've done project management at work or organised an event - even if it is as small as a birthday party. Then you know that planning ahead does help.

BOOK REVIEW: FAT WITCH BROWNIES

For the past year, I've been dreaming and making a to do list. First on my list was to perfect my skills in baking brownies. 

Since the day  I started making my first tray of brownies, I haven't stopped. I have since then read, searched and experimented. I have since baked, brought my goods to the office to share with friends. They would compliment and critic my brownies. They would always wait for me to bring something to work on Monday, because they knew I'd be baking over the weekend. I have also sold at bake sales, some ordered online and Alhamdullillah - I have had returning customers.  

Second on my list, was to start my own bakery that would sell cakes I loved eating. Starting with just brownies. Last weekend, Malaysia celebrated Independence Day. I had friends over and a cake was put out for desserts. Later that night, a friend encouraged me to move into baking and push my products to smaller cafes. See if anyone wants to order trays from me. I looked at her and said, I don't know. Maybe... we shall see.

It only took the introduction of this book to make me change my perspective.The author, Patricia Helding use to work at Wall Street. She too started baking for the office and sharing with friends. In no time, she realised that baking was her true calling. She resigned from her job and started a baking company from her kitchen. She would market her brownies using postcards and by word of mouth. Now her bakery is a legendary brownie shop in NYC. How about that? 

I have yet to try the recipes. This weekend will be the first attempt to baking brownies from the recipe book. Judging from a glance - I foresee that they brownies will be hit with friends. I hope it'll kick out their  mundane Monday office mood. Keep yourself updated to the blog and I'll be posting a review on the recipe. Insya Allah.

E

We Have Brownies

Salam Ramadhan and Aidilfitri!

C.I.B. is happy to announce that we are now opening our shop on-line to sell baked goods and other scrumptious products. So keep posted to our blog. 

For this festive season, we are selling brownies.
Last delivery for Aidilfitri takes place on August 6. We will resume baking on August 12 for future orders.

Here below are our flavours:

RM70
Bitter-sweet
Chocolate & Sea Salt 
Peanut Butter 
RM60
Butterscotch 


Currently our brownies are only available within Klang Valley. Interested? Do send your orders together with your name & contact details to cookinginbatches@gmail.com

Easy No Knead Bread

Working from home doesn't necessarily mean you have more time. But I do get to manage my time better around the kitchen. Key ingredient to making good bread is patience. I for one have not enough most of the time. So, I often look for easier recipes to make. 

Since I first started baking, I think I've gone through at least 50 different recipes and ways of making bread. Some worked for me and some didn't. This recipe I've put together seems to work for me. I find that baking bread is the most difficult as I can never get it to come out perfect everytime. I have come to appoint that when I bake, I just want it to be soft on the inside and crisp on the out. Also, as long as the whole bread doesn't harden up after a day old, I would be very happy. 

So, here is a recipe I've come up with that I think will stand the test of time. I've combined a few ideas into this batch and lets see if it stays as fluffed and soft tomorrow. If you'd like to try and experiment, please do. Then let me know your outcome!

No Knead Bread

Time: 12 hours - approximately. I started at 9PM and continued to prep before baking when I woke up at 6AM.

STEP 1

Take 3 cups of bread flour

2 tbsp of bread softener

pinch of salt

3/4 cup of warm milk

2 tsp of sugar

11g of dry yeast

2 tbsp of olive oil or coconut oil

Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl and make a well in the middle. 
In a separate bowl put in 1/2 of the warm milk. To this you add the dry yeast and sugar. Let it froth for about 5 minutes. 

Now, to your dry ingredients, you add the frothy yeast mixture and oil. You can use a wooden spoon or your hands to bring the dough together. If too dry, gradually add more warm milk to the mixture and bring the dough together till everything is incorporated. If it is still to sticky, just dust flour as you go till it doesn't stick to your hand or spoon. 

Next, oil the bowl and put a clear wrap over it, let the bundle of joy rise over night.

STEP 2

In the morning the dough would have flatten out with little air bubbles on the surface. Just dust your hands and some over the dough and massage the dough for about a minute. Then let it rise for about an hour. You can leave it for 2 hours if you'd like. But I gauge by looking at the volume, as long as it has double in size you are goo to go.

Preheat the oven at 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Half way through, line your baking pot or pan with grease paper or butter and powder with flour for easy lifting. Place the pan into the preheated oven just to heat up the pot or pan you are using. 

Place the risen dough into the vessel, cover and bake for 30 minutes.  Then take the top off, bump up your heat to  200C/400F/Gas Mark 6, let it bake till brown for about 8 - 10 minutes.

Done! let cool on wire rack. :-)

REMINDER

Always make sure you grease your paper or your pan, or else the bread will stick to the bottom and the sides of your baking utensil. Such a waste on good home baked bread. I should know, I did it once and cried over spilled milk. 

SOUTHEAST ASIAN FOOD & DIET - NO FRIEND.

Living in Southeast Asia, makes any sort of diet regime becomes a mission. Why? Because everything just taste SO good here. The staple food in this region are carbohydrate based - from rice, to roti and noodles. Also, we do prefer eating our Southeast Asian delicacies rather than eating raw carrots and a thin slice of grilled chicken as a diet menu. So, how do can you keep to your diet but still eat good Asian meals? Here's how...