Malaysian magic

You don't have to look far to get a taste of Malaysian cuisineu00a0

Chicken Laksa

Ingredients
>>500 gms boneless chicken, cut into thin stripsu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 inch gingeru00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>3-4 garlic cloves
>>4 shallots, peeledu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>2 lemon grass bladesu00a0u00a0
>>3 tbsp sesame oilu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>3 cups chicken stocku00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>2 red chillies, seeded & slicedu00a0
>>1 tsp curry powderu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>100 gms snow peas, trimmedu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>Salt to tasteu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>Pepper powder to tasteu00a0u00a0
>>1 tbsp lemon juiceu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1/2 cup coconut milku00a0u00a0
>>1 cup boiled noodlesu00a0u00a0
>>2-3 spring onions, shreddedu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 medium cucumber, sliced with skinu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leavesu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leavesu00a0u00a0
>>2 lemons, halvedu00a0u00a0u00a0



Grind ginger, garlic, shallots and lemon grass to a paste.
Heat two tbsp of sesame oil in a large frying pan or wok and cook the chicken over high heat until golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
In the same pan heat the remaining oil, add the ground paste and sautu00e9.
Add chicken stock, red chilli slices and mix. Add curry powder and snow peas. Add salt and pepper powder and mix.
Add lemon juice and coconut milk to the soup and bring to a boil.
To serve take boiled noodles in serving bowls, add chicken, spring onions, cucumber, coriander and mint leaves.
Pour hot soup into the prepared bowls, place half a lemon on the rim and serve immediately.

Sambal Ayam

Ingredients
>>500 gms boneless chickenu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>5-6 garlic clovesu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 1/4 inch gingeru00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>3/4 inch galangalu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>8 shallotsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>2 tbsp refined flouru00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>3 tbsp oil + for deep frying
>>6-7 dry red chilliesu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>2 tbsp tamarind paste (asam keping)u00a0u00a0
>>Salt to taste


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Method
Cut chicken into three fourth inch sized cubes. Mix the chicken pieces with flour and then wash. It will remove the smell. Drain well.
Pound half the garlic, ginger and galangal together. Add salt and marinate the chicken pieces with this mixture for ten minutes.
Heat sufficient oil in a wok and deep-fry the chicken till light golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
Pound red chillies, shallots, the remaining garlic, ginger and galangal into a smooth paste.
Heat three tbsp of oil in a wok and sautu00e9 the paste for five minutes.
Add tamarind paste and a cup of water. Mix and cook for five minutes.
Add the fried chicken pieces and salt. Add a little more water if the gravy is too thick.
Mix well and simmer till chicken is tender. Serve hot.

Nasi Lamek

Ingredients
>>1 cup riceu00a0u00a0
>>2 eggsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>Oil for deep fryingu00a0u00a0
>>4 tbsp peanutsu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>2 lemon grass blades, choppedu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 inch ginger, slicedu00a0
>>2 shallots, slicedu00a0u00a0
>>2 cups coconut milku00a0
>>Salt to tasteu00a0u00a0u1 medium cucumber, slicedu00a0u00a0
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Method
Soak rice in two cups of water for half an hour. Drain and keep aside.
Cook eggs in boiling water for ten minutes. Peel and slice the eggs.
Heat sufficient oil in a wok and deep-fry peanuts till golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
Take rice in an earthen pot, add lemon grass pieces, ginger slices, shallot slices and coconut milk. (If the coconut milk is too thick add a little water.) Add salt and cook on high heat till it comes to a boil.u00a0 Reduce heat, cover and cook till done.
Serve hot with fried peanuts, cucumber slices and boiled egg slices.

Almond Cookies

Ingredients
>>3/4 cup almonds, roughly choppedu00a0u00a0
>>1/2 cup butteru00a0u1/2 cup sugaru00a0u1/4 tsp almond essenceu00a0u00a0
>>1 eggu00a0u00a0u2 cups refined flour, siftedu00a0u00a0

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Method
Preheat the oven at 160u00b0C.
In a large mixing bowl beat butter till smooth. Add sugar and continue beating till the texture is nice and soft and fluffy. Add almond essence and mix well.
Beat egg in a small bowl and add to the butter mixture. Mix well. Add sifted flour and mix well.
Add chopped almonds and mix well.
Grease a baking tray.u00a0
Transfer the mixture into a piping bag and pipe round shaped cookies onto the baking tray. Press slightly in the middle.u00a0
Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake at 160u00b0C for ten minutes. Check in between.
Serve.

Shopping list for next week

Cheesy Cherry Swirlu00a0
> 400 gms tin cherries
> 60 gms processed cheese
> 1 bottle strawberry crush

Mexican Chaat
> 1 large pack tortilla/ corn chips
> 1 tin sweet corn kernels
> 1 bottle jalapeno pepper

Pizza Indiana
> 6 inch pizza breads (number as required)
> 1 kg tomatoes
> 1 bottle tomato ketchup
> 1 pack chaat masala
> Packs of tomato puru00e9e
> Readymade chicken tikka (4 pc per pizza)
> Mozzarella cheese (50 gms per pizza)u00a0

Almond Cookies
> 300 gms dark chocolate
> 100 gms butter
> 100 gms refined flour
> 75 gms walnuts
> 4 eggs
> 1 pack baking powder