Ayam Panggang Mudah

Dah lama Maklong tak masak ayam panggang. Dah macam-macam cara yang Maklong gunakan untuk panggang ayam. Kali ni Maklong buat yang simple je. Maklong hanya bersihkan ayam kemudian keringkan dengan paper towel. Lepas tu Maklong ikat kaki ayam supaya tak terkangkang sangat. Masukkan separuh biji lemon ke dalam perut ayam. Tabur garam, rempah Cajun, pepper dan parutan kulit lemon. Maklong panggang dalam suhu 35oF selama sejam.

 

Mak Long kurang sihat

 

Baru ni Mak Long tak berapa sihat. Tak demam dan tidak selsema. Tiba-tiba Mak Long diserang rasa hajat yang sangat menyengat untuk ke tandas dan ia berterusan selama 3 hari. Mulanya Mak Long ingat Mak Long keracunan makanan tapi bila dipikir balik, Mak Long jarang keracunan. Dan makanan yang Mak Long makan biasa aje. Peliknya Pak Long tak kena pulak sedang kami makan benda yang sama. Rupanya bila Mak Long jumpa doktor, katanya Mak Long kena tummy bug. Alhamdulillah, sekarang Mak Long dah sihat.

Semasa kurang sihat Mak Long makan sayur campur dan ayam bakar sahaja.

Jerusalem artichokes dengan kepak ayam

Jerusalem Artichokes atau sunchoke adalah sejenis ubi yang datang dari tumbuhan serupa bunga matahari. Mak Long tak tahu kalau ada nama Melayu untuk Jerusalem artichoke ni. Ubi Jerusalem artichoke mempunyai bentuk dan rupa seperti halia. Kalau nak tau rasanya, bayangkan rasa kacukan antara ubi kentang dengan sengkuang.

Jerusalem artichoke mempunyai glisemik indeks yang rendah. Ini menjadikannya sesuai untuk diabetik. Karbohidrat yang terdapat dalam ubi ini adalah jenis inulin yang apabila dihadam, tidak menjejaskan kadar glukos dalam darah.  Ia adalah jenis serat yang kaya dengan prebiotik. Kita tahu yang probiotik adalah bakteria seperti acidophilus dan asid laktik bakteria yang diam dalam usus kecil kita membantu meningkatkan kesihatan kita. Prebiotik pulak adalah “makanan” untuk probiotik. Jadi ia baik untuk sistem penghadaman kita.

Jerusalem artichoke sesuai sebagai gantian kentang. Jadi anda terasa nak makan kentang, gantikan dengan jerusalem artichoke.

Swift Chicken Fingers in Beds of Lettuce

This dish is swift indeed. OK so I cheat using ready made spice. I saw a picture in a magazine somewhere. I can’t remember what is anymore. Suitable for a quick late supper snack or opening meal when breaking your fast. Its is filling but light enough that you won’t feel bloated.

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast

1 gem lettuce heart

Schwartz Cajun Spice

drizzle of groundnut oil

salt and pepper

mayonnaise

Serves 2

Heat the griddle over the stove. Beat the chicken breast using a meat hammer until flattened. Rub the chicken breast with the cajun spice. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the groundnut oil on both side of the chicken breast. Fry the chicken breast in the griddle for over medium to high heat for 3 min on both sides.

Meanwhile tear the lettuce leaves individually from the heart. Wash and dry the leaves. Arrange the leaves on a serving dish. Once the chicken is done, chop into long fingers. Place each chicken finger on a lettuce leaf. Then drizzle over the mayonnaise.

Done!

 

Ayam Masak Merah Resepi Atuk Abah (Atuk Abah’s Chicken in Red Sauce)

Atuk Abah is a Malay word for grandfather. This is a really lovely chicken dish. It is spicy and creamy. It goes very well with the apple chutney and plain or pilau rice. I served it once to my mother-in-law and she loved it so much she took some home in a doggy bag. The original recipe uses tomato ketchup and is usually sweetened with either honey or sugar. But, of course, me being me, I have adjusted the recipe so it is suitable for diabetics.

Ingredients:

500 gm chicken pieces on the bone (or you could use boneless chicken thighs)

2 tsp turmeric

1 onion (peeled  and roughly chopped)

2 clove garlic

1 inch cube ginger (chopped)

2  fat stalks lemon grass (finely chopped)

1 inch galangal (finely chopped)

2 tbsp ground almond

1 tbsp chilli powder (reduce to your tolerance level if you are chilli sensitive)

1 small can evaporated milk

1 tbsp tomato puree

juice of 1 lemon

3 green cardamom

2 cinnamon stick

1 star anise

3 cloves

2 tbsp groundnut oil

salt and pepper

some coriander leaves for garnish

Serve 4-6

Heat the oven to gas mark 8. Start with the chicken. Season the chicken pieces with the turmeric, salt and pepper. Drizzle 1 tbsp of the groundnut oil over the chicken. Turn the chicken pieces so the each piece is coated in oil.  Arrange the chicken pieces in baking tray in single layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Once done, cool the chicken. Save the juices.

Next blend the onion, garlic, ginger, lemon grass and galangal with a tablespoon of water until smooth.  Heat the rest of the oil in large deep frying pan. Fry the whole spices and as soon as they turn fragrant, add the blended ingredients. Stir well to stop catching. Next add the chilli powder and keep stirring. Add the tomato puree and the milk. Next add the baked chicken and juices. Turn the chicken pieces over to coat them with the sauce. Then add the ground almonds. Finally add the lemon juice. Season well and taste. Garnish with the coriander leaves.

Serve with rice or quinoa pilaf (if you are diabetic).

 

Terbaru: Atas permintaan Maklong  tuliskan resepi ini semula dalam bahasa Malaysia.

Bahan-bahannya:

500 gm ayam dipotong kecil

2 sudu teh kunyit serbuk

1 bawang besar dikupas dan dipotong kasar

2 ulas bawang putih

1 inci halia

2 batang serai dicincang halus

1 inci lengkuas dicincang halus

2 sudu besar serbuk badam

1 sudu serbuk cili

1 tin kecil susu cair

1 sudu besar tomato puri

1 biji lemon diperah jusnya

3 buah pelaga

2 kayu manis

1 bunga lawang

bunga cengkih

2 sudu besar  minyak masak (Mak Long gunakan minyak kacang tanah)

Garam dan lada hitam

Daun ketumbar untuk hiasan

Caranya:

Panaskan dapur oven pada  suhu 230C atau gas mark 8. Perapkan ayam dengan kunyit, garam, lada hitam dan 1 sudu minyak.  Gaulkan supaya  setiap ketulan ayam diselaputi minyak dan bumbu. Aturkan ketulan ayam di atas dulang pembakar dalam satu lapisan (tidak bertindih) dan bakar selama  20-30 minit. Setelah masak, sejukkan dan simpan jus ayam.

Kisar bawang besar, bawang putih, halia, serai dan lengkuas bersama satu sudu air sehingga halus. Panaskan lebihan minyak dalam kuali dan masukkan rempah tumis (buah pelaga, kayu manis, bunga lawang dan bunga cengkih). Masukkan bahan kisar dan kacau. Masukkan serbuk cili dan kacau lagi. Masukkan tomato puri dan susu diikuti dengan ayam yang telah dibakar bersama jusnya. Balikkan ayam supaya  diselaputi sosnya. Masukkan jus lemon. Jangan lupa garam dan lada hitam. Hidangkan bersama nasi atau quinoa dengan dihiasi hirisan daun ketumbar.

 

 

 

Chicken Pad Prik

This is my take on chicken pad prik. In Malaysian thai-food restaurants, this dish features chicken and vegetables stir fried with loads of fiery birds-eye chillies and seasoned with soy sauce, oyster sauce and a few drops of fish sauce. Here I have used home made chilli paste instead. Serve with rice or faux-rice.

Ingredients

250 gm boneless chicken thighs (chopped into bite sized pieces)

50 gm green beans

40 gm cauliflower florets

50 gm carrots (peeled and sliced)

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tomato cut into wedges

1 onion (peeled and sliced into rings)

small bunch coriander leaves (roughly chopped)

3 kaffir lime leaves (torn)

2 tbsp groundnut oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

Chilli paste

1 medium sized shallot (roughly chopped)

5 dried red chillies (cut into small pieces and soaked in hot boiling water for 5 minutes)

2 large clove garlic (finely chopped)

2 stalk lemon grass (finely chopped)

2 cm cube galangal (finely chopped)

Serves 4

Blend the paste ingredients until smooth. Heat the groundnut oil in a frying pan. Stir fry the paste ingredients until you see bubbles of oil. Now add the chicken, stirring frequently until it changes colour. Then add the cauliflower, carrots and green beans and continue stirring. When the vegetables soften, add the lemon juice, kaffir lime leaves, soy sauce, oyster sauce and fish sauce. Lastly add the tomato and onion rings. Turn off the heat when the onion softens. Garnish with the coriander leaves.

Quesadilla

Sesuai untuk  diabetik sekiranya tortilla dihadkan tidak lebih dari 2 keping. Resipinya Maklong dapat dari sini. Maklong hidangkan dengan sour cream dan tomato salsa.

Baked chicken in homemade BBQ marinade

This dish is made using homemade barbecue marinade inspired by Jamie Oliver’s Jamie At Home. Ideally the chicken is cooked covered in a slow oven and then finished on the barbecue, so you end up with a lovely charred chicken that is tender and juicy underneath. Not really wanting to bother with the hassle of preparing and cleaning the barbecue, I finished mine under a broiler which produced the same charred effect and the chicken is still just as tender and juicy. The original recipe called for a spatchcocked chicken where you open up the bird into one flat piece but since I didn’t have a big enough roasting tray, I have cut the chicken into four pieces to fit my slightly smaller tray. Serve with the reduced marinade drizzled over it accompanied with a fresh green salad.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (spatchcocked or chopped into 4 pieces)

1 large clove of garlic crushed

1 in cube of fresh ginger grated

1/2 cup of tomato paste (or 2 tbsp of tomato puree mixed with 1/2 cup of hot water)

1 tbsp of extra hot peri-peri sauce (you can reduce it to your taste)

1 tsp of oyster sauce

2 tsp of sesame oil

1 tsp of soy sauce

1 tsp of cumin

2 tsp of coriander

1 tsp of dried basil

zest and juice of 1 lemon

zest and juice of 1 orange

1 tsp of white pepper

2 tbsp of groundnut oil

salt and pepper to taste

Serves 4

Heat the oven to maximum temperature. Mix the all the marinade ingredients. Place the chicken in a roasting tray. Cut slits into the thickest part of chicken thighs and breast. Pour all the marinade over the chicken and rub the marinade thoroughly all over the chicken and into the slits. Cover the tray with aluminium foil and place it in the oven. Turn the oven down to Gas mark 4 and cook for 1 hour. In the meantime you can prepare your barbecue if using.

Take the tray out of the oven, remove the foil and place the chicken on the barbecue basting it regularly with the marinade. If not using the barbecue you can place it under the broiler or failing that you can simply move the tray to the top shelf of the oven with the foil off and basting it constantly.

Cumin and coriander chicken

 

Masakan ayam rempah ketumbar jintan atau dikenali juga sebagai ayam masak lemak kuning sangat popular di kalangan masyarakat Jawa di kampung Maklong. Juadah ni sering dihidang semasa kenduri kendara dan juga dipagi raya. Setiap akhir Ramadan, Atuk Abah akan pastikan juadah ini siap dimasak awal untuk di’punjung’  ke rumah  saudara mara dan jiran-jiran sebelah rumah. Di kampung biasanya Atuk Abah guna ayam kampung, jadi dagingnya manis dan penuh perisa asli. Gulai ayam rempah ketumbar jintan ni tak pedas dan selalunya dihidang bersama sambal goreng istimewa.

This dish is best made using freshly ground spices and free range whole chicken cooked on the bones for outstanding aroma and  flavour. However failing that, its okay to use shop bought ground cumin and coriander. Here I have used  boneless chicken thighs to adapt to the Western palate.

Ingredients:

2 boneless chicken thighs (chopped into bite-sized bits)

2 medium sized potatoes (peeled and chopped into same bite sized cubes)

2 level tsp coriander seeds

1 level tsp of cumin seeds

1 cm cube fresh turmeric  (peeled) or 1 level tsp of ground turmeric

1 cm cube of fresh ginger (peeled)

1 large clove of garlic peeled

2 shallots or half an onion peeled

2 stalks of lemon grass (trimmed)

 2 dried tamarind slices

1 cinnamon stick

1 star anise

2 cardamom pods

2 cloves

2tbsp of cooking oil

1 can of coconut milk

salt and ground white pepper

 

Dry roast the coriander and cumin seeds in a frying pan over  a slow heat stirring occasionally until they pop but not burnt. Then using a coffee grinder, grind the spices into powder. Blend the shallots or onion, garlic, ginger and turmeric with a touch of water until smooth. Then add the ground spices and blend again. Heat the oil in a thick based pan, when hot add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and star anise. Then add the blended ingredients and stir.  Add the chicken and potatoes. Stir thoroughly. Using the rolling pin, smash the base of the lemon grass stalks. Add the lemon grass and dried tamarind slices to the pot. Now pour in the coconut milk. Season well with with salt and white pepper. Bring to boil and then cover and let it simmer gently until the chicken is tender and the potatoes are soft. Serve with rice.

Malaysian Chicken Curry

Compared to Indian curry, Malaysian chicken curry tend to be runnier. This all-in-one dish is quick and easy to make especially after a long hard day’s work. Malaysian curry mixes are generally milder than their Indian counterpart. I have added few green chilies to add more spice.

Ingredient:

4 boned chicken thighs chopped into bite size pieces

1 large potato or 2 medium sized ones peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes

1 large carrots peeled and chopped into 1 inch sticks

1 large tomato roughly chopped

1 large tomato cut into wedges

about 50 gms of green beans topped and tailed and chopped into halves

1 onion finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 cm of fresh ginger peeled and finely chopped

2 green chilies fine chopped

1 tbsp of Malaysian curry mix mixed with 1 tbsp of water

1 can of coconut milk

4 green cardamoms

1 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

several fresh curry leaves

2 tbsp of cooking oil ( I used groundnut oil)

salt and pepper

Serves 4

Heat the oil in a thick based pan. Add the curry leaves, cardamoms, cinnamon and star anise. When fragrant add the onion, garlic, ginger. When the onion is soft add the chillies and stir. Then add the curry mix. keep stirring to stop the spices from burning. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook until slightly soft and mushy. Next add the chicken, potatoes, carrot and coconut milk. Stir and season well. Bring to boil. Then cover and let simmer for 15 minutes. Lastly add the green beans and tomato wedges and simmer again for another 8 minutes until the chicken is cooked nad the potatoes are tender. Serve immediately with rice.