Malaysia Mutton Curry

This Mutton curry is normally prepared during festive seasons and we will also make ROTI JALA （lacey crepe）to go with it.

We planned to go for a 2 nights outing this long weekend, the lodge that we have booked is pretty far from town. So we decided to bring some foods for lunch and dinner. This mutton curry is what I prepared to go with ghee rice.

I can't wait for our vacation to start!

Sambal Telur （Egg Sambal)

Egg is well loved in my house and this simple yet super delicious Egg sambal is a very versatile dish, it goes well with fried noodle/rice noodle, fried rice as side dish, it even taste awesome with just plain rice!

I made this today to go with my long bean rice. So long bean rice with Egg sambal, dinner is served!

【炸香蕉糕】Pisang Goreng （Banana Fritter)

前天看见超市摆着类似马来西亚炸香蕉用的香蕉 （Pisang Raja），忍不住买了一串回来，做马来西亚的小吃炸香蕉。

小时候经常在炎热的午后跟长辈要零用钱，然后跑到小摊子去买一包冷冻的煎蕾冰或者杂雪，再加上一块钱的炸香蕉，就是一个非常享受的下午了。

出国多年，每次回乡都没有机会再尝尝这个小点心。今天天气跟我那遥远的家乡如此相似，就做一个热带风情的点心做下午茶点吧！

Fried banana is a very common snack back home, a sweet childhood memory of mine.

I would ask some money from grandpa during those hot afternoons and ran to the small Malay stall that sells fried banana and Cendul.

I would buy a packet of cold cendul and some fried bananas, walking home slowly and enjoy the hearty snacks.

Toddler Meal -- Goldfish Breaded Fish Fingers

I have tried to avoid giving shop bought snacks to A with some exception like goldfish crackers, it is not that these crackers are any better than other stuff kids normally have.  

The only reason he gets this "treats" once in a while is because no matter how we try, he is going to eat some junk foods anyway. So savory ones is better than the sugar filled stuff. Besides, he starts liking goldfish as he gets it in the daycare for snack.

I saw this ingenious idea of making goldfish breaded chicken sometimes ago while searching for ideas to make A's food.  I have been wanting to introduce fish to his diet for sometimes. He definitely doesn't fancy salmon and have no interest in any type of steamed fish. 

So I came up with this idea to make goldfish breaded fish fingers, with the hope that his liking for goldfish will lure him into eating some fish. He did liked it and had 4 sticks at dinner!

素食好主意【叁巴豆腐】Vegetarian Sambal Tofu (Bean Curd)

这个叁巴豆腐是很典型的多元种族国家的产品，为什么这么说呢？

豆腐是中国人带到马来西亚的一个典型中国食品，后来我们的巫印友族拿来做成适合他们口味的食谱。

这里给大家介绍在马来西亚嘛嘛档常见的叁巴豆腐，是個下飯的好東西。

This Sambal Tofu is a good example of "Trully Malaysia" food, tofu as Chinese traditional food, and sambal the Malay, and guess what? It is often served by the Indian! Simply love the combination.

【泰式简易沙拉】Simple Thai Vegetable Salad

我院子裡的黃瓜和番茄收成了，自然熟成的番茄味道特別好，不拿來做沙拉真是浪費了這麼好的番茄。自小在東南亞長大的我偏愛南洋口味的沙拉。今天就做了這個簡易的泰式沙拉，味道酸辣甜，非常清爽，再撒上花生碎，味道更為豐富，營養也更好。

This is one of the best salad to have in this pipping hot summer. Its sweet and sour taste makes it very refreshing, just make sure you chilled the vegetables for a while in the fridge before mixing.

Stir-fried potato, eggplant and green pepper/Di San Xian【地三鲜】

This is a very traditional North Eastern Dish from China that I learnt from a friend. I made it for my family when I visited Malaysia the last time, to my surprise, everyone loved it! Including my brother who had never fancy vegetarian dishes!

I promise mum that I will write a recipe for this dish as soon as I reach home, and here it is!

回乡的时候头一次做地三鲜给家人吃，迎来一片赞好之声。我还记得那天大弟弟从外边办事回来已经过了午饭时间，一直嚷嚷着肚子好饿，他盛了一大碗的白米饭，一边狼吞虎咽一边说：“哇，本来我打算在路上随便吃点东西果腹，后来想想姐姐在家，一定有好吃的，果然给我吃到很好吃的菜耶！”

我这弟弟本来最不爱吃素菜，对这地三鲜却是赞不绝口，晚餐还特别要求我再做一次，让因为工作没回家吃午饭的弟妹也尝尝。

我答应妈妈要做一个帖子把食谱记录下来，回美之后一直到最近才做了两次，照片又是分开两次照的。所以就变成有红辣椒也有绿辣椒的啦！

Toddler Food -- Meatballs in Tomato Sauce 【茄汁小丸子】

A started a new daycare last week, he protest every morning and got really worked up with the fact that he has to go to daycare everyday, this changes of his routine literally turn his life and mine upside down. He didn't sleep well, wakes up multiple times at night and nurses more than ever. 

But there aren't all that bad, his appetite increases after daycare and he eats more real foods now comparing pre-daycare time. And I have more time preparing his dinner before picking him up everyday!

He loves this meatballs so much that I was surprised, I initially made only 5 meatballs for him and thought to myself that if he could finished them all, that would be great. But then I can't be more wrong! He asked for more twice and ended up eating 11 pieces of meatballs with all the peas, carrot (I cut into star shapes which he really appreciate!) and vegetable. He had only a spoon of the rice but I was already out of the world.

俊宝三个月大的时候因为我妈回国了，俊爸又经常出差，俊宝又是个睡觉困难户，我一个人带着他经常累得不会说话。俊爸在我妈走之前就查好了我们家附近的一个daycare，用他公司的名字登记还有百分之十的折扣。所以当时就安排了一周三次每次三个小时让俊宝去玩玩，也让我能休息休息。后来他daycare自小看着他的老师辞职了，我们也刚好那段时间要回国看爷爷奶奶和外公外婆，就直接取消了daycare。

回美之后我和老师联系上了，她也一直很疼爱俊宝，我就问她肯不肯帮我在家看俊宝几个月。我每天送去她家半天，俊宝就这样在老师家里一直待到上个星期，老师要去新的daycare上班为止。我也就顺其自然的把俊宝也送到新的daycare了。

然而小子一点都不喜欢daycare的大环境，和其他小朋友一起作息他也不习惯，天天载他到daycare一看见大门，在车里就开始嚎，第一个星期连声音都哭哑了，让我心疼得不得了。可我得上班，所以也不敢不送去，就希望他赶快适应了，会喜欢在学校的活动。

不过，去学校也不完全都是坏事，他胃口变得更好了，老师天天给的报告都说他吃得很好，水果和蔬菜还经常会加一两次呢！我这个星期比较不忙，就经常给他晚餐做好吃的，盘子里五颜六色的他很喜欢，吃得很开心。

这道茄汁小丸子我做好拍了照片就去学校接他，给他系安全带的时候我给他看手机里的照片，问他要不要吃，他马上大力点头。结果晚餐是我本来只给准备了五只小丸子，他又让我给加了两次，一共吃了十一只！就连配菜胡萝卜，青豆和油菜心也吃得干干净净的。只有米饭吃了两口就不肯吃了，但是妈妈已经够高兴的啦！

Thai basil turkey/chicken recipe (pad kra pao gai) 【泰式打抛火鸡肉】

We used to live near the Malaysia-Thailand border for a couple of years when I was a little kid, my family often goes over to "the other side of the border" for shopping and good foods.

This dish is one of our favourite dishes. It could be made with not just minced pork,  variations include minced beef or chicken, I used turkey today and it still taste as amazing!

我小的时候是在马泰边界生活的，假日和家人到泰国“那一边”去吃饭购物是很经常的事情，这也造成了我对泰国的酸辣口味特别偏爱的习惯。今天这道菜是在泰国路边小食摊都可以找得到的菜肴，是炎炎夏日开胃的好菜。

我家的九层塔今年居然长得有小孩的巴掌那么大，去年在土里埋下的堆肥果然给力，今天已经是第二次收成了，做这道辣炒火/鸡肉末，加上一只荷包蛋，挤上一点青柠汁。每一口都那么满足哦！

Stir Fry Shredded Potato 【酸辣土豆丝】

The Korean supermarket that I frequented is having a promotion on potatoes. It was way too good a deal to pass, so I bought a packet of it. Not until I started unpacking the potato that I realized how big a pack it is! 

Since I have loads of them at home,  I have been cooking potatoes gala in the past few days!

Stir fry shredded potato is pretty new to me, I thought it wasn't fully cooked the first time I had it! I wasn't used to potatoes being crunchy, I have always had my potatoes stewed or boiled, it is always soft and tender.

I developed the taste and started liking it after having it a couple of times. It goes especially well with porridge though.

我家附近的韩国超市前阵子土豆大促销，十磅的土豆才2.99美刀。我当时想都没想就拿了一包，结果回家打开包装才发现华丽丽好大一堆土豆啊！

当天下午看朋友的时候带了十几只土豆去，回家发现还有一推小山似的堆在那儿。于是我就开始了天天想怎么吃土豆的日子～～～

昨天弟弟说要喝粥，我就给做了这道酸辣土豆丝。说起土豆丝我不得不说我这个地道的南洋（南方）人一开始的认知是土豆必须是炖出来或炸出来或煮出来的，炒土豆丝我第一次吃还觉得这土豆怎么没炒熟哇！

后来还是我妈跟着我弟弟在纽西兰住了一段日子，弟弟的中国朋友给做了几次酸辣土豆丝，我妈喜欢上了，还学着做了好几次，土豆在我家才展开了被炒的命运。

---

Ingredients:
2 Potatoes
2 green chilies (seeded and shredded)
2 dried red chilies
10-15 Sichuan pepper
3 cloves of garlic (sliced)

Seasoning:
1 1/2 tbsp black vinegar 
1 tbsp soy sauce

材料:
2 只土豆
2 只青椒 (我用了自己种的banana pepper)
2 根辣椒干
10-15 颗花椒
3 瓣 蒜瓣儿
 
调味:
1 1/2 大勺 黑醋 （也可用白醋）
1 大勺 酱油 （也可用盐）

1. Shred/cut potatoes into long strips, soak in cold water for 2-3 minutes, drain and wash 2 more times or until water runs clear。 this is to wash away excess starch of potatoes. Remove seeds of green chilies and sliced it into thin strips the same size as the potatoes. Chopped the garlic too.

2. Heat up 2 tbsp of oil, add the sichuan peppercorns and cook until fragrant, remove and discard. Place the dried chili pepper into the cooker and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the chili is fragrant too.

3. Turn the heat to high and add chopped garlic and shredded potatoes, stir quickly until the potato become a little translucent, season with vinegar and soy sauce. Add shredded green chilies before turning stove off. The potatoes and chilies should be still crunchy while serve.

1. 把土豆去皮擦丝或切丝，泡凉水里两三分钟，沥干，再泡大约2-3次，至水变得清澈为止。把青辣椒去蒂去种子切丝备用。蒜瓣儿切片备用。
 

2. 锅里热上3-4 tbsp的食油，加入花椒中火炸香取出丢弃，把辣椒干剪段，入油里炸香。

 

3. 把火转大加入蒜片和土豆丝快速翻炒至土豆有点透明，加入醋继续翻炒1-2分钟，然后加入酱油或盐调味。加入青椒丝翻炒至断生即可。

中文 -- 酸辣土豆丝

【马来红烧鸡胗】Pedal Ayam Masak Kicap (Chicken gizzard in soy sauce)

I was at a Ramadhan-FB-pictures-lead-craving-for-Malaysian-foods phase for couple of weeks. That explains the frequent posting of Malaysian dishes here lately. Here today is yet another typical Malaysian dish, Chicken gizzard in soy sauce.

Chicken gizzard is not a common ingredients in my kitchen, mainly due to the reason that I have reduced eating organ meat for a long time. One day when I was shopping for grocery, I saw this cleaned and packed gizzard and thought to myself, it has been a long time since I have this. 

I bought one packet and made this pedal ayam masak kicap for lunch.

这几个星期都还处在思念开斋节美食的情况中，去超市买菜的时候看见处理得很干净的鸡胗，就拿了一盒。

我好多年不怎么吃动物内脏了，但这道红烧鸡胗是我在家乡的时候很喜欢的一道菜，所以也好多年沒吃過這道菜了。回家我就做了這個紅燒雞胗。炒個菜，就著米飯吃得可香了！

Radish Leaves Stir Fry (Mooli ke patte ki sabzi)

There is a small Indian grocery shop near where I live that I shop very frequently, I have a habit of picking up something whenever I pass by. As I shopped there often, the cashier became acquainted with me, we will sometimes have a little chitchat while she work through scanning the products.

One day I saw that they were carrying fresh radish with long bushy leaves. I took two and thinking of making radish paratha for breakfast and save the radish leaves to make stir fry that my mother in law once made when I visited India.

The cashier was so happy to see that I bought the radishes with the leaves, she told me that they cook the leaves in her village but here in the states many shopper removed the leaves and left it at the vegetable display isle, she finds it a waste and feel really bad about it. 

She asked how I would prepare the leaves, I told her my plan and she was all laughing and delighted. "That is how we make it back home!" she cried out loud.

I left the shop feeling good that I didn't waste edible stuff that mother earth produced, I proceed to go home and made this stir fry for lunch. 

Toddler Meal -- Cashew Pesto Pasta

A become thinner by the day ever since he started walking, it gets worse in the summer as we spent so much time out door doing physical activities. He just burnt more energy than he consumed!

I had hard time getting him eat more, so the next best thing is to give him high calorie foods so that whatever he manage to eat will give him more energy and nutrients.

The other day when I was going through my pantry I saw this packet of cashew nuts that I keep basically for Indian sweets and cooking. Since I had some Fussili boiling on stove, I went out to my neighbor's backyard and harvest a bunch of sweet basil that he told me to feel free to use and made this cashew pesto Pasta, A had almost a full plate, which is a good sign.