ayonecan-cook

I am not a foodie in the holiest sense of the word. I never knew foodie, the word, or the people, were nouns or a religion until I started this blog. When I meet friends I would rather talk about life, it's joys, it's pains, dissect it, chew it, get hysterical and finally try to digest it without getting constipated.  But one day when I was bored enough I looked it up. And this is how a foodie is described on slashfood.com ..... A foodie is someone who has an ardent and refined interest in food.....to be a foodie is not only to like food, but to be interested in it... ..... ......Generally, you have to know what you like, why you like it, recognize why some foods are better than others....... It's those first thirteen and last eight words that disturb me. Refined? Nor do I know why some food tastes better than others. All I know is that  it tastes darn gooder .  Apart from the fact that What The Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell is a wonderful book about creeping into th...

I really did not want to let go. My life would be empty, meaningless and totally without aim. I came home, alone, an empty bag in hand and a feeling of listlessness accompanied me as I went about my tasks today. Cooking, baking and eating just wouldn't be the same anymore. My heart desires, my head has the plans but now the body does not cooperate. I stared out the Hyundai at passing cars and dumb buildings and wondered how long it would take before I were whole again, before I feel complete so that life could get clicking again. So that it goes back to it's delightful disarray and funny frustrations. A week they say before they'd call and tell me what went wrong. A week? That's eternity. And then perhaps another week to make it right. Oh god. That's unthinkable. Unacceptable. Un...un...undesirable. Oh s hoot . What a strange thing. I had bought some yellow chrysanthemums today. I had thought it would brighten things up even more. You know...sunshine yellow....funny...

  Ahhhh so that's how they do it. They pipe the fluffy mixture through long tubes and cut its tubular shape into equal pieces. I have always wondered how they do it.  And now I need to brush my teeth. And gargle my throat out. With salted water. That was exceedingly sweet. Not the marshmallow itself but from the tons of icing sugar I used to coat it with. To prevent it from sticking to everything it came into contact with ~ fingers, knife, mini paper cases, table, tongue, throat and teeth. These, my friends, are not to be made in some crazy hot, humid, tropical peninsula that starts with the letter M, that sits right smack on the equator. If anyone around here has been wholly successful in making marshmallows... that had set perfectly,  that did not shimmer with wetness as it set,  that did not require a crazy coating of icing sugar,  that did not cling and stretch as you pulled your fingers away from it,  that you could 'lift' out,   I would like...

Sometimes, like a Mr. Bingley, I can be 'an unmitigated and comprehensive ass'.  I should not have been put off by Nigella's recipes and think poorly of them simply because I had read a few bad reviews. I should have tried and given at least one of her recipes a chance. Well finally I did. Because when I saw the beautiful Nigella throwing one of her sensually composed smiles over this on tv I didn't think there could be anything remotely wrong about whizzed malt chocolate, expresso, ice cold milk and frozen banana chunks in a tumbler.  This is the first Nigella recipe I have ever tried. Poured into an elegant, statuesque, glass tumbler it makes me feel like lifting it high in sacredness, pacing my steps cautiously, falling onto one knee and paying homage to Nigella, The Domestic Goddess. With the hope of being domestically knighted of course. Divinity in a Daiso tumbler. A domestic goddess indeedee. The recipe ~ wholly adapted from Nigella Lawson 1 peeled banana, cut in...

I defied myself and cooked a chicken breast. I marinated it overnight to let the flavours in and to moisten it. Then I smeared it with the basting paste. Then I seared it in an iron hot pan to keep  the juices in. Then I roasted it in the oven just to let it cook through without it turning dry. Then I broiled it to get it charred in places . Success.   It came out as moist, as tender and as delicious as a baby's bottom. I was as pleased as punch. Like a new mommy of her newborn babe.  Chicken breasts aren't bad after all. It's all in the handling. Like children. Some love, some trust and lots of patience and you will be rewarded with more than you bargained for. If only I had known I would have had more chicken breasts. It takes resolve and desire. And a blog. As they say ...... better late than never. And stubbornness is stupid. The recipe ~ I had searched through many ayam percik (a very popular Malaysian chicken roast) recipes and found many ways in which to prepare ...

Good evening boys and girls ! A tart is shallow, frivolous, fancy, dressed up with an open top. Usually baked in a shallow tin with a removable bottom and served on a pretty serving plate. A pie is down to earth, covered up, substantial and deep. Usually baked in a deep pie dish or bowl and served in it. But both may be sweet or savoury. And both are to be eaten. And I'm happy to report that in today's unisexual world the word tart is used not only to disparage women but also men who are considered promiscuous and flamboyant .. ... "with a fruity lisp and tight clothing"  Fruithy lispth?  F ruithy listhpth? Gasthp. That soundths adorable. Clathh dithmithed. This is a tart recipe I saw a picture of in GoodFood magazine. (I love GoodFood magazine). These tarts could be made ahead, frozen and re-heated when guests arrive. Extremely easy to put together and like all tarts are fancy and playful. And cute. I had a grand time with them. They are such dear little thing...

The photograph above may not be that of the typical tiffin carrier but nevertheless this is a tiffin contest by Don't Call Me Chef of Star Publications in collaboration with Tupperware who will be giving away some juicy prizes.  To all my fellow Malaysian foodies.....read on ~ cook it ~ take a pic ~ and bring the tiffin lunch back into your lives.  LONG before there were plastic bags and disposable containers, tiffin carriers were used to store and carry food. Tiffin carriers are stackable, multi-tiered containers that are looped to a handle with latches on the side. The separate containers allowed for the different dishes to be stored separately, and it usually even comes with a plate. Originally from India, it was invented as the carry-all for workers to pack their lunch to take to the office. In Mumbai, India, there is a highly efficient service that delivers tiffin lunches to office workers and schoolchildren. Dabbawallas (meaning one who carries a box) collect tiffin bo...

First, let me assault you. There. There was a lot of strategizing in order to make these. I had to be alone. No compromises.  Chocolate hazelnut wafers that sat in the fridge for about a week or more resulted in interrogations, exclamations and demands. Hazelnuts were roasted while everyone were knocked down and out in their rooms. And 2 bars of dark chocolate I had camouflaged and slipped into the chiller compartment of the refrigerator. Then perfect timing was crucial in the execution of these chocolate gems. So that I wouldn't be defending myself against outstretched fingers and hands, salivating creatures or hair raising grunts and growls throughout the process or while doing the photo shoot. It is hard to believe that this is a houseful of fully formed and developed human beings It cost me about $60 ringgit to make 60 balls of 'Ferrero Rochers'. Never again shall I be adamant at the price of a box of Ferrero Rochers. But forever I shall be grateful to Ellie ...

I need to break out of this spell of stubbornly cooking the same few chicken dishes each time I face a chicken. Inspite of having a book of  '365 Easy Chicken Recipes' I find myself with 3 or less ways with the bird when my pan and I take a few moments off to tap our feet and contemplate. Only to come together again, unyielding to the 365 easy chicken recipes. Thus making the same ole' same ole', choreographing the same familiar steps with the same mix of ingredients. Like having an unrelenting faith in a 3 dimensional world when there stands a mathematically proven and plausible existence of a ten dimensional one.  I'm on a quest. To willingly expand my tried and tested repertoire of chicken recipes. Out of necessity, boredom, familiarity and contempt. And since I am not inclined to chicken breasts I may very well be concentrating on whole chicken legs...very likely... forever. And ever. Until I break out of this other chicken spell. Spices add such a rich, aromati...