Salad Days

Ranita's Masterpiece


It is very easy to get children interested in cooking and the best way to start is with simple salads. When Serita participated in various culinary competitions, Ranita was also eager to try her hand. The Women's Fellowship of my Mum's church provided the opportunity and the sisters decided to make a tried and tested recipe - Russian Salad. Many combinations and versions were experimented with before the final outcome. And of course the entry won the prize.

The Recipe

1 beautiful salad plate

1 bunch lettuce, washed and wiped; 1 carrot grated; ½ pomegranate; ¼ cup peas, boiled; 1 small yellow zucchini, diced; ½ apple, diced; ½ orange, peeled; 2 cucumber slices (ends); 2 tomato slices (ends); 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled; 5 tbsp. mayonnaise for dressing; 6 peppercorns and 4 cloves; salt to taste.
NB: Can also add 2 tbsp each of cream and yoghurt to dressing.

To make mushrooms: Slice off top and bottom of boiled eggs to enable egg to stand. This will be the stalk. Place tomato slice on top of egg for cap. Top with cucumber end. Make 2 mushrooms. Reserve top and bottom of eggs to make the mice tails.

To make Mice: Cut eggs in half. Place pepper corns for eyes at narrow end. Push 2 cloves in for ears. Cut tails from sliced ends of eggs. Make 3. Keep aside.

Shred lettuce very fine. Place on salad plate. Mix carrot, peas, apple, pomegranate seeds, zucchini; sweetlime and salt with 4 tbsp mayonnaise, reserving 1 tbsp. for later use. Arrange lettuce leaves to one side. Place mice in foreground on lettuce and tails behind them. Arrange the mushrooms on either side. Mix the 1 tbsp. mayonnaise with 2 tbsp. water and drizzle over lettuce. Serve with crusty garlic bread.

Festival of Lights

Deepavali Cakes



Deepavali has always been a time of fellowship and fun. Growing up in Bangalore, we were blessed with lovely neighbours- Nalini & Anu Prabhakar, Kala Gopal, Usha, Soghra and her sisters and so many other friends. Festivals and birthdays were always a time of bonhomie and good cheer and an exchange of cuisines, appreciated by everyone, especially us children. Deepavalli was no exception and we loved visiting each other and bursting crackers. Deepavalli in Kuala Lumpur is no different. We actually burst crackers this season and baked many cakes to give away to our friends who were kind enough to invite us into their homes. May the Festival of Lights bring joy and prosperity to everyone.

The Recipe

This recipe was given to my mother many, many years ago in Mangalore by a friend of hers named Mrs. Koshy. I use it as my basic recipe and change it to suit my requirements. Mrs. Koshy called it 1,2,3,4 Cake and I have changed it to the above.

1 cup salted butter (250 gms); 2 cups caster sugar (500 gms); 3 cups flour (750 gms); 4 large eggs; 2 tsp baking powder; 2 tsp vanilla essence; 1/2 cup tuitti fruity.

Sieve the flour and baking powder three times. Mix the tuiti fruiti with the flour and keep aside. This will ensure the fruit does not sink to the bottom of the cake. Cream butter and sugar together with electric beater till pale and fluffy. Add eggs one by one. Stir in the vanilla essence. Gently fold in the flour with a wooden spoon a little by little until all the flour is used up. Grease two 9 inch cake pans. Line with baking paper. Divide mixture into two and pour into prepared cake pans. Gently tap cake pans to even surface. Preheat oven to 150 degrees C and bake 40 minutes or until skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out clean. Cool overnight. Next day ice the cakes.

Icing: 250 gms butter; 1 kg icing sugar sieved. Desired food colouring. I used yellow, orange and brown; 2 sheets of rice paper available at cake specialist shops; silver balls.

Beat the butter and icing sugar with an electric mixer adding the sugar a little by little until of spreadable consistency. Spread some of the icing on both cakes, top and sides. Keep the remaining icing aside.

Cut out two rice paper cirlcles of 9 inches diameter each. Trace the diyas on the rice paper with edible food pens. Position on cake. Divide the remaining icing into three portions. Add yellow food colouring to one, orange to the other and brown to the third. Using an icing gun pipe the different colours onto the cake follwing the tracing. Decorate with silver balls. Attach greeting card and give it to friends who invite you to celebrate with them. Cheers!

The Mountain of Adventure

Jughead Jones Sandwich


A few years ago my mum's church organised a salad and sandwich competition for kids and she was very keen for her grandchildren to participate. Out came the books and the fond aunts scoured the internet for recipes and pictures. All of us poured over the various options and finally decided on "The Recipe." The next few days were spent scouting for the choicest ingredients and we even tried it out at home to see how it would taste. Finally on the day, the masterpiece was assembled and I need not say more. The picture speaks for itself.
The Recipe

1 large round loaf of brown bread; 250 gms Amul Butter;3 boiled eggs mashed with salt and pepper to taste; 12 slices salami;6 slices cheese; 3 large tomatoes sliced thin; 1 large bunch of mixed lettuce washed and wiped dry; mayonnaise and thousand island dressing; 1 tomato rose for garnish; cucumber slices, cherries(pitted) and olives for decoration.

Slice the loaf evenly into four horizontally. Spread with butter. Place some of the lettuce leaves and spread mashed boiled eggs on the bottom layer. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of mayonnaise. Arrange some lettuce, the cheese and tomatoes on the second layer and drizzle with 2 tbsp of thousand island dressing. Arrange lettuce and salami on third layer and drizzle with 2 tbsp mayonnaise. Stack layers together. Place sandwich on pretty plate. Shred remaining lettuce and arrange on plate around the loaf. Surround the sandwich with cucumber slices. Spread 1 tbsp thousand island dressing on top of the sandwich. Decorate with remaining salami cones, olives, cherries and salad leaves. Cut into wedges and serve.

Sheer Decadence

Chicken Rendang


Rendang is a dish which originated from the Minangkabau ethnic group of Indonesia and is now a popular Malaysian dish, served at ceremonial occasions and to honour guests. Rendang is traditionally prepared by the Malay community during festive occasions.

There are many variations and each recipe is as good as any other. What I like best about this delicious dish is that enticing aroma that wafts out of the kitchen, fills the entire house, luring one and all. The aftermath is a fragrance that lingers for days evoking satisfaction and bliss.

The Recipe

11/2 kg chicken, washed, and cut into medium pieces; 4 onions, sliced fine; ½ bulb garlic; 1inch piece ginger; 1 tsp chilli powder, food colouring; 100 gms coconut powder mix with 3 cups warm water and keep aside or milk from two coconuts; 1 inch piece galangal (aromatic ginger); 4 screw pine leaves(pandanus); 4 kaffir lime leaves; 4 turmeric leaves, 3 stalks lemon grass (use the white part only); Salt to taste; orange food colouring.
Grind onions, garlic, both the gingers and the chilli powder till fine. Add to pan with the rest of the ingredients and bring to a low boil. Add chicken, lower heat and simmer until the gravy is dry and chicken is tender. Keep stirring to prevent sticking. Remove leaves before serving hot with rice.
NB: This dish does not need any oil. We like our rendang with gravy, so I simmer till half the gravy evaporates. Absolutely delicious.

Rice To The Occasion

Chicken Biriyani A La Mummy




I never really like Biriyani until we moved to Bangalore in 1983 and were deluged by it at every wedding. Biriyani turned out to be more than we had bargained for and it soon became a family favourite. Nehru and the girls demanded it every month and I soon became adept at it serving it for many a party and occasion. It is a favourite amongst our Malaysian friends where it is called Briyani and I have cooked this always with different kinds of pachdi and of course the inevitable Stuffed Brinjal.

The Recipe

500gms Basmathi Rice, wash, drain, parboil with salt to taste and keep aside; 1 kg chicken, washed and cut into large pieces.
Grind masala :1 large onion, quartered; 1 1/2 pods garlic, peeled; 3/4 tsp corriander seeds; 5 cloves; 3 inch piec ginger; 5 cardamoms, seeded, 1 inch stick cinnamon.

Pressure cook chicken 2 minutes in 1/2 cup water with a large tomato, cubed, a pinch of haldi(turmeric) and salt to taste.

Fry 6 large onions sliced in 2 tbsp ghee mixed with 2 tbsp oil till brown and keep aside.
In the same oil fry the ground masala until water evaporates and masala leaves the side of the pan and the oil oozes out. Add chicken, stock and cook on low flame till dry.

Take a large dish (either casserole or rice cooker or dekshi) and alternate layers of rice, meat and fried onions, beginning and ending with a layer of rice. Sprinkle an additional tbsp of ghee (optional) over the top layer. Next squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lime over the rice, followed by a few drops orange food colouring dissoved in 1/4 cup milk. Cover and cook till done. Usually takes 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot garnished with or without hard boiled eggs, curd pachdi and whole brinjal.

Pachdi: Mix one cup curds with 1/2 cup boondi, a few corriander leaves and salt to taste.

A Rose By Any Other Name is just as sweet! Found this Kenyan Recipe for Biriani and am including it in this post. Happy Eating.

A dish that originated from the Kenya Coast.

1 kg. Meat ( mutton leg, a lean cut of beef, goat or chicken)
1 kg. Rice
1 kg. Onions
1 kg. Potatoes
1 medium size unripe pawpaw (papaya)
300 ml. (1.5 cups) sour milk or yogurt
2 limes
1/4 kg. Tomatoes
1 small bulb of garlic
Small piece of fresh green ginger
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
2 small sticks cinnamon
1 teaspoon each of cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and whole black peppercorns
Oil for frying
1 smallest size tin tomato paste (I used 100gms)

Peel pawpaw, remove seeds, and grate coarsely. Pound the garlic and ginger to a paste. Cut the meat into biggish pieces and put into a heavy saucepan with the pawpaw and garlic and ginger. Add the sour milk or yogurt, and the juice of the two limes. Set over a low heat and stir at intervals. Whilst this is cooking, grind all the spices together and set aside. Slice the onions and fry in oil until brown and crisp. Remove from the fat. Peel and slice the potatoes and fry in the same oil until golden brown. Remove and keep on one side - apart from the onions. Check the meat to see if it is nearly ready, then add the spices and the skinned tomatoes together with 4-5 tablespoons of the fat used to fry the onions and potatoes. Mix together well, then add the tin of tomato paste. Continue cooking over low heat until the meat is really tender and the sauce thick and creamy. It is almost certain you will have to add a little warm water before the meat is cooked. Cook for a final 15 - 20 minutes to make sure all the flavours have blended together.

Prepare and cook the rice. Put a good layer of the rice at the bottom of a fireproof dish or casserole. Pour over the meat mixture, and cover completely with another layer of rice. Now put in the fried onions, reserving a few for decoration, and cover them with the rest of the rice. Boil up the remaining oil and pour over. Take the sliced potatoes and tuck them at the edge of the dish, and across the top, pushing them into the rice. Sprinkle with the reserved onions about 30 minutes. Do not let it become dry. Biriani can be served at table in the casserole if it is decorative one, or else you will have to remove the meat and the vegetables keeping the layers as cooked and serve on a big platter.






1/2 kg small brinjals (I used green and purple), wash, make two slits crossways across bottom retaining stalk; 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste; 3 green chillies; 1 large onion; 1 1/2 tsp corriander powder; 1/2 tsp somph; 1/2 tsp jeera powder; 1 tsp garam masala powder; 3/4 tsp chilli powder; fffffew drops orange food colouring; 3 tbsp grated coconut; salt to taste.
Grind all the ingredients except the brinjals to a smooth paste. Fry the masala in 2 tbsp oil until thick. Stuff 1/2 a tsp of masala paste into each brinjal and arrange in a dish. Put the remaining masala on top and pressure cook with 1/2 cup water 5 minutes only. Serve with biriyani. A winning combination indeed.

Our Favourite Tradition

Ma's Prawn Pulav

Prawn Pulav is another family favourite. Coming from a coastal town, we always had plenty of sea food and prawns were always part of a celebration menu. More often than not, as kids we would pick out the prawns and leave the rice. Tradition continues and my girls do the same. Mummy's Prawn Pulav is no exception and we make it for many a family occasion.
The Recipe
500gms prawns, shelled, deveined and washed; 350 gms Basmathi rice, wash, drain and keep aside; 2 potatoes, cubed; 2 onions, sliced; 1 tbsp ginger, minced; 3 tbsp grated coconut; 1 tbsp garlic paste; 2 tsp corriander seeds; 2 tsp chilli powder or to taste; 1/2 tsp haldi; salt to taste; 3 tbsp oil.

NB: I always add a few vegetables as that was the only way to get my children to eat them.

Grind the ginger, garlic, coconut, corriander seeds and chilli powder to a paste. Heat oil in a non stick pan and saute the prawns and onions till golden brown. Add the rice and stir fry till all the grains are coated with oil. Stir in the salt, haldi, ground masala and 4 cups water (1 cup = 250ml). Throw in the potatoes as well. Transfer to pressure cooker or rice cooker and cook till rice is done. Takes about 5 minutes in the pressure cooker. Serve hot with curd pachdi (mix together 1/4 litre curds, salt, 1/4 cucumber sliced; 1 cubed tomato, 1 sliced onion, 1 cgreen chilli minced and corriander leaves). Great for a Sunday lunch.

Post Ramadhan

Aloe & Carrot Salad

Herbal Aloe Concentrate



The numerous buka puasas and Open Houses we attend during Hari Raya tends to take it's toll on our stomachs. Thank goodness for Herbal Aloe Concentrate which restores our digestive systems in a jiffy. We always have a lot of Aloe in salads, juices and marinades after Ramadhan to keep our systems in working order. It is so soothing and cooling and does wonders for an overactive stomach. In fact, nowadays aloe is the only dressing I use with my salads.

The Recipe

3 capfuls of Herbal Aloe concentrate; 1 medium cucumber, sliced thin; 3 carrots, grated; salt & pepper to taste.

Marinade the cucumber in the aloe concentrate for 10 minutes. Strain and reserve the aloe liquid. Marinade the grated carrot in the aloe liquid for 5 minutes. Drain and again reserve the aloe liquid. Arrange the cucumber and carrot on a plate in a decorative pattern. Add salt and pepper to the aloe liquid. Pour over cucumber and carrot and serve immediately.