Master this recipe, and you'll open a whole entire window of possibilities with hummus variations. You'll also start to wonder why you ever thought store-bought, mass-produced hummus was good. It shall also trigger other emotions, such as "why the heck do restaurants charge RM12 per serving for this thing?", because it's super cheap, and super healthy, to make your own.
What You Need: 1 can of chickpeas, or equal amount of chickpeas you soaked and boiled yourself 2 tbsp tahini 1 tsp cumin powder 1/2 tsp salt Juice of 1/3 lemon 1 small clove garlic 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp water What You Do: There is only a single instruction - dump all of them into a processor and blitz until it becomes a puree. Looks too thick? Add a splash of water. Adjust to your taste accordingly. Note: Keeps for 1 week in the fridge, longer if frozen. The first time I had proper, delicious kale salad was in Ubud, Bali. I've tried kale salads before, but loathed all of them - the dressing never seemed to match the sturdiness of kale, and the kale were so tough it felt like I could choke on them.
This particular kale salad not only solves that, but it also sent me to a borderline kale obsession. I love how the creamy, tangy tahini dressing compliments the slight bitterness of the kale, and because the vegetable is blanched and massaged, they're not too sturdy to consume at all. Add some chickpeas for some protein, and you've got a simple, healthy lunch for a sunny day. This recipe makes a plate of salad. What You Need Green kale 1 handful ready-to-eat chickpeas 2 tbsp tahini 1 tsp dijon mustard 2 tsp apple cider vinegar dash of salt 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil What You Do 1. Boil some water in a pot big enough to submerge the kale in. Add a dash of salt. 2. Add the kale into the pot, for about 3-5 minutes, or until the leaves have softened but not mushy. At the last minute, add the chickpeas to warm through. 3. Drain the kale, leave to cool while you get on with the dressing. 4. In a bowl, whisk the tahini, mustard, vinegar and salt together. Slowly add the olive oil until you get a thick consistency (the watery kale will loosen this up more). Check for taste. 5. Back to the kale. Remove the big stems, and roughly chop the leaves into 1 inch pieces. It's a salad, y'all. It doesn't have to be precise. 6. Transfer kale into mixing bowl, add chickpeas, and drizzle in the dressing. Mix them with your hands. Massage the leaves. This will soften the leaves more, and ensure that it's really marinated with the dressing. 7. Transfer to a nice plate. Best enjoyed with a nice drink. You deserve it, cos you're eating a salad, for God's sake. You'll need a whisk, and a bowl. A measuring cup is preferred, but if you don't have any, guesstimation is fine. This is the master recipe for basic, fluffy pancakes, like the ones in IHOP. God, IHOP. I love that place.
Once you’ve mastered this basic recipe, feel free to add your own layer of imagination. Throw a handful of berries, maybe? How about some chopped nuts? A douse of maple syrup and some butter is amazing enough, but you can always grill some bananas in a pan with some butter and sugar to go with the pancakes to take it up a notch. What You Need: 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp bicarbonate soda 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 egg 1 1/4 cups buttermilk 2-3 tbsp melted butter 2 tbsp sugar What You Do: 1. Sift the flour, bicarbonate soda and baking powder and salt together. 2. Beat the egg with a whisk until it’s pale yellow. Add the buttermilk and whisk again. 3. Add the sifted flour and mix. Do not overmix, a few lumps are fine. This is what gets the pancakes fluffy. 4. Add the melted butter and sugar to combine. 5. Heat a non-stick griddle. Add a ladle of the pancake mix. Turn when bubbles begin to form on the surface. 6. Eat immediately. 7. You can keep the batter in the fridge for another day, it will last for about a week. Here’s the most common misconceptions about Italian food; that they’re expensive to make and only people who have won the Masterchef can make them.
In fact, it is actually quite the opposite. Most Italian food are made using simple ingredients, and the recipes are pretty basic and easy to follow (my biggest pet peeve is going to restaurants in Malaysia and getting charged the equivalent of 3 gold nuggets for a plate of basic pasta). Now, enter the gnocchi, which is basically just humble potato dumplings. They are soft pillows of dumplings in a simple sauce (sometimes butter/oil based, sometimes tomato-based), and they make for a great simple weekend lunch while you chill with a tall glass of cold drink and enjoy the balmy weather. This one is is coated in a simple, herby lemony butter sauce, and made more perfect with a combination of some crispy fried sage leaves. This recipe makes 2 pasta servings. What You Need: 1 large Russet potato, peeled 1 1/2 cups of fine flour 1 egg 1/2 lemon 1 bunch fresh sage leaves Butter Extra virgin olive oil What You Do: 1. Cut the potato into small pieces and boil until soft. Drain. Mash the potato. 2. Prep a working surface. Make sure it’s dry, and dust it with a good amount of flour. 3. Pile the mashed potato on it. Make a well in the middle. 4. Crack an egg. Whisk it slightly, pour it in that well. Add 1/5 tsp salt. 5. Now remember the flour? The trick is to add the flour bit by bit into the mixture, until you get the consistency you want. 6. Slowly work the dough into the egg well, and as you mix them, add more flour. We’re not trying to make bread here, so there’s no fancy technique, just use your hands and make a dough that doesn’t fall apart (add more flour if it does). Relax. 7. Roll them into long sections about 1.5 inch diameter, and then cut them into 1/2 inch pieces. They don’t have to look symmetrical. Again, relax. 8. Now the sauce - in a pan, put 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp olive oil, lemon zest, and salt. Turn a very low heat on, let everything melt and infuse. 9. When the oil starts bubbling, put in the sage leaves (make sure they are dry! Otherwise the oil will spatter). You want them to crisp up. 10. Meanwhile, boil some salted water and add the gnocchi to cook. This will take 2-3 minutes only. The dumplings are ready when they float. 11. Add the gnocchi straight into the butter sauce pan. Some people prefer to let the dumplings brown a little on the outside. 12. Remove to a plate, place the sage leaves on top, drizzle some lemon juice, add some freshly cracked black pepper, grate some parmesan if you’d like (optional). 13. There you go. You’re not Italian, but close enough. Note: the gnocchi is great frozen to. Just make sure each piece doesn't touch each other, and keep them in a lined container. Keeps in the freezer for up to a month. In case I haven’t said it 20 times already, my favourite mealtime is Sunday brunch! Nothing beats a lazy Sunday morning making good food while eating them in utter blissful peace with no place to rush to and no blaring sounds of traffic, herds of strangers or babies crying (although if I do hear this, I should probably be scared).
My current favourite is this corn pancake recipe. It’s basically a savoury, high nutrient high fibre version of the usual sugary regular pancake option. I very much prefer using fresh corn for this as it gives a burst of freshness, but canned corn would do as well. Paired with a zingy, peppery yoghurt, it’s a pretty good definition of a happy, easy brunch at home with all the good trimmings. This recipe makes 4 corn pancakes. What You Need: 1 ½ cups corn 2/3 cups flour 1 tspn. baking powder 1 large egg Dash of milk 3 tbspn. Plain yoghurt 1 tbsp. lemon juice Cracked black pepper 1 small clove garlic What You Do:
Tip: Some might even say that it’s even more enjoyable with a little Thai Chili Sauce. Gotta love a spicy, savoury breakfast! Huevos Rancheros (‘ranch style eggs’) is a common Mexican breakfast, which is basically cooked spicy salsa, topped with refried canned beans and a runny egg. In other words, a pack full of vegetable goodness and good proteins to start your day! It takes about 15 minutes to make, and it is one my favourites for brunch on a holiday.
The original recipe uses jalapenos or some other rustic Mexican peppers, so here's a version that is more Malaysia-friendly. This recipe serves 2. Here’s what you need: 1 red onion 1 clove garlic 2 handful chopped tomatoes 1 handful chopped coriander (optional) 1 level teaspoon cumin ½ tablespoon chili flakes/paprika/chili powder/cayenne (or whatever spicy chili paste you can find) 2 handful canned beans (Black beans, Berlotti, or any type that will mash easily) 2 eggs Here’s what you do:
*If you don’t have any mild chili paste, what you can do is chop some red chili or green chili to substitute. |
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