Headhunterz Recipe Corner - Wannabe Chef's Santarina Cuppies (Red Velvet Cup Cakes)

It has been long since I last updated my blog, and here I am today with a simple to follow Red Velvet Cup Cake recipe @ Santarina Cuppies.. Idea for Christmas perhaps.

Now, I have baked the cuppies myself on several occasions with a consistent result in terms of taste, texture and quality. This recipe is easy to follow and the end result is a moist, sweet, chocolaty, red, filling, delicious and soft textured cuppies.

To begin with, you will need the following ingredients which yields 36 Santarina Cuppies:


230g Butter (Buttercup brand)
3 Cups Sugar
4 Eggs (Large or Grade A)
2 Cups Buttermilk (alternative method below)
60ml Red Food Coloring (Star Brand)
10ml Vanilla Essence (Star Brand)
3 Tsp. Baking Soda
2 Tbsp. Vinegar (Heinz)
4 Cups All purpose flour
60g Cocoa Powder
2 Tsp. Salt



10 Easy to follow directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Grease muffin pans or line with paper baking cups.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
4. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, red food coloring and vanilla.
5. Stir in the baking soda and vinegar.
6. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt and stir into the batter just until blended.
7. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
8. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 18 to 20 minutes.
9. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack.
10. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter and frost with desired frosting.

Simple isn't it? Now, do try it out and don't forget to leave your comments :)

p/s: The frosting used is Cream Cheese frosting.

Buttermilk Substitute:
2 Cups Fresh Milk
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice or White Vinegar

1. Combine the milk and lemon juice / vinegar
2. Let it stand for 5 - 10 minutes

Headhunter's Recipe Corner - Kam Heong Chicken

Now, here's my second recipe I tried last night - Wannabe Chef's Kam Heong Chicken. "Kam Heong" literally means "Golden Fragrance". As per the meaning of Kam Cheong, the fragrance has a spicy yet, unique profusions of mouth watering smells from the key ingredients. The Kam Heong sauce is made out of dried prawns, oyster sauce, soy sauce, curry powder, corn flour and heaps of curry leafs! It is a very simple dish to prepare and is absolutely delicious. Now, this may not apply to those who don't like dried prawns though :) But if you would like to try out something new apart from the usual dishes at home, then this is a must try! It is indeed a popular dish in Malaysia. The same recipe can be used for crabs, fish, prawns, frog, or even fried rice. I loved the taste and so did those who tried it last night. It goes well with plain rice or just like that.

Well, take a look at the image below & look at how tasty it looks like. Mouth watering I believe? 

I meant the Kam Heong Chicken! :)

Kam Heong Chicken

Ingredients:
1/2 Chicken, cut into pieces
200ml water
 

Marinade:

 2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp corn flour
2 tbsp sesame seed oil

Ingredients for Kam Heong Sauce:

80g chopped dried prawns, soaked in water for 10 mins
2 tbsp chopped garlic
8 shallots, chopped
1/2 bowl curry leaves
6 bird's eye chillies (cili padi), chopped
3 tbsp oil

 

Seasoning:
2 tbsp curry powder
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp little dark soy sauce
 

Method:
Mix chicken with marinade & leave for 30 mins in the refrigerator.
Deep fry the chicken in hot oil till golden brown.
Heat 3 tbsp oil and saute the dried prawns, chopped garlic and shallots till fragrant.
Add in curry leaves & chopped chilies, seasoning mix & stir fry until aromatic.
Add in fried chicken pieces, water & stir well.
Cook until the gravy is thick. Dish up & serve hot & enjoy :)

More pictures below:

Preparing the chicken

Marinating Chicken

Chopping Dried Prawns

Chopped Dried Prawns

Preparing the Kam Heong Sauce

Kam Heong Sauce

The Ingredients

Wannabe Chef in Action :)

Headhunter's Recipe Corner - Stir-Fried Spicy Baby Shark with Salted Fish

Since I started blogging about my favorite food places, I have been busy trying out new recipes as well. And everyone has been asking me for the recipes after trying out my cooking :) Well, I'm just a Wannabe-Chef and let me share the recipes of the dishes I have tried out, starting with the Stir-Fried Spicy Baby Shark with Salted Fish. Now, the most important thing is to find fresh baby shark meat, and I really mean, FRESH! I was lucky to get 1kg last weekend from the market and tried out the recipe last night. And I must say, well, not me, the comments from those who tried - VERY TASTY & NICE. To me, I liked the taste of it. It was simply delicious. 

Now, it's your turn to try it out and indulge yourself and release the chef in you. 

Tips for this recipe: Try not to over fry the baby shark meat. It only takes less than 2 minutes to cook it. 

Stir-Fried Spicy Baby Shark with Salted Fish

Ingredients:
300g Baby Shark's Meat (Sliced Thickly)
2 tbsp Cornflour
1 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
50g Salted Fish (Diced)
15g Ginger (Sliced)
10 Dried Chilies(Cut into sections)
6 Bird's Eye Chilies(Smashed)
2 Stalks Curry Leaves
1 Big Onion (Cut into wedges)


Marinade:
1 tsp Light Soy Sauce
1/8 tsp Thick Soy Sauce
1/8 tsp Pepper
1 tbsp Meat Curry Powder


Seasoning:
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Sugar or to taste
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp Shao Hsing Hua Tiau Wine
3 tbsp Water


Method:
Season baby shark meat with marinade and leave it aside for 10 minutes or longer. Just before deep frying, toss in cornflour. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Dish out and set aside.


Heat oil and sesame oil and fry salted fish until fragrant. Remove salted fish and set aside. 


To remaining oil in the wok, add ginger and dried chilies and fry until fragrant. Add bird's eye chilies ad curry leaves. Saute' well. Add Seasoning. 


Cook for a while. Add onion, baby sharks meat and pre-fried salted fish. Fry briefly then dish out to serve. 

Chicken Curry Laksa - My Favorite Food Places in Auckland, New Zealand

My Favorite Food: Curry Chicken Laksa (Served with Mihun + Yellow Mee)

Where: KL Kitchen

Address: Chinatown, Ti Rakau Drive, Botany, Auckland.

How much: $9.80

Taste Rating: 9 out of 10

Category: Non - Halal

Verdict: If you're conscious with your cholestrol level, then I'd say, stay away from this page, however, if you would like to have the best Chicken Curry Laksa in Auckland, I'd say, read on and enjoy :) I must say, I am not a really a Curry Laksa fan however, i believe, due to the weather in Auckland, I needed to consume / try something soupy or spicy to keep myself warm in this cold weather. That's when I found this Chicken Curry Laksa in Chinatown - Botany. I have tried curry laksa in other places around Auckland, but this is simply the best I have tried. The curry is thick, creamy and simply delicious. Served with half sliced egg, chicken, fried and normal tofu, scallions, yellow noodle and mihun, spices and the curry itself. I have been to KL Kitchen and had the Chicken Curry Laksa several times and the taste has always been the same. Not to forget, the Chicken Curry Laksa taste even better with the Sambal served with it. To all Curry Laksa fan's in New Zealand, KL Kitchen's Chicken Curry Laksa is a must try for sure!

What else: They also serve Seafood Curry Laksa, Wonton & BBQ Pork Laksa, Char Kueh Tiaw, Singapore Mee Hun, Hokkien Mee, Curry Chicken Rice, Hainan Chicken Rice, Wantan Mee, Prawn Mee, Claypot Crispy Noodles, Lam Mee, Loh Mee, Pork Noodle Soup and many more authentic Malaysian Dishes. The owners of KL Kitchen are very friendly and always has a smile. The prices are very reasonable too. 

History of Curry Laksa: The origin of Curry Laksa is unknown, however, it is a common dish served in Malaysia and Singapore. Each state in Malaysia has it's own way of preparing it. The taste does differ from state to state in Malaysia, but the ingredients are usually similar to each other. It is a coconut-based curry soup. The main ingredients for most versions of curry laksa include tofu puffs, fish sticks, shrimp and cockles. There are two basic types of laksa: curry laksa and asam laksa. Curry laksa is a coconut curry soup with noodles, while asam laksa is a sour fish soup with noodles. Thick rice noodles also known as laksa noodles are most commonly used, though Mi Hun and Kueh Tiaw are also common.

Coming Up Next: Mee Goreng Mamak (Kambing)

Penang Assam Laksa - My Favorite Food Places in Auckland, New Zealand

My Favorite Food: Penang Assam Laksa

Where: Great North Express

Address: 4055 Great North Road, Kelston, Waitakere (Auckland, NZ)

How much: $15.00

Taste Rating: 10 out of 10! (Oh yes!! 100% Authentic!!)

Category: Halal

Verdict: Why the need to fly back to Penang, when you can have it here in West Auckland. I would personally say, it's the Best Penang Assam Laksa I've had in my Life! Seriously, though I have tried many assam laksa's in Penang and all around Malaysia, including the famous one in Jusco, Mid Valley, I am not really a big fan of Assam Laksa's. However, the Great North Express has certainly made me fall in love with it. At first I thought, well, it's just gonna be soupy or it wont be the same and I'm gonna end up wasting it, but the moment I sipped the 1st soup and my taste bud went nuts! It was amazingly delicious and I still cant believe it tasted 100%, just like how an authentic Penang Assam Laksa should taste like! Bravo! Bravo! I really enjoyed every bit of the assam laksa to the last drop. The only problem is, the assam laksa is a Weekend Special dish. Meaning, the weekend specials menu differs every weekend. Best is to give them a call to check what's on special or when they would be serving Assam Laksa. 

I'd say, its a good marketing strategy. Makes people wonder, hmmm, I wonder what's their Weekend Special this weekend.

Great North Express can be reached on - 09 813 5088.

What else: Being a Malaysian restaurant, they also serve a good selection of local Malaysian cuisines including authentic Nyonya Kuih's. Also, another must try from their menu would be their Nasi Lemak. (Picture attached) I would definitely be writing about the best Nasi Lemak in Auckland, however, I will need to try a few more before I can choose the best Nasi Lemak. Mind you, back home, I can have Nasi Lemak all day and night if it's yummy :)

History of Penang Assam Laksa: Penang laksa (Malay: Laksa Pulau Pinang), also known as assam laksa from the Malay for tamarind, comes from the Malaysian island of Penang. It is made with mackerel (ikan kembung) soup and its main distinguishing feature is the assam or tamarind which gives the soup a sour taste. The fish is poached and then flaked. Other ingredients that give Penang laksa its distinctive flavour include lemongrass, galangal (lengkuas) and chilli. Typical garnishes include mint, pineapple slices, thinly sliced onion, a thick sweet prawn paste and use of torch ginger flower. This, and not 'curry mee' is the usual 'laksa' one gets in Penang.

Coming Up Next: Chicken Curry Laksa

Bah Ku Teh - My Favorite Food Places in Auckland, New Zealand

It's been a while since I wrote my last blog and I believe I have taken a long break from blogging now :) Time to blog again!

14 months has passed since I'm away from home, Malaysia and honestly, the only thing I miss about home is my mum and food! My Malaysian cuisines! I miss my nasi lemaks mata kerbau's (Bull's eye fried egg), Babu's Teh Halia Tarik, Old Klang Roads Ba ku Teh, Jalan Ipoh's Dim Sum, Sarawak Laksa, Kolo Mee, Wan Tan Mee, Chicken Rice, Rojak Buah, Satay,..... phewwww!! I need to stop drooling now! Mum, I miss your cooking too la :) Nothing beats mum's cooking's eh?

Okay, so that's just a small list of food stuffs that I miss a lot back home. Luckily, there are lots of Asian restaurants in Auckland and a number of good Malaysian ones too. Hence, here I am, once again to make you drool away with my favorite food places in New Zealand... Take it slow and steady and don't forget to enjoy reading... if you're feeling bored already, let me know, and I shall make it worthwhile :) 


My Favorite Food: Bah Ku Teh (Served with rice)

Kopitiam Malaysia, Panmure

Where: Kopitiam Malaysia Restaurant

Address: 139 Queens Road, Panmure, Auckland, NZ

How much: $16.00

Taste Rating: 9 out of 10

Category: Non-Halal

Verdict: Just like the older days kopitiam's back in Malaysia, with a simple set up, nothing fancy or to shout about the premises but this is the only place I enjoy coming back to have my favorite Bah Ku Teh. The taste is almost 90% similar to the ones in Old Klang Road. The soup is not too strong, yummy-licious, and definitely mouth watering! You get a big bowl of it, with button mushrooms, lettuce, well cooked pork meat and ribs, served with rice. If you're after a good Bah Ku Teh, then Kopitiam Malaysia Restaurant is the place to have it. It is indeed quite pricey, but hey, if it's good, why not try it and trust me, you will love it. Infact, I am sure you will be smiling away with the authentic taste of an excellent and delicious Ba Ku Teh!

What else: They also have a good selection of Chinese Malaysian Cuisines, like Nasi Lemak, Hokkien Mee, 3 Taste Fish, Pan Mee, Fish Head Noodle Soup, etc. Reasonably priced and excellent quality food and will tickle your taste buds for sure. As mentioned, the kopitiam may have a simple older day setup and disorganized, however, always remember, we should Never Judge A Book By It's Cover :) Never Try, Never Know!

History of Bah Ku Teh: Literally meaning "Pork Bone Tea", Bah Ku Teh is a marvelously spiced stew worthy of admiration the world over. It is a soup based dish consisting of different cuts of pork meat simmered in a herb based broth for hours. Most shops will normally use pork ribs, but they are also known to include other cuts of pork into the herbal broth as well. Meat from other parts tend to be softer and delicate compared to meat from the pork ribs, though most of it will just melt away as soon as it is spooned into the mouth. The herbs and spices that are normally used to give it that distinct taste are star anise, cinnamon, cloves, female ginseng (locally known as dong guai), fennel seeds and garlic, which is boiled for hours together with the selected cuts of meat. The meat becomes infused with all the flavors from the herbs and spices, and the sweetness from the meat seeps into the broth, mellowing the tangy and sharp taste of the herbs. Other ingredients commonly found in a bowl of bah ku teh are mushrooms, fried tofu puffs, pieces of dried tofu and iceberg lettuce.  

Coming up next: Assam Laksa

My Best Shots... Canon 500D Rocks!

Sunset - Mt Eden

Night Safari Singapore - Tribal Fire

Auckland City - Taken from 360' Cruise

Gannets of Muriwai - Muriwai Beach