Tripoline

September 16 Tripoline Brunch

Malaysia Day / Hari Malaysia

This is the first time that Malaysia celebrates Malaysia Day / Hari Malaysia. So I decided to cook tripoline for the first time as I did not have any spaghetti.

Ingredients

1 packet Tripoline
1 big white onion
1 medium red onion/Bombay onion
1 shallot
4 cloves garlic
1 pack Ramly ground beef
1 piece/1 patty Ramly beefburger
10 cherry tomatoes / 4 large tomaotes
1 packet Maggi Bolognese sauce mix (60g)
Celery
Spring onion
Salt
Pepper
Oregano (dried specs, not finely grounded)
Hot water

Utensils

Big pot to boil tripoline
Big bowl to place tripoline after boiling
Collander
Aluminium rice pot (to use with collander)
Wooden laddle

Method

(1) To prepare tripoline
Boil water and add 2 teaspoonful salt plus 1 tablespoonful cooking oil.
The salt will season the tripoline slightly.
The oil will prevent tripoline strands from sticking to each other.
Boil tripoline till tender (lembut). Stir constantly to avoid sticking.
Remove tripoline from heat and separate tripoline from liquid.
Tapis dan simpan air rebusan.
Keep tripoline warm in a covered bowl.
Save liquid (boleh makan sekali dengan tripoline).

(2) To prepare filling
Slice onions and garlic
Fry onions and garlic till fragrant
Defrost ground beef in microwave oven.
Shred manually into small pieces directly into onions.
Defrost burger patty and shred directly into fried mixture.
Stir and add 1 teasp salt.
Add shredded celery and spring onion.
Add tomatoes.
Add water and let boil till meat is tender.
Taste, add salt and pepper.
Add Maggi Bolognese sauce mix, add water and mix.
When topping has thickened to consistency, remove from heat.
Serve warm.
Bon appetite!

Fried watercress

Kangkong goreng

There are many different types of watercress (sayur kangkong) sold in the local market. One type has medium leaves and not-so-tender stems - this is for frying. Another type has soft broad leaves and tender stems - this is for blanching for making salads (ulam). There are also varieties with small leaves - they are useful for cooking with Maggi instant noodles. This recipe below is for fried watercress using watercress with broad leaves & tender stems variety.

Ingredients

2 bunches of watercress (2 ikat kangkong)
1 tabsp dried shrimps
1 shallot
2 garlic
half red chili
salt
hot water
running tap water

Utensils

Kuali
Wooden spatula
Mortar and pestle (lesung)

Method

Wash and cut watercress (kangkong).
Soak shrimps in hot water and let shrimps swell.
Drain water and replace with tap water. Let soak.
Drain water from shrimps.
Pound shrimps till they become fibres (no lumps).
Add shallot and garlic. Pound till they become coarse pieces (not fine pieces).
Add chili and pound till chili becomes coarse pieces (not fine pieces).
Heat kuali and fry pounded ingredients till mixture is an even brown colour and releases fragrance.
Add cut watercress (kangkong) and stir to mix.
Add salt and water.
Remove from heat when watercress has softened.
Serve hot with rice.

Sugarcane juice

Air tebu

Freshly pressed sugarcane juice (air tebu) is a favourite during the fasting month of Ramadan in Malaysia. Here are some shots at the roadside stall which we frequent.

Fresh sugarcane juice has a murky green colour. It must be consumed within a few hours after pressing. It cannot last long at room temperature or hot temperatures - it will start to ferment and become sour. Once soured, sugarcane juice is not drinkable - it smells stale  and has an off taste.

Tyramine in foodstuff

Kenapa pening kepala?

When you eat foods that are high in tyramine, you will tend to suffer headaches! Why? Because tyramine affects your blood vessels and blood pressure. Tyramine constricts your blood vessels, which in turn increases your blood pressure!

Is tyramine safe? Yes and no! Yes, if your body can tolerate high levels of tyramine. No, if your body cannot tolerate high levels of tyramine. How do you know if your body can/cannot tolerate tyramine? If you get headaches after eating a certain foodstuff, that foodstuff probably has high levels of tyramine which your body cannot tolerate. Should you continue to eat it? Better not, unless you wish to have another bout of headache!

What is safe then? Foodstuff low in tyramine, which your body can tolerate. At least know which foodstuff contain high tyramine levels and which foodstuff contain low/moderate amounts of tyramine.

What other active ingredients raise blood pressure (BP) and cause heatiness? Try and check out mirin.

More on tyramine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foods_containing_tyramine
More on mirin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirin

French toast

Roti goreng telur

This is a quick dessert to prepare when you have nothing else to make for berbuka puasa. If you are used to breakfast with bread, margarine and eggs, you may still have old bread from last week or earlier this week. Use this recipe to clear your refrigerator of old bread so you can buy a new loaf of bread. Don't throw away old bread. This recipe in sufficient for 4-5 people and can be served at berbuka. You can continue to eat any leftover after berbuka - ie after solat maghrib/isya'/terawih.

Ingredients

Half loaf of bread (~9 keping roti Gardenia)
5 eggs
2 tabsp evaporated milk (susu cair Carnation)
1/2 teasp salt
A little bit of water (sedikit air)
1/4 teasp pepper (sedikit serbuk lada hitam)
1/2 cup cooking oil

Utensils

Kuali / frying pan
Flat ladle (senduk leper)

Method

You can use less eggs (4 eggs if you have 4 people eating).

You can omit the milk if you don't have any.

Do not substitute evaporated milk with condensed milk.

Beat eggs in a bowl till fluffy (pukul telur sampai kembang).
Add water to salt and mix. Add salt water to eggs and mix.
Add pepper to egg mixture and mix.
Heat oil in kuali / frying pan.
Dip each piece of bread in egg mixture, toss extra egg, place bread in kuali.
Fry each piece till brown and then turn over to fry the other side.
Remove bread when both sides are golden brown.
Arrange bread on a plate.
Serve hot with peanut butter and honey or jam.
Bon appetite!

French toast with peanut butter and honey/jam