Spaghetti carbonara

Spaghetti carbonara is one of the most popular Italian pasta dishes. This version combines spaghetti with cream of mushroom soup, chicken soup, and frozen mixed vegetables.

Ingredients

a handful of fine spaghetti
water for boiling spaghetti
Maggi cream of mushroom soup (dried mix; salty)
Maggi cream of chicken soup (dried mix; salty)
frozen vegetable mix
1 small canned green peas (not Ayam brand)
2 large dried Chinese mushrooms - soak and slice thinly

Preparation

1. Fill a large pot with cold water and heat the water until it boils. Do not add any salt to the water as the cream of mushroom mix and chicken soup mix are very salty.


2. Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water and cook according to package instructions, about 6 to 9 minutes or tender but still firm to the bite. Do not over-boil.


3. While the pasta cooks, add the cream of mushroom mix, chicken soup mix, and frozen vegetables. Stir to mix and break up all lumps with a spoon. Lumps show that no phospholipids was used to help emulsify the dried mixes. Add cheese and other greens if desired. Add the sliced mushrooms. Stir to cook till desired consistency (thick and gooey).
   

Spaghetti 

Frozen mixed vegetables 

Green peas (this looks nice but doesn't taste that nice at all - this large variety is mostly used for cooking kuzi kambing and nasi tomato; try and get the small dark green sweeter variety that is used for breakfast and for cooking vegetables) 

Maggi cream of mushroom soup 

Maggi cream of chicken soup 

Spaghetti carbonara ... this is delicious 

Close-up of spaghetti carbonara 

Serves 4
Pizza Hut price: RM10 per serve (at Legend Mall outlet)

Modified from Culinary Arts

Chicken and cheese paratha

This is how to make chicken and cheese paratha, a modified version of that sold at KB airport (Lapangan Terbang Sultan Ismail Petra in Pengkalan Chepa). The one at the airport uses plain tasteless paratha, ground chicken and shredded cheese (don't know what variety), large raw chopped onion, with mayonnaise and pepper. The paratha is then folded into 2 with the filling inside. Cost: RM4.90 per piece

For convenience my version uses fried chicken nugget (then chop it), shredded mozarella cheese + cheddar cheese slices (cut long slices of cheddar and mix the 2 cheeses). I also use 2 pre-cooked onion flavoured paratha (from Billion frozen food section). I use Kraft plain mayonnaise (use halal one). There is no need to fold the paratha pieces - just serve it hot as 2 sandwiched pieces of paratha. Cost: Not calculated yet.

Ingredients

2 pieces chicken nugget
Pre-shredded mozarella cheese - pull out as much as needed from the frozen pack
1 pack Cheddar cheese slices - only need to use some of it
Pre-cooked onion flavoured puffed paratha (buy from Billion frozen food section)
Kraft plain mayonnaise (halal) - can omit and use chili sauce or tomato sauce instead
Powdered pepper to taste - can omit if allergic to pepper (rasa pedas sikit)

Fry the 2 pieces of chicken nuggets on slow fire till golden brown 

Chopped raw yellow onion 

Frozen shredded Mozarella pack 

Shredded Mozarella cheese 

Cheddar Cheese Block

4 strips of Cheddar cheese (use orange variety if possible) 

Kart's onion flavoured roti paratha (this is oily and flaky when cooked) 

Onion flavoured roti paratha before frying in non stick frying pan 

An old expired bottle of mayonnaise (best not to use; for display only) 

Powdered pepper (use sparingly; omit if allergic to pepper or cannot take spicy/hot food) 

Method

Fry and chop chicken nugget. Cut 4 long slices of cheddar and mix with the shredded mozarella cheese in a bowl. Slice and chop medium white/green onion and fry lightly (to avoid indigestion or feeling bloated). Fry both sides of the paratha till evenly dark brown and crispy. Add cheeses, nugget and onion. Add mayonnaise if any (omit if don't want this) and powdered pepper to cooked paratha. Let cheeses melt and place another piece of cooked puffed paratha on top to cover the filling. Serve hot with chili sauce or tomato sauce (or no sauce). Serve with plain hot tea or coffee. Bon appetite!

Chicken and cheese paratha (sandwiched) 

Too full to eat all of it! I gave this half to my son. 

Plain black coffee (mine is served lukewarm to avoid damages inside the body) 

Durian Kg Chicha, Kelantan

Kg Chicha is bordered by a river, Sg Pengkalan Datu. Thus its riverbanks are fertile and good for durian growing. Kg Chicha produces some of the best durians in Kelantan (and maybe Malaysia). The durians here are small round fruits with thin thorny skin and light yellow flesh which smell of magnolia but tastes like vanilla ice-cream. The months of June-July-August are peak durian season here and one can get the best harvest at this time. Never miss a meal with durian. Four small durian fruits cost RM10-RM15.

This durian Chicha variety has thin thorny skin and lots of flesh but only flattened seeds. 

Another durian Chicha variety with thicker thorny skin, not so much flesh and big seeds.

Jolli Pancake, Singapore

I was strolling along Rochor Rd with Affandi and got hungry and thirsty. We stopped at a pancake joint for ices and pancakes to take home. Total price: S$6

Ices - soymilk+honeydew (Affandi's) and soymilk+banana (mine) 

Freshly prepared pancakes

Rumah Makan Minang, Singapore

Affandi and I had breakfast at Rumah Makan Minang, a Minang food outlet in Muscat St in front of Masjid Sultan, Singapore for less than S$10.

Minang food outlet in Muscat St, in front of Masjid Sultan, Singapore. 

I missed the history of the place (overlooked). 

Menu in fine print. The real food selection is a must see. 

It feels funny that adults have to line up for food 

My platter (without kuah; the chili jumped to Affandi's plate) 

Affandi's platter (very hot & fatty selection). The yellow stuff is tasty thick santan gravy. I don't know what it is called, maybe a type of kuah lemak lengkuas? 

Fragrant tea (teh tarik) - very nice. Masjid Sultan is in the bkgr.