Chicken Mushroom Pau

My mum's dad, that is my grandfather, is Chinese who migrated from China. His family came to settle in Tebakang, Serian, Kuching and open a coffee shop. He was also the best pau maker in the whole village. My grandma said that there were lots of people came to the shop to drink his coffee and eat his pau. I think that is one of the reason why I love coffee so much that I can't live without a cup of coffe, be it black coffee or latte, I just need to taste the coffee in one day.
Last night, I googled high and low for the ultimate pau recipe because from my experience trying recipes from the internet, there's tendency where the author of the recipe altered here and there and end up posting unsuccessful recipe for other people to try and I think that's sucks. It's not that you'll get something bad if people succeeded trying your recipe, you even get merit from allah from passing such a good knowledge to be uses from one person to another, a never ending cycle. I've altered a little bit but, no worries, it didn't affect the quality of the pau, as long as you follow the direction.

                          Diva Mushroom Chicken Pau


Pau:
4 cups pau flour (I use Bluekey brand)
1 cup warm water (if you need more, just wet your hand while kneading the dough, then you wouldn't end up with adding too much water in the dough)
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp instant yeast
1/2 tsp bread improver

1. Dissolve sugar in warm water in a bowl. Then add in flour and yeast and mix it with your hand and kneading it with great effort to activate the yeast.
2. Cover the bowl with damp towel for 15 minutes until the dough risen. Then knead it again and wait for another 10 minutes.
3. Pull the dough into smaller balls, depending of the size that you want.
4. Heat the water in the steamer.


Chicken mushroom filling:
5 shitake mushroom - soak for half an hour, then slice into pieces
150 gm minced chicken
Onion - sliced
Salt, pepper and sugar to season


1. Saute the onion til brown and fragrant then add in the minced chicken.
2. Add in mushroom and stir til the chicken are cooked. Season to taste.

To assemble:

1. Flatten the small ball dough and add in the fillings, a tablespoon at a time and cover the dough back by pulling the side of the dough upwards. Put each of the pau on a small piece of paper, to avoid it sticking on the steamer. Do these til the doughs are finish. 
2. Cover the steamer's lid with a big cloth (I use baby's nappy cloth) to avoid any dropping of water on the pau.
3. Put the pau inside the steamer and steam for 15 to 20 minutes, the bigger your pau, the longer it takes to cook. Make sure there's enough space between the pau for expanding.
4. Serve hot with a cup of tea or coffee. In my case, I enjoy it with a glass of Coca Cola. 

Diva Char Kuey Teow

I was thinking of posting this recipe right after cooking it last Friday but I was so tired with this new pregnancy. I still haven't go to the doctor yet because it's still early (5 weeks) and I've bought Obimin supplement for pregnancy from Guardian. So, enjoy this recipe just like i enjoy eating it. Muahz...

                                               
                                                         Diva Char Kuey Teow


1 kg of kuey teow
300 gm shrimp
1/2 kg clam / kerang
RM0.50 taugeh
RM1 sayur sawi - diced
3 eggs
2 cups water
3 tbsp petis
3 tbsp tomato sauce
3 tbsp oyster sauce
Salt to taste
3 cloves of garlic


1. Boil clam / kerang til cook and take them out of their shells. Put aside.
2. Boil shrimp with 2 cups of water. Don't take off head or the shells first. When it's cook, strain the broth into another pot and take off the shrimp's head and boil the head inside the broth. Take off the shell from the shrimp and put aside. When the broth and the head's boiling, strain the head and throw it away while the broth are transfered into another pot. 
3. Put petis, tomato sauce and oyster sauce inside the broth and continue to boil until it's thicken a little bit. Season with salt if necessary. Then, turn off the heat.

Petis broth

4. Diced the garlic and saute in a big wok. While waiting for the garlic to turn brown, beat the eggs. 
5. Pour the eggs inside the wok and fry it to be a scramble egg. Then, add in taugeh and sayur sawi and stir it for a while. 
6. Add in the shrimps and clams / kerang and stir again.

7. Add in the kuey teow and the petis broth and stir well. Taste the kuey teow and adjust the taste with sugar or salt if needed. Turn off the heat.

8. Serve hot and enjoy!

Crispy Popia with Beef and Potato Filling

I made this a while ago as per requested by my kids. so, after fetching Dayana from school, I brought my hubby to Ng Sian Hap to buy the spring roll pastry, spring form pan (thanks so much hubby for taking note from my last entry), and others. I was uncomfortable with the dirty and wet floor where they put the fridge box and I also notice that there are some price increment of certain items. I always use Figo brand for the spring roll pastry because to me it is the best and it seldom tear even though when it's harden.
Anyway, that doesn't bother me with my plan of making this crispy popia with beef and potato filling. So, enjoy making it as well as enjoy eating it.

The output

                   Diva Crispy Popia with Beef and Potato Filling


A packet of spring roll pastry (kulit popia) - depends on how much you want to make
3 potatoes - diced small and boil til it's tender then drain
4 tbsp of minced beef
Salt and sugar to taste
2 tbsp of curry powder
2 tbsp of dried shrimp (udang kering) - blend coarsely
1 onion - diced
Water to glue the pastry


1. Heat oil in a big wok for frying the spring rolls.
2. In a different pan, saute onions with blended dried shrimp til brown then add minced beef and potatoes. 
3. When the beef are cooked, add in curry powder and season with salt and sugar to taste.

The filling

4. Turn off the heat and put aside.
5. Take a piece of spring roll pastry and a spoonful of the filling and assemble the spring roll. Continue to do this til the filling are finish.

Rolling in process

6. Fry the spring rolls, batch by batch. 
7. Enjoy it while it's hot and crispy.

Mum injects Botox to 8 years old daughter!!!

I feel the urgence of sharing this shocking news to you because it seems like we are living in a crazy world that becomes crazier each day with lots of shocking and mortifying news.  This is taken from The Sun.

LIKE other eight-year-old girls, Britney Campbell loves dancing to Lady GaGa, is fond of fashion and enjoys putting on make-up.

But Britney's beauty regime goes way beyond playing with Mummy's lippy.

Once every three months, Britney climbs on a beautician's table and watches as mum Kerry prepares needles of Botox and fillers to be injected into her face.

Beautician Kerry, 34, from Birmingham, buys the substances online and injects them into her daughter's forehead, lips and around her eyes.

The beauty-pageant obsessed single mum also takes her to have her body waxed, in a bizarre bid to stop her growing hair when she eventually hits puberty.

Kerry says these shocking and potentially dangerous treatments will guarantee Britney becomes famous as a teenager.

Poke her face ... Kelly injects Lady GaGa fan Britney with Botox

She says: "What I am doing for Britney now will help her become a star.

"I know one day she will be a model, actress or singer, and having these treatments now will ensure she stays looking younger and baby-faced for longer.

"I'm sure people reading this will think I am being irresponsible, but I ensure that I test the Botox and fillers I buy online on myself first.

"All I want is for Britney to have the best start in life, so it is easier for her to become a superstar.

"More mothers should do it for their daughters."

Kerry is proud Britney is one of the youngest children in the world to have Botox injections and fillers for beauty purposes.

Despite doctors and plastic surgeons recommending Botox only be used by adults, Kerry claims Britney is in no danger.

Kerry, who also regularly administers Botox and fillers on herself, says: "I'm proud Britney is getting to have these beauty treatments at such a young age.

"I wish that I'd had the same advantages when I was younger.

"She is a lucky little girl and is going to be famous because of the benefits I am giving her so early."

Worryingly, Britney - whose research scientist dad died four years ago aged 83 - regards the injections and waxing as part of normal life.

She demands the top-ups of Botox, complaining she can see wrinkles.

Fame-hungry ... Kelly wants little Britney to be a star

Britney says: "My friends think it's cool I have all the treatments and they want to be like me. I check every night for wrinkles, when I see some I want more injections.

"They used to hurt, but now I don't cry that much.

"I also want a boob and nose job soon, so that I can be a star."

Shockingly, Kerry, who now lives in San Francisco is not alone in her quest to make her daughter wrinkle-free for life.

This behaviour is becoming a trend in the competitive world of American child beauty pageants.

Kerry says: "When Britney takes part in pageants, parents talk about how they have given their daughter an extra jab to plump her lips or lose a wrinkle.

"Everyone is doing it and talking about it.

"We are not doing anything illegal, and I don't want my daughter being the only one who doesn't have a bit of extra help."

Kerry is currently preparing Britney for the competitions, as well as saving up for a £2,000 dress.

Britney is also learning the piano for the events' performance sections.

Amazingly, in the UK and US there are no criminal laws stopping a child having these types of procedures as the industry is self-regulated.

Kerry says: "If I want Britney to be successful, I have to be realistic. She has to start as early as possible.

"I give her between 1-2ml of a saline and Botox solution per session.

Keys to success ... Britney prepares for her showbusiness career

"In the past 12 months she has had different parts of her face and lips injected four times. I make her frown before injecting, which helps identify a potential wrinkle. This means we can get it before it even develops.

"I know the correct amount to give her as I am a trained beautician.

"I'd rather she be perfect and have a little frozen face. Some people say her eyebrows look a little pulled already but they look striking."

Kerry buys Botox and Restalyne over the internet, spending £150 per 3ml vial. She has a home-assembled kit of needles from the local chemist and from a diabetic friend.

Kerry says: "I also buy vials of fillers and Botox from our local "beauty dealer" - one of the mums at school.

"It's all safe and I am not worried.Britney's young and healthy."

Kerry first injected Britney with Botox in May last year, as a present to celebrate her eighth birthday.

She says: "One day I had to keep her home from school as she had a slight headache, but apart from that she has had no reaction at all.

"She also has her virgin wax monthly, which gets rid of her fluffy leg hair and makes sure she wont develop pubic hair in the future.

"It will save her a fortune in waxing when she's older."

Little Britney says: "I feel like a supermodel and if I do ballet or go swimming I don't have to worry about hairy legs. Although the pain makes me cry, I feel like a cool grown-up when it's all over." Kerry plans to get Britney's eyebrows waxed this year.

She is also hoping to get them lightly tattooed to an arched shape and is also considering a light pink tattooed lip-liner.

She said: "All this pain and effort now will benefit Britney no end.

"When she's a superstar earning millions, she'll always be grateful for what I did when she was so young."

CRAZY OR INSANE OR PLAIN STUPID?????

No Crust Cream Cheese Cake

I really have to share this recipe right away because I was blown away by the outcome of this recipe, having discovering this recipe from the internet. I was skeptical at first but continue making it, at the same time, wishing that it will turn out marvelous! My hubby bought a 2kg packet of cream cheese and I was thinking, what recipe can I make that requires such a large amount of cream cheese. I didn't want to keep the cream cheese for a long time, fearing that it will be spoiled.
I was thinking of baking the kind of cream cheese cake that I love to eat at San Francisco Coffee (to me, their cream cheese cake beats other cheese cake, even the one from Secret Recipe!) but I don't have any heavy cream, sour cream or even digestive biscuits to make the crust in stock. So, I searched high and low for no crust, no creams cream cheese cake since last night and I finally found this awesome recipe at 11 am today. So, enjoy baking this cake and the best part is, enjoy the taste of the cake melting in your mouth.  The best parts of this recipe are it requires simple-no-fancy-ingredients and it doesn't need any water bath to bake it!
Before proceeding to the recipe, I need to tell you some important things regarding baking any cream cheese cake. Cream cheese are very delicate and if you mishandle it, you will get burnt or undercook cake and because of the expensive price of this particular cheese, you wouldn't want to mess with it.

1. Don't overbeat the cream cheese. It's enough to just well incorporate the cream cheese with sugar.  Always use castor sugar to ensure there's no rocky feeling of the sugar. If you overbeat it, you will get the cake will sink in the middle.
2. When the recipe specifies for water bath, please make sure you follow it. This is to avoid burning of the crust and the cake itself.
3. Always take note on your cake while it is baking inside the oven. They can get easily burnt on top of the cake and when you see this happening but the filling is not yet cook, ope the oven's door slightly.
4. Always preheat the oven before baking!

                                            Diva No Crust Cream Cheese Cake


Ingredients:
1kg cream cheese (I use Tatura, it's the cheapest)
4 eggs
2 cups milk
6 tbsp flour
1 cup sugar


1. Heat the oven at 170 degrees celsius. 
2. Beat cream cheese with sugar. Then add in eggs, one by one.
3. Add in milk and mix well. 
4. Add in flour, a tablespoon at a time while mixing the mixture well. Don't over mixing or stirring it because it will introduce too much air in the mixture and make the cake sink.
5. Pour the mixture inside a pan, a spring form preferably, but my biggest mistake was not having any spring form pan in my kitchen. So, I just use a 8x8 square pan that had been lined with baking paper. The mixture will look like too watery but don't worry about it.
6. Bake it for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until it's done. Be careful not to burn the top of the cake. 
7. After the cake is done, turn off your oven and let the cake sits in the oven for 1 hour with the door open slightly.
8. When it's cool, put it in the fridge for 3 hours or so and after that, it is ready to be eaten with your heart and soul. Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

Baby Darwish loves to eat the cake. He had 5 helpings of the cream cheese slices and was very happy, saying it out loud with his cooing. And to Mr Hubby, if you read this entry, I need a spring form pan. Google it if you don't have any idea about what that is.

Diva Milo Cake

I get this recipe from an old friend of mine who went to the same school with me at Kolej Tun Datu Tuanku Haji Bujang. I alter her recipe because to me, the outcome of her recipe doesn't suit my liking, where it is a little bit hard to be eaten by my kids and too dry. It's a very simple and easy recipe though and if you feel like you want to see and try the original recipe, please go to her site and search for Vico Cake. I use Milo because I have a few packets of 1kg Milo and didn't want to waste them. I also lessen the Nestum, and add more eggs and milk.

                             Diva Milo Cake


Ingredients:
3 cups Milo
1 1/2 cups Nestum
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup condensed milk
1/2 condensed milk
1 packet (350gm) of chocolate marie biscuit - break into small pieces
250gm butter




1. Mix Milo and Nestum in a bowl. Put aside.
2. Beat sugar, eggs and milks in another bowl. Put aside.
3.Melt butter in a non stick wok using low heat. You have to use a non stick wok because you wouldn't want too end up with burnt, sticking cake.
4. Then add in the sugar-eggs-milks mixture and always stir until it started to boil. Don't stop stirring or you'll get clumps of eggs that resembles scramble eggs. 
5. Add in the Milo-Nestum mixture and stir again til it started to form some kind of a sticky mixture. 
6. Add in marie biscuit and let it cook for a while to soften up the marie biscuit a little bit. Then, turn off the heat.
7. Lay cling wrap in a pan that you are going to use, where in my case, I use 8x8 pan. Pour the cake inside the pan and cover the cake with the extra cling wrap and press the cake with your hand. Make sure to cover your hand with a cloth or baking mitten because the cake is hot.
8. Press the cake as hard as you can so that it is compact and stick to each other. Let it cool for a while before putting in the fridge or you'll risk to spoil your refrigerator fron the heat of the cake.
9. Chill it for about 2 to 3 hours. Then cut it into bite size pieces. If the cake is too dry, it will be very hard to cut. 
10. Enjoy it with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

Coming out of the shell

I felt like I was just coming out of a shell when I stumbled upon this fabulous website. I was instantly fell in love with it as I get to know many moms out there because it seems like by connecting to other moms from other parts in the world can really be an eye opener. I don't have to be a millionaire to be able to travel outside Malaysia in order to know many interesting stories from moms internationally and I was so delighted with this new discovery.
This is what I love most about blogging. After several attempts of following such meaningless, boring blogs from people (especially youngsters) in my own country (I don't know what's the purpose of them blogging), I finally found the things that relate to my life; blogs from various moms with variety of stories, tips and recipes especially.
I was hoping that I can find new friends from these blogs and I'll be sure to share with my readers any new information that I feel relevant to my blog. I hope my readers will continue to support my blog and Happy Reading! :)

Nasi Kerabu Diva

Nasi Kerabu Diva

This is a popular dish from Kelantan and after eating it for the first time (I bough it during charity sale at my old school), I was instantly determined to make it on my own. What I didn't do was the kuah sambal budu because I don't know where to find budu here in Miri and from my knowing of what budu is, I don't think I'm keen on eating it, let alone preparing it to this dish. I googled from the internet but most of the recipe looks like amateurish to me, and thank God, I found the recipe in Rasa magazine, February 2011 issue. For the Sambal Kelapa, I didn't get to go to the fish market to look for ikan kembung, so, I use canned Giant tuna chunk in soy bean oil, which I bought at Giant. As for the coconut, I used packed desiccated coconut for baking that can be easily found at supermarkets or baking shops. It was instanly a hit at my home, including among the kids and guess what? The rice had only left a quarter inside the rice cooker and my hubby had not yet taste it because he's not back yet from Kota Kinabalu. For the coloring of  the rice, the recipe calls for bunga talang but I never heard about it let alone see it so I use blue coloring. The best part was my soon to be 10 months old baby Darwish also loves to eat the rice with the sambal kelapa! Even my brother suggested me to sell it at Prison Department's canteen! Hahahaha.. So much about my love in cooking.

Desiccated coconut with Giant Tuna in soybean oil

                                           Nasi Kerabu Diva


Nasi/Rice:
2 cups rice (add more if you want to cook for a large family)
1/2 tsp of blue coloring (always use Star Brand for the best quality) 
2 cups water (add more depending on how many cups of rice you're cooking)


1. Wash the rice from any debris. Drain the water.
2. Add water accordingly to how many cups oof rice you're using.
3. Add in coloring and stir well.
4. Cook as usual inside a rice cooker or you can steam it to your liking.

Blue rice

Sambal Kelapa

60 gm or 1 cup of desiccated coconut or kelapa parut (you can add more if you want)
2 ekor ikan kembung (roasted and take out the fillet) /  I use 1 can of First Choice tuna chunk in soy bean oil
1 serai / lemongrass
2 red onions
1 clove of garlic
3cm of ginger
Salt and sugar to taste


1. Chop lemongrass, onion, garlic and ginger.
2. Blend everything together inside a blender.
3. Fry it oil-less (without oil), preferably using a non-stick pan until it's golden brown and season it well with salt and sugar.
4. Put aside.

sambal kelapa

Fried chicken
3 pcs of chicken thigh or any parts of chicken you want - chop into desired size
3 cm ginger - chop
1 big onion - chop
1 lemongrass - chop
1 cm of turmeric powder
Salt and sugar to taste


1. Blend lemongrass, ginger and onion together.
2. Rub on chicken and season with salt and sugar. Add in turmeric powder and rub. Marinate it for 1/2hour to 1 hour.
3. Fry it as usual batch by batch.
4. Put aside.


Salted eggs - boil and cut half


Ulam kerabu
RM1 long beans
2 stalk of bunga kantan / ginger torch
2 lemongrass


1. Slice thinly everything. If you want to eat it raw, serve as it is.
2. In my case, I saute the vegetables for a while with a little bit of olive oil.
3. Put aside.

Ulam kerabu

Sambal budu (optional)
200 ml coconut milk
3 pcs of dried chili
2 red onion 
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp of turmeric juice
3 tbsp budu
Salt and Sugar to taste


1. Blend red onion, garlic and chili.
2. Boil the coconut milk until it's separated from the oil.
3. Add in the blended paste, turmeric juice, budu, sugar and salt to taste.
4. Put aside.


To assemble:
1. Cup out 1 bowl of rice inside a plate. Take one piece of chicken and salted egg and put beside the rice.
2. Sprinkle the sambal kelapa on top of the rice.
3. Take a spoonful of ulam kerabu and sambal budu (if you are using it).
4. Serve while hot.

Crispy Popia Seaweed

 I was so excited when I first got this recipe from my sister's ex-boyfriends cousin who is also the girlfrined of my friend's brother. I bought this popia seaweed that was made by her mom at Pesta Tanjong and I asked the recipe from her. I bought the roasted Yaki Nori (seaweed) from E-mart supermarket and the yako nori had been seasoned so I decided not to season the popia seaweed after I finished frying it.

                                           Crispy Popia Seaweed


Kulit popia/ spring roll 
1 egg - beaten
Yaki Tori (seaweed, any brand that you want)
Perencah nasi goreng cina Seri Aji 
Oil for frying

Yaki Nori

1. Heat oil in wok. You need to reach the right temperature in order to minimize the oil absorption. If you have a kitchen thermometer (I don't have any but decided to look for one), it's best to reach 350 degrees fahrenheit so that the popia seaweed won't turn up to be too oily.

Finished assembling

1. Lay down a piece of kulit popia then brush it with egg using a pastry brush.
2. Line up the sea weed or Yaki Nori, depending how you want it to be. In my case, I just pur the whole seaweed on top of the kulit popia. Then, brush it with egg.
3. Cover it with another piece of kulit popia.
4. Cut it in any shape you want.
5. Fry it in batches, depending on how big is your wok. Don't over crowd the wok or your popia won't get crispy! And this is also a reason why the popia becomes too oily. Patience is very much needed here. Drain the oil on the popia using a high quality kitchen paper/tissue or a wire rack.

Frying process

6. After finished, put the popia seaweed inside a container and pour the content of perencah nasi goreng cina Seri Aji, TO TASTE. Don't over pour or it will turn out to be too salty. Close the container and give it a nice shake.
7. Enjoy!

Crispy popia seaweed

Tips to avoid oily popia seaweed:


1. Always make sure the oil are hot enough or if you have a kitchen thermometer, it must reach 350 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Every time you finished taking out the batches of popia, you have to wait for a while before putting in the next batch because the temperature of the oil had lower down after each frying. 
3. The best thing to use to drain the oil is wire rack. If not, you can also use high quality kitchen paper/tissue.


Any inquiries, leave a comment or e-mail me.

              

E-Mart Market

I went to E-Mart Market yesterday right after fetching Dayana from school. I went there to look for bunga kantan or torch ginger because I was thinking of making the ever famous nasi kerabu today. It's my first attempt of making it and I hope I can nail it. Back to the story. So, I brought baby Darwish along because he's very clingy, besides he needs the breasts. Hehehe..

My groceries

After parking, I immediately took the trolley and went inside the supermarket at first to buy some cat's foods for my father's cat. Although I'm not a cat fan, I pity my father for caring too much on the cats. I can understand his loneliness after my mum passed away almost 5 years back due to cervical cancer and the cats are always there with him whenever h's outside either gardening or just taking fresh air. I also bought Yaki Tori (seaweed) and kulit popia or spring roll to make the crispy popia seaweed and some groceries for the kitchen. E-Mart gave me 10 KFC saving coupons because for every RM20 you spent, you will get 2 KFC coupons.

Outside E-mart market

After paying at the counter, we went outside where the wet and vegetables market are sold. I bought some vegetables like midin, paku pakis, bunga kantan, long beans, kaffir limes, petai (hubby's favorite), bananas and others. I bought the long beans from a girl aged 8 to 9 years old. She's pretty, fair skin and very thin. When she smiles, her teeth were all stain like it hadn't been brushed for a long time. I asked her if she skip school today but she answered shyly that she never went to school. I asked her if the stall was her mom's but she answered she worked there for other people. I really pitied her. I was wondering where was her mom at that time but I don't want to ask too many question for fearing of discomforting her or even worse, hurting her feelings.

The mom with the trolley baby

I walked further more when suddenly I heard baby screaming. I was searching for the baby, and there she was, inside a shopping trolley, waiting for her mom who was one of the vegetable sellers, making milk for her. And there in front of me, a mom also one of the sellers, was swinging her baby to sleep inside a baby's swing or as it is known in Sarawak as uyut. I admire these moms because even though they are busy selling vegetables in order to get some money for their family, they still bring their child and attend the children's need and not abandon them or relying to other people's help to take care of their children. Maybe they don't have extra money to send the children to a proper place like nursery, but from there you can see how much they love their children because they can make the impossible (taking care of a child in a place with limited facilities is a big challenge) to possible.

Noble but very rare to find nowadays

My heart goes out to all the babies in world who had been abandoned by their heartless moms and I hope that Allah will punish them greatly just like what they had done cruelly on their babies and I also hope that Allah will bless all the moms and dads of course, who had taken good care and love their children unconditionally.