Chicken rice cooked using Rice Cooker

Sorry for the long absence here. MIL and SIL came to UK last month and we just moved into a new place and got our broadband last few weeks.

I have always wanted to try cooking claypot rice but I don't have any claypot in my kitchen. Nvm, my cooking spirit will not be dampened so easily. So, I try searching for a similar recipe online until I found this yummy recipe.

I adjusted the ingredients as I have a small rice cooker (can only cook max 3 cups). You can click the original link to cook for a bigger portion. Mine can only feed 2 people.

=Ingredients=
2 cups of rice
1 large chicken thigh
3 chinese dried mushrooms (presoaked, don't throw away the water)
3 salami or 'lap cheongs'
1 large red onion
5 slices of ginger
2 tbs cooking oil
warm water

=Marinade for chicken=
1 tbs oyster sauce
1 ts white pepper
1/2 ts sesame oil
1/2 tbs Shao Xing wine

=Seasoning=
3 ts light soya sauce
1/2 tbs dark soya sauce


Method

1. Soak rice for 1 1/2 hours. Marinade the chicken for the same length of time.
2. Heat oil, fry the red onion until golden brown. Remove fried onion.
3. With the remaining oil, turn on high heat, add pre-soaked chinese dried mushrooms and ginger and stir fry for about 1 minute. Add marinated chicken and stir fry for another minute.
4. Add pre-soaked rice and seasoning and continue frying for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle a bit of warm water to keep the rice from drying out.
5. Remove the rice with the ingredients into the rice cooker. Place salami on top of the rice. Pour water (previously used to soak mushrooms) over the rice. Add more water if it is not enough. Turn on the rice cooker and cook.
6. Serve it hot and sprinkle some dried onions on it.

 

Beehive cake

Baking mode is on today. Bake this beehive cake for the first time. Taste good and the texture is just right. I must lower the oven temperature next time to avoid the rising and cracking problem.

My first beehive cake

Ingredients:

1/2 can sweetened condensed milk - 194g
3 tbs butter

Sieve together:
120g flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

5 large eggs
1 cup castor sugar
200ml hot water


Method

1. Beat condensed milk and butter till pale and fluffy. Gently fold in sifted dry ingredients. 
2. In another bowl, beat eggs till fluffy and almost double in volume (I used hand whisk, maybe should use blender). Add into the condensed milk batter.
3. Caramelize the castor sugar in a thick-based pot till it dissolves (I feel so 'syiok' looking at the white sugar turns to brown - first time did this). Add in hot water slowly and stir till it forms syrup. Stir to combine well. Turn off heat. Let it cool. 
4. Fold slowly the caramel into the mixed batter but don't overfold or air bubbles will be deflated.
5. I left the mixture in the kitchen for 7 hours before baking. Some recipes said leave for 2 - 3 hours and another baker left hers unintentionally for overnight. But I want to make sure I will get the beehive texture so 7 hours it is.
6. Pour the cake batter into prepared tin and bake for 160C at 40 mins (I tried 175C but I should stick to 160C next time).

Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC)

Been there last month but forgot to share the pics (only a few). Anyway, it was too cold that day and our fingers became numb during the photo shooting process.

The covered overhead bridge

 SECC is Scotland's premier national venue for public events, concerts and conferences

 To BBC Scotland

 Night view

 Hubby said they are so smart to use a windmill there to generate power, thanks to the strong wind

My first hiking experience to Ben Arthur (aka The Cobbler)

One hour train to this highland...not counting the journey of walking to reach the mountain yet. Have to climb the path of stones in the heavy rain to reach the peak of the mountain. We counted the hours of climbing the mountain ~ more than 4 hours.

There were 12 of us but the four of us (Trisha, Janna, Jenny (8-year-old), and me) only managed to go 3/4 of the way and decided that we didn't want to continue to the peak as the young girl said no and our bodies said no too. My nose kept on dripping when I was walking in the rain - this trip reminded me to buy a jacket with a hood next time.

~Let the pics show you the beauty of nature (can be prettier if the sky is sunny blue)~

The hiking group

Too bad the dark clouds were coming our way

Washing face with the spring water

The waterfall

Hehe, feel so excited even though haven't reach the peak yet

Lunch break

The "sensible" ones were going down the mountain (including me)

while the "tough" ones were still trying to reach the peak

The real view is superb

We stopped at this hotel to have a cup of hot cocoa - anything hot is good enough for me

Despite the smiling faces and the fun, my leg muscles start to become painful for the next two days - but worth it cos we sweat a lot and it is a good experience.

Malay pancake - Roti canai

My hubby craves for a proper "roti canai" after having a not-so-yummy "roti canai" with his friends. Haha. I went out with him too but I don't bother to try it at all cos it doesn't look tempting to me. The "teh tarik" is not sweet but my "mee bandung" is nice. Our lamb soup is just so-so. Hubby's "rain+shine chicken rice" is tasteless despite the wonderful name. FYI the prices for the Malaysian "mamak" food: roti canai = £1.80, teh tarik = £1.50, mee bandung = £5.35, sup kambing = £3.50, rain+shine chicken rice = £4.75. For these prices, we can eat 5 times back in Msia lol.

The Malay shop owner said he has opened the shop for 6 months already. If you saw a Malay here, mostly the scenario would be like this: The wife furthers her studies here and the husband (as usual, sponsored by the government) manages to open a business here. We are updated with the news that my government is giving out 500 pounds to each of the family members that accompany the "student" to UK (mostly wife is studying and she will bring along her husband and 2 kids at least). Imagine the government gives you RM2500 for every family members each month for nothing. Wow, no wonder my lecturer's husband in UK can enjoy his life buying the best DSLR camera and goes photo shooting anywhere in HIS own car. "Banyak kaya" my government. But in the end the country is making losses cos they purposely normally choose to sponsor their own race and ignore the smart race. Haiz, no wonder many brilliant and talented ones run overseas already. *shake head* Brain drain!

Ok, back to the recipe. I google "roti canai" and found this recipe. It is quite nice. Hubby and I make it together. He said the taste and texture is 70% alike to the real "roti canai" sold in our own country. Not bad cos this is the first time we make it. 

 Our roti canai - forgot to put a bowl of curry beside it

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 cup water
2 tbs condensed milk - we subs it with milk and sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tbs margarine


Method

1. Mix water, milk, salt and egg.
2. Pour mixture into flour and knead for about 25 minutes or till smooth dough is formed.
3. Mould into small round balls and coat with margarine.
4. Keep in a container in the fridge for at least 8 hours.
5. Spread each ball on a smooth surface to form a very thin layer (I use my fingers to spread it as big as I can and pass it to hubby to fry it).
6. Put a bit of oil in the pan. When the oil is hot, spread the thin layer from step 5 and put the filling that you like (we like egg and fried onion) and fold it. Fry it until it turns yellow brown.

P/S: I cook the curry first and it really goes well with this "roti canai". Yummy!