Thursday, January 21, 2010

Ikan masak pedas

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Each time we go to Usop (the Thai restaurant near our place), without fail Rizal would order this Ikan Kembong masak pedas.

So after seeing it like thousand of times, one day I decided to try it at home.

The ingredient for this dish is quite simple, all you need are:

Ikan Kembong 3 ekor (medium size)

From Ikan masak pedas

Cili Boh 3 tablespoon

Tomato 3 tablespoon

Bawang Besar 1 1/2 biji (taruk 2 pun takpe)>> Slice

Halia >> Slice

Cili Merah >> Slice

Optional: Baby Corn >> Slice

Optional: Cauliflower >> Slice kecik2

Optional: Tomate >> cube of fours (or sukati camana nak potong)
From Ikan masak pedas


From Ikan masak pedas


Yang ni pound together:
Garlic 4 cloves
Cili padi setengah genggam (kalau nak pedas put more)
From Ikan masak pedas


Okay. First thing to do is to fry the fish. Rizal likes it garing, so usually I would make 3 diagonal scores on both sides like this
From Ikan masak pedas

In on of the recipe I read you need to put a bit of cornflour to make it crispy, so I put added a bit of cornflour to the tumeric and salt mix
From Ikan masak pedas

Mix it well with the fish
From Ikan masak pedas


Then fry it when the oil is really really hot. Once fried then take out and put on the serving plate
From Ikan masak pedas


Next, take out unwanted oil from the wok and leave only enough like below
From Ikan masak pedas


Add in all the pounded stuff (cili padi + garlic), sliced ginger, sliced bawang besar

From Ikan masak pedas


When it is slightly cook add cili boh (about 3 spoons). Add Sliced red chilli, Cauliflower and baby corn
From Ikan masak pedas


Continue to stir and add tomato sauce, again about 3 big spoons (if prefer masam sikit add a bit more)

From Ikan masak pedas


I added a bit of water so that it is not so thick, and to allow it mix well. Oh and don't forget to add pinch of salt.

Leave it dry out to the thickness you like, and then just pour over the fish.
From Ikan masak pedas


Lastly, just garnish it with parsley

From Ikan masak pedas


That's it! Bon appétit..

Saturday, January 02, 2010

Camerons... in search of sweet corn

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Yep. You read it right, but since we went on a new year so... i consider it like a first time also lah..

Anyway this time around we stayed at different hotel, and did different things.

From Cameron Highlands 10.01.01

It started out dark, like literally dark cos we left KL around 9PM. Point to point on highway was a breeze, we made it to SimpangPulai at around 10.30PM. This is the second time we are climbing the Camerons road at night, and as we remembered it from last trip it wasnt so bad. BUT... last time we had a 'guide'. There was this car in front of us who seems familiar with road and was driving through effortlessly. So we just followed that car and the drive up was pretty fast and easy. We were hoping the same this time, but unfortunately there was none. Except for this one Honda. This one was familiar with every nooks and corner. Too familiar, and drove very fast... sampai kitorang takleh catch up... so poor us..

Anyway. Now that we were being left alone to navigate ourselves, I noticed a few things. The roads are quite okay overall; however there are no street lights, and there are no visible reflectors on the 1st half of the road. But once we were already halfway, (i'm guessing its at Perak/Pahang border) it was better, there were reflectors both on the lines and sides so it wasnt so bad. However, once reached into Camerons, its back to dark, reflectorless road. You know, just like a normal jalan kampung.

Having said all that, we still managed to reach Brinchang around midnight. Headed straight towards the hotel which according to the receptions is just before Atrium Village. The hotel was just along the mainroad so it wasnt too difficult to spot it..

Hotel Dela Fern
From Cameron Highlands 10.01.01

Since this is an impromptu trip, we obviously hadnt booked in advance. So there were no more Deluxe room available, whats left was only Deluxe Quad - 2 queen size beds at RM348. We decided to go for this one rather than the RM699 Suite at Century Pines or RM600 Suite at casa Dela Rossa.

I didnt expect much given the so-so price, but was pleasantly surprised when I was shown the room. Room rates not as expensive as Casa Dela Rosa, but room quality almost as good.

What you get:
Flat screen TV - Toshiba Regza, no less.
There is a desk convertable to workspace (Note: next time rizal needs to do work there is a table there for him)
Wifi available at RM5 per hour. It says unsecured and I tried to curi2 but cannot get in, signal is not strong enuff from our room.
Bathroom equipped with Bath. This room has no balcony, only a window.
Yang lain2 tu sama la, just like any other 5 star hotels... iron and board already in closet... hair dryer available. My only complain is that there were no Hot water. Dont know if its because they have full occupancy but nevertheless I had to shower with air suam2...
From Cameron Highlands 10.01.01

The room came with breakfast for 4, and I thought the food was range was quite good, and whats great is that they top up their food even it was already nearly 10.

Okay. Since we dont really have any specific plan for the day, so we decided to just hang around the hotel for a bit before checking out at 11.
From Cameron Highlands 10.01.01


Once checked out, we headed towards Ringlet. I dont exactly remember why, but I am glad we did. Rizal took me to this lake - which technically is actually just a part of the river, but was big and calm enough to look like a lake.

Beautiful huh..?

From Cameron Highlands 10.01.01

From Cameron Highlands 10.01.01

From Cameron Highlands 10.01.01

From Cameron Highlands 10.01.01

From Cameron Highlands 10.01.01


After the serene time at the lake, we headed up towards Tanah Rata again. On the way, at Habu, I saw a big Boh Plantation signage and suggested to Rizal to go in. I thought it is not far from the mainroad, but nay, it was quite far inside, infact further than the one at Sungai Palas. As we drove inside it started to drizzle.

What surprises me when I got out of the car was the coldness. With it being not too far from Ringlet I wasnt expecting to be cold. But cold it was, complete with mist and fog.

See?? takyah pun travel to 4 seasons countries...

From Cameron Highlands 10.01.01

From Cameron Highlands 10.01.01

From Cameron Highlands 10.01.01


We spend about half hour or so there, drink Boh tea of course, and then head back towards the main road.

Drove all the way back towards Brinchang to take the Simpang Pulai road, and to stop over at Brinchang to buy the corns I was craving for, and to get a bit of veggie. It was truly excruciating though, cos the traffic jam was maddd.... it started just after Brinchang town itself and it was crawling all the way to the market area... took us TWO hours just for that!

Anyway in the end, I was glad I get to eat the sweet corn (it is truly truly yummy... sapa2 yang pergi camerons, you have to try it.. ) . It is so cheap to... imagine satu longgok of about 10-12 pieces was only RM10.. they sell the cooked ones as well.. you know, the typical jagung bakar and rebus.

So that was it for our short Cameron trip on the new year. It was a sad sad thing to see the temperature meter climbs from 18C to 19C... then to 20C... and finally 25Cy when we reached Simpang Pulai .. .which means tata titi tutu Cameron Highland.. see you next time...

last word- one day, if I am rich , memang nak beli a piece of land there and build a small cute house :)