Sigh

Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first. ~Ernestine Ulmer 

Strawberry White Chocolate Mousse with Pocky Chocolate Cage and that Gotye song...

By now, I know that most of you are probably familiar with the haunted Gotye's song, Somebody that I've Used to Know. If you haven't heard of it yet, click here. The other day, when I played the song in the car, Adam immediately turned to me and said, "Baa Baa Black Sheep". Huh. His Daddy instantly agreed with him.

You see, I hate to admit it but I'm tone deaf. It's a bit hard for me to notice similarities between those 2 songs. I had to put that song on repeat, and finally..yes, the melody does sound like the nursery rhyme. It's sort of "Baa Baa Black Sheep" parody or something ha ha So much of Luiz Bonfá-inspired eh :P

Anyway, this is our Iftar dessert for today. Strawberry White Chocolate mousse. I added some Pocky sticks to make it looks like my previous Pocky Chocolate Cage dessert. However, the outcome is too sweet for my liking. Perhaps I should add a layer of dark chocolate to balance out the sweetness next time. BTW, I halved the recipe and got 4 small glasses out of it. 

Okay, I'm out..London 2012 opening ceremony is starting any seconds now. Happy Weekend peeps!

Strawberry White Chocolate Mousse Recipe

Recipe adapted from SimplyRecipes
Deco inspired from my previous post, Pocky Chocolate Cage
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds of strawberries
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided
8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1 ¼ teaspoon unflavored gelatin (about half a small envelope)
2 cups heavy cream
2 Tbsp powdered (confectioner's) sugar

Method

Clean and hull the strawberries. Starting with about halfof the strawberries (3/4 pound), quarter them and purée them in either a blender or food processor. Then press the purée mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. You want to end up with 1 cup of purée. Stir in 1 Tbsp of the lemon juice and set aside. With the remaining 3/4 pound or so of berries, slice as many as to fill up 2 cups, and set aside.

Melt white chocolate in a double boiler, or a stainless steel bowl set over simmering water (make sure the simmering water doesn't actually touch the bottom of the bowl.) Stir until smooth, set aside.

Put ¼ cup of cool water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the water and let sit for 5 minutes.

Stir ¼ cup of the cream and the 2 Tbsp of powdered sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the gelatin mixture and stir until the gelatin has dissolved. Pour into the bowl of melted chocolate, and stir until smooth. Whisk in 3/4 cup of the strawberry purée. Reserve the remaining ¼ cup of purée.

Using an electric mixer, whip the remaining 1 3/4 cup of cream. (Note I usually use a blender to whip cream, but in this case an electric mixer or hand beater is preferred, you have better control over the amount of whipping.) Beat on medium-high speed until medium peaks form. Whisk one third of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the remaining whipped cream into the mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Stir the remaining 1 Tbsp of lemon juice into the reserved sliced berries. Fold the sliced berries into the mousse. Spoon mousse into serving cups and refrigerate for at least another hour, preferably several hours, or even over night (cover with plastic wrap).

When you are read to serve the mousse, pour a dollop of the reserved strawberry purée onto each serving. Add a few slices of strawberries as garnish.

Tandoori Kebabs

I knew I had to share the recipe the second I had my first bite on it. And that second happened a year ago :P After several trays were out from my oven...after dozens of sticks were used...and after bottles of spices gone. Well, better late than never, right?

I normally use chicken parts, but this time I turned them into kebabs by using boneless chicken thighs. You can use chicken breasts if you want to. I find them tasteless and plain. huhu 

So here's recipe. It's totally a keeper.:) Psst..I sprinkled too much dried mint on the kebabs in the last photo. Thus the dry look. Trust me, it's not.

Chicken Tandoori

Based on recipe taken from Tina of My Domestic Bliss. The original recipe was translated from Mat Gebu blog, Dapur Tanpa Sempadan. 

Ingredient A

500 grams chicken pieces

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon tumeric powder

Ingredient B

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 1/4 teaspoon coriander powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

red colouring (optional)

Ingredient C

1 inch ginger

3 cloves garlic

1 red chillie

1/2 tablespoon cooking oil

slices of lime

Method:

RC Note: To make tandoori kebabs, cut boneless chicken thighs into medium small sizes and then follow the rest of the instruction below. 

In a large bowl, add lemon juice, salt and tumeric powder to chicken pieces. Marinate for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile pound Ingredient C with mortar and pestle and add them to a bowl filled with Ingredient B. Mix B and C together. Add B and C mixture to the bowl of chicken and marinate further for 30 minutes.

Put them on the oven grill and brush some cooking oil. Bake at 200C until done. 

Jump to Tina's blog for the mint sauce recipe. 

Bubur Pulut Hitam a.k.a Black Glutinous Rice Dessert

Ramadhan is here, and my energy for cooking and baking has finally been renewed. he he Hopefully, I'll get to rejuvenate in other aspects too, physically and spiritually.. Amin.

Our first day of fasting was a bliss. I felt calmer and miraculously energetic than before. Or, at least for the past 2 days. We still have 26 days to go! :P We tapau some food from Geylang Bazaar that day. Nothing new, just the same old food.

I just realized that I haven't told you about our new home yet.. We've been waiting for nearly three years, and the key is finally around the corner now. And with that, our normal weekend routine has been shifted to ID appointments, home tours and suppliers warehouse visit routines. We are in the mid of ID selection process, in fact, we already 'chose' one particular ID that we think suit our need, and by that, I mean workmanship and budget. We haven't signed on anything yet though. Still waiting for our keys.. theeee...I can't wait for that moment to happen-getting keys and start with the renovation works. We already have some idea on how to bejewel our little home to make it looks nice and cozy. To us, at least. 

Okay let's talk food. I think this was the first Black Glutinous Rice dessert I've made in SG. It was second to the last same dessert I've made in KL, before I moved to SG for good. To me, Bubur Pulut Hitam, or Black Glutinous Rice dessert is notably synonym with Ramadhan. The same goes with the rest of the bubur clan; mung bean dessert, bubur chacha (sweet potato dessert, red bean dessert, just to name a few. Not sure why though. 

As for the taste, it was good, no wait, it was incredibly good! and I have plans to make it again soon. He He 

The main dish for the second Iftar is Tandoori Kebabs- recipe will be upload in my next entry. I paired the kebabs with butter rice and leftover parpu from sahur. I know..I know..parpu and kebabs are not match made in heaven but why let good food go to waste. One of my goals for this month is not to waste food. That is after I read too many Ramadhan flyers that keep reminding me of those poor and hungry Somali kids. :'(

Can you imagine fasting without sahur and Iftar for days/weeks...isk isk My prayers will always be with them. 

source: Saiful Apek Statigram
Note: Strolling the food isle in Pasar Ramadhan is less torturing if you keep those Somali people faces in mind. It's okay to buy, but please don't waste.

Bubur Pulut Hitam or Black Glutinous Rice dessert 

Loosely adapted from A Table For Two. TQ!
Serving 4-6

Ingredients

1. one cup of black glutinous rice
2. 1/2 cup of Palm Sugar (Gula Melaka)-I used brown sugar.
3. 10 tablespoon of white sugar
4. 1 can of Coconut Cream-I used coconut milk and cooked them with a little of sugar and salt
5. 1 cup water or more
6. Screwpine leaves- I added

Method

1. Roast the black glutinous rice in a frying pan on high heat. By doing this, it will release the nutty aroma of the rice. When the rice is dancing in the pan, it is ready.
2. Put the roasted rice into a pot, wash and rinse thoroughly.
3. Fill half the pot with water, cook over high heat.
4. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down to medium and keep stirring every 15 mins or so to prevent the rice sticking to the bottom and burned. During cooking, the water will be reduced and getting thicker, add more water when it becomes too dry and continue cooking.(tips below)
5. Cook until the rice is soft and mushy. (usually takes around 2 or 3 hrs at least)-I used cast iron pot and it took me about 1 hr +/- to finish cooking. 
6. Add palm sugar, stir until dissolved.-I used brown sugar..
7. Add white sugar to taste, stir until dissolved.
8. Once ready, remove from heat.
9. Pour the porridge into a small bowl, add a few spoonful of coconut cream on top.- I added the cooked coconut milk on top. 
10. Ready to serve hot, enjoy!-Let it cold in room temp, store it in fridge after that. I enjoy it cold.. :)

Pssst..I know I've said something about uploading Adam Birthday cakes photos today. But I'm sorry to tell you that it's not going to happen. Most of the photo was not with us, if you get what I mean. Bad angles and under-exposed. Isk. I can't even fix it with editing :P I guess we'll have to bare with that not-so-good-but-not-so-bad-either instagram photo here.  

Down the memory lane: Happy Birthday Adam!

Finally, I got some time to sit down and update! :P 

And here's to Adam. Happy Birthday! :)

20th of July 2009-The day he was born. That's his birth video, and yes, through C-sect. 

His first hour of life. 

Day 3: We were still in hospital, learning how to BF, bathing, massaging him and whatnot.

First mommy-son moment...

Day 4

First day at home.

First jap, followed by his first fever.. huhu

In his crib.

OTW to nursery...

thee..

First jeans!

eyes

Our Second anniversary dinner.. Adam @ 2 months +

First phewit :P

At 3 months old. 

His first flip!

Followed with proud smile :P

Aqiqah day@5 months

Rocking Elmo.. he he @6 month.. we finally moved to SG for good. 

Hello! :D

@7 months old

His curly hair started to grow.

Our first so called picnic.

First haircut! 

First shoes..fancy..I know :P @13 months..

Picnic!

First cry shot!

First attempt!

His Darth Vader moment :P

Rise and shine ppl!

Dinosaur cake 

Cakk!

Second Raya! He was 3 months old when he had his first raya.. x count he he 

Third Raya! ha ha baju recycled!

First fireworks!

Wabbit!

My fav shot! :)

His first bike!

First MRT ride! :p

Oucha!

The hair.

Korea-First oversea trip.

New iPad!

Nah..

Peeping Adam

First badminton session!

First fall!

Favorite ride @zoo

Falisha

Terrer sket :P

Pose!

Sharp bend..

Port Dickson

Third birthday! :D 

Birthday Donuts 'cake' for his friends at playschool. KrispyKreme copycat donuts from here. 

 Chocolate cake with Peanut butter Frosting for his birthday party at home :) Recipe from K.Rima's. I'll upload better pic of the cakes soon..

To Adam, you are the apple of our eye and our biggest bundle of happiness. Your existence has given my life a meaning and a purpose-you're the reason I get out of the bed everyday! You make us so happy and proud with every single things you do. May you have a great year and glorious life ahead. We love you, Adam. Happy Birthday!