Monday, January 29, 2007

Teahouse Malaysian Beef Curry Kari Daging



I would suggest 2 to 3 kg of quality beef meat for example Topside roast or at the very least or Rump steak with its fat trimmed. This is sufficient for 4 people when served with steamed rice and salad. Topside or roast beef is ideal. But avoid shin beef because it would be too tough for our purpose. I am going to keep this as simple as possible. Email me if there is any problem.


Cut the selected lump of topside beef into 2”x 2” fillets along its grain. Then slice the fillets into mouth size pieces across its grain in quarter inch thickness to prevent fast disintegration and overcooking. Set aside the sliced raw meat.



Ingredients :

6 cloves 2 tablespoon sambal oelek chilli sauce
2 cardamom pods Finely dice half a ripened tomato
Crush a knob of fresh ginger 2” in length 2-tablespoon Malaysian curry powder
2 star aniseeds 1/4 bloc of crushed creamed coconut
1 cinnamon quill snapped into half 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
2 kaffir lime leaves 1 teaspoon ground yellow turmeric
2 medium size brown onion quartered 3 teaspoon red paprika



Methods :

Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan with oil and sauté under low heat with a wooden spoon stirring gently in all the mentioned ingredients (till brown onion become translucent) and blend into paste with the melted coconut cream and tomato.

Now add your sliced topside beef into the saucepan. Turn the heat on high for 2 or 3 minutes when blending thoroughly your cooked ingredients and the meat together. Continue stirring till the meat changes to obscure colour.

Add ¼ cup water stirring in to blend. Turn heat back on lowest point and put the lid back on the saucepan. This is to keep all the flavour in. Restir the content at every 10 minutes interval but not to forget to recover the saucepan. Finally add a teaspoon of salt to taste. The whole cooking process should last no longer than 35 minutes.


Bon Apetit’!

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Take 5

Teahouse Journal Update

Another hectic year has gone and past and 2007 is really with us. This whole year I plan to first reorganise and then expand my topical conversation . This is more than a food or a diner's journal .

It is a journal and kept record about what I have done over the years reflecting back what I have achieved and how I could do better in the future.

Some of my Diary format will change gradually overtime. I shall include in and explore more new theme and additional labels such as My Travel, Fruits and Vegetables, My Commentary and a host of other related topics that truly reflect my philosophical outlook to life.


I shall also concentrate and dwell more into my other existing theme such as The Teahouse Historical portfolio but I am dutifully reminding myself not to forget and to neglect the major theme on Food Dishes and Spices which is part and parcel and corollary to this Dom's Teahouse Chronicle.


Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Reunited In A World Apart

What Do They Share In Common?



They are firstly cousin to each other . They live in a world apart from each other and they are all closely related to the author. What is more this is their first reunion and 'get-together' since they were born and they are going to spend for the next few weeks in Australia trying to make up for a lifetime. Mariam on my left from Malaysia is my niece who happens to be my elder brother's daughter . She is an NGO executive working for the World Vision International organisation. Wystan Chevannes my nephew is a young GP out from England on a cricket entourage as part of the 'Barmy Army' organised group attached to the Ashes . The lady in the middle Ms Ming Zhu Hii happens to be my daughter who by profession is a playwright, a dramatist and a stage theatre performer.