Assalamualaikum Gerang Asam adalah salah satu sajian yang cukup popular dikalangan masyarakat Baba dan Nyonya. Baba dan Nyonya adalah segolongan keturunan kaum Cina yang unik kedudukannya di kalangan kaum Cina yang terdapat di Negeri-negeri Selat, Tanah Melayu (kini sebahagian Malaysia), khususnya di negeri Melaka . Bagaimanapun, sebahagian mereka enggan mengakui bahawa mereka adalah orang Cina tetapi sebaliknya mendakwa bahawa mereka adalah rakyat British dan amat berbangga dengan kedudukan ini. Mereka memanggil diri mereka sebagai "Baba" atau "Peranakan" kerana kebudayaan mereka, yang berasal daripada warisan tradisi Cina, mempunyai unsur-unsur pengaruh kebudayaan Melayu . Penyesuaian dan resapan budaya mereka terhadap suasana sosio-budaya di persekitaran mereka di zaman silam, iaitu melalui perkahwinan campur yang berlaku di antara kaum-kaum Cina dan Melayu, adalah punca utama mengapa generasi-generasi seterusnya memanggil mereka sebagai "Baba". Dari segi anutan, kebanyakannya masih mengekalkan agama tradisional Cina dan Buddha , namun telah ramai yang memeluk agama lain seperti Kristian Kebanyakan pendatang Cina yang terawal sekali berhijrah ke Tanah Melayu adalah daripada kelompok Hokkien. Oleh itu, kebanyakan orang Baba juga adalah Hokkien dan mereka yang berasal daripada keturunan Hokkien masih menganggap diri mereka sebagai orang Hokkien meskipun kebanyakannya tidak pandai bertutur dalam loghat Hokkien. Ada juga orang Baba yang berasal daripada keturunan Kantonis, Hakka, dan lain-lain. Budaya Baba berasal dari Melaka tetapi apabila Pulau Pinang dan Singapura berkembang dan dimajukan, banyak juga di antara mereka yang berpindah ke kedua-dua negeri ini, terutamanya Singapura. Kaum Baba yang wujud pada hari ini bertutur dalam bahasa Baba iaitu sejenis dialek Melayu yang dapat difahami oleh kebanyakan orang Melayu. Cara masakan mereka kebanyakannya diresapi oleh cara masakan Melayu dan adalah menjadi satu kebiasaan bagi mereka makan dengan menggunakan tangan sebagaimana juga orang-orang Melayu. Generasi Nyonya (Baba perempuan) yang terdahulu masih memakai pakaian kebaya dan kain sarong sebagaimana yang dipakai oleh orang-orang Melayu. Kesan dari pengaruh Melayu, lahirnya masakan 'Nyonya' yang menggunakan rempah masakan Melayu. Contohnya ayam kapitan , sejenis kari ayam kering; inci kabin , iaitu ayam goreng cara Nyonya; dan pindang bandeng , kuah ikan yang dihidangkan ketika meraikan tahun baru Cina di singapura. ~ sumber : Wikipedia Hari ini ita nak kongsikan satu resepi yang cukup istimewa dari masyarakat Baba dan Nyonya. Resepi ini ita ambil dari buku masakan Chef yang berasal dari keturunan Baba dan Nyonya, siapa lagi kalau bukan Chef kesukaan ramai Chef Florence Tan. Buku beliau Receipes from the Nyonya Kitchen menghimpunkan 70 koleksi resepi dari rumpun masyarakat Baba dan Nyonya dari Melaka dan Pulau Pinang. Siapa yang tak kenal dengan Chef Florence Tan kan? Anak kelahiran Baba Nyonya Melaka ini cukup fasih berbahasa Melayu. Orangnya yang peramah, sentiasa mengukir senyuman dan tuturkatanya yang lembut kadang kala seakan berdondang sayang ketika melantunkan tuturkata ketika berbicara. Walaupun usianya sudah mencecah 65 tahun, namun beliau masih aktif mengadakan kelas atau bengkel masakan dan mempromosikan masakan Malaysia ke seluruh dunia. Beliau juga aktif melakukan kerja-kerja amal bagi membantu ibu-ibu tunggal dengan mengadakan bengkel masakan. Dari segi pengalaman, beliau sememangnya pakar dalam masakan Baba dan Nyonya Melaka lebih dari 50 tahun. Pernah mewakili Malaysia mempromosikan masakan di Jepun, Hong Kong, England, Perancis, Netherlands dan New York. Beliau turut di jemput untuk memperkatakan mengenai masakan Baba dan Nyonya di Stesyen Televisyen Australia ~ Channel of Australia ABC, Rick Stein di Stesyen Televisyen British BBC, Merrilees Parker dan Bobby Chin di Travel & Living, Kuali dan Simply Delicious. Menurut Chef Florence Tan, masakan Baba Nyonya Melaka dan Pulau Pinang ada banyak perbezaannya. Masakan Baba Nyonya Pulau Pinang misalnya, mempunyai elemen-elemen masam- masam manis berbanding dengan masakan Baba Nyonya Melaka yang lebih kepada gabungan rempah ratus, herba dan ulam-ulaman yang membangkitkan lagi aroma dalam sesuatu masakan itu. Berbalik pada resepi Gerang Asam ni pula, pada ita ianya seakan resepi asam pedas, namun masih ada perbezaannya bila kita menikmatinya. Sukar ita nak rungkaikan tentang keenakan dan kesedapan sajian ini, jika ingin tahu apakah perbezaannya kenalah mencuba! Cadangan dari Chef, gerang asam enak di sediakan bersama ikan tenggiri atau ikan pari. Tapi disebabkan hanya ada ikan kembung aje dalam peti ais, ita mengambil keputusan untuk menjadikan ikan kembung sebagai galang gantinya. Sangat enak bila dihidangkan bersama nasi panas-panas, sambal belacan dan ulam-ulaman sebagai peneman. Boleh juga di cicah bersama roti. Cubalah pastinya menjilat jari! GERANG ASAM By : Chef Florence Tan Rujukan : Recipes From The Nyonya Kitchen 3/4 cawan minyak masak 3 cawan air asam jawa ~ 75 gm asam jawa +750 ml air diramas dan ambil airnya 900 gm ikan tenggiri ~ ita guna 6 ekor ikan kembung 2 helai daun limau purut 1/2 sudu kecil gula 2 1/2 sudu kecil garam 20 batang bendi Bahan Perencah 20 batang cili kering ~ di rendam hingga lembut 18 biji bawang merah 2 ulas bawang putih 5 biji buah keras 1/2 inc kunyit hidup 1 inc lengkuas 4 batang serai ~ ita kisar 2 batang dan 2 batang lagi ita titik 1 1/2 sudu kecil belacan Semua bahan di atas dikisar halus Panaskan minyak dalam kuali atau periuk Tumiskan bahan kisar hingga harum baunya Masukkan serai yang dititik Tambahkan air asam jawa dan biarkan ia mendidih Besarkan api sedikit, dan masukkan ikan, daun limau purut, garam dan gula secukup rasa Masak lagi selama 4~5 minit atau sehingga kuah mendidih Akhir sekali masukkan bendi dan renehkan lagi hingga bendi masak sempurna GERANG ASAM Spicy and Sour Fish Curry By: Chef Florence Tan Sauce : Recipes from the Nyonya Kitchen Ingredient 175 ml or 3/4 cup cooking oil 3 cups tamarind juice or 750 ml water + 75 gm tamarind pulp 900 gm Spanish Mackerel, sliced into 11/2 tick pieces 2 kaffir lime leaves ~ optional 1/2 teaspoon sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons salt 20 young lady's fingers Finely Ground Paste 20 dried chillies, soaled in water and drained 18 shallots, peeled 2 cloves garlic, peeled 5 candlenuts 1/2 inc fresh turmeric, peeled 1 inc galangal, peeled 4 stalks lemon grass, sliced 11/2 teaspoons crushed dried shrimp paste Method Heat the cooking oil and fry finely ground paste until fragrant Add the tamarind juice and bring to a boil. Simmer for 4 minutes Increase the heat and add fish, kaffir lime leaves, sugar and salt. Cookfor 4 minutes. Add lady's fingers and cooked for another 5 minutes until the fish is done and lady's fingers are tender

Sorry for missing in action for few days, i was busy with a team of contractors to fix some furniture in my house and another team doing water feature in my garden. When not updating for few days, I feel lazy to update a new post....Anyway, i'm back again with this buttery, moist and full of orange aroma butter cake. I saw this cake in j3ss kitch3n who adapted from Almost Bourdain . This cake is very similar to the orange butter cake that I learnt how to bake for the 1st time. As quoted by Ellie of Almost Bourdain: This Sicilian Orange Cake is the famous orange cake from the once popular Café Agostini (this cafe has closed on 22 July, 2005) owned by Margie Agostini, in the heart of Sydney ’s suburb for the rich and famous, Woollahra. Customers have often been heard to say that “Margie’s orange cake is to die for”. I found this recipe on Rick Stein's Mediterranean Escape Cookbook a while ago but was surprised to find out how this recipe was linked to Australia: Rick Stein: "To be accurate, I suppose this cake should be known as Margie Agostini's orange cake. It was her signature dish at her greatly missed Caffe Agostini in Woollahra in Sydney. It seemed to me to be just made for Sicilian oranges. The recipe came from an article in the Times by Jill Dupleix, although I had eaten the cake at the cafe a few years earlier and I thought it was amazing. As Jill says, it has to be the richest, moistest, butteriest and yet lightest orange cake in the world." Sicilian Orange Cake (adapted and modified from j3ss kitch3n ) Ingredients 250g unsalted butter, softened 200g caster sugar 4 medium eggs grated orange zest from 2 oranges 250g self raising flour 120ml freshly squeezed orange juice 1/2tsp Rum, optional ( worth to add this ! ) Method: 1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a cake pan. 2. Using an electrical beater, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 3. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, if necessary adding a spoonful of flour with the last egg to prevent the mixture from curdling. Beat in the orange zest and rum. Add the flour all at once and mix well, then slowly mix in the orange juice. 4.Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 45-50mins or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake, comes out clean. If it starts to brown too quickly, cover loosely with a sheet of lightly greased aluminum foil. 5.Leave the cake, in the pan, to cool on a wire rack, then unmold and serve. Happy Baking !! Happy Weekend and Happy Labour Day !!

1 tablespoon sunflower oil 1 onion , finely chopped 4 garlic cloves , crushed 1 inch piece fresh ginger , finely grated 1 kg lean ground lamb 1 small red chile , deseeded and finely chopped 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 ripe tomato , chopped 1 tablespoon tomato puree 1 teaspoon tamarind paste 1 1/4 kg floury potatoes , cut into chunks 50 g unsalted butter 2 -3 tablespoons milk 300 ml chicken stock, hot 1/4 cup fresh coriander , chopped 1 Heat oil in large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring 10 minutes until onion is just starting to colour. Add lamb and cook 5 minutes to brown. Tip into a colander and rest to drain excess fat. 2 Return meat to pan and add chilli, turmeric, coriander and cumin. Cook 1 more minute. Stir in tomato, tomato puree, tamarind and stock. Season and simmer 25 minutes (lamb should still be fairly moist). Stir in fresh coriander. 3 Transfer meat mixture to an ovenproof dish and set aside. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C, gas mark 6. 4 For the potato topping, place potatoes in a large pan of salted water, boil, and simmer until tender. Drain, return to pan and mash with a potato masher (I use a potato ricer - no lumps!). Add butter and enough milk to form a spreadable mash. 5 Spoon potato topping over lamb. Bake in oven 30 minutes until hot and golden. 6 Spoon p.

400 g dried spaghetti 175 g piece smoked pancetta , without rind 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 finely chopped garlic cloves 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley , finely chopped 3 large eggs , beaten 50 g pecorino cheese, finely grated salt and black pepper 1 Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. 2 Meanwhile, cut the pancetta into lardons (little chunky strips about 6mm wide). 3 Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the oil and pancetta. Stir until golden. 4 Add the garlic and parsley, heat for a few more seconds then remove from the heat. 5 Drain the spaghetti well, retaining a ladle-full of the cooking water, and add the pasta to the frying pan. 6 Mix well and add the water to create a bit of a sauce, then stir in the beaten eggs and half the cheese. Toss together. 7 The heat of the pasta will cook the eggs sufficiently to make them creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 8 Serve with the remaining cheese sprinkled on top.

2 lbs beef stew meat 1 ounce plain flour 5 tablespoons sunflower oil 1 ounce unsalted butter 8 ounces button mushrooms , trimmed 2 onions , thinly sliced 1/2 teaspoon sugar 10 fluid ounces Guinness stout 10 fluid ounces beef broth 3 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 12 pacific oysters 1 lb puff pastry 1 small egg , beaten, for brushing salt & freshly ground black pepper 1 Season the pieces of steak with salt and pepper, then toss with the flour and shake off but reserve the excess. Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a flameproof casserole or large saucepan and brown the meat in 2 batches until well coloured on all sides. Transfer to a plate. 2 Add another tbsp of the oil, half the butter and the mushrooms to the pan and fry briefly. Set aside with the beef. Add the rest of the oil and butter, the onions and sugar to the pan and fry over a medium-high heat for 20 minutes, until the onions are nicely browned. Stir in the reserved flour, then gradually add the Guinness and stock and bring to the boil, stirring. 3 Return the beef and mushrooms to the pan with the thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, ¾ tsp of salt and some pepper, then cover and simmer for 1½ hours, until the meat is just tender. 4 Lift the meat, mushrooms and onions out of the liquid with a slotted spoon and put into a deep 1.2 litre (2 pint) pie dish. Bring the liquid to the boil and boil rapidly until reduced to 600 ml (1 pint). Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme twigs, adjust the seasoning if necessary and pour into the pie dish. Stir everything together well and leave to cool completely. 5 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. To open the oysters, wrap one hand in a tea towel and hold an oyster in it with the flat shell uppermost. Push the point of an oyster knife into the hinge, located at the narrowest point, and wiggle the knife back and forth until the hinge breaks and you can slide the knife between the 2 shells. Twist the point of the knife upwards to lever up the top shell, cut through the ligament and lift off the top shell. Release the oyster from the bottom shell and remove it, picking out any little bits of shell. Add the oysters to the pie dish and push them well down into the sauce. Push a pie funnel into the centre of the mixture. 6 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is 2.5cm (1in) larger than the top of the pie dish. Cut off a thin strip from around the edge, brush it with a little beaten egg and press it on to the rim of the dish. Brush it with more egg, cut a small cross into the centre of the larger piece of pastry and lay it over the dish so that the funnel pokes through the cross. Press the edges together well to seal. Trim away the excess overhanging pastry and crimp the edges between your fingers to give it an attractive finish. Chill for 20 minutes to relax the pastry. 7 Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is bubbling hot.

1 tablespoon sunflower oil 1 onion , finely chopped 4 garlic cloves , crushed 1 inch piece fresh ginger , finely grated 1 kg lean ground lamb 1 small red chile , deseeded and finely chopped 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 ripe tomato , chopped 1 tablespoon tomato puree 1 teaspoon tamarind paste 1 1/4 kg floury potatoes , cut into chunks 50 g unsalted butter 2 -3 tablespoons milk 300 ml chicken stock, hot 1/4 cup fresh coriander , chopped 1 Heat oil in large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring 10 minutes until onion is just starting to colour. Add lamb and cook 5 minutes to brown. Tip into a colander and rest to drain excess fat. 2 Return meat to pan and add chilli, turmeric, coriander and cumin. Cook 1 more minute. Stir in tomato, tomato puree, tamarind and stock. Season and simmer 25 minutes (lamb should still be fairly moist). Stir in fresh coriander. 3 Transfer meat mixture to an ovenproof dish and set aside. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C, gas mark 6. 4 For the potato topping, place potatoes in a large pan of salted water, boil, and simmer until tender. Drain, return to pan and mash with a potato masher (I use a potato ricer - no lumps!). Add butter and enough milk to form a spreadable mash. 5 Spoon potato topping over lamb. Bake in oven 30 minutes until hot and golden. 6 Spoon p.

2 lbs beef stew meat 1 ounce plain flour 5 tablespoons sunflower oil 1 ounce unsalted butter 8 ounces button mushrooms , trimmed 2 onions , thinly sliced 1/2 teaspoon sugar 10 fluid ounces Guinness stout 10 fluid ounces beef broth 3 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 12 pacific oysters 1 lb puff pastry 1 small egg , beaten, for brushing salt & freshly ground black pepper 1 Season the pieces of steak with salt and pepper, then toss with the flour and shake off but reserve the excess. Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a flameproof casserole or large saucepan and brown the meat in 2 batches until well coloured on all sides. Transfer to a plate. 2 Add another tbsp of the oil, half the butter and the mushrooms to the pan and fry briefly. Set aside with the beef. Add the rest of the oil and butter, the onions and sugar to the pan and fry over a medium-high heat for 20 minutes, until the onions are nicely browned. Stir in the reserved flour, then gradually add the Guinness and stock and bring to the boil, stirring. 3 Return the beef and mushrooms to the pan with the thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, ¾ tsp of salt and some pepper, then cover and simmer for 1½ hours, until the meat is just tender. 4 Lift the meat, mushrooms and onions out of the liquid with a slotted spoon and put into a deep 1.2 litre (2 pint) pie dish. Bring the liquid to the boil and boil rapidly until reduced to 600 ml (1 pint). Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme twigs, adjust the seasoning if necessary and pour into the pie dish. Stir everything together well and leave to cool completely. 5 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. To open the oysters, wrap one hand in a tea towel and hold an oyster in it with the flat shell uppermost. Push the point of an oyster knife into the hinge, located at the narrowest point, and wiggle the knife back and forth until the hinge breaks and you can slide the knife between the 2 shells. Twist the point of the knife upwards to lever up the top shell, cut through the ligament and lift off the top shell. Release the oyster from the bottom shell and remove it, picking out any little bits of shell. Add the oysters to the pie dish and push them well down into the sauce. Push a pie funnel into the centre of the mixture. 6 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is 2.5cm (1in) larger than the top of the pie dish. Cut off a thin strip from around the edge, brush it with a little beaten egg and press it on to the rim of the dish. Brush it with more egg, cut a small cross into the centre of the larger piece of pastry and lay it over the dish so that the funnel pokes through the cross. Press the edges together well to seal. Trim away the excess overhanging pastry and crimp the edges between your fingers to give it an attractive finish. Chill for 20 minutes to relax the pastry. 7 Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is bubbling hot.

400 g dried spaghetti 175 g piece smoked pancetta , without rind 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 finely chopped garlic cloves 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley , finely chopped 3 large eggs , beaten 50 g pecorino cheese, finely grated salt and black pepper 1 Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. 2 Meanwhile, cut the pancetta into lardons (little chunky strips about 6mm wide). 3 Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the oil and pancetta. Stir until golden. 4 Add the garlic and parsley, heat for a few more seconds then remove from the heat. 5 Drain the spaghetti well, retaining a ladle-full of the cooking water, and add the pasta to the frying pan. 6 Mix well and add the water to create a bit of a sauce, then stir in the beaten eggs and half the cheese. Toss together. 7 The heat of the pasta will cook the eggs sufficiently to make them creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 8 Serve with the remaining cheese sprinkled on top.