038 - Peanut Butter Ramen! #RamenHack

Good evening ladies and gentleman! It is now Friday, 7:19 PM in the evening as I type this. A pretty weird time to be at home and do some blogging some of you might say right? NOPE. 

Any time is a perfect blogging time for me!

Time to check out this new recipe I came up recently.  

I know you love peanut butter. I mean, WHO DOESN’T right? (Too bad for those with peanut allergy though lol). I absolutely love PB. I can eat it out of a jar with a spoon non-stop (I’ll probably stop after I remember it can cause terrible acne to my face, ugh)

Who knew PB also goes well with Instant Ramen? Let me show you how!

This is, PEANUT BUTTER RAMEN

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For 1 servings, you will need:

1 Packet of Instant Ramen. I’m using Indomie’s Chicken Onion flavor.

1,5 tbsp of Smooth Peanut Butter

2 Garlic, grated

1 tsp Dried Chili Flakes

1 tsp of Sugar

Pinch of Salt

1 tbsp vinegar. I’m using rice vinegar

(optional) 2 tsp sesame seed oil

(optional) 1 tbsp Gochujang (Korean Pepper Paste, you can read more about it here)

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Ready? Here We Go!

Step 1 – Boil your noodles as instructed, bla bla bla, you know the drill. Here’s the catch: Mix the seasonings with the water, and cook the noodle halfway through. We will boil the noodle once again right after the PB paste is done. Set it aside, and Read on!

I can imagine Hell looked a bit like this eh?

Remember how Justin Timberlake used to have this for a hair?

In goes the seasoning

Don't forget the chili too

..and the oil!

Step 2 – Get a non-stick pan, pour about 1 tbsp of cooking oil on medium heat. First, in goes the garlic. Give it a good stir. And then add the chili flakes. Give it yet, another stir. You shall smell that lovely heat by now.

Oil (obviously, duh)

Vampire's eternal enemy (Garlic)

Don't you just love to stir it?

Chili Flakes

Slowly turning into a paste

Step 3 – Add your Peanut Butter! The PB will melt, thanks to the heat. Give it a nice stir, and add the vinegar and sesame seed oil (optional). Continue stirring, and then add the sugar. You will see that the mixture will turn into a paste, and if you fancy, it is now the time to throw in the Gochujang. Give it a nice stir, and by now it shall look like Belacan (Shrimp Paste). Finish with a sprinkle of salt, and set aside.

PEEE BEEE!!!

Stir, then add the vinegar and sesame seed oil (optional)

Sugar, we're going down

Bubbling!

GOCHUJANG!!

Salt to finish!

Step 4 – Reheat the noodle and the broth. Grab a bowl, and put your PB paste in. After the broth gets boiling once again, add it into the paste a little at a time while stirring it. This will prevent lumps, and will make the broth smooth as silk. After you pour every broth, it is time to put the noodles in, and whaddya know? WE’RE DONE!

Step 5 – Serve.

Thank me later folks, this thing is amazing.

Peace

xx

037 - Silky Scrambled Eggs (Fast, Easy, CHEAP!)

Hello and happy weekend people!

How was your week? Mine was pretty awesome (snagged 21 Jump Street Blu Ray for 30% off? SCORE).

Anyway, since Ramadhan (fasting month) is right around the corner, I’m going to try to come up with more easy to whip up recipe to accommodate this holy month!

Recipe for today is very, VERY, straight forward. It is also very light tasting, perfect to match with any carbs you like. Rice, Bread, Pasta, all of it will work fine!

This is the SILKY SCRAMBLED EGGS!

I love eggs. Who doesn’t?? It is filled with protein, it is fulfilling, it is very flexible, and….IT IS CHEAP.

The recipe calls out for 3 ingredients only. How’s that for cost saving solution?

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For 1 servings, you will need:

3 fresh eggs. Get organic if you can, the yolk tends to be bolder in flavor!

1 Tbsp of Butter. GREAT NEWS! Margarine can work in place of Butter too!!

Salt to taste

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Ready? Here We Go!

Step 1 – Get a bowl and crack all your eggs in. Get a fork and start whisking. Just mix for about 20 seconds, and set it aside.

Cracking eggs? Don't be afraid. Thump it with confidence against a hard surface, and BOOM. Off they go.

Don't overwhip! 

Step 2 – Get a non-stick pan, and pour 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. DON’T START THE STOVE YET.

GOT YA! I didn't pour the eggs just yet :p

Step 3 – Pour your eggs and butter in THEN you can start the stove. Use Medium-Low heat. I personally always start at Low, before gradually increasing to medium throughout the whole process. This way, the egg will become silky smooth. I actually first see this technique used by Gordon Ramsay. But his version is a bit different than mine. See the video and read on!

Eggy shower...

..with Butter for company

Step 4 – Rubber spatula is the only tool you will need for this. It won’t break the non-stick coating, and it doesn’t burn your hand! Constantly stir the egg non-stop to cook it. You can see the progress on the picture I took. After the first 30 seconds of stirring, add the Salt.  It took me around 4 minutes of constant wristwork to get this dish finished!

First stage

Salt goes in

See how it starts to curdle?

Keep going, nearly there

Bloody beautiful!

That is what you're aiming for!

Set it aside to avoid overcooking!

Step 5 – Serve!

Talk about quick and easy eh? I like to cook this for breakfast. I put it on top of my toast, and crack some black pepper over it, and yum yum yum. Love on my tummy people!

Here's some tips to remember by:

1. Fresh eggs, fresh eggs, fresh eggs. Stale eggs? Get the f**k outta here!
2. Improv? You can! mix some herbs and spices in the egg mix. Dried Parsley and Dill worked brilliantly well!

Give this recipe a go!

Peace

xx

036 - Chicken Skin Roll (!!!!)

Readers, let me ask you a question. What’s your favorite place and time to get an idea?

Was it the moment just before bedtime? While taking a shower? Or was it during a communal trip?

For me, it’s on the toilet during Number 2.

*insert shocked emoji here*

Yes, when I do my ‘business’, I sometimes get crazy idea inside my head. And this time, it’s a no brainer. It’s utterly insane, and I’m sure this will make youth screaming in excitement and parents crying in agony.

CHICKEN SKIN ROLL.

Inspired by the famous Lobster Roll from Maine, and Pork Crackling, this thing is absolute game changer. The secret to create a rather lovely looking and lovely tasting chicken skin lays in the first part: Boiling. This will help release all the nasty scum that it’s left in the chicken skin, leaving it prime, pristine, and most of all, more able to withstand heat without curling too much.

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For 1 servings, you will need:

200 grams of chicken skin. Chicken skin is very cheap. I bought 250 grams of it for only IDR 6,000.- (that’s 50 cents US Dollar!!!)

1 Hot Dog bun

½ tsp of Salt

1 tsp of Black Pepper

1 tsp of Paprika Powder

2 tbsp of Corn Starch. If you want more awesome crunch, substitute with Potato Starch (It’s available at a large supermarket, such as G**L** at SCBD area)

2 cups of Water

3 tbsp of Cooking Oil

For the coleslaw

100 grams of Cabbage, shredded finely.

50 grams of Carrot, cut into matchsticks.

2 tbsp of Mayonnaise

Pinch of Salt

Pinch of Black Pepper

½ Lemon. We’re using the juice only.

For the sauce

1 tbsp of Mayonnaise

1 tbsp of Spicy sauce/concoction. Wasabi, Tabasco, Sri Racha, Dua Belibis, use whichever fits your taste. I’m using Gochujang (Korean Spicy Chili Paste)

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Ready? Here We Go!

Step 1 – Cut your cabbage nice and finely if you haven’t done so. Peel the carrots and continue the process to yield the lovely ribbons.

Be careful with your hands, people

Easier to make ribbons, right?

Step 2 – Mix in the cabbage with the carrots, add the mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Mix it thoroughly. You can serve this directly, but for best tasting, leave it covered inside a fridge overnight.

You can't see it, but there's a Cabbage under there. Oh, i'm squeezing Lemons here.

Kewpie saving the day!

Salt

Pepper

Step 3 – Now let’s cook the chicken skin. Get a small pot, and boil the 2 cups of water. Give it a pinch of salt.

Skip the bullcrap, the water has been boiling for 2 minutes and there i am, putting salt into the water

Step 4 - Once boiling, put each and every piece of chicken skin in. Chicken skin is not actually pretty. Sometimes you see bits with blackened spots, or even feather roots still attached! The black spots can be removed easily by simply tearing it. Don’t worry about the feather either. The boiling will help make the removal process hell of a lot easier.

This is not exactly a pretty sight, eh?

Step 5 – Around 30 seconds – 1 minute after you put the chicken skin in, you will see that there is a white scum forming around the surface. Use a wired spoon (or in my case, measuring cup) and remove this. This is excess fat, and posed no use for the taste. Keep boiling it for another 2 minutes.

Scum appearing

Scum disappearing

Step 6 – After 2 minutes, strain the chicken skin, and proceed to wash it under clean, running, cold water. This will shock the chicken skin to stop the cooking process. And what are the odds? This process also helps you remove any leftover feather roots easily! After you finished cleaning everything, set it on paper towel to dry.

Step 7 – Season the chicken skin with salt, pepper, and paprika, and give it a good massage. Mehehehehehehe, Massage. Don’t worry; it won’t break the skin unless you’re going into R territory. Me? I’m keeping it PG-13 J

Salt

Pepper

Paprika

Mixed seasoning

Apply liberally

Well seasoned!

Step 8 – Heat a nonstick pan and pour the cooking oil. Let it heat up on medium heat.

Step 9 – Pour the corn starch over the chicken. Ensure every part is covered. Shake off any excess.

Corn starch worked well with chicken skin!

Excess already shaken off on this picture

Step 10 – Once you see smoke coming out from the pan, place your chicken, GENTLY. Chicken skin is made of Fat. And when fat hits oil, it’ll most likely splatter. So always be safe when doing so! I always use the tray of my cooking pan as a shield, a la the movie 300. Cook this for around 2 minutes, checking often to see if it’s golden brown already. Once it’s golden brown, give it a flip, and do the same with the other side.

Watch the edges, careful not to burn it!

After the flip. I ended up doing multiple flip over a course of 40 seconds interval several times.

Step 11 – Once the skin is cooked golden brown, transfer it into paper towel to drain any excess oil. Meanwhile, toast your hot dog bun. Uhmm mmm, nothing feels better than a warm bun on a cold day!

If that's not beautiful, i don't know what is

Step 12 – Assemble. Bun – Coleslaw – Skin – Lime wedge (optional) - Sauce.

Bun

Coleslaw

The golden crunch

Lime for contrast!

Sauce!!!

Step 13 – Serve!

This roll tastes exactly how you imagine it to be; savory and crunchy. Adding lime wedges helped to counteract the savory and spicy taste, creating an even better sensation while eating.

It feels great to tell you how I come up with this original recipe and able to share it with you guys!

In interest of good health, please eat this sparingly. Also, it is best to serve this roll as soon as possible

Give it a go, and looking forward to see anyone of you try and cook this!

Peace

xx