Kitchen Trails - Whole Meal Pizza

I try to eat less gluten, and when I do eat them, I try to eat whole grains.

I have always been a bit wary of using yeast in my baking, but pizza dough seems easy enough, even for me hehehe

So today I forayed into making whole meal pizza dough. 

Ingredients

1 envelope instant yeast (you can use active dried yeast, just need to rest it longer)

1 tsp sugar

1 1/3 cup warm water

2 tbsp olive oil

1- 2 tsp salt

1 tbsp honey (optional)

3 1/2 cups whole meal flour plus extra for kneading

Corn meal, to dust the baking tray/sheet/stone

Method

(I chose to add the yeast into the water and sugar even though I used instant yeast.)

In a mixing bowl, add the yeast, warm water and sugar. Give it a stir and let it sit for a few minutes to activate. It will foam a little

Add in the olive oil and honey and salt. Stir to mix

Add in the flour. At this point you can either mix it with a spatula, a big spoon or with your hands. Or use the dough hook (use a slow - medium speed) on the stand mixer if you are using a mixer.

Mix/knead for 10 minutes. The dough should be less sticky at this point. If it's still wet-ish and sticky, add a bit more flour (a tbsp at a time) and knead. Do not add in too much flour, else your pizza base will turn out really hard and dry. If on the other hand, the dough is dry and flaky, add in water a tbsp at a time and knead.

Once the dough is smooth and soft, and will slowly "bounce" back if you prod it, it's ready for proofing. Otherwise, continue kneading a bit more.

Apply a thin layer of olive oil on the walls of a BIG bowl and plop the dough in, gently cover the whole ball of dough in a thin film of olive oil. Use cling film and cover the bowl well. Let it rest in a warm place for the yeast to work its magic. The dough should double the size. It can take from 1- 2 hours, depending on yeast amount, temperature, etc etc.

Preheat the oven to 235 C. Let it preheat for a good 30 mins. We need the oven to be really hot when we put the pizza in.

Once it has risen nicely, cut and divide the dough into 4. Dust a working surface with flour and gently pull, roll and shape the dough into a disc shape. Roll the dough thinner if you want a thin crust, and leave it thicker if you want a chewier crust. You get the idea.

Some like to "pinch" and shape the edges into a lip to sort of "hold" the toppings, I prefer it to be kinda flat.

Apply a good coat of olive oil on the pizza. Now, I like to bake the base for 5 minutes to kinda "set" it. This is a optional step. Some will put the topping and bake the pizza at a go.

Add the topping and bake for about 15 minutes, depending on how thick your pizza base is.

Enjoy!!

Kitchen Trails - Healthier Carrot Cake

I was looking for a healthier option for carrot cake, and after some research, I came up with this version. Using half all purpose flour and half whole grain flour, low fat yoghurt instead of butter for the cream cheese, using coconut palm sugar syrup instead of refined sugar for the cake.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole meal flour

2 tsp baking soda 

Cinnamon powder

Pinch of cardamom powder

Pinch of salt

Gula melaka 300g, melted in 1/4 cup water

3 eggs

Yoghurt 1/4 cup

Vegetable Oil 1cup (I used olive oil)

Vanilla extract 

Zest of 1/2 orange 

Carrots, finely grated, 3 cups

Frosting 

200g Low fat cream cheese

2 tbsp Yoghurt

2 tbsp Honey

1/2 cup Pecans, toasted, chopped and mixed in 2 tbsp maple syrup/gula Melaka (optional)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 175 C. Prepare two 8-inch baking pans, butter the bottom and sides, and line the bottom with baking paper, butter the top of the paper, and then flour the pans

Whisk the 2 flours, baking soda, cinnamon powder, cardamom powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly with a whisk or hand held or stand mixer. 

Add the gula melaka syrup and beat thoroughly to incorporate with the eggs. Then beat in the yoghurt, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Slowly drizzle in the oil as you beat the wet ingredients.

Fold in half of the dry ingredients, mix with a rubber spatula until just incorporated, and fold in the other half and do the safe. Do not over mix.

Lastly, add in the carrots and stir until just mixed.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, checking at 35 mins. Poke a skewer or toothpick in the middle of the cake and it should come out clean once it's done. If there's wet batter sticking to the skewer, bung back into the oven for another 10 minutes and check again.

Once the cake is done, let it cook in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove from pan and let cool completely.

Frosting: 

Whisk/beat/mix cream cheese, yoghurt and honey until it's well mixed. Set in the fridge for 30 mins to let it set a little. Spread the cream cheese frosting in between the two layers of cake and the top, spreading to the sides if there's enough. Top with toasted pecan bits if preferred.

Note: if the cream cheese topping is too thick, then add a little milk of choice to thin it out

Kitchen Trails - Banana Butter

This is so simple to make. And it's healthy and super yumms

2 ripe bananas, blitzed or thoroughly mashed

Juice of 1/4 lemon

Coconut palm sugar syrup 2 tbsp


Add all the ingredients in a small pot, and cook over small flame, stirring constantly. Cook for about 5 mins, and then turn off the flame and let cool.

Can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week (if it even doesn't finish in that time, hehehe)

Kitchen Trails - Coconut Palm Sugar Syrup

This is syrup made with pure gula melaka (coconut palm sugar). You can find coconut palm sugar in the supermarket, though most of those has added fillers and cane sugar. I was lucky enough to get my supply of gula melaka in its pure form, with no adder filler, sugar, and whatnots. 

Gula Melaka has a much lower glycemic index, and is suitable even for some diabetics (please do talk to your doctor if you are diabetic and would like to try the gula melaka). It's not lower in calories than other sugars tho, diet watchers, do take note.

It has a smokey caramelised aroma, and it goes really well with coffee. I take my tea with it as well. And I use it in a lot of my baking.

In its solid form, it's not too hard, and will crumble if you pinch some of it between your fingers. I normally store mine in a air-tight container in the fridge. 

I buy my gula melaka by the kg, and it comes in about 3-4 cylindrical blocks per kg. 

To make the gula melaka syrup, I put one cylinder block into a small pot and add about 1/4 cup of water. Using a low flame, let the gula melaka melt, stirring occasionally with a spoon. Be careful, because it can bubble up and splatter, and boiling sugar can burn you!

Once all the gula melaka has melted, I use a fine metal strainer and strain it into a glass bottle and let cool on the counter. It will thicken further as it cools. Once it's cool, store in the fridge.

On how much water to add, it can be from a few tablespoons to 1/2 cup, depending on what the syrup is used for. If only very little water is added, do keep a constant eye when melting down the gula melaka, as it can get burnt when all the moisture evaporates.

Happy Well - A Good Cry Does Wonders

A Simple Reminder from Buddha Doodles

Sometimes a good, ugly cry does wonders for the soul. People can be mean not only by saying or doing nasty things. Callous attitude, or just by exclusion can be as toxic and hurtful as sticks, stones, and words. This happen to me this morning. And it always hurts more if it's done to me by someone I care about. The more I care about that person, the worse it affects me. I had always made excuses when this kind of callousness and exclusion happens to me and mine. Today's incident was a lesson long time coming. Lesson of letting go.

I had a good cry just now. The kind of ugly sobbing with the scrunched up face, snot bubbling out of the nostrils and running down into the mouth, the kind where it can actually cause a headache and leaves me looking puffy. I have not had a good sob in a long, long time. Too long. And it was therapeutic and cleansing.

I find it very hard to not let people, words, actions, and just about anything, affect me. I am learning to let go. It's almost impossible for me. I have to be mindful that I have to let go, and in being mindful of that, makes me think and ponder about it, and hence it becomes a cycle. I am learning to box that toxicity up, and STEP AWAY from it, and leave it behind in my mind. Know that it happened, not ignoring it, but leaving it behind in my life path. Something like, mentally picturing putting it in a box, closing it up, and putting it at the side of the road, and walking away, moving forward in my journey. This kinda works for me at the moment. I am still learning.

Happy Well - My journey continues

I was just having a WhatsApp convo with my doc ( Doc Sue from Klinik Genesis in SS19 Subang is such a darling. She's a great listener, she's got great intuition, she's caring and she's so funny.. I call her my angel and she cheekily said that she can be secretly devilish - how not to love a cheeky funny doctor like that!!), oh yeah, I have now been diagnosed with Costochondritis, Hypothyroid and low progesterone. Yup yup, new conditions, meh. Even my 7 year old asked me why I have so many conditions 😳😳

I have started taking natural thyroid (you can also Google Armour Thyroid), and Natural Progesterone for my newly diagnosed conditions. As for the Costo, I now know my own physical limits, and not push it, especially when I am having a flare up. Gentle yoga and stretches during those times for me.

Anyways, back to our WhatsApp convo.. she said something that hit me with twanging and resounding clarity. She said she hopes that I will be my old self soon, and that I will embrace my new journey. Embrace. I do look forward to being my old self, more carefree, less anxious, and happier. And I am excited to embrace my journey to a better self as well.

Kitchen Trails - Bananas, peanut butter pancakes

Who doesn't like pancakes? err.... actually, me. I don't don't like pancakes, but just prefer waffles much more. But this one? I lurrrrrve....

The kids love it too, especially when I add in some chocolate chips.

This is a much more healthier pancake as it uses oat flour instead of flour.

2 bananas, mashed up

Peanut butter,  if you eyeball it like me: about 4 heaped tablespoons

2 eggs

1/2 to 3/4 cup of milk of choice. Add to get the consistency needed. For me, it's the the consistency of thick cream.

About 2 tbsp of honey

a pinch of salt

2 cups Oat flour - I just blitz some organic rolled oats to make oat flour. You can use oats as well instead of oat flour

Mix everything together until it's thoroughly combined. Dollop a couple of tablespoonfuls into a pan or skillet on low heat and cook on one side for about 2 mins and then turn over and cook the other side. I used a small 10cm non stick pan to cook the pancakes one by one. I normally do not use non stick pans for cooking, I prefer stainless steel ones. But because I don't use any oil or butter to coat the pan for the pancakes, cooking this on my stainless steel pan would be a pain in the butt. 

You can top it with fruits, jam/preserves, nuts, honey or maple syrup, etc, etc. Pretty much whatever tickles your fancy. Here I only used pure maple syrup

Enjoy!!

Kitchen Trails - Hummus

Hummus. Mmmmyumyum. I eat it as a dip, with pita or wraps, part of a salad dressing, as a spread. There's so many ways to enjoy the delicious and healthy Hummus

Hummus is super easy to prepare. I did mine with dried chickpeas instead of canned ones. Just 2 extra steps, soaking overnight and boiling them.

I prefer dried chickpeas to canned because I would rather not have any preservatives of any kind, and I can adjust the salt content. Canned chickpeas can always be used to save of these 2 extra steps, or if you want to eat it NOW, as soaking takes at least 8 hours for me.

For Hummus, you'll need:

250g dried chickpeas, rinsed and soaked for 8 hours or overnight in salted (about 1 tsp) water that covers and at least 2 inches above the level of the chick peas. You'll need enough water as the chickpeas expand A LOT. After soaking, rinse the chickpeas well and put in a pot and add 2 tsp of salt and enough water to cover at least 2 inches above the chick peas. Bring to a boil and turn down the flame to a simmer and let cook for about 40 minutes. Once done, drain the chickpeas and keep about 1 cup of the liquid. If you are using canned chickpeas, keep the liquid from the can

2 - 4 cloves of garlic, depending on preference

Olive oil, about 1/3 cup, depending on preference

Juice of 1 lemon

Paprika powder for a bit of heat. I used about 1 tsp. Can be omitted

Cumin powder, about 1 tsp, depending of preference. Cumin is pretty aromatic and pungent, so use according to your own taste

Liquid from the chickpes, add to loosen the consistency of the Hummus, add a little by a little during blitzing until it comes to a consistency that you prefer. Some like it very thick, and some like it to be more runnier

Salt to taste. Add at the end as the liquid from the chickpeas will be salty as well.

Blitz everything together. Done :) Keep chilled in the fridge.

Notes:
- you can add different things to the Hummus to make variations of the basic recipe. Bell peppers, celery, chillies instead of paprika powder, different spices or herbs. Or even veggies like spinach and kale, to make it a Hummus-Pesto

Kitchen Trails - Energy Bites

We were at our kids' cousins' house the other day for some swimming practice and my brother-in-law Dazza brought out some delicious nuggets for the kids after their swim. Energy balls, filled with delicious goodness!!

After popping one in my mouth, I asked Dazza how to make them, and Dazza told me that it was super easy to make. I couldn't stop thinking about the healthy energy boosting snacks and I came up with a batch of my own. DEE LEE CIOUS!! Though healthy, this is not a low fat, low calorie snack, given the nut fat and honey used.

I mainly agak-agak (guess or go by feel) the amounts I used, so here is a rough guideline of the ingredients I used in mine.

(Yields about 28 balls of 1 inch diameter)

1 cup organic rolled oats, blitzed until they are a little finer cos I really don't like having flakes of dry and chewy oats eating this. Can be substituted with instant oats, then there's no need to blitz

1/3 cup of chopped nuts. Here I used walnuts and peanuts which I have soaked overnight and roasted using the air fryer

4 Tablespoons of pure peanut butter, or nut butter of your choice. I used pure peanut butter that I got from a lady who sells nut butters, no fillers or extra sugars or whatnots

5 Tablespoons of raw honey

4 Tablespoons of good quality dark cocoa powder. Can be substituted with chocolate/chocolate chips of your choice, just shave or chop the chocolate into small bits if using

1 Tablespoon organic chia seeds

A tiny teensy pinch of himalayan salt

A splash of vanilla extract

Just mix the oats, nuts, cocoa powder, salt, and chia seeds together until it's thoroughly combined. Add the peanut butter and the honey, and mix well. Wash and dry your hands thoroughly, and scoop out enough to roll into 1 inch balls, or whatever size your prefer. Pack it firmly with your palms as you shape the balls

I can keep mine for about a week in the fridge.

Note: 

If it's too soft, pop it in the fridge for a while before rolling out into balls, or if it's softer than that, add a bit more oats

If it's way too hard to work with, add a bit of honey or peanut butter

Remember, it needs to be quite solid and hard to pack into firm balls

Kitchen Trails - Meatballs

Made some meatballs today. This can go with pasta, noodle soup, braised in some sauce as a dish to go with rice, anything that you can think of, really.

I made this with lean, weight watcher's minced beef, and oat flour instead of bread crumbs for a healthier option.

200g minced meat

1/4 cup oat crumbs, I blitzed some organic rolled oats 

1 egg

1/2 a small carrot, blitzed into fine bits

A handful of spinach, blitzed or finely chopped

1 Tablespoon of parmesan cheese

Garlic powder

Onion powder

A dash of black pepper

A pinch of himalayan salt

A glug of olive oil

Mix all the ingredients together and chill in the fridge for an hour or so. Shape into balls.

Heat up a pan and add the olive oil. Add the meat balls in batches so it doesn't get crowded in the pan. Cook for 4 minutes or so, and then turn the balls around, cook a bit further and remove from pan

I did one step further, I didn't want to brown the meat balls too much in case it got burnt. I covered them in baking/cooking paper and bunged them into the oven to cook for another 10-15 minutes so that the inside is thoroughly cooked as well

Kitchen trails - Salmon fish head noodle soup

Fish head noodle soup is a firm favourite here in Malaysia. It's a rich soup full of fish flavour and goodness, with soft tofu, tomatoes, salted pickled vegetable, and leafy green veggie. The noodle used for this dish is normally the thick Meehoon (vermicelli or rice noodle).

I had some salmon tail and bones and the head leftover from my filleted salmon, and there's lots of meat left on the head and the bones as well. 

I air fried the salmon head and bones, mmmm.... full of the good omega 3 fat. No need to add any oil!!

Use a big pot, and throw in a few slices of ginger and the air fried salmon, let it come to a boil and then let it simmer to bring out the yumminess into the broth. Normally many will use evaporated milk to get the milky whiteness for the soup, but the salmon full of omega 3 and this fat will cloud the soup naturally without the evaporated milk.

Add the salted veggies, tomatoes, preserved sour plum, and green veggies. Let it cook and lastly add the thick meehoon and the soft tofu.

Heaven!!

Kitchen Trails - Steamed salted chicken breast with ginger

Super simple healthy recipe.

Chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

Enough salt to flavour the chicken, I used about slightly less than 1 teaspoon himalayan salt

Grated ginger, up to you how spicy you want it

Few drops of sesame oil (optional)

Chinese cooking wine (optional)

Mix all together in a heatproof shallow flat bowl, or a plate with high sides. I used a stainless steel plate with high sides.

Steam over high flame for 20 mins

Done.

Kitchen Trails - healthy Brownies

gooey fudgy brownies.

What sounds better than that?? A healthier version, of course.

I substituted with wholemeal flour, olive oil, yoghurt, and honey. So, no butter and no sugar.

I used a brownie recipe I found and I tweaked and substituted with my own proportions and ingredients.

DRY INGREDIENTS

1.5 cup organic whole wheat/whole grain flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon himalayan salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened

WET INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup honey, I used raw honey

200g low fat greek yoghurt

1/2 cup olive oil

3 eggs

splashes of vanilla extract, about 1.5 - 2 teaspoon

OTHER MUST HAVEs

200g dark choccolate, broken into chunks. I used 70% cacao Belgian ones

1/2 cup nuts of choice. I normally soak overnight and airfry the nuts and then chop them up into small chunks

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180 C

I use a 9 X 12 inch tray, lined with baking paper, basically for easier removal later

Whisk or sift the dry ingredients into a bowl or plate or whatever receptacle you fancy

In a mixing bowl, combine all the wet ingredients thoroughly

Then, add half the dry ingredients into the wet ones, and mix. Add the other half and mix to combine

Dump in the nuts and choc chunks and mix well

Spoon the mix into the baking tray and make sure that it's spread into the sides and corners

Bake for 30-35 mins

Let cool in the tray for 2 hours and cut into desired size

Notes: 

I've used both normal whole grain flour and whole grain hi protein flour (bought the wrong one by accident), and it's really no biggie. Either one works. I didn't bother with whole grain pastry flour as it's super expensive

I find that if I don't break the chocolate pieces into small teensy chunks, it's way chocolatey-ier and gooeyier and fudgier

Kitchen Trails - Peach Resin Dessert

Peach resin is the sap/gum from the peach tree. It is said to be collagen packed so obviously that would be great for me!!

There are some precautions as well, pregnant women, women on their period, and those who are breastfeeding are to stay away from this. There could be other interactions or precautions, so it's always good to do research before taking any kind of food or whatever.

The peach resin comes dried in crystal-like pebbles, and it's to be soaked in water at least 8 hours or overnight. It does expand A LOT!! Like maybe 5 times its size *insert goggled eyed emoji*

It would have to be thoroughly cleaned after soaking. There will be tiny bits of tree bark and dirt, and it's a bit of a pain to pick those out. TBH, I don't do a very thorough job in cleaning, I leave the tiny, microscopic specks that I can't be arsed to pick out.

After cleaning, give it a good rinse using a fine netted strainer.

I boil mine with dried Longan fruit pulp, dried red dates, and dried honey dates. There are many variations of items that can be used, just go google peach resin recipe.

I fill up a big pot with water and dump all those washed dried goodies in, let it come to a boil and then turn down the flame and let it simmer for about 30 mins, then I add in the peach resin and boil for a further 10-15 mins or so. Don't boil the peach resin for too long, it will melt down completely, after all, it is the sap of a plant.

Leave it to cool in the pot and then chill in the fridge. It's lovely on a hot hot day

Kitchen Trails - Chicken Salad Sandwich

Many of the food that I cook or prepare, I use them in different ways. It's actually more expensive to eat healthier, so I tend to cook in bulk and stretch them in a variety of dishes and meals.

Today's recipe includes roast chicken breast, spinach pesto as a spread (or I could use sundried tomato pesto), avocado, pea shoots/sprouts, onion, sundried tomatoes (I would omit this if I am using the sundried tomato pesto), dried cranberries and lemon juice.

The chicken breast could be substituted with tuna. Works deliciously as well.

I buy avocados from TMC in Bangsar as they are much cheaper than the Hass Avocados found in supermarkets and grocers. They are just as creamy and delicious! If only I have a green thumb, I would grow my own avocados, but alas, that knack for plants is only with my Mum.

I prepared today's lunch with:

Chicken breast, cut into small cubes

Avocados, cut into chunks, and squeeze some lemon juice on it to prevent it from oxidising and also for a zingy taste to the salad

1 small onion/big shallot, diced small

4 sundried tomato slices, chopped finely (I use the dried type, not the ones in olive oil)

A handful of peashoots, washed and chopped

A small handful of dried cranberries, each cut into halves

A pinch of salt to taste

Spinach pesto for the spread

Mix all the ingredients together (except for the pesto). Spread some pesto on one side of a slice of wholegrain bread, put the salad on the other side, fold the slice of bread together and eat!

Bon appetit!!

Kitchen Trails - Dried Red Dates Tea

I have been having some problems with my red blood count, the doctor has been saying that I am borderline anaemic and my condition has not been improving. This is probably due to me almost totally cutting out red meat from my diet due to my cholesterol levels. I have been eating beans and soy products and eating so much leafy green veggies until I almost have those veggies coming out of my ears!

The Chinese in me has always known about red dates being good for the blood. So I turned to Google and did some research. Turns out that this tea might help my insomnia and anxiety as well. So I am giving it a try.

Today I made some red dates tea with goji berries and dried longan pulp. Now, though some things have plenty of nutrients and all the goodness, everything should be in moderation. And for the Goji berries, please do take note and do research, as it has some side effects as well, especially on those with blood pressure problems and those on warfarin as Goji berries has a blood thinning effect. So, do more research on red dates, goji berries and the longan fruit.

For this tea, I used just dried red dates, dried goji berries and dried longan pulp.

4 red dates, washed and make a slit into the fruit to take out the seed

8 goji berries, washed

a small handful of dried longan, washed

1 litre of water

Put all the ingredients into a pot and bring to boil. Once it's boiling, turn down the heat to just let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

I would not eat the dates or goji berries, though I might eat the longan. You could use a strainer to strain out all the liquid. Could be consumed warm or cold.

Kitchen Trails - Pita Pizza

Pita Pizza. I made a healthier version of my kids' normal fav -ham and cheese- pizza.

Today I used wholemeal Pita bread for the crust instead of a pizza crust (which I spread a very thin layer of olive oil to let to brown), and for the base I used a mix of roasted tomato pesto and spinach pesto plus a small dollop of tomato paste and a dash of dried oregano herb. 

Just a single meat topping of shredded roasted chicken breast plus some low fat cheese.

Plonk it in the pre-heated oven of 180C for about 10-12 minutes, just enough to let the cheeses melt and bubble.

Kitchen Trails - Grilled Salmon, Stir fried Chinese Broccoli and Colourful Flavourful Rice

I put together a meal made up of some of my recipes.

I have Air Fryer Grilled Salmon, Stir fried Chinese broccoli, and Colourful Flavourful Rice.

Memory Trails - A glimpse of childhood (and partly a Kitchen Trail as well)

Yes, even my memories are about food. Tonight I had a simple noodle soup that brought back a childhood memory.

Big part of my younger childhood was spent in my grandfather's shoplot. He had a shop in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman that sold woven rattan goods (from bags to chairs) and big vases and lamps and lampshades. The upper floors of the shop were living quarters, basically a home. I was there a lot in my young ciku days. And when I started schooling, I was there on weekends and during the school holidays.

Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman was one of the main shopping areas of Kuala Lumpur back in the days, way before all the big huge supermarkets and malls were even introduced. I grew up in a vibrant and lively neighbourhood there.

Our neighbours were shop owners and workers from all the businesses in the area, the transvestites and drag queens (back then the word Pondan were used, and none of them took any offense, people were very much less sensitive back then) who ply their trade in their glam and elaborate attires when night falls. These workers of the night's main clientele were the western foreigners working here (or expats as they are now more popularly known), western tourists, and many also came from the ships that were docked at Port Klang. They would have a jolly good time having their happy hour and dinner at the very famous Coliseum Bar and Cafe situated a few doors away, and then continue with their extended entertainment of the night with the transvestites until the wee hours of the morning. Some would even use the alleyway right next to my grandfather's shop.

These entertainers of the night were my friends and babysitters in the day. Out of their elaborate get up and make up, they were ordinary guys who's only outstanding feature is their long hair. Even in my young young age, I could sense their loyalty to each other, their respect for others, and their pride in being part of society and our neighbourhood. And we welcomed them, they were our friends and neighbours. When I grew up, and understood more about life, I realised that with their lifestyle, many of them were drug addicts, and I remember that one of them had died from a drug overdose in the alleyway right next to our shop. I didn't understand back then why there were police around the area, and why my mother didn't let me out of the shop that day. A body lying there, covered with newspaper. A sad and heartbreaking end of someone's life.

I also remember the multi racial and multi cultural community we had. A little further down the road was a cinema, also named Coliseum that showed mainly Indian movies. And the nasi campur stall up the road that sold the best ever beef I've ever tasted, even until today. The Globe Silk Store across the road that sold clothes, and lots and lots of fabric and cloth, and my first ever roti canai further down the road, made extra crispy, just for me. The A&W few doors away with the A&W bear mascot who visits on special occasions. The Hakka men who were cooks at the Hotel/restaurant just across the alleyway from us. They made the best ever pork chops and chips. The Punjabi family who owned and ran the GS Gill sports shop to the rough spoken but kind hearted Chinese man who's bicycle shop where I got my first ever bicycle. Up and down this busy streeet, all these were my peeps back then.

Sometimes when all my uncles and aunts and some close family friends were all gathered at my grandfather's shop, we would make this soupy dish called Min Fun Kueh, or Mee Hoon Kueh, or better known nowadays as Pan Mee. It's a very basic dish, made of a simple broth flavoured with Asian dried anchovies, and garlic and Choy Sum (a leafy green asian vegetable or mustard green). Accompanied with the must-have Sambal Belacan (red chillies and fermented prawn paste piece pounded on a pestle and mortar, seasoned with a pinch of sugar and mixed with calamasi lime juice). The dough consists of egg, wheat flour, salt and water, and hand kneaded until it's springy and boingy. It is then hand torn bit by bit and flatten, and added to the boiling stock made earlier. Served hot with the Sambal Belacan, Min Fun Kueh is a comfort food indeed.

Tonight I replicated the dish, but instead of the doughy hand kneaded and torn pieces, I used Meesua which I recently bought from a seller on FaceBook. I used the same stock, flavoured with garlic and ginger and dried Asian anchovies, a chilly paste - also bought from a seller on FaceBook- to which I added some toasted Belacan and sugar and lemon juice (I didn't have any lime at home).

A taste of my childhood. Comfort food at it's best, 21st century style.

Kitchen Trails - Oven baked Tortilla chips, spinach pesto and Guaca-salsa

I didn't want to deep fry the tortilla chips so i oven baked them, and they are so so good as well. I got some wholemeal tortillas, brushed a very light layer of olive oil on both sides, and stacked them up and cut them into wedges. Plopped them on cookie sheet and baked them in my toaster oven for about 5 mins on one side and turn them over and baked for another 3 mins or so on the other side. My toaster oven is one of the most basic ones, without temperature control and with a timer for 30 mins max. If you were to use a proper oven or a better toaster oven than mine, I would think that it might be at the temp of about 175 C.

I used spinach pesto, but you can use whichever pesto or dip that you want, or hummus works great as well.

As for the guaca-salsa (hehehehe), I mixed guacamole and salsa together. I used:

avocado, 3

cilantro, a small bit, finely chopped

tomatoes, 3

lemon juice, a big squeeze

onion, 1 small one, finely diced

salt to taste

Kitchen Trails - Egg sandwich with Avocado

It's so green!! And no, it's not green eggs and ham. It's egg sandwich with blitzed veggies and mash avocado instead of mayonnaise.

I blitzed an avocado with a bit of lemon juice and some salt. This will be my mayo substitute, and so much more healthier and yummier. I couldn't help dipping in and taking some!

I also blitzed some baby spinach leaves, some kale and and some peashoots (or pea sprouts) with 1 clove of garlic.

1 avocado, remove the skin and pit and squeeze in a dash of lemon juice to keep it from oxidising and turning brown, and mashed into chunks

5 small sized eggs, hard boiled, shelled and mashed

Mix all together, the creamy avocado paste, the blitzed veggies, the chucky mashed avocados, the mashed eggs, a bit of salt and pepper to season. Plop it on bread of choice and ngap! ngap! ngap!

Don't use too much veggies, as it will give off a greenish smell and taste, and could be off putting to some.

Kitchen Trails - Penne with Spinach Pesto and roasted chicken breast slices

I love my pasta, and pasta means carbs! Not very good for my triglyceride levels! I try to eat less pasta now, and I came across this Vetta Hi-Fibre pasta. It tastes the same as your normal pasta, same texture as well. Something to try or to add the the range of whole wheat, or buckwheat or whichever super healthy pasta in the market

This one in the pic is Rollini, and it's a quick cook one as it only takes 3 mins. It's not a very sturdy type of pasta and it would prob work best in a salad or something light. I've also tried their penne and spaghetti. I haven't tried their linguine though. I would guess it's the same as the other linguine on the pasta shelf, judging from their spaghetti and penne that I've tried.

So, for this dish, I used my spinach pesto, Vetta's hi-fibre penne, and some of my roasted chicken slices. And a squeeze of lemon juice to loosen the pesto and to add some ZING!! as I did not put any lemon juice into my pesto when I was making it.

Kitchen Trails - stir fried kai lan (chinese broccoli)

Chinese broccoli or Gai lan/Kai lan in chinese is a thick stemmed leafy green vegetable packed with nutrients. Chinese cooking often stir fry this vegetable with garlic and sometimes a splash of chinese cooking wine.

Chinese broccoli, a big whole bunch for it wilts and shrinks quite a bit during the cooking process

Garlic, about 4 cloves, skinned and sliced

Cooking oil, about 1 TBSP (I normally use olive oil)

Sesame oil, a few drops (optional)

Oyster sauce, 1 tsp (optional)

Chinese cooking wine, a dash, about 1 TBSP

Salt to taste

Heat up a big pan or wok and put in the oil, once the oil starts to heat up, add in the garlic and stir fry, taking care not to let it burn. Once it's golden, scoop up the garlic and set aside.

Throw in the Chinese broccoli and stir fry, mixing thoroughly and scoop those at the bottom to the top continuously. Add the sesame oil, oyster sauce, chinese cooking wine, and salt and stir fry to mix evenly. Dish up. Do not over cook the vegetable as it will get really chewy. It's delicious when the stalks have a heavy crunch to it when you bite into it

Kitchen Trails - Healthy sandwich with chicken breast, pesto and peasprouts

My lunch today. 

Whole meal bread with sundried tomato pesto on one, and spinach pesto on the other. Topped with some roughly shredded roast chicken breast and some pea sprouts/shoots.

simple. delicious. healthy.