AYAM MASAK MERAH (SPICY TOMATO SAUCE CHICKEN)

I love ayam masak merah! All my friends and loved ones know I am a chicken meat lover. I love sweet or spicy foods, so when I first tried this in Malaysia's Ayer Keroh Highway R&R back then, I was blown away! Never knew before that such a delicious Malay delicacy existed (o.0!) Wow! Where had I been all these while? I would then try the dish at Malay food stalls in Singapore, and never found the servings enough to satisfy my appetite.  The servings were simply too small for me.....I could eat a whole bird!

I attempted to cook this once when I was new in the kitchen. Armed with a promising cookbook, I followed the recipe but either I did not know the techniques, or the measurements were off, the dish did not turn out quite right. I had to deep fry (T.T) the protein, which was quite a disaster. I felt that all the efforts of preparing this dish were simply not worth since the outcome did not quite make it. 

After a few years wiser and spending more time in the kitchen, I decided to try again. This time, without the cookbook, but based on my own senses and preference. Made a few searches on internet to find out what various ingredients were used, I thought this compilation would work well for me. I did not deep fry the proteins (spare me, please!!), and used evaporated milk instead of coconut milk. I also added in potatoes and carrots as I always have them in my pantry. So, presenting..... Little Mouse style Ayam Masak Merah!

AYAM MASAK MERAH (SPICY TOMATO SAUCE CHICKEN)

Ingredients

(A)

1kg boneless chicken thighs, each thigh cut into 3-4 parts
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper 
1 tsp light soya sauce

4 potatoes, cubed

2 carrots, cubed

(B)

5 red chillies, deseeded and sliced

4 garlic cloves, diced

(C)

3 onions

20g ginger

20g galangal

3 lemongrass (use only the white part)

(D)

1 star anise

3 cloves

1 cinnamon bark

2 cardamon seeds

Some vegetable oil

(E)

2 small tomatoes, cubed

1 small can tomato paste

2 tbsp oyster sauce

4 tbsp ketchup

1 cup water

salt and sugar to taste

(F)

1/4 to 1/2 cup evaporated full cream milk (depending on desired consistency)

Methods

1. Marinate cut thighs with salt, pepper, light soya sauce and turmeric powder. Leave them in fridge overnight.

2. Roughly chop ingredients (C) and blend / pound till fine to form paste. You may add a little oil to aid blending.

3. In a wok, add some oil and fry potatoes and carrots till browned. Remove the roots from wok and set them aside.

4. In the same wok, add a little oil and fry meat till browned and half cooked. Set aside.

5. Using the same hot wok, with about 2 tbsp of oil and over low heat, saute (D) till fragrant.

6. Pour in (B) and blended paste (C). Turn up to medium heat to stir-fry till they bubble and become fragrant. Lower heat to continue simmering until oil is separated from the spices.

7. Stir in cubed tomatoes to cook till softened. Add (E) and simmer until tomatoes turn soft.

8. Now add in half cooked potatoes, carrots and chicken thighs, including the liquids while resting the meat. Saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes, let it simmer until meat becomes tender, potatoes and carrots are soft.

9. Stir in (F).

10. Serve.

This dish was supposed to taste better the next day, but my gang attacked it anyway. Nothing was left except for an empty plate.

BEER BUTT ROASTED CHICKEN

Never tasted it, only saw on TV foodie programs. Looked so so good, great as a compliment dish for beer with friends or as a main in family. The poultry was juicy and succulent, with the skin so roasted and yummy! Arghhh! Can't wait any further!

Before you attempt this dish, please make sure your oven is tall enough.

BEER BUTT ROASTED CHICKEN

Ingredients

(A)

1 whole chicken, cleaned with neck and feet removed

(B)

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp fennel

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp black ground pepper

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp oyster sauce

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tbsp dried herbs (oregano, thyme, rosemary)

(C)

Some onion, diced

Some garlic, diced

Some potatoes and carrots, cubed

(D)

1/2 can beer

Methods

1. Gently toast cumin, fennel, coriander seeds in a pot till fragrant. Grind finely.

2. Mix with everything else in (B) to form a paste.

3. Rub onto chicken inside and outside and marinate for at least 2 hours and more.

4. Preheat oven to 190C.

5. Stick the butt of chicken to beer can. Tuck wings behind.

6. Stuff (C) firmly into cavity of neck. Make sure there is no air space.

7. Place bird vertically on a bake tray to catch melted fats, and bake for about 90 min.

8. Enjoy!

(hint: you might wish to place a piece of baking paper on top of the neck to avoid getting bird burnt on top)

CHOCOLATE OREO CHEESECAKE WITH LEMON SOUFFLE

Souffle, souffle! It had been on my mind. Yet I did not want to eat on its own. I wanted to be creative. Looking at the remaining cream cheese in my fridge and fearing that it would turn moldy, I gotta do something to it too! 

Questions on my mind then developed:

Why not just combine them in one dessert? Would it work? What kind of texture was I looking for? Baked or non-baked cheesecake? Meringue or souffle on top? Sweet all the way? Use others' recipes or self concoction?

After a couple of days' wracking my brain, I decided that my cheesecake would be baked, the texture should resemble ice cream, and it would be chocolatey and filled with the all time favourite, OREO! Then I thought again and decided to make tangy souffle to balance the sweetness, but with a little twist to the way souffles were normally made. I would make as I go, by sight and taste, so that the dessert was my own recipe. Not very sure if this way would work out, but with a courageous spirit, just attempt it!

CHOCOLATE OREO CHEESECAKE WITH LEMON SOUFFLE (created by Little Mouse)

Ingredients
Base crust
15 oreo biscuits, finely crushed
3 tbsp melted butter

Cheesecake
100g melted good quality semi-sweet chocolate (double-boiled method)
230g softened cream cheese
60g fine sugar
2 yolks
100g sour cream
30g full cream milk
2 tsp cherry extract
1 tbsp cake flour
1 tbsp instant coffee powder dissolved in 30ml hot water
6 Oreo biscuits, coarsely crushed

Souffle
90ml full cream milk
18g cake flour
15g butter
1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
2 egg whites
70g fine sugar
1.5 tsp lemon juice

Method
Prepare crust:
1. Crush Oreo biscuits in food processor till very fine. Melt butter over gentle heat.
2. Pour crumbs into prepared 6" spring-form pan (I used a cake ring instead). Stir in melted butter, spread evenly and press hard. 
3. Bake at 165C for 10 min. Set aside.

Prepare cheesecake:
1. Beat softened cream cheese with sugar till creamy and smooth.

2. Add in yolks and beat till just incorporated using low speed.
3. Add in sour cream, milk and liquor. Mix well.
4. Add in melted chocolate and coffee mixture. Mix well.
5. Sift in cake flour and fold very gently.
6. Stir in coarsely crushed Oreo pieces.
7. Pour onto baked crust and bake at 165C for 40min.

Prepare Souffle (do this when cheesecake is baked for about 25min)
1. Place milk, flour and butter in a pot. Over gentle heat, stir till mixture becomes smooth. Add in zest. Set aside to cool.

2. Using low speed, lightly beat egg whites till foamy. Add in lemon juice and while beating, add sugar tablespoon by tablespoon. Beat till stiff and glossy.

3. Take 1/3 beaten whites and add into milk batter. Fold gently to mix well. Then pour batter into remaining whites and fold gently to mix well.
4.By this time, the cheesecake should be ready. Remove from oven, immediately pour souffle on top of cheesecake. Level top, tap a few times and send into oven to bake at 210C for 10min.

It would be better if I had piped in the souffle instead of pouring, so that the souffle would rise evenly without air gaps.

Souffle would definitely deflate after a while, do not fret!

 Serve warm or chilled.

It works and it is delicious!! 1