Kerisik (Coconut Paste)

Coconut is a predominant ingredient in Malay and Indonesian cooking. Coconut milk is often used in curry, gravy and desserts. Kerisik is grated, toasted coconut that is pounded into a paste; it is sometimes referred to as “coconut butter.” Kerisik is usually used to thicken curry and rendang. It is also used as a condiment … Continue reading

Chicken Rendang

Rendang is a spicy meat dish that originated from Indonesia, and is a very popular dish throughout Southeast Asia.  The dish is rich in spices and traditionally takes about four hours to cook.  The meat pieces are usually slow cooked in coconut milk and a paste of mixed ground spices called pemasak (usually ginger, galangal, tumeric, … Continue reading

Tomato Rice

We prepared this deliciously easy tomato rice dish during our Penang Cooking Class, which was served with Penang Achar and Chicken Rendang.  Of all the dished we made during this class, this is probably the only one I could manage at home (aka this was the easiest to prepare and took the least amount of … Continue reading

Penang Achar

Achar is a word used in many Indo-Aryan languages for “Indian pickle.” This dish is composed of a variety of vegetables that are essentially pickled by being blanched in vinegar. This achar is particularly delicious to be eaten the next day when all ingredients infuse together. We prepared this dish during our Penang Cooking Class, … Continue reading

Penang Cooking Class

One of the best parts about being in Singapore is… well, how easy it is to get out.  Singapore’s central location in Southeast Asia makes it the ultimate travel hub for quick weekend getaways.  My goal is to travel at least once a month and so far, I’m right on track!  I tend to choose … Continue reading