Where cool cats linger
I’m just a cat-loving Malaysian who loves to eat, cook, and bake. I also modify recipes from various cuisines into Halal, Muslim-friendly versions, and share them here so you don’t have to figure it out all by yourself.
My Recipes
My experiments with cuisines from all over the world, using Halal ingredients.
Treats from my home state of Terengganu, Malaysia, as well as a few family recipes.
My best recipes, guaranteed to be crowd pleasers and a hit at potlucks and dinner parties.
My endless pursuit of the yummiest bread and dough recipes, either baked, fried, steamed and more.
Copycat recipes you can make at home, to satisfy your curiosity or cravings.
My collection of recipes by gadget, from air fryers to pressure cookers and other handy kitchen appliances. Anything to help speed up our prep work!
MY MOTTO
#nakmakanbuatsendiri
(Wanna eat? Make it yourself)
Latest Posts
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Duck Asado Pandesal
CONTINUE READING: Duck Asado PandesalI had some duck breast meat that has been sitting in my freezer for ages. I initially wanted to use them for making duck andouille sausages, but let’s just say, it has been quite a while since I made that plan. Since I was certain I won’t be putting in time and effort to make…
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Pandan Coconut Pau
CONTINUE READING: Pandan Coconut PauThis has been on my back burner for a while now. Perhaps I’ve been a little apprehensive about making the coconut filling, because I was worried about not getting the right sugar-to-coconut ratio. Regardless, recently I finally got off my butt and made these pandan coconut steamed buns, or pandan coconut pau (bao).
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Maggi Goreng
CONTINUE READING: Maggi GorengI had some leftover fried chicken tenders the other day. I figured it would be great to chop them up and toss them into some sort of wok dish, such as fried rice or fried noodles. It so happened that I also had a craving for Maggi goreng, so I decided to make just that.…
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MENU IDEAS
Having a Party?
I used to organize dinner parties with my friends, dubbed The Dinner Club. I’d propose a menu along with the estimated cost, and we’d set a date. I’d do all the cooking, and my friends chip in for groceries. Here are the menus for my past Dinner Club sessions, in case you need some inspo.
MAKE YOUR OWN INGREDIENTS
To Make, or To Buy?
Sometimes I’m just lazy to run to the store to get something. Sometimes certain ingredients cost a bomb, or simply aren’t available to buy. Take a look at spice mixes and other ingredients I’ve made myself, for use in recipes in this site.
I had some duck breast meat that has been sitting in my freezer for ages. I initially wanted to use them for making duck andouille sausages, but let’s just say, it has been quite a while since I made that plan. Since I was certain I won’t be putting in time and effort to make something so complicated anytime soon, I figured I’d use the duck for something else. I noticed my chicken asado pandesal recipe getting quite a few views of late, so I felt inspired to use my duck meat to make duck asado pandesal.
For my marinade I’m using light and dark soy sauces, oyster sauce as well hoisin sauce for the salt, orange juice for the acid, and garlic, star anise and bay leaf for the aromatics. The duck pieces are marinated whole overnight, grilled then chopped to size before making the filling. I took inspiration from Panlasang Pinoy Meat Recipes on the method for preparing this duck asado.
For the pandesal, similar to my chicken version, I based my recipe on the one by Woman Scribbles. I’ve measured out the ingredients by weight for a bit more consistency. This dough is very easy to work with, and results in a wonderfully soft, fluffy bread rolls. Definitely a keeper, and even worth making plain without any fillings.
These duck asado pandesal were so darn good. After letting them cool for a bit on a wire rack, my mom and I shared one just to try, but ended up grabbing another. The bread was pillowy, and the filling was fragrant and flavorful. If you happen to have some duck meat lying around and need an excuse to use them up, do give this recipe a try!
For the recipe, search for ‘duck asado pandesal’ in my blog, linked in my profile.
#duckasadopandesal #asadopandesal #meatbuns #breadroll #nakmakanbuatsendiri #pandesal
I made pandan coconut pau.
This has been on my back burner for a while now. Perhaps I’ve been a little apprehensive about making the coconut filling, because I was worried about not getting the right sugar-to-coconut ratio. Regardless, recently I finally got off my butt and made these pandan coconut steamed buns, or pandan coconut pau (bao).
For the buns, I used a variation of my tried-and-tested pau dough recipe, while the filling was based on my notes when I observed Kak’mbang (she used to be my nanny) make it. I also used Che Nom’s video to jog my memory on the method for making the filling.
These steamed buns turned out so darn good. The bun-to-filling ratio was just right, and the combination of that rich gula Melaka flavor of the filling with fragrant natural pandan aroma from the buns is simply unmatched. This recipe is also vegan-friendly. Do give the recipe a try, and I hope you enjoy them!
For the recipe, search for ‘pandan coconut pau’ on my blog, linked in my profile.
#pandancoconutbaozi #pandancoconutpau #paupandankelapa #nakmakanbuatsendiri #paukelapapandan #paukelapa #intikelapa
I had some leftover fried chicken tenders the other day. I figured it would be great to chop them up and toss them into some sort of wok dish, such as fried rice or fried noodles. It so happened that I also had a craving for Maggi goreng, so I decided to make just that. After some searching, I found a wonderful recipe by Malina Lina Pg and used it as a starting point.
Ask any Malaysian and, more often than not, they will tell you one of their go-to Mamak stall dishes is Maggi goreng. Maggi goreng is simply Mamak-style fried noodles but using instant noodles, usually curry flavored. The fried noodles do incorporate the seasoning packet of the instant noodles, and when ordered ‘with chicken,’ they are typically served with chopped Mamak-style fried chicken. I’ve seen people eat Maggi goreng at all hours of the day, and very often they are eaten as a late night supper. For this recipe I’m also using shrimp, which is not a common protein for Maggi goreng. Feel free to use your own preferred protein for maximum authenticity.
Of late I’ve also started practicing a pro tip shared by my Aunty Kiah, who used to run a popular eatery. She would reserve all the shrimp heads and shells she prepped for the day, and make a very flavorful stock with it. Wherever suitable, she would use this stock in place of water in a recipe. This was what drove customers wild over her food, especially the wok dishes. Since I was adding shrimp to my Maggi goreng, I had a few heads and shells on hand. So I let the stock simmer while I was prepping the other ingredients.
This was so darn good. One lesson learned was I should have added the fried chicken last, after tossing the noodles in the sauce. This recipe is otherwise great as-is, if using raw chicken. Will definitely add it to my daily meal rotation.
For the recipe, search for ‘maggi goreng’ on my blog, linked in my profile.
#maggigoreng #nakmakanbuatsendiri #nakmakanmasaksendiri #friednoodles #friedmaggi
The first time I made @khairulaming’s “bachelor-style” fried macaroni was during Ramadan last year. As expected, suhoor is an important meal we need to have, yet most would feel too groggy to eat a full spread of complicated dishes. I needed meal ideas where all we needed to do was shovel the food into our mouths, using minimal brain power and with eyes half closed. At the same time, the dish needs to be sufficiently filling and nutritious. This recipe fit the bill perfectly.
In Malaysia, a “bachelor-style” dish typically refers to easy-to-make, one-pot meals, very often also using budget-friendly ingredients. Dishes like this typically appeal to students or working singles who need to cook for themselves and watch their spending. Common seasonings include condiments like ketchup, chili sauce, and soy sauce, and the protein options focus more on eggs and processed meat instead of fresh ingredients. Despite using humbler ingredients, it doesn’t mean these dishes compromise on flavor. If anything, these dishes are a guilty pleasure, comforting and enjoyed by the masses. They are also a great backup option for when your stock of fresh ingredients is running low.
I’ve adjusted the recipe and method to suit my taste and cooking style. Make this fried macaroni as written, or elevate it by using fresh chicken and adding some leafy veggies. Give it a try!
For the recipe, search ‘fried macaroni’ in my blog, linked in my profile.
#macaronigoreng #makaronigoreng #resipikhairulaming #friedmacaroni #resipibujang #nakmakanmasaksendiri
I had a jar of leftover sun-dried tomatoes in the fridge, and needed an excuse to use them up. A pasta dish, or some form of bread were both possible ideas, but recently I felt motivated to revisit making focaccia. After a few failures and misses, I’ve been a little circumspect with no-knead bread with super wet dough. I simply couldn’t figure out the stretch and fold method, and my loaves end up stunted and dense. Since then I’ve avoided those recipes, but perhaps it was high time I got back up and faced this challenge.
I found a very informative, easy-to-follow video by Emma’s Goodies for focaccia, and used that as a base. One of the comments for that video suggested using the oil from the jar of the sun dried tomatoes, which I thought was an excellent idea. The aroma of the sun dried tomatoes became a real highlight and the bread smelled wonderful in the oven. The tomatoes did darken a bit too much this time around, so I’ve added a note here to tent the focaccia towards the end of baking.
Another thing I adjusted for future reference was the baking temperature and time. This focaccia didn’t turn out as crispy as I had expected, and I suspected that it was because the oven temperature was a little too low in the original recipe. I definitely want to make this again.
For the recipe, search for ‘tomato focaccia’ in my blog, linked in my profile.
#focaccia #sundriedtomatofoccacia #homemadefoccacia #homemadebread #nakmakanbuatsendiri
There was a time when my mom had a fried bee hoon (rice vermicelli noodles) craze. Every morning for months, she would have it for breakfast. After Kak’mbang retired I had to learn to make it myself and, thanks to this wonderful video by @che_nom, I learned the proper technique to do it.
This particular fried bee hoon is what Malaysians call “Canteen Aunty” style, seasoned with light and sweet soy sauces thereby giving it a dark brown color. Most of us fondly remember some iteration of this dish being sold at our school canteen i.e. cafeteria when we were kids. That version was of course simpler with no frills, with a lot less meat in it (if at all) and perhaps topped with some egg. In the recipe below we’ve elevated this nostalgic dish, loading it with hearty protein and crunchy vegetables for a complete, nutritious meal.
My version also incorporates a trick used by my aunt, who used to run a pretty popular family restaurant with my late uncle. During her daily prep she would use any leftover shrimp heads and shells to make shrimp stock, and this stock is added to many of her dishes for extra flavor. When frying bee hoon, we need to ladle some water to soften the noodles. Following my aunt’s tip, in place of water I baste the noodles with shrimp stock. Garnish the noodles with omelet slivers, green onions, and chili slices to create a wonderful feast for the eyes. Yum!
For the recipe, search ‘canteen bee hoon’ in my blog, linked in my profile.
#recipechenom #resipichenom #bihungorengmakcikkantin #friedbeehoon #nakmakanmasaksendiri
Made char siu bao, using the chicken char siu I made yesterday.
It was a super hot day, and the dough was so active it was practically out of control lol. It resulted in incredibly fluffy bao, and eating them felt like eating clouds 😆. Loved the result, but perhaps I should’ve shaped them a lot taller so that they don’t spread out so much when rising and steaming.
For the recipe, search for ‘char siu buns’ in my blog, linked in my profile.
Many of my favorite Chinese dishes call for char siu. Yes, of course original char siu is made of pork and therefore a no-go for me. Thankfully, in Malaysia halal versions using chicken char siu are easily accessible. The nationwide lockdown caused by the COVID pandemic was a major catalyst for me to learn to make these dishes myself, in addition to my desire to have more control over ingredients and food additives consumed by my family. When cravings set in and our usual restaurants were unavailable, I learned to make my own chicken char siu at home.
I used the wonderful recipe by @recipe_tin as a starting point, but instead of grilling them, I used my trusty air fryer. Aside from using chicken, obviously, to halal-ify this recipe I used rice vinegar with a bit of sugar in place of shaoxing wine. I’ve also used black vinegar before, with equally yummy results. Another thing to watch out for is the hoisin sauce. The Lee Kum Kee brand I use in Malaysia is halal-certified. However, if this is not available to you, check the ingredients to make sure it is alcohol-free and vegetarian friendly. For those who don’t take shellfish, vegetarian oyster sauce is an option.
This is a very low-touch recipe, incredibly easy to make. The chicken is marinated overnight, then cooked in the air fryer with minimal minding required. Use this chicken char siu recipe to make steamed BBQ meat buns (char siu bao) or char siu fried rice, or use as a topping for wan tan mee, and so on and so forth. Enjoy!
For the recipe, search for `air fryer char siu` in my blog, linked in my profile.
#airfryerrecipes #chickencharsiu #halalcharsiu #halalified #charsiuayam #nakmakanbuatsendiri
