on cooking

The last few months my cooking progress is speeding up! There's something about home-cooked food, in its simplicity and made with LOVE that makes them great.

And so I've been trying to make lots of meal revolving chicken, chicken and more chicken. Hasben's favourite is a simple chicken sambal- that I have to somewhat reluctantly admit not to my liking! *Sigh. In the beginning of the marriage I tried to like every food he likes, which would make it easier to cook too. But I kept eating less and less, and this week I have come to term that we have totally different likings when it comes to food and its okay not to like what he likes! Like today, I made him his spicy meal, and for me, a milder version with lots of potato.

There are few meals that we both like though (hooraah!)- Below is my attempt to cook one of them, Nasi Ayam Hainan. I was quite surprised at how easy it is to make nasik ayam.

Marinate chicken with garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, honey, and sesame seed oil (minyak bijan) which will give a lovely brown color to the chicken. When I first opened the sesame seed oil bottle I thought "phwoar! this smells like nasik ayam shop!" duh!!! blonde moment again.

Pop the chicken in the oven, and meanwhile cut some onions and take out some herbs like cinnamon stick, and those you can see in the picture. I just took all the herbs I could find. As usual, some serai and halia, and chicken stock.

Wash the rice.

Fry the other babies until they smell good, mix them with the rice and add water. Press cook!

It was raining outside, and I stared at this tree for a while...

After turning them over several times, I took them out of the oven. Yum!!

Prepare some onions, black pepper, chicken and sup bunjut to make some chicken soup.

Mix them up! Put some salt until they taste you know, soupy.

I cheat the next step. Just bought some chili oil from Roast Kitchen Restaurant and its all done! I forgot to take picture of all the nasik ayam put together.

A great tip I got from an aunty is to always take a bath and get rid of your 'kitchen outfit' before hasben gets home. They wanna smell the chicken, but not on you! Cooking is easy but TIRING but you don't have to tell your guy that...when they come home just say "Oh this thing? I just throw some stuff up and they turn out..not so bad eh?"
:D Padahal dah 3 jam kat dapur kan. mwahahaaahha. Remember the intention is to please Allah so greet him with a dashing smile. smile!