Yummy Malaysiana: 12/19/11

Spicy Lemon Date Spread

Have you ever tried to peel dates?

Yea me neither. Except I totally tried. It was hard. It was futile.

Did you know youre not supposed to peel dates? Youre not. All it takes is one text to a friend.. and youll know for sure.

Texting with sticky fingers. Its just real. No biggie.

I love this spread. Its bold. Its how I want to live my whole life: sweet, spicy, tart, and good on everything.

Yea thats exactly how I want to live my life. Most days. Most days are tart days.

This spread is flavored with lemon zest, fresh grated ginger, earthy cumin, and spicy chili flakes. Theres also a load of fresh lemon juice. Just lovely. It packs a punch.

You saw the closeup. This is a less close up.

I just cant resist. Hes all fluff.

This spread gets cooked down and pureed.

This is! the coo ked down part of the process.

Maybe I ate a hearty amount of spread just like this? So what. Stop staring.

I served this spicy sweet spread on warm garlic naan. It was divine! It was piled on. It was double dipped. It was alluringly spicy and irresistibly sweet. This spread would also be incredible on a turkey sandwich, or as a thick sauce with roasted chicken or pork, and smashed potatoes.

Think big! Live big too!

Spicy Lemon Date Spread

adapted just slightly from Party Like A Culinista

Print this Recipe!

makes about 2 cups of spread

2 1/2 cups pitted, chopped dates (dates dont get peeled)

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 cups water

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger (ginger gets peeled)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

scant 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon sea salt

warm naan or pita bread

extra virgin olive oil for serving

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped dates, lemon juice, water, zest, ginger, and spices to the pan. Simmer until almost all of the water is evaporated. The dates will begin to break down, and the simmering mixture will resemble a very thick stew., about 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Place mixture in the bowl of a food processor fit with a blade attachment. Puree mixture until smooth. Thats it! Serve it up.

Spread is delicious warm and at room temperature. ! Spread w ill last, covered in the fridge, for up to 5 days.

Christmas Menu at Senses, Hilton Kuala Lumpur

Last week, we went to Hilton Kuala Lumpur for a preview of their Christmas menu. While most of the eating was done in Sudu (which I shall blog about later today), we went on a "safari" around 3 more restaurants in the hotel -- Senses, Iketeru and Chynna. Our first stop was Senses, the fine dining modern Australian restaurant helmed by celebrity chef Michael Elfwing.

Senses are offering a few menus, check out the website here for more details. The photos below are from the Senses Festive Menu priced at RM308++ for six courses.

SENSES FESTIVE MENU

Christmas Canaps

Feuille de brick & truffle crisp

Thyme macaron with duckliver pat

Foie gras pralines

Chestnut Soup

Chestnut soup with seared foie gras, celery and maple

Mandagery Creek Venison

Sous-vide then grilled venison rack, compote of handpicked Swedish lingon berries,

organic parsnip pure, sauted baby spinach

Winter Seafood Medley

Seared John Dory & Atlantic halibut served with Nordic shrimp & Hokkaido Bay scallop,

fennel & celeriac with dill veloute

Palette cleanser

Snowball

Quince & Rhubarb Trifle

Poached South Australian quince & rhubarb trifle, Limoncello custard,

vanilla bean sponge, marinated winter fruits &cinnamon ice cream

Festive Season Petit Fours

Chocolate Christmas tree, Homemade gingerbread,

Brandy posset, Christmas pudding

Thyme macaron with duck liver pate - I tried this, and I have to say the sweet/savoury combination works. Love it!

Senses restaurant

Christmas Canapes

Feuille de brick & truffle crisp

Chestnut soup with seared foie gras

Sous vide grilled venison rack

Winter seafood medley

Quince and rhubarb trifle

Festive Season Petit Fours

Note: This blogpost is purely to showcase the Christmas menu at Senses, Hilton KL. The writer has not tasted the dishes in this blogpost unless otherwise stated.

Location: Senses, Hilton Kuala Lumpur,3, Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur,

Tel: +603 2264 2264,

Website:www.life.hiltonkl.com

peppermint hot fudge sauce

You have all of your holiday shopping done, dont you? I bet everything is wrapped and in gift bags, and that you know how to tie ribbons into bows without cursing. I suspect everyone but me knows how to fluff? Is that what they call it? I bet everyone knows how to arrange the tissue paper inside the gift bags so that it looks perfectly festive and even a tad enthusiastic. I have a hunch that your gifts are homemade and hand-lettered; that you made your own cards. Oh, you didnt? Well, come sit down over here. Youre among friends.

I ran to Duane Reade this morning and bought a roll of brown shipping paper and decided at once that the gift wrap theme this year would be rustic. I also wiped out the gift bag supply; sorry about that. Then I went home and made my first homemade gift. Yes, I know it is both Hanukah and Christmas week but I dont like to be rushed. Plus, if you only have time this week to warm hearts and minds with but a single homemade treat, I hardly think this would be an unwelcome choice.

... Read the rest of peppermi! nt hot f udge sauce on smittenkitchen.com

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Kai See Hor Fun.

Kai See Hor Fun (Shredded chicken with flat rice noodle) is quite an interesting bowl of noodle.

On it's own the flat rice noodle is quite bland but to the accompaniment of shredded chicken, prawn dumpling, beansprout, Chinese chives, a drizzle of chillies oil and a tasty broth of chicken bones and prawn shell-it is delicious !

This stall get it's daily supply of flat rice noodle from Ipoh- through a transportation's network whereby the vans or lorries will pick up the noodles in the afternoon from Ipoh and deliver it to a central location (usually a house) in KL or PJ -the stall owner will then collect it in the evening.

The noodle are cut not too wide and are extremely smooth....

Kai See Hor Fun-Rm4.50 plus two whole fresh and sweet tasting prawn dumplings @Rm.80/each.
Location: a stall in Restoran Uncle Meng,
Lorong 1/91,Taman Shamelin Perkasa,
Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

Cameron Highlands After a Long Long Time

The last time I went to Cameron Highlands could be decades ago. This is Lata Iskandar a popular stop over for picnic at a waterfall or some shopping of the local produces.

The minute I parked my car next to this stall I asked this new found "brother" to open one of these king of fruits for me even though we just had lunch at Tapah.

The rest of the entourage was looking for me and found me eating durian here. They joined me for a lovely durian eating. RM5.00 per kg just in case you want to know the price.

The banana is sold at RM5.00 per kg 100% no fertiliser is used and 100% organic. A big bundle of "petai" for RM55.00.

The traffic on a Saturday afternoon was bad upon reaching Tanah Rata, fortunately the apartment we were staying is just before the town. The setting was lovely just like England wet and cooling. It's going to be a a wonderful weekend at Cameron Highlands.

Let not stay too long in the apartment and let see places of Cameron Highlands.

The rain comes and go we were slightly hampered by it. We went around the town of Tanah Rata and took shelter from the wet weather. Our next plan was to travel up to Tringkap for dinner but it was a bad decision to have dinner th! ere on a Saturday evening where the traffic was exceptionally heavy coupled with a night market at Brinchang. It was a long drive to and fro just to have dinner at Restoran Tringkap.

I was the first to sleep and first to wake up, I sneaked out of the apartment to this Indian Eating Shop for a hot tea and a packet of Nasi Lemak. The sky was still dark.