Improptu Beef Stir-Fry ala Rieaane's
Topic: Beef
I named it improptu beef stir fry since I cooked it in an impromptu way. My brother called me early morning on the 1st day of Eid and he said he will bring beef to our home so that I can cook it for our lunch. We planned to go to the seaside at 1:00 o'clock and I never cooked anything for our lunch because I was waiting for him. He arrived in our home at 12:30 pm already. Naaa...only 30 minutes before 1 o'clock. The beef was not slice yet so I have to slice it quickly. I sliced a small portion from it just for me to cook that time, around 500 g or more maybe. I really don't know how to cook it quickly that time, so while I was slicing it I was thinking of many ways how it would be done in less than half an hour. I finished slicing it at 12:40 pm. and I cooked it in less than 20 minutes time. My brother requested me to cook the remaining beef on the same way. He likes it. LOL :) Here's how I made it.

Ingredients:
500 g beef, sliced thinly
1/3 tsp. turmeric powder
3 tbsp. cooking oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, sliced into rings
1/3 tsp. black pepper powder
3 tbsp. light soy sauce
2 tbsp. oyster sauce or to taste
1/3 cup water or more
1 tsp. sesame oil

Directions:
1. Combine turmeric powder and beef.
2. Heat oil in non-stick frying pan. Stir fry the beef for 2 minutes or until the color changes evenly. Add garlic and black pepper powder. Cook for 3 minutes
3. Add water and cook until the liquids are absorbed.
4. Add the sauces and onion rings, stir and cook for 1 minute or until the sauces are incorporated well with the meat.
5. Turn off heat and stir in the sesame oil. Serve over steam rice.

Baked Pineapple Toast
Topic: Breakfast Recipes
This recipe was emailed to me since few months ago but I never tried to make it until yesterday. The original recipe was made of bread,pineapple, egg and butter only but mine was a little bit fancy. I added mozarella cheese and sugar on it to add some flavor and I never regret of adding cheese on it. The combination of pineapple and cheese was really great. However I noticed that the color when inverted was not attractive, I think the best sugar to use will be the brown one to add some color on it. Or maybe a little amount of honey instead of sugar will also good. Anyway, next time I will use brown sugar or honey, LOL!

Ingredients:
4 slices of bread
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 eggyolk, beaten
1/4 cup butter
3 tbsp. sugar
2/3 cup grated mozarella cheese

Directions:
1. Combine eggyolk and milk. Set aside.
2. Combine pineapple, butter and sugar. Spread the mixture in a baking dish.
3. Sprinkle grated mozarella cheese on top of the pineapple mixture.
4. Arrange the 4 slices of bread on top.
5. Pour the egg and milk mixture over the bread. Spread evenly.
6. Bake in a preheated 200 C degrees oven for 20 minutes.
7. Invert and serve while hot.

Brownies
Topic: Snacks
I'm always a big fan of brownies especially the one from Goldilocks in Philippines, I really miss it already. I hope there will be Goldilocks here in Kuwait someday. I tasted the brownies from Breadtalk here in Kuwait and I like it also, very moist. Here's the brownies that I baked the other day. I know it's not the perfect-Goldilocks-type brownies but at least you can still identify that it was a brownies when you eat it. LOL!

Ingredients:
1/2cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup butter
3 tnsp. sugar
2 eggyolks
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
1. Sift together flour, cocoa and baking powder.
2. Beat butter and sugar until creamy, then add eggyolks while beating.
3. Add to it the flour mixture alternating with the condensed milk.
4. Pour into greased baking tray.
5. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top.
6. Bake in a preheated 180 C degrees oven for 30 minutes.

Squid Adobo
Topic: Squids
There are many variations of squid adobo, however this is my favorite one.

Ingredients:
500 g squid, cleaned and sliced into rings
1 cup water
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tsp. whole peppercorns
1/2 tsp. salt
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. grated ginger
1 ripe tomato, sliced thinly
1 tbsp. light soy sauce
2 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 stalk green onion,cut into 1 inch length
3 tbsp. cooking oil
1 stp. sesame oil (optional)

Directions:
1. In a medium pot, bring water to a boil along with the vinegar, squid and salt until the squid is cooked. Drain and set aside.
2. In a separate pan, saute garlic in hot oil until slightly brown. Add onions, ginger and tomato, saute until the tomatoes are tender.
3. Add the squid and the rest of the ingredients except green onion and sesame oil. Stir to mix well and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add green onions. Stir for few seconds. Turn off heat. Stir in the sesame oil. Serve hot.

Beef Rendang Curry
Topic: Beef
The first beef rendang that I tasted was in Marawi City and it became one of my favorite during my college years. I never tried to cook this dish ever since that's why I decided to cook one yesterday. I just cooked it with experimentation since that was really my first time to cook one. Fortunately, it was successful, a beef rendang indeed! LOL :) The first step I did was to soften the beef first by simmering it for 40 minutes to 1 hour. I decided to add onions and ginger while simmering so that I can used the broth for another purposes. In as much, my little Azhfaar loves to sip meat soup.

Ingredients:
500 g beef, diced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 thumb-sized ginger, crushed
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
salt to taste
water

1 1/2 cup thick coconut milk
2 tbsp. curry paste or to taste
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 stalk lemon grass, sliced thinly
1 thumb-sized ginger, crushed
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Chili peppers, chopped (optional)
2 tbsp. cooking oil
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions:
1. Combine 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder and beef. Place the beef, 1 sliced onion and ginger in a medium pot. Add enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, remove scums as it rises. Cover and simmer over low heat for at least an hour. Remove the beef from water, and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add in the garlic, stir fry for a few seconds before stirring in the lemon grass and onions. Reduce heat to medium, stir in coconut milk, curry paste, peppers and turmeric. Mix in the beef, and cover the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes over medium heat, add carrots. Season with sugar, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes more.
3. Turn off heat, stir in the cilantro just before serving.