With Love ..SYAKIRA

Coming back from such a long hiatus, with food and dessert :)

tonight is roasted butter, lemon herb chicken..not that I ditch the rice but lately my palate seems craving for western food.

Serve with penne pasta n stir fried pak choy...or with rice , talking about asian vs west

Chicken Recipe:

2-3 chicken thighs (any part will do)

(I just leave the skin on, just for the crispy effect when u roast it)

unsalted pure butter 30g

3-4 cloves of garlic,finely chopped
italian herbs
salt
ground black pepper.
1 tbs lemon squeeze

Mashed the butter with all the ingredients.

gently massage the clean chicken.

Stuff the mix butter herb in the skin.

Roast in the oven for 35 min , 180 degrees, with grill fan bake.

For the sauce:

I'm using the melted butter from the roasted chicken.

Heat it up , add 1 tbs of plain flour

black pepper, dash of salt

and milk..just to make it nice and creamy.

(whisk till it incorporated)

Cheers

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Gucci & Michael Kors :)

Brand New Gucci Tote Bag

New Michael Kors shoulder satchel bag for sale. genuine leather. comes with a strap.

Anyone interested ? Do PM me for the price b_syakira@yahoo.com

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Friday, December 30, 2011

Alhamdulillah, we ended 2011 with a splendid getaway in Singapore…yes again. This is the third time we were here just in 2011. Can’t get enough with this “lion city”. To cut some cost we stayed in JB and drove to Singapore two days in a row. To be honest Singapore is an expensive city especially in food and parking :). But I must say, the system there is very sophisticated and centralized. Maneuvering here and there wasn’t that difficult as long as u know where to go. Thanks to GPS :) .

The best part in this holiday was the food. We blew out some money on the food there (and a wee bit indulging myself on a pair of new shoes ) yay !!!...ya back to the food,Murtabak Singapore, Beef Biryani, Sup Tulang Merah and etc :)
Welcoming 2012 with a great feeling. InsyaAllah.

Al-Falah Mosque

Things that catched my eyes while waiting hubby (Al-Falah Mosque, Orchard Rd)

Paragon (Orchard Rd)

Sultan Mosque

Zam-Zam Singapore

Sup tulang merah..

Not into my liking though...but worth to try :)

Monday, November 14, 2011

Oven Baked Cheese Pasta

Ingredients

2 cups of pasta (i'm using penne)

3 cups of milk

2 tbs of plain flour

1 0nion ,2 clove of garlic (finely chopped)
baby mushroom (approximately)
Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese (grated)
salt ,black-pepper.
italian herbs.
butter & olive oil

1.Boil the pasta until ala dente-drained

For the white sauce (Bechamel Sauce)

2.Heat up the pan,put the olive oil and butter, sauted the onion n garlic until golden brown
3.Put in the dice mushroom.Stir well
4.Add the plain flour.Stir until the flour form a dough
5.Add the milk.Stir well for a smooth mixture.
6.Put in salt, white pepper,black pepper and dry italian herbs

Next, combine the sauce with the pasta put in a baking dish.

Spread over on top with grated cheese.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees for 25-30 min.
Serve with mix salads.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Tasty DIM SUM

Asian flavors never fail me. The tangy taste, the aroma, the depiction are impeccable where it never stop me from craving more. I love Chinese food very much. In fact in my pantry, I have most of the basic ingredients for chine cuisine. U name it, sour plum sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil etc.
It is very difficult to get halal Dim Sum here so I’m thinking of trying one. This is when my husband been busy with his work and only came home late night and I’m obliged with my night classes for this semester. So you can count how many nights we have dinner together :(.
I chose to prepare something light for dinner just for me, myself and I for that fastidious night.
Yes a wee bit cheating here as I’m using frozen dim sum pastry where you can find it in the supermarket nearby.

Ingredients:
Dim Sum pastry
For the filling:
Minced beef.
Oil, Garlic, ginger, spring onion, white button mushroom, fresh red chili salt, black & white pepper and sesame oil

Method:
Heat up the wok and put a little bit vege oil.
Sauté the chopped garlic, ginger, fresh chilli and white button mushroom add the minced beef, stir until cooked.
Add the salt, black n white pepper for seasoning. Dash some sesame oil for the flavor and garnish with chopped spring onion.

Once cooked, put 1 tsp of the filling in the pastry.Fold it in any shape u want and steamed it for about 7-10 mins.

For the dipping:
Chopped garlic. chopped ginger
soy sauce, sesame oil and bird's eye chilli

Super easy and super yummy :).

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

The best carrot & pineapple cake :)

Assalamualaikum,

Eid Mubarak to all of you.I wonder if there any readers out there? :)
Well, I know this is such a long silent despite I have so many things to share here. By the way have u had enough with the yummy food last Eid? I'm going to share the best recipe i ever tried.

Carrot & pineapple cake with cream cheese frosting. Made this during last eid Adha and Alhamdulillah, I received just wonderful responses from family how good it taste :)

The recipe can be ladled from the show “barefoot contessa” with Ina Garten and wee changes were made to the recipe :)

For the cake
2 cups caster sugar
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil (i'm using corn oil)
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2½ cups self raising flour
1 tablespoon 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda -omit this cause I'm using self rasing flour
1 teaspoons salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnut
2 stick of carrots, grated
½ cup diced fresh pineapple (can pineapple)-rinsed the liquid

For the frosting:
250 g cream cheese, at room temperature
100 g of butter , at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sieved

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans. Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow. Add the vanilla.

In another bowl, sift together 2½ cups flour, the cinnamon, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour. Fold in the carrots and pineapple.

Add to the batter and mix well. Divide the batter equally between the two pans.

Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set over a wire rack.

For the frosting, mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined.

Add the sugar and mix until smooth.

Place one layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Enjoy :)

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Feeling good?

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Eid Mubarak :)

I was sitting alone at home today…Doing some baking for raya and I realized, I had abandoned this little space for quite a while. I was avidly trying my very best to devote my time during this holy month of Ramadhan to alleviate my ibadah. To be acceptance is in the hand of Allah…I’ll pray for that.

Alhamdulillah, Ramadhan this year is the best Ramadhan ..at least for me..I felt calm and serene and rejuvenate.

So how about your eid preparation? I don’t really do fancy clothing this year, am trying to be modest if possible :). Alhamdulillah ‘rezeki” from Allah is always there. Mr N, being so generous handing me upfront “duit raya”…in cheque from by the way..”sigh!!!!. and all banks are closed for this festive season. I can’t really cash it out immediately…emmm..I know why he did that ;) No last minute shopping for me !..Utterly control freak hehe

I guess it is not to late to wish everyone

Eid Mubarak
Selamat Hari Raya..Min al Aidil Wal Faizin
Maaf Zahir dan Batin.

Monday, August 8, 2011

8th of Ramadhan :) Blessed!!!

Note for a husband...

8th August 2011, 8th of Ramadhan.

Alhamdulillah, we turn 3 today. With the blessing of Ramadhan, I wish for the beautiful years ahead with you

Thank you so much for everything...Yes everything !!!

You are the most kind hearted person I ever met. Always thinking of others rather than yourself.

Ya Allah, ampunkanlah dosa kami

Tempatkanlah kami dalam golongan orang-orang yang beriman

Jauhkanlah kami dari hasad dengki, riak, sombong dan angkuh.

Kau tunjukkanlah kami jalan yang benar.

Janganlah sesekali Kau palingkan rahmatMu dari kami,

Sesungguhnya kami hanyala hambaMu yang miskin lagi hina, yang sentiasa dahagakan rahmatMu Ya Allah.

Berkatilah ikatan pernikahan ini kekal hingga ke Jannah.

Ameen...

Thank u Allah for this pure love...

Sunday, July 24, 2011

On a beautiful gift

"I took him to the Universal Studio Singapore on his birthday, but for mine, he took me to the nucleus of the universe.For that I blessed. Alhamdulillah"

Assalamulaikum

I haven’t written a lot on my recent visit to Mecca and Medina, haven’t I? Well, it was a journey worth to remember. Thinking of that moment, really make my eyes waters. It was kind of soul retreat for me. I started see things in different perceptions, in a better way I must say. My husband said I changed, “cooler” than before :). Alhamdulillah

The journey supposed to be scheduled on the June 16th which falls on my birthday. We purposely chose that date. But being a Muslim we must believe things happen for a reason, “we plan, but Allah is the greatest planner”. Thus, it was rescheduled on the 17th, still in the birthday mood.
Before the plain take off there are so many things wandered in my mind; scared, nervous, restless of nothing. Not because of the flight, but because of the negative attitude embedded in my life since forever; all the sins, the wrongdoings. Many questions pondered; what if I?, what if…?, what if.

I keep recite this “Ya Allah please be easy with me, forgive all my sins whether I realized it or not”. I prayed that this ziarah/ umrah will be a worthy journey for me not merely just holiday escapade; maybe for some people. Wallahuallam.

Both Medina and Mecca have its own distinct values. Our ziarah started in Medina. I will try to convey my very best to depict my experiences and my memories there.

Medina (June 2011)

After we landed in Jeddah, we were greeted by the mutawwif (ustaz which will lead the ziarah, he is Indonesian btw). There was a bus taking us to Medina. It took about 5 hours to reach our hotel there. We stopped in between for our dinner. Alhamdulillah rice for dinner, (I only ate pasta in the flight).The journey continued and I had my zikir and a comfortable rest in the bus. Almost entering haram ( non muslims are forbid/haram to enter Medina and Mecca, ), the ustaz wake us up and this is what he said:

“Assalamulaikum, tuan puan tamu Allah tamu Rasulullah. Maafkan saya kerana mengejutkan tuan puan dari lena. Kita sememangnya, sudah hampir memasuki sempadan tanah haram. Oleh itu kita di sunatkan membaca doa memasuki tanah haram.”

what a pleasant thought, i just love here, whatever you do, whenever you go there are always dua' to recite to show how barakah the place was...Beautiful !!!

And after reciting the dua, Ustaz lead the selawat upon Muhammad (pbuh). At that moment I can’t hide my emotions anymore my tears burst the minute I recite the selawat and when the bus make a turn nearby the nabawi mosque. I can’t believe I’m here now, near to our prophet Muhammad. I heard some people moan quietly. Yes it was such an amazing feeling…to be close to someone you love, someone you adore and that someone is thinking of you when he is near to death. Subhanallah, How could you not love him? Thinking of him? Even Allah (s.w.t), pays His selawat upon him.

Basically, the selawat lead by the Ustaz came into two versions. You know the Arabic one, but here I’m going to share the Malay one which really put you into deep emotions, especially if u are in Medina. It is from Raihan. Listen to that carefully…you may need face towel after.
I shall continue this travelogue later :). InsyaAllah

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Lemon Meringue Cheesecuppies

(Receipe from anna olson show)

Ingredients
Crust
1-1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (I'm using digestive biscuits)
1-1/2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake
1 cup cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large eggs, room temperature

Meringue
1 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tsp cornstarch
I add 1/2 tsp vanilla essense to reduce to egg smell :)

Directions
Crust
1.Preheat oven to 350°F (depends on your oven) and line 6 mini muffin tins with paper cups.
2.To make crust, combine all ingredients until evenly blended and crumbly. Press into bottom of mini muffins cups. Bake for 8 minutes, then cool.

Cheesecake
1.To make cheesecake, reduce oven to 325°F. Beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy, then gradually add sugar while beating, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Beat in cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, scraping well after each addition. Spoon or pipe cheesecake filling into cooled mini muffin tins and bake for about 18 minutes, until cheesecake still moves a little when pan is shaken gently. Let cheesecakes cool to room temperature. Meringue layer can be made once cheesecake have cooled and cheesecakes can be chilled overnight and then finished

Meringue
1.For meringue, preheat oven to 375?F. With an electric mixer, whip egg whites with lemon juice n vanilla extract until foamy. While whipping, gradually pour in sugar and whip on one speed less than highest until whites hold a stiff peak (the meringue stands upright when whisk is lifted). Whisk in cornstarch. Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star or plain tip and pipe on top of each cheesecake. Bake pie for about 6 minutes, just until meringue browns lightly. Allow cheesecakes to chill for at least an hour and up to a day before serving.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Red Velvet Bread Pudding :)

This wasn't my intention at the first place you know, to combine these sweet tooth :). I baked red velvet cake last night and hubby keeps saying I haven’t bake a proper cake for him... (Haven’t I? you've got to be kidding me man!!!). He added, he only tastes the balance of the batter which I baked in a smaller ramekin.

Then I replied (If you want, you need to order and pay for it la)
He: “Duduk satu rumah pun kena bayar ke??? pffft”.

So while baking for the order, I realized we had halve of walnut bread that I bought few days back. So I’m thinking to bake bread pudding for him and yes, he was right, (not a proper red velvet for him).I have remnants of the red velvet batter so my inner creativity yielded the second I ripped my bread in the baking tin.

I should combine these two and see what happen?

err..yummilicious :)

Ok the Bread Pudding Recipe:
Halve of walnut bread *any bread will do*
2 cups of milk
1 egg
¼ cup of sugar, and 2-3 tbs condensed milk
Chocolate spread,
Vanilla essence
Fresh strawberries and raisins
*Red velvet batter”

1.Rip the bread in a tiny pieces
2.Spread the chocolate over the bread
3.Mix all milk, egg, condensed milk and vanilla essence together.
4. Thinly slice the strawberry.
5. Put in the bread in baking tin and pour the liquid mixture
6.Mix well and add the strawberry and raisins.
7.Spread the red velvet cake batter on top * just a thin layer” and bake for about 20-30 min.

Enjoy the pictures :)

With Love ..SYAKIRA

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Blueberries Yogurt cake

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Happy Birthday Abah :)

Monday, April 2, 2012

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Roasted Butter lemon herb Chicken