Easy Chickpeas Salad

Chickpeas weren't my food before. 

I didn't know the existence and taste of chickpeas until I move to Malaysia. 

It's one of the important ingredient in Indian food.

The first time I ate chickpeas on its own was from Nandos three bean salad. 

It was soft, nutty, and filling (means less bread or rice intake, heheh...!)

Since then I am addicted to chickpeas. 

Mr use to add chickpeas to chili and curry too, 

but it has to be a lot of hassle making it.

Salad is the easiest way to enjoy chickpeas. 

I bought dried chickpeas, it lot of cheaper than bought in the tin.

I soaked 1 cup dried chickpeas with warm water for the whole night, rinse, and boil it for about 15-20 minutes. I turn off the fire after 5 minute boil, and let the remain heat cook the chickpeas.

Rinse again with cold water, that's it...

soft nutty chickpeas ready to go

Ingredient for Chickpea salad:

1 cup cooked chickpeas

1/2 cucumber, remove the seeds and cut

1 tsp chopped parsley

1 tsp chopped red chili

1 tsp chopped yellow onion)

Any other ingredient you like (tomatoes, bell pepper)

Salt, pepper, olive oil

Mix together and ready to serve

I enjoy it with sliced cucumber and soybean patties :)

EASY JAPANESE CURRY

I've been eating Japanese curry from restaurant in Mr's apartment. 

Which I think Japanese curry is totally different with any South Asian curry (Indian, Srilankan, Bengali, Mamak). Japanese curry is softer, sweeter and lighter. No greasy taste after the meal, I guess because they use flour to thicken the sauce instead of coconut milk.

Japanese curry is milder, sweeter, and usually served as a gravy. 

An "Animal" protein will cook separately either deep fried or baked.

Tired with queue and watching the huge portion of take away food. 

Yes, take out food nowadays always came in the jumbo size portion which totally not fair. 

Want not-throw not..??

Force me to look for the recipe to cook my own so that I could adjust the portion. And hey... Save money... (ha ha, not for this curry) the cost of cooking is higher than take away..!

Making Japanese curry is actually easier than making Indian curry,

but more ingredient needed. I adopt the recipe from here but then I found it too complicated, and the amount of butter and oil scared me out ($$$$, Kcal, run, hungry, &%^^$##@)

Here is my own version which the results are still have same taste...

Ingredient :

1 potato, peel and cubed

1 carrot, peel and cubed

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt, pepper

1 tsp cooking oil

2 cups water

1 tbs flour

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp ketchup

1 tbs mild curry powder (I use maharajah brand)

How to:

1. Heat cooking oil, and add in onion. Stir fried until onion soft and fragrant, add in garlic, stir in

    1 minutes. Add in curry powder, stir a bit 9about 20 second..? I guess).

2. Add in cubed potatoes, carrot and water, cover the lid. Boil until potato is cooked.

3. Add Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt and pepper.

4. Mix the flour with a bit of water, and put into the curry. Stir well otherwise it will lumped.

5. Stir in frozen peas, leave it for a couple minutes. 

After all thick, nice and cooked, served with steam rice and fried breaded chicken (or anything you like) 

Cooking is not difficult, eh...

It just need a bit effort and habbit

and I got plenty left over to share with the officemates tomorrow :)

Easy Chicken Tacos

Wonder what to do with all the leftover..?

If you got plenty left over from the last night party and bored about making sandwiches or soup, tacos are some of the options.

I got plenty chicken and salads from the Christmas lunch

There is no special recipe in making tacos but a nice Taco sauce and fresh salsa are the key ingredient. Make sure the tortilla warmed before serving too :)

No real recipe, just simply arrange and ready to go..

Christmas Lunch 2013

Anyone stuck in Kuala Lumpur like us...??

yeah, a lot of us :)

Pity me, I can't travel anywhere because I have an exam on 28th Dec

Pity Rita, she couldn't balik kampong  cos MAS canceled her ticket and sell it to someone else...

BOO...!

Another girl stranded is Syaz, she has to stay in KL cos of her thesis...

We decide to gather and had some lunch together..

Simple roasted chicken and salad..

Meant to be a turkey, but way too big for three of us

*2 kg chicken is enough..!

and I made the easiest ever

Roasted Chicken :

1 big chicken (about 2kg)

olive oil

salt, pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks fresh rosemary (dry mix herbs will do too, like McCormick)

1/4 lemon

Clean and pat dry chicken, remove the excess fat (especially in bottom part)

Mix all the ingredients, and rub all over the chicken.

Be generous with the amount of black pepper.

Roasted on 170'C, for 2 hours.

Mean time I made boiled potato and simple salad.

yes, very simple.. (Way too simple)

Spinach mix salad

1 cup spinach leaves

1/2 carrot, slices like matches

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 cucumber, chopped

Mix all the ingredients, sprinkle a bit of salt, pepper, and squeeze bit lemon.

That's it.. :)

In the afternoon we continue the session with "teh tarik" with Syaz and her officemate.

Merry Christmas to all Christian friends,

Happy Holiday Everyone...

Hope you have a good day off

2013 ROUND UP

At the final month of 2013 

I would like to say thank you mainly for...

My Super Big Relief

Thesis

Finally I made it, after I enter - stop - lost every single cent of my life saving, power and hope -

I wake up...

start save from zero

 And register AGAIN to get what I've dreamed before

Life is so much easier if you put a trust on yourself 

*nototherpeople..!

Mambo Friends

I don't have many friends around, nor a hangout gang.
Most of the time I roam and travel alone.
But I have special people out from family color up my life and keep me feel like a human.

Thanks for staying around me...

Good Food All Year Around

Special thanks to my Mr ad his awesome cooking skills

Life is so tasty with you around :)

Never Ending Random Travel

It doesn't have to be fancy,

It doesn't have to be a place listed in Discovery Channel,

It doesn't have to be a luxury

Just book a cheap ticket, light pack, and Ciao...!

Of course there so many moments in 2013 I am thankful for I can't list them one by one..

It's been a joyful 2013

 And I am counting day to new year..