Sigh....I am composing this post from my handphone as my laptop is being reimaged, in the office on a Saturday early morning of 12:55am. Why the urgency I hear you asking? Cos it's freaking year end closing on a blardy WD5! Argghhhh, the laptop really couldn't find a better time to crash!

And why can't I do it from home? Cos the discs are in the office. Lesson learnt? Keep the blardy disc in the laptop bag. Hmmmppphhh!!!

Just because workload's been great doesn't mean I don't work. I still have deliverables due and I do need to be on standby - it's year end close after all. All. Th The only consolation I have is that dear J is my driver and acting body guard!

Due to the RING! Oh, the question too of course ;)

P/S : Pictures to come real soon.

Armed with my trusty E71 as handphone and GPS tool, I braved my way to JulieCat's place about 2 weeks ago for lunch during one of the days where I worked morning shifts (ahem, have to have a disclaimer clause else people start thinking that I am so free during weekdays to go jalan-jalan!).

Ingredients

1 cup digestive biscuit crumbs
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp butter, melted
24 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs
1 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted

Method

• Combine the biscuit crumbs, sugar and butter and then press into the bottom of 9-inch spring-form pan.

• Bake at 180°C for 10 minutes.

• Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla, beating until well blended.

• Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition to make a batter.

• Blend chocolate into 1 cup of batter.

• Spoon plain and chocolate batters alternately over crust, cutting through batters with knife several times for the marble effect.

• Bake at 450 °F for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250°F and continue baking for a further 30 minutes.

• Loosen cake from rim of pan and cool before removing rim.

• Chill before serving.

I only substituted 2 items from the recipe. One being the dried parsley as I couldn't find any in Carrefour, so I used Italian herbs instead. The other item was baguette with wholemeal bread - ahem mau sihat la konon (an attempt to be healthier *cough*)

1 medium to large sized head of fish - Grouper [Garoupa], Red Snapper, Salmon, etc., cleaned

3-4 tbsp Malaysian fish curry powder

1-1½ tbsp, or to taste chili powder

2 tbsp ghee [clarified butter] or vegetable oil - I used normal cooking oil

5-6 garlic, minced

1 tsp fenugreek seeds [optional]

5-6 curry leaves [optional]

2 med fresh tomatoes, cut into wedges

1½-2 cups of your favorite vegetable for fish curry - brinjals [Japanese eggplant] cut into 1½ inch pieces or small whole okra [ladies fingers]

2 fresh red or green chili peppers, whole [optional]

1 tbsp tamarind pulp

4 cups water

½ cup coconut milk - I used normal low fat milk instead. Will try it with coconut milk. Will produce a more fragrant curry.

1 tsp sugar

salt and pepper

2 tsp coriander seeds

1½ tsp cumin seeds

8-10 dried red Serrano chilies, reconstituted in hot water [Substitute: 2-3 tbsp or to taste, chili paste]
[Items in red to be ground or blended]

To Prepare :
Rub salt all over fish head, leave on for 15 mins, then rinse salt off

If using dried red chilies, first remove stems, most seeds and reconstitute in hot water, drain well

Using a mortar & pestle or blender grind the softened dried chilies chilies [or chili paste], coriander and cumin seeds

In a small bowl, combine fish curry powder and chili powder, add a few tbsp of water and mix into a thick paste

Heat ghee or vegetable oil in a hot wok or pot, add fenugreek, garlic and curry leaves stir-fry for about 1 min

Add curry paste and chili paste, reduce heat to low, stir-fry until quite toasted and oil starts to ooze from paste - do not burn!

Using your fingers, mix tamarind paste around in 4 cups of water, strain, discard seeds and fibers

Add tamarind water, bring to a boil

Add coconut milk, fresh tomatoes, brinjals or okra, fresh red or green chili peppers [optional], sugar and season with salt and pepper, stir well

When it comes to a slow boil, add fish head, cover and simmer gently

When fish head is just cooked, remove promptly from heat, let stand for 15 mins [for flavors to meld]

Serve with bread, roti or steamed rice

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken wings (about 12 wings)
3 Tbsp butter, melted
4 Tbsp bottled hot pepper sauce (like Crystal or Frank's Original) - I used Tobasco as it was the only one available. See JulieCat, it did say 4 tablespoons only.
1 Tbsp paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper Don't have this in the kitchen so just add on the ration to black pepper's
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 Cut off wing tips (discard or reserve for other use such as making stock). Cut wings at the joint. Put chicken wing pieces in a plastic bag. Set aside. Food safety note: when cutting raw chicken it is best to use a cutting board reserved just for cutting raw chicken. Wash thoroughly when finished. Do not let raw chicken juices come in contact with other food.
2 Create a marinade by stirring together the melted butter, hot pepper sauce, paprika, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Pour all but 2 tablespoons of the marinade over the chicken pieces in the plastic bag. (Reserve marinade for coating after the pieces come out of the oven.) Seal bag and let marinate at room temperature for half an hour. When marinating is finished, drain marinade and discard bag.