My Girl is Leaving Home for National Service Training Program /Pusat Latihan Khidmat Negara (NSTP/PLKN) and Healthy Mixed Congee with Ginkgo Nuts

Finally, my girl has grown up and has been selected for the National Service Training Program. Today (7 April 2014) is her 1st time she is leaving home and away from the family for 3 months. She is posted to Semarak Camp, in Pekan, Pahang. Of course, it’s very emotional for us; sobbing, hugging, encouraging and motivating words, and lots and lots of hugs and kisses.  We are going to miss her and she too.

For my foreign followers' information, the Ministry of Defence Malaysia had implemented National Service Training Program in 2002 and the program was fully operational since 2004. The first targeted group for National Service Program were teenagers born in 1986 or those 18 years of age in 2004. Since then, more and more teenagers who fall in this category are being randomly selected and expected to participate in the National Service Program.

 

The National Service Training Program (NSTP) is implemented to achieve the objectives as stated below:
1) To develop and enhance the spirit of patriotism among youths
2) To encourage national integration and racial unity
3) To build character through imparting core moral values
4) To instil spirit of volunteerism
5) To develop a young generation that is resilient, healthy and confident.

Her friends came to send her off :)

She is fortunate her good friend is under the same batch and camp as her.

For this posting, I have mixed congee with ginkgo nuts. With the current hot weather, it is great to have congee for lunch. Instead of plain rice congee, try adding your favourite ingredients. I love mixed congee and this time, I have ginkgo nuts added to the congee.

Ingredients :

-2 cups of rice (I used brown rice - washed)
-enough water for congee (add more water if you prefer your congee to be watery)
- 1 cup fresh ginkgo nut (membrane peeled, split and remove the pith/embryo)
- 1 tbsp Chinese Wolfberries
- 1 bowl of chopped kai lan/chinese kale
- 1 cup of mixed vegetables
- 2 thumb sized ginger (crushed)
Seasonings : (to taste)
- 1 tbsp miso
- salt
- soy sauce
- pepper

Method :
1) Add enough water to boil rice. Add ginger. If you prefer watery congee or porridge, add more water accordingly.

2) When rice have split but not fully cooked, add ginkgo nuts and mixed vegetables.

3) When congee is cooked, add Chinese kale and Chinese Wolfberries. Stir and mix well.

4) Lastly, add seasonings to taste.

5) Serve hot or warm.

Just for your info, I won't be available from tomorrow till next week. Till then, have a nice day and cheers :)

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Refreshing Rice Porridge/Congee with Sweet Pototoes

Usually when any member of my family is under the weather, rice porridge or congee is the best choice. Besides being refreshing, it's also excellent for those who have weak digestive tract from chronic or acute illness and also for healing nourishment.

Cooking rice porridge or congee is easy and simple. An amount of grains with 5 to 6 times more water is all that is needed for plain rice congee and  preferably, a pinch of sea salt is added. Plain rice congee can be of white or brown rice grains.  For added flavour or health benefits and healing purposes, a combination of grains, beans, vegetables, meat or medicinal herbs is commonly practiced by my family since our grandparents' era.  In fact most of my uncles and aunts as well as my parents are quite well equipped with Chinese medicinal herbs knowledge as both my grandparents were Chinese sinseh.  Too bad, my knowledge on this topic is quite limited and I regretted that I didn't really make it a point to learn it from them.  Fortunately, I am still able to cook simple yet nutritious and healthy meal for my own family, hehehe...  Not too bad, isn't it????  

Ingredients :

- 1 cup of rice grains - I used brown rice (thoroughly washed)

- 1 medium sized orange sweet potato (peeled and cut)

- 6 cups of water (adjust the water depending on individual's preferences)

Method :

1)  Put washed rice and water into a pot and bring to a boil.

2)  Lower the heat and simmer until the rice is semi-cooked.

3)  Add in sweet potatoes and continue to cook till porridge consistency and the potatoes are soft.

4)  If you need to add water, remember to add hot water.

5)  Serve hot for breakfast or lunch.

I prefer my porridge to be super silky smooth (you need to simmer it longer) but hubby likes his rice porridge just as the above picture and my girls like theirs to be very watery.  So, each time whenever I cook porridge, the consistency of the porridge also varies depending on the type of porridge and the 'demand', hehehe...

We usually eat this with some side dishes or condiments if we are having it for lunch.  As this was for breakfast, we had it with Homemade Salted Duck Egg <--- (click here for a step-by-step recipe).

Isn't this a very simple yet healthy breakfast for your beloved family?

In case you are interested, here's the  link to my previous porridge/congee recipes :-

Sweet Bitter Gourd Porridge

Malay style porridge : Bubur Lambuk/Spiced Porridge

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Sweet Fragrant Wheat and Corn Porridge

I used to cook  Sweet Fragrant Wheat (Gandum) Porridge for the past 1 month as I would try to use up all the grains or beans that I have bought.  I don't like to keep the balance of it for too long as I tend to forget about it and at the end it would be ended up in the garbage bin!  Out of sight, out of mind!  That's me... but don't get me wrong.  I am not referring to friends but only to those ingredients that were being stored away from my sight.  Don't worry, you all are always on my mind. 

This time, I added corn kernels to it as I noticed that I still had 1 ear of miserable corn sitting in the fridge.  Give this a try and you will love it :)

Ingredients :
- 3/4 cup of wheat/gandum (washed)

- 1 ear of corn  (washed, and cut the kernels into a bowl)

- a bunch of pandan leaves/screwpine leaves

- 100ml of coconut milk/coconut milk

- sugar (to taste)

- a dash of salt (to taste)

- 2.5 litres of water

Method :

1) Fill water in a pot and add drained wheat and corn kernels.  Boil over high heat for 20 minutes. 

2) Then, lower the heat, add pandan leaves and slow boil for another 1 hour or until the wheat and corn kernels are cooked and expanded.

3) Should you need to add extra water in between, be advised to add only hot boiling water.
4) Add sugar and let it simmer for a while.
5) Lastly, add santan and keep stirring. Season with a dash of salt.

6)  Serve hot.

Serve this yummylicious dessert as your breakfast or tea time.

I am submitting this Post to Little Thumbs Up September - Pandan hosted by Joceline @ Butter, Flour & Me, organized by Z OE @ Bake For Happy Kids and Little Mui Mui @ My Favourites DIY .

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Bubur Lambuk or Spiced Porridge/Congee (Repost)

This is actually an old post and I am re-posting it for Cooking with Herbs Blog Challenge for September Herbal Fun. When I chanced upon Lavender and Lovage, I was instantly attracted to the September Cooking with Herbs Blog Challenge. So, my fellow bloggers, if you are interested in joining the fun for Cooking with Herbs Blog Challenge, just hop over and have a look at all the interesting dishes that used different herbs. Do join in the fun if you are interested too. 

This was posted on 17 July 2013 :

This year the fasting month for Muslims began on 10 July.  As such, a month-long  Ramadan Bazaar can be seen in most of the places offering a variety of delicacies to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Those days, I really enjoyed going to Pasar Ramadan as we were be spoilt with a variety of mouth-watering delicacies, be it savoury dishes or sweet desserts.    Yesterday I went to Ramadan Bazaar near my place to pack some food for dinner.  I also bought a tub of bubur lambuk (spiced porridge/congee).  It's so expensive. Imagine a very small tub of this porridge was sold at RM5.  Instead of beef, they had shredded chicken in it and what I got was a miserable one or two shredded chicken!  Luckily the taste is quite good.   So what, I decided to cook my own bubur lambuk when I saw Wendy's Bubur Lambuk which she posted for KL Selangor Food Fest.  My recipe is basically based on Wendy's recipe with some minor changes.  Wendy, thanks for sharing your recipe!

This porridge is really superb and great! I adjust the measurement accordingly and the flavour of the spices is just amazing! I added extra coconut milk (santan) as I love santan. It's very creamy and smooth. However, my hubby doesn't like too much santan. I'm sure there will be many more rounds of Bubur Lambuk from me but will reduce the santan or omit it, just to please the man of the house!! hehehehehe...

Do give this a try.  It's packed with sweet aroma of spices.

Ingredients :
- 1.5 cups rice
- 1 bowl finely sliced chicken fillet (marinated with soy sauce and pepper)
- 1 medium red onion (sliced)
- 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 4 lemongrass (slit and crushed)
- some pandan leaves (cut)
- 1 tbsp dried shrimp (rinsed and finely chopped)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp ghee or butter (I used ghee)
- 1 Tbsp oil

Spices :
- 2 inches cinnamon stick (kulit kayu manis)
- 1 tsp fenugreek (halba)
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (jintan manis)
- 1/2 tsp fennel powder (serbuk jintan manis)
- 1 star anise (bunga lawang)
- 5 cardamoms (buah pelaga)
- 4 cloves (bunga cengkih)
-1 tsp kurma spice (rempah kurma)

Garnish :
Sliced chinese celery
Sliced spring onions
Crispy shallots and garlic

Method :

1) Wash rice and add water accordingly. Tear pandan leaves into the rice cooker.
2) Close and press the 'Congee' button.

3) Meanwhile, heat oil and ghee in a wok. Saute onions and garlic until fragrant.

4) Then, add in spices and chicken meat.
5) Stir fry until the chicken meat is blended with the spices and almost dry.
6) Add in chopped dried shrimps. Stir and mix well.
7) Dish out and set aside.

8) When there is a beep sound from the rice cooker, transfer the spiced chicken into the rice cooker.
9) Close and press 'Quick Cook/Steam' button.
10) When there is a beep sound, open the lid and remove the pandan leaves.

11) Add in hot water as required.
12) Season with salt. Stir and close.
13) Press the 'Quick Cook/Steam' button.
14) Continue cooking and add in hot water if necessary. Wait for the beep sound.

15) Add santan. Stir and mix well. Close.
16) Press 'Quick Cook/Steam' button .
17) Let it keep 'Warm' for about 1 hour before serving.
18) Serve hot.
19) Garnish with Chinese celery, spring onions and crispy shallots & garlic.

Note : The whole process takes about 2.5 to 3 hours depending on your method of cooking (either using slow cooker, rice cooker, pressure cooker or gas stove). I am using brown rice. So, if you are using white rice, the cooking time is faster than brown rice.

I'm linking this post to September 2013 Cooking With Herbs Blog Challenge hosted by Lavender and Lovage.

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