Saturday, August 30, 2008

Ramadan in Kedah


Ramadan is a Muslim religious observance that falls on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. During this month, Muslims observe fasting, they do not eat or drink anything from sunrise until sunset. Fasting also teaches the person patience and humility.

(Photo: Kedah, Malaysia. There are often numerous stalls selling food for the breaking of fast and goodies for the coming Hari Raya celebrations at the end of Ramadan)

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Kedah's Prime Ministers

FIRST PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA - Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah Fondly known as "The Father of Malaysia"

The Longest Serving Prime Minister of Malaysia - Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Ex Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Read more on Kedah at History of Kedah in myKedah

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Recipes from Kedah


Some great recipes from the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia.
Here's our Simple Ayam Rendang Kedah:

Ingredients
I whole chicken
1 ½ cups santan or coconut milk (freshly extracted from grounded coconut / prepare from 1 cup coconut cream)
1 cup desiccated coconut
3 leaves of limau perut or kafir lime
2 tumeric leaves
2 star anise bunga lawang
5 cloves or bunga cengeh
2 cinnamon stick or kayu manis
5 cardamoms or buah pelaga
2 tbsp brown sugar or gula melaka/merah
Salt to taste

Grounded ingredients:
- 100 gm dried chilies
- 10 shallots
- 10 cm piece lengkuas or blue ginger
- 5 cm piece ginger
- 3 cm piece kunyit or turmeric
- 5 serai or lemon grass

Method
Cut the chicken to bite pieces.
Grind or blend the chilies, shallot, lengkuas, ginger, turmeric and lemon grass with a little water.
Heat oil in a wok/pan/pot. Add the grounded ingredients, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick and cardamom and fry unit fragrant and the oil surfaces.
Put in the chicken pieces and mix well in the pot. Cook with the lid partially close for about 15-20 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk, kafir lime leaves and turmeric leaves.
Lower the heat and add in the desiccated coconut, sugar and salt to taste and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Ensure that the chicken is cooked and remove the rending from heat.



more on food and where to go at http://www.mymalaysiabooks.com/

Check this out