Easy chocolate cake recipe

Perfect for birthdays, this is a great recipe for an easy, foolproof chocolate cake. It’s moist and fudgy and will keep well for 4-5 days.

 

Ingredients For the cake

- 225g/8oz plain flour
- 350g/12½oz caster sugar
- 85g/3oz cocoa powder
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 free-range eggs
- 250ml/9fl oz milk
- 125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 250ml/9fl Oz boiling waterFor the chocolate icing
- 200g/7oz plain chocolate
-200ml/7fl oz double cream

- Preparation method
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.

Technique: Greasing and lining cake tins
Watch technique0:33 mins

For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.

Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)

Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.
For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1-2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.

To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins.

I Love Big Apple Doughnuts.

   


All dressed up and looking temptingly gorgeous, the donuts are now ready to be rolled out. Now, now. Just like waiting for a bus, the donuts have to wait in line for their turn before their big debut at the display bar.


Finally, the donut comes to rest on the display bar where it is selected and purchased. Take a pick. But which one?
So the next time you wolf down on this guilty pleasure, take a moment to reflect upon the work that goes into making every donut at Big Apple Donut. As “every piece is a masterpiece”, these donuts tastes as good as it looks!

Eid Delicacies

The Eid ul-Adha celebrates the faith and obedience of Ibrahim, and the mercy that Allah can show. In honor of the ending of the story, animal sacrifice is an important part of the feast. In accordance with Islamic beliefs, a goat or sheep is slaughtered by slicing its throat while saying the name of Allah. By following this tradition, people are reminded that all life is considered sacred. The animal is divided into thirds and shared between the family, given to friends, and donated to the needy.

The animal sacrifice usually occurs on the first day of celebration, allowing the meat to be distributed during the following days. Traditionally, Muslims then spend the rest of the festival visiting friends and neighbors, sharing food, and offering gifts. People may also send special greeting cards bearing blessings and good wishes to relatives and friends in other parts of the world.

The food eaten during the festival focuses on the use of the sacrificial meat. Since the entire animal is used, the celebration is a chance for cooks to show off their skills with different preparations. Popular dishes include curries, stews, kebabs, and roasts. Sweets, such as pastries and puddings, are also very popular.

In Malaysia, the dishes are a bit different from other parts of the world. Here we have rendang, lemang and ketupat. it is cooked using the sacrificial meat.

Pizza Hut's coupon from Watsons

 One of my friends got a voucher of a Pizza hut's meal today from the Watsons store because she shopped there as a member of the store. So we decided to use the coupon to celebrate our best friend's birthday and treat her lunch at the nearest Pizza Hut's restaurant in town. We redeem and picked two flavors of our own and had the dish just like in the coupon. We save our money for lunch and not paying more on them

Happy Birthday Erma !!

A Finger Licking Good.

Kentucky Fried Chicken

How often do you guys go to KFCs to get these scrumptious meal ? If you asked me, well I could as many times as I want because I adore their chickens ! Besides chicken, they also put many burger choices in the menu and also some other dishes. I just have my KFC meal today with my friend and enjoy it before studying together. 

It's a great feeling with a finger licking good meal. Get yours now !

Yummy Beverages !

Iced Mocca

Hot chocolate with muffin

This is a new product from McDonalds. I had tasted these drinks myself and it helps brighten my day. We went to the nearest McDonalds and had this tasting ingredients and it was an awesome treat I must say. So to those who have not tried it yet, it's such a waste if you are not doing so. There are many McDonalds outlets here in Shah Alam area.

geee it's a TOSAI GHEE.

The Tosai Ghee is very strong with Ghee taste. As a result, the tosai is very cripsy and quite good. Similar to butter cookies taste.

I was never a fan of tosai like my friend and she can’t help but get hooked to this tosai ghee. The taste, the texture – amazing. It has now turned me a non-fan into a must-order-this fan!

The masala tosai is served with a few dips – the one i like is this dip made from coconut, and it’s made spicy. something like the white one on the left picture, but it’s peach in color because of the spice. delicious!

My Salad Day

   Today is diet day for me and I decided not to take heavy meals for the whole day. So I checked in the fridge and found some cabbages, carrots and tomatoes. By adding all the vegetable cuts with some mayonnaise, it turns out to be a nice colorful salad. I prepared some garlic breads and mushroom soup to be eaten with the salad. It tastes great and a such a nice choice for those who are vegetarian and for those who on a diet.

An Apple a day.

Health benefits:
Apples are filled with soluble fiber (5 grams). This fiber has been shown to reduce intestinal disorders, including diverticulitis, hemorrhoids and possibly some types of cancer. It helps control insulin levels by releasing sugar slowly into the bloodstream. It cleanses and detoxifies, which helps eliminate heavy metals, such as lead and mercury.
Apple pectin helps reduce cholesterol levels by lowering insulin secretion.
In two studies researchers found that eating five apples a week lowered the risk for respiratory diseases like asthma.
According to Chinese Medicine: Apples strengthen the heart, quench thirst, lubricate the lungs, decrease mucous and increase body fluids.
Apple cider vinegar can help prevent the formation of kidney stones.
Studies indicate that eating apples daily can reduce skin diseases.
According to a Brazilian study, eating an apple before a meal helped women lose 33 percent more weight than those who didn't.
An apple has only 50-80 calories and has no fat or sodium.
Apples are packed with vitamins C, A, and flavonoids and with smaller amounts of phosphorus, iron and calcium.
Apples provide a source of potassium which may promote heart health.
So there you have it ... lots of good reasons why it is good for you to eat an apple a day! I like apples so much that when I started living by myself I substituted those sugar laden cereals with an apple.

Only Mee's Best Dishes !

I recently went to Only Mee restaurants in the SACC mall to enjoy my lunch and dinner there. The prices are also quite affordable for everyone even for students. I have tried different menu there and it is all delicious. Let's take a look !

 

 

Trip To Taman Negara Pahang - great food treats there

It would be my first trip to Taman Negara and I was looking forward to seeing it again even though the memories from the three day trip a month ago were still fresh in my mind. The trip started from 15 November until 17 November 2013.

My classmates and I set out from our campus, Unisel at about 8.30am and made our journey towards the town of Jerantut in the state of Pahang. There were lots of fun and knowledgeable activities we experienced there. One thing I liked when we were there was the food treats by the resort and the restaurants there. We had delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner for two days there.

First lunch on the first day of the trip

My dinner looks like.

Last lunch for the final day of the trip.

Vegetables in the house..

 My mom made us a very special meal today  for tea time. It was cassavas, sweet potatoes and potatoes. She firstly stews them up and then served them with some grated coconut. This was a great experience to taste them as I have never tasted it before.   

Milky milk before sleep

  
Can drinking milk before bed help you sleep? Maybe. While a glass of milk alone is unlikely to induce sleep, research suggests that pairing a protein food, such as milk, with a carbohydrate-rich food may be helpful as a sleep aid.

Terengganu’s famous cuisine homemade

Terengganu’s cuisine is distinctively memorable from the generous use of spices and fresh local ingredients. One of the most popular and well known is Nasi Dagang, usually eaten with side dishes of tuna curry, pickled cucumber and carrots. Nasi Dagang is a rice specialty of Terengganu. The dish is made by steaming a mixture of regular and glutinous rice in coconut cream over low heat. Simplicity is its essence. ‘Dagang’ practically means going travelling and in those days most are of trading trips. It is practical to pack along the Nasi Dagang to be eaten along the way. Nowadays it is serves in hotels and resorts as part of a signature dish of Terengganu. It is suitable to be eaten at any time of the day during breakfast, lunch, dinner or even supper.

Recipe

Ingredients:
300g nasi dagang rice or substitute with 200g
good grade Siamese rice mixed with 100g glutinous rice
1 grated coconut to extract 3/4 cup thick coconut milk
3/4 cup thin coconut milk
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds ( halba )
2 cloves garlic, sliced finely
3 shallots, sliced finely
2cm young ginger, sliced finely
1/2 tsp salt

Method:
Wash rice well and soak for five to six hours. Drain well, then steam rice for 20 to 25 minutes or until half-cooked.
Stir in thin coconut milk and continue steaming for 15 minutes until rice is nearly cooked.
Combine thick coconut milk, shallots, garlic, ginger, fenugreek and salt. Stir into the cooked rice then steams once more for 10 to 15 minutes or until rice is properly cooked.
Serve rice with tuna curry (Kari ikan tongkol).

Note:
Nasi dagang in the neighbouring state of Kelantan uses a special type of reddish brown glutinous rice while uses the Siamese rice and glutinous rice mixture as per recipe

Food paradise in Malacca

Everytime we head back to Malacca, we’ll try our best to head down to this ikan bakar place at Permatang Pasir. This is a hidden treasure, situated at the river mouth of Sungai Duyung you know you will definitely get good seafood here.

 Remember to come early to this place because it tends to get quite packed. It's a very open concept with an indoor area and an outdoor verandah area. It's very airy and breezy as there’s no walls or windows. You get the fresh sea breeze. First you start off by picking out what kinds of fish, prawns, squids, mussels, la la… etc. You want to eat.  

You can be assured that these are fresh from the sea / river (especially since you are dinning beside the source of supply) There are many to choose from. The guy at the counter will give recommendations and also weigh and take your orders. After choosing your choice of seafood, you can choose what kind of flavoring you want to go with. Another difference is that you don’t eat this just white rice but with nasi lemak! And not forgetting THE SAUCE. Look at the picture you know this tastes soooooo good. From what I can decipher, it's a mix of black sauce, diced green chilies, onions and lime juice… MmmmMmmmm. ( Are you drooling yet?)

 

Lunch in Malay style

Chicken gravy

Spinach gravy

Fried chicken

This is what my housemates and I cooked for our lunch today. A simple but delicious meal. By only using chicken, vegetables and spices bought from the market we can cook  a very nice lunch like what we can get from restaurants but this way is better because saves money on the cost.

Drinking Green Tea Benefits

Green Tea served at Only Mee Restaurant in SACC Shah Alam.

Green tea has increasingly become a very popular drink worldwide because of its immensely powerful health benefits. It is extraordinarily amazing what green tea can do for your health. And if you're not drinking three to four cups of green tea today, you're definitely not doing your health a big favor. Here are the 25 reasons why you should start drinking green tea right now:

1. Green tea and cancer: Green tea helps reduce the risk of cancer. The antioxidant in green tea is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 24 times better than vitamin E. This helps your body at protecting cells from damage believed to be linked to cancer.

2. Green tea and heart disease: Green tea helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol. Even after the heart attack it prevents cell deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells.

3. Green tea and Anti-aging: Green tea contains an antioxidant known as polyphenols which fight against free radicals. What this means it helps you fight against aging and promotes longevity.

4. Green tea and weight loss: Green tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally. It can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day. That translates to 7 pounds in one year.

Three Killed After Eating "Ayam Masak Merah" at Wedding Feast

                                                                                                             

ALOR SETAR - Three people are believed to food poisoning after attending a wedding feast in Tanjung Dawai, Merbok, last Saturday, died on Monday.

They are students of the International Islamic University (IIUM) Gombak, Nurshazana Mohd Rashid, 24, from Kampung tempoyak, Bedong, died about 12.45pm; Norraahmad Mohammad Yusof, 11, from Kampung Singkir Laut, Yan died 15 minutes after that.
Another is known as Ibrahim Mohamed, 62, a native of Jejawi Alor, Kuala Besut, Terengganu, died at Hospital Sultan Abdul Halim (HSAH) Sungai Petani around 6:30 pm Monday.
Nurshazana fresh from practical training in HSAH died while Mohammad Norraahmad Yan were at Hospital.

Sultanah Bahiyah's Hospital party ( HSB ) Alor Setar told journalists that were waiting at the hospital, funeral and Mohammad Norraahmad Nurshazana sent to HSB this afternoon for an autopsy .

According Hairul Azahar Harun , 33 , who was his cousin Nurshazana complaining of stomach pain after eating feast back at their home in Tanjung Dawai cousin three days ago .

He found in HSB said Nurshazana stepmother and two siblings , 8-year -old man and a 10 year old girl but not too serious poisoning .

" Nurshazana found family members lying in her bedroom this morning and immediately taken to HSAH for treatment. However, he was pronounced dead at the hospital, " he said.

Azahar said Hairul Nurshazana third child of seven siblings, was two days earlier at their cousins ​​house before the feast lasts. His remains will be buried in a Muslim cemetery tempoyak Village last night .

Mohammad Norrahmad mother , Norma Khalid , 45 , found in HSB said the youngest of five siblings to follow her husband , Yusuf Arifin , 50 to the feast on Saturday.

"They eat red chicken feast at home.

"That night they complained of stomach pains. When my child's condition worsened today, we took him to the hospital Yan. She was unconscious when he arrived and was pronounced dead about 1 pm today, "said Norma.

He said his body will be buried in a Muslim cemetery in Kampong Dismiss, on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Bernama learned family of the late Ibrahim brought his body back to Besut this afternoon for burial.

Sugar price hike

KUALA LUMPUR, September 24: The increase in the price of sugar will lead to rising prices of food and beverages, while the burden on consumers and the poor, said the Director of Group Communications Coalition of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca), Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman.
"When the price of sugar goes up, all food and beverage prices are going up, this will burden the people," he said when contacted.
According to him, the government used the excuse to raise the price of sugar health, but not at the same time working to improve people's understanding about the prevention of diseases such as diabetes.



"It is common ground by the government, ostensibly to prevent diebetes. To prevent diebetes government is going to be responsible to create awareness about the disease.
"Raising the price of sugar does not give any effect if people are not given understanding about the disease," he explained.
Last week, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam calls on the government to reduce the price of subsidized sugar gradually, ostensibly as a measure to encourage people to reduce sugar in foods and beverages.
Subramaniam claimed, the number of diabetics in the country rose to 2.6 million people, or 15 per cent of the Malaysian population.
Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Hasan Malek said sugar producers and manufacturers guarantee will not raise the price of gasoline is due to the reduction of subsidies recently.

Uncle K's western foods

Remember my last post about Uncle K's best western food which was meatballs ? I just wanted to share some other famous dishes there. Why don't you give it a try. Well come on bring your friends and family there.