It has been awhile since I updated my blog. The weather has been so hot in UK recently we just eat simple wraps and such so nothing to blog about. Saying that I have friends who asked me why I don’t start a “One dish” a day section. Truth be told is plain laziness and I am not sure if readers will appreciate my sometime so simple a dish like my home grown chives omelette with rice and sambal or served between 2 slices of bread.

Today we have a break in the UK summer heat and will be only 27C or so, hence I decided it’s time to fire up the stove. We have sardines cooked spicy today as we have had not eaten anything spicy for a while. I am feeling brave enough to eat my stash of sardines as I am going to balik kampung soon. I will be buying, packing and sending boxes of stuff to myself.

Anyway am putting this recipe up and hope someone will try it. I should have served with roti chanai but these onions and chives bread from my local Tesco is very good! They have recently started selling a new range of bread with beetroot and even turmeric.

For me, I much prefer Ayam brand sardines. However I do understand ‘beggars cannot be choosers’ Had mine with roti and daughter preferred hers with rice and she’s happy to learn this simple dish which she insist was very GOOD but not spicy enough.

Today we are still in lockdown in the UK due to Covid-19. This morning I woke up in a cooking mood. At first I wanted to cook 3 meals for today, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

However I ended up only cooking 2 meals. Brunch of roast chicken with noodles and dinner is traditional old British stew.

So early in the morning I phoned my mother in law and went over with her the steps for cooking this dish. I have watched her enough time cooking it but it’s nice to hear her instructions kekekekekeke She did give me a very crucial information that I did not know before!!! Then I realised why I don’t like cooking stews. It sticks to the bottom of my pan and I need to soak overnight to wash!

However due to my mother in law’s tip I cooked the best stew ever and nothing stuck to the bottom of my pan. My son woofed down 5 dumplings when he came back from. I will definitely cook this for him again! His ‘so good mum’ makes me so happy.

It is seldom that I cook stew because I am also not a big fan of stew but today I cook for my son as I know he loves a good stew with dumplings, lots of my special dumplings. Also when he last went out to do shopping with his Dad a fortnight ago he bought a stew pack – a packet from the supermarket containing the root vegetables for stew. I think that is a big HINT!

I have a few potatoes left so I decided to add them in too to bulk it up a bit. Both the hubby and the son were really happy!

Note – Traditionally you can serve this with mashed potatoes but I prefer to stew the potatoes as well. One step of work less.

Shepherd Pie brings back a lot of memories. This is because I have to make a potato mash for it.

Two and twenty years ago my ex boyfriend went to Malaysia to meet me. The very first Western dish I made for him is mash potatoes. He was telling me how to make it nice as he finds the ones in Malaysia, funny tasting. I still remembered he said taste like chicken?

He was mashing the boiled potatoes but for some reason I can’t remember why, he had to pop to the sundry shop and left me to continue. So like a true Malaysian I sat on the floor and mash the boiled potatoes adding in butter slowly, alternating with a milk, a pinch of salt, some freshly ground pepper like I was told.

When he came back from the shop I had finished and he was shocked to discovered I added in the entire 250g of butter Well I was not told how much to add in! I was tasting as I was adding and it tasted better and better with more butter and so I added more and more butter until the whole block was gone!

The silly things we do that now seems so funny. Nowadays I am only using half a block but I have moved from using milk to cream for that really rich taste.

Just for some extra information –

If you use lamb mince it’s Shepherd Pie

If you make with mince beef and red wine it is Cottage Pie.

Pan seared pork chops with a honeyed whiskey sauce – Some Sundays I do cook Sunday’s lunch to earn brownies points from my boy. I hope one day he will be able to tell my grandchildren “your grandma used to cook this amazing ……. kekekekekekeke

Today I have decided to just pan seared some marinated pork chops. If you brine your pork chops and use hot and fast searing method to cook them there is no such thing as tough meat! Mine was quite tender but don’t take my word for it. Try it. 

However it is best to sear it in a cast iron pan for they can be heated real hot. I literally just let them sizzled for a couple of minute each side. Do make sure your chops are at room temperature and the thickness of your pork chops will also reflect on your cooking time. Rest your pork before serving. 

Marinate pork chops for 3 days with honey, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salts and pepper. Keep your chops in your fridge. Remove and let pork chop rest to room temperature before cooking.

Seared on high heat for 2 minute on each side. Add a drizzle of honey and liquid smoke before removing. 

Remove the pork and add in whiskey and a knob of butter to make the sauce. Do not forget to add in the juice from the rested pork chops.  As the sauce is so flavourful you just need a couple of spoonful to drizzle over the chops.

Par boiled potatoes when you begin to heat pan for your frying. Then pan fry the potatoes with butter, garlic, thyme, salt & pepper to finish.

Just before plating dress your salads leaves with just plain olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper.

How do I cook my roast potatoes? I have been asked this a few times in the past week. So I have decided to do this guide. My family love roast potatoes this way. As this is full of fats and carbohydrates I have designated this to a treat dish and usually only served this once in a few months except the month of December!

December is Christmas month so it is a whole month of treats (SHOCK) This may take a bit extra work but it is totally worth it. The daughter loves roast tatties.