You can cook fast and still dazzle your guests with showy and tasty stuff.
ONE of the most important lessons that I learned in the kitchen when I was in my teens was that you must be positive that what you serve will be good and tasty.
I believe that food is not about gluttony but about taking something into your body that you should appreciate and enjoy.
For this fortnight, I present to you a dish that embraces all cultures in the world – the briyani.
Call it any other name: paella, nasi minyak, pilau, kedgeree or any rice dish that combines all and sundry and it is this!
The prawn briyani is not unheard of as many of our Malaysian cooks are creative and have tried everything and anything that can be turned into a popular dish.
Little gourmet: My son Mustafa Kamel trying out (from front) the calamari rings, raita and prawn briyani.
For me, the briyani need not be loaded with ghee or cholesterol-high stuff but it must be pleasing to the palate and contributes to a great evening with family and friends.
During this holy month of Ramadan, the making of the briyani, as we prefer to call it here, is seen as an elaborate effort to show off to guests that you can really cook. Many may scoff at this, citing time and too much effort as reasons not to cook it.
Let me show you how easy and quick it is to do it and still be able to dress and relax while waiting for your guests to arrive.
I was also requested by friends to do something with calamari rings, which are hugely popular not only with the children but also with snacking adults.
Calamari rings are such that you should not spoil the batter coating it and you must never overcook it or you’ll end up with rubber bands.
Enjoy the prawn briyani with a cucumber and tomato raita that also makes a good topping for the calamari rings or rather a dip for a sourish and creamy taste.
Garnishing for the briyani is really up to you. It also depends on how you want it presented.
Thinly sliced omelettes or full-boiled quail eggs, sliced chillies, chopped coriander, fried onions and even fried almonds and fried chopped garlic are all great enhancements to an already great dish that can be eaten on its own or with rendang, dry masala chicken, beef or mutton and even with roasted chicken or other meats.
Prawn Briyani
Ingredients:
4 cups Basmati rice
2 packs of marinated garlic butterfly-cut prawns
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp ghee or butter
1 big onion – sliced
One stick of cinnamon, three each of cardamoms and clove and two pieces star anise
A handful of cashew nuts
3cm ginger and 3 cloves garlic (blended finely)
2 tbsp briyani spice (available at all supermarkets ready-mixed)
Salt to taste
1 tin evaporated milk
Chopped coriander leaves, fried onions, sliced chillies for garnish
Method:
Measure the rice in a measuring cup. Taking the same measurement, make up the same amount with the evaporated milk and water to top up. Heat up your rice cooker and put the olive oil and ghee in. When thoroughly melted, fry the cashew nuts until slightly browned before adding the spices and sliced onion.
When fragrant, add the blended ginger and garlic paste and sauté for another minute. Put in the briyani spice, salt to taste and sauté for a minute.
Add the evaporated milk and water and cover the rice cooker and let it boil. Meanwhile, wash your rice and drain the excess water totally.
When the milk and spices are boiling, quickly add in the rice and prawns, arranging the prawn so that it is buried in the rice.
Cover and let it cook. Once the water dries up, fluff the rice, slowly spading the rice from underneath to the top so that all the rice is cooked evenly. Once it is cooked, dish up to garnish and serve.
Calamari Rings and Cucumber-Tomato Raita
Ingredients:
1 packet tempura calamari rings, deep-fried and drained
Some salad leaves
1 cucumber, diced as preferred
10 cherry tomatoes, halved or
1 tomato, chopped up
1tsp salt
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
Juice from 2 limes
Method:
Put the cucumber and tomatoes together in a bowl. Add the salt, yoghurt and half the lime juice and mix well with a spoon, using a folding motion so as not to crush the tomatoes.
Taste and balance between the salt and lime juice to get a tart and easy blend. Chill it until ready to eat.
On a plate, arrange the salad leaves and the calamari rings on top of it. To eat, take a salad leave, wrap it round the calamari ring and add a little raita on top of it for a healthy snack.
Or have it with the briyani, as the calamari rings will add a great crunch to the whole meal.
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