U8B+-+Nasi+Minyak


 * NASI MINYAK **

Nasi Minyak is a savory dish in Malaysia. It is commonly known as Beriani or Biryani. It is cooked with spices such as ghee, nutmeg, mace, cumin, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, mint leaves, ginger, onions and garlic. These spices are mixed in the rice broth to produce steamed fragrant rice, locally known as Nasi (Rice) Minyak (Ghee).

Biryani is originated in Iran (Persia) and was brought to South Asia by Iranian travelers and merchants. In Singapore and Malaysia, the dish is called Nasi Minyak by the Malays or simply Biryani by the Indians. It is a very popular dish amongst the largely South Indian community of the Indian minority and the ethnic Malay-Muslim community. Nasi Minyak is very popular to be served at weddings of both these communities. There are also speciality restaurants, commonly in Little India and Arab Street, and also regular Indian Muslim food stalls (Mamaks) in coffee-shops all over the island that serve several types of briyani; distinctly Indian or Malay.

Nasi Minyak is served with either chicken curry or Ayam Masak Merah, mutton curry or fish versions, always accompanied with Achar (a pickled combination of cucumbers, onions, red chillies and pineapples) or Raita and a hard-boiled egg (in South Indian versions only). There are also Afghan, Iranian and Turkish manifestations of this dish available in some restaurants.

Recipe of Nasi Minyak, Ayam Masak Merah (Spicy Tomato Chicken), Beef or Lamb Masala, Dalca Sayur (Vegetable Stew with Lentils) and Acar Timun (Spicy Cucumber Pickles) are provided below.


 * 1. Nasi minyak**:



Ingredients:
 * 1 cup basmathi rice
 * 4 tbsp oil
 * 2 tbsp ghee or butter
 * 2 shallots or 4 cloves red shallots
 * 2 cloves garlic
 * 1 cm ginger
 * 1 lemongrass (bruised)
 * 1 screwpine leaf
 * Handful of raisins
 * Handful of cashew nuts
 * Fried Shallots
 * 1 1/2 cup water
 * 1/4 cup single cream or carnation milk
 * 1 cinnamon
 * 4 cloves
 * 1 star anise
 * 1 cardamom
 * Salt to taste

Methods:
 * Rince the rice at least twice and soak it in 1 1/2 cup water for at least 10 minutes.
 * Mince the shallots, garlic and ginger into a paste.
 * Heat the oil and the ghee until melted in a pot. Fry the raisins for a couple of minutes and toss them dry. (Re-use the oil back to the pot)
 * Add in lemongrass, screwpine leaf and the spices to the pot for the aroma.
 * Add the shallots, garlic and ginger paste and fry till fragrant.
 * Pour in the milk and water to the pot. Add in Basmathi rice.
 * Add the raisins and nuts. Stir. Add salt to taste.
 * Transfer it into a microwaveable bowl and cook for around 15 minutes. You can also continue cooking it on the stove but it will probably take a longer time and you have to stir it often to make sure it doesn't burn.
 * Garnish with fried shallots. (You can make your own by shallow frying thinly sliced shallots 'till golden.

Ingredients:
 * 2. Masala beef**


 * 3 bay leaves
 * 1 (1 inch) piece cinnamon stick
 * 5 cardamom pods
 * 4 whole cloves
 * 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
 * 10 whole black peppercorns
 * 2 pounds beef tenderloin, cubed
 * 3 cups chopped onion, divided
 * 5 green chile peppers, halved lengthwise
 * 1 (1 1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger root, grated
 * 6 cloves garlic, minced
 * 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
 * 1 teaspoon salt
 * 1/2 cup coconut oil
 * 1/4 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
 * 4 fresh curry leaves
 * 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
 * 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Methods:
 * 1) **To make the masala powder:** Grind the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds and peppercorns in a spice grinder until mixture is a fine powder.
 * 2) Place the beef cubes, masala powder, 2 cups chopped onion, green chiles, grated fresh ginger, garlic and turmeric in a large, heavy pot. Add water to cover (about 1 cup) and bring to a boil.
 * 3) Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until beef is cooked through. Add salt. Stir and continue to simmer about 10 minutes or until mixture is almost dry, but do not allow it to burn (add a bit more water, if necessary). Set aside.
 * 4) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and cook until they begin to pop.
 * 5) Immediately add remaining 1 cup chopped onion and stir over medium heat until onions soften and begin to brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.
 * 6) Add curry leaves and cook until brown, about 3 minutes.
 * 7) Stir in the beef mixture, black pepper, and lemon juice.
 * 8) Cook until nicely browned and heated through, about 8 minutes.

Ingredients:
 * 3. Dalca sayur (Vegetable stew with lentils)**
 * 500grm yellow lentils, soaked with water and boiled till soft (do not overcooked)
 * 5 sticks bigcarrot, cut into 3 cm strips
 * 1kg long green beans, cut into 3 cm length
 * 1kg Indian eggplant cut into chunks of 3-4
 * 5 large tomatoes cut wadges
 * 3 red chilli (cut diagonally )
 * 3 green chilli (cut diagonally )
 * 10 potatoes, cubed
 * 10 big red onions, sliced thinly
 * 10 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
 * 10 cm ginger, sliced thinly
 * 1kg meat curry powder (mixed with water to make a paste)
 * 500grm coconut milk
 * 2-3 litres water
 * 8 tbsp tamarind juice
 * 10 tbsp oil
 * 2 medium cinammon stick
 * 8 cardamom
 * 8 cloves
 * 4 star anise
 * Salt to taste
 * Curry leaves

Methods:
 * 1) In a pot, heat the oil, throw in curry leaves and fry the onions, garlic and ginger with the spices until fragrant.
 * 2) When the onions turned brown, add in meat curry paste and stir until the oil is set to reddish brown. Reduce heat and continue to stir.
 * 3) Dissolve the tamarind in a little water and discard the pulp. Get ready for use.
 * 4) Add in 2-3 litres of water, tamarind juice and the soft lentils. Stir. Increase heat. Let boil.
 * 5) When the curry starts to boil, add in carrots and cubed potato and let it cooked till soft. Stir.
 * 6) Add in eggplants, longbeans and let it simmer for about 5-8 mins.
 * 7) Finally, add in tomato wedges and sliced red and green chillies.
 * 8) Add salt to taste and simmer for another 10 mins.
 * 9) Serve hot with Briyani rice or pratha bread.

Ingredients:
 * 4. Acar timun (Spicy cucumber pickles)**
 * 300 g cucumbers (julienne)
 * 1 teaspoon salt
 * 100 g carrots (julienne)
 * 80 g shallots
 * 3-4 fresh red chillies (julienne)
 * 2 tablespoons oil
 * 4 slices gingerroot
 * 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
 * 1 teaspoon turmeric
 * 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (not chili spice mix) or chilli paste
 * 1/2 teaspoon sugar
 * 1/4 teaspoon salt
 * 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Methods:


 * Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Cut flesh into 3.5 cm juliennes.
 * Mix 1 tsp salt with cucumbers, and let sit for 15 minutes to draw out the extra moisture.
 * Cut the carrot into pieces the same size as the cucumber.
 * Heat oil in a wok and add ginger and mustard seeds, cooking until mustard seeds pop. Stir in the turmeric and chili powder, then add the vegetables, sliced chillies, sugar, and salt and saute for 2 minutes (do not overcook, the vegetables should stay crunchy).
 * Remove from heat and mix well with vinegar. Allow the vegetables to cool in the pan, then place in a jar. Refrigerate Acar Timun overnight before serving.

Ingredients:
 * 5.** **Ayam masak merah (Spicy tomato chicken)**
 * 1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
 * 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
 * salt to taste
 * 1/4 cup dried red chile peppers
 * 3 fresh red chile pepper, finely chopped
 * 4 cloves garlic, minced
 * 1 red onion, chopped
 * 1 (3/4 inch thick) slice fresh ginger root
 * 2 tablespoons sunflower seed oil
 * 1 cinnamon stick
 * 2 whole star anise pods
 * 5 whole cloves
 * 5 cardamom seeds
 * 1 tablespoons coriander powder
 * 1 tsp cumin powder
 * 1 tsp fennel powder
 * 2 tomatoes, sliced
 * 2 tablespoons green peas
 * 2 tablespoons ketchup
 * 1 teaspoon white sugar, or to taste
 * 1/2 cup water
 * a few sprigs of fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:
 * 1) Rub the chicken with turmeric powder and salt. Set aside. Soak the dried red chile peppers in hot water until softened. Blend the softened dried chile, fresh red chile pepper, garlic, onion, and ginger in a blender to a paste.
 * 2) Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in the hot oil until golden on all sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside. Remove excess oil from the skillet, leaving about 1-2 tablespoon.
 * 3) Cook and stir the chile paste with the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, cardamom seeds and the spices until fragrant. Return the chicken to the skillet. Stir in the water, adding more if needed. Stir evenly.
 * 4) Toss in the tomatoes and stir in the ketchup sugar and salt to taste.
 * 5) Add green peas. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes.
 * 6) Serve hot with Nasi Briani. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Sources : @http://www.singaporelocalfavourites.com/ www.mycitycuisine.org/wiki/Nasi_minyak