Cooking rendang ayam in a kuali

I took up the challenge to read the entire Twilight series recently after I scoffed at the the twittering younglings pledging their allegiance to Team Jacob and Team Edward, whatever that meant.  For most of the time, I plundered on, page after page, wondering why I even bothered to spend my precious toilet time reading the books, but I soon realised that I was spending longer periods in the toilet until my feet turned numb from the lack of circulation.  My unread so-called literary books sat untouched on my bookshelf while I groaned every time Bella did something rash yet again.  I downloaded the books onto the iPhone and iPad so that I could read them in the dark while Bald Eagle slept.  It was a love-hate condition until I turned the final page, and upon realising that there would be no more Bella, Edward or Jacob to fill my mornings on the throne, I looked at Bald Eagle and said, “I feel empty inside.”  He gave me a peck on my cheek and said, “Can I have salad for dinner tonight?

Table setting at Bayan Indah

Simmering ikan tongkol curry

The final plating

Home cooked nasi dagang

Luckily for Bald Eagle, it won’t always be salad nights with Lyrical Lemongrass.  Nay, some days will be filled with nasi kerabu, and some with rendang ayam thanks to another fulfilling cooking class with Rohani Jelani.  There’s nothing like a hands-on class to understand the temperaments of the stove and ingredients, and when you don’t read the instructions and add another 200ml of water where the recipe specifically tells you that you should refrain from adding water if you’re using chicken instead of beef….well, Rohani is there to salvage the situation after sending you to the corner for being a bad boy (yes, you, FBB).

The spread

Bengka ubi

Condiments for soto ayam

Kuih talam

I was quite pleased when Nigel (of Just Heavenly) picked me as his partner because he is already an accomplished cook and I knew that there would be no chaotic moments in our little corner in the kitchen.  True enough, with Rohani’s guidance, we completed cooking nasi dagang, ikan tongkol curry, rendang ayam and kuih talam while Rohani stood by to give us kitchen tips and to let us know if the first layer of the kuih talam was ready for the second and if the rendang ayam had achieved the right consistency.  Her insistence on using natural ingredients from scratch, like dry-frying coconut kerisik till my arms turned sinewy, resulted in some pretty delectable stuff in the end.  Together with the other teams, we put together a spread that would have wow-ed any food critic.  This was what cooking from the heart meant.  An outpouring of love and warmth, right from Rohani’s huge bear hug at the entrance of her home to the constant friendly jabs between the teams.  It was all good.

Rohani, Babe_KL, Pureglutton, GFAD, Fatboybakes, Nigel, Chaokar, Wai Hoong, Cyrene, Saw Leng, Audrey, Alice and Annie. Oh, and me.

For more information on Bayan Indah, please visit their website: http://www.bayanindah.com/

For earlier post on Bayan Indah, click HERE.

When my car broke down yesterday at one of the busiest roundabouts in Kuala Lumpur, while waiting in the sweltering afternoon heat for the tow truck to arrive, my boss, who was in the car with me looked at me with an amused look and said, “You probably do this to all your bosses who annoy you, don’t you?”

I laughed at that remark, and it felt so good to let go of the angst and frustration and the feeling of helplessness.   It is always a struggle to accept the fact that we can’t always be in control of our lives and the elements surrounding it.  So what if the car-breakdown helpline wasn’t so helpful?   So what if the first tow truck company wanted to fleece me?   So what if the second tow truck driver didn’t understand my directions, given in a mix of languages in a burst of high pitched conversation that was sure to confuse him further?   I had to count my blessings.   It wasn’t raining like the last time my car broke down with another boss beside me, and I met a nice tow truck driver.   The day ended well with the husband buying me Tau Yu Bak for dinner.

Bayan Indah is located in Kampung Sungai Penchala.  The house is an architectural beauty and is designed to be a culinary resort, where one can come and stay at one of the four tastefully decorated rooms and learn to cook typical Malaysian dishes.  There is a resident cat.  FBB and I can’t remember if he’s called “Bob” or “Tangavellu”.  I vaguely remember Rohani calling him by some rock star’s name, though.

I could probably spend a lot of time in this tub with a view of the jungle beyond.  No, there are no peeping toms.

Ingredients for Nasi Kerabu.  Nasi kerabu is made with a variety of local herbs, all laboriously sliced using an ingenious technique which Rohani taught us.

The Poggenpohl kitchen is a chef’s dream. Classes are hands-on, so everyone has a chance to prepare the ingredients and cook. The recipes are tweaked to ensure that even the most inexperienced student is able to produce something amazing. Rohani does not only sell dreams; all feelings of inadequacy are washed away with the dirt and sand as she nurtures and releases in you a feeling of confidence.

Cooking class at Bayan Indah is meant to be an interactive experience, and by interactive, I don’t mean throwing food at each other (like we did…*hanging head in shame*). I ask you, is it my fault that FBB is so competitive? He accused me of sabotaging his ayam percik just because his looked paler than mine. Pbbbth. (It’s called talent, my dear friend)

As far as blessings go, meeting Rohani Jelani is one of them. She is one of those people whom you can instantly warm up to as she speaks with an earnestness and sincerity about her greatest passion – cooking. Her medium of instruction is English.  Had she had cracked one of her naughty jokes in Bahasa, I’d have probably looked at her with a blank expression like she was reading from the holy book instead.

Rohani is Cordon Bleu trained, but she has no airs about her achievements as she willingly shares her experience with her students.  She is also a food writer and a food stylist.

The spread – proudly cooked by the students – BabeKL, Alilfatmonkey, Pureglutton, Alice Yong, Audrey Cooks and Fatboybakes.  Oh, and me.

Nasi kerabu in all its glory.  So good you can even eat it on its own.  Where have I heard that before?

Gardeniaaaa…..

I made these balls.  These glutinous balls filled with sweet gula melaka are a breeze to make, and I love the fact that artificial colouring wasn’t used to give the balls a sickening green colour.  The green colour you see here is a result of pulping and straining pandan leaves (which serve a dual purpose of providing colour and flavour to the kuih).

I was invited by Rohani Jelani (and Choo Li-Hsian) to experience her class on provincial Malay cooking, but thanks to the enjoyable day spent at Bayan Indah, I left wanting more.  It felt like I was on holiday at a resort, cooking and eating with people who mattered to me.   That kind of experience is priceless, and I assure you, you will leave rejuvenated and ready for the next obstacle.  I have since signed up for another class tomorrow.  It will be a bigger and more boisterous group which may stun the good people of Kampung Sungai Penchala.

Ah well, c’est la vie.

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For more information on Bayan Indah, please visit their website: http://www.bayanindah.com/

Oh, didja know…Bayan is a red-cheeked long-tailed parakeet, an endangered species native to Malaysia, and Indah is Malay for pretty (or sweet-natured)? (sapu-ed from Bayan Indah’s website)