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Cook with Ipohbunny

Cook with Ipohbunny

Stories and recipes from a Malaysian home kitchen

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Pistachio Pesto Pasta

Posted on January 15, 2022January 16, 2022 By Alexandra Wong No Comments on Pistachio Pesto Pasta
Pistachio Pesto Pasta

No, this pistachio pesto pasta is not classic, but after trying this recipe, you might just prefer it to the original version with pine nuts! First, why pistachio for pesto? For this wild idea, I gotta thank my frugal inner housewife. I love a good pesto pasta, but the price of pine nuts has skyrocketed….

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Noodles & Pasta, One-pot meal, Western

Onion Jam

Posted on June 7, 2021June 27, 2021 By Alexandra Wong 2 Comments on Onion Jam
Onion Jam

I’m no stranger to onion jam. A sweet-sticky condiment of slow-cooked onions, it’s typically served with burgers in Western restaurants. In Asia, it’s sometimes just called “caramelised onions”. Is it nice? Yes, but nothing to get excited about. Until I ate a version made by a friend in Singapore, using her personal recipe. Holy smokes….

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Condiments, Western

Sausage Tomato Pasta

Posted on June 4, 2021June 27, 2021 By Alexandra Wong No Comments on Sausage Tomato Pasta
Sausage Tomato Pasta

This ridiculously simple sausage tomato pasta is so tasty I couldn’t believe it until I made it myself. I’ve seen variations of this floating around the internet. Jamie Oliver has made a version of it, among other people. But it wasn’t until I saw Catalina Tre’s gorgeous photo of her spicy sausage pasta that I…

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Noodles & Pasta, Western

Smoked Salmon Pâté

Posted on May 31, 2021June 21, 2021 By Alexandra Wong No Comments on Smoked Salmon Pâté
Smoked Salmon Pâté

My first encounter with pâté was thanks to the late Dr Frank Dourado, a popular general practitioner in Ipoh. Many years ago, my father went to his clinic on Brewster Road for consultation. Both gardening geeks, the two men got along like a house on fire, though their backgrounds were very different. Their friendship extended…

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Condiments, Seafood, Western

Dutch Baby Pancakes

Posted on March 11, 2021June 21, 2021 By Alexandra Wong No Comments on Dutch Baby Pancakes
Dutch Baby Pancakes

I keep making ’em, these things called Dutch baby pancakes. What exactly are they, you ask? And do they have anything to do with the Dutch or the Netherlands? I posed this question to my cousins who live in the Netherlands and they said no. To be more accurate, the Dutch have Dutch MINI pancakes…

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Cakes & Sweets, Western

Creamy Chicken Casserole

Posted on February 4, 2021June 21, 2021 By Alexandra Wong No Comments on Creamy Chicken Casserole
Creamy Chicken Casserole

Proof that this creamy chicken casserole is a winner? The first words out of my hubby’s mouth after his first bite were: “Make sure you write this recipe down!” Uh huh. That’s how good it was. To give credit where it’s due, I was inspired by Chicken Gloria, a recipe from popular Youtuber Natasha’s Kitchen….

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Poultry, Western

Juicy Chicken Burger

Posted on November 5, 2020June 21, 2021 By Alexandra Wong 2 Comments on Juicy Chicken Burger
Juicy Chicken Burger

Look at this absolutely gorgeous chicken burger guys. Not only was it an umami bomb, it was amazingly juicy!!! As any burger aficionado would know, a dry burger patty is one of the greatest nemesis of awesome burgers. How did I dodge the dry-burger bullet? Read on! It all started when I was stuck with…

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Poultry, Western

Roasted Red Pepper Prawns

Posted on October 28, 2020June 21, 2021 By Alexandra Wong No Comments on Roasted Red Pepper Prawns
Roasted Red Pepper Prawns

Dear roasted red pepper sauce, where have you been, all of my life? I’m scrambling for words to describe its awesomeness. To give you an idea, after taking one bite of this dish, hubby’s first comment was, “This one can serve to guests”. To give credit where it’s due, I actually got the idea from…

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Seafood, Western

Yummy Veggie Pizza

Posted on October 17, 2020June 21, 2021 By Alexandra Wong No Comments on Yummy Veggie Pizza
Yummy Veggie Pizza

As hubby reached for his third slice of my veggie pizza, he grunted, “Make sure you write down the recipe.” Woah, write it down? That was how I knew I had a winner on my hands. Hubby has never explicitly requested me to write down a recipe before. Who thought a VEGETARIAN PIZZA made using…

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Vegetarian, Western

Roast Peppers Potato Salad

Posted on August 3, 2020June 21, 2021 By Alexandra Wong 4 Comments on Roast Peppers Potato Salad
Roast Peppers Potato Salad

ANOTHER vegetable salad recipe?? Some of my old friends will think I’ve undergone a lobotomy or something. After all, I used to hate vegetables so much that when my mum wasn’t looking, I’d dump the greens on my plate into the drain! But this potato salad recipe is so good that I just HAD to…

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Vegetables, Vegetarian, Western

Easy Breakfast Casserole

Posted on June 3, 2020June 21, 2021 By Alexandra Wong 2 Comments on Easy Breakfast Casserole
Easy Breakfast Casserole

Do you find yourself stuck with leftover bread that you don’t know what to do with? I know I do, especially the ends of bread loaves, which are hard and not so nice to eat. Inspired by Japanese chef Masa, I developed a simple recipe that uses leftover bread to create a delicious breakfast casserole…

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Breakfast & Brunch, One-pot meal, Western

Easy Homemade Granola

Posted on April 30, 2020June 21, 2021 By Alexandra Wong 2 Comments on Easy Homemade Granola
Easy Homemade Granola

Chewy, sticky and crunchy. How do you achieve the holy trifecta of great homemade granola? After many failed attempts, I’ve finally arrived at a recipe for an easy homemade granola that can be easily customised with simple additions: a sprinkle of cinnamon powder, a few drops of vanilla essence, dried fruits and berries, etc. I’ve…

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Breakfast, Vegetarian, Western

Breakfast pizza toast

Posted on March 18, 2020June 21, 2021 By Alexandra Wong 4 Comments on Breakfast pizza toast
Breakfast pizza toast

It’s been a surreal few weeks. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would experience a lockdown restricted movement order in my lifetime. What this means for many of us is a lot more cooking than usual. While I love cooking, breakfast is a bit of a challenge for me. Other than…

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Breakfast & Brunch, Eggs, One-pot meal, Western

Who’s Ipohbunny, lah?

Welcome!

I’m Alexandra Wong, a self-taught Malaysian home cook on a mission to simplify and healthify recipes using affordable quality ingredients. I am a writer by profession, mostly known for my feelgood stories about people, travel and food.

ipohbunny

I love all sorts of cakes, but carrot cake is sacr I love all sorts of cakes, but carrot cake is sacred territory.

My mum used to make it. Her cakes were wondrously crumbly and moist, and filled with so many goodies (We Ipoh people call it "toh liu") that nothing sold outside has ever, ever come close. 

Until @grumpyoldman_bakes

I didn't plan on ordering his cake, honestly. But I'd had to rush back to Ipoh for an emergency, and after some very stressful days, I figured I deserve a cake. Cakes make everything better right?

I'd read him waxing lyrical about his carrot cake and against my better judgement, I decided to order one. Gulp, risky. But what's life without some risk?

He was so sweet and helpful in his interactions, and even tolerated my unnecessary rambling (I express to destress). 

When I popped the box lid open, I gasped at how pretty it was. The whole cake was covered in thick frosting and topped with fresh walnuts. 

And then I cut a slice for mum and was even more shocked. You could see the grated carrot and nuts - it was so generous portioned - but the proof was in the tasting. MUm's tasting, to be exact.

She took a  bite and smiled approvingly. "It's so moist inside!"

That is the HIGHEST compliment, in my opinion, one can ever pay a carrot cake. So many out there guilty of dry, pebbly abominations. 

I took a bite and immediately noticed how fresh it tasted. And, I realised, tears springing to my eyes, how close it was to Mum's version, which I last ate more than 20 years ago. 

Thank you Chris for awakening these wonderful memories. 

#carrotcake #grumpyoldmanbakes #ipohbaker #homebaker #ipohhomebaker
I made my own #salmon #gravlax!!! #achievementunlo I made my own #salmon #gravlax!!! #achievementunlocked

It was not bad, just too salty but I have an idea where I went wrong

1. I initially soaked the slab of fish in a mixture of salt, sugar, star anise, peppercorn - and pickle juice because one of the chef recipes indicated so. 

2. However, when I read some other recipes, I realised none of them recommended soaking the fish in any liquid. In fact the salt is supposed to draw the liquid out of the salmon. True enough, when I checked the salmon after 18 hours, I found the flesh was still soft and raw. I suspected the culprit was the brine, so I poured it away. 

3. Then I packed on some more salt and wrapped it tightly in cling film and poked holes to let the liquid drain. I did it this way because I feel nervous about putting a heavy slab on top of the fish - scared the weight will break the fridge shelves!

4. Anyway, I think my method worked because after 36 hours, the flesh had firmed up visibly so I knew curing had taken place. Yay!

5. I could slice it quite easily, even though I didn't have a sharp knife. However, it was definitely too salty. More Googling. Turns out that I should use coarse kosher salt, instead of regular table salt otherwise the salmon would be too salty. Ah.

All in all, a pretty decent effort for a first timer. One more notch on my culinary belt :)

Edit: Just had an idea. I can always make salmon pate. By mixing the salmon with other ingredients, I redistribute the saltiness, so the salt is less concentrated. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPUfeKMpdGB/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

#salmongravlax #homemadegravlax #homecooking #Malaysianhomecook #cookwithipohbunny #ipohbunnyrecipes #fish #easyrecipe
OK, @higherground.my is an unapologetic Instagram OK, @higherground.my is an unapologetic Instagram bait - and I'm an unapologetic Gen Xer with the heart of a #cafehopping Gen Z-er 😀

I wanted to come since spotting it on @penangfoodie So did half the Penang Gen Z population too. Though I think my hubby and I probably increased the median age by at least 20 years when we stepped in, haha! 

Flat white (RM14) and hot chocolate (RM16) were watery. Cakes looked generic, so didn't feel like trying. Hope the food will improve, cos the place is damn gorgeous.

Nice for people watching. 

#penangcafes #penangfoodie #cafehoppg #coffee #coffeegram #malaysiancafes #cafegram #cafespotting
@oowhitecoffee So did this super popular upmarket @oowhitecoffee

So did this super popular upmarket kopitiam live up to the hype?

One sentence: Come for the coffee. Which is really what made this place famous. Mum kept raving about how good her "kopi oh ping" was and my Kopi ais was excellent too. You can take away the coffee in convenient bottles too, which I found out is quite common in Penang outlets with a strong coffee brand like Stall 76 Batu Lanchang, SBK Concept etc. 

Other pros: clean, comfortable, elderly-friendly environment. When asked how his chicken hor fun was, Dad commented, "Tastier than the Ipoh version." He downed the whole bowl of soup! Both their HK and Portuguese egg tarts were well made. 

The cons: Mum was not impressed with the hokkien mee. In fact, I have yet to find one in Penang that meets her sky-high standards. As for my nasi lemak I believe I can cook better sambal and rice lah 😅 (thank you @che_nom) though the tasty fried chicken made up for it. Hubs' tan chi (softboiled egg over buttered toast) was nothing to shout about but he did say the bread was good, as it was soft and had body, like brioche. 

Be forewarned. If you arrive after 8am on a weekend, good luck to you circling around the area looking for parking. I dragged my parents out at 7.20am. We came before twice at 9+am and lunchtime, both unsuccessful because there was just no parking in the vicinity. Oh and expect higher than average Penang prices, though I think KL folks won't feel much pain paying RM10+ for a bowl of noodles 😂

#oowhitecoffee #foodblogger #Malaysianfoodblogger #kopitiam #penangfood #Penangkopitiam #Malaysianfoodie #penangcafe
After trying out so many famous #Nyonyarestaurant After trying out so many famous  #Nyonyarestaurants, Bibik's Kitchen remains my undisputed No 1 choice. Yes, it's not so well known nor does it appear on that many "best of" lists, but that's because the food here is cooked home-style. Nor are they active on socmed. 

Meaning the taste is not so commercial because there is no msg, no excessive amounts of salt or chilli - the dishes are made using generations-old family recipes.

And guess what? One of the most critical foodies I know gives it the thumbs-up. My mum :)

I was nervous about bringing her because as a terrific cook herself, her standards are damn high. But she was sold after her first bite of her favourite dish  #otak-otak, which she praised for its super smooth texture, subtle flavours with a strong but not overwhelming fragrance of daun kaduk. "Mum's otak-otak also tastes like this," she commented, referring to herself la. Translation: that's the pinnacle of praise 🤣

Otak2 aside, Bibik's chicken dishes are some of the best. This round, I haven't found Penang any chicken #karikapitan that comes close, and the #inchikabin is superb as well. 

And if you come for lunch, you must try the #Nyonyakuih here, which is actually sold in Kuih by Bibik, run by the Mum Girlie on nearby Lebuh Clarke 

Kuih by Bibik's is THE BEST Penang #nyonyakuih I've eaten - and only a few ppl know because the Nyonya Girlie makes it in very small batches. Unlike the commercially made versions, you can really taste the difference in terms of the quality of ingredients. My mum and I can both make Nyonya kuih (OK I can only make kuih bingka) so we know our stuff lah :p

#penangfood #nyonyacuisine
One of the more delicious discoveries I've made re One of the more delicious discoveries I've made recently in Ipoh, @hyggebakehouseipoh is a cosy #Ipohbakery making their own #shokupan (fluffy and soft while retaining a nice bite) #sourdough and all kinds of cakes, cookies and desserts, including one of the best #brownies I've eaten - very chocolatey and almost as fudgy as @718pizza (which also makes a killer giler-fudgy brownie). Luckily the cafe is quite far from my house, or else very dangerous for my diet haha. Proud too that the quality of bakeries in Ipoh is Comparable to KL. The inside-flowy basque cheesecake at @girliescafe
remains my all time favourite.

Glad I followed your recommendation @milockosong 🤗

#Ipoheats #Ipohcafes
No chicken? Eat duck lor :P Stumbled across @what No chicken? Eat duck lor :P

Stumbled across @whattheducksetia when it was a quirky little cafe on Nagore Road many years ago. Was so impressed by the quality of the food - its fine dining but at such humane prices.

Today, we visited its new incarnation at Setia Spice and the food is as tasty as ever. 

Hubs had the set dinner of duck confit (delectable! I actually crunched the bones!), passion fruit tea, soup and dessert while I had the spicy Indonesian bek bek pasta.

Man, I miss this ❤️

#whattheduck #duckconfit #penangfood #duck
Here's another #cheat #hack you can use if you rea Here's another #cheat #hack you can use if you really feel like eating chicken rice but can't be bothered with the whole song and dance to make proper chicken rice.

Your lifesaver? This super handy, super tasty Bentong ginger paste that I discovered in a market in Pulau Tikus market!!

What else you'll need?
1) Chicken rubbed with salt
2) Chicken stock
3) Rice

That's it!! 

Now, everybody knows that for good chicken rice, the RICE is probably more important than the chicken itself.  It's got to be a flavour bomb, literally. So how do you achieve that?

This is where the magic of the Bentong ginger paste comes in.  Aside from ginger and garlic, it's also seasoned with oyster sauce, salt, etc as well as oil which has been flavoured with all those seasonings. What I did was scoop up a few tsp of the flavoured oil, mix it with the rice and chicken stock, cook it in my rice cooker, and voila, chicken rice! Simple kan?

As for the chicken, just steam it with the ginger paste for 20 minutes and voila, the most delicious chicken rice with just three ingredients!

#3ingredientrecipes #kitchenhack #Chinesecooking #chinesecuisine #homecook #Malaysianhomecook #homechefs #weeknightdinners #easyrecipes
It's been ages since I made #samwongtan or steamed It's been ages since I made #samwongtan or steamed three eggs, the Chinese classic comfort food. I got myself a century egg and salted duck egg from the Batu Lanchang market so decided to make it again.

How do you get flawless steamed 3 eggs?

1. Use an egg: liquid ratio of 1: slightly less than 2. Yes, 2 is the gold standard but I found it just a little on the side of watery so a bit less will do the trick. For the liquid, you can use either water or stock. If you use water, just season more.

2. Whisk the egg mixture until lump free before steaming. 

3. When you are ready to steam, place the egg custard on the steaming tray only when the water is boiling already. Then reduce to medium low and steam for 10 min.

If you have any other good tips, pls leave them in the comments below :) 

#Chinesecooking #homecook #homecooking #eggs #eggdishes #healthyeating #steamedeggs #foodie #Malaysianhomecook #vegetarian #eggrecipes #vegetarianrecipes
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