Bee Lee C

24/05/2017

The Cooking House, Bangsar

California Raisins Whips Up A 'Sweet Raya' with Chef  Rohani Jelani's Raisin-Inspired Dishes & Dessert

Theme: "California Raisins Raya Manis"

(in conjunction with the Hari Raya festive season)

California Raisins organized by Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC)

About: Theme today aims to inspire a sweet raya via home-made delights using California Raisins.

RAC Trade Director for Malaysia, Richard Lieu said that most consumers (especially children) snack on raisins! (Me me!!!) These tiny fruits are not only meant to be eaten right outta box but also can be implemented into dishes, cakes, pastries and so much more.

Chef (Food Stylist and Menu Maker) Rohani Jelani shared with us her tips and tricks in using raisins in making healthy sweet and savoury festive home-made dishes!! <3

Chef Rohani stressed the importance of  California Raisins as it has many nutritional values.

Benefit of raisins!

A mini recipe for you to try!

Chef Rohani demo Makmur Cookies (with California Raisins centres) with California Raisins...

1. Put in soaked raisins (200g) and blend. 2. Cook them until slightly dry to sticky texture 3. Add in some brown sugar (20g). Let cool and roll in ball (that's the California  Raisins filling as seen in pic #9!). 4.  Meanwhile Chef Rohani starts making the pastry. Mix butter (100g), ghee (100g), orange rind (1 orange) until creamy. 5. Add in icing sugar (120g), one spoon at a time until done. With medium speed, beat until light and fluffy. 6. Add in flour (280g) little by little. Fold in slowly, do not stirr/beat.

9. Mould the pastry mixture into dough. 10. Put in one black ball of California raisins filling into the dough ball (about 17g each). 11. Sift some powder to the bahulu mould before inserting (or whatever mould you are using) to ensure the ball won't stick to it. there should be no excess after flattening at the mould casing. 12.Knock it out! 13. Ta-daa! 14. Put on baking pan  and leave in refrigerator about 15-20 minutes before baking it at 150 C for 20-25 minutes. Do not wait for it to become golden brown. Take out when it changes color. Leave rack in room temperature for 10 minutes. Then sprinkle some icing sugar on it. Keep in air tight container.

Consequently, she also demo Sambal with California Raisins and bunga kantan.

Slice 12 red chillie (but remove the seeds of 6 red chillie), 3cm long each 1. Ingredients for the sambal. 2. Heat the pan.  Pour in red chillie, chillie padi * (i think) & garlic (x5). 3. Add in cherry tomatoes (150g) and belacan block (20g), fry for 2-3 minutes. 4&5. Add in California Natural Raisin (70g). Fry for 1 minute and leave to cool for 10 minutes. 6&7. Put into blender. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, lime juice (squeeze 12-15 of it), and lime rind (7 of it). Blend but not till super fine.

8. Freshly blended sambal mixture is pored into a bowl. 9&10. Blend and mix in the remaining stuff. 11. A bowful of sambal topped with sliced "bunga kantan". Mix well. 12&13. Serve with raw vegetables, fried chicken, "keropok ikan" and more! FYI, you can keep this sambal for as long as 1 week in the freezer!

We are also given recipes in making Savoury Nasi Kunyit "Cakes" with California Raisins, Creme Caramel with California Raisins, Bubur Cha Cha with California Raisins, & Kuih Lopes with California Raisins. In case if you'd like the recipe, lemme know and I will upload it for you!^^

All the above food are created by Food Stylist Rohani. We are given the recipe. If you are interested, do lemme know. They are: California Raisins Sambal (Sambal Kismis California) Yellow Sticky Rice w/ California Raisins (Pulut Kuning Kismis California) Makmur Cookies (Biskut Kurabia Kismis California) Creamed Caramel w/ California Raisins (Krim Karamel Kismis California) Dessert but I don't know how to translate it!! (Kuih Lopes Kismis California) Sweet Soup  called Bubur Cha Cha  w/ California Raisins (Bubur Cha Cha Kismis California) ***do comment below with right translation of the dish if you know, thanks!!***

Cooking contest (1 hour):

Our group is called Raisinlicious, Team 5.

With Miera's suggestion, we have decided to go with California Raisin Cinnamon Bread Pudding

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 190 C / Gas mark 5.

Lightly grease pan.

Ingredients:
100g sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 5 slices of any bread, Butter, 100g California Raisins, 500ml milk, 2 eggs

1. Mix sugar and cinnamon.

2. Butter 5 slices of bread, cut in halves.

3. Layer the bread in the dish adding a handful of Raisins and the sugar mix as you go, covering each slice.

3. Mix the milk and eggs together. Whisk.

4. Pour over the bread & leave to absorb for 10 minutes.

5. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes, until pudding is set and browned.

What we all made:

Lunch is served right after all the fun, tiring and hectic cooking contest.

Result:

Congrats to all especially the winners. From top is the Champion, First Runner Up and Second Runner Up

Group pic with our certificate of participation! <3

That's my goodies, certificate and a book of recipe for California Raisins! Cannot wait to try! ^^

Thanks for the jio Elana and thanks RAC for having me!

It was a wonderful 1st experience of cooking session!

Looking forward to more hands on cooking session as it is super fun!! ^^