Winner Domestics Diva Awards 2014 - Tools of The Trade

Cik Ngah likes to document the Winners as a reference  for Cik Ngah when looking for new kitchen tools.This is also good for those who are moving into a new home or newly weds to equip kitchen and home with the niftiest tools and gadgets. The winners are all chosen by readers of The Malaysian Women's Weekly.

Brand like Panasonic and Electrolux are the most winners. Here are the winners;

KITCHEN TOOLS

HEALTHY HOME GADGETS

Domestic Diva Awards 2013 - Tools of the Trade

Second part of the award -- TOOLS of the TRADE, the winners are;

Healthy Home Gadgets

Need to get the vacuum cleaner.....

Winner Domestic Diva Awards 2013 - Best of the Best

Without further due, let us look at the winners;

Food Essentials - Dairy Products

Condiments, Sauces, Spices and Oils

Canned & Drinks

Dry Goods

Frozen Foods

So ladies and gentlemen, can use this result of survey for your groceries shopping.......

My Baking Tips

Cik Ngah will update this entry from time to time to note any baking tips that Cik Ngah came across during my adventure in baking.

Measurement Conversion;

Butter to oil replacement;

Weight Conversion

Ingredients Substitute

Storing Ingredients

1. Egg whites 
• Pour them into a freezer container, seal tightly, label with the number of egg whites and the date, and freeze. 
• Use within 4 months
•  Thaw eggs in the refrigerator and use them as soon as they are thawed
• Substitute 2 tbsp (30 mL) thawed egg whites for 1 large egg
2. Egg yolks 
• beat in either 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt or 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) sugar or corn syrup per 1/4 cup (50 mL) egg yolks (about 4 yolks).
•  Label freezer container with the number of yolks, the date and whether you added salt (for main dishes) or sugar (for desserts and baking) and freeze. 
• Use within 4 months
• Thaw eggs in the refrigerator and use them as soon as they are thawed
• Substitute 1 tbsp (15 mL) thawed yolks for 1 large fresh yolk.
3. Grated Lemon or Orange zest - freeze in a closed container

Butter Cream Recipe

1. Recipe 1
• 2.5kg Sugar
• 1.5kg Water
• Boil the above ingredients to make syrup
• 1kg Krimwell
• 250g butter
• 250ml syrup
• 5 tsps Vanilla
• Beat butter and krimwell until fluffy
• Add syrup little by little
2. Recipe 2 (White Butter Cream)
• 500g Krimwell
• 500g shortening
• 500g icing sugar
• 5 tbls condensed milk (susu pekat manis)
• 5 tsps Clear Vanilla
• Beat Krimwell and shortening until fluffy
• Add icing sugar gradually
• Add Vanilla
3. Recipe 3

• 500g Krimwell
• 500g Butter 
• 500g Icing Sugar
• 5 tsps Vanilla

Chocolate Ganache

1. Recipe 1
• 250g Cooking Chocolate
• 100ml Whipping Cream
• 100g Liquid Glucose
• Chop the chocolate thinly
• Melt chocolate using double boiling until no lump exist.
• Add whipping cream, mixed well and turn off the fire.
• Lastly add liquid glucose, continue stirring until well combined.
2. Recipe 2
• 100g Milk Chocolate
• 100g Bitter Chocolate
• 1.5 Cup Whipping Cream
• 2 tbls Butter
• Heat cream, add in chocolate and cook until chocolate melts.
• Stir in butter and cool to pouring consistency.

Cream Cheese

1. Recipe 1
• 375g Cream Cheese
• 50g icing sugar sifted
• 2 tsps Vanilla
• 150g Butter
• Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy
• Add sifted icing sugar and vanilla
2. Recipe 2

Non MSG Seasoning Anyone?

Cik Ngah would like to share my favourite non MSG and healthier seasoning... Jeng Jeng Jeng...! Come and meet The G Seasoning Powder...

Cik Ngah was introduced to this seasoning while buying organic oat drinks to replace milk. And has been using this seasoning ever since alternately with Maggi Non-MSG Chicken and Ikan Bilis stock which are now sort of hard to find!

However this seasoning powder is of better and healthier choice than the non-msg cube or stock...In my opinion that is!!!!! You can find this seasoning in any organic stores, Jusco, Village Grocerer and some big pharmacies..

More information here : Biogreen Seasoning Powder

The One with the Ingredients Price

Yeehh..I am baking on Sundays....

Cik Ngah has been quite busy this weekend. Went back to Temerloh on Friday evening, and had been baking non-stop on Sunday! Cik Ngah had to bake to fulfill friends orders for cookies and Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes, all to be delivered today.. Alhamdulillah all went well except that Cik Ngah had issues with the cream cheese topping, so the cream cheese topping has become Butter Cream, Cream Cheese Topping!..And worst of all Cik Ngah had forgetten to take pictures! Too tired I think!!!

Cookies anyone?....

Well back to the title of this post, since Cik Ngah has started taking orders for cookies, Cik Ngah had done some survey on baking ingredients price. In fact it was done on last Saturday evening. So far Cik Ngah had listed down the prices from Bagus, OTK, 99 Speedmart and Giant. Main ingredient was off course, butter! So Cik Ngah wants to share with readers the result;

The winner so far is 99 Speedmart with tthe cheapest SCS and Buttercup. Unfortunately the mart does not sell other brands! Cik Ngah will continue the survey and share it with all!!! Sharing is caring!!!

Winner Domestic Diva Awards 2010 ''Best in Home & Food"

Best Butter...

Cik Ngah had surely missed the issue of The Malaysian Women Weekly magazine which list the Winner of Domestic Diva Awards 1020 " Best in Home & Food". When Cik Ngah bought May 2011 issue, there is an advert by SCS Butter that they won the butter category. So now for baking using butter Cik Ngah know that SCS is the chosen one!

So Cik Ngah googled for other categories and only found a few, which Cik Ngah gonna list here in my blog!!.

1) Best Ready to Eat Frozen Meat - Ayamas Golden Nugget 

2) Best Processed Meat - AYAMAS Chicken Frankfurter Cheese

3) Best Ready to Eat Canned Food - Ayam Brand Tuna

Those were the only items Cik Ngah found on the internet!!! And Cik Ngah also found the similar award by Singapore Women Weekly magazine;

1) Best Cooking Oil - Naturel Sunflower Oil (2011)

2) Best Olive Oil - Naturel Pure Olive Oil (2010)

3) Best Fish Sauce - Knife Thai Fish Sauce (2011)

Cik Ngah would love to find out more of the winners.....

How to make your minced Onions/Garlic lasts longer?

The secret? Keep them in glass jar or container in the fridge!!!

Cik Ngah believes that as working wives or mothers, we always find ways to ease our way in the kitchen. Especially if we want our family to eat home cook meals and you have no maid or helper in the kitchen! One of the ways to shorten time to cook is to have the main ingredients ready especially the onions and the chilli paste!

This is what Cik Ngah do:

1. Onions and garlic is chopped using food chopper or the dry blender can also be used. This is to avoid mixing water if you use the blender. This way onions or garlic last longer. Keep the minced onions/garlic in a glass jar/container in the fridge- this is important to prolong the shelf life of the onions/garlic.
2. Chilli paste, cook the dry chillies in the water. Let it boil for a while. Strain the chillies in the strainer and put them under running water. This way the seeds will reside at the bottom of the strainer. To make paste, blend the chillies in the blender with vegetable oil instead of water. Only use a little bit of boiled water. Keep in glass jar/container in the fridge.



Remember! Use glass jar!



These ingredients are always available in Cik Ngah fridge for expedite home cook meals! Using these methods the ingredients last almost 1 month. Sometimes longer! So far these things had never gone bad before I finished them off, though Cik Ngah seldom cooks!

Domestic Diva Awards 2010

One of Cik Ngah's favourite magazine is Malaysian Women's Weekly. But it has been quite a while since my last purchased. Cik Ngah has just purchased the February 2010 issue last Friday for something to read while waiting for Hubby to finish his meeting in Kuantan. Oh yes, Cik Ngah was asked to follow Hubby to Kuantan so Cik Ngah took leave on Friday.

To Cik Ngah's surprise, this issue has the result of Domestic Diva Awards for Home category! Yes, very useful information for us, women!! Let Cik Ngah proceed with the winner;

Best Rice Cooker = PANASONIC Microcomputer Jar Rice Cooker SR-MG182


Panasonic Microcomputer Jar Rice Cooker
SR-MG182, RM399

Just last week Cik Ngah told Cik Ngah's BFF that the Panasonic rice cooker that Cik Ngah's used were the best so far. Bila masak nasi memang berbeza resultnya, nasi lembut, fluffy dan evenly cooked. Cik Ngah suka masak nasi lemak dalam periuk ni..sedap! But Cik Ngah own the cheaper version SR-MPA18 - RM299. The secret is the inner pot - Diamond Fluorine coated.

Sure enough, Cik Ngah was right, it was voted Best Rice Cooker. Yg sedihnya Cik Ngah had to purchase a new one as the one that Cik Ngah's own dah tak boleh dipasang balik! Cik Ngah hari tu bukak tutup rice cooker utk cuci segala, lepas tu tak boleh pasang balik as one of the getah dia tu dah longgar, errr Cik Ngah rendam getah tu!!! My fault!!!! Arghhh I miss my rice cooker!!

So sesapa mencari rice cooker, get the one with Diamond Fluorine coated inner pot.

Best Blender =  PHILIPS Aluminium Collection Blender HR2094

Philips HR2094, RM439

Cik Ngah also own Philips blender and loving it! But not this winner, too expensive! Anyway Philips blender's blades are the best to Cik Ngah.

Anything that Cik Ngah blend smooth giler!! Especially my cili kering, no seeds or clili flakes. All blended perfectly. Memang Cik Ngah suka sgt blender Philips Cik Ngah, bila guna blender kat rumah Mak or sister, Cik Ngah mesti tak puas hati! Kalau blend cili tu mesti tak hancur, ada seed and chili flakes!!

So ladies, get your Philips blender or better get this winner!!!

Best Cake Mixer = KENWOOD KMM760 Premier Major   Kitchen Machine

Kenwood KMM760, RM2,999.00

My dream mixer, belum own one lagi! Ever since Cik Ngah kat UK masa study dulu. Tapi tak tercapai, sampai sekarang!

One of my material wish for this year to get a mixer Kitchen Aid or Kenwood. So my decision is Kenwood then!!!



However may be not this one, the cheaper version off course!! But I wish I could get this one! Let see, soon!

Best Juicer = PANASONIC Juicer MJ-70M



Panasonic MJ-70M, RM179.00

This winner, Cik Ngah didn't expect at all. The juicer is cheap, and I thought sure the other expensive juicers could have won the award. But hey, cheap does not mean not good!

And guess what? I own this one too. But now it is securely wrapped and stored in the kitchen cabinet! Cik Ngah dah lama tak juicing!

Best Cookware = TEFAL Preference Black Non-stick Cookware

Every kitchen needs non stick cookware. Before this Cik Ngah didn't know which brand is the best. Cik Ngah bought the ones on sale!!

Anyway, Cik Ngah's non-stick Wok pan need to be replaced already. And now I know which brand to buy!!

Best Oven = BOSCH HBA78B750 


BOSCH HBA78B750, RM8,588.00

Terkezuut Cik Ngah tengok harga oven ni, boleh dapat Cik Ngah punya current kitchen cabinet!

Cik Ngah own an Europa Jet Oven, cost Cik Ngah about RM1000.00. So far it is working well to my baking and cooking! Good enough for me.

Still terkezuut with the price!!!!

Best Refrigerator = LG Side by Side Refrigerator

LG GR-P247CSP, RM9,999.00

Almost RM10k for a fridge! Cik Ngah memang berangan nak side by side fridge ni.

My current fridge is already more than 10 years old., but to get this one? Err not in a million!!! But I will consider LG when buying for my new fridge..

 Best Microwave =  ELECTROLUX Convection EMS3067X

Electrolux EMS3067X, RM1,128.00

Cik Ngah did own a microware convection oven 15 years ago! Samsung. Cik Ngah bought when Cik Ngah was a student in the UK. Gave that one to my mum. Memang Cik Ngah beli utk dia pun.

To me this is not a necessity in my kitchen so I didn't have one yet! This winner I think is a good buy though. Reasonable price.

Best Extractor Hood = ELECTROLUX Ultra Clean Chimney Hood and Best Stove Top = ELBA 8040SS Slim Stove

 

EFC9573X, RM2,496.00



Cooker hood, to Cik Ngah need to buy a good one, but stove does not matter too much, as long as the stove do produce fire to cook. Hood, Electrolux is the winner!



Best Vacuum Cleaner = ELECTROLUX Ultra Silencer Green

Electrolux Ultra Silencer Green, RM1,296



Need to aim for this one. Cik Ngah memang nak beli new vacuum cleaner. Yang dah ada besar sangat, the one yang use water tu.....

I want to give away to charity, rumah anak yatim ker rumah org tua-tua ker..InsyaAllah.

Best Washing Machine = TOSHIBA AW-SD160SM

Toshiba Washing Machine, RM2,099.00

Cik Ngah always thought that Electrolux has the best washing machine. I was wrong! But to Cik Ngah, I prefer the front load washing machine.

Cik Ngah own an Elba front load washing machine, 10 years old and still working fine, Alhamdulillah!


Well there are more of the winners for their own category. Cik Ngah just list down the essential and must have one! For more please get the Malaysian Women's Weekly magazine February 2010 issue.

Hope these tips will help women to choose their home appliances smartly and inteligently!!!