Malaysia's First Ever Blogger MasterChef

My first introduction to MasterChef was the cooking programme on BBC One which I enjoyed viewing while living in the UK. Everyday for a few years, I would tune in religiously to watch individuals battle it out in the kitchen for the title of "MasterChef". My favorite part of the show was the "The Final Test" whereby the contestants would design their own two-courses and cook them both for the judges in one hour. You get to see the creativity and ability of the contestants to cook. It is certainly  inspiring to see ordinary people with so much talent succeed and finally be crowned as "MasterChef.

A great inspiration for people who love to cook.

I was excited to learn that MasterChef is finally coming to Malaysia. MasterChef Malaysia will be launched on the 22nd October 2011, here are some details on the show:

- Show title – MasterChef Malaysia
- Program Details: – MasterChef TX will be starting from 22nd October 2011, every Saturday – Wednesday, 9.00pm. Master Class will be on every Friday, 9.00pm.
- Program channel – Astro Ria (Channel 104)
- Official Site URL – http://www.astro.com.my/MasterChef/
- Facebook Page Link- http://www.facebook.com/MasterChefMalaysia
- Twitter Link– www.twitter.com/MasterChefMY
- Background Information on MasterChef – MasterChef is a worldwide phenomenon. A cooking reality show, that although doesn’t allow viewers to vote, has still broken viewership records in US and Australia. MasterChef is a success because not only is food something we are all very passionate about but the show only allows amateur cooks to compete. Malaysians who love cooking but never had a chance to really showcase their skills and be appreciated, now get the opportunity! Get ready for the MasterChef phenomenon to take over Malaysia on 22nd October 2011!

In conjunction with the launch of MasterChef Malaysia, Nuffnang Malaysia is holding a contest to find Malaysia's First Ever Blogger MasterChef. This particular contest appealed to me since I love food and I love cooking! Food is my passion, and it gives me great joy to be able to put delicious tasting food on the table every night for my family. I'd like to think that I can cook well since the dinner table is filled with smiles each time I cook. I am well versed in both Western and Asian cuisines. My recipes have been featured twice on DineMalaysia, a comprehensive dining guide owned by the prominent Expat Group. I am very proud of this since one of the main reasons I cook and share my recipes is so that more families out there can enjoy good food every night.

I have many recipes on this blog but when I questioned my family as to what their favorite dish was (cooked by me), they unanimously answered "Roast Beef". 

I cooked Roast Beef for Christmas 2010

Roast beef is something we enjoy from time to time, on a Sunday, and on special occasions like Christmas day. To enjoy a good roast beef, it is important to get a good roasting joint. You can easily get this in more upmarket supermarkets such as Cold Storage. Depending on how much you are willing to pay, you can get different cuts (and qualities) of roasting joints. The most enjoyable roast beef experience for us so far was when I used a striploin roll. Here's the recipe for it:

Roast striploin with roast potatoes, brussel sprouts, carrots and broccoli

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

Beef roasting joint (approx. 1kg)

Olive oil

Freshly ground salt and pepper

1 small onion, halved

1. The beef should be removed from the refridgerator 1 hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Keep it wrapped.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

3. Rub the beef with the olive oil, salt and pepper all over.

4. Place the joint in a roasting tin on top of the onion halves. The onion will caramelise as the beef cooks and give a lovely flavour and colour to the gravy. (*Tip from Delia Online)

5. Place the roasting tin in the preheated oven. The recommended cooking time for medium rare beef is 5 minutes per 100g of meat. For medium doneness, add an extra 10 minutes per kilo and 20 minutes per kilo for well done.

6. While the beef is cooking, remove it at least twice and baste the meat with its own juices to keep everything moist and succulent.

7. Remove the beef from the oven, transfer to the carving board and cover with foil to allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes.

Well-rested and ready to be carved

8. Any juices from the beef should be poured into the gravy, it makes all the difference to your gravy!

9.Carve the beef in 1/3 inch thick slices. Best served with roast potatoes, steamed vegetables and lots of gravy. Enjoy!

The moment of truth - is it medium rare as we like it?

Medium rare it was... hooray!

Fluffy and crisp roast potatoes (Recipe here)

Roast striploin with roast potatoes, brussel sprouts, broccoli and carrots

I hope I'll be celebrating with a bottle of Moet if I win this prestigous title! :)

Wish me luck! :) 


For foodies / amateur chefs who are interested, you have until 3 October 2011 (11.59pm) to join this contest. More details can be found here.