Ready.......Roll Cameras.......Action!

About 2 years ago, I by chance came to know a gentleman living in Toronto, Canada....and he complimented me on my cooking. He told me he can't cook, and married a woman who can cook. That he eats to live, not live to eat.......

And Toronto as I understand from him is a real multicultural city with 45% of the population from another country, but today Canadian citizens.

Down Town Toronto
Picture with my friend's compliments.

And he has many friends from all over and often invited for BBQs, dinner parties. Thus he gets to try out the many different cuisines from the Caribbean Islands to Asia Pacific. And when enjoys a dish as well finding it exotic, he will get the recipes. Knowing my interest in cooking and adventurous in trying out various kind of cuisines, send the recipes to me.
   
A fortnight ago, I was shocked to received a phone call from a lovely executive producer, "inviting me to do a cooking show with a popular host". They checked thru my blog cooking pictures and decided on that Canadian Steamed Fish with Coconut Rice and the Putu Pisang aka Steamed Rice Cake with Bananas. Both of which the recipes given to me by my Canadian friend.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my Canadian friend for the recipes. I can never really thank you enough. Cheers!

Canadian steamed fish with coconut rice. You can check out for the recipe here in my previous posting.

Putu Pisang aka Steamed Rice Cake with Bananas. You can check out my recipe here  in my previous posting. 

I was nervous but excited, thus I accepted the offer. OMG.....10 days left my heart goes pip pop, pip pop and so restless. No script or rehearsal was required, I just need to be my natural self and to have some humour.

Shooting location is in Rengit, Johor a village about  87.9KM from Johor Bahru city.

Driving to Rengit.....1 hour 30 mins from Johor Bahru city.

Traditional village home.

 We reached the location 30 mins early.

The main entrance of the homestay, a wooden village house with beautiful interior decoration and landscaping.

TV crews getting ready spotlights and equipments.

Another batch of TV crews setting up the table and background decoration taking instruction from the director.

TV crew checking the set up.

Being makeup by a professional makeup artist. Wooohooo........
Credit goes to my elder daughter, she drove all the way and help took quite a number of pictures.

Checking the cooking ingredients with the food director.

All ready........but yours truly missing in action due to nervous, kept running to the bathroom

Finally yours truly getting ready..........

Arrival of our Malaysian popular artist Mr. Zaibo. He is a popular actor, comedian and host in Malaysia. He has acted in several movies, TV dramas in Malaysia and Singapore and host various cooking shows.

Yours truly look like acting in gang fight scene........four against one!! ha ha ha........

Ready... roll cameras....action!

My first cooking demonstration in public with a popular artist Mr. Zaibo. I have been his fan since my young days.
Credit goes to my 12 years old son who took quite a number of pictures using my digital pocket camera.

Introducing the cooking ingredients to Mr. Zaibo.
I had before leaving for the film shoot, memorized the recipe and ingredients to be used.

Getting ready to cook the Canadian steam fish with coconut rice but hands shivering non stop.

Candid shot........suddenly I feel so nervous and panic.

How he knowing, seeing I was very nervous appearing on TV, cracked jokes helped me relax. He is a very nice gentleman, and very humourous.

Cutting the carrot but same time busybody looking elsewhere....now I wander whom am I looking at......

Getting ready to cook.....

Your truly stir fry the vegetables and same time explaining to Mr. Zaibo the step by step.

Canadian steamed fish with coconut rice ready to be serve.

Taking a short break.....

I was given a village style luxury suite upstairs to relax.

Airy balcony with wooden bench.

Surrounding area of the homestay, nice place for weekend relaxation.

Backyard family room at the homestay.

 Surrounding area of the homestay.

Malaysia postman antique bicycle.

Getting ready for the next scene, more confident now no more nervous.

Making steamed rice cake with bananas.

First time cooking in public area...OMG, passerby watching live telecast.......

 Demo to Mr. Zaibo how to fold the banana cups.

Busy folding the banana cup.

Ready to steam the rice cake.

The show will air on TV 1 in April next year under "Pelik Tapi Sedap" aka Unique but delicious . And the producer has already invited me to do another show next year. LOL

Phew...... 4 hours recording over. Getting ready to go for lunch.

After the recording Mr. Zaibo invited all of us to his village home for lunch.

Delicious Malay food cook by his lovely wife. We had fried chicken, salted  fish, spicy french beans, spicy bitter bean, fish cook with coconut milk, dessert and fruits.

Everyone enjoyed the delicious food in the village style.

I love the cute cow.  More cows in the corral.

Three musketeers resting under the midget papaya tree.

Home sweet home.... the 4 hour TV shooting is more tired than jogging 10 KM.

Thank you so much to Mr. Zaibo, It's my privilege to have the opportunity to do the cooking show with you. You're excellent and nice to meet you.

To the lovely producer, thank you so much for giving me this surprise invitation and opportunity.
To the directors, makeup artist, camera crews, TV crews, you guys are great. Terima kasih seribu to all of you.

Let me share with you a luscious dessert

Coconut cheesecake with grilled pineapple in honey

Crust ingredients
1 1/2 cups digestive biscuit crumbs
2 cups fresh grated coconut
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup unsalted butter- melted
 
Filling ingredients
16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
7.5 oz coconut cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Juice of 1 lemon

1/  Preheat oven to 180 deg c. Wrap outside of 8 inch diameter springform pan with aluminum  foil.

2/  For the crust, mix digestive biscuit crumbs, coconut, lemon juice and butter together. Press mixture onto bottom of the pan.
3/  Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until well blended.
4/  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add  coconut cream, whipping cream, vanilla extract and lemon juice and beat until well blended.

5/  Pour filling into crust. Bake until puffed and set in center, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
6/  Transfer to rack and cool completely. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.
7  Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Remove cheesecake from springform pan.

8/ Top each slice of cheesecake with grilled pineapple just before serving.

Grilled Pineapple with honey
1 canned pineapple
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)

1/  Place pineapple rings on a non stick pan and grill both side over medium heat until slightly charred.
2/  Cut the pineapple ring into small cubes.
3/  Boil lemon juice and honey in small saucepan 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4/  Add in the pineapple cubes to the honey and mix well.

5/  Remove grilled pineapple from heat, cool completely and serve with coconut cheesecake.

The combination of coconut with grilled pineapple is awesome.

Amelia