MAKE MERRY WITH BRAHIM’S

With its handy range of products, it will enable you to come up with creative dishes with a minimum of fuss.

‘TIS the season ... to make merry, rather than be a kitchen slave!

Imagine, the hordes of family and friends who will soon be descending upon your Christmas tree-decked domain. And they’ll be expecting a delicious, home-cooked feast from your kitchen, too.

So how do you strike a balance between meeting – and surpassing – festive folks’ expectations and making sure you have a stress- and fuss-free celebration yourself? Stock up on lots of Brahim’s readyto-use products, which will play a role as handy kitchen saviours more often than you might expect.

Brahim’s has a range of ready-to-eat meals and sauces, which can be enjoyed straight from the packet, as well as convenient cooking sauces that just need water added. All its products contain no added MSG, artificial flavouring, colouring or preservatives, so you can rest easy when you cook for loved ones.

The secret to executing a successful festive meal lies in the planning, says executive sous chef Faizal Rosli Datuk Abdullah from Brahim’s SATS Food Services Sdn Bhd.

“When you want to cook for many people, planning is essential, and so is balance,” he said. “Only after you have those things, can you think of being creative.”

Faizal has come up with some recipes drawn from the Western recipe oeuvre, but combined them with distinctly Asian flavours, with products like Brahim’s Kuah Rendang, or Brahim’s Kuah Percik.

A spaghetti bolognaise takes on a whole different flavour profile with the addition of Kuah Rendang to the sauce, while the pairing of Brahim’s Kuah Sambal Tumis and white sauce with a classic lasagne adds spicy-sweet nuances to a classic dish.

“This is also a good way to introduce Asian flavours to people who might not be used to them,” he said. It’s also a way to tie the dishes you serve to the season itself, and to really set your table apart from everyone else’s.

The recipes are for individual plated portions of protein and vegetables etc, so multiply according to need. The Brahim’s sauces however, will probably yield enough for at least two or three portions, depending on taste preference; with proper planning and a good stock of Brahim’s on hand, you’ll probably need no more than 20 minutes to whip up each dish.

Brahim’s products are available in all good grocers and supermarkets.

Merry Christmas to all celebrating, and happy holidays everyone! 250g chicken breast, boneless and 50g chopped button mushrooms

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Brussels sprouts, cooked

, cauliflower, cooked and cut n o ore s Duchess otatoes fresh rosemary Preheat the oven to 180C. half lengthwise and flatten Mix the chopped mush, and lay in the centre of a piece of chicken. Roll it up

– mushrooms are securely in aluminium foil. , chicken is cooked and no

.

Remove from the oven,

, - l with a little cooking oil to get a go en rown ex er or or the chicken roulade. Allow to cool slightly, then slice the roulade thickl . Heat the Brahim’s Kuah

Arrange the chicken rolls ously with the kuah percik. Duchess potato.