Moussaka Malaysiana

Star Q

i.  Interactive Notebook : Guided Writing

ii.  Haze : School Off, Shopping On

iii.  Cheesy Mango Floats

It was a night just like other cold nights at Shire Oak Road.  The only difference was that night a few of us decided to gather at one of our flatmates kitchen, Marduati, to have a potluck.  I just knew I had to bring something different to the occasion which lead me to try making Moussaka.

I was indeed pleasantly surprised  to see my friends helping themselves to the small casserole of Moussaka.  It was small because I did not expect them to like the taste of a dish that they were not familiar with.  But I guess it was that idea of trying something unfamiliar but at the same time not very different in terms of ingredients used, that had a few of my friends mopping up the gravy with all the bread available!

However, that is not so with my family's reception towards the dish when I finally had a chance to make it a second time here.  One major reason is probably due to their slight dislike to aubergines which is one of the main ingredients of this dish.  But I'm happy I made my Moussaka Malaysiana nevertheless.

• 2 large aubergines, sliced into 1 cm slices
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 450 g minced chicken meat
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tsp dried chili flakes
• 1 (400 g) tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme

Pat dry the aubergines and fry them until half cooked using 2 tbs olive oil, then set aside.  In the same pan, add the other 1 tbs olive oil, saute the onion followed by the garlic and dried chili flakes until aromatic.  Stir in the minced chicken meat and cook until the meat turns white.  Add the bay leaf, dried oregano and dried thyme and pour in the chopped tomatoes plus half tin of water using the same tomato can.  Cook until mixture has thickened, season well and set aside.

For the bechamel :

• 250 ml milk
• 25 g flour
• 25 g butter
• 250 g grated Cheddar

Melt butter in a pan.  Remove from heat and stir in the flour.  Return pan to heat and gradually stir in the milk.  Stir over medium heat until thickened.  Season and add in 100 g of the grated cheese.  Leave to cool.

To assemble :

Preheat oven to 180 C.  In an oven proof dish place one third of the meat mixture, followed by 2 tbs of bechamel and a layer of the aubergines.  Repeat the process two more times finishing with a sprinkling of the remaining grated cheese.  Bake for about 40 minutes.  Serve hot.