The Roasted Venison

the roasted venison for "sahur", anyone?

Venison can describe meat of any mammal killed by hunting. It was originally applied to any animal from the families Cervidae (deer), Leporidae (hares), and Suidae (wild pigs), and certain species of the genus Capra (goats and ibex), such as elk, red deer, fallow deer, roe deer, moose, reindeer/caribou, pronghorn, brown hare, arctic hare, blue hare, wild boar, and ibex, but its usage is now almost entirely restricted to the flesh of various species of deer. In Southern Africa venison is the meat of antelope. (wikipedia, last visited: 12 Aug)

I got a chance to have a roasted venison for my lunch recently prepared by a team of chefs. I do cautious on my red meat intake, nevertheless, the taste is awesome and I even manage to packed it for my family, which later taken during their first day of sahur* :)

*Sahur; the early breakfast, obligated to be taken before the start of fasting for the whole day during ramadhan month

Halal Chicken..a never ending story

The doubt of Halal of Chicken sold in Hypermarket

I have a chance to discuss the issue, with industry player. It was informed that the majority chicken sold in hypermarkets has been mixed with both halal and non-halal utilizing the same packaging with 'halal' logo

I thought we are self-sufficient in chicken supply, obviously we are not.

So be extra careful, as the chicken sold there is in away much cheaper, but end of the day, you might ended eating "bangkai"

Get your chicken from your known supplier, stick to them or else get the 'organic chicken'

Food Crisis, Halal Crisis

As I am just coming back from visiting one of hypermarket in Kelana Jaya, it was a shocked indeed as the price of rice is gone up, example a particular is previously around RM19.00, now is RM26.00; whereas the cheapest was at RM23 instead of RM16. (All price indicate for 10kg)

I do my own asssumption that the price is expected to increase further between RM5-10, and to be stabilize in June.

Today STAR newspaper extracted Sharir Samad, The Minister of Consumer Affair as his is quote among other, advising people to have moderate life, save and perhaps reduce the rice consumption....another projek BN

Nevertheless, here more interesting.

HDC or Halal Development Corporation is taking over the Application of Halal Certification from JAKIM (The Islamic Development Dept)

The Persatuan Ulama Malaysia (Islamic Scholar), Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (islamic consumer association) has submit the objection on the matter to HDC

wonder why?

from now on, the process of Halal certification will be handled by a company lead by non-muslim

How could it be, when a non-muslim handles muslim requirement, as if they know about the needs of Muslims?

perhaps you could get the answer from the person in-charge of these nonsense-Khairy Jamaluddin, the son-in-law of PakLah

All because of $$$$$$$$$$

And there goes our food and halal food....another project BN

Good Luck to all Malaysian and Malaysian Muslim, me included...

may be I should balik kampung, rear my own chicken and plant my own paddy/ rice..hmm as if I have that kind of land back in Taiping???

Chicken: The Never Ending Story 2

Here we are again

My former students has asked my opinion; topic on chicken of course.....

He was offered a supply of "ready-to-cook" chicken chop (also known as Chicken Marryland) at RM1.50

Looking at selling price of RM7.00-RM9.00 per portion; any business could easily make a RM5-7 profit per portions, that is a huge amount that made me wanted to open a western corner myself

Questions is How do you offer such low-cost ' ready-to-cook' when the market price is up to 400% higher?

Any takers?

FYI

My former student decided not proceed since the source of chicken is unknown; what more without halal specification being mentioned. Being his former teacher; I believe we have manage to instill some ethical principles to him.

To my students, hold to your principle, it is never easy to find your 1st RM1 million and there is no shortcuts to success

Fish and Seafood

fish is abundant and plenty in Malaysia, and many ways of cooking method available

Fish and seafood have been the main source of protein since the mankind. Perhaps the most important food; in Food Chain System. It also being mentioned in Al-Quran and perhaps the only food that cuts-through any religions.

Fish and Seafood is Halal, any of them. There is no special requirement, or slaughtering process required.

I always wonder why Japanese people are so innovative and intelligence? or even for the past years, it always people from east coast- kelantan, terengganu scored in major examinations?- perhaps maybe due to their seafood diet.

Looking my own family - which all are successfully - in their major examination - maybe because our beloved mother feeding us with seafood, most of the time; while chicken only on special occasion... need scientific evidence?

There is no issue of seafood, but very few - the allergic and poisonous

If you are allergic to seafood, most likely it was due to some chemical used is preserving the freshness of the food

as for the famous poisonous fish - the puff fish (ikan buntal), Japanese love it so much as any other seafood. This special case - requires a special 3 year training and pass an examination before given a licence to cut the puff fish; yet every year at least 30 case of death recorded

My opinion, avoid the puff fish; while there is a plenty of choice to choose

How to choose a fresh fish? while most people looking at the red color of the gills, observed other areas as well, the eyes - bulging not flat, scales still intact, body - springy not soft, of course the smell- should be fresh smell.

Be extra care full, if the fish monger use yellow bulb of light to project the fish - it could please your eyes as freshness yet it is not.

If you have to buy frozen fish, look-out for ice-build ups, more ice mean it have kept for some period of time

in conclusion, fish is always the best diet, as my doctor quote " the smaller the better". After all the animals of seafood kingdom was mentioned in Al-Quran as one of main source of food; so it must worth diet for all

Our favourite fish - ikan kedara / belanak - sweet in taste, cheap in price

Chicken: The Never Ending Story

Chicken, Chicken and Chicken

Lately, there are an e-mail circulating among other claiming and arguing the status of halal chicken supplied by one of major hypermarket in our country. I am not sure the authenticity of the e-mail, but I can support with the facts

Well, it easy. Everyday, at least 1-4 million chicken being slaughtered. Chicken does not need special abattoir unlike beef / lamb, therefore it can slaughtered anywhere or any person could do that...

what more, as the chicken sold in our market is already cleaned or even in parts, how to know whether the halal practices being followed strictly?

As millions of chicken being slaughtered, I assume at least 10% (400K) will miss the rotating blades.... there; you will find a chicken not being slaughtered properly.

Then again, this is one of reason I choose organic chicken, as the owner of the business take the responsibility to slaughter the animals personally and manually; utmost importance following a very strict halal process

When Media highlighting an issue...

Today at 9.00pm, I was accidently watching the TV3 programme of '360 degree perspective' hmm ..just like my brother's blog address ... oops.... :)

The program highlighting the issue of cleanliness and hygiene of food outlets in Malaysia and it does provide various pictorial / video examples of; a restaurants in Perak (was that a popular "pau" outlet in Tanjung Malim?), a soya bean processing oulet in Johor and a chicken's slaughtering house in Ara, Damansara Jaya... which all shown a stinking, filthy and the worst ever.... very disgusting indeed.

That remind me of a case when authority manage to hook a "big bread manufacturer" on hygienic ground, which resulted majority of Muslim in Malaysia boycotting the brand. That has also lead to one of my best friend vowed to prepare his own bread.

Back to the issue, Halal concept does include hygiene; which the HACCP is the best way in practice. Ask any food outlets, whether they have "JAKIM's HALAL and HACCP certification together? I bet, most of them is having the easiest to get and more marketable "logos", rather the HACCP which is very stringent in process .I also wonder why with JAKIM; the hygiene and food handling process were never a big issue, as important as the slaughtering process, diet intake and the way of rearing the animals as well.

Looking back the 360 program, the owner of the chicken's slaughtering outlet did admit that the animals are not being slaughtered by Malaysian (majority from India), not to mentioned the workers religion?; and at same time he is selling the chicken to everyone!!!!. (it also shows the chicken being washed? and cleaned? by water that as brownish as at the IndahWater treatment plant)... sorry at least IndahWater are better... All these can only be concluded the uglier side of Malaysian businessmen; as I have discuss in my earlier entry in this blog on halal concept.

For me it is about time to stop having chicken diet 100% except if I am sure; only the organic chicken.


FYI - Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a systematic preventive approach to food safety, that addresses physical, chemical and biological hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection. HACCP is used in the food industry to identify potential food safety hazards, so that key actions, known as Critical Control Points (CCP's) can be taken to reduce or eliminate the risk of the hazards being realized. The system is used at all stages of food production and preparation processes. (sources: wikipedia)

FYI - This shown Malaysian authorities has failed again and again; who cares, after all, the officers there just holding a job; not the responsibility (cari makan, bukan ibadah).

Coming soon - the halal concept of seafood and other ingredients, Food Fundamental 101 and healthy food, stay tune and please do visit this blog :)

The Chicken and Eggs Story - Halal Concepts 3

Which of which is the first, the chicken or the eggs in this world? my favorite questions whenever I am going to the poultry topics, since all are correct answer, you need a hint for the most appropriate (the Noah's Ark)

Malaysian love the chicken so much, that in 2005 - Malaysia's chicken consumption at 28 to 30kg per person a year or 36 million chickens per month is among the highest in the world. It also has a high per capita consumption level of 280 eggs per person per year. (USDA 2006) This RM9 Billion industry produced about 450 million chicken a year (MOA 2006). That roughly; a chicken plus 20 eggs per person per monthly basis.

The "ayam golek"; a local version of charcoal grilled chicken. Ever asked where the chicken coming from?

Chicken fall under category of white meat, its tender characteristics and an alternative source of proteins, making it very popular. This has create a huge business; the huge profit; and being Malaysian whenever they facing the food- this will only shows the ugly side. I remember; once upon a time, the chicks being destroyed due to lower market price; a very unethical practice indeed.

Today, I would like to discuss the essence of how the "ayam daging" or 'broiler chicken' being reared. With all the technology nowadays, the chicken have a shorter life-cycles - 3 months before its reached to our tables. Yup, 3 months only

While the chicken can be marketed as early as 1 month; hence 'the spring chicken', a normal one will start at 2 months, about 90% upon reaching 1.2kg-1.5kgs. Those you find; a chicken with 2 kg or more, most likely are 3 month old.

The "ayam daging" that we normally had, have gone various "innovative" DNA alteration; among other - no sexual orientation and therefore focus on eating only. It will not running away if you trying to catch them (have no functional brain?). The chicken also being reared in air-conditional space, and due to the "unnatural" method, the chicken tends to exposed to various diseases, which then require additional antibiotics and residue. So, what food we are having actually - chicken or chemicals?

Malaysian loves the chicken so much. Attached here is the Malaysian Style Grilled Chicken; Served with Satay Peanut Sauce, Buttered Rice and Keropok

At first the antibiotics are supposed to assists the chicken to be resistance to the viral; instead now; has turned as an opportunity; to further accelerated the productions - the chicken meat - (as the injection of antibiotics will increase the weight) a similar process normally happened to the pork production. (the irony; the chicken and pork is our biggest exports (MOA 2006), ever since the pork's price is increasing higher, the antibiotics's price are also becoming higher - there you have the recent chicken price hiking / RM6 per kg...hmm...should I say more)

Hey, how about the eggs that have been produced in average every 4 minutes!!! (to achieve that, "something" being injected as well)

In 1990's - Government, in hygienic perspective has ordered - all chicken must be sold -cleaned, without any feathers. This is a good intention, however only to create further problems. We no longer know who and where the slaughtering process?

JAKIM on the other hand, only focusing on the slaughtering process. So much so, a major chicken supplier is allowed to this new method; The chicken is tight upside-down, on conveyer belt and the "name of god" is read only once; then, the operator switch-on the rotational blade. It will be running for the next 10 hours - a process for more than 100,000 chicken a day (is this a normal practice? Jakim answer was; due to large number of chicken, therefore all the "adab" are not be followed - modern way)

All these conclude to one questions; is our chicken halal?

FYI - The halal practices

The chicken must be allowed to its natural; able to roaming freely; know how to scratch the soil in finding foods; apart of diet given; which this will naturally create a resistance to any disease; hence - minus the antibiotics and should be able to fly short distance. A normal chicken grows 3-8 months. (the "ayam kampung" or 'free-range chicken' have all these characteristics)

During slaughtering process, it must be released and allowed to be free, while to the last breath. It is advised to even "hide" the knife - in respecting the animals while at same time avoiding unnecesary stress (so Jakim... hopefully you are learning the basics here?)

FYI - The Solutions

My advise - get the "organic chicken" which being farmed / reared naturally and slaughtered as with accordance by a Medical Doctor. The farm is located in Hulu Langat, Selangor while the shop is located in Tmn. Nirwana, Ampang, Selangor. I don't have any share in this business, just a feeling being responsible to my fellow Malaysian in getting HALAL chicken from beginning to end of the process

Contact:

Mumtaz Meat & Marine Foods Sdn Bhd. No 17, Jalan Nirwana 35, Taman Nirwana, 68000 Ampang, Selangor. Malaysia. Tel 603 92811802 / 92816924Fax 603 92816925 e-mail nattpro@streamyx. com

Alamat ladang ternak ayam organik: Lot 3864, Batu 23 Jln Sg Lui, Ulu Langat

En Husairi Kajang/Bangi 019 332 4345 En Che Muda Bangi 012 324 5988 Puan Shidah Shah Alam 013 273 7301 Tn Haji Azhar Gombak/Batu Caves 012 288 2265 En Radzi Puncak Alam 013 655 7770 Zila Puncak Alam 019 270 4273 Siti Zuraimah Haji Ismail Menara TM 03 2240 4098 En Jumhat atau Puan Maznah 019 229 8950 atau 019 317 3330 En Nazaruddin 012 278 5502 Puan Zainun 019 277 4927 Subang Jaya Pasar Tani Taman Melawati Hari Sabtu Pasar Tani Putrajaya Hari Jumaat Pasar Tani Kerinci. Taman Angkasa Hari Ahad.

The Halal Food Concepts 2

I have mentioned in earlier topic on halal food concepts, which have 2 major characteristics, the ingredients and the slaughtering requirement.

Now the 3rd - Audits (the auditing)

Audits in halal means you must check the first two, is the pre-requisite.

Audits for ingredients, is must be process accordingly, with no elements to change the original ingredients (or recently-the major DNA of ingredients), example - grapes is halal, even a dried one - it is highly suggested for students during their studies. But if you process the grapes and change it to wine or anything that could make "you lose your mind" - or makes you "drunk" - even for short time, then this is haram / forbidden.

Similarly the wheat or cereal - process it to flour or bread is fine, but once you turn it to become a beer, then is forbidden to muslim

the navigational compass in its earlier years.nowadays with digital technology, we thought of becoming more advances, yet we still depending on one criterion; education to navigate our life.

Audits for animals - among other it must received clean bill of health (from the expert), old enough to be slaughtered, have no visible stress or being injured and historically, being reared as natural permits, accordingly

Example, Kobe Beef is the most expensive beef in the world - being so tender, a chef only require to grill - say maybe about for 10 seconds - with no marination needed. The Kobe beef was reared under strict controlled environment -no movement allowed - except the mouth, for munching the grass (the type of food also being controlled) and perhaps, the eyes . This has create some kind of stress to the animals, obviouslly, "the mad cow" diseases was due to similar stress in UK. Conclusion is, despite the beef might be halal, but since it is not being naturally reared, there, it become "Non-Halal"

Audits is the most difficult to do. As consumer, we are putting our trust on the retalier & wholesaler, and they depending to the to supplier to inform the "halalness" of our ingredients. Is not an excuse, but it is everyone responsibility and classified under business ethics or "akad" -the sale and purchase agreement - between consumer and seller.

Halal is for all mankind, I am sure no one would like to have - dhall or cereal that has been "genetically engineered" or beef from "mad cows" or chicken that being injected with "pork-laced-antibiotics" and residue

Nevertheless the consumer have choice. Choice can be retrived through information gathering, which can be achieved by reading - the another basics of being Muslim.

To be continued, the chicken and eggs story.........

The Halal Food Concepts

The halal concepts, are topics that is very close to me. Being Chef, there are a lot of questions yet to be answered. I also sometimes have doubts of our "well-known" HALAL-JAKIM logos. Hey, don't blame me, Malaysia after all having all sorts of advance regulations and law, yet when it come to implementing it...hancus (gone with the wind).

1. As for start, the halal concepts lies in the ingredients itself. In the early years of working, I would love to have the fruits cakes, which provided free as snacks by my employer. I stopped, after "accidentally" found that during the process, RUM is used, as to flavor and moisten the dried fruits, hence longer expiry date!


2. As for animal, it must be slaughtered according to Islamic ritual (halal requirements). While I have no doubts in beef/lamb, which are slaughtered accordingly with licence and controlled abattoir. But for chicken, this is not the case, most chicken are sold in market, cleaned. where and who slaughter it? I always wonder why chicken nowadays are tasteless and their meat are like some plastics fibre, so, I try this "organic chicken", then my confidence being restored. It taste sweet, bones as hard as I remember those days, when only "orang tua aje boleh makan"

There are various issues in this topics, being involve in food industry, I would like to continue discussing this, for sure.