Prawn mee

This is my mom's recipe which I've altered slightly but the basics are still the same. It really brings me back to my childhood!

Ingredients (feeds 2)
1 packet of medium sized prawns (approx 300-400g, I counted about 10 prawns in the packet)
1.5 litres pork bone stock (I used leftover bak ku teh soup from last night )
5 - 6 dried chilli
2 tbsp dried shrimp
1 large onions, or 3 shallots, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bunch cai xin
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 packet of fishballs
2 fishcake, sliced (optional)
200g lean pork, sliced thinly (optional)
2 portions of cooked noodles (yellow mee, kway teow, whatever u prefer)

Method
1) Peel the prawns and set aside the heads and shells. Devein the prawns and set aside.
2) Heat up a pot and oil, and fry the onions or shallots until slightly brown. Add the prawn heads and shells and stir fry until fragrant and the shells and heads are pink. Add the garlic and briefly stir fry.
3) Add the dried chilli and shrimp and briefly fry.
4) Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Skim off the scum. Turn down the head to medium. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour.
5) Prepare the noodles according to the packet's instructions and place the drained noodles into 2 bowls.
6) Strain the stock. Add the fishballs, followed by prawns and cai xin and cook for up to 5 minutes or until everything is cooked. Also cook the fishcake and lean pork if using.
7) Serve with soup poured on top of the of noodles.

Zhong zhi - Hokkien style

Getting in the mood for this Thu. The thought did cross my mind to do it, but was reading the ingredients and how to made my eyes pop out. However, I did get to enjoy the fruit of other people's labour - thanks to Aunt-in-law and a good colleague!

(recipe taken from Cozycot, user Swissroll)

Rice
Ingredients A
Bamboo leaves : 250g (soaked overnight, washed)
Nylon strings : per required according to individual

Ingredients B
Glutinous rice : 2 kg (washed, Soak for 4 hrs and drained)

Ingredients C
Chopped shallot & Garlic : 1 tbsp

Ingredients D
Salt : 5 tsp
Ground pepper : 1 tsp
Five spice powder : 1 tsp
Dark soya sauce : 1 tbsp
Sesame Oil : 1 tbsp

Method:
1) Heat up 4 tbsp oil, sauté chopped shallot and garlic till fragrant
2) Pour in glutinuous rice and fry till aromatic
3) Mix in Ingredients D to season, dish up for use later

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Fillings

Ingredients A
Chopped shallot and garlic : 1 tbsp
Dried shrimp : 200g (washed, soak to soften, drain)

Ingredients B
Chopped shallot and garlic : 2 tbsp
Chinese mushroom : 40 pcs (washed, soak to soften, drain)
* Huiji Waist Tonic : 1 – 2 cup (Huiji measuring cup)

Ingredients C
Pork belly : 2 kg (washed, cut into 40 pcs, marinate for 1 hr with seasonings)
Oyster Sauce : 2 tbsp
Dark soya sauce : 1 tbsp
Sesame Oil : 1 tbsp
Hua tiao wine : 2 tbsp
Ground pepper : ½ tsp.
Five spice powder : ½ tsp
Salt : ½ tsp
Sugar : ½ tbsp
Corn flour : 1 tbsp

Ingredients D
Dried Chestnut : 250g (washed, soak overnight)

Method:

1) Heat up 3 tbsp oil over medium flame, stir fry Ingredients A till aromatic, dish up, reserve for use later
2) Heat up 3 tbsp oil over medium flame, sauté chopped shallot and garlic from Ingredients B, add mushroom to fry till aromatic
3) Add marinated pork belly and fry till fragrant
4) Mix fry chestnut till fragrant
5) Add suitable amount of water, simmer till water is soak up, dish up
6) Take 2 pieces of bamboo leaves, fold to form a pyramid shape
7) Put 2 tbsp of glutinuous rice into it, dig a hole in the centre, add in fillings, cover with another 2 tbsp of glutinuous rice, wrap up, tighten with nylon string
8) Boil a large pot of water. Add in dumplings, cover and cook with low heat for 2 hours till cooked and soft.

[Nigella Lawson] Sweet & sticky ribs

Tried this with chicken wings, only because I love wings so much. I changed the cooking times to 180 deg C at 20 minutes covered, then 10 minutes at 200 deg C uncovered.

Ingredients

• 4 fluid ounces (125 ml) Thai or Chinese sweet chili sauce
• 2 fluid ounces (60 ml) cranberry sauce (from a jar)
• 2 fluid ounces (60 ml) dark sweet soy sauce
• 1 clementine, juice and sliced rind
• 1 lime, juice and sliced rind
• 15 to 20 pork spare ribs

Directions

Place all the ingredients into a large freezer bag and mix well. Seal the bag and place it on a dish so that it can lie flat. Transfer the bag to the fridge and leave overnight to marinate.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Remove the ribs from the fridge and transfer them from the freezer bag to a roasting tin and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Transfer the roasting tin to the oven. Cook the ribs in the oven for 1 hour, turning them over after 30 minutes.
Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and remove the foil from the roasting tin. Cook for a further 15 to 30 minutes, or until the ribs are sticky and cooked through.
To serve, place the ribs onto a large serving plate.

Simple Brownies

Source: Country Fair Cookbook
Makes 15.
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter (170g) (I used half-fat butter and it worked perfectly)
1 1/2 cup sugar (340g) (granulated is fine)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp chocolate extract (optional)
3/4 cup sifted flour (90g)
1/2 cup cocoa (55g)
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 9″ square tin.
Method
1) Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
2) Sift together flour, cocoa and salt. Add to creamed mixture, blending well. Stir in walnuts if using. Spread evenly in tin.
3) Bake for 35 minutes or until done–a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted in the middle should come out almost clean, with just a couple of crumbs clinging to it. Cool in tin on rack. Cut 2 3/4 x 1 3/4 inch bars when cold.