Two recipes which I'll like to try:
Ginger vinegar trotters: http://ellenaguan.blogspot.sg/2010/06/ginger-vinegar-trotter.html
Soya sauce pork belly: http://ellenaguan.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/braised-pork-belly-with-rice.html
Another Tau Yew Bak: http://www.noobcook.com/tau-yu-bak-braised-pork-belly-in-soy/2/
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Budae jigae
I have been curious about this stew for a long time. Deciding to follow this recipe http://aeriskitchen.com/2011/05/army-base-jjigae/, I adapted it slightly.
this is my second attempt because I didn't have spam the first time. However, I didn't use ramyeon this time because I overdosed on it during mark I. However, I like the idea of melted cheese on the ramyeon, so I might try that next time.
Ingredients
450g kimchi
8 large franks, chopped
1 can 250g spam, cubed
1 packet of silken tofu
1 tbsp dwenjiang
1 tbsp gochujiang
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp fish sauce (remember that the franks and spam will be salty)
1 tbsp sesame seed oil
3 cups water
Method
1) Assemble everything in a shallow stew pot.
2) On high heat, bring everything to a rolling boil for 10 minutes. Turn down flame to low, and cover. Simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes.
3) To serve with ramyeon, you can either put it in the pot, or I prefer to cook it separately.
4) To add the cheese on top, add it after you have turned off the flame, and cover the pot. The residual heat will melt the cheese after about 2 minutes.
this is my second attempt because I didn't have spam the first time. However, I didn't use ramyeon this time because I overdosed on it during mark I. However, I like the idea of melted cheese on the ramyeon, so I might try that next time.
Ingredients
450g kimchi
8 large franks, chopped
1 can 250g spam, cubed
1 packet of silken tofu
1 tbsp dwenjiang
1 tbsp gochujiang
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp fish sauce (remember that the franks and spam will be salty)
1 tbsp sesame seed oil
3 cups water
Method
1) Assemble everything in a shallow stew pot.
2) On high heat, bring everything to a rolling boil for 10 minutes. Turn down flame to low, and cover. Simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes.
3) To serve with ramyeon, you can either put it in the pot, or I prefer to cook it separately.
4) To add the cheese on top, add it after you have turned off the flame, and cover the pot. The residual heat will melt the cheese after about 2 minutes.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Ching tng 清汤
This is a popular and very light dessert that is supposed to be cooling. As I make it during this CNY period (today being 初八), I remember my kao mo, my ee may and my fifth grandaunt, all who would make this during CNY for visitors. Ideally, I should have 八包 inside, but well, one has to do best with what one has! They sometimes add ginger to make it more heaty and nourishing, but I prefer it without. The correct preparation of the individual elements and timing to add them are probably the hardest part of this recipe. Otherwise, it's quite stress free, simply toss in the pot and go. Some recipe writers even use the slow cooker.
Ingredients (honestly, I'm just guessing. I go more by 'feel' and also which items I like more. One good source may be EllenaGuan or NoobCook)
2 knotted pandan leaves
3 l of water (i always make enough for leftovers for days)
100g cup barley
100g dried lotus seeds
100g canned gingko (I didn't add this as I don't like gingko)
100g red dates
100g longan
50g boxthorn
Sugar to taste (I find it takes about 10 to 14 tsps. You can also use rock sugar, which is actually preferred)
White fungus (I didn't add this either because I don't like it)
Pang da hai (I didn't have this because I have no idea what it is!)
Dried lilly buds (only some websites add this. I didn't have this either because I don't like it)
2 pieces dried parsimonne (didn't use this - didn't have it!)
Method
1) To prepare the white fungus, soak it in hot water for about 10 to 15 minutes until it softens up. It will swell quite considerably. Cut off the tough core using a scissors, and then you can separate each 'leaf' into bite site chunks.
2) Lotus seeds are perhaps the most finicky. If prepared wrongly, they become very hard. Even with an inordinately long cooking time, they will just dissolve but then there won't be any lotus seed to bite into. Soak the dried lotus seeds in recently boiled water from a kettle for 10 to 15 minutes until they soften. Remove the bitter green spout inside each seed. It is very important that the lotus seeds do not touch room temperature or cold water as they will seize up. It's fine to rinse them with tap water when they come out of the packaging but they have to go straight into boiling water almost immediately. Thus, all the websites that say to soak them overnight, in hot water (which will become cold) or otherwise, are wrong! I followed the advice of KitchenTigress on preparing lotus seeds based on her experiments and she was spot on! My lotus seeds were still slightly crunchy yet soft and yielding inside. They didn't dissolve into a soggy mess, but neither were they hard on the outside.
3) There is no need to soak the dried lily bulbs, but you do have to wash them very carefully with water.
4) Add the water, barley, red dates and knotted pandan leaves and bring to a boil. Let it boil on high heat for 10 minutes, uncovered (or it will boil over).
5) Add everything else except the sugar. Boil on high heat for 10 minutes until all the scum surfaces. Remove the scum. Turn down to low heat and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until the lotus seeds are cooked. The lotus seeds will take the longest to cook of if they're tender, everything else will be fine.
6) The sugar has to be added last, or it will also cause the lotus seeds to seize up too and remain hard. Add the sugar and simmer for about another 5 minutes.
7) Remove the pandan leaves and it is ready to serve! This can be served hot or cold. Naturally, I prefer cold in the hotter months.
Ingredients (honestly, I'm just guessing. I go more by 'feel' and also which items I like more. One good source may be EllenaGuan or NoobCook)
2 knotted pandan leaves
3 l of water (i always make enough for leftovers for days)
100g cup barley
100g dried lotus seeds
100g canned gingko (I didn't add this as I don't like gingko)
100g red dates
100g longan
50g boxthorn
Sugar to taste (I find it takes about 10 to 14 tsps. You can also use rock sugar, which is actually preferred)
White fungus (I didn't add this either because I don't like it)
Pang da hai (I didn't have this because I have no idea what it is!)
Dried lilly buds (only some websites add this. I didn't have this either because I don't like it)
2 pieces dried parsimonne (didn't use this - didn't have it!)
Method
1) To prepare the white fungus, soak it in hot water for about 10 to 15 minutes until it softens up. It will swell quite considerably. Cut off the tough core using a scissors, and then you can separate each 'leaf' into bite site chunks.
2) Lotus seeds are perhaps the most finicky. If prepared wrongly, they become very hard. Even with an inordinately long cooking time, they will just dissolve but then there won't be any lotus seed to bite into. Soak the dried lotus seeds in recently boiled water from a kettle for 10 to 15 minutes until they soften. Remove the bitter green spout inside each seed. It is very important that the lotus seeds do not touch room temperature or cold water as they will seize up. It's fine to rinse them with tap water when they come out of the packaging but they have to go straight into boiling water almost immediately. Thus, all the websites that say to soak them overnight, in hot water (which will become cold) or otherwise, are wrong! I followed the advice of KitchenTigress on preparing lotus seeds based on her experiments and she was spot on! My lotus seeds were still slightly crunchy yet soft and yielding inside. They didn't dissolve into a soggy mess, but neither were they hard on the outside.
3) There is no need to soak the dried lily bulbs, but you do have to wash them very carefully with water.
4) Add the water, barley, red dates and knotted pandan leaves and bring to a boil. Let it boil on high heat for 10 minutes, uncovered (or it will boil over).
5) Add everything else except the sugar. Boil on high heat for 10 minutes until all the scum surfaces. Remove the scum. Turn down to low heat and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until the lotus seeds are cooked. The lotus seeds will take the longest to cook of if they're tender, everything else will be fine.
6) The sugar has to be added last, or it will also cause the lotus seeds to seize up too and remain hard. Add the sugar and simmer for about another 5 minutes.
7) Remove the pandan leaves and it is ready to serve! This can be served hot or cold. Naturally, I prefer cold in the hotter months.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Soya sauce chicken
I adapted the recipe from : http://rasamalaysia.com/chinese-soy-sauce-chicken-recipe/2/
Ingredients
9 chicken drumsticks (original recipe uses about 6 pieces)
3 cloves
3 star anise
1 tsp five spice powder
1 tbsp garlic
1 tbsp ginger
8 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked in 1 cup of water till soft then drained and sliced. Reserve the soaking water.
6 hard boiled eggs
1 cup dark soya sauce
1.5 cups light soya sauce
4 cups water
Method
1) Add all the ingredients, except the drained mushrooms, eggs and chicken. Add the water and water used to soak mushrooms. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes.
2) Add the drained mushrooms and chicken. Bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, uncovered. Turn down the flame, skim off impurities. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. It may be useful to give a taste to see whether the soya sauce is too salty and adjust accordingly. I found that the brand of light soya sauce I used to be particularly salty and had to top up with water.
3) Turn off the fire and add the eggs. Let everything steep for several hours. You may have to occasionally turn the chicken and eggs to ensure that all sides get a chance to steep and they don't get uneven 'tan marks'.
4) Serve with steamed rice, or in my case, I used noodles for 'longevity' during this CNY period. As an option, garnish with coriander or parsley and chilli.
Ingredients
9 chicken drumsticks (original recipe uses about 6 pieces)
3 cloves
3 star anise
1 tsp five spice powder
1 tbsp garlic
1 tbsp ginger
8 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked in 1 cup of water till soft then drained and sliced. Reserve the soaking water.
6 hard boiled eggs
1 cup dark soya sauce
1.5 cups light soya sauce
4 cups water
Method
1) Add all the ingredients, except the drained mushrooms, eggs and chicken. Add the water and water used to soak mushrooms. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes.
2) Add the drained mushrooms and chicken. Bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, uncovered. Turn down the flame, skim off impurities. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. It may be useful to give a taste to see whether the soya sauce is too salty and adjust accordingly. I found that the brand of light soya sauce I used to be particularly salty and had to top up with water.
3) Turn off the fire and add the eggs. Let everything steep for several hours. You may have to occasionally turn the chicken and eggs to ensure that all sides get a chance to steep and they don't get uneven 'tan marks'.
4) Serve with steamed rice, or in my case, I used noodles for 'longevity' during this CNY period. As an option, garnish with coriander or parsley and chilli.
Saturday, February 09, 2013
Yu Sheng Lo hei
I really miss lo hei. Seeing my friends posting pictures of lo hei, and it's not even CNY yet! So for reunion dinner tonight, my first reunion dinner in AU, I decided to DIY. I found this recipe by Noob Cook and decided to try it out. Being in a foreign country, I had to improvise. I'm sure if I trawled Sunnybank (the Chinese suburb) hard enough, I would be able to locate more of the ingredients (altho I'm still pretty sure pomelo would be elusive), but I wasn't about to brave the Chinese crowds, or risk the shops closing on me. So here's my highly improvised recipe.
Ingredients (for 2)
1 Carrot
1 Cucumber
2 small pears (to replace daikon. I used a harder and less juicy pear - Wiliam Barnett- so it would't be too soggy)
2 tbsp plum sauce
1 tbsp chopped Japanese ginger (the pink one)
1 tsp five spice powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pepper (white is preferred but I only had black)
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
2 tbsp Captain Crunch (to replace crushed toasted peanuts and the crispy Pok Chu)
Optional: raw salmon. My version had no raw fish and hence can be considered vegetarian, but I would have used smoked salmon had I remembered to buy it!
Method
1) Use the peeler to peel slivers off the carrot, cucumber and pears. Arrange separately in a deep bowl.
2) Gather family (and/or friends). While adding each of the other components, say the necessary prosperous greetings (check original Noob Cook article)
3) Get family and/or friends to hold their chopsticks and as everyone mixes up the salad, tossing as high as they can and saying auspicious greetings like lo hei and fa da chai.
Ingredients (for 2)
1 Carrot
1 Cucumber
2 small pears (to replace daikon. I used a harder and less juicy pear - Wiliam Barnett- so it would't be too soggy)
2 tbsp plum sauce
1 tbsp chopped Japanese ginger (the pink one)
1 tsp five spice powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pepper (white is preferred but I only had black)
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
2 tbsp Captain Crunch (to replace crushed toasted peanuts and the crispy Pok Chu)
Optional: raw salmon. My version had no raw fish and hence can be considered vegetarian, but I would have used smoked salmon had I remembered to buy it!
Method
1) Use the peeler to peel slivers off the carrot, cucumber and pears. Arrange separately in a deep bowl.
2) Gather family (and/or friends). While adding each of the other components, say the necessary prosperous greetings (check original Noob Cook article)
3) Get family and/or friends to hold their chopsticks and as everyone mixes up the salad, tossing as high as they can and saying auspicious greetings like lo hei and fa da chai.
Thursday, February 07, 2013
CNY Chicken recipes
Two CNY recipes by one of my favourite food bloggers, Rasa Malaysia. Recipes that I've always wanted to know how to do but could never find the right recipes, simply because I didn't know the correct name for them! Eg the roast chicken you find on ang mo sites are quite different from the roast chicken we get in Chinese restaurants.
Soya sauce chicken: http://rasamalaysia.com/chinese-soy-sauce-chicken-recipe/2/
Roast chicken: http://rasamalaysia.com/chinese-roast-chicken/2/
Soya sauce chicken: http://rasamalaysia.com/chinese-soy-sauce-chicken-recipe/2/
Roast chicken: http://rasamalaysia.com/chinese-roast-chicken/2/
Saturday, February 02, 2013
Sambal balachan
I'm beginning to realise that there are different versions of this potent mixture. The ones I see online are just toasted balachan, lime juice and chilli, pounded together in pestle and mortar are that's it. Some blogger even had the cheek to call it a relish. I'm starting to think that this version is the Malaysian version, because I see it at my local Malaysian restaurant and my Malaysian neighbour really laps it up.
This version I made is what I learnt from a cooking school, and forms the basis of many recipes: laksa, curry, and of course more obvious ones like sambal kang kong and sambal fish. I decided to make it because I just had too much lemon grass and chilli, homegrown.
Ingredients (makes about 400g)
10 chillis, deseeded (You can add leave the seeds in, but I found that despite removing most of the seeds, the final sambal was still quite spicy!)
3 tbsp crushed ginger
3 tbsp crushed garlic
3 tbsp chopped onion
1 heaped tbsp balachan
7 lemon grass stalks
3 tsp sugar
Method
1) Except for the sugar, pound up everything in a pestle and mortar, or use a food processor. I used abt 2 tbsp of oil to help the food processor along.
2) Heat up a wok and add about 2 tbsp of oil. I know it seems a lot but the sambal will suck it up. Pour the mixture into the wok and keep stir frying. When u start to smell the balachan and when it mixture starts to darken, add the sugar. Continue to stir fry and it gets drier. Be careful to keep stirring as it can burn.
3) Serve up when it has turned a nice caramel brown and is quite dry and glossy. It may exude a bit of oil.
This version I made is what I learnt from a cooking school, and forms the basis of many recipes: laksa, curry, and of course more obvious ones like sambal kang kong and sambal fish. I decided to make it because I just had too much lemon grass and chilli, homegrown.
Ingredients (makes about 400g)
10 chillis, deseeded (You can add leave the seeds in, but I found that despite removing most of the seeds, the final sambal was still quite spicy!)
3 tbsp crushed ginger
3 tbsp crushed garlic
3 tbsp chopped onion
1 heaped tbsp balachan
7 lemon grass stalks
3 tsp sugar
Method
1) Except for the sugar, pound up everything in a pestle and mortar, or use a food processor. I used abt 2 tbsp of oil to help the food processor along.
2) Heat up a wok and add about 2 tbsp of oil. I know it seems a lot but the sambal will suck it up. Pour the mixture into the wok and keep stir frying. When u start to smell the balachan and when it mixture starts to darken, add the sugar. Continue to stir fry and it gets drier. Be careful to keep stirring as it can burn.
3) Serve up when it has turned a nice caramel brown and is quite dry and glossy. It may exude a bit of oil.
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