Rice Noodles with Fish Sauce

Was at a friend's house for a BBQ last summer in Singapore. Her mother-in-law prepared a very yummy fried rice noodles & when I asked her what is her secret. She shared the use of fish sauce & minced pork! Simple yet tasty. 

Ingredients : 

100g minced pork - lightly seasoned with some pepper & salt. Set aside. 

1 packet of rice noodles 

1 packet of bean sprouts / bok choi 

3 cloves of garlic - minced 

1 carrot , thinly sliced. 

Oil 

Fish sauce & pepper to taste

Preparation steps: 

1. Put the rice noodles in the large bowl & pour boiling water over it. Set aside until the noodles turned soft. Drain & set aside. 

2. In a wok, add add 3 tbsp of oil. Heat up & add 1/2 of the minced garlic. Fried until fragrant & add the minced pork. Stir fry until all the meat is completely cooked. Add in the rice noodles.

3. Add the fish sauce and some pepper. Mix well and fry a little until noodles are completely cooked. Dish out into a pot / rice cooker to keep warm. 

4. Clean the wok & heat up some oil, add the remaining garlic & fry until fragrant & add the carrots & desire vegetables. Fry a little & don't over cooked the vegetables. Season with some fish sauce & pepper. 

5. Dish out & spread over the rice noodles. 

Voilà  & serve warm! 

Chin's notes:

1. Fish sauce is slightly salty, taste your noodles as you are adding the seasoning. 

2. Can served with fried omelettes as garnishing. 

Babi Pongteh

A traditional peranakan ( Straits Chinese ) pork dish. I have never tried this dish before & my friend, Andrew suggested that I should try. It is an easy to prepare dish & very tasty dish indeed! 

Traditionally it is cooked with potatoes but today I don't have potatoes hence I used white radish instead. 

Babi Pongteh

1 kg pork belly / pork shoulder

6 shallots

6 garlics 

2 tbsp of oil 

1 1/2 tbsp of tao cheo ( bean paste ) 

1 tsp Coriander power 

1 tbsp light soya sauce 

1 1/2 tbsp dark soya sauce

Salt, pepper & sugar to taste

4 pieces of dried mushrooms ( soaked & cut into bite size) 

300g white radish cut into chucks. 

Preparation steps: 

1. Ground / mince garlic & shallots. Alternatively you can just chop it up. 

2. Heat up the pot & add some oil, fry onions & garlic until fragrant. Then add the bean paste & coriander powder. Fry for a little while. 

3. Add the meat, brown them lightly then add all the seasonings. Add mushroom & radish, give a good mix & stir. Add water until it just cover the meat. 

4. Let it simmer until water reduced into a thick sauce & meat is tenderly soft ( I took about 45 mins on slightly below medium heat ). Stir occasionally to prevent burnt. 

5. Served with steamed white rice. 

Bon appétit ! 

Chin's note: 

1. It is a slightly sweet savory dish. Reduced sugar if you like a salty dish. 

Barbecue Pork or Char Siew

Barbecue pork, goes well with noodles or rice. I have been away for a while, can't wait to get into my kitchen to cook! 

An easy recipe with simple ingredients. 

Adapted from the following recipe:

http://www.singaporehomecooks.com/2015/05/char-siew-by-sylvia-ramlal.html?m=1

Pan fried in a wok, until oil separated from marinade. 

Served with steamed cooked rice.

Barbecue pork recipe 

500g lean pork. 

2 tbsp oyster sauce 

3 tbsp shaoxing cooking wine 

3 tbsp sesame oil 

3 tbsp sugar 

1/2 tsp 5 spice power 

1 tsp white pepper 

1 tbsp oil 

2 clove of garlic crushed with skin on. 

Preparation method :

1. In a bowl, add in all the marinade & marinate the meat overnight. 

2. Heat up the wok with oil, add in the garlic, fry until fragrant.  Add in the meat & marinade.

3. Using medium-low heat , slowly cook the meat. Cover with a lid & flipped occationally to avoid over burning. But I like it with some burnts sections. 

4. After 20 - 25 minutes turned up the heat, to thicken the sauce. You'll noticed the oil & the marinade separated. Refer to picture. 

5. Turned off the heat, when meat is fully cooked. Dish out the BBQ pork & leave it to cool slightly. Slice the BBQ pork before serving. 

Voilà & bon appétit !! 

Chin's notes:

1. No added salt / light soya sauce  is added because I find that the oyster sauce is quite salty. 

2. Normally food colouring is added to give the meat the reddish touch. You can add some red colouring if you wish. :) 

French Beans with Prawns

We love French beans. I normally fried them with dried shrimps, ginger, garlic, oyster sauce & shaoXing cooking wine. Add a little sugar. Today decided to add some prawns.

Preparation steps:

1. Fry garlic & ginger with some oil in the wok until fragrant. 

2. Add in the dried shrimps & fry until fragrant. Add in French beans & prawns. 

3. Give a few good stir, add in some cooking wine & a few good stir then cover with a lit for a few minutes. 

4. Season with oyster sauce & some sugar to taste. 

5. Dish out & serve with steamed cooked rice. 

Bon appétit !! 

Chin's notes: 

1. Here is another way to prepare the the French beans. 

http://fromchinshome.blogspot.com/2015/01/fried-french-beans.html

2. They taste as good without the prawns. 

Shrimp Wontan

Made some shrimp wontans for tonight's dinner. There are many ways to eat them. :p

Shirmp Wanton Recipe: 

Makes 25 - 30 wontans

200g of medium size fresh prawns / shrimps. Remove shells & minced. 

5 pieces of water chestnuts - diced

1 stalk spring onions finely sliced. 

3 cloves of garlic - finely chopped 

2 dried mushrooms - soaked & sliced

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp corn flour

3 - 4 leaves of Napa cabbage / Chinese cabbage - boil to soften, sliced thinly & squeeze out the water from the vegetables. 

Salt & Pepper to taste

Wontan skin 

Spring onions / fried onions for garnishing. 

Preparation steps: 

1. Mixed all the ingredients in a bowl. 

2. Take some mixture & put in the middle of the wontan skin & seal the edges with some water. 

3. Fill up a pot & add some salt, bring to boil. Put the wontans in, once they floats, they are ready. 

4. Dish them out & put them in the their respective serving bowls. 

Voilà ! Now you can have them with noodles or just with soup or dip in black vinegar. Bon appétit !! 

Chin's notes: 

1. I made simple soup, just chicken stocks & nappa cabbage, season with salt & pepper. Add the wontans to the soup. 

2. Cook some wontan noodles, add the wontans & served with soup. 

3. These are nice to eat with black vinegar & sliced ginger.

Jiu Hu Char - Fried shredded yam bean with dried cuttlefish

Jiu Hu Char

If you are from Penang, you will know this dish. With just a few ingredients, it is full of flavours.

It can be eaten with rice or just wrap with Chinese lettuce. Homemade sambal is a must for this dish. 

Bangkuang / yam bean

Ingredients

This is how I wrap it. Spread some sambal on the Chinese lettuce, & with a spoon full of jiu hu char. 

& just fold it up like this. 

Jiu Hu Char Recipe: 

Ingredients: 

500g yam bean / bangkuang

2 carrots 

3 dried mushrooms - soak in water. 

5 cloves garlic - minced 

50g shredded dried cuttle fish - cleaned 

50g dried shrimps - cleaned 

2 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp sugar or to taste

Salt & pepper to tast

3 tbsp cooking oil

100ml water

Preparation steps:

1. Thinly shred the bangkuangs & carrots. As thin as you can, about toothpick length & size. 

2. Thinly sliced the soften mushrooms. 

3. Heat up oil in a wok. Add the garlic, fry until fragrant then add in the cuttlefish & dried shrimps. Fry until fragrant. 

4. Add the mushrooms, fry a little then add the carrots. Fry for a few minutes. 

5. Add the bangkuang, fry until they are soften. Add some water & all the seasoning. stir well & let it simmer for 10minutes. Then fry until semi dry. 

6. Let it cool, keep in the fridge & reheat the next day before serving. 

7. Serve with steamed cooked rice / Chinese lettuce. Sambal is a must! 

Bon appétit !!

Chin's notes : 

1. Best eaten the next day. 

2. Sometimes, pork belly is added to this dish, thinly slice the pork belly to the same size of the bankuang / carrot. 

3. Homemade sambal recipe : http://fromchinshome.blogspot.fr/2014/12/sambal-belacan.html?m=0

Yusheng without the fish

A popular dish during the Chinese New Year festive celebration.  This dish symbolises good luck, good fortune , good health, good success & everything that is good in life!

Here is my very simple version of YuSheng (鱼生) without the fish. ;) 

Ingredients: 

Carrots - thinly sliced 

Romanian lettuce - thinly sliced 

Pomelo - loosen the pulps

Yusheng sauce / plum sauce

Peanuts - crushed coarsely 

Sesame seeds - I used wasabi flavoured sesame seeds

Coriander leaves 

A dash of 5 spice powder 

Preparation steps :

1. Lay carrots , lettuce & pomelo neatly on the plate. 

2. Add the sauce , followed by peanuts, sesame seeds, some 5 spice powder then coriander leaves. 

3. Gathered everyone & toss with the chopsticks, as high as you can and say all the good wishes as you toss! 

4. Lastly everyone shout "Huat Ah" (good fortune)! 

Bon appétit !!

Chin's notes:

1. Other ingredients can be added

Sugared winter melons

Pickled ginger

Crackers

2. Raw salmon / canned abalone sliced.

3. The raw fish sauce that I used 

Simplified PenCai (盆菜)

All yummy food in a pot.  Last minute decided to prepare PenCai (盆菜). Normally it will take a long time, even days to prepare this dish. A popular dish during the Chinese New Year's celebration / reunion dinner.

A quick check into my stocks, I don't have frozen scallops :( I'll just have to make do with what I have available in my kitchen. 

Phew! I found 2 cans of braised abalone! 

Lay the ingredients neatly on the vegetables. 

After 1.5hr, voilà! a simple PenCai is served. 

We had it with Beehoon today. Yum! 

Simplified PenCai Recipe:

Ingredients

2 cans of braised abalones - I used Skylight

1 can of limpets 

Some dried mushrooms - soaked 

Some prawns 

1 Chinese cabbage - cut into big pieces. 

Some fish maw 

Other seafood of choice 

Fresh mushrooms of choice 

Some canned abalone 

Roasted pork / chicken ( optional ) 

Preparation steps: 

1. Separate the canned ingredients & the broth. 

2. Pour broth into a pot & bring to boil. 

3. Add in the Chinese cabbage. 

4. Add in the soaked dried mushrooms. Bring to boil for about 10 mins & let it simmer.  

5. Slowly arrange all the canned ingredients, seafood of choice & other ingredients neatly on the Chinese cabbage. Put on the lid & let it simmer until all ingredients are fully cooked. 

6. Served hot. 

Bon appétit !! 

Chin's notes: 

1. Use any ingredients that does not require a long cooking time. Normally I like to use fresh / frozen seafood. Fish balls are ideal too. 

2. Any choice of canned seafood are ideal, pacific clams are ideal too.

3. No additional seasoning is required as I find the braised abalone's broth is quite tasty. After the vegetable is cooked, it enhanced the broth.  Can add some oyster sauce if you like. 

4. No additional water is required as the Chinese cabbage will release some fluid during the cooking process. 

5. Idéal to eat this dish the following day. But I find that they are quite tasty on the day it was prepared. 

Origami - Fortune God (财神爷）

财神到！Saw some friends folding the cute Fortune God (财神爷）& I joined in the fun. I made from one long Chinese New Year red packet. 

Divide the red packet into 2 equal squares.

Here is the link to the video shared by my friends:

http://pinbox.tw/box/10230

The back of the Fortune God 

Summary of the steps from the video:

Quick Easy Hot Pot

The Chinese in South East Asia, will normally called this "Steamed Boat", maybe in the past we used a special pot that used charcoal to cook all the ingredients.

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Special brooth is used to cook all the wonderful ingredients. Any seafood, vegetables, meat all cook in one big pot of soup. 

Today, gas stove or electric stove is commonly used. 

Whenever I'm lazy, I'll just prepare with knor chicken cubes. Add all the ingredients in & bring it to boil.  Perfect for a cold weather too!!! 

Voilà !! Lunch or Dinner is served! :) 

Honey Combs / Bee Hives Snack

A popular snack usually during the Chinese New Year celebrations. Crispy & a very fragrant snack.

I have always wanted to make this snack but never get around to make them. The mould is more than 10 years old, bought by MeiCheen's mom from Thailand. It was almost gone with all the junks when I was moving. Phew! 

9PM - Interesting I just found out that there are other names for this snack. Lotus blossom from the Thai people & Rose biscuits by others. 

Finally I made some today.

Honey Comb Recipe: 

Ingredients: 

80g sugar 

150g rice flour

50g self raising flour 

250ml coconut milk

2 tbsp sesame seeds 

2 eggs 

Oil for deep frying 

Icing sugar for garnishing - optional 

Preparation steps: 

1. Put all the flour in a big bowl.  Make a well, then add in the eggs. With a wooden/big spoon, slowly mix the ingredients in a circular motion.

2. Add in coconut milk bit by bit as you stir. When you have a smooth batter, add in the sugar & sesame seeds. Mix well.  Remove any lumps. 

3. In a wok / pan , heat up the oil. Heat up the mould, by letting it sit in the hot oil for a while. 

4. Dip the hot mould into the batter mix and then quickly dip the battered mould into the hot oil. After a few seconds, slowly shake it off the mould. Let it bobble in the hot oil until golden brown. Repeat the process until all the batter finished.

5. Drained the oil, and leave them completely cool before storing in airtight containers. 

6. Optional - Sprinkle with some icing sugar before serving. 

Bon appétit !

Chin's notes: 

1. Wash & soak the mould with some tamarind juice before use. It will gives it a nice shine.

2. Don't dip the mould completely into the batter.  Leave about 3 - 5 mm of the top of mould without batter. If dip completely, it may be difficult to shake if off, during the cooking process. 

2. It may be difficult to shake the batter off the mould initially, use a chopstick / tip of knife to remove. After a few application, it will get easier. Took me almost 8 times to get it easier. Phew!!

3. Always stir the batter before you dip the mould in because the sesame seeds may be at the bottom of the batter. 

Heat up the mould before dipping into the batter mixture.

Transfer the mould dip in batter into the hot oil.
Slowly shaking off the batter from the mould.

Meatless dumplings - 饺子（jiaozi)

Trying out new dish.  This recipe is ideal for someone who does not eat meat.  Easy to make & cook them boil or pan fried. 

You can make more & freeze them. Eat them whenever. 

Meatless dumplings recipe: 

Makes about 20 - 25 dumplings. 

Ingredients:

20 - 25 dumpling skin

Dumpling fillings :- 

1 small egg

10 stalks of Chinese chives 

10 water chestnuts - finely chopped 

2 tbsp / 5 cloves of garlic - finely chopped

2 tbsp ginger - finely chopped

2 large Chinese dried mushroom - soaked in water until soft & finely chopped

1 tbsp mushroom sauce

1/4 tsp of pepper

Dipping sauce :-

Ginger - sliced thinly & cut thin strips

Black vinegar 

Sesame oil

Spring onions - finely chopped 

Chili - remove the seeds & finely chopped 

Preparation steps : 

1. Mix all the dumpling fillings ingredients into a large bowl. Mix well. 

2. Take a tablespoon full of mixed ingredients & put onto the dumpling skin, seal the edges with some water. Repeat until all the ingredients finished. 

3a. Cooking method - Pan fried : Heat up a pan with some cooking oil, lay all the dumplings neatly on the pan, over medium flame. Cover with a lid for few mins until the bottom of dumplings have nice browning. Add about 3 tbsp of water & quickly cover with the lid for a few more minutes more. Then turn the dumplings to get more browning on the other side of the dumplings or until the meat is fully cooked.

3b. Cooking method - boiling : In a large pot, add water (enough to for all the dumplings), bring to boil. Add some oil into the water, then put in all the dumplings. When the dumplings are fully cooked, they will surface. The oil will prevent the dumpling from sticking together. 

4. Take them out & served with dipping sauce. 

Bon appétit ! 

Chin's notes :

1. A video on how to fold the dumplings & prepare dumplings.

http://youtu.be/yabqIuZeuc0

2. If I freeze the dumplings, I'll cook them straight away & not thawing them out because they will stick together & become difficult to manage. 

3. If you cannot find water chestnuts, you  can use celery or any other vegetable of your choice. If the vegetables has a lot of water content, best to blanch & squeeze out as much water as you can before adding other ingredients. 

4. Recipe for dumpling skins : Homemade Dumpling Skins

5. Remove the seeds from the chili to reduce the hotness. 

6. I used frozen water chestnuts but I prefer the fresh ones when they are available. Water chestnuts are also available in the can.

7. Dumplings with meat recipe : Jiao zi ( 饺子 ）- Chinese Dumplings

Pictures of the process in preparing these dumplings. 

Ingredients

Chopped and mixed dumpling filings

l

Pan fried dumplings

Boiling method

Sesame oil (left) & Black vinegar (right)

Pineapple tarts made with Ghee

Playing with shapes!! :) Lessons from paperclay projects does come handy in cooking too.  I tried shaping with salt dough before working on the actual tarts. Salt dough are easier to manage than the actual tart dough. ;)  

Just made some pineapple tarts, recipe adapted from NasiLemak Lover's recipe. Thanks to my friend Jane Lee, who tried & shared her ghee & butter ratio. 

These tarts taste better if they have been aged for a day or 2. I know it is difficult to resist the temptation! Hide some & taste the difference! You'll be surprised!!! 

Pineapples Tarts with Ghee, adapted from NasiLemak Lover's recipe. 

Ingredients: 

250g salted butter 

100g ghee - I used QBB ghee

100g condensed milk 

2 egg yolks 

510g plain flour ( I used 480g plain flour + 30g cornflour). 

600g Pineapple jam - roll into balls. 

Egg wash : 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk  + 1/2 tsp salt. 

Preparation steps: 

1. Cream the above ingredients except the jam in a mixing bowl untill they form a dough.

2. Set aside for 10 mins in the fridge. 

3. Shape the pineapple tarts with the jam. Brush with egg wash. 

4. Bake in a preheated oven at 165 degree C for 20mins or until golden brown. 

5. Remove from oven & leave it completely cool before storing. 

Bon appétit ! 

Chin's notes: 

1. I find that this recipe not suitable for open tarts because the dough is a bit sticky. 

2. When they are just out from the oven, the pastry is very flaky. Leave it to cool completely the pastry texture is better. 

3. Let the pineapple tarts aged at least a day / 2. They taste better when they are aged!

4. Here is the link to NasiLemak Lover's recipe: 

http://nasilemaklover.blogspot.fr/2013/02/my-best-melt-in-mouth-pineapple-tarts.html?m=1

5. Added on 24 Jan 2015 - Wonder what to do with the left over egg whites? 

I made some Meringues à la françaisel

6. Added on 24 Jan 2015 - Recipe to homemade pineapple jam : Pineapple Jam

7. Here is how I shaped the tarts. Need to work very fast on the dough, because the butter from the dough will melt due to the warm hands & it will become very difficult to manage.  

Added 22 April 2015 : other shapes.

Daisy Pineapple Tarts - embossed with fondant cutter

Rosie Pineapple Tarts - shaped with a crimper

Jiao zi ( 饺子 ）- Chinese Dumplings

Jiao zi (饺子）- Chinese dumplings. These dumplings were prepared with Chinese chives. A special dipping sauce made from ginger, spring onions, chili, black vinegar & some sesame oil. 

Pan fried dumplings

Each time when I prepare these dumplings,  I'll think of my schooling days in Sydney & my working days in Miri, Sarawak.  When I was in Sydney, I'm blessed with wonderful Chinese meals prepared by my friend, Josephine Chan's mom.  In Miri, my friend ChiewHa will prepare these for me!  Yum!! 

Thank you ChiewHa for showing me how to make these lovely dumplings when I was working in Miri, Sarawak.

Here is a video tutorial : l

http://youtu.be/yabqIuZeuc0

Dumpling recipe : 

20 - 25 sheets of dumpling skins.

Filling : 

200g minced meat 

2 tbsp / 3 garlic - minced / finely chopped

2 tbsp / 2" ginger - minced / finely chopped 

10  water chestnuts - cut into small pieces / chop finely 

3 Chinese dried mushrooms , soaked & cut into small pieces. 

50g / 10 stalks Chinese chives - cut thinly

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp corn flour

1/4 tsp pepper 

Salt to taste ( optional ) 

Dipping sauce : 

Ginger thinly sliced 

Spring onions thinly sliced

Chili thinly sliced 

Sesame oil 

Black vinegar 

Methods : 

1. Mixed all the filing ingredients in a big bowl, mix well & set aside for 30 mins. 

2. Wrap the dumplings. Refer to tutorial video. 

3. There are 2 ways to cook your dumplings 

Method 1 - Pan Fried 

    Heat up the pan with some oil ( not too much ) over medium flame. 

    Lay the dumpling on the pan, cover with the lid for a few minutes.  Add some water ( 3 tbsp) & quickly put the lid on for a few more minutes. Turn the dumplings to get the other side of the dumpling nice browning. 

Method 2 - Boiling Water

    Boil a pot of water with some oil.  When water reach boiling point, add in the dumplings. Dumplings will float to the surface when they are fully cooked. 

4. Dish out & serve with dipping sauce. 

Boiled dumplings

Dipping sauce : 

Prepare in a small bowl, add in the ginger, chili, spring onions, black vinegar & sesame oil to your preference.  I prefer the black vinegar in the picture.

Chin's notes : 

1. Found an interesting video, 8 ways of folding the dumplings 

http://youtu.be/HK3iG2LyWnY