Aroi-mai ?

Mackerel Fish Tom Yum Soup

2012-01-10T08:05:00.000-08:00

Ingredient
2 mackerel fish, halved, cleaned, bones removed from stomach, bony part of gills removed
Tom Yum Paste, 1 Tbl
1 stalk lemon grass, smashed
2 onions, quartered
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 slices old ginger
1 li water
1/2 t tamarind paste
1 tsp tumeric powder
3-4 Tbl fish sauce
Stem of Napa Cabbage (i.e omit the leafy part), sliced
Sugar, salt to taste

Method
Bring pot of water to a boil.
Add all the ingredients except the mackerel.
Simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Add mackerel and simmer for 5 min.
Fire off, leave mackerel to steep for another 10 minutes.
Before spooning into a bowl, add sugar and salt and adjust to taste.
Serve with freshly steamed rice.

Remark
The soup and napa cabbage both taste delicious, but be careful spooning out the fish. The fish flakes easily and bony spikes such as from the head may fall into the soup.
Napa cabbage is the long variety or version of cabbage. I think I would prepare this dish again as it is an easy and simple way to cook fish in a hurry.

Singapore Laksa - PrimaTaste Laksa Spice Mix

2011-12-16T22:32:00.000-08:00

PrimaTaste Premium Laksa Mix @ $5.50 per pack, to make 600ml (2 bowls) of laksa gravy, seems over-priced. On the street you can get a bowl for about $3-4. For that price you get freshly prepared laksa noodle, garnished with beansprout, fresh cockle, prawn, fish-cake, tau pok, all steaming in a rich broth of laksa curry! So why buy the PrimaTaste Laksa Spice packet? Well, if you are overseas and Singsapore laksa is not readily available, the PrimaTaste Laksa Spice Packet could come in handy. It's a simple, easy method to prepare delicious Singapore laksa when you crave Singapore iconic street food.

Videos on Preparing Laksa:
Makansutra Video:
The PrimaTaste packet impresses with its excellent quality and packaging. Much thought and care must have been put into the design and production of the spice packet. That may account for the premium price.

But if I can enjoy laksa so economically at food courts, why then did I buy a pack of PrimaTaste Laksa Mix? Well, I want to compare the PrimaTaste Laksa against one prepared using spices and raw ingredients. Certainly the premix saves time, but is it worth it? We'll find out in this trial.

Using Primataste Laksa Mix
For a premium pack, the cooking directions on the pack are poor. For instance, it is not clear whether the entire pack is used in the preparation or only a portion with the balance kept in the fridge (max storage 3 days). The noodle quantity at 145g would suggest the preparation is for 1 person. But the 600ml gravy quantity suggests the entire pack is used to make the laksa gravy, since the quantity for a bowl is in the region of 200ml. Against this background I decided on my own method, with the pack's direction as a guide.

Ingredient:
Fresh Cockle, $4.80 a pack (Kim Guan Food Industry)
Prima Laksa Mix $5.50
Prawns
Fishball, $1 a pack of 10 from fresh yellowtail fish
Kara Coconut Cream, 500gm pack, $2 per pack
Laksa Noodle, 500g pack, (Lau Boon Heng)

Method:
Cook the laksa noodle
1. Cook the noodle, about 120g for 1 person, for 4-5 min in boiling water, taste test. Drain the noodle and set aside.

Make the Gravy
2. Shell 120g prawns - that happens to be the leftover quantity in the freezer! Keep the shell to make the stock for the laksa gravy.
3. Boil the prawn shell in 1 liter water in a stock pot for 20-30 min. You will detect the rich prawn aroma soon after the water starts to boil.
4. Add the Prima Laksa Premix, 1 pkt. This contains the coconut milk in powder form. For a creamier gravy add 0.5 cup (100 ml) Kara Coconut Cream.
5. Stir in the Prima Laksa Paste (With Laksa Leaves), 1 pkt. This is the laksa sambal paste. The aroma was noticeable from the open packet, an indication of its quality.
6. Boil the laksa gravy for a few min, then turn flame low, keep on simmer for the next atep.

Note: Despite the larger quantity of laksa gravy prepared, the broth still tastes right without any additional salt or sugar.

Prepare the Garnish
7. Fresh prawn, like any seafood, tastes sweet and tender when not over-cooked. To prepare the prawn for the laksa, place the fresh prawn in the simmering pot of freshly prepared laksa gravy. Remove as soon as the prawn curls up, an indication it has just fully cooked. The process takes place quite quickly - about 2 min - so you need to observe carefully. Remove and set aside as garnish for the noodle.
8. Next, cook the fresh fishball, about 1-2 min. Likewise, do not over-cook the fishball or they will become rubbery.
9. The fresh cockle need not be cooked. You can simply place the uncooked cockle on the noodles and it will cook just right when the hot laksa gravy is poured over the noodle. However, if you prefer you may steep the cockle in the simmering gravy to ensure it is properly cooked.
10. Cook crab-stick, fish-cake, tau pok, etc in the same manner.
11. Beansprouts (mung bean sprout or tow-gay) should be steeped in the simmering stock for 10-15 sec (taste test) to maintain its crunch.

Serving
12. To serve, garnish the laksa noodle with the cockle, prawn, fish-cake, fishball, beansprout, etc and ladle the hot laksa broth over the noodle. Enjoy your delicious Singapore laksa!

Remarks
PrimaTaste Laksa Pack is a simple and quick way to prepare a bowl of Singapore Laksa. Enriched with coconut cream, my version with prawn stock as the gravy base turns out to be a most satisfying meal! Delicious, moderately spicy, and wonderfully aromatic!

Seriously good.

Recipe to Test: Noodle

2011-12-15T23:39:00.001-08:00

Vietnamese: Beef Pho Noodle Soup Pho Secrets & Techniques
Okame Udon - Happy Noodle Soup
Yaki Udon
momofuku-ginger-scallion-noodles - tested, nothing to shout about

Easy Pancake

2011-12-15T23:32:00.000-08:00

Video from Joy of Baking:

Ingredient:

130 gm AP Flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt - leave out if butter is salted
1.5 tsp sugar

240 ml fresh milk
1 egg
28gm (2 Tbl) butter, melted - if salted leave out 1/4 tsp salt
Plus extra butter fro greasing pan lightly.

Lightly butter pan. Heat flat pan until butter starts to brown, fire off. Ladle 1 portion (use mid-size soup ladle) batter into hot pan.

Use scoop to spread the batter in the pan.
Bubbles will form in the batter. When the batter appears to become solid (shine will vanish) flip over. Set flame to low, depending on the pan you use. I used the large Spring pan. Brown for 1-2 min, remove when done, eyeball.

Each time you make another pancake, turn fire on high for 10 sec to heat up. Turn to low when you scoop the batter into pan.

Serve warm with butter and maple syrup. Nice, and don't keep leftover overnight in fridge as the butter ingredient will make the pancake hard.

Kitchen Notes 15-12-11

2011-12-14T06:27:00.000-08:00

Notes

Echo's braising stock for chicken or pig trotters

For Pork:

Blanch in pot of clean water to which 1-2-inch smashed ginger has been boiling as follows:

Fire off, wait 1 min, then put the trotters into hot water and leave for 3 min. Then straight into the braising stock.

For the braising stock, it's simmering under very low fire, a whisper, barely visible. Braise for 1 hr 10 min.

The outcome is:

Pig tail taste wonderful and the texture is just right!

Pig ear may need another 15 min? But maybe for Add and LZ the texture may be fine bcoz there is still a crunch to the ear!

Pig large and small intestine. Taste wonderful, just tender enough!

Did not take out the pork belly. From prev trial the braising time was 2 hr, the fat texture was just wonderful, esp after braising and leaving in stock overnight. But maybe too soft already. I will braise 1.5 hr for 2nd trial.

Wonder why Echo needed 3 hr to braise? Maybe it's the combination of my inner-flame burner and heavy-bottom WMF pot?

Update 15-Dec-2011 - after yesterday's braising, warmed in stock pot today, also simmer..: Simmer add'l 10 min (for pig ears, belly pork) + 20 min (for belly pork) - intestine and pig tial already warmed so did not leave in pot. The intestines were already too soft and lost the bite! Belly pork -- fork seemed to pierce easily, maybe another 20 min for the protein part of belly pork?

For Chicken: preparation of chicken mid-joint, shoulder joint, and chicken feet!

Braise ? min for shoulder joint, mid-joint, thigh. Best part is chicken feet! IIRC 30 min is enough - test with fork

Blanch ?

16-Dec-11: Braise chicken feet today after buying from SS. Braising time: 35 min, remove from pot immediately, just a tad from just right texture, to provide for warming time next day, another 5 min wld be perfect

Pig tail: braise 35 min, to provide for next day 'warming' - another 5 min wld be perfect
Chicken feet: 35 min, to provide for next day 'warming' - another 5 min wld be perfect
Pig large intestine: 45 min, just right texture; to clean, intestine was marinated in lime juice (8 limes) overnight. Use fingers and hand to squeeze gut, wash in several changes of water. Faint smell but not objectionable, remain but that dissipiated upon braising.

Mon 19-Dec-11: Pig Intestine - still have bite but would be better with 40 min braising time instead of 45 min.

Thu 22-Dec-11Tofu & Steamed Egg with Oyster Sauce

Prepared this for lunch today. Very tasty and satisfying! It's a new taste wrought by honey:

Marinade 150 g minced pork for 15-20 min with foll:

1 Tbl oyster sauce
1 Tbl honey
1/2 tsp sesame oil
pinch white pepper
1 stalk chive

Break eggs into bowl, add the flavoring below but do not whisk to avoid bubbles:

2 eggs
3/4 c water, pinch of Knorr Ikan Bilis Powder
1/2 tsp rice wine
Salt not added

Lightly fry the minced pork and do not overcook. Place the pork as the bottom layer in a bowl and top it with the eggs.

Boil water and steam mixture for 15 min. Serve and enjoy!

***

Sun 18-Dec-11: Perfect Poached Egg:

The perfect poached egg has the white still soft and all together, not spread out all over the soup. You have 2 ways to poach egg - one is by swirling the simmering water which creates a whirlpool to hold the egg white together, and the other method is to use vinegar. The vinegar makes the egg white hold together. Serve the poached egg on toast or muffin.

This lady in the video combines both method - add vinger and swirl the water:

Moist Oak Cookies

Added about 30-40 ml veg oil on top of the 300 gm salted butter (150g x 2 batches) - for moisture and see if can replace / reduce butter in future

Result: Cookies more moist and flavor not affected

Recipe:

3 eggs + vanilla

AP Flour 105 g x 2

Cinnamon 0.5 tsp x 2, Clove 0.5 tsp x 2, Baking Soda 0.5 tsp x 2

Oats 260 x 2 g

Very nice!

Substitute Canola Oil for Butter? and also this article.

Sat 31-Dec-2011
Made another 2 batches of moist oat cookies, this time using rolled oats. The ingredient follows:

Ingredient:
Butter, 250g + 4 tbl oil
90g brown sugar
3 eggs
210g AP Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp clove powder
150g vanilla powder
520g rolled oats

Baked at 180°C for 11 min.

Remarks: Delicious and nice, though I left out salt entirely as the butter was unsalted!

Mashed Tofu with Minced Pork
Decided to make a tofu dish with minced pork and oyster sauce. But instead of preapring the usual way, i decdied to mash the tofu and mix it with the pork and other ingredients. Would be nice with porridge or noodles.

Ingredient:
150g minced pork
1 pack silken smooth tofu
1 tbl oyster sauce
1 tbl honey
0.5 tsp white pepper
3 stalks spring onion

Mash the tofu and mix with all the ingredients. Set aside to marinade for 15 min. Steam in boiling water for 12 min.

Remarks: New taste sensation, the honey combining nicely with the pork, oyster sauce and tofu to smother the taste buds! Will prepare again.

Recipe to Test : Chicken

2011-12-08T22:02:00.000-08:00

Gosh! You have stumbled on my secret treasure trove! For this is where I store delectable recipes I discovered on the web. Recipes that I must simply try out!

This trove is not a collection of Recipes! No, that would be plagiarism! It is simply a list of LINKS to recipes that piqued my interest. If you're the blogger whose recipes are linked you would see a nice rise in traffic to your blog, hahaha!

If you're a newbie wishing to learn to cook, the linked blogs are a good start. They will not waste your time and you will learn from them. I spent much time googling, reading, trying out new recipes on many blogs. And came across blogs of all quality and genre. Discarded many, kept only these. So these blogs have my stamp of approval!

Time spent googling, researching, testing recipes, etc means I've barely had time to enhance my own blog. Or put up own recipes. Regrettably, shooting photos for my blog have taken a back seat. But I would certainly shoot photos when I revisit those recipes I've tested, and feature those sensational ones that made my taste buds tingle!

Photos are certainly important to a blog. Without them the blog is lifeless. Like taking food without salt: bland, tasteless, no soul at all!

Aiyo, talk too much already - hahaha! Can't wait to get back to my wonderful Rinnai stove! You would too when you have that inner-flame burner hob. Especially when you've been inspired, like I was, with these remarkable recipes and videos.

The Chicken Series is featured here. Click on the INDEX Tab to access the rest of the Series.

CHICKEN
http://www.myasiankitchenny.com/2009/04/grilled-lemongrass-chicken-in-banana.html
Cherry: SEDAAAP-Grilled Coriander-Lime Chicken
NLL: Malaysian Lemon Grass Fried Chicken Wings
NLL: Fragrant fried Chicken with Lemongrass
NLL: Vietnamese Spicy Lemongrass Chicken
Original Source: Echo Kitchen

Echo: Vietname Style Spicy Lemongrass Paste
Braised Spicy Lemon Grass Chicken
Ayam Percik
Ayam Bacem Panggang: Javanese Grilled Marinated Chicken
Boiled, then Deep-Fried: Ayam Goreng Kuning

Indonesian Fried Chicken with Crispy Flakes: Ayam Goreng Kremes
Cherry: Nyonya Suharti Fried Coconut Chicken?
Cherry: Ayam Masak Kalasan Bersiri

http://www.myasiankitchenny.com/2009/02/steamed-tofu-with-minced-chicken-and.html
http://www.foodcanon.com/2011/05/soy-sauce-chicken-si-yau-kai.html
http://www.myasiankitchenny.com/2009/04/braised-chinatown-soy-sauce-chicken.html

Thomas Keller's Chicken Pot Pie
Cherry: Seriously Good Mushroom Pie

noobcook: stir-fried black bean sauce chicken

Soy sauce Slowcooked Chicken Rice

Nasi Lemak Lover: Mamak Chicken with Yellow Stocky Rice

Pinoy: Popular Grilled Chicken Inasa
Made with dry curry powder: Malaysian Spicy Chicken Curry
Cherry: Malay Chicken Curry
Echo: Malaysian Chicken Curry
Echo: Rempah Ayam-Malaysian Nyonya Spicy Chicken Curry
Cherry: Chicken Korma

Salted or Steamed Chicken
Smoky Wok: Steamed Salted Chicken
Lily's Wai: Salted Chicken

Chicken in Japanese style Marinade

Chicken katsu don
Grilled Chicken Yakitori
Mizkan's Grilled Chicken Yakitori

Marc Masumoto Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wrap with Sesame

Chicken Teriyaki
Quick Grilled Chicken

Chicken Teriyaki Donbur- (Teriyaki Bowl)

Japanese cuisine - chicken soup

After you steam chicken, the remaining liquid makes a nice chicken stock!
http://www.homemadechinese.com/2009/06/steamed-chicken.html

Grandma's Recipe: Braised Chicken Feet with Mushroom

Just One Cook, Namie, a Japanese blogger: : Pan-fried Garlic-Miso Chicken Wings ** Chicken Adobo ** Momofuku Fried Chicken * Grilled under Broiler * Teba Shio Salted Chicken Wings

Echo: Spicy Roast Chicken
Echo: Oven Baked Chicken 65
Echo: Spicy Chicken Feet Stew - Chinese style

Braised - Chicken Feet

Steamed Egg Dishes: Make Them Smooth--No Stir, Steam to Escape--Can't Stop Eating!

Recipe To Test: Cake, Bread & Baking

2011-12-08T05:57:00.001-08:00

Echo: Simple Baked Curry Puff
Echo: Batura

World Best Pancake - done, used Joy's recipe, adapted

Recipe To Test: Sambal & Curry

2011-12-08T05:36:00.001-08:00

ALL-PURPOSE SAMBAL PASTE
Cherry: Sambal tumis or Extra-hot Sambal Chili Paste
NLL: Homemade Sambal Tumis-Red Hot!
NLL: Homemade Assam Fish Paste
NLL: Seriously Good Nasi Lemak
Mum Loves Cooking: sambal tumis
sambal tumis

NoobCook: Haebee Hiam

MalaysiaBest: Must Try Sambal Haebee Hiam

Cherry: Hot Prawn Sambal
Echo: Sambal Belchan using galangal
NoobCook: Sambal Belachan
Rasa Sambal Belachan
Beachlover: fried-sambal-belacan-step-by-step
Beachlover 1st Recipe-Sambal Belachan using galangla, candlenut, lemongrass, Penang Belachan
NLL: Homemade Chicken Satay and Satay Peanut Dipping Sauce

CURRIES
Echo: Homemade Malaysian Curry Powder
Northern Indian Egg Curry & Masala

Recipe To Test: Soup & Gravy

2011-12-08T05:33:00.001-08:00

SOUPS & GRAVY
carrot, cardamon coconut soup
carrot, lentil, coriander soup
roasted leek and potato soup

Carrot and Lentil Soup

Indian Cuisine: Lentil Soup (Khatti Daal)
KASA: Palak Dal

Quick Minestrone Soup
Creamy Sherry Mushroom Soup

Home made Dashi, Japanese Kelp / Bonita Soup
video: miso soup
Japanese soup stock: dashi-kelp+bonita flakes

Vietnamese: Beef Pho Noodle Soup Pho Secrets & Techniques
Okame Udon - Happy Noodle Soup
Yaki Udon
momofuku-ginger-scallion-noodles tested, nothing to shout about

Recipe To Test: Sauce & Condiment

2011-12-08T05:30:00.001-08:00

SAUCES & CONDIMENT
ginger-scallion-garnish
mysimplefood.com/2010/07/ginger-scallion-noodles-adapted
mysimplefood.com/2010/07/momofukus-ginger-scallion-sauce
CherryonaCake: Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce
How to make: Chinese XO Sauce

How to make Garlic Butter

Recipe To Test: Vegetable & Tofu

2011-12-07T22:44:00.001-08:00

VEGETABLE
Stir-fry Okra with Sambal: http://www.myasiankitchenny.com/2009/04/stir-fry-okra-with-shrimp-in-sambal.html
Sauteed Chinese Eggplant: http://www.myasiankitchenny.com/2009/01/sauteed-chinese-eggplants-with-shredder.html
Braised Preserved Veg: http://www.myasiankitchenny.com/2009/03/braised-preserved-vegetables-with-pork.html
Insing - Nyonya: Fern Salad with Sambal Belachan
Peranakan Achar: simple achar
How to: Grow Potatoes Vertically

Yong Tau Foo
Little Corner of Mine: Yong tau foo Sauce
Rasa Malaysia: Yong Tau Foo
noobcook: boil-stir-fry black bean yong tau fu
Cookwork: Special-Thai Yong Tau Foo Sauce
Echo: Yong Tau Foo

TOFU DISHES
Gourmet: Steamed Tofu with Gravy

Recipe To Test: Pork

2011-12-07T22:32:00.001-08:00

PORK
Makasutra writeup on Tiong Bahru Pig Organ Soup
Filipino Cooking: Crispy Pata Lechon Kawali Lechon Macau
Recommended: Pinoy Roast Pork, Tocino Style

Echo: Braised Pork Intestine
Echo uses same braising stock for 2 yrs:-
Braised Pig's Trotters

Vietnamese Pulled Pork for Vietnamese Roast Pork Roll
Vietnamese Pulled Pork and Chicken Liver Pate Recipe Best Tasting Vietnamese Pork Roll Recipe
Slow-cooker Pulled Pork Shoulder
Slowcooker Pot Roast
Slowcooker Pulled Pork Roast 2
SimplyRecipes: Pulled Pork Sandwich
Perfect Pulled Pork: Slow-roasted, Seasoned, Savory

Braised Pork Belly with Steamed Mui Chye
Braised Mui Chye
Mui Chye with Baised Duck or Pork Belly

ieat omelete: teochew muay - minced meat chye poh omelette
"It goes really well with the hot porridge and I guarantee that you won't be able to stop nibbling on it! 4.5/" ieatishootipost

Wow! Diary of a Housewife - braised large, small sweet intestine, pig maws: kway chap

Echo: Black Vinegar Trotter (猪脚醋）

Audrey cooks: Braised pork belly and baby pig intestines
Braising process: Stewed Pig Large + Small Pig Intestine
http://www.foodcanon.com/2011/03/auntie-rubys-tau-yew-bak.html

Just Hungry blog: Japanese braised pork belly
Her recipe on katsudon + tonkatsu in the Japan Times
Japan Times article on pork

Recipes from top-rated Japanese food blog Just Hungry

Echo: Pig's Tail Black Bean Soup

Recipe To Test: Fish & Seafood

2011-12-07T22:21:00.001-08:00

FISH & SEAFOOD
http://www.foodcanon.com/2011/11/steaming-fish.html?showComment=1320223505257

mummyicancook: salt-grilled saba & mizuna cucumber salad
japanese food report-best post: grilled mackerel mamamememomo: grilled saba fish with teriyaki sauce
nasi lemak lover: japanese grilled saba fish
maangchi: grilled mackerel
Recipe with Singlong chili sambal paste: sambal sotong
Filipino: Pinoy 'Sambal' Grilled Tilapia
Delia: How to fry or grill fish

Marinated Smoked Salmon
Coho Salmon Pon-Teriyaki - coho salmon has silver sides and dark blue backs. It's a Russian species of salmon. Ocean caught coho salmon is regarded as excellent table fare.

Marinated Salmon Grill
Salmon Teriyaki

Cherry: Malay fish curry Cherry: Fish Curry
Cherry: Fish in Tumeric Soup

Sambal Stingray
Lily: Grilled Sambal Sting-Ray
Rasa: Skate
RM: Fish-head Curry

sambal stingray
Cherry: Sambal Belado Ikan-Indonesian Sambal Fish

Sake Steeped Asari Clam

Fish Soup
Western - Mackerel & Mussel Soup
Introduction: Mackerel & Daikon Soup : Recipe
Tom Yum Talay - Thai Mackerel Fish Soup

Recipe To Test: Lamb & Beef

2011-12-07T22:18:00.001-08:00

LAMB
http://www.foodcanon.com/2011/05/braised-lamb-shank-in-30-minutesand.html
Cherry: Malay Mutton Soup

Low temperature cooking is easy and simple. Ideal for larger roasts such as a boneless leg of lamb. Cook gently for several hours using a meat thermometer for amazingly tender meat.

BEEF
Japanese-style Steak with Butter Soy Sauce

homedining-interesting to learn the cooking style, it's not the recipe: a. http://homediningfoodblog.com/stir-fry-beef-recipe/
b. beef soup c. beef stew

makansutra forum - old makansutra recipes: beef tendon, beef brisket, mutton stew

Ching: Rump steak 350g with noodles Rice wine pepper beef noodle

How to stir-fry beef fillet
Gordon Ramsay: Pan-glazed Fillet of Steak
homediningfoodblog: mashed chicken with silken tofu cake (channel U)

Chef Secret: Gordon Ramsay

2011-12-07T00:51:00.000-08:00

Gordon Ramsay is one chef with a rare gift for teaching! Not only are his recipes excellent, he imparts knowledge and know-how in a way few other chefs can. Many chefs (inadvertently) leave out important highlights when they teach. Example: Chef Ramsay might assert "set the pan to smoking hot before you put in the meat!" when few don't make that distinction.

Small wonder your preparation didn't turn out well because your pan was not hot enough!

Gordon Ramsay: Most Amazing Turkey Gravy

Easter with Gordon Ramsay: Leg of Lamb

Gordon Ramsay Fast Food: Lemon Chicken

Taylor Swift's favorite: Gordon Ramsay lamb recipe

Different Chef, Different Stroke: Tarka Dal - Lentil

2011-12-07T00:23:00.001-08:00

Excellent Article: How to Cook the Perfect Dal

vahChef Tarka Daal

***
Pakistani Recipe - Tarka Daal

Ingredients3/4 cup masoor/red daal/lentils1/4 cup moong/ yellow daal/lentils1/2 medium tomato chopped1/4 onion chopped1/4 tsp haldi/ turmeric1/4 tsp red chilli powderSalt to taste2 red chilliSliced green ChilliCoriander
Final Bhagar1/2 tsp white zeeraFew garlic Cloves
Oil

***
ShowMeTheCurry

***
UKTV Food - Tarka dahl

Anjum Adnand's Tarka Dal

New INDEX Tab for Easy Blog Navigation

2011-12-06T03:45:00.001-08:00

Today marks an important Day - I succeeded in implementing a new INDEX and Category Tab for easy blog navigation! Now you will find it easier to locate recipes on my blog.

You'll notice Labels and Archive are no longer around. They've served their purpose well when the Blog first started and the number of posts was small and manageable. But as the number of posts grew over time, older posts became buried and misplaced. Locating them was quite challenging, as many of you pointed out in your emails.

I implemented a new INDEX and Category Tab to restructure and reorganize the blog content. Now when you click on the INDEX Tab, a page opens up listing all recipes, organized into categories. The Category Tab organizes the recipes into 4 categories: 1-Food, 2-Cooking Method, 3-Cuisine Type and 4-Unclassified. It lays out keyword labels in a horizontal row - unlike the old label - which lists vertically and made it a pain to locate recipes and content.

Try it now. You'll agree the new INDEX and Category Tab makes it easier to navigate and locate information on the blog! *grin*

Garlic Pepper Pork II

2011-12-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

Source: "Crying Tiger: Thai Recipes from the Heart" by Supatra Johnson.
(Moo Tod Kra-tiem Prik-tai)

Lately my belly felt full and bloated. No, not food poisoning. It was likely the inclement weather had sapped my energy and made me lose appetite. And for someone as passionate about food and cooking as I am, nothing sucks more than losing one's appetite!

So today I decided to revisit one of my all-time raves: Garlic Pepper Pork. Always good, always scrumptious, garlic pepper pork never fails to pep me up whenever I am in the dumps. Today is one such day.

Author Supatra Johnson said pork loin is the perfect meat for this recipe. I prefer pork shoulder or collar: it is ideal for stir-fry and complements the garlic and white pepper very nicely. Freshly ground white pepper will make the dish even more delicious!

Ingredients:
1 pound pork loin (cut cross-wise into 1/4 inch thick pieces)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup peanut oil for frying
lettuce leaves
cucumber slices

Method:
1. Combine pork loin, minced garlic, ground white pepper, soy sauce, salt, oyster sauce, and sugar in a bowl. Mix thoroughly. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight if you have the time.

2. Preheat a frying pan over high heat and add peanut oil. Heat oil for 2 minutes and place the marinated pork pieces in the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, turning once. Drain pork on paper towels and serve with jasmine rice or sticky rice, lettuce leaves, and cucumber slices.

Yield: 4 servings

Comment:
The pork collar turned out a bit over-salted. Maybe the recipe was too liberal with the salty elements: oyster sauce, soya sauce and salt? I also tried Kikkoman Special Fragrance Soy Sauce for the first time, to see if its premium pricing was justified. Much touted, it was developed specially for Asian taste buds at Kikkoman's Singapore factory. Its mild sweetness is supposed to impart a unique flavor to any dish. Well, I can only say the outcome was inconclusive. The soy sauce didn't add anything "extra" that I could detect. Neither did it detract.

Overall, the slightly chewy yet tender garlicky pork collar really invigorated me! Whether on toasted bread or meat, who can resist roasted garlic? Especially when it is combined with pepper and salt to give it that extra dimension! The scrumptious taste, aroma and strong garlicky flavor lifted and refreshed my appetite. Hooray, I'm hungry again! *grin, grin*

Chef Secret: Anjum Anand

2011-12-05T10:20:00.001-08:00

Anjum Anand: Learn about Lentils

Anjum Anand: North Indian Fish Curry

Anjum Anand's: Lamb and Yoghurt Curry

Chef Secret: Heston Blumenthal

2011-12-05T10:19:00.001-08:00

Heston Blumenthal, BBC: Peking Duck

Heston Blumenthal, BBC: Peking Duck Part 3

Heston Blumenthal, BBC: Perfect Roast Chicken I

Heston Blumenthal, BBC: Perfect Roast Chicken II

Heston Blumenthal, BBC: Perfect Oven Roasted Potato

Heston Blumenthal, BBC: Perfect Fish & Chips

Heston Blumenthal, BBC: The Perfect Steak Part 1

Heston Blumenthal, BBC: The Perfect Steak Part 2

Heston Blumenthal, BBC: The Perfect Sausage & Mash Part 1

Heston Blumenthal, BBC: The Perfect Sausage & Mash Part 2

Chef Secret: Ching He Huang

2011-12-05T09:08:00.001-08:00

Ching He Huang: Chinese Food Made Easy - Steamed sea bass in hot beer and ginger lime sauce

Ching He Huang: Chinese Food Made Easy - Takeaway Favourites

Ching's Chinese Food in Minutes: Spicy Beef Wraps

Ching's Chinese food in Minutes: Rice wine pepper beef noodles

Ching He Huang: Chinese Food Made Easy - Five spice roast chicken drumsticks & Vegetable ham wraps

Ching He Huang: Pak Choi Recipes

Ching He Huang: Kung Pao Chicken 宫保鸡丁

Ching's Chinese Food in Minutes: Spicy Sichuan aubergine

Ching He Huang: How to start-up when you have no cash

Chef Secret: Ken Hom II

2011-12-05T08:26:00.001-08:00

Ken Hom - Travels with a Hot Wok - Vancouver - Part 1 of 2

Grilled Prawn with Southeast Asian Pesto Sauce, Stir-fry Beef with Peppercorn

Ken Hom - Travels with a Hot Wok - Vancouver - Part 2 of 2

Ken Hom - Travels with a Hot Wok - Sydney - Part 1 of 2

Ken Hom - Travels with a Hot Wok - Sydney - Part 2 of 2

Recipes featured:

East-West Lamb Satay with Peanut Butter Sauce
Smoked Chich=ken Breast in a Wok
Raffles Sling
Penang Rice Noodle
Vegetarian Nyonya Laksa

Ken Hom - Travels with a Hot Wok - Singapore - Part 1 of 2

Ken Hom - Travels with a Hot Wok - Singapore - Part 2 of 2

Ken Hom - Travels with a Hot Wok - Hong Kong - Part 1 of 2

Ken Hom - Travels with a Hot Wok - Hong Kong - Part 2 of 2

Ken Hom - Travels with a Hot Wok - Bangkok - Part 1 of 2

Ken Hom - Travels with a Hot Wok - Bangkok - Part 2 of 2

Van's Vietnamese Recipes

2011-12-05T04:20:00.000-08:00

When I was in Melbourne in 2002 I had a Vietnamese housemate who loves cooking. She learnt and picked up excellent cooking skills at a young age from her granny. She told me dad was an army general, mom ran the family's business, and she became the family cook at a young age.

One day she cooked and invited me to taste her dishes. One bite and I immediately took notes of her recipes. So tasty were her dishes! I loved especially the crunchy pig's fallopian intestine. It was the first time I had eaten pig fallopian tube. It was really, really crunchy and sweet! Never tasted anything like it. Made me eager and excited to want to test-cook myself.

Van's Fish in Soya Sauce

Ingredients:
Trevally or Pacific Dory (can also try stingray)
Tomato paste (substitute with fresh tomato and ketchup if you don't have the paste)
3-4 Bird chillies
Tiparos fish sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Boil fish sauce (with some water to dilute a bit) in pot with red chillies, cut into small pieces. Liquid need not cover entire Trevally fish pieces.

2. When fish sauce has been boiled for some 5-10 minutes, add the fresh fish pieces. Boil until fish is cooked.

3. Finally add 1 Tbl of tomato paste or puree, and continue boiling.

4. After another 3-4 minutes, fish is done.

5. Add some pepper if you like to the dish when adding tomato paste.

Delicious!

Van's Pig Fallopian Recipe

Ingredients:
Pig fallopian intestine
2 Tbl belachan paste
2 Bird chillies
3 Garlic cloves
4 kalamansi lime and salt for cleaning the intestine

Dipping sauce:
2 Tbl of liquid or soft shrimp paste.
2 red chilly padi and 3 cloves garlic.

Mince both garlic and chillies. Stir in the shrimp paste. Squeeze a quarter lemon into the mixture and mix thoroughly. Add sugar to balance the saltiness of the shrimp paste.

Method
1. Simply clean fresh pig ovary tubing (aka birth intestine at Sheng Shiong) with juice squeezed from 4 yellow lemon and salt. You may substitute with kalamansi lime, which are much cheaper than Australian yellow lemon here. Leave for 10 minutes. Then wash with clean water. The smell should be gone.

2. Boil the pig tubing in a pot of water until just slightly undercooked, as the intestine will continue to cook from its ambaint internal heat when you remove from the pot. Overcooked fallopian intestines are rubbery and unpalatable. And there's no other way to cook and partake of Miss Piggy's fallopian intestine except in this way.

3. Slice the pig tubing into bite-sized pieces.

Enjoy !!

Chef Secret: Ken Hom

2011-12-04T12:48:00.000-08:00

Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery BBC: Peking Duck Part 1

Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery BBC: Peking Duck Part 2

Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery BBC: Peking Duck Part 3

Ken Hom - Cantonese Egg Flower Soup & Spring Rolls

Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery - BBC: Hot and Sour Soup

Sambal Ikan Tenggiri

2011-12-04T03:55:00.001-08:00