Food Recipes

Inarizushi Recipe

2009-09-04T22:13:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

*For sushi rice:
1 1/2 cup Japanese rice
1 2/3 cup water
3 Tbsp vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp white sesame seeds
*For cooking aburaage
6 abura-age (fried tofu)
1 cup dashi soup stock
2 1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp mirin
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Preparation:

Start cooking rice. Put aburaage into boiling water for a moment to remove the excess oil. Drain and dry with paper towels. Cut the aburaage in halves so that each piece have an open end. Put dashi soup stock, sugar, mirin, and soy sauce in a pan and bring to a boil. Add aburaage in the pan and lower the heat. Put a lid and simmer until the liquid is alomost gone. Stop the heat and let them cool for a while. Prepare sushi rice. Mix sesame seeds in the sushi rice. Wet your hands and make small mounds of sushi rice. Take a piece of aburaage and lightly press to remove the excess liquid. Open the pouch and stuff a mound of sushi rice inside. Fold in the open side to close the pouch. *Makes 12 pieces

Beef Roast

2009-09-04T22:09:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:
1/2 kg - beef
1 inch piece - ginger
4 pods - garlic
1 - medium onion
mustard seed
curry leaves

For Masala:
3 tsp - chilli powder
2 tsp - coriander powder
1/2 tsp - turmeric powder
1 tsp - garam masala

Method

Marinate beef (cut into small cubes) along with ginger, garlic, curry leaves and half of masala powders for 1 hour.
Boil beef cubes till tender in a pressure cooker. Allow the cooker to cool gradually...
Heat oil in a kadai, put mustard seed, add onion and curry leaves after the seeds start spluttering.
Then add boiled beef and roast till done.
Tastes good with rice.

Beef Pickle

2009-09-04T22:07:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 1/2 kg - Tender beef
(cut in small pieces)
1 tsp - Ginger (finely chopped)
Salt as required
Oil for frying
1/2 cup - Gingelly oil
1 tsp - Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
2 cups - Onions (finely chopped)
12 nos Cloves
6 nos - Cinnamon
6 nos - Cardamom
1/2 kg - Tomato
Vinegar as required
1/4 cup - Garlic pods
1 tbsp - Ginger slices
1/2 tsp - Sugar
For grinding:
3 tbsp - chilly powder
1/2 tsp - ginger(fine pieces)
6 - garlic pods
1 tsp - Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp - fenugreek
1/4 tsp - cumin seeds

Method

Cook meat along with 2 tbsp of vinegar, ginger and salt, until well done and dry.
Heat sufficent refined oil in a pan.
Fry the meat, small lots at a time.
Do not allow the meat to harden.
Grind together chilly powder, ginger pieces, garlic, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds with cold boiled water.
Heat the remaining oil and the gingelly oil.
Splutter mustard seeds.
Fry turmeric powder and onion, till it becomes crisp.
Remove and drain.
Saute the spices followed by tomato.
Keep stirring, till the oil separates.
Add the ground masala paste and saute.
When masala is nicely fried, add vinegar, salt and 1 cup of boiling water and bring it to boil.
Add the fried meat, ginger and garlic to the boiling gravy.
Mix sugar in 2 tbsp of vinegar and add to the pickle.
Allow it to boil again for one more time.
Remove from fire.
Cool and bottle it.

Double Beans and Capsicum Curry

2009-09-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
150 g - dried double beans
2 cup - onion, chopped
3 - green capsicum, medium size
1 tbsp - madras curry powder
a lime size - tamarind
3 tbsp - oil
salt to taste

For Madras Curry Powder:
20 - red chilies
4 tbsp - chana dal
2 tbsp - coriander seeds
one small piece - turmeric root
2 tsp - fennel seeds (saunf)
1 tsp - black pepper
few curry leaves

Method

Soak double beans in water over night.
Drain, add about 1 ï¿½ cup of fresh water and ï¿½ tsp salt.
Pressure cook for 6 minutes. (They should be soft but not mushy)
Cut capsicums into halves, discard the seeds and cut the flesh into 2 cm pieces.
Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water and extract the juice.
Heat oil in a kadai. Add onion and fry till light brown.
Add capsicum and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add curry powder and tamarind juice. Simmer on low heat or 5 minutes.
Add the cooked beans (if there is excess cooking liquid, strain and keep it aside.
Add just enough to form thick gravy) and salt.
Simmer for 3 more minutes.
Serve hot with steamed rice.

For Madras Curry powder:

Roast all the ingredients without oil.
Cool and powder.
Store in an air tight container.

Serves: 4

Chinese Steamed Beef

2009-09-04T22:02:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 lb. beef steak
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. Salt and black pepper
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. oil
2 tbsp. sherry
1 tsp. wine vinegar
2 spring onions

Directions:

Slice beef steak across the grain into thin strips.
Place them in a bowl. Blend cornstarch, salt, black pepper, soy sauce, oil, sherry and vinegar; pour over beef.
Chop the onions very finely and sprinkle over the top. Cover tightly and let stand at least 1 hour.
Place bowl of beef on a stand in a saucepan or wok of boiling water; cover saucepan/wok and steam until beef is tender

Shark's Fin Soup

2009-09-04T21:59:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 tbsps sesame oil
1 spring onion/scallion finely chopped
1 inch fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, drained and sliced
2 tbsp Rice wine
2 1/4 quarts or 9 cups chicken stock
4 oz ready prepared shark’s fin, soaked for 1 hour in cold water and drained
8 oz. boned chicken breast, shredded
8 oz small shrimps, peeled
1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 cornstarch, blended with 1 tbsp chicken stock
A dash of black vinegar or brandy (optional)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a pot. Add the spring onion, ginger, mushroom and rice wine and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour over half the chicken stock, add the shark’s fin and bring to boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the chicken, shrimps and soy sauce. Pour the remaining chicken stock and the cornstarch mixture, and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce the heat to low again and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve at once with black vinegar or brandy.

Fried Oyster Patty

2009-09-04T21:58:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

10 ounces fresh oyster
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
21 ounces leeks
1/4 cup chopped cabbage
5 ounces lean ground pork
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 teaspoon salt
a pan of oil for frying
(I) 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
(II) 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, 3 tablespoons soy sauce,
1 tablespoon sweet and hot sauce

Directions:

Wash the oyster, drain, and then blend with the cornstarch.
Wash the leeks. Dice. Mix the chopped leeks and cabbage with the oysters, pork, and ingredients (I) to make filling.
Make a thick paste by mixing flour, salt, and some water.
Put about 1 tablespoon of the flour batter in a large ladle. Put 3 tablespoons of filling on top and then put a layer of flour paste on top to cover the filling.
Heat oil for frying to very hot. Put in the ladle and fry for 5 minutes. The patty will look scorched by then. Tip the patty out carefully, fry for a short while, ladle out and drain. Dip in ingredients (II) to eat.

Shrimp in Lobster Sauce

2009-09-04T21:55:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 lb. jumbo shrimp, shelled, deveined, and butterflied
1 tbsp. fermented black beans
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quarter-sized slice fresh ginger, peeled, minced
1 tbsp. Shao Hsing rice wine, or dry sherry
2 tbsp. peanut or corn oil
1/2 tsp. salt
6 oz. ground pork butt
1 small onion diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
pinch of white pepper
1/2 tbsp. light soy sauce
3/4 c. chicken stock
2 tsp. cornstarch, mixed with 2 tsp. water
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 green onion, chopped
1 tsp. sesame oil

Directions:

Cover the black beans with lukewarm water, and soak for 5 mins. Drain. Combine with the minced garlic and ginger. Gently crush into a paste. Mix in wine, and set aside.
Place a wok over med-high heat. When hot, drizzle in half of the oil. Add the shrimp, and stir-fry until they begin to curl and turn opaque, about 1 min.
Remove to a dish, and keep warm.
Reheat wok over med. heat. Add remaining tablespoon of oil and salt. Add the black bean paste, and sauté a few secs., until it becomes aromatic.
Increase heat to med-high. Add the pork, and stir-fry until the morsels are no longer pink, about 3 mins.
Add onions, peppers, sugar, white pepper and soy sauce. Toss together until the vegetables begin to soften, about 1 min.
Add the stock, and keep tossing until it comes to a boil. Stir the cornstarch mixture to recombine, then drizzle into the center of the work, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.

2009-09-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

3 tbsps oil
2 slices ginger root
1 scallion, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tbsp dry sherry
½ tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
½ lb fresh or canned crab meat
1 x ½ lb can straw mushrooms, drained
½ cup water
1 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tbsp water

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the ginger and scallion and stir fry for 1 second.

2. Add the sherry, salt, pepper and crab meat and stir fry for 1 minute.

3. Add the mushrooms and water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Remove the ginger and onion. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring, until thickened.

5. Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped scallion, if liked.

Shrimp with Snow Peas

2009-09-04T21:48:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2/3 lb. tiger prawns, shelled and deveined, dry
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. snow peas

Marinade:

1 1/2 tsp. sherry
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. water

Sauce:

1 Tbsp. chicken broth
3 Tbsps. oyster sauce
3 Tbsps. water 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsps. hoisin sauce

Directions:

Combine marinade in bowl. Add prawns and mix well. Let stand for 1/2 hour.
Heat wok over medium heat, add oil. When oil is hot, stir fry garlic for 15 secs. Add prawns and stir fry until pink. Remove from wok, and place on plate.
Add salt and snow peas to oil in wok. Stir fry 30 secs. Add sauce’s ingredients and stir slightly until thickened.
Add cooked prawns. Stir to coat everything with sauce. Serve hot with cooked rice.

Crisp Curried Shrimp

2009-09-04T21:47:00.002-07:00

Here's a quick and delicious way to enjoy fried shrimp. Adjust the seasonings to suit your palate.

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

2 Tbs All-purpose flour
1/2 tsp Curry powder
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
Salt
3/4 lb Shrimp (about 12), shelled and deveined
2 Tbs peanut oil
1 bunch Green onions, cut into
2-inch lengths
Lemon wedges for garnishing

Directions
In a bowl combine the flour, curry powder, cayenne, and salt to taste. Add shrimp to flour mixture, tossing to coat.

In a heavy wok heat oil over moderately high heat until hot; saute green onions until almost tender.

Add shrimp to scallions and sauté, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes, or until shrimp are opaque throughout.

Serve shrimp with lemon alongside rice or over crisp-fried rice noodles.

Chilli Crabs or Lobster

2009-09-04T21:47:00.001-07:00

This is a popular dish amongst Singaporeans. It is also a common feature in the menus of famous seafood restaurants (along East Coast and Punggol).
The abundance of fresh chillies and garlic makes this a very spicy and full-bodied dish. Chilli crabs/lobster bears testimony to the great love Chinese have for spicy Malay food.
The real way to eat this dish is with a serving of large square chuncks of bread to dip into the delicious sauce.

Ingredients

Lobster or crabs weighing about 450 grammes (1 lb)
6 fresh red chillies
5 cloves garlic
2 stalks spring onions
One coriander (cilantro) plant
3 Tbs vegetable oil

Sauce

3 Tbs tomato ketchup
One-and-a-half Tbs sugar, according to taste
Quarter tsp salt
One tsp pounded salted brown soya bean paste
One cup water
One-and-a-half tsp cornflour
Half tsp rice or malt vinegar of freshly squeezed lime juice
Quarter tsp dark soya sauce

Directions

Wash uncooked shellfish well, break off the claws and crack the shell by gently hitting it with a pestle. When preparing crabs, chop the bodies in half and then each half into 3 pieces. Wash and retain the shells. When using lobsters, chop off the tail and head, and chop the body, with shell still on, into thumb length pieces.
Plunge head and tail of lobster into boiling water and cook till the shell turns red. Remove from water and set aside for decoration.
Peel garlic and pound coarsely. Pound chillies coarsely too. Or grind in a food processor.
Wash spring onions, discard roots, cut into finger lengths. Cut coriander into one-inch lengths.
Mix sauce ingredients except for the vinegar or lime juice.
Heat wok, add oil and when hot, add the garlic, stir fry for one minute, add chillies, stir fry for another minute and add crab or lobster pieces.
Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes till shells turn slightly red. Stir sauce, add to the crabs or lobster and stir well for 2 minutes. Cover with a lid and simmer over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes till shells turn a bright red.
Remove cover, squeeze the lime juice over or add the vinegar, stir well and add spring onions. Turn heat off, stir well and serve, garnish with coriander leaves.

Sayor Loday

2009-09-04T21:46:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

300 grammes (10 oz) jicama
300 grammes (10 oz) long beans
240 grammes (8 oz) French beans
300 grammes (10 oz) cabbage
4 hard bean curd cakes
180 grammes (6 oz) small prawns, peeled
60 grammes (One-and-a-half oz) galangal, peeled and smashed
One lemon grass, cleaned and smashed
One cup dried prawns, washed, soaked and pounded or ground
20 shallots, peeled
2 tsp shrimp paste (belacan)
One-and-a-half to two coconuts, grated or one-and-a-half cups processed coconut milk
6 cups water
2 tsp salt
One tsp sugar
6-10 dried chillies
One cup vegetable oil

Directions

Cut cabbage into bite-sized pieces. String French beans and cut into finger lengths diagonally. Cut long beans into finger lengths. Peel jicama and shred into finger lengths.
Soak dried chillies till soft for half hour in warm water. Pound till fine. Cut each bean curd diagonally. Place wok over high heat and when smoking, add oil. When hot, deep fry the bean curd cakes till golden. Drain. Remove all but 6 Tbs oil and stir fry the pounded chillies till fragrant. Keep aside.
Mix coconut with half cup water and squeeze for thick milk. Set aside. Mix with remaining water and squeeze fot thin milk. Or mix half cup processed coconut milk with water.
Pound or grind shallots and shrimp paste coarsely.
Place thin coconut milk in a suacepan and turn on high heat. Add shallot mixture, dried prawns, galangal and lemon grass. When boiling, add jicama, long beans, French beans, cabbage and prawns. When boiling again, add bean curd and seasoning. Add thick coconut milk and chillies and oil mixture. Boil 10 minutes and serve.

Mee Siam

2009-09-04T21:45:00.001-07:00

Ingredients
Mee Siam and Sambal

water for scalding vermicelli
1 packet coarse rice vermicelli (Hokkien: bee hoon)
250 9 beansprouts
100 g Chinese chives (Hokkien: koo chye)
500 9 small prawns
3 tablespoons oil
4 firm soybean cakes (Hokkien: taukwa)
5 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, sliced
250 millilitres water
2 tablespoons tamarind powder mi e
4 hardboiled eggs, sliced
Rempah
- 5 tablespoons dried prawns (pounded separately)
- 5 large onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 6 candlenuts
- 20 dried chillies
- 3 tablespoons belacan powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Gravy
- 2 litres water
- 4 tablespoons tamarind powder
- 3 tablespoons fried rempah (see method)
- 2 tablespoons preserved soy beans (Hokkien: taucheo), mashed a little
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 coconut, grated
- 150 millilitres water
Directions
Boil a large kettle of water and scald vermi- celli for 10 minutes, longer if necessary to soften until strands are pliable and soft to the touch. Wash and tail beansprouts. Cut chives into 4 cm lengths. Wash and drain. Wash and peel prawns. Heat 3 tablespoons oil and fry firm soybean cakes until brown. Cut into pieces 1 x2x 1/2 cm.
Sambal Heat 5 tablespoons oil and fry pounded dried prawns for 3 minutes. Add all other rempah ingredients except sugar and salt and fry until oil seeps out again. Add sugar and salt and stir once. Remove about half the amount of rempah and put aside. In remaining rempah, add sliced onion and fry for 2 minutes. Add prawns and tamarind liquid and simmer for five minutes. Remove and set aside.
How to Fry Vermicelli Putting all but 3 tablespoons of the reserved rempah in a kwali, fry vermicelli and bean- sprouts for 8-10 minutes, stirring all the time until cooked. Moisten occasionally with tamarind liquid from the gravy allow- ance if vermicelli gets dry during frying. Add about 3 tablespoons of fried soybean pieces and half the chives to this fried vermicelli. Dish up and arrange on a large plate with sliced hardboiled eggs, remaining chives and remaining soybean pieces for garnish.
Gravy Bring tamarind liquid to a boil. Put all ingre- dients in. Adjust seasoning to suit your taste. Serve Mee Siam with sambal prawns and as much gravy as each person wants from a gravy boat.

Opor Sotong

2009-09-04T21:44:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

1 kg sotong (squid) - cleaned and cut
thumb size piece galangal (laos) - bruised
2 lemon grass - bruised
salt to taste
msg (optional)
several lime leaves
a few spoonful graded coconut - roasted
oil
grind the following:
4 cloves garlic
1 red onion
1/2 tea spoon tumeric (or powder)
some dried chillies - soaked
2 tablespoon ketumbar (coriander) powder
1 teaspoon jintan puteh (cumin) powder

Directions

Heat oil in wok and fry ground ingredients till fragrant, add coconut milk and season with salt and msg. Cook till thick, add sotong and cook for several minutes till it's done.

Bak KutTeh

2009-09-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 1/2 kg pork spareribs
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp cooking oil or lard
½ tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp preserved brown soya bean
1 tsp dark soya sauce
1 tsp peppercorn
1 inch long cinnamon bark
2 segments star anise
1 1/2 Litres water

Garnishing Ingredients:

fried crispy shallots
Chinese crispy crullers (Yu-Char-Koay)

Preparation of Ingredients:

Cut spareribs into bite-size pieces and marinate with pepper and 1 tsp salt for ½ an hour.
Pound the preserved brown soya bean.
Smash the garlic.
Cut the Chinese crispy crullers into ½ inch pieces.

Ingredients

In a pot, bring water to a boil.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok. Then fry the spareribs until well-browned. Set aside for use later.

In a clean wok, heat remaining oil. Add sugar and carameilze until light brown. Then add the smashed garlic and preserved brown soya bean. Stir fry for 30 seconds. Add in the spareribs, dark soya sauce, peppercorn, cinnamon, star anise and remaining salt. Continue to stir fry for another 30 seconds.

Remove from heat and toss into the pot of hot boiling water.

Allow the consomme to boil on high heat for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 1 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender.

Dish consomme onto a serving bowl. Garnish with fried crispy shallots and Chinese crispy crullers.

Chwee kueh

2009-09-04T21:40:00.000-07:00

These round rice puddings by themselves are plain and tasteless and so you have to eat them with shredded preserved radish toppings (otherwise known as 'chye poh' in dialect) cook with vegetable oil to bring out the fragrant of rice flour. A little bit of home-made chilli will add some spice to an otherwise simple snack.

In Singapore, most Chinese Singaporeans like to start their day with chwee kueh as breakfast. Hence, it's a common sight to see well-dressed executives with one hand holding their leather brief case and the other holding an oily plastic bag with the tasty chwee kueh in it.

Delicious and cheap, the chwee kueh is normally sold in a pack of four or six. These are the normal amount enough to fill your stomach.

If you were to ask any Singaporean, the best and well-known chwee kueh is at Tiong Bahru Market, Stall "Jian Bo Shui Kueh" at Blk 83, Seng Poh Road #01-15E. With four chwee kuehs costing around $1.00, that explains the long queue at the stall ! Well, the best stuff is definitely worth waiting for!

Ingredients:
* 1 cup rice flour
* 2 cups water
* 1 heaped tbs corn flour
* 3 tps oil
* 170g Lard
* half tsp salt
* 2 tsp sesame seeds
* 2 cloves garlic
* 200g chopped, preserved, salted radish
* pepper
* soy sauce

Method:
To cook rice cake
* Mix two types of flour with water
* Add salt and 1 tsp of oil, beat well
* Stir mixture over low heat till it thickens, keep stiring to prevent lumps
* Arrange steel moulds in a bamboo steamer over boiling water and steam empty moulds for 5 mins
* Pour mixture into moulds and steam for 10-15 mins or till well cooked
* Remove from bamboo steamer and leave to cool for 10mins before serving.

Note: test the constituency of the rice cake mixture first by steaming 1-2 moulds. If rice cake is too hard, add more water to mixture. If rice cake is too soft, add more rice flour.

To cook the radish
* Toast the sesame seeds till golden brown
* Dice the lard, wash and drain
* Fry lard, garlic and remaining oil in a saucepan until brown
* Discard garlic and lard
* Add radish to remaining oil, cook over low heat for 30mins, stirring occasionally to prevent burning
* Add sesame seeds, stir well. Add pepper, soy sauce to taste

To serve
* Remove rice cakes from moulds after 10 mins of cooling
* Place a spoonful of cooked radish onto each rice cake
* Serve with chilli sauce.

Chicken/Cucumber Broth

2009-09-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 uncooked chicken breast, boned, skinned, and sliced into paperthin strips
1 Tablespoon egg white, lightly whipped
6 cups chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded and cut into a julienne
3/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil
salt and finely ground white pepper, to taste

Mix chicken strips into the egg white and set aside. Pour chicken stock, sugar, and soy sauce into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken strips and the cucumber sticks and bring the stock back to a boil. Immediately stir in the sesame oil, salt, and pepper--ladle into bowls--and take to the table.

Singapore Curry Puffs

2009-09-04T21:38:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

For the Pancakes

1 cup "All Purpose Flour"
2 eggs (set 1 aside and beat lightly)
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup cold water
For the Filling
5 tbs corn oil
1 medium size red onion - chopped
8 oz lean beef - minced (alternative: chicken)
2 carrots - grated
1 parship - grated
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp corn starch
2/3 cups beef stock (chicken if using minched chicken)
Enough vegetable oil for deep frying
Directions

To prepare pancakes:
Sift flour into a bowl
Make a well in center and add egg
Gradually stir in milk and beat well until smooth
Stir in cold water and beat well
Pour batter into a pitcher, set aside
Heat a little oil in a small skillet and pour off excess
Pour a little batter into skillet, swirling skillet to spread batter evenly over bottom to make a thin coating
Fry until 1 side is golden brown then flip over to do the same
Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil pan each time, to make 8 pancakes
To prepare fillings:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan adding onions, parsnip and curry powder
Cook gently 5 minutes, stirring constantly
Add tomato paste and mix well
Blend cornstarch with a little stock
Add remaining stock to ground beef mixture and bring to a boil
Add corn starch mixture and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly
Simmer mixture 10 minutes
Lay pancakes, cooked-sides up, on a flat surface
Spread filling in a 2" horizontal lines across center to within 1-1/2" of side edges
Fold these side edges over mixture and then fold remaining top and bottom edges over to cover filling
Brush with egg and fold pancakes in half
Chill for about 1 hour
Half fill a deep fat fryer or saucepan with oil
Fry folded pancakes, 4 at a time, 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and heated through
Drain on paper towel
Serve on an attractive flat plate, garnish with carrot strips if desired Makes about 4 to 6 serving.

Steamboat Sizzler

2009-09-04T21:37:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Plain soup stock:

2 chicken carcasses, clean and remove fat

4 litres water

2 stalks spring onion

Seasoning:

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp sugar

Dash of pepper

Tomyam soup stock:

2 chicken carcasses, clean and remove fat

3 stalks lemon grass, smash

4cm piece galangale, smash

12 cilipadi

2 coriander roots (white part only)

2 tomatoes, quarter

3 limes, squeeze for juice

5 kaffir lime leaves

1 bouillion tomyam-flavoured chicken stock cube

4 litres water

Seasoning:

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp nampla (fish sauce)

250g deboned chicken fillet, cut into thick slices

250g fish fillet (red snapper, garoupa or pomfret)

600g mud crabs, halved

500g large prawns, keep shells intact

300g squid, clean and cut into thick round slices

300g cuttlefish, cut into thick slices

200g abalone mushrooms

200g button mushrooms

150g fish balls

150g sotong paste balls

2 pieces soft beancurd, cut into big cubes

1 packet Japanese tofu, slice into thick rounds

200g sea-cucumber, thinly slice

150g spinach (tung woh)

150g Chinese white cabbage (wong nga pak)

150g red carrots, cut into desired shapes

200g glass noodles, soak

200g fresh wantan noodles, scald

Dip sauce:

1/2 cup chilli garlic sauce

1 piece red fermented beancurd, mash

2 tbsp lime juice

Directions

Plain soup stock: Bring water to a rolling boil in a stock pot. Add the chicken carcasses and spring onion, and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Then add seasoning and strain the stock into the steamboat.

Tomyam soup stock: Bring water to a rolling boil in a stock pot. Add chicken carcasses, lemon grass, galangale, cilipadi, coriander roots and tomatoes. Let the soup boil again. Lower the heat and simmer for one and a half to two hours. Then add kafir lime leaves, lime juice, tomyam-flavoured chicken stock and seasoning. Strain stock into steamboat.

Note: If the steamboat comes with dual compartments for soups, you can have both types of soups in the steamboat at the same time. If it comes with only a single section, you can opt to have the plain soup first followed by the tomyam soup later.

Arrange all accompanying ingredients neatly on a platter. To serve, bring the stock to a boil in the steamboat. Add in your desired ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil again.

Dish out in individual soup bowls and serve with the sauce dip. Last to serve will be the glass noodles or the wantan noodles or any fresh yellow noodles.

To prepare the fresh wantan noodles: Scald the noodles in boiling water. Remove, dip into a basin of cold water. Strain and place on a plate. Add a dash of light soy sauce and sesame seed oil.

Chicken with Dried Chillies

2009-09-04T21:36:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 chicken (or use chicken thighs) - debone and slice
20 - 30 dried chillies (the big dark colored ones - I think they are called oil chillies)
4 garlic - slice fine
4 slices ginger
1/2 tsp cornflour
dash of pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1 Tbs soy sauce
Chinese wine

Sauce

1 tsp cornflour
8 Tbs water
2 Tbs dark soy sauce
1 - 2 Tbs sugar

Directions

- Season chicken with salt and all the ingredients listed above (not the sauce) for half an hour
- Put 5 Tbs oil in the pan and fry the dried chillies till almost black and aromatic.
- Add garlic and ginger slices halfway. Remove.
Heat oil to fry the chicken for a few minutes until almost cooked before pouring in the sauce. Turn off heat as soon as the sauce starts boiling.
- Spring onions, carrot slices or whatever you like can be added at the end of cooking time (to add colour and to stretch the dish if you are having more mouths to feed).
- Leftovers can be used to make fried beehoon (remove the dried chillies and rinse them out in hot water which can be used as stock for the beehoon).

"Bak kwa"

2009-09-04T21:35:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 kilogram lean pork
For Gravy: 1 1/4 tblsp.fish gravy
175 gram sugar
1/8 tsp.five spice powder
1 tblsp.lard
1/2 tblsp.rose wine
1 1/2 tblsp.soy sauce
1/8 tsp.pepper
1 tsp.MSG
1/2 tsp.saltpetre

Directions

Slice pork thinly. Season with gravy. Arrange thin pieces of pork onto a big flat plate with small holes (for ventilation) such that they become a big layer of sliced pork. Leave the pork to dry. When dry, cut it into squares (about 10 cm in length). Barbecue the square pork slices with burning charcoal until both sides are golden in colour. The barbecued slices can be stored in the freezer for up to several weeks

Tauhu Goreng

2009-08-31T20:49:00.000-07:00

Yields:	4 servings

Ingredients

4		tofu cakes	bean curd
1	cup	bean sprouts	scalded
3		cucumber	shredded
		salt
		vegetable oil
		---	For the Sauce
2	each	green chili peppers
2	each	red chili peppers
2	each	garlic cloves	crushed
1 1/2	tablespoons	soy sauce
1 1/2	tablespoons	vinegar
2	cups	peanuts	pounded and blended*
3/4	cup	water
2	tablespoons	cilantro leaves	chopped
		salt

Directions

* Or substitute 1/2 cup peanut butter for pounded/blended peanuts.

Heat enough oil (about 2 inches/5 cms deep) in a wok or pan to deep-fry the bean-curd/tofu cakes until they are slightly brown.

Lift them out and let them cool.

Then cut each cake into 2 pieces and make a deep slit across the center to form a pocket.

After that, mix the bean sprouts and cucumber in a bowl and season well before filling the bean-curd/tofu pouches.

For the sauce, pound or blend the chilis and garlic together.

Then add the soy sauce, vinegar and salt.

Next put in the ground peanuts and add the water a little at a time.

Stir to make a smooth coating sauce.

Arrange the stuffed bean-curd/tofu cakes on a dish garnished with slices of cucumber and fresh cilantro leaves and pass the peanut sauce separately.

Malaysian Satay with Dipping Sauce

2009-08-31T20:48:00.000-07:00

Yields:	4 servings

	Preparation	20 minutes
	Cooking	90 minutes
	Ready In	110 minutes

Ingredients

3	pounds	squid	cleaned and cut into rings
1	tablespoon	cumin seeds
2	tablespoons	coriander seeds
3	small	hot peppers	dried
2	tablespoons	fish sauce	thai
2	tablespoons	lime juice
1	tablespoon	brown sugar
2	tablespoons	peanut oil
2	tablespoons	garlic	chopped
2	tablespoons	ginger	chopped
2	tablespoons	hot chili peppers	seeds included, chopped
3	tablespoons	lime juice
1/4	cup	fish sauce	thai
2	teaspoons	sugar
1	tablespoon	hot chili oil
1/4	cup	peanuts	roasted, ground to a paste
1/4	cup	coriander	finely minced

Directions

Thread the squid rings and tentacles (through the fleshy part)

on bamboo skewers, leaving about 3 inches for a handle.

Wrap the handle in aluminum foil (or soak skewers for 1 hour in water before using.) Combine cumin, coriander and hot peppers.

Toast in a dry skillet until fragrant; grind go a powder.

Mix well with fish sauce, lime juice and brown sugar.

Add squid, marinate on a tray for 30 minutes, turning from time to time.

Meanwhile, get a hot fire going on a grill, and make a dip sauce by combining remaining ingredients.

Grill squid for about 90 seconds on each side.

Serve with dipping sauce on the side.

Malaysian Lime-Coconut Swordfish

2009-08-31T20:42:00.000-07:00

Yields:	4 servings

	Preparation	8 minutes
	Cooking	18 minutes
	Ready In	26 minutes

Ingredients

1/3	cup	coconut milk	light
1/4	cup	cilantro	chopped fresh
2	tablespoons	lemon grass	thinly sliced peeled fresh (about 1 stalk) or 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2	tablespoons	fish sauce
1	tablespoon	brown sugar
1	teaspoon	lime juice
1/2	teaspoon	thai chili paste
2	each	shallots	peeled
1	clove	garlic	peeled
1 1/2	pound	swordfish steaks	about 1 inch thick
1	x	nonstick cooking spray
1	x	cilantro	sprigs (optional)
1	x	lemon	wedges (optional)

Directions

Preheat broiler.

Combine first 9 ingredients in a food processor; pulse 3 times or until coarsely chopped.

Place fish on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 1/2 cup shallot mixture evenly over fish.

Broil 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Serve the fish with the remaining shallot mixture, and garnish with cilantro sprigs and lemon wedges, if desired.