Nic's Kitchen: A Self Exploration into the Culinary World

Beef Soup Noodle 1

2012-10-18T00:20:00.000-07:00

Beef noodle comes in many different version , the taiwanese style beef noodle, local kolo mee style beef noodle, clear soup beef noodle, 'hong shao' beef noodle to name but a few. Beef noodle aficionados usually claimed one version to be the best, and even have their favourite beef noodle stall / shop.

What makes beef noodle so addictive? The soft and tender beef cut, the chewy beef tendon, the springy noodle and a perfectly prepared broth makes every bite a heavenly experience, and every sip of soup a gustatory orgasm.

This beef soup noodle recipe is actually a fusion of the different versions that i have tasted before. I will be experimenting with different ingredients soon, which is why i've labelled this as Beef Soup Noodle 1. Expect version 2, 3 or 4 to come!

Many might think that making beef soup is such a daunting, herculean task with so many ingredients involved. I can assure you that this recipe is suited for all those eager to have an easy, breezy time in the kitchen, yet still manage to enjoy a satisfying, rewarding meal at the end of the day. The active preparation time is less than 10mins, and while the soup is boiling, enjoy the aroma that permeates the whole kitchen!

Ingredients

500 g beef shin (cut into pieces)

200g boiled beef tendon

1 carrot (cut into big pieces)

5 shallots (pilled)

2 slices ginger

1 star anise

1 tbsp pickled lettuce*

1 tbsp spicy bean paste*

1 tbsp hoisin sauce*

1 tsp chilli paste

1 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp sugar

water

noodle

*All these ingredients can be found at Asian grocery stores.

1. Blanch beef with boiling water to remove excess blood. This step ensures a clearer broth.

2. Put all ingredients into a pot, ensure water is sufficient to cover the meat.

3. Bring the water to boil, and reduce to low heat. Cook for at least 1 1/2 hour or until the meat is soft and tender.

4. Once the beef soup is ready, cook the noodle and serve them together.

Easy, isn't it? : )

Pork Leg Mee Sua 猪脚面线

2012-10-06T20:28:00.001-07:00

What other better ways to spend a nice Sunday morning than having a delicious home-cooked meal? After a long week of hard work, its time to pamper yourself with some much-needed, well-deserved good food. Throw away the calories counter, forget about hitting the gym, and indulge yourself in some calorie-bursting food. Once in a while, giving yourself some sinful indulgence is all that you need.

Pork leg mee sua is a popular Chinese cuisine. My Taiwanese friends brought me to one well known shop called 阿水狮猪脚 that specialises in pork leg dishes. The properly braised pork leg with its succulent meat, chewy tendon and gelatinised gravy goes perfectly well with mee sua. That has inspired me to try making my own version of pork leg dish.

Mee sua is another variant of noodles made from wheat flour. It is cooked during important festivities, eg Chinese New Year. As it symbolises longevity, it is also a birthday food in Chinese culture.

Ingredients A

1 Pork leg (cut into pieces, boiled to remove excess blood)

2 tbsp Black Vinegar

3 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

2 tbsp Sugar

Ingredients B

1 inch Ginger (pounded)

1 bulb Garlic

3 Chillies

2 Star Anise

5 Shitake Mushroom

3 tbsp Oyster Sauce

1 tbsp Plum Sauce

2 tbsp Fish Sauce

2 tbsp Light Soya Sauce

1 tsp Sesame Oil

2 tbsp Shao Xing Wine

1 cup water

2 tbsp starch water

Oil

Ingredient C

Mee Sua

1. Marinate pork leg with black vinegar, dark soy sauce and sugar (ingredients A) for 30 minutes.

2. Heat up oil in wok, stir fry ginger, garlic, chillies, star anise until fragrant.

3. Add in pork leg and the rest of ingredients B and bring to boil.

4. Turn to low heat and cook for at least 2-3 hours or until the meat is soft and tender.

5. Stir in starch water.

6. When you are ready to eat, cook mee sua and serve it with pork leg.

Galangal Chicken with Curry Leaves

2012-10-03T04:25:00.000-07:00

Galangal and curry leaves are two key ingredients in many Asian cooking. As i mentioned before, galangal comes from the ginger family, yet it has stronger taste than the common ginger. Widely used in Thai cuisine (Tom Yum soup) and Indonesian cuisine (Soto), it has this strong yet refreshing aroma not comparable to any other herbs and spices.

Curry leaves is grown in tropical countries.My mum planted one just outside our house.Usually we can also find the dried ones in stores, though the aroma is largely inferior. Curry leaves are widely used in Indian cooking, for example as seasoning in curry, while in Chinese restaurant, they are commonly used to cook butter prawn.

For this recipe, i am using both these ingredients to heighten the flavour of the fried chicken. The crispy chicken is coated with a layer of aromatic spices, making it a great dish to eat with a bowl of plain white rice.

Ingredients:

1 Chicken thigh (deboned, cut into pieces)
1 1/2 inch Galangal
1 clove Garlic
3 Shallots
2 Chilli
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp Light Soya Sauce
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
3 tbsp Corn Flour
Salt and Sugar to taste
Oil for deep frying

1. Marinate chicken with light soya sauce, oyster sauce and corn flour. Set aside.

2. Blend galangal, garlic, shallots ,chilli and turmeric powder.

3. Heat up oil and deep fry chicken until golden brown. Dish up and remove excess oil.

4. Heat up wok. Add in a bit of oil. Fry the spices until fragrant.

5. Add fried chicken into the wok and mix well. Add salt and sugar to taste.

Fried Tofu with Chilli Peanut Sauce

2012-10-03T01:22:00.001-07:00

There's one popular local snack food called “Hey-Pia" 虾饼, in which other than the crispy deep fried prawn pastry, another key element to this dish is the chilli dipping sauce. In fact, as long as the chilli dipping sauce is good, anything dipped in it will taste great!

This is another fast and easy preparation that you can try at home anytime. A good idea for those rushing to get dinner ready after a long day of work, or a fast appetizer for any friends and family gathering. Furthermore, tofu with its high protein value, is suitable for people of all ages. This dish can also be a good substitute of "Hey-Pia" for vegetarians.

Ingredienst

1-2 blocks Tofu (cut into cubes)

1 Cucumber

2-3 tbsp Roasted Peanut (pounded)

1 tbsp Sugar

5 tbsp Chilli Sauce

Oil for deep frying

1. Fry tofu until golden brown. Remove and pat to remove excess oil.

2.Cut cucumber into slices.

3.Mix roasted peanut, sugar and chilli sauce. That's it!

Enjoy!

Avocado Juice with Chocolate

2012-10-03T00:28:00.005-07:00

We have tried so many different type of juices, typically those made from orange, apple, pineapple or watermelon. But many might not have heard of Avocado juice. Avocado are typically used to make salad or guacamole, but Avocado juice? It's quite hard to imagine how this meaty flavoured fruit will taste like when it is pureed and drank as juice.

However, i got this idea of making avocado juice from my recent trip to Bali. It has a taste someway between a normal fruit juice and ice cream shake. The meaty flavour of avocado is well complemented by chocolate syrup, giving it a well balanced taste that is neither too sweet nor savoury. And it has this smooth, almost creamy texture. Imagine having a sip of avocado juice, while enjoying the breathtaking sunset view at Kuta Beach. Heavenly!

So this is one fast and easy recipe, that is simply delicious.

Ingredients:

1 Avocado (peeled, preferably chilled)

1-2 tbsp Condensed Milk

Chocolate syrup

Ice cubes (optional)

1. Blend the avocado into smooth puree. Mix in condensed milk.

2. Pour content into a tall glass and drizzle with chocolate syrup.

This is as easy as A-B-C!

Stewed Pork in Pear & Nutmeg Gravy

2012-10-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

The best way of having a great time in the kitchen is to play with the food. Instead of following recipes in cookbooks or the internet, why not let your imaginations run wild and prepare something that is authentically yours. Cook with your heart, feel what you are cooking, mix and match the food, the let the chemistry works magic!

This dish was prepared from what is left in my fridge one day. Adding fruits to cooking can add that extra sweetness to the dish. And the aroma from the pear and nutmeg can heighten the flavour of the meat.

Preparing the Meat

Ingredients

500g Beef or Pork

1 Pear

1 Carrot (cut into big pieces)

a few stalks Celery (cut into big pieces)

3-5 slices Ginger

3 cloves Garlic

a pinch of Nutmeg Powder

2-3 cups Beef stock (or any stock)

Salt, Pepper, Sugar to taste

Oil

1. Heat up oil in pot. Saute ginger and garlic until fragrant.

2.Add in the rest of the ingredients and bring it to boil.

3.Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until meat is tender.

4.Remove the meat and pear. Pour the rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend into puree.

5. Serve the meat with the puree.

Preparing the Side Dish

For the side dish, i have opted for a mashed potato and mashed sweet potato combo. Mashed potato alone is a bit too dull. Mashed sweet potato alone will be a bit too sweet as a side dish. Hence a combination of both give it the perfect balance.

Ingredients

1-2 Potatoes

1-2 Sweet Potatoes

2 tbsp Butter

salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel the potatoes and sweet potatoes and steam over high heat until they are soft.

2. Mashed the potatoes and add in the butter, salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

A Healthy Vegetarian Meal

2012-10-02T08:10:00.003-07:00

I was on my vacation in Phuket recently when i saw this interesting blue-colored rice pack. From the packaging, it is noted that this rice is actually made from brown rice mixed with butterfly-pea flower. It claims to contain high nutritional value.

So for this recipe, i've decided to keep it healthy with lots of vege and fruits. A good option for those health conscious, weight conscious group. Enjoy a guilt-free, nutrition laden meal!

Ingredients

Source of Carbohydrate

1 bowl cooked rice (any rice will do)

Fresh from the garden

lettuce

cherry tomatoes

Preparing the Mushroom

Korean Mushroom

Fresh Button Mushroom

or any other mushrooms will do

1 tsp finely chopped garlic

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp light soya sauce

salt and pepper to taste

oil

corn flour water

1. Heat up wok, add in a bit of oil, and saute garlic until fragrant.

2. Add in mushrooms, oyster sauce, light soya sauce, salt and pepper and stir-fry until cooked.

3. Add in a bit of corn flour water for thickening.

Preparing the Green Apple Salad

1 Granny Smith apple (thinly sliced)

1 Chilli (thinly sliced)

1 Shallot (thinly sliced)

1 tbsp Plum Sauce

1 tbsp Thai Chilli Sauce

1 tsp Fish Sauce

1 tsp Sesame Oil

1 tsp Sesame Seed

1. Mix all ingredients together.

Enjoy!

Herbal Chicken with Dried Scallop and Chicken Essence

2012-10-02T08:09:00.001-07:00

This is a nutritious and delicious herbal chicken soup. Chinese have been using herbs in cooking for thousands of years. Herbal chicken is said to have the effect of strengthening our body, boosting our immunity and improving our general well-being. Coming from a Chinese family, my dad has been preparing this soup for us since we were young. He usually prepares this soup using a double boiler.

For my version, i have opted to use a steamer instead. And i've also added Chicken Essence for that extra flavour and nutrition.

Ingredients;

1 Chicken Thigh

2 Red Dates

2 Dried Longan

1 tbsp Wolfberry

1 Shitake Mushroom

2 Dried Scallops (soaked in water)

1 tbsp Oyster Sauce

1 tbsp Light Soya Sauce

1 tbsp Shao Xing Wine (optional)

1 tsp Sesame Oil

water

1 bottle Chicken Essence

1. Put all ingredients (except chicken essence) in a bowl, add some water, and cover with lid.

2. Put in a steamer and steam until chicken is cooked, soft and tender.

3. Before removing the chicken, put the bottle of chicken essence to the steamer to warm it up.

4. Just before serving, pour chicken essence into the herbal chicken, and serve immediately.

Another way of eating this will be to serve the chicken with Mee Sua.

Braised Duck with Lychee

2012-10-02T08:07:00.002-07:00

Braised duck is usually served during important occasions, eg. Chinese New Year. Every household claims to have their own grandma's secret recipe. My grandma used to make this every year for our reunion dinner. Since we have a very big extended family, braising ducks can be a massive task involving hours of cleaning the ducks and braising them to perfection.

My idea of making my own braised duck came about as i wasn't able to celebrate Chinese New Year at home this year due to my incoming final exam then. So this is a simple yet delicious recipe that everyone can try at home!

Ingredients

2-3 Duck thigh*

1 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Dark Soya Sauce

1 tbsp Five Spice Powder **

1 inch Galangal (pounded)***

salt to taste

1 can Lychee

*I use frozen duck thigh from the supermarket. Firstly it saves the task of cleaning the whole duck. Secondly it is more suitable for small family with 3-4 members.

**Five spice powder is a mixture of 5 spices(star anise, cloves, cinnamon, sichuan pepper and ground fennel seeds) used commonly in Chinese cuisine. source: Wikipedia

Find them in Asian food stores.

***Galangal is from the ginger family. It has stronger taste than normal ginger and is widely used in South East Asian cooking.

1. Defroze the duck. Poke the duck using fork (so that the flavour can enter the meat easily)

2.Heat up a pot. Add in brown sugar and galangal (there's no need to add oil). Let sugar caramelises and galangal become fragrant.

3. Put in duck, five spice powder and dark soya sauce.

4. Bring it to boil. Then reduce to low heat and simmer for 40-60 minutes, turning the duck once in a while. Let the gravy thickens, and add a bit of water if it is too dry.

5. Remove duck, cut them into pieces, drizzle with the sauce and serve with lychee.

Beef Rendang

2012-10-02T08:05:00.003-07:00

Beef Rendang is a very popular Malaysian cuisine. Traditionally a Malay cuisine, this delicacy has transcended culture, race and creed to become our national food.

"In 2011 an online poll by 35000 people held by CNN international chose Rendang as the number one dish of their "World's 50 Most Delicious Foods' list."source: Wikipedia.

Rendang comes in many different variations. Some are spicier, some sweeter and some more savoury. Regardless of which versions you try, you will definitely fall in love with this heavenly food.

My beef rendang recipe comes from a friend of mine, Umol. It was during a Malaysian student gathering that i got to try her beef rendang. And the moment i tasted it, i knew i must get the recipe from her. I've did some minor modifications to the original recipe. Having a Chinese gene, i can't take too spicy food, so i've toned down the level of spiciness and increased the sweetness of the dish.

This dish takes hours to prepare, so allow sufficient time for the meat to cook slowly, in order to get the best taste of it. Save this dish for special occasions to delight your friends and family, and i bet everyone will enjoy it!

Ingredients:

1kg Beef (cut into pieces)

5 Shallots

1 Onion

3 cloves Garlic

5 Chilli (more if you can tolerate the heat and spiciness)

1 inch Galangal*

1 inch Ginger

2 stalks Lemongrass

5 pieces Kaffir lime leaves

1 tsp Turmeric powder

Oil

1 small can coconut milk

water

sweet soy sauce (ABC brand) **

salt to taste

3-5 tbsp Kerisik***

* Galangal is from the ginger family. It has stronger taste than normal ginger and is widely used in South East Asian cooking.

** ABC sweet soy sauce is an Indonesian brand sweet soy sauce. If you can't find one, any sweet soy sauce will do.

**Kerisik ,also known as coconut butter, is used in Malaysian and Indonesian cooking. The coconut is grated, roasted and then ground to a paste. If you can't find it in stores, you can make it yourself. I'll explain it later.

1. Traditionall all the spices (shallots, onion, garlic, chilli, galangal, ginger, lemongrass,turmeric powder) are pounded using mortar and pestle. To save time, i just put everything into a blender and blend.

2. Heat up oil. Fry all the spices until fragrant. Add in kaffir lime leaves and meat.

3. Add coconut milk,a bit of water and let it boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 2-3 hours or until the meat is soft, tender and breaks apart easily. Stir occasionally to prevent the meat from getting burnt. Once the water evaporates, the meat will absorb the spicy condiments.

4. Add in sweet soya sauce and salt. Adjust the amount according to your personal preference.

5.Finally add in kerisik and stir until the liquid dries up.

How to make kerisik

Get the grated coconut used for making pastries. Heat up wok, put in grated coconut and stir frequently until the coconut turns brown. Mix the roasted coconut with oil and pound them using mortar and pestle. An easier option will be to put the roasted coconut and oil into the blender and blend them. That's it!

BBQ Pork (Char Siu) Rice 叉烧饭

2012-10-02T07:57:00.003-07:00

Who could have resisted this meat temptation? The mere thought of this slightly charred, sweet and savoury pork belly grilled to perfection is already making me drool and my digestive system all pumped up!

For 6 years studying in the Czech Republic, this is one dish i was dying for. We do not have the privilege of having a Chinatown near us, where cantonese restaurants abound. And the so-called "Chinese Restaurants" run by Vietnamese are serving substandard chinese food.

Hence, to satisfy my craving, this is my recipe for BBQ pork. For those studying or staying abroad and have much craving like me, try preparing it yourself and eat to your heart's content!

Ingredients:

1 strip Pork Belly

1 tsp five spice powder*

1 tsp pepper

3 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

dash of sesame oil

honey

* Five spice powder is a mixture of 5 spices(star anise, cloves, cinnamon, sichuan pepper and ground fennel seeds) used commonly in Chinese cuisine. source: Wikipedia

Find them in Asian food stores.

1. Remove the skin of the pork belly. Using a fork, poke a few holes on the meat (so that the marinade can easily penetrate the meat).

2. Mix all ingredients (except honey) with the meat and marinate overnight.

3. Heat up oven to about 200 degree celcius. Grill the meat for 20-30 mins, turning the meat once. Depending on the thickness of the meat, the grilling time might be shorter or longer. So check regularly to prevent the meat from over grilled.

4. Before serving, brush the meat with honey. Cut into pieces and serve with steam rice.

Chicken Porridge with Wolfberry & Century Egg

2012-10-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite choices for late night supper. Porridge is easily digestible, hence does not add too much burden to your digestive system. Another good time to have this will be after a long night of clubbing! This food can really soothe your body after an intense night of alcohol.

Ingredients:

1 Chicken Thigh

1 cup Rice

8-10 cups Water (adjust the amount of water according to the texture of porridge you prefer)

1 Century Egg*

1 tbsp Wolfberry

1 tbsp Garlic (minced)

1 tbsp Ginge r

1 tbsp Chicken Powder

Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

*Century Egg is a Chinese delicacy which might repel many westerners due to its color and ammonia, sulphur odor. How westerners perceive century egg is tantamount to how many Asians see blue cheese. Trust me, it is not as disgusting as it seems. Once you have tasted it, you will be asking for more. You can easily find them in Asian grocery stores.

1. Boil the chicken in water. Once cooked, remove the chicken and cut them into pieces. Keep the water for use.

2. Cook the rice with water (from boiling the chicken). I personally prefer a creamier texture for my porridge. So i usually blend the rice before cooking them. It also speeds up the cooking time.

3. Add in wolfberry, chicken powder, salt and pepper.

4. In the meantime, heat up a wok and fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant.

5. Serve the porridge with fried ginger, garlic, century egg and chicken.

Drunken Chicken

2012-10-02T07:53:00.003-07:00

Drunken chicken is a very popular appetizer in Chinese cuisine. Cooked chicken is marinated in wine and chilled before serving. I have tasted some of the best drunken chicken in renowned restaurant such as Din Tai Fung 鼎泰丰 and Dragon-i龙的传人

Not to say that my recipe is comparable to those served in these restaurants, but it is always fun trying to prepare it yourself at home. Furthermore, you can adjust the taste according to your preferences. Some might find this dish too "alcoholic" and literally making you drunk, so by making it yourself, you can reduce the amount of alcohol put into it.

Before going into the recipe, there's one key ingredient which you should know. It's the Shao Xing Wine 绍兴酒.

This wine is widely used in Chinese cooking. It gives an extra flavour to the cooking. You can get them in Asian Stores.

Ingredients A

2 Chicken Thigh

1 inch Ginger (pounded)

2 cloves Garlic (do not peel of the skin)

1 tbsp Chicken Powder

1 tbsp Wolfberry (optional)

salt to taste

Ingredients B

1 tsp Sugar

1 tbsp Oyster Sauce

2 tbsp Light Soya Sauce

1/2 -1 cup Shao Xing Wine (adjusted to personal preference)

1 tsp Sesame Oil

1-2tbsp Chicken Stock* (warm Chicken Stock to melt the sugar)

*Chicken stock - The soup from boiling the chicken is used as Chicken Stock.

1. Put the chicken into a big pot and add in tap water. Make sure the chicken is fully submerged in the water. Add in the rest of ingredients A.

2. Turn on the fire and bring the water to boil. Once the water is boiling, immediately turn off the fire and cover the pot with lid. Let it stand for at least 1 hour. (this ensures the chickens are properly cooked)

3. Dish up the chicken and soak in iced water for 15 minutes. Keep the soup in the pot for use as Chicken Stock.

4.By now, the chicken will be soft and tender. You can easily de-bone the chicken before cutting them into pieces.

5. Mix all ingredients B together and pour over the chicken. Keep the chicken refrigerated overnight.

6. Serve chilled.

Chicken Floss on Charcoal Bread

2012-10-02T07:50:00.002-07:00

I have a great penchant for meat floss. I can have almost anything with it, be it rice, porridge, bread or even eating it on its own. Meat floss has this light and fluffy texture that melts in the mouth. And it can be made from pork, chicken or even fish. Traditionally, it is a popular snack food in Chinese culture. Due to its great sweet and savoury taste, nowadays it is widely used as fillings in buns and pastries.

And i've found this charcoal bread in one of the bakeries at my place. I don't know if there's any added nutritional value compared to the normal bread we have. It is merely out of curiosity that i bought one loaf back and try. So of course, you can just use any bread you prefer.

Ingredients:

1 piece Thick bread

1 tbsp Mayonaise

2-3 tbsp Meat Floss

1 tbsp Condensed Milk

1. Toast the bread in the oven.

2. Spread mayonaise on the bread, sprinkle meat floss on top of it, and drizzle with 1 tbsp of condensed milk.

A fast and easy way to enjoy a tea time snack!

Fragrant Chicken Rice

2012-10-02T07:47:00.002-07:00

Chicken Rice is an all time favourite. Even though it might seem tedious with so many steps involved, believe me, everything is worthwhile once you have tasted it.The succulent chicken with a dash of home made chilli sauce, the crispy and refreshing cucumber salad, and the fragrant rice make this a perfect meal ideal for all occasions. When i was studying oversea, this is one of our favourite dish, and my housemate Rouven never got bored of eating it.

Give yourself ample time to prepare this, preferably over the weekend when you have extra time to spare in the kitchen and enjoy the fun of cooking!

Preparing the Chicken

Ingredients A

2-3 Chicken Thigh*

1 inch Ginger

5 cloves Garlic (do not peel of the skin)

2 Scallion a.k.a Spring Onion

1 tbsp Wolfberry** (optional)

1 tbsp Chicken Powder

salt and paper to taste

* For those opting for a healthier option, you can substitute chicken thigh with chicken breast.

** Wolfberry 枸杞 is a widely used ingredient in chinese cooking. It gives an extra sweetness to the soup and is said to be good for the vision. You can find them in most asian stores.

Ingredients B

1 tbsp Sugar

1 tbsp Oyster Sauce

1 tbsp Light Soya Sauce

1 tbsp Fish Sauce*

1 tbsp Shao Xing Wine (optional)

1 tsp Sesame Oil

1/2 cup Chicken Stock**

* If you can't find fish sauce, substitute it with light soya sauce. Hence, instead of using 1 tbsp light soya sauce and 1 tbsp fish sauce, use 2 tbsp of light soya sauce.

**Chicken stock - The soup from boiling the chicken is used as Chicken Stock. Use it while it is still warm to mix all ingredients B.

1. Put the chicken into a big pot and add in tap water. Make sure the chicken is fully submerged in the water. Add in the rest of ingredients A.

3. Dish up the chicken and soak in iced water for 15 minutes. Keep the soup in the pot for use as Chicken Stock.

4.By now, the chicken will be soft and tender. You can easily de-bone the chicken before cutting them into pieces.

5. Splash the mixture of Ingredients B onto the chicken.

Preparing the Chilli Dipping Sauce

No chicken rice is perfect without a good dipping sauce. And here's how to prepare one nice and easy homemade dipping sauce. Prepare extra and you can keep it in the fridge. It goes well with other dishes too.

Ingredients

5 Chilli (add more if you like)

1 inch Ginger

3-5 cloves Garlic

3 tbsp Light Soya Sauce

1 tbsp Fish Sauce (can be substituted with light soya sauce)

1 tbsp Sweet Soy Sauce

1 tsp Sesame Oil

5 tbsp Chicken Stock

1. Blend chilli, ginger and garlic.

2. Add in the rest of the ingredients. That's it!

Preparing the Crispy Cucumber Salad

This is a great appetizer that goes along well with the chicken rice. The sweet and sourness of the salad, with a tinge of spiciness give an extra boost to the savoury taste of the chicken rice.

For a better result, prepare this salad a day before.

Ingredients

2 Cucumber

1/2 Carrot

1 Chilli

some Pineapple cubes

3-5 tbsp Sugar

1 tbsp salt

1/2 cup Vinegar

dash of sesame oil

1. Cut the cucumber into half. Remove the seed. Slice into thin pieces. (Do not peel the skin)

2. Cut the carrot into thin strips.

3. Mix the cucumber and carrot with sugar, salt, vinegar and sesame oil in a bowl. Keep in the fridge overnight.

4. Before use, pour off the excess water in the bowl. Give the cucumber an extra squeeze to remove any water remaining. This will give the cucumber a crispy texture.

5. Add in the chilli (cut into thin slices) and pineapple cubes.

Preparing the Rice

And finally, after a long day of preparing, we have reached the final step. Getting the rice cooked.

Ingredients

Rice

Chicken Stock

Pandan leaves (optional)

Cook the rice using the chicken stock. The will give the rice the added flavours.

Enjoy the meal!

p/s Of course, cooking is not a formula. You don't have to follow the ingredients strictly. Adjust the flavours according to your personal liking.