Roti n Rice

Fuzzy Melon and Glass Vermicelli Stir-fry (Daai Ji Maa Gaa Neoi) – 大姨媽嫁女

What’s in a name of a dish? Many well known dishes are named after regions, a method of cooking, or ingredients used mainly as descriptors. Some are named in honor of emperors, kings, or famous persons. Others are puns on words giving the dish an auspicious meaning as in the case of the Chinese New [...]

Pomelo Salad and My Memories Suite v3 Giveaway

Pomelo is a pale green to yellow colored citrus fruit with a thick rind. It tastes like a mild grapefruit and has a very slight hint of bitterness. Pomelos come in two varieties – a sweet kind with white flesh and a slightly tangy kind with pinkish flesh. The ones we find here has a [...]

Lobak (Five-Spice Meat Rolls)

Lobak is a deep fried minced pork roll wrapped in beancurd sheet. It has a crunchy exterior with a soft and chewy filling. On the island of Penang, lobak is often made at home by the Straits Chinese as one of the main dishes during festivals and celebrations. At the food courts, it is eaten [...]

Ushering in the Lunar New Year

In contrast to Chinese New Year in Asia with family and friends, over here it is a work day for most people. The snow that we “ordered for Christmas” finally arrived and Ro-Ri San had to fire up the snow thrower to clear the driveway. He took the day off to accompany me while the [...]

Bak Kwa (Long Yoke Korn) – Dragon Meat for the Year of the Dragon

One of the most delectable aromas in Asian Chinatowns is the smell of Bak Kwa being roasted on a charcoal brazier in a nearby restaurant. Interestingly, there are Chinatowns even in predominantly Chinese cities like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Singapore where things feel more Chinese. In Kuala Lumpur there is Petaling Street or Chee Cheong [...]

Hup Toh Soh (Chinese Walnut Biscuits)

Ever thought of food as time capsules? Everyone can think of some food that instantly transports us back to an exact place and time in our lives with its unique combination of taste, scent, and texture. For me, some of these traditional Chinese confectioneries bring me back to long childhood road trips from Kuala Lumpur, [...]

Leng Chee Kang (Sweet Lotus Drink)

Leng Chee Kang is a dessert consisting of a variety of pre-cooked ingredients mixed in a syrup. Considered to have “cooling” properties, it may be served warm or cold with ice cubes. Hence, it’s popularity in Malaysia and Singapore where the climate is hot and humid throughout the year. While it is not exactly a [...]

Chinese Five-Spice Roast Chicken

A chicken dish is a must have at the Chinese New Year Eve reunion dinner. Typically the chicken is served whole with the head and all, symbolizing wholeness and prosperity. When I was a kid, the silky smooth “pak cham kai” (in Cantonese dialect) or “white cut chicken” was very popular. This dish is similar [...]

Bak Kut Teh (Pork Ribs Tea)

Bak Kut Teh in the Hokkien or Fujianese dialect literally translates to pork rib tea. This rich herbal soup contains dong gui (Angelica Sinensis), known for its warming properties. For this reason, it is popularly eaten as a supper or late night meal in Malaysia and Singapore. Over here in Minnesota, I like to cook [...]

Poached Pears with White Fungus and Red Dates

Holidays, holidays, we just can’t get enough of them. The Christmas ornaments are back in their year-long storage and the new calendars are up in place. Time to move on with the work year, right? Not so fast! Let’s bring out the bright red scrolls, pussy willow branches, and Mandarin oranges. The Chinese or Lunar [...]