Golden Fortune Yusheng recipe by MAGGI
By Chen Jingwen, Editor
soshiok.com
Singapore, January 24, 2011
Tossing Yusheng for an abundance of good fortune in the intimate and fun company of family and friends is so prevalent in Singapore today that novel versions of the dish are must-have communal ritual.
As you reunite and reaffirm ties with family impress them with a new Yusheng that would encourage them to throw the colour-ful salad even higher for better luck.
Create one that excites their palate too, like how MAGGI resident Culinary Consultant Pancy Seng (below) of Nestlé Singapore has done.
Adopting a healthier approach, she refreshed the traditional recipe with enlivening dashes of MAGGI Less Salt Chilli and Tomato sauces from its Healthier Choice range, and zingy calamansi juice.
The result: a delectably zesty Yusheng sauce with distinctive taste dimensions of MAGGI familiar to the tastebuds of the young and old.
That is why it is such a favourite brand with many in Singapore.
The chef also upped its health quotient with a wider array of vegetables and fruit while cutting down on the overly sweet and artificially coloured vegetables used in the traditional recipe.
The addition of green apple, cucumber, dried persimmon, dried mango, dried apricot and dried tangerine creates a delicious splash of flavours and healthy array of colours
With widely available ingredients, Chef Pancy, who is also a cookbook author, has demonstrated how an elaborate, traditional dish can be easily made.
She said: "MAGGI sauces are made to suit all occasions - in the festive kitchen as well as for daily use."
So try out her easy recipe for an extra dose of good luck at your family reunion this new year.
In fact, the scrumptious dish is so versatile that it can be tossed to brighten any occasion with your loved ones!
Golden Fortune Yusheng
By Chef Pancy Seng
Main ingredients
300g Fresh Salmon (sliced)
200g Abalone (sliced and cut into 18 ingots)
200g Carrot
150g White Radish
100g Green Radish
120g Cucumber
2 Green Apples (peeled, cut into strips)
100g Pomelo
80g Nestle® Honey Gold Flakes
60g Chopped Peanuts
10g Fried Sesame Seeds
Dried and Pickled Ingredients (shredded)
40g Dried Persimmon (Sharon persimmon)
40g Dried Mango
40g Dried Apricot
30g Preserved Tangerine
20g Pickled Ginger
20g Pickled Melon
20g Pickled Leek
Yusheng sauce (mixed together)
5 tbsps Maggi®Healthier Choice Less Salt Tomato Sauce
3 tbsps Maggi® Healthier Choice Less Salt Chilli Sauce
4 tbsps Plum Paste
6 tbsps Calamansi Lime Juice
5 tbsps Cooking Oil like sunflower or canola oil
Method
1. Shred Carrot, Cucumber, White and Green Radish. Soak in ice water for about 5 mins.
2. Squeeze out the excess water from the vegetables and arrange them on a large round serving plate.
3. Arrange Dried and Pickled ingredients, green apple strips and pomelo around the shredded vegetables. Place Salmon and Abalone on the dried and pickled ingredients.
4. Sprinkle White Pepper, Cinnamon Powder. Pour the mixed Yusheng sauce over. Scatter Nestle® Honey Gold Flakes, chopped peanuts and sesame seeds. Then get everyone to toss!
Serves 10 people
Saturday, July 30, 2011
By Hedy Khoo
The New Paper
Singapore, January 23, 2011
NO NEED to fret if you have broken your new year resolutions.
With Chinese New Year round the corner, you can mull over new resolutions while tucking into new year goodies.
You have the rest of the year to struggle with guilt, gym and the unbearable heat of the dry season.
But if you do need peace of mind to lessen the guilt of pigging out, try these dainty and exquisite kueh pie tee, fit for a quick snack as well.
Lull yourself into thinking they are light and healthy with that vegetable filling. But you don’t really want to think about the deep-fried dough cups.
They are a perfect serving for your guests, especially for the women.
After all, confess: Don’t you feel secretly happy to see your friends playing tug of war with the addictive explosion of crunchy flavours in the mouth and a stretched-out waist band?
If anyone dares utter the word “fattening”, remind them – it’s just all vegetables.
KUEH PIE TEE
INGREDIENTS
2 jicama (bang kwang), shredded
1 carrot, shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced
20g dried shrimp
2 Chinese sausages
2 hardboiled eggs, chopped
2 stalks of cilantro
200ml water
80 kueh pie tee cups
5 tbsp oil
Seasoning
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soya sauce
liberal dash of pepper
1/4 tsp salt
METHOD
Steam sausages for 5 minutes. Remove skin and dice. Set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp oil. Fry dried shrimp and diced sausage. Remove from wok and set aside.
Heat remaining oil. Fry garlic and add carrot and jicama before garlic begins to brown. Add shrimp and diced sausages.
Add water and allow to cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, or to the level of crunchiness you desire.
Add the seasoning.
To assemble the kueh pie tee, use chopsticks or a teaspoon to place filling in the kueh pie tee cups.
Top with some chopped egg and garnish with cilantro.
You may add chopped chilli if you like.
The New Paper
Singapore, January 23, 2011
NO NEED to fret if you have broken your new year resolutions.
With Chinese New Year round the corner, you can mull over new resolutions while tucking into new year goodies.
You have the rest of the year to struggle with guilt, gym and the unbearable heat of the dry season.
But if you do need peace of mind to lessen the guilt of pigging out, try these dainty and exquisite kueh pie tee, fit for a quick snack as well.
Lull yourself into thinking they are light and healthy with that vegetable filling. But you don’t really want to think about the deep-fried dough cups.
They are a perfect serving for your guests, especially for the women.
After all, confess: Don’t you feel secretly happy to see your friends playing tug of war with the addictive explosion of crunchy flavours in the mouth and a stretched-out waist band?
If anyone dares utter the word “fattening”, remind them – it’s just all vegetables.
KUEH PIE TEE
INGREDIENTS
2 jicama (bang kwang), shredded
1 carrot, shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced
20g dried shrimp
2 Chinese sausages
2 hardboiled eggs, chopped
2 stalks of cilantro
200ml water
80 kueh pie tee cups
5 tbsp oil
Seasoning
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soya sauce
liberal dash of pepper
1/4 tsp salt
METHOD
Steam sausages for 5 minutes. Remove skin and dice. Set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp oil. Fry dried shrimp and diced sausage. Remove from wok and set aside.
Heat remaining oil. Fry garlic and add carrot and jicama before garlic begins to brown. Add shrimp and diced sausages.
Add water and allow to cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, or to the level of crunchiness you desire.
Add the seasoning.
To assemble the kueh pie tee, use chopsticks or a teaspoon to place filling in the kueh pie tee cups.
Top with some chopped egg and garnish with cilantro.
You may add chopped chilli if you like.
By Priya Menon
Kuali.com
I LOVE cooking with spices. It was part of my life growing up. The bottles of spices sitting on the kitchen shelf are part of my early childhood memories.
When I became serious about cooking, I instantly knew that I would love to work with spices. I feel like an alchemist when I am mixing blends. I am also happiest when discussing about spices.
No regrets at all with my decision. I am always discovering new ways and health benefits of using spice. If spices weren’t around, food would be bland, devoid of aroma and flavour.
What are spices?
Spices are nature’s bouquet garni and antioxidant. They are the soul of Indian dishes. They are not only used to enhance the flavours of a dish, but are known for their curative benefits.
Spices have been used for thousands of years in India, the place where it originates. History states that it was the early Arab merchants who introduced spices to the rest of the world. Wars were fought over the control of the spice trade and route as it was a rare commodity, worth its weight in gold.
Spices were also used along with roots and herbs by early traditional medicine practitioners. These practices are still used in homeopathic and ayurvedic treatments today.
Using spices
How do you use them? How would you know what to blend for a mix? Where do you get them? These are the usual questions that would be running through the mind of a spice enthusiast.
The use of spices in Indian meals, sweets, snacks and desserts is truly amazing. Spices can be used whole, powdered, plain, roasted, dry or in paste form at the beginning or end of a cooking process. It can be used alone or in combinations. There are also spice drops. Yes, concentrated spice oils.
I enjoy using whole spices in some of my dishes. I use them whole because I enjoy the sight of sautéed spices lying recklessly all over the vegetable it is partnered with. And when you bite into it, there is an instant crunchiness of the fennel seed or coriander seed. Then there is a sudden burst of aroma in your mouth that wafts all the way to the back of your mouth and up the nose. It lingers there until the next crunch.
Recently, I discovered that patients who are on dialysis are advised to use whole spices in their cooking instead of spice powders. A member of my family is on dialysis and I do follow the restrictions. However, it is not always easy.
Blending spices
Spice blending is the art of concocting your own blend for a particular dish. This saves time, money and also allows you to create your very own blends. Are they difficult to blend, you may ask. Not if you know your spices well. This will come easy over time.
Spices have to be blended harmoniously and subtly, taking care not to overpower the main ingredients of a dish, be it vegetables, meat, seafood or desserts.
When working with spices, it’s always important to taste each one of them to familiarise yourself with the taste and aroma.
The art of using Indian spices vary from dishes to dishes. For example, what fascinated me was how the blending of about 10 to 15 different spices in a dish, brought out the heavenly aromas and flavours in a Hyderabadi Briyani dish. Or the use of only two spices in the making of the famous Keralite Aviyal dish.
There are also blends that are ready-made in the market. However, when you put together your mix from scratch, believe me; you will never go back to packed spice powders.
Here are the most popular blends that you will need in your spice pantry: Garam Masala, Briyani Masala, Korma Masala, Chicken Curry Masala, Fish Curry Masala, Resam Masala, Sambar Masala, and Vegetable Curry Masala.
These are just a few basic and frequently used blends. It’s always advisable to make your blends last for two weeks. Any longer than that, the mix would have lost its soul.
Types of spices
Spices can be classified into two groups, essential/basic spices and aromatic spices. The essential spices are also known as soft spices, while the aromatics are considered as warm spices.
Essential spices are spices that are used daily in almost all dishes. They are very essential and have to be fresh to impart their aroma and taste to take your dish to the dimension you want.
They are cumin, fennel, mustard seeds, fenugreek, turmeric, black and white pepper, coriander seeds, asafetida, Indian bay leaf, and dried chillis.
Essential spices are used in daily cooking for tempering vegetables, curries and chutneys. They are a must in every Indian kitchen.
Aromatic spices are cinnamon, star anise, clove, cardamoms. These are essential in the making of the garam masala blend. They impart aromas that would literally take over a dish. When using them, a little sometimes goes a long way. These spices can be used whole in many recipes, thus releasing their flavours to a dish over time or in powder form when used in baking.
Spices for beginners
It’s really important that you have a spice grocer who deals in fresh spices. There is a lot of difference between fresh and stale spices. I personally stay away from vendors who do not store their spices in airtight containers.
A beginner to Indian cooking should invest in about 50 to 100g of cumin, fennel, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek, dried chillis, turmeric, cinnamon, clove, star anise, peppers, and cardamom.
Store them in airtight containers to prevent them from turning stale and discolouring.
When new to using spices, always begin with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon to any dish that would serve three or four persons. This measurement can be used for basic spices such as fennel, cumin, fenugreek, asafetida, peppers, turmeric, coriander, chilli powder and mustard seeds.
When attempting aromatic spices, try using them whole for starters, before blending them into powders for your spice blends.
An important tip to remember: When using spices in any form, always work with very low fire as spices tend to burn easily.
Kuali.com
I LOVE cooking with spices. It was part of my life growing up. The bottles of spices sitting on the kitchen shelf are part of my early childhood memories.
When I became serious about cooking, I instantly knew that I would love to work with spices. I feel like an alchemist when I am mixing blends. I am also happiest when discussing about spices.
No regrets at all with my decision. I am always discovering new ways and health benefits of using spice. If spices weren’t around, food would be bland, devoid of aroma and flavour.
What are spices?
Spices are nature’s bouquet garni and antioxidant. They are the soul of Indian dishes. They are not only used to enhance the flavours of a dish, but are known for their curative benefits.
Spices have been used for thousands of years in India, the place where it originates. History states that it was the early Arab merchants who introduced spices to the rest of the world. Wars were fought over the control of the spice trade and route as it was a rare commodity, worth its weight in gold.
Spices were also used along with roots and herbs by early traditional medicine practitioners. These practices are still used in homeopathic and ayurvedic treatments today.
Using spices
How do you use them? How would you know what to blend for a mix? Where do you get them? These are the usual questions that would be running through the mind of a spice enthusiast.
The use of spices in Indian meals, sweets, snacks and desserts is truly amazing. Spices can be used whole, powdered, plain, roasted, dry or in paste form at the beginning or end of a cooking process. It can be used alone or in combinations. There are also spice drops. Yes, concentrated spice oils.
I enjoy using whole spices in some of my dishes. I use them whole because I enjoy the sight of sautéed spices lying recklessly all over the vegetable it is partnered with. And when you bite into it, there is an instant crunchiness of the fennel seed or coriander seed. Then there is a sudden burst of aroma in your mouth that wafts all the way to the back of your mouth and up the nose. It lingers there until the next crunch.
Recently, I discovered that patients who are on dialysis are advised to use whole spices in their cooking instead of spice powders. A member of my family is on dialysis and I do follow the restrictions. However, it is not always easy.
Blending spices
Spice blending is the art of concocting your own blend for a particular dish. This saves time, money and also allows you to create your very own blends. Are they difficult to blend, you may ask. Not if you know your spices well. This will come easy over time.
Spices have to be blended harmoniously and subtly, taking care not to overpower the main ingredients of a dish, be it vegetables, meat, seafood or desserts.
When working with spices, it’s always important to taste each one of them to familiarise yourself with the taste and aroma.
The art of using Indian spices vary from dishes to dishes. For example, what fascinated me was how the blending of about 10 to 15 different spices in a dish, brought out the heavenly aromas and flavours in a Hyderabadi Briyani dish. Or the use of only two spices in the making of the famous Keralite Aviyal dish.
There are also blends that are ready-made in the market. However, when you put together your mix from scratch, believe me; you will never go back to packed spice powders.
Here are the most popular blends that you will need in your spice pantry: Garam Masala, Briyani Masala, Korma Masala, Chicken Curry Masala, Fish Curry Masala, Resam Masala, Sambar Masala, and Vegetable Curry Masala.
These are just a few basic and frequently used blends. It’s always advisable to make your blends last for two weeks. Any longer than that, the mix would have lost its soul.
Types of spices
Spices can be classified into two groups, essential/basic spices and aromatic spices. The essential spices are also known as soft spices, while the aromatics are considered as warm spices.
Essential spices are spices that are used daily in almost all dishes. They are very essential and have to be fresh to impart their aroma and taste to take your dish to the dimension you want.
They are cumin, fennel, mustard seeds, fenugreek, turmeric, black and white pepper, coriander seeds, asafetida, Indian bay leaf, and dried chillis.
Essential spices are used in daily cooking for tempering vegetables, curries and chutneys. They are a must in every Indian kitchen.
Aromatic spices are cinnamon, star anise, clove, cardamoms. These are essential in the making of the garam masala blend. They impart aromas that would literally take over a dish. When using them, a little sometimes goes a long way. These spices can be used whole in many recipes, thus releasing their flavours to a dish over time or in powder form when used in baking.
Spices for beginners
It’s really important that you have a spice grocer who deals in fresh spices. There is a lot of difference between fresh and stale spices. I personally stay away from vendors who do not store their spices in airtight containers.
A beginner to Indian cooking should invest in about 50 to 100g of cumin, fennel, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek, dried chillis, turmeric, cinnamon, clove, star anise, peppers, and cardamom.
Store them in airtight containers to prevent them from turning stale and discolouring.
When new to using spices, always begin with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon to any dish that would serve three or four persons. This measurement can be used for basic spices such as fennel, cumin, fenugreek, asafetida, peppers, turmeric, coriander, chilli powder and mustard seeds.
When attempting aromatic spices, try using them whole for starters, before blending them into powders for your spice blends.
An important tip to remember: When using spices in any form, always work with very low fire as spices tend to burn easily.
Malaysia, May 11, 2011
Ingredients
700g duck
6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked
180g young ginger, sliced
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 litre stock/water
Marinade (A)
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2tsp thick soy sauce
1 tbp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
(B)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped shallot
1 tbsp fermented black beans (hak tau si)
1 tbsp preserved bean paste (tau cheong)
(C)
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp rock sugar
1/2 tsp chicken stock powder
Garnishing
200g yam
Method
Remove skin from the duck and trim off all excess fat. Cut duck into fairly large pieces. Season with marinade (A) for several hours.
Heat sesame oil and fry ingredients (B) till aromatic. Add marinated duck and young ginger. Stir-fry for a while. Add mushrooms and seasoning (C).
Pour in stock/water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until meat is tender and gravy is thick.
In the meantime, deep-fry yam pieces and steam until soft. Arrange yam pieces on a serving plate. Once duck is ready for serving, dish out onto the yam and serve at once.
Ingredients
700g duck
6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked
180g young ginger, sliced
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 litre stock/water
Marinade (A)
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2tsp thick soy sauce
1 tbp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
(B)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped shallot
1 tbsp fermented black beans (hak tau si)
1 tbsp preserved bean paste (tau cheong)
(C)
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp rock sugar
1/2 tsp chicken stock powder
Garnishing
200g yam
Method
Remove skin from the duck and trim off all excess fat. Cut duck into fairly large pieces. Season with marinade (A) for several hours.
Heat sesame oil and fry ingredients (B) till aromatic. Add marinated duck and young ginger. Stir-fry for a while. Add mushrooms and seasoning (C).
Pour in stock/water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until meat is tender and gravy is thick.
In the meantime, deep-fry yam pieces and steam until soft. Arrange yam pieces on a serving plate. Once duck is ready for serving, dish out onto the yam and serve at once.
Malaysia, June 8, 2011
OVER the past four years, I've had a ball writing for Sunday Metro under the column Helen Ong, Penang (here's one more go at my photobyline!).
It's been wonderful meeting new people and talking to the rich tapestry of folk who make up the chefs, restaurateurs and hawkers without whom the state would not have gained its international reputation for good food. I've learnt a lot delving into the history and background of many of our well-known and not so well-known eateries and the interesting, diverse personalities and characters behind them.
It's been my privilege to tell readers about some of the myriad hawker centres, kopitiam and restaurants we have here, so I hope the column has helped them to discover the many places there are to visit when they come up north.
Being a fussy eater - as family, friends and restaurateurs will vouch for - it would be unfair to impose my own tastes on others because, quite frankly, if I had just written about places which served food I personally liked, I would have run out of articles quite a while back! That's why whenever people refer to me as a food critic I am quick to correct them: I prefer to describe myself as a food writer.
Above all, I've thoroughly enjoyed chomping my way through the food served by Penang's eateries, and, cholesterol and increased waist measurement notwithstanding, it's been worth every fat cell.
This Laksa Lemak is a favourite recipe which allows me to indulge my tastes for something spicy, creamy, soupy, smooth yet savoury all at the same time. Being a lazy cook, I like recipes which can also be easily knocked up with whatever you have stored in the larder or freezer (I freeze a lot of stuff!).
Although it seems to require a lot of ingredients, improvisation is the key word: the asterisked items can be optional, although I recommend you only miss out two or three items if they are unavailable as the more the tastier. Remember: it is important to agak-agak, so adjust according to how spicy you like it. It can be eaten with dried or fresh noodles, spaghetti or even cooked rice.
Laksa Lemak
Ingredients:
Rempah (Mixed Spice)
2 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
3 pips garlic, peeled*
½ inch fresh galangal*
¼ inch fresh turmeric or ½ teaspoon powdered*
1 stalk lemon grass, cut into ¼ inch rings*
1 bunga kantan (pink ginger bud), cut ito ¼ inch rings*
½ inch sq piece belacan*
5-10 large dried chillies, soaked in hot water then drained
5-10 fresh red chillies, cut into ½ inch rings*
1-2 tablespoons chilli powder* (this adds a bit of kick and a wonderful rich red colour)
Others
½ cup cooking oil
1 small can pink salmon, tuna or sardine* and/or
A handful of hey bee (dried shrimps), soaked then pounded
Approx 1 ½ litres of hot water or stock
Fishballs, fishcake (sliced) and tauhu pok*
Approx 10 medium-sized fresh prawns*
3-5 stalks of daun kesom, washed*
½ can evaporated milk
1 small packet long-life santan (coconut milk) or ¼ kg fresh
One chicken or ikan bilis stock cube if only hot water is used
Salt and sugar to taste
Garnish
Kaffir Lime leaves, finely julienned*
Fresh mint*
Thai basil*
Fresh sliced large onions*
Fresh bunga kantan, finely chopped*
Fresh cucumber, julienned*
Combine all rempah ingredients and blend to a smooth paste.
Method:
Heat oil in large saucepan then add rempah and fry over gentle heat until mixture "separates".
Add tinned fish and dried shrimp and continue frying for another 2-3 minutes.
Add hot water or stock, and bring to boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add fishballs, fishcake and tauhu pok and bring to boil for another 2-3 minutes.
Add evaporated milk and bring to boil. Switch off heat, then add the coconut milk. Stir in gently.
Season to taste.
Serve with any type of noodles and garnish.
Enjoy!
Look out for my new book Helen Ong's Guide to Easy Malaysian Cooking due out in 2013.
OVER the past four years, I've had a ball writing for Sunday Metro under the column Helen Ong, Penang (here's one more go at my photobyline!).
It's been wonderful meeting new people and talking to the rich tapestry of folk who make up the chefs, restaurateurs and hawkers without whom the state would not have gained its international reputation for good food. I've learnt a lot delving into the history and background of many of our well-known and not so well-known eateries and the interesting, diverse personalities and characters behind them.
It's been my privilege to tell readers about some of the myriad hawker centres, kopitiam and restaurants we have here, so I hope the column has helped them to discover the many places there are to visit when they come up north.
Being a fussy eater - as family, friends and restaurateurs will vouch for - it would be unfair to impose my own tastes on others because, quite frankly, if I had just written about places which served food I personally liked, I would have run out of articles quite a while back! That's why whenever people refer to me as a food critic I am quick to correct them: I prefer to describe myself as a food writer.
Above all, I've thoroughly enjoyed chomping my way through the food served by Penang's eateries, and, cholesterol and increased waist measurement notwithstanding, it's been worth every fat cell.
This Laksa Lemak is a favourite recipe which allows me to indulge my tastes for something spicy, creamy, soupy, smooth yet savoury all at the same time. Being a lazy cook, I like recipes which can also be easily knocked up with whatever you have stored in the larder or freezer (I freeze a lot of stuff!).
Although it seems to require a lot of ingredients, improvisation is the key word: the asterisked items can be optional, although I recommend you only miss out two or three items if they are unavailable as the more the tastier. Remember: it is important to agak-agak, so adjust according to how spicy you like it. It can be eaten with dried or fresh noodles, spaghetti or even cooked rice.
Laksa Lemak
Ingredients:
Rempah (Mixed Spice)
2 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
3 pips garlic, peeled*
½ inch fresh galangal*
¼ inch fresh turmeric or ½ teaspoon powdered*
1 stalk lemon grass, cut into ¼ inch rings*
1 bunga kantan (pink ginger bud), cut ito ¼ inch rings*
½ inch sq piece belacan*
5-10 large dried chillies, soaked in hot water then drained
5-10 fresh red chillies, cut into ½ inch rings*
1-2 tablespoons chilli powder* (this adds a bit of kick and a wonderful rich red colour)
Others
½ cup cooking oil
1 small can pink salmon, tuna or sardine* and/or
A handful of hey bee (dried shrimps), soaked then pounded
Approx 1 ½ litres of hot water or stock
Fishballs, fishcake (sliced) and tauhu pok*
Approx 10 medium-sized fresh prawns*
3-5 stalks of daun kesom, washed*
½ can evaporated milk
1 small packet long-life santan (coconut milk) or ¼ kg fresh
One chicken or ikan bilis stock cube if only hot water is used
Salt and sugar to taste
Garnish
Kaffir Lime leaves, finely julienned*
Fresh mint*
Thai basil*
Fresh sliced large onions*
Fresh bunga kantan, finely chopped*
Fresh cucumber, julienned*
Combine all rempah ingredients and blend to a smooth paste.
Method:
Heat oil in large saucepan then add rempah and fry over gentle heat until mixture "separates".
Add tinned fish and dried shrimp and continue frying for another 2-3 minutes.
Add hot water or stock, and bring to boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add fishballs, fishcake and tauhu pok and bring to boil for another 2-3 minutes.
Add evaporated milk and bring to boil. Switch off heat, then add the coconut milk. Stir in gently.
Season to taste.
Serve with any type of noodles and garnish.
Enjoy!
Look out for my new book Helen Ong's Guide to Easy Malaysian Cooking due out in 2013.
Celebration Dry Chicken Curry Recipe
By Datuk Faridah Begum
The Star/Asia News Network
Malaysia, June 8, 2011
WADING into untried territory - that was how I felt when I was told I would be transferred to Sunday Metro in July 2007. After almost 20 years of journalism, it was daunting because I had all the while been mainly a news writer.
What was more worrying was the fact that every story was done on the spur of the moment, and we were required to fill up 12 pages every Sunday.
But after a fortnight of charting unknown waters, with the then editor T. Selva informing the three writers (angels, we were called) - Sangeeta Nair, Renita Che Wan and me - that he was going on long leave, we were entrusted to plan the pullout ourselves. And what fun we had, along with our sub-editor Catherine Siow and Penang-based food columnist Helen Ong.
The three years I spent on this pullout was an eye-opener of not only the new things we could learn but also an acid test of what all of us could do. It became a show of our individual strengths that we could put the pullout together from scratch every single week.
Sunday Metro launched my career as a food columnist and cook, and I am thankful to all the readers whose letters, comments and criticism built up my confidence in this field.
The greatest treasure that I gained from Sunday Metro is the fact that I inspired so many people to start cooking and enjoying it at the same time.
This is the last issue and for it I have specially concocted recipes to celebrate Sunday Metro for the icon it has been these four years.
Thank you, Sunday Metro, for all the good you have brought to me!
Celebration Dry Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
1 chicken, cut into 12 or 16 pieces
1 pod garlic
8cm ginger
½ cup cashewnuts or almonds – soaked and blended into a thick paste
2 large onions – cut into thin rings
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cinnamon stick
3 cardamoms
2 star anise
3 cloves
2 pandan leaves – washed and tied together
2 tablespoons meat curry powder
½ cup coconut cream and 1/2 cup evaporated milk (or a cup of either)
2 cups water
3 large tomatoes, cut into 6 wedges each
4 large red chillies – halved and seeded
Coriander leaves – chopped (as desired)
Salt to taste
Methods
1) Blend the garlic and ginger together into a paste. In a large wok, heat the vegetable oil and add the cinnamon stick, cardamom, star anise and cloves.
2) Add the pandan leaves and onions and fry until fragrant and the onions are soft.
3) Put in the curry powder, cashewnut or almond paste along with the ginger-garlic paste. Reduce the heat, and stir until the oil surfaces. Add the chicken pieces and stir fry to coat them with the paste.
4) When the chicken turns opaque, pour in the cream and milk, water and tomatoes.
5) Cover and simmer until chicken is almost cooked. Remove the cover, raise the heat a little and let the liquid evaporate to a desired consistency.
6) Season and throw in the chopped coriander, mix and serve with hot rice.
By Datuk Faridah Begum
The Star/Asia News Network
Malaysia, June 8, 2011
WADING into untried territory - that was how I felt when I was told I would be transferred to Sunday Metro in July 2007. After almost 20 years of journalism, it was daunting because I had all the while been mainly a news writer.
What was more worrying was the fact that every story was done on the spur of the moment, and we were required to fill up 12 pages every Sunday.
But after a fortnight of charting unknown waters, with the then editor T. Selva informing the three writers (angels, we were called) - Sangeeta Nair, Renita Che Wan and me - that he was going on long leave, we were entrusted to plan the pullout ourselves. And what fun we had, along with our sub-editor Catherine Siow and Penang-based food columnist Helen Ong.
The three years I spent on this pullout was an eye-opener of not only the new things we could learn but also an acid test of what all of us could do. It became a show of our individual strengths that we could put the pullout together from scratch every single week.
Sunday Metro launched my career as a food columnist and cook, and I am thankful to all the readers whose letters, comments and criticism built up my confidence in this field.
The greatest treasure that I gained from Sunday Metro is the fact that I inspired so many people to start cooking and enjoying it at the same time.
This is the last issue and for it I have specially concocted recipes to celebrate Sunday Metro for the icon it has been these four years.
Thank you, Sunday Metro, for all the good you have brought to me!
Celebration Dry Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
1 chicken, cut into 12 or 16 pieces
1 pod garlic
8cm ginger
½ cup cashewnuts or almonds – soaked and blended into a thick paste
2 large onions – cut into thin rings
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cinnamon stick
3 cardamoms
2 star anise
3 cloves
2 pandan leaves – washed and tied together
2 tablespoons meat curry powder
½ cup coconut cream and 1/2 cup evaporated milk (or a cup of either)
2 cups water
3 large tomatoes, cut into 6 wedges each
4 large red chillies – halved and seeded
Coriander leaves – chopped (as desired)
Salt to taste
Methods
1) Blend the garlic and ginger together into a paste. In a large wok, heat the vegetable oil and add the cinnamon stick, cardamom, star anise and cloves.
2) Add the pandan leaves and onions and fry until fragrant and the onions are soft.
3) Put in the curry powder, cashewnut or almond paste along with the ginger-garlic paste. Reduce the heat, and stir until the oil surfaces. Add the chicken pieces and stir fry to coat them with the paste.
4) When the chicken turns opaque, pour in the cream and milk, water and tomatoes.
5) Cover and simmer until chicken is almost cooked. Remove the cover, raise the heat a little and let the liquid evaporate to a desired consistency.
6) Season and throw in the chopped coriander, mix and serve with hot rice.
Celebration Dry Chicken Curry Recipe
By Datuk Faridah Begum
The Star/Asia News Network
Malaysia, June 8, 2011
WADING into untried territory - that was how I felt when I was told I would be transferred to Sunday Metro in July 2007. After almost 20 years of journalism, it was daunting because I had all the while been mainly a news writer.
What was more worrying was the fact that every story was done on the spur of the moment, and we were required to fill up 12 pages every Sunday.
But after a fortnight of charting unknown waters, with the then editor T. Selva informing the three writers (angels, we were called) - Sangeeta Nair, Renita Che Wan and me - that he was going on long leave, we were entrusted to plan the pullout ourselves. And what fun we had, along with our sub-editor Catherine Siow and Penang-based food columnist Helen Ong.
The three years I spent on this pullout was an eye-opener of not only the new things we could learn but also an acid test of what all of us could do. It became a show of our individual strengths that we could put the pullout together from scratch every single week.
Sunday Metro launched my career as a food columnist and cook, and I am thankful to all the readers whose letters, comments and criticism built up my confidence in this field.
The greatest treasure that I gained from Sunday Metro is the fact that I inspired so many people to start cooking and enjoying it at the same time.
This is the last issue and for it I have specially concocted recipes to celebrate Sunday Metro for the icon it has been these four years.
Thank you, Sunday Metro, for all the good you have brought to me!
Celebration Dry Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
1 chicken, cut into 12 or 16 pieces
1 pod garlic
8cm ginger
½ cup cashewnuts or almonds – soaked and blended into a thick paste
2 large onions – cut into thin rings
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cinnamon stick
3 cardamoms
2 star anise
3 cloves
2 pandan leaves – washed and tied together
2 tablespoons meat curry powder
½ cup coconut cream and 1/2 cup evaporated milk (or a cup of either)
2 cups water
3 large tomatoes, cut into 6 wedges each
4 large red chillies – halved and seeded
Coriander leaves – chopped (as desired)
Salt to taste
Methods
1) Blend the garlic and ginger together into a paste. In a large wok, heat the vegetable oil and add the cinnamon stick, cardamom, star anise and cloves.
2) Add the pandan leaves and onions and fry until fragrant and the onions are soft.
3) Put in the curry powder, cashewnut or almond paste along with the ginger-garlic paste. Reduce the heat, and stir until the oil surfaces. Add the chicken pieces and stir fry to coat them with the paste.
4) When the chicken turns opaque, pour in the cream and milk, water and tomatoes.
5) Cover and simmer until chicken is almost cooked. Remove the cover, raise the heat a little and let the liquid evaporate to a desired consistency.
6) Season and throw in the chopped coriander, mix and serve with hot rice.
By Datuk Faridah Begum
The Star/Asia News Network
Malaysia, June 8, 2011
WADING into untried territory - that was how I felt when I was told I would be transferred to Sunday Metro in July 2007. After almost 20 years of journalism, it was daunting because I had all the while been mainly a news writer.
What was more worrying was the fact that every story was done on the spur of the moment, and we were required to fill up 12 pages every Sunday.
But after a fortnight of charting unknown waters, with the then editor T. Selva informing the three writers (angels, we were called) - Sangeeta Nair, Renita Che Wan and me - that he was going on long leave, we were entrusted to plan the pullout ourselves. And what fun we had, along with our sub-editor Catherine Siow and Penang-based food columnist Helen Ong.
The three years I spent on this pullout was an eye-opener of not only the new things we could learn but also an acid test of what all of us could do. It became a show of our individual strengths that we could put the pullout together from scratch every single week.
Sunday Metro launched my career as a food columnist and cook, and I am thankful to all the readers whose letters, comments and criticism built up my confidence in this field.
The greatest treasure that I gained from Sunday Metro is the fact that I inspired so many people to start cooking and enjoying it at the same time.
This is the last issue and for it I have specially concocted recipes to celebrate Sunday Metro for the icon it has been these four years.
Thank you, Sunday Metro, for all the good you have brought to me!
Celebration Dry Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
1 chicken, cut into 12 or 16 pieces
1 pod garlic
8cm ginger
½ cup cashewnuts or almonds – soaked and blended into a thick paste
2 large onions – cut into thin rings
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cinnamon stick
3 cardamoms
2 star anise
3 cloves
2 pandan leaves – washed and tied together
2 tablespoons meat curry powder
½ cup coconut cream and 1/2 cup evaporated milk (or a cup of either)
2 cups water
3 large tomatoes, cut into 6 wedges each
4 large red chillies – halved and seeded
Coriander leaves – chopped (as desired)
Salt to taste
Methods
1) Blend the garlic and ginger together into a paste. In a large wok, heat the vegetable oil and add the cinnamon stick, cardamom, star anise and cloves.
2) Add the pandan leaves and onions and fry until fragrant and the onions are soft.
3) Put in the curry powder, cashewnut or almond paste along with the ginger-garlic paste. Reduce the heat, and stir until the oil surfaces. Add the chicken pieces and stir fry to coat them with the paste.
4) When the chicken turns opaque, pour in the cream and milk, water and tomatoes.
5) Cover and simmer until chicken is almost cooked. Remove the cover, raise the heat a little and let the liquid evaporate to a desired consistency.
6) Season and throw in the chopped coriander, mix and serve with hot rice.
Teppanyaki Butter Prawns Recipe
By Datuk Faridah Begum
The Star/Asia News Network
Ingredients
500g large prawns – cleaned and deveined
60g butter
2 tablespoons Teriyaki sauce – flavoured with honey and soy
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped flat-leave parsley
Methods
1) On a teppanyaki plate or a grilling pan, melt the butter and heat until it turns golden brown.
2) Put the prawns on the pan and cook over high heat, giving each side at least two minutes before turning over.
3) After both sides are slightly charred, drizzle the teriyaki sauce and seasoning. Just before dishing up, throw in the parsley, stir and dish up.
By Datuk Faridah Begum
The Star/Asia News Network
Ingredients
500g large prawns – cleaned and deveined
60g butter
2 tablespoons Teriyaki sauce – flavoured with honey and soy
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped flat-leave parsley
Methods
1) On a teppanyaki plate or a grilling pan, melt the butter and heat until it turns golden brown.
2) Put the prawns on the pan and cook over high heat, giving each side at least two minutes before turning over.
3) After both sides are slightly charred, drizzle the teriyaki sauce and seasoning. Just before dishing up, throw in the parsley, stir and dish up.
By Datuk Faridah Begum
The Star/Asia News Network
Ingredients
60g butter, melted
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup self-raising flour
¾ cup milk
1 overripe banana, mashed
1 egg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vanilla ice-cream or custard, to serve
Methods
1) Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon into rice cooker bowl. Cover with plastic wrap.
2) Place in steamer basket. Place lid on and set timer (45 mins). Serve with ice cream or custard.
The Star/Asia News Network
Ingredients
60g butter, melted
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup self-raising flour
¾ cup milk
1 overripe banana, mashed
1 egg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vanilla ice-cream or custard, to serve
Methods
1) Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon into rice cooker bowl. Cover with plastic wrap.
2) Place in steamer basket. Place lid on and set timer (45 mins). Serve with ice cream or custard.
Korea Herald, ANN
S.Korea, June 10, 2011 - Gujeolpan is the name of a nine sectioned platter in which eight different vegetables and meats are placed in each compartment and wheat flour pancakes in the center.
Gujeolpan was originally the name of the platter but it later became the name of the food.
Gujeolpan is a good dish for travel or a picnic because it can serve several foods at the same time.
Gujeolpan (recipe by Institute of Traditional Korean Food)
Ingredients:
50 g beef (top round), 10 g (2 sheets) brown oak mushrooms
seasoning sauce : 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp minced green onion, 1/4 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp sesame salt, 0.1 g ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
10 g stone mushrooms
1/2 cucumber, 1/8 tsp salt
1/8 carrot, 1/8 tsp salt
100 g mung bean sprouts, 2 cups water, 1/4 tsp salt
mung bean sprouts seasoning : 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 egg, 1/8 tsp salt
wheat flour pancake : 8 tbsp wheat flour, 9 tbsp water, 1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp edible oil
mustard juice : 1/2 tbsp fermented mustard, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tbsp honey, 15 g broth or 1 tbsp water
Method:
1) Clean blood off the beef with a cotton cloth. Shred it into 5~6 cm-long, 0.2 cm-wide pieces. Season it with half of the seasoning sauce.
2) Soak the mushrooms in water for about 1 hour, remove stems of brown oak mushrooms, wipe water, shred at intervals of 0.1 cm-wide/thick and season with the remaining seasoning sauce. Rub the stone mushrooms clean, remove stems and roll up and shred until 1 mm-thin.
3) Wash the cucumber by rubbing, cut into 5 cm-long and 0.1 cm-thick roundly, and shred them into 0.1 cm-wide. Wash the carrot, skin, cut into 5 cm-long and shred into 0.1 cm-wide/thick, marinate them with salt for 5 min. respectively, wipe water with cotton cloths. Remove the heads and tails of mung bean sprouts.
4) Panfry the egg for yellow/white garnish and cut it into same size as cucumber.
5) Mix wheat flour, salt and water evenly, sieve and knead it to make pancake dough.
6) Prepare mustard juice.
7) Preheat the frying pan and oil. Stir-fry the beef and brown oak mushrooms for 2 min. respectively on medium heat.
8) Preheat the frying pan and oil. Stir-fry the stone mushrooms for 10 sec. on low heat. Preheat the frying pan and oil. Stir-fry the cucumber and carrot for 30 sec. each on high heat, spread them out and cool down.
9) Pour water in the pot and heat it up for 2 min. on high heat. When it boils, scald mung bean sprouts with salt for 2 min. and mix together with seasonings.
10) Preheat the frying pan and oil. Panfry wheat flour pancakes with 6 g of the dough into 0.2 cm-thick, 6 cm-diameter (20 sheets).
11) Place the pancake in the middle of the platter and decorate with prepared ingredients around the platter, matching colors. Serve with mustard juice.
(Adapted from The Taste of Korea)
Note: In Singapore, you can enjoy Gujeolpan at Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Restaurant - call in advance to check.
S.Korea, June 10, 2011 - Gujeolpan is the name of a nine sectioned platter in which eight different vegetables and meats are placed in each compartment and wheat flour pancakes in the center.
Gujeolpan was originally the name of the platter but it later became the name of the food.
Gujeolpan is a good dish for travel or a picnic because it can serve several foods at the same time.
Gujeolpan (recipe by Institute of Traditional Korean Food)
Ingredients:
50 g beef (top round), 10 g (2 sheets) brown oak mushrooms
seasoning sauce : 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp minced green onion, 1/4 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp sesame salt, 0.1 g ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
10 g stone mushrooms
1/2 cucumber, 1/8 tsp salt
1/8 carrot, 1/8 tsp salt
100 g mung bean sprouts, 2 cups water, 1/4 tsp salt
mung bean sprouts seasoning : 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 egg, 1/8 tsp salt
wheat flour pancake : 8 tbsp wheat flour, 9 tbsp water, 1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp edible oil
mustard juice : 1/2 tbsp fermented mustard, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tbsp honey, 15 g broth or 1 tbsp water
Method:
1) Clean blood off the beef with a cotton cloth. Shred it into 5~6 cm-long, 0.2 cm-wide pieces. Season it with half of the seasoning sauce.
2) Soak the mushrooms in water for about 1 hour, remove stems of brown oak mushrooms, wipe water, shred at intervals of 0.1 cm-wide/thick and season with the remaining seasoning sauce. Rub the stone mushrooms clean, remove stems and roll up and shred until 1 mm-thin.
3) Wash the cucumber by rubbing, cut into 5 cm-long and 0.1 cm-thick roundly, and shred them into 0.1 cm-wide. Wash the carrot, skin, cut into 5 cm-long and shred into 0.1 cm-wide/thick, marinate them with salt for 5 min. respectively, wipe water with cotton cloths. Remove the heads and tails of mung bean sprouts.
4) Panfry the egg for yellow/white garnish and cut it into same size as cucumber.
5) Mix wheat flour, salt and water evenly, sieve and knead it to make pancake dough.
6) Prepare mustard juice.
7) Preheat the frying pan and oil. Stir-fry the beef and brown oak mushrooms for 2 min. respectively on medium heat.
8) Preheat the frying pan and oil. Stir-fry the stone mushrooms for 10 sec. on low heat. Preheat the frying pan and oil. Stir-fry the cucumber and carrot for 30 sec. each on high heat, spread them out and cool down.
9) Pour water in the pot and heat it up for 2 min. on high heat. When it boils, scald mung bean sprouts with salt for 2 min. and mix together with seasonings.
10) Preheat the frying pan and oil. Panfry wheat flour pancakes with 6 g of the dough into 0.2 cm-thick, 6 cm-diameter (20 sheets).
11) Place the pancake in the middle of the platter and decorate with prepared ingredients around the platter, matching colors. Serve with mustard juice.
(Adapted from The Taste of Korea)
Note: In Singapore, you can enjoy Gujeolpan at Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Restaurant - call in advance to check.
Pork and Pusit Adobo recipe
By Ana Mendoza
SoShiok
Philippines, June 9, 2011 - For almost a year now, Ana Mendoza's pork and squid adobo has been her kitchen attraction, never failing to stimulate her family's appetite.
We usually enjoy the combination of chicken and pork adobo, but the partnership of pork and squid is surprisingly more enticing, distinctive and flavorful. Yes, with each bite, a different experience.
The sharp sourness and saltiness of pork-squid adobo explode in the mouth. After a few bites, it even gets tangier and spicier with the inclusion of chili, and the fusion of natural pork oil and squid ink offers lip-smacking goodness to the concoction.
"I learned this pork-squid recipe from a friend, chef Elvis Domingo of Jozu Kin," says Mendoza.
"We were in Baguio City last year for a meeting and on a lazy afternoon he cooked it for us. It was so good. I had several servings of rice because the sauce is already a viand by itself. "
Domingo is a native of Gapan, Nueva Ecija.
"I asked him to teach me the recipe. When I got home, I shared it with my family, and since then we always have pork-squid adobo at home," says Mendoza, a freelance public relations consultant.
She used to work for Ciudad Fernandina, Hotel Rembrandt and an airline.
She cooks in bulk, about two kilos of pork and squid, stores them in several plastic containers and freezes them. Mendoza gets only a pack from the fridge and reheats it for breakfast over fried rice.
"We were already tired of the usual pork or chicken adobo," she says. "And I reheat the mixture in a pan, not in a microwave. My mom doesn't want to use the microwave. The adobo becomes crunchier when reheated in the pan with a bit of oil."
Mendoza buys the squid from Farmer's Market in Cubao, QC. She cleans the squid by pulling out the eyes, tentacles, innards and transparent ribs, yet making sure the black tint is carefully set aside and does not burst, as it will give bitter taste.
Pork and squid are first cooked in vinegar, soy sauce, pepper and tomatoes, then sautéed in onions, garlic and chili. This process unlocks a range of flavors to perk up the taste buds.
Mendoza's adobo is cooked with the ink, but she says you can opt not to include it if you don't want your adobo too dark. When cooked, squid is reduced in size, so better get medium-size ones.
Passion
Mendoza, a graduate of Business Management at St. Paul's College Manila, has a passion for good food.
"Though I never took a culinary course, I understand food. I love food. Cooking came naturally to me because I simply love to eat," she claims.
She loves cooking as much as she enjoys feeding her friends and family with her wide range of specialties-Oriental, Spanish, Italian and Filipino.
An Ilocana, she developed the skill at a tender age. When she was eight, her mom enrolled her at Ludette Dayrit's Le Cordon Bleu, where she learned the basics of cooking. She also had classes with Sylvia Reynoso for baking. And, at a young age, she knew how to use her know-how.
She would make chicken pie and sell them to classmates and relatives. During Christmas, her mom would bake prune cake as giveaways, while she'd bake her own giveaways such as Black Forest and brownies. In high school, instead of focusing on homework, she was preoccupied with recipes.
"I hardly listened to my teachers; all the things in my mind then were recipes. I wanted to make almond float, brownies, gourmet sandwiches or fondue," she recalls.
Mendoza keeps a collection of cookbooks and makes variations if she finds the recipe bland or boring. She experiments with different herbs and spices to put color to the recipes.
Her dream is to put up her own modest restaurant in Tagaytay, where she could showcase her comfort food-fabada soup, callos, lengua, paella, etc.
Pork and Pusit Adobo
Ingredients:
For adobo mixture:
1 k pork belly
1 k fresh pusit, cleaned and sliced
3 pcs tomatoes, sliced
1 medium onions
2 whole garlic, chopped
3 pcs finger chili, chopped
¼ c cane vinegar
¼ c soy sauce
1 pc laurel
½ tsp ground pepper
2 c water
For sauté:
1 pc whole garlic
1 pc medium onion
¼ c cooking oil
Method:
Chop pork belly, adobo-cut, and wash thoroughly. Put water in a pot, add pork, tomatoes, garlic, onions, vinegar, soy sauce, ground pepper and laurel. Cover and leave to boil.
When liquid has reduced to one-fourth and pork is tender, add sliced squid and squid ink. Allow to boil for a few minutes and remove from fire. Set aside.
In a separate pan, sauté garlic and onions in oil, then add precooked pork and squid adobo. Add finger chili, then cook for another five to 10 minutes. Take out from fire and transfer in serving plate.
Serves five people. Serve hot with rice.
By Ana Mendoza
SoShiok
Philippines, June 9, 2011 - For almost a year now, Ana Mendoza's pork and squid adobo has been her kitchen attraction, never failing to stimulate her family's appetite.
We usually enjoy the combination of chicken and pork adobo, but the partnership of pork and squid is surprisingly more enticing, distinctive and flavorful. Yes, with each bite, a different experience.
The sharp sourness and saltiness of pork-squid adobo explode in the mouth. After a few bites, it even gets tangier and spicier with the inclusion of chili, and the fusion of natural pork oil and squid ink offers lip-smacking goodness to the concoction.
"I learned this pork-squid recipe from a friend, chef Elvis Domingo of Jozu Kin," says Mendoza.
"We were in Baguio City last year for a meeting and on a lazy afternoon he cooked it for us. It was so good. I had several servings of rice because the sauce is already a viand by itself. "
Domingo is a native of Gapan, Nueva Ecija.
"I asked him to teach me the recipe. When I got home, I shared it with my family, and since then we always have pork-squid adobo at home," says Mendoza, a freelance public relations consultant.
She used to work for Ciudad Fernandina, Hotel Rembrandt and an airline.
She cooks in bulk, about two kilos of pork and squid, stores them in several plastic containers and freezes them. Mendoza gets only a pack from the fridge and reheats it for breakfast over fried rice.
"We were already tired of the usual pork or chicken adobo," she says. "And I reheat the mixture in a pan, not in a microwave. My mom doesn't want to use the microwave. The adobo becomes crunchier when reheated in the pan with a bit of oil."
Mendoza buys the squid from Farmer's Market in Cubao, QC. She cleans the squid by pulling out the eyes, tentacles, innards and transparent ribs, yet making sure the black tint is carefully set aside and does not burst, as it will give bitter taste.
Pork and squid are first cooked in vinegar, soy sauce, pepper and tomatoes, then sautéed in onions, garlic and chili. This process unlocks a range of flavors to perk up the taste buds.
Mendoza's adobo is cooked with the ink, but she says you can opt not to include it if you don't want your adobo too dark. When cooked, squid is reduced in size, so better get medium-size ones.
Passion
Mendoza, a graduate of Business Management at St. Paul's College Manila, has a passion for good food.
"Though I never took a culinary course, I understand food. I love food. Cooking came naturally to me because I simply love to eat," she claims.
She loves cooking as much as she enjoys feeding her friends and family with her wide range of specialties-Oriental, Spanish, Italian and Filipino.
An Ilocana, she developed the skill at a tender age. When she was eight, her mom enrolled her at Ludette Dayrit's Le Cordon Bleu, where she learned the basics of cooking. She also had classes with Sylvia Reynoso for baking. And, at a young age, she knew how to use her know-how.
She would make chicken pie and sell them to classmates and relatives. During Christmas, her mom would bake prune cake as giveaways, while she'd bake her own giveaways such as Black Forest and brownies. In high school, instead of focusing on homework, she was preoccupied with recipes.
"I hardly listened to my teachers; all the things in my mind then were recipes. I wanted to make almond float, brownies, gourmet sandwiches or fondue," she recalls.
Mendoza keeps a collection of cookbooks and makes variations if she finds the recipe bland or boring. She experiments with different herbs and spices to put color to the recipes.
Her dream is to put up her own modest restaurant in Tagaytay, where she could showcase her comfort food-fabada soup, callos, lengua, paella, etc.
Pork and Pusit Adobo
Ingredients:
For adobo mixture:
1 k pork belly
1 k fresh pusit, cleaned and sliced
3 pcs tomatoes, sliced
1 medium onions
2 whole garlic, chopped
3 pcs finger chili, chopped
¼ c cane vinegar
¼ c soy sauce
1 pc laurel
½ tsp ground pepper
2 c water
For sauté:
1 pc whole garlic
1 pc medium onion
¼ c cooking oil
Method:
Chop pork belly, adobo-cut, and wash thoroughly. Put water in a pot, add pork, tomatoes, garlic, onions, vinegar, soy sauce, ground pepper and laurel. Cover and leave to boil.
When liquid has reduced to one-fourth and pork is tender, add sliced squid and squid ink. Allow to boil for a few minutes and remove from fire. Set aside.
In a separate pan, sauté garlic and onions in oil, then add precooked pork and squid adobo. Add finger chili, then cook for another five to 10 minutes. Take out from fire and transfer in serving plate.
Serves five people. Serve hot with rice.
SoShiok.com
Singapore, June 14, 2011
Here are recipes by Guinness Stout, which uses the brew to jazz up Singapore street food and seafood.
Guinness Hokkien Mee
Step 1: Prepare the Guinness reduction base
(ingredients: Guinness stout, apple cidar vinegar, rock sugar, salt)
Step 2: Prepare the prawn mee stock
(ingredients: Guinness stout, blue ginger, lemongrass, toasted coriander seed, red onion, salt)
Step 3: Stir fry the ingredients & add in Guinness reduction base and prawn mee stock to whip up the Guinness Hokkien mee
(ingredients: pork fat oil, minced garlic, whole egg, yellow noodle, rice noodle, bean sprout, soya sauce, fish sauce, squid ring, tiger prawn, pork belly slice, sliced red chili, salt/pepper)
Guinness Prawns
Step 1: Prepare the seafood spice mixture
(ingredients: Coriander root, red chili, salt, crispy fried shallot, heniz kecip manis, toasted baby dried shrimp)
Step 2: Prepare the Guinness reduction base
(ingredients: Guinness stout, apple cidar vinegar, rock sugar, salt)
Step 3: Cooking the prawns with Guinness reduction base, seafood spice mixture and the ingredients
(ingredients: chili padi, prawns)
Guinness Squids
Step 1: Prepare the seafood spice mixture
(ingredients: Coriander root, red chili, salt, crispy fried shallot, heniz kecip manis, toasted baby dried shrimp)
Step 2: Prepare the Guinness reduction base
(ingredients: Guinness stout, apple cidar vinegar, rock sugar, salt)
Step 3: Lightly fry the ingredients and add in the seafood spice mixture and the Guinness reduction base
(ingredients: fresh squid, oil, chili padi)
Singapore, June 14, 2011
Here are recipes by Guinness Stout, which uses the brew to jazz up Singapore street food and seafood.
Guinness Hokkien Mee
Step 1: Prepare the Guinness reduction base
(ingredients: Guinness stout, apple cidar vinegar, rock sugar, salt)
Step 2: Prepare the prawn mee stock
(ingredients: Guinness stout, blue ginger, lemongrass, toasted coriander seed, red onion, salt)
Step 3: Stir fry the ingredients & add in Guinness reduction base and prawn mee stock to whip up the Guinness Hokkien mee
(ingredients: pork fat oil, minced garlic, whole egg, yellow noodle, rice noodle, bean sprout, soya sauce, fish sauce, squid ring, tiger prawn, pork belly slice, sliced red chili, salt/pepper)
Guinness Prawns
Step 1: Prepare the seafood spice mixture
(ingredients: Coriander root, red chili, salt, crispy fried shallot, heniz kecip manis, toasted baby dried shrimp)
Step 2: Prepare the Guinness reduction base
(ingredients: Guinness stout, apple cidar vinegar, rock sugar, salt)
Step 3: Cooking the prawns with Guinness reduction base, seafood spice mixture and the ingredients
(ingredients: chili padi, prawns)
Guinness Squids
Step 1: Prepare the seafood spice mixture
(ingredients: Coriander root, red chili, salt, crispy fried shallot, heniz kecip manis, toasted baby dried shrimp)
Step 2: Prepare the Guinness reduction base
(ingredients: Guinness stout, apple cidar vinegar, rock sugar, salt)
Step 3: Lightly fry the ingredients and add in the seafood spice mixture and the Guinness reduction base
(ingredients: fresh squid, oil, chili padi)
The Korea Herald/ANN
Pyeonsu is a steamed square dumpling stuffed with vegetables and beef. Pyeonsu is served chilled or floating in a cool soy sauce soup. It is a summer delicacy.
The dish gets its name from the Chinese characters for the word, "Pyeonsu" which means "a small fragment on the water."
Ingredients
Broth:
200 g beef (brisket, shank), 10 cups water, ½ tbsp clear soy sauce, 2 tsp salt
Fragrant seasoning:
20 g green onion, 4 cloves garlic
Dumpling skin:
12 cups wheat flour, ½ tsp salt, 6 tbsp water
- 150 g minced beef (top round), 3 stems brown oak mushrooms
Seasoning sauce:
- 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp minced green onion, ½ tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp sesame salt, 1 tsp sesame oil
- 150 g pumpkin, ¼ tsp salt
- 250 g mung bean sprouts, 5 cups water, ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- 10 cups steaming water
- 1 ea egg, 3 stalks watercress, ½ tbsp wheat flour, 1 tbsp edible oil
Vinegar soy sauce:
- 18 g (1 tbsp) soy sauce, 15 g (1 tbsp) vinegar, 15 g (1 tbsp) water, 3 g (½ tbsp) pine nuts powder
Methods
1. Clean blood of beef for broth with cotton cloth. Trim and wash the fragrant seasoning. Put the beef and water in the pot and boil it on high heat for 9 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer it for 30 minutes Add the fragrant seasoning and simmer it for 20 minutes more. Strain it through cotton cloths, season with salt and cool it down.
2. Add salt and water to the wheat flour and knead. Wrap it with cotton cloths and let it sit for 30 minutes
3. Clean blood of minced beef with cotton cloth. Soak the brown oak mushrooms in water for 1 hour, remove the stems. Wipe excess water with cotton cloth and shred it into 0.2 cm-thick and wide, season them respectively.
4. Clean the pumpkin and cut it 4 cm-long. Peel the skin off into 0.2 cm-thick round and shred it into 0.2cm-wide. Marinate with salt for 10 min, wipe water with cotton cloths. Remove the tails of mung bean sprouts and wash. Remove tops of the pine nuts and wipe the nuts with dry cotton cloth.
5. Panfry the egg for yellow/white garnish (thin sheet and then cut it into strips). Panfry the watercress after thick coating with wheat flour liquid and beaten egg. Cut them into 2 cm of diamond pattern.
6. Blend vinegar soy sauce.
7. Preheat the frying pan and oil. Stir-fry the beef and mushrooms for 3 minutes on medium heat.
8. Pour water in the pot and boil it on high heat for 5 minutes When it boils, add the mung bean sprouts and salt, scald it for about 2 minutes Drain water. Chop them 0.5 cm-long. Preheat the frying pan and oil, stir-fry pumpkin for 10 sec. on high heat, maintaining green color, cool it down.
9. Combine the mixture of beef, mushrooms, mung bean sprouts and pumpkin to make the filling. Press and roll the kneaded dough with wooden roller to be 0.2 cm thickness, cut it into 7 cm square for dumpling skin. Stuff the dumpling skin with 13~15 g of fillings in the middle, put two pine nuts on it. Pinch four corners together to form square shape.
10. Pour water in the steaming pot, heat it up for 9 minutes on high heat. When it gives off steam, layer damp cotton cloth on the bottom of the pot, place the square dumplings on the damp cloths and steam them for 5 minutes on high heat.
11. Place the square dumplings on a dish and pour the broth, top with fried egg strips and watercress. Serve it with vinegar soy sauce.
Pyeonsu is a steamed square dumpling stuffed with vegetables and beef. Pyeonsu is served chilled or floating in a cool soy sauce soup. It is a summer delicacy.
The dish gets its name from the Chinese characters for the word, "Pyeonsu" which means "a small fragment on the water."
Ingredients
Broth:
200 g beef (brisket, shank), 10 cups water, ½ tbsp clear soy sauce, 2 tsp salt
Fragrant seasoning:
20 g green onion, 4 cloves garlic
Dumpling skin:
12 cups wheat flour, ½ tsp salt, 6 tbsp water
- 150 g minced beef (top round), 3 stems brown oak mushrooms
Seasoning sauce:
- 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp minced green onion, ½ tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp sesame salt, 1 tsp sesame oil
- 150 g pumpkin, ¼ tsp salt
- 250 g mung bean sprouts, 5 cups water, ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- 10 cups steaming water
- 1 ea egg, 3 stalks watercress, ½ tbsp wheat flour, 1 tbsp edible oil
Vinegar soy sauce:
- 18 g (1 tbsp) soy sauce, 15 g (1 tbsp) vinegar, 15 g (1 tbsp) water, 3 g (½ tbsp) pine nuts powder
Methods
1. Clean blood of beef for broth with cotton cloth. Trim and wash the fragrant seasoning. Put the beef and water in the pot and boil it on high heat for 9 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer it for 30 minutes Add the fragrant seasoning and simmer it for 20 minutes more. Strain it through cotton cloths, season with salt and cool it down.
2. Add salt and water to the wheat flour and knead. Wrap it with cotton cloths and let it sit for 30 minutes
3. Clean blood of minced beef with cotton cloth. Soak the brown oak mushrooms in water for 1 hour, remove the stems. Wipe excess water with cotton cloth and shred it into 0.2 cm-thick and wide, season them respectively.
4. Clean the pumpkin and cut it 4 cm-long. Peel the skin off into 0.2 cm-thick round and shred it into 0.2cm-wide. Marinate with salt for 10 min, wipe water with cotton cloths. Remove the tails of mung bean sprouts and wash. Remove tops of the pine nuts and wipe the nuts with dry cotton cloth.
5. Panfry the egg for yellow/white garnish (thin sheet and then cut it into strips). Panfry the watercress after thick coating with wheat flour liquid and beaten egg. Cut them into 2 cm of diamond pattern.
6. Blend vinegar soy sauce.
7. Preheat the frying pan and oil. Stir-fry the beef and mushrooms for 3 minutes on medium heat.
8. Pour water in the pot and boil it on high heat for 5 minutes When it boils, add the mung bean sprouts and salt, scald it for about 2 minutes Drain water. Chop them 0.5 cm-long. Preheat the frying pan and oil, stir-fry pumpkin for 10 sec. on high heat, maintaining green color, cool it down.
9. Combine the mixture of beef, mushrooms, mung bean sprouts and pumpkin to make the filling. Press and roll the kneaded dough with wooden roller to be 0.2 cm thickness, cut it into 7 cm square for dumpling skin. Stuff the dumpling skin with 13~15 g of fillings in the middle, put two pine nuts on it. Pinch four corners together to form square shape.
10. Pour water in the steaming pot, heat it up for 9 minutes on high heat. When it gives off steam, layer damp cotton cloth on the bottom of the pot, place the square dumplings on the damp cloths and steam them for 5 minutes on high heat.
11. Place the square dumplings on a dish and pour the broth, top with fried egg strips and watercress. Serve it with vinegar soy sauce.
Rose petal jam cookie, pancake and sweet soup recipes
By Pauline D. Loh
China Daily/ANN
Beijing, June 19, 2011
It's Beijing's city flower and brightens the capital's major roads with a blaze of color. The rose also creates tourist attractions and is pretty good to eat, too, according to Pauline D. Loh.
The Chinese rose, rosa Chinensis, blooms with great abandon each summer. White, yellow, pink and red blossoms are a large part of the landscape in the sunniest season of the year from Beijing to Guangdong province's Shenzhen city.
But roses also grow wild in China and botanists acknowledge that there are at least four or five species in the genus that come from this country.
If you are around Beijing, you would have also heard of Miaofeng Shan Rose Valley, the scenic attraction nestled on the Mentougou foothills in the northwestern suburb of the capital.
Every year in June, day-trippers flock to the area to admire the blooms and smell the roses on weekends and holidays during the annual Rose Festival.
They visit the ancient mountaintop shrines and pay homage to deities that have been worshipped for thousands of years.
They stop at the farmhouse restaurants for an organic country meal and return with souvenirs like rose-petal jam and conserves, little rose-scented cakes and memories of a flower paradise.
The Mentougou rose petal jam is famous for its lasting floral scent. According to the flower farmers, flowers that are just starting to bloom are the best for making jam.
They are harvested in the morning, just after the morning dew has evaporated and before the sun gets too strong. These blossoms are then slowly cooked with traditional brown sugar or white sugar.
These days, however, the best jam is made from cane sugar. The brown sugars are no longer pure, according to the farmers, and may have flour added, which makes the petal jam murky.
It's a long, slow process, and the cooking darkens the petals but retains and concentrates the perfume. I find that the best jam is very thick and almost caramelized, and not at all watery.
There is also rose petal jam made with honey, and that's good with toast and butter but not so suitable for baking or cooking.
There are lots of uses for the rose petal jam, and I have baked with it, made sweet soups with it and even made a layered cake with it in the style of the flaky spring onion pancakes.
You can also fill little glutinous rice balls with it, making the famous yuanxiao or tangyuan that is served at festive occasions, such as weddings and birthdays.
But my favorite recipes are shortbread with a rose petal jam filling and thumbprint cookies filled with a thimbleful of jam.
There is something about the combination of good butter and the scent of roses that will turn teatime into an occasion. The tub of cookies my husband brought to the office disappeared so quickly he came back asking for more.
The cookies are now part of my weekly baking cycle, at least until I run out of my supply of rose petal jam. But there is always more waiting at Miaofeng Shan every year.
Rose Petal Jam Shortbread Recipe
Ingredients (makes 24 large or 36 small cookies)
200 g chilled butter
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons rose jam
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Sesame seeds
Method:
1. Sift flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut the chilled butter into small pieces and drop them directly into the bowl.
2. Using cool fingers, gently rub the butter into the flour, tossing them in the air as you go to "aerate" the mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the beaten egg yolks to the bowl and stir to bind the mixture until it just comes together. Do not knead as that will raise the gluten and make the shortbread tough.
4. Pinch off a small ball of dough and place a pinch of rose petal jam in the middle. Roll up again into a ball and place on a papered baking tray. Press to flatten the ball slightly.
5. Brush the tops of the cookies with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
6. Bake in a pre-heated 180 C oven for 20 minutes, removing the shortbread when it turns a light golden color. Cool and keep in airtight containers for about a week.
Thumbprint Cookies with Rose Petal Jam Recipe
Ingredients (makes 24 cookies)
200 g butter, softened
150 g castor sugar
2 whole eggs, beaten
0.5 cup milk
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons rose jam
Method:
1. Sift flour and baking powder together.
2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.
3. Fold in sifted flour and add a little milk in between. Chill dough until it is firm.
4. Pinch off chestnut-sized pieces of dough and roll into a ball. Press down the center with your thumb, creating a depression. Fill with rose petal jam.
5. Place cookies on a papered baking tray and bake in a pre-heated 180 C oven for 20 minutes. Cool and keep in airtight containers. Eat quickly as these are richer cookies and may not keep for too long.
Rose Petal Jam Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients(makes 6 pancakes)
200 g plain flour Water
100 g softened butter or vegetable oil
6 tablespoons rose jam
Method:
1. Add enough water to the flour to make a soft dough. Knead until it feels silky and soft. Allow it to rest for at least an hour.
2. Divide the dough into six pieces.
3. Roll out a piece of dough as thinly as possible and brush with softened butter or oil. Spread a spoonful of jam on top.
4. Roll up the dough from the furthest edge, gently stretching the roll as you go.
5. Curl the roll of dough like a snail shell and flatten with the palm of your hand, keeping the tabletop floured as you go. Roll out the flattened disc to a thin pancake.
6. Lightly oil a non-stick frying pan and fry the pancake over medium heat, flipping it as the pancake turns color.
7. Dust with icing sugar and serve quickly. Great with a hot cup of Chinese tea.
Red and White Sweet Soup Recipe
Ingredients (serves 4)
8 dove or quail eggs
4 teaspoon rose petal jam
100 g lotus nuts, soaked
50 g sweet apricot kernels or nanxing
Honey to taste
Rose petals for garnish
Method:
1. Place the eggs in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Let them cook for 10 minutes and immediately rinse the eggs under cold running water until totally cooled. Peel carefully and set aside.
2. Wash soaked lotus nuts and check to remove the bitter shoots, which hide in the middle. Place the cleaned nuts and sweet apricot kernels into boiling water. Turn down the heat once the pot boils and simmer until the lotus nuts are soft.
3. Add the rose petal jam and stir to dissolve. Add the eggs and a little honey to taste.
4. Serve in small bowls with fresh rose petals for garnish.
Food notes:
In traditional Chinese medicine, dove eggs are believed to have detoxifying qualities. Both the lotus nuts and the apricot kernels clear the lungs and nourish the bronchial system. If you do not like the aroma of roses, you can substitute with candied osmanthus.
By Pauline D. Loh
China Daily/ANN
Beijing, June 19, 2011
It's Beijing's city flower and brightens the capital's major roads with a blaze of color. The rose also creates tourist attractions and is pretty good to eat, too, according to Pauline D. Loh.
The Chinese rose, rosa Chinensis, blooms with great abandon each summer. White, yellow, pink and red blossoms are a large part of the landscape in the sunniest season of the year from Beijing to Guangdong province's Shenzhen city.
But roses also grow wild in China and botanists acknowledge that there are at least four or five species in the genus that come from this country.
If you are around Beijing, you would have also heard of Miaofeng Shan Rose Valley, the scenic attraction nestled on the Mentougou foothills in the northwestern suburb of the capital.
Every year in June, day-trippers flock to the area to admire the blooms and smell the roses on weekends and holidays during the annual Rose Festival.
They visit the ancient mountaintop shrines and pay homage to deities that have been worshipped for thousands of years.
They stop at the farmhouse restaurants for an organic country meal and return with souvenirs like rose-petal jam and conserves, little rose-scented cakes and memories of a flower paradise.
The Mentougou rose petal jam is famous for its lasting floral scent. According to the flower farmers, flowers that are just starting to bloom are the best for making jam.
They are harvested in the morning, just after the morning dew has evaporated and before the sun gets too strong. These blossoms are then slowly cooked with traditional brown sugar or white sugar.
These days, however, the best jam is made from cane sugar. The brown sugars are no longer pure, according to the farmers, and may have flour added, which makes the petal jam murky.
It's a long, slow process, and the cooking darkens the petals but retains and concentrates the perfume. I find that the best jam is very thick and almost caramelized, and not at all watery.
There is also rose petal jam made with honey, and that's good with toast and butter but not so suitable for baking or cooking.
There are lots of uses for the rose petal jam, and I have baked with it, made sweet soups with it and even made a layered cake with it in the style of the flaky spring onion pancakes.
You can also fill little glutinous rice balls with it, making the famous yuanxiao or tangyuan that is served at festive occasions, such as weddings and birthdays.
But my favorite recipes are shortbread with a rose petal jam filling and thumbprint cookies filled with a thimbleful of jam.
There is something about the combination of good butter and the scent of roses that will turn teatime into an occasion. The tub of cookies my husband brought to the office disappeared so quickly he came back asking for more.
The cookies are now part of my weekly baking cycle, at least until I run out of my supply of rose petal jam. But there is always more waiting at Miaofeng Shan every year.
Rose Petal Jam Shortbread Recipe
Ingredients (makes 24 large or 36 small cookies)
200 g chilled butter
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons rose jam
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Sesame seeds
Method:
1. Sift flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut the chilled butter into small pieces and drop them directly into the bowl.
2. Using cool fingers, gently rub the butter into the flour, tossing them in the air as you go to "aerate" the mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the beaten egg yolks to the bowl and stir to bind the mixture until it just comes together. Do not knead as that will raise the gluten and make the shortbread tough.
4. Pinch off a small ball of dough and place a pinch of rose petal jam in the middle. Roll up again into a ball and place on a papered baking tray. Press to flatten the ball slightly.
5. Brush the tops of the cookies with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
6. Bake in a pre-heated 180 C oven for 20 minutes, removing the shortbread when it turns a light golden color. Cool and keep in airtight containers for about a week.
Thumbprint Cookies with Rose Petal Jam Recipe
Ingredients (makes 24 cookies)
200 g butter, softened
150 g castor sugar
2 whole eggs, beaten
0.5 cup milk
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons rose jam
Method:
1. Sift flour and baking powder together.
2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.
3. Fold in sifted flour and add a little milk in between. Chill dough until it is firm.
4. Pinch off chestnut-sized pieces of dough and roll into a ball. Press down the center with your thumb, creating a depression. Fill with rose petal jam.
5. Place cookies on a papered baking tray and bake in a pre-heated 180 C oven for 20 minutes. Cool and keep in airtight containers. Eat quickly as these are richer cookies and may not keep for too long.
Rose Petal Jam Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients(makes 6 pancakes)
200 g plain flour Water
100 g softened butter or vegetable oil
6 tablespoons rose jam
Method:
1. Add enough water to the flour to make a soft dough. Knead until it feels silky and soft. Allow it to rest for at least an hour.
2. Divide the dough into six pieces.
3. Roll out a piece of dough as thinly as possible and brush with softened butter or oil. Spread a spoonful of jam on top.
4. Roll up the dough from the furthest edge, gently stretching the roll as you go.
5. Curl the roll of dough like a snail shell and flatten with the palm of your hand, keeping the tabletop floured as you go. Roll out the flattened disc to a thin pancake.
6. Lightly oil a non-stick frying pan and fry the pancake over medium heat, flipping it as the pancake turns color.
7. Dust with icing sugar and serve quickly. Great with a hot cup of Chinese tea.
Red and White Sweet Soup Recipe
Ingredients (serves 4)
8 dove or quail eggs
4 teaspoon rose petal jam
100 g lotus nuts, soaked
50 g sweet apricot kernels or nanxing
Honey to taste
Rose petals for garnish
Method:
1. Place the eggs in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Let them cook for 10 minutes and immediately rinse the eggs under cold running water until totally cooled. Peel carefully and set aside.
2. Wash soaked lotus nuts and check to remove the bitter shoots, which hide in the middle. Place the cleaned nuts and sweet apricot kernels into boiling water. Turn down the heat once the pot boils and simmer until the lotus nuts are soft.
3. Add the rose petal jam and stir to dissolve. Add the eggs and a little honey to taste.
4. Serve in small bowls with fresh rose petals for garnish.
Food notes:
In traditional Chinese medicine, dove eggs are believed to have detoxifying qualities. Both the lotus nuts and the apricot kernels clear the lungs and nourish the bronchial system. If you do not like the aroma of roses, you can substitute with candied osmanthus.
China Daily/ANN
Beijing, China, June 21, 2011 - It is a traditional Beijing specialty, while in colour, delicate in texture and savoury in taste. There are the Moslem recipe and the vegetarian recipe. Here is the Moslem recipe.
Ingredients:
Soy bean 5kg, tender mutton 1.5kg, soy sauce 500g, plaster powder 225g, cornstarch 3.25kg, salt 100g, Chinese prickly ash 5g, garlic 500g, chili oil 100g, seasame oil 100g, MSG 5g (for 100 bowls)
Preparation:
1) Steep soy beans in water till swollen. Rinse and grind the swollen soy bean with water into pulp. Add water and stir well, then filter with a cloth bag or a fine sifter. Repeat till the bean dregs are not stickly. Skim off the froth and bring it to a boil with high heat.
Then ladle to a container to keep warm. Dissolve the plaster powder in hot water, then pour into the bean milk, be sure that they are thoroughly mixed. Afer 25 minutes, skim off the froth, the rest is the jellied beancurd.
2) Heat seasame oil 100g, when hot put in sliced mutton, grated scallions and ginger, soy sauce, salt MSG. Stir-fry for seconds, then add boiled water. When it boils, add wet cornstarch.
3) Ladle jellied beancurd into a bowl, add mutton soup and mashed garlic or chili oil, then serve.
Beijing, China, June 21, 2011 - It is a traditional Beijing specialty, while in colour, delicate in texture and savoury in taste. There are the Moslem recipe and the vegetarian recipe. Here is the Moslem recipe.
Ingredients:
Soy bean 5kg, tender mutton 1.5kg, soy sauce 500g, plaster powder 225g, cornstarch 3.25kg, salt 100g, Chinese prickly ash 5g, garlic 500g, chili oil 100g, seasame oil 100g, MSG 5g (for 100 bowls)
Preparation:
1) Steep soy beans in water till swollen. Rinse and grind the swollen soy bean with water into pulp. Add water and stir well, then filter with a cloth bag or a fine sifter. Repeat till the bean dregs are not stickly. Skim off the froth and bring it to a boil with high heat.
Then ladle to a container to keep warm. Dissolve the plaster powder in hot water, then pour into the bean milk, be sure that they are thoroughly mixed. Afer 25 minutes, skim off the froth, the rest is the jellied beancurd.
2) Heat seasame oil 100g, when hot put in sliced mutton, grated scallions and ginger, soy sauce, salt MSG. Stir-fry for seconds, then add boiled water. When it boils, add wet cornstarch.
3) Ladle jellied beancurd into a bowl, add mutton soup and mashed garlic or chili oil, then serve.
China Daily/ANN
Beijing, China, June 11, 2011
This is one of the well-known Sichuan local dishes that originated before the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in a small town named Hanyang by the Mingjiang River in the present Qingshen County, Sichuan Province.
A chef created the dish by boiling chicken first, then beating with a stick till spongy. Then he tore the chicken meat into shreds, which was seasoned with spices.
The dish features a spicy flavour and tender texture, which is popular among local people.
Now, the dish is also served in Sichuan food restaurants in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai.
In recent years, many visiting overseas Chinese and foreign guests have tasted it and they are enchanted by its unique way of cooking and its uncommon nice flavour.
Ingredients:
250g tender rooster breast or leg
5g seasame sauce
5g scallion
10g red chili oil
2.5g surgar
15g soy sauce
0.5g MSG
0.5g Chinese prickly ash
1.5g seasame oil
Preparation:
1. Boil the chicken breast or leg for about 10 mimutes till done. Take out and let cool. Then beat with a club so that the meat becomes spongy. Tear the chicken meat into shreds and put on the plate. Sprinkle on some scallion slices.
2. Make seasoning in a bowl with soy sauce, seasome sauce, chilli, sugar, MSG, Chinese prickly ash and seasame oil. Mix them evenly and sprinkle on the chicken shreds and scallion shreds.
Beijing, China, June 11, 2011
This is one of the well-known Sichuan local dishes that originated before the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in a small town named Hanyang by the Mingjiang River in the present Qingshen County, Sichuan Province.
A chef created the dish by boiling chicken first, then beating with a stick till spongy. Then he tore the chicken meat into shreds, which was seasoned with spices.
The dish features a spicy flavour and tender texture, which is popular among local people.
Now, the dish is also served in Sichuan food restaurants in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai.
In recent years, many visiting overseas Chinese and foreign guests have tasted it and they are enchanted by its unique way of cooking and its uncommon nice flavour.
Ingredients:
250g tender rooster breast or leg
5g seasame sauce
5g scallion
10g red chili oil
2.5g surgar
15g soy sauce
0.5g MSG
0.5g Chinese prickly ash
1.5g seasame oil
Preparation:
1. Boil the chicken breast or leg for about 10 mimutes till done. Take out and let cool. Then beat with a club so that the meat becomes spongy. Tear the chicken meat into shreds and put on the plate. Sprinkle on some scallion slices.
2. Make seasoning in a bowl with soy sauce, seasome sauce, chilli, sugar, MSG, Chinese prickly ash and seasame oil. Mix them evenly and sprinkle on the chicken shreds and scallion shreds.
By Chef Priya Menon
The Star/ANN
Ingredients
500g prawns of your choice 1 tbsp onion, pounded till fine 1 tsp ginger paste 1/2 tsp garlic paste 1 sprig curry leaves, finely sliced 1/2 cup yogurt salt to taste oil for grilling
Masala mix
1 tbsp chilli powder 1 tbsp coriander powder 1/4 tsp cumin powder 1/4 tsp fennel powder 1/2 level tsp turmeric 1/4 tsp fenugreek powder (pound a tsp of fenugreek in a mortar and pestle)
Method
Devein prawns and marinate them in salt. Then, let it stand for about 5 mins.
In a deep bowl, add all the remaing ingredients with the masala blend and mix throughly.
Add the prawns and coat it evenly and let it stand for about 1/2 an hour or more if possible.
The prawns can be grilled on a hot plate on a stove top, shallow-fried or can be skewered for a BBQ.
The Star/ANN
Ingredients
500g prawns of your choice 1 tbsp onion, pounded till fine 1 tsp ginger paste 1/2 tsp garlic paste 1 sprig curry leaves, finely sliced 1/2 cup yogurt salt to taste oil for grilling
Masala mix
1 tbsp chilli powder 1 tbsp coriander powder 1/4 tsp cumin powder 1/4 tsp fennel powder 1/2 level tsp turmeric 1/4 tsp fenugreek powder (pound a tsp of fenugreek in a mortar and pestle)
Method
Devein prawns and marinate them in salt. Then, let it stand for about 5 mins.
In a deep bowl, add all the remaing ingredients with the masala blend and mix throughly.
Add the prawns and coat it evenly and let it stand for about 1/2 an hour or more if possible.
The prawns can be grilled on a hot plate on a stove top, shallow-fried or can be skewered for a BBQ.
By Chef Priya Menon
The Star/ANN
Ingredients
500g pumpkin, skinned and cut into bite-sized cubes 2 onions, ground finely 1 tabsp ginger paste 4 pips garlic, sliced finely 1 cup tomatoes, diced 2 sprigs curry leaves 2 tbsp thick tamarind juice 1/4 cup of water (add more if required) salt to taste oil
Masala mix
1 1/2 tbsp chilli powder 1/4 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds 1/2 tsp whole fennel seeds 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
Method
Heat about 3-4 tbsp of oil in a pan over very low heat. Add mustard seeds, fennel, cumin and curry leaves.
When mustard seeds stop spluttering, add onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric and chilli powder. Stir the mixture, gently roasting it over low heat for about 2-3 mins taking care not to burn it.
It's important that the fire is low so as not to burn the chilli mix.
Add tomatoes, tamarind juice and pumpkin to the chilli masala. Coat the pumpkin evenly and increase the fire to medium heat, stirring continously for about 1 -2 minutes.
Add salt, water and cook the pumpkin covered, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the pan. If more water is required, add a little at a time till vegetable is done.
Remove from stove once it's cooked and garnish with coriander or mint leaves.
Do lower the heat if you are a beginner throughout this preparation.
Note: The skin of the pumpkin is hard but the interior cooks fast, about 20 mins on high heat.
The Star/ANN
Ingredients
500g pumpkin, skinned and cut into bite-sized cubes 2 onions, ground finely 1 tabsp ginger paste 4 pips garlic, sliced finely 1 cup tomatoes, diced 2 sprigs curry leaves 2 tbsp thick tamarind juice 1/4 cup of water (add more if required) salt to taste oil
Masala mix
1 1/2 tbsp chilli powder 1/4 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds 1/2 tsp whole fennel seeds 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
Method
Heat about 3-4 tbsp of oil in a pan over very low heat. Add mustard seeds, fennel, cumin and curry leaves.
When mustard seeds stop spluttering, add onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric and chilli powder. Stir the mixture, gently roasting it over low heat for about 2-3 mins taking care not to burn it.
It's important that the fire is low so as not to burn the chilli mix.
Add tomatoes, tamarind juice and pumpkin to the chilli masala. Coat the pumpkin evenly and increase the fire to medium heat, stirring continously for about 1 -2 minutes.
Add salt, water and cook the pumpkin covered, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the pan. If more water is required, add a little at a time till vegetable is done.
Remove from stove once it's cooked and garnish with coriander or mint leaves.
Do lower the heat if you are a beginner throughout this preparation.
Note: The skin of the pumpkin is hard but the interior cooks fast, about 20 mins on high heat.
China Daily, ANN
China, June 24, 2011 - The dish was initiated by "Mo Youcai Kitchen" in Shanghai. It's now often the first course of hot dish on first-rate banquet tables.
The dish demands careful choice of fresh ingredients and delicate processing, with "peony flowers" made from auxiliary ingredients such as bamboo shoot arranged around the shelled shrimps.
The dish is popular with people at home and abroad for the extraordinary techniques of Chinese cooking that features a combination of beautiful color, attractive aroma, appetizing taste, and artful shaping.
Ingredients:
Fresh water live shrimps 1.5kg
Winter bamboo shoots 50g
salt 15g
1 egg
4 cherries
fresh stock 50g
white scallion 1g
ginger juice 5g
lard 700g ( 60g to be consumed)
some pepper powder
MSG 2g
Shaoxing rice wine 15g
cornstarch 20g
peasprouts
some green vegetables
Method:
1. Shell the shrimps, rinse shelled shrimps 500g with clean water. Drain off water.
Then wrap up in clean towel to make the shrimps drier. Put shrimps 450g in a container , add egg white, salt, MSG and cornstarch. Mix evenly.
2. Mash shelled shrimps 50g. Add egg white ginger juice, rice wine, salt, MSG and blend well. Make four pieces of mashed shrimp cake as the bases of peonies.
Boil bamboo shoots and cut into peony petals. Plant the petals on shrimp cakes to make four peony flowers. Steam the flowers.
Take out and put a red cherry in the middle of each peony flower.
3. Heat lard to 50% hot. Slide the prepared shelled shrimps 450g and fry until done. Take out and drain off the oil. Retain some oil in the wok.
Add scallion, fried shrimps, rice wine and some stock. Sprinkle on some pepper powder and stir-fry for seconds. Put shrimps on a plate.
Arrange the four peony flowers around the shrimps, then garnish with some scalded pea sprouts or green vegetables. Then it's ready to serve.
China, June 24, 2011 - The dish was initiated by "Mo Youcai Kitchen" in Shanghai. It's now often the first course of hot dish on first-rate banquet tables.
The dish demands careful choice of fresh ingredients and delicate processing, with "peony flowers" made from auxiliary ingredients such as bamboo shoot arranged around the shelled shrimps.
The dish is popular with people at home and abroad for the extraordinary techniques of Chinese cooking that features a combination of beautiful color, attractive aroma, appetizing taste, and artful shaping.
Ingredients:
Fresh water live shrimps 1.5kg
Winter bamboo shoots 50g
salt 15g
1 egg
4 cherries
fresh stock 50g
white scallion 1g
ginger juice 5g
lard 700g ( 60g to be consumed)
some pepper powder
MSG 2g
Shaoxing rice wine 15g
cornstarch 20g
peasprouts
some green vegetables
Method:
1. Shell the shrimps, rinse shelled shrimps 500g with clean water. Drain off water.
Then wrap up in clean towel to make the shrimps drier. Put shrimps 450g in a container , add egg white, salt, MSG and cornstarch. Mix evenly.
2. Mash shelled shrimps 50g. Add egg white ginger juice, rice wine, salt, MSG and blend well. Make four pieces of mashed shrimp cake as the bases of peonies.
Boil bamboo shoots and cut into peony petals. Plant the petals on shrimp cakes to make four peony flowers. Steam the flowers.
Take out and put a red cherry in the middle of each peony flower.
3. Heat lard to 50% hot. Slide the prepared shelled shrimps 450g and fry until done. Take out and drain off the oil. Retain some oil in the wok.
Add scallion, fried shrimps, rice wine and some stock. Sprinkle on some pepper powder and stir-fry for seconds. Put shrimps on a plate.
Arrange the four peony flowers around the shrimps, then garnish with some scalded pea sprouts or green vegetables. Then it's ready to serve.
Omija Berry Punch recipe
The Korea Herald/ANN
Korea, June 30, 2011
Omija-hwachae is a Korean berry punch made with omija berries and honey or sugar, and garnished with pear.
Omija-hwachae is a cold drink that is typically enjoyed in the summer. It has a beautiful color and is high in organic acids which are good for relieving fatigue and quenching thirst.
Ingredients
1/5 cups of omija, 2 cups water
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp honey
1/4 pear
1 tsp pine nuts
Method
1. Wash the omija and drain the water.
2. Add water to the omija and let it sit for 12 hours.
3. Remove tops of the pine nuts and clean them.
4. When they are fully soaked, strain the omija and retain the liquid.
5. Add sugar and honey to the omija water.
6. Peel the pear and cut into slices 0.2 cm-thick, carve into pear flower shape.
7. Put the omija water into a punch bowl, topping with the pear and pine nuts.
Adapted from the Institute of Korean Traditional Food
The Korea Herald/ANN
Korea, June 30, 2011
Omija-hwachae is a Korean berry punch made with omija berries and honey or sugar, and garnished with pear.
Omija-hwachae is a cold drink that is typically enjoyed in the summer. It has a beautiful color and is high in organic acids which are good for relieving fatigue and quenching thirst.
Ingredients
1/5 cups of omija, 2 cups water
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp honey
1/4 pear
1 tsp pine nuts
Method
1. Wash the omija and drain the water.
2. Add water to the omija and let it sit for 12 hours.
3. Remove tops of the pine nuts and clean them.
4. When they are fully soaked, strain the omija and retain the liquid.
5. Add sugar and honey to the omija water.
6. Peel the pear and cut into slices 0.2 cm-thick, carve into pear flower shape.
7. Put the omija water into a punch bowl, topping with the pear and pine nuts.
Adapted from the Institute of Korean Traditional Food
Chicken Tinola recipe
By Jessie Sincioco
SoShiok
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, about 1-1.2 k
2 tbsp ginger juice
2 tbsp virgin coconut oil
3 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
25 g ginger, cut into strips
60 g sliced shallots
¼ tsp ground black pepper
500 g green papaya, cut into ½ inch slices
1.5 liters rice washing
20 g sili leaves (pepper leaves)
Method:
Dress and cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Marinate with ginger juice and 1 tbsp patis. Set aside.
Heat the coconut oil in a skillet and sauté strips of ginger and sliced shallots. Add marinated chicken.
Season with black pepper and the remaining fish sauce.
Cover the skillet and cook the chicken until almost tender. Add the green papaya and simmer for a while.
Add the rice washing. Bring to a boil. Lower heat. Allow to simmer until chicken and papaya are cooked and tender.
Just before serving, add the sili leaves.
By Jessie Sincioco
SoShiok
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, about 1-1.2 k
2 tbsp ginger juice
2 tbsp virgin coconut oil
3 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
25 g ginger, cut into strips
60 g sliced shallots
¼ tsp ground black pepper
500 g green papaya, cut into ½ inch slices
1.5 liters rice washing
20 g sili leaves (pepper leaves)
Method:
Dress and cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Marinate with ginger juice and 1 tbsp patis. Set aside.
Heat the coconut oil in a skillet and sauté strips of ginger and sliced shallots. Add marinated chicken.
Season with black pepper and the remaining fish sauce.
Cover the skillet and cook the chicken until almost tender. Add the green papaya and simmer for a while.
Add the rice washing. Bring to a boil. Lower heat. Allow to simmer until chicken and papaya are cooked and tender.
Just before serving, add the sili leaves.
By Ong Jin Teong
The Business Times
Penang Nasi Ulam recipe
Serves 12
This is a meal in itself, involving rice mixed with salt fish, flaked fish or prawns, fried grated coconut (kerisik) and the ulam (edible leaves, shoots, flowers and roots) from garden plants.
Ingredients
900 g rice
300 g dried shrimp
300 g salt fish
600 g red snapper, seared (or 500 g small prawns)
2 tspb oil
salt to taste
Ulam (finely chopped or sliced):
100 g young ginger
5 x 1.5 cm piece kunyit (turmeric)
8 x 3 cm piece lengkuas (galangal)
3 bunga kantan (torch ginger buds)
20 daun limau purut (kaffir lime leaves)
3 sprigs daun kesom (Polygonum)
20 leaves daun kentut (Paederia scandens)
50 leaves daun kadok (Piper sarmentosum)
2 leaves daun cekur (Kaempferia galangal)
2 daun kunyit (turmeric leaves)
3 stalks serai (lemongrass)
120 g shallots
2 cloves garlic
Half grated coconut
10 fresh chillies (approx 120 g)
1 tbsp belacan (dried shrimp paste)
Method
1. Wash and drain the rice and cook with about 1 litre of water. The rice should be dry and grainy – leave it to stand for at least an hour after cooking to absorb excess water.
2. Wash the dried prawns and soak in water for about 10 minutes, then pound in a mortar (lesong) or grind in a food processor.
3. Cut the salt fish into slices of about 0.5 cm thickness and shallow fry in oil until crispy. Break into bits by hand. Alternatively, grill the pieces in an oven.
4. Fry the fish in 2 tbsps of oil. Remove the skin and flake the fish finely. If fresh prawns are used, wash, remove heads and devein. Sprinkle salt and steam or boil until cooked. Remove and cool before de-shelling. Chop into 3 mm or 4 mm pieces.
5. Slicing the ulam: Remove the skin of the roots – young ginger, turmeric and galangal. Slice thinly, cut into thin strips and then cut across the strips as finely as possible.
6. Cut the torch ginger buds into two lengthwise and slice finely from the tip of the flower, stopping short of the stalk. For the limau purut, kesom and kentut, stack leaves and slice as thinly as possible. Roll the kadok, cekur and kunyit leaves tightly together into a cylinder and slice as finely as possible.
7. Cut off and discard the leafy parts of the lemongrass. Remove the outer layers of the stalk and cut each stalk into two lengthwise, then slice thinly starting from the top end of the lemongrass and stopping short of the root end, which is a bit woody.
8. Peel the shallots and cut off the root end. Cut each bulb longitudinally and slice each half thinly across. Smash up the garlic and remove the skin, and then chop finely.
9. To make kerisik, fry the grated coconut over low heat until golden brown. It will continue to brown after it has been taken off the heat so do not overcook. Pound finely.
10. To make sambal belacan, slice the belacan thinly or form into a thin wafer and grill or toast under low heat until dry and fragrant. Break up the belacan into pieces while grilling. Remove seeds from the chillies and slice them for easier pounding. Pound the cut chillies until fine, and then add the grilled belacan and continue to pound, mixing the belacan into the chillies.
Assembly
Fluff up the rice to ensure it is not lumpy. Place the rice in a large mixing bowl and add the salt fish, flaked fish (or cooked prawns), the sambal belacan and the kerisik. Mix well. Finally, add the sliced ulam leaves, spreading them and mixing evenly into the rice. Add salt to taste. Serve.
Read about Mr Ong Jin Teong's Penang cookbook here.
The Business Times
Penang Nasi Ulam recipe
Serves 12
This is a meal in itself, involving rice mixed with salt fish, flaked fish or prawns, fried grated coconut (kerisik) and the ulam (edible leaves, shoots, flowers and roots) from garden plants.
Ingredients
900 g rice
300 g dried shrimp
300 g salt fish
600 g red snapper, seared (or 500 g small prawns)
2 tspb oil
salt to taste
Ulam (finely chopped or sliced):
100 g young ginger
5 x 1.5 cm piece kunyit (turmeric)
8 x 3 cm piece lengkuas (galangal)
3 bunga kantan (torch ginger buds)
20 daun limau purut (kaffir lime leaves)
3 sprigs daun kesom (Polygonum)
20 leaves daun kentut (Paederia scandens)
50 leaves daun kadok (Piper sarmentosum)
2 leaves daun cekur (Kaempferia galangal)
2 daun kunyit (turmeric leaves)
3 stalks serai (lemongrass)
120 g shallots
2 cloves garlic
Half grated coconut
10 fresh chillies (approx 120 g)
1 tbsp belacan (dried shrimp paste)
Method
1. Wash and drain the rice and cook with about 1 litre of water. The rice should be dry and grainy – leave it to stand for at least an hour after cooking to absorb excess water.
2. Wash the dried prawns and soak in water for about 10 minutes, then pound in a mortar (lesong) or grind in a food processor.
3. Cut the salt fish into slices of about 0.5 cm thickness and shallow fry in oil until crispy. Break into bits by hand. Alternatively, grill the pieces in an oven.
4. Fry the fish in 2 tbsps of oil. Remove the skin and flake the fish finely. If fresh prawns are used, wash, remove heads and devein. Sprinkle salt and steam or boil until cooked. Remove and cool before de-shelling. Chop into 3 mm or 4 mm pieces.
5. Slicing the ulam: Remove the skin of the roots – young ginger, turmeric and galangal. Slice thinly, cut into thin strips and then cut across the strips as finely as possible.
6. Cut the torch ginger buds into two lengthwise and slice finely from the tip of the flower, stopping short of the stalk. For the limau purut, kesom and kentut, stack leaves and slice as thinly as possible. Roll the kadok, cekur and kunyit leaves tightly together into a cylinder and slice as finely as possible.
7. Cut off and discard the leafy parts of the lemongrass. Remove the outer layers of the stalk and cut each stalk into two lengthwise, then slice thinly starting from the top end of the lemongrass and stopping short of the root end, which is a bit woody.
8. Peel the shallots and cut off the root end. Cut each bulb longitudinally and slice each half thinly across. Smash up the garlic and remove the skin, and then chop finely.
9. To make kerisik, fry the grated coconut over low heat until golden brown. It will continue to brown after it has been taken off the heat so do not overcook. Pound finely.
10. To make sambal belacan, slice the belacan thinly or form into a thin wafer and grill or toast under low heat until dry and fragrant. Break up the belacan into pieces while grilling. Remove seeds from the chillies and slice them for easier pounding. Pound the cut chillies until fine, and then add the grilled belacan and continue to pound, mixing the belacan into the chillies.
Assembly
Fluff up the rice to ensure it is not lumpy. Place the rice in a large mixing bowl and add the salt fish, flaked fish (or cooked prawns), the sambal belacan and the kerisik. Mix well. Finally, add the sliced ulam leaves, spreading them and mixing evenly into the rice. Add salt to taste. Serve.
Read about Mr Ong Jin Teong's Penang cookbook here.
Hot German potato salad with octopus
Serves 4
Ingredients
150 grams boiled octopus
3 boiled potatoes
1/2 onion
100 grams bacon
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground pepper
2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Methods
1. Cut octopus into small bite-sized pieces. Cut boiled potatoes into quarters with skins, and slice into one-centimeter thick fan shapes. Cut onion into thin strips. Dice bacon into 5-millimeter cubes. Peel and finely chop garlic.
2. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a skillet and add garlic. Heat over medium heat until garlic is slightly colored. Add onion and bacon and cook until onion becomes semitransparent. Add octopus and cook 1-2 minutes.
3. Remove onion, bacon and octopus mixture and set aside. In a clean skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally until surface becomes crisp.
4. Add the onion, bacon and octopus mixture to the potatoes in the skillet. Season with salt, pepper, wine vinegar and whole-grain mustard and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Serve on a plate, sprinkled with chopped fresh dill.
Serves 4
Ingredients
150 grams boiled octopus
3 boiled potatoes
1/2 onion
100 grams bacon
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground pepper
2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Methods
1. Cut octopus into small bite-sized pieces. Cut boiled potatoes into quarters with skins, and slice into one-centimeter thick fan shapes. Cut onion into thin strips. Dice bacon into 5-millimeter cubes. Peel and finely chop garlic.
2. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a skillet and add garlic. Heat over medium heat until garlic is slightly colored. Add onion and bacon and cook until onion becomes semitransparent. Add octopus and cook 1-2 minutes.
3. Remove onion, bacon and octopus mixture and set aside. In a clean skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally until surface becomes crisp.
4. Add the onion, bacon and octopus mixture to the potatoes in the skillet. Season with salt, pepper, wine vinegar and whole-grain mustard and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Serve on a plate, sprinkled with chopped fresh dill.
Fish Tom Yum Fried Rice recipe
By Chef Nermala Dass
Kuali, The Star
Ingredients
3 pieces leftover fried fish, shredded
2 cups rice, cooked and cooled
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp tom yum paste
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
50g cabbage, sliced
6 tbsp oil
Pounded together
1 tsp belacan (shrimp paste)
5-6 bird's eye chilli
Garnishing
Spring onion, chopped
Method
Heat oil in a wok. Fry garlic, fish and the pounded ingredients for 5 minutes.
Add in tom yum paste, oyster sauce and fish sauce. Stir for 3-4 minutes.
Add in cabbage and rice. Mix well. Stir fry for 5-8 minutes.
Serve with spring onion.
Tips: Salt is not added because of the fish sauce and tom yum paste is salty. You can substitute the fish with fried chicken.
By Chef Nermala Dass
Kuali, The Star
Ingredients
3 pieces leftover fried fish, shredded
2 cups rice, cooked and cooled
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp tom yum paste
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
50g cabbage, sliced
6 tbsp oil
Pounded together
1 tsp belacan (shrimp paste)
5-6 bird's eye chilli
Garnishing
Spring onion, chopped
Method
Heat oil in a wok. Fry garlic, fish and the pounded ingredients for 5 minutes.
Add in tom yum paste, oyster sauce and fish sauce. Stir for 3-4 minutes.
Add in cabbage and rice. Mix well. Stir fry for 5-8 minutes.
Serve with spring onion.
Tips: Salt is not added because of the fish sauce and tom yum paste is salty. You can substitute the fish with fried chicken.
Spicy Mayo Chicken and Pitta Bread recipe
By Chef Nermala Dass
Kuali, The Star
Ingredients
300g leftover fried chicken, shredded
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp chilli sauce
Few drops of lime juice
A pinch of pepper
Lettuce, sliced
Wholemeal pitta bread
Method
Mix chicken with mayonnaise, chilli flakes, chilli sauce, lime juice and pepper.
Add lettuce and mix well.
Serve with wholemeal pitta bread.
By Chef Nermala Dass
Kuali, The Star
Ingredients
300g leftover fried chicken, shredded
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp chilli sauce
Few drops of lime juice
A pinch of pepper
Lettuce, sliced
Wholemeal pitta bread
Method
Mix chicken with mayonnaise, chilli flakes, chilli sauce, lime juice and pepper.
Add lettuce and mix well.
Serve with wholemeal pitta bread.
Spicy Mayo Chicken and Pitta Bread recipe
By Chef Nermala Dass
Kuali, The Star
Ingredients
300g leftover fried chicken, shredded
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp chilli sauce
Few drops of lime juice
A pinch of pepper
Lettuce, sliced
Wholemeal pitta bread
Method
Mix chicken with mayonnaise, chilli flakes, chilli sauce, lime juice and pepper.
Add lettuce and mix well.
Serve with wholemeal pitta bread.
By Chef Nermala Dass
Kuali, The Star
Ingredients
300g leftover fried chicken, shredded
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp chilli sauce
Few drops of lime juice
A pinch of pepper
Lettuce, sliced
Wholemeal pitta bread
Method
Mix chicken with mayonnaise, chilli flakes, chilli sauce, lime juice and pepper.
Add lettuce and mix well.
Serve with wholemeal pitta bread.
Fried Prawn Meehoon recipe
By Chef Nermala Dass
Kuali, The Star
Ingredients
300g leftover prawn sambal
300g meehoon, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes
3 eggs
100g kangkung
6 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Method
Heat oil and fry prawn sambal for 3-4 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Add meehoon and kangkung. Mix well for 8-10 minutes.
Push meehoon aside in the wok. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same wok and fry till eggs until it is cooked.
Then mix the meehoon and eggs well.
Serve hot.
By Chef Nermala Dass
Kuali, The Star
Ingredients
300g leftover prawn sambal
300g meehoon, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes
3 eggs
100g kangkung
6 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Method
Heat oil and fry prawn sambal for 3-4 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Add meehoon and kangkung. Mix well for 8-10 minutes.
Push meehoon aside in the wok. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same wok and fry till eggs until it is cooked.
Then mix the meehoon and eggs well.
Serve hot.
By Cindy Gu
China Daily/ANN
Stuffed tripe is a traditional appetizer in Beijing. Salted egg yolks, wood ear (tree fungus), green beans and crab meat are stuffed in prepared pork tripe.
The flavors of ingredients mix in a marvelous harmony to create a refreshing taste that goes great with a glass of chilled beer.
Methods
1. Rub pork tripe with corn starch to remove mucus. Reverse and remove any excess fat from the tripe.
2. Rub with salt to disinfect and remove unwanted smell from the tripe. Rinse clean.
3. Rub with rice vinegar, then rinse throughly with running water.
4. Boil in a pot with green leak, ginger, star anise and cooking wine until fully cooked.
5. Stuff the stuffings, and simmer in chef's signature sauce for 2.5 to 3 hours.
6. Place in a rectangular container and add weights. After it sets, slice and serve.
China Daily/ANN
Stuffed tripe is a traditional appetizer in Beijing. Salted egg yolks, wood ear (tree fungus), green beans and crab meat are stuffed in prepared pork tripe.
The flavors of ingredients mix in a marvelous harmony to create a refreshing taste that goes great with a glass of chilled beer.
Methods
1. Rub pork tripe with corn starch to remove mucus. Reverse and remove any excess fat from the tripe.
2. Rub with salt to disinfect and remove unwanted smell from the tripe. Rinse clean.
3. Rub with rice vinegar, then rinse throughly with running water.
4. Boil in a pot with green leak, ginger, star anise and cooking wine until fully cooked.
5. Stuff the stuffings, and simmer in chef's signature sauce for 2.5 to 3 hours.
6. Place in a rectangular container and add weights. After it sets, slice and serve.
By Cindy Gu
China Daily/ANN
Stuffed tripe is a traditional appetizer in Beijing. Salted egg yolks, wood ear (tree fungus), green beans and crab meat are stuffed in prepared pork tripe.
The flavors of ingredients mix in a marvelous harmony to create a refreshing taste that goes great with a glass of chilled beer.
Methods
1. Rub pork tripe with corn starch to remove mucus. Reverse and remove any excess fat from the tripe.
2. Rub with salt to disinfect and remove unwanted smell from the tripe. Rinse clean.
3. Rub with rice vinegar, then rinse throughly with running water.
4. Boil in a pot with green leak, ginger, star anise and cooking wine until fully cooked.
5. Stuff the stuffings, and simmer in chef's signature sauce for 2.5 to 3 hours.
6. Place in a rectangular container and add weights. After it sets, slice and serve.
China Daily/ANN
Stuffed tripe is a traditional appetizer in Beijing. Salted egg yolks, wood ear (tree fungus), green beans and crab meat are stuffed in prepared pork tripe.
The flavors of ingredients mix in a marvelous harmony to create a refreshing taste that goes great with a glass of chilled beer.
Methods
1. Rub pork tripe with corn starch to remove mucus. Reverse and remove any excess fat from the tripe.
2. Rub with salt to disinfect and remove unwanted smell from the tripe. Rinse clean.
3. Rub with rice vinegar, then rinse throughly with running water.
4. Boil in a pot with green leak, ginger, star anise and cooking wine until fully cooked.
5. Stuff the stuffings, and simmer in chef's signature sauce for 2.5 to 3 hours.
6. Place in a rectangular container and add weights. After it sets, slice and serve.
By Pauline D. Loh
China Daily/ANN
Ingredients (serves 4):
500 g fresh medium prawns (about 16)
1 tbsp Chinese white wine or baijiu
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp corn starch
2 tbsp longjing tea leaves, steeped in 1 cup hot water
Method:
1. Pour hot water over longjing tea leaves and allow to steep until leaves are revived and plumped up.
2. Peel and wash prawns. Rinse in very cold water repeatedly until prawn flesh turn clear.
3. Marinate prawns in the sugar, salt and corn starch and baijiu.
4. Heat up a generous scoop of oil until smoking. Quickly run the prawns through the oil and drain immediately, all of five seconds. Drain the oil and place wok back on the fire.
5. Add prawns, tea leaves and a little tea and toss well to mix. Finally, drizzle more white wine along the side of the wok to add more aroma. Plate and garnish with more tea leaves.
China Daily/ANN
Ingredients (serves 4):
500 g fresh medium prawns (about 16)
1 tbsp Chinese white wine or baijiu
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp corn starch
2 tbsp longjing tea leaves, steeped in 1 cup hot water
Method:
1. Pour hot water over longjing tea leaves and allow to steep until leaves are revived and plumped up.
2. Peel and wash prawns. Rinse in very cold water repeatedly until prawn flesh turn clear.
3. Marinate prawns in the sugar, salt and corn starch and baijiu.
4. Heat up a generous scoop of oil until smoking. Quickly run the prawns through the oil and drain immediately, all of five seconds. Drain the oil and place wok back on the fire.
5. Add prawns, tea leaves and a little tea and toss well to mix. Finally, drizzle more white wine along the side of the wok to add more aroma. Plate and garnish with more tea leaves.
Tea-Smoked Duck recipe
By Pauline D. Loh
China Daily/ANN
Ingredients (serves 4):
1 large duck - about 1.5 to 2 kg
1 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, pounded together
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp tea leaves (green tea or pu'er tea)
3 tbsp rock sugar, crushed
3 tbsp raw rice
Method:
1. Remove duck breasts and legs. Skin and trim fat from rest of duck and chop into chunks. Reserve for soup or some other use.
2. Wash and dry duck breast and legs thoroughly and rub with Sichuan pepper and salt mixture. Wash hands well after this and do not rub your eyes.
3. Marinate duck meat, covered, for at least an hour, preferably overnight for the best flavor.
4. Line bottom of a sturdy large wok with aluminum foil. Place tea leaves, rice and sugar at the bottom.
5. Place duck pieces on a rack on top of tea mixture. Start the fire and watch carefully. When mixture begins to smoke, cover wok tightly for about 15 minutes. Switch off heat and let it continue to smoke for another 10 minutes.
6. Remove duck pieces, sear skin over high heat in a non-stick pan to crisp, slice and serve with vegetables and rice.
By Pauline D. Loh
China Daily/ANN
Ingredients (serves 4):
1 large duck - about 1.5 to 2 kg
1 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, pounded together
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp tea leaves (green tea or pu'er tea)
3 tbsp rock sugar, crushed
3 tbsp raw rice
Method:
1. Remove duck breasts and legs. Skin and trim fat from rest of duck and chop into chunks. Reserve for soup or some other use.
2. Wash and dry duck breast and legs thoroughly and rub with Sichuan pepper and salt mixture. Wash hands well after this and do not rub your eyes.
3. Marinate duck meat, covered, for at least an hour, preferably overnight for the best flavor.
4. Line bottom of a sturdy large wok with aluminum foil. Place tea leaves, rice and sugar at the bottom.
5. Place duck pieces on a rack on top of tea mixture. Start the fire and watch carefully. When mixture begins to smoke, cover wok tightly for about 15 minutes. Switch off heat and let it continue to smoke for another 10 minutes.
6. Remove duck pieces, sear skin over high heat in a non-stick pan to crisp, slice and serve with vegetables and rice.
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