Du� jiao ?? is a pickled/fermented chopped chilli popular in Hunan and Sichuan. It does not contain any vinegar but lactic acid is produced during fermentation. This pickle is easy to make at home and ready to eat after few days but if you like it tastes sour best keep it for 2 - 3 weeks before use. This pickled/fermented chilli is a popular ingredient for steamed fish especially fish head. T...
Sabtu, 11 Desember 2010
Selasa, 30 November 2010
Pandan coconut pound cake with frosting
Life have been a bit hectic lately and I had neglected the blog for a while.To welcome me back I presented you with a sweet treat. It's a pandan and coconut pound cake with butter frosting. This recipe is something I made up with ingredients I thought nice together.CakeIngredients:50ml pandan juice (extracted from 10 - 12 pandan leaves + 2-3 tbsp water)4 medium size eggs200g plain...
Kamis, 21 Oktober 2010
Rendang Daging (Beef rendang)
Beef rendang is probably one of the most popular Malay curry. I haven't met anyone who does not like this fragrant spicy dried beef curry. Nearly every Malay festive celebrations, there is always rendang of some sort, beef, chicken, lamb, dried or wet rendang.Preparing the rempah or spice paste is important to give maximum flavour. Usiing a mini blender it only takes less than a minute to...
Jumat, 08 Oktober 2010
Copycat fried 'dace' fish with black beans ?????
I was talking with Josh of Cooking The Book the other day about canned fried dace with black bean 'dou si lian yue ????' and how difficult to find them these days due to limited import because of suspected contaminated fish used for manufacturing. I have a craving since for this salty chewy leathery fish with yummy black beans. Couple of days ago I was shopping in Lidl and they had frozen...
Sabtu, 11 September 2010
Korean spicy chicken stew
This stew is so easy to make. One of those recipes I have repeated time after time when I crave for a warm hearty stew but could not be bother or too tired to hang around long in the kitchen. All I have to do is cut the vegetables and chicken, then just add water and boil till just about tender then add spicy sauce. That is it. Couldn't be simpler, grease free cooking. It does look good with...
Rabu, 08 September 2010
Fish fragrant aubergine jiaozi-wartip ?????????
This recipe is inspired by two of my favourites, fish fragrant aubergine and jiaozi dumplings. This isn't a classic recipe but a tasty combination. If you don't believe me give it a try you will be addicted. The dumplings are tasty with a nice spicy flavour. Tasty enough without needing any dipping sauce, but I still make a ginger spicy vinegar to go with.Unlike standard fish fragrant...
Sabtu, 04 September 2010
Sweet corn juk (rice soup) ???
Sweet corn is in season again. One of the simplest way I like with fresh sweet corn is to make juk for breakfast/brunch. It's so simple just two ingredients plus lots of water. This juk is similar to Cantonese sweet corn soup without the chicken bits, meat stock etc..., very simple but refreshing with a lovely sweet flavour.Take about 3/4 cup of glutinous rice. Rinse and soak with 1 cup of water...
Rabu, 01 September 2010
Kuih Momo (Kuih Makmur)
It's still Ramadan at the moment. Hari Raya or Eid is coming soon. When I was still living in the Far East, one of the sweet cookies I remembered popular during Hari Raya is Kuih Momo. In Brunei and East Malaysia, these cookies are commonly known as Kuih Momo and in West Malaysia I think they are more commonly known as Kuih Makmur.Other than Hari Raya, we also make these cookies for Chinese New...
Selasa, 31 Agustus 2010
Korean ice cold soy milk noodles - Kongguksu
Kongguksu is an interesting bowl of noodle soup. It is icy cold great for the warm weather. It has an unsual cold soy milk broth with added nuts for more flavour. The broth is mild, nutty, delicious and healthy. If you like strong flavoured noodle soup this recipe is not for you.This soy milk broth is not the normal soy milk. Soaked soy beans are boiled then blended with water to a creamy thick...
Minggu, 29 Agustus 2010
Hakka steamed dumpliings ????
Chinese name: Hakka chai guo ???? or Hakka chai bao ???? In Brunei we called these dumplings chai kuih. I remembered in our family we used to have them for breakfast nearly every weekend, we buy them from the kuih lady in the market. Eventually we learnt how to make them and have them as and when we feel like making some. I have never seen these dumplings in UK restaurants, the only way I can...
Kamis, 26 Agustus 2010
Nyonya kuih lapis - nine layers cake ???
This colourful steamed cake is a Chinese Nyonya fusion, soft and slightly chewy. I love this since I was a kid. I like to peel the layers one by one and eat it that way.This cake is more like a pudding than a western cake. It is normally called nine layers cake due to the number of layers. It is not essential to have nine layers but that has been a tradition passed down from generation to...
Rabu, 25 Agustus 2010
Chongqing hot & sour noodles ?????
????? Chongqing suan la fenChongqing hot and sour noodle soup is one of the world favourite Chinese noodles, popular not only in Chongqing but also in Sichuan. I love it, it's spicy, salty, sour, garlicy and the noodles are soft and slippery. A bowl of red hot slurping goodness. This noodle soup can be a fast food, can prepare in minutes if all the components/ingredients are prepared in advanc...
Minggu, 22 Agustus 2010
There Is Native
Native Lambon-A-Stick3-4 pounds lamb cut in 1 to 2-inch chunksmarinate in:1/2 cup lemon juice1/2 cup red wine vinegar1/2 cup corn oil3 large cloves garlic, crushed1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper1 teaspoon fresh ground cumin1 teaspoon fresh chopped cilantro Whisk all marinade ingredients together in a large bowl, add lamb and stir to coat all sides of the meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to grill, place on skewers and grill for...
Cha Traop Dot - Cambodian aubergine with pork and prawn
This is yet another lovely aubergine (eggplant) recipe. This is a Cambodian recipe. I don't know much about Cambodian cooking. I got this recipe from a friend.I like the way the aubergine is first chargrilled whole then shredded, the aubergine is sweet and has lovely smoky flavour. I don't have a charcoal grill. I chargrilled the aubergine with direct flame.Here is what I did.Chargrill the...
Selasa, 17 Agustus 2010
A plateful of Malay goodness
My dinner last night,- sambal tumis telur, cut into halves- nasi minyak serai (lemongrass oily rice) with crispy shallot- keropok (prawn crackers)- cucumber slicesHere is the recipe for the rice. I use 50:50 basmati and red rice. This red rice is Thai, bought from oriental supermarket.Nasi Minyak Serai (Lemongrass Oily Rice)Ingredients: (enough for 4), cup size 250ml1 cup basmati rice1 cup red...
Sambal Tumis Telur (sambal eggs)
Born and breed in Brunei Malay food and cooking play an important part in my foodie life. Authentic Malay food is not easy to find in the Western world. I am so glad I have learnt enough to cook myself some decent Malay food before hopping on a plane over here to England many years ago. Clearing the cupboard yesterday I found a jar of sambal tumis I made a while ago. Sambal tumis is very...
Minggu, 15 Agustus 2010
Sesame, spring onion and chicken flavoured crackers ???????
This morning I suddenly have a craving for some Pop Pan spring onion crackers, I was too lazy to go down to the shop. I thought of making something similar. I had a tub of chicken stock jelly with fat collected from roasting a chicken. Thought it might be a good idea to use that to flavour these crackers. No sure how this concoction would turn up I just mixed the dough, rolled it out and baked...
Jumat, 13 Agustus 2010
Xinjiang chicken stew ?????
Xinjiang da pun ji ?????, translated as Xinjiang big plate/bowlful of chicken. Xinjiang is the North West part of China, Muslims majority. I found this chicken stew recipe a while ago, very similar to Sichuan spicy flavour which I like a lot. What special is no water is needed just plenty of beer to stew the chicken. I just got to try this recipe. Here is a big wokful of this stew, colourful and...
Sabtu, 07 Agustus 2010
Fermented beancurd flavoured chicken nuggets with basil ?????
Fu Ru Yen Shu Ji ?????. This recipe is a delight from Taiwan, though not super healthy it's finger licking good. I have made this several times. Chicken has lovely flavour, the coating will stay crunchy for quite long time and the fried basil chips so crunchy they melt in the mouth. The recipe is easy as long as you have some fermented beancurd and some fresh basil.Here is the recipe if you l...
Kamis, 05 Agustus 2010
Boiled chewy sweet potato chunks ???
Has anyone tried something like this in Taiwan or Taiwanese restaurant? This is a bowl of chewy sweet potato chunks called 'dee kwa yuan ???' or 'fun shu yuan ???', a popular Taiwanese dessert. These chunks are similar to Cantonese glutinous rice balls 'tang yuan ??' but much chewier. The first time I made this dessert following a recipe I found on the internet, it was far too chewy for my ta...
Rabu, 04 Agustus 2010
Stuffed pancakes with garlic chives ????
A simple dough and some tasty garlic chives filling make really good stuffed pancakes or pasties. This is a classic Chinese snack called jiu chai hur zi ????. In Chinese it means garlic chive box, box being the pastry. This snack is one I like to make for weekend brunch, simple and filling. What is garlic chive or jiu chai ??? It's a vegetable similar to spring onion (scallion) but the green...
Sabtu, 31 Juli 2010
Spicy aubergine with basil
For all the aubergine (eggplant) fans out there, if you like my aubergine recipes here is another one for you. The recipe is something I put together what I can find in my fridge and overload of basil in the garden. It's Thai flavour combining some of my favourite ingredients together. It's not pretty but very yummy. If you do try hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Ingredients:2 medium...
Kamis, 29 Juli 2010
Konjac or konnyaku
Have you ever eaten S E Asian style Konjac candy, rubbery jelly/jello cups that look like these? I like them but in recent years this candy had very bad press and banned in some countries due to some children choked to death eating them. I reckon children could eat these jelly cups without chewing and also sucking the jelly out of the plastic cup can be dangerous because the lump of jelly can...
Selasa, 27 Juli 2010
Stir fried rice noodles with beef ????
I love all kinds of stir fried rice noodles to name a few like Malaysian/S'porean/Bruneian chow kway teow ???, Thai pad thai, Hong Kong beef with soft scrambled egg ???? (wat dan ngau ho), but today I am cooking Hong Kong style dried stir fried rice noodles with beef ???? (kon chow ngau ho), similar to chow kway teow.I have eaten many kon chow ngau ho ???? in Wong Kee (London China town) years...
Senin, 26 Juli 2010
Caramelised wings
This recipe is based on Vietnamese caramel pork belly. I have been cooking this repeatedly for many years and still not tired of it. It's a rewarding recipe with only few ingredients and simple method. The wings are succulent and full of flavour, sweet and salty. Finger licking good. Whenever I cook this, all I need is just plain white rice, nothing else.If you like cola wings you will love this...
Minggu, 25 Juli 2010
Japanese style potato salad
I haven't posted any Japanese recipes. This recipe today isn't traditional Japanese it's western influenced potato salad. I love this, it has so many bits added giving it interesting texture and colourful. It's a meal on its own. Great for a hungry munchy anytime of the day or night. Lovely as filling for crunchy baguette or serve with BBQ.Here is how I make this tasty potato salad.Ingredients:...
Jumat, 23 Juli 2010
Almond tofu ????
Almond tofu is the Chinese version of panna cotta but much much healthier without the heavy cream and vegan friendly.Almond tofu in Chinese is ???? read as 'sin ren do fu' in Mandarin or 'hung yen dou fu' in Cantonese. This is a Cantonese cold dessert great for the summertime. Most Cantonese dim sum restaurants will have this dessert on their trolleys whizzing around you with all the other...
Kamis, 22 Juli 2010
Spam and XO sauce fried rice
Spam is my regular store cupboard ingredient. A slice or two fried till golden on a bowl of instant noodles with a fried egg will always satisfy the junk food mood I am in sometime.To show my continuous support for all things spamalicious, spam fried rice does occur on my dining table every now and again, another fast food fix.Today's spam fried rice is slightly different. I have a jar of XO...
Rabu, 21 Juli 2010
Mashed aubergine salad ???
Another aubergine (egg plant) recipe? You must think I am mad. Yes, every week when I go shopping if I see aubergines on offer I must bring some home. I bought four yesterday. I wanted to use half straight away because of limited fridge space and the other half later in the week.So what tickle my tastebuds this time? I want something guilt free (reasonably low fat), easy to make and tasty....
Selasa, 20 Juli 2010
Beijing style courgette pancake ??????
I didn't know they have courgette (zucchini) in China, all the time I thought courgette is a Western vegetable. Oriental courgette (zucchini) is similar to western type but the skin is usually much lighter in colour, like pastel green. In China they called courgette 'si hu lu ???'.There is one Beijingnese favourite snack 'xiao chi ??' it's courgette pancake which the Beijingnese given it a fu...
Sabtu, 17 Juli 2010
Thai beef with sweet basil and roasted rice
I have a bumper crop of Thai sweet basil at the moment. Every summer I grow quite of lot of this favourite herb from cuttings. I bought a pack of basil, trimmed and put the stems in water, covered the leaves with perforated clear plastic bag and put in a cool light area. Change the water and clean the stems every few days to remove any decays. In about 10 - 14 days the cuttings would have long...
Rabu, 14 Juli 2010
New blog format
I have just found out Blogger has a new blog template designer facility. Very easy to use and I quite like this new design I selected. Simple and easy on the eye. What do you think? Do you have any comments or things you like me to include.I am still in the process of formatting the design may change things around. So excuse the work in progre...
Selasa, 13 Juli 2010
Dry fried green beans ?????
Sichuanese dried fried green beans. i.e. 'gan bian si ji dou' ?????, are delicious with rice or just with beer. The beans are tender sweet and a bit spicy with yummy salty bits of dried shrimps and Sichuan preserved vegetable (zha chai). Many recipes like to add minced pork (ground pork) I find it unnecessary.The beans are fried in oil then stir fried. You may be disgusted how oily it can be,...
Minggu, 11 Juli 2010
Cold chicken noodles with sesame dressing ??????
It hot hot hot over here. I just want to keep away from cooking as much as I can.Cold noodles is something which is quite appetising in this warm weather. Cold noodles with sesame dressing 'ma jiang ren mian' ???? is common in northern part of China as a snack for the warm summer. This cold dressed noodles can be plain (vegetarian) with a bit of vegetables like bean sprouts and/or cucumber. ...
Sabtu, 26 Juni 2010
Dou fu fa (beancurd jelly) - traditional recipe ???
Dou fu fa (or just 'dou fa') = doh fu hua (or just 'doh hua') = tofu fa = doh now = beancurd jelly = soy milk curdIn Chinese this dessert is called ??? or ??, read as 'dou fu fa' in Cantonese and 'doh fu hua' in Mandarin, translated as tofu flower. There is another name for this dessert called ?? 'doh now' in Mandarin, translated as 'soy brain' because it is as soft as brain and look/texture...
Soy milk ??
It's dreadfully warm over here today. In this warm weather soy milk is a very good beverage. Soy beans are a ying or cool food. Drinking soy milk especially cold can sooth the throat and body in this warm heat.Chinese drink soya milk hot, warm and cold, sweetened, with salt or plain. Chinese soy milk is usually slightly thinner than some of the local western supermarket brands soy milk in...
Rabu, 23 Juni 2010
Best summer healing food mung beans - Mung bean sweet soup with kelp ?????
Chinese believe heat in the body can cause all sorts of health problems. This heat is caused by very warm weather and/or eating too much heaty food like fried food, durian etc. This heat in the body called ?? read as 're chi' translated as 'heat gas', can cause heat rash, sore throat, mouth ulcers, heat headaches etc.... To cure/relieve this heat in Chinese referred as '???? chin re jae duk'...
Kamis, 17 Juni 2010
Prawn omelette ????
Prawn omelette is always a favourite with everyone in the family. Simple, easy and delicious. Can make this about 10 minutes from prep to dining table if you have peeled prawns all ready for you fresh or frozen. I normally buy smaller peeled raw prawns for this, unless peeled king prawns are on offer. Not bad with frozen cooked prawns too if you don't have raw prawns.Using different herbs will...
Simple steamed aubergine ???
Whenever aubergine is on offer I just got to buy a few. I got a large aubergine (eggplant) to use up, but I just can't be bothered to fry or braise like I normally do, the weather is so warm to stand in front of the cooker. Opting for the easy way, I steam it and cover it with a simple sauce. Nice and simple, the aubergine is soft and slippery. One extra I added which adds lots of flavour is...
Rabu, 16 Juni 2010
Five spice, peanut and pork zhongzi ???????
I nearly missed the correct date for Duan Wu Jet ???. I knew it's the 16th but my silly head keep thinking it's Thursday instead of Wednesday today.I made another batch of zhongzi last night, this time is savoury with ground roasted peanuts and pork only, flavoured heavily with five spice. I think this is Hakka style zhongzi, we used to buy these at the market all year round when I was still...
Selasa, 15 Juni 2010
Lye zhongzi ???
It's time for zhongzi again. Duan Wu Jet ??? or more commonly known as Dragon Boat Festival is this Wednesday 16th June.Various pronunciations or writings for these rice dumplings.?? = ?? (zhongzi, zongzi, joong, chang in Hokkien)Zhongzi is a must for this festival. There are many different recipes for these sticky rice dumplings, more popular are meaty savoury types there are also sweet ones...
Senin, 14 Juni 2010
Lemon chicken ???
I love all things sweet and sour and lemon chicken ranks very high on my favourite list. It is such a simple recipe but so very tasty. Beats KFC anytime.If you don't already know a good recipe, this is how I make it. The recipe I like is chicken coated with cornflour (cornstarch) then shallow fried/deep fried. The chicken coating is very crispy and sauce is tangy and flavoursome. I prefer to use...
Minggu, 13 Juni 2010
Homestyle stir fried rice vermicelli (chow mee hoon) ?????
Rice vermicelli ?? (mee fun, mee hoon or fine rice noodles) can be a pain to stir fry. If anyone finds rice vermicelli always clump together, broken into bits and sticking to the pan/wok, you may find this post useful.To make delicious stir fried rice vermicelli, there are a few rules to follow.the noodles must be soaked with cold or lightly warm water, never use boiling water.noodles must not...
Sabtu, 12 Juni 2010
Di San Xian ??? (stir fried potato, aubergine and green pepper)
Di San Xian (or more accurately read as 'dee sun sen') is a delicious vegetarian dish from Dongbei (north east China). The name Di San Xian ??? is translated as 'earth three fresh'.Potato is hardly ever added to any Chinese stir fries, but this recipe really works and truly yummylicious. Once you have tried it, you want again and again. The secret of this recipe is all the vegetables must be...
Minggu, 06 Juni 2010
Jingdu ribs (Cantonese sweet & sour ribs) ???
I have recently discovered Asda pork ribs are fantastic and great value. The ribs are in big chunks and full of meat. The pack I bought last week was labelled as 800g but the actual weight was around 900g.Take a look and drool at my favourite Cantonese Jingdu ribs ??? . It's sticky, sweet, sour and finger licking good.Jingdu ribs are available in most Cantonese style restaurants. Most are quite...
Minggu, 30 Mei 2010
Sichuan dry fried shredded beef ?????
Dry fried shredded beef or 'gun ban niu rou si' ????? is a delicious Sichuan dish.'Gun ban' ?? is a twice cooked method whereby meat or vegetable is shallow fried with oil till dry and brown, this frying gives a lot of flavour to the meat or vegetables. The fried meat or vegetable is then stir fried with a spicy and savoury flavour. Famous 'gun ban' dishes are dry fried shredded beef or 'gun ban...
Senin, 10 Mei 2010
Stir fried seitan with mixed vegetables ?????
I made seitan few days ago, I shallow fried and braised half the quantity, the remaining (about 300g) I boiled for about 30 minutes till cooked through. After cooling, I pat dry it and left in the fridge to use later. Raw seitan can also be steamed for about the same time till cooked through.Yesterday I stir fry the boiled seitan with mixed vegetables. It was a yummy.For the recipe of the stir...
Minggu, 09 Mei 2010
???? Half catty eight taels
''???? Half catty eight taels'' In Mandarin reads as 'bun jin ba liang' or in Cantonese is 'boon gunn bak liong'If you are familiar with Chinese have you heard of this expression before?There is a very old hilarious Cantonese movie by the same name ???? (English title 'The Private Eyes') by the Hui brothers. Remember that? Here is the link to the movie if you like to watch it in Chinese, it's...
Sabtu, 08 Mei 2010
Stir fried courgette with glass noodles and prawns
I love courgettes (zucchini) a lot, my favourite summer vegetable. When freshly picked they have a lovely sweetness. Courgette can be bitter too, not very nice, I reckon may be due to the way they are grown or when they have been stored for over 4 - 5 days in the fridge. Always eat them as soon as you buy them or pick them. When buying and choosing courgettes look at the cut stem check if it...
Rabu, 05 Mei 2010
Fried gluten puffs ????
If you have read the last post you may be wondering what I like to do with the gluten.My favourite way to use gluten or seitan is to fry them in oil till they puff up and golden. Then they can be stuffed and/or braised. Fried gluten has a lovely nutty flavour, chewy and spongy. If you have eaten fried tofu puff, fried gluten is similar to fried tofu puff in texture and taste.Here is how to fry...
Selasa, 04 Mei 2010
Homemade gluten or seitan ??
Chinese has been using hydrated gluten or seitan (?? 'mien jin' in Mandarin) as a meat substitute ingredient for hundreds of years. Gluten is very versatile can be used in hundreds of ways and recipes. Not only as vegetarian it can also cook with meat or seafood. Fried gluten balls can be stuffed with minced fish or prawn or veggie filling. I love gluten especially fried then braised.Gluten...
Minggu, 02 Mei 2010
Char siu bao using water roux
I made these char siu bao (bbq meat steamed buns) with a simple yeast dough. This is not the traditional smiling (cracked top) bao recipe which takes about 2 days to prepare. Traditional smiling bao also needs super white bleached fine milled flour (Hong Kong flour) which is not easy to find even from Chinese supermarkets in London. I used standard non bleached plain flour, the buns are not...
Senin, 26 April 2010
Jellyfish salad ????
If you've never heard of edible jellyfish or or eaten it before, you probably say eurgh...... For those like me who had it many times in Chinese restaurants you will love this salad. Jellyfish is tasteless. We love it for its crunchy texture. It will absorb any flavour you add to it.If there is a good Chinese supermarket near you, you can buy the jellyfish and make the salad at home. Traditional...
Kamis, 22 April 2010
Childhood Nostalgia
Do you ever take a foodie trip down memory lane thinking about those childhood food you loved so much at one time, now seldom or no longer have them anymore. I have quite a few, some I still secretly enjoy now and again, some sound weird and some make me shudder thinking about them. Many of these are probably more familiar with people from the Far East.Milo malted chocolate was and is still...
Rabu, 21 April 2010
Braised potato and belly pork with red fermented beancurd ???????
This is my mum's recipe and has been a favourite since I was a kid. This dish does not look very pretty but it is very tasty comfort food. The braising method is similar to hong shao pork. The meat is succulent and potato chunks are soft and absorbed all the meat and sauce flavour. I can eat this every week and still don't get tired of it.The secret to make the potato very tasty is to deep fry...
Minggu, 18 April 2010
Crispy chilli beef
Crispy chilli beef is a very popular Chinese available in most restaurants and takeaways in UK. Most Chinese restaurants branded this as a Sichuan dish. I have no idea how and why. This is just another British-Chinese creation, doubt if you'll find this anywhere in Sichuan China.I love anything sweet, sour and spicy, this is rather nice and I don't mind cooking it occasionally.As long as you...
Jumat, 16 April 2010
Spice infused pineapple
I love fresh pineapple just can't get enough of it. The only thing I have to be careful is fresh pineapple sometime gives me mouth ulcers. I love stewing pineapple for a short while with a little sugar and a few strips of lime zest, that's nice and helps to avoid ulcers. Lately I found stewing pineapple with spices is very tasty and I can have it with a meal.This recipe is my current favourite...
Senin, 12 April 2010
Basic white loaf using water roux
I have talked about water roux and how it can add extra water to a bread dough without deforming the shape. This post is to show you how I make a standard white loaf using water roux. Normally for a white bread loaf the normal water content (hydration) is around 60 - 65%max. With water roux added, the dough water content can raise to 70 -80%. Eventhough there is so much water in the dough, it...
Minggu, 11 April 2010
Steamed ribs and butternut squash with black bean sauce - ???????
Had this last night it was very tasty. It's steamed pork spare ribs with black bean sauce on a bed of butternut squash. The ribs were tender and juicy coated with lots of black beans mixed with garlic, ginger and chilli. The butternut squash was soft and sweet. A recipe to keep.Here is the recipe to share with you.Ingredients:450 - 500g pork ribs**, chopped into small chunks or buy them ready ...
Jumat, 09 April 2010
Lap yuk ?? - Chinese dried bacon
I have never made lap yuk before. I made this batch of lap yuk together with the lap cheong. It's very easy just marinate and hang to dry, that's it. I am not that crazy with lap yuk like I am with lap cheong, but it is nice to know how to make this.Here is what I did.Ingredients:1.75 - 2 kg belly pork1/2 cup of light soy1 tbsp dark soy1/3 cup sugar2.5 tbsp salt1 tsp five spice2 tsp...
DIY Lap Cheong tasting
Well the batch of homemade lap cheong is ready to eat. I had tried a little a day for the last few days, I am still here no funny tummy or illness. I am now happy to declare they are safe to eat.Result and taste test: Total drying (hanging) time is 1 week at room temperature. After drying the weight loss is around 30%. The outside of the sausages was a little drier and firmer than the...
Kamis, 08 April 2010
Fresh cucumber pickle
I make this cucumber pickle quite often, it's easy, quick and very tasty. Goes well with any grilled meat, roast chicken or on its own as a side dish.Recipe:Cut a large cucumber into half lengthwise, remove the soft core and cut into very thin slices. Mix with about 1 tsp salt and leave it for a while and drain off the liquid. Then make the pickling mix with 1/2 lemon juice, 1 tbsp of...
Minggu, 04 April 2010
Filipino Biko (Glutinous rice pudding)
I adore homemade English rice pudding with lots of ground nutmeg and a brown skin on top, but I hate rice pudding in a tin/can I can never touch that stuff.Biko is Filipino rice pudding using glutinous rice and coconut milk. Great stuff. I made this with my own tweaks adding nutmeg like how I love English rice pudding. Also I added a layer of lovely caramel on top. I love Biko as much as the...
Jumat, 02 April 2010
Super hydration soft bread using water roux aka tangzhong ??
If you like soft bread and have thought of using bread improver but hate using chemicals here is a great recommendation.There is a craze coming from the Far East to use something called 60deg C water roux aka tangzhong ?? to make all sorts of soft breads. I think this water roux method originated from Japan.What is a 60deg C water roux? It�s basically a cooked water and flour paste. Why 60deg C?...
Hot Cross buns
I like any spicy and fruity sweet bread and buns. Since it is Easter I have the excuse to make a batch of hot cross buns.I like this Dan Lepard recipe - day bake with Mumsnet. I like the use of glace ginger, I am sure will be very nice. I am not one to follow any recipes exactly as written. I always add my own tweaks. I like to use this Dan's recipe together with water roux.My tweaks:1....
Minggu, 28 Maret 2010
Lap Cheong ?? - Chinese dried sausage
Stored bought lap cheong in UK are really tasteless, I don't really know why. I had tried so many brands and never find any I really like. It's such a shame good lap cheong from the far east are banned from import and carrying them yourself through custom. I don't buy UK lap cheong too often because they are expensive too about �5 - 7+ for a pound of meat.Making my own lap cheong (Chinese dr...
Sabtu, 27 Maret 2010
Moo goo gai pan ????
The first time I heard of 'moo goo gai pan' said in American/English years ago, I had no idea what it was. Then I figured it out it must be chicken with mushroom, still took me many years later to figure out what 'pan' is in Chinese till I Google and found out it is ?(slices). This dish name has appeared in many American movies or tv whenever Chinese food is mentioned, even The Simpsons also...
Jumat, 26 Maret 2010
Jjajangmyun (Korean black bean sauce noodles)
Jjajangmyun is Chinese Zha Jiang Mian Korean style. Jjajangmyun was introduced by Chinese immigrants living in Korea years ago.The main ingredient for the sauce is a Korean black bean sauce called chun jang. This black bean sauce is nothing like Chinese black bean sauce, so do not substitute Chinese fermented black bean (tousi) for this recipe. Chun jang is jet black and very thick, less salty...
Senin, 22 Maret 2010
Mooli and pork wrapped in flaky pastry ?????
These are nice little dim sum pastry balls great with a cup of Chinese tea. I am using traditional Chinese flaky pastry for this recipe but if you can't be bothered you can use bought puff pastry. Chinese flaky pastry is made up of two type of pastries layered together. Here is how to make this yummy dim sum.For the filing:500g peeled mooli or daikon, shredded/grated into shreds by cheese grater...
Minggu, 21 Maret 2010
Banana and coconut chiffon cake
I had few very ripe bananas sitting in the fruit bowl. The only way I can think of to use them up is cake. I want something light and less calorie rich. I had banana chiffon before, it's a bit bland IMO. Then I thought why not add coconut with banana for a change. Can't use coconut milk on top of the pureed banana or the cake will be too wet. Then I thought why not add coconut cream powder then...
Jumat, 19 Maret 2010
Sichuan preserved vegetable and pork noodle soup ?????
?? Zha Chai is my favourite store cupboard Chinese pickled vegetable. This is available in most Chinese grocery store, some in plastic packaging and some in tin/can in large chunks or ready shredded. Personally I prefer the chunky type in a tin/can.This pickled vegetable is made with a root vegetable similar to kohlrabi but knobbly. Above is a picture borrowed from the web. This is how they l...
Kamis, 11 Maret 2010
Opor Ayam
Opor ayam is one of the popular chicken curry in Indonesia/Malaysia/Brunei areas. Two common curry spices like chilli and turmeric are not required. This curry is fragrant with spices but not spicy hot and quite creamy with coconut milk. Quite easy to make once you have got the spice paste and whole spices ready. Very tasty with just plain rice or Malay pressed rice called lontong. I like this...
Kamis, 04 Maret 2010
Hakka fried pork braised with woodears ???????
Most People called this char yoke, meaning fried pork. The pork is fried then braised. It's similar braising pork like hong shao rou. The dish is flavoured predominantly with red fermented beancurd and five spice powder. Quite a simple recipe, other than the flavourings there are only two ingredients pork and woodears. Probably the only recipe that uses the most woodears in my experience. Not...
Rabu, 24 Februari 2010
Pajeri nanas (pineapple curry)
It's been a while since I last posted a Malay recipe. This is what I made last week with opor ayam (creamy chicken). The pineapple was spicy, sharp and sweet, the chicken was mild and creamy, perfect match. This pineapple curry is one of my favourite curry, very tasty. If you like curry and sweet & sour this is for you.Recipe is quite simple. All you need is a fresh pineapple** and some...
Kidney and liver rice wine vermicelli noodle soup ????
Rice wine and sesame oil vermicelli noodle soup ????? is a celebration dish, very popular with Fuzhou ?? and Hokkien (Fujian) ?? people. Many after-birth mums will eat this, not sure if the doctor will recommend if the mum is breast feeding because it has oodles of rice wine added, for centuries many Chinese mums had eaten this so I don't see how bad it could be. This noodle soup is also com...
Selasa, 23 Februari 2010
Beijing Pizza ????
???? Jiu Chai Hu BingSome people called this Beijing pizza, it's an old Beijing style snack 'xiao chi ??', made with a thin crunchy cornmeal crust topped with Chinese chives (garlic chives), egg and a little dried shrimp for a more savoury flavour. Very tasty.Pictures are a bit fuzzy due to the hot steam.Here is the recipe - make an approx. 1 x 25cm round pizza (pancake)Ingredients: about 80...
Senin, 22 Februari 2010
Fried nian gao (egg fried sticky rice cake)
This is a simple breakfast common during the CNY season. Nian gao will harden after a few days, most people will fry it with egg to soften the cake and also given it a nicer flavour. Sometime if I have sweet potato and/or taro I would use them to sandwich nian goh and dip in egg to fry which is also very tasty too.Here is just a simple fried nian gao with egg. Dead simple to make.Cut some nian...
Minggu, 21 Februari 2010
CNY Day Seven Auspicious food (?? ???)
Most Chinese are very superstitious, I know we are a weird bunch, many of the things we do and eat around CNY can all relate to some meanings, mostly something to bring auspicious lucks. Any thing bad is usually avoided or not permitted like no sweeping around the house during the first few days of CNY, this will sweep away any lucks!. Bad luck food is stir fried squid ?? because another meaning...
Jumat, 19 Februari 2010
What Some Native Chefs Are Cooking
The Mitsitam Cafe�s Mexican Hot Chocolate1 gallon milk1/2 stick mexican or regular cinnamon3 pcs arbol chilies1 pc pasilla pepper, or dried poblano1 cup sugar3 pieces mexican chocolate1 cup cocoa powderHeat milk with cinnamon and dried peppers. Once milk has scalded, removecinnamon and dried peppers, and remove from heat. Break up Mexicanchocolate into small pieces. Whisk in sugar, cocoa powder and Mexicanchocolate pieces. Place the combined chocolate...
Soy Sauce Poached Chicken ??? and Master Sauce ??
I love poached chicken, the meat is so juicy and tender. That is why I love Hainanese Chicken rice. Another of my favourite is soy sauce chicken (See Yau Gai ???). This poaching liquor is a mixture of light soy, dark soy, sugar and spices normally referred to as master sauce (lu sui ??). Chicken poached with this sauce is a lot more flavourful than just poaching with water or plain stock like...
Selasa, 16 Februari 2010
Buddha's Delight or Monk's Vegetables ???
On the first day of CNY many Chinese. especially Cantonese, will go meat free. Many will cook an assorted vegetarian dish using dried vegetables, edible fungi, tofu products and fresh vegetables. This dish is normally referred to as Buddha Delight or Monk's Vegetable, in Chinese is ??? (lo han zai) or simply ?? (zai choi).This dish is the custom in my family for this day every year. My mum would...
Sabtu, 13 Februari 2010
Celebrate CNY Eve with Fu gui Ji ???, aka Beggar Chicken
Our New Year's Eve dinner highlight was a Fu Gui Ji ???, commonly known as beggar chicken (??? chi gai zi) or (??? jiao hua zi). I preferred to called it Fu Gui Ji ??? for this occasion because fu gui ?? means fortune and prosperity.This beggar chicken recipe started a long time ago in Hangzhou ??, China. The story was a beggar stole a live chicken from a village. He was found out and the ow...
Happy Tiger New Year
????!Happy New Year!??????!Greetings from Lucky Tiger!The following phrases are Tiger greetings. May sound a bit stupid translated to English, but quite sweet in Chinese. ????????? Lucky Tiger wishing you rolling in with money in the coming year ????? Properous like a fat tiger ??????? Strong as a tiger ??????? Love life sweet as tiger�s milk ??????? Good lucks many as...
Jumat, 12 Februari 2010
Red bean and coconut sticky rice cake ??????
This coconut flavoured sticky cake/pudding with cooked red beans is another Cantonese favourite for CNY. I made some the other day but I have to say I much preferred the old fashioned plain brownish rice cake. Here is a recipe if anyone is interested.This recipe will make 2 puddings using 1/2 pint (about 250ml) pudding basins (metal or plastic) or other containers.Ingredients:1/2 cup red beans...
Crunchy peanut crescents ???
Yau kok zai ??? are crunchy peanut crescents, a very popular snack for CNY especially Cantonese. I have been making these since I was a kid, it's a must have this time of the year. I like to make mine really tiny, it's labour intensive I quite enjoyed making them.They are crunchy inside out, so can keep for several weeks in airtight container.For this recipe, this will make about 75 tiny...
Rabu, 10 Februari 2010
New Year Rice Cake ??
Rice cake or nian gao ?? is something nearly every Chinese family will have for CNY. The two words ? nian and ? gao rhyme with the Chinese greeting phrase ???? nian nian gao sheng, literally translated as higher year after year or simply you will prosper year after year. So eating nian gao is considered lucky for the coming year.There are different nian gao, the Northerners have white plain r...
Selasa, 09 Februari 2010
Candied lotus seeds ???
During CNY many Chinese will have a box of candied fruits and nuts at home to welcome friends and families when they visit and also given them as gifts. Popular candied stuff like candied lotus root slices, lotus seeds, red dates (jujube), kumquats and winter melon.Candied lotus seeds (tang lan zi ???) are popular especially for any family wishing to have kids because the word lotus seeds in...
Senin, 08 Februari 2010
Chinese dumplings - Jiaozi ??
I love Chinese dumplings and I am sure many of you too. There are hundreds of different kind of Chinese dumplings, from quite small and dainty to golf ball size, so many different methods to wrap, so many different types of pastry and infinite types of fillings. Dumplings can be boiled, steamed, fried or deep fried. And different parts of China have their own different recipes.Southerners'...
Minggu, 07 Februari 2010
Yeung Ji Gum Lo ????
Here is another request from a reader for a recipe.Yeung Ji Gum Lo ???? is a cold Chinese dessert created by some Hong Kong restaurant in the '80. It's quite a refreshing dessert soup which is creamy, sweet and fragrant from mango and pomelo. Very simple to make, all you need is gather the ingredients and mix everything together. The key ingredients are mango, pomelo, sago pearls, mango ice cr...
Kamis, 04 Februari 2010
Zha Jiang Mian ??? - Fried sauce noodles
Zha Jiang Mian ??? is fried sauce noodles, I called it Chinese spag bog. These noodles are very popular in most parts of Northern China, especially Beijing.Koreans are also fan of zha jiang noodles, similar name called jajangmyeon. The sauce Korean used is not the same as Chinese, similar flavour but made with black beans called chungjang.Chinese zha jiang sauce is dark brown, salty, sweet and...
Sabtu, 09 Januari 2010
Lets Squash it
Buttercup Squash Bread1 pkg (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)2 tablespoon molasses1 teaspoon salt1/2 to 1 tsp. caraway seeds1 cup buttercup squash, cooked and mashed3 cup all-purpose flourIn a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add molasses, salt,caraway, squash and 2 C. flour; mix well. Add enough remaining flourto form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smoothand elastic, about 6-8 minutes....
