3 hungry tummies

Chermoula Roasted Chicken, Tomato, Avocado And Cucumber Salsa Wraps

2012-02-18T13:53:00.001+11:00

I have wanted to try my hands on cooking Mexican or even Tex-Mex food at home for a while now. When I finally got my acts together to do my research and found a recipe suitable for a first timer like me, the specialty shop was closed when I arrived with my list of ingredients.

Thankfully the supermarket is a stone's throw away from the specialty shop and I managed to come out with a Mediterranean version of my planned tacos meal.

This completely revised meal is now a tummies' favourite whenever we want to get away from rice and pasta. Mexican food is still on the pipeline and if you know of any good Mexican cookbook do let me know, thank you.

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
serves 4 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
1 free range chicken, butterflied
5 tbs of chermoula for marinade
8 to 10 shop bought tortillas or other flat breads
200 g of baby cos lettuce leaves
2 tbs of extra chermoula

for the salsa;
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 continental/telegraph cucumber, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 spanish onion, finely diced
2 tbs of chopped coriander leaves
2 tbs of chopped mint leaves
4 tbs of olive oil
juice from half a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

To butterfly or spatchcock the chicken - remove the backbones of the chicken using a pair of kitchen scissor then flatten it slightly with both the palms of your hands. Use 5 tbs of the chermoula to marinate the chicken for at least an hour in the fridge.

Heat up an oven tray and lightly brown the chicken on both sides (2 -3 minutes/side) then roast it in the preheated oven for ~45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool down.

While waiting for the chicken to cool down, prepare the salsa by combining all the ingredients in a large bowl, check for seasonings and set aside.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle drain off most of the accumulating oil in the oven tray and shred the meat from the carcass, reserving the bones for your stock pot. Return the shredded chicken to the tray and mix it with the remaining delicious sticky bits and cooking juices and the extra 2 tbs of chermoula.

Place a tortilla or flat bread on the workbench, place some lettuce over then top with some of the shredded chicken and salsa.

They can be rolled up and eaten as they are or lightly grill on a hot plate which is how we like it.

Halve wraps at an angle and serve it with a little more salsa on the side.

Homemade Chermoula

2012-02-18T13:50:00.002+11:00

We used to always have a selection of ready made spice mixes in our pantry and chermoula - a popular North African marinade was a big favourite at that time. These products though convenient and quite inoffensive, they do lack freshness which is especially important for something like chermoula. It is easy to make your own chermoula at home and the result is a very rewarding one.

There are many different versions of chermoula around and this is one that I obtained from a shopkeeper at my local Middle Eastern shop.

ingredients;

1/3 cup of chopped coriander leaves

1/3 cup of chopped parsley leaves

4 garlic cloves

3 shallots

2 tsp of cumin powder

1 tsp of coriander powder

1 tsp of chili powder

1 tsp of smoked paprika

1/4 cup of olive oil

juice from half a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Method;

Place all ingredients in a food processor and roughly chop and blend until you get a medium course paste. Alternatively this can be done using a mortar and pestle.

Curried Sausage And Vegetables On Rice

2012-02-16T17:52:00.002+11:00

Many of my Anglo friends grew up with a version of this peculiar but delicious curried sausage dish. It is also one of Tummy's childhood favourites - something his late father would cook when they wanted something a little more exotic than their usual meat with three veg. Though I haven't got his exact recipe but Tummy reckoned my version was pretty similar to that of his father's.

This is a simple and balanced one dish meal that can easily be altered to suit your taste; replace the sausages with some firm tofu, add a can of chickpeas or your favourite vegetables perhaps?

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
serves 4 as one dish meal
you'll need;

2 tbs of cooking oil

1 tsp of mustard seeds (optional)

a few curry leaves (optional)

6 good quality sausages of your choice, removed casing and break into pieces

1 onion, cut into chunks

2 green chillies, sliced

1/3 jar of vindaloo curry paste (I prefer Pataks)

1 can (400ml) of coconut milk (use light or yoghurt for a healthier version)

1.5 cup of stock

1 head of broccoli, divided into bite size florets and stem cut to chunks, blanched and refreshed

2 carrots, peeled and cut into batons, blanched and refreshed

200g of green beans, topped and tailed hand halved sidewise, blanched and refresh

1sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes, boiled until just cooked, drained well

3/4 cup of frozen peas, thawed

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

salt and pepper to taste
steamed rice to serve

Get all the chopping, cutting, blanching and boiling out of the way.

Heat up a little oil in a large pan then add in the mustard seeds and curry leaves, when the contents start to pop add in the sausages, mix well and cook until the sausages are slightly golden.

Add in the onion and chillies and continue to cook for a minute to soften and enhance the flavour of the onion.

Add in the curry paste and half of the coconut milk and mix well, let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Finally add all the precooked vegetables, tomatoes, peas and stir well, pour in the rest of the coconut milk and stock and simmer for a further 3 to 5 minutes, season well with salt and pepper.

Serve with plenty of steamed rice and enjoy!

Polenta Crumbed Potato And Tuna Patties

2012-02-15T12:14:00.004+11:00

Looking for something economical, tasty and nutritious for your midweek dinner? Well I think I might just have the answer for you!

Contrary to popular belief potato doesn't make us fat but the lack of exercise, potato chips and mash laden with fats are the main culprits. In fact the slow energy releasing starch in potato makes us full and satisfied without resorting to overeating, another reason for the thickening midsections. Together with everyone's pantry favourite - canned tuna and a few other easy to get ingredients, a wholesome meal can be prepared in less than an hour.

For those who are not big fans of deep fried food, you can easily bake these patties in the oven. To do that simply place the patties onto a non stick oven tray, lightly spray with canola oil and bake in a hot oven (200 C) until golden (~25 to 30 minutes)

For something a little more fancy please check out my salmon fish cakes with salsa or if you prefer something vegetarian how about my panko crumbed sweet potato and red lentil patties instead?

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
makes 12
you will need;
6 potatoes, boiled till tender, peeled and mashed
1 onion, chopped, sauteed with a little oil until soften
1 can of tuna in spring water, drained well
half a bunch of parsley, finely chopped (~1/2 cup)
1 tbs of capers, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of polenta
oil for frying
relish of your choice to serve

Cook the potatoes until tender, when they are cool enough to handle peel and set aside.

Mash potatoes in a large bowl then add in the rest of the ingredients except for the polenta and oil.

Mix everything well and check for seasonings.

Form little patties with wet hands then lightly press the patties down onto the bowl polenta. You may crumb them with normal or Japanese breadcrumbs instead but I really love that light crunchy crust from the polenta. Place the crumbed patties in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up before frying.

Fry patties in batches until golden brown and drain well on kitchen towels.

Serve tuna patties with a simple salad and some relish on the side.

Wa Bao Fan 瓦煲飯 Claypot Rice With Chicken, Chinese Sausage And Salted Fish - "Malaysian Monday 72"

2012-02-13T13:32:00.005+11:00

Claypot rice is a Cantonese staple that can be found all over Malaysia. It is hard not to notice the rolls of charcoal burners and claypots of different sizes blazing away while hungry customers wait patiently for their delicious one-pot meal, otherwise the wonderful aroma will tell you there is a such a stall nearby.

Some claypot rice sellers these days offer luxury items such as abalone and fresh water prawns to be added to the rustic one-pot meal, often charging ridiculous prices for this once humble and affordable everyday dish. My opinion is stick to the basics and that was exactly what I did with my version here.

The weather has been extremely mild for this time of the year to allow this comforting meal to appear on our table...blessed!

P.S You may add some presoaked Chinese mushrooms to the recipe. Use halal Chinese sausage made from chicken and omit the Chinese cooking wine for a halal version.

serves 1 or 2 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
1 chinese sausage, steamed and sliced
2 chicken thighs (~200g), cut into manageable pieces
1 small piece of salted fish
2 spring onions, cut into 5cm lengths
1 cup of rice, washed and rinsed
1.5 cups of water
chopped spring onions to serve
sliced chilies to serve
1 very fresh free range egg

for the chicken marinade;
1 clove of garlic, grated
1 tsp of grated ginger
1 tbs of soy
1 tsp of sesame oil
a dash of chinese cooking wine
1 tsp of corn flour

for the sauce;
2 tbs of light soy
1 tbs of dark soy
1 tsp of castor sugar
1/e tsp of sesame oil

Steam chinese sausage until it plumps up, cool slightly before slicing. Prepare the rest of the ingredients and set aside.

Marinate chicken pieces with the marinade for at least an hour then mix in the sausage and spring onions.

I used salted mackerel and this is how it looks like. Check the cold storage department of you Asian grocer.

Pan fry a small piece of the salted mackerel on medium heat until golden, remove and allow to cool.

Place rice and water in a claypot and bring it to a simmer, add the chicken, sausage and spring onions, cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.

Pour in the sauce and put the cover back on and cook for a further 5 minutes. Increase the heat for a delicious light crust to form on the bottom of the pot. Break up the salted fish into pieces and add to the pot.

Top with chopped spring onions and chili rings and break an egg in.

Mix well and enjoy with extra sliced chillies with soy on the side.

I am hosting this month's event so please send all your entries to me at sureshchong@yahoo.com, to find out more about Muhibbah Malaysian Monday and on how to participate, simply click HERE. I will be waiting!

Midweek Pasta - Spaghetti Carbonara

2012-02-11T12:49:00.004+11:00

There are many disputed stories about the origin the dish but give a medal to the genius who invented this fabulous dish I say!

With so few ingredients needed and most are readily available in our kitchen, this is the perfect dish on days when cooking up a storm is not the key phrase for the night.

They key to the success of a good carbonara is the quality of the ingredients so go out and get the freshest free range eggs and a good chunk of Parmesan cheese (non of those tasteless locally made stuff). More importantly no cream please!

serves 4 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
500g of spaghetti
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese
2 tbs of olive oil
40g of butter
3 garlic cloves
300g of pancetta or bacon, cut into small strips
extra parmesan to serve

Cut pancetta or bacon into strips and place eggs, egg yolks and parmesan cheese in a bowl, whisk everything with a fork and set aside.

Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan and add in the pancetta or bacon together with the garlic cloves. Cook over moderate heat until the pancetta is crisp, discarding the garlic and remove the pan from the heat source and allow to cool slightly otherwise the residue heat from the pan might cook the egg further.

Cook spaghetti with plenty of salted water until al dente, drain well and add to the pan, toss well before adding the egg and cheese mixture and mix well.

Serve immediately with sprinkling of extra parmesan cheese.

Bangers And Mash From The Tummies' Kitchen

2012-02-09T17:12:00.001+11:00

Oh I love bangers and mash and why weren't we served this when we were little? I have been talking about my childhood dishes since day one and I think it is time to share some of the other tummy's favourite childhood fares as well.

It is easy to pick up top quality sausages with so many wonderful butchers near us and the good news is most supermarkets stocked a huge variety of good quality sausages these days. Make your own gravy if you must but I am quite happy with the packet gravy on the market, it just adds that little naughtiness to an already quite sinful meal.

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
serves 4 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
olive oil
16 good quality sausages of your choice
2 cups of frozen peas
a knob of butter
salt and pepper to taste
beetroot relish to serve

for the onion sauce;
1 large onion, halved then sliced
1 packet of onion gravy, prepared according to the packaging

for the mash;
8 potatoes, boiled until tender with plenty of salted water and peeled and cut into chunks
3 tbs of olive oil
4 tbs of light sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in a pan with a little olive oil until soft and lightly caramelized.

Prepare the onion gravy according to the packaging then mix in to the cooked onion.

For the mash - Return cooked potatoes to the pot and mash it with a potato masher, add in the olive oil and butter and season well with salt and pepper.

Cook sausages in batches and drain well.

Serve sausages with some mash, buttered peas and some onion gravy over. Oh don't forget the relish too.

Nasi Kunyit 黃薑飯 Steamed Glutinous Rice With Turmeric And Coconut Milk - "Malaysian Monday 71"

2012-02-07T18:21:00.007+11:00

I was about to write a rain cheque for this week's MM post but that was before I saw the delicious nasi lemak kuning (yellow coconut rice) at my favourite Makcik Manggis' blog Jom Masak ...Jom Makan-Makan. The fragrant coconut rice beautifully coloured with turmeric reminded me of something I cooked when my dear firend A came over for dinner one night.

Nasi kunyit (or turmeric rice in Malay) is a significant dish for the Peranakan/Nyonyas, given out as gift together with the likes of red eggs and ang ku kueh (red rice cakes with sweet filling in the shape of tortoise) to friends and relatives when a baby turn's one month's old.

Traditionally served with chicken curry and that was exactly what I did when A came over to keep me company when the other tummy was away.

Please remember to head over to my friend Sharon's blog Test With Skewer to check out the 19th Muhibbah Malaysian Monday roundup!

serves 4 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
600 g of glutinous rice
2 tbs of turmeric powder
2 cups of water
2 pieces of asam keping (tamarind peel)* or a juice from half a lime
400 ml of coconut milk
pinch of salt
2 pandan leaves, knotted
Malaysian chicken curry to serve
cucumber and onion pickle to serve

Place washed glutinous rice in a large bowl and add in the water, turmeric powder, asam keping and water, stir well and leave it to soak overnight. Drain the rice well and discharge the asam keping and set aside the next day.

Place the soaked rice in a shallow bowl or a lined steamer, pour in half of coconut milk and a pinch of salt and mix well, place the knotted pandan leaves into the bowl, cover and steam over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Mix in the rest of the coconut cream and mix well, cover and steam for a further 10 minutes.

Serve the fragrant turmeric rice with chicken curry. I decided to have some cucumber and onion pickles on the side to cut down the richness of the dish.

Muhibbah Malaysian Monday Roundup No.19

2012-02-06T14:26:00.002+11:00

Happy Monday and welcome to the first Muhibbah Malaysian Monday roundup for the year! Both Sharon and I would love to thank everyone for participating during the busiest time of the year.

Without further ado let's go over to my friend and co-host Sharon's blog Test With Skewer to check out last month's delicious offers!

Lamb Kebabs And Warm Beetroot Salad With Spiced Yoghurt Sauce

2012-02-04T11:03:00.002+11:00

As promised a post on one of our recent meals using the colourful warm beetroot and cumin salad as a side dish - It paired wonderfully with the delicious smokey lamb kebabs, with a little spiced yoghurt sauce on the side and we are talking about a very memorable meal indeed.

This is a very good example on how one can prepare an impressive looking dish without spending too much money and time. It is colourful and very inviting, all you need are some very basic everyday ingredients.

We are expecting hot weather ahead for the coming days; if you are panning to fire up the bbq and want something a little different, this might be the answer for you.

serves 4 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
1kg of minced lamb or beef
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tbs of chopped parsley
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tbs smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
lemon wedges to serve
warm beetroot and cumin salad to serve

for the spiced yoghurt sauce;
300ml of Greek yoghurt
2 tbs of olive oil
1 tsp of cumin powder
juice from half a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Place mince, onion, parsley, spices and seasonings in a large bowl and mix well.

With wet hands form mixture into sausage shape, you should get about 16 - 18 pieces. This can be prepared beforehand, just chill until needed.

Cook kebabs on a wedge skillet or on the bbq until just cooked. They should be a little charred but still juicy and moist. Always undercook the kebabs just the little as they will continue to cook further during the resting time.

While the kebabs are on the grill prepare the yoghurt sauce by mixing everything in a bowl, check for seasonings.

Serve kebabs with warm beetroot salad, yoghurt sauce and some lemon wedges.

Warm Beetroot And Cumin Salad

2012-02-03T12:58:00.002+11:00

This is a quick and easy recipe using one of the most underrated vegetables around. It puzzles me how such delicious and versatile vegetable is hated by so many. Fortunately there are also many like me who simply can't get enough it.

A little spice makes a difference to any dish and such is the case here with this stunning looking salad. The warmth fragrant cumin pairs perfectly with the tender earthy beetroot, making it a perfect side dish to go with any grilled meat or fish. I served this as a side with lamb kebabs and spiced yoghurt sauce.

P.S always wear kitchen gloves to avoid staining your hands.

recipe adapted from The Food Of Morocco A Journey For Food Lovers
serve 4 as a side dish
you'll need;
6 beetroots, boiled till tender, peeled and cut into wedges
80 ml of olive oil
1 tbs of red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
2 tbs of chopped coriander leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Boil beetroot with plenty of salted water until tender (~1 hour). Replenish pot with hot water if it evaporate during cooking. Drain and when they are cool enough to handle, peel and cut into wedges.

Mix olive oil, red wine vinegar and cumin in a swallow bowl and mix well.

Place beetroot, onion and coriander in the bowl and mix well, season with salt and pepper.

This stunning side dish goes perfectly with kebabs, grilled meat or fish.

Japanese Crumbed Chicken Cutlet And Curry On Rice チキンカツカレー Chickin Katsu Kare

2012-02-01T13:20:00.003+11:00

I have posted the pork version , tonkatsu kare a popular yoshoku dish (Japanese versions of European cuisines invented in the late 19th to early 20th century) when I first started blogging. We always feel extremely satisfied after such a meal and the good thing is so very little effort is required to create such a delicious and balanced meal at home.

I recently spent a lovely afternoon with my dear friend A and a group of lovely Japanese ladies at her family home. We were spoilt with a beautiful Japanese feast, not to mention some really interesting people that we met. I will put up a post for that outing soon so please stay tuned!

P.S If you have eaten or cooked any Malaysian meal recently please remember to share your experience or recipes with us through our Muhibbah Malaysian Monday event. Please send all your entries to my friend and co-host Sharon from Test With Skewer at its.sharon@gmail.com before Sunday, the roundup will be up on the coming Monday. To find out about the event and on how to take part please click here.

serves 4 as a one dish meal

you'll need;

2 skinless chicken breast

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup of flour

1 cup of panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)*

salt and pepper to taste

Japanese rice to serve

pickle ginger* to serve

for the curry;

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

1 onion, cut into large chunks

3 celery ribs, sliced

a handful of snow peas, top and tailed and sliced

1 Japanese curry block*

water

salt and pepper to taste

All ingredients marked * can be found at all good Asian grocers and selected mainstream supermarkets.

Prepare the vegetables and set aside.

Cut chicken lengthwise and flatten with a kitchen mallet.

Season chicken with salt and pepper and crumb chicken with panko (flour - beaten egg - panko). This can be done and set aside while you continue with the curry.

Saute vegetables with a little cooking oil before adding enough water (according to the packaging), cook until vegetables are tender.

Break curry block into pieces and add it into the pot, stirring constantly.

Keep stirring until the curry block has fully dissolved, simmer for a minute, turn off the heat and keep warm.

Fry cutlets in batches until golden brown, drain well and rest for a few minutes before serving.

Place some steamed Japanese rice on a plate, ladle some curry over and top with the sliced cutlets.

Hokkien Prawn Noodles (Halal Version) 福建蝦麵 (清真版)- "Malaysian Monday 70"

2012-01-30T21:34:00.001+11:00

Apart from asam laksa and char kway teow, Hokkien prawn noodles or simply known as hokkien mee in Penang is a must try dish for tourists visiting the island. This culinary treasure brought to Malaysia by Hokkien migrants a century ago can now be found all over Malaysia.

My plan was to make some Ipoh hor fun (a dish derived from prawn noodles according to renowned food historian Lin Jin Cheng (林金城)- click here to read the article); but decided against a trip to Victoria Street just to get the rice noodles, using what I had in my pantry seemed like a much better idea on a very hot afternoon.

Traditionally pork ribs are used but I used chicken instead to better promote this delicious dish to my Muslim readers. The broth is the soul of the dish so do be patient and wait for the rewarding result.

P.S the next MMM roundup will be up next Monday, remember to send in all your entries to my friend Sharon from Test With Skewer at its.sharon@gmail.com

serves 4 to 6 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
500g of banana prawns, poached and shells reserved
2 chicken breast, poached and shredded
1 packet of hokkien noodles
1 packet of rice vermicelli, soaked in warm water till soften and drained well
1 bunch of kangkong (water spinach), washed and cut into 6cm lengths
1 packet of bean sprouts
fried shallots
chopped spring onions
cut chillies in soy to serve

for the broth;
3l of water
4 chicken wings
1 head of garlic, bashed
3 slices of ginger
1 tsp of peppercorns
4 tbs of cooking oil
reserved prawn shells
salt to taste

Bring 3l of water to a simmer then add in the chicken wings, garlic, ginger and peppercorns. Bring it to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer and cook for an hour.

Discharge the solids from the pot and bring the stock back to a boil. Add prawns and cook for until just done (~ 1.5 minutes). Remove and allow to cool before peeling the prawns leaving the tails intact.

Fry prawn shells with 4 tbs of cooking oil in a separate pan for 5 to 8 minutes, using a potato masher to press down the prawn heads to release all the goodness. Add the content of the pan to the pot with the stock and simmer for 30 minutes, remove the solids and season well with salt.

Bring the broth to a boil then add in the chicken breast, turn off the heat after a minute, put the lid on and let the chicken poach in the hot broth for 18 minutes, remove and allow to cool.

Shred chicken into neat slivers. halve prawns lengthwise and have the rest of the ingredients ready.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, cook both noodles to your liking and lightly blanch the kangkong and bean sprouts.

Top with prawns and chicken and ladle some of the hot broth over garnish with fried shallots and chopped spring onions and serve with some cut chillies with soy on the side.

My friend Sharon from Test With Skewer is hosting the first event of the year, please send all your entries to its.sharon@gmail.com

To find out more about the event and on how to enter, please click HERE.

Green Pepper And Meat Patties With Black Bean Sauce 豉汁青椒肉餅

2012-01-28T13:49:00.001+11:00

I had the grand plan to compose and post something on Thursday but it was a public holiday and I ended up spending the day eating and drinking with tummy instead.

Nothing groundbreaking but just another idea on what one can do with the humble mince and if you are a fan of black bean sauce, you are going to love this. Some green peppers were added to add colour and to save me from having to cook another vegetable dish.

If you prefer the good old beef in black bean sauce, make sure you check out my makeover version too.

Enjoy you weekend and please come back for a Malaysian Monday post on Monday!

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
serves 4 as part of a Chinese meal
you'll need;
oil for frying
1 medium size onion, sliced
2 green pepper, sliced into long strips
1 cup of stock
corn flour solution for thickening
coriander leaves for garnish
sliced chili rings for garnish

for the sauce;

5 tbs of fermented black beans, rinsed and drained

3 tbs of oyster sauce

3 tbs of sugar

4 tbs of light soy

1 tsp of sesame oil

4 garlic cloves, chopped

5 cm knob of ginger, chopped

for the meatballs;
500 g of mince of your choice
1/2 cup of chopped water chestnuts
2 spring onion (white parts only), minced
1 tsp of grated ginger
1 tsp of sesame oil
2 tbs of light soy
2 tbs of oyster sauce
a dash of white pepper
a dash of Chinese cooking wine
1 egg, lightly beaten
about 4 to 5 tbs of corn flour

To prepare the sauce - mash black beans with the back of a spoon then add in garlic, ginger and the rest of the ingredients.

For the patties - place mince, water chestnuts, spring onion, seasonings, beaten egg and corn flour in a large bowl and mix well. Form mixture into 20 balls the size of ping pong and lightly coat them with a little corn flour.

Shallow fry meat patties in batches until golden and cooked through. Drain well and set aside.

Saute sliced onion with a little oil for 30 seconds then add in the sauce mixture. Cook for a minute before adding the stock.

Add the meat patties and green pepper and mix well. Simmer for 5 minutes before thickening the sauce with a little corn flour solution.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and some sliced chili rings.

Chinese Style Sticky Beef Ribs 滷香烤牛仔骨

2012-01-24T15:25:00.002+11:00

It is the second day of Chinese/lunar new year and I can't help but feel a little melancholy with photos of endless banquets and gatherings received from family and friends choking up my inbox..... well it is business as usual here and I just had a sandwich for lunch.

Since many of you might have made soy poached chicken for the reunion dinner and is left with a pot of master stock, how about another one of my recipes to reuse the stock again?

If you are a non-beef eater, pork spareribs will work equally well just reduce the cooking time accordingly.

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
serves 4 to 6 as part of a Chinese meal
you'll need;
2kg of beef ribs
1.5 l of master stock (lu shui, 滷水 aromatic soy chicken poaching liquor*)
3 tbs of honey
1 tbs of sugar
toasted sesame seeds

*if you haven't got the soy poaching liquor, this is what you'll need;

1 cup of light soy

1/2 cup of dark soy

6 cups of water

1/2 cup of rock sugar

1 cup of chinese cooking wine

5 cm knob of ginger, sliced

3 garlic cloves

1 spring onion (white part only)

1 cassia bark or cinnamon stick

2 star anise

1 tsp of Sichuan peppercorns

Remove excess skin and fat and cut into large chunks.

Boil beef ribs for 10 minutes then drain and rinse to remove all impurities. Bring the master stock or lu shui to a boil and add in the ribs. When it returns to a boil, turn it down to a bare simmer.

Cover and simmer until the ribs are tender (~2 hours - 2.5 hours). The stock should be reduce significantly by then. Remove ribs and allow to cool.

Transfer the remaining stock to a smaller pot together with the honey and sugar. Mix well and reduce until the sauce is sticky and syrupy.

Place ribs on a baking tray and put under the grill for 5 minutes on each side. Alternatively you may do this on a bbq.

Baste the ribs with the syrupy sauce several times during cooking.

Place ribs on a platter, pour over the rest of the sauce and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Happy Lunar New Year 春節快樂 2012

2012-01-21T09:51:00.000+11:00

The year of the dragon is upon us and we would like to wish everyone a safe, prosperous and happy new year. Posting will resume on Tuesday so see you then!

Liang Ban Ji Si Fen Pi 涼拌雞絲粉皮 Cold Chicken Salad With Cucumber, Mung Bean Sheet And A Tangy Sesame Paste Dressing

2012-01-19T14:07:00.000+11:00

Hot days exceeding 30C are back after a brief hiatus and now is the time to share with you this refreshing and very delicious cold dish using the rest of the poached chicken from our Hainanese chicken rice meal.

It is very similar to bang bang chicken that I posted a while back but with the addition of mung bean sheet (粉皮, fen pi), a popular summer threat in China. Mung bean sheet can be found easily these days, if not feel free to use mung bean noodles (粉絲, fen si) instead.

This is an orgasm of flavours and textures on the same plate; the soft silky fen pi, tender chicken slivers, crisp cucumber ribbons all smothered with the sweet, sour, spicy and nutty sauce, to top with that the toasted sesame seeds and peanuts that add the wonderful smokey crunch.... I Hope I am not sounding too much like Nigella Lawson here!

P.S simply omit the chili oil for a more child - friendly dish.

serves 4 as part of a Chinese meal
you'll need;
1/2 a poached chicken or 3 medium size poached chicken breasts*, shredded
3/4 of a continental cucumber, peeled into thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler
2 mung bean sheets (粉皮), soaked in hot water to soften, refreshed and drained well
3 spring onions, chopped
1 red chili, cut into thin rings
2 tbs of sesame seeds, toasted
3 tbs of toasted crushed peanuts (optional)
* to poach the chicken breasts - bring 1.5 l of water to a boil, add in a spring onion, 2 slices of ginger, a dash of Chinese cooking oil and season well with salt and pepper. Add chicken breasts to the pot, turn off the heat after a minute, cover and let chicken steep for 20 minutes. Remove chicken from the pot and allow to cool before shredding.

for the dressing;

1.5 tbs of white sugar

1.5 tbs of light soy

1.5 tbs of Chingkiang vinegar (鎮江香醋) or Chinese black vinegar (黑醋)

6 tbs of smooth Chinese sesame paste (芝麻醬)

2 tsp of Sichuan pepper (川椒), toasted and ground

1.5 tbs of sesame oil

3 tbs of chilli oil with sediment (辣椒油) (optional)

Mung bean sheet at its raw state.

Break mung bean sheets into large shards and soak in hot water for 30 minutes. Refresh and drain well.

Peel cucumber into think ribbons using a vegetable peeler and set aside.

Skin and bone the chicken and shred into neat slivers.

Prepare the sauce by mixing all sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Layer cucumber, mung bean sheet and chicken on a large platter, drizzle the sauce over and top with spring onions, chili rings, toasted sesame seeds and peanuts.

Mix well and enjoy! Serve this as part of a Chinese meal or a snack with a few cold beers on a hot summer afternoon.

Hainanese Chicken Rice 海南雞飯 - "Malaysian Monday 69"

2012-01-17T11:18:00.001+11:00

Based on a classic Hainanese dish named wenchang chicken (文昌雞, wen chang ji); Hainanese chicken rice or simply known as chicken rice was brought to Southeast Asia by Hainanese migrants seeking a better life at the turn of the 20th century and it is now a popular everyday dish in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand (check out my post on the Thai version - khao mun gai).

As a child I preferred the roast chicken version as I didn't quite understand the appeal of the not overly attractive pale poached bird. It may not be the most seductive looking dish on the block (sadly study in beige is not a good look for anyone of us or the food we serve) but what it lacks in the look department is fully compensated by its taste and aroma - fortunately I did find that out later on in my life.

To me this is a truly sophisticated dish that utilized every part of the humble chicken. No fancy kitchen gadgets or hard to get ingredients are needed to reproduce this classic dish at home. Get the best chicken you can afford and follow a few golden rules and you will be making the best chicken rice time and time again.

P.S Hainan Island (海南島) is a subtropical island in southern China. Today this once sleepy backwater is better know as Hawaii of China with its luxury hotels and million dollar properties.

serves 4 to 6 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
1 free range chicken, excess fat removed and reserved
5cm piece of ginger, bashed
2 spring onions
1 head of garlic
1 tsp of pepper
enough water to cover the chicken
salt to taste
2 spring onion, cut into 5cm lengths and sliced finely lengthwise
blanched lettuce to serve
garlic oil
light soy
cucumber slices to serve

for the chili sauce;
2 long red chillies
6 bird chillies
4 garlic cloves
juice of 1 lime
1 tbs of sugar
2 tbs of light soy

for the ginger and spring onion sauce;
5 cm knob of ginger
2 spring onions, chopped
salt to taste
sugar
dash of sesame oil
4 tbs of stock

for the rice;
reserved chicken skin and fat
2 cups of jasmine rice, washed, rinsed and drained well
2 pandan leaves, knotted
pinch of salt
4 cups of chicken stock

Remove excess fat from the chicken and cut into cubes, rub salt all over the chicken and stuff its cavity with ginger, spring onions and garlic.

Place chicken in a pot together with the rest of the aromatic, cooking wine and seasonings. Pour enough water to fully submerge the bird.
Method 1 - Bring it to a boil then turn it down to simmer for 10 minutes before turning off the heat, cover and let the chicken steep in the hot stock for 2.5 hours. Do not attempt to open the lid before the time is up.
Method 2 - Bring it to a boil for 2 minutes, reduce the heat to a bare simmer, cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not attempt to open the lid throughout the cooking time.

*Reserve the stock and check for seasonings, you will need this for the rice, ginger sauce and the broth.

While the chicken is poaching, prepare the chili sauce by mixing all ingredients in a blender. For the ginger sauce, blend ginger with in a blender then add in the rest of the ingredients. Check for seasoning for both the sauces.

When the time is up remove chicken and rub some oil all over the chicken, place the chicken in the fridge until needed. If chicken is cooked using method 2, immerse chicken in a basin of iced water for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and rub with oil.

To prepare the chicken rice - place the reserved chicken skin and fat in a pot and slowly render out the fat.

Remove the solids and add the drained rice to the fat. Fry rice in the fat for a minute or two, making sure all the grains are well coated with the fragrant fat. Some cooks may add a little butter or margarine to make it even richer both in taste and colour.

Transfer rice to a rice cooker, add stock, a pinch of salt and the knotted pandan leaves to the pot. Cook as you would with normal rice.

Remove bones and cut the tender and juicy chicken into manageable slices.

Place chicken on top of some blanched lettuce, drizzle with some garlic oil and light soy, some spring onion and cucumber slices. Serve with the fragrant chicken rice, sauces and a bowl of chicken broth.

Or one may serve the dish ala hawker style - simply place the chopped chicken on top of some of the fragrant chicken rice and serve with the sauces and a bowl of chicken broth.

My friend Sharon from Test With Skewer is hosting the first event of the year, please send all your entries to its.sharon@gmail.com

To find out more about the event and on how to enter, please click HERE.

Pear Tarte Tatin - Christmas Lunch 2011 Part 4

2012-01-15T12:09:00.002+11:00

It would had been easier to serve a shop bought pudding to conclude our lunch but I decided to challenge myself with the fiddly task of baking one. Tarte tatin seemed like a very good choice for a non baker in a kitchen without the most basic baking essentials and tools.

It turned out to be a challenge indeed when I was making the caramel, luckily our friend A who is a chef saved the caramel and we did end up with a very delicious dessert.

Using the sour cream pastry instead of the shop bought puff pastry most recipes called for was a very good decision. I highly recommend that as an alternative when you are making a tart/pie either sweet or savoury next.

Once again I must thank our friends B and A for making Christmas day 2011 a very memorable one!

serves 4
you'll need;
3 firm pears, peeled, cored and quartered
120 g of sugar
120 g of butter
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
sour cream pastry
fresh cream to serve

Prepare the pears and set aside. Don't worry if they discolour a little.

Place butter, sugar and spices in a pan and cook until the sugar dissolved and the mixture forms a light caramel.

When the caramel turns a lovely chestnut brown add the pears and cook until soften.

Pour off most of the caramel and arrange the pear pieces cut side up.

Roll out the sour cream pastry to a thickness of 3mm, cut pastry using plate slightly bigger than the pan as a guide. Place the pastry over the pears and tuck in the edges.

Bake the tarte tatin in the hot oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until it is golden brown. Place a plate slightly larger than the pan and invert the tart over.

Slice and serve with fresh cream and extra caramel sauce on the side.

The weather took a cynical turn and a large part of Victoria was pounded with a freak hail storm.... we ended up with a white Christmas down under!

Maggie Beer's Sour Cream Pastry

2012-01-14T12:32:00.002+11:00

If you are a fan of Maggie Beer, you should be quite familiar with her sour cream pastry. This is a super easy pastry to make and that is coming from a non baker like me. Please come back tomorrow for our Christmas lunch 2011 part 4 to find out what I prepared using this delicious short pastry!

recipe from Maggie's Table by Maggie Beer
you'll need;
200g chilled unsalted butter, diced
250g of plain flour
125ml of sour cream

Pulse butter with flour in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Add sour cream and continue to pulse until the dough starts to incorporate into a ball.

Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Roll pastry out until 3mm thick to for both sweet and savoury recipes.

Salmon Parcel With Beetroot, Apple And Celery Slaw - Christmas Lunch 2011 Part 3

2012-01-12T11:51:00.000+11:00

After a Thai classic (ma haw) and a contemporary Australian (tian of prawns with tomato, fennel and cucumber with shellfish sauce) I wanted to create a main using my very own ideas. Since we were not doing presents I decided a little salmon parcel with a festive looking slaw might be a good idea.

I am extremely happy with the result considering I wasn't able to get the right cut of salmon for the dish. The refreshing salad/slaw turned out to be the perfect partner for the rich salmon parcels, more importantly there were four empty plates and satisfying smiles on everyone's face in the end.

P.S you can do most of the preps beforehand leaving you plenty of time to socialize with your guests.

recipe from the Tummies' kitchen
oven preheated at 220 C (conventional)
serves 4 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
4 pieces of salmon fillets, skinned
4 ready rolled puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten

for the herb sauce;
1/2 bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tbs of coriander powder
1 tbs of cumin powder
1 tbs of sweet paprika
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

for the slaw;
1 medium size beetroot, peeled and cut into matchstick size pieces
2 granny smith apples, cored and cut into matchstick size pieces*
4 celery ribs, cut into matchstick size pieces
half a bunch of chives, cut into lengths to match the rest of the vegetables
a handful of walnuts
a simple red wine vinegar dressing
*soak apple in acidulated water to prevent discolouring

Place all the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend till you get a course paste.

Spread some of the herb sauce over the salmon fillet.

Cut the thin tail end and place it on top, this will ensure even cooking. If you are using fillets from the middle section, ignore this step.

Wrap salmon in a piece of thawed puff pastry to form a parcel, cut off the excess pastry.

Brush parcels with egg wash and bake in the preheated oven until the parcel puffed up and golden (~25 minutes)

Place all slaw ingredients except for the walnuts in a large bowl and dress the salad just before assembling.

Serve salmon parcel with a small mount of slaw on the side, top with walnuts and drizzle some of the remaining herb sauce over.

Marmite Chicken 媽蜜雞 - "Malaysian Monday 68"

2012-01-10T10:46:00.001+11:00

Marmite chicken? You might go 'Ewwwwww!' at first especially if you are from the diehard Vegemite or Bovril camp, but I can promise you'll go 'Wowwwww! once you have tasted this rather peculiar sounding dish.

Hats off to the ingenious cook who took a breakfast staple and a few other very basic ingredients to give us this masterpiece. The natural savoury flavour of Marmite is further enhanced by the added soy, maltose, honey and stock. Once reduced the dark glossy sauce becomes the perfect glaze for the golden crispy fried chicken.

P.S Pork ribs or firm white fish can be prepared in the same manner. Vegemite and Bovril can be used if you not willing to be seen buying a jar of Marmite, though sadly in Australia Marmite doesn't come in the lovely curved shape jar anymore.

serves 4 as part of a Chinese meal
you'll need;
1 kg of chicken drumsticks, wings or thighs, cut into manageable pieces
2 tbs of oyster sauce
2 tbs of light soy
1 tbs of Chinese cooking wine
1 tsp of sesame oil
dash of white pepper
1/2 tbs of grated ginger
4 tbs of corn flour

for the sauce;
4 tbs of marmite
2 tbs of maltose
2 tbs of honey
3 tbs of light soy
1 cup of stock

Place all ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and mix well.

Marinate chicken for at least an hour.

Fry chicken in batches until golden and crispy. Drain well and set aside.

Place the sauce mix together with 2 tbs of the chicken frying oil in a wok and bring it to a simmer, stirring from time to time until it turns syrupy and glossy.

Return the chicken to the wok and make sure each piece of chicken is well coated with the sauce.

Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce with plenty of steamed rice.

My friend Sharon from Test With Skewer is hosting the first event of the year, please send all your entries to its.sharon@gmail.com

To find out more about the event and on how to enter, please click HERE.

Tian Of Prawns, Tomato, Fennel And Cucumber With Shellfish Sauce - Christmas Lunch 2011 Part 2

2012-01-08T11:46:00.002+11:00

I decided seafood would be more appropriate for our antipodean Christmas lunch instead of the traditional ham and turkey affair, after all we are right in the middle of a very hot summer.

The original recipe asked for crab meat but to avoid spending hours on the fiddly task of crab meat picking, prawns became the substitute and a very good one I must say. This is a very simple and straightforward recipe; most of the chopping and dicing can be done beforehand as it is with the shellfish sauce, all you need to do is to assemble the dish when you are ready to serve.

The mercury had climbed up to 30 C (with 90% humidity) by the time entree was served and we all agreed this light and refreshing dish was a very good choice indeed.

recipe adapted from Gourmet Traveller January 2008
serves 4
you'll need;
20 whole prawns, poached and shelled, reserved heads and shells for the stock
4 tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeds removed and cut into 1cm dice
1 baby fennel, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 telegraph cucumber, seeds removed and cut into 1cm dice
2 tbs of finely chopped chives
2 tbs of olive oil
1 tbs of red wine vinegar
1 avocado, halved, stoned removed and sliced widthwise into 5mm slices
fennel fronds, coriander sprigs and chives to serve

for the shellfish stock;
reserved prawn heads and shells
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
1/4 cup of white wine
2 tbs of Brandy
3/4 up of stock
1 tbs of tomato paste

for the shellfish sauce;
150 ml of thicken cream
1 tbs of white wine vinegar
1 tsp of Dijon mustard
pinch of sweet paprika
2 tsp each of finely chopped tarragon and flat leaf parsley

Prepare the vegetables and chill until needed.

Poach whole prawns for 3 to 5 minutes. When they are cool enough to handle remove heads and shells. Slice prawns lengthwise.

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat, add reserved prawn shells and cook for 5 minutes to release the oil and tomalley from the shells.

Deglaze pan with wine, Brandy and stock, season to taste with sea salt. Add tomato paste, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing shells to extract all liquid, into a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes until reduced to 1/3 cup. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool.

For the shellfish sauce - combine cream, vinegar, mustard and paprika in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the shellfish stock, add herbs, stir to combine and chill until needed.

To assemble - Combine tomato, fennel, cucumber and chives in a bowl, drizzle with oil and vinegar to taste. Lightly season prawns and avocado. Place a 8cm-diameter, 6cm-high ring in the centre of a plate, arrange 1/4 of the avocado in ring, top with 1/8 of the tomato mix, then 1/4 of the prawns, press down gently, then finish with 1/8 of tomato mix. Press down gently and carefully remove ring. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients.

Drizzle plates with shellfish sauce and serve tians scattered with mixed herbs. We served a beautiful NZ Pinot Gris accompany this refreshing dish.

Top view of the dish.

Ma Haw ม้าห้อ Galloping Horses - Christmas Lunch 2011 Part 1

2012-01-06T14:00:00.003+11:00

Finally I have got my acts together to start posting what I served on our Christmas lunch. Let's start with the hors-d'oeuvre - ma haw or galloping horses in Thai.

Thais have a poetic way of naming their dishes according to a particular legend or simply by the appearance of a particular dish (i.e waterfall beef, crying tiger and so on) and this dish was named in recognition of King Rama VII's (1910-1925) excellent horsemanship.

The sweet and savoury meat symbolized the rider while the horse is represented by a chunk of pineapple or other fruits. To me this is a truly elegant and sophisticated dish using the most basic ingredients in Thai cooking. Hopefully it will be on your menu list for your next cocktail party.

It was hot and humid when our guests B and A arrived bearing drinks and gift. Champagne was poured to accompany these delicious morsels and the party began.

P.S Part 2 to 4 will be posted right after my MM post on Monday so stay tuned!

makes 24
you'll need;
2 tbs of cooking oil
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
300 g of pork, chicken or veal mince
1/2 cup of palm sugar
3 tbs of fish sauce
2 tbs of roasted and crushed peanuts

For the galloping horses;
1/4 of pineapple, eyes removed and cut into thin slices
1 firm peach, cut into sections and made a pocket but making a slit lengthwise down the centre
1 firm nectarine, cut into sections and made a pocket but making a slit lengthwise down the centre
you may use figs, tangerine or other slightly tart fruits for this dish
coriander leaves for garnish
thinly sliced bird chili rings for garnish

Saute garlic with 2 tbs of cooking oil until golden then add in the mince. Stirring and breaking up large lumps as you go. When the mince is cooked through, remove and pour off any liquid and set aside.

Next add the palm sugar and fish sauce in the pan and cook until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture turns syrupy.

Return the cooked mince and crushed peanuts to the pan and mix well. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until the mixture is quite sticky. Remove and allow to cool. This can be done the night before.

To assemble - shape meat mixture into little balls the size of a marble and place onto the pineapple slices. For the stone fruits, carefully insert the sweet meat into the cavity of each segment.

Top with coriander leaves and chili rings and watch them disappear from the platter!

Nasi Ayam Panggang 燒雞飯 Roast Chicken Rice - "Malaysian Monday 67"

2012-01-04T15:49:00.002+11:00

There are so many new dishes I would love to share with you right now but first let me set a good example and get my MM post out of the way first.

Besides the much loved perfectly poached chicken, one is also likely to find "roast" chicken at most Hainanese chicken rice stalls. It is a lot more popular with children and for those who are not fans of the rather plain looking poached chicken.

This is a quick way of preparing "roast" chicken ala chicken rice stall at home without the never ending steps of coating (with maltose), drying and frying. I will set a later date to show you how to roast a chicken without using an oven the hawker way.

I will be posting the traditional poached chicken version next week, meanwhile you might want to check out the Thai version - khao man gai instead.

oven preheated at 220 C (conventional)
serves 4 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
4 chicken maryland, excess skin and fat removed (reserved)
2 tsp of five spice powder
2 tbs of soy
1 tbs of dark soy
1 tsp of sesame oil
1 tbs of rice wine
1 tbs of grated ginger
2 cloves of garlic, grated
maltose for coating
cucumber slices to serve
tomato slices to serve

for the rice;
reserved chicken skin and fat
2 cups of jasmine rice, washed, rinsed and drained well
2 pandan leaves, knotted
pinch of salt
4 cups of chicken stock

for the chili sauce;
2 long red chillies
6 bird chillies
4 garlic cloves
juice of 1 lime
1 tbs of sugar
2 tbs of light soy

Marinate the chicken with all the seasonings (except for the maltose) for at least an hour.

Place all the ingredients for chili sauce in a blender and blend till fine. Taste and adjust for seasonings.

To prepare the chicken rice - place the reserved chicken skin and fat in a pot and slowly render out the fat.

Remove the solids and add the drained rice to the fat. Fry rice in the fat for a minute or two, making sure all the grains are well coated with the fragrant fat. Add stock, a pinch of salt and the knotted pandan leaves to the pot. Cover and simmer until rice is cook. You of course may do the last step in a rice cooker.

Place the marinated chicken into the reheated oven and cook for 20 minutes. Brush a layer of maltose over the chicken and roast for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes before chopping.

Place the chopped chicken on a bed of the extremely fragrant rice, serve with some cucumber and tomato slices and chili sauce.

My friend Sharon from Test With Skewer is hosting the first event of the year, please send all your entries to its.sharon@gmail.com

To find out more about the event and on how to enter, please click HERE.

Muhibbah Malaysian Monday Roundup No.18

2012-01-02T13:35:00.004+11:00

Hello everyone! Still nursing a new year hangover?

Well it is a very hot 38 C day here in Melbourne and it is perfect for me to stay in the cool and compose the roundup for the month of December.

As expected we have a smaller than usual roundup for the month of December. Many thanks to those who took the efforts and time to keep the event going during the crazy month that just passed by.

Without further ado, lets check out the exciting dishes prepared by our fellow blogger friends.

My friend Sharon from Test With Skewer will be hosting the January event, please send all your entries to its.sharon@gmail.com. To find out about the event and on how to participate please click HERE.

Again Auntie Cheah from No-Frills Recipes was the first to send in her entry;

Check out a simple and tasty everyday dish - salted egg steamed chicken

***

We would love to welcome back Sonia from Nasi Lemak Lover;

Her first entry is a pipping hot fragrant claypot salted fish and pork belly.

Followed by the most famous Penang hawker dish - Penang asam laksa.

***

Next up we have Vivian from Vivian Pang's Kitchen;

She shares with us the stir and mix method for an easy dough, perfect to be turned into al sorts of delicious snacks later.

***

Shannon from Just As Delish is back with 2 delicious entries;

Feel like making your own sweetened condensed milk? Check out her post on just how easy it is to make it at home.

If sweetened condensed milk is not for you, she also sent in this delicious and healthy South Indian breakfast dish - putu ragi.

***

Kristy from My little Space continued to show her support with 2 exciting entries;

First up is her very inviting baked tandoori chicken, extra rice for me please!

Or a bowl of this refreshing rock melon and sago sweet soup to finish off your meal?

***

I have to include the following 2 recipes from my favourite Makcik Manggis's blog, Jom Masak..Jom Makan-Makan;

You have to trust a native Kelantanese with her very delicious kerabu bihun (spicy rice vermicelli salad).

Though I don't have sweet tooth, I can easily finish 2 slices of her very attractive looking durian cake!

***

Last but not least my partner in food crime, Sharon from Test With Skewer managed to give us a very sweet post despite her very hectic month;

Check out one woman's quest to make the best fa sung wu - ground peanut dessert.

***

For my nasi lemak with side dishes 2, all others MM entries and Malaysian dishes, simply click HERE.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T22:02:00.003+11:00

Hello everyone! It is time to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new again. Lets say good riddance together to all things ugly; unhappiness, bad relationships, rotten luck and hope for a better year ahead.

I would love to take the opportunity to thank all my readers who continue to visit my blog, brave enough to try my recipes and also kind enough to share my humble blog with others via social media of every kind.

I hope you are all celebrating NYE in style! I am going to share a bottle of wine and watch the fireworks with my dear friend F from our veranda. Posting will resume on the 2nd with the MMM roundup for the month of December, see you then!

P.S photo taken from our veranda :)

Rice Cooker Egg Rice 電飯煲蛋飯 - "Malaysian Monday 66"

2011-12-27T12:43:00.001+11:00

I wanted something quick and easy to fill my stomach while planning our Christmas lunch menu. The bowl of eggs in front of me reminded me of of a wonderfully simple but delicious meal (or snack) that I loved as a child.

The residue heat of the freshly steamed rice does all the work for you, very much like spaghetti cabonara but without all the unnecessary guilts afterwards. If you have had enough of leftover turkey and ham until next Christmas or simply want to hang up your kitchen apron for a few days, this might be just the dish for you.

P.S I hope you are all enjoying the holidays and I will start posting what we had on Christmas day in the coming days.

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
recipe per serve
you'll need;
3/4 cup of jasmine rice, washed, rinsed and cooked in a rice cooker
2 to 3 very fresh free range eggs, lightly beaten
dash of soy
dash of sesame oil
a small pinch of white pepper

Crack the eggs into a bowl and lightly beaten with the seasonings.

When the rice is cooked; fluff the rice with a fork, pour in the beaten eggs and mix well with the rice. Remove and serve immediately.

Serve with some extra soy on the side. The rice is extremely fragrant with each grain of rice encased in the delicious "egg sauce".

I am hosting this month's event, please send all your entries to sureshchong@yahoo.com

To find out more about the event and on how to enter, please click HERE.

Merry Christmas And Happy Holidays

2011-12-24T14:18:00.004+11:00

It is another scorcher here in Melbourne! Fortunately I did manage to finish the remaining shopping for our Christmas lunch before midday. Two of our friends are coming to join us tomorrow and I am looking forward to a very pleasant afternoon with plenty of food, drinks and laughters.

We would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and happy holidays! I will try to fit in a Malaysian Monday post on Boxing day so see you then.

Simple Braised Tofu 醬燒豆腐

2011-12-22T12:25:00.001+11:00

More is less is all I can say about this simply prepared tofu dish. My grandmother used to say "a good cook must be able to serve the simplest dishes and be proud of everyone of them" and I can't agree more.

I think this will be a perfect dish to have before or after the impending big Christmas meal many of us are going to have.

Feel free to play with the seasonings a little; hot bean paste, hoisin sauce or a handful of mashed up fermented black beans perhaps?

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
serve 2 to 4 as part of a Chinese meal
you'll need;
1 container of fresh soft tofu, halved sidewise
oil for cooking
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 to 3 bird chillies, chopped
3 tbs of oyster sauce or mushroom sauce*
2 tbs of light soy
1 tbs of dark soy
1 tsp of sesame oil
2 tbs of sugar
dash of white pepper
dash of Chinese cooking wine
1 cup of water
3 spring onions, cut into 3 cm lengths
* use mushroom sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce for a vegetarian version

Prepare the garlic, chillies and spring onions.

Pan fry tofu on both sides until golden, remove and set aside.

Saute garlic and chillies with a little cooking oil then add in the seasonings and water.

Return the tofu to the wok and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

When the sauce has reduced by half add in the spring onions and cook for a minute more.

A bowl or two of pipping hot steamed rice is all you need to go with this simple but delicious dish.

Baked Beans In Tomato Sauce With Egg And Frankfurter On Rice - "Malaysian Monday 65"

2011-12-20T13:27:00.001+11:00

For this week's MM post I decided to give the classics and hawker favourites a miss but instead introduce you to this rather bizarre way of serving baked beans with rice that I grew up with.

I cannot be sure if it is a common practice to serve baked beans with rice in other parts of Malaysia, but it certainly is very popular in my hometown of Cameron Highlands... another English legacy perhaps?

It has taken me a while to pitch this dish to Tummy, fortunately he was opened to the idea of baked beans on rice for dinner. He also happily finished off the leftover with some toast the following morning.

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
serves 3 to 4 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
1 packet of frankfurters
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 eggs, very lightly beaten
3 cans of baked beans in tomato sauce
3 tbs of oyster sauce
2 tbs of light soy
dash of white pepper

Cut each frankfurter into 4 and make 4 x 1 cm cuts on both ends. Crack eggs into a bowl, season with a little salt and pepper and beat the eggs lightly.

Brown the frankfurters with a little oil, remove and set aside.

Saute chopped garlic with a little oil for 30 seconds then push the garlic to one side before pouring in the eggs.

When the eggs are half set, add the baked beans and mix well.

Return the frankfurters to the pan and season with oyster sauce, soy and pepper.

Serve over a bed of steamed rice and enjoy :)

I am hosting this month's event, please send all your entries to sureshchong@yahoo.com
To find out more about the event and on how to enter, please click HERE.

Chicken Parma From The Tummies' Kitchen

2011-12-17T10:15:00.000+11:00

I remember having my first chicken parma washed down with a few beers at The Standard Hotel in Fitzroy more than a decade ago, many more followed over the years at different pubs across Melbourne. Though I prefer a decent roast beef sandwich these days, chicken or veal parma will always be the ultimate Aussie pub meal for me.

As a meat lover my choice for this recent invention rather than the more traditional eggplant parmigiana is an obvious one. With some leftover mozzarella I decided to recreate my version of chicken parma at home and I must say it tasted just as good without all the noise and rowdy people speaking on top of each other.

I served my parma with oven roasted sweet potato chips but feel free to make your own chips if your heart desires. If you prefer a vegetarian version, please check out my baked eggplant and bocconcini in tomato sauce.

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
serves 2 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
2 x 200 g chicken breasts, butterflied and flatted with a kitchen mallet
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
panko (japanese breadcrumbs) or regular breadcrumbs
2 rashes of good quality bacon (optional), rinds removed
1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
oil for frying
oven roasted chips to serve
a simple dressed salad to serve

for the tomato sauce;
olive oil for cooking
1/2 an onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
a pinch of dried chili flakes (optional)
1 cup of passata
2 tbs of sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Crumb the chicken breast with flour, egg and breadcrumbs and set aside until needed.

To prepare the tomato sauce - Saute onion and garlic with some oilve oil until soften then add in the pasatta and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add seasonings and cook for a further minute. check for seasonings and allow to cool.

Pan fry bacon until golden and set aside.

Shallow fry crumbed chicken until golden, drain well and set aside.

Place pre-fried chicken on an oven rack, top the chicken with bacon strips and tomato sauce.

Follow with a generous amount of grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Place under the grill and cook until golden.

Serve with some oven ready chips and a salad of ur choice.

Babi Kecap, Balinese Braised Pork With Sweet Soy

2011-12-15T14:38:00.003+11:00

Malaysia shares many similarities with Indonesia in culture, religion, language and customs. After all a large part of the present day South East Asia was once simply known as Nusantara where seafaring tribes exchanged cultures and ideas throughout the once "border- less" archipelago.

After more than 500 posts, I think it is about time for me to explore the cuisine that is so similar but yet so foreign to many of us.

My first Indonesian dish brings us to Bali - the island paradise that has given us one of the best pork dishes in the world - babi guling or spit roasted suckling pig. To replicate that at home is almost impossible so I decided to go for another wonderful pork dish that reminds me of my wonderful time over there.

Be warned! The melt in your mouth tender pieces of pork and the fragrant and complex sauce will have you coming back for a second serve. Use beef instead if your are not a pork eater. For a similar Malaysian dish using chicken, please check out my ayam masak kecap (Malay soya sauce chicken).

recipe adapted from Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey
serves 4 as an Indonesian meal
you'll need;
10 shallots, sliced
1 head of garlic, crushed
6 cm piece of ginger, chopped
10 bird chillies, chopped
3 long red chillies, chopped
1.5 kg of pork neck, cut into large chunks
1/3 cup of kecap manis*
4 tbs of dark soy
2 tbs of light soy
1/4 cup of tamarind concentrate
black pepper to taste
1.5 cups of stock
6 whole bird chillies
crispy fried shallots to garnish
chopped chillies to garnish
* available at all good Asian grocer, look for ABC brand from Indonesia. You may also come across ketjap manis (old spelling) from Holland which is a lot pricier.

Prepare the aromatics. Do adjust the amount of chillies according to your taste.

Prepare the tamarind concentrate and cut the pork into large chunks.

Prepare the fried shallots for garnish. Shop bought is fine but it is worth the trouble of making your own.

Saute aromatics with some of the oil for frying the crispy shallots until they turn a light golden.

Add pork and mix well, cook on high heat for about 5 minutes.

Add seasonings and stock together with the whole chillies if using. Bring it to a boil then turn it down to a simmer with the lid on for 1.5 hours.

Remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking for the sauce to thicken. The pork will melt in your mouth after the slow and long cooking. The delicious and extremely fragrant sauce that is sweet, sour and savoury will cry out for more rice, so be prepared!

Garnish with fried shallots and some extra chopped chillies and serve as part of an Indonesian meal.

Serve with plenty of rice and a simple stir fried vegetable of your choice.

Nasi Lemak 2 椰槳飯(二) Coconut Rice With Side Dishes 2 - "Malaysian Monday 64"

2011-12-12T14:23:00.001+11:00

As promised, a more detailed post on our recent nasi lemak meal. Though quite happy to have a very basic serving of nasi lemak (with sambal ikan bilis, fried peanuts, hard boilded egg and cucumber slices) for breakfast, I think a more extravagant or fancy version is somehow more appropriate to serve as a meal for dinner.

I am not going into details on this popular national dish of ours but I do encourage you to read my previous nasi lemak post that was served somehow differently. Compare the two; pick the elements that suit you taste and create your very own nasi lemak meal soon.

If you prefer a chicken dish to go with your version instead, I would highly recommend my nanny Kak Timah's fried chciken, chicken in spicy torch ginger sauce or Malaysian chicken curry.

served 4 as a one dish meal
for the coconut rice you'll need;
500 g of jasmine rice, washed and drained well
1 pandan leaf
3 cm piece of ginger, sliced
2 shallots, sliced
1 star anise
5 cloves
pinch of salt
200 ml of coconut milk
water
1 tsp of salt

toppings and side dishes;
1 cucumber, sliced
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and halved
1 cup of whole peanuts with skin, fried till golden and drained well
sambal ikan bilis (dried anchovies in a spicy sauce)
beef rendang
stir fried green beans with chili and garlic

Place all ingredients for coconut rice into a rice cooker. Add enough water and cook as one would with plain rice.

When the rice is done, remove the pandan leaf and spices. This is now ready to be served with side dishes of your choice.

Have the side dishes ready.

A simple stir fried green beans and beef rendang.

Place a pieces of banana leaf on a plate, ladle some coconut rice on top and let your guests help themselves with the toppings and side dishes.

Mix well and enjoy.

I am hosting this month's event, please send all your entries to sureshchong@yahoo.com
To find out more about the event and on how to enter, please click HERE.

Fried Chicken With Fermented Tofu 腐乳炸雞

2011-12-10T10:13:00.003+11:00

Chinese food is one of the most popular cuisine in this country. According to a recent survey, more than 70% of Australian households now own a wok, have stir fries at home or Chinese takeaway at least once a week. Despite its popularity, few people rarely venture out of the "soy and oyster sauce" safety zone.

Once covering her nose in disgust when I opened a bottle of fermented tofu, my friend K is now a convert after being introduced to my braised chicken with ginger, fermented tofu and wood fungus. Like its more popular cousins soy and oyster sauce, fermented tofu (腐乳, fu ru in Mandarin and fu yee in Cantonese) also adds the umami flavour so prized in Chinese cooking to any chosen dish.

If you love cooking Chinese food and want to broaden your horizon, why not pick up a bottle of this wonderful condiment and try out this Cantonese classic soon? This can be served as part of a Chinese meal or as a snack with a few drinks on a balmy summer evening.

P.S If you are able to find fermented red rice, you might also want to give the crispy chicken spareribs marinated with fermented red rice and fermented tofu a try too.

serves 2 to 4 as part of a Chinese meal
you'll need;
500 g of chicken spareribs or chicken wings
2 cubes of fermented bean curd with some of the liquid from the jar
2 tbs of oyster sauce
2 tbs of light soy
1 tbs of Chinese cooking wine
dash of sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, grated
3 cm knob of ginger, grated
rice flour for coating
oil for frying

Place fermented bean curd together with the rest of the seasoning, grated garlic and ginger in a large bowl and mix well.

Marinate chicken with the above marinade for at least an hour or overnight.

Coat chicken spareribs with rice flour, drench of access and set aside.

Heat up about 1.5 cm of oil in a frying pan and fry chicken in batches until golden and crispy.

Drain well on absorbent paper and serve as part of a Chinese meal.

Crispy Fried Whole Pomfret With Spicy Tomato Sauce 酸辣茄汁炸白鯧 - "Malaysian Monday 63"

2011-12-07T13:31:00.002+11:00

Remember the crispy monk fish with tangy tomato sauce I posted recently? Well this is the adult version where a whole fish is used and served with a slightly hotter sauce instead.

"Meat is sweeter closer to the bones" as the saying goes and the same can be said about fish. There is something wonderful about serving a whole fish; not only it looks spectacular on the dining table, guests are able to help themselves with their favoutite part of the fish especially if they are fans of the crispy fins, tails and head that come with it.

Back home the preferred fish for this dish is black pomfret which unfortunately is unavailable here in Melbourne. Since white pomfret can now be sourced easily it becomes the obvious choice for me. If you are unable to find pomfret full stop, a whole barramundi, snapper or bream are good substitutes.

P.S remember to check out the 17th roundup of Muhibbah Malaysian Monday at my friend Sharon's blog Test With Skewer if you haven't done so.

serves 4 to 6 as part of a Chinese meal
you'll need;
1 whole pomfret
rice flour for coating
pinch of salt
oil for frying
2 spring onions, cut into 5 cm lengths and julienned
2 red chillies, julienned

for the sauce;

oil for cooking

4 garlic cloves, chopped

3 cm piece of ginger, chopped

3 to 5 bird chillies (optional) , chopped
5 tbs of hot chili paste (I used ABC brand)

5 tbs of tomato ketchup

3 tbs of oyster sauce

2 tbs of light soy

2 tbs of sugar

1 tsp of white pepper

2 cups of stock
1 red onion, sliced
1 large tomato, cut into chunks

corn flour solution for thickening

Make crisscross cuts on both sides of the fish, sprinkle a little salt to the flesh and coat with rice flour. Shake off access flour and set aside.

Chop garlic, ginger and chillies: cut onion into wedges.

To prepare the sauce - saute chopped ingredients and chili paste with a little oil in a saucepan for 30 seconds, be careful not to burn the ingredients. Add the seasoning next and continue to cook on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add onion, tomato and stock and bring to a simmer.

When the vegetables are slightly soften, thicken the sauce with corn flour solution and check for seasonings.

Heat up plenty of oil in a wok and deep fry the fish until golden on both sides. Drain well before transferring to a large platter.

Pour the sauce over the awaiting fish and garnish with spring onion and chili.

I am hosting this month's event, please send all your entries to sureshchong@yahoo.com
To find out more about the event and on how to enter, please click HERE.

Muhibbah Malaysian Monday Roundup No.17

2011-12-06T13:20:00.001+11:00

We apologies for the delayed of the posting of the 17th roundup, but hey it is better late than never right? :)

So lets go over to my friend Sharon's blog, Test With Skewer and check out what delicious dishes are waiting this month.

I will be hosting the event for the month of December; I know it is the crazy season but I will still be waiting patiently for your entries. Please send all your entries to me at sureshchong@yahoo.com. To find out more about the event and on how to participate, please click HERE.

Sticky Soy And Garlic Meatballs 蒜香醬油肉圓

2011-12-03T12:15:00.000+11:00

I was determined to use up a container of leftover rice in the fridge. Fried rice should have been the easy option but I wanted something more substantial in the form of rice congee/porridge with a few side dishes on a rather chilly evening.

Apart from the omelet with preserved turnip and a simple stir fried greens, I also came up with a new meatball dish using a packet of the humble pork mince. You may serve these juicy meatballs coated with the garlicky, sweet and savoury sauce as part of a Chinese meal (either with steamed rice or rice congee) or they are the perfect snack with drinks.

P.S to turn your left over rice into congee. simple add 1 part of rice to 3 parts water and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, adding more water if you prefer your congee to be more watery. For more congee/rice porridge ideas, check out my pork balls congee with side dishes, congee with poached chicken slivers and rainbow abundace congee.

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
serves 3 to 4 as part of a Chinese meal
you'll need;
500 g of mince of your choice
1/2 cup of chopped water chestnuts
2 spring onion (white parts only), minced
1 tsp of grated ginger
1 tsp of sesame oil
2 tbs of light soy
2 tbs of oyster sauce
a dash of white pepper
a dash of Chinese cooking wine
1 egg, lightly beaten
about 4 to 5 tbs of corn flour
oil for frying
chopped spring onions for topping
toasted sesame seeds for topping

for the sauce;
10 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup of chicken stock
3 tbs of light soy
2 tbs of dark soy
3 tbs of sugar or honey
dash of sesame oil

For the meatballs - place mince, water chestnuts, spring onion, seasonings, beaten egg and corn flour in a large bowl and mix well. Form mixture into 20 balls the size of ping pong and lightly coat them with a little corn flour.

Place all ingredients for the sauce (except for the garlic) in a bowl and mix well.

Pan fry (or deep fry) meatballs with a little oil until golden brown and make sure they are cook through.

Saute chopped garlic with a little oil until golden then return the meatballs to the pan.

Add the sauce mixture and mix well. Cook on low heat until the sauce has thicken and form a coating on the meatballs.

Sprinkle with chopped spring onions and toasted sesame seeds and serve as part of a Chinese meal.

A Summery Roast Chicken Salad From The Tummies' Kitchen

2011-11-30T13:21:00.000+11:00

A friend asked me casually over lunch if I still cook "white food" (aka non Asian food) at home since I have been posting nothing but Asian dishes of late.....well he was quite right, apart from the weekly pasta dishes and the odd burgers every now and then, I had been cooking mainly Asian fares.

That was until Tummy requested for "a chicken salad" when I phoned to ask for dinner suggestions. This is what I came up with after a quick shopping trip to the supermarket. You may do without the mango or replace it with some boiled potato for a more substantial meal on a colder night.

If you want to spend even less time in the kitchen, half a shop bought roast chicken will do the trick. Haven't got any pomegranate molasses on hand? do not stress! A dressing with red wine vinegar, honey, mustard and olive oil will be an equally delicious substitute.

P.S I used mainly Middle Eastern seasonings in this recipe but feel free to do a Thai or Chinese version but simply altering some of the ingredients.

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
serve 2 to 3 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
3 chicken maryland
2 cloves of garlic, pounded with a pinch of salt*
1/2 tbs of smoked paprika*
1/2 tbs of cumin powder*
pinch of pepper*
juice from half a lemon*
3 tbs of olive oil*
1 head of lettuce, torn
1 mango, peeled and cut into chunks
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
12 asparagus, trimmed of woody bits
3 eggs, boiled for 7 minutes, cooled and peeled
1 roasted pepper (homemade or from a jar), torn into large pieces

for the dressing;
3 tbs of pomegranate molasses
2 tbs of red wine vinegar
15 tbs of olive oil
2 tbs of sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Marinate chicken with ingredients marked * for 30 minutes and roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Rest and cool before tearing into large pieces.

Oil a griddle with a little oil and grill asparagus til slightly charred. Cool slightly before cutting into halves crosswise.

Prepare the mango, onion and the rest of the vegetables.

Place lettuce on a large platter then layer the rest of the ingredients over it. Drizzle with the dressing and serve with a chilled glass of reisling

Sambal Ikan Bilis 參巴江魚仔 Dried Anchovies In A Spicy Sauce - "Malaysian Monday 62"

2011-11-28T15:05:00.000+11:00

What are the must have side dishes when serving nasi lemak? For me the most basic serving of nasi lemak should be served with all the following condiments or toppings; a good sambal, cucumber slices, egg (hard boiled or fried), fried peanuts and fried anchovies (crispy or in a sambal)

In our household, we are divided into 2 fractions when it comes to how the dried anchovies should be prepared. Some like the crispy anchovies serve alongside the sambal and the rest prefer the anchovies to be mixed into the spicy sambal. What is your preference?

I decided to make a small batch of this delicious side dish when my craving for nasi lemak was becoming too painful to bear.

P.S a more detailed post on our recent nasi lemak meal will be posted in the coming days.

makes 2 cups
you'll need;
1 cup of dried anchovies, rinsed and drained very well
oil for frying
1 large onion, sliced
1 cup of sambal tumis
3 tbs of sugar
4 tbs of tamatind concentrate
1/4 cup of coconut milk

Rinse the dried anchovies to remove the excess salt, drain well and set aside. Slice onion into 3 mm thick slices.

Fill a frying pan with 1 cm of cooking oil and when the oil is hot enough, fry anchovies until golden and crispy, remove and drain well.

Saute onion with about 2 tbs of cooking oil until soften.

Add sambal tumis to the pan and continue to cook for 2 minutes on medium heat before adding sugar, tamarind concentrate and coconut milk. Mix well and cook for a further minute.

Turn off the heat and when the sauce has cooled down, return the fried anchovies to the pan and mix well.

Serve the spicy anchovies as part of a nasi lemak meal.

My friend Sharon from Test With Skewer is hosting the November event. Please send all your entries to its.sharon@gmail.com. To find out more about the event and how to enter, please click HERE.

Cold Soba Noodles Salad With Asparagus, Green Beans, Cucumber And Sesame Crusted Tuna

2011-11-26T12:04:00.002+11:00

We were once huge fans of the Moonlight Cinema when it first started some 15 years ago. Tummy was living a stone throw away from the venue and many warm summer evenings were spent at the Royal Botanical Garden lawn together with hundreds of other moviegoers.

For us the entertainment started when the crowds (many of them in their pyjamas) arrived with their peculiar looking rugs, pillows, blankets and extra large soft toys... stylish cushions and rugs were quite a rare sight indeed. What followed was a mass picnic with all these strangers while waiting for the film to be screened at sundown.

A picnic of course can't be without good food (and wine) and I was more than happy to take charge of that. The weather here in Melbourne can be quite unforgiving during the height of summer and this is one of the many cold dishes I prepared for one of those enjoyable evening.

Please don't wait until you next picnic to try this out, it is the perfect meal on a warm afternoon or evening with a nicely chilled bottle of riesling or rose'.

P.S smoked salmon is a wonderful substitute if sashimi fish is hard to come by in your area.

recipe from the tummies' kitchen

serves 3 to 4 as a one dish meal

you'll need;

3 x 200 g of sashimi grade tuna steaks

1 tsp of grated ginger

2 tbs of Japanese soy

wasabi for coating

1/2 cup of toasted sesame seeds

1/2 cup of black sesame seeds

oil for frying

for the salad;

500 g of soba noodles, cook till al dente, refreshed, drained and mixed in a little sesame oil

200 g of green beans, sliced thinly lengthwise, blanched, refreshed and drained well

2 bunches of asparagus, thinly sliced at an angle, blanched, refreshed and drained well

1 continental cucumber, peeled, cut lengthwise and thinly sliced

a small bunch of chives, cut into 3 cm lengths

toasted sesame seeds

for the dressing;

1 tsp of grated ginger

1/2 cup of mirin

1/3 cup of Japanese soy

1/2 cup of water with 2 tbs of instant dashi*

1 tsp of sesame oil

juice of half a lime

* instant dashi comes in granule or powder form, it can be found at all good Asian grocers.

For the dressing, place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Prepare the vegetables. Blanch both the beans and asparagus briefly and refresh under and running tap, drain well and set aside.

Marinate tuna steak with grated ginger and soy for 10 minutes.

Drain the tuna steaks well and brush on a thin layer of wasabi paste.

Coat tuna with sesame seeds, pressing the seeds tightly as you work one each piece of steak. Pan fry with a little oil until golden on both sides, drain well and cool slightly before slicing.

Just before serving, mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl together with half of the sesame seeds and add in the dressing.

Divide salad onto individual plates and top with the sliced tuna and sprinkles of extra sesame seeds.

"The Strange But Wonderful Food Of Kuching 3" Kacangma 益母草薑酒雞 Chicken Braised With Motherworth Herb, Ginger And Rice Wine

2011-11-24T14:01:00.005+11:00

Many cultures in Asia have their own postnatal tradition to help a new mother recover from the (often traumatic and stressful) pregnancy, labour and birth of a child - such practice is generally known as confinement. The confinement period varies from culture to culture but generally lasted between 30 to 60 days.

In our modern age; many had ceased to observe the more old fashioned or superstitious aspects of the practice but continue to follow the rather strict diet during the confinement period and kacangma is such a dish eaten by new mothers in Sarawak, East Malaysia.

Traditionally a confinement dish for the Hakka women in the eastern state, it can be found in many restaurants and many do cook it regularly for the enjoyment of the whole family.

P.S Known as kacangma in Sarawak; motherworth herb (Leonurus cardiaca) or 益母草 (yi mu cao in Mandarin, meaning weed/herb that is beneficial to mothers) can be found at all Chinese herbalist. To all homesick Sarawakians, go to your closest Chinese herbalist if your "smuggled" stock is over :)

serves 6 to 8 as part of a Chinese meal
you'll need;
sesame oil for cooking
1/2 kg of ginger, finely minced in a food processor, juice extracted
1/2 cup of motherworth herb (益母草)
1.5 kg of chicken, chopped (or chicken thighs)
2 cups of rice wine (米酒)
salt to taste* (optional)
*traditionally no salt is added for women in confinement

Cut chicken into manageable pieces.

Extract as much juice from the minced ginger as you can, reserving the solids.

Dry fry the reserved ginger on medium heat until golden and crisp, remove and set aside.

Heat up the wok again and add in the sesame oil. Add chicken and sir fry till fragrant, cover the wok and allow the chicken pieces to stew in their own juices for 5 to 10 minutes.

Add ginger juice follow by the motherworth herb and let it cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Finally add rice wine and salt and cook with the lid on until chicken is tender. Check for seasonings.

Serve as part of a Chinese meal.

Rice Noodles Soup With Soy Poached Chicken 豉油雞河粉湯 - A Leftover Special

2011-11-23T12:59:00.000+11:00

Soy poached chicken was one of the dishes I made for my friend M when she was unwell; she has since become addicted to the wonderful dish, cooking it at least once a week if not more.

It was a pleasant surprise to find some leftover soy poached chicken in her fridge when I was looking for something to eat after helping her with some chores. Together with other ingredients I found, a delicious lunch was ready in less than 15 minutes.

P.S For a dry version with fresh egg noodles, please click HERE.

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
recipe per serve
you'll need;
1/4 of soy poached chicken, reheated slightly and chopped
250 to 300 g of fresh wide rice noodles or noodles of your choice
3 stalks of choysum or Asian greens of your choice
2 spring onions, chopped
1 red chili, sliced
1 stalk of coriander, chopped
garlic, lime and chili sauce to serve
*feel free to add fried garlic or shallots if your heart desires

for the broth;
1 cup of the poaching liquor
1 cup of chicken stock
dash of sesame oil
dash of white pepper

Prepare the choysum, spring onions and chili; warm up the chicken slightly and chopped.

Prepare the broth by combining all ingredients in a pot and bring it to a simmer. Check for seasonings.

Blanch choysum and rice noodles briefly and drain well.

Place rice noodles in a bowl, pour the hot broth over and top with chicken and all other toppings.

Ayam Masak Kuah Bunga Kantan 酸辣薑花雞 Chicken In Spicy Torch Ginger Flower Sauce - "Malaysian Monday 61"

2011-11-21T13:23:00.003+11:00

There is my interpretation of a dish we often order at our local Malaysian restaurant. I used chicken instead of duck and the result was more than satisfactory.

The waiting staff at the Malaysian restaurant was unable to tell me the origin of the dish but I am quite sure it is of Nyonya origin judging by the ingredients used. What do you think?

P.S Try your local florists for the exotic sounding, tasting and smelling fresh torch ginger flower buds, otherwise they are available frozen from most good Asian grocers. I will be making the duck version soon, so please stay tuned!

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
serve 4 as part of a Malaysian meal
you'll need;
1.5 kg of chicken thighs, excess fat removed
1 tbs of turmeric powder
2 cloves of garlic, pounded
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying
1/2 cup of mint leaves, shredded
1/2 cup of Vietnamese mint leaves, shredded

for the torch ginger flower sauce;
1 torch ginger flower bud (bunga kantan), chopped
1 lemon grass (white part only), chopped
10 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 red onion or 10 shallots, chopped
thumb size piece of galangal, chopped
thumb size piece of ginger, chopped
3 red chillies, chopped
25 dried chillies, boiled for 10 minutes and drained well
1 tbs of toasted shrimp paste (belacan)
1/2 cup of tamarind concentrate
1/2 cup of plum sauce
salt to taste
oil for cooking

Marinate chicken with salt, pepper and turmeric powder for an hour.

Blend the spices in batches until smooth.

Saute spice mix with some cooking oil, stirring constantly on medium heat until oil separates (~15 to 20 minutes) then add in plum sauce and the rest of the ingredients. Check for seasonings, it should be spicy, sweet, sour and extremely fragrant.

Shallow fry chicken pieces in batches until golden and crispy. Drain well and set aside.

Add chicken to the pot and coat well with the delicious sauce.

Top chicken with shredded mint and Vietnamese mint and serve as part of a Malaysian meal.

We had it with a simple mixed vegetables stir fry and plenty of steamed rice to mop up the delicious sauce.

My friend Sharon from Test With Skewer is hosting the November event. Please send all your entries to its.sharon@gmail.com. To find out more about the event and how to enter, please click HERE.

Aromatic Spicy Stir Fried Cockles 香辣炒鮮蚶

2011-11-18T12:07:00.002+11:00

Friday is here again and where has the week gone to? If you are also playing hide and seek with time, this simple delicious stir fry might be what you are after.

I recently cooked for a dinner party hosted by my friend M and this is an extra dish I cooked using the hostess' recipe. A typical contemporary Malaysian dish that has ingredients sourced from different cultures and to me this is fusion food at its best.

P.S If you are unable to find cockles; pipis, clams or mussels will work equally well too.

serves 4 to 6 as part of a Malaysian or Chinese meal

you'll need;

1.5 kg of cockles, soaked in water for 30 minutes and cleaned well

4 shallots, sliced

6 cloves of garlic, sliced

3 large red chillies, sliced

2 lemon grass (white parts only), sliced finely

3 sprigs of curry leaves

5 tbs of oyster sauce

3 tbs of light soy

2 tbs of sugar

a dash of Chinese cooking wine

a dash of white pepper

Prepare the shallots, garlic, chillies and lemongrass.

Heat up a wok till smoking then saute shallots and garlic for 1 to 2 minutes with some cooking oil.

Add chillies, curry leaves and lemongrass and continue to stir fry for a minute or two.

Add cockles to the wok and mix well, in go the seasonings and stir fry on high heat for another minute. Make sure the cockles are not overcooked or they will turn out tough and rubbery.

Serve as part of a Malaysian or Chinese meal.

Crispy Monk Fish Fillets With Homestyle Tomato Sauce 家鄉蕃茄魚片

2011-11-16T14:30:00.000+11:00

Growing up as carefree children in Cameron Highlands we were extremely spoilt when it came to food. While many of our classmates settled for shop bought food after school, we always had delicious home cooked meals ready when we returned. While the temptation to "hangout" with friends or wondering off somewhere was always there, we were like good little frock of lambs returning home on time came lunch time (or dinner time).

This is our family's way of cooking sweet and sour and one of those dishes that made us such obedient children, well ...... temporarily at least. Crispy firm fish fillets coated with a tangy tomato sauce, what's not to like about it? In fact we often asked for a second serving of rice when this was served.

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
serve 3 to 4 as part of a Chinese meal

you'll need;

1.5 kg of monk fish or other firm white fish fillets, cut into chunks

2 eggs, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt

1 cup of rice, sweet potato or corn flour, seasoned with a little white pepper

oil for deep frying

3 spring onions, sliced at an angle

for the sauce;

oil for cooking

4 garlic cloves, chopped

3 cm piece of ginger, chopped

3 to 5 bird chillies (optional) , chopped

5 tbs of tomato ketchup

3 tbs of oyster sauce

2 tbs of light soy

2 tbs of Chinese black vinegar

2 tbs of sugar

1 tsp of white pepper

2 cups of stock
1 red onion, sliced
1 large tomato, cut into chunks

corn flour solution for thickening

dip fish pieces into the beaten eggs and coat with the seasoned rice flour.

Chop garlic, ginger and chillies; cut onion into wedges.

To prepare the sauce - saute chopped ingredients with a little oil in a saucepan for 30 seconds, be careful not to burn the ingredients. Add the seasoning next and continue to cook on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add onion, tomato and stock and bring to a simmer.

When the vegetables are slightly soften, thicken the sauce with corn flour solution and check for seasonings.

Deep fry fish fillets in batches until golden and crispy. For best result - fry fish fillets in batches on medium heat for 2 minutes, remove and drain well. Turn up the heat and fry the fish a second time until golden. (this technique works for other meat or poultry too)

Pour the sauce over the fish and garnish with some spring onions.

Char Kway Teow With Mixed Seafood 海鮮炒粿條 -"Malaysian Monday 60"

2011-11-14T13:00:00.001+11:00

Char Kway Teow is Malaysia's answer to Phat Thai; both dishes are popular and well loved beyond their respective nations' borders, in fact they are so well known no translation for their name is often needed.

Like its Thai counterpart, there are many versions of char kway teow each with its very own fan base. This is a healthier version (and also halal one) using only seafood and do away with the lard and Chinese sausage commonly found in many versions. If you are after the more sinful version, do check out char kway teow with cockles and Teochew style char kway teow.

P.S cook this in several batches if you haven't got a good powerful gas burner.

recipe from the tummies' kitchen

serves 3 to 4 as a one dish meal

you'll need;

1 kg of fresh flat rice noodles

2 tbs of dark soy

4 garlic cloves, chopped

oil for cooking

12 prawns, shelled and deveined with heads and tails intact

1 calamari, cleaned, scored and cut into manageable pieces

20 scallops

4 tbs of dark soy

4 tbs of dark sweet soy

2 tbs of oyster sauce

a dash of fish sauce

2 tbs of sambal belacan (recipe below)

1 bunch of Chinese chives, cut into 3 cm lengths

2 cups of bean sprouts

sambal belacan;

3 red chilies

3 to 5 bird chilies

1 tbs of toasted belacan* (shrimp paste)

1 tsp of salt

2 tsp of sugar

juice of a lime

Blend everything in a blender and check for seasonings.

*to toast the shrimp paste - wrap shrimp paste with a piece of foil and place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Prepare the seafood and Chinese chives.

Loosen the rice noodles and mix in the dark soy. Heat up a wok and and char the rice noodles with a little oil. Do not attempt to move the noodles too much to avoid breakage and when noodles are charred and slightly blistered remove and set aside.

Heat up the wok again and saute the chopped garlic with a little more oil for 10 to 15 seconds. Add prawns follow by calamari after 20 seconds and finally the scallops.

Return the rice noodles to the wok and add seasonings, mix well and cook for 30 seconds.

Add Chinese chives and sambal belacan and mix well.

Finally throw in the bean sprouts and stir fry till the vegetables are slightly wilted.

Serve with some extra sambal belacan on the side.

My friend Sharon from Test With Skewer is hosting the November event. Please send all your entries to its.sharon@gmail.com. To find out more about the event and how to enter, please click HERE.

Phat Thai ผัดไทย And An Appeal For Thailand's Flood Victims

2011-11-10T16:28:00.002+11:00

Phat Thai (meaning Thai style stir fry) has always been one of the most well known and popular Thai dishes around the world. Its popularity was further confirmed when it came in 5th on the recent World's 50 most delicious food (readers' poll) by CNN Go.

A product of a nationalist campaign some 80 years ago, it can now be found on every street corners throughout the Kingdom and on every Thai restaurant's menu.

There are many versions of Phat Thai and everyone has his or her own preferences. Often Phat Thai vendors will cook each portion slightly different according to customers' requests. I personally prefer my Phat Thai to be on the drier side, a little charred and not overly sweet - unfortunately I have yet to find a restaurant or cafe in Melbourne that manages to produce a plate of Phat Thai that caters to my taste.

I think it is hard to conclude what a good Phat Thai is without sounding too subjective but I can certainly point out those bad ones where carrot, broccoli and ketchup are added or Chinese chives are being replaced by spring onions.

serve 3 to 4 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
1/2 kg of prawns, peeled reserving heads and shells (optional)
oil for cooking
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 eggs or 2 duck eggs

250 to 300 g of dried rice noodles, soaked in warm water till soft and drained well

2/3 cups of Phat Thai sauce (see below)
1 piece of pre-fried firm tofu*, cut into 1/2 cm cubes
2 tbs of chopped preserved turnip*
3 tbs of dried shrimps*
3 tbs of crushed roasted peanuts*
1/2 tbs of roasted chili powder
1 bunch (about 25 to 30 blades) Chinese chives*, cut into 3 cm lengths
2 cups of bean sprouts*
All ingredients marked * are crucial for a successful Phat Thai

for the Phat Thai sauce, (makes 1.5 cups);
1 cup of tamarind concentrate
1/2 cup of palm sugar
1/4 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of fish sauce
pinch of salt
* simmer everything in a saucepan until sugars are dissolved, transferred to a jar or bowl.

recommended garnishes and condiments;
crushed peanuts
roasted chili powder
bean sprouts
Chinese chives (uncut)
lime or lemon wedges
raw cabbage
raw long beans
star fruit
banana blossom
pennywort

Peel the prawns and mix in with a pinch of salt, rinse off the salt after 20 minutes and pat dry. This optional step will give the prawns the extra crunch and also intensify the flavour.

Prepare the chives and firm pre-fried tofu, 2 of the most important ingredients in a good Phat Thai.

Heat up a wok until smoking and saute the reserved prawn shells with 4 tbs of cooking oil. Leave the flavoured oil in the wok and discharge the solids. This is an optional step but the flavoured oil will greatly extra dimension to the finished product.

When the wok is smoking again, add in the prawns and cook on high heat until they are 80% cooked, removed and set aside.

Heat up the wok again and saute the chopped garlic for 10 to 15 seconds. Push the garlic to aside and crack in the eggs, when the eggs are half set give it a scramble then add in the noodles and mix well. Stir fry the mixture on high heat for a minute or two.

Add in half of the sauce and mix well, a pair of chopstick together with a spatula make this an easy task. Add in the tofu, preserved turnip, peanut and dried chili flakes and mix well. Pour in the rest of the Phat Thai sauce and continue to stir until noodles are tender. (add a little water or extra cooking oil from time to time if the noodles are sticking to each other).

Just before the noodles are ready, return the prawns to the wok together with Chinese chives and bean sprouts. Continue to cook for a further minute to slightly wilt the vegetables and finish cooking the prawns.

Serve Phat Thai with extra Chinese chives and bean sprouts on the side, top with some crushed peanuts, chili flakes and a wedge of lime or lemon. (lime is selling at $3 @ atm so I opted for the much cheaper lemon instead) You may of course choose the other recommended sides for your Phat Thai.

A year ago Thailand was brought to a standstill by red shirt thugs, this time around it is mother nature's turn. With more than a third of the country affected by the worsening flood, many flood victims who have lost their homes, businesses and jobs are now relying on food aid. If you wish to do lend a hand, here's a link to the Red Cross Society Thailand

My Grandfather's Favourite Chicken Curry - "Malaysian Monday 59"

2011-11-08T15:37:00.001+11:00

Ladies in our household are all chili lovers but strangely men tend to shy away from overly spicy food and my late (paternal) grandfather was no exception. While happy with his chili free diet he would often asked for his favourite chicken curry which he referred to simply as the "Chinese curry".

This is a mild but extremely aromatic curry suitable for the whole family. At a glance it looks very similar to the Malaysian chicken curry I posted a while back; but it contains neither dry spices or curry powder and with the absence of those strong flavoured ingredients, all the fresh spices are able to shine through.

Although my grandfather is no longer with us, a bowl of his "Chinese curry" together with all his other favourite food would grace his altar on each significant day according to the Lunar calender.

P.S freshly extracted coconut milk of course is the best but good quality canned version such as Ayam brand from Malaysia is a godsend for a lazy cook like me.

recipe from the tummies' kitchen
serves 4 to 6 as part of a Malaysian meal
you'll need;
1 free range chicken or 1.5 kg of chicken thighs, cut into manageable pieces
3 large potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks and soaked in water until needed
1 can (400 ml) of Ayam brand coconut milk
1.5 cups of stock
1 pandan leaf, knotted or 3 kaffir lime leaves, torn
salt and sugar to taste
oil for cooking

for the curry paste;
5 shallots, peeled and halved
2 single bulb or 6 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 thumb size piece of turmeric, peeled and chopped
3 cm piece of galangal, peeled and chopped
1 lemongrass (white part only), chopped
3 to 5 large red chillies
10 to 20 dried chillies (according to your taste) soaked in hot water for 20 minutes and drained

Blend or pound fresh spices in batches until smooth.

Prepare the chicken and potatoes.

Fry curry paste with 4 tbs of cooking oil, stirring constantly until oil separates.

Add chicken to the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Stir and mix to coat chicken pieces as you go.

Pour in half of the coconut milk and stock and mix well. Add pandan leaf, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Season well.

Add potatoes and continue to cook until the potatoes are tender. Add in the rest of the coconut milk and heat through. Check for seasonings.

Serve with plenty of steamed rice and a simple stir fried greens. A simple stir fried bee hoon (rice vermicelli) or some white bread would go well with this delicious curry too.

My friend Sharon from Test With Skewer is hosting the November event. Please send all your entries to its.sharon@gmail.com. To find out more about the event and how to enter, please click HERE. Also do check out last month's MMM roundup if you have missed it.