Family Style Meatless Hokkien Char [Stir Fry Yellow Noodles]

Family Style Hokkien Char [Meatless]

Hokkien Char [stir fry yellow noodles in soy sauce] is a common hawker food in Penang and available in most of the stalls selling Char Hor Fun [Cantonese Stir Fry Flat Rice Noodles] and Ee Fu Mee [Stir Fry Fried Yellow Noodles].  Preparation is simple and we can cook it vegetarian style or with the normal ingredients such as pork slices and prawns.  This time, I am cooking almost the vegetarian version as I am not in the mood to have prawns and meat for Sunday lunch.
We love to eat the noodle prepared this way, so I will usually cook more. 

Here are the ingredients:-

[serves 3-4]

500 gm yellow noodles - put in colander and rinse under running water. Drain/set aside

3-4 stalks chai sim [mustard green leaves] - wash and cut 2" lengths [I prefer more vege]

3 dried mushrooms - soak, wash, squeezed out water and cut strips

10 pieces of taufu pok [beancurd puff] - wash and cut half

1 piece black fungus [mok yee]- soak and cut into smaller pieces

1/2 red carrot - cut strips

2 tbsp fried shallot crisps [brings out the flavour of this noodle]

2 pips garlic - chopped

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1/2 tsp each pepper and Ajinomoto or msg

enough hot water/stock to braise noodles [about 1 cup]

3 tbsp oil

2 tbsp sambal belacan mix with juice of 1 small lime

Ingredients for this dish

Other ingredients - Mee, Dark Soy Sauce,
 Crispy Shallots, Sambal Belacan

1. Heat oil in wok on medium heat, fry shallots till golden and crispy.  Dish out and set aside.  Add in the garlic to fry till aromatic, push aside and add in mushrooms.  Fry, then add in black fungus, taufu pok and carrots.  Stir fry once or twice.
2. Add in yellow noodles [mee], dark soy sauce, pepper and Ajinomoto [msg]. Fry till ingredients are well combined.  Add in mustard leaves and just enough water/stock to cover the noodles. Stir to mix ingredients well then cover to braise noodles for about 5 - 10 minutes or until the gravy is slightly thick.
3. Dish out on a big serving plate, sprinkle fried crispy shallots and a dash of pepper.  Serve in rice bowls with sambal belacan or cut red chillies in soy sauce.

Note:

• salt and light soy sauce is not added because yellow noodles are slightly salty
• can add 1-2 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce for added favour

Steamed Garoupa

My hubby went fishing this afternoon and this is what he managed to catch.  Really tasty just by steaming.  Wanted to steam with just soy sauce but my Ma prefers to add in more ingredients.

Steamed Garoupa

 Ingredients
1 garoupa fish - 600 gm [scaled, clean and cut into several pieces]
1 dried mushroom - soaked, washed and cut broad strips
1 piece tofu - cut into 8 square pieces
1 red chilli - cut strips
1 piece preserved mustard leaf [kiam chye] - wash and cut strips
1 inch piece ginger - shredded
2 cloves garlic - slice
dash of light soy sauce and pepper
1 tbsp garlic crisps - garnish

Very fresh fish slices

Fish slices with other ingredients ready for steaming

1. Put cleaned fish slices on a steaming plate.  Top up with tofu, mushroom, preserved mustard leaves, red chilli, ginger shreds and garlic.
2. Add in a dash of pepper and light soy sauce.
3. Prepare a wok with enough water for steaming.  Boil water on high heat till boiling.  Put in prepare fish, cover and steam for 15-20 minutes.  Garnish with garlic crisps.

Pan Fried Meat Slices with Jingdu Sauce

Remember the Jingdu Sauce Recipe which I posted on 13 July 2011?  Please refer to the recipe on how to prepare this sauce.  I used 100 ml of this sauce to cook this dish.  Simple yet tasty to go with rice.

Ingredients

500 gm tender pork [kak sim] - cut thin/broad strips - marinate with light soy sauce, pepper, sesame oil, 1 egg, cornflour and 3 tbsp water.  Mix well and leave to marinate for at least 1/2 hour.

100 ml of Jingdu sauce

Some shredded red carrot, spring onions and sliced shallots [can add shredded zuchini]

enough oil to pan fry meat

Marinated meat slices

Shredded Vegetables

1. Heat enough oil in wok, then add in meat slices in batches to fry till fragrant, cooked and slightly golden. Dish out on plate.
2. Remove excess oil. Using the same wok, pour in Jingdu Sauce, bring it to a boil and add in fried meat slices. Stir and dish out on serving plate. 
3. Garnish with shredded ingredients. Use more sauce if you prefer more gravy and substitute pork with chicken fillet or deboned drumstick. 

Notes: This dish was prepared at my mum's place, a bit of an inconvenience to do much photo shots

Spicy Sambal Fried Anchovies

Nasi Lemak Condiment

Ramadan fasting month is around the corner and there are various food promotions.  Certain cooking ingredients are really worth buying.  I came across this type of dried anchovies which only costs Ringgit 7.50 per kilogram.  Not too sure of its quality, I bought 500 gm for my Ma to cook this dish which goes well with plain white rice.

Ringgit 3.75 for this much of anchovies

Ingredients

350 gm anchovies - bones removed

2 tbsp chilli paste

30 gm pounded shallots

150 ml tamarind water [1 tbsp tamarind mix in 150 ml water]

1 big onion - sliced

sugar to taste 

oil for frying anchovies

1.  Wash anchovies under running water for several times and drain dry on colander before deep frying till crispy

2.  Fry anchovies till golden and crispy.  Dish out in a bowl

3.  Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok, saute chilli paste and pounded shallots till aromatic.  Add in onions, fried anchovies and tamarind water.  Stir fry and let it cook till boiling.  Add in sugar and salt to taste.  Dish on in bowl and serve with sliced cucumber.

White Black Sesame Bread [Straight Dough Method]

After baking the delicious Banana Loaf Bread [recipe from Hidehide's Home Baking], I tried another of the recipe, White Black Sesame Bread.  The quantity is for two trays of 9 buns each.

Ingredients
[makes 2 trays x 9 buns]

400 gm bread flour

100 gm plain flour

1.25 tsp salt

3 tbsp castor sugar

250 ml warm water

50 gm [1 egg] egg

3.25 tsp instant yeast

50 gm butter

Black sesame seed - proper amount

White sesame seed - proper amount

Prepared buns before proofing

Buns after proofing for 40-50 minutes

White and Black Sesame Bread

1. In a mixing bowl, put in water and yeast.  Leave for 5 minutes till frothy.  Add in sifted flour, sugar, salt and yeast.  Using a dough hook, knead ingredients for 5 minutes on medium speed till soft.  Then add in butter.  Continue kneading for another 10-15 minutes till the dough is soft, smooth and elastic.
2. Remove mixing bowl from machine, cover with a clean cloth to proof for about 20-30 minutes or till double in size.  Punch down and divide dough into 18 equal portions.  Roll each portion into a smooth round ball.
3. Prepare 1 plate each of white and black sesame seeds and beaten egg.
4. Dip ball into beaten egg and then sesame seeds.  Place on baking tray and leave to proof for 40-50 minutes or double in size.
5. Preheat oven at 180 degrees C for 10 minutes, then bake bread on lower middle rack for 25-30 minutes.  Remove bread to cool on rack before storing.

BANANA BREAD LOAF [STRAIGHT DOUGH METHOD]

After baking the Banana Dried Cranberries Bread, I tried converting the recipe to Banana Loaf Bread since I had some bananas left.  I made 2 loaves from the same quantity and each loaf weighs about 600 gm after baking.  A nice bread recipe worth keeping, soft and light texture.  I realised that no sugar is added for this recipe.

Isn't it lovely? Freshly home baked bread loaves

Ingredients

400 gm bread flour

6 tsp [12 gm] skimmed milk powder

1 tsp [6 gm] salt  

2.6 tsp [8 gm] instant yeast 

1 egg [40 gm] - lightly beaten [keep about 1 tsp for brushing bread]

120 ml warm water

120 gm banana [about 2 pieces] - skin and mash and add to water

40 gm [1.5 tbsp] butter

• Put mashed bananas, water and yeast in the mixing bowl.  Leave for about 5-10 minutes until slightly frothy.  Add in the sifted flour, salt and beaten egg.  Fix kneading machine with dough hook, start to knead all ingredients on medium speed till soft dough is form [about 5 minutes],  Then add in butter.  Continue to knead for a further 10-15 minutes until dough is soft, smooth and elastic. 
• Remove mixing bowl from machine, cover dough to proof for about 20-30 minutes or until double in size.  Punch down and divide dough into 2 portions.  Roll into a ball.
• Take 1 portion, roll flat and fold into three, then roll into a rectangular shape and roll up like swiss roll.  Transfer to bread tin.  Do the same for the other portion.  Leave to proof for 40-50 minutes.

Before Proofing 

After 40-50 minutes proofing 

Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle linseed 

This bread texture is soft and light 


• When dough has doubled in size, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle grounded linseed [or any roasted nuts you prefer].  At the same time, preheat oven at 170 degrees C for 5-10 minutes.
• Bake bread loaves for 25 minutes on lower rack.  Remove to cool on rack before serving or storing.

Stir Fry Kailan With Dried Prawns

A very simple stir fry vegetable [kailan] for dinner.

At times, when we aren't in the mood to prepare elaborate food, a simple stir fry tastes as appetising and good for a meal such as fried rice with this vegetable makes a complete lunch/dinner.
Ingredients

400 gm kailan - wash, stemmed and cut

1 small red carrot - sliced

1-2 tbsp dried prawns - wash and soak for awhile

salt and Ajinomoto to taste

dash of pepper

1 tsp of garlic crisps

1-2 tbsp oil + dash of sesame oil

some cornflour water for thickening

Kailan and carrots

1. Heat oil in wok, add in dried prawns.  Saute till fragrant and add in vegetables.  Stir fry till limp, add in seasoning [salt, pepper and ajinomoto], a little water and a dash of shaoxing wine [optional]. 
2. Cook for another 1-2 minutes and thicken slightly with cornflour water.  Dish out on plate to serve.  Put garlic crisps on top as garnish.

Muah Chee

Muah Chee

During our younger days, we used to have Muah Chee for Ringgit 0.50 per pack.  Nowadays, we can only get MuahChee at Ringgit 2.00 per pack and it no longer taste as good as before. This led me to look for the recipe and I came across the recipes from No Frills and reesekitchen and gave it a try because of the simple procedures.  It turned out well and my family loves it very much and requested for more. 

Here are the ingredients and method.   I tripled [3 times] the quantity so that I can use up the peanut coating.

Ingredients

100 gm glutinous rice flour

100 to 110 ml water

2 tsp sugar

a little oil to grease plastic bag

Muah Chee Coating Ingredients [Mix together] - enough for 300 gm dough

150 gm grounded peanut [finely grounded]

40 gm sesame seed [grounded]

75 gm castor sugar

Glutinous Rice Flour & Peanut/Sesame Coating

Step 1 - Add water to flour then add sugar

Step 1 - stir till mixture is not lumpy

Step 1 -  Mixture after steaming for 15 minutes

Step 1.  Put glutinous rice flour in a steaming bowl.  Add in water gradually and stir to combine well with flour then add in sugar.  Continue to stir till mixture is smooth and not lumpy. Prepare a steamer with water.  Bring water to a boil on high heat and put in mixture to steam for 15-20 minutes or until muah chee is cooked.  Off fire, remove to cool for 10 minutes.

Step 2

Step 2.  Oil a plastic bag and put in cool muah chee.  Knead till smooth and Q. 

Step 3

Step 3.   Put peanut mixture coating in a tray.  Transfer a piece of muah chee dough from plastic bag to peanut mixture.  Cut dough with a plastic cutter into small bite size pieces and coat with peanut/sesame/sugar mixture.  Shake off excess coating and place muah chee on plate to serve.

BANANA DRIED CRANBERRIES/RAISIN BREAD [STRAIGHT DOUGH METHOD]

Another of Hidehide's recipe which I tried.  Since I do not have anymore raisins and almond slices, I substitute them with dried cranberries and roasted walnuts.

Ingredients  [Quantity in red is for 1 loaf]

[makes 2 loaves]

400 gm bread flour [200 gm]

1 tbsp [12 gm] skimmed milk powder [1/2 tbsp]

1 tsp [6 gm] salt [1/2 tsp]

2.6 tsp [8 gm] instant yeast [1.3 tsp]

120 ml warm water [60 ml]

40 gm [1] egg [20 gm]

120 gm banana [60 gm] - mashed and combined with water

40 gm butter [20 gm]

Ingredients for bread dough

Filling

100 gm raisins soak in 2 tsp rum [50 gm + 1 tsp]

creamed butter - proper amount for brushing

Topping

almond slices

Syrup for brushing

10 gm sugar dissolve in 20 gm water and add in 1 tsp rum [5gm + 10 gm + 1/2 tsp]

Filling, Topping and Sugar Syrup

Step 1.  

Put all dough ingredients except butter in a mixing bowl.  Knead till dough is soft [about 5 minutes] then add in butter.  Continue kneading for a further 15-20 minutes till dough is soft, smooth and elastic.  Cover to proof for 30 minutes or until double in size.  

Step 2.             

                           

Punch down dough.  Divide into 2 portions.   Roll each portion into a ball, then roll flat, fold into 3.  Roll flat into a square, spread creamed butter [avoid about 1 cm from the edges] and sprinkle raisin/rum.  Roll swiss roll style, seal the edges . 

Step 3.

Flatten roll slightly and cut into 3 strips leaving about 1 cm on top uncut.  Braid strips and leave to proof for 40-50 minutes.

Step 4.

 Brush beaten egg on braided bread and sprinkle walnuts to top.  Bake in preheated oven at 170 degrees C for 25-30 minutes.  Remove bread from oven and brush bread with syrup rum water.

Cool bread on rack before storing.

YOGHURT BREAD LOAF [STRAIGHT DOUGH METHOD]

This is another good loaf bread recipe worth baking for the family. Soft and light bread.  Thanks to Hidehide. The quantity here is to make two loaves and the quantity in red is for 1 loaf.  Can refer my other recipe on Home Baked Loaf Bread [see post].

Ingredients [Quantity in red is for 1 loaf]

[makes 2 loaves]

480 gm bread flour [240 gm]

120 gm plain flour [60 gm]
2 tbsp wholemeal flour [1 tbsp]

9 tsp skimmed milk powder [4.5 tsp]

3 tbsp castor sugar [1.5 tbsp]

1.5 tsp salt [3/4 tsp]

3.9 tsp [12gm] instant yeast [2 tsp]

250 ml warm water [125 ml]

135 ml yoghurt [70 ml]

2 tbsp [30 gm] butter [1 tbsp]

Step 1 -  Dough ready to proof

Step 2 - Dough already double in size after 20-30 minutes

Step 3 - Punch down, roll and fold into 3 

Step 3 - Roll dough into rectangle and roll swiss roll from both ends 

Seal the edges and roll as above. Put in tin to proof 

Leave to proof for 40-50 minutes 

Dough risen to 80% of tin ready for baking 

1. Using a food processor or mixer, pour in water and add in yeast in the mixing bowl.  Leave for about 5 minutes to froth.  Then add sifted flour, milk powder, salt and sugar.  Start machine to knead ingredients on medium speed into a soft dough [about 5 minutes].  Add in yoghurt, continue kneading for another 5 minutes.
2. Then add in the butter.  Continue kneading till dough is soft and smooth [takes about 20 minutes].  Remove mixing bowl and cover to proof for about 20 minutes or until double in size.
3. Punch down dough and roll into a ball.  Divide dough into 2 portions [for 2 loaves]. Take 1 portion, roll flat in rectangular shape, fold to centre from left and right, then roll flat into a long rectangular shape.  Roll up swiss roll, seal the edges and put into a greased Pullman's tin.  Leave to proof for 40-50 minutes [or until it rises to 80% of the tin]. Do the same for the other portion.
4. Preheat oven at 180 degrees C and bake bread on lower rack for about 25-30 minutes.  Remove bread from oven and baking tin immediately to cool on rack before storing.