Tod Mun [Fried Fish Cake]

Another lovely Thai fried fish cake which is easy to prepare using the Thai Red Curry paste [see posting].    Didn't know that Tod Mun means Fried Fish Cake.   Simply mix the Tod Mun ingredients together and pan fry the paste until golden and cooked.  Can be eaten just like that with or without the dipping sauce.

Ingredients for Tod Mun [Fried Fish Cake]

300-350 gm fish paste [I used spanish mackerel] - see this post on how to prepare fish paste
100 gm french beans - thinly sliced
1 egg
5-6 kaffir lime leaves - finely sliced
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
enough oil for frying

1. Mix and combine all the ingredients into a thick paste.
   
2. Heat up a non stick pan with a little oil.  Scoop a spoonful of mixture into the pan.  Leave to fry until base is slightly golden and firm.  Flip over to fry the other side until golden and cooked through.  Dish out and place on kitchen absorbent paper. 
   
   
3. Make several fish cake at a time until the mixture is finished [fry a few at a time so that you don't need too much oil which has to be discarded after frying].
4. Place fried fish cake on serving plate and serve with Tod Mun Sauce and sliced cucumber.
   

Ingredients for Tod Mun Sauce 
1/2 tsp chilli paste
5 tbsp sugar
5 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp peanuts
1/2 quartered, thinly sliced cucumber [I didn't add it this time]

1. Mix all ingredients together [except ground peanuts and  cucumber] in a small pot.  Bring to a boil.  Cool and add in ground peanuts before serving with Tod Mun [fried fish cake].

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up [June 2013 - Curry powder and paste] organised by Zoe [Bake for Happy Kids] and Mui Mui [My Little Favourite DIY] and hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders.

I'm submitting this post to Asian Food Fest - November 2013

hosted by Lena of Frozen Wings

Fragrant Braised Minced Meat & Mushrooms

A very tasty and delicious braised minced meat dish that goes well with plain white rice or blanched noodles either dry or with soup.   Lovely dish suitable for the young and old. 

Ingredients

[original recipe from a food magazine - Yum Yum with slight modifications]

300 gm meat [can used pork belly or pork tenderlion]- minced or diced

2 tbsp chopped garlic

3 tbsp chopped shallots

1/2 tbsp chopped ginger

1 piece Eryngii mushrooms [king oyster mushrooms] - diced

1 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp sesame oil

2 cups water

Seasoning

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tsp dark soy sauce

1-2 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 tsp salt

2 tsp 5 spice powder

2 tbsp rock sugar tablets

1. Heat oil in non-stick wok, saute chopped garlic, ginger and shallots until brown.  Add spices and meat.  Stir fry to combine ingredients.
   
2. Add in diced mushrooms and seasoning.  Continue to fry until ingredients are well mixed and cooked.
   
   
3. Add in water. Bring to boil then lower heat and simmer until meat is tender and gravy is reduced [if you prefer more gravy, add more water and thicken slightly with cornflour mix].  This takes about an hour [for the meat to be really tender and fragrant].
   
   
   
4. Serve hot over white rice or blanched noodles.  Garnish with chopped spring onions.
   

I'm linking this post to Cook your Books #1 Event hosted by Kitchen Flavours

 

Thai Green Curry Chicken

This is the second batch of Thai green curry paste which I prepared after the first was taken by my hubby.  Here, I only prepared half the portion of the first [see previous post] cos' I wanted to cook 700-800 gm of chicken which is just  enough for a meal.

A very aromatic curry and the spiciness is acceptable [my hubby's standard].  This is a healthy version where I used yoghurt  instead of coconut milk.

Ingredients

Thai green curry paste [please refer previous post for preparation]

800 gm chicken thighs - cut bite size pieces [keep or remove skin] - I removed the skin

1-2 stalks basil leaves - used the leaves only

5-6 kaffir lime leaves - shredded finely

200 ml thin coconut milk [I used 100 ml water]

50 ml thick coconut milk [I used 150 ml plain yoghurt]

3-4 tbsp oil

1/2 tbsp salt

1 tsp sugar to taste

1. Use fried green curry paste to marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes.
   
2. Heat up wok without oil, fry the marinated chicken until firm [add some water or thin coconut milk if it is too dry].  Pour in the remaining water/coconut milk.
   
   
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer until chicken is tender.  Add in thick coconut milk or yoghurt.  Cook until gravy is slightly thick.  Add seasoning to taste.
   
4. Stir in the basil leaves and kaffir leaves if serving immediately otherwise add the leaves when reheating the curry before serving.
   

Notes:

Thai Green Curry Chicken tastes even better the next day cos' the flavours have been well absorbed into the chicken.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up [June 2013 - Curry powder and paste] organised by Zoe [Bake for Happy Kids] and Mui Mui [My Little Favourite DIY] and hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders.

I'm submitting this post to Asian Food Fest - November 2013 hosted by Lena of Frozen Wings

Thai Green Curry Paste

My hubby's friend keeps saying his Thai Green Curry Chicken is the best but my hubby doesn't think so.  He has been reminding me to find an authentic Thai Green Curry recipe.  By chance, I came across this spicy mixture from Spicy Foodie and gave it a go cos' I happened to have all the ingredients needed in my humble kitchen.

Here are the ingredients that have to be blended till fine then combine with the powdered ingredients.  This fried paste keeps well refrigerated for 1-2 weeks and in the freezer for 2 months.

BTW,  I didn't get to cook the Thai Green Curry Chicken [see next post] with this paste cos' my hubby took it to his seniors' club house.  He cooked the curry there and brought home just a little for me to try and it was good.   So I made another batch [half portion] as I only wanted to about 700-800 gm chicken. 

Ingredients for Paste [slight modifications]

Ingredients A -

3 lemon grass [white part only]

1 inch piece ginger

1 tsp black peppercorns [about 70]

4 large green chillies

10 small Thai green chillies

4-5 cloves garlic

10-12 shallots

2 tsp grated lime zest [kaffir lime - better choice]

2-3 stalks fresh coriander with roots

Ingredients B -

1 tsp salt

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp tumeric powder

2 tsp fish sauce

1 tbsp oil

1. Blend ingredients A in a blender until fine.
2. Mix with rest of ingredients B into a paste.
3. Scoop into a container, cover and refrigerate until required.[*]
4. This quantity is enough to cook 1.2 -1.5 kg of chicken meat.

[*] Fry paste with about 100 ml oil until oil separates then store if not using it within a week.

Note:

When cooking Thai Green Curry, adding some basil leaves and kaffir lime leaves will make the curry more fragrant.  The curry tasted more flavourful the next day.  Add more small Thai green chillies for a more spicy version.

This post is linked to the event,  Little Thumbs Up [June 2013 - Curry powder and paste] organised by Zoe [Bake for Happy Kids] and Mui Mui [My Little Favourite DIY] and hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders.

I'm submitting this post to Asian Food Fest - November 2013  
hosted by Lena of Frozen Wings

Nyonya Mixed Vegetable [Chap Chye]

Most Nyonya style stir fried vegetables have a variety of ingredients at least half a dozen which contributes the flavours and texture of the dishes.

Nyonya mixed vegetables, commonly know to Chinese as 'Chap Chye' is one of the popular vegetable dish in most Chinese families during festive times.  It can be a vegetarian or non-vegetarian by adding prawns or even meat.

This Chap Chye recipe which I cooked can be considered vegetarian as I have omitted the prawns and meat.

Ingredients

100 gm cabbage -washed and tear into bite size pieces

1 stalk mustard leaves [chye sim] - washed and cut in 1" lengths

1 small carrot - peeled and slice any patterns or flower shape

2-3 cloves garlic - chopped

200 gm prawns - shelled and rinsed [optional]

2-3 tbsp oil

2 tbsp fine preserved bean paste [taucheo]

1-2 florets dried wood fungus - soaked and break in smaller pieces

2 dried mushrooms - soaked and sliced

30 gm dried lily buds [kim chiam] - soaked and drained

2 sticks dried beancurd sticks [tau kee] - soaked and cut into 1" lengths

15 gm glass noodles - soaked for 5 minutes - drained

1/2 tsp each of salt and chicken stock granules to taste

1/2 cup water

1. Prepare the above ingredients.
2. Heat oil in wok, saute garlic until fragrant.  Add in bean paste and fry for a minute.
3. Add in mushrooms, black fungus, carrots and cabbage.  Fry for a minute and mix the ingredients well.
   
   
   
4. Add in the remaining ingredients, water and seasoning.  Stir fry a bring to a boil.
5. Add in mustard leaves.  
   
6. Stir fry to mix well, taste to adjust seasoning before dishing out to serve.

I'm linking this post to Cook your Books #1 Event hosted by Kitchen Flavours

I'm also submitting this to Malaysian Food Fest [June 2013] - Penang hosted by Alan of Travellingfoodie