Hoo Pioh Th'ng [Fish Maw Soup]

This recipe is from the book 'At Home With Amy Beh 2'.  It is quite a common soup which my MIL used to cook during CNY.    Quite a costly soup because of the fish maw if it is a quality type.  Here I used the ready fried fish bladder.  It just needs to be soaked until soft, then cut into bite size pieces and it' s ready for cooking.

A very clear and light soup which is not oily at all using meat and prawn balls instead of chicken.

According to Amy Beh, this is a hearty and nutritious nyonya home style soup that is popular with the Hokkiens.  This soup is served during wedding lunches on a long table [t'ng tok] together with other favourite nyonya dishes.

Ingredients

[recipe adapted from Amy Beh 2 with some modifications]

40 gm fish maw/dried fish bladder/hoo pioh

500 gm chicken - chopped chunky pieces [I used meat and prawn balls] - Recipe for Meatballs here

100 gm gingko nuts - shelled and skinned [see post on How to prepare gingko nuts] 

100 gm jicama - cut thick slices

5-6 water chestnuts - sliced

1 canned button mushrooms - halved
1 small red carrot - cut thick slices [optional]

2.5 litres water

1 tbsp sesame oil

salt and msg to taste

Tie in a muslin bag the following ingredients

1 bulb garlic - with skin

a few slices of ginger

1 tsp peppercorns - lightly crushed

1. Soak the fish bladder in cold water until soft.  Squeeze dry and cut into bite size pieces.
2. Bring water to boil in a big soup pot with the muslin bag.  Simmer the soup for 20 minutes.
3. Add in the water chestnuts and sengkuang.  The add in the fish maw.
4. Bring soup to boil and add in the meat balls to cook.  Lastly add in the gingko nuts and mushrooms.
5. Add seasoning to taste.  Bring soup to boil again.  Off heat.
6. Serve soup hot immediately.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Note:

If using chicken, add the chicken at Step 2.  If using meat and prawn balls, see recipe below.

Ingredients for Meat and Prawn Balls

100 gm shelled prawns - finely chopped

100 gm meat or chicken fillet - finely chopped

• marinate with some pepper, salt, sugar, sesame oil and cornflour.  Mix well and refrigerate while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Scoop prawn and meat ball mixture into balls with a wet metal spoon into boiling soup to cook for 1-2 minutes. 

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hosted by Kitchen Flavours

 

Sri Lankan Curry Chicken

Since cooking the Sri Lankan Curry Fish [see post] which was yummy delicious, I thought it would be good to try the chicken curry which I saw at Veronica's Kitchen.   Next in line would be prawn or may be mixed vegetables...

The curry is good, very aromatic, slightly spicy, sourish and the gravy is of quite thick consistency.  Great with rice and I think should be good with bread too.  Confirmed by my hubby's siblings, the curry is good.

Ingredients

[recipe adapted from Veronica's Kitchen with some modifications]

Curry Paste [mix other ingredients to blended onion and garlic together]

1 onion - cut small pieces

4 cloves garlic - cut small pieces

4 slices ginger

10 dried chillies - soaked and deseeded

1 red chilli - cut small pieces [optional]

• blend the above ingredients in a processor until fine.  Mix with the powdered ingredients and set aside.

Powdered Spice Ingredients
2 tbsp coriander powder

1 tsp tumeric powder

1 tbsp cumin powder

1 tsp fennel powder

Aromatics:

1 onion - sliced

4 green small chillies - sliced

4 sprigs curry leaves

1 1/2 tsp fenugreek and mustard seeds

1 kg chicken [I used meaty chicken thighs] - cut into chunks and marinate with 1 1/2 tsp tumeric powder, 2 tsp vinegar or lime juice and some blended curry paste

3 tbsp oil

500 ml water or thin coconut milk [Iused 400 ml water]

125 ml thick coconut milk or milk [I used 50 ml]

1 tsp each of salt and sugar to taste

1. Heat oil in pan, fry aromatics until fragrant.  Add in curry paste.  Fry until oil separates and aromatic.  Add in the marinated chicken.
2. Continue to stir fry until the chicken is well coated with curry paste and firm.
3. Add in water or thin coconut milk.  Bring to boil, lower heat to simmer until is tender [about 10-15 minutes].
4. Add in milk or thick coconut milk and seasoning to taste.
5. Dish up to serve with rice.  This curry is more flavourful and tasted better after some time. 
   
   
   
   
   
   

Fried Egg With Salted Mustard Leaves [Kiam Chye]

Another quite unusual omelette recipe which was published in Marshall Cavendish  table calendar years ago.  The previous unusual egg recipe from the same calendar was posted several days ago [Spicy Salted Eggs]. 

Month end is coming soon and I think my egg-tion must cease too.  I'll definitely sit back to enjoy all the wonderful recipes shared in this month's LTU event.

I can say this is the first time, I'm frying omelette with preserved mustard leaves [salted leaves - kiam chye - hum choy].  Very simple recipe and not much ingredients but this omelette is egg-cellent. 

Ingredients

[serves 2-4]

100 gm preserved salted vegetables - kiam chye - julienned and soaked for 5 minutes.  Drain and squeeze dry

2 cloves garlic - chopped

1 red chillies - deseeded and julienned

1 sprig coriander leaves - chopped

150 gm small prawns - shelled and cleaned

2 - 3 tbsp oil

2 large eggs - lightly beaten with 1/2 tsp salt and ground black pepper. Add in chopped coriander

1. Heat a non stick pan on medium low heat.  Fry julienned salted vegetables for a few second.  Push aside, add in oil.  Fry garlic.
2. Add in chilli and mix with vegetables.
3. Pour in beaten eggs, swirl pan to form a round omelette.  Before top of egg is cooked, add prawns.  Cook for about 2 minutes.
4. Flip the omelette over and cook through.  
5. Cut up roughly with ladle and serve.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

I'm linking this post to 

Little Thumbs Up August Theme - Eggs organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by 

Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out

I'm also  linking this post to Cook Your Books #3 Event  hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours

 

Basil Omelette

Egg-cellent omelette with simple ingredients.  Very fragrant and aromatic basil leaves and crispy fried garlic and ginger make this omelette, hmmm ... delicious with rice or on its own.

Ingredients

[recipe from Kuali.com]

4 eggs - lightly beaten with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1 tsp shaoxing wine

A bunch of fresh basil leaves - plucked, rinsed, drained and chopped

2 tbsp minced ginger

1 tbsp minced garlic

1-2 tbsp oil

1 tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp oil

1. Heat sesame oil and oil in a non stick pan to saute garlic and ginger until golden and crispy.  Dish out.
2. Mix basil leaves with beaten eggs.
3. Heat oil in pan over medium low heat.  Pour in egg mixture [can fry in 2 batches].
4. Leave to fry gently until done.   Flip half omelette to make a half moon and fry until omelette is cooked through.
5. Cut into triangle slices with the wok turner.  Dish out on serving plate.
6. Top with fried crispy ginger and garlic before serving.
   
   

I'm linking this post to 

Little Thumbs Up August Theme - Eggs organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by 

Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out

I'm  also linking this post to Cook Your Books #3 Event  hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours

 

I'm also linking this post to September 2013 Cooking With Herbs Blog Challenge

 hosted by Lavender and Lovage

NYONYA HONG BAK [BRAISED PORK BELLY]

Such a familiar name in the Peranakan cuisine, a dish which I have eaten very often during the time when my grandma was still around.  This dish disappeared from our home after her passing, very sad isn't it?  During the recent ancestral worship, I looked up the recipe in 'Nyonya Flavour' book and found this wonderful recipe.

My hubby's siblings confirmed it is good and suggested that I should prepare this dish for family gatherings.

The 'hong bak' meaning fragrant meat, I think is really fragrant and aromatic.  The sauce is thick and very full of flavours and aroma.  Siang, siang, siang....Phang, phang, phang...

Ingredients

[recipe adapted from Nyonya Flavours with some modifications]

Spice Paste - Ground

100 gm [10] shallots

25 gm [3 cloves] garlic

5 gm [2 pieces] cekur roots

20 gm [3 tbsp] coriander powder

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tbsp fine taucheo [preserved bean paste]

450 gm pork belly - cut big chunks [can use pig trotters]

2 potatoes - peeled and cut wedges

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt to taste

1- 1 1/2 cups water

1. Heat oil in wok, saute spice paste until aromatic.
2. Add in the pork belly.  Stir fry until meat is firm and well coated with paste.  Add in the seasoning.
3. Pour in water [enough to cover meat].  Bring to boil, then lower heat to simmer for 20-25 minutes until meat is tender but not soft.
4. Add in the potatoes, stir and continue to simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes and meat are soft.
5. The dish can be served warm anytime with plain white rice and other nyonya dishes.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

I'm linking this post to Cook Your Books #3 Event hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours