FRY MINI CHINA CABBAGE WITH DRIED CUTTLEFISH

 In my home, there must be at least a vegetable dish in every meal.  Sometimes, there are more than one with assorted vegetables, best if there are 5 colours in one dish.  Is this possible?  Practically, it is not possible daily cos' families are getting smaller and most would go for quick meals, too.

During hot weather times, it is best to eat more vegetables to boost our immune system.  This dish is a homey dish with at least several coloured ingredients like carrots, Chinese cabbage, mushrooms and dried cuttlefish.  You can add black fungus, meat according to own preference.

Here, I will state the ingredients used without the quantity cos' you can simply cook them in small or big portions according to individual family needs.

Ingredients

Mini China cabbage - washed and shredded

red carrot - shredded

a few dried mushrooms - soaked and shredded

a handful of dried cuttlefish - rinsed and soaked for 10 minutes, drained

some chopped garlic

cooking oil [I used lard]

Seasoning

salt, msg, black pepper, oyster sauce

dash of sesame seed oil

1. Heat up wok, add in mushrooms and garlic, saute until fragrant.  Add in dried cuttlefish and fry until there is a crackling sound.
2. Add in all the shredded vegetables, stir to mix well.
3. Add in seasoning and some water, continue to cook until vegetables are cooked through.
4. Dish up and serve immediately.
   
   
   
   
   

PAN FRIED HONEY CHICKEN

This fried honey chicken recipe is actually a roast honey chicken recipe.  As I didn't have enough chicken whole legs in my fridge, I used what I have to cook this.  Instead of baking, I used frying method.

The chicken is very tasty and it is fast to cook.  Goes well with plain white rice.

Ingredients

2 chicken whole legs - deboned and cut bite size pieces

Marinade Ingredients

1 tbsp ginger juice

1 tsp 5 spice powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp light soy sauce

Seasoning Sauce

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp wine
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

3-4 tbsp water

1. Marinate chicken pieces with marinade for about 30 minutes or more.
2. Heat a non stick wok with 1 tbsp oil, pan fry chicken pieces until brown on both sides.
3. Add in seasoning sauce ingredients.  Bring to boil until the sauce is thicken.
4. Throw in some cut spring onions.
5. Dish up to serve with rice.
   
   
   
   

I'm submitting this post to the event Little Thumbs Up [March 2015 Event: Honey] organized by Zoe [Bake for Happy Kids] and Doreen [My Little Favourite DIY] and hosted by Joyce [joycescapade.com]

THAI MANGO SALAD FRIED SALMON

This is a very easy dish to prepare, yet it is so tasty and  appetising.

The Thai style mango salad is not only suitable to serve with fried fish but also good for pan fried or blanched prawns  and squids.  Tastes savoury and sourish, the sweetness is from the chilli sauce and mangoes.  Noticed that there is no sugar added in this sauce.

There is only 2 separate things to do - one is to prepare the salad and the other is to fry the salmon pieces.  What a quick and easy dish to prepare.  Presentable too.

Ingredients for Mango Salad

1 medium size ripe mango - peeled and cubed

1 stalk coriander - chopped

5 pips garlic - chopped

1 red chilli - seeded and chopped

some lemon zest

1 tbsp each lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and fish sauce

3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

2 pieces salmon blocks or fillet

1. Mix all the salad ingredients well and chill in fridge until required.
2. Heat up a non-stick pan, add some oil and fry salmon pieces until cooked and brown on both sides.
3. Dish up on serving platter, top with Thai mango salad.
4. Serve immediately.
   
   
   

SPICY HONEY PRAWNS

Large prawns are always yummy-licious so long as they are fresh and not overcooked.  They can be cooked using various methods like steaming, pan fried, grilled or baked with various seasoning of your choice.

Today, I feel like having something spicy to go with rice and this is it.  Spicy pan fried prawns with honey.

In fact, you can marinate the prawns, skewered and grill them like kebabs for parties and gatherings.

Ingredients

300 gm medium to large prawns - trimmed

1 large onion - peeled and cut wedges

1 tomato - cut wedges

1 tbsp honey

100 ml water

2 tbsp oil

Seasoning [combined]

1 tsp each chilli paste and tumeric powder

1 tbsp fish curry powder

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

salt to taste

1. Heat a non-stick wok, add in 1 tbsp of oil, then the prawns.  Pan fry until prawns turned pinkish on both sides.  Push aside.
2. Add in remaining oil and seasoning paste, fry until aromatic.
3. Add in onions, tomatoes and stir fry to combine all the ingredients.  Add in water and honey, bring to boil until prawns are cooked through and gravy is reduced.
4. Lastly add in some spring onions, dish up to serve immediately.
   
   
   
   
   
   

I'm submitting this post to the event Little Thumbs Up [March 2015 Event: Honey] organized by Zoe [Bake for Happy Kids] and Doreen [My Little Favourite DIY] and hosted by Joyce [joycescapade.com]

PANDAN ONDE-ONDE

This is my favourite Nyonya Kuih.  I have tried several recipes for this kuih and so far, I'm pleased with the results and never failed to enjoy them to the fullest.  Eventhough it is my favourite, I do share some with my relatives and friends.

My first recipe here is a good one but this recipe below has an extra ingredient 'sweet potato'.  The end result is the same and you wouldn't notice that there are sweet potatoes in it.  I used the white sweet potatoes and the gula melaka [palm sugar] is from a friend who bought it in Melaka. I like it very much cos' it is aromatic and fine.  Good to use as filling for Onde-onde as it melts in the mouth.
These Onde-onde are made for this friend who will be transferred to KL next month.  

Recipe adapted from the book - Nyonya Flavours

Ingredients

1 medium size yellow or white sweet potato - steamed, peeled and mashed

250 gm glutinous rice flour

5-6 pandan leaves - washed and cut small pieces

250 ml water to extract the juice

150 gm palm sugar - chopped coarsely

200 gm grated white coconut

1/4 - 1/2 tsp fine salt to taste

1. Mix grated coconut with salt and set aside in the fridge.
2. Blend pandan leaves with water and extract the pandan juice.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix sweet potatoes with glutinous rice flour and gradually add in the pandan juice.  Knead until smooth, add water if more moisture in required to work it into a fairly stiff dough.
4. Divide dough into small balls [size of marbles].  Make a well in the centre of each ball and place some chopped palm sugar, sealed well and roll into a ball.
5. Meanwhile, bring water to boil in a pot.  Drop balls into boiling water to cook as you make them.  When the dough floats up, it is cooked.  Dish up using a serrated ladle and roll them with grated coconut.
   
   
   
   
   

EZCR#47 - BRAISED PORK SLICES WITH GINGKO NUTS

Chinese style cooking is rather versatile. With a few basic ingredients, you can cook up a delicious and tasty dish. This dish is one of the many that is easy to prepare yet it's awesome.

The meat is pan fried to brown, then braised till tender and gravy reduced to a thick consistency. The gingko nuts are chewy, tasty and not bitter. The sauce stays sweet and savoury. It is aromatic and so good with rice.

Ingredients

[serves 3]

3 pieces of pork cutlet [1 cm thickness] – tenderize with a meat pounder

100 gm gingko nuts – shelled and membrane removed [here]

5-6 slices of ginger

1 stalk spring onions – cut 1 inch length 

1 red chilli – seeded cut diamond shape

Dash of sesame seed oil

300 ml water

Seasoning

1 ½ tbsp each of tomato sauce, light soy sauce and wine

1 tsp sugar

1. Marinate pork slices with some light soy sauce.
2. Heat a non stick wok with some oil, pan fry pork slices to brown on both sides.
3. Push aside, add in ginger, spring onions [white part only] and gingko nuts to fry for a few seconds.
4. Add in seasoning, then water, bring to boil and simmer for about 20-25 minutes over medium heat until meat and gingko nuts are tender and gravy is of thick consistency.
5. Lastly add in spring onions, red chilli and sesame seed oil. Stir to mix well.
6. Dish up to serve.