STEAMED FISH WITH CHILLI TAUCHEO

During my last visit to Ipoh, the tour guide brought us to a shop opposite Ling Sen Tong Temple [if I am not wrong] to buy some local products.  Someone said that the chilli taucheo is good and may not be available in other states.  As I wasn’t keen on buying anything in particular, I simply chose a bottle of the Chilli Taucheo.  This Chilli Taucheo is quite similar to Dao Ban Jiang but it is not that salty but it has some sugar in it.

For this steamed fish dish, I use it for the steaming sauce and it turns out great.   It is so simple and easy to prepare yet the result is awesome.  This sauce is also good for steaming prawns, clams or to stir fry tofu puffs which I will definitely try.  Lovely steamed fish block and looks so presentable and tempting. 

Ingredients

1 piece white fish block – cleaned and pat dry

Steaming Sauce Ingredients

1 tbsp chopped garlic

I tbsp chopped gentle

½ tbsp chopped red chill [keep some for garnishing]

1 tbsp chopped spring onion [keep some for garnishing]

½ tbsp oil + 1 tsp sesame oil

1-2 tbsp  Chilli Taucheo

1 tsp oyster sauce

1. Place fish block on steaming plate.
2. Heat  both oils in a small pot/pan, sauté chopped garlic, ginger and some chopped chilli and spring onions until fragrant.  Add in chilli taucheo.  Stir to mix well.  Off heat.
3. Spread fried steaming sauce over fish and steamed for 10 minutes or more [depends on size of fish].
4. Remove from steamer, sprinkle balance chopped red chillies and spring onions over steamed fish.
5. Serve immediately.
   
   

CNY 2018 - BEE KOH [COCONUT GLUTINOUS RICE PUDDING]

There are numerous versions/recipes for this glutinous rice pudding.  Up till now, I have tried 4 recipes and the variation is not much.  As I went along to try, I find this recipe most suitable to my expectations and taste. Loved this recipe and honestly feel proud of myself that I am able to make this Nyonya kuih. 
It is very aromatic, 'lemak' and not too sweet.  The glutinous rice is soft, chewy not not soggy.  Really awesome, even my mum and mum in-law have to agree that this is nice.  An easy and simple enough recipe.

Ingredients

[makes 2 big plates and 3 small plates]
500 gm glutinous rice – washed then soaked for 4 hours and best overnight, drained

3 pandan leaves – washed and knotted

50-100 ml water

200-220 gm granulated sugar [original recipe is about 240 gm]

350 ml thick coconut milk 

A pinch of salt

2 pandan leaves – washed and knotted

1. Steam the soaked and drained glutinous rice over boiling water with pandan leaves for 40 minutes. After 10 minutes, sprinkle some water, toss well and steam for another 10-20 minutes or until rice is cooked, tender but not too wet.  Off heat and leave in the steamer while you prepare the syrup.
   
   
   
2. Put sugar, salt, pandan leaves and 50 ml coconut milk in a wok. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves, then add in the remaining coconut milk [Do not boil the coconut milk at all, just simmer].  Remove the pandan leaves.
   
   
   
3. Add in the steamed rice to sugar mixture in the wok. Stir constantly over medium low heat until mixture becomes a paste which is fairly thick, leaves the wok clean and turns into a ball.  I used my 'golden wok' from Thailand to prepare this and it is awesome, rice doesn't thick to the wok throughout the process.
4. Transfer to individual plates or trays lined with cling wrap or banana leaf. Use a banana leaf or cling wrap to level up the surface neatly.
5. Cool completely or until firm before slicing to serve.
   
   
   

DRIED LILY FLOWER CHICKEN SOUP

Yummy-licious soup for Chinese New Year festive food.   Original recipe is an expensive soup with all the costly ingredients such as big dried scallops, free range chicken and fish maw.  I believe not every family can ‘afford’ this kind of ingredients just in a soup bearing in mind there are other expenses to take care off.   Myself for one will have to think it over if  this soup is for several visiting families [about 25 pax].

 I had prepared this pauper version by substituting scallops and free range chicken with a piece of dried squid and meat  chicken.  It turned out to be a delicious soup which is tasty and good.  At least, my hubby didn't notice it is a pauper version, hehehe!

Recipe adapted from Yum Yum Magazine No. 64 with modifications

Ingredients

[serves 3]

1 large chicken whole leg – skin and excess fats removed – cut big size pieces

2 pairs of chicken feet [can it free from the chicken vendor]

20 gm  dried lily flower buds – soaked, squeezed and knotted, snip off the hard ends

1 small piece dried squids to replace dried scallops

10 red dates

5 slices of ginger

1 piece fish maw – soak to soften, squeezed out the water and cut small pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

750-800 ml water

1. Blanched chicken feet and chicken pieces with hot boiling water.  Drained.
2. Bring water to boil, add in ginger,  dried squids, chicken feet, red dates and fish maw.  Let it boil and simmer for  about 15-20 minutes .
3. Add in chicken pieces and dried lily flower buds,  bring to boil then simmer for another 15 minutes or until chicken pieces are cooked through.  Season with salt and pepper.  [Note -You can double boiled all the ingredients for 2-3 hours]
4. Serve hot.
   
   
   
   
   

CARAMEL NIAN GAO 年糕 [TI KUEH]

Nian Gao [Ti Kueh] aka Kuih Bakul is a must for Chinese New Year.  I have tried  several Nian Gao recipes and was lucky this time to come across a simple version of this kuih yet the result is awesome.  

Thanks to Mykitchen101en for sharing this great recipe.

Really simple and long steaming hours.  You only need 1-2 hours of steaming.  The kuih has a nice colour, chewy and not too sweet.

The only difficulty is lining the cans with banana leaves and patience when preparing the caramel.  But it is still worthwhile to try this recipe if you wish to make your own kuih bakul.  Much, much economical to make your own if you need to buy a lot.

I have doubled the portion of original recipe and managed to make about 7 pieces of various sizes.

Do visit Mykitchen101en for the steps to prepare this kuih.  It is very well presented with step by step pictures and video.

Ingredients

700 gm glutinous rice flour

700 gm caster sugar

860 ml water

some scalded banana leaves

some aluminium cans

Place sugar in a heavy based pan, pour 4-5 tablespoons of hot water around the sides of the pan.  Stir lightly [but do not over stir].  

Cook sugar over medium low heat until it is golden brown in colour and the sugar melts

Do not cook caramel until it is too brown in colour.  The caramel my be bitter if overcooked.

Off heat, then gradually pour remaining hot water into caramel.

Turn on heat and cook until caramel sugar melts.  Allow to cool completely before mixing into glutinous rice flour

Gradually add in the syrup water into the flour.  Mix until smooth.  The batter is of thick consistency

Sieve batter to remove the lumps before pouring into prepared cans.

Pour batter into lined cans, cover with foil to prevent water condensation,  Place in a steaming tray, cover tightly with lid.  Steamed over high heat for 1 hour, then simmer over low heat for 30 minutes to an hour or until kuih is fully cooked.

A tray of lovely ti kueh [steamed glutinous rice cakes]

WISHING ALL MY CHINESE FRIENDS HERE

"HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR 2018"

&

"STAY HEALTHY, SAFE AND BE HAPPY"

EZCR#109 - BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH ONIONS

CNY is around the corner, so much to buy and so many things to do for this year.  Best to try simple easy recipes during pre-CNY days.  

Just this with a simple stir fry vegetable dish would suffice for a complete meal for the family. 

The chicken thighs need not be marinated before cooking as the seasoning is sufficient.  Tastes savoury sweet and fragrant.  Delicious to serve with steaming hot rice and a vegetable dish, similar to the set meals you get at the food outlets.  

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs - deboned with skin intact

1 stalk spring onion - cut sections [keep some to add last]

1 red chilli - cut strips [keep some to add last]

1 yellow onion - peeled and sliced

1 tbsp oil

250 ml water

Seasoning

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp cooking wine

1 tsp sugar to taste

1. Heat oil in a non stick pan, brown the chicken thigh pieces [skin side done first], then the meat side.  Push aside.
2. Add in the onions and some spring onions, saute until fragrant.  Pour in seasoning, bring to boil for a few seconds.  Add in water.
3. Bring to boil, add in red chilli and braise for 15-20 minutes or until chicken pieces are cooked through and sauce is reduced.
4. Add remaining chilli and spring onions.
5. Dish up to serve.