Aglio Olio

 Ingredients
100g of preferred pasta
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
5 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of chopped small red chilies
Parsley flakes

Preparation
Cook pasta according to the instructions at the back of the packaging.
Set aside and drain.
Heat 5 tablespoons of oil in a pan and stir fry the minced garlic under low heat till golden brown.
Add in the chopped chilies and stir well.
Return the cooked pasta to the pan and sprinkle a generous amount of parsley flakes.
Toss well and serve immediately.

Gyoza AKA 锅贴

Ingredients

1 packet of gyoza wrappers

250g of minced pork

1/3 cup of chopped napa cabbage

1 teaspoon of minced garlic

1 teaspoon of grated ginger 

2 tablespoons of chopped spring onions

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

1 teaspoon of sugar

2 tablespoons of soya sauce

Pinch of salt

Preparation

Cook the napa cabbage in a pot of boiling water. 

Drain and remove excess water by squeezing the cooked cabbage with hands or paper towel.

Combine all the ingredients together and mix well. 

Place a spoonful of the filling in the middle of a gyoza wrapper and put water along the edge to seal up the wrapper, forming a semi-circle. 

Gather the sides of the wrapper or do so using a gyoza maker(dumpling mould).

Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and fry the gyoza until the bottom part turns brown and crispy over medium high heat. 

Turn heat down to low and add in 60ml of water. 

Steam cook the gyoza with lid covered. 

Remove lid when water has greatly reduced(approximately 10ml left).

Continue cooking until all water has evaporated. 

Serve with dipping sauce(black vinegar with shredded ginger).

Missing In Action

Apologies!! I know I haven't been updating my blog. And my last post was like nearly a year ago. It's been a rough year for me. Alot has happened. One can even make a 粤语残片 out of it. But I believe every cloud has a silver lining. 

I promise to blog soon!

'When life puts you in tough situations, don't say "Why me", say "Try me". You're tougher than you think.'

Bittergourd with Spareribs Soup AKA 苦瓜排骨汤

Ingredients
300g of bittergourd
300g of spareribs
3-5 pitted chinese red dates
3-5 dried oysters

Preparation
Cut bittergourd into half and remove the pulp and seeds.
Cut it again into large chunks.
Parboil spareribs and set aside to drain.
Add bittergourd, red dates and dried oysters to 800ml of water.
Toss in the spareribs when the water starts to boil.
Boil for 15 minutes before switching to low heat and simmer for another 45 minutes.
Add salt to taste before serving.

Sotong Goreng Assam

Ingredients
200g of squids
1-2 small red chilies (chopped)
50g of assam paste
1 teaspoon of sugar
Dash of salt

Preparation
Dissolve assam paste with 80ml of water.
Discard the seeds.
Mix the squids to the assam sauce together with sugar and salt.
Leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
In an oiled pan, stir fry the squids briefly.
Add in the chopped chilies and toss.
Remove from heat when squids are cooked.
Ready to serve.

Squid

Hainanese Pork Chop AKA 海南猪肉扒

Hainanese, one of the Chinese dialect groups, they are rather well-known for being in the food trade. The early Hainanese immigrants in Singapore mostly work as waiters and servants in the local hotels, restaurants, bakeries and bars. Many of them also became coffee shop owners, stall holders and chefs.

Today, Hainanese cuisine is one of the most sought after cuisines in Singapore. Hainanese Chicken Rice, Hainanese Curry Rice and Hainanese Pork Chop are just some of the popular and classic dishes. (I was told that the traditional Hainanese Pork Chop is not served with tomato sauce.)

Ingredients (Adapted from a magazine cutting - by Chef Zhang Tian)
200g of pork loin
1 egg
1 tomato (diced)
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
50g of sliced onion
20g of frozen green peas
120ml
3 tablespoons of ketchup
1/2 teaspoon of dark caramel soya sauce (optional)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Cornstarch

Preparation
Pound pork loins with meat tenderizer. Flatten to about 1/2 inch in thickness.
Rub meat with salt and pepper.
Coat the meat with cornflour and shake off the excess.
Dip into beaten egg.
Coat well with breadcrumbs.
Deep fry till it turns golden brown.
Set aside.
Stir fry garlic and onion till slightly brown.
Add caramel soya sauce, water and ketchup.
Bring to a boil before tossing in the tomatoes and green peas.
Leave to simmer.
Thicken sauce with cornflour if necessary.
Add salt/pepper to taste.
Pour sauce over the pork chops.
Serve immediately.

Stir-fry Tofu with Shimeji Mushrooms and Dried Scallop

Ingredients
300g of silken tofu (cut into cubes)
100g of shimeiji mushrooms (cleaned)
30g of dried scallop (soaked, break into strands)
1 stalk of spring onion
2 tablespoons of oyster sauce
1/2 tablespoon of sugar
280ml of water
Cornstarch

Preparation
Stir fry the mushrooms and scallop in an oiled pan.
Add in oyster sauce, sugar and water.
Stir to mix well.
Add in the tofu.
Bring to a boil and leave to simmer for 5 minutes or so.
Thicken gravy with cornstarch.
Sprinkle with spring onions before serving.

Crispy Tofu with Sweet Chili Sauce (Thai-style) AKA 泰式豆腐

Ingredients
2 pieces of tau kwa (firm tofu)
1/2 an onion (sliced)
2 tablespoons of sweet chili sauce
40ml of water

Preparation
Pat tau kwa dry with paper towel.
Deep fry the tau kwa till golden brown.
Drain away excess oil and cut into bite-size pieces.
Add the sweet chili sauce to 40ml of water.
Toss in the onions.
Bring everything to a boil.
Pour onions and sauce over the tau kwa.
Ready to serve.

* Alternatively, you can cut the tau kwa into bite-size pieces before deep frying.

Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle AKA 福建炒虾面

Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle is a popular local street food. You can find sometimes not one but two stalls selling Hokkien Prawn Noodle in a Hawker Food Center.

The essence of this dish is the richness of the stock. The flavor of the pork bones and prawns stock should be absorbed by the noodles but noodles should not be overcooked or soggy. The dish should neither be too dry or too wet. And the other contributing factor to a plate of yummylicious Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle is the wok hei aka 镬气. (The flavour, tastes, and "essence" imparted by a hot wok on food during stir frying - Wikipedia)

It is no secret that Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle is one of the most difficult dishes to perfect. That explains why the renowned stalls have long queues for their Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle.

Having said that, I am still going ahead to share my recipe for Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle. Though it's nowhere near perfection for now, but it is good enough to curb my craving.

Ingredients
100g of yellow noodles (parboiled)
200g of thick noodles
180ml of stock
6 prawns (with shells intact, pre-cooked in stock)
50g of pork belly (sliced, pre-cooked in stock)
80g of squids (sliced, pre-cooked in stock)
2 eggs (beaten)
20g of beansprouts
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 stalk of spring onion (cut into 3" long)

Preparation
Heat oiled pan to medium heat.
Stir fry garlic till fragrant before adding in eggs.
Break up the eggs and cook till slightly browned.
Add in the noodles and stir fry for another minute or so.
Pour the stock into the pan and cover with a lid.
Leave stock to reduce for a few minutes.
Toss in the prawns, squids, pork belly and beansprouts.
Stir and mix well.
Simmer for another 5 minutes or till stock thickens.
Adjust taste accordingly if necessary.
Add in the spring onions and toss well.
Serve with sambal belacan chili and lime.

Steamed Cod Fish with Preserved Olive Leaves

This mild flavored low-calorie white meat is a wonderful substitute for meat protein. It contains a variety of important nutrients and has been shown to be useful in a number of health conditions. Studies show that people who eat fish regularly have a much lower risk of heart disease and heart attack than people who don't consume fish. Cod, specifically, promotes cardiovascular health because it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6.

In short, cod is considered one of the healthiest food in the world.

Ingredients
200g of cod fillet
1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
2 teaspoons of preserved olive leaves
1 teaspoon of shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
Pinch of sugar
50ml of stock
4 teaspoons of soya sauce
Small red chilies (chopped)

Preparation
Mix minced garlic, olive leaves, shaoxing wine, sesame oil and sugar together.
Place mixture onto the cod fillet.
Steam the fillet for 10 minutes or till cooked.
In a pan, bring stock and soya sauce to a boil.
Drizzle sauce over the cooked cod fillet.
Garnish with chopped chilies.
Serve immediately.

Stir-fry Clams in Spicy Bean Sauce

Ingredients

700g of clams

2 tablespoons of oil

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

2 tablespoons of spicy bean sauce

2 stalks of spring onions (cut into 3" long)

1 cap of shaoxing wine

20ml of water

Preparation

Soak clams in a bowl of water with a generous amount of salt added. This allows the clams to spit out the sand.

Remove the salt water after 30-45 minutes.

Repeat the procedure.

Scrub the clams with a brush to remove any sand or mud from the shells.

Set aside.

Heat up the oil in a pan.

Stir fry the minced garlic till fragrant before adding in the bean sauce.

Toss in the clams and stir to mix.

Add shaoxing wine, water and spring onions to the clams.

Toss well.

Bring everything to a boil, cover and cook using medium low heat for another 5 minutes or till the clams are cooked.

Discard any unopened clams.

Serve immediately.

Cincalok Omelette

Nonya cooking is the result of blending Chinese ingredients and wok cooking techniques with spices used by the Malay/Indonesian community. Nonya food is often noted for the tangy, aromatic and spicy taste.

There are regional variations in Nonya cooking. Dishes from the island of Penang in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia show Thai influences, such as more liberal use of tamarind and other sour ingredients. Dishes from Singapore and Malacca show a greater Indonesian influence, such as the use of coconut milk. A classic example is laksa (a spicy noodle soup), which comes in two variants: the sour asam laksa from Penang and the coconut milk-based laksa lemak from Singapore and the southern regions of Peninsular Malaysia. - Wikipedia

The recipe I am sharing here is Cincalok Omelette. That is just one of the many great Nonya dishes. But for some reasons, this dish is not exactly popular. It is not a street-food unlike Nonya laksa and Otah. Only restaurants that specifically serve Peranakan cuisine have Cincalok Omelette on their menu.

I got this recipe from a magazine cutting passed to me by my sister. She knows I like cooking and that I own a food blog. So, she has been helping me to collect tons of cuttings of recipes to show her support. Haha!

Ingredients
3 eggs
100g of large onions
3/4 tablespoon of cincalok
1 red chili (thinly sliced)
Spring onions (chopped)

Preparation
Break eggs in a bowl.
Add cincalok and beat the eggs.
Add in onions, chili and spring onions.
In an oiled pan, fry over low heat until omelette is cooked.

* Fun Fact: Our MM is a Peranakan too!

Gold Bags

The coincidence of Lunar New Year and Valentine's Day falling on the same day this year in the year of the Tiger has been the talk of the town. God knows how many times this can actually happen. But don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. Valentine's day is about spending the day with the one you love. Just so it happens, this year for a change, you get to spend the day with the ONES you love. Extended families and all. The more the merrier? =P

Hearty breakfast in conjunction with Valentine's Day.

And of course not forgetting the Chinese festival, the auspicious New Year dish I am sharing on my food blog this year is Gold Bags. The name of the dish is pretty self-explanatory. Gold bags are in fact just deep fried dumplings. (similar to Deep Fried Wantons) Nonetheless, these morsels symbolize good luck, wealth and good fortune.

The preparation is just like packaging luck inside the dumpling, which is later eaten. Ways of cooking include steaming, boiling and shallow fried. Dumplings are eaten traditionally in northern China.

Ingredients
1 packet of wanton skin
300g of minced pork
5 water chestnuts (peeled and finely diced)
10 prawns (finely diced)
1/2 stalk of spring onion (finely chopped)
1 egg (beaten)
1 tablespoon of soya sauce
1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of cornflour
Chive/Spring onion

Preparation
Mix pork, water chestnuts, prawns, finely chopped spring onions and egg together in a bowl.
Season with soya sauce, sesame oil, pepper and cornflour.
Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Place small portions on the wanton skins to wrap.
Secure the wantons by tying them with stalk of chive/spring onion.
Deep fry the wrapped wantons over medium high heat.
Remove from heat when the wantons turn golden brown.

Serve hot.

Last but not least, wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's Day &
a Happy Lunar New Year! Huat ah!!

Lotus Seed & Logan Soup

Ingredients
80g of lotus seeds
80g of dried logans
4 red dates
100g of rock sugar
1500ml of water

Preparation
Wash the lotus seed thoroughly.
Soak in tap water for at least 2 hours.
Bring 1500ml of water to a boil.
Add in the lotus seeds, dried logans and red dates.
Boil for 5 minutes before bringing the heat down.
Simmer for another hour until the lotus seeds turn soft.
Add in the rock sugar and stir till the sugar dissolves.
Serve warm or chilled.

Cold Soba

In Singapore, we have only two seasons - Hot and hotter. With the hot and humid weather practically all year round in Singapore, everyone is looking for ways to beat the heat. Some keep themselves cool in shopping malls, some go for a dip in swimming pool whereas some choose to stay at home.

I am one of those who choose to stay at home. I can't even bear to step out of the house to get takeaways. I think I'll melt under the scorching sun. On a warm weather like this, eating Cold Soba literally cools you from the inside. I'll be eternally grateful to whoever shows up on my doorsteps with this now. 

Ingredients
200g of soba
500ml of dashi stock
125ml of Japanese soya sauce
Shredded seaweed (optional)
Grated ginger (optional)
Chopped Spring onion (optional)

Preparation
Bring dashi stock to a boil.
Add in the soya sauce gradually(adjust according to own preference)
Turn heat off.
Let cool and keep chilled.
Cook soba according to the instructions at the back of the packaging.
Place cooked soba under running tap.
Rinse soba thoroughly till the water runs clear.
Drain and set noodles over a bed a of ice cubes. (preferably on a draining basket)
Garnish noodles with shredded seaweed.
Serve noodles with chilled dipping sauce.
Add grated ginger and chopped spring onions to the dipping sauce. (optional)

Black Pepper Rib Pasta

I had Black Pepper Rib Pasta at Pizza Hut the other day. Rib was alright, the pasta was so-so. I only tasted the spiciness of the black pepper sauce. Not much of other flavors. If I were to order a pasta dish off the menu from Pizza Hut again, I will most probably skip the Black Pepper Rib Pasta and order something else instead.

As bad as it might sound, this dish has its allure. I actually find myself craving for Black Pepper Rib Pasta at times. Maybe it's due to the fact that I cannot live without my chili and spices. Food that causes me to tear and sniffle usually keeps me going back for more.

Ingredients
100g of preferred pasta
100g of prime rib
50g of bell pepper (chopped)
2 tablespoons of black pepper sauce
2 tablespoons of soya sauce
2 teaspoons of sugar
100ml of water

Preparation
Marinate prime ribs with soya sauce and sugar for an hour or more.
Cook pasta according to the instructions at the back of the packaging.
Set aside and drain.
Grill marinated ribs till well browned.
Dissolve black pepper sauce in 100ml of water and bring to a boil using medium high heat.
Add in the chopped bell pepper, drained pasta and grilled ribs.
Toss thoroughly and dish out once most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Serve immediately.

Mee Goreng

This had to be one of the best recipes for Mee Goreng around. The first time I tried out this recipe from Baking Mum, I fell in love with it at once. I even made Mee Goreng twice within the same week. I am completely besotted.

You might want to adjust ingredients according to your own preference. I did some adjustments and even added scrambled eggs to mine. :)

Spicy Minced Pork

I just realised I haven't done much updating on my food blog. My last post was like more than 1/2 a month ago. BUT, there's Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year Eve, New Year and a fun-filled wedding. Funny and cute couple. Even the groom's daddy is humorous. Though I only had a brief conversation with him, but it was enlightening.

Ahem. As I was saying with so many events, I can hardly make time to blog. Haiz. I have to admit I'm getting a bit lazy on updating my blog nowadays as well.

I shall list updating my food blog more often as one of my many New Year's Resolutions for 2010. ^^

Hope I am not too late in wishing everyone all the best and a great year in 2010! Lastly, sharing the recipe for Spicy Minced Meat as follows:

Ingredients
150g of minced pork
100g of long beans (chopped)
1 tablespoon of soya sauce
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
1 tablespoon of sambal chili
Dash of black pepper

Preparation
Stir fry sambal chili till fragrant before adding in the minced meat.
Continue to stir fry till meat half-cooked.
Add in the soya sauce, sugar, oyster sauce and black pepper.
Stir well and add in the chopped long beans.
Remove from heat when the long beans are cooked.
Garnish with chopped chili before serving. (optional)

Seafood Aglio Olio

Aglio Olio is a simple and classic pasta dish that consists of mainly 2 ingredients - garlic and olive oil. I remember reading somewhere that this traditional Italian pasta dish is the one dish that all Italian men know how to make. Is that just great or what?!

A satisfying and easy dish that you simply have to try.

Ingredients
100g of preferred pasta
25g of scallops
75g of prawns
50g of squids
100g of clams
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
5 tablespoons of olive oil
Black pepper
Salt

Preparation
Cook pasta according to the instructions at the back of the packaging.
Set aside and drain.
Heat 5 tablespoons of oil in a pan and stir fry the minced garlic under low heat till golden brown.
Toss in the seafood.
Season with salt and pepper when the seafood is done.
Return the cooked pasta to the pan and toss well with the seafood.
Add in grated cheese. (optional)
Serve immediately.

Chili Chicken Wings

As I still have leftover flour mixture from the making of Chili Squids the last time, I decided to use it to deep fry some chicken wings time time round.

They taste as good as the chili squids much to my delight. A perfect accompaniment to a frosty beer!

Ingredients
4 chicken wings (separated into wings and drumlets)
2 tablespoons of soya sauce
2 teaspoons of sugar
Dash of black pepper
Flour mixture

Preparation
Marinate the chicken wings with soya sauce, sugar and black pepper for at least an hour.
Coat the marinated chicken with the flour mixture.
Deep fry the chicken wings till golden brown.
Remove from heat and drain away excess oil.
Ready to serve.