Nyonya Fragrant Pork - Babi Chin

With the combination of different ingredients and spices used in Nyonya dishes, the taste of Nyonya cuisine has its uniqueness which are largely enjoyed by all races, reflecting the cultural mix of the community.  As Malaysians, we are blessed to have the opportunity to try out, cook and enjoy most of the delicious Nyonya dishes.

Today, I would like to share another of my home-cooked Nyonya pork dish with everyone especially pork belly lovers.

What you need:

• one strip pork belly (clean and cut into chunk with skin on)
• 3 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms (softened and halved)

• 3 shallots (sliced)
• 3 cloves garlic (sliced)
• 3 star anise
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 red chilli (sliced for garnish) - not in picture
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 3 cups water (for cooking, add more if needed)

Seasonings:

• 1 tbsp dark soya sauce
• 1 tsp sugar 
• 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1/4 tsp grounded pepper

Methods:

1. In a heated wok, add in cooking oil and saute shallots and garlic till brown and fragrant. 
2. Add in ground coriander and star anise and fry for a minute.
3. Stir in the pork belly and shiitake mushrooms till well mixed.
4. Add in all the seasonings, stir well and then add in the water.
5. When it comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the pork belly is tender and sauce has reduced.  
6. Serve in a bowl garnished with sliced chilli.

Snacks - Puff Pastry....

Making puff pastry has never been my interest, so each time when I yearn to make some snacks with puff pastry, I will just purchase the ready made frozen ones from the supermarket.

Curry Puffs is one of my favourite snack since young.  Once a while I will make my own at home to enjoy and share with my mum, as any food suits my mum's palate and she very seldom complains. 

I have here to share, my simple curry puff snack....

Few simple ingredients:

• 1/2 chicken breast (cubed)

• 1/2 onion (cubed)
• 1 potato (peeled and cubed)

• 1 tbsp blended chilli paste (refer to my one-pot curry dish for the recipe)
• 1 1/2 tbsp curry paste (mixture of all the different ingredients) - put less if you don't prefer a strong curry flavour.

•  1 packet of frozen puff pastry purchased from supermarket (not in the picture)
•  1 egg yolk, lightly beaten (for sealing the edges of the puff pastry and glazing)
•  2 tbsp cooking oil, for frying (not in the picture)
•  enough water, for cooking
•  salt (to taste), if necessary

Few simple steps to cook the filling:

1. In a heated wok add in 2 tbsp cooking oil, fry the blended chilli paste till fragrant add in the curry paste and continue stirring till well mixed.
2. Add in onion, chicken and potato, stir till well combined.  Taste for correct seasoning and add salt if necessary.
3. Add in enough water to cover the ingredients (not too much at one time) and continue to cook till the potato are cooked through and the sauce has slightly thickens. 
4. Switch off the heat, leave the ingredients to cool down in a bowl before proceeding to the next step.

Assembling the curry puffs:

• Place a piece of the defrosted puff pastry onto a work surface.  Spoon filling onto one side of the pastry, brush the sides with the lightly beaten egg yolk, fold into half, lightly press the sides to ensure that the pastry hold together well.
• To create some simple design on the edges of the curry puff, use a fork to lightly  press on the edges.
• Brush with beaten egg yolk and place in a lightly greased baking sheet.  Repeat till all is done.
• Bake in preheated oven of 200 degree Celsius till golden.
• Serve.

With the leftover Chinese Sweet Cake or commonly known as Ti Kuih, I come up with one puff pastry with the Ti Kuih filling..... YUMMY!

Spreading the leftover curry filling over slices of baguette also makes great snacks.

Melting Moments

The name of this cookies tells it all "Melting Moments!"  This melt-in-the-mouth cookies can be served as it is, but since I have a bottle of Fig Preserve lying in the fridge I've decided to sandwich the cookies together with the fig preserve and the outcome is great!

This quick and easy recipe comprises only of 4 simple ingredients, and here's to share......

This is what you need:

• 125g unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 25g icing sugar (sifted)
• 125g plain flour (sifted)
• 25g cornflour (sifted)

Few simple steps:

1. Beat the butter and icing sugar using an electric mixer till light and fluffy using medium speed.
2. Line two baking trays with parchment paper and put aside.
3. Add in both the flour slowly and mix using low speed and scrapping the sides of the mixing bowl with a cake spatula to ensure that all the ingredients are well combined.  For this step we can also use hand to mix.
4. Pinch a bit of dough and roll into balls (size depending on your preference but bearing in mind that the cookies will increase in size when baking).
5. Arrange the rolled dough in the baking sheet lined with parchment paper, remember to give some space in between for it to rise.  Repeat till all is done.
6. Lightly flatten the top of the round dough with finger and follow by a wet fork.
7. Bake in a preheated oven of 180 degree Celsius for 20 minutes (depending on the type of oven we are using) till lightly golden.
8. Cool for about 5 minutes in the baking tray, take out and leave on a wire rack to cool further.
9. Sandwich the fig preserve with two pieces of the cookies, sprinkle some icing sugar over it and it's time to serve!

Let's have TEA......

One-Pot Curry Dish

My family's 'One-Pot Curry Dish' is simple to prepare with several veggies which are commonly used to cook curry, dried beancurd or commonly known as taupok and some chopped bite-sized chicken.  This curry dish goes well with either rice or bread, and here's something to share from my family's photo album.....

Curry with rice and lettuce on the side

Curry with bread and coleslaw on lettuce cup 

With greatest pleasure I would like to share the recipe for this One-Pot Curry Dish......

What you need:

• 3 red chillies (wash, remove seeds and cut thickly)
• 5 shallots (peel, wash and slice thickly)
• 5 garlic (peel and wash)

Blend with 2 tbsp of cooking oil until fine paste

which makes half cup of chilli paste

• RM1.50 of curry paste (purchase from wet market)

• 10 pcs. taupok (to be cut into half)

• Chicken thigh and wings (cut into bite-size pieces)

• Cabbage (tear into slightly bigger pieces, wash and drain)
• Longbeans (cut into your desired length, wash and drain)
• Brinjals (wash and cut just before cooking as cut brinjals browned easily)

• 1 grinded coconut (not in picture) - mix with half bowl of water to obtain the first squeeze of thick coconut milk, then mix with another bowl of water to obtain the second squeeze and leave aside individually for later use.
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• water for use during initial stage of cooking.
• salt and msg (to taste)

Few simple steps to follow:

1. In a deep heated wok, put in 3 tbsp of cooking oil, when oil is medium heat add in the grinded chilli paste and fry till slightly brown.
2. Add in the curry paste and mix till well combined, stirring often to prevent from sticking onto the base of the wok.
3. Add in the chicken pieces and stir well till the meat turns pale.
4. Add in about half bowl of water, follow by long beans and stir well.
5. Add in some salt and msg, cabbage, brinjals and stir till well combined.
6. When it comes to a boil add in the second squeezed coconut milk, stir constantly to ensure all the ingredients are properly cooked through.
7. Add in the the taupok, stir to mix and taste for correct seasonings.
8. When the dish is done, add in the thick coconut milk, give it a quick stir till well combined and when it comes to a boil, off the heat.
9. The One-Pot Curry is ready and it's time to serve..........

Notes:

1. The amount of ingredients used depends on individual family.  I love brinjals, so each time I cook this dish I will definitely put in more brinjals.
2. Do not over-cook the vegetables as they will continue to cook further even in the pot when the heat is switch off.
3. As usual, do not over-boil the first squeeze of thick coconut milk, it must be added last when all the ingredients are cooked and once it comes to a boil the heat must be switch off, this is to prevent the coconut milk from curdling which spoils the texture and taste of the curry.