Sri Lankan Pumpkin Curry

This delicious Sri Lankan Pumpkin recipe caught my eyes as I was browsing through a recipe blog.  Again, it's my favourite golden pumpkin, which I simply just can't resist to try and taste.  It's indeed another 'Simple Yet Yummylicious' dish.  Here's to share...

Ingredients:
1/2 medium size round pumpkin (peeled and cubed)
1 tomato (sliced)
Handful of curry leaves
1/2 onion (thickly sliced)
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp tumeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup coconut milk
Chicken stock granules (to taste)

Methods:

1. In a medium heated wok, add oil and saute the onion, tomato and curry leaves until fragrant.
2. Add chili powder, tumeric powder, cumin powder and mustard seeds and continue to stir-fry.
3. Once the onion turn golden, add pumpkin and give it a quick stir.
4. Add in water and dash of chicken stock granules, stir and let it simmer until the pumpkin are slightly tender. Add more water if the sauce is reduced and taste for correct seasoning.
5. Add in the coconut milk, stir and cook for a quick few seconds.
6. Off the heat, dish onto a serving plate and serve!

Notes:  The actual recipe does not require the pumpkin to be peeled, personally for me, I feel that either way is acceptable.  If you prefer a soupy pumpkin curry, add more water. 

This recipe is adapted from Island Smile with slight amendments.

White Gourd Braised Rice

This vine grown fruit which is eaten as vegetable when mature, popularly known as white gourd or bottle gourd is another one of my favourite vegetable. Normally, I will either stir-fry with dried shrimps or cook as savory soup.  Today, I am trying a hand on this one pot dish recipe.  It looks simple, but wait till you have the first taste of it, and I can assure you that you will have a new mindset on this "Simple Yet Yummylicious" dish.

Ingredients: (1 serving)

• 1 shallot (peeled and thinly sliced)
• 2 dried mushrooms (soaked and thinly sliced)
• 1 tbsp dried shrimps (washed, soaked and drained)
• 1 1/2" red carrot (peeled and julienne)
• some thinly sliced pork belly
• 1 cup white gourd (de-skin and cut into thicker strips)
• Rice (washed and drained) - not in the picture
• 1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil - not in the picture
• Enough water for cooking rice

Seasonings:
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp chicken stock granules
Dash of fish sauce
1/2 tsp grounded white pepper

Methods:

• In a medium heated wok add in cooking oil, saute onion until almost brown, scrap it to the side of the wok and add in pork belly slices.
• Stir-fry the meat until it releases the oil and is lightly browned, add in the mushrooms, toss to mix and return the fried onion into the wok, add the dried shrimps and continue to fry until fragrant.
• Add in red carrot and white gourd and give it a quick stir.
• In goes the rice, all the seasonings and stir to mix until well combined for about 2 minutes. Off the heat.

• Transfer into a rice cooker, add enough water and press the Start button.
• When cooked, let the rice sits in the rice cooker for about 15 minutes before serving.

Notes: The amount of water used to cook depends on the type of rice that we are using.  I am using the normal white rice, thus as usual I need to add extra water or else the rice will not be cooked through.  As home-cooks we know our RICE best!

This recipe is adapted from Sifu Kenneth Goh with adjustments to suit my cooking and needs.

Thai Tapioca Dessert

Tapioca has always been my favourite dessert since young. I get it peeled, cut into sections of about 2", halved them if it is big or else leave it as it is, boiled with lid on in a pot of water just enough to cover the tapioca with a sprinkle of salt (amount depending on your own preference), and once it has soften (I use a fork to check on doneness), I will pour off the excess water, put it back on low heat with lid on for about one quick minute, and, there it is... ready to be served! This is how I cook my 'Simple Yet Yummylicious' tapioca.  I will normally cook slightly more and keep the leftover in an airtight container in the fridge.  It is still as yummylicious when eaten cold.

Today, I am bringing this tapioca dessert to the next level... a dessert which I enjoyed once upon a time at a local Thai Restaurant, i.e. "Thai Tapioca Dessert."  I have been wanting to try a hand on it, finally, I made it! 

Ingredients:
400g tapioca (peeled and cut into sections and halved)
2 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
few leaves of pandan (washed and knoted)
enough water

Coconut milk mixture:
150 ml. thick coconut milk
pinch of salt
3/4 tbsp rice flour mix with 1/4 cup of water (I mix with more water as I am using the thick coconut milk)

Methods:

• In a deep pot, add tapioca, enough water to cover the tapioca, sugar,  pandan leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and let it simmer until the tapioca is soft. Off the heat and let it rest in the pot for a while longer in order to let more syrup sips into the tapioca flesh and has cooled down.  Dish out the cooked tapioca and put aside for later use.
• In the meantime, add the coconut milk, salt and rice flour mixture into a small pan. Bring to boil using medium-low heat, stirring often until the coconut milk starts to thicken. Dish into a bowl.

• To serve, cut the tapioca into thinner slices and place them in a serving plate. Drizzle coconut milk over the top and dessert is ready to be served!

This yummy dessert recipe is adapted from Sifu Kenneth Goh with slight amendments to suit my cooking needs and taste buds.

Braised chicken and eggs in dark soy sauce

This is a popular home-cooked Chinese dish which every family have their own version of it. Though it is just a simple dish but each individual prepare it in their own way, with some variations in terms of cooking method and ingredients used.  This recipe which I am going to share is my very own signature dish which I have been cooking over and over again, not having to measure the amount of ingredients used.  For purpose of doing a write-up of this recipe I try to be as close as possible, at the same time tasting and adding along the way. Ta...da...

Ingredients: (serves 2)

2 chicken drumsticks and 1 thigh (whole)

2 hard boiled eggs (peeled)

5 cloves garlic (washed, lightly crushed with skin)

some rock sugar (to taste)

some salt (to taste)

dark soy sauce (if necessary)

1 tbsp cooking oil

enough water (for braising)

Marinade: (mix together in a bowl)

3/4 tsp five spice powder

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

How to go about:

• Clean the chicken drumstick and thigh, rub the marinade over to make sure that they are evenly coated and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour in room temperature.

• In a heated wok add cooking oil, fry the crushed garlic in low heat until lightly brown and fragrant, dish out and put aside for later use.
• In the same wok, increase the heat to medium, add the chicken and sear both sides, then add in the marinating sauce, give it a toss, add water to cover the chicken, stir to combine and put the lid on.
• During this braising period we need to stir, turn over the chicken often and add more water if the liquid has reduced.  This is to ensure that the chicken are evenly cooked through. Put the lid back on.
• In the process of braising, if the sauce is too light, add some dark soy sauce and taste for correct seasoning.
• Half way through braising, add in the hard boiled eggs, toss and ensure that the eggs are evenly coated with the sauce to come up with nicely golden braised eggs.
• Once the chicken are almost cooked, do not add any more water, taste and add rock sugar, sprinkle in the fried garlic, stir to combine all the ingredients.  At this point the fragrance from the fried garlic will flood your whole house.  The rock sugar will caramelise both the eggs and chicken to come up an appetizing dish with a nice golden colour.
• Turn off the heat, dish out the chicken and eggs onto a serving dish, drizzle with the excess sauce and dinner is ready to be served with a plate of hot fluffy rice!

Notes:  

1. If preferred, you can cut the chicken into bite-size pieces as well as the eggs, but since I am only serving it for 2 persons (myself and hubby), we both prefer it whole.
2. My version of this braised chicken and eggs is slightly sweet and salty, do feel free to adjust to your desired preference.
3. If you prefer more sauce, add more water during the final stage of braising, taste for correct seasoning, let it braise for a minute after adding in the rock sugar and fried garlic, dish out some of the sauce into a bowl and set aside. To have a nice caramelisation of the chicken and eggs it is best to have slightly less sauce in the wok.
4. This recipe works well with 3-layer pork too!

HAPPY COOKING!

Easy Yaki Udon

The leftover udon noddles from our family's Steamboat have been sitting in my fridge and I have been thinking what to do with it.  As I was browsing through some of the online recipes I came across this "Easy Yaki Udon."  As usual anything easy and simple always interest me.  It has been my principle to cook something easy and simple for one serving, especially for myself as I am not a picky eater and I always enjoyed trying new food. Though I have been cooking for many long years, but I have never tried stir-frying udon in soy based sauce.  I believe it is never too late to experiment this popular Japanese noodles dish.

What you need: 

1/2 packet udon noodles

2 bunch cai xin (sawi) - cut into 2" pieces

some pork slices

5 medium prawns (peeled and deveined)

some julienne red carrot

1/3 onion (thinly sliced)

2 dried mushrooms (washed, soaked and sliced)

2 sprigs spring onion (washed and cut into 2" length)

1 tbsp cooking oil

1 1/2 tbsp water

Seasonings:

1/2 tbsp mirin

1/2 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp light soy sauce

Dash of dark soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp brown sugar

How to cook:

1. In a heated wok add cooking oil, saute onion, add in mushrooms, stir-fry for a minute, then add in pork slices, fry for aother minute and finally add in prawns, and continue to fry until prawns have turned pink. Turn the heat to low and dish out the cooked ingredients and set aside.
2. In the same wok, turn the heat to medium, add in udon noodles and 1 1/2 tbsp of water, give it a quick fry to break up the noodles, then add in red carrot, the cooked ingredients from (1) and give it a quick mix. 
3. Next, add in the sauce ingredients follow by cai xin (sawi) and toss together to combine.
4. When cai xin has wilted, add in spring onions, give it another toss and off the heat.
5. Dish onto a serving plate and lunch is ready to be served!

This noodle dish is a keeper and it taste deliciously YUMMY!  It is 'Simple Yet Yummylicious!"

Recipe adapted from Sharon Lam with slight amendments.

Pan-fried Prawns

Cooking fresh prawns does not require many ingredients and seasonings to come up with a delicious appetizing prawn dish. During our recent road-trip to Telaga Air, we bought some freshly caught big prawns from the fisherman there.  As I was trying to figure out how to cook it, a prawn recipe from Diana Gale (The Domestic Goddess Wannabe) pop up in Facebook. Without further ado I put a hand on this recipe 'Pan-fried Prawns' and the outcome is Yummylicious!

Ingredients:

15 prawns

5 cloves garlic (minced)

1 inch knob ginger (minced)

1/2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 tsp sugar

2 spring onion (chopped)

4 tbsp cooking oil

Methods:

1. In a heated wok, add cooking oil, saute minced garlic and ginger until fragrant.
2. Add prawns, shaoxing wine, light soy sauce and sugar.
3. Stir to cook both sides of the prawns, pressing prawns down to ensure they are cooked evenly.
4. Once prawns are cooked through the skillet will become dry, add the chopped spring onion, give it a quick stir to mix and off the heat.
5. Dish onto a plate and serve immediately. 

Steamed Prawns with Shaoxing Wine and Egg White

Steamed fresh prawns are deliciously tasty and I believe this dish is the favourite of many. Though steaming prawns does not require many ingredients and seasonings, each household do have their own technique.  Steamed prawns are also my family's favourite I bought a kilo of the very fresh medium-large prawns, intending to steam for my children and grandson who are back for holiday. Coincidentally,  I came across an online recipe which attracted me so much, so instead of using my own signature recipe to cook this prawn dish I decided to try a hand on this recipe which is adapted from "GoodyFoodies."

Ingredients:

30 prawns (washed, trimmed with shell on, head and tail intact)

2 knob 1" ginger (peeled and julienned)

1 tsp salt

3 egg whites

1 tsp sesame oil

4 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 shallots (peeled and finely chopped)

2 cloves garlic (peeled and finely chopped)

1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil

Spring onion (to garnish)

Methods:

1. Pat dry prawns with kitchen towel.  Use a scissor to cut the back of the shell, then use a knife to cut a slit to expose the flesh.
2. Pour egg white into heatproof dish (I use 2 medium size rectangular dish).  Arrange the prawns on top of the egg white, place the julienned ginger on top of the prawns and sprinkle salt over. Pour over shaoxing wine and sesame oil evenly and leave to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. In a pan heat the cooking oil, fry the shallots and garlic until golden brown. Dish out and sprinkle over the top of the prawns. Do not add the oil.
4. Steam the prawns over high heat for about 5 minutes or until cooked.  Do not overcook the prawns as the texture will become hard and rubbery.  Garnish with spring onion and serve immediately.

The prawns are so sweet and we all enjoyed this yummylicious Prawn Dish.  This dish is indeed a keeper!