Spicy stir-fried Udon

The urge of having something spicy for my lunch just strike me.  I put on my 'thinking cap', open the fridge door and take a look at the  different compartments, opening and closing them... finally, I decided to use the leftover chilli paste from my Char Kway Teow couple of days ago.  Since I have a packet of Udon, well that settles my lunch then....

Ingredients:
1 pkt. Udon noodles
3 sprigs leafy green (washed, cut and separate the white from the green leaves)
1/2 onion (peeled and cut into thicker slices
Some pork belly (thinly sliced)
1 tbsp. cooking oil
Dash chicken stock granules (to taste)
1 1/2 tbsp. chilli paste (to get the recipe click here)

Methods:

1. Boil water in a medium pot.  Once water is boiling put in the udon noodles.  Use a tong to slowly loosen the noodles, drain and set aside.
2. In a heated wok, add in cooking oil, saute onions for a quick few seconds then add in pork belly and stir-fry for another few seconds. It doesn't take long to cook the pork belly as it is thinly sliced.  Add in the stem of the leafy green and the udon noodles.  Stir to mix, then add the green leaves and and the chilli paste.  Stir until all is combined.  Taste for correct seasoning, add dash of chicken stock granules.  Stir again to mix.
3. Dish onto a plate and lunch is ready!

Portuguese Egg Tart

As I am not fancy into pastry making, I never bake any egg tart, though frankly speaking I love egg tarts.  It is through a Facebook posting that I came across this rather simple tart recipe, which calls for Puff Pastry from the supermarket shelf.  So, I gave this recipe a try out, and I should say the outcome is great, thumbs up!  Though, I couldn't get the 'signature burn' as in the actual Portuguese Egg Tart, but to me, that is secondary.  For now, I can at any time bake egg tart to satisfy my cravings ~ smile ~

Ingredients:
(A)  Custard Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup milk
60 g. caster sugar
1/2 tbsp. cornflour (sifted)

Methods:

1. Flour the work area, and roll the pastry (not too thin).
2. Cut pastry slightly bigger than the muffin tin mold.
3. Put pastry into the mold, press to the sides into even thickness and cut off extra with a knife.
4. Mix all the custard ingredients in a bowl with a hand whisk until well combined.  Sieve the custard through a fine mesh.
5. Pour the custard into the mold.
6. Bake at 200 degree Celsius for 40 minutes.
7. Let it slightly cool down on a wire rack.  Remove the tarts from the mold and place on a plate.
8. Let's have tarts for afternoon tea.

I adapted this recipe from Faridah Ainuddin with a slight amendment.  

Golden Rolled Oats Pancakes

As usual, once a while I will make some pancakes, give some to my mum and keep the balance either for breakfast or as snacks anytime of the day.  To warm up, it is as easy as put them into the toaster oven for just a minute or two and it comes out warm and yummy...  Since I have all the ingredients in my pantry, might as well try it out.  I love the slight chewy texture and the bite of the rolled oats.  It is a great pancake recipe to add to my list.

Ingredients:
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/3 cups milk
3/4 cup plain flour (sifted)
4 tsp. baking powder (sifted)
4 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
3 tbsp. corn oil

Methods:

1. In a medium bowl, mix oat and milk, let stand for 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, brown sugar and salt.
3. Stir eggs and oil into oat mixture.  Add to flour mixture and stir until just moistened.
4. Lightly grease a non-stick pan and heat over medium heat.  Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls (or amount of your choice) onto the pan.  Cook until bubbles on top begin to pop and bottoms are golden brown.  Turn, cook until second side is golden brown.  Remove onto a wire rack and continue to cook until all the batter are used up.

Notes: 

1.  I prefers to cook my pancakes in two shades, lighter brown and darker brown.  The simple reason being, some would prefer a much darker color and there are 2 choices for everyone to choose from ~ smile ~
2. This pancakes are not sweet, we can drizzle with maple syrup/honey/butter or have toppings of ice-cream or whipping cream.  However, I still prefers to have it without any topping.  

I adapted this recipe from 'Taste Of Home' by Raymonde Bourgeois of Swastika, Ontario.

Farmer's Omelette

This omelette recipe is one of my family's favorite, once upon a very long time ago.  All these years I've forgotten about it.  It was only until recently that I bought a packet of macaroni, intending to cook a breakfast dish, then memories flash back to this Farmer's Omelette.  If I am not mistaken, I adapt this recipe from a Women's Magazine.  Pasta lovers would love this recipe.  It is indeed my great honor to share this recipe with all my readers out there...

Ingredients: (Serves 1)
2 eggs (cracked into a bowl and beaten) - add dash of ground white pepper
1/2 small onion (peeled and chopped)
1 sprig Chinese chives/spring onions (finely sliced)
1 small tomato (remove seeds and diced)
1 portion cooked macaroni 
2 slices luncheon meat (pan fried and set aside)
1" cubed salted butter
Serve with tomato/chili sauce

Methods:

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat, add butter and once melted add the onions until fairly soft.  
2. Pour beaten eggs on to pan and sprinkle with tomatoes, Chinese chives/spring onions and macaroni.  Cook over low heat until the omelette is cooked.  Dish onto a serving plate.
3. Serve with fried luncheon meat and tomato or chili sauce.

Notes:

1. Other ingredients such as longbeans, french beans, yellow/red capsicum can also be used to replace any of the above ingredients.  
2. Bacon and ham can also be used instead of luncheon meat.  It all depends on what is available in your pantry.

Char Kway Teow with Chili Paste

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
1 Packet Fresh Kway Teow (rice noodles)
1 handful of beansprouts
2 eggs (lightly whisked)
10 small prawns (peeled and deveined)
1 Chinese sausage (thinly sliced)
4 garlic cloves (peeled and roughly chopped)
1 or 2 sprigs spring onions/Chinese chives (cut into 1" length)
2 tbsp. cooking oil, plus 1 extra tablespoon

Chilli Paste:
50 g. dried red chilies (soaked in hot water, drain and roughly cut) - reserve soaking liquid (in case you need it when blending)
3 fresh red chilies (roughly chopped)
3 shallots (peeled and roughly chopped)
2 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. cooking oil

Stir-fry Sauce: (mix together in a small bowl and set aside for later use)
2 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
2 tsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. dark sweet soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Methods:

1. Blend all the ingredients for the chilli paste with a hand blender.  Add 1 tablespoon of dried chilies soaking liquid to ease blending.
2. Heat 4 tablespoon cooking oil in a medium heated wok.  Add the chili paste and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes.  Transfer the chili paste to a jar.
3. Heat 1 tbsp. cooking oil in a large frying pan.  Add the eggs and use the frying spatula to break the eggs into smaller pieces.  Once cooked, remove the eggs into a bowl and set aside for later use.  I prefer frying the eggs separately.
4. In the same wok, add 2 tbsp. cooking oil, and once the oil is hot, add garlic and saute until fragrant.  Then add the Chinese sausage and stir-fry for another few seconds, then add prawns and stir-fry until almost cooked.  Then add 2 heaped teaspoons (or to taste according to your preference) of the chili paste.  Toss to combine.  
5. Now add the kway teow and the stir-fry sauce.  Stir-fry until well combined.  Then toss through the beansprouts and spring onions/Chinese chives.  Remove from heat and serve.

Notes:  

1. Fish cake is another ingredients normally used for frying kway teow.
2. This chilli paste is more than you need for this recipe.  Store it in the fridge for up to a month.  You can use it for other cooking purposes.

This recipe is adapted from 'Marion's Kitchen' with very slight amendment to suit my cooking preference.

Tonkatsu/Pork Cutlets

I bought a piece of fresh pork tenderloin from the market and is intending to try out this pork cutlets recipe.  I've cooked chicken katsu couple of times before, but with pork, I am attempting it for the first time with another recipe source.  However, I am serving it as a meat dish with other dishes as in a Chinese meal.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
4 slices pork tenderloin
Salt and ground black pepper
3 tbsp. plain flour (for dredging)
1 large egg (lightly beaten)
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Cooking oil (for frying)

Methods:

1. Sprinkle dash of salt and black pepper over both sides of the pork.
2. Dredge each piece in flour, tap to remove any excess flour.  Then dip into beaten eggs and press the cutlet into the breadcrumbs to coat on both sides.  Place on a flat plate.
3. Heat a skillet/pan, add some oil for shallow frying of the cutlets.  Once the oil is hot, fry the cutlets until golden brown on both sides. Turn them once or twice.  Be careful not to burn the breadcrumbs coating, turn down the heat if the oil is too hot.
4. Once it is done, drain the cutlets on paper towels.  Cut the cutlets into strips and serve on a plate.

I adapted this recipe from 'My Kitchen Snippets.'

Hong Kong Style Macaroni Soup

When I came across this macaroni recipe online recently, my memories flashes back to our trips in Hong Kong.  It's my Uncle's favorite morning breakfast as it is a delicious light meal ideal for breakfast. This breakfast dish is normally served with milk tea, a piece of bread and a fried egg.  Milk Tea is a popular tea in Hong Kong.  It makes me happy to be able to prepare this light and healthy breakfast in my home kitchen.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
2 portions of macaroni 
1/2 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil
Chicken bones
Chicken stock granules (to season chicken broth)
Grounded white pepper (to season chicken broth)
2 sunny side up eggs
2 pieces luncheon meat/ham

Methods:

1. To prepare chicken broth, bring a medium pot of water to a boil, pour some over the chicken bones placed in a bowl to blanch, drain and put back into the pot to continue to boil.  Skim away any scum on the surface.  When done, filter broth through a wire mesh.  Season with chicken stock granules and pepper.
2. Cook macaroni until al dente.  Mix with 2 tsp. of olive oil to prevent from sticking.
3. Pan-fry luncheon meat or ham, cut into strips and set aside in a plate.
4. Place macaroni in a bowl.  Ladle hot soup over it and put the luncheon meat/ham on the top.  Place the fried eggs in 2 separate small plate, and serve at the side with the macaroni soup.
5. Good morning and enjoy this light breakfast....

This recipe is adapted from 'tasteasianfood.com' with very slight amendment to suit my cooking preference.

Egg Rolls

There are times when I feel lazy to think of what to cook and eat for lunch, and most probably its because I only need to cook a portion for myself; well, eggs are always the best, easiest and quickest option to go for.  It's indeed a last minute of grabbing the eggs, take a peek in the fridge, grab hold of the leftover luncheon meat and a sprig of spring onions... that's it!

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 slices luncheon meat (cut into small cubes)
1 sprig spring onion (scallion) (cut into small pieces)
Dash of chicken stock granules
Dash of white pepper
1/2 tsp. cooking oil

Methods:

1. In a bowl, crack in 2 eggs and whisk with a fork.
2. Add in the luncheon meat and spring onions and dash of chicken stock granules and pepper.  Whisk until combined.
3. In a heated medium size non-stick pan, add in cooking oil and use a brush to spread out the oil.
4. Use a spoon to scoop the egg mixture into the pan (amount depending on how wide your pan is), spread it out and once the egg is almost set, use a spatula and with the help of our other hand to roll the egg and pull it back towards our side of the pan, leaving a small part of cooked egg unroll.  Add some more egg mixture and let the egg cover the part of cooked egg spreading to the rest of the pan, when almost set, roll again, repeating until all the egg mixtures are used up.  (The purpose of leaving a small portion of the cooked egg unroll is to enable the next portion of egg mixture to join with the earlier ones, and next). For the last portion of egg mixture we just roll all to for a big egg roll.
5. Once done, place the egg roll on a chopping board.  Slice off the 2 ends, then slice the rest of the egg roll into equal sections.  Place on a serving plate and it's ready to be served.

I adapted the technique of this egg roll recipe from 'Taste Life'.

Din Tai Fung Chilled Cucumber Salad

When I came across this recipe from Asian Food Network (afn) quite a while ago, I tell myself that I would like to give this recipe a try-out.  First and foremost, I love Japanese cucumbers which is crunchy and doesn't have the big seeds like the normal local cucumbers; and secondly, I love pickled cucumbers very much.  

Since I am baking chicken for dinner, and at the same time wondering what greens to put as the sides; then this chilled cucumbers came straight to my mind.  I miss out taking a photo of the chilled cucumbers on it's own, so again I am sharing a photo of it plated together with the baked chicken.

Ingredients:
1 Japanese cucumber
Salt

Marinade: (mix together in a bowl)
3 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (my homemade) to obtain the recipe click here
1/2 tsp. salt

Methods:

1. Wash, trim and cut cucumbers into 1/2 inch thick pieces.
2. Sprinkle salt onto cucumbers and toss well to coat, allow to sit in room temperature for 20 minutes.
3. Rinse cucumbers and pat dry.  Place cucumbers in a zip-lock bag.  Pour marinade over, seal and gently shake to mix.
4. Lay bag on it's sides and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours.
5. To serve:  taste and adjust seasonings with salt and Thai sweet chili sauce.  Arrange on platter and drizzle additional marinade over the cucumbers.  Serve cold.

Notes:

The recipe didn't state the amount of each marinade ingredients used.  So, I just mix based according to my taste preferences.  I don't have mirin, so I replace it with rice vinegar.

This recipe is adapted from 'Asian Food Network' with slight amendments to suit my taste buds and cooking preference.

Asian Chicken Thighs

I am intending to cook a one-plate meal for a dinner-for-2, and for that, we (myself and hubby) can have a no-rice meal.  I've marinated the chicken a day ahead and place in the fridge in a zip-lock bag to let the marinade ingredients seeps deep into the chicken and with an outcome of a flavorful baked chicken.

For the sides, I intend to use whatever ingredients available in my fridge to come up with this one-plate dinner: fresh sweet corn, cucumbers and tomatoes.

Ingredients:
2 whole chicken legs (thighs and drums)
3 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tbsp. five spice powder
6 cloves garlic (minced)
15 g. ginger (minced)
1 tbsp. cooking oil
2 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. oyster sauce
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. grounded white pepper

Methods:

1. Place chicken in a large zip-lock bag.
2. Mix all the other ingredients in a bowl.  
3. Pour the mixed ingredients into the zip-lock bag, squeeze out air, seal the bag and squash the bag to ensure the marinade is evenly over the chicken.  Place in the refrigerator to let it marinate overnight.  In between, I turn over the zip-lock bag and give it few squashes.
4. To bake the chicken: arrange the chicken legs on a roasting rack, and keep the leftover marinade in a small bowl.  Bake chicken in a convention oven of 190 degree Celsius for 30 minutes.  Turn over chicken, brush leftover marinade over the chicken.  Continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the chicken reached the desired color.  To taste the doneness, I use a fork to pierce on the thickest part of the chicken leg, and if juice runs out clear, means the chicken is cooked.  
5. For the corn: I brush with the leftover marinade and put it together with the chicken after turning it over.
6. For the pickled cucumbers, I will share this simple recipe in my next blog.

This Asian chicken baked recipe is adapted from 'tasteasianfood.com'.

Hong Kong Crispy Noodles With Chicken and Prawns

Ingredients: (Serve 1)
1 portion of fresh local Kolo Mee
Cooking oil (enough to lightly coat bottom of pan)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
1/2 small onion (diced)
1" section carrot (slice according to your desired preference)
1/4 cup thinly sliced chicken breast
5 medium prawns (peeled and deveined)
1 cabbage leaf (cut into bite-size pieces)
Some green vegetables of your choice (cut)
1 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine
1/2 cup water (add a bit more if you prefers more sauce during cooking)
1/2 tsp. chicken stock granules
1/2 tbsp. cornflour mix with 1 tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. grounded white pepper

Stir-fry sauce: (mix together in a bowl)
1 1/2 tbsp. oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp. light soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar

Methods:

1. Shake out the noodles and form into a rough circle about the size of your non-stick frying pan over a flat plate.  Heat oil, enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan using medium heat.  Slide the noodles into the pan so that they form a neat circle.  Cook for about a minute before pouring in 1 1/2 tablespoons of water.  Allow the water to evaporate and steam the noodles for another 1 1/2 minutes or until the bottom is crispy.  Flip the noodle over and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the second side is golden and crispy.  Off heat and transfer the noodle to a large serving plate.
2. In a clean heated wok, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil (from frying the noodles) add garlic, onion and carrot.  Cook, stir-frying for about a minute, then add the chicken breast and stir-fry until almost cooked.  Add the prawns and stir-fry until almost cooked.  Then add the cabbage and green vegetables.  Add 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing Wine, stir to mix and allow to simmer for another minute.  Stir through the cornflour mixture.  Simmer until just thickened.  Season with pepper, off the heat and spoon onto the centre of the crispy noodle.  Serve immediately.

This recipe is adapted from 'Marion's Kitchen' with slight amendment to suit my cooking preferences.

Sweet and sticky honey chicken rice vermicelli noodles

Ingredients: (Serve 1)
1 serving of dried rice vermicelli 
1/2 tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 tbsp. cooking oil
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 shallot (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup chicken breast meat/thigh (cut into bite-sized pieces)
Cucumber slices
Carrot, julienne

Sauce: (mix in a small bowl)
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. dark soy sauce

Methods:

1. Cook dried rice vermicelli in boiling water, drain, and use scissor to cut roughly into manageable lengths.  Toss noodles with sesame oil and place on a serving plate and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok, add chicken and cook until golden brown.  Add garlic and red onion and cook for another 2 minutes or until onion starts to brown.  Add the sauce and simmer, uncovered for few minutes, or until sauce is thick and glossy.  Remove from heat.
3. Spoon warm chicken and sauce over noodles.  Serve with cucumber slices and julienne carrots.  Squeeze a slice of lime wedge over the  dish, if you prefers, but I did not.

This recipe is adapted from 'Marion's Kitchen' with slight amendment to suit my cooking preference.

Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice

Tired with the usual Chinese meals of serving rice and dishes of meat, fish, vegetables, soups??  It is fun to change once a while to this one-plate meal...

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
Half slab of Pork Belly (cut into 2 cm. pieces)
1/2 tbsp. cooking oil
1/2 tsp. white pepper corns (whole) - crush with mortar
2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
1 shallot (finely chopped)
2 slices ginger
1 dried bay leaf
1 whole star anise
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 dried mushrooms (soaked, drain, cut off core and slice to half)
1 cup water
1 hard boiled egg (peeled)
Steamed  bok choy

Sauce: (Mix in a small bowl)
2 tbsp. light soy sauce
2 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine
1/2 tbsp. sweet dark soy sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar

Methods:

1. Heat oil in wok, add pork belly and cook, stirring  until color changes.  Add crushed peppercorns, garlic and shallots.  Stir to combine, then add ginger, bay leaf, star anise and cinnamon stick. 
2. Add the sauce, 1 cup of water and stir to mix.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer.  Half way through simmering, add in mushrooms and egg.  Turn the egg occasionally to get the even color on the outside.  Once the pork becomes tender, remove from heat.
3. To plate: Add rice into a small soup bowl, press using rice paddle and turn it over a flat plate.  Place the steamed bok choy on the side of the plate.  Cut the egg into half, place half over the rice, then ladle the pork, mushroom and sauce over the rice.   Serve!

This recipe is adapted from 'Marion's Kitchen' with slight amendment to suit my cooking preference.

Thai Salted Black Olive Fried Rice

Black Olive is well known as Dabai in Sarawak.  It is an exotic fruits and during this fruit season, many people are selling them and it fetch quite a good price, depending on the sizes.  Since it is not the season now, so I bought a bottle of the salted ones, to fry rice.  It can also be consumed direct from the bottle as a side dish with white porridge.

Ingredients: (Serve 1)
1 cup leftover, overnight cooked rice
1/4 cup chicken breast meat (cut into bite-size pieces)
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
1/2 small onion (peeled and cubed)
1 tbsp. shrimp paste (toasted and powdered)
1 1/2 tbsp. salted black olive (remove seeds and chop into smaller pieces)
1 tbsp. cooking oil (for frying the rice) - the olive is oily, so do not use too much oil
Fish sauce (to taste)

Garnish:
1 egg (sunny-side up)
Cashew nuts (fried)
Cucumbers (cubed)
Parsley 

Methods:

1. In a heated wok, add 1 tbsp. cooking oil, saute garlic and onion until fragrant.  Add in the chicken meat, stir-fry, and then add shrimp paste, fry until chicken is cooked through.
2. Add the rice, followed by olive and stir well to mix the olive into the rice.  Taste for correct seasoning, add dashes of fish sauce if needed.  This olive is not salty, so I did not add dash of sugar.  I add dashes of fish oil.  Give a final stir to mix everything.
3. Remove from heat and serve the rice on a flat dish.  Garnish with cashew nuts, cucumbers and parsley on the side and topped with a sunny-side up fried egg.  The egg can be fried together with the rice, depending on your own preference.
4. Let's have lunch!

I adapted this recipe from 'What to cook today' with slight amendment to suit my cooking preference.

Matcha Butter Cookies

Matcha lovers who loves crunchy cookies,would enjoy this flavorful snacks, with the  sweet aroma of butter and matcha flooding the whole house as you are baking this yummylicious cookies.

Ingredients:
1 cup (225g.) unsalted butter (softened)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
2 cups plain flour (sifted)
2 tbsp. matcha powder (sifted)

Methods:

1. Add butter, sugar and salt in a mixer bowl.  Beat using medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add in egg and beat for another minute.  Remove from mixer stand.
2. Combine flour and matcha powder in a bowl.
3. Gradually add flour and matcha mixture into the  butter and egg mixture.  I add in three folds.  Mix with a rubber spatula until well combined and the dough is thick.
4. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.  
5. Pipe the dough using a star nozzle onto the lined baking trays.
6. Bake in a preheated oven of 170 degree Celsius for 10-12 minutes.
7. Remove tray and place on a wire rack to cool down a bit.  Transfer the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

I adapted this recipe from 'Eat Cho Food' with slight amendments to meet my taste bud and baking preference.

Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken

Ingredients:
400 g. chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
1 tbsp. sesame oil (part)
1" knob ginger (peeled and finely julienned)
3 cloves garlic (peeled and halved)
4 dried chillies (remove seeds, cut into 1-inch sections, soaked in hot water and drained)
2 sprigs spring onion (cut into 1-inch length, actual recipe calls for basil, but I don't have)
1 tsp. cornflour mixed with 1 tsp. water
1/2 tbsp. cooking oil

Stir-fry sauce: (Mix in a small bowl)
1 1/2 tbsp. shaoxing wine
1 1/2 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. dark soy sauce
1 tsp. brown sugar

Methods:

1. In a heated wok, add cooking oil and 1/2 tbsp. of sesame oil.  Add ginger, garlic and dried chillies and stir-fry until fragrant.  Add the chicken and stir-fry until chicken starts to colour on all sides.  Pour in the stir-fry sauce.  Mix and reduce the heat to medium.  Cover with a lid and simmer for about 10 minutes.
2. Remove the lid and add cornflour mixture to the chicken.  Mix and allow to simmer until the sauce has thickened.  Stir through the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil and the spring onions (or basil leaves).  
3. Remove from heat and serve with freshly cooked fluffy white rice.

This recipe is adapted from 'marionskitchen.com' with slight amendment to suit my cooking preference.

Braised chicken with dried chilies, potatoes and onions

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken legs (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 chicken drumstick  (cut into bite sized pieces)
4 dried chilies (deseed, soaked in hot water, drain, pat dry with kitchen paper)
1 potato (peeled and cut into chunks)
1 onion (peeled and slice slightly larger)
3 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)
1 cup water
1/2 tbsp. dark soy sauce (amount depending on the colour you want to achieve)
2 tbsp. cooking oil

Marinade: (mix together)
2 tbsp. oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp. dark soy sauce
Dashes of sesame oil
Dashes of salt
Dashes of grounded white pepper
1 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine
1/2 tbsp. cornflour

Methods:

1. Marinate chicken pieces with marinade for at least three hours in the fridge.
2. In a heated wok add 1 tbsp. of cooking oil, fry the dried chillies, dish out and set aside.
3. Add another tablespoon of cooking oil into the same wok, saute garlic until fragrant.  Add the marinated chicken together with the marinade and potatoes and stir-fry until well mixed.
4. Drizzle in another 1/2 tbsp. (or more) dark soy sauce and 1 cup water.  Stir to mix and when the sauce starts to simmer, add in onion and dried chillies.  Give it a mix and cover with lid, reduce the heat to low and let it braised until chicken is cooked through.
5. Remove from heat onto a serving dish.  

I adapted this recipe from Mary Adele Ng, who posted her dish in 'Heavenly Cuisines' with some amendments to suit my cooking preference.

Pumpkin Huat Kuih

It's a relaxing evening, yesterday, 11th June;  but the leftover pumpkin in my fridge keeps lingering in my head; and have been thinking of what to make with it.  Then, I browse through YouTube, something of interest strike me in an instant - Pumpkin Huat Kuih!  Wow!!! Ta..da....

Yields: 6 (7.5-cm baking cup)
Ingredients: 
100 g. pumpkin flesh
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. water
100 g. granulated sugar
1 pc. pandan leaf (knoted)
250 g. plain flour (sifted)
1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. baking powder (sifted)
4 tbsp. olive oil

Methods:

1. Steam pumpkin flesh until softened.  Mashed and set aside.
2. Combine water, sugar and pandan leaf in a pot, cook until sugar dissolves.
3. Add sugar syrup to mashed pumpkin, mix until combined and set aside to cool.
4. Bring the water of steamer to the boil.
5. Add the sifted flour and baking powder into the cooled pumpkin mixture, and mix until blended.
6. Add in olive oil and mix until combined.
7. Pour batter into 6 lined baking cups.
8. Steam over medium-high heat for 17-18 minutes.
9. Remove from steamer and let it cool down slightly, then unmould and leave it on a wire rack to cool completely.

I adapted this recipe from 'Mykitchen101.en' with slight amendment to suit my cooking preference.

Drunken Chicken Rolls

This yummylicious Chicken Rolls are soaked in aromatic wine and herbs mixture; it is so juicy and tender; and served cold.  It is best to prepare a day ahead and serve them the next day, to let the soaking mixture seeps into these chicken rolls.

Ingredients:
2 chicken (whole legs, deboned and skin-on)
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine

Wine and herbs mixture:
350 ml. water
Chicken bones from the deboned legs
8 g. dong quai
15 g. ginger (sliced)
3 red dates
2 bay leaves (dried)
1 star anise
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
10 g. goji berries or wolf berries
300 ml. shaoxing wine

Methods:

1. To cook the chicken: remove the excess fat; make few slits at the thicker part of the chicken, and I do slice off some meat to make the meat even; then season with salt and shaoxing wine.  Marinate for at least one hour, but more will be better.
2. Roll up the chicken legs like a Swiss Roll, skin side down, with an aluminium foil.  
3. Steam for 25 to 30 minutes.  Remove the chicken rolls and directly place them in ice water to stop cooking immediately.  
4. Remove the foil after the chicken is cold.
5. For the wine and herbs mixture: in a pot with medium heat, simmer all the ingredients except goji berries or wolf berries and shaoxing wine for 30 minutes.  Strain the mixture into a container.  Mix with wine and goji berries after it is cold.
6. Place the chicken rolls into the container with the mixture.  Let it steep overnight to absorb the flavor in the refrigerator.
7. To serve: Cut the chicken into 1/4 inch thick.  Drizzle some soaking liquid on it and serve cold.

I adapted this recipe from 'tasteasianfood.com' with slight amendment to suit my cooking preference.

Scallion Prawn Fritters

Many people enjoys this amazing golden prawn fritters, which are crispy at the sides and slight fluffy on the inside for afternoon tea.  They are best served while still hot, so as to enjoy the real crunch of this scrumptious prawn fritters.  These fritters are served with sweet and spicy chili sauce or even the normal Maggi chili sauce.

One important tip to make good prawn fritters with thin crispy sides is to use a flat ladle to spoon the batter. 

Ingredients:
Prawns (amount depends on how many people you are serving)
2 sprig scallion or spring onions (chopped)
150g. rice flour (sifted)
50g. plain flour (sifted)
2 tsp. baking powder (sifted)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. grounded white pepper
1/2 tsp. chicken stock granules
3 tbsp. cooking oil
1 egg
180g. water
Enough cooking oil for deep frying

Methods:

1. Remove the heads of the prawns, you can leave it on if you prefer.  Blanch in boiling water for 1 1/2 minutes, drain and set aside.
2. To prepare the batter, in a bowl mix together rice flour, plain flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, white pepper, chicken stock granules, 3 tablespoons cooking oil, egg and water.  Whisk with a hand whisk until smooth with no lump.  Then stir in the scallion.
3. In a medium heated pan, add enough cooking oil for deep frying.  Test the temperature of the oil using a wooden skewer.  When the oil is hot enough, small bubbles will appear around the tip of the skewer.
4. To start frying, put the ladle into the oil for quick few seconds, lift it out, use another small soup ladle to scoop some batter and pour it over the ladle (do not fill too full as the batter will overflow after you add in the prawn), take one or two prawns (depending on the size of the prawns) and place it over the top of the batter; then place the ladle into the oil.  Just within few seconds, the prawn fritters will fall off from the ladle.  If your pan is big, you can fry a few at a time.  The fritters will puff up, use a slotted ladle to lightly press over the fritters, turn and continue to fry until both sides are golden.  Remove from oil and place over a wire rack to let the excess oil drips off.  Repeat until all is done.
5. Time to enjoy these crispy/crunchy and tasty scallion prawn fritters with your favorite chili sauce.

This recipe is adapted from 'MyKitchen101en.com' with a slight amendment to suit my cooking preference.

Fried Rice Cake or Char Kuih

Fried Rice Cake is commonly known as Char Kuih in my hometown Kuching.  The first step is to make and steam the rice cake, let it cool down, and overnight is best as the rice cake is easy to cut into cubes, then pan-fried. In my hometown, there are two types of Char Kuih, either savory or sweet.  Both are equally yummy!

(1)  Recipe for the steamed rice cake/char kuih
300g. cooled rice 
500g. water
100g. cornflour (sifted)
80g. plain flour (sifted)
80g. water
2 tsp. salt

Methods:

1. In the bowl of a blender, add cooled rice and water, blend 30 seconds with high speed.
2. Next, add in cornflour, plain flour, another 80g. of water and salt.  Continue to blend for another 30 seconds with medium speed.  Open the lid to check if all the ingredients are well blended.  If not, then blend for another few seconds.
3. Pour batter into an oiled steaming tray and steam for 30 minutes.
4. Set steamed rice cake aside to cool, then wrap in cling film and place in the fridge.

(2)  To fry the rice cake/char kuih  (serves 1)

1. Cut out a portion of the steamed rice cake from the steaming tray, cut into small cubes.  There is no specific sizes, but best smaller cubes to ease pan-frying and enable the seasonings to get evenly through the rice cake.
2. Peel and chop 1 tablespoon of garlic (more means more tasty), set aside.
3. For the preserved radish, I normally buy the ready chopped ones.  Prepare by adding 1 1/2 tablespoon in a bowl, rinse with water and squeeze dry and set aside.  For this preserved radish more means more tasty as well.
4. Crack 2 eggs separately in 2 bowls.  Slightly whisk one and leave the other one whole.
5. For seasoning, I use light soy sauce to drizzle over the fried rice cake during cooking.
6. To cook, heat a non-stick pan using medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, swirl to coat the pan.  Add the rice cake, spread out with spatula, pan-fry, and turn the rice cake to ensure evenly cooked.
7. Scrap the rice cake to the sides of the pan, add a bit more oil in the center, saute garlic and preserved radish.  Stir-fry until fragrant, then mix in the rice cake, drizzle 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce evenly over the rice cake, stir-fry to mix until combine.  The amount of light soy sauce is based on your preferred taste, as well as the types of soy sauce that you use, as some are more salty than the other.
8. Add the whisked egg evenly over the top, let it fry for a quick half minute.  Then use the spatula to scoop from the bottom part of the rice cake and flip over.  You can do this in 3 flips, then fry for another half minute, remove the rice cake onto a serving plate.
9. I fry another egg to top the rice cake or char kuih.

The recipe for the steamed rice cake/char kuih is adapted from Sherry Choo, but the frying part is my own recipe.

Soy Sauce Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
2 chicken thighs (boneless with skin on)
2 servings of noodles
4 pcs. small bok choy (washed, cut and blanched)
1 tsp. sesame oil (to drizzle onto noodles after platting)
2 dried shiitake mushrooms
2 slices ginger
3 cloves garlic (smashed, with skin)
2 sprigs spring onion (roughly sliced, light green part only)
1 star anise
1 small cinnamon stick
2 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine
2 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tbsp. dark soy sauce
Mushroom soaking liquid
1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
3 cups water
Salt (to taste)
1 tbsp. cooking oil

Methods:

1. Soak mushrooms in hot water, drain, cut off the hard stalk, strain the soaking liquid and set aside.
2. Mix shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar in a bowl.
3. Heat oil in a wok, add ginger, garlic and spring onions, stir-fry for 1 minute.  Then add star anise, cinnamon, mushrooms and soaking liquid, and the mix sauces in (2) and 3 cups water.  Bring it to a simmer, then add chicken and simmer another 10 minutes.  Turn heat off, cover and allow chicken to steep in the hot liquid for 30 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes, lift out chicken and mushrooms.  Strain out the sauce, and bring it back to simmer.  In the meantime taste for correct seasoning, season with salt if needed.
5. Place 4 tablespoons of sauce into 2 shallow serving bowls.  Add cooked noodles, top with blanched vegetables, sliced chicken and 1 mushroom.  Drizzle each bowls with a little sesame oil.
6. Serve with sliced chilies, light soy sauce and lime juice.

This recipe is adapted from 'Marion's Kitchen' with slight amendments to suit my cooking preferences.