Stir-fried beef with fried garlic

Ingredients:
200g beef fillet
4 cloves garlic (thinly sliced and fried till golden)
1 stalk spring onion (cut into sections)
1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil

Marinade:
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp beaten egg
1 tsp shao hsing wine
1/2 tsp cornflour (to be added later)

Seasonings:
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1/3 tsp sugar
1 tsp oyster sauce
dash of shao hsing wine
dash of sesame oil
1 tbsp water

Methods:

1. Rinse the beef fillet, cut away the tendons and cut into small pieces.
2. Marinate the beef with the marinade ingredients, except cornflour and mix well. Add in the cornflour 30 minutes before cooking and give it a mix.
3. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil in a pan and pan-fry the beef over low heat until fragrant.
4. Add the spring onion, followed by the seasonings and stir until all the beef are well coated and cooked through.
5. Serve on a plate topped with fried garlic.

Savory Pumpkin-Sago Kuih

Recently, we made a trip to my uncle's farm about 40 km from Kuching City.  We came home with a car booth full of fruits and varieties of vegetables and not to mention the humble PUMPKIN.  The pumpkins are heavy with smooth and firm skin which are said to be best!

Ingredients:

200g pumpkin (shredded)

200g sago (soaked for 15 mins. and strained)

30g caster sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Topping Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil

1 tsp pepper

1 tbsp garlic (chopped)

30g minced pork

30g small dried prawns (washed and drained)

2 dried mushrooms (soaked and sliced thinly)

1/2 tbsp fish sauce

Garnish:

1 stalk spring onion, green part (chopped)

1/2 red chilli (seeded and diced finely)

Methods:

• In a large mixing bowl put all the ingredients in and mix till well combined.

• Pour the mixture into a greased 7" steaming tray.  Steam at high heat until cooked. Remove from steamer, leave it to cool then cut into pieces with the size of your choice.
• For the topping, heat oil and saute chopped garlic until fragrant.  Add in dried prawns, mushrooms, minced pork and stir-fry until aromatic.  Add in fish sauce, pepper and continue to fry until fragrant.  Dish onto a bowl.

• Sprinkle the topping ingredients over the sliced pumpkin, garnish with spring onion and chilli.

• Serve with a cup of coffee or tea.

Avocado Shake and Smoothie

During this season of the year the scorching heat is intolerable at times, thus I believe that many will yearn for something cool and refreshing.  In my state Sarawak we are indeed blessed with many types of local fruits which makes refreshing juices to quench our thirst.  

For my post today, I am sharing the one fruit which is high in healthy monounsaturated fats and is a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals - AVOCADO!

Thanks to Lena for sharing this rich and creamy drink which is also best suited for dessert. I enjoyed it and would like to include in my blog here to further share with all my readers.

Vietnamese Avocado Shake

Ingredients: (recipe and quantity slightly adjusted)

1/2 medium size avocado (peeled, deseeded and sliced)

1/2 cup milk (add more to thin the shake)

1/2 cup crushed ice-cubes

Methods:

1. In a blender add avocado slices, milk and crushed ice-cubes.
2. Cover and blend on high until mixture is smooth.
3. Check the consistency, if too thick add more milk, cover and blend again.
4. Stir before pouring into a glass or dessert dish.
5. Serve.

The second drink comes to my mind when I saw few bottles of Vitagen (apple flavour) in my fridge.  As usual on a hot day my mind is always telling "I need something refreshing and cooling,"  Without any doubt I grab hold of the avocado, vitagen, some crushed ice-cubes and blender.  Blend all the ingredients together using high speed and here is a glass of "Fruity Avocado Smoothie."  Enjoy this thirst quencher - creamy, refreshing and nutritious.  If you prefer it less creamier or thinner, add more vitagen.

Potato Rosti Stack

Potato, egg and bacon are three very common ingredients which tempt our taste buds, especially when comes to preparing a meal for one person.  Who would say 'NO' to this simple yet yummylicious plate of 'Potato Rosti Stack?'   

Ingredients: Serves 2

2 potatoes

4 tbsp olive oil

4 strips bacon

2 eggs

Cucumber slices

Dash of salt and pepper

Methods:

1. Clean the potatoes and parboil in water until almost soft.  Drain and leave to cool.
2. Fry the eggs and bacon in separate clean wok and put aside for later use.
3. When the potatoes are cool peel off the skin.
4. Grate the potatoes in a large bowl, season with olive oil, salt and pepper, mix well and divide into two portions.
5. In a flat heated pan, add 1 tbsp cooking oil, place one portion of the grated potato into the pan, flatten with a spatula and shape it round.
6. Pan fry until the base is golden brown, flip over carefully and continue to fry until done.  Set aside for palting.
7. Repeat the frying process for the other portion of the grated potato.
8. For plating, place the fried potato on a plate, top with cucumber slices follow by 2 pieces of fried bacon and a fried egg on the top.  

Let's dig in!

Sweet and Sour Pork Sliders

I have always enjoyed watching this program 'Easy Chinese Cooking' hosted by Ching-He Huang, and her many techniques and graceful movements in the kitchen gives me the impression that 'cooking is very simple.'  This one recipe just couldn't get off my mind "Sweet and Sour Pork Sliders" and finally I get to try out and the outcome is deliciously awesome - Thumbs UP!

For information, I change the amount of the ingredients and omit ginger to suit my family's needs as well as the ingredients for assembling the sliders.

Ingredients: Makes 6

(1) Meatballs

325g minced pork

1/2 tbsp grated garlic

3/4 tbsp light soy sauce

3/4 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 tsp cornflour

1/2 tsp sesame oil

2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

1 egg (lightly beaten)

1 bunch spring onion (finely chopped)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp grounded pepper

(2) Sauce

3/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 tbsp honey

Drizzle of water

3/4 tbsp cooking oil

(3) Assembling the sliders

6 Buns

Cucumber slices

Tomato slices

Methods:

1. In a large bowl add all the ingredients (1) and mix thoroughly till well combined.  
2. Divide the mixture into three portions, form three meatballs almost the size of the buns and set aside.
3. In a deep heated wok, add enough oil for deep frying.  
4. Fry the meatballs using medium heat until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and drain on paper towels.
5. For the sauce, add oil in a clean heated wok, then add the rest of the sauce ingredients and let it simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Return the meatballs to the wok and toss them in the sauce to coat. Off the heat and dish onto a plate.
7. To assemble the sliders, layer the bottom of the buns with cucumber and tomato slices.  Cut the meatball in half and place half the meatball, cut-side down on top of the cucumber and tomato.  Add the top bun and skewer with a sandwich pick through the slider to hold it together.  Repeat with the remaining sliders till all is done and it's ready to serve.

Ayam Penyet

Ayam Penyet is one of my favourite 'one-plate-meal' which I couldn't resist if I come across in any food-stalls whenever we are eating out.  The tasty and crispy fried 'smashed' chicken served with some green leafy vegetables and the 'dying for' chilli spices, which is known as sambal is one dish which is deliciously YUMMY!

Recently, I try a hand on this simple recipe by Sifu Kenneth Goh and the outcome of the dish is really superb!  It's my first try on the chicken and chilli spices (sambal) and it is a dish that I will continue to cook again and again, especially when I am craving for it. Here's the recipe to share with all.....

Ingredients:

2 whole chicken thigh with drumstick
Cooking oil (for deep frying)

Marinating ingredients:

5cm long lemongrass (white part)

5 shallots

5 cloves garlic

4 curry leaves

1 1/2 cm long galangal

1 fresh red chilli

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp tumeric powder

Ingredients for chilli paste (sambal):

4 chilli padi (add more if you prefer stronger heat)
2 red chilli
3 cloves garlic
1 cm belachan (toasted)
1 medium size tomato
1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil
Salt and sugar to taste
Juices from 2 limes (for cooking the chilli paste (sambal)
2-3 tbsp cooking oil (for frying the chilli paste)

Methods:

1. Clean the chicken, boil in a pot with enough water to cover the chicken until 80% cooked, drain and put aside to let it cool.  
2. Blend the marinating ingredients until fine and set aside.
3. Place the chicken on a chopping board and using a pestle lightly smash the chicken, one piece at a time.
4. Rub the blended marinating ingredients onto the chicken thoroughly and let it marinate for at least 1 hour, I prefer to marinate it longer so that the flavours will seeps through the chicken well.
5. In a deep pot heat enough cooking oil for deep frying the marinated chicken pieces until golden brown and crispy.  Dish and drain.
6. To prepare the chilli paste or sambal, blend all the ingredients until fine, except the lime juice, sugar and cooking oil.
7. In a heated wok, add the cooking oil and fry the blended chilli paste ingredients until the colour darkens and the chilli paste thickens. Before off the heat stir in the lime juice and sugar until well mixed and give it a quick taste for correct seasoning.
8. Dish up and serve with the fried chicken together with some fresh cucumber, tomato, blanched tapioca leaves and any other vegetables of your choice.
9. A plate of freshly cooked hot rice goes well with this dish.

BBQ/Pan-fried Pork

Ingredients:
1 kg pork (I use both pork loin and pork belly)

Marinade:
1/2 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder

Methods:

1. Cut the pork into 1/2cm thick slices.  For the pork loin I use a meat tenderizer hammer to pound on both sides. Place the pork slices in a container.
2. Mix all the marinade ingredients together and stir well.
3. Pour the marinade ingredients onto the pork slices and rub to coat.
4. Cover the container with a lid and marinate overnight in the fridge.
5. The marinated pork slices can either be barbecued or pan-fried with oil.