Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:

230 g chicken breast

a pinch of salt

a pinch of white ground pepper

1/2 tbsp Shaoxing wine

1/2 egg white

1/2 cup corn flour (divided)

2 cups cooking oil (for frying the chicken)

Stir-frying:

1 tbsp cooking oil

1/2 small onion (peeled and cubed)

1/2 medium red and green capsicum (cubed)

Sauce: (mix in a small bowl)

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp ketchup

1/2 tbsp vinegar

1/4 tbsp sugar (to taste)

a pinch of salt

For the cornstarch slurry:

1 tsp corn flour

1 1/2 tbsp water

Methods:

1. To marinate the chicken, in a bowl, combine the chicken with salt, white pepper, Shaoxing wine, and egg white.  Mix well and let marinate while preparing the other ingredients.
2. To coat the chicken, mix the chicken with half of the corn flour and let rest for 5 minutes.  Coat again with the remaining corn flour.
3. To fry the chicken, in a heated pot, add cooking oil. Fry the chicken in batches for about 3 minutes until cooked through. Repeat until all is done.  Increase the oil temperature and fry again for about 1 minute until golden and crispy.
4. To stir-fry and finish, in a wok over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and stir-fry the onion and capsicum for about 30 seconds, then remove them onto a plate.  Reduce the heat to medium and add the sauce mixture and the cornstarch slurry.  Stir until the sauce thickens. Return the vegetables and chicken to the wok, and toss until evenly coated.
5. Remove on to a serving dish and serve with freshly cooked fluffy rice!

This recipe is adapted from 'cicili.tv' with slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.

Chinese Tea Eggs

Ingredients:

6 eggs (washed and set aside)

Water (enough to cover the eggs)

3 tbsp light soy sauce

1 1/2 tbsp Lipton tea leaf (use Chinese pur-erh tea leaf if you have)

1 stick cinnamon

1 star anise

3 cloves

1/4 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

1/2 tsp sugar

Methods:

1. Add water to a medium pot and gently place the eggs in it, ensuring they are fully submerged.  Bring the water to a boil over high heat and boil for approximately 10 minutes to ensure the eggs are fully cooked.
2. Transfer the hard-boiled eggs from the boiling water and rinse them under cold water.  Keep the water from boiling the eggs. Using the back of a teaspoon, gently tap the egg shells to crack them.  Return the eggs to the water and add the remaining ingredients: light soy sauce, tea leaf, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, five-spice powder and sugar.
3. Bring the tea mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low.  Simmer for 1 hour (the longer the simmering the better the taste).  Add more water if needed.
4. Serve immediately, or leave the tea eggs in the mixture overnight to further enhance their color and flavor.

This delicious recipe is adapted from 'Rasa Malaysia' with a slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.

5-Minute Cucumber Kimchi (No salting)

With the extremely hot and humid weather, anything simple and easy to prepare in the kitchen is most welcome. This Kimchi recipe does not need salting, thus is the reason for it's quick preparation. It is not only quick but 'Simple Yet Yummylicious!'

Ingredients:

1 large Japanese cucumber

1/2 onion

Seasoning:

1/2 tbsp gochujang

1/2 tbsp Korean red pepper (gochugaru)

1/2 tbsp granulated sugar (to taste, add more if needed)

1/2 tbsp fish sauce

1/2 tbsp vinegar

1/2 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tbsp minced garlic

Toasted sesame seeds

Methods:

1. Washed and slice cucumbers into bite-sized rounds.
2. Peeled and slice the onion thinly.
3. In a large bowl, mix all the seasoning ingredients.
4. Add the cucumbers and onions, toss until evenly coated, and serve!

This delicious recipe is adapted from 'Woogu Cook' with slight adjustments to suit my cooking preference.

Steamed Dumplings

While I was in a popular Supermarket in KL, I came across this Dumpling Wrappers which is suitable for making Steamed Dumplings.  Since this wrappers are not available in the place where I am from, so I grab hold of two packets, and here goes my homemade Steamed Dumplings.  

Ingredients:

200 g. minced pork

8 medium-sized prawns (peeled, deveined and cut into small pieces)

1 tsp. grated ginger

1 tsp. light soy sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. Shaoxing wine

1/2 tsp. sesame oil

3 dashes ground white pepper

1 stalk spring onion (chopped)

1 pack dumpling wrappers

Methods:

1. For the filling, in a large bowl, combine minced pork, prawns, ginger, light soy sauce, salt, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, ground white pepper and spring onion together.  Mix well and set aside.
2. To assemble the dumplings, put a small spoonful of the filling in the center of a wrapper.  Moisten the edge of the wrapper with water using your finger, then fold and pleat the dumpling.  Repeat this process for the remaining wrappers.
3. To steam the dumplings, arrange the dumplings in a steamer lined with parchment paper (punched with holes) at the bottom and steam for 8-10 minutes.
4. Remove the dumplings onto a serving dish and serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Ready for steaming

I serve my Dumplings with this Ultimate Dipping Sauce.

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 minced garlic clove

A pinch of grated ginger

Some fresh chopped spring onions

In a medium bowl, mix all the above ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved.  Ready to serve!

This delicious Steamed Dumplings recipe is adapted from 'Rasa Malaysia' with a slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.

Stir fried durian flowers with prawns in curry and coconut milk

Came across a stall selling durian flowers when I went grocery shopping one morning at a local market.  I just couldn't help going home empty handed as I have not cook this Simple Yet Yummylicious dish for quite a long while.  Happily coming home with a packet of durian flowers, I quickly clean it and get ready all the necessary ingredients needed.  Since I don't have curry paste, I opt for a quick option of using curry powder.  Though the outcome is less pungent but it does satisfy my cravings! ~ happy tummy ~

Fresh durian flowers

"Simple Yet Yummylicious"

To get the full recipe, click this link here.

Green Matcha Bread Loaf

Since I still have leftover good quality Matcha Powder in my pantry, I will not let this beautiful GREEN colour Bread Loaf pass by without  baking it.  I love the rustic top of the bread, it appears hard while just out of the oven, but once it cools down, it is a delicious, soft and fluffy bread ~ Love It! ~

I am glad to share the beautiful photos which I captured throughout the process of baking this great bread. For infomation, I lightly add some chocolate chips into the dough.

Dough ready for first proofing

Outcome of first proofing

Dough shaped

Dusted with flour for a rustic look
and in to second proofing

After second proofing

Score the top of the dough and
it's time for baking

Tada.. Beautiful loaf just out of the oven

Slice and enjoy!

Click the link here for the full detailed recipe.  Happy baking everyone!

Simple & Hearty Oat Bread

I have always love Oat Bread, and have tried out few recipes from different recipe sources.  Came across this great recipe while I was away for holiday.  This is the first bread recipe which I baked after quite a while.

Click this link here for the full recipe, from 'The Craft Patch.'

I am sharing some photos throughout my journey of baking this Simple & Hearty Oat Bread.  

Ready for first proofing

After first proofing

Shaped and ready for second proofing

After second proofing

Beautifully baked!