田七泡参排骨汤

So I have a growing 13yr old at home and mum has been reminding me to brew the so important soup for the son once a month for 3 months. This 田七is said to be very nourishing for growing boys (and adults too) and is supposedly to :

- improve blood circulation 

- expel bad blood

- heal internal injuries 

- improve appetite 

- grow stronger and taller

- many more

So, I made a trip to the Chinese 药材店 and learned more from the shop assistant and got what is required to brew this soup. 

一两田七 (bought 1 两, spilt into 4 packets)

泡参  (bought 1 两)

Ingredients:

- Tian Qi 田七 (use 1 packet)

- Pao Shen 泡参 (use 8-10 slices)

- wolf berries (use a handful, prob 8-10pcs)

- lean meat / spare ribs / chicken

- pinch of salt

- 4 bowls of water

Steps:

Add all the above ingredients (except salt) into a pot and brew on high fire for 30mins then switch to low fire to slow boil for 1.5hrs (or until meat is tender and cooked). Add salt towards the end when about to off the fire. 

Happy brewing

Happy mum 

Yong Tou Fu (Ampang Style)

Was at the wet market when I saw a stall selling freshly made Yong tau Foo ingredients. Couldn't resist and hence got a couple of items. Picked the red and green chillies, brinjals, tau kees etc. All the items came fully stuffed with fish paste. Yums!  

For this recipe, you may pick and choose any type of YTF ingredients. 

Ingredients:

- assorted YTF items 

- minced meat

- oyster sauce

- light soya sauce

- salt

- white pepper

- sesame oil

- corn flour

- potato starch

Step 1:

Marinate the minced meat with sesame oil, pinch of salt, light soya sauce and white pepper.

Step 2:

Heat up the pan and add oil. When oil is hot, add in the minced meat and give a good fry to loosen the meat.  Continue frying.

Step 3:

Add in a tbsp of oyster sauce and continue to fry the meat.

Step 4: 

When meat turned white (80% cooked), add in half cup of water and continue frying. 

Step 5: 

Mixed corn flour and potato starch with water. Slowly add into the meat, stirring as you pour. The gravy will thickened. Dish up and set aside for later use. 

Step 6:

Using same pan, add in some oil.  When oil is hot, add in the YTF items one by one, starting with those that require longer time to pan-fry. E.g. Brinjals, tau Kwa, tau Kee, Chilli etc.  

Note: if you do not want to mix the Chilli, you can pan-fry them separately and set aside for the final plating. 

Step 7: 

When the items turned slightly browned or when the fish paste becomes white, add in the minced meat and gravy.

Step 8:

Quick fry and give the pan a good shake to toss the items. Before you dish up, add a little sesame oil to enhance the smell and taste. Using a tong or chopstick, pick up the items and place in a plate. Once all are nicely plated, pour the meat and gravy over the YTF items. 

Happy cooking!

Happy mum

Salted Veg Duck Soup (Itek Tim)

I'm Nothing beats a bowl of hot soup. And when I saw a pack of half duck and some salted veg a distance away at the supermarket, I knew I had to satisfy my craving of a nice rich soup by whipping up a pot of Itek Tim (salted veg duck soup)

Ingredients:

- half duck, de-skinned (can feed 4 adults)

- salted veg (soak for 15mins or slightly longer to rid the excess salt)

- 3 sour plum

- 5-6 thick slice of ginger

- 1 bulb of garlic/6-8 cloves  (unpeeled and gently smashed)

- 1 tomato (cut into 4 wedges)

Step 1: 

Boil 2 pots of water 

Step 2: 

Upon the first pot that boiled, add in the duck meat to blanch. The water will soon turn cloudy and greasy. This process helps to remove excess oil and impurities. Remove blanched meat. 

Step 3:

Add the duck meat into the 2nd pot of boiling water together with the garlic, ginger, sour plum and salted veg. Let it boil over 1 hr. 

Step 4:

Add in tomato wedges and continue to boil under medium fire for another 1 hr before turning to low fire and continue boiling for 30-60 mins. Taste and add very little salt if require.  

Happy cooking!

Happy mum

Tau Suan + You Chr Kway

Whoohooooo! PSLE is finally OVER!  It has been a torturous 10 months this year, and the best way to reward the boy, is home made tau suan + you char kway.  Ok, never mind, he'll choose play over food anytime.  Stilll... hahahahah

Here's the recipes for future reference.  :)


Ingredients:

For Tau Suan:
- 500g mung beans (get those ready packed 500g ones from supermarket) soaked for at least 1 hour
- 12 washed Pandan leaves (6 to chop into 2 inch length and 6 to tie into knots)
- Honey Rock Sugar
- 200 g white sugar
- one pot of water


For Thickening:
- 80 g Sweet Potato Flour
- 250ml Water


For You Tiao:
- 220g bread flour
- 180ml water
- 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 3/4 tbsp. salt (I like mine salty.  you may reduce to 1/2 tbsp.)
- 1 tbsp. veg oil

For preparation of Tau Suan:

Steps:
1. Soak the mung beans for at least 1 hour.  Drain off the water, set aside

2. Placed half the chopped pandan leaves on a large plate (for steaming), pour in the mung beans and place the balance chopped leaves on the beans.  Send in to the steamer for 10 mins.

3. As the steaming takes place, boil a pot of water, adding in the knotted pandan leaves and one-two cubes of honey rock sugar and bring to a boil.

4. Now that step 3 is taking place, start preparing the ingredients for the You Tiao, if you haven't done so.  Procedures for You Tiao making will be indicated below to prevent confusion :)

5. After 10 mins, remove the steamed mung beans.  Heat up a flat pan using medium heat.  Gently pour in the beans and fry them.  Colour should start to darken a bit.  Add in 3 big spoons of the white sugar and continue to fry.  The sugar will crystalise and the beans upon coated, will turn darker yellow.

5. By then, the pot of pandan water should already been boiled.  Add in the beans gently and let it continue to boil for another 10 mins

6. Mix the sweet potato flour with the water and ensure well mixed.  Gently pour into the pot.  Keep stirring as you pour in the mixture gradually.  The water should start to thicken and becomes sticky.  Off fire and you are done!

Will update the You Tiao recipe again as I am chiong-ing out for a date with my kids!

Full of Love Lor Mee

All thanks to a dear friend for tagging a recipe for Lor Mee and I decided to try my hands out on this dish. Helps a lot that my darling girl loves this whenever we head to the food court. That's double motivation. Hehehe.  Giving due credits to the video blog that I used as a guide:

https://youtu.be/0g9kMXezoRQ?list=PLOMtlf9owzJZYF45-n5RUZg6XwWX-bWal

Ingredients:

- Pork belly (to shorten cooking process, the pork belly can be cut into smaller parts)

- 2 tbsp five spice powder

- 3 hard boiled eggs de-shelled

- 6-8 cloves of garlic

- 1 rock sugar 

- 5 slices of ginger 

- 1 cup of dark soya sauce 

- 8 cups of water

- yellow flat hokkien noodles

- 1 egg beaten (last item for the gravy)

- 1 bowl tapioca starch mixed with water (last item for the gravy)

Garnishing:

- parsley

- ngoh hiang (can buy ready made ones from supermarkets)

- fish fritters (can buy ready made ones from supermarkets)

- chopped chili 

- black vinegar 

Here goes:

Step 1: 

pour the cup of dark soya sauce and water together, add in the garlic and ginger, rock sugar and five spice powder, stir and bring to boil. 

Step 2: 

add in the pork belly and continue to boil for 40-45 mins.  While this is being cooked, start to prepare hard boil eggs. De-shell when eggs are ready. Add the hard boil eggs into the braising pot of pork. 

Step 3:

While the pork and eggs are boiling, you can prepare to airfry the frozen ngoh hiang and fish fritters. All at 200 degree and for 6-7 minutes, with one time flipping of the items in the air fryer basket. Set aside when done. 

After 45 mins, the pork should be ready and eggs nicely braised. Sieve out and set aside. If the braising liquid is getting too little, add in more water and continue to simmer. 

Start to slice the pork belly and halved the eggs and set aside. 

Step 4:

While the braise is still simmering, beat up an egg and mix the tapioca with one cup of water. In circular motion, gently pour in the egg, using a chopstick to swirl the egg and the braise. 

When done, add in the tapioca starch mixture, also stirring as you introduce the mixture into the pot. Then turn the fire slow and let it boil and thicken. 

Step 5:

Prepare a pot of hot water and upon boiling, add the yellow noodles inside the boiling water to blanch. If you are preparing for more than 1 person, suggest to blanch the noodles in batches (one guest at a time) so as not to overcook the noodles. 

After blanching, dish into a bowl. You can now scoop the thickened braise onto the noodles, follow by garnishing with your braised eggs, chopped chilli and parsley, ngoh hiang and fish fritters and of cos, vinegar!

There you go, a bowl of piping hot Lor Mee in the comfort of the home. 

Give it a try, and you will like it. 

Happy mum

Oneh Oneh

A non-dessert person like me has a husband who loves desserts. Hence, to pamper him, I decided to try my hands at Oneh Oneh. It's one of those "to try" item  and boy, am I glad to be able to do up this!

I referred to this vlog as a guide: https://youtu.be/cfQQ1ttWmdI

Ingredients:

- Pandan leaves 

- 100g Glutinous Rice Flour

- 40g Tapioca Flour

- 40g fine sugar

- 1 tsp salt

- 150ml water

- Gula Melaka (chopped)

- pot of boiling water

- fresh grated coconut 

Here goes the procedures:

Step 1: 

Chopped the Pandan leaves into inches and place inside the blender along with 150ml water. Blend till smooth. 

Step 2:

Using a clean towel or filter bag, pour the Pandan leaves blend and extract the essence (the Pandan liquid).  Set aside for later use. 

Step 3:

Sieve the 2 flour mixture into a large bowl. 

Step 4:

Add in salt and sugar. Mix well. 

Step 5:

Make a well in the flour and pour the Pandan extract slowly into the hole.  

Step 6:

Start mixing the flour. If the mixture is too dry, add more of the Pandan liquid. Knead till the flour becomes a dough. Set aside. 

Step 7:

Start boiling a pot of water 

Step 8:

Break the dough into small parts and roll them into ball-like size and set aside 

Step 9:

Make a well in the dough ball and start filling the ball with the chopped Gula Melaka.  Close up the well and roll into ball again to secure the fillings and prevent them from spilling. 

Step 10: 

Drop the balls into the boiling water and seive them out when the balls start to float. 

Step 11:

Prepare a large plate and fill the plate with grate coconut. Roll the balls into the plate and start coating with the grated coconut. 

Step 12:

Plate them prettily and you are ready to serve. 

Hope you will have as much fun preparing this for your loved ones. 

Happy Mum

Thai basil minced pork

 The hubby and me love Thai food!  On days that we feel like having something different, it will be "let's have Thai food!"  On days we have no appetite, it will be "Tom yam will bring back the appetite". Hahaha, so, anything Thai, will surely work for us.

For today, I did up the Thai Basil Minced Pork for the first time and we love it!

Ingredients: 

Minced Meat

Basil leafs (about 8-10 leaves)

Chopped Shallots

Chopped Yellow Sweet Onions

Chopped Garlic

Chopped Chilli Padi (about 3-4 pcs)

Brown sugar 1 tbsp

Salt 

Fish Sauce

Sesame Oil

Marinade for the minced pork:

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp light soy sauce 

Dash of salt

Step:

1. Heat the pan with oil and add in all the chopped ingredients when oil is hot. Fry till fragrant. 

2. Add in the marinated minced pork and loosen the meat to prevent lumpiness. Keep frying. 

3. Add 2 tbsp of water and continue frying. 

4. Add a dash of salt and fish sauce and continue frying. 

5. Add in the brown sugar and fry. It will start to caramelise, giving the meat a nice sticky texture and a beautiful brown hue. 

6. Throw in the basil leaves and give a good stir. Continue frying.  

7. Add a dash of sesame oil just before dishing up. 

8. Add in some fresh chopped to enhance the colors and presentation. 

8. . Ready to serve. 

Hope u will like this! 

Happy mium!

Sambal Ikan Bilis

Whipped up some home made sambal chili to go with my home made nasi lemak. And I tell u, it's really easy and goes nicely with fragrant rice, noodles and or everything, even on its own. Lol!

Ingredients:

(The below amount of ingredients make about a bowl of sambal. Increase everything if you want to make more to store)

Set A:

2 big fresh chillies

5-6 chili padis

5 Shallots

5 garlic

I tsp Oil + 1 tsp water

Set B:

2-3 tbsp oyster sauce

Salt (to taste)

Sugar (to taste)

Ikan Bilis / Anchovies

Oil

Steps:

1. Fried some Ikan Bilis till crispy and set aside. 

2. While frying, blend Set A into paste. 

3.  Heat oil in pan, pour in above mixture, fry till turn darker shade of red. 

4. Add in oyster sauce and continue to fry. Add in salt and sugar to taste*

* adjust the taste accordingly. If too spicy, add in more sugar to neutralize. 

5. Add in the Ikan bilis^ and fry again.

^ you can always add in fried tau kwa, hard boil eggs, fried fish balls etc. :)

6. Dish to serve. 

This promise to go well with even plain rice!  

Happy sambal-ing!

Happy Mum

Shredded Pork with Salted Vegetables

Shame shame shame!  Work has once again engulfed me the past few months and as much as I cook to distress or clear my cluttered mind, there was simply no way I could get pass myself to cook a decent meal for the family.  Its like "want to cook? cook the best'.  Hence, I rather let the helper cook or buy back then to coop myself in the kitchen preparing terrible dishes.  Also, I figured whatever available time I have, I am better off spending with the kids. 

So, I am back to the "half day PTWM" again, now that school has reopened.  Being in a happy mood, I craved for some comfort food.  And salted vegetables came to my mind.  Hence, its 'Shredded Pork with Salted Vegetables" as one of the dishes for tonight.


Ingredients:
- Loin Pork (shredded)
- Salted Vegs (shredded)
- Cloves of garlics (4-5 cloves unpeeled + 3 cloves chopped finely

Marinades for Pork:
- dash of salt
- dash of white pepper
- 1 tsp of sesame oil
- 1 tsp of light soya sauce


Step:

1. Marinate the shredded with the above and set aside for 20 mins.  Soak the shredded salted vegetables and set aside.

2.  After 20 mins, prepare the wok.  Heat 2 tbsp of oil.  Add the chopped garlic and fry till aromatic.

3. Add in shredded pork and give a good fry.  Loosen the pork and ensure the pork are evenly fried.

4.  Add in salted vegetables and the unpeeled cloves of garlic.  Continue to fry under high heat.

5. Add in 2 cups of hot water and lower the flame to allow simmering for 20 mins.

6. Dish to serve.

This is basically very simple to prepare yet very comforting dish.  Suitable with porridge or rice.  Brings back nostalgic feel each time I eat this.

Hope you will like it.


Happy mum

Muah Chee

So the last round I attempted a new way to eat the nian gao, I.e. wrapped by sticky chewy glutinous sesame balls. And becos of that, I have 3/4 pack of the glutinous rice flour left. Decided to try doing muah chee becos the eldest son had mumbled about craving for this sticky chewy sweet snack. Apparently, it's really really easy and taste good. Hence, am sharing the recipe here. 

Ingredients:

1 cup glutinous rice flour

1 cup water 

1/2 cup ground peanut powder

2 tbsp white sesame seeds roasted

2 tbsp fine sugar

2 tbsp oil 

Steps: 

1. Roast the white sesame seeds

2. Mix the flour and water and stir till dissolve. Set aside. 

3. Combine the grounded peanut powder, sesame seeds and sugar in a Tupperware and mix thoroughly.   Set aside. 

4. Pour the oil in a non-stick flat pan and pour the flour mixture. The oil should not be hot. Using a chopstick, keep stirring the mixture and within seconds the mixture will turn lumpy and will start to turn semi transparent. 

5. Using the chopsticks, fold in the corner of the dough to become a ball. Keep on folding till textile becos bouncy. When the dough is done, u can either cut a bigger slab and throw into the peanut mixture or like what I did, using the chopsticks, cross section the dough to cut it. 

6. Add the muah chee into the peanut mixture and mix well before dishing up. 

Enjoy!

Happy mum 

Claypot Fish Head

I think I have covered this dish before but as I have used new seasonings and added other ingredients this round, i thought I will blog it down as well. Between this and the last one I blogged, the family preferred today's. 

Ingredients:

- grouper fish head (wash and pat dry)

- corn flour (to powder the fish head)

- roast pork

- long white cabbage (chopped into big pieces)

- cauliflower

- yam (sliced into semi circle)

- bean curd (chopped into rectangular cubes)

- carrot (sliced)

- garlic (chopped)

- ginger (approx. 5-6 slices)

- spring onion (chopped only the white parts)

- others (basically to ur likings. I added Japanese fish cake, crab sticks etc for the kids)

Sauces:

- fish sauce (abt 1 tbsp)

- scallop sauce (abt 1 tbsp)

- oyster sauce (abt 2 tbsp)

- pinch of salt (taste to test the saltiness)

- cornstarch (for thickening)

- water

Early preparation works:

Before we can start cooking, some of the ingredients need to be prepared in advance, like the fish head, bean curd and yam. 

1. Fry the sliced yams and set aside. 

2. Using same oil, fry the bean curds and set aside. 

3. While frying, pat some salt onto the Fishhead and then powder the fish head with corn flour. Set aside for deep frying. 

4.  Once yam and bean curds are ready, pour out the oil and set aside for later use. Add in new oil for deep frying of Fishhead. 

5. Using medium fire, when the oil starts to get hot, (note: not booking), add in the fish head into the oil, with the outer skin facing up. 

6. Using a tong, flip the fish head over after 7mins. Continue to fry again till the fish meat shows traces of brown. Set aside when done. 

At this point, preparation work is over. The actual cooking starts here:

Steps: 

1. Heat the clay pot with 2tbsp of the remaining oil leftover from frying of yam and bean curd. Add in the spring onion, chopped garlic and sliced gingers. Fry till aromatic. 

2. Add in carrot and cauliflower and give a good fry for about 5mins. Add in 1 bowl of water and continue stirring. 

3. Add in the scallop, oyster sauce and the fish sauce. Stir well over high heat. Add a pinch of salt to taste. It should not be too much. We can always add in more towards the end. 

4. Add in the white cabbage. 

5. Add in the bean curd.

6. Add in the roast pork and the Japanese fish cake. 

7. Create a well by pushing the rest of the ingredients to the wall. Gently place in the fried fish head and let it simmer for about 3 mins.

Stir in some cornstarch to thicken the gravy. If the sauce is not salty, add in some salt to enhance the taste. Do rem, saltiness can cause bad health effects. 

8. Add in the crab stick, fried yam and the spring onion last. Close lip to simmer for another 2 min. Off fire, add garnishing and serve. 

Here's the finished product :

Hope you guys will like this one-pot dish. :)

Happy mum