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