Homey Instant Noodles

It's instant noodles night today... Usually we eat out during weekdays because by the time I reach home from work, it's pretty late. We always have a few brands of instant noodles at home. One of them is Myojo Abalone Chicken Instant Noodles. Most of the time I will include eggs, vegetables or mushrooms into the noodles. I hate having instant noodles only... Taste a bit funny! I will raid my fridge for leftover ingredients and toss them into the noodles. I love the sweetness of the soup seeping from the vegetables.

Ingredients:

1 pack of Myojo abalone chicken Instant noodles.
1 handful of broccoli
1 handful of cauliflower
12 sliced carrots
1 tomato (quartered)
1 chili padi (deseeded and chopped)
Few drops of sesame oil
Water
Dash of black pepper

Methods:

1. Put water to boil in the pot.

2. Toss in the tomatoes, cauliflower, chili and carrots. Cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add in the Myojo seasoning and noodles. Cook for 2 minutes.

4. Add the broccoli and cook for another 1 minute.

5. Add the sesame oil and turn off the fire.

6. Sprinkle with black pepper.

Yong Tau Foo Soup

Quick and simple Yong Tau Foo soup and stir fry vegetables to serve with rice for dinner today.

Ingredients:

Assorted Yong Tau Foo
10 Fish balls
10 slices ginger
2 litres water
4 tbsp ikan bilis powder
Salt
1 tbsp cooking oil

Methods:

1. Heat the oil in a pot. Sauté the ginger until fragrant.

2. Add the water into the pot and let it boil.

3. Once the water boils, sprinkle the ikan bilis powder. Cook for 10 minutes.

4. Put in the Yong Tau Foo and fish balls into the soup. Cook for few minutes.

5. Add some salt and stir. Turn off the heat.

May add some leafy vegetables too.

Muah Chee

This is my second time making Muah Chee. I simply can't believe how easy to do so! There is HappyCall Pan craze and I read a post online about using the pan to make Muah Chee. I don't know if Muah Chee is a dessert or snack.

The first time I made with HappyCall Pan. Today i used Tefal non stick pan. I guess as long as using non stick pans, the result should be the same. Actually the original recipe required shallot oil. But both time I only used cooking oil instead because ran out of shallots. But it was still yummy!

Mainly adapted from Cuisine Paradise.

Ingredients for the dough:

1 rice bowl of glutinous rice flour
3/4 rice bowl of water
1/2 tsp of sugar
(add the sugar into the flour. Slowly add the water into the flour and stir slowly until smooth texture)
1 tbsp of cooking or shallot oil
Peanuts powder with sugar added
(Xinglong brand)

Methods:
(using Happycall pan or any non stick pan)

1. Heat the oil in the pan. Reduce the heat.

2. Pour in the flour mixture and stir slowly.

3. When the mixture starts to turn into a dough, cook it for another 1 or 2 minutes. Then flip to another side till become transparent. Make sure the inside are cooked as well. Remove the dough and place it on an oiled plate (this is to prevent the dough to stick and leave clumps on the plate).

4. Use the kitchen towel to remove the oil in the pan. Then toast the peanut powder with small fire for a minute. Off the fire.

5. Toss the dough with the peanut powder. Then cut them into bite sizes. After cutting, toss the dough with the grounded peanuts again making sure all are evenly coated.

Spaghetti With Onions, Mushrooms And Chicken

Today, I made this Spaghetti for dinner. I didn't go to the wet market this morning and I was thinking just make a simple dinner.

I need to send my son to his tuition lessons on every Saturday afternoon. So preparing dinner is always a challenge to me on Saturday. Need something quick and easy! For the pasta sauce, i used store bought. Hehe... Oh yes, I serve the spaghetti with Italian Salad. I bought a bag of Italian Salad at Tanglin Market Place while waiting for my son to finish his class. Hmmm... The salad was very fresh and nice. I love the balsamic vinaigrette dressing! I boiled 2 eggs to add on the salad. A satisfying dinner! Burps!

Serve 5

Ingredients:

250g Spaghetti
1 onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (sliced)
1/2 green bell pepper (diced)
1/2 yellow bell pepper (diced)
200g chicken fillet
10 button mushrooms (sliced)
400g pasta sauce (store bought)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 coarse black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
Water for cooking the spaghetti
200ml or more water

Methods:

1. Boil a pot of water. Add a little salt and olive oil. Once the water starts to boil rapidly, put the spaghetti in. Cook for about 15 minutes. Drain the spaghetti once it's ready. Set aside.

2. Sprinkle the sea salt and coarse black pepper on the chicken fillets.

3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non stick pan. Pan fry the chicken fillets until nicely golden brown. Set aside. Slice them into bite sizes.

4. Using the same non stick pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauté the onions and garlic.

5. Toss in the bell peppers and mushrooms. Cook for a minute.

6. Add the pasta sauce. Mix evenly with the vegetables.

7. Add about 200ml of water and cook for 1 minute.

8. Add the spaghetti and chicken. Toss evenly. Turn off the heat.

You may grill the chicken fillets instead of pan frying.

Sticky Rice With Mango

My all time fave dessert would be this Sticky Rice with Mango! I must say the best Sticky Rice with Mango I have eaten was in Thailand.

With minimum of ingredients, it is very easy to make this dessert at home.

Serve 1 or 2

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of glutinous rice (I use rice cup)
1 pack of coconut milk
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
1 mango (cubed)

Methods:

1. Soak the glutinous rice with water overnight.

2. Steam the glutinous rice for about 30 minutes.

3. In the meanwhile, heat the coconut milk with low heat. Stir slowly. DO NOT BOIL THE MILK.

4. Add the salt and sugar. Keep stirring.

5. Taste the coconut milk if it is sweet enough for you. It's ok to be sweeter because it will taste less sweet with the sticky rice. Turn off the heat and set aside.

6. When the glutinous rice is ready, add 3 ~ 4 tbsp of coconut milk into the rice and mix well. Cover and leave it for 10 minutes.

7. Place the mango and sticky rice of the plate. Drizzle some coconut milk on the rice (and mangoes if prefer).

May add some pandan leaves in the coconut milk during the heating process.

Clear Tom Yum Goong

I always prefer clear Tom Yum Goong than the red or coconut Tom Yum Goong. This soup requires quite a number of ingredients but the cooking only takes a short while.

In Thai cooking, lemongrass, lime juice, galangal, etc are very commonly used. I will suggest to purchase more lime. I bought a bag of 13 limes to make this soup and Mango Salad. And it was just nice. I would have added another 1 or 2 tbsp of lime juice in this soup if I have extra juice left. I prefer more sourish Tom Yum... :)

Ingredients:

800ml -1 litre chicken stock / water
6-8 prawns (deveined)
1 squid (cut into bite sizes)
2 stalks lemongrass (cut into 5-6cm length - lightly crushed)
5 kaffir lime leaves
2 coriander roots
8-10 small slices of galangal
2 tomatoes (quartered)
8 button mushrooms (sliced)
8 slices of carrots
1 pack Enoki mushrooms
2 chilii padi (chopped)
4 (or more) tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
Salt

Garnish:
Coriander

Methods:

1. Boil the chicken stock in a pot.

2. Once the stock starts to boil rapidly, add galangal, lemongrass, coriander roots, chilli padi and kaffir leaves. Boil for a minute or two to release the fragrance of the herbs. Do not boil too long as overcooking the herbs will cause bitterness.

3. Add the tomatoes, carrots, button and enoki mushrooms, prawns and squid. Cook for a minute.

4. Drizzle the fish sauce and lime juice. Lastly add some salt as desired.

5. Garnish with coriander.

You may add more lime juice if you prefer more sourish soup. Add more chilli padi if prefer spicer soup.

Gai Yang (using oven)

I saw 3 chicken thighs selling at $5 at the wet market. Immediately I ordered and purchased. Usually I will prefer to buy and cook chicken wings. Well, we are getting slightly bored with the usual wings... And the chicken thighs looked pretty good! Yum!! Hahaha...

Gai Yang is commonly eaten in Thailand. I heard it is best to eat with sticky rice, but I have yet to try...

After pan fried and roasting, the chicken was very tender and juicy. Always pan fry the meat before putting into the oven, this is to lock in the moisture and give the meat a nice brown colour.

Ingredients:

3 pieces chicken thighs
2 tbsp cooking oil

Marinate:
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp ginger juice
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 coriander roots

Methods:

1. Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours in the fridge.

2. Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a non stick pan. In the meanwhile, preheat the oven at 200 degree.

3. Pan fried the chicken each side until nicely brown (for about 3 minutes with low heat). Remove and set the chicken on the baking tray.

4. Roast the chicken at 200 degree in the oven for 20 minutes, then reduce to 180 degree and roast for another 15-20 minutes (depend on individual's oven).

5. Put several lettuces on the plate. Lay the thighs on the lettuces and garnish with coriander.

6. Serve with Thai Pineapple Fried rice.

Thai Stir Fry Baby Kailan With Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 pack of Baby Kailan
1 pack of shiitake mushrooms (about 10, cut into half)
1/2 carrots (sliced)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 slice ginger (cut into matchsticks)
1 chilli padi (deseeded and chopped)
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp cooking oil
Water

Methods:

1. Heat the oil in the wok. Sauté the ginger, chilli padi and garlic.

2. Toss in the carrots and mushrooms. Stir fry for a while. Sprinkle some water if the wok is getting too dry.

3. Add the vegetables and continue to stir fry for a minute.

4. Drizzle the lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Continue to stir fry for another one minute.

5. Serve with rice.

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

Yesterday I decided to whip up some Thai dishes. My favorite Thai dishes: Tom Yum Goong, Kraphong Khao Priao Wan (sweet and sour fish), Gai Yang (Thai grilled chicken), Sweet and Sour Pineapple Fried Rice and Sticky Rice with Mango. What's yours?

For dinner I made: Clear Tom Yum Goong, Pineapple Fried Rice, Gai Yang, Stir fry little Kailan with mushrooms.

Serve 6

Ingredients:

2 cup rice (cook as per normal and chilled in fridge for at least 2 hrs. Best overnight)
1/2 carrot (diced)
100g Cashew nuts
1 box of dried raisins
2 slices fresh pineapple (cut into bite pieces)
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp minced shallots
2 tbsp cooking oil
Salt
2 tbsp water / pineapple juice (optional)

Garnish (optional):
Fried shallots
Coriander
Fried hotdogs
Prawns
Pork floss

Methods:

1. Heat the oil in the wok. Sauté the shallots and garlic.

2. Add the diced carrots and stir fry quickly.

3. Add the rice and pineapples into the wok and stir.

4. Add a tbsp turmeric powder. Stir and make sure the rice is evenly coated. Add some water if it's getting too dry.

5. Sprinkle some salt. Stir and taste the rice if it's salty enough.

6. Toss in the raisins and cashews. Mix with the rice. Turn off the heat.

7. Garnish with fried shallots and coriander. May add pork floss, hotdogs or prawns too.

Macaroni With Shredded Roasted Duck And Vegetables

Have some leftover roasted duck or chicken in the fridge? How about whipping up a nice hot bowl of macaroni with roasted duck or chicken? I had this for supper on Saturday night. I didn't want to cook instant noodles... And WOW!!! The roasted duck added much flavour into the soup! I definitely will make this again!

Serve 2

Ingredients:

Macaroni for 2 pax (about 2 handful for a pax)
1 knorr chicken cube
800ml or more water
1/3 Carrot (diced)
Flowering Choy Sum
Shredded roasted duck
Coarse black pepper

Methods:

1. Boil the water in a pot.

2. Once the water starts to boil, put in the chicken cube. Stir and let it dissolve.

3. Toss in the macaroni and carrots. Cook for about 10-15 minutes. The water should have reduced by half. Add more water as desired.

4. Add the shredded duck and continue to cook for another few minutes.

5. Add the leafy vegetables and cook for few seconds.. Turn off the heat.

6. Sprinkle with coarse black pepper.

Thai Mango Salad

I bought 3 Thai green mangoes at Shop n Save today. I love green mangoes than those ripe mangoes... Mainly because it's sour and crunchy. I often order this side dish at Thai restaurants and I just keep digging on it... Hehehe...

Ingredients:

1 Thai green mango (shredded)
2 shallot (sliced thinly)
2 chilli padi (chopped)
1 handful coriander leaves
1 tsp dried shrimp powder
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp fish sauce
1 lime (juiced)
3 tbsp crushed or grounded peanuts

Garnish:
Lettuce
Coriander

Methods:

1. Mix all the ingredients except peanuts together and chilled. May chilled overnight.

2. Arrange some lettuces on the plates and put the mangoes on the vegetables. Top with crushed or grounded peanuts, and garnish with coriander.

Before puting the peanut on the salad.

After mixing the peanuts with the salad.

Cabbage Tofu Soup (高丽菜豆腐汤)

Do not have much time to prepare dinner? Want to make a soup quickly? Try this Cabbage Tofu Soup then! It's quick and healthy.

Ingredients:

1 head cabbage (cut into bite sizes)
1 carrot (chopped into bite sizes)
1 box soft tofu (cut into bite sizes)
10 fishballs
10 slices ginger
6 tsp dried shrimp powder
1 tbsp cooking oil
Salt
2 litres water

Methods:

1. Heat the oil in a big pot. Sauté the ginger till fragrance.

2. Put in the cabbage and carrots. Stir fry for a minute.

3. Sprinkle the dried shrimp powder and stir fry.

4. Pour in the water and let it boil.

5. Once starting to boil rapidly, turn the heat down and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

6. After 20 minutes of simmering, turn the heat high and add the salt as desired.

7. Put in the tofu and fishballs. When the fishballs float on the surface, turn off the heat.

Easy Chinese Sweet And Sour Fish

This whole fish only costs $3. I bought it at the wet market. It was pretty late when I reached the market. There were only some fishes left. I don't know what's the name of this fish... :s I only know that I always buy this fish for deep frying. Next time I will post the photo of this fish before cooking... ;)

By the way, you may add a little of vinegar in the ketchup mixture.

Ingredients:

1 whole fish
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/2 onions (chopped into squares)
1/2 red bell pepper (chopped into squares)
1/2 yellow bell pepper (chopped into squares)
Oil for deep frying
1 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 tsp salt

Mixture:
6 tbsp or more ketchup
200ml water
Pinch of sugar

Methods:

1. Rub the salt on the fish.

2. Heat the oil for deep frying until hot. Turn the heat down before putting in the fish. Deep fry the fish until golden. Remove the fish and set it on a plate.

3. Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in the wok. Toss in the onions and sauté. Add the garlic and sauté.

4. Toss in the bell peppers and stir fry for few seconds.

5. Add the tomato mixture and let it boil. Cook for a minute and turn off the heat.

6. Ladle the sauce on top of the fried fish.

Old Cucumber Soup (老黄瓜汤)

Old cucumber soup is one of my fave soup. Why? I just like to eat the old cucumber after simmered for few hours. They are soft like jelly. You could scoop and mash the old cucumber lightly and blend with the soup! The soup is full of flavour and goodness!

Ingredients:

1 old cucumber (remove the seeds, cut into big pieces)
18 seedless red dates
1 carrot (cut into big pieces)
1 handful wolfberries
300g chicken breasts
3 litres water
Salt

Methods:

1. Boil the water in a big pot.

2. Once the water starts to boil rapidly, scoop some hot water and scald the chicken breasts. Drain and set aside.

3. Put the chicken breasts, carrots and old cucumber into the pot. Add the red dates. Boil with high heat for 5 minutes.

4. Reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 2 hours.

5. Toss in the wolfberries and simmer for another 30 minutes.

6. Add salt and stir. Turn off the heat.

Braised Mushroom With Fatt Choy

Soaking the mushrooms.

I was walking around when I saw packets of dried mushrooms outside the Chinese herbs shop. Immediately this dish popped out. There are some small dried mushrooms lying at home. Well, they are for the minced meat. I would prefer big and plump dried mushrooms for braising.

For most of the cantonese families, it is common to have braised mushrooms at home.

Ingredients:

20 dried mushrooms (soaked with hot water)
Fatt choy (soak with water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside)
2 cloves garlic (lightly crushed)
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp cooking oil
Pinch of salt

Methods:

1. Wash the dried mushrooms and soak in hot water for at least 30 minutes. Remove the stems and squeeze the water out of the mushrooms. Keep the water for soaking mushrooms.

2. Heat the oil and sauté the garlic.

3. Add the mushrooms and sauté.

4. Add the water (from soaking mushrooms) just enough to cover the mushrooms.

5. Add the oyster sauce and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes.

6. Turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes. Add more water if getting too dry.

7. Add the fatt choy and simmer for another 10 minutes. By now the sauce would have thicken so there is no need to thicken with corn flour.

8. Add a pinch of salt if the sauce is bland. Turn off the heat. Place the braised mushrooms on top of the stir fried spinach.

Stir fried Chinese spinach:
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 bag of Chinese Spinach
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp cooking oil

1. Heat the oil in the wok and toss in the garlic. Sauté.

2. Add the spinach and stir fry quickly.

3. Sprinkle salt and stir well. Turn off the heat and place the spinach on the plate.

Braised Prime Ribs With Bitter Gourd

Today I want to cook something with bitter gourd. Not the usual bitter gourd omelette again... I bought some chicken breasts for soup at the wet market and I saw some pork prime ribs. Why not braised prime ribs with bitter gourd? I love braising. It is so easy. Just put everything in and braised! :)

Ingredients:

6 pieces prime ribs
1/2 Bitter Gourd (cut into thick sticks, soak with water and 1 tsp of salt for 30 minutes. Rinse with water and set aside.)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp taucheo (minced)
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
300ml or more water
Pinch of sugar
1 tbsp cooking oil

Marinate the prime ribs for at least 30 minutes:
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
A dash of pepper

Methods:

1. Heat the oil in the claypot. Sauté the garlic and taucheo.

2. Add the ribs and stir fry a while.

3. Add the water and dark soy sauce. Let it simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Add the bitter gourd and continue to simmer until they are soften.

5. Add a pinch of sugar before turning off the heat.