Lee Ping's Kitchen 礼彬的厨房

Dear Friends and Family,

2007-03-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks for your support thus far.

I will not update this site any longer. I am migrating to a different editor. It is still free. So, feel free to pay me a visit. Sorry for the inconveniences.

Here is the new webaddress for my blog: http://hipfood.wordpress.com.

The Beginnings of Wine and Cheese

2007-03-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

Who is this handsome young man? My Dad, of course. Pa, remember this photo, we took it almost a year ago at Duck Pond winery tour when you were visiting us? I absolutely love this photo.

Bought the following bottle of wine for $23 last night. How is this bottle different from the $2.99 a bottle of "Charles Shaw" from Trader's Joes? I would splurge a bottle of expensive wine once in a while. However, for daily drinking for health purposes, I will still continue with my $2.99 a bottle. A word of warning: not all cheap wines are drinkable. I tried "La Boca" once, it tasted so bad that I could not even swallow it.

I don't think just one posting can cover all the know-hows. However, to start, last night, I learnt that the correct way of holding the wine glass is on the stem. That will ensure the heat of the palm does not transfer to the wine and thus affecting the wine tasting. So, Pa, you are holding it incorrectly!

This cheese was actually quite delicious. Perhaps it is because I did not have my dinner last night. Even plain french bread tasted good.

So, I also learnt that the rinds on the cheese can be eaten. At least the rind on this small piece of cheese. However, it is NOT recommended to eat the rinds on those big barrel of cheese because these barrel of cheeses roll on the floor.

OK, I need some help on photography again. Does anyone know how come this cheese photo is so dark looking?

Curry Puffs

2007-03-09T21:58:00.000-08:00

My daughter said that it was the best ever. The outer layer (skin) is crunchy yet flaky. The inner layer (filling) is smooth. I was glad.

I think a good curry puff is one that stays enclosed, even after going thru the deep frying process.

(reference: The food of Malaysia by Periplus Editions)

Filling:
5 tbsp oil
1 medium sized red or brown onion finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp kurma powder or chicken curry powder
2 tsp meat or chicken curry powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 cups finely diced, cooked chicken
2 large potatoes boiled and finely diced
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
Pastry:
4 cups white flour
10 tbsp butter or margarine (I used butter the last time and the pastry did not turn out as good as when I used shortening.)
Just over 3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
Make the filling first. Heat oil and fry the onion gently until golden brown. Add the curry powders, chili, turmeric and fry gently. Add the chicken, potatoes, sugar, pepper, and salt and cook for 5 minutes. Mix well and leave aside to cool.
To make pastry, mix flour with butter or margarine, water and salt and knead well. Let it rest for 1/2 hour. Cut the dough into circles 3 inches in diameter. Take a tbsp of filling and place in center. Fold pastry over to make a half circle and crimp at edges. Deep fry in hot oil until golden.
Author's hints: Not all margarine are suitable for pastry. The Malaysian brand Planta is recommended; Crisco is a suitable substitute.

I haven't tried Lily's recipe yet but I can imagine it will be very tasty as well. http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2006/08/spiral-curry-puffs.html

Thanks!

2007-03-09T11:53:00.000-08:00

I have to thank all the people that wrote in giving me tips on photographing. I shall "Pay it Forward".

Now, even red onion looks appetizing. Can anyone guess what the second photo is? It is flour mixed with butter and salt. It is tonight's snack, curry puffs. Stay tuned for recipes... and more appetizing photos.

Check out these non-food Malaysian BLOGs!

2007-03-09T07:52:00.000-08:00

Thumbs up to the following Malaysian Bloggers/Writers, that I stumbled upon while blogging this morning:
Lydia Teh
KennyMah

I have also started a new posting to record my daily prayers to God.

Min Jiang Kueh

2007-03-08T08:20:00.000-08:00

This is also known as Ban Chian Koay (in Hokkein?). I remember eating this snack, growing up in Malaysia. Hey sis, remind me, how do we get this snack? Later, when I went to Taiwan to visit my in-laws, I had it again. The fillings were sweetened red bean, instead of peanuts.

Eating food at hawker stands is almost never sanitary. I remember one of the hawkers (of course, not the one that was serving my food), had one hand picking his nose, and the other hand scratching his butt. It is strange that you are not aware of this when you are little kids.

I highly recommend that you try out this recipe because it is not too complicated and it does not take up a whole day to make it. It will be a great snack or breakfast. My kids love them.

Unfortunately, these photos does not gives justice to the delicious taste or good looks. Does anyone know why is the background is clearer than the foreground? Wow, there is so much to learn in life. First come cooking, next come photographing.

I do not have a cast iron pan, so I used a non stick pan to make this. If you like bigger kueh, use a bigger pan and put more ladle of batter into your pan. After making the first one, you will get an idea, on how much batter to put in your next one. I have used the following recipes numerous times. It is well tested. Please pay attention to my notes in parenthesis. It will ensure that you are successful as well.

(reference: Hawker's Galore (A guide to Penang Hawker Food)

Batter Ingredients
230 gm plain flour
2 tsp castor sugar
1 egg beaten
2 cups water/milk
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 tsp oil

Batter Preparation

Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add in egg, liquid and oil. Mix into a smooth batter and allow to stand for at least 2 hours. (Since the batter has egg, make sure you refrigerate your batter.)

Flling Ingredients

4 tsp castor sugar
2 tsp roasted sesame seeds
6 tsp peanuts roasted and ground
4 tsp butter

Preparation

Ban Chian Koay pan is a heavy, cast iron pan used over a coal fire. To obtain best results, it is recommended that a heavy base 16 cm frying pan be used if the original pan is not available. Heat the pan over fairly high heat. Spoon a ladle of the batter in the pan and spread it evenly. WHen mixture turns translucent, sprinkle sugar, ground peanut and sesame seeds evenly over the surface. Dab with butter. Cover pan to ensure even heating. Cook for another 3 minutes; remove pancake and fold in two. Serve hot.

p/s Check out the photos and the author's warning in this blog: http://yummydummy.blogspot.com/2006/12/best-of-best.html

Black Moss

2007-03-07T17:35:00.000-08:00

Fa Chai 发菜 (black moss) contain no nutritional value, it has been found to contain a toxic amino acid linked to degenerative diseases affecting the normal functions of nerve cells, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and dementia. Check out this link.

I just trashed a bag of Fa Chai. Felt sad because it was not cheap. But, I did get a chance to take a photo and posted it here.

(Little Corner of Mine, thanks again for the info and link.)

Halibut with Tofu in Crispy Bean Sauce

2007-03-07T12:51:00.000-08:00

When we were in Vancouver, B.C., Canada last year, we tried out a spicy fish dish at 老四川 (Old Szechwan Restaurant) and fell in love with it. The texture of the fish was as soft as the soft tofu.

Tonight, I attempted this dish with a vacuum packed frozen cod fish. I used Trader Joe's roasted soy nuts to give this mouth-watering dish, the extra crunch.

(reference: Chinese Cuisine Szechwan Style by Lee Hwa Lin)
Ingredients:

1 piece of Halibut or Cod fish marinate (30 minutes) with:

6 sections Green Onion
4 slices ginger
1 Tbsp cooking wine
1/4 tsp each salt, pepper

enough cornstarch to coat the fish if you are pan frying.
110g (4 oz) minced pork (or 1 piece of soft tofu cut to chunks)
90g beige fermented beans (or 2 Tbsps of roasted soynuts from Trader Joes)
1/2 Tsp sugar
1 Tbsp hot soy bean paste
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 Tbsp minced green onion
(1/4 cup of stock)

Method:

Steam the marinated fish for 12 minutes, remove and drain. (Instead of steaming the fish, I apply a thin coat of cornstarch and pan fry until golden on both sides, in a non-stick pan)

Heat the wok, add 4 Tbsp oil (I used only 1 Tbsp).

Stir fry pork until done, add in beans and sugar. Fry until beans are crispy. (I skipped this step because I did not use pork and beige fermented beans.)

Then mix in hot bean paste and stock. When the mixture is boiling, add tofu and cook for 2 minutes.

Add in green onion and sesame oil. (Sprinkle with roasted soy nuts.) Mix thoroughly and spread over the fish and serve.

Nyonya Sweet and Sour Fish (Ikan Asam Manis Nyonya)

2007-03-06T17:14:00.000-08:00

This dish is "heavenly delicious".

My Mom can make this dish with her eyes closed. I still have to use measuring spoons, but what's important is the mouth watering end result.

Ingredients:

(Reference: Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian Cuisine by Wei Chuan. )

2 whole trout marinated with 1 tsp each salt and lime juice 1/2 onion sliced,

2 garlic cloves crushed, 4 ginger root slices

1 cup tomato pieces, 2 Tbsp shredded chili peppers

1 cup water, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 Tbsp each sugar, vinegar, 1 1/2 Tbsp ketchup 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 Tbsp water

Method:

1) score fish in thick areas. Rub with salt and lime juice; Let stand for 30 minutes and then pat dry. Lightly coat fish with corn starch.

2) Heat 4 T oil. Pan fry fish over medium heat for 2 minutes, until both sides is golden brown. Move the fish to the side of pan. Stir fry onion, garlic and ginger in remaining oil until aromatic. Add tomato and chili peppers and lightly stir fry. Move fish back to center. Add water, salt, sugar and vinegar mixture and cook for 5 minutes until fish is cooked. remove fish and put on a plate. Add cornstarch mixture to the remaining mixture in the pan. Stir to thicken. Pour over fish. Serve with rice.

Sea Cucumber, Ｍushroom and Ｗood Ｅar in high stock

2007-03-05T17:17:00.000-08:00

My latest craving is sea cucumber. I usually buy my meat fresh because I don't like the defrost from freezer taste. However, sea cucumber is one of the few meats that still taste good after defrosting. Just make sure you wash these suckers thoroughly before you cook them and you will have a great dish to serve. I named this dish "...in high stock" because the stock that I used is very rich (pork bones cooked overnight).

Ingredients :

2 lbs Sea cucumber, soaked

3 whole shitake mushroom, soaked

3 whole wood ears, soaked
5 Green onion
5 slices Ginger
4 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Wine
1/2 tsp Sugar

1 tsp salt
1 tbsp Cornstarch, mix with 1 tbsp cold water
1 1/2 cup soup stock
1/2 tbsp Sesame oil

Method :

1) Clean the soaked sea cucumber.

2) Cook with 1 green onion, 3 slices ginger, 1 tablespoon wine and 5 cups of cold water about 20 minutes over low heat.

3) Discard the water, ginger and onion.

4) Heat 1 tbsp oil in frying pan, fry 3 green onion, 2 slices ginger and then add sea cucumber, mushroom and wood ear.

5) Add wine, soy sauce, salt, sugar and soup stock, cook for about 3 minutes.

6) Thicken with cornstarch paste.

７）Add sesame oil.

8)　Pour in platter. Serve.

Note: If you purchase the dried sea cucumber, make sure you soak it well and wash and resoak. This website shows you the steps prepare sea cucumber for cooking: http://eatfirstthinklater.blogspot.com/2007/02/sea-cucumbers.html

Indian Rojak

2007-03-03T21:32:00.000-08:00

I attempted Indian Rojak tonight. It was surprisingly laborious. We loved the prawn fritters and the sweet potato sauce. I followed the recipe from "Hawkers Galore - A guide to Penang Hawker Food". Thanks Pa for the copy of the book.

Ingredients
300 gm small prawns for fritters (see below for recipe)
4 pieces fried tau kwa sliced
300 gm blanched bean sprouts
1 medium bangkuang (jicama), shredded
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
2 large boiled potatoes, sliced
1 large cucumber, shredded
150 gm cooked squids, sliced (optional)
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
150 gm freshly ground peanuts

To serve Indian Rojak
Place prawn fritters, tau kwa, potatoes, squids and egg slices.
Sprinkle over with bean sprouts, shredded cucumber and bangkuang.
Ladle sauce over and garnish with ground peanuts and sesame seeds.

Sauce Ingredients
4 tsp finely ground chilies
10 shallots
2 tsp tamarind for 3 cups juice
1 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic
300 gm sweet potatoes
4 tsp sugar
4 tsp oil

Sauce Preparation
Grind chilies, garlic, shallots into a rempah. Boil sweet potatoes and pass thru fine sieve.
Heat oil and fry rempah.
Add tamarind juice and bring to boil.
Blend in sweet potatoes and simmer for 30 minutes over a very low fire, stirring occasionally.

Prawn Fritters Ingredients
330 gm small prawns, minced
150 gm self raising flour
(1 cup self-raising flour = 1 cup cake flour + 1 tsp baking powder + pinch of salt)
8 tsp water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp pepper
oil to deep fry

Mix all ingredients into a thick batter.
Heat oil and deep fry batter in cylindrical lengths of 6 cm.
Drain well and slice into 1/2 cm pieces.

Dragon Dance

2007-03-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

This photo seems out of place, isn't it? I thought it was fun to include it here since it is chinese new year. We are only inches away from this dragon. 2007 is the Year of the Pig (also called the Year of the Boar). This year Chinese New Year is on February 18, first day in the Chinese lunar calendar.

Satay

2007-03-02T14:12:00.000-08:00

This dish is an all time favorites of the young and old. I found the Ayam brand satay seasoning and satay sauce to be quite authentic and very convenient to use. i marinated pieces of chicken thigh meat with the satay seasoning and inserted them into the bamboo skewers to broil in the preheated oven. Keep a close watch because it may burn. i turn them once after 3 minutes. serve these satays with the satay sauce and some sliced red onion and cucumber.

Pineapple Cookie

2007-03-02T14:09:00.000-08:00

I used regular cookie cutter to make the flower shape. The filling was delicious and the cookie dough was so soft and flaky that you have to be careful handling it. I used Lily's recipe to make this cookie, http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2006/02/pineapple-tarts.html.

Valentine Pineapple Cookie

2007-02-14T21:17:00.000-08:00

I made these valentine cookies for a church gathering. Since i did not have the pineapple cookie mold, I simply insert the pineapple filling in between two cookies. Interested in trying this out, check out http://belachan2.blogspot.com/2005/04/heart-shape-pineapple-tarts.html.

Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf

2007-02-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
2 cups of long grain sweet rice
uncooked1/2 cup shiitake mushroom
cut into thin strips1/4 lb. of lean pork
1/4 cup of soaked dried shrimp
1/4 cup of chopped shallot
2 tbsps of cooking oil
1/4 tsp of salt
4 tbsps of soy sauce

Method:
Brown shallots in oil or use pre-fried shallot bits. Cook two cups of rice with two cups of water in a rice cooker. When rice is ready, stir fry pork till done. Add mushrooms, shrimps and shallots, stir some more. Add soy sauce, add rice and salt. Mix well till all rice grains are coated with brown color. Serve warm.

It tastes good as is. However, if you want to be real fancy, you can buy lotus leaf from Chinese stores and wrap the rice and filling in the lotus leaf. The lotus leaf must be washed and soaked before you wrap your fillings. You can make as big or as little as your heart desires, just trim the lotus leaf to size.

Lady Fingers / Okra and Tomato with Basmati Saffron Rice

2007-01-23T09:32:00.000-08:00

Ingredient:
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
4 tsp ginger
2 tsp curry powder
10 small tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes
2 cups chickpeas (optional)
2/3 cup water
1 tsp salt
black pepper

Method:
Saute onion, ginger, garlic
Add curry powder (cook for 2 min)
Add tomato, water (and chickpeas) (cook for 3 min)
Add okra, salt and pepper (cook for 10 min)

For the basmati saffron rice, add 3 - 4 strands of saffron to 2 cups of basmati rice and cook in rice cooker with water or stock.

Nyonya Chang (in Hokkein)

2007-01-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

My first attempt at making Nyonya Chang. Also known as Nyonya style Glutinous Rice Bamboo Leaf Dumpling in English or Nyonya Chung in Cantonese or Nyonya Zhong Zhi in Mandarin.

I followed the recipe on Lily's website, but used less sugar: http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2006/05/nyonya-chang.html.

My baby's small hand reaching out to get the chung. Loved this photo!

There are many variations to this type of Nyonya dumpling:

This one added ground nuts and ginger in addition to what Lily had, http://www.asian-recipes.com/celebrations/chinese_festivals_foods/nyonya-rice-dumpling.php

Check out this website. The author was kind enough to share with me the secret ingredient to yet another variation, dried shrimp:
http://eatfirstthinklater.blogspot.com/2006/05/making-chinese-rice-dumpling-bak-chang.html

This recipe adds black eyed beans to the rice:
http://www.kuali.com/recipes/viewrecipe.asp?r=306

Thanks to Nuttiegrl from mybuddies.net:
Here's a recipe from Nyonya Flavours recipe book for Nyonya Chang (Puah Kiam Ti Chang)
(makes 15-18)
ingredients
500g glutinous rice
2 tbsp indigo blue colouring (extracted from butterfly pea flower)
2 tbsp cooking oil
Spice paste (ground)
1 tbsp peppercorns
4 tsp coriander powder
50g (8 cloves) garlic
20g cekur ginger root
300g belly pork, cut into small cubes
2 tsp salt, or to taste
2 tbsp sugar, or to taste
150g candied winter melon, chopped
100g roasted peanuts, pounded
250ml (1 cup) thick santan mixed with
1 tsp salt
30 dried bamboo leaves, soaked until soft and wiped dry
1-2 bundle hemp strings, soaked
2 pandan leaves, cut into 3cm lengths

method:
Wash glutinous rice until water runs clear. Remove 150g of the rice to a seperate bowl and add 2 tbsp blue colouring. Mix well. Soak both the rice overnight in water and drain before use.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok to saute the spice paste until fragrant. Add the pork and stir until cooked. Season to taste with salt & sugar. Add the candied melon, fry for a few seconds before removing from heat. Leave the filling to cool and mix in the pounded peanut.
Bring water to boil in a wok and steam the glut. rice for 1 hour or until cooked. Stir in the coconut milk and steam for another 10 min.
To wrap: Overlap the bamboo leaves together and fold into a cone. Fill cone with 1 heaped tbsp rice, 1 tbsp blue-coloured rice, 1 tbsp filling and another of the glut. rice. Top with a piece of pandan leaf. Fold the loose ends of the bamboo leaves over the rice and wrap dumpling into a pyramid shape before securing with the hemp string. Repeat until you have a dozen or so dumplings all tied to a bunch. Continue wrapping the dumplings on another bundle of hemp string until the rice is used up.
Steam the dumplings over rapidly boiling water for 20-30 min.

This website has photos showing how to make and wrap Turmeric Sambal Dumplings. http://jodelibakery.netfirms.com/

Amy Beh's recipe using Black Glutinous Rice, mushroom, mung bean, dried shrimp, lotus seed candied winter melon and black bean sauce, in addition to the regular nyonya spice ingredients (shallots, coriander powder, cekur root and garlic) that were mentioned in the other websites: http://kuali.com/recipes/viewrecipe.asp?r=1384

The ingredients in this next recipe looks good. I think I will try making this filling.
http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2007/1/23/lifeliving/16546300

Rempah Udang (Glutinous Rice Rolls with Dried Prawn Filling)
300g glutinous rice, washed, soaked overnight and drained
200ml thick coconut milk mixed with 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar
1 banana leaf, cut into 20 pieces (of 13x10cm rectangles), scalded to soften and wiped dry
40 pieces of 3cm-long bamboo picks, cut both the pointed edges
Filling
100g white grated coconut
50g dried prawns, soaked, drained and pounded
30g candied winter melon, chopped finely
1 tbsp oil
Ingredients (A) – (Ground finely)
1 tbsp roasted coriander powder
1 small piece cekur root (sar keong)
1 clove garlic
4 shallots
1 red chilli, seeded
Seasoning (B)
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
3 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
2 tbsp water
Method:
Steam glutinous rice for 20 minutes then add salt, sugar and thick coconut milk to the rice. Return rice and coconut mixture to the steaming tray and steam for another 10 minutes until well cooked.
Panfry the grated white coconut until evenly browned then grind until fine (kerisek).
Heat oil in a wok and fry ingredients (A) until fragrant. Add the dried prawns, seasoning (B), kerisik and candied melon. Dish out and set aside to cool.
Place 2 tablespoonful of glutinous rice in the centre of a banana leaf. Spread one tablespoonful of filling in the centre and top up with another tablespoonful of rice. Wrap each roll firmly in the banana leaf, press the ends together and secure the ends with bamboo picks.
Grill the rolls over charcoal fire or in an electric grill for 15 minutes, turning the rolls occasionally. An alternative is to pan-grill the rolls in a frying pan, to brown the banana leaves all over, until aromatic.

Ang Ku Kueh (Red Turtle Rice Cake)

2007-01-20T20:59:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the mom and sis LeeLi for sending the Ang Ku mold to me. My first attempt and it is a success. Not only it looked great but it also tasted great. Thanks to Lily's recipe http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2005/09/ang-koo-ah-mah-chew.html. I used parchment paper instead of banana leave.

Wonton Mein

2006-11-08T15:21:00.000-08:00

Growing up in Malaysia, we would eat Kon Low Mein as a family activity on the weekends. Finally, I have mastered the art of making charsiu. If I buy frozen wontons, making this dish is a breeze.

Char Siu is Chinese barbequed pork; sometimes simply called Chinese roast pork. Its distinguishing color is red, supposedly from the barbeque sauce marinade. It is readily available in most Chinese restaurants and Noodle shops - the ones where you see barbequed or roasted ducks and chickens hanging in the window. There are brand name readymade 'Char Siu Sauce' which can be found in most Oriental grocery stores; and in the ethnic, Asian or Oriental aisle of your supermarket. To make your own Char Siu, refer to http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2005/07/char-siew.html

The following recipe is from http://www.malaysianfood.net/recipes/recipewontonmee.htm

INGREDIENTS :
½ lb Chinese 'red' barbequed pork [Char Siu, in Chinese dialect], sliced
8 'coils' [individual portions] wonton noodles [Chinese thin egg noodles]
16 cups chicken stock [you can make your own clear chicken soup or use a good store bought chicken stock]
½ lb Choy Sum [also called Chinese Chard, Chinese Flowering Cabbage or Bok Choy Sum] [Sawi Manis in Malay], cut into bite-size [Substitute: bok choy or your favorite leafy greens]
2 stalks scallions, finely chopped [optional]
4-6 fresh green Serrano chilies, finely sliced [Substitute: 2-3 fresh jalapenos] [optional]
½ cup white vinegar [optional]

INGREDIENTS for Wontons:
½ lb fresh minced [chopped] fairly lean pork
40 wonton skins [more or less]
1 egg
3 cloves garlic, finely mashed or pounded
½ inch ginger, finely grated
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
1½ tbsp corn flour
½ tsp white pepper
½ tsp salt
1 tsp corn flour combined with 2-3 tbsp water, for sealing wonton skins [Stir well just before use]
FYI : The spelling for 'Wonton' varies in different parts of the world - Won Ton, Wan Ton, Wanton, Wan Tan and Wantan. The common spelling in USA is 'wonton'. Wonton noodles [mee] can be found in the refrigerated section of most Oriental grocery stores. The 'fresh' noodles are lightly coated in flour and 'coiled' into individual portions for easy serving [usually 8 in a package]. Dried wonton noodles may also be available - which require a longer blanching or cooking time.

Method:
To Prepare Wontons:
In a bowl combine minced pork, egg, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce, corn flour, white pepper and salt
Put a heaped teaspoonful of pork into the center of a wonton skin, lightly dab the edges with the corn flour & water 'glue'. Bring the corners together, give it a twist sealing out as air as possible [Best made ahead of time and refrigerated]

Putting it all together:
[Optional] finely slice green Serrano chilies, add white vinegar, set aside in a condiment dish
In a stockpot, bring chicken stock to a boil, then lower heat to keep hot
In a large pot, bring water to a rapid boil, blanch choy sum until just al dente, strain well, set aside for garnish
In the same boiling water, using a 'spider sieve' cook wonton noodles one coil at a time for a min or so, remove from boiling water, dip into a bowl of fresh water before dipping into the boiling water again
Drain well and put into individual serving bowls
In the same boiling water, carefully drop in a few wontons at a time, cook for 2 mins or so [test one for doneness]

Pour hot chicken soup stock over noodles, garnish with a few wontons, sliced roast pork, blanched choy sum and chopped scallions
Serve hot immediately, and if preferred, a condiment of sliced pickled green chilies on the side

Variation:
For 'Dry' Wonton Mee - blanch noodles, drain then toss well with a 1-2 tsp sweet dark soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil. Garnish with sliced roast pork, choy sum and wontons; or serve the wontons in a small bowl of chicken soup with chopped scallions. 'Dry' Wonton Mee is sometimes referred to as Kon Lo, Konlo or Kon Loh Mee.

Kuih Lapis

2006-11-06T20:26:00.000-08:00

This recipe is from http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2005/07/kuih-lapis.html. I modified it slightly by playing with the colors. I alternated the layers with white and green and end it with red.

Po Piah

2006-10-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

As a little girl, I remember going to my grandma's house to eat this dish. The kitchen was very rustic with a wooden stove. Grandma had lots of mouth to feed, 12 children and many grandchildren. This dish certainly satisfy the taste buds of the young and old.

Ingredients:
8 cloves garlic, chopped finely
2 tbsp salted soy bean paste
1 pound jicama (shredded)
2 hard bean curd cakes, fried and sliced thinly
1 tsp black soy sauce
1 cup cabbage (shredded)
1 cup green beans
4 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt

20 large po piah skins/lumpia (individually wrapped is preferred)
sweet black sauce (tim cheong) to taste
long leaf lettuce
fresh chilies (optional)
bean sprouts (blanced in hot water briefly and drained)
roasted peanuts (remove skin, coarsely ground)
fried shallots

(The following can be omitted if going completely vegetarian)
8 peeled shrimps
3 eggs lightly beaten and make 3 thin omelets. After cooked, cut into thin strips and set aside.

Method:
To make the filling, fry garlic and salted soy bean paste until fragant. Reserve 3 tsps of this. Leave the remaining fried paste in the pan and add the jicama. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Then add the fried bean curd. Season with black soy sauce.

In separate pan, use 1 tsp of the reserved garlic and soy bean paste mixture to fry the shrimp until cooked. Repeat with cabbage and then with the beans.

Mix cooked cabbage, beans and shrimp into the cooked jicama and add sugar and salt. Leave to cool.

To serve, put all the prepared ingredients on the table. Place a po piah skin on a flat surface, spread with a little sweet black sauce if desired. Place a lettuce leaf, a little of everything from the jicama mixture, egg, bean sprout, peanuts and shallots. Fold in the sides and roll up.

Taiwanese Meat Soup (Ro Geng)

2006-09-27T22:34:00.000-07:00

In Mandarin, this is called "Ro Geng". In Taiwanese language, this is called "Bah Geng". My roommates from Taiwan used to make this soup in a pot and I can smell the soup even when my doors were closed.

I used the following recipe as my reference:

http://www.chezpei.com/2006/08/ro-geng.html

This recipe is interesting in that it doesn't involve any complicated techniques or particularly exotic ingredients, but the prep work can kill you if you don't plan ahead and expect to be in the kitchen for a long time. This recipe will make a large pot (six quart pot, not filled all the way to the top) of ro geng, which was perfect for dinner for three and leftovers the next day.

Ingredients:
Pork butt (shoulder), about 1 lb
Fish paste, about 1/2 lb
two 32 fl oz. chicken stock + enough water to cover the vegetable
a small napa cabbage, or half a large one
ten shitake mushrooms, fresh or soaked overnight in water
2-3 tbsp dried shrimp, soaked in water
three carrots
one 16 oz. can of slivered bamboo (not whole, not sliced--slivered!)
one package fresh enoki mushrooms, or canned if you can't find fresh
one package wood ear mushrooms if you can find them and if you like them
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup black vineger
dash of white pepper
dash of sesame oil
1/4 cup cornstarch mix with 1/4 cup cold water
fresh cilantro

Method:
This dish is as much about texture as flavor. Cut the meat against the grain into three inch long slices. Because pork butt has so many sections, you're going to have to turn the meat a lot and constantly check that you're cutting against the grain. It helps if the meat is slightly frozen. Just be sure to trim all the biggest chunks of fat and throw them away. This is probably the toughest part of the recipe to get right.

Cut napa cabbage in half horizontally (that is, separate the top leafy part from the bottom white part). Stack the two halves, and cut into finger-thick strips the other way.

Cut the carrots into long thin strips similar size to the slivered bamboo strips.

Slice the shitake and wood ear thinly.

Cut the dirty part off the enoki and separate them lightly.

Chop cilantro. Whether you include the stems is up to you. I like to leave just a little stem for crunch.

Add chicken stock to a pot of water (about a gallon total). Of course if you have homemade chicken or pork stock you can use that. Bring to a rapid boil.

Meanwhile, mix the pork slices and fish paste until all the pork is evenly coated.

When the water comes to a boil, start dropping the coated pork in one slice at a time. Be sure not to let the pork drop in the water in clumps.

Turn down the flame to a simmer and add the dried shrimp.

After 10 minutes of slow simmer, add the napa, bamboo, mushrooms, and carrots. Stir well and bring to a simmer.

Add soy sauce, black vinegar, and a teaspoon of salt. Taste, and add more if needed.

Cover and let everything cook together at a bare simmer for half an hour or until the vegetables are soft.

Mix cornstarch with cold water and mix well. It should be the consistency of whole milk. Make sure there are no lumps. Bring the soup to a light boil. While stirring, add half the cornstarch mixture in a thin stream. Stir well so you don't get big clumps. Let the soup simmer so it thickens up. You're going for a gooey consistency kind of like gravy, but thinner than clam chowder out of a can. Add more cornstarch mixture if needed.

Add a dash of sesame oil and white pepper upon serving. This stew is good the next day or straight out of the pot.

Taiwanese Oyster Omelet (Oh Ah Chian)

2006-09-27T22:08:00.000-07:00

This is my husband's favorite dish. I found this dish from the following link:
http://passionateeater.blogspot.com/2006/07/working-eater-series-taiwanese-oyster.html

Ingredients:
10 oz jar of refrigerated shucked oysters, drained and roughly chopped
1/4 cup powdered sweet potato starch
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce (can substitute 1 tbsp of sriracha thoroughly mixed with 1 tbsp of ketchup)
3 large eggs, scrambled
2 tbsp of vegetable oil (divided)
1 cup of cooked chrysanthemum greens, stir-fried with 2 cloves of chopped garlic (can substitute mustard greens or spinach for the chrysanthemum greens)

Method:
Combine the sweet potato starch, water, and oysters until thoroughly blended. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a wok or large skillet until shimmering, and pour the starch batter in the skillet and allow it to cook and set until it begins to turn translucent. Flip the sweet potato starch pancake until it becomes translucent throughout. (You may have to break the sticky pancake up into more manageable patches, and individually flip each patch.) The pancake should have a gluey texture, almost like mochi. Now, take the cooked pancake off the heat, and reserve.

Using the same pan (first, make sure that the surface is clean and unblemished with leftover potato starch bits), add the remaining tbsp of oil, and heat until shimmering. Swirl the scrambled egg mixture into the heated pan. Being careful not to break the egg omelet, heat it until it is set, and carefully flip it, using a wide-brimmed spatula if necessary.

There are two ways to serve the omelet. You can either spread the bed of greens and cooked potato starch mixture on one-half of the omelet (while it is still in the pan) and flip it onto a plate, or put the greens and potato starch mixture directly on the plate, and put the full, circular omelet on top. Either way, spread the hot sauce on the surface of the scrambled omelet, and enjoy!

Taiwanese Pork Chop (Pai Ku Fan)

2006-09-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

"This pork chop recipe has a great flavor using Chinese five-spice powder. If you can find sweet potato powder, use it instead of cornstarch. Serve this with plain white rice and a simple vegetable side."

http://pork.allrecipes.com/az/83792.asp

INGREDIENTS:
4 (3/4 inch) thick bone-in pork chops
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon white wine
1/2 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
vegetable oil
vegetable oil for frying
cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:
With a sharp knife, make several small slits near the edges of the pork chops to keep them from curling when fried.
Into a large resealable plastic bag, add the soy sauce, garlic, sugar, white wine, and five-spice powder. Place chops into the bag, and close the seal tightly. Carefully massage the marinade into chops, coating well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, turning the bag over every so often.
In a large skillet, heat enough vegetable oil to fill the skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Remove chops from resealable bag without wiping off marinade. Lightly sprinkle cornstarch on both sides of the chops.
Carefully add chops to skillet; cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.

Taiwanese Ground Pork Rice (Ro Chao Fan)

2006-09-27T16:47:00.000-07:00

I had this dish at Taiwanese Restaurants and fell in love with it. Young and old will enjoy this dish. I found the recipe on this link: http://www.recipezaar.com/95047

Ingredients:
1 lb ground pork
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
4 tablespoons minced garlic
1 (3 ounce) package fried shallots (can be found at any Oriental grocery store)
2 cups water
1/3-1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon msg (optional)
steam rice

Method:
Brown pork in skillet until cooked; drain off oil and set aside.
Add vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat.
Saute garlic for 1 minute.
Add pork and shallots, stir a few times.
Add water and the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
Uncover and cook for 15 more minutes.
Serve over steamed rice.

Chee Cheong Fun Sauce

2006-09-26T07:28:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :
1/4 cup Sweetened soy sauce
2 tbsp Sesame paste
2 tsp Hoi Sin sauce
1 tbsp Sesame oil

Method :
Steam store bought rice rolls and mix with sauce.

Whipping Cream Tips

2006-09-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

Nothing can replace the taste and creaminess of real whipped cream.

Here's how:
1)Begin with thoroughly chilled cream.
2)Chill mixing bowl and beaters.
3)Whip the cream on medium speed.
4)Add sugar (2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup granulated) and any flavorings while whipping cream.
5)Cream is whipped when soft peaks form.
6)For vanilla-flavored whipped cream, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
For a chocolate flavor add 2 tablespoons cocoa with 2 tablespoons of sugar.
For coffee-flavored cream add 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules and 2 tablespoons sugar.
One teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of your favorite liquor and liqueur flavors work as well.

Tips:
Use cream that has either a 36 to 40 percent milk-fat content (heavy cream) or 30 to 36 percent (light whipping cream).
Don't over-whip the cream. It turns to butter.
Sweeten whipped cream to taste, and depending on what it accompanies.

http://baking.about.com/cs/hintsandtips/ht/whipcream.htm

Tired of your whipped cream separating by the second day? Do what the professional do.

Here's how:
1)Soak plain gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes.
2)Dissolve by placing it in a container over a small pot of simmering water.
3)Whip the cream until barely stiff.
4)Add melted gelatin all at once to cream during whipping.
5)Stop whipping when cream forms soft peaks.

Tips:
For 1 cup of cream use 1/2 teaspoon gelatin soaked in 1 tablespoon cold water.
For 2 cups of cream use 1 teaspoon gelatin soaked in 2 tablespoons cold water.
For 6 cups of cream use 1 tablespoon soaked in 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon cold water.

http://baking.about.com/cs/hintsandtips/ht/stabilizewhip.htm

Black Forest Cake

2006-09-24T21:36:00.000-07:00

After several serious attempts, I got it to taste right - the cake has risen! I wish it look better. I used the same ingredients as my Pandan Chiffon Cake, with the following substitution:

1) pandan paste with 15g cocoa powder.
2) coconut milk with regular whole milk.

After the cake is done baking, I turned the cake upside down and cooled it over a wine bottle. After cooling, I cut the cake into 4 layers and soak it with cherry brandy syrup (130g water, 50g sugar, 30g cherry brandy/kirsch).

I layered each layer with chocolate cream (50g sweetened dark chocolate, 220g whipping cream), dark cherry mixture (1 canned of pitted sour cherry - halved, 40g sugar, 20g cornstarch), whipping cream (beat the whipping cream with icing sugar until stiff).

To decorate, I used chocolate shavings from Ghiradelli blocks and maraschino cherries.

Check out Lily's version, if you have time. How I wish mine look as good as hers. http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2006/03/black-forest-cake.html

Steam Fish

2006-09-24T21:23:00.000-07:00

This is perhaps one of the easier dishes to make when you want to impress your family. There are a few tricks to making a good steam fish.

1) fresh fish (it is a must! I keep a cooler in my car in summer days to ensure freshness before I get home).
2) ask the fishmonger to clean the fish for you (once the scales are removed, cook within that day). Rinse it well when you are ready to cook.
3) pat it dry. Marinate with 1 tbsp wine and 1 tsp salt and a dash of black pepper.
4) prepare steamer, boil water. Put the fish in a heat proof platter that will fit inside your steamer. Steam the fish over high heat for 10 minutes. Do not overcook.
5) in a separate pan, heat some oil, fry chopped 1 tbsp ginger, 1 tbsp garlic and 1 tbsp green onion and 2 tbsp black bean paste, in that order.
6) When the fish is done, pour (5) over the fish. Optionally, you can decorate with fresh chilis and cilantro.

Nasi Lemak

2006-09-24T21:19:00.000-07:00

This is my all time favourite. I can eat this every day.

The following are in the photo:
a) achar. Please refer to recipe in Lily's website. http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2005/10/acar.html
b) curry chicken with okra
c) cucumber
d) cashew nut
e) shrimp sambal
f) egg
g) ikan bilis
h) coconut rice

Please check out Lily's version of nasi lemak. http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2005/06/nasi-lemak.html

I found the following sambal sauce recipe nasi lemak from http://simplylinnish.bravehost.com. I am going to try this using my new pounder. Perhaps even add a stalk of lemon grass to my sauce.

Ingredients:
200g Dried chilies
soaked in warm water
half an onion
4 shallots
Salt & sugar to taste

Method:
Grind chilies in grinder to grind till rather fine.
Add in both onions & shallots to grind till fine.
Fry chili sauce in hot oil until oil seeps through the sauce.
Season with salt & sugar.

Taiwanese Sandwich

2006-09-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

I made this sandwich the night before for my kids' and husband lunch. The next afternoon (after lunch) my husband called and complemented me on the sandwich. He said it was better than what he had growing up in Taiwan. My 2 daughters (ages 8 and 6)who are picky eaters by nature also finished their lunch. So tonight, I made some more and decided to share this simple recipe with you.

Ingredients:
white or wheat bread
mayonaise
cucumber
ham
2 eggs

Steps:
Beat eggs*. Heat a non stick pan and make a egg pancake.
Spread mayonaise on 4 slices of bread.
First layer cucumber. Second layer ham. Third layer egg pancake.
Cut the sandwich diagonally and wrap in plastic wrap**.

note*: I seasoned the egg with a little sugar and salt.
note**: To make it look like the real thing, I cut the edges and put one half of the sandwich into a custom plastic wrap. Uwajimaya sells these wrap. They are $3.50 for 10.

Pandan Chiffon Cake

2006-09-12T22:47:00.000-07:00

After many failures, I finally found a Pandan Chiffon Cake recipe that works. Thanks to Little Corner of Mine.
http://www.blogger.com/profile/7668014

Ingredients:

(A)
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour,
sifted1 Tbp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar

(B)
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil or olive oil
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. pandan paste

(C)
6 egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350'F (175'C).

2. Combine (A) in a bowl. Stir well to blend. Make a hole in the center of the mixture. Put (B) in the center. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth, from inside first. Note: it is important that you beat well. I took at least 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Put (C) in a clean big bowl, egg white in the center, sugar and cream of tartar on the side. Note: it is important that the bowl and beater is clean. Beat (C) until moist peaks formed. Beat egg white first and gradually incorporate the sugar and cream of tartar into the mixture, until stiff and shiny peaks are formed. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg yolks mixture, fold to mix and then add the rest of the egg whites. Fold gently but thoroughly. Note: it is important to mix thoroughly, but gently. Turn batter into ungreased 10" tube pan.

4. Bake for 60 mins or til a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Invert cake and cool completely in pan. When cool, loosen the edges and shake pan to remove cake.

Bah Kua (Do It Yourself)

2006-09-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

Only two pieces left for me to take a snapshot of it. We used to drive 6 hours to Vancouver, B.C. Canada to buy authentic "Mei Jen Siang' Bah Kua. They are quite pricey as well. The store would vacuum pack for us and put a label that can go thru custom. However, our hearts still beat faster when we pass imigration for fear that we cannot bring this snack over to the US.

These days, when we have the crave, we make our own.

Ingredients:

1 lb minced meat, with some fats
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
slightly less than 1 tbsp of light soy sauce
1 tbsp cooking wine
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cooking oil

Steps:

Put minced meat in a big bowl. Add in seasonings. Use chopsticks and stir in one direction until meat becomes gluey.

Put the meat on SILPAT (as shown in photo) or parchment paper. Cover with a big plastic cling wrap. Use a roller to roll the meat to 2mm thick.

Place in baking tray and bake in preheated oven 257'F (125'C) for 20 minutes. After that, increase the temperature to 356'F (180'C) and bake for about 20 - 30 minutes. Then, remove the meat from the oven and flip over on a piece of parchment paper and continue to bake for about 10 minutes.

The time used to bake the meat depends on the thickness of the meat.

Here is a link to another version of Bah Kua. I haven't tried it out yet, but almost any recipes from Lily's website will taste good. http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2005/06/dried-pork-long-yoke.html