My Style of Serving Fries

I love my Fries with Salt and Crushed Black Pepper,
serve with Mayonnaise and Chili Sauce

Ingredients:
Frozen Fries
Oil for deep-frying
Crushed Black Pepper
Salt
Chili sauce
Mayonnaise

Method:
1. Heat oil to 180 c. Put fries in hot oil and fry for 4 minutes. Remove and drain fries from hot oil.
2. After 1 minute or so, put the fries back into the hot oil again continue fry for 1 minute.
3. Remove and drain fries on kitchen towel paper.
4. Sprinkle generous amount of crushed black pepper and some salt.
5. Serve hot with chili sauce and mayonnaise.

Char Siew

Ingredients:
Pork Tenderloin
Chopped garlic
Char Siew sauce
Dark Soy Sauce
Red colouring
Salt & Pepper

Sauce:
Char Siew Sauce
Water
Pepper
Corn flour with water to thicken the sauce

Method:
1. Marinate the pork with all the ingredients in a plastic bag/bowl. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
2. Pre heat the oven to 220 c. Place the char siew(keep the marinating sauce) on a rack in a roasting tin, grill for 25 minutes until both side cooked (keep brushing the marinating sauce on the meat and over turn)

3. Increase the heat to 250 c and Grill the meat for further 5 minutes until slightly burned.

4. Cut the meat into slices. Bring the sauce mixture to boil and serve over the Char Siew.

Char Siew Rice

Jiao Zi / 饺子/ 水饺 / Dumpling

Ingredients for Jiao Zi dough/ dumpling wrappers:
3 cups Plain Flour
1 cup Water
1/4 tsp Salt

Ingredients for the filling:
500gm Minced pork
1 tbsp Finely chopped Ginger
2 springs Chive/ Spring Onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp Light soya sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
2 tbsp Seasame oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tbsp Cornflour

Method to prepare the dumpling wrappers:
1. Shift flour into a big bowl, add salt and mix well.
2. Slowly stir in the water, make sure add the water little by little until it form a smooth dough (until no flour lump will be sticking on the hand). Knead the dough into a smooth ball. Cover the dough which a dry cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting, prepare the filling.

Method to prepare the filling:
1. Add the spring onion, ginger, soy sauce, salt, rice wine, pepper and corn flour to the meat and mix well.

Method to make Jiao Zi:
1. Knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball, then roll it into a long sausage shape. Divide the dough into small pieces. Roll and flatten each piece out into a circle about 2.5 inches in diameter wrapper.

2. Place a small portion (about 1 heaped tsp) of the filling into the middle of each wrapper. Wet the edges of the dumpling with water. Fold the dough over the filling into a half moon shape and pinch the edges to seal. Continue with the remainder of the dumplings.

3. To cook the dumpling (水饺):
I. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add in some salt and oil.
II. Put in the dumplings, gently stir it so they don't stick together.
III. Bring the water to a boil again, and add 1/2 cup of cold water.
IV. Cover and wait for the water to a boil for a third time, the dumplings are ready when it float.

V. Remove and drain the dumplings.
VI. Place it on to a plate, drizzle a few drops of sesame oil.

V. Serve with ginger, garlic & vinegar or chili sauce.

Tips:
1. You can make this in big quantity and freezer it (Lightly flour the container, before put in the dumpling)
2. When you want to eat:
I. DO NOT Thaw the dumpling, just put it into a pot of lightly salted & oiled Boiling water.
II. Boil it for 10-15mins, the dumpling is ready when it floats
III. Remove and drain the dumplings.
IV. Place it on to a plate, drizzle a few drops of sesame oil.

Dumplings should serve hot. 饺子/ 水饺

The dumplings can also be Fried (Guo Tie/锅贴).
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan, add a single layer of dumplings and cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan slightly to make sure they don't stick.
2. Add some corn flour water(corn flour mix with water), cover and steam for 2 minutes, then uncover and continue to cook until the water has evaporated. Repeat with the remaining dumplings.
3. Serve with ginger, garlic & vinegar or any dipping sauce.

Guo Tie/锅贴

Ginger, Garlic & Vinegar sauce:
Simply mix grated ginger, grated garlic with some black vinegar and light soy sauce.

Strawberry Chilled Cheese Cake

Ingredients:
250gm Fresh Strawberry, cut into cubes
100gm Caster sugar
5 tbsp water
5gm gelatine, dissolved with 1 tbsp of boiling water
1 Plain Chilled Cheese Cake

Method:
1. Put strawberry, sugar and water into a pot. Botil until the strawberry breaks into puree form. You may use a masher to mash the strawberry into puree form.
2. Check the boiling liquid from time to time and keep stirring to prevent from burning.
3. Off the fire, pour in the gelatine mixture and mix well. Leave it to cool for a while.
4. When the strawberry puree is at room temperature. Spreed it over the Cheese Cake and keep it in the fridge to chill until set.

Plain Chilled Cheese Cake

Ingredients:
75gm butter
200gm digestive biscuits, crushed
450gm Cream Cheese, at room temperature
100ml milk
120gm caster sugar
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 sachet of gelatine (10gm), dissolved in 3 tablespoons of hot water
100ml cooking cream, lightly whipped

Method:
1. Line the spring-form cake tin with greese proved paper.
2. Melt the butter and mix with the crushed biscuit crumbs.
3. Press into the base of a 20cm spring-form cake tin. Chill until needed.
4. Beat the cream cheese until silky smooth.
5. Add the milk, sugar, lemon rind and juice. Mix throughly.
6. Stir the gelatine into the cream cheese mixture and then fold in the cream.
7. Pour onto the crumb base and chill until set.

Tips:
1. You may use any brand of cream cheese like Philadelphia or Anchor.
2. Mix the sugar and milk in advance, so it's dissolved well when you mix it in the cream cheese mixture.
3. Whipped the cooking cream in advance, while you preparing for all the ingredients.
4. I always like to prepare all the ingredients in advance. It helps make the working area tidy and smooth to making process and you will not forgot things. After all, it is much easier to clean up as well.

Lamb Stew

Ingredients:
Cube Mutton/Lamb shoulder
Leek, cube
Celery, cube
Onion, cube
Carrot, cube
Garlic
Plain Flour
Salt
Pepper
Rosemary
Red wine

Method:
1. Season meat with salt and pepper then slightly coat the meat cube with some flour.
2. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan. Sear the meat then remove from heat and keep it aside.
3. Drain off some oil in the pan, saute the onion, leek, celery, carrot and garlic.
4. Put in the meat, add rosemary and mix well.
5. Pour in red wine and let it simmer in slow fire until meat are tender.
6. Serve hot with bread.

Chicken and Pasta in Mushroom Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
1 portion Pasta(Penne or Rigatoni)
Chicken drumstick/ Chicken thigh cutlets
Button Mushroom, sliced
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
20ml White wine (Optional)
150ml Cream
Oil
Salt & crushed black pepper

Method:
1. Cook the pasta to "al dente"; drain and keep a side.
2. Season chicken with some salt and pepper
3. Heat oil in the pan, cook chicken until browned both sides and cooked trough. Cover chicken to keep warm.
4. Drain away some excess oil then add in mushroom and garlic cook for 2-3 minutes or until mushroom are browned lightly.
5. Add wine and stir well until liquid is almost evaporated.
6. Add cream and continue cooking until sauce thicken slightly.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Stir in pasta mix well or until heated through.
9. Dish the pasta into a plate, top with hot chicken.
10. Garnish with some crushed black pepper.
11. Ready to serve.

Deep fried Lady Finger Fish

Not really sure what's the real name for this fish,
but over here they call it Lady's Finger Fish.

Ingredients:
Lady's Finger Fish
Corn Flour
Plain Flour
Salt and Pepper

Dipping sauce:
Mayonnaise
Lime

Method:
1. Clean the fish, remove the head and pat dry.
2. Mix equal amount of corn flour and plain flour in a deep plate.
3. Season the flour with lots of salt and pepper.
4. Heat oil for deep frying.
5. Once the oil is hot enough, put in the fish for deep frying until it's crispy.
6. Remove and drain on kitchen towel.
7. Put Mayonnaise in a bowl, squeeze some lime juice in and mix well.
8. Arrange the fish in a plate and serve with the lime mayonnaise aside.

Stir Fry Asparagus with Corn and Carrot

Ingredients:
Asparagus
Fresh Young Corn
Carrot
2 slice Ginger
Garlic, chopped
Oil
Oyster sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:
1. Cut all the vegetable into same length.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil and add some salt.
3. Blanch the corn for 2 minutes, then add in carrot and asparagus continue to boil for further 1 minute.
4. Remove all the vegetable and plunge into ice water. Drain and keep a side.
5. Heat some oil in the wok, put in the ginger and garlic stir fry until slightly golden brown.
6. Put in the vegetable and stir well.
7. Season it with oyster sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
8. Ready to serve.

Ice Water with Lemon, Lemongrass & Mint

Another simple, refreshing drink for the hot summer.

Ingredients:
1 stalk Lemongrass
1/2 nos Lemon
1 bunch of Fresh Mint
Ice cubes
Water

Method:
1. Slightly bruise the bottom part of lemongrass.
2. Put the lemongrass, mint, ice cubes in a jug.
3. Squeeze the lemon juice into the jug, then put in the lemon.
4. Top up the jug with water and ready to serve.

Tuna and Cucumber Sushi

Have some left over rice from lunch, so decided to make some simple sushi for my dinner. Made it with out the rice vinegar and sugar.

My version of sushi

Ingredients:

Cooked rice
Nori
Cucumber, cut into long stick
Tuna
Mayonnaise

Method:
1. Cover the sushi bamboo mat with a plastic bag or cling firm. To avoid the mat get dirty.
2. Place one sheet of nori onto the bamboo mat, on a flat surface.
3. Put the rice along one long side of the nori, leaving a 2cm(1 inch) border around the remaining three sides.
4. Arrange the cucumber stick and tuna at the center of the rice. Spread some mayonnaise over the tuna and cucumber.
5. Using the mat as a guide, roll nori up firmly from the bottom, enclosing rice around centered ingredients. Fold the maki and apply pressure.
6. Fold the mat forwards again and apply more pressure. Press the nori edges together to seal the roll.
7. Using a sharp knife to trim off the uneven ends. Then cut the maki roll into 2.5cm(1 inch) rounds.
8. Arrange sushi on serving plate with each piece facing up, squeeze some mayonnaise on top. Ready to serve.


To make an authentic sushi, check out these websites:
Video Jug - all about Sushi
小小米桶的日式点心坊-寿司类

Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak is a typical Malaysian breakfast. But we also love to eat this for lunch, dinner & supper. (Basically anytime of the day)
The typical condiments are fried peanuts, hard boiled egg, fried anchovies and sliced cucumber.

Nasi Lemak (Rice in Coconut Milk)

Ingredients for Nasi Lemak:
1 cup rice
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
3 screwpine leaves (Pandan Leaves)
salt to taste
1 small piece of sliced ginger
1 small clove of garlic

Method:
1. Clean the rice and drain.
2. Cook the rice in the coconut milk with screwpine leaves, salt, ginger, garlic.

Tips:
If you can't get Pandan leaves, you may replace it with 1 stalk of lemongrass(slightly bruised the bottom part). It add's a different aroma to the rice.


Ingredients for Sambal Ikan Bilis (Anchovies in Hot Sauce)
1/2 cup dried ikan bilis (Dried anchovies)
1 Onion, sliced
4 Shallots
2 tbsp tamarind juice [you may add more if the sambal is too spicy]
Prawn paste (belacan) [Optional]
8 dried chillies, soaked in warm water
1 clove garlic
Salt and sugar to taste

Method:
1. Fry the ikan bilis until crisp and put aside.
2. Grind the prawn paste together with shallots, garlic, deseeded dried chillies.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the ground ingredients until fragrant. Add in the onion and continue to cook for a few minutes.
4. Add tamarind juice, salt and sugar to taste.
5. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally until the gravy is thickens.
6. Add in some of the ikan bilis and mix well. Keep the remaining ikan bilis to serve as condiments
7. Serve with steaming hot Nasi Lemak.

Tips:
1. If you can't take too spicy, reduce on the number of dried chillies and substitute it with fresh red chillies.
2. Mix tamarind paste with water and strained to get tamarind juice.
3. Tamarind juice is to give the savory and sour taste and in this case it helps to reduce the spiciness.
4. You can cook this sambal in advance and freeze it in the freezer.