Green Curry Chicken

For crying out loud, I'm screaming for hot curries in the summertime ! Somebody call the food fashion police ! I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that in a couple of months time, I'll be taking a short trip home to Malaysia.. HURRAYY ! I seriously think I'm having one of those out-of-body experiences people talk about because my mind is already there savoring all the delicious curries while my body is still here impatiently counting the days.

Speaking of curries, I've come to realize that my ability to take the "heat" without breaking a sweat has waned me over the years *sigh*. I remember a time back in Malaysia when I could stomach a variety of level 10++ spicy food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and still wake up the next day wanting for more. These days, when the "hot and spicy" craving kicks in, I've had to dial down a few notches to using fresh red chilis, jalapenos, anaheim chilis, and serranos in my recipes.

One of the milder curries that I had just the right ingredients for at the moment was the Thai Green Curry. I had adapted the recipe to a taste I preferred using milder chilis, plenty of refreshing herbs and a few of my favorite spices. The experiment was a success IMHO ! Before the green curry reached my mouth, I have already filled up on the aroma ..wickedly pleasing !:)

Some fresh herbs from Wandering Chopsticks

A couple of weeks back, I was invited to Wandering Chopsticks' home. She was so sweet to give me a tour to her beautiful plantation garden hehe..Believe it or not, girl's got the whole nine thousand yards. From sugar cane, persimmon, guavas, papayas, promeganate, dragon fruit, and longan trees to basil, lemongrass, and a dozen or so other plants/trees. I'll bring my memory cap (and some produce bags :P) next time but there's definitely has more than what is shown here. Immediately, I stumbled upon some of my favorite herbs : Laksa leaves aka Vietnamese mint, Mint leaves and a species of curry leaves that's new to me. In Malaysia, laksa leaves are used in cooking spicy seafood dish and most importantly, it plays an important part in the famous Malaysian Asam Laksa noodle soup. In the Vietnamese cuisine, laksa leaves are not cooked, instead, they are used mainly in salads and rice paper wraps / spring rolls. Thanks again WC for the wonderful fresh herbs. I've used them for my Green Curry Chicken recipe and enjoyed them immensely :)

So, before they disappear altogether, I'm going to share these pictures with everyone else and submit this to Weekend Herb Blogging at Kalyn's Kitchen.



Green Chili Paste Recipe

Ingredients :
1 Anaheim chili
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch basil leaves ( leaves only )

Method :
1) Blend all the above ingredients until a paste-like texture is formed.

My Green Curry Chicken Recipe

Ingredients :
4 chicken drumsticks ( each piece cut into 2 )
6 laksa leaves
1/4 branch curry leaves
10 mint leaves
3 bay leaves
3 dried chili pods ( seedless )
2 cardamon
2 cloves
8 coriander seeds
1/2 star anise seed
2 inch cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced shallots
1 medium sized Russet potato ( peeled and cut into wedges)
1 tomato ( cut into wedges)
1/2 red bell peppers ( cut into wedges)
3 tbsp green chili paste
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2-1 tbsp tamarind paste ( depending on how tangy you want it )
10 oz coconut milk
2 tbsp cooking oil
salt and sugar to taste
water to adjust level of curry thickness

Method :
1) Marinade potatoes with turmeric powder, curry powder, and 1 tbsp of the green chili paste. Set aside.
2) Marinade chicken with 2 tbsp of green chili paste.
3) In a wok/skillet, heat 1 tbsp cooking oil and pan-fry potatoes until brown. Cover and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes or until almost cooked. Remove and set aside.
4) Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil. Saute the curry leaves, bay leaves, minced shallots, ginger, and red bell peppers with all the spice ingredients until fragrant.
5) Add chicken and pan-fry for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add 1 tbsp of cooking oil during pan-frying if the meat starts sticking to the pan.
6) Mix in coconut milk. Cover and let boil.
7) When boiling, add tomatoes, tamarind paste, salt and sugar to taste. Mix well, turn to medium-low heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
8) Remove cover, add dried chili pods with the laksa leaves and the mint leaves. Mix well and add potatoes. Cover and continue to cook at medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes or until meat is done. Add water to adjust level of curry thickness.

Other Weekend Herb Blogging entries :
Edamame And Tiger Lily Stir-fry with Shrimps
Pesto Chicken

Spicy Honey Chicken

Well, from my Spicy Chili Chicken post, I guess it's no secret that I'm a big fan of spicy chicken recipes. Here's another one that I enjoy - "Ayam Masak Merah Madu" ( Malaysian Style Spicy Honey Chicken ). A special thanks to my good friend, PrincessJournals for reacquainting me with this truly finger licking good chicken recipe. This dish is widely popular in Malaysia and is known in the Malay language as "Ayam Masak Merah", which literally translates to "Red Cooked Chicken". The chicken is cooked in a spicy tomato sauce, hence it's colorful namesake. "Ayam Masak Merah" can be found in most hawker stalls in Malaysia and Singapore that serves "Nasi Campur" ( Rice served with a variety of meats and vegetables of your choice ) and also at "kenduri kahwin" ( Malay wedding receptions ).

Although it may look like any other Malaysian spicy meat curry, it is the sweetness of the honey and the sour taste of the tomato sauce that sets it apart from them. There are many versions of "Ayam Masak Merah" out there but the five simple ingredients to spice it up with are turmeric, cinnamon, cardamon, star anise, and cloves. You can enjoy this dish served over steamed basmati rice or simply as a finger licking good appetizer by itself.

Spicy Honey Chicken Recipe

Ingredients :
6 chicken drumsticks
1 tsp turmeric spice
salt to taste
10 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp ground chili paste ( dried red chilies OR fresh red chilies )
honey to taste
2 clove
1 cinnamon bark
1 star anise
2 cardamon pod
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground garlic
2 tsp ground shallots
cut onion rings

Method :

1) Marinate the chicken drumsticks with turmeric spice and salt, set aside.
2) Pan fry the marinated chicken drumsticks until the skin is slightly crispy, set aside. ( traditionally, the Ayam Masak Merah recipe requires deep frying until the chicken is done. )
3) In a wok, stir-fry the cardamon, clove, star anise, cinnamon bark until fragrant, add the ground ginger, shallots, garlic in, continue stir-frying until fragrant.
4) Add the tomato paste in, honey, ground chili paste, and simmer until thickened and boiling, toss in the fried chicken drumsticks, cut onion rings, and give it a quick stir-fry until all the sauce thickens and the chicken is done. Dish up and ready to serve.

Instant Noodle 101

Since I ventured a little into instant noodles on my last post, I thought I might as well deliver the whole enchilada while my "noodle" is still in "oo-dle" gear. In my last post, I gave Mr. Yi from China his props for the concept of the instant noodle. But it was a Japanese company called Nissin that kicked it up a notch and gave birth to the colorful plastic-wrapped rectangular 4" by 6" bricks of dried "instant ramen" noodles that we are more familiar with today. Today, instant noodles aren't just about quick-fix meals for rat-racers or low-budget meals for starving students anymore. They are balanced with meat and vegetables and served as proper meals not only at home, but also at many Oriental restaurants, especially in Hong Kong-style cafes.

My favorite brand of instant noodles is "Maggi". I've tried many different brands that get all mushy after cooking but Maggi noodles retain that chewy, springy texture that is the first thing I look for. Not to mention their soup seasonings come in all the flavors I enjoy. From Asam Laksa to Curry and Tom Yum, or even Mee Goreng for dry noodle lovers. I believe Maggi is also the most popular brand of instant noodles in Malaysia and Singapore. Growing up, I can remember many a good time spent shooting the breeze with my buddies over "roti canai" and Maggi noodles at my favorite "mamak" stall back home. It might be the company, but even instant noodles taste better when someone else is doing the cooking :)

Okay.. on to my instant noodling for the day. I'm going to go with Maggi Asam Laksa flavor. For those who are unfamiliar with "Asam Laksa", it is a popular Malaysian noodle dish served in a sour tamarind-based fish soup. I'm also going to "de-instant-ize" my noodles with an egg, some fresh cut green beans and some stir-fried fish fillet.

Maggi instant noodles - USD$0.29
Ingredients - USD$1.00
Taste - Priceless.. For everything else, there is Master Card ? :P

Instant Noodle Soup with Sambal Green Bean and Fish Stir-Fry Recipe

Ingredients :
1 pack Maggi Asam Laksa Instant Noodle ( OR your favorite instant Ramen )
8 oz fresh cut green beans
8 oz sole fish fillet sliced
2 tsp minced shallots
1 tbsp chili paste
1 tsp toasted shrimp paste powder ( belacan )
2 tsp dried shrimps ( soaked and minced )
a pinch of turmeric spice
2 tsp cooking oil
1 tsp tamarind paste
salt and sugar to taste
water for cooking noodles
1 boiled egg

Method :

1) Marinate fish fillet with turmeric spice, cooking oil, and roasted shrimp powder. Set aside.
1) Stir-fry minced shallots and dried shrimp until fragrant. Add fish fillet slices and pan-fry on both sides until slightly browned.
2) Add green beans and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add chili paste, tamarind paste, salt and sugar to taste, and splash in some water. Continue to stir-fry for 2 more minutes and set aside.
3) Cook instant noodles according to instructions on package. Add boiled egg, prepared green beans and fish to your noodle soup.

P/S : If you have a favorite brand of instant noodles that you really like, do share it with me as I'm always on the look-out for good instant noodles for those lazy cooking days.

Spicy Chili Chicken

Chinese New Year has come and gone, marking the end of my extravagant feasting forays which has been in overdrive ever since Thanksgiving last year. Settling back into my regular diet of good ol' steamed rice with a couple of simple dishes, the first thing that came to mind was something spicy, easy to prepare, and low fat ! Eenie, meenie, minie... Rendang ? Curry Chicken? Hot and Sour Fish? ...Nope. A simple Spicy Chili Chicken ? Yeah sure, why not ! The ingredients for this Chili Chicken recipe is actually quite versatile. A combination of spices and chilies ranging from cumin to turmeric and jalapeno to serrano can be used... Whatever floats your boat basically.

Preparing this dish always bring back fond memories of my carefree college days. It was the the beginning of the oriental buffet restaurant boom here in the states. Back then, those eat-till-u-drop-for-under-five-bucks joints were heaven for starving college students such as myself, who have been surviving on one too many packets of instant noodles for lunch and dinner... and breakfast... and supper. Well... you get the picture. One of the very few spicy dishes available at most of the buffets back then was the Spicy Chili Chicken. Come winter and early spring, a few buddies and myself would get together there once in a while and pile our plates high of that good stuff with extra glasses of iced water sitting on our tables just in case.

Okay, back to the present. As I was on the phone with mom, I decided to pick her brain for some spices to include in chili chicken. Oh boy, I ended up with a shopping list for like 101 spices, some of which I don't think I can even find in an encyclopedia! She must have forgotten that I'm not in Malaysia... hehe. Anyway, I've decided to narrow it down, mainly to whatever is available in my kitchen at the moment :P I am also going to pan-fry the chicken bone-in, which IMHO is tastier that way. So here it is, my simple version of the Spicy Chili Chicken.

Spicy Chili Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 a chicken ( cut up into serving portions )
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
3 tbsp red chili powder
chopped serrano chilies ( remove seeds, OR use red chilies for a milder taste )
1 tbsp minced shallots
1 tbsp minced yellow onions
dried red chili pods ( remove seeds )
water
salt and sugar to taste

Method :
1) Marinate chicken with red chili powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala spice. Set aside.
2) Stir-fry the minced shallots, yellow onions, coriander, mustard seeds, serrano chilies, and dried chili pods till fragrant. Add chicken and pan fry on both sides until nicely browned.
3) Add water, salt and sugar to taste. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes OR until fully cooked.

Lamb Rendang

"Rendang" is a semi-dry mildly spicy meat curry served mainly in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. Variations of "rendang" can be found in other parts of Asia as well under different names and a slightly different taste. An authentic Malaysian rendang meat curry recipe is usually of a semi-dry gravy texture, using galangal root, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and coriander seeds, just to name a few of the spices.

Most importantly, the authentic Rendang recipe calls for "kerisik", which is the Malay word for toasted fresh grated coconut. "Kerisik" is THE essential ingredient in making the traditional Rendang dish. If you have ever wondered why the color of the Rendang is brown even with all the blended fresh cut chilis, its because of the "kerisik". So, if your meat Rendang recipe does not come out red like your usual meat curries, do not panic. As a last resort, coconut milk may be substituted if "kerisik" is unavailable where you live. Using kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and tamarind concentrate helps tone down the spiciness with their citrusy flavors and is essential for that sweet pungent taste that is released during the slow cooking process.

For this authentic semi-dry spicy curry recipe, you can pick almost any meat and slow cook in your crock pot for hours just like any other meat stew. Beef and chicken Rendang are two of the more popular versions that I'm accustomed to growing up. I'm not a big fan of lamb, but since this winter is a little colder and rainier than average, I thought it would be just the thing to keep me warm and cozy.

If you are tired of your usual curries, try this Rendang curry recipe. I'm sure you if you haven't already, you will enjoy this rich mildly spicy curry as much as I do :)

Lamb Rendang Recipe

Ingredients :
1.5 lbs lamb leg ( cubed )
1/2-2/3 can coconut milk ( depends on what part of meat used, marbly meats absorb less liquid than lean meat )
6 tbsp Rendang spice paste
kaffir lime leaves
1/2 stalk lemongrass
1 tbsp chopped shallots
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cardamon
2 tsp ground candlenut
1 tsp tamarind concentrate
a pinch of roasted shrimp paste powder
sugar and salt to taste

Rendang Spice Paste Recipe

1) Use the Sambal chili spice paste from my Masala Tumeric Squid recipe.
2) Mix in the coriander, cardamon, candlenut, tamarind concentrate, belacan powder, mix well, and then set aside.

Method :
1) Marinate lamb with the rendang spice paste for at least an hour, and then set aside.
2) Saute the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and shallots until fragrant, add the marinated lamb meat in and continue stir frying until browned.
3) Add water, coconut milk, mix well, cover and simmer on medium-low heat for an additional 45 minutes OR until meat is tender. Add salt and sugar to taste.

Tips: If you use a leaner cut of meat, you will need more spice paste, water and coconut milk as it will absorb more liquid and make your rendang too dry. It is preferable to use a tender, marbly-looking cut instead. If you prefer your Rendang a little saucier, simmer for a shorter period of time.

Colt-en Shrimp Fritters

So, how do you like your shrimp fritters ? What is your secret technique for a mouth-watering recipe ? Mine would actually be the hybrid of the traditional Malaysian all time favorite shrimp fritters, known as "Cucur Udang" and the Indian "Vada".

I was actually thinking of just fixing the Malaysian Cucur Udang, which is a concoction of shrimp, fresh cut green chilis, bean sprouts, and chopped green onions mixed in a plain floured fluffy batter and deep-fried to a crunchy perfection. But then I was also craving for some of Asha's assortment of winter munchies, especially the variety of vadas and pakoras recipes.

So basically all I did was substitute the vegetables from the Cucur Udang recipe with "chana dal" flour, aka yellow gram flour, slap a fancy Super Bowl related name to it and voila! The "Colt"-en Shrimp Fritter is born.

When preparing the batter, make sure it is not runny, otherwise it won't stick to the shrimp when you deep fry the fritters. The batter should be stirred to a smoothly thickened grits-like texture when they go into the fryer. That way, the fritters will be crunchy on the outside, and a tad soft on the inside. I also quick-freeze it for 15 minutes before frying to keep the fritter in shape. Also, make sure the oil is on medium heat, as they can get "burnt" quite easily.

Shrimp Fritter Recipe

Ingredients :
16 shrimps ( I used white ecuador shrimps here, size 26/30, peeled and deveined, leave the tail on )
200 gm chana dal flour ( lentil/yellow gram flour )
30 gm rice flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tbsp sliced serrano chilis
1 tbsp chopped red bell peppers
1 tbsp chopped green onions
1 tbsp chopped cilantros
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp chana dal split peas ( soaked and softened )
salt to taste
210 ml water

Method :

1) In a bowl, mix all the ingredients until batter form a paste-like mixture, and let chill in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.
2) Remove batter from the refrigerator, dip the shrimp into the batter, deep fry at high-medium heat until golden brown.

Tea Eggs With Chicken Wings

Cleansing tea, one of my night time rituals before bedtime is to brew a cup of water with green tea leaves, to detox all the fatty foods I consumed during the day. Besides, I love a good cup of tea :) However, yesterday night, I accidentally broke the tea bag, and did not want the leaves to squirm all over my cup, hence, I decided to use these flavorful tea leaves to cook some chinese tea eggs.

When cooking with tea leaves, this leads me to one favorite recipe, eggs cooked in crockpot with chicken wings. I am not sure about the origin of this tea egg recipe, but mom had used tea leaves in her meat stews many times during my childhood, to coax us in consuming something cleansing by adding pieces of meat.

Tea eggs, one of the many flavors in chinese cuisine, is particularly famous in many Taiwananese cafes/ restaurants here in the US. This chinese tea egg recipe is prepared by slow cooking the eggs in their shell with tea leaves, some light spices, chinese cooking wine, and some soy. They are then peeled, and you can enjoy them over breakfast, as a snack or appetizer, OR eat them with hot steamed rice OR tossed in your leftover egg noodles with the stewed sauce.

This tea egg recipe cooked with chicken wings makes a great one-pot-meal, pungent flavors, refreshing and simply irresistable. Another great welcome dish that compliments the friendly weather here in Southern California.

Guys and gals, time to dig up your crockpot or claypot. First thing tomorrow morning, enjoy the aroma of tea leaves, sit back and relax, tea eggs for breakfast, and tea flavored soy chicken for dinner. Sounds good to me, how about you ?

Tea Eggs With Chicken Wings Recipe

Ingredients :
4 eggs
5 chicken wings
1 star anise seed
2 cloves
sliced ginger
1/4 a cinnamon bark ( optional )
5 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp thick sweet soy sauce
1 tbsp chinese rice wine
2 tsp green tea leaves ( OR Black tea leaves )
2 pc rock sugar ( OR small crystalised sugar )
1/4 cup water
salt to taste

Method :
1) Put all the ingredients in the crockpot.
2) Set crockpot temperature to high, and slow cook for 2-4 hours, OR if crockpot settings on low, slow cook for 4-6 hours.

Mud Crabs aka Egg Crabs

Wholely crab !!! Yes, I was quite "thankful" when I chanced upon a "tankful" of one of my favorite shellfish the other day - the "Mud Crab".

Though the name itself might be a put-off, I'm sure most seafood connoisseur will agree that the taste is a different story altogether.Don't mean to come off sounding sexist, but IMHO only the female mud crabs, also known as "egg crabs", are the ones that really make good eating. Haha.. go figure.

The mud crab is not as fleshy as the dungeness crab, so I always choose the heavy ones to get more flesh for my buck. Besides, the heavier they are, the fresher they are too.The mud crab is rarer than its cousins in the North American market, which is why it comes with a higher price tag here. Here in Los Angeles, it is around ten to fifteen dollars when its in season and can easily go above twenty dollars off-season.

So you can imagine my joy when I found a couple of "drop dead" gorgeous female mud crabs for only three dollars per pound at the market. Yes, I mean they had literally just "dropped dead" a couple of hours ago that's why they were so cheap. Lucky me:) Ooooo.. check out the orange eggs hidden under their shells, delicious aren't they ?

So tell me, what is your best crab recipe that I can use for these lovely ladies ?

First off, thank you kindly for all your equally tantalizing suggestions. I can't wait to try each and every one of them next time I have my crustacean guests over for dinner again :P

This time around, since they were DOA (dead on arrival), I'm just going to quickly whip something up with whatever I have sitting pretty in my fridge while they are still fresh. Finally, I can indulge in my own "roe" fantasy after drooling over these for days. Also, don't forget to hop over to Bee and Mae for more yummylicious crab recipes that's bound to rock your socks off !!

So, people, get your bib on, whip out your crab cracker, and let the crab fest begin! :)

Lemongrass And Pepper Crab Recipe

Ingredients :
2 medium sized egg crabs ( cleaned, claws removed and lightly cracked, torso cut in half )
1/2 stalk of fresh lemongrass ( cut )
2-3 dried bay leaves
2 shallots ( minced )
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tbsp fermented soy beans ( mashed )
3-4 dried chili pods ( optionally remove seeds for a milder taste )
cut green bell peppers
1 tbsp crushed black peppercorn
1 tbsp crushed white peppercorn
chinese rice wine ( OR other cooking wine )
salt and sugar to taste

Method :
1) Rub minced shallots, garlic, and ginger all over the crab torsos, and steam for 5 minutes. ( The claws need not included as they cooked easily. )
2) Saute lemongrass, bay leaves, soy beans, bell peppers, and chili pods in wok until fragrant.
3) Dump steamed crab parts and raw crab claws into wok. Dash in the crushed black and white peppercorn, and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
4) Splash in a generous amount of rice wine, and any crab "juice" leftover from the steaming. Add salt and sugar to taste.
5) Cover wok and let simmer for another 5 minutes.

Chayote Squash And Potato Indian Stir-Fry

Chinese stir-fry recipes make use of garlic, ginger, and brown sauce, whereas Indian stir-fry recipes rely heavily on herbs and spices to develop a deep aromatic flavor and add a jolt of heat. When I have a craving for Indian cooking, two spices that are no stranger to my wok instantly come to mind - cumin and coriander seeds. They are the essential ingredients in most curry recipes, but they also pack a punch to any cooking, not to mention that nutty and peppery flavor which I enjoy so much. Instead of my ethnic preference for kaffir lime leaves or curry leaves which are prevalent in most Malaysian spicy foods, I'm going to use fenugreek leaves for a change this time. This Indian herb can be found in any Indian grocery market labeled as Kasuri Methi. I add the herb at the last stage of cooking to lend a light herb-y note alongside the rich cumin and coriander flavor.

I like using potatoes when cooking Indian food because they absorb the aromatic flavors of the herbs and spices well. But they can be a little heavy on the starch sometimes so I'm going to balance the equation with a lighter vegetable - the Chayote squash. This pear-shaped squash has about the same texture as a potato, but it has a lighter cucumber-y taste. In Cantonese cuisine, the Chayote squash is known as Hup Jeong Gua, which literally translates to "closed palms squash" because of its appearance. There are not many chayote squash recipes in Chinese cooking. But just as any other squash, they taste great in any stir-fry, deep fry, or soup recipe.

If you have got leftover roast chicken, like I did from my Hainan Chicken Rice, and some tortilla wraps, you can even improvise this Chayote Squash Stir-Fry recipe into an Indian-style Burrito.

Ingredients :
1 Chayote squash ( cubed )
1 large Russet potato ( cubed )
1 tsp minced ginger
Red bell pepper strips
2 tsp curry powder ( used to marinate the cubed chayote squash and potatoes )
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fenugreek leaves
salt and sugar to taste
water

Method :
1) Saute minced ginger, cumin seeds and coriander seeds until fragrant.
2) Pan fry the marinated potatoes until browned, add the marinated chayote squash in, mix well and stir fry for 2 minutes.
3) Add in the fenugreek leaves, continue stir frying for another 30 seconds.
4) Dash some water in, cover and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes OR until all fully cooked.

Masala Tumeric Squid With Coconut Cream

Calamarrrrri ... I just love the way this fancy word for "squid" sounds, especially when I let the last syllable slowly roll off my tongue. With much anticipation from Rasa Malaysia, Claude and Schneier, I am more than happy to share my Masala Tumeric Squid recipe using my home made sambal paste. Yes, I'm spilling the beans. You would be surprised to discover that it is not as difficult as you think to diversify your taste buds. Something new, something old and something intoxicating.

As I have mentioned in my Shrimp Stir Fry with Curry Leaves recipe, tumeric spice is simply great. It adds much flavor to any spicy dish without the "spicy-hot"ness. When using tumeric spice in cooking, not only does it add that mild aromatic flavor to your food, it also helps in removing odors in raw seafood and meats. It is definitely the next best thing to ginger !!

In Thai and Malaysian cuisine, kaffir lime leaves is one of the few favorite herbs when cooking many hot curries, spicy dishes and chinese stir frys. This herb is not hot, but lends a light fragrant taste to any food. Unlike the tumeric spice, which require shorter cooking time, another delicate spice, garam masala, simply adds harmony to the taste of the food. One tip when using garam masala spice is to add it at the last stage of cooking. Because it is such a delicate spice, it will make your food a little bitter if added too early.

Here's my authentic Masala Tumeric Squid recipe, simmered in a light coconut cream with 1 herb, 2 aromatic spices, and a spicy touch of my sambal chili paste. Enjoy :)

Masala Tumeric Squid Recipe

Ingredients :
10 squid ( remove ink and eyes )
2-3 tbsp sambal chili paste
1/2 can coconut cream ( OR coconut milk )
10 kaffir lime leaves
2 tbsp tumeric spice ( use 1 tbsp of tumeric spice to marinate the squid )
minced ginger
minced shallots
salt and sugar to taste

Method :
1) Saute minced ginger, shallots, and kaffir lime leaves until fragrant.

2) Pan fry the marinated squid on both sides until slightly browned.

3) Add the sambal chili paste and stir fry for 2 minutes.

4) Add coconut cream, mix well, and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes OR until squid is tender.

Sambal Chili Paste Recipe

Ingredients :
10 red chilis ( deseeded )
0-2 dried red chilis ( deseeded )
1 in. galangal
1 tsp dried shrimps
1/4 can coconut cream
2 tsp tumeric spice
3 shallots
1 pc. garlic ( not the whole clove )
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tsp lemongrass powder
salt and sugar to taste

Method :
1) Blend all ingredients until slightly fine.
2) Heat some oil on the pan and saute the blended sambal chili until fragrant.
3) Turn to medium heat and let the sambal chili thicken.
4) Turn to low heat and allow to cook until a paste-like texture forms.

Hainan Chicken Rice

For those who are attached to their rice dishes, I have yet another candidate that will not only satisfy your carbs cravings, it will take care of your protein cravings, all in one. The Hainan Chicken Rice is a chicken rice made popular in the Malaysia cuisine and Singapore cuisine, and it was brought in by the Hainanese immigrants of China. This chicken rice meal immediately evolved into the locals taste buds and became a pop-culture. The Hainan Chicken Rice recipe even made popular by the hawker stalls, street vendors, coffee shops, all the way to 5-star hotels.

There's a known notion that in the Malaysia and Singapore cuisine, rice dishes are mostly confined to their rich coconut rice and intense spicy dishes, but the Hainan Chicken Rice is one of the few recognised rice dishes that made headlines. A simple chicken rice recipe that is delicious when eaten with pieces of boiled OR roast chicken. If you like El Pollo Loco, Lucille's BBQ, or your favorite chicken griller/broiler, you will definitely love this, I guarantee !

The conventional way in preparing the Hainan Chicken recipe is to boil the chicken, and the broth is used to cooked the rice, with a few added aromatic ingredients. Some would prefer the Roast Hainan Chicken, which is just roasted on a slow fire. I was craving for this chicken rice meal so badly that I went ahead and make a quick and easy Hainan Chicken Rice. Instead of the the conventional method, this broiled chicken recipe is plain, simple and easy. You ever wonder what's the best chicken rice recipe besides chicken fried rice when you've got leftover cooked white rice ? A few pieces of delicious broiled chicken and a couple bowls of scrumptious chicken-flavored rice, my Hainan Chicken recipe made happen on the open pan. I am a happy-chicken-lover !

A) Hainan Chicken

Ingredients :
1 whole chicken cut into 4 parts
3 oz. minced ginger
3 oz. minced shallots
1 oz. minced garlic
1 tsp chinese Five spice powder
4 oz. shaoxing hua tiao cooking wine ( OR other chinese cooking wine )
1 tbsp thick sweet soy sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey OR maltose
sugar and salt to taste

Method :
1) Marinade the chicken with all the ingredients for 20 minutes, preferably 2 hours.
2) Pan fry the pre-marinated chicken pieces skin down until nicely browned, flip over and pan fry an additional 5 minutes.
3) Cover and broil chicken for 10 minutes OR until cooked.
4) Remove cover, do a taste-test for the juices on the pan, add salt and sugar to taste if necessary.
4) Set chicken aside, let cool and cut the chicken into desired pieces.
5) Keep the sauce on the pan for later use.

B) Chicken Rice

Ingredients :
3 cups cooked white rice
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced shallots
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp chicken base powder ( optional )
1/4 portion of the sauce from the broiled chicken
1 tbp sesame oil ( OR butter )
1 pc. screwpine leaf ( optional )
1 tbsp shaoxing hua tiao cooking wine ( OR other cooking wine )
4 oz water
salt to taste

Method :
1) Saute the ingredients until fragrant.
2) Add the cooked rice in, stir fry for 5 minutes.
3) Add water in, mix well, and cover wok or skillet.
4) Set to low heat and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until serving time.


C) Chicken Rice Sauce

The sauce you kept aside after broiling the chicken.

D) Chili Sauce

Ingredients :
5 fresh red chilis
2 oz. garlic
salt and sugar to taste
lime juice ( 1/2 a lime )

Method :
1) Blend all the ingredients, then squeeze the lime juice in and mix well.

E) Garnishing

cucumber OR tomato slice
chopped cilantros

Using chinese five spice powder : Also good for marinating ribs and best in any chinese meat braising recipes.

Watercress Soup : No.1 Cleansing Soup

There really is nothing like a big bowl of hot soup to drive away the "cold weather blues". Surfing the net for some ideas, I stumbled upon a certain Soup No. 5 "Viagra Soup". Haha ... I wonder if that's how they make the infamous pill from scratch. Using beef penis along with other chinese medicinal herbs like "dang shen" aka "tong-shen" and chinese yam "wai san" and whatnot. For my own anti-"chill pill", I thought I'd stick with the basics, the No. 1 "Cleansing Soup".

Infected by Simscooks's detox diet, I wasted no time in getting some watercress myself. I also rummaged through my fridge for some known anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients to enrich my watercress soup. I found some goji berries, figs & dried longan - ingredients that should provide the necessary nutrients to start my cleansing process after a week-long battle with the flu. Goji berries (wolfberries OR gogi berries), are raisin-like dried fruit which are evidently known to improve cell communication among other health promoting properties. Figs, yet another one of my sweet discoveries, are rich in fiber and healthy minerals. I don't particularly enjoy eating the figs, I just like the way just a couple of them can enhance a whole pot of soup with a mild sweet fruity flavor. As for the dried longan, I read somewhere that they are "brain food", which is good, for I am quite forgetful nowadays :( To further make up for my protein deprivation, I added a couple of chicken feet and meaty pork bones. Oh what the heck, let's get a little crazy and throw in another one of my favourite ingredients for any kind of soup .. fish balls :P

Final verdict : One beeeg bowl of a sweet, hearty, and "interior"-cleansing soup :)

Watercress Soup With Asian Herbs Recipe

Ingredients :
4 pc. chicken feet
2 pc. meaty pork bones
6 fish balls
3 figs
1 tbsp goji berries
1 tbsp dried longan
1 bunch watercress
salt to taste

Method :
1) Dump all the ingredients (except the watercress and fish balls) in a soup pot, and cook to a boil. The watercress turn soggy fast and the fish balls are pre-cooked so you can add them in later.
2) Let it simmer for at least 20 minutes in medium heat.
3) Add watercress and fish balls in and simmer for an additional 10 minutes before serving.

Otak Otak : An Asian Frittata

Frittatas : All frittatas are made of loosely beaten eggs with a little milk, cream and flour. The dairy provides a bit of extra moisture and richness and keeps it light and fluffy. The flour bolsters the eggs setting and thickening properties and helps incorporate the added milk or cream. I can relate the frittatas to the Malaysia/Singapore's Otak Otak OR the Indonesian's Otah Otah. A frittata is somewhat made of mashed ingredients with the basics, and then pan fried OR baked that resembles a thick, huge omelette. Instead of frying the whole slab of mixture into the hot pan, I like to wrap them up in banana leafs and bake them in the oven. The banana leafs lend a light perfumey flavor to the the fish.

The added ingredients : There are no hard-and-fast rules for what's to put in your creation. Simple vegetables works, and sometimes meats ie. turkey, ham, cheese of some sorts, and leftover roast beef will do. I use mashed sole fillets as the essential ingredient to make up a good otak otak frittata.

Herbs used : I used chopped kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and lemongrass powder as they lend a fresh, subtle flavor note that wonderfully lights up this frittata. For the spices, I would also use a copious amount of tomyum paste and tumeric powder for seasoning.

Otak-Otak also describes "Grilled Fish Mousse wrapped OR rolled on a Banana Leaf".

Otak Otak Fish Recipe

Ingredients :
1.5 lbs sole fillet
1 tbsp rice flour
180 ml coconut milk
1 egg
1 tbsp tumeric powder
2/3 tbsp tomyum paste
1 tbsp chili paste
dash of minced dried shrimps
1 shallot minced
1 in ginger minced
1 in galangal minced
6 stems kaffir lime leafs chopped
dash of lemongrass powder
dash of fish granules
dash of belacan powder
sugar to taste

Method :
1) Blend fish fillet into a paste-like texture.
2) Mix well all ingredients with the fish paste.
3) Cut the banana leafs into 6 in. long strips, then form circles and staple the bottom.
4) Fill the fish mixture into the banana leafs circles.
5) Spray some cooking spray onto a baking tray, place 4) onto the baking tray.
6) Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes.

Have some fish frittatas and a Happy New Year !! :)