Melting Wok

Stir-fried Shanghai Noodles

Melting Wok — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 04:46:00 +0000

Every time I go to my favorite Shanghai restaurant, I never fail to order their stir-fried golden yellow noodles. Each bite reminds me so much of stir-fried Hokkien / Cantonese noodles aka Hokkien Char Mee / Cantonese Tai Lok Meen, one of the more popular stir-fried noodle dishes in Malaysia. Bear in mind, this is not the regular soft and soggy lo mein yellow noodles or wonton egg noodles. Traditionally, stir-fried Hokkien noodles is cooked with specially prepared fresh thick yellow egg noodles and a combination of meats, seafood, vegetables, and a special ingredient, crispy pork cubes :) You can really taste the breath of wok as you slurp away the plump and springy fat yellow egg noodles drenched in rich thick black soy sauce and a mixture of one tiny bite of the crispylicious pork bits is enough to blow your tastebuds away. Stir-fried Shanghai noodles also employ a very similar type of noodles. However it is cooked with shredded pork, lard and napa cabbage with a less saucier version.

Lately, fond food memories have been invading my mind with crazy as the days draw closer to my vacation, especially noodly ones. But I've been putting off making this one particular noodle dish because "the" right type noodles couldn't be found at my local Asian grocery store. Taking matters into my own hands, I bugged the manager on numerous occasions until he finally gave in haha :)

Okay, people. Here's what to look for at the market, and here's what it looks like. Save it, print it, bring it to your Asian market, do whatever you need to do and you shall be on your way to enjoying some pretty darn delicious golden Shanghai noodles or some good ol' Malaysian stir-fried Hokkien noodles :) As for now, I'll stick to a very quick and easy recipe, stir-fried Shanghai noodles with mushroom and chinese mustard greens in thick soy sauce :) Soon, I'll be reunited with the real deal .. stir-fried Hokkien noodles with squid, cabbage, shrimp, pork and crispy pork fats ...................... to be continued after 2 months :)

Stir-fried Shanghai Noodles Recipe

Ingredients :
1/2 pack thick yellow noodles, fresh ( 7 oz )
1 tsp chopped garlic
4 oz shredded green onions
5 oz sliced button mushrooms
5 oz cut chinese mustard greens ( aka Small Gai Choy )
1 egg
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp thick soy sauce
1-2 tsp tsp sweet soy sauce (ABC brand, bottle)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cooking oil
white pepper to taste

Notes : Sugar and molasses are already added in the thick soy sauce and the sweet soy sauce. Hence, no sugar is needed for this recipe.

Method :
1) In a pot of boiling water, cook the yellow noodles until the required texture is achieved. I like it springier, so I cook the yellow noodles for just about 5-8 minutes. Remove, rinse in cold water, drain and set aside to cool.
2) Add sesame oil and cooking oil to the cooked noodles. Mix well and set aside.
3) Heat the wok until it's smoking hot and turn the heat down to low. Quickly stir-fry the green onions and garlic until fragrant.
4) Stir in an egg, mix the cut mustard greens, sliced button mushrooms, turn the heat back high, and continue stir-fry for 1 minute.
5) Add the noodles, splash in the fish sauce, sweet soy sauce, thick soy sauce, white pepper to taste, and continue to stir-fry for an additional 2-3 minute or until evenly mixed.

Pan-fried Steak

Melting Wok — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 21:01:00 +0000

I'm not really a big fan of red meat, although I do enjoy a nice thick and juicy steak occasionally, especially the slightly crispy edges. My preference is somewhere between medium-rare and medium-done. I don't think I've had any perfect steaks at the restaurants ever. It's either too done, too rare or they'll serve me some non-select prime cut and call it with some fancy-shmancy name like Victorian cut or something. Thanks to Steamy Kitchen, Jaden and her enticingly delicious-looking rib eye steak, I decided to go out and get my own :) Great timing too ! Since it's the 4th of July, I found a great bargain on some thick moist looking rib eye steaks ! Without hesitation, I picked out a pack with the most marbly texture at only USD$4.99 per pound :)

I didn't want to clean up the big mess I'm sure to make after firing up the grill, so I decided to cook my rib eye steaks in a pan instead :) How do you pan-fry steak to perfection ? Make sure you rub your steak with enough oil during the seasoning process. Rub it in and rub it well ! The oil will help seal the juices in. Last thing you want is to overcook a good piece of steak right before your very own eyes, all dried and wasted. Next, get the pan really hot. Don't be a wuss. Get the pan really smoking hot and briefly carbonize the outside of the steak. You'll get a nice brown on the outside, and leave the inside nice and pink.

Here are my cooking tips for pan-frying steaks :

1) Place steak in pan. ( 1 minute per side, total 2 minutes for both sides of the steak )
2) Use your left hand to hold the handle of the pan and tilt the pan at a 45 degree angle, allowing most of the oil to ooze down away from the steak.
3) With your right hand, hold the steak vertically with a pair of tongs. Then pan sear all edges of the steak in the oil to a light crisp. ( 1 1/2 minutes, or until nicely browned )
5) Next, bring the pan back to its normal position, in contact with the stove. Place the steak back in the pan. ( cook for another 45 seconds to 1 minute per side )
6) When the steak is cooked, remove, and let it rest to allow juices to redistribute themselves for that perfect even color. ( 3 minutes )

Total cooking time : ONLY 6-8 minutes.
Resting time : 3-5 minutes.

Pan-fried Rib Eye Steak With Mushrooms And Onions

Ingredients :
1 piece 1/2 inch thick, rib eye steak ( approximately 14 oz )
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce ( preferably Lea & Perrin )
4 tbsp olive oil
7 oz button mushroom, sliced
1/2 a yellow onion, cut into rings

Method :
1) Rub both sides of the steak with salt first. Then with black pepper, cumin powder, cayenne pepper, worcestershire sauce, and lastly olive oil.
2) Refrigerate for an hour or preferably overnight.
3) Remove steak from refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking.
4) Heat pan until really hot. Saute onions until slightly fragrant in 1 tbsp olive oil. Add mushroom and continue stir-frying for 1 minute. Dish up and set aside.
5) Pan-fry steaks in 2 tbsp olive oil using the above cooking tips.

Well that's how I like my steak y'all ... yeee haaa :) I still have a piece in my freezer so let me know if you have a favorite way to cook yours :)

Green Curry Chicken

Melting Wok — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 05:48:00 +0000

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

Coconut, Rose & Pandan Agar Agar Jell-O

Melting Wok — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 08:51:00 +0000

It officially turned summer for us here in the Northern hemisphere yesterday. Gee.. I could almost smell that fried egg on the sidewalk as the weatherperson on tv droned on endlessly about some red flag warning. One place you don't want to be in during the summer is my kitchen. When I own my own place, the first thing I'm getting is an air-conditioner for the kitchen. For now, I'm stuck with my 5-year-old 10 bucks 3-speed standing fan. Oh well, I guess I'll be bringing something cold and sweet and most importantly, requires no baking, over to Sugar High Friday at Domestic Goddess kitchen.

I was thinking of a particular Asian Jell-O / Agar Agar / Pudding-like dessert recipe, layered with Coconut, Rose and Pandan flavors. I don't quite know what to name this. Coconut, Rose and Pandan Jell-O ? Coconut, Rose, and Pandan Agar Agar ? or Coconut, Rose and Pandan Pudding ? Well, the recipe's a combination of all of the above. It has got that medium firm wiggly jiggly texture, like Jello. Yet it remains solid at room temperature and doesn't melt in the heat because of the agar agar. And since I've added egg whites and mixed in coconut milk like in a pudding, should I just name it "Coconut, Rose and Pandan Agar Agar Jell-O Pudding"? The recipe's relatively easy, main ingredient is just a pack of 79 cents agar agar powder, no baking and ready in 15 minutes. The result is utterly cooling, light, and sin-lessly delicious ! :)

Because its extracted from natural seaweed, agar agar contains 84% in fiber, hence it makes one of the best source of natural food fibers available. Like other algae foods, agar agar also provides a good source of iron, calcium and iodine. It is also calorie-free. So..will this help cut a few inches off the waist line ? Put yourself on an agar agar jell-o diet and let me know.. hahaha :P

Also check out some other cooling delights :
Steamy Kitchen Coconut Frozen Yogurt
Wandering Chopsticks Homemade Frozen Yogurt

My other freaky-hot Sugar High Friday entries :
Japanese Mochi
Pandan Coconut Muffins

Have a great summer treat !:)

Coconut, Rose And Pandan Agar Agar Jell-O Recipe
(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients :
1 pack ( 7 gm ) agar agar powder ( Swallow Globe brand )
100 ml thick coconut milk
1000 ml water
200 gm sugar
3 egg whites
1 tsp Pandan extract ( Aroma Pasta brand )
1 tsp Rose extract ( Aroma Pasta brand )

Toppings ( optional ) :
Your favorite fruits, ie. Strawberries and Blueberries

Method :
1) In a bowl, whisk the egg whites until the meringue holds soft peaks, and set aside.
2) Prepare some empty jell-o molds/plastic cups, and let them chill in the freezer.
3) In a pot, bring the water to a boil, mix in the sugar and the agar agar powder, stir well and let cook for 2 minutes until the mixture is blended well.
4) Add coconut milk, turn heat to medium-low, let boil and turn off heat.
5) Mix the prepared meringue with the cooked agar agar solution. Mix well, and divide into 3 portions in 3 separate bowls.
6) For the first agar agar portion, add Pandan extract and mix well (Pandan flavor).
For the second agar agar portion, add Rose extract and mix well (Rose flavor).
As for the third portion, leave it as it is (Coconut flavor).
7) Bring out the chilled jell-o molds/plastic cups from the freezer. Make half an inch layer for each of the jell-o mold/cups with the divided agar agar portion, coconut flavor on the bottom mold, rose on the second, and pandan on the top. For each layer, it'll take 20-30 seconds for it to get firm.
8) When complete, chill the agar agar cups before serving.

Note : For the meringue, make sure the bowl is completely grease-free, else, meringue will not stiffen. For the agar agar layering process, I chose to put them in the freezer for 10 seconds per layer. Touch and feel to check if it's firm enough before layering the remaining agar agar portions.

Rice Vermicelli In Dried Scallop Sauce

Melting Wok — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 06:12:00 +0000

Rice vermicelli (or rice sticks) are one of the more common variety of noodles stocked in many Asian households. They are not as starchy as most noodles are and certainly easier to prepare. Thus making them my number one choice when I want a quick home-made noodle fix or when the weather is hot and I'm looking for something that's lighter than ramen, chow mein, or even my favorite, e-fu noodles. Rice vermicelli is also a splendid choice for the health-conscious as it is free of gluten, sodium, fat and cholesterol.

One trait that really sets Asian noodles apart from their Italian counterparts is versatility. And if I were to pick an Asian noodle to showcase the various ways one kind of noodle can be cooked, I would definitely go with the rice vermicelli. Not only can it be stir-fried, served in soups and salads, braised, or tossed cold to name a few ways. But it can also be deep fried or stuffed in spring rolls as well. The rice vermicelli is truly the "noodle of all trades" in my book.

Cooking rice vermicelli is no harder than cooking a pack of instant noodles, and possibly quite faster too. A quick soak of about 5 minutes in boiling hot water is really all it takes. Albeit some people do prefer to cook it in boiling hot water rather than just soak. For me the soaking method sufficiently softens the rice vermicelli while maintaining a firm enough texture so it won't break up when stir-fried.

While preparing this particular rice vermicelli recipe, I recalled a couple of favorite ingredients mom often added to her stocks to "sweeten" or enrich them - dried scallops and dried squid/cuttlefish (which I also used in my Peanut Soup with Pork Ribs). A couple of pieces were all it took to "spice up" the chicken broth I used with a rich and savory flavor.

Without further ado, here's my Rice Vermicelli in Dried Scallop Sauce recipe, which I'm also sending over to Ruth Daniel's Presto Pasta Night. Buon appetito! :)

Pan-Seared Rice Vermicelli in Dried Scallop Sauce Recipe

Ingredients :
7 oz (200 gm) Dry rice vermicelli noodles
5 tbsp cooking oil
20 oz chicken broth
3 oz dried squid/cuttlefish
2 pc dried scallops
8 oz ground chicken breast
1 egg
2 tbsp chopped green onions
1 shitake mushroom (soaked and finely sliced)
10 oz cut baby chinese mustard greens (small gai choy) or other leafy vegetable (cut into bite-sized pieces)
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp shaoxing cooking wine
1 tbsp cornstarch solution
salt, pepper, and sugar to taste

Method:
1) Preparing the rice vermicelli
- Soak rice vermicelli in a pot of boiling hot water (with the heat off) for 5 minutes.
- Rinse briefly under running water. Drain and set aside to cool.
2) Preparing the dried scallops and squid
- Soak dried scallops and dried squid/cuttlefish in a small bowl of water.
- Microwave on low (or use the "reheat" function) for 5 minutes to soften them.
- Remove from water and cut or shred into smaller pieces.
3) Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok/pan on medium fire and place rice vermicelli in. Pan-fry until it is slightly crispy on one side and set aside.
4) Using the same oil, lightly scramble an egg and top over rice vermicelli.
5) Stir-fry mustard greens with a dash of salt and pepper for 2 minutes. Remove and top over rice vermicelli.
6) Heat 2 tbsp oil in the same wok/pan until smoky and saute the shredded scallops and the squid from (2) until slightly crispy and fragrant.
7) Add green onions, mushroom, ground chicken breast meat and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
8) Add chicken broth, oyster sauce, cooking wine, salt, pepper, sugar to taste and let boil for 3 minutes.
9) Stir in cornstarch solution and simmer for 1 minute.
10) Pour or ladle sauce over rice vermicelli and serve.

Note : I stir-fried the mustard greens separately from the broth so the taste of the greens doesn't overpower that of the broth.

Gluten-free, Wheat-free Rice Vermicelli

Cookbook : Gluten-free Gourmet Cooks Comfort Foods

Beef Canape

Melting Wok — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 07:14:00 +0000

Previously, I used a few pieces of slow cooked braised beef ribs, pulled, shredded, and stuffed them in my crazy tortilla turned chinese sesame pancake wraps. Check out the flickr slideshow here. Now what to do with the leftover beef ? It's still sitting in the freezer as I recollect that I also have some old bread ! Hmm..perhaps some cute bite-sized hor d'oeuvres filled with deli style beef, sliced, and served with a dollop of ginger and green onion dressing and some cut five spiced tofu. Yes, I'm bringing some tempting Canapes with beef to Melecotte at the Deep Freeze Challenge table.

Speaking of Deep Freeze, how do you store cooked meats safely ?
To store in the refrigerator, you simply wrap the cooked meat in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or store it in a tightly covered container and use within two to three days. For frozen storage, wrap the cooked meat in heavy duty aluminum foil or freezer paper and use within two to three months. If you may have kept the food refrigerated for too long, throw it out. Never taste food that looks or smells strange to see if you can still use it.

How about defrosting cooked meats ?
You can thaw the wrapped cooked meat in the refrigerator. Allow about 24 hours for every 5 pounds. Of course, small packages of cooked meat will take less time to thaw and can be taken out of the freezer and put into the refrigerator at a later time. Once the cooked meat is thawed, plan to eat them within 3 to 4 days.

Reheating cooked meats ?
Frozen cooked meats may be eaten cold or reheated. Only reheat previously cooked meats once. Be sure they are thoroughly reheated to a temperature of 165F or until boiling hot. If you've no time to thaw your cooked meats, alternatively, you can just reheat them in the oven.

Back to the canapes..the recipe is easy. To build a good canape, simply top them with your favorite ingredients, and and these eye-catching hor d'oeuvres will never be seen again. With all the layers of flavors, these bite-sized canapes are inviting enough for a simple breakfast or as an appetizing snack to sizzle up any cocktail party.

So, are you ready to dig into some canape while lounging on your favorite canape ? (Canape also means couch in French)

Beef Canape Recipe

Ingredients :
thin slices of beef ( For Braised Beef Ribs recipe, read below Recap )
ginger and green onion dressing
stripped chinese five spiced tofu
sliced cucumber
cut bread slices for canape base ( For instructions, read below Recap )

How to prepare the Ginger and Green Onion Dressing :
Ingredients :
minced ginger
chopped green onions
sesame oil

Method :

1) Mix ginger and green onions in sesame oil and allow to marinate for at least an hour to bring out the flavor. Store in an air-tight glass jar and refrigerate until ready for use.

Other Use Of Ginger And Green Onion Dressing :
Check out tigerfish latest invention, Soba Noodles With Mushrooms.

Recap :

Braised Beef Short Ribs

Bread for canape base and use of chinese five spice tofu

Cookbook : Canapes And Hor d'oeuvres

Tortilla Wraps For Sesame Pancake

Melting Wok — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 12:12:00 +0000

There are a few variations of Asian/Chinese wraps that I crave for from time to time. The Nanjing crispy scallion pancake, Taiwanese pancake beef roll ups, and the ever popular Chinese Moo Shu wrap. I guess today was one of those days when I needed an escape from rice and noodles, so some kinda pancake wrap it is. Well I certainly didn't really feel like going out and getting something too greasy nor did I feel like rolling out some pancake dough. Maybe a simple chinese pancake recipe to conveniently finish up some leftover tortilla wraps will suffice.

For the health-conscious, there are actually low-carb tortilla skins (which are the kind I used). This isn't exactly the traditional way of making Asian pancake wraps, but after a light coating of egg white wash and toasted seame seeds and a quick pan-fry, I definitely find myself preferring this over the thick chinese sesame pancake bread or the fragile thin Moo Shu wraps.

As for the filling, I went with some slow-cooked boneless beef short ribs. Slow cooking or braising enhances the exchange of flavors between the meat and the sauce and is a great way to soften the meat too, especially if you are using a tougher cut. For this chinese-style braised beef recipe, I used aromatic spices like cloves, cinnamon and star anise. They are the traditional spices used in stewing beef flank ("Ngau Lam") chinese-style. If you have leftovers, you can even serve it with egg noodles. Braised beef flank with egg noodles is actually quite a popular Hong Kong dish. Lastly, I added a few szechuan peppercorns for that extra punch.

Well, that's it for my chi-mex chinese burrito gone wild episode. If you have any great wrap and roll ideas, don't hesitate to share them. Check out my other Tex-Mex tortilla wrap here.

P/S : Messing around with my wraps on flickr. Enjoy !:)

Melting Wok : Sesame Pancake With Beef Wrap.

Braised Beef Recipe

Ingredients :
4 pc beef short ribs ( boneless )
1 star anise seed
2 cloves
5 szechuan peppercorns
sliced ginger
shredded green onions
3/4 cups low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup water
2 tbsp ABC sweet soy sauce
3 pc rock sugar ( or regular sugar )
salt and white pepper to taste
shaoxing cooking wine
sesame oil

Method :
1) Dump all the ingredients into a crock pot and slow cook for 4 hours or until tender.

Pulled Beef Wraps

Ingredients :
Mission brand low carb tortilla wraps
toasted sesame seeds
egg white wash

Method :

1) Lightly coat one side of the tortilla wraps with egg white wash. Sprinkle some toasted sesame on it and pan-fry on that side until light golden brown.

2) Shred or pull beef and wrap.

Note : Hmm .. I have some leftover braised beef from this recipe. How should I make use of them ?

Muffin Monday : Pandan & Coconut Muffin

Melting Wok — Tue, 29 May 2007 04:13:00 +0000

Every Monday, I look forward to another action-packed "24". I forgot the season had come to an end last week :( As I sat on my recliner, rocking away ... rocking away ...

Jack Bauer tackled me down at CTU, Melting Wok division, Los Angeles. This takes place between 21:00 and 22:00.

Jack Bauer : I'm federal agent Jack Bauer, and today is the longest day of my life.
Me : Abort your mission, join me for a quick bite before you tackle your real enemies.

Jack Bauer : *What* is your primary objective ?
Me : I have some colorful papercups leftovers from making mochis, a polished muffin pan, some eggs and flour. Lets get the action rolling, shall we ?

Jack Bauer : You are absolutely sure you can do this ?
Me : Well .. I wanted to make you some of my mom's Pandan Chiffon Cake, but with your busy schedule, I'll settle with a quick and easy muffin bake recipe, 20 minutes tops..

Jack Bauer : You're not a field operative !
Me : I have a pistol-shaped thingy in my kitchen that shoots fire and I'll lend you my oven to torture uncooperative suspects.

Jack Bauer : If you don't tell me what I want to know, then it'll just be a question of how much you want it to hurt.
Me : Okay, I have here some Pandanus extract. Pandan leaves are one of the few disparate ingredients used in the Asian cuisine, especially in sweet and savory desserts. So, agent Bauer, how much do you really know about Asian food flavorings ?

Jack Bauer : I don't have time to explain right now.
Me : In that case, let's get on with the Pandan And Coconut muffin cakes now, shall we ?

Jack Bauer : I know what it's like to feel like it's never going to end.
Me : Totally, this quick and easy muffin bake will totally rock your never-ending world. Its savory, sweet and delectable to your taste buds.

Jack Bauer : You are going to tell me everything I want to know or I swear to God I will hurt you before I kill you, and no one will be able to stop me.
Me : Relax .. I always reveal my recipe at the end of every post. Not the sharpest tool in the shed, are ya ?

Jack Bauer : What is happening at 20:00 ?
Me : Here .. hot, steamy savory sweet mini muffins ..

Jack Bauer : Don't move !
MW : What ?

Jack Bauer : Shocking, your mini Pandan Coconut Muffins are absoltely riveting, I'm amazed ! Got milk ?
Me : Sure .. would you like to wash it down with some pandan-flavored soy milk ?

If only every adversary can be so easily handled in real life. For today, I will just stick with my illusive fantasy. Haha .. girls just wanna have fu-un. Since I can't really share my beloved mini Pandan Coconut Muffin cakes with Jack Bauer, I shall share this with all of you, including Sandra at Muffin Monday in Italy, bon apetit ! :)

Pandan Coconut Muffin Recipe

Ingredients :
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Pandan extract
1 egg
70 ml cooking oil
90 ml coconut milk
150 ml water
6 muffin cups

Method :

1) Preheat oven to 375F. Line paper cups on a muffin tray, set aside.
2) In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, add water, coconut milk, oil, pandan extract, salt, sugar, baking powder and mix well.
3) Sieve the flour, and slowly pour into the mixture, mix well, and set aside.
4) Scoop the muffin mixture onto the muffin cups until 2/3 full.
5) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a light brown crust appear or cracks out of the muffin top.

Notes : In most Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, Pandan leaves are often pounded or strained, and then blended with a little water to add flavor to sweet and savory recipes. This delicate flavor is crucial to Asians as vanilla is to Westerners.
To prevent your muffins from getting too hard, do not over-whip (mix) the mixture aand allow too much air in.

Other Sweet Notes :

Japanese Rice Cake (Mochi)

No Bake Coconut Macaroon

Classic Asian Cakes And Desserts

Japanese Rice Cake (Mochi)

Melting Wok — Mon, 21 May 2007 11:17:00 +0000

Thanks to Kat for sharing her Ichigodaifuku Mochi recipe (Strawberry and Red Bean mochis). Yummy .. I'm sure I'd be in confection heaven too if I had a a chance to sink my sweet tooth into that ! The first time I read the mochi recipe, I did not realize that I actually had Mochiko at home. A little googling enlightened me that Mochiko is actually Japanese for glutinous rice flour and I was fortunate enough to have three bags of it originally intended for some Malaysian style glutinous rice balls. Woohoo ! I'm halfway to treating my taste buds to some sweet, chewy, wholesome goodness that I've been longing for a while.

I must confess that this is my first attempt at making Mochi. But from what I've read so far, it's a breezy no-bake recipe (similar to my no-bake coconut macaroon). And it is, a simple nuke and cook was all it took to get my mochi dough ready to rock and roll :) After that, it's just sheer delight portioning them out and dressing them up with an assortment of sweet fillings like chocolate, fruit jam, ice cream, or peanut butter. The verdict ? Some 30 pretty little bite-sized morsels edible eye candy that's to die for.

So there you have it, from simple shades of white, you can paint them with whatever flavors you crave, and that is my submission to Sugar High Friday, hosted by Tara at Seven Spoons. I generally prefer having my mochis cold. The perfect sweet indulgence for a hot summer day, and definitely a perfect ending to lunch or dinner :) So, how do you like your mochi ?

Mochi Recipe ( Japanese Rice Cake Recipe )

Mochi dough recipe :
Ingredients :
2 cups water
2 cups glutinous rice flour ( mochiko )
1 cup sugar
potato starch, or soy bean flour for dusting ( katakuriko, or kinako )
1 tbsp strawberry jam ( optional )
1/4 tsp pandan ( screwpine leaf ) extract ( optional )

Method :

1) Sieve glutinous rice flour in a big bowl ( to prevent clumps) and set aside.
2) Mix sifted glutinous rice flour, sugar and 2 cups water in a bowl. ( optional: add strawberry jam for pink mochi dough or pandan extract for green mochi dough)
3) Making mochi
Steaming method : pour flour mixture into an oiled pan. Place in steamer and steam on medium for 30-45 minutes.
Microwave method : pour flour mixture into an oiled microwavable pan. Microwave 10-15 minutes covered.
4) Dust some potato starch ( Katakuriko ) over a large flat-surfaced board. Knead dough until a smooth texture is achieved.
5) Shape dough into mini-logs and cut into bite-sized portions.
6) Fill or top dough with your favorite stuffing or topping.

Here's a list of the stuffings/toppings I used :
A) Strawberry Mochi - Frozen strawberry yoghurt ( wrapped in pink mochi dough )
B) Pandan Mochi
C) Chocolate Mochi - Heated chocolate fudge and toasted sesame seeds
D) Peanut Butter Mochi - Peanut butter ( mochi dough is flattened, filled with peanut butter, and rolled up )

Notes :
Glutinous Rice Flour ( Mochiko ), works well as a thickener in sauces and soups. Sauces thickened will not separate when frozen and thawed.
Potato Starch ( Kitakuriko ), prepared from cooked potatoes that are washed of all fibers until only the starch remains, and it is gluten-free.
Soy Bean Flour ( Kinako ), low in starch and high in protein, soy flour is made from ground soy beans and is used in baking breads and pastries.

Big Burger Ballyhoo 2007 : Tofu Burger

Melting Wok — Mon, 14 May 2007 19:20:00 +0000

I'm not really a hamburger connoisseur, but I've suddenly developed an urge to sink my teeth into a big, juicy burger with all the works after watching "Pink Panther", particularly this scene. Could this be a conspiracy by the hamburger industry to transform us into hamburger - chomping - special - sauce - dripping - from - the - sides - of - our - mouths junkies ?!? Haha ... no I'm not crazy. You know how when you have a song stuck in repeat mode in your head? In my case, it was that scene as I was whipping up this recipe for the Big Burger Ballyhoo 2007. Even as I was grinding the ingredients for my entry, I swear I could hear the food processor yelling, "I WOULD LIKE A HAMBURGER !" with a french accent each time I hit the pulse button.

For this burger recipe, I'll be going the m00-friendly route with a healthy hand-crafted meatless Tofu Burger variation. Instead of regular tofu, I've chosen to use Chinese baked tofu. They have a firmer texture than regular tofu and are available in two varieties: plain white pressed tofu and seasoned brown five-spice tofu. I went with the latter. Its convenient and I can use the leftovers in a cucumber tofu salad or a snack later.

As for the buns, I cut a few slices of multi-grain bread into 3-1/2 inch rounds, pan-fried them lightly with a dash of olive oil and added a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Yummy ... I'm definitely saving some to make canapes later :)

Back to the tofu burgers, I have decided to pan-fry them but by all means, go crazy with the barbeque. These tofu burgers are definitely grill-friendly. I browned a couple of these tofu patties to a golden perfection, and smothered over some pan-fried crunchy sweet sugar snap peas, sliced button mushrooms and fresh cut cucumbers. I don't know if there's a magic dressing for a tofu burger, but a spread of my Spicy Pesto Sauce mixed with honey dijon mustard and my taste buds are ready to do the Conga :)

Tofu Burger Recipe ( for 2 patties )

Ingredients :
4 blocks baked five-spice tofu squares, cut into 4 quarters
( each block is 2x2 inches and 1/2 an inch thick )
1 tbsp chopped green onions
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce ( I used a Thai brand : Mae Ploy )
2/3 cups dry breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 tsp sesame oil
black pepper, salt and sugar to taste

Method :
1) Blend all ingredients ( except breadcrumbs ) in a food processor until a smooth texture is formed.
2) Pour mixture into a large bowl. Add breadcrumbs and mix well.
3) Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Shape mixture into 2 patties. Freeze the tofu patties for 5 minutes.
4) Place patties on skillet or grill ( oiled ) and cook for 3 minutes on each side until browned.

Burger Buns :
4 slices of multi-grain bread, cut into 3-1/2 inch rounds, lightly pan-fried with a dash of olive oil with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds ( or use regular burger buns )

Burger Dressing :
Spicy Pesto Sauce
Honey Dijon Mustard
Paprika
Cayenne Pepper

Note : Regular firm tofu may be substituted if five-spice tofu is unavailable. An alternative to sweet chili sauce is Asian Teriyaki Glaze or Sauce. It will then be a Teriyaki Tofu Burger :)

My Top 5 Place To Eat in Southern California

Melting Wok — Fri, 11 May 2007 19:49:00 +0000

I was having some store bought frozen dumplings for supper last night, and boy.. they were not luscious. My mind was wandering off again..those luscious dumplings Wandering Chopsticks had. That reminds me, she had tagged me a while back on Saving Our Favorites 2007 and there's Amy, with her Top 5 Favorite Place To Eat in Seattle, and not forgetting tigerfish in Sunnyvale, CA, with her Tasty Joys at Trader Joes ! In reality, I don't eat out much, but when I do, I am gamed for a great authentic cuisine of some theme, and sometimes I'm all in for an arsenal feast, like a buffet. So, here I am, my Top 5 Save My Favorite Place to Eat here in Southern California.

After watching "Finding Nemo", the first thing that comes to mind is sinking my chompers into some sweet, succulent, and juicy lobster tail. Yes, I admit it. I'm a seafood-aholic. Fortunately, California is abundant with Oriental "eat-till-you-drop" seafood/sushi buffet restaurants. So every once in a while I get to indulge in my guilty pleasures at Todai, Onam i, or Sumo to name a few. One of the not-so-latest of such establishments to open its doors is the Hokkaido in Newport, Orange County. First of all, fans of quality sushi be warned, abandon all hope ye who enter here. But then again, a true sushi lover shouldn't go to a seafood/sushi buffet with raised expectations now should they. Since it is not a bona fide Japanese-owned restaurant as it's name may suggest, the price is not as steep either. For under $20, you get to feast on a greater selection of seafood than what it's pricier Japanese counterparts are offering. As with any buffet, remember rule number one. Only go when there's a lunch or dinner crowd as the bars are refilled more often with "fresher" food, most preferably on Saturday evenings. Okay, on to the spread. Here are some of the their offerings that IMHO sets them apart from the rest :

Baked Lobsters with Garlic Butter & parsley flakes - Like the soup Nazi, each patron is given a lobster pass that entitles you to 1/2 a lobster. It is as fresh as it gets. So, you do not see the constant bickering and tug-of-war standing in line wandering who's getting the better piece OR if the guy in front is sweeping everything on the buffet table.

Peking Roast Duck - Crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. Have your favorite pick, or let the server do it for you. They come with steamed double folded buns on the side with hoisin sauce with shredded green onions.

Korean BBQ Ribs & Salmon Grill - The grill table features all the BBQ items, and next to it stands the griller man that attends to your hibachi needs. Pick your ingredients, and let him do the work. I enjoyed their korean beef ribs, which was nicely seasoned with tumeric spice and ginger wine sauce, unlike in some chinese buffets with heavy hoisin sauce, with a barrel of salt taste in my mouth. The salmon grilled with the skin-on was great, crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside.

Tempuras - Pumpkin ones are good, along with the shrimps, lightly battered, not overly "hard" like in typical chinese buffets.

Sharks Fin Soup - Served with red vinegar on the side. I could tell they used immitation sharks fin with the other ingredients put in a regular hot-and-sour soup, nevertheless, this was quite alright. Perhaps they did have a few strips of the real sharks fin in there.

Steamed Boston Oysters In Black Bean Sauce - I am glad that they steamed them just to a perfection, unlike in West Coast Seafood Buffet, oysters like these are undercooked. I also had steamed whole Rex Sole Fish With Green Onions & Ginger Shreds, which by they way, I liked picking into the fish eggs and the fish was steamed just right.

Steamed Half-Shell Scallops - Succulent ! Also, try their braised sea cucumbers with lobster claws, which was great over some steamed white rice, very tasty and not heavily sauced.

Salt Pepper Shrimp - Not so great, if you were to compare them to Sumo's big, fat, crunchy shrimps. Next to the shrimps, I had some baked soft shell crabs stuffed with cheese and immitation crabs (surimis), better than Todai, I suppose.

Aside from that, they have 5 serving tables :
1 sushi bar - Sushi and basic sashimi selection.
1 meat bar - Peking duck, lobsters, grilled Polish sausage and smoked ham.
1 seafood bar - hot food, piles of snow crab legs, along with the generic rice, noodles and soups.
1 hibachi grill : build-your-plate with your selections of seafoods, meats and veges. Also serving BBQ pork ribs, pork chops, grill mackarel fish, salmon, and etc.
1 salad bar
1 fruit bar and dessert bar

** Hokkaido Seafood Buffet
Location & Hours : 4200 Scott Dr. Newport Beach, CA 92660 (949)851-5888 M-F : Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Dinner 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Sat & Sun : Dinner All Day

...and onto my 4 other favorite restaurants to eat in Southern California, with my favorite foods, I recommend :

** Wok And Noodle Restaurant
Theme : Shanghai Food

They truely live up to their name, all foods are cooked in heavy "wok hei" (Breath of Wok).

Fish With Kelp - Fried fish fillets wrapped with shredded seaweed.
Sweet & Sour Yellow Fish - Crispy whole fish with sweet, spicy sauce. (Also available in boneless fish fillet)
Shanghai Pork Spare Ribs - Lightly battered, fried pork spare ribs coated with a sweet maltose with a hint of chinese black vinegar.
Lion Head Meatballs - Ground pork meat balls wrap with salted egg yolks, lightly fried, and served with a light pork broth, served with a bed of sauted spinach.
Shanghai Fried Flat Noodle - Stir-fried homemade noodles, with shredded pork and napa cabbage.
Price : $
Location & Hours : 828 W.Valley Blvd., Alhambra, CA 91803 (626)588-2284, 11 am - 3 pm.

** Ding's Restaurant
Theme : Sichuan Food

Release your fiery spirit ! Your 100% commitment to an authentic Szechuan cuisine starts right here !

From the cold bar - Sichuan spicy pork ears and beef shank salad.

Pork Knuckle Casserole - Herbal soup with braised pork knuckle, bamboo shoots, lily flowers, boiled eggs and meatballs.

Boiled Fish Fillets - Chunks of fish fillets boiled in spicy chilli oil with cooked bean sprouts and fresh minced garlic.

Szechuan Spicy Fried Chicken - Diced chicken, lightly battered, fried and stir-fried with sichuan peppercorns, dried chilli peppers, ginger, garlic and green onions. (A must try)

Sichuan Style Cumin Lamb

Price : $
Location & Hours : 115-117 N.Lincoln Ave., Monterey Park, CA 91755 (626)288-2211, 7 am-10 pm.

** Little Malaysia Restaurant
Theme : Malaysian Food
My no-secret affair with Malaysian hawker food.

Hokkien Mee - Shrimp noodle &/ rice vermicelli soup, infused in light shrimp broth, served with pork ribs, shrimps, water spinach (kangkung), bean sprouts and eggs.
Curry Laksa - Spicy curry noodle &/ rice vermicelli soup, infused in light coconut broth, served with fried tofu pockets, shrimps, fish cake slice, bean sprouts, and mint leaves.
Ying Yang Noodles - Pan-fried rice vermicelli and rice noodles, infused in almost cooked eggs in gravy, served with fish cake slice, fish fillets, shredded pork, shrimps, and vegetables and topped with fried shallots.
Char Keow Teow - Stir-fried flat rice noodles with spicy chili soy sauce with chinese sausage, green chives, eggs, and shrimps.
Price : $
Location & Hours : 3944 Peck Road #8, El Monte, CA 91732 (626)401-3188, Close on Mondays.
For more reviews, go here.

** Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que Restaurant
Theme : BBQ & Southern Cuisine.
Soul food for the hungry Southern and BBQ souls. I am only here to feast like a King, nothing more. Stay away from my hickory smoke plate and please, leave the bib out !
Note : If you like , like I do, I prefer my sweet sticky mop sauce on the side, I enjoyed the hickory smoke taste on the meats. There's also several other choice of sauce available upon request.
BBQ Beef Ribs - Tender, big and meaty ribs, slow smoked with hickory wood, the best !!
Flame Roasted Artichoke (seasonal) - Split artichokes grilled with a lick of smoke, served with roasted garlic mayo.
Muddy Water Crab Cakes - Succulent crab cakes served with spicy remoulade sauce and a smoked jalapeno tartar sauce.
New Orleans Gumbo - Made with a dark roux savory broth, shrimps, smoked chicken and andouille sausage.

Pop's Beloved Fresh Pan Blackened Catfish - Lightly coated with cajun blackened seasonings, pan seared, and served with Creole mustard sauce.
Price : $$
Location & Hours : Lucilles BBQ

Despite business has not been going well for some of the above mom-and-pop store, truthfully speaking, for the price I paid, all my favorite 5 did offer the whole package = quality and authenticity !! I am here to vouch for them in getting better in my "Save Our Faves 2007". To others, please join me and share your favorite mom-and-pop store, restaurant, and/grocery market. Spread the love, and lets help keep your favorite place alive, shall we ? :)

On an unrelated note, I would like to wish my mom, and all the mothers out there..a wonderful Mother's Day (May 13) ! :)

Spaghetti Stir-fry With The Works ..

Melting Wok — Wed, 09 May 2007 07:32:00 +0000

As much as I love Asian flair in rice and noodles, I occasionally enjoy preparing just a simple pasta meal at home. No chopping, no dicing, and no leftover herbs. This is my kind of comfort meal ! That, besides a simple custom request to Olive Garden got rejected when I ordered my Alfredo Pasta with Portobello Mushroom with a light wine sauce :P

On a meatball spaghetti night, I love using jarred spaghetti sauce, especially the four cheese kind. Whereas on lighter days, I cannot do without canned tomatoes with all my favorite herbs - Del Monte Organic Tomatoes With Basil, Oregano And Garlic. I usually don't use canned tomotoes in stir-fries. With that, I am determined to put my taste buds to the test. This pasta recipe is an easy, breezy one, makes your summer days less hectic, I promise !

Look .. I found these huge luscious looking beauties - Heirloom Grilla-bella mushrooms.

I love chunks of these loaded up in my spaghetti pasta dish. If you have never had them, you must ! As much as I love all Asian mushrooms, I enjoy grilla-bellas Portobello mushrooms in the summer - light earthy flavors. Portobello mushrooms are great on the grill, or stir-fried, and you can just toss them into your favorite burger or a salad afterwards.

As suggested by Ruth Daniel's Presto Pasta Night, any pasta recipe will do. Go crazy with your noodle dish - hot, cold, spicy, creamy, saucy, and more ..as for tonight, I will be featuring Spaghetti Noodles Stir-fried with Portobello Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Basil, Garlic and Beef Steak. Yes, it was delicious, and I hope you give my spaghetti noodles, with the works more than one go, bon apetit ! :)

Spaghetti Noodles Stir-fry With Portobello Mushrooms Recipe

Ingredients :
1 lb cooked spaghetti noodles ( I used Barilla )
14 oz Portobello mushrooms ( sliced )
2/3 can cubed tomatoes with oregano, basil and garlic
10 oz top sirloin beef
olive oil
onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
white wine ( chardonnay )
grated Romano and Parmesan cheese ( optional )

Method :
1) Marinate the beef with onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside for 5 minutes.
2) Heat the wok or skillet to a smoky point, pan-fry OR grill the beef on high heat until both sides are browned and cook until two thirds done.
3) Slice the steak to about 3/4 of an inch thick, and set aside.
4) Heat the wok, toss in a generous amount of olive oil, pan-fry the sliced portobello mushrooms until fragrant, toss in the cooked spaghetti noodles. ( at room temperature or slightly chilled, so that it doesn't stick to the pan )
5) Continue stir-frying the spaghetti noodles for 1 minute, add the canned tomatoes, salt, pepper to taste, sliced beef steak, splash the white wine in, give it a quick toss and stir, cover, and simmer for another 2 minutes.
6) Dish up, and sprinkle grated romano and parmesan cheese, and ready to serve.

Pesto Chicken

Melting Wok — Thu, 03 May 2007 09:33:00 +0000

More into some extra delicious finger licking good, chicken recipes..Pesto Chicken or simply, Basil Chicken !

I have got a little over half a bunch of wilted basil leaves and three wrinkly jalapenos, what do I do ? I am thinking homemade Pesto Sauce, my own version : basil leaves, jalapenos, garlic and another Weekend Herb Blogging at Kalyn's Kitchen ! Both greens complement each other, the light "fire up my taste buds" jalapeno chilli peppers balance out the sweet, fragrant basil leaves perfectly ! Too bad I don't have any pasta lying around, I guess six chicken drumsticks left over from making my sweet Honey Spicy Chicken will do.

In Malaysia, basil leafs are known as "kemangi" or "selaseh", the leaves are smaller and darker in color, and the stems and young ribbbony leaves are distinctly reddish-purple in color. They are used mainly in strong-flavored dishes like fish curries and chilli-flavored stir-fries like in shellfish or poultry dishes. In other parts of Asia, basil leaves are used to repel mosquitos with its strong odor. On a medicinal note, the basil leaves are claimed to aid in digestion, and leaf wine is regarded as a tonic and an aphrodisiac.. lol.

What makes the sauce so great is that you could simply diversify with your favorites : sun dried tomatoes, sweet soy sauce, sesame oil, and salsas. They simply add flavors to any quick stir-fry recipes, dips, leftover meats in a salad, or a Tex-Mex-Indian wrap like I did with with my Chayote Squash And Potato Stir-fry. For this basil-flavored chicken recipe, I have chosen to blend the Pesto sauce with ABC kicap manis ( ABC brand sweet thick soy sauce ). Chicken browned to a perfection with a touch of the caramalized sticky sweet soy sauce... yummy. You wouldn't think that these delicious looking drumsticks just came out from simple pan-searing and broiling, as opposed to a messy, not-so-easy-to-clean BBQ grill. Each bite of the finger licking good Pesto chicken drumsticks coupled with a crunch of chilled cold cucumber slice is undoubtedly perfect !

In the pot, now cooking my weekend herbalistic sweet dessert ( view at your own leisure ) :

Snow white fungus, gingko nuts, sweet red dates, coupled with dried longan fruit ( like the ones used for my watercress soup ), crystallised rock sugar and half a can of quail's eggs left ( from sticky rice with chestnuts, peanuts, and chi cken ).

Pesto Sauce Recipe

Ingredients :
3 jalapenos ( deseeded )
1/2 a bunch basil leafs ( remove stalks, and use leaf parts only )
2 tsp chopped garlic
salt to taste
cooking oil

Method :
1) Put all the ingredients in the blender, blend until puree, paste-like form.

Pesto Chicken Recipe

Ingredients :
6 chicken drumsticks
2-3 tbsp Pesto Sauce
1-2 tbsp ABC Sweet Soy Sauce
salt, sugar and pepper to taste

Method :

1) Rub the chicken drumsticks with sweet soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste, pesto sauce, and refrigerate for 10 minutes. (Preferably overnight )

2) Heat the wok to a smoky point, quickly pan-fry the chicken drumsticks until browned on both sides, turn to medium heat, continue to flip the chicken to balance the browning ( if chicken gets bit dry sticking to pan, add cooking oil and/or more Pesto sauce and give it a quick-stir ), cover, and let broil at low heat for 10 minutes or until chicken is fully done.

Spicy Honey Chicken

Melting Wok — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 08:17:00 +0000

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.

Clay Pot Sticky Rice

Melting Wok — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 07:23:00 +0000

Remember when I cooked Claypot Chicken with Mushroom ? I've been so eager to whip up another one of my favorite claypot dish - Claypot Sticky Rice. After drooling over Lyrical's "Claypot Chicken Rice", Precious Pea's "Lor Mai Gai" ( Sticky Rice with Chicken ), and WMW's Sticky Rice Feast, I screamed to myself, "I've got to have them all !" Oh well, since I only have two hands, I guess I'll stick to what I had originally planned on - Claypot Sticky Rice. Luckily I already have most of the ingredients I needed at home. Some leftover peanuts from my last peanut soup dish, chicken, dried shrimp, dried chinese mushroom, and wood ear mushroom (I enjoy the crunchiness so I tend to use it in any dish I can). All I needed from the Asian grocery store were just the glutinous rice and some quail's eggs.

There are numerous popular glutinous rice dishes in Asia. In Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Burma, glutinous rice is commonly used to make sweet savory desserts such as Durian/Mango sticky rice steamed with coconut milk and black sticky rice pudding. In Chinese dim sum, it is stuffed with meat, chestnuts and salted eggs, wrapped in lotus leaves and steamed. In Japan, it is used to make you see mochi, and in Korea and Shanghai, sticky rice cakes.

Sticky Rice aka glutinous rice or labeled as sweet rice comes in different grains - short, long, round and black, and it is usually soaked for hours before cooking to yield a sticky, chewy texture. The glutinous rice resembles the Arborio, Carnaroli Rissoto because they do exude more starch when cooked, becoming sticky, with one exception - glutinous sweet sticky rice is actually gluten-free.

Claypot Sticky Rice Recipe

Ingredients :
4 pc dried chestnuts ( skinless )
10 oz dried peanuts ( soaked and rinsed )
3 oz dried shrimps ( soaked and chopped )
1/2 a can of cooked quail eggs
4 oz wood ear mushroom ( soaked and shredded )
12 oz dried chinese mushroom ( soaked and shredded )
3 chicken drumsticks
chopped green onions
fried shallots
sesame oil
oyster sauce
thick sweet soy sauce to taste
thick black soy sauce for taste & color ( optional )
white pepper
salt to taste
chinese cooking wine
3 cups glutinous rice ( OR labeled as Sweet Rice )

Method :
1) Soak glutinous rice in water overnight ( or 12 hours ).
2) In a crock pot, boil peanuts and chestnuts in enough water to just cover them for 1-2 hours OR until soft.
3) In a wok, stir-fry green onions, dried shrimp, dried mushroom, and wood ear mushroom until fragrant.
4) Cut chicken drumsticks into smaller pieces and marinate with a dash of sesame oil, fried shallots, oyster sauce, and a splash of chinese cooking wine. Refrigerate for 30 minutes ( preferably overnight ).
5) Pan fry chicken until slightly browned on both sides. Add ingredients from Step (3). Stir-fry for 1 minute, add water ( enough to cook the sticky rice later ), white pepper, sesame oil, thick sweet soy sauce, thick black soy sauce, fried shallots, chinese cooking wine, and salt to taste. When the broth starts to boil, turn to low heat, cover, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes OR until chicken is done.
6) Remove chicken, debone and cut into bite size chunks.
7) Strain the broth to cook the glutinous rice with.
8) Rub some cooking spray all over the inside of a claypot, put in glutinous rice and pour in broth ( covering 1/4 inch above rice ), cover, and cook to a boil. Turn to low heat and cook for 5-10 minutes.
9) Remove cover. Use a fork to fluff the rice around. Check the texture of the rice. Add more broth if needed and continue to cook on low heat for another 5 minutes.
10) Add all the cooked ingredients and quail's eggs in. Stir until rice and ingredients are evenly mixed and simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes or until rice is done.

Peanut Soup

Melting Wok — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 07:24:00 +0000

Growing up around 6-footer cousins can be really intimidating. Mom never failed to pushed her 1001 remedies to make us grow as tall. Making us drink peanut soup is one of her super-hero ideas. There's a chinese tradition, or rather a myth, that eating peanuts help stimulate growth. Anyway, I grew to love mom's peanut soup in my late teens. And if you are wondering if that has helped me any, the asnwer is I think I've failed miserably in the height department. Hahaha.. On a serious note, on days when you are sick of rice, or on a low-carb diet, peanut soup with ribs or lean pork is a good substitute because peanuts contain about the same amount of protein as soy, and are low in starchy carbohydrates.

Like any other signature soup out there, eg. clam chowder can't do without clams, Malaysian Asam Laksa is not complete without fish, peanut soup calls for none other than dried squid or cuttlefish. Known as "Mak-Yu" in Cantonese, dried squid comes in various lengths, from as short as 4 inches to as long as as a foot. They are packed in transparent plastic bags and are available all year round at any Asian grocery market.

Coupled with pork ribs, this soup is a whole meal on its own. However, I prefer to have it with rice and a side of fresh cut chilies in sesame soy sauce for the ribs.

Peanut Soup With Pork Ribs Recipe

Ingredients :
1.5 lb pork ribs
1 lb raw peanuts ( sometimes labeled as blanched peanuts )
2 pc. of dried squid/cuttlefish ( small size )
1/2 whole skin-on garlic ( optional )
salt and white pepper to taste
3.5 qts water

Method :

1) Wash and rinse peanuts and dried squid in water and set aside.
2) To clean ribs and remove excess fat, blanch them briefly in hot boiling water. Remove and rinse in running water.
3) Put all the ingredients into a crock pot, cook on high for 4-6 hours OR low for 8-10 hours.

Note : I prefer boiling this soup in a crock pot or pressure cooker because it softens the peanuts and ribs better. If you are unable to find dried squid, you can also substitute with squid flavored fish sauce.

Steamed Carp

Melting Wok — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 19:16:00 +0000

"Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it."

Lao Tzu quotes (Chinese taoist Philosopher, founder of Taoism, wrote "Tao Te Ching" (also "The Book of the Way"). 600 BC-531 BC)

Most people, myself included, love eating fish because it is healthy, packed with nutrients like Omega 3, and is a great source of protein. However, many people are at loss on how to handle fish, either putting too much spices or overcooking it, thus reducing its quality. Hopefully, these easy tips that have helped me will come in handy for you as well ...

1) Buy Fresh.
Always buy fresh if possible. The fresher the fish, the better the taste and the firmer the flesh is. From personal experience, the longest you should store fresh fish in the freezer is about two days before the flesh starts to toughen.

2) Look at the eyes.
If you're not getting your fish fresh from the tank, make sure the eyes are clear and not red or dull. I've also read somewhere that the fins should also be pointing up and not down or flat. And of course, the head should be FIRMLY attached.

3) Touch and feel.
When touching the fish, the flesh should be springy like a sponge cake. If the flesh does not return to its original shape when lightly pressed, then it won't be tender after cooking. The blood around the gills area should also be red and not brown.

4) Thawing.
If you have stored your fish in the freezer, thaw it in the fridge. Thawing fish by placing it in water or leaving it out at room temperature will make it lose its valuable flavor and also make the flesh dry.

5) Cooking.
Like any other seafood, the longer you cook fish, the drier and tougher the flesh gets. If pan-frying or deep-frying, I always like to start off with really high heat and turn to low when it is lightly brown on the outside.

However, steaming fish is IMHO the best method of cooking fish (eg. Steamed Black Cod recipe). It is healthier and retains the natural flavors better. Bear in mind that the water should be boiling hot and be kept at a high temperature. Making slits on the sides of the fish will help reduce cooking time. Here's a simple steamed fish recipe I recently tried ...

Steamed Carp Recipe

Ingredients :
2 lbs Silver Carp Fish (or other fish)
2 tbsp Yeos fermented soybeans (unsalted), mashed
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
4 tbsp cooking oil
2 tbsp chopped green onions
2 tbsp chopped serrano chilies
2 tbsp chopped red bell peppers
chopped cilantro
shaoxing cooking wine
white pepper and sugar to taste
6 oz water

Method :

1) Clean fish well. Slit the fish along the underbelly and also make inch-and-a-half-apart slits across the body of the fish.
2) Pan-fry minced garlic in cooking oil on low heat until golden brown. Spoon out 2 tbsp of the oil and and set aside.
3) Add minced ginger, chopped green onions, serrano chilies, and red bell peppers and stir-fry until fragrant and set aside.

4) Pan-fry the mashed fermented soy beans on low heat until fragrant, and rub the bean paste all over the fish. Place fish in steaming pan with 6oz of water.
5) Sprinkle ingredients from step 3) all over fish. Add a splash of cooking wine over fish and white pepper and sugar to taste. Steam on high heat for 15 minutes or until fish flakes with fork.
6) Heat fragrant garlic oil from step 1) and splash over fish. Sprinkle chopped cilantros and let fish stand in steamer for an additional 1 minute with heat off.