Happy Chinese Valentine's Day

"Chap Goh Meh" is a term in the Hokkien dialect which literally translates to "the fifteenth night". This auspicious occasion which falls on the first full moon of the Lunar New Year also marks the fifteenth and final day of the Chinese New Year festivities. This year, "Chap Goh Meh" falls on the 4th of March. The usual Chinese celebrations include feasting, eating "Tangyuan" (Glutinous rice flour balls served in boiling water), and the Lantern festival.

However, in South East Asia, this day is also celebrated as Chinese Valentine's Day. In the days of old, this is the only day of the year when unmarried couples are allowed to be seen together with each other. As for single girls, one of the traditions in Malaysia include the throwing of tangerines into the sea. This is done in hopes that it will be found by their soul mate. Maybe it will work even better if they write their name, phone number, email address with permanent ink on the tangerines. Haha.. just kidding about that writing down of the particulars part. Don't try it at home !

I was thinking of my late granny when she told me that funny tangerine tossing Chinese Valentine's Day tradition. Jellyfish and cucumber salad was one of her favorite munchies when she was playing mahjong during Chinese New Year. I guess a part of her must have rubbed off on me as I develop a craving for it every time Chinese New Year comes around.

Using some of my favorite Asian salad ingredients like cilantro, green onions, and the flavorful chinese five spice tofu, here's a quick and easy recipe for a jellyfish salad. I bet you will love this jellyfish salad, it is simply refreshing, a great light snack suited for the spring and summer.

Tips : Cooking jellyfish

1) In a hot boiling pot of water, drop the jellyfish in, and cook for about 1-2 minutes, depending on which part of the jellyfish is used. If its the head is used, it will need a longer time to cook. Check for consistency after a minute into cooking time.
2) Rinse in cold, icy water. Drain off excess salt, pat dry and chill in the fridge until cold.

Jellyfish Salad Recipe

Ingredients :
shredded chinese five spice pressed tofu
shredded cooked jellyfish
chopped cilantros
shredded green onions
100% pure sesame oil
low sodium soy sauce

For stuffing : cucumber cups ( remove core )
Before serving : toasted sesame seeds and paprika powder

Method :

1) Mix all the ingredients together and let chill for 10 minutes.
2) Scoop the jellyfish into the cucumber cups. Lightly sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds and paprika powder before serving.

Lotus Root Fries

Hmmm ... leftover lotus root from my last recipe. I'm feeling a little burned out from the regular stews and stir-fries so I thought I'd go the "East meets West" route this time around. What better way to accomplish this than a fusion with the all - time American favorite deep-fried snack - French Fries. I don't get why they call them french fries. But then again, I don't get why they call hamburgers hamburgers anyway. Well if you do, enlighten me.

Anyway, moving along from the confusion to the fusion, I've decided to whip up some lotus root fries with my leftover lotus root. Whether or not you are a fan of french fries, you really should give this fusion lotus root fries recipe a whirl. Not only does it have less calories, lotus root is rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber.

Another way in cooking lotus root (aka "Renkon" in Japanese) is raw in salads. A simple toss with mirin wine, sesame oil and soy sauce, and you got yourself a healthy, delicious lotus root salad, a delectable delight for the upcoming summer time.

Okay, on to the lotus root fries recipe. Using light cornstarch and no salt at all, lightly dust some strip cuts of lotus root and deep fry them to a perfect crisp. Simple, isn' it? You can also kick it up a notch like I did by quick stir-frying the lotus root fries using butter, evaporated milk, fresh cut red chili peppers, and my all-time favorite herb - kaffir lime leaves. There you have it ... buttery, zesty, mildly spicy lotus root fries !

Lotus Root Fries Recipe

Ingredients :
1 pc. lotus root ( cut into strips of 1/2 inch thick )
cornstarch

Method :
1) Lightly dust the lotus root strips with cornstarch.
2) Deep fry for about 3-5 minutes, OR until golden brown.

Spicy Buttered Lotus Root Stir Fry Recipe

Ingredients :
1 red chili pepper ( deseeded and sliced )
5 kaffir lime leaves
black pepper
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp evaporated milk
1/2 tsp honey
lotus root fries ( from above recipe )

Method :
1) Saute the kaffir lime leaves and red chili peppers until fragrant.
2) Add butter, honey, evaporated milk and let simmer.
3) Toss in the lotus root fries and a dash of black pepper.
3) A quick toss and turn to let everything mix. Then continue stir-fry for 30 seconds.

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.

Chicken Lollipop

The votes are in! The "Bear"-ffalo Chicken Lollipops have a slight lead over the "Colt"-en Shrimp Fritters. However, due to popular request, it seems like I'll be going into overtime and fixing both of these delicious Super Bowl party treats. Okay, first to kick off is the Chicken Lollipop recipe. Remember when I made the Tea Eggs with Chicken Wings ? I only used the wing part and the drumettes I saved are perfect for this recipe. Anyway, someone was making fun of chinese cheese the other day and dared me to use some of that stinky yogurty chinese cheese to fry some chicken :P So, I did! I used the chinese red cheese, aka "nan roo" in mandarin, which means "fermented red beancurd". Yes, the westerners call it chinese cheese !!

"Chinese cheese" comes in different varieties. In the Cantonese Cuisine, the fermented red beancurd is used in braised pork recipes. My grandmother, who is of Hakka descent, used to marinate pork bellies with the fermented beancurd in a rich wine sauce to prepare her "wood ear fungi" pork recipe. I remember once or twice when I sneakily finished half a plate of the deep-fried pork before it even got braised, haha! In Taiwanese cuisine, the fermented white beancurd is commonly used in vegetable stir-fries. When the weather is cold, I occasionally like to curl up with a bowl of hot congee with some deep fried salted fish, a preserved century egg, and of course, a cube of the spicy version of the fermented white beancurd. A little nutritional fact i found out - fermented beancurd works just as well as yogurt or other forms of probiotic supplements to promote growth of friendly bacteria in the intestine.

So here it is, my Chicken Lollipops recipe with fermented red beancurd and a final touch of panko breading. I am sure this classic appetizer with a twist will be a welcomed guest to any party.


Chicken Lollipops Recipe

Ingredients :
5 chicken drumettes
1 tsp minced ginger
1 cube fermented red beancurd, mashed ( optional, all-purpose cajun seasoning is great too )
1 egg white
1 egg yolk
shaoxing wine ( OR other chinese cooking wine )
ground black pepper
salt and sugar to taste
cornflour
panko breadcrumbs

Method :

1) With a knife, pull and scrape the meat off the top to the bottom of the chicken drumette.
2) Marinate the chicken with minced ginger, mashed fermented red beancurd, egg white, black pepper, salt and sugar.
3) Set the chicken in the refrigerator and let it marinate for about 10 minutes.
4) Dip the chicken drumettes into the cornflour, then dip them into the egg yolk wash, and continue the same with the breadcrumbs.
( TIP : Quick chill in the freezer while the oil is heating up on the frying wok, to prevent breadcrumbs from falling off into the oil while frying )
5) Deep fry the chicken drumettes on medium-high heat until golden brown.

Superbowl Food Kickoffs !!

This year the Super Bowl kicks off at the Dolphin Stadium in South Florida February 4th. Whether it's the Bears or the Colts you are rooting for, I'm sure my fellow foodies will agree that the real winner is a "Super Bowl" of food that stand out from the usual fare of chips, dips and chili. While all the football fans out there are contemplating on who will win this year, I, on the other hand, will be contemplating on delivering a winning snack for this year's Super Bowl party. This year, I am going to stick with a simple party food recipe so I can be in the living room during game time joining in with the cheering and yelling, and most importantly, among the company of good buddies. I have narrowed down my "teams" to two favorites - the tempting "Colt"-en Shrimp Fritters vs. the equally alluring "Bear"-ffalo Chicken Lollipops. *grins* So, fellow foodies, which of these two teams do you think will be the winner of my Super Bowl party food this year ?

Savory Omelette

Good morning sunshine !! This is a perfect breakfast / appetizer to get your morning in the swing. This Asian omelette recipe is easy to create, and simply scrumptious. Its a concoction of eggs, tamarind-based chili paste with whatever leftovers from my El Pollo Loco's lunch yesterday. So, with those few items to start out with, these omelette recipe became a reality in a jiff.

Waste no time in getting these Asian omelettes right to your waiting plates, they are as quick and perfect as it is - pan fried one side, steamed on the other, simply light and fluffy, moist and delicious. This may just become your new egg fix ! :)

Tags : quick and easy recipes, omelette, tamarind

Malaysian Omelette Recipe

Ingredients :
2 eggs
1 tbsp tamarind-based chili paste
( speed-blend some fresh red chilis, tamarind concentrate and a squeeze of lime juice )
chopped green onions
chopped cilantros
chopped serrano chilis

Method :
1) Quick whisk all the ingredients.
2) Heat up the pan, splash in some oil.
3) Pour the mixture in, pan fry on high heat for a minute.
4) Flip it over, cook to a medium-low heat and "cover" the pan for 2 minutes.

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 !! :)

Deep Fried Belacan Chicken Wings

My second post is long overdue. Has everyone survived their Xmas and New year's bloatings from all the food, booze, or something much more interesting ? *grins* I fired up the kitchen for some fried chicken just before all that, and ended up with a whole long week of fever, flu & everything else in between. *sob*

Major seasoning : Toasted shrimp paste made of fermented krills, also known as Belacan in Malaysia and Singapore, and Terasi Bakar to the Indonesians, where krills are mashed, buried for sometime, fried, toasted and pressed into squarish shaped block of cake. They are also sold in powdered form in jars.

Fried chicken inspires some heated debates. So, you'll likely have quite a few different approaches. We got the Spicy Cajuns, the Old fashioned Colonel's Chicken and much more. Bring them on ! I'll start with a confession, this recipe was born out of ethnic preference. Yes, my recipe is seasoned with some wonderfully-stinky Belacan. This recipe has became popular over the years after I left for the States and is much talked about until recently when I called home. Almost all fried food is associated with Belacan seasonings. Although I've to admit that I still need to learn the manner of frying to 100% crispyness and juicy in perfection. I'm quite ready now, I think, to make this recipe do justice to almost perfection - easy on the flouring, crispy on the outside, tender, juicy and tasty on the inside - bye bye to Popeyes, KFC, and say hello to my Jumbo Belacan Chicken Wings, Yayy !! :)

So, how do you like yours fried ?

Deep Fried Belacan Chicken Wings Recipe

Ingredients :
5 jumbo chicken wings ( cut into drumettes & wings )
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp belacan powder
1 tbsp ground dried shrimps
1 tbsp black pepper
salt & sugar to taste
1 egg white

Seasoned flour ( in a Zip-lock bag ) :
Cornflour
1 tbsp rice flour
1 tbsp belacan powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
salt & sugar

Method :
1) Pre-marinade the wings with all the "ingredients", except the egg white. (for at least 2 hours to overnight preferably.)
2) Place the wings in egg whites, set aside.
3) Place them in the pre-seasoned flour, shake and ready to fry.
4) Heat oil, fry wings in medium heat for 10-15 minutes OR until nicely browned.

Other Belacan recipes : Vegetable stir fry with belacan and seafood of your choice, Tomyum Soup broth using belacan, and marinating chicken with belacan for BBQ, deep frying or roasting.