Stir-fried Shanghai Noodles

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.

Coconut, Rose & Pandan Agar Agar Jell-O

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.

Muffin Monday : Pandan & Coconut Muffin

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

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.

Braised E-Fu Noodles

After having seen the new Olive Garden "Crab Alfredo Venezia" commercial pop up on tv for the umpteenth time this past month, it's no wonder I've suddenly developed a craving for seafood and noodles. The power of subliminal messages indeed ! I've tried a variety of seafood-noodle combination, from a simple seafood rice noodle stir-fry to a lavish seafood udon served on a sizzling hot plate, but none of them can hold a candle to E-Fu noodles and seafood. They are.. IMHO that is.. a match made in food heaven, kind of like spaghetti and meatballs or the popular Malaysian noodle dish, "char kway teow" with cockles even :)

Also known as "yi meen" or "yi noodles", E-Fu noodles were invented and named after some guy called "Yi" in ancient China who deep-fried some noodles so he could keep them longer and boiled the noodles in water later before serving. I wonder if he had have some potatoes lying around the kitchen when he thought of that if we'd be having Chinese fries today instead of French fries. Hehe.. Just kidding, Mr. Yi, relax.. I'm sure you're already rich enough in the afterlife from all that ghost money the instant noodle companies must have burned for you :P

E-fu noodles are made from eggs and wheat flour and can be found on the noodle aisle in most Asian grocery stores. They are long and flat, deep-fried and dried, with a light yellow color. They are usually vacuumed packed in plastic bags in the shape of either 8" wheels or 8" squares. Bear in mind that since it isn't as dry compared to other dried noodles, it requires less boiling/softening time also. If you have ever listened to Alphaville's "Forever Young" and answered "yes" to the chorus, then you should really slurp down some e-fu on your birthday as it is a symbol of longevity.

Braised E-Fu Noodles With Seafood Recipe

Ingredients :
1 pack E-Fu noodles
8 oz cut cuttlefish ( OR baby cuttlefish, squids, etc )
8 oz sliced sole fish fillets
8 peeled and deveined shrimps
shredded green onions
10 oz chicken broth
cornstarch solution
2 eggs
prepared fried shallots
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
sesame oil
shaoxing cooking wine
salt, sugar and white pepper to taste

Method:
Cooking the E-Fu Noodles :

1) In a boiling pot of water, blanch or boil the E-Fu noodles for 3 minutes or until soft.
2) Rinse in cold water, let dry, mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, a little cooking oil, mix well, and then set aside.
3) Pan-fry the noodles until slightly browned on both sides to a light crisp, remove to a plate or sizzling hot plate, and then set aside.

Cooking the Seafood Gravy :

1) In a wok, crack the eggs in, pan-fry the eggs lightly, with the bottoms to a light crisp, leaving the the rest of the eggs still runny, and set aside.
2) Stir-fry the green onions, and then add the seafood ingredients in and pan-fry until slightly browned, splash the sesame oil, cooking wine, salt, and sugar, and continue stir-fry for a 2 minutes.
3) Add the chicken broth, salt, sugar, pepper, cornstarch solution, let boil, and then pour the half cooked eggs in, and let simmer on low heat for 3-5 minutes.
4) Pour the seafood gravy over the pan-fried E-Fu noodle plate, drizzle some fried shallots, and ready to serve.

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.

Rice Noodle Rolls

Two weeks of craving this Malaysian Style Chee Cheong Fun is a torture. Desperate needs call for desperate measures. I wasted no time at the Asian grocery market picking up a pack of rice noodle rolls and had a satisfying time with an easy rice noodle recipe. In Cantonese cuisine, rice noodle rolls are prepared by wrapping shrimp or BBQ pork in rice noodle sheets. Many times you will also see long and crunchy chinese dough cruellers wrapped in them as well, served at many Cantonese dimsum restaurants. In Vietnamese cuisine, rice noodle rolls, aka "bahn cuon", are served with crispy mungbean and shrimp fritters, crispy sweet potato strips, slices of pork meatloafs, bean sprouts with fish sauce. Rice noodle rolls are also call "lai cheong fun" in Hong Kong, which literally means pulled-intestinal-like-noodles, aptly named for their appearance. I love all variation of ways they are prepared and have tried them all. I am glad that they are widely available in Southern California so every once in a while, I can pick up a fresh pack and add my favorite sauce along with any ingredients I desire.

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME : An embarrassing confession !! While preparing my rice noodle roll recipe, I had planned to mix in a particular shrimp paste that is used in the Malaysian style rice noodle roll Chee Cheong Fun, along with some sweet thick soy sauce, toasted sesame seeds, hoisin sauce and a tad of sweet bean sauce. Unfortunately, I had hastily left the plastic can of shrimp paste in the microwave w-a-y too long, resulting in a complete "melt down" !! :P

I had no choice but to dig up the next best sauce for the rice noodle roll recipe. I remembered back to my childhood years tagging along with mom to the morning market and picking up breakfast from the hawker stalls after shopping. We would always hit my favorite rice noodle roll stall first and I would be drooling as I patiently ogled the rice noodle vendor picking up the rolls, dicing them up with a blunt rectangular knife, and drowning them in a delicious light curry sauce. I always requested mine with extra ingredients like fried beancurd patties and some other scrumptious fixings similar to those found in the Japanese dish "Oden". A generous sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds and I was good to go.

CONCLUSION : My memory of this long-lost curry style Malaysian Chee Cheong Fun, is once again, rekindled ! :)
TIP : If you aren't fixing the rice noodle rolls right away after you buy them, keep them at room temperature and microwave at medium-low for about 2 minutes when ready to use. Keep in mind not to over-nuke them as they will get all mushy.

Rice Noodle Rolls with Curry Gravy

Ingredients :
1 pack ( 1 lbs ) rice noodle rolls
fresh cut red chilis
fried shallots
toasted sesame seeds
chopped green onions
curry gravy (see below for recipe)

Method :
1) Cut the rice noodle rolls into cubes, then set aside.
2) Pour the curry gravy over the rice noodle rolls, and top off with fresh cut red chilis, fried shallots, toasted sesame seeds, and green onions.

Malaysian Chee Cheong Fun Curry Gravy Recipe

Ingredients :
curry powder
minced shallots
ground cardamon
chili paste
coconut cream or milk
palm sugar and salt to taste

Method :
1) Add ingredients to a small saucepan of boiling hot water and cook to a boil.

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.

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.

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 wh