Simple Grilled Lobster Tails

Made this simple yet delicious dish over the long weekend. Yummy! The lobster flesh itself already tasty, you don't need to put too much seasoning on it. Here is my simple recipe.




Drizzling sauce (for 2~3 tails) :
1. Lime Juice (squeezed from 1 lime)
2. 3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
3. 2 red chili padi (chopped)

Seasoning :
1. Sea salt
2. Parsley flakes
3. Black pepper

Steps :

1. Preheat grill in high heat
2. Cut the lobster tails in half (length-wise, leave the end stay connected)
3. Drizzle the tails (both sides) with the lime sauce, sprinkle with some sea salt, parsley flakes and black pepper before grilling.
4. Oil the grate, places the tails flesh side down on the grill, turn to medium heat, with cover down, grill for 4~5 minutes each side.
5. Sprinkle with some lime juice (optional) when serve.

Homemade Assam Laksa

This is special dedicated to my high school schoolmate whom came to visit me in AZ, I am really happy she kept her promise. She told me she would like to learn how to make assam laksa without the overwhelming “her kor” – prawn paste flavor, which is exactly the same as my preference. So, I decided to take this opportunity to record my making of assam laksa properly, as you may know, all the while, my cooking is always based on “agak-agak” – estimation. Gigi, 你的面子够大了吧？老娘为你从出江湖！ :-p

My version of assam laksa soup is clearer, taste more close to Malay version with a lot of chunky fish fleshes (again, my preference), if you like the typical Penang Chinese version of assam laksa, just add another 2~3 tbsp of her kor (prawn paste). I usually cook the soap one night ahead before serving.

Ingredient and steps for the soup:

1. 4 lbs Indian Mackerel/Ikan Kembong

2. 3.5~4 liter water

3. 1 bunch kesom leaves (Vietnamese mint)

4. 2 stalks lemon grass – smashed

5. 5~7 tamarind skin

6. 1 – 2” cube salted markerel fish – slightly roasted and mashed. (yes, salted fish, my secret recipe :-p).

7. Tamarind Juice – 1 pingpong ball size of tamarind paste mixed with 400~500ml of water, rub the paste until the flesh dissolve in the water.

Spices – grind/blend the following ingredients

1. 400~450g shallot

2. 18~20 dried chili (soaked)

3. 5~6 fresh red chili (I couldn’t get this from the store, substituted it with 4 chili padi, thats why my soap is not that red in color)

4. 1 large sweet onion (chop to cubes before grinding)

5. 1 – 1” cube belacan (slightly roasted)

Seasoning

1. Salt to taste

2. Adjust your preference taste with the following solutions :

   • spiciness – add more chili padi

   • sourness – add more tamarind skin or tamarind juice

   • sweetness – add more onion or prawn paste (if you like it)

Steps :

1. Bring the water to boil, add in fishes, cook for about 10~12 minutes.

2. Take out the cooked fishes to a big bowl and let it cool.

3. Add in kesom leaves, tamarind skin, lemon grass, salted fish and ground spices to the fish stock, bring it to boil again, turn to low heat.

4. When the fishes are cool, peel the fleshes and discharge the bones. Mash the fleshes with fork into chunky or tiny pieces.

5. Before adding the fish fleshes back into the stock, pick up the kesom leaves from stock first (you don’t want all the fish fleshes stick on the leaves later).

6. Add in the fish fleshes, tamarind juice (reserve some for later adjustment) bring to boil and turn to low heat, continue to cook for at least 3 hour before serving. Or you can let it sit overnight (with the heat off).

7. Season with salt. Adjust the taste to your personal liking with the following solutions :

• spiciness – add more chili padi

• sourness – add more tamarind juice

• sweetness – add more ground onion or prawn paste (if you like it)

薄荷奶虾米粉 (Mint Prawn with rice noodle)

Just wanna post something made from instant paste, fast and easy for a working mom. Wish I have time to post some new recipes soon....(I am day dreaming, my baby just stared to crawl, I can't even keep my eyes out of her...lol)
太久没po食谱了， 朋友送来两包薄荷虾酱料，加水，淡奶， 虾一起煮， 上桌的时候加些薄荷， 烫了一些米粉来拌多余的汤汁， 又是美味可口的一餐了。 对要上班， 又要照顾宝宝的我来说， 越简单， 越快越好。 希望很快又可以写食谱了吧。。（在幻想中) . 宝宝已经开始会爬了， 要写食谱也不知道要等到什么时候了。。。

Asam (Tammarind) Steamed Fish

It is nice to have something sour and spicy during summer season, more appetizing!! I would use fresh caught fish head to make this dish if I was in Malaysia, it will be tastier.

夏日炎炎, 在这热死人不偿命的天气, 没辣没酸真的吞不下饭啊!!来一道亚篸酸辣蒸鱼吧!!开胃又下饭. 最好是用鱼头, 但是这边要找新鲜鱼头是不可能的啦...唯有用鱼肉代替咯..




Recipe and Steps :

1. 350g sea bass steak - rub the steak with some salt, set aside. (can be any kind of fish as long as it is fresh, ocean caught fish head is the best)

2. Paste - blend or grind 2 red chilies and 15~18 purple shallot together.

3. Mix paste #2 with the following seasoning :
i) 1 tbsp asam (tamarind) juice
ii) 1/8 tsp salt (or to taste)
iii) 1/3 tsp oyster sauce

4. Pour over the mixture #3 on top of the fish steak.

5. Top with 5~6 stalks of kesum (Vietnamese cilantro) leaf

6. Boil the water in a steaming pot, steam the fish over high heat for 12~15 minutes.

7. Dish out, discharge the kesum leaf and sprinkle few drops of lime juice (optional)

8. Serve warm.

Spicy Sizzling Prawn (香辣铁板虾)

Tom is leaving for China on a business trip again. I am trying to clear out some food from the freezer to cook something nice for him before the trip. After that, I think I will just have all kinds of noodle soup for 3 weeks while he is away.

Here is what I got for his meal the second day before his departure. The spicy sauce is really good to mix in rice. Keep in mind that this dish is served on a heated hot plate, so don't overcook the prawns.



Recipe for Spicy Sizzling Prawn :

1. 300g large prawn - trimmed, de-veined, peeled (optional)

2. Chili mixture - pound or blend the following ingredients:-
i) 3~4 red chillies - unseeded
ii) 1~2 cloves garlic
iii) 4 purple shallot

3. 4~5 ginger slices
4. Some onion slices (approx. 40~50g)
5. 1 tsp oyster sauce
6. 1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
7. 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
8. 3~4 tbsp water
9. A dash of sugar (optional)
10. 1~2 tsp Lime Juice (can substitute with tamarind juice)
11. Salt to taste
12. Some green onion for garnishing

Steps :

1. Heat up a hot plate to be used for serving in separate stove.
2. In another heated and greased pan, fragrance the ginger and onion slices
3. Add Chili mixture and cook for 30~60 seconds (watch out the heat)
4. Add in prawn, oyster sauce, sweet chili sauce, dark soy sauce, stir for evenly cooked.
5. Add some water, a little at a time and stir to mix well.
6. Season with a dash of sugar, lime juice and salt to taste.
7. Dish out and serve on a a heated hot plate.

蟹肉粉丝豆腐汤(Crab meat tofu soup)

有没有很像鱼翅汤啊??? 吃起来味道也很像哦....Shark fin soup???

This is the soup I like to make whenever I am craving for shark fin soup. Tom actually like it better than the real shark fin soup because of the cruelty how we treat the sharks just to get the fins. I added silken tofu just to enhance the smoothness texture, you can omit it if you want to make it more real like shark fin soup.



其实鱼翅吃起来真的没有什么味道, 为了减少那么一点罪恶感, 我还是用粉丝来代替好啦. TOM还蛮喜欢的. 你不妨一试? 我加了嫩豆腐是因为我喜欢滑顺的口感, 如果你想让它更像鱼翅汤, 你可不必加豆腐.


1. Chicken stock - 500~600ml
2. Dried scallop - 1 (optional)
3. Bean thread (粉丝) - 20g- pre-soaked and cut to about 3~4 inches strips.
4. Frozen crab meat - 300g (I like it more!!!) - thawed
5. Silken tofu (嫩豆腐) - 120g - cut to 1/3" cubes
7. Salt to taste
8. Corn starch water for thickening
9. Some Shao Xing wine
10. Black vinegar / Balsamic Vinegar


Steps :

1. Boil the chicken stock with dried scallop, add in bean thread, cook over low heat for 10~15 minutes.
2. Add in crab meat, cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Slowly stir in tofu cubes, bring to boil again.
4. Salt to taste, thicken the soup with corn starch.
5. Add some Shao Xing wine (1~2 tsp).
6. Serve hot with some black or balsamic vinegar

Steamed Scallop with Mung Bean Vermicelli (蒸鲜贝粉丝)

Long story cut short, I am in a hurry, just wanted to share this recipe really quick! This is one of my favorite dishes whenever I dine in seafood restaurant. I couldn't get the small fresh scallop with shell here. So, made it with the giant scallops just to satisfy my crave. :-p




1. 280g scallop (about 6pcs)
2. 30g or as needed mung bean vermicelli
3. Sauce :
i. 2~3 cloves of garlic
ii. 2~3 ginger slice
iii.2~3 chili padi
(finely chop # i~iii)
iv) 1/2 tsp oyster sauce
v) 1/2~1tsp tsp soy sauce or to taste
vi) 2~3 tbsp water (add more if extra mung bean vermicelli is used)

4. Garnishing
i. 1 tsp shao xin wine (optional)
ii. 1 tsp garlic oil
iii. green onion and cilantro
iv. crispy garlic (蒜油酥)

Steps :
1. Boil the water in the steaming pot/pan.
2. Arrange the scallops on a bed of mung bean vermicelli in a steaming dish
3. Mix well all the ingredients # 3, and pour into the scallops.
4. Steam in high heat for 8~10 minutes.
5. Before remove from heat, add in garnishing ingredients # 4.
6. Serve warm.

Sambal Petai and Prawn Again!!!

I have posted this recipe before. I just wanted to update it with better photos as I was in a hurry while shooting the last photos.

While I was reading Petite Nyonya's post, it reminded me that I still have a pack of petai in my freezer. The frozen petai is from Thailand and doesn't taste as good as the wild and fresh petai in Malaysia. However, it is good enough to relieve my craving for it. I can't complain too much! :-p

Normally, I will cook some egg plant whenever I consume petai, it is a trick to get rid of the awkward smell of the urine after consuming petai. Trust me, it works!! :-)




Tom loves petai so much, surprise huh?? :-p

Recipe from my previous post :
1. 120g petai
2. 400g medium prawn (trim the spikes and de-vein)
3. 170g shallot
4. 125g red chili (unseeded)
5. 5g dried chili (unseeded)
6. 1/2 tbsp dried pre-fried belacan
7. 10g fresh turmaric
8. 1 tbsp dried shrimp
9. 2.5 tbsp vegetable oil
10. 160~80ml water
11. 10g tamarind fruit - mix with 1.5 tbsp water for juice
12. Salt to taste
13. A pinch of sugar to taste (optional)

Steps :

1. Blend well the ingredient #3~#8.
2. Heat up the frying pan and oil.
3. Pour in sambal mixture, stir in medium high heat for 7~8 minutes.
4. Add in the prawns, continue to cook (gradually add in water) until the prawns are almost done (about 3~4 minutes, depends on the prawn size),
5. Add in petai and tamarind juice cook for another 2~3 minutes.
6. Season to taste.

Pan Fried Asam (Tamarind) Prawn - (家常菜-干煎亚叁虾)

I can easily finish a whole plate of asam prawn with sambal belacan condiment. No kidding, if I'm not worried about the high cholesterol, I will cook this meal a lot.

I like to eat at home, I like the feeling of our family having meals together even though it may be just a very simple home cooked meal. It is not about the food, it is all about the feeling of a family being able to gather together. Back when I was kid, my parents were so busy on their noodle stall, they operated the business in the morning and night in order to keep us well fed and educated. That was a hard time. Sometime, my mom would just cook a big pot of rice, then serve everyone with a piece of over easy egg, seasoned with few drops of soy sauce and sesame oil. Simple enough, but I love the taste. Even now, I will still make this for my lunch box for work sometimes.



Prawn meal was not always available back then as we couldn't afford it. So, when my mom cooked this asam prawn, we would count how many prawn were in the plate and split it equally between us. LOL!!! This is one of my childhood memories.

Here's the recipe for the pan fried asam prawn.

A)
1. 350g prawn - trimmed and de-veined

B) Marinate sauce
1. 20~25g asam paste
2. 2~3 tbsp of water
3. 1/8tsp of sugar or to taste
4. 1 tsp soy sauce or to taste
5. 1 tsp oyster sauce

6. 1/2 dark soy sauce for cooking (optional)

Steps :
1. Mixed the marination ingredients #1~#5 in a container.
2. Rub in fresh prawns, marinate for at least 3 hours or longer for better flavor. Refrigerate.
3. Grease a heated frying pan, add in prawns. Keep the asam marination for later use.
4. Pan fry the prawn until they turn in pink color.
5. Add in dark soy sauce (optional)
6. Pour in the asam marination and continue to cook until its almost dry out.
7. Serve with sambal belacan condiment.

Tuna Salad with Cracker

I feel blessed to live in this peaceful and resourceful place. I have a very "bad" habit, people (especially my girl friends) hate to be around me, as I couldn't stop thinking about food. My schoolmates, colleagues, best friends blamed me for their weight gaining because I fed them too frequent, ..:-p, sorry ya..., I just wanted to share nice food with you all, I have not been selfish, right?



I am making this tuna salad for my afternoon snacks, it is too long for me to not have food during the gap between lunch and dinner, by taking this light afternoon snack, it actually helps you not to eat too much for dinner. See, I am caring about your figures too, friends! :-)

This recipe can be used for sandwich too. I hope you like it.

A) Any kind of crackers or sandwich bread you prefer.

B) Tuna Salad
i) 1 can light tuna in water (12oz) - drained
ii) 1/3 cup coarsely chopped onion
iii) 1/3 cup coarsely chopped celery
iv) some finely chopped chili padi/halapeno (if you like it spicy)
v) 3 tbsp of light whipped salad dressing or light mayonnaise
vi) some black pepper to taste (optional)
vii) Some lime juice (optional)

C) Topping
i) Some cherry tomato or persian cucumber slices
ii) Some mint leaves (optional)

Steps :

1. Mix well ingredients B
2. Serve with preferred crackers/bread and toppings.

Pan Seared Zesty Lime Cod Fish

Wanna to make some nice dishes of your own for a candle light dinner with your loved one??

During this economic down turn, we have to watch out every single penny we spend, but, how do we maintain the quality of life? To avoid dining in a nice restaurant so frequent, Tom and I sometime will work together to set up a nice candle light dinner at home. Of course, I will be in-charge the cooking portion, what is Tom's responsibility?? He plays a very important role for the dinner --> Light up the candles! LOL..... (editor's note: Also the CLEAN UP!!! -TS)

So, what is tonight's special? -- Pan Seared Zesty Lime Cod fish. Don't panic, it is easy to prepare. You may use salmon fillets for this recipe too.


I added some Italian Balsamic salad dressing too, the fish actually tasted good without any sauce.

Ingredients and Steps :

1. 2pcs Cod Fish/Salmon (approx. 1lb)
2. 1 tsp olive oil
3. 1/2 tsp grated lime zest
4. Salt and garlic powder, black pepper
5. Zesty blend of basil, oregano, parsley, paprika
6. Some lime juice

Steps :
1. Marinate fish fillet with ingredient # 2~5 for at least 3 hours or longer for better taste.
2. Heat up a lightly greased frying pan.
3. Slowly place the fish fillet on the pan
4. Switch to medium high heat, pan fry for 3~4 minutes each side.
5. Remove from heat, sprinkle with some lime juice when served.

Asam (Tamarind) Fish Soup

The heat of the summer is really cruel, 45C yesterday!!!! Make me almost melt in the air. LOL!!

I was looking for something sour and spicy to open up my appetite. If I were still in Malaysia, I could simply get a bowl of Asam Laksa anywhere. Here, you've got to be hands on for everything. No choice, "tham chiak" - greedy for food - is my character, I would do everything possible I can just to stop my craving. :-p

My friend gave me 2 bags of fresh caught trout from her camping trip, and I immediately thought of making Asam Fish soup, because one of the major factors to make the sou taste good is the freshness of the fish, I couldn't get fresh "kembong" fish here, live Tilapia just cost too much!!




I can get almost every ingredient for Asam Fish here except the tamarind skin and bunga kantan (ginger flower), so, I substituted the tamarind skin with tamarind paste and omitted ginger flower, it tasted good too...yumyum!!!

Tom didn't like it the first time I made this soup for him few years ago, it was too fishy for him because he is from Ohio, middle part of the states, never had a chance to eat seafood until he was 34 years old. Now -- he loves it. Yay!!!

Here's my recipe and steps, the spiciness and sourness are adjustable according to personal desire.

1. 300g fresh trout (body about 5~6" long) - (use "kembong" fish it it is available)
2. 900~1000ml water.
3. 1 bunch (about 50g) "kesom" leaf (some people call it Vietnamese coriender or Vietnamese Cilantro) - can be easily found in Asian supermarket here.
4. 25~30 pearl onion (small onion) coarsely sliced.
5. 6~8 dried chili - unseeded.
6. 2~3 frese chili padi - smashed.
7. 1 tsp of tamarind paste - or as desired.
8. 1/2 tsp pre-fried belancan.
9. 1~2 tsp fish sauce - optional.
10. Salt to taste.

Steps :

1. Boil the water, add in ingredients #3~6.
2. Return to boil, simmer for about 30 minutes.
3. Add in tamarind paste and belacan, simmer for another 10 minutes.
4. Add in fishes, fish sauce. Return to boil and cook until the fishes are done. (Don't over cook the fishes for best texture.
5. Salt to taste.
6. Serve warm.

"Kesom" Leaf

Stir Fried Asparagus with Sambal Prawn

Another common dish in the "chu char" and seafood restaurants in Malaysia. I was convinced that asparagus is only good when used in stir fry with sambal prawn.

The western restaurants here normally serve grilled asparagus. When I first came to US, I was hesitant to try it as I didn't know how asparagus tasted without chili. When I volunteered at Tzu Chi, I got the chance to know that it can be cooked together with egg too. They actually taste good off the grill or stir fried with scrambled egg.



However, I like is stir fry asparagus with sample prawn most. I never cooked this in US before I brought my bullet blender (US version in this link - we got the one in from Malaysia with the juice attachment you can't get in the US, but it is almost the same) from Malaysia, because I was too lazy to pound the chili and the blender I got from the shop here does not cater to smaller capacity.




Tom is now doing better to handle belacan now! LOL!

Here's my recipe :

1. 350g tender asparagus - cut to approx. 3~4" strips.
2. 200g prawn - peeled and de-veined.
3. 1/2 medium size onion - sliced or cubed.
4. 1 tbsp vegetable/corn oil.
5. 2~3 tbsp water
6. Pinch of salt (optional - may not need it as the saltiness of the dried shrimp might good enough for seasoning)
7. Sambal - pound or blend together the following ingredients :
a) 5~6 red finger chilies - unseeded
b) 1.5~2 tbsp dried shrimp - washed and rinsed.
c) 2 cloves of garlic
d) 1 tsp prefried belacan


Steps :
1. In high heat, grease the pan with vegetable oil.
2. Add in onion, stir for few second, add sambal # 6, stir and cook for about 1 minutes.
3. Add prawn, cook for 30 seconds.
4. Stir in asparagus strips, cook for 4~5 minutes. Sprinkle some water if it is too dry.
5. Salt to taste (optional)
6. Serve warm with white rice.

Banana Leaf Pan Fried Curry Tilapia with Mint Pepper Salsa

After I finished the the Sweet and Sour Chili Crab, here comes the fish.

If I were in Penang, I would make this with Kembong fish or stingray. It is impossible to get kembong here, and stingray is frozen, so it wouldn't taste nice if you compare it with the fresh fish available in Malaysia.



I got 2 tilapia fillets from Albertson's, since they were on sale. I should have bought more - two were not enough for both of us.



I pan fried the fish with banana leaf in between the pan and fish, it helps to keep the juice of the fish. I served it with the refreshing mint pepper salsa, it was like having a ikan bakar in Penang. :-p

Ingredients & Steps :

A ) Fish
1. 2 tilapia fillets - rub with 2tsp of curry powder and 1/8tsp salt. Marinate at least 3 hours or overnight for better flavor.
2. 2 sheets of banana leaves (about 8" x8")
3. 1 tbsp cooking oil

B) Mint Pepper salsa
1. 10 mint leaves or as needed
2. 5~6 pearl onions - sliced
3. 3 chili padi (chopped) or 1 habanero
4. 1/2 tsp fresh lime juice or as needed
5. Pinch of sugar and salt to taste

- Mix all ingredients B and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serve.

To cook the fish :

1. Heat up a large skillet, grease with a table spoon of oil.
2. Place a sheet of banana leaf on the skillet, then lay the fish fillets on top of it.
3. Cook for 3~3.5 minutes for each side with the cover on.
4. Turn and change the banana once.
5. Serve with mint pepper salsa B as above.

Sweet and Sour Chili Crab

Last week end was my seafood assignment. I made a couple of seafood meals. This would not happen always here in Arizona because the live and fresh seafood here is expensive. We couldn't afford to have seafood meal everyday.



When I decided to start my seafood adventure, we went to Lee Lee to grab some necessary ingredients. We bought a huge Canada (Dungeness) live crab from the tank, it was about 3lbs, cost us USD$25... ouch!! >_< !!!! But...., sometime, we have to pamper ourselves for a good meal after being working so hard, right???

When we got home, I felt so sorry had to fix the live crab. Of cause, you might query why didn't Tom help? Oh well, I think he would just pass out if I ask him to do so. He is a good man, would safe what ever animal he could from being hurt. (editors note: I was raised on a farm, silly! I've raised steers and lambs for slaughter. I'd have no problem dispatching this... sea monster! LOL! -Tom :-P )

OK, here's the recipe for what I normally cook for my family when I was in Penang.

1. 1 Canada Crab (3lbs).
2. 3 Red chilies (unseeded), pound with 2 cloves of garlic.
3. 6~8 thin sliced fresh ginger.
4. 3 cloves of garlic - chopped.
5. 1 medium size tomato - cut to 4~6 chunks.
6. Some carrot slices (optional).
7. 1 tsp oyster sauce.
8. 2~3 tbsp sweet chili sauce or as needed.
9. 2 tbsp tomato ketchup.
10. 100~150ml water.
11. Pinch of Sugar or to taste.
11. Salt to taste.
12. 1 tbsp corn starch mix with 1 tbsp water.
13. 2 egg whites.
14. Some red chili slices and green onion for garnishing.

Steps :

1. In high heat, heat and grease a frying pan.
2. Fragrant the garlic and ginger slices. Stir in the pounded chili and garlic.
3. Add in tomato chunks and carrot slices, stir for few seconds.
4. Add in crab, and ingredient # 7~9.
5. Stir and cook for about 1 minute.
6. Add some water and cover with lid. Cook over medium high heat for 2~3 minutes.
7. Uncover, switch to high heat. Add some more water if more gravy is desired, cook for another 2~3 minutes.
8. Add Sugar and salt to taste.
9. Add some corn starch water to thicken the gravy.
10. Add in egg white, wait for 3 seconds, stir and remove from heat.
11. Serve warm, gravy is perfect to mix with the white rice.

ENJOY!

Salty Fish with Meat Patty Clay Pot Rice (咸鱼肉饼煲仔饭)

There are a lot of Clay pot Chicken Rice recipes out there. I will post my version some day. I came up with the Salty Fish with Meat Patty flavor first.



I had this dish in a Hong Kong style express restaurant here few weeks ago. It tasted good, but it came with just few little pieces of salty fish. Hence, I decided to make my own version with a lot of salty fish in it. LOL!!! Like many Asian people, I couldn't resist the wonderful taste of salty fish. For western people, it may smells horrible for them. Once, I had Tom to help me pan frying the salty fish on the outdoor stove, he came back and asked me a very cute question " Honey, are you sure this can be eaten??" LOL... Anyway, he is doing better now, just not too much salty fish for him.


The rice after it's been mixed with the sauce!! See the big chunk of salty fish?? Yum yum!!

This recipe is for 1 small clay pot rice.

A)Rice
1. 1/2 cup of rice - wash and soak for 1 hour before cook.

B) Meat Patty
1. 75g lean ground pork
2. 1 clove garlic - mined
3. Some garlic oil and sesame oil
4. Few dashes of ground white pepper
5. 1/4 tsp soy sauce
6. 1/4 tsp oyster sauce
6. 1/4 tsp corn starch

C) Few chunks of pan fried salty fish

D) Sauce
Mix all the ingredients D below on the stove or microwave.
1) 1/2 tsp soy sauce
2)1/4 tsp oyster sauce
3) 1/4 tsp dark soy sauce
4) 3 tsp of water
5) A pinch of sugar
6) Some garlic oil and sesame oil

F)
Some cilantro, green onion and red chili slices for garnishing.

Steps :
1. Mix ingredient B together, use a fork to form a 1/3" thick patty.
2. In a small clay pot, cook the pre-soaked rice with 1/2 cup of water, bring to boil (about 3~4 minutes), simmer with cover on at medium low heat for about 3 minutes.
3. Place the meat patty on top of the rice
4. Cover and simmer for another 4~5 minutes or until the patty is done.
**Watch the heat and water, don't let the rice burn. Get some hot water ready, and add some water if necessary**
5. When it is done, remove the clay pot from the heat. Top with the pre-fried salty fish. Garnish some cilantro, green onion and chili slices.
6. Mix with some sauce from step "D" (above) in the rice.

Penang Hokkien Mee (Penang Prawn Noodle)

It is long a weekend, don't have to work on Monday (Memorial Day). Hence, I gave myself 3 big cooking assignments to achieve:-p!! These need a lot of work and time to prepare. I don't want to ruin the taste by rushing it.

Here is one of my cooking assignment for this weekend - Penang Hokkien Mee!! I have been long craving for it. I grabbed all the ingredients from Lee Lee and started my adventure!! It has been about 7 years since last time I made it. Fortunately, it turned out good. Again, Cici was doing so much better than her dad, she loved it the first time she had it!





The ingredients and steps for the soup :

Soup :

1. 5 Liter water
2. 1.5 kgs prawn or as desired
3. 0.5kg prawn head
4. 1 kg pork bones (hot water bathed)
5. 1 Jicama (about 450g) peeled and cut to 4 big chunks.
6. 60g rock sugar
7. 1 tsp belacan (optional)
8. 5 dried red chili (or as needed, I didn't make it spicy because Cici could only handle mild level)
9. 1/4 cup crispy onion, prepare extra for topping.
10. Salt to taste.

Chili paste :
1. 250g red chili
2. 10 dried chilies
(blend # 1 and #2 together, don't add water)

3. 1/4 tsp salt
5. 4 tbsp oil

Steps :

1. Boil the water.
2. Add in the prawn and cook until they are 90% done, remove from the soup, set aside to cool.
3. Add in the prawn head and pork bones, return to boil. Switch to low medium low heat and continue to cook.
4. At the meantime, peel the prawns and save the heads and shells. Then return the prawn heads and shells back to the soup.
5. Add in jicama, belacan and dried chili, simmer for 1 hour.

For Chili paste
6. In another stove, heat up a sauce pan, add in the oil, stir in the blended chili, cook over medium heat for about 10~15 minutes, add in salt.
7. Scoop out the cooked chili paste to a bowl.
8. Scoop in some prawn soup to wash out the remaining chili and oil in the pan then pour them back to the soup pot.
8. Grease the pan with some oil.
9. Add in prawns (those already peeled), stir and cook for 5~8 minutes, sprinkle some salt to taste.
10. Remove from heat, set aside.
11. Again, scoop some prawn soup to wash the pan and pour them back to the soup pot.
12. After an hour, add the crispy onions to the soup. If you want the spicy soup base, add in the chili paste you just cooked, or add in separately when serve.
13. Simmer for another 2 hour or longer for better taste (I like it overnight).
14. Salt to taste.
15. Discharge the prawn heads and shells before serve.

For the noodle and other condiments, it is adjustable according to your personal liking.

1. 400g yellow noodles (can substitute with instant noodle or ramen)
2. 100g bean sprout.
3. 50g rice vermicelli - soaked(omit it if you use instant noodle or ramen)
4. Some water spinach (空心菜) (I used yam leaves as substitute)

Steps :

1. Boil the water.
2. Put the strainer in the broiling water.
3. In sequent, add in vermicelli, noodle, bean sprout and vegetable.
2. Shake the strainer and cook for about 15~20 seconds.(don't over cook it)
3. Rinse it from the broiling water, and serve in a bowl.
4. Scoop in prawn soup, top with the following :

Topping :
1. Cooked prawned at # 9.
2. Crispy Onion
3. Hard broiled egg slices
4. Pork mean slices (can precooked in the soup)
5. Chili paste

A lot of prawns!!! LOL!!


I love this pot so much (got it at Target.) The built-in strainer saved me a lot of work when I removed the prawn heads and shells.

Bacon Wrapped Jumbo Scallops

It is pretty hard for me to ignore the jumbo scallops that are commonly available in supermarkets here. In Malaysia, we usually use dried scallops (江瑶柱) for soup cooking - it enhances the flavor and sweetness of the soup. But it is not cheap! LOL!!

I bought a pack of Japanese jumbo frozen scallops last week, craving for bacon wrapped scallops badly! It is an expensive dish served in western restaurants here. I would rather buy as many as I want and cook it by myself. You don't have to panic about how to season it, scallops don't need too much seasoning on it as their original taste is good enough to make you drool for it. :-)



Here are the ingredients and steps :

1. 6 thawed jumbo scallops (about 0.5lbs) - pat dry with paper tower
2. 6 slices of thin half cooked bacon (don't cook too crispy)
3. Some dill and thyme flakes
4. 3 BBQ skewer - soak in water for at least 1 hour before use.
5. Some lime slices (if desired)

Steps :

1. Wrap each scallop with a piece of bacon, secure with BBQ skewer.
2. Sprinkle some thyme and dill flakes on both sides.
3. Grill over medium heat for 3~4 minutes each side.
4. Sprinkle some lime juice on top of it (if desired).
5. Serve warm.

Drunken Prawn in Bak Kut Teh (醉虾肉骨茶)

Tired of meaty Bak Kut Teh? My new invented drunken prawn in Bak Kut Teh!! LOL!!

Bak Kut Teh is a Chinese soup popularly served in Malaysia and Singapore. "Bak Kut Teh" is a Hokkian saying, literally translate as " Meat Bones Tea". In this term, tea means soup. The soup is cooked for hours with pork ribs/bones and a bag consists of variety Chinese herbs and spices. Additional ingredients like pork innards, lettuce, fried bean curd can be added into the soup upon request.



I wanted to make seafood Bak Kut Teh long time ago, but my parents were concern about their blood pressure and cholesterol level. So, I just hold it up until now.

Again, don't worry about my honey, he likes it very much!! He said he is a "weird" guy that has been well trained to eat what ever food I cook. LOL!!!!

You got to try this out if you have chance. Yummy!!!

Ingredients and steps.

A) For the Bak Kut Teh :

1. 650 ml water
2. 1 bag of A1 bak kut teh spices (normally it comes with 2 bags in a packet, double the ingredients if you have more family member to consume).
3. 250g of pork ribs/bones (broiled water bathed)
4. 5~6 cloves garlic
5. 3~4 mushroom - soaked
6. 1 tbsp soy sauce
7. 1 tsp dark soy sauce
8. 1 tbsp oyster sauce
9. 1/2 tsp white pepper
10. Salt to taste

Steps :
1. Broil the water and add in ingredient # 2~#5. Return to broil, simmer for 40 minutes.
2. Add in ingredient #6~ #9, simmer for another hour or longer for stronger taste.
3. Salt to taste.

B) Drunken Prawn in Bak Kut Teh

1. 250g prawn - trimmed and de-vein.
2. 1 tsp of oil mix with few drops of sesame oil
2. 3~4 slices of ginger
3. 2 cloves garlic - crushed
4. 3~4 (or as desired) chili padi or jalapeno - sliced
5. 1 tbsp (or as desired) Shao Xing wine
6. Some lettuce
7. Some cilantro or green onion for garnishing.


1. Grease and heat a pot (use clay pot if you have it)
2. Fragrant the ginger, garlic and chili (about 2~3 minutes)
3. Add in prawn, stir for a while, pour in the Bak Kut Teh. Bring to Broil.
4. When prawns are done, add in Shao Xing wine and return to broil. Remove from heat.
6. Add in some lettuce and cilantro/green onion.
7. Serve with rice or mee sua.

Sambal Petai and Udang

I Never thought that I could find petai in America. This is why I love Lee Lee Asian supermarket so much. Petai in Hokkian dialect called "chao dao", means stinky bean. It tastes like asparagus with very strong flavor of Lima bean (according to Tom).

Petai is very popular in Southeast Asia countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Burma. Many people love it with sambal (a very popular chili sauce in Malaysia). However, some people might be hesitant to eat it because it contains certain amino acids that give a strong smell to one's urine, an effect that can be noticed up to two days after consumption. Anyway, I don't have to worry about this awkward side effect now, because I have found a trick to avoid it. When you are eating petai, get some egg plant as well, it will help to reduce or remove the strong smell. Trust me, it works.



Sambal petai is another dish that would make me finish 3 bowls of rice other than Turmeric Chicken. Before I got the blender, it took me a lot of time to pound the ingredients. But when I think about something really yummy to satisfy my stomach, I don't care too much about the hard work. Would you?

Ingredients :

1. 120g petai
2. 400g medium prawn (trim the spikes and de-vein)
3. 170g shallot
4. 125g red chili (unseeded)
5. 5g dried chili (unseeded)
6. 1/2 tbsp dried pan fried belacan
7. 10g fresh turmaric
8. 1 tbsp dried shrimp
9. 2.5 tbsp vegetable oil
10. 160~80ml water
11. 10g tamarind fruit - mix with 1.5 tbsp water for juice
12. Salt to taste
13. A pinch of sugar to taste (optional)

Steps :

1. Blend well the ingredient #3~#8.
2. Heat up the frying pan and oil.
3. Pour in sambal mixture, stir in medium high heat for 7~8 minutes.
4. Add in the prawns, continue to cook (gradually add in water) until the prawns are almost done (about 3~4 minutes, depends on the prawn size)
5. Add in petai and tamarind juice cook for another 3~4 minutes.
6. Season to taste.