Dong Gui (Angelica sinensis) Chicken Soup

I am being overloaded - feel really exhausted. I am working a few extra hours per day for the past 2 weeks(wanna save some flexible vacation hours for my days off to go back to Penang at the end of Nov.) I need some energy enhancement food - tadahhhhh -I need some energy enhancement food - tadahhhhh - Dong Gui (Angelica Sinensis) Chicken Soup. I didn't put too much Dong Gui as I wasn't sure Tom would like it or not, fortunately, that was not too hard for him to accept it.

Here's my very simple energy soup.

1. 12g Dong Gui slices (add more if you like it tasted stronger)

2. 1lbs chicken (I used drum sticks as they were available in my fridge)
3. 500ml water.
4. 3~4 dried dates - un-pitted
5. Some wolfberry
6. Few slice of Yok Chuk (Polygonatum odoratum) - optional
6. Salt to taste

1. Gather everything except salt into a double boil dish.

2. Cook for 3~4 hours.
3. When done cooking, skim the excessive oil if necessary.

3. Season with salt before serve.

Oriental Grilled Mushroom

It looked ugly, but YUMMY! :-p

It seems like busy moment is never ending. Another week gone, and going to be end of month closing again....., I feel like time flies fast like rocket now!

Fast and easy meal is my priority now. I am still trying my best not to consume too much canned or frozen food. So, I still maintain cooking from fresh produce, but make it really simple. For example, I will marinate the meat or seafood at night, then I don't have to spend too much time on the food preparation when I'm tired from work.



This grilled mushroom was accidentally invented. I had some mushrooms sitting in the fridge needed to finish ASAP before they go bad. While I was going to grill some chicken kabob the other day, I was searching some vegetables in my fridge to put on my grill too, I found I had nothing left but just mushroom. So, I immediately marinated them with some soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and garlic, they tasted so good that was beyond my expectation, Tom even demands more.

A)
1. 230g whole mushroom - remove the stem

B)
2 cloves garlic - sliced
1/8 cup soy sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
few drops of sesame oil and garlic oil
a pinch of sugar
a pinch of white pepper

some pre-soaked BBQ skewer
some green onion strips and garlic slices to skew together with mushroom

1. Rub and marinate the mushroom with sauce B for 30 minutes or longer for better flavor.
2. Skew 4~5 mushroom per stick with onion strip and garlic slice as a spacer in between.
3. Grill on medium heat for 4~5 minutes each side. Brush the remain marination sauce once each side.
4. Serve warm

2009 Summer Camping

I like this picture very much. It was taken at Sunset Crater - where we camped in July. It is a pine tree after being hit by lighting.

Wonder where have I been recently? I am taking a break for my cooking adventures as I am stuck by too many errands and events since the middle of August. I volunteered for the fund raising program at the Asian supermarket here for the victims of Typhoon Marakot in Taiwan for 2 weekends, then helping in Tzu Chi Chinese classes with administration work, then camped at Greer in last weekend, followed by our best friends' wedding this weekend, then training class next weekend... Ooooh Gosh!! I wish I could have 48 hours a day.

We were exhausted from the 3 day camping trip at Greer last weekend. My legs are still sore from the hiking :-p. This hike took us up to the summit of Arizona's third highest mountain - Escudilla Mountain - 10,912ft - an inactive volcanic mountain. We really enjoyed the beauty of the nature, got the see how amazing the climate can change the environment. Along the way to the summit of Escudilla, we passed through 2 different forests - Aspen then Pine and also a lot of unknown wild plants and flowers.

Tom set up our tent.


I would like to share some pictures of our adventure in this post. Some of them are from our camping in Sunset Crater in July. Sunset Crater Volcano was born in a series of eruptions between the years 1040~1100. Although it has been almost 1000 years, the lava flows and cider fields still look fresh. We got the chance to walk through the lava flows and ciders fields. It is pretty amazing.

So, today will be no food pictures, all are the beauty of nature. I like those wild flowers the most.

Sunset Crater, endless volcano lava flow..


On the cinder and lava flow.


1

Lichens



Native American Ruins




Cowboys Roping Calves in competition.

Aspen leaf, Aspen trees.




Wild flowers

SUSHI : Dragon Roll (Unagi Roll) and Spicy Shrimp Roll

Irashaimase!!! Konbanwa!!! Ogenki desu ka???? My first homemade sushi!!! Will post the recipe soon!! I am in the hurry and extremely hungry now!!!! Too many errands!!!! Busy! Busy! Busy!!!! Be patient with me ya!!! Sumimasen!!! Domo arigatoooooo!!!!


Dragon (Unagi) Roll!!

P/S : Don't be fooled by me, I dont speak Japanese, the above are the only Japanese words I know!! :-p

My Messy Vegetable Garden

First of all, I must confess that I don't take proper care of my vegetable garden, but... but.., we can still grow something that doesn't need too much care of it. The heat here in summer is really killing us (110F/42C), not much work we can do for our garden (well, try to find an excuse :-p), secondly, we are busy from work, cooking and blogging... (more excuses..lol)

Anyway, we still got something to grow in our garden, you can tell how messy it is from the following photos that I am going to show you, a lot of weeds. We grow potato leaves, chilies, mint, oregano, pumpkin, winter melon, water melon, lemon grass and green onion. Most things we can grow in summer which grow wild and don't really need weeding anyway. I think we can harvest the pumpkin and winter melon early of October. I will take the photos again then.
In the fall we can start to grow some more orderly vegetables!

Here comes our vegetable garden tour! :-)

3 months ago.....


Oregano...


baby lemon grass


little mint....


Still empty....

3 months after......umm...messy started.... :-p


Pile of pumpkins...accidentally planted by Tom. (I didn't know they would grow THIS well! -Tom)


Big bunch of lemon grass, I save a lot of money to buy it from Asian supermarket!


The mints grew really big and killed my oregano.. :-(


Potato leaves.. I think this is the easiest vegetable to grow.. also got a big pile of them and have to give away to my friends.


Baby winter melon. I bought winter melon from the store and there were some seeds in it. Just tried to plant it and didn't expect they can grow... :-)


Pumpkin... harvest soon :-)


More baby pumpkins out there!!!


Of course, this one can't be missed!! Chili!!


I have more than 10 chili trees growing, I don't know which is which, might be chili padi from Malaysia, habanero (the most spicy chili in the states, no kidding), bell pepper or sweet chili!!



Onion!! Just have to cut it whenever I need it!

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.

Homemade Fish & Chips

After a very Chinese meal, here come with a western meal. :-)

I think Fish & Chips and Chicken Chop are the top 2 items listed on the menu in western restaurant/stall in Malaysia. About 10 or 15 years ago, when we talked about western food, many people would think that their choices would be only Chicken Chop or Fish & Chips. I am not a big fan of meat, I usually order fish & chips.

Sometimes, it is actually faster and easier to make western food compared to oriental food. But I don't know why they are selling it so expensive in the stall/restaurant.


Crispy and delicious!!

It took me less than 15 minutes to have this fish & chips done. You may make the salad/coleslaw ahead and refrigerate them until needed.

I use the same breadcrumbs (Old London brand) that I used to make my chicken cordon bleu and onion rings. I think it is also available in the supermarket in Malaysia, may be different brand. Just look for it in the western seasoning aisle.

Here's the recipe. You may make your own western candle light dinner at home. :-)

1. 2pcs (440g) cat fish fillet ( can any fish fillet you prefer) - rub some salt on both sides.
2. 2/3~1 cup all purpose flour
3. 1/2 tsp salt
4. 1/2 ~ 2/3 cup of milk
5. 2/3 cup of seasoned bread crumbs (or as needed)
6. Oil for deep frying

Side dishes :
1. French fries
2. Salad/coleslaw
3. Some tartar sauce and lemon/lime juice to serve with fish


Steps :
1. Heat up the oil in a deep frying pan.
2. Mix well the flour and salt.
3. Place the fish fillets on the flour mixture, dust/coat both sides well.
4. After all the coating is done, add milk into the flour and stir to form a smooth batter.
5. Dip the floured fish fillets the batter, then remove and place it on the cooling rack by a kabob skewer (or any thin stick), let the batter drip off a bit.
6. Get ready the seasoned bread crumbs in a plate. Move the fish from the rack with a skewer, coat it with the bread crumbs evenly.
7. Deep fry in the heated oil over medium heat for 3~4 minutes or until it turns golden brown.
8. Sprinkle some lemon/lime juice and serve with tartar sauce.

Floured fish fillets


Bread crumbs coated


"Old London" brand seasoned bread crumbs