Braised/Stew Chicken with Potato and Carrots - Dinner 18 Oct 12

I tried out this dish as I believe my children would love it very much due to the gravy, and they love potato and carrots too. Used russet potato..seemed to take quite long to soften, but once it did, it became quite mushy. I sliced cross-sectionally into 0.6mm thick circles, and because the potatoes took long to soften, the gravy taste didn't penetrate the center, so in the pot, I divided the potatoes into smaller pieces. Next time, I'll cut into 1.5cm cubes, so that the gravy flavour can go around all sides of the potato cubes, and hopefully it's easier to stir fry.

I used 1/2 chicken, minus a few fillets and replaced with 3 additional chicken wings. Brandon liked both the wing, drumlet and chicken chunks, but Darren didn't really like the chicken, maybe coz he had chicken overdose as he had that at least 2x in school, and on that day itself.

However, they loved the gravy a lot.

I used 300ml water, those most recipe call for 150-200ml. I used so much, because initially the water couldn't cover all the ingredients. I'm still not sure if it must, but anyway just to note, as the ingredients start to cook, they'll shrink, and the water will tend to cover.

With the 300ml water, instead of 200ml in Papa Cheong's recipe, i used the same amt of seasoning, and the saltiness was already quite there, so if i reduce the water, I should also reduce the amt of seasoning.

I adapted from Papa Cheong and Food4tots recipe.

Stir Fry Stir Fry French Beans with Dried Shrimps - Lunch 18 Oct 12

My 1st attempt at french beans with dried shrimps. Adapted from noobcok.

French beans are good, because they're easy to wash and prepare. Darren likes it, but Brandon didn't like the one I cooked for dinner with egg, maybe coz the beans were not cooked soft enough. They were still quite raw.

http://www.noobcook.com/french-beans-with-spicy-dried-shrimps/

Today i used very little french beans. 1 pkt is 250g, I used abt 75-90g, because i wanted to save the rest for dinner. I used 2 tbsp of dried shrimps with this which I find too much. Next time for 2 pax, I'll use 1/2 pkt with 1.5 tbsp dried shrimps. For full pkt, I'll maybe put 2.5 tbps dried shrimps. I also put some carrots. Wanted shredded carrots, but maid used the fine shredder and carrots came out so fine (like i thk suitable for carrot cake). But since I didn't want to waste, I used it anyhow. Turns out quite interesting, coz it blends with the minced dried shrimps, and I thk it made the veg taste quite sweet...a little too sweet for my liking though, so next time to reduce the amt.

Ingredients
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-125g french beans (1/2 pkt), cut to 1.5-2cm length
-1.5 tbsp dried shrimps, minced
-shredded carrots (1/3 medium carrot) (to shred next time and see how much)
-1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions
-Heat up wok, on smallest flame
-Add garlic and quickly stir fry (browns very quickly)
-Just as it starts to turn brown, add the dried shrimps. Stir fry till fragrant and shrimps start to turn light brown (abt 2 min).
-Add the french beans, and stir fry on medium heat for abt 5-6 min. (For normal shredded carrots, add together with the french beans)
-When the french beans are half done, add the finely shredded carrots.

Can modify this dish to have minced meat and/or sliced egg omelet instead of dried shrimps

To cook softer next time and see if Brandon likes

Sesame Oil Chicken - Noobcook Adapted

Today I cooked sesame oil chicken for lunch.

I followed noobcook's method, just that I halfed the amt of chicken used, as it was only for me and the maid. I used 1 pkt of chicken wings from NTUC which contains 4 pcs of chicken wings, which I separated into 4 winglets and 4 drumlets. For the ginger, I used 5 slices like noob, but i didn't slice into thin shreds as i misread. Next time round i'll do so. For the water mixture, I followed her measurements, but found the gravy too little and just a tad not salty enough, so next time I'll try increase by doubling the amt. Alternatively I can try marinating the meat first with 1/2 tsp light soya sauce. I'll also try doubling the sesame oil amt.

http://www.noobcook.com/sesame-oil-chicken/

Noobcook's recipe

Ingredients
(Serves 2-3)
- 1/2 chicken (about 600g), cut to small pieces (you can also use mid-sized drumlettes or chicken thighs)
- 2 tbsp sesame oil and 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 slices ginger, stacked together and sliced thinly
- Chinese cooking wine (optional) – Hua Diao Jiu (花雕酒) or Shao Xing Jiu (绍兴酒)

water mixture
- 50ml water mixed with 1 tsp dark soy and 1/2 tsp light soy (stir well)

Directions
1. Heat sesame oil and olive oil, then add ginger strips. Stir fry till fragrant.
2. Add chicken pieces and stir fry for a few minutes.
3. Add water mixture and stir to make sure the chicken pieces are well coated with the sauce. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Open lid, add more water if the mixture is drying out, use kitchen tongs to flip chicken pieces to the other side, cover and simmer for another 5 minutes.
5. When the chicken is cooked, add a splash of Chinese wine and after a few seconds you can smell the wonderful aroma of the wine evaporating. Off the flame. Garnish with coriander and serve with warm steamed rice.

What i did - 1st attempt 18/10/12

-4 chicken wings (abt 300g), cut into parts
-4 cloves garlic (this is not in noobcooks recipe, but in bits of taste recipe (which also has onion) so optional)
-5 thin slices of ginger
-Chinese cooking wine (used estimation, by drizzling over, but can try measure 1-1.5 tsp next time

Water mixture
- 50ml water mixed with 1 tsp dark soy and 1/2 tsp light soy (stir well) Note: I didn't half this, even though I half the chicken, but the gravy still not enough.
Next time, I'll either:
100ml water + 2 tsp dark soya + 1 tsp light soy OR
100ml water + 2 tsp dark soya + 1/2 tsp light soy ( and pre marinate chicken with 2 tsp light soy sauce, but not sure if will stick to metal wok, unless use non-stick)

http://bits-of-taste.blogspot/2012/06/sesame-chicken.html

Can try this recipe which pre marinates the meat, but I'll omit marinating with the wine n the toasted sesame seeds.

Ingredients: 5 chicken drumsticks - cut into 2 each (try out 2 packets chicken wing, or 6 chicken wings?) 1 tbsp sesame seed - toasted (i'll omit) 3 cloves garlic, sliced (i'll mince) 2 shallots, sliced (can omit) 1 tsp black soy sauce (optional) 200ml water Marinade sauce: 1 tbsp oyster sauce 1 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine (i'll omit from marinade. Only splash on at the end of cooking) Method: 1. Marinade chicken drumsticks with the marinade sauce. Leave it in the fridge for 1 hour. 2. Heat up non-stick frying pan, toast sesame seeds in low fire until fragrant and golden brown. Set aside. (I'll omit this) 3. Heat up wok with oil, saute garlic and shallots until fragrant in medium heat. (i'll put 1 tbps olive oil) 4. Drain the chicken from the sauces, reserve the sauce for further use. 5. Add chicken to the wok and stir fry until chicken is fragrant and the liquid dries up. It should be brown and fragrant. (wonder if it'll stick) 6. Add in half of the sesame seeds, stir fry for another minute. 7. Add in the reserved sauce and water, simmer until chicken is cooked. Add in black soy sauce, mix well. 8. Dish up, sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve. Note: • Use chicken drumstick or thigh for better texture and taste. • Best serve with rice or noodles.

Steamed Golden Pomfret

1 Medium sized golden promfret
2 cloves garlic
6 slices ginger
1.5 tsp light soya sauce (to experiment)
2 small tomatos
1/2 packet tofu, cubed


Wash the fish, and rub with salt, leave for 10min, and rinse away. (set timer to remember)
Slice garlic and ginger.
Cut tomato into 8 sections
Cut tofu into cubes.
Rinse away salt from fish.
Rub with light soya sauce, leave for 10-15min.

Prepare water for steaming. When water boils, add fish into steamer to steam for 15 min.

If fish can fit into rice cooker, use rice cooker to steam. Need at least 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cup rice.

Rice cooker chicken

2 chicken drumsticks.
Wash with salt.
Marinate for 15-30 min with 1/2 tsp of light soya sauce.

Wash rice.

Put chicken into plate and put into rice cooker to cook with the rice.

Need at least 1.5 cup rice for chicken to be cooked properly using this method.

Today, we cooked 3 cups rice, coz 1 cup for me and maid for lunch, and 2 cups for all for dinner.

Sambal Belachan Kang Kong

I love this dish, but ever since I've kids, I can no longer order this dish anymore.  Since I'm  now home often with my filipino maid during lunch, I decide i should start cooking spicy dishes during lunch.

This is a very versatile recipe, that can be used for other vegetables, like sweet potato leaves, lady's fingers, long beans, brinjal.

Serves 2-3
Ingredients
400g kang kong (1 packet from NTUC), pluck out the leaves and use the leaves only
1 tbsp minced garlic (~4 cloves garlic)
1 tbsp minced onion
1 tbsp dried shrimps, soaked in water till soft (abt 5 min) and minced (to increase to 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp sambal belachan
1 tbsp olive oil

Wash kang kong leaves and soak in salted water for at least 15 min.
Wash and soak dried shrimps.
Mince the garlic and onion, and soften dried shrimps.

Heat oil in wok.
When oil is hot, turn to smallest flame.
Add minced garlic, and stir fry quickly.
Add minced onion, and stir fry quickly.
Add dried shrimp and stir fry till fragrant.
Add sambal belanchan and stir fry till fragrant.
Add kang kong, and turn to medium heat. Stir fry and mix well with the sambal sauce, until kang kong leaves "wither" and are cooked.

Old Cucumber Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients
300-400 grams of pork bone, blanched
1 medium old cucumber (abt 500g), ard 1.5 palm length) with skin intact, halves, then cut each half into chunks, lengthwise (next time to remove skin)
1 medium carrot, cut into chunks
6 seedless red dates
1 tbsp wolfberries
1 piece of dried cuttlefish, washed and cut into half
1500ml water
⅔-1 teaspoon of salt

Method
1) Bring a pot water to a boil over high heat. Add pork ribs, dried cuttlefish, old cucumbers, carrots and red dates and wolfberries. Bring it to a boil again.

2) Remove scum on the surface of the soup, if any. Reduce heat to low fire and simmer for 3 hours. By the time it is done, the flesh of old cucumbers should appeared soft and transparent in colour. Add salt, 10 minutes before heat off. Serve hot.

Original from MyWokLife
Ingredients
1 medium old cucumber with skin intact, halves, then cut each half into chunks, lengthwise
300 grams of meaty pork ribs, blanched
1 piece of dried cuttlefish, washed and cut into half
12 seedless red dates
⅔ teaspoon of salt
1 pot of water, 50% filled (about 1500ml water)

Method
1) Bring a pot water to a boil over high heat. Add pork ribs, dried cuttlefish, old cucumbers and red dates. Bring it to a boil again.

2) Remove scum on the surface of the soup, if any. Reduce heat to low fire and simmer for 2 - 3 hours. By the time it is done, the flesh of old cucumbers should appeared soft and transparent in colour. Add salt, 5 minutes before heat off. Serve hot.
Quantity was just nice for all.

Sweet & Sour Pork (using pork shoulder butt)

Today, I cooked sweet & sour pork. In the past, I've used before pork meat bought from NTUC labelled as "Sweet & Sour Pork", but those are quite seldom seen. I've tried using chicken fillet, and it turned out great. This time, I tried using pork shoulder butt, which the NTUC aunty told me is "wu hua rou", which I suppose is buai3 ba4?

This dish is sooo delicious that it's always being wiped out, so there always seem to be too little to begin with. This time, I increased the meat portion. Instead of 300g, I wanted to increase to 400g. I bought 425g worth of pork shoulder butt. However, I discovered that it contains quite a fair bit of fatty meat. This made it more difficult to cut the pork meat into cubes, as I had to cleverly remove the fats. After the fats are removed, I believe the meat left is ard 360-380g. The portion seems to be just nice for all to be completely satisfied.


Because I increased the meat portion this time, I also adjusted to increase my sweet and sour sauce amt accordingly.

Serves 4
Ingredients
425g pork shoulder butt, cubed (used pork shoulder butt, ok but a lot of fats which I had to remove, so more difficult to cut into cubes, used 425g but because remove fats might be left with are 360-380g meat) Actually 300g could be sufficient, but we love this and eat alot.
Yellow and green capsicum, diced (1/2 each of medium size, 100-120g) 1cm squares
1 medium sized tomato (or 2 small tomatoes) (1 big or 2 small - medium) Cut into 8 sections and then each section cut into ard 3 pcs to give 1cm cubes
1/2 average sized cucumber, diced (~200g, but can increase to 300g coz they like cucumber) cut longitudinally into 8 sections, remove seeds, cut into 0.8cm cubes)
4-5tbps canned diced pineapple (did 5tbsp of s&w diced pineapple, abt 4cubes each spoon, can increase to 6 tbsp) cut into smaller pieces, but to reduced sugar else too sweet
1 1/2 small bowl canola/sunflower cooking oil
4 cloves garlic
1/4 medium sized onion

Marinade for chicken fillet
2 tbsp light soya sauce
1 egg, beaten
Dash of pepper (sprinkle thin layer on top)

Coating for chicken fillet
8tbps Kentucky powder
9tbps corn flour
Can try next time 10 tbsp corn flour n 7 tbsp Kentucky powder

Sauce
8 tbps tomato ketchup
3.3 tbps sugar (can reduce to 3, coz still pretty sweet)
5 tbsp hot water (use the hot water to dissolve the sugar, before mixing with the rest)
1/2 tbps light soya sauce
Tiny pinch of salt

Instructions
-Cut pork into cubes. Try to make sure that they are of similar size, to ensure even cooking.
-Marinate it for at least 30min, in fridge. Can be longer if desired. (In mywoklife, she marinated from morning till evening.)
-Mix the Kentucky powder and corn flour in a big bowl.
-Add oil to wok, and heat up over medium heat till very hot. Ensure that the oil is sufficient to cover fully 1/2 batch the pork pieces. The frying of the pork will be done in 2 batches.)
-While waiting for oil to heat up, coat each pork piece evenly. Ensure that it is well coated. But shake off excess. Do for 1/2 the batch.
-Once oil is heated, quickly add the coated pork pieces. (If wait too long, the chicken marinate will soak through the coating, and you'll need to coat with more corn flour.)
-Keep heat on medium, and fry till golden brown. This will take abt 5-6min.
-Drain off the oil, and place fried pork pieces in a bowl lined with kitchen paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
-Repeat for 2nd batch.
-Store the used oil for future re-use.
-Wash and dry wok.

- Add 1 tbsp canola oil. When hot, add garlic and stir fry till fragrant (but not brown). Add onion and saute till fragrant, and very lightly brown.
-Add the vegetable in the following order (cucumber, capsicum, tomato, pineapple) and stir fry for 2 min on medium heat.
-Add the sauce.
-Add the chicken pieces.
-Mix well and medium high heat for 1 min, or until sauce thickens a little.

-Serve with warm rice.

Notes:
Amt of veg can be adjusted according to liking. Minimally, there should be capsicums, as it helps to balance the sweetness.)
Everytime I buy capsicums, it's always for such sweet and sour dish, or pizza!

To try with fish fillet next time.