Orange Chicken 陈皮鸡

Orange Chicken is one of the popular Chinese-American dish of Hunan origin.It's a dish commonly found anywhere anytime where there is a Chinese take out restaurant available .This dish is also similar with Sesame Chicken and General Tso Chicken .Basically all this dish used the same method of cooking,the only different is the flavor of the sauce.Some Chinese restaurant prefer to use dark meat(thigh or whole leg) because it's taste better and moist and some prefer to used white meat(boneless breast) because of health conscience.

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs or 2 large pieces boneless white meat chicken,cut strip about 1 1/2 inch
1/4 cup corn flour + 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp seasalt
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp ground white pepper
1 egg
enough oil for deep fry
1 head broccoli,cut floret,wash and steamed



Sauce:

3 cloves garlic,peeled and chopped
5 tbsp water or orange juice
3 tbsp corn starch + cold water,dissolve
3 tbsp soy sauce or to taste
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar or white sugar is OK
3 tbsp Chinese fermented rice wine
1 orange,peel the skin only (thin not the white part)
1 tbsp pepper crush(optional)
Method:

1:Marinated cut chicken with salt,sugar and ground pepper for 30 minutes or longer.
2:Heat fryer or deep aluminum skillet with oil at 350 F.Beat egg into marinated chicken ,mix well.Coat chicken with flour mixture well,shake excess flour before place into hot oil,fry batches until lightly golden brown .Remove cooked chicken from oil,set aside.
3:Heat skillet with 2 tbsp oil,peeled orange and chopped garlic.Fry garlic until fragrant before pour in all the sauce ingredients except corn flour dissolved.When sauce is bubbly ,add in corn flour mixture.Check the seasoning before pour in fried chicken,mix well and dish our immediately.
4:Meanwhile steam broccoli in microwave for 2 minutes.Display steamed broccoli around the plate with cooked orange chicken.Serve warm with rice or noodle.

CLICK HERE FOR METHOD AND NOTE......

Homemade Pineapple Tart

Chinese New Year is around the corner but I didn't start any baking until yesterday .I guess since living in US and A with limited friends and relatives,to celebrate Chinese New Year is no-exist for me.Furthermore ,Chinese New Year is not an official holiday here but still many ethnic Chinese who live in Chinatown will hold large celebrations like Dragon dance , buy presents, decoration, material, food, and clothing.I was surprised this year Chinese New Year fall on the same day as Valentine Day.Well since Chinese New Year begins according to the Chinese lunar calendar which consists of both Gregorian and lunar-solar calendar systems,no wonder it's will fall as the same day as Valentine Day! This year I didn't bake or make lot of cookies or cake..I recalled last year I used ready mix pineapple flour and pineapple filling for pineapple tart but this year I decided to make pineapple filling and dough from scratch.To my surprised the outcome is really amazing .It's much better than the one I bought from bakery store! Actually making pineapple filling and dough yourself is not really hard.It's cost efficient and easy ,not to said it's really delicious,full of exotic pineapple flavor! Happy Baking!

Dough Ingredients:
(A)
2 sticks(250 gm)unsalted butter,room temperature( or margarine )
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
(B)
2 cups all purpose flour
4 tbsp corn flour
1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp water for brushing

Filling:
2 fresh pineapple,peeled ,removed eyes and grated or blend until fine
2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp pineapple essence
Method:
1:Peel the pineapples, dig out the eyes and chop into chunks before blend or grated.Place grated pineapple into a large stock pot and cook at medium heat until almost dry.Stir constantly ,add in sugar stirring often until it is thicken.Add sugar as sweet as you desire.The jam is done when the pineapple mixture has changed color from bright yellow to brownish ochre and most of the liquid has evaporated, leaving a dense but moist jam.Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
2:Sieve (B) in a bowl and set aside.Beat (A) in mixer until creamy and light.Add in (B) into (A),mix well to form into a smooth dough.
3:Prepare parchment paper over baking sheet.Use your desire mould to shape the tart from the dough and press out the pattern.
4:Take a scant teaspoon of pineapple jam (more or less, as desired) and form a ball, then press into the hollow of each tart. Pat the sides of the jam to create a small dome.Or scoop 1/2 tsp filling onto the center of the shape dough before roll up.Repeat the same procedure until all dough done.
5:Preheat oven to 350 F.Brush yolk mixture on the dough .Bake for 15-20 or until lightly golden brown. Remove cookies from sheets and cool on a rack.
two different two of shape
I didn't cook the pineapple filling dry enough so when it's comes out of oven the filling smear all over the parchment paper
Dough

CLICK HERE FOR METHOD AND NOTE......

Broiled Chilean Seabass with Sake

Don't we all like Chilean Seabass? Don't mistaken Chilean Seabass as Black Seabass,Grouper ,Giant Seabass,White Seabass or Japanese Seabass.I 'm a big fan of Chilean Seabass because the meat is really soft like silk,tender and smooth,not to said it's really costly that the reason I don't buy often..Well,if you never try this fish before you should try once.Trust me this fish is really super delicious ,not to said it's easy to cook at home.Not every restaurant carry this fish in their menu.Mostly all the Chilean Seabass sold in market are in pre-cut frozen form.Currently there is a lot of controversy about Chilean Sea Bass,it's also called the Patagonian toothfish and you can read more about this controversy HERE and HERE !!. The best way to cook this fish is pan-fried or broiled.The key to have juicy and soft meat of this fish is not to overcooked it!!

Ingredients:

2 pieces pre-cut Chilean Seabass,remove scales and thawed

2 tbsp butter

3-4 tbsp sake

2 tbsp mirin(sweet rice wine)

3 tbsp seafood soy sauce(regular light soy sauce is OK too)

1 lemon,cut
some cut cilantro

Method;

1:Pre-heat oven to 425 F at broil setting.Prepare aluminum foil over baking tray or baking dish.Apply some butter on the tray or dish.

2:Lay Chilean Seabass on the grease tray.Bake Chilean Seabass in oven for 15-20 minutes or until it's liquid run clear.(Do not over broiled)

3:Remove fish from tray to serving plate immediately.Mix soy sauce,sake and mirin in a small bowl,drizzle 2tbsp or more soy sauce mixture on the fish.Cut lemon wedges on the side.

4:Sprinkle some cilantro and squeesh lemon juice on the fish before serve warm.

CLICK HERE FOR METHOD AND NOTE......

Shrimp and Fish Lobak(Fried Bean Curd Skin Roll)

I love anything wrapped in deep fried bean curd skin or it's skin called as yuba in Japanese (腐皮 ).Either it's "young tau foo" or lobak",I welcome anything wrapped with it .Since I don't have fish paste but have some minced meat available,so I try to create my own lobak filling with tilapia fish and shrimp. Frankly ,I dunno what is in the original recipe of lobak,but mainly I know we have to use minced pork,5 spices powder and dried bean curd skin.I should call my mom and ask her about Penang lobak ingredients but when it's realised it,it's midnight over in Malaysia.Well,it's 12 hours time different between New York and Malaysia.Of course I won't call her in the middle of the night and ask her this kind of silly question,right? Even though I have unlimited international Skype calling plan.Wish I can utilized fully of what I had paid! Well,let's go back to this lobak topic for now. Added shrimp and fish into the filling mixture,really enhanced this deep fried bean curd skin (lobak)!!

Ingredients:

4 large sheets dried bean curd,cut into 1/2,thawed
1 lb minced pork or plus extra
8 oz water chestnut,peeled and diced small(I used canned )
1 medium carrot,peeled ,shredder and chopped small
1 stalk scallion,cleaned and cut small
2 sliced boneless tilapia,diced small
10 large shrimp,cleaned ,shelled and diced small
2 eggs
enough oil for frying

Seasoning:
1 tbsp 5 spice powder
1 tbsp seasalt or to taste
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp ground white pepper powder
Method:

1:Use a large bowl,add in minced pork,shrimp,fish,carrot,scallion,water chestnut,eggs and seasoning,mix well.
2:Remove dried bean curd skin from plastic bag,if it's too dry,sprinkle some cold water onto it evenly.Don't sprinkle too much water it's will damage the skin.Cut bean curd skin about 12 x 12 inch or up to your desire size.
3:Lay a sheet of skin on a clean chopping board or table,fill 2 tbsp meat mixture or more in oblong shape,then tuck the skin and roll up tightly before seal with water or egg mixture,set aside on a clean plate.
4:Heat fryer or large skillet with oil at medium high heat.When oil is hot enough,slowly place roll lobak onto the fryer.Fry lobak evenly about 5 minutes or until golden brown.
5:Drain fried lobak from fryer and placed fried lobak on a paper towel to drain excess oil.Let it cool down before cut and serve with sweet Thai's sauce.

meat mixture in oblong shape and ready to roll up

meat mixture with seasoning

fish,shrimp , minced meat and chopped vegetables

CLICK HERE FOR METHOD AND NOTE......

Begedil (Deep Fried Potato Cutlet)

Begedil is a Malay name for potato cutlet or potato patties .It's a popular side snack sold everywhere at Malay hawker stall or food court in Malaysia and Singapore. I recalled I used to eat this snack many year ago at nasi campur (mix rice) stall at food court. Since I have 3 bags of 5 lbs Idaho potato at home,I might as well try to make begedil with it.I didn't realised I have 3 bags of 5 pound potato sitting at the corner of my kitchen. Each time when shopping at food market I'm sure grab a bag of potato without checking if I still have potato at home. I'm not the kind of person who will list down my shopping list before I went food shopping.I guess you can said I'm not use to it or don't have habit to carry list when shopping.I'm the person who buy what I see on the spot. Well,I better hurry up and use up as much as I can before it's grow sprouts. To my surprised hubby love this fried potato patties.It's never cross my mind that hubby will eat food with turmeric powder ..

Ingredients:

2 lbs potato,peeled ,cut and boiled
30 gm dried shrimps,washed and pounded
1 onion,peeled and chopped fine
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 cup shredded carrot,chopped small
1 tsp ground white pepper powder
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 eggs ,beaten for coating
enough oil for frying

Method:

1:Peel ,cut and boil potato in a medium pot at high heat until cook.Dish and drain potato in a large bowl and mashed thoroughly with potato masher.Soaked dried shrimps in warm water,drain and pound dried shrimps until fine.
2:Add in green peas,chopped onion,salt,ground pepper,turmeric powder and chopped carrot into mashed potato bowl.Mix well together.Scoop potato mixture onto palm ,about 60-80 gm each,shape into ball and press down lightly to make patties shape.Set aside.
3:Heat fryer or skillet with oil at high heat.Beat eggs lightly with fork in a small bowl.Dip potato patties into eggs mixture thoroughly,slowly place coated patties into heat fryer.
4:Deep fry patties until golden brown.Dish out and placed onto paper towel to drain excess oil.Serve warm as side dish or snack.

CLICK HERE FOR METHOD AND NOTE......

Stir-fry Spicy Clam

I can't find the type of clam I used to eat in Malaysia or Asia here in Chinatown, NYC. I dunno what is the scientific name of the these clam but it's really taste super good!! But one day when I was looking for Chilen Seabass at the frozen section I accidentally found the type of clam(flower pattern shell) that I used to eat but in a prepacked vacuum package .I think it's look similar as the one I ate in Malaysia just looking at the shell..so waste no time I pick up few package home with me.To my surprised this semi-cooked clam taste really fresh,chewy and delicious!! The bright side of getting semi-cooked clam is that this clam was cleaned with no soil but still taste clammy!!

Ingredients:

1 package or 2 lbs cleaned clam ,thawed
1 large onion,peeled and sliced
3 tbsp sambal belacan paste
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp oil
1 stalk scallion,washed and cut

Method;

1:Heat deep skillet or wok with oil at medium high heat,add in sambal-belacan-paste and cleaned clam.Use spatula to stir well for 2-3 minutes Since the clam is semi-cooked,do not cook too long.
2:Add in.cut onion, sugar and salt to taste.Toss the ingredients together well until all combined,about 3-4 minutes. Check the seasoning before sprinkle scallion into the cooked clam.
3:Dish out immediately and serve warm.

CLICK HERE FOR METHOD AND NOTE......

Chicken in Spicy Tomato Sauce

You obviously see I cooked alot of seafood and chicken dish here but not other meat dish,right? Well,since I can't eat beef due to religion reason and don't eat other meat,so chicken and pork meat is my only option. Actually eating chicken meat is not bad at,right? I think chicken cooked in spicy tomato sauce it's nyonya style cooking. Anyway,I like the spiciness and tangy sweetness of the sauce. If you want something less spicy and saucy,this main dish is ideal for you to cater at party or dinner. It's not overwhelm spicy but still retain the wonderful flavor of spiciness.

Ingredients:

10 pieces drumstick, cleaned and cut into 1/2( or any part of chicken)
1 large onion,peeled and sliced
3 tbsp sambal-belacan-paste (or chili paste)
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup water
1 stick Cinnamon
2 tbsp bouillon powder
3 tbsp brown sugar (white sugar is OK)
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil


Method:

1:Heat deep large skillet or wok with oil at medium high heat.Add in sambal-belacan-paste and cinnamon,fry for 1 minute.Add in chicken and ketchup,mix well.
2:Add in water ,ketchup,salt,sugar and chicken bouillon powder,let it's simmer with cover /lid for 20 minutes or until cooked.If you want extra gravy add more water . Lastly add in sliced onion,mix well.
3:Check the seasoning before dish out and serve warm with ice or noodle.

CLICK HERE FOR METHOD AND NOTE......