Nasi Ayam Biryani Malay (Malay Chicken Biryani Rice)

I make Biryani again but this time I choose the "Malay" word on the box of the spices.I was told by Gertrude that Shan's Malay(Malaysia) biryani taste better than the others..I was suprised the color of the spices doesn't look spicy bcos it's not red but actual facts the spices is quite spicy..Yeah!!....there is a slightly different between Malay Chicken Biryani and Bombay Biryani that I used to cooked..In term of taste I think I prefer Bombay Biryani ,maybe it's bcos I added too much ginger and garlic with the chicken ..or maybe it's bcos the spices had red color!! Anyway, as we know Indian food can be really expensive compare with others food when we eating at the restaurant...Since making Biryani at home is so easy ,why not cook this dish myself ? Viola!! now I can cook Biryani Chicken with out hassle in about 30 minutes!! You can get Biryani spice mixture in any Indian or Asian grocery or online store (this POST is not a ADVERTORIAL POST) I just want to share what I had experienced and found it's easy to cook not to said it's affordable to everyone who love Indian food.

Ingredients:

1/2 whole chicken ,about 3 lbs,chopped small
30 gm Malay Biryani mix(1/2 pack of the spices)
1 cup whole milk or half and half or yogurt( I used half and half)
2 inch old ginger,sliced and pounded

1 bulb garlic,peeled and pounded

*mix above ingredients well in a container in fridge for hours or overnight before cook*

Vegetables:

1 tomato,cut cube

1 medium onion,peeled and sliced

4 potato,peeled and cut cube
1 cup water

salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

handful cashew nut

handful raisin

2 cups Basmati rice +2/3 cup water or plus extra depand on your rice aged

Method:

1:Heat a medium stock pot with oil at high heat.Add in potato,onion and chicken mixture into the pot,keep stirring for 5 minutes.Add in water and let it simmer at medium heat for another 20 minutes.

2:Meanwhile cook basmati rice in rice cooker.Wash rice few times with cold water before fill in 2/3 water.When rice cooked,let it rest in warmer.

3:Add in salt and tomato into the chicken mixture.Stir and check the seasoning.The chicken should be cook at this point,reduced heat to low.Remove rice from rice cooker before mix with chicken biryani mixture in the stock pot.Mix well before add in raisin and cashew nuts..

4:Remove chicken biryani from heat ,dish out and serve warm..

cut chicken pieces ready to marinate
pounded ginger and garlic in pestle and mortar

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Stir-fry Spicy Okra with Squid

One of my favorite vegetable is Okra or called as Lady Finger outside US and A.Yes,I know some people don't like Okra because it's has plenty of seeds in the pods and has slimy texture after cooked .I guess I like it's because I'm so used to eat it in curry fish or stir-fry with sambal..During summer we can find okra everywhere in the local market but after summer the price is not cheap at all and supply is also limited...a pound of okra can go up to $4.99..I prefer to get Okra at Indian grocery store because it's sold in loose not prepacked so I can choose the young and pretty one..not to said the price is slightly cheaper then regular market..Since I don't have fish head to cook curry fish head with okra,I just stir-fry with some squid left over from making hot pot..For me I can just eat spicy okra with 2 bowls of rice,do not need other dish else. It's yummy and satisfactory!!

Ingredients;

1 lb okra,cut the head stump away and cut into 1/2 if it's longer then 3inches

1/2 carrot,peeled and sliced

2 tbsp sambal-belacan-paste

1 tbsp spicy dried shrimp chili (Tean's brand)*optional*

1 tbsp tamarind juice

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder

salt to taste

1 tbsp oil

1 large white squid,clean and cut strip












Method:

1:Heat skillet at medium heat with oil.Microwave wash cut okra at high heat for 3 minutes.Add in sambal-belacan-paste and dried shrimp chili.Fry for 30 seconds before add in cut squid ,okra,carrot,tamarind juice,sugar and chicken bouillon powder. 2:Saute for another 5 minutes .*I like mine okra green and crunchy* Cook longer if you like soft..Check the seasoning.Add salt if needed.
3:Remove from heat,dish out and serve warm with steamed white rice.

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Braised Pork Belly with Tofu (Hong Bak Tahu) in Pressure Cooker

I believed Hong Bak is a Hokkian dish..My mom like to cook this dish when she offer prayer during festival at the alter..I guess I'm so use to eat this dish when I was young and believed Hong Bak is a common comfort food that everyone can eat day in and day out .Since I have pressure cooker ,I tried to cook Hong Bak using pressure cooker to save time .This dish is easy and simply to cook without using much ingredients yet delicious to eat paring with lots of steamed white rice.I like to use Malaysia's caramel sauce to cook this dish.To get a premium quality thick soy sauce or caramel sauce from Malaysia is not hard since some Asian store in NYC do carry full range of Malaysia products..I think what make Hong Bak taste good is the lard from pork belly fussing out during the cooking process into the thick gravy. Finger lick good!!

Ingredients:

2 lbs pork belly,cut cube and remove excess fats (5 far lam)

4-5 cloves fresh garlic,peeled and mashed or chopped

1 inch ginger,sliced

2 tbsp caramel sauce or any thick soy sauce

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp pork bouillon powder or cube

2 tbsp sugar

1 cups water

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

1 block medium soft tofu,cut into 8 pieces

Method:

1:Prepare pressure cooker at medium high heat with oil and garlic.Fry garlic and ginger until fragrant,then add in cut pork belly,caramel sauce ,soy sauce ,bouillon powder, sugar and water.

2:Cover with lid and the knob.Cook for 15 minutes before remove the cooker from heat.Slowly remove the pressure knob to release the steam completely before remove the lid.

3:Check the seasoning and add in tofu into the sauce.Cook for another 5 minutes before remove from heat.Serve warm with rice.

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Braised Chili Chicken with Tamarind and Kaffir Lime Leave

Last week when I was cleaning one of my fridge in the garage, I found out I still have a bundle of lemongrass(4 stalks) and a bag of fresh red chili..Fresh red chili is relatively cheap at the local market where I always shop...a pound for $0.99..Well,I better make use of the lemongrass before it's get dried..So to make a simple chili paste in my kitchen indoor (Fall season now,window and door closed all the time),I just use basic ingredients: garlic ,ginger,lemongrass,kaffir lime leave and fresh red chili.No pungent belacan(shrimp paste)or dried shrimp to stinky the whole house!!!..something for a change,right? I never braise Chicken with kaffir lime leave chili paste before and would love to try to cook this type of devil dish for myself to indulge on this cold rainy and windy day..The result is really a shout!! A kick to my stomach with full limy flavor (kaffir lime leaves) and sourness flavor (tamarind) coated all over the spicy chicken!! My daughter,Mishu said the chicken it's too "hot,hot"!! She keep eating and drink plenty of water!! lol!

Ingredients:

1/2 whole chicken,about 1 1/2 lbs,cut small (or use whole leg or any other part of chicken)

4 tbsp fresh chili paste or extra if needed (refer to below recipe)

3 long carrot,peeled and cut 2 inch each

3 tbsp concentrated tamarind juice

2 tbsp salt or to taste

3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder

4 tbsp oil

1 cup water,plus extra of needed

Kaffir Lime Leave Chili Paste:

2 lbs red long chili ,removed stump ,wash and cut
2 bulbs fresh garlic,peeled

1 piece old ginger,about 1/2 lb,peeled and cut

4 stalks lemon grass,sliced thin the white part only

20 pieces kaffir lime leaves,washed
*grind above ingredients in a blender until fine or use mortar and pestle to pound until fine*

Always use clean spoon to scoop the paste and leave the rest back in fridge/freezer for later use

Method;

1:Prepare a 5 qtr stock pot or deep skillet at medium heat.Add in oil and kaffir lime chili paste,saute for 10 minutes or until it's fragrant,then add in chicken, carrot and water.
2:Simmer the chicken for 20-30 minutes ,add in sugar, salt,tamarind juice and chicken bouillon powder.Stir the chicken well together.Check the seasoning..
3:Cook for another 10 minutes before remove from heat..serve warm with steamed rice,noodle or bread..

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Crabmeat Hot and Sour Soup

Hot and sour soup is a common soup that we can find in any Chinese restaurant or take out restaurant in US and A.Recently when we was celebrate my big day at a Chinese restaurant hubby request for a small bowl of hot and sour soup..I don't understand why he like egg drop soup ,wonton soup and hot and sour soup from Chinese restaurant and not my nutritious and delicious herbal soup that been boil for hours..Anyway,hubby always said the soup in American- Chinese restaurant suit him better than the expensive nutritious soup I make at home..He dunno what he been missing but he doesn't care .He refused to drink any of the herbal soup I make cuz it's has a strong overpowering Chinese medicine smell.He said bird nest soup is so in-hygienic.How can we use bird saliva and so on....*sigh* I gave up and never offer him any of my own make delicious soup to him..But I promised to make hot and sour soup for him since it's a easy and simple soup to make and it's doesn't need hours of boiling..Told hubby I can make better hot and sour soup then the restaurant..!! good to be true!! he said this is the best hot and sour soup he had!! haha!! he sucker for MSG!! but I didn't use MSG directly..I used chicken bouillon and I believed all the sauce or condiments have MSG included or the manufacture used other name instead of MSG!!

Ingredients:

3 liter chicken broth or water ,plus extra

2 tbsp chicken bouillon

200 gm lean pork,sliced thin

100 gm chicken breast ,sliced thin

50 gm crab meat (imitation or in can)

5 pieces baby corn,sliced think or bamboo shoot

1 box medium firm soft tofu,cut strip

1 cup green peas

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp chili paste or sambal olek

2 tbsp sugar

salt to taste

2 drop of dark soy sauce

3-4 large eggs,lightly beaten

4-5 tbsp corn flour + 4 tbsp cold water dissolved

handful cut scallion

Method:

1:Prepare a medium stock pot at high heat with chicken broth or water and chicken bouillon..When water rolling boil add in sliced pork and chicken..Cook for 3 minutes before add in baby corn,crab meat,strip tofu,green peas,chili paste,vinegar,sugar,salt and dark soy sauce.

2:Cook for another 10 minutes or until bubbly boil,then slowly add in corn flour dissolved to thicken the soup in googy texture.Use spatula to stir all the ingredients well..Add in egg and quickly stir it again..Check the seasoning..
3:Remove from heat and scoop the soup to individual bowl.Sprinkle with cut scallion before serve warm with fried noodles(cracker).

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Stir-fry Kiam Chye(Preserved Green Mustard) with Minced Pork and Chili

I love stir-fry kiam chye (preserved green mustard) with chili and minced meat.This dish is best pairing with "jook"( porridge or congee).Preserved green mustard is an inexpensive vegetables that we can get in any Asian or Chinese grocery store.On top of that we don't have to worried about the shelf life for this vegetables..I always spare few packet of preserved green mustard in my fridge for raining day..When I was having cold and flu,all I want to eat is this type of comfort food.This preserved green mustard is really handy not to said it's easy and simple to cook..One word:delicious!!

Ingredients:

2 packs of preserved green mustard(kiam chye)wash and diced small
4 cloves fresh garlic,peeled and minced
300 gm minced pork
2 long red chili,sliced thin
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

1:Soak preserved green mustard in cold water for 20 minutes to wash out the extra saltiness.Squessh preserved mustard dry before diced small.
2:Heat skillet at medium high heat with oil and garlic.Fry garlic until fragrant,add in minced pork and cut chili.Stir-fry both ingredients for 2 minutes before add in kiam chye and sugar.
3:Keep stiring all the ingredients well for another 10-15 minutes or until it's almost dry.The kiam chye tend to release some liquid when frying..
4:Check the seasoning..If the kiam chye is still salty,do not add in salt,maybe add in another 1 tbsp sugar.Remove from heat.Serve warm with porridge or steamed white rice.

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Mee Suah( Flour Vermicelli ) with Pork in Soup

Mee Suah is a thin, delicate noodle is made from rice flour and is very brittle when it's still in dry form. Mee Suah is a famous meal for Hokkian who celebrate occasions like Birthday,Wedding ,Birth and Lunar New Year..I recalled when I lived back home then,my mom will cook a bowl of mee suah soup for any of us on our Birthday accordingly to the lunar calender ..Instead of getting us a cake ,she will cook for us a big huge bowl of Birthday mee suah soup with meat,egg and vegetables..At that time I wonder where is our Birthday cake? hahaha!! Well,at that time I still didn't know how to appreciated mee suah soup on my Birthday..Instead I wish I had a Birthday cake! I think at that time not much people especially Chinese bought cake to celebrate a child Birthday. But now after growing up years at the other side of the world and getting old(always feel old when it's my Birthday),I miss my mom mee suah soup on my Birthday..Since I still have 2 bundles of loose mee suah in fridge,I might as well cook a bowl of mee suah soup for myself on my Birthday..Nothing extravagant ,just a simple easy minced pork,shitake mushroom ,egg and some vegetable in chicken broth soup..A big bowl of warm mee suah soup is also good for my cold and flu too..

Ingredients:

2 bundles of mee suah(Flour Vermicelli)remove the thread before cook in a small pot
4 cup chicken broth/water
2 cube chicken boullion
2 stalk chinese green vegetables,washed and cut
5 button shitake mushroom,soaked and sliced
1 egg
300 gm minced pork +2 tbsp corn four+ 2 tbsp soy sauce
4-5 cloves garlic,peeled and minced
4-5 fish ball cut 1/2
2 tbsp oil
salt and pepper powder to taste
handful cut scallion
some fried red small onion(shallot)

Method:

1:Prepare a small pot with water at high heat,when water is rolling boil place mee suah into the water.Slowly use chopstick to move the mee suah to loose and cook for 3 minutes before remove from heat to cold running water..Remove from cold water ,set aside.

2:Prepare a medium stock pot about 3 qtr size.Add in oil and garlic at medium heat,fry garlic until fragant,add in chicken broth or water.Increase heat to high.Add in chicken boullion and when the broth rolling boil ,use small spoon to scoop minced pork mixture into the broth.Repeat until all the pork mixture finish.

3:Add in sliced mushroom,vegetable,fish ball and cooked mee suah.Cook for 1-2 minutes before crack in a egg.Check the seasoning.Remove from heat.

4:Pour the mee suah into a big bowl,sprinkle with scallion and fried shallot before serve warm.

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Fish Tilapia and Chicken Congee (Porridge)

Porridge or Congee is not only a wonderful meal for us to eat when we are unwell but it's also taste delicious !! I guess being a Chinese,whenever I have flu or cold the first food I want is a bowl of hot porridge !!It's understood since we are sick we tends to lost our appetite..Congee have soothing soft texture for us to digest easily ..Since the weather is wacky,it's changed back and forth from warm to cold and now to a very very cold about 40 F during the day..I been sick since last week with sore throat,coughing,nasal congested and headache...yea...poor me:( Alright...since I still feeling horrible, I better sign off to get another bowl of warm congee...till then..

Ingredients:

1 cup jasmine or calrose rice,wash couple of time
5-6 cups water,plus extra if needed
4 pieces boneless tilapia,sliced
1 whole boneless chicken breast,sliced
1 inch ginger,peeled and julienne
salt and soy sauce to taste
ground white pepper powder to taste
a handful of scallion
sesame oil

Method:

1:Wash rice in a medium stock pot for couple of time .Fill in the water with rice to boiling at high heat.When the water is rolling boil reduce the heat to medium.

2:Add in sliced chicken into the congee and cook for another 30 minutes or longer until the rice disintegrate to mushy texture.Add water if needed to prevent the rice from sticking at the bottom of the pot.

3: Add in ginger and sliced fish into the congee and cook for another 15 minutes..Add in salt and pepper powder.

4:Remove congee from heat.Scoop the congee into individual bowl.Sprinkle with scallion and sesame oil before serve warm..Add in soy sauce if necessary.

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Steamed Fermented Black Beans Chicken with Salted Fish

I bought a can of Douchi(Chinese fermented black beans) a while back then but rarely use..Douchi is a flavoring that most popular in the cuisine of China, and is used to make black bean sauce.Douchi is made by fermenting and salting soybeans. The process turns the beans black, soft, and mostly dry. The flavor is sharp, pungent, and spicy in smell, with a taste that is salty and somewhat bitter and sweet.Fermented black bean are strongly flavored,so for easy to consume it's usually cook with others spices like garlic ,ginger and chili.It's common in Chinese cuisine fermented black beans is usually used in meat dishes..You can find fermented black beans in any Asian or Chinese grocery store..

Ingredients:(A)

1/2 whole chicken,chopped to small pieces or use any pre-cut chicken part like thigh or whole leg

1/4 cup fermented black beans,soak in water for 15 minutes to removed soil and saltiness

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp Shaoxing wine

1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder

3 cloves garlic,peeled and minced

1 inch ginger,peeled and sliced
________________________________________


(B)


2 tbsp corn flour + 4 tbsp cold water

1 big sliced fried salted fish(I used mui heong (mackerel fish),crush coarsely

2 red chili,sliced

a handful cut scallion

Method:
1:Marinate ingredients (A) in a stainless steel plate for 30 minutes or longer in fridge.Prepare steamer at high heat.
2:Place (A) into steamer and steam for 40 minutes or until cook.Mix ingredients (B) in a bowl before mix throughly with steamed chicken.Steam again for another 10 minutes.
3:Remove steamed chicken from heat,check the seasoning.Add soy sauce if necessary.Serve warm with steamed white rice.

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