Braised Arrowhead(Ngaku) with Minced Chicken

Fresh arrowroot or in Chinese called as Ngaku is a popular fried snack during Chinese New Year.When I was in Chinatown I bought a whole bunch of ngaku  for deep fried but I totally forget it because I placed it on our deck.Out of sight out of mind.Usually during winter I used our deck as our big refrigerator.Long story short,my fresh arrowroot can't use as fried ngaku before our deck is too cold during storm snow Nemo. Instead of deep fried to make snack ,I used it to braised  with  minced chicken.This dish is really delicious and simple.

Ingredients:
3 lbs arrowhead,peeled and slice
300 gm minced chicken
5 sweet pepper,slice
1 stalk scallion,slice
5 garlic,peeled and minced
1 cup water

Seasoning:
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp ground pepper
2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
2 tbsp soy sauce
3-4 tbsp canola oil

Method:
1:Heat wok at medium high heat with oil and garlic.Fry garlic for 30 seconds before toss in minced chicken,mix well.
2:Add in arrowhead ,water and all the seasoning,mix well. Braise for 20-30 minutes. Then toss in sweet pepper.Check the seasoning.
3:Sprinkle scallion and dish out.Serve warm.

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Homemade Coconut Egg Custard Jam with Bread (Kaya)

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The best result to eat kaya (coconut egg jam) is accompany with butter or margarine on two pieces of toasted bread.Toasted bread spread with kaya is a popular snack or breakfast eaten by all Malaysian.Making your own kaya at home is not a very difficult task if you don't mind the stirring handiwork.I understand some people use slow cooker to make kaya instead of using double boiler because they refused to stand an hour in front of open stove to stir the jam constantly.I would love to experiment kaya with slow cooker  but unfortunately my slow cooker is too big ( 10 quart).I recalled many moons ago I bought a small can of kaya in a store ,the texture is very silky smooth but it's has no egg or coconut flavor at all.I guess they mixed with flour or artificial ingredients to save cost and make the kaya look pretty on the surface.If you're healthy conscience and love this delicious jam,you should consider to try to make it yourself..Trust me..making your own kaya is really priceless!! have fun and enjoy!!

Ingredients:

600 ml coconut milk

10 large eggs

2 1/2 cups gradulated sugar

2 pieces palm sugar

5-6 leaves pandan,tie knotted

Method:

1:Prepare a double boiler with water on a stove over low heat.Crack all the eggs in the stock pot,beat well.Pour in coconut milk,sugar,palm sugar and pandan knot into the eggs.Use whisk to beat the egg mixture regularly.

2:Keep whisking the eggs mixture for about 1 hour or longer until thicken.The texture must be thicken and smooth.If you want a smoother texture,use food processor to blend the jam or use hand blender to beat it while stirring.(I just like the texture as it's)

3:Remove coconut egg jam from double boiler and let's cool down.Store in container in room temperature for a week .If you can't use up in a week,the jam must be store in fridge.

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Huai Shan (Wai San) Root in Pork Rib Soup

Shanyao root 山藥 or huái shān (淮山) or in Cantonese it's called wai san is a kind of wild root sold relatively cheap and abundant sold in any Asian market in New York City.The official name is called as "Dioscorea opposita" . Huai Shan 淮山 has a sweet and neutral properties. It is use for treating the kidney, lung and spleen. 

At first I have no idea what is this whole long ugly look tuber called..When I'm food shopping with Gertrude in Chinatown in Brooklyn she pointed out to me that the ugly look root called hui shan or wai san or yam root.I heard of dried wai san but not never used any fresh root for my soup.I saw this root sold everywhere in Asian market but never attempted to try it once.I always used dried wai san or huai shan in my herbal soup like

"bak kut teh" or ginseng soup.I wonder how this fresh wai san taste from dried wai san.So for my new experiment, I grab 3 small tubers home.I understand this type of tuberous root is full of health benefits.It's have soft crunchy texture after boiled.The taste is not bad at all.. Read HERE!! for more information...

Ingredients:

3 small tubers of wai san or huai shan or yam root,peeled( be careful when peeling,the texture is sticky and gluey) and cut about 1 inch each
5-6 strip pork ribs or pork in bone, blanched or boiled lightly to remove grease or fats
10 pieces large red pitted dates,washed
2 candy dates,washed
2000 ml water or more if needed
salt to taste

Method:


1:Peel the skin of wai san or huai shan root carefully.The texture is sticky and gluey .Then cut the root into 1 inch each.Washed and drained.
2:Prepare ribs or pork in bone in boiled water to washed the grease or fats.Wash again in cold water after boiled.Use medium large stock pot to fill water with ribs or pork in bone at high heat.
3:When the water rolling boil,lower the heat to medium high.Simmer the ribs or pork in bone for 30 minutes before add in red and candy dates.Boil for another 30 minutes before add in cut wai san root.
4:If water level depleted,add more water in the stock pot.Boil for another 30 minutes before add in salt to taste.Check the seasoning.
5:Remove stock pot from heat and serve warm.

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Gong Xi Fa Cai / Happy Lunar Snake New Year 2013!! 蛇年吉祥！

Wishing all my beloved readers,friends and family a very Happy Lunar Snake New Year or Gong Xi Fa Cai 2013!! 蛇年吉祥！May this coming snake year will brings you and family prosperity,great luck,happiness,peace and good health!!

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Malaysia Pork Jerky (Bak Gua) 肉干

Bak Gua or Long Yok is a popular pork snack that sold all year long and especially abundant before Chinese New Year in Malaysia.This delicacies is a must to have during this festive season.It's also suitable to present to friends and relatives during Chinese New Year as a gift.For those who are not reside in Malaysia,buying Malaysia made jerky is really really expensive..Yes,there are few Malaysia made jerky store in Chinatown ,New York City.As for me I'm too lazy to go to New York City to get Malaysia made jerky, so almost every year I will tried to make pork jerky at home.Actually,it's not really hard or complicated to make jerky at home.Basically all the seasoning ingredients are available or on stand by if you're in Chinese kitchen.Try it once at home whose know maybe your own made is better than the one sold in the store!!.Have fun and enjoy!!

Ingredients:

2.5 pounds minced pork (30% fats and 70% lean meat)or request butcher to minced the pork
3 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tbsp fish sauce
2-3 tbsp shaoxing wine ( Chinese wine)
1 tsp five spice powder ( 5 heong fan)
2 tsp ground black pepper
300 gm granulated sugar
1 drop red food coloring *optional*

Method:

1:Combine all the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl,mix well with spatula or large spoon.Marinate for 30 minutes or longer in the fridge.Place an aluminum foil over large baking sheet before spread pork mixture over it.
2:Use a spoon or flat ware to smooth the pork mixture thin then cover with saran wrap/plastic wrap.Use a rolling pin to smooth the surface level.(I used pastry tool)
3:Pre-heat oven to 250 F.Bake pork mixture in the oven for 20-30 minutes.Remove from oven use pizza cutter or scissor to cut the jerky into your desire size.
4:Grill the pre-cut jerky over grill or broiler or open stove until charred on both side.Let it cool completely before store in container or wrap with foil.

Suggestion: 

Serve with bread as sandwich
Serve as it's as an appetizer
Serve as snack
Serve with congee

minced pork with seasoning

spread on baking sheet and ready to bake in oven

ready to eat!! taa--dah!!

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Chicken and Fish Yong Tau Fu ( Stuffed Chicken and Fish Paste with Vegetable and Bean Curd)

Yong Tau Foo or Stuffed Fish Paste it's one of  popular Malaysia Hakka hawker food.These days we can just buy the ready made fish paste from any fish monger if you're not choosy about the taste and quality.I know some people like my mom who still prefer to make her own fish paste from scratch.To be honest,her own make fish paste taste better and the texture is very bouncy without using any food chemical.So beggar like me who do not live in Asia or Malaysia can't be choosy,right? haha!! Anyway,my own make creation of Yong Tau Foo is still not bad since I mixed with some chicken meat with the fish paste together..like yin and yan!!

 Ingredients:(A)
1 lb fish paste ( ready made,bought from fish monger)
200 gm minced chicken
1 tbsp ground white pepper
1 tsp salt
1 stalk cilantro, chopped
1 red pepper,discard seeds and chopped

(B)
8 sweet pepper,cut 1/2 ,discard seeds
2 large bean curd sheet,cut square

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Sauce:(C)
100 gm minced chicken
3 cloves garlic,peeled and minced
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp tauchu paste ( bean curd paste)
2 tbsp sugar
2-3 tbsp water +1 tbsp corn flour
1 tsp salt

 Method:

1:Combine fish and chicken paste together with ground pepper powder,cilantro,red pepper and salt ,mix well.Stuff fish paste mixture into the sweet pepper and bean curd sheet.Cut bean curd sheets square,about 4x4 inch and lightly wet bean curd sheet with water.Spread the fish paste mixture over the bean curd sheet evenly before wrapped up.Heat oil in skillet at medium heat.

2:Fry stuffed sweet pepper and bean curd rolls until golden brown.Removed fried stuffed sweet pepper and bean curds rolls from skillet,cut and set aside.

3:Remove excess oil from skillet,add in minced garlic,fry for 30 seconds.Add in all the ingredients (C)mix well.Check the seasoning.When the sauce is bubbly,toss in fried bean curd roll and stuffed pepper,lightly mix together before dish out.

4:Serve warm with rice.

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