Seafood Noodle Soup

Seafood Noodle Soup

My first bowl of seafood noodle soup was at Bayan Lepas, Penang island when we took a family trip to see dad's housing projects up North

Brinjal & Fishcake in Bean Sauce

Seafood Porridge Teochew Style

Salt & Pepper Fish

Dry-fried Beef Hor Fun (干炒牛河)

Dry-fried Beef Hor Fun (干炒牛河)

What's the most important element of a great Dry-fried Beef Hor Fun? If you ask me, I'd have to say a great light soy sauce or sang chao followed by tender beef and lots of "wok fire"! So, to put it blantly, don't attempt to fry noodle if you do not have a conventional stove with really big fire... it really doesn't taste the same on a hot pan or induction cooker!

Superior Soup Yin Choy

One of my Hubby's favourite vegetable is the leafy 'yin choy' or Chinese spinach (I've just looked it up on wiki and it's called Amaranth Green). The rich vegetable mineral taste is absolutely addictive when stirfried or boiled in soup.

You will find this dish quite common in Chinese restaurants as it is not only delicious but good for your health with the combination of 'dang kuei' (angelica sinesis) and 'kei chi' (wolfberry). The richness of anchovy/ chicken broth combined with Chinese herbs gives you that appetizing golden hue you see.

Superior Soup Yin Choy Recipe

A bunch of Yin Choy (wash thoroughly as yin choy tends to hold more sand particles)
1/2 a bowl of anchovies (soaked in water)
1 cup of chicken broth/soup
2 slices of ginger
1 clove of garlic (lightly bruised)
1 tbsp of kei chi
10 gm dang kuei
Deep fried baby silver fish (Ngan Yu Chai)
1/2 cup water

Method:

1. Firstly, heat up a non-stick pan and fry (without oil) the anchovies that have been soaked until you can smell the fragrance. Remove aside.
2. Heat up wok. Add ginger & garlic and fry for a few seconds before adding the chicken broth & early fried anchovies. Bring to boil and add the kei chi & dang kuei. Turn down the heat to allow soup to simmer for 10 min or until you smell and taste the herbal fragrance. Add water if necessary.
3. Bring the soup to a boil again and add in the yin choy. Boil for 2 min before dishing into a soup bowl.
4. Place deep fried baby silver fish on top of the yin choy.

Note:
Some restaurant like to serve this dish with century egg. You do not need to boil the egg with the soup. Just clean and cut the egg into small sections and place them into the soup when serving.

Pork Porridge

Every now and again, I have craving for a really simple yet satisfying bowl of pork porridge. Like a good bowl of chicken soup, rice porridge is one of those comfort food that most Asian families turn  to when we are feeling a little under the weather.

It really is so easy. You could cook porridge with leftover rice or you could cook it from scratch, either way, it takes less than 1 hour from preparation to serving. All you need is a little ginger, shallot and parsley for garnishing.

Pork Porridge Recipe 

Ingredients:
2 cups of cooked rice
or
1/2 cup of uncooked rice, soaked in hot water and a few drops of cooking oil for 15 min
50gm pork (minced or sliced)

Pork Marinade:
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp cornflour
Few drops of garlic oil (alternatively sesame oil)

Braised Pork Trotter

Braised Pork Trotter

Pork trotters are basically the feet of a pig. Chinese love serving trotters as a dish on its own rather than use it to make stock (We eat anything...). I'm very bias when it comes to choosing the right trotter for braising. I prefer the front trotters rather than the hind ones. I don't know why but meat on the hind seems coarser, less tender even after hours of braising.

Lucky for me, my neighbourhood butcher displays the whole pig and will only cut the sections up when customer request for a part. Now that's what you call fresh meat!

This particular recipe that I am sharing with you, belongs to my Granny. The seasonings are simple but all the flavours are in there ~ salty, sweet, spicy, sour! I personally go for the cucumber slices at the bottom of the dish first because of how they soak up all that lovely sticky braising sauce. Yumyum....

Braised Pork Trotter Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pork trotter, chopped into 1 1/2 inch chunks
1 whole garlic, peeled
1 inch ginger, sliced
2-3 tomato, sectioned
2-3 dried chilli, soak & remove seed (optional)
1 litre of water

Seasoning:
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
30g rock sugar
Salt & pepper to taste

Garnishing:
Chinese parsley
1 cucumber, sliced


Method:

1. Boil a pot of water and blanch the pork trotter chunks for 2 minutes to remove scum.
2. Heat up 2 tbsp cooking oil in wok. Fry ginger & garlic slices till fragrant and add pork trotter & dried chilli. Add dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and sesame oil. Fry till fragrant.
3. Add water and bring to boil. then turn down to low heat and cover lid for 45 minutes. 
4. Add tomatoess and rock sugar. Cook for another 15-20 until the meat is tender. Lastly add salt & pepper to taste
5. For garnishing, place sliced cucumber on bottom of serving plate. Place pork trotter on top and garnish with parsley.  

Salted Egg Squid

Salted Egg Deepfried Squid

Like my previous entry, the Salted Egg Chicken, the Salted Egg Squid is appetizing and makes a great snack for parties.

This time, I used one of those curry flavoured fried chicken flour mix which actually gave me a lovely crisp and crunchy layer that is crucial when serving this dish. You don't want to serve soggy squid by the time it reaches your guests!

The other question I always get is how not to serve tough rubbery squid? I have a 20 second rule when it comes to cooking squid. Regardless of the size of the squid, how I cut it or what cooking method I use, I do not cook the squid for more than 20 seconds... unless of course your squid body is larger than your head  :)

So far, the squids I served, whether in salads, noodles or like this recipe, have been quite tender!

Salted Egg Squid Recipe

Ingredient:-

300gm squid

Any crispy fry batter ( spicy flavour if you like the ommph!)

or you could just use an egg dip followed by a seasoned (salt & pepper) flour dip
2 salted egg yolk

1 tbsp butter

A sprig of curry leaves

 Salt & sugar to taste

Method:

1. First, clean the squid thoroughly, ensuring that you remove the ink sac, cartilage, beak and eyes. Cut the squid into 1/2 inch thick rings for the body and 2 inches length for the tentacles.
2. Steam egg yolk for 10 minutes. Remove from steamer and mash immediately. Leave aside to cool. 
3. Heat up frying oil till smoking hot. Have your batter and cut squid ready. 
4. Drop the battered squid into the oil gentle and fry on high heat for 20 seconds. Remove and drain.
5. Melt butter in a separate wok on low heat (you don't want to burn the butter) add the mashed steamed egg yolk. Stirfry egg yolk until the mixture becomes bubbly. Add salt & sugar to taste. 
6. Finally, add curry leaves and fried squid. Give it a quick toss until all the squid pieces are coated with the mixture.

Braised Fish Head with Leek,Tofu & Roast Pork (Hong Siew Yu Tao)

 

I bought a 1.6 kilo fivefinger threadfin fish (Cantonese: Soon Fong Yu) that some might say has sweeter flesh than the ordinary threadfin (Cantonese: Mah Yau Yu). It sure is more expensive though! I was more than happy to purchase such a fresh specimen from my regular fishmonger as it is hard to come by. This fish is usually snapped up by restaurants. 

Happy with my purchase, I quickly walked over to the vege seller to grab a couple of other ingredients. Now you know how I decide what to cook everyday! I, basically, hunt for the freshest core ingredient in the market (which in this case is a fish) and while the fishmonger is busy cleaning and chopping up the poor fella, I'd be working out my dish!

I chose to braise the fish because it was not necessary for me to serve it hot. The way I braise the fish is also quite a Malaysian Chinese style, not likely to be found elsewhere. My guests were after all from overseas. A combination of leek, tofu and roast pork were chosen to accompany the lovely fish. Leek because it is fragrant, the famous Bentong fried tofu balls because they soak up all that braising sauce and roast pork to give the fish that shine and saltiness!

 

Soon Fong Yu - split and chopped into smaller pieces

Deepfried till golden brown

Braised with vegetable, tofu and roast pork

Savoury Glutinous Rice Dumpling (Zhong Zi)

Zhong Zi (26 June 2012)

I believe that every Chinese household has their own special 'zhong'. Mine is a reflection of the wonder times my mum and Grandma used to spend together, bustling around in the kitchen with the dumplings brimming in hot boiling pots and the floor spotted with specks of rice and beans...

There's nothing like homemade dumplings and my family's recipe is a very traditional one with pork filling, Chinese mushrooms and salted eggs. Over the years, we have only added mung beans and chestnuts to enhance the taste. I like to keep it this way for the moment, I like to be reminded of the women in my home...

Truly, there's no need for me to make other types of dumplings as family and friends tend to exchange their goodies during the festive season. I've had quite a fair bit this year with the Hokkien, Teochew, Nyonya and Hong Kong versions! By the way, all your lovely zhongs were excellent this year!!

Savoury Glutinous Rice Dumpling Recipe (Makes 35-40)

Ingredients:
1 kg glutinous rice (soaked for at least 4 hours)
160gm bamboo leaves (boiled till soft and clean)
45gm hemp/rattan strings/cooking strings. (hemp and rattan strings have to be boiled till soft)

Filling:
1 kg pork belly / streaky pork (cut into bite sizes)
300gm split yellow lentil beans (soaked)
100gm dried chestnuts (soaked and split into halves)
60gm dried Chinese mushrooms (soaked and marinade with 1 tsp 5-spice & 1 tsp pepper the day before)
20 salted egg yolks, halved (more if you like)
100gm dried shrimp (soaked, drained and minced) (optional)

Seasoning for glutinious rice:-
5 tbsp light soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce (for colouring)
1 tbsp 5-spice powder
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

Pork Marinade: (A day before)
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp 5-spice powder
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
3 tsp sugar

Method:

1. Day before: marinade pork and mushrooms. Night before: soak glutinious rice in water.
2. Preparation on the day: Boil bamboo leaves and strings. It should only take you about 15 minutes in a large pot covered with lid. Wash bamboo leaves and drain in a sieve. 
3. Soak lentil beans and chestnuts in water. When softened, drain and add 1/2 tsp 5-spice powder each and mix well.
4. Prepare seasoning for rice in a bowl. Heat up 5 tbsp of oil in wok and fry glutinious rice with seasoning until fragrant. Dish out and set aside. (Optional: You could fry the dried shrimps first before adding the rice)
5. All your ingredients should be within arm's reach now. 
6. Hang a bunch of strings where it is convenient for you to wrap and tie your dumpling.
7. Take 2 bamboo leaves and fold it into a cone shape. Place 1 tbsp of rice, add a little of each filling then top with another tbsp of rice. 
8. Fold the top of the cone over to cover the dumpling firmly before tying the dumpling with a string.
9. Boil two 1/2 pots of water. Once your dumplings are all ready, place them gently into the water. Make sure that every single dumpling is submerged in water. Boil dumplings for 3-4 hours.
10. Be sure to keep a hawk eye on your pots. Once the water in the pot has reduces, you will have to replenish it with boiling water.    
11. Once ready, remove dumplings and leave to drain and cool. 

Chinese Beef Stew

Chinese Beef Stew

I like sharing basic recipes that you can add your own flavours and make it something out of this world. A basic Chinese beef stew is one of those recipes that you are able to magically transform from a simpleton bowl of wholesome goodness to a 5 star restaurant gourmet dish.  

I used carrots to accompany my beef for this stew as I find the flavour of white radish rather overpowering sometimes. You could use a combination of both if you like. You could also add dried beancurd sticks which will add texture to the dish or flavour the beef with cinnamon bark and star anise if you like spices.

As for me, the plain ol' beef stew is good enough!

Chinese Beef Stew Recipe

Ingredients:

1 kg stewing beef

3 carrots

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 shallot, minced

1 tsp peppercorn (optional)

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp superior soy sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp of brown sugar

Water, enough to cover half the beef in pot

Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Before you cut the beef into chunks, blanch in hot water to get rid of any impurities. Then cut the beef into large chunks. Skin and cut the carrots into 1" pieces.
2. Heat up a tbsp of cooking oil. Saute garlic and shallot mince. Add beef and stirfry for 1 minute or until you see juices flowing out of the beef. Add carrots, sauces and brown sugar.
3. Add enough water to cover half the beef and lower heat to simmer. Stew for minimum 1 1/2 hour or until beef has softened to your liking.
4. Add salt & pepper to taste when ready. Beef stew taste best overnight so do keep the leftover for later!

Deepfried Pork Belly Marinated in Fermented Red Beancurd

When I blogged about Hakka Pork Belly & Black Fungus, I had simultaneously prepared this version of pork belly. The marinade is exactly the same for 300gm of pork. I only had the pork belly cut into thin slices to get that crunchy feel. See how the pork has a shine on its surface? This can be obtained from observing the temperature of your frying oil and how long you deepfry the pork. You'd think that I have caramelised the pork but look, there's not a grain of sugar in the recipe!

 Deepfried Pork Belly Marinated in Fermented Red Beancurd

Ingredients:
300gm pork belly, sliced 0.3cm thick

Pork Marinade:
1 cube of fermented beancurd (Nam Yue)
1 tbsp of Nam Yue juice from the bottle
1 tsp of oyster sauce
1 tbsp of Chinese rose wine
1 tbsp cornflour
A dash of pepper
1 small egg, beaten

Method:

1. Marinade the pork at least 2 hours before frying.
2. Heat up enough oil for deep frying. Drop the pork slices into the oil only when the oil is smoking hot.
3. At this time, you might want to be holding steel strainer in one hand and a tong/chopstick in the other. 
4. It will take you 1 to 1.5 minute to cook these pork belly. Stir the slices around with your chopstick for even frying.
5. Drain with strainer and plate. Don't bother using the kitchen towel to soak up the oil as it will only soften the crunchy slices. I assure you there's very little oil residue on your pork slices if you fry on high heat.
6. Serve hot!

Loh Mai Kai

Loh Mai Kai

The Malaysian version of Loh Mai Kai quite defers to those I've had in Hong Kong or Singapore. In Hong Kong, it tends to have dried shrimps where as in Singapore, the colour is paler with less sauce. The Malaysian version, on the other hand, has a fragrant sauce that coats each and every grain of glutinous rice, topped with marinated chicken meat, Chinese sausage, Char Siew and Chinese mushroom. It's easy to make and except of the chicken meat, the rest of the ingredients can be bought at the store.  

Fried Egg Noodle (Chow Mein)

Fried Egg Noodle (8th May 2012)

Out of curiosity, I bought a pack of fresh thick egg noodle from the wet market. I'm already making my own but I needed to QC if I'm up to par with others so called "homemade" ones. It's definitely not as 'eggy' as mine but nevertheless still very springy and tasty.

Everyone has their own version of  'Chow Mein'. For most Chinese families, it's probably one of those noodle dishes that you'd never really give a thought because Grandma or Mummy prepares it so easily for breakfast or tea break. It's the familiar taste of home that brought me to relive savouring my 'Chow Mein'  moments! 

It makes no difference what noodle or the type of meat & vegetable you use. It's the seasoning, the brand of sauce that you love that makes that distinct familiar taste. So, get Mum to reveal her favourite oyster sauce and soy sauce and in no time you too can replicate that same yummy noodle!

Fried Egg Noodle Recipe (serves 4)

Ingredients:
400gm egg noodle
120gm minced pork
4-5 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked in water
20gm beansprout
2 tbsp garlic mince

Seasoning:
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock / plain water

Pork marinade
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Chinese wine
1/2 tbsp cornflour

Method:

1. If your egg noodles are frozen, be sure to leave it in room temperature a few hours before use. Don't blanch frozen noodles in water, you might end up breaking the noodles. Blanch only when the noodle is at room temperature.
2. Marinade the pork at least 15 minutes before use. Slice the mushrooms thinly and clean the beansprouts of its roots. I hate serving beansprout with its long stringy roots!
3. As I always emphasis, make sure all your ingredients are ready and within reach whenever you stirfry noodle as it only takes you a couple of minutes and on very high heat! 
4. Heat up 2 tbsp of oil in wok. Saute the garlic mince until fragrant then add the minced pork.
5. Pour the seasoning in except for the chicken stokc and add the sliced mushrooms.Stirfry for 1 minute
6. Add the stock gradually and cover the wok with lid. Wait for a minute before lifting the lid and add in the beansprouts.Stirfry for another 2 minutes before dishing the noodles out.
7. Ready to serve!

Hokkien Fried 'Pek Keh' / Chinese Rice Cake

Hokkien Fried "Pek Keh" (30 Apr 2012)

A dear friend has offered to take proper pictures of my dishes just recently. Looking at my 'Pek Keh' image, I suppose I should take up the offer or send myself for some photography classes. There are other 'things' that I must tackle besides my photography skills as well. 1) I love to serve my food hot so by the time I'm done cooking, it's meal time, sharp to the second! 2) Thus, leaving me little time to design and plate my food as you'd see in food magazines and other glorious food blogs that I envy so much. 3) I have 3 kids who'd linger in the kitchen every 5 minutes or so to whine of hunger & starvation even though they just had their breakfast at 10am.

Rice cake after soaking for a day

Now do you see my point? But that being said, I actually prefer it this way. I love to watch my family devour the food I prepare and what excitement and privilege it gives me to serve new dishes every week to them! My anticipation, their anticipation, my wok and spatula clanking, their spoon and fork clinking... you get what I mean, right?

It's not easy to find a "Tai Chow" that serves a good fried 'Pek Keh'. For those of you who don't know what 'Pek Keh' is, it's basically dried slices of rice noodle originated from China. I'd let you google about it later but for now let me introduce you to the Malaysian Hokkien version of this noodle. To fry the 'Hokkien' style regardless of noodle, you need a lot of wok hei (literally means chi/energy from the wok) - very big flames and very quick arm movements. This dish seems to be very popular around Jalan Ipoh, Segambut and Jalan Pahang areas. Lucky old me work around the area too...


Hokkien Fried Pek Keh Recipe (for 4 pax)

Ingredients:
400gm dried sliced Chinese rice cake (Could substitute with Korean rice cakes)
100gm lean pork, sliced thinly
8-12 small prawns (Could add squid as well)
A few leaves of Chinese cabbage
2 sprig of Chinese celery (Kan Choy)
2 tbsp garlic mince
2 tbsp of lard / cooking oil

Pork Marinade:
1/2 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Chinese wine
A dash of pepper

Seasoning:
2 tbsp of dark soy sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cup of chicken stock
2-3 drops of sesame oil


Method:

1.  Soak the Chinese rice cake for at least 1/2 a day before use. I soaked mine for 24 hours. Change the water a few times until it's no longer cloudy.
2. Prepare all the ingredients. Marinade pork for 15 minutes before use. Cut the Chinese cabbage into small pieces. Cut the Chinese celery into 1 inch long strips.
3. Heat up cooking oil in wok until smoking. Saute garlic mince and add pork slices. Sprinkle some chicken stock so that the pork does not stick to the wok. Add prawns and stirfry until they turn pinkish.
4. Add the rice cakes and seasoning and stirfry vigorously for a minute. Add the chicken stock and cabbage. Cover for 2 minutes.
5. Lastly, put in the Chinese celery and toss it a bit.
6. Note, the heat is always on medium high to high for frying Hokkien Noodle. You have to fry this dish in less than 10 minutes otherwise you'd get gooey overcooked rice cakes. Feel free to add more water if necessary as rice cakes absorb a lot of moisture.
7. Serve hot!

Steamed Pork Mince with Fried Dace & Black Bean

Steamed Pork Mince with Fried Dace & Black Bean (29 Apr 2012)

I love canned Fried Dace Fish with Black Bean. It's not the healthiest food but it sure compliments a bowl of hot plain porridge. Sometimes, I don't even bother with the porridge and eat it on it's own. (Hush, straight from the can!) With that unhealthy habit, I simple had to buy a better brand like the Eagle Coin ~ less oily, whole black beans and firm fish meat.

My favourite brand - Eagle Coin!

I saw this recipe while browsing through shelves of recipe books at the store. The combination looks inviting and it's easy to prepare. Try this recipe if you run out of ideas for steaming pork.

Steamed Pork Mince with Fried Dace & Black Bean Recipe

Ingredients:
300gm minced pork
1/2 a can of fried dace & black bean
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 chili padi, sliced finely
1/2 tsp sugar


Pork Marinade:
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Chinese wine
A dash of pepper


Method:

1. First, marinade pork and leave in refrigerator for 1/2 hour
2. Open the can of fried dace and take out half of its content (roughly 1 fish and half the black beans).
3. Use a spoon and fork to break the fish into bits.
4. Heat up wok and add a tbsp of the oil from the can. Saute the minced garlic.
5. When fragrant, add the fish and beans. Stirfry for 1 min, then add chili and sugar. Remove fish from wok and set aside.
6. Give the marinated pork a good stir with a fork until it feels pasty. Then place it flat on a steaming plate. 
7. Place the fried dace on top of the pork and steam for 15 minutes.
8. Ready to serve!

Hakka Pork Belly with Black Fungus (Char Yoke)

Hakka Pork Belly with Black Fungus (22 Apr 2012)

What can I say.... My family loves pork whether it's Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka, Teochew, Japanese or Thai. As long as the taste is heavenly, all pork dishes get thumbs up at home :)

So it's no surprise that this particular Hakka pork dish has become another family favourite. Again, I urge you to prepare a few portions as it keeps well in the freezer. To defrost & reheat, just add 2 tablespoon of water before putting it into the microwave or steamer.




Hakka Pork Belly with Black Fungus Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients:
300 gm pork belly, cut into 1/2 inch thick pieces
30-50 gm dried black fungus, soaked in water
2 tbsp garlic mince
1/2 cube fermented beancurd, mashed
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp Shao Hsing wine
Salt & pepper to taste

Marinade pork

Pork Marinade:
1 cube of fermented beancurd (Nam Yue)
1 tbsp of Nam Yue juice from the bottle
1 tsp of oyster sauce
1 tbsp of Shao Hsing Wine
1 tbsp cornflour
A dash of pepper
1 small egg, beaten

Deepfry pork

Method:

1. Marinade pork belly for a few hours or overnight.
2. Deepfry pork belly until golden brown. Drain excess oil.
3. Cut the softened black fungus into bite-sized pieces
4. Heat up a pot or wok. Add a little cooking oil and saute garlic mince
5. Add the fermented beancurd and black fungus and fry until fragrant.
6. Add the fried pork belly, stirfry for 3 minutes.
7. Pour in water and and turn the heat up. Once boiling, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 1 hour. Add water if necessary. 
8. When almost ready, add wine, salt & pepper to taste.
9. Ready to serve!

Simmer for 1 hour

Fried Glutinous Rice (Sang Chao Loh Mei Fan)

Fried Glutinous Rice (15 Apr 2012)

I hold fond memories of my late maternal grandma. I felt more than just affection and love for this wonderful elegant woman. I secretly wish I could be just like her! My grandma was the Coco Chanel of my household, ever so timeless and chic. The only difference was that my Grandma was probably a much better cook than Ms. Chanel! 

Grandma made simple delicious dishes with her perfectly manicured nails and diamond encrusted lavender jade ring on her pointer. She'd also be in her tailored silk blouse and hair coiffured like a beehive, but guess what? After all that cooking, nothing goes out of place and not a speck of oil on her! How does she do that?? I, on the other hand, look like a mess after each cooking marathon :(

Fried glutinous rice is one of granny's dishes that I thoroughly enjoy. I've even prepared this dish during my uni days for my housemates. It's a dish you could prepare in bulk and freeze it for later consumption. I like keeping the rice in little metal bowls, not unlike the ones you use to make "Loh Mai Kai" and steam the bowls until the rice is soft and moist again.

Fried Glutinous Rice Recipe 

Ingredients:

2 cups of glutinous rice, soak in water for min 3 hours

1 tbsp of dried shrimps, soaked and chopped

1 shallot, sliced finely
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Chinese sausage, diced
4 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked and diced
1 bowl of water

Seasoning:
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tbsp Shao Hsing wine
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp white pepper

Method:

1. After soaking the glutinous rice for 3 hours, drain it well. Prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. Heat up 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in wok. Saute dried shrimps first until fragrant then add the shallots and garlic. After 1 minute, add the Chinese sausage and mushrooms.
3. Pour the rice into the wok and on medium heat, keep stirfrying the rice and sprinkle water as you are doing this so that the rice does not stick to the wok.
4. Add the seasoning and stir well. Keep sprinkling the water while you are at it. Stir fry for another 5 minutes or so. Turn off the heat.
5. Prepare a steamer. Pour all the rice mixture into a steaming tray and steam the rice for 1 hour or until the rice turns translucent. 
6. Ready to serve!

Meehoon & Fish Slices in Salted Vegetable Soup

Ham Choy Yu Pien Mee Hoon Tong (11th Apr 2012)

Missing last weekend's cooking session as my hubby treated the family to a weekend getaway . We went to Port Dickson and had a most enjoyable time! We also found a wonderful family run restaurant which served up some pretty good Chinese dishes. So it was all play, eat, play, eat all day long....

The guilt has set in.... Subconsciously, my mind tells me I have to eat something light to counter all that previous gluttony (not like one meal can wash away the cholesterol) and noodle soup always makes me feel like I'm are eating diet food! Hahaha!

Noodle in salted vegetable broth is very common in Sabah. It is usually served with fish slices or you could add an assortment of fresh seafood as well. It has a sourish flavour (not unlike the Phillipino Sinigang) which comes from the salted mustard greens and salted plum.

Meehoon & Fish Slices in Salted Vegetable Soup Recipe

(Serves 4 person)

Ingredients:
600gm Mee hoon (roughly 150gm each but do add more if required)
400gm sliced white fish (garoupa, snapper, pomfret, etc) 
Salt & pepper to taste 
1 tbsp of Chinese wine

Soup Stock:
Fish bone
Pork/ Chicken Bones
2 litre of water
1/2 inch of ginger
2 shallot
300gm Salted mustard green, sliced
3 ripe tomatoes, cut into 4
4 wet salted plums

Garnish:
Freshly prepared garlic oil

Method:

1. Prepare the soup stock 2 hours in advance. First, blanch the bones to get rid of the scum. Then put all the ingredients and bring the stock to boil. Continue to boil on medium heat.
2. Slice your preferred fish and marinade with a little salt & pepper. Leave in refrigerator.
3. Soak the meehoon to soften it. When ready to serve, blanch in hot water and put in indivudual serving bowls.
4. Put fish slices into boiling hot soup for 1 minute. Remove and place in serving bowls.
5. Finally pour hot soup over your noodle and garnish with garlic oil. Ready to serve!