Pak Lo Ngap ~ Teochew Braised Duck

A very scrumptious duck. This teochew braised duck called Pak Lo Ngap in cantonese, is sweet tasting from the use of rock sugar and is contrasted sharply by the vinegary dipping sauce. You get that mouth watering sweet sour sensation.

In this instance I have used the pressure cooker to cook half a duck which only took less than a third of the time. The duck was well braised and the meat literally falling off the bones.

Ingredients
½ duck (1kg)
½ Tbsp five spice powder
3/4 tsp salt

20 gm galangal, finely sliced
4 pip garlic, finely sliced
½ Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp sugar
100 ml soy sauce
1¼ - 2 cup water

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Chocolate Brandy Muffins

Alcoholic muffin anyone! Nice soft texture with a distinct brandy taste. Make them into mini sizes and these chocolate brandy muffins will be a great accompaniment with after dinner coffee. Freezes well too.

Makes 12 muffins or 24 minis

Ingredients
160 gm flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 Tbsp cocoa
75 gm sugar
¼ cup or 35 gm chocolate chips
75 gm melted butter
125 ml milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp brandy

choc chip for topping (optional)

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Ayam Tempra ~ Tarty Spicy Chicken

A delicious nonya chicken dish that is spiced with chillies, sweetened with palm sugar and made slightly tarty with lime juice.

I prefer to cook dishes like these a few hours before the meal to let the meat absorb in more of the flavour.

Ingredients
1.4 kg chicken pieces, cut to bite size

Marinate
1 tsp belacan (shrimp paste)
1½ Tbsp palm sugar
3 Tbsp kicap manis
1 Tbsp water

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Savoury Coated Peanuts

Another moreish temptation which I daresay is high in calories. Definitely not for one on a diet.

These savoury coated nuts was another nibble I used to make for Chinese New Year. A crunchy nut, the flavour of which is enhanced with 5-spice, pepper and garlic. They are not salty and if cooked right should not leave a greasy feel to the fingers.

Ingredients
300 gm raw peanuts
1 egg
3/4 - 1 tsp salt
1½ Tbsp sugar
1 tsp pepper
4 pip garlic, mashed
½ Tbsp five spice powder
75 gm flour

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Apricot Vodka Jam

There was an abundance of apricots from the fruit tree in January and since I don't eat apricots I made it into jam instead for Mr Redneck.

To a lot of people making jam seems like a lot of work but surprisingly it is not. The final reward and satisfaction in eating your own flavoursome jam justify the small amount of time and effort required.

By making your own jam, you have the flexibility of adjusting the sweetness, have it chunky or smooth or in this case we added some alcohol to our homemade apricot jam giving it an extra kick.

Makes 4 x 300ml jars

Ingredients

850 gm apricots
¼ cup water
800 gm sugar
1½ Tbsp vodka (optional)

Method
1. Put 2 saucers into the freezer for use later to check the jams's setting point.

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Kaiser Buns

The kaiser roll or bun has a very nice soft crumb with a crisp, crusty and slightly chewy exterior. The secret to making a good kaiser according to Bernard Clayton is an egg, egg white plus a steamy moist oven. It is delicious as a filled roll or just eaten by itself.

The difficult part of making this bread is shaping it to resemble a five petal flower blossom . There is a kaiser roll stamp to get a flower-like imprint but judging from the supermarket rolls it is not very effective or visible. There are two ways of shaping the rolls, the spoke-wheel or the rope-knot method.

Ingredients
330 ml water
1 egg white (40gm)
1 egg (55 gm)
600 gm high grade/bread flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2½ tsp surebake yeast
1 Tbsp butter

Method
1. Breadmaker setting : Dough

2. Place all the ingredients into the bread pan in the order according to your breadmaker instructions and press start.

3. Cover the breadpan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or leave in a warm place to rise until dough double in bulk. (I prefer to let refrigerate overnight where it still rise slowly).

4. Next morning remove breadpan from fridge and punch down the dough. Cover and leave to double in volume again.

5. The shaping of the kaiser bun is the tricky bit. Use either the spoke-wheel or rope-knot method (see below). I find the rope-knot method retains its petal shape better.

6. Lightly mist the buns with a light spray of water from a height of 12".

7. Preheat oven to 230C. Create steam by placing an old pan with hot water in the oven. Just before putting the buns in, mist the oven walls with a water sprayer (do not spray the light bulb). Lower the oven to 200C. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Three minutes into the baking spray the oven wall again, avoiding the buns.

Note
1. Total weight of egg white and egg = 95gm (weight without egg shell).
2. The buns freezes well. To defrost we nuke it in the microwave and pop it on top of the toaster to crispen up the exterior.
3. I have a fan oven which seems to bake the buns faster than the recommended time of 20 minutes.

Tip
Leaving the dough to overnight and prove in the fridge is a real time saver and ensures you will have plenty of time to get the bread ready by lunch time. The bread is suppose to taste better with the overnight proving in the fridge.


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Shaping the Kaiser Rolls

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Homemade Pure Essence of Chicken

As kids I remember my mother brewing this for us whenever we were studying for our exams. Nowadays whenever I feel lethargic or have trouble getting a good night sleep I cook this to boost my energy levels.

This is chicken essence in its purest form with no added water. When I first cooked this, Mr Redneck did not believe I could get a bowlful of soup with just placing some chicken on top of a bowl. Trust me...at the end of 3 hours you will end up with a bowl of very nutritional soup.


Yield : 1 rice bowl

Ingredients
1 small skinny chicken or chicken pieces (1.2kg)

Utensils
chinese soup pot (fig 1)
rice bowl (fig 1)
metal rack or dish cloth
big stock pot

Method
1. Remove skin and all fat from the chicken. Cut the chicken into big chunks.

2. Lightly crush each chicken piece with a pestle or the back of a chopper (make sure you crush the bones as well).

3. Invert a rice bowl in the chinese soup pot (fig 2).

4. Place the crushed chicken on top of the rice bowl (fig 3). Cover with the lid.

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Har Meen ~ Prawn Noodles

I was really looking forward to eating this har meen. The trick to a good prawn noodle is to have a very tasty and flavoursome prawn stock. It took me months of religiously collecting every bit of prawn heads and its shells to make the base.

For me this har mee recipe is an easier version as I used my homemade red curry paste which I have a ready supply in my freezer to spice up the dish . Instead of yellow fresh mee, I substituted with dried noodles as it is more readily available.



Yield : 2 bowls

Ingredients
1 tsp homemade red curry paste
2 cup prawn stock
1 chicken drumstick
12 raw prawns
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp soy sauce
fresh yellow noodle or dried noodle
handful ngah choy (bean sprout)
chives or spring onions
fried onions

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Seremban Siew Pau ~ Crispy Bbq Pork Bun

Seremban, a town in Malaysia is famous for its siu pau . Seremban siu pau is a popular dim sum dish. The pau has a filling of barbecued pork wrapped in a pastry made up of an oil and water dough . The siew pau skin in this recipe is light and crispy with many flaky layers. However, don't look too closely at my pleating as I stink at it.


Makes 9 paus

Ingredients
Water dough
60g all purpose flour
60g bread/high grade flour
40g cooking oil
18g sugar
½ tsp golden syrup
60g water (minus 1 Tbsp)

Oil dough
62g all purpose flour
37g shortening

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Filling for Char Siu Pau ~ Pork Bun Filling

This is my favourite filling for steamed or baked savoury siew pau (buns). I always have a ready stock of barbecue pork in my freezer and can whip a small batch of this in a jiffy whenever I feel the urge to make some seremban siu pau or char siu pau .



Ingredients
125 gm char siew (bbq pork) (chopped into small pieces)
5 Tbsp frozen peas
chives or spring onions (optional)
2 tsp oil

Seasonings
3 Tbsp water
¼ tsp sesame oil
1½ tsp oyster sauce
2 tsp sugar

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Curry Puffs

I always like to have a batch of these curry puffs in the freezer for that unexpected guest or to satisfy the sudden craving for some savouries. 

The pastry in this recipe is quite easy to make, the dough bind together nicely, were easy to roll out and very crispy and flaky when fried. 

Instead of curry puffs, they can also be shaped into samosas. 

The filling is a delicious curry of beef and potato. They are very morish and you won't be able to stop at eating just one.

Makes 13 'large' curry puffs 

Ingredients for pastry

 

100gm flour 

¼ tsp salt 

2 Tbsp shortening 

4 Tbsp cold water 

Method 

1. In a food processor add the flour, salt and shortening. Pulse to blend the shortening into the flour mixture. Add water slowly till a dough is formed. 

2. Remove and rest dough in the fridge for ½ hour. 

3. Roll out thinly.(I prefer to use my pasta machine as it can churn out a very thin pastry without too much effort). 

4. Cut pastry into rounds, place on the curry puff mould, add the filling. Lightly brush one edge with water to help seal .

5. Deep fry the curry puffs until golden brown.

  Ingredients for Curry Puff Filling 

100 gm beef mince (meat of your choice) 

330 gm potato (boil and cube) 

¼ cup peas 

½ tsp garam masala 

1 tsp curry powder 

¼ tsp fennel seeds 

½ tsp chilli powder 

¼ tsp tumeric powder 

Method 

1. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a wok. Add mince and the rest of the 'filling' ingredients and fry till mince is cooked. 

2. Set aside and leave to cool before using.

  Tip : These curry puffs freeze well. Freeze them uncooked. When you want to eat them, toss them straight into the deep fryer without defrosting. There is no difference in texture or taste and are just as crispy.

Mui Choy Kau Yoke ~ Stewed Pork With Preserved Salted Mustard

The pork in this dish of mui choy kau yoke is cooked till it is so tender it literally melts in the mouth. The salted preserved mustard green adds to its flavour. Make sure you see the word 'salted' on the packet or else you would end up with the 'sweet' mustard green which will make this dish taste very different.

Ingredients
400 gm salted mui choy (preserved salted mustard green)
1 kg pork leg roast
black soy sauce

12 clove garlic, chopped
2 cup water/stock
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp shao hsing cooking wine

Method
1. Soak and wash mui choy of all its sand and salt. Squeeze out all the water and cut to ½" length.

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Red Chicken Curry with Homemade Red Curry Paste

My lazy way of cooking curry is usually with a curry powder. But making the homemade red curry paste from scratch looked easy enough so decided to give it a try and it taste great. This paste have given the curry gravy such a nice reddish colour and smells divine. I like my curry with plenty of gravy and this was lovely with rice and there was plenty to dip with naan or roti chanai.

Ingredients
1.2 kg chicken pieces
6 potatoes (skin off)
2 big onions (blend to a paste)
2 Tbsp homemade red curry paste
150 ml coconut milk
200 ml water
1 tsp salt
dash of sugar
2 Tbsp cooking oil

Method
1. Heat oil in pan and saute potatoes for a few minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Add onions and red curry paste to pan. Fry until fragrant .
3. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, coconut milk and water.
4. Simmer on low heat until chicken and potato is cooked.
5. Add salt and sugar to taste.


Note :
1. If you are not too worried about cholestrol or calories, substitute the water for more coconut milk and omit the sugar.

Homemade Red Curry Paste

I use to buy ready made red curry paste but by following this recipe have found it quite easy to make it yourself. Then you know that it is fresh and has not been sitting on a shelf in the shop for years. I have made this paste using easily available ingredients from my pantry and garden.



Yield : 4 Tablespoons

Ingredients
3 stalk fresh lemongrass (use the bottom white part only, slice thinly)
1 Tbsp galangal
5 clove garlic
2 tsp chilli paste
½ tsp shrimp paste (belacan)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
5 tsp red paprika

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Crispy Fried Yam Ring with Prawns and Chicken

Yam Ring aka Taro Pot or Fatt Put (in cantonese) always has this 'wow' factor when served. It is a very popular specialty dish for occasions like wedding dinners or during chinese new year.

I have always thought it was a time consuming dish but having made this twice since, I have found it is easily done if the yam ring is prepared beforehand. Then just before serving all one has to do is fry the taro ring and the toppings.

The center filling is just a simple stir fry of any combination of your favourite meat or vegetables. For that special occasion more pricey and upmarket ingredients can be used.

Ingredients for yam ring
300 gm yam (skinned, steamed and mashed)
5 Tbsp wheat starch
5 Tbsp boiling water
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp shortening
½ Tbsp sugar
¼ tsp five spice powder

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Golden Raisins soaked in Gin

There is a belief that eating these gin soaked raisins can help relieve migraine, gout and some joint pain such as arthritis. Some may think it is all cock and bull or one of those fish wives tales. The first I heard about this was from kwa kwa at Ik. Needless to say I was sceptical but a quick search on the net did prove that there was such a thing.

We are eating these not because we have arthritis but more as a preventative measure for any future aches and pains and besides the raisins are really tasty with our after dinner nuts.


Ingredients
golden raisins
gin

Method
1. Place the raisins in a glass jar. Pour enough gin to completely cover the raisins. Cover with a lid.

2. Give it a stir or shake every 1-2 days.
3. Soak for 2 weeks, adding more gin if necessary.
4. Drain out any excess gin and place gin soaked raisins in a jar with a lid. I keep mine in the fridge.
5. Eat 7 to 9 raisins daily.

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Extra Crispy Fried Chicken

I love fried chicken wings but am not allowed to have any too often. Why....? Chicken wings are mostly all skin and if they are deep fried as well, there is a double dose of cholestrol. Just this once I am defying doctors orders.

This recipe is my all time favourite for fried chicken. The skin has that extra flaky coating that is really crispy and the meat juicy and moist.

Ingredients
Seasoning
6 chicken wings
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
dash of black pepper

Coating
50gm cornflour
25gm rice flour
¼ tsp salt
dash of black pepper
¼ tsp garam masala (optional)

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Lum Heong Fah Sang ~ Fragrant Braised Peanuts

When you eat at a restaurant in Malaysia, you are usually served with some peanuts to nibble on while you wait for your food. It seems restaurants have caught on that serving oily fried salty peanuts are not healthy and have now changed to serving these lum heong fah sang (fragrant braised peanuts) instead. They do not taste salty but are quite aromatic from the spices and has a tinge of sweetness from the rock sugar.

It usually takes hours to boil peanuts but I have used my trusty old pressure cooker which only took me 40 minutes.


Ingredients
200g raw peanuts, rinse
1 piece mandarin peel
1 whole star anise
1 pcs 3" cinnamon stick
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 cup water

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Rosemary Focaccia

This focaccia is a very nice crusty bread with the lovely aroma of rosemary, delicious eaten warm or as a filled pocket for cold meat. In the space of a week, I have churned out three focaccias and have found that it freezes very well too. It is at the moment our favourite bread for lunch.

As with any specialty bread, one has to be very patient and not try to rush the proving process.



Ingredients
355ml water
3 Tbsp olive oil
500 gm Elfin high grade flour (bread flour)
2½ tsp Surebake yeast or 16gm fresh yeast
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp rosemary, chopped (optional)

Topping
a few sprigs of rosemary
½ tsp course sea or rock salt
2 Tbsp olive oil

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Tahini with a mortar 'n pestle

I had more or less perfected the art of making tahini using my coffee grinder until one day the coffee grinder decided to go on strike and refused to work. What to do....I had everything ready to make hummus except the tahini.

I was so desperate I decided to try making it with the old fashion mortar and pestle. I was quite surprised as to how much easier and quicker it was than the coffee grinder method. It only took 5 minutes and the mortar was so much easier to clean than the coffee grinder.


Ingredients
2 Tbsp sesame seed
½ tsp sesame oil
¼ tsp sea salt
½ -1 Tbsp warm water

Method
1. Lightly toast sesame seeds in a small pot over a stove on low heat. This should not take more than 5 minutes. Leave to cool.

2. Grind (it is easier to grind. If you 'pound' the seeds will tend to fly all over the place) your sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle until smooth. Add in sesame oil and salt and mix till well blended.

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Feijoa Vodka Jam

I had an abundance of feijoa from my orchard and as I have never tasted feijoa jam before, thought it was about time I made some to try. Feijoa jam is not a jam commonly available in the shops. I found the taste quite smooth and milder in comparison to the strawberry jam which has a stronger and tarter taste. I quite like this jam.


Makes 4 jars

Ingredients
1.2 kg feijoa pulp (fruit minus the skin)
juice and zest from 1 lemon
¼ cup water
850 gm sugar
2 Tbsp vodka (optional)

Method
1. Scoop out the fruits from the feijoa. Either cut it into smaller pieces or use a potato masher to gently mash the fruit.

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Carrot Cupcake with Passion Fruit Glazing

I usually do not ice or glaze my cupcakes (healthier on the waistline) but since I had lots of passionfruits from my plant, I decided to do a thin glazing on these muffin size carrot cakes. These are adapted from my previous mini carrot cake but have reduced the sugar to compensate for the additional glazing.

As we do not eat the whole batch of cakes at one sitting, this individual mini size cakes are more convenient to freeze and defrost for future tea breaks.


Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
160 gm sugar
½ cup oil
2 eggs
1½ cup grated carrot
125 gm flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Icing
1¼ cup icing sugar
2 passion fruit

Method
1. Beat sugar, oil and eggs until well mixed.
2. Fold in all the other ingredients.
3. Pour into paper cases or directly into muffin tins.
4. Place a few walnut pieces on top of the batter.

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