Pan Fried Siakap (Barramundi/Asian Seabass) with Sambal (Chilli Paste)

I usually prefer to steam fish as it is healthier than deep fried fish. However, sometimes when we do crave for fried spicy fish, then I would use my HappyCall Pan to grill or pan fry the fish instead of deep frying. This way, it is not oily and healthier too.

Pan Fried Siakap with Sambal is very easy to prepare. You can use any fish you like such as mackerel, sardine, etc.

Ingredients :

- 1 fresh Siakap (cleaned, slit across and marinated with salt and chilli paste)
- 1 tbsp of shredded ginger
- 3 tbsp of homemade chilli paste
- 1/2 tsb of salt (for marinate)
- 2 tbsp of cooking oil (if you use wok/skillet, then you need enough oil for deep frying)

Method :

1) Heat oil in a pan. Place marinated fish and shredded ginger on the pan.

2) Close the lid and pan fry both sides until aromatic and cooked.

3) Dish out and serve with calamansi juice.

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Chicken Tempra (Re-post)

I have posted this recipe earlier when I cooked this for the last year Mid-autumn festival reunion dinner.  Since everybody liked it very much, I am planning to cook this for this Chinese New Year when I am back home to my mum's house for the celebration.  Then, it crossed my mind that I can actually re-post this for Sonia's blog event on Chinese New Year Delights 2013.

For those who have participated in Yummy Little Cooks's event on Malaysian Food Fest (Melaka Month), I am sure they are very familiar with this simple and yummy nyonya dish.  However, those who haven't try it, do give it a try and you will not regret!  And you will thank Cindy for this very delicious dish!

Ingredients :

- 1 whole chicken (washed and cut into pieces and marinated with jintan manis)

- 1 big onions (washed and sliced)
- 1 bombay onion (washed and sliced)
- garlic (finely chopped)
- ginger (washed and crushed)
- 2 bird's eye chilies (cili padi - chopped)
- cooking oil

Seasonings : (to taste)
- Fennel powder (jintan manis) - I used it to marinate the chicken

- Caramel sauce
- Soy sauce
- Salt
- Brown sugar (I used 5 tablespoons)
- Water (mixed with brown sugar, add enough water to cover the chicken and you would not regret cos' the gravy is very yummy)
- 1/2 cup of lime juice

Method :

 

1) Heat oil in a wok or pan. Fry onions till fragrant. Then, add ginger, garlic and chili. Fry until aromatic.

2) Add in marinated chicken and stir fry for a while.

3) Add in seasonings and water except lime juice. Cover and let it simmer over medium low heat until the chicken is cooked and tender.

4) Lastly, add lime juice. Stir and mix well.

5) Dish out and serve.

I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013  hosted by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover.

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Snake Gourd (Pudalankai) Stir Fried with Salted Egg (Meatless Recipe)

Snake Gourd (or) Pudalankai (Tamil) is an excellent vegetable that can be used for an instant curry.

Health Benefits of Snakegourd (source : http://www.vegrecipes4u.com/health-benefits-of-snakegourd.html)
The health benefits of snake gourd are rather interesting. Snake gourd juice and leaves are often recommended by experts in natural and alternative medicine for treating some common ailments and problems. Snake gourd is mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic texts for its medicinal properties.

The snake gourd plant (trichosanthes anguina) is a tropical creeper and is usually grown over wooden lattice frames, and the gourds dangle down from a canopy of leaves. Snake gourd (also known as potlakaya, chichinda, padwal in Indian languages) is so-called because it looks like a snake, and can grow anywhere from a foot to six feet in length, sometimes curling in on itself if not stretched out with a stone (or other weight) tied to the end while it's growing. 

Belonging to the cucurbit or cucumber family (pumpkin, bottle gourd, ash gourd), snake gourd is widely grown in India, Sri Lanka, China, Thailand, Nigeria, as well as Australia.

These days a smaller variety of snakegourd is cultivated and widely available in India and in Indian grocery stores in the US. The pale green or dark green with light striped gourd, is bland, or has a slight sweetness, and is absorbent and cooks easily if tender and fresh.

Snakegourd is quite a popular vegetable in Indian cooking. It's rather bland taste makes it ideal for use with different spices. In North India, snakegourd is usually cooked in dals (lentil soups), while in South India, snakegourd is used in dry and gravy curries, soups, and raitas.

Snakegourd and Health Benefits
According to experts in natural remedies, snake gourd juice has been found effective in treating dandruff. The juice should be massaged into the scalp. This is an easy home remedy for dandruff.

Snakegourd leaves have been found useful in jaundice (hepatitis). An infusion prepared by boiling snake gourd leaves in water combined with an infusion prepared by boiling coriander seeds is given to treat jaundice.

Snake gourd-leaf juice has also been found to be useful in treating palpitations (irregular heartbeat).

Like other gourds such as bottlegourd and ridgegourd, snakegourd is very high in water content and has a cooling effect on the body, hence this summer vegetable that nature provides in such a timely manner helps in handling the summer heat.

Because of its high water content, snakegourd is low in calories, fat-free but filling, and great to include in weight-loss diets.

Snakegourd also contains a lot of fiber which can help keep your digestive tract healthy. The fiber is also helpful for those with diabetes.

Snakegourd is a good source of minerals like magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus.

For more info on snake gourd, have a look at the link here : http://www.vegrecipes4u.com/health-benefits-of-snakegourd.html
Recently, I chanced upon a snake gourd recipe from Wendy and this gives me an idea to cook it with egg. However, I stir fried it with salted egg and it is so yummylicious...  Thanks Wendy!

Ingredients :

- 1 snake gourd (skin brushed, cleaned, discard the centre seed and sliced)
- 2 eggs (mixed with salted egg)
- 1 salted egg 
- 1tsp of dried shrimps
- garlic
- salt and soy sauce to taste
- cooking oil


Method :

1) Heat oil in a wok and saute garlic and dried shrimps until aromatic.

2) Stir fry snake gourd until soft.

3) Then push the snake gourd to one side and add the egg mixture.

4) When the egg is half set, mix the snake gourd with the egg and stir.

5) Season with salt and soy sauce.

6) Serve warm.

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Stir-Fry Beans Sprout (Taugeh) with Chinese Sausage (Lap Cheong)

For those  who have been following my blog, I am sure you have come across my  recipe on beans sprout where I prepared Stir Fried Bean Sprouts(Taugeh) with Chinese Chives (Kuchai).  Well, here I am sharing with you  another simple taugeh dish with Chinese sausage.  Hope you like it.

Ingredients :

- 2 cups of beans sprout (washed)

- 1 Chinese sausage (washed, casing removed and cut)

- 1 piece of fishcake (washed and thinly sliced)

- 1 carrot (washed and shredded)

- 1 thumbsized of ginger and garlic (washed and smashed)

- Salt and soy sauce (to taste)

- 1 tbsp of cooking oil (not too much oil as the Chinese sausage itself has lots of fat)

Method :

1)  Heat oil in a wok.  Saute garlic and ginger till aromatic

2)  Add Chinese sausage, fishcake and carrot. Stir.

3)  Next, add taugeh and give a quick stir.

4) Season with salt and soy sauce.

5) Serve hot.

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Stir-Fry Zucchini with Fresh Button Mushrooms

Zucchini has a delicate flavor and can be partially boiled, steamed or made into juice.  Besides, Zucchini can also be eaten raw, sliced or shredded in a cold salad. To get maximum benefit, don't forget to eat with the skin– it's edible! 

Zucchini not only offers delightful taste and texture to many dishes, but is packed with beneficial nutrients including Vitamins C and A, potassium, folate and fiber. It is said to decrease  the risk of stroke, reducing high blood pressure and lowering cholesterol. One cup of zucchini has 36 calories and 10% of the RDA of dietary fiber, which aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar and curbs overeating.

 So, don't you think that you should  include Zucchini  in your diet?  Here's a simple stir-fry Zucchini dish and hope you like it. :)

However, before you start, do take note that in order to get rid of its bitterness, you should cut both ends off. Then, take the ends and rub them on the surface you cut them from with some salt. By rubbing both cut ends, it will get rid of the bitterness. Lastly, throw the ends and wash the white foam from the rubbings and you are ready to slice the Zucchini anyway you like.

Ingredients :

- 2 Zucchini (both ends cut and rubbed with salt.  Washed and sliced)

- 6 fresh button mushrooms (washed and cut)

- 2 tomatoes (washed and cut)

- 5 flavoured fish balls (washed and cut)

Seasoning :

- Garlic (peeled and minced)

- Salt and soy sauce (to taste)

- 1 tsp of Chinese cooking wine (Shao Hsing Wine)

-Cooking oil

Method :

1)  Heat some oil in a wok.  Saute garlic until fragrant.

2)  Add all ingredients into the wok and stir fry until cooked.

3)  Season with salt and soy sauce.  Lastly, drizzle the cooking wine and give it a quick stir.

4)  Dish out and serve immediately with steamed rice.

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Bee Hoon (Rice vermicelli) Chicken Soup

It was raining in the morning and I was thinking of a hot soup dish to prepare for the family. Lazy to go to the market and I just cooked whatever I could find in my fridge. Fortunately, this Bee Hoon Chicken Soup still turned out quite delicious as I just dumped whatever I could find in my fridge.

Ingredients :


- 1/2 chicken (cleaned and chopped into big chunks)

- 5 dried shitake mushrooms (washed, soaked until soft and cut)
- 1 small Chinese long cabbage (washed and cut)
- 4 pieces of fried beancurd sheets (washed and cut)
- 8 pieces of tofu puff (washed and cut)
- 1 thumbsized ginger (washed and smashed)
- water (enough to boil the chicken soup)
- salt (to taste)
- 1 packet of rice vermicelli (washed, blanched and drained)

Method :

1) Boil the water with mushroom and ginger in a medium-sized pot.

2) Put the chicken in when the water is boiled. Let the soup boiled for another 10 minutes, then simmer for about 40 minutes.

3) Next, add tofu puff, bean curd sheet and long cabbage. Boil for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the cabbage is cooked. Add salt to taste.

4) Divide blanched rice vermicelli to serving bowls and ladle the soup over it. 
5) Garnish with fried onion garlic oil and chopped spring onions. Serve with sliced chilli padi with light soy sauce. (Too bad, I don't have these 2 items on that day. Otherwise, the dish would be so much better. You can add it if you like as I just made do with whatever I have).

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Marital Humour

They say that marriage makes a man dizzy, and it's true.
As soon as I got a wife, I lost my balance at the bank.

Men want 3 qualities in wives: Economist in kitchen, artist in home & devil in bed.
But they get artist in kitchen, devil in home & economist in Bed.

Q: Why do women live longer than men?
A: Shopping never causes heart attacks, but paying the bill does!

Before marriage: Roses are red, sky is blue. U r beautiful, I luv u.
After marriage: Roses are dead, I'm blue. U r my headache, one day I'll kill u.
Getting married is very much like going to a restaurant with friends.
You order what you want, and then when you see what the other person has, you wish you had ordered that.

Man: Is there any way for long life?
Dr : married.
Man: Will it help?
Dr : No, but the thought of long life will never come.

Why do couples hold hands during their wedding?
It's a formality just like two boxers shaking hands before the fight begins!

Wife: Darling, today is our anniversary, what should we do?
Husband: Let us stand in silence for 2 minutes.
What did the gangster's son tell his dad when he failed his examination?
'Dad, they questioned me for 3 hours, but I never told them anything!!'

What's the difference between people who pray in church and those who pray in casinos?
The ones in the casinos are serious.

When I was young I used to pray for a bike,
then I realized that God doesn't work that way,
so I stole a bike and prayed for forgiveness.

A little boy went up to his father and asked :
'Dad, where did all of my intelligence come from?'
His father replied:
'Well, son, you must have gotten it from your mother, because I still have mine.'

Jimmy's teacher sent a note home to his mother, saying : 'Jimmy seems to be a very bright boy, but spends too much of his time thinking about girls.'
The mother wrote back the next day: 'If you find a solution, please advise. I have the same problem with his father!'

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The Knothole

A little old lady was walking down the street dragging two large plastic garbage bags behind her. One of the bags was ripped and every once in a while a $20 fell out onto the sidewalk.
Noticing this, a policeman stopped her, and said, "Ma'am, there are $20 bills falling out of that bag."
"Oh, really? Darn it!" said the little old lady. "I'd better go back and see if I can find them. Thanks for telling me officer."
"Well, now, not so fast," said the cop. "Where did you get all that money? You didn't steal it, did you?"
"Oh, no, no," said the old lady. "You see, my back yard is right next to a Golf course. A lot of Golfers come and pee through a knot hole in my fence, right into my flower Garden. It used to really tick me off. Kills the flowers, you know. Then I thought, 'why not make the best of it?' So, now, I stand behind the fence by the knot hole, real quiet, with my hedge clippers. Every time some guy sticks his thing through my fence, I surprise him, grab hold of it and say, 'O.K., buddy! Give me $20, or off it comes.'"
"Well, that seems only fair," said the cop, laughing. "OK. Good luck! Oh, by the way, what's in the other bag?"
"Not everybody pays."

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Baked Beans with Scrambled Eggs and Potatoes (Meatless Recipe)

First of all, my sincere apologies for my long silence and absence as I have been extremely busy since late last year.  To keep it simple and to start off my 1st recipe post in 2013, here is a very simple and yet nutritious dish for you and your family.  Hope you like it.. :)

My girls like baked beans very much.  Sometimes I would just cook it with scrambled eggs and we would have it with rice or bread for breakfast.  For this recipe, I have added chinese leeks to the scrambled eggs and potatoes too.  Do give this a try and let me know whether you and  your loved ones like it or not.

Ingredients :

- 1 can of baked beans (I prefer TST brand)

- 1 stalk of chinese leeks (washed and sliced)

- 2 potatoes (peeled and cubed)

- 6 eggs (mixed with a pinch of salt)

- Salt and soy sauce (to taste)

- Cooking oil 

Method :

1)  Heat a wok with some oil and fry cubed potatoes till soft.  Dish out and put aside.

2)  In the same wok, heat some oil.  Give the chinese leeks a quick stir and add in the beaten eggs.  Fry until the eggs have set.

3)  Then, add the cooked potatoes and baked beans to the scrambled eggs.  Mix well.

4) If too dry, add some water.

5) Add salt and soy sauce to taste.

6) Dish out and serve with rice or bread.

Hope you like this simple dish. It is excellent for breakfast!

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Why I said YES

A woodcutter, while cutting trees dropped his axe into the river. But God was gracious and went into the water and reappeared with a silver axe. The Lord asked: Is this your axe?" "No," the woodcutter replied. The Lord again went down and came up with a golden axe. "Is this your axe?" Again, the woodcutter replied: "No." The Lord went down again and came up with an iron axe. "Is this your axe?" The woodcutter replied: "Yes." The Lord was pleased with the man's honesty and gave him all three axes to keep. The woodcutter went home happily. One week later, while helping him chop wood, his wife fell into the river. The Lord was gracious and went down into the water and came up with Christy Chung. "Is this your wife?" the Lord asked. "Yes!" cried the woodcutter. The Lord was angry: "I'm disappointed with you. Your told a lie!" "God, let me explain," the woodcutter pleaded. "You see, if I said 'no' to Christy Chung, you would come up with someone like Jennifer Lopez. Then if I also said 'no' to her, you would come up with my wife, and I would say 'yes', and then all three would be given to me. But Lord, I am a poor man and I will not be able to take care of all three wives. So that's why I said yes this time."

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