Steamed Pork Belly with Salted Fish (咸鱼蒸猪肉)

This is a very simple and yet appetizing dish which is popular among Chinese.  I have been preparing this particular dish on and off but didn't realize that I have in fact missed out one particular important seasoning.  This important ingredient is TAPIOCA FLOUR!!!! See how ignorant I am!!!  Well, I should thank Y3K when I chanced upon this in the Y3K issue no. 31, page 8.

Recipe source : Y3K(31) page 8 by Ms Catherine Chia

Frankly speaking, previously it never cross my mind to marinate meat with tapioca flour for steaming dish.  I do use tapioca flour for other methods of cooking but why not in steaming? Still scratching my head!!!  From here, you should know how good I am in cooking, right? Well, it's still  better late than never!

Meat marinated in corn starch or tapioca flour is tenderer and softer and since then, corn flour plays one of the important ingredients in my kitchen!

Ingredients :

- 2 strips of pork belly (skinned and sliced)

- 50g mui heong salted fish (rinsed, diced)

- 2 tbsps young shredded ginger

- 1 red chili (sliced)

Seasonings :

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp sugar

- 1 tsp oyster sauce (I omitted this)

- 1/4 tsp pepper

- 1/2  chicken granules stock (I omitted this too)

- 1/2 tbsp tapioca flour

Garnishing :

Diced spring onions

Some fried minced garlic

Method :

1)  Marinate sliced pork belly with seasonings.  I let it marinated for about 20 minutes.

2)  Meanwhile, boil water in a steamer.

3)  Add shredded diced salted fish, ginger and chili on top of the marinated pork belly.

4)  Steam for 10 minutes. (I steamed it for 15 minutes over high heat).

5)  Remove and garnish it with diced spring onions and fried onions.

4)  Serve it hot with  steamed rice.

Simple, quick and easy

Be advised to cook extra rice if you are serving this for your family

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Turmeric Eggplant Rice (Meatless Recipe)

A very simple rice which is easy to be prepared and at the same time healthy and nutritious too.  I had no intention to cook this.  While looking through my fridge, I saw that I still had some brinjals/eggplants and lemongrass.  So, just took out the brinjal and beginning to wash it. As for the lemongrass, I had wanted to use it for a simple stewed chicken.  Oh gosh, I realised that the chicken meat was still in the freezer, ah....  At the spur of the moment, it crossed my mind that in order to make life easier for me, I decided to cook Fragrant Eggplant Rice , the one that I had posted earlier but wanted to have it different.  

So, this is the result of this simple one-pot rice meal!

Ingredients :

- 3 cups of rice (I used brown rice)

- water (the usual measurement  as per your rice cooker model, but less about 1/2" of water)

- 3 brinjals (washed and cut)

- 4 stalks of lemongrass (washed, slit and bruised)

- 1/2 tbsp of turmeric power

- 3 cloves garlic (crushed)

- 1 thumb size ginger (crushed)

- 1" cinnamon stick 

- 1 star anise

- 1 tbsp of ghee/butter (I used ghee)

- salt (to taste)

Method :

1)  Wash rice.  Add water but less about 1/2" of  water of  the usual measurement; depending on the model of your rice cooker.

2)  Add all the ingredients except brinjals and butter.  Stir and mix well and press the cook button; the usual way you cook your rice.

3)  When the rice is just about to cook (just before the cook button signal), add in the brinjals.  Continue cooking or keep warm for about half an hour.

4)  Then, add butter.  Stir and mix well.  Add extra salt if necessary.

5)  Serve warm.

This one-pot meal is great when you are busy but still prefer to have home-cooked food than take-away.

Quick, simple, healthy and nutritious meal

Have a wonderful day and cheers :)

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Simple Stir Fried Chayote Shoots/Dragon Beard or Dragon Whiskers (龍鬚菜) with Dried Shrimps

Chayote shoots and fruits are believed to have diuretic, cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory properties. It's also said that tea made from the leaves has been used in the treatment of arteriosclerosis and hypertension, and to dissolve kidney stones.

My family eat  chayote  and its shoots from time to time.  Chayote shoots also known as 龍鬚菜 in Chinese and it means dragon's beard or dragon's whiskers.  

It's very delicious even with just simple stir fried.  I usually stir fried it with chili paste, sambal belacan and at times just a simple stir fried with dried shrimps or anchovies.  It's very yummy and my children who don't really fancy vegetables, love it.  Besides, it's very healthy and delicious too.

Ingredients :

- 1 bunch of chayote shoots (cut according to your desired length)

- 1 tbsp of dried shrimps (washed)

- 1 red chili (sliced)

- 3 cloves garlic (crushed)

- oil

-salt (to taste)

Method :

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

2)  Add chayote shoots and stir fry until cook.  Add water if too dry.

3)  Dish up and serve.

This simple stir fried is so healthy and nutritious

Yummy and healthy for the whole family :)

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