Flavorful Braised Pork Belly with Pumpkin

My goodness, time really flies and 2015 is entering its second month soon.  My sincere apologies to all for not posting anything since New Year and not visiting my fellow bloggers' cyberhome.  Well, I have been very occupied with a new project (it's a good start for me in 2015; new project means extra pocket money for me, besides my full-time job...yeah! ) which I have been rushing to meet its dateline since I came back from my year-end holidays.  Well, to all who sent their greetings and wishes last year, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and may you all enjoy good health and prosperity in whatever you are doing.

Here's my 1st post for 2015 and I hope you all like this simple but very flavorful Asian braised pork belly with pumpkin.  If you wish to know the health benefits of pumpkin, click the pic  below for more info.

Flavorful Braised Pork Belly with Pumpkin
Ingredients :
- 1 strip of pork belly (blanched and cut into bite size)
- 1 bowl of cubed pumpkin (with the skin intact)
- 1 thumb sized ginger (crushed)
- 1 tbsp fermented black beans (tau si)
- soy sauce to taste
- water
- Cooking oil

Method :

1)  Heat some oil in a pan or wok.

2)  Saute ginger and  fermented black beans until aromatic.

3)  Add cubed pork belly and stir fry for awhile.  Mix well.

4)  Add water until it covers the meat.

5)  Cover and let it boil at high heat for 5 minutes.  Then lower the heat and simmer until the meat is cooked and tender.  This takes about 35 to 45 minutes depending on the type of pot used.  I used AMC medium pot.  Add more water if you prefer more gravy.

6)  When the the meat is cooked and gravy thickened, add cubed pumpkin.

7) Cover and continue to cook until the pumpkin is cooked and soft.  This takes about 5 to 8 minutes.  Add soy sauce to taste.  Stir and mix well.

8)  Serve hot with steamed rice.

A very simple yet flavorful dish

You can substitute pork belly with chicken too. 

A homey dish which our family have never get tired of it since our grandma days.

Note :  No salt is added as the fermented black beans itself is already salty.  

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Happy New Year 2015

*This is a scheduled post while I am still away vacationing*

I am still not back from my winter holidays, so, here's a scheduled post of simple warm wishes to all my beloved followers and readers.

Till then, see you soon in a better year of 2015!

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Seasons Greetings and Sincere Warm Wishes From Me To You

It's that time of the year again and I hope that this Christmas will bring you a cheerful ending to the year and a great beginning to a happy new one.

It's the time of eggnog, candles, cakes, songs, reindeer, carols, laughter – and most importantly LOVE. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

For your info, I will be away and be back after New Year. Till then, Wishing you all the best this New Year with all that you set out to achieve!!

from

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Easy Peasy Homemade Crispy Roast Pork Belly 脆皮烧肉 using Happy Call Pan

Roast pork belly or 烧肉 (sau rou) is in fact not that difficult to prepare.  Almost everyone can achieve it if you can get the right technique.  You can either use oven, non-stick pan or any of your preferred pan.  As for me, I used Happy Call Pan. To me, searing roast pork using Happy Call pan is a breeze.... no splattering of oil and cleaning the pan is also hassle free!

I adapted this simple homemade 脆皮烧肉 from Agnes Chang's Cookbook 'Let's Eat'.  However, instead of using oven for roasting, I used my treasured Happy Call Pan.  No regrets and I strongly recommend you to use HPC if you have one at home.  

Crispy Roast Pork Belly 脆皮烧肉

Marinade adapted from Let's Eat pg 24 (my modification in red)

- 1.3kg (600gm) pork belly with skin (whole block)

- 1 tsp cooking oil

Marinade (mixed)

- 3pcs (1/2 pc) fermented bean curd (nam yee) - mashed

- 1 tsp (2 tsp) five spice powder

- 2 tbsp chopped garlic (1 tsp garlic powder)

- 2 tbsp chopped shallots (I omitted)

- 1 tsp pepper

- 2 tbsp (1 tbsp) vinegar (for rubbing the skin)

- 3 tbsp (1 tsp) salt for rubbing the skin

Method :

1)  Wipe skin with kitchen towel to remove any water.  Then, using a sharp pin holder or knife, poke the skin all over as shown above.

2)  Rub vinegar all over the skin and followed by salt.

3)  Then, rub marinade all over the meat.  

4)  Leave the marinated meat in a covered container overnight in the refrigerator.

5)  Remove marinated meat from the refrigerator.  Sprinkle and rub some five spice powder onto the meat.  I prefer extra five spice powder for that extra ommph flavor!

5)  Heat 1 tsp cooking oil in your HPC.  Place marinated pork belly on the HPC with the skin side up.  Close the lid and cook over medium heat until cooked.  Do the same to the skin and all four sides of the meat.

6)  Remove  from HPC and leave it aside to cool completely.

 

 7)  Using a sharp knife, chop it into your preferred serving size.

The meat is tender and juicy

 and the skin is crispy and crunchy

Give this a try and you will be surprised that your homemade roast pork belly is in fact better than those store bought ones.

Happy Trying and hope you have an enjoyable week :)

I am linking this post with Cook-Your-Books #19 @ kitchen flavours

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Pan-Seared Norwegian Blue Mackerel with Fresh Passion Fruit Sauce

To me, passion fruit is one of the most delicious fruits on earth  The round to oval, either yellow or dark purple at maturity, makes this exotic fruit even unique is that they come in their own little pods. The fruit is soft to firm, its juicy interior is loaded with seeds which are nutritious.  Passion fruit is known for its sweet aroma and flavor.  The seeds are crunchy and edible, besides being juiced and added to other fruit juices or desserts as flavor enhancer.

Health benefits of passion fruit :

1) The fruit is a very good source of dietary fiber.

2)   Passion fruit is good in vitamin C, providing about 30 mg per 100 g. Vitamin-C (ascorbic acid) is a powerful water soluble anti-oxidant. Consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against flu-like infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.

3)   The fruit contains very good levels of vitamin-A (provides about 1274 IU per 100 g), and flavonoid antioxidants such as β-carotene and cryptoxanthin-β. Current research studies suggest that these compounds have antioxidant properties, and along with vitamin A are essential for good eye-sight.

4)   Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin-A, and flavonoids may helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

5)   Fresh passion fruit is very rich in potassium. 100 g fruit pulp has about 348 mg of potassium. Potassium is an important component of cells and body fluids, and helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure.

6)   Furthermore, granadilla is a very good source of minerals. Iron, copper, magnesium and phosphorus are present in adequate amounts in the fruit.
Source : http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/passion-fruit.html

This time, instead of eating passion fruit fresh or juiced, I decided to use this homegrown passion fruit (which is 100% organic!!!) as sauce for  fish.  In fact, passion fruit juice is a perfect substitute for lemon juice when baking or cooking is concerned.  Both juices work well but passion fruit add an extra aroma and flavor to your dish.

Pan-Seared Norwegian Blue Mackerel with Sweet Sourish Passion Fruit
Ingredients :
- 3 Norwegian Blue Mackerel fillets (marinated for 30 minutes)
- 1 tbsp butter
- some Teriyaki Sauce (to taste)
Marinade : (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- 1 tbsp fresh passion fruit juice (press the pulp against a fine sieve to get the juice)
- 1 tsp ginger wine
Sauce : (to taste) - mix all and set aside
- 2 fresh passion fruits (halved, pulp and seeds scooped into a bowl)
- 1 tsp honey or sugar
- 1 tbsp ginger wine (or more)

Method :
1)  Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a non-stick pan (I used Happy Call Pan).
2)  Add 3 pieces mackerel, skin side up, and closed.  Pan fry over medium heat. Turn when the fish is slightly brown.
3)  Spread some passion fruit sauce on top of the fish.  Close and cook through until golden brown.
4)  Turn off the heat and drizzle some Teriyaki sauce on both sides.
5)  Transfer to a plate and pour the balance of mixed fresh passion fruit sauce over the fish.
6)  Serve warm.

This fruity sweet and sourish passion fruit sauce is a perfect complement to the pan-seared blue mackerel

The added ginger wine gives the sauce a very refreshing and mild gingery flavor and aroma

~A delightful dish for my beloved friends~ 

You might also be interested in this :

Pan-Friend Norwegian Blue Mackerel with Apple Sauce

Simple Pan Fried Norwegian Blue Mackerel with Pandan Leaves (Screwpines)

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