Sunday, December 21, 2008

Chicken Curry

Ingredients:
500gm chicken - cut into small chunks
3 medium-sized potatoes - peeled & quartered
4 tbsp of meat curry powder - mix with some water to form a paste
1 tomato - cut into medium-sized cubes
½ yellow onion - sliced
2 stalks lemongrass - bruised
1 cinnamon
3 cloves
1 star anise
3 cardamoms
Oil for fying
Salt
75ml water

Pounded Ingredients (or blended in food processor):
1 fresh red chili
6 shallots
6 cloves garlic


Method:
1. Heat up enough oil in wok and fry potatoes until golden - drain to remove excess oil and set aside.
2. Pour off all but approximately 2 tablespoons of oil from wok and fry the pounded ingredients until fragrant.
3. Add in the lemongrass, onions and spices (cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamoms) and fry until onions turn transparent.
4. Add in the tomatoes and fry until they soften.
5. Add in chicken and fry for about 5 minutes.
6. Add the curry paste and fry for another 5 - 7 minutes.
7. Add water and potatoes and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt according to taste.
Curry is now ready to be served. Best eaten with steamed rice/basmati rice/bread.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Ikan Masak Tauchu (Fish with Fermented Soy Beans)


Ingredients:
1 whole fish (500g/1lb) - rubbed with some salt
3 cloves garlic - coarsely chopped
2 bulbs shallot - thinly sliced
2x4cm fresh ginger - thinly sliced
2 tbsp fermented soy beans
some cherry tomatoes - halved
few stalks of scallions - slice into inch-long slices
fresh red & green chilies - slice diagonally
100ml water
1tbsp corn flour
salt
oil for frying

Method:

1. Heat enough oil in a wok and fry fish until cooked and brown on both sides. Drain on paper towel and set aside.
2. Pour off all but approximately 2 tablespoons of oil from wok and fry ginger, garlic and shallots until golden.
3. Add fermented soy beans and fry for about 2 minutes.
4. Then add the tomatoes and chilies and fry for another 2 minutes or so.
5. Disolve the corn flour in water and pour into the wok and let it simmer until gravy thickens.
6. Season with salt according to taste.
7. Add in scallions and stir for 2 minutes and turn off the heat.
8. Pour gravy over fish and serve.

Step 2

Step 7

Step 4 - 5

Step 8

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Udang Asam Pedas (Hot and Sour Prawns)


Ingredients:
2 fresh red chilies *
6 bulbs shallots *
3 cloves garlic *
500g (1lb) shell-on prawns
2 stalks lemongrass (bruised)
50ml tamarind concentrate
100ml water
½ tsp sugar
salt to taste
Cooking oil for frying

* Spice paste ingredients

Method:
1. Pound/grind the spice paste ingredients.
2. Heat some oil in a wok and fry the spice paste for about 5 - 7 minutes or until fragrant.
3. Add in the lemongrass and fry for another 2 minutes.
4. Add in the tamarind concentrate and stir for another 2 minutes.
5. Pour water and let it simmer for 5 - 7 minutes. Add sugar and salt to taste.
6. Finally add in the prawns and stir until they turn red and curled up.

Step 2

Step 5

Cooked and ready to be served