Assam prawns

Description:
i simply love the tangy taste of assam...

Ingredients:
Prawns
Garlic
Ginger
Buah keras (or macadamias)
Tamarind (juice)
Belacan (prawn paste), small piece
Fresh red chillies (or dried)
Shallots


Directions:
Preparation:
Cut the garlic, ginger, chillies, buah keras (candlenuts) fine. Crumble the belacan (this stuff has strong taste, don't use too much of it). Grind the mixture together into a paste. Chop the shallots fine (this will give your sauce some texture, so add more for thicker sauce).

Prepare the tamarind juice (break off a piece of tamarind, put it in a bowl, add water and squeeze it with your hand until it becomes a smooth brown liquid, remove the seeds). You can add a bit of sugar to make it less sour.

Clean the prawns (I usually take of the heads, and cut open the back to clean and let the spices go in).

Cooking

Fry the spices mixture in some oil, for a short while (till fragrant, don’t let it get burnt). Add the prawns and fry them till they get a pinkish colour. Add the shallots and fry them for a minute before adding the tamarind juice. Add salt to taste. Let it simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes and it’s ready to serve!

Brinjal stuffed with minced meat

Description:
One of my cooking experiments that turned out well enough to be recorded :)

Ingredients:
1 large brinjal
150 gram minced meat
oyster sauce
5-spice powder
coriander powder
corn starch

for the sauce:
chopped garlic
chopped red chilli
Shao Xing cooking rice wine
soy sauce
oyster sauce

Directions:
Cut the brinjal into 4 identical sized pieces (cut in half and lengthwise in half).
Hollow out the 4 pieces and what is cut out from the brinjal can be used for the sauce.

Mix the minced meat with some 5-spice powder, coriander, a bit of oyster sauce and a teaspoon of corn starch.

Stuff the brinjal pieces with the minced meat mixture (arrange the meat on the top).
Heat oil in the pan, fry the garlic with the brinjal insides and the chillie for a minute. Add the stuffed brinjal pieces (minced meat facing up) in the frying pan and arrange them neatly. Pour the wine over the brinjal pieces as well as the soy sauce. Let it get to a boil and cover with the lid. Let it simmer for while (about 10 minutes) until the brinjal gets soft and the meat is cooked. Add a bit of water if the sauce gets too dry. Take out the brinjal when done, and add a bit of oyster sauce to the sauce mixture. Then pour the sauce over the brinjal and serve

Assam fish curry

Description:
I must give the credits of my curry fish recipe to Makan Time website (there are other good recipes of local dishes to be found here as well). Click on the “Mom’s recipes” link on the left side menu bar and choose the recipe for “Fish head Curry”.

I make this curry in different varieties, based on what’s available in fridge and my mood of the day. (I vary the veggies - like no lady fingers, but changed to beans and cabbage - and fish, instead of fish head, I sometimes use prawns, squid, or a piece of fish).

Ingredients:
1 Brinjal
Lady fingers
(Green beans)
Tomatoes
Red chillies
Curry leaves
Curry powder
Coconut milk
Tamarind juice
Garlic
2 small red onions
Turmeric powder (or fresh turmeric)
Chili powder
Lemon grass
Fresh Ginger
Gelangal
Piece of fresh fish (fish should be sturdy enough to cook for a while)


Directions:
1. Ground onions, garlic, ginger and red chillies.
Crush lemon grass.
Prepare coconut milk and tamarind juice.
Clean and cut the veggies into bite sized pieces, quarter tomatoes.

2. Heat oil and fry grounded onion, garlic, ginger, red chillies till fragrant.
Add in lemon grass, curry powder, curry leaves and chili powder, fry briefly. Take care not to burn the ingredients (really fry just for half a minute).

3. Add in tamarind juice, the coconut milk, make it into a smooth substance, add some water if necessary. Then add the beans, brinjal, cabbage, some salt and let it cook for a while. When half cooked, add in fish, tomatoes and let cook till the fish is ready. When it's cooked, remove from heat before it starts to boil.

Curry pumpkin soup

Description:
This can be an appetizer or served as a meal with bread (e.g. garlic bread, toast, french loaf).
I made this recipe as an improvisation one night when I wanted to have a quick and healthy meal and had some pumpkin left in the fridge.
Recorded it later as I liked the taste of it.

Ingredients:
Half pumpkin (e.g. butternut)
250 ml chicken stock
1 onion
1 tablespoon sundried tomatoes (or tomato puree)
2 star anise (茴香)
Curry powder
Pinch of salt


Directions:
Cut the pumpkin in cubes, and cut the onion fine.
Heat some oil and fry the onion till glazy, then add the pumpkin, fry for minute and stir.
Add in curry powder and stir it through the rest of the mixture.
Add in chicken stock and tomato until heated, then reduce the fire.
Add in star anise, let it cook for about 5 – 10 mins until the pumpkin is soft.
Mash it a bit to make it more smooth and soupy, or if you want it real smooth use blender.

To make it more presentable add some pumpkin seeds on the top.

Serve with garlic bread or toast.

Cannelloni Spinach & Minced Meat

Description:
Labour intensive, but good if you getting guests for dinner, as the preparations can be done in advance and then you just put it in the oven to cook before your guests are supposed to arrive.

Ingredients:
1 pack of (pre-cooked) cannelloni (12 pieces)
250g minced meat
250g frozen spinach (let it de-freeze before start cooking)
1 Onion (finely chopped)
4 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
Pine nuts
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 tablespoon milk
Fresh Italian herbs (e.g. rosemary, basil, oregano)
Ground pepper
Salt to taste
Cheese (e.g. grated parmesan)
Pasta tomato sauce (either ready-made from a jar or "cook your own")


Directions:
Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil, when onions are glazy, add the minced meat and stir to make it into fine mixture. When meat is done, add spinach and mix the mixture well. Add pine nuts, stir through. Add the eggs and the milk, stir well. Finally add the herbs (fine pieces).
Close the fire and use the mixture to stuff the cannelloni.

Take an oven dish, cover the bottom with 1/3 of the tomato sauce. Place the filled cannelloni on top of the tomato sauce. If any filling left over, spread it out on top of the cannelloni. Pour over the remainder of the tomato sauce and make sure all the cannelloni shells are covered in sauce. Cover the dish with aluminium foil. Put in the oven on 220C, let it cook for about 50 mins. Take off the foil and add cheese, cook it for another 5 mins to let the cheese melt.

Serve with fresh salad.

Cucumber soup

Description:
This soup can be served chilled or hot, both very refreshing on a hot day.


Ingredients:
2 cucumbers
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon wheat flour
2 tablespoons milk
water
ground pepper
salt


Directions:
Peel the cucumbers, cut lengthwise in halves and remove the seeds. Cut the remaining cucumber into small pieces.
Add bit of olive oil or butter into soup pot and add garlic and cucumber pieces. Lightly fry for few minutes on low /medium fire.
Then add the wheat flour slowly while stirring.
Make it into a smooth paste and then add the milk. Stir more, keep it smooth and add water to make into a soup.
Add ground pepper and salt to taste.
You can serve it warm or cold.
Add some green herbs for garnish.

Chicken in beer (啤酒鸡)/ Duck in beer (啤酒鸭)

Description:
This recipe is originally meant for duck, but the duck can easily be replaced by chicken, which is easier available.
Recipe by 老张, my friend Fuyan's husband in Hangzhou, China.

Ingredients:
Cooking oil
1 chicken, cut into small pieces
Dried red chilies
Sichuan pepper flower (Hua Jiao)
3 pieces Star anis (Hui Xiang， 茴香)
1 whole garlic (peeled only, not chopped)
1 (half liter) bottle of beer
Soy sauce
Chicken powder
Spring onion


Directions:
Heat up a layer of oil in the wok (should be a lot of oil).
Fry the chicken pieces in the oil for 5 – 8 minutes until the skin curls and the pieces turn into a brown colour.
Add the dried chilies and the garlic, fry them for a minute.
Add the beer, bring to boil. Do not cover, so that the liquid can disappear.
When half of the beer has disappeared, add the Sichuan pepper flower (if you add it too early it may give a bitter taste).
Now wait until the chicken is cooking dry. Note: this may take quite a while, cook on medium fire.
When cooked dry, add soy sauce to taste, some chicken powder and spring onions for garnish.

Ready to serve!

Fried Beehoon (Singapore style)

Description:
Another one of my favourites, easy cooking, but lovely taste recipes by my friend Lalani, who is now learning to become a chef....


Ingredients:
Beehoon
Chicken filet or Pork filet
Prawns
Leafy green vegetable (e.g. Chye sim)
Carrot
Bean sprouts
Shallots
Garlic
Chicken Powder
Cooking Oil

For the Marinade:
Oyster Sauce
Sesame oil
Pepper

Directions:
Cut the meat into slices and marinade with the oyster sauce, sesame oil and ground pepper.
Clean the prawns and take of the skin. Marinade as well.
Slice the carrot into thin long strips (a la Julienne).
Clean the green vegetable and slice the stems into strips and the leaves separate.
Clean the bean sprouts.
Finely chop the garlic and shallots.

Heat the oil in the wok and add half of the chopped garlic and shallots. Fry until brown.
Now add the Beehoon and fry the beehoon. While frying, keep stirring it with a “spaghetti spoon” so that all the beehoon gets equally fried. After few minutes, take out the beehoon and set aside.
Now fry the remainder of the garlic and shallots. When garlic/shallots turn brown, add the meat and the prawns.
Now add the vegetables to the mixture and stir fry. Add some more oyster sauce.
Add chicken powder to taste and bit of boiled water.
Add the beehoon to the mixture and mix and stir well with a “spaghetti spoon” so that all ingredients get mixed well into the beehoon.

Ready to serve!
Serve with Chili padi in soy sauce.

Waldorf Salad

Description:
Crunchy and fresh, very good for picnics or barbecues

Ingredients:
cellery (about 3 stalks)
1 apple (use Fuji or green apple, any sturdy apple will do)
walnuts
red grapes
mayonnaise
lemon

Directions:
Clean the cellery and cut into 1cm sized pieces, put aside.
Wash the apple and remove the core, then cut the apple into 1cm sized pieces as well.Mix with the cellery.
Wash the grapes, and add them to the mixture.
Break the walnut into quarters and add them to the mixture as well.
Add mayonnaise and squeeze half a lemon over it, mix it all well.

Instead of mayonnaise and lemon, you can also use a mix of mayo and plain yoghurt.

cocunut sambal (Sri Lankan)

Description:
Mix a bit of this with the rice.
Recipe by my friend Lalani

Ingredients:
dried red chillies
chilli powder
salt
shallots
white ground coconut
1 large (Indian) lime

Directions:
soak the dried chillies till soft, then chop and grind.
add a little salt and chilli powder to it.
finely chop the shallots and add to the chillie mixture.
grind the mixture well.
add the coconut to the mixture and squeeze out the lime over it.
mix it all well.

Serve as a side dish to a curry meal.

Chye Sim salad (Sri Lankan)

Description:
this is a very nice crispy salad, good as a side dish for curries.
By my friend Lalani.

Ingredients:
chye sim
ground (white) coconut
(lot of) salt
shallots
green chillies
turmeric powder

Directions:
Wash the chye sim and chop it really finely (pieces of 2mm). Put aside in a bowl.
Chop the green chillies and shallots finely, mix with the coconut, salt and turmeric powder. Mix it well and fry the mixture for a few minutes (with no oil!).
Add the mixture to the chye sim and mix it all well.
Serve as salad side dish to a curry meal.

Dahl curry (Sri Lankan)

Description:
Another of my friend Lalani's recipes, recorded by me

Ingredients:
1/2 packet of dahl (lentil - the orange coloured Indian one)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cinamon
half teaspoon garam masala (Indian spice mix)
2 cardamom (ground)
salt
curry powder

2 cloves garlic
curry leaves
2 shallots
5 small green chillies

1 packet coconut powder (mixed with water to make it into a milk)


Directions:
Wash the dahl well until the water becomes clear. Add water till the level is about 2cm above the dahl (for more gravy, add more water). Add the spices (turmeric, cinnamon, masala, cardamom, salt, curry powder) to the dahl. Cook the dahl mixture till the dahl is soft.
Chop the garlic, shallots and green chillies fine. Fry the garlic, shallots, green chillies and curry leaves in some oil till brown. Add the dahl mixture to the fried spices. Stir well, add the coconut milk and let it cook for a few more minutes.

Serve as a side dish with white rice!

Curry chicken (Sri Lankan)

Description:
recipe of my friend Lalani...recorded by me

Ingredients:
2 kampung chickens – cut into pieces
black pepper – freshly ground
garam massala – 2 full table spoons
cinnamon – a pinch
cardamom – 3 ground cardamoms
ground clove (powder)
salt to taste
fresh ginger – sliced or chopped

After mixing the ingredients, put the chicken pieces in a bowl and add the spice mix, knead it thoroughly into the chicken. Cover the bowl and set aside for at least half an hour (do not put in fridge).

For curry:
8 shallots – cut finely
2 pandan leaves – crushed and cut into pieces of about 5cm length
Lemon grass (sereh) – cut stalk into 10 cm long pieces and crushed
Green chilies – cut into thin slices
Chilly powder – 2 tablespoons
Assam – mix tamarind with water and squeeze till you get a brown juicy substance
Coconut milk (about 100ml)

Directions:
Fry the shallots with the pandan leaves, lemon grass and green chilies in some oil for a few minutes until glazed, add the chilly powder, stir well until chilly powder fried (you can smell it).
Now add the marinated chicken, stir well to make sure all the pieces have been fried and are mixed well with the other ingredients. Cover and lower the fire.
When chicken is cooked well add some assam (tamarind water – or use lime juice – or tomato if you prefer thicker gravy) and a bit of boiled water (how much depends on how you like your gravy).
Add some salt to taste and add some coconut milk (about 100ml or depending on your taste more or less and can be omitted as well).

Let the mixture simmer for about 20 mins and then it’s ready to serve!

Serve with rice or bread.

Green bean curry (Sri Lankan)

Description:
Recipe by Lalani - who demonstrated to me and I recorded it down...

Ingredients:
(long) green beans
shallots
green chillies
curry leaves
turmeric powder
(fried) chilli powder
cinnamon powder
salt
100ml coconut milk (or powder - add water to make it into a milk)
water (200ml)

Directions:
Clean the beans, cut into 5cm long pieces.
Cut the shallots fine.
Mix all the ingredients in a cooking pot and cook until the beans are done.
Don't overcook it, the beans should not get too soft.

This is one great tasting, easy to prepare recipe by my friend Lalani!

Keema (minced meat curry)

Ingredients:
200 g minced meat
frozen green peas (thawed)
1 or 2 finely chopped (red) onions
garlic, finely chopped
ginger, finely chopped (optional)
garam massala (curry mix)
pinch of cinnamon powder (or cinnamon stick, crushed)
turmeric powder
coconut milk (or yoghurt)
1 tomato / bit of tomato puree (optional)
cashew nuts (optional)

Directions:
Fry the garlic, onions, ginger lightly in oil till onions glazed.
Add the minced meat, fry the meat till it turns light brown.
Add the spices (curry, cinnamon, turmeric) and mix well with the meat mixture.
Add coconut (or yoghurt) to the mixture and mix well till sauce gets the correct thickness, add a bit of water for more gravy. Add tomato for flavour and texture (optional).
Add the green peas and cashews.

Serve with naan bread or chappatti (but also nice as a side dish with rice).

It is easy to make your own varities of this recipe, e.g. use only cashews and green peas for a vegetarian version, or add some curry leaves.