Fried Bee Hoon

This dish reminded me of my younger days where we would go to the old Hawa Restaurant in Geylang after the movies.  A simple & easy to prepare noodle dish which has become my younger son's favourite.  You may add cabbage instead of pak choi - the choice of ingredients are up to you.

Ingredients (serves 4 - 6):
1 pkt (400 g) bee hoon (rice vermicelli), to be soaked in cold water for an hour & then strained
2 pips garlic, to be peeled & finely minced
300 g pak choi or chye sim
200 g rumpsteak, to be thinly sliced
250 g prawns, to be deveined
2 medium-size calamari tubes
1 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp oyster sauce
4 tbsp light soy sauce
ground white pepper & salt to taste
hot beef or chicken stock
cooking oil

Note:  You may add bean sprouts and sliced carrots if you wish.

Method:
Wash pak choi or chye sim thoroughly.  Slice the stems and cut leaves into bite sizes. In a small bowl, marinate beef slices with 1 tbsp each of cornflour & light soy sauce. Leave aside for ten minutes.

Cut open calamari tubes and wash under running tap water.  Dry & then cut open. Make slight incisions on the inside of calamari tube & then, cut into bite pieces as shown below.

In a wok, heat 1 tbsp cooking oil over medium-high heat.  Stir-fry beef slices until they change colour.  Remove to a bowl.  Add 1 tbsp of cooking oil and stir-fry prawns until they change colour. Do likewise to the calamari pieces.

Clean work by wiping with kitchen paper.  Heat 2 tbsps cooking oil in the wok over medium-high heat.  Stir-fry minced garlic until fragrant.  Add the pak choi stems and stir-fry for 2 minutes before adding the leaves.  Then, add oyster sauce, ground pepper and light soy sauce.

Add sliced beef slices, prawns and calamaris.  Mix well before adding the bee hoon. Add some hot stock to keep the noodles moist.  Check seasoning again.

Serve with sliced green chillies in soy sauce!

Bon Appetit!

Simple Fried Egg Noodles

A simple and quick to prepare dish for lunch today.  Tastes delicious when eaten with sliced green chillies in light soy sauce on the side.  If you prefer a spicy taste, just add a tablespoon or two of Sambal Oelek when adding the seasoning ingredients.

Ingredients (serves 4):
300 g dried egg noodles, to be soaked in hot water for 3 minutes and drained
3 pips garlic, to be peeled and finely minced
200 g chicken breast meat, to be sliced into bite pieces
40 g fish cake (I used mini fishballs which are left whole), to be finely sliced
4 dried mushrooms, to be soaked in warm water until soft
1 medium-size carrot, to be peeled, finely sliced into sticks
80 g shredded cabbage
1 medium-size onion, to be peeled, halved and finely sliced
130 ml water
2-3 tbsp cooking oil

2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
salt & ground pepper to taste

Garnishing:
2 eggs, to be beaten, fried into an omelette and cut into fine or coarse strips

Method:
Prepare all ingredients and set aside.

In a wok, heat oil over medium-high heat and stir-fry minced garlic until fragrant. Then, add chicken and stir-fry until chicken changes colour.

Add all other ingredients except noodles and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.

Lastly, add noodles and stir-fry until almost dry.

Serve hot garnished with fried egg strips and sliced green chillies in light soy sauce.

Bon Appetit!

Laksa Lemak (Nonya Laksa)

Nonya laksa is a spicy noodle dish which originates from the Peranakan culture (a mix of malay & chinese) and is very popular in Singapore in Malaysia.  This dish is also known as Laksa Lemak. There are various types of laksa available and I will post them as and when I prepare them.  For this dish, I am using my late grandmother's recipe who herself was a mixture of chinese, malay and japanese. Kindly note that one can adjust the consistency of the gravy to one's liking.

Ingredients (serves 4 persons):

Spices to blended or pounded:

1 medium onion, to be sliced        

2 pips garlic, to be sliced

a small piece (or 1 tsp) belacan (shrimp paste)

5 slices lengkuas, to be skinned and sliced

5 pieces candlenuts (buah keras), to be soaked in hot or warm water

5 stalks dried red chillies, to be cut in 1 cm strips and to be soaked in hot or warm water

3 cm fresh turmeric, to be skinned and sliced (or ½ tsp turmeric powder)

2 lemongrass, to be sliced

40 g dried prawns, to be soaked in hot or warm water

5 stalks fresh red chillies, to be unseeded and sliced (depends on the hotness of the chillies)

1 tin (400 ml) coconut milk

2 cubes chicken stock

1 litre water or enough water to reach one's preference of consistency

salt to taste

a few stalks of laksa leaves, to be plucked

2 tsp sugar

300 g fresh prawns (without shells) or frozen raw prawns

300 g spaghetti or yellow noodle, to be cooked according to packet instructions

Garnishing:

cucumber (optional), to be shredded finely

soya beansprouts, tails to be removed

fishballs (frozen and thawed), to be cooked in boiling water shortly and left whole or sliced

dried tofu, to be cut into cubes (note:  I was unable to buy any - instead, I deep-fry some tofu)

4 hard-boiled eggs, to be halved

laksa leaves

Method:

Add 2 tsp sugar to fresh prawns (or thawed frozen prawns) and put aside.  Heat 4 tbsp oil in a pot and fry pounded (blended) ingredients until fragrant.  Add a little laksa leaves.

Then add water and chicken stock and bring to a slight simmer.  If needed, more water can be added.  Add coconut milk and reduce heat.  Season with salt to taste.  Simmer gravy over low heat until oil can be seen on the surface.

Heat a little oil in a small pan and stir-fry the prawns until they change colour.  Remove to a plate. Once the gravy is ready, add the fried tofu, fishballs, prawns and some laksa leaves.  Let it simmer before removing from heat.

To serve, add a portion of noodles in a bowl.  Then, add some beansprouts and shredded cucumber (optional).  Pour gravy over noodles and garnish with one half of hard-boiled egg.

Bon Appetit!

Beef & Seafood Noodle Platter

After eating festive food over the past few days, my appetite is "tingling" for our local asian food fare.  Luckily enough, I have all the ingredients which I needed in the fridge and cellar.  The following recipe serves 4 persons and I served spaghetti noodle instead of the dried egg noodles.

Ingredients:
250 g spaghetti, to be cooked according to packet instructions

200 g lean beef, to be thinly sliced
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp cooking wine or sherry (optional)

200 g fresh or frozen prawns
2 medium-sized fresh or frozen cuttlefish

4 black mushrooms, to be soaked in warm water & sliced
6 leaves of nappa cabbage, to be washed, dried and cut into broad strips
a bunch of spring onions, to be washed and cut into 5 cm lengths
6 slices of fresh ginger root

400 ml vegetable or beef stock
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper

1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water

5 tbsp cooking oil

Method:
Marinate beef slices with soy sauce, starch and cooking wine for about 20 minutes.  In a jug, combine stock, soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper well.  Add cooked spaghetti onto a serving platter.

Heat wok and add 3 tbsp oil.  Stir-fry the meat until the colour changes.  Remove to a plate.  Stir-fry the prawns and cuttlefish for a while.  Remove to a plate.

Add 2 tbsp oil to wok and stir-fry spring onions and ginger until fragrant.  Then, add in the mushrooms and nappa cabbage.  Stir-fry lightly.  Add stock mixture and bring to a boil.  Stir cornstarch & water in a small bowl and add to wok to thicken the gravy.  Add the meat, prawns and cuttlefish.  Bring to a boil and season to taste.  Pour over the noodles and serve.

Bon Appetit!

Fried Udon Noodle with Beef & Seafood

I prepared this simple dish for our Sunday lunch as per our youngest son's request.  He loves Udon noodle - no matter whether it is served in a soup or fried!

Ingredients (serves 4):
200 g minute beef steak, to be sliced into strips and mixed with 1 tbsp light soy sauce & 1 tsp cornflour, set aside
200 g prawns
2 medium-sized cuttlefish
1 bundle spring onions, to be washed and cut into 3 cm lengths
2 medium-sized carrots, to be peeled and finely sliced
some cabbage, to be cut into small pieces (optional)
6 dried mushrooms, to be soaked in warm water and finely sliced
3 tbsp oyster sauce
salt & pepper to taste

3 tbsp oil
4 small packets cooked Udon noodles (note:  there are 3 small packets in a packet), to be soaked in hot water for a minute in order that the noodles are separated and then remove to a colander

Method:
Cut one side of cuttlefish and open it up with the inside side facing up.  Using a sharp knife, lightly make diamond cuts.  Cut into 3 cm strips and then cut the strips into 3.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok and stir-fry beef strips until it changes colour.  Remove to a plate.  Then, add in squids and prawns to work.  Stir-fry quickly and remove to a plate.

Add 2 tbsp oil to wok and stir-fry spring onions and carrots.  Then, add sliced  mushrooms and cabbage.  Add oyster sauce and pepper to taste.  Return beef, squid and prawns to wok and stir well.  Then, add Udon noodles and stir thoroughly.  Cook over medium heat for another 10 minutes or until the noodles are heated through.  Season to taste. 

Remove to serving plage and serve with sliced green chillies in light soy sauce.

Bon Appetit!!!