Yunanese Fried Rice

A quick to prepare one meal dish which originated from the Yunan province.  I like the taste of the dried prawns which was added during the initial frying procedure.  I also added carrots and bell pepper although the original recipe does not call for them.

Ingredients (serves 4):
250 g beef, to be thinly sliced
3 pips garlic, to be peeled and chopped
1 tbsp dried prawns
2 eggs
1 medium-sized onion, to be peeled and coarsely cubed
1 stalk red chilli, to be coarsely cubed
1 medium-sized carrot, to be peeled and coarsely cubed (optional)
1 red bell pepper, to be deseeded and coarsely cubed (optional)
1 small can of green peas (optional)
1-2 tbsp margarine
roasted cashew nuts (for garnishing)

1/2 tsp ground pepper
a few drops of light soy sauce
a drop of sesame oil
1 tsp instant granulated chicken stock (optional)

Method:
In a wok, heat margarine over medium/high heat.  Add beef, garlic and dried prawns. Stir-fry until fragrant.  Then, add in eggs and scramble them.

Add chopped onions, carrots, bell pepper, green peas (if using) and red chillis.  Stir-fry for about 3 minutes.  Add in rice and mix thoroughly.  Add in seasonings to taste and reduce heat.  Cook for a further 5 minutes.

Once done, remove to a platter and sprinkle with roasted cashew nuts before serving.

Bon Appetit!

Epok-Epok Sayur

Another popular snack - Vegetable Curry Puffs.  These are deep-fried pastry which are filled with stir-fried bean sprouts & chives and served with a chilli sauce. Following recipe yields about 30 pieces.

Note:  There are two videos showing how to "pleat" the edges of the curry puffs.  If you are using a noodle maker, divide your dough into about 25 g portions.

Dough Ingredients:
600 g plain flour
pinch of salt or according to taste
125 g margarine or butter
2 eggs, to be beaten lightly
200 to 240 ml water - it all depends on your flour, you might use less water

Filling Ingredients:
500 g bean sprouts, tail to be removed
2 medium-sized onions, to be peeled and coarsely cubed
3 pips garlic, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 tbsp dried prawns, to be soaked in warm water, drained and finely pounded
1 stalk fresh red chilli, to be finely sliced
6 chives, to be washed, dried and cut into 2 cm lengths
salt & ground white pepper to taste
2 tbsp cooking oil

Chilli Sauce Ingredients:
6 stalks fresh red chilli (big ones), to be deseeded (optional) and sliced
3 pips garlic, to be peeled and sliced
125 ml water
6 tbsp lime juice (from 2 limes) or white vinegar
80-100 g sugar (according to taste)
salt to taste

Method:

Sieve flour into a mixing bowl.  Add salt and butter.  Use the "rubbing-in" method i.e. use your finger tips to rub-in all ingredients.  Then, add in beaten eggs and rub-in well. Lastly, add water a little at a time until a soft and pliable dough is formed. It is advisable to use the kneading hook of the mixer. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and leave aside for about 30 minutes.

In a pan, heat oil and add cubed onions, sliced garlic, sliced chilli and pounded dried prawns.  Stir-fry until fragrant and then, add beans prouts and chives.  Stir-fry for about 2 minutes and season with salt and ground white pepper to taste.  Remove from heat and drain filling in a colander over a bowl.  Set aside to cool down completely.

In a blender, add sliced chilli, garlic and 60 ml water.  Blend until smooth (I prefer to blend it coarsely). Pour into a saucepan and add balance of water, sugar and lime juice (or vinegar).  Bring to boil over medium heat. Season with salt and sugar to taste.  Remove from heat and leave aside.  The consistency of the sauce is just right i.e. not too thick or too thin.  Tip:  If your sauce is too thin, add a bit of steamed sweet potato and mix well.

Roll out dough to a thickness of 3 mm.  Use a dough cutter (about 8 cm Ø) to cut circles. Roll out each circle to make it a bit thinner.  Place about two tablespoons filling in the upper half circle of dough. Bring the lower half dough over the filling and press the sides lightly. Lift up the dough and pinch the sides decoratively. Place on a baking tray which is lined with baking paper.  Repeat procedure until dough is used up.

Heat oil (enough oil for deep-frying) in a wok over medium heat.  Add a few epok-epok at a time and fry slowly until golden brown on both sides.

Once done, remove to a tray which is lined with kitchen paper.  Serve hot with chilli sauce.

Bon Appetit!

Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry

A simple and quick to prepare dish for a lazy Sunday evening.  The broccoli florets were blanched for a minute and quickly immersed in ice cold water in order that the colour is maintained.  Then, lightly stir-fried with the marinated beef slices before the sauce ingredients are added.  Tastes excellent when served with hot rice.

Ingredients (serves 4):
600 g broccoli florets
2 pips garlic, to be peeled and crushed
5 cm piece of fresh ginger, to be peeled and thinly sliced
3 tbsp cooking oil

450 g beef tenderloin or steak, to be thinly sliced
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp chinese rice wine or sherry
a few dashed of ground white pepper
1 tbsp (heaped) cornflour

Ingredients for Sauce:
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp (level) cornflour
2 tbsp water

Method:
In a bowl, marinate beef slices with light soy sauce, sesame oil, chinese rice wine, ground pepper and cornflour.   Leave aside for about 20 minutes.  Mix all sauce ingredients together in a separate bowl.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch broccoli florets for about 1 minute.  Remove to a bowl which is filled with ice cold water.  Leave aside.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok over medium/high heat and stir-fry marinated beef slices until they change colour. Remove to a bowl and set aside.  Clean work thoroughly before using it again.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok and add crushed garlic and ginger slices.  Stir-fry for one minute before adding the beef and drained broccoli florets.  Then, add sauce ingredients and mix well.  Do not overcook the broccoli florets or else they will become soft.

Serve hot with rice.

Bon Appetit!

Goreng Pisang (Fried Bananas)

A favourite tea-time snack for the family.  The secret to get a crispy and crunchy crust lies in the ingredients.  I must admit that I have tried several recipes and the crusts were not to my liking.  After experimenting a bit, I managed to get the proper crispiness and crunchiness this time.  Deep-frying them at a high temperature also plays an important role as this will minimise oil absorption.

Ingredients (serves 2):
10 medium-sized unripe bananas
150 g plain flour
100 g rice flour
50 g cornflour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
350 ml mineral water
1 tbsp air kapur sirih (lime stone water) - check here on how to prepare
oil for deep-frying

Method:
In a mixing bowl, add flour, rice flour, cornflour, sugar, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Add mineral water a little at a time and whisk together until no lumps can be seen.  Lastly, add in air kapur sirih and mix well.  Store in the fridge for about one hour.

Peel bananas and cut into two.  Then, slice into two lengthwise 3/4 way.

In a wok, heat cooking oil to a high temperature of about 185° C.  Dip banana pieces into batter (3 or 4 at a time) and add to wok.  Deep-fry until golden brown and quickly remove to a tray which is lined with kitchen paper.

Serve hot with a good mug of teh tarik or kopi.

Extra Tip:
If you have leftover batter, just store in an air-tight container in the fridge for a few days.

Bon Appetit!

Mee Rebus

A popular dish served in Singapore and Malaysia - yellow noodles served with a thick & spicy sweet-potato/peanut gravy and garnished with chopped spring onions, fried shallots, bean sprouts, fried bean curd, hard-boiled egg, chopped green chillies & calamansi lime.  This recipe has been passed down by my mother.  The preparation may seem to be time-consuming but do not let it hinder you because it is simple to cook and tastes excellent.

Ingredients (serves 4-6):
400 g beef (tetel lembu), to be cook with a little water until tender, then cut into small bite pieces
3 tbsp meat curry powder
100 g peanuts (skinless), to be fried without oil and finely grounded
80 g red sugar (gula tanjung) or brown sugar
30 g sugar
salt to taste
500 ml water or more depending on the consistency of gravy

50 g fermented soybean paste (tau cheow), to be blended together with 50 ml water
250 g sweet potatoes (orange), to be boiled or steamed until tender, then blended together with 150 ml water
3 tbsp cornflour, to be mixed with 2 tbsp water (to thicken gravy)

*A* Ingredients to be blended together:
30 g dried anchovies, to be soaked in warm water until soft and rinsed
50 g dried udang geragau/geraguk, to be soaked in warm water until soft and rinsed (one can use dried prawns instead of udang geragau/geraguk)

udang geragau/garaguk (left) & anchovies (right)

*B* Blended/Pounded Ingredients:
6 stalks dried red chillies, to be cut into pieces and soaked with warm water until soft
1 medium-sized onion, to be peeled and coarsely chopped
4 red shallots, to be peeled and coarsely chopped
2 pips garlic, to be peeled and coarsely chopped
1 lemon grass, to be sliced
1 cm fresh turmeric, to be peeled and sliced
1 cm fresh galangal, to be peeled and sliced
1 cm fresh ginger, to be peeled and sliced
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
100 ml water

Ingredients for garnishing:
5 hard-boiled eggs, to be shelled and halved
250 g bean sprouts, to be plucked
1 block bean curd, to be sliced, deep-fried and cut into cubes
4 green chillies, to be sliced
3 spring onions, to be sliced into fine rings
fried shallots
5 calamansi limes (limau kasturi) or limes, to be halved

4-5 tbsp cooking oil
500 g yellow mee or cooked spaghetti

Method:
All blended ingredients:

From top:  sweet potato, spices, soybean paste and anchovies/udang geragau

In a big pot, heat cooking oil over medium heat.  Add in *A*, *B*, curry powder, chopped peanuts & blended soybean paste and fry until fragrant.  Then, add in blended sweet potato and beef.  Stir well.

Bring to a light boil and add in both types of sugar.  Then, add cornflour/water mixture to thicken gravy to your preference.  Check seasoning - you may want to add sugar & salt to taste.  Simmer gently for about 10 minutes.

To serve, blanch a portion noodles and bean sprouts in boiling water.  Drain well and add to serving bowl.  Pour enough gravy over noodles and garnished with chopped spring onions, fried shallots, bean curd cubes, sliced green chillies, half an egg and half a lime.

Bon Appetit!