Grilled Rack of Lamb

 

My brother had personally air flown some beautiful lamb racks back from New Zealand and the only way to do justice to these gorgeous looking meat is to grill it to perfection. The success to a good grill dish lies with its marinade. It's time like these that I'm thankful that I insisted on having my spice rack at home. It's always better to use the fresh herbs but if you live in a tropical country like me, some dried ones in the fridge will do the job just fine.

 

Ingredients:

 

8                         baby lamb racks

2 cloves              garlic, minced

1 teaspoon          dried thyme

1 teaspoon          dried rosemary

2 tablespoons     olive oil 

                           sea salt and black pepper to season

 

Method:

 

Mix the olive oil with the dried herbs on a chopping board and chop till it forms a rough paste.

 

Season the lamb rack with sea salt and black pepper. Rub the herb paste onto the lamb rack and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

 

Remove from fridge and leave it in room temperature for at least 30 minutes before grilling.

 

Set the grill on a high heat. Grill the lamb racks for about 3 minutes on each side for medium and half a minute lesser for medium-rare doneness.

 

 

Shark's Bone Cartilage Soup

 

I know the environmentalists are gonna frown at me but still, I have to admit that Shark's Bone Soup is one of my all time favourite soups, even more than the expensive shark's fin. Then again, I was never a fan of the ubiquitous shark's fin soup to begin with. Lest the common perception that this is another version of a shark's fin soup, you will be surpised to know that it has absolutely no shark's fin in it. All you get is a thick milky gelatinous soup that is packed with all the collagen extracted from the shark's bone after hours and hours of brewing. Don't ask me why I like this, I just enjoy that sticky aftertaste in my mouth, evidence of a collagen overload.

 

Ingredients:

 

1                        chicken carcasse, blanched

1 packet             pork shank, blanched

10                      chicken feet, blanched

1 thumbsized    Jin Hua ham, diced 

1 piece              dried tangerine peel

1 tablespoon     white peppercorn

5 pieces            large sharks soft bone

3 slices             old ginger 

1 tablespoon     wolfberries, rinsed

 

Method:

 

Place all ingredients except the wolfberries in a large stock pot and place in 4 litres of water. Bring to boil.

 

Lower heat and simmer for a good 4 hours covered, stirring constantly to ensure that the ingredients do not stick to the bottom of the pot. Add in more water if required.

 

After 4 hours, what you should get is a thick milky gelatinous consistency. Add in the wolfberries and cook for another minute or so before serving.

 

 

Salted Fish, Chicken & Lup Cheong Claypot Rice

 

I've recently managed to lay my hands on some good quality salted fish and decided that the best dish to bring out that savoury goodness is through a pot of good old traditional claypot rice. A warning though, to open all your windows and keep all your clothes if you don't want the house smelling of this distinct 'aroma'. I personally like my claypot rice full of the salted fish taste but do cut back according to your preference.

 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

 

1.5 cups                           long grain rice, washed and drained

2 tablespoons                  cooking oil

1 thumbsized                  old ginger, julienned

1                                      waxed sausage (lup cheong), sliced

2 thumbsized                   salted fish, washed lightly, diced

1                                      boneless chicken leg or 1/4 chicken, cut into smaller pieces

3 stalks                            green vegetables (siew pak choy or choy sum), washed

1 tablespoon                    dark soy sauce (2 tablespoons if you prefer it darker)

1 tablespoon                    light soy sauce

 

Marinade for chicken:

 

1 tablespoon                    oyster sauce

1 tablespoon                    light soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon                 sugar

1/2 teaspoon                    sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon                    ground white pepper

1 tablespoon                    Chinese wine

1 tablespoon                    corn starch

 

 

Method:

 

Marinate the chicken with marinade ingredients and set aside in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

 

Heat a claypot with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Add in the diced salted fish and fry till fragrant. Remove the fried salted fish, leaving the oil behind in the claypot.

 

Add in the washed rice and stir to ensure that the rice is evenly mixed with the oil. Add in 1.5 cups of water and bring to boil, uncovered.

 

Add in the marinated chicken on one side of the claypot, making sure not to stack them so they will cook evenly. Top the chicken with some julienned ginger. Sprinkle the waxed sausage on the other side of the claypot. Cover and cook on low heat.

 

After 5 minutes, add the green vegeables on top of the meat and cover, cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes on high heat.

 

Remove the claypot from heat, sprinkle the fried salted fish on top. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce and mix evenly with a rice spatula.

Mum's Famed Ngoh Hiang

Gong Xi Fa Cai everyone! The Chinese Lunar New Year is the only time of the year where my fridge will be overstocked with so much food that it could probably last us for an entire month. No, I am not kidding. This is especially so with my Mother who will always insist on having an abundance of food at home, signifying abundance for the year ahead.

Today's recipe is a well-kept recipe that has been passed down from my maternal grandmother. Friends and relatives who have tried this have swore that this may just be the best Ngoh Hiang they have ever tasted. It is supposed to be a family recipe but then again, good things are meant to be shared. Especially when it comes to such good food.

Makes about 5 to 8 pieces depending on the size of the beancurd skin
Ingredients:

400g                   minced pork (choose those contains more fat)
10                       medium shrimp, flatten into a paste using the back of a knife
3 stalks               spring onion, chopped
5                         water chestnut, skinned and chopped
1/2                      large yellow onion, minced
2 cloves              garlic, minced
1 piece                small salted fish (2 inches long), fried and crushed into a powder form
3 tablespoons     fish paste
3 tablespoons     cornflour
1/2 teaspoon       salt
dash                    ground white pepper
1 tablespoon       light soy sauce
1 packet              dried beancurd skin, cut into 10cm long

Method:

Mix all the ingredients except the beancurd skin together by hand. Form the mixture into a ball and hold it up with your hand. Toss it back into the bowl. Repeat for another 3 to 4 times.

Lay the beancurd skin onto a dry surface. Spoon the prepare mixture onto the beancurd skin and wrap gently, using the same technique likewise to wrapping a maki roll.

Steam the prepared ngoh hiang for 8 minutes and leave aside to cool.

The ngoh hiang can now be kept in the freezer for future consumption. Deep fry and slice before serving.

Grilled Sirloin Steak with Horseradish Sauce

Easy, simple meals are what's occupying my dinner table these days. After a long day at work, I'm lucky to be left with the last 10% of my battery when I get home. Then again, it doesn't mean that I'll have to deprive myself of a good meal. This grilled sirloin steak takes about 6 minutes to cook and another 2 minutes for preparation. There, no more excuses for any instant meals anymore.

Serves 1
Ingredients:

1                               thick slab of sirloin steak
1 bunch                     arugula
1 tablespoon              horseradish sauce
1/2 teaspoon             rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon             olive oil
1 clove                      garlic, cut into half
                                 salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Place the sirloin steak in a plastic or ziplock bag and add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary leaves. Season with salt and pepper and mix well for it to be evenly coated.

Heat the grill or frying pan on high heat for a minute. Remove the stick from the bag and place it on the grill. Turn the steak over after 3 minutes and rubbed the charred side with the cut garlic.

Turn the steak over after another 3 minutes, rubbing the cut garlic on this side of the steak too. Switch off the heat and allow the steak to rest on a plate, covered, for about a minute or two.

Serve on a bed of arugula and 1 tablespoon of horseradish sauce.

Note: 3 minute per side will give you medium rare steak. If you prefer medium ones, cook it for about 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Chye Buey - Hokkien Leftover Stew

Chye Buey is the ideal dish to clean out all the food in the fridge left behind from the Lunar New Year celebrations. Roasted duck, roasted meat, roasted chicken, pig trotters, prawns, shellfish, you name it. This is a classic Hokkien stew and is made using three main ingredients: mustard vegetables, tamarind (assam) and dried chilli. The rest is up to your culinary imagination.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

2 cloves           garlic, minced
2 slices             old ginger
1 tablespoon    vegetable oil
4 slices             tamarind
8 pieces           dried chilli (more if you prefer it spicier)
3 bunch            mustard vegetable, washed and cut into smaller pieces
1 litre               water
500g                combination or variation of roasted duck, roasted meat, chicken, pig trotters, prawns

Method:

Heat a pot with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add in the minced garlic and sliced ginger and fry till fragrant. Add in the leftover ingredients and fry for a minute.

Add in 1 litre of water, 8 pieces of dried chilli, 4 tamarind slices and bring to boil. Add in the mustard vegetables and lower heat to simmer for 2 to 3hours. Serve with steamed rice or porridge.

扣肉包 (Kong Ba Pau)

My philosophy for food: The higher the cholesterol, the better it tastes. This was until I started gaining that extra few pounds a year ago. Then again, indulgence once in a while is more than reasonable. I have no idea how to make the 馒头(steamed bun) so I've happily bought mine ready-made from the supermarkets. All you need to do is to pop them into the steamer for a quick couple of minutes and they will be (to me at least!)as good as the freshly-made ones. If you find adding the spices a little cumbersome, you can easily replace it with a packet of herbal Bak Kut Teh bag from A1.

Serves 3
Ingredients:

2 pieces         pork belly
5 cloves        garlic, unpeeled
1 piece          cinnamon
1 piece          star anise
2 pieces         cloves
1/2 tsp           5-spice powder
3 tbsp            thick dark soy sauce
2 tbsp            light soy sauce
1 tbsp            vegetable oil
2 cups           water

Method:

Heat a saucepan and add in 1 tablespoon of oil. Add in the garlic cloves and pork belly. Brown the pork belly slightly, about 2 minutes.

Add in 3 tablespoons of dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce and 2 cups of water. Add in the spices and 5-spice powder. Bring to boil and lower to simmer for about 50 minutes or until the pork belly soften.

Cut each pork belly into 3 equal sizes and serve with steamed bun.

Korean Army Stew - Budae Jjigae

This was a result of watching way too much Korean drama. I just HAD to eat something that is commonly featured in those heart wrenching episodes. Many a times, we see instant noodles with packet cheese, or a bowl of hot piping kimchi ramen (Ramen by the way, are just another form of instant noodles in Korea). I wanted to treat myself to something a little better and chose this Korean 'stew' brimming with American ingredients (an interesting creation during the Korean war) instead.

Serves 2
Ingredients:

1/2 can            Spam, sliced
2 whole           frankfurters, sliced
1 bunch           spinach, cut into 2 inches long
1 bunch           mung bean sprouts, with ends removed
1 block            tofu, cut into small pieces
2 cups             chicken stock (or water with 1 chicken bouillon cube)
1 tbsp              sesame oil
2 cloves          garlic, minced
1 tbsp              gochujiang (Korean red pepper paste)
1 piece            Korean instant noodles (only the noodles)

Method:

Add sesame oil into a pot and add in garlic and gochujiang. Fry for about half a minute and add in chicken stock. Add in all ingredients except for the instant noodles. Bring to boil and lower to simmer for about 10 minutes. Add in the instant noodles 3 minutes prior to serving.