Jjimdak (Korean Steamed Chicken)

Crazy me didn't had enough of Korea. I have just touched down from Seoul late last night and here I am cooking Korean food again. Well, this was my favourite dish throughout my week long holiday and have terribly regretted not going back for a 2nd round. So here I am trying my best to replicate the exact flavours in my own kitchen. Unfortunately I am not a good imitator but the dish turned out to be pretty good, according to my sister. I am not a fan of white meat and hence I chose to use only dark meat in this dish. You can use half a chicken if preferred.

Serves 2
Ingredients:

5                                    chicken wings, separated into wings and drumlets
2 tablespoons                cooking oil
6 cloves                         garlic, minced
1 tablespoon                  ginger, minced
6                                    dried chilli, cut into smaller pieces
1                                    red chilli, sliced
1                                    carrot, sliced
1 large                           yellow onions, quartered
3                                    potatoes, skinned and quartered
6                                    spring onions, cut into 2-inches long
1 tablespoon                  toasted sesame seed
200g                              cellophane noodles, soaked and drained
3 cups                            water
1 tablespoon                  sesame oil
                                      ground white pepper

Sauce:

3 tablespoons                 light soy sauce
1 tablespoons                 dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons                 oyster sauce
2 tablespoons                 sugar

Method:

Heat a skillet with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Add in the dried red chilli and fry for until fragrant, taking care not to burn the chillies. Remove the chilli and set aside.

Add in the chicken pieces and stir fry for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and ginger and fry for another 2 minutes.

Pour in the sauce mixture, 3 cups of water and the prepared potatoes. Bring to boil for 10 minutes.

Add in the carrot, onion and cover with lid. Boil for another 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the cellophane noodles and boil for another 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in the spring onions, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, a dash of ground white pepper.

Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and more spring onions, if desired.

Happy Call Pan Recipe - Salmon with Lemon Caper Sauce

After a long day at work, I will often look forward to a sumptuous home-cooked dinner at home. Then again, I am too tired to wash up all the pots and pans that I've decided to come up with yet another 'one-pan recipe'. Using my trusted Happy Call Pan, I've easily cooked up a fish, an accompanying sauce and even grilled vegetables. I used broccoli here but you can always replace it with any vegetables (suitable for grilling) as you please! There! Simple, easy and only one pan to wash up after the meal!

Serves 1
Ingredients:

1 piece                             salmon fillet
1/2 tablespoon                 capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon                    butter
1 tablespoon                    lemon juice
1 tablespoon                    parsley leaves, chopped
1 cup                                broccoli florets, washed and drained
                                         sea salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

Heat the happy call pan on medium high heat. Season the salmon fillet with sea salt and black pepper.

Place the salmon on the pan skin side down. Close the pan and lock it. Flip over after 2 to 3 minutes and cook for another minute or so. The salmon should still be slightly pink in the middle. Remove and set aside.

With the fish oil in the pan, add in 1 tablespoon of butter, 1/2 tablespoon of capers and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Cook for a minute or two, add in the chopped parsley and pour the sauce over the salmon fillet.

With the same pan, add in the broccoli and close the pan, locking it. Cook for a minute and flip over and cook for another.

Serve the grilled vegetables with the fish and sauce.

Basic Rocket Salad

I know some of you may roll your eyes when you see this post. 'Everyone knows how to make a simple rocket salad!' you may say. Well then again, let's just post this up for those who unfortunately don't. Super simple, 10 seconds (or even lesser) is all it takes for a classic rocket salad.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 packet                                      washed rocket leaves
2 tablespoon                               extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon                               balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon                               shaved parmesan cheese

Method:

Mix all together and serve.

Pasta Puttanesca

I first tried this pasta a couple of years back, in a hotel that I was working in. My Italian chef told me that this pasta is also called 'prostitute' pasta as it was made using groceries bought from a particular street (when the market is closed) where the prostitutes work. Made using basic ingredients such as olives, capers, tomatoes and anchovies, this is apparently a true classic recipe from Italy. I had some leftover rocket leaves and so I added them in too. Unfortunately I didn't manage to get fresh parsley and so I substitute it with dried version instead but please do include the former if you have some on hand.

Ingredients:

1 packet                         dried spaghetti
1 can                              crushed or chopped tomatoes
2 fillet                            anchovies
1 tablespoon                  olive oil
2 cloves                         garlic, minced
1/4 cup                          black olives, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoon                  capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon                  dried red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon                     dried oregano
1 tablespoon                  dried parsley or 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
                                      parmesan cheese

Method:

Cook the dried spaghetti in salted boiling water according to packet instruction.

Heat a skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add in the minced garlic and anchovies and stir with a spatula, ensuring that the anchovies are fully melted.

Add in the capers, chopped olives, dried red pepper flakes, dried parsley and dried oregano. Stir fry for about 2 to 3 minutes before pouring in the can of chopped tomatoes. Bring to boil and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.

Serve with the cooked spaghetti and parmesan cheese.

Braised Pork Trotters in Vinegar 猪脚醋

My mum has been super zealous about my blog these days. She's been buying home tons of fresh ingredients from the wet market and have been urging me to learn new recipes from her to post them on the blog. At times, she will even comment on how I can improve the presentation of my dishes so that it will look more appealing to the readers! Today's recipe was of course her idea and was done under strict supervision. After all, she does have a reputation of being a good cook in the family.

Serves 5

Ingredients:

2                            whole pork trotters, chopped into smaller pieces
2                            whole old ginger, smashed
1                            whole young ginger, smashed
2 tablespoons        sesame oil
500ml                    sweet dark rice vinegar
2 large                   rock sugar
2 cups                    water
5                            hard boiled eggs (optional)


Method:

Heat a huge stock pot of water to boil. Add in the pork trotters and boil for 5 minutes. Drain away the water and rinse the pork trotters with cold running water for about a minute. Strain and set aside.

In another pot, heat up 2 tablespoons of sesame oil on medium high heat. Add in the smashed ginger and fry till fragrant.

Add in the pork trotters and stir them for about 5 minutes.

Pour in the vinegar and water and bring to boil. Lower heat and add in 2 large pieces of rock sugar. Simmer for about 1 hour or until the pork trotters. Add in some peeled hard boiled eggs, if desired.