Childhood flavors - Wantan et. al.

One thing I love about Malaysia is the fact that food is in abundance 24/7. It's a known fact that Malaysians eat all day and their favorite past time is also, eating. All that pot belly has to come from somewhere since Sin tax for alcohol is rather high in that country.

Anyway, I would like introduce you to two of my favorite side walk hawker food from Penang. I know everyone raves about the awesome seafood (me included), the curry noodles, Laksa, Hokkien mee and char kuey teows but I rave about the wantan noodles in Penang.
When I was a little girl running around barefoot in my grandparents' abode, i remember my grandmother carrying her rattan basket as she walks to the wet market early in the mornings. I was asleep most of the time when she heads out but I am almost always awake to catch her walking back with fresh produce and breakfast for everyone. She would either buy Bah Cheang Kueh (a crispy pancake filled with peanuts, creamed corned and sometimes grated coconut) or Wantan noodles back. And as a child, those foods left a deep impression on me ...up till today.

There was nothing sweeter than the bah cheang kueh dripping with rich butter and cream corn hot on my hands. I just loved every bite of it and my grandmother would vicariously live through my eating of the pancakes because poor grandma had diabetes. Since she passed away i haven't really had good Bah Cheang Kuehs, at least not exactly as I remembered it. Maybe tastebuds changed as we grow older, nevertheless I still crave that orgasmic sweetness of my first Bah Cheang Kueh.
However, I did find wantan mee that is sort of a replica of the ones my grandma brought back years ago. The noodle is translucent and bouncy to the bite. The sauce is dark enough with a hint of bitterness that is just proportionate to its sweetness. I said it sort of replicate the one I had years ago from the market because its wantan is not deep fried.
This wantan dish hails from the corner of Heong Giam Si temple, which incidentally is where both my grandparents ancestral tablets are resting.


I am afraid I don't know an exact address except the sidewalk hawker is right next to this temple. There is a primary (or was it secondary school) opposite this temple though. Hm... this is definitely one of those cases where I know how to get there but I don't know the address.

Fettuccine Bolognese

Bolognese is perhaps the simplest, most beloved pasta sauce of all time. Very simply, it is the simplest sauce that is equally hearty and fulfilling. It's especially convenient for students or busy working adults alike, who would like to eat something really quick to ease hunger. Easily, you can also make this a very elegant meal. The trick is in the presentation.

All you need for a Bolognese sauce is marinara sauce, some minced meat and, but optional, red wine. You can save the red wine for those special moments where you have time to wait until the sauce simmers down a notch for that rich tasting velvet in your mouth.

But, this will be the easy peasy method for the busy bodies.

Fettuccine Bolognese - Simple version
(this recipe feeds 1 hungry person)

Pasta:
1 bundle of dry Fettuccine, with a diameter of 2.5cm
1 tbsp of salt
6 cups of water

Sauce:
2/3 cup marinara sauce - store bought ones are fine
100grams of minced chicken (preferably thigh and breast meat combined)
2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 tbsp of olive oil

Method:
1. Put 4 cups of water and salt into a large pot until it starts to boil fiercely. Put your dry Fettuccine in to cook. Stir occasionally. It will need approximately 8 minutes.
2. In the mean time while the pasta is cooking, heat your pan with 1tbsp of olive oil and once the pan is hot, add your minced meat in. Saute, for 2minutes or until the meat looks semi-opaque and add garlic.
3. Pour in your marinara sauce, and let the mixture come to a simmer.
4. Your pasta should be about done by now, so while your sauce is cooking drain your pasta and maybe save a few tablespoons of pasta water on the side.
5. Add the cooked pasta into the simmering sauce and stir to combine nicely. If the pasta looks a bit too dry, add a few tablespoons of pasta water. Mix until the sauce and pasta combines well and serve with a nice crusty bread.


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The elegant velvety version of Bolognese sauce

Sauce:
1.5 cup marinara sauce - store bought ones are fine
100grams of minced beef
100grams of minced veal/chicken
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup of red wine (Anything below $11 and above $8 per bottle is decent for cooking, don't use anything you wouldn't drink- a very important tip. Serve the rest of the bottle with the meal)
2 tbsp of olive oil

Method:
1. While the pasta is cooking, heat your pan with 2tbsp of olive oil and once the pan is hot, add your minced meats in. Saute, for 2minutes or until the meat looks semi-opaque and add garlic.
2. Pour in your marinara sauce, and let the mixture come to a simmer.
3. After that, add your wine and let the sauce simmer down to half. It will take approximately 5 minutes on medium high heat. Simmer a bit longer if the sauce is too watery for your liking.
4. Your pasta should be done, so while your sauce is still cooking drain your pasta and maybe save a few tablespoons of pasta water on the side.
5. Add the cooked pasta into the simmering sauce and stir to combine nicely. If the pasta looks a bit too dry, add a few tablespoons of pasta water. Mix until the sauce and pasta combines well.

Serve by first plating the noodles and then top the rest of the sauce on top so that it looks ponzi and pretentious like you've spent forever in the kitchen preparing this. Smear some flour on your forehead to impress. ;P

Useful tip: Always use pasta water to thin the sauce if it gets too dry while cooking.

My header image is missing

I don't really know what happened but after that Tanjung Tokong crab post, my header image just went missing! I tried going to the layout to check it out and everything *seemed* to be fine except that my header won't show.

Argh...*goes elbow deep in html grease again*
&^$#$%@%!


**edit: Found a temp solution till someone from HELP center in blogger helps. It's such an irony that the help center rarely helps anyone.

Crabs at Tanjung Tokong, Penang

Of all the places I've eaten crabs, nothing beats the sweetness of the crabs in Tanjong Tokong, Penang. It's the taste that makes you crave. And almost always, the aftermath of eating seafood here is never pretty:The restaurant situated on Tanjung Tokong bay next to a Tua Peh Kong Temple is no stranger to the locals and history buffs alike - reason being that the age old temple used to be a meeting place for one of the famed Chinese gangs Ghee Hin/Hai San. Well, I may not be a pro with the history in that area, I'm only writing what one of my uncles told me years ago. But as you drive, you'll be welcomed by a the temple's big gate:

This eatery has a name but the locals wouldn't know it by it's fancy, albeit misguided, Anglo-fied name, Sea Pearl Lagoon Cafe, it's just Hai Choo Hooi to most of them really.
And I MUST eat their seafood whenever I am back in Penang. There is really only two things that I really like here - their coal-baked crabs and salt-baked prawns. They do have other methods of prep for these shellfish as well as other seafood. But those two are the ONLY dishes worth their salt, in my humble opinion.









Ambiance wise, don't expect any fine-dining finesse. Someone once asked me about the interior decor of the place and I said "What interior decor?". It's al-fresco, Penang-style, with metal stools and metal table under huge rain trees and a salty breeze from the sea. Your waiters/waitress are probably the first generation owners of this place, hurriedly clearing the empty shells, bowls and spills off tables so the next customer can be entertained - the cycle then repeats itself. Nothing fancy but location wise is charmingly idyllic, none the less.

But back to the star attraction, there is something about the taste of the crab's flesh in this eatery. It's the method of preparation which is just a simple baking procedure over hot coals, probably. The sweetness of the crab's flesh and the smoky undertone of its flavor is unlike any other I've tasted. As you can see, there is nothing fancy with these crabs.


Black burned bits, salty sweet flesh and oozing with crab roe you must lick and suck to savor all its goodness - simple and yet delightful. The prawns are baked in salt on top of charcoal as well, which imparts its flesh with a smoky sweetness.Sigh, I'm drooling just thinking about it. The aftermath of such a delectable affair is never pretty but it is necessary. How else do you leave your mark of victor after tackling such a delectable meal? You're not allowed to throw the shells off the balcony anyway.

Eating is my family's past time, as it is for many other Malaysian families as well. Food is the glue that keeps us together and united. Seafood in Tanjong Tokong is my family's annual pilgrimage. I just thought I'd share it with you guys. I do highly recommend you to try their crabs and shrimps, coal-baked, if you're ever in Penang (address below), it's one of those few places in Penang where you can eat great seafood for a pretty good price - RM48/kg for crabs. Okay, okay, maybe it's not very "cheap" to the locals but paying for quality is fair game. :)


Contact Info: Sea Pearl Lagoon Cafe, Penang
Address (because I want you all to go):
338 MK 18, Tanjung Tokong,
Penang 10470.
Malaysia
Phone: +60 4 899 0375
Neighbourhood: Northern Coast

Kerabu Bok Nee (Nyonya -style Black Fungus Salad)

When I wrote Burnt and Alive, I said for Chinese Reunion Dinner, my mom wanted to make Nyonya Style Nasi Ulam to accompany the dinner. But all that changed when my dad's eldest brother invited us to have reunion dinner with his family, so the idea of making Nasi Ulam was scraped. I did however get the opportunity to eat Kerabu Bok Nee (Nyonya-style Black Fungus Salad) in Penang.

I was looking forward to making the Nasi Ulam and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed when we couldn't. We were planning to go back to Penang on the 2nd day of CNY. To cook and clean on the first few days of CNY is taboo, of course, because according to Chinese traditions, we wouldn't want to wash the luck and prosperity away.

But back in Penang, my 5th grandaunt had already planned to cook a huge feast for all our immediate family members. The gesture was a real gem because she IS a wonderful Nyonya cook - her food is like a mirror to my late grandmother's, her older sister, except maybe a bit healthier. Anyway one of her dishes was Kerabu Bok Nee. It's been years (I think almost 10 years or more) since I've tasted this kerabu dish and hers was excellent. I got the recipe from her, of course. How could I not? It's a keeper. :)

You will note that preparation is more tedious than the actual assembly time. Like all good food, give it a bit of love and patience. You'll be rewarded splendidly :D






Kerabu Bok Nee recipe:

50grams black wood-ear fungus (bok nee), soaked for 10mins and cleaned off all dried/hard bits.




Dressing:
2 tbsp sambal belachan (Sriracha chili + a bit of fish sauce sauce can be a good substitute )
3 tbsp calamansi lime (normal green lime works as well)
2 tbsp Sugar, or to taste
1 tsp Salt, or to taste
150 grams of shallots, peels and sliced thinly length-wise
4 tbsp ginger flower/bunga kantan, finely sliced
2 tbsp of toasted grated coconut, pounded
1 fresh red chillies, de-seeded, diced finely
300 grams of chicken breast, steamed to cook and shredded

Assembly:

1. Combine the ingredients for Dressing starting with the liquids into a big bowl. Mix well.
2. Add black fungus and shredded chicken into the bowl and again toss until it is well combined.

You can eat the salad as it is. It's very refreshing and crunchy, I love the combination of texture and aroma a lot. Or you can eat it with rice and a dollop of sambal. You can double/triple/quadruple the recipe safely too.

Teasers of more to come!

These are some of the pictures of the food I took on my trip back home!

Otak-Otak!

Seafood in Tanjung Tokong

Dinner at my grandaunt's.

Street food in Penang

Steamboat

And mishmash of other good stuff!

As you can see, my camera's cables are back. Finally, I can take pictures of my kitchen escapades again. That is if I am not too flanked by stuff outside the kitchen.

Lor Bak recipe like grandma's

During Chinese New Year, I almost died from eating so much food! Well, not literally. It was a lot of food. But first, I am gonna share with you a very delicious Lor Bak recipe from my grandaunt. She's a pro when it comes to making Nyonya fares, after my grandmother (who is the guru) passed on, we go to her sister for great Nyonya fare.

Usually, the reunion dinner is special because we'd have Lor Bak (meat with five spice spring roll), Joo Hoo Char (dried cuttlefish with jicama stirfry), Sio Bak, Sio Ark, Sio Keh (roast pork, roast duck, roast chicken all in that order), Nyonya Chicken Curry, Hu Peow soup (fish maw soup), fresh steamed fish, loh hon chai and several other dishes that is varied every year. But the ones listed above is a staple during our reunion dinner. I know it's a lot even for 12-15 people.

So during my CNY reunion dinner with my family, we had steamboat (hotpot) and Lor Bak on the sides while we waited for the soup to boil. I made it using a recipe that's age old in our family and while it didn't actually LOOK like my grandma's Lor Bak, it sure tasted like it. One reason why it didn't look like the original is because I didn't wrap it tight enough. Pfft.


But here's the recipe for Lor Bak:
Originally, people use pork as the filling but my grandmother and grandaunt switched to chicken decades ago for health reasons. I'm used to the chicken version but you can go ahead and use pork tenderloins in replacement :)

Bean curd skins, cut into 5x4 inch squares (for wrapping), you would need about 20 sheets.

500gram chicken breast fillets
3 stalks of spring onion, chopped finely
1 shallot, chopped
1 cup of jicama bean, julienned into 0.5 cm thickness
1.5 tablespoon of good 5 spiced powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
a handful of crispy fried shallots (store-bought ones are fine and recommended for convenience sake)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped and sauteed in oil until golden brown (you want a bit of the crisp garlic and oil)
1 egg
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
2 tablespoon of cornstarch

Oil for deep frying

Method:
1. Heat oil until it is 300 degrees Fahrenheit. I prefer this temperature because the meat cooks as the spring roll turns golden brown evenly.
2. In a large bowl, combine ALL of the ingredients above except for the bean curd skins. Mix well. Let the chicken marinade for about 15-30 minutes.
3. With 1 sheet of bean curd skin, put in 2-3 fillet of chicken with a bit of the ingredients from the marinade. Wrap as you would a spring roll and be extra careful to roll it tightly so it doesn't open up while frying. To keep the bean curd skin together after rolling in the filling, dab your fingers in the marinate from the bowl and wet the ends of the bean curd sheet before sealing it off.
4. Repeat step 3 until all the filling is used up.
5. Deep fry the Lor Bak until it becomes crispy golden brown.
6. Let it cool a little bit before cutting.

Serve!

Great Thai Food in the Heart of Kuala Lumpur

Did you know that you could get really, really authentic Thai food in Kuala Lumpur? Yes, i know you probably know a few places that's rather posh and you pay for your peanuts and refreshments but this place is by the road side of the notoriously popular Jalan Alor, Kuala Lumpur.

It's right at the end of Jalan Alor, next to Nova hotel. A yellow sign that says:

And you're at the correct place.

I kid you not when I tell you that even Thais visiting KL come here to eat. When I tried the place out with my parents one fine evening, after walking around Jalan Alor and shopping around Bukit Bintang, I saw fleets of cars and FWDs in front of the place with number plates from Thailand. Where the Thais eat Thai food, the food must be good. And here I stand undefeated, by it's extremely spicy food, I live to tell the story that if you want awesome Thai cuisine, you must go to Ocean Food Court on Jalan Alor.

Don't let it's pompous notice board, which reads, " Thai Seafood Specialists" put you off. They're only being honest.

Thai Lime and Chili steamed Seabass

We ordered: Thai Lime and Chili steamed whole Seabass, Tom Yam Koong with very generous portions of big head prawns, belacan kangkong thai style and Som Tham (papaya salad), rounds of drinks because it was bleedin' spicy food and 3 rice.

The $ = RM62, which I thought was a very good deal since we had such a big fish and that many prawns to begin with. Everything at this place is authentic because 1) I saw them taking out that huge wooden mortar and pestle to pound the Som Tham 2) the tom yam broth is rich, lemak, sour, salty, undiluted with every bit of spices used visible and not to mention generous in portions, 3) the fish was fresh and flaky with an addictive limey spiciness made out of pounded bird's eye chili that makes you go back for more and more even though your mouth is burning away.

Tom Yam Koong

And if the Thai waitress asks if you want your Som Tham "mild, medium or hot", please say mild because their definition of medium is Malaysian's definition of extremely spicy. But whatever rocks your boat, just don't say I didn't warn you. :P

I would go back again if I had the time for their great Thai food because there are so many things I haven't tried yet on their menu. My stomach is just not big enough. :( But I would recommend this place to anyone who wants good Thai Food without all the frills and air conditioning. This is just good, wholesome Thai food by a person name Mook.

You will be sitting on the road side like all the other eateries along Jalan Alor, which gives a fantastic observatory view to the street life of Kuala Lumpur :)

*** of course, the definition of "good" is always subjective but I say give this place a try ;)

Acar Fish - Nyonya style pickled fish

I remember quite vividly of a curiously yellow dish on the table. Hands were dirtied and tainted yellow with the mix of rice and fish. A big dollop of sambal on the side of the plate and a satiated silence permeates the dining table.

Acar Fish was the order of the day, it's loaded with turmeric which gives it that distinct yellow color and a spicy acidic flavor from the vinegar used. It's a very simple recipe really, and a tasty one. My father loves this dish and would never fail to have at least a second helping when this is cooked.

I used smelt for this recipe because they were so fresh in the market when i bought them. I couldn't help it but get reminded of this pickled fish dish (Mind you, in Malaysia, you don't use smelt. It's a fish that looks like smelt though - i just don't know what it's called). So, I bought 6 smelts to make this dish.

**edit: My dad told me the fish they use in Penang is called "belanak" or "beranak" cos it's usually filled with eggs or something. Hmm...maybe it's a cousin of the smelt. AND apparently i have missed a very important step in making this fish: Drying it under the sun before the dry rub and frying. Crucial, apparently. But i made this during winter and there was no sun at 6pm in the evening :P SIGH... it tasted good though. I think i made up for the sun-bathing process by frying till it's crisp :D

I shall share this Nyonya recipe with you because it's just delicious with rice and I'm a generous girl ;)

Acar Fish recipe:
5 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
8 slices of ginger, thinly julienned
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
1/2 cup of white vinegar
1 tablespoons of sugar, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 cup of oil

1 teaspoon turmeric for marinating fish
salt and pepper
1 cup of Oil for frying.

Method:
1. Marinate your fish with some salt, pepper and turmeric powder for about 30 minutes--it's like a dry rub. You can prepare the other ingredients in the mean time.
2. Heat pan with 1 cup of oil on medium high. Once the oil is hot enough, if you have a cooking thermometer, reading should say 300F, fry your fish until it is crispy and golden brown.

Now the trick here is to fry the fish on medium high heat (turn the heat down to medium if it gets too hot) until the fish becomes crispy. You want to fry the water content of the fish away so that it will become a sponge for later cooking. This is how the fish will absorb all those flavors of ginger, turmeric and garlic. The vinegar cuts the oiliness and imparts a nice appetizing bite to the dish.

3. Once the fish is done, take it out of the oil and lay them on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.
4. On a different pan, heat with 1/4 cup of oil. Saute the garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add turmeric powder and vinegar in. It'll be splashy for a few seconds so be careful.
5. Add the fried fish into the pan and let it come to a simmer. Add salt, sugar to taste. Let the dish simmer for about 15 minutes and then serve.

This Acar Fish can last for a long while and it actually tastes better as time goes by. You can make a big batch of this and keep it refridgerated for weeks. But i doubt it'll last a week in the fridge - i'd eat it everyday ;)