Curry Chicken

Ingredients:

1kg chicken, cut into bite size pieces

4 tablespoons curry paste

250ml hot water

200ml coconut milk

4 potatoes, cut into wedges

5 Ladies Fingers
1 Eggplant

1 Onion (chopped)

2 tablespoons oil

1 tsp salt

Chili (depand on your own)

Methods:

1. Stir fried the onion with the cooking oil until it is softened and translucent.

2. Add in the chicken, stir fried for about 5 minutes

3. Once the chicken is browned, coated with the curry paste.

4. Add in ladies fingers, eggplant and potatoes. Stir for a minute.

5. Add in coconut milk, hot water, salt, and chili. 

6. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 15 - 20 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked.

Yam Bean "Popiah" 潮州薄饼

Popiah (Poh Piah), "thin pancake", is a thin paper-like crepe or pancake wrapper stuffed with a filling made of cooked vegetables and meats. When deep fried, the crispy roll is known as a spring roll, but if left raw it is known as popiah. For the popiah, the various ingredients are usually placed in small saucers for diners to mix and add according to their taste preferences. Usually Popiah is eaten as a snack or as an accompaniment to the main meal. Today, I spent my time with my family by making Popiah together. We enjoyed it with hot coffee during tea time.

Ingredients

20 pieces popiah skin

1 carrot

2 medium size yam bean (peeled)

100g cabbage

100g long beans, chopped

100g bean sprouts

50g onions & 1 tsp chopped finely

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp salt

4 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tsp ground black pepper

peanut butter (optional)

Methods:

1. Clean and shredded the yam bean, cabbage and carrot.

2.  Heat oil and fry garlic till fragrant.

3. Add all shredded and chopped vegetables.

4. Cook till vegetables turn soft., add salt and pepper.

Rolling the Popiah:

1. Place a piece of Popiah skin on a flat round plate.

2. Spread some peanut butter on the popiah skin (if desired), place two tablespoonfuls of filling on a piece of popiah skin.

3. Roll up neatly.

4. Serve immediately. (cut into 4 pieces for easier handling)

* Fried your popiah on a hot pan to for another different taste of popiah!

Ginger Chicken Soup

I am quite busy recently. Nearly 3 weeks I didn't update my food blog as heavy tasks wait for me to be done everyday. I'm almost exhausted after everyday works. So, I decided to cook myself a pot of  "chicken soup for my soul". :p Today, I'm too tired to prepare the traditional chicken soup with herbs. Far more than a seasoning, ginger is a nutritional supplement that is both new and old!

Ginger offers a multitude of other health benefits. It improves digestion, prevents and manages stomach ulcers, protects against symptoms of colds and flu, stimulates blood circulation, acts as an anti-inflammatory. Ginger can prevent colds and, if they already exist, it can reduce their symptoms and to speed recovery.

Ingredients:

1 2-inch piece old ginger

1/2 chicken

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp rice wine (optional)

Methods:

1. Wash and clean the chicken, cut into smaller pieces
2. Wash and cut the ginger into thin slices
3. Boil a pot of water (about 2L), add in chicken, gingers and salt once the water boiled.
4. Boil it under lower heat for 30 minutes.
5. Add the rice wine and it's ready to serve.

Steamed Lasagna Spring Roll

This is the first time I make my own spring roll (or should I call them dumpling?) I tried out something different from what others did traditionally, I used the lasagna sheets as spring roll wrappers.


For 2 serving:

Ingredients:

A:
100g minced pork
3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine
½ bunch of celery leaf (finely chopped)


B:
6 lasagna sheets
2 tbsp cooking oil
½ bunch of spring onion


Methods:


1. Mix every ingredients A well and cover them for 20 minutes so that the pork absorb and taste better.
2. Lubricate the cooking oil on your plate to avoid stickiness.
3. Get a tbsp of the mixture, roll them up with the lasagna sheet. Tied it using the spring onion.
4. After rolling all those spring roll, get them to steam under high heat for 20 minutes.

Making Fresh Pasta / Lasagna Sheets Without Pasta Maker

I love eating pasta and lasagna since I had my first bite during my uni life. Unfortunately Italian food is not cheap at my place. Recently I learn to make my own fresh pasta from flour and eggs in easy and inexpensive way, and the results are delicious. Thought I am tired after kneading the dough, I'm glad that finally I can have my own fresh pasta. :)

My 1st home made fresh pasta, too thick though :p

Ingredients:

500g of Flour

4 Eggs

Methods:

1. Add the flour in a big bowl, form a well.


2. Break the eggs into the well. 

3. Using your fingertips or a spoon, mix the flour into the egg, continue whisking, gradually drawing in the flour as you go until the dough becomes thick.

4. Turn the dough ball out onto a well-floured cutting board. Flour your hands as well. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, or until it becomes smooth. (To knead, push the dough away from you with the heel of your hand. Then fold it over on itself, turn it and repeat. You may have to add flour periodically through the kneading process).

5. To check if the dough is ready, press it with the tip of your finger. If it springs back, it means it has reached the desired texture. Let the dough rest in a bowl, Cover the bowl with a damp, but not wet, cloth to prevent drying for about 10 minutes.

6. Lightly flour a clean work surface and knead the dough for around ten minutes.

7. Divide the dough into several balls, roll out the first ball of dough using a rolling pin or a cleaned empty wine bottle until it is very thin, lightly flouring if necessary to avoid sticking.

8. Cut them into the shapes you like. As this is my 1st try, I cut them into simple shapes such as lasagna,  thin strips of flat pasta. 

9. Once dried, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes only. Serve immediately, either simply with a little olive oil and herbs, or with a suitable sauce. For lasagna, you just need an oven to get your delicious lasagna done.

It's very easy to make, and you can freeze them to save for later.