Category: Chinese

Bedok : Mini Food Paradise

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Jalan Tua Kong Lau Lim Mee Pok
308 Bedok Road (Simpang Bedok)
Bedok Shopping Complex
Closed on Mondays

We were going to East Point to collect mummy’s specs and decided to find something to eat near the area. We headed to Bedok! (: And boy was I glad we did! We found where the famous Jalan Tua Kong Mee Pok is! You see, Paul and Peggy have been talking about this place for the longest time, and after trying their chilli (which can be bought from there), I had to try this place. It was THAT good. (:

when you do visit this place, be prepared to wait. There is ALWAYS a crowd! We were there at almost 3pm and it was still crowded!

we ordered the small bowl of noodles ($3) and it was just nice for us, but I think for the big boys, they would need the bigger bowl ($4).

it was SO GOOD. (: loved every single bit of it! The noodles were cooked to perfection and they really gave heaps of meat for such a small bowl!

it came with a bowl of soup which was really tasty! yes i know, I only got good things to talk about this time. (:

Esther’s Pot Mini Soon Kueh
348 Bedok Road Bedok Market Place
#02-25/26 Singapore 469560

we also went to get mini soon kuehs! It has been my favourite since I was really little. Dad use to buy it for me on his way home from work, cause he knew I like them! hehe yes. I was always a daddy’s girl. hehe. This time, for the first time, I went there with my parents.

Esther’s Pot Mini Soon Kueh. Even better than I remembered it to be.

it’s only as big as a saucer! (:

I should do this more often. Going to areas in Singapore that I seldom go to and try their food there!

Now, I’m craving for prata. haha have been for a really long time! haha. Recommendations anyone?

Guest Post : My Baby !

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One of the people who inspires me to cook and bake is no doubt my baby

and of course he himself is a chef! hehe and when he cooks, the food is just awesome! hehe

some of his famous dishes are his crispy skin pork that my family adores, his chicken rice, and of course during chinese new year, his big treasure pot! (: There are alot more, so stay tuned for more in the future! hehe

so a week ago, while walking and shopping for groceries at Woolworths, we saw yam selling cheap! so baby decided to get a relatively big one and make steamed yam cake!

so what is steamed yam cake? it’s a local delicacy back home in sunny Singapore and is usually enjoyed as morning snacks or even for breakfast with rice rolls and a special sweet sauce. This savoury snack is always enjoyed in my house as well as in baby’s household and his grandma makes the best ones I heard (: It’s made of cubed yam and rice flour and is denser than the steamed carrot cake (and my mummy makes a mean carrot cake which I miss so much), and is topped with spring onions, fried shallots, chilli and dried shrimps! I had it for breakfast this morning and it’s super yummy!

So try and make it and hope you will enjoy it as much we did! (:

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Tai Lok Meen (Hokkien Noodles)

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i had a craving for tai lok meen for the longest time.
and whenever i think about this noodles.
i think about my dad.
and how much he loves this.
or how he would rather sit in a coffee shop in KL while we shop
just so he could order a plate of the best tai lok meen ever.
and slowly enjoy it for the night.
it makes me smile. and it makes me wanna spend more time with my family (:

so i’ve been looking around and I found the recipe on my love.my food
and it looked really yummy.
i went to BoxHill to buy the ingredients
and got down to cooking it for dinner tonight!
and boy was I a happy girl.
it wasn’t as yummy as the one in KL
but it was YUMMY enough! hehe
We enjoyed it so much we almost finish the whole pot. haha

so here’s the recipe!
give it a go cause it was really easy to cook it.
and it was really yummilicious!

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Prawn Paste Chicken Drumlets

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after my last paper.
I just wanted to cook something nice
so I went to BoxHill and walked around waiting for inspiration to hit me
haha. so….
I saw drumlets and they were going cheap!
and then it hit me that I really miss having some prawn paste chicken

Prawn paste chicken is something I always had at the zhi char back home
haha so it was quick and easy decision.
I went to get a bottle of prawn paste and scooted home!

and it turned out quite well!
and boy was it yummy hehe
and trust me. after not sleeping enough
this was so easy to make
you could do it in a jiff and have dinner served before you know it!

so here’s the recipe (:
Hope you guys would enjoy it as much as we did!

Ingredients :

15 drumlets
1 tablespoon of prawn paste
1 tablespoon of chinese cooking wine
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
2 tablespoon corn flour
Pepper

Oil for deep frying

Steps :

1. Marinade the drumlets with all the other ingredients for at least ah hour.

2. Heat the oil in a deep dish on medium heat.

Tip : To make sure the oil is hot enough, dip the tip of a chopstick
and when you see bubbles, the oil is ready for deep frying.

3. Deep fry the drumlets till there are golden brown.
Do make sure the oil is not too hot, or else it will brown before it’s cooked!

We had some mince pork in the fridge.
so we rolled them into balls
and coated them with the prawn paste liquid left over from the drumlets
and fried them as well
and they were absolutely divine! (:

ENJOY!

Malaysian Coconut Butter Prawns

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I must admit, mine is just butter prawns.
cos I don’t have coconut anywhere in the house. haha
and I wanted to whip up something quick and yummy.
so I didn’t bother going down to the convenience store to get coconut.

we bought these really fresh and large tiger prawns from Woolworths recently.
and cause we haven’t had seafood for the longest time.
I could not wait to cook these huge-little things. hehe
and looking through Rasa Malaysia (in the midst of doing my thesis)
I found this recipe!
and it was super yummmy!
and quick (which is key now during the midst of the crazy exams and thesis writing)
baby really liked it. hehe
so here is the recipe! ENJOY!

Malaysian Coconut Butter Prawns
(adapted from Rasa Malaysia)

1 lb large prawns (washed, deveined and patted very dry)
3 tablespoons butter
6 bird’s eye chilies (chopped, seeds removed)
3 sprigs of curry leaves (leaves only) (I left this out)
3 stalks of scallions (I used coriander instead)
3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 cup of grated coconut (I left this out)
3 tablespoons Cognac (or brandy) (didn’t put this either!)

Steps :

1.  If you do have the grated coconut
toast the coconut:  In a dry, nonstick skillet, toast the coconut until golden brown.

2. Fry the prawns: In a large saute pan or wok, heat 2T cooking oil on high heat.
When smoking, add the prawns.  Cook only half way.  Timing depends on size of your prawns.
When they just start to change color, remove and set aside.

3. Stir-fry: In same pan or wok, you should have some cooking oil left over. If not, add 1T.
When hot, add the curry leaves, scallions and garlic.
Fry for a few seconds until fragrant.
Add Cognac, butter, salt, sugar and soy.
Reduce just a bit – you should have a nice sauce that will coat the prawns.
Add the prawns back in the pan.  Fry until prawns are cooked through, timing depends on size of prawns.
Turn off heat, add the toasted coconut and immediately serve.

just go with rice. it’s awesomeeeee! (:

Bak Chor Mee (Mince Meat Noodles)

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this is a dish we always cook for a meal
cause it’s easy, quick and it’s super yums! (:
if you like the sourish taste of vinegar
with the punch from the chilli oil.
and the saltiness from the fried mince meat.
this is the dish for you!
it sure is ours. haha. baby was very happy tonight!

it has many different steps to it.
and yes, preparation takes a while.
but when you are cooking it.
you can get it on the table very quick! (:
so here’s the recipe and I do hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did!

Ingredients :
(for 2-3 persons)

Fried Mince Meat :

250g mince pork
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon of thick dark soy sauce (those you use for chicken rice!)
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
6/7 pieces of button mushroom (from the can), sliced thinly

Stewed Mushroom :

6 dried chinese mushroom
1 tsp olive oil
sliced ginger
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
hot water

Noodles :

100g rice noodles (or more, depends on how much you eat)
bean sprouts
6 fishballs
10 slices of fish cake
spring onion, chopped (optional)
1/2 tablespoon chilli oil
1/2 tsp oyster sauce
1 tablespoon black vinegar
A splash of fish sauce
Fried Shallots

Steps :

Fried Mince Meat

1. Heat the pan with the tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and fry till it just turns a slight tinge of brown.
Add the mince meat and fry till cooked. Remember to break it up to small pieces.
Add the different sauces and fry, on medium-low heat, till all the liquid reduces.
Stirring occasionally. Add the button mushroom till it’s incorporated.

2. You can cook this in advance, and pop it into the microwave to heat it up just before serving

Stewed Mushroom

1. Pour hot water over the dried chinese mushrooms and soak for 15 mins.
Do not throw the water left after you take the mushrooms out.
Squeeze out the water of each mushroom, and cut it into relatively thin slices.

2. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a heavy-based pan. Add the slices ginger and fry till tender.
Add the mushrooms and fry till fragrant.
Add the oyster sauce and a few tablespoons of water (from the mushrooms)
cook under medium-low heat and allow the mushrooms to absorb the liquid (plumping it up in the process)

3. Keep adding water (at least 2 more additions) and allow it to cook over low heat for at least 30mins.
so that it’s soft and tender. and bursting with flavour!

Noodles :

1. In a large bowl, put the chilli oil, oyster sauce, vinegar and fish sauce and mix till incorporated.

2. Boil the rice noodles according to the instructions on the packet
(Normally, I put the noodles in hot boiling water and scoop it up almost immediately
or else it will get too soft and will break into small pieces easily)

3. In another pot, boil the fishballs, fish cakes and bean sprout till they are cooked (takes about 5-8mins)

Plating it up :

1. Once the rice noodles are done, pour it into the bowl and mix it well with the sauces.
To make sure each strand is coated well with the sauces.
Place the fishballs, fish cakes and bean sprout on the noodles.

2. Put a few pieces of the stewed mushroom in the bowl and top everything up with the mince meat.
Sprinkle with fried shallots and spring onion.

ENJOY!!!!! (:

Hainanese Chicken Rice

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It’s Friday Night!
and Fridays always mean good food and good company (:
loads of laughter. bad movies on tv. haha
So this week. we decided to cook Hainanese Chicken Rice!
Cause it’s been so long since we got to taste it.
and thanks to ieatishootipost for posting up the recipe!
so we could have it all the way down under!

it was SOOOO good!
and I bought like a super HUGE chicken (2.5kg) haha.
cause I thought Jacky was joining us.
so we ended up having heaps of leftovers.
for lunch and dinner the next day!

so here’s the recipe!
I’ve edited a bit cause there are things we couldn’t get
but it was still YUMMY!
Hope you guys will enjoy it as much as we did!

Five Star Boss’s Homestyle Kampong Chicken Rice Recipe

Chicken :

1 whole Kampong chicken (I couldnt get Kampong chicken, so I just got free range)
70ml sesame oil
60ml light soy sauce
Pandan leaves
60ml concentrated chicken stock (I used stock cubes)
Sliced ginger
5 cloves chopped garlic
Chicken bones (I didn’t have this)

Rice :

Cooking Oil (I left this out cause already had chicken fat!)
Chicken fat
Salt
Shallot oil (I put fried shallots instead)
Pandan leaves

Chilli :

4 heaps tablespoons of Lee Kum Kee garlic chilli sauce
2 tablespoons Soup Restaurant’s Ginger paste
chicken broth

Steps :

For the chicken, bring a pot of water to boil,
making sure that there is enough water so that the entire chicken can be submerged.
Once the water is boiling, put all the ingredients listed above into the boiling water.
Next, dip the chicken into the boiling water and dip it a few times until the skin is cooked.
Once the skin is cooked, leave the chicken under the water to cook.
This is to ensure that the skin does not break.

The cooking time is about 30 minutes for a 1.5kg chicken (So we cooked our 2.5kg chicken for 50mins).
Ensure that the water be kept just below the boiling point during the entire cooking process.


(the chicken was too huge to fit into our other only pot available! haha)

Once chicken is cooked, put the chicken immediately into cool water for a few minutes.
This will stop the cooking process and ensure that the meat will remain tender and the skin crunchy.

To cook the rice, combine the concentrated chicken stock
and the other ingredients listed above with enough water from the chicken broth to cover the rice.
The water level should be as per the normal levels for cooking white rice.
Cook the rice as per the normal method.

To prepare the chilli,
mix the ingredients listed above and put enough to the consistency you like.
You can add a squeeze of lime if you want.
I preferred mine without (:

Cut the chicken up into pieces.
and this is when you need a strong man to do it. haha
that’s my boy (:

the chicken was HUGE!
but it was cooked perfectly.
succulent and juicy!

so first you get the drumsticks and the wings out before you tackle the chicken breast!

just before you serve,
cut abit of spring onion and prepare the sauce to pour over the chicken

the sauce (optional but highly recommend) :

3 tablespoons of light soy sauce
2 splashes of maggi sauce
chicken stock

Just mix them altogether and pour it over the chicken.
REALLY good (:

YUMS! (:
oh yes. we boiled some chicken inerts in the stock which we cooked the chicken as well.
cause we are big fans!
and what is having chicken rice without the inerts? hehe

ENJOY everyone!

Three Cups Chicken (三杯鸡)

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Was surfing the web for inspiration for dinner tonight
and came across this on Rasa Malaysia
and boy do they have heaps of asian recipes!
and I came across the three cups chicken recipe.
and it reminded me of all the laughters we had in Taiwan with Haolin
with all their translations. haha
and this is really what it is called in english! haha
ah wells.

anyway. this was a big hit!
Baby loved it.
and the chicken breast was SO tender.
but the texture was like pork, according to baby
probably because of the baking soda.
and it tasted like pork. just with less fat! haha
so we found the cheaper alternative to lean pork!

so here’s the recipe!
hope u guys will enjoy it more than we do!



Ingredients :

1 lb. chicken (I used chicken breast)
6 slices peeled ginger (I used ginger paste)
6 cloves garlic (skin peeled)
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil (I used normal sesame oil)
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 1/2 tablespoon dark sweet soy sauce (Kecap Manis)
A big bunch of Thai basil leaves (I didn’t have this in the fridge so I just threw in two big handfuls of spinach)
1 tablespoon baking soda (to tenderize the chicken, optional)

I brought this over from Singapore. hehe
it’s super yummy!
and cause I didnt have fresh ginger.
I decided to use this instead (:



Steps :

1. Marinate the chicken with baking soda.
Set aside for 10 minutes before rinsing the chicken off with water.
Make sure the baking soda is completely rinsed off.
Cut the chicken breast into large chunks.
Pat dry the chicken pieces and set aside.

2. Heat up a claypot on high heat and add the sesame oil.
Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry until aromatic.

3. Add in chicken and do a few quick stirs.
Add soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and continue to stir-fry the chicken.
Cover the chicken and lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Add the spinach leaves and stir well with the chicken, cover to cook for 10-15mins.
Serve immediately with rice.

5. Three cups chicken. DONE! (:
Quick and easy!

YUMMILICIOUS! (:

Olive Rice with Cashews

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since baby and I were both home for lunch today
and we wanted something quick and simple
cos I had assignments to do
and baby had an online lesson plus studying for his mid sem test.
so i decided to wipe up a simple dish!

Olive Rice with Cashews and a side of Fried Egg with Prawns

I brought a few bottles of preserved olive vegetable
cause I wasn’t sure if you could get it from the Asian Supermarkets here.
they should! so just try looking for it. (:

There was a request from my nut that I put up easy chinese food recipes.
and I thought it wouldn’t be that bad an idea.
though some ingredients are added not using any measurements.
but in chinese cooking.
you add the sauce according to the taste u prefer!
so hey! (:
it’s free-lance cooking
if you would like to call it that. haha

so here is the recipe! ENJOY!

Ingredients :

Olive Rice with Cashews

1 cup of rice (brown or jasmine)
200g pork mince
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tablespoon chinese cooking wine
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
pepper
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
3 tablespoon of preserved oilve vegetables (the bottle above)
a handful of cashews, lightly roasted

Fried egg with Prawns

3 eggs
6 medium to large prawns, peeled and devein and cut into small pieces
1 tsp sesame oil.
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
pepper


Steps :

1. Marinate the mince pork with oyster sauce, light soy sauce, pepper, chinese cooking wine and sesame oil.
Cook a cup of rice (according to instructions)

2. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil and fry the garlic till it is about to turn golden.
Fry the marinated mince till it’s brown.
Add the preserved olive vegetables and stir-fry till it coats the mince relatively well.
Add the dark soy sauce and fry till it is almost dry.

3. When the rice is almost done,
pour the olive and meat mixture into the rice pot.
Give it a good stir and cover the lid, allowing the rice to cook further.

4. In another frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the prawn till cooked (3-4 mins).
Add the fish sauce and fry a little longer.

5. Crack the 3 eggs into a bowl and add the light soy sauce and sesame oil.
Beat well and make sure everything is incorporated.

6. Add the egg and allow it to fry on one side like an omelette till the underside is brown.
Turn it and using a spetula, break the egg up into small pieces.
Fry for another 5 mins on medium heat.
Set to one side.

7. Serve the olive rice with roasted cashews and the fried egg. DONE! (:

Three Emperor Egg

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Did a few things that was my first try today.
just felt like doing something new (:
and i did.

been looking and reading blogs.
both cooking and baking ones.
and found quite a number of things i wanna make and bake!
just gets my stress or like emotions away.
away from myself.
which is good. and therapeutic (:

SO! hehe
today i made this dish for dinner called
Three Emporer Egg. haha.
sounds profound. but it’s super easy! hehe
and it has everything my baby likes.
so i thought of giving it a try.

4 normal chicken eggs
1 century egg
1 salted egg
1/2 cup water
1 pinch of white pepper

Methods :

1. Fill a large pot of water and bring it to boil (or if you have your own methods of steaming, please use it!)
2. Beat all the chicken eggs with the water in a bowl. (water makes the egg smoother and lighter)
3. Add the century egg, salted egg and pepper and stir well.
4. Steam is for about 15 mins and shake the bowl to see if it’s ready.
If the egg is wobbly but firm, then it’s ready to be served. If not, put it in for 5 mins intervals.
5. Before serving, drizzle a bit of sesame oil and a good dash of soy sauce.
Sprinkle some fried shallots (or very fine fried ginger).

it turned out pretty good! i must say. hehe
Lester really likes it. so I am really glad (: