Fried Mee

Fried Mee (Mee refers to yellow noodles) is a common Malaysian food served in almost all Malay and Chinese stalls. The ingredients and cooking method varies according to available ingredients and preference. The one I cooked this morning is a simple version using only basic ingredients. To make it more special, you can add fish balls/cakes, bigger size prawns, beef, fried soya cake (tauhu) and anything else that possibly can go with it.

INGREDIENTS:
1 kg Yellow Noodles / Mee
10 Shallots

4 tbsp Oil

3 cloves Garlic
2 spoon Chilli paste
200g Chicken meat
200g shelled Shrimps
½ cup (more/less to taste) Sweet Soya Sauce
½ cup (more/less to taste) Chilli Sauce
1 stalk Mustard Leaves
1 small bowl Bean Sprout
1 tbsp Salt
¼ tsp MSG (optional)
1 stalk Spring Onion + Chinese celery - chopped

METHOD:
1. Slice 5 shallots thinly & fry until crispy. Dish up.

2. Pound the remaining shallots and garlic.
Fry in the same oil in 1. above until fragrant.
Add in chilli paste & continue frying until fragrant.
Add in chicken meat & shrimps.
Add in chilli sauce, soya sauce, salt & MSG & continue stirring.
(If you want moist fried noodle, add in 1/2 cup water)
Add in mustard leaves, stir & followed by noodles.
Stir until noodles are evenly coated with sauce.
Add in bean sprout & stir well.
Lastly add in fried shallots & chopped spring onion+celery.

3. Serve with sliced chilli or chili pickles.

Fried Ginger Beef

Fried Ginger Beef & Kailan are compatible dishes but herewith I'm sharing only the beef recipe, assuming that everyone knows how to cook vegetables.

INGREDIENTS:

250g Beef - sliced thinly

3 tbsp Oil

1tsp Black Pepper corns*

1 tsp Fennel seeds* (*pounded)

2 inches Ginger - sliced like matchstick

2 cloves Garlic - sliced thinly

1/2 Big Onion - sliced into 1/2 ring shape

1 Red/Green Chilli - sliced

1 tbs Oyster sauce

1tbsp Sweet Soya sauce

1 tbsp Salty Soya sauce

1 Tomato - cut 6

METHOD:

1. Boil or pressure cook beef until tender.

2. Heat up oil & fry pounded ingredients until fragrant.

Add in ginger, garlic, big onion & chilli & stir fry for a while.

Add in beef, oyster sauce, soya sauce & tomato.

Dish up

Baked Creamy Pasta

This delicious baked pasta is so easy to prepare and suitable for any occassion. Try this recipe of mine:

INGREDIENTS:
200g Spiral Pasta - boiled until tender & drained

2 tbsp Oil

2 cloves Garlic - chopped

1 Red Chilli
1 cup cubed Chicken meat
A bit of dried Parseley and Basil
1 can Campbell creamy Mushroom Soup
1 cup water
Shredded Cheese (Mozarella/Cheddar)
Parmesan Cheese

METHOD:
1. Heat up oil & fry garlic and chilli until fragrant.
Add in chicken & stir for a while.
Add in mushroom soup & water.
Sprinkle some dried parseley & basil.
Boil & off the heat.

2. Mix cooked pasta & the creamy chicken/mushroom mixture.
Pour 1/2 of pasta into a greased casserole and sprinkle shredded cheese.
Top with the remaining pasta.
Sprinkle with shredded cheese and finally parmesan cheese.

3. Grill for 10 minutes until golden top.

Steam Pomfret Thai Style

Pomfrets are suitable for steaming but make sure you use fresh ones. Another point to remember is do not overcook or steam the fish too long otherwise the fish will be chewy. You need to test your steamer to get the perfect timing. I used Osimo steamer which always guarantee my fish is cooked within 10 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:
1 large Pomfret or your preferred fish
1 Kasturi Lime
1 inch Ginger - pound & squeeze juice
1 Lemon Grass - sliced
1 Ginger Bud - sliced thinly
3 Bird-eye Chillies - sliced or knocked slightly
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Nampla / Fish sauce
1 tsp Cornflour - add with few tbsp water
1 piece soft Taufu - cubed (I did not put in the above)
2 Kaffir Lime leaves - sliced finely
Corriander leaves & Spring Onion - chopped
Salt & Pepper

METHOD:
1. Rub fish with salt & pepper.
Squeeze ginger and lime juice on it and rub evenly.

2. Place the fish in a container.
Put the rest of ingredients on it.
Add a bit of water to the amount of your preference. I usually put about a cup of water as my children love it soupy.

3. Steam for 10 minutes or until the fish is just cooked.
Tip: Make sure the water is rapidly boiling before steaming.
Serve immediately with white rice.

Chilli Fish ( Ikan Masak Sambal )

Chilli Fish is a very ordinary Malay dish in the Peninsular Malaysia and yet remains popular all the time. It goes well with white rice or Nasi Lemak. You can substitute any kind of deep fried fish in the recipe. The recipe is the same recipe I used to cook any chilli dish but adjust the dryness accordingly. The one above is coked little bit wet.

This Bitter Gourd Salad is my favourite and such an appetiser....emmmhhh (not bitter enough for me....!)

Dabai, also called Sarawak Olives, are unique fruits found in Sarawak. It tastes very creamy and delicious appetiser! Soak in warm water & it will soften after a while. Sprinkle a bit of salt when served.

Herewith a standard chilli recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

3 Fish

½ tsp Turmeric powder

4 tbsp Cooking Oil

½ bowl Chilli paste

5-6 Shallots*

1cm Belachan* (*blend/pound together)

½ tbs Tamarind + 3 tbsp water

1 Large Onion - sliced into thick rings

Salt & sugar to taste

A pinch of MSG (optional)

METHOD:
1. Spread fish with a bit of salt & turmeric powder.

Deep fried until cooked. Lift into a plate.

2. Heat cooking oil in a wok & fry chilli paste & pounded shallots until fragrant.

Add in tamarind juice & enough water to your preferred consistency.

Add in large onion ring & cook for a while.

3. Either add in fish into the cooked sambal or pour sambal onto the fish in the plate.

Serve with white rice or Nasi Lemak.