Belated Chinese New Year Dinner Post

Growing up, my grandma's menu for Chinese New Year has always been lontong/ rice rolls and its fixings. Oh, the memory I have. My grandma with her huge pot - she and her tiny frame of 5'1" could easily fit in the pot!! A week worth of cooking. She is about 80 now and still fixing up this dish for the New Year. So I thought, okay..let's do lontong this year!

Note: I sent her a photo of finish product and she giggled, chuckled and I think...sorta proud. Or so I hope.

It was lontong, lodeh (mixed vegetables in mild coconut milk gravy), tauco (sliced up chillies cooked in salted soy beans sauce), rendang (beef in spicy coconut milk), sambal kering kentang and a must of such dish, shrimp crackers to top it up. The trio lodeh, tauco and rendang will have their own designated posts soon.


And guess what was the hardest part of all? Frying up the sambal kering kentang! The fried potato stick thing. Three attempts!! I was so flabbergasted. I couldn't even bring myself up to ask my mom what I did wrong. She'd laughed her head off. Seriously. The spices was a cinch. My mistake was not frying up enough oil for the spices (I have a tendency to cut back oil to minimal)..and they all turned up clumpy.

Recipe for Sambal Kering Kentang:
- 1 kg potatoes, cut up like matchsticks, soak in water and drained thoroughly. Deep fry and set aside once crispy.
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 3 tbsp fried onion

Grind to paste:
- 8 small shallots
- 2 garlic
- 10 candlenuts
- 1 tbsp dried shrimp
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 10-15 red peppers (though I only throw in about 4, half of our guests can't stand much heat)

How:
- Heat about 4 tbsp oil and stir in spice paste, add vinegar and keep stirring until paste is somewhat dry up. Toss in fried potato sticks and fried onion. Stir and mix well with spices. Quickly turn off heat.
- Let cool before storing in a jar.

Mini chicken pies and curry puff as starters:


And it's only complete to serve some pineapple tarts with it:


I had to thank Lidia of 'Bianca's and Jordan's Mom' on her tips about whipping up pineapple jam/filling using canned pineapple!!! Oh what a time saving tip and less expensive too.

I have always wondered about using canned pineapple for these tarts but never tried it out, so when I heard she successfully did it. Why on earth would I spend time grating pineapple?? :D

Pineapple Tart:
What:
- 700 gr flour
- 100 gr sugar
- 500 gr butter
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 canned crushed pinapple
- sugar to add to pineapple jam
(My mom recipe calls for old way of measuring : 1 rice bowl of fresh grated pinapple + 1 rice bowl of sugar) *sigh* And that's what I did all the time before using this quicker simpler method of canned pinapple!!

How:
- Making the jam: Drained most of the juice from canned pineapple, leaving maybe just few tablespoons of it. Dump crushed pineapple to soup pot with medium heat on.
- Add sugar a little bit at the time. I forgot to measure how much I actually put in it. Hmm. But I am sure everyone has their preference in sweetness. I have always liked my jam/jelly on the tart side. I use hand blender to crush it some more. Then keep cooking until it reaches consistency of thick jam. Set aside and let cool.
- Making the tart dough: Beat sugar and butter until pale and creamy. Add in egg yolk, one at a time.
- Using hand/spatula, mix in flour and knead until it leaves the side of bowl.
- Take about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll to ball, make indentation in the center (like mini cup) and fill with pineapple jam. Gather back dough over jam and shape it back to round ball shape. Glaze with egg wash.
- I top mine with cloves - that is maybe the oldest method of making pineapple tart. Easy and sorta cute, no?
- Bake in 375 oven for about 30 minutes or until golden.

To end the night, some light fluffy cream puffs.

Hot Spicy Eggplants - Szechuan Style

I am not the type who get sick or feeling under weather easily. That said, I did have my own crazy drama few years ago. However, in general, it's rare to find me saying 'I don't feel too great today.' If you've seen those commercial of Energizer Bunny - well...I could be the twins of it. Rap rap rap, drumming the big drums.

Anyhoo, these past two days though...holycow..runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing sneezing sneezing - that's all I have been doing for the past 2 days. Just super bleh! Hate that feeling when you feel like you are about to sneeze but it's not happening...one second..two secs...three...four..come on...staring to the ceiling....wall. Not happening. Again and again. More teary eyes. Ugh!

There I was leaving my studio, hoping to hit home earlier today, juggling few bags and with my not so clear headed mind, somehow I walked pass my subway station. I don't even know how it happened. When I realized, I thought ..hm..either go to the next one or just walk back. Next one. Passed by this Chinese restaurant and runny nose aside, I can smell the familiar aroma of Chinese cooking. I was tempted to go in and order a take-out, which would involve waiting for 15-20 minutes and I don't want to be sneezing up (gross!!) while people are eating. And I don't want to be caught...squinting my eyes..staring at wall..waiting for the sneeze to come. More teary eyes.

So I hurried home!!! Chicken rice with its broth as soup sounds right for the night. I had to make a stop at grocers to pick up some ginger. Saw some Chinese eggplants...woohoo...hot spicy eggplants dish sounds like a winner. Sure it'll worsen up runny nose and teary eyes, but I convince myself that it is exactly what I needed - to clear up my nose and head.

What:
- 2 Chinese eggplants, cut lengthwise and then cut to 3" pieces.
- 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1" ginger, finely chopped
- 5 dried chillies, soaked
- 3 thai bird eyes chillies, chopped
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup chicken broth (water)
- 2 green onions, cut to 3" pieces
- 1 tsp sesame oil

How:
- Heat oil in pan and fry eggplant until it has nice golden brown color on it. Set aside. Pour out leftover frying oil to container, leaving just 1/2 tbsp in pan.
- Toss in garlic, ginger, green onions, dried and fresh chillies. Fry for few minutes.
- Add in all sauces (soy, hoisin, oyster). Stir and let it come to bubble. Pour in chicken broth. Gravy should thicken up a little bit. Cornstarch can be added if you like thicker gravy.
- Toss in eggplants. Quickly stir and mix with gravy. Cook for couple minutes. Turn heat off and then add sesame oil. Stir.

It's absolutely a hot and spicy dish and garlicky but oh..it was yum!! The mild flavor from chicken rice helped toning down the heat quite a bit.

'Steamed' Chicken Rice

This is my 'fake' but 'fool proof' chicken steamed rice dish that even my mom started to fix in her own kitchen. I seriously believe that she secretly adore all these shortcuts-modified recipes. She just doesn't want to admit it!!

Nasi Ayam - Chicken Rice is usually consist of white rice (cooked and steamed in chicken fat *oh, yum*, ginger, etc, etc) topped with delicious tender chicken cuts on it. But basically, it's all white. Back in hometown though, this 'not-white' version is just another stepchild of Chicken Rice.

In Malaysia, from what I've seen, it shares some resemblance to their ClayPot Chicken Rice. But anyhoo, the beauty of S.E.Asia living/ culinary is that everybody sort of have their own version of something. This recipe here is a spin-off duplicate of the one that I LOVE from my hometown. Street-hawker style. The texture of the rice is somewhere between the usual steamed rice and glutinous rice, sans its stickiness. Very fragrant and hearty.

I don't have a slight clue nor nosy enough to ask the vendor dude (which I usually do) about the process of making this particular chicken rice. But my grandma is forever known with her chicken rice. So, I did learn/ watch the other type (white ones) of chicken rice being prepared. The cooking method for the chicken itself is tedious as it is. Then, come the rice. Parboil the rice to certain way, then continue the cooking process by steaming it.

I adore the art of cooking and wholeheartedly believe that the old way of cooking is an art itself - one can be easily lost if not preserved. The thought, the labor involved - of love, of time, of earnest. So yes, though I diligently jot down step to step on how to fix chicken rice at its most authentic (at least, I think it is) and traditional way, I simply just do not have the patience nor the time. Like most of us these days.

I have a feeling that I will have to come back with new post one day for better measurement. To get the right consistency of this chicken rice - it takes some experiment. Also, different rice brands and origins, seem to have their own character. I use Thai Jasmine Rice - even that, there are dozens different brands out there. I think (?) there is somesort of unwritten rule about not peeking on your rice while cooking it. But, hah, in this recipe, peek and stir anytime - I lift the lid at least three time to make sure it gets to the right texture.

Also, I tend to use wings for this recipe - it just makes the rice so flavorful. With very minimal food science knowledge under my sleeve, I still believe (want to believe) there must be some serious explanation of why wings are better in this dish!! All the skins' flavor melting to the dish?! Or, simply some quirky personal taste that I developed along the years.

What:
- 1 1/2 cup rice
- 1 cup chicken broth (as start, then I added another 1/4 cup as it cooks)
- 4 whole wings (separate the wings, drummettes and tips - give them good whacked, basically cracking the bones)
- 3 tsp of grated ginger (depends on personal taste)
- 4 cloves of garlic (again, we love garlic)
- 6 dried chillies (optional, soak in water and let plumped)
- 4 dried chinese mushroom, soaked and chopped coarsely
- 8 button mushrooms, chopped coarsely
- pinch of sugar or, my preference, sweet soy sauce
- pinch of black pepper
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- green onions, for garnish

How:
- Heat pot with 2 tsp vegetable oil. Toss in ginger, garlic and chilies. Stir.
- Add in mushrooms. Stir. Add oyster, hoisin, soy, pepper and 1 tbsp of sesame oil. Stir.
- Toss in wings. Cook for a little bit, let it brown on the outside.
- Add in rice. Mix it well with everything.
- Pour in the broth. It should just barely cover the rice (at this moment).
- Cover with lid - heat should be in medium. Check after about 10 minutes. (I actually stir and fluff it). Broth should be all soaked up by now. Pour in extra broth and the 1 tbsp sesame oil.
- Check again after 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and just let it rest for few minutes. Pick the wings out and shred. Discard the bones and return the meat to the pot. Stir. Note: Rice should not at all be lumpy and soft. Neither fluffy like Biryani rice. Sorry!! It's such vague description, will absolutely post better one next time.
- I like to mold the rice in bowl - just like the the street hawkers do it. Usually in some red bowl, fill it up, pat and even down the rice, plop it onto a plate. Oh, some fried onions on top!!! Ooohhh.

edited** Nasi Tim Ayam - that's the correct name for this dish, not just Nasi Ayam. Thanks to Mochacholata Rita. :)

Pan Fried Pork and Chives Dumplings

What:
- 20 dumplings wrapper
- 2 cups ground pork
- bunch of chives, chopped
- 2 tablespoon chopped water chestnuts
- 1/4 cup finely chopped napa cabbage
- 1/2 inch grated ginger
- 1 clove grated garlic
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- soy sauce
- pepper

How:
- Mix everything together (except the wrapper) until well combined. Heat pan and spoon a small bits of the mixture to the pan - just to taste, whether it needs extra spices.
- Once it tastes right, start assembling the dumplings. Place spoonful of filling onto the center of wrapper, dab water/egg white around the edges of wrapper, fold and crimp. Usually there is some instruction at the back of wrapper package.
- Heat pan with 2 tablespoon of oil. Once hot, place the dumplings in the pan. I use quite big of pan and can fit 20 dumplings at once. If using smaller pan, do not overcrowd pan to prevent any sticking between dumplings.
- Don't move around the dumplings. Once the bottom part of dumplings are crispy and golden brown, pour 1/4 cup of water to hot pan, cover. The steam will finish up the cooking process. It will take only couple minutes.
- Serve with sesame oil mixed with soy sauce and hot sauce.

Chicken in Black Bean Sauce

What:
- chicken, cubed
- dried shitake mushroom, soaked in warm water, once soften, sliced
- dried red peppers, soaked in warm water, it will get a little plumped up and soft.
- zucchini
- garlic, chopped finely
- ginger, chopped finely
- sesame oil
- canola oil
- black bean paste
- oyster sauce

How:
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon of canola oil in the wok. Once hot, toss in garlic and ginger.
- Add in the red peppers. Stir until fragrant.
- Add in black bean paste and oyster sauce. Stir. Add chicken.
- When chicken is almost cooked through (just couple minutes), add in mushroom.
- Add zucchini last.
- Right before removing it from the heat, drizzle some sesame oil to it.
- Serve.

I made this from leftover things in the fridge. Half of chicken breast, half zucchini, and about 4 ears of mushroom. Easy and quick lunch.