Penang Asam Laksa (Sour Fish-based Soup with Noodles) Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

As Penang asam laksa (spicy noodle soup from Peranakan culture, usually served with thick rice noodles) top my food craving list, I always scout for this recipe online and today I am ecstatic to find this Penang asam laksa video from YouTube which traces its origin back to trymasak.my. Since the recipe was written in Malay, I translated it into English for a wider reach.

There're two variants of laksa, namely curry laksa and asam laksa. Curry laksa (coconut-based curry soup with noodles) is more commonly known in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore whilst asam laksa (sour fish-based soup with noodles) is more popular in Penang. Between the two, I'd veer on the latter version which acquires the sour taste from tamarind (or asam in Malay) which right away aroused my taste buds bringing forth a subtle drool. Having said so, I'm going to feature this Penang asam laksa recipe from TryMasak here in no time.

Ingredients ：

1 packet of dried laksa
500g mackerel (ikan kembung in Malay), poached and then flaked.
4 sprigs of polygonum leaves (a.k.a Vietnamese coriander, laksa leaf or daun kesum in Malay)
4 shallots, skin peeled off
1 ginger flower (bunga kantan in Malay), quartered (lengthwise)
4 slices of dried tamarind (asam jawa in Malay)
6 bird's eye chillies (cili padi in Malay)
1/2 palm sugar slice (to taste) (gula melaka in Malay)
1 tsp of fried shrimp paste (belachan goreng in Malay)
A pinch of salt (to taste)

Method :

1. Half-filled a stockpot with water. When it reaches rolling boil, pour in the dried laksa noodles (thick rice noodles) and boil until the laksa noodles soften. At this point, remove the laksa noodles and drain the dripping water on a metal sieve. Set aside. Alternatively, commercially available wet laksa can also be used, if you opt for this, then cut down your boiling time.

2. In a blender or food processor, blend shallots, bird's eye chillies, fried shrimp paste (belachan goreng) with some water added in until it reaches a homogenous paste. Then pour this mixture into a stockpot and top it up with water until the pot is half-filled. Heat up the pot and stir the soup well. Then add in polygonum leaves (a.k.a. laksa leaf), ginger flowers (which is cut into 4, lengthwise) and dried tamarind slices.

3. Now back to the blender or food processor. Add in the poached and flaked mackerel (with fishbone discarded), blend until fine. Then add this blended fish paste into the stockpot followed by palm sugar. Stir constantly until the mixture is homogenous and boil. Reduced the flames and let it boils for another 15 minutes. Add some salt to taste.

4. The laksa is now ready to serve. Place the laksa noodles in a bowl, topped with cucumber strips, some fresh greens, polygonum and some chopped bird's eye chillies. You can also add half of the hard-boiled egg for a more substantial noodle soup if you fancy. Then topped with thick sweet shrimp paste (also known as petis udang in Malay or 蝦羔 in Chinese), mint, pineapple slices and thinly sliced onion. Well, it really goes with the rhythm of your desire.

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Stir-fry French Bean with Minced Meat and Preserved Radish Recipe

The dish, highlights the key ingredient - French beans by itself with delightful crunch. Preserved radish, dried prawns and minced meat make a wonderful accompaniment to French beans, which is rounded up together with salty and spicy touch from the condiments and red chillies. Delectable!

When it comes to home cooking, my philosophy is always the same - simple, comfort, nutritious, unpretentious, humble, homey, possibly with ingredients that could stretch every dollar spent, never rigid in ingredients used or cooking approach whilst maintaining a wholesomeness to the dish. Nothing beats the feelings of preparing the dish ourselves, serving the dish hot the moments it's ready and having a warm dinner with family. To me, good old fashioned home cooking is sufficient to fit the bill.

If you are a frequent hawker's stall patron, you'll notice that French beans (green beans or kacang buncis in Malay) are usually deep-fried in hot oil for a while before cooking. This step can be omitted if you opt for cooking at home. At least, instead of having something unhealthy, unappealing or both in the form of expensive take-out, you now have the choice of having less oily dish by cooking yourself at home and dine in the comfort of your home.

This recipe shows you how to make a zippy meal featuring French beans.

酱爆季豆食谱

Ingredients :
300g French beans, cut into 5cm length
100g minced meat
3 tbsp chopped preserved radish, soaked
3 tbsp dried prawns, soaked and chopped
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped red chillies

Seasoning :
1 tbsp fermented soy bean paste
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
dash of pepper
20ml water

Method :
1. In a skillet, heat up 2 tbsp oil, sauté chopped garlic, preserved radish and dried prawns until fragrant.

2.  Add in minced meat and stir well. Add in French beans, chopped red chillies, seasoning and stir-fry at high heat until it's cooked. Sprinkle some water to keep it moist, but not watery. Dish up and serve hot.

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Deep-fried Tom Yam Chicken Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Characterized by a subtle blends of hot and sour flavors, deep-fried Tom Yam chicken ups the flavor ante and adds some tang to the dinner. Succulent chicken is battered with Tom Yam paste which is blended with shredded kaffir lime leaves and chopped lemon grass, then deep-fried to form a crispy brown coatings. The shredded kaffir lime leaves and chopped lemon grass which is interspersed within add an extra kick to the dish.

You can always find bottled Tom Yam paste in my fridge, as the commercially premix Tom Yam paste can be turned into a versatile dishes by pairing either with prawns, chicken, fish, mixed seafood etcetera. But sometimes, as I keep on storing fresh ingredients into my fridge, this little bottle of Tom Yam paste will be inadvertently pushed aside and left unnoticable until I did not sense the existance of it. Till few days ago whilst I was running out of idea on what to cook with chicken thighs and looking high and low for the right ingredients to go with it, this unpretentious Tom Yam paste suddenly catched my eyes, hiding right at the corner of the fridge. Gosh, how could I miss this whilst Tom Yam is perfect enough to go with chicken especially to awaken lethargic appetites this hot weather?

The thought of Tom Yam always set my stomach juices kicking into high gear! Tom Yam is a subtle blends of herbs and spices such as lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, shallots, lime juice, fish sauce, tamarind, slices of ginger and crushed chili peppers, which embraces a rich almalgam of evocative aromas and contrast in textures. Traces its origins to Thai, Tom Yam is also one of the key ingredients in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia cuisines.

Here's the recipe for deep-fried Tom Yam chicken which will definitely enliven the Thai palate! Enjoy!

冬炎炸鸡食谱

Ingredients :
3 chicken thighs, cut into pieces
8 cups oil for deep-frying

Marinade :
4 tbsp Thai Tom Yam paste
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp shredded kaffir lime leaves
1 tbsp chopped lemon grass
1 tbsp oil (Add in a little oil while marinating chicken can help to prevent chicken pieces from sticking onto the skillet while deep-frying. Besides, the fried chicken pieces will be more juicy.)
3 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp corn flour

Serving and Garnishing :
1 onion, shredded
1 lime

Method :
1.  In a mixing bowl, combine the sliced chicken with marinade. Let it stands for about 3 hours in fridge.

2.  In a skillet,  heat up oil for deep-frying. When the oil turns hot, deep-fry the marinated chicken until golden brown and cooked.

3. Arrange the fried chicken onto a serving platter, sprinkle shredded onion and freshly squeezed lime juice on top of the chicken before serving.

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Braised Sea Cucumber with Spare Ribs Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Earthy flavor of spare ribs and licorice taste from star anise bring this rather bland sea cucumbers to a new dimension. The finished dish embraces a harmony of tastes, colors and textures designed to appeal to both eyes and palates.

Sea cucumber (海参) don't usually comes up in my daily cooking menu except special occasions such as Chinese new year. The usual occasion when sea cucumber dish graces our tables is during wedding banquet (if we are lucky enough). For me, it sounds bothersome and time-consuming especially dealing with dried hard form sea cucumber, which it will turns unappealing with strong 'fishy' odor and tough-to-chew texture if not managed properly. Intimidated by the thought of this, I'd rather lay my hand off this Chinese revered sea dweller, for fear that I might unintentionally spoil the cozy jelly-like sea cucumber.

Guess what make me came out with this staple dish eventually? Okey, I should thanks to the availability of the processed sea cucumber (that have been pre-cleaned and pre-soaked) in Jusco deep-frozen section which catched our eyes when we browsed through departmental stores. I like sea cucumber and naturally it screams delicious to me. Considering the readily-processed sea cucumber could save me from extensive works without having to discard the inner guts, repetitive washing and boiling which could take place over several days, I snapped this up without having a second thought.

Prized for its gelatinous texture and slippery feel, sea cucumber which has a number of therapeutic values has been known to ease arthritis pain, relief joints discomfort and reputed to be a general tonic. Prominently used in Chinese cooking than other cuisines, sea cucumber can be cooked in many ways - braised abalone with sea cucumber and chinese mushroom, stewed with pork ribs, stir-fried with condiments or boiled in chicken stocks. Like tofu which is rather bland in taste, sea cucumber has the ability to absorb and accentuate the flavors of the ingredients it is cooked with. Hence, pairing with the right ingredients and seasonings to bring out its flavors whilst maintaining its succulent jelly-like texture become essential.

This quick and easy homecook recipe infuse sea cucumbers with distinctive licorice taste from star anise. The taste enhanced by simmering the dish under low flames for roughly 45 minutes.

海参焖排骨食谱

Ingredients :
1 tbsp oil
8 slices ginger
2 star anises (八角)
250g pre-soaked sea cucumber (浸发海参), cut into thick slices
300g spare ribs (排骨), cut into pieces

Seasoning :
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
salt to taste
300ml water

Method :

1. Heat up oil in a skillet, saute ginger and star anise until fragrant. Add in sea cucumber, spare ribs and mix well.

2. Add in seasoning and bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until spare ribs are tender. Dish up and serve.

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Crispy Butter Prawns Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

The curry leaves lend a distinct flavor and complement the richness of butter whilst the bird’s eye chillies inject some fiery hot and add some depth to this appetising butter prawns.

If any aromatic could lay claim to the title of signature ingredients when it comes to Malaysian food, then surely curry leaves must be the odds-on favourite. Curry leaves lends Southern Indian influences into this Malaysian specialties. There is something about its warm, fragrant-scented curry leaves that even in the non-Asian countries which have growing Asian demographics, you still can find someone is hunting down with bated breath for curry leaves. This is one of the Malaysian delicacies which embraces a mingling of races and encapsulates a wealth of culinary delights. I would say, without going through the hassle of complicated cooking or compromising on the flavors, this easy to whip up butter prawns simply get your mouth watering and your taste buds tantalizing with buttery, sweet, fragrant-scented, spicy and garlicky flavors!

Here's a Malaysian cooking recipe for quick and easy butter prawns with aromatic flavors which make you want a second helping. Enjoy!

脆口牛油虾食谱

Ingredients :
1kg medium size prawn, slit down the back and de-vein, the rest of prawn shells left intact, pat dry
8 cups oil for deep-frying
50g salted butter or margarine
1/2 bowl curry leaves
1 tbsp chopped bird's eyes chillies

Batter (Mixed) :
3 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp corn flour
1 egg
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
100ml water

Seasoning :
1 tsp sugar

Method :
1. Trim the prawns, wash and drain well. Pat dry with kitchen paper towel.

2. Heat up oil for deep-frying. Coat prawn with batter and deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown and cooked. Dish and drain, set aside.

3. Melt butter in a skillet, saute curry leaves and bird's eye chilies until fragrant. Add in seasoning, prawns and stir-fry until well mixed. Dish up and serve.

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Clay Pot Chicken with Chinese Sausage Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Chinese sausage exudes greasy sweetness and is perfectly paired with chicken, imparting a unique sweetness and chewy texture to this savory dish.

Chinese sausage (waxed sausages or lap cheong) is flavorful on its own, you don't need any fancy recipes or prominent ingredients to disperse the flavor.

There are some varieties in cooking Chinese sausage, as simple as slicing and stir-frying with veggies (baby bok choy, cabbage shreds, leeks, snow peas, bamboo shoots etcetera), used for fried rice noodles or rice, an interesting accompaniment with waxed duck or chicken, steaming on top of rice to make it into one-pot dish, grilling over charcoal, made into puffy Chinese sausage roll, coupling with omelette or pairing with seafood (shrimp, scallops etcetera).

You might have a second thought when come to this greasy dried pork sausage due to its colourings, preservatives and highly seasoned. I think you'll feel less sinful if you cook it first to render out the fat before adding it to stir-fries or any other dish. You can either steam the Chinese sausage first or quickly blanch it in boiling water. Well, it really comes down to personal preference when cooking Chinese sausage, some people find the fat unhealthy, but on the other hand, fat imparts flavor in a dish. As for me, I opt for the later, besides discards some amount of fat, it also softens this dry and hard Chinese sausage when I first grabbed from a groceries store in a wet market in Lip Sin, Bayan Lepas.

This is another quick and easy recipe, if you do not wish to labour extensively in your kitchen.

瓦煲蜡味鸡食谱

Ingredients :
2 chicken whole legs, cut into pieces
6 button mushrooms, cut into half
1 pair Chinese sausage, sliced thickly
5 cloves garlic, minced
5 shallots, minced
1 tbsp oil
250ml water

Seasoning :
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp oyster sauce
dash of pepper
1 stalk spring onion, cut into approximately 4cm in length

Method :

1. Heat up 1 tbsp oil in clay pot, saute garlic and shallots until fragrant. Add in chicken and stir well.

2. Add in Chinese sausage, button mushrooms, water, seasoning and bring to boil. Lower the heat and cook until the gravy is thick. Add in spring onion and mix well. Dish up and serve. This dish goes well with steamed rice.

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Steamed Chicken with Preserved Wet Plums Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Preserved wet plums and preserved black beans perk up the steamed chicken with their sourness, and it's perfectly complemented by the sweetness of the chicken marinade. It tastes heavenly after steaming which seamlessly harmonize both flavours.

Chicken is justifiably one of the highly consumable meats within my family, the reason is, it is low in fat, is protein rich and exceedingly versatile. If you are an observant, you probably will notice that I opt for making poultry dish instead of beef or mutton, as I detest the high intense of goaty flavours. Fortunately my hubby is not as picky as I am over meat favourism.

This dish essentially relies on the commercially available preserved wet plums and black beans, which you can easily get from local groceries in wet market or supermarket. Bird's eyes chillies impart a slight hint of spiciness, which otherwise is unnoticeable. The finished dish, I would say, is an appetising dish smothered in the bath of sweet and sour sauce. It's a great companion to steamed white rice.

Ingredients :
2 chicken whole legs, cut into pieces
2 preserved wet plums, mashed
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp chopped bird's eyes chillies (cili padi in Malay)
1 tbsp preserved black beans, soaked and chopped

Seasoning :
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce

Method :

1. Combine all ingredients, seasoning and marinade the chicken legs, let it stand for 30 minutes.

2. Steam at high heat for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Serve immediately with rice while it's still hot.

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Stir-Fried Pork Belly Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

This hearty and easy-to-prepare pork belly dish comes in a full-bodied gravy of black soy sauce, complemented by the sting from the bird's eye chilies and onions. You will be taken by the burst of flavours of this redolent stir-fried pork belly homecook meal.

Fresh pork belly (五花肉) has the ideal fat-to-lean-meat ratio to temper the dish intensity. I do not serve pork belly meals often at home, knowing that it's sinful and cholesterol laden, but when we keep getting wafts of these heavenly smells from the neighbours, we just can’t resist making ourselves home cook pork belly dish and indulge occassionally. You know, my hubby is really pork-belly obsessed, and when I mention "obsessed", I mean it!

As for me, flagged by the high cholesterol level during last medical check-up, I just couldn't afford to enjoy those unctuous guilty pleasures by indulging on that gelatinous skin, knowing that it will kill me some day. Scooping off the layers of glorious fat of the white lard, I ended up having only the lean meat which I felt more comfortable with (must be all that dogmatic indoctrination from young while under mum's care). :)

Aroma was divine in the kitchen while I was cooking the dish, and it did add some tang to our dinner with this easy pork belly recipe. This delicious dish is a Chinese homey dish that handed down from generation to generation, besides well-known braised pork belly in soy sauce ("tauyew bak" in Hokkien). If you're too hectic to cook at home, you can always find stir-fried pork belly on the menu of many Malaysian hawker's stalls or Chinese restaurants.

火爆花腩食谱

Ingredients :
200g pork belly (sliced) (五花肉)
1 onion (diced)
2 tbsp garlic, chopped
2 bird's eyes chilli (cili padi in Malay), chopped

Seasoning :
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp water
Dash of dark soy sauce

Method :
1. In a skillet, heat up some oil until shimmering, add in all the ingredients and stir-fry till fragrant.

2. Pour in all seasoning, stir fry quickly till pork belly is cooked. Serve hot with steamed rice.

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Steamed Bean Curd with Minced Meat and Preserved Radish Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

An easy, quick and healthy tofu (soybean curd) recipe, topped with minced meat, preserved radish and shallot. This humble dish has a soft character that envelops the palate in a comforting embrace.

Tofu (soybean curd) is an incredibly versatile, soy-based, protein rich, nutrient dense and high calorie food. By pairing it with right blend of ingredients, you will turn this budget-friendly, homey, bland and squishy ingredient into a superior taste dish that's bound to impress, varied from lip-smacking entrée to creamy sauces and delectable vegan desserts. The beauty of tofu is, it absorbs the flavours of the surrounding ingredients it is cooked with.

Perhaps as unappetizing as it sounds or as unappealing as the photos seen, this simple dish does not disappoint. In fact, this soft, smooth, silky and custard-like white tofu with the generous toppings of minced meat, preserved radish and shallot is surprisingly satisfactory.

This quick, easy and hassle-free dish is a wise choice for a speedy mid-week dinner. It take less than 30 minutes to whip up.

菜香豆腐食谱（菜脯肉脺蒸豆腐）

Ingredients :
2 block white Chinese-style soft bean curds (soft tofu)
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp shallot, peeled and chopped
4 tbsp preserved radish, soaked and chopped (菜脯)
200g minced meat

Seasoning :
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar
dash of sesame oil and pepper
2 tbsp chopped spring onion

Method :

1. Heat up 1 tbsp oil in a skillet, sauté chopped shallot until fragrant. Then add in chopped preserved radish and stir-fry until aromatic. It is followed by adding in minced meat and seasoning, quick stir-fry to mix well. Remove the mixtures from skillet, and now the toppings is poured over the bean curds.

2. Steam the bean curds (with toppings) at high heat for 10 minutes. Sprinkle chopped spring onion over the steamed bean curds. Serve hot with fluffy rice.

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Spare Ribs in Black Bean Sauce Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Pork spare ribs are slightly browned and slowly braised in savoury fermented black bean sauce with garlic until tender. Black beans provide colour, flavour and texture in this easy to make entrée recipe.

Fermented black beans (豆豉) can hold their own unique salty and spicy flavor against the earthy flavor of spare ribs, and when it pairs with the spiciness of the red chillies, it's pretty alluring to the palate. The combination of flavours just simply get our taste buds screaming for more!

My childhood memories are vivid with images of mum preparing piping hot porridge with canned braised mud carp with fermented black beans (豆豉鯪魚) and preserved turnips omelette (chai poh nui in Hokkien) whenever I was down with fever. Thus I have been acquainted with similar dishes whenever my body's temperature soars, making braised mud carp with fermented black beans my natural comfort food to go well with gruel (thin watery porridge), realizing that I need to replenish lots of waters to tone down my body heat. Other common dishes made with fermented black beans is steamed spare ribs with fermented black beans and chilli pepper (豉椒排骨) and spare ribs in black bean sauce (蒜子豆豉骨), which I will lay out the later for you here.

Excerpt from wikipedia :

Fermented black beans (豆豉) is a popular flavouring used in Chinese cuisine, made by fermenting and salting soybeans, which turns the beans black, soft and mostly dry. But it should not be confused with black turtle beans, which is commonly used in the cuisines of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

蒜子豆豉骨食谱

Ingredients：材料
1 tbsp oil for stir-frying
3 tbsp chopped garlic
3 tbsp fermented black bean (aka salted black beans), soaked for 20 minutes and drained, coarsely chopped
3 red chillies, seeded and sliced into pieces
600g pork spare ribs, trim and cut into serving pieces

Seasoning : 调味料
1 tbsp shao xing wine (Chinese rice wine or dry sherry)
1 tbsp light soya sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp sugar
400ml water

Method : 做法

1. Heat the wok on medium-high to high heat and add oil, when oil is ready, reduce the heat to low, sauté chopped garlic and fermented black bean until fragrant. Then add in red chillies and onions, stir-fry with spatula until aromatic.

2. Turn to medium-high to high heat, add in spare ribs, stir-frying until they are lightly browned, then add in seasoning and bring to boil. Then reduce to medium low heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the spare ribs are tender. Dish up and serve.

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Nyonya Style Steamed Fish Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Cooking Nyonya dishes is labor-extensive, involves delicate preparation and requires mingling of a variety of spices which is pounded into a very specific texture. It is a perfect amalgamation of spices used by the Malay or Indonesian community such as pungent roots, aromatic leaves and sometimes together with candlenuts, shallots, shrimps paste, chilies, tamarind juice and coconut milk. But it all well-worth the effort as the finished dish proved. Nyonya style steamed seabass transformed into delectable melt-in-your-mouth morsels, smothered in the bath of sourish, spicy and tangy spices. The subtle selection of ingredients give it a wow factor that make you want to savor every mouthful.

If you're looking for easy delightful Chinese-Malay fusion to satisfy your spicy and sour cravings, you might want to try the recipe below.

娘惹式蒸鱼食谱

Ingredients :

1 seabass (siakap in Malay)(about 700g), cleaned

2 tbsp onion, shredded

2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

Spices :

2 stalks lemongrass, chopped finely

3 tbsp ginger flower, chopped (bunga kantan in Malay)

1 tbsp bird's eye chillies (cili padi in Malay)

4 tbsp squeezed lime juice

Seasoning :

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp fish sauce

dash of pepper

Method :

1. Combine all the spices and seasoning, pour over the cleaned seabass.

2. Steam at high heat in a wok with boiling water for 10-12 minutes until the fish is cooked. Then remove the fish from wok.

3. Sprinkle shredded onion and coriander leaves on top of the steamed fish and serve hot with fluffy rice.

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Stir-fry Four-Angled Beans with Sambal Chilli Udang Belacan Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Pairing with the irresistible fiery hot sambal chilli udang belacan (spicy and pungent prawn paste), the crunchy four-angled beans also tinged with the sourness and sweetness of lime juice and sugar, making it a piquant Malaysian delicacies.

Snapped up some four-angled beans from Jusco store yesterday, thinking that it would be a perfect match for sambal chilli prawn paste (sambal cili udang belacan in Malay) that resided in my fridges for almost a week. The dish is easy to whip up and great to relish, and it naturally paves its way to many Malaysian kitchens and dining tables.

As its name implies, the presence of four frilly edge (fringe-like extension) that run lengthwise along the pod gives the fruit vegetable the name, winged beans or four-angled beans (翼豆或四角豆). Rather vague flavor-wise, four-angled beans are excellent seasoned with bold spices and herbs. Thus it's heavenly when pairing together with sambal chilli prawn paste, which is a premixes (pounded fresh chillis, dried shrimp, toasted shrimp paste (belacan), onions, garlic to which sugar and lime juice are added) that is commercially available in local groceries and wet markets.

Not yet a household word in the kitchens of America, this odd-looking bean has many culinary virtues. Nutritious winged beans offer an abundance of essential nutrients including protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins B, calcium, iron and fiber.

As winged beans have been experiencing worldwide growth despite its lack of popularity in the United States, you can easily find them especially in countries with nurturing tropical climates. For Malaysians which in favor of spicy and sour dish, you might consider to grab some four-angled beans home when you're browsing in supermarket or floundering around in wet market trying to figure out what to cook next. Make sure you have all the trimmings, especially sambal chilli prawn paste!

三巴虾米马来栈炒四角豆(翼豆)食谱

Ingredients :

400gm four-angled beans (aka winged beans or kacang botol / kacang keceper in Malay), cut straight across or on a slant 四角豆(翼豆)

A handful of medium to big prawns, shelled and deveined

4 tbsp of pounded sambal chilli prawn paste (sambal cili udang belacan in Malay) [available in local wet markets or groceries]

1 onion, peeled and shredded

5 cloves of garlic, chopped finely

Seasoning :

2 limes, squeezed into lime juice

1/2 tsp sugar

Method :

1. Heat up the frying pan (or wok) and drizzle some cooking oil. Sauté the chopped garlic and onions with low flames, then add in sambal chilli prawn paste. Stir-fry till fragrant.

2. Add in prawns and stir-fry briskly before adding four-angled beans. Toss well. Lastly, give it a quick drizzle of lime juice, a dash of sugar and a sprinkle of water to make the dish moist. Stir briefly until heated through but do not overcook the vegetables. With several flipping of spatula, the crispy and crunchy sambal four-angled bean are ready to go with hot, fluffy white rice.

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Kung Pao Chicken Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

One of the well-known chinese cuisine originating from Szechuan (Sichuan) province, live up to its spicy and pungent reputation, tinged with a hint of sweet and sour flavour. Combined diced chicken breast, dried red chilli pepper and peanuts by stir-frying and made them into in one dish, Kung Pao chicken has found its way to many Asian and United States kitchens.Named after a late chinese Qing Dynasty official Ding Baozhen(丁宝桢), the name "Kung Pao" chicken is derived from this title as palatial guardian (or 宫保 in chinese). 

Don't be intimidated by cooking Asian cuisine. The dish may looks complicated, but it's actually not when you try it out on your own.

Instead of deep-frying the chicken as called by recipe, I stir-fried the chicken in a wok, to cut down oil absorption. Some westernized version of kung pao chicken (more popular in US and Canada) have been customized to suit their tastebuds, by using vegetables (such as zucchini, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, celery, Chinese cabbage, water chestnuts, and carrots), sherry, hoisin sauce or oyster sauce. The tweak with suitable ingredients perhaps will come out with a delicious fusion of East-meet-West cuisine, making Kung Pao chicken a versatile relish.

The tangy aroma of peanuts and the earthy flavor of chicken, rounded up together with sweet, sour and spicy notes. This is the dish to satisfy our spurts of cravings and we gobbled it up!

I love Szechuan dishes (四川菜 or 川菜) for its bold flavour, with pungency and spicyness kick up the dish! Sichuan cooking features hot and numbing flavor (麻辣味), making it pretty alluring to my family's palate. Among other well-known Szechuan dishes are twice cooked pork (回锅肉), mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐), spicy deep-fried chicken (辣子鸡), bon bon chicken (棒棒鸡) and many others which I can't wait to try out!

Here is my endeavor with legendary Kung Bao Chicken.

宫保鸡丁(又称宫爆鸡丁)食谱

Ingredients : 材料

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (cubed)
1/2 cup peanuts (or cashewsnut)
8 small dried red chillies, soaked, seeds removed, chopped (or alternatively fresh red chilli peppers, quantity as desired)
1 slice peeled fresh ginger, chopped
4 cloves garlic (minced)
3 tbsp of spring onions (scallions), chopped
vegetable oil for stir-frying

Marinade : 腌料
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 1 1/2 tbsp water

Seasoning : 调味料
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp chinese rice wine vinegar (or shaoxing wine, Westernized version call for dry sherry)
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil

Method : 做法

1. Combine the bite-sized chicken with the marinade ingredients, then adding the cornstarch in a bowl, toss to coat. The chicken left to marinade for 30 minutes.

2. Prepare the seasoning in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Stir-fry 1/2 cup of peanuts in a hot wok with vegetable oil until golden brown and crispy. Drain and set aside.

4. Chinese wok is heated on a high flame, until the wok is quite hot. A swish of the ladle spreads a couple of teaspoons of vegetable oil, then the chicken is flash fried in the hot oil to bring out the flavor (for 2-3 minutes until the chicken cubes no longer in pink color, but not so long that it loses its juices or tenderness). Remove chicken from the wok, drain and set aside.

5. Add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in the wok. When the oil turn hot, add dried red chillies (or alternatively red chilli peppers) and stir-fry briefly until they turn dark red colour. Then add the chopped ginger, minced garlic and the pre-fried chicken to the wok, stir constantly until aromatic. Then add the prepared seasoning to the wok, then stir until the gravy is thickened. Add in the peanuts and lastly spring onion. Serve hot, the dish goes well with piping hot rice.

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Bitter Gourd with Mushrooms & Chicken Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

A simple low carb and diabetic recipe for healthy eating, taking advantage of bitter gourd's therapeutic and curative properties.

If you are looking for simple dish that could satisfy your comfort food craving, I think you have found it. Bitter gourd, mushroom and chicken are all the ultimate comfort food with ultimate budget.

As it approaches end of the week, my storage in fridge is almost cleared. It appear to me that the idea of having the remaining vegetables (consists of bitter gourd, chicken breast, carrot, spring onions, water chestnuts) combined in this dish is the greatest ever!

As the name implies, bitter gourd (bitter melon) is a vegetable-fruit that is bitter in taste. If you find yourself not used to bitter taste, clean it in cold running water and brush it with soft vegetable brush, then soak in in salt water for about half an hour before cooking to lessen the bitter flavor. But if you can generally take bitter taste, try it! At least for all its healthful virtues, in the fact that it help to improve diabetic and toxemia conditions. It contains a hypoglycaemic or insulin-like principle (designated as 'plant insulin'), which have been found highly beneficial in lowering the blood and urine sugar levels. In addition to this, it offers excellent medicinal virtues for ailments such as blood disorders, cholera, improve energy and stamina level, alleviate eye problems, treatment of a hangover (for its alcohol intoxication properties), as a immune booster, constipations and piles, improve psoriasis conditions and respiratory disorders.

冬菇鸡炒苦瓜食谱

Ingredients : 材料

300g boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces 300g 去骨鸡胸肉，切成鸡丁状

200g bitter gourd 200g苦瓜

2 tbsp oil 2大匙油

1 tbsp chopped garlic 1大匙蒜茸

50g carrot, cut into 3cm long strips 50g红萝卜，切成3公分条状

5 water chestnuts, sliced 5粒马蹄，切片

3 dried chinese mushrooms, soaked and sliced thick 3片冬菇，浸软，切厚片

3 dried red chilli, soaked, seeded and shredded 3条干辣椒，浸软，去籽，切丝

2 stalks spring onions, cut into sections 2棵青葱，切段，约3公分长

Marinade : 腌料

1/2 tsp salt 1/2小匙盐

Dash of pepper and sesame oil 少许胡椒粉和麻油

1 tsp light soya sauce 1小匙生抽

1 tbsp corn flour 1大匙粟粉

1 tbsp water 1大匙水

Seasoning : 调味料

2 tbsp oyster sauce 2大匙蚝油

1 tbsp light soya sauce 1大匙生抽

3/4 tsp salt 3/4小匙盐

1 tsp sugar 1小匙糖

1/4 tsp pepper 1/4小匙胡椒粉

1/2 tbsp sesame oil 1/2大匙麻油

1 tsp corn flour 1小匙粟粉

150ml water 150毫升水

Method : 做法

1. Season chicken with marinade for 30 minutes.

鸡丁加入腌料拌匀，腌30分钟。

2. Cut bitter gourd into half, length-wise and scoop out the red seeds and cottony pith with a spoon edge. Cut into thick slices with approximately 3cm length.

把苦瓜切半(长形)，以汤匙边缘去籽。切厚片，约三公分长。

To get rid of bitter juices of bitter gourd, sprinkle a pinch of salt over the cut slices. Toss slices around in the salt and leave to stand for at least a minute to remove bitterness, wash the slices under running cold water and slightly squeeze out juices. Drain the bitter gourd slices.

撒少许盐在切好的苦瓜上，来回翻转，然后在水喉下冲洗，稍微挤出苦瓜汁，减低苦味。

3. Heat oil and fry chicken for 1–2 minutes. Dish and drain.

烧热油，翻炒鸡丁一至二分钟。捞起沥干油分。

4. Saute chopped garlic with remaining oil until fragrant. Add in bitter gourd slices and mushrooms and stir-fry. Pour in seasoning and bring to boil. Cover the wok to simmer for 2–3 minutes. Cook until bitter gourd is limp or to desired softness.

留少许油爆香蒜茸,加入苦瓜及冬菇片翻炒。将调味料加入煮滚，加盖焖约二至三分钟。

5. Return chicken to the wok and add in water chestnuts, carrot and chilli. Cook for 5–6 minutes or until sauce is thick. Add spring onions then dish out and serve.

加入炒好的鸡丁，将马蹄，红萝卜及辣椒加入，转小火再焖五至六分钟至汁浓，加入青葱段炒匀便可享用。

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Thai Style Deep-fried Fish Fillet Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

The heady pungent smell of Thai basil leaves and the mild flavor of dory fish make this Thai deep-fried fish fillet with basil leaves coating an exquisite Thai specialties.

My eyes and ears perked when I read basil leaves used in deep-fried fish fillet. With lovely pictures and straightforward instructions in Chef Phang Fah's cookbook, it make me wish I could seriously devour the food within! Hence, I picked some home-grown Thai basil leaves from my hometown yard days ago and decided to give it a whirl!

Basil is a culinary herb prominently featured in Italian cuisine and also in Southeast Asian cuisines (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos), with a strong, pungent and sweet smell. As opposed to Mediterranean basil (sweet basil) that is commonly used in Italian cuisine, Thai basil have a anise-like flavour, with more assertive and stronger taste. My mum call it 九层塔 (literally "nine-layer-pagoda") in Chinese. To be frank, we have no idea on chinese origins of "basil leaf".

I used basil leaves in its raw state, as it provides the more dominant flavour in the finished dish. But if you find yourself in dire need and without fresh basil, use 1/3 the amount of dried basil substituted for fresh. But do keep in mind that you will never get full flavor when using dried basil.

A white fish such as dory or cod works well because the mild flavour of the meat allows the basil to showcase its attractions, where the addition of basil can leave the dinner spellbound. Or you can use any fish fillet or frozen fish instead.

If you are a basil-fanatic, or just wondering on the flavours that basil leaves will impart, you may want to give the below recipe a try!

泰式脆鱼条食谱

Ingredients： 材料
1 tbsp shredded ginger 1大匙姜丝
30g Thai sweet basil leaves, shredded 30g九层塔，切成丝
500g fish fillet 500g鱼肉，切成粗条状
1 egg 1粒蛋

Marinade： 腌料
1/2 tsp salt 1/2小匙盐
1/2 tbsp shaoxing wine 1/2大匙绍兴酒
Dash of sesame oil and pepper 少许麻油和胡椒粉
1 tbsp corn flour 1大匙粟粉

For Coating : 干粉料
5 tbsp plain flour, mixed with 5 tbsp corn flour 5大匙面粉，加入5大匙粟粉拌匀
5 cups oil for deep-frying 5杯炸油

Method : 做法

1. Combine all ingredients and marinade, season for 30 minutes.
将全部材料和腌料拌匀，腌30分钟。

2. Coat seasoned fish fillet with flour mixture and deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown and crispy. Dish and drain.
腌好的鱼条沾上干粉，放入热油中炸至金黄色及香脆，捞起沥干油分。

3. Serve hot with Thai chilli sauce.
趁热配上泰式辣椒酱享用。

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Salted Chicken in Glutinous Rice Wine Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

A low fat recipe with kampung chicken, tinged with the sweetness of Glutinous Rice Wine and the fiery, pungent flavour of fresh ginger. This ginger-enriched dish also consumed during confinement to expel winds afterbirth.

Rice Wine (mijiu, 米酒) is a clear and sweet chinese rice wine (like Japanese sake) made from glutinous fermented rice, drunk as a beverage or used in cooking exclusively in East and Southeast Asian countries. It is categorized as a form of chinese "yellow liquor"(huangjiu or 黄酒).

My hubby bought me a bottle of glutinous rice wine when I was in confinement 2 years ago and it was left unattended in my kitchen cabinet after the confinement. I decided to use it for my cooking when I'm trying to keep up with what's in the kitchen weeks ago. I bumped into this recipe and was happily give this a whirl, wondering on the medley of flavors that would be produced from!

Salted chicken that is imbued with the sweetness from Glutinous Rice Wine is juicy, tender on throats, sweet (but not overly sweet), zingy and full of bright and vibrant flavor! Shredded ginger round out the flavors, giving the kampung chicken a good kick!

黄酒咸醉鸡食谱

Ingredients : 材料

1 kampung chicken, cut into half and cleaned 1只甘榜鸡，开半，洗净

1/2 tsp sesame oil 1/2小匙麻油

2 tsp salt 2小匙盐

1/2 tbsp oil 1/2大匙油

2 tbsp shredded ginger 2大匙姜丝

300ml glutinous rice wine 300ml糯米酒/黄酒

Seasoning : 调味料

1/2 tsp salt 1/2小匙盐

1/2 tsp sugar 1/2小匙糖

Method : 做法

1. Stir-fry sesame oil and salt in a wok at low heat until fragrant. Dish up and rub all over the chicken. Put into fridge and marinate for 6 hours.

先将麻油和盐放入瓁里用小火炒香，然后涂抹在鸡肉上，放入雪柜腌6小时。

2. Steam the marinated chicken at high heat for 25 minutes or until cooked. Remove and cut into serving pieces.

将腌好的鸡以大火蒸25分钟或至熟，取出斩块上碟。

3. Heat up oil and saute shreded ginger until fragrant. Add in glutinous rice wine, seasoning and bring to boil. Pour over chicken and serve.

烧热油爆香姜丝，加入糯米酒和调味料煮滚，淋在鸡上即可享用。

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Snow Fungus & Fish Maw Soup Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

A hearty and healthy fish maw soup. This chinese soup is a rich mixture of fish maw, prawn, canned bai lin gu (Pleurotus ferulae mushroom,百灵菇), snow fungus, water chestnuts and carrot, made this a great meal on its own.


Am currently yearning for "uncommon" soup, and I decided to cook snow fungus & fish maw soup when stumbled upon this recipe. I have been intrigued sometimes ago to simmer some kind of soup which resemble texture of sharkfins soup , apart from my commonly simmered soups with melon, radish, carrot, corn, lotus root, dried scallop, chinese herbs etc.

Soup have always been the mainstay of my family meals, as this is the easiest dish to imbibe especially for my daughter. After hours of simmering, all the essense of the ingredients must have been incorporated into the soup and this ease body digestion.

To make it flavourful (for extra oomph), I added in some spiced vinegar (黑醋) and it's really stimulating the appetite upon first sip of soup!

Fish maw (large fish gas bladder, in chinese 魚鰾,花膠) is usually served braised or in stews, and mostly used in soups. It often served in chinese households during chinese new year and is considered a food delicacy in some Asian cultures and one of the luxury ingredients in chinese cuisine. Fish maw is regarded as a nourishing tonic which is said to promote blood circulation and general health.

Fish maw need to be soaked for an hour until it's pliable, then rinse and scrub clean. If you're not comfortable with fishy odour (which most of us do!), the pre-soaked fish maw then bring to boil with a stalk of spring onion, a slice of ginger and half a litre of water, for roughly 10 minutes. Then remove the fish maw and shred.

雪耳鱼鳔羹食谱

Ingredients : 材料

1 tsp oil 1小匙油
1 tbsp shao xing wine 1大匙绍兴酒
50g fish maw, soaked until soft and shredded 50g 鱼鳔，浸软，切丝
1 piece canned bai lin gu,shredded 1块罐头百灵菇，切丝
1 piece snow fungus, soaked and cut into small pieces 1朵雪耳，浸软，切小块
6 water chestnuts, peelded and shredded 6粒马蹄，去皮，切丝
1 small carrot, peelded and shredded 1小条红罗卜，去皮，切丝
150g prawn meat 150g虾仁

Seasoning : 调味料

1 tsp salt 1小匙盐
1 tsp chicken stock granules 1小匙鸡精粉
1/2 tbsp light soya sauce 1/2大匙生抽
2 tbsp shao xing wine 2大匙绍兴酒
1 tsp sesame oil 1小匙麻油
Dash of pepper 少许胡椒粉
1000ml water 1000ml水
2 tbsp corn flour, mixed with 4 tbsp water, for thickening
2大匙蜀粉，加入4大匙水，搅匀，打芡用
2 egg white, beaten 2粒蛋白，打散

Method : 做法


1. Heat up oil, add in shao xing wine and followed by all the ingredients and seasoning. Bring to boil and then simmer at low heat until all vegetables are cooked.
烧热油加入绍兴酒，再加入全部材料和调味料，煮滚至熟。

2. Thicken with corn flour water and then mixed in beaten egg white. Serve hot.
打芡，加入蛋白搅匀，即可上桌享用。

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Papaya Soup with American Ginseng & Black Chicken Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Traditional low fat and healthy herbal soup recipe which offers excellent medicinal virtues, is brothed with papaya, black chicken and american ginseng, also a great confinement recipe for breatfeeding mums.

I like to broth traditional Chinese-styled soups especially whenever I feel the body is in need of some replenishment in one area or another.

Papaya Soup with American ginseng and black chicken is said to nourish kidneys, replenish blood, enhance digestion system and strengthen bones and tendons. This traditional low fat and healthy herbal soup is also a great confinement recipe for breastfeeding mums. The selected papaya should not be too ripe (1/3 ripen, with the criteria of papaya's skin slightly greenish-yellow in color).

As for black chicken, beyond being evil-smelling or bitter-tasting, the soup however, is tinged with sweetness from sweet dates and papaya. Black chicken enriched in protein, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, B1, B2, C, E, and it helps to replenish blood and Qi (boosting), liver and kidneys, expel body heat and regulate menstrual ailments. Traditional Chinese medicine has held that chicken soup made with black chicken meat is a curative food where it is usually used to make broth and braising.

Concocted from American ginseng, sweet almonds and sweet dates, the soup incorporates all the herbal essence in promoting general health. American ginseng is root of a plant similar to Korean ginseng, but it has the Yin properties which helps to clean excessive Yang in the body, whereas sweet almonds (sweet apricot kernels) target the lungs and sweet dates target the stomach and spleen.

After imbibing a bowl of this soup, overall balancing out the yin and yang within seems to be compromised.

(Philosophy of Yin and Yang in the sphere of food : Yang foods are believed to increase the body's heat (raise the metabolism), while Yin foods are believed to decrease the body's heat (lower the metabolism). The ideal belief is to consume both types of food to keep the body in balance).

A healthy chinese tonic soup recipe laid out as below.

Ingredients : 材料

1 whole black chicken (rinsed, chopped)

1 papaya (peeled, diced)

40g sweet almonds (南杏)

20g American ginseng(sliced)(花旗參)

2 sweet dates (蜜枣)

5 bowls water

Seasoning : 调味料

Salt adequate

Method : 做法

1. Scald the black chicken into boiling water. Drain up for use.

将黑鸡沸过水，捞起沥干备用。

2. Bring the water to boil into a boiling pot. Put in all ingredients and bring to boil. Simmer for 2 hours with mild flame.

煲滚清水，倒入全部材料煮沸，再以中火熬约两小时。

3. Season with salt. Stir well and ready to serve.

下盐调味搅匀后即可上桌。

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Hot & Spicy Belacan Prawns Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Sautéed in pounded spices of chillies,belacan,curry leaves,dried prawns and shallot, then concealed and cooked together with prawns in aluminium foil, this features a traditional Malaysian cuisine, the very best of authentic Malaysia recipe!

This is a tempting spicy dish which is fragrant and bursting with flavour! With local flavour thrown in with the presence of belacan, we enjoyed the lip smacking lunch at home.

Belacan, is a Malay-Indonesian sauce made with dried shrimp paste, is a dense mixture of fermented ground prawns. It is commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine. It is pungent in smell and the strong fishy flavour will dissipates during cooking, which in turn will help you to clear the congested nasal passage. :)

You can indulge in spicy belacan prawn if you're hankering for some traditional true-blue Malaysian cuisine. This dish totally captures the essence of Malaysian cooking and is one of the authentic cuisine derived from the rich multicultural culinary heritage of Malaysia.

Prawns are seasoned with traditional Malaysian ingredient - chillies, belacan and curry leaves to give a wonderful fragrant aroma. The curry leaves lend a distinct flavor and complement the richness of belacan, and the chilli padi (bird's eye chillies) add an extra kick to the dish. The wonderful aromas wafting over to us when we opened up the aluminium parcel with the rumbling stomachs. It's such a wonderful dish to whet our appetite!

If you running out of aluminium foil, alternatively, you can deep-fry the prawn briskly in hot oil until golden brown. Dish and drain, put aside. Then sauté the pounded spices with the previous fried prawn added in again and stir well to coat.

这道Belacan虾很道地哦！

前阵子从大众书局买了“大牌档食谱”，老公也顺道掀了一下，对这道菜垂涎欲滴。 当然，为了满足他的味蕊，就依样画葫芦地尝试一下，果然正入他的口味。

其实步骤很简单，只要准备材料，香料与调味料混在一起，用锡箔纸包札起来，用水加盖煮滚15分钟，便可上桌。

用锡箔子焗虾可保住原汁原味，又能热辣辣上桌，而且方便简易，一箭三雕喔！

注：另一种煮法是将大虾炸熟捞起，加入虾炒匀便可上碟。香辣Belacan虾，在掀开锡箔纸的刹那，香料的香味扑鼻。

用大虾当然比较好味，可我在买不到大虾时，只好退求其次，改用中虾咯！

香辣马来栈虾食谱

Ingredients：材料
1 tbsp oil 1 大匙油
500g big prawns (about 8 - 15 prawns)500g大明虾，约8-15只

Spices (Pounded or Blended) : 香料（打烂或以搅拌机搅烂）
3 tbsp dried prawns 3 大匙虾米
6 shallot, with skin peeled off 6粒葱头子，去皮
6 chilli padi (bird's eye chilli) 6条指天椒
6 red chillies 6条红辣椒
1/2 tbsp belacan 1/2 大匙马来栈
1 tbsp curry leaves 1大匙加哩叶

Seasoning : 调味料
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce 1/2大匙生抽
1 tsp sugar 1小匙糖
500ml water 500ml水
1 sheet of Aluminium foil 1张锡箔纸
100ml water 100ml水

Method : 做法

1. Pound the dried prawns (presoaked in warm water for half an hour and drained), shallot, bird's eye chillies, red chillies, belacan and curry leaves with a mortar and pestle until fine. Alternatively, all the spices can be blended using blender or food processor with some oil added in.
将全部香料混合，以臼与杵打烂或以搅拌机搅烂（加少许油）。

2. Heat up oil. Sauté the pounded/blended spices mixture, stir-fry briskly over high heat, then turn to mediun low heat until fragrant. When the colour of the spices mixture changed from chilli red to dark brownish-red, add in seasoning and stir well.
烧热油，爆香香料，加入调味料炒匀。

3. Place all the prawns in Aluminium foil, pour in the previous sautéed sauce (in Method 2) and wrap up neatly.
虾铺在锡箔纸上，淋上（2）汁料，包好。

4. Bring 100ml water to boil in a clean wok. Place the above prawn parcel in the wok, close lid and simmer for 15 minutes (or until water is dry and Aluminium parcel puffs up). Ready to serve.
准备一个干净的瓁，倒入100ml水煮滚，放入包札好的锡箔纸，加盖煮15分钟至水烧干及锡箔纸鼓起，便可取出享用。

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Herbal Chicken in Aluminium Parcel Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

An easy to prepare tender herbal chicken (preferably kampung chicken) wrapped in aluminium parcel which is delicately infused with chinese herbs, this is also the best mantra for simple confinement recipe.

I adore traditional chinese herbs dishes especially whenever I am hard pressed for time, besides its undeniably excellent medicinal virtues, it's also easy to prepare with minimum of fuss. Most of the traditional chinese herbs are all thrown in a pot which is bring to broth, simmer, stew or braise, which require minimum attention.

Using Aluminium foil to wrap and cook in boiling water is one of the greatest cooking techniques ever invented. Besides preserving its moist, keeping the chicken meat succulent and tender, it also preventing the chinese herbs mixture from flowing out. It's full of flavour and packs a wallop of heat. The chicken is delicately infused with aromatic herbs, making this a scrumptious meal on its own. Just by giving me this and a plate of piping hot rice and I am set.

Here's some indication of the chinese herbs used. Although it is a bit hard to come across chinese herbs in some non Asian areas, it is definitely worth the search, considering its therapeutic and curative properties.

Dang Gui (Chinese Angelica Root) 当归, has been used to promote menstrual flow, as an abortifacient, antiseptic, expectorant, diuretic, and as a cure for the plague. It tastes sweet, bitter, acrid.

qi zi (Chinese wolfberries fruit) 枸杞子, resemble tiny red currants are said to nourish and tonify the liver, lung, kidney and improve vision. The berries are usually fresh and sometimes used when it is dried. Goji Berry is mostly used to treat kidney, liver, eye, and skin problems, diabetes, tuberculosis, anxiety, and insomnia. It also helps to lower the blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They are known to improve the state of health, strengthen the immune system and increasing the longevity and vitality of the human kind.

If you are looking for a quick and nutritious traditional chinese herbs recipe, then look no further because this easy chicken recipe has your answers. This simple yet nutritious recipe is bound to please and it's definitely a quick 'fix' for looming hunger pangs. Serves 5.

前阵子到中药行买了些药材给临产的妹妹，妈妈就可以煲些药材给她产后补身子。当然，自己也买了些储存起来，平时也可煲些药材汤喝。

而焗当归马来鸡就不必费力再跑中药行一趟咯，药材随手拈来就有！

这是另外一道用锡箔纸烹饪的菜肴，不费时，也不费力！ :-) 由于锡箔纸封住了鸡汁流失的机会，所以鸡肉尝起来特别鲜甜，滑嫩，入味。

当归的功效具有补血，行血，润肠，保肝，调经，加强发育作用。杞子，补肝，肺，肾，改善视网。每月一次煲当归药材，对女性滋补养身，调理身子其实不错！

银式焗当归马来鸡食谱

Ingredients : 材料
1 kampung chicken, cut into pieces 1只马来鸡，斩块
8 slices dang gui 8片当归
1 tbsp qi zi 1大匙杞子
1 tbsp shredded ginger 1大匙姜丝

Seasoning : 调味料
2 tbsp salt 2小匙盐
1 tbsp oyster sauce 1大匙蚝油
2 tbsp shaoxing cooking wine 2大匙紹兴酒
1/2 tbsp sugar 1/2大匙糖
1 sheet of Aluminium foil 1张锡箔纸
300ml water 300ml水

Method : 做法

1. Mix all ingredients with seasoning. Wrap with Aluminium foil and seal tightly.
将全部材料和调味料搅匀，用锡箔纸包好。

2. 300ml water bring to boil in a clean wok. Place the chicken parcel into the wok, cover with lid and steam for 20-25 minutes medium low heat until the water is dry and the chicken parcel puffs up. Ready to serve.It goes well with piping hot rice.
将300ml水倒入干净的瓁煮滚，放入锡箔纸包，加盖，以中小火煮20-25分钟，至水烧干及锡箔纸包鼓起，即可取出享用。

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