Steamed Arugula with Sole tomato sauce

This is another Anniversary dish I made today. It is very soothing dish with cherry tomatoes and buttery sole fillet, put on top of steamed arugula. Yes, I think you never heard of steamed arugula, and this is a new way of eating it. Surprisingly, the arugula did not taste bitter once cooked in the hot boiling water. The texture was soft and greeny, just like bok choy or chinese green. Love it with just soy sauce, but I was laying the sole tomato sauce on top of it in addition to the soy sauce. So good and comforting.

Recipe soon.

Anniversary Pork Chop

Gregg and I are celebrating our 3rd year Anniversary tomorrow, so I made our Anniversary dinner today. I decided to make pork chop because of it has been sitting in the fridge for awhile. I learnt from Chef Neda roasting the meat by using butter, garlic and thyme and sprinkle of salt. The end result was really good, with red wine sauce. Hope this will give you an idea to celebrate love.

Recipe soon.

Veal Stock

Want to know how to make an easy delicious stocks using what you have in your freezer, fridge, garden and pantry? I got the bones from work, learning from Chef Neda making a beautiful tasty stock. Usually there will be lots of fat, oil on the surface after boiling for hours. Tips: put the stock in the fridge, let the oil got harden and remove it.

Ingredients:-

Bones from the meat market
Tomatoes - whole or chunk
Celery - chunk
Carrots - chunk
Thyme
Onions/green onions/leeks - chunk
Water

Method:-

1. Roast the bones in the oven at 450 F until charred a little.
2. Use a big pot, put the charred bones and add water till it covers the bones, and add the rest of the ingredients. Boil until the water reduced to 3/4 and add again some water, repeat twice.
3. Once the water reduce to 3/4, let it cool. Pour into individual containers, label them and put in the freezer.

Note: you can add salt to taste before or after.

"Anda Boleh"

Pesto Veal Sandwich

Gregg's mom likes to buy things for him and Ciabata bread is one of the items. This type of bread is good for sandwich especially with cheese and baked. The crunchiness of the outer of the bread and melted cheese are delicious. Pesto is a very appetising spread with the rest. This sandwich is easy to make, and I got the veal from the stock I made. See, always keep the leftovers and you will eat it one day with just little makeover. Now, lets start doing this: Ciabata bread (open half), drizzle with olive oil, spread with pesto each side of the bread, then put the pull veal and cheese on one side and on the other half of the bread, put few leafs of arugula and cheese as well. Sprinkle some salt to taste. Oven at 400 F, put the bread with the ingredients layered on top on a sheet pan, bake for 5-8 minutes until the cheese melted and the bread ligthly brown at the edge.

"Anda Boleh"

Mei Lai Fun Tomato sauce with healthy green salad

Wow, I have lots of leftover from a party that day, the vermicelli (mei fun), the lai fun (thick rice noodle), the carrot radish pickle, the lettuce and some Feta cheese, homemade tomato sauce and homegrown carrots from the backyard. So good and easy....

Recipe soon.

Baked Lap Cheong Sticky Rice

You dont need to have a steamer to make this Lap Cheong Sticky Rice. All you need is the oven and steambake it. Easy and simple. I have half bag of sticky rice in the drawer and a whole bag of Lap Cheong (chinese sausage). Gregg was craving for this chinese sausage for months, and you know the sodium content is high. Anyway, it is just once in a blue moon type of food. What was in my head that day is like this.... I had Napa Cabbage (getting the idea from Shanghai King Dumpling Restaurant the way they used the Napa Cabbage for layer at the bottom of the bamboo steam basket), had sticky rice, chicken stock and lap cheong. Wola!!! Lap Cheong Sticky Rice in the oven......

Recipe soon.

Joanne Bo Bo Cha Cha

I never seen or tried the Bo Bo Cha Cha with banana in it. Joanne, originally from Penang, Malaysia, was making this dessert on the Labor Day weekend. The first thought about banana in Bo Bo Cha Cha was, Very Interesting!!!! Of cos, I am a foodie, I would try anything people make for me. For those who dont know about this Malaysian dessert, it is a coconut based dessert. There are yam, sweet potatoes, taro, pandan leaf or pinescrew leaf, tapioca balls and black eye peas. Soothing and comforting dessert in fall and winter.

Lai Fun Pesto

Very chinese, using Lai Fun as spaghetti or fettucini or angel hair for Pesto entree. Gosh this is good.... Gregg loves it so much. Light, fresh and healthy. I got the Lai Fun leftover from a party, actual lai fun use in Chinese cuisine is for Asam Laksa or noodle soup. Well, my brain was electrified by the pesto, so I came out with this fast preparing dish, less than 15 minutes. Hey, Rachel Ray, step aside! So you know, you can use any kind of noodles for your pesto and tomato sauce.

"Anda Boleh"

Chef Chong's Pesto



Pesto

 This is my first time making Pesto. When I came to the States in 2005, I never heard, seen and tasted Pesto in my life. I got to know it from a dear friend of mine, Penny Eng who is a caterer and food stylist in San Francisco and her company's name is Penny Eng Event. Also I tried it out for the first time and I fell in love with it. I love the basil flavor, I am a herb guy. Then I work with Chef Neda who is formerly from French Laundry, her way of making Pesto. Tips: She puts in baby spinach in order to keep the pesto green. It is a very easy way of making it, but a bit expensive because of the ingredients. The fresh basil, the pine nuts and the grated parmesan cheese and of cos, the Olive Oil. Well, easier to get it from the store, but when you have the free stuff, especially the whole big container of fresh basil, that was what hit my head. Instead of pine nuts, I used shelled walnut. Instead of grated parmesan cheese, I used shredded parmesan cheese. Instead of good extra virgin olive oil, I used cheap brand olive oil from Safeway. You know you can use coupon and your Safeway card, right? So here it goes... my own creation. I made batch by batch using cuisineart food processor, put them in a small Glad container and freeze them. You can use them anytime by putting a container in a microwave for a minute or two. See, you have Pesto supply for months or years.

Ingredients:-

Fresh Basil
Fresh baby spinach (little portion)
Shelled Walnut
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic
Salt and Pepper

* Blend them all in a food processor. This is your individual taste of your own Pesto.


"Anda Boleh"

Indian cabbage

Cabbage is my favourite vegetable especially when they are cooked thoroughly and long. I use the curry powder, cumin and coriander to spice up the indian flavor, with garlic. Easy to cook, remember always to use lid to cover the pan or pot while cooking cabbage. Cook faster.

Recipe:-

1 head Cabbage - however you want to cut it
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 Tablespoon Vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Salt to taste
1/2 cup water

Method:-

1. Heat the non-stick saucepan with the oil on medium high, add the garlic and stir for a few second. Dont burn it.
2. Add cabbage, curry powder, cumin, coriander and water. Put high heat, stir for a minute and then cover with lid. Let it cook for 2 minute.
3. Add salt to taste and stir well.

"Anda Boleh" Namaste

Nasi Bryani

I love this basmati rice with tomato and raisins. It reminds me of those days when I was eating at the muslim hawker stands (we called it Mamak stall), the fragrant smell of the basmati rice flowing in the air. Taste so good with the curry sauce or dahl (lentil) curry, mmmm........ yummy.

Recipe:-

2 cup Basmati Rice
Water (I dont usually measure the water, just my experience by looking at the water level when cooking the rice. So you have to follow your own instruction. Some like it little wet and some like it little dry.)
3-5 Tablespoon Prego Mushroom pasta sauce
2-3 Bayleaf
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup Raisins (any colors)
1/4 stick unsalted butter

Method:-

1. Use regular rice cooker, not the fancy one like Japanese rice cooker unless you are familiar with it.
2. Put all the ingredients together, as easy as that.
3. Once done, add butter and mix well.

"Anda Boleh"

Carmen's Grill

Carmen Mayo, our friend from Seattle, came back to visit her parents the other day. She invited us to go to her place and have bbq. It was just 3 of us, so I thought, great, we have zuchini, eggplant, sweet nectarine and chicken thigh in the fridge. So easy to marinate these vegetables, just use olive oil, salt and pepper, a little curry powder would be great. Chicken thigh, mixed soy sauce, olive oil, sugar, salt and Chinese 5 spice powder. Remember, chicken needs some time to cook.

"Anda Boleh"

Pumpkin Cake with Cherry sauce

Looks good, right? I am the expert on keeping the ingredients from last year, use it this year. The pumpkin puree is from last year Halloween. See, dont throw it away. This pumpkin cake was my favourite, I remember my sister, Pauline Chong, loves to make this at home. I was like, what is this, So So Good! I asked her for the recipe and she sent it to me years ago. But I did not make pumpkin cake at all until today. Actually, I wanted to clear my freezer, thats why I have to use the pumpkin puree. I can use the puree for my ravioli but I wanted to make something different and for the first time. Here is the result and I love it.

Recipe soon.

Recipe soon.

Asam Laksa

At first I was thinking of making some soup from the corn broth (water from cooking the corn) but I saw some asam paste in my fridge. So I instantly thought of Asam Laksa because I have mostly all the ingredients, have some sole fillet in the freezer, lemons and grapefruit in the fridge. Have the vietnamese coriander (daun kesum) and peppermint in the frontyard. Gosh, it was so good and a little spicy for my partner, but we loved it. FYI, Asam Laksa is a very popular noodle soup in Penang, Malaysia. The taste should be sour, fishy, sweet and spicy. Try this out, easy to prepare and healthy as well. Get the Asam Laksa paste at the Asian Market in your area. If not, ask your friends who live in the big city like New York and San Francisco to send it to you. Enjoy!

Recipe:-

1 packet Penang Asam Laksa paste (any brands from Malaysia)
1 small can Sardines
4 cups Water or Chicken Broth or any type of clear broth
3-4 stalks Lemon Verbena or Vietnamese Coriander
Salt and/or Fish sauce

Garnishing:-

Leftover Roasted Chicken - shredded
Grapefruit - section
Peppermint Leaf
Lime

Method:-

1. Mix the paste, sardines, water or broth and vietnamese coriander in a pot and boil.
2. Add salt to taste. Fish sauce is optional.
3. Cook the rice noodles separately according to the instruction given on the bag.
4. Put all the cooked ingredients in the bowl and garnished.
5. Add some lime juice to taste. The Asam Laksa should be little sour, sweet and spicy with lots of fish flavor.

"Anda Boleh"

Sheryl Fruit Salad

I named this fruit salad Sheryl because she is a vegetarian and Gregg's cousin from Canada. I made this for her, I use simple dressing, just Olive Oil, Garlic salt, coarse black pepper and chopped mint. Most of the fruit were from our backyard, the cherry and sungold tomatoes, figs and grapes. Easy to make and save lots of money here, delicious too.

Recipe:-

Grapefruit (section)

Cherry tomatoes

Figs

Green grapes

Roma tomatoes

Chopped Fresh peppermint

Dressing:-

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Evoo)

Garlic Salt

Coarse black pepper

"Anda Boleh"

First Vanilla Ice-Cream with Black Berry sauce

My first Ice-Cream I made, thanks to Chef Neda for giving me an ice-cream maker as my birthday present a year ago. This one is also a recovery meal for me after my bad sore throat. Doctor suggested me to eat ice-cream, to cool my throat. And it is a soft food. Then I decided to make one, using Chef Neda's Vanilla ice-cream recipe as a guideline. See, I like to improvise. I have some milk left in the fridge and I bought heavy cream. Then I make a pint of a vanilla ice-cream, of cos with the Black Berry sauce. These black berries were from our neighbor, Mary Anne and Fran. They have black berries grown in their backyard.

Recipe:-

1 cup Whole Milk
1 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Method:-

1. Add all the ingredients together in a pot, simmer but not boiling. Once a little bubble starting to form at the side of the pot, pull aside to cool down a little.
2. Put the mixture, while still little warm, into the ice-cream maker. Let it stir for good 30 min or until it appears to be little crystalised and thick.
3. Put in a container and freeze for at least 4 hours.


Black Berries sauce:-

2 cups of black berries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

*cook them until thicken and syrupy.

Roasted Garden Beets

Healthy but with the leftover Chicken wings. Ok, here is the story again. I had a very bad sore throat few weeks ago, so I had to be very careful on what I put into my mouth. I had soft baby food for days, to make sure that I am 100% recovered. So, I stopped cooking and posting on my blog for a while. When I was 99% better, I made all these food to satisfy my craving. The duck confit with berry sauce and the Recovery Fried Squash and Sole other than this one, Roasted Garden Beets, Garden Corns and Leftover BBQ Sauce Chicken Wings.

Recipe:-

6-8 Small red beets with tops (clean them thoroughly)
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

* Using aluminium foil, mixed all the ingredients evenly and wrap them. Roast them in the oven at 400 F for about 35-45 min until soft.

"Anda Boleh"

Recovery Fried Squash and Sole

I dont know what was in my head after recovering from my bad sore throat few days ago. I was making squash tempura and pan fried sole, also the Duck Confit Berry Sauce crostini. Just Gregg and me, we had a feast. Well, this is very easy to make, just remember, fried food is once in a blue moon. So you can have a pot of oil and deep frying this squash dipped with easy batter.

Recipe soon.

Duck Confit Berry sauce crostini

Bread, duck confit, salad and berry sauce in one plate? Trust me, it is a perfect meal with a glass of your favourite wine...

Recipe soon.

Chef Chong's Duck Confit

Duck confit Chef Chong's way? Easy to make, and lots cheaper.

Recipe soon.

Cinnamon Shortbread

When you were making crumbs topping for your pie and still have some leftover, well, make it into shortbread. Good for tea time with a cup of your favourite coffee or tea.

Recipe soon.

Kaya Pear Pie

This is my first time using Kaya (Chef Chong's coconut jam) for this pie. The Asian pear is from our backyard. The turn out to be very good...

Recipe soon.

Just vegetables

I loved this picture of all the bright colors vegetables on this white bowl. There are so many healthy things in this bowl, of cos, most of these were from our garden bed.

Recipe soon.

Chef Chong's Beef Stew

Chef Chong's Beef Stew and sauteed home grown vegetables. What do you think?

Recipe soon.

Healthy July 4th leftovers

This is one of the leftover makeovers I made after July 4th. Corn, vietnamese meat patti, hard boil egg, lots of mint and bean sprout, good chicken broth, home grown tomatoes and instant noodle. Easy, fast and healthy for you.

Recipe soon.

Duck Pot Roast

Wow, another duck dish. Hmmmm.... I know what you guys think of me. Have a duck farm backyard? Hahahahaha. As I said again, I have lots of duck breast in my freezer. See, the previous duck breast, I seared. Now I am doing a pot roast, with chinese sausage, garlics and onions, jalapeno, wild fennels and lemongrass. Of cos, there is red wine too. What a combination!!!!!

Recipe soon.

Charred Miso Duck breast with Bow ties pasta

I have lots of duck breast in the freezer. This time, I marinated the duck breast with miso, soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce and some spices. As I said again, if you are not sure whether your duck is done or not, always cut into a piece and find out. You can always put it back into the sauce pan and seared till it is done. I rather have a done meat than red bloody meat.

Ingredients:-

2 piece duck breast with skin
2 Tablespoon Miso paste
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Cooking oil
1 Tablespoon Dark sweet soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger (use fresh ginger if you have)
1 Tablespoon Sake or cooking wine
* marinate the duck breast with all the ingredients in a ziploc bag for at least 4 hours

Method:-

1. Heat a non stick pan on medium high with 3-4 Tablespoon of cooking oil to sear the duck breast.
2. Always skin down first. Seared for at least 3 minutes each side. You will notice that the skin is burnt, its ok.
3. Seared again each side for another 3 mintues, take it out from the pan and cut through a piece of duck breast and see whether you like it to be done or not. It is all up to you.
4. Served with vegetables and pasta you like. Good with a glass of red wine, my preference is Pinot Muenier.


"Anda Boleh"

Chef Chong's Chocolate Lava Cake Special

I searched for this recipe, but somehow my brain told me not to follow exactly what written. I changed some of the ingredients especially the portion. My friend, Miss Fain, loves chocolate for dessert. I knew, this Lava Cake of mine will make her happy, including my partner, Gregg. All of us have to workout more to burn the calories we put in.

Recipe:-

2 cups Semi sweet Chocolate chips (any brands you want)
1 1/2 stick melted butter (salted or unsalted)
1/2 cup AP flour
1 cup Sugar
3 large eggs
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
2 Tablespoon Triple Sac Orange
a pinch of salt

Method:-

1. Melt the semi sweet chocolate chips and butter together in a silver bowl or a pot, do the double-boiled method (cook on top of a pot of boiling water, not direct from the fire). Keep stiring.
2. Once melted, then add flour and sugar, stir again until mixing well. Pull aside, let it cool down a little.
3. Add the eggs and egg yolks together one at a time, then vanilla, salt and triple sac, stir well.
4. Oven must be 400 F, scoop the lava mixed into ramiken of your choice (preferably cup size). Bake for 10-13 min until the side of it pull aside from the ramiken. The center still a little jiggly.
5. Pull out once ready, flip it on to a dessert plate and then sprinkle with powder sugar.
6. Caramel sauce: 1 cup sugar, melted in a sauce pan medium high. Once starting to brown, lower the heat, add 1/2 cup heavy cream and pinch of salt. Stir well until really mixed and creamy. Dont over cooked it.

"Anda Boleh"

Roasted 5 Spice Chicken with Fennel blossom infused Balsamic sauce

This dish was created because of a friend who wanted a chicken and some clean food on her plate. In my head, I was thinking of chicken thigh instead of the chicken breast. The chicken thigh is tastier and can absorb more flavor when marinated. It is moist as well when seared and then roast in the oven for few minutes. Asian flavor mostly with soy sauce, sugar and cooking wine when marinating. You must marinate  the chicken at least 4 hours, then do the bow ties pasta and sauteed mushrooms. The end result was amazing! Healthy and light for sure.

Marinate the chicken thigh at least 4 hours in the fridge:-

3 pieces Boneless Chicken thigh with skin

3 Tablespoon Soy sauce

1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1 Tablespoon Sake or any cooking wine

1 Tablespoon Cooking oil

* mix all together in a bowl or ziploc bag, massage it well.

Bow Ties pasta:-

2 cups Bow Ties pasta

1/4 cup chopped Green onions

2 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon chopped Garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

* cook the pasta according to the instruction given, al dante then strained.  Heat the sauce pan on medium high, add garlic and green onions together with oil. Stir for 30 seconds, then add in the bow ties pasta. Stir well, add salt and pepper to taste.

Sauteed Oregano Mushrooms:-

2 cups sliced mushrooms (any kind)

3 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh Oregano

Salt and Pepper to taste

* Heat the sauce pan with olive oil on medium high. Add in mushrooms and oregano with salt and pepper, stir for 2-3 min until the mushrooms changed its color to darker brown.

Fennel blossoms infused Balsamic Sauce:-

4-5 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Fish sauce

1 Tablespoon chopped Fennel blossoms (the wild fennels you can find on the trails or raodside)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 Tablespoon chopped Jalapeno without seeds

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

* Heat the sauce pan with olive oil on medium, then add garlic and jalapeno together, stir for few seconds. Then add the balsamic, fennel blossoms, sugar, fish sauce, cook to reduction depends on your preferred consistancy. Always taste it every minute when simmered.

Searing the chicken thigh:-

Heat the sauce pan with 3 Tablespoon Cooking oil on medium high. Pull out the marinated chicken thigh, place the skin first on the pan and seared for at least 3-4 min each side. Seared again both side for 1-2 min each. Put them in the oven at 275 F for about 2 min, while cooking the pasta, mushroom and the sauce mentioned above.

Finally assemble all the items above, make yourself a food stylist.

"Anda Boleh"

Butter Lettuce Kabocha Blossom Red Onion Vineg

Isn't this beautiful to look at and tasty as well? Yes, this is one of my favourite salad I ever made. Light and very gourmet. I have Kabocha squash blossoms in my backyard, making it into tempura. So so good with butter lettuce, crispy sage, fresh bing cherries, cherry tomatoes, green onions and most importantly, the red onions vineg. It is actually so easy to prepare, just that you need to fry the kabocha blossoms. Well, just do it and you will enjoy it.

Ingredients:-

3-4 leaf Butter Lettuce

1 Red Onion Vineg*

2 Zuchini Blossoms**

3 Sage leaf

1 stalk Green onions - chopped

5-6 Bing cherries - halved

3 Cherry tomatoes - halved

Some Olive Oil and Salt to taste

*Red Onions Vineg:-

1 Red Onion - juliened

1 Tablespoon Apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

- Sauteed the onions with the oil on medium heat. Add vinegar, salt, sugar and pepper, stir well. Then simmer for a min or two, until little reduced and shiny bright red color of the onions shown. Leave a side for cooling.

**Kabocha Squash Blossom Tempura:-

1 cup AP Flour

1 teaspoon Black Pepper

1 teaspoon Ground Cumin

1 teaspoon Salt

1 cup Sparkling Water (cold)

- mixed all ingredients together making batter, add more cold sparkling water if its doughy. The batter should be runny but still stick to a spoon.
- dip the blossoms into the batter, then fry it in the hot oil until golden brown.


Once all of the elements ready, resemble them together just like the picture shown, any ways you like.

"Anda Boleh"

Beautiful Happy Breakfast

I loved this picture, taken one morning having breakfast with Gregg at the patio. We had fruits (plum and strawberries from our garden) and bagel toast with Chef Chong's kaya and whipped cream cheese. The sun was bright and warm that day, beautiful breakfast making us happy all day long. Enjoy, my dear friends! You can get Chef Chong's Kaya by ordering online:  Simply click here.


"Anda Boleh"

Chef Chong's Herb Curry Fettuccine

I love this homemade fettuccine, learnt from Chef Neda. But I used roller pin to thin the pasta, so it is very homemade and handmade as well. Easy and enjoying to make. Smooth like silk in your mouth. Hmmm... so yummy.

Ingredients:-

2 cup AP flour
6-7 egg yolk (when you have leftover egg yolk from your egg white daily breakfast)
1 Tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon each teragon, oregano, majarom and curry powder
3-4 Tablespoon Water

Method:-

1. Put all the ingredients together in a food processor or your mixer. Knead them until become a dough.
2. Take out and wrap with plastic and put into the fridge for rest, say 30 min.
3. Then cut the dough divide them into smaller pieces, so that you can roll each one of the dough into thin pasta easily, you can see it from the pictures above.
4. Once thinned, put on the cutting board, fold it like folding a letter into your envelope, cut according to your prefer width of your fettuccine.
5. Remember, always sprinkle some flour after cutting so that it will not stick to each other when putting into a hot boiling water.
6. Cook the fettuccine in a hot boiling water with some salt (2 teaspoon) and 1 Tablespoon cooking oil for about 6-8 minutes, try a string of the pasta to see whether it cooked to your liking. Then drain them, put aside.
7. Heat up a sauce pan on medium high with 3 Tablespoon olive oil, add some chopped garlic, the pea pods or spinach or any vegetables you want, seasoned it with salt and pepper, optional, with fresh thyme. Cook for 1 min.
8. Put in the fettuccine and stir together with the sauteed vegetables. Add salt and pepper according to your taste. Then serve.

This dough can produce alot of fettuccine, so proportioned it according to your needs. Can keep half of the dough in the fridge with plastic wrap for few days used.

"Anda Boleh"

Ore-Ida Coq Au Vin

Well, another leftover food from work. It was the Vietnamese BBQ chicken. I made it into Coq au vin my style, fast and easy. I would say, less than 30 minutes cooking. It is a comfort food. Taste so good!

4 pc BBQ chicken
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup tomato
2 Tablespoon chopped Fennel leaf
3-4 pc Ore-Ida potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Method:-
1. Heat the pot with olive oil, on medium high. Add the onions to carmelise it and then add in tomato. Stir for a min or two.
2. Then add the chicken, cook for 2-3 min. Add fennel leaf, red wine, ore-ida potatoes stir and reduce (say about 15 min) until the sauce is thick.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with steamed jasmine rice with peanut, sesame seeds and fried shallots.

"Anda Boleh"

Chef Chong's Kaya Bagel sandwich

This morning, I got up early. Usually, I will have toast with Kaya and a cup of chocolate soy for breakfast. Toast can be any kind of flour base product. I have a bag of bagels in my freezer. Surprisingly it is not hard as you thought would be. I cut them and put in the toaster for 5-8 min good at low. I love it a little toasty and brown at the side. Americans usually eat the bagel with cream cheese. I am a little creative by just sandwiched the bagel with Chef Chong's Kaya (Chef Chong's coconut jam) and cream cheese. Well, what do you think of the results? I can say this "Fabulous!"

"Anda Boleh"

Asian Bruschetta

Ever thought of this Asian way of Bruschetta???? Again, I brought back some leftover focacia bread from work, stored them in the freezer for days. Now thinking of having it consumed, I loved the crostini toastie bread. So my brain was thinking of bruschetta, since Gregg loves it so much. I have lots of asian ingredients from work as well, especially the mixed peanuts, sesame seeds and fried shallots, the mint and cilantro. Then I have a can of chunked tomatoes in the pantry and also some more fresh herbs from my backyard. See, everything comes to life. Dressing very much Asian flavor. Lets get into it!

Ingredients:-

6 slices Focacia bread - an inch or less thick
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
* Toast them in the oven at 375 F.

Toppings:-

1 1/2 cup cut tomatoes or can tomatoes (drain first)
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/4 cup chopped oregano
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped onions or green onions
2 Tablespoon Lemon juice or Lime juice
1 teaspoon Fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
* Mixed all these ingredients together.


"Anda Boleh"

Chinese Gumbo

This is what I called, Chinese Gumbo. Very quick and easy meal especially when you have less time to cook. Also when you have leftover steamed rice of any kind, Safeway roast chicken and leftover shrimps from the Memorial Weekend BBQ.

Ingredients:-

2 cups Chicken stock or any kind of stock in your freezer or pantry

1/2 cup Leftover steamed rice

3 pc Ore-Ida Tater Tots or you have leftover french fries (cut them into small pieces)

3 pc Leftover $5.99 Roast Chicken

Garnishing:-

Few Shrimps

Few Chards

Few Pea pods

(sauteed them together with cooking oil, salt and pepper until the shrimps turned red and curled up)

Method:-

1. Heat a pot with the chicken stock on high. Once boiled, add the rice, tater tots, chicken together. Cook for 3-4 min on medium heat.

2. Seasoned with salt and pepper.

3. Garnished with the sauteed shrimps and vegetables.

"Anda Boleh"

Leftover Mongolian Beef over Fried Rice and Chef Chong's Sambal Bagoong

Ok, here is the funny thing about Mongolian Beef. I never heard of Mongolian Beef in my country, Malaysia. When I got to the States, I was shocked to see the Mongolian Beef is actually beef and brocolli, of cos, with oyster sauce. Anyway, I got this leftover mongolian beef from work as well, Chef Neda made it. She is a wonderful talented Chef I ever met.
About the Chef Chong's Sambal Bagoong, my good friend, Edna Lee wanted me to make it for her BBQ party on the Memorial Day Weekend. So in my head, I said, just shallots and chilli paste is good enough. But then, I wanted to try using the shrimp paste which is Belachan in Malaysia and Bagoong in Phillipines. I mixed it with Mexican Dried Peppers, the mild one. The result was so good, not too spicy but still have the chilli taste of it. Gregg was eating it with grilled corn. What a good idea!

Method:-

Just re-cooked the Leftover Mongolian Beef (any kind of leftover meat dish from Asian restaurants), to reduce the water content. The result is a bit dry, add some pea pods or any other greens you want, to beautify the leftover.

For the Fried Rice, please refer to my other Fried Rice recipes.

For Sambal Bagoong:-
5-6 dried peppers mild (cut into pieces and take the seed out, boil in a hot water for few minutes until soft, then strained)
5-6 shallots
1-2 Jalapeno (take the seed out)
1-2 Tablespoon Bagoong or Belachan (Shrimp paste)
1 teaspoon Sugar
Salt to taste
2-4 Tablespoon cooking oil

Method:-

1. Put these ingredients in a food processor, make into paste.
2. Heat a non-stick deep saucepan with 2-4 Tablespoon cooking oil, at low medium.
3. Add the paste with Bagoong (Belachan) and sugar and cook for about 20-25 min, stir well until the oil turned red. Then add salt to taste. Remember, have to stir constantly, so that the paste won't stick at the bottom of the pan.
4. Once cooked, let it cool off. When serving, add some lemon or lime juice in the paste and mixed well.

Shrimps Vermicelli on bed of lettuce

Again, I brought back some leftover from work. This time is the shrimps, used for the lettuce wrap. I know you all will wonder, what were you thinking when looking at the leftover food and other ingredients. Well, telling you the truth, the Flavors. Imagine the shrimps, with some marinade such as lime juice, cashew nuts, green onions, salt and pepper, fish sauce, and cold vermicelli. In my head, I think of it, light and healthy and tasty as well. See, seafood is always a light protein and taste good no matter how you cooked it. So when you have some shrimps at home, chopped it, add salt and pepper, some fish sauce, lime juice or lemon, a little sugar, then you will have a great meal for a day.

Recipe soon.

Crispy Miso Duck with Dried Fruit Sauce

I got this duck breast with skin from work. Usually, the way of cooking duck for Chinese is stewing them with ginger and fermented dry beans such as Miso and soy sauce. I was inspired by my mom's cooking, Stewed Ginger Duck with Fermented Soy Beans (Miso paste in America). It is one of my family tradition to have the stew on every special occasion. This time, I am making the opposite, seared the dark pretty good. Of cos, you have to marinate the duck with miso, sweet soy sauce overnight. It tastes so good with the syrupy sauce I made from dried fruit. Lets do this today, it is your special occasion!

Ingredients:-

Marinating the duck breast overnight:

2 Tablespoon Miso paste

1 Tablespoon Sweet soy sauce

1 Tablespoon Chinese cooking wine (we called it Chinese Rose Wine)

1 Tablespoon cooking oil

Dried Fruit Syrup:

2 cups Sliced or chopped some leftover dried fruit in your pantry or fridge

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups water

Methods:-

1. Heat the non-stick pan with 3 Tablespoon cooking oil, on medium high. Seared the duck breast on skin first for 5-6 minutes each side. Then seared again on the skin for a min, just to make the skin crispy and blackened. Remember, it is  not burn. Its ok.

2. Sliced the duck breast, how: put the duck breast with skin on the bottom side, cut thru the meat first on a chopping board. Check on the redness of the meat. I do prefer it done, instead of rear. Remember, always eat overcooked food then undercooked.

3. Drizzle the dried fruit syrup on top and garnished with bed of lettuce.

For the dried fruit syrup, just put everything together in a pot on medium high. Reduced until syrupy.

"Anda Boleh"

Turkey Mushroom Lettuce Wrap

The other day, Gregg and I went to RedHawk Casino on our way back from Lake Tahoe. We wanted to have the $9.99 buffet dinner, unfortunately, we arrived 5 min late. They closed. So we decided to try out the chinese restaurant there, called Pearl. We looked at the menu and surprisingly the price is reasonable. So we were seated by our waiteress, Miss Erica and greeted by the Manager, Miss Athena. We were the first customer at that time and followed by the others. See, we bring them businesses. We then ordered Chicken Mushroom Lettuce Wrap, Mandarin Pork Chop (just like sweet and sour) and Shrimps Scallops Egg White Brocolli. Honestly, they were so good! Thats why I am recreating the lettuce wrap, healthy and easy to make.

Ingredients:-

2 lb Turkey minced (it is all depends on how much protein you preferred)

1 cup chopped shitake mushroom (you can use other mushrooms)

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/4 cup chopped onions

2 Tablespoon chopped green onions

1 Tablespoon Oyster sauce

1 teaspoon Sesame seeds oil

1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine (actually you can use white wine or rice wine or sake)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tablespoon cooking oil

Method:-

1. Heat the non-stick pan on medium high, add the cooking oil, onions, garlic and mushrooms. Stir fried for a minute until the mushrooms smells good.

2. Add in the turkey minced and chinese cooking wine, stir for 2-3 minutes until all fully cooked (when the color turned white)

3. Add oyster sauce, sesame seeds oil, salt and pepper to taste. Lastly add the chopped green onions, stir for seconds. Take it out and let it cool a little before serving. Serve with cleaned lettuce.

"Anda Boleh"

 

Steak Fried Rice

Just me today, making my own lunch. Again I have leftover rice and steak. So easy, no eggs at all. Fried rice can be in many style, no need to have eggs. The rice is fried, anyway. :) I love the color of it and texture from the leftover jasmine rice, the steak, the onions and the soy sauce.

Ingredients:-

1 cup Leftover jasmine rice

Few slices Leftover steak (or any kind of meat you have)

1 Tablespoon chopped onions

Few slice carrots

Few pea pods

pinch of Ground Black peppers

1 teaspoon Soy sauce

Method:-

1. Heat the non-stick pan on medium, stir fried the onions, steak and carrots for a min.

2. Add rice and pea pods, soy sauce and pepper. Stir fried for another min or two.

3. Ready to serve. Fast and easy. Just one person lunch.

"Anda Boleh"