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"

Steak Ramen Noodle

This is really less than 20 min meal. Thats why I have a big box of Top Ramen at home, ready for anytime. Gregg left me a message at 1145am, saying that I will come home at noon and we can eat out. I was running in the park then. So I got home around 1155am. I listened to the message and then I called back. He said he was at the post office which is few blocks away. So I quickly boil the water, put in 2 packs of top ramen. While the ramen being soften, I picked some pea pods in our garden, cut the leftover steak in small pieces, chopped some onions and picked some cilantro. Then......

Ingredients:-

2 packs Top Ramen

Leftover steak

Pea Pods

Cilantro

Onions

Salt and Pepper

1 teaspoon Sweet Soy sauce

1 teaspoon fish sauce

Method:-

1. Soften the top ramen in hot boiling water, just for few seconds. Drained.

2. Heat the non-stick pan on high, put in cooking oil, throw in onions, steaks and pea pods. Stir fried for few seconds, add salt and pepper.

3. Put in the noodle in the pan, add the sweet soy sauce and fish sauce, mixed well with other ingredients.

4. Served.

"Anda Boleh"

Grapefruit HangarOne

I was influenced by Gregg. He loves Hangar One which is a better quality than other vodka. I loved it too, since I have been drinking at least once a month. Hahaha, not a serious alcoholic. Anyway, I loved fruity drinks, just like I loved sweet wine like Riesling, Gurwezt and Zinfandel. Here I make a grapefruit cocktail drink. Gregg loves it very much. Try it out, remember not to put too much Hangar One. :)

Ingredients:-

Grapefruit Juice with few section of grapefruit

Hangar One

Ice cubes

"Anda Boleh"

15min Cinnamon Toast

This morning, I got up around 10am, wondering what I am going to have for breakfast. Well, I looked at the fridge and found some egg yolks which is from Gregg eating the egg whites only. Good, making a potato bread toast. But, I feel like not eating eggs today, so I just use a pan, butter, sugar and cinnamon. Wola... ! Good idea, taste good and easy to make. Less washing as well. Oh, so good with a cup of hot chocolate soy milk.

Ingredients:-

2 slice Potato Bread (cut into 4 pc each slice)

1 Tablespoon butter (any kind you prefer)

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:-

1. Heat the non-stick pan on medium, add in butter, sugar and cinnamon.

2. Once melted and mixed well, lay the bread piece by piece, few seconds each side until golden brown.

3. Served with any fresh fruit you want, for sure with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.

"Anda Boleh"

ABC Fried Rice

Just a quick lunch I made for Gregg today. He went to see an Eye Doctor for a check up, and I was busy checking my emails and wrapping the cherries. I have leftover jasmine steamed rice, and taking it to make into fried rice. You know that Leftover Rice is good for Fried Rice.

I named this fried rice ABC because I was using the ABC brand sweet soy sauce, which is thick soy sauce. It is a product of Indonesia, in Malay it is Kicap Manis. You can find it at any Asian market near you. This ABC sauce is to give little sweetness to the fried rice and its color. Very popular among Malaysian especially my family. Good combination with fish sauce as well.
We also used the sweet soy sauce as dipping sauce for fresh cut fruit such as mango and cucumber. Add little fresh chili cut and soy sauce, it will be fantastic.

Ingredients:-

2 small bowl of leftover steamed rice
1 cup of Pea Pods
1 Tablespoon ABC sweet soy sauce
1 teaspoon Fish sauce
2 whole eggs
1 Tablespoon cut fresh dill
a handful of cilantro
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:-

1. Heat the non-stick pan with some cooking oil, say 3 Tablespoon, on medium high heat.
2. Fried the eggs, stir so that it looks scramble. Look for bubbly foamy sign.
3. Add the fish sauce, together with pea pods. Stir for few seconds.
4. Then add in the rice, ABC sweet soy sauce and salt and pepper. Stir for a min or two.
5. Finally add in dill and cilantro, stir few seconds and then ready to serve.

"Anda Boleh"

Friggin Fantastic Chicken

Oh gosh! It was Fantastic.... Frigging....... Good! See, Malaysian loves to BBQ at night but not in the afternoon. The weather is hot and humid during the day, and unpredictable heavy storm. Therefore, BBQing at night is the common thing to do in the country. Why we say that this recipe is Friggin Good, because of the marinade. When you combined Chinese 5 spice powder, soy sauce and sugar, those are wonders and it makes you say "Hmmmmmmmm.........so good......."

Ingredients:-

2 pc each Chicken thighs and wings

Some fresh oregano

1/4 cup Soy sauce

2 Tablespoon Sugar

1 Tablespoon Chinese Rose Wine

Pinch of Salt

3 Tablespoon Olive oil

1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice (you can get it at any Asian markets near you)

Method:-

1. Marinate all the chicken with all the ingredients in a ziploc bag, overnight.

2. Roast in the oven at 400 F for about 40-45 minutes, dont let the smoke coming out from your oven.

3. The leftover marinade, reduce it on a saucepan at medium heat. Once reduced, add some butter to make into sauce. It is good spreading on the warm rolls.

Tips:- you can bbq them too. Remember, when roast in the oven, always put the chicken on the rack. Cover your sheet pan with aluminium foil, so that easy to clean after that.

 

"Anda Boleh"

Garden Bed Cereal Salad

Have you thought about using your greens from your garden bed for Salad and then top it up with Bran Cereal? Well, here it is. Something comes out from my mind, using the little sweetness and crunchiness from the cereal to compliment the greens and tangy strawberries. Honestly, it is so good and simple and saved lots of money. We have 3 garden beds full of vegetables and herbs. Very organic!

Ingredients:-

Arugula
Onions
Strawberries
Avocado
Tomatoes
Oregano
Mint

Dressing:-

Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Mixed all together and then top it with cereal with dry fruit or any kind of sugar coated cereal you have in your pantry.

Tips:- The Arugula is bitter, so the avocado and some sugar will mellow down the bitter taste.

"Anda Boleh"

Carmelised Onions Tumeric Chicken

Today, I am making this quick chinese style chicken with just onions. Gregg and I are craving for jasmine steamed rice, so I am thinking of cooking some chicken and re-stir fried the leftover Buddha delight from Asian Wok (a Malaysian restaurant near us). Also, we loved fried capers.

Ingredients:-

2 medium size Chicken Breast - cut into cubes or chunk size

1 teaspoon Tumeric powder

1 large onion - sliced

1 teaspoon sugar

salt to taste

Method:-

1. Heat a non-stick pan with some cooking oil, prefer medium to high heat. Cook the onions first, half way cook.

2. Then put in the chicken and salt, stir fried for a min or two.

2. Add in tumeric and sugar, further stir frying it for another minute until the onions turning brown and carmelised. Add some more salt to taste.

"Anda Boleh"

Spring Herbs Noodle Soup

Me and my partner want to eat healthy these days. We want to have lean healthy body for the summer vacation. Today I made Spring Vege Noodle soup, very simple and easy. I used the chicken stock I have in the freezer. Try it out and you will love it. Oh, you can prepare this soup and put into small containers and freeze it for future consumption.

Ingredients:-

Chicken Stock or any kind of stocks

Baby carrots

Tomatoes

Bow Ties pasta

Salt and Pepper to taste

Garnishing:-

Cilantro

Sliced Fresh onions

Dill

Chives

Mint

Vietnamese coriander

Sugar Peas

Methods:-

1. Boil the chicken stock in a pot, together with carrots and bow ties pasta, approximately 15 min, on medium high heat. Remember to add some water if it is reducing.

2. Add in tomatoes and cook for few minutes, until you can see the tomatoes get soft.

3. Add the garnishing and cook for a min or two. Then salt and pepper to taste.

"Anda Boleh"

Strawberry Peas Carrots salad

I have lots of strawberries in my backyard, it is the season. I dont shop for greens nowadays since it is Spring and Summer season with abundant of greens in our backyard. Therefore, to make a healthy, fast, light lunch for my partner, Gregg, today, I picked some pea pods, sage and strawberries. Oh, we are on healthy diet so that we can show off our lean body when we are going to Las Vegas in July. :)

I roasted the chicken breast with bones with bbq rub and some salt, with oregano and olive oil, at 400 F for about 45 min. Always overcook than undercook.

Ingredients:-

Fresh Strawberries

Pea pods

Carrots

Garlic Salt and Pepper

Cooking oil

Method:-

1. Clean and cut the strawberries in halve or quartro.

2. Cut the carrots thin and 2" long, just like carrot sticks but half the lenght.

3. Heat the non-stick pan high, sautee the carrots for about 2 min, until charred little. Remember to add salt and pepper.

4. Lastly add the pea pods and sautee for one min.

5. Toss all of it in a bowl, mixed well and add more salt to taste. You can add some lemon juice if you want.

6. Garnish with crispy sage (fried the sage until crispy, dont brown it) and roasted chicken breast.

"Anda Boleh"

Beef Ravioli Dumpling Soup

Dear all. Have you ever thought of using the leftover "whatever" ravioli with tomato sauce for a soup of the day? Well, I did. See, my philosophy is pasta is pasta, whether in angel hair shape, round, square or curly shape. Then, just like making your chicken noodle soup, as easy as you can imagine. I can make this less than 30 min, better than Rachel Ray (my opinion about her show is, she does not need to prep, thats why 30 min cooking). But my style of cooking or shall I say, my Less than 30 min cooking is including prep. The Real Chef Chong's 30 minutes cooking. Besides leftover ravioli my partner brought home from the Company's lunch, I used the pork dumplings in my freezer to compliment the pasta and some pea shoots from my backyard. See, easy, light and save lots of money.

Ingredients:-

Chicken broth (when you have some in the pantry)
Leftover Beef Ravioli with tomato sauce (you can used any leftover ravioli provided that have the tomato sauce)
Pea shoots
Few Frozen Pork Dumplings
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:-

1. Boil the chicken broth until bubbly.
2. Add in the frozen dumplings and cook for at least 4 minutes.
3. Throw in the ravioli and pea shoots, cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Garnish with few pieces of roasted chicken in your fridge.

Tips:- I used the beef ravioli with tomato sauce because of the soup will have the tomato taste. Dont use the sauce with cream in the soup for this. I will come out with another recipe when I tried it one day. :)