Creamy Potato Salad with Peas

It's December the 19th today and indicated my stay for past 365 days at this new place.   New environment, new journey of life and indeed the year of 2012 is a challenging year for me that blended with sweet and sad memories.

December is suppose to be a festive celebration month, whereby everyone is preparing to relax down from their busy schedule to welcome the Christmas and the New Year but it was hit by a sudden sad heartbreaking incident happened in USA last week that has grab the  global attentions.   Nevertheless, I hope everyone will be able to put let down the sadness and move forward to welcome the new year.

As for me, I am rather busy with my new house renovations, which we are planning to move in by mid of January.  That's the reason you don't see my post as often as usual.  My apologies.  Hope I can get back on track after we have settle down at our new house, kind  of looking forward to move in to our new home.

Today, I am bringing a rather simple recipe, perfect for those who are always rush of time to prepare their meal (like me).  The Creamy Potato Salad with Peas will be fit for those who wish to have "meatless" meal.  I personally like the combination of the cooked potatoes with peas and what about you?  Hope you will like it like me!

I wish to take this opportunity to wish everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Fried Crispy Stuffed Egg Roll

This Sunday is the second weekend of the last month of the year.   2012 indeed was another challenging year for me with a new journey of life at a new place, new working environment, making new friends and of course the most excited thing was venturing into blogging world by initiate this food blog.  Thanks to my hubby who has given me more than hundred percent confidence that I can make it.  Tomorrow happens is his birthday and we planned to have quiet celebration at home and of course will plan to cook a feast for him!

Today, I wish to bring you with simple dish which you can treat it as a type of snack- Fried Crispy Stuffed Egg Roll.  I knew in American Chinese cuisine egg roll is a savory dish that served as an appetizer, usually stuffed with chicken, pork or shrimp with various type of vegetables and wrapped with ready made wrapper which we called as spring roll wrapper.  My egg roll will be different.  I made my own wrapper using eggs or I will called it as egg crepe.  I used ground pork meat to stuff inside egg roll and I only mixed some chopped scallions and other seasoning ingredients.  You may use fish paste or beef to substitute.  After I have rolled them, I cut them into bite sizes and deep fried them.

Is pretty simple and tasty especially its dipped with some chili sauce or other dips that you prefer and I personally like it to go with a piece of lettuce or salad greens by wrapping around it.  It will be also a perfect choice to serve at a small home party.  Hope you will like it!  Happy cooking!

Sweet Corn Chicken Soup

My apologies for being silent again for more than a week.  It was indeed a challenging period  for me from now on, as we will be spare our weekends to hunt for whatever needed for our new house which we planned to move in middle of January.  While being busy with our new house renovations arrangement, suddenly I was hit by a bad news of the passing of my beloved uncle, that has made me lost of direction for few days.  I even had missed my regular participation in last week #SundaySupper, which I have planned to join.  Life still have to go on.....this is what being advised by Simon....and am agree with him.  Life indeed have to go on and we should live to the fullest as we can!

After a short absent from the kitchen for few days, I was actually started to crave for something comforting and of course it has to be easy to prepare and less hassle as is a weekday and I have limited time for preparation.  Sweet Corn Chicken Soup is my choice!  

This soup does not take much of time even though I prefer to make my own homemade simple chicken stock instead of using those ready made from store.  Of course, it will give a better taste to the soup especially when added with sweet corn and shredded chicken. I believe this creamy soup suitable to everyone at home.  It's goes well with toasted bread too! Let's get started and see how easy it this.

Moroccan Chicken Salad with Rice - Thanksgiving Leftovers #SundaySupper

Happy Sunday!  We have reached the third weekend of November and for those who are from the United States are celebrating Thanksgiving in another few days.  Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November.  Thanksgiving had roots in religious and cultural tradition.

I am glad to be part of the Sunday Supper team that have explored me to many of their celebrations in the United States.  Honestly, I have no idea what is "Thanksgiving" before this.  What I know all families will cook a feast for this celebration.

This Sunday, our Sunday Supper team was given a theme - Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipes.  I am sure every house will have loads of leftover food from the celebration and how are you going to manage them?  Lets find out from how the Sunday Supper team has to suggest.  This Sunday is hosted by Nicole Cook from Daily Dish Recipes.  I named her as "superwoman" as she always very good in multi-tasking responsibilities as a writer, blogger, mother and also as a "Triberr Consultant" to Sunday Supper Team.....LOL!

I have done some online research for Leftovers recipes and I falls to this recipe called Moroccan Chicken Salad.  I love this salad that goes with cooked rice.  I am sure this recipe    favor to Asian taste too.  If you have leftovers of roasted chicken, it will be perfect!  The flavored shredded chicken meat goes well with the spices (ground cinnamon and cayenne peppers) and also the sour taste of dressing combined from the lemon and orange juice....YUM! 

Hope you'll like my idea with leftover roasted chicken and Happy Thanksgiving!

Homemade Chocolates - Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen #SundaySupper

The festive season is around the corner and can't wait for the Holidays to be arrived.   There is this convenient  shop selling household items  has attracted me and Simon to walk in after our breakfast this morning.  The colorful decor items for the coming season greetings in front of the shop is really alluring. 

Even though as a Buddhist, I don't  celebrate Christmas myself but I do enjoy the Christmas atmosphere especially the gift exchange part which I used to do with my fellow colleagues in the office, decorating the office and of course some get-together on the Christmas eve.

So, have you prepared your shopping list and have you figure out what you want to get for your family members, relatives, friends and you love one?  Have you ever thought to create to get something from your kitchen or from your own hands instead getting them from the store?  This Sunday our #SundaySupper team is sharing their ideas of Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen.  This was an idea from our team member Susan from  The Wimpy Vegetarian.  Love this theme so much.  Thank you Susan for this wonderful idea.  

I am sure whoever has received something that made out from the bottom of your heart will be a precious one for the receiver.  For me, I wish the one who received my gift with a sweet memory.  So, I have decided to make Homemade Chocolates, that's not only bring sweet memories but to show them my heart to them, as all my chocolates will be in heart shape :-).

Don't worry about the trouble of making it as this is a rather simple and easy steps to prepare.  Just go the bakery ingredients shop and tell them you wish to get cooking chocolate.  They are many choices for you.  You may choose those already with or without milk powder, sweetness, etc.  I have choose the one already mix with milk powder and sweetness in it.  I also wish to add some fillings in the chocolates and my choice is almond nibs.  You may choose others fillings like almonds, hazelnuts or something sweet like glazed cherries, orange peel, etc. Those of you who love nuts, please make sure you toss or roast the  nuts before you use it.  Oh ya, you also need to get the molds with shapes that you like, there are various choices for you and I prefer the heart shape.  Let's get started.

Spicy Udon Noodle Soup - Recipes to Keep You Warm #SundaySupper

It was two weeks ago since my last post and I wish to take this opportunity to apologize for being missing in action as I was travelling to the West to visit my family members and close relatives.  Although it was a rush trip but I am satisfied with it and the sad thing was, it took me few days to adjust my feelings when I am back here.

So, I am back again and start off by joining #SundaySupper this weekend with the theme - Recipes to Keep You Warm.  This week’s event is hosted by Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen.  We are allow everything from stews, soups, main entrees and even some hot drinks and desserts which are perfect for this cold season.  Over here in Malaysia, we do not have four seasons but this week theme still can fit for us as it is raining season now.  

What's can really warm you if not a bowl of hot soup.  That's why I am bringing one of my favorite soup to you - Spicy Udon Noodle Soup to keep you warm!  This soup has similarity with Chinese Szechuan style of soup that combined of spicy and sour tastes that guarantee you with a good appetite!  I used chicken broth for the soup base and of course chili paste to spice it up and not to forget some fresh lime juice for the sour taste.  Another two ingredients in this soup are mushrooms and mustard tubers to make it more delicious.

Delicious hot and sour soup does not need to be complicated.  This is my quick and easy steps of making - ready in about half an hour.

Chinese Radish Cake

I was craving for Steam Yam Cake and has planned to make it today.  Unfortunately, when I went to the fresh market this morning, I can't find any yam and a bit disappointed.  So, I decided to change my plan.  I go for Radish Cake instead, another type of cake that is very popular among the Chinese community.

The wonderful part of this steamed radish cake is, you may not only choose to eat just straight away with some garnishing of chopped spring onion, fried crispy shallot and dried shrimps on top, you even can choose to cut it into into slices and pan-fry it before you dip it with some sources....yummy! 

If you wish to challenge yourself further, there is another way that's very popular in Malaysia - stir fry it.  Cut the steamed radish cake in about 1 cm cubes and stir fried with chopped garlic, dried shrimps, beat in an egg and some soy sauce and fried until its turn brown and fragrant.  For those who love it with some spicy taste, you may even add in some chili paste to fry together.  What about adding some bean sprout in it?  Good isn't it? This will be a perfect savory snack that goes well with a cup of tea.  So, lets find out the basic steps in how to steam the radish cake before you venture to next step of alternative way of eating.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Happy Sunday!  Is time for me to share another recipe to all my blog readers.  This dish is something that I have missed for so long - Sweet and Sour Pork  (咕噜肉).

Sweet and Sour Pork is a Chinese dish that is particularly popular in Cantonese cuisine and am sure it can be found in all over the world.  Being a pure Cantonese myself, I was introduced to this dish since I was young.  This is one of the dishes that my late mom won't missed during all occasions or any festivals.....the taste of her cooking still deep in my memory.  Even though I was familiar with this dish but I have not try to cook it myself.  This is my first trial and am satisfied with the result.  

Sweet and Sour Pork are consists of deep fried pork in bite sized pieces, and next you have stir-fried in customized sweet and sour sauce that normally mixed with sugar, ketchup, plum sauce, soy sauce and others seasoning with additional of varieties of vegetables like bell pepper, tomatoes, onions, etc.  Most of the time from my experience from most of the restaurants, the sweetness of the sauce over covered the sour taste of the sauce.  So, to enhance the sour taste  I substituted the plum sauce with lemon juice.   And the meat, I marinated with Chinese Five Spice Powder for almost half an hour before I fried them to ensure the fragrant of the meat stays even it has stir-fried with the vegetables.

You may use spareribs instead of the pieces of meat and for those who does not have a desire with pork, you may alternate it with chicken meat or fish to become Sweet and Sour Chicken or Fish.  This dish is perfect to serve with rice, hope you like this recipe and enjoy your weekend!

Sweet Potatoes Mini Balls for #SundaySupper

This week #SundaySupper theme is All Things Orange!   This week our host is Pam from The Meltaways and Pam loves October and all things Orange!  Is another theme to receive the Autumn season.  We are given the challenge to use anything fruits or vegetables that are orange color like oranges, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, etc to create a recipe.    The recipe can be in savory, sweet, baked goodies or to main dish for breakfast, lunch, dinner or supper.  I love this ORANGE idea!

I would like to bring Sweet Potatoes Mini Balls around the #SundaySupper table.  Sweet Potatoes balls is known to me since I was young.  And there is this particular stall in Kuala Lumpur city that selling these sweet potatoes balls always packed with people has attracted my attention.  I witnessed the crowd everyday, when I was on my way to catch a bus to attend my classes.  Of course, I became one of their regular customers too later.  I still remembered the first experience of my first bite of the sweet potatoes ball and straight away  i knew it tasted so different from others - because the balls mixed with some grated coconut in it. 

Therefore, there should not be any excuse for not to try on this recipe.  My sweet potatoes balls will not the same from what the stall did as mentioned above.  Instead of mixing those grated coconut with the dough, I modified it to became the fillings.  I used fresh grated coconut and I added in with a pinch of salt to enhance the flavour.  But, I know not everyone fancy grated coconut, so, it will be an optional item.  The taste of the balls are still as sweet as the sweet potatoes without any fillings.  These sweet potatoes mini balls perfect to goes with your tea-break especially during this beautiful season of Falls in your garden.  

Garlic Butter Fried Rice #SundaySupper

Today will be a special Sunday for me as it is also the Mid-Autumn Festival which also known as the Mooncake Festival celebrated by the most of Chinese community.  The festival is held on the 15th day of the eight month of the Chinese Lunar calendar, that's today.  Traditionally, all family members would gather in the evening to celebrate after the dinner.  Varieties of fruits and mooncakes will be prepared and they would lightened up lanterns with  candles at home or a community open park for this "appreciate of the moon" festival.  This year I will celebrate with Simon alone as both of us unable to join our family members and this will be our first Mid-Autumn Festival together.

Besides what  need to prepare as mentioned above, I have to thank our most jovial #SundaySupper member - Amber from Mama’s Blissful Bites for her wonderful idea for this week theme.  Dishes in Five Ingredients or Less.  What do you think?  Challenging right?  But, I believe you will love this event when you got to see the creative menu list from more than 50 contributors of #SundaySupper with this theme.  It will definitely will be a helpful menu for those busy mothers  and who have busy daily schedule like me.  Can't wait to see the rest of what of the rest have prepared.

My choice for this theme is Garlic Butter Fried Rice.  Rice is an essential food for most of the Asian to go with other dishes.  To make it more savory and to save time to prepare other dishes, this recipe will be ideal for those who always rush of time.  You only need four main ingredients for this recipe - rice, butter, eggs and garlic.  It will be a brilliant recipe if you happen to have left over white rice as overnight white rice always have a better result when you fried it.  You may choose to just take it plain like that or serve with some side simple dishes or ready made food.  For example, I like it to go with some Chinese sausage that I have cut into tiny cubes that I have saute with a small portion of oil and some saute garlic and onions, fresh cucumbers and some chopped scallions.  Does this sounds good?  Let's try this out!

Homemade Apple Jam #SundaySupper

Autumn is always my favorite season of the year, even though I am not living in a country that have four seasons.  It could be I was born during the autumn and that reason for me to  a have special affection with autumn.  Just celebrated my birthday yesterday and this was the first was done in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. 

This week the #SundaySupper group is coming up with Autumn Apple Party to welcome the fall season of the year.  Hosted by our team member Cindy from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings.  There are more than 50 wonderful recipes using apple will be shared during this party and this is going to be an exciting one!

This is my first experience that I have do my "assignment" for #SundaySupper on my birthday and I challenge myself to bring Homemade Apple Jam to the party, as I never tried to make them before.   Simon and myself love bread with spread all the time.  Butter and peanut butter were always our normal choice.  There is a day he did mentioned he likes fruits jam too. It's straight away strike on my mind to try it out!

I love any pastry that goes with apple, especially those with cinnamon combination is one of my favorite too.  So, cinnamon will not missed from my jam.  I simmer it with low heat about 30 to 40 minutes.  To my surprise, it only takes me about an hour plus to prepare the whole process.  The result turns out good - looks good, taste good and am sure will make some more soon.  Good news is, after this experience, I will not have to buy fruit jam from the store!

Potato Omelette

As usual, I used to visit the fresh market every Saturday with Simon.  Once I arrived at my regular stall yesterday, my attention was attracted on a big basket of potatoes.  They looks so good and so different from the regular type which normally are brought in from our neighboring country - Indonesia or from India.  The owner of the stall came forward and started to recommend me these potatoes and told me it was planted locally from Kundasang.  You won't believe it, I have grabbed loads of it...LOL!

Let me take this opportunity to introduce where is Kundasang.  Kundasang is a wonderful village located about 6km away from Mount Kinabalu Park with an elevation of about 2,000 meters above the sea level, it is one of the coolest place in Sabah with temperatures dropping to 13◦C at night, and it is definitely is one of our favorite spot for a  short holiday.

So, what am going to do with these potatoes and am so eager to try it out as soon as possible! The first that came to my mind was Potato Omelette for our Sunday breakfast.  To make it more colorful I have added with some assorted fresh vegetables - cherry tomatoes, red chili & celery.  This going to be a healthy breakfast set.  Let's see how it goes....

Hot & Spicy Popcorn Chicken #SundaySupper

It's football season for all Americans now.  I was a little puzzle when I saw the theme for this week #SundaySupper - Football Tailgating Menu.  This week #SundaySupper hosted by  Lane from  Supper for a Steal, the big fan of Football.  After done some online research I finally got the whole idea!  Thanks for #SundaySupper always given me an opportunity to explore further on other countries tradition and their seasonal menus and recipes.  I love the idea to get together family and friends to have tailgating party and have fun before the match.  How I wish I could have a chance to join one of them.

Being a fans of spicy food, I have selected Hot & Spicy Popcorn Chicken, hope it could spice-up your Tailgating event.  A snack for any of your favorite match whether you prefer to watch it live at the stadium or enjoying it on your comfort couch in front of the television at home.   You even can pre-prepared it at home as this is so easy to make, and goes better with a can of cold beer.  Please make sure you prepare more as you may end-up keep chewing it and I am sure it will taste better than the regular popcorn!

Stir Fried Smooth Chicken Cubes with Peppers

It was a long weekend.....and we just back from our shot trip to Tawau and Sandakan.  Even though it was a little tired but we were satisfied as we able to take short break after such a long time.

After few days break from not cooking, I was looking forward for an easy to prepare recipe and I have thought of this - Stir Fried Smooth Chicken Cubes with Peppers.

You guys must be wondering why I named this dish as "smooth chicken cubes" even though I am using chicken breast meat for this recipe.  Yes, this is the specialty of this dish.  The answer is I had used egg white as one of the ingredients to marinate the chicken cubes.  And I also pan-fried the chicken cubes.

From this dish you will not only able to taste the smoothness of the chicken meat but you will also able to taste the sweetness and also the savory of the chicken cubes as I have used peppers and carrot to go together with it.  I am sure you going to like it especially for those who doesn't like the fussy of the chicken bones.

Steamed Tofu Serve with Fried Mix Vegetables #SundaySupper

Back to School Meals is this week #SundaySupper theme, hosted by Nicole Cook from Daily Dish Recipes.  Thanks Nicole for having such a great idea of theme that perfectly match for  #SundaySupper,  that has a mission to help to bring families together around the family table.  It is not easy to come out with a good meal plan for dinner after a busy day especially for those who have children.  Even though I do not have any children but this theme definitely is very useful for me too.  

As a working profession who has to spend more than 10 hours outside, I always value a quick and easy meal preparation too.  As for me who always will be earlier to reach home earlier than Simon by 30 to 45 minutes only.  So, just imagine, I am just like those rushing parents, to make sure the dinner is done or at least almost done when your loved one is home.  I always treasure for those quick, simple and easy recipes and am so happy I have about 50 over of the #SundaySupper members who is going to share their tips today.

Today I am going to share with all of you - Steamed Tofu Serve with Fried Mix Vegetables.  I have chosen the fried tofu as I like the savory taste  of it.  This recipe took about 30 minutes to be ready and the wonderful thing is you can come out with another dish from it.  How?  You can prepare a little more portion for the fried mix vegetables which suppose to be pour on top of the steamed tofu.  What I did was, I will take out 3/4 of the portions of the fried mix vegetables which I stir fried with some minced meat until it turned brownish and fragrance, before I add in with water that mixed with corn starch and other seasoning ingredients.  

The fried mix vegetables with minced meat always can be your second dish for your dinner or for me I will keep and fridge for my next meal.  This dish is perfectly goes with plain porridge or you can use it to make braised noodles, or even to go with pasta like spaghetti.  

Stewed Chicken with Beer

This was my first experience cooking with a can of beer.  I am not a beer person nor a wine fancy too.  I was thinking it will be make sense if I use it as one of my cooking ingredients.  The Chinese community usually will use the processed home-made white rice wine to cook chicken together with a large amount of ginger, is a main dish for those ladies during their confinement month to warm their body and health protection.

I believed beer which contains grain, herbs, water and yeast could easily enhance and blend into the flavors of the dish just like wine.  I have chosen the brand "Tiger" as I like the bitter taste of the beer.  If you like sweeter taste, you may go for other brands, is up to your taste of you may cut down the amount instead of putting in the whole can.

I marinade the chicken with ground black pepper and salt for about an hour before cooking.  It has added the complexity and the dept of the dish when its cook together with the beer.  It turns out great and I love it very much and am sure you will like it too!

Steam Mushroom Dumplings with Dried Shrimp

This recipe was in my mind for the past month.  Is a sort of "dim sum" (Chinese  small-bite food) or what we call as snack.  Normally, mushroom dumplings will prepared with others stuffed food that used minced meat or fish paste or mixture of both like - stuff tofu, stuff okra, stuff eggplant, etc or all these will be categorized under a very popular Chinese food in Malaysia named "Yong Tau Foo" or stuffed food, whereby all these stuffed food will be deep-fried before it serve in a bowl of clear soup or in another way is to deep it with special-made gravy processed from yellow beans or chili sauce.

As both Simon and myself are heading to a healthy lifestyle so I have decided to make some changes on the dish and make sure we won't miss out any delicious food at the same time.  I have changed the conventional way deep-frying to steaming.  Steaming is wonderful way of cooking that promise you that food that you cook will not lost its nutrients and of course it will keep the original taste of the food at the same time.  How wonderful it is!

Is a quite simple and easy method of dish.  I choose minced lean pork and blended it together with others ingredient to form a smooth and moist paste.  To make it more tastier, I have added in with chopped dried shrimp into the paste.  Hope you will like it!

Julia's Chicken Salad #CookForJulia #SundaySupper

I am super exciting with this week #SundaySupper!  This week #SundaySupper is celebrating Julia Child's 100th Birthday.  Hosted by one of #SundaySupper family members - Samantha from The Little Ferraro Kitchen.  Thanks to Samantha's great idea, that have made me to get to know more about this legend.

After reading all about Julia, am so fascinated with her enthusiastic spirit to learn French  cuisine - from enrolling in cooking and French classes up to talking to the fish mongers, bakers and fruit sellers.  And from there on, she has addicted and how she begins with her food life.  

“Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.” ― Julia Child.  I guess this is one of most fundamental requirement for every successful story.

After gone through few pages on the her web of her recipes, I came to realize that Julia not only a Master in French Food, I was amazed to see some Chinese recipes from her too!  Instead of Chinese food which are my familiar, I have choose a simple making dish - Chicken Salad, one of the recipes pick-up from Jacques & Julia: Cooking at Home Recipes, a favorite American cook show.  Salad is always our favorite.  I always aim for recipe that cater home cooking, so that I can share around the Family Table!

Radish & Carrot Chicken Soup

It's been for weeks we have not making or boiling any soup for our meals due to our busy schedule.  Simon has reminded me by telling me he missed soup.  He is a big fan of any types of soup.  I was actually cracking my head thinking what type of soup that suitable for us, as both of us just recovered from our fever and cough, and worse, I am not prepared for any.  I went for a check in my fridge and see what can I do from there.  The radish and carrots catches my eyes, and happens I have just bought chicken from the fresh mart this morning.  And here it goes - Radish and Carrot Chicken Soup!

I love soup too!  For me soup is a type of comfort food.  This soup is common in the Chinese society and is so easy to prepare.  It's a delicious and yet nourishing soup and taste good too. Not only that, the combination of radish and carrots is known to assist and to improve your digestion, especially radish is good for blood detoxification.  I have also added in with red dates which are rich with fiber and much needed minerals and energy to help you stay fit and healthy!

Thai Style Sesame Glass Noodle #SundaySupper

Even though I have missed the first Mom 100 Cookbook event organized by #SundaySupper and am glad to be one of the participants for this round.  Thanks so much to #SundaySupper for giving me this opportunity.

Being a full time working profession, I always have time restriction to prepare dinner (the only meal that can prepare for the day) for Simon and myself.  Despite the advises from friends and relatives to have our meal outside as just two of us but we still believes homemade meals are most precious one.  I fully agreed with Katie Workman saying in her latest The Mom 100 Cookbook's website (The MOM 100 Cookbook) - "Because homemade not only tastes best, it is best for you."  I viewed all her kitchen tips from her blog and I am amazed! 

I have used one of her tips for this recipe - Getting all the Zest!  Amazingly, I save half of the time compare with my usual method.  Thanks Katie, you have made my day in the kitchen! 

Thai Style Sesame Glass Noodle is my choice for this event.  I choose Thai style because both me and Simon likes spicy food.  I boiled the glass noodle and toss it with dressing (combination of lemon zest and juice, fish sauce, sesame oil, sugar and chili paste).  I have also added in the minced chicken which I stir-fried with sesame oil to match the noodle.  I just used about 30 minutes to prepare this dish, hope all of you will like it too.

Century Egg Chinese Dumpling Soup

It’s been raining for the past whole week in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - also known as Land Blow the Wind and marked the seventh month after my transferred from the busy city life of Kuala Lumpur (the capital of Malaysia).  In this cold mood has made me craving for the hot dumpling soup.

Chinese dumplings are made by spreading a square wrapper which made of flour, egg, water and salt (normally you can get the ready made form easily from any the supermarket) on your palm and start to place a small amount of filling in the center and seal into your desired shape by compressing or fold the wrapper’s edges with your fingers and a little bit of water.

As for the filling I have used the common minced pork and I have added with something unusual – century egg.  And also some chopped cucumbers to make it more revive.  Whereas the soup, I have used the simple chicken stock as the base.  This easy to prepare dumpling soup is perfect blend in for tonight dinner. 

Ingredients
(a) Dumpling wrapper – 1 pack (normally consists of 50 pcs)

(b) Filling
200gm pork minced meat seasoned with the following:
1 tsp corn flour
1 tbsp of soy sauce
1 tsp of ground white pepper
2 tsp of same oil

½ cucumber, chop finely
4 medium size of mushroom, soak and sliced and cut finely
2 century eggs, cut in small cube

(c) Soup
1 tbsp of chicken stock powder, mix with warm water
2 onions, chop finely
2 slices of ginger
1 tbsp of cooking oil
2 bowls of water

Some spring onions or lettuce for garnish

Directions

1.   Mix the seasoned minced meat with cucumber, mushrooms and century eggs.  

 

The well-mixed filling

2.   Spread a wrapper on your palm and place the filling using a spoon on it.

Placing filling in the center of the wrapper

3.   Wet the edge of the wrapper with water and compress it or fold it into triangle shape.

Folding dumpling into triangle shape

Or compress the dumpling

4.   Repeat the same until you have finished all filling.

5.   Soup preparations – sautéed on onions and ginger, add in water and the mixed chicken stock and simmer in low heat.

6.   In another pot or wok boil with water, put in dumplings to boil. 

To cook or boil the dumplings in a separate pot or wok

7.   Once cooked (the dumplings will be floating if cooked), remove, drain and transfer to the serving bowl.

8.   Scoop in soup and garnish with spring onions or lettuce.

The century egg dumplings ready to serve

Golden Potato Patties for #Sunday Supper

This is my second participation in #Sunday Supper.  This week theme is Kids in the Kitchen to talk about bringing the whole family into the kitchen and have fun.  Initially, I was hesitant to join in as I don’t have children but this has made me thought of all my nieces and nephews in hometown, who are lives more than a thousand miles away from me now.  I promised them on the phone to make this for them on my next trip back to hometown and I know they will love it as potatoes are always the favorite for me and the kids. 

In Malaysia, these deep fried potato patties also call as “Begedil” usually eat alongside with curries.  Well, you can also treat it as a snack.  Its goes well with some chili or tomato sauce. For me, I will just like to wrap it with a piece of lettuce, yummy!  To make it more savory I have added in with minced meat and I have preferred pork instead of the regular beef for a change.  I used celery and spring onions leaves to add on with the fragrance.  I bet these golden-brown delicate patties will draw a lot of attentions and I hope you will like it too!  You may want to try to make it together with your kids too.  Have fun! J

Sweet Potatoes & Glutinous Rice Balls served with Coconut Milk

26 June 2012 marked the day of my new beginning of life.  Is my marriage registration day with Simon and from here we begin our new chapter of life. 

To begin this sweet moment and sweet memory, I am inspired to make do with the Chinese traditional way of dessert – Glutinous Rice Ball or “Tang Yuan” in Chinese. 

“Tang Yuan” is a kind of Chinese dessert made from glutinous rice flour that mixed with a small amount of water to form balls and is then normally cooked and served in boiling sweetened syrup.  “Tang Yuan” also well-known with its traditionally eaten together with the family by the Chinese families.  The round shape of the glutinous balls symbolizes togetherness.  It won’t be left out during the major Chinese Festivals, for example the Chinese New Year eve, Winter Solstice, etc and of course it will also serve on the wedding days.

To make it out of the ordinary, I have added sweet potatoes and also the some different colors on the rice balls to make it brighter and tastier.  This is my first experience to serve it with coconut milk instead of the traditional way with sugary syrup.  To my surprise its churn out great!

This is my first dessert recipe which I shared on my blog and I hope this dessert will bring you back to the “sweetest” moment of life too!

Macaroni Meat Ball Soup

Curry Fish with Mix Vegetables #SundaySupper

Happy Father’s Day to all macho Daddies!

I feel extremely excited as this is my first posting for the #SundaySupper with a Special theme – Perfect #Sunday Supper Father’s Day Menu!

Origin from a country that rich of varieties of cultures from the mix races of Malays, Chinese, Indians, etc - we are always explored to other races signature dishes or menus especially spicy food.  Curry is one of them and become one of my dad’s favorites too!  As the chef at home, my mom always explores her cooking skill with different type of curry.  Curry fish is one of it and remember my Dad used to mix the curry gravy with his white rice.  Even though he has left us when I was 18 but is still fresh in my mind how delicious it when Dad feed me with a spoon of rice mixed with curry gravy when I was as young as 5-years old, my first attempt on spicy curry.   From there onwards, I also have a special “attractions” on curry too!  Thanks to my Dad for discovering me to such a wonderful dish.  I Love You, Pa!

In Malaysia, Fish Head Curry is one of the popular dishes but I prefer to cook with the fish body instead of the head onlyJ.  Red snapper or Malaysian literally name it as “Red Fish” is my choice for this recipe.  To enhance the taste of the fish, I marinate and fry it before I add it into the curry.  Of course, I won’t forget to add in with some assorted vegetables.  I hope you will like it too!