Starfish Sea Coconut Soup 海底金星- CNY spread #1

海底金星... sea coconut, carrot and starfish 海底椰，金笋，海星.

My kids squealed when they saw the starfish in the soup. Haha! Such a delight.
And my girl asked me to cook it again. She likes the taste.

I made this soup some time ago when I had guests for dinner. No one ever tasted starfish in anything before. No one said no to this bowl of soup. I'm glad everyone didn't feel disgusted.

Chinese Cabbage with Roast Pork and Imitation Abalone - Chinese Cabbage #1

When I saw this recipe long ago… wooah, it looked pretty expensive. Dried scallops are not cheap and so is roast pork. I have sort of forgotten about it until 2 hours before dinner time.

I was surfing the net looking at pictures of cauliflower, but don’t know why this picture of Sonia’s was included in the search. It looked familiar and I clicked it to view it again after so long. Haiya! I have everything on hand. I just took out a big chunk of roast pork to come to room temp thinking of reheating it in the oven later. Then, No no no, no reheating, I’ll be using the roast pork in this dish tonight.

Lean Pork, Oyster and Peanut Porridge - Rice Week # 1

I came across this porridge at Cheah’s blog. Before I saw her post on this, I’ve already planned to cook mussel, lean pork and peanut porridge for Sunday breakfast. But then, as I saw hers, I can’t help but go and buy myself some dried oysters instead of using mussels. And I was totally intrigued by the fact she added in oatmeal to her porridge. Is that her method to balance up the amount of cholesterol from the oysters? Hahaha, I don’t know, but that really got me interested.

Mustard Green and Oyster Soup - Brassica Trio # 3

Days are hot. I’m boiling herbal drinks almost every day to cool down.

Mustard greens taste bitter. It’s the only bitter veggie that I consume, and not only consume, you can say I’m like crazy for it. I won’t be able to resist any dish with this. Be it the “rubbish vege” that we do with leftover dishes, or the banquet dish of Mustard Greens with Mushrooms, or just a simple stir fry of Mustard Greens, I can never ever resist the sight of it. I must eat and eat a lot of it. I'm insane for it.

When my saw some mustard greens at Tesco, my mind immediately remembered this soup that I’ve bookmarked for a quite a few months. My MIL said, “Won’t this be too cooling if made into soup?”. Well, to me, isn’t it perfect for this crazily hot weather? We definitely need something super cooling.
But then, just in case it’s too “cool”, I left the red dates unseeded. If you want it to be very very cool, then remove the seeds.

Mustard Green Soup
Recipe source: Foodie’s Kitchen

750gm mustard green
400gm pork soup bones or ribs
150gm carrots
20gm/4 dried oysters
4 shitake mushrooms (mine were was big as Marie biscuits when soaked, use more if yours are smaller), soaked
30gm/15 red dates
2L water

1. Bring water to boil.
2. Meanwhile, peel and cut carrots into slanting chunks.
3. Rinse oysters put them into the pot.
4. Score the red dates and put them in
5. Separate each leaf from of the mustard green and wash to remove sand. Separate the petioles(the hard crunchy parts of the leaf) and the soft leaf parts. Cut the petioles into chunks and tear the soft leaf parts into smaller pieces.
6. When water has come to a boil, put in pork ribs and bring back to a boil.
7. Put in mustard petioles and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Reduce to a simmer for 1hour.
8. Put in soft mustard leaves and bring back to a boil. Simmer for another hour.
9. Season with salt and serve.

Clams in Broth 上汤蝲蝲

Lala is the local name for the clams used here. It's a thin shelled clam that is not found countrywide naturally. But sold countrywide. Maybe for the peninsula only. I'm not sure. East Malaysians, would be glad to get your clarification on this.

I'm not the type of person that consumes all molluscs. I don't like mussels and oysters. But I like them in soups, but don't ask me to bite into one. I CANNOT comsume cockles, no matter how tasty they are, no. I'd be in the toilet the whole day. I like scallops but they are too pricey. So, the cheapest and tastiest for me is Lala.
Used to be cheaper, but recently due to low supplies, prices hit RM8kg, which is considered rather pricey.

Lalas are very sweet, but they are dirty. They live in mud, not sand beds. So, you must wash them internally before cooking.
How to wash the insides? Soak them in salt water(as salty as the sea), not fresh water. If not, you'd kill them. You don't want to eat dead clams. When they sense there is salty water around them they will open up their shells and this way, the mud in them wil be spit out as well. Soak for a few hours at least. And never ever chill your lalas, you'd kill them too. Buy them the day you want to eat. If you intend to cook it for dinner but bought it in the morning, keep them alive in salt water. After cooked, do not eat any closed clams. Only eat opened up clams.

If you intend to cook them with a thick gravy, do not dump them straight into your wok. They'd release so much moisture you will have soup at the end and not thick gravy. Parboil the lalas before adding into you favourite gravy. You can check out my Spicy LaLa post.

But today, I intend to cook this with something light and clear. With broth. My hubby was estatic when he knew I was cooking lala for dinner, but when he saw I cooked it in broth, he said, 'Ohh Wasted. I thought you're going to cook spicy lala." But in the end, he slurped every bit of the broth, took 2nds and 3rds. Licking the bowl clean each time. Hahah! Never judge a book by its cover, or maybe a broth by it's colour.

This dish is inspired by Shogun. A Japanese buffet restaurant in Klang Valley. I know it's not one of the best places to eat Japanese food, but just close one eye for the price that one pays. They have this 'clams in superior stock' that I'd eat by the bowlsful each time I go there. My hubby wonders why. Hahaha. I did not use superior broth, but just frugal dried anchovies and this is good enough for us. The soup was cleared up by only 4 adults. MSG free and absolutely SWEEEEEEEEET!

Clams in Broth
Recipe source: Wendyywy

1kg lala clam
1/2 bowl dried anchovies, rinsed
1 L water

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed, do not chop
2 shallots, sliced
2 inch ginger, julienned
2 Tbsp goji berries (wolfberry)
Large handful of Chinese Celery / Kan Choy/ Daun sup
2 Tbsp Shao Xing Wine
Salt to taste

1. In a small pot, put in 1 tsp oil and saute rinsed anchovies for a while. Put in water and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until broth turns whitish.
2. Soak lalas in salt water for few hours. Wash and rinse a few times in fresh water just before cooking. Removing clams with only mud in them. Some clams were long dead and the shells were filled with mud instead.
3. Heat a bigger pot /wok and put in 1 Tbsp oil. Put in smashed garlic and sliced shallots and cook until fragrant, no need to be golden.
4. Put in rinsed lalas and pour in hot strained broth. Add more water if needed. Put in ginger.
5. Bring a boil and season with salt.
6. Put in goji berries and cook until clams have opened up. Turn off the heat and put in Chinese celery and Shao Xing Wine.

Don't forget that I'm posting Mon-Fri.

See you on Monday.

Berry Week

Braised Mushrooms with Dried Oysters and Scallops - CNY Week #2

Braised mushrooms is a favourite at my house. But my mom does it with leeks, fried chicken feet and roasted pork, a version I doubt Mike’s family will like.

Since getting married, I never went home for new year eve’s Reunion Dinner. Well, we’re not supposed to, cos once married you have to eat at your husband’s as you now belong to that family. I do know that many practise alternating or eat at both sides nowadays, but that is unless you stay a sea away (for alternate years) or stay within 30 mins drive to eat at both sides, and also provided it’s eating out where no work at home is done. But traditionally, it’s always at the husband’s side. I’ve never seen my mom going home for dinner. Neither do my sister in laws who stay walking distances away. They stay throughout the dinner and may drop by their parent’s house after that for a chat with their siblings, but never for reunion dinner. It’s an understood custom. My mom calls it a "LAW".

So, for 5 years, I’ve never had reunion dinner at home. At Mike’s place, we share the cooking work. His aunts will do some dishes and I’ll do some. And every year I wonder why is there no mushroom dishes. Is it that they do not know how to do it because since Mike’s grandma passed away, a lot of recipes followed in her footsteps too. So, I made this but not the version I had at home, as they don’t consume chicken feet.
I made up the recipe based on 2 persons. My 3rd uncle will always braise his mushrooms in garlic oil broth before he adds in other flavours and meat. My mom told me, dried oysters taste a lot better than oyster sauce and a few pieces in braises totally perks things up. And it so happened that I have some dried oysters and some scallops that has been sitting chilled in my fridge for almost 3 years.

Here, I present to you my maiden attempt in braising mushrooms and I’m very happy with the result. Flavourful and fragrant. I didn’t need to add any sugar as the scallop was sweet enough and I didn’t need any other sauces(besides the basic soy sauce) to season the dish as the oyster gave out so much flavour to the dish. I didn’t even use salt.

But, it was labled as “old people’s dish” when it arrived at the dinner location. The younger generation didn’t appreciate the dish but the older folks loved it. I was told that only Mike’s grandma will cook this, and since young my hubby will call it “old folk’s dish” and he said now he’s getting older already, he loved it. What a nice explanation. Huh! A far cry from my family where braised mushrooms are loved by the young and old.
I don’t think I’ll be cooking this for next year’s reunion dinner. If ever they ask for this dish again, I’ll do a much smaller portion. I think I’ll just fry chicken to feed those kids in their late 20’s next year.

Braised Mushrooms with Dried Scallop and Oysters
Recipe Source: Wendyywy
Serves 12-20 (depends on how much they eat)

200gm dried shitake/Chinese mushrooms, soaked for 1 hour or overnight
50gm dried oysters (10 pcs)
50gm dried scallops/conpoy (5 large pieces about 2cm diameter)
2 tbsp light soy sauce (30ml)
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce (15ml)
1 Tbsp Shao Xing wine (15ml)
1 bulb of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
4 Tbsp cooking oil (you do need this amount of oil to make the mushrooms look shiny and taste smooth)
1 tsp cornstarch +3 tbsp water (may need more if not thick enough)

1. Clean mushrooms and snip smaller if they are too big. Squeeze mushrooms to remove excess water.
2. Rinse oysters and scallops.
3. Heat a heavy based pot and put in oil.
4. Put in chopped garlic and sauté until it smells fragrant, no need to be golden.
5. Put in cleaned mushrooms and stir until coated with oil.
6. Put in rinsed oysters and scallops, Stir to mix around.
7. Put in water, enough to cover mushrooms.
8. Bring to a boil, cover with lid and turn heat to low.
9. Braise for 2 hours. Check pot once a while to make sure the liquid in pot doesn’t dry up.
10. After 2 hours, season with soy sauces and Shao Xing wine.
11. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
12. Prepare cornstarch mixture and thicken gravy according to preference.
13. Dish up and garnish with blanched veggies.

Fried Rice with Dried Scallops and Kailan Stems

When I was still staying in KL, Mike and I used to frequent this Hong Kong Culture (yes, this is the name of the shop) in Plaza Low Yatt, whenever he goes there for his IT shopping sprees.

I have a few favourites from this shop and one of them is this never seen or heard before, fried rice that is done with dried scallops and egg white that was dotted with broccoli stems. It was so delicious. I didn’t know how did they get the sprinkling of shredded conpoy to be so crispy. Did they steam and shred it? Or were they the remnants of the soup base for their noodles?

I never knew until I saw this at a herbal shop lately.

My eyes lit up when I saw this bottle of golden shreds. Immediately I knew what I want to do with it. Fried rice!!! Hong Kong Culture style!!! And Chinese New Year season, there are lots of Kailan stems around.

I did this during my Form 6 mates reunion at my house during Chinese New Year Day 4.

Fried Rice with Dried Scallops and Kailan Stems

(Serves 6-8)

½ cup dried scallop shreds
6 cups cooled cooked rice
3 stalks of kailan stems (peeled and cut into little cubes, about 2 cups. You may substitute this with broccoli stems)
12 egg whites (1.5 cups)
3 sprigs of spring onion (when finely sliced/chopped, should come to about one cup, white and green parts separated)
1 Tbsp chicken stock powder
1.5 tsp salt

1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Put in kailan cubes and cook for 5 seconds. Strain and keep aside.
2. Heat wok and put in 1/3 cup of oil. Fry dried scallops shreds until golden brown. Dish up scallops shreds leaving behind oil in wok.
3. With the oil in wok, fry egg whites, scrambled until cooked, dish up. Do not overcook.
4. (use the same wok, unwashed, but make sure there are no egg whites left in wok) Put in 2 tbsp oil into wok and put in sliced white parts of spring onion. Saute for 3 seconds and put in rice. Toss rice for about 3-4 minutes until rice is very hot and evenly coated with the oil. Put in cooked kalian cubes. Season with chicken stock powder and salt. Taste and adjust.
5. When rice is nicely seasoned, put in egg whites. Toss until evenly distributed. You may add in fried scallop shreds and green parts of spring onion now or sprinkle them on top of rice later.
6. Serve hot 

My experiment result:

I was there!!! It tasted oh-so similar…. Now I can enjoy my favourite fried rice in Kuala Kangsar.

Now out of the 30 egg whites I had from Prune Layer Cake 2, 4 went to Strawberry Pavlova, 12 here, another 14 to go.... See my next post.

Spicy Lala 香辣啦啦

This dish was created when I needed to rinse my chili sauce bottle.

An instant hit with my hubby, adding more fans to the list later on.

kekekeke..

Lalas taste best when cooked fresh, and for that I mean, when they are still alive. When u get them home, soak them in water (around 2L for 500gm lala) with 2 tsp of salt. This way, they'll come alive and peek out of their shells....When they peek out, they'll also spew out the silt in them.

The thing about cooking lala is that, they have to be parboiled beforehand.

Just boil some water, dump them in and wait until they open up. Some may open up faster and some later. Take out those that opened up earlier and wait for the rest to open up. Discard lalas that don't open. They may be dead before u cooked them, or they are just empty shells containing silt. This way, the sauce that u cook them in later on will not be watery and "fishy".

If you're not cooking them the day u bought them, parboil and keep in the fridge for a day or 2. Don't keep live lalas in the fridge, it'll kill them, and u'll end up having dead lalas.

Ingredients:

500 gm lalas (parboiled)

1/2 cup finely chopped big red onion

1 pip garlic, finely chopped

1 red chili, finely chopped (omit if u're no fan of chili)

1 Tbsp meat curry powder (I use Baba's)

3 Tbsp chilli sauce (Maggi type)

3/4 cup water

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

2 Tbsp oil

1 Tbsp chopped green onions

Heat wok, saute garlic in oil til fragrant, add in onions and chili. Fry until soft and very fragrant. Add in curry powder, saute for a minute or until fragrant, then put in chili sauce.

Give it another minute then pour in water, salt and sugar. Cook until sauce thickens, taste... .Put in parboiled lalas and give it a good stir.

Dish up and sprinkle on chopped green onions.

****

If u have curry leaves or lemon grass, feel free to add in during the curry powder stage.

This is always a sudden add-on dish bcos my MIL often gets it from her lala seller friend, and I don't have fresh herbs around my house. Even w/o curry leaves or lemon grass, it still taste good.

Do try this out!!