Hakka Abacus Seeds

Spicy version with sambal chilli

Ingredients:
(serve 4)

400g yam (peeled and washed)
80g tapioca starch
20g spring onions, sliced
50g flat parsley, coarsely chopped
2 tbs dried cuttlefish (shredded)
50g dried shrimps
4 shitake mushroom
150g minced meat/ pork belly
6 peeled shrimp (optional)
5 water chestnut sliced(optional)
2tbs dried silver fish (fried till golden brown)- optional for toppings
3 cloves garlic
5 shallots
Vegetable oil

Marinade for Pork
1 tbs sesame oil
2 tsp oyster sauce
Dash of pepper

Seasoning
1 tbs fish sauce
Dash of pepper


Method:
Soak dried cuttlefish until softened and keep the water for later use.
Marinate pork in leave in fridge



Preparing the dough:


1. Peel and slice the yam into rounds, then quarter each piece.

2. Steam the yam for 30-35mins until it gives easily when poked with a chopstick.

3. Mash the yam.

4. Transfer the mashed yam into a large mixing bowl. Allow the yam to cool slightly then gradually add the tapioca starch to the mashed yam and knead.

5. Continue kneading unitl the yam is completely amalgamated with the starch.

6. The dough is ready when it no longer feels sticky to the touch.

7. Dust your working surface with tapioca starch. Taking a piong pong ball sized piece of dough, shape it into a roll about 2cm thick, Cut with a knife into 2cm thick slice.

8. Roll each slice into a ball, gently press on the centre of the ball.



Boiling:1. Fill the wok with water and bring to a boil.

2. Place the dough pieces in the boiling water and stir to ensure they don’t stick to the bottom of the wok.

3. Meanwhile, fill a basin with water and some ice.

4. The dough pieces are cooked once they float to the surface.

5. Use a metal sieve to scoop them up and transfer to the basin of water.



Stir Frying:

1. Heat 5-6 tbs vegetable oil. Fry the garlic and shallots.

2. Add the cuttlefish and fry for 2 mins.

3. Add the dried shrimp and fry for another 1 min.

4. Add the mushroom and fry for another 1 min.

5. Add the pork and fry for 2 mins until is nearly opaque.

6. Add the yam abacus seeds, prawns, water chestnut and stir fry for 1-2 mins.

7. Add the seasoning, cuttefish water and mix well.

8. Add the sliced parsley and spring onions.

9. Served hot and top with silver fish.

Household Tips

No more Ants

Tie a rubber band around the container for sugar and there will be no ants crawling around it!

Open bottle caps easily

Just strap a rubber band around the cap and turn anti-clockwise. That's all. It will open easily.

No more tears

Before chop or grate onions, soak them in cold or icy water, or leave them in the freezer for half an hour. This will stop your eyes from tearing.

Homemade Bak Kwa- Chef John See

Prefer not to use frozen meat, can use Twee Bak, pork belly etc...

After roll flat the meat, can either put it in fridge or use a hairdryer to cool blow it for 15-30mins before grilling it.

This is the gelatine recommended by the chef, can be bought in Sheng Shiong Supermarket.

Beef Rendang

Ingredients (serve 8):

1kg beef shin or leg (cut into cubes)
5 tablespoons cooking oil
1 cinnamon stick (about 2-inch long)
3 cloves
3 star anise
3 cardamom pods (optional)
1 lemongrass (cut into 4-inch length and smashed the white part)
400ml coconut milk (if use coconut cream, will be 200ml cream and 200ml water)
2 tbs tamarind juice (pulp soaked in some warm water and discard the seeds )
6-7 kaffir lime leaves (very finely sliced)
6 tablespoons toasted coconut, fried grated coconut in a DRY pan and stir continuously till golden brown, pound lightly (optional)
3 tablespoon sugar or to taste
1 tbs salt or to taste

Spice Paste:

5 shallots, sliced
1 inch galangal, sliced (blue ginger)
3 lemongrass, sliced (white part only)
5 cloves garlic, sliced
1 inch ginger, sliced
6 red chillies,sliced
4 dried chillies (soaked in warm water and remove seeds)
5 chilli padi, sliced (optional)

Method:

1. Blend spice mixture and oil to paste in a food processor.
2. Heat the pressure cooker, add the spice paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom and stir-fry them until aromatic.
3. Add the beef and lemongrass and stir for 1-2 minute.
4. Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, water, and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the meat is almost cooked.
5. Add the kaffir lime leaves, toasted coconut, sugar, stirring to blend well with the meat.
6. Lower the heat to low, cover the lid, and simmer for 25mins. After natural release, taste the gravy. If meat not tender, add a little more water and simmer for another 10mins.
7. Add salt to taste. If not sweet enough, add more sugar to taste.
8. Serve immediately with steamed rice and save some for overnight.

Homemade Mee Hoon Kueh

Serve 4-5

Ingredients:

• Chye Sim
• Ikan bilis (bake for 5min and add in oil and bake for another 7-8mins)
• Eggs
• Shallots (fried will golden brown)
• Minced meat (marinade with light soy sauce, pepper and cornflour)

Making the Dough

• 220g plain flour
• 30g semolina flour (the dough will be more stretchy)
• 1 egg
• 1 tbs cooking oil
• 100ml water
• pinch of salt

1. Mix all ingredient and knead for 5-10 mins, add abit flour if too wet
2. Knead till it spring back a little when pressed with a finger
3. Cover dough with cling film or towel and let it rest for an hour.

Soup base

• 50g ikan bilis
• 100g dried soya bean
• 1-2 dried sole fish
• 1/2tsp sugar
• 2-3 1cm sliced raddish (optional)

1. Boil for 30mins

Method:

1. Drain away all ingredient in the soup base.
2. Roll the dough to thinner piece.
3. Pinch the dough piece by piece into the soup, let it cook for 3mins.
4. Add in chye sim, minced meat and egg.
5. Dish up and add in ikan bilis and shallots.

Tips: I found that the dough was placed in fridge overnight has better result. Dough is easier to roll and smoother.
 

Seafood Risotto

Ingredients 1

1. Chicken + prawn stock stock
2. 1 knob of butter
3. 2 tbs olive oil
4. 1 large Onion
5. 2 cloves garlic
6. 400g risotto rice
7. 2 glass of white wine
8. salt and pepper
9. 70g butter
10. Celery (optional)
11. 115g grated parmesan cheese

• Heat the olive oil and butter, add onions, garlic and celery. Fry slowly without colouring
• Add rice and turn up heat
• Keep stirring. After a min, it will look truslucent and add in wine and keep stirring.
• Once wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of stock and a good pinch of salt.
• Turn down the heat to a simmer so rice doesn't cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring and almost massaging the creamy starch out of the rice, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15mins.
• If run out of stock before rice is cooked, add some boiling water.
• 5mins before rice is cooked, add in the seafood.
• Check seasonings and add in butter. drizzle a lug of extra olive oil
• Squeeze over lemon juice

From: Jamie Oliver

Home Natural Remedies

Vinegar

Half vinegar and half water to wipe off grease in kitchen. It works perfectly! The acid cut through grease and just need to wipe off with a damp cloth.

Half water and half vinegar will also wipe off paint on wall tiles.

Microwave- 1/4 cup vinegar with 3/4 cup water, high for 3-4mins till boiled. Let it rest for another 5-10mins. wipe off all grease easily!

Soda Bicarbonate

Oven- 2tbs soda mixed with a cup of water, spray to oven when oven is cooled. Heat for a few mins, scrape off or wipe with damp cloth.

Keep ants away

Cinnamons, bay leaves, black pepper, mints leaves....

Wipe tabletop and walls with Vinegar.

Dip bay leaves in mouth wash are another helpful option.