Steam Chicken with Olive Vegetable

Posted on Mon, Jul 13 2015 by sawleng

When I was working, some days, Jared and Jaden would have their dinner passed 9pm after their Kumon classes. We usually eat in neighbourhood restaurant and by the time we ordered our food and food was served, it was already passed 9pm. I felt guilty of them having dinner so late.

Now, I will try to cook on those days that they have Kumon classes. By the time they are home, dinner is ready.

For today, I decided to try this steam chicken with olive vegetable shared by Auntie Gertie. She bought me this bottle of olive vegetable and gave me the recipe below.

Olive vegetable

Half a chicken, cut into pieces
1 tbsp of cuttlefish strips – optional
3 slices of ginger, shredded
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tbsp. of chopped spring onion
2 tsp of olive vegetable
1/2 tbsp of oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp of light soya sauce
1 tsp of sesame oi

Wash and towel dry chicken and arrange on a steaming plate
Fry cuttlefish, if using, with 1 tbsp of oil.
Add ginger and garlic and fry till brown and fragrant
Add spring onion and olive vegetable
Add oyster sauce, soya sauce and sesame oil
Pour the above seasoning oil onto chicken and steam for 15-20 mins.

Simple steps

The same seasoning sauce can be used to cook noodles.

I cooked simple dinner with at least a meat. Still adjusting my life and I want to ensure this is sustainable and not frighten with cooking.

My simple 3 dish dinner

I thought I could have the last piece of chicken and Jaden asked “Can I have these (the balance of tofu and chicken) for lunch tomorrow?”. I am happy that they love my cooking and also happy that they can have home cooked food before their Kumon classes and not after 9pm.

By 8pm, dinner was done, dishes washed, garbage thrown, floor mopped and I’ve freshen up. Not an easy job but satisfying. Hope I can keep this going. Let’s see.

Bak Kut Teh

Posted on Sun, Aug 10 2014 by sawleng

We had guest from China in our office few weeks ago. One of the items that she bought home as souvenir is our famous Bak Kut Teh herbal pack. I bought the following 3 different brands for her to try.

Today, I feel like cooking Bak Kut Teh for dinner as it is relatively easy to cook.

I bought the Bak Kut Teh packet (the middle in the above picture) and only use 1 packet of the herbal pack and reduced half of the ingredients, to as follows:

1.2 liter of water
4 whole garlic
1 tablespoon of black soya sauce
2 tablespoons of light soya sauce
1 teaspoon of oyster sauce
pinch of salt to taste
1 packet of Bak Kut Teh herbal pack
1 kg of meats – pork rib, pork belly
10 mushroom
Fuchok (bean curd skin)
Lettuce
“Yau Cau Kwai”

Lettuce head

Bean curd skin and mushroom

Cooking instructions:

Rinse meat, remove fat
Pour in water to a pot and wait for it to be fully boiled
Add in garlic, black soya sauce, light soya sauce, oyster sauce, salt and a packet of Bak Kut Teh herbal pack (do not open the filter bag)
Add in meat and use medium heat to cook for 30 minutes.
Add in mushroom
Simmer for another 1 hour until meat is fully cooked and tender
Add pepper, fuchok and lettuce to boil before serving

Simmering Bak Kut Teh in the pot

Jared likes the smell of the Bak Kut Teh while it was simmering and requested for some to taste.

We had the Bak Kut Teh as dinner, together with steamed tofu.

Summerset Greens with Duck Breast and Roasted Pine Nuts

Posted on Sun, Jun 22 2014 by sawleng

Teambuilding and cooking … seem to go in pair nowadays. More and more companies are organizing cooking classes or cooking competitions as a form of teambuilding. It’s easy to organize as there are so many culinary schools that offer such activities. The price is reasonable too. Most of all, at the end of the day, there will be so much fun, laughter, noise and good food to satisfy the hungry stomachs.

When our team decided to have cooking class as teambuilding, I suggested Food Studio and Bayan Indah which are my favourite culinary places. Bayan Indah has higher minimum pax requirement. As there were only 8 of us, we signed up with Food Studio for our teambuilding.

It was nice to see Chef Paul again, our chef for the day.

It was also nice to be back to familiar place … a kitchen fully equipped with Electrolux appliances.

We learned to make Smoked duck salad as appetizer, herb crusted filet of salmon for our main course and Pavlova for our dessert.

Ingredients for Smoked Duck Salad

The presentation of the Summerset Greens with Duck Breast and Roasted Pine Nuts by Paul Chef. Beautiful! Love the different bright colors of the salad been presented on a white plate. We had to repeat and present the smoked duck salad in the same way.

These were presented by all of us on our dining table. I think we did a good job. They all looked presentable.

A few days later, we were planning for dinner to celebrate Mom’s birthday. SC suggested to have dinner at home and she would roast chicken and grill lamb. Since it was a Western dinner, I volunteered to try to make this newly learned smoked duck salad.

The following are the ingredients:

50 g mixed and washed salad greens
50 g Smoked Duckbreast
15 g Pinenuts
1 pc Orange
2 Tbs Olive oil
2 Tbs Orange Juice
2 pcs cherry tomatoes
1 mango, cut into small cubes
Salt and Pepper
Onion Sprouts

The ingredients prepared by me

First, slice the duckbreast into thin slices. I bought this sliced, frozen smoked duck from Isetan. No need to slice, just need to warm them in oven.

Remove skin from orange and cut out filets.

Whisk together olive oil with orange juice and dash of salt and pepper.

The whisked salad dressing.

Roast the pinenuts in a dry pan until golden brown.

Mix salad with dressing in large bowl.

Slice tomatoes in half. Cut mango into small cubes.

Arrange salad nicely on a plate and add sliced duck.

Top with onion sprouts and roasted pinenuts.

Decorate with tomatoes, mango cubes and orange filets.

My contribution for Mom’s birthday dinner. Successful.

This is how I presented it.

Guess we had teambuilding at home too. I organized it like a factory line, assigned duties to my siblings and nephews. Even Dad has to cut mango into small cubes. Each person was in charge of one item and presented it on each plate the way I showed them. It was fun, with lots of noise and laughter in the process.

Our table setting for Mom’s birthday dinner and it was a success!

Career and Family

Posted on Mon, Oct 28 2013 by sawleng

2 weeks ago, I received an email from my company’s New Employee Assistant titled “Happy 1-Year Anniversary”. How time flies, I’ve been with the company for a year now. Honeymoon period is over, no more excuses and can’t say “I’m new” anymore 🙁

The ride so far has been (very) bumpy and definitely not quite straightforward. I had the set of challenges while I also have set of opportunities. I’m no longer a people manager, instead I’ve to report to a manager who is younger than me. sighhh.

Looking back, I think this is good for me. While I was climbing up the corporate ladder, this allows me to step back, experience, reflect and learn from it. I understand staff feeling better, I knew the frustration of staff and the expectation of staff from their manager as I certainly have expectation from my manager now. I promised myself that I will be a better manager when I become one again 🙂

There’s lot of opportunities to learn in this company, especially the rhythm of business and the way we communicate and share as a community. In the span of one year, I’ve attended so many conferences inclusive of conference in Atlanta, training in Singapore twice, trainings in local office, townhalls, online trainings, etc. There are so many community calls and learning circle in the company. The word “leverage” and “share” are keys here.

On personal side, I suddenly realized we’ve been eating out a lot since Moch went back. I felt like cooking (not baking). Must focus on “must have” and not “nice to have” when time is not on our side.

Early morning, I went to my favourite TTDI market for groceries shopping. Have not been to the market for a while and I saw two Porsche in the car park. Is this the new trend now, driving sports car to market or TTDI market become so high end already?

It was good to catch up with the aunties from the market. I bought some roast pork as I intended to fry rice for lunch. Bought pork ribs to boil soup, prawns (small and large for pasta, fry with vegetables, etc), cod fish to steam for dinner, dory fish for fish and chips, chicken, vegetables, mango, etc. Stopped at Soya bean stall and Bake with Yen to buy bread crumbs and self raising flour.

When I reached home, I quickly cleaned up all the seafood and meat that I bought. I cooked fried rice for lunch and this is my first time attempting to cook fried rice.

Fried rice with prawn, roast pork, long bean, onion and egg,

The taste was not bad actually.

After lunch, we went to Parkson to get running shoes for Jared. He has outgrown his current pair. Ever since the advice from Jaden’s food podiatric, we are very particular when selecting the right pair of shoes for our boys.

Adidas running shoes that cost RM199.

We always end up buying Adidas shoes.

After a short stop at MPH, we went home and it was time to cook dinner.

Tumeric Chicken

Jared requested for his favourite Tumeric Chicken and it wasn’t hard to cook this.

Steamed White Codfish with Ginger Garlic Sauce

I got this steam codfish recipe from The Star Kuali, Amy Beh’s recipe. Hubby said the fish was nicely done, not overcooked. The flesh was fresh and tender.

Hubby’s famous Steamed Egg

This is by Hubby. Our family love the steamed egg by him as it’s smooth and soft. We always don’t have enough to go round among us despite him steaming 3 eggs. I told him to steam 4 eggs but he refused to listen. He just love us fighting over his steamed egg.

Kou Gei with Fish Ball Soup

This Kou Gei Soup is Jaden’s favourite. In fact, all these dishes are dishes that Moch used to cook for us and the boys have been missing them. I’m glad that we can cook pretty close to the food that we used to eat at home. Everyone was happy. I’m not a bad cook after all.

After dinner, it’s time to wash up all the pots and dishes, threw away rubbish and mop the floor. I was so tired at the end of it. My weekend was gone and it’s not easy to have Career and Family in our life. It’s not impossible but lot’s of choices to make and sacrifices in between.

And this is the choice that I made!

Mee Siam

Posted on Mon, Aug 27 2012 by sawleng

It’s my birthday! It is also “treasure memories” 4th birthday! I declare for myself a day off from work today.

My birthday wish was to have Mee Siam for lunch. Mee Siam which means “Siamese noodle” is a dish of thin rice noodles (vermicelli) in spicy, sweet and sour light gravy. Have not had a good Mee Siam for a long, long time. My very first maid learnt from my Mother in-law and she cooked very good Mee Siam. We used to have family members and friends over just for the Mee Siam.

This time round, while Mother in-law (MIL) was staying with us, I told her my birthday wish and she immediately agreed to cook for me! Love her so much for this!

Mee Siam cooked by my Mother in-law for my Birthday

I asked MIL to teach Moch to cook Mee Siam and this is what I had for my Birthday lunch. It was so yummy and satisfying. Moch asked me to let her know whenever I feel like eating it again.

Ingredients

1/4 cup oil
6 shallots
3 cloves garlic
Chili boh / paste
1 tbsp preserved soya beans (tau cheong)
250g medium-size prawns, shelled
1 cup stock or water
250g rice vermicelli or meehoon, soaked for five minutes and drained
200g beansprouts, remove root tips
2 pieces fried beancurd (tau kwa), sliced
2 pieces of fish cake, sliced
100g chives, cut into 4cm-5cm lengths
1 tsp sugar or to taste
1 tbsp Nampla (fish sauce)
Lime juice

Garnishing:

Chopped spring onions
2 limes or tamarind, cut into wedges
2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered or thinly sliced egg omelet
1 red chilli, sliced
Shallot crisps

Method

Heat oil in a wok
Stir-fry shallot and garlic until fragrant.
Add Chili boh / paste and preserved soya beans (tau cheong)
Add prawns and stock, then bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes.
Add meehoon and beansprouts. Stir-fry.
Mix in beancurd slices and chives and toss the meehoon well.
Add sugar and fish sauce for seasoning and a squeeze of lime juice and toss again.
Dish mee siam onto platter. Garnish before serving.

After the satisfying lunch, I went to Beaubelle to have my birthday pampering session ie body scrub, jacuzzi and aromatherapy body massage.

Birthday Celebration … just the way I like it!

Posted on Fri, Aug 24 2012 by sawleng

My mother in-law brought Jared for holiday in Penang. They took a train up to Butterworth and took a ferry across the sea. It was my mother in-law’s idea. She wanted to spend some time with Jared and also to let Jared experience the ride to Penang on public transports. At the same time, we told Jared to take care of his Ah Ma.

After they came back from Penang, mother in-law stayed with us for a few days. We invited mother in-law to join us for our family dinner at my parents’ house. It was Hubby’s birthday too and I knew my parents and sister would prepare a feast for the birthday celebration. My youngest sister told me that she would make a cake for us too.

These were the dishes cooked by my parents and my eldest sister, Annie. Inclusive of soup, there were 9 dishes all together. It was like CNY reunion dinner. We really enjoyed the food and the great company of family members.

After dinner, my dad went out to get some soda drinks. He knew the kids love it.

My youngest sister made this Tiramisu cake for us. I’ve never tried making one whole Tiramisu cake. It takes lots of skill and confidence to make such cake. I’ve only made Tiramisu cakes in small glasses. Of course, I did not use any gelatine to hold the cake together.

The Birthday guy too busy for the Birthday gal.

The cake was so lovely with our names printed on wafer and had 3 layers.

It was a simple dinner cooked by my parents and eldest sister, with lovely Tiramisu cake made by my youngest sister and celebrated with my parents, mother in-law, kids, sibblings, nieces and nephews … just the way I like it!

Roast Pork

Posted on Sat, Aug 18 2012 by sawleng

I love to eat roast pork. I like to eat roast pork dip with chili sauce or mustard sauce or go with a bowl of curry noodle. So yummy!

Auntie Jenny makes lovely roast pork. The roast pork has crunchy skin and without the porky smell. I’ve watched Auntie Jenny roasted the pork when she was preparing dinner for us at their house in Penang for 2010 Christmas. Even Timothy Tiah came to her house to pick up roast pork that she prepared for his family. I did not know who Timothy Tiah was then though Auntie Jenny did complimented him for his successful set up of Nuffnang. Back to roast pork, it was so tedious and so much work that I did not bother to attempt to roast myself at home. Hubby loves the roast pork made by her.

A few months ago, my youngest sister roasted pork at home and brought to our parents house for our usual family gathering dinner. Hubby loves it too.

I thought I must attempt to make roast pork at home too but I wanted a simpler and easier one. Found some recipes in Kuali and from my recipe book.

This is the mix and match version of roast pork recipe.

Ingredients:

1kg pork belly with skin
Seasoning:
- 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp cooking wine
1/2 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 tbsp rock sea salt

Request butcher:

for the cut best for roast pork
remove or debone ribs from pork belly
score all over pork belly skin using a sharp knife

Rinse the pork and dry the meat with paper towel.

Place the pork belly skin side down, rub seasoning into the meat side, right into the crevices.

Turn the pork belly back over, brush the top of the skin with vinegar or lemon juice.

Rub salt over skin.

Hang on to hooks in a cool dry place until the skin is dry.

Use paper towel and pat dry the skin and remove excess salt.

Preheat oven to 200C.

Place the pork belly skin side up on a rack / grill tray, in the middle rack of oven for 30 mins.

Remove the pork belly from the oven and prick the skin all over with a sharp metal skewer or pointed blade of a knife.

Return the pork belly to the oven to roast for a further 10 mins or until the top of skin turns evenly brown and crispy.

Let roast pork rest for 10 mins outside oven before cutting.

Serve hot with mustard or chili sauce.

The roast pork has crunchy skin with juicy meat.

Steam Fish Hong Kong Style

Posted on Sun, Jul 29 2012 by sawleng

Auntie YC had her holiday in Sabah. She bought us some fresh seafood. One of the seafood was the expensive “Hoi Lee” which cost RM50.60 (RM110 per kg) for a medium size fish.

Over the weekend, Jared wanted to eat steam fish the restaurant style, not the usual steam fish style that Moch prepared at home. Hubby did not want to eat out. But this is expensive fish and I did not wish to steam it wrongly and wasted such an expensive fish.

I googled on internet and after reading a few posts on fish steaming, I decided to take a risk and steam the expensive fish at home.

Ingredients:

1 fresh fish (grouper, sea bass, etc), less than a kg weight
1/4 cup fine fresh ginger strips
1/4 cup fine spring onion strips
A few sprigs of fresh coriander leaves

Seasoning sauce:

4 tbsp light soy sauce (good quality)
2/3 cup of chicken stock (1 tsp of chicken stock powder with 2/3 cup of hot water). We use our chicken stock that we prepared for our soup the same night
1 tsp of castor/rock sugar
4 tbsp oil

Method:

If the fish is thick, cut a few strips on the meat or butterfly it.
Lay the fish on a heat-proof or plate suitable for steaming, such as a metal plate.
Scatter ginger strips over the fish, in between and some under the fish.
Put sufficient water into wok and boil it.
When water is boiling, put in the fish. Steam the fish at high heat for 10 minutes (10 mins for 600g fish and add 2 mins for every 200g).
While the fish is steaming, prepare seasoning sauce. Mix hot chicken stock with sugar, light soy sauce and stir until sugar is all dissolved. If using chicken powder, mix it with hot water, sugar and light soy sauce. Do this step just before the fish is cooked so that the sauce is hot.
Use a fork or chopstick to dig into the thickest part of the fish (usually middle of the body) and lift up the flesh. If it comes clean off the bone easily, the fish is done. If not, leave it to steam for another minute or so and check again. Do not overcook, as fish will still cook even it is taken off the heat.
When the fish is cooked, carefully take it out from the wok and pour away the liquid or transfer the fish into a new plate.
Pour the seasoning sauce which should still be hot all over the fish.
Quickly heat up oil until smoking (be careful the oil is very hot). Pour the hot oil all over the fish. You will hear sizzling sound once the hot oil.
Garnish with ginger strips, lots of spring onions and coriander.
Serve the fish hot.

We should reduce the spring onion and corriander leaves garnishing on top of the fish. Probably because we have spice garden at home and can get them easily.

Moch and I were happy with the results of our first steam fish Hong Kong style. Jared extremely loved the fish, especially the sauce which was sweet and the freshness taste of the fish. He gave us 11 out of 10 marks. We asked him “11 out of 10?” and he said “Yes. The fish is very nice, nicer than restaurant”. Hubby gave 8 marks. Of course, the fish is not as good as the way Unique Seafood does but it is not far different from it.

I would summarise below the learning tips from this fish steaming:

Put in fish for steaming only after water is boiling.
Cook at medium high heat
Drain off all the juices from the steamed fish to avoid the fishy smell and taste
Use good quality soya sauce
If the plate is too hot for you to pour away the steamed fish liquid or if you wish to present the fish in a nicer and presentable way, transfer the fish instead to a nicer serving plate.

treasure memories

Time flies and people come and go. "treasure memories” is the place for me to treasure my memories of those joyous days, to cherish and remember people I care about and events that I attended. They give me great pleasure and they are very special for me to treasure those memories.

Category Archives: Home Cook Food