Assam T'ng (Tamarind Fish Soup)

One of the old time dish which many have not heard of ! Extinct and nowhere to be found.

I recalled back this dish when I was in Chiang Mai, taste similar to the Northern Thailand clear Tom Yam Soup. Fiery hot, tangy taste from the tamarind, pungent aroma from the Belachan. 

Well, I am just gonna eat this with steam rice....   

Preparation: Kembung Fish (rinse and remove the gut), Belachan (slightly toasted), Tamarind (soaked in water) Onion, Lemon Grass, Red Chilli, Bird Eyes Chilli and Kaffir Lime Leaves.

Use the Tamarind juice as the base and heat it up. Throw in the Lemon Grass, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Onions, Belachan, THE CHILLIES and let it come to a boil. Add the fish and reduced the heat. 

Simmer for approximately 10 mins, sugar and salt to taste, and we are ready to eat. Serve it piping hot ! 
  
Some people will be wandering are we only having the soup and fish ??!! With a dash of soy sauce on THE CHILLIES...and you can eat it too.    

Serving for 3paxs

Ingredients
600g Kembung Fish 
80g Tamarind Pulp (soaked in water)
150g Onion (chopped)
5pcs Kaffir Lime Leaves
4pcs Lemon Grass (bruised)
10g Belachan (slightly toasted)
1tsp Sugar
1tsp Salt
1.5lit Water  

Assam Ko Heh (Tamarind Prawn)

I have always wanted to share this easy-to-made dish, this is one of the unique nyonya dish I will cook when having Nasi Lemak. 

Want to know how I eat ? Using your hand, just dip the Assam Ko Heh into the Sambal Belachan and with your fingers scoop the Nasi Lemak and in goes into your mouth ! After that, lick your fingers,...well, you can still taste the sourish taste of the tamarind, perhaps a bit of the pungent Sambal Belachan. 

Erh,...disgusting ? Trust me,...it's worth it !

Clean and devein the Prawn.

Soak the Tamarind Pulp with water, mix with the Prawn, add some Salt and Sugar.

Leave aside and let it marinate for 3 hours in the fridge.

Heat up oil over medium fire, in goes the Prawn and fry till slightly burnt. Add some Dark Soy Sauce if you wish. 

  
Serve with Nasi Lemak.

Serving for 4paxs.

Ingredient
800g Prawn (Clean & devein)
50g Tamarind Pulp (Soaked in water)
1tbsp Sugar
1tsp Salt
1tsp Dark Soy Sauce
3tbsp Water
5tbsp Oil

Kerabu Bok Nee with Shredded Chicken

I am capturing the series of recipe on easy, spicy and sourish dish.

Preparation: Chicken Breast (boiled and shred), Black Fungus (soaked and blanched with hot water), Onion, Chilli, Coriander Leaves, Cucumber (optional), Kaffir Lime Leaves.
  

Once all the ingredients are ready, put in a bowl. Add Sugar and Salt to taste, sprinkle some Lime Juice, Fish Sauce and mix it well.

We are ready to eat.

You can add Sambal Belachan, Toasted Coconut and Ginger Flower if you wish.

Serving for 3paxs.

Ingredients

150g Chicken Breast (boiled and shredded)

20g Black Fungus (soaked and blanched with hot water)

6pcs Kaffir Lime Leaves (cut finely)

100g Cucumber (cut finely)

5g Coriander Leaves (cut finely)

80g Onion (chopped)

6pcs Bird Eye Chilli (cut finely)

1tbsp Sugar (to taste)

1tsp Salt (to taste)

4tbsp Lime Juice

2tbsp Fish Sauce

Sambal Sotong (Cuttlefish Sambal)

Again ! Another Sambal dish !

Nyonyachef having a Sambal party !

Sambal Petai, Sambal Udang, Sambal Timun, and now Sambal Sotong, in the making Sambal Kerang...that's if I can find it. 

Why all the Sambal post ? For a worked-out working person and seeking satisfying meal, this is it...simple to dish out a meal and it's appetizing.

  
Preparation: Cuttlefish, Spice Paste (Blend Chilli, Shallot, Garlic, Shrimp Paste), Tamarind (soaked) and Onion.

Heat up oil and saute the blended spice paste in low fire for 30min, or till the oil separates from the spice paste. Add it the Onion and stir for another 2-3min.

Mix in the tamarind juice and let it come to a boil, In goes the Cuttlefish and simmer until is cooked. Season to taste with salt and sugar.

Serve it hot !

Serving for 4paxs

Ingredients
600g Cuttlefish
80g Onion, sliced
30g Tamarind Pulp, soaked
2tbsp Sugar. to taste
1tsp Salt, to taste
200ml Water
4tbsp Oil

Blended Spice Paste
50g Chilli
200g Shallot
20g Garlic
20g Shrimp Paste, toasted

Sambal Timun (Cucumber Sambal)

Don't know what to eat ? 

One Dish...and One Rice meal ! Easy and appetizing... 

Preparation: Cucumber (cut and marinate with Salt for 15min), Prawn, Spice Paste (Blend Chilli, Shallot, Garlic, Shrimp Paste), Tamarind (soaked) and Onion.

Heat up oil and saute the blended spice paste for 20min, or till the oil separates from the spice paste. Add in the Prawn and Onion. Stir for another 3min

Mix in the tamarind juice and let it come to a boil, in goes the Cucumber. Season to taste with salt and sugar.

Serve with steam rice !

Ingredients
500g Cucumber
300g Prawn
80g Onion, sliced
30g Tamarind Pulp, soaked
1tbsp Sugar. to taste
1/2tsp Salt, to taste
250ml Water
5tbsp Oil

Blended Spice Paste
40g Chilli
150g Shallot
20g Garlic
20g Shrimp Paste, toasted   

Kerabu Timun (Kerabu Cucumber)

Want to do a easy, quick, appetizing dish ? 

I am dedicating this dish to my friend who runs a food outlet, and yet no time to cook for her own food,...sounds weird right !

Well, it's a western kitchen, so can't eat steaks all the time and just for 2 or 3 persons can't cook 3 or 4 dishes at one go...also at times you tend to run out of ideas. I always believe any wonderful dish can be just something you can grab from the kitchen or the garden. 

What dish can be appealing and mouth watering ?...can I say anything spicy and sourish !

Check this...only 10 min and no hassle !

    
Get a cucumber, peel off the skin, discard the seeds, chop an onion, coriander leaves, kaffir lime leaves, some mint leaves and chillies. Sprinkle some salt, sugar, lime juice and fish sauce. Mix all the ingredients.

Done ! Refreshing and appetizing ! 

Ain't that simple ?

Serving for 2paxs.

Ingredients
300g Cucumber (peeled skin and discards the seeds)
80g Onion (chopped)
6pcs Kaffir Lime Leaves (cut finely)
5g Coriander Leaves (cut finely)
5g Mint Leaves (cut finely)
1/2 tsp Salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp Sugar (to taste)
2tbsp Lime Juice
1tbsp Fish Sauce

Inchi Kabin

Beer with Fried Chicken ?

When in the pub many tend to order finger food, not too light and not too filling. I often came across the menu stating Inchi Kabin...so, happily ordered this so called Penang delicacy. Hmm...just another crispy fried chicken. Many claimed they serve Inchi Kabin.

Erh...my first exposure to this dish is when I was a little boy, tagging along with my dad every Sunday to this restaurant, just by the beach in Tanjung Bungah, Penang. I don't really liked it because of the smell and the pungent sauce to go with it...at the age of six I wouldn't know how to appreciate this kind of food. Today, after a few beers, bring it on,...the aromatic rich spices and pungent mustard..

...that's Inchi Kabin to me !

Preparation: Cut Chicken into small chunks. Get all the spices in place, you might confused over which is which. Cumin, Coriander, Fennel (slightly toss & pound), Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Cinnamon Powder, Clove Powder and Shallots (pound) 

Once everything is ready, combine the chicken, all the spices, shallots, coconut milk, salt, pepper and sugar into a zip bag. Let it marinate over night for best result ! I tried 4hours, one of my friend, the owner from ad hog says...CANNOT !

Heat up the oil and deep fry the chicken till almost done. Remove and set aside. Allow the temperature of the oil to heat up, and in goes the chicken again. When fry for the second time the chicken will be crispy. 

Voila ! Get ready the sauce: 1tsp Mustard Powder, 1pc Red Chilli, 5tbsp Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, 2tsp Sugar and 2tsp Lime Juice. 

When the Chicken is done,...get ready the Sauce. 

When Chicken and Sauce are done,...get ready the Carlsberg !  

Ingredients

1.2kg Chicken

50g Shallots
1/2 Coconut Milk
1tsp Fennel Powder, (toast & pound)
1tsp Cumin Powder, (toast & pound)
2tsp Coriander Powder, (toast & pound)
1tsp Turmeric Powder
2tsp Chilli Powder
1/4tsp Cinnamon Powder
1/4tsp Clove Powder
1cup Oil 
1tsp Salt
1tsp Sugar
1tsp Pepper

Sambal Udang (Prawn Sambal)

Check out my all time favorite dish...Sambal Tumis Prawn !

Comes with the Three "S"...spicy, sour and sweet. Well, it's one of the easy dish to cook and it's very appetizing. I would normally cooked this dish and just goes with the rice.

Check out how simple it is...

Preparation: Prawn, Spice Paste (Blend Chilli, Shallot, Garlic, Shrimp Paste), Tamarind (soaked) and Onion.

Heat up oil and saute the blended spice paste in low fire for 20min, or till the oil separates from the spice paste. Add it the Onion and stir for another 3min.

Mix in the tamarind juice and let it come to a boil, In goes the Prawn and simmer until the Prawn is cooked. Season to taste with salt and sugar.

Serve it hot with steam rice !

Serving for 4paxs

Ingredients
700g Prawn
80g Onion, sliced
30g Tamarind Pulp, soaked
1tbsp Sugar. to taste
1tsp Salt, to taste
250ml Water
5tbsp Oil

Blended Spice Paste
50g Chilli
100g Shallot
20g Garlic
20g Shrimp Paste, toasted   

Acar Chee Ya Hu (Pickled Mullet Fish)

Another authentic nyonya dish...long lost and forgotten !

Many will say it's tedious but if you are a food lover, you will definitely go an extra mile to  try it...  

     
Preparation: Deep fry the fish first. Check out my previous post on Chee Ya Hu.
Cut into finely strips : Turmeric, Ginger, Garlic, Red Chilli and Green Chilli.

Heat up the oil, fry the Turmeric strips till slightly brown. Take out the Turmeric strips and using the same oil, throw in the Garlic and Ginger strips. Fry till golden brown and put aside. 

With the same oil mix the vinegar, sugar, some salt to taste the red chilli and green chilli. Allow the mixture to cool. In a jar add in the fried Chee Ya Hu and pour in the mixture. Make sure the fish are cover with the mixture and leave it overnight.

Garnished with some sesame seed when you want to serve it.

Ingredients
500g Chee Ya Hu
20g Fresh Turmeric
50g Ginger
30g Garlic
2pcs Green Chilli
2pcs Red Chilli
5tbsp Sugar
1tsp Salt
200ml Vinegar
5tbsp Oil 
1tsp Sesame Seed   

Dried Shrimps with Shallots

A Dip or a Dish ?

Simple to make with simple ingredients ! I was in Penang recently patronizing some interesting drinking joints and my friend wants to have supper...Teochew porridge !... anyone ?!!

And this was served. After a long drinking session everything should be tasteless...but after 
a few serving, it seems I was only eating the porridge with this dip or dish. Hmm...this is not my first time eating this but as I recalled this was always a dip ! 

A dip which goes with barbeque pork or fish...maybe it was the beer that altered my taste bud. Let's recall this dip or dish...      

Preparation: Dried Shrimps, Shallots, Calamansi, Chilli Padi

Combined all the ingredients together, a dash of vinegar, sugar to taste and water.

You tell me !...I this A Dip or A Dish ?

Ingredients 
50g Dried Shrimps (Rinsed & fry)
50g Shallots (Chopped finely)
2pcs Chilli Padi (Chopped finely)
2tsp Calamansi
2tsp Vinegar
1tsp Sugar
5tbsp Water  

Tamarind Fried Egg

Getting bored just having fried egg for dinner ?

Let's improvised ! My outlaw was telling me about this nyonya egg dish which was quite foreign to me. They were explaining to me there was this nyonya dish which was long forgotten as nobody seems to appreciate it !

Have you seen this ?

Easy, refreshing and appetizing dish !

Preparation: Eggs, Garlic, Tomatoes, Onions, Red Chilli and Tamarind Pulp.

Fried the Eggs and set aside. Saute the Garlic and Onions for 2min. Add in the Tamarind juice, Tomatoes, Red Chilli and bring to a boil. Throw in the eggs, add sugar, salt and pepper to taste.    

The sweet and sour taste will make the eggs come alive,..it's damn appetizing ! Try it for a change !

Ingredients

3 Eggs
20g Garlic, sliced
50g Onion, chopped into cubes
50g Tomatoes, halved

1pc Red Chilli, sliced 

30g Tamarind Pulp, soaked into water
200ml Water
1/2tsp Salt, to taste
1tbsp Sugar, to taste
1/2tsp Pepper
1/2cup Oil

Salted Fish Bone Soup (Kiam Hu Kut T'ng)

Have you seen this soup lately...Hmm..another extinct species of Nyonya dish!   

If you are a fan of salted fish...you should love this

Preparation: Salted Fish Bone (normally use Kurau Fish) soaked in water for at least 10min, Tofu, Dried Shrimp, Spring Onion, Pork Belly, Ginger and Garlic

Heat up oil and deep fry the Salted Fish Bone till slightly golden brown. Drain and put aside.

With a tablespoon of the used oil, saute the garlic and ginger for 2min or till fragrant. Add it the Pork Belly and the Dried Shrimp. Stir fry for 2-3min.

Pour in the water and let it come to a boil. In goes the Salted Fish Bone and simmer for  few minutes before you gently throw in the tofu. Garnish with Spring Onion. 

Done ! simple and fast...if you like Salted Fish Bone you can also check out the recipe for Kiam Hu Kut Curry


Serving for 4paxs

Ingredients
200g Salted Kurau Fish Bone, soaked
1pc Tofu, cube
10g Garlic, chopped
30g Ginger, chopped finely 
100g Pork Belly, cut into strips
30g Dried Shrimp, soaked
1L Water
1/2cup Oil
1pc Spring Onion