Big Boys Kitchen

Sugar Art Works With Chef Patrick Siau . . .

2008-10-04T17:19:00.000+08:00

Recently I was invited to a dinner and demostration of sugar art works by Chef Patrick Siau. This event was held at Swiss-Garden Hotel Kuala Lumpur in collaboration with Taylor's College. The method of sugar art works inclusive of melting sugar to the right temperature and proceed to the hardening hardening at the right temperature where the sugar can be molded by hand. Got to warn as this processes are done at a high temperature which can burn your hands, therefore woollen glooves are needed. Every piece of the sugar art is make individually and then assemble.

Chef Patrick Siau is also the recipient of numerous prestigious culinary awards, the most recent being Food Hotel Asia(Silver). Among the other awards that he has won include the Overall Champion in the La Classic Grand Prix 2004, Silver Medal in the Malaysia National Team Food & Hotel Asia 2006 Culinary Challenge, Malaysia International Bakery and Confectionary Challenge 2006 for Pastry Showpieces (Sugar Art), Overall Champion at the 2nd La Classic Culinary Grand Prix 2006 and Culinare Malaysia FOod Hotel Malaysia 2007 (Bronze)

A pieces of hardened sugar at high temperature.

Molding the harden sugar.

The parts for assembling the dragon stand.

Purple flower being assembled onto the stand.

The Orange Dragon created by Chef Patrick Siau with sugar art.

The creation of Chef Patrick Siau is awesome, getting to watch him making and assembling the dragon composition was a sure awesome experience. Can't wait to attend his class one day . . . SidneyK

Bojari Rice by Chef Faizal from Rempah Ratus Nasi Lemak Restaurant

2008-09-12T07:42:00.002+08:00

Chef Mohd. Faizal is just only 34years old, a young innovative chef with more than 10years experience in culinary, specialising in malay cooking and heading the kitchen of Rempah Ratus Restaurant. He also had been working in many kitchen through his culinary journey such Genting Highland Resort, Pearl International Hotel, Summit Hotel and Mines Beach Resort.

One of the things that he can't do without till today is his set of knives which had been following him all this 10years. He loves cooking especially having the chance to cook for Tun Mathir and also some royalty families but his top celebrity fan is his own mother! He advices young chefs to be more motivate, focus and dedicated to their work. One of Chef's wishing list is to able to work with Chef Gordon Ramsey one day!

Here is the recipe that Chef Faizal would like to share with us, Bojari Rice.

Bojari Rice (for 2-3person)

Ingredients
A
500gm Rice
B
100gm Onion
80gm Garlic
50gm Ginger
80gm Lemongrass
80gm Candlenut
80gm Dried Shrimp
10gm Tumeric
C
150gm Ghee Oil
1.2litre Water
20gm Ginger Flower
8gm Screw Pine Leaf
30gm salt

Method
1. Blend ingredient B
2. Wash the rice
3. Saute blended ingredients till fragrant in a pot with ghee oil.
4. Add in rice, salt and screw pine leaf.
5. Add in water
6. Cook for 20minutes or until rice cooked.
7. Before serving, sprinkle the chopped ginger flower

OTAK-OTAK(Steam Fish Paste with Egg, Herbs & Spices)

Ingredients
A
500gm Fish Paste
B
50gm Onion
20gm Garlic
20gm Ginger
40gm Lemongrass
50gm Candlenut
C
50gm Dried Cilly(soaked and blend)
4nos Egg
10gm Rice Flour
5gm Tumeric Leaf
10gm Salt

Method
1. Blend all the ingredients B
2. All all the ingredients
3. Pour in a flat mould which had been layered with banana leaf.
4. Wrapped the mould with plastic wrapper.
5. Steam for 30minutes

Fried Chicken Rempah Ratus

Ingredients
A
1kg Chicken (cut into desire size)
B
100gm Onion
50gm Garlic
50gm Ginger
80gm Candlenut
50gm Lemongrass
30gm Fresh Tumeric
3gm Lime Leaf
C
40gm Dried Chilly(soaked and blended)
20gm Salt
10gm Sugar
2nos Egg

Method
1. Blend all the ingredient B
2. Mix all the ingredients.
3. Marinate the chicken for at least 3 hours before deep frying.
4. Fry till golden brown.

Chefs Reminisce Mothers' Old Ramadhan Favourites

2008-09-05T00:09:00.003+08:00

Recently I got the luxury to taste the Ramadhan spread of lovely dinner at Atrium Cafe, Pyramid Tower Hotel, Sunway Pyramid. There were appetisers such as Pecal(assorted vegetables with spicy peanut sauce), Solok Lada(stuffed chilli with fish paste and coconut gravy), Kerabu Mannga(young mango salad with crushed peanuts), Pergedil Daging(Deep fried minced beef ball with egg) and Ulam-Ulam Melayu(Malay Salad). The soup served was Soto Ayam(clear chicken broth with rice cake, peanuts, spring onion and fried glass noodle)and also next was the roasted whole lamb with mild surabaya sauce plus Roti Jala(malaysian net-like Crepe served with chicken curry). There were also a spread of main dishes such as Udang Galah Goreng Brechilli(fried fresh water prawn with chilli paste), Ikan Tenggiri Masak Tempoyak(mackerel cooked in spicy durian paste), Sayur Goreng Lodeh(stir fried mix vegetables with soya bean cake), Kambing Kuzi(braised mutton in tradisional malay spices), Ayam Kaleo(chicken braised in turmeric and chilli coconut sauce) and Nasi Tomato(tomato rice).As for desserts, there were local sweets such as Bubur Pulut Hitam Bersantan(sweetened black glutinous rice stew wuth thick coconut milk), Talam Ubi Kayu(baked tapioca cake with palm sugar) and Kuih Lopes(steamed pandanus glutinous rice with grated coconut).

Pecal
(Assorted Vegetables with Spicy Peanut Sauce)

Ingredients
200gm Fern leaf(blanched)
300gm Kangkong(blanched)
200gm White cabbage(blanched)
200gm Young jackfruit(blanched & sliced)
200gm Long beans(diced)
6pcs Hard tofu
2pcs Soya bean cakes(sliced)
10 Boiled eggs (wedges)
500gm Pecal sauce

Method
1. Blanch cabbage and long beans.
2. Fry tofu and soya bean cake. Cut into slices.
3. Arrange all ingredients on a platter and serve with pecal sauce.

Pecal Sauce

Ingredient
500gm Peanut
100gm Cooking oil
120gm Shallot(peeled & blended)
50gm Garlic(blended)
50gm Ginger(blended)
150gm Red chilli(blended)
50gm Shrimp paste
150ml Tamarind juice
20gm Galangal(crushed)
20gm Salt
120gm Sugar
100ml Water

Method
1. Heat oil in apot and add in all blended ingredients. Fry unitil golden brown and add in chilli.
2. Put in crushed peanuts, tamarind juice, chrimp paste, salt and sugar. Simmer until gravy thickens.
3. Serve with pecal.

Pergedil Daging
(Deep Fried Minced Beef Ball with Egg)

Ingredients
500gm Minced beef
400gm Potato(boiled & mashed)
4 Eggs
20gm Red Chilli(chopped)
500gm Cooking oil
50gm Chinese celery
40gm Fried shallots
5gm White pepper
3gm Salt

Method
1. Stir-fry minced beef until dry. Leave aside.
2. Place mashed potatoin abowl and mix with minced beef. Season well.
3. Add in sliced Chinese celery and fried shallot. Mix well.
4. Roll the mixture into a small, round-shaped cake.
5. Dip beef cake in beaten eggs and deep-fry until golden brown.

Kambing Kuzi
(Braised Mutton in Tradisional Malay Spices)

Ingredients
(A)
1kg Mutton(cubed)
500ml Evaporator milk
150gm Kerisik
200gm Onion(sliced)
500gm Cooking oil
100gm Cashewnuts(fried until golden brown)
10gm Lime juice
200gm Tomato(wedged)
300gm Tomato puree
50gm Chilli
100gm Fried shallots
100gm Mint leaf
100gm Chinese parsley

(B)
150gm Briyani powder
50gm Ginger(blended)
100gm Chilli paste
80gm Green chilli(blended roughly)
80gm Red Chilli(blended roughly)
100gm Onion(blended)

Method
1. Mix mutton cubes with ingredients(B) and let it stand for 1hour.
2. Add in tomato puree, kerisik and salt.
3. Heat oil in a wok and saute sliced onion until tender.
4. Add in meat and water. Cook until the meat becomes tender.
5. Then, add in salt, milk, tomato, red chilli, green chilli, lime juice, cashewnuts, mint leaf, chinese parsley and fried shallots.
6. Stir well until the sauce thickens.

Kuih Lopes
(Steamed Pandamus Glutinous Rice with Grated Coconut)

Ingredients
1kg Glutinous rice
Pandanleaves(blended with 1 cup of water 5 pieces and strained. Keep water)
1 Coconut
1cup Gula Melaka
1cup Water
1/2teaspoon Salt
Few sheets Banana Leaves

Method
1. Soak glutinous rice in a bowl of water until it expands. Steam it until half cooked.
2. Mix and stir well with pandan water.
3. Wrap it in banana leaf to form a triangle shape.
4. Steam until fully cooked and keep it cool.
5. Boil gula melaka with water. Keep cool.
6. Grate coconut and mix with salt.
7. Coat the cool cooked rice with grated coconut.
8. Serve with sugar syrup.

All these lovely food was the hotel's 30-man strong Malay cuisine brigade recollects their mothers; time-homoured recipes and uncomprising details in presenting a symphony of traditional delicaies, the chefs under the tutelage of Chefs Reduan Ahmad Tarju, Fazli Baharudin, Zulkiflee Zaharudin and Azzul Azmi, promise to make "Berbuka Puasa" with more than 200 dishes, an occasion to look forward to at Atrium Cafe every sundown from 1 to 30 September 2008.

COool Chefs just like Big Boys Kitchen . . . . . it was truely an experience to dine the food churned by the master chefs themselves! . . . . SidneyK

Sun & Surf Cafe from Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa is also serving this Ramadhan buffet from 1 to 30 September 2008, 6.00pm to 10.00pm nightly.

Price is RM88++ per adult and RM44++ per child at Sun & Surf Cafe and RM75++ per adult and RM37.50++ per child at Atrium Cafe.

For reservations or enquiries, your readers may contact (6-03) 7492 8000 Extn. 3169 for Sun & Surf Café or Extn. 6305 for Atrium Café.

Endulging The Beauty of Mooncake . . .

2008-08-28T00:30:00.001+08:00

I visited the Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur early this week for a Mooncake making demostration by Master Dim Sum Chef Loo Sai Wah of Tai Zi Heen Restaurant. . . got to tell you, it is really an honor to be able to meet the Master Chef of Dim Sum as I am truely a Dim Sum fanatic fan, my favourite Dim Sums are "Har Kau" & "Siew Mai" just like Kate Winslet & Leonardo DiCaprio both are so lovely and so desireable. Anyway my mission was to learn, understand and have my hands all over the mooncakes.

Gosh . . . . an amazing variety spread of mooncakes waiting for me to taste . . . I just felt like I was an emperor at that moment endulging the mooncakes in my beautiful dining room. Sssssssssshhhhhhhhh...... I was a bit greedy as I had also set my eyes on this delighted golden orangy dessert just sitting infront of me, refusingly to leave me alone . . . . a chilled mango puree with vanilla ice cream, sago and pamelo . . . just exactly what I had in Hong Kong last year . . . so yummy especially you are a sweetie fan.

The Chef in charge had already preprepared the chocolat whiskey with walnut ball fillings and the snow skin mixture waiting to roll on.

Firstly Chef Loo roll the snow skin.

Once the snow skin is rolled, chef divided it into a few sub rolls.

Chef then roll the individual snow skin till flat forming a round flat snow skin.

It was time to cover the chocolat whiskey and walnut ball with snow skin.

The snow skin had fully covered the chocolat ball.

Place the snow skin ball into the mold and gently press the snow skin ball into the mold to form the prints.

Once completed, hit the mold gently to release the snow skin mooncake out of the mold.

These were many variety of snow skin mooncakes such as chocolat whiskey, mango cheese cake, sweet corn lotus paste, vanilla custard & gummi bears and lavender with almond egg custard fillings.

Oh! I was so lucky . . . as I got to taste other baked mooncakes available at the Prince Hotel, Kuala Lumpur such as the pandan & pumpkin paste with single egg yolk, white lotus paste with macadamia nuts and also my favourate one, five variety nut with rum and raisins. I truely felt this trip was so worth while and so fruitful as I was educated about the varieties of mooncakes available and yet get to experience the learning from the chef himself, Chef Loo.

Chef Loo, I will definitely be back to see you again . . . but what I had in mind is to get you to teach me how to make the real Dim Sum . . . even if I need to report to the class at 5am in the morning . . . thank you Chef, SidneyK

Tai Zi Heen's Mooncake Odyssey is at:

Tai Zi Heen
Prince Hotel & Residence
Kuala Lumpur
Tel No: 03-2170 8888 ext 8200 or 03-2170 8808
(1st August to 14th September)

ISETAN KLCC
Level 3
(26th August to 25th September)

The Way to Indulge A Duck. . . . . !

2008-08-11T21:00:00.006+08:00

AROMATIC & CRISPY DUCK

This dish is served and eaten in the same way as Peking Duck -wrapped in a pancake along with shredded spring onion, cucumber sticks and Hoi Sin sauce. I prefer to add spicy dry prawn chilli paste, very oishi delicious. In a restaurant, this dish can be much conviniently served than Peking Duck because a quantity of duck can be precooked in the marinade or cooking sauce and put aside. When required, they are simply deep-fried for 10-11minutes and served, bcause of th final deep-frying, the duck meat will invariably be crisper and without the care and precise timing required when preparing and cooking traditional Peking Duck.

Ingredient

4-5lb duck
vegetable oil for deep-frying

Cooking sauce
6cups good stock
6tablespoons sugar
6slices fresh ginger roots
a bunch of spring onion
2/3cup soy sauce
4teaspoons yellow bean paste
6tablespoons dry sherry
6pieces star anise
1/2teaspoon five spice powder
1/4teaspoon pepper

Garnish
cucumber sticks
shredded spring onion
Hoi Sin sauce
pancakes

Preparation

Mix ingredients for cooking sauce together in large saucepan. Clean duck thoroughly and cut in half down backbone. Place into liquid and submerge.

Cooking

Simmer duck gently for 2hours. Remove from cooking liquid and leave to cool. When required to serve, heat oil, place duck gently in oil and fry for 10-11minutes. Drain well.

Serving

Place duck on large heated platter. Serve by taking meat off the carcass at the table and wrapping it in pancakes together with Hoi Sin sauce, cucumber sticks and shredder spring onion.

Cooking time: 2hours 10minutes
Serves: 6-8

Gosh, I got to admit that I can have half of a duck all by myself, you must try this recipe as it is pretty awesoe, simple and yet not difficult at all. You can even prepare it a day earlier, just deep fry when need to serve. If not try at your nearest chinese restaurant or if you are in Petaling Jaya, you can drop by the CUBES . . . . . . yours SidneyK

Serious About Food, A Way to Good Food!

2008-07-23T16:27:00.001+08:00

Being serious about the food being serve is something we cannot ignore, so do the people at The Flavors, Swiss Garden International, Kuala Lumpur. Ms Linda Evelyn Wong, Chef Wong Yean Loong and Chef Zulkifly Mohammad Fairuz going through the dishes the restaurant going to serve.

Chocolate Sensation

Ingredients

44gm Butter
44gm Sugar
88gm Dark chocolate
1 Eggs
20gm Flour

Preparation

Melt butter with sugar and dark chocolate until evenly combined and remove from heat. Slowly add in the eggs and whisk the mixture then slowly fold in the flour. Pour mixture into muffin tray and bake at 200C for 10-12 minutes. Garnish with sliced fruits and brandy syrup.

Catch Of The Day With A Local Twist by Chef Zulkifly Mohammad Fairuz

2008-07-19T20:23:00.000+08:00

Chef Zulkifly's Neptune's Catch

The signature dish, Neptune’s Catch was created by Chef De Partie, Chef Zulkifly or better known as Chef Zul, from the culinary team of Swiss-Garden Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Chef Zul has 13 years of experience in the hospitality industry and has held various key positions in 5 star hotels and restaurants in his early years in the kitchen.

He has garnered vast skills and exposure from his previous stint and training in Ireland in the Great Southern Hotel in Killerney for 2 and half years, where he specialized in the infusion of various ingredients to create sauces. The expertise which Chef Zul has acquired from attending the training in Ireland enables him to impart his expertise and skills to the rest of his culinary team in Swiss- Garden Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

Neptune’s Catch

Ingredients

80gm each Red snapper (2 portion fillet)
20gm Acar rampai
30gm Potato wedges
20ml Perchik sauce
20ml Tomato salsa

Preparation

Marinate the fillet. One with tom yam paste and one with basil and mixed herbs
Panfry fillets on both sides

Tomato salsa
Chop tomato, parsley and onions, add few drops of olive oil and combine. Set aside to rest before serving

Place fried potato wedges onto the plate. Stack the pan fried fillets onto the potato wedges and lace the fillets with tomato salsa and acar rampai. Lastly, drizzle the perchik sauce onto the fillets.

A New Place To Be

2008-07-16T00:01:00.001+08:00

FLAVORS THE RESTAURANT

This new Flavors restaurant is a unique concept of chic yet charming all day dining with a stunning backdrop of traditional motives such as the "anyaman" style paneling and linear partitions creates a timeless era. Guests may choose to dine in the Spice Private Room or on an elevated platform while the show kitchen and live cooking stations provides the visual element for discerning diners. A wide array of international, fusion and local flavors are available including weekly highlights, theme dinners and signaturemenus featuring delectable treats such as the Neptune's catch while the a la carte menu offers an innovative collaboration of flavors. Located at the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Pudu.

Tom’s Soup

Ingredients

250ml Vegetable stock
50ml Tomato concase
20gm Garlic and shallots chopped
5gm Bay leaf
50gm Tom yam paste
100gm Cream
20gm Flour
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp Olive oil

Preparation

Sautee shallots and garlic till light brown then add bay leaf. Add the flour and slowly pour in the tomato concase and vegetable stock and lastly add the tom yam paste and garnish with cream before serving.

Master Chef Wong Yean Loong - Flavors, Swiss Garden Int, KL

2008-07-13T17:00:00.000+08:00

Chef Wong began his career in 1995 gaining valuable experience working for various restaurants and 5 star hotels and resorts in Australia, Macau and Malaysia. Chef Wong specializes in oriental and Asian cuisine with particular emphasis on the best quality produce. Amongst his many stints, Chef Wong has gained exposure in the prestigious Swiss-Grand Resort & Spa Bondi Beach, Australia where he created a series of wine dinners featuring oriental and Asian creations. The chef joined the Swiss-Garden Group in 1998 as Chef de Partie at Swiss-Garden Hotel Kuala Lumpur and now his responsibilities include overseeing various operational aspects which includes kitchen management, menu planning and cost management

Swiss-Garden’s Caesar Salad

Ingredients
100gm Romaine lettuce
50gm Parmesan Cheese basket
10gm Chopped beef bacon
50gm Crouton
10gm Caesar dressing

Preparation
Croutons
50gm White bread (cubes)
2gm Chopped parsley and basil
30gm Olive oil
1gm Salt

Lightly fry the cubes of white bread with chopped parsley and basil until golden brown

Caesar dressing
1 Egg yolk
4gm Chopped garlic
5gm Chopped anchovies
10gm Dijon mustard
5gm White vinegar
10gm Olive oil
5gm Lemon juice
5gmParmesan cheese powder

Simply mix all ingredients together to form an emulsion and assemble the romaine lettuce onto the parmesan cheese basket. Drizzle the emulsion onto the lettuce and sprinkle the bacon and croutons.

Wine & Dine in The Kitchen with Master Chef Ricky Parlanti

2008-07-01T09:00:00.002+08:00

Few weeks ago I was invited by the CAVALLINI'S Kitchen to attend a dine in the kitchen wth Master Chef Ricky Parlanti. I am sure a lot of us foodies know who he is, YES, he was the owner and operator of The Mangotree Restaurant that swept Kuala Lumpur over the past fifteen years and also a high profile chef in the Kuala Lumpur food scene. He was awarded The Best Chef in Malaysia(Expatriate) Award in the Millennium Gold Awards 2001/2002. His most recent accolade was the Hospitality Personality Asia Platinum Award 2005/2006 for Excellence in Hospitality Personality Chef of The Year. Since I got the chance to bring a few friends, I invited my readers to come along, Kenny Mah, Jennifer and Hwei Ming.

Here is the feast of the night, awesome delicious! and now let me introduce to you one by one the creation of Master Chef Ricky Parlanti.

Firstly, we were given a very very small portion of cooked angel hair pasta toasted with olive oil, diced tomatoes and slices of beef bacon. I think this was why the portion was so so small, it was a Amuse Bouche . . . something light to wash our mouth while waiting for the other delicious meal to come.

Oh boy this entrement got everyone shouted with desire of wanting more and the joy of indulging into it was purely unforgettable. This dish was called "Tramezzino Di Fegato Di Anatra" and translated as "Quince Coated Duck Liver with Creme Fraiche on Melba Toast Slices and Crispy Mediteranean Grilled Vegetables". I got to tell you the duck liver was such a great experience as it was so deliciously fragrant. I got to say I had fall in loved with duck liver long time ago since I was exposed to the chinese duck liver wax sausages but this duck liver was even much superiorly done! The guests followed the way I ate, rubbed the left over sauce with delicious italian bread. It was so yummy and I felt the wolf inside me.

Thank you God it's PORCINI! Yes we served with "Zuppa DI Funghi Porcini" translated as "Cream of Wild Boletus with Fresh Herbs and Shiitake Mushroom". In this soup, there were fresh frozen Porcini, wow! I was singing the classic opera on the spot, how can't I not? It was so awesome!

When I was passing by the hot stove just not far from me, I saw this huge succulent scallops. It was so irresistable of not salivating and sucking back my saliva. I was fighting off from being a bad boy. As I went back to my sit, came this "Capasante Al Pizzaiola" translated as "Lightly Sauteed Scallop and Fresh Basil Shallow-Fried with Piquant Pizzaiiola Sauce". Come let me whisper into your ear about my findings . . . the scallop was so perfectly done, so succulent and so juicy, it melted my heart away and it was unbelieveable.

This is strange, we were served Mango Sorbetto! hmmm . . . I was informed that it was for the purpose of washing our mouth before the main course. The was great and yet to my discovery the sorbetto was drizzled with a shot of rum, boy this was shocking delicious and wouldn't mind to have more.

Our main was "Cotolette Di Angello All Abbruzzese" translated as "Roasted Rack of Lamb on a Stew of Garlic, Tomato, Parsley and Fresh Basil". I liked this lamb as it was done exactly medium rare, tender and nice.

"Filetto Di Manzo Al Barolo E Dragoncello" translated as "Sauteed Fillet of Beef in a Barolo Wine Sauce, Flavored with Tarragon and Topped with Balsamic Flamed Asparagus" was our second main course dish. The Fillet was done so perfectly and the textured was so good as it straight melted in our mouth, all of us just loved it.

The last main dish was a duckling story called the "Petto Di Anatra All Arancia" translated as "Duck Breast in an Orange and Carmalized Brandy Sauce with Green Peppercorns". It was fantastic, the duck was cooked perfectly and complimented well with the fragrant orange and brandy sauce.

Our dessert, was just like having Chirstmas in Heaven! It was "Cannoli Alla Siciliana" translated as "Sweetened Ricotta Cheese with Candied Fruits and Rolled into Crispy Light Shells". It was so beautiful, colourful and so attractive like the one sitting next to me! It was awesome delicious aa it came with fresh fig too! truely heaven!

It was such an exciting experience of food exploration and able to dine & wine with the Master Chef Ricky Parlanti was really awesome and I will definitely have another date with him in the kitchen soon.

Read more about experienc with Ricky: Parlanti:

Hwei Ming

Kenny Mah

If you want to join me on a food exploration, do email me, I will let you know when next . . . . Sidney

A Dessert To Have

2008-06-29T08:04:00.000+08:00

TIRAMISU
An All Time Classic, Espresso FLavoured Ladies' Finger with Mascarpone Cheese

Ingredients

(10 portion)
1litre Whipping Cream
100gm Sugar
500gm Mascarpone Cheese
200ml Masala Wine
500ml Espresso
100ml Kahkula
500gm Ladys Finger

Method

1. Whip the cream and sugar in a mixing bowl till the sugar melted.
2. Then add mascarpone cheese and masala wine into the mixture.
3. Mix the Espresso and Kahlua together, and soak ladys finger and layer it in a chocolate mould with mascarpone misture for 3 layers.
4. Once ready chill it. Once it is hardm it is ready to serve.

A dessert to die for . . . Chef Simon Sim

Silent of The Lamb With A Twist

2008-06-26T08:00:00.000+08:00

ARROSTO DI AGNELLO CON BROCCOLETTI ALL OHO OLIO E SALSA ALIO ROSMARINO
ROASTED RACK OF LAMB MARINATED WITH HARISSA WITH ROSEMARY BARLIC JUS

Ingredients

280gm Lamb Rack (3 ribs)
200gm Mash Potato

Harrisa Marination

10gm Mint Leaf
10gm Chinese Parsley
10gm English Parsley
10gm Rosemary
10gm Thyme
10gm Basil
10gm Oregano
10gm Garlic Peeled
10gm Shallot Peeled
2gm Paprika
60ml Olive Oil

Method

1. Blend all harissa herbs with olive oil til fine. Marinated it to the lamb for 2 hours.
2. Seal the lamb in hot frying pan and cook in oven to your doness.
3. Garnish with stach and vegetables on plate.
4. Once the lamb is cook to your doness, debone it and slice to presentation.
5. Pour the rosemary sauce and ready to served.

Another winning dish from Master Chef Simon Sim which me crave for more and more . . .

A Perfect Pasta Dish To Die For . . .

2008-06-23T21:55:00.000+08:00

BAVETTE CON GAMBRI E ZUCCHINI
THIN SPAGHETTI WITH SHRIMPS, ZUCHINNI SAUTE IN EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Ingredients

130gm Spaghetti
80gm Tiger Prawns
40gm Green Zuchinni Slice
30ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
20gm Garlic Slice
2gm Flour
30ml Fish Stock

Method

1. Boil pasta in hot boiling water for 7 mins.
2. Add extra virgin oil in hot frying pan than add slice garlic into it.
3. Wait till garlic is golden brown than add prawn and zuchinni to saute till medium cook.
4. Add flour and glaze with white wine.
5. Add fish stock and season to taste. Simmer 1 min than add pasta to mix.
6. Add pasta is ready to served.

A lovely recipe from Chef Simon Sim

Filetto Di Merluzzo Con Gambri E Creme Zafferano Gorgonzola

2008-06-16T22:46:00.000+08:00

Panfried Fillet of Black Cod and King Tiger Prawn with Cream Saffron Gorgonzola Sauce

Ingredients

160gm Cod Fillet
100gm King Tiger Prawn
25gm Potato Pan Cake

Saffron Gogonzola Sauce
60ml Whipping Cream
20ml White Wine
10gm Gogonzola Cheese
1gm Saffron

Vegetables
15gm Green Zuchinni
15gm Yellow Zuchinni
20gm Asparagus
20gm Brocolli

Method

1. Heat frying pan and pan scared cod fillet, king prawn and cook in oven
2. Pan fried potato pan cake till golden brown and place on plate
3. Pour whipping cream, white wine, gogonzola cheese and saffron into sauce pan and bring to reduce
4. Once cod fish and king prawn is cook, served on plate and garnish with vegetable and sauce on the seafood and ready to served

enjoy . . . Simon Sim

A Delicacies of A Lifetime - Foie Gras

2008-06-09T00:41:00.000+08:00

Chef Simon Sim a very humble chef, started at a young age of 19years old, worked as a kitchen helper and work his way up to become a Demi Chef at the age of 24years old. To explore the world, Chef Simon Sim found his way in Paris, one of the world's best cuisine. In his early 30's, Chef Simon Sim was back in Kuala Lumpur cooking his way in many type of cuisine such as Chinese, Thai, Tex-Mex, Italian and Mediterranean.

Medaglione Di Manzo E Fegato DI Oca Con Tartufi
(Grilled Beef Medallion and Goose Liver with Boletus Mushroom Black Truffle Sauce)

Ingredients

200gm Beef Tenderlion
70gm Goose Liver
25gm Potato Pan-Cake

15gm Green Zuchinni
15gm Yellow Zuchinni
20gm Asparagus
20gm Brocolli
20gm Cherry Tomato

For Sauce
100ml Beef Jus
10gm Puchini
2ml Truffle Oil
20ml Red Wine

Method

1. Chargilled beef tenderlion till donennes, then pan fried goose liver and place in between two pieces of beef.
2. Pan fried potato pan cake and place on the plate and top on beef garnish with sauteed vegetables.
For sauce, sauteed porchini mushroom with truffles oil and glaze with red wine then add beef jus to reduce and ready to use.

I hope you will try Chef Simon's awesome recipe at your own kitchen and your own leisure. . . . . Sidney

Execellent, Pure & Refine . . .

2008-06-04T09:41:00.001+08:00

Palace of the Golden Horses, also tagged as the Asia's Most Extraordinary Hotal is world class award-winning luxury hotel with dedicated conference centre, located within the 1,000 acres of MINES Resort City and 25 minutes away from the city centre as well as the Kuala Lumpur INternational Airport in Sepang.

With a distinctive Moorish-Malaysian architecture and equestrian theme, the hotel is also Malaysia's first themed hotel with a lavish ornamentation inspired by Malaysia folklore. It is blessed with one of the most spectacular amalgams of landscapes and picture postcard view, first kind in this region.

Fruitti Di Mare Sambuca
(Julienned of Vegetables with Mix Seafood, Glazed with Sambuca)per portion

Ingredients
2gm Julianne Green Zuchinni
2gm Julianne Yellow Zuchinni
1gm Slice Onion
2gm Slice Tomato
1no Tiger Prawn
1no Scallop
1no Mussel
20ml Sambuca
50ml Fish Stock
8gm Butter Unsalted
Season to taste

Method
1. Melt butter in pot. Add vegetable and seafood to sweat.
2. Add sambuca to flambe
3. Add fish stock and bring to boil.
4. Season to taste and ready to served.

from Master Chef Simon Sim, Palace of the Golden Horses, MINES

Smoked Salmon. Avocado & Caviar . . . A Luxury Companion To Be With

2008-05-29T07:36:00.000+08:00

Cavallini's Bistro is a mediterranean bistro with an exquisite range of Northern Italian gourmet food located at Palace of the Golden Horses located within the Mines Resort City that is known as the Venice of the East and is poised to be one of the world's most widely known luxury hotel and also one of the finest destinations in the global hospitality ans tourism industry.

Today Master Chef Simon Sim had prepared us a dish called Rotolo Di Salmone Affumicato Con Granchio.(Smoked salmon, crabmeat and acavado roulade with caviar and dill dressing) I am a great fan of smoke salmon and I adore them dearly. Lovely texture and with a touch of smoky taste. But this dish is so incredible as with the present of avocado and what most one of the most sort after the jewel of food, Caviar !!!

Rotolo Di Salmone Affumicato Con Granchio
(one portion)

Ingredients
50gm(2pcs) Smoked Salmon Slice
50gm Crab Meat
60gm Avocado Slice
2gm Caviar
2gm Fresh Dill
20ml Olive Oil

Method
Slices smoked salmon roll with crab meat and avocado slice.
Top with Belugar Caviar
Garnish with salad mix and dill dressing

This is a simple dish and easy to make, yet look elegant and priceless! . . . Sidney

Succulent Tuna by Master Chef Simon Sim

2008-05-26T14:08:00.002+08:00

Having more than 20years of cooking experience under his belt, it did not stop Master Chef Simon Sim to advance in his culinary skills. An ingenious chef in his early 40's, specialised in Italian, Mediterranean, Tex-Mex cuisine and now heading The Cavllini an Italian restaurant at the Palace of the Golden Horses, MINES, Kuala Lumpur. Master Chef Simon Sim will be featuring a collection of Italian and Mediterranean recipes with us. Today we will be featuring Master Chef Simon Sim's first recipe presented in Japanese way, a well known dish named 'Tuna Tataki with Sea Whelk'.

TUNA TATAKI with SEA WHELK

Ingredients

1/4cup Black sesame seeds
1/2Tspn Cracked black pepper
300gm Tuna(sushi grade)
3Tspn Olive oil( for shearing)
1 Tspn lime juice
A pinch of salt
Half a dozen Sea Whelk
A handfull of Herb salad
a dash of Vinaigrette

Method

On a shallow plate, mix together black sesame seeds and cracked black pepper.
Season the tuna with salt.
Make 1-inch deep slices in the tuna, every 2-inch.
Roll the tuna in the black sesame mixture, pressing lightly so the mixture sticks to the tuna.
Place a saute pan over high heat. Add the oil and sear the tuna on all sides, about 30 seconds per side. Remove the tuna from the pan and set aside.
Deglaze the pan with lime juice. Pour the lime juice over the tuna.
Place the herb salad on the serving plate.
Drizzle with a bit of vinaigrette
Top with a sliced tuna.
Top with a pieces of sea whelk.
Ready for serving.

This is a lovely starter, easy to follow and a sure winner from Master Chef Simon Sim . . . . Sidney

Next coming post Rotolo Di Salmone Affumicato Con Granchio

SAN REMO PASTA CHALLENGE RESULT!

2008-05-18T16:13:00.001+08:00

In February this year we had SAN REMO PASTA CHALLENGE COMPETITION whereby contestants have to come up with a local delicious recipe using San Remo pasta and we have two incredible creative winners, they are Teckiee from Eat First Think Later and Lianne from Imbi & Itchy.

Teckiee's entry is Caramelised Pork with Spaghetti Omelet and it is very creative in presenting this dish. A unique dish layered with spagehetti pancake over the delicious sweet caramelised pork. This dish can be served individually too.

Lianne's Kampong Pasta is such a cultured dish and truely transport us back to the origin of local delicate malay cuisine. The taste of the fish in this dish is awesome, and with the freshness of the herbs and sprouts, they enrich this dish. I would describe this as a delicate pasta salad to die for.

Both of our winners will recieve each a beautiful stainless steel pasta pot from San Remo. San Remo will get in touch with you very soon. Thank you for your gorgeous recipes.

Yours Sidney

Teochew Cooking with Master Chef Tony Gao, Guangzhou - Series 6

2008-05-13T07:00:00.001+08:00

Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur is the perfect place to stay, whether for business or pleasure. Located adjacent to the world famous, 88 storey Petronas Twin Towers, with far reaching views overlooking the lush 50 acre KLCC Park.

The hotel rooms, suites and apartments are truly extravagant. Their restaurants and bars, award winning and innovative. And their spa and leisure facilities are a relaxing diversion from the hustle and bustle of the city. Over 300 original works of art feature throughout the hotel. Ancient and contemporary artefacts contrast, yet complement, the high specification technology to be found in every guest room and meeting room.

CHEF'S HAND MADE TWIN BALL

BEEF BALL

Ingredients

600gm Beef rump meat
5gm Fried garlic
10gm Starch
1/2tsp Salt
1/4tsp Sesame oil
10gm Chinese celery
1tsp Chicken powder

Method

1. Marinade and blend beef with seasoning.
2. Add superior starch and mix well. Form beef into round shapes.
3. Boil the beef ball in water until cooked.
4. Arrange nicely in a bowl. Spread chinese celery and fried garlic. Then, serve hot.

FISH BALL

Ingredients

600gm Fish Meat
10gm Starch
1nos Chicken egg white
1/2tsp Salt
1/4tsp Sesame Oil
1/4tsp pepper powder
1tsp Chicken powder

Method

1. Marinade and blend fish with seasoning.
2. Add egg white and superior starch and mix well. Form the fish into round shapes.
3. Boil the fish balls in water until cooked.

Teochew Cooking with Master Chef Tony Gao, Guangzhou - Series 5

2008-05-12T07:00:00.001+08:00

TEOCHEW FISH NOODLES

Ingredients

Fish Noodle

600gm Fish met paste
10gm Starch
1nos Chicken egg white
1/2tsp Salt
1/4tsp Sesame oil
1/4tsp Pepper powder
1tsp Chicken powder

Garnish

20gm Chives
20gm Bean sprout
10gm Shredded mushroom
5gm Shredded green pepper
3gm Cut onions
1/2tsp Seasoning chicken powder
1tsp Fish gravy
1tsp Fragrant shallot oil
1/4tsp Pepper powder

Method

1.Blend the fish meat paste with egg white and seasoning, place in the piping bag. Pipe fine noodles into hot water.
2.Blanch the fish noodles and set a side.
3.Work-fry with cut onions; add chives, bean sprouts, shredded mushrooms and shredded green peppers. Add seasoning. Lastly fry it together with fish noodles for a few more minutes.

Teochew Cooking with Master Chef Tony Gao, Guangzhou - Series 4

2008-05-11T11:21:00.004+08:00

An elegant Chinese restaurant specialising in contemporary Cantonese delicacies and dim sum. The décor is reminiscent of the grand ancestral homes of Chinese-Malaysian tycoons from the turn of the century. The elegant décor is redolent of the great ancestral homes of 19th Century Chinese tycoons, with Asian artefacts and ornate chandeliers. The atmosphere is theatrical, thanks to our hierarchy of Chinese chefs, who showcase their skills in the open kitchen with a display of their culinary skills at their flaming woks. Seven exquisite private rooms allow our guests an intimate ambience for private gatherings.

But wherever you sit, the menu is exquisite – think delicate Crepe Durian Pancakes and Black Pepper Beef Tenderloin

TEOCHEW COMBINATION PLATTER

A. FRIED PRAWN DUMPLING

Ingredients

450gm Fresh prawns
50gm Water chestnuts
10gm Spring onions
1nos Egg
10gm Flour
1gm Szechuan pepper powder
1tsp Chicken seasoning powder
1/2tsp Salt

Method

1. Cut the prawns into dice and ass to a bowl, season to taste.
2. Add water chestnuts, spring onions and diced chicken breast chopped. Finely mix all ingredient until smooth. Add egg, bread flour and mix well. Shape into round pieces.
3. Heat some oil in the wol and deep fried until golden brown.

B. FRIED MEAT BALL

Ingredients

50gm Diced chicken meat
2pcs Beancurd skin
400gm Diced water chestnut
30gm Chinese celery
1gm Five spice powder
1tsp Chicken seasoning powder
1nos Egg
1/2tsp Salt
200gm Diced white radish

Method

1. Soak the white radish in salt water, drain and set aside.
2. Dice water chestnuts, chinese celery, garlic, diced chicken meat finely and add five spice powder, seasoning and salt. Mix well.
3. To arrange nicely on the beancurd skin. Then roll it.
4. Cut in 3cm pieces and toss in starch, deep-fry until golden brown.

Teochew Cooking with Master Chef Tony Gao, Guangzhou - Series 3

2008-05-09T03:30:00.006+08:00

Master Chef Tony Gao from Guangzhou, China is an authentic Teochew cuisine chef with more than 20years of experience and started cooking at the age of 17years old. His appreciation for pure, simple and fresh ingredients is translated into delectable signature dishes that he carefully prepares. Currently he is a visiting master chef at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Kuala Lumpur from 1st till 10th May, 2008.

TAI JI VEGETABLE BROTH

Ingredients

700gm Sweet potato leaves or spincah leaves
2kg Superior chicken stock
200gm Minced chicken
50gm Chicken Ham
100gm Superior potatoes starch

Method

1. Blanch the spinach leaves for few seconds then chill in ice water.
2. Heat up some chicken oil and wok-fry the vegetables until fragrant. Set a side.
3. Blanch the minced chicken. Set a side.
4. Seasonthe superior chicken stock with remaining ingredients under medium heat. Add the vegetables. Gradually add the superior starch that has been mixed with water, slowly untilthe broth thickens.
5. Lastly add shredded chicken and ham, simmer for a while and serve in individual bowls.

Teochew Cooking with Master Chef Tony Gao, Guangzhou - Series 2

2008-05-06T09:50:00.002+08:00

PAN-FRIED OYSTER IN TEOCHEW STYLE

Ingredients

200gm Fresh baby oysters
15gm Spring onions
3nos Chicken egg
150gm Local potato starch
2tbsp Fish sauce
1tbsp Chilli sauce

Method

1. Clean the shelless fresh oysters and drain off excess water. Set a side.
2. Marinade with spring onions, egg and starch.
3. Heat some oil in the wok, wok-fry all ingredients in an oval shape.
4. Beat egg and pour on the side of the oysters. Pan-fry it until cooked.
5. Serve with fish sauce and chilli sauce as condiment.

Teochew Cooking with Master Chef Tony Gao, Guangzhou - Series 1

2008-05-04T12:37:00.001+08:00

SWEETENED SWEET POTATO & YAM SERVED WITH CHOCOLATE & RASBERRY
Ingredients

150gm Sweet potatoes
150gm Yam
250gm Sugar
10gm Fragrant shallot oil
5gm White sesame

Method

1. Thicken the sugar with little water. Then add fragrant shallot oil. Add sweet potatoes and yam. Pour on the plate when done.
2. Drizzle some onion oil and wok-fry white sesame until fragrant. Add little sugar and sesame oil. Serve as dressing.

Kum Heong Clams

2008-04-23T06:42:00.000+08:00

This is another type of clams that can be found fresh in most of the restaurant here. This time I had them in KumHeong, a spice sauce with the smell of curry leaves.

Flower Sea Snail

2008-04-01T23:04:00.000+08:00

Have you ever tasted these little creatures? Ain't they look cool and adorable!I am sure they will be hit as pet sometime in the future! So this time I cook some of this fresh flower sea snail.

I have them in Kum Heong sitr fry!

Once cooked, you need to take a toothpick to get the meat out from the shell. The texture of the cooked sea snail is amazingly good. I am assure this is due to the freshness as they are still alive before being cooked.

Would you like to try? . . . Steven Cheng

Stuffed Crab Shell

2008-03-22T00:09:00.000+08:00

Whenever I visit the wet market, I will make sure of getting some of this small crabs. Sometimes my friends wonder why am I buying such crabs as they don't contain much meat and it seems to be useless. Well, the shell is the gem and I use it for my dish. I will use a mixture of meat and stuff it into the shells and deep fried them. The taste is absolutely divine.

Firstly I will have a dozen of the shell by removing the meat. I will use fish paste, prawn paste and crab meat minced together and stuffed them into the shell. Deep fry them.

Ingredient

12pcs Crab shell(small)
200gm Fish paste
200gm Prawn paste
50gm Crab meat
1tsp Oyster sauce
1tspn Sesame oil
a pinch of salt
a pinch white pepper
Corn flour
Oil for deep frying

1. Clean and wash the crab shell.
2. Mix the fish, prawn and crabmeat together.
3. Season with oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper.
4. Stuff the mixture into the shell.
5. Cover the shell with a thin layer of corn flour.
6. Deep dried the stuffed shell till golden brown.

Looks good and taste good . . . Steven Cheng

Soft Shell Clams in Broth

2008-03-15T04:08:00.000+08:00

I love this type of fresh soft shell clams. They are huge compare to the normal clams that we see in the wet market. The shells are soft and fragile. The meat texture is good and foremost they are fresh and alive!

Ingredients

20-25pcs Soft shell clams
1inch Fresh ginger
1/2litre Chicken broth
1tsp sesame oil
a pinch of salt
a pinch of pepper

1. Wash and clesn the soft shell clams.
2. Cut the ginger into matchstick size.
3. Marinate the soft shell clams with sesame oil,salt, pepper and fresh ginger for 10mins.
4. Heat up the chicken broth till boiled, place the soft shell clams in for 5-10mins.(Not to long)
5. Serve on a big soup bowl.

I like this dish as you can taste the sweetness and the freshness from the clams and the broth.

Steven Cheng

Steam Scallop with Fresh Minced Ginger

2008-03-04T06:45:00.000+08:00

This dish without fail will tempt your guess during any dinner party or event at home for your own family. It is a simple dish called steam scallop with fresh minced ginger.

12pcs scallop with half shell on
250gm minced freshed ginger
1tsp sesame oil
1tsp oyster sauce
a pinch of salt

Wash and clean the scallop.
Mixed the minced ginger with sesame oil, oyster sauce and a pinch of salt.
Place a tablespoon of the mixture onto the scallop.
Steam for 5 minutes.

Not only looks good but taste good too! . . . Yours Chef Steven Cheng

Yellow Chives & Bean Sprout with Salted Fish

2008-02-27T01:33:00.000+08:00

This is a simple dish and easy to prepare. You just need three main ingredients yellow chives, bean sprout and pan grilled salted fish. Here are the rcipe:

100gm Yellow Chives
200gm Bean Sprout
20gm Premium Salted Fish
1Tbspn Oyster Sauce
1clove Garlic
3Tbspn Cooking Oil
a pinch of salt and white pepper
a dash of water

1. Clean the yellow chives and cut in the length of an inch.
2. Peel off the root of the bean sprout and then wash them.
3. Pan grill the salted fish till crispy and fragrant, then set aside.
4. Heat up the oil and fry the minced garlic till fragant.
5. Add in the bean sprout and yelloe chives and stir fry for 1-2 minutes (I prefer them not over cooked and crunchy). Add oyster sauce, salt and white pepper
6. Once cooked, place them on the serving plate and top them with salted fish.

Serve this dish with white fragrant rice . . . . Chef Steven

Preserved Chinese Sauages

2008-02-10T15:30:00.000+08:00

This is something very dearie to me, the preserved sausages and duck legs! I love them so much that I even have them in my claypot rice. Something that is a must and never be missed during the Chinese New Year reunion dinner!

GONG XI FAT CAI!

Love . . . Sidney

Fusion with Angel Hair Pasta II

2008-02-03T15:46:00.000+08:00

Steam Chicken with Chinese Mushroom, Salted Fish on Angel Hair Pasta

Salted fish is some thing either you hate or you will adore and eat it. As for me, oh, I will melt with them. It is something I can't describe about. They are so unattractive, ugly and looks so aging. But if the are well pampered and cooked well, they are gorgeous, a dish fit for a king . . . like myself and yourself! My mum like to cook them with vegetable over a thick coconut gravy of curry. Trust me this is something to die for.

Ingredient

250gm chicken breast
5 pieces of chinese mushroom
6 thin slices of prime meat of a salted fish (mackerel "tenggiri" fish)
5 thin slices of ginger
1 Tbspn oyster sauce
1 tspn fish sauce
1 tspn dark soya sauce
a dash of white pepper
a dash of salt
a dash sesame oil
a dash of corn flour
Angel Hair Pasta

Method

Marinate chicken, pre soaked chinese mushroon, salted fish with ginger, oyster sauce, fish sauce, dark soya sauce, white paper, salt, sesame oil and corn flour.
Steam for about 25 minutes.

Cook the angel hair pasta(to the amount desired) in a pot of hot water.
Once the angel hair pasta is cooked and drained. Top the cooked angel hair pasta with the steam chicken, mushroom and salted fish.

This is yet another simple and easy fusion dish to make. I am sure once you try those juicy chicken, you will hunger for more. Hope you like this one . . . Sidney

Fusion with Angel Hair Pasta

2008-01-30T16:07:00.000+08:00

Prawn and Zucchini with Angel Hair Pasta in Black Bean Sauce

Fermented black bean is one of the usual ingredients that is found in the chinese kitchen. When I was a child, we had this dish being prepared for the dinning table. All of us love it without a question. Having an additional bowl of rice is not common as the gravy of this black bean sauce is awesome delicious, something that I can't avoid myself. or is it mummy's cooking that most of us can't resist?

Usually black bean sauce dishes are associated with chicken, slice beef and even with prawns, garnished with onions, red and green peppers. For this one, I used black bean sauce with large prawns, zucchini and angel hair pasta.

Ingredient

6 large prawns
1 yellow zucchini
1 green zucchini
1 Tbspn fermented black bean
2 hot chilli
1 Tbspn oyster sauce
1 tspn fish sauce
1 tspn dark soya sauce
2 clove garlic
a dash of white pepper
a dash of salt
cooking oil
Angel Hair Pasta

Method

Slice the zucchini into ribbons and also garlic.
Clean the large prawns.
Soak fermented black bean with water.
Heat up pan with 2 Tbspn cooking oil, panfried the garlic. Add the prawns, fry for 5minutes till fragrant.
Then add zucchini. Add hot chilli, oyster sauce, fish sauce and dark soya sauce. Add a bi of water. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add salt and white pepper.
Cook the angel hair pasta(amount desired) in a pot of hot water.
Once the angel hair pasta cooked and drained. Mixed the cooked angel hair pasta with the cooked prawns zucchini in black bean sauce.

Something simple, tasty and yet so fusion. Big Boys Oven is running a pasta challenge and we hope to see your entries in, the winner will win a gorgeous pasta pot. So happy cooking this week, yours . . . sidney

Braised Chicken Feet

2008-01-28T04:07:00.000+08:00

I got this feet fetish, something I can't avoid when being confronted with. Right! I know what is running in your mind now, but I am not talking about feet licking . . . . . lol! I am talking about chicken feet, oh they are so gorgeous when they are cooked well. I am sure you have heard about this dish, thai chicken feet. This dish is so deliciously, tasty and the texture is so inviting and crunchy. As from my kitchen, I bring you yet another delicate chicken feet dish which widely cooked by the chinese folks at home and also a dish you get to taste during the chinese new year homecoming dinner celebration . . . . . Braised Chicken Feet

Ingredients

25 Chicken feet
10 Dried chinese mushroom
5 Large dried oyster
5 cloves Whole garlic
3 Dried cherry chillies
4 Star anise
1tsp sesame oil
3Tbspn Cooking oil
2Tbspn Oyster sauce
2Tbspn Soya Sauce
1Tbspn Dark soya sauce
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp sugar
a pinch of white pepper
2cup Water

Method

Presoaked chinese mishroom over night and aslo dried oyster.
Wash and clean the chicken feet.
Heat up the cooking oil in a pot.
Add in peeled whole garlic and sautee for a few minute at medium heat.
Add in sesame oil and star anise. Sautee till fregrant.
Add in mushroom, dried oyster and chicken feet. Stir for few minutes.
Add in oyster sauce, soya sauce, dark soya sauce, dried chillies, pepper, salt and sugar.
Add in water.
Braised for one and half hours till the chicken is soft and tender.

This is a fantastic dish especially for those chicken feet lovers, something I can't resist! . . . . . . Sidney

Dine with me......Chef Steven Cheng Part 3

2008-01-07T10:32:00.000+08:00

Continuation....

As Chinese New Year is approaching, I decided to prepare this two special dishes, "Hou See Fatt Choy"(Welth & Prosperity) and "Wong Kam Moon Foo"(Full of Gold). "Hou See Fatt Choy" is a dish which consist of dried oyster, seaweed and fish paste. "Wng Mam Moon Foo" is a dish consist of golden pumpkin and tau foo in golden pumpkin sauce.

Oh gorgeous Sid and Joanna. Ain't they look like a suited couple make in heaven!

Birthday girl, Christine!

Food bloggers caught in action and working hard, work first, eat later!

From Steven Cheng

"Jiao Bai Sun" with XO sauce

2008-01-01T01:44:00.000+08:00

"Jiao Bai Sun" or "Kao Pak Sung" is a very interesting type of vegetable and it is an imported seasonal vegetable from china. It looks like bamboo shoots but they are not. I was told that this vegetable grows on water. It has a very unique taste, I would say it taste a mild bitter like petai, really unique.

I have them cut into pieces and pan fried them with XO sauce.... a very unique dish.

From Steven Cheng

Seafood Emperor Noodle Soup

2007-12-21T16:10:00.000+08:00

I was so inspired when I was reading this book entitled "Wagamama: Ways with noodles" by Hugo Arnold. A bowl of noodle can be prepared in so many ways beyond your imagination, yet so nutritious and that caught my attention. Noodle is definite the fast food of today, the pasta of the 21st century as stated by Hugo himself, agreed and the truth. Noodle can be easily cooked, simple. Just softened them in boiling unsalted water, refreshed under cold water then combined with other ingredents. Prepeared in many ways stir fry, in broth, stew, chilled and with varies toppings.

For today's post I would like to introduce a bowl of seafood emperor noodle soup. Here I had used a variety of seafood such as large prawns, fresh mussels, fresh clams, garupa fish slices, greens, emperor noodle and chicken broth.

A bowl of noodle:

2 large fresh prawns
5 large fresh mussels
5 large fresh clams
3 slices of garupa fish
greens
1 dry emperor noodle
350ml chicken stock
seasoning
2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

season the prawns, mussels, clams and garupa slices in a bowl. Put the emperor noodle into the boiled unsalted water to softened the noodle. Refreshed under cold water. Place them in a serving bowl.
Placed the prawns, mussels, clams, garupa and greens into the boiling the chicken stock. Do not overcook the seafood. Once cooked, dished them into the serving bowl together with the emperor noodle. Garnished with coriander leaves and serve.

From Steven Cheng

Dine with me......Chef Steven Cheng Part 2

2007-12-18T05:33:00.000+08:00

Continuation.....

After the lobster dish, the remainder lobster shell and head were used to braise "yee mee" noodle(mun yee mien). Using the reaminder of this lobster to cook this noodle is marvellous and with the right seasoning, can be very delicious.

I also prepared the eight treasured duck "pak poh ngap" but this time I replaced roast pork with chinese pork sausage. With the right cooking timing and a well prepared ingredient for stuffing, this dish can be a jewel.

Next dish is the Boneless Mackerel "Mo Quet Kau Yee". A simple mackerel fish with an incredible way of preparation. Firstly the mackerel is being deboned and the flesh is then taken out, leaving the skin. Mix the mackerel flesh together with pork meat and seasoning. The seasoned meat is then being stuffed to the fish skin and deep fry. I finished this fish by topping wih special BBQ sauce.

I will stop here for the time being and will continue the last part in my next coming post.

From Steve Cheng

Dine with me......Chef Steven Cheng Part 1

2007-12-14T23:29:00.000+08:00

Two days ago, I invited a few of my young close friends to my restaurant to taste some of my current and new dishes for this coming new year, 2008. They were so excited and so am I. I had prepared eight dishes and I also requested Chef Sunny to prepare the dessert.

Here I would like to introduce the first dish of the day, Double Happiness "Seong Hei Lam Moon". For this dish, a pair of local lobster had been used. Firstly the uncooked lobster meat is taken out from the shell and sliced and covered with ice cubes.

I had prepared the broth earlier by using old chicken, chinese ham, dried scallop and water. Boiled them for at least 2 hours and add seasoning.

How do we eat them? Easy......isn't it? Put the lobster meat into a basket spoon and cook them in the boiling broth. Reminder, do not cooked them too long, just a few seconds will do, then scooped them out to your plate and start enjoying them.

This lobster meat is tender, succulent, delicious and yummy. The soup is also gorgeous and full of flavour.

This dish cost about RM13/100gm but need to have an advance order as it is seasonal.

Yours Chef Steven

Stir Fry Potatoes

2007-12-09T05:49:00.000+08:00

I got to introduce one of my current favourite young, modern and simplicity chef, Kylie Kwong. She is the chef and restaurateur of the popular restaurant Billy Kwong in Sydney, Australia, as well as the host of cooking programs on the Discovery Home Channel. She also writes a regular blog for The Huffington Post and also the fourth generation of the largest Chinese family in Australia.

I am amazed when I was reading through her latest book of Kylie Kwong entitled "My China" which just recently published on this November 2007. "My China" is a sweeping culinary travelogue through modern-day China and Tibet with lots of lavish photography, stories and recipes. I would say, this is a must have books, especially those like myself being a chinese borned abroad. I love this book as the photographs tell so much of stories and so much things that I never know, such a discovery and so fulfilling. A book that I will fall in love with.

Through the chinese food heritage, I also discovered that one of my dish is so similar to Kylie Kwong's discovery in "My China" entitled "fry potatoes with chinese sausage". Immediately I can recognised this is a very lovely and fragrant dish, especially the aroma of the chinese sausage and the crunchiness of the matchstick potatoes.

My one is rather simple, I just use potatoes, red belly pepper, green belly pepper and carrot. And cut them into the shape of matchsticks. Stiry fried them and add seasoning.

Ingredient
2 medium size potatoes
1 red belly pepper
1 green belly pepper
1 medium size carrot

seasoning
a pinch of salt
a pinch of white pepper
a teaspoon of oyster sauce
a dash of chinese wine

Cut all the ingredient into the shape of matchsticks. Use a tablespoon of oil, heat up the wok. Stir fry the potatoes until half cooked then add carrot, green and red belly pepper. Add seasoning and continue for few seconds. The dish is ready.

Such a simple, colourful and delicious dish should be dished out at our own kitchen for our lovely guests.

Steven Cheng

Red Wine Baby Pork Ribs

2007-12-02T22:37:00.000+08:00

I love red wine, they are lovely to drink and also lovely to cook with. I still remember when I was in Ireland, few yers back, I consumed red wine just like drink grape juice or to be precise, like drinking water.....lol. I guess it is not easy to consume red wine as often as I want since I am back now in KL as they are expensive, oh, very expensive. So I decided to make this dish called Red Wine Baby Pork Ribs.

Recently my blogging pal, East Meets West Kitchen posted about her new venture into vegetable and fruit carving and I too decided to knife out a gold fish using tomato, cucumber and red chilly tip. I used tomato for the head and body, cucumber for the fins and red chilly tips for the eyes.

Back to the Red Wine Baby Pork Ribs, I firstly used chinese wine and pineapple juice to marinate the baby pork rib for over night. Then add some red food colouring. Once properly marinated then draining off the excess liquid. Add egg, corn flour and seasoning to the baby pork ribs. Deep fried them till they are cooked. As the baby ribs are getting cooked, you can now make the sauce. Fry garlic and onion, then add red wine and sugar. One the sauce reach the boiling stage, add your cooked baby pork ribs. Tossed them and then transfer them to your serving dish. Add the garnish.

300gm baby pork rib
100ml pineapple juice
30ml chinese wine

2cloves crushed garlic
1/2 medium size onion(chop finely)
50ml red wine
1 teaspoon sugar

Well this red wine baby pork ribs dish is really gorgeous and serve well with a bowl of steam white rice.

Hope this dish will give you some inspiration to try them out in your kitchen for your special guess or even for a romantic dinner for two.

From Steven Cheng

"Mat Lat" Parrot Fish

2007-11-29T03:18:00.000+08:00

My blogging friends, especially Beachlover had been exploring ready make ingredients that come in pack form especially those made in Malaysia. So when I was looking through my unpublished post, I found this one. "Mah Lat" Parrot Fish. This dish had also been posted by my fellow dedicated floggers and great friends, Teckiee and Jacksonkah. "Mat Lat" is a famous szechuan dish in China which ultilise szechuan pepper corn and loads of chillies. Here today I am going to included the details:

There is a lot of variety of ready made "Mat Lat" paste but I use the about one. It taste as usual hot, hot and also comes with a hint of mutton taste.

Here I used a whole Parrot fish. To make a great whole fish, I deep the whole fish in a pool of oil at low temperature. "Yau Jum Yee" is a good cooking technique of cooking fish. Once the fish is golden brown in colour, your fish is cooked and ready.

Next is to make the "Mah Lat" sauce, pan fry some garlic and dried chillies in hot oil, put 1-2 tablespoon of "Mat Lat" paste then add some stock. Add seasoning to your liking. If you like hot, hot then add more of the "Mat Lat" paste. I prefer it to be a bit mild so that can taste the freshness of the fish.

Hope you can find this "Mat Lat" paste. I have a few packet of this "Mat Lat" paste left in my kitchen, if you like a packet of this, do let me know by emailing to bigboysoven@gmail.com which stock last.

Hope you can find this paste and try this dish... one word to describe... lovely.

From Steven Cheng

Salt & Peppered White Baits

2007-11-23T13:31:00.000+08:00

"Chee Yim" or "Salt & Peppered" is a very delicious dish by itself. You can have it in prawn, squid, chicken, mantis prawn and even fish. Today I am introducing this dish with white baits. White baits are small fishes whereby all the bones are taken out before being cooked. As my good friend Sunny Yaw always say, easy and simple....lol!

400gm white baits (other white fish meat can be used too)
1 egg
a pinch salt
a pinch white pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil

tapioca powder
oil for deep frying

3 tablespoon white wine
3 sliced green chilli padi
a pinch salt

Marinated fish baits with salt, white pepper, seame oil and set it aside.
Heat up deep frying oil
Coat fish baits with tapioca flour.
Deep fried them till light golden brown.
Heat up a clean wok.
Put all those deep fried fish baits on to the work.
Dashed in white wine.
Throw in green chilles and a salt.

I would recommend you to order this when you are dining at my restaurant as it had be come a favourite dish with my dinners.

Have a try yourself in your own kitchen too.

Yours Steven Cheng

"Lat Chi Kai" Dried Chilly Chicken

2007-11-22T12:34:00.000+08:00

Got to say that Chef Steven's "Lat Chi Kai" is one of the most delicious shanghainese chicken dish in town. I had tried a few such as those at Jalan Ah Loy cooked by a chinese chef from China, verdict not too bad but still not that tasty. I had tried Dragon-I, verdict, great but too many dried chillies, tried De Hunan's at Khucai Lama, verdict, the chicken pieces are too small and hard (deep fried to long I guess).

This "Lat Chi Kai" consists of small cut of chicken meat and deep fried and a quick stir fried with dried chillies, whole garlic and ginger. Oh I got to say it is lovely and it can be eaten by itself, rice or with the company of a few pint of beer, a truely discovery of shanghainese dish.

If you are at Chef Steven Cheng's restaurant, do not miss this lovely dish. It is one of my favourite dish where I truely recommend this to you to try.

Yours Sunny Yaw

Lemongrass Prawns Hokkien Style

2007-11-14T01:29:00.000+08:00

This dish is a very special dish, why?

My late dad taught me this dish, yes my late dad. He is a real cook and I think he learned from his aunt when he was young... I think. I seldom see this dish serve in any restaraunt which is strange. Yes it is my late dad's recipe. This dish main ingredient is prawns and lemongrass. You need to cut lots of lemongrass to prepare this dish but not as difficult to prepare a dish called "ikan perut"and this dish is flavoured with fresh turmeric. So I recommended that Chef Steven Cheng to try this recipe and this is how it turn out.

400 gm large prawns
20 stalks lemongrass
1 inch fresh turmeric
1 big onion
4 bulbs garlic
3 chilli padi
1 cup coconut milk (1/2 cup double cream)

Unshelled the prawns and clean properly
Marinate the prawns with a pinch of salt and pepper
Thinly slice the heart of the lemongrass. Take about an inch.
Minced turmeric, onion, garlic and chilli padi
Deep fry the sliced lemongrass untill fragrant. Take them out.
Fry the minced onion,turmeric, garlic and chilli padi till fragrant.
Add in prawns, once cooked and in lemongrass.
Add in coconut milk and add in seasoning.
(* if you want a drier dish add in less coconut milk. )

This dish is lovely and smells so fragrant. This dish is specially prepared by Chef Steven Cheng.

Yours Sidney

Eight Treasure Duck

2007-11-07T01:39:00.000+08:00

Well, eight treasure duck is something very new to me although this dish had been around for ages. The process of making this duck dish usually takes about a day or two. Firstly you need to clean and wash the duck properly, then marinate with salt, pepper, five spices and coat the duck with soya sauce and dark soya sauce. Leave it for an hour or two, then deep fry the duck

Stir fry ingredients such as chestnut, lotus seed, mushroom, sliced roast pork, shrimp, button mushroom, dice onions and diced carrots with seasoning. Stuff the duck with the ingredients and double boiled with concentrated chicken soup.

This eight treasure duck is gorgeous and delicious. The meat is so tender, soft and so full of flavour. Once you open the duck cavity, you will see so many treasure of goodness in it.

If you like to try this dish just let us know a day or two earlier, so that I can prepared this dish for your dining at our restaraunt.

Yours, Steven Cheng

Buddha Jumps Over the Wall

2007-10-25T22:57:00.000+08:00

"Buddha jumps over the wall"? Was this dish so sinful for Buddha that he had to jump over the wall to escape? After reading a few articles on this, I found out that is not true. It was about a Fuzhou scholar who went picnicking with friends. He had placed all the ingredients with him in a jar and was heated over a charcoal flame. The aroma and lovly smell spread all the way to a nearby temple and was so inviting the monks could not resist and jumped over the wall tp partake in this hearty dish.

A poem in praise of the delicious dish was rendered, in which one lined read, "Even Buddha himself would jump over the wall".

"Buddha jump over the wall" is a highly complex chinese soup or stew cosisting of many ingredients of non-vegeterian origins and requiring one to two full days to create. Recently Chef Steven Cheng had created this soup and make available at his restaraunt Mei Chixuan. This dish usually very expensive but Chef Steven Cheng make it available and affordable, a mini version of "Buddha jump ove the wall". This dish consists of :

Dried Scallops

Shark Fin

Abalone

Seacucumber

Mushroom

Chicken

Chinese Ham

Dried Bamboo Shoots

Chef Steven's version of mini "Buddha jump over the wall" or "Fut Tiew Cheong" is gorgeous and delicious. The double boiled soup is so aroma and so tasty and yet so affordable. We love this dish and it is a sure winner.

It is delicious that not left in the bowl except the bone. It is worth to try this gorgeous dish and my next stop would be Mei Chixuan. A bowl of this soup cost only Rm38.80(US$13), so affordable.

Your Sidney

Crab Craving? So Sinful!

2007-10-16T01:24:00.000+08:00

I was not a great crab lover but it all started by this one crab dish and oh boy! since then I am stuck and can't do without it whenever I drop by a seafood restaraunt. I use to find crab dishes are such a hassle, to eat and not much meat, shell bits always get stuck in between by tooth and take such a long time to eat while other dishes get cold at the end of the day. But now, I would tell you yet another story, "eating pleasure, eat crab". The crab dish that strike me so much was the dry salted egg crab (ham tan hai), oh boy lovely. The shells are coated with salted egg yolk and enhance the taste of the crab. The freshness and the aroma of this dish can be enjoyed.

Myself and Sunny are now a regular at Mei Chixuan Restaurant, Kota Damansar and Steven Cheng is the head chef of this eatery and one of our big contributor to Big Boys Kitchen. We have no problem having him to cook for us as we trust his kitchen skill. Through him we also learn a lot of things regards to food that we never ever know till today and more to learn.

Back to crab, a lot of restaurant in KL and PJ offer a variety of crab dishes and do you know where this crab supply comes from? Locally? Well the demand is so heavy and the local supplies were unable to meet this demand and according to Steven, most of the crabs are imported from Bangladesh and Indonesia. The one below, dark and reddish is from Bangladesh and air flown. This type of crab, the meat is a bit soft and is good for cooking chinese dishes. As they are air flown into Malaysia, during this logistic, a lot of crab may be dead during the process, due to change of temperature. Thefore the price of this life crab can be expensive and sometime you may not get fresh one. I heard some of them goes straight goes into deep freezing and when cooked, they do taste different ,the meat become watery and soft or strainless meat and not an idea crab dish.

The one below is indonesia crab, it has a pale colour compare to the one above. The meat taste much better, the meat is much better, crunchier and it bounches when you bit into it. Lovely. I was told the are not as expensive as those from Bangladesh as the logistic is easier and the crabs are easy kept fresh.

We came to know that now crab dishes can be done in so many ways that can't be imaginable. The crab dishes that I am going to post are those dishes that we had eaten and cooked by Steven himself and we find them incredible marvellous. We usually pick a night to dine crabs when we are relax and when we are not in a rush as we like to spend time enjoying cracking those shell and sipping the meat out from the shell.

"Kam Heong Hai" is a delicious crab dish cook in dried shrimp, curry leaves and curry powder. Looks beautiful, remarkable taste".

"Sup Ham Tan Hai" Salted Egg Yolk Crab with gravy is very unique and something new to me as I alway have them done dried. Oh those rich gravy, what a winner!

Oh My favourite dish all time, salted egg yolk crab. No need to explain, try them yourself.....lol!

"Lat Chee Hai" Crab cooked with dried chillies is such a winner, we love them. you can taste the freshness of the crab... people says "sin mei". With the taste of the mild hot chillies and also the seasoning, oh oh....it is now my love at the first sight! Tell me why I would not want to have another kilo of this crab. "Lat Chee Kai" instead of crab, chicken is replaced, taste so gorgeous, just like being in heaven!

This "Tim Chau Hai" can be strange, definitely to us. Something new. Looks like I want to divorce them at first sight, why? Don't they look unattractive. Well, I would recommend you to have a bite, as we did that too...oh boy it was lovely, mild sweetness and aroma of home make chinese wine. I guess just like some of us, never judge a person by the look, what is inside can be a treasure.

If you around Tesco, Curve or Ikea, you can visit Steven as he is always there busy preparing great meal. Stven's Mei Chixuan restaurant is located at Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya.

Other links on Mei Chixuan:

Eat First Think Later
Living in Food Heaven

Restauant Mei Chixuan
N0 32A1, Jalan PJU5/10,
PJU 5, Dataran Sunway
Kota Damansara
47810 Petaling Jaya

Yours Sidney

Fish Paste Stuffed Mushroom with Fresh and Dry Scallop

2007-10-09T14:10:00.000+08:00

I personally love this dish, lovely to see and yet lovely to eat. This is stuffed mushroom with fish paste top with fresh and dried scallops. This dish looks so gorgeous that it can stand alone as a main dish by itself and that is what I have done with it. This dish is not that difficult to make but need a bit of time as you need to soften the dried chinese mushroom and also the dry scallops. I got to say this dish looks expensive and really delicious.

1 medium size brocolli
10 dry chinese mushroom
10 whole scallops
8 large dry scallops
150g fish paste

1. Soak dry mushrooms and dry scallops ina bath of hot water, prefer to soak over night until soft.
2. Once the mushrooms soften, scrub of the black skin of the mushroom, boil the mushroom with water and sugar.
3. Once the dry scallops are soften, break them up.
4. Fill up the mushroom with fish paste and top with a fresh scallop.
5. Use the dry scallop floss to decorate the side of the fish paste.
6. Steam the stuffed mushrooms for about 20-25 minutes.
7. Cooked the brocolli.
8. Place the brocolli and mushrooms onto the serving plate.
8. Make some oyster sauce and place the sauce on top of the mushroom and brocolli.

It is a dish that should be presented on your dining table for your special guests. Enjoy!

Yours Steven Cheng

Pickled Lotus Root

2007-10-04T14:02:00.000+08:00

This is a very simple dish, yet delicious, very refreshing and suitable to endulge before starting having your dinner. This delicate dish is called pickled lotus root. All you need is some fine shreaded lotus root, washed and cleaned. Marinated it in salt for 5 minutes and wash off the salt. The marinate the shredded lotus roots with sugar, a bit of vinegar and lots of lemon juice ( if you like spice, you can put some fresh chillies)

Once ready you will notice that the shredded lotus root taste crunchy and with a hint of lychee taste. The next coming post, I will post my latest creation, mini Buddha jump over the wall (mini futt till cheong). So see you soon.

From myself, Steven Cheng

Golden Pumpkin with Crab Meat Sauce

2007-09-20T14:26:00.000+08:00

Yet another new and yet a simple dish that I am going to post today.

Pumpkin dish? I guess a lot of people include myself had tried to avoid pumpkin cause do not know what to do with it. It is hard outside and can also be hard inside if it is not ripe. I cannot resist this pumpkin cause I was so attracted to the colour, golden yellow. In Malaysia, we do a lot of frying in our dishes from fruits such as bananas to vegetables such as yams. So I decided to slow fried the slices pumpkin till there are cooked.

While waiting for the pumpkin to cook, I prepare the sauce to top the cooked pumpkin. Here I use fresh crab meat, slice mushroom and sticks of carrot. Heat up the wok with one tablespoon of cooking oil, fry some garlic then add the carrot, mushroom and crab meat.

Add a pinch of salt and white pepper, a tablespoon of oyster sauce, a teaspoon of dark soya sauce, a tablespoon of chinese wine and 4-5 tablespoon of water. Once boiled, add 1 tablespoon tapioca water to concerntrate the sauce.

Once the pumpkins are cooked, place them on a serving plate and top it with the cooked crab meat sauce.

Ingredients:

350g Yellow Pumpkin
100g Cooked Crab Meat
20g Sliced Mushroom
10g Carrot Sticks
1Tspn Oyster Sauce
1tspn Dark Soya Sauce
1tspn Chinese Wine
4-5 Tspn Water
1 tablespoon Tapioca Water
a pinch of salt and pepper

This recipe also can also be view with video at : Eat First Think Later

Yours Steven Cheng

A Simple Egg Dish

2007-09-20T13:40:00.001+08:00

I love eggs and could not have enough of them. In this post I would like to introduce an egg white dish. A lot of people don't like them and some will try avoid them but I really love them. Eggs can be done by, boiling them and even stir fry them. For egg white, I prefer to boil them in a low temperature oil. by doing this you will end up having crunchy cooked egg white.

Once the egg white is cook and done, drained and set them aside. Then stir fry fresh prawns, scallops, carrot, a pinch of salt, white pepper and chinese wine. Once done, stir in the cooked egg white and serve.

6 egg whites
150gm large prawns
50gm scallops
10 slices carrot
1 Tsp osyter sauce
1 tsp chinese wine
a pinch of salt
cooking oil

Do try this simple recipe of mine and I am sure you will love it and your guests too!

From me, Steven Cheng

Cheessy Minced Prawn Wrap

2007-09-03T12:18:00.000+08:00

I had been dinning in many places here and there in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, what really excites me and had caught my eyes was this entree dish, Deep Fried Prawn Wrap. I even saw this similar dish being prepared over the glass window of Dragon I Restaurant. I do say, it is so exciting to see those chefs preparing the food whereby you know you are going to feast them. Marvellous indeed.

Anyway, here I would like to share my Deep Fried Cheessy Minced Prawn Wrap. For this dish I had utilised minced beef mixed with minced prawn, large prawns, slice cheese and also beancurd wrapper.

Firstly placed the mixed mince meat on top of the beancurd wrapper then placed on top a slice of cheese and the large prawn.

Wrap them like the above. Deep fry them till golden brown. This cheessy minced prawn wraps can be eaten deliciously with thai chilli sauce.

Ingredients
200 gm minced beef
50 gm minced prawn
8pcs (4"x4") beancurd wrappers
8 slices cheese
8 large unshelled prawns

Hope you will try this lovely dish.

Yours Sidney xxx

Herbal Chicken aka Begger Chicken

2007-08-13T12:49:00.000+08:00

I had put up this begger chicken post in another website under the pen name of Miss Pinky and had decided to put up this post again on Big Boys Kitchen. I strongly feel that this chicken dish is inviting, warm, fantastic, and delicious as it is embedded with full flavour of chinese herbs.

In this chicken dish, I had used nine types of chinese herbs as follow:

Astralagus Root (Huang Qi/Puk Kei)
The pale yellow roots are believed to be good for the treatment of poor blood circulation and fatigue. This roots can be found in Korea and northern Chinese provinces of Shanxi and Gansu.

Codonopsis Root (Dang Shen/Dong Sam)
The root is generally used as a tonic and stimulant reputedly good for the treatment of gonorrhea, blood circulation and gynaecological diseases. It is widely adopted as a respectable substitute for the more expensive ginseng. Codonopsis root can increase the number of red corpuscles and reduce the number of leucocytes in the blood.

Chinese Yam (Shan Yao/Wai San)
These chalk-white silvers are believed to be a tonic for the kidneys and lungs, and are prescribed for diarrhea, diabetes and urinary problems.

Chinese Wolfberries (Gou Qi Zi/Gei Chi)
Both fruit and bark of the plant are used in medicine to improve vision and to adjust renal function. Chinese wolfberries also believed to be remedial for diabetes but paradoxically impart a sweetish flavour to most rich stews and soup.

Lily Bulb Petals (Bai He/Bak Hup)
The bulbs are harvested from July to September, then separated, blanched, dried and bleached in sulphur fumes. Lily bulb petals are believed to be beneficial for an extraordinary range of illness, from pulmory diseases and ulcers to coughs and dry throats.

Chinese Angelica (Dang Gui/Dong Kwai)
Recognised as one of the most effective herbal ingredient for a whole range of gynaecological ailments, taken by woman after childbirth to alleviate pain, lubricate the intestines and prevent haemorrhage.

Longan Flesh (Long Yan Rou/Long Ngan Yok)
Longan literally mean “dragon’s eyes”, is a small, seasonal fruit that comes in bunches. The flesh beneath is sweet, succulent and translucent and holds at its centre a round, dark brown seed; which is how a shelled longan could resemble and eye. Longan is cultivated in china and parts of Indochina. Stock dried longans come in two forms, in their shells with stones intactor ready shelled as lumps of tightly packed longan flesh.

Soloman’s Seal (Yu Zhu/Yok Chok)
Silvers of yellowish roots are good for treatment of ailments related to the pancreas, lungs and throat.

Red Dates (Hong Zao/Hung Cho)
Red dates should be about the size of grapes or smaller, dark maroon in colour and when dried , very wrinkled in appearance, almost like small, gnarled prunes. They are recommended for the restoration of vigour and vitality

All the herbs are boiled for an hour till the flavour is transfered to the soup.

Paper and aluminium foil are used to wrapped the chicken

Here I used a fresh chicken bought from my favourite market located at section 17, Petaling Jaya.

The chicken is stuffed with the cooked herbs and gravy in the cavity, wrapped and baked for 90minutes in the oven.

Ingredients

2pcs Astralagus Roots
2sticks Codonopsis Roots
5pcs Chinese Yam
20gm Chinese Wolfberries
10pcs Lily Bulb Petals
5thin slices Chinese Angelica
30gm Longan Flesh
3pcs Soloman’s Seal
5pcs Red Dates
1 large Chicken
Paper
Aluminium Foil
Salt
Pepper

Boiled all the herbs with 200ml water till concentrate. Add a pinch of salt for taste. Stuff all the cooked herbs and concentrated soup into the cavity of the chicken. Wrapped the chicken with paper and aluminium foil. Baked for 90 minutes.

Stir Fried Chicken with Sweet Basil

2007-08-03T15:39:00.000+08:00

Sweet Basil with Chicken

I just love the smell of the sweet basil leaves. It gives such a fragrant and uniquely smell. You can find most Thai dishes consist of this sweet basil leaves. They really add flavour to any dishes. I found this leaves at SS17, Petaling Jaya wet market. They are sold in big bunch at a very reasonable and affordable price.

Usually the sweet basil leaves are used in scrambled egg as to give more flavour to the egg dish. As for myself, I use this sweet basil leaves for a chicken dish

Ingredients
300gm Diced chicken breast
50gm Sweet basil leaves
2bulbs Minced garlic
2tsp Fish Sauce
1Tsp Oyster sauce
1tsp Dark soya sauce
1 Cut chilli
1Tsp Cooking Oil
a pinch White Pepper
a pinch Sugar

Heat up the oil in the pan. When the oil is hot, put in minced garlic and half the amount of sweet basil leaves. Once the gralic is browned, stir in diced chicken. As the diced chicken is getting cooked, pour in fish sauce, oyster sauce and dark soya sauce. Stir fry the dish for few minutes. Once cooked, stir in the sweet basil leaves and cut chilli. Put in the white pepper and sugar. Now you can dish up the dish onto the serving plate.

Hope you will try this dish. It is simple, fast and yet will surprise you guest.

Regards Sid xxx.

Stir Fried Baby Leek Bulbs with Japanese Seaweed Tofu

2007-07-21T06:59:00.000+08:00

Baby leeks

It is another weekend morning marketing at my regular wet market at SS17, Petaling Jaya where I stumbled upon a very interesting vegetable, baby leek bulbs. This is the first time that I had seen such unique and interesting, baby leek bulbs and yet do not know what to do with them. An elderly lady who was standing beside me insisted that I should dry stir fried them with tofu to bring out the full flavour of the baby leek bulbs. She also teached me just to use the bulbs and discard the stems. It really sounded interesting and tasty. She taged way with 2kg of this baby leek bulbs as her son loves them. After overwhelming by her lust, I too immediately bought 1kg of this baby leek bulbs. I also picked up a packed of japanese seaweed tofu from the market.

Japanese Seaweed Tofu

The japanese seaweed tofu looks great, not soft and well suitable for stir frying. I had them cut into cubes and deep fried. By doing this I will able to have a crunchy texture of tofu and also easy to stir fry them within seconds.

Deep fried japanese seaweed tofu

Stir Fried Baby Leek Bulbs with Seaweed Tofu

Ingredients

1kg Baby leek bulbs

1 packet Japanese seaweed tofu

2 cloves Garlic

2 teaspoon Oyster sauce

1/2 teaspoon Dark soya sauce

2 tablespoon Corn Oil

Cut the seaweed tofu into cubes and deep fry them till golden brown. Trim off the baby leek bulbs, leaving about 1 inch of the bulb, wash, clean and dry the bulbs. Heat up the pan with corn oil. Once the oil is hot, throw in crushed garlic.Once the garlic start to turn brown and fragrant, throw in the baby leek bulbs and stir fry them for 2-3 mins. Place the deep fried japanese seaweed tofu into the pan and together with oyster sauce and dark soya sauce. Stir fry them for another 1-2 mins and you dish is ready and scoop them up onto your dish.

Freestyle Curry Noodle

2007-06-20T12:51:00.000+08:00

Well, I am not sure what got into me yesterday evening after a long day work, I drove myself straight to the Giant supermarket at One-Utama, PJ before reaching my apartment. The only thing that was permanently stucked or plastered in my mind was curry noodle. I guess lately a lot of my fellow food bloggers had been doing write up on this topic.

Churning up a bowl of curry noodle in my kitchen can be a tricky issue as it very time consuming. But due to my starvation for curry noodle, I was willing to take the challenge and make it a reality. I am sure you know that I did if you scroll down to see those pictures that I had captured yesterday.

I could not believe myself that it only took me about less than half an hour to get this dish ready and not only for one person but it was enough to feed more two person, of course myself and Sunny Yaw. He was busy preparing an cake order for a client. To tell you the truth, he is really dead tired because last weekend he had to prepare one hundred gifts, mini wedding cakes for M.E. & R.T.'s wedding.

Anyway theres a secret of achieving this dish in less than half an hour, I bought a packed of chicken curry paste and a curry laksa paste manufacturedby Tean's Gourmet.

Chicken curry and curry laksa paste

Since I had this two pack of paste inhand, it still does not complete the dish. I got to have the topping and the noodle. So I decided to have chicken, tofu "pok", fish paste "yee wat", fresh egg noodle "wan ton noodle" and some greens. Whala...! That would be my creation and I would call it curry noodle freestyle.

Tofu "pok" and fresh egg noodles

fish paste "Yee Wat"

Firstly I create the soup by using the pack of curry laksa paste and milk as to replace coconut milk. This not only really a health issue but just that my kitchen had run out coconut cream. Once the milk is boiled, I put in the tofu "pok" and leave it to boil for 5 mins.

A cooked curry soup with tofu "pok"

Next was to churn up the chicken curry by using cut chicken breast and chicken curry paste. Once ready, I boiled the fish paste "yee wat", the veg and the egg noodle.

Cooked fish paste "yee wat"

Once everything is completed, I put the cooked egg noodles on the the serving bowl, poured in the curry laksa soup, placed the curry chicken on top the egg noodle, placed the tofu "pok" , cooked fish paste and the veg.

Curry noodle for two

Ingredients

1 packet Curry laksa paste

1 packet Chicken curry paste

1 packet Tofu "pok"

2 Fresh Egg Noodles

200gm Diced chicken breast

100gm Fish paste "yee wat"

50gm Fresh greens

1 litre Fresh milk

I am very sure that you will not go wrong with this recipe as it is fast and easy to make. I am for sure you will impress your guest or your love ones. I am defintely sure that you will send them thinking of your cooking twice from now on. For sure you will able to cook and to impress.

Sid xxx

Coming Soon

2007-06-10T21:43:00.000+08:00

Watch Out, We Are Coming Soon!!!