Great Seafood Miso Nabe 4pax with OPS Bro WM & J on 2Dec2018

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4pax seafood miso nabe dinner

made seafood miso nabe for WM & J 4pax dinner this evening on 3.12.2018. ^^

丹港水产shinjuku seafood miso nabe

we had seafood miso nabe @ 丹港水产shinjuku on 14.11.2018 during our recent tokyo koyo 红叶trip. see above photo.

over dinner at 丹港水产shinjuku  was overall below par, but the seafood miso nabe was very good!

chicken miso soup base

i had intense, tasty chicken stock in the fridge so i made chicken miso soup for the hotpot. ^^

seafood miso nabe

and assembled the ingredients like how they served the dish at 丹港水产shinjuku . 🙂

seafood miso nabe

seafood miso nabe

i had cabbage, brocoli, shitake and shimeji mushrooms in the fridge, good use of leftovers.

begetables

tofu

vegetables and tofu. 🙂

snapper fillet & toman fillet

prawns

oysters 

squid

i also had tofu, oysters, prawns, fish and whole sotong. 🙂

lala

i also bought 500g lala from sheng shiong.

seafood miso nabe

seafood miso nabe

seafood miso nabe

seafood miso nabe

seafood miso nabe

my stock was very tasty. but after adding meat and vegetables to the steamboat, it was somewhat diluted and nit as tasty!

anyhow after we took the meat and vegetables and reduced the stock a bit, it again became very tasty.

msw durians S$19/kg

wm brought some msw durians.

not quite the best but still good.

seafood miso nabe

we had a great dinner and great sharing time this evening. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

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Very Good S$38pax Alacarte Buffet 5pax Family Lunch on 2Dec2018

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prawn pomelo salad

sunday wife organised 5pax family dinner at patara, our favourite thai restaurant on 2.12.2018.^^

patara has a S$38pax ala carte buffet lunch daily. there is a permium buffet at S$48pax. we didn’t need that so we ordered the S$38pax buffet.

daughter ordered all the food. every dish was nice! we enjoyed the lunch thoroughly! 🙂

the prawn pomelo salad very good. wife commented pomelo very sweet, often we don’t get sweet pomelos when we buy ourselves.

thai fish cake

thai fish cake very tasty. good!

thai fish cake

among the best i had!

tomyam gung

tomyam gung and the clear seafood soup both good. i always like the traditional tomyam better than the clear one, but they are always good here at patara.

minced chicken crispy rice

minced chicken crispy rice not my favourite, but here it was also pretty good.

minced chicken crispy rice

didn’t mind it at all.

shredded duck spring rolls

the shredded duck item turned out to eb another spring roll? there was already spring roll in the menu…

it was good, but spring rolls are spring rolls, nothing much to say…

tofu

tofu was good. i liked it. this one tasted exactly like a north indian food – paneer, cottage cheese, texture wise.

scallops

scallops were large and plump and sweet. 🙂

crispy fish fillet

fish fillet was very crispy. son, wife all liked it.

salted egg sotong

daughter said salted egg sotong not too salty, and texture was perfect, not overcooked!

crabmeat fried rice

crab meat frie drice was very good!

half portion olive rice

half portion olive rice

but no enough for hungry folks!

son ordered half portion of olive fried rice. 🙂

chicken in red curry

the red curry was very good, and the chicken was tender and moist. this one i am impressed ‘cos many places overdo the chicken…

aussie sirloin panang curry

the austrlian sirloin with panang curry was fatastic! so we orered one more portion, no 1/2 portion for this one la!

dessert

thai bobo chacha

dessert came in a super tiny serving. we didn’t know and server who took order didn’t tell us, so we had couple more orders.

aussie sirloin panang curry

the beef and the panang curry was really good! real shiok!

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++

Patara Fine Cuisine @ Tanglin Mall

Address:
163 Tanglin Rd, #03-14 Tanglin Mall, Chicco, Singapore 247933
Contact:
patara.com.sg
6737 0818
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 12–3PM
  • 6–10PM

Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs (First Experiment) on 1Dec2018

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slow braised beef short ribs and tagliattele in white wine sauce

tis the season to be jolly! ^^

doing like 4 christmas dinners this season (this month of december). got to plan menu a bit & test out some new dishes and relish some old dishes that i have not done for a long time also…

===================

 slow braised beef short ribs

as i said, my 1pax meals often used to test out new dishes. 🙂

bought 2 twin-slabs grain fed angus beef short ribs 2.7kg from qbfood delivered today..

today my first experiment of braised beef short ribs – planning to do for 12dec2018 teban gardens friends dinner and my family christmas eve dinner.

slow braised beef short ribs

slow braised beef short ribs

slow braised beef short ribs and tagliattele in white wine sauce

slow braised beef short ribs

following chef edward leonard’s excellent recipe= https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_-CObG00ck8&feature=youtu.be

(basically pan-charred short ribs, removed and added carrots, zucchini, onions, fried and camarelised a bit, then deglazed with white wine and chicken stock, then baste over the short ribs in an oven proof dish, covered & placed in oven)

i use 165degC. my a tiny piece maybe 250g..at 1hr 45mins it felt quite nicely done..at 2hrs15mins the thicker part was excellent the thinner part slightly overdone..

taste wise i did not have beef stock or red wine so used a little white wine & chicken stock..tasty especially with vegetables ratatouille, but still not the fantastic taste & texture like the wagyu ribs at akira back..

texture can adjust in any case timing different if making 1kg slab..taste iwise f unable to get beef stock will have to stick to an intense chicken stock

tagliattele in white wine sauce

tagliattele in white wine sauce

for my 1pax dinner, i made a small side of tagliattele in white wine sauce.

 

tagliattele in white wine sauce

slow braised beef short ribs

overall shortribs was delicious and pasta side usual great pasta. so dinner was great.

shortribs preparation of course need a lot more improvement. i using akira back superb wagyu ribs standard as reference target.

will do a proper recipe when i do this for a larger serving on 12.12.2018 and 24.12.2018. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

RI Bro QTC Bought Nice Dinner @ Tunglok Signatures at Central Mall on 30N0v2018

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TC and me

my ri bro (he was also like a mentor to my youngest daughter) was away in israel with his son,

when wife organised a dinner for me recently at alba attended by a few of my ri bros and ops bros on 25.10.2018.

so today he arranged a 2pax belated birthday dinner for me at tunglok signature.

i told him tunglok no more lovedining discounts lol! anyway we went ahead. it is near his office very convenient and food here quite good whether at a good deal price or normal price. 🙂

S$78 set menu

it’s like a thai flavours seafood and sharksfin set.

thai conpoy cake with tomtoes

so the appetizer like a thai fish cake deep fried, menu sid conpoy. it was good, tasty…the tomato with a bit of pomelo on top was sweet & refreshing.

tc & me

really thankful to have such a wonderful friend and bro. 🙂

Double-boiled Shark_s Fin with Sakura Chicken

next was a sharksfin dish. the soup was outstanding! tunglok and lei garden, imperial treasure etc lie tong soup always very good.

this was a sharksfin thick soup, very intense tasty superior stock 上汤 so smooth and so very tasty. 🙂

Pan-fried Tiger King Prawn with Supreme Soya Sauce

Pan-fried Tiger King Prawn with Supreme Soya Sauce

the pan-fried tiger king prawn was good. done well.

i guess it was like any other large prawn…

Traditional-style Steamed Sliced ‘Soon Hock_

the steamed soon hock always good at tunglok. and they do other fish fillet dishes very well too.

Traditional-style Steamed Sliced ‘Soon Hock_

this was like the chinese fine dining answer to western cuisine – individual serving plated very well with great sauce and garnishes, vs the traditional whole soon hock fish presentation. lol!

Braised Belly Pork, Onsen Egg and Broccoli on steamed rice

the braised pork was nice, great texture, a bit of vinegared sweet taste 糖醋 served with brocoli, sweetened salted veg and 1/2 hardboiled egg.

as a dish on a whole though, not very good standard w/o good sauce and basically a lot of plain tasting carbs. of course i didn’t take much rice. lol!

Chilled Aloe Vera Lemon Jelly 椰皇青柠雪葩芦荟冻

the chilled aloe vera lemon jelly was good dessert.

complimentary drink

we were served a complimentary drink at the end when serving dessert. a plate cleanser for dessert? anyway nice drink no need to know what it’s for….

birthday verse caligraphy

birthday verse caligraphy

tunglok provided 2 longevity buns 寿桃

and the usual birthday celebratory caligraphy by the restaurant manager. something i recorded previously on 27.5.2015 ^^ –

少年壮志当十一

英俊潇洒二十一

状元高中三十一

年龄岁岁四十一

成就显赫五十一

儿孙满堂六十一

回想当年七十一

福禄寿全八十一

享受人生九十一

要找北京101？？？

we dispensed with the recital this time. 🙂

i had a really good time. we shared about our family, some recent news about a close friend and bro, and i talked a bit about my relatives in china…

so grateful to have a few good close friends.

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tunglok Signature @ Central
Address:
6 Eu Tong Sen St, 02-88, Singapore 059817
Located in: Clarke Quay Central
7RQW+PJ Singapore
Contact:
tungloksignatures.com
6336 6022
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 11:30am–3pm
  • 6–10:30pm

 

Potatoes, Carrots, Onions with Minced Pork in Nonya Sauce – 76th Teban Gardens Community Breakfast on 30Nov2018

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potatoes, carrots, onions with minced pork in nonya sauce

made potatoes, carrots, onions with minced pork in nonya sauce for teban gardens community breakfast this morning on 30.11.2018.^^

this my 76th friday breakfast community meal dish at teban gardens community service centre.

i first started doing a community meal dish for teban gardens CSC on 8.1.2016.

the centre was started in 2002 after much effort & challenge by our RI friend who is a pastor of pasir panjang hill brethren church (pphbc) which owns & runs the CSC.

potatoes, carrots, onions in nonya sauce

for my last post on 9.11.2018, i wrote about the challenges of cooking one dish for 140pax senior residents, the selection of chicken , belly pork, zutchi fish fillet, and the recent 3 times (including today) using minced pork, and varying the dish.

the last 2 times i did minced pork with long beans and a bit of mala sauce, and minced pork with shallow fried egg plants. i think both will very good.

today i vary it a bit using other vegetables – carrots, potatoes and onions.

was debating if i should do my own sauce, basically oyster sauce based. but since i had a packet of nonya sauce i decided to just used it.

potatoes, carrots, onions in nonya sauce

i woke up at the usual time 7am.

cutting 4 large carrots, 3 large onions, 5 potatoes total about 1.5kg took good part of 20mins, but it’s ok because cooking wouldn’t take long.

i fried the onions and carrots first to soften. after 5mins i added the potatoes. potatoes should take about 8mins to cook and i wanted them just right and not mashed.

i added the nonya sauce paste after frying the potatoes a bit, and mixed thoroughly. when potatoes were cooked, just pressed against the side of the pan – it should break..i dished the vegetables out and set aside.

minced pork

then i fried the minced pork in the still oil wokpan. 4 packets about 1.5kg also. 🙂

minced pork

added 1 heap tbsp of cornflour and 1 tbsp heap of oyster sauce and mixed thoroughly, so minced pork was smooth and not dry.

potatoes, carrots, onions with minced pork in nonya sauce

minced pork had to be fully cooked.

i then added back the nonya sauce vegetables and mixed thoroughly.

potatoes, carrots, onions with minced pork in nonya sauce

potatoes, carrots, onions with minced pork in nonya sauce

dish looked great!

potatoes, carrots, onions with minced pork in nonya sauce

the dish texture was good, both the minced pork and the vegetables..taste was ok but nonya sauce i felt not the best for the dish..

my own oyster sauce mix w/o premix sauce would be better 🙂

this my 3rd minced pork dish for TB..can’t think of other good variation, next round probably revert to chicken or belly pork.. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

S$16 Song Fish Head 松鱼头 @ HK Street Old Chun Kee Commonwealth Crescent on 29Nov2018

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S$16 spicy black bean paste song fish head 松鱼头

eating dinner alone this evening on 29.11.2018.

lazy to cook. decided to go nearby hk street old chun kee at commonwealth crescent.

i ordered the S$16 spicy black bean paste song fish head 松鱼头.

S$16 spicy black bean paste song fish head 松鱼头

nothing much to write about.

i thoroughly enjoyed the fish head though i made this dish myself often.

very fresh, tasty and excellent sauce/condiments, tangy, slight sweet and salty, perfect for the fish head.

sometimes i do want to enjoy the fish head all by myself..haha! when i eat with sister, usually i leave the gelatinous parts for her so did not get to eat..

what to say…simply shiok!

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Kopi Kia  (hong kong street old chun kee 香港街老珍记）
Blk 117 Commonwealth Drive #01-733 Singapore 140117
Tel: 83606663
Email: enquiries@kopikia.com.sg
Operating Hours:
12.00PM – 10.30PM (Monday to Sunday)

 

Delicious 9pax Homecooked Dinner for Brother and Sister Families on 26Nov2018

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family

had a fun 9+1pax dinner this evening with my brother & sister families, and some vegetarian dishes for JR🙂

dinner dishes

i made 10 dishes –

menu

1 腊味饭 sausage claypot rice
2 醉鸡 drunken chicken
3 口水鸡 saliva chicken
4 元蹄 teochew braised hock + trotters
5 冻乌鱼 chilled mullet
6 和风wafu pasta for 净蕊
7 和风wafu eggplants for 净蕊
8 fried tofu & leeks
9 salted egg bittergourd
10 fried long beans

made sausage claypot rice 腊味饭. just fried cut ginger & chicken fat in claypot. then off fire & added salted fish & chopped garlic. added 3 cups rice and fried. added sliced chinese thick mushrooms. then added 3 cups chicken stock (not adding chicken so needed chicken stock for taste) and soaked. added 2 pork sausage and 3 pork liver and duck liver sausages.

when serving started high fire to boil, then lower fire for rice to cook about 30-35mins. 🙂

bought 1.1kg kampung chicken from sheng shiong to make drunken (醉鸡) chicken and saliva chicken(口水鸡).

白斩鸡poached chicken method. salted chicken overnight. cooked 9mins & poached 20mins in chicken stock (carrots, red onions, spring onions. ginger, garlic cloves). immersed in ice water & placed in fridge. then deboned & placed in 2 dishes.

for drunken (醉鸡) chicken, added 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup huatioajiu, 2tbsp fish sauce & 1tbsp sugar. mixed thoroughly then cover immerse the 1/2 chicken.

for saliva chicken(口水鸡), added 2tbsp 老干妈mala chilli oil, 1tbsp – 1.5tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp sugar. mixed thoroughly and drizzled over 1/2 chicken.

sealed with dish cover or cellophane and stored in the chiller compartment or fridge. take out  from fridge 1/2hr before serving.

they all loved the 2 chicken dishes. 🙂

brother likes pig trotters. sil understandably restricts the intake but seems that after retirement he is eating pig trotters every week. lol!

teochew braised trotters

my teochew braised trotters also very tasty, & gelatinous – flavour & texture are the key la! 🙂

i bought a whole front leg comprising the hock (upper) and trotters (lower leg) from sheng shiong just S$9.90.

braised them together, 元蹄 (the whole hock) and the chopped up trotters.

my own recipe…

of course the whole horde of aromatics. fried star anise, cinamon bark, cloves, bay leaves till smell the aroma. added hock and trotters and fried. added garlic cloves, red onions, spring onions, ginger. then added braising sauce =  3-4tbsp light soy sauce, 2tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 2-3tbsp huatiojiu..

the keys to a good trotters – flavour (braising sauce and infusion), and gelatinous texture which also makes it tasty.

so braising should be done with littel braising sauce for 1st 1/2hr. covered & turned several times…then added more water & braised for 2.5hrs in total.

the teochew chilled mullet 冻乌鱼 was easy to prepare. just steamed & chilled.

the 2 fishes were >1kg, so i steamed for about 15mins this time, usually about 9mins.

didn’t take photo but fish was good, like teochew muay stalls outside.

fried tofu with leeks

my niece JR is vegetarian, so i made all the other dishes were vegetarian. i only used vegetarian (oyster) sauce.

she brought her 2 boys. the elder S is coming to 3 years. he is also vegetarian currently.

fried tofu with leeks

fried tofu with leeks

tofu just fried with little oil & drizzle sea salt. then freid the leek, added vegetarian sauce and cornflour. added tofu to infused the sauce flavours.

when serving boiled the sauce, added 1 egg, let it formed & drew with chopsticks.

dinner dishes

i made wafu (和风）pasta specially for JR.

simple dish to. just browned 1 whole bulb of garlic cloves in olive oil, added sliced sweet basil, shitake & shimeji mushrooms, caramelised them, added white wine, 2tbsp tsuyu, 2 tbsp mirin, then reduced and set aside. pasta sauce ready.

when serving, prepare 200g spaghetti before al dente, boiled the sauce, off fire & tossed the pasta, added 15g butter, mized thoroughly, then plated and garnished with sweet basil leaves.

for this wafu preparation, if not vegetarian, can add chopped bacon bits or sliced bacon, very nice too1

pasta was very tasty, but for myself, could never c/w a non vegetarian pasta. 🙂

wafu (和风)eggplant

i made the wafu (和风)eggplant also for JR. same mirin, tsuyu preparation like a teriyaki..

it was ok i think but didn’t stand out.

my usual salted egg bittergourd.

slight mala long beans

long beans were very nice this evening. i just added 1 tsp 老干妈mala sauce. simple dish yet very tasty. 🙂

we had a wonderful family dinner. sil and brother’s 2 chlldren, WS and WC all liked the food. wife said we should do this more often. indeed so. food is just food. family spending time and spending the evening together is what makes it memorable.

c.h.e.f andy

Great Oysters, OK Chirashidon and Yakinikudon on 25Nov2018

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chirashi don S$20

went along with wife to get something from metro orchard on 25.11.2018.

after that we walked to orchard central & had dinner at tanuki raw just before 6pm no queue.

I took chirashi don S$20. wife took goie gras yakiniku S$23. both are ok not lousy not great also..

we ordered 1/2dozen oysters S$2ea happy hour 5pm – 8pm, but must order a drink so wife ordered a S$12 sake.

dinner was ok i didn’t mind it..

6 oysters S$2 each

6 oysters S$2 each

oysters were fresh and plump, very good actually at S$2 each. wife thought it was better than what we had at halia recently.

chirashi don & yakiniku don

chirashi don did not have premium cuts, but they were thick cuts and fresh and sweet. there was no uni or anago or butan ebi but there was a piece of chutara and the hotate were fresh and sweet, good quality.

nothing like the 800yen set i had at standing sushi bar at shibuya central gai recently but that was a different world la1

foie gras yakiniku don S$23

foie gras yakiniku don S$23

wife said foie gras was good but yakiniku was ordinary. i took one piece it was ok but but a top quality beef cut. at S$23 for dinner ala carte i guess it was ok but not special.

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tanuki Raw @ Orchard Central
Address:
181 Orchard Rd, 04-01, Singapore 238896
Located in: Orchard Central
Contact:
6636 5949
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 11:30AM–10:30PM

Cheap S$3 Xinlu Fishball Noodles Best la! on 25Nov2018

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S$3 xinlu fishball noodles

back from tokyo a few days liao, so today went to xinlu at meiling street fc to take the s43 fishball noodles on 25.11.2018. ^^

S$3 xinlu fishball noodles

S$3 xinlu fishball noodles

so shiok right/

chilli, qq meepok all perfect!

6 fish balls

fish balls too!

i had 6 fishballs because i ordered less noodles, so compensated 1 more fish ball. haha!

emptied

my RI bro CCG and my OPS bro both messaged on 28.11.2018 to go coffee and makan.

so 3 of us met at my place and went in CCG’s car to eat the xinlu S$3 fishball noodles.

tiong hoe coffee

then we had coffee at tiong hoe on the next road. 🙂

S$3 xinlu fishball noodles

WM bought the xinlu fishball noodles.

and CCG bought coffee at tiong hoe..CCG & WM had mocca latte. I had poccolo latte. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++

xinlu 新路 teochew fishball noodles
Address:
Blk 159 Mei Chin Road, Mei Ling Food Centre #02-05
Opening hours:
6am – 3pm, closed on Thursday

 

Recipe = Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb on 20Oct2018

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did my first pistachio crusted rack of lamb on 15.3.2015. ^^

i just followed Foodwishes.com Chef John’s pistachio crusted rack of lamb recipe.

while we were devouring the other dishes, I just put the lamb rack into a 210degC oven for 23 mins and voila, I had a very impressive-looking & tasty pistachio crusted lamb which everyone really enjoyed!

====================

it was a break of a few years.

lately i started cooking this rack of lamb a few times.

i was lazy to make the chopped pistachio, so i just improvised (or actually just shortcut the process) by doing a herb crust instead of pistachio. 🙂

i served the rack of lamb as a hot tapas for 8pax friends dinner on 21.3.2018. ^^

this lamb bought from qbfoods already denuded (frenched & caps off). i religiously removed the remaining fat (very little of it, would have been a mountain of fat if not denuded) & some membrane. i decided to simplify the effort so no chopped pistachio, just herb crusted.

roasted at 210egC for about 22-23mins.

everyone loved it including CL who generally avoids take lamb. 🙂

more recently, i did the herb crusted rack of lamb for wife’s good friend family J, H and M. 🙂

the rack of lamb was very good. i lazy to do pistachio crusted so just used chopped fresh celery (could not get parsley) and chopped mint from my garden).

H told J and my wife (who also doesn’t take lamb) that it was like a very good chicken. indeed no gamey taste, very tender & moist, and nice flavour. M loved the crust too.

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients:

  • 1 frenched lamb rack (standard 8 ribs, about 800g, good for 4)
  • 1 cup of chopped herbs (parsley…for this time i used mint and celery)
  • 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp melted butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • sea salt & coarse black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard

Directions:

  1. Prepare the lamb rack – cut/trim away the fat (to reduce the strong gamey taste/smell), cut about 2cm every 2 ribs w/o cutting into the loin (this for easy serving of the lamb rack afterwards), season with sea salt & coarse black pepper & pangrilled including the ends over a very hot pan. set aside on an aluminium lined baking tray & reserve.
  2. Prepare the herb crust mix – chopped 1 cup of herbs. in a large bowl add 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil & 1 tablespoon melted butter, & mix.
  3. coat the lamb loin with 2 tablespoon of dijon mustard. This serves as binder to enable herb crust to stick. now coat the herb mix on the lamb to form a crust. Preheat oven to 210degC and place the lamb in the oven for 22minutes (or longer if you like it more done). serve

Recipe = Simply Delicious Chorizo Prawns 2.0 on 3Nov2018

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chorizo prawns have become one of my regular tapas dish.

this is really an excellent hot tapas dish, absolutely easy to prepare with a good stock, and really, really delicious la! ^^

i first attempted chorizo prawns last year inspired by a very tasty Gambas al pil pil – Sizzling prawns in virgin olive oil & garlic at sabio @ duxton hill few days back on 5.11.2017 

chorizo prawn tapas on 9.11.2017

my own first rendition came a few days after, on 9.11.2017. ^^

taste was good with chorizo and stock, prawns were done just right, tasty and succulent, just that presentation and colour could do with some improvements.

subsequently, i did chorizo prawns tapas many times, and added red or yello peppers, which made it a more complete dish, ehancing the presentation and also the taste.

the most recent time was a 8pax homecooked dinner for wife’s friends on 3.11.2018. ^^

chorizo prawns very good with very tasty, intense chicken stock, chorizo, basil, chilli padi flavours. the prawns were just frozen prawns. my eldest daughter (not with dinner this evening) actually prefer the frozen prawns to fresh ones. for me i still prefer fresh.

and before that couple of other times. 🙂

preparation was straight forward-have a very good, tense, tasty stock (chicken stock or chicken + prawn stock); brown garlic cloves in olive oil, add sliced chorizo, add cut chilli padi and sliced sweet basil, fry red or yellow peppers char a bit then remove & set aside, add stock and white wine and reduce.

and the sauce is ready!

when serving, boil, add shelled deveined prawns, the fried red pepper and cover. make sure prawns just cooked but not overdone. garnish with sweet basil (or when i didn’t have i added few twigs of mint).

and voila!

try it, you will absolutely love it!

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients:

  • 400g large prawns (10-12 pieces)
  • 1 small red or yellow pepper cut
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 bulb peeled garlic cloves
  • 1 cut chilli padi
  • 3 sweet basil leaves sliced
  • 8 sliced chorizo
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup white wine

Directions:

  1. have a very good, tense, tasty stock (chicken stock or chicken + prawn stock);
  2. brown garlic cloves in olive oil, add sliced chorizo, add cut chilli padi and sliced sweet basil
  3. fry red or yellow peppers char a bit then remove & set aside
  4. add stock and white wine and reduce. and the sauce is ready!
  5. when serving, boil, add shelled deveined prawns, the fried red pepper, and cover. make sure prawns just cooked but not overdone.
  6. garnish with sweet basil (or when i didn’t have i added few twigs of mint).

 

Recipe = Drunken Chicken 醉鸡 2.0 So Delicious, Tasty on 26Nov2018

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recent days, i did drunken chicken 醉鸡 and saliva chicken 口水鸡 several times.

for one, i made 8pax dinner for wife’s friends this evening on 5.11.2018. ^^

i did both drunken chicken 醉鸡 and saliva chicken 口水鸡. this evening, both dishes were quite excellent. all the friends liked them. wife especially like the drunken chicken.

==============================

i used the usual 白斩鸡 preparation, but becos kampung chicken is 1-1.1kg c/w large chicken 1.4-1.6kg, i have to adjust the timing = so boiled 9mins & poached 20mis.

the evening before, i salted the chicken and dry in the fridge and washed thoroughly next morning before boiling in the chicken stock.

so the usual ice water treatment to produce the smooth taut skin and chill in fridge, then debone, and place 1/2 chicken in each dish.

for drunken chicken 醉鸡 i added 1/2cup huatiaojiu, 1/2 cup chicken stock, 2 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tbsp sugar. mixed well then added to the chicken and placed sealed in the chiller.

and i did a 6pax dinner for OPS bros and friends on 3.10.2018. 

both the 口水鸡和 醉鸡 saliva chicken & drunken chicken were very tasty & texture of the kampung chicken excellent. my friend finished the drunken chicken & only 2 wingstick of the saliva chicken left so they were well received.

drunken (醉鸡) chicken

so for the recently 9pax dinner with brother and sister families on 26.11.2018, i again did both drunken chicken 醉鸡 and saliva chicken 口水鸡.

again i used the 白斩鸡poached chicken method. salted chicken overnight. cooked 9mins & poached 20mins in chicken stock (carrots, red onions, spring onions. ginger, garlic cloves). immersed in ice water & placed in fridge. then deboned & placed in 2 dishes.

for drunken (醉鸡) chicken, i added 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup huatioajiu, 2tbsp fish sauce & 1tbsp sugar. mixed thoroughly then cover, immerse the 1/2 chicken and place in the fridge.

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 kampung chicken

chicken stock

  • (1 whole chopped carrot, 1/2 red onions, 2 stalks spring onions, 2cm cut ginger, 1 bulb peeled garlic cloves)

wine marinade

  • 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup huatioajiu, 2tbsp fish sauce & 1tbsp sugar

Directions:

  1. make chicken stock with bones from 1 chicken, carrots, red onions, spring onions. ginger, garlic cloves.
  2. salt chicken overnight.  cut chicken into 1/2 and washed thoroughly. cook 9mins & poach 20mins in chicken in stock. then immerse in ice water & place in fridge. then debone & place in 2 dishes.
  3. for the drunken (醉鸡) marinade, add 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup huatioajiu, 2tbsp fish sauce & 1tbsp sugar. mixed thoroughly then cover, immerse the 1/2 chicken and place in the fridge.

Recipe = Pangrilled Chicken with Pasta in White Wine Sauce on 23Nov2018

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pangrilled chicken thigh with prawns pasta.

made 1pax pangrilled chicken thighs & prawn tagliatelle in white wine sauce this evening using the same chicken stock. ^^

enough stock left to make another round and more. 🙂

pangrilled chicken thigh with prawns pasta.

i had 1/2 deboned chicken so used the thigh portion, and the leftover chicken stock, so just putting 2 and 2 together.

pangrilled chicken thigh with prawns pasta.

stock is for key for any cuisine, western, chinese, japanese, thai.

and pasta is all about the sauce, and the stock base. so no different from the chicken prawns beehoon last evening.

this time i just pangrilled the chicken thighs, nice charred skin and tender, tasty meat, and cook the pasta al dente, tossing in the white wine sauce(reduced chicken stock and white wine) with browned garlic cloves in olive oil, very tasty. & placed the chicken steak on top. voila!

pangrilled chicken breast with prawns pasta

for the next day, i made pangrilled chicken breast tagliatelle and chicken miso soup with iberico belly pork shabu

chicken miso soup with iberico pork belly

chicken miso soup with iberico pork belly 

basically my 1pax meals are opportunity to experiment, test out dishes..

i had excellent seafood miso soup in tokyo. pasta is a regular endeavour so main new test dish this evening is chicken miso soup adding miso to tasty chicken stock & adding shabu belly pork..it was very good 👍👍so i can do a chicken miso hotpot for my friends…

pangrilled chicken breast with prawns pasta

pangrilled chicken breast with prawns pasta 

pangrilled chicken breast as i used the chicken thigh last evening..chicken stock the same made a very tasty tagliatelle 👍

pangrilled chicken breast with prawns pasta

pangrilled chicken breast with prawns pasta

for preparation, basically seasoned chicken breast with fish sauce and white pepper. grilled chicken thigh or breast over hot non stick pan with just little oil, about 3 minutes to brown & crisp chicken skin, then turn over, cover the pan and cook another 4-6mins (checked if chicken breast or thigh fully cooked).

browned whole garlic cloves in olive oil, added cut chilli and slice basil. then added chicken stock and white wine, and reduced.

cooked tagliatelle just before al dente. added prawns to boil stock, off fire then tossed the pasta. plated it, topped with chicken steak breast or thigh and added whole basil leaves.

c.h.e.f andy

 

Ingredients (for 2pax):

  1. 1 chicken breast or thigh
  2. 6 – 8 large deveined shelled prawns
  3. 150g tagliatelle or other pasta
  4. 5-6 cloves peeled garlic
  5. 1 cut chilli padi
  6. 1 cup chicken stock
  7. 1/2 cup white wine
  8. 3 leaves sweet basil chopped
  9. 5 leaves sweet basil garnishing

Directions:

  1. season chicken breast with fish sauce and white pepper.
  2. grill chicken thigh or breast over hot non stick pan with just little oil, about 3 minutes to brown & crisp chicken skin, then turn over, cover the pan and cook another 4-6mins (check if chicken breast or thigh fully cooked). set aside.
  3. prepare white wine sauce = brown whole garlic cloves in olive oil, added cut chilli and sliced basil. then add chicken stock and white wine, and reduce.
  4. cook tagliatelle just before al dente. add prawns to boiing white white sauce, off fire then toss the pasta. plated it, top with chicken steak breast or thigh and add whole basil leaves to garnish.

     

Recipe = Braised Beehoon with Sliced Chicken & Prawns on 21Nov2018

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braised beehoon with sliced chicken & prawns 

was in tokyo and kawaguchiko with my OPS bros seeking koyo 红叶autumn colours 13-20.11.2018. ^^

took SQ flight home 21.11.2018, touched down 1/2hr early 5.15pm instead 5.45pm. arrived home 6.20pm

made some chicken & prawns beehoon 9虾，鸡丝焖米粉 with chicken stock in the freezer for 1 pax dinner

delicious!😍😋

this don’t fully qualify as a recipe since it was just for special to purpose 1 pax dinner, but the preparations and ingredients basically same la…

braised beehoon with sliced chicken & prawns

braised beehoon with sliced chicken & prawns

so i had very tasty intense chicken stock, made form chicken bones, carrots & other aromatics like red onions, spring onions, cut ginger and peeled garlic boiled for 4-5hrs and reduced.

i had sliced chicken and 3 large shelled deveined prawns.

i fried cut chilli padi & sliced ginger in oil, added chopped garlic. then added chicken stock, and reduced a bit more, then added prawns, sliced chicken (seasoned with fish sauce and white pepper) and beehoon softened in water for 20mins…

basically reduced the stock while cooking the sliced chicken and prawns. the judgement was with the amount of stock and beehoon so bee hoon was well infused, & along with prawns and sliced chicken NOT overcooked while beehoon and sauce not too wet or dry.

garnished with spring onions or coriander

for this evening, quite perfect la!

c.h.e.f andy

 

Ingredients (for 2pax0:

  • 100g – 150g sliced chicken (1/2 chicken breast)
  • 6 pieces deveined large prawns
  • 2 bunch beehoon
  • 1 cut chilli padi
  • 1 stalk chopped spring onions
  • 1cm sliced ginger
  • 3 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1 cup chicken stock

Directions:

  1. friy cut chilli padi & sliced ginger in 1tbsp oil, add chopped garlic.
  2. add chicken stock, reduce a bit more, then add prawns, sliced chicken (seasoned with fish sauce and white pepper) and beehoon softened in water for 20mins…
  3. reduce stock while cooking the sliced chicken and prawns. the judgement, agaklogy, is with the amount of stock viz a viz beehoon so bee hoon is well infused, & along with prawns and sliced chicken NOT overcooked while beehoon and sauce not too wet or dry.
  4. garnis with coriander.

Recipe = The Best Japanese Chashu on 2Nov2018

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chashu was excellent this evening.

i used the http://www.seriouseats.com method for chashu pork = 3.5hrs in 130degC oven, then kept in fridge overnight.

in a way it was the first time i did with an entire 1 kg slab. and it made a subtle difference that the slab was fully rolled with only skin outside instead of having one whole side w/o skin exposed for the 3.5hrs.

i did nice japanese chashu before (like above photo).

japanese chashu

this time though it was almost perfection!^^

the texture was perfect, tender still crystalline.

the ends were a bit frayed but it was still good. son said it tasted less porky that it should be. i think that partly because of the japanese marinade mirin, tsuyu etc not the teochew type braise.

=========================

the tip in this preparation is to place the chashu in the chiller for 4-5hrs or overnight.

the skin and meat were very tender & delicious, but cutting it when hot would cause the belly pork to fray & disintegrate.

chilling it enables one to slice the belly pork in thin slices easily, great for presentation and looked appetizing.

for serving, sliced chashu can be served on hot ramen, warmed in a plate over cooked sushi rice, served with a boiling sauce as dip or drizzled over. wife’s friends actually enjoyed it as it was.

c.h.e.f andy

i used the usual method for jap chashu by seriouseats.com. then kept in fridge overnight.

Ingredients:

  • 1kg slab belly pork
  • 4 cloves peeled garlic
  • 1 small red onion quartered
  • 1 stalk spring onions
  • 3cm ginger (sliced)

braising sauce –

  • 1/2 cup mirin
  • 1/2 cup sake
  • 1/2 to 1 cup water
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 4 tbsp light soy sauce

Directions;

  1. boil 1kg slab belly pork for few minutes to remove scum, washed thoroughly and dry.
  2. roll and tie securely using 2 of 3 kitchen twine
  3. add braising sauce and aromatics (ginger, spring onions, red onions, garlic)
  4. place in an oven dish in 130dehc oven for 3.5hrs
  5. let it cool. remove the belly pork roll and place in a double ziploc bag in the chiller for 4-5hrs overnight.
  6. when serving, slice the belly pork in thin slices cleanly with a sharp knife.
  7. sliced chashu can be served on hot ramen, warmed in a plate over cooked sushi rice, served with a boiling sauce as dip or drizzled over.

Enjoy la!

Recipe = Sweet Delicious Croatian Brodet (aka Fish Stew) on 14May2018

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croatian brodet – fish stew (like french bouillabaise

during our 3pax family holiday in croatia in apr2018, we took croatian brodet (which is like a simpler bouillabaise) a few times, especially at kopun in dubrovnik.

when i returned i made a croatian dinner for 6pax RI friends and spouses on 14.5.2018, and of course brodet was one of the dishes. that was the first time i made the fish stew/soup! ^^

AND the croatian brodet was the best dish of the evening, everyone’s favourite!

fishes for brodet & croatian grilled fish

the fishes in croatia were very fresh (though not living swimming in tanks). the seabass there did not look anything like a seabass or barramundi..it was slimmer & head was sharper but it was the best fish there, better than sea bream…in singapore i would count sea bream (ang kor li) as a better fish than local seabass…the seabream didn’t look much like our seabream here either.
for 6pax, i used only 1 small seabream, 1 small garoupa, 1 small treadfin (ngoh soon) cut in 2, plus a sailfish fillet i bought at phoon huat delicatessen for the 2 dishes – brodet & grilled fish.
specifically for the brodet, i used the treadfin head 1/2, whole seabream.
=================preparation=====================
i fried red onions, chopped scallions, sliced ginger, whole coriander till fragrant then added chopped garlic.
i used intense chicken stock, so broth was very tasty. the fish i cooked for about 4-5mins. when serving i heat up covered, added the prawns & the littleneck clams (la la) to cook, then served.
so as it turned out it was very easy to prepare the brodet, just a very good chicken stock…i prefer chicken to shellfish/prawn stock as it is more neutral & malleable, has wider preference as some may not like prawn stock.
so once there is a very tasty and savoury stock base, it was easy adding the fish and then adding the prawns and littelneck clams or whatever other seafood one desire.
c.h.e.f andy
P.S. my friend and his wife then visited croatian and went to kopu, the restaurant we recommended and took the brodet. and he messaged me then that my brodet was better. of course it was just individual taste & preference. my daughter will swear by kopun, and i also think the brodet was excellent there.
===================================
Ingredients:
  • 800g fish 9i had 1/2 small treadfin plus 1 whole small seabream (i think a sweet firmer fish like ikan batang or spanish mackerel and red snapper will also do fine)
  • 1.5l intense chicken stock
  • 1 small red onions sliced
  • 2 stalks chopped scallions,
  • 2-3cm sliced ginger
  • whole stalk coriander
  • 1 sliced tomato
  • 300g la la 9littleneck clams0
  • 8 -10 shelled deveined medium prawns

Directions:

  1. fry sliced red onions, chopped scallions, sliced ginger, whole coriander till fragrant then added chopped garlic.
  2. add intense chicken stock, so broth was very tasty.
  3. add fish cook for about 4-5mins. add tomatoes.
  4. when serving heat to boil, cover and add prawns & littleneck clams (la la) to cook, then serve.

Recipe = Tagliatelle Fruiti Mare on 20Oct2018

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tagliatelle fruiti mare on 26.10.2018

i have done seafood pasta in white wine sauce as early as 7.3.2013.

in the last year, i started using a good stock (chicken bones and carrots boiled over 4-5hrs and reduced to produce an intense chicken stock.

tagliatelle fruiti mare on 26.10.2018

after the recent amalfi trip, where we often had fruiti mare, i did this pasta several times for my family and friends.

among the best was one for 8pax family diner on 26.10.2018. 

my pastas that evening were all par excellence.

stock was very tasty, and pasta now always perfectly al dente.

#6 tagliatelle fruiti mare on 20.10.2018

for 8pax dinner with wife’s good friend J, H and their son M on 20.10.2018, i prepared 2 pastas and a risotto. they were quite superb because of the tasty intense chicken stock.and they were all al dente.

i made the pasta dishes more al dente after the recent amalfi coast trip. my children, whole family all liked it al dente.

a delicious, very good tagliatelle, with prawn & squid, and basil from my garden.

seafood tagliatelle on 14.5.2018

seafood tagliatelle on 14.5.2018

and after my croatia trip in apr2018, i made a 6pax croatian dinner for my RI buddies and spouses on 14.5.2018.

for the seafood tagliatelle, i browned garlic cloves in olive oil, added red & yellow pepper, then white wine & a tasty chicken stock, and reduced to a very tasty stock.

when serving i added the prawns & littleneck clams, then squid & covered, the added tagliatelle & tossed. the tagliatelle fruit mare was delicious and satisfying. after my recent family amalfi coast trip, i made the pasta even more al dente but otherwise the same preparation.

the recipe is below. and some tips!

the key tip regards the proportion of reduced stock to the amount of pasta. a stock can taste absolutely tasty and flavourful but taste can be diluted by the pasta so judging the amount of liquids vs amount of pasta is absolutely crucial. also you don’t want the pasta too wet with liquids and once you toss your pasta you cannot reduce the liquids w/o overcooking the pasta, hence everything is about judgment, and of course this comes by experience and agaklogy. lol! ^^

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients;

  • 300g tagliatelle
  • 1 bulb of whole garlic cloves
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup wine
  • 4 sweet basil leaves sliced
  • 1 cut chilli padi
  • 12 shelled deveined large prawns
  • 1 large squid in crossed cut pieces
  • 6 sweet basil leaves for garnishing
  • 15g butter

directions:

  1. brown 1 bulb of whole garlic cloves
  2. add sliced basil leaves and chilli padi and fry till nice aroma
  3. add 1 cup chicken stock and 1/2 cup wine and reduce liquids to 1/2
  4. cook tagliatelle to below al dente
  5. add the seasoned (with salt 7 white pepper) prawns & then squid to the boiling liquid till just cooked. off fire and add tagliatelle and toss, add salt to taste. add butter & mix thoroughly.
  6. garnish the pasta with the sweet basil and serve.

 

Recipe = Vongole Pasta on 3Nov2018

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vongole spaghetti 26.10.2018

i made vongole pasta quite a while ago (30.4.2014). and it was delicious!

my youngest daughter love vongole pasta.

recently we had our 5pax family holiday at amalfi coast & my daughter was taking vongole everyday.

one thing about pastas in amalfi & i guess italy, they were generally more al dente than what we eat in singapore, and we liked it, so i decided to make my pasta more al dente!

=======================

for our 8pax family dinner on 26.10.2018, i went to get 1kg lala clams for the vongole 1hr before cooking, so la la clams were fresh. and perfect in texture.

the la la texture and taste were perfect, and spaghetti was al dente. a very tasty quite perfect vonhole dish!

vongole linguine on 28.10.2018

vongole linguine on 28.10.2018

on 20.10.2018, i made vongole linguine & a crayfish tagliatelle for a 3pax dinner with wife & daughter.^^

again i went to sheng shiong to grab 1 kg just before cooking dinner.

my pasta now much more al dente than previously before our recent family amalfi coast trip. everyone loved the linguine and the la la (vongole) were excellent, just the right texture, fresh, succulent, and great taste. 🙂

vongole spaghetti on 20.10.2018

i also made vongole spahetti for the 8pax dinner for wife’s good famil J, H and their son M on 20.10.2018. ^^

it was a most delectable dish.

so, now i am quite proficient with the dish, the recipe is belwo.

c.h.e.f andy

=============================

ingredients:

  • 300g – 500g pasta (sphaghetti or linguine)
  • 1kg vongole
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cut chilli padi
  • 1 bulb of whole garlic cloves
  • 1/2cup white wine
  • 4 leaves sliced sweet basil
  • 6 leaves basil for garnishing

Directions:

  1. brown1 bulb of whole garlic cloves in 2tbsp olive oil
  2. add cut chilli padi & sliced sweet basil
  3. add 1 cup chicken stock and white wine and reduce to 1/2. add salt to taste.
  4. wash and drain the clams, and add clams to the boiling stock, cover and cook clams till they open (1-2mins)
  5. off fire, add pasta and toss thoroughly.
  6. add sweet basil or chopped parsley for garnishing

Recipe=Watermelon Feta Cheese Salad on 20Oct2018

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#1 watermelon salad

wife invited her good friend J.H and their son M for dinner on 20.10.2018. including my children we had 8pax dinner.

i was kind of tired doing pumpkin & quinoa salad though that was a crowd favourite too.

i googled, and decided to try out a watermelon feta cheese salad.

so my first time making watermelon salad. there’s a first for everything la! 🙂

I bought a watermelon S$6.99 from sheng shiong. the guy selected a ripe one for me and luckily it was very sweet.i cut about <1/3 melon into cubes, added 100g feta cheese from cold storage cut smaller cubes, and  2 stalks of chopped mint from my garden. and placed it in a chiller.

when serving 1 added 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil, squeezed 1 fresh lime, added 1/2tbp salt, and stick a fresh mint stalk for garnishing. looked lovely!

it was really refreshing. watermelon was very sweet of course. the feta cheese, lime added a special zing to the salad! everyone loved the salad. ^^

i did this watermelon salad again for our 8pax family dinner on 26.10.2018. everyone loved the watermelon salad.

c.h.e.f andy

 

Good Chat & Teochew Muay with Old Friend @ Ye Lai Xiang on 7Nov2018

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ye lai xiang teochew muay dishes

had teochew muay with david at ye lai xiang bukit nerah view near his place on 7.11.2018. ^^

david went for a swim at sentosa in the morning & messaged me for lunch at vivocity. i couldn’t get away as there were contractor doing something at my place, so we arranged 6pm dinner near his place.

had a good chat..old friends & david is visiting parents form cupertino and doing some mission work and flying off 2days time on nov9.

earlier we had 9pax RI friends lunch with david at HK street old chun kee followed by a wonderful chinese tea appreciation session at HCK house on 4.11.2018.

david paid for dinner about S$15. later we added 2 more vegetables, another S$4 so about S$10pax.

bittergourd

brocoli + cauliflower

leek + tofu

all the vegetables were nice…david especially liked the bittergourd so we ordered another serving afterwards.

the brocoli cauliflower and the leeks were all nice.

pig trotters

braised belly pork

salted egg minced pork

and the meats too quite ok – the trotters, minced pork..the braised belly was best = good taste & texture.

ye lai xiang teochew muay dishes

a simple homely meal and great chat and catchin gup.

c.h.e.f andy

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夜来香 YelaixiangTeochew Porridge (夜来香潮洲糜)

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#01-217, Boyang Coffee Shop, Blk 117 Bukit Merah View, 151116