Tag Archives: babi pongteh
RI JFL 1st Eat Together 28pax Dinner on 3Dec2015
mee goreng
a group of us RI friends have the idea that as we all have a good time coming together enjoying the food & company, making new memories together, many may also be ready to share with others and spread the cheer.
two ideas were discussed-
- when we get together again in the new year 2016, maybe many will be in the mood to make some small donations to a beneficiary charity (we are thinking we can do this twice in 2016 at one of the friend’s place & maybe we can collect say between S$1000 and S$2000 each time).
- some of us who loves cooking (& there are many among us) may offer to cook community meals for some needy folks….currently many friends are already managing events (some weekly) at some premises where various groups (senior folks or needy families in the community) come by to share some food.
those were ideas to be discussed further for the time being.
meanwhile 2 friends helped to organise this dinner at a friend’s house on 3.12.2015. we had 28pax this evening including the host couple. ^^
tandoori chicken
3 of us offered to make some dishes for all our good RI friends to share some food & fun time together.
this eat-together actually also serve a specific purpose to work out the food logisitcs of planning & co-ordinating the type of dishes to make (by 3 parties) that are suitable for transporting to the host location for sharing among a sizable group, and also the arrangements for transportation. ^^
drinks
a friend who made some dishes also contributed 3 bottles of wine. another friend brought 2 sparklies & the host arranged the ice box & other drinks. 🙂
curry chicken
one friend made a nice curry chicken. love the colour. i took couple pieces & the curry. was nursing a throat infection. could not take more also.
nasi biryani
& the biryani rice was very good too! very fluffy & light, good herb aroma. 🙂
this friend messaged me that he had to re-steam the rice. i replied that that is always a bit of touch up & make-overs only those who cook know…which our kaypoh friend proceeded to promptly broadcast to the rest as his pet trivials….haha! 🙂
one of my favourite for the evening (seems like everyone also) was the mee goreng (top photo).
cannot really compare apple to apple with fried hokkien prawn mee, the other delicious dish we had at another friend’s house recently. & i have not decided if i want to try cooking, but probably i will start with the hokkien mee if i do.
the other dish this friend cooked was the tandoori chicken (above photo further up), very nice colour w/o using any colouring.
babi pongteh
all 3 of us used the same aluminium trays to transport the food w/o consulting each other. haha! ^
i made a babi pongteh. the tau jeon (& bit of gula melaka) flavours were good. i added mushrooms & taupok which were well-infused with the taste. the pork texture were just slightly hard c/w my usual very tender belly pork.
sambal seabass
the sambal seabass prepared by my helper is a perennial favourite among my friends & also this evening.
thai red curry sotong
i did a thai red curry sotong also. this was done with a ready made “dancing chef” curry mix.
dry wok prawns
& the usual dry wok prawns.
broccoli with cauliflower
i also made a broccoli & cauliflower, just pan-fry with garlic & added oyster sauce, fish sauce, cornflour mix.
chilli long beans with fried bean curd
& i got my helper to make the chilli long beans with fried beancurd. this quite an appetizing dish.
one of our friend is vegetarian & coming late at 8.30pm. so we arranged for him to have some vegetarian mee goreng, a vegetarian wrap & kept some of the 2 veg dishes for him. i think he had a good time too. usually he doesn’t eat much when he comes.
tiramisu
i made 2 tubs of tiramisu.
all the friends loved this. it was light, very moist with lots of strong coffee (200ml) & brandy (50ml).
a friend brought his usual sweet watermelon. he must be good friends with the vendor by now. 🙂
another friend brought lots of ice cream bars & eclairs. i usually don’t take these but i enjoyed an ice cream bar this evening. 🙂
we had a very fun time together. there were 27 of us old RI friends from our cohort + the host’s wife, total 28pax.
we emptied out all the food. this was part of the food planning. one friend was asking whether it was ok with addition of few other attendees.
just for myself, we are at the age where we don’t need to consume too much carbs & also can manage with a bit more or less food, so my overall view is if a few more people, we just eat a little less lor….of course we don’t want the guests to go hungry. haha! 🙂
in the end it seems the first eat-togehter that involves 3 separate persons cooking & transporting the food to the host’s place came out pretty well, thanks to good co-ordination & everyone helping out.
everyone had a really fun evening. good food & old & new memories help to bring & keep people together.
we also stayed back to “unmess” the place against the direct strict instructions of the host & hostess to leave.
c.h.e.f andy
(My First) Bread Pudding
bread pudding
seems to be doing many “my first” these couple days. ^^
reason is we are doing a RI friends eat-together at a friend’s house & maybe the theme is kampung spirit. it requires a bit of logistic planning eg packing food in aluminium serving dishes or tupperware etc, and hence the type of food best suited to be served to say 20pax and ferried by car with minimum transfers/heating up etc before serving.
hence i was testing out 2 other dishes these 2 days for the first time –
recently we had a gathering at another friend’s house & someone brought a bread pudding. that is a convenient party dish, no need to cut, just scoop out so easy to serve. 🙂
bread pudding
i decided to try out a bread pudding.
i looked at online recipes. i found a good recipe = best bread pudding with vanilla sauce at allrecipes & decided to follow it.
turned out that it is one of the easiest (maybe the easiest) dessert to do. 🙂
bread pudding
i cracked 3 eggs into a mixing bowl, added 3 cups milk, 60ml melted butter, 1 flat tbsp white sugar, 2 flat tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla essence, & 1 flat tsp cinnamon; and whisked.
(my sugar totalled only 3 tbsp whereas the allrecipes had 1.5cups white sugar & 2 tbsp brown sugar – that’s like 8x the sugar i added)
bread pudding mixture
i then cut 7 pieces of stale bread diagonally into 4 pieces each, and added & combined with the liquids. added some macadamia nuts & dried cherry tomatoes.
i pulled a cling firm over the mixing bowl & leave it for 1/2hr for the bread to absorb the liquids.
transferred to oven dish
the i greased the bottom & sides of an oven dish (don’t have spray), and emptied the bread pudding mixture into the oven dish. 🙂
transferred to oven dish
i had the oven preheated to 180degC, and placed the oven dish for 50mins. it’s ready when a tooth pick of fork comes out cleanly after inserting into the pudding.
bread pudding
must say the result was quite wonderful.
bread pudding
although after it cooled the pudding sank & shrank, but taste wise it was quite perfect especially when served with vanilla ice cream, which my daughter bought & brought home.
it is really a very convenient party dessert, can serve many people, very easy to make & to transport. 🙂
c.h.e.f andy
Ingredients :-
- 7 slices stale bread
- some nuts & raisins (i used what i have available which are macadamia nuts & a dried cherry tomatoes).
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups milk
- 60ml butter
- 2 tbsp flat brown sugar
- 1 tbsp flat white sugar
- 1 tsp flat cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
Directions :-
- whisk in a mixing bowl 3 eggs, 3 cups milk, 60ml melted butter, 1 flat tbsp white sugar, 2 flat tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla essence, & 1 flat tsp cinnamon.
- cut 7 pieces of stale bread diagonally into 4 pieces each. add & combine with the liquids.
- add some macadamia nuts & dried cherry tomatoes.
- pulled a cling firm over the mixing bowl & leave it for 1/2hr for the bread to absorb the liquids.
- grease the bottom & sides of an oven dish and transfer the bread pudding mixture into the oven dish.
- bake for 50mins in a preheated 180degC oven.
- serve with ice cream (i did not prepare the sauce this time)
(My First) Chicken Rendang
chicken rendang
first time i am cooking chicken rendang on 22.11.2015. ^^
actually first time i cooking any rendang.
chicken rendang
like the babi pongteh i did yesterday, i am thinking to do this for a RI eat-together at a friend’s house on 3.12.2015. 🙂
i initially thought of doing my nonya curry chicken.
a friend is now doing the curry chicken, so i thought either to skip the chicken, OR to do a different style – a dry chicken rendang. 🙂
chicken rendang
i looked at some online recipes. the one i like best is by nonya cooking.
i mostly followed that with some minor variations.
lemon grass, dessicated coconut, galangal
i went to sheng shiong to get some ingredients like lemon grass, galangal & dessicated coconut.
dessicated coconut
i added about 30g dessicated coconut and fried under medium to low fire.
kerisik
until golden brown=kerisik.
kerisik
set aside the kerisik.
blended chilli, ginger, galangal, lemon grass etc
i blended 12 dry chilli (soaked in hot water & seeded), 4cm galangal, 3cm ginger, 7 shallots, 3garlic cloves, and 3 stalks lemon grass (white part).
frying the rempah
then i fried in 3 tbsp oil till the rempah is fragrant.
deboned chicken pieces, about 800g
i had earlier deboned 1.4kg chicken. i kept the 2 drum sticks for future use, and the legs & bones for soup.
fyring the chicken
i added the cut chicken breast meat & 2 wings & fried with the rempah to coat the chicken.
chicken rendang
i did for about 10mins.
chicken rendang
then i added 200ml coconut milk.
added the kerisik and cooked for another 20mins, adding salt & tasting. & tried the chicken that it was cooked & not overcooked.
then i added some cut kaffir lime leaves.
then reduced to a drier, very fragrant chicken rendang dish.
chicken rendang
i did the final taste & added 1 tbsp fish sauce.
chicken rendang
overall, it was really quite an excellent dish.
it was intended for dinner to be eaten with rice. daughter & later wife came back & we finished more than 1/2 without any rice.
looks like we are going out for dimsum dinner instead.
daughter & wife thought the lemon grass could be reduced. otherwise quite perfect.
i did have a superb S$5 chicken rendang rice at kopi roti central with mei mei & my good dentist friend on 19.9.2015.
i think that one still better than mine la…just S$5!
c.h.e.f andy
Ingredients :-
- 800g cut chicken
- 30g dessicated coconut
- 1 heap tsp salt
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 6 kaffir lime leaves
for rempah paste –
- 12 red chilli seeded (i used 12 quite old dry chilli so colour not red enuf!)
- 3cm ginger
- 4cm galangal
- 2 stalks lemon grass (white part) – (i used 3 will reduce next time)
- 7 shallots
- 3 clove garlic
Directions :-
- fry 30g dessicated coconut and fried under medium to low fire to lightly golden brown (kerisik). set aside.
- blend 12 red chilli (or dry chilli soaked in hot water & seeded), 4cm galangal, 3cm ginger, 7 shallots, 3garlic cloves, and 2 stalks lemon grass (white part) for rempah paste.
- fry in 3 tbsp oil till the rempah is fragrant.
- add cut chicken breast meat & 2 wings & fry with the rempah to coat the chicken. fry for 10mins.
- add 200ml coconut milk. add the kerisik and cooked for another 20mins (add some water & cover), adding salt & tasting. try chicken, to see that it is cooked & not overcooked.
- add some cut kaffir lime leaves. then reduce to a drier, very fragrant chicken rendang dish.
(My First) Babi Pongteh
babi pongteh
did my first babi pongteh today on 21.11.2015. resonably satisfied. ^^
babi pongteh
sauce was wonderful! tau jeon & gula melaka really did the trick! 🙂
texture was gelatinous (“ga ga” in teochew), still have good bite, not falling apart. 🙂
i used only 400g belly pork. was supposed to braise for 2 to 2.5hrs, but at 1.5hrs, already softened & gelatinous, so i took out the pork, added the taupok & reduced. 🙂
seasoned 0.5 tbsp dark sauce
for recipe, i referenced (followed quite closely actually) –
for my first attempt, i did not add potatoes. & since i used 400g instead of 800g for experimentation, i 1/2 the recipe. anyway i always taste (ie drk sauce, light sauce etc to taste, in this case i did not add salt) but the recipe quantities provided were quite accurate actually. 🙂
seasoned 0.5 tbsp dark sauce
i blanched 400g belly pork & cut into large pieces (i think if pieces were too small they may dry out & overcook).
i marinated with 1/2 tbsp dark sauce & set aside.
i had 5 chinese dried mushrooms in hot water overnight.
browning shallots then garlic
i fried 5 chopped shallots till translucent, added 2 tsp chopped garlic & lightly browned.
added tau jeon
i added a tbsp tau jeon & fried till fragrant, medium fire.
coating & stir-fry
i added the belly pork & stir-fry a bit. then i added 1/2 tbsp dark sauce & 1 tbsp light soy sauce.
coating & stir-fry
& coat the belly pork & stir-fry a while longer.
then added 5 mushrooms & the mushroom water (less the sediments) & deglazed.
slow braising 1.5hrs
transferred to pot, added water to cover, brought to boil & placed on an induction heater at low 100W.
i set timer at 2hrs but tried the pork at 1.5hrs & the texture was what i liked, tender & gelatinous, with bite not falling apart. 🙂
i took out the belly pork & put the sauce back to the wok, added cut taupok trips (4pieces taupok) & reduced, about 10mins. 🙂
babi pongteh
when serving, garnish with coriander. 🙂
mushrooms were very tasty infused with the sauce, just like the belly pork.
so was the tau pok.
babi pongteh
i did not add salt throughout as the taste was just good for me. 🙂
for this experiment i did not add potatoes.
i am planning to include this dish for a RI eat-together at a friend’s house on 3.12.2015. ^^
it is more than passable. i will see if i can improve a little.
c.h.e.f andy
Ingredients :-
- 400g belly pork
- 5 chopped shallots
- 2 tsp chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp dark soy suace
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp tau jeon
- 1 tbsp gula melaka (palm sugar)
- 5 chinese dried mushrooms
- coriander for garnishing
- 2 cups water (include mushroom water)
Directions :-
- blanch 400g belly pork & cut into large pieces (i think if pieces were too small they may dry out & overcook). marinate with 1/2 tbsp dark sauce & set aside.
- soak 5 chinese dried mushrooms in hot water overnight.
- fry 5 chopped shallots till translucent, add 2 tsp chopped garlic & lightly browned.
- add a tbsp tau jeon & fried till fragrant, medium fire.
- add belly pork & stir-fry a bit. add 1/2 tbsp dark sauce & 1 tbsp light soy sauce, & coat the belly pork & stir-fry a while longer.
- add 5 mushrooms & the mushroom water (less the sediments) & deglazed.
- transfer to pot, added water to cover, brought to boil & placed on an induction heater at low 100W. set timer at 1.5hrs.
- take out the belly pork & put the sauce back to wok, add cut taupok trips (4pieces taupok) & reduce, about 10mins. garnish with coriander.
c.h.e.f 