Indian Green Beans

Hmmm....I really do not mind this vegetarian dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Another recipe that I've picked up from A's mom - we (me and YJ) call it by the name, Indian Green Beans. Hahahaha....that's another dish without a formal name. And the ingredients are almost similar to Indian Spicy Chickpeas.

Indian Green Beans
Ingredients: green bean sliced, 4-5 shallots sliced, 2-3 garlic minced, 1-2tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, butter, salt, 1tbsp oil, freshly ground black pepper, sprinkle of red chili pepper flakes

Directions: Add butter and 1tbsp oil to a frying pan, add in minced garlic, shallots saute till fragrant. Add in green beans and saute till green beans and onions are slightly tender/onions caramelized. Add the spices. Salt to taste. Cook for about 10 mins in low-heat pan (note: if too dry, add some water). Add in some freshly ground black pepper and red chili pepper flakes, mix well.


Imagine having traditional turkeys with these. Does it not bring a new revived flavor to year-end traditional holiday feasting ?


Tag: indian food, green bean

Indian Spicy Chickpeas, Curried Chickpeas

I've picked up a few good tricks in making Indian food. Butter, onions, cumin, turmeric....
Thanks to A's mom (YJ's mom-in-law). There is really no written recipe from Auntie. I just tried to listen hard as she spoke. It seems that cumin, onion, and turmeric are sure to be there. Maybe it was just that few dishes that I asked her which happened to use most of these ingredients. ^o^


Those essential spices really saved me. I used them again and again in my home Indian cooking now. I find these dishes very appetizing with steamed rice. Can't find any formal name for this recipe. Maybe somebody can help? For now, will just call it loosely...Homemade Indian Chickpea.

Indian Spicy Chickpeas/Curried Chickpeas
Ingredients: chickpeas (note: I use canned chickpeas, or known as garbanzo), 1 small onion diced, minced garlic, 1/2 tbsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, curry leaf, salt and black pepper, dash of chili powder/paprika, some butter

Directions: Add butter to a frying pan, add in minced garlic, onions and curry leaf and mix well till fragrant (note: yes, it is the aroma of curry leaf!). Saute till onions are slightly soft/caramelized. Add in chickpeas and the spices. Salt to taste. Cook a few minutes in low-heat pan. Add in some freshly ground black pepper, mix well.



I find beans and peas such easy ingredients to deal with, esp. when I am swarmed at work and have no time to cook anything. And it has indeed started My Legume Love Affair, created by sweet lovely Susan-The Well Seasoned Cook.



Homemade Indian recipes:
Egg masala
Cauliflower, cabbage and pea curry - Version I
Cauliflower, cabbage and pea curry - Version II

Oh, revive my love for Indian food!

Tag: indian food, chickpea, garbanzo beans

Tomato Chicken Curry

I have wanted to cook this dish for some time now, because it spells one of my favorite flavor combinations - spicy and tangy.


There are many spicy + tangy (combinations, permutations, levels, grade etc.) I love. For example, the combination of tamarind (assam) and pineapples in Assam Pineapple Prawns or Assam Fish, Tom Yum Soup and even Szechuan Hot and Sour Soup. These dishes are unique in the spice and sourness combination because each different ingredient (eg. chili or spice powder; tamarind, fruits or condiments such as vinegar) is tapped and employed differently for a characteristic taste via different cooking techniques). This Tomato Chicken Curry also has its spice and tangy factor but it is definitely not as sourish since tomatoes only adds a very mild tangy dimension. Well, ripe tomatoes are supposed to be mainly sweet, not sour.

Tomato Chicken Curry (Dry Version)
Ingredients: Chicken chicken drummettes or chicken wings, 1 medium-size tomato (cut to medium cubes), half a can of diced tomatoes, onions(sliced), 2tsp curry powder(or more, adjust accordingly), some chicken stock/water, salt and sugar to taste.

Directions:
1. In a lightly oiled pan, saute the onions till soft, then add in the raw cubed tomatoes.
2. Add in chicken and fry at medium heat to brown the chicken a little.
3. Then add in curry powder and half a can of diced tomatoes with the "tomato juice", mix well, and allow entire mixture to simmer and cook. If too dry, add some stock/water to partially submerge the chicken.
4. After ~10-15mins when the chicken is cooked, the sauce reduced, the onions turn soft and sweet, it is ready. Add in salt or sugar accordingly if you wish too (Note: For myself, the onions have given the dish its sweetness, so I did not add any sugar)


Almost like chutney curry?

Tag: tomato, curry

Singapore Chili Crab made good Spicy Pasta!

Most of you visually devoured the crab “crab” gravy, just like I do. With the remaining gravy, it became pasta sauce for the following day. Singapore Chili Crab's gravy is really good with spaghetti(or pasta).


I will mop and lick the gravy till the last drop
I will mop up the gravy with whatever I have got

I had a bakery-style cheese breadroll/bun and had to use it to "sponge" up. It is a lot of carbo - pasta PLUS bread...but I could not help it.

Spicy Prawn Spaghetti (Singapore Chili Crab style)
Ingredients: Shrimps; 1egg, whisked; some minced garlic; 1tbsp vegetable oil; 1pack Prima chilli crab paste/premix(includes 1pkt paste, 1pkt premix, 1pkt extra hot chilli mix); pasta cooked according to instructions

Directions:
1.Lightly oil pan on medium heat
2.Fry the garlic till fragrant, then add in shrimps
3.When shrimps start to turn pink, set aside
4.In the same pan, heat up some oil and mix with chilli crab paste, stir for 1min medium heat
5.Add in shrimp stir well, coating shrimp with paste, fry for 1min
6.Add in some water, and sprinkle desired amount of hot chilli mix over entire mixture
7.Stir crab premix into water, mix well into crab and stir gravy evenly
8.Pour in beaten eggs, stir 20secs
9.Before serving, stir in cooked pasta and allow it to mix well and soak up the sauce....
(Note: Detailed instructions are provided with the paste/premix)


Other recipes:
Tamarind Shrimps
Pasta Arrabiata with Grilled Jumbo Shirmps

Tag: pasta, Singapore chili crab

Chicken curry, curry chicken

The main basic ingredients in this dish are chicken, curry, and in my opinion, coconut milk (what is chicken curry without the coconut milk, the lemak - Lemak is a culinary description in the Malay language which specifically refers to the presence of coconut milk which adds a distinctive richness to a dish.).



Spices generally depends on the cooking style -
-masala powder, saffron, ginger and so on (depending on cookery style)
-kunjit (yellow ginger)
-galangal (blue ginger)
-lemongrass
-turmeric
-coriander
-cumin
-fennel
-garlic
-cinnamon
-star anise

When onions are added, it tends to make the chicken curry sweeter. Of course, I still usually like my Singapore or Malaysia chicken curry with potatoes.

Chicken curry/curry chicken
Ingredients:
Coconut Milk, Coriander, Onion, Sugar, Salt, Chili, Cumin, Fennel, Garlic, Turmeric, Cinnamon, and Star Anise



It's usually eaten with rice or roti (bread).

In Singapore, some of us like to search for the baguette when it comes to chicken curry. However, I found that brioche is so much a better choice, It's not that tough and chewy as baguette and have an eggy taste which adds another layer of of taste and dmianeional when paired with chicken curry.


(1) You can always eat them from the start, dipping with bread


(2) Or when you find that rice ran out and you only have bread, this the perfect time to let this instant sponge showcase


(3) A good brioche has the porosity like sponge, and soft just like sponge


(4) The plate is cleaned :p

*Burp*


Tag: chicken curry, curry, curry chicken

Spicy crispy roasted chicken wings

This should go well with Nasi Lemak or Sambal Seafood Fried Rice

Baked/Roasted Spicy Chicken Wings
Ingredients: galangal powder, crushed garlic, turmeric powder, crushed ginger, coriander powder, curry powder, sambal belacan, some lime juice, salt

WOOPS! I did not measure the quantities as I just added dashes of them into the mixing bag with the chicken wings. As a gauge, the proportion ratio should be about 1: 1.5 : 2

The quantity and proportion equation...for 1: 1.5 : 2 ratio
galangal powder = crushed garlic = turmeric powder < crushed ginger = coriander powder < curry powder = sambal belacan

Hope I have not confused you with the Math :P



Directions: Marinate for at least 2 hrs or more. When ready to bake, preheat the oven. Place chicken on a foil pan and drizzle some olive oil on it. Roast/bake at 325F for 25-35mins, then last 5mins, increase temperature to 350-360F for added crispiness. (Note: the oven temp may depend on the parts of chicken you have used. Some chicken parts have thicker portions of meat and may take longer to cook).

Outcome: Oh...so delicious. Spicy to perfection - not too overpowering. Combination of spices...miraculous! Moist in the inside, crispy on the outside



Guilt: None (IMO only)


Justification: Deep pool of frying oil not required. Deep-frying pan not required. No splatter of oil on the kitchen stove and floor. Just need a temperature-controlled oven.

Hmmm...when there is no guilt, where comes the justification? No need! DUH! :O


Tag: chicken, spicy chicken,baked chicken

Spicy Seafood Marinara

Coming after the sambal chili in my spicy fried rice is the whole dried red chili.



Do you like spicy food? Which is the spiciest you have ventured into ?

If you can't take the spice, I have some pasta variations for you to think about trying.

Other pasta variations:
Soba in almond butter and scallions dressing
Linguine in minced pork and black vinegar
Fusili with steamed shrimps and celery

For myself, it's to elevate the spice and heat in classic seafood marinara. Look what I added to make it Fiery Seafood Marinara Penne.


Penne in Fiery Seafood Marinara
Ingredients:
-Mixed seafood - prawns, bay scallops, calamari
-1 can whole tomatoes
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 shallots, sliced
-2-3 tsps dried basil
-8 dried red chili
-1/2 lb penne, boiled for ~9 mins or according to pack instructions. Set aside.
-cherry tomatoes and broccoli (garnish)

Can you see it ? The whole dried red chili...

Directions:
1. Heat some olive oil in saute pan, add in garlic and shallots and fry till fragrant
2. Add in seafood and stir fry till cooked
3. Add in can of tomatoes, mashing them while mixing in pan. Then add in whole red chilis
4. When almost cooked, add the dried basil and mix well
5. When ready to serve, add in penne, mix well, then dish out


Yes, it's the whole dried red chili kicking up that notch!


Enjoy.


Tag: seafood marinara, spicy seafood marinara,penne

Seafood fried rice - spicy sambal style

Sambal Seafood Fried Rice
Ingredients:
-1 pack frozen seafood (prawns, bay scallops, calamari)
-1 cup frozen vegetables, blanched and set aside
-1 clove garlic minced
-1 clove shallot sliced thinly
-1tbsp or more (if you can take the heat!) of sambal belacan (Sambal Belacan is a Malay style sambal. Chili pounded with toasted shrimp paste - belacan). A Malaysian-Chinese version is to fry belacan with chili.
-water/broth

Directions:
1. Heat 1tbsp oil in frying pan, fry the garlic and shallots till fragrant
2. Add in seafood and fry till seafood is cooked (turn "opaque")
2. Add in sambal belacan, and mix well. Continue fry for 1 min
3. Add in vegetables and continue fry for 1 min
4. If too dry, add some water
5. Add in cooked rice and mix well (Or dish out the spicy seafood and cook the fried rice via the rice-cooker method)


Doing without a fried egg this time


Very easy...but first, you have to get your sambal belacan! NOW!

Other rice dishes -
Yam rice
Nasi Lemak
Curry tonkatsu don

What ingredients do you like in your fried rice?

Tag: sambal, fried rice, sambal fried rice, seafood

Tandoori fish

Rub some tandoori spice on the sole fish fillets (leave marinated in fridge for at least 30mins) and pan-fry when ready to prepare your meal.

My tandoori spice concoction - crushed garlic, paprika, turmeric powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, crushed ginger, salt, pinch of five-spice



Tag: fish, tandoori, seafood

Spicy wontons, spicy dumplings

Based on imagination, what would you do when you want spicy wontons? Either you prepare a spicy filling for these dumplings or you dip them in some spicy condiment. Or would you have done the same - adding these boiled and cooked wontons into a Korean spicy broth - soon dubu ?

This time, I made the Korean spicy broth with added tofu and nori/seaweed, without the seafood. When the soup/stew is cooked, and before turning off heat, added some boiled wontons in the broth and stir gently for 1min. Turn off heat, and serve immediately.

How was it ?


Success. Delicious. A burst of flavors as soon as you bite into the juicy wontons and the spicy broth liquid rush into those biten "pockets".



Tag: wontons, dumplings, korean stew, spicy wontons

Sambal Seafood Omelette

Sambal Seafood Omelette (serves 2)
Ingredients:
- 2-3 eggs depending on size of egg, whisked
- 1/2lb your favorite seafood combination,
- ~1-2tbsp sambal chili paste (depending on how spicy you like it)
- 1 pinch of sugar
- 1 stalk green onions, julienned diagonally

Method:
1. Heat oil in pan, and fry the seafood mixture till cooked (Note: Remember when I made fish soup, I said something about frying the seafood and keeping the "juice essence"? Well, you can keep some of the "juice essence" from here since you do not need much moisture when you fry this omelette). After that, add in sambal chili paste, continue stir frying to mix well with seafood. Sugar to taste, if too spicy. Then, set aside.
2. Add in more oil, and add in whisked egg mixture(Note: save ~1/4 cup egg mixture for later use). Let the egg pan-fried on one side till golden yellow (about3-4mins)
3. Add in seafood mixture, top with green onions, and use a flat turnover ladle to fold the egg into half in order to "envelope" or cover the seafood mixture. (Note: Try not to add the seafood mixture in the center of the egg. Slightly bias it to one side so that it is easier to fold the egg into half)
4. Add in remaining egg mixture from (2) at the "open" edges after you fold the egg into half to seal the omelette

Then you get a neat egg omelette like this - you never know what you gonna get till you attack the omelette with a fork!


And this is what you get - seafood laden, and sambal spiciness!

Assam Fish

I tried Assam fish too when the Assam prawns turned out delicious.

Anyhow, the recipe is exactly the same as Assam prawns, so I will not be posting it again. Pictures only!




























Tag: fish, pomfret, assam, tamarind, assam fish

Korean spicy soba noodles

Korean spicy soba noodles
Ingredients:
- Korean seafood stew base remaining from here
- 1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
- 2 cups broccoli florets, blanched
- 1tbsp dried pink shrimps/anchovies (option)
- soba noodles

How to: Cook the soba noodles and set aside. To the stew-broth base, add the mushrooms, and anchovies. Simmer till mushrooms are cooked. Continue simmer for about 10 mins. Top the seafood broth over the noodles, serve with broccoli florets and garnish with nori.

KISS - Korean Inspired Spicy Soba (or Keep It Simple, Soba)

Quick-fix Korean Tofu Stew

The Pulmuone broth, made quite an authentic Korean tofu stew (soon du bu)

Quick-fix Korean Tofu Stew (serves 2-3)
Ingredients:
-1 pack Pulmuone brand Tofu broth seasoning
-1 pack extra-soft tofu
-seafood medley of prawns, clams, etc
-2 eggs

Method:
1. Follow instructions on the pack.
2. Add the tofu and seafood, according to sequence on the pack instructions
3. When the stew is simmering with bubbles, break 2 eggs into the stew and serve immediately
4. Wonderfully appetizing with rice

My seafood stew has lil' baby octopus in it


1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 tentacles

When it's summer, and when you savor something spicy, SHIOK! It's that sweating feeling ;) Of course, I still like my korean tofu stew in Korean Tofu House, along El Camino Real, Santa Clara, and will go back again even though I can get an instant-soon du bu-fix at home. Quick-fix can't beat the real-fix.

Tag: soon dubu, korean tofu stew, korean, tofu , stew

Thai-style chili condiment - a homemade condiment or sauce from leftover green chili

Homemade chili sauce -Thai Style
Ingredients:
- 6-9 serrano chili depending on your heat level, threshold
- 2-3 tsp crushed ginger
- 1-2tsp crushed garlic
- 3-4tsp cane sugar
- sprinkle of paprika
- 1-2tbsp lime juice
- dashes of fish sauce (I did not have this, but if you do, definitely give a dash)

How to: Rinse the chili and remove seeds if you want the chili sauce mild. Slice up the chili, and with the other ingredients (except the lime juice), mix/blend/puree in a small food processor. Add in the lime juice, then blend quickly for 3 secs. You could taste the sauce and if too spicy, add more sugar.



This condiment should go well with seafood that has not been heavily seasoned or flavored before and during the process of cooking eg. as a dip for the fish slices in a fish soup, or for steamed prawns etc.


Tag: sauce, homemade chili sauce, thai chili condiment, thai condiment, spicy

Egg masala - spicy egg and tomatoes

I also tried this recipe from Hooked on Heat, but omitted the mustard seeds (not on purpose) and kicked it up a notch using red chili, in addition to the green. The lycopene in tomatoes are raised up many levels if you cook your tomatoes longer whilst the heat during cooking also allows more desirable antioxidants in tomatoes to be made available to the body.

Masala is a term used in Indian cuisine to describe a mixture of many spices. Garam masala is a blend of ground spices common in the Indian cuisine, whose literal meaning is "hot (or warm) spice". There are many variants: most traditional mixes use just cinnamon, roasted cumin, cloves, nutmeg and green cardamom seed or black cardamom pods. Many commercial mixtures may include more of other less expensive spices and may contain dried red chili peppers, dried garlic, ginger powder, sesame, mustard seeds, turmeric, coriander, bay leaves, cumin, and fennel. Garam masala can be used during cooking, but unlike many spices, it is often added at the end of cooking, so that the full aroma is not lost. Garam masala is not "hot" as compared to chilis, but is fairly pungent.


Frying the onion. Appeared yellowish after adding turmeric powder.


Simmering the tomatoes with onions - I used canned whole tomatoes


Do not judge a book by its cover - Do not be deceived by the innocent look of the tomatoes gravy, this is VERY VERY SPICY (Note: due to the green serrano chili I added)