Healing Pork Bones Soup with Lingzhi Mushroom Recipe

Lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum, 靈芝) is well known for its' healing properties. Lingzhi have ganoderic acid that have steriod liked molecular structure.  It can help to prevent senility and improve mental strength. I managed to get hold of some dried Lingzhi mushroom slices and used them as one of the ingredients in my Chinese Herbal Soup Recipe. Lingzhi is bitter, so I only added 2 slices into my medium size pot of soup. In order to reduce the bitterness in the soup, I throw in 2 pieces of Chinese Licorice (Kan chou) and some dried longan. Kan Chou is good for preventing cold, flu, tooth decay and gum diseases.

Here is my Healing Pork Bone Soup with Lingzhi Mushroom Recipe.

Ingredients
Pork Bones, 5 pcs
Lingzi, 2 slices
Ang Cho (Chinese Red Dates), 8 pcs
Dried Longan 8 pcs
Kei Chi (Wolfberries), 1 tablespoon
Kan Chou (Chinese licorice root), 2 slices
Salt to taste

Pour around 7 bowls of water into a pot. Bring to a boil and add in the pork bones. Throw in the rest of the ingredients and boil for around 1 hour. Add salt to taste. Add more water if the level drops significantly. Bring to a boil again and turn off the heat. Serve while still hot.

Penang Fried Kuih Kark (Radish cake) Recipe

I tried out this fried Penang kuih kark (radish cake, loh bak koh) recipe wihout using Borax water (air abu, kan sui, alkaline), which is not good for people with weak digestive system. Air Abu is supposed to make the texture of kuih kark more 'springy'. However, since I cooked this as breakfast for my eldest son before he leaved home for school, early in the morning, I wanted something simple as possible or 'with a shortcut procedure'.
Actually, steam the rice cake at night and put them in the fridge overnight so that it has a more solid texture and not so sticky. It also cut down the time I needed to prepare this dish in the morning.

Here is my kuih kark recipe

Ingredients
FOR RICE CAKE
Rice Flour, 2 cups
Corn Flour, 3 tablespoons
Water, 4 cups
Salt to taste

FOR FRYING THE RICE CAKE
Taugeh (beansprout), 1 bowl
Salted Radish (Chai Poh), 2 tablespoons
Garlic, 5 cloves, chopped finely
Chilly paste, 1 table spoon (optional)
Dark soya sauce, 1 tablespoon
Light soya sauce, 2 tablespoon
Pepper, to taste
Eggs, 2 pcs
Vegetable oil, 2 tablespoon
Salt to taste

Mix all the rice cake ingredients and steam in high heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Let the rice cake cool down preferably overnight. Cut the rice cake into small cubes. Heat up wok and put in the vegetable oil. Saute garlic and chai poh until fragrant. (Be careful, chai poh can really 'jump' out from the wok when hot!). Put the the rice cake cubes. Pour in the dark soya sauce and light soya sauce. Fry until the dark soya sauce coat the rice cake evenly. Put in the chilli paste.  Add a little more oil and put in the eggs. Add pepper and a little light soya sauce. Fry until the eggs are cooked and then add in the taugeh (beansprouts). All salt to taste. Serve while still hot.

Simple Fried Luncheon Meat with Potato and Carrot Recipe

Actually I rarely cook processed food for my family lunch or dinner meal. However, I was running a little late from work and have to cook up something fast for dinner. Therefore, I just open a can of luncheon meat,  fried them with potato and carrot. I used US Russet potato which soften easily compared to other types of potatoes.
My kids love this dish very much!

Here is my Quickie Fried Luncheon Meat with Potato and Carrot Recipe.

Ingredients
Luncheon Meat, 1 can, cut into bite sizes
Garlic, 3 cloves, chopped finely
US Russet Potato, 2 pcs, cut into small cubes
Carrot, 1 pc, cut into small cubes
Pepper, to taste

Heat up wok and put in a little vegetable oil. Put in the garlic and stir fry until they are slightly golden brown. Add in the potatoes. Fry until they are well cooked and soft. Throw in the carrot and luncheon meat. Add a dash of pepper. Fry the mixture for a short while. Dish up and serve while still hot! Taste real good with steamed rice.

Sour Basil Pork Ribs Soup Recipe

This soup is almost similar to Thai Tomyam in taste. However the addition of basil leaves and lengkuas (galangal) brought out a totatlly new mix of flavours. I trust those who loves sourish soup would love it very much.

I boiled the pork ribs until they are very tender. It is good to eat them with soya sauce in cili padi (bird eye chillies). Yummmm, can eat extra bowl of rice! LOL!

Ingredients
Pork ribs chunks, 5 pcs
Onions, 1 pc, cut into four
Tomato, 1 pc, cut into four
Basil leaves, from 5 stalks
Galangal, 1" in length, remove skin and smashed
Bay Leaves, 1 pc
Tamarind juice, from 1 table spoon of tamarind
Bird Eye chily, 3 pcs, smashed (or desired amount)
Serai (lemon grass), 2 pcs, smashed
Kaffir Lime Leaves, 5 pcs
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
Nampla (fish sauce), 1 teaspoon

Put around 7 bowls of water in pot (or more). Bring to a boil and add in the pork ribs. Throw in all the ingredients and boil until the ribs are tender. Add salt and sugar to taste. Serve with white rice. Good to eat this soup with a meat dish!

Kacang Koro

These are called Kacang Koro (Koro Nuts). I bought it on my recent trip to an island in Asia. Guess where I flew off to?

Baby Back Ribs with Sezchuan Peppercorns (Fah Chiew) Recipe

I managed to get hold of some sezchuan (sichuan) peppercorn from a Chinese medicine shop near my place. Sezchuan peppercorn is widely used in Chinese, Nepalese, Tibetan and Bhutanese cooking. It has a strong unique aroma and spicy as well. This characteristic made Sichuan peppercorn an ideal ingredient for bbq or grilled meat.

I decided to use this aromatic spice for my baby back ribs recipe.

Ingredients
Baby Back Ribs, 1 cut
Sechuan peppercorns, 1 teaspoon
Light soya sauce, 1 table spoon
Five spice powder, 1/2 teaspoon
Garlic, 3 pips, chopped finely or used whole
Plum sauce or tomato sauce, 1 table spoon
Salt to taste

Rub the baby back ribs with all the seasoning. Wrap the ribs in aluminium foil and bake it in a preheated oven at 200 Deg C for 1 hour. Let the ribs rest for a while to seal in the juices. You can rub some honey on the ribs to balance off the spiciness from the fah chiew. Cut the ribs and pour the leftover gravy over it. Serve while still hot!

Baked Slipper Lobster with Cheese Recipe (Asian Fusion Style)

I found a fish monger selling slipper lobster (aka shovelnose, bugs, flipjack...) at the Kepong Baru wet market recently and quickly bought some. I have eaten this type of lobster in restaurants but they are new to my kids, so I wanted them to try it. My youngest son said that they looked like the monsters from Ultraman series! LOL!

Anyway, slipper lobsters look like true lobster or spiny lobster except that the head is flat. It is not so commercially valuable as spiny lobster. However, the meat texture in the tail is similar to true lobster.

I didn't cook them during the weekend but did so during the weekdays. Since, I was back home late from work, I did not work up a fancy recipe for these lobsters. I wanted something simple like Lobster Termidor minus the bechamel sauce, taragon, wine and mustard. So, I just used whatever stuff I had in my kitchen to bake the lobster with. I added a little curry powder, which goes along well with the cheese.

Here is my baked slipper lobster with cheese recipe.

Ingredients

Slipper lobster, 3, cut into half

Garlic, 3 cloves, chopped finely

Tomato sauce, 2 tablespoons

Pepper, to taste

Cheese, Parmesan, desired amount (I used cheddar cheese)

Light soya sauce, 1 teaspoon

Butter, 1 tablespoon

Curry powder, 1/4 teaspoon or a dash

Olive oil, 1 teaspoon (or  any vegetable oil)

Mix cheese, light soya sauce, tomato sauce, pepper, butter, olive oil, curry powder and garlic together. Spread the mixture evenly on the lobster meat and cavities. Bake the lobster in a preheated oven at 200 Deg C for 20 to 30 minutes or until they turned red.

Serve while still hot!

Final verdict.....everyone loves it!

My Little Spider Boy

I had my Spider Boy suit on......., time to fight crime?

Opps, late at night liao! Mummy said that I am now allowed to crawl up walls outside my house to fight crime!
Ceh.....forced to brush teeth! Time for bed......

Jeng jeng jeng..........enter my little Spidey toothbrush holder and Kung Fu Panda Toothbrush! Gonna fight crime in slumberland with my little Giraffe sidekick!.....good night, sweet dreams!ha ha ha!

Labuan Tok Tok Mee (Noodles) Recipe

After tasting the flavouful Labuan Tok Tok Mee, I cook up a similar one at home using the dried mee cap udang (dried prawn brand noodle) that I bought from the mini market there. The dried noodles might looked like normal instant noodle to you, but it is actually very tasty and full of flavours.

The original Labuan Tok Tok Mee has a rich prawn and meat based broth. However, at home I just used whatever I have in my fridge to make the broth. The final result was quite good and my kids gobbled up all the noodles in a jiffy! LOL!

Ingredients

Labuan Mi Cap Udang, Soak in water to soften or blanched briefly in boiling water

Prawns, 5 medium

Meat balls, 5 pcs

Crab Stick, 5 pcs

Meat, 100 gms

Carrot, cut into slices (optional)

Corn flour with water mixture

Salt to taste

Coat the noodles with a little dark soya sauce and fry them in a very hot wok. Put the noodle aside. Pour around 7 rice bowls of water in a pot and bring to a boil. Add meat, prawns, carrot and crab stick. Bring to a boil and add corn flour to thicken the soup. Add salt to taste. Pour the soup over the fried mee cap udang. Garnish with spring onions and serve.

PS : The dried noodles are produced by

Delig Sdn Bhd Mi Cap Udang (Halal)

Lot 12, Panampang, Kota Kinabalu, 88300, Sabah, Malaysia

Tel : 088 728242 Fax 088 718736

HP 016 846 8500