Hokkien Noodles

Ingredients

Japanese Udon Noodles

Garlic, minced

Onion. diced

Chicken, cubed small and marinate with a little cornstarch

Shrimp

Pork, optional

Napa Cabbage, cut into big chunks

Sweet soy sauce

Light soy sauce

Dark soy sauce

Oyster sauce

Pinch of Ajinomoto

Method

In a wok, add oil and saute the garlic and onion.  Add the chicken, pork and stir fry till no more pink. Add the shrimp and cabbage. Now add the sauce's and about 1/2 cup of water. 

Slowly add the noodles and let it cook for a bit till noodles soften. If water runs out and noodles are still hard, add more water. Check the seasoning.  Do not add salt as the oyster sauce and soy sauce has sufficient amount of salt.

Dish out and serve while still hot.

Vegetarian Noodle Soup

Everyday preparing two sets of meal is a hassle.  I prepare dishes with meat for the family and for me a vegetarian dish.  Today I made vegetarian style noodle soup.  I am telling you all the extra work was a payoff.

There is no hard or fast rules about this.  No measurement.  All is in your taste bud.

Here is the list of things I used to make this wonderfully delicious soup..

Ingredients

Taufu, cubed
Vegetarian Chicken strips
Mushroom
Yu choy or any green leafy vegetable, cut in big pieces
Rice Stick Noodles, soak in water till soft
Ginger, cut into thin strips
Garlic, minced
Shallot, minced
Vegetarian Bouillion
Onion leaf

I fried the taufu and set aside.  Add little bit of oil and stir fry the garlic, ginger, shallot.  Now add the chicken strips, mushroom and some water.
Season with vegetarian bouillion. Taste for seasoning.  Once the liquid comes to a boil, add the vegetable and noodle.
Taste and garnish with onion leaf.

Char Kway Teow

My family will always request me to cook this noodle. Below is the most easiest way to whip up this meal for your next dinner.

Ingredients

200gm flat rice noodles
1 cup bean sprouts
1 handful of chinese chives, cut into inch long segments
1 egg
few prawns
few slices of sausages (optional)
2 Tbsp of cockle flesh (optional)
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
2 Tbsp (30ml) light soy sauce, about 1and 2/3 chinese soup spoon
Some pepper and cooking oil

Method

• Do it plate by plate. Never fry in large amounts. Prepare everything in the portion you need before you start cooking.
• Loosen rice noodles, make sure they don't clump together.
• Heat wok until very hot. Put in little bit of oil, say about 1 tsp and fry prawns until fragrant. Dish up and set aside.
• Put in more oil, say about 2 Tbsp and put in garlic. When garlic is fragrant, put in rice noodles.
• Fry noodles until they look partially 'blistered' by the hot oil. It will be slightly sticky and won't take long if your wok is hot enough.
• Put in little bit of beansprouts and chives. (The small amount of these 2 are cooked to release fragrance by the hot oil) Put in light soy sauce and pepper and continue to fry until the sauce dries up.  Push the noodles to the side once a while so that it gets heat and it quickens the drying process. Push it back in to the center and push it out again.
• Push noodles to the side and put egg in the center. (add sausages at this point if wanted)Scramble it a bit and push noodles back onto egg. Toss everything.
• When eggs are fragrant and noodles looks dry (it will have that 'blistered' look again), put in bean sprouts and chinese chives (add cockles if wanted). Toss and fry for a short while and dish up.

Serve with chilli sambal.

Vegetarian Pad Thai



This is an authentic Pad Thai recipe for real vegetarian Thai food lovers, or those who want a lighter noodle dish without the meat. This Pad Thai recipe offers lots of protein in the form of eggs (or soft tofu for vegans), and ground nuts. Although vegetables are not strictly part of traditional Pad Thai, I've added some chives and bean sprouts which tastes yummy with the noodles and makes this dish even more nutritious.

Source: All recepis

Ingredients

8 oz. dried Pad Thai rice noodles, OR enough for 2 people (linguini-width)

2 eggs (vegans can substitute 1/2 cup soft tofu)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot (OR 1/4 cup purple onion), finely chopped

2 cups bean sprouts

1/3 cup chives

2 green onions, sliced

1/3 cup fresh coriander/cilantro

1/4 cup ground (or well-chopped) peanuts (OR substitute cashews or slivered almonds)

 

Pad Thai Sauce

 

3/4 Tbsp. tamarind paste (available at Asian/East Indian food stores)

1/4 cup hot water

3 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce (or gluten-free soy sauce)

1/2 to 2 tsp. chili sauce (to taste), OR 1-2 fresh red chilies, minced

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

3-4 Tbsp. oil for stir-frying

2-3 Tbsp. vegetable or faux chicken stock

lime wedges for serving

Preparation

Bring a pot of water to a boil and remove from heat. Soak noodles in the hot water for 6-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Tip: Noodles are ready to drain when they are soft enough to eat, but still firm and a little bit "crunchy". The noodles will finish cooking when they are fried.

Dissolve tamarind paste in the hot water. Add the other pad thai sauce ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add as much or as little chili sauce as you prefer, but don't skimp on the sugar (you need it to balance the sourness of the tarmaind). Set aside.

Place your wok (or large frying pan) over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 Tbsp. oil plus the garlic and shallot. Stir-fry 1 minute to release the fragrance.

Add the bok choy plus the stock. Stir-fry 2 minutes, or until bok choy is bright green and slightly softened.

Push ingredients aside and add 1/2 Tbsp. more oil to the center of the wok/pan. Add the eggs (if using) and stir-fry briefly to scramble them.

 Push eggs aside and add a little more oil to the middle of the wok/pan. Now add the drained noodles and 1/3 of the sauce. Stir-fry everything together for 1 minute using 2 utensils and a tossing motion (like tossing a salad).

 

 Add a little more sauce and continue stir-frying in the same way for 1-2 more minutes, or until the noodles begin to soften and become sticky. Reduce heat to medium if they begin to stick and burn.

 

Add the bean sprouts plus the remaining sauce. Stir-fry to incorporate everything together for 1-3 more minutes, or until noodles are done. Noodles are cooked to perfection when they are soft but still deliciously chewy and a little bit sticky.

 

Remove from heat and taste-test, adding more vegetarian fish sauce or soy sauce if desired for more salt/flavor.

 

To serve, scoop noodles onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with the green onion, coriander/cilantro, and ground nuts. Add wedges of fresh-cut lime on the side. Serve immediately and ENJOY!. (Thai chili sauce can also be served on the side for those who likes their noodles extra spicy).

 

Pad Thai Tip: When making this recipe,its best to double the sauce then  keep adding more as you fry the noodles until you are happy with the taste (I like the flavor strong).

 

Pad Thai

This dish can be versatile. Pork, chicken, beef or shrimp can be added or can just use tofu for vegetarian version.

Ingredients

• Palm sugar ( depends on your sweetness level)
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup tamarind juice
• 1 tbsp sambal oelek
• 1 (12 ounce) package dried rice noodles
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 eggs
• 1 (12 ounce) package firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch strips
• Meat ( chicken, pork or beef / shrimp)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups ground peanuts
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground, dried oriental radish
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
• 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1 carrot, cut into matchstick

Note :  The sweetness and tangy depends on individual taste buds.  The measurement above is just an eyeball.

Method

1. To prepare Pad Thai sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, blend sugar, fish sauce and tamarind pulp and sambal oelek.
2. To make Pad Thai: Soak rice noodles in cold water until soft; drain. In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, warm oil and add garlic and eggs; scramble the eggs. Add tofu and stir until well mixed; add noodles and stir until cooked. 
3. Stir in Pad Thai sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir in peanuts and ground radish. Remove from heat and add chives and paprika. Serve with lime and bean sprouts on the side, sprinkle the carrot sticks around.

Mee Rebus

The gravy should be a little more...

This mouth watering mee rebus ( it literally means " boiled noodles") is a popular dish among Malaysians and Singaporeans. Its a noodle dish served in a thick sweet potato gravy. Garnished with bean sprouts, prawn fritters, fried tofu, boiled egg and not forgetting the lime and green chili. I have also added some cooked chicken.

Ingredients for Gravy

4 shallots
3 cloves garlic
1” ginger
4 tbsp dried shrimps – soak in water for 15 minutes
6 red chilies – remove seeds
2 stalk lemon grass – remove the outer layers and cut small

Blend all the above into a smooth paste.

Note :  If you prefer, you could also use readymade curry paste and add in the mashed sweet potato.

2 medium size sweet potatoes – steamed and mashed
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp fermented soy bean paste (tau cheong)
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
5-6 cups chicken or beef stock

Note :   The gravy is per individual preference.  You can make it spicier or sweeter. Thick or thinner. Just do what your taste bud needs.

Fermented / preserved beans

1. Combined the curry powder, bean paste into the blended ingredients. Mix well. Heat up a stock-pot, put about 3 tbsp of oil and add in the blended spices. Sauté the spices for 5 minutes or until dry and fragrant.
2. Add in stock and mashed sweet potatoes. Stir well and bring it up to a boil. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add in sugar and salt. The thickness of the gravy is depending on individual preference. You can add some water to make it lighter.

Ingredients for garnishing

500 gram yellow noodles – blanched in hot water for a few minutes
A handful of bean sprouts – blanched in boiling water for a few seconds
5-6 pieces prawn fritters – cut into halves
2 pieces fried tofu – cut into cubes
3 hard boiled eggs, cut in half
2 green chilies – sliced
Some fried shallots

To serve

Put the some noodles and bean sprouts in the serving plate or bowl. Pour enough gravy over it and top it with the garnishes.

Mamak Mee

There are times when I have no idea what to cook eventhough there are so many recipes out there, I just turn out to my good ol noodles.  They are the simplest and easiest meal that can be prepared in a jiffy. Noodles can be done any way.  Hot, spicy, sour, sweet etc.  Today I just made mamak mee/malaysian indian noodles. It has a little spice from the chili sauce, sour from the tomatoes and ketchup and lime juice.

Ingredients 

1 lb of yellow noodles or can be substituted with instant noodles1 piece of fried taufoo - cut into small pieces
1 red chili - cut
2 tomatoes - quartered
a small piece of fish cake - cut
15 shrimp - peel and devein
1 small bunch of mustard green (sawi)- wash and cut
a handful of beansprouts2 cloves of garlic - chopped
1 shallots - chopped
Juice of half lime

Seasoning

2 tbsp of chili sauce
2 tbsp of tomato ketchup
2 tsp of dark soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste



Method

• Heat up oil and fry garlic and shallots.
• Add in fish cake, tofu, shrimps, cut chili and stir fry for 1 min.
• Then add in noodles, mustard green, tomatoes and seasoning. Add more spice or ketchup if required.
• Continue to fry until dry and lastly add in lemon juice.
• Dish out and garnish with some cut chili and fried shallots, optional.

Noodle Soup

Most of my cooking ingredients are usually eyeballed. I just play around with the flavor and consistency except if its for baking. Today I made noodle soup with rice vermicelli, fried tofu, fish balls, shrimp and fish cake with a simple basic broth made with the peeled shell from shrimp.

Ingredients

1 pkt of thin rice vermicelli
8 cups of water or more depending how much of soup
10 shrimp, peeled (keep the shells for broth)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, diced
1 chicken whole leg (optional)
couple of fishballs
1 fish cake, sliced thinly
couple of fried tofu
Yu Choy or napa cabbage
2 cube chicken bouillion
White pepper, salt
Fried Onion for garnishing

Method

In a big pot, boil water. Once water is boiling slow the heat, add the noodles and cook till slightly soft. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to prevent it from sticking together. Leave it aside. Boil water once again and season with salt.  When water comes to boil, cook the fish cake, fish ball, fried tofu and vegetable just for couple of minutes. Dish it out.

Meanwhile in another pot, add little oil and saute the garlic and onion.  Once it gets slightly browned, add the chicken cube, shrimp shells, chicken thigh and water. Let it come to a boil, add salt. Once chicken is cooked, remove and let soup boil in a low heat.

Shred the cooled chicken and the rest of the other cooked seafood in a dish. Remove and discard the shrimp shells and taste the soup for seasoning. Lastly add some white pepper. Remove from heat.

To Serve

Put some noodles, the cooked ingredients and pour some soup.  Garnish with fried onion.

I hope this helps.  I never actually measured my ingredients. The amount above is eyeballed. Every person has different taste bud and likings.  If you do not want to use seafood and just substitute for chicken, beef or pork, go ahead.  You can do this noodles in many ways.  Play around with the ingredients and I am sure you will whip up something great.

Mee Suah

For those who aren’t familiar, mee suah is the Hokkein  name for what is known as flour vermicelli.  The ingredients in this type of noodles are mainly wheat flour, salt and water. They are often arranged in small bundles  The noodles cook really fast (like about 2 minutes in boiling water), that’s why I always keep a packet in my pantry at all times as it is good for emergencies. Today I prepared it for my little baby as a noodle soup. I also added some dried beancurd and chicken.

Ingredients

Noodles

Meat, Seafood

Garlic - minced

Vegetables

Chicken bouillion

Salt, Pepper

1.  Cook noodles in boiling water and little oil till soft.  Drain out and keep aside.

2.  Saute garlic and meat. Add vegetables, water, chicken bouillion. Adjust seasoning.

3.  Lastly add the cooked noodles. Sprinkle with some onion leaves.