Home Cooked Teriyaki Chicken

My mom loves Teriyaki Chicken whenever she dines in Japanese Restaurant. But at times, come to think of it, it’s kind of costly cuz, this is easily cooked. Don’t you agree?

In fact, these teriyaki marinade sauce is easily obtain in any supermarkets, of course, there’s always the price to pay. However, you could buy many chicken thighs and cook many teriyaki chickens for many people. That could have save some penny in your pocket.

It was something that am running out of idea what to cook for a week day dinner… a week day dinner is always rushing for time, especially you know you have a special program to catch at 8pm. Gosh, that was the time you were like super woman, chopping, cutting your food in extreme mode, aka FAST mode. Of course, without kiddos around, you could actually get your other half to wash all the mess. In fact, such tips better omit from the post, not that I wanna brain wash the readers, but at times sharing such tips it’s something feeling good too.

Ingredients
2 chicken thighs
Teriyaki Marinade sauce

Steps –
• Marinade the chicken for about 20 to 30 minutes
• Heat on your non-stick frying pan with a tablespoon of oil
• Pan fry both side of the chicken for about 10 to 15 minutes
• Once cooked, dish out, best to serve with steam rice

Home Cooked Salted Egg Minced Meat Porridge 鹼蛋豬肉粥

Whenever I feel my body is heaty, I’ll either drink lots of Chinese herbal drink or make myself Salted Egg Minced Meat Porridge. Honestly, it does help in terms of cooling the heat, and secondly it’s always delicious.

After all, ingredients are easy to find and it’s always cheap to make for 2 persons at home.

Ingredients

1 cup of rice
4-5 cups of water

1 salted egg
200 to 250 gram of minced meat

Steps

1. Briefly rinse the rice with running water.



2. Boil 4 cups of water in high flame.




3. Then put in the rice in the boil water, and boil.



4. Once rice turn thicker, briefly stir so that it will not get stick at the pot



5. Before dish out, add in salted egg. Salted egg has to be mashed into small pieces.



6. Add in minced meat. Tips – if you like the meat to be a bit flavoury, you can add salt and pepper to taste or a dish of sesame oil. However, I leave it as it is, I like the taste as it is.



7. Once cooked, dish out and garnish with spring onions or ginger slice.

Home Cooked Fermented Bean Paste Chicken 豆酱炒雞

Not sure anyone has come across this dish… but this is definitely something that we like. One of mom’s best dish and it’s something that we will surely have extra bowl of rice.

Tried to cook this couple of times, and many times I failed and it just can’t match into what mom has been cooking for us. The taste is either out of the original or it’s either too sweet or too salty, or too much sauce.

I wonder when will I be success and cook this like what mom did.

A never give up attitude could actually make things happen. Just like many famous speakers tell us, practice make perfect. True enough, I cook this dish many times, till I myself raise the white flag.

Ingredients are simple… for 2 persons at home; you can just follow the ratio below.


2 chicken thighs, chopped.


1 medium capsicum, 1 medium tomato, 6 red chili padi (if you can’t take too spicy food, reduce the chili). Chop tomato in wedge form, random cut the capsicum and also use the chopper slightly press on the chili. This is to help to press out the chili aroma, and the spiciness.


Half tablespoon of fermented bean paste is needed.

I always like to put lots of lots of garlic in my dishes, hence, this is nothing different too. In fact, I’ve put about a tablespoon of chopped garlic.

Once gather all these ingredients… here the simple steps.

1. Heat the wok with about 5 tablespoon of oil. Coated the wok with the oil and turn it into high flame to heat the wok.
2. Throw in the garlic in the wok, light stir it.
3. Add the half tablespoon of fermented bean paste into the wok, stir it till fragrant.
4. Then, add in the chicken. I did not marinate the chicken but I add in about 1 teaspoon of dark soya sauce. It doesn’t really pull out the taste but it’s more of colouring.
5. When you put those chickens in the hot wok, please do not stir it, just leave it in the wok for awhile.
6. For about 1 minute, turn the chicken over the other side.
7. Keep stir frying and on and off keep the lid open and close. This process will help to cook the chicken thoroughly.
8. Once done, add in the chili padi into the chicken and stir fry for 1 minute.
9. Then after add in the capsicums, tomatoes.
10. Add in salt to taste, and dish out once it’s cooked.

Home Cooked Fry Yee Mee 炒伊麺

Exactly a month for not updating my blog,… what have I been doing? I’ve been busy… well, that’s the normal excuse for ourselves and for the readers. And, that will turn out to be most of us normally pick up too. Or, perhaps I was just finding sometime to settle down some thoughts in my mind, before I could start writing again or move on with whatever plans in mind.

Since settled down here, I have not been honestly adventurous enough to explore more food in the island. Not that am finding excuse but honestly, I am so lost that I do not know how to manage my own time to certain extend. I could barely split myself into this and that. When am too free, I have all the time in the world, but my mind isn’t functioning. In fact, what’s going on, uh?

Actually I have plenty of ideas in my mind and I wish I have the capability to do it… things like cook all the food that I’ve been reading from the web, invite friends and family to my small hut for a simple gathering, reading some books, etc… but some how, it’s just didn’t get it working. Apart from now that am grumbling over it, whatelse have been done then?

Oh yes, I’ve been cooking simple food for the 2 of us… how simple would it be with Fried Yee Mee?! Mom’s version is always sumptuous and ‘luxury’ to me. Why would I said that, you could always see something like octopus, fish fillet, pork fillet, prawns, vegetables, and others ingredients.

Where else, mine was simplified compared to mom. At least, I could feed the man at home with satisfactory grin. Isn’t that satisfying for the cook?

Ingredients
2 Eggs
250g Prawns (medium)
500g Vegetables (Choy Sum)
250g Pork Fillet
2 Yee Mee
4 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce (2 tablespoon for marinate)
3 Tablespoon Dark Soya Sauce (1 tablespoon for marinate)
3 Tablespoon Light Soya Sauce (1 tablespoon for marinate)
1 Teaspoon Sugar
Salt
Garlic

Method

1. First marinade the pork fillet with oyster sauce, dark soya sauce, light soya sauce & sugar for 30minutes.



2. Boil water to cook the Yee Mee till al dente, then set aside. 2 to 3 tablespoon of vegetable oil on cooked Yee Mee, to avoid sticking together.



3. Lightly beat egg and set aside.



4. 2 tablespoon of oil to heat fry pan.



5. Pan fry lightly beaten egg till cooked and dish out.
   



6. Cut the egg into stripe and set aside.



7. Heat up the wok with 5 table spoon of vegetable oil.



8. 1 tablespoon of garlic, heat up and fry.



9. Add in the marinated pork fillet and prawns, then add in the cooked Yee Mee.



10. Stir fry and add in the sauces.



11. Dish out and sprinkle with the egg stripe.
    

Home Cooked Onion Chicken

Anyone of us have the habit of writing diary?
I know not many have that habit anymore and I know many will tell you that writing diary is waste of time! But have you ever thought of putting up your thoughts in Facebook or Twitter is always another form of writing your thoughts? What people says caption in your Facebook wall…

I used to have that habit… but along the years, growing with the technology, I have dropped that habit long long time ago. But nowadays you don’t have to have a physical diary to pen down your day to day happenings or your thoughts too! That’s why we have this thing call BLOG! JOURNAL!

For a start writing of this blog is more of having fun, releasing stress from work, and also the fun of making money. Though this money cannot make as much as your full time job, but, it does help me along the way; at least it helps me to reduce the working stress in those days.

Right now, making money from here is secondary… what’s important is to pen down what you have gone thru, what you’ve created for the recipes, and what you plan to say it out from your heart. And also, a network to know more people, and to learn from their knowledge and experiences in life.

For this post, I have to pen down what I have tried for the past few weeks and also to share with my family and friends if they ever swing by down here.

Well… comfort food, who doesn’t love it… comfort food to me means easy to make, easy to cook, and also it always makes your belly warmth and feel loved.

Ingredients

3 chicken thighs (chopped)
2 large onions (sliced thin, in ring form)

Marinate
2 tablespoon of oyster sauce
1 tablespoon of dark soya sauce
½ tablespoon of light soya sauce
1 tablespoon of sugar
½ tablespoon of corn flour


Steps
1. Marinate the chicken with all the sauces, marinate for about 30minutes
2. Heat the wok with 5 tablespoon of oil
3. Sauté the onion rings till it soft and translucent then dish out
4. If the wok still has the balance of oil, then add in the chicken otherwise, add 2 tablespoon of oil
5. Add the chicken and sauté it for few minutes and cover with lids
6. About 1 to 2 minutes, remove the lid and add in the onions that dished out earlier
7. Keep stir fry the chicken and the onions
8. Cover the lids every now and then
9. Add about 5 to 6 tablespoon of water for simmering, oops... and season with salt to taste
10. Cook thru the chicken then dish out
11. Best to serve with steam rice

Chicken & Mushroom Pie

Having 2 old couple sitting at home do nothing but watching DVDs on the extreme hot Saturday, and not even a single mood to cook. What is the best comfort food for the night then?

Many will says, who cares, just go out and grab something to eat, or pack some food outside and eat at home. Or some even suggest, why worry, buy Ramly Burger, that will solve all the problems.

Well well well well… which category did you fall under? Neither the above was mentioned? Or like me get something from Cold Storage and baked on your own.

While running errands in Cold Storage, I was caught by this nice packing pie that manufactured by Victoria Crest. Victoria Crest is a Malaysian company that specializes in the production of high-quality Halal meat products. They are using quality spices and ingredients and consisting primarily of British-style foods, their products are all made from original recipes. Without second thought I bought Chicken & Mushroom Pie for a try. Well, it’s definitely not cheap, more of buying an experience (sauce from Victoria Crest website).

Instruction is clearly spelled out in the box… and you will not miss a single step of it. And also it’s easy to make too… I guess I will make one of this when am free!

Ok, here’s the instruction –

For best results cook from frozen. Place pies with foil base on baking tray in a preheated oven at 190ºC (Gas Mark 5) for 15 minutes then reduce temperature to 170ºC (Gas Mark 3) and bake for another 35 to 46 minutes or until golden brown.

Brush before with milk or beaten egg to aid browning. Times will vary according to oven.

Carefully remove from foil base and serve hot.

And this is how it looks like after baking for 60 minutes. Honestly, this is the comfort food for the old couple that lying at home and does nothing. Distress isn’t it?

Nam Heong Restaurant 南香茶餐室

Since our loved one has left us, we hardly go back to this place… the place that earned its fortune in tin trade. But we do drop by if we are on the way to the city – KL. No doubt Ipoh food is always nice, and hearty, at least it does to me, especially their bean sprout chicken, Foh San Dim Sum, etc.

I always wanted to take my favourite Kong Heng Popiah and many times I will either lost my way or turn to the wrong junction. Then ended up I gave up for another food. Of course, Nam Heong of Jalan Bandar Timah isn’t that bad choice if you are looking for Ipoh White Coffee.

Let me make the comparison between Ipoh and Penang food … here goes….

Ipoh Chee Cheong Fun is different from Penang’s type. Penang will add shrimp paste and other sauces, but Ipoh will add green chilies and some curry sauces, that’s make it so unique that you wouldn’t decline to have one.

Ipoh Char Koay Teow will have to give way to Penang’s one. Cuz, it will never have the Penang’s aroma, even though they fried like Penang’s way. Some how, something is missing some where. Can you spot anything missing?

Ipoh Curry Mee is also another noodle that is different from Penang too. Penang will add long beans, tau kua and Cantonese called it Tau Foo Pok, and soup base has strong coconut milk. Where as Ipoh Curry Mee has more spices and stronger aroma too. Another tip that will tell you that this doesn’t belong to Penang Curry Mee, that’s the lime that squeeze in the soup.

Ipoh Hor Fun (Flat Noodle 怡保雞絲河粉) is Ipoh’s signature. Penang Koay Teow Th’ng could never beat them. I wonder why? Perhaps Ipoh Hor Fun added some shrimps into their stock that makes the soup base fragrant and tasty. Even so, their flat noodle is smooth and nice. One could think of the water that they use to make noodle. Many were speculating they were using mountain water for making it, but, how true would that again? Right?



Address
2, Jalan Bandar Timah,
Ipoh Perak, 30000
怡保旧街场

Opens from 7.30am to 4pm

Hun Sai Fish Head Bee Hoon

Have you experience sitting in front of the grave yard and having your bowl of soupy hot fish head bee hoon (rice vermicelli)??

Well, I’ve just experienced it not long ago… seeing row by row of tombs, and greeneries of grasses that lining these tombs, is an unique scenery. If it’s not because of the recent disciplines, guess I would not discover this place. I was told the early start, it was only tricycle running the business, but now it has been growing with a small pick up van with a few helpers.

I supposed this is family running business, and it was started it small and now it’s growing to such situation, and it has also gained a certain percent of customer base for this. Even tables and chairs are unique…

The ingredients that preparing for the bowl of bee hoon is absolutely fresh! Though I didn’t order a bowl of prawn bee hoon, but I could see the prawns has its freshness and the meat is rather firm.

Both fish meat bee hoon costs RM4-50 per bowl, regardless deep fried fish or fresh one.

As for prawns is about RM8 per bowl. In fact, I am thinking I should go back again for the prawns. It was absolutely tempting!

Another type would be the assorted ingredients, eg. meat, meat ball, intestines, etc.

We have two different opinion on this, hubby finds it just nice, where as I find it too blend. But, talking about freshness of the ingredients, I do not have doubt about it. I guess I’ll leave it to the individual to judge then.


Address & Map
Paya Terubong
11060 Penang
Map - https://foursquare.com/venue/7506446

Agua Mediterranean Cuisine

Straits Quay is surely a place to visit, a place for a drink, and a place for good food. On our recently special occasion, we spent a simple dinner down there. It’s our first visit and also it was a very sweet one. Though half way thru it was pouring heavily, we could hear the wind howling, and the rain drops were fiercely hit on the windows and glass door. But still that did not spoil our dinner, despite that heavy down pour.

Since it’s a simple yet a quality time spent together, the food that we have also the simplest too. What is that not so simple for the night, I wonder?!

Set meal is always hearty and also filing, I guess that’s only applied to small eater. And set meal is always the worth for the money kind of meal, be it everywhere you go, it’s always the case. What comes with Agua Mediterranean down here, was pretty impressive.

Spicy Sweet Pepper & Tomato Soup with Croutons, served hot. Would anyone want to try if they are serving cold soup? In fact, there is such soup in the entire area over in Europe.

Fillet of Fish Tunise (fish in Tunisian Style with Spices, Herbs & Lemon)

Dessert is something that I always see it from the Asian Food Channel, Oranges in Caramel with Red Wine Sauce. This is cooked in Red Wine, Cinnamon & Cloves. It’s a special acquired taste, only if you like the taste of cloves. However, it’s a good experience to try out.

Apart from the set meal that I’d mentioned above, they do too have A la Carte service as well.

Mixed Mushroom Paprika, tarragon & cream served on toast (RM19.90) is appetizing and tasty. In fact, it’s simple that we could make one for breakfast also.

Pork Medallions Monaco (RM36.90), it’s a pan fried pork medallions, caramelized shallots and herbs baked potatoes.

Sometimes if you can’t afford for any fine dining dinner for a special occasion, Agua Mediterranean Cuisine Restaurant is another better choice too. At least it has the cozy environment for anyone to enjoy their food.




Address & Contact Number
Agua Mediterranean Cuisine
3A-G-18 &19 Straits Quay
Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang
Tanjung Tokong
10470, Penang
Tel: +604-890 8668

Business Hour:


11am – 11pm Daily