Southeast Asia Mushroom Soup

After my recent visit to Bali I often find myself missing the taste of Southeast Asia. Especially their fresh, light, tangy, chilli soup. So today I am making this soup to ease my crave. In terms of mushroom, you can use any type of mushroom you like. I have dried Shiitake Mushroom and dried Black Fungus/Mushroom at home so I decided to rehydrate both and used it in my soup. Black fungus may not sound appetizing but it is pack with goodness. It improves circulation, lower cholesterol, help in treating dryness for example dry throat, dry cough and anti viral and it is tasteless on its own.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 spring onion (white bit), finely chopped
• 4 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 shallot or half small brown onion, finely chop
• 5 dried Shiitake mushroom, rehydrate, squeeze out liquid and sliced
• a handful of black fungus, rehydrate, squeeze out liquid and cut into 2
• 1 - 2 red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
• 1 litre vegetable stock, I used homemade vegie stock
• Juice of 1 lime (depending on your taste)
• 5 kaffir lime leaves, stem removed
• 1 carrot, cubed
• a handful of green beans, cut to about 2 cm length
• salt and pepper to taste
• Fried shallots - to garnish (How to make your own Crispy Fried Shallot - Click Here)

Method:

1.  Heat oil in a saucepan that can hold 1 litre or more liquid.
2. Saute spring onion, garlic and shallot until aromatic and lightly brown. About 5 minutes.
3. Add chilli and stir well. Add in sliced mushroom and black fungus cook for further 3 minutes.
4. Pour in the stock, lime juice and Kaffir lime leaves and bring to boil. 
5. Once boil add in carrot and bean and season to taste.
6. The soup is ready to be serve when the vegetables are tender. 
7. Garnish with deep fried shallots.
8. Serve with warm steam rice and sweet soy sauce. YUM!

Simple Beef Stroganoff (Version 1)

This delicious and easy to cook beef stroganoff can be coupled with steam rice or pasta. The only trick to this recipe is to add in sour cream right before serving. Hope you like this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 600g beef strips (I use rump steak)
• 2 tsp garlic, mince
• 2 shallots, cut into segment
• 300g button mushroom, sliced (I used can Champignons)
• 1 1/2 tbsp paprika
• 3 - 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1 1/2 cup sour cream
• Vegetable oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan or casserole pot that is big enough to accommodate the ingredients above. Seal beef strips in a hot smoking pan/pot. Seal the beef strips in a small batch and set aside. 
2. Once all beef strips is sealed, return all to the same hot pan/pot, add garlic, shallots, mushroom, paprika and tomato paste. Combine well and fry for 2 minutes or until fragrant. 
3. Add in beef stock and stir to combine. Bring to boil, cover with lid simmer for 20 minutes or until the meat tender.
4. Stir in sour cream before serving. 
5. Service with rice or pasta.

Enjoy =)

Broccoli Beef

This dish may look and sound simply, however, it taste amazing and pack with iron, vitamins, dietary fiber just to name a few.

Ingredients:

• 300g beef (eye fillet) or any cut if beef you desire, cut into pieces - marinade with 1/2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tsp chinese cooking wine, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 2 dashes of white pepper, a generous pinch of sugar and 1 tbs corn flour

• 1 medium size broccoli, cut out the florets and blanch
• 1 tbs + 1 1/2 tbs oil
• 1 inch ginger piece, peeled and sliced
• 1 clove ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs oyster sauce
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp corn flour
• 70ml liquid (water or stock)

Methods:

1. Marinate the beef for 20 minutes. 
2. Blanch broccoli floret (see below). Set aside.
3. For sauce : mixture 1 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs oyster sauce, 1/4 tsp sesame oil1/2 tsp sugar, tsp corn flour and 70ml liquid.
4. Heat 1 tbs oil in a wok over high heat. Add in marinated beef and stir fry until it is almost cook (60%  to 70%). Transfer to plate and set aside.
5. Heat 1 1/2 tbs oil in a wok over high heat (I wipe clean the wok above with paper towel before I add in oil). Add sliced ginger stir fry for 10 seconds and add in finely chopped garlic. Stir fry until aromatic. Add in almost cooked beef into the wok and stir fry until the beef in cook through. Add the blanched broccoli and the sauce mixture. Stir well to combine.
6. Once the sauce thicken, dish out and serve. Enjoy!!

TIPS:

Blanch: In a medium size pot of water, add a few drops of oil, generous pinch of salt and bring water to boil, . Once the water boiled, carefully add in the broccoli florets for 10 seconds. Remove the florets immediately with strainer to drain excess water .

Egg Muffin Breakfast 1

Look at the layers

I am a bit tired of my oat breakfast lately so I figured I need bring in some excitement for my breakfast. Therefore, I decided to make egg muffins breakfast today so that I can have it for today and kept it in refrigerator for the rest of the week. Egg muffins are very versatile, you can basically put in anything you want but make sure it is cook through, any topping, amount of salt and pepper to your taste bud. This time around, I used ready make hash brown from Woolworth as the base. I cut it into smaller pieces so that it can fit snugly in the muffin pan. I then top it with diced cup mushroom, wilted baby spinach and rocket,  smoked turkey breast form Deli at Woolworth then pour in whisked egg and top with saute brown onion, some cheese and cayenne pepper.

For an healthier option, of course you can substitute the hash brown with diced boil potatoes. Add some salt into the boiling water so that the boiled potato did not turn out to be bland and swap smoke turkey breast to cook chicken breast pieces. You may scrap potatoes form recipe this together but remember your body need carbohydrate to do it essential functions.

So this is how I make my Egg Muffin Breakfast version 1.

Ingredients:-

3-4 pieces of ready make hash brown cut into pieces (not fried before hand)
3/4 cup of roughly diced cup mushroom
150g spinach and rocket, wilted, cover for 30 seconds in hot water
200g smoke turkey breast, roughly pulled or diced
5 Eggs for 6 cups muffin pan, whisked with a pinch of salt and 1/8 pepper
1/2 medium brown onion, diced and lightly saute with olive oil and a pinch of salt
Cheese enough for toppings (any cheese you desire )
Cayenne pepper, sprinkle
Olive oil to saute the onion and grease the pan


Method:-
1. Preheat over at 180 degree C. Grease muffin pan with olive oil. It has to be grease properly so that removing the breakfast muffin from the pan doesn't turn into a frustrating job. You can line with paper liners too.
2. To assemble the egg muffin, I snugly placed cut hash brown at the based of the muffin cup pan. Then I put in the cup mushroom, wilted baby spinach and rocket and pulled smoked turkey breast. I then pour in whisked egg. Go easy on the salt in the whisked egg because smoke turkey is already slightly salted. Pour up to 3/4 of the muffin cup. Top with lightly sauteed onion, cheese and sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middel comes out clean.
4. Serve and enjoy.

Snugly placed potatoes pieces. Clearly Mr. Husband not sure where to focus

Waiting for whisked eggs to fill in. One side already have the sauteed. Will top the other side with sauteed onion after the egg pouring

Filled. The far end cups were top with saute onions after the eggs pouring

Overflowed eggs - mental note: should shake it so that it is evenly distributed

Tips:

Saute the onion : Diced half a brown onion. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil at medium heat, sprinkle a pinch of salt and lightly saute the diced onion until fragrant. See a side to cool.

Onion topping:I prefer to top sauteed onion one the whisked egg because I am not a fan of 'soggy' onion. I enjoy the caramelized bit of the onions.

Egg: Filled up to 3/4 only and give it a little  shake so that it is distributed evenly.

Leftovers: Leftover can be saved in the refrigerator for throughout the week for breakfast

Colours: Add some red or yellow capsicum or pumpkin for colours.


Happy trying and enjoy !

Rustic Russian Salad

What shall I say about this salad. This salad has a very appealing colour and you can expect the same for the taste (Sweet and short introduction isn't it?)

Ingredients:

• 8 medium potatoes
• 4 carrots, cut into 2-3cm chunks
• 300g green peas
• 1 tsp mustard (or to taste)
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (or to taste)
• salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Placed unpeeled POTATOES  into a large pot of cold water, bring to boil, cook potatoes for 8 to 10 minutes, then add the CARROTS and cook for further 5 minutes or until both potatoes and carrots are just cooked. Drain and cool. Once cool enough to handle, cut potatoes into 2-3cm chunks. 
2. Place GREEN PEAS into a large bowl, pour boiling water over and allow to blanch for 2-3 minutes, drain and refresh under cold water. 
3. Mix mayonaise, mustard, salt and pepper together until well combined. 
4. Put all the vegetables together in a bowl and fold through the dressing until combined. 
5. Season more with salt and pepper as desire and serve.

Meatballs (Pork) Congee

On a busy day, easy, simple, hot and delicious meal is something I'm looking for, especially when the wheather is cold. 

Ingredients:

• 250g minced pork (marinade with 1 1/2 light soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp corn starch and a dash of white pepper for 10 minutes)
• 1 cup rice, rinse and drain
• 13 cups water
• 2 tbsp dried shrimp
• 2 tbsp anchovies
• 5 red dates
• 7 dried scallops
• light soy sauce to taste
• a pinch of sugar or to taste
• salt and white pepper to taste
• century egg (garnish)
• spring onion (garnish)
• salted egg (garnish)

Method:

1. Put together rice, dried shrimps, anchovies, red dates, dries scallops and water, to pot. Bring to boil. Once boil, leave the lid partially open and reduce heat to medium. Let it boil for 30 minutes. Remember to stir the bottom of the pot occasionally to avoid the rice from sticking to the base.Add in hot water if it is too dry.
2. In the meantime, take 1/2 tbsp of marinated minced pork and mould into ball/round shape. 
3. When the congee has cooked to your preferred consistency, add in light soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir well.
4. Then, put meatballs into congee and increase heat. Allow meatball to cook for 3 minutes. 
5. Add more seasoning if require.
6. Serve hot and garnish with spring onion and century egg. If you are serving your congee with salted egg, go easy with the salt during seasoning.

Stir Fry Instant Noodle

I was doing my groceries shopping last week and saw a bag of instant noodle of 10 pieces (700g) is on special. So, I decided to buy it and it is make in Malaysia. hehe.. Ok.. so for this fried noodle, you can add anything handy to you.

Ingredients:

• 350g (5 pieces) instant noodle
• vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten and add a dash of salt and pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 350 g chicken pieces or cube, marinate with some salt and pepper for 30 minutes before cooking
• 10 or more fish balls, cut to 4
• 1 1/2 tbsp belachan/belacan/shrimp paste, finely chopped (optional)
• 1/2 tbsp tomato puree (optional)
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sweet sauce/ kicap manis
• 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
• salt and ground white pepper to taste
• lettuce leaves, shredded (whatever amount you need)

Steps:

1. Cook/boiled instant noodles according to the instruction on the package. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in wok/large pan pour in beaten egg mixture and lightly scramble the egg. Set aside.
3. In the same wok/pan, heat about 1 tbsp oil, stir in garlic and belachan. Stir fry until garlic turns lightly brown / fragrant, then, add in marinated chicken pieces and stir fry. Once the chicken pieces turns white, add in fishballs. Lightly stir fry the mixture in the wok for 2 minutes or until the chicken pieces is cook.
4. Then, add in tomato puree and combine well.
5. Add in cooked instant noodles, light soy sauce, kicap manis, oyster sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Combine well. Stir fry for 5 minutes maximum so that the noodle does not turn soggy. 
6. Once you are done evenly stir frying the noodle, turn off the heat, add in shredded lettuce, lightly toss them and serve. 

TIPS:

• Lettuce only took seconds to cook therefore they doesn't need long cooking time
• If you are using cabbage, add in cabbage in wok after you put in the chicken. Remember to add some water to cook and soften the cabbage.
• For any other vegetables, cook bofore you add in the noodles. lightly stir fry for 1-2 minutes before yu put in the noodles

Apple and Glazed Cherries Cake

Ta-Daa....In the midst of my business end of last year I decided to baked this cake but never have the chance to post it. This is a ONE delicious cake. I serve it warm with cream. However, you can also serve it with vanilla ice cream. Well, I like vanilla ice cream so naturally I suggest vanilla ice cream to pair with most of the dessert. The steps and ingredient may look or sound complicated but trust me it is a easy cake to assemble and delicious and one is never enough.

Ingredients:-

• 454g red apples, peeled and chopped
• 1-2 tbsp freshly squeeze lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cup self raising flour
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• 85g butter, melted
• 2 eggs, room tempreture and lightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp chopped glazed cherries
• Glaze: 1/3 cup marmalade or apricot jam

Steps:

1. Preheat oven at 180 degree celcius. Grease baking pan and line with baking paper.
2. Peel, core and coarsely chop apples. Toss with 1-2 tbsp lemon juice so that the apple doesn't turn black.
3. Using electric mixer, combine SR flour, sugar, salt and ground cinnamon if you use any. 
4. Then, add melted butter, eggs and vanilla extract into the flour mixture. Beat until fully incorporated.
5. Fold in chopped glazed cherries and chopped apples. 
6. Add in milk if the batter is thick and make sure it is mixed well. 
7. Transfer the batter into prepared pan, lightly tap on the table to get rid of the air pocket and smooth the top.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and the tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. 
9. Remove from oven and put on wire rack to cool.
10. While the cake is still warm prepare the glaze. Place jam in a saucepan and warm over medium heat until liquid. Remove from heat and strain to get rid of fruit lumps. Then, use pastry brush and spread the warm jam over apple cake.

I serve the apple cake with cream. Pour 250ml in a large bowl (refrigerate the bowl to cool before that) and beat  until soft peak form.

Basic Chicken Stock

I love basic stocks. I make one whole pot of stock on the weekend and refrigerate it so that I can gradually use them in my cooking throughout the week. If you have been following my blog you would have realise I am allergy to all sorts of MSG and I am trying to make my food to be tasty in the most non-chemical way.

So, here's the basic chicken stock recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2kg chicken bones ( I use chicken carcass which only cost me AUD1 for 3)
• 2 onions or leeks, quartered
• 2 clove garlic,crushed
• 2 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 thyme sprigs
• a dash of white pepper

Steps:

1. Place all ingredients in a large/deep pot. Cover with cold water and slowly bring to boil on medium heat.
2. Reduce heat to low and add 1 cup of cold water. Smmer for 3 - 4 hours on medium low heat. \
3. Skimming fat and scu from surface.
4. Add extra water if necessary to make sure bones are always covered. 
5. After 3-4 hours, the liquid should be reduce by half. Strain the pot. Pour into whatever container you desire, allow to cool then freeze what you do not use.

Easy!!!! Trust me!!!

TIPS:

• Do not allow stock to boil or it will make your stock turn cloudy.
• If you are too lazy to get any other ingredients listed, make sure you use essential ingredient such as chicken bones, onions and carrots.

Tofu with Chicken and Mushroom

This is indeed a simple dish and delicious dish. Although I have to admit this dish is lack in points on 'appealing to the eyes' for who ever that have not taste it before.

 

Ingredients:-

• 500g beancurd, cut to 2cm cubes
• 200g chicken thigh fillet, slice 
• 5 dried mushroom, soak, drain and diced, reserve the liquid
• 1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp chinese cooking wine
• 3/4 cup water or liquid reserve from soaking mushroom
• Thickener: 1 tsp water mix with 1 1/2 tsp of cornflour, give a good stir before adding
• 1 stalk spring onion, slice to 0.5cm

Method:-

1. Heat oil in a wok or pan at medium high heat, add in garlic and stir fry till fragrant and lightly brown. Add in sliced chicken and mushroom, stir fry until the chicken turns colour.
2. Then, add in beancurd, soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt and pepper. Give it a quick stir, pour in cooking wine, stir and add in water or liquid from soaking mushroom. Cover the wok or pan and let it simmer for 5 - 7 minutes.
3. Remove lid, give another quick stir, add in thickener and bring it to boil. Add in spring onion and mix well just before serving.

Chinese White Cut Chicken (Pak Cham Kai) and Hainanese Chicken Rice

I have been craving for chicken rice and pak cham kai for sometime so I decided to cook it. Although it look and sound tedious but it is actually quite easy to cook. The cooking time looks long but your actual 'performing' time is quite little. Read further to find out why I say so and remember to reserve sometime for this dish :)

Chinese White Cut Chicken (Pak Cham Kai)

Ingredients:-

    Marinate 

• 1.2-1.5 kg whole chicken
• 3 cloves garlic, halved
• 2 stalks spring onion, cut 10cm
• 1cm knob ginger, sliced
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

•  a large bowl of ice water

    Rub over chicken

• 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce OR to taste
• ground white pepper

Method:-

1. Remove chicken fats and reserve for chicken rice. Put chicken under running water and pat dry. 
2. Place garlic, spring onion, ginger, salt, soy sauce, rice wine, white pepper and sesame oil into the chicken cavity and let it sit for an hour. 
3. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Make sure it is enough to submerge the entire chicken with lid on. 
4. When the water has boiled, remove pot from heat and place the chicken into the water, neck first. Put lids on and leave the chicken in for 1 hour.
5. After 1 hour, lift the chicken out of water, set aside and bring the water to boil again. Remove the pot from heat again and put the chicken in for 50 minutes.
6. Remove chicken gently from the pot and place it on a serving dish to cool down. By this time,  if you have not notice, the POT of water has turn to a wonderful pot of chicken stock. The chicken stock can be use to make chicken rice and soup.
7. Discard the mixture in chicken cavity, combine sesame oil and soy sauce and rub over the chicken. Let it rest for awhile and slice the chicken accordingly.     
8. Garnish with red chillies, spring onion and a generous dash of ground white pepper. 

Hainanese Chicken Rice


Ingredients:-

• 2 tbsp oil + chicken fats
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cm knob ginger, sliced
• 3 cups rice, washed and drained
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups chicken stock (from the chicken stock above) 

Method:-

1. Heat up oil and chicken fat in a pan/wok at medium high heat. Once the chicken fat dissolves, saute garlic and ginger until fragrant. 
2. Add rice and salt. Combine well. 
3. Remove rice mixture to rice cooker, add chicken stock and more salt if required and cook like how you cook rice (press the cook button) and wait till it is dry and fluffy. 

Chicken and Cabbage Saute with Chorizo

By now you should have realise that I love chorizo. I try to use chorizo at all possible times in my cooking and order them whenever I spot them in the menu. Do you like chorizo too?

Ingredients:-

• 600g thigh fillet, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 1 brown onion,finely chopped
• 3 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 150g chorizo, sliced 1cm thick
• 1 tsp dried mix herbs
• 250 ml chicken stock OR enough to cover the chicken
• 50g butter
• 150g cabbage, shredded
• salt and pepper to taste
• Garnish: dried parsley

Method:-

1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Heat a large saucepan with cooking oil and brown the chicken until golden all over. Remove chicken from the saucepan and drain off excess oil. 
3. Using the same saucepan, add 40g butter and sweat the onions, garlic and sliced chorizo. Cook gently for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Then, add in dried mixed herbs, combine well and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
4. Return browned chicken pieces in to the saucepan and pour in chicken stock until enough to cover the chicken. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, melt 10g butter in pan  or saucepan, add in shredded cabbage, lightly stir fry the cabbage and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan or saucepan and cook on medium heat until the cabbage is tender. Then, drain off excess water and arrange the cabbage in the base of the serving plate.
6. By this time, the chicken and chorizo mixture should be done. Place the chicken and chorizo mixture on the cabbage and sprinkle with dried parsley. 

Grilled Beer Flavoured Lamb with Mashed Potatoes, Brocolli and Brown Sauce

It's SPRING time so it's LAMB time. I always love lamb and very tempted to order whenever I see it on the menu. Do you like lamb too? I decided to pair the lamb with mashed potatoes, boiled broccoli and brown sauce.

OK, the lamb wasn't as dry and burn as it looks like here. These picture (here and below) is doing injustice to these grilled lambs

Ingredients:-

Marinade for Beer Flavoured Lamb

• 500g lamb loin chop
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 cup beer (I use Corona) 

 Boiled Broccoli

• Boiling salted water enough to boil brocolli
• 1 bunch broccoli. florets only
• 10g of butter

Brown Sauce

• 28g (2 tbsp) butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup stock
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:- 

1. Grilled Beer Flavoured Lamb: Combine marinade ingredients together well, add in chops and cover. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Heat up grill on medium heat. Remove chops from marinade and grill over 7-8 minutes per side. Bast the chops with the marinade once on both sides. If you have no grill just pan fry them. 
2. Broccoli: Put broccoli florets in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Test the broccoli florets with fork after 3 minutes and check again before removing from the boiling salted water. Drain well and place the butter ontop.
3. Brown Sauce: Melt butter at medium low heat and add in flour. Cook them together until brown, stirring occasionally. Add the stock 3 tbsp at a time, stirring to prevent lumping. Bring to boil and it is ready to be serve.

1-2-3-4-5 Pork Spare Ribs

Don't judge a book by its cover. Why? This is not a perfect picture dish but it is sure a delicious dish. Trust me! OH! And have I mention it is super duper easy to cook this? And I would have to admit the pork ribs that I made were not caramelised enough :(. I shall cook it again.

Ingredients:

• 500g pork ribs (spare ribs)
• 1 tbsp chinese cooking wine or sherry
• 2 tbsp black vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 4 tbsp soy sauce (I use light soy sauce)
• 5 tbsp water

Method:

1. In a large saucepan combine all the ingredients listed above EXCEPT water.
2. Cook over medium heat and stir occasionally.
3. Once the sauce has reduced and thicken (about 30 minutes),  add in water.
4. Cover the lid and cook for further 10 minutes or until the ribs are tender. Remove the lid and continue cooking until ribs looks caramelized / brown glazed. This will take another 5 - 10 minutes.

Fragrant and Spicy Pork Belly

Ingredients:

• 400g pork belly, cute into 1.5cm cubes, scald with hot water and drained well
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• about 5g ginger, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 shallot or french shallot
• 2 stalk spring onion (white parts only)
• 2-3 dried chili, seedless (put more if you like spicy food)
• 1-2 star anise
• 1 tbsp spicy black bean paste OR hot bean paste
• 1 1/2 tbsp cooking wine
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 3/4 tsp thicken caramelised sauce OR dark soy sauce
• 1 1/2 cup water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tbsp sugar or to taste

Method:-

1. Scald pork pieces with boiling hot water and drain well.
2. Heat cooking oil in wok at medium heat and swirl around. Put in scalded pork pieces (spread them to one layer). Do not move them for 30 seconds. Then, stir fry the pork pieces until slightly brown before adding ginger, garlic, shallot, spring onion, dried chili and star anise. Stir fry until fragrant.
3. Then, add spicy black bean paste, cooking wine, soy sauce, thicken caramelised sauce, salt and pepper. Stir to mix well and add in water. Bring to boil and cover with lid. Turn down the heat to simmer until the pork pieces are tender. Make sure the pork pieces is covered by water and remember to check the water level from time to time so that it doesn't dries up. 
4. Once the pork pieces are tender, turn on the heat and remove the lid. Add in sugar, mix well and reduce the sauce till thicken or to the preferred consistency. Serve,

Spaghetti Tossed In Tuna-in-Oil

Simple and easy to prepare. Just cooked the spaghetti as instructed in the package, drain and toss all the ingredients together, then, VOILA!!!! nom, nom,nom

Ingredients:

• 1 medium bowl of cooked spaghetti
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 95g canned Tuna in Oil
• 1 - 1/2 tsp lemon juice or to taste
• salt to taste
• dried mixed herbs
• dried parsley

Method:

1. Cook spaghetti as instructed in boiling salted water. Drain and transfer into a medium bowl. 
2. Drizzle olive oil and sesame oil on the cook spaghetti. Toss them well. Add in canned tuna with oil, lemon juice and sprinkle some salt. Then, top with sprinkle dried mixed herbs and dried parsley or herbs of your choice.