Thai Mango Salad

I was craving for some mango and bought home some. Found one that is not so ripe and thought it was a great idea to make a plate of mango salad to go with the roast chicken leg that I was going to roast for the hubby for dinner. He is a meat eater and I am more a salad person.  Googled for one that I like as there are many versions on the internet. This is not the authentic Thai Mango salad, just a close one though, I think, but whatever it is good.

Found one that we both will like and to make sure I have all the ingredients in the fridge.  The mint leaves was an after thought for garnishing. I knew it would go well with the salad. I pluck the tender ones from the garden. Pluck some calamansi to replace the lime juice and a few bird's eye chilli from the lil space.  I truly love my lil space as it provides me with lots of fresh herbs which is important for my kind of cooking.  This Thai mango salad is simple to prepare and packed with flavours. Serve as an appetizing side dish for any roast meat. Hubby loves it and that is most important cos I love cooking and he loves eating :)

Conversation between hubby and I while having dinner, with this dish served

Hubby: You know my mom made this dish very often when she was around. You should see how she chopped the mango.  She holds the mango on her palm and used the knife to lightly chop on the surface of the mango before she sliced off chopped part.  How dangerous it was and she will hide herself while doing this so that dad can't see her doing it.  

Me:  Oh , that was how I did it too but I did not put on my palm , I place the mango on the chopping board and goes chop chop chop while holding the mango with the other hand....

(You should see the expression on his face)

Hubby : For heaven sake , please stop doing that, we have a shredder at home ! 

tip: soak the mango shreds with ice water

to keep the mango shreds crunchy

the ingredients used

for the dressing

 mixed the ingredients together, then

add the dressing and stir till well combined

garnish with the mint leaves

served with any garnishing,

can be coriander leaves or mint leaves

Thai Mango Salad

1 unripe mango * mine was a bit ripe but still has a firm crunchy texture - juliened
(soak juliened mango in ice water )
2 shallots - sliced
coriander leaves - chopped
2 bird's eye chillies - chopped
1 tbsp dried shrimps - toasted and pound fine
4 tbsp of roasted peanuts - pound coarsely
1 tsp of toasted sesame seeds * I omit as I have no stock in the fridge
a  handful of mint leaves  * keep some for garnishing

dressing:
mix the ingredients together till well mix

1 tbsp fish sauce * I use Korean anchovy sauce
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp vegetable oil * I use rice bran oil
1 tbsp of calamansi juice

method:

Toss mangoes, shallots, peanuts, cilantro, mint, dried shrimp, if using, sesame seeds, and dressing in a large bowl; season with salt. Garnish with some mint leaves.

Enjoy!

Homemade Pressed Tofu

My most successful project this month is making my own pressed tofu. I was very inspired to make this pressed tofu by a dear friend whom I have known for many years and have met in person.  She is none other than Angie Tee of Seasaltwithfood.  We were chatting one day and she told me she is making tofu and I was like..wow, making tofu..I am game as I love tofu and what more it is much more safer to eat your own homemade ones.  Commercial ones , we really don't know what coagulant they used to set the soy milk.  After this , I will be making my own tofu . Homemade ones taste so much better than store bought. I am glad that I took up this challenge and did it. Even Angie's  " you did it ! " is so encouraging .  I cooked Miso Tofu Soup with my homemade pressed tofu. Taste so yummy good . Will be sharing on my next post. Stay tuned :)

Note: I could not get the tofu box so I improvished it with the tofu storage container from Daiso.  Drill a few holes for draining off the excess water .

 lined the tofu box with muslin cloth

before grinding/blending the soy milk

get the gadget set up first,

lined the tofu box with muslin cloth

strain the soy milk before bringing it to boil

while boiling, remove the scum floating on surface

then only add in the sea salt water,follow by

epsom salt water

once the curd is formed, off heat and remove excess water

use a slotted ladle spoon to  scoop the curd 

into the tofu box

cover .....

 I used a tupperware that can fit into the tofu box

as a tofu press,

place a heavy object ( I used 3 tins of can food ) on top of the tofu  press

once the tofu is pressed and no more excess water can

be seen dripping on the tray, the tofu is ready

take out the tofu and remove the muslin cloth 

I cut the tofu into 4 squares  and store in a tofu container filled 

with water and leave in fridge overnight. It will harden the tofu slightly

Homemade Pressed Tofu - adapted from Seasaltwithfood

(1 piece of 5 inch X 5 inch)

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups (300 grams) Organic Soy Beans, soaked for 10 to 12 hours)
9 cups of filtered water
1 tsp Sea Salt with 1/2 cup of Warm Water
1 tsp Epsom Salt with 1 Cup of Warm Water

A Tofu Box
or
Stainless Steel Colander
Wet Cheese Cloth or Flour-Sack Cloth




Method:




1. Use a juicer or blender to grind/blend the soy beans.

2. Pour soy milk into milk bag,  squeeze the bag, Strain the soy milk into a big pot. Repeat process until all the soy beans are used up.

3. Bring soy milk to a boil ( medium heat to high heat)

4. Stir every now and then. When the soy milk boils, reduce to moderate heat and stir well. Stir for 12 to 15 mins.

5. After 15 mins, reduce heat to low heat,  add in sea salt water and stir, then add in the epsom salt water slowly, as you are adding the epsom salt water, keep stirring.

6. Once all the epsom salt water has been added. Stop stirring and let it sit for 5 - 8 mins still under low heat.

7. The curd should form nicely by now. Off heat and remove excess water. Use a slotted ladle, spoon the curd into the tofu box that has been lined with muslin cloth. Fill the curd to the brim of the tofu box.  Cover the curd...as shown in the video.

8. Place the tofu press over the covered curd. Place a heavy object on the tofu press .  After 20/25 mins, remove the heavy object and open up the muslin cloth.

9. Store the tofu  in a container filled with water and leave in the fridge . The cold water will further harden the tofu.

Hop over to http://www.seasaltwithfood.com/2018/09/how-to-make-tofu.html   and watch her demo video with step by step tutorial on how to make tofu (Easy)

Fried Fish With Savoury Sauce

There are so many ways to cook a fish.  We can steam, pan fried, wrap in banana leave and baked in the oven, cook curry style ...so many ways.  But sometimes , I am just too lazy, so I have the fish pan fried till the sides are crispy and cooked through, dish up and cook a simple savoury sauce to pour over the fried fish.  Hubby has no complaint as he doesnt eat fish LOL ! He will just take the sides of the fish ,where there are no bones, and the sauce. This is one delicious fish dish that is simple to prepare and yet taste delicious.

Fried Fish With Savoury Sauce

1 fish - scaled and wash clean
rub salt and pepper and a tsp of corn flour on the body of the fish

sauce:
2 cloves of garlic - chopped
1 tbsp of fermented soy beans
1 tsp of preserved black beans
1 preserved sour plum
2 chillies - sliced
2 tbsp of sliced spring onions
1 tbsp of cooking oil * I use rice bran oil

Method:

Add 1 tbsp of oil to a non stick pan ( I use Shogun Non Stick Pan ) , when oil is hot , put in the seasoned fish and pan fried till crispy and cook through.  Dish up.

With the remaining oil, put in all the sauce ingredients and sauted till fragrant.  Add in 1/2 cup of water and let the sauce simmer till thicken. Add in the sliced spring onions.Give  quick stir and pour the sauce over the fried fish.  Serve hot.


Note:  Using a Shogun Non Stick Pan doesn't use much oil. If you are using other non-stick maybe you need more oil to pan fried the fish.

Stir Fry Homegrown ' Di Huang Miao' With Garlic, Chilli And Belacan

I know I have been procrastinating the last few months and have not been blogging like I used to do.  I have been pretty busy testing out a few projects and I am glad to say one of them is my sourdough starter which is made from apple yeast water.  And that has taken a bit of time , after which I have started using the Sourdough starter for making Pita bread, Ciabatta, Pancake and recently Sourdough Banana Bread.   Sorry , I have side tracked , back to this delicious homegrown 'Di Huang Miao'(帝皇苗) English name is (Basella Alba) 

 A simple stir fry with garlic, chilli and belacan will bring this vegetable to a different level. Some prefers it plain just with garlic and salt, but for me it taste good with a bit of chilli and belacan added to it.

homegrown ones has its good points,

you can pluck the tender leaves to cook ,

pesticide free and so organic

Stir Fry Homegrown ' Di Huang Miao' With Garlic, Chilli And Belacan

ingredients:

a bunch of tender leaves of  'Di Huang Miao'
a few bird's eye chilli
2 cloves of galic -sliced
a tsp of toasted belacan (Shrimp paste)
a tbsp of vegetable oil * I used rice bran oil

Method:
Heat up a non stick wok with a tbsp of oil, once oil is hot, add in the chilli and garlic. Sauted till fragrant, add in the toasted belacan and stir fry for a second.  Add in the ' Di Huang Miao' and continue to stir fry till leaves has wilted and softened.  Dish up and serve with rice.

Enjoy!

Indonesian Style Curry Prawns

I was flipping through my old handwritten recipe book last Sunday and I found an old piece of  folded newsprint. I opened it and saw this beautiful pictures of prawns cooked in 3 different style by Amy Beh. I used to keep recipes by her when she writes for The Star Nook's Corner. What caught my attention was this Indonesian Style Curry Prawns.  I knew I had to cook it.  I would have cooked it last Sunday if I had prawns in the freezer.  So when I finally bought some sea prawns , I gathered kaffir lime leaves, galanggal and curry leaves  from my lil space and cooked this beautiful dish.  The curry is so aromatic and so flavorful that hubby asked me to cook this dish again.  It is easy to prepare and I don't mind cooking this dish again.  This Indonesian style curry , you can can substitute crabs in place of prawns, it will taste good too. I am so gonna try cooking crab this style when I get some mud crabs.  This is keeper for sure.

ingredients for making this Indonesian style curry prawns

 

saute dried prawns, curry leaves and lemongrass 

with oil till fragrant

 

once the lemongrass , curry leaves

and  dried prawns are fragrant,

add in the ground spices and

stir fry till fragrant

 

add coconut milk and fresh milk to the spices,

then add in the sea prawns and cooked till the gravy thicken

 and the prawns are cooked....mmmm

it is so aromatic

Indonesian Style Curry Prawns -  Amy Beh (Cook's Nook - 30March 2010)

Ingredients:

400 gm freshwater prawns * I used med sized sea prawns - feelers trimmed
4-5 tbsp oil
1 Kafir lime leaf - shredded
100ml thick coconut milk
50 ml fresh milk

Spice Mix (A)
2 stalks lemongrass - smashed
2 tbsp dried prawns - soaked and coarsely chopped
2 kaffir lime leaves, torn
1 stalk curry leaves

Ground spices (B)
4 shallots
2 cloves garlic
3 red chillies - seeded
5 dried chillies, soaked
1/2 tsp turmeric powder * I used fresh turmeric
2 slices galangal
1 tbsp meat curry powder- mixed with enough water into a paste

Seasoning
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar or to taste
1/2 anchovy stock granules

Method:
Heat oil and saute spice mix(A) until fragrant. Add ground spices (B) and fry until aromaltic and oil separates.  Pour in coconut milk and fresh milk, and add the prawns and seasoning. Cover and simmer for 1-2 minutes or until prawns are cooked and the sauce thickens. Dish out and serve with a sprinkling of shredded kaffir lime leaves.

Enjoy !

Taiwan Gow Kei Soup With Dried Goji Berries

I made a simple soup for dinner. Homegrown Taiwan 'Gow Kei ' soup with Dried Goji Berries is good for hot season.  They are two types of taiwan 'gow gei' , one with white flowers and the other has purple flowers.  The one I grow in my lil space has purple flowers and the leaves when cooked are smooth and delicious.  Has a mild fragrant like the local gow gei and the leaves are much smoother than the local ones.  I do not know the botanical name for this edible but my friend who gave me the plant said it is called Taiwan Gow Gei in chinese.

 easy to grow and doesn't need much attention

except to water them often

I cut about 15 stalks for one cooking for 2 persons

use only the leaves

added dried goji berries to the chicken broth 

Taiwan Gow Kei Soup With Dried Goji Berries

(for 2 persons)

ingredients:
a bunch of Taiwan gow gei (15 stalks ) - take only the leaves
1 tbsp of dried goji berries
1 clove of garlic
700 ml chicken broth
salted duck egg yolk * optional
salt to taste

Method:

Put to boil 700 ml chicken broth in a soup pan. Once it boils, add in crushed garlic, goji berries . Add in salted duck egg yolk if using ( use a fork to break the yolk into small pieces.  Lower heat  and continue to boil till the egg yolk are cooked. Add in all the taiwan gow gei leaves. Increase heat. Add salt to taste. Once the soup boils, off  heat and serve hot.