Foodarrific

Recently we’ve been going back to Otak-Otak Place for breakfast a few times because it’s conveniently located near where I sometimes do my groceries. You can read my breakfast post here.

One evening, I was craving for Fish Head Noodles so we decided to try their regular menu. Their Fish Head Noodles came in a claypot so it was piping hot till the last drop of soup. Tastewise it’s pretty good, not salty (the way I like it) and with big chunks of fish.

We also ordered their Nasi Lemak (coconut rice with various condiments) with Chicken Rendang (a curry chicken with thickened sauce). It came in deep and rather narrow tiffin carriers which were quite a challenge to eat from.

Otak-Otak Place is based on the 1960s school days theme with menus printed on old exercise books and 1960s music playing in the background (which I didn’t quite appreciate, sorry ). Oh, by the way, we didn’t have our digital cameras with us hence the rather blurry pictures taken with my pocket PC camera.

Filed under: AsianReviewsRice & Noodles by chili queen - No Comments →

On weekends, when everyone is home, I try to cook something that everyone likes. One of our favorite hawker food is fried kuay teow, or fried flat rice noodle, which is pretty easy to whip up at home. I fried this and couldn’t wait to gobble it up.

All you need are these fresh ingredients which you can adjust according to number of people you’re feeding:

• kuay teow, or flat rice noodle (I use 1 kg for two meals for 5 people)
• fresh medium or large shrimps, shelled and deveined
• nga choy, or bean sprouts
• gow choy, or chives, cut into 2″ lengths (discard the heads)
• cooking oil
• thick dark soy sauce
• light soy sauce
• chili paste
• eggs
• salt to taste

I first heat up my wok with a generous drizzle of cooking oil. I usually fry one portion (for one person) at a time. You need to keep your wok on high heat and you need to work fast. So don’t get distracted now .

First I throw in a handful of shrimps followed by a couple handfuls of noodles, or kuay teow, and drizzle over some dark soy sauce (just enough to give it some color) and add a splash of water. I’m frying, frying, keep that hand moving, woo-oo!

Then I throw in a handful of bean sprouts, chives and a spoonful (or however many) of chili paste and I keep right on frying as I crack an egg and drizzle some light soy sauce into the mix.

And we’re done. So simple. We like our fried kuay teow pretty basic without clams, Chinese sausages or fish paste slices but you can go ahead and add those if you like.

Homemade hawker-style fried kuay teow is just as tasty and much cleaner and healthier. If you’re eat this a lot outside, don’t forget to some colon cleanse reviews as the hawker fried kuay teow is usually fried with lard .

Filed under: AsianHealthy EatingOne-dish MealsRecipesRice & NoodlesSpicyStreet Food by chili queen - 2 Comments →

Every weekend, without fail, we would go to the neighborhood mall. My kids go to a music school there so that’s where I’m at every weekend. After class, we would usually hang out there, do a little shopping and then have dinner.

Thing is we’re there so often, we’ve run through the mall’s directory list and tried practically every restaurant there. Now we’re down to eating nasi lemak which is the thing with a zing that everyone loves, so no arguments.

It’s our all-time favorite rice in coconut milk with chicken curry, fried anchovies and peanuts, half a hard-boiled egg, sliced cucumbers, sambal or chili paste topped off with a crispy papadam or Indian corn cracker.

Absolutely yummy! There’s nothing like it eaten piping hot and spicy. Sometimes my kids order the less spicy combination that comes with fried chicken instead of chicken curry. Sometimes I cook this at home. I’ll have to post the recipe sometime.

Filed under: AsianFoodlish TalkRice & NoodlesSpicy by chili queen - 2 Comments →

The Dumpling Festival came and went during the days when I was on my vegetarian diet. So I didn’t get to join my family sitting around on the outdoor chaise lounges at my Dad’s house to savor these goodies.

Luckily for me though, my dear neighbor slipped me some of her homemade bachang, or rice dumplings across the fence. I kept them frozen till recently when I took them out, resteamed them and mmmm, words can’t describe.

There’s 3 different types here – spicy sambal bachang (top left), rice dumpling with wobbly pork chunks, chestnuts and dried shrimp (top right) and the pea version of the rice dumpling (bottom).

Dang, these dumplings are so tasty I wish I knew how to make them myself. The filling takes quite a bit of work to make. As for the banana leaf wrapping, I admit I’ve just never mastered the art of getting the filling to stay inside the banana leaf while I’m trying to get the string secured.

The ones I make are not foolproof. I can never be sure when my painstakingly wrapped dumplings will pop open and come loose in the pot. It’s like they’re wearing a swimsuit that’s a size too big and wo-oosh, the swimsuit slips right off in the water ! OMG, how awful when I have to go fishing in that pot for those naked bachangs, hahaha!

Filed under: AsianRice & NoodlesSnacks & DessertsSpecial Occasions by chili queen - No Comments →

I made a huge pot of hak lor mai chook, or black glutinous rice porridge as a treat to myself last weekend since I’m on a 30-day vegetarian diet and can’t eat meat. Quite a mouthful to say but it’s such a luscious dessert. Actually I eat a couple of bowls of it and it serves as my lunch .

The ingredients are simple.

* 2 cups black glutinous rice
* 4 cups water
* 1 cup of sugar, or to taste
* 1 cup thick coconut milk, to be kept in fridge till ready to serve

Place black glutinous rice and water in a large pot on medium heat and leave to boil for about an hour, or until the grains soften and open up. Add sugar to taste. Serve warm.

Add a pinch of salt to the coconut milk and mix well. Keep the coconut milk in the fridge until the black glutinous rice porridge is ready to serve. Drizzle about a dessertspoon of coconut milk onto each bowl of porridge and dessert is ready!

Filed under: AsianHealthy EatingRice & NoodlesSnacks & DessertsVegetarian by chili queen - 2 Comments →