May your troubles be less and your blessings be more and nothing but happiness come through the door. ~ Irish blessing I have always thought of St. Patrick as a ‘fun’ sort of saint. His namesake day March 17 tends to be associated with pageantry and revelry. Lenten restrictions are often lifted on this feast day of the […]
spicy
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
In order to have good fried chicken, you should wash and season the bird the morning you’re preparing it for dinner. Don’t wait and do it right before you start cooking. Throw it in the refrigerator, seasoned, that morning, and give it a chance to soak up all the salt and pepper and goodness. ~ Paula […]
Felix’s Original Chicken Curry Laksa
It was a heavy, tepid evening. I was listlessly gathering the laundry which had dried crisply in the sweltering afternoon heat (I love sun dried laundry). Like a splash of water on hot sand, I suddenly craved the spiciness of Malay laksa. You know what they say about spicy foods cooling you down on a hot day? (Read more […]
All-Essential Condiment: Sambal Belachan
Always accompanying Southeast Asian food, belachan is a mainstay in cuisine from south of China, to Thailand, to Malaysia, to Singapore, to Indonesia and to reaches far and in-between. Needless to say, as Straits-cooking is a fusion of Malay, Chinese and Dutch influences, it is an essential condiment to nyonya or Peranakan food. At its heart […]
Mapo Tofu 麻婆豆腐
This is a popular dish from the Sichuan province. The tofu can be cubed prior to cooking for nice, evenly shaped pieces. I like a tossed-together look and go for irregular pieces, chopped up using the spatula during the cooking process. Other meats I’ve enjoyed include luncheon meat and lap cheong (chinese sausage). The meat can […]
Sayor Lodeh
This is a Malay vegetable curry dish. You can substitute any of the vegetables. Those without a high water content works best. Traditionally, it is served over longtong/ketupat (rice cakes). A link to Ridha’s recipe is included below. To save time, I use adabi brand “Ketupat”, which tastes good and smells authentic. Ingredients Curry Paste […]
Curry Puffs
1 large packet flaky or puff pastry (~450 g or 14 oz) 2 tbsp oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 slices fresh ginger, very finely chopped 2 tbsp curry powder 250 g (8 oz) minced meat or sardines 1 ripe tomato, chopped 1 potato, boiled and finely diced salt Makes 24 Heat oil and […]