Durian Pudding

The strong smell of durians brings back sweet memories. When we were young, my father would buy durians by the basket. We would then sit earnestly watching him open the fruits on a hard board which he laid over the linoleum flooring. Subsequently, he became more selective with the quality and would not hesitate to buy the highest grade at a pricey sum. This is one of his many indulgences in us.

This durian pudding recipe is a simple and short cut method as I use durian ready mix and add in durian pulp.

Ingredients
Hollyfarm durian pudding mix - 1box
100g durian pulp
450ml water

Method

Boil 450ml water. Add in the ready mix. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from flame. Add in the durian pulp. Mix well. Pour mixture into moulds. Chill and serve.

Mango Pudding

In my childhood house, there were 2 large mango trees in the front garden. They were planted by my father in the mid 1970s and had grown from a metre height to more than 10 metres within a decade. Approximately 100 fruits could be harvested during each season. My father would use a self-made net to harvest and my nephew, Benjamin would follow closely, picking up the fruits. Thereafter, he would do his stock taking and beamed proudly at his fruits of labour.
This mango pudding requires the use of fresh mangoes. It is a short cut method as I use mango pudding ready mix.

Ingredients

Signwin ready mix -1box

1mango- peeled and diced finely

450ml water

Method

Boil 450ml water. Add in the ready mix. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from flame. Add in the diced mangoes. Mix well. Pour mixture into moulds. Chill and serve.

Sayur Lodeh

This is a simple and easy to cook curry vegetable dish. I choose to use evaporated milk instead of coconut cream as it is healthier. The rempah can be prepared in larger quantity and the excess to be stored in air-tight bottles in the freezer for future use.

Main Ingredients

1 small round cabbage (cut into bite-sized pieces)
5 strings long beans (cut into 2.5cm length)
2 brinjals (cut into 4 pieces)
3 hard boiled eggs
5 pieces taupok (fried beancurd)
1 piece fish cake (cut into thin slices)
1 can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon salt
250ml water

Rempah Ingredients
80g dried chillies
10 cloves garlic
10 shallots
2 slices lengkuas (2cm thick)
2 stalks lemon grass (use only the white top portion)

Method
To prepare the rempah, soak the dried chillies in hot water. Peel the shallots and garlic. Blend all the rempah ingredients to a smooth paste. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok and add the rempah. Stir fry using low flame until fragrant or when the ingredients sink to to the bottom of the oil. Add the milk and water and bring it to boil. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until the vegetables are soft. Serve hot with white steamed rice.

My First Blog

INTRODUCTION


This is my first blog. This will be one of many to come. The reason for setting this recipe blog is in memory of my late parents.
With heartfelt gratitude to my father for his indulgence in us through all the dining treats at restaurants, cafes, hawker centres, coffee shops and home dining with takeaways.
With deep appreciation to my mother for imparting her love for cooking and her culinary skills to me through the years.
They may be gone but certainly not forgotten.




RECIPE #01


Soya Sauce Chicken Wings


When my father bought the microwave oven in the 1980s, we were wondering what dishes to cook other than using it for re-heating food.
My mother suggested using her marinate recipe for baked chicken. To our delight, we found the chicken wings cooked using the microwave method to be soft and tender. She also added taupok (fried beancurd)  and taukwa (firm bean curd) to the gravy and it became one of our favourite side dishes.


Ingredients
10 chicken wings
2 tbsp dark soya sauce
1 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp chinese cooking wine
1 tsp sugar
Half tsp pepper powder
3 slices of ginger (1cm thickness)
5 cloves garlic


Method
Wash the chicken wings thoroughly. Pat dry and place in a microwaveable pot. Add all the ingredients and mix well to marinate. Leave it in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
Place the pot with the cover in the oven and set on high heat for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and stir the contents before cooking it for another 5 minutes. When ready, transfer the chicken wings to a serving dish. Add the taukwa or taupok to the gravy. Cook over stove or microwave oven for 10 minutes.






Recipe #02


Chilli Sauce (Dipping Sauce)

I grew up watching my mother and 2nd sister making the chilli sauce using this mortar and pestle.

Due to our work commitment, we no longer have the luxury to spend hours preparing this chilli sauce using the laborious pounding method. However, I was told that the quality of the chilli mix will never be as good using the food processor as the ingredients are affected by the heat generated from the rotating blades.

We normally use this chilli sauce for chicken rice, steamed fish and steamboat.

Ingredients

10 fresh red chillies

15 fresh chilli padi

200g small onions

100g young ginger

50g garlic

1 tbsp white rice vinegar

1 tsp salt

Method
Peel the onions, garlic and ginger. Remove the stems of the chillies, wash and pat dry. Place the chillies, onions, garlic and ginger in the food processor. Grind to a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl and add the rice vinegar and salt. Mix well. Keep the chilli sauce in air-tight bottles in the refrigerator for up to a week or freezer for up to 3 months. You may wish to add lime juice and light soya sauce before serving.






Recipe #03


Chicken/Shark's Bone Soup

This chicken soup gives a warm and soothing feeling especially when consumed on a cool, rainy day. The shark's bone is rich in collagen, a protein which is a major element in skin, bone, cartilage, tendon and teeth. The red dates, dry abalone and dry scallop enhance the flavouring of the soup.

Ingredients

1 chicken leg

50g shark's bone

5 red dates

2 dry scallops

2 slices of dry abalone

1 litre of water

Method

Soak the shark's bones in water overnight. Put the chicken leg (preferably with the skin removed) in a soup pot. Add just sufficient boiling water to cover the meat. Bring it to a boil and discard the water. Fill the pot with 1 litre of boiling water. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for one hour using low flame. Alternatively, you may use the slow cooker for the simmering.