Home Made Luncheon Meat

I had been rather lazy recently and have not been updating the blog as often as I used to. But I guess I can't miss this recipe out. Made this specially for a friend that is currently pregnant and craving for luncheon meat.

Ingredients:

• 500g pork minced (I used ready store minced and I have no idea the fat vs lean composition)
• 100g pork belly (rind removed) - cut to small pieces
• 30g chicken (coincidentally got left over)
• 30g plain flour
• 30g potato starch
• 1tbsp sugar
• 2tbsp soy sauce
• 1tbsp sesame oil
• 1tsp ginger juice (I can't squeeze that much so actually just shred some into the mixture)
• 1tbsp chinese cooking wine
• 1tsp paprika
• 1tsp 5 spice powder (I think it is rather over powering, should reduce to max 3/4tsp should do)
• 1tsp white pepper powder
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2tsp salt

Steps:

1. Place the cut pork belly in the food processor and blend till the meat are finely blended. 
2. Add in the chicken and minced into the food processor and blitz it for roughly 10-15seconds. This is to further processed the meat till they are very fine so that the texture of the luncheon meat is not coarse.
3. Add in the rest of the ingredients and blitz for another 20seconds to get all ingredients mixed properly and evenly.
4. Prepare either a bowl or pan or whatever container that you will want to use to steam the meat. Oil the container and place the mixture into the container. Press the meat down and try to compact it as much as you can. It is rather hard to do this since the mixture is very bouncy and soft. I just used the back of the spoon to press it down. 
5. Oil the top of the mixture and then cover the container with an aluminium foil. Then use your hand to further compact the meat down by pressing over the foil.
6. Prepare a wok of water and set to steam the meat. I used the Philips electrical pressure cooker and just pour in cold water and put in the container. Use something heavy to place at the top of the aluminium foil. This is to prevent the meat from expanding during the steaming process and create air bubbles in the luncheon meat.
7. If you are steaming it manually, steam over high heat for 45mins. With the pressure cooker, I used steam mode and steam for 20mins.
8. Once done, removed the container and let it rest. Do not remove the aluminium foil. This is to ensure that all the moisture can be retained in the meat and not have juices flowing out when you cut it. Since the weather is  rather cold still tonight (I guess it is below 11c), I waited for bout 15mins before opening and removing the whole piece of meat to cut (rested another 10mins out of the container before cutting).
9. Fry the meat the way you like or like me, place it in the air fryer at 180c and fry for 7mins on each side.

Hakka Lei Cha

Hakka Lei Cha is one of my favourite dish. It is packed with lots of healthy fibre from various vegetables and the yummy green tea soup.

Another best part of it is I get to use some home grown harvest like basil, parsley and mint from my garden.

Ingredients:
For the soup:

• about 3/4cups of dried anchovies, washed and drain
• 2l water
• one big handful of basil, roughly 1.5cups (not pushed down, but just put on the cup to measure) 
• a small bunch of mint, after chopped should be roughly 1/4 cup amount
• 3-4 sprigs of parsley
• 1/4 cup of peanut (roasted)
• a small handful of tang-o veggie if you like it to have a little bitter taste
• 2 tbsp of green tea powder (i used japanese green tea)
• 1/8 tsp salt

Other ingredients:

• 2cups of rice - cook like normal
• 3 big cloves of garlic (I'm using local Perth grown garlic that's currently in season and very fat)
• 3/4 Australia leek, sliced finely
• 5 snake/long beans, cut to small cubes
• 3/4 carrots, julienne
• 1/2cups of finely sliced cabbage
• 300g sweet potatoes shoot (mine is home grown too)
• 3tbsp pickled radish, washed
• 3pcs of hard tofu or known as tau kua
• 1/4 zucchini, julienne
• 3pcs of fresh button mushroom, cut to thin slices
• 3tbsp oil to saute

Steps:

1. Place 1/2 cups of the anchovies and water in a pot and boil for roughly 15-20mins. I used the pressure cooker to do this and kept pressure for 4mins. Removed the anchovies and place it in the air fryer along with the balance of the anchovies and AF at 180c for 7mins. If you don't have an AF, just use a non stick pan to fry it (without oil) till it is all crispy.
2. Place all the rest of the ingredients along with the fried anchovies in a blender and blend till it is as smooth as you can get. Add in some of the stock if required as the mixture can be too dry and a bit hard to blend.
3. Pour in the mixture into the stock and let it get into boil and set it aside. That should be about 2-3mins.
4. AF the tau kua at 200c for 3mins, or slightly pan fried it with a little oil. Set aside.
5. Heat a little oil and saute the garlic (divide the garlic to 8 portions for those veggies) and fry the veggies separately. Set them aside.
6. When you want to serve, just place the rice on the bowl, scoop the veggies around the rice and pour in the soup stock to serve.

Note:

• The veggies may vary depending on your preference or seasonal availability. Some also serve with toasted sesame seed and/or peanuts.
• For those who are allergic to peanuts may consider substituting with pine nuts (if you are not allergic to it).
• My first attempt of making this dish, I used pesto sauce instead coz I didn't have basil with me. If you are using pesto sauce, omit the basil and peanuts.

Air Fried Chicken Balls

Instead of making nuggets, I decided to make some nice simple yummy chicken balls for the kids for their dinner and the extras for the big girl to bring to school on the next day.

Ingredients:

• 1 pc of chicken breast (roughly 150-200g) - cut to small fine pieces, but not mince so you still get the chicken slices texture
• 1/4 onion - chopped roughly, to get the crunchy texture too
• 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
• a dash of pepper
• a pinch of sea salt
• 1tsp of corn flour
• 2 slice of bread (blend till powder)
• 1/2 cup of plain flour
• 1egg - beaten

Steps:

1. Marinade the chicken with the onion, garlic powder, pepper, sea salt and corn flour. Leave it aside while you blend the bread, prepare the flour and egg.
2. Scoop a tablespoon and then shape them into balls.
3. Dip the balls into plain flour, egg and finally the bread crumbs. Make sure you follow the right order.
4. Place them in the air fryer. Set at 160c for 6mins.
5. Done, serve with your favourite sauce.

Braised Lamb Shank

I had always been a fan of lamb or mutton but can't really cook them at home coz the big and small bosses don't like it. However, since my small boss no 2 loves any meat, I thought of trying it out. Few days back when we went shopping, lamb shank was on sale.. hmmm... why not try it out with the pressure cooker. Imagining the fall apart and yummy goodness of the veggie.

Ingredients:

• 4pcs of lamb shanks
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 onion, cut to 8 chunks
• 3pcs carrots, cut to big chunks
• 2pcs of parsnip, cut to big chunks
• 4pcs of big tomato, cut to smaller chunks
• 1/2 tsp of mixed herbs
• 1/2 tsp of fresh rosemary
• 1/2 tsp of fresh thyme
• 6pcs of fresh button mushrooms
• 1 cup of salt reduced chicken stock
• a big handful of fresh parsley for serving
• some salt and pepper to season the lamb
• 2 tbsp of olive oil

Steps:

1. Heat up the pressure cooker. Pour in the oil and wait for bout 10-15 seconds for it to heat up.
2. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Then brown the lamb shanks on all side in the pressure cooker. That should take about 5-7mins.
3. Add in all the veggies and herbs and stir the mixture.
4. Then add in the chicken stock and cover the pressure cooker. Set to meat function, KPT for 25mins.
5. Once it is done, let the valve drop and then set it to vent and set to bake for 20mins to help reduce the stock to thicker sauce.
6. Served with fresh parsley.

Oatmeal Chicken

Finally a post for my neglected myfoodies site... hehehe...

Had made some oatmeal chicken for dinner yesterday, taste kinda good.



Ingredients:
- 500g of chicken slices
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- 1 tablespoon of corn flour
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon of 5 spice powder
- 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
- 5 tablespoon of oatmeal + dash of salt
- 3 tablespoon of olive oil

1. Marinate the chicken at least overnight with all ingredients except the oatmeal.
2. Coat the chicken with the oatmeal.
3. Heat up the pan with the olive oil and pan fry till both side is golden brown.
4. Serve and eat... hehehe...

Prawn Noodle

Ingredients:

- 450g of prawn and shell (remove shell and head and keep aside for the soup), deveined
- sawi (no kangkung in my fridge), roughly 200g
- 4 pieces of dried lar mien (my mom got that from klang for us)
- 6 cups of water for the soup and another 6 cups to cook the noodle
- 1 tablespoon of cane sugar
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- 2 teaspoon of miso
- 1 tablespoon of sweet soy sauce
- half onion (chopped to small pieces)
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 1 tablespoon of sambal (dont ask recipe coz I got this fr my mom and dunno how it was prepared..)
- one piece of ginger (roughly bout 3cm size)

Method:
1. Boil the shell with the water and ginger for about 5mins. Leave it for another 5mins and remove the shell. Add in sugar and miso.
2. Boil the water and add in the noodle. Turn off the fire once the water boil again and leave the noodle there.
3. Heat up the wok, add in oil and saute the onions. Add in the sambal, and fry till it is fragrant.
4. Drain the noodle and add in to the wok. Lightly stir it.
5. Add in the soup, sawi and sweet soy sauce. Cover the wok and let it boil.
6. Mix the prawn with pepper and salt. Pour in to the wok. Cover for bout 2mins.
7. Done, ready to serve.

* Excluding the preparation of the soup, it takes about 15mins to cook the dish.

Deep Fried Squid

Ingredients:
2 Squid , cut ring
3 tablespoon of flour
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of pepper
1 teaspoon of curry powder
1 tablespoon of ice cold water
1 egg
enough oil to fry

Steps:
1. Add the egg to the cold water. Lightly beat it.
2. Mix flour, salt, pepper and curry powder in plastic bag.
3. Dip the squid in the egg and drop it into the plastic bag. Shake off excess powder and dip into preheated oil to fry.
4. Dish out when it is light golden brown.

Bake Chicken

• 500 of chicken pieces (mixture of chicken wings and drumstick, cut to medium size)



• 1 piece of bombay onion (sliced ring)



• 2 tablespoon of olive oil



• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil



• 1 tablespoon of roughly chopped preserved radish - marinate



• 1.5 pcs of preserved beancurd - marinate



• 1 dash of pepper - marinate



• 1/2 tablespoon of sugar - marinate



• 2 tablespoon of five spices powder - marinate



• 1 sheet of aluminium foil, double layer

1. Mix all the marinate ingredients with the chicken, mix well.



2. Lay the onions on the aluminium foil and top with chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with olive oil and sesame oil.



3. Bake for 25mins under 190 degree celcius.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/20560/baked-chicken.html

Sat Simple East meet West Dinner

Pork chop

Home made Mixed Herbs Bread

Taufu Mushroom Miso Soup

Bread toast with cheddar cheese and pork chop

Creamy Potato Stew

• 1.5 cups of cranberries bean



• 1 cup of water



• 1 pinch of salt



• 1 big size potato, chopped to small cubes



• 1 small carrot, cut to medium size chunk



• 1 cube of butter



• 1 cup of evaporated milk



• 2 teaspoon of mixed herbs



• 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese (shaved with peeler)



• 1.5 cups of chopped scallion



• 1 pinch of pepper

1. Boil the beans and potato, with salt and water.



2. Add in butter once the water boil and stir till butter melts evenly.



3. Lower the fire. Add in mixed herbs and carrot once the water almost finish evaporating.



4. Add in evaporated milk, scallion and parmesan cheese.



5. Dish and serve. Sprinkle some pepper on the top before serving.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/15347/creamy-potato-stew.html

Colorful Porridge

• One small handful of rice


• 4 cups of water


• 1 cups of anchovies stock


• 1 teaspoon of soy sauce


• 1 egg


• 1 pinch of salt


• 1 pinch of pepper


• 1 bunch of pak choy


• 2 cloves of chopped garlic


• 1 chopped shallot


• 1 teaspoon of oil


• 1 tablespoon of preserved radish


• 2 crabstick, cut to four


• 2 sausage, cut to half


• 2 dried mussels


• 2 pcs of dried scallop


• 2 dried chinese mushroom, sliced


• 2 slice of ginger, chopped finely


• 1 handful of wolfberries

1. Boil the rice with water, achovies stock, dried scallop, wolfberries and dried mussels.


2. After about 20mins, add in crabstick, sausage and mushroom. Boil for another 20mins


3. Saute shallot with the oil till golden and set aside.


4. Saute garlic and preserved raddish with the balance oil. Add in pak choy once the garlic is golden. Set aside.


5. Hit the egg on a bowl. Add salt, pepper and soy sauce.


6. Pour the boiling porridge on the egg. Served the fried pak choy and shallot on the porridge.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/14470/colorful-porridge.html

Coffee Bake Chicken with Fried French Beans

• 1 chicken thigh (chopped to medium size cube)


• 1 teaspoon of kicap manis (sweet black sauce) - for marinade


• A small pinch of salt - for marinade


• Pepper to taste - for marinade


• 2 teaspoon of sesame oil - for marinade


• 1 teaspoon of promfet fish sauce - for marinade


• 1 tablespoon of coffee (1 tablespoon of water with a pinch of coffee powder) - for marinade


• 1 piece of aluminium foil, fold to a bowl shape


• 1 teaspoon of oil


• 3 clove of garlic (chopped)


• 1 shallot (chopped)


• 3 pieces of french beans (cut to 3cm length, diaganol)


• 1 teaspoon of cornstarch


• 3 tablespoon of coffee + 1 tablespoon of honey

1. Marinade chicken for at least 8hrs with the marinade ingredients.


2. Bake chicken for 30 minutes (top open).


3. Saute shallot till fragant, add in garlic.


4. Once brown stir in french beans and fry for a min.


5. Stir coffee with honey and cornstarch. Add them to the french beans.


6. Served it on top of the chicken.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/13700/coffee-bake-chicken-with-fried-french-beans.html

Fried Taufu Paste

• 2 pack of soft taufu (white) - cubed



• 2 tablespoon of chopped scallion



• 2 tablespoon of chopped mushroom (cubed)



• 1/2 cup of chopped vegetarian meat ball (cubed)



• 1 tablespoon of chopped bombay onion



• 2 tablespoon of corn flour (sift)



• 5 tablespoon of flour (sift)



• 1 pinch of salt



• 1 pinch of pepper



• 1 egg



• 1 cup of oil for frying

1. Mixed the corn flour and flour with taufu till even. Add in scallion, meat balls, onion, and mushroom. Mix till even.



2. Add in egg and mix again.



3. Oil the pan with one tablespoon of oil.



4. Take a spoon, scoop the mixture and place it on the pan. Press the mixture so it becomes a flat piece.



5. Once one side is brown, turn the piece and fry till golden. Repeat till all the mixture is used up.



6. Served with mayo dip (up next)

http://www.grouprecipes.com/13394/fried-taufu-paste.html

EatinOut

Last Sat, had lunch and dinner at 9 to 5 Cafe (just a coincidence that the friend that we had appointment with at night wanted to go there without telling us earlier)

I ordered marmite chicken rice, and hubby ordered sesame chicken rice. Taste kinda not bad. That was for lunch.

My marmite chicken, hand a bit shaky (phone camera too sensitive, no stabilizer)

Hubby's Sesame Chicken

For dinner, we ordered ala carte style instead. Had a kailan fried with salted fish, taufu with minced meat and century egg, pandan chicken and savoury sotong. Got too busy eating, not much pics.

The Taufu Dish

Today had lunch at Taiwan Food House (near to 9 to 5), had ice cream fried rice. Tasted like butter rice (those butter prawn, creamy taste)... not bad, but too oily

Photos of Food

Just remembered that I have pictures of food that I had taken during my trip back to KL in June that I have not posted:

Hot Chocolate at The Curve, Damansara (cant remember restaurant name, I think it's some Emperor something):

Chicken Pie (same place in The Curve):

Malaysians' National Breakfast, Nasi Lemak, in Pandamaran, Port Klang:

Fried Fish @ Tmn Sentosa, Klang:

Another type of fried fish @ Tmn Sentosa, Klang:

Fishball soup with taufu @ Tmn Sentosa, Klang:

Tonight's Dinner - Nasi Lemak

Saucy Drumstick

• 1 piece of chicken drumstick with thigh



• 5 pieces of garlic (chopped in chunk)



• 1 table spoon of chilli paste (mixture of garlic, ginger, onion, shallot, dry chilli, fresh chilli, grounded and stir fry till dry)



• 1 teaspoon of soy sauce



• 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce



• a pinch of pepper



• 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce



• 1 teaspoon of oil



• 20ml of water

1. Saute garlic till fragant.



2. Add in chili paste.



3. Mix in soy sauce, oyster sauce, pepper, dark soy sauce and water.



4. Add in chicken drumstick.



5. Simmer till cook.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/8373/saucy-drumstick.html

Ocean Seafood Miri

After the function on Wednesday, we were treated to a great meal of seafood in Ocean Seafood Restaurant. Had heard about it for many times, but never been there. It seems to be that they charged exorbitant price but for the ambient, portion and so called class of it, the price should be worth paying. Furthermore, their prime target customers are expats.

For 10 person, the bill came up to RM1140.xx, not sure if that is considered expensive or cheap for the food ordered. We ordered 6 pieces of lobster (cheese sauce), one coral fish (half cooked deep fried and the other half steamed), some fresh water prawn, one dish of local veg known as midin (or mydin), and crab (not sure of the weight).