Char Siew Night

Char Siew with Noodle and Nai Pak



Char Siew with Mantou (store bought mantou)

Haven't been making char siew for ages, so just out of the blue felt like making it and thus the char siew night was born.

Short-Cut Char Siew Recipe

2 pork chops

Honey

Marinade:

3-4 Tbp. Lee Kum Kee bottled Char Siew sauce

2 Tbp. Hoisin Sauce

Method:

1. Marinate the pork chops with marinade overnight, give it a few turns along the way.

2. Preheat oven to 350'F. Bake pork chops (pour all the sauce on top of pork chops) for 30-40 mins or until cooked, turn once half way through. Keep basting the pork chops with the sauce while baking.

3. When done, take it out of the oven and brush it with honey on both sides. Set aside to cool for 5 mins. before slicing. When sliced, brush the leftover char siew sauce from the pan on top of the char siew.

Hot and Sour Soup

Want a bowl of hot and sour soup? This is also an Americanize dish. Not sure whether you can find it in M'sia.



This recipe can be found at Lily's blog. I omitted the bamboo shoot and char choy and added cut baby corns.
I also added dark soy sauce and chilli paste into mine to make it real spicy. Also thicken the soup with potato starch.



This hot/spicy and sour soup is really suitable for winter. The sweating helps to keep you warm. :D Thanks Lily for the recipe!

Dinner

Homecook meals again! I just love homecook simple meals at home because often times it's very healthy compared to what you eat outside. Everyday thinking of what to cook for dinner can be such a chore. I would just love to go out and eat sometimes but sadly there is no authentic Chinese restaurants here. We will have to drive to Denver to satisfy that cravings for good chinese food. How often we drive up there? Hardly! Because it's not a short drive and to think to drive all the way up just for a meal, it's pretty ridiculous or extremely desperate. We only drive up there if I need to do grocery or visiting friends.


Nai Pak in Oyster Sauce


Moist, Tender and Juicy Pork Chops

Thus, I made these for dinner. One to cut cost of eating out and two because it's healthier. We eat out during the weekends anyway, my off days from cooking, so got to cook during weekdays to save money. :P My hubby is pretty nice, he gives me days off from cooking. :)

Sour Cream Butter Cake

Tried out a new butter cake recipe using sour cream. I read a lot of reviews that this cake is moist and yummy. I modified it from the original recipe that I found at allrecipes.com.

Verdict: It is indeed moist and delicious.

Clear Noodle Soup

A hot soupy noodle sounds great in cold weather. It's hard to resist especially with my short-cut version. It's so easy to make and it's delicious too. I served it with my chilli in oil mixed with soy sauce.



Super Easy Soup Base:

2 canned of Swanson chicken broths

2 cups of water

Fish sauce to taste

Drizzle of sesame oil in the end

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts, sliced

Do Do Fish balls, cut in half

Do Do Tofu fish cake, cut into three slices

Soften Chinese dried mushroom, sliced

Spinach, washed

Toasted garlic & garlic oil (to garnish on top)

Dried noodle ( I used Jiang Xi Rice Vermicelli)

Method:

1. Heat a big pot of water and cook the rice vermicelli, drained and set aside.

2. Prepare the soup base. When boiled, add in the chicken breasts. When the chicken is almost cooked, add in the rest of the ingredients except spinach.

3. Let it boiled, when boiled add in the spinach. Do not overcooked the spinach, dish the spinach out when cooked and set aside.

To Serve:

Place some noodle in the bowl, some spinach on the side and ladle the soup and the rest of the ingredients on top. Garnish with toasted garlic and a little of the garlic oil. Serve with chilli dip of your choice.

Sweet Potato Dessert

This is one sweet dessert to enjoy in the cold winter days. Super easy to make and take less than 30 minutes.

For the Syrup:

Water to your liking
Gula Melaka (sweetness to your liking)
or the brown bar shape sugar (found in oriental stores)
Few slices of gingers

1 peeled and cubed sweet potato

Method:

Boiled the water, gula melaka and ginger in a saucepan. When the sugar has melted, add in the cubed sweet potato. Covered and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sweet potato has soften. Turn the heat off and serve warm.