Before I got married, the only snack which I knew how to cook with Ikan Bilis (Dried Anchovies) was my so-called Ikan Bilis Snack recipe. After getting married, I cooked that dish for one of the meals and my wife remarked that her family version is slightly different. Sour and Spicy Ikan Bilis (a name I coined out) is slightly more elaborate but if you ask me, has a more complex but delicious taste compared to Ikan Bilis Snack.

If you compare the two recipes, you will realize that Sour and Spicy Ikan Bilis has more ingredients compared to Ikan Bilis Snack. The combined use of thinly sliced aromatic shallots, fresh chillis and garlic with ikan bilis with a twist of lime makes this dish truly appetizing and refreshing. You can eat it as a snack (provided you have a couple of glasses of drink to help you quench your thirst) or as an accompaniment to steamed white rice. Give it a try as it is really simple to prepare and cook.

This is my wife’s recipe for Sour and Spicy Ikan Bilis Read the rest of this entry »

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Fried oyster omelette (called Oh Chien in Hokkien) is one of my favourite dishes at the hawkers in Malaysia. In Malaysia alone, there are a few types of fried oyster omelette. In Kuching and Pulau Pangkor, the omelette is crispy much like crackers whilst in Pontian, Melaka and Penang, it is slightly soft and sticky (owing to the use of potato starch).

Before you start going “ooh-aah, Pablo can cook!”, let me tell you that this is what I ate in Pontian a couple of months ago and “No”, I did not cook this. I might try cooking it one day if I can get my hands on fresh small-sized oysters. The other ingredients in this dish are pretty much standard and easy to find. I have eaten fried oyster omelette which has medium or slightly larger sized omelette but found them a tad too overpowering in the taste of the oyster. Besides, I think using larger sized oysters are a waste. Better have them fresh with a squeeze of lemon instead.

If at all you can find the ingredients, why not try this Fried Oyster Omelette recipe by Amy Beh? Read the rest of this entry »

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Before I decided to put up this recipe, I have no idea that this gourd that I’ve been eating the past 30 years or so is called Ridge Gourd. I’ve always known it as “kak kue” in Hokkien (meaning pointed or corner gourd). So, I had to do some googling and finally saw the picture of the familiar gourd - the ridge gourd. Simcooks has a picture of it and a different recipe for this gourd.

Whilst the size of this gourd may seem intimidating (it can measure up to 50cm long!), there is not much of it left by the time you finish cooking. You see, it is pretty much like a sponge and hence, it is also known to be your bathroom loofah in dried form (minus the skin, of course). To serve a plate of ridge gourd, you will need at least 2 pieces of ridge gourd measuring at least 30 cm in length each. Slice off the skin using a peeler and cut them into chunks much like potato wedges. Don’t worry if after preparation you have a big heap of ridge gourd chunks because it will eventually reduce into at least 1/3 in size. Oh, by the way, just like how crab or prawn shells will change colour as it cooks, the ridge gourd flesh will turn from white to green upon cooking. Nice isn’t it?

This is my recipe for Stir-Fried Ridge Gourd with Eggs and Prawns Read the rest of this entry »

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Some say Sweet & Sour Prawns are delicious but some say it does a disservice to the prawns. Fresh prawns (especially those caught from the sea compared to prawns reared in freshwater) is delicious cooked by steaming them with julienned ginger and a dash of chinese cooking wine so that you can taste the natural sweetness of the prawns. As for those less fresh prawns, one might want to consider “masking” it by cooking it in sweet and sour sauce. It is not to say that it does not taste great. This dish tastes good in itself and some kids love them. But it is a matter of choice as tastebuds vary from one person to another.

Try this Sweet & Sour Prawns

Ingredients

• 300 grammes of medium or large prawns (either shelled or intact at your preference)
• 1cm of ginger(sliced)
• 1 large onion (quartered)
• 1 stalk spring onion (cut into 2 inch lengths)
• 30 ml warm water
• 5 tablespoons palm oil

Seasoning

• 3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• a pinch of salt

Method

Heat oil in wok and fry the prawns for 30 seconds till shell completely turned to red or cooked. Dish out and set aside. Remove oil from wok leaving approximately 2 teaspoons of oil in the wok.

Saute the onions and ginger till fragrant. Return prawns to wok, add seasoning and water. Stir well to coat the prawns. Sprinkle spring onions onto the prawns before dishing out.

For variety, you might want to add cubed cucumbers, pineapples and / or capsicum when you saute the onions.

technorati tags: sweet sour, prawns, recipe, chinese, stir-fry
keotag tags: sweet sour, prawns, recipe, chinese, stir-fry

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