How Shall I Cast My Vote

All the excitement for the upcoming GE13 is nearing its peak. For each and every one of us, how do we want the General Election to play out? I believe that it really does not matter who forms the government as long as most of it, if not all of our needs and wants are fulfilled.

What is it that we hope for, and will whosoever forms the government implement them for us?

I do not profess to know much about politics. I fact, in am pretty ignorant when it comes to politics, but like any citizen I am aware of the minimum essentials and needs that a government should be doing and helping its people and the country.

For the man in the street, for the citizens on the ground, these are fundamentally our wishes:

•  Affordable, quality, untainted food
•  Affordable housing
• Security and Safety
• Good Education System
• Good infrastructure and facilities
• Employment opportunities
• Easy, reliable traveling be it by cars, trains, buses or planes and not only in the big cities
• Facilities to support Work, Life balance
• Accessible and affordable quality health care
• Protecting our environment and natural resources

Is that all? Basically, we all aspire to have and live in an environment where we are able to live a good, happy life with our loved ones, and where there are opportunities for us to excel, as citizens and as a nation. Has it been too long a wait?

So who will get my vote? Who is capable enough to give us a better life? Who can help fulfill the role of guardianship for checks and balances? And are we not forgetting the scourge-corruption?

Dry Ray Fish Curry

As I upload my posting for my Assam Pedas Ikan (Tamarind Spicy Fish Curry),

I could not help thinking about my Dry Ray Fish Curry which I had recently prepared.

It should be the sequel to my Assam Pedas Ikan, both dishes are almost identical to me.

The ingredients used are almost the same, except the amount of each ingredient is increased so that the flavors of all the ingredients will penetrate well into the meat of the ray fish. The dish is somewhat similar to the 'Ikan Bakar' that is sold at some hawker centres.

You could opt to keep the piece of Ray Fish (approximately the size of an 8 inch round plate, or +/- 400 gms) which you bought from the market or cut the ray fish into small pieces. If the Ray Fish is too big, not only will it be fishy, the meat will be much thicker and that would take a much longer time to cook. There are different species of Ray Fish. There is a specie which will not grow much larger than a plate, with not much flesh. I cut my Ray Fish into small pieces for serving purposes, as dinner time can vary for some of us and the dish will look neater for late diners.

If you are using a whole, or an intact piece of Ray Fsh, you could shallow pan fry the fish over low heat in the oily, fried spicy ingredients till cooked and dry.

Ingredients :

+/- 400 gm fish Ray Fish/Ikan Pari

8 dried chilies (seeded for a mild flavour), less chilies as it is a dry curry.

15 shallots

6 pips garlic

1 inch piece of fresh turmeric (about the size of your distal phalange of middle finger

1 thick lemon grass

1 ½ inch piece of belachan(shrimp paste), more belachan for this dish too

Some limau purut/kaffir lime leaves (finely shredded or torn up)

Daun kesum/ Vietnamese coriander(or Vietnamese mint), optional for this dish

Assam jawa/tamarind paste (about ½ teaspoon) mixed with a quarter cup of water.

Salt and pepper to taste

Try to get it drier than this, if you like those 'Ikan Bakar', at the hawker centres.

Banana leaves or pandan leaves to line your pan, i.e. if you are not cutting your Ray Fish into pieces, i.e just one big piece. It will help you flip your Ray Fish and they do give a very nice aroma too. The skin of the Ray Fish is gelatinous and sticky. Another alternative is to use a non-stick pan.

Method :

1. Grind the chilies, shallots, garlic, turmeric, lemon grass and belachan together.
2. Fry the ingredients in oil till fragrant. You will need a little more oil for this dish.
3. Add assam jawa/tamarind water, about a quarter cup, or just enough for the fish to cook.
4. Add in the kaffir lime leaves.
5. Bring to a boil and add in the pieces of Ray Fish.
6. Add in salt and sugar to taste.
7. As Ray Fish is a bit bland, you will have to add in more sugar for this dish.
8. Simmer till the sauce thick and dry.
9. It would taste better, if you end the cooking process by some slow frying in the oily spices.

Assam Pedas Ikan/ Tamarind Spicy Fish Curry

Could not help wondering if the naming it Tamarind Spicy Fish Curry is misleading, as there is another dish, (the Assam Gulai) using almost all the same ingredients, but without frying the ground ingredients in oil till fragrant. You just put all the spices and herbs into the tamarind juice, bring to a boil, simmer a while then add in the fish. Complete the cooking with the requisite salt and sugar seasoning. Absolutely delicious if you add some mint leaves and shredded bunga kantan (torch ginger flower).

I hardly cook that now as my family does not like it and freshly ground ingredients are a must for the Assam Gulai dish.

I normally will use a chopper to grind/chop the ingredients in bulk. Anytime I need to dish out a curry, I just thaw some and voila! time to enjoy a delicious meal. Depending on the dish, I sometimes have to change or adjust the ingredients/spices used.

Assam Pedas Ikan/Tamarind Spicy Fish Curry
(the tail portion of the Threadfin that I cooked)
The shredded Torch Ginger Flower provides an occasional change of flavour.

Ingredients :

400 gm fish meat or 2 pieces of fish steaks ( I used ‘senangin’or threadfin)

10 dried chillies (seeded for a mild flavour)

12 shallots

6 pips garlic

1 inch piece of fresh turmeric(the older rhizomes taste better)

1 thick lemon grass

1 inch piece of belachan(shrimp paste)

Some limau purut/kaffir lime leaves (shredded or tore up)

Daun kesum/ Vietnamese coriander(or Vietnamese mint)

Assam jawa/tamarind paste (about 1 teaspoon, mixed with a cup of water and strained.)

Salt and pepper to taste

Aternatively,

i)  use any fish you like (suggestions: red snapper,garoupa)

ii) use the bunga kantan (torch ginger flower), shredded finely, instead 

of the daun kesum and kaffir lime leaves

 Method :

1. Grind the chillies, shallots, garlic, turmeric, lemon grass and belachan together.
2. Fry the ingredients in oil till fragrant.
3. Add assam jawa/tamarind water, about a cup. (depending on whether you prefer a thicker or thinner curry)
4. Add in the Vietnamese mint and kaffir lime leaves.
5. Bring to a boil.
6. Add in the fish, and add in salt and sugar to taste.
7. Simmer till fish is cooked.

In this picture, I used red snapper steaks which I cut into smaller pieces to hasten cooking time.(and Vietnamese mint)

Chinese New Year indulgence and shedding off the extra calories

Wow! Glorious food! How not to over indulge yourself when you are surrounded with all the sumptuous spreads come each Chinese New Year. I have tried not to buy too many goodies and cookies for this festive season, partly because most of it, are so unhealthy and I tend to put on a few pounds every Chinese New Year. Another reason is that I have yet to find a nice supplier of nice cookies. All mediocre and I do not want to be in a position whereby I ended up with jars of half tested cookies.

However I was asked "how could you celebrate Chinese New Year without any cookies?"

So there you are, carrying home some jars of my favorite though not outstanding pineapple tarts and peanut cookies. Did not have time to bake anything this year, besides I cannot guarantee that what I bake will turn out superb.

Well, as the Chinese New Year progressed I found myself with more than a few jars of cookies. Gifts from friends and relatives kept my waistline firm and round. Frankly, it is an indulgence I could not resist come every lunar New Year. Inevitably I gain a few pounds. But not this Chinese New Year. I lost a few pounds. Not very much, but it did have me grinning to the cookie jars more often. A word of warning though, not putting on any extra pounds does not mean all these New Year goodies are healthy. And it is not only cookies, our new year reunion dinners or get togethers overflow with our favorite foods.

Come to think of it, society has changed such that most of what we normally serve on our dinner table the whole year through used to be what was reserved only for Chinese New Year or some other festivities. But that definitely has not stopped us from dishing out something special for the occasion.

How did I manage to shed those additional calories? What happened was I was helping out my cousin sister at her new restaurant. To get rid of the extra layers of fat you cannot be sitting at the till. Put on a good pair of running shoes and get down to the floor to serve those customers. Better still, is when you serve during weekends or public holidays. It might not get you your six-pack abs but it sure can build up your stamina and convinced you of the magic of physical activities.

If that is not your cup to calories reduction, an alternative is to do something that keeps you fast on your feet, while you do something productive or useful.

Thanks, Ms. Swee Nee (Tan) for the wonderful experience. 

If you are keen for a wondrous spell serving at tables or care to enjoy a great lunch, click on the link www.chickenricecentre.com to find out more.

Happy Chinese New Year Everyone

What’s in for this Chinese New Year? Honestly, it is a low key celebration this year,planned not to have too many things, partly getting lazier and partly because of my other commitments, therefore less time to indulge.

Having said that, the New Year greeting is late too.

Downloaded a special Chinese New Year app to my iPad mini, I am able to choose some of the  decorative icons/pictures to design my own card.

Simple Stir-Fried Mee Sua (wheat vermicelli)

I recently received a gift packet of thick mee sua. I have never tried frying mee sua but decided that it could not be much different from frying beehoon or mee. I did not deep fry the mee sua as that would make it a very unhealthy dish.

The dish ended up tasty, not unlike stir-frying noodles or spaghetti. Yes, I do fry spaghetti in the same manner that I fry my noodles or beehoon. It is a good, localized change from the usual fare of tomato based spaghetti.                      

For 3 pax

Ingredients :

300 gm thick Mee Sua (wheat vermicelli)

5 pips garlic, minced

Some chicken meat and/or pork slices (seasoned with some salt, pepper and light soya sauce, and some cornflour) or prawns

3 pieces of cabbage thinly sliced

Some carrot strips

5 shallots thinly sliced and 3 pips of minced garlic, fried in oil for garnishing

Coriander(cilantro) leaves, for garnishing

1 cup chicken stock

Cooking oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Method :

1. Lightly boil the mee sua in boiling water to soften it a little, but not too long, otherwise it becomes too soggy to fry.

2. Fry the minced garlic in oil till fragrant, add in the chicken meat/pork slices .
3. Add in the drained ‘mee sua’, fry a little. Add in chicken stock and vegetables.
4. Stir well, add seasoning to taste.
5. Fry till, the chicken stock is nearly all absorbed.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and fried onion slices.
7. Serve warm with some sambal belachan.