Mee Bandung

Ingredients:

• ½ kg beef ribs
• 300 gm sweet potato
• 3 liters water

(ingredients in red to boil together till potato turns mushy and soft)

• 200 gm cabbage (slice as desired)
• 300 gm prawns (remove head and tail)
• 300 gm beef meat - sliced
• 200 gm squid – sliced
• a few slices of fish cake 
• ½ kg field mustard leave (roughly sliced)
• 10 eggs
• 4 large purple onions
• 20 garlic

(ingredients in orange to blend separately)

• 1 ½ kg yellow mee
• 1 tin tomato puree (100g)
• 1 bottle of tomato ketchup
• 1 cup of blended chili 
• salt and sugar to taste
• oil
• Sweet Soy Sauce
• Fried Sliced Onion, Preserved Green Chili

Directions for a bowl of noodles:

1. Heat oil in pot. Sautee 1 tbsp of garlic till yellow. 
2. Add in 2 tbsp of onions, 2 tbsp chili, 1 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tsp of tomato puree, abit of beef meat, squid, prawns and fishcake. Mix well.
3. Add in 1tbsp sweet soy sauce, sugar and salt to taste. Add in 1 cup of broth from earlier beef ribs.
4. Cook till it boils. Add in 1 egg and allow it to be half cooked before adding in the yellow noodles, field mustard leave and cabbage. 
5. Cook till the noodles is slightly soft.
6. Serve while still hot with fried sliced onion and preserved green chili as a garnishing on top. 

This noodle is best cooked bowl per bowl to retain the freshness of the broth and ingredients.

Clam Chowder

Ingredients:

•  3 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams
•  1 cup minced onion
•  1 cup diced celery
•  2 cups cubed potatoes
•  1 cup diced carrots
•  3/4 cup butter
•  3/4 cup all-purpose flour
•  1 quart half-and-half cream
•  2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
•  1 1/2 teaspoons salt
•  ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Drain juice from clams into a large skillet over the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. Add water to cover, and cook over medium heat until tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables and clam juice. Heat through, but do not boil.
3. Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

Laksa

Ingredients for Gravy:

• 300-400 gm mackerel fish (steam and deboned and mashed till pulp)
• 3 stalks lemon grass
• 2 cm galangal
• 4 garlic
• 2 large purple onions
• 3 tbsp fried desiccated coconut
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 2-3 cups of water (or as required)
• 3 tbsp fish curry powder
• A bit of Tamarind water
• 5 tbsp of cooking oil
• Salt to taste

Ingredients for Chili Sauce

• 20 stalks of dried chili – soak in hot water till it soften. Drain water and blend with a little water and salt.

Ingredients for Garnishing:

• Abit of Laksa Leaves (wash clean and slice thinly)
• 150 gm beansprouts (clean and remove the tail)
• 2 cucumber (peel skin and slice thinly)
• 1 –1 ½ kg Laksa Nooodles

Directions to prepare Gravy :

1. Clean fish and steam/boil it. Take the meat and pulp it.
2. Mix in fish curry powder with items in red that have been blended and sautee till fragrant.
3. Add in coconut oil and 2 cups of water. Stir once in a while and allow it to simmer till oil rises to the top of the gravy.
4. If the gravy is too thick, add in a little water or till reaches desired consistency.
5. Add in salt to taste and turn off the heat once cooked.
6. Garnish with garnishing items before serving.

Chili con Carne

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 chile pepper, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 3 (14.5 ounce) cans w hole peeled
• tomatoes w ith liquid, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1/2 tablespoon chili pow der
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 w hole cloves
• 2 (15.25 ounce) cans red kidney beans,
• rinsed and drained

Directions:

1. In a medium sized stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute onion, chile pepper and garlic until soft. Add ground beef: cook and stir until meat is browned.
2. Pour in tomatoes w ith liquid, salt, pepper, cumin, chili pow der, paprika, oregano, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. 
3. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Stir in kidney beans, and cook another 15 minutes. 
5. Remove cinnamon sticks before serving.

Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 900 grams · Red potatoes, boiled, cubed
• 120 ml · Safflower oil
• 30 ml · Lemon juice
• 5 ml · Oregano
• 5 grams · Soy sauce
• 338 grams · Fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 120 grams · Snow peas, fresh & trimmed
• 113 grams · Chicken Ham, cubed
• 1 · Bell pepper, cut in strips
• 1 stalk · celery w/leaves, Diced
• 3 · Scallions, sliced
• 5 grams · Parsley
• 1 head · iceberg lettuce

Directions

1. Stir together oil, wine, lemon, oregano, and soy sauce.
2. Pour over mushrooms; set aside.
3. Steam peas 3 minutes; set aside.
4. Place potatoes in serving bowl; add mushrooms and sauce, snow peas, ham, green pepper, celery, scallions, parsley; toss together with lettuce.
5. Chill.

Ultimate Fudge Brownie Bar

Cookie Dough:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips
• Oreo
• 1 pkg Double Stuffed Oreos
• Brownie
• 1 Family Size (9×13) Brownie mix + eggs and oil as called for on the back of the box
• 1/4 cup hot fudge topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with foil or parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray.
2. For the Cookie Dough: Cream the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well to thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, then slowly incorporate into the mixer until the flour is just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of prepared pan. Top with a layer of Oreos. Mix together brownie mix according to directions, adding an optional 1/4 cup of hot fudge topping to the mix. Pour the brownie batter over the cookie dough and Oreos. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting. Brownies may still be gooey in the middle when still warm, but will set up perfectly once cooled. Enjoy!!

*Place the pan in the fridge to speed up the cooling process, but plan on at least 2 hours for brownies to cool / set up completely.

*Feel free to use store-bought cookie dough to make this even easier!

Recipe adapted from Kevin and Amanda

Beef / Mutton Dalcha

Ingredients:

• 1 kg beef / mutton meat or ribs - cut according to liking and boil till tender
• 200 gm lentils (boil till tender)
• 3-4 tbsp chili paste (add more if you like it spicy)
• 2 large purple onion
• 4 garlic
• 1½ inch ginger

(Items in red to mix with 6 tbsp of Beef Curry Powder)

• 1 stalk lemon grass (lightly bruised)
• 3 potatoes (peel skin and cut into 2)
• 3 tomatoes (cut into 2)
• 200 gm long beans (cut into 1- 1½ inch)
• 1 stick carrot (cut according to liking)
• 2 small purple eggplant (cut according to liking)
• 1 young mango (cut into 4)
• 3 stalks green chili
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 4-5 stalks of Curry leaves
• 5 Cloves,
• 5 Cardamom
• 2 inch Cinnamon Stick
• 1 large purple onion(slice thinly )
• 1 large purple onion (slice coarsely)
• A bit of tamarind water
• 200 ml coconut milk
• salt to taste

 Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot and fry the item in green.
2. Next put in the items in red and sautee it till fragrant. Add in a little water if it gets too dry. 
3. Add in the beef / mutton and 2 -3 bowls of water.
4. Stir it lightly and add in items in blue.
5. Allow the mixture to simmer till the potatoes is fully cooked. Add in the coconut milk and salt to taste.
6. Stir well and allow it to boil. 
7. Serve with rice or bread.

Black Pepper Crab

Ingredients:

• 6 fresh mud crabs (about 1 lb each)
• Oil for deep frying
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 12 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
• 1 1/2 inch of grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon salted soya beans, mashed
• 2 tablespoons dried prawns, roasted and ground
• 2 tablespoons black pepper, ground coarsely
• 1/2 cup curry leaves
• 10 red or green bird’s-eye chilies, chopped
• 6 tablespoons kicap manis
• 2 tablespoons black soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• ½ tsp Ground White Pepper
• 3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 3 Tbsp Chicken Stock or Water

Directions:

1. Clean the crabs and cut in half, discarding the spongy “dead man’s fingers.”
2. Smash the claws with a cleaver to allow the seasonings in.
3. Deep fry the crab until fully-cooked, drain and set aside.
4. Heat a wok, melt butter and put in shallots, garlic, ginger, ground coriander, salted soy beans, dried prawns, black pepper, white pepper, curry leaves and chilies. Saute till fragrant.
5. Add in oyster sauce, kicap manis, soy sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, sugar and chicken stock. Allow it to simmer.
6. Then add crab. Cook for 5-10 minutes until the crab is fully coated with sauce.

Salted Egg Crab

Ingredients:

• 1 kg fresh mud crabs - 2-3 fresh large crabs (claws cracked, shells removed and cleaned. drain and dry with paper towels)
• 1 cup corn or tapioca flour
• 3 salted egg yolks (hard boiled or raw yolks only, chicken or duck)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 5 chilli padi, chopped
• 2 stalks curry leaves
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• little salt or to taste or none
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• pinch of chicken powder
• 1 1/2-2 tsp sugar to taste
• 4 tbsp evaporated milk
• oil for deep-frying

Method:

1. Crack crab claws, pincers removed and trim the legs. Devide into 4 pieces. Clean and dry the crabs with paper towels.
2. To begin, remove the salted egg whites from the hard boiled eggs. Mash the yolk and set aside.  If you are using raw salted egg yolks, steam the yolks for at least 3-4 minutes and mash it. Set aside.
3. Next, coat the crab pieces in corn or tapioca flour. Deep-fry in hot oil till crabs turn red. Transfer to a colander to drain off excess oil. Strain the hot oil and place the wok back on the heat.
4. Melt butter in a wok, minced garlic, sauté curry leaves and chilli padi until aromatic. Add salted egg yolks, keep stirring until “bubbles” formed.
5. Add pepper, sugar, chicken powder and evaporated milk. Taste, add salt if necessary, then throw in pre-fried crabs. Reduce the heat and stir-fry briskly to mix. Dish up and serve hot.

Note:  

• You can skip the crab if you find it too much hassle to find and prepare one, just replace the crab with  large prawns.

Recipe adapted from Singapore Local Favourites

Palak Pakora

Palak pakora is a delicious tea time snack. The taste of deep fried Indian spinach fritters becomes more yummy when eaten with green chutney. Palak ke pakode can easily be served as a party snack.

Ingredients:

• 20 - 25 spinach leaves (palak)
• 100 gms gram flour(besan)
• 2 tblsp Rice Flour
• 2 green chilies (minced)
• 1 tsp minced garlic (optional)
• 1 pinch Baking soda
• 1/2 tsp carom seed (ajwain)
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 cup water
• Salt to tatse
• Oil for frying

Directions:

1. Wash the palak leaves. Drain the water and then cut the stems. Separate each leave and let them dry. Choose the spinach bunch which has broad and big leaves.
2. In a bowl, add besan, red chili powder, garlic, green chilies, rice flour, baking soda, carom seeds and salt. Adding little by little slowly make a batter of this mixture. The batter should be thick enough to coat the leaves evenly.
3. Keep the mixture aside for 2 - 3 mins and then again beat it for 30 secs. This will make the pakoras very crisp.
4. Heat oil in a frying pan. When hot enough take each leaf, coat it with the batter and then slowly drop it in the frying pan. You can fry 2 -3 pakodas at a time depending upon the size. Fry them on medium flame otherwise they will get burnt.

NOTE: 

• To check if the oil is hot, put a small drop of batter if it comes up immediately the oil is hot enough.
• Do not throw the pakoras in the hot oil or else you will burn your skin.
• Fry till the pakoras become crisp and golden brown on both sides. It will take 3-5 minutes if you fry on medium flame.
• Strain them and keep the fried palak pakoras on paper towels.
• Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup .
• Variation: If you want you can chop the spinach finely and mix it in the batter and then with the help of wet fingers drop small balls of it in the oil and fry them. This variation of palak ke pakode is also very popular.

Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

Directions:

1. Whisk together flour and baking powder in a small bowl.
2. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 6 with a handheld. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
3. Form dough into a 12-inch roll (2 inches in diameter) on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll up dough in plastic wrap. Chill dough 4 hours or until firm.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5. Cut roll into 1/4-inch-thick slices and place on large baking sheets about 1-inch apart.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

Ultimate Mud Pie

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (6 ounce) chocolate sandwich cookie
• crumb crust (such as an OREO® crust)
• 850 g coffee ice cream
• 340.2 g miniature chocolate chips
• 336 g hot fudge topping • 0.5 (18 ounce) package crushed
• chocolate sandwich cookies, divided
• 224 g frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 180 ml chocolate syrup

DIRECTIONS:

1. Freeze the crust until firm, about 30 minutes. Place half the coffee ice cream into a bowl, and let it stand about 10 minutes to soften. Return remaining ice cream to the freezer. Mix softened ice cream with the mini chocolate chips. Spread the ice cream and chips in an even layer over the frozen crust. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 2 hours.
2. Heat the topping in the microwave on low until warm and easy to pour, 30 seconds to 1 minute (do not let the sauce get very hot). Pour into a bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons cookie crumbs for garnish; stir remaining cookie crumbs into the fudge topping. Remove the pie from the freezer, and layer the cookie crumbs and fudge topping mixture over the ice cream with chips. Cover with plastic wrap, and return to freezer for 2 hours.
3. Take the remaining frozen coffee ice cream out of the freezer, and allow to stand for about 10 minutes to soften. Layer the ice cream over the layer of cookie crumbs and fudge topping. Cover with plastic wrap, and return to freezer for 2 more hours.
4. Remove pie, and frost the top of the pie with the whipped topping. Top with the reserved cookie crumbs. Cover with plastic wrap, and return to freezer for 2 more hours to freeze the whipped topping layer. Cut the pie into serving pieces, and drizzle each serving with about 1 tablespoon of the chocolate syrup.

Oyakodon

Oyakodon Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 small onion, cut into rings
• 8 oz chicken thigh or leg, fat trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Scant 3/4 cup water
• 1 stalk scallion, cut diagonally

Sauce:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Mizkan Bonito Flavored Soup Base
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Mizkan Honteri Mirin
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in the Sauce in a small bowl. Stir to combine well.

Heat up a small saucepan on high heat and bring the water to boil. Add the sliced onion, chicken, the Sauce, and cook for 2 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. Skim off the scum.

Pour the eggs slowly in a circular motion, covering the chicken. Lower the heat to simmer and cover the saucepan with its lid. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked. Add the scallions.

To serve, add steamed rice to two rice bowls and top with the simmered chicken and eggs. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from RasaMalaysia

Cheddar Broccoli Soup

Cheddar Broccoli Soup

Ingredients

• 2 can · cream of celery soup
• 2 can · cheddar cheese soup
• 1 can · cream of mushroom soup
• 960 ml · water
• 4 head · broccoli chopped
• 300 grams · onion chopped
• 480 grams · velveeta

Directions

1.      boil broccoli and onion in water for 5 min
2.      pour all soups into broccoli mixture
3.      stir and turn on low
4.      add chopped velveeta
5.      once soups are added heat on medium until cheese is melted

Vegetable Tempura

VEGETABLE TEMPURA 

Ingredients

• Oil for deep frying (Vegetable oil:Sesame oil=10:1)

Tempura Ingredients

• 1 small Japanese sweet potato (satsumaimo)
• ⅛ medium Kabocha squash
• 2 inch peeled and precooked lotus root (“Renkon no Mizuni”)
• 2 King oyster mushrooms
• 4 Shiso leaves

Tempura Batter (rule is egg water:flour=1:1)

• 1 cup (240 ml) egg water (1 cold large egg (40ml) + 200 ml ice water)
• 1 cup (240 ml) cold all purpose flour

Tempura Sauce

• ¾ cup (200ml) dashi (Kombu dashi for vegetarian)
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. mirin
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 inch daikon radish

Directions

1.      First, make Tempura Sauce. Combine dashi stock, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Then lower the heat and let it simmer until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

Now cut vegetables. Slice Japanese sweet potato into thin pieces and soak in water for 15-30 minutes to remove excess starch. Then dry them using paper towels.

Cut kabocha squash and lotus root into thin slices. Soak lotus root in vinegar water (2 cups water + 1 tsp. vinegar).

Cut King Oyster Mushroom into thin slices.

Discard the head of eggplant first, then cut it in half lengthwise. Then cut the eggplant lengthwise into very thin (about ⅛ inch) slices leaving the top 1-inch part intact. Gently press down on the eggplants to fan the slices out.

In a deep fryer, heat 1½" (3 cm) of the oil to 356F (180C). To make batter, sift the flour into a large bowl.

Add the egg into very cold water.

Whisk vigorously and discard the form on the surface.

As you slowly pour the egg mixture into the flour, mix the batter with chopsticks in a figure 8 motion (mix about at most 1 minute). Do not over mix and please leave some lumps in batter. Keep the batter cold all the time.**

Start deep frying from the root vegetables as oil temperature needs to be a bit lower than non-root vegetables. If the ingredient is wet, dry them with paper towel before dredging in the batter.***

For root vegetables, deep fry around 320°F (160°C). For vegetables and mushrooms, 338-356°F (170-180°C). Do not over crowd with ingredients. Remember you only put ingredients taking up about ½ of oil surface area.*** For shiso leaves, sprinkle a bit of sifted flour on the back of leaves and dip only the back of leaf into the batter and deep fry for 15 seconds.****

Transfer tempura to a wired rack or paper towel to remove excess oil.

Between batches, remove the crumbs which will burn and turn the oil darker if left in fryer.

Grate daikon and squeeze water out. Serve with tempura and when you eat it, place the grated daikon in tempura sauce. Serve tempura immediately.

Notes

• Make batter right before deep frying to avoid activation of wheat gluten.
• * Add 1-2 ice cubes in the batter or put the batter bowl in a larger bowl containing ice water in order to keep the batter cold all the time.
• ** While tempura is being fried, moisture from the ingredients will be evaporated and tempura will become crispy. However, if the ingredients have extra moisture, the tempura will become soggy after being deep fried. 
• ** When you put too many ingredients, the oil temperature will drop quickly. Make sure to keep the right temperature all the time.
• **** Usually vegetable doesn't require extra dusting with flour (like we need for seafood like Shrimp Tempura or Kakiage), but shiso leaves require dusting which will require as a glue and the batter will stick to the leaves.

Recipe and Pictures adapted from Justonecookbook