Ayam Pongteh - Miso Soy Chicken, Nyonya dish from Malaysia.

Ayam Pongteh - Miso Soy Chicken, Nyonya dish from Malaysia

 

The Nyonya group of people in Malaysia is said to have originated from the Malay men and their Chinese brides. Hence they have a complete different style of cooking and a range of menu which is entirely different from the other parts of Malaysia. The food is basically simple but the spices used are more influenced by the ones used in Chinese cooking. This Chicken dish is unique in taste because of the use of Miso. Do try this dish over the weekend you would surely love this unique taste. This dish traditionally has two versions, one which is spicier and cooked with Fermented Bean Paste and the other is with Miso paste. I chose Miso, because of the lighter and subtle flavour. You can make your choice too..

 

 

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking Time      :  45 minutes

Difficulty              :  Easy

Serves                  :  4 - 6

 

Ingredients :

•  1 1/2 Kilos Whole Chicken, cut into 10-12 pieces
•  5 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
•  1 tablespoon Japanese Miso paste
•  1 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
•  3 medium Potatoes, quartered
•  1 tablespoon Sugar
•  2 Scallions Stalks (Green Onions), cut into 1-inch pieces
•  6 small dried Shitake Mushrooms, reconstituted in hot water
•  Salt to taste 
•  Pepper to taste
•  3 Red Onions, sliced and ground to paste
•  1 inch fresh Ginger, sliced and ground to paste
•  5 cloves Garlic ground to paste
•  2 cups of Water
 

 

Method :

 1) Using a mortar & pestle grind onion, ginger and garlic into a paste

 

 2) Heat a wok over medium high flame and add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in it , add ground paste, stir-fry for about 1 minute.

 

 3) Add chicken pieces to the paste and stir fry for another minute.

 

 4) Now add dark soy sauce and Miso paste, stir-fry for about 5 minutes

 

 5) Add 2 cups water, sugar and season with salt and pepper.

 

 6) Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes

 

 7) Add potatoes, scallions and refreshed shitake mushrooms

 

 8) Cover, simmer until chicken is cooked, potatoes are tender and the sauce thickens slightly. 

 

 9) Serve with steamed rice and if preferred, a side of hot chili sauce for dipping

Variation

  For a meatless version, substitute chicken/pork with fresh Portobello Mushrooms (or any of your favourite mushrooms) and tofu. It tastes equally good. 

Nepali Vegetable Curry

Nepali Vegetable Curry

 

One of the most simple and tasty mixed vegetable dish is this Nepali Veg Curry I had at a road side food stall along with some steaming hot rice. The fresh vegetables grown on the terai or foot-hills of The Himalayas make this wonderful vegetable. I find this to be a real easy way to serve all the vegetables at one go. You can give it a try, and I am sure you would love it as much.

 

Preparation Time  :  10 minutes

Cooking Time       :  20 minutes

Difficulty               :  Very Easy

Serves                   :  4

 

Ingredients :

• 1 cup Cabbage, chopped
• 1 cup Green Beans
• 1 cup Cauliflower, chopped
• ½ cup Green Peas
• 2 medium Potatoes (boiled and diced into ½ inch cubes)
• 2 medium Onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 1 Green Chili, chopped (add more according to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
• 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Paste
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder (use regular ones, available in the market
• 1/2 lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped

 

Method :

	1) Heat a wok on medium high flame and add the oil. 2) Once the oil is hot add sliced onions and stir fry onions till golden brown.
	3) Add the garlic paste along with 1 teaspoon of water and cook for a minute. 4) Add all spices. Cook and stir for a minute or so.
	5) Add vegetables and salt, then mix well with the spice mixture in the wok.  6) Add a little water and simmer it for a couple of minutes. 7) Raise the heat and stir until vegetables are fully cooked.
	8) Check the seasoning and adjust if required. 9) Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with plain boiled rice.

Caldo de Peixe (Cape Verdean Fish Soup)

Caldo de Peixe (Cape Verdean Fish Soup)

 Caldo de Peixe is a traditional Cape Verdean recipe for a classic soup of fish with potatoes and sweet potatoes cooked in tomato-based herbed broth. The cuisine here is highly influences by the Portugese settlers and the immegrants from African countries. The Creole dishes of Cape Verde are known for the use of  freshest of sea foods and meat. This dish is very simple and equally tasty. An ideal comfort food for a busy week night. Just add some fresh breads and a bowl of salad...

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Standing Time     :  10 minutes
Cooking Time      :  20 minutes
Difficulty              :  Very Easy
Serves                  :  6

Ingredients :

• 6 White Potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 bunch fresh Parsley
• 1 Green Bell Pepper
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 3 medium Onions
• 2 medium Tomatoes
• 4 Spring Onions
• 1.5 kilos fresh salt-water Fish scaled, gutted and cleaned
• Oil for frying
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Method :

1) Wash, Clean and Cut the fish into small pieces.

2) Add a little salt and pepper to the fish pieces and set aside for 10 minutes.

3) Heat a wok and add some oil over medium high heat.

4) Gently fry the onions, tomatoes, spring onions and peppers in oil and fry for a few minutes.

5) Cover with water and gently bring to a boil.

6) Add the white and sweet potatoes and parsley then cover and reduce to a simmer.

7) Check the potatoes after 12 -15 minutes. Once they are done, increase the heat.

8) Add seasonings and check the broth.

9) Add a little more fresh parsley before serving. Serve hot with fresh bread and salad. 

Gyoza - Japanese Dumplings

Gyoza - Japanese Dumplings

Gyoza is originally a Chinese dish, which has become very popular across Japan. 
In China dumplings are usually eaten either steamed, fried or in a soup. Japanese gyoza, however, are usually fried and then steamed. There are many kinds of fillings used, e.g. with different seafood instead of the meat, other vegetable, etc. Actually, I had my first Gyoza, exactly the way I have mentioned here. I liked it so much that I adopted the Pork Gyoza. You can use different fillings, as per your choice and enjoy.

Preparation Time :  10 Minutes
Cooking Time      :  30 Minutes
Difficulty              :  Medium
Serves                  :  4 - 6

Ingredients :

Dough:

200 grams  Flour

170 mils water

Filling:

200 g ground pork

Cabbage

Nira*: can be substituted by leek or green onion

Garlic

Ginger

Sake*

Soy sauce,

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Sesame oil

Dipping Sauce:

• Soy Sauce
• Vinegar

                                    Courtsy : flickriver.com

 

Method :

Dough:

1) Mix the water and the flour to a dough that should not be sticky but as soft as an ear lobe.   2) Put a wet towel over the dough, and let it stand for several minutes.  3) Separate the dough in 30 pieces, and form each of them to very thin discs with a diameter of about 10 cm. The middle of each disc should be a little bit thicker than the edge.  Filling: 4) Cut some green, outer cabbage leaves, some green onion (or leek), nira, ginger, and garlic in very small pieces. The amount of these ingredients should equal the amount of meat.  5) Put some salt on the cabbage, and let it stand for five minutes. Then press the water out of the cabbage pieces. 6) Mix the cabbage, green onion (or leek), nira, ginger, garlic, and the ground pork all together, and add some salt, pepper, soy sauce, sake, and sesame oil. 7) Mix it all very well and set aside.

 

Making and frying the Gyoza:

 

  8) Put some of the filling onto a piece of dough. Remember that the filling should suffice for 30 gyoza pieces.

 9) Moisten the edge of the dough with water. Moisten only a semicircle, not all the way around.

10) Close the gyoza. While closing it, fold the edge about 6 times as shown on the image.

 11) Heat a wok on medium high flame. Once it's hot add 4 tablespoons of oil.

 12) Turn the wok till the sides are well covered by oil.

 13) Now arrange the Gyozas on the well heated oil. Fry the Gyoza until the bottom is brownish.

 14) Shimmer the flame and add water so that the gyoza are in the water with about half of their height. 

 15) Turn the heat high and wait until all the water has vaporised. Then remove the gyoza from the heat.

Dipping sauce:  16) Mix the same amounts of soy sauce and vinegar together in a clean bowl and set aside.

Serving and eating:  17) Eat gyoza pieces after dipping them in the dipping sauce.

* Note :  Nira :

This ingredient may not be available in Western supermarkets, but you should be able to find it in Japanese grocery stores that exist in most large European and American cities. You can substitute it with Leeks or Green Onions, otherwise.

 

 
 

 Gyoza, worldindiankitchen

Romanian Baked Fish with Vegetables

Romanian Baked Fish with Vegetables

 Baked Fish with vegetables is a traditional Romanian recipe for a classic dish of fish pieces cooked with aubergines (eggplants), tomatoes and bell peppers in a tomato-based sauce that's finished by being baked in a foil parcel in the oven. I came across this recipe in the UNICEF India's Canteen. I wrote it down and followed it ditto every time I prepared it. The very same recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Romanian version of Baked Fish with Vegetables.

Preparation Time  : 10 minutes
Cooking Time       :  15 minutes
Baking Time          :  10 minutes
Difficulty               :  Easy
Serves                   :  4

Ingredients :

• 60 ml Vegetable Oil
• 3 Onions, chopped
• 3 Bell Peppers, sliced into 1 cm strips
• 3 Tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium Aubergine (Eggplant), cut into 6 mm slices
• 60 gms fresh Parsley, chopped
• 6 Fish Fillets, cut into 5 cm pieces
• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• Salt  to taste 
• Freshly-ground Black Pepper, to taste

Method :

1) Heat the oil in a pan then add the onions and peppers and fry for about 6 minutes, or until just soft.

2) Add the tomatoes and aubergines then season with the salt, black pepper and parsley.

3) Stir gently to combine, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

4) Meanwhile, season the fish with salt and black pepper.

5) When the 5 minutes are up add the fish pieces to the vegetables and stir to combine.

6) Take a large piece of kitchen foil fold in half to double then oil the inside very well.

7) Take the fish mixture off the heat then form a parcel from the foil and fill with the fish mixture.

8) Pre heat oven to 180 degree Celsius

9) Seal well then place the parcel on a baking tray and transfer to an oven pre-heated to180 degree

10) Bake for 25 minutes then turn into a warmed dish.

11) Serve it with freshly baked bread and a bowl of greens.