Deep-fried Crumbed Oyster Mushrooms

 

A few weeks ago, I posted a recipe for Mutter Paneer on my blog, and if you saw the last photo in the post, you would have noticed a plate of unidentified crumbed stuff next to the mutter paneer. Well, I can now reveal that the foreign object that was the subject of curiosity was really crumbed oyster mushrooms! Deep-fried curry-crumbed oyster mushrooms, to be exact. And the things you learn about oyster mushrooms when you're trying to find some inspiration to write about them. Did you know that oyster mushrooms may be considered a medicinal mushroom since it contains statins which work to reduce bad cholesterol? Wow, that puts eating deep-fried oyster mushrooms into perspective. More for me please! The latin name for oyster mushroom is Pleurotus ostreatus, which literally means "sideways oyster", and refers to the oyster-like shape of the mushroom, plus the fact that the stem grows sideways relative to the cap.

 

Farfalle Pasta with Sausage and Mushrooms in a Rosa Sauce

The moment I did a preview of the photos on this post, I knew I had forgotten to add something to the pasta. Peas! That's what was missing! It would have added such a nice pop of vibrant green to the dish. Well, at least I didn't forget the parsley, for both flavour and colour. It's been a while since I last cooked pasta, and when I do, it's usually a spaghettini with bacon and mushrooms in a creamy lemon butter sauce. I can't help it. Those are all my favourite ingredients and it's the only way I know how to incorporate them all in one delicious  meal. Well, up until two days ago when I made this super delicious pasta (I used bowtie or farfalle) with pork and fennel sausages, mushrooms, pancetta in a creamy tomato sauce. It was an absolute hit with everyone in the family (even my picky toddler, who often scoffs at any food I place in front of him, was too happy to finish his bowl of "butterflies" -that's what I told him they were).

Claypot Yee Mee

I made this simple braised yee mee for lunch today, something I haven't eaten in a long time. I had forgotten how good these noodles taste. I don't cook with my claypot much, so I figured I might as well put it to good use. You can find yee mee (these are crispy noodle "cakes") at Asian supermarkets and they are usually made in Malaysia. I suppose it's more a Malaysian dish than anything else. You don't really need a claypot for it although it would probably taste more authentic, apart from keeping the noodles hot. I've used chicken and mushrooms here, but you can omit the mushrooms and substitute the chicken with a mixture of seafood or pork.

Japanese-style Hashed Beef (Hayashi Raisu)

Have you ever eaten food that made you smile? It's when you take the first bite, and suddenly all your tastebuds are awaken and you feel a calming sense of euphoria which translates into a big smile spread across your face. Some foods (like chocolate, ice-cream and chilli) can trigger the brain to release more endorphins in the body, which is why we feel happy or even "high" when we eat them. One of my most memorable encounters with such "happy food" was at this restaurant called Modestos in Singapore, where I ordered the tiramisu for dessert. When it arrived on the plate, I could already tell how good it must be, looking at the moist and creamy layers of sponge and mascarpone, topped with a generous dusting of cocoa powder. The first mouthful just overwhelmed me with that warm and fuzzy feeling inside, and I just couldn't contain the urge to smile. Needless to say, it was the perfect way to end a meal, and I would always order it each time I went back.

Creamy Chicken and Avocado Fettuccine

I usually spend Sunday nights thinking about what to cook for the rest of the week, or at least for the next few days. Sometimes, as I am going through in my head the ingredients I have in my fridge and pantry, I realise that I have "accumulated" ingredients over the past few days during my grocery shopping trips. This often happens when I'm browsing in the supermarket aisles, spot an item (or "items" usually) and feel inspired to make something with it. Or sometimes, they have these "buy 2 items at a special price" deals, although I really only need to use one. Just the other day, G bought these avocadoes as they were on special. I didn't realise until the next day that they were on the verge of being overripe. I figured the best way to use them up was to make this chicken and avocado pasta, which is one of our favourite kid-friendly go-to meals. Chicken and avocado always pair well together, and the light and creamy sauce in the pasta allows the rich and buttery taste of the avocadoes to shine through.

Seafood Yakisoba (Japanese Fried Noodles)

I love the simplicity of Japanese cuisine and how easy it is to replicate some of the dishes that are commonly served at Japanese restaurants. Many of the recipes are often simple enough with a relatively short list of ingredients, and the dishes can be prepared in a short amount of time. Yakisoba, which is a Japanese fried noodle dish, usually contains cabbage, meat and other vegetables, and is topped with aonori, which are green seaweed flakes. The noodles are flavoured with yakisoba sauce, which is a thick and tangy version of Worchestershire sauce. I used to think that soba (buckwheat) noodles were used for this, but in fact, it uses wheat noodles, similar to ramen or chinese egg noodles. You can buy yakisoba noodles that come packed in individual serving sizes. They don't need to be boiled, but can be added directly into the pan and sitr-fried with the other ingredients. That makes it such an easy and fuss-free dish to cook.

Doenjang Jjigae (Again!) with Clams

I cooked Doenjang Jjigae again, for the second time in two days. If you are not familiar with this dish, it is a Korean stew made with soy bean paste, and contains vegetables, meat and other ingredients. This time, I used the proper Korean soup pot,  ttukbaegi, which I just bought this morning, so that I could enjoy another delicious serving of this wonderful stew! This time though, I opted to use clams instead of pork. Fresh clams are pretty hard to come by in Australia (or Sydney at least), so I bought prepacked frozen baby clam meat instead, which worked really well in this dish. The clams don't take long to cook, so I added them into the stew during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Both the clam and pork versions are yummy. However, I do enjoy the texture and taste of the clams in this dish, and it's also quicker to prepare compared to using pork, which has to be sliced first (unless you use frozen pre-sliced pork).

Doenjang Jjigae (Korean Soy Bean Paste Stew)

Last night, I just made the most delicious stew for dinner! Doenjang Jjigae is a traditional Korean stew made with soy bean paste (doenjang) and contains ingredients such as tofu, meat, seafood, mushrooms and vegetables. Both G and I agreed that it tasted really authentic. And since this will probably feature regularly on our dinner menu, I will purchase one of those Korean soup pots called ttukbaegi, which is a black glazed earthenware pot used to cook Korean stews in.

Fujian Fried Rice with Gravy

I know, I know. You 're thinking, fried rice? Even a six-year old can make fried rice, so why post a recipe for it? Well, there are many versions of fried rice if you think about it, not only the kind you get in chinese restaurants. There's Thai fried rice, pineapple fried rice, nasi goreng (Indonesian), Yangzhou fried rice, salted fish fried rice, Indian-style fried rice with anchovies, Japanese omu rice - the list goes on. Here, I am sharing with you a recipe for Fujian fried rice, which is essentially fried rice served with an oyster sauce gravy. The gravy is thick and gooey, which allows it to perfectly coat each grain of rice with a layer of tasty savoury goodness. You've got to love rice with gravy!

Shredded Pork with Spicy Bean Paste

This dish was inspired by Narcissus brand "Pork Mince with Bean Paste", which is actually one of the tinned food that I used to eat in my "younger days". It comes in a small can, but because it is rather salty, it was usually enough to serve as a supplement to our lunch. The tasty bits of pork and mushroom in the fragrant bean paste sauce goes really well with a hot bowl of rice porridge (congee). Such simple pleasures!

Creamy Lemon Butter Spaghettini with Chicken Scallopini

Here is one of our family favourite pasta dishes that is made with a creamy lemon-butter sauce, bacon, juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh mushrooms and served with a simple chicken scallopini. The thyme plant in our garden is starting to come back to life again (I really need to remember to water the plants!), and I managed to pick out a few sprigs for this recipe. All the other ingredients are pretty basic, and what I would normally have in my fridge or pantry (except for the cherry tomatoes which I happened to pick up on sale).

Egg Noodles with Pork and Mushroom Sauce (Kon Loh Mee)

One of my favourite home-cooked dishes that mum used to make is Kon Loh Mee. It's a dry (as opposed to soupy) noodle dish which she serves with minced pork and mushroom sauce. As usual, whenever most of us ask our mums how to cook a dish, it's always "agak-agak" (estimated) when it comes to measurements of the ingredients. So, my dish is also based on "agarration", although I managed to get it to turn out the way I liked it. Most importantly, the kids loved the noodles, and even little J who usually only grazes on cheese, snacks and yoghurt, happily slurped up mouthfuls of it.

Quick and Easy: Stir-fried Choko with Glass Noodles

Chokoes or chayote (not related to the coyote or the Road Runner show) are akin to green apples, although they more bland tasting than tart. When cooked, the texture is similar to that of turnip and reminds me of eating popiah (spring roll) filling. Here is a simple way to prepare chokoes with glass noodles, with simple flavours but delicious eaten with rice or even on its own.

Stir-fried Choko with Glass Noodles

Ingredients

1 large choko (chayote), peeled, deseeded and julienned
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 chinese black mushrooms, rehydrated in hot water, stalks removed and caps thinly sliced
50g bean thread noodles, soaked in water until softened
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1/2 tsp light soy sauce

Seasoning:
1/2 tsp chicken stock powder
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp sesame oil

Method

Heat up 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan/wok and fry the garlic for 20 seconds. Toss in the mushrooms, then add the chokoes and stir fry for 8-10 minutes until they are almost tender. Add 2 tbsp water halfway through frying.

Add the chicken stock powder, soy sauce and salt, followed by the noodles. Add 2 tbsp water and fry for a minute until noodles are cooked. Push the mixture aside and pour in the beaten egg. Scramble lightly and fold the mixture through the egg until well combined. Add pepper and sesame oil. Dish out, garnish with fried shallots and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Japanese Rice with Chicken (Tori Gohan)

This is a simple one pot meal that is quick and easy to prepare. It is made with Japanese short-grained rice (sushi rice) flavoured with chicken broth and sake, which gives it a hint of sweetness. I added diced chicken, mushrooms, frozen mixed vegetables and broccoli to the dish as the kids just love their rice-with-chicken-and-broccoli in almost any form.

Japanese Rice with Chicken (Tori Gohan)

Ingredients

2 rice cups (360ml) short-grained sushi rice
~2 1/2 cups chicken stock (or enough to come up to the '2' mark in the rice cooker)
200g chicken thigh/drumstick fillet, diced into cubes
2-3 dried mushrooms, soaked in hot water, stems discarded and caps sliced thinly
1 tbsp mirin
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp sake
Pinch of salt
Diced vegetables of your choice
Chopped spring onions for garnish

Method

Marinate chicken with mirin and 2 tbsp light soy sauce.

Wash the rice and rinse several times until water is clear. Drain and place in the rice cooker with chicken stock, marinated chicken, sake, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, mushrooms, diced vegetables and a pinch of salt. If using broccoli, add it into the pot 15 minutes before the rice is cooked. Do this quickly without letting too much steam escape from the pot. When cooked, mix well and serve with miso soup. Garnish with spring onions.

To prepare a simple miso soup: Add instant dashi to boiling water, add miso paste (to taste) using a sieve until dissolved. Simmer. Add salt to taste followed by diced cubes of silken tofu. Serve in bowls and garnish with seaweed and spring onions.

Easy Bak Chor Mee (Minced Pork Noodle)

Here is one of my favourite things to eat in Singapore. Egg noodles tossed in a spicy, salty and vinegary (tangy) sauce and topped with pork mince, braised mushrooms and crispy pork lard. Just the thought of it is making me salivate. In my opinion, the key ingredients that make this dish so tasty are Chinkiang black vinegar, pork lard and chilli paste (sambal). I couldn't find the flat mee poh noodles, so I used thin egg noodles instead (mee kia).

It's pretty simple to prepare. My version of it includes fish balls, sliced pork, minced pork, braised chinese black mushrooms, fried wontons (optional) and crispy pork lard. You can make the chilli sauce with dried chillies and garlic, and if you have more time, include shallots, belacan and dried shrimp and fry them into a rich sambal paste. I chose the short-cut way and used Sriracha chilli sauce mixed with a little Indonesian Sambal Bajak. It works pretty well!

Here is the recipe. Be sure to use only Chinkiang black vinegar, and don't forget the crispy bits of pork lard. It just isn't bak chor mee without them!

Bak Chor Mee Recipe

Ingredients

500g thin or flat fresh egg noodles

1 cup beansprouts (optional)

300g pork mince

300g pork belly (with a thick layer of fat on it)

1 small packet fish balls

5 black chinese mushrooms, soaked in 1 cup hot water

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped and fried in 2-3 tbsp oil until light brown and crisp

Pork marinade:

Light soy sauce, salt, pepper, sugar, garlic oil

Braised Mushroom seasoning:

2 tbsp light soy sauce, pinch of salt, sugar, pepper, 1/2 tsp dark soy for colour

Sauce for noodles (1 serving):

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp lard (oil)

1/2 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tbsp chilli sauce (or to taste)

1/2 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar (or to taste)

1/4 tsp sesame oil

2 tbsp broth

Spring onions, chopped for garnish

Lettuce leaves (optional)

Sliced red chilli in light soy sauce, to serve (optional)

Method

Prepare the pork belly by separating the lean meat from the fat. Keep the rind on. This is easier done if you freeze the meat for a few hours until firm so it's easier to slice. Dice the fat into small 1cm cubes and put aside. Slice lean pork thinly and mix with pork marinade. Leave for an hour.

Combine minced pork with marinade and 2 tbsp water. Leave for an hour.

Heat up 3-4 tbsp vegetable oil and fry the diced pork fat (lard). Lower the heat and fry slowly until lard is browned and crisp. Transfer to a small heatproof bowl and reserve the oil for the sauce.

Mushrooms: Squeeze out excess water from mushrooms and reserve soaking liquid. Slice thinly. Heat up a little of the garlic oil in a small pot and add mushrooms. Fry briefly, then add the reserved liquid and seasoning. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until cooked.

Assembling the dish:

Boil about 2 cups water in another pot. Cook the fishballs, minced pork and sliced pork, drain and transfer to a bowl. Use this broth for the noodle sauce (you can add some salt and pepper and ikan bilis stock powder to it if you wish).

Bring a big pot of water to a rolling boil and cook beansprouts and noodles for 30 seconds or until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold running tap water, then drop it in the boiling water again for 5 seconds to heat it up. Drain and toss in prepared sauce. Add a few lettuce leaves if used. Place the mushrooms, minced pork, sliced pork, fish balls, fried garlic and some crispy fried lard over the noodles. Add a dash of white pepper, garnish with spring onions and, if desired, serve with sliced red chillies.

Easy Lamb and Mushroom Biryani

Whenever I visit my aunt, I always look forward to her delicious Nasi Biryani and Beef Rendang, and secretly hoping that I could "dapao" or pack some home for dinner. The secret lies in using basmati rice, a variety of long-grained rice that is fragrant and keeps its grains separated when cooked. It's so good I could eat it on its own. I have always wanted to cook with basmati rice, but never got the inspiration to do so. Also, browsing through various Biryani recipes, the list of ingredients seem so long and foreign sounding that I decided to just forget about it and get takeaway from the Indian restaurant.

It was not until last week when I was watching Better Homes and Gardens where they cooked a pilaf that I decided to attempt cooking with basmati rice. So I bought my rice and made a simple chicken and mushroom pilaf, just yesterday. It was pretty easy, and so tonight I decided to attempt a biryani. Nothing too complicated, but just a few basic spices and ingredients like cumin, cardamom, garam masala, yoghurt, cloves and cinnamon, and ghee of course, for the undeniable aroma of biryani. Fortunately, I had all of these in my pantry/fridge. I added mushrooms to balance out the "meatiness" of the dish. I used large flat mushrooms and cut them into chunks as they tend to shrink considerably after cooking. G was impressed at how well the dish turned out and joked that I could probably "open shop and sell"!

Here is the recipe:

Easy Lamb and Mushroom Biryani (serves 3-4)

Ingredients

400g lamb forequarter chops, diced into cubes
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
5 cloves
3 green cardamoms, crushed lightly
1 bay leaf (or a sprig of curry leaves)
1 cup water
Ghee (or substitute with butter)
Salt and pepper

1 cup basmati rice
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 flat mushrooms, cut into chunks (optional)
Peas and raisins
1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
1/2 tsp turmeric mixed with 1 tbsp water (optional)
Toasted pine nuts, cashews or almonds (optional)
Chopped coriander / mint (optional)

Marinade (blend into a paste):
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp chilli powder (or to taste)
1/4 cup yoghurt

Method:

1. Combine lamb with marinade for 2-4 hours.
2. Wash the rice thoroughly to get rid of the starch, and soak in water for 20-30 minutes. Drain well.
3. Heat up 2 tbsp ghee in a pan and fry the onions, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Then add the lamb and brown all over. Add 1 cup water and the bay leaf and bring to a boil. Simmer for 40 minutes or until tender. Season with salt and black pepper.
4. Heat up 1-2 tbsp ghee in a large pan, and add cumin seeds, and then the rice. Fry for about 3-5 minutes, then push the rice aside and sauté the mushrooms briefly. Add the lamb together with the sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer (while stirring occasionally) for about 3-5 minutes until craters (or little holes) appear on the surface of the rice and the liquid is starting to dry up. Season with more salt if necessary.
5. Scatter peas and raisins over the rice. Drizzle lemon juice and turmeric mixture all over the rice (if used). Cover with a tight-fitting lid and set the heat to very low. Cook for 25 minutes, then turn off heat and let it sit for about 10 minutes, covered. Fluff up the rice with a fork and garnish with fresh mint, coriander, toasted pine nuts or almonds. Enjoy with some raita (combine yoghurt with chopped mint and diced cucumber).

Spiced Pilaf with Chicken and Mushroom

Cumin-flavoured basmati rice cooked with onions, chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, peas and raisins, garnished with toasted almonds and pinenuts

Japanese Tofu with Pork Mince and Omelette

It would have been better if I had a hot plate to serve this dish in, especially now that winter is almost here, food tends to get cold pretty quickly. Come to think about it, I should have at least heated up the plate I planned to serve it in, so that at least it helps the food to retain some heat. Then I would have more reason to call this "Hot Plate Tofu". Next time perhaps.

I love tofu of all sorts (except for the stinky ones), and egg (or Japanese) tofu is one of my favourites. Silky smooth and custard-like, it has more flavour compared to regular white beancurd. I still don't understand why some people find eating tofu revolting, unless it's been disguised as a Vegan [Tofu] Cheesecake, which in my opinion sounds more bizarre than plain tofu itself.

Anyway, I cooked this dish for last night's dinner and it was simple and quick to prepare, with just 2 core ingredients, tofu and minced pork (I had initially wanted to use prawns instead, but they didn't have small prawns at the market).

How to prepare Japanese Tofu with Pork Mince and Omelette

1) Marinate 200g minced pork with soy, pepper, sugar, sesame oil and cornflour along with 1 tbsp water.

2) Cut tofu (2 tubes) into 1.5cm slices and deep-fry till golden in colour. You can dust them in tapioca starch/cornflour before frying if you like. Drain on absorbent paper.

3) In a wok, fry some garlic, add some sliced shitake/chinese black mushrooms and the pork until cooked. You can also add some carrots, peas, sweet corn kernels etc. Add 1 tbsp oyster sauce, a little light soy, some dark soy (for colour), shaoxing wine, dash of chicken stock powder, sugar and pepper with 1/2 cup water and bring to boil. Thicken with a little cornstarch/tapioca starch solution, making sure there is sufficient gravy. Add a few drops of sesame oil. Dish out into a bowl.

4) Lightly beat 2 eggs with 1 tbsp water, season with soy and pepper. Fry in a wok/pan on high heat to make a large round omelette. When the egg is almost set, add the tofu and minced pork over the centre of the egg, let it cook for a minute (so that you get nice crisp edges and bottom for the omelette), then carefully slide the omelette, tofu and all onto a plate. Of course, if you have a hot plate, then just pour the beaten eggs onto the plate and let it sizzle before topping with the tofu and pork. Garnish with spring onions and sliced red chillies if desired. Serve hot with steamed jasmine rice.

Cheesy Baked Tomato Rice

Quick, easy and delicious using canned tomato soup. Love the crisp edges of the baked rice.

To make this, prepare a simple fried rice with a little garlic, soy, eggs, chicken, bacon, tomatoes, capsicum, peas, corn and mushrooms (or whatever else you like). Spread it out in a baking dish and preheat the oven to 200C. Prepare the topping next by making a roux. Heat up a pan and melt 2 tbsp butter. Stir in 2 tbsp flour and cook it for about 2 minutes until it starts to bubble. Stir in one can of Campbell's condensed tomato soup and mix well, and bring to a boil. You may season it with a little pepper, salt and sugar if desired. I also added some chopped parsley. Pour the mixture over the top of the rice, and top that with grated cheese (cheddar/parmesan/mozzarella etc). Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until cheese starts to brown. Remove from oven and serve hot. I used parmesan and mozzarella which gives it a nice chewy gooey texture.

Favourite Rosemary Meatballs and Cheat's Pasta

Ever since I tried ready-made pasta sauces (only the tomato-based ones), I find that they are extremely convenient, taste pretty good, and if not, you can always enhance it with fresh herbs or extra seasoning. The big plus is that you save the trouble of having tomato sauce splattered all over the stove, benchtop, floor and walls.

I usually buy Leggo's or Barilla tomato-based sauces and use them in bolognese, lasagna or meatball pastas. I looooooove meatballs and pasta, especially these ones that I've made here. So moist, juicy, tender and flavoursome, these meatballs can be addictive! Yum yum....

Rosemary Meatballs and Cheat's Pasta

Ingredients

For Meatballs:

500g beef mince (preferably not too lean)

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbsp chopped rosemary

1 tsp chopped thyme

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1/3 cup store-bought golden breadcrumbs

2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs (from 1 slice of day-old bread)

2 tbsp milk

1 egg

1 tsp worchestershire sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper

For pasta:

400g spaghetti/penne

1 jar of instant tomato-based pasta sauce

200g button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup water

Method

1. Combine all ingredients for the meatballs (except beef mince) and let it sit for 2 minutes for the breadcrumbs to soak up the milk. Then add beef mince and mix well using your hands. Leave in fridge to marinade for 2 hours or so.
2. Heat up 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Shape the beef mince mixture into rounds and place them in the pan (or you can shape them all first before heating up the oil). Brown them all over, ensuring they have formed a slight crust around them. Then toss in the pasta sauce with 1/2 cup water and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Check for seasoning (sugar, pepper) and add any extra herbs (basil, parsley etc) if desired. In the meantime, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente.
3. After the sauce has simmered and the meatballs have absorbed the flavours, add mushrooms and continue to simmer until done. Add more water if necessary. Place pasta on a serving plate and ladle the meatballs and sauce over it. Serve with grated parmesan.