LADY'S FINGER / OKRA FRIED WITH DRIED SHRIMP SAMBAL

Okra, known in many English - speaking countries as lady's fingers. Okra is a also a popular health food due to it's fiber, vitamin C and folate content. It's also a good source of calcium and potassium.

Okra can be cook in many different ways but this recipe is the best condiment of all. The okra is being blanched in a hot boiling water but not overcooked them, so they still have the crunchiest.....and with the add of the slow stir-fry dried shrimp sambal....this dish is a WOW!!! Here's the recipe I would like to share.



INGREDIENTS :

300 g okra ( lady's fingers )
20 g dried shrimps, soaked, cleaned and pounded
5 tbsp oil

Spice Paste (Ground)
5  fresh red chilies
5  large dried chilies
1  clove garlic
12  shallots
4  candlenuts
1 tsp belachan, toasted
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt



METHODS :

1. Bring water to boil in a wok and add in the whole okra. Simmer until cooked - a fork will pierce it easily.

2. Remove from the wok and cut away the stalks. Sliced diagonally and arrange it on the serving platter.

3. Heat the oil in a wok to saute the grounded spice paste until aromatic in low heat, about 10 minutes. Add the pounded dried shrimps and saute until aromatic.

4. Dish onto the cut okra and serve.

SWEET POTATO LEAF CURRY (HUAN CHU HEOK MASAK LEMAK)

This is my another recipe from my Nonya Cookbook. This recipe is so yummy and easy to make...so enjoy my friends :)


INGREDIENTS :

2 tbsp cooking oil

300 g shrimps, shelled and deveined
2 cups shrimp stock** / seafood broth / chicken broth
2-3 pcs dried tamarind peel
400 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
250 ml thick coconut milk
400 g young sweet potato leaves

Spice paste (ground)
50 g (4) fresh red chilies
10 g (4) dried dried red chilies
80 g (6) shallots
5 g (1 tsp) belachan, toasted



METHODS :

1. Heat the oil in a wok to saute the spice paste until fragrant. Add the shrimps stock and tamarind peel. Bring stock to a boil and add sweet potato cubes. Simmer until sweet potatoes are cooked.

2. Add the coconut milk, stirring lightly. When gravy starts to boil, add the shrimps and cooked until it's turn pink. Then add in the sweet potato leaves. Remove from heat immediately and served.


**Note : Shrimp stock can be prepared from the discarded shrimp shells. Fry the shell in a little oil until aromatic, about 5 minutes, then add in 250 ml water. Allow to boil for 20-30 minutes. Strain before use. Or use instant fish stock made by dissolving ikan bilis (anchovies) granules in water.

CRISPY BAKED SHRIMP WITH LEMONY MAYO

I got this recipe from MYRECIPES.com and is the best baked shrimp I ever had!!! You'll should try it to believe it.....even my hubby wants me to make it again the next day. The recipe called for Arugula but I substitute to Romaine lettuce.

INGREDIENTS :

1 1/2 cups plain dried bread crumbs or panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
4 tsp kosher salt, divided (I only used 2 tsp because is too salty for the 1st time)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
5 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
24 large raw shrimp, peeled with tail on and deveined
4 cups arugula or tender watercress sprigs (I substitute with romaine lettuce)
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper


METHODS :

1. Preheat oven to 475 F. Pour bread crumbs, flour and egg whites into 3 shallow bowls. Stir in 1 tbsp (I used 1 tsp) salt and cayenne pepper into bread crumbs and 1 tsp salt into flour.

2. Pour 1/4 cup olive oil into a large rimmed baking pan and spread to cover bottom. Dredge shrimp in flour, shaking off excess; dip in egg whites, letting excess drip off; then roll in the bread crumbs. Press each shrimp in oil, then coat other side, adding more oil to pan if necessary to coat all shrimp. Set slightly apart in pan.

3. Bake shrimp until browned on the bottom, about 8 minutes; then turn over to bake until golden brown all over and opaque but still moist-looking in the center of thickest part, 5-8 minutes longer.

4. Mix arugula with lemon juice, remaining 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

5. Serve shrimp with arugula and Lemony Mayo.



Lemony Mayo (Yields: 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients:

2 large egg yolks
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp finely shredded lemon zest


Method:

1. In a food processor, whirl egg yolks, 2 tbsp lemon juice, mustard, sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and a few grinds of black pepper. With motor running, pour in olive oil and canola oil gradually. The mixture should be thick and shinny.

2. Add lemon zest then salt and lemon juice to taste. Chill until cold.

KUAY TIAW PAD THAI WITH SHRIMPS

Last week I was watching this Throwdown with Bobby Flay and he was competing with one of the Thai lady with her famous Kuay Tiaw Pad Thai. At the end of the show...and there comes the tasting time and the winner was the Thai lady with her authentic Thai taste.

I cooked this Pad Thai and it really turns out taste better than those selling in Thai Reastaurant. Some Thai Restaurant, they added alot of sugar and it taste too sweet. Hereby I would to share this recipe with you'll and Happy Cooking!!!

Recipe Courtesy of Nongkran Daks

INGREDIENTS :

4 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra as needed
1 tsp garlic, chopped
1/2 cup fresh shrimps, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp preserved radish, washed,drained and chopped
1/4 lb medium size dried rice noodles, soaked 60 mins in a cold water, drained
5 tbsp Pad Thai sauce, recipe follows ***
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp ground hot chilies, or more to taste (used the dried ground chilies from Thailand)
2 tbsp ground roasted peanuts
1/2 cup sliced chinese garlic chives/green onions
2 cups bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
some limes, sliced


METHODS :

1. Heat the oil in a wok. Add the shrimp and stir until the shrimps turns pink. Then add the beaten eggs and combined it well until the shrimp is cooked and dish up. Set aside.

2. In the same wok, add the garlic and radish, stir fry until aromatic. Add in the noodles and the Pad Thai sauce, mixed it well for about 3 minutes.

3. Add in the ground hot chilies, roasted peanuts, chinese garlic chives, bean sprouts, eggs and shrimps. Stir fry until well mixed for about 4 minutes.

4. Place the Pad Thai in a plate and served hot with some sliced limes.



***PAD THAI SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 cup tamarind sauce
1 cup palm sugar (used Thailand palm sugar)
1 cup water
1/2 cup fish sauce
2 tsp salt

Method:

Mix all the ingredients in the saucepan and let it comes to a boiled. Turn the heat to medium and simmer for 60 minutes until the sauce is thickened.

The remaining sauce can be stored up in the refrigerator for further used.

STEAMED EGG TOFU WITH MINCED SHRIMP

Making this egg tofu really easy and simple. When I cooked this, my hubby in the first time told me that this dish is super delicious and taste better than restaurant. I was so happy that day and told him that I need a glass of red wine to celebrate. Really...he always comment that all my foods is OKLAH!!!

Anyway...I wanna share this recipe with you'll that are interesting and Happy Cooking!!!

INGREDIENTS :

2 tubes egg tofu
1 lb shrimps, peeled, divined and chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp corn starch
2 green onions, chopped


For Sauce ;

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp Hua-Tiau cooking wine




METHODS :

1. In a medium bowl, mixed the chopped shrimps with sesame oil, light soy sauce, pepper and cornstarch and set aside.

2. Cut the egg tofu crosswise into 16 round pieces, about 2 cm thickness.

3. Lay the cut tofu in a shallow dish and scoop out the center of the tofu with a small spoon to form a bowl (like picture shown above).

4. Spoon the shrimp mixture into the tofu.

5. Steam the shrimp tofu for about 15 minutes in high heat.

6. While the shrimp tofu is steaming, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan and simmer over medium-heat, until the sauce comes thick.

7. Once shrimp tofu is done steaming, remove from the steamer. Pour away half of the liquid from the steamed shrimp tofu.

8. Drizzle the prepared sauce onto the shrimp tofu and served hot with steamed white rice.

STEAMED DUMPLINGS

These dumplings are really delicious and I adapted this recipe from watching the Bobby Flays Throwdown at Foodnetwork. He was challenging with this Korean lady and she's a Dumpling Queen. Now...I get to know that to make a good dumplings, you need to add some soft tofu!!!


Now I would like to share this recipe with all of you and hope you'll like it!!!

INGREDIENTS :

1 pound ground pork
1 pound shrimp, chopped
1 box extra soft tofu, drained and smashed
2 bunches chinese chives ( ku chai ), chopped
2 tbsp chopped ginger
5 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
3-4 bags dumpling wrapper for mandoo
salt and pepper to taste


METHOD :

1. In a wok, fry the ginger until fragrant and then add chinese chives and stir fry for about 10-15 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine ground pork, shrimp, tofu, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, salt and pepper. Then stir in the cooked chinese chives and mix it well.

3. Wrap the dumpling mixture into a dumpling wrapper and seal it with an egg wash.

4. Steam the dumplings in high heat for 5-6 minutes on a greased steamer.

5. Served it hot or let it cool and pan fry with some oil.

HAPPY VALENTINE"S DAY

Today is Valentine's Day and I decided to cook a romantic dinner instead of going out and eat. I had all this ideas from my favorite channel The Food Network.

My hubby and the kids really enjoyed what I had prepared for them tonight.

Strawberries dipped with dark chocolate with white chocolate drizzle

Shrimps Scampi

Roasted Asparagus

Caramelized Pancetta and Fennel Salad

Cranberries Walnut Loaf and Honey-Butter

SPITFIRE SHRIMP

I adopted this recipe from the Food network. The taste is kinda strong from the ground cumin but if you don't like it, you can omit the ground cumin. Overall it just taste like shrimp in buffalo sauce.


INGREDIENTS :


Seasoning:
1 lime, juiced
2 oz (1/4 cup) hot cayenne pepper sauce
1 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp crab boil seasoning

Shrimp:
4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and divined
12 to 15 blades fresh chives, chopped, for garnish


METHOD :

1. Preheat large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.

2. In a medium bowl, combine all the seasoning ingredients till blend and set aside.

3. In the heated skillet, add in the olive oil, butter, garlic and shallots for 1 minute. Then add in shrimp and cook for 3 minutes, tossing and turning frequently.

4. Dish out the shrimp and pour into prepared hot seasoning mixture and coat the shrimp evenly.

5. Garnish with chopped chives. Served warm or chilled.