Kimchi Bokkeum Bap (Kimchi Fried Rice)

Kimchi fried rice is the best way to use the left over kimchi. Some people love to eat kimchi with pork, but I love to eat kimchi with chicken. ;) For those who doesn't know what is kimchi, well..kimchi is one of the famous korean dish made of spicy pickled chinese cabbage.

Ingredients:

- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 150 g chicken fillet, chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 plates cooked rice (left over is the best for this dish)
- 2 spring onion, chopped
- 250 g kimchi, coarsely chopped, with its liquid
- Salt to taste

Method:

1) Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the onion and chicken, cook until the onion is browned and the chicken is cooked through.
2) Lower the heat to medium heat, add the sesame oil.

3) Add gochujang and stir until well blended.
4) Add the rice and stir-fry until the whole ingredients are mixed well.
5) Add kimchi with its liquid and the spring onion. Cook for 3 minutes.
6) Add salt to taste.
7) Serve immediately.

Yield: 2 servings

Yakisoba (Japanese stir-fried noodle)

Yakisoba is so easy to make and also delicious. :) When there's nothing much ingredients left in our fridge, Yakisoba is always the best option to make. ;)


Ingredients:

- 300 g dried soba noodles, boiled and drained.
- 200 g chicken/beef/pork fillet, thinly sliced. à I used chicken fillet
- 1 ½ tbsp oil
- ½ tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ¼ head cabbage, roughly chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned
- Salt and white pepper powder to taste

For the seasoning: Combine in a small bowl:
· 4 tbsp Worchester sauce
· 1 tbsp soy sauce
· 1 tbsp oyster sauce
· 1 tsp sugar
· ½ tsp salt

Method:

1) Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the chicken fillet until just cooked.
2) Add the grated ginger, garlic and cabbage. Stir-fry for 1 minute.
3) Add the carrot and stir-fry for 1 minute.
4) Add the noodle, stir in all the seasoning ingredients.
5) Season with white pepper and stir-fry for 3 minutes.
6) Serve immediately.

Yield: 2-4 servings

Japanese Curry Rice

Japanese curry rice is yummy, yet simple to make. I always make this food when I feel like eating curry but don't want to do the hard work of making the curry paste. :p

Ingredients:

- 2 chicken breast fillet (@100g-150g)
- 1 large onion, peeled
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled
- 2 medium carrots, peeled
- 1 block/cube Japanese instant curry
- 2 tbsp oil
- 500 ml water
- Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1) Cut chicken fillet into bite size pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2) Cut onion into wedges, then cut potatoes and carrots into chunks.
3) Heat the oil in a wok; brown the onion and garlic but don’t burn them.
4) Add chicken pieces and stir fry until light brown.
5) Add potatoes and carrots and stir fry until a little bit tender.
6) Add water to the wok and cook until the water boils.
7) Add the Japanese instant curry cube and stir well over low heat until the gravy is thickened.
8) Serve the chicken curry with steamed rice.

Yield: 2 servings.

Mae-un dak (Korean Spicy Chili Chicken)

I love spicy food and so does my hubby. :) This time I was feeling like cooking korean food. So, I decided to cook this spicy korean chili chicken. :)

Ingredients:

- 1 tbsp oil
- 300 g chicken fillet, cut into bite size
- 1 small onion, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 zucchini, cut into small cubes
- ¼ head Chinese cabbage, cut into bite size
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 spring onion, cut into 1 cm length
- 2 tbsp gochu jang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp sugar

Method:

1) Heat the oil in a wok over high heat.
2) Add the chicken, onion, zucchini, cabbage and garlic. Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables begin to brown.
3) Add the spring onion, gochujang, soy sauce and sugar. Cook for three minutes.
4) Serve immediately with warm, steamed rice.

Yield: 2-3 servings.

Stir-fried Kway Teow

Stir-fried Kway Teow is a famous stir-fried rice noodle dish in Indonesia and Singapore. The singaporean call this dish as Char Kway Teow, while indonesian call it as Kway Teow Goreng (Stir-fried Kway Teow). Singaporean Char Kway Teow normally use bean sprouts and lap cheong (chinese pork sausage) and seafood (eg.:shrimps). On the other hand, indonesian kway teow use more chicken or beef and choy sum. Here I made the indonesian kway teow.

Ingredients:

- 250 g fresh rice noodles (or 100g dried rice noodles, boiled)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 300 g chicken fillet or beef, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soya sauce)
- 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp oyster sauce
- 300 g choy sum or gai larn, cut into bite size
- ¼ tsp white pepper powder
- Lemon wedges to serve (optional)

Method:

1) Put fresh rice noodles in boiling water for 30 seconds, and then drain the water. Set aside.
2) Heat a wok over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of the oil and swirl to coat the base and side. Add the egg and cook into scramble egg.
3) Add the remaining oil, add the sliced chicken fillet or sliced beef and stir-fry until brown.
4) Combine the kecap manis, soy sauce and oyster sauce in one small bowl, then add to the wok.
5) Add choy sum or gai larn and the rice noodles to the wok. Stir-fry for 3 minutes or until the choy sum becomes slightly tender but not very soft.
6) Add white pepper powder and stir well.Serve warm with lemon wedges.

Yield: 2-4 servings

Curry Mee or Laksa Noodle

This Nonya dish is known as Curry Mee in Malaysia and in Singapore. However, the malaysian and singaporean immigrants in Australia call this dish Laksa. First time I ate Laksa noodle was when I studied in Sydney. In the uni where I was studying, there was an asian food counter where students can buy and enjoy asian food served there. Once I tried that food, I really fell in love with Laksa noodle since the taste was so yummy! ^_^ Now since I live in Finland, it's so hard to find Indonesian or Malaysian resto that serves Laksa. So, I decided to make Laksa for our dinner and yeah..it turned really good, spicy and my hubby loves that, too. ^_^

Ingredients:

- 150 g boiled/cooked rice vermicelli noodles (glass noodles)
- 150 g boiled/cooked egg noodles
- 2 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp laksa paste (see recipe below)
- 2 L water
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 1 tsp brown sugar or grated palm sugar
- 250 ml coconut milk
- 4 tbsp laksa paste
- 100 g bean sprouts, cleaned and rinsed in the running water.
- 100 g choy sum, chopped
- 200 g meat/beef ball
- 150 g chicken fillet, sliced thinly
- 2 cubes fried tofu, sliced --> I don't put tofu here, since hubby doesn't like it.
- sliced boiled eggs, mint leaves and fried onion to garnish

Laksa Paste:

- 2 medium onion or 10 purple shallots, finely chopped
- 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and chop the white part finely
- 3 cm piece of galangal, peeled and chopped
- 6 candle nuts
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tsp dried shrimp paste (belacan or terasi bakar)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp chili powder or 6 deseeded bird's eye red chili
- 1 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil

Methods:

To make the Laksa paste: Process all ingredients in a food processor or a blender until well combined. Store the paste in a clean, airtight jar in the fridge for up to 6 months.

1. Heat the oil in the wok and fry the laksa paste over a low heat until fragrant. Make sure to stir it occasionaly to prevent stickness.

2. Add the water and bring to the boil. Then, add chicken stock cube, sliced chicken fillet and meatballs. Simmer until the stock cube is dissolved.

3. Stir in the coconut milk and bring the gravy to boil. When it's boiled, turn off the heat.

4. Put the boiled/cooked noodles into four bowls.

5. Add the chopped choy sum and bean sprouts.

6. Ladle the gravy to the bowls. Make sure to take the chicken fillet and meatballs when you ladle the gravy. ^_^

7. Garnish each bowls that has been filled with gravy and meat, with sliced boiled eggs, sliced fried tofu, sprig of mint leaves and fried onion. Serve warm.

Make 4 serving

Borscht Soup

This russian beet root soup that called borscht (боршт) is such a hearty soup to eat during cold days or warm days. In Russia, people eat cold borscht during summer time and warm borscht during winter. FYI, this soup is originally from Ukraine, though many people know it as a part of Russian cuisine. ^_^

Ingredients:

• 2 large carrots, sliced julienne (match stick)


• 2 large potatoes, sliced julienne


• 3 medium beetroots, sliced julienne


• 100 g cabbage, sliced julienne or finely shreded


• 1.5 l water


• 1 beef or chicken stock cube


• 150 g beef brisket or chicken or pork, chopped --> I don't use any meat, since I want it more healthy


• 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice


• 1 medium onion, finely chopped


• 2 garlic cloves, crushed


• 1 tbsp dried dill or 1 bunch of fresh dill


• 2 tbsp cooking oil or butter for frying


• salt and pepper


• sour cream for garnish

Methods:

1. Fry the onion until tender, then put garlic into the frying pan. Fry them until soft and fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.


2. Pour 1.5 l of water to to the pot. Add the fried onion and garlic into the water. Cook until the water boils.


3. Then, add the chopped meat (if you use one), the beef or chicken stock cube and the beetroot. Cook until the cube stock is dissolved and the beetroot is slightly tender. When the beetroot is tender, its color is turning lighter (more pinky than red).


4. Add the potatoes and cabbage. Cook until the potatoes and cabbage are tender.


5. Finally, add the carrots. Then, add the vinegar or lemon juice. Cook until all vegetables and meat are tender. Season with salt and pepper.


6. Sprinkle with the dill and mixed well.


7. Serve warm or cold with sour cream.

Makes 4 serving