Simple Homecook Mamak Mee Goreng

The Mamak Mee Goreng

The Mamak Mee Goreng is a uniquely Malaysian noodle cuisine because it is truly a cuisine that originates and only found in Malaysia. Introduced by the Southern India muslim immigrants to Malaysia which invented this recipe in Malaysia a very long time ago. Therefore, the Mamak Mee Goreng was not a cuisine brought to Malaysia by the immigrants from their mother land but created out of fusion between Chinese noodles and the use of spices in Indian cooking after adapting to some of the food culture in Malaysia. And today, the Mamak Mee Goreng is a popular authentic Malaysian noodle cuisine enjoyed by all walks of lives in Malaysia.

Authentic Mamak Mee Goreng

This authentic Malaysian noodle cuisine uses the spaghetti type of noodle as the main component. Or in Vancouver, it is the shanghai noodle (thin shanghai noodle). For one person's serving portion, start with adding two spoons of cooking oil in a hot wok. Followed with some chopped garlic, cut pressed tofu (in half inch cubes), and shrimps. Simmer until the shrimps are cooked. And then, add cut tomatoes, cubes of cooked potatoes and yu choy. Stir fry the vegetables then, add two spoons of tomato ketchup, two spoons of tomato chilli sause and one spoons of dark soy sauce. Quickly throw in a handful of bean sprouts and the noodles. Stir fry until cook, then add some fried shallots on top.

Mamak Mee Goreng

Transfer everything to a serving plate and serve with a slice of lemon, which is supposed to be squeeze onto the noodle before eating. Garnish with some more fried shallots and then with thinly sliced lettuce. The fried noodle would then taste like an authentic plate of the popular authentic Mamak Mee Goreng. The flavour will be uniquely special but there were some components such as prawn fritters and shrimp broth that I did not add into the cooking process because I can do without them. Without these two components, the Mamak Mee Goreng is still authentically good.

Authentic Homemade Malaysian Curry Puffs

Fried Curry Puffs, fresh out of the wok

The Malaysian Curry Puff is the most popular of all Malay cakes. Eaten during breakfast, tea time and served in just any occasion in Malaysia, the curry puffs are also Malaysians favorite snack food. It is as popular as potato fries in the West. In fact, the curry puff's main component is also potato. Curry puffs are actually fried potato wraps. Or fried potato pockets. One of the main difference with curry puffs are promotions.  Although the curry puffs are found in nearly every type of eatery in Malaysia but they have not been properly promoted as a Malaysia cuisine or specialty.

Home Cooked Curry Puffs

Most Malaysians has grown up eating curry puffs and over looked the fact that the curry puffs are uniquely Malaysian. Although, easy to make and cook the curry puffs, I only know of one or two Malaysian restaurants in Vancouver actually has the expertise in preparing this traditional authentic Malaysian cuisine. Some Malaysian restaurants found the curry puffs not worth the time and effort to prepare and cook because they are too small to actually profit with.

Malaysian Popular Cake

Curry puffs are easy to prepare and cook. Many of my friends have sampled the curry puffs made by my wife and kids. We usually make it a family activity when preparing the curry puffs. I will prepare the potato stuffings and my wife would prepare the dough for making the curry puff wrapper. The stuffings would require five mid size potatoes cut into half inch cubes. Then, fried in a hot wok with five spoons of cooking oil. Once the potato cubes are cooked, add three spoons of curry powder, one small canned of sardine in tomato sauce (can add more if prefer sardine puffs) and half spoon of salt for taste. In order to add some authentic aroma, throw in some curry leaves. Mix everything evenly and set a side for the wrapping process.

Delicious Home Cooked Curry Puffs

The dough is made of five cups of multipurpose flour, half bar of butter (or margarine), two cups of water (add more as when needed), one egg and a pinch of salt for taste. Knead the dough until every component is evenly mixed. Make a large ball of the dough and set aside for thirty minutes to ferment. After thirty minutes, using a rolling pin roll some of the dough until in becomes evenly thin (2mm thick). Using a rice bowl (at least five inch diameter) to cut out the circle wraps. In the wraps fill the potato stuffings. Then, fold the wraps into half with the stuffings inside. Use a fork to press the edges together. Repeat this wrapping process until either the wraps or the stuffings are completely used up. Start frying the curry puffs as they are wrapped in a pot of cooking oil. Once the the puffs turns golden brown, transfer to a serving plate with a clean sheet of paper towels on the bottom to absorb the grease. Once the curry puffs are all done, they will be tasty and flavourful.

Pajo Fish and Chips for a change

Cherry Picking Season

I went to Pajo, Famous Fish and Chips located in the Rocky Point Park at Port Moody with a friend for lunch after picking cherries from the tree in his compound. We spend about two hours picking cherries from one tree, which was full of fruits. But the cherries were not that sweet. So, we decided that it should be use for making jam. I later past the cherries to another friend that lives by the neighbourhood to cook up some delicious cherry jam. This is the time of the year, where local fruits are abundance and they get cheaper as summer approaches.

Pajo's Famous Fish and Chips

So, after cherry picking, we decided to find a place for lunch. And since, there were only the two of us, we decided to go to Pajo, Famous Fish and Chips which was just about ten minutes drive from our neighbourhood. When we arrived at Rocky Point Park, there were lots of parking space available. On weekends, Rocky Point Park can be packed with families and people just out for a good sunny walk around the park. I have come to Pajo many occasions before and usually with the family for their famous fish and chips. They used to also served fish burgers but in the last two seasons, they have removed the fish burgers from their menu.

Mouth Watering Fish Fillets

Pajo serves one of the best fish and chips in the lower mainland and on the weekends, they are usually packed. There will usually be a long line of people queueing up and all the tables and benches occupied. There are three variety of fish fillets, namely Cod, Salmon and Halibut. They also have beef burgers if one is not into fish and chips. Their fish and chips orders are usually quite large in serving size. I sometimes share with my wife and the kids have their own. Each bite of the fish fillet is a crunchy experience and the fish fillets are fresh and good.

Roast Duck in a pack

Ready to Eat Roast Duck in a pack

I was grocery shopping in T&T the other day and as usual would head direct for the seafood section first before checking out the other sections in the supermarket. I don't normally go grocery shopping with a list, which I used to do. I prefer to pick items that are on sale. If I were to shop with a list, I will prioritize the list and often ended up paying much more. But, for essentials, I will usually stock up when the price is right. Items like salt, sugar, soy sauce, ketchup and cooking oil are basically the things I stock.

Authentic Roast Duck Cuisine

So, after my walk about of the seafood, meat and vegetable sections, I will check out the other parts of the supermarket. While walking past the stand up freezer section, I noticed a sale sign that reads, two for the price of one. That sign captured my attention, and it was cooked roast duck on sale. There were two different packages. One was half roast duck but boneless and the other was a whole roast duck with bones. Both were cooked, and just require ten minutes of heating to serve. That was actually a very good deal, buy two packs for the price of one. The offer was even cheaper than the whole duck displayed in the take away food section.

Fried Egg Omelette with Bitter Gourd

When we got home, I decided to open one of the packed roast duck. We chose the boneless one. Put the half boneless roast duck into the oven to heat for ten minutes and it was ready to eat. I added some blenched yu choy and cucumber to the serving plate. And also fried egg omelette with bitter gourd for a complete dinner meal that evening. The roast duck was really tasty and flavourful. It may not be as good as the freshly roasted ones but was authentic and tasty enough for us.

Manis Provided the Malaysian Cuisines in an event in SFU

In My Plate

The Malaysian restaurant in Surrey on Whalley and one hundred eighth provided the cuisines to an event recently in Simon Fraser University. I was in attendance in that event and was an opportunity for me to sample some of their Malaysian cuisines. There were four familiar Malaysian cuisines, among which were the Malay style Fried Rice, Mamak Mee Goreng, Tropical Salad with Rojak and Peanut Sauce and the Satay Chicken. Although, the cuisines looked and taste authentic but I found them to me slightly lacking in flavour. The difference may not be noticeable to the people that were eating Malaysian food for the first time or those that were not familiar with the flavours of Malaysia.

Mamak Mee Goreng

But personally, I felt the flavours could have been improved with some added ingredients when Manis were preparing the Malaysian cuisines. Oddly, Manis has a favorable reviews by their critiques which by the way, I agree as much, when the food is served in a smaller portion and in their Surrey location. But when prepared in much bigger portions, there were something missing in the flavours especially in the Fried Rice and the Mamak Mee Goreng. Whereas, their tropical salad was a real good cuisine. The chicken satay was also good and tasty. But still not in comparison to some really good satays in Malaysia.

Chicken Satay

Although, still lacking in certain things and not to everyone's satisfaction, the four cuisines were authentic and do have the right taste and some flavours of Malaysian cuisines.  I would consider Manis to be nice enough to provide delivery. As for the lack in flavour, we can easily solve that by advising them on the critique made by the patrons.  I am wonderfully happy to be able to introduce and share the taste and flavours of Malaysian cuisines. And Manis Malaysian Restaurant still serves wonderful and authentic Malaysian cuisines.

The Old Cantonese Restaurant in Vancouver's Chinatown

Spicy Rock Salt Shrimps

On Keefer Street in the Fame Heritage Chinatown of Vancouver lies several ethnic Chinese eateries. And among them is one of the oldest Cantonese restaurant chain in Vancouver known as HONS Wuntun House. The Cantonese restaurant has been in Chinatown for more than three decades which has actually been around quite long as most eateries don't last more than ten years in Chinatown without evolving into a fusion between the old and new. The changing expectations, especially the taste of this generation of diners has drastically evolved to include healthier and hygienic elements.

Fried Chicken Wings

I was at the HONS wuntun House in Chinatown several days ago with my family and some friends visiting from overseas. The Cantonese cuisines served here is not exactly the most presentable, neither are the cuisines the most tasty and flavourful. But HONS still manages to attract consistent crowd of diners. I believe the main reason is their affordable and competitive menu prices. I have been here many times over the years and they have not raised their prices. And they have not changed their menu items either. So, the patrons that come to HONS are among the older generation and they don't expect much changes with the cuisines or the type of service provided.

Fried Smelt Fish

I decided to order some familiar cuisines and one or two that were new to us. Our favorite Spicy Rock Salt Shrimps was really tasty and flavourful this time. The shrimps were especially fresh and tender. The Fried Chicken Wings were also deliciously tasty and flavourful too. I guess we were really fortunate that most of the cuisines we ordered were great that day. Our friends were impressed with the authenticity and taste of the Cantonese cuisines served at HONS. Our third and another favorite cuisine was the Fried Smelt Fish. These were small little fish that was fried with onions and sprinkle of salt.

Seafood Clay Pot Cuisine

The next cuisine that we ordered were the Seafood Clay Pot cuisine. This cuisine was the only one among the cuisines we ordered that has gravy. The gravy was so flavourful and tasty. I love mixing the gravy with my bowl of rice. In the clay pot there were squid, shrimps, scallops, friend tofu, mushrooms and some vegetables. There were two other cuisines that we had ordered. And they were the Fried Beef Strips and the Fried Fish Fillet with Fresh Broccoli. We had a really satisfying meal that day and our friends loved the place and the Cantonese cuisines too.

Catering for Events

Japanese Bento Set

I recently volunteered for an event that took place in Coquitlum. Coincidentally, I was assigned to hand out lunch boxes to a group of very hungry kids after their morning rehearsal. And there were more than two hundred of them. So, how do we feed these many kids within forty five minutes? The answer was, catering. And what kind of food would be most appropriate? Well, the answer would be Japanese or Chinese lunches. In addition, the whole day event also involves about thirty volunteers, including me, who were served with breakfast and the Japanese box lunches too. And in addition to that there were another two hundred or so guests that were served with a selection of cakes, salads, sandwiches, wraps, fruits, biscuits and sweets. The whole event, involved a lot of food.

Japanese Bento Set

The lunch boxes for the kids came in two main lunch set with five items. The first pre-packed Japanese Bento set had fried noodles with chicken, four pieces of sushi, a small portion of salad, two pieces of dumplings and three pieces of spring rolls.

Whereas the second set of Bento were basically the same but had chicken teriyaki with some vegetables instead of the fried noodle with chicken. And it also has the four pieces of sushi, a small portion of salad, two pieces of dumplings and three pieces of spring rolls. 

The Bento sets were delivered by Kaya Sushi on Austin Avenue in Coquitlum and according to the person that placed the order, they had missed out a portion of steam rice in the boxes. Because of the rice mishap, a group of kids had to wait for another twenty five minutes for the left behind Bento set to arrive. So, the delivery was not completed in time.

Sandwiches, Tortilla Wraps, Cheeses Salads and Fruits.

Then, in the later session's sandwiches, tortilla wraps,  salad sets and fruit sets were delivered by Austin Gourmet Caterers which was also located on Austin Avenue in Coquitlum. There were several trays of each of the sandwiches, wraps, salads and fruits spread out on five tables with addition platers of crackers, cookies and chips. The organizers were pretty good with their estimation and by the end of the event there were hardly any food left on the tables. Of cause, there were some leftovers that were taken home by some of the volunteers. In spite of the chaos that was initiated, the organizers with the help of the volunteers managed the event really well.

Sandwiches

Tortilla Wraps

Fruit Set

Cookies

The Famous Penang Water Spinach and Squid Cuisine

Sotong Kangkong Cuisine

We joined the same friends for a second potluck of the week in Burnaby and decided to cook the water spinach and squid cuisine as our potluck dish again. Other than our water spinach cuisine, there were plenty of variety this time. We actually had a pretty good time and enjoyed the company in spite of having a smaller group of friends at the potluck. The fine weather was just spectacular for this kind of outing. And we were so comfortable in the backyard of the friend's home that we chatted until late in the evening.

Cooking the water spinach and squid cuisine wasn't that difficult because all I did was boil a pot of water. Then, blench the water spinach and squid in the boiling water. And, poured a bottle of the famous Penang rojak sauce (tamarind base sauce) onto the vegetable and squid. Before serving I hand sprinkled some crushed roasted peanut onto the vegetable cuisine.

Water Spinach and Squid in Rojak Sauce

This particular vegetable cuisine is one of the signature cuisines that have made Penang the favorite food destination in Asia. The sotong kangkong is as unique as Penang Char Kueh Teow that originated from Penang and uses the same sauce that is mixed into the Penang fruit mix cuisine. This cuisine has a sweet taste but every mouthful is crunchy. The crunchiness comes  from the crushed roasted peanut and the water spinach. The squid adds the taste of seafood into the vegetable cuisine.

Potluck Featuring Chinese Malaysian Cuisines

Sambal Udang Petai

My jalan-jalan cari makan friends got together to celebrate the homecoming of a friend and his daughter's graduation from Simon Fraser University just a couple of weeks ago. And, that was reason enough for us to celebrate and have a gastronomical potluck gathering. But the main reason was no more than getting together for an evening of dining and friendship. Just like always, we had so much leftover food that we had to take home. I went to the potluck with two Malaysian cuisines. The first was the popular Yau Yee Hong Choy, in Cantonese for Water Spinach and Squid in Rojak and Peanut Sauce. This popular cuisine originated from Penang but today it is found nearly everywhere in Peninsular Malaysia.

Stir Fried Chicken with Ginger

My second contribution to the potluck was the another popular Penang cuisine. Char Kueh Kak (in Hokkein) is the Penang version of the fried radish cake. Relatively similar in taste and flavour to the famous Penang Char Keow Teow because both uses many similar ingredients. The fried radish cake that I prepared did not turn out to be as presentable as I had earlier expected because the homemade radish cake did not turn out to be as firm as I wanted. And because of that, the fried radish cake became lumpy and too soft. The taste and flavour was authentic but the cuisine obviously did not look anywhere close to authenticity.

Malaysian Curry Chicken

Among the other Malaysian cuisines that we had that day were Sambal Udang with Petai. Our host for that evening has just returned from Malaysia and among the many food items he brought home from Malaysia was fresh petai. And he wanted to share the petai with everyone. So, he decided to surprise us with the sambal udang petai which was one of the authentic Malaysian cuisine that was familiar and fairly missed by everyone there that evening. Everyone loved the spicy shrimp cuisine. Among the many other Malaysian cuisines were soy sauce baked chicken wings, chicken curry, chicken with ginger, Soy Sauce Pork and Eggs, Fried Beehoon, Fried Rice and some Malaysian Desserts.

A Popular Signature Cuisine of Penang

Steamed Radish Cake

The Chinese Radish Cake is another popular cuisine but there are many different methods and recipes to cook this vegetable root. Mostly consumed raw in salads, in the West but in traditional Chinese recipes, the radish is commonly found in soups. Also widely used to enhance taste in different cuisines when preserved radish are used as a component of a another cuisine. This vegetable root is crunchy even when preserved, has a unique taste and flavour different from carrots, turnips and jicama. It is also commonly called the Daikon in some parts of Asia.

Pan Fried Radish Cake

Not only is the radish a versatile vegetable that is used throughout Chinese cooking but depending on what it is used for, it can be cut, chopped, diced, preserved and even grated. If the radish is for cooking soup, just cut the vegetable root to one to two inch pieces. But if it is use for the radish cake than it has to be grated to fine shreds first. Or use the food processor to chop the radish then make puree of it. Add about five spoons of rice flour and one cup of water to the puree and mix evenly until the puree becomes firmer and thicker. While stirring and mixing, add some chopped Chinese sausages, fried shallots, fried shrimps (dried shrimps), salt (a pinch for taste) and pepper into the puree.

Penang Char Kueh Kak

Transfer the radish puree into a casserole bowl and place the bowl in a steamer. Allow to steam for about forty five minutes. Then, comes the few ways to enjoy this delicious cuisine. Some people like it the way it is. So, just eat the radish cake as is after the steaming process. Dipping with chilli sauce adds flavour to the wonderfully flavoured cuisine. Whereas, some people like it pan fried again after the steaming process. Pan frying would add aroma to the radish cake.  But the Teochiew and Hokkien clans of Penang have invented a new recipe, originated from Penang, to this traditional radish cuisine by adding, preserved radish, dried shrimps, eggs and bean sprouts. Of cause, fried with lard.

Signature Cuisine of Penang

And, I like the fried radish cake with a spoon of sambal belacan. So, the process of the radish cake can be really elaborate. Not that easy to follow and emulate. Therefore, it is fair that the radish cake is considered one of the signature cuisine in Penang, called the Char Kueh Kak. Translated means, fried square cake (because the radish cake is cut into cubes for the wok). A few days ago my wife prepared the radish cake and I took the opportunity to cook the Char Kueh Kak at home and took it with us to our cook out gathering.

Char Siew Rice and Wuntun Soup

Home Cook Char Siew Yok

We usually barbecue Char Siew Yok at home. And hardly do we buy this popular Cantonese style barbecue pork cuisine from the store or restaurant. The char siew yok can be a side or the main component in many Chinese cuisines besides just being served with rice and noodle. One of the cuisine that has bits of char siew yok in it is the Chinese yong chow fried rice. Char siew yok are sometimes added to stir fried vegetables and hotplate cuisines. At home, I often serve dinner with Char Siew with Oily Ginger Flavoured Rice garnished with Slices of Cucumber.

Barbecue Pork

To cook Char Siew, the first important item is the pork. I like the pork butt and usually ask for the leaner pork. Or, just tell the butcher that it is for making char siew. Then, rub the pork (one kilogram) evenly with a mixture of char siew sauce (two spoons), a piece of preserved bean curd, one spoon of five spices, one spoon of dark soy sauce and one spoon of rice wine. For a better aroma and flavour, allow the pork to marinate in the fridge overnight before barbecuing. I usually use the oven, set at three hundred seventy five degree Celsius, to barbecue for less than two hours. One hour on one side and forty minutes on the other side.

Home Cook Wuntun Soup

And the Char Siew Yok Rice cuisine will not be complete without a bowl of soup. The simplest and fastest soup to prepare is a bowl of wuntun soup. I can have the wuntun soup ready to eat in minutes because I usually have some ready wrapped wuntun and yu choy in the fridge. So, I just need to prepare the soup broth. Boil some chicken bones with anchovies to make the soup base. Then, add the wuntun and yu choy for a complete dinner cuisine.

Traditional Chinese Sticky Rice Dumplings

Traditional Teochew Bak Chang

The "Chung" (in Cantonese) or "Bak Chang" as it is popularly known in Penang, is a Chinese glutinous rice cuisine that is rich in tradition. In Penang, we often make the Teochew type of Chang. Once a year during this time of the year, Chinese all over the world, make the sticky rice dumplings which also coincide with the dragon boat festival. Like many of the traditional Chinese cuisines, the Bak Change has a famous story attached to it. There are many folk stories that have been told about the origin of the Bak Chang. But the most famous of these stories, which I have heard from my parents was that of the patriotic poet who had lived long ago in China. This is the story that has been past down from generation to generation.

Traditional Sticky Rice Dumpling

This famous poet, tried unsuccessfully to warn the people of his state of the impending expansionism intension of their neighbouring state but nobody including the the king took him seriously. He was so dedicated and true to his believes that when his country was finally concurred, he took his own life by drowning himself in a river, just to prove his point. So, the Bak Chang was thrown into the river by the very people who had doubted him with intentions to feed the fishes, avoiding his body from being consumed by the elements of the river. That was how the Bak Chang became an annual ritual to honour the famous poet. Thus, along with the sticky rice cuisine, came the dragon boat festival which is a significant part of this annual festival.

Bak Chang

The making of The Bak Chang has spread all over the world and as far as where there lives ethnic Chinese population. Today, the sticky rice dumpling recipe are readily available on the internet. In fact, so many recipes available until it has become absolutely difficult to decide which is the easier and better recipe. At home, our parents are the ones that make the Bak Chang and their recipe are easy to follow. First, place five cups of glutinous rice in a pot and fill the pot with water to the top of the rice, covering the rice entirely. Allow the glutinous rice to soak over night.

Sticky Rice Dumpling

In the morning, the very first thing to do is to prepare the stuffings. The items needed would be a piece of pork (preferably, the pork belly), dried oyster, dried shrimps, Chinese sausages, black eye peas, dried mushrooms, chestnuts and duck egg yolks. Every item has to be prepared in its different method before the wrapping starts. For instants, the mushrooms, black eye peas, dried shrimps and chestnuts have to be soaked in water, the pork belly has to be cut into one inch cubes and marinated in dark soy sauce, one spoon of five spices, pepper powder, corn starch and salt (also marinated overnight in the fridge), the sausages cut into thin slices and soaked in water.

Home Cooked Bak Chang

Once all the items are ready, add two spoons of cooking oil in the wok and throw in sliced shallots. Simmer until golden brown, then throw every item into the wok with low heat. Add salt for taste, mix and stir everything, then stop the heat on the stove.

Fold two pieces of cleaned bamboo leave in the middle into a cone in one hand, scoop the glutinous rice into the bamboo leave cone.  On the rice, one scoop the stuffings and top with another scoop of rice. Fold the rest of the bamboo leave to close the dumplings. Use twine to tie the dumpling and repeat this process until the rice and stuffings are all done.

Traditional Teochew Bak Chang

Put the wrapped dumplings in a large pot filled with water and boil for about three hours. Check the water level every so often. After three hours, the dumplings should be cooked and good to eat. Making Bak Chang may be a long tedious process but the effort put into learning to make your own Bak Chang is worth the time. This home cooked Bak Chang can not be kept for too many days, best consumed within the week even if kept in the fridge.

My Favorite Fried Rice Cuisine

Sambal Belacan Fried Rice

There are so many different ways and recipes for fried rice. On the internet, there are hundreds of such recipes. Actually, I like them all but my favorite is still the fried rice that is spicy, flavourful and with eggs in it. Every so often, I would just settled for a plate of my favorite fried rice for dinner. But to me, a really good cuisine of fried rice must have the items that make it uniquely Malaysian. This mixture of spices, herbs, sauces and paste that can transform plain rice to be tasty, flavourful and satisfying. And I usually would have a bottle of this special paste mix in the fridge. In case, I want to fry rice. The special item I am referring to is the, Sambal Belacan, a type of chilli shrimp paste that is unique and commonly used in Malaysian cooking.

Typical Malaysian Fried Rice

In the region surrounding Malaysia, especially the Malay archipelago, the chilli shrimp paste is the most popular ingredient used to enhance taste and flavours of the cuisines. And I use it quite a bit in my cooking. Sometimes, even spread the sambal belacan on my steam rice, just for the flavour and taste. Lately, I have seen this special chilli shrimp paste sold in some of the local grocery stores in Vancouver and I have tried it out. Not bad, for the mass produced sambal belacan but I still prefer the home made sambal belacan. It is, but an alternative to the home made one.

For this favorite fried rice of mine. It is simple. Really simple.

Real Tasty and Flavourful Fried Rice

Other than the sambal belacan, just follow these easy steps. Add about two spoons of cooking in a hot wok, then followed with some chopped garlic. Quickly crack two eggs into the wok, stir the eggs a little and add a few shrimps. Once the eggs and shrimps are cooked, throw in the rice and mix everything up. If there are lumps of rice, break them up. I like the rice separated and not lumpy. On top of it all, add two spoons of dark soy sauce, pinch of salt and two spoons of sambal belacan (one spoon per portion). Mix everything up until the fried rice turns evenly golden brown. If you have any fried anchovies, garnish some on the fried rice with mint leaves or cilantro.

Stir Fried Chicken Bits with Spicy Soy Sauce

Kong Poh Kai Teng

This is another common cuisine found in Malaysian eateries, the Kong Poh Kai Teng as the cuisine is referred to in Cantonese, is fairly popular in Malaysia. In English, it sounds and taste more like stir fired chicken bits with spicy soy sauce, which it actually is. This popular Cantonese cuisine can be found in major restaurants and street stalls where there is an ethnic Chinese cook because the cuisine is also easy to learn and cook. Although more of a Cantonese style cuisine, this chicken cuisine can be found in the farthest North town in Malaysia to the South most town in Malaysia, and across the South China Sea to Sabah and Sarawak.

A Popular Cantonese Chicken Cuisine

There are only a few necessary ingredients and items to cook up a delicious plate of kong poh kai teng. First start with the chicken bits. Cut up about three pieces of chicken breast to approximately two inch cubes, add two spoons of corn flour and mix well, then left a side. Prepare the dried chillies (5 stalks), soaked in a bowl of water to dilute the spiciness somewhat. Also prepare the slice ginger (two four inch pieces), cut one whole onion (cubes) and spring onions (two inch long).

Delicious Spicy Dark Soy Chicken Bits

In a hot wok, add three spoons of cooking oil, followed with some chopped garlic, then add the dried chillies (drained off water) and slices of ginger. Stir fry for about a minute, then add the onions and chicken bits. Allow the chicken bits to cook and to turn slightly brown before adding one spoon of dark soy sauce, a few spoons of water, a pinch of sugar and pinch of salt for taste. Add the green spring onions into the wok and continue to stir fry for a few seconds. Once ready, transfer to a serving plate. This is really an appetizing cuisine. The taste is great and the flavour is unmatched.