Mei chai ko rou (pork belly with preserved salted vegetables)

Mei chai ko rou (pork belly with preserved salted vegetables) is one of my all-time favourite comfort foods. It ain't the prettiest of dishes, and just looking at it can choke your arteries. But when you've had a crappy day, it is one of the best things ever. Matched with plain rice, it's hard to beat.

Because I am well past the Three-O mark and anything I eat stays around my waist for centuries, I increased the amount of pork in anticipation of having to chuck the yummy fatty bits (in other words, most of the pork) away. Yes, I can hear the howls of protest about throwing the best bits away. Look, when you are out there running the 15th kilometre with me, I will consider eating the yummy super fatty bit okay?

Ingredients:

800 grams pork belly, (the Oriental stores sell it with the skin on)
250 grams mei chai (preserved vegetables - get the sweet version)

Pork seasoning:
3 tbsp dark soya sauce
3 tbsp light soya sauce
2 tbsp Shaosing wine
1 tbsp black bean sauce
6 slices of ginger
5 garlic cloves
2 star anise

Mei chai seasoning:
1 tsp light soya sauce
1-2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp Shaosing wine

Mix the pork seasoning in a metal bowl and coat the meat well. Marinate for at least half a day to let the flavours work their way in. Remember, the longer it soaks, the more it is shiok!

Remove the meat from the bowl and pat dry with kitchen towels. Set aside the liquid, removing the bits and bobs.

Brown the meat over medium heat, then let it cool on a chopping block. Be sure to keep the dogs out of the kitchen :)

Mix the mei chai in the listed seasoning and fry for about 5 minutes, then set aside.

 Cut the strips of pork into 5-cm chunks, and then slice each chunk into half (or thinner).

Arrange them in a large bowl, skin side down, and then spread the mei chai evenly on top of the meat. Add the meat marinating liquid.

Steam for an hour.

Now here's the tricky bit but well worth a go for presentation: Cover the bowl with a plate, and carefully drain the now yummy sauce into a smaller bowl using a small gap. Set aside.

It should look like this BEFORE flipping:

With a firm hand and the bowl fully covered, flip it such that the bowl is now on top. Gently lift and add return the liquid to the dish.

And there, my friend, you are now ready to enjoy the mei chai ko rou with your loved ones!

Mine was not perfect (it looks a tad messy), but the Husband loved it. And that was the best part of dinner :)

American pie for the American birthday boy

I have made a French apple tart before, and I could do my apple crumble blind, but for his birthday Ray asked for an American apple pie with lattice top. Yes, give them a tart and they ask for a top!

Anyway, here's my first attempt, adapted from Epicurious.com:
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced

Because I was making an open top vegetable pie, and roasting a chicken on the same day, I saved time by using short crust pastry from the supermarket.

The process was surprisingly easy, although the prep work for the apple was dead boring. Thank goodness for Mad Men!

I found there was too much apple and not enough nutmeg. But overall the apple flavour was very good, even better than the tart and crumble. Yes, I liked it!

One thing: I baked the base for 10 minutes, which made crimping the edges of the lattice out of the question (hence the less than elegant appearance). I will try doing it without baking the base next time.

Which might be today given I have lots of leftover apples!

Chicken pie

Funny how much I love chicken pie, and yet I've been in the UK for almost three years and not attempted to make it.

I guess ready availability has something to do with it, but recently my friend Siew Ching showed me shots of her creations and that got me motivated.

I looked up a few recipes and decided to, well, make it up as I went along!

First, I fried some bacon in olive oil. Then I added chopped mushrooms and tossed the lot about for about 5 minutes.

While that was coming along, I put my diced chicken breasts in a plastic bag with some plain flour and dried thyme, and tossed it about to get it all well coated.

I fried the chicken lightly in butter in a separate pan, and then added it to the bacon-and-mushroom mix.Then I added celery and frozen peas. I didn't cook the peas in the microwave as I didn't want them to become mushy by the time they come out of the oven.

I then added two bay leaves, a tin of mushroom soup (yes, the regular supermarket kind), and pepper to taste. Don't cook it for too long - you will have the pie in an oven at 200 degC for about 20 minutes so it'd have plenty of time for flavours to come out.

For my first attempt, I used both filo pastry and shortcrust pastry.

The filo pastry was a FLOP!

This was before it went in the oven...

It came out like this...

The shortcrust pastry version was much more successful!

It came out like this!

Ray said it's the best pie he's ever had - he liked the strong thyme flavour. See why I married him?! :)

Beefy, not leafy!

Many of the supermarket chains in the UK offer special cuts and aged beef. They are not as delicate or marbly as the wagyu beef that I love, but it's tastier than the average steak.

Earlier this week, I decided to do a beef face-off.  So I picked up a Marks & Spencer Special Reserve Aberdeen Angus fillet steak for almost £8.

Next came the somewhat cheaper cut from Sainsbury's, a 21-day aged steak. I got two steaks for almost $12.

Here's how they looked on the grill:

I loved the deep redness of the M&S beef!

Then it was onto a plate (M&S still on the right)...

We whipped up a quick mushroom and red wine sauce:

Here's a close-up of the two fillets:

I liked the texture of the M&S fillet (R) better, although I don't think it's worth THAT much of a jump in price. Also, I probably cooked it for a minute or so less, so that may have made a difference.

Both were pretty tasty and gave us a perfect excuse to indulge in a bottle of red wine!

Quick chicken and chorizo paella

I adapted this recipe from Epicurious.com, which I have as an app on my iPhone. It's fantastic that I no longer have to write my shopping list on scraps of paper (which I always inevitably leave in the hallway when I go to the supermarket).

Best of all, unlike Jamie Oliver's app Epicurious is FREE! Go check it out. It's a great app and the recipes WORK.

RICE IS NICE

I love paella - the fantastic kaleidoscope of colours, the intoxicating aromas (especially saffron), the communal nature of eating it... And really, who could resist slightly mushy rice? Yum, yum, yum.

Earlier this week, I had some chorizo and peppers in the fridge alongside some frozen peas in the freezer, so I decided to do a quick version of the famous Spanish rice dish.

Here goes!
 
First, brown some sliced chorizo in a paella pan for about 1 minute, then add one onion (chopped), two bell peppers and garlic. Let it cook for about 3 minutes.

Then, add the rice (I used paella but arborio will do as well), saffron, and bay leaves, stir to combine and coat the rice. Add four cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil. 

Add roast chicken (I just bought one ready cooked from the supermarket, ate the wings of course, and used the rest of the meat!), frozen peas, and tomatoes; stir to combine. 

The recipe called for the skillet to be transferred to a pre-heated oven, but as I was using the Real Thing (a paella pan albeit teflon-coated), I kept it on the stove to cook uncovered, stirring every five minutes. 

As I was engrossed in a Brothers & Sisters episode, I allowed the rice to get a little dry at one point...Oops! I quickly added more chicken stock - thankfully, the end result came out just right.

Morale of the story? Watch catchup TV on your iPhone IN THE KITCHEN. That way, you can watch over your food at the same time!

Roasted Portobello Mushroom and Prosciutto Lasagna

This is the first time I made lasagne from scratch. I didn't want a tomato-based dish, and this recipe from Epicurious (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Portobello-and-Prosciutto-Lasagna-23094) appealed to me.

Plus it's got cured swine so of course I went for it.

First, I pan-fried the prosciutto and cut up the strips. I then fried the shallots, rosemary, and thyme before throwing the swine back in. I set it aside (it was very hard not to eat the lot!)

 I coated the portobello mushrooms with olive oil, popped them into the oven for 45 minutes, then let them cool before cutting them into thick slices.

While the shrooms were cooling, I got down to making the bechamel sauce:

First, I mixed milk and chicken broth, added a bay leaf and let it all simmer. Then I discarded the bay leaf and let it stand for 10 minutes. Next, I stirred in the cheeses (Gruyère and Parmesan), and added a pinch of nutmeg, plus pepper to taste.

Next, I melted a stick of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. I whisked in the flour and stirred for two minutes. I have to confess, this was the bit I dreaded most. For some reason, I had visions of me burning multiple attempts. The angst was strong enough I actually watched some online videos before attempting it.


Thankfully, I got it on first try. Woohoo!

Next, I whisked in the hot milk mixture and brought it to a boil, whisking frequently. I lowered the heat and let it simmer for five minutes.

I cooked the pasta (actually slightly undercooked so it finishes in the oven) and then started to layer the lasagne.

 I topped it off with a nice layer of Parmesan cheese and small cubes of butter.

Then it was off into a preheated oven.

After 45 minutes and a well-deserved wash, here's the result:

Overall it was a reasonable first try. Next time I do this, I would add more bechamel sauce (there is such a thing as too-wet lasagne), and I would slice the mushrooms into finer strips.

Mee Goreng meets English Breakfast

In Singapore, the quintessential brand of instant noodles for home-cooked Mee Goreng (fried noodles in Malay) is Indomie.

I love mee goreng. You can get it at many stalls in hawker centres across Singapore. There's a Malay version, and an Indian version which is redder in colour and sometimes bits of (I think) mutton in it. I love having a sunny side up (with runny york) on top.

Anyway, I recently visited my friend Rebecca in Birmingham, and there - of all places - I learnt the "correct way" of making the Malay version of mee goreng.

Ibo, her lovely partner spoilt us rotten and cooked us some lovely noodles.

So here goes:

First, you fry up some red onions in a bit of oil. For extra points, throw in some sliced mushrooms. After a few minutes, throw in the raw noodles. Then you add some water (don't drown the noodles, we're not boiling here).

Add in the condiments that come with the instant noodles, and keep stirring the noodles so it's evenly cooked. If you have some kecap manis (sweet sauce), add an extra dash. It takes it to a whole different level.

When I got back to London, of course I busted butt to get a few packs. Oddly enough it's not sold at See Woo, the mother of all Oriental stores.

Here's my version of it - albeit with a few other ingredients.Vegans and health food types, look away now!

Curry Night

I've not made Indian food in a while. In London, you can get pretty tasty curries in the supermarkets (yes, the type you pop in the microwave and nuke).

Tonight I whipped up Balti Chicken Madras and Courgette Curry. Both recipes are from the Low-Fat Indian Food, a simple cookbook with easy instructions and the crucial ingredient in my view - photographs.
I also made basmati rice flavoured with onions, cumin and mustard seeds.

Anyway, the Ah Lau said it was a "screaming success" - I don't think he meant it was too hot. At least I hope not. He is the undisputed King of Chilli  Buffalo Wings at Jerry's after all so his tolerance for spicy food is beyond human nature.

Maybe I will be braver next week and  make Chicken Vindaloo, the mother of all Indian curries, the one that makes grown men weep.

Le Cafe Anglaise

Last night was our Big Night Out. We went to not one but two wine tastings, organised by Howard Ripley and Justerini & Brooks.

After the guerrilla tastings we headed for Bayswater to check out the much-touted Cafe Le Anglais.

The restaurant, set up by Rowley Leigh, won both Best Newcomer and London Restaurant of the Year at the London Restaurant Awards 2008, so we had high expectations.

We were not bowled over.

The decor is very cool, and spacious layout very appealing especially for a group night out. I like the bar area!

The Anglo-French menu is massive - not surprising given Leigh's long career - and includes aperitif, hors d'oeuvre, rotisserie specials, fish, desserts, and ice creams. There is also a Menu Gormand, and three other fixed menus. To add to the ambition, there's a daily special. Pant!

While the restaurant was born out of a desire for a rotisserie-based business, we decided to choose the Menu Gormand (35 pounds). I had the spaghetti with langoustines, followed by tronconette of brill with parsnips flavoured with garam masala, and er, some chocolate dessert.

I thoroughly enjoyed my starter. It had a lively fresh flavour, and the tomato sauce was perfectly light.

My brill (fish) was a letdown - it was like cod only firmer, and the garam masala didn't quite work.

 My dessert - some sort of choco mousse inside a cake thingy - was only so-so:

For his main course, Ray had a steak which was competent but nothing to shout about. Writing this right now, he can't even recall what he had for a starter it was that unforgettable (some of game with foie gras) but here's an attractive shot of it:

His dessert was the best thing we had that night - a panna cotta with a perfect bounce and delicate flavour.

Too bad the rhubarb was severely undercooked.

I would come back for the panna cotta, but that's about it...

Thinking back, I should have stuck to the rotisserie dishes - some other diners had the chicken and that looked very good. But you know when you have a big night out, sometimes you want to splash out so you reckon the menu GOURMAND would bowl you over especially given the price...

Plus I make a decent roast chicken so the thought of paying top bucks for chicken is like getting a roasting yourself.

Ah Lau gets Big Balls

Being a fan of Italian food, I decided to conduct a step-by step cookout of my favourite meatballs & spaghetti recipe.

It's taken from Bon Appetit magazine, but I've made one slight tweak i.e. to add ground beef to suit the Ah Lau's love for bovine.

I love this recipe: Firstly, the meatballs are baked, not fried. It's marginally healthier, and the lovely juices are nicely retained.

Secondly, the use of pine nuts and currants give the dish both sweetness and crunch. Delish!

Thirdly, it uses sausages so you can go wild with the possibilities. Personally, I like using a mix of Sicilian and Tolouse sausages from Sainsbury's.

First, I get on with the sauce, as it will take about an hour. After heating up the olive oil, I put in 1.5 cups of finely-chopped onions.

After about five minutes of stirring, I add two cloves of minced garlic and stir for a minute.

Then I add the canned tomatos. Canned tomatoes generally pack more flavour than the fresh supermarket version (says the Ah Lau), and it saves you a lot of hassle (says me who does a lot of the washing up). Let the sauce stew for an hour, stirring frequently. And yes, you can sneak a taste or two.

While the sauce's bubbling away, pre-heat the oven and get on with making the meatballs.

After letting the milk-bread crumb mix sit for five minutes, add the pine nuts, basil, parmesan cheese, currants and the meat. I love removing the membrane (yes, that's what I call it) from the sausages and watching the meat slide into the mix. There's something oddly satisfying about it.

Here comes the fun part: Using my clean bare hands, I go into PlayDoh mode.

 

I shape the meat into balls and spread them evenly on a baking tray.  On this occasion, the Ah Lau exclaimed: "I want BIG balls!"

So..... I granted his wish :) 

When the sauce is almost done, I add salt and pepper to taste followed by the remaining basil, then I give it all a solid stir for five minutes.

When the meatballs are done, I add them to the sauce. Then the Ah Lau cracks open a big-ass bottle of red, toss up a salad, and we say Salut!

The Last Supper

Okay, so how to end annus horribilis and close the decade with a bang? Well, my friend, for such a crucial task only CHEESY CHINESE FOOD will do.

So I made some mandatory fried rice - complete with lap cheong (the proper type smuggled by kind friends from Hong Kong), peas, carrots, chilli and eggs, topped with bawang goreng (fried shallots) and ikan bilis.

The end of the decade was also the chosen time for my very first attempt at Chinese pork ribs.

Here's my marinade, adapted from Cooks.com:

Chinese five-spice powder
Light soya sauce
Sesame oil
Sherry
Garlic (I used powder as I was too lazy to chop)
Star anise

I let the flavours work their way for a solid day. Also, I used prime ribs instead of spare ribs because 1) I am married to an American and they simply don't see the point of spare ribs, and 2) I figured since I am gonna make the effort, might as well get a bit more meat out of the exercise. Kiasu Singaporean, yes yes.

Once ready to bake, I laid out the ribs on a nicely-greased baking tray before popping it into the oven.
I then prepared my basting sauce which was equal parts of hoisin sauce and ketchup, and a touch of honey.

Then it was simply a matter of watching them babies cook in the oven, basting on occasion, turning them after 20 minutes, and repeating the process!

The final touch: Ray fired up the baking tray on the stove, added hot water, scraped the tray to collect the plate the nice drippings(we are absorbing the carbon footprint, yes we are...) and poured it onto the ribs.

Viola!

The meat was super tender and the sauce spot on in terms of flavour (although I found it a tad sweet).

Of course, the best way to enjoy cheesy Chinese food is with some champagne...Yes, it's a secret tradition that historians would rather not divulge.

Happy New Year!