Organic Beef Broth

Our son, Kwan got me into purchasing a quarter portion of grass-fed beef from a farm in Marin. We had to borrowed a friend's large cooler to bring all those beef home. I have never seen so much meat in my life! We have enough bones to make this wholesome broth that is nutritious and easy to prepare. If your only experience with soup involves opening a can, it's time to take this soup a little more seriously.

Ingredients:

3 lbs beef bones

2 carrots, cut in chunks (unpeeled)
4 celery ribs, cut in chunks
1 large or 2 medium onions, quartered (unpeeled)
1 small yam, quartered (unpeeled)
4 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic
10 peppercorns
2 tsp. parsley
2 tsp. bouquet garni (thyme, rosemary, marjoram, oregano)
3-4 quarts water
2 tsp. olive oil
Method:
1. Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan and brown bones to provide favor.  Add water, salt and bring to a boil. Skim off excess froth off the top and discard.
2. Add vegetables and rest of ingredients. Reduce heat to low and cover to boil slowly for about 4-5 hours.
3. Strain liquid with a fine sieve and use as soup base. Freeze the rest for later.
Note: To remove most of the fat, I would freeze it and gently remove the layer of fat on top. Broth can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or 4 months in the freezer.
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Sweet Potato and Yam in Coconut Cream/Bubor Cha Cha

Bubor Cha Cha is a popular Nyonya dessert in Malaysia. It can be served both warm or cold. There are many variations to the recipe, but the key ingredients are: sweet potatoes, yam/taro, and tapioca simmered in rich coconut milk. The other optional ingredients that can be added are colorful cooked starch, or bananas. Here's how I like mine.

Ingredients(A):
1 medium sized sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes.
1 medium sized yam, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
Ingredients (B)
2 cans coconut cream/milk
2 pieces cane sugar, or 1/2 cup light brown, or plain sugar
3-4 fragrant pandan leaves (screwpine)
1/4 cup tapioca pearl, presoaked in water (optional)
 a pinch of salt

Coloured Cooked Starch (This is a abit messy to make, but it is really nice as it has a springy texture)
4 oz. tapioca flour/starch
a pinch of salt
1/4 cup boiling water
red, yellow, and green food coloring
Method:
1. Bring water to boil on high in a steamer, add in ingredients A and steam for 15-20 minutes until cook but not soft or mushy. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Colored starch: Put tapioca flour, salt in a bowl, then pour in boiling water and stir well. The water must be boiling hot in order to pre-cook the starch. Stir to mix, the texture will resembles like white crumbs. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.

3. Mix and knead mixture into a non-stick dough. Divide dough into portions, and color with food coloring. On a lightly floured board, roll each portion into a long strip and cut into small pieces diagonally to resemble a triangle. There is no strict rule to the shapes and size to this dough.
4. Filled a pot of water halfway to a boil, and add in the cut starch and cook till it floats up. Dish up and dip in ice water to keep it from further cooking.

5. In a large pot mix together 1 and 1/2 cans of coconut milk with enough water to make about 6-7 cups of water. Add the pandan leaves, 2 pieces of cane sugar (if used), salt and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar has dissolved completely, season to taste for sweetness.

6. Stir in the yam, sweet potatoes, and cooked starch and simmer for about a minute. Lastly stir in the rest of the coconut milk, add sliced bananas (if used) and give it a good stir. Do not overcook the coconut milk. Remove the fragrant leaves and turn off heat. Serve hot or cold.
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Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and Sour Pork or "goo lou yok" in Cantonese dialect is a classic dish served in many Chinese restaurants. It is crispy fried pork glazed with a sweet and tangy sauce and bell peppers or pineapple. I find the sauce in the restaurant abit too sweet and too much coloring to my taste--here's my version.
Ingredients:
¾ lbs. pork tenderloin or shoulder pork, trimmed and cut into 1" cubes
1½ tsp. light soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
Oil for deep frying
Sauce:
¼ cup light brown sugar
3 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. plum sauce
2 Tbsp. Thai Sweet Chilli sauce, optional
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch, dissolved in some water
Batter:
½ cup flour
½ cup cornstarch
1 egg white, lightly beaten
½ cup warm water, as needed
Garnishing:
1 carrot, sliced thinly
1 medium sized onion, sliced thinly
1 of each red and green pepper, sliced
Method:
1. Marinate meat in soy sauce and cornstarch for 20 minutes.
2. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, ketchup, plum sauce, vinegar ingredients together, and season to taste. For a spicy sauce, add the chilli sauce if desired. Set aside.
3. For the batter, mix flour and constarch. Add in the egg white and enough warm water to form a thick batter that is not too dry or too moist. (The batter should not be runny, and should slide off the back of the spoon)
4. Heat enough oil for deep frying. Dip the marinated pork in the batter. Deep fry in small batches until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
5. In a pan over medium heat, add enough oil and stir fry the onions, carrots, and bell peppers. Add the sauce and bring to fast boil and thicken with the cornstarch mixture, stirring and adjust seasonings, adding more salt, sugar and/or vinegar if desired.
6. Ladle hot sauce over pork and serve with rice.
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Chicken Pie

I had opened a can of golden mushroom by accident thinking that it was something else. An idea came to mind and hence, this version of my chicken pie. It is simple to prepare and to save time, I used ready-made pie crust.

Ingredients
6 pieces skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized.
2 cans Campbell's Golden Mushroom Condensed Soup
3 medium sized potatoes, cut into bite-sized
½ cup chopped carrots
½ cup peas
½ medium onion, minced
2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried thyme
1-2 Tbsps. flour
1 box frozen pie crust, thawed
A deep glass pie dish
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. butter
1 egg, beaten
Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Bring a pot of water to boil, pre-cooked potatoes and carrots. Drain and set aside.
2. Pat meat dry with paper towels, season with some pepper and salt.
3. Melt butter in medium heat, add onions and rosemary and cook unitl onions is soft and transparent. Add the meat, golden mushroom soup. Mix well and cook on medium heat until chicken is cooked through. Stir in the rest of the vegetables and mix well.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and mix in the flour to thicken mixture. Set aside to cool.
5. Pour into prepared pie dish and brush egg wash on top of crust. Bake in oven for about an hour, or until crust is golden brown. Note: I would put a pan under the pie on the lower shelf to catch any drippings.
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Beef Rendang/Dry Beef Curry

A traditional dish of beef simmered in a rich spicy coconut milk. This is a special dish to prepare during the festive and/or weddings in Malaysia. It is generally served with ketupat (compressed rice cubes), roti jala or plain rice. The authentic rendang recipe calls for kerisik, which is pan-fried or toasted fresh grated coconut. It is then grind to form a fine powdery paste. My family loves this dish and I used to make batches of it and freeze them. Whenever my kids come to visit, they have something yummy to bring home. Years ago, I used to prepare the curry spices from scratch using the mortar and pestle and it is very time consuming and tiring for my shoulders. Nowadays, I substitute it with ready-made pastes and spice ingredients that I can get in the local markets. I've tested a few of these ready-made paste and by far, the best one is Brahim rendang paste, and the Mae Ploy red curry paste.

Ingredients:
4-5 lbs topside or round chuck beef, cut in large pieces (larger than bite-sized)
1 can coconut cream (dilute with some of the coconut milk)
½ can coconut milk
Fry Ingredients (C):
1 stalk crushed lemon grass
4 kaffir lime leaves
3 star anise
2 cloves
1 small piece cinnamon stick
3 pieces dried tamarind
1 tumeric leaf, finely sliced (optional if not available)

4 Tbsp. oil

Kerisik: (optional)
¼ cup grated coconut for kerisik
Spices (A): (Blend to fine paste)
1 package Brahim rendang paste (if not available, substitute with 2-3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, or curry powder)
5 shallots, sliced

1-2 large onions, sliced
10 dried chilies, soaked and seeds removed

2 cloves garlic

½-inch ginger
4 stalks lemon grass, thinly sliced
4 kaffer lime leaves, sliced
4-5 slices of galangal

5 candlenuts (can substitute for a handful of walnuts)

Marinade (B):
2 Tbps curry powder

1 Tbp dark soya sauce

1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

Method:
1. Season meat well with marinade ingredients (B) and set aside.
2. To make the kerisik, if using: fry the grated coconut in a non-stick frying pan (without oil) on low heat. Keep stirring until it is evenly browned and golden in color. It takes about 8-10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle grind until it resembles a fine paste. I use a mortar and pestle to do this task. Tip: Adding kerisik to the rendang helps thickens the gravy and give it a nice aroma.

4. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-low heat, fry lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, blended spices (A), until fragrant and oil from the chilli starts to bubble on the surface. Continue stirring to prevent mixture from sticking.
5. Add in half of the coconut milk and stir the mixture for another 5 minutes, then add in the meat, dried tamarind, star anise, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Stir and mix until the mixture coats the meat evenly.
6. Add half of the coconut milk/cream, making sure the liquid is just enough to cover the meat. Cover and simmer on low until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally. Continue to simmer for 2 hours until the meat is tender and gravy has thickened
Tip: You don't add too much liquid as the meat will shrink during cooking, adjust when the mixture is getting too dry.
7. Add in the kerisik at the last hour of cooking time and stir in to mix with the gravy. The gravy should be thick and fragrant after the final stewing. Skim off some of the oil if you prefer.
8. Season to taste and serve hot with rice, roti or nasi kunyit.
Cook's tip:
You can make the kerisik ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator. I suggest you make extra and have enough for your next rendang. You can store it in an airtight container for up to about a month.
I find it economical to use coconut cream and add water to dilute and use accordingly. If using coconut milk do not dilute.
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Braised Pork in Soy Sauce/Tau Yew Bak

This is a traditional Straits-born (Peranakan) dish that is excellent for both the young and old as it is full of flavor. and easy to digest. "Tau Ewe Bak" is a Hokkien dialect for Soy Sauce Pork. It is pork simmered with a good quality soy sauce with spices and hard boiled eggs. This is also one of my daughter's favorite dish.

Ingredients:

500 gm belly pork or shoulder pork (trim off excess fat, and cut into 2" cubes)

2-3 cups water
3 hard-boiled eggs, shelled (optional)

2 pieces firm bean curd or fried bean curd (optional)

5-6 dried Shitake mushrooms, soaked in water and cut in half
Marinade:

3 Tbsp. light soy sauce
4 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. peppercorn, cracked
4 cloves unpeeled garlic, bruised
1 cinnamon stick
2-3 star anise
1 tsp. cracked peppercorns
1 tsp. salt
Method:
1. In a large pot or clay pot, add  water and bring to a boil. Add the marinade spices and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add pork and simmer for about 30-45 minutes until the water has reduced slightly and has reach a thick consistency. A little more water can be added if you like more gravy.
2. When the pork is tender to touch, add mushrooms, bean curd, eggs and continue to simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve with steamed rice.
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Grilled Spicy Prawn Rolls/Rempah Udang

After watching Julie and Julia, I became similarly inspired. In my case, though I'm taking a particular type of Malaysian cuisine, known as Peranakan or Nyonya. There are over a dozen recipes that I have in mind--For starters, Rempah Udang is an old time favorite, great for afternoon tea or snacks.

Ingredients:

100 gms prawns, shelled and chopped finely
100 gms dried prawns, soaked and chopped finely
150 gms coconut, toasted and ground finely
2 Tbp. dried winter melon, chopped finely
A few drops of blue coloring, or 2 tsp. dried bunga telaga ("Clitoria ternatea")
2-3 banana leaves (scald with hot water, wiped dry and cut into 5x6"pieces)
toothpicks or staples to secure ends
1 tablespoon oil
Spices:
5 small shallots
3 gloves garlic
1 stalk lemon grass, sliced finely
2 candlenuts
½ tsp. Sar ginger powder
2 tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp chilli paste
Seasoning:
salt, sugar, pepper to taste
Rice Mixture:
300 gms glutinous rice, washed and pre-soaked overnight
2 cups thin coconut milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and fry blended ingredients until fragrant. Mix in the dried prawns and fry till well mixed and fragrant. Add in the prawns and stir fry till cooked. Mix in roasted coconut, winter melon and seasoning. Continue to stir until ingredients become dry and golden brown. Set this aside.

2. Add water to a steamer and bring to a boil. Combine glutinous rice with coconut milk, salt and sugar in a deep pan. Steam for 30-40 minutes until cooked.
3. Remove and leave to cool. Divide rice mixture into 2 portions, coloring one with blue. If using the dried bunga telaga, steep it with a few drops of hot water and squeezed out most of the color. Note: use a few drops of blue food coloring if this is not available.
4. Assemble rolls: To prevent rice from sticking, rub your hands with some cooking oil. Take a tablespoon of the white rice mixture and spread it thinly in the center of the banana leaf. Add 1 tablespoon of filling over and top with another tablespoon of the blue rice mixture. Gently roll up neatly, tug ends neatly and secure with toothpicks or staples.
5.Brush rolls with some cooking oil and grill for about 15 minutes turning occasionally.

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