Pork Meat Balls with Dipping Sauce

This dish is perfect for an informal or a cocktail party. You can substitute the pork with chicken or turkey and use small sweet peppers if you want a milder sauce. 

Ingredients:
1½ lbs lean ground pork
1 egg, beaten
5 stalks Chinese long beans, finely diced
1 small red chili, finely diced
2 tsp. lemon grass powder
1 tsp. galangal powder
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small bunch cilantro, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1½ Tbsp. fish sauce (nam pla)
oil for frying
salt and pepper to taste
Chili Dipping Sauce
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1¼ cups vinegar
1 medium size shallot, finely sliced
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
pinch of salt
3 red chilies, thinly sliced
Cucumber Relish
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1 small cucumber, center removed and sliced finely
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. pineapple, thinly sliced
2 tsp. sesame seeds
pinch of salt
Method:
1. In a mixing bowl add pork, egg, vegetables, spices and sugar and mix till all the ingredients are incorporated to a smooth texture.

2. In separate bowls, mix all the ingredients for the cucumber and chili dipping sauces together. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add a little more vinegar or sugar according to your taste. Cover and chill in refrigerator.

3. Take about 2 tablespoons of mixture and roll into the size of a golf ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture and put the balls on a plate. Chill for about 30 minutes.

4. Fill a deep wok or saucepan one-third full of oil and heat on high or until a piece of bread browns in 30 seconds. (this is a test that my cookery teacher used on us at school). Carefully place the balls and deep fry in small batches over medium heat until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels.
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Pickled Vegetables/Acar Awak

Acar Awak is a classic Peranakan (Nyonya) pickled vegetable relish accompaniment commonly served on the dinner table. It is spicy with a sweet and sour taste and the flavor intensified overtime. This dish is perfect with curries and yellow glutinous rice and it keeps well in the refrigerator. I usually make enough to give away as gifts.

Ingredients:
½ lb french beans or Chinese long beans
3 carrots, peeled
2 daikons, peeled
2 cucumbers (discard center)
2 fresh red chillies, remove seeds
½ cup peanuts, fried and ground in smaller pieces
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 tsp. tumeric powder
½ cup sugar (adjust to taste)
salt to taste
3 Tbsp. oil
Chilli Paste (pound finely):
4 chillies
1 tsp. curry powder
2 inch fresh tumeric (or 1 tsp. tumeric powder)
5 pips garlic, peeled
Method:

1. Cut all vegetables into 2" lengths, keep them in separate containers. Slice fresh chilles in fine strips for garnishing.

2. In a big pot or deep pan add enough water to cook vegetables. Add half of the vinegar, tumeric powder, salt to the water. Bring to a fast boil. Blanch and drain the vegetables for about 5-8 minutes in this order: daikons, carrots, french beans, and lastly cucumbers. Drain and remove excess water from vegetables.

3. In a clean pan, add oil and fry grounded spices over medium heat till fragrant and oil exudes from chilli mixture. Add in all the vegetables and red chillies and mix in well.

4.Season to taste with sugar and vinegar. Stir in the grounded peanuts and sesame seeds and remove from heat. Serve hot or cold, when cool store in sterilized jars and keep in the refrigerator.

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Mango Chutney

This pickle is a full of flavor and is great with almost any dish. I love it with plain rice or toast. The ones that you normally buy at the Indian stores are a bit salty for my taste. I prefer to make them whenever mangoes are in season. They keep well in refrigerator and also wonderful to give as gifts.

Ingredients:
2 green unripe mangoes, (peeled, and diced in small cubes)
4 Tbsp. Agave Nectar (or brown sugar)
½ tsp. salt
½ cup brown rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. raisins
Spices A:
3 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 red chilles
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. fennel
1 tsp. coriander
½ tsp. turmeric powder
1 Tbsp. oil
Spices B:
2 cloves
1 small piece cinnamon stick
2 star anise
2 cardamon pods, lightly crushed
Method:
1. Blend Spices A till fine. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil and fry spices till fragrant on medium heat. Add Spices B and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add vinegar, sugar, mangoes, and raisin. Cover and simmer on low for about 1/2 hour until the mangoes are soft. Season to taste. When cool, keep in refrigerator for about 2 weeks.
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Mint and Pumpkin Sauce

I have a small patch of different varieties of mint growing in my backyard. One of my favorite is the Morocon mint--it has a light mint flavor and great for brewing tea served with a drop of rose water. Yummy! An idea came into mind---I could make a sauce. Let's see, I have some leftover chicken stock, more kabocha squash. This sauce goes well with baked shrimp, fish or chicken.

Ingredients:
¼ cup freshly picked mint leaves, washed, and stalks removed
¼ cup chopped baked kabocha, cut into chunks
1 cup organic chicken broth
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp. tamarind paste (optional)
2-3 Tbsp. lemon juice (if tamarind is not used)
1 tsp. olive oil
salt and sugar to taste
Method:
1. In a food processor, add mint, oil, kabocha, and tamarind paste and blend till smooth.
2. Pour mixture into a saucepan, add chicken broth and cook over medium heat. When it comes to a boil, remove and season to taste. Add more chicken broth if mixture is too thick.
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