New Asian Cuisine » SE Asian

Singapore Pineapple Tarts

grace — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:17:04 +0000

Singapore Pineapple Tarts

By Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan, A Tiger in the Kitchen

Cheryl’s article on Chinese New Year Pineapple Tarts can be found in the Wall Street Journal.

Yields about 100 tarts

When I was growing up in Singapore, Chinese New Year meant one thing: my grandmother’s pineapple tarts. The salty, buttery, bite-size circles topped with quarter-size dollops of dense, homemade pineapple jam were an obsession for me. We had them in the house just once a year, at the lunar new year, when Singaporeans spend two days visiting friends and relatives to swap tales of business and children’s test scores over tea and sweets. Quantities aren’t exact. My aunts don’t use a recipe, and they laughed at me the first 10 times I asked them for this one. The first set of instructions they gave me for pineapple jam was, “Aiyah, you just juice the pineapple, add sugar and then boil, boil, boil!”

For the jam:

4 pineapples
at least ½ kilogram sugar (at least 2 ½ cups, depending on desired sweetness)
2 to 3 pandan leaves* knotted together
1 long cinnamon stick, broken in two

Peel the pineapples, dig out the eyes and chop into chunks. Run the chunks through a juicer. Place the pulp in a large wok or pot with a large surface area and heat on the stove. Add the juice until the mixture has the consistency of porridge or grits; add the knotted pandan leaves and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil and keep it there for a total of three hours, stirring often. Halfway through, taste the jam, and add sugar by the half cup until it is as sweet as you desire. (Note: The amount of sugar needed will vary greatly depending on how ripe the pineapples are.)
The jam is done when the pineapple mixture has changed color from bright yellow to brownish ochre and most of the liquid has evaporated, leaving a dense but moist jam.

*Pandan leaves, also called screwpine, can be found frozen in some Asian grocery stores.

For the pastry:

375 grams salted butter (3 sticks plus 2 ½ Tablespoons) at room temperature
600 grams flour (about 4 ¾ cups)
4 egg yolks, plus 1 yolk for brushing onto pastry

With a mixer on low speed, combine the butter, flour and four egg yolks, mixing for 3 to 5 minutes.
Place dough in a cookie press fitted with a disc featuring a circle of diamonds. Press cookies out onto greased baking sheets. Form small balls of dough and press each one into the hollow of a cookie, forming the base of the tart.
Beat the remaining egg yolk with ½ teaspoon of water. Brush the rim of each tart generously. Take a scant teaspoon of pineapple jam (more or less, as desired) and form a ball, then press into the hollow of each tart. Pat the sides of the jam to create a small dome.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees, until golden brown. Remove cookies from sheets and cool on a rack.

Filipino Biko Sweet Sticky Rice Recipe

admin — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:56:22 +0000

Recipe and photos courtesy of Erika of Ivory Hut

Biko is my all-time favorite Filipino dessert or merienda (snack) item. It uses only 4 ingredients—which, in a pinch, can even be cut down to 3—and is so simple to make and requires no special tools or pans, which makes it an easy endeavor for someone who doesn’t yet have a properly-equipped kitchen.

Biko is like a soft, warm, sticky rice cake. It uses sweet rice or sticky rice. It is sometimes called glutinous rice because it gets gluey when cooked but it contains no gluten. It’s a different kind of grain and often, attempts to substitute other kinds of rice for sweet or sticky rice just don’t yield the same results.

Biko Recipe (Filipino Sweet Sticky Rice)

Makes one 9×13 pan

You need to use sweet rice or sticky rice (sometimes called glutinous rice) for this recipe. Coconut cream is found in most Asian and ethnic stores but if you can’t find it, just use the the thick cream from the top layer of a good quality can of coconut milk. Don’t worry if you end up with less coconut milk to use with the rice—simply add enough water to reach the desired amount of cooking liquid.

This recipe can easily be halved. If you like crunchy rice edges, cook the biko in muffin pans or brownie bar pans. Be careful when you pull it out of the oven; the caramelized brown sugar is very hot and can burn you if you try to taste it immediately.

Ingredients:

3 cans (14 oz. can) coconut milk
4 cups sweet rice
2 cups brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup coconut cream

Pour coconut milk and about a cup of water into a pot and let it come to a simmer over medium heat. When simmering, add in the rice and stir constantly to prevent burning. Lower the heat if necessary. Preheat oven to 350F.

When rice is sticky and almost dry (it will look like risotto), about 10-15 minutes, add 1 cup brown sugar. Stir well and take off heat. Pour into a lightly buttered 9×13 pan and smooth the top. Mix the remaining 1 cup brown sugar and coconut cream until smooth and pour it over the rice.

Bake for about 1 hour or until topping is dark brown and has thickened. Cool slightly before serving.

Classic Indonesian Fried Rice

grace — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:38:52 +0000

Classic Indonesian Fried Rice

By Wendy Hutton, Southeast Asia’s Best Recipes

Southeast Asia/newasicui-20" s Best Recipes: From Bangkok to Bali
Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing.

Fried rice is a common breakfast throughout Indonesia. It is often very simple—cooked rice tossed with a seasoning paste of chili and a dash of sweet soy sauce—or can be more substantial, like this recipe, which adds beef instead of the pork often used in non-Muslim parts of Southeast Asia. You could also add some shrimp and top each serving with a fried egg (which the Indonesians call a “bull’s-eye egg”). This is a quickly made lunch or supper dish.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins

1/3 cup (85 ml) oil
7 oz (200 g) sirloin or rump steak, thinly sliced across the grain, shredded
7 oz (200 g) small fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined, or add another 7 oz (200 g) beef
6 cups (800 g) cold cooked rice, stirred with a fork to separate the grains
2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 tablespoons crisp-fried shallots
1 green onion (scallion), minced
1 large ripe tomato, sliced

Seasoning Paste
6 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2–3 red finger-length chilies, sliced

Prepare the Seasoning Paste by processing all the ingredients together to a coarse paste.

Heat 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the oil in a wok and add the Seasoning Paste. Stir-fry over medium heat until softened and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Increase the heat, add the beef and shrimp, if using, and stir-fry until cooked, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir-fry over high heat for 1 minute. Sprinkle with the sweet soy sauce and salt and stir-fry for another minute.

Transfer the rice to a large bowl and keep warm. Use the remaining oil to fry the eggs, one at a time, in the wok, or cook them all at one time in a skillet. Transfer the rice to four plates. Top each serving with a fried egg and garnish with the crisp-fried shallots and green onion. Add a few tomato slices and serve with a chili sambal.

Note: As with all fried rice dishes, it is preferable to use rice that was cooked the previous day, so that it has completely dried out.

Crunchy Burmese Cabbage Salad (Gawbi lethoke)

grace — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:01:42 +0000

Crunchy Burmese Cabbage Salad
(Gawbi lethoke)

By Wendy Hutton, Southeast Asia’s Best Recipes, From Bangkok to Bali

Southeast Asia/newasicui-20" s Best Recipes: From Bangkok to Bali
Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing.

The Burmese have perfected the art of making salads, first choosing the vegetables, then adding extra ingredients for saltiness, texture, fragrance and acidity. In this simple yet really tasty recipe, shredded cabbage is mixed with onion, dried shrimp and lime juice, together with crisp-fried shallots.

Serves 4–6
Preparation time: 20 mins + 1 hour soaking
Cooking time: 5 mins

5 cups (375 g) round cabbage or Chinese (Napa) cabbage, finely shredded
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced across
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons dried shrimp, dry roasted over low heat for 4–5 minutes, blended to a fine powder
2–3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon oil, preferably shallot or garlic-flavored oil
1 green finger-length chili, thinly sliced,
or 1 teaspoon crushed dried chili flakes
1–2 tablespoons Crisp-fried Shallots (omit if using Burmese Crispy Dried Shrimp Sprinkle)

Put the cabbage in a bowl, cover with cold water and refrigerate for 1 hour. Combine the onion with the salt, mixing well. Stand for 30 minutes, then rinse briefly and squeeze out the moisture. Set the onion aside.

Drain the soaked cabbage thoroughly, then put into a bowl. Add the onion, dried shrimp powder, if using, 2 tablespoons lime juice, oil and chili. Mix thoroughly by hand, squeezing the cabbage slightly to bruise it. Taste and add more salt and lime juice if desired.

Put the cabbage in a serving bowl and scatter with the crisp-fried shallots. Serve immediately with rice and other dishes.

Vietnamese Honey-Glazed Chicken

grace — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:40:11 +0000

Vietnamese Honey-glazed Chicken (Ga quay mat on)

By Wendy Hutton, Southeast Asia’s Best Recipes

Southeast Asia/newasicui-20" s Best Recipes: From Bangkok to Bali
Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing.

To make this sophisticated Vietnamese recipe, chicken—first marinated with black pepper, sugar, salt and sesame oil—is brushed during cooking with a piquant glaze. This is a good recipe if you’re entertaining, not just because it’s sure to be enthusiastically received, but because the chicken can be marinated and the Honey Glaze prepared several hours in advance. Then all you need to do is start roasting the chicken about an hour before you want to eat.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 mins + 1 hour marinating
Cooking time: 1 hour

2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 whole fresh chicken (about 21/2–3 lbs/1.25–1.5 kg), fatty deposits and excess skin removed, pat dry with paper towels
2 stalks lemongrass, tender inner part of bottom third only, bruised and cut into 4 pieces

Honey Glaze
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons annatto seeds or a little red food coloring (optional)
1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (or 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce mixed with 2 teaspoons soft brown sugar)
4 teaspoons lime or lemon juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Mix the salt, pepper, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl. Rub half the mixture inside the chicken and the remainder over the outside. Leave the chicken to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or cover and refrigerate for several hours if preferred.

Prepare the Honey Glaze by heating the oil in a small saucepan. Add the annatto seeds and cook over medium heat until the oil turns light orange, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain the oil into a large bowl, discarding the seeds. Add the honey, soy sauce, lime juice and sesame oil, mixing well. If using red food coloring, just mix all the Honey Glaze ingredients together, including the oil. (The glaze can now be kept aside for several hours if you are preparing the recipe in advance.)

To finalize the dish, put the lemongrass inside the chicken and place it in a baking dish. Use a pastry brush to paint the Honey Glaze over the outside of the chicken, reserving the remaining glaze. Roast the chicken at 425°F (220°C), breast side up, for 15 minutes.

Stir the glaze thoroughly, baste the chicken again and return it to the oven. Reduce the heat to 350°F (180°C) and roast for 15 minutes. Brush the chicken with the glaze and oil which has run into the baking dish, then with the reserved glaze. Turn the chicken breast side down and cook for another 15 minutes. Brush again and roast for a final 15 minutes. Cut the chicken with a cleaver into 14 to 16 serving pieces, put on a serving dish and serve hot with the glaze from the baking dish poured over.

NOTE: It is important to baste the chicken every 15 minutes so that the skin becomes crisp and turns a rich golden brown. Stir the glaze each time before basting to amalgamate the honey.

Spring Rolls (Lumpiang Shanghai)

grace — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 14:02:32 +0000

Spring Rolls (Lumpiang Shanghai)

By Miki Garcia, Filipino Cookbook: 85 Homestyle Recipes to Delight Your Family and Friends

Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing, a member of the Periplus Publishing Group.

Filipino Cookbook: 85 Homestyle Recipes to Delight Your Family and Friends

Spring rolls are a great finger food that everybody loves. Filipinos know them as lumpia, which is derived from the Hokkien word meaning “mixed vegetables and meat rolled up.” This version, Lumpiang Shanghai, refers to a spring roll stuffed with ground pork and then fried, but ground chicken, shrimp or crab can also be used. I always make some extra spring rolls and store them in the freezer for a quick meal later (frozen spring rolls don’t need to be defrosted before deep-frying them). When frying, use medium heat to be sure that they cook through completely but be careful not to burn the outside. Use smaller 6-inch (15-cm)-square wrappers make perfect-sized rolls; if you use larger wrappers, simply cut the cooked spring rolls in half before serving.

Serves 5
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour

One 8.8-oz (250-g) package spring roll wrappers
1 egg white
2 cups (500 ml) oil for deep-frying (page 18)
Sweet and Sour Sauce (page 21) or Spicy Garlic Vinegar Dipping Sauce (page 22), for dipping

Filling
1/2 lb (250 g) ground pork
2 water chestnuts, minced
1 medium onion, minced
1 small carrot, peeled and minced or grated
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of knife and minced
1/4 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the Filling ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Place a wrapper on a flat surface and spread about a tablespoon of the Filling all along the bottom third of the wrapper. Roll the wrapper over the Filling, tuck in both ends, and roll it up tight. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with the egg white and press to seal.

Heat a medium saucepan or wok over high heat and add the oil. Use a wooden chopstick or skewer to check if the oil is hot enough. When it’s hot enough, bubbles will form all around the stick. (Or use a deep-fryer thermometer to read the temperature, which should be between 350° and 375°F or 175° and 190°C when ready). Reduce the heat to medium once it reaches the desired temperature so that the oil doesn’t burn.

Deep-fry until brown and crispy. Do not overcrowd the pan. Serve hot with Sweet and Sour Sauce or Spicy Garlic Vinegar Dipping Sauce. For a light meal, serve with hot steamed rice.

Thai Barbecued Chicken

grace — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:53:09 +0000

Thai Barbecued Chicken (Gai yang)

By Wendy Hutton, Southeast Asia’s Best Recipes

Southeast Asia/newasicui-20" s Best Recipes: From Bangkok to Bali
Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing
.
Years ago, my young son made it his mission to try barbecued chicken in as many places as possible every time we visited Thailand. After a few years of research, he finally declared that the best version was the chicken served on the bridge linking Thailand with Burma at Mae Sai. I must confess that we never get tired of eating this chicken, which is marinated in the Thai trinity of garlic, black pepper and coriander root. Cook it over charcoal for that authentic Thai flavor and serve it with sweet Thai chili sauce.

Serves 4–6
Preparation time: 10 mins + 4 hours marinating
Cooking time: 15–20 mins

21/2 lbs (1.25 kg) chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks and breasts)
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
6 large cloves garlic, minced
11/2 tablespoons coarsely minced coriander root
11/2 tablespoons coarsely minced coriander stems and leaves (cilantro)
11/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon Thai Mekong whiskey or Chinese rice wine (preferably Shaoxing), (optional)
Oil, for brushing
Sweet Thai chili sauce, to serve

Remove any excess skin and fatty deposits from the chicken and prick the skin all over with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate.

Pound or process the peppercorns to a coarse powder in a mortar or spice grinder, then add the garlic, coriander root, stems and leaves, and the salt. Process to a smooth paste, adding the whisky or rice wine a little at a time.

Rub the chicken pieces all over with the mixture, then leave to marinate for at least 4 hours, or refrigerate in a covered container up to 24 hours if preferred.

Brush liberally with the oil and cook over hot charcoal, turning several times, until golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Alternatively, grill or broil until cooked. Serve with sweet Thai chili sauce.

Coconut Roast Chicken with Soy Honey Glaze

grace — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:42:48 +0000

Coconut Roast Chicken with Soy Honey Glaze

by Alex Skaria, The Asian Barbecue Book: From Teriyaki to Tandoori

Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing.

The Asian Barbecue Book: From Teriyaki to Tandoori

This dish is something really special and exotic. The chicken is placed over a fresh coconut—a Southeast Asian variation on “beer can chicken”! The coconut water steams the chicken from the inside while the exterior becomes nice and crispy. The chicken is served with the coconut water as a side dish. This aromatic and slightly sweet chicken dish is best served with stir-fried steamed rice or Japanese Grilled Eggplant.

Serves 4

Preparation time: 50 minutes

Grill time: 1 to 1¹⁄₂ hours

INGREDIENTS

Chicken
1 fresh coconut or 1 can unsweetened coconut water (not coconut milk!) (reserve 3 tablespoons for the marinade)
1 small onion, thinly sliced into rings
2 green onions (scallions)
1 red jalapeno pepper or 2 green jalapeno peppers, deseeded and cut into thin slivers
1 chicken, about 3 to 4 lbs (1.5 to 2 kg)
Salt to taste

Soy Honey Marinade
2 tablespoons Chinese light soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons coconut water
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
¹⁄₂ teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of curry powder (optional)

Prepare the chicken support. If you’re using a fresh coconut, follow the steps shown below.

If you wish to use fresh coconut water with a chicken sitter or empty beer can, collect the coconut water from the freshly opened coconut and pour into a chicken sitter or an empty beer can with the top cut off. Add the onion rings, green onions and jalapeno pepper slivers to the sitter or can. Place the marinated chicken over the top of the sitter or can.

If you’re using canned coconut water, pour it into a chicken sitter or an empty beer can with the top cut off. Add the onion rings, green onions and jalapeno pepper slivers to the sitter or can. Place the marinated chicken over the top of the sitter or can.

To make the marinade, place the soy sauce, honey and sugar in a saucepan and set over medium heat. When the sugar is dissolved add the coconut water, garlic, ginger, black pepper and curry powder, if using, and simmer for a few minutes. Set aside and let cool.

Rub the chicken inside and outside with the marinade and keep in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Prepare the grill for indirect grilling. Place a drip pan in the middle and live coals around the drip pan.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and reserve any leftover marinade. In a saucepan, bring the leftover marinade to a simmer and cook for a few minutes. Set aside for basting.

Set the chicken resting on its support (can, coconut or sitter) on the hot grate above the drip pan or, if you’re using a gas grill, over the low heat zone and grill at medium temperature with the hood closed for about 1 to 1¹⁄₂ hours. During the last
10 to 15 minutes of cooking, regularly baste the chicken with the leftover marinade. Check for doneness by pricking the bird underneath the wings. If the juices run clear, the chicken is done. Check for the meat for seasoning and sprinkle on salt if needed.

Caramelized Soy and Lemongrass Spareribs

grace — Tue, 31 May 2011 16:21:04 +0000

Caramelized Soy and Lemongrass Spareribs

by Alex Skaria, The Asian Barbecue Book: From Teriyaki to Tandoori

The Asian Barbecue Book: From Teriyaki to Tandoori
Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing.

I like this Vietnamese-inspired recipe because the Caramelized Lemongrass Marinade combines sweet and salty flavors with lemongrass. The sugar is first caramelized, which gives the ribs a nice crust. This marinade is well suited to both smoking and grilling. Serve these ribs with Chinese Coleslaw and Curried Potato Wedges or jasmine rice.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus approximately
8 hours to marinate

Grill time: 20 to 30 minutes for medium well

3 lbs (1.5 kg) pork spareribs
1 cup (250 ml) Caramelized Lemongrass
Marinade
Salt for seasoning the ribs

Place the spareribs in a large shallow dish. Pour the Caramelized Lemongrass Marinade over, turning the ribs in the marinade to thoroughly coat them. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Remove the ribs from the marinade and sprinkle them with salt.

In a small saucepan, add the leftover marinade and place over medium heat. Simmer for a few minutes and set aside for use as a basting sauce.

Prepare the grill for indirect grilling with low heat. If you’re using charcoal, place a drip pan in the middle and live coals around the drip pan.

Just before you begin grilling, oil the hot grate. Place the meat on the grate above the drip pan or, if you’re using a gas grill, over the low heat zone. Grill for about 10 to 15 minutes on each side with the hood closed and baste regularly with cooked marinade.

Check for doneness by pricking the meat. If the juices run clear the ribs are ready.

Beef Hor Fun Rice Noodles

grace — Tue, 24 May 2011 01:43:43 +0000

Beef Hor Fun Rice Noodles

By Terry Tan and Christopher Tan, Singapore Cooking

Singapore Cooking: Fabulous Recipes from Asia/newasicui-20" s Food Capital

This is a hearty and filling dish. Chris likes to mix the leftover noodles with a beaten egg and fry them slowly until crusty in a non-stick pan for breakfast.

Serves 3–4
Cooking time: 6 mins
Preparation time: 15 mins plus 30 mins marinating time

250 g (8 oz) tender sirloin beef
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 1/2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons oil
500 g (1 lb) fresh flat rice noodles (hor fun) or kway teow or 250 g (8 oz) dried rice stick noodles, soaked in water for 15 minutes until soft, then drained
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2/3 cup (150 ml) water
3 green onions (scallions), sliced into short lengths
Pickled Green Chillies (page 29), to serve

1 Slice the beef into thin strips. Mix with the rice wine, ginger, pepper, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Set aside to marinate, covered and refrigerated, for at least 20 minutes and up to 3 hours. When ready to cook, mix the cornstarch into the beef.

2 Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a wok over high heat until smoking and quickly stir-fry the noodles with the dark soy sauce for 2 minutes, tossing vigorously, until slightly browned. Remove from the wok.

3 Add the remaining oil to the wok and fry the beef for 2 minutes. Add the water and return the noodles to the wok. Fry for 1 more minute, then add the green onions and toss well for 30 seconds to wilt them. Serve immediately with Pickled Green Chillies on the side.

Note: Hor fun noodles are broader than kway teow. If you cannot find the former, use the widest kway teow you can find.