Thanh Ha 1

26 Jun
2009

Thanh Ha 1

Thanh Ha 1
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I just love authentic Vietnamese food.   I guessed it is because of the simplicity of the food that makes it appealing.     Lunch time during weekends is always busy but try getting in earlier, you’ll find a spot.  Besides the regular Pho you have at any Vietnamese restaurant, you gotta try other dishes, like the pancake stuffed with seafood and beanshoots.  We tried Bun with sugar cane wrapped with prawns, chicken coleslaw, grilled beef wrapped with betel leaves, Vietnamese rolls etc.

This restaurant is located in:

Thanh Ha 1
172 Victoria Street
Richmond
9429 8130

Curry Chicken Recipe

4 Jun
2009

This curry chicken dish or some would call it “Kari Kay” (literally meaning Curry Chicken) is cooked to celebrate the end of confinement period and the first month of a newborn.  Accompanied with the curry are the nasi kunyit (yellow tumeric rice,) Angkoo Kueh and hard boiled eggs with the shells colored in its auspicious pink or red.   This dish is also served in some typical Chinese/Nyonya weddings.

Here’s a quick  recipe to follow:

1kg chicken meat
1 tin of coconut milk (plus half tin of water)
3 potatoes (cooked)

Spices
2 Tsp chili powder
half tsp turmeric powder
1tsp cumin powder
3 Tsp coriander
2 Brown onions (minced)
(mix into a paste with 3 Tsp of water)

Additional spices
2 star anise
2 cinnamon bark
250ml oil

Method
Heat oil, add star anise and cinnamon bark. Stir for half minute before adding the spice paste. Sauce in low heat for 3 minutes till oil surfaces. Add in chicken and stir for 1 minute before adding the coconut milk but add in 3 batches. Bring it to a boil before adding the other half tin of water and cooked potatoes. When the curry starts to boil again, add in seasoning (ie. quarter Tsp salt and 1 Tsp sugar)

Good Luck!

Steamed Mud Crabs with salted duck’s egg and black bean recipe

30 May
2009

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I learned this recipe from my mom (Suz’s grandma). This recipes is very precious to me. Why? It’s because it brings back memories of my childhood years. Living by the seaside, crabs were always available.   My mom would always make this dish for the entire family (Dad and my other 6 siblings).

After seeing so many mud crabs available at Footscray Market today, I decided to make this for my mom.  The recipe is very easy to make but I’m sure you’ll be grumbling how to cut those nasty crabs.  :-)

Ingredients:
1kg mud crab (wash & cut into pieces)
Spring onions (for garnishing)
1 tsp sesame oil (for garnishing)
3 cloves of fresh garlic (chopped finely)
half tsp of fresh ginger (chopped finely)
half Tbs black beans (soak for half hour, strain and chopped finely)
3 eggs (lightly whisk)
1 salted duck egg
330 ml warm water

Method
- Mix all the ingredients together including the eggs
- Place the cut crabs in a dish or casserole
- Pour the mixture into the dish
- Steam for 20 minutes in medium heat
- Garnish spring onions and a teaspoon of sesame oil

Good luck and enjoy!

Bun Bo Hue @ Hien Vuong

30 May
2009

This was lunch today at Footscray.  Footscray is like Little Saigon in Melbourne.  Pho restaurants are found in every corner of this suburb.   Friends took us once to Hien Vuong for Pho and was said to be the best.  Ever since, we’ve returned to this restaurant.  Though it is such a long drive from home but it’s worth it.   I like the Bun Bo Hue (spicy version of the traditional Pho here.  Service is fast and friendly.

Hien Vuong
144 Hopkins Street
Footscray Vic 3011
(03) 9687 9698

Shaomai/Dumpling

29 May
2009

Shaomai or Dumpling as it is known in English is traditionally served as dim sum.  I made these for my client’s party and were served as finger food/canapes.  Great bite-size piece, right?    I haven’t got the chance to write the recipe yet but will do so soon.

Pulot Pisang*

18 May
2009

This looks like Pulot Udang which I’ve posted before but this dessert pulot is steamed.  Have a go…

Ingredients:

400 grams glutinous rice (soak overnight)
130 grams sugar
250 mls coconut milk (tin)
1 teaspoon salt
10 ripe bananas*
Banana leaves

Method:
Drain rice and steam for 20 minutes.
Add in the 130 grams sugar together with salt and 250 mls of coconut into the rice.
Stir the rice thoroughly and steam for another 20 minutes.
Place the banana in the middle of the rice and wrap with banana leave.
Tie both ends with string and stream for another 10 minutes.

Yam Cake recipe

13 Apr
2009

Yam Cake Recipe

Ingredients:
250 grams rice flour
125 grams wheat flour (Tung Meen Fun)
2 ½ cups water (heat till quite warm)

250 grams yam (steam till cooked)
120 grams dried prawns (pound and fried till brown)
50 grams of fried shallots
Fresh spring onion, cut freshly chilli

Method:
Mix the rice flour, wheat flour and add in the warm water and add in ¾ tablespoon of salt,  1 tablespoon of rock sugar, 1 table spoon of vegetable oil or garlic oil ,  1 teaspoon of white pepper,  1 teaspoon of 5 spice.  Add in the steamed yam and mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Oil a stainless steel plate (22″ in diameter) before adding the mixture and steam for 45 minutes in high heat, add more water after 20 minutes.

Cool the yam cake before garnishing with fried dried prawns,  fried shallots,  fresh spring onion and freshly cut chilli.

Bon Apetite!

Sweet Potato Balls Recipe

9 Apr
2009

I love to eat these as a child.  So, I asked my mom to teach me.  It is so easy to make.  Therefore, there shouldn’t be any excuse not to try.   Today being Good Friday in Australia, my family is having a huge BBQ feast at my aunt’s place.  Good thing I made enough for my greedy cousins *wink*

Sweet Potato Balls Recipe:

Ingredients:
1kg Sweet Potato
400g Plain flour
100g Sugar

Method:
Cut the sweet potatoes in chunk sizes. Steam them for 15 minutes or until soft. While the potatoes are still hot, mix in the sugar. Next, add the flour. Roll the potatoes into balls (approx. 20g each) and deep fry them. Voila! Told you it was easy!

Kam Fai Seafood Restaurant, Sai Kung, HONG KONG

8 Apr
2009

(the array of seafood)

Posting more food photos from Hong Kong.  This time, it is a seafood galore.  We had such a fantastic time at Sai Kung that it was the highlight of the trip.  The ride on one of those mini public bus was quite an experience.  If you watch any Hong Kong dramas, you’ll know what I’m referring to.  The trip was long and it was worth every penny.  I believe a lot of foreigners/expats live around Sai Kung being close to the beach and the breathtaking views.   I wished we had more time in Sai Kung but it was so late.  Oh well, there is always next time.

Just a short walk down the street, we found all these seafood restaurants.  Let me tell you, there were so many of them.  Booking was made at Kam Fai Seafood Restaurant.  I can’t believe we had over 10 dishes sprawled over our table in front of our hungry eyes.    Imagine the 10 of us scoffing down everything, using our fingers, sweating, drinking beer and wine.  What great company!    I don’t think we all had “room” for dessert.

So, the next time when you’re in Hong Kong, try this restaurant (take a local person with you).  If you’re still not convinced, let me tempt you with the seafood galore I’m talking about.  (I’m not going the cut the post, it would be such a waste)

Lobster

Abalone

this is eaten raw

Deep Fried Bug

Scallops

Red Emperor Fish

Bamboo Clams (inset: check out how long the clams were)

Mud Crabs

Besides seafood, the restaurant offers variation such chicken, pork etc.

Fried Rice

Sweet & Sour Pork

Apologies in advance – I can’t remember some names of the seafood.

How to get there? Do ask a local but I do have the address:
Kam Fai Seafood Restaurant
35-39 Hoi Pong Street
Sai Kung
Tel: (+ 852) 2792 9398

Curry Laksa Recipe

2 Apr
2009

I’ve been getting emails from readers requesting the Curry Laksa Recipe (which I’ve forgotten to post) :D .  So, here it is:  Enjoy!  (Note that this recipe is for 20 people… you could feed a whole army.  I do have a big family.)

Recipe: Curry Laksa (20 persons)

Ingredients:
1 kg cooked prawns
250 grams of fried bean curds (cut into bite sizes)
Cooked  and shredded  chicken
Soaked cuttle fish (par boil)
2 packets of vermicelli (soaked and par boil)
2 kg of Hokkien noodles
Bean shoots
1½ cups oil
1 tin of coconut milk, add 6 cups of water

Spices:
150 grams shallots (minced)
20 grams garlic (minced)
60 grams coriander powder
40 grams chilli powder
40 grams ground lemon grass

Chilli Oil (for garnish):
80 grams of ground chilli
3 minced garlic
½ cup of oil (cook these 3 ingredients for 5 minutes or so till red chilli oil appears)

Method for the laksa soup:
Heat 1½ cups in a deep sauce pan, when hot, add all the spice ingredients, stir in low heat for at least ½ hour before adding the coconut milk. When the soup start to boil add in 4 tablespoon of salt, 2 tablespoon of rock sugar.

6 cups of water can be substituted with chicken stock.

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