Roselle Drink & Roselle Jam

1 liter of roselle concentrate =

200g of fresh roselle calyx +

1 liter of water +

5 tablespoon of sugar 

200 ml of roselle jam =

200g of fresh roselle calyx +

5 tablespoon of sugar

In Malaysia, roselle drink ( made from Hibiscus sabdariffa ) is often erroneously referred to Ribena, which is actually a popular brand of non-carbonated soft drink made from blackcurrant ( Ribes nigrum ).

It is actually called ‘agua de Flor de Jamaica’  ( water flavored with roselle ) in Mexico ; ‘sorrel’ in Guyana, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago ; ‘saril’ in Panama ; ‘karkadé’ in Egypt, Sudan ; ‘bissop’ in Senegal ; ‘wanjo’ in Gambia ; ‘dabileni’ in Mali ; ‘zobo’ in Nigeria ; ‘carcadè’ in Europe ; etc

A roselle drink is prepared from the red calyx ( sepals ).  After blooming, the calyx expanded to cover the actual fruit.   The calyx is removed and washed, then boiled in water for several minutes.  Lesser quantity of water is used to prepare a more concentrated cordial for ease of storage.   The calyx is then removed, and sugar is added to the red infusion.  The drink is best consumed chilled.

The calyx is then mashed and added with sugar to made into roselle jam.    It is slightly  acidic, thus more sugar is required.  No preservative required.

Pumpkin Rice 金瓜饭

First, mince 5 cloves of garlic and 100g  pork.  Then, cut half pumpkin into 2cmx2cm cubes.  Cook rice separately.

Heat up the wok, first sauté the garlic, then the minced pork.   

Put in all the cubed pumpkin, stir a bit.  Pour in water to cover the pumpkin, when the water is boil, reduce to middle flame.

Simmer the pumpkin till the water is reduced.  By then, the pumpkin should had softened and cooked.  Add in a generous amount of salt and pepper to taste.  Turn off the stove.

Add in the cooked rice into the wok, stir to mix.

It’s a bit sticky, yet deliciously sweet and savory.  Can have it on its own, as a single dish meal, or have it with other dish.  

Best to serve hot.

豆腐羹 Tofu Soup

Soft tofu  水豆腐 – 1 piece

Crab stick  蟹柳 –  4 piece

Egg 鸡蛋 – 2 piece

Oyster/Button mushroom – 蘑菇 100 g

Mince pork  猪肉碎 – 100 g

Carrot  红萝卜 – ½ piece

Garlic 蒜头 – 3 cloves

Corn flour  薯粉 – 3 tablespoon

Shaoxing rice wine  绍兴酒

Salt  食盐

Black pepper powder  黑胡椒粉

First, slice the crab sticks into ±3mm thick, julienne the carrot, and mince the mushroom and garlic.  Keep all aside.

On a wok, heat up some 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, sauté the mince garlic until fragrant.  Then stir in the mince pork.

Once the pork is almost cooked, pour in 1 soup-bowl of water.  When the water is boil, put in the sliced crab sticks, minced carrot and julienned carrot, bring to boil.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix the corn flour with some water.  

When the soup is boil, stir in the beaten egg.  Straight after that, stir in the corn flour.  The corn flour will thicken the soup.

Finally, add some Shaoxing rice wine, salt and pepper to taste.

Cari Makan @ Bidor

鸭面

品珍酒楼

安顺猪肠粉

美罗巴杀

Food Attack ! Jering

Jering is a legume native to Southeast Asia.  It is a tree of ±20 m in height with large brown spiral pod measures ±30 cm in length and ±5 cm width.   Seeds are rounded compressed measure ±3 cm diameter, yellowish-green in colour.

It’s botanical name is Archidendron jiringa (Jack) Nielsen, of the Mimosoideae subfamily of Fabaceae family.  Synonyms includes : Albizia jiringa (Jack) Kurz , Archidendron pauciflorum (Benth.) I.C. Nielsenl.,  Feuilleea jiringa (Jack) O.Kuntze , Inga jiringa Jack ex DC , Inga kaeringa (Roxb.) Voigt , Mimosa jiringa Jack , Mimosa kaeringa Roxb.  , Pithecellobium jiringa (Jack) Prain , Pithecellobium lobatum Benth. , Zygia jiringa (Jack) Kosterm. Etc.

It is knows as different names in different countries : niang, niang-nok, chaniang, luk-nieng ( Thailand ), da nyin thee ( Myanmar ), jengkol, jringkol ( Indonesia ), etc.  English names include dogfruit, djenkol bean, etc

The beans are cooked as satay, curry or redang, roasted or boiled.  However, it is mildly toxic due to the presence of djenkolic acid.  There are about 20g of djenkolic acid in every kilogram of dry djenkol beans.

Djenkolic acid precipitates into crystals which caused mechanical irritation of the renal tubules and urinal tract, resulting in symptoms such as abdominal discomfort, loin^#1 pains, severe colic^#2, nausea, vomiting, dysuria^#3, hematuria^#4 and oliguria^#5, 2 – 6 hours after ingestion.  Urolithiasis^#6 can also happen.

Treatment of the toxicity requires hydration to increase urine flow, and alkalinization by sodium bicarbonate.

Prevention can be avoided by thoroughly cook the jering beans.  However, there are reported case of renal failure without experiencing any symptoms.

Note :

#1 loin = sides between the lower ribs and pelvis

#2 colic = a form of pain which starts and stops abruptly

#3 dysuria = painful urination

#4 hematuria = presence of red blood cells in the urine

#5 oliguria = low output of urine

#6 urolithiasis = forming of calculi stones in the kidney, bladder and/or ureters

Ongrizinal ABC++ Soup

Being a ‘toothless tiger’ for the past few days, soft-foods are the only choice I have.  

Yet, having rice porridge for 3 consecutive days is too cruel even for a ‘toothless tiger”.

So, tonight I change my menu.  ABC soup it is !!!

First, painstakingly remove kernels from 3 cobs of sweet corn.

Put in a pot filled with 1/3 portion of water, bring to boil.

While waiting for the water to boil, cut 1 carrot , 2 onions, 3 tomatoes, 4 potatoes and some 100g of pork lion into pieces.  Add all the ingredients into the pot, add some black pepper powder too. 

Simmer for a long long time ( > 1 hour ) till all the ingredients softened, especially the pork.

( add in more water if the soup reduced too much ) 

While simmering, add in 4 eggs, allow to boil.  By the time the soup is done, the eggs are all thoroughly hard-boiled.  Take out the eggs, remove the eggshell, and put them back into the soup.

Add some salt to taste.  Serve hot., with or without rice. 

Normally, ABC soup consists only carrot, onions, tomatoes, potatoes and pork ribs.  This time, I add in sweet corn and eggs,  so it is actually an upgraded ABC soup.

I call it ABC++ soup.  

Another one-pot-meal enough for 4 person !!!

Cream de Corn

近来比较无齿，吃软不吃硬。几天下来，餐餐吃粥。

今天心血来潮，不想吃粥。家里又没有什么液体食物，亦没有婴儿食品。只有孤孤单单几条玉蜀黍。

来个西式玉蜀黍汤吧 !

首先，费尽余力把玉蜀黍一粒粒摘下，盛了满满的一碗。

再把蒜米剁碎、以牛油微炒。放入玉蜀黍粒，加水，煮沸，转小火慢煨至熟，芬香满楼。

另外两汤匙面粉、牛奶粉冲水 。加入玉蜀黍汤，搅匀。加盐、胡椒粉等调味。

最后，倒入搅拌机，搅成半液状。

很意外地，卖相不错。不过不是很好吃（好喝）。玉蜀黍的余渣太多，吃多了腻口。可能用罐装玉蜀黍比较好。

云吞面 Wanton Mee

云吞面或叫做馄饨面，一般以云吞拌面，分为汤面与捞面。是一种在中国十分普遍的食品。以煮熟的馄饨和蛋面，加入热汤即成。

云吞面是广东地道小吃的一种。五十年代在香港蓬勃兴起。据宋朝高怿《群居解颐》记载 : “岭南地暖……又其俗，入冬好食馄饨，往往稍喧，食须用扇”。至于广东何时用“云吞”二字取代馄饨之称，则无从考证。

吃云吞面也有讲究，不要以为几颗馄饨一把面加点汤就叫云吞面。正牌的云吞面原料需要“三讲”: 

一讲面。地道的面要从面粉加鸡蛋做起，而且最讲究的应该一点水都不用，完全靠鸡蛋。这样做出来的面煮出来带点韧度，吃到嘴里非常爽脆。

二讲云吞。关键在于里面的馅，用新鲜的虾球，也是一口咬下“剥剥翠”。

三讲汤。用柴鱼虾壳熬出来的汤即要有鲜味还有清，加味精是大忌。

连面条盛放上桌也有讲究 : 碗底一般放五颗鲜虾云吞，然后把面条铺放在云吞上面，再加入大半碗面汤，汤里面要放些韭黄丝，增添美味并带来清脆的口感。因为要保持面条的弹性，所以要注意不能让面汤把面条全泡进去，必须有一部分面条露在汤上面，而且要趁热赶快吃。

 

不过，漂洋过海了的云吞面也已随着道地的饮食习惯本土化了。加上物价连连上升，许多面家也纷纷以少料来保持售价。

一．市面的面条多不是全蛋面。一来全蛋面本钱高、二来不宜久存。

二．云吞的陷料也越放越少，尤其是炸云吞，往往薄薄的一层肉泥了事。饺子则另计。

三．许多面家已不用柴鱼虾壳熬汤，代之以猪骨、江鱼仔。甚至以味精汤草草了事。

四．韭黄丝也已被白菜、菜心等取代。

五．汤面可酢以叉烧肉或肉碎 ; 捞面还可加上咖喱鸡或冬菇鸡脚。

Only in Sarawak : Wrapped Chicken

常听人家说 : 大都市的小孩不懂是好命还是不好命，没有爬过树、没抓过蝌蚪、没有赤脚到外面玩泥沙，甚至没有见过生鸡。鸡的样子，可能还以为是KFC卖的炸鸡那样。

这样说未免夸张了。没见过生鸡的样子，几乎是不可能啦！没见过真生鸡，至少书本、网际网络等都有得照片看啦！

生鸡固然不是周街跑。最多生鸡出没的地方不外是菜市场了。在砂捞越的早市，鸡贩卖鸡出奇招，包没走鸡！

沙捞越另一奇观！！！

纸包鸡

chicken in a box

Jimmy's Caldo de Cana

9^th of September is Jim’s Bigday.

So, I made him a secret beverage, specially named after him : Jimmy’s Caldo de Cana.  It means sugarcane juice in Portuguese.

Of course it is not just sugarcane juice !   It has a little bit of Brazilian signature Ypióca Empalhada Ouro, a spirit made from sugarcane juice itself !! Sugarcane juice with a little kick !!! Yam seng !!!!

Hippy Bigday, Bro !!!!!

菱角尖尖在嘴边

中秋节除了月饼、灯笼，印象最为深刻的不外是菱角了。不过，儿时家乡的中秋节民风不盛，到了异乡才见识到中秋习俗的姿彩。

对菱角的认识，是脑里模糊的小学课本记忆，像似童歌的灯谜 : 什么尖尖在嘴边？菱角尖尖在嘴边。还有什么尖尖在纸边， 尖尖在天边的……

菱角，又称芰、水菱、风菱、乌菱、菱角、水栗、菱实、芰实。实为一年生草本植物Trapa bicornis 的果实。果实为坚果。果皮革质，绿色或紫黑色，内含种子1粒。幼嫩时可当水果生食，老熟果可熟食或加工制成菱粉。

菱角源于中国南方及亚洲、非洲的温暖地区，分布很广，但在多数国家和地区为野生状态，只有中国和印度进行栽培利用。在中国已有三千多年的栽培历史。《齐民要术》中记有关于种芰法的记载。今长江下游太湖地区和珠江三角洲栽培最多。

菱角种类繁多，人工栽培的大可有火柴盒大小，野生的较小。常见的菱角种类有四角、三角、两角和无角。

四角菱有 : 馄饨菱、小白菱、大青菱、水红菱、邵伯菱、沙角菱等。

两角菱有 : 扒菱、蝙蝠菱、五月菱、七月菱等。

无角菱有 : 南湖菱。

喜温暖湿润、阳光充足、不耐霜冻，从播种至采收约需5个月，秋收。

菱实、菱壳、菱柄、菱叶等皆可入药。菱性甘、涩、平，无毒。鲜菱角生食，能消暑热、止烦渴，凡暑热伤津、身热心烦、口渴自汗、食欲不振者，可作食疗果品。菱角熟食性温，能健脾胃、益中气，凡脾虚气弱、体倦神疲、不思饮食、四肢不仁者宜食。适用于胃溃疡、痢疾、食管癌、乳腺癌、子宫癌及其他癌症的防治。菱草茎可用于小儿头部疮毒，鲜菱柄捣烂敷并时时擦之，可使皮肤性疣赘脱落；老菱壳烧灰存性敷可治黄水疮、痔疮。但体虚内寒者不宜生食。

菱为果生吃，以嫩菱为上品，质鲜爽口。熟食则以老菱为上乘，肉质雪白如玉。鲜菱草茎，俗称“菱秧”， 净切碎剁成泥，辅以肉馅制成包子，亦可制成的菱秧丸子。

醃製蔬菜 Chinese Pickles

冬菜，一种半干态非发酵性咸菜。中国名特产之一。有川冬菜、津冬菜、京冬菜。

京冬菜，又称素冬菜，是山东日照著名特产，因曾进京城供皇帝食用故名京冬菜。京冬菜主要原料是大白菜心 ( Brassica rapa pekinensis )，切晒晾干；佐料主要是优质酱油和绍光酒等，适时操作闷制而成。

津冬菜，又名荤冬菜，产于河北省的沧州和天津市一带。它是将大白菜( Brassica rapa pekinensis ) 切成小块，晒至半干，每100公斤加盐12公斤，充分揉搓，入缸压实，撒盖食盐，封缸2～3天，然后将菜取出，每100公斤菜坯再加蒜泥10～20公斤，装缸发醉至第二年春即成。因加有蒜泥，故又称“荤冬菜”。天津冬菜始于清代乾隆年间，发源于河北省沧州市，是中国四大咸菜之一。

川冬菜，主产于四川的南充、资中。其制法是：将芥菜类 ( Brassica juncea ) 的箭杆、青菜的菜苔采回切成数片，晾软。每100公斤干到20公斤，割下嫩尖，每100公斤先用盐11公斤腌。次日起每天揉一次，共揉5～6次，待发油光后，放围屯内，并加香料（花椒， 八角，小茴，橙皮，松香等）翻几次。半月左右装入坛压紧，用老叶和泥土封口，倒置让其曝晒6～7个月或一年，待泥头上润湿了，菜就成熟了。

糟菜是福建特产，主要以芥菜 ( Brassica juncea tsatsai ) 为原料，将其晒干加盐、置于容器中用红糟（酒糟）揉制腌存，使之入味 。 腌制后的糟菜保存时间长，一年四季可食，吃法多种，可有 蒸、炒、煮等烹饪方法，常作为烹饪与汤汁的佐料。

福州一带，尤其是盛产优质红糟的闽清等县所产的糟菜最为有名，乃闽清三宝之一。

常见菜式有糟菜面等。

榨菜，是一种半干态非发酵性咸菜，以茎用芥菜( Brassica juncea tumida )为原料腌制而成一般都是指叶用芥菜一类，如九头芥、雪里蕻、猪血芥、豆腐皮芥等。榨菜始见于1898年四川涪陵县荔枝乡邱家湾，时称“涪陵榨菜” 。是中国名特产品之一。

正宗的榨菜都必须经过三次盐腌后的压榨，榨菜即因此得名。然后加盐和十多种香料及调料（干辣椒粉、花椒、茴香、砂仁、胡椒、山柰、甘草、肉桂、白酒等），装坛，封口，在阴凉处存放。在隔绝空气的条件下，坛里的榨菜先经酒精发酵，后经乳酸发酵，产生特殊酸味与香味，就成为市售的榨菜了。

常见菜式有榨菜肉骨汤，榨菜炒鸡肉，榨菜焖猪肉等。

 酸菜是中国东北一种蔬菜腌制食品。酸菜的加工因气候、地域、原料品种的不同有差异，但均以多叶蔬菜作为原来加工。

酸香味醇、清淡爽口、采用生物抑菌，富含乳酸菌,膳食纤维等营养物质，不含有防腐剂和色素。

酸菜的香气主要是来看乳酸杆菌将蔬菜中的乳糖分解，大部分由乳糖转化成乳酸而使蔬菜变酸，少部分由於分解不完全而生成不同的醇，酸和醇在一定的条件下发生化学反应生成特有的酯，酯类是有特殊香气的，所以品质好的酸泡菜不但含有酸，还含有酯，因此酸香味醇，开胃生津，深受人们喜爱。

制法分类二类即一类直接使用蔬菜盐渍后发酵；第二类用蔬菜进行短时间蒸煮，经快速冷却后自然发酵或盐渍发酵；或者二者方法结合。

中国东北和中国北方地区一般专以白菜（ Brassica rapa pekinensis ）为原料。中国南方酸菜以新鲜叶大梗大的芥菜 ( Brassica juncea crispifolia ) 为原料。

  

福菜或稱為覆菜，是加鹽醃漬過的酸菜，經由陰乾日曬的加工，在水分尚未完全乾燥時，塞入玻璃瓶，或裝入大型菜甕中。密封後等待酸菜自然發酵，約30天的時間，就可成為客家覆菜。

梅菜，也称为梅干菜或霉干菜，是风干后的福菜。

梅菜是广东惠州的特产，有“中国梅菜之乡”的美誉。惠州市1996年被国务院授予“中国梅菜之乡”；2002年获得原产地保护。

据惠阳志记载，明朝下叶开始生产制作梅菜，距今有四百年历史。它是岭南特产，上京朝贡，为宫廷食品，又称“贡菜”。

常见菜式有梅菜扣肉等。

菜脯，即白萝卜 ( Raphanus sativus longipinnatus ) 干。因萝卜在潮汕俗称“菜头”，故称“菜脯”，是潮汕地区的特产之一。在臺灣、福建、廣東潮汕、香港和澳門地區稱為菜脯。与潮汕咸菜、鱼露并称“潮汕三宝”。

制作菜脯，首先将萝卜洗净，然后放太阳下曝晒，晚间收回，用竹苫围实，撒上盐，上面用石头压实。隔天再曝晒，重复前面步骤至萝卜干扁为止。

常见菜式有菜脯炒蛋等。

莴笋菜心，是由莴笋 ( Lactuca sativa asparagina ) 茎腌制而成。莴笋又称莴苣。    

罐头莴笋菜心是采用新鲜的莴笋，经二道创皮,去净皮层(包括筋)及粗纤维,并过盐渍，约经7~15天的乳酸发酵，至菜胚里表青绿色全部褪尽，组织柔即成。

莴笋菜心常用来配粥。

Ongrizinal Macaroni+ABC Soup

材料 :

100g 通心粉 macaroni

100g 瘦猪肉 lean pork meat

2条 红萝卜 carrot

2粒 马铃薯 potato

2粒 番茄 tomato

1粒 洋葱 onion

5片 蒜头 garlic

绍兴酒

胡椒粉

盐

做法 :

红萝卜， 马铃薯， 番茄，洋葱,猪肉切丁。

蒜头剁碎。

锅里放半满水，煮沸后，加入红萝卜， 马铃薯， 番茄，洋葱，猪肉和蒜米。加入绍兴酒，胡椒粉和盐调味。

大火滚至材料微烂，再加入通心粉。

通心粉煮熟便可。



妈妈 的 粽子

越洋的粽子

妈妈亲手裹的粽子。

好像以前比较大粒点...

可能是小孩子眼里的世界都是大的。

长大以后，

胃口变大了，世界却变小了。

不过粽子的味道还是一样:

家乡和妈妈的味道 !

Cari Makan @ Cheras, KL - 鱼头米

鱼头粗米粉

鱼头伊面

4E, Blk 4, Rumah Pangsa Rakyat

Jalan Ikan Emas

Cheras

Kuala Lumpur

仙草 Cincau

仙草，也称烧仙草、仙草冻、凉粉、黑凉粉、grass jelly，是华南地区著名的甜品。由仙草 ( Mesona chinensis )  制成。仙草收采后晒干、发酵。然后与草木灰 ( potassium carbonate )  同煮、熬出胶质，过滤，加入淀粉使之凝结。

仙草外观褐黑、透明、凝胶状。具清暑，解热利水的功能。主治中暑、热毒、消渴、高血压、肾脏病、糖尿病、关节肌肉疼痛、淋病等。孕妇忌吃。

在印尼，则以Mesona palustris  制 cincau hitam ‘黑仙草’，Melastoma polyanthum 制‘灌木青草’cincau perdu, Cyclea barbata 制 cincau hijau‘绿青草’。

在越南，除了 Mesona chinensis, Tiliacora triandra 亦可制成绿仙草。

Minyak Engkabang

Shorea macrophylla (de Vr) Ashton is locally known as engkabang in Sarawak.  It is also known as Light Red Meranti.

In Sarawak, engkabang is not known for its timber, but rater its oil, fondly called minyak engkabang among locals.  

Engkabang tree fruit once or twice a year,  often in coincidence with durian season.  The seeds are instantly recognised for its 4-wings, which make the seeds drop like a helicopter from the canopy atop.  The nut is collected, dried and processed for edible oil.

The fruit is first peeled to exposed the seed.  After the seeds are dried, they are pounded before extracting the oil.  The oil is collected in bamboo canisters.  Engkabang oil will solidified similar to butter, yet more hardy. 

The oil is used mainly for cooking or for massage.  It is also widely practiced where crushed solidified engkabang butter is mixed with hot rice, the hot rice melts the engkabang butter, which release a fragrant smell, making the plain rice irristably delicious.

Engkabang butter in bamboo canister of about 10cm height cost about RM5…