Kangkung Belacan

Kangkung [water convolvulus] is no doubt one of my favourite GREEN vegetable [yes! there's vege that's not GREEN!!! --> brinjal! ^_^]. Anyway, when I was in Malaysia, I took it for granted cos it's so easily found. I remember when I was in Standard 4@5 and at that time, hydroponic growing was all the rage; everyone had a hydroponic set at home....and we even have those planting projects in school. Kangkung was one of the easiest to grow on the set....so super-duper easy that it was like weed! Mum used to put the set next to the washing machine in a neat, little space at the back part of the houseand when the kangkung's all grown up, it was like our washing machine landed  in a jungle.

Here in Czech Republic....so far,I could only find it in Prague's Thai Asian Food Shop...and not for a cheap price either ~45CZK a packet ~200grams[??] [I'll probably get a big bag of it for the same price in Malaysia...:-P]

I was so tempted to carry a hydroponic set from home; so that I could plant on my own. [My heavy often overweight luggage plus the fact I have to lug it back using train/ bus to HK dissuaded that idea..]

My favourite way of eating kangkung is belacan-style! Ok...though to be honest, when I have to cook it, I was kinda cursing cos the smell was so strong, it permeated the whole flat. But eating it.....mmmmmmm...^_^ heeee....!

I don't exactly know how it's usually cooked..but this is what I did...lol..

Ingredients:
Kangkung
A pinch of belacan [According to Sara, use belacan like how you use salt...:-P]
Salt
Garlic
Chillies
Pepper
Water

Methods:

1. Wash kangkung thoroughly
2. Mix belacan with some water [so that it won't get burned when you fry it first]. Crush it into small pieces
3. Heat up oil in wok. Saute the belacan. Add in the garlic and chillies.
4. Add in kangkung....and proceed with a strong heart as you watch the amount of kangkung shrinks before your eyes...:-( Add seasonings.
5. Give it a few rounds of quick wokking
6. Dish it out
7. Eat with rice :-)

Verdict:
Me and Yumi were nearly tearing up [Ok, so I did all the tearing...she's pretty resistant to chillies] over the amount of chillies I used. SO! Do use your chillies with caution! You want to enjoy your kangkung, not cry from it. But other than that, I wish I could have this dish often....

Ok, actually even in Malaysia, I don't really eat this that often. Some old Chinese advice about it causing/ increase risk of gout etc...not sure what is in kangkung that causes that. But with my luck with my joints, I best be careful about this.  :-P

Mackerel Seafood Assam Pedas

While 'spring-cleaning' my cupboard of food, I found that I still have 2 packets of Assam Pedas Seafood Paste from Delichef. I knew I had to use it then for that week's cooking hangout even if it's a bit cheating...hehe! I researched a bit to confirm that people really do use mackerels for this dish. Frozen mackerels are available at Kaufland at CZK 59.90 for 1 kilogram of them. Each pack have roughly 4 fish with the head intact.

It was my first time using this fish. I had been searching for it ever since Anderson came for a visit and bought some marinated mackerel which he just microwaved. I think some people still cook this fish along with its head. But for me, I prefer to cut it off. :-P It was a funny time trying to deal with the preparation of the fish.

Ingredients: 

• Delichef Assam Pedas Seafood Paste
• Mackerel; chopped into large piece [If too small, the fish might just melt]
• Seafood mix
• Brinjal; somewhat large pieces
• Tomatoes; quartered [again, if too small, it will melt off]
• Chilli
• Lemon juice
• Egg; hard-boiled

Method:

1. Boil the eggs
2. Fry the brinjal in a pot; take it out after half cooked
3. Boil a pot of water in the same pot [reduce washing :-P] 
4. Add the paste into the pot; stirring it until it's mixed evenly
5. Add in brinjal and tomatoes
6. Add in mackerel and hard-boiled eggs
7. Lastly add in seafood mix [they are small already, so I didn't want to shrink them further....]
8. Taste and add lemon juice accordingly to how sour you like your Assam Pedas to be. :-)
9. Eat with rice. Soak the rice with the soup!  YUM!

[Note: At the point of adding the mackerel and hard-boiled eggs, I realized I put too much ingredients and we had to transfer to another pot...hehe...]

Verdict: 
Jannik like it just the way it is. But I think I would have preferred it to be a bit more sourish. Overall, it's just so, so easy to cook and really tasty. Gonna ask mum to get me more of the paste. XD Oh and I wish HK had okras. :-(

Fried Chicken Wings, Eggplant Curry & Sara's Random Mix

One of my housemate; Sara was feeling particularly productive today unlike me; who was going back and forth the room; on and off-ing at intervals, my fan and heater. It's good that her productiveness manifested in the form of cooking. Lucky me!

She promised me 2 or 3 days ago, to make me her finger-lickin' good chicken wings. The last time she made them was probably back in 1st Year itself! She haven't made it for so long that I've almost forgotten about it. These wings are reallyyyyy good. I remember texting her during summer break of 1st Year, telling her that her chicken wings were better than what I was eating at that time.

She spend almost half a day in the kitchen whipping up 2 other dishes as well; Eggplant Curry and something that is so mixed we don't know what to call it! :-D

Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

• 12 Chicken Wings
• Chilli Powder; poured randomly from the packet [:ROFL:]
• Curry Powder; also poured randomly from the packet but less than the chilli powder
• Turmeric Powder; 3/4 teaspoon
• Ginger; pureed
• Garlic; pureed
• Salt; added as you like <--the all-important ingredient in Sara's cooking! 

Method:

1. Blend the ginger and garlic
2. Marinate the chicken with the ginger and garlic puree, salt, turmeric powder, curry powder and chilli powder for at least 1 hour
3. Fry them till chicken is cooked and browned!

Eggplant Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 Eggplants; cut lengthwise
• A sprig of Curry Leaves
• A pack of Delichef Fish Curry Paste
• Garlic; grated
• Onions; grated
• Asam Keping [dried slices of tamarind fruit]
• Salt
• Water

Method:

1. Fry the cumin and mustard seeds till aromatic
2. Fry the grated garlic, onions,and curry leaves
3. Fry the eggplant till cooked
4. Add in the fish curry paste and mix with some water
5. Stir it constantly until oil separates
6. Add salt to taste.

Sara's Random Mix 

Ingredients:

• 1 Box of  Mori-Nu Silken Firm Tofu; diced
• Chicken; diced
• Baby Prawns
• Tom Yam Paste
• Chilli Powder
• Oyster Sauce; poured randomly from the bottle
• Fish Sauce; 1 teaspoon
• Sesame oil; poured randomly from the bottle
• Kaffir Lime Leaf
• Egg
• Salt

 Method:

1. Fry the kaffir lime leaf till aromatic
2. Fry the chicken till cooked
3. Fry the tofu til browned
4. Add in the prawns and fry for a bit
5. Break egg and mix in a bowl. Add to pan and fry it while breaking it up. 
6. Add in the tom yam paste
7. Add oyster sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil and chilli powder
8. Add salt; according to taste

** She really, really thought this up on her own; that's why it's named after her!**

 Verdicts:
I swore I don't feel that sick right after eating the chicken wings. I chomp down 5 at my first go after she finished frying them. The wings are miracle....fine, I might be guilty of exaggerating a little! :-P
The eggplant curry is so good with rice. The eggplant is so soft, just the way I like it.
Hmmm....the mix...it's an interesting mix; strongly flavoured with tom yam. Can really taste it very well even after drenching my rice with the curry and chomping on more wings!


I will be dreaming of chicken wings tonight *Paradise* That's how it feels like when there's someone to cook for you when you are sick. :-D Thank you, Sara...and Mom, I appreciate you more again!