How to cook Rendang Padang

This is the recipe for Rendang Padang if you want the glorious taste without that overly-rich oil feel that makes you weep with guilt after. - Recipe taken from The New Paper (Sunday) 20th April 2012. Original recipe is from Madam Tumiar Simandijuntak, 78 from Medan, Sumatra.

Recipe for Rendang Padang:


Ingredients:

• 1 kg of Beef, cut into 4cm-thick slices
• 10 dried chillies
• 4 red chillies
• 10 shallots
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 5 cm-thick piece lengkuas (galangal)
• 5 cm-thick piece old ginger
• 4 stalks of lemongrass (use only 7cm of the root part)
• 4-5 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 daun kunyit (tumeric leaf)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 coconuts (only grated white portions)
• 2 slices of assam keping (sour fruit)
• 1 tbsp of tamarind mixed with 2 tbsp of water. Strain and reserve.
• 250ml of water
• 2-3 tbsp of cooking oil

Method:

1. Soak the dried chillies for 20 mins. or until soft. Rinse chillies and set aside.
2. Put half of the grated coconut in a muslin cloth and pour in the 250ml of water. Squeeze to extract the coconut milk. Refrigerate.
3. Heat the wok or a non-stick frying pan. Fry the remaining grated coconut over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent it from burning. Do not use oil. It should take around 30 mins. to get the grated coconut to brown.
4. Allow to cool, then blend till fine. Set aside 3 tbsp for use later. Store the remainder in a glass jar and refrigerate.
5. Grind the dried chillies, red chillies, shallots, garlic, lengkuas, old ginger and lemongrass together to make the rempah. Use a little water to help the process if you are using a blender.
6. Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a pot over a small fire. Add the rempah and fry until it browns and give off a strong aroma.
7. Add daun kunyit and lime leaves.
8. Add beef and fry until the beef is coated with rempah.
9. Add the coconut milk and 1 tsp of salt or more to suit your taste, and the ground coriander.
10. Next the assam keping and tamarind juice. Cover and allow to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for two hours until the beef is tender.
11. Add in 3 tbsp of the toasted grated coconut and stir thoroughly.
12. Serve with hot rice.

Credit: Hedy Khoo - hedykhoo AT sph DOT com DOT sg 
Photo Credit - Camemberu

Easter Macau Food

Although Hong Kong is such an international city, you do need to go to Macau if you want to taste some authentic Portuguese food.  Don't worry, it's easy.  Macau is only an hour boat ride from Hong Kong.  I used to work there and now I go there for a short holiday break frequently.  Below are some photos I've taken from my recent Easter trip.

Although I'm from the food paradise of Hong Kong, I can't resist the temptation of Portuguese food which are so delicious.  Here are some of my favourites.

A few dishes from the New Camoes at the Fisherman's Wharf.  As there were only the two of us, so there was a lack of varieties. 

Portugues Potato Green Soup

Baked Duck Rice - not bad, but not the best I have had

Stir Fried Cabbage with Bacalhau

Mind the fish bones!

I found something new this time.  I've noticed that they put up some set lunch menu which cost around MOP98 + service fee.  Dinner buffet is around MOP250.  May be next time we shall try it.

I really love this restaurant - New Camoes - very authentic Portugues interior.  It's newly decorated, and we can sit comfortably without having to eat in an crowded environment.

Not only inside, the whole building of New Camoes is of Portuguese style.  That's why I love to take photos inside and outside.

On the Taipa Island is the newly decorated, re-opended Cozinha Pinocchio.  I used to have great experience here but not this time.  I must say there is no equal mark between great name/famous/historical and good food/consistency.

Baked Mussels

Well, I can only give it a pass. 

Grilled Spare Ribs

Again, I can't say it's bad, but just can't say it's good.  I can still smell the taste of frozen meat.  Average food, expensive price!

Serradura

The most famous and my most beloved Portugues dessert.

Cost only MOP7 if eat at street side, but here it's MOP28.  Well, we wanted to eat but didn't want to eat on a street, so we had to pay for it.  But mind you, the street side ones are far more silky smooth than this one. 

Although I've been to Macau countless times, some sightseeing is still needed in each of my trips.  The most famous landmark in Macau - The St Paul's Ruin

From the St Paul's Ruin, just a few minutes walk, we arrived the Fortaleza do Monte.  Up at a little hill, a good place to take a good look at Macau.  If you don't want to walk, you can take lift from the Macau Museum.  Of course you would need to pay entrance fee to visit the Musuem first before you can make use of their lift to save your walking time to the Fortaleza do Monte.

More Macau food photos from my outing blog

Yee Foo Mee (longevity noodles)

Yee Foo Mee or Yee Fu Noodles can be purchased from supermarkets. It is sold pre deep fried, chewy noodles made from wheat flour and egg. While there are many versions available, here is a simple recipe on how to cook it.

Ingredients:

• One round of crisp Yee Foo mee, scalded with boiling water and drained
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion sliced
• A slice or two fresh ginger
• 2-3 grams green vegetable like kailan or chye-sim, cut into pieces, or shredded cabbage
• Some carrots, julienned (optional)
• Some beadsprouts
• 2-3 grams prawns
• 2-3 grams chicken meat, sliced
• Chicken stock
• 10 black mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbsp  of oyster sauce
• dash of white pepper
• 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil
• 4 dessertspoons oil
• Coriander leaves or chopped spring onions for garnishing

Method:

1. Put oil in pan. Add garlic and fry till light brown.
2. Add sliced onions.
3. Add chicken and fry a little. Add prawns.
4. Add chicken stock, pepper, salt to taste, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Simmer.
5. Add vegetables and carrots. Leave to cook.
6. Add sliced mushrooms.
7. Add Yee Foo noodles. Stir quickly. There must be sufficient stock to make a rather moist consistency.
8. Garnish with coriander or spring onions. Serve with plenty of cut chillies and soy.

Photo credit - Stinkee Beek

How to make Rasam

Indian food. Recipe for Rasam. Traditional preparation involves tamarind juice as base in addition to tomato, chili pepper, Pepper, Cumin and other spices as seasonings.

Ingredients for Simple Rasam:

• 1 tbsp tamarind pulp
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 4 cups of cold water
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds 8 curry leaves

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in hot water for 10 mins, squeeze and dissolve pulp in the water and strain.
2. Put tamarind liquid, garlic, pepper, cumin, water, salt and coriander into a sauce pan and bring to boil.
3. Turn heat down and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. In another pot, heat oil and fry mustard seeds and curry leaves until leaves are brown. Add to the simmering liquid. 

Photo credit - gimpypoop

Japanese Buffet

Holiday is a time for me to binge.  Today is the first day of Easter holiday, I kick start my crazy eating by a Japanese buffet lunch.  To be accurate, it's eat all you can at a fixed fee.  The restaurant I go serves lunch buffet on weekends and holidays only.  Here is a summary of my Japanese feast.

Sashimi - there are over 10 types of fishes for us to choose

Beef and Vegetable

The Ox Tongue is my top pick of the day, very delicious.  The teppanyaki beef sheet (top right) simply melt in my mouth, very well done.

 Grilled Mackerel

 Fried Rice and Noodle

 Tampura - prawns, egg plant and pumpkin

 Pan Fried Assorted Mushrooms

 Vegetables and Dumplings in soup

 Soba and Cucumber Salad

 Deep Fried Oyster and Cheese

 The beautiful cheese cake wrapped up our buffet.

Actually I'm not that keen to eat the Hong Kong style Japanese buffet, although it has the advantage of 'cook to order' and the foods are freshly prepared.  However there is one big disadvantage that I don't like.  The food that they brought us are not 100% ordered by us.  At the same time, some of the foods that we order never arrive.  When I eat buffet in Japan, I just go collect food from the table, food type and quantity are fully controlled by me.  In terms of size, the bowl of fried rice was so big. Of course we tried our best to not wasting food, but we were unable to eat a lot after that.   So we ended up ate something we didn't order and missed something that we really love to eat.

After all we are quite happy with the food as they are really yummy, especially the tepanyaki beef and ox tongue.

Kaneda
74-80 Johnston Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Tel: 2866-1128

Luffet buffet available on Saturday, Sunday and holidays 12:00 - 2:30
HK$158 (US$20.2) (Adult)
HK$128 (US$16.4) (Senior and child)
+10% service charge

Hong Kong Food Blog - Japanese Buffet

How to make Soya Bean Milk (Soya Milk)

Recipe for Soya Milk. Easy to make.

Ingredients for Soya Bean Milk:

• 90 g. soya beans soaked for 4 hours ( Alternatively you may crack the soya beans before soaking. The skin come loose easily and can be washed away - soaked 2-3 hours)
• 1 litre water
• 60 g. sugar to taste
• 2 screwpine leaves (pandan leaves) knotted

Method:

1. Wash and remove skin form soya beans. Pound finely.
2. Put soya beans to boil in water. Do not cover pot. Use low fire to simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Strain. Boil with sugar and screpine leaves till sugar dossolves.
4. Remove screwpine leaves.
5. Serve hot or sold.

Image Credit: dfb

Pickled Papaya (Jeruk Betik)

Pickled Papaya (Jeruk Betik) made with red chillies, salt, vinegar and sugar. Simple appetizer which taste both sweet and sour, a delightful combination.

Recipe for Pickled Papaya (Jeruk Betik):

• 300g. young raw papaya
• 2 red chillies
• 1 tsp salt
• 140 ml. vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar

Method:

1. Slice papaya thinly.
2. Cut chillies lengthwise.
3. Season papaya and chillies with salt for about half an hour.
4. Rinse papaya and chillies. Wipe dry.
5. Sun for half an hour.
6. Mix vinegar and sugar until sugar dissolves. Taste.
7. Add papaya and chillies.
8. Stand for about half a day before serving.

Image credit: ighosts