Malaysian style ‘Lor Mee’

According to the time on my computer, it is now 11:59pm on Dec 31, 2009… Just heard some fireworks going on. HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!!

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Okay, back to business. This is my quick version of Malaysian ‘Lor Mee’ (a type of noodle dish with dark gravy). All is done in a wok; there’s no need to precook noodles separately thus making cleaning easy. Alexander loves noodles and this is one of his favorite. He always eats it with drizzle of black vinegar.

In the wok: Malaysian 'Lor Mee'

Malaysian ‘Lor Mee’ Recipe

Ingredients(depends on the amount of noodles cooked then adjust the rest of ingredients accordingly):
uncooked fresh egg noodles– don’t use thick Shanghai noodles or it will take a very long time and lots of hot water to cook.
fish balls– rinse 2-3 times then slice in half
shrimps– shelled and deveined
lean pork– thinly sliced, season with your regular meat seasoning (mine is salt, white pepper, sesame oil and cornstarch water)
choy sum– washed and cut into 3 inches long
2 cloves garlic– finely chopped

gravy seasoning:
dark soy sauce
light soy sauce or salt
ground white pepper
chicken bouillon powder (optional)

hot water– enough to soak the uncooked noodles

thickening agent: cornstarch water– to thicken the gravy if necessary

Method:

1. Lightly pan fry fish balls in a heated deep wok and dish out, keep the wok on high heat.
2. Add garlic and saute until aromatic, add pork and stir to loose up. Quickly add hot water to the wok, then add noodles and stir to loose up. Add gravy seasoning to taste.
3. Turn the heat down to medium/ medium high and let the noodles cook, stir occasionally. If desired, cover wok with lid to cook the noodles faster. Add more hot water if necessary.
4. When the noodles is almost done, add choy sum and shrimps, and cook until shrimps are just cooked. During cooking the sauce will thicken, but if it’s still too watery at this point, add cornstarch water to thicken the gravy.
5. Turn off heat and stir in fried fish balls (adding fish balls at last will prevent it from turning brown). Serve with black vinegar (drizzle desired amount and mix with the noodles), fresh hot peppers and/or pickled hot peppers.

Ground Pork Omelette

Ground Pork Omelet– a very simple homemade dish. It is one of my default dishes as we always have ground pork in the freezer, and one of Richard’s favorite dish too. I learn this recipe from my mom, but I add a lot more garlic as it adds more flavor to the dish.

Ground Pork Omelet

Ground Pork Omelet Recipe

Ingredients:
1/3 lb ground pork
ground pork seasoning (eye balling/agak-agak):
salt, ground white pepper, sesame oil, cornstarch water
3 eggs– beated
3 cloves garlic– finely chopped
salt, pepper and chicken bouillon powder (optional) to taste
green onion and cilantro for garnish

Method:

1. Season ground pork with the seasoning, or use your daily meat seasoning.
2. Heat up wok and add some oil, saute garlic until aromatic then add in pork. Continue stirring to loose up the meat. Add seasoning to taste. Continue stirring until the meat is cooked. Pour beaten eggs over pork, pan fry until the bottom are golden brown. Turn omelet over to fry the top side. Dish out and garnish with green onion and/or cilantro. Served with steamed rice or plain porridge.

Taiwanese Gluten Rice Rolls

The first time I had gluten rice rolls was when Richard and I visited Taiwan 8-9 years ago. Back then we didn’t eat the rolls fresh hot (we were busy eating many other local snacks!) and saved it later when we boarded the plane back home… Even it was cold but it was still very delicious.

This is the second time I made sticky rice rolls at home. Unlike the first time, I used half sushi rice and half gluten rice, so that it is easier to digest for my stomach. The fillings is very versatile, but typically includes eggs, pork floss, fried Chinese donuts, saute preserved turnips, saute preserved mustard green etc… I prepared the fillings ingredients while the rice was cooking so everything was ready to be wrapped when the rice is cooked. The rolls are individually plastic wrapped thus making it very convenient to eat during a road trip, just keep the rolls in a thermos to keep warm. Oh, these rolls are very fulfilling as well.

Taiwanese Gluten Rice Rolls

Taiwanese Gluten Rice Rolls Recipe (makes 6 rolls)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup uncooked gluten rice
1 1/2 cup uncooked sushi rice
pork floss–available in Asian grocery stores
1 Fried Chinese donuts– see note below.
3 stewed eggs– see note below.
1 cup saute sweet preserved turnip (chye por)– recipe follows
1 cup spicy preserved mustard green– recipe follows
Method:

1. Combine gluten rice and sushi rice in a bowl, wash and rinse 2-3 times. Cook the rices in the rice cooker (follow rice cooker instructions for gluten rice).
2. Pull Chinese donuts apart into 2 sticks, cut each stick into 3 portions and then cut in half lengthwise for each portion. Toast in oven to make them crispy. Set aside.
3. Slice the stewed eggs into small wedges– 1 eggs into 6 wedges.
4. Stir the rice to loose up when it is cooked. Divide into 6 portions. Scoop 1 portion of rice and spread it on a piece of plastic wrap. Arrange the fillings (3 egg wedges, 2 donuts sticks, 1 heap tbsp each of saute turnip and spicy mustard green, sprinkle of pork floss) in the middle of the rice and roll it up tight like a sushi roll and wrap with the plastic wrap. Serve hot.

Notes:

• Chinese donuts– fresh donuts are available in certain Chinese restaurants serving breakfast. Frozen packaged ones can be found in Chinese grocery stores in frozen food section.
• I happen to have stewed egg leftovers. If you don’t have stewed eggs, you can substitute with 3 thin egg omelet then cut into strips.

Saute Sweet Preserved Turnip ‘Chye Por’:
1 cup sweet preserved turnip ‘chye por’– coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic– finely chooped
salt and sugar to taste

Method: Saute garlic until aromatic, add turnip, salt and sugar and saute until the flavor of turnip comes out. Dish out.

Spicy Preserved Mustard Green:
1 cup preserved mustard green– julienne
6 Thai hot peppers
1 clove garlic– finely chopped

Method: squeeze wash and rinse julienne mustard green in a bowl 2 times then squeeze dry. Saute garlic and peppers until aromatic, add mustard green and saute for a few more times. If it tastes a little bland add just a little of salt. Dish out.