Tauhu Masak Titik and Ayam Goreng Assam

Tauhu Masak Titik (spicy bean curd and salted fish soup)

Ingredients
115 g salted fish bones, cut into pieces, wash and drain
900 ml Water
4 tbsp Cooking oil
1 piece Firm bean curd (taukwa), cut into 24 pieces
4 sprigs Chinese celery, chopped

Meatballs
455 g Pork, minced
455 g Prawns, minced, keep shells
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Sugar
½ tsp MSG
1 tsp Soy sauce
Pepper To taste

Rempah
55 g Shallots, peeled
4 Candlenuts, crushed
1 Red chili, seeded
1 tbsp Shrimp paste (belacan)
¼ tsp Pepper

Seasoning for Stock
1 tsp Salt
1 Chicken stock cube

Method

Combine rempah ingredients and pound to a fine paste. Fry prawn shells in 1 tbsp cooking oil until cooked. Place the fried shells in a pan with 900 ml water and boil for 10 minutes. Add seasoning, strain and set aside. In a bowl, combine meatball ingredients and blend well. Shape mixture into candlenut-sized balls and set aside. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan and fry rempah until fragrant. Pour in prawn stock and salted fish bones and bring to boil. Add in meatballs and cook until well done. Add bean curd and bring to boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with Chinese celery.

Ayam Goreng Assam (fried tamarind chicken)

Ingredients

1.2 kg Chicken, quartered, wash and pad dry
Cooking oil for deep-frying

Marinade
3 tbsp Tamarind pulp (assam)
1½ tsp Salt
3 tsp Sugar
1 tsp MSG
1 tsp Pepper
Soy 2 tsp sauce
8 tbsp Water

Method

Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Prick chicken all over with a fork and rub with marinade. Set aside to marinade for 45 minutes. Heat oil in a wok to very hot then add chicken. Stir fry for a minute and reduce heat to moderate. Continue frying until light brown, dry and crispy on both sides.

Learn more tasty traditional Peranakan food here.

Sambal Sotong and Sambal Udang

Sambal Sotong (hot spicy cuttlefish)

Ingredients

2 tbsp Cooking oil
170 g Onions, peeled and sliced
2 Tomatoes, cut into wedges
3 tbsp Chili garam paste
1 Red chili, seeded and thickly sliced
2 Green chilies, seeded and thickly sliced

For Cuttlefish
300 g Cuttlefish (sotong karang), wash, remove head, black ink bag and centre cartilage, cut into 1 cm rings
1 tsp Sugar
¼ tsp Salt 

For Cucumber
1 Cucumber, quarter lengthwise, remove seeds, cut diagonally into small pieces
½ tsp Salt 

Gravy
2 tbsp Tomato sauce
1 tsp Sugar
½ tsp MSG
¼ tsp Pepper
2 tsp Vinegar
3 tbsp Water
1 tsp Tapioca flour or cornflour

Method

Season cuttlefish with sugar and salt. Set aside. Rub cucumber with salt. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine all gravy ingredients and set aside. Heat oil in a wok and stir-fry onions and tomatoes. Increase heat and add cuttlefish, chili garam paste and gravy mixture. Stir and cook for 5 minutes with lid covered. Remove lid, add sliced chilies and cucumber and heat through.

Sambal Udang (prawn sambal)

Ingredients

6 tbsp Cooking oil
170 g Coconut, grated, squeezed with 115 ml water to extract thin coconut milk
900 g Prawns, shelled, deveined and slit lengthwise

Rempah
115 g Shallots, peeled
15 Dried chilies
10 Fresh red chilies, seeded
1 clove Garlic, peeled
4 Candlenuts, crushed
1 stalk Lemon grass, thinly sliced

Seasoning
1 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
A pinch MSG
1 tbsp Tamarind pulp (assam), mixed with 55 ml water, squeezed and strained

Method

Grind rempah ingredients into a fine paste. Heat cooking oil in a wok. When hot, fry rempah paste over moderate heat until oil bubbles. Add some coconut milk as you fry. Add prawns and seasoning ingredients and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add remaining coconut milk and cook until sauce thickens.

Checkout here for more traditional Peranakan food recipes here.

Summer Risotto With Zucchini, Zucchini Flowers & Pesto

Summer Risotto With Zucchini, Zucchini Flowers & Pesto is one of the Traditional Peranakan Food.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
• 1 1/2 Cups Arborio Rice
• 1 Cup Dry White Wine
• 5 Cups Homemade Vegetable or Chicken Broth, Heated
• 1 1/2 Cups Finely Diced Zucchini (1/2-inch dice)
• 10 to 12 Zucchini Flowers, Stamens Removed & Diced
• 1 Tablespoon Homemade Basil Pesto
• 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
• Salt & Pepper

To Finish:

• 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
• 1/3 Cup Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese

Directions:

1. Place the olive oil and half the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan and heat until sizzling over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the rice, and stir to coat the rice completely with the oil mixture.
4. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring often.
5. Add the wine to the pot, stir to mix, and continue to cook over medium heat until the wine has been absorbed.
6. Add a ladleful of warm broth and continue to cook, stirring constantly.
7. Halfway through the cooking period, or 10 minutes, add the diced zucchini.
8. As each addition of broth has been absorbed, add another, stirring constantly until the rice is just slightly firm to the bite, about 20 minutes.
9. With the last addition of broth, add the chopped zucchini flowers, pesto, and lemon juice.
10. Stir to mix, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes, then remove from the heat.
12. Stir in the butter and the grated cheese, and stir until the cheese has completely melted into the rice.
13. Serve immediately on warm plates.

Pesto Pasta With Cherry Tomatoes

This is a great summer pasta and I even enjoy leftovers cold the next day for lunch!

To toast the almonds, spread them on a baking sheet and place in a preheated 350-degree oven. Bake for about 7 minutes, tossing the nuts as they bake, or until the nuts are a light golden brown.

Ingredients:

For The Pesto:

• 1 Bunch Fresh Basil, About 1 1/2 Cups Tightly Packed
• 1/4 Cup Lightly Toasted Blanched almonds
• 1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Large Garlic Clove
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For The Pasta:

• 1 Pound Whole Grain Pasta
• 2 Cups Halved, Ripe Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Garlic Clove Finely Minced
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper To Taste
• Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
• Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

• Place the pesto ingredients into a food processor and pulse until you reach your desired consistency.
• Toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, garlic, salt, red peeper flakes, and pepper and set aside.
• Heat a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, then cook the pasta until it is “al dente”.
• Drain the pasta, then return to the pot.
• Add the pesto and cherry tomatoes and toss with the hot pasta over medium high heat until piping hot.
• Serve in individual bowls, passing the cheese at the table.

Checkout here for Traditional Italian food recipes.

Pasta With Zucchini & Caldarello Sausage

Pasta With Zucchini & Caldarello Sausage

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, Divided
• 1 Pound Italian Sausage (I Recommend Caldarello!), Meat Removed From Casings
• 1 Pound Zucchini, Trimmed & Sliced
• 1 Medium Onion, Peeled & Diced
• 4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/3 Cup Fresh Parsley Leaves, Chopped
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• 3/4 Pound Pasta Of Choice

To Serve:

• Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese

Directions:

• In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium heat, and cook the sausage meat, breaking it up with two forks as it cooks.
• Cook the meat until it is completely cooked and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer the meat to a dish and empty out any fat.
• Add the remaining two tablespoons of oil to the skillet and add the zucchini and onions and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are golden brown and tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook another minute or two.
• Return the meat to the skillet, and season with parsley, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes.
• While the vegetables are cooking, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
• Cook the pasta according to package instructions until it is “al dente”.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a small cup of pasta water, then return the pasta to the pot.
• Over high heat, toss the pasta with the sausage and zucchini mixture, adding a little of the pasta water to loosen the “sauce”.
• Serve in individual bowls, topped with a spoonful of the grated cheese.

To learn more about how to cook Traditional Peranakan Food here.

Asam Prawn (Tamarind Fried Prawn) & Nyonya vegetable stew (Nyonya chap chye) recipes

Tamarind Fried Prawn (Asam Prawn/Asam Heh) Recipe

 Ingredients:

8 oz shell-on prawns
1 1/2 tablespoons tamarind pulp
4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cooking oil

Method:

1. Mix the tamarind pulp with 4 tablespoons water. Extract the juice from the tamarind by pressing the pulp.
2. Remove the heads of the prawn. Devein the prawn by slitting the back. Rinse prawn with water and pat dry with paper towers.
3. Add the tamarind juice and pulp, salt, and sugar into the prawn and mix well with your hand. Marinate for 15 minutes. Remove the tamarind pulp before cooking.
4. Heat up a wok and add cooking oil. As soon as it’s heated, drop the prawnsinto the wok and pan fry until cooked and slightly burnt. Dish out and serve immediately.

Cook’s Note:

Some recipes call for dark soy sauce but I always do without the dark soy sauce as it will make the prawns too dark in color, and hence less appealing in presentation. You can also leave the heads on, for photography purposes, I had them heads off. You can also pan-fried the prawns with the tamarind pulp if you wish.

Nyonya vegetable stew (Nyonya chap chye)

Ingredients

For the paste:

• 20g candlenuts or cashews
• 70g shallots, peeled
• 20g garlic, peeled
• 2 tbsps fermented soy beans
• 150ml water

• For the stew:

• 20g lily flower, rinsed, knotted
• 1 1/2 tbsps sugar, or to taste
• 3 tbsps light soy sauce
• 6 tbsps oil
• 300g prawns, peeled
• 750ml light chicken or prawn stock
• 15g glass noodles, soaked in cold water for 20 seconds
• 25 dried beancurd skin, soaked, cut into pieces
• 250g cabbage, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 40g sweet beancurd skin or 'tim chok', cut into pieces
• 30g dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked, halved
• 15g black fungus, soaked, cut into pieces

• Method

  How to make Nyonya vegetable stew (Nyonya chap chye)

  Find out more about Makansutra's Nyonya Vegetable Stew.
  1) Combine all of the ingredients for the paste in a food processor and blend. Set aside.
  2) In a braising pot, heat oil and fry paste for about 3-4 minutes or until fragrant. Add the prawns and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
  3) Deep fry the tim chok and dried bean curd skin over low-medium fire till lightly crispy. Set aside.
  4) Add the lily flower, black fungus, dried mushrooms, sweet beancurd and cabbage to the paste, fry for another 2-3 minutes.
  5) Add stock and bring mixture to boil. Lower heat, cover and let chap chye simmer for 8 minutes.
  6) Add fried tim chok, dried beancurd skin and glass noodles and let it simmer for another 2 minutes.
  Serve with steamed rice.
• Please visit here for more Traditional Peranakan Food Recipes.

Singapore Famous Food Recipes

Singapore is a melting pot bubbling over with tourists, inhabitants and expatriates from all parts of the world, and these people naturally have diverse eating habits. Through the ages, the Chinese, Malay, Indians and the foreigners (westerners) have cast their influence on Singapore's food recipes and there is no doubt that Singapore is a food lovers' paradise.

Singaporeans love to eat out and there is a feast of multicultural cuisine waiting for them in restaurants and especially in hawker centers and food courts. Here is a list of the major types of foods you can feast on in Singapore:

1. Malaysian Food: Malaysian food, also known as Malay food, is a popular in Singapore simply because Malaysia is Singapore's neighbor and there are a whole lot of Malaysians living there; Spicy Malaysian gravies are laced with belachan, which is made from baby shrimps and the Malaysian desserts are usually based on coconut milk, palm sugar and freshly grated coconut. Then, of course, there are the rice and noodles too, which any Malaysian cannot live without. All these go to make an exotic eating experience. Some Malaysian food you must try out in Singapore: Laksa (coconut-based gravies) and Satay (grilled and skewered meat).

2. Chinese Food: The Chinese have been in Singapore since the last seven centuries and their influence on Singapore's food recipes is authoritative. Chinese food can be subtle and neutral (Cantonese), or it can be fiery (Szechuan). Rice is a staple food in any Chinese dish and you can try out the following dishes to get a flavor of the Chinese influence: Shark fin soup, spring rolls (Cantonese - subtle taste); Fried Hokkien Mee (vermicelli, noodles, chili gravy, garlic, prawns, pork and everything else); and, Teochew food such as steamed fish and braised duck.

3. Indian Food: South Indians (mostly Tamilians) migrated to Singapore in the 1940s and their influence on Singaporean cuisine is undeniable. In fact there is an area in Singapore (around Serangoon Road), which is know as Little India. You must try out the south Indian Dosas, Idlis, Vadas that are served with spicy gravy and chutneys as well as the north Indian Tandoori Chicken (chicken smothered with a spicy paste and cooked in a clay oven).

4. Nyonya Food: Nyonyas are half-Malay, half-Chinese people who cook very hot and spicy food loaded with ginger and turmeric. Their recipes are creative and the cooking methods are elaborate. Some of the famous Nyonya dishes ( Traditional Peranakan Food ) you must savor are: Enche kabin (small chicken pieces marinated in soy and oyster sauce) and Chicken Kapitan (chicken curry made using tamarind juice, candlenut, fresh turmeric root and belachan (shrimp paste)).

These apart, Singapore also offers western cuisine comprising of American, British, and Italian dishes. There are fast food centers, food courts, hawker centers, restaurants and you-name-it. As we said earlier, Singapore's food recipes cater to all kinds of food lovers. Bon Appetit.

Looking for amazing and mouth drooling Singapore Food Recipe to cook back at home for your love one.

Please 

Nyonya Fried Chicken Recipe (Inchi Kabin).

Nyonya Fried Chicken Recipe (Inchi Kabin)

Ingredients:

1kg chicken (cut into pieces)
Oil for deep frying

Seasoning:
2½ tbsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
10 tbsp coconut milk

Dipping sauce:
1 red chilli, seeded and cut into strips
Juice of half a calamansi lime (use lime or lemon if you can’t find calamansi lime)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
3 tbsp Worcester sauce

Method:

Marinate the chicken with the Seasonings for at least 4 hours, or best overnight. In a frying pan, deep fry the seasoned chicken until ¾ cooked and let cool.
Heat the oil again till very hot and deep fry for approximately 1 minute or when sizzling subsides. Remove the chicken. Allow the oil the heat up again and repeat process, twice till very crisp and golden brown.
Mix the dipping sauce in a small bowl and serve the fried chicken with it.

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How to prepare - Nyonya Acar Fish.

Ingredients:
1 medium-sized turmeric, peeled and sliced into thin pieces
600g silver mullet or bone-in Red Snapper fish fillet (cut into 1-inch thick fillet)
1 (big) knob ginger, peeled and cut into matchstick strips
2 (small) garlic bulb, peeled and sliced into thin pieces
3 fresh red chilies, sliced into pieces diagonally
10-12 bird’s eye chilies

Marinade:

2 cups oil
2 cups water
1 cup Chinese rice vinegar or to taste
2 tablespoons salt or to taste
1 cup sugar or to taste
1 heaping tablespoon toasted white sesame

Method:

Dry the turmeric, ginger, and garlic under the sun for a few hours. Marinate the fish with some salt before deep-frying to golden crispy texture. Transfer the fish into a deep pot, follow by the ginger, garlic, and chilies.

Heat up a wok and stir-fry the turmeric until the oil becomes yellow. Discard the turmeric using a colander. Add water and vinegar to the wok and bring it to boil. Season with sugar and salt per the recipe or to taste. Transfer the marinade into the pot and make sure that the fish and ingredients are submerged by the marinade. Sprinkle the sesame on top and cover the pot with its cover and let the fish pickle overnight. The fish is best served the next day.

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How to prepare - Kaya (Malaysian Coconut Egg Jam).

Kaya (Malaysian Coconut Egg Jam) Recipe

 Makes 1 jar | Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:

4 or 5 eggs
200 g (7 oz) sugar
1/2 cup coconut cream
3/4 cup coconut milk
3 pandan leaves, tie into a knot
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch + 1 1/2 tablespoons water
Caramel:
50 g – 75 g (1.5 oz to 2.5 oz) sugar

Method:

Crack the eggs into a big bowl or container, follow by the coconut cream, coconut milk, and sugar. Whisk well, or using an electronic hand mixer, whisk the mixture well. Filter the mixture with a strainer.
Transfer the egg mixture into a sauce pan (non-stick preferred). Add the pandan leaves into the egg mixture and turn on the heat to medium low. Using a wood spatula or a pair of wooden chopsticks, keep stirring the mixture until they are cooked, about 20 minutes. To thicken the kaya, add the corn starch mixture, stir to combine well with the kaya. Please take note that lumps will form in the jam.
In the meantime, heat up the sugar for the Caramel in a sauce pan until the sugar melts into caramel. When the color becomes golden brown, add the caramel into the kaya, stir to combine well. The color of the kaya should be golden brown. Turn off the heat.
Let the kaya jam cool down, discard the pandan leaves and transfer the kaya to a blender. Blend until it reaches a silky smooth consistency and without lumps. Transfer the kaya to a jam bottle. You can keep it in the fridge for about a week.

Cook’s Notes:

1. Use fresh coconut cream and coconut milk if possible. I used Kara brand coconut cream and coconut milk.
2. If you like your kaya lighter color, use 50 g of sugar for the caramel. I used 75 g.

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Travel to Singapore - A Guide to Local Singapore Food and Drink

Singapore is commonly known as a shopping haven, a safe and secure traveling destination, a beach and city holiday rolled into one and a meeting point of many cultures and religions. Singapore is also the melting pot of food and drink from all over the world.

You can satisfy your gastronomic desire for sumptuous cuisines at any time of the day and anywhere in the island. Singapore's unique blend of food and drink is considered so special that you can even join the Uniquely Singapore Shop and Eat Tour, and feast in the local cuisine as you explore the city's ethnic districts and residential neighborhoods.



Here is a list of 7 must-try food and drink when you visit Singapore:

1. Singapore Sling

A cocktail originally invented for the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel in the early 20th century. The original recipe uses gin, cherry brandy and Benedictine, the concoctions though differ in other parts of the country and the world. The drink is shaken and strained into a glass before adding in club soda. You can find the drink in most bars in Singapore and on board flights of Singapore Airlines.

2. Chicken Rice

A local favorite, this dish has been touted as a national dish by several food critics. You can choose a serving of roasted, steamed or barbequed chicken with rice cooked in chicken stock and garlic. Add a dash of chili sauce and dark soy sauce, a plate of chicken rice is both a tasty and filling meal.

3. Laksa

While there are many versions of this dish in Malaysia, a Singapore version has its roots in the traditional Peranakan food. Rice noodles are cooked in coconut spicy gravy and sprinkled with prawns, bean curd and chicken. A very rich and indulgent dish that will leave you craving for more.

4. Fried Carrot Cake

Certainly a comfort food for many Singaporeans, fried carrot cake is a mix of diced radish and egg tossed in soy sauce. A common hawker food, this dish is oily and spicy but promises a truly satisfying gastronomic experience.

5. Indian Rojak

Rojak is loosely used to mean a mix of several ingredients. There are Indian, Indonesian and Chinese rojaks in Singapore. The Indian rojak usually refers to a Muslim-Indian dish comprising of different vegetables, bean curds, fried dough mixtures and seafood served with a spicy and sweet peanut sauce.

6. Satay

If you are familiar with kebabs on skewers in Mediterranean dishes, Satay is the local version of meat on skewers. You can get chicken, beef and lamb Satays served with peanut sauce. Hotels usually add Satays as a side dish to its fried rice or fried noodles.

7. Ice kacang

An all-time favorite, Ice Kacang is a delightful dessert to end a meal. With a base of jelly, red beans, corn and Attap seeds, ice is grated on top of them and topped with various colored sugar syrup and condensed milk. A purely indulgent treat to satisfy your sweet tooth and a great way to quench your thirst in sunny Singapore.