Pork Chop La Mian-排骨拉面

I always like to eat the 排骨拉面 from Crystal Jade Noodle House. So when I saw this similar recipe from one of the cookbook, I decide to give it a try. I bought the Fresh La Mian(拉面) from NTUC supermarket which can use to serve 3 - 4 person. This dish is very simple, just need to marinate the pork chop then deep-fry it and serve with soup noodle. It cost about $3.00 per bowl base on the ingredients used.

Ingredients: (serves 2)
2 Pieces of Big Pork Chop With Bone
1 Packet of La Mian(拉面)
A Few Stalks Of Xiao Bao Cai/Cai Xin(小白菜/菜薪)
600ml Of Soup Stock
Some Shallot/Sesame Oil
2 Tablespoon Sweet Potato Flour + 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch

Seasoning:
1 Tablespoon Cooking Wine
2 Tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Sugar
3-4 Cloves Crush Garlic
1/2 Teaspoon Five-spice Powder

Methods:
1. Wash and chop the pork chop with the back of the knife to make it tenderize.
2. Marinate it with the seasoning for at least 30 minutes or more in the fridge.
3. Before deep-frying, coat it evenly with the flour mixture and set aside for 2 - 3 minutes.
4. Preheat the oil and deep-fry the pork chop in medium heat one at a time until golden brown and crisp.
5. Blanch the noodle in boiling water, then rinse with tap water to remove the starch on the noodles.
6. Then cook the noodles accordingly to the packet instructions.
7. Wash and blanch the vegetables in the boiling soup, remove and set side.
8. Place the cooked noodles in a serving bowl, top with blanch vegetables and deep-fry pork chop.
9. Pour over the soup stock and sprinkle some dried shallot, sesame oil and spring onion then serve.

Notes: You can use any types of noodle that you prefer. Or you can change the pork chop to pork ribs.

Pumpkin & Assorted Bean Soup

Remember the Cranberry Bean(click link for more details) that I had used for some of the soup recipes before. Today we are going to have another soup using these beautify peal bean together with some kidney beans and pumpkin to stew a wonderful soup of the day.

Kidney Beans-红腰豆
A dried kidney shape bean that is reddish brown in color, strong flavored and has a slight mealy (powdery) texture. The beans can be cooked as their own dish or can be added into other dishes, such as chili, casseroles, refried beans and salads. They are available dried or in cans, precooked. Kidney beans also provide large amounts of foliate and tryptophan. It also benefits the Spleen and invigorates the Stomach, expels Heat and Dampness. As with all dried beans, they should be sorted and washed before cooking. Soaking ahead of time reduces cooking time.


Ingredients:
1/4 Pumpkin(南瓜), about 300g
20 Pods Cranberry Bean(珍珠豆)
100g Kidney Beans(红腰豆)
300g - 350g Pork Ribs(排骨)
1 Medium Fresh Huai Shan(鲜淮山), about 200g
1/2 Tablespoon Gou Qizi(枸杞子)
1 Piece Of Dried Tangerine Peel, 陈皮

Methods:
1. Wash, trim and blanch the pork ribs in boiling water. Rinse and set aside for later use.
2. Wash, peel and cut the pumpkin into 4 large pieces.
3. Wash and soak the kidney bean for about 30 minutes, drain and set aside.
4. Soak dried tangerine peel till soft, then scrape off the pith.
5. Remove the cranberry bean from the pod, wash and set aside.
6. Bring a pot of 1.2 litre of water to boil, then add in all the ingredients except the cranberry bean, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 1 hrs or until the kidney bean is tender then add in the cranberry bean and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes.
7. Or you can transfer the boiled soup to a slow-cooker and simmer on LOW heat for 2 hours then add in the cranberry beans and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes season with salt and serve.

Kapitan Chicken Curry

This Ayam Kapitan is a very special curry paste that I had not try before and it actually used Fresh Turmeric Leaves as one of the ingredients. It has a very refreshing and special aroma when the dish is done. When you taste the curry sauce, it has a lemon scent of the turmeric leave taste and it make the curry less greasy which I find is a new taste for those curry paste that I had tried before.


Ingredients:
1 Packet Ayam Kapitan Curry Paste
500g Chicken Wings
10 Baby Potato
1 Brown Onion, finely chopped
1/2 Cup Coconut Milk
1 1/2 Cup Water
1 Tablespoon Finely Shredded Fresh Turmeric Leave

Methods:
1. Wash and trim the chicken wings then set aside for later used.
2. Mix the coconut milk with 1/2 cup of water and stir well.
3. Preheat a pot with 1 tablespoon of oil and saute the brown onion until fragrant then add in the curry paste and stir till well mixture.
4. Next add the chicken wings and potato then stir till well coated with the curry paste and let it cook for a few minutes then add in the coconut milk mixture.
5. Stir well and when it boil, add in the water and let it simmer until the sauce is almost thicken then add in the shredded turmeric leaves and simmer for another 5 minutes and serve with bread or rice.

My mum got these instant Maggi Curry Paste from one of those shopping mall in Malaysia. So I think for those who usually visit the shopping mall over there, maybe you can try to take a look at these products and give it a try... it's very special and you don't find it in Singapore.