HOW TO MAKE NYONYA ACHAR / PERANAKAN MIXED VEGETABLE PICKLE

INGREDIENTS :

For the Rempah (Spice Paste) :

To Saute and Mix :

METHOD :

• Cut Cucumbers into thin strips, sprinkle a teaspoon of salt over it and leave it aside for about 15-20 minutes.
• Clean, Peel and Cut Carrots into thin strips.
• Cut Long Beans into 1' long pieces.
• Boil Rice Wine Vinegar along with 1/2 Cup of Water, a dash of Salt and a teaspoon of Sugar. 
• Blanch Carrots and Long beans in the vinegar mix for a few minutes.
• Remove the vegetables from the vinegar mix and allow them to dry on a clean kitchen towel.
• Squeeze the Cucumber to remove any excess water and dry them along with the other vegetables.
• Cut Pineapples into thin strips and keep it aside.

For the Rempah (Spice Paste) :

• Soak Dried Red Chillies in hot water for 10 minutes.
• Heat a pan and Dry Roast Belacan(Dried Shrimp Paste) until aromatic.
• Grind it along with other ingredients mentioned under 'for the Rempah' into a fine paste.
• Heat Oil in a pan and saute the Rempah Paste on a low flame until oil separates from the mix and it turns aromatic for about 10-12 minutes.
• Add Rice Wine Vinegar, Salt and Palm Sugar to the spice paste and mix well.
• Saute it until the spice paste turns a bit dry.
• Switch off the flame and add the vegetables and pineapples to the above and mix well.
• Can add toasted Sesame seeds to the pickle if preferred.
• Store them in clean and dry Porcelain/Glass/Ceramic Jars.

NOTES :

• Blanching, drying and squeezing process, gives a crunchy texture to the vegetables.
• Adjust the salt and chillies as per your taste preference.
• Can substitute Red Chilli Powder instead of Chillies and Turmeric Powder instead of fresh Turmeric. 
• Can use canned pineapple for the recipe. 
• Initially, the spice paste wouldn't be enough to cover all the vegetables.
• Next day press the pickle well into the jar and mix well, the pickle tends to ferment by time and release some water.
• Also, the vegetable gets soaked up well into the spices and releases a perfect blend of flavours.
• Avoid using steel/aluminium/copper containers for storing the pickles, as they tend to react with the acidic nature of salt and vinegar
• Store them in clean and dry Porcelain/Glass/Ceramic Jars.
• Always use clean & dry spoons(preferably wooden spoons) for the pickle.
• Wet Jars/spoons can spoil the pickles as the moisture in them helps in the growth of Fungus.
• Allow it to cool completely before storing it into sterilized bottles. 
• Refrigerate the pickle.  It can stay good even with less oil and preservatives. 

NASI GORENG / FRIED RICE

HOW TO MAKE NASI GORENG/FRIED RICE

INGREDIENTS :

For Fried Rice :

To Garnish :

For a detailed recipe of how to cook Jasmine / Fragrant Rice, click here...

METHOD :

• Cook the fragrant rice as per instruction and allow it cool.
• Heat 2 Tspn of Oil in a large pan, fry or scramble the Eggs.  
• Remove it from the pan and keep it aside.
• Heat the remaining oil and sauté finely chopped Onions, Garlic and Bird's Eye Chillies until onions turn translucent. 
• Add Light Soy Sauce and Kicap Manis and give a quick stir.
• Add in finely chopped Carrots and Mushrooms to the above and toss it briefly on a low flame or until the vegetable cook. 
• Add cooked Fragrant Rice, along with Salt and a pinch of Sugar. 
• Drizzle Rice Wine Vinegar over the rice.
• Mix it well until every grain is well coated with the sauces.
• Stir in Scrambled Eggs to the rice. 
• Fry the rice in high flame for few minutes or until the rice is dry. 
• Switch off the flame. 
• Garnish Nasi Goreng/Fried Rice with Scallions.
• Serve Nasi Goreng/Fried Rice hot with any dips, sauces or side dishes of your choice.

NOTES :

• Any fragrant long-grained rice variety can be used for the recipe.
• Use a day old cooked rice for best results. Obviously, keep them refrigerated.
• Adjust the number of Chillies to suit your spice level.
• Can add any vegetable of your choice in this Fried Rice.
• Can also add Shrimps, Chicken Pieces, Fish or any other Seafood. 
• Can fry the Eggs and use them as a side dish or scramble them up and mix along with the fried rice. 

    Sticky Rice is a particular variety of rice grown in the South East and East Asia. Though, commonly called as Sweet Rice & Glutinous Rice(not because they contain any gluten, but for the reason, they are sticky). This round-grained Sticky Rice tends to become Sticky and Translucent once cooked. The reason behind its stickiness is the absence of the starch amylose, which makes it extra starchy. The trick of getting perfectly cooked Sticky Rice is to Soak them before cooking, and my foolproof method is to Steam Cook. 

  Sticky Rice/Glutinous Rice is a versatile ingredient used in many forms of Asian cooking. Sticky Rice is used in both savoury & sweet recipes. Sticky Rice Flour is used in a wide range of dishes & kuihs locally, and I use it while making Onde Onde. And one popular Dessert - Thai Mango Sticky Rice is the dish which made me try Sticky Rice. Went with the cooking trials to get perfectly textured Sticky Rice for the Dessert. Trying to cook in a Saucepan initially, then in a rice cooker, pressure cooker. I couldn't get the perfect texture whatsoever, the rice was sticky, and it turned out to be like one big lump when cooled. 

    Again, getting help from Google God. Tried the traditional method of Steam cooking the Sticky Rice in a regular steamer, and with a few trial & errors perfected the Microwave Method. When Steam Cooking Sticky Rice, you do not need water to be poured into the rice. So no Rice Water ratio required to be followed in this method. What you need is to soak the Sticky Rice for about 6-8 hours/overnight. Drain it up and the line it up in a steamer cloth & Steam cook. This way the Sticky Rice come out perfectly every time, & each rice kernels stays separate. No more mushy, soggy or under cooked /overcooked Sticky Rice.  

    Well, when it comes to the cooking utensil, traditionally Sticky Rice is cooked in a Bamboo Steamer. I still have to acquire one. If you have a regular/electric Steamer, it is good enough. Rather, it is what you would actually need. No steamer, no worries. All you need is a large, deep pot with a lid, a trivet     (even an empty can, serves good), & a heatproof bowl/plate/dish.

HOW TO COOK STICKY RICE/GLUTINOUS RICE

HOW TO COOK STICKY RICE/GLUTINOUS RICE

IN STEAMER - TRADITIONAL METHOD

HOW TO COOK STICKY RICE/GLUTINOUS RICE

INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

• Wash the Sticky Rice for two-three times, or until the water runs clear.
• Soak the Sticky Rice in ample of water for about 6-8 Hours or Overnight.
• Once soaked, drain the sticky rice and discard the water.
• Pour 5-6 Cups of Water at the bottom of the steamer pot.
• Carefully place the steamer plate and line it up with a clean Muslin/Cheesecloth.
• Spread the Sticky Rice over the Muslin/Cheesecloth and cover the steamer pot with the lid.
• Cook the Sticky Rice on high flame for about 5-8 minutes.
• Lower the flame to medium and cook for another 15-20 minutes.
• Once cooked, the Sticky Rice would turn translucent.
• Switch off the flame and leave it aside for about 8-10 minutes.
• Remove the lid of the steamer pot and fluff up the rice with a chopstick/fork.
• Transfer the cooked Sticky Rice into a bowl. 
• Keep the sticky rice in the steamer or covered to prevent drying out until you serve it or use it in a recipe. 

MICROWAVE METHOD:

INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

• Soak the Sticky Rice in Warm Water for 10-15 minutes.
• Drain the Sticky Rice and discard the water,
• Add the Sticky Rice and Water in a microwave safe bowl big enough to hold rice and water.
• For 1 Cup of Sticky Rice, I used 1 Cup of Water.(Rice Water Ratio = 1:1).
• Cover the bowl and cook on high power for 3 Minutes.
• Carefully remove the bowl and stir the ingredients well.
• Cook for another 3 Minutes.
• Once cooked, the Sticky Rice would turn translucent.
• Remove the bowl and give a quick stir.
• If the Sticky Rice has not cooked, cook for another few minutes.
• The timing to cook the Sticky Rice depends on the type of Microwave.
• For every 2-3 minutes, remove the bowl from the Microwave and mix it well.
• This way, you can ensure that the Sticky Rice is evenly cooked.

NOTES:

• Soak the Sticky Rice before cooking. 
• Line up the Steaming Plate/dish with a parchment paper or a clean kitchen cloth or a steamer liner.
• Once cooked, Sticky Rice tends to dry-up & hardens quickly @ room temperature. 
• If serving as such, it's better to serve it hot. 
• Keep it covered all the time & let the Sticky Rice be warm when you add it into any recipe.
• This way, it is easy to handle.
• Cooked Sticky Rice is really sticky! One simple trick I learnt accidentally (very recently) is to wet the serving tools & your hands to prevent sticking. 
• Cold & hardened cooked sticky rice can be hard to digest.
• When making a larger batch, steam it in two batches or adjust the cooking time.
• You can check the rice and increase the steaming time if necessary. 

HOW TO MAKE SPROUTS - GREEN GRAM

HOW TO SPROUT GREEN GRAM

HOW TO MAKE SPROUTS - GREEN GRAM

HOW TO CHOOSE & SOAK GREEN GRAMS?

• Choose good quality beans for the purpose.
• Old & seasoned Green Grams do not sprout well.
• Rinse the Green Gram 2-3 times or until water runs clear.
• Rinsing the beans also helps to get rid of any contamination.
• Soak the Green Grams in clean tepid water.
• Use boiled & then cooled water or filtered water to soak the Green Grams.
• Soak the Green Grams for about 7-8 hours/overnight.
• Once soaked, drain the water used for soaking the Green Gram.
• Drain the soaked Green Grams in a Colander and rinse it once again in clean water.
• Now the Green Grams are ready to be sprouted.

METHOD 1:

SPROUTING THE GREEN GRAMS IN A CLOTH:

• Use a clean cloth for the purpose.
• Wash the Cloth in hot water and dry it before tying the soaked Green Grams.
• Now collect the drained Green Grams into the cloth.
• Tie it up with a knot.
• Place the knotted Cloth in a Container.
• The container should be such that water does not stagnate at the bottom.
• Place a stand at the bottom and then place the tied cloth over it.
• Discard any stagnated water at intervals.
• Cover the container with a meshed lid.
• Alternatively, you can tightly tie a piece of cloth & cover the container.
• Leave it undisturbed in a warm & dark place until the Green Grams Sprout.
• The time for sprouting totally depends upon the weather and temperature.
• Some Green Grams sprout within a few hours, but some take a few days to sprout.
• Sprinkle the Green Grams with water, if it takes longer than a day to sprout.
• Sprinkle, drain any excess water and place it again into the container.
• The cloth should remain damp throughout the germinating process.
• If it dries up, sprinkle some water to make it damp again.
• Follow the process until the Green Grams, sprouts well & the sprouts reach the desired length.
• If you want longer Sprouts, continue the process for a few more days.
• Once germinated, the sprouts can be stored in a refrigerator.
• Use it within 2-3 days.

METHOD 2:

SPROUTING THE GREEN GRAMS IN A CONTAINER

• Now collect the drained Green Grams into the container.
• Discard any stagnated water at intervals.
• Cover the container with a meshed lid.
• Alternatively, you can tightly tie a piece of cloth & cover the container.
• Leave it undisturbed in a warm & dark place until the Green Grams Sprout.
• The time for sprouting totally depends upon the weather and temperature.
• Some Green Grams sprout within a few hours, but some take a few days to sprout.
• Sprinkle the Green Grams with water, if it takes longer than a day to sprout.
• Sprinkle, drain any excess water and place it again into the container.
• The Grams shouldn't dry up and should remain damp throughout the germinating process.
• If it dries up, sprinkle some water to make it damp again.
• Follow the process until the Green Grams, sprouts well & are of the desired length.
• If you want longer Sprouts, continue the process for a few more days.
• Once germinated, the sprouts can be stored in a refrigerator.
• Use it within 2-3 days.

HOW TO MAKE SPROUTS - GREEN GRAM

HOW TO CHOOSE SPROUTED GRAMS

• Choose fresh, plump and crunchy sprouts
• The Sprouts shouldn't be slimy with any bad odour.
• Do not buy if the sprouts have wilted.
• Buy Sprouts which are stored in a refrigerated condition.
• If the sprouts are kept at room temperature, the sprouts will photosynthesize due to Sunlight which can make the sprouts turn into Green in colour.  Such sprouts may taste bitter.

CULINARY USES OF BEAN SPROUTS.

• Fresh Sprouted Green Grams can be eaten raw.
• They taste slightly sweeter and has a crunchy texture when the sprouts are fresh.
• Sprouted Green Grams can be used in Stir-fries, Curries or in Sundals.
• Add it along with fresh Vegetables and convert it into refreshing Salads.
• A typical South Indian Salad called KOSAMBARI is prepared with sprouted Green Grams, Cucumber and Carrots.
• Sprouted Green Grams can be ground into a batter along with spices and can be used to make Dosais/Uthappams/Adais.
• A slightly long Sprouted Moong Bean(Green Gram) called 'Taugeh' is a common ingredient in South East Asian Cuisine.
• It can be used to cook Stir-fries like Taugeh Goreng, Soups and it is also used as garnishes.
• Taugeh is one main ingredient used in South East Asian Spring Rolls(Popiah)/Vietnamese Spring Rolls.
• Sprouted Moong Bean(Green Gram/Taugeh is used in a variety of Noodle dishes like Mee Goreng, Pad Thai, Singapore Mee, Hokkien Mee, Bihun Goreng, Char Keuy Teow, Mee Rebus etc.,

HOW TO STORE SPROUTED GREEN GRAMS:

• Use it within 2-3 Days.
• Keep sprouted Green Grams refrigerated.
• Rinse it before using.

Important: Food Safety

• If the Green Grams takes a longer time(more than 2 days) to germinate, do not eat it raw. Cook and then eat it.
• Sprouts are common source of Bacterial contamination.
• Rinse it well before using it.