garlic

Kecap Manis

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Kecap Manis

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Kecap manis (ketjap manis), pronounced KEH-chup MAH-nees is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce with a molasses consistency and a dark brown color.
Sometimes flavored with garlic, star anise, chili, five spice powder, etc, the sauce is more syrupy than commonplace soy sauce. Sold in most Asian markets, kecap manis can be used as a condiment or marinade for satay’s and grilled meats or as a dipping sauce. Basically just sweetened soy sauce, it is by far the most popular type of soy sauce used in Indonesian cuisine, where it plays a important role in signature dishes, such as nasi goreng, mie goreng, satay, tongseng and semur.
Sambal kecap is a type of sambal dipping sauce of kecap manis with sliced chili, tomato and shallot, a popular for sate kambing (goat meat satay) and ikan bakar (grilled fish/seafood).
Since soy sauce is of Chinese origin, kecap asin is also an important seasoning in Chinese Indonesian cuisine. It is also a staple ingredient in many other traditional dishes of Indonesia.

Kecap manis is also a staple in my kitchen. I use it mainly for my “lazy meal” day’s, when much cooking is not on my list and a simple plate of stir fried vegetables with mushrooms, noodles or rice mixed with kecap manis, garlic and chili is all that’s on the menu for a quick yet satisfying dinner. I usually have both store-bought and homemade kecap manis in the fridge. When a original recipe calls for it, I use the more complex store-bought version which usually contains star anis, garlic and sometimes other flavor agents.
On the other hand, if I prepare a “lazy meal”, the simple home-made version described below suits me better. I’s not a question of quality but rather a personal taste-preference 🙂
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Happy Cooking ! Life is Good !

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P.S.
If you decide to prepare this homemade version of ketsap manis, I highly recommend that you don’t leave the sauce unattended while simmering. If it boils over, the high sugar content makes it a nuisance to clean off the stove 🙂 😦
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mix 2 cup cane sugar with 2 cups soy sauce

bring sauce to a VERY SLOW simmer

while simmering, skim off all foam that rises to the top; cook sauce until it has the texture of syrup, let cool; it will then further thicken to the texture of thick molasses

Kecap Manis

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A Pig And A Hoagie

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There you have it – a pig at it’s finest……..

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This meal started out to become a traditional Asian-style braised pork belly dish, served with steamed rice and some kind of green vegetables.
However, after starting the belly, I changed my mind and decided to go with another sandwich, because…….why not ? 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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A Pig And A Hoagie

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Preparation :
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: season a 20 oz piece of pork belly with kosher salt, saute until browned on all sides

: add 3 large sliced onions, 1 tblsp five spice powder, 2 tblsp garlic paste, 1 tblsp chili paste, 2 tblsp kecup manis, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1/2 cup soy sauce and 3 cup chicken or pork stock

: bring to a slow simmer, cover and cook until very tender but NOT falling apart, about 2 hours

: remove belly to a cutting board, with a slotted spoon remove braised onions, reserve; keep sauce for another dish (great to mix with noodles)

: there you have it ……..

: slice belly into 6 thick pieces

: meanwhile, make a salad from 8 ea halved cherry tomatoes, 3 tblsp marinated banana peppers, 1/3 bunch chives and 2 tblsp simple vinaigrette; make a salsa from 3 ea sliced scallions, 3 ea chopped chilies, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, lime juice and kosher salt to taste

: cut 2 day-old hoagies lenghtwise (there are a lot of juices, so you don’t want the bread to be too soft), reserve the top halves

: drain the salad, divide between the 2 bottom-halves of the hoagies

: top each hoagie with half the sliced pork

: top each hoagie with half the braised onions

: top ea hoagie with half of the salsa

: top ea hoagie with the reserved top halves of the hoagies

: A Pig And A Hoagie

: A Pig And A Hoagie

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Ox Tripe Two Way’s

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: Creamy Ox Tripe Stew

: Clear Oxtripe Stew

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Even though ox tripe is not everybody’s cup of tea, I myself am an incurable fan of it.
Originally classified as “Poor Man’s Food”, it has lately become more widely used, especially since the “Head To Tail” movement has become popular and it is now “in” to classify former “Poor Man’s Food” as “Comfort Food 🙂 .
Well, I grew up loving this type of food, so for today’s lunch, I made two versions, one for lunch and one to be re-heated at dinner.
Of course, there are a million recipes for ox tripe from around the world and I love most of them. But these two versions of (almost) the same recipe are without a doubt on the very top of my list. Great looks, super taste and outstanding texture lift them to the level of excellence the humble ox tripe deserves.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Oxtripe recipes on ChefsOpinion ( Mondongo/ Beef Tripe/ Kutteln/ 牛百叶/ 牛百葉/ Goto/ Tripa/ требуха/ أمعاء, شىء تافه )
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Clear Ox Tripe Stew

Creamy Ox Tripe Stew

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Preparation :
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: blanch 2 lbs tripe in lightly salted and vinegared water (one tblsp ea salt and vinegar per qt of water), repeat

: drain, rinse

: cut into thick strips, simmer in lightly salted and vinegared water (one tblsp ea salt and vinegar per qt of water) until soft but not mushy, drain, set aside

: drain one 14 oz can diced tomatoes, one 14 oz can drained northern beans, one 14 oz can red kidney beans, one 14 oz can kernel corn

: saute julienne of 2 med sized onions in 1 tblsp olive oil until translucent, add 1 tblsp garlic paste, saute until fragrant

: add the diced tomatoes, northern beans, red kidney beans, kernel corn, 8 oz shredded carrots, 1 bunch chopped cilantro and 1 qt beef stock, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: simmer stew for 2 minutes, check/adjust seasoning, divide stew in half, reserve one half for recipe # 2

: add 1 half of the tripe to the stew; to serve, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, finely sliced scallions and grated parmesan cheese (optional)

: Clear Oxtripe Stew

: for second recipe, blend 1/4 of reserved stew with 1 tblsp grated parmesan until smooth

: add 1 cup heavy cream, mix

: return mixture to the remaining 3/4 of the reserved stew, mix well, add reserved tripe, check/adjust seasoning

: to serve, drizzle with chili oil and sprinkle with finely sliced scallions and chopped cilantro

: Creamy Ox Tripe Stew

: Creamy Ox Tripe Stew

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SINGAPORE NOODLES (SINGAPORE MEI FUN) 新洲米粉, 星洲炒米, 星洲米粉)

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Having traveled the world long before I moved to Singapore to live and work there in the early 80’s, I remember how much I was looking forward to finally learn how to prepare “real” Singapore Noodles. By then I had enjoyed them in many Chinese restaurants all over the world and they had become a trustworthy (most of the time, anyway) shoe-in if nothing else appealed on the menu to my at that time still rather newfound love of Chinese food . Much to my surprise, there were no Singapore Noodles to be found anywhere 😦
It then did not take me long to find out that Singapore Noodles are NOT a Singaporean dish but have probably been invented years earlier in Hong Kong.
(As far as I know, the verdict of its true origin is still not entirely agreed upon) 🙂
While there are many different variations, the most common one I have encountered in my travels and here in the USA contain rice sticks, curry, scallions, soy, garlic, ginger, vegetables, shrimp and chicken or pork.
The following version is more or less the one I have cooked for many years, only making slight changes to the ingredients if something is not readily available or leftovers beg to be utilized, such as roast pork, squid, bok choy, celery, etc.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Singapore Noodles

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Preparation :
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: julienne of 1 medium onion, 1/2 small head white cabbage, 2 ea medium-hot chilies, 3 stalks scallion

: for the seasoning/sauce, mix 1 cup chicken stock, 3 tblsp soy sauce, 1 tblsp oyster sauce, 1 tblsp hoi sin sauce, 1 tblsp chili paste, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1/2 tsp grated ginger

: whisk 4 eggs, season with kosher salt to taste

: season 6 oz shrimp and 8 oz sliced chicken with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: add 1 tblsp corn starch to the shrimp and 2 tbls corn starch to the chicken, mix well

: stir fry chicken and shrimp in 1 tblsp peanut oil until 3/4 done

: remove chicken and shrimp from the pan, set aside (the carry-over heat will continue to cook them through)

: stir fry the onions in ame pan/wok until translucent

: add the cabbage, chillies and scallions, saute another minute

: remove veggies from pan, set aside

: in 1 tblsp peanut oil, stir fry 1 pck soaked rice sticks for two minutes soak according to your preference, I like to soak them for 10 minutes)

: move rice sticks to one side of the pan, add 1 tblsp peanut oil to the empty side of the pan

: scramble the eggs until set

: mix the eggs and rice sticks well, stir fry another two minutes, add 3 tblsp good quality curry powder, stir fry for another minute until well mixed

: return the veggies, shrimp and chicken to the pan, add the seasoning/sauce, stir fry until all is well mixed

: stir fry another minute, check/adjust the seasoning

: Singapore Noodles

: Singapore Noodles

: Singapore Noodles

: Singapore Noodles

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“WhatAPig” – Pork & Peppers On Baguette

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Every so often, a quick sandwich is all I need to satisfy my culinary cravings.
The range of sandwiches I enjoy is wide and spans from a simple ham & cheese sandwich to the most elaborate lobster roll, foie gras on toast and anything in-between.
Today I feasted on such a typical “in-between” sandwich : The “WhatAPig”.
Although quick and easy to prepare, it does not lack in substance, taste and appearance and is a great meal for any occasion when sophistication is not required to impress 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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“WhatAPig” – Pork & Peppers On Baguette

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Preparation :
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: slice 12 oz of pork tenderloin into 1/4 in slices

: season pork with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic to taste

: saute pork in 1 tblsp vegetable oil until browned and cooked through

: add 1/2 medium size red pepper 1/2 med size green pepper and 1/2 med size onion, all cut into fine julienne, season veggies with salt and pepper to taste, saute until heated through

: cut 1/2 fresh french baguette lengthwise in half, leaving it attached in the center by the crust

: spread baguette with 3 tblsp whole grain “Maille Dijon Mustard”

: top baguette with the sauteed pork, onions and peppers

: “WhatAPig” – Pork & Peppers On Baguette

: “WhatAPig” – Pork & Peppers On Baguette

: “WhatAPig” – Pork & Peppers On Baguette

: “WhatAPig” – Pork & Peppers On Baguette

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Stir Fried Flower Mushrooms, Bok Choy And Carrots In Hoi Sin Sauce

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This is my all-time favorite meatless entrée. I used to special-order this in Chinese restaurants which Maria and I frequented, but now I hardly go out anymore, so special orders are not something I want to bother the chefs with in places where I only show up once in a blue moon.
So, I prepare it for myself at home and usually it is at least as good as I could hope for in a restaurant 🙂
I don’t normally plan this in advance, but when I am at my neighborhood Asian market and see fresh Shiitake , also called Chinese mushroom or black mushroom, this dish is on the table the next day. (Especially if the “Flower Mushroom”, xiang-gu or huāgū (花菇) is available).
Today I had vegetable stock at hand from vegetables I prepped, blanched and froze in the morning for the coming week, so I used that instead of the chicken stock I usually use, which actually made it suitable for vegetarians to enjoy.
So, if you are looking for a great meat-less or vegetarian dish, this delicious beauty will serve you well 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Stir Fried Flower Mushroomes, Bok Choi And Carrots In Hoi Sin Sauce

Stir Fried Flower Mushrooms, Bok Choy And Carrots In Hoi Sin Sauce

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Preparation :
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: cut “carrot flowers” from 1 small carrot, simmer in salted water until soft, drain, reserve

: thoroughly wash 1 pck ( 10 oz) fresh flower mushrooms – huāgū (花菇)

: remove stems, discard

: stir fry mushrooms in hot peanut oil until edges start to change color, season with 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp chili paste, 1/2 tsp grated ginger, stir fry another minute

: add 1 cup vegetable stock (or chicken stock if you prefer), season with 2 tblsp hoi sin sauce, 2 tblsp soy sauce and kosher salt and chili oil to taste, simmer 3 minutes or until mushrooms have plumbed-up

: prepare a slurry of 1 tblsp cornstarch and 1/3 cup water, add to the mushrooms, bring to a simmer again

: add 1 lb fresh/blanched bok choy and the carrot flowers, simmer another minute, add 1 tsp sesame oil, check/adjust seasoning; serves 2; serve with steamed rice or over rice noodles

: Stir Fried Flower Mushrooms, Bok Choy And Carrots In Hoi Sin Sauce

: Stir Fried Flower Mushrooms, Bok Choy And Carrots In Hoi Sin Sauce

: Stir Fried Flower Mushrooms, Bok Choy And Carrots In Hoi Sin Sauce

: steamed rice (Fan)

: Stir Fried Flower Mushrooms, Bok Choy And Carrots In Hoi Sin Sauce

: Stir Fried Flower Mushrooms, Bok Choy And Carrots In Hoi Sin Sauce

: Stir Fried Flower Mushrooms, Bok Choy And Carrots In Hoi Sin Sauce

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Steak Salad – Just A Bit Different

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We have come to expect a steak salad to be mostly beef and greens, usually with an afterthought of a few cucumbers, tomatoes and onions thrown in. (Myself – guilty) 🙂 😦
So today I went into a different direction, with a salad of pickled artichokes, sliced red onions, diced tomatoes, black beans and garbanzos in a delicious sweet chili, garlic confit and cilantro vinaigrette .
The result was a spectacular dish, outstanding in looks, taste and texture.
Definitely a permanent addition to my personal repertoir.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Steak Salad on ChefsOpinion
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Sweet Chili, Garlic Confit And Cilantro Vinaigrette Recipe :
Mix 1/2 cup olive oil with 10 cloves of garlic confit, 1 tblsp sweet thai chili sauce, 1 tblsp chopped cilantro, 2 tblsp rice vinegar and kosher salt to taste.
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Steak Salad – Just A Bit Different

Artichoke & Legumes Salad

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Preparation :
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: trimm four 10 oz strip steaks of all skin and fat, season with kosher salt and grd black pepper, saute or grill until done to your preference, let steaks rest at least 10 minutes before slicing

: prepare the dressing (see recipe)

: mix one 8 oz can of marinated artichokes, one 8 oz can of black beans, one 8 oz can of garbanzos, one 4 oz can of diced tomatoes, and 1 medium sliced onion with the dressing, check/adjust seasoning

: mix one 8 oz can of marinated artichokes, one 8 oz can of black beans, one 8 oz can of garbanzos, one 4 oz can of diced tomatoes, and 1 medium sliced onion with the dressing, check/adjust seasoning

: divide the salad between 4 serving plates

: top each salad with one sliced steak; recipe serves 4

: Steak Salad – Just A Bit Different

: Steak Salad – Just A Bit Different

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Mongolian Beef

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Fact: Mongolian Beef is not Chinese food.
Fact: Mongolian Beef is not Mongolian food.
Fact: Mongolian Beef is an American creation from the 40’s.
Fact: Mongolian Beef can be pretty awful.
Fact: Mongolian Beef can be pretty good.
Fact: Mongolian Beef has a million and one recipes – different beef cuts, different vegetables, different sauce, etc.
Fact: Mongolian Beef should contain beef strips and scallions stir fried in peanut oil and finished in a savory, spicy brown sauce.
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Fact: THIS Mongolian Beef recipe is super delicious 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Chinese Steamed Rice ( 飯 Fan) on ChefsOpinion
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Mongolian Beef

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Preparation :
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: make a sauce by mixing 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup oyster sauce, 1/3 cup hoi sin sauce, 1 tsp garlic paste, grated ginger and chili flakes to taste

: slice 5 stalks of scallions on the bias

: cut 16 oz flank steak into 1/4 inch thick slices

: season beef with 2 tblsp cornstarch, 2 tblsp soy sauce, white pepper to taste

: mix well and let rest for at least 30 minutes (this cooking method is called velveting)

: add garlic oil to a very hot pan or wok

: stirfry the beef until well browned but still rare

: add scallions

: add the sauce

: bring to a simmer once, remove from heat, check/adjust seasoning, serve with rice or noodles; serves 2

: Mongolian Beef

: Mongolian Beef

: Mongolian Beef

: Mongolian Beef

: Mongolian Beef

: Mongolian Beef

: 飯 – Fan (Chinese Steamed Rice)

: garlic confit for garlic confit paste in progress……unrelated to the mongolian beef, except that I used some of the oil for stirfrying…..

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Beef Paillard And Chili Cheese Fries (Boss Level)

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Beef Paillard – when was the last time (if ever) you have seen that on a restaurant menu? (Or chicken paillard or veal paillard ???)
Chili cheese fries, on the other hand, can be found everywhere, at least here in America, although mostly and sadly in less than stellar variations of that beloved junk-food. Starting out with crappy fries, covered with an even crappier mountain of questionable “cheese” just does not do it for me.
On the other hand, if you follow this recipe, you will be spoiled forever and any less marvelous version of chili cheese fries will fail to accomplish the nearly impossible task to measure-up to these delicious beauties.
Here now a dish which combines both a great beef paillard and the best chili cheese fries ever 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Paillard on ChefsOpinionon
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Click here for more Tonkatsu and Donkatsu on ChefsOpinion
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Hans’Special Fries Recipe :
What makes these fries “special” is the fact that I fry them only once instead of the usual required two times. I start them in cold duck fat or goose fat (if you must, substitute with peanut oil) and let the temperature slowly rise to 385 F. By the time the oil is hot and the fries are golden brown, they will be creamy on the inside and very crisp on the outside. Season them with both fine salt and sea salt. The fine salt adheres better to the fries while the sea salt add’s the superb taste and crunchiness associated with sea salt.
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P.S.
Please make the effort to serve this dish with tonkatsu sauce instead of ketchup – I promise the effort will be worth the extra few minutes prep-time 🙂
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Tonkatsu sauce (my way) :
Mix 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tblsp soy sauce, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp mustard, 1 tblsp white wine (or sherry), 1 tsp sriracha and a few drops of maggi seasoning.
Note: I love this dipping sauce and use it for lot’s of other fried, grilled and sautéed dishes.
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Beef Paillard And Chili-Cheese Fries (Boss Level)

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Beef Paillard And Chili-Cheese Fries (Boss Level)

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Preparation :
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: mix 1/3 cup grated parmesan, 1/3 cup grated cheddar, 1/3 cup grated mozzarella with 2 stalk finely sliced scallions and 1 tsp chili flakes

: chili/cheese mixture

: 3 large baking potatoes

: peel potatoes

: cut potatoes into lardons, pat dry

: fry potatoes in fat of your choice

: meanwhile, trim a 10 oz tenderloin of all silver-skin

: place fillet between twoo sheets of plastic, pound to a thin scallop

: season beef scallop with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, dredge in corn starch and saute in garlic oil to desired doneness

: cut paillard in half, place on serving dish

: remove crisp-fried potatoes to absorbent paper

: season with salt of your choice (see recipe)

: add 1/2 of cheese mixture, mix well

: top paillard with the fries

: sprinkle second-half of cheese-mixture and 1 tblsp of sliced scallions on top, put under broiler until cheese has melted, about 2 minutes, serve with lime and tonkatsu sauce

: Beef Paillard And Chili-Cheese Fries (Boss Level)

: Beef Paillard And Chili-Cheese Fries (Boss Level)

: Beef Paillard And Chili-Cheese Fries (Boss Level)

: Beef Paillard And Chili-Cheese Fries (Boss Level)

: Beef Paillard And Chili-Cheese Fries (Boss Level)

: Beef Paillard And Chili-Cheese Fries (Boss Level)

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Tostadas Al Pescado (Fish Tostadas)

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When you decide to make tostadas, the biggest decision will be if you want to prepare your own tortillas and fry them to a flat crisp or buy packaged tostada shells, which you can buy in any supermarket nowadays’, most of excellent quality. After that, the most sensible thing is to put the tostadas on a platter in the center of the table, arrange all the toppings in bowls around them and let everybody assemble their own favorite. Traditionally, refried beans, cotija cheese, a simple salsa and sometimes seafood are the main ingredients/toppings.
But, as you can imagine, tostadas, like most other dishes with a long culinary history, have evolved and advanced to be more adventurous and varied. Anything you fancy is allowed to grace your tostada, as long as it is delicious and makes you smile 🙂
Refried beans, shredded lettuce, sour cream, any cheese, any seafood, sausage, meat, grilled vegetables, any salsa, guacamole, etc, etc.
I happened to have some fresh Swai fillets at hand as well as white cabbage for a tasty cabbage slaw. Added some guacamole, salsa Mexicana and a bit of sour cream and BINGO ! – exiting lunch served in a snap 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Guacamole Recipe on ChefsOpinion
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Salsa Mexicana Recipe:
2 medium tomatoes- diced; 1 med white onion- diced, 3 jalapeños- chopped, 1/3 cup cilantro- chopped; lime juice and kosher salt- to taste; combine, check/adjust seasoning.
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Tostadas Al Pescado (Fish Tostadas)

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Preparation :
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: combine 3 cups finely sliced white cabbage, 1/2 cup sliced red onion, 1/4 cup sliced scallion, sliced red chillies to taste with1/2 cup sour cream, 1 tblsp lemon juice, 1 tsp garlic paste, kosher salt to taste