#ewew cooks Chargrilled Broccoli with Pork

Since someone is waiting with bated breath for me to blog about my latest broccoli dish...her wish is my command (lol), so let me fast track that post to the top of the list then.  For the longest time, I've never really liked broccoli (would much rather eat cauliflower) until I discovered the deliciousness of roasting them (from the same someone) and that's where my love of broccoli started.  My son, on the other hand, prefers broccoli (from the start) over cauliflower (he says he likes the texture of the furry-like buds on the broccoli florets)...the very thing I didn't like at first.

My usual (and only) way of making them is to roast them in the oven to make roasted vegetable salad (together with other vegetables like capsicum and cauliflower) as that's the only way I like to eat broccoli. This I did regularly but you can only pair roasted broccoli if you're having a western-type meal.  Blanching and stir-frying them in Chinese-style cooking is not delicious at all even if there's enough seasoning as it still turns out too bland.  That's why I don't eat broccoli at Chinese sit-down dinners where they're usually blanched and appears as the vegetable component (or sometimes even as a decoration) in a braised dish (those are not only bland tasting but sometimes hard in texture as well).

So, I had to think of some other way of cooking it other than roasting as western meals don't feature as regularly in our daily meals as Chinese meals would.  I had tried stir-frying them and they also turned out not really that exciting since the vegetable itself tastes bland even with extra seasoning.  In the end, I knew I still had to get that charred flavour into the broccoli to make it taste good in a dish you can eat with rice, so that's how my Chargrilled Broccoli with Pork came into existence.

You start by marinating the thinly sliced pork slices with freshly cracked black pepper (lots of it, and I usually just pound the peppercorns in my small pestle & mortar coz that's faster if you need a lot), soy sauce and cornflour (or tapioca starch).....and leave in the fridge until needed.

The next step is to steam the cut up broccoli florets for 5 - 8 minutes (take note that 8 minutes will render the broccoli quite soft, so steam it for 5 minutes if you don't like it too soft bearing in mind that the broccoli will be twice-cooked).  I steamed mine for 8 minutes.  Drain away any water (that's left behind from the steaming) and let the broccoli dry completely (so this should be done ahead of time to let it have sufficient time to dry).  This is crucial in the next step of cooking since wet broccoli tends to steam (and release water) when stir-fried.

Once the broccoli is completely dry, lay the broccoli in one layer over a medium hot pan that has been drizzled with some oil and let it char for between 7 - 10 minutes depending on how well charred you want your broccoli.  If you need to cook a big portion, you'll need to cook them in two batches to ensure the broccoli lies in a single layer in the pan for optimum charring.

The key to a good charring is patience and to resist stirring the broccoli around but let it sear undisturbed for a good 1 - 2 minutes before flipping.  Moving it too much and you'll just end up stir-frying the broccoli instead of charring it.  Once you see the charring happening, then flip the vegetables every now and then.  At this point, you can season the broccoli with just a tiny bit of salt to get the flavours going.

When the charring is almost at the level you want, add in the chopped garlic.  Don't add it in the beginning or your garlic will be burnt by the time your broccoli is done charring.  Once the garlic is nicely browned, transfer the chargrilled vegetables onto a plate and set aside.

Drizzle a bit more oil onto the pan and add the marinated pork slices flat down on the pan to sear/char. Again, resist the temptation of stir-frying and moving them around too much.  The soy sauce in the marinade will help the pork slices achieve a beautiful browning.

Once done, return the charred broccoli into the pan, season to taste with oyster sauce and a bit of light soy sauce.  You can also use a bit of salt or chicken stock granules as seasoning.  Reinforce with more freshly pounded black peppercorns, if required.

Note that because the broccoli needs time to achieve the desired grilled marks, so they'll be cooking for a substantial amount of time in the pan thereby making the broccoli very soft.  That's how both my son and I like it...super soft.  But if you like your broccoli a bit firmer, make sure you steam it for less time (say 5 minutes) or you can even forego the steaming part all together.  Try out a few ways to see what texture suits you (like the one above I did earlier turned out a bit too soft coz I didn't let it dry completely before chargrilling).

What you'll end up with is a broccoli dish where the broccoli is savoury from the soy and oyster sauce seasoning as well as tasty from the infused chargrilled taste.  The well-browned pork slices, with the help of the cornflour/tapioca starch marinade, have a really tender texture too. ^o^

The amount of black pepper you use further amplifies the flavour of the broccoli and pork...and it really depends on how much or how little you want to put (we like lots of it).  If you want a bit of sauce with your dish, then make a cornflour slurry and add that in at the end.  We didn't coz my son likes it dry...and, of course, leaving it dry enhances the grilled flavour in the broccoli even more.

If you like, you can even add on some carrots and capsicums or switch the pork with beef and you'll know the black pepper works just as well with beef.  Or you might even want to cook it as a stand-alone vegetable dish.

Who new a western-style salad of roasted broccoli can also be adapted to become a Chinese dish of chargrilled broccoli itself (or with pork) which you can pair with rice...and the flavour works really well with black pepper.

This has now become my son's favourite vegetable dish.  Needless to say I've been cooking this often.  He says he can eat just this one dish alone and I can understand why coz it's one of those dishes that's perfect as a one-dish meal.  Well, I certainly won't mind cooking only one dish...just need a little time and patience to get the broccoli to char nicely.

Next time you're looking to make a one-dish meal complete with meat and veggies (and broccoli happens to be a your favourite veggie), you may want to consider cooking this.  You can bulk up on the portion of broccoli and pork (or beef)...and have that with a small bowl of rice (like we did) or even totally forego the rice for a carb-less meal. ^_~

Gone Girl

No, this post has nothing to do with the 2014 movie of the same name, starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, a brilliantly entertaining movie that I've watched and rewatched many times, it's just a post title based on the same name....lol! :D

When I said I was home alone this Chinese New Year (CNY), I really meant I was home alone...not only had my family gone back to Ipoh, my girl was gone too! T_T  She disappeared some two weeks before CNY.  When she missed her second feed for the day, I instantly knew something was amiss.  I believe, because of her looks and adorable demeanour, someone took her...and I believe that someone is a neighbour from my street.  I also believe that neighbour has watched her for months (as this street is her territory and she wouldn't stray far, just a couple of houses to my left and right).  You could say I've my (unsubstantiated) suspicion as to which neighbour.

Whoever took her did not take her as a pet for themselves (otherwise she would be seen roaming around the neighbourhood if she happens to run out of the perpetrator's house) but for some other family member or friend.  Even my neighbour (from two doors away) misses her who went round looking for her just in case she got into an accident.

I guess I only have myself to blame for not wanting to take her in and offer her a forever home coz after Cookie's passing, I just didn't want to go through that again.  Perhaps it's not right to do so but I'll still curse that someone for taking her away.  When you see a cat that's so gemuk and well fed, fur well kept, neutered with docile personality, it's obvious that the cat is being looked after by someone.  If you want to offer a stray a forever home, then pick up a stray that obviously needs a home (God knows there are plenty of them around).  They're easily recognisable by their unhealthy, unkept and unfed demeanour...and nurse them back to health....not snatch someone else's well looked after cat lah!  Some people are just selfish and heartless.  Even though I've only known her for 9 months, I'm still heartbroken and miss her dearly! :'(

I don't know if I should be happy or sad.  I guess I should be happy since she (may) have finally found her forever home...but I'm not (take lah a cat that really needs help instead of my part time cat...haiz).  I'm incredibly sad that she's gone.  I  now only have photos (and a few videos) to remember her by.

This was when she first came.....petite, frightened, lethargic and hungry.  She walked so slowly that I thought she was a senior cat at first.

When she ate, her teeth made this grinding sound that I thought she had some medical problems (leading to her being discarded in the first place).  Well, she was still discarded for some reason.

But, over time, that sound disappeared and her appetite grew when she was nursed back to health until she became a fatty bom bom and was a happy-go-lucky gal that started chasing birds.

She became bosom buddies with the stray ginger male cat that I was feeding before she came.  That ginger cat is still around for obvious reasons (not good-looking or adorable enough and not neutered...lol).

I will remember her.....for how she liked to snuggle up into a ball and sleep in this basket which I used to go to the wet market with but which she claimed as hers.

This was even after I upgraded her temporary home to a bigger condo...she still liked her tiny apartment.  I guess she's not an atas-kind-of-gal...lol.

I will remember her fondly for how lovable she was and allowing me to cuddle her up close and giving her belly rubs when even my late Cookie didn't.  I'll always mull over the fact if I made the wrong decision of not taking her in coz I don't think I'll ever meet another cat quite like her. 

I will always remember her.  I guess I shouldn't have let her into my home..... and into my heart. T_T  Maybe I should just stop saving/rescuing strays to prevent more heartbreak coz it's so difficult to let go when a bond forms even when I try not to.  In the end, there was no happy-ever-after for me...hopefully there was a happy-ever-after for her.  Goodbye, Girl! :'(

#ewew cooks Fish Eggs

Do you love fish eggs (or fish roe)?  I love, love, love fish eggs! ^.^  I was tickled pink when kyspeaks referred to them as a poor man's (or woman's) caviar in a recent post.  Well, the association is certainly true since caviar is fish roe after all or, more specifically, roe from the sturgeon family.  It's a luxurious (but super expensive) delicacy and a heavenly treat if one can afford it.  

Well, I obviously can't afford it.  I've eaten what looks like caviar before, certainly not the you-have-to-break-the-bank type of caviar (like Beluga caviar...lol) but probably a very cheap version or possibly even a caviar substitute.  I love the slightly saltish flavour and crunch along with the "pop" and burst of juices when you bite into them.

Caviar aside, let's get back to the cheap imitation of caviar that is fish eggs...or, aptly put, a poor man's caviar.  My first taste of fish eggs that left an impression was one I had at a mamak restaurant.  Along with their more popular choice of fried chicken or squid, some Indian/mamak restaurants also offer fish eggs fried to order...and they come out beautifully crispy and fragrant.  So, so good. ^o^

It's not always possible to get fish eggs from the wet market since many fishmongers don't purposely get them to sell coz they're so cheap the small profit probably isn't worth the effort.  If the fishmonger happens to get fish that have eggs in them, only then we'll have the chance of buying them coz these sizeable eggs can only be harvested from a large fish.  Sometimes the fishmonger won't even bother to take out the fish eggs when they cut them into fish steaks and that's when you find that little bit of egg still embedded in the belly cavity.  I consider that my lucky day...but there's so little of it, I treasure it like caviar...lol.

I did buy fish eggs once (from a supermarket) to cook at home before.  That was before I knew that frying them would be such a nightmare (and that's putting it mildly).  Because of the water content in the eggs/egg sac, they pop, sizzle and splatter....like hell...in hot oil.  The splattering oil made my kitchen a complete mess....not only that but the popping oil landed on my hands as well! >.<  That was the first...and last time I fried fish eggs at home.

But these days, getting to eat fish eggs is a rare occasion since not many Indian/mamak restaurants offer them anymore.  So, imagine my delight when I came across fish eggs one morning at the wet market.  These 5 pairs of fish roe cost RM10 only (if I remember correctly).  Uncooked fish eggs may not be visually appealing...it may even be geli looking at the veins in the raw fish eggs but, omg, how good they taste when cooked! ;)

The fishmonger sensed that I was hesitant in taking the fish eggs off her hands even though I told her how much I love fish eggs.  After being told the reason, she advised me to boil the fish eggs first before frying and they won't splatter as much.  With that tip in mind, I became more encouraged to try to cook them again at home.  So, as advised, I boiled them first and let them dry completely before frying.

The fish sac is very delicate and will sometimes split when you parboil them but you need not worry as, by some kind of miracle, most of the eggs will continue to hold together (of course some will still separate from the sac but very little of it).  Another cooking guru told me to steam them before frying (I'll try that method next when I'm lucky enough to score some fish eggs from the market).

I simply seasoned them with salt, white pepper and chicken powder but did dust them in a bit of cornflour (in case they stick to the pan).  I didn't deep-fry them, I shallow-fried them (of course deep-frying will result in a much crispier texture like how the mamak restaurants do it).  And yes, they did splatter just a bit.....but certainly not like the insane splattering I experienced when I cooked them from raw the first time.

I thought I'd try some different seasoning, so I did one with black pepper and one with paprika (besides salt and chicken powder).  You can also use garlic or onion powder, or whatever seasoning you like.  The black pepper is the singular one (coz I ate the other half as soon as it was fried...hee..hee).

Frying is the only way I've ever eaten fish roe (that's how the mamak/Indian restaurants cook it too). Actually, when the fish sac breaks to reveal the eggs inside, the roe gets even crispier this way when fried.

They taste so good when they're all crispy and fragrant.  Even my son loves it...and he too developed the taste for it after first eating them at a mamak/Indian restaurant! ;)  Fish roe is rather rich, so you can only eat a small portion in one sitting.

Since I had some blended chilli paste in the fridge, I thought I'd cook the balance roe with it the next day.  I cut the roe into chunks and fried them first, then sauteed the chilli paste until pecah minyak before returning the fried fish eggs into the sambal.  My son said the fish eggs were even tastier cooked this way.  Fish eggs tend to be bland on its own, so they need strong seasonings for it to taste good.  

I like that mouthfeel of biting into hundreds of individual eggs that gives it that unique textural thing and taste (if seasoned and cooked properly).  It's so good I can't even begin to describe.  It's something that only fans of fish roe will understand....hah..hah.

I consider fish eggs a delicacy, even though it's cheap, unlike its luxurious and expensive counterpart (caviar) coz it's a rare treat...you can't always get it when you want and you can't have it too often either when you do.  If I see it offered by any food places, you can be sure I'll order it.  Like all innards, fish roe is an acquired taste.....not everyone will think the world of it!  What about you.....do you like fish eggs?  I think if you enjoy the flavours of masago, ebiko, tobiko, ikura or even uni and caviar, you'll possibly enjoy (cheap) fish eggs too! ^_~

Nando's New Pineapple Peri-Peri Flavour @ Aeon Maluri

If we're thinking of having a chicken meal from a restaurant chain, Nando's will usually be the one that comes to mind.  I've always preferred grilled, roasted or baked chicken over deep-fried chicken.  Heck, I've even tried to replicate Nando's chicken leg/wings and chicken tenders at home with their store-bought bottled peri-peri sauces (lemon & herb flavour) to an acceptable level.

I haven't been to Nando's since the pandemic and I guess it's as good a time as any to revisit now since they have a new flavour out that I wanted to try (+ I was told it's really good).  My favourite flavour used to be Lemon & Herb (from their standard flavours) which later got replaced by their Mango & Lime and replaced again by the Smoky Peri-Peri (both flavours were for a limited time only).  I tend to prefer the flavours they put out for a limited period as I'm not a fan of their usual spicy peri-peri sauces.

If you've not guessed the new flavour by now, it's pretty obvious from the little hanging deco at their restaurant with the catchline "Let's get it ONG"....ong as in ong lai (meaning pineapple).  Yes, it's their Pineapple Peri-Peri! ;)  Based on their PERi-ometer, Pineapple Peri-Peri sits between their Lemon & Herb and Mild Peri-Peri in terms of spiciness (which equals to not spicy at all).

The promotional paper stand on the table shows some of their new offerings (probably not new since I've not been to Nando's for quite a while).  They have Portuguese Nata (aka Portuguese tarts), Choc-A-Lot Muffin (as in chocolate muffins) and Sweet Potato Chips.  They even have bottomless coffee and tea now (besides bottomless soft drinks).

We ordered the Sweet Potato Chips with PERinaise @ RM16.90 to share.  When sweet potato chips are available, we'd usually get that since they taste so much better than potatoes or their plain peri-peri chips.

These sweet potato chips were served with a peri-naise sauce (that's similar to mayo-naise mixed with ketchup or Thousand Island sauce).  Although it was a little sweet, I found myself going back for more and kept dunking my sweet potato chips in them.  So yum!

I had the 1/4 Chicken with 1 Side @ RM22.90 with choice of sauce, Pineapple Peri-Peri (of course), and a side of Chargrilled Vegetables.  The pineapple peri-peri sauce was really good with a nice citrusy flavour that's not too sweet and without the sourish flavours of their other sauces.  This is their best flavour yet (and wished there was more of it basted on the chicken).....I absolutely loved it! ^o^  Again, they've outdone themselves with this new flavour that's even better tasting than their mango & lime and smoky peri-peri I had before.

I've got to say the portion of 1/4 chicken remains the same....still smallish but I guess it's more acceptable now since food prices have been on the rise lately + I also don't eat as much as I used to anymore...hah..hah. The chicken leg looked a lot more charred than before with a delicious, smoky flavour coming through while the meat was tender and moist.

The chargrilled vegetables of yellow and green capsicum, broccoli, zucchini, carrot, onions and mushrooms were nicely cooked and lightly charred.  They tasted a lot better than I remember (kudos to the improved cooking).

I'm sure you can guess who ordered the Grilled Chicken Tenders with 2 Sides @ RM21.90 with Mediterranean Rice and Chargrilled Vegetables as his choice of two sides.

Opting for chicken tenders mean you don't have to deal with chicken bones and he had his with the new pineapple peri-peri flavour as well.  The tenders were juicy, not dry.

I may to choose or tend to like a different peri-peri flavour for my chicken but one thing that has remained a constant is the Tropical Fruitea @ RM12.90, my go-to drink each time I eat here.

The tropical medley of mango and lime, infused with orange juice and lemon tea, is highly refreshing and very pleasant to drink...zesty, tangy, not too sweet nor too tart, just right.

My Personal Opinion

Nando's keep coming up with new flavours for a limited period only...and those turn out better tasting than their standard peri-peri flavours in my opinion.  I just wished they would incorporate some of these new flavours into their permanent menu (and kick out all those hot peri-peri sauces which I have no affinity to).

They've outdone themselves with this pineapple peri-peri sauce that definitely deserves a place on their permanent menu.  If not, I'm certainly going to miss this flavour when it's gone.  It's now my new favourite flavour.

Do give this pineapple peri-peri flavour a try before the promotion ends.....if it had not already ended.  It's good. ^.^

Nando's Aeon Taman Maluri

Lot S08 2nd Floor

Aeon Taman Maluri Shopping Centre

Taman Maluri Cheras

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Ume Tei Japanese Restaurant @ MyTown Shopping Centre

We were strolling through Ikea one day to get some furniture inspirations.  It has been quite a while since I've visited or bought anything from Ikea...and even longer that I've not visited MyTown even though the mall is pretty close to where I stay.

After we were done, it was time to get some dinner before heading home.....and I remembered a place that choiyen.com dined in that looked rather good.  So, that's how we ended up at Ume Tei Japanese Restaurant @ MyTown Shopping Centre that evening (they used to be in Amcorp Mall PJ before moving here).

The restaurant is located inside BookXcess, a bit hidden from view, so you have to walk towards the centre of the bookshop before you come across the entrance to the restaurant.  The place is actually tastefully furnished with a nice, quiet environment to dine in.

I had the Beef Steak Set @ RM40 which was served with, rice, miso soup, salad, braised radish, pickled takuan (daikon radish) and dessert.

The beef steak comprised of beef cubes that were cooked with quite a bit of chopped garlic which I appreciated.  I'd say the doneness was probably between medium to medium well (I don't remember being asked on how I want my beef done).  I found the beef to be a bit chewy but still considered sufficiently tender and fair quality for the price paid.  Just wished it arrived at my table a little hotter (it felt like it had been sitting on the pass for a little longer than it should).

You can upgrade the white rice to fried rice at no extra charge and, of course, I did.  The fried rice with sticky grains was alright in taste.  Did you notice what's in the little saucer next to the fried rice?  That was most surprising as it was a condiment of chopped garlic and bird's eye chillies in soy sauce (this may not seem authentically Japanese but obviously to cater to local tastebuds)...lol!

The fresh salad was made up of very finely shredded white and purple cabbage, carrot, radish and lettuce tossed in a roasted sesame sauce.  The appetiser of pickled takuan was nice and crunchy while the braised daikon was soft and juicy.  The miso soup could also have been warmer when served.  The dessert (which I initially thought was nata de coco) turned out to be agar-agar (jelly), one red bean, the other lemon-y (yuzu maybe) in taste, something sweet and refreshing to end the meal.

The other set selected was a full-on meal of Chicken Kaarage Set @ RM28 (or RM30 with add-on sashimi) that featured 8 items.  It came with almost the same side dishes like the previous beef set with rice, miso soup, braised daikon and carrot, potato salad, pickled radish and 5 pcs of fried karaage (or Japanese fried chicken), of course.

I could see that the karaage was freshly fried to yield a crispy texture and there were at least 5 large-sized pieces, so no complaint on that...but wished it was accompanied by some kind of dipping sauce (like Japanese mayo or even a spiced mayo).

It would be foolish not to add-on the value-for-money fresh sashimi for just an additional RM2 as what came were thickly cut sashimi slices of salmon, butter fish and lightly seared maguro (or tuna tataki).  I didn't partake in the tasting of this set as I was struggling to finish my own set.

All the side dishes were almost similar to the earlier beef set except there was an extra Japanese potato salad with very thin slivers of cucumber, carrot and onion.

Their menu has quite a bit of variety from donburi to noodles, sushi, sashimi, teppanyaki, yakimono and more...but the more popular items are their affordably-priced set meals ranging from RM25 - RM40 with lots of choices that cover almost all the major proteins you seek from beef to chicken, fish, prawn, squid, oysters, unagi and more.

My Personal Opinion

Based on what I had (the beef set and similar side dishes), I found the food to be average tasting (and thought that the Google rating was perhaps a little too generous).  Then again, their ratings could have been contributed by patrons being satisfied with the big and fulfilling portions + reasonable prices for a set meal filled with 7 - 8 items (even a guy will feel full to the brim if he eats up everything!).

Although the food was decent, I just wished that the restaurant had served them (and some of the side dishes) a little warmer which I would have appreciated more for a better meal experience.  Even the green tea was lukewarm (maybe I was just unlucky that day). >.<

Having said that, if you happen to find yourself in MyTown looking for a place to eat away from the maddening crowd, this is still a good option primarily for the portion and price. ^_~

Ume Tei Japanese Restaurant

Lot L1 - 012 1st Floor MyTown Shopping Centre

Jalan Cochrane

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 012-247 7911