Finding Friendship in Unexpected Places- Recipe: Ayam Masak Kicap

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh the thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away. " - Eliot, G. 

With so many of the people that I love now scattered in various parts of the world - Kuala Lumpur, London, Boston, Hong Kong, Perth -  it's become difficult for me, especially in recent years, to keep those precious bonds of friendship in tact. And with me being somewhat of a traditionalist when it comes to relationships, I've found emails a terrible substitute for chats over lattes. As I've gotten older, and as my personality, my thoughts and my beliefs have crystallised, I have found it increasingly rare to find a connection with someone that I've just met for the first time. No man (or woman) is an island, that's for sure, but I'm not a terribly extroverted person, and I tend to be quite shy with people that I don't really know. My island at least has been pretty bare of late (haha), safe for a couple of voyagers and a handful of people from my tribe.  At conferences, meetings, cocktail parties and dinners, there are so many introductions and niceties exchanged, but there is rarely a moment that would make you ever want to go out of your way to get to know another better.

And then a couple of weeks ago, I received an invitation for coffee and conversation with a new acquaintance. I had discovered, by accident, or perhaps fate, that B was going through a similar situation as I was. I suspected that we would spend the afternoon discussing serious development issues, which in any case, was welcomed. But as the hours passed, we exchanged stories about our childhood, our life philosophies, and what brought us to Singapore. It was completely unplanned; and as a result, completely spontaneous and refreshing.  The stories kept building upon each other - they were raw, honest and uncensored, and before the end of the night it was like we had, magically, weaved together a quilt of interlocking pieces from our past. Both talking and listening to him seemed so easy, so effortless.

Someone recently told me, "One never knows where one will find a kindred spirit." Here a monk stops to chat to friends outside the Buddha Tiger Tooth Relic temple in Chinatown, Singapore

At some point, we found ourselves at a gerai in Bukit Timah, hungry and a little dehydrated. I asked B what he wanted to eat. He told me what he usually ordered. I stared at him blankly and asked him to repeat. And then it occurred to me that the dish he was requesting for was "Ayam Masak kicap" (translation: Chicken cooked in Black Sauce) but in his Anglicized rendition, it had become "I am key cup." I laughed, and then wondered momentarily if he would be insulted. But to my delight, he laughed with me.

I guess sometimes one finds friendship in unlikely places. As the weeks have gone by, I've discovered that true friendship is like deriving an equation, side by side, with someone that you both trust and care for. It's being able to let one's guard down, to breathe, to be oneself without pretense, fear or insecurity. It's about finding humour in every day situations,  and about the joy and extreme pleasure in finding someone with whom to share the simple things in life - like desert, a good movie, or a walk after the rain. It's about encouraging each other to strive for better things, and helping another find strength in facing the challenges that life throws our way instead of recoiling in fear. I'm going to remember this for life. 

In ode to "I am key cup," I thought that I would attempt to make the dish at home. It's a traditional kampung-style dish that utilises ingredients that are readily available in most Southeast Asian kitchens. Thanks also to my dear friend, Frat Mustard, who recently shared with me this interesting piece of information that the popular "ketchup" has its roots in the humble Kicap.

This post is for you, B for making life, and sinning in Singapore, not only more interesting, but more meaningful.

(A tip for those of you considering making this dish - if you don't want your hands to be stained completely yellow, use gloves before rubbing the chicken pieces with turmeric.)

This dish isn't hard to put together. The deep-frying may seem cumbersome but it helps to retain the flavour of the meat before it is braised, I have been told. I served this with a traditional Balinese coconut rice dish and a side dish of Sambal Asparagus and Beancurd.

Ingredients:
1 kg chicken pieces, such as thighs and drumsticks. Remove skin if preferred.
About 1/2-1 tbsp turmeric powder
Salt and a dash of pepper

2 tbsp olive oil
1 stick cinnamon
2 star anise
3 cloves
3 cardamom
1 inch ginger root, sliced thickly
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 shallots, minced
1-2 tsp. freshly minced red chilly or sambal
1 cup water
1 tbsp. dark caramel soy sauce, the best quality you can find
1 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. Hoisin sauce
Dash pepper to taste
1 red onion, sliced
Red chilly, sliced thinly, for garnishing (optional)

Wash and dry chicken pieces. In a colander, marinade chicken with turmeric, salt and dash of pepper, rubbing mixture into the meat. Keep aside for 1/2-1 hour. Heat deep-fryer or large wok with oil until hot. Deep-fry chicken pieces, in batches until golden brown. Drain well, and keep aside. (If desired, pat chicken with paper towels to remove excess oil).

Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat and add oil. Add spices and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant. Add shallots and garlic and fry for another 3-5 minutes until lightly golden. Add chilly or sambal, stir fry for another minute or so, before adding chicken pieces. Coat chicken with spices and add about 1 cup of water. Add dark and light soy sauce as well as Hoisin sauce, and a dash of pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. Finally, add onion, stir well, cover and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with chilly, if desired.

A Kiss from the Seas -Recipe: Vegetable Soup with Seaweed and Tofu

This is a simple, home-style clear vegetable soup that capitalizes on the delicate taste of tofu and natural goodness of seaweed.   Numerous versions exist, perhaps the most popular of which is the combination of pork balls and seaweed that is made as an auspicious dish during Chinese New Year.The seaweed used here can be obtained from Chinese medicinal shops or most good supermarkets. (A link to more information can be found here) It has a deep dark colour and is sold in round or square cakes, and is especially suitable for soups like this.

1.5 litres light vegetable/chicken stock (I used mushroom)
3 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked until soft, retain soaking liquid. Cut off woody stems, discard, and slice mushrooms into thin pieces
1 medium carrot, sliced into thin rounds
3 pieces of nappa cabbage, cut into squares
1 bunch of baby bok choy. Rinse leaves under running water. Separate into individual stalks.
1 block soft tofu
1/2 sheet round Chinese seaweed (substitute wakame), torn into large pieces
1 inch unpeeled ginger root, smashed lightly
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Fried shallots to garnish (optional)

Bring stock and mushroom liquid to boil in a medium stock pot. Add a pinch of sea salt. Slide in your ginger, add mushrooms, carrots and nappa cabbage. Cover and simmer over low-medium heat for about 10-15 minutes or until carrots are soft. Lift cover up, add tofu and baby bok choy. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Just before serving, add seaweed, stir around gently to mix. Season with sea salt and pepper.  Remove ginger root before serving.

Serve hot, garnished with fried shallots if desired.

Falling in Love over Pasta - Recipe: Spaghetti & Meatballs

As a child, I loved Walt Disney cartoons. They have a way of appealing to basic human sensibilities. I still tear when I rewatch The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas,  and Mulan. I'm such a sap. Whenever I think of Spaghetti and Meatballs, I remember renting Lady and the Tramp on vcr. Pah, what can I say. It has a great story about love that defies the odds, dogs and Italian food all rolled into one. There's something incredibly comforting about pasta - it's the sort of meal that is meant to be shared and enjoyed with people that you love. 

Here's my version of this Italian classic.

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:
350 g ground beef
350 ground pork
2 tsps Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, beaten lightly
1 red onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs, seasoned lightly
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix beef and pork and Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, onion, garlic and herbs. Season to taste. salt. Don't overmix. Roll into meatballs the size of golf balls. Refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Pasta:
500 g spaghetti

For the sauce:
2 tbsp good quality olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (add extra if you like your sauce spicy)
2 Italian sausages, sliced
1 large brown onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1/2 red or green capsicum, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
200 g fresh button mushrooms, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 sticks of fresh thyme
1 tsp Italian herbs
1/2 cup red wine such as Chianti
4-5 tbsps tomato paste
2 x 400g cans whole plum tomatoes in their juices
1/2 cup beef stock or water
Handful of fresh basil, chopped
Salt, pepper and sugar to taste
Handful of freshly grated Parmesan

To serve:
Basil and flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
1/2-3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Method:

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add meatballs, in batches, and brown on all sides. Remove to a separate bowl with a slotted spoon. When you have browned meatballs, add Italian sausage and red pepper flakes,  fry for about 3-4 minutes until the lightly brown. Add onion, carrots, celery, capsicum and garlic, lower heat to medium and saute for about 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add mushrooms, bay leaves, thyme and Italian herbs, and season lightly with salt and pepper. When mushrooms have released their liquid, add tomato paste and stir around for about 1-2 minutes until it darkens. Raise heat a little, add red wine, and reduce to about half the amount. Add canned tomatoes, beef stock or water and bring to boil. Return meatballs, along with their pan juices. Cover the pan, and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add additional water if necessary. 

When your sauce is almost done, bring a large stockpot of water to boil. Add a pinch of sea salt, a lug of olive oil and cook pasta according to package instructions.

As your pasta is cooking, the tomato sauce should be thick and fragrant by this point. Adjust seasoning, adding sugar to balance the acidity if necessary. When the sauce has reached the consistency desired, throw in basil and Parmesan, stir well.

Drain pasta and return to the stock pot. Add sauce and toss well. Serve immediately, garnished with additional basil and flat-leaf Italian parsley, and Parmesan.

Mutton @ Midnight - Recipe: Chinese-style Mutton Stew

One of the things that I have come to value as I've gotten older is the whole "the early bird gets the worm" thing. These days I try to retire before midnight, and I'm usually up around 6 or 7 a.m. I do enjoy waking up just as the sun is peeking out, with the birds singing in the trees. I do miss my early morning breakfast sessions with my father - the two of us sitting out on the veranda over coffee and crackers, reading the papers and passing articles of interest back and forth. The bro, on the other hand, is a night owl. One of the oddest things about my current living arrangement is the fact that my roommate is never awake at the same time as I am. Some days we walk past each other in the living room in the morning. He says, "Good morning," and I say, "Good night." It's not uncommon for him to only eat dinner at around midnight, hence, the title of this post.

This recipe was inspired by things that I remembered from the past. I know that the Chinese in parts of Northern China eat mutton during the winter months to keep warm.  I figured that since the brother was "burning the midnight oil" so to speak, leading up to our final exams, he could use some nourishment. I will admit that having my tee shirt, hair and hands smell like mutton for a day was not the most pleasant experience, but oh well, there are worse things in life.

Ingredients:

750 g mutton ribs, chopped into bite-sized pieces

Marinade:

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp Shao Xing wine

Pinch sugar

Pinch salt

Stew:

1 small carrot, cut into large chunks

2 medium potatoes, cut into fours

2 large cloves garlic, minced

3 inch old ginger, peeled and sliced thinly

1-1 1/2 tbsp perserved soy beans (tau cheong), mashed

2 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

6 cloves

2 tbsp oil

Seasoning:

500 ml beef or lamb stock

1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste

Freshly cracked black pepper

1 tsp sugar

Thickening:

1 tsbp corn flour

1 tbsp water

Chopped coriander leaves to garnish (optional).

Method:

Marinade mutton for about 30 minutes to an hour. 

Heat oil a non-stick skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ginger slices, spices and stir around for about 30 seconds, followed by minced garlic. When fragrant,  add preserved soy beans, and fry for anohter minute or so. Brown mutton ribs evenly in hot oil. Add stock and seasoning ingredients, bring to a boil. Cover and simmer, over low heat for about 1 hour. Stir occasionally. (At this point you may notice that the meat has released quite a lot of oil, in which case, skim the fat off using a teaspoon). Replenish water in the pot if necessary. Add in carrots and potatoes and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, topping up water as required.

When vegetables and meat are cooked to your liking, adjust seasoning and add thickening. 

Serve hot, garnished with chopped coriander, if desired.

Welcoming Spring with a Roast Lamb Dinner

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Living in the tropics is wonderful- good weather year round, sunshine, monsoons, all that great stuff. Still I do miss greeting the coming of the seasons - whether captured in the brilliant hues of auburn and gold as trees shed their leaves in September, the sheer serenity looking out of my window in the morning with the street blanketed with snow, or catching the blooming of the cherry blossom trees during my annual trips to the Smithsonian in D.C. in the spring.

It's been a while since I've made a roast lamb dinner, as roasts are usually served only on special occasions.  But I decided on a whim, to splurge and buy a whole boneless leg of lamb from New Zealand. The key to a good roast is in the quality of the meat. Sustainably raised lamb is unbeatable, I've been told. Most lamb available here comes from either Australia or New Zealand but I am generally inclined toward the latter.

This recipe calls for you to treat the lamb in a light marinade perfumed with lemon zest and herbs. It turned out almost perfectly this time around (to be honest, between two hungry boys they ate the entire thing in one sitting!) and I hope it works for you as well. I served this with sides of roast baby potatoes and lightly sauteed mixed vegetables.

Ingredients:

1 (about 1 to 1.5 kg) boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and tied with kitchen twine

Marinade:

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

A couple of drops of lemon juice from 1 small wedge of lemon

1 cup white wine

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp fresh rosemary, leaves removed, chopped

2 tsp fresh thyme, leaves removed, chopped

Zest from 1/2-1 lemon

1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

In a blender, combine marinade ingredients and give it a couple of pulses. In a large airtight tupperware, or resealable plastic bag, place your lamb and pour marinade over. Marinade for at least 3 hours or overnight, turning it once or twice to marinade evenly.

Special equipment:

1 stove-proof roasting dish with a rack

For tray:

2 onions, quartered

2 carrots, cut into large chunks

2 stalks celery, cut into large chunks

4 cloves garlic, smashed lightly

1 bay leaf

1 stick rosemary

1 tsbp olive oil

1/2 cup water

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Combine vegetables in the roasting pan, drizzle olive oil over and toss well.

Drain marinade and place lamb on chopping board. Pat lightly with paper towels. Season lamb generously on all sides with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. 

When oven is ready, place lamb on rack. Roast at 220 degrees for 20 minutes. Lower heat to 150 degrees Celsius and roast for 10-15 minutes per 500 g (In my case, the lamb was 1.25 kg so it worked out to be roughly 1 hour in total) for medium rare. You want the lamb to still have a blush of pink. You can test for doneness by cutting into the middle of the roast. Juices should be slighlty red. (Or use a meat thermometer, which should read about 55-57 degrees Celsius. Click here for a temperature converter). Wrap meat in two layers of foil and let the roast rest for about 15-30 minutes while you prepare the gravy.

Gravy:

1 heaped tsp of plain flour

1/2 cup red wine

500 ml. light stock

2 tsp chopped rosemary

1/2 tsp dark soy sauce for colour (optional)

A pinch of sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Tilt roasting pan away from you and skim off most of the fat. Heat the pan on medium heat. Using a potato masher, squash vegetables into the pan juices and stir everything around. Add flour, cook for about 2 minutes. Add red wine, simmer over medium heat until reduced to about half the amount. Add stock, herbs and soy sauce. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes until gravy has reached desired consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste. Strain through fine mesh strainer into gravy boat. (Use the potato masher to get out as much of the goodness from the vegetables out)

Presentation:

Carve lamb into thin slices and serve with gravy, and side dishes of your choice.

Recipe: Chinese Fried Rice

Ah...the quintessential Chinese dish, Fried Rice.  I guess it's almost unimaginable for many Asians to survive on a diet that does not include rice. I remember the many holidays I took as a child. Whether it was London, Cape Town, or Boston, by day 3, my father would be out and about hunting for his rice fix. In many cases, we ended up in Chinatown, and fried rice was usually what we ordered as it was fast, easy to consume and safe. "Hallo, hallo, you want fly lice?" Although I myself have had one plate too many of the dish (think every wedding or banquet dinner!)  to the point that I don't usually make this at home, there's something to be said about the ease in which this dish comes together and its appeal as a one pot meal. It's also a great way to get rid of excess quantities of vegetables or meat that you may have stocked in your fridge which are in themselves,  too small for a full dish. You can vary the ingredients according to what you have available.

I've had numerous goes at fried rice and it's one of those things that can turn out to be either gobsmackingly good or a blooming disaster. At its best, it's really yummy, with the slight charred taste from the wok, and the ingredients coming together beautifully. At its worst, it can be soggy, tasteless and begging to be binned.  Here are some tips that I've picked up over time which may will hopefully allow you to avoid the latter scenario:

• Always use cold rice, preferably made the night before. If you need to cook a fresh batch of rice, cook it in the morning, cool it immediately under a fan, before refrigerating.
• Always fluff up the rice with a fork before you proceed. This helps you avoid a situation where the rice sticks together in clumps.
• To avoid the rice sticking to the bottom of your pan, heat the wok first before adding the oil. If it does stick, don't despair. It's not the end of the world. 
• There are two ways to cook the eggs required for this dish. The first is to cook them separately before everything else. The second is to make a well in the center of the wok, crack them in, and incorporate them into the rice. I've done it both ways. However, if you're inexperienced it's much easier to cook them first.
• The wok has to be screaming hot for you to make this dish well. I use an aluminum wok which is great.
• You will be tempted to sprinkle in water to avoid burning the dish. I keep a cup of water on the side and I do sprinkle in some water as I stir fry the vegetables. As a general rule of thumb, water should be used sparingly.
• A good "base" for the dish is dried shrimp, pulverized in your blender, which lends the dish a nice savoury quality. This is optional, but I've learned that by adding this, you can avoid having to use copious amounts of soy sauce later. You may also use fried salted fish.

One of the great things about this dish is you can vary the ingredients according to what you have on hand

Here is my version of Chinese Fried Rice.

Ingredients:

3 cups cold, overnight rice, fluffed up with a fork

1/4 cup dried shrimp, powdered in a spice grinder until fine

1 red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

4-5 long beans, diced (substitute french beans if desired)

1 medium carrot, diced

4 pieces sweet baby corn, diced

50-100g good quality ham, diced (substitute luncheon meat or sausages if desired)

100 g chicken meat, cubed  (substitute shrimp if desired)

3 eggs

Seasoning (mixed together)

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1/2 tbsp oyster sauce

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 tsp chicken stock granules (optional)

1/4 tsp sugar

2-3 tbsp oil

1 tsp sesame oil

Spring onion curls, strips of red chilly and coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

Marinade chicken or shrimp lightly with salt, pepper and sugar. Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok over medium heat. When hot, crack in eggs, season lightly with salt and pepper, scramble, and dish up. Heat remaining oil, crank up the heat. Add onion, stir fry for about a minute or so until soft, add garlic and dried shrimp. When fragrant, add carrots and ham, and stir fry for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle in a little water. Add chicken or shrimp, stir briskly, before adding beans and corn. Keep stirring, sprinkling in water to control the heat. When chicken is cooked, add rice and seasoning ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Adjust seasoning to taste. When rice has taken on a smoky flavour, add eggs and sesame oil, mix well to incorporate and dish up. Serve immediately, garnished with spring onion curls, strips of red chilly and coriander leaves, if desired.