Episode 604 - Sweet Breadfruit Crisps

Sugary Sukun Crisps

I think these just taste yummy! Babe LY gave me not 1 but 2 breadfruits! They're called 'Sukun' in Malay/Chinese btw. A very thick, starchy and powdery texture but it has a rich taste to it. Something similar to a potato. But the fruit actually looks like some sort of a Jackfruit only with a smoother skin.

Anyway, I cut the Sukun in half and strip down the skin and sliced the sukun thinly, pretty much around 2 inch of length and wide. I only cooked half of it as a whole sukun can practically feed the entire Jon and Kate Plus 8. See below for further instructions. And yes, be sure to cut the core out.

Ingredients: Half of a Sukun; cut thinly (should look like diamond shaped pieces), Lots of Sugar, Salt, 5 cups of Cooking Oil; to be heated in a deep fryer with a large fire

Method: Deep fry the breadfruit cuts for around 10 minutes or until light golden. Remove and place in a large bowl. Scatter sugar all over. The more sugar the better. I reckon I used around 1 1/2 cups of sugar and a tablespoon of salt. Use both hands to mix, make sure the sugar adheres to the fried pieces.

Heat a pan and place 2 tablespoons of oil and stir fry the breadfruit pieces with the sugar and salt together. Add more sugar. Make sure this is done on low heat as the sugar may start to caramelise. Keep on stirring until most parts of the breadfruit are covered with sugar syrup like texture.

Remove and place on a plate to cool. At this point you should also sprinkle some sugar on top and mix with your hands once more before letting it cool. The heat from the crisps would melt the sugar away.

Makes a large jar (Horlick one). Make sure to try this cos I can't stop munching on them! Oh ya, you might get sap from cutting the sukun skin and it may create a sticky like thingy on your knife. Don't panic, just rub some oil on the knife and sponge it off with washing detergent and you should be good! Also, use a thin knife as it cuts through the Sukun much easier.

Episode 603 - Cheesy Chicken Chop & Sweet Potato Soup

Hi all, been so busy that I have no time to update but more like too tired to update. Two recipes that I've been meaning to put up. Pretty simple in preparation just takes a bit of time to cook and all. A great combination for a Western style dinner and a very delicious one too! Haven't been out and about to places, just went to Al Fresco, Miri to have the fish umai last Friday and it was still da Bomb! My egg Omellete came soooo late that by the time it came, I was pretty much full from the tit bits and munchies of Honey wings with sesame and the Umai. Oh well, regardless had great time with the girls and such a good laugh. Just the right thing to do after a real hectic week.

So here goes...

Cheesy Chicken Chop

Ingredients: Whole Chicken breast; cut into 4-6 pieces (thicker pieces to be sliced into the middle & half it) & marinated with salt & pepper (leave aside for 1/2 hour),
A: 150g of Bread Crumbs 50g of grated Parmesan Cheese 50g of Grated Romano Cheese,
1 egg; beaten

Method: Mix all of A up and place onto a dish. Place the beaten egg into a deep dish too and take a piece of the chicken breast and dip it into the egg. Make sure the meat is thoroughly covered with egg, then cover it up with ingredients in A. Should also make sure that it's nicely covered with the crumbs and cheese. Repeat until all chicken pieces are used up. Preheat a non-stick pan and place a few tablespoons of olive oil. Pan fry the chicken breasts until they turn golden brown and turn and do the same. Should take around 3 minutes on each side.

Serves: 5 - 6

Serve with fresh crunchy garden salad and a slice of lemon.

Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients: A: 1 litre of Water 200g of Chicken bones 150g of Sweet Potatoes; cut into cubes 1 medium sized carrot; cut into cubes 1 cube of Knorr Chicken Stock
B: 1/2 cup of cream or milk 3 tablespoons of Cream Cheese
C: 2 large Onions - sliced thinly & 1 Garlic - finely chopped

Method: Boil A up in a pot until potatoes & carrots are cooked through. While waiting for A to cook, soften the onions & garlic in a pan with a few tablespoon of olive oil. Should be done on low heat until onions becomes transparent. This will take a bit of time to be done. When both are done, sieve A up and place only the sweet potatoes and carrots in a blender and dump in the onions & garlic. In other words, remove the chicken bones. Put 2 cups of the chicken stock into the blender and blend everything up until smooth. Pour the blended ingredients back into the pot with the rest of the chicken stock. Pour in the milk or cream, cheese and some salt and pepper to taste. Stir and bring to boil. You can also add a few dashes of dried parsley.

Serves: 4

I hope that you try these out cos I bet they'll blow your mind off.
Cook with your heart. It tastes so much better!
See you in the next post :)

Episode 602 - Bobby Chinn @ HalalExpo & Chicken Wanton with Ginger Dip

Definitely framing this up! I look Super Cina in this pic man. Apparently we are "enthusiastic" fans with Internationally renowned Celebrity Chef Bobby Chinn
-Borneo Bulletin, 5th June

I had a Super exciting weekend! I personally met Celebrity Chef Bobby Chinn last Friday at the HalalExpo, ICC , Berakas! It was surreal that he just stood right in front of me. I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears when I approached him, shook his hand and asked for an autograph. That reminds me, still have my Wild Wild East book with Dina hmmm Hope she did'nt sell it on e-bay. Ok, back to the HalalExpo. This is his second time in Brunei doing a demo show for HalalExpo and it was actually abit disappointing at the beginning because he had to wait for people to crowd up and actually start the show. Finally after an hour or so, the room warmed up and the show started. He was really funny and sarcastic. Kept on teasing about the lousy knife they had for him and that dude from RBC in the crowd who had his own idea of cooking. But all in all it was such a great experience and I was so damn lucky to be part of that event. It even earned my friends and I the front page news on our local paper the following Saturday. Groupies for the Chef. Wait, correction, more like Supermodels for the Chef.

Next, a lil recipe my mum and I whipped up. We make this once a while as it needs quite abit of time to prepare. Just devote some time in the evening and you can enjoy this for breakfast the next day.

Chicken Wantons with Ginger Dipping Sauce

Ingredients: 1 packet Wanton Skin (Round or Square shaped) A: 400g of minced Chicken 50g of Carrot; diced 50g of Water Chestnut; diced 50 g of Shitake Mushrooms; diced 2 tbspns Sesame Oil 2 tbspns Light Soya Sauce A pinch of salt & pepper B: (Dipping Sauce) Ginger; thinly shredded 1/2 cup light soya sauce 1/4 cup of Rice Vinegar

Method: Mix all ingredients A well. Spread a Wanton skin on the palm of your hand, take a tablespoon of the meat filling and place it at one side of the Wanton skin. Fold the other side over and seal it by pinching the sides. Repeat until all skins are used up.

Boil a pot of water and place the wantons into the boiled water until they float up. using a strainer, pick up the cooked wantons and place it in a lightly oiled dish.

Mix ingredients B and serve with the Wantons.

Serves: 5

*Tip*: Do not place so much filling as it might not get cooked. You can also panfry the cooked wanton until it is a lil brown on the sides and serve with the same sauce. After boiling, drizzle a little more oil on top to avoid the Wantons from sticking with each other. Serves really well with Noodles and a hot bowl of soup.