Sambal Brinjal (Aubergine)

 

Ingredients:

2 brinjals
1 small tomato, cut into cubes
Thai basil leaves
1/4 cup water
1 tsp tamarind paste
salt & sugar, to taste
3 tbsp sambal dried shrimps

• Cut brinjals in half, lengthwise. Drizzle with oil.
• Grill brinjals on both sides until soft.  Peel the skin off when it is cool enough to handle.  With a fork, tear the brinjals into strips and place on a serving plate.  Set aside.
• Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook the tomato until soft.  Add in sambal dried shrimps and water.  Season with salt and sugar if necessary.  Finally add in basil leaves. 
• Pour sambal over brinjals and serve hot.

Minced Pork + Potato Stew

A humble potato dish -  my all time favourite ...

Ingredients:

250g minced pork
2 large size potato, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
cooking oil

Marinade:
1 tbsp cornflour
ground white pepper
1 tbsp light soy (approx)
1 tsp sesame oil

Seasoning:
2 tsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
salt and sugar to taste
1 cup water
1 tsp cornflour


 Method:

• Marinate minced pork with sesame oil, cornflour, a dash of pepper and light soy.
• Heat oil in a pan and saute garlic until fragrant.  Add in the marinated minced pork and fry until cooked.  Set aside.
• Heat a little oil and brown the potato slices.  Pour in seasoning and bring to the boil.  Lower heat and simmer until potatoes are soft.  Then add in the minced meat and simmer again until meat is cooked.
• If desire, the sauce can be thicken slightly by adding cornflour mixture (cornflour + water).

Sambal Dried Shrimps

Ingredients:

250g dried shrimps, washed and soaked
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce
cooking oil

Sambal paste: (pound all ingredients together)

100g shallots
50g garlic
1 stalk lemon grass
2 tbsp chopped bunga kantan
2 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
3 tbsp chilli powder


Method:

• Pound the dried shrimps (or you can blitz them in a food processor until fine) and lightly fry with 2 tbsp of oil in a wok.  Remove from wok and set aside.
• Heat about 6 tbsp oil in the wok and fry pounded ingredients until aromatic.  Add in the dried shrimps; mix well and fry over low heat for about 10 minutes.  Add in sugar and fish sauce and continue to fry for about a minute of two.  Finally add in shredded kaffir lime leaves and mix well.
• Store in a clean jar once it is cool.