Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Banana, Chocolate, Cheese & Condensed Milk Pratha Pizza - Pizza PisCoKe

Pratha Pizza Banana, Chocolate, Cheese & Condensed Milk (Pizza PisCoKe)
There's one Indonesian flavor combo that I haven't seen in Hong Kong so far.
It's PisCoKe, aka. Pisang (Banana), Coklat (Chocolate), Keju (Cheese).
That's right.
Banana, Chocolate and Cheese, all in one.
This combo is typically used as a filling for buns or spring rolls; on top of toasts; or as a dessert on its own (grilled banana topped with chocolate and cheese).

Since I can't make no buns...I thought, why not make a sweet pizza?
However, the last time I checked, I can't make my own pizza crust too.
So let's cheat again and use frozen roti pratha as a base.
Pratha Pizza Banana, Chocolate, Cheese & Condensed Milk (Pizza PisCoKe)
Recipe
- 1 x frozen roti pratha
- 1/2 super ripe emperor banana or 1 mini banana, sliced and caramelize in a pan with a bit of butter and lots of sugar
- chocolate jimmies
- grated cheddar cheese
- sweet condensed milk
- butter, sugar

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Place frozen roti pratha in a lightly buttered pan, bake for a few minutes until fluffy, take it out, butter the top, add chocolate jimmies, caramelized bananas, drizzle with condensed milk, bake again for a few minutes until the chocolate jimmies get softened (they won't fully melt). Take it out, add generous amount of grated cheddar cheese, drizzle with condensed milk, serve hot.

Pratha Pizza Banana, Chocolate, Cheese & Condensed Milk (Pizza PisCoKe)
Fold it, cut it, bite it, have it the way you want it.
You can top this with some ice cream, peanut butter, crushed toasted peanuts/almonds etc, but trust me, it is already very sinful as it is :)

Monday, August 30, 2010

Eggplant & Minced Meat in XO Sauce

Eggplant & Minced Meat in XO Sauce
Another favorite ingredients combo of mine...hearty minced meat with soft, sauce-thirsty, fibre-rich eggplants. Yum! Don't we all love one-dish weekday dinners?

This time, I'm using the free
XO sauce I got as a souvenir from my dinner at Satay King. You can slather anything with XO sauce, and it should taste fan-bloody-tastic.
Eggplant & Minced Meat in XO Sauce
Recipe
- 1 eggplant, cut into long pieces
- 0.5 lb minced meat
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 cm ginger, crushed
- 2 clove shallot, sliced thinly
- 1 tbsp xo sauce (try to include as little oil as possible)
- olive oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, pepper, hot water, crispy shallot (optional)

Saute garlic, ginger and shallot in olive oil, add minced meat, season a bit with fish sauce, let cook until the color changed. Add eggplant pieces, cook until they change color, add sauces, add hot water and cook until the eggplants are deliciously soft. Adjust seasonings if necessary, garnish and serve with steamed rice.

Hearty, spicy, savoury, and most importantly, as always, easy ;)

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Solo Indonesian Restaurant - Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Solo Indonesia Restaurant
Born and raised in Indonesia, I am always on the lookout for a good Indonesian food in Hong Kong. There are many Indonesian restaurants in Hong Kong, I've tried the good, the bad, the ugly, and I know which dishes I like from which place. However, there are so many of them...it could not have possibly tried all of them.

When I heard about this place on twitter, I just had to visit (literally the next day ^_^) and give it a try.

I've ordered a few dishes I've been missing and normally won't cook at home. The best dish of the night was the
sate ayam (chicken sate). Tender, juicy, flavorful, beautifully charred, reasonably authentic. The sate kambing (lamb sate) were unfortunately a little chewy. The peanut sauce on the side wasn't exactly authentic, I could live without it.

Overall, the sate dish and the peanut sauce could use a bit more spices, kecap manis, acid (from kalamansi or lime or lemon), and serving them with slices of raw shallot, chopped fresh chilli would totally help.

Solo Indonesia Restaurant
The
lodeh (mixed vegetables cooked in coconut milk) was decent. It was creamy, the flavors were pretty authentic, and the vegetables have absorbed all of the flavors there were. Despite its pale colors (lodeh is supposed to be pale), it was tasty. Absolutely perfect with rice :)

Solo Indonesia Restaurant
The
tahu telor (tofu fried with eggs, served with mixed vegetable salad, peanut sauce, and prawn crackers) was decent.

Solo Indonesia Restaurant
The tofu and egg part was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside; the beansprouts, lettuce and cucumber gave the dish freshness and crunch. The peanut sauce could be a little sweeter (Is it my Javanese tongue? I wanted kecap manis on everything!) and the prawn crackers they used were a bit too garlicky instead of prawny (I am sure this is not even a word, but you get what I mean).

Solo Indonesia Restaurant
For dessert, I've ordered
Es Shanghai (cendol, red bean, fruits, kolang kaling, herbal jelly with crushed ice and syrup). Although it wasn't exactly authentic, it's closer to es marem than es shanghai, with the presence of cendol...it was pretty refreshing nonetheless.

The decor of the place has bits and pieces of Indonesia, which I love (too bad I didn't photograph it). Every dish was served in a Hong Kong style speedy manner, the aunties can still speak Bahasa Indonesia, which I love...and they happily gave me iced tea and cranked up the air conditioning when I mentioned that I was feeling a bit hot. Lovely service!

The meal costs us HK$261 (for two, and we were stuffed to our eyeballs ^_^).

Note. Indonesian food in Hong Kong. It's not supposed to be "cheap". Indonesian dishes, although they may look humble and not too fine-dining-esque, they generally are rather complicated to prepare, involving lots of exotic ingredients, spices, and manpower, most of which may have to be imported all the way from Indonesia :)

Solo Indonesian Restaurant
1/F, San Toi Building, 137-139 Connaught Road Central, Sheung Wan
Hong Kong
上環干諾道中137-139 號三台商業大廈1樓
Tel: +852
2541 0995

Friday, August 27, 2010

Happy Chocolatey Friday - Chocolate Sorbet from La Maison du Chocolat

P8271163
My work place's food culture...

From Monday to Thursday, the fridge is overstuffed with homemade lunch boxes.
Generally...
- Who brings lunch boxes? Those who still live with the parents, or those who have dinners at their parents/in law's place
- What's inside the lunch boxes? Healthy Chinese home cooking. Meat, vegetables...with occasional appearance by Mr.Luncheon Meat or Mr.Chicken Rranks
- People start lining their lunch boxes by the microwave from as early as 12:45 (our lunch time is fixed from 1-2 pm), consume their lunch quickly, then have a quick walk around the office, or take a nap

For those who didn't bring lunch boxes, what do they do?
- Join the long, grueling queue at a handful of eateries near our office building
- Take a taxi/tram to Wanchai to join the grueling queue over there :D
- Skip lunch, nap

So that's Monday - Thursday...whatever happened to Friday?
Friday = Happy Dining Out Day
Where coworkers tell their moms/in laws "no need to bring lunch box tomorrow la~" and have (slightly) longer lunches out...probably yum cha.

How about me?
I normally still bring a lunch box on Fridays...and treat myself something nice afterwards.
For today, amazingly, SC suggested that we bought a pot of La Maison du Chocolat's ice cream.
I've said no once (I must've been nuts), but today, I knew better...I said HELL YES!
Chocolate Sorbet - La Maison du Chocolat
I went for their
Chocolate Sorbet, despite being tempted by other flavors such as Tonka Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Ice Cream, Salted Caramel Ice Cream, or Raspberry Sorbet.

I figured, since it's La Maison du Chocolat, it'd be silly not to order something chocolatey. But since it's so hot out there, I don't think I can handle anything too rich or creamy, so sorbet it is.

It was perfect. Not too sweet, not too rich, not too creamy. It's perfectly light, with just enough sweetness, but still chocolatey and smooth. I find the HK$56 per pot pricing steep, so it is not something I will be having every day.

It was a perfect treat for a busy Friday nonetheless ;)

Happy weekend everyone!

La Maison du Chocolat
Shop 109, 2/F, Prince's Building, 10 Chater Road
Central, Hong Kong
中環遮打道10號太子大廈2樓109號舖
Tel: +852 2801 4122

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Bacon, Tomato & Cheddar Steamed Eggs

Bacon, Tomato, Cheese Steamed Eggs
Ugly delicious?

I didn't mean to cook an ugly dish, in fact...in my mind, when I was planning this dish, it was supposed to be gorgeous...almost chawanmushi-esque...all silky, satiny smooth, glossy goodness. However, thanks to my addiction to chit chatting online...I overcooked it, and it turned this ugly.

I know, I know...overcooked eggs are never sexy, but I was surprised by how forgiving this dish is...despite the appalling appearance, it's still all light, fluffy, creamy, tasty and refreshing at the same time. I will surely try again soon...and next time, I won't be chatting/youtubing/facebooking/twittering, I promise :)

But, you see, never trust an addict ;)

Now, how crazy easy was the dish?
Extremely!
I thought of including the word "easy" in the title of the post, but that'd be ridiculous, as most of you know that I can only make beyond-beginner-almost-idiotic easy dishes.

Recipe
- 4 eggs, beaten (I measured, it's about 200ml)
- equal amount of milk, thus 200ml

- a few slices of bacon, chopped
- 1 tomato, diced
- cheddar cheese, cut into about 1x1x1cm cubes
- salt, pepper, dry mixed herbs, paprika, worcestershire sauce

Feel free to add and substract the ingredients as you wish...replace tomatoes with mushrooms, replace bacon with turkey/ham/sausages...replace herbs with scallion, etc...the sky is your limit!

After chopping and dicing the ingredients, scatter them around a plate and season them, like this...
Bacon, Tomato, Cheese Steamed Eggs

Mix beaten eggs and milk then pour...
Bacon, Tomato, Cheese Steamed Eggs

Steam on medium heat for about 10-12 minutes, keep checking...I think I overdid it (chatting online etc) and steamed it for almost 20 minutes huehuehue...
Bacon, Tomato, Cheese Steamed Eggs

...and done!
Bacon, Tomato, Cheese Steamed Eggs
Fluffy milky eggs, creamy bits of melted cheddar, refreshing bites of tomatoes, smoky and savory bacon...you know it's gotta be good!

Eat it as is for breakfast, slap in between bread/toasts/English muffins/croissant, or consume it the weird Asian way (I am the weird Asian)...for lunch/dinner...with steamed rice and ABC Indonesian Chilli Sauce ^_^'

Nevertheless. Yum!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Kodok Goreng Mentega - Indonesian "Butter Fried" Frog Legs

Kodok Goreng Mentega - Indonesian "Butter Fried" Frog Legs
Kodok goreng mentega (butter-fried frog legs) is normally served in most Indonesian-Chinese eateries. Do the frog legs really get to be fried in a truckload of butter? Not exactly, it's more stir fried, with just a bit of butter (butter is expensive!), and lots of garlic, onion and sauces, typically soy, sweet soy and Worcestershire sauce. In typical Indonesian Chinese restaurants, you can see various proteins listed under goreng mentega/butter fried, from poultry to seafood, including frog legs.

When I saw these plump little frog legs in the supermarket for HK$33...I immediately grabbed it without thinking. I forgot that SC wouldn't be able (too lazy) to handle the tiny little pieces of meat on tiny little bones...I just thought of myself. Oh wells, I can just peel the meat off for him, right? At least that was the plan :)

Recipe
- about 0.5 lb frog legs (more would be nice ^_^)
- 1 onion, sliced thinly
- 0.5 cm ginger, crushed
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- a sprig of spring onion, cut into long chunks
- olive oil, butter, light soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, a bit of corn starch, a bit of hot water

Marinate frog legs in a bit of Worcestershire sauce, a dash of soy and corn starch while preparing other ingredients. Once done, quickly fry frog legs in hot oil with a teaspoon of butter, set aside, drain excess oil with paper towel. Saute garlic, ginger and onion in olive oil with 1 teaspoon of butter, add sauces (ratio of soy and sweet soy = approximately 1:2), add a bit of hot water if you want more sauce, once you've achieved the desired balance of flavors, add frog legs into the sauce, mix well, do not overcook, add spring onion, serve with steamed rice.

Just like most of my favorite Indonesian dishes, I enjoyed devouring this dish with my bare hands...licking the frog bones, my fingers and the plate in the process. You gotta love all the yummy noises you're bound to make :)

Sunday, August 22, 2010

ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Decent Western food in a cooked food market?
Not your average Hong Kong char-chan-teng type soda tenderized marinated meats on a sizzling hot plate? pork chop bun with refried chips and cocktail canned fruits in "salad" sauce?
No wonder I've heard so much about this place.

I've been wanting to try forever, but the place's always fully booked, but finally, I had my chance, and we went all out, almost ordering the whole menu :)
ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan
One of my favorite items of the night was the
soft shell crab appetizer. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, well seasoned.

We were so hungry that night, these warm and fluffy bread were consumed the minutes they were placed on the table.
ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan
Nice touch of herbs...but I wish there was more butter...a tiny chunk was not enough for the four of us ;)

I've never tried a proper
bouillabaisse before...
ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan
...but this one tasted like a watered down lobster bisque.
It could really use more seasonings...the gorgeous piece of bread on top is a nice touch. If only the soup was tasty enough, it'd be perfect.

My other favorite dish was the
linguini carbonara.
ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan
The pasta was perfectly cooked, the sauce was creamy and tasty. We couldn't get enough of it, we ordered another portion :)

The
pizza appetizer was alright...but it's nothing memorable.
ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan

Our centerpiece of the night was this
whole roasted suckling pig, which had to be ordered in advance.
ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan
The owner kindly took out the whole pig for photographing purposes, before sending the pig back into the kitchen for more roasting. We were a little worried, our pig looked kinda...small.
But, let's get back to the pig later...

The
spring chicken stuffed with goat cheese and spinach looked gorgeous.
ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan

However, I found that the inner part of the chicken was a little bit undercooked. Yikes!
ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan
Nevertheless, loved the idea, the goat cheese gave the chicken the slap of flavor it needed, it was juicy, and the salad on the side balances the dish perfectly.

The tuna steak was a little dry, flaky and underseasoned, but the sauce was nice.
ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan

Now, let's get back to the pig.
ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan
Crackling golden crispy skin...with mostly tender, tasty and juicy meat, especially the fatty bits. However, there were still some dry and tough parts...I guess that's the risk of ordering the whole pig, you don't only get the best bits.

We underestimated our pig a little, we had a lot of leftover, I brought home even the brain, which was a very special treat, as it is not easy to find pig's brain served anywhere in Hong Kong these days, despite the belief that the Chinese eat everything :)

PS. If you want a touch of heat, ask for some hot sauce, but handle with care, the hot sauce is really
really hot, even for me, and I can handle my heat ;)

We also ordered their
paella (that's right, we almost ordered everything on the menu).
ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan
Beautiful flavors, meaty and savory from the stock and bacon :D fragrant and fresh from the seafood.

However, the rice was a bit mushy...
ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan
...and I was missing the crispy burnt bits at the bottom of paella it was almost...soupy.

To end our meal, we had the dessert platter to share.
ABC Kitchen, Sheung Wan
The creme brulee was nothing memorable, the chocolate puff was decent, but we've had better from Bread Papa, the mousse...again, nothing special, the black sesame souffle looked gorgeous but it left a weird aftertaste...the best for me was surprisingly...the banofee pie. The caramel was super rich, smoky, sweet with a tinge of saltiness, perfect with cream, chocolate sauce and banana.

We were absolutely stuffed at HK$250 per person (with a few beers, and several portion of pig for lunch boxes for the next day ^_^)

ABC Kitchen
Shop CF7, Food Market, 1 Queen Street, Sheung Wan
Hong Kong
上環皇后街1號皇后街熟食市場CF7號檔
Tel: +852 9278 8227

Frites - Delicious Mussels & Fries

Frites.

I used to pronounce this as "frights" but don't. It's "freet" with a silent s, learnt it from our French friend who highly recommended this place.

At the end of this tunnel, you'll find deliciousness.
Promising :)
Frites

We went there for the mussels and the fries served with mayo.
That's right.
Frites
Fries and mayo (not Miracle Whip. Not that there's anything wrong with miracle whip ^_*), crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, chunky fries with a small pot of slightly salty, tangy and creamy mayo.
Perfection.


I had half a kilo of Mariniere mussels, the mussels were perfectly cook, every little bite is a nice combination of fresh seafood sweetness, savory garlic, and fragrant white wine and herbs. Scoop the sauce with a spoon or mop it clean with a piece of bread...or two?
Frites

We also love the pot of Frites House Mussels, I literally couldn't stop myself from slurping the sauce of my friend's pot. Fresh and sweet from the onion and mussels, slighty tangy from the tomatoes, and creamy without being too rich. Yummy!
Frites
Half a kilo, easy. Each of us finished our pot clean...

...despite having polished off a bowl of beer sausages, hearty and savory with a touch of sweetness. The perfect small bites to share with a few friends.

Frites - Sausages

Frites
Shop 1& 2, 1st Floor, Queen's Palace, 74 Queen's Road, Central
Hong Kong
中環皇后大道中74號皇后中心1樓
Tel: +852
2179 5179
(
About HK$300 per person (with some alcoholic drinks), remember to make booking, the place is super packed!)

Friday, August 20, 2010

Easy Microwaveable Side Dish: Zucchini & Mushroom in Butter & Herbs

Nuked Zucchini & Mushrooms in Garlic, Butter & Herbs
When I saw Little Corner of Mine's
Microwaved Broccoli in Butter Thyme post, I thought OMG! Brilliant! Genius! What a fantastic idea! I was so inspired...and finally I did it last night.

We had some leftover pasta dish, and all I need for a balanced dinner is a vegetable side dish...and something microwaveable, how cool is that! No sauteeing, no frying, no steaming, no nothing! Just ding! (Ding = Cantonese for "to heat in a microwave")

Instead of broccoli, I used zucchini with some mushrooms, adding some more herbs, etc, but the principal remains the same...easy and tasty side dish for weekday dinners :)
Nuked Zucchini & Mushrooms in Garlic, Butter & Herbs
Recipe
- 1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-3mm thick slices
- about 10 pieces of fresh straw mushrooms, halved
- 2 teaspoon of butter
- a drizzle of olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 1 sprig of rosemary, a few sprigs of thyme (you can use dry herbs if you don't have fresh ones)
- salt, black pepper, a dash of Worcestershire sauce

Throw all ingredients into a microwaveable bowl, mix well, nuke covered on high for 5 minutes. Done!

Sweet, earthy, buttery, herbalicious goodness!

YUMS!

Now use the time on your hand to do more important things...like buying fried chicken :D

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Easy Vegetable Curry

Easy Vegetable Curry
Cook anything in coconut milk...and it'd probably taste fantastic.
That's what I think...or instead of coconut milk...heavy cream :D
Too bad SC doesn't always allow me to use coconut milk and heavy cream all the time. In fact, I have been banned to use coconut milk/cream for at least 6 months.

Last nite I violated the rule, and thank God for SC's super bad short term memory :D
He didn't remember the ban, or he pretended to forget, as he seemed to be enjoying this dish so much ;)

Recipe
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 cloves of shallot, sliced thinly
- 1 cm ginger, crushed
- 1 stalk of lemongrass, bruised
- curry paste of your choice
(you can skip all of the above spices and just use more curry paste of your choice ^_^)
- 2 tomatoes, cut into sections
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite size chunks
- 1 cup of tofu puffs, cut into 2 sections
- 200ml box coconut milk
- olive oil, salt, pepper, fish sauce, a bit of hot water, crispy shallot, chopped coriander (I didn't have any, so I stuck some mint leaves)

Saute garlic, shallot, ginger and lemongrass in hot oil, add tomatoes and cauliflower chunks, add a bit of water, mix in curry paste, pour coconut milk, add tofu puffs, bring to boil, add seasonings, simmer until the cauliflower chunks are tender. Garnish with crispy shallot and serve with steamed rice.

After reading this, SC will remember and I will not be allowed to use coconut milk again...maybe for another six months T_T

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Prawns and Eggs - A Classic Hong Kong Dish

Hong Kong Home Cooking - Prawns and Eggs
A recipe
stolen copied from SC's mama...and I can never do this dish the way she did, I can't put my finger on it...the Chinese traditional wok? the fire? the oil? the air? I dunno, but hers is just always yummier. I guess it's probably that mama's magic touch eh?

Hong Kong Home Cooking - Prawns and Eggs
Recipe
- 2 cups of shrimps, shell removed, deveined, butterflied
- shrimp marinate: tiny bit corn starch, chicken stock powder, salt, pepper, chilli powder
- 4 eggs, beaten
- a sprig of spring onion, chopped
- fish sauce, pepper, olive oil

Marinate shrimps while preparing the rest of ingredients. Season beaten eggs with fish sauce and pepper, add chopped spring onions in too. Heat up oil in a wok, add shrimps, cook quickly until it just turns pink, pour egg mixture, let cook for a bit, scramble a bit, remove and serve. Do not overcook the shrimps and the eggs.

Good luck trying, I'll just go to her place to have this dish ;)

Monday, August 16, 2010

Canned Food Party

Canned Food Party
Celebrating our love for canned food, a few close friends and I decided to have a canned food party, or was it actually my excuse for serving my guests with bad food? Ahem ahem ;)

Here are the easy breezy food I served that day...
Canned Fruit Salad
Canned Food Party
- 1 can of mandarin oranges, drained
- 1 can of peaches, drained
- 1 can of grapes, drained
Dressed with mango yoghurt, a bit of condensed milk, lemon zest and lemon juice.
Easy peasy. PS. You can also use a mixed fruit cocktail.

Corn Kernels with Bacon and Coriander
Canned Food Party
- 1 can of corn kernels, drained
- a few slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
- a sprig of coriander, chopped
- lemon juice, black pepper
Cook bacon pieces in a hot pan until they're browned and most of the fat has been rendered, add corn, let brown, add coriander at the end, add black pepper and squirt some lemon juice.
Done and done.

Indonesian Home Style Sop Ayam (Clear Chicken Soup)
Canned Food Party
- 1 small chicken, remove excess fat and most of skin
- 3 cloves of shallot, cut into sections
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 3mm thick chunks
- 1 small potato, cut into cubes
- a handful of macaroni (since I don't have them, I used fusili)
- half a can of hot dogs (cut into chunks)
- half a can of spam (cut into cubes)
- olive oil, ground nutmeg, hot water, salt, pepper, crispy shallot, spring onion/Indonesian celery/coriander

Saute shallot in hot olive oil, add chicken, add carrot and potato chunks, add hot water, bring to boil, cook until you have a nice chicken stock and the carrot and potato chunks are tender, add hot dog and spam chunks, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, garnish with crispy shallot and greens, serve.

Since back home we serve sop with perkedel (Indonesian potato cakes), I tried to make my own perkedels (again, after failing many times)...

Perkedel Kornet (Indonesian Potato Cakes with Corned Beef)
Canned Food Party|
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced (about 2-3 mm thick)
- 3-4 tablespoon canned corned beef
- crispy shallot
- 1 egg, beaten
- ground nutmeg, salt, pepper, olive oil for frying and baking
I microwaved sliced potatoes on high for about 10 minutes, or until softened. They get a little watery after microwaving, thus, I drizzled a bit of olive oil and bake them in 200C oven until most of the liquid is gone (this way, it takes shorter time compared to baking the potatoes soft, and less greasy compared to deep frying the potatoes prior to mashing). Mash while the potato chunks are still warm (it's ok to leave a bit of chunks), add corned beef, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, crush some fried shallot into the mix (optional), and mix well. Roll about 1 tbsp of potato mix into a ball and flatten slightly. I refrigerated mine overnight, but if the potato balls are firm and dry enough, it is not necessary (I just couldn't risk another failure). Heat up oil for frying (medium heat), dip each potato cake into beaten egg and fry until golden brown. I've tried baking them, coating them in panko breadcrumbs etc, but nothing's as good as the authentic deep fried version ;)

My first successful perkedels! Yeahhhh~ it's a day to remember!

Baked Spam and Pineapple in Teriyaki Sauce
Canned Food Party
I've made this before...I liked it so much, I made it again! The recipe can be found
here.

For dessert...I didn't wanna bake anything...I served a very summery Indonesian classic...
Iced Canned Fruit Mix
Canned Food Party
- 1 can of longan
- 1 can of lychee
- 1 can of rambutan
- ice, iced water
Mix the canned fruit with some of its syrup, add iced water and ice cubes until you achieve the desired level of sweetness, and serve ;)
Very very refreshing!

Could the above food (plus rice) serve 5 big eaters? Of course not! We also ordered 9 pieces of chicken from KFC with waffle fries ;) ...and we taught our Hong Kong friend to eat like a true Indonesian, i.e. plate instead of bowl, rice + corn + perkedel (carb+carb+carb), eat with your bare hand, shape rice and stuff into a small mountain, shove into mouth with your thumb...and don't forget...one leg up on the chair.

Too bad I didn't get a picture of that as my hand was dirty with food. The scene was priceless!

Friday, August 13, 2010

What the Locals Love - Satay King, Mongkok, Hong Kong

I am using the term "the locals" very loosely here.
We do have local food snobs too, those who only eat food from Robuchon, Caprice, Ming Court kinda locals, etc...
By "the locals" I meant hundreds of people who gave "yummy" icon to places like this, Satay King on openrice.com...
...and yes, by "the locals" I meant SC ^_*

This particular outlet of Satay King is tucked away at a corner of Ladies Market, Mongkok...the decor is...cheesy to say the least...and still, I couldn't help but wanting to be seated at one of those fancy sheer curtains decorated booths, or what "the locals" call "car seats". I bet I could get nice aerial view of Mongkok from those seats. Maybe next time :)
Satay King, Mongkok

We ordered two of our favorite items from Satay King, first is Satay Beef Vermicelli.
Satay King, Mongkok
The delightful bowl has a generous serving of vermicelli, thinly sliced fatty beef, and a good crunch from bean sprouts. The satay broth itself? Oh my gosh...rich, tasty, oily, lip-smacking, MSG-laden goodness.

Another favorite, Fried Pork Chop in White Curry Sauce with Rice.
Satay King, Mongkok
Hong Kong style guilty pleasure at its best. Heavily spiced, meat-tenderized, super tasty deep fried pork chop, swimming in a pool of thick, MSG-rich, garlicky, creamy white curry gravy, topped with crispy shallot, thinly sliced onion and spring onion. I bet this gravy tastes fantastic on anything, it was unbelievably delicious with rice.

We knew we were guilty, so we tried to somehow "balance" it by ordering something with vegetables in it, the Broccoli with Crab Meat.
Satay King, Mongkok
It arrives looking unexpectedly appetizing...and it didn't taste as bad as I imagined it to be...in fact, I was pleasantly surprised! The broccoli florets were perfectly cooked, and the crab meat and egg white gravy was rather yummy (I bet it's the MSG, but what the heck).

We shouldn't have ordered too much...but our "eyes" were hungry browsing the menu (as always), and we ordered a side of Shrimp Spring Rolls.
Satay King, Mongkok
Actually, you can sprinkle whatever with MSG, wrap it in a spring roll wrapper, deep fry it and serve with miracle whip. It's bound to be good, right? Yes, these were okay, nothing ground-breaking or earth-shattering, it was just nice to have something long and crunchy to mop the white curry gravy clean ;)

We've ordered lychee and nata the coco soda and salty lemon 7-up, which were okay, at least there was something sweet and icy to help us cope with our MSG intake. The whole meal costs HK$166 (for two, but I bet what we ordered could easily feed three/four ^_*), and we were given a bottle of XO sauce as a gift.

Sweet!

Satay King (
沙嗲王)
1/F, 24 Tung Choi Street, Mongkok
旺角山東街48號1樓
Tel: +852 2770 1711
Hong Kong

Click here for Satay King's other branches.