Recipe: Miso-Marinated Sea Bass

(Click the above to view 6 pictures. Best viewed with Internet Explorer 7.) This is an old recipe with a new twist...or new interpretation (the word "twist" seems to be trademarked for chefs these days). I love Nobu's black cod with miso, but it's not easy to find fresh black cod in the market, at least not in my neighborhood. So this time around, I used Chilean sea bass instead. I love Chilean sea bass--the flesh is always so moist, tender, silky, and sweet. I also love the texture and the mouth feel of Chilean sea bass...it's absolutely perfect for this recipe. As I made the sea bass with its skin on (which can be rather fishy), I added some ginger juice to the marinate to rid the potential fishy smell. I was right, the fatty skin of sea bass was fishy, so consider yourself warned if you try this recipe. The skin was too fatty and fishy to eat... Anyway, enough said. Here is my new and revised recipe based on this old recipe. Now, please take the poll and let me know what you think. create a free poll on pollsb.com Recipe: Miso-Marinated Sea Bass Ingredients: Sea bass (about 5 oz. piece) 1 teaspoon white miso paste 1 teaspoon mirin 2 teaspoon sake 1/2 teaspoon ginger juice 1/2 teaspoon palm sugar (sugar) In a small bowl, mix the marinates well and save some for the plating. Drop the sea bass into the marinate, coat well, and leave in the fridge for a few hours. Preheat an indoor grill and lightly wipe off (with fingers) any excess miso marinate clinging to the sea bass but don't rinse it off. Place the fish on the grill and lightly grill on both sides until the surface turns brown. Transfer the fish fillets to the oven (350 degree) and bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve hot. Continue Reading "Recipe: Miso-Marinated Sea Bass"

Recipe: Fruit Salad with Baby Shrimps and Toasted Coconut

(Click the above to view 4 pictures. Best viewed with Internet Explorer 7.) I am back to the normal posting cycle and most importantly, the comfort of my home. Let's just say that I am just very happy to be home, so much so that I was practically lying there on my bed and couch for the whole weekend--doing nothing and consuming only Indomie instant noodles but still feeling utterly happy. Happiness lies in the fact that I can just relax and sleep on my own bed, under my own roof, and be with my LK...it's a bliss. Anyway, I am also glad that I didn't have to make something just for the sake of creating new content for my blog; I have quite a few recipes saved in my draft--dishes that I'd made prior to my recent trips but haven't had a chance to post, for example, this luscious looking tropical fruit salad... If you recall, I made some jerk chicken skewers with mandarin oranges salsa, so this fruit salad was the leftover result of that post. I tossed in baby shrimps, a mango, topped the fruit salad with toasted coconut and got a healthy and light meal. This is especially refreshing for those in Southern California now because of the heat wave, so here is the recipe to share with you. Recipe: Tropical Fruit Salad with Baby Shrimps and Toasted Coconut Ingredients: 1 can mandarin oranges 1 mango (cut into small cubes) 1 tablespoon honey 5 Italian basil leaves (chopped finely) 1/4 small onion 1 lime (extract juice) 1/4 cup baby shrimp 2 tablespoons grated coconut (toast the coconut in a skillet until golden brown) Method: Toss all the ingredients above in a mixing bowl and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. Serve cold and topped with toasted coconut. Continue Reading "Recipe: Fruit Salad with Baby Shrimps and Toasted Coconut"

Recipe: Spinach and Tofu Salad with Japanese Sesame Miso Dressing

(Click the above to view 5 pictures. Best viewed with Internet Explorer 7.) My cheekbones have gone missing. I have been looking for them in the mirror--during day time under natural sun light; indoor under soft tungsten light; in the office with bright fluorescent light--but they are nowhere to be found. They have indeed gone missing. What I see in the mirror--and most evidently from my travel pictures--are fats, or fat cells, as my gym instructor on Norwegian Cruise Line would refer to. These fat cells have overtaken my face and swallowed up my cheekbones. They have claimed their green card and permanent residency on my ever bulging and protruding stomach and waistline. That's not all; they have also crawled into the contour of my face, staked their claims on my thighs, my arms, my butt, even my toes! They are pervasively and invasively everywhere... Those are the sad consequences of what would have been a perfect cruise vacation. When I mentioned I packed on pounds in my previous post about binge eating during my trip, I wasn't half joking. I have indeed put on weight. I have become "bulat" in Malaysian language, meaning r-O-O-O-O-O-u-n-d. As a remedy, I have to start starving myself eating healthy to shed those unwanted cells; I resort to vegetables, fat cells' worst enemy. Eating healthy doesn't mean that one has to swallow tasteless and unappetizing food. (Check out VeganYumYum who whips up droolsome vegan foods; she is also the real QUEEN of food porn in my sincere opinion.) I started off my healthy eating diet today with a bowl of this pleasing, fresh, and delicious spinach and tofu salad with sesame miso dressing--a wonderful salad served at my favorite Japanese joint. I felt great after eating this spinach and tofu salad. Listen fat cells, I am fighting back, and now get off my cheekbones please!!! :::::::::::::::::::::: Looking for more Japanese recipes? Check out the following on Rasa Malaysia 1. Miso Soup with Clams (Asari Miso Soup) 2. Bacon-wrapped Cherry Tomatoes 3. Panko-crusted Soft Shell Crab with Ginger Ponzu Sauce :::::::::::::::::::::: Recipe: Spinach and Tofu Salad with Sesame Miso Dressing Ingredients: 1 pack organic baby spinach (I got mine at Costco) 1 pinch sesame seeds (for garnishing) 1/2 block tofu (cut into small cubes) Low Fat Japanese Sesame Miso Dressing: 1 tablespoon white miso 1 tablespoon ponzu sauce 1/2 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (ground with mortar and pestle) 1/4 cup water Method: Mix the sesame miso dressing ingredients until well blended. (You can heat up the dressing in a small sauce pan and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before use.) Wash the baby spinach and drain excess water. In a salad bowl, toss the baby spinach with tofu and sesame miso dressing. Dish out and serve cold. Continue Reading "Recipe: Spinach and Tofu Salad with Japanese Sesame Miso Dressing"

Photoblog: Crepe Sucre/Sweet Crepe

I have been eating this simple but fulfilling crepe sucre for days as my afternoon snack. I got it from a cozy little creperie at the corner of my hotel. Although not quite similar, crepe sucre reminds me of Malaysian roti canai with sugar...both are equally great snacks and perfect with coffee. Note: One crepe sucre costs €2.30 in Cannes... To make crepe sucre at home, please check out the recipes below: David Lebovitz's Buckwheat Crepes Heidi's Sweet Crepes Clotilde's Crepes Continue Reading "Photoblog: Crepe Sucre/Sweet Crepe"

Recipe: Steamed Fish Rolls

(Click on the image above to view the complete photoset of 5 pictures) Inspired by Chubby Hubby's "Not Your Usual Egg Rolls" and "Steam Fish Rolls" by My Kithen Snippets, I made these fish rolls over the weekend. These fish rolls call for two of my favorite ingredients--fish paste and eggs; they are not sushi, but fish paste wrapped with plain egg omelet and then steamed to mouth-watering perfection. (Previously, I'd used fish paste to make two kinds of Yong Tow Foo.) While the two recipes above suggested brown sauce for the fish rolls, I opted for my special hoisin chili dipping sauce. The dipping sauce completed the dish with sweet, savory, and spicy flavors...I just couldn't stopped eating these fish rolls. They were simply yummy... Enjoy! Other fish paste and omelet recipes on Rasa Malaysia: Yong Tow Foo/Stuffed Tofu, Chili, and Okra with Fish Paste (酿豆腐) More Yong Tow Foo Imitation Shark's Fin and Crab Meat Omelette Rasa Malaysia Omelet Recipe: Fish Rolls with Hoisin Chili Dipping Sauce Adapted from Chubby Hubby and My Kitchen Snippets Ingredients: 3 eggs (makes about 6 small fish rolls) 6 sheets of roasted nori or seaweed 1/2 pound fish paste or half a box of frozen fish paste 1 red chilli (deseeded and chopped into tiny bits) 1 stalk scallions (chopped into tiny bits) 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil 3 dashes white pepper powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon Japanese mirin (optional) Rasa Malaysia Special Hoisin Chili Dipping Sauce Ingredients: 3 tablespoons Lee Kum Kee hoisin sauce 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce Mix the sauces together. If it's too salty or spicy, add 1 tablespoon or 2 tablespoons of boiled water to dilute it to fit your taste. Method: Defrost the frozen fish paste and add in chopped chili, scallions, sesame oil, and white pepper. Blend well and set aside. Beat the eggs and add mirin plus salt. Heat up a non-stick pan (I use a 9.5 inch diameter pan) and make about 6 thin omelets. Set aside the omelets and let cool. Transfer an omelet onto a dry and clean chopping board. Lay a piece of roasted seaweed or nori on top of the omelet. Cut the edges of the seaweed sheet off so they match the shape of the omelet perfectly. Then, spread a thin layer of the fish paste evenly on top of the roasted seaweed sheet and roll the omelet up firmly. Seal the omelet with the fish paste so the fish roll is nice and tight. Repeat the same for the remaining omelets. (For picture instructions, please refer to My Kitchen Snippets.) Transfer the fish rolls onto a plate and steam in hot boiling water for 8-10 minutes or until the fish paste fillings turn opaque. Cut the fish rolls into small pieces and serve immediately with the hoisin chili dipping sauce. Continue Reading "Recipe: Steamed Fish Rolls"

Pandan (Screwpine Leaves) Chicken

Apologies for being so irresponsive to your comments and the lack of posting. I am on the road for two weeks and will be heading back soon. However, I wanted to share with you a new summer recipe--pandan chicken or fried chicken wrapped with screwpine leaves. Here is just one picture for now; I will do the fancy Lightbox picture set and share the recipe when I return... Recipe: Pandan (Screwpine Leaves) Chicken Ingredients: Pandan leaves 2 pieces skinless and boneless chicken breast (cut into 2 in. x 1 in. cubes) 1/8 teaspoon sesame seeds 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil 3 dashes white pepper powder 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1/8 teaspoon fish sauce 3 inches fresh ginger (grated and squeezed for juice) Method: Mix the chicken pieces with all the seasonings above. Add the ginger juice and marinate for 1 hour. Put a piece of the chicken towards the end of the pandan leave and roll it up tightly. Hold tight with a tooth pick. Deep fry until the golden brown. Dish out and serve hot. Continue Reading "Pandan (Screwpine Leaves) Chicken"

Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Cherry Tomatoes

I am writing this from Beijing (yes, Beijing again!). The local time is 10:30 AM and the sky is grey and very overcast (or is it pollution?). Back in the United States, summer is in full bloom now. The sun is scorching hot, all flowers blossom, young senoritas are strutting their stuff in short shorts, but most evidently, everywhere you turn to, there is a party going on--be in on the beach, at the parks, inside or outside the house, or at the club house. Summer is always fun in the United States. Since this is the first summer Rasa Malaysia celebrates, I thought I would share some of my favorite summer recipes with you. Have you ever served grilled cherry tomatoes with bacon at your parties? If not, do try this out. It's real simple to make but the end results are delicious, pretty, and a total crowd-pleaser for your parties all summer long. I first had them in Tokyo a few years ago and now am hopelessly hooked. This is also a must-have item for me whenever I have Japanese yakitori... I am not going to write a lengthy post so I will let the pictures speak the words for me. Click here to view all pictures. Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Cherry Tomatoes Ingredients: 1 pack cherry tomatoes (12 oz) 1 pack bacon (12 oz) Toothpicks (soak the toothpicks in water for a few hours) Nanami Togarashi (Japanese assorted chili pepper) Cut the bacon strip into half-length. Put the cherry tomato towards the end of the bacon strip and wrap tight. Hold the cherry tomato with a toothpick, set aside. Sprinkle some Nanami Togarashi onto the bacon. Heat up an indoor grill and grill until the bacon turns brown and crisp. For an outdoor grill, use low heat. Serve immediately. Cook's note: You can get Nanami Togarashi at the Asian section of any food stores. Continue Reading "Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Cherry Tomatoes"

Recipe: Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky (Bean Curd Skin with Shrimp)

Tau Hu Ky, or fried shrimp wrapped with bean curd skin is a must-have appetizer for me whenever I go to Vietnamese restaurants. The reasons are very obvious: 1) I love bean curd products, especially bean curd skins; 2) I live to eat shrimp (check my recipe index and you will know what I mean); 3) Bean curd skins + shrimp + deep fried to oily golden glory, need I say more? I believe Tau Hu Ky is the Vietnamese adaptation of a similar Chinese appetizer 鲜虾腐皮卷 or fried shrimp rolls which are commonly available as dim sum. While I love the Chinese version (come with a black vinegar dipping sauce), I also adore Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky. The main difference is the texture of the filling: Tau Hu Ky uses ground shrimp emulsion instead of chopped shrimp. Egg whites are added to the filling to make it fluffy and light... Now, I am calling your attention to that little basil leaf on the plate! That's my first ever herb garden in a pot. Straight from Home Depot, I hope this pretty plant will flourish in my hands. The idea of being able to pluck the leaves for garnishing and cooking is too exciting. Anyway, here is the recipe for Tau Hu Ky, adapted from my Vietnamese Cha Tom hors d'oeuvres. Enjoy and have a great weekend! Recipe: Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky (Bean Curd Skin with Shrimp) Ingredients: 1 pound raw shrimp (smaller shrimp) Dry bean curd skin (cut into 6 in. x 9 in. pieces; 4 pieces) 1 clove garlic 3 thin slices fresh ginger 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1 egg white, beaten until frothy 1 stalk scallion (finely chopped) 2 dashes white pepper powder 2 teaspoons lard or cooking oil Method: Rinse and devein the shrimp. Dry the shrimp thoroughly with paper towels. Put the shrimp, ginger, garlic, white pepper, lard into a food processor and blend well to form a paste. Transfer the shrimp paste into a bowl. Beat the egg white with an electronic hand beater until frothy. Combine the shrimp paste with beaten egg white and blend well with hand. Add finely chopped scallion to the shrimp paste. Divide the shrimp paste into four equal portions. On a chopping board, use a damp towel to wipe the surface of the dry bean curd skin until it's soft for wrapping. Put the shrimp paste in the middle bottom of the bean curd skin and roll it into a 4 in. by 3 in. pieces. Seal and hold the sides and edges with some shrimp paste. Heat up a wok of oil and fry them until golden brown. Cut the Tau Hu Ky into bite size pieces and serve with garlic chili sauce. Continue Reading "Recipe: Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky (Bean Curd Skin with Shrimp)"

Chinese Porridge/Congee with Dried Oysters and Chicken

What do you eat when you have your teeth pulled out? A bowl of chew-friendly Chinese porridge/congee. (I had all four of my wisdom teeth extracted last Friday and this is what I have been eating.) For ingredients, Rasa Malaysia recommends dried oyster and chicken breast fillet. Top the porridge with fresh shredded ginger, chopped scallions, a few drops of sesame oil and a dash of white pepper powder...you will feel better in no time. What are you favorite ingredients for porridge? Continue Reading "Chinese Porridge/Congee with Dried Oysters and Chicken"

Recipe: Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits

(Disclaimer: This post voices my personal preferences and opinions. If you love chain restaurants, please don't get offended.) NEW: I have added Lightbox to Rasa Malaysia so I can share more pictures with you. To view all pictures, please click on the image below and click on "NEXT" (or press the right arrow key on your keyboard). To view previous picture, click on "PREV" (or press the left arrow key). When you are done, click on "CLOSE" or press "Esc" on the keyboard. Enjoy! Truth be told, I am a food snob. I shun away from chain restaurants--Cheesecake Factory, nah; The Olive Garden, meh; Denny's, are you kidding me?! So, you have it, I am a food snob. I avoid going to franchise or chain restaurants at all cost, well, unless I am starving to death or stuck in the middle of nowhere and the only restaurant in town is Applebee's. Somehow, the notion of an evil a huge restaurant empire scares me. I am afraid they are going to take over the world and infest the dining scenes with the likes of Planet Hollywood (are they still in business?) and Rainforest Cafe. I yearn for pure culinary originality and I champion epicurean creativity. Dining out is one of the most enjoyable and best things in the world, so a restaurant should be unique, possesses lots of character, and has its own identitity (no cookie-cutter decor and menu, please!). However, I have to admit that there is an exception. I go to Red Lobster, occasionally. As a seafood connoisseur, you must think that I go there for seafood, but no, I go there for the sole reason of stuffing myself silly with their biscuits. Yep, you heard it right--those fluffy-cheesy-buttery-garlicky-fresh-off-the-oven world famous Red Lobster biscuits. (Red Lobster serves almost 1.1 million of their Cheddar Bay Biscuits every day.) You have the statistics, they are spectacular... Wait a minute, didn't I just proclaim that I don't do chain restaurants? I can't lose my integrity (and reputation), but I am nuts for Red Lobster biscuits. What to do? What to do? I made them, well, after hours of Googling for the secret recipe on the internet. I don't think I got the real secret recipe for Red Lobster Cheddar Bay biscuits, but they were not bad. In fact, they were about 80% close to the original in terms of taste. That's good for a knock-off. Will I go back to Red Lobster again for their biscuits? Perhaps I will. *wink* Recipe: Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits Ingredients: 2 cups Bisquick biscuit mix 2/3 cup milk 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (shredded) 1/4 cup butter (melted) 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley Preheat oven to 450 degree. Mix biscuit mix, milk, and cheddar cheese until soft dough forms; beat vigorously for 30 seconds. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Mix melted butter, garlic powder, and dried parsley; brush generously over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet. Serve warm. Make 10-12 biscuits. Continue Reading "Recipe: Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits"

Recipe: Panko-crusted Soft Shell Crab with Ginger Ponzu Sauce

The soft shell crab season is about to start (it usually runs from May to July) and I thought I would share a soft shell crab recipe that I really like with you. Typically found in Japanese restaurants, these homemade soft shell crabs were coated with panko, deep fried, and served with ginger ponzu sauce. The radish sprouts--seasoned with just a wee bit of olive oil, salt, and black pepper--add extra punch and lend a tint of peppery flavor to this dish without requiring too much effort. Panko, or Japanese bread crumb is one of the many secrets of Japanese cooking. The roughly shaped bread crumbs create light, airy, and extra-crunchy coating on fried foods, especially on these soft shell crabs. Packed in a plastic bag, panko can be easily found in Asian markets... I simply adore soft shell crab. It's a real delicacy and a true treasure as the whole crab can be eaten as is--which is a great perk in my opinion as I don't have to crack up a storm to extract the crab meat from the shell--so less hardwork and more gastronomic goodness. Now, that's a keeper. Recipe: Panko-crusted Soft Shell Crab with Ginger Ponzu Sauce Ingredients: 4 soft shell crabs 1 egg (lightly beaten) 1/2 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) Salt & black pepper 1 box radish sprouts Olive oil Dipping Sauce 5 tablespoons Ponzu sauce 1/2 inch fresh ginger (grated) Method: Heat up vegetable oil to 300 degrees in a deep pot or deep fryer. Clean the crabs with water and blot them dry with paper towels. Coat crabs with the egg and then panko. Make sure that the crabs are well-coated with panko before you fry them. Deep fry each crab separately until the shell turns red and the panko becomes golden brown. Remove and drain crabs; set aside. Discard the roots of the radish sprouts. Season the radish sprouts with a little olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Mix the ponzu sauce with the grated ginger and transfer to a small serving bowl. On a plate, serve the crabs on a bed of radish sprouts and the ponzu sauce. Other Japanese Recipes: Grilled Chicken Meat Balls (Yakitori) Black Cod with Miso Continue Reading "Recipe: Panko-crusted Soft Shell Crab with Ginger Ponzu Sauce"

Recipe: Kuih Kodok (Malaysian-style Fried Banana Snack)

After reading Princess Journals' fried banana the other day, I knew that I just had to make some myself. While I like fried banana fritters or goreng pisang, I love kuih kodok. I do not know the best way to name kuih kodok in English, but they are basically bananas all mashed up with flour, eggs, sugar, and then deep fried. They are usually round in shape but with uneven surface, hence the name kodok, meaning toad in Malay language. If you look at my kuih kodok, they were not round in the slightest sense. Well, if anything, they were "disfigured" and came with various shapes and forms. (I like my kuih kodok slightly softer; I used lesser flour so the shapes were irregular.) In Malaysia, pisang awak (the ones with black seeds inside the flesh) is often used for kuih kodok. According to my late grandmother, pisang awak is the best banana for deep frying. I used regular Dole bananas commonly found in food stores and they turned out fantastic nonetheless... If you are tired of banana bread or banana cakes, try this new recipe, ala Rasa Malaysia style. Recipe: Kuih Kodok (Malaysian-style Fried Banana Fritters) Ingredients: 3 big ripe bananas 1 1/2 cup flour 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar 1 egg Some water Oil for deep frying Break the bananas (with hands) into small pieces and put them into a bowl. Add flour, egg, sugar, and some water. Use a big spoon and stir the ingredients so they are well blended. Heat up a frying pan and add some cooking oil for deep frying. Once the oil is heated, scoop up a spoonful of batter into the frying pan. Try to "shape" the batter so it's somewhat round. Deep fry until golden brown. Continue Reading "Recipe: Kuih Kodok (Malaysian-style Fried Banana Snack)"

More Yong Tow Foo/ Yong Tau Foo (酿豆腐)

I know, I have made Yong Tow Foo/Yong Tau Foo (酿豆腐) before and posted my secret recipe, but I just have to post again. This is my quickie recipe, san the bean sauce. I pan-fried the Yong Tow Foo/Yong Tau Foo as usual, but served them immediately with hoisin chili dipping sauce... Just look at these Yong Tow Foo/Yong Tau Foo, how could I not love them? ;) Recipe: Hoisin Chili Sauce 3 tablespoons Lee Kum Kee hoisin sauce 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce Mix the sauces together. If it's too salty/spicy, add 1 tablespoon of boiled water to dilute it. Continue Reading "More Yong Tow Foo/ Yong Tau Foo (酿豆腐)"

Recipe: Vietnamese Cha Tom

I am finally back after spending 3 weeks in Asia. As I walked into my house, I couldn't help but noticing my lonely kitchen. She was a little dusty and sad. All my pots, pans, utensils, and kit