Babi Guling (Balinese Roast Pork) 巴厘岛烧肉

Babi Guling (Balinese Roast Pork) 巴厘岛烧肉

Recipe source :  Adapted from Mad About Food by Sylvia Tan

I always thought of babi guling as the spicy version of the Chinese roast pork. I had tried this many years ago but the the skin was not crispy. Anyway, to the best of my knowledge, the roasted skin of babi guling is comparatively not as crispy and crunchy like the Chinese-style siew yoke or roast pork. I may be wrong but this is my personal view. 

Bearing this in mind, I set out to roast babi guling again with adaptations to the method as well as the ingredients to suit my own taste. I followed the Chinese method of roasting Chinese-style siew yoke  by pricking the skin with sharp skewers about fifteen to twenty minutes after roasting it. I used the old fashion mortar and pestle to pound the spice ingredients instead of using modern gadgets. Of course, it took me much effort and much longer time to pound and pound, but let me assure you that the extra effort was well worth it!

The aroma from the roasting pork belly wafted through the whole house and possibly through a few neighbouring houses as well! The fragrance emitted from the mixed spices was just too wonderful to describe! I kept salivating during the entire roasting process and the spicy aroma nearly drove me crazy with anticipation!

I did not make any accompanying sauces because the spices from the marinade had infused into the meat and made it very tasty. My family liked it as it is, i.e. in its naturally baked flavour without any sauces. As I have mentioned, I personally view this babi guling as akin to the Chinese version of siew yoke.   

I am very happy that this time round, the babi guling was a smashing success!

It's just too good to resist!

Ingredients

1.5kg pork belly
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp turmeric powder

Ingredients For Spice Paste

3 stalks serai, use white parts only - sliced
5 kaffir lime leaves
1/2 tbsp belacan
2 candle nuts or buah keras
1/2 cup shallots
4 cloves garlic
4 cm piece ginger
3 chilli padi or bird eye chillies
4 cm piece fresh turmeric

Put everything into a spice grinder or use a mortar and pestle to pound all the ingredients together to form a paste. 

Top row :  Serai or lemon grass

Second row from left : galangal, turmeric and ginger

Third row from left : chilli padi, candlenuts and kaffir lime leaves

Botton row from left : shallots and garlic

Ingredients of the spice paste pounded together using a mortar and pestle

Other Ingredients

1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp oil

Method

1.  Use a skewer to prick holes all over the meat side of the pork belly.
2.  Then use a sharp knife to score the meat side. 
3.  Add other ingredients to the grounded spice paste and mix everything to blend well. 
4.  Then use this blended spice paste to rub onto the meat side of the pork belly.
5.  Turn the meat side over so that the skin faces upward. Mix 2 tbsp salt and 1 tsp turmeric powder together and rub this mixture all over the skin side of the pork belly.
6.  Place the pork belly into the refrigerator and let it marinate overnight in the fridge.

 Rub the blended spice paste on the meat side of the pork belly

Grilling the pork belly

1. Preheat over at 180 degree C.
2.  Place pork belly skin side up and roast for 20 minutes.
3.  Remove from the oven and use a sharp skewer to prick holes all over the skin.
4.  Turn the meat side up and put back into the over and roast for 30 minutes.
5.  Remove from the oven. Turn the skin up side and put back into the oven. Increase the temperature to 250 degree C and turn knob to top heat using the grill function.
6.  Grill 20 to 25 minutes to crisp the skin.

 

 
 Mouth-watering Babi Guling

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  :  Indonesia 

Hosted by Alice from I love. I Cook. I Bake

 

I am also linking this to Cook-Your-Books #10

 

Organised by Joyce of  Kitchen Flavours

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Top Hats (Kuih Pie Tee) 派迪/高顶帽

Top Hats (Kuih Pie Tee) 派迪/高顶帽

Recipe source :  Adapted from Flavours magazine, Vol 7, Issue 2 No. 24 Dec 1999 - Feb 2000

Kuih pie tee is a popular Peranakan snack. The crispy tart shells or cases are made from flour deep-fried in hot oil while the filling is made of shredded yam bean, carrots and prawns. The dainty shells look  very pretty once filled up with shredded savoury vegetables. 

Many local and Thai restaurants serve them as appetisers while waiting for the main course to be served. They are meant to be appetisers yet we always ended up placing extra orders for more pie tee because they are very tasty and addictive! 

Another family favourite of ours!
 

Ingredients for batter

100g plain flour
1 tsp rice flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup water
A pinch of salt
Oil for deep-frying

Ingredients for filling

1 tbsp oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
250g prawns, diced
500g yam bean, shredded
160g carrot, shredded
30g Chinese parsley
pepper to taste
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp light soy sauce
2 chilli padi for garnishing, sliced

Yam bean, Chinese parsley, chilli padi and carrot

Prawns

Making the shells

1.  Put both flour into a mixing bowl. 

2.  Add beaten egg, water and salt. Mix well.

3.  Whisk the batter until smooth and strain through a sieve.

4.  Pour the batter into a mug.

5.  Heat oil until hot with the pie tee mould in the oil.

6.  Turn down the heat to medium.

7.  Remove the mould from hot oil and dip the mould into the batter so that it is thoroughly coated almost to the brim.

8.  Allow the excess batter to drip off and place the mould into the hot oil.

9.  Let the shell cook until light brown or golden.

10. Store in an air-tight container.

 Pie Tee mould

 Close-up view of the pie tee mould

 Heat the pie tee mould in hot oil

 Then dip the mould into the batter in the mug. 
Make sure the batter reaches a few mm below the top of the mould

 Lower the mould into hot oil. 

Jiggle the mould lightly up and down to dislodge the cooked batter.
 The shell will dislodge and stay afloat

Use a pair of chopsticks to flip the shells to make sure all the sides are thoroughly browned.

A shell which has dislodged and remained afloat

Cooking the filling

1.  Heat oil and saute the chopped garlic until fragrant.

2.  Add prawns and stir-fry for one minute.

3.  Add in the shredded yam bean and carrot and stir-fry until soften.

4.  Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste and cook for a further 5 minutes.

5.  Lastly, add in the chopped Chinese parsley.

6.  Allow to cool before filling up the shells.

Tips

1.  The mould should not be too hot. The batter should not sizzle when the mould is immersed into it.

 2.  Make sure the batter coats the base of the mould.
Otherwise the shells will end up with holes underneath!

3.  Allow the batter to fry a while until slightly harden before dislodging the shells
This is to ensure the shells retain their shapes.
If the shells are dislodged too early, the batter will be soft and unable to hold its shape.

To serve

1.  Place some cooked filling into the shells.
2.  Garnish with Chinese parsley and sliced chilli padi.
3.  Serve with chilli sauce

Cooked filling, ready for serving

Empty pie tee shells

 

Just fill them up. Yummy!

I am linking this post to Little Thumbs Up

The theme for March 2014 is Prawn

Hosted by Moon from Food Playground

This event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids 
and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

I am also linking this to Cook-Your-Books #10

 

Organised by Joyce of  Kitchen Flavours

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Peanut & Pork Congee 花生猪肉粥

Peanut & Pork Congee 花生猪肉粥

Recipe source :  Doris Choo @ Sumptuous Flavours


Congee is a very good choice for Chinese breakfast. It is easy to prepare and can be very tasty if boiled to perfection, even with very simple ingredients. 

This is one of our family's favourites. 

Ingredients

150g peanuts, soaked overnight
200g rice, washed and soaked in water and freeze it overnight. See preparation for rice
100g dried scallops
400g pork, cut into slices
3 century eggs, cut into quarters
2 litres water
2 tsp salt, or to taste
dash of pepper
sesame oil

Method

1.  Boil soaked peanuts with 2 litres of water for 45 minutes or until slightly softened.
2.  Add in frozen rice and dried scallops. Continue to boil until the rice grains have broken and turn to congee.
3.  Add pork slices and boil for a further 2 minutes over high heat.
4.  Add in century eggs and salt to taste.
5.  Mix well.
6.  Serve in individual bowls with a dash of pepper and sesame oil.

Be Celeng Base Manis (Pork In Sweet Soya Sauce)

Be Celeng Base Manis (Pork In Sweet Soya Sauce)

Recipe source : Adapted from The Food of Bali

Sweet soya sauce or kicap manis is popularly used in Malay and Indonesian cuisines. I often buy ayam masak kicap ( chicken in soy sauce ) from Malay vendors selling nasi campur ( mixed rice ). I like the tinge of sweetness in the soy sauce. 

So when I came across this recipe as I browsed through the internet for Indonesian food recipes,  I bookmarked this to try out. All you need is a few basic ingredients. The cooking style is almost effortless. 

It was good!. My son, YS  and I, love pork dishes. We polished off this sweet porky dish including the gravy with lots of hot steaming rice. Yum!

Ingredients

1 tbsp cooking oil    ( original recipe used coconut oil )
3 shallots, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
300g boneless pork leg or pork shoulder, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
4cm piece of ginger, sliced
2 tbsp kicap manis ( sweet soya sauce)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp black peppercorn, crushed
1 cup chicken stock
4 chilli padi (bird's eye chilli)

 Black peppercorns

 Sweet soya sauce or kicap manis

Top left : shallots. Top right : chilli padi

Bottom left : garlic. Bottom right : ginger

Method

1.  Heat oil in a wok. Add shallots and garlic and saute for 2 minutes over medium heat until light brown.
2.  Add pork and ginger, continue to saute for 2 more minutes over high heat. Add sweet and salty soy sauces, chilli and crushed black peppercorns. Continue to saute for one minute.
3.  Pour in chicken stock and simmer over medium heat for about 45 minutes or until the meat is tender. If the meat becomes too dry during cooking, add a little more chicken stock.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  :  Indonesia  

Hosted by Alice from I love. I Cook. I Bake

Ayam Tempra

Ayam Tempra

Recipe source :  Adapted from Her World Magazine, October 1974

 
The taste is a combination of sweet, sour and slightly hot. Plenty of big onion rings were added to complete the wholesome flavour. I like the sourish lime in this dish, it was very light and subtle but  yet it makes the whole dish stands out with a distinguished flavour.


We enjoyed this dish with hot steaming rice for dinner.  We had a very satisfying meal. Yeah, I would cook this again.

Ingredients

900g chicken , chopped into small pieces
4 big onions, cut into rings
7 green chillies, sliced
5 red chillies, sliced
3 tbsp cooking oil

Sauce Ingredients

300ml water
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp lime juice
4 tbsp black soya sauce
1/2 tsp salt

 Left : green chillies. Centre : limes. Right : red chillies

Big onions

Method

1.  Rub chicken pieces with a little salt and sugar
2.  Heat cooking oil and fry onion rings, red and green chillies for one minute over strong flame.
3.  Add chicken pieces and let it cook, stirring all the time until meat changes colour.
4.  Add half the amount of sauce ingredients and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
5.  Put in the remaining sauce ingredients, lower heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until chicken is tender and almost dry.
6.  Dish up and serve.

Indonesian Fried Noodle (Mie Goreng Indonesia)

Indonesian Fried Noodle ( Mie Goreng Indonesia )

Recipe source : Adapted from Indochine Kitchen


Wow! This is really hot and spicy! For those not accustomed to hot and spicy food, you better reduce the amount of chillies and pepper for a milder flavour. The spice paste has a very distinct peppery flavour which taste really good, that is if you like spicy food with lots of pepper.

This noodle dish is meatless.

Ingredients For Spice Paste

2 cloves garlic
10 shallots
4 candle nuts, toasted
1/2 tsp whole peppercorns

Pound all the ingredients together using a mortar and pestle or use a spice grinder to mince them.

Using a mortar and pestle to pound the spice paste

Ingredients For Stir-Frying

400g noodles
150g beansprouts   ( I did not use this )
150g Chinese green cabbage, cut into 5 cm length   ( I used choy sam )
5 stalks of spring onion, cut into  5 cm length
3 sprigs parsley, cut into 2cm length
10g chilli padi, sliced
1 tomato, quartered   ( I did not use this )
3 tbsp cooking oil               
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp sweet soya sauce
1/2 cup water

 Spring onion, cut into 5 cm sections

 Chinese parsley, cut into 2 cm sections

 Chilli padi or bird's eye chilli, sliced

 Choy sam, cut into 5cm sections

 Noodle, rinsed and drained

Method

1.  Heat oil in a wok. Add spice paste and chillies and stir-fry for two minutes.
2.  Toss in choy sam, spring onions and beansprouts (if using). Mix quickly and fry for one minute.
3.  Add noodle, tomato, sweet soya sauce, salt, chopped Chinese parsley and water.
4.  Keep stirring until almost dry.
5.  Serve warm. 

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  :  Indonesia  

Hosted by Alice from I love. I Cook. I Bake