3 Cups Chicken also know as Basil Chicken
The first time I try three Cup chicken,was at
Davids-Taiwanese-Gourmet in Queens.That was almost 6 or 7 years ago. Three Cups Chicken is a Taiwanese dish ,also know as "San Bei Zhi".This restaurant serve authentic Taiwanese dish .Their menu have alot of Taiwan Special Dish like porridge,intestines,pig blood ,ear,tongue,skin and etc.It's quite an eye opening and refreshing to try Taiwan food once a while.
When I was at
bestyetmarket for food shopping ,I saw a whole bunch of fresh basil with root attached on sale.I have no idea what should I do with the basil I bought.I thinking maybe I should replant the root after I freeze the leaves.Suddenly,I'm thinking about 3 cups chicken.I bought 3 lbs of whole leg from
waldbaums 2 days ago on the weekly sale.That right!! I can use whole leg chicken to make 3 Cups chicken.Although Three Cup Chicken is named for its three liquid ingredients--sesame oil, rice wine and soy sauce--its enticing aroma is what attracts your attention. Scents of ginger and basil waft from this version of the traditional Taiwanese dish. Such a fragrant meal seems like it would take awhile to prepare, but this comes together quickly.
Ingredients
3 pound of chicken leg,cut up 1/2
1/2 cup of sesame oil
3 inch piece of ginger root( peeled, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
10 cloves of garlic, lightly smashed
1/2 cup shaoxing wine or other rice wine
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1 Onion(sliced) optional
Method
Cut the chicken parts into 2-inch pieces using a cleaver. Set aside. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until aromatic, for 1 minute. Increase the heat to high and add the chicken. Cook and stir ,the chicken until the flesh no longer looks pink, for 3 minutes. Add the shaoxing wine, soy sauce and sugar, stirring to mix well. Cover the skillet or wok and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by half or thicking.And the chicken is cooked thoroughly for 15 to 20 minutes. Add in the basil just before serving.This serving is good for 4 person.For anyone who want to try Taiwanese dish,should try 3 cups chicken first before go to next level.I serve it with Jasmine's white rice.That is Mishu and mine dinner for few days.
Porterhouse Steak with Shrimp ,shell chesse and string beans.
Sangria also know as Spanish cocktail!!
Elliot just pass his motorcycle license.He is so happy and thrill that he was able to pass his practical exam when he's only have one day training course.He want us to go out and celebrate but I told him ,I already prepare his dinner and drink.He called all his friends and inform them about his result.Well,he said to me"I'm so excited and aren't you happy for me?".Of course I am!!I said.Then he said "I know you have your motorcycle license at young age,so you think it's not a big deal but to me it is a big deal"!!".And he go on with his rambling," you have to bear with me this few days,I'm going to keep talking about it all the time ."!.That right,he keep talking that he is going to buy a bike and bring
Victory catalog home with him .Yesterday,he even bring me to
Victory show room on the way to apple picking.All the Bike in the show room is so cool and so damn expensive!!.I told him,why not wait until he more confident with his skill first before getting himself a bike.He is so disappointed that I'm not really support his idea.I know he is the kind of "hangat hangat tahi ayam'person.In weeks or months,he will just lost his interest.Why buy a bike that he can only use for summer?.That is not practical.Yes,it's an expensive hobby too.I told him,I don't mind he buy one if we have few hundreds thousands just sitting in the bank right now.He understand my point and didn't argue about it.That is good about him,that he trust my judgement about our financial situation.I applaud him to trust me .
So, I quickly cook his simply dinner.Porterhouse Steak with Shrimp .I add some steam string beans with butter and shell cheese on the side too.I just rub the steak with some garlic,parsley and salt seasoning.On top of his meal,I make a jug of Sangria to celebrate with him.."Cheers to your Motorcycle license'!!
Mishu filling the bag with apples she pluck...small one!!
Mishu looking for the next target!
Ripe Raspberry is quite sweet.
Raspberry Trees
Mishu inspect her apples.
Mishu suddenly bring her book to show me.It's Andy the Apple!!.I read for her but she keep flipping the pages to show me all the apples are with eyes and mouth.For a while I'm thinking,she might interested if she go to apple orchard to see the real apple.Quickly ,I 'google' in my area for apple picking farm.I found few farms in my county but the nearest one is
fortsalongafarm.I tell Elliot about my idea and he agree to go with us.It's might be fun for Mishu,since she never pick any real apple from the orchard.It's just take us 20 minutes drive from our home.Elliot know his island better than me.Well,unfortunately,the farm policy insist each adult to paid $10 for 1/4 bushel of apples.I never been to this farm,so I find their policy are quite weird and unreasonable.I been to apple farm in Upstate ,New York and the farm didn't charge us per head count like here.Instead we just pick the apples and bring it to the cashier for weighting.We just paid whatever price goes by accordingly to the apple per pound.Elliot decided not to enter the orchard and he wait in our van for us.We can't even finish a bag of apple,for sure .The caretaker refused to let Elliot step in the orchard for photo taking.I find out that the caretaker is very bossy and intolerance person.They keep telling me about their rules and regulations.They ask me to twist the apple and not to pull the apple from the tree.Said it will hurt the tree and it won't bloom next year.One of the lady lecture me when Mishu simply plucked the unmarked apple tree.They give me a piece of paper in which indicated the numbers and names of each apple.I can only pluck the apples from the trees where it's mark with white flag.Later on,Elliot told me he heard they complaint about me.
Mishu is so excited when she see apple orchard for the first time.She been running and plucking the apple for the first 10 minutes.We just spend about 30 minutes in the orchard.Some of the apple is still unripe.I like Fuji apple but Fuji's is not ripe until October.Beside that the farm also have Raspberry picking.
On our way home ,I'm thinking,what should I do with the full bag of apples?'.Maybe I should bake some apple pie or make some apple jam.I have never bake any apple dessert or make any apple jam ,but there is always a first time for everything!!.I'm up to the challenge!!..
This plate of Loh Mein is for Mishu.She love shrimp and chinese sausage!!
This is my Mee Goreng extra spicy!!
Yesterday,I made Fried Noodle for Mishu and myself.I still have half packet of yellow noodles left over,so I better cook it before it gone bad.Usually when we order fried noodles in Chinese take out restaurant in US,we called Loh Mein.Don't mistaken for Loh Mee Malaysia style.Actually it's Mee Goreng but I dunno why American chinese restaurant called it Loh Mein instead of "Chow Mein".And in fact, Chow Mein in Chinese restaurant are Stir Fried Mix Cabbage with meat in corn starch.Weird !!I still can't figure out why until now.Well,I cook with shrimp,long hot pepper,onion,chinese sausage,egg,tomato and fried Tofu.Beside that I add alot of minced fresh garlic and shallot.I also add oyster sauce ,dark sweet soy sauce and chicken flavor powder.Too bad I don't have any Chinese vegetable.I only have iceberg lettuce,so I guess lettuce doesn't go well together with mee goreng.This is a very easy cooking meal.I think people like me who are not expert in cooking can make this dish,then everybody who love to eat fried noodles can cook this dish as well in their home..Less than 30 minutes,our dinner is ready!!.Makan time ,Mishu!!.Come!
Today made Brick Pepperoni Pizza with 3 cheese
The second attempt but the crust it as hard as Brick!!
Used ready
permix dough from store but this pizza was burn
I have try to make pizza dough the 3rd time this week.I have no idea why the dough doesn't rise as it said on the recipe book.Maybe I didn't follow the right measurement or I failed to understand how to make dough.Whatever reason,I still process my pizza with the topping.I promise Elliot that when he wake up in the morning his pizza will be ready waiting for him on the counter for breakfast.My first attempt,I make 2 trays.He been eating both tray for the last 3 days for his breakfast.The crust is hard like brick but he still eating it.I guess he try to be supportive or else I won't make any more pizza for him.The other day,I just bought a ready mix pizza dough from supermarket ,unfortunately I didn't watch the oven timer and let it burn.Elliot told me to throw in garbage.He drove to his favourite pizza place and order 2 pieces for himself and one for Mishu.He know that I not crazy for pizza.Today again,I use my last pack of yeast.I think the dough doesn't rise,I have no idea why..Anyway,like usual I spread spaghetti sauce, pepperoni ,mozzarella ,Parmesan and yellow cheese on it.After 20 mins in oven,I quickly bring it out,not burn this time.Elliot happily eat his warm and cheesy pizza even though the dough doesn't rise to the max.I'm going to keep trying until my pizza dough rise and perfect.Never said die attitude!!
A Bowl of Chicken Herbal soup for Mishu
Dry red dates,dry longon,pak kei and tong sam
Dry Lycium Barbarumi(kei chi) and Polygonatum(yoke chok)
Tonight I didn't cook any meal,still have plenty of left over.So I just brew a Chinese herbs soup.I remember the last time I had this soup was two and half years ago.My mom brought some Chinese herbs for my confinements and I still have some left over .Well,I believe some of my Malaysian friend told me that every once a month we need to drink or consume Chinese herbs soup to cleansing our body from toxin.Accordingly to Chinese,drinking Chinese herbs soup can balance up our heaty body or vice verse.But for me I have no idea which is heaty or cooling herbs.I just know the soup taste good not bitter or hard to sallow.I still have some end pork ribs bone and chicken whole leg.It's quite easy to brew Chinese soup.All in one pot.
Here is my own recipe
4 pcs of end pork ribs
2 pc of chicken whole leg(remove the fat and skin)
Boil a pot of hot water for the meats to be wash and remove the fats or oily consistent.Just let the meat in the boiling water for 5 to 10 mins.Take out the meats from boiling pot.Run the meats under cool water to removed the excess fats
4 Qtr of water boiled to 2 qtr of soup
50 gm of Ziziphus(Red dates or hong chor)
200 gm of dry logan
50 gm of Radix Astragali(pak kay)
100 gm of Frutus Lychii(kei chi)
50 gm of Biskut Kelapa(tong kui)
100 gm Polygonatum(yoke chok)
Salt to taste
I love to put alots of Frutus Lychii in the soup. .It's just take an hour and half to the soup to get ready to serve.Mishu love it and keep asking for more after a small bowl.The herbal soup is really sweet because of 'kei chi' and dry Logan.I have no idea ,what this soup mean..Yin or Yang..as long as it's herbal and she love to drink, that's matter.
Yesterday,I bought a pack of pork ribs from
meatfarms.Well,what should I cook this with ribs?.Thinking wisely and looking for recipes book again .I'm thinking of 'bak kut teh' but I don't have "fried to-fu ' and it seem a shame and waste that I have to chop this nice looking ribs into small pieces.So to make things easier for me ,I marinated the whole pork ribs with spices in zip lock bag in fridge for overnight.I know Elliot prefer BBQ ribs rather than 'Bak Kut teh".Accordingly to him "bak kut teh' herbs smell stinky,especially when I brew it. .So I took out the marinated ribs and broil it into my oven for one hour.Since today been raining whole day and is quite cold,so I'm happily use my oven for the 3 time.Early in the morning I test make my pizza dough,quite disappointed because the flour doesn't rise to my expectation.Ok..I'll post about my pizza making failure post after this topic.
Here is my BBQ Pork Ribs recipe
Ingrendients
One whole pork ribs(clean and removed fat)
2 tbsp of 5 spices powder
2 tbsp of Hoisin sauce
2 tbsp of yellow mustard
2 tbsp of sugar
1 tsp of salt
Mix all the ingredient's well in zip lock bag with ribs for 8hours or overnight.
Method
Lay flat the whole Ribs on an aluminium foil(I hate to wash the pan,so I just use foil) over a rack in a deep tray .Fill some water in the deep tray.I was told by few restaurant chef that put some water in the tray under meat will make the meat moisture and tender.Wrapped the whole ribs with aluminium foil all over to prevent the meat to get too dry..Pre heat one to 425 F and let it broil for 45 min .After 45 mins,open the top foil and check the meat with chopstick.Just poke with chopstick and if the chopstick go all the way through,that mean,it's cook.Let the foil open to broil the top part until golden brown.Basting the ribs with the juice or sauce on the foil.Let's not forget to brush with
peterluger sauce on the finish touch.Let the ribs broil for another 10 mins.Ready to serve .
Elliot and Mishu love it.The bone fell of the meat itself.The meat is so juicy and tender.Love
peterluger sauce.This sauce owner a.k.a restaurant is very famous and rated by Zagat 23 year in row for the number 1 SteakHouse in NY.I ate in their restaurant once, years ago for chicken dish since I don't eat beef or steak.The furniture are more than hundred years old.Very antique as well as their wait-staff.I thought I was in senior home!!You can get the sauce in any supermarket.
Inspired by Sous Chef Gertrude
Snippetsofmylife again to made Raisin Teabread instead of raisin cake .This is my ever first time in my life I try to make tea bread from scratch.I use a electric whipper left over by my mother-in-law.I have no idea how to operate the machine.I have to seek Elliot help to set up and put it together.He told me that machine is older than me!!Since I never make any cake or bread from scratch,it's never cross my mind to get a new one.Well,if this experience making teabread will success,I'm going to buy a new hand whip machine soon.I bought this bread book recipe years ago and now I use it to mix with Chef Gertrude fruit cake recipe.
Ingredients :
4 packet of dried raisin
1/2 cup of Malibu rum.(I don't have dark or white rum)
2 sticks of butter
1 cups of coconut dark brown sugar
4 eggs
3 cups of flour
1 tsp of baking powder
2 tsp sugar
Zest of 1 orange
1) Soak the dry raisin with Malibu rum and Orange juice for overnight in the refrigerator
2)Clean up my mini non stick baking tin
3) Cream butter and sugar until blend thoroughly
4) Add all the eggs mix
5) Mix in orange zest
6) Add in soak dry raisins and then fold in sifted flour and baking powder
7) Pour batter into prepared cake tin.
8) Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree F oven for 70 mins or until centre is firm to touch or well risen.
9) Let the cake cool in the tin before removing the cake.
10)Remove the bread from the tin and turn the bread out on to a wire rack after 2-3 minutes.
I cut a piece in the center after it cool down.What I found is that tea bread is quite dry compare with cake.Or it's me that make the tea bread dry?.Well,I think I need to have more practise to make it taste good.I think it's not really hard to make cake or tea bread after this experience.The most important is to organise and prepare the ingredients in advance.So next time I will prepared all the needed ingredients in days or week before I try another new recipe.Now I have the courage to try the next step.Elliot just told me that he don't like the taste.So I guess,I'm the only one who is going to eat the rest of my Raisin TeaBread.
The packaging is well presentable with daun kesom picture on the package.But there is none daun kesom in the paste or in the ingredients .What a misleading product!
I add more cococnut milk to make it 'lemak' as it supposed to be in Singapore Curry Laksa Noodles.
Recently,I been looking high and low for Singapore Curry Laksa Noodles Paste.I been craving for this dish since last month.Whenever I have the chance to go to Elmhurst Queens ,I will try my best to eat in or take out this dish at
about Taste Good Malaysia Restaurant.Elsa and Belancan from
mybuddies praise that Prima 's brand product for Singapore Curry Laksa is very very good.The last time I was in Chinatown,I search for this Prima's brand but unfortunately, no store in NYC carry this brand yet.But I found Asian Home Gourmet Brand for Singapore Curry Laksa Paste.In no time I quickly snatch few packets of their products.Well,I'm quite disappointed with their Singapore Curry Laksa paste.Their packaging is well presentable but the paste is very small compare with other brand like Delimas.Beside that the paste don't have daun kesum for Singapore Curry Laksa.I guess this company don't have any idea what is Singapore Curry Laksa!!.How can a Singapore Curry Laksa paste don't have daum kesum on the side or in the paste??.It's just the taste of regular curry laksa with very mild taste and flavor.The instruction on the back of the package suggested for 3 serving but I just add 400 ml coconut milk in the can and another 100 ml of water.It's just good for 2 serving instead of 3 as suggested.I make it with 'lai fun'(round rice noodle) ,shrimp,fried to-fu,chicken,fish cake and Delimas Crispy Shrimp Chilli
mytasteofasia.
I promise myself in future I won't buy this Asian Home Gourmet Singapore Curry Laksa.It's not up to my expectation.Maybe, my taste for this Singapore Curry Laksa Noodles was spoilt by eating in Taste Good Restaurant since their are the best of all I have try so far.I hope Prima's product will carry their supply in NYC.I have to try this brand since myBuddies members give this brand 5 stars!
Close up look Fried Wanton
This is my 3rd attempt,that today I try again using egg roll skin to wrap my Fried Wanton with 2 style.Did you see the different fried wanton style look familiar??.I have no idea why my wanton skin look 'dirty'!
This is the 2ND attempt I'm making fried wanton using Cantonese wanton skin wrapped.Still not up to my expectation.
Taste not too bad but the appearance not really look good.I used new oil but still the filling leak out.1st effort to make fried wanton.
Used Cantonese Wanton skin the 1st time to make fried 'deep pocket'
Inspired by Talented Chef Gertrude's Fried Wanton featured in
Snippets of My Life, I been try this dish for 3 times.The first 2 time I used Cantonese Wanton wrapper which is yellowish and the skin is very fragile.Both time ,after fried my wanton skin look bad.It's seem like the filling or juice leak out while frying.Today, I try again using egg roll skin instead of Cantonese Wanton skin.I try to foil it in different way too ,to prevent the filling from leaking.I guess I still need more practise to wrap the skin.Maybe I will try to bake it instead of frying .I have to seek Chef Gertrude advise why my Fried Wanton skin don't look clean.It's there is a special way to deep fried it?.
Hit the shoes full of candy' Games'!.
Girls line up going in the pool.
Happy Birthday to Kylie!.
All the girls dipped their fingers on the ice cream cake
Mishu thought it's her Birthday too! .Wearing Princess Tiara
Mishu said"Cheeeesee" with mouth open.
Mishu push by her dad in baby floater happily
Kylie the Birthday girl..Sweet smile!
Mishu a.k.a Kayla climbing up and down at play set.
Today our neighbor invite us over for their daughter Kylie 8 th Birthday Party.We spend almost 5 hours at their place.They are very nice people who always lead us a hand when we ask for help.When we are away they will pick up our mail or help us regarding home improvement project.Actually it's just a Pool party for the kids .We adults just hang around drinking and eating while the kids swimming in the pool.Before Kylie's friends parents come to pick them up,Kylie cut her
carvel ice cream cake and we all sing "Happy Birthday to her. And later on, she open her Birthday presents with all the girls surrounding her .Her presents are' special makeup 'box,DVD,books,bag,crayon,shoes and
bratz .Mishu enjoy herself tremulously and refused to come home.At night fall,Kylie and her sisters shower and change to their PJ's.We have to drag Mishu home.After giving Mishu a shower,she climb herself to a guest room bed and sleep.I guess she been tired from swimming,running and playing on the slide whole afternoon.It's been a long day for her with all the excitements.Hope she will sleep all the way till morning. Tough luck!
We was at Jackson Height ,Queens last month.Elliot want to eat Indian food buffet in Jackson Diner.Jackson Height is one of the famous Little Indian Town for Indian in the city.He keep talking about Jackson Diner at 74 st and Broadway.Hence,I love to go to Jackson Height because I can get a lots of Asian and Indian food there.Few door step away from Jackson Diner there is a huge Indian grocery store
patelbrothersusa.
patelbrothersusa sell everything from spices to rice and frozen food as well.I like their Muruku,Kacang mix and Thai's small chili(mostly their are very spicy without question!).So I grab few packets of Indian paste which I never try before.I'm in challenge for any new items.So today,I use Chicken Tikka Masala Mix paste to cook our dinner .Since I have a whole pack of chicken drumstick in my fridge,I'm lazy to defrost boneless chicken as suggest in the packet.On the back of packet there are 2 way to cook this dish either microwave or on the stove top.I prefer to cook on the stove top because I can see what I''m doing especially my first time cooking Indian food.
Method..here is goes..
Mix thoroughly the entire content of the paste with 2 cups 300ml of water and 100 m of plain yogurt.(I used vanilla yogurt which I bought for Mishu )in a bowl.Take 6 drumsticks(cut into2 pc) and fry in 25 g(used 1/2 stick) of butter in my non stick pan until it's turn golden brown.Add the mixture from the bowl and cook till the gravy becomes thick.
Note :Do not add anything else.The paste mix contain oil and salt.
Ingredient's in the paste;
Onion,refined sunflowers oil,garlic,ginger,red chili powder,salt ,tomato,spices,turmeric and lemon.Made in India.
I follow the instruction on the packet and my dinner is ready in 30 minutes.It's very easy.Of course it's not spicy at all accordingly to my spicy level but I can add spicy sauce later.I eat with Jasmine rice since I didn't have Basmati rice with me.Elliot and Mishu enjoy this not spicyChicken Tikka Masala for tonight dinner.I would suggest anyone who like Indian food to try Patel paste for home cooking.As we all know eating Indian food in the Indian restaurant is quite pricey especially in US.
Italian herbs..Thyme or Oregano?
Tonight ,Elliot suggest to me that he want to eat pasta.Last week ,we shopped at
biglots and he bought few cans of salmon and tuna.It's weird that he won't eat any fresh fish in bone except sardine and salmon in can.Well,since he said he don't mind the bone in salmon,I start looking at my recipe book which I bought at Walden Book store in the mall.It's called Italian by Carla Capalbo. I found one similar recipe.Penna with Tuna and Mozzarella.First of all,I don't have mozzarella and secondly I have leftover bow tie and elbow paste in small quantity each.So,I will just have to use my left over pasta but atleast I have some idea how to cook his pasta.Instead of tuna as the book said,I use salmon in can.I substitutes mozzarella with Parmesan cheese.My garden have a some Oregano or Thyme.Actually,I dunno,what is that plant.I go to supermarket to identify my plants but still I'm not very sure which is Oregano or Thyme.Both look very identical.Anyway,I just use it.Just called it Italian herbs.
Here is my own recipe
Ingredients
.......................
400 gm elbow and bow tie pasta
2 cloves of garlic
2 stalk of chop fresh cilantro
1 can of salmon,drains the water
5 tsp of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp fresh thyme/oregano
1 tsp dry basil
100 gm of Parmesan cheese
Elliot dinner ready in less half and hour.Honestly this dish or most of American dish is much easier to cook and prepare .Preparation time is shorter and easier than Malaysia or Asian dish.
I need to be creative and full of ideas.Creative is what I don't have!!.That is the reason I have to look for other chef ideas.Any one can identified what it this Italian herb?.
About the Author:
Hi!! My name is Lesley and I'm a simple SAHM(stay at home mom) who currantly live in Long Island,New York with my daughter Mishu and hubby Eliot .I'm Malaysian who live in US and A for many many moon and I'm a person who love to eat, cook and bake.If you have any suggestions ,questions or comments please feel free to email me at beachlover1917atyahoodotcom. To know more about my life or my kitchen you can always hop over to my other 2 blog.
3 Cups Chicken also know as Basil Chicken
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