FATHER'S SECRET SAUCE AND MOTHER'S SIGNATURE DISH

20/9/2014 - 21/9/2014

I don't know about you,  but the niggling thought of the ingredients leftover  in the fridge till not sure when, really worry me.  I hate to waste them (which normally will happen if they are still not use within the week or month?) and I would be stalking blogs for recipes to use them as soon as possible.  I know, I know, my eyes are the greediest when I am shopping for food.  My brain would be telling myself,  "no, don't buy, you won't cook it" or  "no don't buy you still have some leftover" but my eyes would say "its cheap", "get some for later or just in case!"

I was glad that finally I was able to finish my stock of butter and bread flour (since the beginning of the year!) So it was no baking this weekend.  

However, I  I cooked these dishes with the items that has been on "vacation" in my fridge:-

1.

packet of the rice stick, add some fresh minced pork, fresh shitake mushroom, yellow beancurd, carrot, black fungus and preserved olive.  

  

Fried Rice Sticks with minced pork and preserved olives.

I got this inspiration from the blog of GuaiShuShu whereby he make the Ningbo Rice Sticks from scratch..... amazing. 

served with Red bean and Pulut Hitam Sweet soup.

 2. Mettwurst and cherry tomato pizza:-

small can of tomato puree mixed with olive oil, sugar, mixed herbs to form the base sauce 

a long forgotten Chilli Woodsmoked Garlic Mettwurst (German sausage) given by May and homegrown baby tomatoes from my neighbour and a small box of cheddar cheese.  

prepared the pizza dough on Saturday and left it overnight in the fridge.  

My favourite pizza dough recipe from The Pioneer Woman.   

grated cheddar cheese 

Piping hot and cheesy pizza 

Manage to get 2 delicious pizzas ... only realised later  that the sausage is a mixture of beef and pork..

3. My late Father's recipe for taucheong sauce (beanpaste sauce).

This is "the sauce"  which he used to fill inside the ducks  before they were being roasted.   One of his helpers (actually they were our family friends) would cook a big batch of this sauce and I remembered him peeling the shallots and garlic by kilos.  These were then minced including the whole beanpaste and the sauce is cooked in a BIG wok of bubbling pork fat.   Whenever the new stock was cooked, my mother would take some home. She would just  simply add sliced belimbing (sourish) and lots of lards (crispy texture)  and chillies (spicy) and we could have bowls of rice with this sauce. This simple dish was all my siblings and mine favourite. This special sauce was also used  to cook her signature dish: Braised Pork Belly with Yam.        

whole beanpaste, sour plums, garlic, shallots and sugar.

I  

I have blended the whole beanpaste with the garlic and shallots.  Pour in a non-stick pan and cook over medium/low heat till fragrant.  I used vegetable oil to saute. 

Then add the sugar to taste.  I used the brown sugar and keep stirring the mixture till it caramelise

and finally  add the secret ingredient.......lard.   

smell wonderful... adjust to taste...

Meanwhile, blanch the pork belly and drain and then prick the skin well.  Marinate with soya sauce, pepper, five spice powder and chinese cooking wine.

Slice the yam and season with five spice powder 

Prepare the seasoning: the taucheong sauce; fermented beancurd, five spice powder,  sugar, chinese cooking wine and sesame oil. Mix together and adjust to taste  

Heat oil and fry the pork belly till golden brown.. 

Also deep fry the yam so that they will not disintergrate during steaming. 

Arrange the pork and yam alternating them in a bowl.  Drizzle over the sauce.

Cover with cling wrap and steam for at least an hour over medium heat till meat is tender. 

At last, I think I have got it right this time... 

Perfect bowl of deliciousness.... 

fluffy soft yam and tender pork belly all married together with the lipsmacking sauce!  

  

Now, I think I have to get some belimbing and more lardons for my next dish. 

Enjoy your weekend.