Monday, January 29, 2007

same house, same kitchen, same cook

Slurp du jour has moved!

It's still the same house, same kitchen, same cook . I just need some minor renovations so that Slurp Du Jour can be pleasing to your taste buds, and appetizing to your viewing pleasure too!

Do pop by for a visit in my new home ! I give you a warm welcome! :D

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Do, Don, Done!

I have not tried making Western-style pork chops yet, and looks like I will not in some time. You may not believe it, but when I made Chinese-style or Freestyle pork chops, it was my first time having pork loin chops in my grocery shopping list. And other than one first time attempting making a Thai dish - Kai Pad Bai Kaprow or Thai Basil Chicken , this should be my second time attempting some cuisine other than Chinese, Southeast Asian, or Western. I will DO a Japanese DONburi! Yes, Tonkatsu (Japanese-style pork cutlets) curry DON, will be DONE in less than 30mins away. Let's DO it! The DON. I am not a tonkatsu specialist who have spent years observing how to prepare the frying oil in a proper manner and exact temperature, the type of bread crumbs used, and the precise moment that the cutlet should hit the hot oil. This end product here, however, is a succulent piece of pork cutlet with a crisp, and light crumb coat.

Tonkatsu-curry don (2-3 servings)
Ingredients:
-Oil for frying
-4 boneless pork chops, each about 1/2 inch thick
-1 egg
-2 tablespoons cornflour
-1 cup(or more) panko bread crumbs
-1 pack SB curry sauce (or any Japanese curry sauce)

Method:
1.Pound pork to 1/4 inch thick using meat tenderizer or back of a cleaver. Beat egg until blended. Coat both sides of pork with flour, then dip into egg and finally coat thoroughly with bread crumbs.

2.Pour oil at least 1 inch deep into electric frying pan or deep frying pan
3. Fry pork in oil until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.

4.Cut pork cutlets into strips, place pork cutlets over cooked plain rice, and serve with Japanese curry sauce

It's DONE!

Tag: , , , ,

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Iron Chef vs Tigerfish in Lychee cook-off

I have watched quite some episodes of Iron Chef America and everytime I do, I will laugh at the Chairman(portrayed by Mark Dacascos). That must be the easiest job of a Chairman you can find. Every episode without fail, the Chairman of Iron Chef America just makes the same statement (his script must be less than a page long, to be more accurate- maybe less than ten sentences in the entire one-hour show)

In the words of this Chairman..."MAY THE BATTLE BEGINS!"


Iron Chef and challenger - Tigerfish look, as the secret ingredient is unveiled, and the Chairman continues..."the secret ingredient is... LYCHEE!"

The verdict is out even without the panel of judges. How can Tigerfish with no professional experience surpass the Iron Chef? Moreoever, Tigerfish only does 2 dishes, out of the 5 dishes which is required of the competition. Hey, but Tigerfish is alone in the battle. No sous chef, no assistant.

Dish No.1 - Lychee cocktail drink
Can you see there's actually a lychee in an ice-cube ?

Place a lychee in each compartment of ice-cube tray, and fill with water, as if freezing, to get ice-cubes. Once frozen, drop 1-2 cubes in one serving of drinking water, there...you have a party drink. As the ice-cube melts, a wee bit of lychee juice blends with water, PLUS, you can eat that lychee when you finish off your drink! Cool. That's my style of non-alcoholic cocktail for everybody. Definitely a good chill-off during summer (though still some months away).

Dish No.2 - Lychee chicken
If you like Sweet and Sour Pork, or Orange/Lemon Peel Chicken, then you should love this dish as well, since it's both sweet and tangy.

Lychee chicken(serves ~4)
Ingredients:
-~1.5lbs chicken thigh (you can use chicken breasts,leg fillets, wings), cut to bite-size pieces
-2tbsp soy sauce
-1tbsp salt
-1tsp sesame oil
-1tsp sugar
-4tbsp corn flour to coat chicken
-2cups oil for deep frying
-1tsp chopped garlic
-1tsp crushed ginger
-1can lychee, drained, syrup reserved
-1tsp red chilli flakes
-sliced spring onion and red chilli (for garnish)

Sauce:
-1 cup lychee syrup
-2tbsps tomato sauce
-1tbsp corn flour, mixed with 1tbsp water

Method:
1.Marinate chicken with soy sauce, salt, sesame oil and sugar for 30 mins. Roll chicken in corn flour and deep-fry till golden brown.Set aside.
2. In another pan, heat 1tbsp oil over medium fire. Stir fry garlic and ginger for 1-2mins. Add sauce ingredients, and cook till sauce thickens.
3.Add the chicken, lychees and chillies. Mix well, and allow simmer for 3-5mins.
4.Garnish and serve.


Tag: ,