Showing posts with label Homegrown Mint. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homegrown Mint. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Minty , Tangy Eggplant Appetizer

Eggplant can be cooked in many ways.  I prefer simple one like this...easy to prepare and doesn't take much time to prepare.  Homegrown eggplants are the best as they are not only organic but near at hand too...just pluck them when they are in season :p  Okay, back to making this simple yet delicious appetizer dish.  Minty, tangy and some heat from the bird's eye chillies made this dish so good that I have put in my to-make-again list :)

I learned from a cooking book that give tips on how to cook eggplant so that the inside wont turn dark color.  First ,lightly cook the eggplant as a whole in hot oil. Take it out, then boil in hot boiling water till cook.  I guess it worked as you can see the inside doesn't change color, making the eggplants looks refreshing. The eggplants,  mint leaves and calamansi are from my lil garden space . I whipped out a simple appetizer using homegrown stuffs :)   Hope you like this recipe too :)

first fry the eggplant in hot oil, then boil in hot water
so that the inside will not turn darker color, it works as you can see
the inside is refreshing and maintain its color :)

 
Add lightly sauteed chopped garlic to the eggplant
the minty, tangy plus the sauteed garlic really give
flavors to the bland eggplant and the chillies gives heat to the dish
what can I say, the flavors just explode in the mouth ...mmmm
excellent appetizer dish!

Minty , Tangy  Eggplant Appetizer

ingredients:

5 eggplants -wash and wipe dry
oil enough to fry the eggplant

3 cloves of garlic- chopped
3 tbsp of chopped mint leaves
2 bird's eye chillies - sliced
2 calamansi - cut into halves and squeeze juice
1 tsp of rice bran oil
1 drop of sesame oil

salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a wok and fry the eggplant till skin is lightly brown.  Dish out and put the fried eggplant in boiling water and cook till soft.   Dish out and let it cool down before removing the skin.  Cut into 1.5 inch length wise strips.  Place the cut eggplant in a bowl.

Lightly saute chopped garlic till lightly brown and crisps.  Dish out and leave aside.  Chop mint leaves and slice chillies . Cut calamansi into halves and squeeze juice into a small bowl.

Add the mint leaves, chillies, a drop sesame oil and 1 tsp of rie bran oil to the cut eggplants.  Mix well together and add in salt and calamansi juice to taste. Add in the sauteed garlic as garnishing last.  Serve this appetizer cold  or warm









Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Homegrown Mint And Taiwan 'Yau Mak' - Healthy Meal


I am happy with my harvest from my little space...Mint and Taiwan 'Yau Mak' .  I turned them into healthy dishes...simple to prepare and lots of nutrients :) and knowing what you feed the veggies makes it even more healthier :p  First dish is Mint Omelette With Toasted Laver (seaweed) and the second dish is Stir fry Taiwan ' Yau Mak' with tau joo aka fu yee ( white version ).  These two dishes is enough for two persons.  A light meal though. You can serve these dishes with teochew porridge or with plain rice. 

I do eat -out often or order in if I am too lazy or tired.  And when I cook, I try to cook healthy and homecooked is still the best.

the mint grown in my little space are luscious

these homegrown Taiwan 'Yau Mak' are sweet and crunchy

toasted laver (seaweed)

mint omelette with toasted laver...
so good

a simple and light dinner after a heavy lunch  :)

I love this stir fry style for the Taiwan 'yau mak' especially
with garlic, chilli and fu yee


Mint Omelette With Toasted Laver 

a bunch of mint leaves - wash clean and drain dry
a clove of garlic - chopped
1 or 2 bird's eye chilli - sliced
2 eggs - beat up - season with a pinch of salt & pepper
1 tbsp of grapeseed oil for frying the omelette

a small packet of toasted laver(seaweed)

Method:
Heat up non-stick pan with a tbsp of grapeseed oil, saute the garlic, chilli till fragrant. Add in the mint leaves and as soon as the leaves wilted, add in the beaten eggs and cook till the eggs has set. Flip over when the bottom is lightly brown. Add the toasted laver pieces by pieces 0nto the surface of the omelette.  Once the bottom side is brown. Dish up and served hot with either plain rice or teochew porridge.


Stir Fry Taiwan ' Yau Mak ' With Fu Yee or Tau Joo

a bunch of Taiwan ' Yau Mak ' - soaked, cleaned and drained and cut 1" length (stem and leaves)
3 cloves of garlic  -  chopped
2 bird's eye chillies - sliced
1/2 piece of fu yee /tau joo (white version)
1 tbsp of grapeseed oil
1/4 cup of water
* pinch of salt to taste - I omit salt as fu yee is quite salty

Method:
Heat up wok with 1 tbsp of grapeseed oil, add in chopped garlic , chillies and fu yee and saute till fragrant. Add in the cut Taiwan ' Yau Mak' and stir fry till it starts to wilt or soft, add 1/4 water or less and continue to stir fry till the veggie is cook.  Dish up and serve with porridge or rice.


Have a great day !



Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Savory Dried Shrimps Mint Leaves Soup


This is another of my late mom's favorite soup.  I was first introduced to this simple to prepare soup by my mom.  I used to stay in Teluk Intan and my late grandma planted a lot of mint in the backyard of our house near the Sungai Perak many years ago.  Now I am growing them myself too in pots in my small patch which I called my ' sanctuary '.

And mint dishes are often served on our dining table.  Mint leaves omelette and different soup preparation.  But the best is this savoury Dried Shrimps Mint Leaves Soup.  With added bird's eye chillies to it, the soup has some heat to it and it pleases my palate.  This soup has become my kids favorite soup too. You can have it stand alone or served as soup for noodles.  I remembered my mom used to have rice noodles ( beehoon ) with this savory soup.  

Try it and you will agree with me that it is appetizing and delicious too....something very Asian :) 

It uses just dried shrimps, shallots and chillies.  I love the heat so I used bird's eye chillies.  It is heavenly just to slurp down this savory flavored packed soup.  Perfect pairing of mint leaves with dried shrimps, shallots and chillies.  This has been my simple to make soup for the family. Homegrown mint are the best because I get to harvest them at the right time when the leaves are not too old nor young.  The fragrance from the mint is fantastic.

you can just lightly pound the dried shrimps after soaking
together with the shallots and chillies


just these ingredients and you can have the soup with either
rice or rice noodles


Savory Dried Shrimps Mint Leaves Soup
(for 2 persons)

ingredients:

a bunch of mint leaves - washed and drained
(A)
1/2 cup of dried shrimps - washed and soaked and lightly pounded
4 shallots - lightly pounded
2 bird's eye chillies - lightly pounded

500 - 600 ml water

salt to taste

Method:

Boil 500-600 ml water in deep pan or saucepan.  When water boils, add in the pounded ingredients (A) and continue to let it simmer under medium low heat for 20 mins until it is fragrant. Add salt to taste.  Add in the mint leaves when ready to serve so that the leaves remain green . Over cooking the leaves will not taste good and will lose its nutrients.

Serve with plain rice or rice noodles.

Enjoy !



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