Spicy Black Bean Sauce Chicken

At 3 years old, Jewel is able to tell me, " Mommy, my throat is pain." I thought she was joking with me but I dare not risk not bringing her to the doc.

This is her at the clinic. She looks fine to me. After the doctor checked her throat, she really got sore throat. Guess better take her words seriously for now.



Spicy Black Bean Sauce Chicken

Ingredients;

500g Chicken Breast
1/2 red bell pepper, cut to small pieces
1/2 yellow bell pepper,  cut to small pieces
2 tsp fermented black beans, rinsed, dry and using a fork, smashed it
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 slices of ginger
3 shallots, minced
1 tsp chilli bean paste, toubanjian
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup of water
corn starch mixture, ratio 1 tsp cornflour: 2 tsp water

Marinade;
1 tbs oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
A dash of pepper
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tbs sesame oil

Steps;

1. Wash and cut chicken into cubes. Marinade and set aside for 4 hours.
2. In a wok, heat up oil and stir fry the bell peppers for 2 mins. Dish out and set aside.
3. Using the remaining oil, add garlic, ginger, shallots and black beans. Stir fry till fragrant.
4. Add in the chicken, cook till all the meat turns white.
5. Add chilli bean paste, oyster sauce, sugar and water.
6. Thicken the sauce with the corn starch solution.
7. Add in the bell peppers and stir fry.
8. Dish out and serve.

Sesame Oil Chicken 麻油雞

Do you know that woman has 2 chances in their lifetime to 'change' their body health? Bet you are unaware. The 1st chance is during the puberty period and the next is during the confinement period. Many women that I come across often experiencing cold hands and feet and they tends to feel cold easily. My body condition was like that before I gave birth. Back then I often told my friends that if there is a choice, I would rather get hot to death. LOL.

For both of my confinement, I drank the red date with longan water 24/7 for 30 days. No plain and cold water at all. My longan water was a super power tonic water. It wasn't just any longan and red date water, it was with alot more herbs! My confinement food was with alot of ginger, sesame oil and chicken essence. My intake for the herbs was so much that SIL said I was super overloaded with them and was afraid that my nose might bleed anytime! Haha.

All those made a huge difference in my health.  I WASN'T AFRAID OF COLD ANYMORE! I don't need to cover myself with blanket when I sleep in the air con room. When everyone complain it is cold,  I said it is cooling. Amazing! My colleagues saw the difference in me and said that next time they sure to look for me when they are having their confinement.


Sesame Oil Chicken

One of my favourite confinement food

Ingredients:

1 packet of Mid Joint Wings ( About 30 wings)
15 Chinese Mushrooms
7 Slices of Ginger
5 Cloves Garlic, Minced
Oyster Sauce
1 Tbs Dark Soya Sauce
Sesame Oil
1 1/2 Cup Water
1 Tsp Salt

Steps:

1. Marinate wings with Dark Soya Sauce, 3 Tablespoon of Oyster Sauce and 2 Tablespoon Sesame Oil for 1/2 hour.
2. In another bowl, soak the mushrooms till soft.
3. In a wok, heat 4 Tablespoon sesame oil and add ginger and garlic. Fry for 5 mins or till fragrant.
4. Add in the marinated wings and stir fry for 15 mins. 
5. Add water, 4 Tablespoon of Oyster Sauce, 1 Teaspoon salt and stir. 
6. Lower to small heat and simmer for 10 mins.
7. Squeeze dry the mushrooms, turn to high heat and add to the wings. Stir fry.
8. Lower to small heat  and simmer for another 30 mins.
9. Transfer to plate and serve.

Japanese Chicken Curry

I have been trying to put on weight but it seems tough. (erhmm…I am not trying to show off ok) I thought I will be a little heavier after I stopped breastfeeding but it turned out otherwise. I am at my skinniest now, 44kg - 45kg. If I have several output a day, with 1 explosion kind ( you know what I mean ), I will be below 45 kg. 

I have been telling myself to eat more but appetite seems bad nowadays. I was telling SIL that I want to do those firming facial that can firm up my face as I find that my cheeks seems sagging. SIL response, " Huh?? What firming facial? Your face  still got meat for firming meh??" Lol. She said my jaw bone is getting very defined nowadays. And guess what my mommy said? 

She was very serious in her tone and tell me this," Later you go pharmacy get those medicine to drink to kill worms in your tummy. I am very sure you have worms in your tummy."

Me: Huh? Serious? But my asshole not itchy lei. And when I wipe it, I see no worms."

JAPANESE CHICKEN CURRY

Ingredients;

1 Chicken Breast 

1 Tbs Oyster Sauce

1 Teaspoon Sugar

1 Tbs Sesame Oil

3 Cloves Garlic, Smashed

A Dash of Pepper

1/2 Onion, Sliced

3 Cloves Garlic, Minced

3 Potatoes

Bread Crumbs

1 Egg

2 Quadrants of Instant Curry Mix

Steps;

1. Marinate chicken breasts with oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil, pepper and garlic. Leave in fridge 4 hours.
2. Beat the egg into the marinated chicken breast and coat with bread crumbs and deep fry them until golden brown. Dish out and drip away the oil.
3. Wash, skin and cut potatoes into small pieces and deep fry until cooked, about 15 mins. Dish out and drip away the oil.
4. In a skillet, add some oil and stir fry the onion and garlic till fragrant.
5. Pour 1 1/2 cup water and add 2 quadrant of the instant curry mix. Mix them well.
6. Add all the fried chicken breast and potatoes and mix well.
7. Dish out and serve on a plate.

Chicken with Hoisin Sauce

Mommy randomly passed a remark to me, " I realize that you are very good with humoring the kids. Probably you can consider to be a childcare teacher." My reply," Of course la. Told you I like kids." I had wanted 4 kids before Jewel's existence. Friends were like." Huh? 4? You out of your mind?" I loves kids and I enjoys the feeling of big family. But after having 2, I strike off the idea of having 4. Reason = Phobia. Scared of a colic baby again, sleepless nights, mastitis, engorgement, blocked ducts. Scary scary. I am not trying to put off anyone who wish have a baby. Every baby is different. Like my friend's, her daughter is so easy to take care. No colic, slept through the night at 2 months old, good appetite. I had another friend who took care of her son until she broke down several times. To conclude taking care of a baby is no easy task! Specially salute to SAHM!

When I was in my adolescence years, my Mommy always said this," Wait till you become a Mommy then you will know." In my mind," Sure or not? What's wrong with you man?" So when now I am a Mommy myself, I finally understand what she meant back then. Seriously, you need to experience motherhood then you can totally, totally means 101%, knows how your Mommy feels all these years. I love and cherish my Mommy and I am thankful and blessed for her unconditional contribution and the love she has been showering me. My Mommy, My Best Friend.

Dinner Menu

• Chicken with Hoisin sauce
• Halibut Fillet with Teriyaki Sauce
• Chinese Kale with Fan Mushroom
• Radish Soup

Chicken with Hoisin Sauce

Ingredients;

1 Piece Chicken Breast

1 Tbs Oyster Sauce

1 Tbs Sesame oil

1 Teaspoon Sugar

4 Cloves Garlic ( for marinate)

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

A dash of Pepper

1 Yellow Bell Pepper, cut to small pieces around 2 inch length

1 1/2 Tbs Hoisin Sauce, Lee Kum Kee

1 Teaspoon Plum Sauce

Steps;

1. Wash and cut chicken breast into cubes.
2. Marinate with oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, pepper and garlic. Set aside for 4 hours.
3. In a wok, heat up oil and fry the yellow bell pepper for 2 mins.
4. Add in minced garlic and fry till fragrant.
5. Add in chicken breast and stir fry till cooked. About 8 mins.
6. Add Hoisin Sauce and Plum Sauce.
7. Mix it well with the chicken and stir fry for another 2 mins.
8. Transfer to a plate and serve.

Note: After using yellow bell pepper, I find that green or red bell pepper will be a better choice. 

Plum Sauce Chicken

Hub commented that he likes coming back home for dinner and praised me for making the effort of having new dishes every another day. What a boast to my morale.  Truly, his comments do weigh alot because I cook with love and effort. Now I know he does notice it actually. * hopping in circles!* It feels good to see everyone finishing up all the food, not leaving any single bit of leftover.

Today's Menu

• Prawns with Onion and Oyster Sauce
• Snow Peas with Fish Cake
• Plum Sauce Chicken
• Chestnut Soup

Plum Sauce Chicken

Ingredients;

300g chicken breast 

1 stalk spring onion

8 gloves garlic

1 tbs oyster sauce

1 tbs sesame oil

2 tsp sugar

a dash pepper

1 egg

4 tbs corn flour

2 tbs plum sauce

1/3 cup water

a dash of sesame seeds (optional)

Steps;

• Cut chicken breast into small pieces
• Marinate them with 4 gloves garlic (smashed), oyster sauce, 1 tsp sugar, sesame oil and pepper and set aside for 4 hours.
• Heat up oil in work for deep frying the chicken breast.
• Add egg white and corn flour into the marinated chicken breast.
• Deep fry until it becomes dark brown.
• Dish them up and put aside.
• Heat up little oil in a pan, stir fry the remaining garlic (minced).
• Add in spring onion ( white part only) and stir fry until fragrant about 1 min. Then add in plum sauce, water and 1 tsp sugar.
• When it is boiling, add in the fried chicken breasts. Make sure all are well coated then add in the remaining spring onion ( green part).
• Transfer them to a plate and sprinkle some sesame seeds.