Green Beans Omelet 四季豆炒蛋

This is your quick and easy 15-minute recipe (and my short and simple 1-hr-at-most post lol). Eggs have always been my best friend; their versatility has never failed to impress me. Easily paired, mixed and matched, you can have them the simple way (fried, boiled or poached simply), made just slightly complicated with them used in all the many kinds of omelets and simple stir-fry dishes like...

• this Green Beans Omelet 四季豆炒蛋; 
• the Farmer's Market Omelet;
  
  
  


• the Egg Foo Yong 芙蓉蛋;
  
  
  

• the Preserved Radish with Minced Meat Omelet 菜圃肉碎煎蛋; or
  
  
  


• the Stir Fried Ridged Gourd with Eggs 胜瓜炒蛋.
  
  
  

Or they can be incorporated into a little more complicated ones. Say...

• the Tricolor Steamed Eggs with Minced Meat 肉碎蒸三色蛋; or
  
  
  

• the Scrambled Egg with Glass Noodles 粉丝炒蛋.
  
  
  

That's quite a list of all the everything egg-related dishes I have posted thus far! But truth be told, the eggs have always been the really reliable one single ingredient that somewhat makes my life easy at times. They have come to my rescue time and again - when time is a limiting factor and you need to whip up a meal in no time; or you simply just run out of ideas as to what to put onto the dining table any nights; or you have an extra guest or two that you need a little something more to be served all too soon.

This omelet with green beans generously scattered all over - it's simple and totally inexpensive, tasty and nutritious - pretty much all the essentials in a single serving.

Scrambled Egg with Glass Noodles 粉丝炒蛋

It all started with hubby's big craving for the four seasons Chinese cold platter 冷盘. Such an unusual huge craving he had! lol. Setting out to lay off a plan for the different small-portion dishes to fill the huge platter, this Scrambled Egg with Glass Noodles 粉丝炒蛋 came to my mind. It's more of a replica of the renowned scrambled egg with shark fin 炒桂花翅 commonly seen and served in these platters that always make it first to the table in Chinese banquets or multi-course meals.

But with the active anti-shark finning campaigns (oh yea, Say NO to Shark Fin! lol) going on especially over the past decade, what used to be the shark fin in the dish has gradually been substituted with the imitated shark fin instead. I think that is a real good call, well at least to me personally. And this version of scrambled egg with not at all a relation to the shark turns the dish up a notch further. With the glass noodles in replacement for the shark fin, this is one totally made simple and possible to be recreated easily at home. A way more modest version compared to its predecessor, it nevertheless makes an awesome dish still; it's a classic dish where simplicity meets elegance!

The credit goes to Wendy from Table For 2..... or More; this is a recipe adapted from a post of hers that goes by a real nice and fancy name Osmanthus Scrambled Egg 桂花炒蛋. And a last note - try serving it with leaves of fresh iceberg lettuce! Springy, fragrant and some flavorsome scrambled egg with glass noodle wrapped in crisp cold lettuce, REFRESHING is the word!

Tricolor Steamed Eggs with Minced Meat 肉碎蒸三色蛋

This tricolor steamed egg was one of the first dishes that I tried making when I first started in the kitchen. Back then the idea of getting a bowl of silky smooth eggs had never crossed my mind, at least not with my first few trials. One that tasted good and right was all that I was aiming for. It was after I had got that taste and flavor parts right did I start paying a little more attention to the details that come with steaming eggs. Things did not come quite as easily though. I had had a good number of bad experiences with this; some was so wrong they had to go into the bin coming out of the steamer. 

Soon this steamed eggs started to feel very much like a piece of art itself. And when you finally get to open the steamer lid one day to reveal a velvety smooth eggs steamed to perfection, it will first be the self satisfaction and pride that get you so overwhelmed before anything else comes next. So much so that spending a good amount of time admiring the piece of work of yours quietly is almost always guaranteed before you can make do with the idea of presenting it away and indulging it next.

My two cents' worth:

•  Having three different kinds of eggs will have really sufficed in making a good dish out of these. It is totally a personal preference that I love adding a touch of meat to enhance the general texture this dish takes. A bite in between the velvety smooth eggs - not too bad an idea, no? lol. Have them lightly stir fried with some minced garlic prior to steaming makes sure that the meats are at their best presentation, taste and appearance wise. 
• The right amount of water to be used is to me a crucial issue that also poses as the biggest challenge I had had. My thumb of rule? Maintain a ratio of water:beaten egg at 1.5:1. Add in only bubbly warm water (not boiling hot). That will make sure that no time and heat will go wasted in regulating the internal temperature when put to steam later. 
• The right heat to be used really does depend of your steaming apparatus. Settle for the lowest heat that your steamer can manage. This will mean a level where a continuous stream of steam can be seen. In my case with my electric stove top, I needed one close to a medium heat. Any lower and the steam flow will get disrupted as the element heats and cools periodically. So do adjust that part accordingly. 
• Time needed will vary depending on the serving size and heat supply. Make the first 10-minute your first check point. Remove the lid (the steam needs some escaping which will do good anyway) and check the eggs. 
• Watery? Let steam and recheck 5 minutes later.
• Wobbly and looking set but not totally? Give it another 2 to 3 minutes.
• All set and looking smooth and silky? They are good to go!

Sounds a little challenging, do they not? But this is one so worth mastering because once you have got the concept right, steamed eggs regardless of which variation you opt for will never look the same again!

Stir Fried Ridged Gourd with Eggs 胜瓜炒蛋

Apart from the Tofu with Ridged Gourd 胜瓜豆腐, this is another way of how I like the ridged gourd served. With just the ridged gourd and the eggs as the key ingredients, this is a dish meant to be light and easy, sumptuous and simply delicious. To have a good serving size of this, make sure that you have a good amount of ridged gourds to begin with - a medium sized ridged gourd for an individual serving will be good. 

Be sure to have them cut into chunks of some relatively larger pieces. With a good absorbing nature, they will shrink considerably with cooking. So having large chunks to begin with makes sure that the soft yet spongy texture these ridged gourds have will not be lost. I have always preferred to have them separately managed; the ridged gourds are lightly stir fried with some minced garlic and eggs scrambled next before they are both brought together for a quick mix-up. This makes a simple dish with a promising taste good for everyday meals. Do give this a try!

Farmer's Market Omelet

I have always loved and adored omelets for as long as I can remember. This goes especially to those breakfast buffet lines most Malaysia hotels serve, particularly upon me spotting the omelet kiosk usually with an inexhaustible queue. Nothing beats watching the chefs stylishly and single-handedly cracking up eggs and whipping up omelets after omelets right in front of you. Plus you do get the free smell lingering in the air while you patiently wait in the line, right until you put in your order and have it transformed to "your way omelet" piping hot and fresh on your plate minutes later. This favorite of mine has not changed a bit despite all the years growing up. 

Here in the States having breakfast has somewhat become something that I really do look forward to and especially so during the weekends. I get to eat and easily spend the morning hour away, taking my own sweet time to enjoy our selection of scrumptious breakfasts - never have to rush for anything, just some moments to sit back and relax. Getting a good omelet here is never at all difficult - you get them almost everywhere you dine. In fact they easily make a full page on the menu in any diners you go to. If anything, my only problem will be to settle for just one out of the very extensive menus of theirs. Torn as I have always been, I started making my own at home. This way I get to decide and be as greedy as I can ever be, loading my omelet with just anything that tempts my palate. Being as versatile as ever, making them is never too tough a job. And with it being a homemade, you decide how healthy they should get, just exactly the way you like it. An extraordinary treat on any ordinary days, these are simply egg-a-licious!

Stir Fried Instant Noodles 炒即食面

Another weekend with not a particular craving in mind, just anything simple sounds and looks good enough to us as hubby and I are still coping with the overwhelming Thanksgiving dinner. Not keen on neither dining out nor getting myself busy in the kitchen as the weekend approaches its end, I resorted to what most students (despite me being a long gone one *blush*) turn to for an easy meal - instant noodles. My favorite version will be the Maggi mee goreng mamak (fried Maggi noodle à la mamak style) that I particularly loved having at mamak stalls in Malaysia. To catch sight of a packet of those curry flavored Maggi noodles is close to being impossible here where we live, but we have the Indomie instant noodle in abundance here instead. So different brand, different packaging, different taste but same cooking principles - they are basically the instant noodles stir fried using the noodles within the packet.

The Indomie instant noodles come in packages meant to be served as plain fried noodles - simply have them boiled and mixed with the seasonings and voilà - fried noodles delivered as instantly as promised. But while I am all leaning towards an easy night, I am still all in to make our dinner a proper wholesome meal still, or a rather balanced one at least. So with a little extra touch here and there, giving the final appearance a little color and extra flavor, you get a slightly more elaborated version of fried noodles that may leave your guests (in my case my hubby that is lol) not grasping even a trace of anything close to an instant quality after all.

Yeung Chow Fried Rice 扬州炒饭

This is what I will personally classify as one of the classic and most popular fried rice in the Chinese restaurants in Malaysia. I have not an idea what the history to this is like, whether or not it really originated from the city the name bears or if this version of fried rice is made exactly like it was intended when first created. But despite all the unknowns, I must say that these Chinese restaurants have at least been somewhat consistent in defining this Yeung Chow Fried Rice 扬州炒饭 on the whole as if a common ground to the definition of this has always been achieved and agreed on all along. They are always made with the same few ingredients that even I have since and still made believe are the essentials in a plate of Yeung Chow Fried Rice 扬州炒饭. They are the Chinese barbequed pork (char siu), shrimps (whole or diced), eggs and balanced with something green (most of the time it will be the sweet peas). Each looks simple enough on their own really, but have them tossed together with the rice plus a bit of this and a bit of that of some real simple seasonings, there is something about this fried rice that has always captured my heart. And if I were to really pin point at one - I guess it must be the Chinese barbequed pork in its sweet glaze with a tad of the char grilled taste that makes the key to defining a plate of good Yeung Chow Fried Rice 扬州炒饭.

Quoting from the previous post on Kimchi Bokkeumbap (Kimchi Fried Rice) 김치 볶음밥, "As with any other varieties of fried rice, leftover rice always makes better fried rice, having had the chance to slightly dry up overnight chilled in the refrigerator. But making fried rice is always still possible even without any leftover rice in hand. Cook some rice well ahead of time with, use a little less water than what usually is required (reduce by a 1/4 maybe), remove the rice from the cooker as soon as it's done cooking, spread them out to let the steam escapes well and leave to air dry right until cooking time. Same good result, same level of satisfaction!".

Preserved Radish with Minced Meat Omelet 菜圃肉碎煎蛋

This was made on one of those lazy nights when I actually did dread spending too much of a day in the kitchen preparing meals, when time past by so fast I would usually be left with no time to go for a grocery shopping trip at all, marinate anything in advance let alone thinking about doing anything fancy or out of the norm. Yet I knew I had that little conscience left in me still that made me not quite ready to succumb to the temptations of dining out or having carry-outs. And so that very night, this came into mind. Simple, not at all time consuming and yet it worked its miracle in pleasing our palate nonetheless throughout the meal. This is an awesome accompaniment for plain congee especially, but oh yes, pair it with rice and you will see how good they are in balancing those staples.

Egg Foo Yong 芙蓉蛋

Difficult not to love, egg foo yong is one of the most popular dishes commonly found in a typical Chinese restaurant's menu in Malaysia. Often this is something that anyone can easily relate to when it comes to ordering out of the menu, and especially so when one runs out of idea of what to have for a meal - all made possible pretty much because of its great compatibility with almost everything else in the menu. Eggs do amazing things really. Versatile they sure are, there are simply too many ways to have them presented - fried as it is, soft or hard boiled, stir fried, poached, stewed and braised. So much so that they easily could have been made one of the many essentials or staples in our everyday meals even (sigh, if only these goodies come cholesterol-free lol).  

I have very little idea about the origin of this egg foo yong, let alone the real history and meaning behind the name. Egg foo yong to me personally is an omelet perfectly pan fried to golden brown on the whole, preferably with the rim around it all appearing crisped up to perfection. Not an ordinary kind of omelet certainly, it is one made incorporating a few ingredients - simple ingredients that I think are the essentials and basic to define the egg foo yong. They are the Chinese barbequed pork (char siu), shrimps and plenty of onions. Without any, I probably will have named it an omelet simply rather than tagging it as the egg foo yong. But I have got to say that none of the above actually holds true against any references about egg foo yong. It may ring a bell especially to those who are familiar with egg foo yong often served in Chinese restaurants in Malaysia, but of course different people of different regions or nations may have totally different definitions unique to themselves. However it is, this very version of egg foo yong is one that I have come to learn, like and eventually love and adore.

char siu - one that easily stands out and gives a distinct flavor to egg foo yong in general

Kimchi Bokkeumbap (Kimchi Fried Rice) 김치 볶음밥

Living in an area with a Korean grocer just a short distance away, it is a great opportunity to be getting the best supply I can get whenever it comes to making Korean meals. Kimchi is one of them. This is where I bought my first ever bottle of homemade kimchi, made right there in the kitchen at the back of the shop itself. Fascinated with the huge refrigerator filled with kimchi in bottles and jars of all sizes each at different stages of fermentation process, the lady owner must have seen the awestricken me when she approached and offered some help. Then began a series of bottles and jars opening, sniffing and occasionally even sampling as she tried to explain the differences and ultimately which is best used for cooking the many different Korean dishes. And so it is from this lady owner whom I learned that well fermented kimchi makes the best kimchi bokkeumbap and kimchi jjigae 김치 찌개 or basically the kimchi stew.

Kimchi bokkeumbap, literally translated as the "kimchi fried rice" makes a humble yet sumptuous meal anytime. A true statement especially when one has little mood to spend much time making a meal in the kitchen and yet a hearty and healthy meal is still in the picture. Well actually, that was me describing those once in a blue moon moments that I do get on and off. No fancy ingredients and very little time and talent needed really, I have always loved its convenience and yet never lacking quality of a wholesome meal definition. Slightly over-fermented kimchi stir fried to bring out its natural sweetness and balanced by the inclusion of rice, it is easy to be in love with this with just one single bite into it.

With a bottle of good kimchi in the fridge at all time, this fried rice is made easy with a few other additional simple ingredients. A choice of meat (bacon, ham, pork, chicken or any other preferred), some vegetables diced up and a tinge of sesame oil to finish with, collectively they do great in balancing and complementing one another. As with any other varieties of fried rice, leftover rice always makes better fried rice, having had the chance to slightly dry up overnight chilled in the refrigerator. But making fried rice is always still possible even without any leftover rice in hand. Cook some rice well ahead of time with, use a little less water than what usually is required (reduce by a 1/4 maybe), remove the rice from the cooker as soon as it's done cooking, spread them out to let the steam escapes well and leave to air dry right until cooking time. Same good result, same level of satisfaction!

Soondubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew) 순두부 찌개

My first ever Korean meal was one that I had in Sri Petaling, Malaysia with all my housemates celebrating one of our birthdays. This part of the city was where we started our uni life together. Owned and run by Koreans, that restaurant in which I had plenty of fond memories was sadly no longer in operation the last time I returned to the same area. Being my very first time there, ordering out of the menu required a whole world of imagination on how it would look and taste like. Having very little idea of what to expect, every dish big and small that was served after that came as a pleasant surprise. As with all Korean joints, we started with banchan, each small plate so elegantly presented. Simply appetizing they sure were, they were made perfect for sharing. Our main entrées that followed were not at all disappointing in any ways too, although it remained a fact that I probably would never know if they tasted the way they should then.

Moving to the States, Korean was one of the very first Asian food that I had here. It was a hit right away and it sure did not take me long before I declared myself a Korean food fan. While I could not possibly compare this to the few experiences that I had back in Malaysia - with different menus and me trying different things, I think it would be fair to say that they simply are awesome in their own ways. Whether or not they are on par in terms of the standard and quality, the memories of my very first experience of Korean food stays unchallenged.

Getting more comfortable with food making over time, here in the US kitchen was where I started exploring into homemade Korean food. Like many other different cuisines, I started simple too - first with bibimbap, before engaging in more. This soondubu jjigae is one that I have come to love so easily. Bubbling hot and spicy, it warms a tummy on any chilly day so perfectly. And making it at home sure has its advantages - you get to decide on the choice of ingredients, spiciness level adjusted to personal spice tolerance and nothing beats homemade cooking simply said. These surely are good enough to satisfy my occasional random cravings at home without the hassle of getting a table and dining out, well lets just say at least for a while.

Lean Pork with Century Egg Congee 皮蛋瘦肉粥

One of the many staples in a typical Chinese family, congee easily makes yet another all-time comfort food. Mom has always been a congee lover herself; so growing up, we would have this served on the dining table more often than not. It sometimes would be eaten plain white alongside a couple of side dishes like salted duck eggs or omelet with preserved radish or plenty other options. Other times the congee would be prepared with additional ingredients added into the pot of congee itself. Regardless of the type of congee, it simply makes a great meal anytime throughout the day.

Relatively more digestible and gentle on the stomach, it is a great comfort food especially when one is under the weather. I grew up liking congee neutrally - loving it when it was served, not particularly missing it when it wasn't. Right to the day I got unwell and the misery stretched over a full week. Down with fever and zero appetite, congee was all that I had three times a day for the whole duration. The moment I got better was the moment I decided that I had had enough congee for the rest of my life (impulsive it might be, but that obviously was a history now lol).

For many years after, I despise congee altogether. Mom would have to prepare me an individual portion of dinner while the rest of the family had congee for meals and I would always skip the congee cart each time it was pushed passed our table at dim sum places. While I had fallen sick again and again many times after, I stood firm by my decision simply to be off it. Right until my very first trip to Hong Kong in 2009. Nathan Congee and Noodle 彌敦粥麵家 in Jordan was what changed me for good.

lean pork with century egg congee at Nathan Congee and Noodle (photo credit to ShingWei)

Velvety smooth like no others, I fell in love with the bowl of congee that very instant. I began to look out for good congee around ever since, and eventually started making my own at home. While they can never match the one I had back then, these are close enough, and definitely good enough. 

Salted Egg Tofu 咸蛋豆腐

I first had a taste of this years back in the Sri Mahkota Seafood Restaurant back in my hometown, Kuantan. One of their specialties is the finger-licking good salted egg crabs. This tofu dish is one with a close taste to that, with the main ingredient being the tofu, of course, instead of the crustaceans. Requiring minimal ingredients, this dish is a simple, neither too light or heavy for a dish yet satisfyingly completing a dinner.