Sabahan Highlander Pickled Salad (rinawal golombon)

This is another way of serving golombon. This method is called rinawal by the KadazanDusun. The point is made the golombon as a pickled salad.  Squeezed lime juice will make the pickled salad tastier and can be served as side dish with other dishes.

Sabahan Highlander Pickled Salad
(rinawal golombon)

Ingredients:

1. A bunch of golombon (take leaves only)
2. 2 young mango (finely sliced)
3. 1 red pepper (finely sliced)
4. 1 red onion (finely sliced)
5. A handful of fried anchovies
6. 5 tbsp lime juice
7. 5 bird eye chilies (optional)
8. Salt, sugar and MSG(optional) to taste

Methods:

• Add in all the ingredients (except the lime juice) in a large bowl and mix well.
• Pour in the lime juice and mix again until well blended.
• Marinade for 5 minutes. Ready to serve.

Stir-fried golombon with Anchovies

Actually it is a type of edible grass that grows wild and abundantly especially at the highland area. Some call it 'sakot gipun' (Japanese grass). I'm not very sure about the relevance of this grass with Japan. But according to the elderly in my village, it's found growing in this area after the arrival of Japanese colonialism in the past. Supposedly it was brought accidentally through their pillow that’s filled with the flowers of this grass.

Golombon @ sakot Gipun

I prefer to call it vegetable because it can be cooked and  eaten. I really like it because it's free from pesticides and fertilizers. Very suitable when stir-fry with salted fish, dried shrimp or anchovy. Also more appetizing when served as pickled salad(see complete recipe in my coming post).

Stir-fried golombon with anchovies
(Golombon sinamayan do bilis)

Ingredients:

1. A bunch of golombon
2. 1 red pepper
3. 1 shallot
4. 1 white onion
5. Some ginger
6. A handful of anchovies
7. Some salt
8. A little oil

Methods:

• Wash and drain golombon.  Take only the leaves and shoots. 
• Clean the anchovies, chop coarse red pepper.  Finely slice shallot, garlic and ginger.
• Heat oil in a wok and stir-fry anchovies until slightly crispy. Set aside.
• In the same pan, saute shallot, garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add in golombon and stir rapidly over high heat.
• Then add in pre-fried anchovies, red pepper and salt. Stir until well combined and the gravy turn a little dry. Ready to serve.

Stir-fried golombon with anchovies
(Golombon sinamayan do bilis)

Eyoke Chicken Spaghetti...

My kids really love eating spaghetti especially with their favorite chicken meatballs... Today I wanna cook spaghetti for them  but I think I don't have enough ingredient ... I still have a packet of pasta but only a can of tomato puree and a can of tuna flake (no Italian seasoning & no Parmesan cheese).  In my refrigerator I just have chicken thighs ... no more chicken meatballs... but I have a little more grind chili... Yes!!! Finally I have an idea ... I'll cook it by my own way... East meet West!!!

The Main Ingredients:

spaghetti pasta

chicken thigh

shallot & garlic

grind chili

tomato puree

tuna flakes

Other ingredients:

1. Oil, oyster sauce, white pepper powder, salt & sugar.
2. Coriander, Green onion leaf & Fried shallot.

Cooking Method:

• Cook spaghetti pasta in a boiling water until tender. Set aside.

pasta cooking tips~ please refer to~ http://busycooks.about.com/

• Heat up ½ tbsp oil in preheated wok.  Saute onion, garlic and grind chili until fragrant. Add in chicken thighs, stir fry until tender.
• Pour in oyster sauce, white pepper powder, some salt & sugar. Mix well... 

• After a few minutes, pour in tomato puree...

•  and tuna flakes...

• Stir until well combined.  Simmer for 4-6 minutes.  Ready to serve with spaghetti pasta.
• Garnish with coriander, green onions and fried shallots. 

Tadaaa .... here's the result ... it's finger lickin' good...!!!

eyoke chicken spaghetti

Tapau Special...

Wrap Rice by 'Tintap' Leaf
(takano liopot roun tintap)
KadazanDusun people have a unique traditional rice dish. This rice is wrapped by a leaf of tree called 'tintap’. This leaf has been used since the time of our ancestor to wrap rice and other food. I'm not sure if this tree grows in other places but it's easily found in my area. This wrap rice is not just ideal to serve with traditional food but also suitable with modern cuisine. My kids really love this rice but they always ask me to wrap it with their favorite dishes.

Ingredients for dish (A):

1. 1 / 2 salted fish
2. 1 tomato (chopped)
3. 1 / 2 large onion (chopped)
4. some oyster sauce
5. some sugar

Methods:

• Cut salted fish into sections and then fry until crispy. Set aside.
• In another pan, heat oil, add onion and saute until fragrant.
• Enter the chopped tomato and stir again until slightly crushed. Then add in oyster sauce and sugar.
• Enter the fried salted fish again and stir until well combine.

Ingredients for dish (B):

1. 5 French beans
2. 1 sausage
3. some cauliflower
4. 1tbsp garlic (chopped)
5. 1tbsp tomato sauce
6. salt
7. sugar

Methods:

• Heat oil in a wok and fry garlic until fragrant.
• Enter the sausage and stir briefly. Then add French beans and cauliflower.
• Finally pour in tomato sauce, salt and sugar. Stir until well combine.

How to Wrap the Rice:

• Firstly, wrap the hot rice with the 'tintap' leaf. Set aside for a few minutes.
• Open the wrapper and put the side dishes on top and around the rice. Wrap again.
• Wait for a moment to let the aroma of the leaf absorb into the rice.

Sweet & Sour Pig Trotter

Dusun modern cuisine is more influenced by Chinese cuisine especially in meat dishes. For this recipe, I get inspiration from Nyonya Cuisine. The original recipe is too spicy so I slightly modified it to suit with the taste of my family members who doesn’t really like spicy food.

Sweet & Sour Pig Trotter

Ingredients:

1. 2kg pig trotter
2. 1 ripe pineapple
3. 5 dried chillies (not spicy)
4. 4 cups water
   

Seasoning:

1. 2tsp dark soy sauce
2. 2tbsp light soy sauce
3. 1tbsp vinegar
4. 1tbsp rice wine (lihing)
5. 2tbsp brown sugar
   

Marinate ingredients:

1. 100gm shallot
2. 50gm garlic
3. 50gm ginger
   

Methods:

1. Clean and cut pig trotter into small sections and enter into a pot filled with hot boiling water for 1 minute. Drain.
2. Peel pineapple skin and cut into cubes, remove its pith.
3. Cut the tip of dried chilies and remove seeds.
4. Pound all the marinate ingredients. Then mix well with pig trotter. Marinate for 5 minutes and then put into cooking pot.
5. Put in all the seasonings ingredients, dry pepper and water. Bring to boil, then lower the heat and stew for about 1 ½ hours.
6. Add pineapple and cook until tender and clear. Done