Simmered 'Bishop Nose' With White Chili

Here in Sabah, 'buntut ayam’ or also known as 'bishop nose' in the West are one of the popular part of the chicken. If you visit the night markets you will see many stalls selling grilled food, and one which that will always available are the grilled 'buntut ayam'... 'Buntut Ayam Panggang' was the favorite of many. Although this part is fatty and tasteless, it will turn into appetizing dish after marinated with certain ingredients.  It not only popular when grilled, some may deef-fry it after coated with well seasoned flour mixture. It necessarily tastes good too but it quite greasy for me...

This is how I cook my own version of 'buntut ayam'.  The simple way is to simmer it until some of its natural oil is squeezed out. Have you ever tried it?  No added oil, I think this is the best way to cut out the oil content and plus it's much easier to cook it this way.

Ingredients:

1. 500g buntut ayam @ bishop nose
2. 200g white chili 
3. 200g pineapple (slice)
4. 1 red chili (slice)
5. 2 cloves garlic (mince)
6. 1/2inch ginger
7. 150ml water

Seasoning:

1. 1tsp light soy sauce
2. 1tbsp dark soy sauce
3. 1tbsp oyster sauce
4. Some sugar to balance taste

Method:

• Clean the 'bishop nose'. Rub with salt and rinse. Marinate with seasoning ingredients, garlic and ginger.  Set aside.
• Halve and remove seeds from the white chili to reduce the spiciness.
• In the preheated wok put in all 'bishop nose'.  Stir-fry briskly over high heat for a while. Allow to simmer over low heat until the bishop nose squeeze out it natural oil.
• Pour in water, bring to boil. Add in white chili, sliced pineapple and sliced red chili. Mix well.
• Covered and continue to simmer for another few minute or until the white chili are tender. Serve at once.

Braised Taro With Pork Belly

Taro is easy to grow in the damp and cold area surrounding the mountains. In my own village you will easily see it everywhere, especially in the areas of fertile land. Some of it grows on its own without the need of intensive care and some are planted by farmers. There are various way to cook taro... you can simply boil it before add in some vegetable and a handful of anchovies or any kind of fish or meat (kampung style).  That is one of my father's favorite dishes... he said it has become a complete meal when you cook the taro along with the vegetable and fish or meat in it.

Taro are called Lolondu by Dusun People

Preparing taro is quiet easy.  You just need to peel it before cut it into pieces.  But make sure to put on your hand glove or use paper towel to hold it to prevent itchiness.  Just wash it into running water after cut into pieces. 

I really love Hakka recipe for steamed taro, Woo Tao Kau Yuk.  But the method to cook it is so complicated. It does involve boiling, deep frying, and steaming process and require a few hours to be done.  Using the same ingredients I manage to cook my simple taro dish but I'm not sure whether it is still eligible to be called Woo Tao Kau Yuk or not. So just call it braised taro with pork belly instead... :) 
It takes a shorter time to cook compared to the actual recipe of Kau Yuk but the taste is just as good. Scrumptious and you should try it!

Ingredients: 

1. 500g pork belly 
2. 400g taro 
3. 2 cloves garlic, mince 
4. 500ml water

Seasoning:  

1. 3 pieces fermented red bean curd 
2. 10g rock sugar 
3. 1tsp 5 spices powder 
4. 1/2tsp pepper 
5. 1tsp dark soy sauce 
6. 1tbsp light soy sauce 
7. 1tbsp oyster sauce 
8. A dash of sesame oil

Method: 

• Peel the taro and cut into 2 inch per pieces.  Deep-fry in hot oil over high heat until golden brown. Dish out and set aside. 
• Wash and rinse pork belly.  Cut into pieces.   
• Heat up 2 tbsp oil in a preheated wok.  Sauté garlic and fermented bean curd until fragrant.   Put in pork belly pieces.  Stir-fry briskly over high heat until the color of the pork belly pieces are changes. 
• Add in rock sugar followed by all seasoning ingredients except the sesame oil.  Cook until rock sugar is completely dissolved. Pour in water and bring to boil. Covered and allow simmering over low heat for about 30 minutes. 
• Add in taro, continue to simmer for about 15 minutes or until the taro has become tender and absorb the flavor.
• Sprinkle with sesame oil before turn off the fire. 
• Dish out, garnish with chopped red chili and Chinese parsley. Serve hot. 

Tuhau Floss (Serunding Tuhau)

I made this recipe since there are plenty of tuhau that I bought from Tamu few days ago.  I have made some of it into sambal tuhau. There are still some remaining stalks and I can't keep it longer or it will become wither and dry.  So I decide to make tuhau floss.

Tuhau floss???... Maybe it derives its name from the appearance that looks like meat floss.  Actually I got this recipe several years ago during wedding ceremony of one of my family member.  Although it was only a modest side dish, but it has become the most popular complementary meal at that time. The tuhau that been cooked differently from the usual make the aroma and the unique taste draw up appetite.  Taste great with it subtly sweet-sour-hot and delightful salty sensation.

Ingredients:

1. A few stalk tuhau
2. Some Sabahan white chili
3. Quite a bit of sliced shallots
4. A handful anchovies
5. A sprinkle of sugar
6. Salt to taste
7. 2tbsp lime juice
8. Oil for deep-fry

Cooking method:

• Take off the hard part of the tuhau stalk.  Cut the inner core about 2 inch.  Slice it thinly.
• Heat up oil in a preheated wok.  Add in anchovies. Deep-fry until crispy.  Set aside.
• In the same wok add in sliced tuhau, shallot and white chili.  Add in salt and sugar.  
• Keep frying until the tuhau become flossy, golden, light and crispy.  Re-enter the fried anchovies. Stir well to combine. Remove from heat and strain the excess oil.
• Sprinkle lime juice over and ready to serve.

 

This will keep longer in a sealed container. It goes great with anything like plain rice, noodles, soup or even as a snack while enjoying a can of beer… cheers!!!

Tinanok Guol (Boiled Yam)

My simple and yummy breakfast for this friday morning...

Tinanok guol (boiled yam)

Taduk (smoked boar with yam stalk soup)

Stir fry bosou with sabahan white chili

Simply Delicious!!!