Sambal Belacan

Sambal Belacan
Sambal Belacan pictures (1 of 8)

Following my recent post on sambal asparagus, I thought I would show you how to make sambal belacan from scratch–a must-have Malaysian condiment and the basic building block for many delicious Malaysian recipes.

Sambal belacan consists of chilies, belacan (Malaysian shrimp paste), kalamansi lime (limau kasturi), and salt and sugar (to taste or optional). In the US, kalamansi lime is scarce so lime can be used as a substitute. However, in reality, kalamansi lime is made for sambal and lime is inferior when it comes to sambal belacan. So, if you have access to kalamansi lime, please use it, or if you have some, please give them to me…

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BBQ Ribs Recipe

BBQ Ribs Recipe

Americans take BBQ ribs very seriously. When it comes to BBQ ribs, attention to details spans from spice rub/seasonings, sauce, pork flavor, texture, smoke, appearance, scent, mouthfeel, cooking and grilling techniques to the overall balance of the ultimate product. Originated and perfected in the American South, BBQ ribs is at the very core of American food culture.
When I contemplated to…

Sambal Asparagus Recipe

Sambal Asparagus Recipe

(Gallery updated with sambal asparagus with prawns/shrimps.)
Sambal is core to many signature Malaysian recipes. In its most basic composition, sambal is a condiment or chili paste made with chilies and belacan (Malaysian shrimp paste), although other ingredients such as garlic, shallots, lemongrass, galangal, etc. might be added to suit each individual recipe. Traditionally pounded with a mortar and pestle, sambal is the magic ingredient…

Ipoh Bean Sprout Chicken (芽菜鸡)

Ipoh Bean Sprout Chicken (芽菜鸡)

To say that Malaysians are talented is not an overstatement as some of the best–and most impressive–food blogs are authored by Malaysians. I am constantly amazed by the sheer talent of my fellow Malaysians, for example: Billy Law at A Table for Two. A Table for Two chronicles Billy’s eating adventures in Sydney as well as documents delectable recipes from…

BBQ Pork Recipe (Char Siu/Char Siew/蜜汁叉烧)

BBQ Pork Recipe (Char Siu/Char Siew/蜜汁叉烧)

BBQ pork or “char siu” (also spelled as “char siew”) is a famous Chinese dish that everyone loves.
Char siu (char siew) is of Cantonese origin where skewers of pork meat is marinated in a honey hoisin sauce, and then roast in oven to charred, savory, and sticky sweet perfection. If there is a pork recipe that defines Chinese cooking, I…

Bak Kua (Malaysian Jerky)

Bak Kua (Malaysian Jerky)

Food is a celebration.
Most of my fondest memories are centered around food. Certain food brings back nostalgic memories of the bygone times and the tastes linger in one’s mind and transcend time, for example: bak kua (肉干) or Malaysian version of jerky–little squares of dry-treated meat charcoal-grilled to perfection, with flavors so sublime words can’t even begin to describe.
As the youngest…

Chinese Tea Eggs (Tea Leaf Eggs) Recipe

Chinese Tea Eggs (Tea Leaf Eggs) Recipe

(Chinese recipes, prepare authentic Chinese food now!)
This past weekend, my neighborhood Albertson was having an egg sale for only 99 cents a carton. When I saw the ad, I immediately thought of Chinese tea eggs. My uncle recently gave me a block of aged Chinese pu-erh tea (普洱茶) and it’s perfect for tea leaf eggs (茶叶蛋).
I am a huge fan…

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