Char Kway Teow

This unique noodle dish that is originally from Singapore and Malaysia became one of our favourite dishes in our quest for fast-food. Ultimately, when we get lazy and want to have take-away dinner instead of home-cooked meals, the first option would be Chinese. Its fast, furious and most chinese food tastes really close to home cooked meals, despite the assortment of soy sauce and salt and spices. It may not be the best option for some, but for us, it is a better option than doing the Dominoes or KFC or Pizza Hut. Not that we are health food junkies - absolutely not! We have our usual portions of "chicharon" (or pork rind) in most days, but that's beside the point.

Char Kway Teow has a lot varieties, in terms of the addition or subtraction of ingredients, but the most basic is the flat white noodles resembling coconut meat, bean sprouts, and onion chives. There are several good ones we've tried at (but not limited to) Chatz Noodles in Chatswood Westfield, Bar Asia in Lane Cove - this one comes with a hefty serving for such a good price. And Now, as in all good food tasted somewhere, I yearn to prepare it home-made given the time and the right ingredients. I've discovered tons of different varieties, some adding a bit of something, while others omitting a few ingredients, like here, here and here.

Recently, I unknowingly discovered the kway teow noodles from a new Asian store in Lemongrove in Chatswood. This was purchased immediately of course, and followed with the quest to find the rest of the unique Char Kway Teo ingredients - Lap Cheong (Chinese Sweet Pork Sausage) and the Chinese Pork Barbeque (mostly sold by Asian butchers).

Using an ordinary teflon lined huge pan, I went on to do the Char Kway Teow challenge following the recipes taken online. Despite the lack of the sambal spice and the Chinese pork barbeque, my version turned out alright and enough to warrant some oohhs and aahhhs from my own homegrown fans.


But perfection is the key as I was told the secret to the best Char Kway Teow is the smoky flavour which comes from a very hot wok and the blend of the soy sauce with the rest of ingredients. Maybe the next version will be even better. Definitely!

Carambola / Star Fuit / Balimbing

Unbelievable price for something that you can just take from your neighbour's tree in most provincial towns in the Philippines.

Balimbing or Star Fruit is more popularly used to treat asthma and colic according to Gamot Pinoy (or Filipino Medicine) and the site on Philippine Medicial Plants states that the fruit is also has a laxative effect. Whatever its benefits, I'm not sure if people actually buy this fruit here despite its exotic characteristic and sour taste. It must have its own fans. Definitely not me. But I'm not closing my doors entirely on the Starfruit Carambola... if not today, maybe next time.

Guinomis

Surprisingly, I only discovered this recently or perhaps only knew of its name recently. Maybe its just me, but when we were young, we didn't actually asked what the name of the food we're given and served as long as it tastes good and we like it, we couldn't care less. Maybe I was served this before, or must have tasted it from a party or a restaurant, or some other event. Nonetheless, it is as familiar to me as halu-halo or mais con yelo, but the name did not ring a bell. Whatever! The important thing is, as I am into the challenge of re-discovering food and cooking, I've become more observant of food most of the time.

Recently, at a friend's place, we were served a quick-but-satisfying dessert made up of 3 basic ingredients: coconut cream, unflavoured gelatine and toasted pinipig (rice flakes). To make it a real dessert, she simply mixed a few teaspoons of sugar into the coconut cream and added some ice cubes. It was such a hit especially for my picky daughter, that I've replicated it at home.

I can only guess as to how this dessert got its name. In Japan, guinomis is a drinking vessel or what's called as traditional Japanese cups such as these here. I'm guessing that the traditional guinomis dessert uses tapioca pearls (sago) such as this recipe here, similar to the Chinese dessert soup Sai Mai Lo plus the coconut milk, famously known as Tapioca Pudding.

There is quite a number of ways to make this dessert even better like this version here (such as adding melon shavings for topping, or ube or leche flan, etc), but for me the basics are all there is, to fill up the tummy as an after-lunch or after-dinner dessert. In this case, even when ingredients were substituted with what is more commonly available and conveniently accessible (like unfalvoured gelatin vs sago pearls or tapioca pearls) this simple and quick dessert is just as satisfying as something you would order in any one of the more popular restaurants in Manila.

Best served in shallow ice cream glass bowls or cups.


My ingredients (I say MY because you may probably find the proper ones when you prepare your version)

10 g unflavoured gelatine (I used 1 sachet of Davis Clear and Unflavoured Gelatin, dissolved in 500ml of hot water and prepared into 2 shallow oval tins. Once chilled, cut into cubes)

1 can 400ml coconut cream (I used a generic supermarket brand that is "light)

3-4 tbsp white sugar (depends really on how sweet you want it)

1/2 c roasted sweet rice flakes (in the absence of pinipig or the Filipino rice flakes, I bought this
substitute Thai Sweet Rice Flakes from an Asian shop. Roast the rice flakes in a shallow pan until brown)

To prepare, simply mix and dissolve the sugar with the coconut cream in a medium to large serving bowl. Add the cubed gelatine and some shaved ice or cubes, then top with the rice flakes.
Can't be anymore simpler.

I'm thinking since we had this in winter, we will definitely see more of the guinomis in summer, next time with more shaved ice and probably an assortment of toppings too. How about a cherry on top? Or even, using coloured gelatine for a change..... Hhhmmmmm.......