Sunday, April 21, 2019

Crispy Ikan Bilis

Crispy ikan bilis

When I was young, my mother used to deep fry ikan bilis, and they were wonderfully crunchy and addictive. Now given that I stay in an apartment, there was no way I was willing to deep fry it, so I opted for the next-best option - the microwave.

It turned out to be very easy, just that you need to do it multiple times for bigger quantities. The smell is quite strong too, so make sure your place is well ventilated.



Ingredients:

Ikan bilis
Oil


Instructions:

1) Wash the ikan bilis (I usually wash them for two rounds), then let them dry. The key to getting crispy ikan bilis is to ensure they are as dry as possible. I spread them out on a tray and left them near the window for several hours.

2) Spread out the ikan bilis on a tray or microwave-safe dish. They should be in a thin layer.

3) Drizzle some oil over the ikan bilis.

4) Put the tray into the microwave, cover it and switch it on high power for 2 minutes.

5) Pour the ikan bilis onto a kitchen towel to let it absorb any excess oil.

6) Store in an air-tight container once it has cooled.

Monday, April 1, 2019

Stir-fried Chinese Spinach with Chilli

Stir-fried Chinese Spinach with Chilli




Ingredients:

1 bag of Chinese spinach
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
2 teaspoons of chilli paste
1 teaspoon of sesame oil


Instructions:

1) Preheat the wok and add some oil, then saute the garlic for a while.

2) Add the chilli paste and stir fry it for a short while.

3) Add the spinach and mix it uniformly until the spinach has wilted. It should just take one to two minutes.

4) Add the sesame oil, mix it, then serve.


Because of the particular brand of chilli paste I used, I didn't need to add any salt. If you are using another brand of chilli paste, you may need to add a bit of salt.