If you ask any Chinese family whether they have ever cooked lotus root stir-fry (清炒莲藕) at home, chances are most of them will say yes.  However, if you are a non-Chinese living outside of Asia, you may not have heard these dishes as it is not the main item in most Chinese restaurants. Lotus root …

Sweet and sour pork 咕噜肉/咕老肉 is the traditional Chinese cuisine with a universal appeal. It is easy to prepare, kids friendly, which is perfect for any busy home cook. The pork pieces are doused in a thick, spoon-coating sauce with a constant pull between sweet and sour. The deep-fried pork is well balanced with the …

Sweet and sour fish was once a popular street food in Malaysia at the hawker stores at a reasonable price. Subsequently, the larger restaurant took the opportunity to make a few twists, using better quality fish to transform it into a restaurant-style presentation with proper garnishing.  In this article, I will explain how to prepare …

Is Manchurian chicken originated from China? Not quite. It is an Indo-Chinese dish. This dish was created by the Chinese chef Nelson Wang from Calcutta, India.  Manchurian chicken has similarities to the Chinese sweet and sour pork (Ku lo yuk /  咕噜肉).  It is deep-fried chicken doused in a gravy consisting of ginger, garlic, soy sauce, …

The last time I have chicken herbal soup seems eons ago. My mom would always boil the best soup for me. Now, who is going to make this soup for me?  So I took out the crockpot, which hasn’t been used for a long time. Remove all the stains, fix the loosened electric plug, and …

What makes Bo Kho (Vietnamese beef stew) stand out from the rest? The unique flavor! If you prepare beef stew with rosemary, thyme, and paprika, make a change by replacing them with lemongrass, fish sauce, coconut juice, and basil leaves! This article will explain how to prepare Bo Kho in detail.  If you live in …

What could be better than savoring Thai red chicken curry, the authentic street food with spices attacking all your senses?  Thai red curry is prepared with a blend of unique spices. The intense flavor of galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime, dried chili, fish sauce, shrimp paste, coconut cream, and basil leaves are concentrated into a thick …

Savory, spicy, and packed with the flavor of basil and fish sauce, that is what flashes across my mind when I think of Thai basil beef. It is a perfect one-pot meal, as it can make it in less than 30 minutes and satisfy almost every palate. The star of the dish is the whole …

Can you imagine how it tastes when a can of Coca-Cola is concentrated into just a few tablespoons? That is what you expect when it comes to Coca-Cola chicken 可乐鸡! I remember it was a hit in the ’90s in Asia, with a legion of fans, mainly the youngsters. The craze might have subsided, but …

This recipe is about chicken on the bone marinated with dry spices, the authentic ayam goreng (fried chicken) served in the Indian Muslim restaurants in Malaysia. If you expect it tastes closely to KFC or other fried chicken coated with batter, you will be surprised by the different flavors offered by the Malaysian ayam goreng.  …