Here’s another quick and easy dish I learned to make here in Kuching.
Stir-Fried Cangkuk Manis
Cangkuk Manis (“Chong-cook Ma-Niss”, meaning sweet leaf) or Mani chai in Hokkien is a vegetable that is very common here in Kuching. As a matter of fact, the same day that we arrived here and were introduced to paku, we also got introduced to Cangkuk Manis. Its texture when cooked is like spinach, but without the bitterness. This vegetable has a natural sweetness to it (which is why it’s name has the word “manis” – meaning sweet – in it).
If you’re feeling kinda heavy after all that Christmas holiday eating, here is another great recipe I found in my Fine Cooking magazine. The best thing about it is, it’s got a lot of veggies in it. This recipe is a nice and quick dish, easy enough to make for a weekday meal.
Hoisin Pork with Napa Cabbage
By the way, why is this called a Napa cabbage? This cabbage has almost nothing to do with that valley in Northern California most famous for its wines. What’s up with that?
It may not be pretty, but the taste is simply amazing.
Stir-Fried Tomatoes with Oyster Sauce
By now, you know that I have a love affair with tomatoes. I love growing all kinds of tomato varieties and using the fruit in manydifferentapplications. Strangely, I’ve never thought to use them exclusively in a stir-fry. I have recently used them with other vegetables but even then, when I think of Chinese stir fries, I hardly think to use tomatoes.
But recently, I was at a friend’s house and her daughter Phoebe made this stir-fry using only tomatoes. We all loved it, especially my picky eater daughter, Esther. Phoebe told me that she used to make this dish during her college days away from home, so it had to be easy. When she told me what went in it, I was amazed!
I don’t understand what all the fuss is about brussels sprouts.
I’ve never had brussels sprouts until Annie cooked them for us recently. But all I heard about brussels sprouts before then was how much people hated them. I wondered why, since it seemed to me that they were just a strange looking little cabbage ball that grows on a stalk. What’s not to love?
The other day, Annie picked up a stalk of brussels sprouts at the farmer’s market and brought it home. First she cut the sprouts off the stalk. She then cut each sprout in half and washed them.
