Tag Archives: Weekend Herb Blogging

Chicken with Black Fungus

Try this simple and delicious recipe with healthy black (wood ear) fungus, and you’ll be sold on it too!

Chicken with Black Fungus

Have I told you that I’m a pretty easy sell? I totally believe in sales gimmicks and this is why I never let those Kirby people in unless Nate is there at home with me. If I was alone, I’d be the proud owner of a really expensive vacuum cleaner (and I hate vacuuming). Why do I even let them in? Because I’m pake, see, and they always offer to clean one room for free! ^_^

I was at the market the other day buying vegetables and the vendor lifted this packet of black fungus to me. At first I didn’t know what it was she was trying to sell me but once I understood, I was tempted to get it. It’s not often that I can find fresh black fungus here.

Turns out, this vegetable vendor was a pretty good salesperson. “It’s very good for your health,” she said, “and it’s my last big pack.” She went on to convince me that it was really tasty and I would enjoy it. She could see that I was sold before I even nodded and, with a big grin, added it to my bag of other vegetables. Thankfully, in this case, it was just a pack of wood ear fungus that make for delicious eating and thus, totally justifiable. Right honey?

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Daikon cooked in spicy coconut milk (Lobak putih masak lemak)

An amazingly simple and delicious new way to cook daikon radish.

daikon in spicy coconut milk

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I use an ingredient in certain ways and I can’t get past those styles of cooking to move on to other things. Yeah, let’s just call it non-creativity. I get like that some days (ok, most days now that I’m working). This is why I love browsing through cookbooks or going to try new restaurants. I get inspired that way.

Recently, I got inspired by a Malay colleague. She had brought lunch from home that her mom had made for her. Being the curious foodie that I am, I went over to her cubicle and asked what she was having for lunch. She said, “Lobak putih masak lemak” (daikon cooked in coconut milk) and showed me her dish.

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Thai Larb Recipe

Interchangeable ingredients, crunchy counterpoints: an orchestra of flavors that can lead to overeating!

thai larb on cucumber slices

If you have never tried Thai larb, you really have to. It’s not really too hard to make and the ingredients are so interchangeable. And of course the flavors are distinctly Thai—a little sweet, a little sour, a little spicy and a little salty. Which is everything you need to lead to overeating! Thankfully, the dish itself is quite healthy with the amount of green herbs in it that you can justify the overeating.

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Stir-Fried Cangkuk Manis

Here’s another quick and easy dish I learned to make here in Kuching.

Stir-Fried Cangkuk Manis

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).

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