Now Open Again for Chinese New Year Orders!

SAM TAN'S KITCHEN HAS MOVED! Please visit the new website/online store at www.samtanskitchen.com for all Chinese New Year enquiries. You can also follow Sam on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Thank you!

Happy New Year folks!

I've been away on an epic 5-week trip to Malaysia so this is coming a little later than usual, but I'm happy to say I am now taking Chinese New Year orders again!

Every year for the past 6 years, CNY has meant mountains of butchered pineapple husks, scatterings of runaway peanuts on the floor and a snowy white dusting of tapioca starch all over my counters. My little home kitchen turns into a mini war zone, as I stir jam by the gallon, sift copious amounts of flour, knead huge balls of dough and make thousands of intricate bitesize cookies from scratch, one by one.

It's back-breakingly labor intensive, and essentially turns me into a slightly deranged, sleep deprived baking monster. So why do I do it? 

Because I know that if like me, you're far away from family and any decent Malaysian bakery able to replicate local flavors accurately, then authentic CNY goodies can mean the world this time of year. You may not have endless relatives to visit or red cards to decorate the home with or angpow to collect/give out, but by golly you shall still eat festively! :)

TO ORDER

Simply email me at samtanskitchen@gmail.com with:

1) Your name, or the name of the person you are gifting to
2) Your list of items
3) Mailing address that the order should be shipped to, including zipcode
4) Your note (if you are ordering as a gift)

I will then give you your exact total including shipping, and Paypal/Venmo instructions. Once payment is made, please allow at least 3-5 days for your order to be baked fresh (during peak CNY period, this may take longer). It will then be shipped via USPS 2-Day Priority Mail and you will be provided with the tracking number.

For local Angelenos who don't want to pay shipping, pickup can be arranged (I am based in Koreatown).

Please get your orders in by Sunday January 31st in order to guarantee receipt by February 8th 2016.

All cookies come in clear plastic 16oz or 32 oz deli-style tubs. Like so:

Gong Hei Fatt Choy to all my readers, and wishing you a prosperous Year of the Monkey ahead! :)

CNY LIST 2016

FAN FAVORITE!

Kuih Nastar (Rolled Pineapple Jam Tarts)- $22 per tub of 22 pcs

Homemade jam slow-cooked from fresh whole pineapples and aromatic spices, encased in a hand-shaped all butter crumbly pastry

FAN FAVORITE!
Open-Faced Pineapple Jam Tarts- $35 per tub of 35 pcs

Made with the same blobs of scrumptious homemade jam as the Kuih Nastar,

only sunny side up with a patterned pastry base

FAN FAVORITE!
Fah Sang Peng (Peanut Cookies)- $22 per tub of 30 pcs

Extremely addictive, be warned! Fragrant, crumbly and deliciously nutty, made the

proper way with roasted whole peanuts (none of this peanut butter business)

FAN FAVORITE!

Bakkwa/Rougan/Long Yoke (Chinese Dried Pork Jerky)- $48/lb

Free of the coloring and preservatives usually present in mass-produced versions, 
this Chinese New Year staple is home-marinated, hand-pressed and grilled until the perfect charred sticky-sweet-salty flavor and texture is achieved

GLUTEN-FREE!

Kuih Bangkit (Tapioca Coconut Cookies)- $22 per tub of 32 pcs
Handmade traditionally shaped little cookies with a crisp bite and powdery melt-in-the-mouth texture. Aromatic with the definitive flavors of toasted tapioca, pandan and coconut.

Almond London- $30 per tub of 34 pcs

One for the chocoholics! A whole roasted almond encased in a butter cookie, topped

with melted dark chocolate and chopped nuts

GLUTEN-FREE!

Kuih Ros/ Kuih Loyang (Crispy Rosette Cookies)- $15 per tub of 15 pcs

Crunchy coconut milk and rice flour rosettes, deep-fried until shatteringly crisp. Fragrant, lightly sweet, very addictive.

Buttery Coconut Cornflake Crunchies- $15 per tub of 25 pcs

A family favorite Mum taught me growing up! :) Crunchy crushed cornflakes

with the fragrance of dessicated coconut and sweet raisins

Mini Honey Cornflake Cups- $15 per tub of 30 pcs

Delectable little bitesize bundles of cornflakes coated in a buttery honey caramel, then baked until crunchy. Exceedingly moreish- expect to eat a whole box in one sitting.

Fresh Prosperity Yee Sang/Yu Sheng (Chinese New Year Salad)- $38 (feeds 6-8)

The fresh, mouthwatering real deal, complete with a dazzling array of hand-grated ingredients, homemade "pok chui" (crunchy crackers) and all condiments and toppings. Not your dried up boxed variety. 

*Does not include raw fish. Not available for shipping, sorry!

Nyonya Acar Awak (Malaysian Spicy Vegetable Pickle)

Visually vibrant to the eye and refreshingly piquant to the taste, acar awak is a traditional cold Malaysian pickle bursting with a lip-smacking blend of sweetness, tang and spice as well as a spectrum of textures and crunch levels. A joyride for your tongue, if you will, especially when served alongside hot rice and as an accompaniment to cut through heavier curries.

Some recipes omit the pineapple; I personally find it adds a juicy, succulent sweetness that really elevates this dish. The blending of the paste takes a bit of work, so feel free to double or triple the quantities and make a large batch at one go. Be sure to top liberally with more chopped peanuts and roasted sesame seeds just before serving.

Nyonya Acar Awak (Spicy Mixed Vegetable Pickle)

Serves 12 as a small side

Chop the following into 2” sticks:

1 medium-large cucumber (about 300g), pulp removed

1 medium carrot (100g), peeled

A handful long green beans/French beans (100g)

¼ of a white cabbage (150g)

*You can also use cauliflower or other crunchy vegetables. Measurements are approximate, adjust to taste

Stir in 1 tbsp salt.

Slice 200g pineapple into small chunks.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels and spread everything except the pineapple onto it. Bake on very low heat (about 100C) for about 25 mins to dry out (or if you live in Malaysia/somewhere very hot, feel free to lay it out in the sun for a few hours!)

• Spice paste:

Grind the following together and fry in oil over medium heat for 10 mins until fragrant:

5 shallots/1 large cooking onion

5 cloves garlic

5 dried chillies, deseeded and soaked

2 candlenuts

1 tsp turmeric powder (or 1” fresh turmeric )- if you are multiplying this recipe, do not increase turmeric quantity too much as it can taste bitter. Just add a bit more than 1 tsp.

1 stick lemongrass, white part only

1” galangal

Optional for non-vegetarians: a bit of belacan, dried shrimp

Stir in and bring to a boil:

¼ cup rice vinegar

2 tbsp sugar

Stir in and immediately turn off heat:

Prepared vegetables

2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

1/4 cup (about 50g) roasted ground peanuts

Allow to cool completely and refrigerate in a glass jar overnight (or for up to 4 weeks) so flavours can intensify. 

Before serving, leave at room temperature for a short while (so it's not stone cold) and top with extra ground peanuts and sesame seeds. 

Devour with hot steamed rice!

Sambal Tumis Udang (Malaysian Stir-Fried Shrimp with Spicy Gravy)

This classic accompaniment to nasi lemak basically comprises half a batch of my sambal recipe that I blogged about three years ago, stir-fried (or "tumis" in Malay) with some onions and shell-on shrimp. Thank you to my ever-reliable foodie friend Marisa for helping me perfect this!

Some quick tips before you start:

1) I personally recommend making double or triple batches of sambal in advance to store in the fridge for future use, so you don't have to pull out your food processor every time. You'll thank yourself when your next Malaysian craving hits!:)

2) Stick to frozen shrimp, unless you live near the coast or can see them swimming in the aquarium just before you buy it. The "fresh" stuff sold in cities is often just defrosted previously frozen shrimp, which might already have been sitting around for days. 

3) Use shrimp with at least part of the shell on if possible, as it imparts a richer flavour. I like to use frozen, deveined, easy-peel headless medium shrimp that I can get extremely cheap in Chinatown Manhattan for $10.99/2 lb bag. You can of course use whole ones with the head still attached, or larger tiger prawns instead of shrimp, or if you really must then fully shelled ones are okay too. Whatever the case, if they are not deveined make sure to do it yourself by slicing across the top and cleaning out the black stuff.

4) Make sure to stick to raw shrimp, no matter what kind you choose. Under NO circumstances should you substitute with the pink ready-to-eat cooked stuff, as it will absorb none of the beautiful spices and go completely rubbery.

With that, happy tumis-ing!

Sambal Tumis Udang (Malaysian Stir-Fried Shrimp with Spicy Gravy)

Serves 4-6

Defrost 1 lb of frozen shrimp (which was about 35 pieces in my bag) by running under cold tap water for a few minutes. Make sure it is fully defrosted before cooking. Set aside.

• Prepare the sambal paste

Deseed 50g dried chillies by tearing them in half and shaking the seeds out. Do not skip this step, or you'll burn your tastebuds right off!

Boil the chillies for about 30 mins to further reduce the heat. Drain off the liquid and rinse in cold tap water to cool. Drain.

Chuck in a small spice mill, blender or food processor and grind to a thick paste (or pound with a mortar and pestle if you're a purist): 

The boiled chillies above

2 medium cooking onions, cut into chunks

10 cloves of garlic

1/2 cube ikan bilis stock (or grind whole dried anchovies to a powder)

1/2 tsp belacan (dried shrimp paste)

Ikan bilis stock cubes- I get my supply from Malaysia, not sure where to get it in NYC I'm afraid

• To cook

Heat some oil in a shallow frying pan over medium heat. 

Slice up 1 medium onion to half-rings, and stir-fry for a few mins until softened and a bit charred.

Add the prepared paste and tumis until fragrant. 

Stir in 2 tbsp dark brown sugar or gula melaka (coconut palm sugar), and about 2 tbsp asam jawa (tamarind juice)*. 

*If you've never used tamarind juice, it's simple- just soak a chunk of tamarind pulp in hot water for 5 mins, stir to loosen, then press through a sieve. Discard the seeds.

Throw in the defrosted shrimp and a bit of water. Stir fry for about 5-10 mins until the shrimp turns pink.

Dish up and serve immediately with nasi lemak or plain rice. Enjoy!

With nasi lemak

Wat Tan Hor/Kong Foo Chow (Cantonese Fried Flat Noodles in Egg Gravy)

SAM TAN'S KITCHEN HAS MOVED! Please visit the new website/online store at www.samtanskitchen.com. You can also follow Sam on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Thank you!

Ahhh, hello my old sweet friend. *warm fuzzy feeling in my belly*

Whilst some weirdo types like Arivind just don't get my adoration of this comforting childhood favourite and insist the only "right" way to cook any noodle is dry ala char kuay teow, I believe some days nothing hits the spot quite like a huge pile of wok-fried hor fun peppered with delicious chunks of seafood and meat, smothered in a piping hot thick egg gravy. This classic hawker concoction goes by many names: wat tan hor (its most common moniker in Kuala Lumpur, translating to mean "smooth egg fried noodles"), kong foo chow (literally "Cantonese-fried"), char hor fun (as it is known in Penang where bewilderingly, sometimes eggs aren't added (!!) ) and if you use a mix of broad and thin rice noodles, yin yong hor (a reference I guess to the Yin and Yang of the two varieties). The Thai dish of Ratna is also similar, though again egg is absent and seasonings/toppings vary slightly. Whatever you choose to call it, it's good.

As with all fried hawker noodle dishes, use a large wok over high heat where possible and slice up all your ingredients before starting to cook so they can be tossed in quickly. The secret to getting the gravy right is to add the eggs at the very last minute before serving- by all means change it up to be thicker/thinner/eggier/egg-less if you see fit.

Wat Tan Hor/Kong Foo Chow (Cantonese Fried Flat Noodles in Egg Gravy)

*Makes 2 small portions

Fry together over high heat in a bit of oil until charred:

About 350g fresh hor fun/kuay teow (soak in hot water first to separate if clumped together, then drain thoroughly. If using dried noodles, use less as it expands and boil until white and soft before use)

1 tbsp dark soy sauce (more if it looks too light)

1 tbsp light soy sauce

Dish up onto two deep plates/shallow bowls and set aside.

• Making the Gravy:

Fry 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped until golden.

Add and fry briefly:

8-10 slices of pork/chicken (or beef if you like)

6-8 raw king prawns, peeled and deveined

6-8 slices of fishcake

6-8 slices of squid

Lower heat and add:

1½- 2 cups water (depending on how much gravy you want) *If you have good chicken stock around use that but I would avoid artificial chicken stock cubes/powder, tastes awful!

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp light soy sauce

Bit of sugar

Dash of white pepper

Dash of salt

Bring to a boil, then add 2 tsp cornstarch diluted in ¼ cup water (for thickening).

Simmer for a few mins until thickened. Slice 1 bunch of choy sum (flowering Chinese cabbage) or greens of your choice into 2” lengths and throw in.

Turn heat off and break in 2 eggs, stirring quickly to scramble. Have a quick taste and add more seasoning if required. Dish the gravy over the prepared hor fun and serve immediately (alongside a small dish of sliced pickled green chillies in light soy sauce if you're lucky enough to have it).

Get in with chopsticks and a Chinese spoon. Shovel into mouth.