I just mentioned in passing the other day that in Chinese cooking, we hardly use any of those spices and herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano and what not. Most of the time, it would either be garlic, ginger or shallots…and perhaps a dash of pepper and a sprinkling of chopped spring onions or Chinese parsley (daun sup) on top. Of course there are all kinds of herbs used in the preparation of those Chinese herbal chicken or whatever soups or in bak-kut-teh like ginseng and so on…but I think those would fall into a different category of cooking ingredients.
However, one cooking ingredient that I have known since small would be the five-spice powder…or in Hokkien, ngor hiang hun. When I was small/young, my mother would send me to this Chinese medical store to buy 10 cents’ worth of the powder for her to use in her cooking. I wonder how much that same amount would cost now. Most of the time, she would use it to cook braised duck (phak lor ark) or pork leg (phak lor too kha) or meat.
Unfortunately, my missus does not eat duck so she would cook chicken instead or like the other day, she used it to cook pork…
Ooooo…if I had some sambal belacan to eat with that…especially the fatty bits…
…I would surely have more than a single helping of rice. Thankfully, I was too lazy to go and pound some. This would also be simply delicious when stuffed in kompia or mantao (steamed buns) but I was too lazy to go out to buy some. Hmmmm…it certainly looks like being lazy does have its merits sometimes, don’t you all agree? LOL!!!
My missus also cooked this that day…
- tofu with minced meat and salted fish. This was so good – better than anything from any of the shops outside, I tell you. However, there was a bit too much for one sitting…and when reheated for subsequent meals, the gravy became somewhat watery or diluted.
Nevertheless, the salted fish added to this dish definitely made it taste a lot better – more fragrant and nicer than without it, the same way that the five-spice powder would bring the taste of the braised meat to a different level altogether, compared to using just soy sauce and the other basic ingredients.
What about you? Any nice cooking tips to share?
Comments on: "Make it better…" (31)
I’m not qualified to give cooking tips. Wakakaka… and you definitely know why. Anyway…I discovered that if I cook with my nose rather than my eyes, the food will turn out tastier. Must use nose to ‘smell’ the food while it’s cooking. Another thing is I can NEVER follow recipe, or it’ll spell disaster. Must use the agak agak method only the dishes that I cooked will be edible.
A friend who makan my curry and my coke chicken before asked me the recipe… she darn pening when I tell her how to cook it. Kakaka… pinch sana, segenggam sini. >.< cilaka… i sounded like my late grandma!
Ya…those of us who picked up cooking naturally from our mas or grandmas will have a natural flair for it and not be tied down to recipes. I enjoy watching Chef Wan on tv – he has his recipes…but obviously, he does not follow them. Simply throws in anything, tastes a bit, adds some more… You certainly will not catch him measuring anything…and he’s very witty and sarcastic! Always has me in stitches! Dunno about his baking shows though – I don’t bake so I don’t watch.
I gave up baking those pastries cuz I am very, very bad at following recipe. You know la… those cookies and cakes must ikut recipe punya, if not tak jadi, that one cannot agak…
I used to try to make cakes and cookies, and they would either turn lumpy, not moist enuff or keras. OMG, so damn sad…so just stick to lauk pauk and those savoury stuff. I’m good at sambal, curry all those… kakaka…nvm la, good enuff, can feed hubby and anak.
That’s why I don’t bake… Not bothered with all the nitty-gritty details and in the end, tak jadi. So frustrating. I’d just leave all the baking to my missus…
And oh yea, this is gonna sound weird coming from a person who uses the Internet and stuff, but I dun cook my rice using rice cooker. I tak suka the end result. Tak sedap, not fragrant enuff, tarak ooommph. Mati oso I use the periuk to cook ‘manually’. >..<
Hah!!! Guess who, from small, had to jaga the rice and stir…until cooked…and those days, used kerosene stove some more – had to adjust to small flame when dry already….. Good for me though – when I went to the UK, I had to cook rice for everybody…and when I went on strike and they had to cook for themselves, either uncooked…or turned to porridge. Muahahahahahaha!!!!! These days, malas…use rice cooker…but I would always add pandan – tambah wangi…and good for health.
Wah today I made it to be one of the early bird commentators but I see I already missed out on your last few posts on what else … delicious food! Looks like a lot of the stuffs I love can be found in East Malaysia like one of my favorites the Nyonya Chang from Kuching.
Your missus is such a good cook leh … the pork looks tempting. I’m not too fond of plain white tofu with mince meat though. I’d preferred the tofu fried first but then if done that at home, your missus would have a lot of cleaning up to do from the oil splatters.
Now need to look for breakfast … your posts make me hungry!
If you want to be first, you have to log in at 5.00 a.m. but no guarantee as there are some nocturnal creatures lurking around and have not gone to sleep yet. LOL!!! Yes, the nyonya chang from Kuching is the best! And many of the nyonya kuihs too… Have yet to find a place that can rival the goodies there. We don’t fry soft tofu…will only do that with tofu cakes but that’s another recipe… Enjoy your breakfast!
……………..nocturnal creatures…he’s probably referring to me. (makan cili, terasa pedas)
Siapa lagi… LOL!!!
I dont like to eat the fatty bits.. Usually remove it as I dont like the texture.. Very geli. I prefer crackling yum yum..I’m not much of a cook but I do bake sometimes. Usually get the recipes from the internet. I found that I usually have to cut the amount of sugar by at least half. I don’t like my cakes too sweet
Oooo…they’re heavenly. It eaten with sambal belacan, it’s simply out of this world! But of course, must control lah…. Too fat, I must not indulge like that… Strictly restricted to once in a while…not too often. You must be very slim then…so careful with your diet.
Both dishes looks heavenly. I am more into chinese cooking. Hahaha!!…Typical chinese. Oh!… my favourites….phak lor ark, pork leg, chicken & meat. I love the smell of ngor hiang hun. Normally would cook tofu with minced meat but without salty fish. Must try with salty fish one of these days. Thanks for sharing.
Extra fragrant! Like claypot chicken/pork rice – without the long salted fish, it is not as nice…
Wow Arthur, what gorgeous dishes. My taste buds are going crazy looking at the pork. If I had a missus who can cook like that, I’ll be STP#2.
Now you know why I’m in the shape I’m in… Muahahahahaha!!!!
Waaaaa…. Eh, the pork is it barbequed or grilled? Looks oh so yummy!!!
My late grandpa used to cook very delicious pork leg (sometimes pork skin & pork fat also) dish… Better than my Mum’s (Sssshhhhh… Don’t tell her ah). I was able to eat the fat & skin because of that dish he cooked… Spent the school holidays with him & grandma at the kampung and by the end of the holidays, my parents both very shocked to see the ‘kurus-kering’ daughter’s pipi sudah bulat… ha ha ha
Neither. Boiled and then simmered till tender and the gravy gets thicker, only a little left. Hah!!! My daughter would not touch the fat and my missus jaga badan – will cook as she says the meat is nicer…but she will not eat, so you can guess who sapu habis lah! Muahahahahaha!!!!
Yesterday I cook porridge with minced meat, salted egg plus dried scallops… boiled some soup, dumping in potatoes, tomatoes,carrots, big onions plus scallops.. no meat… that was for our dinner…. today… thought of making some kampong chicken soup with red dates for my girl…
Put in some ginseng hairs (seng see) – will make her more alert, more energetic…will study better. Wink! Wink! LOL!!!
of course rosemary, thyme, oregano etc are more western style, don’t think they are available in traditional china.. wow, those char-siew definitely looks great!! i just love home made char siew, not those you simply get at stalls that are so reddish and taste so fake..
Not char siew lah! Phak lor bak! You’re like Bananaz kah…can’t see colour? Muahahahahahaha!!! They should be able to grow those herbs in China – same temperate climate…just that I guess it is not in out culture to use all these…and many other things in our Chinese cuisine. Different races, different cuisines, different ingredients…
Looks like char siew, smells like char siew..but not char siew meh?
Too bad you cannot smell it – then you’ll know for sure it’s not char siew.
Great idea! Will keep a stock of 5 spice power in my pantry!
…and you can get kampung chicken from the locals – ideal for simmering for a long time. Will not disintegrate like those sold at the supermarts.
Oi awake at 5am doesn’t equate us to being nocturnal creatures :p lolz
5spice powder for braising is just wonderful; at the very least being some 5 star anise. The end product of tender meat is heavenly. I’m salivating just thinking about it! Wakakaka
+Ant+
Oops!!! Ya…there are early birds like you and me. I also get up at around 5…just be habit, I guess…not that I do what you do! LOL!!!
Yup…gives its special fragrance and flavour…but I love it with DUCK!!! And with phak lor nui (hardboiled eggs browned in the gravy)! Yum! Yum! 
There, there, Gratitude… the nocturnal creature he meant was me. Wakakakaka…
See! Almost 6 p.m. and she just woke up! Muahahahahahaha!!!
Sama sama lah bro when ma Mama send me to buy ngor hiang hun then Bananaz would expect to have ‘kow yoke’ and yam for dinner. Those days Bananaz buy things in sundry shop foc one, sundry shop not owned by my dad but got ChinamanExpress credit card 555 book haha. Our family don’t take duck ‘poisonous’ woh…hehe~;).
Ya…I heard that duck is poisonous but I still like. Never mind…seldom eat – maybe once a year during Chinese New Year, my missus will lor ark…and I will eat – she will not touch…and sometimes I will buy sio ark from the shops to eat…all by myself…and if restaurant has Peking duck, oooo…I like!
I bought the ngor hiang hoon from Chinese medical store – my mum would give me 10 sen to go and buy…and I remember repeating the name a thousand times over so that I would not end up buying the wrong thing.
I only know today that daun sup is Chinese parsley hehe. The tofu looks good! No doubt it taste good too
You can try cooking that using chicken and salted fish. Braised chicken with five-spice powder is also very nice – tambah telur, hardboiled. Yummmm!!!!
If WKS is here sure will ask to tambah with telur rebus
Ya, I love that too…but must control lah…the meat’s already so fat, tambah eggs some more. Cannot lah…
Wan me to borong telur for you? Next wik I’m gonna go beli telur worr… mau kirim?
Wah!!! Now turning egg wholesale agent? LOL!!!
I actually seldom use 5 spice powder. Maybe because I don’t really know how to use it much in cooking. But I do like the taste and aroma it gives to certain dishes. My must haves in cooking – pepper, salt, soy sauce.
Can give it a try… Will bring the ordinary taste of soy sauce meat to a different level altogether.
Yeah five spice powder goes very well with duck and other gamey meat. My grandma uses it when she cooks pork stew too.
Yes, I love it. Not too much, just a bit of the fragrance of the five spice powder would be so very nice.
I can eat 3 bowls of rice with the tofu dish alone.
Oh dear! Moderation… Too much rice isn’t that good as well…
5 spice and sambal belacan click(match) kar? O_o I don’t eat duck either… high Five with your missus!
5-spice braised pork…or phak lor bak especially pork belly…and belacan. Yummmmmm!!!! Never tried with chicken or duck. Humph! You people don’t know what you’re missing!
Love the fatty bits! mwahaha! :p btw btw, today i had mee kampua for brekkie!
:D
Ya…I saw your status on Facebook. No photo leh? Any good?
I’m not good at cooking. Maybe I should visit you someday haha.
Most welcome. Anytime at all…
can’t give tips here either, my mum’s a good cook though, and so is Janice. XD
6 spices soup is nice as well, on top of bah kut teh, speaking of bah kut teh, the other day I went with some bloggers to try the one in Kepong. Dry bah kut teh, delicious! Will be blogging on it soon
Same one as in Huai Bin’s post? I saw your LIKE on Facebook – think it’s the same one. Thought it’s in Cheras? But bak kut teh is more to herbal cooking, not really the same as using spices.
or you can dipped the charsiew with the “hoisin” sauce which would taste very good either. Or else, chilli does the trick.
I wouldn’t want to eat with sauces – would rather savour the true flavour and enjoy it. Will only dip in sauces when something does not taste nice – not like my missus. She’ll drown everything in chili – I always say that she would not be able to sense the original taste anymore…just the chili.
This is the secret ingredient used to prepare Penang ‘Lor Bak’/Fried Pork Roll to enhance the taste and flavour. I prefer those cooked by my mom with more meat
Yup! My missus uses the powder when making the meat rolls too.That’s why here, we call those meat rolls “ngor hiang” as in ngor hiang hun…and not “lo bak” – kind of confusing as many people would think of “lobak” as carrot…
The Pork look good, remind me of the meat that stuff in kompia.
Tofu with mince meat, my favourite, when we cook the tofu dish, we just put the tofu in microwave for 2 mins, just heat up a bit, then after cook the mince meat and pour it on top of the tofu. Yum yum!
For me, cooking still ok, but not baking. I really don’t know how to bake. And last week, my first time cook malay or should i said indon cuisine, ayam rempah, yummy!! I Now i learn those malay herbs, what is what. hahahahha. I shall post up the recipe soon in my blog.
Nice. My missus can cook well…and me too! But our styles not the same – cannot have two in the kitchen…so either I cook…or she cooks or take turns – one will cook when the other has finished, cannot have both at the same time. Next time you come to Sibu, must come to my house – we will cook lunch or dinner for you…see your comments. No worries – I can’t bake either… No patience, no discipline…
How come Lucy tak makan duck?I remembered asking her on my last night there and we had a duck dish but I don’t think she actually answered my question.
The boys would surely like the five spice pork…eat with pau that can kiap the meat sure very shiok one…lagi fatty lagi sedap!I okay-okay only lar..but the tofu I can eat just like that..I think if makan with rice, sure kering-kontang the dish I kerjakan..hahaha.
From young/small, she did not like duck. She says it’s very smelly. Last time, would not eat lamb also, also smelly…but after kahwin, terpaksa…so now she will eat lamb…but still, no duck…and no ikan keli as well!
Come, come to Sibu again…and Lucy will cook that and we can buy the steamed buns/mantao kosong…and have a feast! Ooooo…so nice!!! Drool! Drool! LOL!!! 
I like the 5 spice smell. And so long did not eat mum’s ‘lor ark’. Here, not many are selling and they are expensive. Roast duck is also my favourite, especially the neck ! Crispy skin….yummy..
Eyewwww….chicken or duck, even before cooking, we could just cut off the neck and the buntut and throw them all away. Nobody will eat…
Here, none…but I know they do sell lor ark in some towns in Sarawak…but not as nice as my missus’…or my mum’s or her mum’s. Home-cooked is always the best.