Ham & Vegetables Soup

HAM & VEGETABLES SOUP

1 chunk smoked ham, about 600g, cubed

4 bacon rashers, chopped

2 large onions, chopped

2  tbsp all purpose flour

1 litre chicken stock

1litre water

4 sticks celery, chopped

2 large carrots, cut into chunks

4 waxy potatoes, cut into chunks

2 tomatoes (optional)

3 Bay leaves

Freshly crushed black pepper

Chopped parsley for garnishing

1. In a heavy based pot, brown the bacon until crispy.  Add in onions and stir-fry until transparent.

2.  Add in flour and fry until brown, stirring constantly in medium fire.

3.  Fry ham pieces lightly for a minute.

3.  Pour in chicken stock and water.  Bring to boil, covered.

4.  When boiling, add in all vegetables and bay leaves.  Bring to boil again and simmer for about 1 to 2 hours.

5.  Served garnish with chopped parsley and ground black pepper with garlic bread on the side.

Serves 6-8

CINCALOK PORK OR CHICKEN

CINCALOK PORK

1

1 strip belly pork*, about 1" wide, skin removed or 2 pcs boneless chicken wholeleg (Marylands)

2 tbsp cooking oil

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp cincalok**

1 tbsp tamarind paste

2 tbsp brown sugar or to taste

1/2 tspn dark, thick soy sauce

1 tbsp light soy sauce or to taste

1 medium onion, sliced into thin wedges

1 red chilli or 4 bird chillis, sliced 

brown shallot crips for garnishing

1. Slice belly pork thinly. Mix tamarind paste with a little water.  Remove seeds.

2.  Heat up oil in wok and brown garlic.  Add in pork and stir-fry until cooked.

3.  Make a well in the center and put in cincalok and let it cook for a few seconds. Stir.

4.  Add in tamarind water, sugar, light and thick soy sauces and chopped chillies.  Stir-fry until quite dry.  Check the taste.

5.  Lastly stir in onion wedges and cook until just done.

6.  Dish out and garnish with brown shallot crisps.

Serves 4

Notes:
* You can replace belly pork with boneless chicken whole leg with skin removed. Slice along the grain.
**  Cincalok is preserved tiny shrimps in brine and fermented rice. If you are living overseas, you can buy it from Asian food stores:

BASIC PRAWN STOCK

Do you always throw away the prawn shells and heads after you peel a batch of prawns or shrimps? Well, the next time that you do, reserve the heads and shells and keep them in the freezer until you have collected enough to make a basic prawn stock. The stock can later be used to cook Thai Tom Yam Soup, Malaysian Prawn Noodles or even a starter soup for a hotpot or steam boat.  Here is the method to make the Basic Prawn Stock:

Basic Prawn Stock

Prawn shells and heads from peeling a batch of 1 kilogram of medium-sized prawns or shrimps.

2 pips garlic, crushed and peeled

1/4 cup cooking oil

2 liter water

Heat up oil in a wok. Add in prawn shells and heads together with the garlic and stir-fry until the shells are dry, crispy and aromatic.  Transfer to a pot and add in the 2 liter water. Deglaze  the wok by adding a little water and add this to the pot as well.  Bring pot to boil and simmer for about 2 hours. Strain and use as required.  Discard prawn shells and heads.

The  stock can be used as a base stock for Thai Tom Yam soup, Ipoh Kueh Teow soup, Penang Mee Yoke (Prawn Noodles), Singapore Laksa, Sarawak Laksa.