Tangsuyuk (Sweet, Sour, and Crispy Pork: 탕수육) Recipe

Ingredients:

1/4 kilo of pork (lean meat)

5-7 pcs of medium-sized shitake mushrooms (soaked for 1 hour)

2 cups of potato starch (dissolved in water)

1 tsp ginger (chopped finely)

1 egg (egg white only)

Sauce:

1 medium-sized cucumber (sliced thinly)

2-3 rings of canned pineapple (cut into quarters)

1 medium-sized carrot

1 small apple (sliced thinly)

1 small onion (sliced thinly)

3-4 pcs woodear mushrooms (soaked and chopped)

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp wiphite vinegar

1 tsp soy sauce

3 cups water

2 tbsp potato starch (dissolved in water)

1. Slice the pork thinly and dry marinate it with ginger, salt and pepper. Put in fridge.

2. Have the dissolved potato starch settled at the bottom of the mixture for an hour and a half.

3. Cut shitake mushrooms in quarters. Put some salt, pepper and potato starch powder.

4. Mix two tbsp of potato starch on the pork.

5. Once the starch is settled at the bottom of water-starch mixture remove the water and mix the egg white, then pork and mushrooms.

6. Deep fry the pork and mushrooms until it turns light brown.

7. Put in strainer and set aside. Prepare the sauce now.

SAUCE

8. Saute onion, carrots, apple,  and woodear mushrooms.

9. Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.

10. Add vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and a little salt and pepper.

11. Mix the dissolved potato starch until the sauce thickens.

12. Re-fry the mushroom and pork. This will make them very "crunchy-crunchy"

Serve it separate or you can pour the sauce into the fried pieces.

If in doubt, visit www.maangchi.com and search for tangsuyuk.

VERDICT
WILL: Crunchy! Crunchy!

I can't count how many times Abbey watched Maangchi while cooking this cuisine. He watch over and over and it made me drool and asked my husband to cook it for me. Finally, first Sunday of year 2015 I got to taste this famous Tangsuyuk.

I can't control myself when I saw the first batch of fried mushroom and pork. I warned Abbey that I might ate it all before he prepared the sauce. But it is crunchier when Chef Hubby double fried it.

I am so surprised to taste the sauce. Delicious!

We will never forget to add this viand in our monthly dish. Healthy and yummy option. 

Chicken Up - Korean / Chicken Restaurant

ABBEY: First things first, this restaurant is only open after office hours; so no breakfast or lunch being served. We learned this the hard way. Not checking their operating hours, we headed to have lunch after our physical exam. Lo and behold, they're close. 

Second, be there early else you have to queue. No reservations. Chicken Up is located at 48 Tanjong Pagar Road and they are serving Korean cuisine. As the name itself, they focus on poultry. They have their chicken buffet for only S$25. 

We tried fried Soya chicken wings. This is very flavorful, delicious and finger-lickin' good. I enjoyed eating this with a cup of hot white rice. We also tried the normal fried chicken and hot ones. They look exactly the same. But once you take bite, then you'll be looking for water if you pick the spicy piece. This is also the case with their chicken stew. 

The glass noodles item is recommended. It is like Pinoy sotanghon but with thicker soy sauce-based sauce and more mushrooms. Each main item would start at less than 15sgd only. I also recommend their watrmelon juice.

WILL: We always wanted to dine at Chicken Up but we didn't get a good chance. I am so glad that Ford's farewell party was held there. 

They do not accept reservations but luckily Mondays are my husband's off. I begged him to queue for us. We arrived minutes before the clock strikes 6pm. 

We ordered for the flavors of soya, spicy up, yangnyum and andong chicken stew. Yangnyum stands out. Its sauce makes a difference; sweet yet have some spike of spiciness. Do not get deceived of Spicy Up, it looks the natural fried chicken but it will surely kick your butt. Haha! We almost forgot to taste the Japchae. The noodles are chewy. Very Korean. 

Instead of ordering soda, we got the Chicken Up's famous Watermelon Soju (a watermelon juice mixed with popular distilled drink of Korea). Sweet and have some hint of alcohol. Do not drink too much. Ok? 

The prices of this chicken is really expensive. If you want to get the value of your money go for chicken buffet $25 but only for 2 hours. :) 

See you next time Chicken Up. 

Nutella Flan Recipe

Ingredients: for 3 medium-size llanera

6 egg yolks

1 can condensed milk

1 can evaporated milk

4 tablespoonful Nutella

2 tsp vanilla extract

Caramel: 2-3 tablespoon sugar per llanera

1. Put sugar in llanera and place it under stove (low heat)

2. Once it liquifies, remove from heat and set aside. Make sure that all sugar is dissolved.

3. Mix other ingredients in a bowl slowly so it will not be aerated too much.

4. Use a strainer when putting the mixture in the containers to filter bubbles and lumps.

5. Have a pot boiling with water. And then steam the mixture for 30mins.

6. Let it cool for sometime and put it in fridge. Serve it cold.

VERDICT
WILL: Abbey told me that he have a surprise for me. He can’t hold the excitement so he told me that he’lll do a chocolate flan for me this holiday season. A bright bulb of idea sprung in my head, I get in touch straight away with my Ate Beth for her to cook this unique dessert. An instant business was built that day and she have more than 50 orders for 25^th December alone.

Abbey not satisfied for a simple chocolate, he combined Nutella with yolks! The result! A PIECE OF HEAVEN! The creaminess of egg and milk went well together with the sweetness of Nutella Chocolate Spread.

Abbey never fails to create sweet surprises! Love it Chef Abbey!