Red Hut @ Coopers Plain, Brisbane

Have you ever experience a form of torture in the process of pleasure? Oh wait, did that come out wrong?


What I meant was, erm, wait, exactly just that. Think along the lines of spicy food, pungent food or food with repercussions. Think any more than that and I believe you are in the wrong place.


Great examples are like the "Smelly Tofu", a Hong Kong classic, tofu that stinks like sewage but according to those who dare, it tastes delicious once you put it in your mouth or Durian, the pungent smell that stains cars and living rooms, not to mention the breathe.


A milder example is Sze Chuan food which uses so much chili to burn any throat if it wishes to. Most examples of Szechuan cooking involves chili; I don't know about you but the more spicier it is, the more I want to dig into it, leaving your tongue numb and the lips swollen thus the torture and the pleasure. Contrary to the belief that cold water should quench your thirst or cool down the heat, it is said that warm water does the trick better but it still feels good to have cold water instead.


So where does one go for tongue numbing food in this part of town, you ask? Well try Red Hut.


Signs you are walking into an authentic Chinese restaurant that will serve you everything spicy:a menu in mainly mandarin characters and a DIY order system where you have to write the down the dishes you want in mandarin characters (although you can approach the waitress to help you do it) and red "chilies" hanging as decor.


Dishes come in three levels of spiciness; mild, medium and hot. Trust me unless you eat chilies for breakfast, stick to mild because that will still cause you to sweat.


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Szechuan focuses on the use of chili oil and hotpots, this was one that used pork intestines. The first sip is actually almost refreshing and slightly minty from the pepper seeds before the chili knocks you off your seat.


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Another classic dish is the deep fried chicken tossed with dried chilies. If you thought that this was a lot of chilies used, we looked at the tables around us to see similar dishes with probably three times the amount of chilies. Talk about spicy.


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The Brinjal dish called "Yu Heung Kei Chi" is essentially a stir fry with minced meat, bean sauce and a little spice. This dish was probably the most comforting for the tongue to eat.

Alongside, we had a stir fry eel with almost raw garlic and a "sui zhu" beef which beef cooked in a chili broth. Pictures at this point was reduced to a blur, probably from all the smoke coming out from our nostrils.

Nothing about the meal speaks balance and mild, with flavours so strong, pungent and spicy that your tongue goes into over drive. Indulge in too much chilies and like one of my Gang bluntly commented, risk the wrath when it comes ou! t (too m uch detail).

So if you are game for some spicy food, give them a go.

Address and contact details:

Shop1 888 Boundary Rd,
Coopers Plains
Tel: 07 3161 9208

Verdict: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars. For someone who doesn't like their meals too spicy, this was a fun experience, once in a blue moon but don't think I will be returning so soon.

Chicken Kebob

A kebob refers to an assortment of meat recipes that originated in the Middle East.

Lamb was the original meat of choice for kebobs, but due to the diverse taste preference of the world, almost all kinds of meat can be used to make one even vegetables.

Chicken Kebob is a type of shish kebob recipe that I like. This makes use of tasty marinated chicken breasts and fresh vegetables. From what I understand, shish kebob is the term used to describe a skewered kebob. This can either be meat, poultry, or even fish.

The taste of this chicken Kebob recipe caught my attention. We are all familiar with the taste of chicken. This is one of the universal ingredients that taste good even if cooked the simplest way. However, chicken is even better if marinated in spices and seasonings. The marinade made this dish stand out not to mention the fresh grilled vegetables, of course.

I know that most of you have other ways of making kebobs. Please share your kebob recipe by placing a comment.

Try this Chicken Kebob recipe and let me know your thoughts.

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast, cubed

1 piece red bell pepper, sliced into squares

1 piece green bell pepper, sliced into squares

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 small zucchini, sliced

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Procedure:

1. Combine garlic powder, salt, ground black pepper, cinnamon powder, nutmeg, olive oil, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Mix well.

2. Put the chicken in the bowl and mix with the other ingre! dients. Place the bowl in the fridge and marinate overnight.

3. Skewer the vegetables (bell pepper, onion, and zucchini) and chicken alternately until the skewer is almost full. Note: if you are using a bamboo skewer, try to soak it in water for at least 20 minutes so that it wont burn easily.

4. Grill each side of Chicken Kebob in medium heat until the color turns medium brown.

5. Transfer to a serving plate and serve. You can eat this with rice, bread, and salad.

6. Share and enjoy!

Note: I made an oriental twist with my dipping sauce. I did it by combining 2 1/2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce, half a tablespoon of soy sauce, a tablespoon of brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water in a glass bowl. I mixed everything together and placed it in the microwave oven to cook for 30 seconds to a minute. It was really good.If You enjoyed this post, you might also like:


Day 11 - 3rd Day in Paris Versailles Tour

The owner of this bicycle will be disappointed to see his wheel missing @ St. Michel fountain.What a day....raining and underground train under repair. From St. Michel station we went to another station for another train SNCF (double decker) to Versailles a bit outskirt of central Paris.Versailles Train Station.A posh hotel on the way to the Palace of Versailles.Approaching the Palace.... with modern sculpture at the entrance.Even the horses have good accommodation back during King Louis IV's time.Our Tour Guide, Linda from Sandemans New Europe.This was the fencing where the angry common women came in thousands to tear down and got hold of Queen Marie Antoinette and sent back to Paris for execution.The Grand Apartments of those days is under now refurbishment.This is the back yard of the Palace, the mega garden of Versailles.
Too big & you can easily get lost in this gigantic garden.Time for a break before the second half of the tour.
Everywhere looks the same green, green, fountain and many fountains.
The musical fountain of Versailles.
Coming back from the garden and going up the steps leading to the Palace.And you see this beautiful and meticulously manicured garden next to the palace.Bye bye Versailles
That's it for the day and back to Montmantre for a simple dinner and tomorrow will be another day.


Simply Cooking: Microwaved Cheese and Spring Onions Omelette

For someone who relies on lecture recordings as if it is the air I breathe, the news that a lecture is not captured or the recording system broke halfway would send me into a series of panic attacks. This made me reconsider the idea of attending lectures but I really did not want to because it is a waste of my tram money and travelling time. Also, I cannot really concentrate in lectures. The slightest sounds can kill my concentration. Even the sound of someone coughing or whispering. It feels as if I can hear everything!! And imagine in a lecture hall filled with hundreds of people! 0_0

I really want to just stay in and finish up my 3000 word American contemporary history essay. I am split between going and not going but the better of me decided that I should do a litmus test. I should go and then see if anything gets uploaded. Just in case.

And if you are wondering if not attending lectures and relying on recordings will affect my grades? The answer is, no. In fact, I felt that ever since I stayed in and study, it improved my grades by 5 to 10 points. I think it works differently across individuals. I am the type of person who studies a lot at home. Sounds like I have no-life but I don't bloody care about having a life or not as long as I achieve my dreams. Then, I'll think about having a life. Moreover, I can always have fun on my holidays. :)

Since I'll be going up and down university, my time spent cooking will face severe cuts but I have found a way to counter this issue: eating lunch for breakfast and breakfast for lunch. Usually, I have home made sandwiches for breakfast and do the actual cooking for lunch. Now, I will just need to do the actual cooking on breakfast and pack sandwiches to lunch. Hehe.

"Now, wouldn't that be too unrealistic? You'll wake up tired and all!" You may wonder.

Well, I have my ways. One of them is by utilising the greatest creation in history: The microwave oven. Most people underestimate the power of the microwave oven. I use it to rehe! at my fo od, to steam fish, chicken, poach eggs and recently, I've discovered on JustBento.com that you can make omelette using the microwave oven.


Can you tell that this is microwaved?
Recipe: Cheese and spring onion microwave omelette (Serves 2) - Click here for original recipe.


Ingredients:

-2 eggs, beaten
-One tablespoon of water/milk/unsweetened soy milk
-A pinch of pepper
-1 spring onion, finely chopped
-A pinch of salt (if you prefer not to use salt, you can always serve it with tonkotsu sauce or pickles :) )
-1 slice of Cheddar Cheese Slice, broken up into small bits

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, beat two eggs with one tablespoon of liquid and pepper. When ingredients are well-mixed, add in pepper. Beat a little more. Cling wrap bowl and microwave high for 1 minute 30 seconds.

2. Stir the egg mixture gently and add in cheese. Stir a little more. Cling wrap bowl. Microwave high for 1 minute 30 seconds. Egg should appear solid and should slide around easily.

3. To form a rolled up shape, place omelette on a sheet of clean cling wrap while it is hot. Wrap the cling wrap to form a sausage-like shape. Seal the ends. Wait for 30 minutes, the omelette should be shaped like a cylinder. Cut and serve on the place. Have it as a side dish or with bread.

Thoughts about the recipe:

I find making this really entertaining and amusing because of the use of the microwave oven. After the end product, I was thinking: Hell! This is better than ! making t he Japanese thousand layer egg! Plus, one can use almost any ingredients with this omelette. Leftover mince, smoked salmon, ham etc.


I hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as I do. :) Have a great day!
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Boys' Night Out @ Fukuharu

Fukuharu has launched "Boys' Night Out," in which male customers enjoy one complimentary serving of sushi and a free flow of the restaurant's signature cocktail through 9pm Thursdays.
Earlier entries on Fukuharu: June 10, 2009 & Jan. 21, 2010.

Everyone's favorite: mentaiko tamago sushi, on the house tonight for men. Equal rights are ensured, since ladies who visit Fukuharu on Wednesdays receive this without charge too.

Mochi Caesar salad with ponzu mayonnaise. Deliciously different from regular Caesar recipes; the rice cakes supply a glutinous feel that some might prefer to the crispness of croutons.

Luscious avocado, blanketed in brilliantly light tempura batter.

Sea bass with pepper seeds & dried seaweed. Bored of typical sashimi preparations? Mix everything on this plate up for a crunchy, sharply spicy treat.

Breaded tuna, served rare. No complaints, but not the highlight of this meal.

Claypot rice with unagi. Might work better with a bit more eel in the bowl.

Three intriguing ice cream flavors: white sesame, miso & dashi (kelp & bonito flakes). Plenty of sweet-savory sensations here, reminiscent of cocoa & salted caramel.

Blue Twilight, a surprisingly potent sake-&-shochu-based cocktail. We were only here for an hour, but the two of us downed six of these, thanks to the free-flow. Kudos to the service team for always replenishing our drinks without us even asking.

Fukuh aru,
Terrace @ Hock Choon, Off Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

Charcoal Grill @ Izakaya Ju, J-Town

Located in J-Town, Izakaya Ju specializes in Japanese Style Grilled Food using imported Bincho Charcoal from Japan. It is one of a very few Japanese Restaurants around Markham and Richmond Hill that is owned and operated by Japanese people.

The menu features a number of Grilled Items such as Chicken Wings, Chicken Balls, Chicken Gizzard, Beef Tongue, and Pork Cheek. In addition, Ju also serves up a number of Izakaya Dishes like Takoyaki, Osaka Style Fried Rice, Soba Noodles and much more.


Grilled Squid
Grilled Squid
Grilled with just Salt and a squeeze of lemon. The Squid was very tender.


Grilled Pork Belly
Grilled Pork Belly
Pork Belly had a nice Crisp although some parts were a little dry from being over-charred.


Seared BC Tuna Tataki
Seared BC Tuna Tataki
I've always loved BC Tuna over the regular dark red Tuna. The texture of BC Tuna is much softer with a less fishy flavor. Here it was served with some Ponzu Dressing and was topped with some sliced Onions.


Grilled Atka Mackeral
Grilled Atka Mackeral
This wa! s delici ous. The Mackeral had a slight sour note from being marinated and was lightly grilled giving it a slight Charcoal Flavor. It was topped with minced Raddish and Ginger. There was no fishy flavor that is usually associated with it.


Pork Cheek: Delicious
Pork Cheek: Delicious
The Pork was grilled Crispy but because of it's high fat content the meat was still very juicy with a nice chewy texture.


Bincho Grilled Teriyaki Salad
Bincho Grilled Teriyaki Salad
My favorite dish at Ju. The Charcoal Flavor was imparted so well into the Chicken with the Teriyaki Sauce giving it a nice sweetness. It went well with the Soy-Based Salad Dressing.


Grilled Miso Cod
Grilled Miso Cod
The Cod had the right amount of Miso Paste without being too sweet. It was however a little too charred on the sides.


Nankotsu
Nankotsu
The Grilled Chicken Breast Bone was so-so. I loved the one's at Ri-Yakitori in KL which serves the Breast Bone with some Meat. Eating the Bones on it's own was a little too dry.


Kamo-Soba
Kamo-Soba
Uncle Richard Ordered this for himself. I did not really try it.


Gyu Tongue
Gyu Tongue
One of my favorites in Ju. It's a little expensive but the Tongue was grilled simply with some salt and pepper. It had a light crisp and was very juicy.


Most of the dishes we had were good with my favorites being their Grilled Bincho Chicken Teriyaki Salad, Grilled Beef Tongue and Pork Cheeks. Service is excellent even during busy times with the waiters and waitresses always smiling and tending to customer requests.


Food: 4.3/5
Service: 4.5/5
Ambiance: 2.5/5
Price: $$ (Approximately USD $20 per person)


Contact Information
Address: 3160 Steeles Avenue East Markham, ON, Canada
Tel: +1(905) 474-1058
Web: www.izakayaju.com/