Crispy Fried Okra
Topic: Vegetables
Yesterday, while I was browsing some Thai websites, I read one recipe which sounds appealing to me, CRISPY FRIED OKRA, wow sounds good!

So last night, I checked our refrigerator if we still have some okra so that I can try it, luckily I found but only few, about 10 pieces only. No problem, I will still try it. Actually, the recipe was very simple, so when I cooked I add some spices to taste even better. The result, wow, very crispy! For those who don't like getting the slimy juice of okra, then this is the solution, very dry and no slimmy juice at all. The best way to eat this recipe is dip it in chili fish/soy sauce with lemon or a plain tomato ketchup.

Ingredients:
1 pound okra, half open lengthwise each
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2/3 cup cooking oil
salt to taste

Directions:
1. Mix all the flours, baking powder, salt, spices and water together. Stir and mix well. Drop the okra in, make sure that all side of the okra will be coated well with the batter.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat.
3. Drop the okra in the pan separately and fry until golden brown.
4. Remove the okra onto a paper towel lined dish.

Serve immediately.

Eggplant Omelet
Topic: Vegetables
To make and Eggplant Omelet or Tortang Talong in Filipino, the eggplant must be pre-cooked either broiled, steamed, boiled or grilled. The last one is my favorite method. Basically, the batter is made of egg and flour, you can also add ground meat or tuna flakes to taste even better. But me, whenever I cooked this recipe, I didn't use flour because I don't want my vegetable to taste like pancakes! hehe...

Here's the simpliest recipe of eggplant omelet,

Ingredients:
3 medium size eggplant (long variety), pre-cooked
2 eggs, beaten
1 small size tomato, chopped
1 small size onions, chopped
1 tsp. fish sauce
1/4 tsp. ginger powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 long green pepper, chopped
1/3 cup of cooking oil
salt to taste

Directions:
1. Peel off the skins of the eggplant, leaving the stems on. Flatten the bodies.
2. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except the eggplants and oil. Blend together until smooth.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet until its starts to smoke. Hold the eggplant in its stem and dip it in the batter. Fry it in the hot oil until golden, turn once to cook the other side. Cook only 1 eggplant at a time to have perfect omelet.

Vegetable Chopsuey
Topic: Vegetables
My husband always likes to eat mix vegetables, he said he likes to eat different tastes in one dish. That's why when I cooked vegetables, I always add many ingredients. Sometimes I combined all the vegetables in our fridge and stir-fried it, and you know what? he still likes it.
Chopsuey became one of our favorit vegetable recipe in the house because it's very easy to find its ingredients here in Kuwait. Here's one:

Ingredients:
2/3 cup shrimp, peeled leaving the tails on
2/3 cup squid, sliced
1 medium carrot, sliced
50 g snow peas / baguio beans
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets
100 g baby corn, cut into halves
2/3 cup button mushrooms, quartered
1 large green bell pepper, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. cold water
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a pan. Stir fry the carrots, cauliflower and peas/beans. Set aside.
2. Saute garlic and onion in the remaining oil. Add shrimps and squid. Add in the fish sauce, broth and sugar. Let it boil and simmer for 2 minutes, then add the mushrooms and baby corn. Simmer for another 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the previously stir-fried vegetables. Add the bell pepper.
4. Blend the cornstarch to the cold water and mix with the oyster sauce.
5. Pour in the corntarch mixture to the vegetables and stir, cook for 2 minutes.
6. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve hot.

Eggplant with Oyster Sauce
Topic: Vegetables
When I was a kid, I never eat any vegetable. I only started to eat vegetables when I was in high school and eggplant was not in my list. When I was in college, I learned to eat any vegetable served in the dining table, asked me why? The answer is I don't know, now eggplant is one of my favorite.

The first time I cooked eggplant with oyster sauce (some named it braised eggplant), I just cooked it plain and it doesn't look good, however it taste good as well, and my hubby is very particular with the way how the foods look, he want the foods to be attractive, that's why whenever I cooked braised eggplant now, I add mixed vegetables (carrots and green peas).

Ingredients:
4 medium size eggplants, sliced diagonally
1/3 cup chicken breast, sliced thinly
1 medium onion, quartered
1 tbsp. garlic (minced)
1 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 cup mixed vegetables
1 medium size green bell pepper, slice into strips
3 tbsp. cooking oil
pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat a skillet. Pour in the cooking oil until start to smoke. Saute the garlic for about 30 seconds, then add the chicken and soy sauce. Stir to blend well until the chicken are fully cooked.
2. Add the eggplants, cook for about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add in the rest of the ingredients and continue to stir for 1-2 minutes. Serve hot.