Making the Sauces

I mentioned earlier that you need to buy the gravy sauces or prepare them traditionally before adding to the cooked fish, seafood, chicken or meat in the microwave oven.Meat or poultry will have to be marinated well and placed in the fridge at least one hour, better overnight, before they are cooked in the microwave so that they taste good.

So Zaty has to come home to make her sauces.Better still, I will prepare them earlier, freeze them in small microwave containers and she can bring them back to her apartment when she comes home for the weekend. But poor Ikmal,being a few thousand kilometers away, cannot come home for his supplies.He will have to prepare them himself the normal traditional way and freeze them for the times when he is too tired or has no time to cook as exams are coming.

I normally cook extra during the days when I am free and freeze the leftovers in small microwave containers.Whenever I find that I don't have much time to cook,i.e upon returning home near mealtimes when everyone is hungry, I will take out the leftover gravies and thaw them in the microwave oven.If their are leftover fried fish, I will add them to the gravy.If not, fresh fish is used after thawing and frying them seasoned with salt and turmeric.Small fish do not need thawing in the microwave as they thaw pretty fast when placed while still wrapped in plastic into a bowl of water.

Meat and chicken cook faster after they are thawed in the microwave before being added to curries and other gravies.

Making the different sauces:
You may need to vary the amount of ingredients to your taste.

1. Black Pepper Sauce

Ingredients
1 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp black pepper powder, 2 tbsp corn flour, 2 tbsp soya sauce. 350 ml water, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 Knorr Stock Cube ( optional).

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Mix black pepper,cornflour, soya sauce, water and salt and add to hot oil.Stir thoroughly so that gravy thickens well and if it is too thick add more water.

If cooking in a microwave you can put all the ingredients, blended first, together and cook for about two minutes before stirring and letting it stand.

2. Sweet and Sour Sauce

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil,2 tbsp chilli sauce, 2 tbsp tomato sauce, 1 tbsp soya sauce,1 tsp vinegar,1 tbsp cornflour mixed in some water,1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar if desirable.

Method of preparation is similar to the black pepper sauce, either traditionally or by microwave. The water should be added gradually so that the sauce is not watery but slightly thick but runny. Adding pieces of pineapple slices makes a tasty addition to the sweet and sour sauce.The sauce mixes well with fried fish, chicken or meat.

3. Plum Sauce

Ingredients and cooking method are similar as black pepper sauce but add dried Chinese plums and use light soya sauce instead of dark soya sauce.Makes a lovely sauce for steamed fish.You can microwave the fish in a little sauce separately before adding to the cooked sauce.
The garnishing will include cut ginger slices, cilantro,celery, carrots or any vegetable of your choice.You may place the garnishing together in the sauce just before end of cooking time.
For a more elaborate sauce for steamed fish, see my earlier posting in May.
4) Chilli Sauce

Ingredients:
1 onion, 10 cloves garlic,cooked in a little oil before adding 5 tbsp chilli paste. Cooked the chilli well before adding 1 tbsp cornflour, 1 tsp salt, all mixed in some water and 4 tbsp vinegar. Add 5 tbsp sugar.You can add mashed papaya or mashed mango instead of sugar for a delicious flavored chilli sauce.You may need to adjust the water volume to get a saucy consistency.Add water little by little, not simply pouring it in one go.This sauce can also be used as dips for crackers or fritters.

As curries need a different cooking method,it will need a separate posting.Asam Pedas and Sambal has been included in earlier posts.