Linguine vongole

Linguine vongole (as side-dish, serves 2)
Ingredients:
-4-6oz linguine (this is a side dish, thus this pasta quantity)
-1lb of manila clams (tips on cleaning clams in which I did step 1. and 2.)
-1 stalks of scallion/spring onions, cut into small pieces
-2tsp crush ginger
-2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
-1tbsp olive oil
-2 cups Shaoxing wine
-1tsp sesame oil
-dashes of black pepper
-pinches of red pepper chilli flakes

Method:
1.Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente
2.Meanwhile, heat up Corningware pot with 1tbsp olive oil on medium heat
3.Stir fry ginger and garlic till fragrant
4.Add in the clams, Shaoxing wine, then let it cook and simmer, covered, for 3-5mins
5.Add in scallions, sesame oil, black pepper, chilli flakes, cook and simmer, covered until all shells are opened. When the shells open, the clams are cooked!
6.Add in linguine to the clams and mix well

7. Serve...clams are in the limelight here. If you prefer as a main dish, more pasta can be used.

Tag: linguine, vongole, linguine vongole, seafood, clams

Steamed tofu with minced meat

Steamed tofu with minced meat (serves 2-3)
Ingredients:
-1 block firm tofu/beancurd
-1/2lb minced pork
-1tbsp chopped shallots
-1/2tsp dried anchovies, soaked in warm water, rinsed off, and chopped finely
-1/2tsp dried shrimps, soaked in warm water, rinsed off, and chopped finely
-1tbsp chopped scallions/spring onions
-1tbsp oil

Seasoning:
1/2tsp dark soy sauce
1/2tsp sugar
dash of sesame oil and pepper

Method:
1.Steam the tofu at high heat for 10-15mins
2.While the tofu is steaming, heat up 1tbsp oil and saute the chopped shallots till fragrant. Add in dried anchovies and shrimps and fry till aromatic
3.Stir in minced pork, spring onions, seasoning, and mix well. (Do a taste test here. As I've added anchovies and shrimps for that crunchy texture, I did not have to use a lot of soy sauce since dried anchovies and dried shrimps are already salty. You can adjust the amt. of soy sauce based on your preference.)
4.Remove and place over steamed tofu

Tag: tofu, beancurd, steamed tofu

Stewed lion's head

Stewed lion's head (serves ~4)
Ingredients:
-~1lb minced pork
-400g Napa cabbage, cut into 6cm lengths
-1tbsp dried shrimps, soaked in water to soften then rinsed off water
-8caps fresh shitake mushrooms,wiped with damp towels, stalks removed and caps sliced; or
dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked and diced
-crushed ginger(you can use fresh ginger if you have that)
-1 stalk scallions/spring onions, cut into small pieces
-oil for frying
-200g vermicelli(mifen,bee hoon), soaked to soften

Seasoning:
-2tbsp dark soy sauce
-1/2tbsp corn flour or egg
-1tsp ginger juice
-1/2tsp sesame oil
-2 stalks scallions/spring onions, cut into small pieces
-salt and pepper, to taste

Sauce(option, mix together):
-1tbsp dark soy sauce
-chicken stock(option)

Method:
1.Mix pork with seasoning ingredients, make into meat balls (~6-8cm diameter for each)
2.Roll in additional corn flour and deep fry in oil till brown

3.Drain and set aside, while discard the oil leaving 2 tbsp
4.Heat oil and fry ginger, mushrooms, dried shrimps and cabbage
5.Add in stock or water, simmer for 10mins, then add in the meat balls

(I purposely tried to make it look like a lion's head, but in all directions I look, it does not look like one. Maybe I was wrong to conjure that head and mane image, or I'm just not destined to be a make-up artist)

5.Add in vermicelli and simmer further for 5-8 mins
6.Thicken with sauce ingredients (Optional. By this time, the soup should be very tasty. Add the sauce ingredients if you find too bland)
7.Garnish with spring onions and serve

Tag: stew, minced pork, cabbage, stewed lion's head

Chinese-style pork chop

Chinese-style pork chop
Ingredients:
-2 slices of pork loin chops (~ 1cm thick)
-2tbsp cooking oil (canola, peanut...)

Marinade:
-1tsp dark soy sauce
-1tsp honey
-pinch of salt, sprinkle over raw meat
-pinches of black pepper, sprinke over raw meat

Topping Sauce:
-30ml water
-1tsp corn flour
-1tbsp tomato ketchup

Method:
1.Before marinating the pork, tenderize it first by using a meat tenderizer, or using the back of the cleaver
2.Sprinkle salt and some pepper over the pork; then add dark soy sauce and honey to marinade pork. Leave it in fridge for 1/2 hour or more
3.Heat pan with about 1 tbsp of oil and grill the marinated pork on slow fire, about 4mins each side
4. When the pork are all cooked, set aside and use the remaining oil to cook the topping sauce
5. Mix topping sauce ingredients and pour into pan, then stir until boil
6. Top the sauce over pork chops


Tag: pork, pork chops, chinese pork chops

Sambal tapioca leaf

Sambal tapioca leaf (serves ~2-3)
Ingredients:
~1lb tapioca leaves; wash thoroughly and peel off tough bark (I seriously advise peeling off the tough bark on the stems, or cut off the stems. I did not, and the stems were rather tough to bite and chew on after cooking)
-1tbsp sambal chilli belachan
-1tsp dried shrimps; soaked in warm water, rinsed off, then finely chopped
-some warm water

Method:
1.Heat pan with oil on medium heat
2.Add in sambal and dried shrimps, then fry quickly for 1-2mins. Add in some water if mixture is too dry.
3.If you have cut the stems from the leaves and want to eat the stems, add in the stems first to fry for 2-3mins
4.When stems start to soften, add in the leaves and fry for another 1-2mins
5.Goes well with rice, so serve immediately

Tag: sambal belacan, tapioca leaves, vegetables, sambal chilli

Cereal prawns

麦片虾

Cereal Prawns (serves 2-3)
Ingredients:
-600g shell-on medium-size prawns; slit the back with veins removed, clean the prawns and pat-dry
-oil for deep-frying
-1tbsp butter
-1tsp red chilli pepper flakes
-2-3tbsp curry leaves
-1pack Cereal mix (can be substituted with 1/2 bowl Nestum cereals, 1tsp sugar, 1tsp non-diary creamer, pepper to taste)

Method:
1.Deep-fry prawns shell-on in deep pan with hot oil till golden brown. Dish and drain. Discard the oil
2.Melt butter in the same pan, saute chilli flakes and curry leaves till fragrant
3.Add in Nestum cereals, sugar, non-diary creamer and pepper and stir-fry till aromatic
4.Add in prawns and mix well

5.Dish up and serve

Tag: prawns, shrimps, cereal,cereal prawns

Linguine gamberetto

Linguine gamberetto (serves ~2-3, as a main dish)
Ingredients:
-1/2lb linguine
-1/2lbs medium-sized uncooked shrimps
-1-2tbsp olive oil
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2cup white wine
-some broccoli florets, blanched and chopped to smaller bite-size pieces
-some mini sweet peppers, julienned to strips
-1tsp dried oregano
-red pepper flakes, to taste
-salt and pepper, to taste

Method:
1.Cook the pasta, about 7-9 mins, in salted boiling water until al dente
2.In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Add the garlic and chile pepper and cook for ~ 1min
3.Add the oregano, shrimps and wine, and cook over medium heat until the shrimps are cooked (turn pinkish red)
4.Add in blanched broccoli and sweet peppers and stir-fry lightly for 1min
5.Drain the pasta, reserving a small cup of pasta water. Add the pasta to the shrimp mixture in the pan, and mix well, adding a little of the pasta water if the mixture seems dry.
6.Serve immediately

Alternatively, if you have already done up some grilled shrimps, you can skip step 2. and step 3., just add the wine to the grilled shrimps to deglaze, and continue from step 5.

Tag: linguine, garlic, shrimps, vongole,gamberetto

Steamed dungeness crab

Steamed dungeness crab (serves ~2)
Ingredient:
- 1-2 live dungeness crab, depending how big your wok is

Method:
1.Get the crab out from the refrigerator and prepare the wok for steaming
2.Fill the wok with water for steaming, start boiling the water
3.When the water in the wok starts to boil, place the crab in steaming position into the wok

4.Steam, covered for 15-20 mins. Within this time, the crab turns from purple-brown to bright orange, and then, time to eat!

Tag: bay area food, crab, steam, steamed crab, dungeness crab

Chicken satay

Chicken satay (makes ~25 sticks)
Ingredients:
- (~1lb) or 4 chicken thighs or chicken breasts (deboned), cut into strips 2cmx6cm

Marinade:
-2-3tsp curry power (mine contains coriander, cumin, turmeric...the key ingredients in chicken satay marinade)
-2tbsp canola oil
-1-2tsp brown sugar
-2tsp ground garlic
-1tsp ground ginger
-dashes of salt

Method:
1.Marinade chicken pieces 2 hrs before cooking the satay or leave marinated chicken in fridge overnight
2.Thread the chicken pieces onto bamboo skewers
3.Place chicken on shallow large base pan to grill. Grill each side for 4-5mins("exert some pressure" on the satay using kichen tongs such that it sizzles twice as much, on contact with the hot pan) , then turn to other side and grill for another 3-4 mins
4.Serve with ready-made satay sauce

Tag: satay, chicken, chicken satay

Pan-grilled garlic shrimps

Pan-grilled garlic shrimps
Ingredients:
-12 deveined, peeled medium- sized shrimps
-2tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
-2tsps crushed garlic
-1/2 to 1tsp crushed red pepper flakes
-salt and pepper
-1tsp lime or lemon juice
-2tsps dried oregano

Method:
1.Season shrimp with salt and pepper on both sides
2.Combine 1tbsp olive oil, crushed garlic, crushed red pepper, lime juice and oregano in a small bowl, mix in shrimps to combine with herbs and spices
3.Heat skillet/large surface pan over medium high heat
4.Add 1tbsp or a 1/2 turn of the pan of extra virgin olive oil to the hot skillet and sear/grill the shrimps 3mins on each side or until curled and pink
5.Serve with your favorite roasted vegetables

Tag: garlic, shrimps, oregano,grilled

Sambal Chilli Eggs

Sambal Chilli Eggs
Ingredients:
-4 hard boiled eggs
~1-2tbsps nonya sambal chilli
-Canola oil, 1 turn of the pan
-2tbsps water

Method:
1.Heat oil in medium sauce pan at medium heat
2.Add in nonya sambal chilli to fry
3.Add in water to dilute the chilli mixture
4.Reduce heat, add in the eggs, make a few turns of the eggs with a ladle to allow the chilli to coat the eggs

Tag: sambal belacan, eggs, sambal chilli