Steamed chicken with mushrooms and ginger

Steamed chicken with mushrooms and ginger (serves 4)

Ingredients:
-1lb chicken ( I use ~1/2lb thigh, cut into bite-size + 6 mid-joint chicken wings)
-6-8 fresh shitkae mushrooms, wipe with damp cloth, stalks removed, caps julienned
-2 pieces ginger, cut into fine shreds
-3 stalk scallions/spring onions, jullienned on the bias into strips
-1tsp crushed ginger


Marinade:
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1tsp cornflour
1-2tsp sesame oil

Method:
1.Marinate chicken for 30 mins
2.Sprinkle mushrooms, ginger, scallions on bottom of plate (1st layer). Place on medium plate large enough to go into steamer. Start letting those "pizza creation"ideas fill you...plate like how you would prepare and top a pizza...(just that no cheese, no tomatoes, no olives - they are replaced by mushrooms, scallions and ginger)


3.Place chicken on top of 1st layer
4.Sprinkle remaining mushrooms, ginger, scallions on top of chicken (Does it look like a pizza?)


5.Boil water in steamer. When water is at a boil, add chicken and steam of 20-25mins


6. When done, serve hot with steamed rice - oh...it smell so good that I had to scoop that portion out to eat with rice quick! (Note:Any oil globules you see here is just the oil/fats from the chicken & that of sesame oil)



Tag: steamed chicken, mushrooms,ginger

Mini chicken pie

Mini chicken pie
Ingredients:
-Puff pastry (one puff pastry sheet remaining, after making curry puff and chicken strudel)
-Filling ingredients are same as chicken strudel

Chicken curry puff

Mini chicken curry puff (makes 9-10 minis)
Ingredients:
-1/3 of a sheet of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry (1 box ~ 2sheets; 1 sheet~sectioned into 3 rectangulars). The other 2/3 of a sheet was used in Chicken Strudel.
-2-3cups chicken curry (Note: use your leftover homemade chicken curry with potatos, or cook chicken curry just for this, or use your preferred curry mix and add potatos). Make sure chicken curry is dry for the curry puff (Note: wet chicken curry will make the pastry soggy)
-1 hard-boiled egg, cubed

Method:
1. Thaw pastry per box instructions (Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry)
2. Cut 1/3 from one sheet of pastry; use rolling pin to flatten the pastry slighty
3.Use any round mould (small) to cut off circular sections, use rolling pin to flatten before adding filling
4.Add filling and top with cubed eggs

5.Wrap it up like a round curry puff, and remember to "poke" some holes on the top surface (thanks to Simcooks for the "poking" tip)
6.Place in preheated oven of 400F, and bake 20-25mins
7.Out comes the minis!

Small- just slightly bigger than those Chinese New Year peanut puffs (a.k.a kok chai)


Can you see those eggs ? Can I call it Young Chang Kee...because there's egg inside. The crust is so flaky and crumbly...love it!

Medium - Not available. Uncommon sizing, so not made by me, the "manufacturer"

Large - One piece left, almost out-of stock!! Most are already gobbled up by hungry people, like me. Compare the size of the Large and Small...


Extra Large- You just have to change the filling in here to get extra-large curry puff. Who says it can't be done?


Tag: curry puff

Chicken porridge

Chicken porridge (serves 2)
Ingredients:
-remaining chicken breast with rib from here
-~400ml chicken broth from here
-3-4 stalks from a bunch of celery, washed and chopped to small pieces
-1/2lbs baby carrot, washed and chopped to small pieces
-1cup frozen corn, thawed
-1.5l water
-dash of pepper, to taste
-1.5cup rice

Method:
1. Cook porridge per proportion of rice
2.In a pot, boil the chicken broth with water
3.When boiled, add in celery, carrots, and corn, continue boil 15-20mins
4.By this time, the porridge is already cooked, scoop out the porridge and add into pot with broth

5.Boil just for a while more for 5mins, stirring evenly
6.Garnish with fried shallots and parsley, and serve



Tag: porridge, congee, chicken

Beef kway teow (rice sticks)

Beef kway teow (serves 2)
Ingredients:
-~1lb flap beef
-~1lb fresh/dry rice noodles or kway teow (if dry, blanch them till they are 95% cooked). I got myself fresh ones like this:

-1/2lb you chai (can be kailan too)
-1/2pack enoki mushrooms(option: these are awkward amounts left in my fridge but they are actually great with beef...think of a teppanyaki dish, will you? Enoki mushrooms add that special touch...you can't find it in other beef kway teow! It turned out to be a special ingredient!)
-3tbsp vegetable oil
-1tsp crushed ginger(or 4 slices fresh ginger)
-2tsp crushed garlic(or minced)

Seasoning:
-1tbsp soya sauce
-2tsp Chinese wine
-1tbsp oyster sauce
-1tsp cornflour
-1tsp sesame oil
-1tbsp vegetable oil

Method:
1.Slice beef THINLY against the grain.
2.Marinate the beef with all the seasoning ingredients(EXCEPT vegetable oil) for 30mins.
After 30 mins, add the vegetabe oil.
3.Heat 1tbsp oil in a wok, stir fry the enoki and you chai till partially cooked or lightly limp (2-3mins).
4.Set them aside.
5.Heat 1tbsp of oil in a wok; till hot, fry/saute garlic
6.Add rice noodles and stir fry for about 4-5mins till lightly browned
7.Set the noodles aside.
8.Heat remaining oil in wok, add beef, remaining marinade and ginger
9.Stir fry beef till colour changes.

11. Add rice noodles and vegetables, stir fry till everthing is well coated.
12. Serve hot or warm (I got this tip from Simcooks - if not consumed immediately, wrap up with Al-foil and steam before serving. Less an oily plate to wash. Yay!)


Tag: beef, rice sticks, beef kway teow

Chicken strudel/chicken pie

Chicken Pie (serves 2 if hungry, serves 4 under normal conditions)
Ingredients:
-2/3 of 1 sheet rectangular puff pastry sheet, thawed per instructions on packaging
-1 large carrot, boiled and cubed
-1 large potato, boiled and cubed
-1 cup frozen corn, thawed (Option: you can use frozen mixed vegetables-peas, carrots, corn, to substitue carrot and corn)
-2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
-1tbsp olive oil
-1tsp cornflour mixed in 2tbsp water(adjust accordingly)
-1 hard-boiled egg, cubed
-salt, and pepper, to taste

Method:
Filling-
1.Heat oil in pan, add in chicken, corn, carrot, and potato to fry lightly 2-3mins
2.If too much moisture, add in cornflour paste to thicken till almost dry
3.Add in salt and pepper, to taste. When filling is cooked, set aside to cool


Crust-
4.Preheat oven to 350-400 degrees F (175 degrees C)
5.Prepare pastry


6.Add filling, then add eggs on top of filling


7.Seal and crimp edges of pastry; rub some butter on the pastry before baking in oven


8.Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30mins, or until golden brown


Biting into it...the flaky pastry, warm soft potatos& carrots...I'm lovin' it!

Braised chicken wings with assorted mushrooms

Braised chicken wings with assorted mushrooms (serves 4)
Ingredients:
-12 mid-joint chicken wings
-2tbsp dark soy sauce
-2tbsp oyster sauce
-2 garlic cloves, crushed whole
-1 can Chinese button mushrooms, whole
-8 fresh shitake mushrooms, wiped with damp kitchen towels, stalks removed, keep caps whole
-1 stalk scallions/sping onions, jullienned
-1tsp crushed ginger
-2tsp brown sugar
-water, adjust accordingly

Method:
1.Marinate chicken wings in soy sauce for 30 mins or more
2.In pan, heat 1tbsp oil over medium fire. Stir fry garlic till fragrant, add chicken wings, shitake and button mushrooms
3.Add oyster sauce to the chicken and mushrooms. If looks dry, add some water/broth then bring to boil
4.When boiled, simmer the chicken wings and mushrooms covered for about 30mins
5.Slightly stir in crushed ginger and scallions, and sugar
6.Simmer, covered for 5-6mins
7.Serve



Tag: braised chicken, braised chicken wings, mushrooms,shitake, button mushrooms

Spinach soup with tofu, wolfberries and shitake

Spinach soup with tofu, wolfberries and shitake(serves 2)
Ingredients:
-2 blocks medium-sized silken tofu, rinsed gently, then drained and place each block in a bowl
-~0.75lb spinach, washed and cleaned
-1/4 lb ground pork
-2tbsp wolfberries (Pablopabla, hawthorn same as wolf?)
-6 shitake mushrooms, wiped with damp kitchen towels, stalks removed, caps julienned
-1tsp dried anchovies, soaked in warm water, then rinsed off
-750ml water
-salt, to taste

Method:
1. Boil water in a soup pot. When boiled, add dried anchovies, ground pork, mushrooms, and wolfberries to the water, add salt to taste

2. In the same pot, blanch the spinach(1min). When blanched, set aside the spinach (Note: I did not cook the spinach together with the soup, just in case I overcook the spinach while boiling the soup unattended). Alternatively(non-blanching method), you can add in spinach, last, when everything is just about ready to be served.
3.Use some boiling water to drizzle over the tofu, then rinsed away the water after 30 secs. Repeat 3 times. This will ensure tofu is warm when served.
3.Place blanched spinach around tofu in a bowl (Note: This is also part of the reason why I set aside the spinach in 2., so that the spinach act as a base for the soft soft tofu to sit comfortably as a whole).
4. Pour soup (of anchovies, minced pork, mushrooms, wolfberries) over tofu and spinach.


Tag: tofu, beancurd, wolfberries,spinach, soup

Chicken macaroni soup

Chicken macaroni soup (serves ~4)
Ingredients:
-1 whole chicken breast with rib
-5-6 stalks from a bunch of celery, washed and sliced
-0.75lbs baby carrot, washed and cut into halves
-2.5l water (adjust accordingly)
-1cup chicken broth(option)
-pinch of salt, to taste
-dash of pepper, to taste

Method:
1.Boil the chicken breast with rib in 2.5l water for 30-45mins, till cooked through
2.Remove boiled chicken breast from pot, to cool. When cooled, shred the chicken breast(use half of amount; keep the other half in the fridge for future use)
3.Throw the chicken rib back into the pot, add in celery and carrots, and continue boil for 30mins
4.Meanwhile, cook marcaroni in boiling water for 10-12mins
5.Pour soup of celery and carrots over the macaroni, top with shredded chicken
6.Garnish with fried shallots and parsley, and serve

P.S. You can add any seasonable leafy greens (bok choy, you cai, chinese spinach) to the chicken macaroni soup at the side, if you wish to have more vegetables. I added some chinese spinach that was blanced(1min) in the chicken broth of chicken ribs, celery and carrots.

Tag: macaroni, soup, chicken, chicken macaroni soup

Stir fry pea sprouts with garlic& ginger

Stir fry pea sprouts with garlic& ginger (serves 2)
Ingredients:
-1/2lb pea sprouts
-oil for frying
-1/2 tsp crushed garlic
-1tsp crushed ginger

Method:
1.Heat frying pan with oil, at medium heat
2.Add in garlic and ginger and fry for 1min
3.Add in the pea sprouts and fry quickly for 2-4min. If dry, add some water during frying
4.Serve up, and eat !


Tag: stir fry, pea sprouts, vegetables

Pipa tofu

Pipa tofu (serves 3-4)

Ingredients:
-1 block silken tofu
-1/3lbs minced pork(you can use shrimps and chop it finely in food processor till like a paste)
-2 stalks scallions
-1 small carrot, washed and peeled
-1 egg
-1tbsp cornstarch
-~1lb boy choy, washed, cut into sections and blanched

Sauce(mix together):
-1tbsp soy sauce
-4tbsp chicken broth/stock
-1tbsp cornflour

Method:
1.Drain the tofu and mash it up in a bowl

2. Add the minced pork to the tofu
3. Chop 2 of the stalks of scallion and mince the carrot; then add 1.5 of the quantity of chopped scallions and all the carrot to the tofu and minced pork

4.Add egg, salt and cornflour. Mix the contents of the bowl until well combined
5.Heat oil at high in a pan. Use a spoon to scoop up about a tablespoon of tofu mixture at a time; shape it into an ovaloid ball, then drop into the hot oil. (Note: Do not overcrowd – you’ll probably only be able to cook 4-5 at a time. Turn them gently in the oil, deep-frying until golden brown)
6. Remove with a slotted spoon and let them drain on paper towels while you continue shaping and cooking the remainder of the mixture. (Note: Be careful when handling the tofu, as the tofu is fairly delicate)
7. To make the sauce, heat 1tsp of oil in a clean saucepan and stir-fry the remaining scallion until fragrant, add the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Thicken with the cornflour.
8. Arrange the cooked greens on a plate, with the tofu ovaloids on top. Pour the sauce on top and serve.



Tag: tofu, beancurd, pipa tofu

Tonkatsu-curry don

Tonkatsu-curry don (2-3 servings)
Ingredients:
-Oil for frying
-4 boneless pork chops, each about 1/2 inch thick
-1 egg
-2 tablespoons cornflour
-1 cup(or more) panko bread crumbs
-1 pack SB curry sauce (or any Japanese curry sauce)

Method:
1.Pound pork to 1/4 inch thick using meat tenderizer or back of a cleaver. Beat egg until blended. Coat both sides of pork with flour, then dip into egg and finally coat thoroughly with bread crumbs.

2.Pour oil at least 1 inch deep into electric frying pan or deep frying pan
3. Fry pork in oil until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.

4.Cut pork cutlets into strips, place pork cutlets over cooked plain rice, and serve with Japanese curry sauce

It's DONE!

Tag: SB curry, tonkatsu, don, pork cutlets, Japanese

Lychee chicken

If you like Sweet and Sour Pork, or Orange/Lemon Peel Chicken, then you should love this dish as well, since it's both sweet and tangy.

Lychee chicken(serves ~4)
Ingredients:
-~1.5lbs chicken thigh (you can use chicken breasts,leg fillets, wings), cut to bite-size pieces
-2tbsp soy sauce
-1tbsp salt
-1tsp sesame oil
-1tsp sugar
-4tbsp corn flour to coat chicken
-2cups oil for deep frying
-1tsp chopped garlic
-1tsp crushed ginger
-1can lychee, drained, syrup reserved
-1tsp red chilli flakes
-sliced spring onion and red chilli (for garnish)

Sauce:
-1 cup lychee syrup
-2tbsps tomato sauce
-1tbsp corn flour, mixed with 1tbsp water

Method:
1.Marinate chicken with soy sauce, salt, sesame oil and sugar for 30 mins. Roll chicken in corn flour and deep-fry till golden brown.Set aside.
2. In another pan, heat 1tbsp oil over medium fire. Stir fry garlic and ginger for 1-2mins. Add sauce ingredients, and cook till sauce thickens.
3.Add the chicken, lychees and chillies. Mix well, and allow simmer for 3-5mins.
4.Garnish and serve.


Tag: lychee, chicken

Double-boiled soup -雪耳润肺汤

I'm now too sick to get back to normal kitchen routine. I can't even speak in complete sentences. It should be "this double-boiled soup is suitable for all members of the family". I do know that missing words and truncated sentences can lead to deep serious misunderstanding. Oops!

Slowly but surely, I hope, this double-boiled soup can whet your appetite.

Lacking a good understanding of chinese herbs, such soup packs save me a trip to the chinese herbal/medicine shop to choose herbs for a particular soup.

雪耳润肺汤 - it writes "Suitable for all members of the family"

It should be one of those least artificial pre-packed food, since there are no preservatives, no additives, no artificial flavorings. The herbs are pre-chosen(usually dried) and combined in a pack to yield soup that can either improve general health, or target certain deficiency in health such as loss of appetite, remove phelgm, improve yin/yang deficiency etc.

First, lean pork was blanched (to remove scum), then placed at the bottom of a bowl. The ingredients/herbs (杏仁, 玉竹, 雪耳, 无花果, 蜜枣) in the soup pack were then placed on top of the pork, and water added such that the pork and herbs were completed submerged.


It's now time for double-boiling.
I had a first attempt, using double boiling technique to cook this soup. Double boiling is a cooking technique to prepare delicate food such as bird nests and shark fins etc. The food is typically covered with water and put in a covered ceramic jar. The jar is then steamed for several hours. This technique ensures there is no loss of liquid or moisture (its essences) from the food being cooked, hence it is often used with expensive ingredients such as chinese herbs.


So soothing to drink. No bitterness, and it's naturally sweet. Can you see the essence ?


Tag: herbal, chinese herbal, soup