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

Prawns in spicy milk sauce

The curry leaves made their first debut in my Nestum Butter Prawns-Next time when you see cereals, you should not just say "Got Milk?"

Now, the curry leaves are making an appearance in Prawns in Spicy Milk Sauce-So, in future when you see prawns, you can say "Got Milk?" ! Yey!

Prawns in spicy milk sauce(serves 2)
Ingredients:
-600g medium-size prawns; slit back, deveined and de-shelled
-1tbsp butter
-3-4tbsp curry leaves
-1tsp red chilli pepper flakes
-3tbsp fresh milk

Seasoning:
-1tsp sugar
-1/2tsp salt
-1tsp curry powder

Method:
1. Deep-fry prawns in hot oil till cooked. Dish and drain.
2.Melt butter in a pan and saute curry leaves and chilli flakes till fragrant. Add in milk, seasoning and bring to simmer
3.Add in prawns, stir-fry till well-mixed
4. Dish and serve

Tag: prawns, shrimps, spicy milk sauce

Bean sprouts tomato soup

Bean sprouts tomato soup (serves ~2-3)
Ingredients:
-3/4lb bean sprouts, washed with roots removed
-2 tomatoes, washed and cut into bite-size pieces
-1/2lb lean pork(optional; can be omitted if going vegetarian)
-salt to taste

Method:
1.Blanch the pork in boiling water to remove scum
2.Place blanched pork in slow-cooker and cook for 1hr
3.Turn to low heat, add bean sprouts and tomatoes, simmer in slow-cooker for 15-20mins
4.If you prefer more crunch to the bean sprouts and tomatoes, simmering for just 10 mins will do

Tag: bean sprouts, tomatoes, soup

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