Southeast Asia Mushroom Soup

After my recent visit to Bali I often find myself missing the taste of Southeast Asia. Especially their fresh, light, tangy, chilli soup. So today I am making this soup to ease my crave. In terms of mushroom, you can use any type of mushroom you like. I have dried Shiitake Mushroom and dried Black Fungus/Mushroom at home so I decided to rehydrate both and used it in my soup. Black fungus may not sound appetizing but it is pack with goodness. It improves circulation, lower cholesterol, help in treating dryness for example dry throat, dry cough and anti viral and it is tasteless on its own.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 spring onion (white bit), finely chopped
• 4 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 shallot or half small brown onion, finely chop
• 5 dried Shiitake mushroom, rehydrate, squeeze out liquid and sliced
• a handful of black fungus, rehydrate, squeeze out liquid and cut into 2
• 1 - 2 red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
• 1 litre vegetable stock, I used homemade vegie stock
• Juice of 1 lime (depending on your taste)
• 5 kaffir lime leaves, stem removed
• 1 carrot, cubed
• a handful of green beans, cut to about 2 cm length
• salt and pepper to taste
• Fried shallots - to garnish (How to make your own Crispy Fried Shallot - Click Here)

Method:

1.  Heat oil in a saucepan that can hold 1 litre or more liquid.
2. Saute spring onion, garlic and shallot until aromatic and lightly brown. About 5 minutes.
3. Add chilli and stir well. Add in sliced mushroom and black fungus cook for further 3 minutes.
4. Pour in the stock, lime juice and Kaffir lime leaves and bring to boil. 
5. Once boil add in carrot and bean and season to taste.
6. The soup is ready to be serve when the vegetables are tender. 
7. Garnish with deep fried shallots.
8. Serve with warm steam rice and sweet soy sauce. YUM!

Simple Beef Stroganoff (Version 1)

This delicious and easy to cook beef stroganoff can be coupled with steam rice or pasta. The only trick to this recipe is to add in sour cream right before serving. Hope you like this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 600g beef strips (I use rump steak)
• 2 tsp garlic, mince
• 2 shallots, cut into segment
• 300g button mushroom, sliced (I used can Champignons)
• 1 1/2 tbsp paprika
• 3 - 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1 1/2 cup sour cream
• Vegetable oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan or casserole pot that is big enough to accommodate the ingredients above. Seal beef strips in a hot smoking pan/pot. Seal the beef strips in a small batch and set aside. 
2. Once all beef strips is sealed, return all to the same hot pan/pot, add garlic, shallots, mushroom, paprika and tomato paste. Combine well and fry for 2 minutes or until fragrant. 
3. Add in beef stock and stir to combine. Bring to boil, cover with lid simmer for 20 minutes or until the meat tender.
4. Stir in sour cream before serving. 
5. Service with rice or pasta.

Enjoy =)

Broccoli Beef

This dish may look and sound simply, however, it taste amazing and pack with iron, vitamins, dietary fiber just to name a few.

Ingredients:

• 300g beef (eye fillet) or any cut if beef you desire, cut into pieces - marinade with 1/2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tsp chinese cooking wine, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 2 dashes of white pepper, a generous pinch of sugar and 1 tbs corn flour

• 1 medium size broccoli, cut out the florets and blanch
• 1 tbs + 1 1/2 tbs oil
• 1 inch ginger piece, peeled and sliced
• 1 clove ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs oyster sauce
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp corn flour
• 70ml liquid (water or stock)

Methods:

1. Marinate the beef for 20 minutes. 
2. Blanch broccoli floret (see below). Set aside.
3. For sauce : mixture 1 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs oyster sauce, 1/4 tsp sesame oil1/2 tsp sugar, tsp corn flour and 70ml liquid.
4. Heat 1 tbs oil in a wok over high heat. Add in marinated beef and stir fry until it is almost cook (60%  to 70%). Transfer to plate and set aside.
5. Heat 1 1/2 tbs oil in a wok over high heat (I wipe clean the wok above with paper towel before I add in oil). Add sliced ginger stir fry for 10 seconds and add in finely chopped garlic. Stir fry until aromatic. Add in almost cooked beef into the wok and stir fry until the beef in cook through. Add the blanched broccoli and the sauce mixture. Stir well to combine.
6. Once the sauce thicken, dish out and serve. Enjoy!!

TIPS:

Blanch: In a medium size pot of water, add a few drops of oil, generous pinch of salt and bring water to boil, . Once the water boiled, carefully add in the broccoli florets for 10 seconds. Remove the florets immediately with strainer to drain excess water .

Traditional Beef Casserole

Hello.. I have finally done with all my wedding related stuff and I am ready to start blogging again. Lets start with a post of Traditional Beef Casserole.

Ingredients:

1 kg chuck steak, cut into 3cm cubes
2 tablespoon season flour (I seasoned plain flour with salt and pepper to taste)
6 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium brown onion, chopped
2 medium carrot, halves and sliced thickly
2 celery stalks, trimmed, sliced thickly
3 garlic gloves, crushed
1 bouquet garni
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock (I used salt-reduced)
400g diced tomatoes
salt, pepper and sugar to taste


Methods:

1. Preheat oven to 160 degree Celsius (140 degree Celsius fan forced). 
2. Toss beef in seasoned flour until well coated; shake away excess flour.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium high heat in a large casserole pot. Cook the beef in two batches. Add another 2 teaspoons of olive oil for second batch. Remove beef from pot.
4. Add remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil and saute onion, carrot and leek for 2 minutes or until browned lightly.Add garlic, saute until garlic aromatic.
5. Add wine into the pot, stirring and bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduced wine for about half.
6. Return all the beef and any juices to the pot with the stock, tomatoes and bouquet garni, stir to combine and bring to boil. Cover and place in oven for 2 hours or until the beef tender.
7. Discard bouquet garni. Served casserole.

This traditional casserole can be served with bread, rice or mashed potatoes. 

Everything is in and ready to be boiled before it goes into oven, covered. 

Yummy.....

End results!!

 

Enjoy !!

Braised Pork with Mushroom

The name of this dish may sound common. But you will be blown away by the smell and flavour of this dish.

Ingredients:

• 500g pork belly, cut into bite size
• 15 dried shitake mushroom, soaked overnight and stemmed. Reserve the mushroom soaked liquid.
• 8 cloves garlics, crushed
• 2 cm ginger, sliced
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 3/4 tsp dark soy sauce
• 3 cups water (I use 1 1/2 cups of liquid reserve from mushroom soaked and 1 1/2 cups water)
• 3/4 tsp sugar or to taste
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine (or any Chinese cooking wine)
• salt to taste
• ground white pepper to taste
• 2 tsp cornflour + 1 tbsp water to thicken
• brocolli or bok choy or any other vegetables you prefer

Steps:

1. Heat oil in wok at medium high heat, add in ginger and garlic. Saute until fragrant. Then, add in mushroom and stir fry. 
2. Add in pork belly and stir fry until it is slightly brown.
3. Add in oyster sauce, light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Mix well, add in water and sugar. Bring to boil and let in cook for 3 minutes.
4. Cover with lid, reduce to medium low heat and let it simmer for 45 minutes or until the meat are tender and the mushroom is soft. Check occasionally so that the water does not dries up.
5. Meanwhile, while waiting for the meat to cook till it's preferred texture,  bring a pot of water to boil. Add in some salt and blanch the broccoli for 2 minutes. Drain and put aside.
6. Once the meat is ready, add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and mix in cornflour mixture. Then, bring to boil again. So that it thickens. 
7. Turn off heat and drizzle with sesame oil and shaoxing wine.
8. Dish out with the blanch broccoli. 

Rustic Russian Salad

What shall I say about this salad. This salad has a very appealing colour and you can expect the same for the taste (Sweet and short introduction isn't it?)

Ingredients:

• 8 medium potatoes
• 4 carrots, cut into 2-3cm chunks
• 300g green peas
• 1 tsp mustard (or to taste)
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (or to taste)
• salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Placed unpeeled POTATOES  into a large pot of cold water, bring to boil, cook potatoes for 8 to 10 minutes, then add the CARROTS and cook for further 5 minutes or until both potatoes and carrots are just cooked. Drain and cool. Once cool enough to handle, cut potatoes into 2-3cm chunks. 
2. Place GREEN PEAS into a large bowl, pour boiling water over and allow to blanch for 2-3 minutes, drain and refresh under cold water. 
3. Mix mayonaise, mustard, salt and pepper together until well combined. 
4. Put all the vegetables together in a bowl and fold through the dressing until combined. 
5. Season more with salt and pepper as desire and serve.

Bacon and Spinach Quiche

This is my another lazy and weekend typical meal :)


Ingredients:-

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
• 150g rindless bacon, in short and thin strips
• 150g baby spinach leaves
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 tbsp thicken cream
• 1/2 tbsp milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup Parmesan

Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 190 degree celcius. Grease pie dish. I use the aluminium pie dish available at the BBQ section so I have no idea of the measurement, 20cm perhaps? Line with the puff pastry, trim to fit, place dish oven tray, prick pastry light with fork, cover pastry with baking paper and fill with weights. 
2. Blind bake for 15 minutes with weights on (e.g rice), remove the weight and bake further until the pastry is browned lightly. About 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and bacon. Cook 8 - 10 minutes or until soft. Drain on a paper towel. 
4. Soak spinach in a hot boiling water and remove once wilts. Squeeze out moisture and chop.
5. Whisk eggs, thicken cream and milk together. 
6. To assemble the quiche, spread over spinach, bacon and onion. Pour over eggs mixture. Sprinkle over the Parmesan. 
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until just set.

Cabbage and Egg Stir Fry

This dish only took about 10 minutes to cook.It is filling, delicious and appetizing.

Ingredients:-

• 1/3 medium cabbage, cored and shred to 1/4 inch
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp fish sauce OR soy sauce
• a dash of white pepper
• salt to taste
• 30ml water

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil and light scramble the egg. Set aside
2. In the same wok/pan, add in remaining oil and stir in garlic until fragrant over medium high heat. Then, add in cabbage stir fry for 2 minutes or until heated through, add in fish sauce and pepper. Continue stir frying until you can see the cabbage starting to turns bright green  and translucent. Add in scrambled egg. Mix well with the cabbage, and add in water. Bring to boil, adjust the taste (adding the salt or not) and serve.

Baked Mushroom Spaghetti with Homemade Tomato Pasta Sauce

CookBook Challenge Week 47: Italian

If I decided to stay eat at home on weekends I would rather stick to something simple, easy and have minimum dish washing to do. Last weekend I decided to cook spaghetti with homemade tomato pasta sauce with portobello mushroom and bake in the oven to melt the cheese toppings. You can substitute portobello mushroom and spaghetti with any mushroom and pasta of your choice. I also make some white sauce to have with boiled brocolli.

Ingredients:-

• 500g packed spaghetti
• 400g Portobello mushroom, sliced
• 20g butter
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil or cooking oil
• 1 tbsp or more dried mixed herbs or any dried herbs you like (how to release the dried her flavour? Click here)
• Shredded cheese (as much / as little as you wish)

     Homemade Tomato Pasta Sauce

• 1 brown onion, sliced
• 1 french shallot, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (400g) canned chopped tomatoes or 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 2 1/2 tbsp tomato paste or to taste
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar or to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:-

1. Homemade Tomato Pasta Sauce: Saute onion, shallot and garlic until soft. Add in chopped tomatoes and stir until it is soften. Then, add in tomato paste. Stir constantly to make sure all ingredients are well combined. Add water, bring to boil and lower heat to simmer. Add sugar, salt and pepper and simmer further until the pasta sauce thickened. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, while waiting for the pasta sauce to thicken, preheat oven to 200 degre celcius and boil a pot of salted water and cooked spaghetti as instructed in the package. Drain and drizzle with some olive oil/cooking oil/butter so that it doesn't stick together. Set aside. 
3. Mushroom: Using the same pot, wipe dry and at medium low heat, melt butter, add dried mixed herbs and drizzle in olive oil. Once it is frangrant, add in sliced mushroom, coat all mushrooms with butter mixture. Cook until the mushrooms moisture is ooze out. Then,pour in the pasta sauce and simmer at low heat for 10 minutes and adjust the sugar, salt and peppper to taste. Then, toss the spagetti in pasta sauce and mix well. Remove the spaghetti and sauce into a baking dish. Top with sprinkle shrreded cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese melted. 
4. While waiting for the cheese to melt, boiled brocolli in salted boiling water and prepare the white sauce. 

    For white sauce:-

     Ingredients:-

• 50g butter
• 1 tsp olive oil or cooking oil
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 cup milk, room tempreture

    Method:-

1. At low heat, melt butter and add olive oil. Once the butter is completely melted, add in flour and make sure it is well corporated with butter. Add milk and whisk to get rid of any lumps. Simmer until the desire consistency. 
2. Serve with boiled brocolli or top the bake spagetti before serving.

Homemade Nasi Goreng Kerabu/Kerabu Fried Rice

This is one of  Malaysia's delicacy or to be more precise specialty from east coast of Malaysia. Traditionally, this dish consist of plain cooked white rice tossed with local fresh and aromatic herbs and vegetables such as lemon grass, long beans, kaffir lime leaves, bean sprout, basil, turmeric leaves and shallot; salted fish, fried coconut (kerisik), grilled/deep fried fish and chili paste and comes fish crackers on the side. However, the herbs, vegetables and the sides ingredients are not rigid. You can alter them depends on their availability and of course individual preferences. Although the vegetables involves suppose to be eaten raw, however, some actually prefer the vegetable to be blanch first before mixing into white rice and other ingredients. In relation to this Kerabu Fried Rice was invented so that multiple cooking is not require or should I say only ONE pot cooking.

Kerabu Fried Rice does not require fried coconut (kerisik) and grilled/deep fried fish. But for this recipe I decided to do some 'kerisik' and grilled fish to make it taste more authentic. If you are in hurry or not in the mood to do multiple cooking feel free to leave it out. And just to let you know that, I am just using simple and widely available vegetable and herbs for this recipe.

Ingredients:

Kerisik and Fish (Fish mixture)

• 150g fish fillet
• 1/4 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 tbsp brown sugar syrup, 1/2 tbsp brown sugar and dissolve with 3/4 tsp hot water (you can use palm sugar too)

Kerabu Fried Rice

• 1 bowl cooked/steam white rice (Try not to use fresh cook rice because it will be too soggy)
• 1 big red onion, finely sliced (I used brown onion because that's all I have at home, red onion will give more fragrant to the fried rice)
  
• 2 french shallot, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 1 red chilli, chopped or to your liking
• 2 cups finely sliced long bean or french bean or snack bean
• 1/2 cup finely sliced lemon grass (optional)
• 2 tbsp finely sliced spring onion, only the white parts
• 1 stalk coriander, leaves only
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce (optional)
• 1 1/2  tbsp fish sauce or to your taste (It would be better if you have 1 tbsp shrimp paste/belacan)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tbsp oil

Method:

1. Kerisik & Fish: (1) Rub fish with turmeric powder and salt. Grill on medium heat until cook. You can deep fry or pan fry the fish if you like. I just pop it into the grill so that I could prepare other ingredients while waiting for it to cook.  Once the fish is cook and cold enough to handle, break it into smaller pieces and set aside (2) Now, in a pan, fry desiccated coconut without oil at low heat. Halfway through frying add in fish pieces and continue to fry till the coconut turn brownish. Add in brown sugar syrup, combine well and remove from heat. Set aside.
2. Kerabu Fried Rice: Heat 2 1/2 tbsp of cooking oil, at medium high heat, saute garlic, onion, shallots and chili until fragrant. Add in long bean, lemon grass and spring onion. Stir, then, add in salt, pepper and fish sauce. Once the vegetables is slightly soften/cook, push them to the side. Add in remaining oil and pour in beaten egg. Scramble a little before before you add in cooked white rice. Mix well. Add soy sauce  and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Stir fry till all ingredients and seasoning mix well and fragrant. Add in coriander leaves and mix well just before you remove the fried rice form heat. 
3. Serve hot. You can serve fish mixture as side or mix into the fried rice. You can also put your favorite chili paste or sambal.  

Desiccatted coconut and grilled fish pieces

Updated 02/10/2010: I found bottled Coriander, Kaffir leaves, Lemon Grass and Basil at Laguna in Glenferrie. So, if you don't feel like buying fresh ingredient and sliced it you can buy the bottled ones. The picture below is for your perusal.

Long Bean Omelette

I haven't had this omelette for very long time. Since I still have some long bean left I decided to whip up this simple and delicious dish.I always had this with plain congee when I was young. However, for this dish I add onion and garlic to it. This is totally your choice.You can just serve with egg and long beans.

Ingredients:-

• 1 cup finely sliced long bean (you can use french bean or snack bean)
• 1/4 brown onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten, add 1/2 tsp soy sauce and a dash of pepper
• salt to taste
• cooking oil

Method:-

1. Heat oil, saute garlic and onion until fragrant and add in beans and salt to taste.
2. Once the beans are soft/cook, arrange the beans into 1 flat layer. 
3. Pour egg mixture over the beans. Make sure all beans are well coated by egg mixture. Cook a few minutes on one side and nicely browned then flip.
4. I slice the omelette to a few pieces. 

Fish with Salted Vegetable Soup

This soup is pretty easy to cook. It is a healthy soup because it has vegetables, fish slices, most important of all oil free and msg free.

Ingredients:-

• 1/2 cup dried anchovies, rinsed
• 2 dried scallop, rinsed (optional)
• 1/2 bulb garlic, remove papery skin
• 1 litre water
• 350g sliced fish (rinsed, sliced to 1cm thick, soak in a salted water for at least 20 minutes)
• 300g packed pickled Green Mustard or Salted Vegetable, remove from stem
• 2 tomatoes, quartered
• some lettuce or other leafy vegetables (optional)
• Salt 
• Ground white pepper to taste
• 1 stalk spring onion, sliced 
• 1 stalk coriander

Methods:

1. Add dried anchovies, dried scallop and garlic into a big pot filled with water. Cover. Bring to boil then lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Discard the dried anchovies, dried scallop and garlic when the soup base is ready.
2. Meanwhile, soak fish in salted water and prepare the rest of the ingredients.
3. About 40 minutes before serving, bring the ready soup base to boil. Add the salted vegetable and simmer for 15 minutes, covered. 
4. Then add the drained fish slices in and briefly stir. Bring to boil. Add tomatoes, stir and bring to boil. Turn off heat and add in lettuce. Make sure it is covered by the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Garnish with spring onion and coriander before serving.

TIPS:

• Why soak fish piece in salted water: To reduce the fishy smell and make the fish meat stronger so that it doesn't break ups during the cooking process

Oriental Corn on the Cob and Chicken Soup

This is not a thick and creamy soup. This recipe produces a clear 'sweet' broth using sweet corn on cob. I am using chicken for this soup but you can replace with pork ribs. I have some dried red dates in my pantry so I pop them into. If you don't have any then don't worry about it.

Ingredients:

• 500g chicken parts with bone (I use drumsticks), clean
• 5 chicken feet (optional), remove claw and clean
• 2 fresh corns on the cob, remove leaves, silk, stalk and chop to chunks
• 1 inch ginger, peel
• 1 bulb garlic, removes papery skin only
• 7 red dates (optional)
• 2 litre water
• salt, sugar, pepper to taste

Method:

1. Combine all ingredient (except for salt, pepper and sugar) and 2 litre water in a stock pot at high heat. Cover the lid.
2. When the water boils, reduce heat to medium, let the soup simmer for an hour and a half. If you need to add more water simmer for another half an hour after you add water. 
3. Add in salt, sugar and pepper, let it simmer for another 15 minutes and serve. 

Brocolli, Mushroom and Smoked Salmon Quiche

Quiche again? Yes, another quiche but with different filling. I just love quiche because it is delicious, dead easy to make and can use whatever that's in my pantry. However, i feel this quiche is tastier than my previous quiche post because I saute the onion with butter before putting them into pastry case.

Ingredients:-

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thaw
• 50g butter
• 1/2 brown onion, minced (if you have smaller size onion use whole)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
• 1 cup sliced mushroom
• 1 cup small broccoli florets
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2  tbsp thickened milk
• 1/2 tbsp milk
• 50g smoked salmon, sliced
• salt and pepper
• ground black pepper
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese

Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 200 degree Celsius.
2. Ease puff pastry into pie dish, trimming to fit the dish. Place dish in oven tray, prick pastry lightly with fork, cover pastry with baking paper fill with weights. 
3. Blind bake for 15 minutes, remove weight and bake further until the pastry brown lightly. Want to know more about blind bake? Click here. 
4. Meanwhile, briefly boil broccoli florets in salted water until just tender. Drain and set aside.
5. Over medium low heat, melt butter in pan. Add onion, garlic and mushroom. Stir occasionally until onion is soft and mushroom is wilt. Season with salt and pepper, stir and set aside.
6. Whisk eggs in medium bowl, then whisk in cream and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Soak in the salmon pieces.
7. Now, to assemble the quiche. First, spoon mushroom mixture to the base of pastry. Second, top with brocolli. Carefully pour over egg mixture (only egg mixture). Then, sprinkle smoked salmon pieces, sprinkle some black pepper and finally sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
8. Bake for 30 minutes or until just set.

Steam Japanese Beancurd with Fish Slices and Mince Chicken

This is a healthy and delicious dish. I have always love Japanese beancurd and fish but if you notice I have very limited post on either Japanese beancurd or fish. I just could find suitable recipe for fish and beancurd and of course i have always trying to avoid deep frying Japanese beancurd so i may only left with steaming them because as we all know Japanese beancurd is soft and delicate, the only way from them to stand for stew is to deep fry them first. Then the fish. Besides finding them a bit pricey here I just don't know what to do to them besides frying, steam and grilling. So, if you have any recipes for Japanese tofu and/or fish please do let me know.

Ingredients:-

• 1 tube Japanese Egg Beancurd, cut to 1cm thick
• about 150g fish fillet, sliced
• 50g minced chicken or pork
• 2 dried chinese mushroom, soaken in hot water for 30 minutes, remove stem and thinly slice
• 1 stalk spring onion, cut about 1.5cm each

    Marinate (A)

• Pinch of salt
• Dash of pepper
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp chinese cooking wine (optional)

   Marinate (B)

• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp cornflour

   For sauce

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 shallot, finely slice
• 1 tbsp ginger, finely slice
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup water (I use the water mushroom soaking)

Method:

1. Lightly season beancurd with marinate (A) in a heatproof dish or dish that you intend to put in steamer.
2. Marinate minced chicken and mushroom with marinate (B).
3. Heat oil and sesame oil in a wok. Saute shallot, ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add in mince chicken and mushroom. Stir. Add oyster sauce, light soy sauce, salt, pepper and sugar. Mix well. Then, add 1/2 cup liquid. Let it boil. 
4. Arrange fish slices over the beancurd and pour chicken and mushroom mixture around the sides of the beancurb. 
5. Place beancurd in a steamer over rapidly boiling water. Steam for 12 - 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped spring onion before serving.

Stir fry Garlic Sprout with Beef

Garlic sprout is a young green plant you get from a garlic bulb when you plant it in the ground. It is a popular ingredient in chinese and japanese cooking. The taste is garlicky but milder than the bulb that they have the unique sweetness to it. Their crucncy texture survive a fair amount of cooking time. Garlic sprout is available in any asian grocery.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch garlic sprout, cut about 1 inch long
• 100g beef, slice in stripes
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp oil for marinate
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp oil for cooking
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chop
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp chinese wine
• 1/2 tsp sugar

Method:

1. Marinate beef with soy sauce, 1 tsp oil and cornstarch.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil, saute garlic until fragrant and add in beef. Stir fry until meat surface change colour. 
3. Add garlic sprout, keep stirring for about 5 minutes. Mix in oyster sauce, wine and sugar.
4. Stir fry briefly until liquid evaporates. 
5. Serve hot.

TIPS:

• You can change the beef to pork or chicken

Empress Chicken (Gui Fei Chicken)

Story time: Empress chicken or better known as gui fei chicken is one of the four 'sexiest' chinese dishes. It is name after one of the four famous chinese beauty Concubine Yang Guifei or Drunken beauty. The finished dish carries a strong smell of wine, delicious and intoxicating. 

There are a lot of version of empress chicken and I have no idea which one is the original recipe. However, I decided to choose this one because I have all the ingredients in my pantry.. so I guess that explains it all :)

Ingredients:

• 1 kg chicken wings (I bought winglette. If you are using the whole wings cut each wings at the joint and keep the tips for chicken stock)
• 3 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 1/2tbsp chinese wine
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 cloves star anise
• 10 dried chinese mushroom, soak for 20 minutes in hot water , remove stem, cut top to half
• 1 stalk spring onion, cut about 1 inch long
• 1 piece ginger root, about 1 inch slice
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 - 1 cup chicken stock (I don't have any chicken stock so I use water for mushroom soak)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water

Method:

1. Prepare wings. 
2. Marinate with dark soy sauce, wine, salt, pepper, sugar and star anise. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat oil in large saucepan or wok over medium heat. Add ginger, stir fry until fragrant, then, add in chicken wings. Stir fry for 30 seconds to brown/ seal .
4. Add in marinate and stir to coat the wings.
5. Add spring onion and mushroom and stir fry for further 2 minutes. 
6. Pour in water from mushroom soak or chicken stock. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Constantly check the liquid so that it doesn't dries up.
7. Remove chicken wings and mushroom to serving plate and thicken the sauce with cornstarch mixture, then, pour the sauce over the chicken and mushroom.

Five Spice Chicken Kebab

CookBook Challenge - Week 38

Five Spice Powder or better known as Chinese Five Spice Powder is related to 5 elements theory. It's the mixture 5 spices namely szechuan peppercorn, star anise, cinnamon, cloves and fennel. This 5 spices bring the taste of sweet, sour, pungent, bitter and salty.

Ingredients:

• 500g chicken thigh, trimmed and slice to about 1 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 tbsp five spice powder
• 1 tbsp brown sugar plus 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2  tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil 
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (put less if you don't like chilli)
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil plus some to grease grilling pan 
• a handful of cherry tomatoes, rince and drained
• 1 brown onion, quartered then half (triangle shape)
• 1 Zucchini, halves lenghtwise and slice 1cm thick
• a handful of cup mushroom, damp wipe the mushroom and cut to half

Methods:-

1. Mix the 5 spice powder, 1 tbsp brown sugar, garlic and salt in a small bowl. In another bowl mix 1 tsp brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and cayenne pepper.
2. In a large bowl, add in chicken strips, drizzle 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil and sprinkle spice mixture. Toss and mixed thoroughly. Marinade for 30 minutes.
3. Position the grilling  rack to the highest level (nearest to element). Heat up oven grill at high. 
4. In the meantime, thread chicken, cherry tomatoes, onion, zucchini and mushroom (in any order you like) on to skewer.
5. Grease hot grilling pan before you grill the chicken skewer. Lower down the heat to medium after you put the chicken skewers on.  Turning the skewer after 10 minutes of so when the dark grill form. Grill the chicken skewer both side for 10 minutes, then glaze both size with soy mixture. Grill a little while for the soy mixture to set.
6.  Move the cooked skewer to serving dish, drizzle with remaining soy mixture(if there's any) and sprinkle with chopped coriander. Let rest for 5 minutes turning once or twice and serve warm. 

TIPS:

• Soak skewer in water for about 20 minutes before threading.

Stir Fry Tomato and Egg

Simple, delicious, appetizing and quick to prepare.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
• 4 Eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Tomato paste or 1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp oil

Methods:

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan or wok. When the oil is hot, add eggs and scramble. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pan or wok, heat remaining oil, add the tomoatoes. Then sprinkle salt, pepper, sugar and tomato paste or ketchup. Stir fry for 2 - 3 minutes.
3. Add scramble eggs to the tomatoes, toss everything together for 30 seconds.
4. Remove and serve hot.

Egg