Braised Beef Short Ribs With Daikon

Fall off the bone succulent and tender braised short ribs infused with Asian flavours. It tasted better than the day you cooked it.

Ingredients:
1.2kg beef short ribs
2 medium size daikon, cut into chunks
30g sliced ginger
30g garlic cloves (whole)
1 large onion, chopped
2 dried chillies (optional)
3 star anise
10g rock sugar (or brown sugar)
4 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
salt, to taste
about 3 cups water
oil

• Season ribs with salt.  Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a pot over medium high heat. Sear the ribs until brown , turning occasionally.  Transfer onto a plate.
• In the same pot, add 1/2 tbsp oil and over low heat saute ginger, garlic cloves, dried chillies and onions until aromatic. Return ribs to the pot and add in rock sugar, light soy sauce, dark soya sauce, wine, black pepper and water (enough to cover the ribs).  Put the lid on and bring to a boil, then lower fire and simmer until ribs are almost tender (at least 2 hours). Then add in daikon.  Cook until ribs are very tender and daikon is soft.
• Remove from fire.
• Served with rice.

Braised Beef Brisket (炆牛腩)

Ingredients:

500g beef brisket, cut into big chunks
450g daikon, peeled and cut into chunks
40g ginger, minced
20g garlic, sliced
2 scallion, sliced
5g dried mandarin peel
2 dried chillies, softened, cut in halves
1 whole star anise

1 tbsp oil
2 cups water

Sauce:
1 tbsp Chu Hou paste
2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp black pepper powder
salt, to taste

• In hot frying pan, brown the beef brisket over moderately high heat.  Transfer onto a plate.  
• Add oil into the pan and stir fry ginger, garlic, mandarin peel, star anise and dried chillies until aromatic.  
• Add in sauce and beef; stir well to combine.  Then add in water and daikon; bring to the boil and then reduce fire and simmer until beef is tender.
• Serve hot with rice or noodles.

Hong Shao Rou (红烧肉) or Red Braised Pork Belly

Ingredients:

1 kg pork belly
90g rock sugar (or brown sugar)
35g ginger, sliced
dried chillies, cut into halves and soaked in hot water to soften
4 stalks spring onion, cut into 2cm length
2.5 cup water, approx
1 tsp cooking oil
dash of white pepper

Sauce:
4 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce

• Cut pork belly into big chunks.  Boil water in a wok and blanch the pork for about 4 minutes.  Drain and set aside.
  
  
• Heat wok and pour in 1 tsp cooking oil; fry pork until caramelised.  Transfer pork into another pot.

• With the remaining oil in the wok, stir fry ginger slices, dried chillies and spring onion until fragrant.  Add to the pork.

• Put the rock sugar into the same work and stir fry until all the sugar melts and large bubbles appear.  Add in 1/4 cup water and continue stirring.  

• Add in pork and ginger slices, dried chillies and spring onion.  Stir to combine.  Pour in sauce and bring to the boil.

• Transfer everything into the pot.  Add in enough water to cover the pork. Bring to the boil and then lower the fire and simmer for about 1.5 hour with the lid on. Occasionally stir to prevent burning.  
• Once the pork is tender, uncover the pot.  Cook under medium fire until the sauce thickens.  
• Garnish with chopped spring onion before serving.

Dry Bak Kut Teh

I know that dry Bak Kut Teh has been around in Malaysia for quite some time but I haven't had the chance to try it until lately when I was in Malaysia.  I love the strong and robust flavours in this dry version of BKT especially the fried cuttlefish and mushrooms which gave the dish its umami taste. However, I must say I couldn't detect the flavour of  BKT herb or spices in this dry version.

This is my version of Dry Bak Kut Teh which I think is going to be my family's favourite for a while.

Ingredients:

2 pre-packed Bak Kut Teh spices
2 litre water
1 head of garlic

• In a pot, cook the Bak Kut Teh spices in 2 litres of water and garlic for about an hour.  Save broth for later.

450g pork ribs, cut into chunks
300g pork belly, cut into pices
4 dried shiitake mushroom
8 dried chillies
1 big dried cuttlefish
10 pieces tofu puffs
1 tbsp grated palm sugar (or brown sugar)
cooking oil

Sauce:
2 - 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
salt & pepper, to taste

• Soak dried shiitake mushroom  and dried chillies separately until softened. Cut mushrooms into quarters and chillies into halves.
• Wash and soak dried cuttlefish to soften.  Then cut into thin strips.
• Blanch pork ribs and belly in a pot of boiling water for about 5 - 6 minutes.  Rinse and set aside.
• In a wok, heat up about 1 tbsp of oil and stir fry cuttlefish strips until fragrant.  Then add in dried chillies and continue to fry for about a minute.  
• Next, add in pork ribs, pork belly and tofu puffs together with the sauce.  Fry for a little while before adding in the Bak Kut Teh broth. Transfer everything into a claypot and bring to the boil. Then simmer until pork ribs are tender and sauce almost dried up.

Slow-cooked Pork Belly

Ingredients:
1kg pork belly, cut into big pieces
1 head garlic (about 40g)
20g gula melaka (palm sugar), grated
2 tbsp oil
2 cups water (approx)

Sauce:
1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1 tsp white pepper

Blanch meat in boiling water for 2 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

In a wok over medium-low fire, add in oil and palm sugar.  Caramelise the sugar slightly before adding in the pork to coat evenly.

Stir in sauce and continue frying for about a minute or so.

• Transfer the meat into a saucepan.  Add in garlic and water (enough to submerge the pork).
• Slowly bring to the boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1.5 hours or until pork is very tender (stir occasionally to prevent meat from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan).
• Uncover the saucepan and cook the pork over medium fire to reduce the sauce.
• Serve hot with rice.

Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Chinese Mustard (梅菜炆猪肉)

Without oil, fry the preserved vegetables until dry

Fry the meat until it turns opaque

Ingredients:
454g preserved chinese mustard (梅菜干)
630g pork belly, cut into pieces
3 shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 big knob ginger, minced
2 dried chillies
1/2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp cooking oil
water

Marinade for pork:
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp light soy
3 tsp dark soy
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp corn flour
1/2 tsp pepper

• Marinate the pork belly for at least 2 hours.
• Wash the preserved chinese mustard thoroughly (to get rid of the sand) and soak for at least an hour, changing water every 20 minutes.  Drain and squeeze dry.  Cut into small pieces.
• Heat up a wok and fry the preserved vegetables (without oil) until dry.  Remove and set aside.
• Heat oil in the wok and saute minced shallots, garlic, ginger and dried chillies until aromatic. Add in marinated meat and fry until meat turns opaque.  Then toss in the preserved vegetables. Continue frying until well combined.  Add in sugar and enough water to cover the meat and vegetables.
• Bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for about one and a half hour or until everything has softened and sauce has reduced. 

Fragrant Braised Pork Belly

Ingredients:  (Serves 7 - 8)

650g pork belly, cut into chunks
8 hard boiled eggs
65g bean curd sticks, cut into 2cm length
200g firm tofu, cut into cubes
30g soy bean paste
2 tbsp cooking oil
water

Marinade:
1 tsp lesser galangale or 'sand ginger' powder (沙薑粉)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp chinese wine
10g grated "gula melaka" (or brown sugar)

Blend into paste:
90g shallots
30g garlic
4g coriander powder

• Marinate pork belly with marinade for at least 2 hours.
• Heat oil in a wok and saute the blended paste until aromatic, then add in soy bean paste and stir to combine.  
• Add in marinated pork and stir fry for about 2 minutes or until meat turn slightly opaque.  Pour in the marinade and add enough water to cover the meat, eggs and bean curd sticks. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to simmer for 1.5 hour.   
• Add in tofu and continue to cook for another 20 minutes.
• Serve hot with rice.

Fragrant Braised Pork Ribs

Ingredients:
1kg pork ribs, cut into chunks
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1/2 tbsp black pepper
1/2 tbsp fermented soy beans ("tau cheong")
50g "gula melaka" (or brown sugar)
2 tbsp cooking oil

Pounded ingredients:
60g shallots
35g ginger
20g garlic

Sauce:
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce

about 2 cups water

• Marinate pork ribs with Chinese cooking wine and black pepper for at least 2 hours.
• Heat oil in a wok and saute the pounded ingredients until aromatic.  Add in fermented soy beans and "gula melaka" and saute for about a minute.  
• Add in the pork ribs and fry over medium-high heat until meat is slightly brown. Pour in sauce and stir to combine. Add in water - enough to cover the meat. Bring it to the boil.  Then reduce heat and simmer for about 2 hours or until meat is tender and sauce thickens. (Add more water if needed).
• Serve hot with rice.

Pulled Pork Sliders

This is a fuss-free recipe which is perfect for a relaxed get-together with family and friends.  And no cutlery required - that means less washing and cleaning! Remember there is a saying about good food tastes better when eaten with the hands?   Just get lots of napkins ready and wrap your hands around these mini burgers and dig into the tender and juicy pork loaded with crunchy coleslaw. 

This is a very simple recipe that uses 4 main ingredients - pork shoulder, root beer (I substituted with Sarsaparilla), onion and garlic.  Put everything into a slow cooker and let it braise for at least 6 hours and you'll have the most tender and juiciest meat.  This no-fuss recipe makes enough to feed a crowd of 7 - 8 people.

Ingredients: 

1.5kg pork shoulder

375ml Sarsaparilla (equivalent to Sarsi in Asia) 

1 big onion, cubed

3 cloves garlic, smashed

freshly ground black pepper

salt, to taste

375ml barbeque sauce (of your favourite brand)

20 mini buns (or any bread roll of your choice) 

Coleslaw

• Sear the pork in a frying pan until brown on all sides.  
• Place the pork, onion and garlic into the slow cooker and pour Sarsaparilla over the meat.  
• Cover and cook on High heat for at least 3 hours then turn down to Low heat and let it cook until the meat is tender.
• Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred it using 2 forks.
• Drain liquid and set aside (to be added into the shredded meat if it is too dry).
• Return shredded pork into the slow cooker and stir in barbeque sauce. 
• Continue heating on Low heat for a further 30 - 45 minutes.  Or keep warm until serving time.

Coleslaw: 

1/2 head of red cabbage, shredded

1 carrot, shredded

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

dash of pepper

• Toss everything together.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Steamed Pork Spare Ribs

Ingredients:

520g spare ribs
1/2 tbsp corn flour
1 tbsp grated garlic
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp black beans, rinsed
1 tbsp fermented soy beans (tau cheong)
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1/2 tbsp raw sugar
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
ground pepper
2 tbsp water
1 red chilli, sliced
coriander leaves

• Add all the ingredients (except chilli and coriander leaves) into the spare ribs and mix well. Set aside to marinate for at least an hour.
• Place spare ribs onto a steaming dish and top with sliced chilli. 
• Cover with foil and steam over high heat for 30 minutes or until done.
• Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.

Caramelised Pork

onion, garlic, chilli & grated palm sugar

fresh coriander roots

Ingredients:
400g pork belly, cut into 1.5cm thickness
370g pork shank (猪展肉), cut into smaller pieces
1 big Spanish onion, chopped finely
5 cloves garlic, chopped finely
7 coriander roots, scrape clean and chopped finely
2 chilli, chopped
2 tbsp cooking oil
enough water

Marinade:
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
15g grated palm sugar

• Pour marinade into the pork and mix well to combine.  Cover and let it marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Heat oil in a wok and saute chopped onion, garlic, coriander roots and chilli until fragrant.  Add in marinated pork and fry until meat changes colour.
• Pour in enough water to cover the meat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until meat is tender and sauce has thicken and glistening with oil.
• Serve with steamed rice.

Pork shank (猪展肉)  also known as Gravy Pork is a cut of meat taken from the lower part of a pig's leg. It often comes with tendons attached and has tough and muscular texture. Therefore the connective tissue has to be broken down through a slow cooking process in order to tenderise the meat as well as to bring out the flavour.  

Pork Shogayaki (Ginger Pork)

This is another simple yet delicious recipe adapted from Japanese Cooking 101  It is said that Pork Shogayaki is the second most popular Japanese pork dish after tonkatsu and it is usually served with shredded cabbage.

Ingredients:

250g pork loin, thinly sliced
2 tbsp grated ginger

2 tbsp grated garlic

3 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp Sake

2 tbsp Mirin

dash of pepper

1.5 tbsp cooking oil

1/2 cup water

• In a small bowl, combine grated ginger and garlic, light soy sauce, Sake, Mirin and pepper.  Set aside.
• Heat a frying pan under medium-high heat and add in oil.  Pan fry the pork slices until brown on both sides.
• Add the sauce mixture to the pan to coat the pork.  Bring to the boil.
• Serve immediately with steamed rice.  

Siu Mai [ 烧卖]

Siu Mai (烧卖) is a very popular Chinese dumpling served as part of a dim sum brunch during Yum Cha.  It is very easy to make at home and you can make a large batch and freeze them.  

Ingredients: (Makes 21)

500g minced pork
300g prawns, deveined and cut into small pieces
3 mushroom (about 10g), soaked to soften then finely chopped
2 water chestnuts, finely chopped
2 stalks of spring onions, chopped finely

Seasoning:
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp cornflour
1 egg

Topping:
1 tbsp finely chopped carrots

wonton wrappers, trim into round circles

• In a big mixing bowl, combine minced pork, prawn, mushroom, water chestnuts and spring onions together. Mix in seasoning.  Stir well to combine.  
• Refrigerate the filling for at least 30 minutes.  
• To wrap the siu mai, place a tablespoon of filling in the centre of each wonton wrapper. Bring up edges of the wrapper and shape the dumpling by pressing down the filling and smoothing the surface; then flatten the bottom.
• Press some chopped carrots on the siu mai as garnishing.
• Place siu mai on a greased steaming bamboo basket and steam over high heat for about 15 minutes.  
• Serve hot with chilli sauce.

To freeze uncooked siu mai:

• Arrange siu mai on a tray lined with clingwrap.  Place them into the freezer for at least an hour.  
• Then transfer the frozen siu mai into a freezer bag or container.  Continue storing in the freezer.

To cook frozen siu mai:

• Arrange unthawed siu mai in a steamer and steam for about 20 minutes (depends on the size of siu mai) over high heat.

Crispy Roasted Pork Belly (脆皮燒肉)

The key to a classic Chinese roast with golden brown, blistered and crunchy crackling lies in the dryness of the skin and also a searing hot oven to begin with to get the crackling going.

There are many theories about crackling - brushing the skin with vinegar, scalding the skin, scoring the skin before oiling and rubbing salt, etc etc.  I followed these theories before but the results were not consistent.  Sometimes I would get very crispy crackling but other times I got some hard and unblistered crackling ... until a friend who kindly shared her recipe with me. 
  

To get the perfect crackling - 

• I left my marinated pork to dry out uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. 

• Then I rubbed a generous amount of oil all over the skin before scattering enough salt to cover the entire surface.  The oil will start to heat up in the extremely hot oven (230 deg C) and the salt will begin to draw out the moisture and the skin itself will start to crack, puff and bubble like little blisters.

• After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 200 deg C.  The rule of thumb is to allow 25 minutes per 500g of pork.  

Ingredients:
2 slabs of pork belly (1.5kg)
oil
salt

Marinade:
2 pieces of red fermented beancurd (nam yue) - mashed
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp chinese cooking wine
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp five-spiced powder
2 tsp sugar

• Wash the pork and pat dry with kitchen towel.
• In a small bowl, combine the marinade ingredients and mix well.  
• Turn the pork skin-side down on a rack and using the tip of a knife, prick all over the pork.
• Rub the marinade evenly all over, including the sides (but not the skin).  
• Place the pork, skin-side up in a tray or a container and wipe the skin thoroughly with paper towel.  Leave the pork in the refrigerator, uncovered overnight.  
• Bring the pork to room temperature before roasting (at least 2 hours).
• The skin will dry out after refrigerated overnight.  If not, give it a little blow-dry with hair dryer. (The drier the skin, the better the cackling when roasted).
• Preheat oven to 230 deg C.
• Place pork, skin-side up on a rack set over a roasting pan.  
• Drizzle oil all over the skin of the pork, then sprinkle enough salt to fully cover the entire skin.  
• Put the pork into the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
• Then reduce the oven to 200 deg C and continue roasting for another 50 - 55 mins.
• Remove meat from the oven and allow to rest for 10 - 15 mins before cutting.  Brush away excess salt.  

For easier cleaning after roasting, I prefer to use my Turbo Oven which is similar to the fan-forced convection oven.

Stir-fry Beef With Ginger

Ingredients:

300g beef (skirt steak or tenderloin), sliced thinly
100g ginger, shredded finely
3 cloves garlic
1/4 red capsicum, cut into strips
1 spring onion, cut into 2 cm lengths
1/2 tsp cornflour
1 tsp Chinese cooking wine
cooking oil
sesame oil
pepper

Seasoning:
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
salt & pepper, to taste

• Marinate sliced beef with cornflour and pepper.  Drizzle a little sesame oil.  Mix well to combine. Set aside.
• In a hot wok, saute ginger and garlic until aromatic.  Toss in marinated beef slices and stir fry until just cooked.  Add in seasoning and mix well.  Then add in spring onions.
• Serve hot with steamed rice.

Black Beans Pork Spare Ribs

Ingredients:

350g pork spare ribs
2 tbsp dried fermented black beans, rinsed and mashed a little
3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 shallot, chopped finely
small knob of ginger, chopped finely
1 dried chilli, soak to soften, cut into big chunks
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
pepper
1 tbsp cooking oil
spring onions, garnishing
1/2 tbsp cornflour + 1 tbsp water, to thicken sauce

Marinade:
1/2 tsp cornflour
1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
pepper

• Wash and pat dry the pork ribs, add in the marinade and mix well.  Set aside for at least 1 hour. 
• Heat oil in a wok and saute chopped ginger, shallot, garlic and dried chilli until aromatic.  Toss in fermented black beans and fry for about a minute.
• Add in pork ribs and fry until light brown. Add in dark and light soy sauces and sugar.   Pour enough water to cover the ribs.  Bring to the boil and lower heat to simmer until ribs are tender. Add in pepper.  
• Thicken sauce with cornflour mixture, stir well.
• Garnish with chopped spring onions.  
• Serve hot with steamed rice.