Easy Chicken Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:
5 chicken drumsticks
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp white pepper

200g Basmati rice or any rice of your choice, rinsed and drained well
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 shallots, finely sliced
a thumb-sized piece of ginger, chopped finely
2 cardamon pods
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
about 15 cherry tomatoes (or 1 large tomato cut into cubes)
about 1/2 cup diced carrot
2 tbsp cooking oil
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
approx 2 cups water (or stock)
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup of chopped fresh coriander leaves

• Marinate chicken with garlic powder, ginger powder and pepper for at least half an hour.
• Preheat oven to 200°C.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry chicken drumsticks until brown.  Transfer onto a plate and set aside.  
• In the same pan, fry shallots and ginger under medium heat for about 2 minutes, then add garlic and other spices and fry until aromatic.  Add in rice and stir until rice are well coated with oil, then add in carrot and tomatoes. Fry for about a minute before transferring into a baking dish. Place chicken over the rice.
• Combine yogurt, water, turmeric powder, salt and pepper and pour over the rice.  Cover tightly with foil.
• Bake for about 1 hour or until rice is cooked.  Remove foil and continue to bake for another 20 minutes or until the chicken skin is golden and crisp.
• Stir in coriander leaves and cashew nuts before serving.

Nasi Lemak

Recipe for 4 -5 persons

Steamed Coconut flavoured Rice:
3.5 cups Jasmine rice
2.5 cups water
0.5 cup coconut milk (Ayam brand)
blue pea flower extract  (Note 1)
4 tbsp coconut cream (or thick coconut milk)
salt, to taste
pandan leaves, cut and shredded

Note 1:  Boil 3g dried blue pea flowers in 4 tbsp of water for about 3 minutes. Strain and discard the pulp.

• Wash and drain the rice. 
• In a wok, fry the rice (without oil) for about 10 minutes. Then transfer rice into a steaming tray. Add in water, coconut milk and blue pea flower extract, stir to combine.  
• Steam rice for about 15 minutes. Add in coconut cream and fluff up the rice with a pair of chopsticks.  Add in pandan leaves and steam for a further 15-20 minutes. 

Fried Ikan Bilis (dried anchovies):
150g ikan bilis

• Wash ikan bilis thoroughly.  Drain well.
• Spread it out on a baking tray and place under the grill until ikan bilis are very dry. (Or you can put them under the sun to dry the ikan bilis).
• Deep fry the ikan bilis until crispy.  Drain on paper towel to absorb excess oil. 
• Keep in an air-tight container.

Sambal Egg & Onion:

1 bowl dried chillies, dehydrated and cut into 2cm length

1 bowl shallots

1 tbsp grated gula Melaka (palm sugar)

1 tbsp fish sauce

salt, to taste

1 tsp tamarind paste

1/2 cup cooking oil

2 large brown onions, sliced

5 hard boiled eggs, remove shells then deep fried 

• Blend shallots and dried chillies separately.
• Heat up oil in a wok.  Add in blended shallots and fry for about 10 minutes or until aromatic. Add in chilli paste and continue frying for about 10 - 15 minutes.  
• Then add in hard boiled eggs (which had been deep fried until golden brown) and let them simmer for about 10 minutes before seasoning the sambal with salt, palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind paste.
• Lastly add in sliced onions and cook for a further 5 minutes or until just softened. Add a little water if the sauce dries up.  

Dry Chicken Curry:

5 chicken drumsticks

4 tbsp homemade curry paste

3 pieces kaffir lime leaves, torn

0.5 cup coconut milk

water

0.5 cup desiccated coconut, lightly toasted and pound

salt & sugar to taste.

• In a wok heat up curry paste with a little coconut milk, then add in chicken.  Stir well to coat the chicken pieces with the curry paste.  Add in enough water and let it simmer until chicken is almost cooked.  
• Add in kaffir lime leaves, the rest of the coconut milk and toasted desiccated coconut. Season well with salt & sugar.
• Stir well and let it simmer until the chicken is done and sauce dries up.

Ginger Fried Five-Grain Rice



No two dishes of fried rice taste the same even using the same recipe.  I believe many of you don't have a precise measurement when it comes to cooking this comfort dish.  Well, at least I don't; I will just toss in whatever I could find in my fridge although there are a few basic must-have ingredients like garlic, ginger and eggs.  In this aromatic fried rice, I used a lot of shredded ginger.  However, the ingredients may be varied according to personal preference and taste.

Ingredients:
cooked Five Grain rice
French beans, finely cut
carrots, finely diced
sweet corn kernels
ginger, shredded
garlic, minced
shallots, finely sliced
eggs
salt & pepper
Chinese cooking wine (optional)
cooking oil
sesame oil

• Heat up cooking oil and sesame oil in a wok and fry the shredded ginger until crispy.  Dish out and set aside.  Then fry shallots and garlic until fragrant.  Dish out and set aside.
• In the same wok, scramble eggs with a dash of pepper. Dish out and set aside.
• Add in more oil, and stir fry carrot, beans and corn kernels for a minute.  Add in rice.  Sprinkle wine over rice and combine fried ginger, garlic-shallots and scrambled eggs together with rice and toss well until heated through.  Season well with salt and pepper.

Smoked Salmon, Avocado & Cucumber Sushi

A simple and delicious lunch!  


Ingredients to make sushi rice:
[Makes 5 sushi rolls]
3 cups sushi rice
water
6 tbsp sushi seasoning
3 tbsp sugar
1.5 tsp salt

You can refer here on how to make sushi rice.  However, I cooked the sushi rice like I would normally cook rice in the rice cooker.  Just combine the seasoning, sugar and salt and mix into the rice using a pair of chopsticks to fluff up the rice at the same time.

Ingredients to make Sushi Rolls:

smoked salmon

half a cucumber, deseeded and cut into lengthwise

avocado

rice seasoning (Nori Komi Furikake)

nori (roasted seaweed)

Refer here on how to make sushi rolls and you can use whatever ingredients you fancy.  

Glutinous Rice Wrapped In Lotus Leaf (Lo Mai Gai) 糯米雞

Ingredients:  [Makes 10 medium-size parcels]

4 dried lotus leaves

• Blanch dried lotus leaves into boiling water for about 2 minutes.
• Wash and drain the leaves.  Pat dry with paper towel.
• Cut away the tough part near the base of the stem, then cut the leaves into thirds.

450g glutinous rice, washed and drained
400 ml water
3 cloves garlic, minced finely
2 shallots, sliced thinly

Seasoning for the rice:
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
pepper

• Heat about 3 tbsp oil  and stir fry minced garlic and shallots until aromatic, then put in glutinous rice and fry for about half a minute.  Then add in seasoning.  
• Fry for about 2 minutes, stirring continously.  
• Add in water and stir well.  Transfer into a steaming tray.
• Steam glutinous rice for about 20 minutes or until cooked.
• Fluff up the rice with a pair of chopsticks.

Fillings:
200g chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
5 pieces dried shitake mushrooms, soaked to soften and cut into halves
50g dried shrimps, washed and soaked to soften - finely chopped (or you can leave them whole)
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 shallots, sliced thinly

Marinade:
1 tsp cornflour
1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
ginger juice (extracted from 20g ginger, grated or pounded)
dash of pepper
1/2 tsp sugar

• Marinate chicken pieces with marinade for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat enough oil in a wok and sauté minced garlic and shallots until fragrant.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Stir fry dried shrimps until light brown and aromatic, add in a little of the sautéed garlic and shallots and stir to combine.  Dish out into a bowl and set aside.
• Fry mushrooms with a little oil and some sautéed garlic and shallots, add water and a little seasoning.  Cook until softened.  Transfer into a bowl and set aside.
• With enough oil, stir fry marinated chicken pieces with sautéed garlic and shallots until half-cooked.  Dish out into a bowl and set aside.

In order for my rice parcels to be consistent in size, I used a rectangle bowl (8 x 10 cm).

• Place a layer of rice at the base of the bowl, then place chicken, mushroom and dried shrimps; top it with more rice.  
• Invert the bowl onto the lotus leaf (I placed a small piece of bamboo leaf onto the lotus leaf).  Form a square parcel.
• Steam the rice parcels on high heat for about 30 minutes.

Ginger Fried Rice

(Serves 1)

Ingredients:

1 cup of cold cooked jasmine rice

2 eggs

1 knob of ginger, finely shredded

3 cloves garlic, minced

a dash of chinese cooking wine

pepper & salt, to taste

1/2  tbsp dash of sesame oil
1 tbsp cooking oil

• Heat oil and sesame oil, saute ginger until aromatic, then add in minced garlic.  Saute until lightly browned.  Set aside.  
• Add extra oil into the wok and crack eggs into the wok and lightly scramble.  Push to the side of the wok. Put in the rice and toss well until heated through.  Add in the sauteed ginger and garlic; toss to combine.   Add in wine and season with salt and pepper.
• Keep on frying the rice over high heat until you see the grains of rice 'popping' or 'jumping' on the side of the wok.   
• Serve hot. 

Ham & Egg Fried Rice

(Serves 1)

Ingredients:

1 cup of cold cooked jasmine rice

2 eggs

1/2 cup chopped ham

1/2 cup frozen green peas

1/2 cup cubed carrots 

3 cloves garlic, minced

a dash of chinese cooking wine

pepper & salt, to taste

a dash of sesame oil
1 tbsp cooking oil

• Heat oil and saute garlic until aromatic.  Crack eggs into the wok and lightly scramble.  Remove from wok.  Set aside.
• Add extra oil to the wok and heat over high heat. Add in ham and fry until lightly browned, then add in carrots. Stir-fry for a minute or two.  Put in the rice and toss well.  Add in wine, followed by green peas and scrambled eggs.  Season with salt and pepper.  
• Keep on frying the rice over high heat until you see the grains of rice 'popping' or 'jumping' on the side of the wok.  Drizzle sesame oil over the rice and toss to combine.  
• Serve hot. 

The key to perfect fried rice:

• using day-old cold rice (rice that has been refrigerated for at least a day as it helps draw moisture out of the rice). 
• all vegetables and meat (if you are using) should be pre-cooked separately and then combined together in the final stage of cooking.
• do not overcrowd the wok to ensure even cooking. If you are cooking a large quantity of rice, do it in batches.
• using high heat in order to properly fry each grain of rice (when the grains of rice starts to 'pop' or 'jump' on the side of the wok, you know it is ready).

Savoury Rice with Cured Meat/Wax Meat (腊味饭)

Contrary to its name, there is no wax in the wax meat.  In China, salted cured meat is called la-wei (腊味) and the word la (腊) could be mistaken for wax in Chinese.  All  la-rou (腊肉)are salted and cured in the cold dry wintry air and sun during  La-yue (腊月) which is the 12th month of the lunar calendar - hence the name la-rou (腊 肉).  So la-rou has been lost in translation as wax meat.  

This is a popular dish during Chinese New Year.  And also my once-a-year indulgence.

Ingredients:

1 cured/wax duck drumstick

1 strip cured/wax meat

2 Chinese sausages

2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

a few slices of ginger

finely shredded ginger

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 cups rice, cooked in the rice cooker

Seasonings:

3 tbsp light soy sauce (or to taste)

1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp sugar

dash of pepper

Garnishing:

coriander leaves

• Blanch wax duck, wax meat and sausages with boiling water to get rid of excess oil and smell. Place all the cured meat into a heatproof dish, top with ginger slices and drizzle 2 tbsp cooking wine over them.  Steam for about 15 - 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, saute the ginger and garlic until crispy and aromatic.  Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, bring the seasonings to the boil.  Set aside.
• Cut the sausages and cured meat into slices.  De-bone the cured duck and cut into pieces.
• Put everything, including the juice from the cured meats and seasonings into the rice and stir well to combine. 
• Garnish rice with coriander leaves before serving.

Spicy Glutinous Rice Rolls (Rempah Udang)

A cheat's version of Rempah Udang ~

A very popular nyonya kuih which is known as Pulut Panggang, Rempah Udang or Lemper Udang - glutinous rice rolls filled  with spicy coconut and dried shrimps (or fresh prawns) wrapped in banana leaves and then grilled.  

For my convenience, I used sushi mould to make my rice rolls.  And since I didn't have any banana leaves, I just served them without grilling. However, nothing beats the traditional Rempah Udang as the grilled banana leaves impart a lovely fragrance. 

Ingredients:

Rice mixture:
400g glutinous rice, washed and drained
375ml coconut milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
pandan leaves  (knotted)

 Filling:
100g dried shrimps, washed, drained and chopped finely
70g dessicated coconut, toasted and ground
1 cup coconut milk
Oil 

 Seasoning:
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
dash of pepper
fish sauce (to taste)


Ground spices:
4 shallots
3 cloves garlic
1 stalk lemon grass, sliced
2 candlenuts
1 tsp chilli powder

  

• Mix glutinous rice, coconut milk, salt and sugar together.  Put in pandan leaves. Steam for about 30 minutes until cooked.  Remove from steamer and set aside to cool.
• Heat oil in a frying pan and lightly fry the dried shrimps until aromatic.  Set aside.
• Fry the ground ingredients until fragrant.  Add in dried shrimps, ground dessicated coconut and seasoning followed by coconut milk.  Cook until dry.  Set aside.
• Using sushi mould, press in glutinous rice and then put in filling.  Cover filling with more rice and press down firmly.  
• Unmould the rice rolls and serve them on a plate.  

 

Kimchi Fried Rice

Ingredients: (serves 1)

1/2 cup cooked rice
1 cup kimchi, chopped to bite-sized pieces
4 fresh button mushrooms, sliced
1 large red capsicum
1/4 cup frozen green peas
1 tsp sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsps light soy sauce (or fish sauce) to taste
pepper to taste
sugar to taste
coriander leaves (to garnish)

• Heat cooking oil in a wok.  Saute garlic until fragrant.
• Add in mushroom and kimchi.  Stir fry for about a minute or two or until aromatic.  Add in sesame oil.
•  Toss in the rice and turn up the heat.  Add in capsicum and green peas.  Season with soy sauce, sugar and pepper.
• Add in coriander leaves and serve hot.

Bibimbap

Ingredients: (serves 3)


cooked rice
150g soy bean sprouts
1 zucchini, julienned
1 carrot, julienned
100g oyster mushroom, sliced
1 piece fried firm tofu
100g enoki mushroom
minced garlic
salt, sugar & pepper to taste
sesame oil
cooking oil
3 eggs
2 chicken thighs - marinade with light and dark soy sauce with sesame oil and pepper


Sauce: (mix everything together)

4 tbsp Korean red chili paste (kochujang)
1 tsp finely minced garlic
1 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 scallion, finely shredded
2 tsp honey
1 tbsp warm water to dilute

• Pan fry the marinated chicken and leave it aside.
• Cook bean sprouts in a cup of water with a little salt for about 20 minutes.  Drain.  
• Sprinkle zucchini with a pinch of salt.  
• Heat up a little oil in a wok and saute zucchini, carrot and bean sprouts separately with some garlic, sesame oil and salt. 
• Saute the oyster and enoki mushrooms separately with a dash of soy sauce, sugar and salt.  Add a little sesame oil.  Dish them out.
• With a little oil, fry the tofu.
• Then fry eggs, sunny side up.
• To serve, put the cooked rice in a bowl and placed all the vegetables, mushrooms  and meat over the rice.  Then place the egg in the centre and drizzle bibimbap sauce over it and mix.
• ENJOY! 

Nasi Lemak

 

 Ingredients:

4 cups rice, rinsed and drained
200ml coconut cream +  water  (adjust the amount of water accordingly)
4 screwpine leaves (pandan leaves)
1 lemongrass, crushed
salt, to taste

Method:

• Cook rice together with coconut cream, water, salt, crushed lemongrass and knotted screwpine  leaves in an electric rice cooker.
• Fluff the rice with a pair of chopsticks. Keep warm in the rice cooker.

Sambal Ikan Bilis (Anchovies)


Ingredients: (approximately ...)

Blend together into paste -
200g shallots
30g garlic
20g turmeric
40g galangal
2 stalks lemongrass
40g candlenuts
20g dried chillies (washed and soaked in hot water until softened)
2 tbsp chopped ginger flower (Bunga Kantan)
sugar, salt and fish sauce to taste


400g ikan bilis, washed and drained
1 onion, sliced
200ml coconut cream
2 tbsp tamarind paste (or to taste)

Method:

• Without oil, fry ikan bilis until dry.  Then add in oil and and fry until lightly crispy.  Set aside.
• Heat oil in a wok and stir fry blended chili paste until fragrant and oil separated.  Add sliced onions and fry until softened.
• Add in fried ikan bilis and stir to combine.  Then add in tamarind paste, coconut cream and fish sauce.
• Season with salt and sugar.

Sambal Egg

• Cook the eggs for about 10 minutes (hard boiled).  Remove the shells.
• Deep fry the eggs until brown.  Remove.
• Cook the fried eggs in the chilli sambal with coconut cream (optional) and serve with nasi lemak.

Myulchi Bokkeum Sushi

myulchi bokkeum  sushi .....

Simple Fried Rice

Fried rice is a much-loved comfort food and I think it is also the world's favourite rice dish. A very versatile dish where you can add in whatever ingredients you fancy and the best dish to cook when you want to clear your leftovers in the fridge or freezer.  

(Serves 1)

Ingredients:

1 cup of cooked rice (overnight)

2 eggs

barbeque pork (char siew)

frozen green peas

carrots (cubed)

capsicum (cubed)

minced garlic

shredded ginger (optional)

sliced shallots

a dash of chinese cooking wine

pepper

a dash of light sauce (to taste)

a dash of sesame oil

• Heat oil and saute shallots, ginger and garlic.  Crack eggs into the wok and lightly scramble.  Remove from wok.  Set aside.
• Add extra oil and sesame oil and stir fry char siew until heated through.  Add in carrots and capsicum.  Then add in rice, soy sauce and green peas.  Stir fry for about 1 minute then add in cooking wine, continue frying for another 2 - 3 minutes.  Add in the scrambled eggs.  Season with pepper.
• Serve hot. 

Yam Rice (芋头饭)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cup rice, washed and drained

400g yam, cut into cubes

30g dried shiitake mushroom, soaked and cut into cubes

40g dried shrimps, soaked

1 chinese sausage, sliced thinly

30g garlic, minced

2 shallots, sliced thinly

100g char siew, cut into cubes (alternatively you can also use pork or chicken)

Seasoning:

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp chicken granules

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sesame oil
pepper

cooking oil

spring onions for garnishing

• Heat oil under medium heat and saute shallots.  Remove  fried shallots  and set aside. Then saute garlic until aromatic and transfer into a small bowl for later use. 
• Leave enough garlic oil in the pan to stir fry mushroom, dried shrimps, sausage and char siew separately until aromatic.  Set aside.
• Then using some of the garlic oil, stir fry yam with salt and pepper for about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• With some garlic oil, stir fry drained rice with the seasoning until slightly translucent.  Transfer into rice cooker and add water (usual amount of water for 2 1/2 cups rice)  then pour all the fried ingredients on top of the rice and cook. 
• When the rice is cooked, add in the garlic oil and using a pair of chopsticks, fluff up the rice.
• Serve rice hot and garnish with fried shallots and spring onions. 

Cheesy Baked Rice With Prawns & Bacon

 I've heard so much about the Hong Kong style Cheese Baked Rice but yet to try it.  Sounds like Western-Asian fusion food, and reminds me of Tuna Mornay too.  So,  I  decided to experiment this one-meal dish - my version of course, since I have no idea how the authentic Cheese Baked Rice would taste like.  

Ingredients: 

1½ cups rice, cooked rice

10 prawns, shelled and deveined

2 pieces bacon, cut into small pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced 

1/2 onion, chopped

a handful of french beans, cut into 2 cm length 

2 small tomato, cubed

1/4 cup white wine (or chicken stock)

salt & pepper

1 cup grated parmesan and cheddar cheese (or mozzarella)

1/2 cup cream (or milk)

1 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp butter (approx)

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
• Heat oil in a frying pan.  Saute the onion and garlic.  Add in prawns and fry until 3/4 cooked.  Dish out the prawns.
• Add in bacon and fry until it is browned,  then pour in wine, stir well.   Toss in beans and tomato and cook for about 2 minutes.  Turn off heat.
• Pour the white sauce and prawns into the pan and season with salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.
• Fluff up the cooked rice and place in a casserole dish.  Then pour the prawns and bacon mixture over the rice and mix well.  
• Top the rice with a layer of grated cheese. 
• Bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese turns golden brown.
• Serve hot.

 

White Sauce (or Béchamel):

• In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat.  Add in flour and cook, stirring for a minute or until mixture bubbles and begins to come away from the side of the pan.  
• Gradually whisk in the cream until combined. 
• Continue cooking until the sauce boils and thickens.  Remove from heat.

Savoury Glutinous Rice (Lor Mai Fun)

Ingredients:

400g glutinous rice

30g garlic, minced

50g shallots, sliced finely

40g dried shrimps, washed and chopped coarsely

30g dried shiitake mushroom, diced

100g char siew, diced

1 chinese sausage, sliced

5 tbsp oil

400ml water

Seasoning:

2 tbsp light soy sauce

3/4 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1/2 tsp salt (adjust taste accordingly)

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp sugar

• Wash glutinous rice in a mixing bowl and soak in hot water for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile heat 2 tbsp oil and stir fry shallots and garlic.  Remove to a plate and set aside *.
• Stir fry mushroom, dried shrimps, chinese sausage and char siew separately.  Dish up and set aside *.
• Drain the glutinous rice and pour in the seasoning and coat the rice well.
• Heat the remaining 3 tbsp oil and add glutinous rice and stir well.  Fry for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously.  Add a little water at a time. 
• Add the stir-fried ingredients *  to the rice and stir well.  Add  about 1/2 cup of water and cook for a further 5 minutes or until rice are translucent. 
• Transfer rice onto a steaming tray.  Sprinkle the rest of the water on the rice.  
• Steam under high heat for 30 minutes or until rice is cooked.
• Garnish with spring onion and fried peanuts.

Lui Char (擂茶)

 

The traditional dish of the Hor Poh Hakkas, Lui Char Farn literally means "Ground Tea Rice";  the name derives from the way the soup was made. Traditionally, tea leaves and roasted peanuts were grounded together (in a special clay pot with a rough surface)  to form a paste -  with a wooden pestle made from guava tree branch. Then boiling water is poured into the peanut paste to steep before serving.   

Lui Char is in fact quite a healthy dish and consists of an assortment of  green vegetables, french beans, snake beans,  herbs like basil, dill and mint, bean curd, dried shrimps, preserved turnips (choy poh), etc served with fragrant garlic rice. 

I have no proper means of measurement for this recipe, as I always 'agak-agak' (guess) the proportion of the ingredients. 

My peanuts were not roasted until golden brown hence the light-coloured peanut/tea soup.  Besides I omitted the basil leaves as I couldn't find any at the market on that particular day.  

Peanut/Tea Soup: (serves 4)

500g roasted peanuts

1 cup of chinese tea 

a handful of basil (optional)
1500ml water (approx.)

salt  

• Blend peanuts and chinese tea in a food processor into a fine paste.  Add more water if necessary. 

• Boil water in a pot.  Add in the peanut/tea paste and stir well.  Set aside.

Side dishes:    

(Cut washed vegetables and beans finely)

french beans    

snake beans     

choy sum        

lettuce

gai lan

leek

dill

basil

mint

firm tofu - diced finely

dried shrimps - chopped finely

chopped preserved turnip (choy poh)

a head of garlic - minced

1 cup oil

rice - washed and drained

• Heat oil in a pan.  Fry garlic until lightly browned.  Transfer into a bowl.  Set aside.
•  Put 2 tbsp of garlic oil in a frying pan and add in rice.  Stir fry for a minute.  Add salt.  Transfer into rice cooker.  When rice is cooked, stir in 2 tbsp of garlic oil and mixed well.
• Lightly brown tofu.  Dish out and set aside.
• Stir fry dried shrimps until aromatic.  Add in the cooked tofu and chopped dill.  Stir to combine.  Dish out.
• Fry preserved turnip.  Dish out.
• Using garlic oil, stir fry all the vegetables separately.  Season with a little salt.  [Caution:  It is better to under season than to over season because you can always add more salt later] 
•  Bring the peanut/tea soup to the boil. 
• To serve:  Spoon the rice into individual serving bowls.  Top with accompanying side dishes.  Ladle hot peanut/tea soup over this.

Prawn Risotto

Ingredients:

200g Arborio rice (alternatively use medium or short grained rice to achieve the rich and creamy texture )

2 tbsp olive oil

30g butter (extra 20g butter - optional)

2 cloves garlic, minced (extra minced garlic for prawns)

1 onion, chopped

5 rashers rindless bacon, sliced (can be substituted with Spam or Chorizo)

400g prawns, shelled

4 button mushrooms, diced
half a carrot, diced
1/4 cup green peas

1/2 cup white wine

2 cups chicken stock (seasoned with salt and pepper) or more if necessary

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

chopped parsley or coriander

black pepper

• Bring the chicken stock to the boil. Turn off heat.
• Heat olive oil and butter under low heat in a heavy based saucepan. Add bacon, onion and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes or until onion is translucent.  
• Stir in the rice and cook over medium heat for about 3 - 4  minutes or until rice is opaque around the edges, stirring constantly to keep it from sticking.  Add in wine and let simmer to absorb the liquid, stirring constantly.
• Add in hot stock gradually, one ladleful  at a time and keep stirring until the stock is absorbed.  (Mushroom and carrot can be added at this stage).
• Continue this process until all the stock has been added to the risotto or until the rice is soft but with a slight bite to it.  [A traditional risotto is done when the grains are soft on the outside and slightly crunchy on the inside, but I personally prefer the rice to be soft all the way through]
• Remove rice from the heat.  Stir in green peas, parmesan cheese and 20g butter (optional).  Stir well. Cover the pan and allow to sit for about 5 minutes.
• In a separate pan, fry some garlic in a little butter and olive oil until slightly browned.  Toss in the prawns and stir fry until just cooked.
• Before serving the rice, stir in the prawns and chopped parsley.