Ginger-Wine Chicken (姜酒雞)

[Serves 1]

Ingredients:

1 (210g) chicken thigh , cut into bite size
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp light soy sauce
dash of pepper
100g young ginger, finely shredded
3 cloves garlic, minced
3g wood ear fungus, re-hydrated
8g dried shiitake mushroom, soaked and sliced
1/2 tbsp goji berries, washed and drained
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 cup water
1 tbsp wine (Stone's ginger wine or cognac)

• Marinate chicken pieces with cornstarch, light soy sauce and pepper.  Set aside.

• In a small saucepan boil soaked wood ear fungus for about 10 minutes. Wash and drain, then cut into strips.

• Heat sesame oil in a wok and stir fry ginger and garlic until fragrant.

• Add in marinated chicken and fry over medium high fire until chicken has browned slightly.  Toss in mushroom and wood ear fungus.  Fry for about 1 - 2 minute.

• Add in water and bring to the boil.  Put in goji berries, covered; then simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
• Pour in ginger wine/cognac.  Allow to cook for another 5 minutes.
• Serve hot.

I prefer cognac as I find Stone's wine too sweet to my liking

This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up 

(April 2015 Event: Chicken) organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe.

Purple Sweet Potato Ondeh-Ondeh

Recipe adapted from Joceline's Ondeh-Ondeh

Ingredients:

Dough:
100g purple sweet potato mash
150g glutinous rice flour
1 tbsp tapioca starch
1/2 tbsp icing sugar
1/2 tbsp oil
110g water

Filling:
80g grated pure coconut sugar/gula melaka or palm sugar

Coconut coating:
100g grated coconut
pinch of salt

• To make the dough, combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and knead into a wet dough.  
• Bring a pot of water to the boil.  Pinch a small piece of the dough (about 20g) and drop into the boiling water.  Cook until it floats to the surface, scoop it out and knead the cooked dough into the wet dough until a smooth dough is formed. Add extra glutinuous rice flour if the dough is too sticky. Cover dough with clingwrap and set aside for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix the grated coconut with salt and steam for about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Divide the dough into portions of 15g each.  
• Flatten the dough and fill with grated coconut sugar.  Seal the edges and roll into a ball.
• Cook the filled dough in a pot of boiling water, once it floats to the surface, let it cook for a further 3 - 5 minutes to ensure that the sugar is melted.  
• Remove the balls with slotted spatula and drain.  Roll in the steamed grated coconut to coat evenly.
• Serve.

Lamb and Vegetables Soup

There is nothing better than having a steaming hot bowl of homemade wholesome soup on a cold day, it warms you from the inside out! Throw in some cooked macaroni and it makes a perfect meal and it's an easy lunch or dinner to put together.

Ingredients:

1 kg lamb forequarter chops, trim all excess fat
2 big brown onion, cubed
6 tomatoes, halved
3 large carrots, cubed
3 large potatoes, cubed
3 stalks celery, cut to chunks
a thumb-size piece of ginger, smashed
1/2 tbsp black peppercorns, crushed
4.5 litre water
salt & pepper, to taste
coriander leaves, to garnish

• Blanch lamb chops in boiling water for about 5 minutes, drained and rinsed with cold water.  Set aside.
• Fill a large soup pot with water and bring to the boil.  Add in blanched lamb chops and all the ingredients (except salt & pepper) and bring back to the boil.  Simmer for 2 - 3 hours under low fire until meat is tender.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.