Hakka Braised Pork Belly With Black Fungus (客家炸肉)

Ingredients:

500g belly pork, cut into pieces
50g black fungus, soaked in warm water until softened, cut into pieces
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped shallots
1 tsp chopped ginger



Marinade:

1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp five spice powder
1 tsp pepper 
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp nam yue (red fermented beancurd) liquid 
1 egg
3 tbsp cornflour

Gravy - Combine together:

2 pieces nam yue (red fermented red bean curd) - mashed
1 tbsp nam yue liquid
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Shao Xing wine
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp five spiced powder
1 tsp sesame oil
dash of pepper

 Method:

• Blanch pork in boiling water for 30 seconds.  Drain well and season the meat with marinade ingredients.   Set aside.
• Deep fry the marinated pork.   Transfer to a plate.  
• Stir fry fungus for a minute.  Dish out and set aside.
• Saute minced garlic, shallots and ginger  until fragrant.  Stir in the ingredients for gravy.   Bring to the boil. 
• Add pork and fungus.  Stir fry for a minute.  Then add enough water to cover the pork and fungus.  Bring to the boil.  Then simmer for about one hour or until pork is soft.  

Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers)

Gyoza, the Japanese version of  the Chinese Dumpling, Jiaozi (饺子) which consist of ground meat and vegetable filling wrapped in a thinly rolled piece of dough.  Jiaozi can be cooked in different ways  - boiled (水餃) , steamed (蒸餃) or pan-fried (鍋貼) which is also known as potstickers.

Filling:  Combine all ingredients together and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

(Makes 100 dumplings)

1 kg minced pork

200g Chinese chives (or chinese cabbage) - chopped finely

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic

1 1/2 tbsp minced ginger

1 1/2 tsp pepper

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 egg

2 tbsp cornstarch

To make dumplings:

1 pack of Gyoza wrappers (1 kg)

1 tbsp cornflour + 2 tbsp water

• Place a teaspoonful of the filling in the centre of the gyoza wrapper.  Brush a little cornflour mixture around the edge of the wrapper, then fold and pleat the dumpling. Make sure edges are sealed tightly. 
• Place the dumplings, seam-side up onto a tray (lined with baking paper) and gently press to flatten bottom.  Cover with dampened tea towel to prevent from drying out.   (At this point, you can freeze them on a tray. When they are frozen, transfer them into a sealed freezer container or resealable  bag. This method will keep them from sticking together).

To pan-fry the potstickers:

• Heat about 1 - 2 tbsp cooking oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. 
• Arrange dumplings in the pan and pan-fry until the bottom of the dumplings turn golden brown and crisp.  (Do not move or  turn the dumplings over)
• Add about 3/4 cup of water (so that dumplings are partially submerged)  and cover the pan immediately.  Cook under medium heat until liquid is absorbed - this will take about  8 minutes.  (The purpose is to steam the dumplings). 
• Uncover the pan.  Lower the heat and cook the dumplings for another 2 minutes.  This process gives the dumplings a crispy bottom, slightly chewy soft top and juicy filling.
• Using a spatula, transfer the dumplings onto a serving plate  and serve hot with dipping sauce.

Dipping sauce - Combine together:

Chinese black vinegar or Japanese rice vinegar (I prefer to use Balsamic Vinegar instead)

Soy sauce

Chilli oil (optional)

Turmeric Chicken

My own simple version of Turmeric Chicken ...

Ingredients:

600g skinless chicken thigh, cut into biteable sizes

Marinade:

1 tbsp grated palm sugar

1 tbsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp fish sauce

1/2 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp chilli powder or finely chopped fresh chillies (optional)

1 tbsp cornflour

2 tsp lemon/lime juice

• Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.   
• Shallow fry the chicken pieces under medium to low heat until they are cooked through. 
• Drizzle some more lemon juice before serving if preferred.

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.

Scones

Warm scones served with home-made Peach jam

 Adapted from JoyOfBaking.

Ingredients:

260g self-raising flour

40g sugar

75g cold butter 

1/2 cup cold milk/cream

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla

• Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.  Line a baking tray with baking paper.
• Combine beaten egg, vanilla extract and milk in a small bowl.
• Sift flour into a mixing bowl.  Combine with sugar.  Add in cold butter and cut into small pieces.  Rub butter into the flour  using fingertips until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 
• Make a well in the centre.  Add in egg mixture.  Mix with a plastic spatula until mixture forms a soft dough.  Do not over mix.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Pat dough into 4cm thickness and using a 5 cm diameter  round  cutter, cut out rounds (or cut into squares).
• Place scones on prepared tray, 1 cm apart.  Brush the tops of the scones with a little milk/cream.  
• Bake for about 20  minutes or until cooked through.
• Remove and cool on a wire rack.
• Serve warm with jam and whipped cream.

Apricot Scones

Warm scones served with home-made Peach jam

Adapted from this recipe.  

Ingredients:

320g self-raising flour (sifted)

2/3 cup cold lemonade

2/3 cup evaporated milk/cream

1 tsp sugar

pinch of salt

20g dried apricot (chopped) - optional

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.  Line a baking tray with baking paper which is lightly floured.
• Combine lemonade and milk in a bowl.  
• Combine flour and chopped dried apricot in a large mixing bowl.  Add lemonade mixture into the flour mixture and fold ingredients until just combined (do not over mix as it will produce tough scones) - the dough should be fairly soft and sticky.
• Place dough onto the floured baking paper (on the baking tray).  Lightly press the dough into about 4 cm thickness.  Using a knife which has been floured, cut the dough into 5cm squares.  
• Place scones close together, so they are just touching.  
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.
• Serve warm with jam and whipped cream.

Ji Dan Gao (鸡蛋糕) [Steamed Sponge Cake]

I remember when I was a kid,  Ji Dan Gao (literally "egg cake")  is the only CAKE that I knew of.  It is actually a steamed sponge cake with a light and soft texture.  To give a slight tangy flavour, I added orange zest and lemon juice to this recipe.  It is really simple .... and moreover it brings back some pleasant childhood memories ....

Ingredients:

(A)

5 egg yolks

100g caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp lemon juice

zest of 1 orange

(B)

6 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

50g caster sugar

150g cake flour *

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

3 tbsp oil

8" cake pan - lined with baking paper

10" bamboo steamer

• Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
• Beat egg yolks and sugar (on High speed) for about 5 minutes or until thick, pale and fluffy.  At this point, when you raise the beaters, the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.
• Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon juice.  Add in the zest.  Combine.
• Gently, fold in flour mixture (in 3 additions)  with a spatula until incorporated.
• Add in oil and stir to combine.
• Meanwhile, boil water in a big pot (or wok) big enough to fit the bamboo steamer.
• In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy.  Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.  Gradually add in sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it.  Then fold in the rest until well blended.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and place the pan into the bamboo steamer.  Steam over high heat for 30 minutes or until cake is done.  (If necessary, add more boiling water to maintain the water level).
• Remove pan from the steamer.  Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring onto a plate.   Enjoy ...

*  

I made my own Cake Flour because it is really easy to make and cheap as well!   

To get 1 cup sifted cake flour:   85g sifted plain flour + 15g cornflour and sift well (at least 3 times)  

I usually made a lot and then measure or weigh the amount of cake flour from this mixture as required in the recipes.

Braised Pork Ribs

Ingredients:

600g pork ribs

knob of ginger (about 3cm), minced or finely shredded

4 cloves  garlic, minced 

2 shallots, minced

1 tbsp fermented soy beans

1/2 tsp fermented black beans (optional)

2 birds' eye chillies /chilli flakes (optional)

10 g rock sugar / 1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp cooking wine

1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 1/2 cup  water

spring onion & coriander leaves - garnishing

cornstarch + water (for thickening the gravy)

• Cut the pork ribs in between the bones.  Blanch in boiling water for a minute.  Drain.
• Heat oil in a saucepan.  Saute ginger, shallots and garlic until fragrant.  Add fermented soy beans and black beans and chillies.  Stir for a minute.
• Add in pork ribs and stir fry for about 5 minutes.  Then add in wine, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and pepper. Stir fry for another minute before adding water.  Bring to the boil.  
• Lower the heat and let it simmer for about an hour or until ribs are tender.  Thicken gravy with cornstarch. 
• Garnish with spring onions and coriander leaves and serve with rice.

Hakka Steamed Pork Belly with Yam (芋头扣肉）

Ingredients:

500g pork belly
500g yam

Marinade:

1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp five spice powder
1 tsp pepper



Gravy:
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped shallot
1 tsp chopped ginger
3 pcs red fermented bean curd （南乳）, mashed
10g rock sugar or 1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp Shao Hsing wine
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 star anise
dash of pepper


 oil for deep frying



Method:

• Blanch pork in boiling water for 30 seconds.  Drain well and season the meat with marinade ingredients.   Set aside.
• Gravy:  Saute minced garlic, shallots, ginger  and star anise until fragrant.  Stir in mashed fermented bean curd, rock sugar and pepper.  Bring to the boil. 
• Cut yam into 1.5 cm thick slices and deep fry in hot oil until golden brown.  Dish up and drain well.
• Then deep fry pork  until golden brown.  Dish up.  Cut into 1.5cm thick slices.
• Arrange pork and yam alternately in a bowl or a deep dish and pour gravy over the 'snugly' assembled pork and yam. Cover with a plate or foil.
• Steam for about 2 hours or until pork is tender.
• Put a serving plate over the assembled platter and turn it over.  Pour back the gravy into the pork & yam. 
•  Serve hot.

Kim Chi

Kim Chi is a piquant condiment of fermented cabbage with  seasonings which is  the most common Korean side dish.  Koreans serve Kim Chi at almost every meal, yes, even for breakfast!  It is an acquired taste although Kim Chi is said to be very beneficial to our health.  Since heat is not used in the preparation of Kim Chi , fermentation also retains enzymes, vitamins, and other nutrients that are usually destroyed by cooking or processing.   This recipe was adapted from  Dr Ben Kim's recipe on healthy meals.

Ingredients:

1kg napa cabbage, cut into big pieces

3 carrot, cut into sticks
1 daikon, cut into sticks (optional)

1/4 cup sea salt dissolved in 1/2 cup of warm water

500ml cold water (or enough to cover all the cabbage pieces)

1/4 cup red chilli flakes/chilli powder

4 cloves garlic

1 knob ginger

1/2 small brown onion

1/2 ripe Nashi pear (peeled and cut into chunks)
1/2 ripe apple (peeled and cut into chunks)

4 tbsp fish sauce

3 tbsp sugar

3 spring onions, sliced

Optional:  To make the glutinous rice paste:   Cook 1 tbsp glutinous rice flour with 1/2 cup water  over low heat until the mixture has thickened and turned white and bubbly.  

• Dissolve the sea salt in warm water and add in the cold water.  Stir well.
• Place cabbage, carrots and daikons in a big mixing bowl and pour salt water over it.  Toss gently.  Leave vegetables in the brine for  about 3 hours, making sure that they are all fully submerged in the salt water.
• Wash the vegetables (3 times)  to rinse off excess salt.  Squeeze and drain well.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• Place pear, apple, onion, ginger, garlic, sugar and glutinous rice paste into a blender and blend until fine.  Then add in chilli flakes and fish sauce.  Combine well.
• Add sliced spring onions and carrots  to the cabbage.  Pour in the blended paste and toss well.  
• Once all the cabbage has been coated, transfer to an airtight glass container and press down the cabbage, carrot and daikon.  Pour in the liquid as well.    (Do not fill right up to the rim).
• Cover and store the Kim Chi  in a cool, dark place for 24 hours to stimulate the fermentation process.  Then refrigerate it.  Kim Chi keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 - 4 weeks.

Mee Siam

My dear friend Mee Lan cooked this for me when I visited her.  It was the yummiest Mee Siam I've ever tasted.  I think the secret to this delicious dish is the addition of ginger flower (bunga kantan) and kaffir lime leaves.   The exotic floral fragrance of the ginger flower  and the intense fragrance of the kaffir lime leaves enhance the aroma and flavour of this dish.  Thanks a lot my dear friend for sharing this wonderful recipe with me. 

 

Ingredients:  (Serves 5 - 6)

300g  rice vermicelli (meehoon) - soaked in water for 5 minutes and drained

300g prawns, shelled and deveined

2 pcs firm tofu, sliced

200g beansprouts
150g chives, cut into 2cm length

80g dried shrimps, wash and chopped coarsely

4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded finely

1/3 cup oil

Ingredients to be pounded together:

4 cloves garlic

4 shallots

1 small knob of fresh turmeric (or 1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder)

3 birds eye chillies (up to individual)

2 candlenuts

1 stalk lemongrass

3 tbsp chopped ginger flower (bunga kantan)

Seasonings: 

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp chicken stock granules

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tbsp tamarind paste

2 cups water

• Heat oil in a frying pan.  Lightly fry the chopped dried shrimps and tofu separately.  Dish out and leave aside.
• Stir fry  the pounded ingredients and kaffir lime leaves until aromatic.  Add prawns and fry until they are half-cooked.  Dish out the prawns and set aside. 
• Add in seasonings and bring to the boil.  Add meehoon and stir fry.  
• Mix in dried shrimps, tofu slices, prawns, chives and beansprouts.  Toss well.
• Serve hot with a drizzle of lime/lemon juice.

Sausage Cheese Bread Rolls

Nothing beats the wonderful aromas of freshly baked bread wafting through the house.  I've been wanting to try this Japanese-Style Sweet Bun Dough recipe for the past few months but since it was winter, I didn't have the patience to sit there for hours waiting for the dough to prove.  At last,  it was a glorious spring day today,  sunny and warm, so I decided  to make some sausage bread rolls.

This recipe calls for the addition of water-roux paste  (湯種 Tang Zhong)  into the bread dough which was suppose to produce a soft and fluffy texture in the buns.  However, I didn't think mine turned out as fluffy as I expected.   What did I miss?   This sweet bun dough recipe is supposed to be filled with sweet filling but I decided to use it for savoury filling instead - sausages, and it tastes quite good too.  

Ingredients:   (Makes 16 buns)

Water-Roux Paste

25g  bread flour
125ml (1/2 cup) water

• Mix flour and water in a small saucepan. 
• Cook over low to medium heat, stirring continuously until thickened to a paste (when you stir you can see the bottom of the pan). 
• Remove from heat, cover the paste with cling wrap and leave until lukewarm, or room temperature, before using.

For the Sweet Bun Dough:

375g high protein flour (bread flour)
100g plain flour
35g milk powder
75g caster sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 sachet (7g) instant dry yeast
1 egg, lightly beaten
150ml (approx.) lukewarm water, adjust as necessary
40g butter, cubed

16 skinless sausages
cheese slices, cut into strips

1 egg + a little milk, lightly beaten - for glazing

• Sift bread flour, plain flour, milk powder, caster sugar and salt into the mixing bowl.  Add instant dry yeast and mix well. Form the flour mixture into a well. Add egg and lukewarm water and water-roux paste. 
• Turn on the mixer with dough hooks attached.  Gradually add just enough lukewarm water to form into a slightly sticky, soft dough. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. 
• Add butter and knead until butter is incorporated into the dough.  
• Take the dough out and knead with hand. The dough also needs to be thrown onto the working surface once every few minutes between kneading to improve the dough structure.  [You should be able to pull and stretch the dough into a thin membrane without tearing]
• Form the dough into a ball and place it  in a greased mixing bowl and cover with clingwrap.  Let it prove in a warm place for about an hour until the dough doubled in size.   (I left the dough inside a warm oven with a saucepan of hot water to provide steam).
• Remove the dough from the bowl.  Press the air from the dough and knead briefly.  Divide dough into 16 balls of 56g each.  Rest for 10 minutes.
• Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into oval shape.  Place sausage in the middle and cut both sides of the dough into strips.  Place the cheese strips onto the sausage.  Fold the strips over the sausage, alternating  the left and right side  of the strips.
• Place rolls on a baking tray lined with baking paper.  Cover with clingwrap and let rise until doubled in size (about an hour).
• Brush rolls with egg wash.
• Bake in preheated oven of 180 deg C for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Hakka Yong Taufu

Ingredients:

Fish Paste:

500g Spanish Mackerel fish

1 egg white

2 tbsp cornflour + 4 tbsp cold water + 1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp sesame oil

500g minced pork

40g dried shrimps, finely chopped or processed in the food processor

40g garlic, finely minced

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp sesame oil

3 tsp light soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt 

1/2 tbsp cornflour

semi soft white tofu

tofu puff

(vegetables like capsicum, bitter gourd, egg plant, chillies, etc can be stuffed with the filling)

(I only used half the fish/meat paste for stuffing and freeze the rest)

For the gravy:

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tbsp minced shallots

1 tbsp fermented soy bean paste

1 tbsp oyster sauce

3 tbsp light soy sauce

sugar & salt (adjust to individual taste)

2 cups of chicken stock or water (approx)

1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 1/2 tbsp water - for thickening of the gravy

spring onion, coriander - for garnishing

• Fillet the fish and using a metal spoon scrape the flesh from the skin.  Mince it in the food processor until fine.  Add in all the ingredients and process until the fish paste turns light colour and has a springy texture.
• Combine the minced pork with the rest of the ingredients. 
• In a big mixing bowl, combine the fish paste and the minced pork mixture.  Mix well. Throw the fish/meat paste against the bowl until it is firm and springy. 
• The paste is then ready to be stuffed into tofu (or any vegetables you prefer).
• In a frying pan, heat oil and place the stuffed tofu with the stuffing side down. Lightly fry  and transfer to a plate.
• With a little oil in the pan, saute garlic and shallots until fragrant.  Add in the fermented soy bean paste and sugar, stir quickly before adding chicken stock, oyster sauce and soy sauce.  Arrange all the stuffed tofu  in the pan.  Cover and let simmer  under medium heat for about 10 minutes (do not over cook the tofu
• Thicken gravy with cornstarch mixture.
• Garnish with spring onion and coriander.
• Serve hot with chillie sauce.

Note:  
 
The bits of the tofu which was removed from the centre  (before stuffing ) can be mashed and mixed with some of the fish/meat paste and then made into patties which then pan fried. 

The fish/meat paste can also be wrapped with beancurd sheet and then fried.