Salmon Potato Cake 三文鱼马铃薯煎饼...

Prepared these lovely snack for my family in the weekend... and everybody enjoyed it... hee hee... hope you like the recipe... :p

The main ingredients are: salmon fillet, potatoes, fresh basil leaves, egg and onions. Please see Pictures (a) and (b) below:

Let's start... remove skin and bones of salmon fillet and dice. Peel potatoes, cut into smaller pieces and boil in water till cooked (c); add salt and ground black pepper and mash (d). Next, mix in egg, finely chopped basils and salmon (e) and shape into cakes (f). Coat salmon potato cakes with egg and breadcrumbs (g) and fry in a little oil till golden and voilà, it’s done! The cakes go very well with a home made mayonnaise and some salad greens.

Hope you try these delicious salmon potato cakes, enjoy... :)

Pan Fried Black Pepper Sirloin Steaks in a lovely Red Wine Butter Sauce 黑胡椒红酒奶油酱汁牛排...

Bought some lovely Angus Sirloins... and prepared this dish for my family this evening... here, i prepared medium well steaks – the surfaces were dark brown with a little charring on both sides and a little stiff... and in the middle, a hint of pink and a little squish (please see 2nd picture above)... Overall – very juicy and succulent… and my elder bros luved the dish and rated it 9.5/10... here's the recipe... :p

The Angus sirloins that i used looked pink and pristine with a thick wedge of creamy fat (please see picture a below). Simply rinse them in water, pat dry using kitchen towels, flatten with a meat mallet and marinate with coarsely grounded black pepper and chopped garlic (b). p.s. do not marinate with salt at this stage as it will release the juices in the beef. Leave in the fridge for about half an hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the accompaniments with ingredients given in (c) to give a lovely White Fungus Mushrooms Sautéed in Red Wine, Cauliflowers and Red Capsicum Salad (d) and Baked Potatoes with Mixed herbs and Sea Salt (e). Let’s start… boil cauliflowers and capsicums in water till cooked, drain and arrange on a plate. Heat a little butter and fry white fungus mushrooms till fragrant, add a little red wine and a stalk of rosemary and season with a little sea salt and allow the mushrooms to sauté in the lovely red wine butter sauce. Remove the mushrooms and lay them over the cauliflowers. Next, thicken the sauce with corn starch and pour half the sauce over the veggies and keep the remaining for the sirloins. For the baked potatoes, marinate cut potatoes with dry basils and oregano, a little sea salt and olive oil, wrap with aluminium foil and bake in an oven preheated to 200 degrees C for 45 minutes. To prepare the medium well steaks, heat a little butter and cook the steaks over high heat for about a minute on each side to seal in the juice, sprinkle a little sea salt and grill for another 4 minutes per side. Pour the remaining red wine butter sauce over the sirloins and voilà, it’s done! You may serve the sirloins with the accompaniments (f).

Hope you like this Pan Fried Black Pepper Sirloin Steaks in a lovely Red Wine Butter Sauce 黑胡椒红酒奶油酱汁牛排, enjoy... :p

Green Carrot & Prawn Soup 青萝卜鲜虾汤...

i prepare mostly steamed and soup dishes and lesser of deep fried stuffs for my family lately as the weather is really warm... This soup is delightfully refreshing - the green carrot and prawns make a beautiful blend in both color and taste. :p Hope you like try it!

The main ingredients are: fresh prawns, green carrot, Chinese mushrooms, garlic and a lovely broth from boiling dried scallops, dried oysters, ginger, garlic and peppercorns. Please see picture (a) below for the key ingredients.

Green carrots are as nutritious as the red and white ones. According to Chinese medical books, green carrots are rich in the nutrients that our body requires for healthy functions; in particular, they are a very rich source of amylase. They also contain lots of water and are sweet in taste. Its other medicinal benefits include improving water retention condition, promoting urination and easing diarrhea. More of its nutritional info can be found on this Chinese website 百度知道.

The preparations... peel carrot and cut into thin strips. Clean prawns keeping the shells intact and marinate with a little rice wine, sesame oil and pepper. Soak Chinese mushrooms in hot water till soften, drain and slice. Prepare a nice broth by boiling dried scallops, dried oysters, ginger slices, garlic and peppercorns in water, as given above in (b).

Let’s start... heat a little oil and stir fry garlic and Chinese mushrooms till fragrant, stir in green carrot and season with a little rice wine, sesame oil and soy sauce. Add the stir fry into the broth and simmer for about 10 minutes. Next, add in the fresh prawns, close the lid and let the soup cook for another one or two minutes or till the prawns change color and voilà, it’s done!

Hope you try this simple and refreshing Green Carrot & Prawn Soup 青萝卜鲜虾汤, enjoy... :p

Fried Yam Cakes in 2 Ways 油煎和蛋煎芋头糕...

The steamed yam cakes in Steamed Yam Cake Part (I) 芋头糕(上) & Steamed Yam Cake Part (II) 芋头糕(下) can be fried in oil... and they serve as an excellent breakfast dish and delightful afternoon snacks. Here’re 2 ways of preparing these lovely fried yam cakes:
1. Slice the yam cakes and fry them in a little oil till the surfaces turn golden and crispy; or
2. Coat the yam cakes with a thin layer of egg mixture and fry in a little oil.

Hope you like the savoury fried yam cakes... enjoy... :p

Steamed Yam Cake Part (II) 芋头糕(下)...

The preparations given in Steamed Yam Cake Part (I) 芋头糕(上) seems to suggest a lot of work… please do not be discouraged by it... I usually prepare all the ingredients (the washing, cutting, slicing, etc) the night before and leave them in the fridge overnight, and on the day itself, the cooking takes just an hour... :)

Let’s start... heat shallot oil in a wok, add chopped garlic, dried mushrooms and dried shrimps and stir fry till fragrant. Next, add the yam, Chinese sausage, a little bit of water, 4 tbsp of soy sauce, 4 tbsp of rice wine, a tbsp of pepper and fry for about 2 minutes (here, you will see the yam soften...). Stir in the flour-water mixture and fried shallots and mix thoroughly, the texture of the mixture at this stage should be viscous and sticky… and pour the mixture into the greased steaming trays (please see Picture a below). Steam the yam mixture over high heat for about 40 minutes (b) or when a toothpick comes out clean (c)… and voilà, it’s done! You may garnish the yam cakes with some fried shallots and chopped chili; I like mine plain, as I love the original taste 原味之香...

Hope you try out this savory Yam cake dish, picture (d) gives the final product, enjoy... :p

p.s. these yam cakes taste really heavenly... and you can see lots of yam strips in a good yam cake. Hope you try it!

Steamed Yam Cake Part (I) 芋头糕(上)...

Home made yam cakes are delicious and not oily... and you can have lots of yams and mushrooms in your cakes which are very flavorful and really yummy. I used to prepare these lovely yam cakes for my late Grandma who loved yam and all type of yam dishes... and it was always a pure joy to see her enjoy food that she loved. :)

Here’s my humble recipe... hope you try it! It is broken into 2 parts... this post gives the raw ingredients and preparations, and the next one, the cooking method and the final products.

The main ingredients used: yam 芋头 (1 medium size), dried mushrooms 香菇 (15 pieces), dried shrimps 虾米 (200g), Chinese sausage XO手工加瘦腊肠 (150g), rice flour 水磨占米粉 (600g), sago flour 茨粉 (50g), water (2 litres), shallots 葱头 and garlic 蒜头. For the key ingredients, please see Picture below:

The preparations... please refer to the pictures below for the steps:
(a) Peel yam, wash and cut into thin strips.
(b) Soak dried shrimps in hot water, rinse and drain.
(c) Soak dried mushrooms in hot water, drain and slice thinly.
(d) Remove the membrane of the sausages, wash and cut into thin strips.
(e) Peel garlic cloves and chop finely.
(f) Peel shallots and cut thinly.
(g) Sieve rice flour and sago flour, mix with water and ensure that all the flour “dissolves” and there are no lumps of flour in the mixture.
(h) Fry shallots in oil till golden brown. Separate the shallots from the oil. Grease the steaming trays with the shallot oil and keep the rest for cooking later on.

For the rest of the recipe, please move on to Steamed Yam Cake Part (II) 芋头糕(下)... :p

Yellow Ginger Rice with Raisins 黄姜葡萄干饭...

This home made Yellow Ginger Rice is a very simple and healthy rice dish and there is no artificial colorings and flavorings added. I learned it through experimentations and family members love it very much. Here’s the recipe...

The main ingredients are: rice, a small piece of fresh turmeric root or yellow ginger 黄姜, raisins and pandan leaves (optional).

Ginger 姜 in general has been used widely as a Chinese medicinal herb. One of its key uses is to aid digestion - it can help digest fatty foods and break down proteins and is excellent for reducing gas, relieving nausea and treating motion sickness. Ginger can also help reduce inflammation and has been used to treat related diseases such as arthritis or ulcerative colitis. Being a warm herb, ginger can help remove fever and is a good remedy for colds. Recent studies also show that ginger might help in lowering LDL cholesterol too. For more info on the benefits of ginger, you may refer to this WHFoods website.

Yellow ginger or turmeric root 黄姜 is a powerful medicine that has long been used in the Chinese and Indian medicinal history as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat a wide variety of conditions including flatulence, menstrual difficulties, bloody urine, hemorrhage, toothache, bruises, chest pain, and colic. Like other gingers, it is an effective treatment for inflammatory diseases as well as lowering LDL cholesterol. Besides, turmeric has been found to relieve rheumatoid arthritis, inhibits cancer cell growth and metastases and prevents cancers especially colon cancer, improves liver function, protects cardiovascular as well as Alzheimer’s disease. More of the medicinal benefits of this ginger type can be found on this Chinese Website 百度百科.

Let’s start... peel a small piece of fresh yellow ginger and grind it using a hand held kitchen grinder to give a paste (please see Picture a below). Mix the paste (just a little bit would do) with rice and water, add some raisins, a few drops of oil and a little salt to taste (b) and steam over high heat for 20 minutes or cook the rice in a rice cooker as per normal, and voilà, you have a nice homie yellow ginger rice with raisins (c) and (d)!

p.s. As yellow ginger is a strong colorant, please wash the grinder immediately affer use or else the stain will stay.

Hope you try this healthy rice delight... Cheers!

Beef and Petai in Tomato Curry 牛肉臭豆番茄咖喱...

This spicy curry dish is flavorful and tasty… and the combination using beef, petai and curry is great - hot, aromatic and simply yummy! Here’s the recipe...

The main ingredients are: beef shanks, petai, tomatoes, curry powder, curry leaves, curry seeds, red chili padi, potatoes, carrots, coconut milk (or hi-lo milk), onions, ginger and garlic. The curry powder consists of these ingredients: coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and pepper.

Petai 臭豆 are bright green and almond sized seeds that have a peculiar smell. They are popular in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Malaysians called them petai and they are known as peteh to the Indonesians and sataw or sator in Thailand. The seeds, which are imported from Thailand and Indonesia, are sold in packets in the supermarkets here in Singapore; a packet that contains around 50 to 60 seeds costs between $1.50 to $2. Dad first introduced the family to the goodness of petai many years ago; his job back then dealt with some industrial hazards that might be harmful to the body and an Indonesian friend recommended that he include petai in his diet. Though a number of websites on the internet provide nutritional info on petai that are different, it is generally believed that the seed is an excellent detoxifier and is very effective in removing toxins trapped in the body especially the kidneys and the urine usually turns a little darker after consuming the seeds.

The preparations... clean beef, pat dry using kitchen towels and cut into small pieces; marinate with a little rice wine and curry powder. Dice tomatoes finely or blend to give a puree. Peel potatoes and carrots and cut. Wash curry leaves and pat dry. Wash petai and slit into halves; this is to ensure that there are no worms in the hearts of the seeds. Slit chili padi into halves and remove the seeds. Chop the garlic and ginger finely.

Let’s start... boil potatoes and carrots in water till cooked. Heat a little oil and stir fry chopped garlic, ginger, curry seeds and curry power till fragrant. Add tomatoe puree, some water or stock from the potatoes and carrots pot and some coconut milk and bring to boil, add beef, red chilies and curry leaves and simmer over low heat for an hour and a half. Add petai, onions, cooked potatoes, carrots and a little salt and raw sugar to taste and mix well and voilà, it’s done!

p.s. you may also prepare a lovely Yellow Ginger Rice with Raisins 黄姜葡萄干饭 to go with the curry and the combination is superb!

Hope you try this savoury Beef and Petai in Tomato Curry 牛肉臭豆番茄咖喱... Cheers!

Herbal Chicken Soup with Tian Qi & Pao Shen 田七泡参炖鸡汤...

This soup together with Herbal Chicken Soup with Ginseng 人参炖鸡汤, Herbal Black Chicken Soup with Ginseng & Cordyces 人参虫草乌鸡汤 and Herbal Chicken Soup with Ling Zhi & Song Rong 灵芝松茸炖鸡汤, etc are complimentary medicinal soups... and are some usual tonics that I brew for my family fortnightly to help promote health and longevity. This one uses Tian Qi 田七 and Pao Shen 泡参 and it enhances heart functions and is generally a good prescription for folks especially ladies who are too weak to have tonic 是虚不受补的良方. Here’s the recipe...

The main ingredients are: chicken legs, Tian Qi 田七, Pao Shen 泡参, wolfberries 枸杞, red dates 红枣, ginger and Benedictine D•O•M 法国廊酒. Please see picture below for the main herbs used. p.s. you may ask to have Tian Qi and Pao Shen sliced when you buy them from a Chinese medical hall. You may replace the D•O•M with Yomeshu 养命酒 or rice wine 米酒.

Tian Qi 田七 or San Qi 三七 is a tonic of the blood and it stops bleeding and pain, relieves swelling, disperses bruises, generates new muscles and eliminates abdominal flatulence and swelling. It also shortens the time for blood clotting and increases platelet and treats bleeding and it is most suitable for women after labour. Tian Qi is also known to promote physical strength, improve functions of the heart and regulate blood pressure. Healthy people can also consume this herb regularly for prevention of coronary heart diseases and to maintain general health. More of its medical uses are given on these Chinese websites 百度百科 and 百度知道. Excerpts from the websites: 据明代李时珍《本草纲目》，田七味微甘而苦，颇 似人参之味，有’金不换’之称。清代赵学敏著《本草纲目拾贵》称：人参补气第一，三七补血第一，味同而功亦 等，故人称人参三七，为中药之最珍贵者。田七含六种皂甙和谷甾醇、胡萝卜甙、黄酮类化合物。皂甙对增强体力，改善心肌氧代谢 ，提高动物缺氧的耐受力很有作用。谷甾醇和胡萝卜甙能降血脂，而黄酮类化合物是扩张冠状动脉、改善心肌供血 、增加血管弹性的有效成分，因而常食田七，不仅对冠心病、心绞痛有显著疗效，而且对冠心病、心绞痛有预防功 能。无病的人服用后可起预防冠心病和滋补强壮作用。

In Stewed Bird’s Nest with Red Ginseng and Rock Sugar 红参冰糖炖燕窝, we've used red ginseng 红参; Red ginseng and Pao Shen 泡参 are types of ginseng 人参 and this Chinese article 人参的分类及对应人参功效新定义 gives info on the various types of Ginseng and their uses. Ginseng in general, is one of the most widely used herbal TCM and many studies have shown that the herb is able to reduce levels of stress in both men and women. In addition to its traditional role as stress fighter, it is also effective in reducing fatigue, increasing memory and even fighting off colds, flu and other infections. Ginseng is also one of the few herbs that have shown to be useful in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. More on its medicinal uses and benefits can be found on this Chinese website 百度百科. Pao Shen has similar uses as Ginseng in benefiting Qi 益气 and promoting general health and strength; however, they differ in their natures - Pao Shen is cold in nature 性寒, promotes Yin and relieves “heatiness” 补气养阴，清火生津, whereas Ginseng is mild warm in nature 微温 and benefits Qi, Spleen and Lungs 大补元气，补脾益肺.

The preparations... clean chicken legs, remove skin and excess fats and drain. Rinse herbs with water a couple of times and set aside.

You may prepare the soup in 2 ways…
1. Place herbs and chicken legs in a slow cooker, add hot water and let it brew for around 3-4 hours... add in a tbsp of D•O•M 法国廊酒 and a little salt and pepper to taste and serve; or
2. Double boil (隔水炖) the herbal chicken soup for 2-3 hours, add in a tbsp of D•O•M and a little salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Hope you try this easy recipe and bring health and longevity to your family and loved ones... Cheers!

Blueberry Milkshake & Yakult Drink 蓝梅果汁奶昔及益多果汁...

These lovely drinks promote health and help protect us from aging... and they taste really good too!

Blueberries 蓝梅 belong to the Ericaceae family of flowering plants whose other members include the bilberries and cranberries. They are packed with nutrients and flavor, yet very low in calories. They are antioxidant powerhouses, which are important because they neutralize the free radicals that our body produces as part of the aging process. Scientific researches also show that blueberries are effective in promoting cardioprotective action, similar effects as red wine. In addition, they promote functions of the brain, improve vision and protect against macular degeneration, colon cancer and ovarian cancer, etc. For more info on this great food, please refer to this WHFoods website.

To prepare a Blueberry Milkshake 蓝梅果汁奶昔... simply wash 20 blueberries and put them into a blender with 200 ml of cold hi-low (high calcium low fat) milk and some ice cubes. Blend well and voilà, a nice icy blueberry milkshake is ready to go with strawberry pies... :p

A variation from this drink is Blueberry Yakult drink 蓝梅益多果汁... Yakult 益多, needless for me to say, contains live probiotic strains of good bacteria called Lactobacillus casei Shirota, that help neutralise some of the more harmful substances of digestion. They also help to discourage potentially harmful bacteria from setting up home within our gut. This drink is one quick and easy step in enjoying the numerous health benefits blueberries and Yakult bring - Simply wash 20 blueberries and put them into a blender with 200 ml of cold water, a little cold hi-low milk and some ice cubes. Blend well and mix in one little bottle of unflavored Yakult and here you have a nice icy healthy drink for the grandpas, grandmas and the little ones in a hot afternoon day, enjoy...

Breaded Cheesy Pork Chop 芝士猪扒...

This is a savoury and delightful dish - the melted cheese inside the pork chop oozes out when you cut it... and the cheese go very well with the fried breaded meat. Overall... simply yummy! Here’s the recipe...

The main ingredients are: pork loins, cheese slices, egg, plain flour, breadcrumbs and a little pepper, salt, rice wine and curry powder (optional).

Let’s start... rinse pork loins, pat dry using kitchen towels and flatten into thin slices using the back of a knife (a). As the pork loins I’ve gotten are quite small, I half them along the thickness and open them up so that they become larger; alternatively, you could get larger pieces of loins. Marinate with a little salt, pepper, curry powder and rice wine and sandwich cheese slices in-between two thin pieces of meat (b). Next, coat with some flour, dip into an egg mixture and then, coat with breadcrumbs (c). Fry pork chops till crispy and golden (d) and voilà, it’s done!

Hope you try this lovely Breaded Cheesy Pork Chop 芝士猪扒... Cheers!

Golden Fried Rice with Scallops 带子金镶银炒饭...

This is a flavorful, rich and nutritious one dish meal... and a popular pick in my homie menu as my family loves it very much... a MUST-TRY! Here’s the recipe...

The main ingredients are: cooked white rice, fresh scallops 鲜带子, Chinese sausages 手工加瘦腊肠, fish cakes, fresh corn kernels, carrots, capsicums, onions, garlic and eggs.

Scallop 带子 is full of goodness - it is a very good source vitamin B12 which is needed by the body to convert a chemical named homocysteine that damages blood vessel walls into other benign chemicals. Scallop is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium and potassium which are essential for healthy functions of the heart and they also help to prevent and control high blood pressure. The high omega-3 fatty acids content is also especially good for protection against colorectal cancer. For more info on the nutritional benefits of scallop, you may refer to this WHFoods website. Scallops also come in dried forms - 瑶柱 or 干贝 and are used extensively in Chinese cuisines. A couple of earlier dishes here also make use of dried scallops: Salmon Bee Hoon Soup 三文鱼米粉汤 that uses scallops to improve the flavor of the soup base and Teochew Rice Dumplings aka Bak Chang Part (I) 潮州双拼肉粽 (上) where scallops are a key component of the filling.

The preparations... wash veggies and dice. Soak Chinese mushrooms in hot water till soften, drain and dice. Remove the membrane of the Chinese sausages and dice. Dice fish cakes. Slice a fresh corn vertically along its length and separate the kernels. Beat eggs lightly to get a nice smooth mixture. Mince garlic.

Let’s start... heat a little oil in a non-stick pan, pour in cooked rice and egg mixture, stir fry evenly to ensure that every grain of rice is coated with the egg... and this is the golden rice 金镶银 (i.e. the silvery rice grains are encapsulated by a layer of golden egg mixture). Remove the rice and set aside. Fry scallops in a little oil, season with a little salt and ground black pepper, remove and set aside. In the same pan, fry minced garlic, onion and dried mushrooms in a little oil till fragrant, stir in the veggies and fry thoroughly. Next, add diced sausages, fish cakes and the cooked golden rice and continue to fry till the rice grains jump in the pan (yes, you can literally see them "dancing happily"... :p), add in a little soy sauce and pepper to taste and voilà, it’s done! Before you serve the dish, you may arrange the cooked scallops on top of the rice and garnish with some Chinese celery.

Hope you try this savoury Golden Fried Rice with Scallops 带子金镶银炒饭... Cheers!

Water Chestnut and Lotus Seed Dessert 清凉马蹄莲子甜汤

This is a cooling dessert and a healthy snack for warm weather... and it is easy to prepare. Here's the recipe...

The main ingredients are: water chestnuts 马蹄, fresh lotus seeds 鲜莲子, brown rock sugar 黄冰糖或冰片糖 and pandan leaves 斑斓叶.

Water Chestnuts are a good source of potassium, fiber and Vitamin B. They are low in sodium, fat free but quite high in carbohydrates. They also contain protein, Vitamin A and C, calcium, iron and carotene. Water chestnuts have been regarded as a cooling tonic in TCM; they are cold in nature and excellent for clearing Heat 清熱. They are also believed to cure jaundice, detoxify the body, ease fever, promote urination and aid digestion. More of its medicinal benefits can be found on this Chinese website 中国食品百科全书. An excerpt from the website:《本草纲目》中记有“马蹄能清热消渴，治脾热，湿中益气，开胃下食，清 心明目，解热杀菌，清黄疸，降血压，治疗多种疾病。When buying fresh water chestnuts, choose those that are hard and firm and with smooth skins and no soft spots as the presence of soft spots may suggest that the chestnuts are mushy inside.

Lotus Seeds are a good source of protein and generally pretty low in fat. They contain carbohydrate, water and minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphorus. They are used extensively in TCM and Chinese desserts. When cooked in clear soups, lotus seeds are believed to clear Heat and are particularly nutritious and restorative to our health. This Chinese website 百科百度 mentions the uses of lotus seeds in Chinese medical records:《本草再新》莲子味甘，性微凉，无毒。补脾止泻，益肾涩精，养心安神。用于脾虚久泻，遗精带下，心悸失眠。 Fresh lotus seeds are available in both supermarkets and wet markets.

The preparations... wash water chestnuts thoroughly to remove traces of soil and peel off the skin; put the flesh in a blender and make a water chestnut puree. Rinse fresh lotus seeds and set aside.

Let’s start... place the water chestnut puree in boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, then add in the lotus seeds, some pandan leaves and brown rock sugar to taste and bring to boil and it’s done!

Hope you try this cooling and healthy dessert... Cheers!

Sambal Chili Clams 三巴辣椒蛤蜊...

This is a lovely seafood dish - the clams and sambal chili blend beautifully... the sweetness of the fresh clams plus the spicy sambal chili makes the dish very appetizing... and it goes very well with steamed white rice. Here’s the recipe…

The main ingredients are: clams or “La La” 蛤蜊, a special home made sambal chili paste 特制三巴辣椒酱, onions 大葱 and garlic 蒜头.

Here’s how I prepare the sambal chili paste at home - you will need some red shallots 葱头 and garlic (remove skin and rinse), dried chilies 辣椒干 (soak in water, rinse and drain), fresh chili paddies 小辣椒 (rinse and seed) and dried shrimps 虾米 (soak in hot water, rinse and drain). Blend all the above ingredients in a grinder till they become a paste. Stir fry the paste in a little oil till fragrant, add some asam juice (made from adding water to asam jawa 亚三膏 and squeezing out the juices), a little salt and brown sugar to taste, and continue frying till the sambal becomes thick and red... and it’s done!

p.s. this sambal chili is a nice accompliment for all types of seafood and can be used in many other dishes, for example, sambal baked fish fillet on banana leaf, sambal sotong, sambal fried eggs, etc... and these dishes are all lovely and delicious! Hope to share some of them here soon and do stay tuned.

Let’s start... fry chopped garlic in a little oil, add in sambal chili paste and fry till fragrant. Next, add in cut onions, clams (rinsed in cold water to remove sand) and a little rice wine; stir fry till the clams open up and voilà, it’s done! You may also garnish the dish with fresh parsley and/or add a few drops of lemon juice to it and serve.

Hope you try this savoury Sambal Chili Clams 三巴辣椒蛤蜊... Cheers!

Teochew Egg Omelet/Or Luak 潮州蚝蛋/蚝烙...

This homie version of Or Luak tastes really good and is not oily at all... and having this dish home cooked offers yet another advantage - you can add lots of veggies to it and make it flavorful and healthy. The juicy oysters + crisp veggies + creamy egg flour... simply yummy!! My family loves this dish very much... and here’s the recipe...

The main ingredients are: fresh oysters, eggs, wheat starch, Chinese celery and spring onions. Please see Picture below for the ingredients.

Oysters are generally quite low in fat and cholesterol, and rich in Omega-3 fatty acid which is good for the heart. They are one of nature's most concentrated packages of zinc and we need adequate zinc in our body for a strong immune system. Oysters also help improve our mental functions and are mood elevators; they are also rich in amino acid tyrosine, a form of proteins which our brain converts into mentally energizing chemicals. For more info on oysters, please refer to this Wiki site.

The preparations... clean oysters and marinate with a little rice wine, sesame oil, soy sauce, raw sugar and pepper and mix with a little corn flour. Cut Chinese celery and spring onions into 2 cm long strips. Mix eggs with some wheat flour, water and a little soy sauce and rice wine and beat lightly.

Let’s start... heat a little oil in a non-stick pan, stir in veggies and fry lightly. Add the egg mixture and fry for just a while or till the mixture firms up under heat and add oysters and stir fry thoroughly for about half a minute and voilà, it’s done! p.s. please do not overcook the oysters else they will turn dry and tough; a well cooked Or Luak retains the freshness and juices of the oysters and when you eat it, you can even sense the sweet juices of the oysters ooze out in your mouth.

Hope you try this lovely homie Or Luak... Cheers!

Herbal Pork Rib Soup with Huai Shan 淮山排骨汤...

This nourishing soup regulates blood pressure and promotes general health and longevity... and it is delicious too! Here’s the recipe...

The main ingredients are: fresh Huai Shan 鲜淮山 or Shan Yao 山药 (Picture a), pork ribs 排骨, carrot, Yu Zhu 玉竹, red dates 红枣, wolfberries 枸杞, white peppercorns and sea salt.

Huai Shan 淮山 or Shan Yao 山药 has high nutritional values and it contains starch, proteins, diosgenin (a natural DHEA), fiber, Vitamin B1, B2, C, calcium, phosphorous and iron. It has long been used as a Chinese medicine in treating various digestive and respiratory problems, diabetes, chronic coughs and male sexual dysfunction. It is also commonly included in the diet to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. More of its medicinal uses can be found on this Chinese website 互动百科. According to it, Huai Shan is a tonic for the spleen and stomach and can be used to treat loss of appetite, fatigue, chronic diarrhea and frequent urination due to kidney deficiency. It is believed that healthy people will also benefit from a diet that includes Huai Shan as it promotes general health and vitality, enhances immunity, increases energy and promotes longevity.

For the nutritional benefits of Yu Zhu 玉竹, wolfberries 枸杞 and red dates 红枣, please refer to Herbal Drunken Prawns 药材醉虾 and Longan Red Date Tea 桂圆红枣茶.

The preparations... wash ribs and blanch in boiling water for about 5 minutes, remove and rinse with cold water. Peel Huai Shan and carrot and cut into smaller pieces. Rinse other herbs.

Let’s start... place ribs, Huai Shan, carrot, Yu Zhu, red dates, wolfberries and peppercorns in a pot of water and bring it to boil; simmer over low heat for 2 hours (Picture b) and add a little salt to taste and voilà, it’s done!

Hope you try this nutritious and savoury Herbal Pork Rib Soup with Huai Shan 淮山排骨汤... Cheers!

Salted Egg Yolk Prawns 咸蛋黄虾...

These lovely prawns are coated with a salted egg yolk-curry-butter mixture and they taste really flavorful and savoury... and everyone at home loves the dish. Here’s the recipe...

The main ingredients are: prawns, salted egg yolks, butter, curry powder, curry leaves, rice wine, corn flour, chili padi and sea salt.

Let’s start... clean prawns keeping the shells and marinate with a little rice wine, corn flour and sea salt. Mince salted egg yolks. Heat a little oil and fry the prawns till crispy and golden. Melt butter and fry salted egg yolk till fragrant, add cooked prawns and a little curry powder, curry leaves, rice wine and chili padi and mix thoroughly till the prawns are coated with a thin layer of egg yolk and voilà, it’s done!

Hope you try these lovely salted egg yolk prawns... cheers!

Purple Sweet Potato & Barley Dessert 紫番薯薏米甜汤...

This is a light and healthy dessert that tastes great and is easy to prepare. Hope you try it!

The main ingredients are: purple sweet potatoes 紫番薯, barley 薏米，rock sugar 冰糖and pandan leaves 斑斓叶.

Sweet potatoes 番薯 (又甘薯, 山芋) are ranked highest in nutritional value amongst many other vegetables – they are in general low in calorie, fat free and rich in Vitamins A, C and E, magnesium, potassium, beta-carotene (esp for the orange ones) and antioxidants. The nutrients and minerals help us protect against heart attack and stroke, reduce blood pressure and maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body cells. Studies have also shown that sweet potatoes help to stabilise blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance and diabetics may benefit from a diet which includes this root vegetable. Purple sweet potatoes 紫番薯 are an excellent source of anthocyanins and have the highest antioxidant activity among sweet potato varieties. For more info on the nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes, please see this WHFoods site.

Barley 薏米 (又薏仁) contains protein, Vitamins B1、B2, calcium, magnesium, iron and amino acids and they are essential for good health. More importantly, barley is a rich source of soluble fiber that helps to stabilize blood glucose levels and lower "bad" cholesterol in the blood. More of its uses in TCM can be found on this Chinese website 百度百科; according to it, barley expels heat, moisturizes the body and hence it is a beauty food and it is also effective in cancer prevention.

The preparations... peel sweet potatoes, wash and dice. Rinse barley in water and soak for 20 minutes; it is believed that soaking them will help remove some acidity. In addition, Chinese physicians do not encourage a lengthy brewing duration for barley as the long heating could induce “heatiness”.

Let’s start... boil barley in water for 20 minutes, add sweet potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Next, add rock sugar to taste and some pandan leaves, simmer for a little while more till the sugar dissolves and voilà, it’s done!

Hope you try this simple and lovely Purple Sweet Potato & Barley Dessert... Cheers!

Teochew Rice Dumplings aka Bak Chang Part (II) 潮州双拼肉粽 (下)...

Here’s a summary of the preparations prior to wrapping and cooking the dumplings:

Let’s make the dumplings, please refer to Pictures (a) to (f)...
(a) Overlap 2 pieces of bamboo leaves and fold.
(b) Put in a layer of glutinous rice.
(c) Top with pork slices, red bean paste, Chinese mushrooms, chestnuts, dried shrimps, dried oyster, dried scallop and salted egg yolk.
(d) Cover with another layer of glutinous rice.
(e) Fold in the leaves to give a triangular dumpling and tie firmly with straw.
(f) Cook dumplings in a pot with water enough to cover all dumplings for 2 hours.

Hope you try these lovely rice dumplings... here’s one that’s opened up, enjoy... :p

Teochew Rice Dumplings aka Bak Chang Part (I) 潮州双拼肉粽 (上)...

My late Grandma loved Bak Chang and I started preparing home made ones for her 6 years ago as those sold outside were usually a little oily. The ones I made today were specially for thanksgiving - for folks who showed her kindness through love and encouragement during her years of illness. I’d initially thot that I would never prepare this delicacy again now that she is no longer around… but the idea of sharing her favorite food with people who love her has made this first Duan Wu Festival 端午节 without her meaningful. Here’s my humble recipe...

Again, as the recipe is quite lengthy, it is broken down into 2 posts - this one details the ingredients and preparations... and the following one, the making of the dumplings and the final product.

The main ingredients are: glutinous rice 糯米, bamboo leaves 竹叶, pork leg meat 前腿肉, chestnuts 栗子, Chinese mushrooms 香菇, dried shrimps 虾米, dried scallops 瑶柱, dried oysters 耗干, salted eggs 咸蛋, ginger 姜, garlic 蒜, shallot 葱头 and red bean paste 红豆沙. Teochews include red bean paste into dumplings to give a balance of sweet and salty taste and this type of the dumplings is called 双拼 or 2 flavours. Try it... it’s a lovely blend! The ingredients are given below:

To prepare the pork filling, please refer to Pictures (a) to (f)...
(a) Cut pork into cubes and marinate with rice wine, five spice powder, pepper, brown sugar, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and sesame oil. Leave in the fridge overnight.
(b) Soak chestnuts in hot water, remove skin and rinse. Cook in water for an hour and set aside.
(c) Soak Chinese mushrooms in hot water till soften, rinse, drain and cut into smaller pieces.
(d) Soak dried oysters in hot water, rinse and set aside.
(e) Soak dried shrimps in hot water till soften, rinse, drain and blend.
(f) Blend garlic, shallot and ginger to give a paste.

Next, let’s cook the pork filling... heat a little oil and fry garlic paste, dried shrimps and mushrooms till fragrant. Next, stir in pork and dried oysters and add five spice powder, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, pepper, brown sugar and rice wine. Stir fry thoroughly till the ingredients are cooked and mix in cooked chestnuts. Remove and set aside. The pork filling looks like this:

Other preparations…
(g) Rinse glutinous rice till the water becomes clear, soak in it overnight. Drain and fry lightly in a little oil and mix with a little dark soy sauce and salt.
(h) Gather salted egg yolks, rinse and drain.
(i) Soak dried scallops in hot water, rinse and steam over high heat for 2 hours.
(j) Soak bamboo leaves in hot water till soften, rinse and drain.

The rest of the recipe will be given in Teochew Rice Dumplings aka Bak Chang Part (II) 潮州双拼肉粽 (下)... Cheers!

Handmade Vegetable Pau Part (II) 手工菜包 (下)...

The ingredients for the filling are: Bang Kwang or turnip 沙葛, Chinese mushrooms, carrots, dried shrimps, Chinese parsley and garlic.

The preparations... shred bang kwang and carrots; soak dried mushrooms and shrimps in warm water, drain and thinly slice the mushrooms. Finely chop the garlic. Please see Picture (a).

Let’s cook the filling... heat a little oil and fry garlic, dried shrimps and mushrooms till fragrant; stir in the veggies and fry thoroughly and add a little rice wine, soy sauce, pepper and sesame oil to taste. Set the filling aside to cool and drain away excess liquid (b).

Next, spoon filling on a flattened dough and wrap it by folding the edges of the dough; place a piece of paper underneath each pau and set aside for another 30 minutes to allow the dough to prove further (c). Steam over high heat for 10 minutes (d) and voilà, it’s done! (e) and (f) give the final product, enjoy... :p

Handmade Vegetable Pau Part (I) 手工菜包 (上)...

Observed a couple of sifus prepare this delicacy and wanted very much to try it myself... this is my first attempt at making paus and honestly speaking, i find that the appearance of those in the picture above isn’t really fantastic... but i believe given time and practices, i'll improve and grasp the art of pau making. :p

As the recipe is quite lengthy, it will be broken down into 2 posts - this one details the method for making the dough and the next one, the filling preparation and the final product.

The ingredients for the dough (that makes 20 paus) are: Hong Kong flour 180g, shortening 20g, sugar 40g, yeast 1 tsp, water 110g and double acting baking powder 1/2 tsp. Please see Picture (a) below.

To make pau dough, we need to prepare a yeast dough first by simply combining Hong Kong flour 140g, water 85g and yeast 1 tsp, knead to give a smooth and elastic dough (b), cover it up and set aside for 3 hours and you will see that it softens and expands into (c). Next, combine the yeast dough with the remaining flour, sugar, shortening, water and double acting baking powder and knead till smooth to give the final dough (d). Divide dough into small portions (e) and flatten to using a roller pin (f).

The rest of the recipe will be given in the following post. Cheers!

Lemon Cheesecake 香柠乳酪蛋糕...

Baked this lovely soft cheesecake last night (hee hee... actually it was past midnight :p). It is quite similar to those chilled ones that you find in Japanese restaurants. This one with lemon peel is fragrant and the texture is very fine and soft... And, it is also rich in calcium as lots Philadelphia cream cheese and very little flour are used. I’m pretty sure that everyone at home including the young and the old will love the cake. And it tastes especially nice when chilled. Hope you try it today!

Here are the ingredients to make a 9” round cake: plain flour 35g, corn flour 20g, cream cheese 150g, butter 40g, eggs 5, sugar 80g, milk 65g, lemon juice/peel 1 tsp and cream of tartar ½ tsp.

Let’s start... mix flour and corn flour and sift. Separate egg whites and yolks. Whisk cream cheese, add butter and milk and mix over double boil till smooth (a). Add egg yolks, flour and lemon juice/peel and mix till smooth (b). Beat egg whites and sugar till fluffy (c). Mix with cheese and flour mixture. Pour into baking tin lined with grease proof paper and bake at 170 C in a baine-marie or a water bath (d) for an hour (e); remove from the oven and set aside to cool down (f) and voilà, it’s done!

Stewed Bird’s Nest with Red Ginseng & Rock Sugar 红参冰糖炖燕窝...

This is an easy to prepare tonic cum beauty soup. More commonly, bird’s nest is brewed with rock sugar and if ginseng is added, the usual ones used are Pao Shen or American Ginseng 泡参 and Ginseng 人参. Here, I use red ginseng 红参 instead. Please see Picture (a) below for the main ingredients.

Red Ginseng 红参 aids the production of collagen in the body, is warm and a suitable tonic for both the young and old. Being a mild tonic, Red Ginseng is also beneficial to those who are weakened and deliberated after an illness and it is known to strengthen the functions of the body and promote recovery. According to《本草正义》， 红参“气味浓厚，色亦重浊，具有温养生发之性，今用之于脾肾虚寒，真阳衰弱及中气不振，阴寒用事诸证，功效 甚捷”。An excerpt from this Chinese website 百科百度: 红参俱有补气、滋阴、益血、生津、强心、健胃、镇静等作用。这些作用红参与白参没有严格的区别，但在补虚方面一般认为红参强于白参。久服红参可以提高人体免疫力、抗疲劳、抗辐射、抑制肿瘤、调整人体内分泌系统。红参适合于老人、久病体虚者，红参具有火大、劲足、功效强之特点，是阴盛阳虚者的首选补品，医药上治疗虚脱或强补多用红参。

The usual way of brewing bird's nest applies: soak bird’s nest in water for 2 hours (b), remove feathers/dust particles, add red ginseng and rock sugar and brew over double boil (隔水炖) for an hour.

I prepare this tonic for my family fortnightly... hope you try the recipe and bring health and longevity to your loved ones. Cheers!

Lemon Honey Roasted Chicken Leg 香柠蜜汁烤鸡腿...

A family member of mine loves roasted chicken and i prepare this dish specially for him. This chicken roast makes use of a flavorful lemon honey sauce and the chicken turns out to be very aromatic and savoury. Here’s the recipe...

The main ingredients are: chicken legs, fresh sage leaves, salt, black pepper, white wine, lemon, honey, brown sugar, sweet potato and a little olive oil.

The preparations... marinate chicken legs with a little lemon juice, brown sugar, white wine, salt, black pepper and finely chopped sage leaves. Prepare a glazing sauce by combining lemon juice and honey and set aside. Peel and dice sweet potatoes and marinate with a little olive oil, salt and chopped sage leaves. Slice lemon and set aside.

Let’s start... roast sweet potatoes and chicken legs in an oven preheated at 220 degrees C for 30 minutes; brush glazing sauce over chicken legs several times during baking and place lemon slices over chicken legs and roast for another 5 minutes and voilà, it’s done! Serve roasted chicken legs with sweet potatoes.

Hope you try this savoury chicken roast dish... Cheers!