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!

Longan Red Date Tea 桂圆红枣茶...

This health drink tonifies the blood, calms the spirit and improves sleep... and is especially good for folks experiencing stressful times at work.

It is easy to prepare and the only ingredients are: dried longan 桂圆 (又龙眼肉) and red dates 红枣. You can get them from Chinese medical halls.

Dried longan is dried longan fruits and is sweet and contains vitamin B, glucose, sucrose and tartaric acid. It is known in Chinese medicine to calm the spirit and improve appetite. It is also used in strengthening the male reproductive system and treat swelling of mothers after labour. Red dates have been widely used in TCM to strengthen the functions of heart and lung, as well as to nourish the stomach and spleen. Red dates also balance blood pressure and modern nutritional analysis shows that red dates are rich in Vitamin C, which is essential for general health.

Two easy ways to prepare this lovely tea:
1. Wash 20 dried longans and 20 red dates and brew them with 300 ml of water over low heat for about half an hour; or
2. Put the ingredients in a vacuum flask, add boiling water and set aside for 2 hours.
That’s it... it’s that simple!

p.s. the ones outside are usually boiled using high heat and with lots of sugar added and the nutritional values of the tea could have been compromised. This home made version makes use of purely dried longan and red dates and with no added sugar and its natural sweetness lasts long and leaves a sweet aftertaste.

Hope you introduce this health drink to your family and loved ones... Cheers!

Golden Butter Cheesecake 黄金奶油芝士蛋糕...

A friend shared this lovely recipe with me and I couldn’t wait to try it. Baked the butter cheesecake the other night, left it in the fridge and served as breakfast the next morning... and it became a family favorite almost immediately. The cheesy cake with a lovely salty sweet taste melted in the mouth the moment you put it in... and the peach, cheese and butter all blended so well with one another and brought forth a very refreshing taste. Here's the recipe...

The ingredients for a 9" by 9" square cake are: grated cheddar cheese 120g, butter 250g, eggs 5, castor sugar 100g, icing sugar 100g, self-raising flour 190g, corn flour 25g and peach ½ can.

Let’s start... mix flour and sift; beat eggs and sugar till fluffy and cream butter and icing sugar till fluffy. Combine the egg and butter mixtures and fold in flour and grated cheese. Pour mixture into a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and arrange peach slices on top. Bake at 180 degrees C for 40 minutes and voilà, it’s done!

Hope you try this delicious Golden Butter Cheesecake... Cheers!

Seafood Spaghetti in Tomato Base 海鲜番茄意粉...

There are many pasta types and they go with different bases and ingredients. Here, i’m sharing a very simple seafood spaghetti in tomato base recipe... many friends who had tried it loved it very much... hope you try out the recipe today.

The ingredients are: spaghetti 意粉, prawns, clams or “la la” 大头, tomatoes, fresh mushrooms and some garlic, onion, fresh basil, parsley, red wine and blue cheese.

Tomatoes are rich in Vitamins A, B, C, K and a good source of calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus and nicotinic acid. They are good blood purifiers and natural antiseptics in preventing infection. Eating more tomatoes can also help to prevent hemorrhages and reduce blood cholesterol, thus prevent heart diseases. The red pigment in tomatoes called lycopene is also a powerful antioxidant. For more info on tomatoes and their nutritional benefits, please refer to this WHFoods site.

I love to make my own fresh tomato puree instead of getting those ready made ones which usually contain some preservatives. The method is rather simple - place some tomatoes in a bowl of hot water for about a minute, remove and you can easily peel off the skin. Put the tomatoes in a blender together with a little olive oil, salt, some fresh basil or parsley leaves and red wine and blend well and you have a great tomato puree! Because tomatoes can be sour sometimes, sugars are added into the puree, but I usually leave this high calorie thingy out to keep mine healthy and lean.

The preparations... wash the clams in cold water with a little salt and rinse several times before use; Clean prawns and remove the shells, keeping just the tails.

Let’s start... cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water, add just one or two drops of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking to one another. Please adhere to the instructions for cooking time given in the packaging as different types of spaghetti cook in different durations. Drain the noodles once they are done. Next, fry some chopped garlic and onion in a little olive oil, stir in some fresh mushrooms and then the clams, prawns and the tomato puree, stir fry thoroughly till the prawns are cooked and clams open up and finally, add a little red wine to elevate the flavor; remove and lay over the cooked spaghetti. Garnish with some finely chopped fresh Italian herbs, basil or parsley and blue cheese, and voilà, it’s done!

Hope you try out this simple and delicious seafood pasta... Cheers!

Stir Fried Kai Lan with Fresh Mushroom 清炒芥兰与鲜菇...

Here’s a very simple and healthy vegetable dish... the main ingredients are Kai Lan 芥兰 and fresh shiitake mushroom.

Kai Lan has high nutritional values – very rich in fibre and a good source of carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate and iron. More importantly, it is a powerhouse for antioxidants that prevent cancers and it is also known to reduce cholesterol and enhance functions of the heart. And it is believed that the darker the leaves, the more nutrients the vegetable has. Some Kai Lan are bitter and can stimulate the taste buds and help to improve appetite. An excerpt from Chinese website "天天美食": 芥兰含有大量膳食纤维 ，能防止便秘。降低胆固醇，软化血管，预防心脏病等功效。芥兰具有除邪热、解劳乏、清心明目的功能。从中医 角度来讲，芥蓝味甘、性辛，有利水化痰、解毒祛风的作用，非常适合夏季食用。但是，芥兰不应吃太多，否则 会抑制性激素分泌。

Let’s start... wash Kai Lan thoroughly to remove soil and dirt, separate the stems and the leaves. Wash fresh mushrooms, slice and set aside. Heat a little oil, stir in kai lan stems and fresh mushrooms and fry evenly. Next, add in the kai lan leaves, fry till cooked, add a little soy sauce and pepper to taste and voilà, it’s done! p.s. please do not fry the greens for too long, else they will turn brown and tough... nicely cooked Kai Lan is green and crunchy...

Hope you try this healthy and simple Stir Fried Kai Lan with Fresh Mushroom... Cheers!

Sweet & Sour Pork 咕噜肉...

This dish tastes really great – the crunchy fried pork loins are coated with a lovely sauce that has a beautiful balance of sweet versus sour taste and are very appetizing... and the dish goes very well with steamed white rice... It’s a Must-Try!

The main ingredients are: pork loin, red and green capsicums, onion, cashew nuts, garlic, egg, rice wine, sesame oil, soy sauce, pepper, corn starch; and for the sweet and sour sauce: malt vinegar, tomato sauce, chili sauce, salt, raw sugar and cornstarch.

The preparations... cut pork into cubes and marinate with rice wine, sesame oil, soy sauce and pepper for an hour; then, dip them in egg, coat with cornstarch and deep fry till crispy. To prepare the sauce, combine malt vinegar, tomato sauce, chili sauce, salt, raw sugar and water. Cut veggies and chop garlic. Fry cashew nuts in a little oil or bake in an oven till golden. Please see the picture below for the main preparations:

Let’s start... fry chopped garlic in a little oil till fragrant, stir in the veggies and fry thoroughly. Next, add the fried pork loins, sweet and sour sauce, cashew nuts and mix well; then, thicken the sauce with a little cornstarch solution and voilà, it’s done!

Hope you try this delicious Homie Sweet & Sour Pork... Cheers!

Green Bean Sago Dessert 绿豆西米甜汤...

This healthy dessert tastes great and is very easy to prepare!

Green beans are high in nutritional values. They contain starch and are rich in protein, vitamin A, B1 and B2 and minerals like calcium, phosphorus and iron. They are well known in Chinese medicine history for expelling heat and detoxifying poison in the body and promoting urination and relieving swelling. Li Sh Zhen 李时珍, a renowned physician from the Ming Dynasty even regarded the beans as “真济世之良谷也” as they have plenty useful applications that benefit health. An excerpt from Chinese article "绿豆的神奇功效和用途": 在《本草纲目》里记载：用绿豆煮食，可消肿下气、清热解毒、消暑解渴、调和五脏、安精神、补元气 、滋润皮肤；绿豆粉解诸毒、治疮肿、疗烫伤；绿豆皮解热毒、退目翳；绿豆芽可解酒、解毒。中医认为，绿豆性 味甘寒、入心、胃经、具有清热解毒、消暑利尿之功效。历代中医文献记载与民间实际应用，总结绿豆的功用为： 清热解暑，止渴利尿，消肿止痒，收敛生肌，明目退翳，解一切事物中毒。

Sago pearls 西米 are tasteless; they are added to improve texture of the soup and usually just one tbsp is enough. Here’s a useful tip on cooking sago: adding them after the water is brought to boil can avoid them becoming mushy. Cook them for 10 minutes and they will turn from opaque white into transparent pearls.

The usual way for preparing green bean soup applies: wash green beans to remove dust particles/impurities and soak in water for an hour. Bring to boil till the green beans soften and skin removed and brown sugar or 冰片糖 is added to taste. To improve flavor, you may add in some pandan leaves. Lastly, put in the sago pearls and it is done!

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

Salmon Bee Hoon Soup 三文鱼米粉汤...

This simple one dish meal is light, nutritious and easy to prepare. The lovely pink hued salmon is used instead of other fish or meat because it is low in calories and saturated fat and high in protein... and it contains a unique type of health-promoting fat, the omega-3 essential fatty acids. Please see this WHFoods site for more health benefits of this fat.

For any bee hoon soups, the key to tastiness lies in its broth and I usually take special note of it... To make a good broth, these ingredients are added to boiling water and simmer over low heat for an hour: ginger (two slices), garlic (two small gloves), white peppercorns (5 or 6), dried scallops 瑶柱 (4 or 5) and some fresh chicken bones. p.s. if getting chicken bones is a hassle then it can be optional, as the flavor the dried scallops brings is usually adequate.

You may have many types of vegetables to add flavor to the soup as well as to increase fiber count for the meal. I usually have greens such as spinach 波菜, bak choy 小白菜，or choy sum 菜心, and not forgetting the colors such as carrots for red (and here, I deliberately cut them to look like flowers), baby corn for yellow and various types of mushrooms, etc.

As for the salmon, you may have one fillet (about 250g, enough for 2-3 pax), remove the skin and bones, slice into pieces of 1/3 inch thickness and marinate with a little soy sauce, wine and pepper. It is important to note that salmon should be added last to the soup, i.e. after the vegetables and bee hoon are almost cooked. Salmon does not have to be cooked for long, just 10 seconds in the boiling soup and you will find it literally melting in your mouth...

Hope you try this lovely dish and bring your family this healthy delight. Cheers!

Claypot Chicken Rice 砂锅/瓦煲鸡饭...

Prepared this new one dish meal for my family tonight... and everyone loved it. The chicken was tender and the rice was well cooked – neither too wet nor too dry... and it absorbed the flavors of the chicken, salted fish, Chinese sausages and mushrooms plus the dark soy sauce and became very savory... simply yummy and definitely a Must-Try!

The main ingredients are: kampong chicken, rice, salted fish, Chinese mushrooms, Chinese sausage, broccoli, garlic, dark and light soy sauces, sesame oil, rice wine and pepper.

The preparations... clean chicken, remove skin and excess fats and cut into small pieces; marinate with a little rice wine, dark and light soy sauces, sesame oil and pepper. Finely dice salted fish. Soak mushrooms in hot water, rinse and drain. Remove membrane of Chinese sausage and slice. Cut broccoli and blanch in boiling water. Mince garlic.

Let’s start... fry minced garlic, salted fish and mushrooms in a little oil till fragrant and stir in chicken and fry slightly. Place rice and water in a claypot over a hot stove and once the water starts to boil, put the stir fried ingredients over the rice together with the chinese sausages and a little dark soy sauce. Cover the pot and allow the rice to cook for another 20 minutes and voilà, it’s done! You may serve the dish with cooked broccoli for added fiber and nutrition.

Hope you try this delicious claypot chicken rice... Cheers!

Herbal Drunken Prawns 药材醉虾...

These herbal prawns are really sweet and aromatic and they leave a very pleasant aftertaste in the mouth. The stock which is also tasty goes very well with steamed white rice. In addition... this herbal dish is a complimentary medicinal food and it boosts vitality. Hope you try it.

Five common Chinese herbs are used here: Yu Zhu 玉竹, Huai Shan 淮山, Dang Shen 党参, Gou Qi 枸杞 and Gan Cao 甘草; it is usually easy to find them as packed herbal soup ingredients 炖汤药材 in supermarkets or Chinese medical halls. Some health benefits of these herbs are briefly given here:
• Yu Zhu 玉竹 strengthens the heart, expels heat, moistens the body, invigorates “Yin” 阴and quenches thirst.
• Huai Shan 淮山 nourishes and strengthens the body, helps digestion and stops diarrhea. It is also used to treat emaciation, thirst and excessive urine caused by diabetes and coughing.
• Dang Shen 党参 benefits “Qi” 气, tonifies blood and lowers blood pressure. It also increases white blood cells and is useful for treating illnesses where there is deficiency in white blood cells; specially suitable for people who have weak lungs.
• Gou Qi 枸杞 lowers the level of blood sugar, nourishes and strengthens the body, improves eyesight and balances blood pressure.
• Gan Cao 甘草 is natural sweetener and is often used as a seasoning. It relieves pain and coughing, strengthens the body, treats convulsive diseases and detoxifies poison. It is also well used in treating abdominal pain, ache in muscles, swelling, sore throat and food poisoning.
For more of the medicinal uses of the herbs above and other traditional Chinese medicine TCM, please refer to this Chinese website: 中医中药网.

You may choose to have live prawns 活虾, grey prawns 螯虾 or red legged ones 红脚虾 for the dish. Live prawns add a unique sweetness to the soup.

The preparations... clean prawns and marinate with a little pepper, raw sugar and five tablespoons of wine. The wine I usually use is Benedictine D•O•M 法国廊酒 or rice wine 米酒, you may use other cooking wine like Shaoxing 绍兴酒 or Huadiao 花雕酒. p.s. I also learn a method for brewing rice wine at home from my late Grandma and will share the recipe here later on… folks who are interested to learn, do stay tuned...

I usually prepare this dish in two ways:
1. Steam prawns with the herbs over high heat for just 15 minutes; or
2. Boil herbs in water for 20 minutes and add in the prawns and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
And that’s it... it’s really so simple!

p.s. I usually prepare another vegetable dish to go with this herbal prawns dish and the meal becomes balanced. Over some occasions when I am a little lazy, all I need to do is to add some noodles and spinach into the soup and I will get herbal prawn noodle soup 药材虾面汤... Try it today too!

Welcome to Homie Foodie @ SG!

Dear Friends... Welcome to Homie Foodie @ SG - a simple space for sharing recipes of home cooked dishes that i prepare for my family. i welcome any feedback you may have on the blog and recipes and please feel free to leave your comments.

Hope you join me in this wonderful journey of discovering lovely home cooked dishes and let's eat healthily and live happily. Cheers!

Warmest regards,
Sarah Tan