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!