Bean curd, barley and gingko nuts soup

Ingredients:

1 sheet of dried bean curd (the folded variety)
1/2 can of gingko nuts(optional)
2 ozs of pearl barley
2 sheaths of pandan leaves(if available otherwise omit)
1.35 liters or 48 fl ozs water
4 ozs rock sugar or granulated sugar(adjust to your own taste)
1 egg or egg white only

Method:

Soak dried bean curd sheet in cold water for a while. It should be very soft and if the sheet is not soft, add a pinch(yes, a very tiny pinch of bicarbonate of soda to the cold water) and leave it to soften the bean curd. Drain.

Rinse pearl barley and put in pressure cooker together with bean curd sheet and 1 liter of water. Bring the pressure to high, lower the heat and pressurised for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and leave until pressure is done before opening lid.( If not using the pressure cooker, cook the barley and bean curd sheet with all the water, uncovered until high boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until barley is soft.)

Bring back soup to the boil, add the rest of the water, gingko nuts and sugar. When sugar dissolves, turn off heat as soon as the soup comes to high boil. Stir in the egg/egg white and keep stirring until it is cooked.

Fried oyster

Ingredients:

8 – 10 large fresh oysters or 1/2 lb frozen oysters

2 tbsp tapioca starch

1 tbsp rice flour

8 tbsp water

1 tbsp oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 whole eggs, beaten

1 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp chinese wine

Ground white pepper

Sprigs of cilantro and chopped spring onions for garnishing

Method:

Wash the oysters and drain well.

Mix both tapioca starch and rice flour together with the water to ake a very thin batter.

Heat a large heavy frying pan until very hot and add oil.

Pour in the batter and cook for about 15 seconds until batter is half set before adding in the eggs.

When the eggs are almost set , make a hole in the center by pushing the egg and batter mixture to the side of the pan.

Pour in a little more oil and fry the garlic for a few seconds.

Mix, then season with soya sauce, chinese wine and pepper.

Add oysters and cook just long enough to heat through.

Garnish and serve immediately accompanied by Chili Sambal.

Chili Sambal

10 bird’s eye chilies, chopped

20 red chillies, chopped

10 cloves garlic

1/2 cup oil

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp dried prawns, soaked and pound or blend

5 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Pound and blend the chilies and garlic to obtain a fine paste using all the oil to keep the blades turning.

Pour blended ingredients into a large microwaveable bowl and add in tomato paste & dried prawns.

Cook on high for 5 minutes and continue to cook until the chili is fragrant.

Add in lime juice and sugar, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Allow to cool.

Claypot chicken rice

Ingredients:

2 cups rice, washed and drained
3 cups chicken stock
2 chicken drumsticks cut into pieces (bone in chicken pieces can also be used)
5 Chinese mushrooms, soaked, cut into half
1 Chinese sausage, sliced
1 ½ cm thick salted fish, sliced thinly, fried till crispy
1 tbsp black soya sauce
4 tbsp garlic oil

Marinade:

2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1 tsp of ginger juice (grated a knob of ginger and squeeze)
1 tbsp sesame oil
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp sugar
½ tbsp corn flour

Garnishing:

Spring onion chopped

Method:

1. Mix chicken, mushrooms with marinade and ginger, season for 30 minutes.

2. Put rice and chicken stock into a clay pot, cover and bring to boil lower fire and cook with low heat till holes are formed on top. (About 15 minutes)

3. Spread marinated chickens and mushrooms, Chinese sausage on top, cover and cook with low heat till rice is dry and chicken pieces are cooked (another 15 minutes). Remove from fire.

4. Sprinkle salted fish on top, cover and leave to stand for 10 minutes till rice is dry and fluffy.

5. Before serving, sprinkle spring onion , black soya sauce and garlic oil, mix in to combine toppings and rice.

Hong Kong egg tart

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 dash vanilla extract

• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 9 eggs, beaten
• 1 dash vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned evaporated milk

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners’ sugar and flour. Mix in butter with a fork until it is in small crumbs. Stir in the egg and vanilla until the mixture forms a dough. The texture should be slightly moist. Add more butter if it is too dry, or more flour, if the dough seems greasy. Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and press the balls into tart molds so that it covers the bottom, and goes up higher than the sides. Use 2 fingers to shape the edge into an A shape.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Combine the white sugar and water in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Strain the eggs through a sieve, and whisk into the sugar mixture. Stir in the evaporated milk and vanilla. Strain the filling through a sieve, and fill the tart shells.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown, and the filling is puffed up a little bit.

Three cups chicken

Ingredients:
1 medium chicken
1 portion of vegetable oil
1 portion of cooking (or white) wine
1 portion of soy sauce

Methods:
1. Heat the portion of oil in a saucepan, add in the chicken and cook for 5 min
2. Pour in the wine and soy sauce and cook on low heat for another 20 min

Claypot Tofu

Ingredients
1 tube tofu or beancurd
1 tsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 slice of young ginger(optional)
½ cup of boneless chicken pieces
Sugar and salt to taste
A pinch of pepper
½ tbsp cornflour,mix with 2 tbsp water,for thickening

Sauces
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp sweet plum sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp chinese cooking wine (optional)

Vegetables
½ carrot (shredded)
2-3 baby corns,sliced diagonally
½ chopped cauliflower or broccoli
½ a green capsicum (cut lengthwise )
Garnishing
½ tbsp chopped spring onions

Heat 1 tbsp of oil with 1 tsp of sesame oil in a claypot.You can also use a wok .Saute the chopped garlic .If using ginger then add ginger too.Once aromatic ,add in chicken meat.Stir a few seconds then combine all the sauces with 1 cup of water in a bowl and pour into the pot.Add the vegetables except the capsicum .Let the sauce simmer and vegetables become tender.Adjust seasoning to taste(salt,sugar and pepper).Finally add in capsicum and the fried beancurd.After about a min ,thicken the sauce with cornflour mixture.
Turn off the heat once mixture comes to a boil.Stir in the spring onions and serve hot with rice.