Cantonese Steamed Glutinous Rice with Chicken (Lo Mai Kai)

糯米鸡

My late mother-in-law used to prepare this dish for our breakfast. 

Ingredients (makes 8 bowls):

4 cups (580g) glutinous rice

500g chicken meat (from thigh, breast, drumstick)

2 pieces of dried shiitake mushrooms

3 pieces of dried scallops (optional)

3 cloves garlic

Marinade for rice:

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

Marinade for chicken (can include pork belly):

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon sesame oil

dashes of white pepper

2 teaspoon corn flour

Method:

1. Soak glutinous rice for 4 hours. Drain thereafter and marinate rice. Discard the soaking liquid.

2. Soak mushroom for 1 hour to re-hydrate, squeeze out water from the mushrooms and cut into small pieces. Retain the soaking liquid. Soak the scallops too if using, and similarly retain the soaking liquid for use later. 

3. Marinade chicken for 1 hour.

4. Mince garlic and fry until fragrant. Add the rice and stir fry for 1 minute under low heat. Set aside.

5. Top up the water for soaking mushrooms (and scallops) with more water to make up 250ml. 

6. Place chicken, mushroom and scallop (if using) into the bottom of individual bowl. Fill up the bowl (to 3/4 full) with glutinous rice and use the back of the spoon to gently press down the rice. Add 2 tablespoons of water (from step 5) into each bowl until water almost cover the top of the rice.

7. Steam the glutinous rice bowls under medium-high heat for 1 hour. Check water in the steamer and top up water accordingly.

8. Invert the bowls to turn over the rice onto a plate. Best serve hot!

Chicken Pot Pie

 

Crispy, flaky crust chicken pot pie is our family's comfort food.

Ingredients:

Chicken Filling

1 chicken (around 1 kg, which yields 460g meat) or 4 chicken thighs)

2 medium size potatoes (320g)

1 carrot (140g)

half large onion

2 cloves garlic

Short Crust Pastry (for 9" pie)

270g plain flour 

150 cold butter

1 egg yolk (18g)

50ml cold water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Method:

A. Chicken Filling

1. Debone chicken. Marinade with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and dashes of black pepper for 1 hour. Pan fry the chicken until it is cooked. Set aside to cool, then shred the meat.

2. Cut the potatoes and carrot into small cubes, boil in salted water until they are tender. Drain and set aside. Save the water for step 3 below.

3. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Add chicken, potatoes and carrot, and mix in. Add 2 teaspoon herbs (thyme, oregano, parsley, basil), 1 teaspoon paprika, and dashes of black pepper. Stir fry until combined. Add 2 tablespoons plain flour and stir to mix in evenly. Add 250ml water (from boiling potatoes and carrot) and 20g butter, and mix in. Simmer for 5 minutes, and it is done!

B. Short Crust Pastry

1. Sieve flour into mixing bowl and add salt. Mix them up.

2. Add butter and use fingertips to rub into flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. You can also use a dough cutter to cut the butter into the flour.

3. Combine egg yolk with cold water and pour into the flour mixture one tablespoon at a time, using a fork to combine gently. Stop adding water when the mixture forms clusters. Use your hands to gather the mixture gently to form a ball. Divide the ball into 2/3 (for pie crust) and 1/3 (for pie lid) and wrap them up individually with plastic wrap. Once wrapped, gently pressed the dough to make a disc (2cm thick), and chill in the fridge for at least one hour. Dough weight: 486g.

4. Place a silicon mat on work surface, and lightly flour the mat. Remove the dough from fridge and place it on the mat. Place a piece of plastic on the dough and roll the dough to fit the pie/tart pan. Gently transfer the dough into the pie/tart pan. Press the dough into the pan and trim off the excess dough from the edge. Prick the base with a fork. Chill the dough in fridge for at least 15 minutes. 

5. Preheat oven to 170 deg celsius. Place pie weights into the dough. Bake the pie crust for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Roll out the remaining 1/3 dough to make pie lid. You can cut the dough into strips to create lattice pattern. Chill in fridge.

C. Assemble

1. Spoon filling into the pie. 

2. Remove the pie lid from the fridge and cover the pie. Use a fork to gently press the edge to make a good seal. Make some cuts on the surface of the lid to help release steam during baking. Brush the pie lid with egg wash.

3. Bake at 170 deg celsius for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Transfer the pie to wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

 

This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients:

90g brown button mushrooms, thinly sliced

100g heavy cream

15g parmesan cheese

2 garlic cloves, diced/thinly sliced

2 shallots, diced

Pinch of salt

Dashes of black pepper

Dashes of oregano

Method:

1. Melt butter and olive oil, saute garlic and shallots until fragrant.

2. Add mushrooms and mix in. Cook for 6-7minutes, stirring frequently. The mushrooms will release some liquid. Add a pinch of salt

3. Pour 1 tablespoon white wine to deglaze the pan and cook for 1 minute.

4. Add herbs and stir in.

5. Add heavy cream and bring to boil. Then simmer for 10 minutes, stiring frequently, until sauce has reduced to about half. Turn off heat, season with salt and black pepper.

6. Serve hot with pasta.

Blueberry Oatmeal Scones

蓝莓麦片司康

What do you do with the oatmeal pulp after making oatmilk? I use them to make delicious and fluffy oatmeal scones. 

Ingredients:

90g plain flour

60g oatmeal pulp

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

25g unsalted butter (cold and just out from fridge, cut into small pieces)

20g cold milk 

10g dried blueberries

Method:

1. Sieve flour with baking powder into mixing bowl. Add sugar and salt and mix roughly with a fork.

2. Add cold butter and use your fingers to quickly but gently rub the butter into the flour until the mix looks like breadcrumbs.

3. Add oatmeal pulp and dried blueberries. Use fork to mix in.

4. Add milk and use fork to mix until dough just come together (ok to have small bits of flour).

5. Turn the dough to lightly floured tabletop and use hands to lightly press and level the dough to about 2 to 3cm thick Do not over mix.

6. Wrap the dough with cling wrap and chill in fridge for 30minutes.

7. Cut the scones to your favourite shape (round, square or triangle) or lightly shape with hands. If you use a cookie cutter, gather the trimmings together and lightly press/level again to cut more scones.

8. Arrange scones on a lightly greased tray and brush with olive oil (or milk). Bake at 190C for 20 mins or until golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Good with a cup of cofee or tea. 😋

Cous Cous

 古斯米

Couscous is a type of pasta made with semolina flour from crushed durum wheat. It is a very healthy alternative to rice and goes well with stew or any meat dish. Cous cous can be cooked in under 15 minutes.

Ingredients

90g couscous

180g water (two times the weight of cous cous. More water = softer couscous!)

1/4 tsp salt

Spinkle of herbs

Method

1. Pour couscous in a big bowl/pot. For more flavorful cous cous, toast them in a plan with a tablespoon of butter/olive oil until the granules turn golden brown. 

2. Add salt and herbs to a pot of water and bring it to a boil. Remove from heat immediately and pour into the bowl of couscous. Shake to level the couscous and cover for 10 minutes.  

4. Use a fork to fluff up the couscous. Serve!

Black Sesame Paste

黑芝麻糊

This recipe makes 2 bowls of sesame paste.

Ingredients:

30g glutinous rice

30g black sesame seeds

40g rock sugar (about 8% of water)

550ml water

Method:

1. Soak glutinous rice for a few hours or overnight. Drain thereafter and discard the water ( or use it to water plants).

2. Toast the black sesame seeds in a pan over very low heat and keep stirring them until they are slightly popping. This takes around 3 mins.

3. Transfer the sesame seeds to the blender. Add in the glutinous rice and 150ml water. Blend until you get a smooth mixture. 

4. Pour the mixture into a pot and add the remaining 400ml water. Cook the mixture over low heat on the stove, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Note: the sesame paste is quite creamy. Increase the amount of water if you prefer less creamier paste.

5. Turn off the heat and add in rock sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Note: increase the amount of rock sugar if you prefer sweeter sesame paste.

6. Ready to serve!

Sourdough Scones

天然酵母司康

Ingredients (4 scones)

80g self raising flour

30g sourdough starter, discard/unfed, straight from fridge

20g sugar 

35g whipping cream

35g unsalted butter (very cold)

1/8 teaspoon salt 

Method:

1. Sieve flour into mixing bowl. Add sugar and salt and mix roughly with a fork.

2. Add cold butter and use your fingers to quickly but gently rub the butter into the flour until the mix looks like breadcrumbs.

3. Add whipping cream and starter, and use fork/dough scrapper to mix until dough just come together (ok to have small bits of flour). Don't overmix or knead the dough.

4. [Optional] Turn the dough to lightly floured tabletop and use hands to lightly press and level the dough to about 2 to 3cm thick. Do not over mix.

5. Wrap the dough with cling wrap and lightly flatten it into a disc of about 2 to 3cm thickness, then chill in fridge for 30minutes. I pre-shaped the dough into a square so that I can cut them up into square pieces later.)

6. Preheat oven 200°c, fan mode.

7. Cut the scones to your favourite shape (round, square or triangle) or lightly shape with hands. If you use a cookie cutter, gather the trimmings together and lightly press/level again to cut more scones.

8. Arrange scones on a lightly greased tray and brush with olive oil (or milk). 

9. Bake for 15 mins or until golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Oven Roasted Chicken Wings

烧烤鸡翅

Ingredients

15 chicken wings (mid joint)

1.5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1.5 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted)*

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 garlic cloves (minced)*

* alternatively, can use garlic butter

Method

1. Rub salt all over the chicken wings and wash away the salt. Dab the wings dry with kitchen towel.

2. Prepare the seasoning by mixing olive oil, butter, salt, garlic and black pepper in a mixing bowl. 

3. Rub the wings with the oil mixture (step 2 above). Keep the remaining oil mixture for use later.

4. Preheat the oven to 175 deg cel. Line an oven tray with aluminium foil for easy cleaning later. Put a roasting rack on the tray and the wings on the roasting rack.

5. Roast the wings for 20mins on one side. Flip the wings and brush with oil mixture (step 2 and 3 above). Roast for another 10 minutes.

The wings are best eaten hot as they are crispy.

Fried Pork Meatball

炸肉丸子

Ingredients

800g minced pork 

1/4 carrot (diced into very small cubes)

2 tablespoon minced/grated/chopped garlic

3 tablespoon minced/grated/chopped shallots

3-4 chopped water chestnuts (optional)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon corn flour

1 teaspoon five spice powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon white pepper powder

2 teaspoon light soy sauce

1 egg

Method

1. Put all ingredients (except egg and corn flour) in a mixing bowl and use hand to squeeze/knead the meat mixture until it comes together. Slam the meat a few times against the mixing bowl. Add egg and corn flour and continue to squeeze/knead until it becomes glue-like.

2. Use hand to squeeze and scoop meat mixture with spoon like making fish balls. Set aside in fridge until ready to deep fry.

3. Heat up enough oil in the wok or pot for deep frying. It is ready for frying when you see small bubbles form around the tip of the chopstick that is dipped into the hot oil.

4. Gently lower the meat balls, one by one, into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown and place on a wire rack/kitchen towel to drain excess oil.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Stir Fried Pork Liver

姜蒜炒猪肝

Pork liver is not everyone's cup of tea but do you know that in Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is considered a tonic for blood. This dish is thus loaded with health benefits! 

Ingredients

200g pork liver

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

2 cloves garlic (chopped into small pieces) 

8 to 10 stalks sping onion (cut into 2 inch length)

1 knob of ginger (cut into thin strips)

Method

1. Rinse the liver and dab dry with kitchen towel. Cut into thin slices. 

2. Marinate the liver with sesame oil and dark soy sauce for 30 minutes.

3. Heat up wok with a tablespoon of oil under medium heat. Saute garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add in liver and stir fry quickly for 30 seconds. Add in 1 teaspoon salt and spring onion. Stir fry quickly for 1 minute and remove from wok. Do not overcook the liver!

Serve hot with rice!

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

 芝士三文治

Want a quick breakfast? Try this sandwich recipe

Ingredient

2 slices of bread (any bread will do)

2 slices of smoked bacon

10 - 15g shredded cheese (we like KRAFT shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheeses)

Method

1. Cut each slice of bacon into two and pan fry them until crispy. Set aside.

2. Spread some butter on each slice of bread. 

3. Heat up a pan/skillet (no oil required) under low heat. Put one slice with the buttered side facing down on the skillet/cast iron pan. If you are using the same pan for frying smoked bacon, remove all the oil/fat released from the bacon.

4. Add shredded cheese on top of the bread, followed by bacon slices and more cheese. Then place the second piece of bread with the buttered side facing up on top of the sandwich. 

5. Once the bottom piece of bread is nicely browned (around 5 minutes) gently flip the sandwich over and grill the other slice of bread (for around 3 minutes).

6. Remove the sandwich from the pan, cut diagonally into two and serve immediately.

Sweet Mung Bean Dessert (Tau Suan)

 豆爽

This is one of the easiest dishes to cook at home. Once the mung beans are soaked, this dessert can be cooked in 30 minutes. Plus, we can to control how starchy, how sweet and how much mung beans to cook.

Ingredient

150g mung bean

75g rock sugar

1 litre water (to soak mung beans)

900ml water (to cook mung beans)

pandan leaves (optional)

sweet potato starch (30g sweet potato flour mixed with 50ml water)

Method

1. Wash the mung beans and soak for a few hours.

2. Drain the mung beans and steam over high-medium heat for 15 minutes. (I spread the beans on a bamboo sushi mat and put the mat on top of steaming rack.)

3. Boil a pot of water and add rock sugar and pandan leaves (if using). Turn off fire. Then slowly stir in the sweet potato starch until well combined. 

4. Add the steamed mung beans into the pot and stir to mix. Turn on the fire and bring to boil. Then turn off fire and cover the pot. Let the mung beans fluff up for 15minutes before serving.

5. Serve with youtiao (Chinese doughnut stick).