Chinese Rice Dumpling

Ingredients:

1 kg glutinous rice (soaked 1 hour then washed and drained well)
Bamboo leaves and raffia string for wrapping

Filing:
400g belly pork (remove skin & cut into cubes )
150g dried mushrooms
200g dried chestnuts ( soak in boiling water for 1 hour and remove skin)
10 salted egg yolks
100g dried shrimps (soak in warm water)
100g mung beans (soak in boiling water for 1 hour, drain and add a pinch of salt and mix well)
2 tsp chicken stock granules

Seasoning:
2 tbsp Chinese Five Spice powder
3 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
½ tsp pepper
3 tsp dark soy sauce

Others ingredients:
2-3 tbsp oil
3 cloves garlic – chopped finely
6 shallots – sliced thinly

Method:

1. Soak bamboo leaves in boiling water overnight. Clean and wipe the leaves with damp cloth.
2. Marinate pork with dark soy sauce, five spice powder, sugar, salt & pepper for 2-3 hours.
3. Heat oil in a wok, fry shallots and garlic till fragrant. Add marinated pork, dried shrimps, chestnuts, mushrooms. Add ½ cup water and 2 tsp chicken stock granules. Stir-fry till pork is cooked. Pour into a bowl & leave it cool.
4. Mix glutinous rice with 2 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp five spice powder, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce and 1 tsp salt. Stir thoroughly. Heat the wok and stir fry well seasoned glutinous rice and mung beans till heated through. Pour into a big bowl. Leave it cool.
5. Take 2 bamboo leaves, make them overlap slightly and fold into a conical shape. Put 1 tbsp rice into the funnel base. Add 1 tbsp filling and a piece of salted egg yolk. Cover with some more rice. Fold leaves over rice to form a triangular prism. Tie with raffia string.
6. Boil a large pot of water and add 2-3 tsp salt. Drop the bundles of dumpling in and boil for 1 ½ – 2 hours over medium slow fire. Top constantly with boiling water to maintain level of water at all times. When cooked, remove the dumplings and hang to dry.

Soon Kueh

Filling:

Ingredient A:
4 garlic (chopped)
4 onion (chopped)
50g dried shrimps (soaked in water to soften, chopped)
4 mushrooms (soft in water to soften, shred)
500g turnip (peeled, shred)

Ingredient B: (mixed all)
½ tsp black soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
half cube chicken stock cubes
½ tsp pepper
250ml water

Skin:

Ingredient A:
Water: 200g
Salt: ½ tsp
Onion oil: 2 tbsp

Ingredient B: (sifted)
100g rice flour
75g tapioca flour

* reserve ½ bowl onion oil  *
Method:

Fillings:

1. Heat oil in wok, add chopped garlic, onion, dried shrimp and fry over medium heat till fragrant.
2. Add mushrooms and turnip.
3. Add in all the ingredient B (seasoning) and stir fry over small heat till dry.
4. Remove and leave it aside to cool completely.

Skin:

1. In a mixing bowl, add sifted rice flour and tapioca flour.
2. Boiled ingredient A and then add into the mixed flour.
3. Stir quickly with wooden spoon, cover the bowl and place for 10 minutes.
4. Remove and knead into a smooth dough. Divided the dough into 10 portions.
5. Flatten each ball into a thin layer, cut into round, wrapped fillings and seal by picking up the sides.
6. Put into the greased steamer tray and steam for 15 minutes, remove and brush with onion oil.
7. Serve hot with sweet dark soy sauce sauce or chilli sauce.

Teochew Perng Kueh

Ingredients:

(For the Filling)

• 60g Raw Peanuts
• 1-1/4 cup Glutinous Rice
• 420ml Water
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Cooking Oil
• 100g Dried Shrimps, soaked & drained
• 10 nos. Chinese Mushroom, soaked, drained & shredded
• 1/2 cup Fried Shallots

(Seasoning)

• 1/2 tbsp Dark Soya Sauce
• 1 tbsp Light Soya Sauce
• 1 tsp Ground White Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sesame Oil
• 1 tsp Ground White Pepper

Method:

1. Boil peanuts until soft, drain and set aside.
2. Wash the glutinous rice. Let soak in the water for about 10 minutes. Drain. Put glutinous rice into the rice cooker; Add in the 420ml water and 1/4 tsp salt; Mix well. Cook as per normal.
3. Heat oil in a wok, add dried shrimps and stir-fry till fragrant; Add mushrooms and peanuts; Add in all the seasoning and fried shallots, stir well; Dish up and set aside.
4. Pour the mixture into the cooked rice and mix well using a pair of chopstick. Leave rice uncover to cool.

(For the Dough)

• 300 g Rice Flour
• 75 g Tapioca Flour
• 40 g Wheat Flour
• 520 ml Boiling Water (more/less depends on the dryness of flours)
• 4 tsbp Cooking Oil

Method:

1. Sift flours into a mixing bowl; Add boiling water and oil; Stir with a pair of wooden chopstick to form a pliable dough.
2. Pour out the dough and knead till smooth; Put it back to the mixing bowl & cover bowl with a damp cloth.
3. Pinch some rice flour into the mould and until mould is lightly coated with flour; Pour out excess flour if there's any.
4. To wrap - Divide dough into small portions. Roll each portion into ball and roll out into a circle. Wrap some filling in the centre; fold up the side and put dough into the mould; Press the dough with your palm and finger to ensure the mould is filled.
5. Turn over and hit at the side of the mould to release the moulded kueh. Put moulded kueh onto a lightly oiled plate. When plate is full; Bring kueh to steam in a rapid boiling water for 10 - 12 minutes. Remover and brush with oil.
6. Repeat step 4 and 5 until dough and filling are finished.

Note to share: Always cover the unused dough with a damp cloth while doing the wrapping. If you like to finish the wrapping for all kuehs b4 steaming, pls remember to brush a little oil on to the kuehs. If not the end-result of the kuehs will be harder and dry. 

Bak Chor Mee

Ingredients : 

Fried Minced Meat :

250g minced chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon of thick dark soy sauce 
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
6/7 pieces of button mushroom (from the can), sliced thinly

Stewed Mushroom :

6 good quality dried chinese mushroom
1 tsp olive oil
sliced ginger
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
hot water

Noodles :

100g rice noodles or mee pok 
bean sprouts
6 fishballs
10 slices of fish cake
spring onion, chopped (optional)
1/2 tablespoon chilli oil
1/2 tsp oyster sauce
1 tablespoon black vinegar
A splash of fish sauce
Fried Shallots

Steps :

Fried Minced Meat
(You can cook this in advance, and pop it into the microwave to heat it up just before serving)

1. Heat the pan with the tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and fry till it just turns a slight tinge of brown.
Add the minced meat and fry till cooked. Remember to break it up to small pieces.
Add the different sauces and fry, on medium-low heat, till all the liquid reduces.
Stirring occasionally. Add the button mushroom till it’s incorporated.




Stewed Mushroom

1. Soak the dried chinese mushrooms in warm water till completely soft for 15 mins. When soft, slice mushrooms to required thickness. Do not throw the water left after you take the mushrooms out.
Squeeze out the water of each mushroom, and cut it into relatively thin slices.

2. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a heavy-based pan. Add the slices ginger and fry till tender.
Add the mushrooms and fry till fragrant.
Add the oyster sauce and a few tablespoons of water (from the mushrooms)
cook under medium-low heat and allow the mushrooms to absorb the liquid (plumping it up in the process)

3. Keep adding water (at least 2 more additions) and allow it to cook over low heat for at least 30mins.
so that it’s soft and tender. and bursting with flavour!

Noodles (Best advised to do one at a time):

1. In a large bowl, put the chilli oil, oyster sauce, vinegar and fish sauce and mix till incorporated.

2. Cook noodles accordingly and when done - plunge it into a bowl of cold water. This stops the noodles fromcooking further. Then return to the hot water for a few seconds before putting into the serving bowl with sauce.
3. In another pot, boil the fishballs, fish cakes and bean sprout till they are are floating (takes about 5-8mins)

Plating :

1. Once the rice noodles are done, pour it into the bowl and mix it well with the sauces.
To make sure each strand is coated well with the sauces.
Place the fishballs, fish cakes and bean sprout on the noodles.

2. Put a few pieces of the stewed mushroom in the bowl and top everything up with the minced meat.
Sprinkle with fried shallots and spring onion.

Fishball Noodle

Ingredients: 

• 2 tbsps cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cm ginger, minced
• 6 cups water
• 3 tbsps Concentrated chicken stock
• 1 tbsp sliced preserved cabbage (optional)
• 12 fish balls
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• Pepper to taste
• 300gm thin rice vermicelli (mai fun)

Garnishing: 

• 1 cup bean sprouts, tailed and blanched
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 1 cm sections
• 1 stalk of scallion/spring onions, finely chopped
• ¼ cup sliced fried shallot

Hor Fun

Ingredients
For Hor Fun:
700g kway teow, washed (to get rid of the oil)
Garlic, chopped
2-3 tablespoons dark soy sauce

Hor Fun Soup:
200g lean meat, sliced and marinated with light soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch
Half a packet of crabstick, cut into wedges
2 pieces of fish cake, sliced
1 packet caixin or kailan, plucked
2 eggs, lightly stirred
cornstarch

Cooking Method
For Hor Fun:

1. Heat non-stick wok and pour a bit of olive oil
2. Fry chopped garlic till golden brown
3. Add kway teow and fry till fragrant
4. Add dark soy sauce to kway teow
5. Fry till nice brownish colour
6. Scoop and set aside

Hor Fun Soup:
1. Heat non-stick wok and pour a bit of olive oil
2. Fry chopped garlic till golden brown
3. Add chicken stock/ ikan bilis stock/ water
4. When water is coming to a boil, add lean meat and vegetables
5. Add crabmeat and fishcake last, when ingredients coming to a boil
6. Add salt according to taste
7. Add cornstarch to thicken soup
8. Add eggs when soup is boiling and stir slowly till cooked

To serve:
Scoop desired amount of hor fun on plate and scoop heaps of soup on hor fun. Best eaten with green chilli.

Crispy noodles

Ingredients

Chinese noodles

4 Oyster mushrooms

Chicken breasts sliced into thin pieces

6 medium sized prawns

One bunch of bok choy cut into smaller pieces

2 stalks of spring onions cut into 1-inch long

2 cloves of garlics

1 beaten egg

Cut red chillies to garnish

Cooking oil

1 tsp of light soy sauce

1 tsp of oyster sauce

1 tsp of shaoxing wine

1/4 cup of water

1 tbsp corn starch and 3 tbsp of water

Dash of peppers and salt

Preparation

1. Deep fry the noodles. When done, drain noodles on paper towel and set aside.

2. Heat oil in pan, add garlic, slices of chicken and prawns and cook for 2 mins.

3. Add oyster mushrooms and cook for 1 min.

4. Add light soya sauce, oyster sauce, shaoxing wine,  salt and peppers to taste.

5. Add 1/4 cup of water and bring to boil.

6. Add the bok choy.

7. Add the beaten egg.

8. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan and stir well.

9. Pour cooked ingredients to the noodles.

10. Garnish and serve.

Pineapple fried rice

If using tinned pineapple, drain it of all the juice and be prepared for a much sweeter, less fragrant dish than when you use fresh pineapple.

My photo shows Japanese rice (since that's easiest for me to get here) but obviously it will work much better with Jasmine.

1. Dice your chicken breast and finely chop the garlic and ginger. Stir fry in a little oil (not the sesame oil) and add the lemon grass stalk. Season with a dash of soya sauce.
2. Grab your fried rice tool and add the cooked rice to the wok. Break up with the tool, add a dash of chilli sauce.
3. Make a "well" in the middle of the rice so you can see the bottom of the wok. Bring the heat right down and crack an egg into the well. Whisk roughly with a pair of chopsticks. Allow the egg to set halfway, then fold the rice into the egg and give everything a good mix.
4. Add the pineapple roughly chopped. Sprinkle over the crushed cashew nuts and chopped spring onions. Season with salt and pepper and a little sesame oil. Mix thoroughly.
5. Turn off the heat, remove the lemon grass stalk, add chopped coriander, mix and serve.

Oyster omelette

Ingredients:

• 8 large fresh oysters
• 2 Tbs cornflour
• 1 Tbs rice flour
• 8 Tbs water
• 1 Tbs oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 Tbs soy sauce
• 1 Tbs sake rice wine
• 1 pinch white pepper
• 5 sprigs coriander, to garnish
• 1 spring onion, for garnish

Method:

• Wash the oysters and drain well.
• Mix both cornflour and rice flour together with the water to make 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 centre 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 soy sauce, sake and pepper. Add oysters and cook just long enough to heat through.
• Garnish and serve immediately with fresh coriender leaves!

Preparation Time: 4 minutes

Chilli Crab

INGREDIENTS:

1 Dungeness Crab (about 2 lb size)

1 sprig of coriander (chopped for garnishing only)

1 tablespoon of sugar

2 tablespoons of tamarind juice

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons of cooking oil

1/4 cup of water

SPICE PASTE:

8 dried red chilies (soaked in hot water and deseeded)

1 tablespoon of taucheo (soy bean paste/sauce)

3 cloves of garlic

1 inch of fresh ginger

TAMARIND JUICE:

5 seeds of tamarind

Water

METHOD:

1. Clean the crab and chop it into pieces. Save the green and juicy stuff inside the shell and set aside.
2. Pound the spice paste with a mortar and pestle or grind them using a food processor. Make sure that the spice paste is finely blended or pounded.
3. Soak the tamarind seeds in some warm water for 15 minutes. Extract the juice and discard the seeds.
4. Heat up your wok and add cooking oil.
5. Stir fry the spice paste until fragant and spicy.
6. Add the crab and 1/4 cup of water and do a quick stir. Cover the wok with its cover for 3 minutes.
7. Add the green and juicy stuff from the shell and stir well.
8. Add in sugar, tamarind juice, a little salt to taste and continue stirring for about 2 minutes or until all crab pieces turned red.
9. Dish up, garnish with chopped scallions and serve hot.

COOK’S NOTES:

1. If you are not sure how to clean the crab, you should get the Dungeness crab in Asian stores. They usually provide the cleaning and chopping services.
2. Use a mortar (or other similar kitchen tools) to crack the shells of the crab before cooking.
3. You can also use this recipe for cooking crab claws. If you do, make sure you crack the claws before cooking so the spices infuse the meat.

Fried Hokkien Mee

INGREDIENTS:

1/2lb yellow Hokkien noodle

1/4lb fine rice-flour noodles

1/2lb boiled squid

1/4lb cooked prawns/shrimps

1/2lb turkey bacon finely diced and deep fried until crisp

1/4lb bean sprouts

2 eggs beaten

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 spring onoins finely sliced

1 1/2 tsps salt

1 tbsp light Soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster or Hoi sin sauce

2 tspns chicken oil

2 red chillies sliced(optional)

METHOD:

1. In a deep frying pan, toss the Hoklkien noodles and the rice-flour noodles (which have been soaked in boiling water and drained), with the cleaned bean sprouts and about 1 tbsp water.

2. Stir the contents continuously for about 30 seconds, then cover the pan with a lid and continue cooking for a few more seconds.
3. Remove cover and add the eggs, 1 teaspoon of the chicken oil, salt, oyster or Hoi sin sauce and Soya sauce.
4. Stir over high heat for a few seconds then add garlic, spring onions, and another tbsp water.
5. a further 5 seconds then add the prawns, chopped squid, deep turkey bacon, chillies and other tsp of lard.
6. Cover with lid and cook for a few more seconds until everything is thoroughtly heated, then serve immediately.

Prawn Mee

INGREDIENTS :

• 1½-2 lb Chicken stock & 1 Chicken Breast (80g)
• 1 lb med whole shrimp, save shrimp shells & shrimp heads for stock
• ½ lb flower crabs [optional] [Substitute: ½ lb more of shrimp to make a total of 1 lb of shrimp]
• 1 lb yellow egg noodles [chow mein noodles]
• 1 lb thin rice noodles or rice vermicelli, [meifun noodles, also called beehoon]
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 10-12 cups water
• 1 tbsp palm sugar [Substitute: dark brown sugar]
• salt
• 5 cups bean sprouts
• 2 cups kangkong [also spelt kangkung] [water convolvulus, water spinach], cut into 1 inch lengths [Substitute: spinach] [optional]
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, halved for garnish [optional]
• 3 fried fish cakes. sliced [optional]
• 10 shallots, finely sliced and fried in oil till golden brown [Cool and keep in air tight container if not used immediately]

Ingredients for pan-roasted Chili Sauce :

• 1 cup peanut or vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp palm sugar [Substitute: dark brown sugar]
• salt
• 1 cup chili paste
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 8 shallots

[Items in red to be ground or blended]

To Prepare pan-roasted Chili Sauce :

• Using a mortar & pestle or blender, grind garlic, shallots and chili paste
• Heat wok on high, add peanut or vegetable oil, add ground paste, bring to a rapid boil, add sugar and salt to taste
• Reduce heat to low, pan-roast until color darkens, and oil starts to ooze from paste - be careful not to burn!
• Immediately pour the pan-roasted chili sauce into a small bowl, set aside

To Prepare Prawn Soup :

• In a stockpot, add chicken breast, chicken stock, 6 cups water, onion, salt to taste, bring to a boil, simmer 30 mins or more, to extract the maximum flavor of the broth
• Strain stock, when chicken breast are cool, slice meat thinly, reserve for garnish
• In another stock pot, heat 1 tbsp oil, sauté shrimp shells & shrimp heads for 5-10 mins, add 4 cups water, flower crabs, salt to taste, bring to a boil, simmer 20 mins or more to extract the maximum flavor of the shrimp shells
• Strain stock, discard shrimp shells & heads [and crabs, if using], add the fresh shelled shrimps to stock to cook briefly, remove with a slotted spoon, reserve for garnish
• Combine the chicken stock and the shrimp stock
• Bring to a boil, add 4 tbsp of the pan-roasted chili paste, more if you like it hotter
• Add palm sugar, salt to taste, simmer for about 20 mins, then reduce heat to keep soup hot for serving
• Meanwhile, lightly blanch bean sprouts and kangkung or spinach in boiling water
• To serve - add to each individual serving bowl, bean sprouts, kangkung or spinach, thin rice noodles [meifun] and yellow egg noodles [chow mein]
• Garnish with sliced chicken, shrimp and fried fish cake
• Pour piping hot soup and top with fried shallots and hardboiled egg half
• Serve with a spoonful of extra pan-roasted chili sauce, to add to your taste