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.

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.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Chicken

2 kg whole chicken

1 inch bruised ginger

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon light soy sauce or to taste

 Rice

4 cups long grain rice

3 cloves sliced garlic

1 inch sliced ginger

1 tablespoon cooking oil

5~6 cups chicken stock

Salt to taste

2 teaspoon sesame oil

Preparing Rice

Wash and drain the long grain rice. Heat the oil in the rice cooker and saute the garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add the well drained rice and fry for another 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, salt and sesame oil. Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed without closing the cover. Then cover the pot tightly and reduce the heat until it is cooked.

Chili sauce

6 fresh red chilies, seed removed

1 clove garlic

1 inch ginger

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon vinegar

2 teaspoons chicken stock

Preparing Chili sauce

Mix all ingredients in a food processor and blend. Add in the chicken stock and place in a sauce bowl.

Preparations:

Using a big pot, bring the water to the boil. Add the chicken, ginger and garlic into the boiling water. Do not cover the pot. Boil for about 2~3 minutes before turning off the heat and cover for approximately 15~20 minutes for it to cool. Repeat the boiling and cooling process the second time. Use a fork or chopstick to test the doness of the chicken. Once properly cooked, take the chicken out and place it in a bowl. Pour cool boiled water over the chicken to stop the cooking even though it has been removed from the heat. Mix the soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl. Brush the mixture on the chicken. Find a well ventilated spot and hang the chicken. Keep enough of the chicken stock for the rice and chili sauce to be used later.

The remainder chicken stock can be reboiled for another 10 minutes with the cut pieces of the chicken legs and wings. Season the chicken stock with 2 cups of the vegetables of your preference. Continue to simmer until cooked. Add salt and pepper to season. Add the scallions. Keep the stock warm