Braised Pumpkin With Black Fungus 黑木耳焖南瓜

Braised Pumpkin With Black Fungus 黑木耳焖南瓜

Recipe source :  Y3K Magazine, Issue 59, 3/4-2011 

There is a lovely hue to pumpkin, bright and vibrant. The colour is so cheerful, I tend to think that it makes a dish look great. 

This is a simple stir-fry yet the taste was greatly enhanced with the addition of Chinese coriander and butter towards the end of cooking. 

Great dish!

Ingredients A

10g dried scallops, soaked and shredded       ( Original recipe used dried shrimps )
1 cup water ( water from soaking the dried scallops )
20g black fungus, soaked and cut into pieces
1 tbsp butter

Ingredients B

300g pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks
2 pips garlic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 stalks Chinese coriander, cut into sections of 3cm
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp cooking oil
  

Black fungus, pumpkin and dried and scallops

Method

1.  Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok. Stir-fry chopped garlic and shallots until slightly browned.
2.  Add in pumpkin and fry until the pumpkin has caramelised around the edges.
3.  Add in black fungus and fry for another minute.
4.  Add in the shredded dried scallops and water. Add more water if it is too dry.
5.  Cover with lid and let it simmer until liquid is absorbed.
6.  Uncover and add in butter, salt and sugar. Add coriander. Mix well.
7.  Dish up and serve.

I am linking this post to Little Thumbs Up

The theme for October 2014 is Pumpkin

Hosted by Eileen's Diary

This event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids 
and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

I am also linking this post to Cook-Your-Book #17

Hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

I am also linking this post to My Treasured Recipes # 3 - Taste of Autumn (Oct/Nov 2014)

Hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well In Flanders and 

co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House

Nam Yue Bao ( Bacon Rolls ) 南乳包

Nam Yue Bao ( Bacon Rolls ) 南乳包

Recipe source for the Nam Yue rolls :  Adapted from The Hong Kong Cookbook
Recipe source for Bao skin :  Blue key Pau flour

These nam yue bao can be easily bought from the shops around the place I stay, but it is so satisfying to my sense of achievement to make them at home. It is even more satisfying when the bao turned out excellently. It is little wonder that we have such a large community of like-minded food bloggers who all love to cook and share!

Ingredients

350g pork belly, cut into 8 pieces about 1 cm thick
4 eggs, hard-boiled and with shells removed
30g shallots, sliced
2 tbsp cooking oil

Seasoning

1 1/2 cubes of nam yue
1/2 tbsp shao hsing wine
500ml water
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp black soya sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
1/4 tsp five-spice powder

To cook the nam yue rolls

1.  Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok and saute the sliced shallots until fragrant.
2.  Add in the pork slices and fry until colour changes. Add in seasoning and hard-boiled eggs and bring to a boil. Once it boils, reduce to small flame and allow to simmer for 30 minutes or until the pork slices are tender.
3.  Dish up and set aside to cool.
4.  Cut the eggs into halves. 

 The pork belly and eggs ready for assembling

Ingredients for bao skin

330g bao flour
1 tsp yeast
180ml water
50g sugar
1 tsp double-action baking powder
25g shortening

To make the bao skin

1. Combine the bao flour, sugar, double-action baking powder and shortening in a mixing bowl. Mix in the yeast and water. Whisk until the the ingredients form into a smooth dough.
2.  Place into a big bowl and cover the bowl with cling film. Allow it to proof for about 30 minutes or until double in size.

To assemble the bao

1.  Punch down the bao dough and divide the dough into 8 equal portions.
2.. Roll out one portion into an oval shape. Place one piece of pork belly in the middle of the rolled-out dough. Add half an egg on top of the pork belly.
3.  Fold in the two sides of the dough and place the bao on a piece of baking paper. 
4.  Repeat the process with the rest of the ingredients.
5.  Place the bao onto a steaming tray and allow to further proof for about 20 minutes.
4.  Steam the conventional way over boiling water for 10 minutes or in a steam oven.

 The wrapped-up nam yue bao set aside to proof

Fresh from the oven!

Closed-up view of the nam yue bao

Ready to be washed down with Chinese tea

I am linking this post to Best recipes for everyone #3 Oct 14 ~ Bun In My Hot Steamer
Hosted by Fion of XuanHom's Mom Kitchen Diary
 

I am also linking this post to Cook-Your-Book #17

Hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

Pumpkin Mock Abacus Seeds 南瓜算盘子

Pumpkin Mock Abacus Seeds  南瓜算盘子

Recipe source :  Y3K Magazine - Catherine Chia's kitchen

These lovely "abacus seeds" look so pretty. They look like golden coins. This can be a meal on its own, very similar to a pasta or a noodle dish and it is truly filling. These pumpkin abacus seeds are imitations of yam abacus seeds which is a traditional dish of the Hakka community.   
This delicacy is not something easily available nor is it widely sold in restaurants, well, at least not around the vicinity where I stay.   

I like this pumpkin coins more than the yam version. On its own, the pumpkin coins are rather bland. Once you add in the other ingredients it becomes a great dish. The ingredients were well blended to complement each other. Every mouthful is bursting with the wonderfully combined flavours of fragrant and chewy cuttle fish, mixed with crunchy black fungus and bits of minced pork.

I am always very happy to share when I stumbled upon a great recipe.
This is one of the fabulous ones! 

Ingredients A

600g pumpkin
300g tapioca flour
1 tbsp cooking oil

Ingredients B

1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced shallot
1 tbsp dried shrimps ( soaked, drained and diced )              ( I used dried scallop )
100g minced chicken meat /pork
2 mushrooms ( soaked, drained and diced )
20g black fungus ( soaked and shredded )
50g dried cuttlefish shreds ( soaked )

Seasonings

2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper

Garnishing

1 stalk Chinese parsley  )
1 stalk spring onion         )  all diced
1 fresh red chilli               )

Top left : diced mushrooms. Top right :  dried scallops

Bottom left :  shredded black fungus.Bottom right : Cuttlefish filaments

Minced pork

Method

1.  Peel pumpkin, cut into pieces. Steam tilled cooked and soft, drain off excess water. Add in tapioca flour and oil. Knead into a dough. Do it while the pumpkin is still hot.
2.  Pinch about 5g to 10g of dough and shape into rounds and use a finger to make a dented impression into the centre. ( To make them look like abacus seeds )
3.  Boil the pumpkin seeds in hot water till they float to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a basin of cold water briefly. Drain away the water. Set aside. 
4.  Heat a wok with 2 tbsp oil. Saute the chopped garlic and shallots. Add in the diced mushrooms, black fungus, minced pork, dried scallops and the cuttlefish filaments. Stir-fry to mix everything together.
5.  Add in the seasoning ingredients and the par-boiled pumpkin seeds.
6.  Mix well, dish up and garnish. 

 Pumpkin seeds which has been par-boiled and drained in a colander

I am linking this post to Little Thumbs Up

The theme for October 2014 is Pumpkin

Hosted by Eileen's Diary

This event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids 
and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

I am also linking this post to Cook-Your-Book #17

Hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

Salt-Baked Chicken 盐焗鸡

Salt-Baked Chicken 盐焗鸡

Concept source :  Y3K Magazine Issue 55, 7/8- 2010
Recipe source :  Doris Choo @ Sumptuous Flavours

I followed the concept of using a non-stick pot to bake this salt-baked chicken after reading Y3K magazine. I like this concept because you do not have to stir-fry the coarse salt in a large wok until the salt are hot and popping, which can be very hazardous if the hot salt pellets land on you. Moreover, once the wok is used to fry the salt, it will be damaged as the large amount of salt corrodes cast-iron or aluminium woks.

I adjusted the basic recipe and came up with my own version to cater to my personal preference.  That is because I have tasted a few varieties of salt-baked chicken sold in various shops. The most famous being the Ipoh salt-baked chicken. 

The taste is simply scrumptious! The saltiness had seeped into the meat and it was subtly flavoured by the piece of danggui and red dates. Perfect! It caters perfectly to my family's taste. Everyone is happy ! We had a very satisfying dinner.

Ingredients

3 chicken whole legs
3 pieces danggui
6 red dates, pitted
1 tbsp shao hsing wine
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp hot water
2 tbsp sesame oil, for brushing the baking paper

Materials required

6 pieces of baking/wax paper , cut into rectangles of 30cm x 23cm
1 kg coarse salt
1 large piece of aluminium foil to line the non-stick pot

 Danggui and red dates

Line the non-stick pot with aluminium foil

Method

1.  Place the red dates and danggui into a small bowl. Add 2 tbsp of hot water. Set aside to cool. 
2.  Once cooled down, add in 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp shao shing wine.
3.  Line a non-stick pot with aluminium foil. 
4.  Fill the pot with coarse salt and heat on medium flame until the salt is hot. 
5.  While the salt is being heated, brush 1 piece of baking paper with sesame oil.
6.  Place 1 chicken whole leg onto the paper, brush with liquid from soaking the danggui and red dates. Then add in a piece of danggui and two red dates.
7.  Place another piece of baking paper under this sheet and wrap up the chicken whole leg. 
8.  Once the salt is heated through, remove half the amount of salt onto another container. Place the 3 pieces of wrapped chicken in the middle of the non-stick pot. Cover the wrapped chicken pieces with the salt  removed earlier and place lid on the pot.
9.  Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. 
10. Carefully remove the layer of salt and remove the packages. 

Use double layers of baking paper to wrap the chicken thigh

I am linking this post to Cook-Your-Books #16  

hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

Apple & Carrot With Cabbage In Soup 苹果红萝卜菜干汤

Apple & Carrot With Cabbage In Soup 苹果红萝卜菜干汤

Recipe source :  Soups for all seasons cookbook

I often boil dried Chinese cabbage soup but this is the first time I added apple and carrot to it. The soup is appetising with a very slight tinge of sourish flavour, brought about by the addition of apple. I find it rather refreshing. 

Ingredients

2 apples
8 oz carrot                           ( I used 1 carrot )
5oz dried cabbage            ( I used 3 oz      )
10oz pork shin                    ( I used 350g    )
4 sweetened candy dates ( I used 2 candy dates )
1/4 dried tangerine peel
salt to taste
2000 ml water

Preparation for dried Chinese cabbage

1.  Bring a pot of water to boil. 
2.  Add in the dried Chinese cabbage and switch off flame. 
3.  Allow to cool before cleaning the leaves.
4.  Change water several times and open up the leaves carefully to remove grit and dirt.
5.  Rinse several times and cut into 4cm lengths. 

Method

1.  Cut and core apples. 
2.  Peel and cut carrot into chunks
3.  Wash pork. Scald in boiling water. 
4.  Bring 2000 ml water to boil. Put in all the ingredients (except salt ) and bring to boil again. Lower heat and simmer over low heat for 2 hours.
5.  Add salt to taste.

I am linking this to Little Thumbs Up

The theme for September 2014 is Apple

Hosted by Kit @ I-Lost In Austen

This event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids 
and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

I am also linking this post to Cook-Your-Books #16  

hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

Choc Chip Kuih Bahulu

Choc Chip Kuih Bahulu

Recipe source :  Adapted from Amy Beh ( The Star News paper 4/10/2005 )

There is a Malay lady near my office who sells oven fresh kuih bahulu. Her kuih bahulu are hot sellers. I often need to queue up to wait for her kuih bahulu. She sells the original ones as well and other varieties which look very colourful. But my favourite is her kuih bahulu with chocolate chips.

Since I have time during the weekends, I wanted to try my hands making it. I used Amy Beh's recipe, but I reduced the amount of sugar used and I added chocolate chips.

This is great for tea time over a cup of black coffee !

Ingredients

6 eggs
150g castor sugar
120g self-raising flour, sifted
120g plain flour, sifted
1/1 2 tsp baking powder
100g chocolate chips
2 tbsp corn oil for brushing

Method

1.  Beat castor sugar and eggs together in a mixer until white, for about 20 minutes.
2.  Fold in sifted flour, baking powder and plain flour. Mix well. 
3.  Add chocolate chips and stir to mix well.
4.  Heat a kuih bahulu mould in the oven until very hot. Brush with corn oil.
5.  Spoon batter with chocolate chips into the bahulu mould and bake at 200degree C for about 10 -12 minutes, or until golden.
6.  Remove the baked kuih bahulu with a skewer. 
7.  Brush the mould with corn oil again and repeat the process to spoon batter into the mould. 

I'm joining Best Recipes for Everyone September 2014 Event Theme: Chocolate Wonderland hosted by Fion of XuanHom's Mom

I am also linking this post to Cook-Your-Books #16  

hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

Wine-Braised Chicken With Peanuts

Wine-Braised Chicken With Peanuts

Recipe source :  Doris Choo @ Sumptuous Flavours

Every now and then I crave for confinement food. I guess it could be because I love to eat the combination of ginger and wine. Both ginger and wine are two main ingredients abundantly used in Chinese confinement dishes. The wine is meant to strengthen and warm up the constitution of women's bodies after undergoing the rigours of childbirth, while ginger is widely known to get rid of the wind and dampness from the body. Old folks advised that black fungus helps to rid blood clots.

For ordinary people who are not in confinement but who wish to indulge in the rich foods of confinement women, bear in mind that the amount of ginger and wine have to be consumed in moderation. Otherwise there is bound to be side effects like headache, toothache or even a rise in blood pressure. On a personal level, I tend to cook this during the rainy season when  temperatures have turn way low or when I feel a bout of weaknesses enveloping me.

Therefore,  if I need a little prep-up or if I am cooking this dish just to assuage my craving, I have to reduce the amount of ginger and wine in my cooking. Furthermore, I have to use young ginger instead of old, matured ginger.

Ingredients

100g peanuts, soaked overnight     ( add more peanuts if you prefer more peanuts )
50g black fungus, soaked until soft and cut into pieces
50g kam cham, soaked until soft and squeeze dry
1/2 chicken, chopped into pieces
40g young ginger, shredded        ( used 100g matured ginger for ladies in real confinement)
1 bulb garlic, smashed
1 cup Stone's ginger wine            ( use 2 cups of this wine for ladies in confinement )
1.8 litres water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp soy sauce

Method

1.  Boil peanuts with 1.8 litres over low heat for 1 1/2 hours or until peanuts are soft.
2.  Add in chicken, black fungus, kam cham and half the amount of wine.
3.  Let it come to a boil and reduce to medium flame and continue to cook for 25 minutes.
4.  Add in salt, soy sauce and sugar. 
5.  Add in the remaining wine. Stir to mix well. 
6.  Switch off flame.