Chinese Dumpling & Potsticker Dip Sauce

Source: http://chinesefood.about.com


This recipe is a good dip sauce for both Chinese steamed dumplings and potstickers (锅贴).


Makes ~1/3 cup

Ingredients:
Light soy sauce, 4 tbsp
Sesame oil, 1 tsp
Chinese red rice vinegar, 1 tbsp
Young ginger, peeled and minced, 1 tsp
Fresh cilantro leaf or spring onion, chopped, 2 tsp



Method:
1. Mix all ingredient together.  Allow to stand for at least 1 hr in airtight container placed in refrigerator before use in serving.

Hoisin Dip Sauce

Source: http://chinesefood.about.com


This receipe is good as dip sauce for BBQ meat, broiled chicken, spring rolls and others.

Makes ~1/3 cup

Ingredients:
Cooking oil, for stir fry, 1 tbsp
Garlic, peeled and finely chopped, 1 clove
Young ginger, peeled and finely chopped, 1 tsp
Hoisin sauce, 6 tbsp
Dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp
Water, 2 tbsp
Salt, pinch
Sesame oil, a few drops
Chilli paste, 1½ tsp or to taste
Peanut, roasted and coarsely chopped, 1 tbsp



Method:
1. Heat oil in pan over medium heat.  Add in garlic and ginger to stir fry till aromatic.

2. Add in remaining ingredients.  Stir and heat throught before off heat.

3. Allow sauce to cool before transfer to airtight container to store in refrigerator.  Allow to stand for at least 1 hr before serving as dip sauce.

Sweet & Sour Sauce

Source: http://chinesefood.about.com


This receipe can be used as dipping sauce for meat items or as cooking sauce to pour over dishes.


Makes ~½ cup

Ingredients:
Rice vinegar, 1/3 cup
Brown sugar, 4 tbsp
Tomato sauce, 1 tbsp
Light soy sauce, 1 tsp
Cornstarch/water mixture*, as thickener

* Cooking sauce: mix 2 tsp cornstarch flour with 4 tsp water
  Dipping sauce: mix 4 tsp cornstarch flour with 4 tsp water




Method:
1. Except for cornstarch solution, mix all other ingredients together and bring to boil.  Add in cornstarch/water mixture, and stir well till sauce thickens.

Asian Grilled Chicken Wing

Source: http://www.thegoodmoodfoodblog.com

Serves 6-8 as part of a shared meal

Ingredients:
Chicken wing, 12 pcs

Marinade:
Chinese sweet chilli sauce, 1 cup
Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp
Garlic, peeled & minced, 2 cloves
Young ginger, ~1 inch length, peeled & minced, 1 pc
Honey, 2 tbsp
Chinese five spice powder, 1 tsp
Sesame oil, 1 tsp
Corn flour, 1 tsp
Juice of 1 lemon

Garnish:
White sesame seed, toasted, 1-2 tbsp
Spring onion, chopped, some



Method:
1. Prepare chicken.  Clean and pat dry.  Cut each wing into 3 separate parts: drumlet, mid-wing & tip.

2. Prepare marinade.  Mix all ingredient well.

3. Marinate chicken.  Add chicken to marinade.  Mix well, then cover and leave to stand in refrigerator for at least 30 mins.

4. Preheat oven to 200 degC.  Heat chicken parts in oven for ~30 mins on each side.



Serving:
1. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on chicken and garnish with chopped spring onion before serving.

Braised Grouper with Superior Sauce

Source: Chef Chan Sung Og's recipe listed in web http://www.citygas.com.sg/

Serves 2 as part of a shared meal

Ingredients:
Grouper, cleaned and slit on both sides, ~600g size, 1 pc
Garlic, minced, 4 cloves
Soy bean paste, 1 tbsp
Chinese Shiitake mushroom, 1 pc
Asparagus, diced, ½ pc
Red chilli, diced, 1 pc
Vegetable, diced, 1 pc

Seasoning A:
Chicken stock, 400g
Hua Diao wine, 1 tsp
Light soy sauce, 1 tbsp
Dark soy sauce, 2 tsp
Sugar, 3 tbsp

Seasoning B:
Chilli oil, 100g
Sesame oil, 1 tsp

Garnishing:
Spring onion, julienned, 3 sprigs
Parsley, 1 sprig



Method:
1. Deep fry fish over medium heat till golden brown.  Dish out and allow to cool.  Set aside for later use.

2. Mix all ingredient under Seasoning A and set aside for later use.

3. Saute fry mince garlic and soy bean paste over low heat till aromatic.  Add in mushroom, asparagus, vegetable and red chilli, and stir fry over high heat.

4. Add in Seasoning A mixture and deep fried group.  Allow to simmer over low heat until stock almost dry up.

5. Add in Seasoning B.  Simmer 1 min and off heat.



Serving:
1. Transfer fish to plate and garnish with spring onion and parsley.

Boiled Live Prawns with Vermicelli in Superior Stock served in Claypot

Source: Recipe listed in web http://www.citygas.com.sg/

Serves 2 as part of a shared meal

Ingredients:
Medium live prawn, head and tail trimmed, digestive tract removed, 10 pcs
Rice vermicelli (米粉), soaked till soften and cut into long section, 70g
Garlic, chopped, 6 cloves
Ginger, 3 slices
Chicken stock, 500g
Celery, minced, 1 tbsp
Cooking oil, 1 tbsp
Cooking oil, for use in deep frying

Seasonings:
Salt, a pinch
Hua Diao wine (花雕酒), a little
Sesame oil, a little
Pepper powder, a dash


Method:
1.  Wash and pat dry prawn.  Deep fry till half cooked.  Set aside for later use.

2. Add oil to claypot, and fry ginger and garlic over medium heat till aromatic.  Add in chicken stock and seasonings, and bring to boil.

3. Add in rice vermicelli and fried prawns, and simmer over low heat for 5 mins.

4. Add in minced celery and bring to boil.



Serving:
1. Serve hot in claypot.

Stewed Chicken in Claypot

Source: Chef William Han's recipe listed in web http://www.citygas.com.sg/

Serves 4 as part of a shared meal

Ingredients:
Chicken thigh, deboned & deskinned, cut into cubes, 2kg
Chicken stock, 4 ltrs
Red dates, 6pcs
Black fungus, 10 pcs
White pepper corn, crushed, 20g
Shallot, chopped, 2 bulbs
Garlic, chopped, 6 cloves
Dried shrimp, minced, 5g
Chinese mushroom, soaked, 8 pcs
Dried bean curd (= tau pok or 油豆腐 ), quartered, 16 pcs
Dried bean stick (腐竹), 5 pcs
Red fermented beancurd (紅豆腐乳/南乳), smashed, 3 pcs
White fermented beancurd (豆腐乳), smashed, 1 pc

Chinese herbs:
Dried cuttlefish, 2 pcs
Dang Gui (当归), 10g
Bei Qi (北芪), 20g
Dang Shen (党参), 20g (or ~6 pcs)
Wolfberries (枸杞), 30 pcs

Marinade:
Ginger, grated, 1 tbsp
Garlic, grated, 1 tbsp
Five spice powder (五香粉), 2 tbsp
Sugar, powder preferred, to taste
Soy sauce, to taste
Fermented soy bean paste (豆酱), 3 tbsp
Chinese rose wine (or Mei Kuei Lu Chiew 玫瑰露酒), 5 tbsp

Seasoning:
Salt, to taste



Method:
1. Mix all ingredients under Marinade.  Add in chicken and let it rest for 30 mins.

2. Wrap all ingredients under Chinese Herbs in a Muslim cloth.  Place in pot, over medium heat, filled with chicken stock, red dates, black fungus and white pepper corn.

3. Stir fry shallot and garlic.  When slightly brown, add in mince shrimp and fry till aromatic

4. Add in marinated chicken.  When aromatic, add in some chicken stock and mushroom, and allow to simmer for 15 mins over low heat.

5. Add in dried bean curds, dried bean sticks and fermented bean curds.  Allow to simmer over low heat for 15 mins.

6. Season to taste.



Serving:
1. Remove the bag of Chinese herbs before serving.

2. Serve while hot.

Sweet Potato Fritters

Source: http://taiwan.spos.com.cn/

Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes, orange variety, 600g
Cooking oil, for deep frying

Batter:
Plain flour, 100g (or ~1 cup)
Corn flour, 2 tbsp
Soda Bicarbonate, ½ tsp
Salt, ½ tsp
Water, 200ml
Olive oil, 3 tbsp



Method:
1. Clean, deskin and shred sweet potatoes.

2. Mix all ingredients for batter.  Add in shredded sweet potatoes and mix well.

3. Heat oil to 170 degC, and deep fry the snack until golden brown on both side.

Fish and Fennel (小茴香)

Source: Martha Stewart "Martha Stewart Living"

Serves 4 as part of a shared meal

Ingredients:
EVOO*, 4 tsp
Water, 5 tbsp + 1 tsp
Skinless grouper fish fillets^, ~200g/pc of ~1 inch thickness, 4 pcs
Fennel ( 小茴香) bulb, medium size, 1 head

Red tomatoes, medium size, coarsely chopped, 2 units
Garlic, thinly sliced, 4 cloves
Coarse salt, ½ tsp
Pepper powder, ¼ tsp
Lemon, skin removed, 4 thin slices

* Extra Virgin Olive Oil, can substitute with cooking oil
^ Can substitute with other white fish like halibut or striped bass

Marinade:
Salt, ½ tsp
Pepper powder, ¼ tsp

Garnish:
Fennel fronds, a few sprigs



Method:
1. Prepare fennel bulb.  Trim fennel by cutting off feathery fronds (= leaves with many divisions) at the top of the bulb, slicing the bulb in half, then cutting the triangular core out of the bulb.  Slice the bulb thinly.  Reserve fronds for use in garnishing later.

2. Marinate fish with salt and pepper just before cooking.  Set aside for later use.

3. Combine EVOO and water in a heated wok.



4. Add in all ingredients, except for fish.

5. Cover and cook with occasional stirring for 5-7 mins, till tomatoes begin to fall apart.

6. Add in marinated fish.  Cover and cook for 10-15 mins till fish is cooked or turned opaque.

Serving:
1. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve hot. 



Chicken and Basil Stir-Fry

Source: Martha Stewart "Everyday Food"

Serves 4 as part of shared meal

Ingredients:
Chicken breast, deboned and deskinned, cut crosswise into ½ cm thick slices, ~700g
Cooking oil, 6 tsp 
Small onion, halved and cut into ½ cm thick wedges, 1 pc
Red and green capsicums, deseeded and cut into ½ cm wide strips, each colour 1 pc
Garlic, minced, 6 cloves
Water, 4 tbsp
White rice vinegar, 2 tbsp
Light soy sauce, 2 tbsp
Fresh Thai basil leaves*, tear in half, 1½ cups


* Can substitute with other types of basil leaves


Marinade:
Cornstarch powder, 1 tbsp
Coarse salt, ½ tsp
Pepper powder, ½ tsp



Method:
1. Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels.  In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until coated, season generously with salt and pepper.

2. In a large nonstick pan, heat 4 tsp oil over medium-high.  Cook the chicken for 2-3 mins, turning once, until browned but not completely cooked.  Transfer to a plate and set aside for later use.

3. Wipe out pan with a paper towel.  Add in remaining 2 tsp oil to fry onion and capsicums under medium-high heat for 3 mins.  Toss often until beginning to brown.

4. Add in garlic and fry for 1 min till aromatic.

5. Add in water, Vinegar , soy sauce and chicken.  Toss for 1 min till chicken is cooked through.

6. Turn off heat and stir in basil leaves.

Serving:
1. Serve hot with steam rice.





Delicious Fried Rice

Source: Kylie Kwong "Heart and Soul"

Serves 2-4 as part of a shared meal


Ingredients:
Cooking oil to fry eggs, 5 tbsp (or 1/3 cup)
Eggs, ~60g size, beaten, 4 units
Extra cooking oil to fry others, 1 tbsp
Ginger, finely chopped, 1½ tsp
Garlic, dices, 4 cloves
Red onion, medium size, finely diced, 1 pc
Chinese sausage (腊肠)*, roughly chopped, ~100g (or ½ cup)
Sugar, 1 tsp
Shao Hsing wine, 2 tbsp
Cooked white rice, ~800g (or 5 cups)


*Can substitute with bacon


Seasoning:
Oyster sauce, 1 tbsp
Spring onion, finely sliced, 1 cup
Maggi seasoning, 3 tsp
Sesame oil, ¼ tsp


Garnish:
Spring onion, diagonally finely sliced, 2 stalks
Light soy sauce, 4 tbsp (or ¼ cup)
Red chillies, large, diagonally sliced, ½ pc



Method:
1. Fry eggs.  Heat oil in a hot wok until the surface seems to shimmer slightly.  Pour beaten eggs into wok and cook for about 1 min, lightly scrambling them and rotating the wok to ensure even cooking.  When almost cooked through, carefully remove omelette from wok with a fish slice and drain on kitchen paper.  Set aside for later use.

2. Wipe out wok with kitchen paper, add extra oil and stir-fry ginger and garlic for 1 min, or until very aromatic.

3. Add onion and stir-fry for 2 mins, or until lightly browned and tender.

4. Add Chinese sausage and stir-fry for 1 min, or until lightly browned.

5. Stir in sugar and wine, then stir-fry for 30 secs.

6. Finally, add rice, reserved omelette and seasonings.  Stir-fry for 3 minutes, or until rice is heated through.  Roughly chop omelette into smaller pieces as you stir.

Serving:
1. Divide rice between individual bowls and garnish with spring onions.  Combine soy sauce and chilli in a small bowl and serve on the side.

Steamed Fish Fillets with Ginger and Spring Onions

Source: Kylie Kwong "Simple Chinese Cooking"

Serves 4-6 as part of a shared meal


Ingredients:
Snapper* fillets, ~100g/pc, 4 pcs
Water, 5 tbsp (or 1/3 cup)
Shao Hsing wine, 2 tbsp
Ginger, ~2 inches length, julienned (~1mm thick), 1 tbsp
Chinese cabbage, 1 leaf


* Can substitute with other white-fleshed fish


Sauce:
Ginger, julienned, 1 tbsp
Spring onion, julienned, ¼ cup
Sugar, ½ tsp
Light soy sauce, 2 tbsp
Sesame oil, ¼ tsp

Garnish:
Cooking oil, 1½ tbsp
White pepper powder, pinch
Coriander leaves, ½ cup
Spring onion, julienned, ¼ cup



 Method:
1. Mix all ingredients for sauce and set aside for later use.

2. Place fish in a shallow heatproof bowl that will fit inside a steamer basket.

3. Pour water and wine over fish, then sprinkle with ginger.

4. Place bowl inside steamer and position over a deep saucepan or wok of boiling water and steam for 5–6 mins.

5. Cut Chinese cabbage leaf into 4 squares and slip inside steamer.  Cover and steam for a further 2–3 mins, or until cabbage has warmed through and fish is just cooked.  The flesh should be white; if it is still translucent, cook for another minute or so.



Serving:
1. Remove cabbage from steamer and arrange on a serving plate.  Using a spatula, carefully remove fish from steamer and place on top of hot cabbage.

2. Pour any liquid left in the bowl over fish, sprinkle with prepared sauce.

3. Heat oil in a small frying pan until moderately hot, then carefully pour over fish.  Sprinkle fish with remaining garnishing ingredients.

4. Serve immediately.

Stir-Fried Chicken Fillets with Honey and Ginger

Source: Kylie Kwong "Simple Chinese Cooking"

Serves 4 as part of shared meal

Ingredients:
Chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2 cm slices, 800g
Cooking oil, 2 tbsp
Light soy sauce, to add towards end of cooking, 1 tbsp


Marinade:
Honey, 4 tbsp (or ¼ cup)
Light soy sauce, 2 tbsp
Dark soy sauce, 2 tsp
Oyster sauce, 1 tbsp
Sesame oil, ½ tsp
Shao Hsing wine, 2 tbsp
Five-spice powder (五香粉), 2 tsp
Ginger, finely diced, 2 tbsp


Garnish:
Spring onions, sliced thinly at angle, 2-3 stalks






Method:
1. Combine chicken with marinade ingredients in a large bowl, cover, and leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

2. Heat oil in a hot wok until surface seems to shimmer slightly.  Add half the marinated chicken with the marinade and stir-fry for 1 min.  Remove from wok with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Add remaining chicken and stir-fry for 1 min.

3. Return reserved chicken to the wok with soy sauce and stir-fry for a further 2 mins or until chicken is just cooked through and slightly caramelised.

Serving:
1. Arrange chicken on a platter and serve.  Garnish with spring onions.

Mrs Jang's Home-Style Fried Eggs

Source: Kylie Kwong "Heart & Soul"

Serves 2 as a meal with steam rice


Ingredients:
Cooking oil, 24 tbsp (or 1½ cups)
Eggs, ~60g size, 4 units


Garnish:
Oyster sauce, 1 tbsp
White pepper powder, a pinch
Spring onions, finely sliced, 2 stalks
Bird eye chillies, finely sliced, 1-2 pcs



Method:
1. Heat oil in wok till surface seems to shimmer slightly.

2. Crack & beat eggs in a bowl.

3. Pour beaten eggs into hot oil.  After 2 mins, reduce heat to allow the bottom of the eggs to become firm and crisp, but the yolks should still be runny at this point.

4. Slide a fish slice (= 锅铲, a cooking utensil) under the eggs, lift out of wok and pour off oil.

5. Return eggs to wok and place back over the heat for another 1-2 mins to crisp further.

6. Gently remove eggs from wok and drain off excess oil before easing onto a plate.



Serving:
1. Drizzle eggs with oyster sauce and garnish with pepper, spring onions and chillies.

Thickened Fish Maw-Scallop-Bean Curd Soup (花胶干贝豆腐羹)

Source: Good Food Fun Cook 餐餐宝, 餐餐好 Episode 4

Serves ~8 as part of a shared meal

Ingredients:
Dried fish maws (花胶, can buy from Chinese Medicinal Hall), 2 taels (2 両, ~75.6g)
Dried scallops (干贝), each of ~size of S$0.20 coin, 10 pcs
Bean curd, cut into small pieces, 1 box
Young ginger, 1 slice
Spring onion,
Chicken stock,
Corn starch water, as soup thickener
Egg white, from 4 eggs

Garnish:
Red vinegar, 1 tsp per serving bowl
Spring onion



Method:
1. Prepare dried scallops.  Soak in water for 3hrs till soften.  Drain off water.  To drained scallops, add 4 tbsp chicken stock (or water) and 1 tsp oil, with a slice of young ginger and some spring onion, and steam for 45mins – 1hr.  The steaming process is to soften the texture and to improve flavour as chicken stock can be fully absorbed.  The use of spring onion and ginger will remove its original fishy odour and the oil will give a glossy look to scallops, hence improve the presentation of the final dish.

2. Prepare dried fish maw.  To soak in water for 4 days before use, and then cut into smaller pieces.

3. Parboil dried fish maw and bean curd in boiling water.  Dish out and set aside.

4. Boil chicken stock with parboiled fish maw and bean curd.  Add in the steamed scallops and its stock. When boil, add in corn starch water to thicken soup.  At desired consistency, turn off heat and stir in egg white.  Heat must be turned off when egg white is added, otherwise the texture of thickened soup will not be smooth.

Serving:

1. Transfer soup to serving bowl, top with chopped spring onion and 1 tsp red vinegar.

Sam Leong's Tempura Flour (脆浆粉)

Source: Good Food Fun Cook 餐餐宝, 餐餐好 Episode 3

This recipe is for tempura flour used in preparation of coating batter for deep frying purpose. 

Ingredients:

Plain flour, 2 cups + ½ tsp (or ~200g)

Glutinous rice flour, 2 tbsp (or ~20g)

Corn starch flour (生粉), 2 tbsp (or ~20g) 

Baking flour (发粉), 4¼ tsp (or ~16g)

Soda Bicarbonate (苏打粉), ¾ tsp (or ~3.2g)

Water, to make batter, amount depends on desired batter thickness after frying

Method:

1. Mix all dry ingredient together with a whisk.  This flour mixture can be kept for 1-2 mths if stored in air tight container and stored at cool places.

2. Add water to flour mixture slowly and stir well with whisk till batter of desired consistency is obtained. 

3. If desired end product after deep frying to have a thin batter crisp, add in more water.

Crab Pincer Luffa Gourd Roll

Source: Good Food Fun Cook 餐餐宝, 餐餐好 Episode 3

 

Serves ~8 as part of a shared meal

Ingredients:
Crab pincers, 8 pcs
White Beech Mushrooms or Bunapi Shimeji (白菇)
Luffa gourds, 4 units

Sauce:
Young ginger
Spring onion
Chicken stock, 2 tbsp
Light soy sauce, 1 tsp



Method:
1. Slice younger ginger and cut spring onion.  With help of 2 cleavers, chop all into bits.  Set aside for later use.

2. Prepare luffa gourd.  Remove skin.  Cut lengthwise into 2 halves for each gourd, and remove centre with seeds.  Parboil in boiling water to soften it.  Lay out on clean towel to remove excess water.

3. Prepare crab pincers.  Keep pincers in freezer for 1 hr before use.  This is to allow the flesh to contract, so that it can later be easily separated from the shell.  Cover whole pincer with towel before smashing.  Except for shell on non-movable pincer to be used for holding when eating, remove other parts of shell thoroughly.

4. Prepare to roll crab pincer with soften luffa gourd.  Rub a little cornstarch/water mixture over exposed crab pincer flesh and on one side of luffa gourd that will come in contact with crab flesh during rolling.  Secure free end of luffa gourd with toothpick.

6. Steam crab roll for 5 mins.

7. Prepare sauce.  Add 1tsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp chicken stock to chopped mixture bits of young ginger and spring onion.  Heat over fire.

8. Saute White Beech Mushrooms till slight brown and aroma detected.

Serving:
1. Place 1 tbsp sauteed mushrooms in serving plate with 1 crab pincer roll on top.  Pour 1 tbsp sauce over them.