Chinese
#COOKING: ABALONE AND RAMEN RECIPE
Abalone and Ramen. One of the most sumptuous items you can have in Chinese Cuisine is Abalone. This nutritious shellfish, high in protein and Omega-3 is reserved for special celebrations and is on the pricier side. It has been dubbed “White Gold” for the amount of money it fetches. While it can be rather tricky to prepare as it can succumb to toughness if overcooked, fortunately, you can find amazing quality Abalone canned from places like China and Chile, which save you a lot of work. A good quality can of Abalone would be around $35 CAN for about six pieces (about $6-7 a piece). The trick is to prepare on low heat and at a short duration. Traditional Chinese Cuisine often contains different types of sun-dried seafoods and fungus, reconstituted and stewed. These earthy-woodsy umami flavours complement Abalone perfectly. Where do you get this stuff? Try Chinese Herbal/Health Food Shops as a starting point.
This dish is a celebratory one! Dishes like this run deep in tradition.
Ingredients:
6 pieces of canned Abalone, sauce reserved
4 cups chicken stock
6 or more stalks Baby Bok Choy, rinsed
4 or more individual portions of Ramen
10 Shiitake Mushrooms, soaked in water one hour, stems chopped
Handful Dried Cloud Ear Fungus, soaked in water one hour
Handful of Dried Fat Choy (Black Moss), soaked in water one hour
Handful of Dried Daylillies, soaked in water one hour and stems chopped
3-4 Dried Conpoy, soaked in warm water one hour
8-10 tbsps Oyster Sauce
2 tbsps Organic Raw Sugar
2 tbsps Shaoxing Cooking Wine
1 1″ knob of organic ginger, minced
1 stalk green onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
5-6 tbsps Tapioca/Corn Starch
Sea salt to taste
Vegetable Oil
Instructions:
1.Sautée green onion, ginger and garlic in oil. Add wine and oyster sauce and cook till it bubbles. Remove from heat.2. With Slow Cooker on high heat, cook Conpoy, Shiitake, Daylillies, Fat Choy, Cloud Ear Fungus in Chicken Broth.
3. Add-in Oyster Sauce mixture from skillet and cook for 4 hours, reducing to low heat till pot boils.
4. Add-in reserved sauce from canned Abalone. Bring to boil.
5. Add Abalone pieces and simmer for half an hour.
6. In small bowl, mix starch and equal parts water, forming a slurry. Stir into the slow cooker mixture.
7. Allow sauce to thicken, stirring occasionally, keeping on low heat.
8. Prepare noodles and Bok Choy. Set aside.
9. Place noodles in bowl, top with Bok Choy, Abalone and stewed mixture, ladling sauce on-top.
Gallery:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: GENERAL TAO BROCCOLI RECIPE
Ingredients:
General Tao Broccoli. You’ve all had this classic with chicken, but who knew it could be replicated so well and done vegan? This is so hearty it serves as a main with a side of rice. We’ve been seeing this pop-up on Instagram often of late and thought we’d give it a go. Loved it! 🥦
Broccoli:
1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets
1 cup corn starch
1/2 cup Aquafaba (Chick Pea liquid)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp soy sauce
Canola oil
Sauce:
3 tbsps rice vinegar
1 tbsp Gochujang (Korean Pepper Paste)
3 tbsps organic raw sugar
3 tbsps soy sauce
2 tbsps maple syrup
1-2 tbsps corn or tapioca starch
1 tbsp ginger, minced
3 green chillies, seeded and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk green onion, minced
1 tbsp canola oil
Parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions:
1. Heat oil large skillet/wok on medium-high heat till hot.2. In shallow platter, mix 1 cup corn starch, 1 tbsp soy sauce, salt, baking powder and soda.
3. Dip florets into Aquafaba, then starch mixture and into hot oil.
4. Fry about 3-4 minutes each side or till golden brown.
5. Place on platter lined with paper towels to absorb oil.
6. In clean skillet/wok, heat oil on medium-high heat.
7.Sautée ginger, garlic, chillies, and green onion for 1-2 minutes.
8. In small bowl, prep sauce by mixing Gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, syrup, vinegar and starch. Add about 2-3 tbsps of water and mix well. Pour into skillet and stir well.
9. Once sauce thickens, toss-in broccoli and stir gently till coated in sauce.
10. Transfer to platter, garnish with parsley and serve.
Gallery:
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: THREE CUP CHICKEN RECIPE
Three Cup Chicken | 三杯雞. This is a signature Taiwanese dish which I’ve updated as one, many of us dislike bones and also two, the traditional recipe calls for a cup of wine, soy sauce and sesame oil. I don’t want to die of sodium and cholesterol! Yeah, no. LOL.
This actually is a close cousin to Basil Chicken, a Thai signature, which has fish and oyster sauces. This doesn’t. This one is really savoury and caramelized, loaded with flavour and brightened with fresh notes of basil and scallions. Serve this with some white rice and you’re all set.
Ingredients:
1 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup white wine/cooking wine
1/4 cup freeze-dried basil or 3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 slices ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
2 tbsps regular soy sauce
2-3 tbsps dark soy sauce
2 tbsps organic raw sugar
2 stalks green onion, minced
2 red chillies, seeded and minced
2 tbsps vegetable oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
Sea salt, to taste
Instructions:
1. Marinate chicken in salt for minimum 1 hour and refrigerate.
2. Heat oils skillet in large skillet on medium-high heat. Sautée ginger, garlic and chillies till caramelized.
3. Turn heat to high and add chicken, searing till browned on both sides, stirring often to avoid burning.
4. Add 1/4 cup each wine and water. Add soy sauces and sugar. Stir evenly and reduce to low heat, covering skillet.
5. Simmer for 20 minutes at lowest heat possible.
6. Remove lid and turn heat to high again. Allow sauce to reduce till thick, coating the chicken. This can take a few minutes.
7. Toss-in basil and green onion and mix evenly. Transfer to platter. Garnish with fresh basil or green onion. Serve.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: FRIED CLAMS IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE RECIPE
Fried Clams in Black Bean Sauce |豆豉炒蜆. This is a favourite of mine and my mom totally approves, giving this a big thumbs up! Something about the combination of garlic, savoury black bean sauce and clams is a perfect marriage. And I love the way the clamshells just scoop up the sauce and minced pork bits, so nothing gets lost. I could eat this every day!
Ingredients:
3 lbs Manila Clams, cleaned and scrubbed
1/3 lb minced pork, cleaned
1 3/4 tbsps Lee Kum Kee Black Bean Garlic Sauce
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 green chillies, seeded and minced
2 shallots, minced
2 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsps tapioca starch
1 tsp organic raw sugar
1 stalk green onion, minced
1 tbsp sesame oil
Black pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat.
2. Sautée garlic, chilli, shallots and ginger till caramelized. Add black bean sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add pork and stir well. Cook till pork is browned.
4. Turn heat to high and add clams, covering lid.
5. In small bowl, mix soy sauce, sugar, starch and about 2 tablespoons of water.
6. Uncover lid after clamshells cook open (about five minutes) and using spatula, stir soy and starch paste into liquid till sauce thickens. Add sesame oil and pepper.
7. Ensure clams and pork are evenly distributed and remove from stove. Transfer to platter and garnish with green onion. Serve with rice.
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(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: MANGO PEKING PORK CHOPS RECIPE
Mango Peking Pork Chops | 芒果京都肉排. This is my all-time favourite and normally it is so easy to find at a Chinese restaurant or food court at the Asian mall that I often just order it! Isolation has given me the chance to learn how to make it finally and I nailed it! These fried cutlets of pork are glazed in a sweet and sour sauce, but not your typical bright-red sweet and sour. The sauce has a darker complexity to it that makes it mesmerizing. I added mangoes which are in-season right now, because they also are my fave and these two belong together!
Pork Chops:
2-3 lbs pork chops, each chop sliced in three
1/2 tsp 5 Spice Powder
2 tbsps soy sauce
2 tbsps white wine/cooking wine
4 tbsps flour
2 tbsps corn starch
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 mango, cut into chunks
Sauce:
2 tbsps ketchup
2 tbsps Hoisin Sauce
1 tbsp Gochujang (Korean Pepper Paste)
1 1/2 tbsps rice vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic/black vinegar
3 tbsps maple syrup
2 tbsps organic raw sugar
1 1/2 tbsps Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2 tbsps tapioca starch
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 stalk green onion, minced
Black sesame seeds, toasted
Instructions:
1. Marinate pork chops in 5 Spice Powder, soy sauce and wine overnight.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet, just high enough to cover chops.
3. Mix flour, corn starch, soda, salt and pepper. Add just enough (4-5 tbsps) cold water to form a thick batter.
4. Dip pork chop pieces into batter and then drop into hot oil, cooking in batches of 5-6 pieces at a time till golden-brown. Pat-out excess oil on paper towels.
5. Combine sauce ingredients in bowl with 1/3 cup water.
6. In clean skillet, bring sauce to boil. If too thick, add a bit more water. Add mango chunks and once sauce reaches boil, toss-in pork chops and coat in glaze.
7. Transfer to a platter. Garnish with green onion and black sesame. Serve.
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#COOKING: PEKING DUCK RECIPE
PekingDuck | 北京烤鴨. Reserved for celebrations, so Happy Mother’s Day, Moms! Made this for Mom last night, her fave! This dish traces back to the Imperial era. Roasted slices of duck skin on thin wraps, dressed with garnish. Adapted from New York Times, with some modifications. 💐
Ingredients:
6 lb duck
2 tbsps 5 Spice Powder
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp organic raw sugar
3 tsps sea salt
4 tbsps soy sauce
Pepper, to taste
Sauce:
3 tbsps Hoisin Sauce
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
Garnishes:
1/4 carrot, thin slices
1 stalk green onion, thin slices
1/4 cucumber, thin slices
Coriander, chopped
Instructions:
1. Clean duck, remove giblets. Trim excess skin off tail/neck. Using knife, cut opening between skin and flesh of breast and back. Slide fingers through to opposite end, careful not to break skin.
2. Boil kettle of water. Carefully pour 1/2 of water onto each side of duck.
3. Pat dry with paper towels.
4. Mix 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tbsp of 5 spice powder and pepper. Rub into cavity of duck.
5. Empty 1/3 of Tallboy beer can and prop inside cavity. Stand on roasting pan.
6. In saucepan, heat 2 tbsps soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp 5 Spice Powder, 3 tbsps honey and 1 tbsp sugar. Heat till sugar melts.
7. Brush sauce onto duck. Place duck in refrigerator uncovered 24 hours.
8. Preheat oven, 450°F.
9. Take foil and wrap tips of wings and legs to prevent burning. Add 1 1/2 cups water to pan.
10. Form loose foil tent over duck. Place on bottom rack of oven.
11. Roast 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F. Roast 1 hour.
12. In bowl, mix rest of honey, soy sauce and 5 Spice Powder.
13. Remove foil. Baste duck. Roast 10 minutes more.
14. Remove duck from oven. Brush soy mixture over duck. Separate drippings from pan, reserving 3 tbsps. Remove beer can from cavity. Place duck back onto pan, back facing up.
15. Set oven to high broil. Broil 5 minutes. Flip duck over, breast facing up. Broil another 5 minutes.
16. Remove from oven. Cool 20 minutes.
17. Carve skin in small sections, arranging in platter. Carve remainder of duck and serve on separate platter.
18. Warm wraps in steamer on low heat.
19. Serve duck skin on wrappers with dollop of Hoisin Sauce mixture and garnishes. Makes 12.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: PORK & CHIVE DUMPLINGS RECIPE
Pork & Chive Pan-Fried Dumplings | 韭菜猪肉餃子. Who doesn’t love dumplings? Hope these make your day!
Ingredients:
2 cups flour (+ more for kneading)
1 cup water
Filling:
1/2 cup minced pork
1 cup chopped chives
1 stalk green onion, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Sambal Sauce (or Sriracha)
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 tbps Kimchi, chopped (optional)
Instructions:
1. Combine flour and water, forming dough.
2. Transfer to floured surface and knead 10 minutes, adding flour gradually till no longer sticky. Roll into ball.
3. Place dough ball in large bowl and cover with Saran Wrap. Allow to stand 2 hours.
4. Prepare filling by mixing all ingredients together in a large bowl.
5. Transfer dough to floured surface and knead 5 minutes, placing back in bowl. Allow to stand 30 minutes.
6. Roll dough into a log on floured surface. Cut into 6 even sections. Take each section one at a time and cut into 4-5 more pieces and roll out flat onto floured surface till about 7 cm in diameter, as thin as possible. Dumplings will be doughy if rolled too thick. Edge of each wrap should be thinner than the center. Keep unused dough pieces covered till ready to use, to keep from drying.
5. Scoop 1 tablespoon or less filling into center of each flattened dough piece, pinching or pleating to seal tight. Keep dumplings on lightly-floured platter till ready to cook. You can freeze if you have too many. You should land with about 24-30 dumplings.
6. Heat large skillet with 2 tablespoons of Canola oil on medium-high heat. Once hot, fry dumplings (sealed side facing up) in batches of about 6-7 dumplings at a time.
7. Add a few tablespoons of water and cover with lid, reducing to medium heat for about five or more minutes.
8. Remove lid. Once water has evaporated, check bottom to ensure dumpling is golden-brown and that top of dumpling has a bit of translucence. If you want Potstickers, don’t flip the dumpling. I like both sides of the dumpling crispy, so I flip it and fry till the other side is golden.
9. Serve with soy sauce and your favourite hot sauce.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: PINEAPPLE-BBQ PORK PASTRIES RECIPE
Pineapple-BBQ Pork Pastries. A hybrid of two classics, BBQ Pork Puff Pastry x Pineapple Buns. The latter is a staple at any Chinese bakery but surprisingly doesn’t have any pineapple in it. What a tragedy! Let’s fix that. 🍍
Think – a flaky, crumbly meat pie with a savoury-sweet pork filling… and a cookie topping!
Pastry:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsps sea salt
1/2 cup butter, chilled
3/4 cup Crisco Golden All-Vegetable Shortening
1/2 cup cold water
Cookie Crust:
3/4 cup flour
4 tbsps unsalted butter, softened
1 egg yolk
2/3 cup organic raw sugar, pulsed in food processor till fine
1 tbsp whole milk
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
Pineapple-BBQ Pork Filling:
2 cups Chinese BBQ Pork (Cha Siu), minced
1/2 white onion, minced
3/4 cup chicken or beef broth
3/4 cup pineapple chunks, sectioned
3 tbsps organic raw sugar
2 tbsps soy sauce
2 tbsps dark soy sauce
3 tbsps Oyster Sauce
2 tbsps Hoisin Sauce
5 tbsps flour
1 egg beaten, used as egg wash
Instructions:
1. Prepare pastry, combining ingredients, adding water 1 tbsp at a time, handling minimally. Knead dough gently on floured surface. Roll into ball. Chill minimum 2 hours, no more than 5 days.
2. Pineapple-BBQ Pork filling: Sautée onions in sesame oil. Add pork and pineapple. Cook 3 minutes medium-high heat. Add sugar, dark and regular soy sauce, Oyster Sauce, Hoisin Sauce and chicken/beef broth. Bring to boil. Taste to ensure flavour balance is right. In bowl, mix flour and equal parts water to form paste, stirring into pork mixture till thick like a pie filling. Chill.
4. Cut dough into halves. Roll each half onto floured surface. Use cup to cut circles, reforming and rolling again till used. Each half should yield 12 circles, a total 24.
5. Flatten each circle with hand. Scoop filling into center of dough circle, careful not to overfill. Place another circle on-top, pressing together to seal and crimp edges gently with fork. Use paper towel to tidy any filling that leaked-out. Prepare 12 pastries and place on greased baking sheet.
6. Prepare oven at 425°F.
7. Cookie crust: mix flour, baking powder and turmeric in one bowl. In separate bowl, cream milk, butter, vanilla, egg yolk and sugar. Combine butter mixture into flour and form dough. Form 12 even balls, rolling into a thin sheet between 2 Ziploc bags till large enough to cover each pastry. Apply to pastries gently.
8. Using fingers or brush, apply egg wash.
9. Bake 15-17 minutes till golden. Cool 15 minutes.
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#COOKING: BLOOD ORANGE CHICKEN RECIPE
Blood Orange Chicken. My love of sweet ‘n’ sour often got me teased by my parents as a kid, them jokingly disowning me. Things like sweet and sour chicken balls/pork are seen as “inauthentically-Chinese”. Here is my elevated take on a food court fave. The bitterness of Blood Orange, lime, mild heat of chilli and Sambal give this dish a bit of mystery. Enjoy! 🍊🌶️
Chicken:
4 chicken breasts, sectioned to bite-size pieces and seasoned in sea salt
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup corn starch
3 eggs, beaten
Sea salt and pepper taste
Canola oil
Blood Orange Sauce:
1/2 cup Tropicana Orange Juice (no pulp)
3 Blood Oranges juiced (reserve zests of 2)
1 lime, juiced
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 cup organic raw sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sambal
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 chili, seeds removed and minced
1 tablespoon tapioca starch
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 green onion stalk, minced for garnish
Cilantro, minced for garnish
Instructions:
1. Heat Canola oil in large skillet, medium-high.
2. Prepare coating in a dish mixing flour, corn starch, sea salt and pepper to taste.
3. Beat eggs in bowl.
4. Dip each chicken piece in egg wash and then flour coating. Once oil is hot, place pieces in oil, careful not to overcrowd.
5. Fry pieces till golden and not too dark. Takes about 4-5 minutes approximately per batch.
6. Place chicken on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
7. Once all chicken is fried, prepare sauce in another skillet.
8. On medium-high heat, sautée chilli, garlic, ginger and Sambal. Add sugar and cook till it caramelizes.
9. Add-in Blood Orange juice, zest and lime juice, stirring till sugar dissolves. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar and bring to quick boil. Add Tropicana and bring to boil. Taste with spoon to ensure flavour balance is right. If not, adjust with rice vinegar, sugar or salt accordingly.
10. Run sauce through strainer, and return to skillet. Bring to boil. In small dish, mix tapioca starch and equal part water to form paste. Stir it into the Blood Orange sauce till it thickens to the consistency of a glaze.
11. Toss-in fried chicken and coat evenly in sauce. Sprinkle cilantro and green onion. Serve.
Gallery:
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(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: PORK BELLY BAO RECIPE
Pork Belly Bao. This was an ambitious challenge! The Bao came out light and fluffy with a pleasing bounce. The pork belly required a long, slow simmer and melted in my mouth. Mom wanted thirds!
Bao:
2 cups + 2 tbsp flour
25 ml milk
1 1/2 tbsp organic raw sugar
1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tbsp yeast
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions:
1. Mix flour, salt and 1 tbsp sugar together in mixing bowl.
2. Dissolve yeast and 1/2 tbsp sugar into 1 tbsp warm (not hot) water.
3. Add into flour, milk, oil, rice vinegar and 100 ml water. Mix till dough forms.
4. Turn onto floured surface and knead 10 minutes. If dough is too try, wet hands with warm water till dough is pliable and not sticky. Roll into ball and transfer to greased bowl, roll around till covered. Cover bowl with damp cloth and place somewhere warm (laundry room while drying/preheated oven that is warm, not hot). Allow to rise 2 hours.
5. Transfer dough to surface and flatten dough. Dust with baking powder. Knead 5 minutes.
6. Roll dough into a log. Cut into 9 even pieces (about 3 cm wide).
7. Roll balls into ovals at about 3 mm thick. Brush with oil. Dip chopstick in oil, place chopstick onto oval and fold over.
8. Cut 9 squares of parchment paper and place dough on each. Transfer to a flat sheet. Cover with greased plastic wrap. Allow to rise somewhere warm for 1.5 hours.
10. Steam buns on medium-high heat in batches for 8 minutes.
11. Serve with pork belly, pickled carrots, coriander, Kimchi, green onion and Hoisin Sauce.
Braised Pork Belly:
2 lbs pork belly
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 cubes ginger
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp white wine
2 star anise
1/2 tsp 5 Spice Powder/ allspice or cinnamon
Marinade:
1 tsp chilli paste
1 tbsp organic raw sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp oyster sauce
4 tbsp soy sauce
Instructions:
1. Cut pork into 1-inch thick pieces. Place in marinate overnight.
2. Heat oil in wok on medium-high heat. Sautée ginger, garlic, star anise and cinnamon. Add-in pork belly and remaining marinade. Fry till cooked. Add wine, stir.
3. Add just enough water to cover surface. Bring to boil and simmer on low heat 2 hours.
Gallery:
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(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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