Sweet Chili Pumpkin and Spinach Salad

Ingredients: (serves 3)
450g Pumpkin (Skinned and roughly chopped)
1 bundle English Spinach (about 6 bunch, rinsed and finely chopped)
15g Anchovy (fried pre-use)
3 tbsp Sweet Chili
2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Black Pepper Powder
1 tbsp Salt
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
2 slice Ginger (finely chopped)
2 cup water

Method:
1. Heat oil in a wok, stir fry ginger and garlic until aromatic. Add in pumpkin cutlets, stir fry for 2 minutes, add 1 cup water to cover pumpkin pieces, close lid and leave to braise for about 5 minutes.
2. Remove lid, add salt, pepper and 2tbsp sweet chili sauce, mix well, Stir in chopped spinach, stir well, add light soy sauce and another cup of water, cover with lid again and braise over low heat for 5 minutes.
3. Remove lid, turn to high heat, bring to boil. Done. Top with fried anchovies and remaining sweet chili sauce, mix well before eating.

Chinese Style Vegetarian Chicken Salad

Ingredients: (serves 3)
325g Vegetarian Chicken (Thinly sliced, available at Asian stores)
250g Fresh Bean Sprouts
500g Chives (soaked and chopped into 1cm lengths)

1 tbsp Black and White Sesame (toasted, for garnishing)

2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

2 tbsp Sea Salt

1 tbsp Black Pepper Powder

Sauce:

2 tbsp Crunchy Peanut Butter

3 Small Spicy Chili (seeded and finely chopped)

2 tbsp Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Sea Salt

1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

1 tsp Black Pepper Powder

1 tbsp Vegetable Oil

3 tbsp Water

Method:
1. Braise beansprouts in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes, remove from hot water and soak in ice cold water. Repeat with chopped chives.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a wok, stir fry sliced vegetarian chicken for 5 minutes, adding sea salt and black pepper powder in the process. Remove from wok and leave aside to cool.
3. On a plate, set base of bean sprouts, top with chives and the top most with the vegetarian chicken.
4. As for the sauce, heat oil in a saucepan, saute chopped chili for 1 minute, stir in the rest of the ingredients, with the water added at the last, turn to low heat and bring to boil. Done. Pour over the vegetarian chicken, chives and beansprouts platter prepared earlier. Serve hot or cold.

Stir-Fry Asparagus and Gluten Mix

Ingredients: (serves 3-4)
3 bunch fresh Asparagus (roughly chopped into 1.5 inch pieces)
75g Fried Gluten (soaked until soft pre-use)
3 tbsp Woberry Fruit (soaked pre-use)
20g Salted Fish (toasted and crushed)
2 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
2 slices Ginger (finely chopped)
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tsp Black Pepper Powder
Pinch of Salt and Sugar

Method:
1. Heat oil in a wok, stir in chopped ginger and garlic, followed by asparagus, stir fry for 1 minute. Add pinch of salt and sugar. Continue to stir fry for 2 minutes.
2. Add soaked gluten, followed by wolberry fruit, continue to stir fry while adding oyster sauce and light soy sauce. Stir fry for another 3 to 5 minutes. Add water if necessary.
3. Give a good dash of black pepper powder and sesame oil before turning off heat, mix well. Top with toasted crush salted fish before serving. Mix well when serving.

Fried Pasta with Mushroom and Bean Sauce

I have a lot of friends who always admire how good the smell of those noodles from the university's restaurants' are, they then often end up buying into those costly meals. But seriously, it does not cost that much, especially when they buy their ingredients in bulk. So I would like to reveal how to make one of those very aromatic fried noodles in this post. Despite the fact that I used pasta, it can be easily substituted with other noodles, so go for what you like!





Ingredients: (serves 1)
50g Pasta (cooked until desired tenderness in hot water)
25g Large White Button Mushrooms(thoroughly rinsed and sliced thinly)
25g Diced Pork (sliced thinly)
3 tbsp Fermented Black Bean (Soaked in water pre-use)
1 tbsp Black Bean Sauce
1 tbsp Soy Bean Paste
2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Black Pepper Powder
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
2 slices Ginger (finely chopped)
4 petals Lettuce (any type, or use Choy Sum)
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Method:
1. Heat oil in wok and stir fry garlic and ginger until aromatic. Stir in pork slices first. Stir fry for 2 minutes before adding 1 tbsp light soy sauce. Stir-fry for another 1 minute.
2. Add in mushroom slices, stir fry for another 2 minutes before adding fermented black beans, soy bean paste, fermented bean paste, sugar and a splash of water. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in pasta at this point, add the remaining black pepper powder, light and dark soy sauce. Continue to stir fry for another 3 minutes over high heat, adding splashes of water if necessary. Stir in lettuce before serving. Done. Serve hot when it is aromatic.

Sesame Oil Grilled Aubergine

Ingredients: (serves 3-4)
500g Aubergine (pick those small and long ones)
4 tbsp Sesame Oil
25g Bean curd Skin (Fu Chok, rinsed pre-use)
1 bunch Coriander (finely chopped)
5 cloves Garlic (diced)
2 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Salt
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Sweet Chili
1 tbsp Black Pepper Powder
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Method:
1. Wash the aubergines thoroughly, half them lengthwise. On a plate, mix 3 tbsp sesame oil with 1 tbsp sugar and salt. Coat halved aubergines thoroughly with sesame oil. Put to grill for about 30-40 minutes.
2. Slice the bean curd skin finely. Heat the vegetable oil in saucepan, lightly fry the diced garlic until golden brown, remove garlic. Throw in sliced bean curd skin, stir-fry for 2 minutes before adding dark and light soy sauce, sweet chili, sugar and black pepper powder. Continue to stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Add some water if necessary.
3. Add the remaining sesame oil into the saucepan before turning off heat, mix well.
4. Remove aubergine from grill, top with bean curd skin sauce, chopped coriander and fried garlic earlier. Done. Serve hot or cold.

Sweet Vinegar Ribs

This is quite a effort taxing dish to make, but I think the outcome is really worth the effort. For those who like sweet and sour food, this is definitely a must try!


Ingredients: (serves 3-4)
1kg Chinese Spare Ribs
9 tbsp Dark Vinegar
5 tbsp Brown Sugar
3 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Black Sesame (lightly toasted)
1 tbsp White Sesame (lightly toasted)
1 to 2 tbsp Corn Flour
2-4 tbsp Water
Water
1 egg
Oil for frying
3 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
3 slice Ginger (finely chopped)

Marinate:
3 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Five Spice Powder
2 tbsp Chinese Shao Xing Cooking Wine
1 tbsp Sea Salt.

Method:
1. Chop the spare ribs into preferred sizes. Marinate with mentioned ingredients for at least 1 hour.
2. Heat oil in a wok, dissolve 2 tbsp corn flour with 4 tbsp water (can add more as long as the proportion is 1:2, make sure the batter is not too thick) and 1 egg. Coat ribs in batter and deep fry until they turn golden brown. Leave on kitchen towel to soak excess oil.
3. Dip all the ribs into hot oil again after all ribs are fried once, this is to release excess oil trapped in the ribs. remove from oil and leave aside.
4. Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp of oil in a wok, stir in chopped ginger and garlic and fry until fragrant. Throw in the fried spare ribs and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
5. Add into the wok 6 tbsp dark vinegar, 3 tbsp brown sugar, dark and light soy sauce, mix all ingredients well, add water to cover ribs and cover with lid, braise over medium heat for about 30 minutes or until the water has reduced to less than 1/4 of the initial water level.
6. Remove lid, stir the ingredients a thoroughly, add in the remaining brown sugar and vinegar, mix well, add one small bowl of water, cover with lid and braise over high heat until the ingredients start to boil.
7. Remove lid, give the ingredients a good stir, turn off heat, done. Sprinkle with toasted black and white sesame before serving.

Cold Mixed Kuay Teow

Ingredients: (serves 1)
50g Dried Kuay Teow (can opt for fresh ones)
10 g Skinned Peanuts (coarsely chopped and lightly toasted) 3 pc Small Thai Chili (seeded and finely chopped)
2 slices Ginger (finely chopped)
2 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
3 tbsp Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Black Pepper Powder
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 small Cucumber (finely chopped or grated, leave in ice cold water) Toasted Black and White Sesame to garnish













Method:
1. If using dried Kuay Teow, boil in hot water until turns white and tender, drain water, soak in ice cold water and leave in fridge.
2. Lightly toast ginger slices in hot pat, add 2 tbsp sesame oil, stir in chopped Thai chili and stir fry for another 2 minutes.
3. Add light and dark soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper, stir over low heat until everything is well dissolved. Turn off heat.
4. Drain water from Kuay Teow, mix with sauce evenly, add in toasted peanuts, followed by last splash of sesame oil. Top with chilled cucumber. Done, sprinkle with black and white sesame before serving.