EZCR#69 - WANTAN WITH RED CHILLI VINEGAR SAUCE

These boiled dumplings are easy to make and just perfect for a light meal or served with noodles.

The filling is a mixture of meat and prawns which can be replaced with fish paste too.  Served with a spicy, sourish  vinegar dipping sauce makes it appetising and tasty.  You can use black vinegar sauce, too.

Ingredients

[makes 40-50 wantans]

100 gm minced pork

100 gm plain prawn paste or fish paste

1 stalk spring onions - chopped

enough wantan wrappers [about 100 gm]

Seasoning

1/4 tsp each of salt and sugar

dash of pepper and sesame seed oil

Dipping Sauce [combined

1 tsp each of Szechuan chilli oil, red chilli oil, vinegar and oyster sauce

1 tbsp cooled boiled water

1. Combine minced pork and paste with seasoning.  Stir until paste is sticky.  Mix in some chopped spring onions.  Set aside.
2. Combine dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Spread some filling onto wantan skin, bring edges together to make the dumpling.  Finish doing the same for the remaining ingredients.
4. Bring a pot of water to boil, drop dumplings to cook.  The dumplings will float to the surface when cooked.  Dish up with a serrated ladle.
5. Serve with dipping sauce or drizzle sauce over dumplings.  Garnish with remaining spring onions.

EZCR#68 - TIAN MA HERBAL PORK RIB SOUP

This herbal soup recipe was shared by a Chinese chef on TV cook show.  The actual portion of ingredients were not specifically given but I managed to jot down while watching it.

It is a tasty herbal soup suitable for cold season.  Tian Ma is said to be good for the brain and energise the body, while the sok tei is beneficial for kidney.  The other ingredients like fresh cordyceps and gingko nuts each has its own nutritional benefits.

Ingredients

1 large piece Tian Ma

1 piece dong quai

1 piece sok tei

1 tbsp Goji seeds
a handful of fresh cordyceps [optional]

6-7 red dates

a few slices of ginger

300 gm meaty pork ribs - washed and blanched

a handul of Gingko nuts - optional

800 ml water

Seasoning

1 tbsp each wine and light soy sauce

1/4 tsp salt to taste

1. Rinse the herbs well.  Bring water to boil is a soup pot for 10 minutes, add in blanched meaty ribs.  Bring to boil for 20 minutes or until ribs are almost tender.
2. Add in dates and Goji seeds and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes.
3. Serve hot.
   
   
   
   

EZCR#67 - CARROT MEATBALLS SEAWEED SOUP

A colourful meatball soup that is easy to prepare yet complete with nutrients for a comfortable meal which is suitable for all ages.

The meatball paste can be prepared earlier and ready to use just before preparing the soup.  This is a healthy soup and the meatballs are tasty and has a bite.

Ingredients

150 gm minced meat [with some fats if you like]

50 gm chopped carrot

1 small piece black fungus - soaked and chopped

some chopped spring onions [keep some for garnishing]

Marinade

1 tbsp each of light soy sauce and wine to taste

dash of pepper and msg

1 tbsp cornflour

Seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

600 ml water

1 piece wakame seaweed [hai tai] - rinsed and break into small pieces

1. Mix meatball ingredients with marinade.  Stir into a sticky paste.  Store in a plastic container and chill in the fridge until required.  Shape into small meatballs before cooking.
2. Bring water or stock to boil, then turn to low heat, add in meatballs to cook over simmering stock.
3. Add in seaweed to cook for several minutes, then add seasoning to taste.
4. Dish up to serve, garnish with some chopped spring onions.
   
    
   

HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE

Came across this recipe in my this month's selected cookbook for Cookbook Countdown Event.  I am not sure if this is an authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice recipe.  What tempted me to try out is that, the post has 4 separate recipes [chicken rice, steamed chicken, vegetable pickle and chilli dipping sauce].

So this gonna be a long, long post that I am sharing here.  
Recipe adapted from this month's selected cookbook for Cookbook Countdown Event#7- 'Home Cooking June 2002 Issue'. 

HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE

Ingredients

[serves 2-3]

2 cups rice - washed and drained

2 pips garlic - bruised

25 gm ginger - bruised

25 gm butter

salt and pepper to taste

enough water or chicken stock to cook rice

1. Heat butter in a pan or wok, fry garlic and ginger until fragrant before adding in the drained rice to fry for about 3 minutes.  Season and cook in a rice cooker with about 1 3/4 cups water or stock.

Notes: I did not use frying method, instead I combined all the ingredients then steamed the rice in the steamer.  

The rice is aromatic eventhough without frying.  I believe it would be better if the ingredients are prepared as per Step 1.

HAINANESE STEAMED CHICKEN

Ingredients

3 chicken whole legs [with skin] - washed and pat dry

1 tbsp each of grated or blended ginger, garlic and shallots

salt and pepper to taste

Dash of sesame oil

Garnishing - some chopped coriander leaves

1. Rub the chicken with all the grated ingredients, salt, pepper and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Steam for 20 minutes or poached till cooked.  Serve with a dash of sesame oil and garnish with coriander leaves.

Notes: The steamed chicken is tender, juicy and sweetness with the fragrance of the spices [ginger/garlic/shallots] and sesame oil.

 

 

CHILLI DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients

5 fresh red chillies - roughly cut

4 pips garlic - skinned

20 gm fresh ginger

Seasoning

Juice of 4 small limes

2 tbsp white vinegar

salt and sugar to taste

 

1. Blend all spices together then add in the rest of the seasoning ingredients to taste.
2. Serve with chicken rice.

Notes: This dipping sauce is garlicky, ginger and spicy.  Tastes sourish and goes well with the steamed chicken and rice.

VEGETABLE PICKLE

Ingredients

4 dried mushrooms - soaked and cut strips

200 gm cabbage - cut shreds

1 red carrot - peeled and cut shreds

200 gm turnip [sengkuang] - cut shreds

1 large onion - sliced

some fresh coriander leaves 

1 red chilli - cut strips

100 ml white vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

5 tbsp sugar

1. Prepare the above vegetables.  Blanch the carrots and mushrooms.  Drain in colander and leave it to cool.
2. Combine vinegar with salt and sugar then mix in all the ingredients.
3. Leave to pickle for one day before serving chilled or at room temperature.

Notes: I love this pickle very much.  It is refreshing, the vegetables are tasty and very crunchy.  Definitely something extraordinary to go with Chicken Rice.  This is a nice pickle to go with any grilled or fried meats.

I'm sharing this post with Cookbook Countdown Event #7 hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

EZCR#66 - STEAMED TOFU WITH GLASS NOODLES

This is another simple, easy tofu dish which can be served with rice or eaten as a noodle dish.  Add more glass noodles if you wish to have it on its own and less if serving with rice.  I, actually had this for a light weekend lunch.

It tastes spicy and savoury with the noodles soaking up the flavours of the chilli bean paste.  An appetising dish suitable for the young and old.

The meat ingredients can be pre-fried or marinated before steaming. 

Ingredients

1 small piece firm tofu - cut into small pieces

1/2 - 1 small bundle of glass noodles - soak for 10 minutes, drain

50 gm minced meat or with a combination of chicken and prawns

some chopped ginger, garlic and spring onions

Seasoning

1 tsp chilli bean paste [dao ban jiang] to taste

1 tbsp wine

salt and msg to taste

1. Heat a small saucepan with some oil, add in ginger and garlic.  Fry until aromatic and add in minced meat.  Fry until fragrant, add in seasoning and some water.  Bring to boil.
2. Meanwhile, place glass noodles onto a steaming bowl, top with tofu slices.  Spread fried meat ingredients over tofu.  Add some water if it is too dry.
3. Steam over high heat for 15-20 minutes.
4. Garnish with some spring onions, serve immediately.