MANDARIN ORANGE MARMALADE [橘子果酱]

Thanks to Ann of Anncoo Journal for sharing this timely preserve recipe.  I believe most Chinese households would have ample leftover of Mandarin Oranges after Chinese New Year.  There isn't any leftovers in my home but there was ample at my mother and mother in-law's place.

I managed to gather enough from these to homes to make this preserve.  In a way helping them to clear their stock and I get to enjoy this marmalade.

Recipe adapted from Anncoo Journal with slight modifications. Ann's post has many lovely step by step photos on the making of this marmalade.
Ingredients
[makes 500 gm x 3 bottles]
2.2 kg Mandarin oranges
700-800 gm caster sugar 
1 litre water [Ann uses 1375 ml] 
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice 
Peels from 2 mandarin oranges [optional] - I omit

1. Soak the oranges for about 15 minutes, then wash and scrub the oranges well.
2. Cut into half, crosswise, break out the segments and discard the peel.  Remove the seeds* into a bowl.  Finish doing the same for all the oranges.
3. Place the seeds in a small herb bag or tea bag, secure the string well.
4. Put all the ingredients [except the sugar] in a heavy based pot, bring to boil for about 30 minutes or until the orange segments are soft.  Add in the sugar and continue to boil over medium low heat for about an hour or longer.  Let it bubble until gel point. 
5. Ladle the hot jam into the sterilized jars, cover and invert the bottles to cool before storing them in the refrigerator. *The seeds are  good source of pectin which is needed for jam setting.

FRIED TAUPAU IN SWEET SOUR SAUCE

This recipe is quite similar to my earlier post on Braised Taupau with Fish Paste.  The paste mixture is the same while the flavour is different.  Here, I used the round shape fresh tofu skin and the sauce is sweet and sour.
Similarly, preparing the paste needs some effort but it is worth doing it as you can prepare 2 dishes with different flavours with similar ingredients.  

Ingredients for Paste

100 gm fish paste

50 gm prawn paste

50 gm minced meat

some chopped spring onions

Seasoning [mixed together]

1 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp sesame seed oil

2 tbsp cold water +1 tbsp cornstarch

1. In a mixing bowl, combine fish paste, prawn paste and minced meat with seasoning.
2. Stir in a one direction into a sticky paste.  Add in the spring onions and mix well.  Shape into ball, place in a container and chill for at least 30 minutes or until required.
   

   

Other Ingredients

10 pieces round fresh soya skin [tau pau] - defrost

some chopped garlic, red chilli and spring onions

Seasoning

3 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp vinegar

2-3 tbsp water

1. Separate the fresh tofu skin and press out excess water.
2. Spread some prepared paste on a piece of taupau.  Press lightly and set aside.  Finish doing the same for the rest.  
3. Heat up a non stick pan with enough oil to pan fry or deep fry the tofu skin until golden brown.  Push aside.
4. Remove excess oil if any from wok, saute garlic until aromatic.    Add in fried tofu skin and seasoning sauce, bring to a quick boil. 
5. Dish up and garnish with chopped spring onion.  Serve immediately.
   

   

   

   

   

   

EZCR#86 - FRY FISH FILLET WITH LEEKS AND CELERY

This is a very Chinese flavor dish and you can increase the seasoning if you love the dish with a stronger flavor.

Sometimes homey dishes like this is tasty good to serve either with a bowl of porridge or a plate of white rice.  The dish is complete with protein and fibre.

The fish fillet cooked with this seasoning is surprisingly good and a variation from the usual taucheong fish flavour with the addition of chilli sauce.  

Ingredients

200 gm shark fish fillet – sliced 1 cm thick pieces

1 small stalk leek – cut slantwise

1 small stalk Chinese celery [kin chye] stems – cut sections

1 red chilli – seeded and cut strips

1 small piece ginger – shredded

2 pips garlic – sliced

1 tbsp oil

Seasoning

1 tbsp each chilli sauce, light soy sauce, wine

¼ tsp sugar

1 tbsp preserved soy bean paste [taucheong]

Some cornstarch water for thickening

1. Bring some water to boil put in fish fillet, off heat and leave in water for 1-2 minutes.  Drain and set aside.
2. Heat wok with oil, sauté ginger, garlic and red chilli until aromatic, add in taucheong and some water, then add in the remaining seasoning. 
3. Add in blanched fish fillets to cook, followed by celery and leeks.
4. Quickly toss and fry to mix well, thicken with cornstarch water.  Cooks within a minute.
5. Dish up to serve immediately.
   
   

EZCR#85 - FRIED SPARE RIBS WITH CAPSICUM

This is a lovely oriental style spare ribs dish which needs no braising yet the ribs are tender and very flavourful seasoned with fermented black beans.  

A very simple dish yet awesome to serve with rice.  It is savoury dish yet not salty though fermented black beans are salty.

I wouldn’t mind preparing this dish often as it is really good.

Ingredients

300 gm meaty soft bone spare ribs – cut into small pieces

- marinate with 1 tbsp each of light soy sauce and wine, dash of pepper, mix well and add in 1 tbsp beaten egg and 1-2 tbsp cornstarch.  Set aside for an hour or overnight

1 small green capsicum – seeded, cut thin strips

1 small red capsicum or red chilli – seeded, cut thin strips

1 -2 tbsp chopped garlic

Seasoning

1 tbsp chopped fermented black beans [tau see]

1 tbsp each light soy sauce and wine

1 tsp sugar

Dash of pepper

Some water

1. Pan fry marinated rib pieces in a non stick pan until brown and cooked through.  Push aside, sauté garlic until aromatic and combine with fried ribs.
2. Add in tau see, fry and mix well. Add in some water,  capsicum and stir to mix well.
3. Stir fry until sauce is thick and coats the ribs well.
4. Dish up to serve.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

MILKY COCONUT ROLLS

I love buns, baos, kuihs with coconut filling.  They are fragrant and tasty.  For this bread rolls, the grated coconut is sweetened with palm sugar [gula Melaka] and condensed milk.  Looks good and tastes good too.

These simple bun dough is easy to handle as the dough is soft, smooth and pliable.  The baked buns are soft and moist but not so after a day.  Anyway, not to worry, it wouldn't go to waste as these are still good when reheated in the oven or steamed.

Ingredients For Coconut Filling

250 gm grated white coconut

100 gm palm sugar [gula Melaka]

2 tbsp condensed milk

1. Combine sugar and grated coconut in a non stick pan, stir until sugar dissolves.
2. Add in condensed milk and stir  continuously  to mix well and cook until the paste is almost dry but moist.
3. Off heat and cool before use.

Ingredients For Bun Dough

250 gm wholemeal bread flour

50 gm plain flour

1 ½ tsp instant yeast

50 gm castor sugar

120 ml water

20 gm butter

1. Combine all the ingredients [except butter] in a mixing bowl.  Knead until the dough is soft and add in butter.  Continue to knead dough till smooth and pliable.
2. Shape into round, cover to rest for 20 minutes of double in size.  Punch down and roll into a ball.
3. Dust board with some flour, roll dough into a rectangle.  Spread coconut filling evenly all over the dough.
4. Roll dough into a log and seal the edges well like a Swiss Roll.
5. Cut roll into 1 inch width, make a slight in the centre  and open up to make an inverted roll.
6. Place on a line baking tray.  Leave to proof for 30 minutes or double in size.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C for 12-15 minutes or golden brown.