STIR FRY FRIED BEANCURD WITH CUCUMBER

Supposed to be a meatless, vegetarian dish but since I have some prawns lying in the fridge, I just add them in.  If cooking vegetarian meal, leave the prawns out.

A rather tasty, spicy delicious dish, simple and healthy.  Great to serve with rice.

Ingredients

2 pieces firm beancurd [taukwa] - cut cubes

1 medium size cucumber - seeded and cut cubes

50 gm prawns - shelled [optional]

1 heaped tablespoon fried vegetarian sambal

some salt to taste

1. Fry prawns with some oil until firm.  Add in the fried taukwa, cucumber and sambal.  Add more if you like it more spicy.
2. Stir fry to mix well.  Drizzle in some water so that the flavours are well absorbed.  Bring to boil.
3. Dish up to serve immediately.

STIR FRY CELERY WITH MUSHROOMS

Just back from overseas trip, missed my meatless dishes.  Out of over 30 main meals during the trip, there was only one meatless meal which I really enjoyed.  It was a vegetarian food buffet treat, a wide range of dishes and desserts.  The food  was delicious.  We were all smiles and satisfied for that.  Sounds crazy, most people would go for the fresh seafood, yummy duck, pork and chicken dishes given a choice. 

Back to this stir fry celery with king oyster mushrooms.  It is a quick stir fry vegetable dish.  The celery is crunchy and the mushrooms are sweet.  I loved the celery crunchy and would not over fried them.

Ingredients

3 stalks of celery - cut slantwise

1 red chilli - sliced

1/2 red carrot - peeled and sliced

100 gm king oyster mushrooms - sliced

2-3 dried mushrooms - soaked and sliced

Seasoning

1/2 tsp mushroom stock granules

1/2 tsp salt

dash of pepper

1/2 tsp sesame seed oil

some cornstarch water for thickening

1. Pan fry sliced mushrooms and ginger without oil until aromatic.  Add in some oil.  Continue to fry for a few seconds.
2. Add in carrots, stir fry for several minutes.  Add some water and seasoning.  Bring to a rolling boil, then add in celery and red chillies.  Stir fry to mix well.  
3. Thicken with some cornstarch water.  Drizzle in sesame seed oil.
4. Dish up to serve immediately.

BRAISED TOFU PUFFS WITH DONG QUAI

Simple, homey dish that is nutritious and healthy for the family.  This dish is easy to prepare but tastes good with just a good quality soy sauce seasoning.  Extra flavours with the used of Dong Quai and wolfberries.

The flavourful sauce definitely goes well with steaming hot rice.

Ingredients

[serves 2]

1-2 tbsp minced meat

100 gm tofu puffs - cut into halves

a few florets of soaked black fungus

2 slices Dong Quai

1 tbsp wolfberries [kei chee]

a handful of garlic - peeled and keep whole

1-2 slices ginger

Seasoning

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp cooking wine

1 tsp sesame seed oil

1. Saute ginger and garlic with some oil until fragrant.
2. Add in minced meat, fry until meat turns white.
3. Add in Dong Quai, black fungus and tofu puffs.  Give it a good stir to mix well.
4. Add in seasoning, stir to mix before adding some water.  Bring to boil until tofu puffs are soft and gravy reduced to slightly thick.
5. Add in wolfberries, drizzle in sesame seed oil. Mix well.
6. Dish up to serve.
   
   
   

STEAMED PAUS-BAMBOO SHOOTS MUI CHOY FILLINGS

Please refer to my post on 'Fresh Bamboo Shoots Pork Rib Soup' about my fresh bamboo shoot story. These paus with bamboo shoots and mui choy filling is Awesome!!!. The pau skin is light and fluffy. The slightly sweet skin blends well with the savoury taste and flavour of the filling. The bamboo shoots are crunchy though blanched, fried and steamed. 

You would not stop with just ONE but I had no choice because I need to share some with my mom, sister and other family members.  No worries, I will try to get some fresh bamboo shoots from my cousin in Taiping during my next visit end of November. 

Bamboo Shoots Mui Choy Pau Filling

Recipe adapted from Coco Kong's Cookbook [modified]

Ingredients For Bamboo Shoots Mui Choy Fillings

180 gm minced meat

160 gm fresh bamboo shoots - blanched, drained and chopped

100 gm mui choy - rinsed well, soaked for 5 minutes, drained and chopped

1 tsp chopped ginger and shallots

150 ml water

some toasted sesame seeds [optional]

Seasoning

1 tbsp each sugar, cooking wine and light soy sauce

1 tsp mushroom stock granules

1/2 tsp white powder

1 tbsp cornflour + 50 ml water

1. Heat wok with 1/2 tablespoon oil, saute ginger and  shallots, add minced meat. Stir fry to mix well or until meat turned white.  Add seasoning and bamboo shoots. Stir fry for awhile.
2. Add in  mui choy, stir to mix well, then add 100 ml water.  Let it boils and cook for 5-10 minutes  Stir fry to mix well, fry until water is almost dry.
3. Stir in cornstarch water to thicken. Add in chopped spring onions and sesame seeds. Dish up and leave to cool before using.  Can prepare and refrigerate until required.

Ingredients for Pau Skin

[makes 16 medium size paus]

400 gm pau flour

2 tsp yeast

60 gm icing sugar

240-250 ml water [this depends on the 'age' of flour]
1/4 tsp vinegar

1 tsp vegetable shortening

1. Combined flour, sugar, yeast in a mixing bowl.  Gradually add in water to form a rough dough.  Knead until well mixed, then add in shortening.  Continue to knead until  smooth and pliable.  
2. Shape into a ball, dust with some flour to prevent sticking to hand.  Place in mixing bowl, cover to rest for 20 minutes or until double in size.
3. Punch down dough, then roll into round.  Divide into 16 equal portions, each to roll into balls.  Flatten each one in circle. Flatten the edges, place filling [about 1 heaped tablespoon] in the centre, gather the edges together to seal to make a round pau or pleat the edges into a pau shape.
4. Place on parchment paper and steaming tray.  Proof for about 20-30 minutes or until double in size.
5. Finish doing the rest.  Place steaming tray over rapidly boiling.  Cover to steam for 12 minutes.  Off heat and remove paus after 2-3 minutes.
6. Cool on wire rack or serve immediately.  ENJOY!!
    
   
    
    
    
    
   

HOONG SEOW TOFU

One additional simple and healthy dish for the family.  Main ingredient is tofu and good quality light soy sauce.

Tofu is a good plant source of protein, iron and calcium especially for vegan or many people who are cutting down on intake of meat.  It contains numerous or all nine essential amino acids. Other minerals are manganese, selenium and phosphorous and a good source of magnesium, copper, zinc and vitamin B1.
Tofu is considered a superfood and a healthier substitute to eating fish. Best of all, the price is affordable for all.

Ingredients

2 blocks tofu - cut 1/2 inch thick slices

1 stalk spring onions - cut sections [keep some for garnishing]

2 dried mushrooms - soaked and sliced [optional]

several slices of ginger

1 red chilli - sliced

Seasoning

3 tbsp light soy sauce

1/4 tsp mushroom stock granules

1 tbsp cooking wine

1. Pan fry tofu slices in a non stick pan until brown on both sides.  Push aside, saute ginger until aromatic.  Add in spring onions, mushrooms and red chillies.  Continue to fry until aromatic.
2. Mix will fried tofu.  Pour in seasoning.
3. Bring to bubbly boil, add in enough water to cover the tofu pieces.  Braise until water is slightly reduced or thick.
4. Add in remaining spring onions.  Stir to mix, dish up to serve.