STIR FRIED SPINACH [PUI LING - 菠菜]

I used to fry this leafy green, spinach aka Pui Ling [菠菜], sometimes with dried prawns, anchovies, chopped garlic and fermented beancurd [foo yee].

This time, I followed a recipe from Irene Yong's Youtube] which is easy and simple. Just with 2 ingredients, yet the result is awesome.

Irene has advised to not to discard the root stems but to retain about 1 cm near the root is most nutritious part. It should be preserved and fried together with the stems and leaves. You can get to taste the sweetness of spinach.

I followed her tips and it is true, the vegetable is sweet, soft and smooth without the bitter taste. Boiling the greens before frying reduce the 'oxalic acid'. According to Irene, oxalic acid hinders the body's absorption of calcium and iron.

Ingredients

300 gm spinach - cut into appropriate lengths

2-3 pips garlic - chopped

1 tbsp cooking oil

Seasoning

salt, mushroom stock granules and pepper to taste

1. Rinse vegetable under running tap water then soak in a basin of clean water for 10 minutes. Rinse well. Cut off the roots but leave at least 1 cm of the section before the stems. Cut in sections preferred.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil, add in a little oil and a pinch of salt. Blanch cut vegetables in hot water for a while. Remove and drain on a colander.
3. Heat a non stick wok with some oil, add a pinch of salt, saute garlic until aromatic. Add in blanched spinach, stir over high heat and add in seasoning.
4. Dish up to serve. Enjoy.!!!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

STEAMED PAUS - GULA MELAKA COCONUT FILLING

This is quite a different steamed pau skin recipe which I tried.  The pau skin turned out to be smooth,  spongy, soft and chewy. Lovely fluffy pau skin which is low in sugar and fats compared to other recipes which I have been using.  

If you enjoy eating steamed paus but afraid of the sugar and fats in the pau skin, this is a good recipe to use.  The texture is good and great with this Gula Melaka Coconut filling.

Gula Melaka Coconut Filling recipe inspired from MyKitchen101en.  Though I did not follow exactly the portion but this filling is nice.  It is fragrant, tastes good and not too sweet. 

Ingredients For Gula Melaka Coconut Filling

200 gm freshly grated white coconut 

110 gm palm sugar/gula melaka - chopped

25 gm Jaggery sugar or gula merah

80 ml hot water

2-3 blades pandan leaves - washed and tie into a knot

slaked cornstarch [1.5 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water]

1. For the Filling - Place palm sugar, gula merah and pandan leaves in a saucepan.  Add in hot water, bring to boil over medium low heat until sugar dissolves.
2. Strain into a clean non stick pan/wok.  Bring to boil and stir in cornstarch water.  Add in grated white coconut.
3. Stir to mix well, fry until the coconut is almost dry but moist and leave the pan clean.
4. Dish out to cool.

Ingredients

[makes 16 paus]

300 gm pau flour

1/2 tbsp icing sugar

1 tsp instant yeast

150-170 ml water

1/2 tbsp shortening

1. For Skin - combine all ingredients [except shortening] in a mixing bowl.  Gradually add in water to mix into a rough dough [may not need to use all the water]. 
2. Add in shortening, continue to knead until dough is soft and smooth.  Shape into a round ball, leave in bowl, cover to rest for 20 minutes or double in size.
3. Punch down, roll into a long log or ball, then divide into 16 equal portions or more according to own preference.  Shape each portion into a ball.
4. Flatten each ball and wrap 1-2 tsp gula melaka coconut filling, seal the edges well into a pleated or round pau.  Place on a piece of parchment paper in a steaming tray.  Finish making the rest.
5. Cover and leave to proof for 20-30 minutes or until double in size.
6. Steaming over high heat for 10-12 minutes.
7. Off heat, remove to cool on wire rack before storing or serve immediately.
   
   
   

STIR FRY TASTY TOFU PUFFS

This dish is a rather quick stir fry dish, savoury and sweet in taste.  

A meatless dish, good to spread over a plate of steaming hot plain rice as One Dish Meal.  Particularly love the dried chillies, spicy hot and appetising.  The tofu puffs absorb the flavours of the seasoning, makes it tasty.

Ingredients

[serves 2]

100 - 150 gm tofu puffs - cut half diagonally

1 small green capsicum - cut wedges

1 small red capsicu, - cut wedges [ I used 1 red chilli]

2 dried red chillies - soaked and cut small sections

some slice ginger and garlic

1 stalk spring onions - cut sections

1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water

100 ml water

Seasoning

1 tbsp each sweet chilli sauce, oyster sauce, light soy sauce and sugar

1 tsp stock granules

1/2 tsp each salt and dark soy sauce

1. Heat a non stick wok with some oil, pan fry the tofu puffs until slightly charred.  Dish up.
2. Using the same wok with some oil, saute ginger, garlic and spring onions until aromatic.
3. Add in the seasoning, stir to mix, add in water.
4. Bring to boil, add in the fried tofu puffs.  Stir to mix well and let it  braise for awhile.
5. Lastly, add in the chillies/capsicum.  Mix well and thicken with cornstarch water.  Drizzle in some sesame seed oil.
6. Dish up to serve.

FRIED FIRM BEANCURD WITH FRAGRANT SAUCE

These days [especially after the Chinese New Year], I have been going more for meatless dishes.  Trying to be a 'flexitarian'. 

"The term "flexitarian" has been coined to describe someone who eats mostly plant-based foods, but occasionally eats meat, poultry and fish. That kind of healthy eating is central to the Mediterranean diet — which limits red meat and emphasizes fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and healthy fats — and has been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions. Why not work on your flexibility and start reaping some healthy benefits?"  Excerpts from "Mayo Clinic - Healthy Eating/Meatless Meals].

Hope I can keep it up. "Meatless meals are built around beans, lentils, vegetables and whole grains. These plant-based proteins tend to be less expensive and offer more health benefits than meat."  How true?  Must  give it a try.....

This dish is simple just with firm beancurd [my favorite food ingredient] and a tasty, sweet, sourish sauce.  The sauce can be used for frying eggplants or fresh beancurd sticks [foo chuk] too.  One can use her own creativity or feel free to add any other ingredients deems fit....I believe it would be nice, too.  

Ingredients

[serves 3]

3 pieces firm beancurd [taukwa] - quartered

some chopped garlic [omit for full time vegetarians]

some chopped spring onions [omit for full time vegetarians]**

some toasted sesame seeds

** can substitute with Chinese celery or coriander leaves

Seasoning Sauce [combined]

1 tbsp each of tomato puree, black vinegar, light soy sauce and sugar

1 tsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp water

1. Heat oil in a non stick wok, fry beancurd pieces until golden or crispy at the edges.  Dish up, set aside.  Remove excess oil.
2. Using the same wok, fry chopped garlic until aromatic with some oil, pour in seasoning sauce, add in fried beancurd.
3. Stir to mix well, thicken with cornstarch water.
4. Dish up, garnish with sesame seeds, spring onions or coriander leaves.
5. Serve.