Shark's Bone Cartilage Soup

 

I know the environmentalists are gonna frown at me but still, I have to admit that Shark's Bone Soup is one of my all time favourite soups, even more than the expensive shark's fin. Then again, I was never a fan of the ubiquitous shark's fin soup to begin with. Lest the common perception that this is another version of a shark's fin soup, you will be surpised to know that it has absolutely no shark's fin in it. All you get is a thick milky gelatinous soup that is packed with all the collagen extracted from the shark's bone after hours and hours of brewing. Don't ask me why I like this, I just enjoy that sticky aftertaste in my mouth, evidence of a collagen overload.

 

Ingredients:

 

1                        chicken carcasse, blanched

1 packet             pork shank, blanched

10                      chicken feet, blanched

1 thumbsized    Jin Hua ham, diced 

1 piece              dried tangerine peel

1 tablespoon     white peppercorn

5 pieces            large sharks soft bone

3 slices             old ginger 

1 tablespoon     wolfberries, rinsed

 

Method:

 

Place all ingredients except the wolfberries in a large stock pot and place in 4 litres of water. Bring to boil.

 

Lower heat and simmer for a good 4 hours covered, stirring constantly to ensure that the ingredients do not stick to the bottom of the pot. Add in more water if required.

 

After 4 hours, what you should get is a thick milky gelatinous consistency. Add in the wolfberries and cook for another minute or so before serving.

 

 

Salted Fish, Chicken & Lup Cheong Claypot Rice

 

I've recently managed to lay my hands on some good quality salted fish and decided that the best dish to bring out that savoury goodness is through a pot of good old traditional claypot rice. A warning though, to open all your windows and keep all your clothes if you don't want the house smelling of this distinct 'aroma'. I personally like my claypot rice full of the salted fish taste but do cut back according to your preference.

 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

 

1.5 cups                           long grain rice, washed and drained

2 tablespoons                  cooking oil

1 thumbsized                  old ginger, julienned

1                                      waxed sausage (lup cheong), sliced

2 thumbsized                   salted fish, washed lightly, diced

1                                      boneless chicken leg or 1/4 chicken, cut into smaller pieces

3 stalks                            green vegetables (siew pak choy or choy sum), washed

1 tablespoon                    dark soy sauce (2 tablespoons if you prefer it darker)

1 tablespoon                    light soy sauce

 

Marinade for chicken:

 

1 tablespoon                    oyster sauce

1 tablespoon                    light soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon                 sugar

1/2 teaspoon                    sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon                    ground white pepper

1 tablespoon                    Chinese wine

1 tablespoon                    corn starch

 

 

Method:

 

Marinate the chicken with marinade ingredients and set aside in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

 

Heat a claypot with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Add in the diced salted fish and fry till fragrant. Remove the fried salted fish, leaving the oil behind in the claypot.

 

Add in the washed rice and stir to ensure that the rice is evenly mixed with the oil. Add in 1.5 cups of water and bring to boil, uncovered.

 

Add in the marinated chicken on one side of the claypot, making sure not to stack them so they will cook evenly. Top the chicken with some julienned ginger. Sprinkle the waxed sausage on the other side of the claypot. Cover and cook on low heat.

 

After 5 minutes, add the green vegeables on top of the meat and cover, cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes on high heat.

 

Remove the claypot from heat, sprinkle the fried salted fish on top. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce and mix evenly with a rice spatula.

Casear Salad with Wholemeal Croutons

 

I couldn't make up my mind on what to eat for dinner one evening that I decided to make do with a simple salad. A simple salad doesn't necessarily means I have to succumb myself to a boring or blant dinner. I ran out of white bread and made do with my leftover wholemeal instead. It was nonetheless a healthy pleasant alternative. Alright, maybe not so healthy with all the butter that's been added but it was good I have to say.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 bunch                   lettuce, rinsed and dry

2 tablespoons          grated parmesan cheese

1/2                           roasted chicken breast, sliced or 5 slices of smoked salmon (optional)

 

For the croutons:

 

2 slices                     wholemeal bread or 1/2 small baguette, cut into cubes

1 tablespoon             butter

1/2 teaspoon             garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon             paprika

dash                          black pepper

 

For the dressing:

 

1 fillet                       anchovies in oil  

3 cloves                    garlic, minced

1/2 tablespoon          dijon mustard

1/2 tablespoon          vinegar

(I used red wine vinegar but you can also replace it with other vinegar except for cider or balsamic vinegar)

1 heap tablespoon     mayonnaise

4 tablespoons           extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tablespoon          lemon juice

                                  salt & pepper to season

 

 

Method:

 

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing thoroughly, making sure to mince the anchovy. Set aside.

 

Heat a small pan with a tablespoon of butter. Add in the cubed bread and sprinkle with garlic powder, black pepper and paprika. Toss them evenly until the bread turns crispy or golden brown for white bread.

 

Combine all other ingredients together, adding smoked salmon or roasted chicken breast if desired.

 

Shrimp Paste Chicken (Har Cheong Gai)

Shrimp Paste Chicken is one of the most popular dishes ordered in Tze Char stalls or Cantonese restaurants. I was invited for a potluck session recently and couldn't think of a better food to bring than a box of crispy fried chicken.  I've made 25 of them in total but only managed to bring 20 over (my sister couldn't keep her hands off them!). The trick to achieving that awesome crispiness is to fry the wings a second time on a super high heat before serving.

Ingredients:

20                           chicken mid wings
1 tablespoon           fermented red bean curd sauce (nan ru)
2 tablespoons         shrimp paste
1/2 tablespoon        sugar
2 tablespoons         Chinese wine
1 tablespoon           oyster sauce
1 tablespoon           ginger juice
3                             shallots, sliced
1/2 teaspoon           ground white pepper
                               corn flour or tapioca flour
                               Oil for frying

Method:

Mix all the ingredients ogether except for the flour. Set aside in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Heat the oil to a frying temperature. I will usually test the oil with a wooden chopstick. If bubbles are formed on the chopstick when you dip it in, the oil is ready to be used. Switch to medium heat.

Coat the marinated wings with corn or tapioca flour, pat off the excess and fry till light golden brown. Remove and set aside. Reheat the oil on high heat for another 1 to 2 minutes. Re fry the chicken wings on high heat for another minute or so to achieve that ultra cripsy texture.

Steamed Three Eggs

I say, never judge an egg by its looks. This simple dish doesn't look much of a deal but if cooked properly, it can be a delicious addition to your dining table. As the name of the dish suggests, this dish makes use of three different kinds of eggs: fresh chicken eggs, salted duck egg and century egg. When steaming the egg mixture, do note to keep the heat low in order not to create any bubbles on the egg surface or worse, oversteamed it. When steamed slowly on an extremely low heat, the result is often a silky and smooth finish.

Ingredients:

2                         chicken eggs
1                         salted duck egg
1                         century egg, diced
1/2 tablespoon    light soy sauce
1/2 cup                water

Method:

Beat the chicken eggs with the egg whites of the salted duck egg, set aside.

Chop the century egg and salted duck egg yolk into small pieces.

In a shallow bowl, mix in all ingredients with 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 tablespoon of light soy sauce.

Bring the water in the steamer to a boil. Switch on the lowest heat available and place in the egg mixture. Cover the steamer with its lid, intentionally leaving a small gap at the side. Steamed for approximately 15 - 20 minutes, or until the egg mixture has set.

Kung Pao Stir Fry Chicken

The mayhem is finally over at work and I can start pushing myself to blog about the long-due recipes. Don't get me wrong, I have been religiously cooking, just not blogging about it. Today's recipe is a simple kung pao stir fry, something that I managed to create with barely any ingredients left in the fridge. The key to the dish is to use a little black vinegar, to create that hint of tanginess in the dish.

Serves 2
Ingredients:

2                         boneless chicken thigh or chicken fillet, cubed
8                         dried chilli, washed and deseed
2 stalks               scallion, cut into 2 inch length
2 slices                old ginger
1 clove                garlic, minced
2 tablespoons      cashew nuts, roasted
1 tablespoon       cooking oil

Marinade for the chicken:

1 tablespoon      cornstarch
1 tablespoon      light soy sauce
1 tablespoon      chinese wine
1 teaspoon         cooking oil

Ingredients for the sauce mixture:

1 tablespoon     light soy sauce
1 teaspoon        dark soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon  sugar
1 teaspoon        cornstarch   
1/2 teaspoon     black vinegar
3 tablespoons   water

Method:

Marinate the cubed chicken with the sauce marinade and set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Heat a pan with 1 tablespoons of cooking oil. Add in the sliced ginger, minced garlic and fry till fragrant. Add in the dried chilli and fry until it smells spicy before adding the chicken.

Stir fry the chicken till 70% cooked and add in the cashewnuts and the sauce mixture. Continue frying until the sauce reduces and thickens. Turn off the heat and mix in the scallions before dishing out.