Steamed Tofu with Dried Shrimp and Shallot

I'm kinda on a diet these days. Don't mock me. I just thought that it would be good to shed a couple of pounds to fit better into my clothes. Besides, I've always love tofu. Be it in a soup or stir-fry or ... in the form of a cheesecake. 

Ingredients:

1 piece                           silken tofu

1 stalk                            scallion, chopped

2 tablespoon                   dried shrimp, soaked and drain

3 pieces                          shallot, sliced thinly

1 tablespoon                   light soy sauce

1 teaspoon                      sugar

1 tablespoon                   cooking oil 

Method:

Steam the tofu on high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes. 

In a separate saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil on medium high heat. Add in the pre-soaked dried shrimp and fry for about 2 minutes. Add in the sliced shallot and fry until golden brown. 

Mix in 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 2 tablespoon of the water that was used for soaking the dried shrimp. Mix quickly and turn off the heat. 

Spoon the mixture over the steamed tofu and top with chopped scallion. 

Steamed Fish Hong Kong Style

Part of my banquet feast, this dish, sadly didn't quite look like it in the picture above. Blame it on my poor photography skills if you must. I on the other hand am not so bothered by the look of it since I know how delicious this is. Believe it or not, I loved it so much that I had this twice in a row this week.

Serves 2 - 3
Ingredients:

1 medium                       pomfret, snapper or garoupa
5 stalks                          scallion
4 slices                          old ginger
1/2 teaspoon                 sugar
6 tablespoons                light soy sauce
3 tablespoons                cooking oil

Method:

Cut the green part of the scallion into 2 inches long each. Shred the white part of the scallion thinly and set aside in a bowl of water.

Place the green part of the scallion on a plate and place the fish on top. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and drizzle 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce on the fish. Place the sliced ginger on top of the fish and in the gut.

Cover and steamed on high heat for about 9 minutes or until the fish's eyes are fully popped.

Remove the fish from the steamer. Season with 5 tablespoons of light soy sauce and top it with the shredded white scallion.

Heat 3 tablespoon of cooking oil in a small pot. Pour the scorching hot oil over the fish, intentionally over the white scallion and serve.

Braised Chinese Mushroom with Spinach

I was in the mood of cooking up a Chinese banquet feast for myself. It was just one of those days that I wanted to feel a little special by having a table of full of dishes and I get to pretend that I've been invited to a banquet dinner. LOL. The dish would have been perfect if sea cucumber were included but unfortunately I didn't get to prepare that in time. As some of you may know, preparing sea cucumber is a tedious and time-consuming affair. Nah, don't think I can hold out that long.

Serves 3 - 4

Ingredients:

1 packet                 spinach, washed and drained
8 - 12 pieces          dried chinese mushroom, soaked, squeezed dry and stemmed
1 cup                      liquid from soaking the mushroom
1 tablespoon          chinese wine
1 tablespoon          oyster sauce
1 tablespoon           light soy sauce
1 teaspoon             sesame oil
1 teaspoon             sugar
1 teaspoon             cornstarch
1 tablespoon          cooking oil

Method:

Heat a pot with a tablespoon of cooking oil on medium high heat. Add in the prepared mushroom and give it a quick stir for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Mix all the seasoning excluding the cornstarch together. Pour the sauce mixture into the pot and bring to boil.

Lower heat and simmer covered for about 20 to 25 minutes. If using sea cucumber, add more water and increase the time to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a big pot of water to boil. Blanch the spinach for about a minute and drain. Arrange neatly on a plate.

Mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Pour into the pot of mushroom when done. Stir rapidly and turn off the heat.

Pour the mushroom and sauce onto the blanched spinach and serve.

Kimchi Fried Rice

Kimchi Fried Rice just sounds like the ideal way of getting rid of the two big boxes of kimchi that have been sitting in the refrigerator for the past couple of months. Just in case you wonder, these were handmade by yours truly during my trip to Korea back in September. I've read somewhere online that sour kimchi made for a better fried rice but sour or not, this still tasted pretty neat I must say.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 cups                       cooked rice, overnight and left in the refrigerator covered
1/2 cup                      kimchi, chopped
1/2                            onion, chopped
2 cloves                     garlic, minced
2 tablespoons            cooking oil
2                               fresh eggs
1 teaspoon                light soy sauce
2 stalk                       green onion, chopped
pinch                         sea salt

Method:

Heat the wok on medium high heat with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Saute the onions with a pinch of salt till it turns translucent.

Add in the minced garlic and fry till fragrant.

Stir in the chopped kimchi and fry for about 3 minutes.

Add in the rice and 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce. Break the rice using the back of your spatula and fry on high heat for about 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat and mix in the chopped green onions.

Serve with a sunny side up per person, mixing the runny yolk into the rice while eating.

Garlicky Chicken

Tis' definitely the season to celebrate with good food, wine and your loved ones.  In my opinion, this chicken recipe is good enough to land itself a spot on that dining table this festive period. Don't get me wrong, this is not a Christmas recipe but a simple heartwarming dish by Nigella Lawson that will win the crowd over. The recipe calls for white wine or vermouth but I made do with my leftover Rose and it tasted just as good anyway.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 pieces                             chicken leg or thigh, bone in
20 cloves                           garlic, unpeeled
1 tablespoon                      olive oil
5 stalks                              thyme (I replaced it with 1/2 tablespoon of the dried version)
3 stalks                              scallion, chopped
2 tablespoon                      white wine or vermouth
                                          salt and black pepper to season

Method:

Heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.

In a dutch iron pot, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sear the chicken leg on high heat, browning them. Remove and set aside.

Add in the chopped scallion, thyme and give it a good stir for about 20 seconds or so.

Place in 10 cloves of garlic, followed by the browned chicken pieces. Top with the other 10 cloves of garlic. Season with salt and black pepper.

Add in 2 tablespoons of wine (or more like I did) and swirl them around the pot.

Cover the pot and place in the oven for an hour.

Serve the dish and its gorgeous sauce with some nicely toasted sourdough or baguette. Do not forget the nicely caramelized garlic too.