Tang Yuan 湯圓

TangYuan is basically glutinous rice flour made into little balls with small amount of water, then cooked in boiling water, usually with rock cane sugar. It can be filled or unfilled all depends on personal taste.
In Chinese culture, Tong yuan is traditionally eaten at Lantern Festival 元宵節 (which is the first full moon after Chinese New Year) -  but it is also eaten on Winter Solstice (Dong Zhi) to welcome Winter. 

This delicious sweet snack is eatern all the for 'good luck' - as the glutinous rice flour once cooked gets really sticky, and roundness means full, complete, unity - therefore this sweet is perfect symbolism to celebrate family togetherness - hoping family stick together.

Tang Yuan is also a traditional sweet snack to be eaten night before get married for bride and groom - also for good luck and wishing the newlyweds will stick together in their new journey and form a completeness and unity in life. 

Today, Tang Yuan can be eaten all year round and can also be bought in the frozen food section in Chinese/Oriental Supermarkets.  But it is a very easy to make by yourself or get a few people to help out and experience what it was like back in the olden days - without frozen, pre-made goods.

 Time: 30mins

Ingredients:

1 cup glutinous rice flour
4 ounces water
Brown sugar to taste
Food coloring (optional)
Fresh ginger (optional)

Method:

1) Pour the glutinous rice flour in a bowl and slowly add water until the mixture becomes the texture of dough. You may not need the entire 4 ounces of water to reach the proper consistency.
2)Knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
3)You can divide the dough in half and add food coloring to one half.
4)Pinch off pieces of the dough and roll it into small balls.
5)Drop the balls into boiling water and cook them until they float - about 5 to 10 minutes.
6)While the balls are cooking, prepare a sweet soup by boiling water and adding brown sugar. Fresh ginger can also be added to the soup.
7)Put the cooked balls into the soup and serve.

Tip:

Tong Yuan can also be stuffed with a paste made from peanut butter, black sesame seeds or red beans.

Happy Lantern Festival!

Chicken & Leek Hotpot

When the weather is still cold, stews and casseroles are great when you come home after work.  Carrying on the english classics - chicken hotpot is a great recipe - easy, simple and filling.

Serves 2
Time: 45mins

Ingredients:
Butter
2 Leeks, halved lengthways and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
250g new potatoes, halved or quartered
4 skinless boneless chicken thighs fillets, all fat removed and cut into chunks
1 glass of white wine
300ml chicken stock
small bunch of fresh tarragon
2Tbspn half fat creme fraiche
100g green beans, blanched

served with bread.

1)Heat a knob of butter in a shallow pan. Add the leeks and garlic and cook until softened

2)Add the new potatoes, chicken, wine and chicken stock, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked. Season and stir in the tarragon and creme fraiche. Serve with greens and crusty bread.

Quick Cottage Pie

This sounds like a superb recipe if you want to a quick supper in no time, cottage pie in just under 30mins!
This recipe uses beef, but i think it is easy to substitute it with pork, lamb or even soy mince. 




Serves 2

250g lean beef mince (or any other mince i.e pork, turkey, soy etc)
1 small onion, chopped
415g can baked beans in tomato sauce
2Tbspn Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbspn dried mixed herbs
450g pack chilled, flavoured mashed potato
25g grated cheddar
Serve with cooked peas (or any prefered veg)

Method

1) Heat a large, dry frying pan over a high heat. Add the mince meat and onion, chopped and cook, stirring to break upthe meat, for 3-4 minutes, until the meat is browned
2)Stir in a can of bake beans in tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dried mixed herbs, some seasoning and a good dash of water. Simmer rapidly for 3-4minutes, until thickened. Tip into a deep, 1.2litre baking dish.
3)Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high. Heat a 450g pack chilled, flavoured mashed potato according to the pack instructions, spoon on top of the mince and rough up the surface. Sprinkle grated cheddar on top. Pop under the hot grill for a few minutes, until golden and bubbling.
4)Serve with cooked peas or any vegetable of your own choice.

Tip: if you do not want to use the grill, alternatively, put in the oven preheat at 180C for 20-25mins.

Happy Cooking

Basic Pancakes with Sugar & Lemon

February 16th is Shrove Tuesday, which is often referred to as Pancake day. It is a Christian tradition to eat pancakes before Lent commence and have to give up for 40days.  These days when pancake day its more a celebration for the end of a long winter and can look forward again to spring.
For me - pancakes are a perfect excuse to enjoy a treat or a great dessert ;p























Ingredients

4oz/110g Plain flour
pinch of salt
2 large eggs
200ml milk mixed with 75ml water
2oz/50g butter

To serve: caster sugar, lemon juice and lemon wedges


Method

1)Mix the flour and salt in a bowl.
2)Make a well in the middle and crack in the eggs.
3 In a separate bowl mix together the milk and the water.
4)Beat the eggs into the flour with a wooden spoon and gradually beat in the milk and water mixture to get a smooth liquid the consistency of cream.
5)Stir in the oil and allow to stand for 30 minutes before using.

Porker's Pie (My version of Shephard's Pie)

I dont eat beef or lamb, but i really want to have shepard's/cottage pie - back when i was young child, i go to school and enjoyed have cooked school meals - and i remember really enjoying it, the dinner ladies behind the kitchen was really kind to me, and shephard's/cottage pie was one of the very english food i really enjoyed, and i always go home a happy kiddie telling my chinese mummy how great the english meal was with simply only mince meat, lots of onion gravy and mash potatoes!
But since i was 9 years old, one day i didnt eat beef for safe heatlh and family religious reasons - so often when i see food i once enjoyed, but because never sure if it is beef or lamb (if its lamb i dont mind eat it) and just have a good sniff to bring back the memories and smile and walk away.
Luckily, these days supermarkets are really good making microwavable ready-made meals which are in vegetarian substituted with soya mince. But nothing taste the same when its not home made.

So here from the original recipes of shephard's of Gordon -this is my version - made with pork mince - which i will call it Porker's Pie.
Note: Picture of my porker's pie does look rather plain on the plate, but this is my first time making it. Next time when i make it, i would pile the plate with some veg i.e broccoli, green beans, sweetcorn.  

Ingredients:
2Tbspn Olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
500g minced lean Pork
1 large onion, finely grated
1 large carrot, finely grated
2 cloves garlic
1-2 Tbspn Worchestershire sauce
2 Tbspn Light Soy Sauce
1 Tbspn Tomato puree
Sprinkle of dried Thyme
250ml red wine
300ml chicken stock
2 tspn Plain flour (to thickening sauce -optional)
1kg new potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
50g Butter
2 egg yolks
50g Cheddar/Mozzerella, grated
Olive oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
2) Heat the oil in a large pan until hot. Season the mince and fry in the oil over moderate to high heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir the onions and carrot into the mince then grate the garlic in as well. Add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, tomato puree and thyme and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the red wine and reduce until almost completely evaporated. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the sauce has thickened. If the sauce is too watery add some plain flour to help it thicken.
3)Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Drain then return to the hot pan over low heat to dry out briefly. Pass them through a potato ricer then beat in the egg yolks, followed by about 2 tbsp grated cheddar. Check for seasoning
4)Spoon the mince into the bottom of a large ovenproof dish. Using a large spoon, layer the mashed potato generously on top of the mince, starting from the outside and working your way into the middle. Grate some extra Parmesan over and season. Fluff up the mash potato with a fork to make rough peaks. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown

Happy Cooking!

Shephard's Pie

Shephard's Pie is a great English classic, its a variation of Cottage Pie, where you use lamb mince instead of beef.
When i was growing up and still eat beef and occasional time of lamb - this is one dish i truely enjoyed when going to school and had it for lunch made by the lovely dinner ladies.

I wanted to make shephard's/cottage pie - talking with my colleagues made me realise its a fairly simple dish to make and it is great in cold weathers - so i looked around for recipes - then thought i substitute it either soya mince or pork mince. (Look out for my next post of my version of this pie)

This is a great recipe taken from Gordon Ramsey, and for those who never made it and want to - i have put this recipe up for you to try this great english classic.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2Tbspn Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
500g minced lean lamb
1 large onion, finely grated
1 large carrot, finely grated
2 cloves garlic
1-2 Tbspn Worchestershire sauce
1 Tbspn Tomato puree
Handful of thyme sprigs, leaves picked
1 sprig of rosemary, needles chopped
250ml red wine
300ml chicken stock
1kg Desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
50g Butter
2 egg yolks
Parmesan, for grating
Olive oil
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
2) Heat the oil in a large pan until hot. Season the mince and fry in the oil over moderate to high heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir the onions and carrot into the mince then grate the garlic in as well. Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree and herbs and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the red wine and reduce until almost completely evaporated. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the sauce has thickened.
3)Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Drain then return to the hot pan over low heat to dry out briefly. Pass them through a potato ricer then beat in the egg yolks, followed by about 2 tbsp grated Parmesan. Check for seasoning
4)Spoon the mince into the bottom of a large ovenproof dish. Using a large spoon, layer the mashed potato generously on top of the mince, starting from the outside and working your way into the middle. Grate some extra Parmesan over and season. Fluff up the mash potato with a fork to make rough peaks. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown



Happy Cooking!

Roast Sweet Potatoes

This a fabulous way in making sweet potato as a side dish instead of potatoes, instead of my mum usual method either steam or boiling it and its all soft and mushy - it is lot crunchier.

350g Sweet Potato
2Tbspn Olive oil
1/2 tspn Sea salt
1tspn smoked paprika
1/4 tspn Ground Black Pepper

1)  Peel the sweet potato and cut into chunks
2) Preheat the oven to 180C
3)Place Olive oil, salt, paprika, and pepper in a roasting tin. Add sweet potatoes and mix it to coat in the seasoned oil.
4) Roast in the oven for 30mins.

Chocolate Souffle

This Valentines day it was my treat to my beloved to a 3 course meal made by me, and dessert is obvious on the menu.  But do not want to be anti-social,  and would rather special quality time enjoying more dvds and popcorn, so I want to find something fairly simple to make, and can prepare in advance - and this chocolate souffle is the perfect idea!

Make: 6
Time: 10mins preparation, 20mins cooking

Ingredients:
Butter, for greasing

3Tbspn Caster sugar plus extra for sprinkling
175g Plain chocolate, chopped
150g Butter, cut into small pieces
4 Free Range Eggs (separated)
2Tbspn Orange Liqueur (optional)
1/4tspn Cream of Tartar powder
Icing sugar for dusting

For the white chocolate sauce:
6Tbspn Whipping cream
75g White chocolate, chopped
1Tbspn orange liqueur
grated rind of 1/2 orange

Method:

1)Generously butter six ramekins. Sprinkle each with a little caster sugar and tap out any excess. Put the ramekins on a baking sheet.
2)In a heavy saucepan over a very low heat, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from  the heat and cool slightly, then beat in the egg yolks and orange liqueur, if using. Set aside, stirring occasionally.
3)Pre-heat the oven to 220C. In a clean grease free bowl, whisk the egg whites slowly until frothy. Add cream of tartar, increase the speed and whisk until they form soft peaks. Gradually sprinkle over the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until the whites are stiff and glossy.
4)Stir one-third of the whites into the cooled chocolate mixture to lighten it, then pour the chocolate mixture over the remaining whites. Using a rubber spatula or large metal spoon, gently fold the sauce into the whites. Spoon into the prepared ramekins and put them back on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 mins or until well risen.
5)Meanwhile, make the white chocolate sauce. Put the chocolate and cream into a small pan. Stir over a low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the liqueur and orange rind, then pour into a serving jug. Serve the souffles as soon as they are cooked, dusted with icing sugar and accompanied by the white chocolate sauce.

Note: i did not have orange liqueur or orange rind but i still made it and it all tasted lovely, but at the end whatever flavour liqueur - its personal preference.

Happy Baking!

Pan-fried Scallops with Asparagus & Crisp Parma Ham & Herby Salsa Verde

I made this starter for my beloved on Valentines day, this was taken from Ching-He Huang cook book 'China modern'.  I really like her recipes - especially chinese food with the modern twist.


I love scallops, when i go out and eat with my parents and if i could i would request steamed scallops with ginger & spring onion, or stirfry scallop with asparagus. But with Valentines wanted to eat it, but want to make it more special and to test my cooking skills further with new discoveries. So this is a perfect challenge to see what else i can do with these ingredient and add that western twist to yummy chinese food.

Serves 2

Time to make: 20mins

Ingredients:

A)
12 Baby Asparagus spears
2Tbspn Olive Oil
8 Scallops
8 Slices Parma Ham
Salt
Black Pepper

B) Herby Salsa Verde
bunch of Coriander
bunch of Mint
bunch of Basil
1Tbspn Extra Virgin Olive Oil
juice of 1 lime
1tspn brown sugar
1tspn freshly grated ginger



Method:

1) Clean the Scallops, make sure it is debearded, coral removed if refered and washed and dried on a kitchen paper.
2)Blanch the asparagus in a pan of boiling water for 3 minutes until al dente. Drain and run under cold water to stop them cooking. Set aside.
3)Blitz all the ingredients for the salsa in a food processor or blender. Set aside.
4)Heat a large-flat pan and add the olive oil. Season the scallops with a little salt and black pepper and cook on one side until they start to turn opaque white. Use a palette knife to turn them over and cook for about 2 minutes - they should be browned on both sides.
5)Place the Parma ham slices in the side of the pan; they will crisp in no time. Reduce the heat but leave the pan on the hob.
6)Refresh the asparagus with boiling water from the kettle and drain. Season with salt & black pepper. Divide the spears between 2 plates, add a layer of crisp Parma ham and place the scallops on top.
7) Drizzle some of the herby salsa verde around the edges of the plate and serve.

Crispy Duck

This is the main course i made for Valentines dinner for my special man,  taken from Ching-He Huang's 'Chinese Food Made Easy'.
It is definitely an adventure - from shopping for the duck breast, and end up buying a whole duck because it worked out cheaper to get the whole duck - so going home i had to tackle in calving the the meat out.  It was tricky, but i just got on and done it.  Thought i had lots of duck meat, but once cooked, it was just enough. 
Have to admit, when shopping i forgot to get fresh plums or apricots  so couldnt make the sauce in the recipe - but luckily in my cupboard i have a jar of plum sauce to save me!
 Once made the dinner - it tasted yummy and meat was very tender - i must say i had such a great sense of achievement, that i can not help to ring my mum the next day to tell her i can calve a duck haha.
From this experience, duck is definitely on my menu in my kitchen in the future and not just at restaurants.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 Duck Breasts, skin on, skin scored in a criss-cross pattern
1Tbspn groundnut oil

For the Marinade
4 Tbspns freshly grated root ginger
2 Tbspns Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
2 Tbspn ground sichuan peppercorns
1 pinch of sea salt
6 star anise
1 Tbspn dark soy sauce
1 Tbspn light soy sauce

For the Apricot & Plum Sauce
100ml water
2 plums, quartered and stoned
50g/2oz dried apricots, chopped
2 Tbspn sugar
1 Tbspn runny honey
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
juice of 1 lime

Method

1) Put all the ingredients for hte marinade into a bowl and stir to combine. Add the duck, cover with clingfilm and leave to marinate for 20mins
2)Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Heat a wok or pan over a high heat and add the groundnut oil. Place the duck into the wok or pan, skin side down, and fry for 4-5mins until the skin is brown and crisp. Transfer to a baking tray, skin side up, and cook in the oven for 3-4 minutes (depending on how well done you like the duck)
3)While the duck is in the oven, make the apricot and plum sauce. Put the water into a small pan and bring to the boil. Add the plums, apricots, sugar, honey, cinnamon and star anise and cook intil reduced to a sticky sauce. Take off the heat and stir in the lime juice.
4)To serve place a duck breast on each plate, pour the sauce over, and with some rice. 

Happy Cooking!

Chinese New Year Eve

Today its Chinese New Year Eve, and like every year its very exciting time for most chinese families. 
Most important night where family get together and basically to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new year with a full belly. 

I am lucky to have 2 meals, lunchtime with boyfriend's family where parents made lots of dishes, lobster, chicken, scallop, iceberg lettuce, with soup. and later turnip cake. 

Then after a while me & my bf met my parents, grandma & sister at the temple, offered some incense, said our prayers, made a little donation, bought a few CNY snacks and lit a oil lamp to wish the following new year be bright and clear.

After the temple we all went to chinatown and had a New Year Eve dinner with my uncles and again had food that sounds good and hope bring prosperity to the Year of Tiger.
Prawns (ha) - lots of laughter, pork trotters (gu show) - great hands to grab more wealth, noodles for longevity, fish - dreams come true.




After a feast its time to go home and enjoy and relax for arrival of New Year. 

If my family was in HongKong, it is very lucky to go out the New Year fair and walk around and fetch a plant, and if you are into the local customs many will wait outside the temple to offer the incense at midnight. 
Customs say if you are able to put the first incense stick in the pot in the temple - the year ahead would be a very good one.

Wishing everyone Kung Hey Fat Choi/Gong Xi Fa Chai!!!

Spring Onion Flatbread

Had some time spare whilst waiting for my Chinese chicken curry, so decide to try out this recipe of Spring Onion Flatbread by Ching-He Huang.
It is very simple and fairly easy to make and indeed when serving with the curry it was a great complement!


Time: 30 mins approx
Make: 4 large ones

Ingredients:

130g Plain flour plus extra for kneading
2 pinches of Salt
110ml Hot Water
dab of Olive oil
1 1/2Tbspn Sesame oil
1 Spring Onion, finely chopped

Method:

1) Combine the flour and salt in a bowl, stir in the hot water and work it into a dough.
2)Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
3)Oil the surface with a little olive oil. Placed in a floured bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and let it rest at room temperature for 20 mins.
4) Take the dough, roll into a long sausage then divide into 4 equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a ball using the palm of your hand and then flatten out with a rolling pin into a small disc.
5)Brush with sesame oil and sprinkle some finely chopped spring onion onto each disc. Reform them into balls again then roll into flat discs about 3mm thick.
6)Heat the non-stick pan over high heat. Heat the discs until golden brown, turning them over to cook them on both sides.
7)Keep warm and cover with foil, and ready to serve.

New Year Cake (Nin Koh)

Chinese New Year is coming very soon!  To welcome the year of the Metal Tiger i decided to try out to make some festive treats - and New Year Cake - Nin Koh if first on the list!

New Year Cake is sweet and slighty sticky - to eat this we wish the year ahead is sweet and for family and friendship stick together in harmony.  Perfect way to greet the new year with my family with a sweet treat!

Ingredients:

A) 600g  Brown sugar
     600g  Water
       75g  Veg Oil


B) 380g Glutinous Rice Flour
    230g Gluten-Free Wheat Flour


Method:

1) In a pan heat and dissolve the sugar with oil and water (A) and bring it to boil. Set aside to allow it to cool.
2) Once cool down to approximately 60C, pour it into the pre-sieved Glutinous rice flour & gluten-free wheat flour (B)
3) Mix and fold it well until it become a syrupy-paste.
4) Use a sieve and pour the mixture through to filter the mixture in containers. You can used metal moulds, or like me silicone-shaped mould.
5)Once evenly divided the mixture, put it in the steamer and steam for 30mins.

Good luck and happy baking!
Here is the link to my baking experience.