'Overnight' Pancakes

Recipe adapted from Fong's Kitchen Journal
Ingredients

(A) Mix together

• 200gm plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 50gm sugar

(B) Mix together

• 160gm water
• 160gm soy milk
• 1 egg
• 40gm butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Prepare (A) and (B) and mix them together into a smooth batter. Keep in fridge overnight.
2. Heat up a non-stick pan over medium-low heat and lightly grease it with oil or melted butter. Wipe away excess oil with a paper towel.
3. Pour 1/4 cup batter into the pan and swirl the pan. Cover and let it cook till pancake is cooked and bubbles formed on the surface of the pancake (takes about a minute or less). Remove the pancake.
4. Spread your favorite fillings onto the pancake and fold into half.

Muah Chee

This bowl of freshly made Muah Chee finished by hubby :D


A bowl of freshly steamed Muah Chee and home grinded Peanut Mixture

Scoop and roll in peanut mixture

Recipe adapted from Happy Home Baking
Ingredients

• 200gm glutinous rice flour
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon shallot oil
• 250ml water
• 1 teaspoon shallot oil for brushing
  

Peanut Mixture (grind till fine)

• 100gm roasted peanut
• 30g toasted sesame
• 35gm granulated sugar
  

Method

1. Mix glutinous rice flour, sugar, salt, shallot oil and water in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine, make sure flour mixture is completed dissolved.
2. Pour the mixture into a deep dish. Steam over medium heat for about 25mins. Test the centre to ensure it is cooked through. Brush the surface with shallot oil and leave to cool.
3. Place some grinded peanut mixture in a plate. (you may not use up all the mixture)
   
4. When ready to serve, scoop small pieces of muah chee with a spoon and toss them in the peanut powder mixture. Serve immediately.

大年初七人日

Today is the 7th day of Chinese Lunar Year!! A traditional to serve 7 mixed vegetables on the table. I've added garlic, ginger, fresh shitake mushroom and some light soy sauce to come out with this stir-fried 7 mixed vegetables.

History of 七样菜

This morning bought this from wet market $2/pack :)

I can only recognise Chinese Leek 大蒜, Spring Onion 葱, Choy Sum 菜心, Chun Cai 春菜, Chinese Cabbage 白菜, Chinese Celery 芹菜, another greens which I do not know the name >.<

大年初五的午餐!!

A dish not to be missed on the table during Chinese New Year which symbolize abundance through the year (年年有余[鱼]) !!

Braised Red Snapper (年年有余)

Recipe adapted from Good Food Magazine
Braised Red Snapper
Ingredient

• 1 whole red snapper
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 50gm spring onion, finely sliced
• 3 fresh shitake mushroom, diced
• 300ml water
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp ikan bilis stock powder
• 1 tsp sugar
  
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp shallot oil
• dash of pepper
• red chilli and spring onion for garnish
  

Method

1. Rinse fish and pat dry. Heat some oil in wok, add in fish and pan-fried for 5mins until light brown. Turn the fish over and fry another 5mins. Drain and set aside.
2. To make sauce, heat 1 tbsp oil in a clean wok. Add in garlic, spring onion and mushroom and stir quickly for 30 secs.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients and slide in fish. Cover wok and bring to boil. Cook over medium heat for 5mins until sauce reduce by half. Dish up and serve.
   

Rainbow Noodle with Mushroom (缤纷素菇炒面)

Colourful strands of noodles..natural food colours from carrots, green tea, beetroot and charcoal. Colour still retained after boiling but throw into wok again for stir-fry, only the charcoal and green tea colour remains visible hehehe...Nevertheless the fried noodles taste so wonderful along with the fried shallots I've made the day before!

Recipe from Peng's Kitchen
Ingredient

• 250gm dried noodles (cook according to package)
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp julienne ginger
  
• 120gm straw mushrooms, sliced into half
• 100gm fresh shitake mushroom, removed stalk & sliced
  
• 100gm king oyster mushroom, sliced into stripes
• 200gm cabbage, shredded
• 2 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp abalone sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp shallot oil
  
• dash of pepper
• red chilli & fried shallots for garnishing
  
• 2 stalk spring onion, sliced into stripes

Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in pan, add ginger and stir-fry for 2 mins. Add garlic and fry for another 1min.
   
2. Add mushrooms and stir fry for 2mins. Add in 4 tbsp water.
3. Stir in cabbage and fry till soften.
4. Add in noodles and seasoning. Toss gently to mix evenly. (I did not add anymore water) Adjust taste accordingly. Stir in spring onion and ready to serve.

I am submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #15: Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012) hosted by Wen of Wen's Delight

Fried Shallot Oil

I owned a microwave convection oven for years and yet to know that it able to cook fried shallot oil! :P Read Blessed Homemaker's blog and found out she also using the same oven as me :D Yesterday evening quickly started peeling some shallots and 'fry' them in oven, within 15mins is done!! This noon use the shallot oil to make the braised fish and fried shallot as topping for the fried noodles (check out my next posting ^-*) yum yum yum!! Hubby and son could not stop saying Very Nice Very Nice, hahaha.....

the shallot oil looks so pretty in these dainty glass bottle :D

Recipe adapted from Blessed Homemaker
Ingredients

• 15 - 20 Shallot/small onions
• Cooking Oil (I use soybean oil)
  

Method

1. Peel the outer skin of the shallots and sliced it thinly.
2. Put the sliced shallot in a microwaveable bowl.
3. Add enough oil to cover the shallot.
4. Cook on High for 4 - 5 minutes. Give it a stir and continue to cook for another 2 mins. Reduce to medium low (70% heat) and cook for a further 2 - 3 mins, stirring in between.
5. Stop when the shallot turns slightly golden in colour. Do not cook till brown as the hot oil will continue to cook the shallot, resulting in very dark/burnt shallot.
6. Let it stand for 1 - 2 mins to allow it to cook further and carefully remove the bowl from microwave.
7. Drain fried shallot and leave to cool completely (do not leave them soaking in the oil as the shallot will turn soft). Store in glass container and keep it in the fridge. Do the same for the shallot oil.

**Note**
Cooking time depends on your microwave and the amount of shallots used. I'm using Sharp R888.

Nuggets of Wealth

Green, red, yellow, white, brown....such a colourful dish! :D Both my kids love this dish, especially the scallops >.< except the gingko nuts which they frown when they took a bite, as it is slightly bitter for their liking. In the end most of the gingko nuts were eaten by me and hubby :D

Recipe adapted from Women's Weekly Mag
Ingredient

• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 10ogm peeled gingko nuts
• 1 small red pepper, cut into cubes
• 8 dried shitake mushroom, softened and sliced
• 150gm fresh scallops
• 2 tbsp abalone sauce
• dash of sesame oil
  
• 2 stalk spring onion, sliced

Method

1. Heat oil in wok, add garlic and fry till fragrant.
2. Add gingko nuts and shitake mushroom and stir-fry for 2 mins (add 2 tbsp water).
   
3. Add red pepper and scallops. Stir fry for 2mins.
4. Stir in seasoning and spring onion and mix evenly. Dish up.
   

I am submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #15: Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012) hosted by Wen of Wen's Delight

龙年来临!!

Wish all follow Bloggers & Friends
Better Health & Happiness for the coming
Dragon Lunar New Year!!!
Huat Huat Huat!!

Princess is 2 Today!!

Not a perfect looking cake but definitely made with lots of LOVE! ^-^ Though I've whipped the cream till quite firm, but could not achieve a defined looking piping star @-@ At least I'm satisfied with the mousse, smooth looking edge after unmoulding from the pan :D

Bubbly Birthday Girl!

Gor Gor singing birthday song for Mei Mei ^-^

Happily savouring the cake ^-^

Steamed Vanilla Sponge Cake

Recipe adapted from Alex Goh 'Magic Steamed Cake'
Vanilla Sponge Cake
Ingredient

• 3 eggs
• 100gm sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 30gm melted butter
• 120gm cake flour
• 1 tsp double action baking powder

Method

1. Place eggs & sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat on high speed till ribbon stage formed.
2. Beat in vanilla paste & melted butter till combined.
3. Sift in flour & baking powder and fold lightly.
4. Pour batter into a lined 7" cake pan and steam in preheated steamer for 30mins.

Strawberry Yoghurt Cake
Ingredient

• 2 slices 7" vanilla sponge
• 1 egg yolk
• 30gm sugar
• 80gm strawberry puree
• few drops red food coloring
  
• 1.5 tbsp gelatine (dissolves in 50gm warm water)
• 100gm plain yoghurt
• 180gm non-dairy cream
  
• 100gm sliced strawberry

Method

1. Whip egg yolk, sugar, strawberry puree and food coloring over a double-boiler until thick.
2. Remove from heat and fold in gelatine mixture.
3. Fold in yoghurt.
4. Whip non-dairy cream till soft peak formed. Fold strawberry mixture into whipped cream until well combined.
5. Place 1 layer of sponge cake in a 8" loosebased pan. Pour 2 cups over strawberry mousse over the cake and spread evenly. Arrange sliced strawberries over.
   
6. Spread another cup of mousse over and top with second layer of cake. Press down slighlty. Cover the cake with balance mousse and spread evenly. Chilled till firm before unmoulding. Decorate as desired.
   

Oat & Nestum Cookies

I was expecting a more crunchy texture cookie but it turns out to be soft cookies :P I was too greedy resulting the cookies turned out to be too large! :) But I like the coffee and nestum flavour...

Recipe adapted from Famous Cuisine
Ingredient

• 250gm butter
• 120gm Nestum
• 80gm rolled oat, blend till fine
• 160gm icing sugar, sifted
• 280gm plain flour
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp instant coffee granules (dissolves in 1 tbsp hot water)
• 2 tsp coffee emulco
• extra egg yolk & nestum for glazing

Method

1. Cream butter & icing sugar until light.
2. Beat in egg yolk and mix well.
3. Sift in plain flour, baking powder and beat lightly.
4. Stir in coffee liquid & coffee emulco and fold in rolled oat & Nestum. Mix well till a dough formed.
5. Chill dough for 30mins. Roll out dough and cut out cookies. Brush cookies with egg yolk and coat with Nestum.
6. Place on baking sheet and bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 12-15mins until golden brown.

German Cookies 德国酥饼

Indeed melt-in mouth immediately, no need to bite at all! result better than kueh bangkit! ^-*

Place dough into piping bag using 1M tip to get rose shape Strawberry German Cookies...aren't they pretty?! To achieve 2 tones rose shape cookies, place plain dough & strawberry paste dough alternately into piping bag and squeeze the piping bag lightly to mix the dough, then pipe out. The dough is quite soft so I got no problem piping out these cookies :D

Recipe adapted from Min's Blog & SSB's Blog
Ingredient

• 125gm butter
• 40gm icing sugar, sifted
• 125gm potato starch
• 80gm cake flour
• 1 tbsp green powder or 1/2 tsp strawberry paste
  

Method

1. Beat butter and icing sugar till fluffy and lighter in colour.
2. Sift in potato starch and flour, mix to form a soft dough.
3. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions, add 1 tbsp of green tea powder (or 1/2 tsp strawberry paste) to 1 portion and knead well.
4. Pinch a bit of dough from both plain and green tea dough. Roll lightly into small balls to form marble pattern.
5. Arrange on lined baking pan and press lightly with a fork (dip the fork in water after each press to prevent cookie dough from sticking to the fork).
6. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 15 mins, upper rack (need not bake till cookies turn brown).

芋头肉丸粥

Ingredient (abt 4 servings)

• 100gm uncooked rice
• 150gm taro, cubed
  
• 2 tbsp dried shrimps, softened and roughly chopped
• 200gm minced pork
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp chinese wine
• 1/2 tsp corn flour
• 1 tsp anchovy stock powder
• dash of pepper
  
• 5-6 cups water (depends on the consistency of the porridge u preferred)
• spring onion for garnish

Method

1. Marinate minced pork with light soy sauce, salt, sesame oil, chinese wine & cornflour. Set aside.
2. Pan-fry cubed taro till golden brown. Drain and set aside.
3. In the same pan, stir-fry softened dried shrimps till fragrant and crispy.
4. Fill pot with water and add rice. Bring to boil and simmer for 30mins till thicken.
5. Add fried dried shrimps and taro and simmer for another 5mins.
6. Shape minced pork into 12 even rounds and drop into porridge. Cook for another 5mins till cooked through. Add anchovy stock powder and pepper to taste.
7. Drizzle sesame oil over and spring onion before serving.
   

莲藕香菇狮子头

This is another auspicious dish which is commonly eaten during the Chinese Lunar New Year 红烧狮子头 also known as 四喜丸子. Love the texture of the meatballs, very firm and springy :D

Reading on Braised Lion Head

Braised Lion Heat with Lotus Root & Mushroom

Recipe adapted from Famous Cuisine
Ingredient

• 250gm minced pork with fat
• 60gm lotus roots, finely chopped
• 20gm dried shrimps, soaked & finely chopped
• 20gm carrots, finely chopped

seasoning : 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ikan bilis stock powder, 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, dash of pepper, 2 tbsp tapioca flour

• 10 fresh shitake mushroom, stalks removed
• 100gm lotus roots, finely sliced
• 10 slices carrots
• 3 slices ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

sauce (mixed) : 400ml water, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/3 tsp sugar, 1/2 tbsp chinese wine, 1 tsp sesame oil, dash of pepper

Method

1. To make lionhead, combined minced meat, lotus roots, carrots, dried shrimps and seasoning. Knead till a sticky paste form. (throw down the paste several times in between the mixing to achieve a springy meatballs)
2. Shape into 6 even meat balls and coat lightly with some tapioca flour. Deep fried in hot oil over medium heat until golden brown. Drain well and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok. Saute ginger & garlic until fragrant. Add mushroom, lotus roots and carrots and stir-fry briefly for 2 mins.
4. Add in sauce mixture and bring to boil. Add the fried lion head and simmer on low heat for 15mins. Thicken the sauce with some cornstarch water. Serve hot.

I am submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #15: Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012) hosted by Wen of Wen's Delight

火鸭腊味蒸 (黄金遍地)

Got any idea what to prepare for ur reunion dinner?? This dish looks so presentable on the table! A very meaty dish so is best to share with a lot of people!!

Steamed Chinese Preserved Meat and Roasted Duck with Taro

Arrange the ingredients in a deep bowl...

place fried taro over, pour seasoning over, ready to steam!

over-turned the dish on a serving plate

Recipes adapted from Famous Cuisine
Ingredient

• 200gm roasted duck breast, boneless and sliced
• 200gm taro
• 1 Chinese sausage, removed casing and sliced
• 3 pieces back bacon

Seasoning (mix well) : 1/2 tsp ikan bilis stock, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp chinese wine, 1tsp sesame oil, 150ml water
Sauce (mix well) : 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, 150ml water

Method

1. Peel taro and cut into small triangular pieces. Pan-fry till both sides are golden brown.
   
2. Sear back bacon till lightly brown. Slice in thick pieces.
3. In a deep bowl, arrange duck breast in the middle, place sausage & bacon at the sides. Place fried taro over. (see pics above) Add seasoning mixture and wrap with clingwrap.
4. Steam in preheated steamer over high heat for 20mins. Cool slightly. Pour gravy into a pot and invert the dish over a serving plate.
5. Add sauce mixture in the pot and bring to boil. Thicken the sauce with some cornstarch water. Drizzle some of the sauce over the dish. Serve.

I am submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #15: Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012) hosted by Wen of Wen's Delight

Crispy Skin Roast Duck

Can't wait to try this recipe when come across Vivian Pang Kitchen! Indeed very tasty just like store bought, if not better!! I will try baking this again for our coming reunion dinner!! :D

hehehe I hang the duck over my kitchen window

Recipe adapted from Vivian Pang Kitchen

Ingredient

• 1 whole duck (about 2kg)
• 3 cups water
• 2 tbsp maltose
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 3 pieces shallot (without skin)
• 3 cloves garlic (with skin)

~Seasoning

• 3 tbsp fermented soybean paste
• 2 tsp chinese five spice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Method

1. Combine water, maltose & vinegar in a wok/a large pot and bring it to boi
2. Pad the duck dry. Bath the duck with the boiling mixture for several times.
3. Hang up the the duck as shown and sun dry for 2 hours.
4. Bath the duck for 2nd time, sun dry again for another 3 hours or till a dried & hard skin is formed.
5. Combine all the seasonings (except shallot and garlic) and mix well. Spread the seasoning around the inner part. Lastly put in the shallots and garlics. Do not rub mixture over the outer skin!
6. Bake in preheated oven 200 deg cel for 30mins, decrease temp to 180 deg cel and bake for another 45mins or until the skin is brown & crispy.

Double Boiled Chicken Broth with Fish Maw, Gingko Nuts & Cordyceps Flower

Like the golden hue of this nourishing soup!!

Recipe adapted from Simply Her Magazine
Ingredient

• 300gm chicken pieces, remove skin
• 150gm lean pork, cut into chunks
• 70gm fish maw**
• 4 water chestnuts, peeled
• 10 gingko nuts, shelled
• 25gm cordyceps flower (虫草花)
• 4 cups water
• salt to taste

** Soak dried fish maw in water till soften. Bring a pot of water to boil, cook soften fish maw for 2mins. Drain away water. Add 3 slices ginger and a stalk of spring onion with the fish maw in a new pot of water, bring to boil for 3mins. Drain away water. Ready to be used.

Method

1. Scald chicken & lean pork with hot water..
2. Put all ingredients except salt in a double boiler or slow cooker and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 4hrs. Add salt to taste.
   

Dragon Cookies

Looks like snake, worm or lizard?? >.< Just for fun for the coming Dragon Year! It taste like normal butter cookies and firmer than the kuih bangkit, no melts-in-the mouth texture.


Recipe adapted from Y3K Ingredient

• 120gm unsalted butter
• 80gm icing sugar, sifted
  
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla paste
• 200gm plain flour
• 80gm corn flour
• 3-4 tbsp milk
• some red food colouring
  

Method

1. Cream butter, icing sugar & salt until light. Beat in yolk and vanilla paste.
2. Sieve in flour and beat on low speed. Add in enough milk until a soft dough is formed. Rest mixture for 15mins.
3. Fit a piping bag with a star nozzle. Spoon dough into bag and pipe out cookies onto lined baking trays. Dot with red colour to resemble eyes.
4. Bake in preheated oven at 130 deg cel for 10mins. Increase temp to 160 deg cel and bake for another 10-15mins. It should firm but not golden. Cool completely before storing.
   

Gula Melaka Kuih Bangkit

My favourite cookies! Though tedious process in making but I'm happy with the melts-in-the mouth texture :D

Recipe adapted from Y3K
Ingredient

• 90gm gula melaka, chopped for easier melting
• 100ml thick coconut milk + extra for kneading
  
• 30gm butter, soften
• 1 egg yolk
• 250gm tapioca flour, weight after frying*

* Dry fry tapicoca flour on low heat for 20mins with some pandan leaves and light and fluffy. Cool completely before storing. Rest the flour for at least 3 days before using.

Method

1. Melt gula melaka with coconut milk over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Strain mixture.
2. Place butter and egg yolk in a mixing bowl and mix lightly till combined.
3. Sift in tapioca flour and mix lightly using a wooden spoon. Add in gula melaka mixture and mixed till combine. Add in more coconut milk and knead till a dough form. Mixture should not be crumbly.
4. Wrap dough in a clingwrap and rest for at least 30mins or longer.
5. Remove dough from wrap and knead lightly again. Lightly flour a rolling surface and roll dough into a 1/2 cm thick. Stamp out cookie using a cookie cutter.
6. Lighty sprinkle some tapioca flour onto baking sheet and place cut out cookie over. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 20-25mins.
   

Cashewnut Coconut Cookies

Another addictive cookies if you are lovers of coconut flavours :D But the cookies are not as crunchy though.

Recipe adapted from Y3K
Ingredient

• 60gm unsalted butter
• 50gm brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 50gm dehydrated coconut powder
• 70gm plain flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup cashewnut, toasted and finely chopped

Method

1. Cream butter, sugar & salt until light. Beat in egg yolk.
2. Sieve flour, baking soda & baking powder into the mixing bowl. Add in coconut powder and beat on slow speed till combined.
3. Fold in chopped cashewnuts.
4. Shape dough into 6gm round and place on baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 15-20mins until golden brown. Cool completely before storing in air-tight containers.
   

Chocolate Peanut Cookies

Chinese New Year is getting nearer & nearer! Are you done with your spring cleaning and preparation? :D Here are some of the cookies I've baked for the past 1 week!

Recipe adapted from Y3K
Ingredient

• 140gm unsalted butter
• 110gm brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 140gm creamy peanut butter
• 240gm plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 100gm chocolate chips
• 100gm peanuts, toasted & grinded

Method

1. Cream butter & sugar until light. Beat in egg yolk, salt & peanut butter until smooth.
2. Sieve in flour, baking soda & baking powder and beat on low speed till combine.
3. Fold in chocolate chips & peanuts.
4. Shape each dough into 8gm rounds and place on baking sheet. Flatten the dough slightly using a fork. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 15-20mins. Cool completely before storing in air-tight containers.

年年糕(高)升!

Extracted from Wikipedia : 'Niángāo, Year cake or Chinese New Year's cake is a food prepared from glutinous rice and consumed in Chinese cuisine. It is available in Asian supermarkets and from health food stores. While it can be eaten all year round, traditionally it is most popular during Chinese New Year. It is considered good luck to eat nian gao during this time, because "nian gao" is a homonym for "higher year." The Chinese word 粘 (nián), meaning "sticky", is identical in sound to 年, meaning "year", and the word 糕 (gāo), meaning "cake" is identical in sound to 高, meaning "high". As such, eating nian gao has the symbolism of raising oneself higher in each coming year (年年高升 niánnián gāoshēng).

History of 年糕 Nian Gao

In fact this is the very first time I cook and eat this savaoury stir-fry rice cake! ^-* Seems like over here we prefer the sweet caramel rice cake which steamed in banana leaves. I always seen this '白粿干' in supermarket but clueless on how to prepare it so I make some research online before embarking the cooking of these dishes :D

There are 2 ways of reconstituting the dried rice cake. Either by boiling it immediately in boiling water till soften or soak overnight follow by steaming them till soften. I tried the soaking & steaming method. Though after steaming the rice cake is soft and chewy but some of the pieces stuck together! I immediately throw the steamed rice cake into a bowl of cold water to separate the pieces. Luckily my steamed rice cake did not become a mass of sticky rice dough :P Maybe I should have boiled them directly in boiling water instead.

As I prefer more gravy in the dishes, I've added more stock than the stated original recipe and it also helps to prevent the rice cakes from sticking onto the wok! So which dish is more appealing to you?? ^-^ Personally I like the seafood version 'cos there are so many ingredients inside! 希望小孩吃了学业成绩高高高， 成人事业更上一层楼，薪水高高高!!! hahaha....

1 pack of 400gm dried rice cake just nice to come out with 2 different dishes :D

上海炒年糕

上海炒年糕
Recipe modified from 食谱大全
Ingredient

• 200gm Dried Rice Cake
• 200gm Tianjin Cabbage, cut into thick stripes
  
• 100gm pork fillet
  
• 5 dried shitake mushroom, softened & cut into stripes
  
• 1 tbsp dried prawns, soaked
• 1/2 tbsp garlic, chopped
  
• 1 cup chicken stock (include reserved liquid from soaking prawns & mushroom)
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 stalk spring onion, julienne
• 1 red chilli, julienne
• sesame oil
  

Method

1. Soak dried rice cake in water overnight and store in fridge. Change water in between at least twice.
2. Grease a steaming plate and place soaked rice cake over. Steam over high heat for 10-15mins until cook through. Alternatively bring a pot of water to boil, cook dried rice cake till al dente.
3. Marinate pork with 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp chinese wine & 1/2 tsp cornflour.
4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok, saute garlic, dried prawn & mushroom until fragrant.
5. Add pork fillet and stir fry for 1 min.
6. Add cabbage and mix evenly. Stir fry for 2 min until softened.
7. Add stock and seasoning. Stir in rice cake and bring to boil. Simmer for 5 mins.
   
8. Stir in spring onion and chill and drizzle some sesame oil over and turn off heat. Serve.
   

海鲜炒年糕

Recipe modified from Yum Yum Magazine
Ingredient

• 200gm dried rice cake (refer to the above recipe steps 1 & 2 for further processing)
• 200gm Tianjin Cabbage
• 3 stalk kai lan, soak & trim
• 80gm carrot, cut into slices or cut into flower shape
• 100gm pork fillet
• 150gm fresh scallops
• 150gm shelled prawns
• 1/2 tbsp garlic, chopped
• 1.5 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 tsp salt
• sesame oil
  
• pepper

Method

1. Marinate pork with 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp chinese wine & 1/2 tsp cornflour.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok, saute garlic till fragrant.
3. Add in pork fillet and fry for 1 min. Add in scallops and prawn and stir briefly.
4. Toss in cabbage & carrots and mix evenly for 2mins.
5. Add in stock, seasoning, softened rice cakes and kailan. Bring to boil. Simmer for 5mins. Add in sesame oil & pepper and adjust taste accordingly.

Note : Balance dish can be stored and chilled in fridge. Before consuming just steam till warm through. Do not use microwave as it may harden the rice cake! But best serve on the same day.

I am submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #15: Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012) hosted by Wen of Wen's Delight

银鱼草菇淮山汤

Wild Yam Soup with Dried White Baits & Dried Straw Mushroom


Dried White Bait & Dried Straw Mushrooms

Ingredient

• 250gm pork ribs
• 600gm fresh wild yam, peeled & cut into chunks
• 20gm dried white baits
• 15gm dried straw mushroom
• 2 slices ginger
  
• salt to taste

Method

1. Blanch pork ribs in boiling water briefly. Drain away water.
2. Place all ingredients except salt in a pot with 8 cups water. Bring to boil. Lower heat and cook for 1.5hrs. Add salt to taste.