Ngoh Hiang 五香肉卷

Its been decades (seriously!!) I D.I.Y Ngoh Hiang i.e.. Five Spice Meat Rolls! When I was a teenager, my late mum would always get me to help her with the mixing and wrapping of meat rolls near the Chinese Lunar New Year period. So missed the taste of my mother's Ngoh Hiang. My food taster given thumbs up for my Ngoh Hiang and commented it tasted nostalgia! Guess I should make this more often in the future. ^0^

Ingredient

• 500gm minced pork
• 250gm prawns, cut into small chunks
• 200gm water chestnuts, peeled and diced
• 100gm shallots, minced
• 30gm spring onion, chopped
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tsp five spice powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 sheet dried beancurd skin (cut into 10cm x 15cm sizes)
• cornstarch solution for sealing the edges

Short fatty one contained no prawns but added with fish paste, whereas the slender one with the usual minced pork and prawn. (Below pic) After steaming, cooled and ready to pack into freezer if not consume immediately.

Method

1. Combine all filling ingredients and mix till sticky. Cover and chill the meat mixture for at least 30 mins.
2. Wipe both sides of the beancurd skin with a damp kitchen towel to remove excess salt. 
3. Scoop appropriate amount of the meat mixture on the beancurd skin. Roll up firmly and seal the edges with some cornstarch solution.
4. Place the rolls on a lightly greased tray and steam for 10 mins. Remove and set aside to cool. 
5. Heat some oil in wok, fry ngoh hiang over medium heat, in batches, until golden brown on all sides.  Drain well on kitchen towel. Serve warm with dipping sauce. To air fry, spray oil all over ngoh hiang and air fry at 200 deg cel for 10 mins or until golden brown. Steamed meat rolls can be freeze for up to 3 months.

Firecracker Prawn Roll 黄金炸虾卷

Sweet, hot crispy firecracker prawn roll which will wow your guest at the table! Its really easy to prepare too! I've marinated the prawn with some Thai seafood sauce and top with some shredded arrowhead before wrapping them into spring roll wrappers. Its best to serve them hot while they still crispy, along with the special dipping sauce which I've concocted using Dancing Chef Suki Sauce!

Ingredient

• 12 large prawns
• 2 heap tbsp Dancing Chef Thai Seafood Sauce
• 1 large arrowhead, peeled and julienned
• 6 sheets spring roll wrapper, cut into half to get 12 triangles

Dipping sauce

• 1/2 cup Dancing Chef Suki Sauce
• 1 heap tsp Dancing Chef Thai Seafood Sauce
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 tbsp calamansi juice
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. Remove head and shell of prawn, retaining the tail. Make small cut along the underside to straighten the prawn body. Marinate prawn with Thai seafood sauce for at least 30 mins. 
2. To make roll : Place a piece of marinated prawn on a cut out spring roll wrapper. Place some arrowhead sticks on the prawn, roll up the wrapper firmly and seal the edge with some cornflour water. Repeat the process with the remaining prawns.
3. Heat some oil in a wok. Add wrapped prawn roll, in batches, fry till golden brown on all sides. Drain well on kitchen paper.
4. Combine all dipping sauce and mix well. Serve with firecracker prawn roll.

CNY 2018 Savoury Cookies

Using my last batch of homemade rempah to bake this laksa cookies! Wow the fragrant is so intoxicating while baking! The texture of the cookie is a little crunch at the edge but not super crispy nor melty in the mouth. The taste is quite complex with spicy and a little sweet undertone companied with fragrant dried shrimps and laksa leaves which I really like. Are you adventurous to give it a try? ^0^

Laksa Cookies
Ingredient
Laksa Paste

• 100gm homemade rempah
• 20gm dried shrimp
• 2 tsp tbsp coriander seeds, toasted & grounded
• 1/2 tbsp toasted belacan powder

Cookie dough

• 150gm butter
• 100gm icing sugar
• 3 tbsp coconut milk
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 tbsp laksa paste
• 10gm chopped daum kesom (laksa leaves) 
• 440gm plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg yolk + 1 tsp water for glazing

Method

1. Rinse the dried shrimp and process them until floss like texture. 
2. Add 1 tbsp cooking oil in pan and fry rempah paste briefly. Add ground coriander, belacan powder and dried shrimp floss and fry until fragrant. Remove from pan and cool before usage.
3. To make cookie dough : Using a electric whisk, cream butter and icing sugar till creamy. Add vegetable oil, coconut milk, laksa paste and chopped laksa leaves, mix well.
4. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt over. Beat on low speed till dough is formed. Transfer dough onto a cling wrap, flatten slightly, sealed and rest in fridge for at least 30 mins. 
5. Remove dough from fridge. Pinch some dough (approx 1 tsp) and roll into a ball. Press down with the back of a fork to flatten slightly. Brush surface with some egg wash.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 25 mins or until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack before storing.

Ooh another favourite CNY cookies for the past few years. Now I know why its so popular! They are very melty and fragrant which you will not stop at one! I should have cut out the dough a little thicker as its really fragile to handle while I'm trying to pack into the containers. 

Salted Egg Yolk Cookies
Recipe ref : Bake for Happy Kids
Ingredient

• 170gm unsalted butter
• 80gm fine sugar
• 250gm plain flour
• 20gm corn flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5 cooked salted egg yolks, mashed
• 2 egg yolks for glazing
• sesame seeds for sprinkle

Method

1. Using electric whisk, cream butter, sugar and salt until well combined. Beat in salted egg yolk.
2. Sift flour and baking powder into butter mixture. Mix well to form a soft pliable dough. Cling wrap the dough and rest in fridge for at least 30mins.
3. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into 3mm thickness. Cut into shapes using your desired cookie cutter. Brush the cookies with egg wash and sprinkle some sesame seeds over. 
4. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 15 mins or until golden brown. 

Prosperous '旺旺' Yu Sheng

This is my first attempt in preparing Chinese New Year Yu Sheng 鱼生. Since this year zodiac will be the dog, I tried shaping out a doggie face using the shredded radish, carrots and cucumber! I think the outcome look rather attractive and cute, especially appealing to my kids at home. ^0^

I got hold of some really fresh sashimi grade salmon from #emporiumshokuhin. Instead of consuming it raw, I cure the salmon lightly in salt and sugar solution before serving. For the dressing,   I combined the sweet plum sauce with spicy yuzu sauce which is available at Emporium Shokuhin too! Refreshing and sweet dressing with hint of yuzu flavour, thumbs up!

Ingredient

Homemade Cured Salmon

• 300gm sashimi grade salmon
• 2.5 cups icy cold water
• 1/4 cup Himalayan salt
• 1/3 cup fine sugar

Sides

• radish, shredded
• carrot, shredded
• cucumber, shredded
• shibazuke
• chuka wakame 
• chuka kurage
• chuka hotate 
• pickled ginger
• edamame 
• pomelo
• cheddar cracker

Sauce

• 3 tbsp spicy yuzu sauce
• 2 tbsp plum sauce
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• toasted sesame seeds
• chopped peanuts

Method

1. To make cured salmon : Combine icy water, salt and sugar and stir till sugar and salt are well dissolved. Ensure all your working surface and knife are cleaned. Slice off the salmon skin and slice into thin fillet. Put the sliced salmon into salt solution mixture. Stir well. Let it sit in the solution for 10 mins. Remove the cured salmon and place on a wire rack to let the excess cured liquid drip off. Carefully place each cured salmon slices on a clean plate. Cling wrap the plate and chill in fridge for 1 hour before serving. 
2. To make sauce : Combine yuzu sauce, plum sauce, water and sesame oil, mix well. 
3. Arrange cured salmon slices and all sides accompaniments on a large serving plate.  Toss together with sauce, olive oil, sesame seeds and peanuts. Serve immediately. 

Mixed Berry Cheesecake Brownie

Happy 8th Birthday to my second born! A simple non-baked mixed berry cheesecake with a moist brownie as the base. Really love the chocolatey brownie and tangy creamy berry cheesecake combination. Only flaw is that I find the cream cheese layer a little too short as I've used a 8" square pan....should have used a 7" pan instead. ^0^ 

Ingredient (7" square pan)
Brownie Layer

• 75gm dark chocolate
• 75gm unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 120gm sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 100gm plain flour
• 110gm semi sweet chocolate chips

Mixed Berry Cream Cheese Layer

• 1 tbsp gelatin powder
• 2 tbsp water
• 250gm cream cheese, room temperature
• 100gm fine sugar
• 200gm mixed berry compote*
• 200ml dairy whipping cream

Mixed berry compote : Place 200gm frozen mixed berries, 50gm fine sugar into a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 mins until thickens, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 lemon zest. Remove from heat and set aside to cool before use.

Method

Dissolve dark chocolate and butter over a pot of simmering water. Cool.
Whisk eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla till well combine. Stir in butter mixture.
Sift flour and baking soda over and fold till well incorporated. 
Pour batter into a lined 7" square pan and spread out evenly. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 25mins. Cool in pan.
Prepare cream cheese layer : In a mixing bowl, whip the dairy cream until soft peak. Set aside in fridge.
Mix gelatine with 2 tbsp water. Set aside to allow the mixture to swell before setting the bowl over a pot of simmering hot water. Stir the mixture once the gelatine melts, remove from heated pot and cool slightly before used.
1. In another clean mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugar until well dissolved. Stir in gelatine mixture and mixed berry compote.
2. Fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a spatula. Pour the cream cheese mixture on the cooled brownie base. Smooth the surface and chilled until set.

Chicken Bak Kwa 鸡肉干

Ingredients (makes two 9"x 9" tray plus 10 pcs small round version)

• 400gm skinless chicken breast meat 
• 200gm skinless chicken thigh 

Seasoning 

• 100gm fine sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp corn oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp five spice powder
• 1 tbsp Chinese rose wine
• 2 tbsp Hua Tiao Jiu
• 1 tbsp red yeast rice powder

Glazing – 1 tbsp honey mixed with 1 tbsp oil

Top picture : spread marinated meat on a 9"x 9" tray and bake for 20 mins at 160deg cel. Cut into 4 portions, glaze and continue to bake till nicely brown on both sides at 220 deg cel. Bottom picture : Trying a small portion using air fryer. Air fry at 160 deg cel for 10 mins on each side. Glaze at the end of 2 mins for both sides. 

Method

1. Put chicken breast meat and thigh with 1 tbsp cornflour and 1 tsp salt into food processor and blend till fine.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all seasoning ingredients and mix well. Add in minced meat and stir till mixture is sticky. Cover and allow to marinate in fridge overnight.
3. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread some marinated meat over, about 5mm thickness. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 20 mins.
4. Remove tray from oven. Drain away any liquid if necessary. Slice meat into 4 portions. Turn the meat slices, bottom facing up now. Brush with some honey mixture. Bake in preheated oven at 220 deg cel for 10 mins. Flip the meat slices and brush honey mixture again. Continue to bake for another 10 mins until the colour reach your desire preference. 
5. Cool on rack completely before storing.

To make bak kwa coins in airfryer : Spread tbsp of meat mixture onto a baking paper. Shape into round using the back of a metal spoon. Air fry at 160 deg cel for 10 mins. Brush with honey mixture at the last 2 mins. Flip the meat slices and brush with honey mixture again. Continue to airfry for 8-10 mins. 

Recipe modified from jessiekoeykitchen

Healthy 2018 CNY Dishes

Are you ready for the coming Chinese Lunar New Year (CNY) in a month's time! Sharing with you how to prepare simple and healthy CNY inspired dishes which are infused with Huiji Herbal Tonic even suitable for kids! There's no need to slog in the kitchen to churn out dishes after dishes. I've prepared a quick and easy stir fry dish loaded with healthy vegetables which I've named it 四季生财 Treasure in Lettuce Cups plus two healthy steamed dishes i.e. 吉祥如意 Steamed Chicken Wings in Herbal Broth and 百花齐放 Auspicious Steamed Marrow Rolls! 

 四季生财 Treasure In Lettuce Cups

Ingredient

• 100gm Chinese sausage
• 100gm fresh shittake mushroom
• 100gm five spice bean curd
• 50gm green capsicum
• 50gm red capsicum 
• 100gm sweet corn kernels
• 100gm water chestnut
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp Chinese wine
• 2 tbsp Huiji Waist Tonic
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sugar 
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• dash of pepper
• 1/4 cup water
• butterhead lettuce 

Method

1. Cut sausage, mushroom, bean curd, capsicum and water chestnut into small cubes. 
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok. Saute ginger and garlic till fragrant. Add sausage and fry till crispy and brown at the edge.
3. Add in mushroom and bean curd, mix well. Add in water and seasoning and fry for a min.
4. Add in capsicum, corn and water chestnut and cook till heated through. 
5. Scoop filling into individual butterhead lettuce and place on serving plate. Serve.

百花齐放 Auspicious Steamed Marrow Rolls

Ingredient (approx 25 rolls)

• 1 medium marrow
• 200gm fish paste
• 100gm minced meat
• 100gm minced prawn meat
• 2 tbsp chopped carrots
• 2 tbsp chopped spring onion
• 2 tbsp chopped water chestnuts
• 2 tsp chicken seasoning powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp corn flour 

Sauce

• 200ml water
• 2 tbsp Huiji Waist Tonic
• 1 tsp chicken seasoning powder
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch water

Method

1. Peel and slice marrow into wide strips. Blanch in boiling water for 1 minute until soft. Drain away water and set aside to cool down.
2. Combine fish paste, minced meat, minced prawn, carrot, spring onion and water chestnut together. Add in seasoning and mix till meat mixture is sticky. Cover and chill in fridge for 30 mins.
3. To make rolls. Take a slice of marrow strip, spread a thin layer of meat filling over and roll up the marrow stripe. Secure the roll with a string of chive. Repeat till marrow strip are used up. There will be some balance of meat fillings. 
4. Place marrow rolls on a plate and steam over high heat for 8 mins. Transfer the steamed rolls onto a serving dish. Sieve the liquid into a small saucepan.
5. Add water, Huiji Waist Tonic, seasoning powder, sesame oil and soy sauce into the saucepan. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and drizzle in cornstarch water. Simmer till sauce is thickened. Drizzle the sauce over marrow rolls and serve immediately. 

吉祥如意 Steamed Chicken Wings in Herbal Broth

Ingredient

• 12 chicken wings
• 6 seedless red dates
• 10 pieces dried longan
• 6 pieces Yu Zhu, 玉竹
• 4 pieces Dang Gui, 当归
• 2 tbsp wolfberries
• 1 tbsp hua tiao jiu
• 2 tbsp Huiji Waist Tonic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• dash of pepper

Marinade :

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• dash of white pepper

Method

1. Rinse chicken wings and pat dry. Separate the wings and discard the tip. Marinate with seasoning for at least 30mins. 
2. Rinse all herbs. In a small bowl combine herbs, except wolfberries, with a cup of water and soak for 15 mins.
3. Arrange marinated chicken wings in a deep dish. Pour in herbs and the soaked liquid. Scatter wolfberries and the seasoning over the chicken wings mixture. 
4. Steam over medium high heat for 15 mins. 

Airfried Crispy Spice Chicken Wings

Super love these fried chicken wings which are done in the air fryer! Think I've used less than 1/2 tbsp of oil for the 12 chicken wings (I used oil spray) unlike the convention way of deep frying which uses a whole lot of cooking oil....awesome! Crisp and healthier fried chicken wings which we can indulge without much guilt!   

Ingredient

• 12 chicken wings
• 1 tbsp spice salt powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp Chinese wine
• 1/2 cup self raising flour

This pic is half way through the air frying process.

Method

1. Rinse and pat dry chicken wings. Marinate chicken wings with spice salt, pepper and wine. Cover and chill overnight.
2. Bring to room temperature before air frying. Sprinkle flour evenly all over the marinated wings, ensure it coated with flour on all sides. Set aside for 15 mins. 
3. Preheat air fryer at 200 deg cel for 5 mins. Spray some oil on the baking pan. Place some chicken wings on the pan, spray a little oil over the wings. Air fry at 200 deg for 10 mins, turn the wings over and continue to airfry for another 10mins. 

One Pot Green Curry Penne with Salmon

Ingredient

• 250gm San Remo Pulse Pasta 
• 1 zucchini, cut into chunks
• 1 yellow pepper, cut into chunks
• 150gm oyster mushroom
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ginger, minced
• 3 heap tbsp Thai green curry paste
• 200ml light coconut milk
• 2 cups water
• handful of thai basil
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep pan. Add onion and saute till soft and fragrant. Add in garlic and ginger and fry briefly. 
2. Add in curry paste and mix well. Add in zucchini, yellow pepper and oyster mushroom and fry for a minute. Add pasta and toss well.
3. Pour in water and coconut milk. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10mins until pasta is al dente and sauce is thickened. Stir a few times in between cooking duration.
4. Add basil and mix evenly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve.

Airfried Salmon : Marinate 4 x 125gm salmon with 1 tbsp smoke montreal steak seasoning. Airfry at 180 deg cel for 10 mins.