Yam Rice

Ingredients

1 cup rice grain - washed and drained

1 1/2  cups water to cook rice

1 bowl of yam - peeled and cut into cubes

1 tbsp dried shrimps - soaked and drained

1 pc skinless pork belly - scalded and cut into thin strips

3 pcs of dried mushrooms - soaked, stem removed and cut into thin strips

2 shallots - peeled and chopped

cooking oil

Seasonings

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp five spice powder

salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat up oil in wok and stir fry the yam till fragrant or lightly brown.  Set aside.
2. Stir fry the pork belly and dried shrimps till fragrant or lightly brown.  Set aside.
3. With the remaining oil, saute the shallots till fragrant.  Add in the mushrooms and continue to stir fry for a while more.  Pour in the rice and the seasonings and mix well.
4. Transfer the rice to a rice cooker and add water to cook.  Halfway through the cooking, add in all other ingredients and continue to cook until the timer is up.
5. Mix the ingredients evenly into the rice mixture.  Check seasonings and add salt or soy sauce to the mixture if necessary.
6. Serve warm with a sprinkle of fried shallots and chopped green onion.

Baked Rosemary Chicken with Vegetables

Ingredients

Half Chicken

2 medium potato - peeled and cut into small cubes

1 carrot - peeled and cut into small cubes

1 small bell pepper - cut into small pcs

1 red onion - cut into small pcs

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp dried rosemary
3 cloves whole garlic - peeled
salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Rub chicken with oil, rosemary, salt and pepper and marinate for 2 hours or more.
2. Preheat oven to 400F.  Place chicken in a baking tray.  Mix all the vegetables with the remaining marinade from chicken and place in the same tray.
3. Bake for 40 mins till chicken is cooked and vegetables are tender.
4. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Salted Vegetable Soup with Meatballs

Ingredients
some salted vegetables - washed and soaked for 5 mins
1 small bowl of minced meat
1 tomato - cut into quarters
1 pc of soft tofu - cut into big cubes
2 small red chilli
2 cloves garlic
2 slices of ginger
3 bowls chicken stock

Seasonings for minced meat
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp huatiao wine
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch

Method

1. Marinate the minced meat and set aside for 30 mins.  Shape them into bite-sized balls.
2. Boil the chicken stock in a pot.  Add the salted vegetable, ginger and garlic and simmer for 15 mins.
3. Add the minced meat, tofu and tomato and continue to cook for another 15 mins under low heat.  Serve hot.

Salmon in Curry Sauce

Ingredients

2 salmon steak

1 small green bell pepper - cut into bite-sized pcs

1 small red bell pepper - cut into bite-sized pcs

1 tomato - cut into bite-sized pcs

4 pcs of dried red chilli

1 shalllot - minced

2 cloves garlic - minced

1 small pc of ginger - minced

1 cup coconut milk or fresh milk

salt and pepper to taste

cooking oil

Mix together for gravy sauce

2 tbsp red curry paste

2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp water

Method

1. Season the salmon steak with salt and pepper for 30 mins.
2. Heat up a frying pan and add oil.  Brown the salmon skin.  Remove salmon and set aside.
3. With the remaining oil, saute the shallots, ginger and garlic and dried chilli till fragrant.
4. Pour the gravy mixture and stir fry for a while. 
5. Add 1 cup of milk and bring to a boil.
6. Add the salmon, tomato and bell pepper and continue to simmer for 7 to 10 mins under low heat or till salmon is cooked.
7. Check seasonings and add salt to taste if necessary.  Serve hot.

Steamed Half Chicken

Ingredients

1/2 chicken - abt 1.5 to 2 lbs (i use free-range chicken)

1 cucumber

1 small piece of dang gui

2 stalks of green onion

3 pieces of ginger slices

4 cloves garlic - lightly pounded

1 tsp salt
1 tbsp brandy

Method

1. Wash the chicken.  Place it on a big metal plate.  Season it with salt, including the cavity.  Stuff the cavity with green onion, ginger, garlic and dang gui.
2. Prepare a wok for steaming.  Place a metal rack and add enough water and bring it to a boil.  Once the water boils, place the chicken in the wok and cover with a lid.  Steam for 18 mins on medium high heat.
3. Remove chicken from wok and when slightly cooled, rub sesame oil and brandy onto the chicken.   Set aside to let it rest to room temperature.
4. Chop into bite-sized pieces and serve with garlic chilli sauce and sliced cucumber.
5. Pour any excess water from the plate into a small pot.  Add 1 cup of water to it and bring it to a boil.  Add wolfberries and cut green onions and serve it as a soup.

Pan Fried Salmon with Lemon and Butter

Ingredients

2 pcs of salmon fillet

1 slice of butter

1/2 tbsp olive oil

flour for coating

juice of 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Sauce

juice of 1/2 lemon

5 tbsp of plain yogurt

Method

1. Wash and pat dry the salmon fillet.  Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper for 30 mins.
2. Heat up a non-stick pan.  Add oil and butter to the pan.
3. Coat the fillet with flour and pan fry for a few minutes on each side.
4. Place the pan fried fillet on a serving plate.  Drizzle the sauce over the fish and serve warm.

Blackberry Jam

Ingredients

8 cups blackberry, washed and stems removed

4 cups sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinammon

Method

1. Place all ingredients except brandy in a large pot.  Mash the blackberry as much as possible and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium low and continue stirring to prevent it from burning and remove any foam as you stir.
3. Simmer until the mixture is slightly thick for about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the consistency of the jam you preferred.  Add brandy to the pot and stir to mix well.
4. Boil the jars and lids in a pot of boiling water for 5 mins. Remove them from the pot using a tong.
5. Ladle the jam into the sterilized jars leaving slightly more than 1cm space on top.  Cover with lid and let it cool.
6. When cooled, store them in the fridge and enjoy the luscious and super delicious jam within 6 months.

Note: I use normal jars for storage.

our annual activity for summer.....picking these wild blackberries and making jam out of them

Yellow Plum Jam

Our nice neighours Jonathan and Deborah gave us these wonderful yellow plums.  These plums are like jewels hanging in their tree.  They are so irresistable and definitely the tastiest plums we have ever eaten so far!

Ingredients

8 cups yellow plums - washed, peeled and pitted

4 cups sugar

a slice of butter

1/2 tsp ground cinammon

Method

1. Place all ingredients except butter in a pot.  Mash the yellow plums as much as possible and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium low and continue stirring to prevent it from burning and remove any foam as you stir.
3. Add a slice of butter to the mixture to reduce the foaming.  Simmer until the mixture is thick.
4. Boil the jars and lids in boiling water for 5 mins.  Remove them using a tong.
5. Ladle the jam into the jars leaving 1/2 inch space on top. Cover with lid and let cool.
6. When cooled, store them in the fridge and enjoy the luscious and super delicious jam within 3 months.

Note: I use normal jars for storage.

Braised Salmon with Celery

Ingredients

2 pcs of salmon steak

2 red chilli padi

2 stalks of celery - sliced diagonally into pcs

1 tomato - cut into quarters

some julienned ginger

1 tsp of minced garlic

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp sesame oil

cornstarch solution

cooking oil

salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. 
   
   Marinate the salmon steak with salt and pepper for 30 mins or more.
2. 
   
   Heat up oil in a pan, saute the ginger and garlic till fragrant.  Add the tomato, celery, chilli padi and soy sauce and stir fry for a while more.
3. 
   
   Add sugar and water.  Cover and cook for 10 mins under low heat.
4. 
   
   Add salmon to the pan.  Cover and cook for 5 mins or until salmon is cooked.
5. 
   
   Check seasonings and add salt to taste if needed.  Stir cornstarch solution to thicken the sauce and drizzle some sesame oil.
6. 
   
   Dish up and serve warm.

Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Five-Spice Powder

Ingredients

2 chicken drumsticks and 2 wings

1/2 tsp chinese five-spice powder

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp brown sugar

cucumber slices - for garnish

Method

1. Marinate the chicken drumsticks and wings with soy sauce, five-spice powder and sugar for 1 hour.
2. Place marinated chicken on a baking tray.
3. Preheat oven to 400F.  Bake chicken for 35-40 mins or until browned and cooked.
4. Remove from oven and serve hot with cucumber slices and chilli.