Baked Char Siew Chicken

 

Ingredients

1 lb deboned chicken thigh

toasted sesame seeds

Marinade

1 tbsp honey with 1 tbsp water

2 tbsp oyster sauce

3 tbsp ketchup

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp five spice powder

1 tbsp rice wine

3 cloves garlic - peeled and lightly smashed

Method

1. Marinate chicken thigh pieces with the sauce for 3 hours or more.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place the chicken meat on a baking sheet lined with aluminium foil.
3. Bake chicken for 20 minutes.
4. Remove from oven.  Slice and top with toasted sesame seeds.
5. Serve warm.

Thai Tofu Salad

 

Ingredients

1 block of fresh firm tofu - cut into cubes

1/3 cup sour plum sauce

3 tbsp of thai sweet chili sauce

cooking oil for frying tofu

Thai sweet and sour marinade

1/4 of red onion -  sliced

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 chili padi - remove seeds and cut

parsley - roughly chopped   

Vegetable garnish

shredded carrot

shredded cucumber

 

Method

1. Wash tofu and pat dry.  Sprinkle some tapioca flour and coat tofu with it.
2. Heat up oil.  On medium heat, fry tofu till lightly browned and crispy on the outside.  Drain and arrange on serving plate.
3. Combine plum sauce and sweet chili sauce.  Stir to mix.
4. Coat shredded carrot and cucumber with the sauce and place on top of the fried tofu.
5. Pour the thai marinade over the dish.
6. Sprinkle fried peanuts and serve this tasty tofu appetizer.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Dan Dan Noodles

 

Our friend gave us a jar of aromatic and spicy homemade sichuan chili paste and here is my easy homecooked version of dandan noodles.

Ingredients (serves 2)

Noodles

1/2 lb medium thick fresh noodles

Pork toppings

1 tbsp peanut oil

1 tsp minced ginger

2 tbsp sui mi ya cai

1/4 lb ground pork

1 tsp sweet bean sauce

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 tsp dark soy sauce 

Sauce

1 tbsp sesame paste

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp chinkiang vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp chili oil

3 tbsp boiling water plus more if needed

1 tbsp of homemade szechuan chili paste 

Garnishings

leafy greens

crushed fried peanuts

chopped green onions

Method

1. To prepare the pork toppings, heat oil in a pan over medium high heat until hot.  Add pork and cook until lightly browned. 
2. Lower heat to medium.  Add minced ginger and fry for a while till aromatic.
3. Add sui mi ya cai, shaoxing wine and sugar.  Fry to combine well and cooked until pork is nicely browned.  Set aside for use later.
4. To make the sauce, mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl and place each portion into the bowls.
5. Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Blanch the leafy greens.  Set aside.
6. Using the same pot of water, cook the fresh noodles according to package instructions.
7. When noodles is ready, drain it and place on top of sauce.  Stir to incorporate sauce into the noodles.
8. Add blanched leafy greens.  Add pork toppings, chopped green onion and fried peanuts.
9. Drizzle 1 tbsp chili paste oil and enjoy the tasty, spicy noodles!

Tom Yam Stir Fried Tofu

 

Ingredients

1 packet fried tofu

2 stalk celery - sliced

2 cloves garlic - chopped

half onion - sliced

2 tbsp tom yam paste

1 tbsp soy sauce

salt and pepper to taste

few tbsp of water

2 tbsp vegetable oil

cornstarch solution

 

Method

1. Heat up vegetable oil in a pan.  Fry onion and garlic till fragrant.
2. Add celery and tofu.  Add tom yam paste, soy sauce and water and stir fry over high heat.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.
4. Stir in some cornstarch solution and fry to mix well.
5. Transfer to a serving plate and enjoy the spicy tasty tofu stir fry with rice.
   

Baked Chicken Over Rice

 

Chef M's Fuss Free One Pan Dinner!

Ingredients

3 chicken thigh

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

dash of ground black pepper

1 tsp paprika

some chopped onion and bell pepper

1-1/2 cup jasmine rice

1-1/4 cup water

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

 

Method

1. Marinate chicken thigh for one hour or more.
2. Heat up olive oil in a cast iron pan.  Brown the chicken pieces.
3. Remove browned chicken from pan.
4. Add chopped onion to the pan.  Fry for a while.  Add chopped bell pepper and rice grain to the pan.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper.  Stir to mix.
5. Arrange chicken thigh on top of the rice.
6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 40 to 45 minutes.
7. Enjoy the super tasty and juicy baked chicken thigh with the accompaniment of the aromatic chicken flavoured rice.
   

No Knead Oatmeal Bread

 

Ingredients

300g lukewarm milk 

5g instant yeast

4g caster sugar (about 1 tsp)

300g bread flour (about 1-3/4 cup + 2 tbsp

100g wheat flour (about 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp)

3g salt (about 1/2 tsp)

60g honey (about 3 tbsp)

45g unsalted butter (about 3-1/2 tbsp)

handful of chia seeds

handful of oatmeal

oil for brushing

1 egg

 

Method

1. Add yeast and sugar to lukewarm milk.  Stir to mix and let it activate for 5 to 10 minutes or until the mixture turns frothy. 
2. In a large bowl add bread flour and whole wheat flour.  Add salt and mix.
3. Add honey and lightly stir to mix.  Pour milk mixture slowly into the flour, stir and mix as you add the milk.  A wet and sticky dough will be formed.
4. Use a spatula and add butter to the surface of the dough.  Lightly flip over and brush butter on the bottom of the dough as well to prevent the dough from being too sticky to handle.
5. Knead the dough with your hand, scraping down the side of the bowl as you knead.
6. After kneading for a few minutes, a ball of rough dough will be formed.
7. Brush the bottom of the bowl with oil and place the dough back into the oiled bowl.  
8. Turn dough over and lightly oil the other side of the dough as well.
9. Use a cling wrap to cover the dough and place the bowl in a refrigerator for 12 to 15 hours maximum.
10. After 12 hours, remove bowl from refrigerator and let it return to room temperature, between 45 minutes to 1 hour.
11. In the meantime, oil the baking pan.
12. Lightly flour the work surface.  Turn dough over and lightly press it down to flatten dough a bit.
13. Divide dough into 3 portions.  Take one portion of the dough and knead by folding all the corners in, pushing out the air bubbles as you knead to form a round dough.  Repeat for the rest of the 2 portions.  Cover with cling wrap.
14. Take the first dough out and place dough on a lightly floured surface.
15. Press it down lightly using a roller to form a rectangle.  Sprinkle some oatmeal and chia seeds.  Use the roller pin to press down the ingredients as you roll the dough.
16. Fold the long end of both sides of the dough, overlapping to the centre of the dough.
17. Roll out the long side of the dough using a roller to form a long rectangular.  Add more oatmeal and chia seed.
18. Use the roller pin to lightly press the ingredients into the dough as you roll out.
19. Fold one end of the dough and continue to roll the dough until it reaches the other end. 
20. Continue to work on the other two portions.
21. Place the rolled dough into the baking pan and cover with a cling wrap.  Let the dough rest for another 45 minutes.
22. Break an egg into a small bowl.  Lightly brush the surface of the dough with the egg wash.
23. Do another light brush on the surface.  Sprinkle oatmeal and chia seeds on the surface of the dough.
24. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray some water into the oven.  Place baking pan into the preheated oven on the 4th rack.  Spray some water again. 
25. After 20 minutes, place a sheet of aluminium foil to cover the top of the dough.
26. Continue to bake for another 25 minutes.
27. Remove bread from pan let it cool on a rack.
28. Slice the bread and enjoy the freshness and aroma of this delicious home made bread, full of goodness and flavour!

Soy Sauce Braised Chicken

 

A plateful of mouthwatering chicken and side dishes cooked by the Hub!

Ingredients

2 chicken leg quarters

 

Method

1. Add oil to pot.  Add ginger slices and green onion.  Fry for a while.
2. Add rock sugar and continue to fry over low heat till lightly caramelized.
3. Add dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and rice wine and fry to mix.
4. Add star anise and cinnamon stick.  Add water and bring to a boil.
5. Add chicken leg quarter and blanch 3 times in the boiling water and set asdie.
6. Repeat with the other leg quarter.
7. Place both leg quarters in the boiling water.  Make sure the water level covers the chicken pieces.
8. Continue to boil for a few minutes.  Turn off heat and steep the chicken in the pot for 45 to 50  minutes.  Let the residual heat cook the chicken.
9. Remove chicken from pot and chop into pieces.
10. Enjoy this delicious, tenderly braised soy sauce chicken!
    
11.  

Pandan Tapioca Pearl

 

Ingredients

fresh pandan leaves

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup tapioca starch

 

Method

1. Cut pandan leaves into small pieces.  Place cut leaves into a blender.  Add water and blend.
2. Sieve blended pandan water and bring to a boil.
3. Add boiling pandan juice in parts to the  tapioca starch.
4. Mix until the starch mixture can be formed into a soft dough.. If it is too watery, add more starch.  If it is too dry, add more pandan water.
5. Shape into small pieces and use it in dessert recipes.  

Sticky Pork Rib with Steamed Bun

 

Ingredients

refer to here

shredded green onion

julienned daikon

toasted peanuts, lightly crushed

 

Method

1. Debone the braised pork.
2. Steam the leaf buns for 10 minutes.
3. Place all ingredients in the steam bun and enjoy every tasty bite! 

Abalone with Vegetable Mix

 

Ingredients

4 pieces of canned abalone - sliced

1 carrot - peeled and sliced 

1 small bunch of broccoli - washed and cut into florets

some fresh scallops

1/3 cup abalone brine

1 tsp dark soy sauce

dash of pepper

 

 

Method

1. Blanch broccoli florets and sliced carrots.  Set aside.
2. Blanch abalone in water for a while.  Sliced them.
3. Leave 1/3  cup water in the pot.  Boil scallops for a few minutes or until cooked.  Remove and set aside.
4. Add some abalone brine to the pot.  Add dark soy sauce and pepper.  Stir in a little cornstarch solution to slightly thicken the sauce.
5. Arrange all the ingredients on a plate.  Pour sauce over the scallops.  Serve warm.