Braised Pork Rice- Taiwan snack 滷肉飯

Ingredients:
Ground pork ( I bought the lean one. It's less fat)-1 lb (453g)
Streaky pork (pork belly)-2lb (cut them into small pieces.)
Grind Garlic-1cup
Deep Fried Shallot-1 cup ( put them in a plastic bag and smash them into smaller pieces)
Deep Fried Tofu-1 package
Dried Mushrooms ( Wash them first and then soak them in a hot boiled water. When they are soft, cut off the roots. Remember to save the water, it has flavour that we can add into the pot later. )
Eggs-( Cook them in a hot boiled water. When they are done, remove the shells. You can soak them into the soy sauce first to get the golden brown color before you cook them in the big pot)

Sauce ingredients:
Peanut Butter-2big teaspoons
Colve=Syzygium aromaticum-30
Star Anise-5
Cinnamon -2
White pepper-2 teaspoons
Soy sauce-1 cup
Black Soy bean sauce-1cup (black soy bean sauce brings out more flavour. If you don't have this, you can use soy sauce instead)
Rice Wine-1 cup
Rock sugar=crystal sugar-60g

Method:
1. Boil a pot of hot water. Cook the pork until they are cooked. Then, take them out. Heat the pan and put ground and steaky pork in to the pan. No need to add oil. Later the oil will come out of the pork. Add grind garlic and deep fried shallot. Continue to cook them until they turn golden color.

2. Add all the sauce ingredients and the rest of the ingredients (deep fried tofu, mushrooms, and eggs) in to the pot.

3. Cook in medium low heat for 1 hr.

4. Serve with rice or noodles.

Put them in the tea filter bag. So when you cook, they won't spread everywhere.

Deep Fried Shallot

Soak eggs in the soy sauce to get the nice looking brown color.

Deep Fried Tofu & Dried mushrooms (Soaking in the water).

Rice Wine, Black Soy Bean Sauce, Soy Sauce

Fried Rice Noodles 肉絲炒米粉

Ingredients:

Rice noodle-1 pack

Tenderloin pork-1lb

Black fungus-1 cup

Carrot-1 cup

Green onion-2 (chop them into long and big chunks. And separate white parts and green parts.)

Cabbages-2 cups

Water-half cup

Dried shrimps-2 big teaspoons 

Seasoning:

Sugar- 2 small teaspoons

Salt-2 small teaspoons

White peper-2 small teaspoons

Soy sauce- 2 Small teaspoons

Sesame oil-2 small teaspoons

Marinating ingredients:

Corn Starch-1 teaspoon

Rice wine-2 teaspoons

Soy sauce-2 teaspoons

Method:

1. Soak rice noodles with cool water until they are soft.
2. Cut the pork into small pieces and marinate with marinating ingredients for 10 mins.
3. Chop all the ingredients into small thin slices.
4. Heat a pot and add 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. Cook pork until it’s done, then take it out.
5. Add another teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil into the pan and add the green onion white parts and dried shrimps. When you can smell the green onion, continue to add carrot, cabbages, and black fungus. When the cabbages are soft, add soy sauce, salt, sugar and water. Stir and mix them well.
6. When the pan is starting to bubble, add the rice noodles into the pot. Stir them around. Add pork and green onion’s green parts, white pepper, continue to stir them around. Add sesame oil at the end. Mix them well.
7. Serve

Cut tenderloin pork into small slices.

Cut the carrorts into small thin slices.

Rice Noodles imported Taiwan.

Black Fungus

Dried shrimps can help to bring out the flavour.

Using chopsticks is easier to mix.

Bak Kut Teh (Pork Rib Tea Soup) 肉骨茶

Check this link out to find out more about this dish. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bak_kut_teh

Ingredients:

Ribs- 1.5 lbs
Ginger-3 slices

Garlic -5

Red chili-2 ( Use a knife to press the chili. So when you cook them, the flavour will come out)

Mushrooms-10 (optional)

Taiwanese Cabbages (optional)

Water 1500cc

(You can also add 6 dried Shitake mushrooms (soaked and cut into halves) or a handful of tofu puffs)

Seasoning:

Soy sauce paste-2 big teaspoons

pre-packed Bak Kut Teh herbs -1 pack (I got mine from T&T.)

Rice wine-2 big teaspoons

Method:

1. Boil a pot of water, cook ribs. When they are cooked, take them out and rinse with cold water. (Cleaning process, so when your dish is done, there are no black or gray bubbles at the side of the pot. By doing so, the presentation of your dish will look better and it’s cleaner.)

2. Prepare a pot and add 1500cc water (about 6 cups of water). Add ginger, garlic and chili, Bak Kut teh tea bag, mushrooms, cabbages and all the seasoning ingredients into the pot. Cover the lid and cook with high heat, when it starts to bubble, you can turn to medium low heat and cook it for 1 hr or until the ribs are soft.

3.  Add salt

4. Serve (You can also cool it down to room temperature and then put it in the refrigerator overnight. You will be able to see the fat on top. You can scoop them out, and it will become a low fat dish.)

5.  Serve (You can serve this with rice. Or cook some noodles and mix with the Bak Kut Teh stew soup and become Bak kut Teh Noodles soup. )

This package is imported from Taiwan. You can aso go to Chinese supermarket or Chinese herb stores to buy other brand of  Bak Kut Teh tea bag.

The herbs and spices:  Black dates, Radix Rehmanniae, Polygonatum Odoratum, Angelica Acutiloba, Szechwan Lovage Rhizome,Cinnamon, Fennel, White Pepper, Liquorice and Anise . 

*Pregnant women are not recommended for eating this dish.

Vegetable detox fried rice

We all know too much salt, meat, MSG, oil , sugar, etc...is not good for our health. Try this recipe, you can detox your body.

Ingredients:

Pearl Barley-2 cups

Jasmine white Rice-1cup

Chinese kale roots-1cup

Taiwanese cabbage-1 cup

Japanese Squash (Kabocha squash )-1cup

Fresh Corn-1 cup (It’s healthier than using a can of corn)

Onion-1 cup

Egg yolks-2

Extra virgin olive oil-1 teaspoon (using good oil to cook is good for you)

Seasoning

Salt-1 pinch

Soy sauce-1 big teaspoon

Black pepper-1 teaspoon

Method:

1.       Wash the rice and barley with cold water. Add 3 cups of water. (When the rice is done, let it cool down for 30 mins without the lid or you can leave it overnight in the refrigerator. By doing so, your fried rice will turn out better and it won’t be mushy)
2.       Wash and chop all the ingredients into small chunks.
3.       Crack 2 eggs and remove the egg white. Stir the egg yolks and pour into the rice. Stir them well. (By doing so, your fried rice can turn into nice looking gold color)
4.       Heat the pan and add 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil into the pan.  Cook onion first.
5.       When you can smell the onion, add Chinese kale roots and Japanese squash, fresh corn and cabbage.
6.       When they are all cooked, add the rice. Quickly stir them around.
7.       Add salt, soy sauce and black pepper.
8.       Serve.

Health Benefits of Barley:

• Barley is the richest source of fiber; also, protein, vitamins, minerals and amino acids in barley is very good for general health.

• Tocotrienols- an oxidant in barley reduces the chance of heart disease and cholesterol problems.

• Barley improves blood sugar levels of those who are suffering from diabetes.

• Fiber in barley prevents the formation of gallstones in women.

• Helps to maintain a healthy intestine.

• Barley is also good to reduce the risk of developing diseases like- colon cancer, haemorrhoids, atherosclerosis, diabetes, insulin resistance and ischemic stroke.

• Barley is a rich source of phosphorous helps to which structure and repair body tissues.

·         Other than those barley is good for controlling hypertension and works as an anti-aging food.

Health benefit of  the ingredients:

-Kale is rich in vitamin A, C and minerals of selenium and has great health benefits of prevention against cancers and enhancement the immunity of human body.

-Japanese squash is rich in beta carotene, with iron, vitamin C, potassium, and smaller traces of calcium, folic acid and minute amounts of B vitamins. Very low calories as well.

-Onion benefits are:Blood Sugar Lowering Effects,Support Gastrointestinal Health, Cholera,Hair loss,Good for Skin,Boost Bone Health,Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Bacterial Activity, Tooth Disorders,Boost Sexual Drive,Treating Urinary Disorders,Prevents Blood Clot.

-Fresh Corn is a good source of fiber. One cup of corn provides 18.4% of the daily recommendation of fiber. Its high fiber content is one of the biggest benefits of corn. Fiber has been shown to help lower cholesterol levels and help reduce the risk of colon cancer. Fiber is also useful in helping to lower blood sugar levels in diabetics.

-Cabbage is anti-inflammatory vegetable, contains lactic acid that acts to disinfect colon, can also be used to reduce headache pain, anti-cancel properties and treating other skin conditions.

Margarine Onion fried noodles

Ingredients:

Noodles-200g

Chicken breast-100g

Chopped Onion-20g
Chopped Mushrooms-30g

Peas-30g

Grind Garlic-1/2 teaspoon

Milk-200cc

Seasoning:

Salt-1 teaspoon

White pepper powder-1/4 (If you want to use black pepper, you can do that, too)

Marinating ingredients:

Salt-1/2 teaspoon

Cooking wine-1/2 ( I used Chinese rice cooking wine)

White pepper powder- 1/4 teaspoon

Corn Starch-1/2 teaspoon

Method:

1.Chop the chicken breasts and marinate with marinating sauce for 30 mins.

2.Boil a pot of hot water and cook the noodles. ( Depending on what kind of noodles you cook, the timing is different. Look at the instruction of the package you buy.) When the noodles are cooked, take them out and rinse with cold water. By doing this, it can make your noodles feel more chewy.

3. Heat a pan and add 1 big teaspoon of margarine. (You can use butter as well. But I use margarine, it's less fat.)  Put the onions and noodles into the pan. Continue to cook them for 2 mins.

4. Add milk and the seasoning ingredients and mushrooms.

5. add peas and cook for 2 mins

6. Serve



Steamed Mussels w/ white wine

Ingredients:

Mussels - 1 Bag

Onions - 1 Small

Tomato - 1

Thyme - 2 teaspoon

Garlic - 4

Parsley - 2 teaspoon (fresh or dry)

White Wine - 1/2 cup (I used Chardonnay white wine 200ml, if you want stronger alcohol flavour you can add more wine)

Method:

1. Add 1 teaspoon of extra olive oil and cook garlic, onion, tomato.  When you can smell them, add the parsley and thyme.

2. Add white wine

3. Add mussels, cover the lid. Cook until they open

4. Serve

Seafood Puff Soup

Ingredients:

Eggs-3

Corn in a Can-1

Ham-1 package

Milk-1/2 cup

Con starch-4 teaspoons

Chicken Stock Powder-2 teaspoon

Shrimps-6

Squid-6

Salmon fillet-4 slices

Puff Pastry

Cook this soup first.

Method:

1. Prepare a pot and add 4 cups of water. When the water is boiling, add corn, ham and milk.

2. Mix the corn starch with cold water.  Turn the heat to medium low and slowly add the corn starch water into the pot. Continue to stir them.

3. Mix 2 eggs and add into the pot. Slowly stir them. You will see the eggs spread out. Add chicken stock powder

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degree.

5. Add the seafood into the bowls. Bake them for 10 mins or until they are cooked.

6. Take them out

7. Cover the bowl with a layer of pastry. If you want it really puffy, you can leave more pastry in the middle of the bowl. So when it's baked, it will have space to puff.

8. Brush egg yolk on top of the pastry before you bake.

9. Bake it for 5 mins. When they turn golden color on top. Take it out.

10. Serve

Seafood Spaghetti

Ingredients:

Shrimps-6

Squids-6

Mussels-6

Garlic-2

White whine-1/4 cup (if you want more wine flavour, you can add more. I used Chardonnay white wine)

Spaghetti  sauce-2 cups

Water-1/4 cup

Fresh Basil-4 leaves

Spaghetti -200g

Method:

1.       Marinate white wine and salt with squid and shrimp for 5 mins

2.       Heat the pan and add 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. Cook garlic

3.       When you can smell the garlic, add the marinated shrimp, squid and mussels into the pan.

4.       When they are cooked, add water and spaghetti sauce.  Cook it with medium low heat until they start to bubble. Turn off the stove. 

5.       Boil a pot of water for cooking spaghetti.  When the water is boiling, add 1 teaspoon of salt and then add the spaghetti.  Cook it until it’s done.

6.       Serve

You can also use whole wheat spaghetti!

You can add crab meat or lobsters if you like!

Use any spaghetti sauce you want, I used the mushrooms one.

Mapo Tofu

Ingredients:

Tofu-1 Box (Soft)

Pork Lean Ground Meat-80g

Grind Ginger-10g

Grind Garlic-10g

Paprika-5g

Green onion-10g

Water-100g

Corn starch-1 teaspoon

Sesame oil-1/2 teaspoon

Ingredients sauce:

Chili Bean sauce-2 big teaspoons

Chili sauce-1/2 big teaspoon

Sugar-1/2 big teaspoon

Salt-some

Chicken Stock-1 teaspoon

Chinese Rice wine-1 small teaspoon

Method:

1. Chop tofu into small chunks. Put them in a small bowl and add boiled water. Soak them for 5 mins.

2. Heat the pan and add the ground meat.  Cook it with high heat(no need to add oil because fat will come out from the ground meat) When it’s 80% done, add grind ginger, garlic, Chili bean sauce and Chili sauce. Continue to stir them around. (If you find it’s a little dry, you can add 1 teaspoon of olive oil)

3. Turn the heat to medium. Add tofu, Paprika and green onion, water and all the sauce ingredients.  Gently stir them around.

4.  Turn the heat to low and add corn starch water. ( before you add the corn starch, make sure they are well mixed. Otherwise, it will becomes chunks)

5.  Add sesame oil at the end

6.  Serve

Shake'n Bake Crispy Chicken Wings

Ingredients:
Wings-12
Shake'n Bake pouch-1

Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degree.
2. Moisten Chicken, shake with coating mix in the bag provided and bake.
3.  Bake 40mins at 400 degrees.
4. Serve

Normally, after I  buy them from the supermarket, I wash them with cold water and put them in the Ziploc bag. Then, I freeze them. When I want to cook them, I move it to the fridge the night before to defrost.

Ready to bake!

Japanese Miso Soup

Ingredients:

Tofu (soft kind)-1
Water-2/3 cup
Miso paste and garnish packages. ( I bought the instant miso soup packages from T&T. They come with different flavours. The one I made is Fried Bean Curd)

Method:

1. Boil the water in a small pot. Cook tofu with low heat for 5 mins.
2. Add miso paste and garnish bags. Mix them gently
3. Serve.

Oxtail Stew

Ingredients:

Potato-2

Carrot-1

Ginger-10g

Onion-1

Tomato-2

Oxtail-1 (ask the butcher to chop it into small pieces for you)

Method:

1. Boil oxtail with a pot of hot water until they are cooked. Then, pour out the hot water. Rinse them with cold water. (Cleaning process)

2. Prepare a pot and add 10 cups of water. Put oxtail, ginger, onion, tomato into the pot. Cook them with high heat until it starts to bubble. Then you turn it to low heat and cook them for 1 hr and 30 mins.

3. Add potatoes and carrot into the pot. Cook them for another 30 mins.

4. add salt

5. Serve

*Oxtail soup has a rich collagen which is good for your skin and joints.

Ribs W/ Onion Gravy

Ingredients:

Potato-2 (Chop them into small pieces. After you chop them, remember to soak them in cool water, so it won't change its colour)

Carrot-1

Lipton Onion pouch-1

Flour-2 teaspoons

Green Vegetables

Pork Ribs-1 pound

Method:

1. Wash the ribs and dry it with a paper towel.

2. Mix the pouch with 2 teaspoon flour. Sir in 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat.

2. Prepare a pan. Heat the pan and add the ribs. Cook it with medium high heat. (Notice I don't add any oil because after you cook the ribs, the fat will come out of the meat)

3. When the ribs turn into golden color, you add the gravy you made. Cover the pot and cook it for 1 hr with low heat.

4. Add potatos and carrots into the pot. Cook it for another 30 mins with low heat.

5. Add green vegetables. Cook until the veggies are done.

6. Serve with rice.



Eggs w/ Enoki Mushrooms

Ingredients:

Enoki mushrooms-1 bag

Eggs-4

Salt-1 teaspoon

Chicken stock powder-half of teaspoon

Black pepper-half of teaspoon

Green onion-1

Method:
1. Cut the roots of enoki mushrooms and chop them into small pieces. Then, rinse them with cool water.
2. Chop green onion into small pieces.
3. Mix all the ingredients in a big bowl.
4. Heat the pan and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Pour all the ingredients into the pan.
5. Cook them with medium heat.
6. Quickly stir them around until they turn a little golden color.
7. Serve