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Table of contents :
cover......Page 1
half title page......Page 2
title page......Page 4
verso page......Page 5
dedication......Page 6
contents......Page 8
foreword......Page 9
acknowledgements......Page 11
introduction......Page 13
basic recipes & techniques......Page 29
cantonese dishes......Page 41
contents......Page 42
beef hor fun......Page 43
sliced fish bee hoon......Page 45
clay pot rice......Page 47
char siew......Page 51
sweet and sour pork......Page 53
pork steamed with har cheong......Page 55
loh kai yik......Page 57
fried prawns with black sauce......Page 59
steamed whole fish......Page 61
steamed egg......Page 63
siew mai......Page 65
spring rolls......Page 67
steamed radish cake......Page 69
stuffed you tiao......Page 71
wonton soup......Page 73
winter melon soup......Page 75
hainanese dishes......Page 77
contents......Page 78
chicken rice......Page 79
hainanes chicken curry......Page 83
hainanese pork chops......Page 85
hainanese mutton soup......Page 87
yi buah......Page 91
hainanese kaya......Page 93
hakka & foochow dishes......Page 95
contents......Page 96
red wine lees chicken......Page 97
hakka rice wine chicken......Page 99
braised pork with mui choy......Page 101
yong tau foo......Page 103
abacus beads......Page 105
foochow fish balls......Page 109
hokkien dishes......Page 113
contents......Page 114
char kway teow......Page 115
hokkien mee......Page 117
fragrant glutinous rice......Page 119
hae mee......Page 123
tauyu bak......Page 125
bak kut teh......Page 127
duck and kiam chye soup......Page 129
green bean soup......Page 131
teochew dishes......Page 133
contents......Page 134
bak chor mee......Page 135
dry noodles with fish balls......Page 137
teochew sweet potato congee......Page 139
oyster omelette......Page 141
teochew braised duck......Page 143
teochew steamed pomfret......Page 145
ngoh hiang......Page 147
soon kueh......Page 149
chwee kueh......Page 151
orh nee......Page 153
lotus seed dessert......Page 155
festival & special dishes......Page 157
contents......Page 158
pig's trotters braised in black vinegar......Page 159
chilli crab......Page 161
chinesee-style fish head curry......Page 163
yu sheng......Page 165
chinese rojak......Page 169
huat kueh......Page 171
tang yuan......Page 173
glossary of ingredients......Page 178
menu suggestions......Page 186
weights & measures......Page 187
resources......Page 188
index......Page 189
photo credits......Page 192
about the authors......Page 193
back cover......Page 194

Citation preview

SINGAPORE HERITAGE COOKBOOKS

CHINESE HERITAGE C ooking

CHRISTOPHER TAN & AMY VAN Foreword by KIMBERLEY SONG

SINGAPORE HERITAGE COOKBOOKS

CHINESE HERITAGE & RRNLQJ

SINGAPORE HERITAGE COOKBOOKS

CHINESE HERITAGE & RRNLQJ CHRISTOPHER TAN & AMY VAN Foreword by KIMBERLEY SONG



Editor: Lydia Leong Designer: Bernard Go Photographer: Hongde Photography Copyright © 2012 Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited Reprinted 2013

This book is supported under the National Heritage Board's Heritage Industry Incentive Programme (Hi2P) Published by Marshall Cavendish Cuisine An imprint of Marshall Cavendish International All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Request for permission should be addressed to the Publisher, Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited, 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196 Tel: (65) 6213 9300 Fax: (65) 6285 4871 E-mail: [email protected] Online bookstore: http://www.marshallcavendish.com Limits of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The Author and Publisher of this book have used their best efforts in preparing this book. The Publisher makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this book and is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe in this book. While the Publisher has reviewed each recipe carefully, the reader may not always achieve the results desired due to variations in ingredients, cooking temperatures and individual cooking abilities. The Publisher shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. Other Marshall Cavendish Offices: Marshall Cavendish Corporation. 99 White Plains Road, Tarrytown NY 10591-9001, USA • Marshall Cavendish International (Thailand) Co Ltd. 253 Asoke, 12th Flr, Sukhumvit 21 Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand • Marshall Cavendish (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Times Subang, Lot 46, Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Batu Tiga, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Marshall Cavendish is a trademark of Times Publishing Limited National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Tan, Christopher, 1972Chinese heritag≠ cooking / Christopher Tan & Amy Van. – Singapore : Marshall Cavendish Cuisine, c2012. p. cm. – (Singapore heritage cookbooks) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN : 978-981-4346-44-3 1. Cooking, Singaporean. 2. Cooking, Chinese. I. Van, Amy. II. Title. III. Series: Singapore heritage cookbooks. TX724.5.S55 641.595957 — dc22

OCN775382682

Printed in Singapore by KWF Printing Pte Ltd



Dedication I would like to dedicate this book to all the generations of relatives who left me a legacy of heritage: my parents, my grandparents, my forebears from south China and elsewhere in South East Asia. I would also like to encourage every keen cook out there to record and preserve their family's edible heirlooms—recipes, cooking techniques, all the delicious things unique to their table—so that future generations can be blessed by these precious histories. Christopher Tan

I would like to dedicate this book to my parents for their support, encouragement and love. To my mother who taught me that simple home-cooked meals enjoyed together with the family can be satisfying, meaningful and memorable. Besides teaching me how to perfect her Hakka rice wine chicken dish, she is my greatest listener, teacher and confidante. To my father, who prays for the family daily and before our every meal for God's blessings, guidance and good health—thank you for being my biggest fan. Amy Van



Contents 8

Foreword

10

Acknowledgements

12

Introduction

28

Basic Recipes & Techniques

40

Cantonese Dishes

76

Hainanese Dishes

94

Hakka & Foochow Dishes

112 Hokkien Dishes 132 Teochew Dishes 156 Festival & Special Dishes 176 Glossary of Ingredients 185 Menu Suggestions 186 Weights & Measures 187 Resources 188 Index 191 Photo Credits 192 About the Authors

FOREWORD Singapore is a multi-racial migrant society. Most of the migrant Chinese in the early days of Singapore came from the southern part of China. The five major dialect groups are the Hokkiens, Teochews, Cantonese, Hainanese and Hakkas. These migrants left their homes and ventured towards South East Asia, labouring long and hard for the sake of survival. Whenever they missed home, they would gather and cook dishes from their hometown, at the same time exchanging words of familiarity and comfort. They shared how much they missed home, and sought solace in such gatherings. The early immigrants who ventured into Singapore started a cultural affair of exchange and influence, and the result is a development of unique features of each dish, which still retains the distinctive flavours of the dialect group it originated from. These dishes survived through generations because of the efforts of those who, with unwavering determination, sought to preserve the cultural flavours of these special foods. Amy and Christopher are two such persons. I got acquainted with them during my course of work as a cuisine editor, and we share the same passion and enthusiasm for cuisine. Their aim is not only to perfect and enjoy the taste of food; they conscientiously research the background of each and every dish, so as to deepen their appreciation for each type of cuisine. Their dedication to this subject is apparent in the pages of this book, which they co-authored. With succinct documentation of the origin and evolution of each recipe, this collection is full of the rich, authentic flavours of Chinese cooking. They gladly share the recipes they are so familiar with, which include those handed down from previous generations, daily dishes, food for festive occasions, the deliciously famous local hawker fare and more. This book shows how to prepare traditional Chinese food with ease and is perfect for beginners. ecipes, which are accompanied by Seasoned cooks will likewise find joy in perusing these recipes, ollector’s item for anyone who enjoys informative descriptions and explanations. This book is truly a collector’s th historical and cultural significance, immersing in the classic flavours of Chinese cuisine. It brims with which will not only engage, inform and enlighten, but readers will also be awed and be inspired to delve into the joy of recreating wonderful meals from these treasured recipes. So ong Kimberleyy Song n Editor Edi dito di torr to Managing Xin Flavours Fllavvou ours rs

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foreword

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We w would ould ou ld llike ikke to ike t thank Davi David Yip for his assistance, advice and skills, and the production te am ffor orr ttheir heir he i h elp in puttin team help putting this book together. Christopher Tan & Amy Van

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acknowledgements

Introduction The Chinese constitute 74.1 per cent of the population in Singapore according to a census taken in 2010 by the Singapore Department of Statistics. Among them, the Hokkiens, Teochews and Cantonese form the largest dialect groups, while the Hakkas, Hainanese, Foochows, Henghwas and Hokchias make up the smaller sub-groups. These first waves of Chinese immigrants to South East Asia were mainly from the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian in south-eastern China and subsequently Hainan Island.

Early Immigrants Although there is no exact time frame when Singapore saw the arrival of its first groups of Chinese from the mainland, there are records that date as far back as the 14th century that the Chinese were already living on the island. A Chinese traveller by the name of Wang Dayuan from the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) wrote about a small settlement called Danmaxi, a translation of the Malay name, Temasek, by which Singapore was then known. His manuscripts dating to 1349 mention the Malay and Chinese residents living on the island. Excavations in recent times, in areas such as Fort Canning, have uncovered evidence indicating that Singapore was an important trading port in the 14th century. Archaeologists have also unearthed remnants of ceramics from the Yuan Dynasty and ancient Chinese porcelain proving the existence of early trading between Temasek and China. In 1819 when Sir Stamford Raffles landed on our shores, the Chinese were already present. The island was then put on the world map when Raffles established Singapore as a trading port for the British East India Company. This encouraged a flourishing international trade and the Chinese began to migrate here in large numbers. In those days, life was difficult in China due to floods, famines, us deemed attractive because of the h droughts, unemployment and civil unrest. Singapore was thus economic opportunities available. The migration of the Chinese to Singapore was mainly byy kinship and a credit-ticket system. ners preferred to employ and sponsor Kinship was crucial in setting up ventures here as business owners dit-ticket system, on the other hand, relatives or kinsmen from their own village in China. The credit-ticket migrants by recruitment agencies or meant that the money for the voyage was advanced to emigrants otorious for exploiting the emigr g an gr ants tss, Chinese secret societies. These agencies and societies were notorious emigrants, repa p y their fares. This credit-ticket pa cred e itt-ttic icke kett ke binding them to contracts that lasted several years in order too repay system was also known as the coolie trade. bliish shed ed The Chi hiinese Pro otecttor o at ates ess tto o By 1877, the colonial rulers called for regulation and established Chinese Protectorates enci en cies ci es aand nd de mplo mp lo oym y en entt co ont ntra raact c s in stop the abuse of these emigrants. With licensed recruiting agencies employment contracts

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A group of Chinese coolies having a meal, circa 1900.

INTRODUCTION

place, the number of Chinese arrivals escalated. By 1881, the Chinese accounted for 63 per cent of the total population on the island. In the early days, it was common to see the Chinese from different dialect groups specialising in certain trades and occupations. This was largely because of regional and dialect loyalty. The Chinese employers in Singapore preferred to hire those who hailed from the same village in China and who spoke the same dialect. This strong loyalty resulted in certain dialect groups monopolising certain trades. For administrative purposes and the sake of minimising disputes and disturbances between the people of different provinces, Raffles suggested segregating the various ethnic groups, namely the Malays, Indians and Chinese, into different parts of Singapore, and further subdividing the Chinese according to their dialect groups. In 1822, the British rulers set aside the area south-west of the Singapore River mainly for the Chinese. This location offered the Chinese easy access to the sea and hence allowed them to trade and develop economic activities. The Chinese community then expanded west and formed Chinatown, which was then divided into different areas for different clan groups.

Bumboats along the Singapore River and shophouses along the bank, 1900.

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Rickshaw pullers and bullock carts along Telok Ayer Street, 1908. The Thian Hock Keng, with its pagoda-inspired roof, is the fourth building in the row on the right.

Various Dialect Groups One of the earliest dialect groups that settled in Singapore in the 19th century was the Hokkiens who now form about 43 per cent of the Chinese population. Largely hailing from Zhangzhou and Quanzhou in the Fujian province, they left their hometowns because of rural poverty and insufficient farming land, and were lured to South East Asia (or Nanyang, literally southern ocean) in search of greene greener pastures. Some Hokkien merchant families migrated to Singapore to escape the turbulence of the Taiping Rebellion, a civil war in southern China that lasted from 1850 to 1864. The early Hokkie Hokkiens were mostly traders of spices, coffee, rice and rubber and were known for their business acume acumen. There were also some prominent Hokkien businessmen involved in banking, finance, shippin shipping, manufacturing and construction who were considered some of the wealthiest traders and me merchants in those days. This community settled in the commercial areas along the riverbanks and Te Telok Ayer Street, which was then by the coast (before land reclamation). They also built the Thia Th i n Hock H Thian Keng in 1821 and it is considered to be one of the oldest and grandest temples on the isla is land ttoday. la island TTh e Teochews originated from Chaozhou in the eastern Guangdong province near the border of The F jijian Fu an. They make up about 22 per cent of the Chinese population in Singapore today. Their dialect an Fujian. i similar is sim imilil to the Hokkiens, and they were mostly merchants and agriculturists. The Teochews initially

introduction

settled in the north of Singapore where they planted gambier and pepper, and exported these crops. Because of their trading activities, some Teochews also settled along the banks of the Singapore River, Clarke Quay and Boat Quay. In the later years, some Teochews also went into the fishing industry, with many of them setting up kelongs and becoming fishermen and fish wholesalers. A number also traded in poultry and fruit or set up goldsmith and jewellery shops. The Cantonese hail from Guangzhou (Canton) in the Guangdong province. Like the Hokkiens and Teochews, they were among the earliest dialects groups to arrive in Singapore and in large numbers. They make up about 17 per cent of the Chinese population in Singapore today. Their first recorded arrival was in 1821 and they were believed to have come aboard a junk from Macau. Many of them settled in the Kreta Ayer and Cantonment areas in Chinatown. The Cantonese were mostly artisans and craftsmen and worked as carpenters, goldsmiths and paperwork craftsmen. Some were also involved in medicine retailing. The Cantonese were considered hardworking and enterprising, and many Cantonese women were independent and held jobs outside the home. An example was the Samsui women from Sanshui county in Guangdong, who came to South East Asia to work as labourers in construction sites, tin mines and rubber estates between the 1930s and

A group of Samsui women having their meal at a construction site where they work, 1954. They were easily recognisable by their red cloth hats and blue-black samfoos.

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A traditional Chinese medical hall with rows of medicine drawers, 1986. A traditional Chinese medical hall with rows of medicine drawers, 1986.

1950s. Many of these women chose to be spinsters, while some were widows or had husbands who did not fend for their families back home, a common reason being that they were opiumaddicts. As they had to remit money to their families, these women lived frugally in Chinatown’s small cubicle accommodation and survived on simple meals of rice and boiled vegetables. The Hakkas (also Kejia or Khek which mean guests or visitors) are the descendents of the Hans who m migrated from north and central China to the south. After a series of migrations, the Hakkas settled mostly in Guangdong and Fujian and those who moved to South East Asia came mostly from these p parts of China. There was already evidence that the Hakkas were present in Singapore as early aas 1819 when Raffles first arrived. Although they arrived early in Singapore, the Hakkas were a mino minority. It is said that the early Hakkas settled in various parts of the island including more rural a eas such ar s areas as Pasir Panjang, Lim Chu Kang, Chua Chu Kang, Kampong Bahru and Jurong where they c ltivat pepper and gambier as well as established trades like pawnshops and Chinese medicine. cu cultivated I the In e 1920s, the Hakkas owned the largest Chinese medicine halls. The late brothers, Aw Boon H w aand Aw Boon Par, who founded the famous all-purpose medicated balm Tiger Balm, were Ha Haw Hakk Ha kkas kk a The most famous Hakka in Singapore is former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Hakkas.

INTRODUCTION

An itinerant pork seller, 1910.

The Hainanese came from Hainan Island and make up 7 per cent of the Chinese in Singapore today. They arrived in Singapore only around the 1850s because of the late opening of Hainan Island to foreign trade. As they came later than the rest of the Chinese, they stayed further from the main godowns along the Singapore River and resided in the areas around Middle Road, Purvis Street and Beach Road, which were once considered the Hainanese Chinatown. As their dialect was unintelligible to the other Chinese groups, the Hainanese found it difficult to communicate with the others. They also did not have the connections to help them get into established trades and thus worked as cooks and domestic servants for European families and wealthy Peranakan households in the Bukit Timah, Tanglin and Changi areas, as well as waiters and cook boys in coffee shops, bakeries and restaurants. Many eventually took over the coffee shops and bakeries where they worked. The Foochows (also Hokchius) came from Fuzhou in Fujian province and make up only 2 per cent of the Chinese in Singapore today. Like the Hainanese, they arrived late in Singapore and their language was also unintelligible to other dialect groups, making it more difficult for them to assimilate and flourish unlike their Hokkien and Teochew counterparts. They settled in the areas around Bras Basah Road, Rochor Road, Balestier Road, South Bridge Road and Telok Ayer Street. From the early to mid 20th century, more Foochows arrived in Singapore and set up coffee shops and hotels, as well as printing, carpentry and bus transport businesses.

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A rickshaw puller with a passenger, 1904.

The Henghwas and Hokchias from the southern coast of Fujian province migrated to Singapore much later than the Foochows. They focused on the bicycle and spare parts industry and many also became rickshaw pullers. As the work was strenuous, these rickshaw pullers used to eat hearty meals of kang chia mee—a cheap and quick source of nutrition composed of yellow Hokkien noodles in a broth flavoured with prawns (shrimps), vegetables and shallots. Among these later immigrants was also a small group of Shanghainese who came from Jiangxi, Jiangsu and Zhejiang and worked as dressmakers. Today, along with modernisation, the speech differences among the different dialect groups have blurred due to a government-initiated move to phase out dialects and promote the use of Mandarin and English in schools and the workplace. An annual Speak Mandarin campaign was started in 1979, and the use of dialects was strictly limited in the media and removed from public spaces. The result of this deliberate policy to switch from Chinese dialects to Mandarin was a sharp drop in the use of dialects among young Chinese Singaporeans who are now more fluent in Mandarin. The traditional trade specialisation among the Chinese community is also no longer defined. Modern technology and new skills have vastly transformed the economic landscape and created new opportunities for Chinese Singaporeans, and the majority of the younger generation are no longer in the same trades as their forefathers.

INTRODUCTION

An aerial view of the festivities during Chinese New Year in Chinatown, 1983.

Traditions and Festivals The Lunar or Chinese New Year is the most important celebration in the Chinese calendar and the Chinese observe a bevy of food-related symbolisms during this 15-day festival. One of the most popular observations is the giving of mandarin oranges in pairs when visiting friends and relatives. The word for mandarin oranges is kam in Cantonese, which means gold, and gik in Teochew, which means fortune, thus the gesture is symbolic of giving the host an offering of gold. In addition to mandarin oranges, the Hokkiens and Teochews also use pineapples and pomelos as decorative centrepieces or incorporate them into their festive feasting, as the Hokkien and Teochew word for pineapple is ong lai, which means prosperity will come and the word for pomelos is yu, which means to have. The Chinese also celebrate the New Year festivities with other auspicious delicacies such as black moss, the Chinese word being fa cai, which implies prosperity, and a sticky rice cake known as nian gao, which implies progress for the year. The different dialect groups also have specific dishes that they prepare and eat during the festive period. For example, the Hakkas traditionally eat abacus beads or suan pan zi (page 104), a dish that symbolises hope for a prosperous future, and the Teochews consume steamed or pan-fried white-spotted rabbit fish or pek tor he with roe, to ensure good luck for the year ahead. Another special occasion for the Chinese is the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Cake Festival which falls on the 15th day of the eight month of the Chinese lunar calendar. Children parade their

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colourful lanterns and families gather to enjoy all manner of traditional moon cakes filled with lotus seed paste, nuts and melon seeds. These days, innovative chefs have come up with a range of new fillings such as durian, chocolate praline, green tea and other fancy flavours. These moon cakes and the gift boxes in which they come in are a lucrative business in Singapore today. The Chinese also celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. Rice dumplings are enjoyed during this time—in memory of the Chinese scholar and patriot Qu Yuan who drowned himself in a river in 296 B.C. It is said that parcels of rice wrapped in bamboo leaves were thrown into the river so that the fish would eat the rice instead of Qu Yuan’s body. Different dialect groups have their own recipes for these rice dumplings, featuring various flavours and types of filling.

Picking out lanterns for the Mid-Autumn Festival, 2011.

INTRODUCTION

A row of hawker stalls along Hock Lam Street, 1975.

Cuisine While the culinary traditions of these communities that came to Singapore from southern China can be collectively described as being lighter in style than those from the other parts of China, the variety within this region itself is rather fascinating. The diversity can be seen from the refined style of Cantonese cooking and the pure clean flavours of Teochew food to the straightforward yet robust Hokkien specialties. The Cantonese made their mark in Singapore’s culinary scene early. Spring Court, established in 1929, was the first Cantonese restaurant in Singapore. This pre-war establishment is famous for its deep-fried chicken seasoned with salted prawn (shrimp) sauce (har cheong) and a dish named Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, prepared using luxurious seafood ingredients. Spring Court is also where many Chinese wedding banquets were held in the early days. In the 1960s, four Cantonese chefs dubbed the Four Heavenly Kings—Tham Yui Kai, Sin Leong, Lau Yoke Pui and Hooi Kok Wai—popularised Cantonese cuisine by introducing cookbooks and cooking lessons, teaching a generation of women how to prepare dishes such as yam basket filled with vegetables and steamed chicken with ham among other specialties. These four chefs are most known for popularising the Chinese New Year raw fish salad called yu sheng (page 164), which

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Food centres like this one at Telok Ayer were set up in the 1980s as street hawking was gradually phased out to improve hygiene control.

has its origins in a raw-fish dish from south China. This multi-coloured and multi-textured dish is composed of finely shredded fresh vegetables, pickled ginger, candied winter melon, pomelo sacs, sesame seeds, crispy crackers, and crushed peanuts, topped with paper-thin raw fish slices and dressed with plum sauce, oil and spices. The diners then toss (lo hei ) the ingredients with chopsticks as they intone wishes for abundance and prosperity for the new year. There are many variations of yu sheng today; most use salmon, while some restaurants have added abalone and even wagyu beef to the dish. A special mention must be made of the Hainanese professional cooks, who under different employers, evolved a style of "Western food" inflected with Asian techniques and ingredients, such as the vaguely British Hainanese pork chops (page 84) and Chinese beefsteak cooked in a tomato-based sauce. Hainanese bakeries turned out iced cakes, buns and tall white bread loaves for toast. In the kitchens of Peranakan households, Hainanese cooks picked up the art of making curries and sambals, and created their own versions. But perhaps their most indelible mark on Singaporean cuisine is a simple dish which, away from its homeland, has become what we now know as Hainanese chicken rice (page 78).

INTRODUCTION

After the war, when jobs were scarce, the Hainanese cooks went on to open their own coffee shops and restaurants. The oldest Hainanese restaurant in Singapore is Mooi Chin. It was founded in 1935 by Mr Hai Chin and was originally located at the corner of Purvis Street and North Bridge Road. This family-run restaurant changed its address several times over the years and is now located at Landmark Village Hotel at Victoria Street. It originally served Western fare, but added Chinese dishes to the menu after WWII. Other stalwarts of the restaurant scene owned by the Hainanese include The Ship and Hans. The Ship first opened in 1977 and continues to serve Hainanese pork chops and chicken Maryland today. Hans is a popular café chain serving reasonably-priced casual Western fare. Aside from food, the Hainanese were also known for their thick aromatic coffee and charcoalgrilled toast spread with kaya (page 92), a jam made of egg and coconut milk. In 1944, Ya Kun Kaya Toast was founded by a Hainanese, Loi Ah Koon, and the business now boasts numerous branches across the island. Another famous Hainanese in the food and beverage scene was Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender at the Raffles Hotel who concocted the now world-famous Singapore Sling cocktail. The Teochews have a reputation for light and healthy steamed dishes, soups as well as seafood specialties such as steamed pomfret (page 144) and stir-fried crayfish. A typical comfort food for this dialect group is plain congee (page 138) served with a variety of accompaniments. The older generation of Teochews are also very particular about the sauces to be served with dishes. For example, oyster omelette (page 140) has to be served with fish sauce, and steamed fish with preserved soy bean paste (taucheo). There are also ginger and vinegar dips for crabs, chilli and vinegar dips for steamed chicken and mandarin orange oil for lobsters. The Teochews also have a soft spot for sweet desserts such as orh nee (yam paste, page 152), a dish originally from Fujian, as well as snacks like soon kueh (steamed dumplings, page 148) which originated from Guangdong. Hokkien fare is distinguished by homespun dishes that are big on taste, such as braised dishes and stews that are seasoned with dark soy sauce, black rice vinegar and five-spice powder, with gravies that are thicker and darker than Cantonese and Teochew dishes. Some common Hokkien dishes include the iconic Hokkien mee (page 116), a dish of fried Hokkien noodles topped with meat and seafood, as well as tauyu bak (page 124), a robust braised pork belly stew served with rice or Chinese steamed buns. The Hokkiens also have their own version of the Teochew ngoh

hiang or five-spice meat rolls (page 146) wrapped in bean curd skin, which is a little meatier and sometimes includes grated carrot in its filling. The Hakkas are known for their meat-heavy diet and use of aromatic herbs, salty condiments, and home-made rice wine. The cooking techniques they employ are simple and straightforward. A ubiquitous Hakka dish is yong tau foo (page 102), a dish of firm bean curd stuffed with minced meat, which has become a staple in many hawker centres and food courts in Singapore today.

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Foochow kitchens are graced by home-made yellow glutinous rice wine (page 34) and unusual recipes such as red wine lees chicken (page 96). This is a nutritious dish commonly consumed by Foochow women during their confinement period after childbirth. Fish balls stuffed with pork (page 108) is another classic Foochow dish. Henghwa cuisine features noodles or mee sua (very fine dried noodles) and bee hoon (fine rice vermicelli) cooked in soup and topped with vegetables, peanuts, meat and seafood. Seaweed and oysters are also common ingredients. Hokchia cuisine is similar to Hokkien food, but as the community in Singapore is relatively small, the cuisine never made an impact in either hawker or restaurant circles.

A hawker preparing noodles at a food centre, 1980.

INTRODUCTION

Evolution These days, traditional cuisine from the various dialect groups can only be found in a handful of old restaurants and even so, the dishes are not the same as what is available in China. Most Singaporean Chinese dishes have been improvised over the years; they bear some semblance to the original dish while incorporating touches unique to Singapore. The cuisine of the Chinese community here is considered unique by virtue of its details, not its main substance. This can be seen in dishes such as chicken rice, mutton soup (page 86), hae mee (page 122) and oyster omelette. With chicken rice, the original Hainan dish is composed of poached chicken seasoned with sesame oil and salt, and served with white rice and a condiment of pounded chilli mixed with vinegar and garlic. The local version uses another breed of chicken, and the rice and chilli sauce are prepared differently. With mutton soup, the local version is prepared using seasoning and goat meat different from the original Hainan recipe. Similarly, the garnishes for hae mee in Fujian are different from that used in Singapore. The oyster omelette prepared in Fujian and Chaozhou also differs from the local version which uses more egg and smaller oysters. The years of interaction and assimilation among the various dialect groups have blurred some of the differences in their cuisines, and the cross-influences with other ethnic groups such as the Malays and Indians have also created dishes that are unique to this part of the world. For example, chillies are added to liven up many accompaniments and sauces, such as with the famous dish of chilli crab (page 160), which is bathed in a spicy, sweet and tangy gravy, and Hainanese curry rice comprises cooked dishes served with plain rice and curry gravy. In the past decade or so, the island has also seen much culinary diversity thanks to innovative chefs and the availability of ingredients imported from all over the world. Dishes are reinterpreted with a contemporary approach, with non-traditional ingredients such as foie gras, wasabi and flying fish roe adding an unexpected element to Chinese dishes, and modern cooking techniques and presentation styles adding an extra twist.

The Recipes in this Book These recipes were selected to span a spectrum, from familiar favourites to less common dishes, from simple fare to more lavish special-occasion items, from home cooking to hawker classics. Emblematic specialties from different dialect groups have been included, and traditional touches and methods have been favoured over shortcut ones. Most importantly, the recipes have been presented with enough detail to allow even novice cooks to attempt them, so that these heritage flavours can be passed on.

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A family reunion dinner on the eve of the Chinese New Year, 1955.

INTRODUCTION

basic recipes & TECHNIQUES

All-purpose Chilli Sauce 30 Pickled Green Chillies 30 Teochew Chilli Dip 31 Five-spice Powder 31 Crispy Lard Cubes and Liquid Lard 32 Light Stock 33 Home-made Yellow Glutinous Rice Wine (Hakka-Style Yellow Rice Wine) 34 Cooking and Preparation Techniques in the Chinese Kitchen 36

All-purpose Chilli Sauce Red chillies 350 g (12 oz)

Sea salt 1 Tbsp

Red bird’s eye chillies 20

Water 2 Tbsp

Garlic 10 cloves

Rock sugar 30 g (1 oz), crushed

Castor sugar 25 g ( /5 oz) 4

Rice vinegar 90 ml (3 fl oz / 3/8 cup) or to taste

1. Wash and dry chillies very well to remove all dust and dirt. Remove and discard stalks. Chop chillies finely. Separate and peel garlic cloves. Chop garlic finely. 2. Combine chillies, garlic, sugar and salt in a large glass jar and loosely cover. Let jar stand at room temperature for 4–5 days. Stir jar once a day with a freshly-washed clean spoon. Mixture will bubble slightly as it ferments. This is normal. 3. After 4–5 days, pour contents of jar into a pot. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5–6 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Sauce should be hot, salty and slightly sour. Turn off heat and let sauce stand in pot until lukewarm. 4. Purée sauce in a blender until very fine and strain through a very clean sieve, pushing it through with a spatula. Discard residue in sieve. You should get about 350 ml (112/3 fl oz) sauce. 5. Store sauce in a very clean glass jar in the refrigerator. Scoop it out only with a clean dry spoon. It will keep indefinitely. If sauce starts to change colour or develop off-flavours or off-aromas, throw it out and make a new batch. 6. This base sauce can be used as a table condiment or for dressing noodles and spicing up gravies and fried rice.

Pickled Green Chillies Rice vinegar 150 ml (5 fl oz)

Salt 2 tsp

Water 140 ml (4 /3 fl oz)

Green chillies 400 g (141/3 oz)

2

Sugar 75 g (22/3 oz)

nd bring to a simmer, stirring 1. Combine vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a saucepan and to dissolve sugar. Simmer for 1 minute, then pour into a large, spotlessly clean glass jar and let cool completely. cm (1/4-in) thick. Place e 2. Slice green chillies across so they are slightly less than 0.5-cm sliced chillies in a heatproof bowl, pour over boiling water cover completely, terr tto o co cove v r comp ve m le ete elyy, let stand 10 seconds, then drain well. Let cool. 3. Add chillies to jar of pickling solution. There should be eno enough liquid cover chillies. no oug ugh h liqu uid d tto o cove ver chil ve i liies e . If not, top up with a bit more vinegar. Cover tightly and keep refrigerated. ke eep ref friige g raate ted. d d. 4. If only touched with clean spoons and stored refrigerated, pickled green will ed, pi p ckle ck kle led ed gr g e n cchillies ee hilllilies ess w ililll keep indefinitely. If the liquid starts to look cloudy or the starts e flav fflavour lav a ou o r of tthe he chillies st tar arts ts to fade, chuck them out and make a fresh batch. chinese heritage

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Teochew Chilli Dip Red chillies 2

Salt 1 tsp

Garlic 3 cloves, peeled

White vinegar 3–4 Tbsp

Sugar 1 tsp

1. Finely mince chillies and garlic. 2. Mix sugar and salt with vinegar in a bowl until they are dissolved. Add chillies and garlic and mix well. 3. Serve with steamed seafood, chicken or braised meats.

Five-spice Powder Cassia or cinnamon 10 sticks

Cloves 11/2 tsp

Star anise 5 whole pieces

Sichuan peppercorns 1 tsp

Fennel seeds 2 Tbsp

1. Crush spices lightly to break them up into small fragments, to minimise stress on your spice mill or food processor. Transfer them to the mill or processor, then blend on medium speed for 15–20 seconds, until reduced to a fine powder. 2. If spices are not ground fine enough by this time, wait for a few minutes to let them cool slightly—they warm up during blending because of friction—then pulse-blend until ground fine. 3. Sift powder through a fine-mesh metal sieve, then transfer to an airtight glass jar. Cover and let stand in a cool place for at least 1 week before using to let the aromas blend. Makes about 125 g (41/2 oz) powder.

127( • Making five-spice yourself at home grants you much fresher, more fragrant results than buying it ready-made. It is important to read the fine print in your food processor manual to see if it can handle hard spices. Many processors have plastic vessels or parts that will be scratched or discoloured by hard spices like peppercorns and star anise. It is best to use those with glass or metal goblets that are specifically meant for spice grinding. • Thanks to centuries of mislabelling, most of what is sold in stores labelled cinnamon is actually cassia bark. The closely related spices look different: cassia bark is thick and pungent, cinnamon bark is much thinner, paler and sweeter-smelling. Cassia is better for five-spice powder. • For a more complex flavour, add 1 or 2 slices of liquorice root (kum cho) and a small piece of dried tangerine peel to the mix.

BASIC RECIPES & TECHNIQUES

Crispy Lard Cubes anD LiQuid Lard Fresh pork fat 600 g (1 lb 51/3 oz) Water 200 ml (63/4 fl oz / 4/5 cup)

1. With a sharp cleaver or knife, cut pork fat into 1.5 cm (3/4-in) cubes. Try to make them as evenly sized as possible. 2. Combine pork fat with water in a well-seasoned wok or large non-stick pot. Stir and fry slowly over medium-low heat. As it boils, the water will help the lard start to render. Keep frying until the cubes have shrunk slightly and a pool of liquid lard has collected. 3. Increase heat to medium and continue frying until the fat cubes are a rich golden brown. Do not let them over-darken too much or they will taste scorched and bitter. Scoop crispy lard out of the wok with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate to cool. Let the liquid lard in the wok cool down slightly, then strain it through a very fine mesh metal sieve. 4. Once both crispy lard and liquid lard are completely cooled, recombine them in a very clean glass jar. Cover tightly and store in the coldest part of your refrigerator. The liquid lard will turn opaque and creamy as it chills. Only scoop out lard with clean, dry spoons. 5. This will keep for at least a couple of months. If rancid aromas or flavours develop, throw out the lard and make a fresh batch.

127( • Rendered lard for stir-frying and crispy lard cubes for garnishing are essential pantry ingredients in the Chinese kitchen, or at least, they used to be, before health concerns took precedence. Used in moderation, lard gives an irreplaceable flavour and fragrance to fried noodles, rice and vegetables.

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Light Stock Mixed bones (see Note) 1.5 kg (3 lb 41/2 oz) Water 2.5 litres (80 fl oz / 10 cups)

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil over high heat. Immerse bones in water and blanch for 2 minutes, then drain well. 2. Combine bones with 2.5 litres (80 fl oz / 10 cups) fresh water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Skim off any scum that rises. Lower heat to medium-low, cover pot, leaving lid slightly ajar and simmer very gently for 11/2 –2 hours, skimming occasionally. 3. Strain stock through a very fine mesh metal sieve. It is ready for use. 4. This recipe yields about 1.75 litres (56 fl oz / 7 cups) light, neutral flavoured stock that can be used as a base for soups, in stews or congee. Splash some into the wok when stir-frying vegetables or meat to add a little flavour. It can be refrigerated for a couple of days, or frozen for up to 1 month. Beyond that, its flavour may begin to deteriorate.

127( • A mix of pork soft bones, chicken carcasses and meat scraps makes a good, full-flavoured stock. Bones and cartilage provide body, while meat provides flavour. • Intensify the flavour of the stock by adding fresh ingredients such as carrot slices and celery stems, or dried ingredients: dried mushrooms or mushroom stems, dried prawns (shrimps), dried anchovies, slivers of Chinese ham, soy beans (soak them for 10–12 hours and drain before use) and such. Make sure the additions have flavours compatible with the eventual dish that the stock will be used for. • For a fish bone stock, refer to the recipe for sliced fish bee hoon (page 44).

BASIC RECIPES & TECHNIQUES

HOME-made YELLOW glutinous Rice Wine (HAKKA-STYLE YELLOW RICE WINE) White glutinous rice 3 kg (6 lb 11 oz)

Red yeast rice 3–4 Tbsp

Dried yeast cake 6 pieces (10 g / /3 oz each), pounded to a fine powder and sieved

Cooled boiled water 250 ml (8 fl oz / 1 cup)

1

White rice wine 2 litres (64 fl oz / 8 cups)

1. Wash rice well and drain. Place in a clean container, cover with water to at least 2-cm (3/4-in) above rice level, and let soak for 4 hours. 2. Drain rice and place in a wide, shallow tray. Add fresh water just to the same level as the rice. Steam over high heat for for 25–30 minutes, or until rice is soft and tender throughout. Remove lid of steamer carefully to avoid any condensation dripping into the rice. Leave rice to cool completely; cover with a mesh cover if necessary. 3. Prepare a large glass jar of at least 15-litre (480-fl oz / 60-cup) capacity: clean it thoroughly with hot soapy water and let it air-dry. Sprinkle a little yeast powder over the bottom of the jar. Place enough rice in the jar to form a very loosely-packed layer about 3-cm (11/4-in) thick. Sprinkle generously with more yeast powder and a pinch of red yeast rice. Continue alternating rice, yeast and red yeast rice layers until all ingredients are used up. Ensure that the top layers are yeast and red yeast rice. 4. Pour cooled boiled water over the rice. Cover the jar or pot either with a looselyfastened plastic cover, or with a clean dry towel, tied tightly around the jar rim to secure it. Place it in a cool, dark spot in your kitchen. 5. Within 3–6 days, fermentation should be under way and some wine should have accumulated. With a very clean metal spoon, remove some of the wine and smell and taste it: it should be sweet, floral and aromatic. If it is sour or musty-tasting, discard everything and start over. If it is fine, add the white rice wine and with a clean, dry ladle, push the ingredients down to make sure all the rice is thoroughly soaked. Cover again with the towel. Set aside for 21 days. Uncover the jar briefly every 2 days to let some fresh air in. 6. As the wine ferments, the rice grains will slowly lose their shape and semi-dissolve into a paste. After 21–25 days, the mixture should look like cloudy liquid with a thick layer of floating lees. Pour the mixture into a fine mesh metal sieve lined with two layers of damp muslin cloth, and let the wine filter through naturally without pressing on it; this should take a few hours. If the wine is still cloudy after straining, strain it a second time through a paper coffee filter. 7. To lengthen the shelf life of the strained rice wine, pour it into a pot and bring to a full boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. This process kills residual yeast and halts further fermentation. Pour into a sterilised glass bottle or jar, leave to cool, then seal and store in the refrigerator. 8. The moist, pasty residue left from straining the wine is rice wine lees. It can be discarded, as it does not have many culinary purposes. If you wish, it can be diluted with water to a thin congee consistency, brought to a boil, sweetened with sugar to taste, and simmered gently for 10 minutes to make a sweet, mildly alcoholic dessert soup, best served warm.

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Pounded dried yeast cake

Red rice wine, a week into fermentation

Red rice wine, 21 days into fermentation

Red wine lees

127( • To make Foochow-style red rice wine, increase the quantity of red yeast rice to 250 g (9 oz) and follow the recipe as above. The resulting wine and lees will both be bright red. Red rice wine lees are more flavourful than yellow wine lees and can be used in recipes as such as red wine lees chicken (page 96). To halt yeast activity, scrape the red lees from the muslin cloth into a wide non-stick pan. Bring to a full simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, and simmer for 6–8 minutes. It will thicken slightly and deepen in colour. Transfer to a sterilised airtight glass jar, let cool completely, cover and store it in the refrigerator. • Dried yeast cakes (also known as jiu bing, chiu piah or wine biscuits) and red yeast rice can be purchased from Chinese medical halls or Chinese grocery stores. They can be stored tightly wrapped in plastic, in the chiller compartment of your refrigerator. • All utensils must be washed in hot water until very clean, to prevent foreign microbes from spoiling the wine. For the same reason, do not touch the rice with your bare hands; if you want to layer the rice by hand, wear latex gloves. • Warm weather makes the wine ferment faster, and cooler weather slows it down, so do check the jar at intervals to monitor the wine’s progress. Cooler, slower fermentation usually produces better flavour. • You can make a smaller batch with half the quantities in this recipe. • The ready-made white rice wine is added to fortify the home brew, to help the fermentation proceed at a measured pace, and to suppress undesirable moulds. Without it, the fermentation would be more unpredictable. For a sweeter, more floral aroma, substitute Chinese rose wine (mei kuei lu chiu) for half of the white rice wine.

BASIC RECIPES & TECHNIQUES

COOKING AND PREPAR ATION TECHNIQUES IN THE CHINESE KITCHEN Stir-frying Wok hei (literally wok breath), a ‘scorched’ quality of aroma with notes of caramelisation, is a trademark of expert stir-frying, and can only be achieved with high heat and a well-seasoned wok. Before the eras of cooker exhaust hoods and small apartments, an outdoor back kitchen with a wok station used to be a standard feature in houses, testament to the fire and fumes involved in wok cooking. Cast iron and carbon steel woks are preferred for stir-frying. Cast iron retains heat better but is less responsive to changes in heat level; carbon steel heats up and cools down fast. A new wok of either of these materials must be seasoned before use, to render it naturally non-stick. Scrub off all oil residue from manufacturing, then dry the wok over low heat. Rub a thin layer of cooking oil all over the inside of the wok, then set it over high heat for several minutes, until all the oil carbonises, turns to smoke and dissipates. Let the wok cool completely, wipe it out with a paper towel, and then repeat the oiling-and-heating process once or twice. It will be left with the beginnings of a shiny, dark patina that will be reinforced with each subsequent frying session. Always preheat the wok on the stove before adding any oil to it. Use your seasoned wok only for stir-frying and deepfrying, and not for steaming or braising, as boiling liquids in it will spoil the patina. To preserve the patina, as soon as the wok has cooled enough after use to be handled, wash it with hot water, and scrub it with nothing harder than a bamboo wok brush or soft sponge. You can use a tiny drop of soap to help dislodge food, but only on woks that already have well-developed patinas. After each use and wash, dry the wok over a low flame, then rub it with a drop of oil before storing it. The stir-frying recipes and cooking times in this book were created using a metal wok over high heat on a domestic stove. Woks with non-stick linings typically cannot withstand very high temperatures—check the manufacturers’ instructions—and so cooking phases will take longer if these are used.

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Deep-frying The curvature of a round or slightly flat-bottomed wok, compared to a flat-based saucepan, allows deep-frying to be done with a minimum amount of oil. Use a refined oil such as peanut or sunflower for the best results. Wide mesh strainers are used to lower in and/or lift out food items that are large or awkwardly shaped; otherwise, a pair of long wooden frying chopsticks is the usual tool. Expert Chinese cooks, whether professional or domestic, rely on their senses rather than a thermometer when deep-frying; they keep track of how fast the food colours and how it changes shape, observe and listen to how vigorously the oil bubbles, and so on. With practice, any cook can accrue such skill. Foods with uniform textures that are cut into small pieces are quick to deep-fry. Conversely, foods with irregular internal textures, such as bone-in chicken pieces, need to fry for a longer time at a lower temperature so that they cook evenly all the way through. Double-deep-frying is appropriate for some items: these are first fried at a lower temperature to partially or wholly cook them, then drained, cooled, and later deep-fried a second time at a higher temperature to reach their final colour and crispness. Sometimes cut ingredients are rinsed or quickly blanched for several seconds in medium-hot oil—a process also known as oil-velveting—to cook their outer surfaces, before they are used in a stir-fry.

Boiling & Simmering Chinese cooks blanch or rinse some ingredients in boiling water as a preparation step, to clean them or par-cook their exteriors. Particularly delicate ingredients may be velveted (see above) in water instead of oil. Fast boiling uses relatively high heat to quickly make soups or stews from ingredients cut into small pieces that release their flavour readily. Regular boiling lasting from 30–90 minutes is the province of most stews and braises. Very slow simmering taking a couple of hours or more

BASIC RECIPES & TECHNIQUES

is occasionally used for soups needing a slow flavour extraction or braised items that are slow to reach tenderness. Double-boiling combines the ingredients with minimal water in a small vessel, which is then placed in a steamer and steamed for an hour or two. This gentle process produces soups or cooking juices with very pure flavours.

Steaming Chinese steaming is most often done with stacked bamboo or metal trays set over a large wok or pot. In a home kitchen, steaming is done most efficiently with no more than two layers of trays, as any higher trays would be too far from the heat source. Single items such as a whole fish on a plate can be steamed placed on crossed chopsticks or a metal trivet in a wok of boiling water. While most savoury dishes, such as seafood and steamed eggs, can be cooked equally well in electric steamers or steam ovens, certain dishes require the upward-gushing steam of a stovetop steamer setup, for example dim sum items like steamed pau (buns) or chee cheong fun (rice noodle rolls).

Knife Work Cutting ingredients precisely is integral to Chinese cuisine. Proper knife work allows the cook to fine-tune how ingredients cook, absorb other flavours, release their own flavour (in the wok and in the mouth), and attain a particular mouthfeel. Cleavers of different sizes and weights are used for different purposes: thin-bladed light cleavers for vegetables and fruit, slightly larger and heavier cleavers for fish and soft meats, hefty thick-spined cleavers for meat butchering and chopping through bones. The first two kinds are typically sufficient for most home cooks. Cleavers should be sharpened regularly on Chinese sharpening stones.

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Mincing meats or seafood with repeated staccato chopping motions of the cleaver yields better results than mincing with a machine. The hand-chopped meat retains more succulence, with a pleasingly irregular mouthfeel.

Preserving In times past, most large Chinese households here would have made their own pantry staples, such as rice wine, chilli condiments, pickled and salted vegetables and spice mixes. With the decline of space and time, these have largely been supplanted by ready-made versions. However, certain items are still easy enough to make at home, such as simple vinegared pickles, yellow glutinous rice wine (page 34), five-spice powder (page 31) and chilli-based seasonings. In southern China, salted, smoked, cured and air-dried meats and seafood are traditionally made by households during the winter. Chinese Singaporeans, mostly of southern descent, share this affection for cured meats, although these are now usually purchased, as Singapore’s very humid climate renders them impractical to make at home.

BASIC RECIPES & TECHNIQUES

Cantonese DISHES

Beef Hor Fun 42

Steamed W Whole Fish 60

Sliced Fish sh Bee Hoon 44

Steamed Egg 62 Ste e

Clay Pot Rice 46

Siew Mai 64

Char Siew 50

SSpring Rolls 66

Sweet and nd Sour Pork 52

Steamed Ra Radish Cake 68 a

Pork Steamed with h Har Cheong 54

Stuffed You Tiao 70 Stuffe

Loh Kai Yik 56

Wonton Soup 72 Wo

Fried Fried d Prawns Prawn with Black Sauce 58

Winter Melon Soup 74

Beef Hor Fun Serves 3–4 A well-seasoned wok and high heat are crucial to the success of this hawker classic. When preparing this dish, avoid the common practice of tenderising the beef with baking soda; it gives the beef an acrid edge and, if left on too long, an unnatural, cottony soft texture. Rice wine and pounded ginger have enough tenderising power on their own.

Liquid lard (page 32) or cooking oil 3 Tbsp

Pounded ginger 11/2 tsp

Fresh hor fun noodles 450 g (1 lb)

Cornflour (cornstarch) 1 tsp

Baby or young kai lan (Chinese broccoli) 100 g (31/2 oz), washed and separated into individual leaves

Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp

Garlic 3 cloves, thinly sliced

Sauce

Salted black beans 2 tsp, coarsely chopped

Beef stock (see Note) 125 ml (4 fl oz / 1/2 cup)

Beef Mixture Well-marbled beef 250 g (9 oz), thinly sliced across the grain Shaoxing rice wine 2 Tbsp Superior light soy sauce 1 Tbsp

Sesame oil 1 tsp

Oyster sauce 11/2 Tbsp Superior dark soy sauce 1 Tbsp Condiments Pickled green chillies (page 30), cut red chillies or all-purpose chilli sauce to taste

Superior dark soy sauce 1 tsp

1. Prepare beef. Mix beef well with rice wine, light and dark soy sauces, ginger, cornflour and pepper. Stir in sesame oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate, refrigerated, for at least 20 minutes and up to 3 hours. 2. Mix all ingredients for sauce together and set aside. 3. Heat 1 Tbsp lard or oil in a wok over high heat. Fluff hor fun noodles with your hands to loosen and separate them, and work out any clumps. Add noodles to wok and toss vigorously until slightly browned and scorched on the edges. This pre-frying adds the smokiness essential to this dish. Dish out onto a plate and set aside. 4. Add remaining lard or oil to wok. When hot, add kai lan and fry until barely tender, then dish out onto the plate of hor fun and set aside. 5. Add garlic and black beans to wok and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add marinated beef and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until beef is lightly cooked. 6. Return hor fun and kai lan to wok and fry for 30 seconds, then drizzle sauce mixture over and fry vigorously for a final 30–45 seconds. The finished hor fun should be fragrant and moist but not wet. Dish out and serve immediately with condiments.

127( • To make beef stock for this dish, use 200 g (7 oz) beef bones with some meat on them. Rinse with boiling water, then combine in a pot with 1 litre (32 fl oz / 4 cups) fresh water, 1 2 / star anise, 1 slice ginger and 2 chopped shallots. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 11/2 hours, skimming occasionally. Strain before use. • Adjust the amount of beef stock in the sauce mixture depending on how much gravy you prefer— some prefer a drier hor fun while others like it swimming in sauce.

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cantonese DISHES

Sliced Fish Bee Hoon Serves 3–4 Hawker versions of this soup are sometimes spiked with fresh or evaporated milk for body; this short-cut is not at all necessary as long as you take care to use enough bones and fry them well in step 2, which will make your broth rich and cloudy. You can use bones from other white-fleshed fish for the stock, but avoid those from very oily fish like salmon and mackerel, as they may impart off-flavours to it. The coriander (cilantro) roots are not traditional, but they add savouriness to the broth.

Snakehead fish bones and trimmings 1.5 kg (3 lb 41/2 oz)

Salt to taste

Liquid lard (page 32) or cooking oil 2 Tbsp

Fresh laksa noodles 600 g (1 lb 51/3 oz)

Ginger 4 thick slices

Choy sum (Chinese flowering cabbage) 120 g (41/4 oz), washed

Coriander (cilantro) roots (optional) 3, washed and pat-dry Shaoxing rice wine 100 ml (31/2 fl oz) Water 2.2 litres (731/3 fl oz) White peppercorns 1/4 tsp Snakehead fish (sang yee) 400 g (141/3 oz), sliced Brandy (optional) 1 Tbsp

Sugar to taste

Garnishes Ground white pepper Crisp-fried shallots Cut red chillies Light soy sauce Crispy lard cubes (page 32)

Sesame oil /2 tsp 1

1. Rinse bones and trimmings very well. Break any long fish backbones into shorter segments. Pick off any veins or flecks of blood clinging to bones—be thorough— then rinse well. Blanch bones in boiling water for 20 seconds, then drain and pat dry. 2. Heat lard or oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. When very hot, add fish bones and fry for 2 minutes,stirring occasionally. Add ginger and coriander roots, if using, and stir-fry for 2 minutes more, until bones are browned in spots. 3. Stir in rice wine, then add water and peppercorns. Bring half-cover g to a boil, then half-c cover and simmer steadily for 20–25 minutes. 4. Strain stock through a fine-mesh metal sieve into a clean an pot. Reheat until simmering, then add sliced fish and cook gently for 2–3 minutes, until ntil just done. Stir in brandy and sesame oil. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and sugar. ar. 5. Meanwhile, blanch noodles in boiling water for 5–10 seconds conds until heated through. Drain and remove. Blanch choy sum likewise, until just wilted. Divide noodles and choy sum between serving bowls, then top with soup and fish slices. Serve with garnishes on the side.

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cantonese DISHES

Clay Pot Rice Serves 4 Aficionados swear that the best clay pot rice is made over charcoal because of its even, strong heat. We cannot argue with that, but this recipe works well cooked over a gas or electric stove as well. Use kampong chicken, quality Chinese sausages (lup cheong) and the best jasmine rice you can find, and you will not be disappointed.

Chicken thighs 4, large

Sugar 3/4 tsp

Chinese sausage (lup cheong) 1, sliced thickly on a diagonal

Ground white pepper 1/2 tsp Sesame oil 1/2 tsp

Chinese liver sausage (yuen cheong) 1, sliced thickly on a diagonal

Sauce

Jasmine rice 450 g (1 lb)

Superior thick dark soy sauce 2 Tbsp

Cooking oil 1 Tbsp

Light stock (page 33) or water 2 Tbsp

Finely chopped garlic 1 Tbsp

Superior light soy sauce 1 Tbsp

Boiling water 700 ml (231/3 fl oz)

Liquid lard (page 32) 1 Tbsp

Marinade

Sesame oil 1 tsp

Ginger 40 g (11/2 oz)

Garnishes and Condiments

Home-made yellow glutinous rice wine (page 34) or Shaoxing rice wine 3 Tbsp

Blanched green vegetables to taste

Superior light soy sauce 2 Tbsp

Sliced red chillies to taste

Oyster sauce 2 tsp

Ground white pepper to taste

Superior dark soy sauce 1 tsp

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Chopped spring onion (scallion) to taste

1. Prepare marinade. Peel and grate ginger, then squeeze to extract about 2 tsp juice. Reserve ginger pulp for cooking chicken later. Combine ginger juice with all other marinade ingredients in a bowl. 2. Remove and reserve skin from chicken thighs. Cut off and discard excess fat and chop thighs into bite-size chunks. Add chicken to marinade and mix well. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. Bring chicken to room temperature before cooking. 3. Rinse sausages with boiling water, drain and set aside. 4. Wash rice, then drain well and spread it out on a tray in a thin layer. Let stand until surface of grains is just dry. 5. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Add reserved chicken skin and fry until it has rendered about 2 Tbsp of its fat. Discard chicken skin, leaving chicken fat and oil in wok. 6. Add garlic and reserved ginger, increase to medium-high heat and fry for 30 seconds. Add sausages and fry for 1 minute, then transfer to a plate, leaving fat in wok. 7. Add rice to wok and fry for 1–2 minutes, stirring gently to coat grains with fat without breaking them. Scoop rice into a large clay pot. Add boiling water to rice and bring to a boil over medium heat, covered. After 6–8 minutes, when rice is about 70% cooked and there is no visible liquid, drain marinated chicken and embed the pieces in the rice along with the sausage slices. Cover tightly, turn heat to low and cook for 15–20 minutes more, until chicken is cooked through and rice has formed a slight crust. 8. While rice cooks, mix ingredients for sauce in a pan. Bring to a simmer, then turn off heat. 9. Uncover rice and fluff with chopsticks. Serve immediately with garnishes and condiments on the side. Pour sauce over rice at the table or let diners help themselves to it.

cantonese DISHES

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cantonese DISHES

Char Siew Serves 4–6 Although its preparation does take some time, char siew or Chinese roasted pork is not difficult to make at home—and it is definitely better than the garishly red commercially prepared versions. If you have a good pork butcher, ask him to cut the meat for char siew and he will slice it into strips of the right dimensions. You can also slice the pork yourself using a sharp chef’s knife.

Well-marbled pork shoulder meat 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) Marinade Garlic 6 cloves, peeled and pounded Shaoxing rice wine or rose rice wine 3 Tbsp Sugar 3 Tbsp Plum sauce 2 Tbsp Superior light soy sauce 11/2 Tbsp Preserved soy bean paste (taucheo) 11/2 Tbsp, drained and pounded Superior thick dark soy sauce 1 Tbsp Red fermented bean curd (nam yee), mashed 1 Tbsp Glaze Honey 4 Tbsp Hot water 3 Tbsp Superior thick dark soy sauce 1/2 Tbsp

1. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a large bowl and stir until blended. o marinade and mix very well. 2. Cut pork into long strips about 4-cm (11/2-in) thick. Add to Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate, refrigerated, forr 4–6 hours. Stir and turn pork strips every 2 hours. ng tin. Place a metal rack 3. Preheat oven to 220°C (440°F). Have ready a large roasting in the tin so it sits about 4 cm (11/2 in) above the bottom of the tin. m at least 4 cm (11/2-in) apart. 4. Lay marinated pork strips on the metal rack, spacing them Pour water into the roasting tin to a depth of 1–1.5 cm (1/2 – 3/4 in). Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. er and brush with glaze. 5. Mix all ingredients for glaze together. Turn pork strips over inutes, brushing por ok Lower oven heat to 200°C (400°F) and roast for another 15–20 m minutes, pork d th hro oug ugh h an aand d slig ghttly b urnt with glaze every 5 minutes or so, until pork is just cooked through slightly burnt at the edges. verr lo loos loosely osely with os with wi h alumi aluminium m niium um ffoil oiil 6. Remove char siew from oven and transfer to a plate. Cover and let it rest for 15–20 minutes before slicing. 7. Serve with rice and other side dishes if desired.

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cantonese DISHES

Sweet and Sour Pork Serves 4 This southern Chinese classic properly gets its sweetness and tang from fruit. The resulting sauce is light and vibrant, and should never taste syrupy, cloying or heavy. Some cooks may add tomato ketchup to the sauce, a modern addition, but if used, it should not dominate the flavour of the sauce. A childhood favourite with many, this dish is best served with a bowl of freshly steamed white rice.

Pork shoulder meat 350 g (12 oz), cubed

Sauce

Rice wine 1 Tbsp

Water 100 ml (31/2 fl oz)

Potato starch 11/2 tsp

Plum sauce 3 Tbsp

Oyster sauce 3/4 tsp

Sugar 11/2 Tbsp or to taste

Light soy sauce 1/2 tsp

Rice vinegar 1 Tbsp

Egg 1, small

Light soy sauce 1 Tbsp

Tapioca starch as needed

Crumbled haw flakes (optional) 1 Tbsp

Cooking oil for frying and deep-frying

Salt 1/8 tsp or to taste

Onion 1/2, small, peeled and sliced into wedges

Cornflour (cornstarch) 1 tsp

Young ginger 2 thin slices Green and red capsicums (bell peppers) 1 /2 each, small, cored and cut into 3-cm (1-in) pieces

Garnish Spring onion (scallion) 1, white part only, cut into slivers

Tomatoes 2, small, each cut into 6 segments Canned pineapple rings (optional) 2, cut into chunks

1. Wash pork cubes well, then pat dry with paper towels. Toss well with rice wine, potato starch, oyster sauce and soy sauce. Cover and let marinate ate for 30 minutes, covered and refrigerated. 2. Combine all ingredients for sauce and stir until smooth. Set aside. 3. Heat oil for deep-frying until it shimmers and a haze forms rms above it. Meanwhile, beat egg well and stir into marinated pork cubes. Spread tapioca ioca starch on a plate and roll pork cubes in starch to coat lightly but thoroughly. Let cubes rest for 3–4 minutes, so the starch coat can set. 4. With chopsticks or tongs, drop pork cubes one by one into nto hot oil. Deep-fry for 2–3 minutes, until pale golden brown and pork is only just ust cooked through. Fry in batches to avoid crowding oil. Drain on paper towels. When all pork cubes have been fried, heat oil until very hot and fry pork again for 40–50 seconds deep 0 se seco cond co ndss per batch, until d nd ee ep golden brown and crispy. Drain well. 5. Heat 2 tsp fresh oil in a clean wok over high heat. When pineapple n ho hot, t aadd dd onion and p ineaapp ple and fry until pieces are browned at the edges. Add ginger capsicums stir-fry ge er an and d caps psic psic icum cum u s an and stir-f fry vigorously for about 1 minute, until capsicums are crisp-tender. -tten ende der. de r 6. Add tomatoes and sauce mixture. Stir for 30 seconds more, boils ore, or e, uuntil ntilil ssauce nt a ce au c b oilss aand nd thickens. Add pork and toss well. Dish out, garnish with sspring onion and prin pr ing in g on onio ion io n an nd serve e immediately. chinese heritage

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cantonese DISHES

PORK STEAMED WITH HAR CHEONG Serves 3–4 A simple, traditional homestyle dish. For the best results, use pork belly that is not too fatty, but has even layers of meat and fat. Good quality salted prawn (shrimp) sauce (har cheong) should be pale purple-grey in colour and saltily aromatic; a little goes a long way. Rich in natural flavourenhancing proteins, it brings out the savouriness of the pork. Serve this with white rice, a stirfried green vegetable and steamed egg or a fried omelette for a simple but very satisfying meal.

Pork belly 325 g (112/3 fl oz) Salted prawn (shrimp) sauce (har cheong) 2 tsp Sugar 3/4 tsp or to taste Cornflour (cornstarch) 3/4 tsp Finely shredded ginger 1 Tbsp

1. Freeze pork belly for 20 minutes, or until firm. With a cleaver, slice pork belly into very thin slices. Pat pork dry. 2. Stir salted prawn sauce, sugar and cornflour together until smooth. Add pork and stir gently until well mixed. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. 3. Transfer pork to a heatproof shallow dish, and shape it into a mound. Keep the pork slices loosely stacked rather than tightly packed, which helps them cook through more quickly and evenly. 4. Sprinkle finely shredded ginger over pork. Steam over high heat for 12–13 minutes, until pork is cooked through and tender. Serve immediately with rice.

127( • Although it is not traditional, adding 1 tsp home-made yellow glutinous rice wine (page 34) or red rice wine to the marinade mixture gives the pork extra fragrance.

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cantonese DISHES

Loh K ai Yik Serves 3–4 Literally translated as braised chicken wings, this very old and traditional dish was popularly sold by itinerant hawkers back in the 1950s and 1960s. Kept all day at a perpetual simmer, their vats of loh kai yik developed an inestimable depth of flavour. This recipe has been slightly adapted to suit modern taste preferences, but the traditional loh kai yik included pig skin (to give body to the gravy), pork offal (such as intestines and liver) and cuttlefish (joo her). Loh kai yik is best enjoyed with a bowl of freshly steamed white rice.

Kangkong (water spinach) 250 g (9 oz) Fried bean curd puffs (tau pok) 8 Chopped garlic 3 Tbsp Chopped ginger 1 Tbsp Shallots 5, peeled and finely chopped Cooking oil 3 Tbsp Red fermented bean curd (nam yee) 21/2 Tbsp, mashed Liquid from jar of red fermented bean curd (nam yee) 1 Tbsp

Preserved soy bean paste (taucheo) 1 Tbsp, mashed Brown sugar 11/2 Tbsp Hoisin sauce 2 Tbsp Oyster sauce 1 Tbsp Chicken legs 2, each cut into 3 or 4 pieces Chicken wings 6, each cut into 3 parts Pork belly 500 g (1 lb 11/2 oz), cut into large chunks Water 750 ml (24 fl oz / 3 cups) Lightly toasted white sesame seeds 1 Tbsp

1. Wash and trim roots from kangkong. Blanch kangkong in boiling water for 45 seconds and drain well. Arrange stalks in pairs and tie the pairs in loose knots. 2. Rinse fried bean curd puffs in warm water and pat dry. Cut each puff in half. 3. Pound garlic, ginger and shallots together into a coarse paste. 4. Set a wok over medium heat. When very hot, swirl in oil, then add pounded paste and fry, stirring constantly, for 2–3 minutes, until softened and fragrant and lightly browned. Do not rush this step. 5. Add red fermented bean curd, its liquid, preserved soy bean paste and sugar. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until paste cooks down and thickens slightly. 6. Add hoisin and oyster sauces and mix well. Add chicken n wings and legs and pork and stir well for 2 minutes to coat meat with aromatics. 7. Add fried bean curd puffs and water and bring to a boil.. Lower heat and simmer gently, covered, for 45–60 minutes, until meats are tender. 8. Add kangkong and simmer for 10 minutes more. Dish out, ut, garnish with lightly toasted d white sesame seeds and serve hot with rice.

127( • Use young, slim kangkong for this dish as older, thicker stemss are ti ttiresome resome to chew. • Serve this with all-purpose chilli sauce (page 30), sharpened w with lime ith th so some e lim me juic jjuice, uice, uic e to cut e, the richness.

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cantonese DISHES

Fried Pr awns witH BLACK Sauce Serves 3–4 This dish reflects the purity of the Cantonese approach to cuisine—find the best ingredients and bring out their essential flavour with light cooking. This classic homestyle dish should be made with the freshest prawns (shrimps) you can get; dry-frying them as an initial step turns them deep red and enhances their aroma. Do use lard if you have it available, as it gives the prawns a special fragrance.

Fresh big prawns (shrimps) 500 g (1 lb 11/2 oz), about 10–12 prawns

Ginger 3 slices

Salt 1 tsp Cold water 500 ml (16 fl oz / 2 cups)

Purple onion 1/2, small, peeled and cut into thin wedges

Liquid lard (page 32) or peanut oil 2 Tbsp

Superior dark soy sauce 1 Tbsp

Sugar 1 tsp

Sesame oil 1/4 tsp

Spring onion (scallion) 1, cut into 4-cm (11/2-in) lengths

Shaoxing rice wine 1 Tbsp

Red chilli 1, deseeded and cut into thin strips

1. Wash prawns well. With kitchen scissors, snip off all their legs and trim off the sharp points on their heads. 2. Combine salt with cold water in a bowl and stir to dissolve. Add prawns to bowl, cover and chill for 30 minutes. This step gives the prawns a firmer texture. Just before you start cooking, drain prawns well and pat dry with paper towels. 3. Heat a well-seasoned wok over medium-high heat. Place prawns in wok, spacing them out evenly. Let fry undisturbed for 45–60 seconds, then flip over each prawn and fry for 45 seconds more. Prawns will be nearly cooked through and browned at the edges. Transfer prawns to a plate. 4. Add lard or oil and sugar to the wok and let sugar melt and caramelise to a pale brown, stirring once or twice. This will only take a few seconds. 5. Add spring onion, ginger, chilli and onion to wok and stir-fry ir-fry for 30 seconds. Add prawns and stir-fry for 30 seconds more. Add dark soy sauce and sesame oil and fry briskly for 20 seconds, until prawns are well coated with the sauce. 6. Drizzle in rice wine around the edge of the wok, fry for a final 5 seconds and dish up. Serve immediately.

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cantonese DISHES

STeamed WHOLE Fish Serves 3–4 The success of this dish depends on using supremely fresh fish and having precise timing. Diners should be seated and waiting for the fish as it steams, as once done, the fish will wait for no one. Every element is designed to precisely enhance the taste of the fish in some way—the high heat cooks the flesh quickly, preserving its freshness, the acidity of the spring onion (scallion) and ginger balance the richness of the oils in the fish fat and the final drizzle of sauce over the cooked fish adds umami (savouriness). This recipe can be used for fish such as sea bass, grouper, marble goby (soon hock), snapper, sole, and so on.

Whole fish 1, about 700 g (11/2 lb)

White peppercorns 1/4 tsp

Shaoxing rice wine 1 tsp

Dried tangerine peel 1 very small piece

Salt /8 tsp

Superior light soy sauce 80 ml (21/2 fl oz)

Ginger 4–5 thin slices

Superior dark soy sauce 1/2 tsp

Spring onion (scallion) 1, cut into 3-cm (1-in) lengths

Garnishes

1

Sauce

Spring onions (scallions) 2, cut into fine shreds

Rock sugar 25 g (4/5 oz), finely crushed

Red chilli 1, deseeded and cut into fine shreds

Water 150 ml (5 fl oz)

Young ginger 4-cm (11/2-in) knob, peeled and finely shredded

Coriander leaves (cilantro) with roots 1 small sprig, well washed

Peanut oil 2 tsp Sesame oil 1 tsp

1. Make the sauce. Combine rock sugar, water, coriander, peppercorns and tangerine peel in a small pot and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10–15 minutes. Strain into a bowl and let cool before stirring in light and dark soy sauces. Set aside. 2. Gut and clean fish, then rinse well and pat dry. If it is very thick, make a few slashes on each side or slit it along its belly and splay it out. Rub itt all over with rice wine and salt. 3. Lay 2 or 3 chopsticks across a shallow oval dish that is just fish. ust bigger than the fis i h. Lay the fish on top of the chopsticks, on one side if the fish is flat-bodied at-bodied or with its slit stomach splayed out if it is a round-bodied fish. 4. Scatter ginger slices and spring onion over and around the fish. Steam over mediumhigh heat for 9–12 minutes, until fish is just cooked through ough to the bone. Large or thick fish will take a bit longer to cook. 5. Carefully transfer fish to a serving plate. Discard ginger slices and spring onion. Reserve v the juice that has collected in the steaming plate only iff it tastes good. 6. Drizzle some of the sauce and cooking juice (if you have e ke kept ptt iit) t)) around the e fish. Garnish with spring onions, chilli and ginger. Combine pea peanut oils eanu ea nuut and d sesame me oil ili s in a ssmall malllll ma pan and heat until very hot. Pour hot oil over spring onions, release ions io n , ch cchilli illi and n ginger to relea ase their aroma. Serve immediately.

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cantonese DISHES

Steamed Egg Serves 4–6 This is an absolute must at every hawker stall selling cooked dishes with rice. It is also a dish that is fulfilling to master cooking at home. The key to making it right and to avoid bubbles setting around the edge or overcooking the egg, is to keep the water in the steamer at a steady but low boil. You can use unsweetened soy milk instead of stock for a different flavour and denser texture.

Eggs 3 Light stock (page 33) 450 ml (15 fl oz) Sesame oil 1/4 tsp Ground white pepper 1/4 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp or to taste

1. Whisk all ingredients together until blended. Strain through a very fine mesh sieve— the finer the mesh, the smoother the custard. Strain a second time. 2. Carefully ladle mixture into 4 individual serving bowls or 1 large bowl. Use porcelain bowls rather than metal; the egg must not be more than 5-cm (2-in) deep whatever bowl you use. 3. Bring the water in your steamer to a very gentle boil. The water should tremble rather than bubble. Steam individual bowls together for about 20 minutes: a single large bowl should take 25–30 minutes to reach doneness. When it is done, the egg will look just set, slightly wobbly in the centre but not liquid. A toothpick inserted into the centre should come out wet but clean. If it has uncooked egg clinging to it, steam for a few minutes more. 4. Serve hot, with any of the toppings below.

127( Here are some topping suggestions for this dish: • The most traditional garnishes are chopped spring onion (scallion), lion), ground white pepper, sesame oil and a little light soy sauce. • Sprinkle with some coriander leaves (cilantro) and some of the he flavoured soy sauce from the steamed fish recipe (page 60). • Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a wok over high heat. Stir-fry 2 minced cloves ves of garlic until softened, then add 125 g (41/2 oz) minced pork and fry until the pork changes colour. olour. Add 2 Tbsp Shaoxing rice wine and fry until wine is absorbed, then add 100 ml (31/2 fl oz) stock tock or water, 1 Tbsp light soy sauce, e 1 tsp oyster sauce and ground white pepper to taste. Fry for another 30 seconds, then dish out and d spoon over the steamed egg. Garnish with chopped spring onion. nion. • Peel and finely chop 6 large prawns (shrimps) and mix with 1 tsp p Sha Shaoxing rice wine, 1/2 ts tsp sp minced ginger, 1/2 tsp minced garlic and 1/4 tsp sesame oil. Let et mar marina marinate inaate e for 15 5 mi minutes. inut nu es. Heat att 1 Tbsp oil in a wok over high heat and stir-fry prawns until just bsp st coo ccooked, ked, tthen ked h n stir in 2 Tbs hen b p XO sauce and mix well. Spoon topping over the steamed egg..

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cantonese DISHES

Siew Mai Serves 4–6 This classic dim sum item is so spare and simple that only the best quality ingredients should be used. Hand-chopping the pork and prawns to a coarse mince is crucial to achieving a juicy mouthfeel; machine-minced pork binds too tightly, making the siew mai dense and tough. Using pork that is too lean leads to similarly dense and tough results, so be sure your pork is marbled with a little fat.

Fresh prawns (shrimps) 180 g (61/2 oz)

Salt 1/4 tsp or to taste

Pork shoulder or leg meat with some fat 210 g (71/2 oz)

Sesame oil 1/4 tsp

Light soy sauce 1 Tbsp

Ground white pepper 1/4 tsp

Rice wine 1 tsp

Round wonton skins, about 10-cm (4-in in diameter) 25–28 skins

Potato starch 1 tsp

Fresh crab roe or shrimp roe (optional)

Sugar /2 tsp

Lettuce or green vegetable leaves as needed

1

1. Peel prawns. (Freeze shells and heads for use in stocks, if desired.) Slit prawns along their backs and remove thread-like black intestines. Rinse prawns well and pat dry. 2. Dice pork with a cleaver, then use repeated chopping motions to mince it coarsely on the chopping board. Scatter prawns over pork and continue to chop until prawns are finely diced. 3. Transfer pork and prawn mixture to a bowl and stir in soy sauce, rice wine, potato starch, sugar, salt, sesame oil and pepper. Stir in one direction with chopsticks to help compact the mixture. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let marinate, refrigerated, for at least 1 hour and preferably 2 hours to let the flavours blend and the mixture bind together. 4. Form a circle with your thumb and forefinger. Lay a wonton skin on top and spoon 2 generous teaspoonfuls of filling on it. With the spoon, push down on the filling as you bring the sides of the skin up with your thumb and forefinger, using them to grip and shape the siew mai’s ‘waist’. You should end up with a round, cushion cushion-shaped shaped siew mai. Place on a plate, pressing gently to flatten its base, e, so that it can stand upright. Make remaining siew mai likewise. 5. Line a steamer tray with a layer of lettuce or green vegetable getable leaves. Place siew mai on top, spaced at least 1-cm (1/2-in) apart. Cover and steam team for 4–6 minutes over high heat or until just cooked through. If desired, place a tinyy dab of crab or shrimp roe on the top of each siew mai, then steam for another 45–60 0 seconds to cook the roe. Serve hot.

127( • To add more flavour and body to the siew mai, you can soak 3 dried drie ied ie d shii sshiitake h take mushrooms in lukewarm water until soft, then finely chop them and add to the pork mixture e po p rk and d prawn w mi m x re in xtu step 2. • For some crunch, you can also peel and finely dice 3 water chestnuts hes estnu es tnuts tnu t and d fo fold old d them m iinto nto t th tthe e filling in step 2.

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cantonese DISHES

Spring Rolls Makes 12–14 pieces This is a perennially popular snack item sold at many food stalls and dim sum restaurants. Controlling the heat during deep-frying is important to ensure that the spring rolls are fried to an even golden brown colour. The spring rolls will darken slightly as they cool, so do not over-fry them. Spring rolls are best enjoyed freshly deep-fried, while still hot and crispy.

Pork 175 g (61/4 oz), sliced into thin shreds Light soy sauce 2 tsp Shaoxing rice wine 2 tsp Sugar 1/2 tsp

Carrot 150 g (51/3 oz), peeled and finely shredded Cooked bamboo shoots 100 g (31/2 oz), finely shredded

Dried shiitake mushrooms 4

Bean sprouts 55 g (2 oz), tails trimmed, rinsed with boiling water and drained

Cornflour (cornstarch) 1 Tbsp

Sesame oil 1 tsp

Cooking oil as needed for frying and deep-frying

Salt to taste

Minced ginger 2 tsp

Ground white pepper to taste

Minced garlic 2 tsp

Large square spring roll skins, about 20-cm (8-in) wide 12–14 skins

Yam bean 150 g (51/3 oz), peeled and finely shredded

Plain (all-purpose) flour 1 Tbsp, dissolved in 1 Tbsp water

1. Combine pork with soy sauce, rice wine and sugar. Mix well, cover and set aside. 2. Soak dried mushrooms in warm water until softened, then drain, reserving soaking water. Remove mushroom stems and slice caps very thinly. 3. Mix 3 Tbsp soaking water with cornflour and set aside. 4. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add marinated pork. Fry for 30 seconds, then add mushrooms and yam bean and fry for 2 minutes. 5. Add carrot and bamboo shoots and stir-fry for 1 minute,, then stir in cornflour slurry and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Add bean sprouts and sesame oilil and stir-fry for 45 seconds until bean sprouts are barely wilted. Transfer filling to a tray, spread it out an and nd let it cool completely. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as necessary. 6. Lay a spring roll wrapper on a flat surface, one corner pointing towards you. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling on the lower half of the wrapper, shaping it into a neat log. Roll it up one turn, starting from the nearest corner, r, then fold the left and right corners in. Smear some flour slurry on the far corner, then hen roll all the way up, pressing g to seal. Do not wrap the spring roll too tightly, or it mayy burst during frying. Make all spring rolls likewise. 7. Place spring rolls on a tray and chill in the freezer for 20–30 minutes. 0–30 m i utes. This will help in l lp them to retain their shape during frying. 8. Heat oil for deep-frying in a wok over medium-high heat a untilili a llight at ight h haze forms above it (about 165°C–170°C / 330°F–340°F). Gently lower spring one one wer tthe h spr he p in pr ing ng rolls on ne by o ne into the oil. They should start to bubble immediately, sinking first nki king ki ng at firs rsst an aand d th tthen en rrising issin ng to the surface after about 1 minute. Fry for 3–4 minutes per batch, golden brown. er ba atcch, h uuntil ntilill g nt olde ol d n br de b ow wn. Drain well on paper towels. Serve hot.

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Steamed R adish Cake Serves 4–6 Lusciously soft when fresh from the steamer and crispy-crusted when fried up the next day, steamed radish cake is equally good either way. You can substitute some of the coarsely-grated radish with grated pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot or green daikon radish, to add a touch of colour to the steamed cake.

Cooking oil 2 tsp

Lukewarm water 900 ml (30 fl oz)

Chinese sausages (lup cheong) 2, skin removed and diced

Ground white pepper 1/2 tsp

Shallots 3, peeled and minced

White daikon radish 350 g (121/2 oz), peeled and cut in half

Garlic 1 clove, peeled and minced

Salt 11/4 tsp

Dried prawns (shrimps) 70 g (21/2 oz), soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, drained and coarsely chopped

Garnishes

Shaoxing rice wine 2 tsp

Crisp-fried shallots

Rice flour 200 g (7 oz)

Chopped red chilli

Sago flour 15 g (1/2 oz)

Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

Wheat starch or potato starch 20 g (2/3 oz)

Lightly toasted white sesame seeds

Chopped spring onion (scallion)

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add diced Chinese sausages and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and some of their fat has rendered. Dish out, leaving oil in pan. 2. Add shallots and garlic to pan and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add dried prawns and fry for another 1 minute. Add rice wine and fry until liquid has evaporated. Dish out to plate with Chinese sausages and set aside. 3. Sift rice flour, sago flour and wheat starch or potato starch together into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in water and pepper until smooth. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. 4. Finely grate half the daikon and coarsely grate the other half. Mix grated daikon with salt. Let stand undisturbed for 20 minutes. Drain water from daikon, then squeeze well to remove excess liquid. Rinse well with fresh water, then squeeze dry again. 5. Combine daikon and rice flour batter in a wok or large pot. Stir constantly over mediumlow heat for 12–15 minutes, until thickened to the consistency of congee; make sure you scrape the bottom and corners of the wok or pot to break up any lumps as you stir. Turn off heat. Stir Chinese sausages and fried dried prawn mixture into paste. 6. Scrape paste into a well-oiled 23-cm (9-in) or 25-cm (10-in) round cake tin. The mixture should not be more than 4-cm (11/2-in) deep. Cover with aluminium foil. Steam radish cake over high heat for 45–55 minutes, until set and cooked through. Do not over-steam or radish cake will be too soft. 7. Place tin on a wire rack to cool. Slice and serve warm, sprinkled with garnishes. Alternatively, let radish cake cool completely, then cover and chill overnight. Slice chilled cake into slabs and pan-fry with some oil until crispy on all sides. Serve hot with garnishes or chilli sauce.

127( • This recipe can be adapted to make yam cake. Replace the daikon with 300 g (11 oz) peeled taro. Skip step 4 and instead steam the taro until just soft, then break it roughly into chunks and small bits while it is still hot. Stir it into the batter with the sausages and dried prawn mixture in step 5 and proceed with the recipe as above. chinese heritage

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Stuffed You Tiao Serves 4–5 This traditional dish remains a popular menu item at Chinese restaurants today, but is now likely to be served with modern accompaniments such as wasabi mayonnaise, although simple dips of sweet sauce and chilli sauce are heaven enough! When preparing this dish, make sure to use the freshest prawns (shrimps) and squid to ensure the tastiest results.

Prawns (shrimps) 350 g (12 oz)

Ground white pepper 1/2 tsp

Squid 150 g (5 oz)

Sugar 1/2 tsp

Pork fat 20 g (2/3 oz), finely diced

Yu tiao (fried crullers) 2

Salt /4 tsp

Tapioca starch as needed

Egg white from 1 egg

Cooking oil for deep-frying

Ice-cold water 90 ml (3 fl oz)

Condiments

Rice wine 1 Tbsp

Chilli sauce to taste

Potato starch 2 tsp

Sweet flour sauce to taste

3

1. Peel prawns. (Freeze shells and heads for use in stocks, if desired). Slit prawns along their backs and remove thread-like black intestines. Rinse prawns well and pat dry. 2. To clean squid, pull out tentacles and head and cut off head below the eyes. Discard head and mouthparts, saving only the tentacles. Peel skin off body tube and discard, along with everything inside tube. Rinse squid tube and tentacles and pat dry. 3. Coarsely dice prawn and squid flesh, then mix with pork fat and salt. Place in a resealable plastic bag and freeze for 30 minutes until firm but not frozen stiff. 4. Combine prawn and squid mixture with egg white, cold water, rice wine, potato starch, pepper and sugar in a blender or food processor. Blend until mixture becomes a smooth, cohesive paste. 5. Scrape paste into a bowl. Cut pork fat into very fine dice and stir into the paste. With wet hands, scoop up the paste and throw it back into the bowl to compact it. Repeat this 20–25 times until paste feels dense and sticky. 6. Separate you tiao into halves so you get 4 sticks. Make a lengthwise slit dow down wn the middle of each stick. Dust the inside of the slit with a little tapioca oca starch, then spoon some prawn and squid paste into the slit, compacting it so that at each stick is well stuffed but not overflowing. You may not need all the you tiao. With scissors, cissors, cut the stuffed sticks into 5-cm (2-in) lengths. 7. Heat oil for deep-frying in a wok over medium-high heat at until a light haze forms above it. Gently lower stuffed you tiao pieces into hot oil. They should hould start to bubble immediatel immediately. ly. Fry for 1–2 minutes, until filling has puffed up and you tiao o are deep golden. Fry in sma small m ll batches so as not to crowd oil—pieces should float freely. ly. Watch the you tiao o carefully lyy as they brown quickly; do not over-fry or they will be hard. ard. Drain Dra rain i well on paper towels. tow owel ow elss. el s. Serve hot with a dip of chilli sauce and/or sweet flour sauce saauc u e on the h side. sid de.

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Wonton Soup Serves 4 A Cantonese classic. The shape of the uncooked dumplings auspiciously echoes that of old Chinese gold ingots, plump bellies surrounded by a high rim. You can use either yellow or white wonton skins for these, depending on your preference. Yellow skins taste faintly alkaline but are more resilient than white skins.

Prawns (shrimps) 180 g (61/2 oz) Coarsely minced pork with some fat 150 g (5 oz) Oyster sauce /4 tsp 3

Sesame oil 1/4 tsp Salt to taste Ground white pepper to taste Wonton skins 24–30 sheets

Light chicken, pork or seafood stock (page 33) 1 litre (32 fl oz / 4 cups) Choy sum (Chinese flowering cabbage) 180 g (61/2 oz), washed and separated into single stalks Ginger 25 g (4/5 oz), peeled and thinly sliced Garlic 1 clove, peeled and sliced Spring onions (scallions) 2, chopped

1. Peel prawns and reserve heads and shells. Slit prawns along their backs and remove thread-like black intestines. Rinse prawns well and pat dry. Dice prawns with a cleaver, then use repeated chopping motions to mince them coarsely on the chopping board. 2. Combine prawns with minced pork, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Stir with chopsticks until well blended. Let marinate, covered, for 30 minutes. 3. Place about 1 tsp filling in the centre of a wonton skin. Dab edges of skin with a dampened fingertip, then fold skin in half diagonally, enclosing filling. Press edges to seal. Bring the two sharper edges of the triangle together, overlap them slightly and press to seal. This will make the filling bunch up in the middle of the wonton. Make all wontons likewise. 4. Combine reserved prawn heads and shells, stock, ginger and garlic in a pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes, then strain broth into a clean pot and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep stock hot over medium-low heat. 5. Bring a pot of fresh water to a steady, gentle simmer. Add wontons in batches and cookk for 11/2 –2 minutes, until they float up and bob about. As they are done, lift them out with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the hot broth. 6. Blanch choy sum in the same boiling water until limp and nd just tender, then remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the hot broth. 7. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls. Garnish with spring pring onions and serve hot.

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cantonese DISHES

Winter Melon Soup Serves 4–5 Aromatics like garlic and spring onion (scallion) are not used in this soup, to allow the gentle, mellow flavours of the stock and melon to shine through. If you are unable to obtain Chinese dry-cured ham, which can be tricky to find sometimes, Spanish serrano ham or Italian parma ham make acceptable substitutes.

Pork ribs 300 g (11 oz) Chicken carcass bones 500 g (1 lb 11/2 oz) Chinese ham 75 g (22/3 oz), cut into slivers Water 2.5 litres (80 fl oz / 10 cups) Ginger 1 thin slice Winter melon 500 g (1 lb 11/2 oz), skinned, deseeded and cut into 3-cm (1-in) cubes Salt to taste Ground white pepper to taste

1. Blanch pork ribs and chicken bones in boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain well. 2. Combine ribs, bones, ham and 2.5 litres (80 fl oz / 10 cups) fresh water in a clean pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, leaving lid slightly ajar. Lower heat and simmer gently for 11/2 hours, occasionally skimming off any foam that forms. 3. Strain stock into a clean pot. If desired, you can pick out the pork ribs and ham pieces to serve with the soup. Bring stock to a boil over medium heat and add ginger and winter melon cubes. Lower heat and simmer, half-covered, over low heat for 40–45 minutes, or until melon pieces are translucent and meltingly tender. 4. Lift melon pieces out of soup with a slotted spoon, remove their skin, then return flesh to soup. 5. Season soup with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

127( • Cooking the melon pieces with their skin on prevents their fragile agile flesh from falling apart. • You can add sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms to the pot, about ut 20 minutes before the soup is done, for added flavour and texture.

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cantonese DISHES

hainanese DISHES

Chicken Rice 78 Hainanese Chicken Curry 82 Hainanese Pork Chops 84 Hainanese Mutton Soup 86 Yi Buah 90 Hainanese Kaya 92

Chicken Rice Serves 4–6 Back on Hainan Island, a local breed of fowl called wen chang chicken is used for this dish. Hainanese cooks favour hens of a certain age: not so young that their flesh is bland, but not so old and tired from egg-laying that their meat is tough. Ideally, the meat should have a slight resilience to it and both meat and fat must be flavourful. Kampong chickens and capons both work well.

Chicken 1, large, about 1.4 –1.6 kg (3 lb 12/3 oz–3 lb 9 oz), cleaned

Young ginger 25 g (4/5 oz), peeled and chopped

Water 2.5 litres (80 fl oz / 10 cups)

Sugar to taste

Ginger 2 thick slices

Salt to taste

Garlic 2 cloves, peeled and left whole

Freshly-squeezed calamansi lime juice 1 Tbsp

Sesame oil 1 Tbsp

Ginger Sauce

Rice

Old ginger 100 g (31/2 oz), peeled and chopped

Long-grain rice 600 g (1 lb 5 /3 oz), washed until water runs clear and drained

Cooking oil 1 Tbsp

Garlic 8 cloves, peeled and minced

Water 2 tsp

Old ginger 35 g (1 /4 oz), peeled and minced

Sesame oil 1/2 tsp

Shallots 5, peeled and minced

Salt 1/4 tsp or to taste

Pandan leaves 2, washed and tied into a knot

Garnishes

Salt 1/2 tsp

Thick black soy sauce

Chilli Sauce

Coriander leaves (cilantro)

Large red chillies 8

Chopped spring onion (scallion)

Red bird’s eye chillies to taste

Cucumber slices

Garlic 4 cloves, peeled and chopped

Tomato slices

1

1

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1. Cut off excess skin and fat from chicken and reserve these. 2. Bring water, ginger and garlic to a rolling boil in a deep pot. Gently submerge chicken in water. Bring to a vigorous simmer and cook, partially covered, for 12 minutes. Cover tightly, turn off the heat and let stand undisturbed for 20–25 minutes. Remove chicken from the hot stock. Rub skin all over with sesame oil and set aside. 3. Prepare rice. Spread washed rice out on a tray and let stand until dry. 4. Finely chop reserved chicken fat and skin; combine with 2 Tbsp water in a non-stick pan and cook over medium-low heat for 10–15 minutes until fat has rendered. Strain fat and make up to 100 ml (31/2 fl oz) with cooking oil, if necessary. Heat chicken fat in a wok over medium heat. When hot, add garlic, old ginger and shallots and fry for 1–2 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Add rice and stir-fry for about 2 minutes until grains turn translucent. 5. Transfer rice to a pot, add pandan leaves, salt and 700 ml (231/3 fl oz) chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low, cover tightly and let cook for 15 minutes until rice is only just tender. Turn off heat and let pot stand, covered, for 15–20 minutes to complete cooking. 6. Combine all ingredients for chilli sauce in a blender and process until fine. Add 2–3 Tbsp hot chicken stock and blend until sauce is a bright orange. 7. Blend all ingredients for ginger sauce with 1 Tbsp hot stock to a fine paste. 8. To serve, fluff cooked rice with chopsticks; adjust salt to your taste. Chop chicken into serving pieces and serve with rice, sauces and garnishes. Serve any remaining hot stock as soup, sprinkled with chopped spring onion.

127( • The finished chicken should have fully cooked, tender flesh, but may not be cooked through within its bones. If this is a concern for you, simmer it for 15–16 minutes rather than 12 minutes in step 2.

hainanese DISHES

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hainanese DISHES

Hainanese Chicken Curry Serves 4–6 Many members of Singapore’s Hainanese community entered the food and beverage and service industries in the first half of the 20th century. In the post-war period, some who had worked in Peranakan households opened coffee shops and small restaurants serving their own versions of Nyonya dishes. Today, Hainanese curry rice stalls still establish their reputations on the quality of their curry gravy.

Chicken 1, large, about 1.4 –1.6 kg (3 lb 12/3 oz – 3 lb 9 oz), cleaned and cut into serving-size pieces

Evaporated milk (optional) 3 Tbsp

Salt 1 tsp

Spice Paste

Sugar 1 tsp

Dried chillies 6–10, soaked until softened, deseeded if desired

Cooking oil 125 ml (4 fl oz / 1/2 cup) Star anise 1 whole, small Cinnamon 2 sticks Water 500 ml (16 fl oz / 2 cups)

Potato starch 2 tsp, dissolved in 1 Tbsp water

Finely sliced lemon grass 2 Tbsp Candlenuts 5 Finely chopped ginger 1 Tbsp Finely chopped garlic 11/2 Tbsp

Local potatoes 500 g (1 lb 11/2 oz), peeled and halved

Shallots 200 g (7 oz), peeled and chopped

Kaffir lime leaves (optional) 2

Meat curry powder 4 Tbsp

Coconut milk 200 ml (6 3/4 fl oz / 4/5 cup)

1. Rub chicken pieces all over with salt and sugar and set aside. 2. Pound or grind all ingredients for spice paste together to make a fine paste. (If using a mortar and pestle, add them to the mortar one by one in the order listed, pounding each ingredient until fine before adding the next.) dd spice paste, star anise and 3. Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. When hot, add ned and taken on a ccooked ooked cinnamon. Fry, stirring constantly, until paste has thickened tep as it is key to the curry’s fragrance and the oil has seeped out. Do not rush this step final taste and fragrance. 4. Add chicken to wok and stir-fry vigorously for 1 minute,, tossing to coat chicken pieces ower heat to maintain a simmer. with spice paste. Add water, bring to a boil, cover and lower Cook for 15 minutes. 5. Add potatoes and lime leaves, if using, to the wok. Half-cover f-cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes more, until chicken and potatoes are just tender. nder. 6. Stir in coconut milk, evaporated milk, if using, and potato starch. medium to st tar arch ch. Increase heat to med ch ediu ed ium iu m and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. A Adjust seasoning Serve djus dj ustt se us seas asoning as g to o ttaste. a te. Se as erv rve e hot with rice or sliced French loaf.

127( • This curry tastes better the day after cooking. oconu oc onutt milk, onu milk milk l , as as desired. de ess red. Forr a different esi diff i ere if e nt er n • You can alter the richness of the curry by using thin or thick coconut flavour, mix chicken pieces with pork ribs. Note however thatt porkk ribs ribs bs will take slightly longer long gerr to to cook to tenderness. chinese heritage

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hainanese DISHES

Hainanese Pork Chops Serves 4 In colonial Singapore, many Hainanese cooks worked as chefs in hotels, clubs or the private homes of Western officials. The Anglicised restaurant and hawker dishes we now call “Western food” largely evolved from these roots. The original version of this dish was likely seasoned with very British condiments such as HP sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Versions that add tomato ketchup to the sauce mix are more common nowadays.

Boneless pork chops 450 g (1 lb)

Sauce

Cornflour (cornstarch) 2 Tbsp Eggs 2, well beaten

Water or light stock (page 33) 150 ml (5 fl oz)

Cream crackers 20, crushed into fine crumbs

Light soy sauce 1 Tbsp

Cooking oil for deep-frying

HP sauce 1 Tbsp

Potatoes 2, peeled, halved and cut into 1-cm (1/2-in) thick slices

Worcestershire sauce 3/4 tsp Sugar 1 tsp

Onion 1, peeled and sliced

Cornflour (cornstarch) 1 tsp

Frozen peas 150 g (51/3 oz), thawed

Salt to taste

1. Mix ingredients for sauce together and set aside. 2. Sandwich pork chops between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, then pound lightly with a meat mallet or rolling pin until meat is barely 1-cm (1/2-in) thick. 3. Dust pork chops evenly with cornflour and let sit for 1 minute. Dip pork chops in beaten egg, then coat with cracker crumbs. Let pork chops stand for 10 minutes for crumb coat to settle. 4. Heat oil in a wok until it shimmers and a light haze forms over it. Gently lower pork chops into hot oil and deep-fry for 4–5 minutes until golden lden brown, turning once. Fry in batches if necessary. Do not crowd wok. Remove pork chops and drain well on paper towels. 5. Drain all but 3 Tbsp oil from wok. Reheat oil and sauté potatoes over medium-low heat for 8–9 minutes, turning frequently, until lightly browned owned and tender. Remove and drain on paper towels. 6. Add onion to oil left in wok and increase heat to medium. m. Fry for 2–3 minutes, until softened and beginning to brown. 7. Stir sauce mixture and peas into onion in wok. Bring to a boil and return potatoes to wok. Lower heat and simmer for 1 minute, stirring, until mixture thickens. Adju Adjust ust seasoning to taste. 8. Slice pork chops and place on a serving plate. Pour sauce piping ce ov over e and er nd d sserve erve pipin i g hot with rice.

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hainanese DISHES

Hainanese Mutton Soup Serves 5–6 On Hainan Island, this dish is traditionally enjoyed during the colder winter months for its tonic and warming properties. The authentic Hainanese recipe, made with meat from young animals of the Dongshan goat breed, is a pale, milky hue—the active lifestyle of these agile mountainliving goats is thought to endow their meat with rich amounts of collagen and protein. As the mutton available in Singapore is stronger-tasting and more likely to come from sheep rather than goats, local versions of this soup have evolved to use heavier seasonings and more herbs to cover up any gamey nuances. This recipe is closer to the Hainan original.

Cooking oil 1 Tbsp

Meat

Ginger 3 slices, bruised

Young goat or spring lamb meat 800 g (13/4 lb)

Garlic 1 clove, halved Red dates 10

Mashed white fermented bean curd (foo yee) 11/2 Tbsp

Chinese angelica (dong kwai ) 3 small fragments

Shaoxing rice wine 2 Tbsp

White peppercorns 1/2 tsp

Light soy sauce 2 tsp

Fresh sugar cane 2 lengths, each about 12-cm (5-in), washed

Sugar 1 tsp

Black fungus 15 g (1/2 oz)

Goat or lamb bones 500 g (1 lb 11/2 oz)

Dried bean curd sheets 40 g (1 /2 oz) 1

Chinese wolfberries (kei chi ) 2 Tbsp Salt to taste

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Broth Water 3 litres (96 fl oz / 12 cups)

1. Start preparations for meat a day ahead. Cut goat or lamb meat into large chunks, about 4-cm (11/2-in) across. Trim off any fat. Wash meat well with lightly salted water, then drain. Combine meat with fermented bean curd, rice wine, light soy sauce and sugar and mix well. Cover and leave to marinate overnight, refrigerated. 2. Make broth. Wash bones and drain. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch bones for 5 minutes, then drain. Combine bones with 3 litres (96 fl oz / 12 cups) fresh water in a clean pot. Bring to a boil, cover pot, leaving lid slightly ajar, lower heat and simmer for 11/2 hours. 3. Set a wok over medium heat. When wok is very hot, swirl in oil, add ginger slices, and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add marinated meat and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until cooked on the outside but not browned. Transfer meat to pot of simmering broth. Add red dates, Chinese angelica, peppercorns and sugar cane. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 2 hours. 4. Soak black fungus in tepid water until softened, then drain and trim off any hard bits. Soak dried bean curd sheets likewise until softened, then drain and cut into 5-cm (2-in) pieces. 5. Add black fungus, bean curd sheets and wolfberries to soup and simmer for 30–45 minutes longer until fungus is soft and tender. Season soup to taste with salt and serve hot.

127( • Gourmet supermarkets and butchers may occasionally carry young goat meat, the most suitable kind of meat for this soup. Failing this, pale pink spring lamb is the most appropriate. Leg, shoulder, breast and neck of lamb are all suitable. Goat meat sold at wet markets may be from older animals and more gamey in taste; sheep mutton will result in a heavy, oily soup. Lamb ribs are fine for the broth. If you can’t get good goat or lamb bones, use pork soft bones instead or alternatively 3 chicken carcasses. • Wet market vegetable stalls sell fresh sugar cane for Chinese soups. If you can’t find it, add 1 Tbsp raw sugar to the broth instead. • The quantity of black fungus and dried bean curd sheets may be adjusted as desired. The black fungus makes the soup taste less oily. Use the thicker, opaque, crumpled-looking type of dried fu bean curd sheets, as these soak up a lot of flavour from the soup. b • If you prefer a stronger herbal flavour, add some or all of these herbs to taste in step 3 with w the red dates and Chinese angelica: cassia; star anise; cloves; liquorice (kum cho) and aastragalus (puk kei ).

hainanese DISHES

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hainanese DISHES

Yi Buah Makes 10 pieces This traditional Hainanese sweetmeat is made and enjoyed on happy occasions such as birthdays and baby’s first month celebrations. Like many Chinese snacks destined for auspicious events, it is decorated with a red dot. Yi buah are made in a few different shapes—round, squarish and pyramidal. There is also a related confection called art buah for which discs of plain dough are steamed or poached and then rolled in the filling mixture. Like yi buah and many other traditional Hainanese cakes, art buah is rarely available commercially today.

Banana leaves as needed

Dough

Red food colouring as needed

Glutinous rice flour 225 g (8 oz)

Filling

Tapioca starch 20 g (2/3 oz) + more for shaping

Ginger 70 g (21/2 oz) Water 2 Tbsp Finely chopped palm sugar (gula melaka) or brown sugar 140 g (5 oz)

Rice flour 15 g ( 1/2 oz) Sugar 2 tsp Fine salt 1/4 tsp

Castor sugar 2 Tbsp

Boiling water 200 ml (6 3/4 fl oz / 4/5 cup)

Grated skinned coconut 250 g (9 oz)

Cooking oil 2 tsp

Toasted white sesame seeds 1 Tbsp

Cold water 2 Tbsp

Chopped roasted peanuts 2 Tbsp

1. Prepare filling. Peel and finely grate ginger, then squeeze to obtain about 50 ml (12/3 fl oz) juice. Combine ginger juice, water, palm sugar or brown sugar and castor sugar in a pan and stir over medium heat until sugars dissolve. Strain mixture into a bowl. 2. Return syrup to a clean pan and stir in grated coconut. Cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring, until coconut has absorbed all the syrup and formed moist clumps and there is no free liquid visible. Transfer filling to a bowl and let cool completely, before stirring in the sesame seeds and peanuts. Keep covered until needed. 3. Prepare dough. Sift glutinous rice flour, tapioca starch and nd rice flour into a bowl, and whisk until well mixed. Stir sugar and salt into boiling water to o dissolve, then pour water into flour mixture. Stir with a spatula until it comes togetherr into a dough. Pour oil and cold water over dough and knead them in with wet hands until ntil dough is smooth. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and let dough stand for 15 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, blanch or steam banana leaves until soft and nd flexible. Cut out 10 circles from leaves, each about 8-cm (3-in) in diameter. Brush circles es with oil and tuck each one into int noa small metal tart tin or muffin cup. (Use individual stand-alone -alone tins, not trays of joined tins.) tins nss.) 5. Divide dough into 10 portions, roughly 45 g (11/2 oz) each. ach. Lightly dust your hands w with ith it h tapioca starch and pat each dough portion into a flat round. with filling un nd. TTop op w ith about 1 Tbsp fil lling ng and bring the sides up to enclose. Pinch to seal, as if you were making ouu we w re m a ing a ro ak rround u d bun orr pa un pauu. Place yi buah in prepared tart tins or cups, seam down. 6. Dip the tip of a round chopstick in colouring and make a do dott in i the em middle iddle of id o eac each ch yi y buah buaah. 7. Steam over high heat for 11–14 minutes until cooked through. rack hrou hr ough ou gh.. Tr gh TTransfer ansf an sfer sf er tto er o a ra ack aand nd d llet et cool for 5 minutes, then brush yi buah very lightly with o oilil tto o gl glos gloss osss th os the he surfac surface. ace. ac e. O Once ncce cooled, store refrigerated until serving time. Let come to temperature before serving. o rroom oom oo m te emp m er e at a ure befo fore fo re e ser e ving er viing g. Yi buah are best eaten the same day they are made. chinese heritage

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hainanese DISHES

Hainanese K aya Makes about 425 ml (14 fl oz) kaya A staple in any coffee shop, to be served on toast or steamed bread with thin slabs of butter. Tinted a lustrous brown with caramelised sugar and rendered smooth by constant stirring, this kaya is sweeter and softer than the more egg-rich Nyonya kaya from which it probably descends; Hainanese cooks may have learnt, and subsequently adapted, the recipe from Peranakan households in which they worked. The hint of salt is important for balancing out the kaya’s sweetness.

Eggs 5 Egg yolks from 3 eggs Coconut cream or thick coconut milk 140 ml (4 2/3 fl oz) Syrup Castor sugar 210 g (7 1/2 oz) Water 150 ml (5 fl oz) Salt 1/8 tsp Pandan leaves 4, washed and cut into small pieces

1. Prepare syrup. In a heavy-based pan, combine 60 g (21/4 oz) of the sugar with 2 Tbsp of the water. Cook over medium heat, swirling the pan instead of stirring, until sugar melts and forms an amber caramel. Do not let it get too dark. Add remaining water to the pan—it will bubble up. When the bubbling has died down, add remaining sugar, salt and pandan leaves. Cover and simmer gently until sugar has fully dissolved. Strain mixture into a bowl, pressing on the pandan leaves to extract all the syrup. 2. Combine eggs, egg yolks and coconut cream or milk in a mixing bowl. Stir with a whisk until smooth. 3. Add warm syrup to egg mixture and stir until well blended. ded. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean, wide, heavy-based pot. 4. Set pot over very low heat and stir constantly with a spatula, patula, spoon or whisk, scraping the pan’s sides and bottom. Kaya will slowly thicken to the consistency of creamy custard over 30–45 minutes. The more consistently you stir, the smoother the kaya will be. 5. If kaya develops lumps or a very grainy texture, let it cool ool to warm, then whizz it in a blender until it smoothens out. 6. Transfer kaya to a very clean airtight jar or container and d let cool completely. Once ccool, ool,l,l cover and store refrigerated. If it has been cooked properly with erly and nd d is only touched w ith h clean, dry utensils, the kaya will keep for at least 3 weeks. eks. ek s.

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hainanese DISHES

Hakk a & foochow DISHES

Red Wine Lees Le Chicken 96 Wine Hakka Rice Wi in Chicken 98 Braised Pork with h Mui Choy 100 Yong Tau Foo 102 Abacus Abac c Beads 104 Foochow Fish Balls 108

Red Wine Lees Chicken Serves 4–5 This typical Foochow delicacy is called hong jao zi in Mandarin. The rich, red coloured dish is flavoured with thick, aromatic fermented red wine lees, which can be purchased from Chinese stores and some supermarkets. Like Hakka rice wine chicken (page 98), this braised dish is commonly prepared for consumption by mothers during the confinement period after childbirth.

Cooking oil 2–3 Tbsp Garlic 4 cloves, peeled and chopped Ginger 5-cm (2-in) knob, peeled and shredded Red rice wine lees (page 35) 1–2 Tbsp Chicken 1, small, about 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz), cleaned and cut into bite-size pieces Water 250 ml (8 fl oz / 1 cup) Sesame oil 3/4 tsp Salt to taste Sugar to taste

1. Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Fry garlic and ginger until fragrant, then add red rice wine lees and fry for about 1 minute more, until paste is fragrant. 2. Add chicken pieces and toss for 45 seconds, until well coated with paste. 3. Add water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Leave to simmer gently for 35–40 minutes, until chicken is cooked and tender. 4. Season with sesame oil, salt and sugar, adjusting seasoning to taste. 5. Dish out and serve hot with rice.

127( • Bottled red wine lees can be found at Chinese dry goods stores es and some supermarkets. However, the fresher, more subtle flavour of home-made red rice wine lees (page 35) is typically superior.

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Hakka & foochow DISHES

Hakk a Rice Wine Chicken Serves 4–5 This simple yet potent dish is redolent of sweet Chinese wine, sesame oil and aromatic ginger. Hakka women often eat this during the confinement period (post-natal care after childbirth) as the wine warms the body and the ginger is said to help dispel wind from the body and prevent aches and pains later in life. The quantity of wine added can be adjusted depending on your taste preference.

Ginger 100 g (31/2 oz), peeled and sliced Chicken 1, small, about 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz), cleaned and cut into bite-size pieces Sesame oil 3–4 Tbsp White rice wine 250 ml (8 fl oz / 1 cup) Water as needed Home-made yellow glutinous rice wine (page 34) 375 ml (12 fl oz / 1 1/2 cups)

1. Using a mortar and pestle, pound ginger slices to a paste, then squeeze out as much juice from the paste as you can. Reserve the ginger pulp and rub juice all over chicken pieces. Cover and let chicken marinate, refrigerated, for 20 minutes. 2. Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add ginger pulp and stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant. 3. Add chicken pieces and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes, until they are browned on all sides. 4. Add white rice wine and bring to a boil. Transfer contents of wok to a pot and add enough water to cover chicken. 5. Cover pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. 6. Add home-made yellow glutinous rice wine and continue another ue to simmer for anoth t er 10 minutes, until chicken is tender. Dish out and serve hot with rice.

127( • If you don’t have home-made yellow glutinous rice wine on hand, you can use purchased yellow glutinous rice wine or ginger-infused rice wine.

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Hakka & foochow DISHES

Br aised Pork witH Mui Choy Serves 4–5 There are two things that Hakka cuisine is indisputably famous for: pork dishes and the use of preserved and pickled ingredients. This rich and comforting stew showcases both. Combining both sweet and salty kinds of preserved mustard cabbage (mui choy) yields a more balanced flavour. You can use pork shoulder for a less fatty result, but the depth of flavour will not be quite the same. This dish tastes better the day after cooking.

Sweet preserved mustard cabbage (teem mui choy) 200 g (7 oz) Salty preserved mustard cabbage (harm mui choy) 200 g (7 oz)

Sugar 1 Tbsp Home-made yellow glutinous rice wine (page 34) 4 Tbsp Light soy sauce 1 Tbsp

Pork belly 600 g (1 lb 51/3 oz)

Dark soy sauce 1 Tbsp

Cooking oil 1 Tbsp

Sesame oil 1/2 tsp

Garlic 4 cloves, peeled and chopped

Water 500 ml (16 fl oz / 2 cups)

Ginger 3 slices

1. Soak sweet and salty preserved mustard cabbage in separate basins of water for 2–3 hours. Drain and rinse well, then squeeze dry. Chop into small strips. 2. Set a dry non-stick pan over medium heat. When hot, add both sweet and salty preserved mustard cabbage to pan and dry-fry, stirring constantly for 4–5 minutes until cabbage looks a little drier. Transfer to a plate and set aside. 3. Cut pork belly into strips about 2-cm ( 3/4-in) wide. Sear pork strips on all sides in the same dry non-stick pan over medium heat, until pork is lightly browned. It will not be cooked through. Let pork cool for a few minutes, then slice strips across into large bite-size pieces. 4. Set a large clean pot over medium heat. Add oil and stir-fry r fry garlic and ginger for 1–2 minutes, until softened and fragrant. 5. Add sugar and glutinous rice wine and stir-fry for a few seconds, until wine has almost all evaporated. Add pork, preserved mustard cabbage, bbage, light and dark soy sauces, sesame oil and water and bring everything to a simmer. Cover and cook over very low heat for at least 2 hours, until pork is meltingly ltingly tender. 6. Skim off excess fat if desired and adjust seasoning. Dish h out and serve hot with rice.

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Hakka & foochow DISHES

Yong Tau Foo Serves 4–6 Different styles of yong tau foo are available in Singapore. The simplest and most popular type, often found in hawker centres and food courts, has white fish paste stuffed into various kinds of bean curd and fresh vegetables such as bitter gourd, chillies and aubergines (eggplants/ brinjals), which are poached and eaten dry or in broth. Traditional Hakka yong tau foo is stuffed with a mixture of minced pork and fish, then deep-fried and braised. Some recipes for the filling include salted fish for an added flavour dimension.

Firm bean curd (tau kwa) 6 pieces

Garlic 3 cloves, peeled and finely chopped

Cooking oil for frying

Salt to taste

Water 375 ml (12 fl oz / 11/2 cups)

Ground white pepper to taste

Spring onion (scallion) 1, chopped

Chinese rice wine 1 Tbsp

Meat Paste

Light soy sauce 1 Tbsp

Dried prawns (shrimps) 1 Tbsp

Cornflour (cornstarch) 2 tsp

Pork belly 400 g (14 1/3 oz)

Sauce

Mackerel fillets 200 g (7 oz)

Oyster sauce 2 Tbsp

Finely chopped shallots 1 Tbsp

Cornflour (cornstarch) 2 tsp, mixed with 2 Tbsp water

1. Cut each bean curd square in half diagonally to get 12 triangles in total. Set aside. 2. Prepare meat paste. Soak dried prawns in lukewarm water for 15 minutes, then drain, pat dry and chop finely. Slice off pork belly skin and discard or save for another use. Dice pork belly with a cleaver, then use repeated chopping motions to mince it coarsely on the chopping board. Remove skin and bones from mackerel fillets, then dice flesh and mince it in the same way. Combine minced pork and fish in a bowl, then add dried prawns, shallots and garlic and mix everything thoroughly. Add salt, pepper, rice wine, light soy sauce and cornflour and mix well. 3. With a small sharp knife, slit a pocket along the longest side of each bean curd triangle. Ensure pocket is large enough to stuff, but do not cut too oo deep into bean curd or it may break. With a teaspoon, scoop some meat paste into nto the pocket in each bean curd triangle, packing it in well and neatly. 4. Heat oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Gently place stuffed bean curd triangles into wok, meat-side down. Fry for about 2 minutes, until til well browned. Turn bean curd and fry both triangular sides for 2 minutes each, until golden olden brown. 5. Add water to the wok and bring to a steady simmer. Cover over and cook for 3–4 minutes, until stuffed triangles are cooked through to their centres. es. Lift out bean curd triangles and arrange on a serving plate. 6. Stir oyster sauce and cornflour slurry into liquid left in wok and simmer, stirring, fo for or several seconds until sauce boils and thickens. Pour sauce over bean garnish with ce o verr be ve b an curd,, g arnish w ith h spring onion and serve hot with rice and other side dishes. hes es. es

127( • Yong tau foo can also be served in soup. Prepare and fry the st stuff stuffed uffed uff ed bea bean n curd curd u as as ab above ove v un until ntilill st step ep 5, 5, atterr for 8 hou hours, rrs, s, th tthen en dra raain and a co ccombine mbine mbi e but omit the sauce. Soak 200 g (7 oz) soy beans in ample water drain chovi ch ovi v es e and d 1. 1 1.5 5 llitres itrres e (48 fl oz / 6 cups ccups) up p ) with 400 g (14 1/3 oz) chicken bones, 50 g (12/3 oz) dried anchovies ans n have softened. Strain th the e water. Simmer over low heat, covered, for 2 hours or until soyy bea beans broth, season to taste and serve with the stuffed bean curd. chinese heritage

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Hakka & foochow DISHES

Abacus Beads Serves 6–8 Also known as suan pan zi in Chinese, these dimpled doppelgängers for the clacking beads in a Chinese abacus are an emblematic Hakka specialty. Originally prepared at Chinese New Year for both family meals and offerings, but now enjoyed all year round, these abacus beads have a unique fudgy-soft-chewy texture from the combination of mashed taro and tapioca starch. When buying taro, make sure it is very fresh and firm as old or poor-quality taro may make the beads mealy or fragile in texture. Mature taro that is already quite starchy will need less added starch—perhaps half the mashed taro's weight in tapioca starch, instead of two-thirds.

Pork 150 g (51/3 oz)

Ground white pepper 1/2 tsp

Shaoxing rice wine 1 Tbsp

Cooking oil for kneading

Dried shiitake mushrooms 8

Sauce

Dried cuttlefish 80 g (24/5 oz) Dried prawns (shrimps) 2 Tbsp

Light stock (page 33) or water 150 ml (5 fl oz)

Cooking oil 2 Tbsp

Light soy sauce 11/2 Tbsp

Shallots 2, peeled and finely chopped

Fish sauce 1 Tbsp

Garlic 3 cloves, peeled and finely chopped

Sugar 1 tsp

Abacus Beads

Sesame oil 1/2 tsp

Taro 500 g (1 lb 11/2 oz)

Garnishes

Tapioca starch as needed

Chopped spring onion (scallion)

Salt /2 tsp

Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

1

Sugar /4 tsp 3

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Hakka & foochow DISHES

1. Prepare abacus beads. Wash taro and peel skin. Slice taro across into 3-cm (1-in) thick rounds. Place rounds on a steamer tray in a single layer and steam over high heat for 15–20 minutes until tender throughout. 2. Transfer steamed taro to a large mixing bowl and while still hot, mash with a wooden pestle, potato masher or a heavy balloon whisk until taro is smooth. 3. Weigh taro mash. You should have between 300 g (11 oz) and 400 g (14 1/3 oz) mash. Measure out tapioca starch that is two-thirds the weight of the taro mash and add to taro mash with salt, sugar and pepper. 4. With a large wooden spoon or spatula, work everything together to make a firm dough the consistency of plasticine. If it seems too dry, add a little water as needed. When it has cooled to warm, turn it out onto an oiled surface and knead it with oiled hands to help it smoothen out. 5. Pinch off 2 balls of dough the size of small plums and flatten them into patties. Drop them into a pot of boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes or until patties are translucent. Scoop them out of the water and straight away, while they are hot, knead them back into the main dough until they have dispersed. The dough will feel smoother. 6. Divide dough into balls the size of large grapes. Roll them between oiled hands to make them even. (If dough cracks, knead boiling water into dough 1 Tbsp at a time until it is smooth enough not to crack.) Flatten each ball slightly and dent its centre with the tip of a chopstick. 7. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Slip in abacus beads. They will sink. When they float to the surface of the water, leave them to cook for another 20 seconds, then lift them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of cool water. Cook all the beads likewise, in batches to avoid crowding the pot. 8. Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. 9. Slice pork into thin shreds about 4-cm (11/2-in) long. Mix with rice wine and set aside. 10. Soak dried mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes, then rinse, pat dry and slice very thinly with a sharp knife. Soak dried cuttlefish in lukewarm water for 20 minutes or until pliable, then cut in half lengthwise, removing bony central strip, then cut flesh into 3-cm (1-in) long slivers with kitchen scissors. Soak dried prawns in lukewarm water for 15 minutes, then drain, pat dry and coarsely chop. 11. Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute until softened and fragrant. Add cuttlefish and dried prawns and fry for 1 minute. Add pork and its wine marinade and dried mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes more. 12. Add sauce mixture to wok. Turn heat to high and bring sauce to a boil. Drain abacus beads and add them to wok. Fry until all the liquid in the wok has been reduced to a thick glaze coating all the ingredients. The beads should be moist and not dry. 13. Dish out and garnish with chopped spring onion and coriander. Serve immediately.

127( • Do not let the cooked abacus beads stand for too long in the cool water. For the best texture and flavour, stir-fry them as soon as possible after they have been boiled. If this is not possible, drain the beads once they have all been cooked, toss with a few drops of oil to prevent them sticking together, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until needed.

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Hakka & foochow DISHES

Foochow Fish Balls Makes 15–18 large fish balls Fuzhou is famous for its culinary specialty yu wan, otherwise known as fish balls. Squeezed into shape from firm white fish meat minced and beaten into a springy, fluffy paste, yu wan may be plain or stuffed with different fillings made of contrasting ingredients—pork, prawns (shrimps), other kinds of fish—and served simply in a clear broth or threaded on skewers. In Singapore, the pork-stuffed kind are the most familiar at Foochow eateries. Cook them gently and do not over-boil them to ensure they remain juicy inside and out.

Fish Paste Fish meat (see Note) 375 g (13 2/5 oz), cut into small scraps and chunks Salt 3/4 tsp Egg white 11/2 Tbsp Ice-cold water 120 ml (4 fl oz / 1/2 cup) Potato starch 2 Tbsp Tapioca starch 1 Tbsp Filling Minced pork 100 g Light soy sauce 1/2 tsp Sesame oil 1/4 tsp Sugar 1/4 tsp Potato starch 1/2 tsp Salted Water Salt 2 tsp Lukewarm water 500 ml (16 fl oz / 2 cups)

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Hakka & foochow DISHES

1. Prepare fish paste. Toss fish meat with salt until well mixed, then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer until fish is cold and firm but not frozen solid. 2. Combine cold fish meat with egg white in a food processor. Pulse until fish is finely minced, then add 1 Tbsp of the ice-cold water and process at medium speed. Stop processing when fish paste looks smooth and cohesive. Scrape fish paste into a clean bowl. 3. Mix potato starch and tapioca starch to a smooth paste with remaining ice-cold water, then pour it over fish paste and knead in thoroughly. 4. Scoop up fish paste with a wet hand and throw it back into the bowl to compact it. Repeat this 30–40 times, until paste feels dense and forms a ball. Scrape paste into a plastic bag, press out the air, seal the bag and chill for at least 30 minutes. 5. Combine ingredients for filling and stir until smooth and well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. 6. Prepare salted water. Dissolve salt in lukewarm water in a bowl. 7. Prepare fish balls. Roll filling into small balls the size of large peas or beans. With wet hands, roll a generous tablespoonful of fish paste into a ball, then make a deep dent in the ball with your thumb. Place a ball of filling into the dent, pinch fish paste to enclose the ball and seal. Place finished fish ball in salted water. Make all fish balls likewise. 8. Bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add fish balls to pot and poach for 8–9 minutes until cooked through. Water may not return to a simmer until near the end of the cooking—this is fine. Scoop out fish balls. If not using or serving them immediately, transfer fish balls to a bowl of fresh warm water and let stand until needed.

127( • Different fish can be used to make the fish ball paste. Among the most popular are mackerel, yellowtail and lizardfish (sai toh yu). Whichever fish you use, fillet it, then scrape the remaining scraps of flesh off the skin and bones with a sharp-edged spoon or knife. Pick through the flesh again to make sure there are no bones. • For the best flavour and texture, cook and consume the fish balls as soon as possible after making them. • The water used for cooking the fish balls can be strained and used as a base for stock. • Vary the filling by replacing half the minced pork with minced prawns.

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Hakka & foochow DISHES

hokkien DISHES

Char Kway Teow 114 Hokkien Mee 116 Fragrant Glutinous Rice 118 Hae Mee 122 Tauyu Bak 124 Bak Kut Teh 126 Duck and Kiam Chye Soup 128 Green Bean Soup 130

Char Kway Teow Serves 2–3 This dish of fried noodles is difficult to perfect, but the final product is totally worth the effort! High heat, a well-seasoned wok and lard are stepping stones to perfection: the more times you cook this, the more attuned your eye and hand will become to the short successive frying stages for the different ingredients. The rice wine is not traditional, but it helps to flame the noodles in a home kitchen—the powerful flames of a hawker wok need no such assistance.

Chinese sausage (lup cheong) 1

Kway teow (fresh broad rice noodles) 500 g (1 lb 11/2 oz)

Chinese chives (ku cai ) 4 stalks, cut into 4-cm (11/2-in) lengths

Fresh Hokkien noodles 100 g (31/2 oz)

All-purpose chilli sauce (page 30) 1 Tbsp or to taste

Liquid lard (page 32) or cooking oil 2–3 Tbsp

Crispy lard cubes (page 32) 2 Tbsp

Garlic 4 cloves, peeled and finely chopped

Eggs 2, lightly beaten

Rice wine 1 Tbsp

Sauce

Shelled and cleaned blood cockles (optional) 100 g (31/2 oz)

Superior thick dark soy sauce 21/2 Tbsp

Fried fishcake 100 g (31/2 oz), thinly sliced

Fish sauce 2 tsp

Bean sprouts 200 g (7 oz), tails trimmed

Brown sugar or chopped palm sugar (gula melaka) 1 Tbsp

Superior light soy sauce 1 Tbsp

1. Mix all ingredients for sauce together until sugar dissolves. Set aside. 2. Thinly slice Chinese sausage on a diagonal, then blanch slices in boiling water for 10 seconds. Drain and set aside. 3. Loosen kway teow and Hokkien noodles with your fingers to separate any clumps. 4. Set a wok over very high heat. Swirl lard or oil into wok, then add garlic and fry for 20 seconds until softened and beginning to brown. 5. Add both types of noodles and stir-fry about 1 minute until noodles are heated through. Add rice wine to wok and let it flame up so the noodless scorch a little and take on a smoky flavour. 6. Add blanched Chinese sausages, cockles and fishcake to o wok and fry for 30–45 seconds. 7. Add sauce mixture to wok and toss well. Add bean sprouts, outs, chives, chilli sauce and crispy lard cubes and fry until bean sprouts are nearly done. one. 8. Drizzle eggs over noodles and toss until eggs are softly set. Dish up and serve immediately.

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Hokkien Mee Serves 3–4 Traditional Hokkien mee is made with flat yellow noodles. The Singaporean variation is made with round noodles, has a paler gravy based on a rich stock, and is served with sambal belacan. Known colloquially as Rochor mee, it was popularised by street hawkers in the Rochor Road area in the late 1800s and well into the 1970s. These days, many food stalls use fresh laksa bee

hoon instead of thin dried bee hoon, which gives the dish a wetter texture.

Squid 1, medium

Bean sprouts 200 g (7 oz)

Light pork or chicken stock (page 33) or water 500 ml (16 fl oz / 2 cups)

Chinese chives (ku cai ) 10, cut into 4-cm (11/2-in) lengths

Lean pork 100 g (31/2 oz)

Salt to taste

Belly pork 100 g (3 /2 oz)

Ground white pepper to taste

Prawns (shrimps) 200 g (7 oz)

Light soy sauce to taste

Bee hoon (dried fine vermicelli) 80 g (2 4/5 oz)

Garnishes

1

Liquid lard (page 32) or cooking oil 3 Tbsp

Crispy lard cubes (page 32) as desired

Garlic 4 cloves, peeled and minced

Sliced red chillies in light soy sauce as desired

Fresh Hokkien noodles 400 g (14 1/3 oz)

Sambal chilli as desired

Eggs 2, beaten

Calamansi limes 6–8, halved

1. To clean squid, pull out tentacles and head. Cut off head below the eyes. Discard head and mouthparts, saving only the tentacles. Peel skin off body tube and discard, along with everything inside tube. Rinse squid tube and tentacles and cut into bite-size slivers. Set aside. 2. Bring stock or water to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add lean and belly pork and poach for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, cover pot and let pork stand for 15 minutes. Remove pork from stock and slice thinly. Set aside. 3. Peel prawns, keeping tails intact. Set prawns aside. Add d prawn heads and shells to stock. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, half-covered, Strain ed, for 20 minutes. Str t ain stock through a fine-mesh sieve. 4. Rinse bee hoon, but do not soak. Set aside. 5. Set a wok over high heat. When hot, add lard or oil and d swirl wok. Immediately add garlic and fry for 10 seconds, then fluff and loosen Hokkien noodles oodles and add to wok. Fry for 30–45 seconds, until noodles are very hot and starting to look dry. Pour in beaten egg and stir-fry until egg clumps are just set. Transfer noodles and nd eggs to a plate. 6. Add sliced pork, prawns and squid and fry for 30 seconds half-cooked. ds until prawns are half-cooked ed d. 7. Add bee hoon to wok and stir well. Add about 300 ml (10 10 fl o ozz / 11/4 ccups) ups) s) sstock tock and nd ffry ryy vigorously. The vermicelli will absorb the stock quickly and more stock nd d ssoften. ofte of t n. n SSprinkle p inkle in pr nm ore st stoc ock oc as necessary. 8. Return noodles and eggs to wok and toss until well mixed. Add bean sprouts chives xed. d. A dd bea e n sp ea spro rout ro utss an ut and d ch chiv ives iv ess and fry for several seconds more until they just wilt. There no liquid, ere sshould ho h ouulld be en o vi vvisible isi sibl ble bl e liliq quuid q id,, bu butt the noodles should be moist and fragrant. 9. Season with salt, pepper and light soy sauce to taste. Serve immediately garnishes. erve im immediatel ly with gar rni nish shess. sh chinese heritage

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hokkien DISHES

Fr agr ant Glutinous Rice Serves 4–6 Also known as Hokkien oil rice (you png), this is a quintessential Hokkien dish for special occasions and celebrations. This dish tastes good at any temperature—hot, warm or cooled—and thus makes a good picnic food and snack as well. Do not be tempted to use ready-made fried shallots in oil despite the convenience, as the flavour of freshly fried shallots is part of what makes this dish really sing.

White glutinous rice 500 g (1 lb 11/2 oz)

Garnishes

Dried shiitake mushrooms 8

Sliced red chillies as desired

Pork shoulder with some fat 140 g (5 oz)

Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) or Chinese celery leaves as desired

Superior light soy sauce 11/2 Tbsp

Chopped spring onions (scallions) as desired

Superior dark soy sauce 11/2 Tbsp

Boiled or stewed peanuts as desired

Dried prawns (shrimps) 40 g (1 /3 oz) 1

Shaoxing rice wine 1 Tbsp Cooking oil 125 ml (4 fl oz / 1/2 cup) Shallots 6, peeled and thinly sliced Ginger 4 slices Finely chopped garlic 1 Tbsp

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1. Wash glutinous rice well and drain. Cover with fresh water and let soak for at least 4 hours, then drain well. Spread out on a tray to dry out slightly. 2. Cover dried mushrooms with some lukewarm water and soak for 40 minutes, then drain, reserving water. Cut off mushroom stems and slice caps into thin strips. 3. Cover dried prawns with water and soak for 15 minutes, then drain, reserving water. Coarsely chop soaked dried prawns. 4. Combine soaking liquid from mushrooms and dried prawns and strain. Measure and top up with fresh water, if needed, to get 600 ml (20 fl oz) water in total. 5. Slice pork into thin strips. Mix with light and dark soy sauces and rice wine, cover and leave to marinate at cool room temperature for 20 minutes. 6. Heat oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add shallots and fry, stirring very frequently, until shallots are golden brown. Scoop shallots out and place on paper towels to drain. 7. Scoop 5 Tbsp oil from frying shallots into a wok. Set over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic and fry for 45 seconds until fragrant. 8. Drain pork, reserving marinade. Add pork to wok and stir-fry for 1 minute. 9. Add glutinous rice to wok and stir-fry gently for 1 minute. Add liquid from soaking dried prawns and mushrooms and pork marinade and stir well. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium. Cover wok and cook for 5–8 minutes until no more liquid is visible. Turn heat to low, cover wok tightly and let rice cook until tender, a further 10–14 minutes. 10. Turn rice out onto a serving platter and sprinkle with fried shallots and garnishes. Serve hot.

127( • Instead of cooking the rice directly in the wok, you can steam it, which makes it slightly more moist and sticky. In this case, measure out only 400 ml (13 1/3 fl oz) of the combined dried prawns and mushroom soaking liquid and add it to the wok in step 9. co Cook uncovered until all the liquid has been absorbed, then scoop the rice into a round C cake ca tin or wide, shallow porcelain bowl, spread it out evenly, and steam over high heat for fo 15–20 minutes until it is done.

hokkien DISHES

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hokkien DISHES

Hae Mee Serves 3–4 Originally from Xiamen in Fujian province, this recipe for hae mee or prawn noodles is not quick or simple to make, but your labour will be rewarded with an utterly satisfying meal. The ideal

hae mee should boast a broth that looks deceptively plain and brown, but is richly resonant with the flavours of pork and prawns (shrimps). Its surface should be dotted with islands of oil tinted red from the prawn shells. You can add a pig’s tail to the stock in step 1 to give it more body.

Pork ribs 250 g (9 oz)

Salt to taste

Water 1.5 litres (48 fl oz / 6 cups)

Fresh Hokkien noodles 500 g (1 lb 11/2 oz)

Lean pork 250 g (9 oz)

Bean sprouts 180 g (61/2 oz)

Medium-size prawns (shrimps) 300 g (11 oz) Liquid lard (page 32) or cooking oil 2 Tbsp

Kangkong (water spinach) 100 g (3 1/2 oz), Spring cut into 4-cm (11/2-in) lengths

Crushed rock sugar 2 Tbsp

Garnishes

Garlic 2 cloves, peeled and sliced

Crisp-fried shallots as desired

White peppercorns /4 tsp

Chopped spring onions (scallions) as desired

Superior light soy sauce 2 tsp or to taste

Crispy lard cubes (page 32) as desired

Superior dark soy sauce 2 tsp or to taste

Sliced red chillies in light soy sauce as desired

1

1. Rinse pork ribs with boiling water and drain well. Place ribs with 1.5 litres (48 fl oz / 6 cups) fresh water in a large pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat and simmer for 40 minutes. 2. Add lean pork to pot and simmer for another 30 minutes until lean pork is tender. Let stock cool in the pot, then strain it, reserving lean pork. Discard ribs if they have no more flavour. Slice lean pork thinly. 3. Slit prawns along their backs and remove threadlike black intestines. Remove and reserve heads and shells. Wash prawn bodies, pat dry and set aside in the refrigerator. 4. Heat lard or oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. When very hot, add prawn headss and shells to wok and fry for 1 minute, then add rock sugar, ugar, garlic and peppercorns. Stirfry for another 2–3 minutes until prawn heads and shells ls are deep red in colour and sugar has caramelised slightly. 5. Pour strained stock into wok and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Strain stock through a cloth-lined sieve into o a clean pot, pressing on the heads and shells to extract as much stock as possible. Season with soy sauces and salt. Bring to a boil, add prawns and blanch until just cooked. d. Lift out prawns with a slotted d spoon and set aside. Keep stock on the simmer. 6. Bring a fresh pot of water to the boil. Blanch noodles until ntil heated through, then drain aand nd d divide among serving bowls. Top with prawns. 7. Using the same pot of hot water, blanch bean sprouts an and nd ka kangkong kang ngko ng kongg for o a few ew secon seconds, ndss, until just done. Divide vegetables and cooked prawns among mong sserving mo ervi vviing g bowls. Pour hot ot stock over the ingredients. Serve immediately with garnishes. nish shes sh es. es

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hokkien DISHES

Tauyu Bak Serves 4–5 This dish of braised pork in soy sauce is a southern Chinese stew that is primal in its simplicity. Different versions can be found in the Chinese diaspora across South East Asia. Rubbing the pork with five-spice powder before frying allows the spices to toast in the hot oil and caramelised sugar, bringing out their fragrance. Using home-made five-spice powder makes a world of difference. Like most stews, it tastes better when a day or two old.

Pork belly 500 g (1 lb 11/2 oz) Superior thick dark soy sauce 3 Tbsp Five-spice powder (page 31) 1 tsp Cooking oil 2 Tbsp Sugar 2 Tbsp Garlic 4 cloves, unpeeled Superior light soy sauce 2 Tbsp Water 300 ml (10 fl oz / 11/4 cups) Salt to taste

1. Scrape pork belly skin with a sharp knife to remove any bristles. Wash well and pat dry, then cut into chunks about 4-cm (11/2-in) wide. Bring a pot of water to the boil and blanch pork belly chunks for 1 minute, then drain well. Pat chunks dry and mix well with 1 Tbsp thick dark soy sauce and five-spice powder. Cover and let marinate for 30 minutes in a cool place. 2. Heat oil and sugar together in a wok or large pot over medium heat, swirling the pan instead of stirring. When sugar has caramelised to an amber colour, add pork belly chunks. Be careful as it will splutter. Fry for 1 minute, turning the chunks to coat them with the caramel. 3. Add remaining thick dark soy sauce and all other ingredients dients to the pot. Bring to a boil, half-cover and lower heat to maintain a simmer. There should be only just enough liquid to bathe the pork. It should not be swimming in liquid. Cook for 1–11/2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until pork is fork-tender. 4. Adjust seasoning with salt, sugar or light soy sauce as desired. Skim off oil from the gravy if there is too much. Serve hot with rice or Chinese steamed amed buns.

127( • You can add shelled hard-boiled eggs, firm bean curd (tau kwa wa) or fried bean curd puffs (tau po ppokk) to the pot for the last 40 minutes of cooking, if desired. • If you prefer a heavier spice fragrance, add 2 cinnamon sticks, pot s,, 5 cloves cllove ovess and a 1 star t anise a ise an i to the ep ot ot in step 3.

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hokkien DISHES

Bak Kut Teh Serves 3–4 Although there are now different dialectal versions of it—and in fact, the clear Teochew rendition is the most widely available in Singapore—bak kut teh is originally a Hokkien dish. Rather than using commercially-prepared bak kut teh spice sachets, which often overdo the pepper, assemble your own spice mix for a fresher and more satisfying result.

Cooking oil or liquid lard (page 32) 1 Tbsp

Spices

Castor sugar 1 /2 Tbsp

Broken cinnamon stick fragments 1 Tbsp

Water 3 litres (96 fl oz / 12 cups)

White peppercorns 3/4 tsp

Garlic 14 cloves, whole and unpeeled

Black peppercorns 3/4 tsp

Meaty pork ribs 800 g (1 /4 lb)

Sichuan peppercorns 1/4 tsp

Light soy sauce 11/2 Tbsp

Cloves 2

Thick dark soy sauce 2 tsp

Star anise 4 petals

Salt to taste

Garnishes

1

3

Sliced red chillies in dark soy sauce as desired Coriander leaves (cilantro) as desired

1. Combine spices and tie up in a muslin bag or a piece of muslin cloth. Set aside. 2. Combine oil and sugar in a wok or heavy-based pot. Cook over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, swirling the wok occasionally, until sugar has melted and caramelised, forming brown globules. Immediately add water—it will sizzle—then garlic cloves and spice bag. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cover. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. 3. Blanch pork ribs in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then rinse under running water and drain well. Add to spiced broth with light and dark soy sauces and simmer for about 90 minutes, until meat is tender. Adjust seasoning with salt and more soy sauce or sugar to taste. Turn off heat, cover pot tightly and let stand undisturbed for 15 minutes. 4. Transfer ribs to a serving tureen. Skim off excess fat, then fineen strain broth through a fine mesh sieve (line with cloth for the clearest broth) and pour over ribs. Serve hot with garnishes, rice and/or toasted yu tiao (fried crullers) and d a pot of Chinese tea e on the side.

127( • The fat, thicker-skinned cloves of older garlic—as opposed to young garlic’s small cloves—are the best for this dish. • Proper bak kut teh stalls offer a variety of different pork cuts, braised in the master broth. They may include intestines, trotters, skin, belly, cartilage, and so on. If you choose to use these cuts at ho home, ome, e,, make sure they are well cleaned, and blanch them in boiling water before simmering them in the e broth until done to your liking. • For a Teochew-style bak kut teh, omit the caramelised sugar, both botth soy soy sauces, Sic SSichuan huan hua np peppercorns, epperc ercorn erc orns, orn s,, cloves and star anise. Increase the white peppercorns to 1 tsp. p p. • For a more pronounced herbal flavour in the Cantonese style, ad add bundle: dd th tthese hese tto o the the spice e bundle dle:: 1 Tb dle Tbsp sp p sliced Chinese angelica (dong kwai), 1 Tbsp Solomon’s seal (yo yokk ch chok ok) shav shavings, hav a ing av ings, s,, 1 Tbsp Tbsp p Chi Chinese ines nese e wolfberries (kei chi), 1 Tbsp rehmannia root (sok tei) pieces, a 5-c 5-cm cm ((2-in) 2-in) 2-i n) len n) length e gth th of co codon codonopsis donop don ops psis is roo ro root oott (tong sam) and a 3-cm (1-in) square piece of dried tangerine pe peel. el

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hokkien DISHES

Duck and Kiam Chye Soup Serves 5–6 Savoury, sour and soulful, this soup features in the food repertoire of more than one dialect group—the Teochews and Hokkiens both have their own versions, as do the Peranakan Chinese. It is a typical southern Chinese strategy to use pickled or preserved vegetables as a foil for rich meats. Here, the slow simmering mellows the robust tang of the salted vegetable (kiam chye) and the gamy duck, each flavour taming the other to achieve a deep and soothing result.

Duck 1, about 1.75–2 kg (3 lb 14 oz–4 lb 6 oz), cleaned Salt 1 Tbsp Meaty pork ribs 250 g (9 oz) Ginger 3 thick slices, bruised Water 3 litres (96 fl oz / 12 cups) Salted vegetable (kiam chye) 500 g (1 lb 11/2 oz), washed well, drained and soaked in water for 30 minutes Wet salted plums (sng boey) 3 Dried sour fruit (asam gelugor) 3 slices Firm-ripe tomatoes 5, cut into quarters Salt to taste Sugar to taste

1. With a small, sharp knife, remove tail, skin and as much fat as possible from duck. Cut duck into large serving pieces. Rub duck pieces all over with salt, then rinse very ork ribs. well. Trim off and discard any large fat nuggets from pork 2. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Blanch pork and duck pieces for 2 minutes, then drain well. 3. Combine duck, pork ribs, ginger and 3 litres (96 fl oz / 12 cups) fresh water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower heat,, half-cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. 4. Drain soaked salted vegetable well, squeezing it gently dry. Slice into thick strips and add to pot with salted plums and dried sour fruit. Simmer until er for another 45 minutes or unti til ti meats are very tender. 5. Add tomatoes to pot and cook for another 15 minutes, until to tomatoes soft. oma m toes are just soft ft. ft Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and sugar. Serve hot. t..

127( • For an extra aromatic kick, add a quarter or half a small nutmeg eg to to the th pot ott in n st sstep ep 3. For or ev even ven more oomph, stir in a splash of brandy just before serving.

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hokkien DISHES

Green Bean Soup Serves 4–6 A classic cooling soup. Feathery fresh rue leaves (chou cao) aren’t easy to get—look for them at the herb stalls in Chinatown Complex market or in pots at plant nurseries—but they really make a difference to the taste of this sweet soup. Although rue smells cheesily pungent when fresh, it transforms in the soup, imparting a fresh, peachy aroma to it.

Whole green mung beans 200 g (7 oz) Water 2 litres (64 fl oz / 8 cups) Fresh rue (optional) 2 sprigs Dried tangerine peel 2–3 pieces, or about half a tangerine’s worth Finely crushed rock sugar 125 g (41/2 oz) or to taste

1. Pick the green beans over to get rid of any grit, then wash well and drain. Cover with ample lukewarm water and let soak for 4 hours. 2. Drain beans well, then combine with 2 litres (64 fl oz / 8 cups) fresh water in a large pot. Slowly bring to a boil over medium-low heat. (This will take a while, but will give the soup a better texture.) 3. Cover pot, reduce heat to low and simmer beans for 20–25 minutes, stirring gently occasionally, until beans are soft but still whole. 4. Rinse rue and add to pot with tangerine peel and simmer uncovered for another 15–20 minutes or until beans are starting to break down. Turn off heat when the consistency is as coarse or smooth as you like it. 5. Add rock sugar and stir until dissolved. Serve hot or cold.

127( • Another traditional addition to this soup is dried kelp, which you can get from Chinese dry goods shops or Japanese supermarkets (where it will be labelled konbu nbu or kombu). Soak 50 g (1 2/3 oz) off kelp in lukewarm water for 30 minutes, then drain and cut it into thin strips with scissors. Add it to the pot in step 3. Dried kelp adds a complex undertone to the e soup’s flavour. • You can also add some sago pearls for a delicious textural contrast. ntrast. Soak the pearls in lukewarm water for 10 minutes, then drain and add to the soup in step 4 with the tangerine peel.

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hokkien DISHES

teochew DISHES

Bak CChor Mee 134 Dry Noodles with Fish balls 136 Potato Teochew Sweet Pota ato Congee 138 Oyster Omelette 140 Braised Duck 142 Teochew Brai i Teochew Steamed Pomfret 144 Ngoh Hiang 146 Ng Soon Kueh 148 Chwee Kueh 150 Orh Nee 152 Lotus Seed Dessert 154

Bak Chor Mee Serves 4–5 A humble dish that ascends to heaven when all its components are in balance. Adjust the condiments in the sauce mix to suit your palate; the dressed mee should be salty-sour-spicy and fragrant from the lard. If you are able to find good dried sole fish pieces (tee poh), wipe these with damp paper towels to remove dust, then deep-fry until browned and crispy to make a wonderful garnish for the mee.

Minced pork with some fat 180 g (6 1/2 oz)

Sauce

Lean pork 150 g (5 /3 oz), thinly sliced

All-purpose chilli sauce (page 30) 3 Tbsp or to taste

1

Pork liver 100 g (3 1/2 oz), well washed and thinly sliced

Chinkiang black vinegar 3 Tbsp

Mee pok or mee kia 450 g (1 lb)

Superior light soy sauce 2 Tbsp

Pork Stock

Fish sauce 2 tsp

Pork bones with some meat 400 g (14 1/3 oz)

Liquid lard (page 32) 2 tsp

Water 1.25 litres (40 fl oz / 5 cups)

Ground white pepper 1/2 tsp

Braised Mushrooms

Garnishes

Dried shiitake mushrooms 6

Sliced red chillies or bird’s eye chillies

Warm water 220 ml (7 1/3 fl oz)

Crispy lard cubes (page 32)

Superior light soy sauce 1 Tbsp

Crisp-fried shallots

Superior thick dark soy sauce 2 tsp

Coriander leaves (cilantro)

Brown sugar 11/2 tsp

Lettuce leaves or blanched green vegetables Light soy sauce and additional vinegar

1. Prepare pork stock. Rinse pork bones with boiling water and drain. Combine bones with 1.25 litres (40 fl oz / 5 cups) fresh water in a pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 11/2 hours, then strain stock into a clean pot. 2. Prepare braised mushrooms. Soak dried mushrooms in warm water for 15 minutes, then drain, reserving soaking water. Cut off mushroom stems and slice caps into thin strips. Strain soaking water and combine with mushrooms ms and 100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz) pork stock in a small pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-low w heat and cook, covered, for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Add both soy oy sauces and sugar and simmer for another few minutes, uncovered, until there is only a little gravy left. 3. Mix all ingredients for sauce together and set aside. 4. Bring remaining pork stock to a simmer. Add minced pork, ork, lean pork and liver to stockk and poach for 1 minute or until just cooked through. Drain ain and set aside. 5. Loosen noodles with your fingers to shake out any clumps, blanch pot mp ps, then the h n bl b anch in a fresh po ot of boiling water until done to your liking. Drain well. 6. Divide noodles, cooked meats, sauce mixture, mushroom m sslices liice c s and a little of the mushroom gravy among serving bowls and toss well to o mix. mix. Serve Serve ve iimmediately m edia mm iatelyy ia with garnishes. Serve pork stock on the side as soup.

127( • Make this dish more luxurious by adding fish balls, pork balls, wonto wontons n nss or nto o prawns (shrimps). ). chinese heritage

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teochew DISHES 

Dry Noodles with Fish balls Serves 3–4 Many food stalls selling this dish no longer add lard to the sauce mixture for health reasons. But if you only indulge once in a while, try it the old-fashioned way, as the lard adds immeasurable flavour. If you like, you can shape half the fish paste into patties, deep-fry them until golden, then slice them into the noodles, so there will be two different textures of fish balls.

Mee kia or mee pok 400 g (141/3 oz)

Garnishes

Fish Balls

Bean sprouts as desired, blanched for 3 seconds in boiling water and drained

Fish paste (page 108) Salt 2 tsp

Salted preserved cabbage (tung chai ) as desired, rinsed, patted dry and chopped

Lukewarm water 500 ml (16 fl oz / 2 cups)

Crispy lard cubes (page 32) as desired

Sauce

Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) as desired

Light soy sauce 3 Tbsp or to taste All-purpose chilli sauce (page 30) 11/2 Tbsp or to taste Liquid lard (page 32) 2 tsp Dark soy sauce 1 tsp

Chopped spring onions (scallions) as desired Crisp-fried shallots as desired Sliced red chillies or bird’s eye chillies as desired

Black vinegar 1 tsp or to taste Sesame oil 1/2 tsp

1. Make fish paste as for Foochow fish ball recipe up to the end of step 4. Bag and chill the fish paste for 30 minutes. 2. Dissolve salt in lukewarm water in a wide, shallow bowl. Lightly oil your hands. Grab mb and forefinger to form a a handful of fish paste in one hand, then curl your thumb tight O shape and squeeze some paste through this to make a smooth, round ball ou make them, place balls in about 2.5-cm (1-in) wide. Make all balls likewise. As you the bowl of salted lukewarm water. dium heat. Add fish balls to 3. Bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer over medium water and cook for 6–8 minutes until fish balls float to the surface and are cooked resh warm water. through. Scoop out fish balls and transfer to a bowl of fresh 4. Mix all ingredients for sauce together and set aside. odles with your fingers to 5. Bring a pot of fresh water to a vigorous boil. Loosen noodles shake out any clumps, then blanch for 20–30 seconds orr until done to your liking. Drain well and divide among serving bowls. ls aand nd ttoss osss we w 6. Divide sauce mixture and fish balls among serving bowls wellll with noodles to mix. Serve immediately with garnishes.

127( • For the best flavour and texture, cook and consume the fish bal balls a lss as a soon soo oon as as p possible oss s ible afte after fterr fte making them.

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teochew DISHES 

Teochew Sweet Potato CONGEE Serves 4 Unlike the thick creamy-smooth Cantonese-style congee, Teochew congee is more watery, with rice grains that are soft but still distinct and whole. Sweet potatoes are sometimes added for their natural sweetness and a contrasting texture. This congee is accompanied by an assortment of small dishes such as pickled/salted vegetables, salted egg and preserved radish (chai poh) omelette. Teochew restaurants or hawker stalls selling congee typically offer a large selection of side dishes, including such items as steamed pomfret (page 144) and tauyu bak (page 124), fried fish, stir-fried minced pork, and many more.

Long grain rice (Thai jasmine rice or other high-quality long grain rice) 200 g (7 oz) Sweet potato (orange or yellow) 1, large Water about 1 litre (32 fl oz / 4 cups), depending on preferred softness of congee

1. Rinse rice 2–4 times or until the water runs almost clear. Set aside. 2. Peel sweet potato and cut into large bite-size pieces. Bring a small pot of water to a simmer, then add sweet potato and cook for 10 minutes over medium-low heat, until sweet potato is almost done. Drain and set aside. 3. In a clean pot, combine washed rice and about 1 litre (32 fl oz / 4 cups) fresh water. Over high heat, bring rice to a rolling boil. Leave pot uncovered or half covered, but be careful not to let it boil over. 4. Add sweet potato to rice, lower heat slightly to maintain a steady gentle boil, and cook for about 15 minutes, until rice grains are soft, the sweet potato is tender, and the liquid slightly starchy. Add a little more water if necessary. 5. Turn off heat, cover pot tightly and let congee stand forr 10–15 minutes, so the grains soften and relax further in the residual heat. 6. Serve congee with side dishes of your choice.

127( • Newly-harvested rice will yield congee with a higher starch content. ontent. If using old rice, you will need to add more water and cook the congee for a slightly longer time.

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teochew DISHES 

Oyster Omelette Serves 2–3 Practice makes perfect with this beloved Teochew dish. Some people like it soft and fluffy, some prefer lots of crunchy bits, while still others favour tender blobs of starch around the oysters. Adjust it to please yourself. Take care not to overcook the oysters, so that they retain their succulence. If the oysters exude a lot of tasty juice, drain them and use the juice to make up part of the water for the starch batter.

Cooking oil 1 Tbsp

Egg Mixture

Liquid lard (page 32) 2 tsp

Kampong chicken eggs 6 or 4 regular eggs

Finely chopped garlic 2 tsp

Oyster sauce 1 tsp

Spring onions (scallions) 2, cut into short lengths

Ground white pepper 1/4 tsp

Coriander leaves (cilantro) 1 sprig, chopped All-purpose chilli sauce (page 30) as desired

Salt to taste Oyster Mixture

Starch Batter

Shucked oysters 180 g (61/2 oz), washed and drained

Sweet potato starch 11/2 Tbsp

Rice wine 1/4 tsp

Plain (all-purpose) flour 1 Tbsp

Sugar 1/4 tsp

Cornflour (cornstarch) 1 Tbsp

Salt 1/8 tsp

Salt a pinch Water 140 ml (4 2/3 fl oz)

1. Mix all ingredients for starch batter together until smooth. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes while you prep the other ingredients. 2. Beat ingredients for egg mixture together until lightly blended. 3. Gently fold ingredients for oyster mixture together until well mixed. Stir starch batter and add 11/2 Tbsp of it to oyster mixture. 4. Set a wide, heavy-based non-stick or well-seasoned cast st iron frying pan over mediumhigh heat. When very hot, add 1 tsp oil, then pour in a ladleful of starch batte batter, t r, swirling the pan so that it immediately spreads out into a paper-thin -thin layer. Fry until batter has set into a crisp wafer, then transfer to a plate and breakk it into large shards. Repeat with remaining starch batter until it is used up. 5. Add any remaining oil to pan with lard. Add garlic and fry for a few seconds until softened. Pour oyster mixture into pan and stir a few times mes to separate oysters, then pour egg mixture over oysters. Let cook undisturbed forr 20–30 seconds until egg is half-set. 6. Flip and break up omelette and fry for a final 1 minute or so so, o, un until egg is browned d at the edges, but moist and fluffy in the middle and oysters just cooked. stter erss ar are e ju ust coo oke ed. d Mix in starch batter shards. 7. Dish out, garnish with spring onions and coriander and se serve immediately with erv rve e imme medi me d ately wi di w th chilli sauce on the side.

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teochew DISHES 

Teochew Braised Duck Serves 4–5 Served during special occasions in some Teochew homes, this dish is also available year-round in Teochew restaurants. The duck is cooked slowly over low heat until the meat becomes meltingly tender and absorbs all the flavours of the sauce. Firm bean curd, fried bean curd puffs and hardboiled eggs are sometimes added to the gravy.

Duck 1, about 1.75–2 kg (3 lb 14 oz–4 lb 6 oz), cleaned and pat dry

Seasoning

Superior dark soy sauce 4 Tbsp

Superior light soy sauce 375 ml (12 fl oz / 11/2 cups)

Salt 1 Tbsp

Sugar 5 Tbsp

Cooking oil 3 Tbsp

Superior dark soy sauce 125 ml (4 fl oz / 1 /2 cup)

Shallots 4, peeled and thinly sliced

Water 1 litre (32 fl oz / 4 cups)

Garlic 8 cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

Bay leaves 2

Cinnamon 1 stick

Dried tangerine peel 2–3 pieces, or about half a tangerine’s worth

Five-spice powder (page 31) 1 Tbsp

Ginger 5-cm (2-in) knob, peeled and pounded into coarse fragments Galangal 5-cm (2-in) knob, peeled and pounded into coarse fragments

Condiment Teochew chilli dip (page 31) as desired

1. Start preparations a day ahead. Rub duck all over with dark soy sauce, salt and five-spice powder until it is well coated. Place in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator to marinate overnight. Remove duck from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before you start cooking. 2. Mix all seasoning ingredients together until blended and set aside. 3. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wok large enough to hold duck. Add shallots dd cinnamon, ginger aand nd and garlic and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add galangal and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. 4. Add seasoning mixture to the wok and stir well. Place marinated duck in wok, d with soy sauce mixture breast side up. The duck should be at least half-covered —add a little more water if necessary. se over low heat for about 5. Bring contents of wok to a simmer. Cover wok and braise e for 45–55 minutes more, 40 minutes, then turn duck breast side down, and braise or until duck is thoroughly cooked and tender. chew ew w cchilli hillli dip and other hi 6. Chop duck into serving pieces. Serve hot with rice, Teochew side dishes.

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teochew DISHES 

Teochew Steamed Pomfret Serves 2–4 Teochews prize white and silver pomfrets for their fine-textured, moist flesh and delicate marine flavour, and favour them in this dish. Black pomfret is considered too coarse in flavour and texture for this treatment. The broth that pools in the plate after steaming distils the natural juices of all the ingredients into a beautifully subtle balance of sour, sweet and earthy tastes. Steamed pomfret may be served with rice or congee.

Salted vegetable (kiam chye) 60 g (21/4 oz)

Shaoxing rice wine 1 Tbsp

Dried shiitake mushrooms 6

Light soy sauce 1 Tbsp

Wet salted plums (sng boey ) 2

Ground white pepper 1/4 tsp

Very thinly sliced pork fat 1 Tbsp

Salt 1/8 tsp

Young ginger 45 g (1 2/3 oz), peeled and finely shredded

Ripe tomatoes 2, small, cut into quarters

Fresh white or silver pomfret 1, about 500–700 g (1 lb 11/2 oz–11/2 lb), cleaned

Spring onions (scallions) 2, cut into 3-cm (1-in) lengths Red chilli 1/2, deseeded and cut into fine strips

1. Wash salted vegetable and soak in fresh water for 15 minutes, then drain. Thinly slice, rinse again well and drain. 2. Soak mushrooms in 200 ml (6 3/4 fl oz / 4/5 cup) water for 30 minutes. Strain soaking liquid and reserve. Cut off and discard mushroom stems and slice caps into strips. 3. Combine mushrooms, mushroom soaking liquid and salted plums in a small pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, cook for 1 minute, then turn off heat. 4. Scatter half the salted vegetable, pork fat and ginger across a large heatproof plate. Make 2 or 3 deep slashes on each side of pomfret, cutting on a diagonal. Place pomfret on top of pork fat and ginger. Sprinkle fish with Shaoxing rice wine,, light soy sauce, pepper and salt. 5. Ladle hot mushroom broth over fish. Scatter mushrooms and salted plums over and around fish, along with remaining salted vegetable, pork fat and ginger, and the tomatoes, spring onions and chilli. sh is just cooked through. Serve 6. Steam for 10–12 minutes over high heat until pomfret flesh immediately with rice or congee.

127( • For an attractive presentation, you can insert mushroom slicess and d sl slive slivers ivers of the plums into ive o the e slashes in the fish. This will also help to prop them open so the penetrate he e ste steam am can ca penet e rat a e further. f

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teochew DISHES 

Ngoh Hiang Makes 5 rolls The name of this dish is derived from the Chinese five-spice powder that gives the rolls their distinctive flavour and aroma. The Teochew version emphasises the flavours and textures of the prawns, water chestnuts and taro, unlike Hokkien ngoh hiang, which has a meatier savour. The rolls can be shaped and steamed ahead of time and kept in the freezer.

Prawns (shrimps) 200 g (7 oz)

Five-spice powder (page 31) 1 tsp

Peeled taro 150 g (5 /3 oz)

Sugar 1 tsp

Minced pork 300 g (11 oz)

Salt to taste

Onion 60 g (2 /4 oz), peeled and finely chopped

Ground white pepper to taste

Spring onions (scallions) 2, finely chopped

Water chestnuts 4, peeled and finely diced

Garlic 3 cloves, peeled and finely chopped Egg 1, beaten

Dried bean curd skin 5 sheets, each about 22 x 15-cm (81/2 x 6-in)

Cornflour (cornstarch) 1 tsp

Cooking oil for deep-frying

1

1

Sesame oil 1 tsp

Sweet sauce as desired

1. Peel prawns. (Freeze shells and heads for use in stocks, if desired.) Slit prawns along their backs and remove thread-like black intestines. Rinse prawns well, pat dry and chop. 2. Steam taro over high heat until just tender, then let cool slightly. Break it up into fine crumbs with a fork while still warm, then let cool completely. 3. Combine prawns with minced pork, onion, spring onions and garlic. Mix egg, cornflour, five-spice powder, sugar, salt, pepper and sesame oil and stir until combined, then fold in water chestnuts and taro until evenly mixed in. 4. Wipe a bean curd sheet with a clean, damp tea towel and lay it on a flat surface. Spoon one-fifth of the prawn and pork mixture near the edge of the skin, shaping it into a neat log. Roll it up one turn and fold the left and right sides of the sheet in, then roll all the way up. If necessary, dampen the edge e lightly to help it seal. Make all ngoh hiang likewise. 5. Place rolls on a lightly oiled heatproof dish, seams down. n. Steam for 12–15 minutes over medium heat or until cooked through. Drain off any liquid uid in the dish and let rolls cool completely. The rolls can now be deep-fried for serving or cooled, wrapped and kept in the freezer. Thaw frozen rolls before deep-frying. 6. To deep-fry, heat oil for deep-frying in a wok over medium-high ium-high heat until a light haze forms above it. Gently lower the rolls into the oil—do not ot fry more than two at a time, for the best results. Deep-fry rolls for 3–5 minutes, until golden brown. Drain well on paper towels. Slice and serve with sweet sauce on the side.

127( • The correct kind of bean curd skin to use is the paper-thin, almost most ttransparent mos ransparen ran e t type, slightly glos glossy ossy os sy and covered with fine wrinkles. Trim off thick or irregular edges skin before cutting ess fro from m tthe he e ski knb efore cut u ting g it it to to size. It is extremely fragile when wet, so handle it carefully and anything nd do nott llet ett it tou touch ch any anythi thing thi ng g wet wetter we ter er than the damp towel. • To make a Hokkien-style ngoh hiang, omit the taro, increase the mi m minced nced nce dp pork orr to ork o 350 g (1 (12 21/2 oz oz), ) increase the cornflour to 2 tsp, and add 100 g (31/2 oz) finely jul jjulienned u ien enned en ned carrot to o tthe he filling.

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teochew DISHES 

Soon Kueh Makes 28–30 pieces Although factory-produced soon kueh are readily available from supermarkets and food stalls, the satisfaction derived from making your own soon kueh is priceless. Making your own soon

kueh also means you can vary the ingredients used and the amount of filling added to your personal taste.

Filling

Ground white pepper to taste

Dried shiitake mushrooms 4

Light chicken or meat stock (page 33) 2 Tbsp

Dried prawns (shrimps) 1 Tbsp

Shaoxing rice wine a dash

Yam bean 400 g (14 /3 oz)

Dough

Cooked bamboo shoots 200 g (7 oz)

Rice flour 250 g (9 oz) + more for dusting

Cooking oil 2 Tbsp

Tapioca starch 80 g (24/5 oz)

Shallots 2, peeled and thinly sliced

Water 600 ml (20 fl oz)

Garlic 2 cloves, peeled and finely chopped

Cooking oil 3 Tbsp + more for brushing

1

Light soy sauce 2 Tbsp Sugar 1 tsp Salt to taste

Condiments Sweet sauce as desired All-purpose chilli sauce (page 30) as desired

1. Prepare filling. Soak dried mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes, then drain, rinse, pat dry and dice with a sharp knife. Soak dried prawns in lukewarm water for 15 minutes, then drain, pat dry and coarsely chop. Wash and peel yam bean, then shred coarsely. Slice bamboo shoots into thin shreds. 2. Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat and fry shallots, garlic and dried prawns for 1–2 minutes or until fragrant. Add diced mushrooms and shredded yam bean and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes. Add bamboo shoots, light soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, stock and rice wine. Adjust seasoning to taste. Lower heat and continue frying until yam bean is tender and mixture is almost dry. Dish out and set aside to cool completely. 3. Prepare dough. Sift rice flour and tapioca starch together er into a mixing bowl, and whisk well to blend. Bring water to a boil, then pour onto flour with ur mixture, stirring wit th a wooden spoon until well combined and smooth. Dust a flat workk surface with some rice flour and place dough on work surface. Make a depression in dough ugh and pour oil into it. Knead oil into dough until incorporated. Cover dough and let sit for or 10 minutes. 4. Using wet hands, knead rested dough until smooth and pliable. Divide dough into 28–30 equal portions and cover them with a clean, damp tea towel. 5. Sandwich a dough portion between two sheets of lightlyy oiled plastic wrap. Roll dough iinto ntto a thin circle. Peel off top sheet of wrap, then place 1–2 Tbsp filling on dough circle. Fo FFold ld circle in half to enclose filling. Press edges well to seal; if theyy are reluctant to ad adhere, dhe h re re,, smear them with some rice flour mixed to a paste with a dr drop off water. Tri Trim edges rop o o im sealed de dges dg es with kitchen scissors if they are too thick. Make all soon n kkueh ueh ue h lillikewise. kewi ke w se. 6. Brush a steamer tray with oil and arrange soon kueh on n it, it, spaced sp slightly slililigh g tly apar apart a t so o the he e steam can circulate. Steam over high heat for 10–12 minutes, until dough nuute tess, unt nttil d ntil o gh ou g tturns urns sslightly ur liigh ghtl ty translucent and soon kueh are cooked through. 7. Brush soon kueh with some oil to prevent them from sticking tic icki king ki ng ttogether oget og e he et h r an aand d tr ttransfer ansf an sfer sf er tto oa serving plate. Serve warm with sweet sauce and chilli sa sauce sau uce e on o tthe h side. he e

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teochew DISHES 

Chwee Kueh Makes 15–18 pieces Literally water cake in Teochew, this popular breakfast dish and snack is built on a contrast of soft, almost custard-like rice cake and succulent little bits of savoury preserved radish. Hawkers at different food stalls put their own twist on the topping—some add white sesame seeds, some are very generous with the dark soy sauce, others make it sweeter—so feel free to adjust it to your own taste. A similar Hokkien dish steams a more liquid rice batter in individual serving bowls, so that the result is even softer and more fragile.

Topping

Chwee Kueh

Preserved salted radish (chai poh) 150 g (51/3 oz)

Rice flour 190 g (6 3/4 oz)

Liquid lard (page 32) or cooking oil 5 Tbsp

Cornflour (cornstarch) 1 1/2 Tbsp

Garlic 3 cloves, peeled and minced

Lukewarm water 300 ml (10 fl oz / 1 1/4 cups)

Water 100 ml (3 /2 fl oz)

Salt 3/4 tsp

Dark soy sauce 1 tsp

Boiling water 300 ml (10 fl oz / 1 1/4 cups)

1

Tapioca starch 20 g ( 2/3 oz)

Sugar 1/2 tsp or to taste

1. Prepare topping. Chop salted radish finely, then briefly rinse and pat dry. Heat lard or oil in a small pot over medium-low heat. When hot, add garlic and stir-fry gently for 1–2 minutes until soft, then add salted radish. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add water, soy sauce and sugar. Cover and cook for 45–60 minutes over very low heat, stirring occasionally, or until salted radish is soft and fragrant. 2. Prepare chwee kueh. Sift rice flour, tapioca starch and cornflour together into a mixing bowl. Whisk in lukewarm water and salt until smooth. Gradually whisk in boiling water until smooth. Let batter rest for 1 hour, covered. 3. Very lightly grease chwee kueh moulds with oil. Get the water in your steamer boiling. 4. Strain batter through a fine-mesh sieve into a pot. Stir with a whisk over low heat until batter only just starts to thicken. Immediately take pot off the heat and continue to stir for a few seconds; batter should reach the texture of custard. ustard. Spoon batter into moulds, levelling the surface and filling the moulds to just below w their brims. 5. Place moulds on the steamer tray, spaced at least 1-cm m (1/2-in) apart. Wrap steamer lid with a clean cloth to absorb condensation, place lid on steamer and steam over medium heat for 13–15 minutes, or until chwee kueh are set and d cooked through. 6. Remove chwee kueh moulds from steamer and let stand nd for 1 minute. Run a small knife around the inside of each mould and turn chwee kueh out onto a serving plate. Spoon over hot salted radish topping and serve immediately.

127( • Chwee kueh moulds are round metal tins about 6 cm (2 1/3-in) n)) in in diameter diam diam iamete ete er aand nd 2.5 cm ((1-in) 1-in) d deep, eep e , ep with a capacity of approximately 50 ml (1 2/3 fl oz). You can use s por po porcelain celain teacups instea instead, e d, but as they are thicker-walled, steam for slightly longer. • For the topping, preserved salted radish that is lightly salty orr sal salty-sweet results— saltytyy swe sw weet et giv gives es the th be best s res st e ult lts— s— s— very salty preserved salted radish can be overly pungent.

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teochew DISHES 

Orh Nee Serves 6 This classic Teochew dessert made of taro paste is traditionally sweetened with plenty of sugar and mixed with lard for a richer taste and depth of flavour. Fresh pork fat is fried with garlic until the lard is rendered, then the liquid lard is mixed with the steamed taro and cooked until the mixture becomes a soft, gooey paste. A thick sugar syrup is then stirred in before serving. These days, for a healthier but nonetheless delicious rendition, you can substitute cooking oil for the lard.

Taro 500 g (1 lb 1 1/2 oz) Liquid lard or cooking oil 125 ml (4 fl oz / 1 /2 cup) Precooked ginkgo nuts 18 Sugar Syrup Sugar 200 g (7 oz) Water 180 ml (6 fl oz / 3/4 cup)

1. Wash taro well and pat dry. Slice taro across into 3-cm (1-in) thick rounds. Place rounds on a heatproof tray in a single layer and steam over high heat for 15–20 minutes, until tender throughout. 2. Meanwhile, prepare sugar syrup. Boil sugar and water together in a wok, stirring, until sugar is completely dissolved. Turn off heat. 3. Transfer steamed taro to a large mixing bowl. Peel off and discard skin. While flesh is still hot, mash it with a wooden pestle or potato masher until taro is smooth. 4. Add lard or cooking oil and taro mash to sugar syrup in wok. Turn on heat to mediumlow, and stir-fry for 5–7 minutes, stirring constantly, until orh nee has smoothened out and starts to pull away slightly from the wok. Add a little more hot water if it seems dry. 5. Place 3 ginkgo nuts in each of 6 heatproof serving bowls. Scoop p orh nee over and level the surface. Place bowls in steamer and steam over medium edium heat for 10 minutes. 6. Turn orh nee out onto serving plates and serve. Alternatively, tively, spoon orh nee e into bowls, top with nuts, steam and serve in the bowls.

127( • To prepare your own ginkgo nuts, snip the nut shells with sharp arp kitchen scissors and peel them off. Blanch the nuts for 1–2 minutes in simmering water, drain, then hen peel off and discard membranes. With a toothpick, gouge out the bitter embryo from the core of each nut—stick the toothpick into o the more rounded end of the nut, and wiggle and pull it to extract greenxtract the embryo. Discard any green eentinged nuts. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a plate or tray steam heat ay and st team over medium he eat a for 10–12 minutes, until just tender—steaming retains more nutrients boiling. entss than ent than h bo oiling. • To flavour already-rendered lard, heat it in a small pan over m medium-low heat. ediumedi m low mw he eat. Add 1 peeled aand nd d sliced shallot and 1 peeled and sliced small garlic clove, and sim simmer golden immer mer slowly uuntil ntil both ar aare eg old den brown. Strain the lard and use as in step 4. • For a variation, fold cubes of steamed pumpkin flesh into the or orh h ne neee.

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teochew DISHES 

LOTUS SEED DESSERT Serves 3–4 A simple and nowadays rarely-seen dessert that plays off the subtle, nutty flavour of lotus seeds against a sweet broth. It is worth noting that high-quality lotus seeds are expensive but worth the price for their soft, almost creamy texture when cooked. In comparison, smaller, low-quality seeds are harder to skin and have a less refined flavour. Though not traditional, a handful of small dried longans added to the pot with the lotus seeds in step 5 makes a delicious touch.

Dried lotus seeds, skins on 200 g (8 oz), rinsed and drained Water 650 ml (21 2/3 fl oz / 2 2/3 cups) Pandan leaves 3, washed and tied into a knot Unrefined brown sugar 135 g (4 4/5 oz) Finely crushed rock sugar 30 g (1 oz), or to taste Sweet potato starch 30 g (1 oz), or to taste

1. Place lotus seeds in a large pot and cover with ample boiling water. Set pot over very low heat, cover and let seeds stand for 30 minutes. The water should not return to a boil. 2. Drain lotus seeds, then peel off skins. If skins are not soft enough to come away easily, let seeds stand over very low heat for 15–20 minutes more, then drain and peel. With tweezers, pluck out and discard any shoot in the middle of each seed. 3. Spread lotus seeds out on a tray or plate in a single layer and steam over medium heat for 10–20 minutes, until they are tender. 4. Meanwhile, combine water, pandan leaves, brown sugar and rock sugar in a pot. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, until sugars have completely dissolved, then strain syrup into a clean pot. 5. Stir lotus seeds into the strained syrup. Cover, bring to a bare simmer over low heat, and let cook gently for 10 minutes. 6. Dissolve sweet potato starch in a little water to make a slurry, then add to pot, stirring constantly. Simmer for a few minutes more, until dessert thickens. Serve hot.

127( • You can use Chinese brown sugar slabs, light muscovado sugar or palm sugar that is not too strongtasting. Traditionally, white sugar is caramelised for this dessert, but using unrefined sugar gives it much more complexity and depth of flavour. • If you wish, you can use dried skinned lotus seeds. In this case, 30 minutes of soaking should suffice. • Some methods for skinning lotus seeds add bicarbonate of soda or alkaline water to the soaking water. This helps the skins come off more easily, but it also affects the flavour and texture of the lotus seeds, even if they are rinsed well afterwards. We prefer not to use this method. • Steaming the lotus seeds retains more nutrients than boiling them.

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teochew DISHES 

festival & special dishes

Pig's Trotters Braised in Black Vinegar 158 Chilli Crab 160 Chinese-style Fish Head Curry 162 Yu Sheng 164 Chinese Rojak 168 Huat Kueh 170 Tang Yuan 172

Pig’s Trotters Br aised in Black Vinegar Serves 6 Although originally a Cantonese dish, this dish is now prepared across the Chinese community as a confinement staple for mothers after childbirth. The collagen and protein in the trotters and eggs nourish, the sesame oil speeds skin healing, the ginger relieves nausea and warms the body (thought to be filled with cool ‘wind’, post-partum), the vinegar warms the body and detoxes the blood. This dish tastes better a day or two after cooking. Stored refrigerated in an airtight container and only touched with clean utensils, the cooked pig’s trotters will keep for at least a week, if not longer.

Pig's trotters 2 Old ginger 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz), peeled Sesame oil 90 ml (3 fl oz / 3/8 cup) Black vinegar 750 ml (24 fl oz / 3 cups) Water 1.75 litres (56 fl oz / 7 cups) Chinese brown sugar 400 g (141/3 oz) + more to taste Hard-boiled eggs 6, shelled Salt to taste

1. Scrape skin of pig’s trotters with a sharp knife or razor blade to remove any bristles. Wash very well and pat dry. With a heavy cleaver, chop trotters into large chunks. 2. With a cleaver, bruise ginger lightly and then slice into thick chunks. 3. Heat sesame oil in a wok over medium heat. When hot, add ginger and stir-fry for 3–5 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly browned at the edges. Be careful not to let it burn. gar. Bring 4. Scrape ginger and sesame oil into a large pot. Pour in vinegar, water and sug sugar. tain it. Simmer for 20 minutes. to a gentle but steady simmer and adjust heat to maintain 5. Meanwhile, bring another pot of fresh water to the boil.. Blanch trotter chunks for 1 minute, then drain well. aving lid slightly ajar. Simmer 6. Add trotter chunks to vinegar mixture and cover pot, leaving for at least 2 hours, or until trotters are tender. er 30–40 minutes, until trotters 7. Add hard-boiled eggs to the pot and simmer for another are very tender, and ginger tastes sweet and candied. Adjust seasoning with more sugar and salt to taste. Serve hot.

127( • Choose old ginger that is firm, with thick and dry but otherwise se uunblemished nb emi nbl m she h d sskin. kin.. Mala kin M Malaysian alaysi ala ysian ysi an n Bentong ginger and Indonesian ginger are good for this dish, as th tender and they eyy hav have e a te tende nderr text nde ttexture ext xture ure e an nd aromatic warmth after the long cooking. • Look for black vinegar that has been infused with aromatics such dried tangerine uch uc h as as d rie ed tangeri e ne peell aand nd d re red ed dates. Alternatively, use plain black vinegar and add a few aromatics omat attics to o suit su your taste. su chinese heritage

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Chilli Cr ab Serves 2–3 Singapore has many extant versions of chilli crab—some with a more sambal-like sauce, others heavier on the ketchup and still others rich with ribbons of beaten egg—invented and evolved by seaside seafood restaurants in the 1950s and 1960s. This is a simple version that emphasises the flavours of the fresh crab and the floral heat of chilli.

Live mud crab 1, weighing about 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz)

Rice wine 1 Tbsp

Cooking oil 2 Tbsp

Preserved soy bean paste (taucheo) 1 Tbsp, pounded

Shallots 4, peeled and minced

All-purpose chilli sauce (page 30) 6 Tbsp

Garlic 5 cloves, peeled and minced

Tomato ketchup 2 Tbsp

Ginger 2-cm ( /4-in) knob, peeled and minced

Sugar 1 Tbsp or to taste

Finely minced lemon grass 1 Tbsp

Water 200 ml (6 3/4 fl oz / 4/5 cup)

Pounded galangal 2 tsp

Eggs 2, small, beaten

3

1. Place crab in the freezer for 2 hours to immobilise and sedate it. 2. Place crab on a chopping board with its underside facing upwards. Pull off and discard the ‘apron’ flap on the crab’s abdomen. With a sharp heavy cleaver or knife, chop down the centre line of the crab body, cutting all the way through to the main body shell without breaking the shell. Turn crab over and prise off the main body shell, and set aside. Chop off claws and crack them so they absorb the sauce later. Pull off and discard feathery gills, crinkly white intestines and dark guts from body pieces. With a sharp cleaver, cut each body half into 2 or 3 smaller pieces. Wash all pieces well and drain. 3. Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add shallots, garlic, ginger, lemon grass and galangal and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Add rice wine and preserved soy bean paste and stir-fry for 15 seconds. 4. Add chilli sauce, tomato ketchup and sugar and stir well. Add water and all the crab pieces. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, then remove lid and cook for another 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until crab is cooked through and gravy vy has reduced slightly. 5. Transfer crab pieces to a serving plate, leaving gravy in wok. Adjust seasoning of gravy with salt and/or sugar to taste. Pour beaten eggs into gravy in a thin stream while stirring constantly, to form egg threads. 6. Pour gravy over crab pieces, garnish as desired and serve ve hot with sliced French loaf.

127( • The practice of serving steamed or deep-fried mantou (Chinese se buns) with chilli crab is a modern r one—thickly sliced or cubed untoasted French bread is the traditional soaking ditional accompaniment for soaki ing g up the gravy. • For more fieriness, use 12 dried chillies, soaked till soft and pounded instead off the ound n ed to a paste, e ins nstea s ea e do e all-purpose chilli sauce. • For a taste and texture similar to the chilli crab served at Ponggol restaurants 1960s and gg gol res re tauran rants ran ra ts in the e 19 1 60ss an nd 1970s, stir 4–5 Tbsp finely ground roasted peanuts into the sauce auce just just before beffore ore dishing d shi di sh ng n up. p.

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Chinese-style Fish Head Curry Serves 4–6 In Singapore’s multicultural milieu, dishes and cuisines fluidly absorb influences from each other. Although fish head dishes do exist in India (such as Bengali muri ghonto or fish head with dhal), Singapore fish head curry is said to have been invented around 1949 by an enterprising south Indian chef, Gomez, at his stall in Sophia Road. A Chinese restaurant, Soon Heng, started serving its own rendition just a few years afterwards. Today, Chinese cooks often steam the fish head before dressing it with curry gravy, but poaching it in the curry itself yields more flavour.

Meaty fish head, such as snapper or grouper 1, weighing about 1–1.5 kg (2 lb 3 oz–3 lb 4 1/2 oz)

Lemon grass 2 stalks, ends trimmed, leaving thickest 8-cm (3-in) only, bruised

Salt for cleaning fish head

Ladies fingers 10–12, trimmed and washed

Fish curry powder 3 1/2 Tbsp

Ripe tomatoes 3, cut into quarters

Tamarind pulp 3 Tbsp Cooking oil 120 ml (4 fl oz / 1/2 cup)

Long purple aubergine (eggplant/brinjal) 1, cut into 6-cm (2.5-in) batons

Large onion 1, peeled and chopped

Thick coconut milk 120 ml (4 fl oz / 1/2 cup)

Garlic 5 cloves, peeled and chopped

Evaporated milk 3–4 Tbsp

Ginger 25 g ( /5 oz), peeled and shredded

Sugar to taste

Curry leaves 3 sprigs, plucked, stems discarded

Salt to taste

4

Green chillies 1–2, halved lengthwise

1. To clean fish head, remove all gill material and any blood. Place head in a large basin and rub it all over with salt. Cover with water, then let stand for 10 minutes. Rinse fish head very well to remove salt, then drain. mooth paste, and set aside. 2. Mix curry powder with about 3 Tbsp water to form a smooth ter until pulp dissolves, then Knead tamarind pulp with 500 ml (16 fl oz / 2 cups) water strain out seeds and fibres. Set tamarind liquid aside. ry onion for 2–3 minutes, 3. Heat oil in a large wok over medium heat. When hot, fry stirring constantly, until softened and starting to brown at the edges. Add garlic, ginger and curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds, then add curry paste. Lower heat to mediumed and smells cooked, and oil low and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until paste has thickened has resurfaced. arind liquid to wok. Increase 4. Add lemon grass, green chillies, ladies fingers and tamarind heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil while stirring ng constantly. Carefully lower fish head into wok and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. s. Add a little more water if necessary so that fish head is at least half submerged. d. 5. Carefully turn fish head over and add tomatoes and aubergine berg be gine e to wok. wok o . Cover and cook ok for another 10–15 minutes, until fish is cooked through and an nd vegetables vegeta ve tabl ta b es bl e are tender. ten nder. r 6. Stir in coconut milk and evaporated milk and simmer forr another anot an othe ot h r 3–4 3–4 minutes, m nuute mi tes, s,, to to allow a lo al low w flavours to mingle. Taste and adjust seasoning with sugar ar and an nd salt. salt sa lt. Serve lt Se e piping pipi ping pi ng hot hott with rice.

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Yu Sheng Serves 5–6 In the 1960s, respected Singaporean chefs Tham Yui Kai, Sin Leong, Lau Yoke Pui and Hooi Kok Wai were known affectionately as the Four Heavenly Kings. Wanting to create a special Chinese New Year dish, the four chefs took a simple raw fish salad common to both Cantonese and Teochew traditions in coastal Guangdong, eaten particularly on the seventh day of the Chinese New Year: they added to it intentionally symbolic and colourful ingredients, a sweet-tangy sauce, and a communal way of presenting, tossing and enjoying the salad. This is yu sheng, which has in the years since been further transformed and elaborated into a luxurious, not to say over the top, showpiece by posh restaurants. This recipe harkens back to the less glamorous but still “Heavenly” version.

Sauce

Preserved Items

Fresh red plums 2, halved and pitted

Finely shredded pickled papaya 2 Tbsp

Water 5 Tbsp Honey 1 1/2 Tbsp

Finely chopped candied tangerine peel 1 1/2 Tbsp

Lemon juice or rice vinegar 1 Tbsp

Finely shredded pickled ginger 1 1/2 Tbsp

Sugar 1/2 Tbsp

Finely shredded red pickled ginger 1 Tbsp

Salt 1/4 tsp

Very thinly sliced pickled shallots 1 Tbsp

Fresh Vegetables

Crisp Items

Carrot 130 g (4 1/2 oz)

Toasted white sesame seeds 2 Tbsp

White daikon radish 130 g (4 1/2 oz)

Crispy dough flakes 100 g (3 1/2 oz), or to taste

Pink pomelo flesh 75 g (2 2/3 oz), flaked apart into sacs Spring onions (scallions) 2

Finely chopped roasted peanuts 60 g (2 1/4 oz)

Kaffir lime leaves 3

Condiments

Red chilli 1, deseeded

Peanut oil 50 ml (1 2/3 oz)

Seafood Wolf herring (ikan parang) fillet 150 g (5 1/3 oz) Salt 1 tsp Prepared jellyfish 60 g (2 1/4 oz)

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Calamansi limes 2 Ground cinnamon nnamon 3/4 tsp Ground white hite pepper 3/4 tsp

1. Prepare sauce. Place ingredients for sauce in a blender and process until smooth. Scrape mixture into a small pot. Cover and bring to a boil over low heat, then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain sauce into a bowl. Let cool completely. 2. Prepare fresh vegetables. Peel carrot and daikon. Cut both into long, thin julienne with a mandoline or julienne cutter. Soak julienne in cold water for 20 minutes to make them crisp and juicy. Just before serving, drain them and dry them very well in a salad spinner or with clean tea towels. Slice spring onions on a sharp diagonal into short lengths. Remove thick veins from lime leaves and cut leaves into hair-fine shreds with a sharp knife. Slice chilli into very thin long shreds. 3. Prepare seafood. Rub fish with salt and let stand, loosely covered, for 15 minutes. Rinse fish well, pat dry, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for 30 minutes to firm up flesh. Unwrap and slice fish across the grain into very thin pieces. (Slicing thinly reduces the fish's internal fine bones into tiny, edible fragments.) Fan out fish slices on a small plate. Rinse jellyfish and pat dry. 4. Prepare condiments. Heat peanut oil in a small pot until a light haze forms above it. Turn off heat and let it cool completely. Pour oil into a bowl. Halve calamansi limes. Place cinnamon and white pepper in paper envelopes. 5. Assemble yu sheng. Mound carrot and daikon julienne in the centre of a very large platter. Arrange the other fresh items, jellyfish, preserved items and crisp items in separate small mounds around the julienne. Place sauce, fish, oil, cinnamon, pepper and calamansi limes in their separate dishes on the table. 6. To serve yu sheng, squeeze calamansi limes over fish. Remove lime seeds and mix fish well with lime juice, then place fish slices on top of carrot and daikon julienne. 7. Sprinkle cinnamon and white pepper all over main platter. Drizzle sauce (you don’t have to use all of it) and oil all over main platter. 8. Give all the diners long chopsticks. Let everyone stand up and toss the yu sheng ingredients together, lifting them high above the dish, until everything is well mixed. Everyone then serves themselves a portion on a small plate. 9. Traditionally, diners intone wishes for the new year as the ingredients are added and tossed. These may include: lo hei (stirring up luck), nian nian you yu (abundance every year), da ji da li (prosperity and good fortune), bu bu gao sheng (rising success), feng sheng shui qi (luck overflowing), jin yin man wu (gold and silver fill the house), tian tian mi mi (life will be sweet), zhao cai jin bao (attracting treasures), qing chun chang zhu (perpetual youth), and so on.

festival & special dishes

127( • Wolf herring is the classic favourite fish for this dish as it has firm and sweet flesh, though it does have a lot of bones. These days, both families and restaurants more often use sashimi-grade fish, especially salmon; however the taste of the resulting yu sheng will be quite different, as sweet and fattyfleshed salmon is less of a contrast to the other ingredients. • In the run-up to Chinese New Year, supermarkets and dry goods shops all stock items like crispy dough flakes and the preserved ingredients. • Yu sheng kits collating all the different preserved and crisp items are by now a familiar sight in supermarkets at Chinese New Year. Be aware that they often go overboard with the candied and pickled items, and are hence high in sugar. • Yu sheng is meant to be refreshing, with a good balance of sweet, tart, juicy and crisp flavours and textures.

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festival & special dishes

Chinese Rojak Serves 3–4 A descendant of Indonesian rujak, this sweet-savoury-tangy-pungent fruit and vegetable salad has now become a popular dish sold by Chinese food vendors all over Singapore. Some versions also include jambu (water apple), and cuttlefish (joo her) in the mixture. For this dish, the roasted peanuts must be absolutely fresh. It is best to roast and grind your own, as even slightly rancid peanuts can totally ruin a good rojak.

Yu tiao (fried crullers) 2

Sauce

Fried bean curd puffs (tau pok) 2

Tamarind pulp 1 Tbsp

Kangkong (water spinach) 8 stalks

Black prawn paste (haeko) 3 Tbsp

Green guava or green mango 1, small

Grated palm sugar (gula melaka) 2–3 Tbsp

Torch ginger bud (bunga kantan) 1

Salt 1 tsp

Ripe pineapple /2, small, skinned, cored and cut into bite-size pieces

Freshly-squeezed calamansi lime juice 2 tsp

1

Local cucumber 1, small, deseeded and cut into bite-size pieces

Red chilli 1, deseeded if desired and pounded finely, or 1 tsp dried chilli paste

Yam bean 1/2, small, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces Roasted unsalted peanuts 150 g (5 1/3 oz), coarsely ground

1. Prepare sauce. Knead tamarind pulp with 110 ml (3 2/3 fl oz) water until pulp dissolves. Strain liquid. Combine all other ingredients for sauce and mix well, then whisk in tamarind liquid. Adjust seasoning to taste. The sauce should be sweet, tangy and salty. 2. Toast you tiao and bean curd puffs in a toaster oven or under a grill until lightly crispy. Snip both into bite-size pieces with scissors. Set aside. 3. Blanch kangkong stalks in boiling water for 10 seconds, then drain and rinse with running water to stop cooking. Cut into 5-cm (2-in) lengths. gths. 4. Peel guava or mango and cut flesh into bite-size pieces.. Strip off 6–7 outer petals from torch ginger bud and mince finely. 5. Set aside a spoonful of ground peanuts for garnish, and toss the rest with the sauce, you tiao, bean curd puffs and all fruit and vegetable ingredients, gredients, except the torch ginger bud. 6. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with reserved peanuts ts and torch ginger bud and serve immediately.

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Huat Kueh Makes 15–18 pieces There are many different recipes for these fluffy steamed cakes, which are served on celebratory occasions and also used as religious offerings. Some variations are leavened with yeast and some with baking powder. Some are made with ground cooked rice, some with rice flour and some with soft wheat flour. This easy recipe uses a blend of flours and leavening agents for a fine yet substantial texture. Huat kueh are best eaten hot and fresh, as they become stodgy when cold.

Rice flour 175 g (6 1/4 oz) Boiled and cooled water 175 ml (5 4/5 fl oz) Active dried yeast 1/2 tsp Cooking oil 2 Tbsp + more for greasing bowls Cake flour 90 g (3 1/4 oz) Double-acting baking powder 1 1/4 tsp Syrup Brown sugar or palm sugar (gula melaka) 175 g (61/4 oz) Water 150 ml (5 fl oz) Pandan leaves 2, cut into small pieces

1. Combine ingredients for syrup in a small pot, cover and set over medium-low heat. Cook until sugar has fully dissolved and mixture has just reached a simmer. Strain into a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract all the syrup. Let cool completely. 2. Combine rice flour, water and yeast in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Cover and let stand for 1 hour until mixture is frothy. 3. Stir syrup and oil into batter until incorporated, then sift cake flour over batter and whisk it in just until smooth. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes more. 4. Meanwhile, bring water to a vigorous boil in your steamer. mer. 5. Sift baking powder over batter and whisk in quickly untilil evenly incorporated incorporated. d. Let the batter stand for 10 minutes so the baking powder can begin to aerate it. 6. Very lightly grease small porcelain bowls (about 125-mll / 4-fl oz / 1/2-cup) capacity) with oil. Place them in the steamer to preheat for 5 minutes. nutes. 7. Gently stir the batter—which should be visibly more frothy thy by now—then ladle it into the preheated bowls right up to the brim. Sprinkle a few w grains of sugar into the centre r of each bowl—this encourages the huat or splitting of the he cakes during steaming. 8. Steam for 15–18 minutes, until well risen. Serve hot or warm.

127( • Some recipes use fruit salt as a leavening agent. If preferred, yo you ou can ca use 1 1/2 tsp plain n ffruit ruiit salt alt in place of the baking powder. • For a more sharply-defined huat (split), dip a spatula edge in o oil, il th il, tthen en in en n fi fine fin e ssugar, uga g r, and d dr draw aw w a Y or X shape across the top of the batter in each filled bowl,, jjust before ust be efor fore e ssteaming. teamin tea te m g.

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Tang Yuan Serves 3–4 One of the oldest of all Chinese foods with a symbolic connotation, tang yuan are traditionally eaten at the winter solstice in late December to celebrate family reunion and togetherness. In modern Singapore, the stuffed version or ah boh leng (see Note below) are now commonly enjoyed at group gatherings or as a sweet anytime snack.

Glutinous rice flour 200 g (7 oz) + more for dusting hands Boiling water 150 ml (5 fl oz) Cooking oil 2 tsp Food colouring as desired

1. Sift glutinous rice flour into a bowl. Pour boiling water into flour mixture and stir with a spatula until mixture comes together into a crumbly, shaggy dough. Add oil and knead it in with wet hands. If needed, sprinkle 1–2 Tbsp more water over dough to make it come together. Leave dough in bowl, cover with a clean, damp tea towel and let dough stand for 15 minutes. 2. If desired, knead a few drops of pink, red or green food colouring into dough to tint it a pastel shade. Dust your hands with glutinous rice flour, pinch off a bit of dough and roll it into an even round ball the size of a grape. Shape remaining tang yuan likewise until all the dough is used up. 3. Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Gently drop tang yuan in. They will expand slightly during cooking, so poach them in batches as necessary to avoid crowding the pot. Tang yuan are cooked when they float to the surface. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a bowl of fresh cool water. 4. To serve, drain and scoop tang yuan into individual serving bowls and top with one of the following soups.

127( • Using 100 per cent glutinous rice flour makes the stickiest, chewiest ewiest tang yuan. If you prefer a slightly softer texture, you can use the dough from the recipe e for yi buah h (page 90) to make tang yuan. • To make ah boh leng, the Teochew version of tang yuan, use the dough for yi buah h and roll it into grape-size balls. Make a deep dent in each ball to form m a cup shape and fill the hollow with finely ground peanuts, red bean paste, lightly sweetened d black sesame paste or lightly sweetened mashed steamed taro. Pinch the dough to seal in the filling, then poach the ah boh leng in simmering water as above. Serve in pandan syrup. • If you prefer not to use artificial colouring, you can pound or grind pandan leaves finely, then squeeze for pandan juice to tint the tang yuan dough green. For pink tang yuan, knead a dab o off red rice wine lees (page 35) into the dough.

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PANDAN SOUP Pandan leaves 12, cut into short lengths Water 1.5 litres (46 fl oz / 6 cups) water White rock sugar 60 g (2 1/4 oz), crushed

1. Combine pandan leaves, water and rock sugar in a pot. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer gently for 10–15 minutes. Strain and adjust sweetness to taste.

GINGER SOUP Old ginger 75 g (2 2/3 oz) Water 1.5 litres (48 fl oz / 6 cups) Yellow rock sugar or Chinese brown sugar 60 g (2 1/4 oz), crushed

1. Peel, then thoroughly bruise ginger and coarsely chop. Combine with water and sugar in a pot. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes. Strain and adjust sweetness to taste.

PEANUT SOUP Skinned raw peanuts 175 g (6 1/4 oz) Water 1 litre (32 fl oz / 4 cups) Ginger 2 slices White rock sugar to taste

1. Soak peanuts in water for 24 hours. Drain well, then combine peanuts in a pressure cooker with water and ginger slices. Cook for about 45 minutes at the setting appropriate for vegetables and beans until peanuts are very tender. Release pressure, then sweeten soup to taste with rock sugar.

festival & special dishes

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Glossary of ingredients

BEAN CURD There are many kinds of bean curd or tofu used in the Chinese kitchen. Smooth, delicate silken bean curd may be eaten cold or hot. Firm bean curd (tau kwa) (top, left) is coarser, and pressed to yield an almost crumbly texture. These two are the plain ‘all-purpose’ bean curd used for stir-fries, soups, braises and so on, and should be used as fresh as possible. Deep-fried bean curd puffs ( tau pok) (top, right) are round or square, with a slightly chewy, spongy texture and hollow interior. Yellow egg bean curd, sold in tubes, has a fragile, custard-like texture due to added egg. Bean curd skins (bottom row) are sheets of soy protein skimmed off boiling soy milk and dried in various configurations; different types are used in sweet and savoury dishes.

BLACK FUNGUS

CHINESE CELERY

CHINESE CHIVES

A fungus sold dried in curly clusters,

With stalks resembling very thin,

Two kinds are use in Chinese cooking:

black-brown on one side and pale

deep green Western celery, crowned ned ed

flat-bladed chives (ku cai) (pictured),

brown-white on the other. Soaked,

with leaves that look like oversized ed e d

similar in flavour to Western chives

they expand into gelatinously crunchy

coriander (cilantro), this plant

but wider, and thicker-stalked

flaps. More expensive grades are

straddles the line between herb and nd

flowering chives. The former is used

thicker, darker and retain their

vegetable. It has a strong, refreshing ing g

more as a garnish and the latter, as a

succulence better once cooked.

aroma that is often used to temper err

vegetable.

rich or fatty foods.

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CHINESE HAM, SALTED,

CHINESE SAUSAGES

AIR-DRIED, UNSMOKED

Known in Cantonese as lup cheong,

Chinese ham is sold in slabs at

these highly aromatic, chewy-textured

dry goods stores. Those from

sausages come in a few different

Yunnan and Jinhua are said to be

versions, made with finely or coarsely

the best. This is used to flavour

minced pork and pork fat, liver,

master stocks and can be sliced

Chinese wines and other seasonings.

and steamed or braised to enjoy

Freshly-made Chinese sausages made

on its own. As an artisanal product,

with pork or duck liver are a rare

it can be erratically available—

delicacy occasionally found at some

the closest substitutes are Spanish

restaurants and hawker stalls. Chinese

serrano ham or Italian prosciutto.

sausages can be steamed or fried as a side dish or cooked with rice, noodle or egg dishes.

CHINESE C HIN CH NEESSE VINEGARS VINE VI NEGA GA RS R

DRIED LONGANS

DRIED TANGERINE PEEL

Typically T p Ty piiccaall ally lll l y brewed brrew b ew ed from fro rom om blends of rice,

These are used in Chinese herbal

The sun-dried peels of these citrus fruit

millet miilll e m ett or or sorghum, sso o org rghu rg huum, m,, these m t he e run a gamut

cuisine to make soups and drinks.

are important to both Chinese cuisine

off colours Compared co oll o ou urs rs and and nd strengths. str t ren eng engt gtt

They are sold whole in their

and medicine. Warming in nature,

to have lower to western we esste tern ern n vinegars, vin ineg e ar ar s,, they t

mustard-yellow shells or as dark

the peels impart a refreshing aroma

acidities aciid ac acid dittie dit es and aan nd sweeter, swee sw w ee eete ter, er, r, more rounded

clumps of peeled, pitted flesh. The

to desserts and savoury dishes, aid

nuances. nuuan nu aan nce ces. s. Chinkiang Chi hink inkkia ia ng ng black b laa rice vinegar,

small, reddish-brown, pitted ones,

digestion, reduce nausea and help clear

made rice, has a maade m de from fro om black black bl ack glutinous ac gl uutti gl

resembling dried cherries, are

the lungs. Aged peel is particularly

sweet similar to ssw wee et earthiness earrtth ea hiine ine ness ss somewhat som om

sweeter with a more subtle flavour.

valued. Dried peels from unripe fruit

Italian Ittal Ital al iaan balsamic. alia baa lssam b micc.

have different properties and uses. glossary OF INGREDIENTS 

DRIED SEAFOOD

FISH BALLS AND FISHCAKES

Dried seafoods are used in southern Chinese cooking for the savoury depth of

These are made from white fish meat,

flavour they add to dishes. The most common include: dried prawns (shrimps)

sometimes blended with cuttlefish or

(above, right); dried salted threadfin; dried and cured fish such as anchovies,

prawns (shrimps), ground to a paste

sole, croaker and such; dried shellfish such as oysters, mussels and clams;

with salt and flour, then seasoned and

dried cuttlefish (above, left), squid, octopus and jellyfish; and premium items

moulded into different shapes. They

such as abalone, scallops, fish maw, shark’s fin and sea cucumber. Each item

are sold raw, poached or deep-fried.

typically comes in several different grades based on size and quality. Besides their treasured flavours and textures, most of these seafoods have specific properties in traditional Chinese medicine—for example, dried octopus boosts energy in tonic soups, and fish maw improves the complexion.

GALANGAL Also known as lam keong or blue ginger, galangal resembles gnarled ginger with thin brown stripes and pink-tipped buds. This root has a floral-peppery scent and is most often used by the southern Chinese in braised dishes.

GINKGO G GINK GI INK N G GO ON NUTS UTS UT UTS Tapered both ends, these yellow T ape Ta pere pe erre ed aatt b ott h en nds ds , th ds, hes ese yell yye ellllow low w the ginkgo have nutss ffrom nu nuts rom th ro he gink g gi in nkkkgo go ttree go rre ee h ha a ve ea bittersweet sllight sslight ig gh htt b ittte ers rswe e et et fflavour la vo la vo ur ur aand nd aare nd re e used both us se ed d iin nb bo oth th ssweet we w eet eet et aand nd ssavoury nd avou av o ry r dishes. dried dish di dish hes es. Th They eyy aare re e ssold old dr ol d ried ie ed or or precooked prec prec pr ec ooke oo ke oo ked an ked aand n d th tthen hen n ccanned aan n ne ed or or vacuum-packed. vaa cu vacu cuum um-p m--p p ac acke ked. d

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LOTUS SEEDS

NOODLES, RICE

NOODLES, WHEAT

These oval-shaped seeds come

Fresh rice noodles made from soaked

Chinese wheat noodles may be round

from lotus-flower pods. Sold dried

and ground rice include laksa noodles

or flat, thin or thick, and plain white

or precooked and then canned or

(round rice noodles) (right), kway

or tinted yellow with alkaline water

vacuum-packed, they are used in

teow (broad rice noodles) (left), hor

and/or eggs. They include mee pok

both sweet and savoury dishes.

fun (flat noodle sheets), bee hoon

(flat noodles) (left), mee kia (fine

They have a starchy, firm texture

(fine vermicelli), and bee tai mak

noodles) (right), Hokkien noodles

and delicate flavour reminiscent

(mouse-tail noodles) which are short

(thick round noodles, usually sold

of both peas and lotus root. Dried

and thick. Dried rice noodles include

par-cooked), ban mian (thick flat

lotus seeds must be soaked and

broad rice noodles and vermicelli

noodles, fresh or dried), yee mein

peeled before use and any internal

of varying widths and thicknesses.

(deep-fried and dried noodles, often

sprouts must be removed, as they

Chinese noodle dishes typically

cooked for birthdays and other

are bitter.

employ a specific texture of noodle to

auspicious occasions) and mee sua

match the other ingredients.

(very fine dried noodles).

PICKLED SOUR PLUMS

PRESERVED SALTED CABBAGE

PRESERVED SALTED RADISH

Also known as sng boey, these small,

Also known as tung chai or Tianjin

Also known as chai poh , this is sold in

whole plums are preserved and sold

preserved cabbage, these tan-

large pieces, chopped or shredded. It

in brine. They are typically added to

coloured chopped flakes are typically

is commonly fried with egg or added

soups and steamed dishes, especially

sold packed in small sachets or jars.

to noodles, stir-fries and snack items,

those with seafood or rich meats.

They add flavour and crunch stirred

and also appears in many dishes

into rice congee, steamed meat

designed to accompany plain rice

patties and soups.

congee or rice. glossary OF INGREDIENTS 

PRESERVED MUSTARD CABBAGE

RED DATES

Also known as mui choy, preserved

These small, wrinkly, brick-red jujubes

mustard greens are made from a

are typically sold pitted and dried.

different and leafier variety of mustard

They have a powerful sweetness and

greens than that used for salted

somewhat assertive fruity, musty

vegetable ( kiam chye). This comes in

aroma. They are mostly used in

varieties cured with salt alone or salt

Chinese herbal cuisine and are often

plus sugar. Leathery and tough, they

added to both savoury stews and

must be well soaked and slow-cooked

sweet soups as a basic flavouring.

to bring out their flavour.

RED YEAST RICE

RICE WINE

SALTED VEGETABLE

Made by inoculating rice with

Chinese rice wines vary in hue from

Also known as kiam chye, these are

monascus moulds which turn the

colourless, through pale yellow to

salt-fermented, thick-stalked mustard

grains a deep maroon-red, red yeast

amber and reddish-brown, depending

greens. Naturally pale yellow to

rice is used to ferment and tint a

on how they were brewed and what

olive-green in colour, they have a

number of Chinese foods, including

kinds of grain and yeast were used.

succulent, meaty texture. Soak to

wine and bean curd. It is said to have

The most common rice wine used

remove excess salt before using in

medicinal properties.

locally for cooking is probably hua tiao

stews, soups, braises and vegetable

wine from Shaoxing province, made

dishes. There are also pickled mustard

with glutinous rice and wheat. Cooking

greens that are seasoned with sugar

grades usually have a small percentage

or chilli. These recipes call for the

of added salt to avoid alcohol duties.

plain salt-fermented mustard greens.

Mei kwei lu jiu (Chinese rose wine) is a pale rice wine infused with rose petals and is favoured for marinades. chinese heritage

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SEAFOOD CONDIMENTS A few condiments based on cured seafood are indigenous to Southern China’s coastal regions. Oyster sauce, made of seasoned reduced oyster juice, has the most global recognition; there are similar variations made from abalone. Salted prawn (shrimp) sauce (har cheong) (top), is a wet lavender-hued paste the Cantonese use to flavour chicken, rice, noodle and seafood dishes. Fish sauce made from salted fermented anchovies is used in many of Fujian’s cuisines. Other South East Asian seafood condiments have been adopted by the Chinese diaspora, such as dried prawn (shrimp) paste ( belacan) used in sambals, sauces and curries, fermented prawn paste (cincalok ), a sauce of salted whole krill, and black prawn (shrimp) paste (haeko) (bottom), a tarry-looking paste of fermented prawns, salt, sugar and starch, used in salad dressings, sauces and garnishes.

SESAME SESAME SE SA A ME ME OIL OIL IL

SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

SICHUAN PEPPERCORNS

Extracted E trac Ex trr ac acte t ed from frro om m sesame ses esam s am me seeds, its

Widely used in both fresh and dried

These red-brown dried berries with

flavour f lav fl flav avou vou ou r varies vari va riies es depending dep epen pen n di di on the seed

states, these dark brown mushrooms

black seeds are from a tree of the

colour c olo co colo our u r (white (wh whit itte or or black) b laack c ) and whether

range considerably in quality, size,

citrus family. They have a lemony,

they It takes t hey th ey were w er ere toasted toaasste toas to t ed d or raw. r

thickness and price. Dried specimens

numbing warmth and should be used

on o n acrid accrrid id or or fishy fish fi shy odours sh od ou od ou r if exposed to

are also known as dried Chinese

judiciously.

high hig hi gh h heat hea eat or or if if it it goes g oe oes rancid, so it is oes

mushrooms. Those with attractive

most mo m ost st often oft ften en used use s d as as an an uncooked or

flower-patterned cracks on top are

lightly liligh ghtl t ly cooked cook co o ked ed seasoning. sea easo aso oni ni

prized. The best have thick caps with a succulent, meaty texture. Dried shiitake are also used to make a vegetarian analogue to oyster sauce.

glossary OF INGREDIENTS 

SOY BEAN CONDIMENTS The Chinese transform soy beans into various condiments by salting, fermenting and seasoning them. Preserved soy bean paste (taucheo) (top) are fermented with salt, and in their many incarnations are a common seasoning. They are sold whole, mashed, sweetened with red dates, spiked with chilli, and so on. Salted black soy beans (right), are also widely used. Fermented bean curd comes in two main kinds: foo

yee (white, often seasoned with a little chilli as shown here) (left) and

nam yee (red, coloured with red yeast rice) (bottom). Both are assertively pungent and should be used sparingly.

SOY SAUCE, DARK

SOY SAUCE, LIGHT

WINTER MELON

There are a few different kinds of

Used primarily as a table dip and

This green-skinned, hard melon has

dark soy sauce, varying mostly in

fundamental seasoning, light soy

snow-white flesh that cooks to a

texture from thin and runny to thick

sauce is essential to the Chinese

melting softness. Markets typically

and treacly. The latter grades are

pantry. The best quality sauces have

sell small whole melons and sections

usually sweetened and thickened

a deep reddish-brown hue and a

of larger ones. Dried candied winter

with caramel and/or sugar. They

complex flavour beyond their initial

melon (pictured) comes in sticks and

are used in the Chinese kitchen for

saltiness. They may be made from

is used to sweeten drinks and herbal

marinades, sauces and gravies, as

different kinds of soy beans plus

preparations.

much to colour as to thicken.

wheat grains. Note that Japanese soy sauces are not exact substitutes for Chinese soy sauces as they are brewed with different ratios of soy beans to wheat, and have less neutral tastes.

chinese heritage

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Menu suggestions CNY Reunion Dinner Yu Sheng (page 164) Chilli Crab (page 160) Steamed Whole Fish (page 60) Char Siew (page 50) Duck and Kiam Chye Soup (page 128) Hokkien Mee (page 116) Ngoh Hiang (page 146) Tang Yuan (page 172) Orh Nee (page 152)

Birthday Celebration Fragrant Glutinous Rice (page 118) or Hokkien Mee (page 116) Steamed Whole Fish (page 60) Fried Prawns with Black Sauce (page 58) Teochew Braised Duck (page 142) Tang Yuan (page 172)

Dim Sum Party Siew Mai (page 64) Soon Kueh (page 148) Steamed Radish Cake (page 68) Stuffed Yu Tiao (page 70) Spring Rolls (page 66) Yong TTau Foo (page 102) Foochow Fish Balls (page 108) Foocho

Casual Family Meals Congee Meal Teochew Sweet Potato Congee (page 138) or Plain Congee Teochew Steamed Pomfret (page 144) Braised Pork with Mui Choy (page 100) Oyster Omelette (page 140) Casual Meal One Hakka Rice Wine Chicken (page 98) Wonton Soup (page 72) Steamed or Stir-fried vegetables Plain rice Casual Meal Two Steamed Egg (page 62) Sweet and Sour Pork (page 52) Winter Melon Soup (page 74) Plain rice

Potluck Party Hainanese Chicken Curry (page 82) or Chicken Rice (page 78) Abacus Beads (page 104) Beef Hor Fun (page 42) Chinese Rojak (page 168) Chwee Kueh (page 150) Loh Kai Yik (page 56) Hainanese Kaya (page 92) on buttered toast Green Bean Soup (page 130) Lotus Seed Dessert (page 154) Huat Kueh (page 172)

MENU SUGGESTIONS 

weights & measures Quantities for this book are given in Metric, Imperial and American (spoon) measures. Standard spoon and cup measurements used are: 1 tsp = 5 ml, 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 cup = 250 ml. All measures are level unless otherwise stated. Dry Measures

Liquid and Volume Measures Metric

Imperial

American

Metric

Imperial

5 ml

1

/6 fl oz

1 teaspoon

30 grams

1 ounce

10 ml

1

/3 fl oz

1 dessertspoon

45 grams

11/2 ounces

15 ml

1

/2 fl oz

1 tablespoon

55 grams

2 ounces

60 ml

2 fl oz

1

/4 cup (4 tablespoons)

70 grams

21/2 ounces

85 ml

21/2 fl oz

1

/3 cup

85 grams

3 ounces

90 ml

3 fl oz

3

/8 cup (6 tablespoons)

100 grams

31/2 ounces

125 ml

4 fl oz

1

/2 cup

110 grams

4 ounces

180 ml

6 fl oz

3

/4 cup

125 grams

41/2 ounces

250 ml

8 fl oz

1 cup

140 grams

5 ounces

300 ml

10 fl oz ( /2 pint)

1 /4 cups

280 grams

10 ounces

375 ml

12 fl oz

11/2 cups

450 grams

16 ounces (1 pound)

435 ml

14 fl oz

1 /4 cups

500 grams

1 pound, 11/2 ounces

500 ml

16 fl oz

2 cups

700 grams

11/2 pounds

625 ml

20 fl oz (1 pint)

21/2 cups

800 grams

13/4 pounds

750 ml

24 fl oz (1 /5 pints)

3 cups

1 kilogram

2 pounds, 3 ounces

1 litre

32 fl oz (1 / pints)

4 cups

1.5 kilograms

3 pounds, 41/2 ounces

1.25 litres

40 fl oz (2 pints)

5 cups

2 kilograms

4 pounds, 6 ounces

1.5 litres

48 fl oz (22/5 pints)

6 cups

2.5 litres

80 fl oz (4 pints)

10 cups

1

1

3

1 3

5

Length

Oven Temperature °C

°F

Gas Regulo

Metric

Imperial

Very slow

120

250

1

0.5 cm

1

/4 inch

Slow

150

300

2

1 cm

1

/2 inch

Moderately slow

160

325

3

1.5 cm

3

/4 inch

Moderate

180

350

4

2.5 cm

1 inch

Moderately hot

190/200

370/400

5/6 6/7

Hot

210/220

410/440

Very hot

230

450

8

Super hot

250/290

475/550

9/10

chinese heritage

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RESOURCES Books & Online Publications Cheng, Lim Keak. "Patterns of Social Alignment: A Case Study of Hakka Associations in Singapore". Southeast Asian Studies, Vol. 32 No. 4, March 1995. http://www.cseas.kyoto-u.ac.jp/edit/publications/seas/ index_en.htm. Frost, Mark Ravinder. "Transcultural Diaspora: The Straits Chinese in Singapore, 1819–1918". Asia Research Institute, Working Paper Series, No.10. http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/docs/wps/wps03_010.pdf. Hack, Karl. "Chinatown as a Microcosm of Singapore". http://www.hsse.nie.edu.sg/staff/blackburn/ ChinatownHistory.pdf. Lai, Chee Kien. "Multi-ethnic Enclaves Around Middle Road: An Examination of Early Urban Settlement in Singapore". BiblioAsia, Vol. 2, Issue 2, July 2006. http://www.microsite.nl.sg/PDFs/BiblioAsia/ BIBA_0202Jul06.pdf. National Library Board, Singapore. "Singapore Story: Early Chinese Immigrants in Singapore". http://mms. elibraryhub.com/shc/NLBHB/SS/SingaporeStory/Early_Chinese.pdf. Tan, Chee-Beng, ed. Chinese Food and Foodways in Southeast Asia and Beyond. Singapore: NUS Press, 2011. Tan, Thomas T. W. ed. Chinese Dialect Groups: Traits and Trades. Singapore: Opinion Books, 1990. Tong, Chee Kiong. "Chinese in Singapore". http://www.upf.edu/mon/assig/xialmo/mat/kiong_3.pdf.

Museums Asian Civilisations Museum 1 Empress Place Singapore 179555 www.a www.acm.org.sg Chines Chinese Heritage Centre 12 Nan Nanyang Drive Singap Singapore 637721 www.c www.chineseheritagecentre.org Fuk Ta Tak Chi Museum Fa ar Eas Far East Square 76 Telo Telok Ayer Street, #01-01 SSingapore Si n ap ng 048464 Nati Na tion ti o National Museum of Singapore 9 SStamford 93 tam ta m Road Sing Si ngap ng ap p Singapore 178897 w ww wn w. www.nationalmuseum.sg

RESOURCES 

index Abacus Beads 104

choy sum (Chinese flowering cabbage) 44, 72

All-purpose Chilli Sauce 30

Chwee Kueh 150

aubergine (eggplant/brinjal) 162

Clay Pot Rice 46 coconut

Bak Chor Mee 134

cream 92

Bak Kut Teh 126

milk 82, 92, 162

bean curd

grated, skinned 90

dried sheets 86

crab 160

dried skin 146

cream crackers 84

firm 102, 142

Crispy Lard Cubes and Liquid Lard 32

fried, puffs 56, 168

cuttlefish, dried 104

red, fermented (nam yee) 50, 56 white, fermented (foo yee) 86

daikon radish, white 68, 164

bean sprouts 66, 114, 116, 122, 136

dried sour fruit (asam gelugor) 128

Beef Hor Fun 42

dried tangerine peel 60, 130, 142

black fungus 86

dried yeast cake 34

black prawn paste (haeko) 168

Dry Noodles with Fish Balls 136

Braised Pork with Mui Choy 100

duck 113, 128, 133, 142 Duck and Kiam Chye Soup 128

Char Kway Teow 114 Char Siew 50

fish sauce 104, 114, 134

chicken 46, 56, 74, 77–78, 82, 95–96, 98, 148

fishcake 114

Chicken Rice 78

Foochow Fish Balls 108

Chilli Crab 160

utinous Rice 118 Fragrant Glutinous

chilli

ns with Black Sauce 58 Fried Prawns

Five-spice Powder 31, 124, 142, 146

bird’s eye 30, 78 green 30, 162

42, 160 galangal 142,

red 30, 31, 42, 44, 46, 58, 60, 78, 116, 118, 122, 126, 134, 136, 144, 164, 168

ginger 44, 46, 58, 60, 72, 74, 78, 86, 90, 96, 98, 100, 118, 128, 142, 160, 162, 173

Chinese ham 33, 74

old 78, 158, 173 g 52, 60, 78, 144 young

Chinese Rojak 168

152 ginkgo nuts 152

Chinese wolfberries 86, 126

ce e 34, 34 118 118 glutinous rice

Chinese-style Fish Head Curry 162

ce flour flo lour 90, 172 17 72 glutinous rice

chinese heritage

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goat 86, 87

Ngoh Hiang 146

Green Bean Soup 130

noodles

bee hoon (dried fine vermicelli) 116 Hae Mee 122

Hokkien 114, 116, 122

Hainanese Chicken Curry 77

hor fun 42

Hainanese Chicken Curry 82

kway teow 114

Hainanese Kaya 92

laksa 44

Hainanese Mutton Soup 86

mee kia 134, 136

Hainanese Pork Chops 84

mee pok 134, 136

Hakka Rice Wine Chicken 98 haw flakes 52

Orh Nee 152

hoisin sauce 56

Oyster Omelette 140

Hokkien Mee 116

oyster sauce 42, 46, 52, 56, 72, 102, 140

Home-made Yellow Glutinous Rice Wine (Hakka-Style Yellow Rice Wine) 34, 46, 98, 100

oysters 140

HP sauce 84 Huat Kueh 170 jellyfish 164, 165

kai lan (Chinese broccoli) 42 kangkong (water spinach) 56, 122, 168

pandan leaves 78, 92, 154, 170, 173 peanuts, boiled or stewed 118 peanuts, roasted 90, 160, 164, 168 Pickled Green Chillies 30 Pig's Trotters Braised in Black Vinegar 158 pineapple 52, 168 plum sauce 50, 52 plums red 164

f ladies fingers 162 8 87 lamb 86, lemon grass 82, 160, 162 S Light Stock 33, 46, 62, 104 Ka Yik 56 Loh Kai S Lotus Seed Dessert 154 se lotus seeds 154 mi e pork 108, 134, 146 minced m ng beans, green 130 mu mung m sh mu hro mushrooms, dried shiitake 66, 104, 118, 134 13 134, 144, 148

wet, salted (sng boey) 128, 144 pomelo 164 pork belly 54, 56, 100, 102, 116, 124 bones 134 chops 84 lean 116, 122, 134 liver 134 ribs 74, 82, 122, 126, 128 trotters 158 Pork Steamed with Har Cheong 54

INDEX 

prawns (shrimps) 33, 58, 62, 64, 68, 70, 72, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 116, 118, 119, 122, 134, 146, 148 dried 68, 102, 104, 118, 148 preserved salted radish (chai poh) 150 preserved soy bean paste (taucheo) 50, 56, 160 red rice wine lees 35, 96 Red Wine Lees Chicken 96 red yeast rice 34 rice flour 68, 90, 148, 150, 170 rice wine 52, 64, 70, 114, 140, 160 Shaoxing 42, 44, 46, 50, 58, 60, 62, 66, 68, 86, 104, 118, 144, 148 white 34, 98 rue 130 salted black beans 42 salted prawn (shrimp) sauce (har cheong) 54

Steamed Radish Cake 68 Steamed Whole Fish 60 Stuffed You Tiao 70 Sweet and Sour Pork 52 sweet potato 138 sweet preserved mustard cabbage (teem mui choy) 100 tamarind pulp 162, 168 Tang Yuan 172 taro 68, 104, 106, 146, 152, 172 Tauyu Bak 124 Teochew Braised Duck 142 Teochew Chilli Dip 31 Teochew Steamed Pomfret 144 Teochew Sweet Potato Congee 138 torch ginger bud 168 vinegar black 136, 158

salted preserved cabbage (tung chai ) 136

Chinkiang, black 134

salted vegetable (kiam chye) 128, 144

rice 30, 52, 164

salty preserved mustard cabbage (harm mui choy) 100

wonton skin 64, 72

sambal chilli 116

Wonton Soup 72

sausage

water chestnuts 146

Chinese 46, 114

winter melon 74

liver 46

Winter Melon Soup 74

Sichuan peppercorns 31, 126

Worcestershire sauce 84

Siew Mai 64 Sliced Fish Bee Hoon 44

yam bean 66, 148, 168

Soon Kueh 148

Yi Buah 90

Spring Rolls 66

Yong Tau Foo 102

Squid 70, 116

Yu Sheng 164

Steamed Egg 62

yu tiao (fried crullers) 70, 168

chinese heritage

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PHOTO CREDITS All photographs by Hongde Photography except as indicated below: Bernard Go: pages 6 (bottom: toy lion dance lions), 9, 10 (right: men playing Chinese chess), 11 (all except top right image), 20, 21, 40 (a Chinese food stall), 41 (left: dim sum), 113 (left: a traditional steamboat; right: tiffin carriers made of enamel) and 157 (left: dried melon seeds and peanuts; right: Chinese new year cakes) Christopher Tan: pages 6 (top left: egg tarts), 10 (left: frying oyster pancakes), 11 (top right: a fish stall at a wet market), 29 (left: bottled condiments and sauces at a Chinese grocery stall), 35, 76 (a Hainanese food stall), 77 (left: a breakfast spread of kaya toast and soft-boiled egg; right: traditional Hainanese rice dumplings wrapped in woven palm leaves) and 133 (left: fried oyster omelette or or luak; right: a Teochew opera performance) K F Wong Collection/National Archives of Singapore: Third inset image on the front cover (a Chinese coffee shop in Chinatown, 1965) Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts/National Archives of Singapore: pages 16, 22 and 27 National Archives of Singapore: First, second and fourth inset images on the front cover (a roadside vegetable stall, 1950; a fishmonger unloading fish at the Singapore River, 1946; eating at an itinerant hawker stall, 1930), back cover (an itinerant noodle seller, 1950), pages 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 and 23 Singapore Tourism Board/National Archives of Singapore: page 25

Photo CREDITS 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Christopher Tan www.foodfella.com

Christopher Tan is a writer, food consultant and author. A contributor of articles, photographs and recipes to international periodicals such as Saveur, Food & Travel, The Peak and

Appetite magazines, he is also a food columnist for Singapore’s Sunday Times. Chris regularly conducts talks, demonstrations and cooking classes on cuisine and culture at venues which have included Singapore's National History Museum and Peranakan Museum, the Sydney International Food Festival, the Musée Quai Branly in Paris, and the Culinary Institute of America. He has authored, co-authored, styled photos for and edited many cookbooks.

Amy Van www.aufait.com.sg

itor of a Singapore-based food and Amy Van is currently editor wine magazine. Armed with more than 10 years of editorial ntributed articles and recipes to a experience, she has contributed style magazines such as Appetite, variety of food and lifestyle

Singapore Women’s Weeklyy and Time Out Singapore Singapo p o re . ar restaurant reviewer for To Today o daa y She was also a regular rked on numerous cookbook projects pro roje ro ject je ctss ct newspaper. Amy has worked st, as as well wel as as authored auth t orred several al travel tra rraavel ve el as writer, editor and stylist, u lish ub her ers. guides for international publishers.

chinese heritage

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The Singapore Heritage Cookbook series documents and preserves the cultural and culinary heritage of the different ethnic groups in Singapore through recipes passed down from generation to generation. Each book is made up of two parts: an introduction that provides an overview of the history and culture of the community in Singapore and a selection of delightful recipes including traditional dishes and dishes that boast a distinct regional variation that makes them uniquely Singaporean. With its focus on the cultural and culinary heritage of the Chinese, Malays, Indians, Eurasians and Peranakans in Singapore, the Singapore Heritage Cookbook series is the definitive reference for anyone looking to learn and understand more about the different ethnic groups in Singapore.

COOKERY

ISBN 978-981-4346-44-3

,!7IJ8B4-degeed!