The Little Cantonese Cookbook [1 ed.] 9814634123, 9789814634120

Table of contents :
Contents
Introduction
Appetizers & Soups
Noodles & Rice
Fish & Seafood
Meat & Poultry
Vegetables & Egg
Desserts
Glossary
Weights & Measures
About the Author

Citation preview

The Little

Cantonese Cookbook DEBORAH O’NEILL–LOWE KWOK YUN

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The publisher wishes to thank Kwok Shih Cheung for the use of the tableware featured on pages 9, 17, 21, 50, 54, 57, 62, 70, 86, 95, 96, 99 and 106 in this book. Copyright © 2015 Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited 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 Email: [email protected] Online bookstore: www.marshallcavendish.com/genref 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: 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 O’Neill-Lowe, Deborah Kwok Yun, author. The little Cantonese cookbook : a collection of classic home-style Chinese dishes / Deborah O’Neill-Lowe Kwok Yun. – Singapore : Marshall Cavendish Cuisine, [2015] pages cm ISBN : 978-981-4634-12-0 (paperback) 1. Cooking, Chinese – Cantonese style. 2. Cookbooks. I. Title. TX724.5.C5 641.595127 -- dc23 OCN913770830 Printed by Times Offset (M) Sdn Bhd

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Contents Introduction 4 Appetizers & Soups 7 Noodles & Rice 25 Fish & Seafood 39 Meat & Poultry 55 Vegetables & Egg 75 Desserts 79 Glossary 102 Weights & Measures 107

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Introduction The origins of Cantonese cuisine began in the Guangdong province located at the South-Eastern coastline of China. Bustling cities like Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou are part of this region. Its geographical location shaped the way of the cuisine to become what it is well-known for today. With its subtropical climate and distinct four seasons, Guangdong has the perfect conditions for a thriving agricultural industry. The Pearl River Delta is a richly cultivated farming area located South of the city of Guangzhou (Canton as it was once known). It was this area that opened the doors of China to the rest of the world and so the people of Guangzhou were introduced to exotic and new imported produce and ingredients. Cantonese food is known to have adapted many foreign ingredients to incorporate new flavours into their traditional dishes. Ingredients like curry powder, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce and evaporated milk are a few that spring to mind. The Cantonese are also one of the largest groups of mainlanders to emigrate from China to the four corners of the Western world. With this mass exodus, they introduced foreigners to “westernised” Cantonese foods and what the world associates with food typically found in Chinese restaurants. The Cantonese enjoy an abundance of fresh seafood and produce because of the region’s close proximity to the sea and farming areas. They preserve the sweetness and freshness of the ingredients by only using mild seasoning to capture the natural flavours. The common cooking techniques of steaming and stir-frying are preferred, as they require little intervention to the ingredients. Savouring all parts of certain produce and livestock is essential to the cuisine and to the people. It is very common for internal organs, duck tongues and chicken feet to be roasted or braised and seen on display or hanging in the front windows of a Chinese roast shop. They do not waste much and even believe that certain parts of offal should be consumed for health and well-being benefits. As much as the cuisine focuses on freshness, the Cantonese also have ways of preparing ingredients that have strong odours. They have an extensive list of pickled and preserved goods that are used to get rid of the odours. It is with such ingredients

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that the cooking techniques of braising or frying will be used to overcome strong unpalatable flavours. Unlike their Northern counterparts, chillies are rarely used in Cantonese cuisine; they have more mild, delicate flavours. If you have even known a Cantonese you would know their love for soups. Soups are essential to their food culture and help keep the yin-yang in one’s body and soul balanced. The soups are light and usually clear, simmered for a few hours to get the maximum nutrients out of the ingredients. Lean meat or fish as well as bones are used along with vegetables and Chinese herbs to enhance the health benefiting properties. If one’s body system is considered weak, strong, cooling or heaty then only certain ingredients are prepared and consumed. There are many combinations and varieties of soups for the whole family. There are “neutral” soups that don’t require much and can be prepared quickly and easily for a family meal. The family meal usually consists of soup, vegetables and dishes that will go well with rice. The serving sizes for these recipes are based on the dish being part of a shared family meal. Cantonese are superstitious so the number of dishes placed on the table is important. We would never have 4 dishes as the number 4 can be read as death in Cantonese and 7 dishes are only ever served at dinners held after a funeral. Rice is not counted as a dish. The recipes in this book are the ones I remember the most as a Cantonese. Recipes that my Grandma cooked for us, my Mum cooks for her grandchildren and I cook for my family. I learnt a lot from watching my Grandma Gops in the kitchen. She never had measuring equipment, fancy kitchen appliances or recipes to follow. Her way taught me to use my senses and instincts to cook and perfect a dish. Her dishes always came out tasty and faultless. Grandma always used whatever she had on hand and I admire her for being so resourceful. A trait, I like to think, she’s imparted to me. Use my recipes as a guide and adapt them to suit your family. I have included cup measurements for my recipes which can be measured with a dry measuring cup. Cooking is quite easy and fun once you have the confidence in yourself to try. The most important skill you need when making every dish is patience. Deborah O’Neill-Lowe Kwok Yun

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Appetizers & Soups Potato Pancakes 8 Shredded Chicken and Jellyfish Salad 11 Pork and Bok Choy Dumplings 12 Wontons in Chicken Broth 15 Lotus Root Soup 16 Fresh Tomato with Glass Vermicelli Soup 19 Pickled Mustard Greens and Bitter Gourd Soup 20 Watercress, Carrot and Pork Soup 23

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Potato Pancakes Makes 10–12 pieces These are one of the many savoury snacks I watched my grandmother prepare for us. She would use bacon or waxed pork belly in place of roast pork. I would watch in awe as my grandma or “Gops” as she is fondly known by us, would meticulously cut every single ingredient by hand. Do not be put off by the extensive list of ingredients. It is worth the effort, especially if your children love savoury home-made snacks.

2 tablespoons cooking oil + more if needed 30 g (1/4 cup) dried shrimps, soaked until softened, rinsed and finely diced 1 tablespoon preserved radish (chye poh), rinsed a few times and finely diced 3 shiitake mushrooms, finely diced 1 Chinese sausage (lap cheong), steamed and finely diced 25 g (1/3 cup) roast pork, finely diced 1 /4 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 /4 teaspoon sugar 55 g (1/2 cup) plain flour 2 teaspoons cornflour 125 ml (1/2 cup) water 2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated 1 spring onion (scallion), finely chopped 1 coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

1. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and sauté dried shrimps, preserved radish, shiitake mushrooms, lap cheong and roast pork for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. 2. Season with Shaoxing wine, ground white pepper and sugar. Stir to mix well, then transfer to a clean plate lined with paper towels. Set aside to cool. 3. In a mixing bowl, add plain flour and cornflour. Stir in water and potatoes. 4. Mix in stir-fried ingredients, spring onion and coriander. 5. Heat a frying pan and add remaining oil. 6. For one pancake, scoop 2 heaped tablespoons of potato batter onto frying pan. Fry for 2–3 minutes to lightly brown each side. Repeat until mixture is all used up. 7. Serve potato pancakes warm.

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Shredded Chicken and Jellyfish Salad Serves 4 The literally translation of this dish in Cantonese is “hand-shredded chicken and jellyfish”. My mum is a firm believer that the chicken is much tastier if you shred it by hand instead of using a knife. The jellyfish has a crunchy yet squidgy texture and does not have much taste on its own. A sour and salty dressing brings all the ingredients together. Cantonese aren’t big on salads but this one is an exception. This salad is best served warm.

SALAD

420 g (3 packets) jellyfish, rinsed thoroughly in cold water 1 /2 teaspoon ground white pepper 65 g (1 cup) celery, thinly sliced 50 g (1/2 cup) carrots, peeled and grated 80 g (1 cup) chicken fillet, shredded by hand 1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds coriander (cilantro), as needed, to garnish

1. Prepare salad. Soak jellyfish in hot water for 1–2 minutes. Drain. 2. In a salad bowl, mix ground white pepper with jellyfish well. 3. Add celery, carrots and shredded chicken. Toss well to combine. 4. Prepare dressing. Combine ingredients for dressing together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust with seasoning to taste. 5. Drizzle dressing over salad and mix well.

DRESSING

1 tablespoon sesame oil 60 ml (1/4 cup) rice vinegar 1 teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

6. Sprinkle sesame seeds and coriander on top before serving. Alternatively, celery can be substituted with cucumber.

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Pork and Bok Choy Dumplings Makes 24 dumplings Dumplings are so versatile. They can be pan-fried, deep-fried or boiled. The filling can also be varied using chicken, prawns or a mixture of vegetables. I’ve used baby bok choy as I find it more tender and sweeter. Other green leafy vegetables work well too. Make sure if you are using green leafy vegetables that all the water has been squeezed out before adding to the mixture. I usually make a batch of dumplings and freeze them so that I can put together a quick meal.

DUMPLINGS

250 g minced pork 1 teaspoon salt 250 g (1 packet) baby bok choy, rinsed and quartered 24 white round dumpling wrappers cooking oil, as needed water, as needed MARINADE

1 tablespoon oyster sauce 2 teaspoons cornflour + more to dust 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 /4 teaspoon sesame oil 1 /2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger DIPPING SAUCE

rice vinegar soy sauce sugar sesame oil

1. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a bowl. 2. Combine minced pork with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate. 3. In a saucepan of boiling water, add salt and blanch baby bok choy. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Finely dice baby bok choy either by hand or in a food processor. Combine with minced pork. Set aside.

4. Prepare dumplings. Dust a tray with cornflour. Prepare a small bowl of water. Spoon a tablespoon of minced pork onto the centre of a dumpling wrapper. 5. Wet the edge of only half of the wrapper. Fold wrapper in half to create a half moon shape and press the edges together to seal. 6. Gently press around the filling to remove air bubbles. Lightly press down to flatten the bottom so dumpling can stand well on its own. 7. Place both thumbs 1-cm apart on the edge of the wrapper. Keep one thumb stationary. Pinch edge of wrapper with other thumb and index finger and fold back towards other thumb. Using your stationary thumb, press down on the fold. Slide thumb along the edge and ruffle the remaining edge. There should be 5–6 creases. Repeat until wrappers are used up. Place on prepared tray and cover with a tea towel. 8. Keep dumplings in freezer until ready to use. Once frozen, place dumplings in a resealable freezer bag. 9. Heat wok over medium heat. Add oil and pan-fry dumplings in some oil until base of dumplings are brown. Add 125 ml (1 cup) water and cover wok to cook dumplings until water has evaporated. Remove lid to crisp up the base. 10. Serve with dipping sauce. Alternatively, dumplings can also be steamed for 15 minutes or boiled in batches until they float to the surface.

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Wontons in Chicken Broth Makes 30 wontons These wontons are handy to have in the freezer, so make a big batch by doubling the recipe! If you have home-made chicken stock prepared, you’ll have a healthy nourishing meal in less than 30 minutes. Always cook the wontons in a separate pot of water and never in the stock. If you don’t fancy pork, you could fill the wontons with chicken, prawns, fish or vegetables. Make sure vegetables are dry otherwise the wet filling will make your wrappers soggy.

light soy sauce, as needed 1 red chilli, thinly sliced WONTON

180 g minced pork 2 medium prawns, peeled, deveined and chopped 1 tablespoon finely diced coriander leaves and/or stems (cilantro) 30 square wonton wrappers MARINADE

1 teaspoon finely grated ginger 1 /2 teaspoon cornflour + more for dusting 1 /4 teaspoon sesame oil 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon oyster sauce BROTH

1.25 litres (5 cups) chicken stock (page 19) 1-cm piece ginger, peeled and smashed 2 sprigs spring onions (scallions), cut into 5-cm lengths 3 cloves garlic salt or light soy sauce, to taste

1. Prepare marinade. Combine ingredients for marinade in a bowl. 2. Combine minced pork, prawns and coriander with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes. 3. Prepare wonton. Dust some cornflour onto a tray. Prepare a small bowl of water. Spoon one

tablespoon of minced pork onto the centre of each wonton wrapper. Lightly moisten both sides of wrapper and fold in half, creating a triangle. Press down on the sides to seal. Gently press around filling to remove air bubbles. 4. Turn wrapper around so the tip of the triangle points downward and the base is at the top. Dab the front of one point of the triangle base and the back of the other point with a wet finger. Holding the other two edges, gently push into the filling to create a slight crease. Pull edges up and over filling until the two moist edges meet. Place wontons on prepared tray and cover with a tea towel. Repeat until wrappers are used up. 5. Prepare broth. In a saucepan, combine broth ingredients except salt or light soy sauce. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat, then simmer for 15–20 minutes over low-medium heat. Taste and adjust with salt or light soy sauce to taste. 6. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil over high heat and place a handful of wontons in. Cook wontons in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Boil wontons for 2–3 minutes or until wontons float to the surface. 7. Discard ginger, spring onions and garlic. Ladle broth into soup bowls. 8. Dish wontons out and serve with light soy sauce and freshly cut chilli. Alternatively, you can deep-fry wontons for a snack. Dip with sweet and sour sauce, black vinegar or mayonnaise.

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Lotus Root Soup Serves 4–6 It’s well known that the Cantonese try to fully utilise all parts of the animal they cook with. I’m sure the new and rising trend of head to tail dining is based on this ancient Cantonese practice. This soup is a testament to that. Do not be put off by the chicken feet, they are rich in nutrients and collagen and a big bag of chicken feet costs next to nothing. Chicken feet can also be used to make a basic chicken stock as well.

2 litres (8 cups) water + more to fill soup pot 600 g chicken feet, nails discarded, washed 500 g lotus root, cleaned and thinly sliced 155 g (1 cup) black-eyed peas, washed and soaked 2 tablespoons Chinese wolfberries (gei ji) 3 dried honey dates 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into wedges 1 corn cob, cut into large chunks 2 teaspoons salt

1. Fill soup pot or stockpot with sufficient water to blanch chicken feet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Blanch chicken feet for 2–3 minutes. Remove, drain and rinse under cold water to remove any dirt or impurities. 2. Bring water to a boil over high heat in the same soup pot or stockpot. Add all ingredients except for salt. 3. Lower heat, then keep soup on a constant low simmer for 2.5 hours. Cover half of pot with lid. 4. Season with salt. Taste and adjust soup with more salt to taste. 5. Ladle into soup bowls and serve warm. If you place the soup in the refrigerator overnight, expect for it to turn jelly-like from the gelatinous collagen. The soup will return to liquid form once re-heated.

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Fresh Tomato with Glass Vermicelli Soup Serves 4–6 This light, refreshing and appetizing soup is a great accompaniment to a family meal. The hint of sourness from the pickled vegetables helps cuts through some of the heavier dishes of the meal. As this soup does not require hours of simmering, it’s perfect for busy parents who want to cook wholesome meals for their family but do not have hours to spend in the kitchen. Glass vermicelli are a great addition and need to be added just before serving as the noodles will soak up all the soup otherwise.

200 g minced pork 1.5 litres (6 cups) chicken stock 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into thick wedges 1-cm piece ginger, peeled and smashed 2 ripe tomatoes, quartered 80 g (1/2 cup) Sichuan pickled vegetables (tsar choy), rinsed in cold water 100 g dried glass vermicelli, soaked in cold water until softened 1 coriander (cilantro), chopped MARINADE

1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 /4 teaspoon sugar

1. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a bowl. 2. Combine minced pork with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate. 3. In a saucepan, add chicken stock, onion and ginger. Bring to a boil over high heat. 4. Reduce to medium heat. Add tomatoes and minced pork. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add Sichuan pickled vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes. 5. Turn off heat and stir in glass vermicelli. Cook noodles for 1–2 minutes. 6. Taste and adjust with seasoning. Ladle into a soup bowl and garnish with coriander.

CHICKEN STOCK

1 chicken carcass, including feet and neck 1 garlic bulb, peeled, halved and smashed 2 medium onions, peeled and halved cooking oil, as needed 3 litres (12 cups) water

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place chicken carcass, half of garlic bulb and 2 onion halves on a roasting tray and drizzle with oil. 2. Roast for 20–30 minutes until bones are brown and fragrant. After 10–15 minutes of roasting, turn onion and garlic over and check that they do not stick to tray.

3. In a stockpot, add water, remaining garlic and onions. Bring to a boil over high heat. 4. Transfer carcass, garlic and onions into stockpot. Do not add charred ingredients. Lower heat, then keep stock at a constant simmer for 2 hours over low-medium heat. Remove from heat and allow stock to cool. 5. Discard carcass, garlic and onion. Ladle into ice cube trays and freeze. It is best to refrigerate for a few hours or overnight as it is easier to skim fats off the top once they are solidified. Once frozen, transfer stock cubes into a ziplock bag. Stock can be kept for up to 2 months.

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Pickled Mustard Greens and Bitter Gourd Soup Serves 4–6 I remember being very sceptical when my mum first told me about this ham suen choy soup, which literally means salty sour vegetable soup. However once I tried it, I was hooked! Light and refreshing with unique flavours from the bitter gourd and pickled mustard greens, this soup is easy to put together and a nice change from the other vegetable soups we usually have during family meals. 200 g pork ribs, cut into 5-cm pieces 300 g (1 packet) pickled mustard greens, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes 1.5 litres (6 cups) water 1-cm piece ginger, peeled and smashed 300 g bitter gourd, seeded, halved lengthways and cut into 2-cm thick slices salt, to taste

1. In a pot of boiling water, blanch pork ribs for 2–3 minutes. Drain and rinse pork ribs under cold water to remove dirt and other impurities. 2. Drain and rinse pickled mustard greens thoroughly under cold water. 3. In a large saucepan, add water, ginger, pickled mustard greens and pork ribs. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes. 4. Add bitter gourd and simmer until soft. Taste and adjust soup with salt to taste. 5. Ladle into soup bowls and serve with main meal. Be sure to rinse the pickled mustard greens thoroughly otherwise the soup will be a bright yellow colour.

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Watercress, Carrot and Pork Soup Serves 4–6 This nourishing soup is full of goodness. Use pork ribs instead of lean pork if you want to include the health benefits of bone broth. Remember to blanch the ribs before adding to the soup. Watercress is rich in nutrients and antioxidants and low in calories. While the pork can be simmered for some time, the watercress need only be added towards the end of the cooking process to retain its lovely green colour and nutrients.

300 g (1 bunch) watercress 2 litres (8 cups) water 200 g lean pork 3 dried honey dates 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 1 mandarin peel (optional) 2 tablespoons sweet and bitter Chinese almonds (optional) 2 teaspoons salt

1. Wash and rinse watercress a few times. Soak and set aside. 2. In a stockpot over high heat, bring water to a boil. 3. Add lean pork, dried honey dates, carrot, garlic, mandarin peel and Chinese almonds (if using). Reduce to medium heat, then simmer for 1.5 hours with lid half-covering pot. 4. Add watercress. Give soup a quick stir and simmer for another 30 minutes. 5. Taste and adjust soup with salt to taste. 6. Ladle into soup bowls and serve with main meal. This soup is considered ‘cooling’ according to Asian diets so best to not consume if you have a cold or are feeling light-headed. The addition of mandarin peels makes the soup less cooling while Chinese almonds add to the nourishing properties for the soup

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Noodles & Rice Beef Hor Fun 26 Fried Rice Vermicelli 29 Fragrant Chicken and Lap Cheong Rice 30 Chicken and Salted Fish Fried Rice 33 Chicken and Dried Scallop Congee 34 Salted Pork with Century Egg Congee 37

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Beef Hor Fun Serves 4 The secret to perfecting this dish is the use of “wok hei”, where the heat of the wok imparts a unique flavour that can transform this simple dish into an extremely appetizing meal. It takes practice for one to be comfortable enough to cook using a wok at high heat without overcooking or burning the ingredients.

200 g beef (rump, sirloin or flank), thinly sliced 200 g thick rice noodles (hor fun) 2 teaspoons light soy sauce + more to taste 1 tablespoon cooking oil + more if needed 50 g (1/2 cup) garlic chives (kucai), chopped 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce 200 g (1 packet) bean sprouts, washed, ends removed a handful of coriander (cilantro), chopped, to garnish (optional) a handful of spring onions (scallions), chopped, to garnish (optional) MARINADE

1 tablespoon finely grated ginger 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 /4 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 /2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine

1. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a bowl. 2. Combine beef with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. 3. Loosen hor fun with a quick rinse of cold water using a colander. Gently shake dry. Drizzle light soy sauce over hor fun and mix thoroughly. 4. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add oil and sear beef in batches over high heat and set aside. 5. Add a little oil to the same wok if necessary. Add hor fun and toss for 1 minute. Add garlic chives and dark soy sauce, gently tossing over medium heat until well combined with hor fun. 6. Return beef to wok. Add bean sprouts and toss gently with noodles. 7. Taste and adjust hor fun with light soy sauce to taste. Turn heat off. 8. Dish out and serve. Garnish with coriander and spring onions, if using. Many Asian groceries sell hor fun either pre-cut or in a block that you can slice yourself. If you don’t have fresh hor fun available in your area, use the thick dried rice sticks as an alternative.

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Fried Rice Vermicelli Serves 4 It was exciting for me when Grandma used to make this because it was a welcomed change from the mandatory meals of rice. Noodles are a lighter and healthier option. If you do not have roast pork, feel free to use whatever leftover meats you may have such as bacon, ham, roast duck, char siew or lap cheong. Grandma used to eat this dish with a dollop of English mustard. Out of curiosity I tried it and I’ve been eating it the same way ever since. Give it a go!

200 g (1/2 packet) rice vermicelli (bee hoon), soaked in warm water to soften then drain 1 tablespoon light soy sauce + more if needed 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 small onion, peeled, halved and sliced 2 stalks celery, sliced 1 small carrot, peeled and julienned 3 shiitake mushrooms, soaked and thinly sliced 80 g (1 cup) roast pork 1 egg, lightly beaten 50 g (1/2 cup) garlic chives (kucai), cut into 5-cm lengths 200 g (1 packet) bean sprouts, washed and ends removed English mustard, as needed

1. In a bowl, season rice vermicelli with light soy sauce. Mix well. 2. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add oil and sauté onion for 30 seconds. 3. Stir through celery and carrot for 1–2 minutes to combine. Stir through shiitake mushrooms and roast pork. Fry for 1 minute. 4. Add a handful of vermicelli at a time and toss to mix thoroughly. 5. Push vermicelli to one side of wok. Add egg into wok and scramble slightly. Push vermicelli to centre of wok over scrambled egg mixture. Toss to ensure that noodles and eggs are well combined. 6. Add garlic chives and bean sprouts. Toss well to combine. 7. Taste and adjust vermicelli with more light soy sauce to taste. 8. Dish out and serve with mustard or condiment of choice on the side. Congee makes a great accompaniment with this dish.

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Fragrant Chicken and Lap Cheong Rice Serves 4–6 This is my mum’s signature dish. She would make this often when we were kids and now she makes it for her grandchildren. It’s her take on a one-pot meal because the end result sees a complete meal being scooped out of the rice cooker and into your bowls. Sometimes I would put in an extra piece of lap cheong as my kids love the sweet, juicy fatty bites of it through their rice. You may need to adjust the water quantity to suit your rice cooker.

330 g (3 cups) long grain rice 1.125 litres (41/2 cups) water + more 1 Chinese sausage (lap cheong), sliced 200 g chicken boneless thigh fillet, sliced 3 shiitake mushrooms, soaked and thinly sliced a handful of coriander (cilantro), chopped, to garnish a handful of spring onions (scallions), chopped, to garnish oyster sauce, as needed

1. Wash and rinse rice thoroughly thrice or until water becomes clearer and less cloudy. Soak rice in required amount of water. Cook in rice cooker.

MARINADE

5. Steam marinated chicken, shiitake mushrooms and lap cheong in a steamer of boiling water for 10 minutes.

1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1-cm piece ginger, peeled and smashed 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 /2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 /4 teaspoon sesame oil

2. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a bowl. 3. Combine chicken with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate. 4. Mix shiitake mushrooms and lap cheong with chicken. Transfer to a steaming plate.

6. Fluff rice and mix in steamed ingredients. Mix a few spoons of sauce and rice well for extra flavour. 7. Cover and let stand for another 5 minutes. 8. Dish out and garnish with coriander and spring onions. 9. Serve with oyster sauce on the side.

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Chicken and Salted Fish Fried Rice Serves 4 I love home-cooked fried rice. It’s a great way to use up day-old rice, leftover meats and vegetables that have been sitting in the fridge. A simple dish of fried rice with egg, coriander and spring onion makes for a delicious meal without all the fuss. The key to beautiful golden eggy fried rice is to partially cook the egg then stir it through the rice when the egg is slightly runny. The rice is then coated with the egg and not merely garnished if you were to cook it as an omelette first.

200 g chicken thigh fillet, diced 50 g (1/4 cup) salted dried fish (ham yu) 1 teaspoon sugar 1 thin slice ginger, julienned 1 tablespoon cooking oil + more if needed 330 g (3 cups) day old rice 1 teaspoon salt 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 spring onion (scallions), chopped 1 coriander (cilantro), chopped + more for garnishing light soy sauce, to taste

5. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add remaining oil. Gently lower rice into wok to prevent oil from spitting. Stir rice around wok and press down on any clumps.

MARINADE

8. Create a well in the centre of the rice by pushing rice out to the side. Add chicken and stir-fry until brown. Mix until well combined with rice.

1 teaspoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 /4 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a bowl. 2. Combine chicken with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for a few hours. 3. Place salted fish on a small steaming plate. Top with sugar and ginger. Drizzle 1 teaspoon oil over salted fish and steam for 20 minutes. 4. Allow salted fish to cool before handling. Remove bones from salted fish and break into smaller pieces.

6. Cook rice over low-medium heat, constantly moving rice around wok to avoid sticking. Add a little more oil if rice is dry. Depending on how dry the rice is, re-hydrating it can take up to 10 minutes. 7. Season with salt and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust rice with more salt or light soy sauce to taste.

9. Create another well in the centre and pour egg in. Swirl egg around until partially cooked into strands. Mix well with rice until combined. 10. Gently mix in salted fish, spring onions and coriander. 11. Dish out and serve with coriander on the side. To get deliciously seasoned rice you need “wok hei”, salt and patience. It is a skill that can be achieved with practice from using a hot wok with the right cooking techniques. Do not overload your rice with different sauces as it can make your rice soggy. Seasoning the rice with salt keeps the rice dry and makes it easier to fry.

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Chicken and Dried Scallop Congee Serves 4 Congee is the soul of Cantonese comfort food. It’s versatile, nourishing, soothing and so simple to prepare. There is no need to stir the congee vigorously, stirring it gently once or twice each time will suffice. I would alternate among chicken, pork and fish for the base flavour of the congee. Adding iceberg lettuce at the end gives your bowl of congee a light and refreshing crunch. Congee is commonly served with deep-fried dough fritters, which are light and airy on the inside and crispy on the outside.

175 g (1 cup) rice 1 teaspoon salt 200 g chicken thigh fillet, thinly sliced or minced 2.25 litres (9 cups) chicken stock (page 19) or water 40 g (1/4 cup) dried scallops, soaked in cold water until softened then drained 1-cm piece ginger, peeled and smashed 2 bean curd sticks, soaked in water until softened then drained 60 g (2 cups) iceberg lettuce, shredded a handful of spring onions (scallion), chopped, to garnish MARINADE

1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1. Wash and rinse rice until water becomes clear and less cloudy. Add 1 teaspoon salt to rice. Mix well and set aside for 30 minutes 2. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a bowl. 3. Combine chicken with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for a few hours. 4. In a large saucepan or stockpot, add stock or water, dried scallops and ginger. 5. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add seasoned rice. Reduce to low heat, then keep congee at a constant simmer for 1 hour. Stir congee every 15–20 minutes to avoid rice from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan or stockpot. 6. Add chicken and bean curd sticks. Simmer for another 45 minutes. 7. Congee is ready when the rice grains have flowered and consistency of congee is thick. 8. Ladle into soup bowls. 9. Top with iceberg lettuce and spring onions. Serve.

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Salted Pork with Century Egg Congee Serves 4 Congee makes for a comforting meal. It is often served to young children and babies and also to the elderly when they are unwell. There are many varieties of congee but the most common is this salted pork with century egg. This variation of congee is a staple in all yum cha restaurants. While century egg does not sound the most appealing, it is really delicious, especially when eaten with pickled ginger.

175 g (1 cup) rice 2 teaspoons salt 1-cm piece ginger, peeled and crushed 2.25 litres (9 cups) chicken stock (page 19) or water 300 g lean pork, thinly sliced 2 century eggs, peeled and diced a handful of spring onions (scallions), chopped, to garnish

1. Wash and rinse rice thoroughly until water becomes clearer and less cloudy. 2. Rub 1 teaspoon salt into rice and set aside. 3. Rub remaining salt all over pork. Set aside for 20 minutes or keep refrigerated overnight. 4. In a soup pot, add ginger, stock or water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add rice and pork. 5. Lower heat, then keep at a low simmer for 2 hours with lid half-covering pot. Stir once every 15–20 minutes to ensure rice does not stick to the bottom of the pot. 6. Congee should be quite thick with the rice starting to “flower”. Simmer for another 10–15 minutes if congee is still watery. Keep an eye on congee as it can thicken up quite quickly. 7. Gently stir century eggs into congee. 8. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with spring onions. 9. Serve warm. Do not cover the pot completely as the congee will most definitely overflow and make an absolute mess of your stovetop. The pork can be salted and left overnight in the refrigerator.

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Fish & Seafood Steamed Fish Fillet with Salted Black Olives 40 Cantonese-style Steamed Fish 43 Stir-fried Fish Maw and Cucumber 44 Squid in Dried Shrimp Paste 47 Stir-fried Scallops and Sugar Snap Peas 48 Spiced Tomato Prawns 51 Steamed Garlic Prawns 52

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Steamed Fish Fillet with Salted Black Olives Serves 4–6 My grandmother would use the flavour combination of Chinese salted black olives and Tianjin preserved vegetable to steam the fish if she thought it was not as fresh as it should be. Chinese salted black olives have a strong earthy and musky taste so use sparingly. Pairing them with Tianjin preserved vegetable gives the dish the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavours.

300 g white fish fillet (cod, sea bass, sea bream, threadfin or snapper) 1 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 /2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon Tianjin preserved vegetable (dong choy), rinsed 1 tablespoon chopped Chinese salted black olives (lam gok), soaked in cold water for 10 minutes 1 tablespoon chopped spring onions (scallions) 1 tablespoon chopped coriander (cilantro), stems and leaves separated 1 thin slice ginger, julienned 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1. Gently wash fish and pat dry with paper towels. 2. Sprinkle ground white pepper and salt on both sides of fish. Spread seasoning evenly with fingers. 3. Place fish on a steaming plate and arrange dong choy, lam gok, spring onions, coriander stems and ginger on top. 4. Place in a steamer that sits above boiling water and keep over medium heat. 5. Steam for 6–8 minutes or until fish is cooked. To check if fish is cooked, gently pry meat from bone or in the centre with the tip of a knife. The fish is ready if the meat comes away easily. 6. Turn heat off to allow fish to cook over a gentle steam for 2–3 minutes if meat is still tough. 7. Carefully remove from steamer and garnish with coriander leaves and light soy sauce. 8. Serve hot with rice.

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Cantonese-style Steamed Fish Serves 4–6 Cantonese love cooking their fish whole with the head and tail still intact as it signifies a prosperous event with a good start and a joyous ending, which is extremely important to the Cantonese. There would be numerous stalls selling live poultry and seafood in the wet markets of Hong Kong, with each stall vouching to have the freshest produce. Ginger, spring onions and coriander are the traditional Cantonese flavours for steaming fresh seafood.

300 g whole white fish (threadfin, sea bream or snapper), cleaned and descaled 1 /2 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 /2 teaspoon salt 4 thin slices ginger; 1 piece julienned 2 sprigs of spring onions (scallions), green stems and white ends separated 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 60 ml (1/4 cup) cooking oil (optional) a handful of cilantro (cilantro), chopped, to garnish

1. Clean stomach of fish. Remove any scales. Pat dry with paper towels. 2. Spread ground white pepper and salt inside fish stomach. Add sliced ginger. 3. Place spring onion ends on a steaming plate. Place fish on top. 4. Steam for 10–12 minutes over medium heat, depending on the thickness of the fish. To check if fish is cooked, gently pry meat from bone with the tip of a knife. The fish is ready if the meat comes away easily. 5. Allow fish to steam for 1–2 minutes if meat is still tough. Alternatively, turn off heat and let stand in steamer to cook for 2–3 minutes over a gentle steam to avoid overcooking. 6. If using, heat oil in a small saucepan until oil starts to ripple. 7. Carefully remove fish from steamer and drizzle light soy sauce over. Garnish with coriander, spring onion stems and julienned ginger. 8. Slowly drizzle hot oil over fish. Serve with rice. The addition of the hot oil just before serving brings a well-rounded and nutty flavour that also reduces the raw flavours of the coriander and spring onions. It is however, optional for the health-conscious.

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Stir-fried Fish Maw and Cucumber Serves 4–6 Fish maw is a delicacy that is highly nutritious. It is mainly consumed during Chinese New Year reunion dinners or on special occasions. Fish maw itself does not have much flavour but it does soak up a lot of the sauce it is cooked in. I enjoy eating fish maw as it is gelatinous and juicy all in one mouthful! Many will be surprised to see cucumbers being cooked in a savoury manner but they are a great addition to this dish.

200 g minced pork cold water, as needed 2 pieces 1-cm ginger, peeled, halved and smashed 1 spring onion (scallion), cut into 5-cm lengths 2 pieces fish maw, soaked in cold water for at least 1 hour 1 tablespoon cooking oil + more if needed 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 15 g (1/4 cup) dried shrimps, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes 1 thick cucumber, sliced lengthways, seeded and cut into 1-cm thick slices 25 g (1/4 cup) dried black fungus, soaked in warm water for 15–20 minutes or until softened 85 ml (1/3 cup) chicken stock (page 19) or water MARINADE

1 tablespoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 /2 teaspoon sugar 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 /4 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 /4 teaspoon sesame oil SAUCE

2 teaspoons oyster sauce 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 tablespoon water

1. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a mixing bowl. 2. Combine minced pork with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. 3. Prepare sauce. In a small bowl, combine ingredients for sauce and set aside. 4. Fill a medium saucepan with enough cold water to cover fish maw. Add 1 piece of ginger and spring onion. Bring to a boil over high heat. 5. Blanch fish maw for 10–15 minutes or until softened. Drain and rinse fish maw thoroughly with cold water and gently squeeze out excess water. Roughly chop and set aside. 6. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add oil and sauté garlic and remaining ginger until fragrant. 7. Sauté dried shrimps until fragrant. Add marinated minced pork. Stir-fry for 1–2 minutes. 8. Add cucumber and black fungus. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes. If you prefer softer cucumber, then cook for another 1–2 minutes. 9. Add stock or water, then add fish maw. Gently stir well to combine. 10. Once the liquid starts to simmer, stir sauce into wok to thicken. Taste and adjust with seasoning to taste. 11. Dish out and serve.

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Squid in Dried Shrimp Paste Serves 4–6 Fermented shrimp paste has an intense flavour and a pungent smell. It is made from dried shrimps that have been left out under the hot sun and fermented in clay pots. Many Asian countries have their own versions of shrimp paste with varying degrees of pungency and intensity. I remember both my father and brother used to love steamed sliced pork belly marinated with shrimp paste. I personally cannot say no to the crispy fried shrimp paste chicken wings found in Singapore.

3 medium squids, rinsed 1 tablespoon cooking oil + more if needed 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges 1-cm piece ginger, peeled and crushed 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 2 stalks celery, sliced 1 small carrot, peeled and thinly sliced a handful of coriander (cilantro), to garnish MARINADE 1

/4 teaspoon ground white pepper /4 teaspoon sesame oil 1 /2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cornflour 1

SAUCE

1 teaspoon fermented shrimp paste (har cheong) 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 /2 teaspoon sugar

1. To clean squid, peel off outer layer of skin. Pull head from body. Discard central spine bone. Discard innards, eyes, ink sac and the clear hard quill which needs to be pulled from the body. Remove beak and retain tentacles. 2. Slice one side of the squid tube and lay flat. Cut squid into 3 long strips, then each strip into squares of 4–6 cm. Tightly score criss-cross

patterns diagonally on squid squares on both sides. Be careful not to cut the squid all the way through. 3. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a mixing bowl. 4. Combine squid with marinade and mix thoroughly. Marinate squid and set aside for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for a few hours. 5. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add oil and sauté onion, ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. 6. Sauté celery and carrot, then stir-fry for 1 minute. Remove and set aside. 7. Heat wok over high heat to sear squid. If the temperature of the wok is not hot enough, the heat will stew the squid and render the meat tough. Add a little more oil if wok is dry. The squid will curl up and turn an opaque white when cooked. 8. If you have a small wok, cook squid in batches to avoid overcrowding. Remove from wok and set aside. 9. Prepare sauce. Fry shrimp paste for 15 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients for the sauce to wok. 10. Return vegetables to wok and combine with sauce. Taste and adjust with seasoning. 11. Return squid to wok and toss for 30 seconds. 12. Dish out and serve. Garnish with coriander.

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Stir-fried Scallops and Sugar Snap Peas Serves 4 Cantonese love using the freshest ingredients. They believe that if your ingredients are fresh, then there is no need to flavour them much when cooking. If you are unable to get fresh scallops, substitute with frozen scallops or prawns. Scallops do not take long to cook but they require high heat so cook in small batches to avoid overcooking. With stir-fries, make sure you have everything ready and close by when you start cooking. Add different varieties of vegetables to the dish for a more colourful presentation.

4 large sea scallops, halved lengthways water, as needed 50 g (1/2 cup) carrots, peeled and thinly sliced 55 g (1/2 cup) baby corn 150 g (2 cups) sugar snap peas 1 tablespoon cooking oil + more if needed 1-cm piece ginger, peeled and smashed 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 3 shiitake mushrooms, sliced MARINADE 1

/4 teaspoon ground white pepper /4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 thin slice ginger, julienned 1

SAUCE

1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon cornflour 2 tablespoons water

1. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a bowl. 2. Combine scallops with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes. 3. In a pot of boiling water, blanch carrots, baby corn and sugar snap peas for 1–2 minutes. Remove, drain and do a quick rinse under cold water. 4. Heat a wok over high heat. Add oil and sear scallops for 1 minute on each side and in batches to avoid overcrowding wok. Remove and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels. 5. Add a little oil to wok if dry. Sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant. 6. Add shiitake mushrooms and fry until slightly softened. 7. Stir through carrots, baby corn and sugar snap peas until combined. 8. Prepare sauce. Mix all ingredients for sauce. 9. Stir sauce into wok to evenly coat ingredients. 10. Return scallops to wok. Gently toss all ingredients until well combined. 11. Dish out and serve.

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Spiced Tomato Prawns Serves 4–6 It is certainly quite the norm with Cantonese prawn dishes that the whole prawn is served intact from head to tail. In my childhood, this was the only way I saw prawns being cooked and served. I never quite understood all the fuss of removing the prawn heads when I dined out with my friends. In fact, I secretly think that the prawn heads are the best part of the prawns as they contain most of the flavours and I love munching on them!

10–12 medium prawns, rinsed 1 /4 teaspoon salt 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 tablespoon cooking oil + more if needed 1-cm piece ginger, peeled and smashed 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed a handful of coriander (cilantro), chopped, to garnish SAUCE

85 ml (1/3 cup) tomato sauce (ketchup) 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon light soy sauce 1 tablespoon sugar

1. Pat dry prawns. Trim legs, pointed nose of head and antennae. Remove intestinal tract and sprinkle with salt and ground white pepper. Keep prawns refrigerated until ready to use. 2. Prepare sauce. Combine all ingredients for sauce in a bowl. Set aside. 3. Heat a wok over high heat. Add oil and sauté prawns on both sides until they change in colour. Remove prawns from wok and set aside. 4. Heat a little more oil in wok if necessary. Add ginger and garlic and fry until fragrant. 5. Return prawns to wok. Stir through sauce and mix well. 6. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Taste and adjust with seasoning to taste 7. Arrange prawns on a serving plate and spoon sauce on top. Garnish with coriander. 8. Serve with rice.

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Steamed Garlic Prawns Serves 4–6 Small to medium-sized prawns are usually best for steaming. Steaming brings out the sweetness of the prawns, and light soy sauce, coriander and spring onion are used to enhance the flavour of the fresh prawns. Another way to enjoy fresh prawns is to blanch them in boiling water and peel. Dip into a bowl of light soy sauce, drizzle with hot oil and top with fresh coriander and spring onions.

10–12 small/medium prawns, rinsed 1 /4 teaspoon salt 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 1 spring onion (scallion), chopped a handful of coriander (cilantro) stems, chopped

1. Pat dry prawns. Trim legs, pointed nose of head and antennae. Remove intestinal tract and sprinkle with salt and ground white pepper. Keep prawns refrigerated until ready to use. 2. Place prawns on a steaming plate. Add garlic, light soy sauce, spring onion and coriander stems. 3. Steam for 4–5 minutes over medium heat. Do not overcook prawns as the meat will be chewy and dry. 4. Turn heat off and let prawns stand in steamer for 1 minute if slightly undercooked. 5. Carefully remove from steamer. Serve hot. If you do not want to waste the coriander leaves, sprinkle on top of prawns before serving.

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Meat & Poultry Fragrant Roast Pork 56 Steamed Pork Ribs with Fermented Black Beans and Pickled Salted Plums 59 Bitter Gourd with Pork Ribs 60 Braised Pork Belly and Mui Choy 63 Sweet and Sour Pork 64 Tomato Egg Beef 67 Red Braised Chicken Wings 68 Steamed Chicken with Dried Lily Buds 71 Black Bean Chicken Hotpot 72

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Fragrant Roast Pork Serves 4–6 Whenever my parents brought back packets of roasted duck, pork and chicken, and loads of fresh produce from Chinatown, our dinner that night would be especially memorable. As a child, I would fight with my brother to see who could get all the crackling from the siew yok (roast pork), leaving behind the meat. Even now I still cannot resist a good crackling. This is what my grandma used to prepare with the leftover siew yok, without the crackling.

1 tablespoon cooking oil 500 g roast pork, cut into 3-cm pieces 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon sugar 1 spring onion (scallion), cut into 3-cm lengths a handful of coriander (cilantro), chopped

1. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add oil and roast pork. Stir around wok for 2–3 minutes until pork is warmed through. 2. Add oyster sauce and sugar. Mix until roast pork is well coated with sauce. Taste and adjust with more sugar to taste. 3. Stir through spring onion and coriander until well mixed. 4. Dish out and serve with rice. Add onions or celery to the dish for added texture.

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Steamed Pork Ribs with Fermented Black Beans and Salted Plums Serves 4–6 Store-bought pastes are much saltier and can be quite overpowering if you add too much so it is best to make your own fermented black bean paste. The addition of the salted plum adds a nice zing to the dish and breaks up the intense flavour of the black beans. The salted plum can be overpowering as well so just a little goes a long way.

300 g pork ribs, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 salted plum, seeded and roughly chopped MARINADE

1 tablespoon fermented black beans (dou si), soaked in water for 5 minutes and drained 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 /4 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 /2 teaspoon sugar

1. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a mixing bowl. 2. Combine pork ribs with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for 10–15 minutes. 3. Transfer pork to a steaming plate and scatter salted plum over. Place plate in steamer and steam for 20 minutes over medium-high heat. 4. Remove from steamer carefully and serve warm.

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Bitter Gourd with Pork Ribs Serves 4–6 The combination of fermented black beans, bitter gourd and pork makes for a delicious dish. While the bitterness of bitter gourd was overpowering for me as a child, the taste has certainly grown on me over the years. Packed with nutrients and often used as a herbal remedy for ailments, I add a few slices of bitter gourd into the juicer as part of my morning green juice routine. Make a batch of the paste and store it in an airtight container for weeks in the fridge.

2 tablespoons cooking oil 2 tablespoons fermented black bean paste 200 g pork ribs, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 teaspoon sugar 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock (page 19) 350 g bitter gourd, seeded, halved lengthways and cut into 2-cm thick slices FERMENTED BLACK BEAN PASTE

1 tablespoon fermented black beans (dou si), soaked in cold water for 5 minutes 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon sugar 1 /2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper SAUCE

1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon cornflour 2 tablespoons water

1. Prepare fermented black bean paste. In a food processor, pulse fermented black beans, garlic and ginger until paste is obtained. 2. Alternatively, chop fermented black beans, garlic and ginger using a heavy-handed knife until a paste is obtained. 3. Spoon paste into a bowl and add rest of the fermented black bean paste ingredients. Mix well and set aside. 4. Heat a crockpot over medium-high heat. Add oil and sauté fermented black bean paste for 30 seconds until fragrant. Mix pork with paste. Fry over medium heat for 1–2 minutes. 5. Add sugar and stir in chicken stock. Cover with lid and simmer over low heat for 45–60 minutes or until ribs are tender. 6. Add bitter gourd and simmer for 15 minutes or until soft. Taste and adjust with seasoning to taste. 7. Prepare sauce. Combine ingredients for sauce. 8. Add sauce to wok. Mix well until ingredients are combined. Turn off heat. 9. Dish out and serve with rice. If you prefer not to use the pork ribs, feel free to substitute it with pork that has a layer of fat through it, pork collar, pork shoulder butt or pork belly. Alternatively, you can also use chicken pieces that still have the bones in. Make the dish into a quick hotpot by adding more stock and cooking it in a clay pot.

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Braised Pork Belly and Mui Choy Serves 4–6 Pork belly is the best cut of meat for this dish. The flavour and texture that you get when the meat and sauce is eaten together cannot be substituted. There are some recipes that use both salted and sweet preserved mustard greens. In my experience, I found that using only the salted one is just as flavourful and requires less preparation. My kids love this dish especially when the savoury sauce is drizzled over steamed rice.

300 g (1 packet) preserved salted mustard greens (mui choy) 1 tablespoon cooking oil + more if needed 500 g pork belly 20 g ginger, peeled and smashed 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock (page 19) or water SAUCE

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce 1 cube fermented red bean curd (nam yu) 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 /2 teaspoon ground white pepper 55 g (1/4 cup) rock sugar

1. To prepare mui choy, each leaf must be washed thoroughly to remove the salt. Wring out excess water and then soak vegetables for 1 hour in enough cold water to cover the vegetables. Drain and rinse mui choy. Wring out water and cut into 1-cm thick pieces. Discard the stem. 2. Heat a stew pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and sear pork belly skin side down for 5 minutes or until skin is brown and slightly crisp. Remove and set aside until cool enough to touch. Slice cooled pork belly into 1-cm thick pieces. 3. Prepare sauce. Combine ingredients for the sauce and set aside. 4. Add a little oil to stewpot or saucepan if dry. Sauté mui choy for 2–3 minutes. Set aside. 5. Sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant. 6. Return pork to stewpot or saucepan and fry for 1 minute. 7. Return mui choy back to stewpot or saucepan and stir until well combined with pork. 8. Add sauce and mix well. Add stock or water. Stir well to combine. 9. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat, then simmer for 1.5–2 hours until pork is tender. Taste and adjust with seasoning to taste. 10. Dish out and serve with rice.

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Sweet and Sour Pork Serves 4–6 This is my take on the classic dish. It is not deep-fried like the classic version. Frankly, I prefer to omit the deep-frying so I can get dinner on the table faster and save on the extra washing and cleaning up! If you rather some deep-fried goodness, mix equal parts of cornflour and plain flour with a bit of water and dip your meat in prior to deep-frying. Toss the crunchy pork nuggets through the sauce. Try adding a variety of fruits like lychees, cherry tomatoes and carrots to make this dish a standout.

200 g pork (shoulder butt or fillet), thinly sliced 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 small onion, peeled and cut into 1-cm thick wedges 60 g (1/2 cup) green capsicums (bell peppers), chopped 80 g (1/2 cup) pineapple, chopped MARINADE

1 teaspoon oyster sauce 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 /4 teaspoon sesame oil 1 /4 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 /4 teaspoon sugar SAUCE

60 ml (1/4 cup) tomato sauce (ketchup) 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon sugar + more to taste 2 teaspoons rice vinegar 125 ml (1/2 cup) water + more to taste

1. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a bowl. 2. Combine pork with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. 3. Prepare sauce. Combine ingredients for sauce in a separate bowl and set aside. 4. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add oil and sauté onion for 30 seconds. Sauté capsicums for 1 minute. 5. Add pork, ensuring that wok is hot enough to sear the meat. The wok is not hot enough if the pork starts releasing juices. 6. Add pineapple, mix and stir around wok for 2–3 minutes. 7. Add sauce. Gently stir to mix thoroughly. Simmer for 1–2 minutes. 8. Taste and adjust with seasoning according to preference. If sauce is too sweet, add some light soy sauce and water. If sauce is too sour, add some sugar. 9. Dish out and serve with rice

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Tomato Egg Beef Serves 4–6 This dish is a cross between a stir-fry and a stew but without the long cooking time. It is best to use ripe tomatoes for this recipe. I have not used canned tomatoes but I can imagine it wouldn’t have the fresh tomato taste this dish needs. It has such an amazing combination of sweet, sour and salty flavours. The thick rich sauce will no doubt go well with steamed rice.

200 g beef (rump, sirloin or flank), sliced 1 tablespoon cooking oil + more if needed 1-cm piece ginger, peeled and smashed 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 1-cm thick wedges 1 medium tomato, cut into wedges 1 egg, lightly beaten spring onions (scallions), as needed, to garnish MARINADE

1 teaspoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 /4 teaspoon sesame oil 1 /4 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 /4 teaspoon sugar SAUCE

2 tablespoons tomato sauce (ketchup) 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 2 teaspoons sugar + more to taste 60 ml (1/4 cup) chicken stock (page 19) or water

1. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a bowl. 2. Combine beef with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. 3. Prepare sauce. Combine all ingredients for sauce in a small bowl and set aside. 4. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add oil and sear beef. Set aside. 5. Using the same wok, sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant. Sauté onion for 1–2 minutes. Add a little more oil if mixture is too dry. 6. Toss tomato wedges in and cook for 30 seconds. 7. Stir in sauce. Taste and adjust with seasoning to taste. If sauce is too sour, add sugar. If sauce is too sweet, add more stock or water. Add a few drops of water if sauce is too thick. 8. Return beef back to wok and mix well. 9. Push ingredients to one side of the wok. Stir sauce while slowly pouring in the egg. Stir sauce continuously until egg is cooked into long thin strands. 10. Mix well until ingredients are evenly coated with sauce. 11. Dish out and serve. Garnish with spring onions.

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Red Braised Chicken Wings Serves 4–6 This is a beautiful fragrant stock that can be used time and time again if stored properly. Use ceramic, clay or cast iron pots when preparing the stock. Once you have prepared the stock, bring it to the boil. The stock cannot be used for a slow braise or a stew, so do not use cuts of meat that require hours of cooking. Feel free to add a bit more spices, soy sauce or sugar with each use of the stock. Different brands of soy sauce could affect the flavour of the stock so taste the sauces prior to cooking and adjust accordingly.

250 ml (1 cup) light soy sauce + more to taste 180 ml (3/4 cup) dark soy sauce 125 ml (1 cup) water 2 cinnamon sticks 6 star anise 6 cardamom pods, crushed 5-cm piece ginger, peeled and smashed 250 g (11/2 cups) rock sugar + more to taste 1 mandarin peel 60 ml (1/4 cup) Shaoxing wine 8 chicken wings, cut at the mid joint coriander (cilantro), as needed, to garnish

1. Place all ingredients except chicken wings in a ceramic stew pot. 2. Keep to a simmer over low-medium heat and allow spices to infuse for up to 60 minutes. 3. Taste sauce and adjust with seasoning to taste. Sauce should taste slightly salty. If the sauce is too salty, add a bit more rock sugar. If the sauce is too sweet, add a little light soy sauce or Shaoxing wine. 4. Bring stock to a boil over high heat. 5. Lower heat, then add chicken wings. Cook at a constant low simmer for 15 minutes. 6. Remove chicken wings and arrange on serving plate. Garnish with coriander before serving. 7. Bring stock back to a boil over high heat. Discard spices or any impurities that may have formed. Boil for 5 minutes 8. Remove from heat and allow stock to cool. Cover pot or transfer to an airtight container. Keep refrigerated if using within the week. Store in freezer for future use.

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Steamed Chicken with Dried Lily Buds Serves 4–6 Dried lily buds or gum jum which literally translates to golden needle, is used in braises, stir-fries and soups, more famously for the hot and sour soup. The lily buds have a slight earthy flavour with a hint of tanginess. Steamed chicken is a favourite of mine and I love combining the black fungus and dried lily buds with it. Dried lily buds need to be soaked and the ends have to be trimmed of its woody stems.

3 whole chicken legs (chicken Maryland), each cut into 3–4 pieces, rinsed 8 dried lily buds (gum jum), soaked in warm water for 30 minutes or until softened then roughly chopped 3 dried black fungus, soaked in cold water until softened, roughly chopped 2 shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced 2 red dates, sliced a handful of spring onions (scallions), to garnish a handful of coriander (cilantro), to garnish MARINADE

1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 /2 teaspoon sugar 1 /4 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 teaspoon cornflour 2 thin slices ginger, each thinly sliced into 3 sticks

1. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a bowl. 2. Combine chicken with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. 3. Drain and trim hard ends from the stems of lily buds. 4. Arrange chicken on a steaming plate, ensuring that the pieces do not overlap. Scatter black fungus, shiitake mushrooms and dried lily buds over. Top with red dates. 5. In a steamer with boiling water, place plate on a rack. Cover and steam for 10–15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 6. Carefully remove from steamer and garnish with spring onions. 7. Serve with coriander on the side.

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Black Bean Chicken Hotpot Serves 4–6 I love cooking hotpot meals. I just throw in meat and vegetables along with some stock and let it bubble away on the stovetop until all the flavours and goodness are released. For my hotpots, I always use meats with the bones in for deeper flavour. This recipe is my home-style version using home-made fermented black bean paste. Make a batch of the paste and store in an airtight container for weeks in the refrigerator. You can also add a variety of colourful vegetables to visually enhance the dish.

3 whole chicken legs (chicken Maryland), each cut into 3–4 pieces 1 tablespoon cooking oil + more if needed 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into chunks 1 small red capsicum (bell pepper), seeded and cut into chunks 2 tablespoons fermented black bean paste (page 60) 750 ml (3 cups) water a handful of spring onions (scallions), chopped, to garnish SAUCE

1 teaspoon cornflour 1 tablespoon water MARINADE

1 teaspoon cornflour 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger 1 /2 teaspoon sugar

1. Prepare marinade. Combine all the ingredients for marinade in a bowl. 2. Combine chicken with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for a few hours. 3. Heat a saucepan or clay pot over medium heat. Add oil and brown chicken in batches on both sides. Set aside. 4. Add a little oil to saucepan or clay pot if dry. Sauté onion and capsicum and fry for 1 minute. 5. Sauté fermented black bean paste for 30 seconds until fragrant. 6. Return chicken to saucepan or clay pot. Add water and bring to a boil over high heat. 7. Lower heat, then simmer for 45 minutes over low-medium heat. 8. Prepare sauce. Combine cornflour and water in a small bowl. 9. Add sauce to saucepan or clay pot and mix well. Turn heat off once sauce has thickened. 10. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with spring onions. If you are using store-bought paste, use only half the amount stated in the list of ingredients as it is usually saltier.

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Vegetables & Egg Stuffed Capsicum and Aubergine 76 Steamed Silken Tofu with Prawns 79 Braised Hairy Melon with Dried Scallops 80 Stir-fried Water Spinach with Fermented Bean Curd 83 Beef with Kai Lan 84 Chinese Cabbage with Glass Vermicelli 87 Steamed Pork with Trio of Eggs 88 Steamed Silky Water Egg 91

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Stuffed Capsicum and Aubergine Serves 4–6 Making your own fish paste can be challenging at first. The tip is to throw your fish paste against a hard surface (chopping board or mixing bowl) repeatedly until you get a nice smooth ball that does not stick to your hands. If you prefer a plain fish paste, omit water chestnuts, shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimps. Pan-fry leftover paste to make Cantonese fish cakes. If preferred, you can add a dollop of home-made fermented black bean paste when cooking the sauce for extra flavour.

VEGETABLES

1 red capsicum (bell pepper), seeded and cut into chunks 1 aubergine (brinjal/eggplant), cut into 2.5-cm thick slices cornflour, as needed 1 /2 teaspoon sugar 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper cooking oil, as needed a handful of coriander (cilantro), chopped, to garnish FISH PASTE

400 g white fish fillet (mackerel, yellow-tail, red/white snapper, white fin wolf herring or grouper) 2 shiitake mushrooms, finely diced 1 tablespoon finely diced dried shrimps, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes 2 tablespoons finely diced coriander (cilantro) stems 4 water chestnuts, peeled and finely diced 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 /4 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon light soy sauce 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 11/2 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon chilled water or 1 ice cube, melted SAUCE

1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon cornflour

1. Prepare fish paste. In a food processor, pulse fish fillet until minced. Add the rest of the ingredients for the fish paste and pulse until well combined. Transfer fish paste into a bowl. 2. Alternatively, fish can also be minced by hand. Using a cleaver, chop fish until minced. Add shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimps, coriander stems and water chestnuts. chopping well with each addition. Transfer fish paste into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Set aside. 3. To achieve the springy texture, throw fish paste against a hard surface (bowl or chopping board). Repeat this action at least 15–20 times. The fish paste should resemble a smooth ball that does not stick to the sides of the bowl. 4. Prepare vegetables. Cut a slit midway on each piece of aubergine, making sure it does not go the whole way. This creates a pocket for the stuffing. 5. Pat vegetables dry with paper towels and sprinkle cornflour in each capsicum and aubergine. 6. Spoon a heaped teaspoon of fish paste and gently fill each capsicum chunk and aubergine pocket. Repeat for the remaining vegetables. 7. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add oil and fry stuffed vegetables in batches until brown on both sides.

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8. Prepare sauce. In a small mixing bowl, combine ingredients for sauce. 9. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add oil and sauté garlic around wok until fragrant. Add sauce, sugar and ground white pepper. 10. Once sauce starts to simmer gently, return stuffed vegetables back to wok and lightly toss, ensuring that stuffed vegetables are well coated with sauce.

11. Cover and let vegetables cook over low heat for 5 minutes to ensure they are cooked through. 12. Dish out and serve. Garnish with coriander. Throwing the fish paste against the bowl produces the desired springy texture required for a fish ball.

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Steamed Silken Tofu with Prawns Serves 4–6 This steamed dish is perfect for the health-conscious. Silken tofu or bean curd is light and delicate in taste and texture. It requires little cooking time so it’s perfect for a simple and quick dish. Using the silken tofu in a tube is also easier and much more convenient. If you prefer to use tofu packed in a block, be sure to cut the tofu into smaller pieces. This is to avoid overcooking the prawns while the tofu is still being warmed through. Always complete the dish with a sprinkle of freshly chopped coriander leaves.

6 medium prawns, peeled and deveined 1 tube silken tofu, sliced to 1.5-cm rounds 1 tablespoon chopped spring onions (scallions) 1 tablespoon chopped coriander (cilantro), leaves and stems separated 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 60 ml (1/4 cup) oil (optional) MARINADE 1

/4 teaspoon ground white pepper /2 teaspoon cornflour 1 /4 teaspoon sesame oil 1 /4 teaspoon salt 1

1. In a food processor, pulse prawns until minced. Transfer minced prawns to a bowl. 2. Alternatively, prawns can also be minced by hand. Using a cleaver, dice prawns until minced. Transfer minced prawns to a bowl. 3. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a separate bowl and mix well. 4. Combine minced prawns with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. 5. Place tofu slightly apart on a steaming plate, ensuring that the pieces do not overlap 6. Using a teaspoon, spoon a heaped mixture of minced prawns on the centre of each tofu. Top with coriander stems and spring onions. 7. In a steamer of boiling water, place plate on a rack to avoid water bubbling onto the plate. Steam over medium heat for 4–5 minutes. 8. Carefully remove plate from steamer and top with light soy sauce and coriander leaves. 9. If using, heat oil in a small pot until it starts to ripple. Pour hot oil over garnish. 10. Serve hot If you find that the prawn mixture is not sticking to the tofu, sprinkle a little bit of cornflour on each piece to help it stay on. While drizzling hot oil on the tofu is optional, doing so makes the dish tastier and also gives it a more well-rounded flavour.

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Braised Hairy Melon with Dried Scallops Serves 4–6 I prefer to use the smaller dried scallops for this dish. Not only do they require less time to prepare, they also provide enough flavour for the braised dish. These scallops keep well in the fridge and will last for some time if used sparingly. The dried scallops can be used to make a simple soup base if you do not have stock or do not have time to make a stock. With this dish you can opt for prawns instead of pork to impress dinner guests.

1 hairy melon (700–800 g), peeled and halved lengthways, then cut into 3-cm thick slices water, as needed 100 g pork fillet, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon cooking oil + more if needed 80 g (1/4 cup) dried scallops/dried baby scallops, soaked in hot water for 1 hour or until softened 3 shiitake mushrooms, sliced 500 ml (2 cups) reserved melon cooking liquid MARINADE

1 teaspoon light soy sauce 1 /2 teaspoon cornflour 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 /4 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 /4 teaspoon sesame oil SAUCE

1 tablespoon oyster sauce 2 tablespoons reserved melon cooking liquid 1 teaspoon cornflour

1. Fill a medium saucepan with enough water to cover hairy melon. Add hairy melon and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until melon has softened but is still slightly firm. 2. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a bowl. 3. Combine pork with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for a few hours. 4. Remove melon from heat and arrange on a serving dish. Reserve cooking liquid. 5. Drain and shred scallops. 6. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add oil and sauté scallops for 2–3 minutes until scallops shreds are separate and fragrant. 7. Add pork and stir well for 1–2 minutes. Add shiitake mushrooms and mix well. 8. Add reserved melon cooking liquid and simmer for 15–20 minutes. 9. Prepare sauce. In a small mixing bowl, combine ingredients for sauce together. 10. Add sauce into wok and stir until thickened. Taste and adjust with seasoning to taste. 11. Pour sauce over melon. Serve. The liquid reserved from cooking the hairy melon adds more flavour to the dish.

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Stir-fried Water Spinach with Fermented Bean Curd Serves 4–6 Fermented bean curd comes in either soy sauce or chilli. This recipe is family-friendly so if you prefer something with a bit of a kick, use fermented bean curd that has been preserved in chilli. Ong choy does not require a long time to cook so it is best cooked in a hot wok or skillet.

1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 thin slice ginger, julienned 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced 1 heaped teaspoon or 1 cube fermented bean curd (fu yu) 400 g (2 bunches) water spinach (ong choy), rinsed and drained 1 teaspoon sugar + more to taste 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine light soy sauce, to taste 1 red chilli, thinly shredded

1. Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add oil and sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant. 2. Add fermented bean curd and fry for 10 seconds. 3. Switching to high heat, add ong choy and stirfry for 30 seconds. 4. Season with sugar and Shaoxing wine and give it a good stir. 5. Taste and adjust with seasoning to your preference. If the taste of the fermented bean curd is too strong, add slightly more sugar. If the taste of the fermented bean curd is lacking, add a small amount of light soy sauce or more fermented bean curd. 6. Dish out and serve hot. Garnish with shredded chilli.

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Beef with Kai Lan Serves 4–6 A quick and easy healthy stir-fry makes this dish perfect for week night meals. Once you have prepared your ingredients, it only takes minutes to cook this dish in the wok. I prefer to blanch the kai lan first before stir-frying as the vegetable can get quite bitter and tough if its stir-fried straight up. Remember to use either soy sauce or oyster sauce when marinating your beef slices and never to use salt as it toughens up the meat.

300 g (1 bunch) kai lan, washed, stalks trimmed and cut into 6-cm lengths 200 g beef, (sirloin, rump or flank), sliced 1 tablespoon cooking oil + more if needed 1-cm piece ginger, peeled and smashed 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 60 ml (1/4 cup) chicken stock (page 19) or water MARINADE

1 tablespoon finely grated ginger 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 /4 teaspoon sesame oil 1 /4 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 /4 teaspoon sugar SAUCE

1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon cornflour 2 tablespoons water

1. In a pot of boiling water, blanch kai lan for 1–2 minutes. Drain and set aside 2. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a bowl. 3. Combine beef with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for a few hours. 4. Prepare sauce. Combine ingredients for sauce in a separate bowl and set aside. 5. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add oil and sear beef in batches. Set aside. 6. Add a little more oil if the wok is dry. Sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant. 7. Return kai lan and beef to wok and toss well to combine. 8. Add stock or water and stir for 30 seconds. 9. Add sauce to wok. Turn heat off as sauce starts to thicken. Taste and adjust with seasoning to taste 10. Dish out and serve with rice.

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Chinese Cabbage with Glass Vermicelli Serves 4–6 This is one of my family’s favourite Cantonese comfort food and it goes especially well with a bowl of steamed rice. It’s nourishing and healthy, which is perfect when you need something warm to settle your stomach and make you feel a whole lot better. Add more stock if you prefer the dish to be more of a soup. Be careful with the glass vermicelli as they will most likely soak up all the soup if you were to add them in early. I recommend adding the noodles just before serving.

1 tablespoon cooking oil 1-cm knob ginger, peeled and smashed 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 2 tablespoons chopped dried shrimps, soaked in cold water to soften 500 g Chinese cabbage, sliced 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon salt 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock (page 19) 75 g glass vermicelli, soaked in cold water until softened coriander (cilantro), as needed, to garnish

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant. 2. Sauté dried shrimps until fragrant. 3. Add one handful of cabbage at a time and toss well, cooking until cabbage leaves are partially cooked. 4. Add light soy sauce, salt and chicken stock. Cover and simmer for 10–15 minutes or until cabbage softens. Taste and adjust with seasoning to taste. 5. Add glass vermicelli and return lid to saucepan. Turn heat off and let stand for 1–2 minutes. 6. Dish out and serve immediately. Garnish with coriander.

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Steamed Pork with Trio of Eggs Serves 4–6 Steamed pork or steamed pork cake, as it is sometimes known, is a favourite for many Cantonese families. A simple dish to put together, this dish showcases three different types of eggs and how delicious they can be when combined in one dish. Mix up a plain pork cake by adding fermented black beans, shiitake mushrooms, salted dried fish or preserved vegetables. Make sure you retain the juices that are released when the pork is cooked as they are full of flavour and will taste great with steamed rice.

300 g minced pork 1 egg 1 /8 teaspoon ground white pepper 60 ml (1/4 cup) water 1 salted duck egg, egg yolk and egg white separated 1 century egg, diced MARINADE

1 teaspoon light soy sauce 1 /4 teaspoon sugar 1 /4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 /2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine 1 teaspoon cornflour

1. Prepare marinade. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a mixing bowl. 2. Combine pork with marinade and mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for a few hours. 3. In a bowl, lightly whisk egg with ground white pepper. Add water and mix well. 4. Place marinated minced pork on a 20-cm steaming plate. Minced pork layer should be approximately 2-cm thick. Shape into a disc. 5. Pour egg mixture over. 6. Make a small well in the centre of the pork and place salted duck yolk. Pour salted duck egg white over minced pork. 7. Steam over medium-high heat for 15–20 minutes. 8. Turn heat off, scatter century egg and carefully remove from steamer. 9. Serve with rice

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Steamed Silky Water Egg Serves 4–6 One of my favourite comfort food, this is a simple dish that is perfect for the busy person to prepare for dinner. Enjoy variations of this dish with the addition of minced meat, glass vermicelli, dried shrimps, prawns or scallops. The key to a good smooth steamed egg is to use cooled boiled water and not tap water. I always place the plate in the steamer before pouring the water in.

water, as needed 2 eggs 1 /2 teaspoon light soy sauce + more to taste 1 /2 teaspoon salt 1 /8 teaspoon ground white pepper 310 ml (11/4 cups) boiled water, cooled to room temperature 1 teaspoon chopped spring onions (scallions)

1. Fill steamer with water and bring to a boil over high heat. 2. In a 20-cm steaming plate, lightly whisk eggs with light soy sauce, salt and ground white pepper. 3. Place plate on a rack in steamer and slowly pour cooled water along the sides of the plate while lightly whisking the egg mix. 4. Reduce to medium heat, cover and steam for 10 minutes. 5. Turn heat off and let stand for another 5 minutes. Eggs should be slightly wobbly. Use a fork to gently poke through the centre to check if egg is done. Steam eggs over gentle heat for 2–3 minutes if texture is still watery. 6. Remove from steamer carefully. Pour light soy sauce over steamed egg. 7. Garnish with spring onions and serve immediately. You can strain the egg mixture through a fine sieve to create an extra smooth surface.

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Desserts Water Chestnut Egg Flower Sweet Soup 94 Sago and Taro Sweet Soup 97 Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Balls in Sweet Potato and Ginger Sweet Soup 98 Water Chestnut Cake 101

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Water Chestnut Egg Flower Sweet Soup Serves 4–6 Cantonese love their soups as they believe that consuming soups on a regular basis provides many health benefits. Instead of cake or ice cream, Cantonese prefer to end their family meals with a sweet soup and some fruits. This sweet soup is simple, easy to prepare and ready in minutes. The trick to the egg flower effect is to keep the soup moving or swirling as you slowly pour in the egg. If it appears as a clump then the egg has been poured in too fast and did not get a chance to ‘flower.’

1.25 litres (5 cups) water 40 g (1/4 cup) rock sugar + more if needed 5 water chestnuts, peeled and diced 2–3 (30–40 g) dried bean curd sheets, rinsed in cold water and soaked for 5 minutes then drain 1 egg, lightly beaten

1. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil over high heat. Add rock sugar, water chestnuts and bean curd sheets. Lower heat, then simmer for 30 minutes over low heat or until bean curd sheets has softened in the water. 2. Taste and adjust seasoning with more sugar to taste. 3. Stir soup in a circular direction and slowly pour in egg until it cooks into thin strands. Keep the soup moving to prevent egg from cooking in a clump. 4. Ladle into small soup bowls and serve

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Sago and Taro Sweet Soup Serves 4–6 Cantonese aren’t big on desserts and more often than not, fresh fruit platters would be served after a meal. Thus, when I see this dessert on menus, I always order it! I often cook this at home as it is such a great way to end a nice home-cooked meal. It may seem quite daunting to cook sago if you have not done so before but the process is actually quite simple. Just boil the sago until they are partially cooked, meaning that the balls are clear with dots of opaque white in them.

1.25 litres (5 cups) water 80 g (1/2 cup) sago, rinsed and drained 450 g taro, peeled, rinsed under cold water and diced 60 g (1/3 cup) rock sugar + more if needed 500 ml (2 cups) coconut milk + more if needed

1. Bring 500 ml (2 cups) water to a boil over high heat in a saucepan. Add sago and stir until translucent. Stir constantly to prevent sago from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Using a fine sieve, rinse sago under cold water. Set aside. 2. Boil taro in the same saucepan until soft with enough water to cover taro. Drain and rinse. Set aside one-quarter of taro. Mash remaining taro with a fork until paste-like. 3. Bring remaining water and rock sugar to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium heat, then add mashed taro and coconut milk. Stir well to loosen taro. 4. Bring soup to a simmer for 4–5 minutes. Stir constantly to prevent taro and coconut milk mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. 5. Once sugar has dissolved, taste and adjust seasoning with more sugar or coconut milk to taste. 6. Add sago. Turn off heat. 7. Ladle into small soup bowls and serve. Sago can also be added to cold desserts like puréed mango or rock melon with a drizzle of coconut milk as a treat on hot summer days.

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Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Balls in Sweet Potato Soup Makes approximately 14–16 rice balls This sweet treat is definitely a favourite in my family! Glutinous rice balls are usually eaten during Chinese Winter Solstice and on special occasions such as birthdays as they symbolize family unions. This dessert, which is known as tong yun in Cantonese is also eaten by brides-to-be before their weddings as it is believed that doing so will bless the marriage. The glutinous rice balls and the soup can be prepared in advance.

BLACK SESAME PASTE

2 tablespoons water 1 /2 brown sugar slab 50 g (1/3 cup) roasted black sesame seeds 1 tablespoon butter GLUTINOUS RICE BALLS

150 g (11/2 cups) glutinous rice flour + more for dusting 125 ml (1/2 cup) hot water 60 ml (1/4 cup) water SWEET SOUP

3-cm piece ginger, peeled and crushed 1 litre (4 cups) water 40 g (1/4 cup) rock sugar 130 g (1 cup) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1. Prepare black sesame paste. In a small saucepan, add water and brown sugar. Melt sugar slowly over low-medium heat. Do not bring to a boil. 2. Using the back of a spoon, press softened sugar slab into a paste. Stir paste a few times to achieve a thick syrupy texture. Turn off heat and set aside. 3. In a food processor, add black sesame seeds and pulse for 2–3 minutes until texture is coarse and grainy.

4. Stir butter into sugar mixture and add ground black sesame. Set aside to cool. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. 5. Prepare glutinous rice balls. Place glutinous rice flour in a medium mixing bowl and slowly add hot water. 6. Knead dough until it forms a smooth ball that does not stick to your hands. If dough is still crumbly after kneading, wet hands with water before kneading again. Too much water will result in a dough ball that is sticky. 7. On a floured surface, cut dough into 2 pieces and roll each into a 2.5-cm wide log. Slice logs into 3-cm pieces. 8. Return dough pieces to bowl and cover with tea towel to avoid drying out. 9. Prepare sweet soup. In a pot, place ginger, rock sugar and sweet potato in water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat, then simmer over medium heat until sweet potato is soft and sugar has melted. 10. Roll dough piece into a ball between both palms and flatten. Use thumb and index finger to press down around the edge to form a disc. Keep centre of disc thicker to prevent filling from breaking. 11. Using a teaspoon, scoop a pea-sized amount of black sesame paste onto the centre of the dough disc. Gently fold up edges and press

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together to seal. Moisten hand with some water. Roll dough disc into a smooth ball between palms. Repeat with the remaining dough. If dough gets sticky, sprinkle a bit more flour on the ball and roll.

rice balls float to the surface. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

12. In a pot of boiling water, add glutinous rice balls. Gently move rice balls around to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook until

You can also use carrots, pumpkin or taro instead of sweet potatoes.

13. Ladle sweet soup and glutinous rice balls into bowls and serve warm.

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Water Chestnut Cake Serves 8–10 Water chestnut cake is a popular sweet treat that can be seen on the dessert trolley or trays in every yum cha restaurant. Traditionally, this cake is made for Chinese New Year celebrations. Use fresh water chestnuts if you can get them otherwise the canned ones are just as good. The difference would be that fresh water chestnuts are crunchier. It is best to let the water chestnut cake cool down before slicing. To serve, pan-fry each slice until slightly crisp on both sides.

680 ml (23/4 cups) water 80 g (1/2 cup) sugar or 11/2 brown sugar slab 5 water chestnuts, peeled and diced 250 g (1 packet) water chestnut flour cooking oil, as needed

1. In a medium saucepan, place 500 ml (2 cups) water with sugar or brown sugar and water chestnuts over low heat. Keep on low heat and cook until sugar has dissolved. 2. Place water chestnut flour in a mixing bowl. Slowly add remaining water whilst gently swirling flour, stirring continuously until well combined. Mixture should resemble a slightly runny paste. 3. Stir flour mixture into saucepan until sugar mixture thickens. There will be slight resistance with stirring when mixture is ready. 4. Transfer mixture into a 22-cm steaming plate and place in steamer for 20 minutes. 5. Remove carefully and allow mixture to cool and firm up. The solidified mixture will be much easier to slice. 6. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add some oil and pan-fry both sides of water chestnut cake until slightly golden brown. 7. Remove from heat and serve. If you prefer a lighter colour, use white or rock sugar. For a darker brown, use the brown sugar slab. Slight adjustments have to be made as these have varying levels of sweetness.

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Glossary CHINESE SAUSAGE (LAP CHEONG)

Bitter Gourd

BITTER GOURD Known also as bitter melon, bitter gourd is a long green melon with uneven bumps all over. Despite its slightly bitter taste that needs some getting used to, the melon is a versatile ingredient that goes well with soups, braises, stir-fries, stuffed or freshly juiced. It is also highly nutritious and good for general well-being

Waxed pork or duck liver sausages have a sweet taste with hints of rose wine and chunks of fat. Pork lap cheong are usually red whereas the duck liver lap cheong are dark brown and not as juicy. It is best to steam the lap cheong first in preparation as this softens it. They are used as a flavouring, usually with fried rice, stir-fries and steamed dishes.

CORIANDER Known also as cilantro, this herb is indispensable in Cantonese cuisine and is often used to flavour Cantonese dishes. If the leaves are only required then the stems will most likely be used in the marinade to avoid wastage. Select bunches of coriander with fresh bright green leaves and avoid those that are wilting or turning yellow.

Chinese Salted Black Olives

CHINESE SALTED BLACK OLIVES (LAM GOK) Black olives are hard and have a strong salty taste. These olives are usually sold in small wedge-shaped pieces. Not to be confused with European olives or the pickled black olives used for olive fried rice, Chinese salted black olives complement steamed fish and taste good with a bit of sugar to accompany a bowl of rice.

Dried Bean Curd Stick and Dried Bean Curd Sheet

for stews, braises or dishes that require longer cooking time. Bean curd sheets can only be soaked for a few minutes as they are more brittle and are best used for sweet soups that require a very short cooking time.

DRIED BLACK FUNGUS There are many types of dried black fungus so it is quite easy to get confused. Cloud ears are softer with a slight chewy texture when cooked whereas the wood ears have a crunchy bite to them even after soaking. They are not fungus but rather types of mushrooms. Reconstitute in water and trim off any heard bits before using. The textures can be quite different.

DRIED HONEY DATES Dried honey dates are used in both savoury and sweet soups. I mainly use them in my savoury soups to give it a nice balance of sweetness and for its nourishing properties. Dried honey dates are sweet so 2–3 pieces is sufficient if you’re making a soup for 4 people. It is rounder and plumper than the smaller red dates also used in Cantonese cooking.

DRIED BEAN CURD Dried bean curd is the skin that forms on the surface of boiling soy milk. It is sold in two ways, either in sheets or in sticks. Bean curd sticks need to be soaked longer and are great

Dried Honey Dates

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Dried Scallops

Century Egg

Fermented Black Beans

DRIED SCALLOPS

pickled ginger as a snack. These eggs do not need to be cooked and can be eaten once peeled.

be made into a black bean paste and used to marinate meats and in stir-fries which can be kept in the fridge.

Salted duck eggs are duck eggs brined in salt and placed in an airtight container for a few weeks to a month. The result is an extremely salty egg white and a firm egg yolk that is deep orange in colour. Salted duck eggs are extremely versatile and can be steamed and accompanied with rice, cooked with steamed pork or added to vegetable soups for extra flavour.

FERMENTED BEAN CURD (FU YU)

Dried scallops are available in different sizes ranging from small baby-sized ones around 1-cm up to 1-inch wide for larger ones. The smaller ones are less expensive and are easier to prepare with less soaking time but the taste is mild. The larger ones are usually reserved for Chinese New Year reunion meals or special occasions. These require overnight soaking and sometimes steaming to get it soft. They are great to use to flavour stock for a soup base.

DRIED SHRIMPS These are small whole prawns that shrivel when sun-dried. Soaked to soften, dried shrimps are then added to soups for extra depth or chopped and fried to impart a beautiful savoury flavour to the stir-fries.

Salted Duck Egg

EGGS Century eggs are either chicken or duck eggs that have been covered in a mix of salt, lime, ash and rice husks. The result is an unappealing creamy black or greyish yolk and the whites turn into a jelly-like texture of a dark brown colour. It is extremely delicious when served with

Made with rice wine, salt and vinegar, fermented bean curd come in small bricks of 2 x 2-cm and are either soaked in brine or chilli oil. It can be used as a condiment for rice or congee, or can be added to braises and stir-fries.

FERMENTED RED BEAN CURD (NAM YU) A type of fermented bean curd, cubes of fermented bean curd are soaked in red yeast rice and brine or chilli oil, tinting the bean curd a vivid red colour and giving it a distinctively thickened flavour. This ingredients has a sweet yet salty aroma that goes well with braises and stir-fries.

FERMENTED BLACK BEANS (DOU SI) Salted black beans that have been fermented have an intense salty flavour and need to be rinsed prior to cooking. Store in the fridge for months or in a cool dry place in an airtight container. The beans can also

Fermented Bean Curd and Fermented Red Bean Curd

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for expensive dried goods such as bird’s nest and shark’s fin. It is great in soups, braises and stirfries. Most commonly found on menus during Chinese New Year. Fermented Shrimp Paste

FERMENTED SHRIMP PASTE (HAR CHEONG) Salted dried shrimps are pounded to a paste and left to ferment in the sun. Har cheong is pungent and has a strong salty flavour. The shrimp paste used in Cantonese cooking is not as strong as some of its Asian counterparts. Add a little to your stir-fries or steam slices of pork belly with some shrimp paste and sugar.

Fish Maw

FISH MAW Fish maw is the air or swim bladder of the fish. There are two types available in the market, deep-fried or dried. Deep-fried fish maw is golden, light and puffy and while dried fish maw comes in hard light-coloured sheets. The better quality or higher grades of fish maw do not have the smell of the grease or oil. It is convenient to purchase the deep-fried ones and soak them for preparation. With the dried form, you will need to soak much longer for preparation with some even deep-frying prior to soaking. It is highly nutritious and great source of collagen. It can be used as a substitute

seasoning. I prefer to make my own dressing for the jellyfish salad.

OYSTER SAUCE

Oyster sauce is made from dried oysters and I personally use Garlic is widely used in Cantonese Lee Kum Kee premium oyster cooking. It is used to marinate, add sauce. It is the only one I’ve come across so far that has the aromas to stir-fries, braises and highest concentrate of oyster nutritional value to soups. Garlic also helps the immune system fend extracts. However, it does have against bad bacteria and common monosodium glutamate in it but I have not been able to source colds, and is best stored in a cool a bottle that has high oyster dark place. extracts without additives. You can use soy sauce instead of GINGER oyster sauce for marinates and The rhizome of an attractive sauces if you cannot consume flowering plant, ginger is widely msg. used in Cantonese cooking and is essential when cooking with seafood as it helps to reduce the “fishiness.” It is considered a “heaty” ingredient so be careful not to add too much of it to sweet or savoury soups if you are prone to coughs or dryness. Ginger is also added to fried rice and given Pickled Mustard Greens to new mums after giving birth to rid their body of the wind that PICKLED MUSTARD accumulated from birth. Select GREENS roots that are smooth and plump Not to be confused with salted and avoid the shrivelled dried sour mustard greens, pickled ones. Best to store in a cool dark mustard greens can be easily place or in the fridge. differentiated from the former

GARLIC

as it is made using fresh big head mustard vegetables without the leaves and are sold in clear packets at the Asian grocers. Slightly sour, this pickle is high in nutrients and go well with stir-fries and soups. Jellyfish

JELLYFISH The jellyfish comes prepared and packed in an aluminium foil packet. It has been sliced thinly and comes with small packets of

Preserved Mustard Greens

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Dark Soy Sauce is a thicker soy sauce that is used mainly to add colour to the dish during the cooking process.

PRESERVED MUSTARD GREENS (MUI CHOY) Preserved dried mustard greens have quite the unappealing look of wilted, limp and full of salt. Can be found in either Asian wet markets or sold in packets at the Asian grocers. The preserved dried greens come in salted and sweet versions. I prefer just using the salted ones even if the recipe calls for both types.

Preserved Salted Radish

PRESERVED SALTED RADISH (CHYE POH)

SPRING ONIONS Salted Dried Fish

SALTED DRIED FISH (HAM YU) White pomfret and yellow-tail snapper are amongst the few types of fish that are salted and left out to dry in the sun. Look out for the clear white soft bodies and bright eyes hanging in the Asian wet markets and buy them whole. Slice into cutlets and keep in the fridge. If preferred, salt the fish yourself and leave to dry out for up to a week in the sun. Prepare the salted fish by steaming with some sugar and oil.

Made from chopped Chinese white radish, preserved salted radish are usually finely diced or in pieces. These radish have a nice crunchy texture and are often used in stir-fried noodles, congee or as a filling for Cantonese snacks. I prefer to use the ones packaged in pieces as they are less salty.

Salted Plums

RICE

SALTED PLUMS

This is a staple food and in traditional families, rice can be eaten 3 times a day. Rice is fundamental in Cantonese culture hence they do not waste any grain of it. Even the water from washing the rice is kept to “fertilise the veggie patch” or to clean the wok. Leftover rice can be used in a number of ways, the most popular being fried rice. Family meals are planned with dishes that are most compatible with rice. There are a number of varieties of rice and usually long grain rice is used amongst the Cantonese.

Salted plums are better known as suen mui, which means sour plum in Cantonese. Brined in salt solution and stored in bottles, they are a great addition to steamed dishes such as steamed pork ribs and steamed fish.

Known also as green onions, shallots and scallions. A spring onion is a young onion that has not fully developed its large round bulb. The spring onions have long, green stems with a white stalk and roots attached. It has a mild onion flavour and is often used as a garnish.

Spring Onions

TIANJIN PRESERVED VEGETABLES (DONG CHOY) Made from the Tianjin cabbage from the Tianjin region in China, this ingredient is a stretched out version of wombok or napa cabbage. It is finely chopped and pickled with salt and left to ferment in earthenware pots for some time. Dong choy is widely used in many Asian cuisines. It can be used in braises, stews, soups and steamed fish. Rinse before use to remove some of its saltiness. Tianjin preserved vegetable should be kept in the refrigerator.

SOY SAUCES Light Soy Sauce is made from the first pressing of fermented soy beans and is lighter in colour. This ingredient is often used to enhance flavours when cooking.

Tianjin Preserved Vegetables

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Weights & Measures Quantities for this book are given in Metric and American (spoon and cup) measures. Standard spoon and cup measurements used are: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 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

1 teaspoon

30 grams

1 ounce

10 ml

1

1 dessertspoon

45 grams

11/2 ounces

15 ml

1

1 tablespoon

55 grams

2 ounces

60 ml

2 fl oz

1

70 grams

21/2 ounces

85 ml

21/2 fl oz

1

85 grams

3 ounces

90 ml

3 fl oz

3

100 grams

31/2 ounces

125 ml

4 fl oz

1

110 grams

4 ounces

180 ml

6 fl oz

3

125 grams

41/2 ounces

250 ml

8 fl oz

140 grams

5 ounces

/6 fl oz /3 fl oz /2 fl oz

/4 cup (4 tablespoons) /3 cup /8 cup (6 tablespoons) /2 cup /4 cup

1 cup

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)

1

1

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

3

625 ml

20 fl oz (1 pint)

2 /2 cups

800 grams

13/4 pounds

750 ml

24 fl oz (11/5 pints)

3 cups

1 kilogram

2 pounds, 3 ounces

1

1 litre

32 fl oz (1 /5 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

3

OVEN TEMPERATURE Very slow

LENGTH

°C

°F

Gas Regulo

Metric

Imperial

120

250

1

0.5 cm

1

/4 inch

150

300

2

1 cm

1

Moderately slow 160

325

3

1.5 cm

3

Moderate

350

4

2.5 cm

1 inch

Moderately hot 190/200

370/400

5/6

Hot

210/220

410/440

6/7

Very hot

230

450

8

Super hot

250/290

475/550

9/10

Slow

180

/2 inch /4 inch

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Debbie was born in Australia and grew up mesmerised by her maternal grandma cooking all sorts of Cantonese dishes. Grandma Gops never cut corners and was meticulous with every step of preparation. She also taught Debbie the invaluable lesson of using her senses and instinct to perfect a dish. As a teenager, Debbie watched her mother cook quick meals to feed the family before rushing off to help out at the family restaurant. Being brought up in this environment of two completely different personas in the kitchen, Debbie has taken the best qualities from both women. She finds herself cooking a mix of traditional and modern, simple home-style meals for her own family. Debbie prides herself in preparing from scratch whenever possible, rather than resorting to store bought ingredients. This enthusiasm and passion now sees Debbie passing on her knowledge through her cooking classes to help encourage people to cook for their loved ones. She currently resides in Singapore and loves being surrounded by all the wonderful fresh South East Asian produce.

OTHER TITLES IN THIS SERIES

Little Indonesian Cookbook ISBN 978-981-4561-25-9

the little Cantonese Ck 108pp 6 aug.indd 108

Little Singapore Cookbook ISBN 978-981-4484-08-4

Little Teochew Cookbook ISBN 978-981-4634-27-4

Little Thai Cookbook ISBN 978-981-4516-52-5

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