鮮竹卷 Beancurd rolls

This is a common offer in dimsum or yumcha restaurants. I always like to order this one - anything that's wrapped in bean curd skin is usually good.  I've made them a little bigger than the usual size as my thoughts are to make it functional and quick! 

Summary of recipe:

1. Mix to marinate the following ingredients and set it aside:

• 250gm minced pork or chicken
• 125gm shrimp, shelled, deveined and chopped
• 4 water chestnuts, chopped
• 2cm piece of ginger, grated
• 1 1/2 Tbsp light soy
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• dash of rice wine
• 1 egg yolk

2. Prepare the sauce and set it aside:

• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• dash of rice wine + drops of vodka if you like
• dash of pepper
  
  And separately, 1/2 tsp chopped garlic + 1/2 tsp minced ginger.

3. Prepare bean curd skin to wrap the mince, seal packet with egg white. 

4. Pan fry the rolls until all sides are brown. No need to ensure they're cooked through at this stage. Blot the rolls of excess oil, place in a deeper wide dish. 

5. Using the earlier pan, drain excess oil, pan fry 1/2 tsp chopped garlic and 1/2 tsp minced ginger. Add in the sauce and let it boil.

6. Pour sauce into the bowl with the rolls, place bowl into a steamer and steam for 8 minutes.

Recipe source: http://3hungrytummies.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/fu-jok-guen-beancurd-skin-rolls-yum-cha.html

Garlic soy meatballs

Menu planning may sound boring to some but I've found it to be an opportunity to get creative with ingredients on hand. I bought a variety of meats on Saturday and decided to use the portion of minced pork on meatballs. I remember the deep fried meatballs grandmother always served at her dinner parties and mom would also make them as treats once in a while.

Here's a recipe that's first pan fried, then simmered with garlicky soy sauce for glaze. I made it into a fusion meal on salad greens.

Summary of recipe:

1. Prepare the mince:

Mix the below ingredients in a bowl:

• 200gm minced pork or chicken
• 50gm chopped shrimps
• 1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
• 1 spring onion (white parts only), minced
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp light soy
• 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
• dash of white pepper
• dash of Chinese cooking wine
• 1/2 an egg, lightly beaten*
• about 2 or 3 Tbsp corn flour*

2. Prepare the sauce:

Mix the below in a bowl:

• 1/2 cup of chicken stock
• 1 1/2 Tbsp light soy
• 1 Tbsp dark soy
• 3 Tbsp sugar or honey
• dash of sesame oil

Separately:

- 1 garlic, chopped

Cook:

1. Shape the mince into meatballs or patties**.
2. Pan fry the meatballs or patties with just enough oil for meat to not stick on pan. Remove from pan when golden on both sides.
3. With remaining oil in pan, sauté chopped garlic for a minute.
4. Add the sauce and cook for another minute.
5. Return the meatballs or patties to the pan and simmer until sauce is reduced; turn meatballs or patties to glaze.
   
   Optional:
6. Arrange a bed of salad greens and place the meatballs or patties on top.
7. Garnish with toasted almond flakes.

*I used 1 egg and 4 Tbsp of corn flour.

**I spooned the mince mix directly into the pan.

Adapted from recipe source: http://3hungrytummies.blogspot.co.nz/2011/12/sticky-soy-and-garlic-meatballs.html

Quick & Easy Char Siew

C was making Wan Tan Mee for brunch today so I decided to try this new quick and easy Char Siew recipe I saw from the Internet. I didn't realize we ran out of palm sugar half way through cooking so I made substitutes :) 

This recipe results in a pleasant cross between Tauyu Bak and Char Siew.

Summary of recipe:

1. Chop half a garlic and one inch of ginger.

2. In a pot, sauté garlic and ginger with 1 Tbsp of oil.

3. Add 400gm of pork belly to further sauté a bit.

4. Add 250ml water, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 25gm brown sugar, 1 Tbsp dark caramel.

5. Let it simmer in medium high heat until liquid reduces and thickens.

6. Cut into bite size pieces when cooled.

Recipe source: http://herfrozenwings.blogspot.co.nz/2011/06/palm-sugar-char-siew.html