Black Vinegar Trotter

Ingredients:
1 Pig's Trotter(ask for the front trotter)
1 Big Piece Of Old Ginger(about 300g)
1 Handful Of Black Bean
1 Small Bottle Of Black Vinegar, 375ml
1 1/2 Bottle Of Water(use the same vinegar bottle)
2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
1 - 2 Tablespoon Rock Sugar/Brown Sugar
2 - 3 Hard Boiled Eggs

Methods:
1. Peel, wash and cut the old ginger into big pieces then flatten slightly.
2. Rinse the black beans and pat dry then set aside.
3. Heat up sesame oil in the preheated large claypot to saute old ginger till fragrant then add in the black beans and stir for a few minutes.
4. Pour in vinegar and water, covered and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat, cook for about 1 hour remove from heat and soak the rest for over night.
5. Rinse the pig's trotter and cut into convenient pieces, wash and blanch into boiling water.
6. Remove, rinsed and stir-fry with some sesame oil in a preheated dry wok for a while.
7. Lastly bring the soaked vinegar soup back to boil, add in pre-fried trotter pieces and cooked for 20 minutes then add in the hard boiled eggs.
8. Continue to simmer for another 20 minutes then add in sugar to taste.
9. Remove from heat, soak the trotter pieces until tenders and the flavour has be absorbed. Serve hot.

Notes:
a) You can choose to add in more or less Ginger depend on your preference.
b) You can choose to cook the Black Vinegar Soup 1 day ahead before adding the Pig trotter or you can cook all the ingredients together and eat on the day itself or next day.
c) The amount of sugar added also depend on individual taste, you can omit it as well.

Duck and salted veg Soup

Ingredients:


1/2 Duck, chopped into 2

Salted Vegetable, sliced into smaller pieces

3 chili, seeds removed and sliced

2 tomato, halved

3 slice Ginger

1 whole Garlic

1 Pickled Plum (水梅）

3 litre Water

Directions

Blanch duck and set aside.

Blanch salted vegetables for 1 minute to cut down the saltiness.

Put all ingredients in a pot and boil for 2 to 3 hours in low fire.

White carrot Soup

Ingredients




•300 grammes pork ribs / bony pork or chicken parts

•1 white radish (about 200 grammes or more – cut into large chunks or sliced)

•8 red dates

•1 piece dried cuttlefish

•6 pieces dried oysters

•700 ml water for soup (or approximately 2 1/2 soup bowls of water)

•500 ml water

(Personally i would add another 2 cups od white soy beans)





Directions



Bring to boil 500 ml water in a pot. Add pork ribs / chicken part and allow the meat to cook slightly. Remove scum from surface of water. Remove meat and discard water.



Bring to boil 700 ml water in a clean pot. Add the partially cooked meat and the rest of the ingredients and bring back to boil. Then reduce heat to simmer for 2 to 3 hours or till soup reduced to 1 1/2 bowls water. Add salt to taste before serving.



If you are using a crockpot or double-boiler, reduce amount of water to just over a soup bowl. Add ingredients into pot. Boil the water separately and pour the boiling water into the pot before simmering. Enjoy your chinese white radish soup.

ABC Soup

Ingredients:



- ½ yellow onion

- 2 yellow potatoes

- 1 tomato

- 1 carrot (big one) or 6-7 baby carrots

- 3 chicken drumsticks or thighs

- 5-6 whole white pepper, crushed

- 5 cups water

- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or according to taste)



Directions:



- Cut the yellow onion, potatoes, and carrots into small chunks

- Cut the tomato into 8 pieces

- Wash the chicken drumsticks or thighs and set aside. De-skin the chicken if you do not want the fat

- Boil 4 cups of water in a pot. Add in the chicken, crushed white pepper, onion, tomatoes, potatoes and carrot into the pot

- Cover and boil/simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes

- Add in salt to taste

Wintermelon Soup

Ingredients:

•1 cup winter melon (1/2 pound)

•Water to boil winter melon

•2 cups chicken broth
/ chicken feet


•4 Chinese dried black mushrooms

•2 - 3 slices ginger

•1/4 cup cooked ham, diced

•Salt and pepper to taste

•1 green onion, green part only, washed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces

Directions:

1. Wash the winter melon, remove the green skin, seeds, and the pulp. Cut into 2-inch pieces.

2. Reconstitute the Chinese dried mushrooms by soaking in hot water for 20 - 30 minutes until softened. Squeeze out any excess water.

3. Place the winter melon in a pot of water, bring to a boil, and simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until the winter melon is tender.

4. Add the chicken broth, mushrooms, ginger and cooked ham. Add seasonings as desired. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add green onion for garnish. Serve hot.

Watercress Soup

Serves 2

Ingredients


- 250g pork ribs

- 15 pitted red dates

- 1 tbsp wolfberries, soaked in a small bowl of water till puffy

- 200g watercress, ends trimmed, then roughly cut

- 1300 ml water

- sea salt



Directions

1. Blanch pork ribs in boiling water for about 5 minutes, to remove the scum so that you have clear soup later.

2. In a large soup pot, add water, red dates, blanched pork ribs and watercress. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer (with lid partially closed) for about 40 minutes.

3. Five minutes before you turn off the flame, add the soaked wolfberries. Season with salt

Lobster Bisque

Ingredients

1/2 c. diced carrots


1/2 sm. onion

1/4 lb. uncooked lobster meat

1/2 c. your favoritebutter

1 tbsp. dry sherry

1/4 c. dry white wine

1/4 c. chicken broth

1/2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp. minced parsley

Pinch of thyme

4 tbsp. flour

2 c. scalded milk

2 tbsp. heavy cream
 
Directions
 
1. Mince the carrots and onion in a food processor. Mince the lobster meat.




2. Melt half the butter in a pot and saute the carrots and onions for 3 minutes. Add the lobster meat.



3. Heat and ignite the sherry and pour it over the mixture.



4. Add the wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, parsley and thyme and simmer for 15 minutes.



5. Melt the rest of the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook it for a few minutes and then add the hot milk, beating vigorously with a wire whisk.



6. Pour this into the lobster pot and simmer very slowly for 12 minutes.



7. Add the cream and correct the seasoning.

French Onion Soup

8 onions, sliced


2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

8 cups beef stock

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

1 loaf French bread

2 cups grated Gruyere
 
Directions:
 
1. Saute onions and garlic in oil over low heat until tender and golden yellow. Sprinkle flour over onions, cook a few minutes more, browning the flour well. Add stock and wine and bring to a boil, add thyme and bay leaf. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes or so. Add salt and pepper, to taste.




2. Meanwhile, slice French bread into 3/4-inch slices and butter both sides. Toast slices on griddle until golden brown. Ladle soup into an ovenproof bowl, add toasted bread and cover with cheese. Place ovenproof bowl on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Bake at 350 degrees F or 5 minutes under a hot broiler.

Nonya Laksa

•Rice Vermicelli, scalded and drained

•500 ml coconut milk (Fresh or from packet)

•300g Medium Prawns

•2 Fish Cakes, sliced

•100g Bean Sprout, slightly blanched just before serving

•10 pieces Tau Pok

•100g Cockles (optional)

•10 sprig Laksa Leaves aka Vietnamese Mint aka Daun Kesom

•50g Dried Prawns, grind

•150ml Oil

•750ml Water

•Salt and Rock Sugar to taste

Grind into paste:

•1 whole Garlic

•10 Shallots

•1/2 tablespoon Turmeric aka Kunyit

•1 tablespoon Galangal aka Lengkuas

•4 Candlenuts aka Buah Keras

•1 stalk Lemon Grass aks Serai

•2 teaspoon Shrimp Paste aka Belachan

•12 Dried Chillies, soaked to soften
 
Directions:


1.Blanch prawns in 750ml of water till 90% cooked.

2.Remove shells and return them to the pot of stock.

3.Set prawns aside.

4.Add in Laksa Leaves and bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

5.Heat oil in wok.

6.Fry the paste for about 15 to 20 minutes.

7.Add in dried shrimp and continue frying the paste for another 5 minutes.

8.Pour the content to the pot of stock.

9.Bring to boil.

10.Gradually add in coconut milk.

11.Simmer till you see red oil surfacing.

12.Add salt and rock sugar to taste.

13.Add in the tau pok to cook for 2 minutes just before serving. This helps tau pok absorb Laksa gravy.

14.Put rice vermicelli in a bowl.

15.Top with tau pok, fish cakes, bean sprout and cockles.

16.Pour hot gravy over and serve immediately.

* Note:

If you prefer your Laska to be spicy, add chilli paste to your bowl of Laksa.

Chop some Laksa Leaves for garnishing if you like.

Penang Laksa

1 lb Mackerel fish


8 cups water

5 pieces assam keping (peeled tamarind)

1 pack dried laksa noodles

Heh Ko/Prawn Paste
1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon fish sauce

12 dried red chilies (seeded)

5 fresh red chilies (seeded)

8 small shallots

2 teaspoons belacan

1 stalk lemon grass (use only the white part, about 6 inches)

Tamarind Juice:

Tamarind (about golf ball size)

1/2 cup water (repeat 3-4 times)

Garnishing:

1 cucumber (julienned)

1 bunch mint leaves (use only the leaves)

1 bunch polygonum leaves/Vietnamese mint leaves (daun kesom/daun laksa)

1 bungan kantan (cut into small pieces)

1 red onion (sliced thinly)

1 lettuce (thinly cut)

1 red chili/3-4 bird’s eye chilies (cut into small slices)

1 small pineapple (cut into short strips)

Method:

1. Clean the fish, remove scales and guts. In a pot, bring 8 cups of water to boil. Add in the fish and boil for about 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked fish out into a bowl and let cool. Strain the fish stock, then add in the peeled tamarind, and the polygonum leaves and continue to boil in low heat.



2. Wet your hands constantly with a bowl of water, pick the flesh out of all the fish and discard the bones. Break the fish meat into tiny pieces and put the fish back into the stock, cover the lid, and lower the heat.



3. Using a mini food processor, grind the spice paste until fine. Heat up a wok and saute the spice paste with cooking oil for about 6-8 minutes or until it smells aromatic and spicy. Transfer the spice paste into the boiling stock.



4. Extract the tamarind juice and add it into the stock. Strain the tamarind juice and keep the seed. Repeat it 3-4 times with 1/2 cup of water each time to make sure you extract all the essence from the tamarind. Continue to taste your Assam Laksa stock to make sure it’s sour and to your liking. For seasoning, add sugar, salt, and fish sauce.



5. Prepare the laksa noodles by following the packaging instructions. In a serving bowl, add in the laksa noodles and garnish all vegetables on top. Pour the Assam Laksa soup into the bowl and serve immediately with a spoonful of Heh Ko/prawn paste.

Mussels Steamed in White Wine and Thyme

Serves 4


1 tablespoon/15 ml olive oil

6 pounds/2.8 kg fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded

3 shallots, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

3/4 cup/175 ml dry white wine

2 tablespoons/about 5 g finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

5 tablespoons/75 g butter, cut into small cubes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Additional finely chopped flat leaf parsley, for garnish

1 French baguette, warmed and sliced

Method:

1. Place a large, wide casserole pot or large frying pan with high sides over a high heat. Add the oil then the mussels, shallots, garlic, thyme and bay leaves and toss quickly.



2. Add the wine, then cover and cook for about 3 minutes or until the mussels begin to open. Add 2 tablespoons/about 5 g of parsley and toss to combine.



3. Place a large saucepan over a high heat and strain the liquid from the mussels through a colander and into the saucepan. Return the mussels to the large casserole pot, discarding any that have not opened. Cover and keep warm.



4. Bring the mussel liquid to a boil over high heat and boil for 1 minute, then add the butter and whisk until the butter has melted. Season the butter sauce to taste with salt and pepper.



5. Divide the mussels among 4 large serving bowls. Pour the butter sauce over the mussels, sprinkle with the additional chopped parsley, and serve immediately with the warm sliced baguette.

Portugese Devil Curry

One 3 1/2 lb chicken

pineapples

salt and pepper

1 - 2 tsp sugar

2 tbs worchesthire sauce

2 tbs soy sauce

1 lime, juiced

veg oil

1/2 tsp saffron threads

1 large ham bone/ 1 lb rind back bacon

2 stalks lemon grass, smashed

1/2 inch fresh tumeric root, sliced

5 large onions, quartered

4 inch ginger, thin strips

4 large tomatoes, halved

1 seedless cucumber, halved and thinly sliced. salted and air dried for 1 hr

6 cabbage leaves, bite sized

6 whole red dried chillies

1 1/2 lb chinese roast pork, cut into chunks

4 tbs mustard powder (coleman's)

9 tbs white vinegar

6 medium potatoes, quartered and boiled in salt water

1 large can vienna sausages, 1/2 inched

15 shallots

6 garlic cloves

1 1/2 or 2 cups chilli paste

Directions:

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper, wor ches, soy, sugar and lime

2. Brown chicken and set aside

3. Red dried chillies, remove stalk and seed. Soak in hot water

4. Pound chilli into paste

5. Heat 6 tbs veg oil, chilli paste. Set aside

6. Pound shallots, garlic till paste

7. Stir fry 1 min and dried saffron and 2 cups water

8. Bring to a boil and add rind bacon, lemon grass and fresh tumeric

9. Boil rapidly for 10 min and transfer to pot

10. Add chicken, chilli paste, onions, ginger, tomatoes, whole chillies

11. Season sugar, salt, pepper. Simmer 10 min

12. Add pork chunks. Gradually add 4 - 5 cups water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer 10 min

13. Combine 4 tbs white vinegar, 4 tbs mustard powder and add  to pot. Then add 5 tbs more vinegar

14. Add cucumber and cabbage. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 min

15. And finally....Add potatoes, vienna sausages, simmer 5 min

Variation:

Live mud crab - add crab at the very end till turn red

Let it stand 10 min before serving

Rustic Italian Pasta Soup

Serves 8

1 tbs olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup sliced carrot

1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

14 1/2 oz chicken broth

1 3/4 cup water

28 oz camellini beans (white kidney)

15 oz kidney beans

1 1/2 tsp dried italian seasoning

1/2 tsp hot sauce

1/4 tsp pepper

6 oz ditalini pasta

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In medium heat, cook oil, onion, carrot, green pepper, garlic till tender

2. Add veg broth and water, canned tomatoes, beans, italian dressing, hot sauce, pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer 20 min. Stirring occasionally

3. Add pasta. Cover and cook 10 - 15 min

Tom Yum Kung

Serves 4

1 tbs oil

20 shrimp, heads detached and peeled (reserved)

100g galangal, sliced

100g ginger, sliced

2 stalks lemon grass, sliced and crushed

8 cups fish/ chicken stock

140g oyster mushroom, halved

2 green onion, sliced

5 thai chillies, sliced

5 lime leaves

3 tbs thai fish sauce

1 lime, juiced

2 mint leaves/ parsley

Directions:

1. In a large pot, add oil and fry prawn heads and shells

2. Crush shell and heads when cooking and cook for 5 min. Or longer if the aroma of the prawns do not appear

3. Add galangal, ginger and 1/2 lemon grass. Cook 2 min

4. Add stock and scrape bits stuck to bottom. Boil 10 min

5. Drain stock and discard solids

6. Bring broth to simmer in medium heat

7. Add lemon grass, mushroom and green onions, chillies, lime leaves, thai fish sauce and lime juice

8. Simmer 5 min. Or when fragrance of soup comes. Add shrimp and cook for 1 - 2 min more

9. Serve with parsley/ mint leaves

Chorizo and butter bean stew

200g chorizo, sliced (fermented smoked sausages)

2 red onions, sliced

3 garlic cloves, sliced

olive oil

1 tsp smoked paprika (capsicum)

1 x 400g tin tomatoes

1 x 400g butter beans

Directions:

1. Medium Heat, cook chorizo, onion and garlic with oil for 5 min

2. Add paprika, tomatoes and beans. Reduce heat and cook 20 min

3. Remove lid last few min to thicken stew. Serve with bread

Spicy Mussel Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs parsley, chopped

1 - 2  (depending on your liking) tsp chilli powder

1 chilli padi, chopped

30 mussels

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbs lemon juice

3/4 cup dry white wine (or wine for cooking)

1 1/2 cup water

400g canned crushed tomatoes with juice

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil

2. Fry onion and garlic till golden. Be careful that garlic dun turn black

3. Add parsley and chillies. Fry for another 1 -2 min

4. Increase heat and add lemon juice, wine and water. Bring to a boil

5. Add tomatoes and let it boil again

6. Add mussels and change to medium heat. Cook for 5 min. Or when soup starts to bubble in heat

7. Remove unopenned mussels

8. Add salt and pepper

9. Serve with rice or baguette

Gingered Pork and Cabbage Soup

Serves 8

Cook: 40 min

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken broth

8 ounces boneless pork sirloin, 1/2 inched

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp ginger, grated

1 tbs cooking oil

3 small tomatoes, chopped

2 medium carrots, finely chopped

1/2 cup small pasta

4 cups thinly sliced cabbage

1/4 cup fresh mint

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, 6 cups broth to a boil

2. In another pan, cook pork, onion, garlic, ginger in hot oil till pork brown

3. Add broth. Bring to a boil and stir in tomatoes and carrots. When boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 15 min

4. Stir in pasta and cook 6 min. Stir in cabbage and mint

Fish Stew

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 Clove garlic, peeled

Pinch saffron (optional)

Salt and pepper

250ml Mayo

Lemon juice

12 mussels

20 clams

Olive oil

1 cup White wine

400g plum tomatoes

2 sea bass/ bream, cut into 1/2

2 monk fish/ white fish

4 tiger prawns

2 thick crusty bread

Handful fennel seeds

Small bunch basil, chopped

Saffron Aioli:

1. Smash 1 clove garlic, squeeze lemo juice, saffron, salt and pound alltheses

2. Add 1 tbs mayo and pound. Stir in the rest of mayo. Season with more lemon and salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Wash and scrub seashells

2. In pot, splash oil. Slice 1 clove garlic and fry till golden. Add wine, tomatoes, basil stalks. Bring to a boil. Then simmer for 10 - 15 min, till liquid reduce a little.

3. Put seafood into pot. Add salt and pepper. Push fish down into soup. Close lid and cook 10 min

4. Garnish with fennel, basil leaves and a blob of aioli

Hunter Style Chicken

 Serves 4

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
 

Ingredients:

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 1/3 cups canned crushed tomatoes

3 strips orange zest, cut 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks


Directions:



1. In a 2 1/2-quart microwave-safe dish with a lid, combine mushrooms, garlic, oil, and 1/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Cover, and microwave on high, 2 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, orange zest, rosemary, cayenne, and chicken until combined. Cover; microwave on high until chicken is just cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove orange zest and serve

Crispy Fried Salmon with Veg Broth

Serves 4


Ingredients:


• 1 x aïoli recipe

• 850ml chicken or vegetable stock, lightly seasoned

• 8 baby bulbs of fennel, stalks removed and herby tops reserved

• 4 x 170–225g salmon steaks, scored

• 1 small handful of fresh mint, ripped

• 1 small handful of fresh basil, leaves picked

• extra virgin olive oil

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• around 100g green beans, tops removed

• around 100g podded broad beans

• around 100g podded peas

Directions:


1. First, make the aïoli. When you've done that, bring your stock to the boil in a large pan then add your fennel and allow this to boil for 4 minutes while you heat up a non-stick frying pan. Take your salmon steaks and, if you fancy it, you could finely slice a little of your mint and basil and push this into the score marks. Pat the salmon steaks with a little olive oil, season and place skin-side down in the frying pan. Leave them for 2 minutes to get really crispy then check how they're doing. They'll want around 4 minutes on the skin side and 1 minute on the other. You'll get an idea of how they're cooking as you'll see the salmon change colour.





2. When the fennel has had 4 minutes, add the green beans and the broad beans. Give them a further 2 minutes. By this time you will probably want to turn over the salmon steaks for their last minute. Add the peas to the other veg and cook for a final 2 minutes. Don't be tempted to overcook the salmon – remove it from the heat. Divide the vegetables between 4 bowls, rip over the mint and basil, ladle over some of your hot cooking stock and place the salmon on top. Serve with a dollop of aïoli. Fantastic!