teczcape- an escape to Food

Vegetarian Rice Vermicelli

2009-11-04T08:52:00.000-08:00

With many vegetable dishes, I like to make them into "one-dish-ers" that are easy and tasty. If you have cooked excess of Cabbage and Carrot Curry and got bored with eating the leftovers with rice the next day, the next alternative is of course...N-O-O-D-L-E-S ! (Oh, what a cheat!) . Well, it is really a cheat. A cheat-sheet to create a vegetarian rice vermicelli dish. How many of you fry your rice vermicelli with cabbage? Me! me! Mua! Me! me!...OK...I heard you. Me too. :D

In a healthier way, I always prefer to "fry" rice vermicelli till cooked through by simmering them in water-based gravy (bland? add in spices, seasonings, herbs to flavor), rather than cook it in oil. By the time the gravy evaporates and gets absorbed into the vermicelli, the end-product: moist, soft rice vermicelli that is non-greasy. So, if you have got recipes with light (meaning, non-starchy) gravy - try to improvise and simmer rice vermicelli in them till all the gravy is absorbed and is being mixed well with the vermicelli.

Curried Cabbage and Carrot Rice Vermicelli
Ingredients: cabbage, finely shredded; carrot, finely shredded; white pepper; rice vermicelli, soaked in warm water for 5 - 8 minutes to soften
Directions: Follow instructions for Cabbage and Carrot Curry, and after curry is cooked, add in rice vermicelli, mix well into the curry. Simmer at low heat till the curry is absorbed by the vermicelli and thoroughly mixed.

Who says vegetarian food needs to be greasy to taste good? This vegetarian rice vermicelli dish goes to Presto Pasta Night at Once Upon a Feast.

Tag: rice vermicelli, vegetarian

Kitchen cookware and dinnerware is now my shopping addiction

2009-11-04T08:43:00.000-08:00

I was talking to my friend the other day about the gradual change in my shopping habits. Bags and shoes used to be my "addiction". However, ever since I had this food blog and learn to enjoy cooking, I love to look at kitchen-related products when I shop. Kitchen utensils and cookware, kitchen appliances, and even dinnerware sets. How about Corelle Dinnerware Sets as the first item in a wish-list? Imagine I could use these plates and bowls for the sake of food photography and styling. Well, that is just part of the reason. I do need a new set of Corelle Dinnerware Sets if I get my own kitchen in my new house, eventually. I do feel home-proud if I get to entertain my family and friends with good food on nice, classic dinnerware. And I do trust Corelle Dinnerware Sets because they are lightweight, and break-resistant. Corelle plates and bowls are also dishwasher-, microwave- and oven-safe, so this makes them very easy to use and maintain.

I may not be able to get a new kitchen in time for the coming holidays - so, I know I will not be entertaining much. But, if I can get good deals from Shop.com anytime now, I know I will not hesitate.

Bok Choy with Carrots and Shitake Mushrooms

2009-11-02T15:12:00.000-08:00

While to blanch a plate of vegetables is a no brainer, to stir-fry that same plate of vegetables does need a little more care and "heart" if you do not want yours to turn out of greasy and droopy, like what you get in some food stalls and take-outs. I love to use garlic - for aroma; carrots - for color; shitake mushrooms - for added nutrition and depth in flavor. While Mark Bittman, New York Times does his with shitake and oyster sauce (emphasizing on getting the real good oyster sauce and nothing artificial), how about you? How do you stir fry vegetables in the simplest flavorful way?

Bok Choy with Carrots and Shitake

Ingredients: bok choy, separate into stems and leaves, then cut the stems into smaller pieces; carrots, thinly sliced; shitake mushrooms, use caps and slice the caps into smaller pieces; garlic, minced; pinch of salt and white pepper

Directions: Add a little oil in a heated pan. When oil is slightly hot, add garlic and fry till fragrant. Then add in carrots, bok choy stems, mushrooms and fry briskly till slightly softened. Add the bok choy leaves, fry briskly. Cover the pan and allow it to simmer a while (so that the steam can cook the vegetables mixture). Stir fry thoroughly. If mixture is too dry, add in 1 -2tbsp of water. Add pinch of salt and white pepper, to taste.

Tag: vegetables, stir fry.

Green Bean and Barley Soup for Breakfast

2009-10-31T13:43:00.000-07:00

How about a simple dessert soup or drink for My Legume Love Affair #16 ? Thanks to The Well-Seasoned Cook, we are starting to understand more into the nutrition of legumes. And this makes a wonderful breakfast ^0^ - can I even use the word "power-packed"?

Whole green beans are low in fat, rich in protein and fiber which helps lower the high cholesterol level in body system. The high fiber in green bean also yields complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates improve digestion, helps to stabilize blood sugar in the body and keeps our energy at an even level. Frequent consumption of mung bean is beneficial to diabetes and one who suffers from high cholesterol level. Whole green beans take hours to cook before turning soft and fluffy.

Adding some whole grain barley to green bean soup will improve your health along with the flavor of the soup. In addition to its robust flavor, barley is also very nutritious - a very good source of fiber and selenium, and a good source of phosphorus, copper and manganese.

Green Bean and Barley Dessert Soup
Ingredients: Green Beans, soaked overnight; Barley, soaked overnight, rock sugar, water to submerge the beans, pandan leaves for aroma (optional), whole milk (optional)

Directions:
1. Boil the green beans, barley and water in a deep pot till whole legumes and grains are completely cooked and tender.
2. Add sugar, to taste. If prefer less viscous as a drink, add more water.
3. Before serving, ladle into a bowl and add some milk if you prefer milky version. Moooo....

Tag: green beans, barley, soup

Baby Spinach and Gojiberry Somen Noodles

2009-10-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

This noodle soup can be enjoyed nutritiously by kids and adults. My friend uses Somen noodles - a thin, white Japanese noodles made of wheat flour, when cooking for her 2-year-old because these noodles can be cooked fast (less than 3 minutes) and becomes soft when cooked - just perfect for a hungry (cranky) kid who is still learning to bite his food properly.

Moreover, spinach and wolfberries (gojiberries) are nutritious and healthy! Can you think of any side dish that goes with this noodle soup ? I can think of many...too many that I cannot tell you all at once right now.

Baby Spinach and Gojiberry Somen Noodles
Ingredients: Baby spinach; wolfberries, soaked in warm water for 5 minutes to soften; Somen noodles, white pepper, sesame oil

Directions: In a pot of boiling water, add the noodles and cook it softened. Add baby spinach and wolfberries and cook further for 1-2 minutes till spinach softened. Dash of white pepper for taste. Ladle noodle soup into bowl and drizzle few drops of sesame oil over the noodle soup before serving.

Time it! It takes less than 10 minutes (time zero when the water starts to boil) to cook this. A quick and light noodle soup serving up at Cook Almost Anything , who is hosting PPN #137 (runs from 24th Oct - 29th Oct 2009) this week.

Tag: somen noodles, spinach, gojiberry

Millet Congee - millet grains or "bird seeds" ?

2009-10-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

Millet is a grain (seed). I did not know how nutritious it is, until my friend introduced them to me. She uses millet when she cooks congee for her child. Then, I started to discover more about millet. It is easy to digest and highly nutritious. Millet is also a good source of protein, fiber, B-complex vitamins such as niacin, thiamine, and riboflavin. These "bird" seeds are high in mineral content such as manganese, magnesium and phosphorous; and rich in phytochemicals. Definitely, if I make millet congee, it will make a heart-healthy dish for Heart of Matter - Seeds and Things.

Millet Congee - 小米粥
Ingredients: Millet, short-grain or long-grain rice, water

Directions: Lightly rinse the millet and rice in water. Heat a pot of water (depending on the congee consistency you prefer, you can adjust the quantity of water accordingly) and when water boils, add the grains into the water and allow to cook for 20-30 minutes till millet and rice are cooked.

See these bunches of millet? They can be used to make Chinese millet wine.

Tag: millet, congee

Watercress Soup - Soup of the Day

2009-10-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

Mention Chinese watercress - 西洋菜 (pronounced Xi Yang Cai) and most Chinese will associate it with SOUP. This vegetable turns out almost like another superfood to me. According to the online Chinese encyclopedia, consuming watercress during the Fall season (the season when flu/cold is rampant in Northern Hemisphere), aids better breathing in the overall body system, as watercress is touted as a natural expectorant. No more nasal spray, no more Mucinex. And believe it or not, some sources even state that watercress contains MORE calcium than milk, MORE vitamin C than oranges and MORE iron than spinach. Too good to be true? I don't know. But eating MORE vegetables can't be anyway harmful...

Moreover, cooler temperatures mean warm soothing soup on the way, warming our body inside out, comforting us outside in. Watercress and watercress soup for WHB #206, hosted by Yasmeen, Health Nut. Come, join us.

Watercress Soup
Ingredients: 1 bunch watercress, rinsed; gojiberry; red dates; chicken balls (made from leftover fillings of wonton dumplings)

Directions: Make chicken balls out of ground chicken mixture and set aside on plate. Boil a pot of water and when water boils, add in watercress and red dates and allow to come to a boil. When boiling, lower the heat and allow to simmer (pot covered) till the watercress is cooked and softened. Stir occasionally. Add in gojiberry and chicken meatballs and continue to simmer till chicken meatballs are cooked. Dish out the chicken meatballs and set aside to prevent overcooking of the meatballs. Allow the watercress to simmer longer. Finally, ladle soup over the meatballs and serve.

Tag: watercress, soup, watercress soup

Gyoza 锅贴 - Chicken and Napa Cabbage Dumpling

2009-10-19T09:58:00.000-07:00

What kind of pan makes "good" gyoza? "Good" = tasty. "Good" = Perfectly charred dumpling bottom. "Good" = dumpling skin that is cooked through (gyoza that has undercooked dumpling skin? I hate that!), moist(not dried out) and al-dente.

A stainless-steel pan definitely does NOT make the job of cooking gyoza easy. But with some patience, it can still be done.

Napa and Chicken Gyoza (锅贴)
Ingredients: napa cabbage, blanched, squeezed napa dry of excess moisture and finely shredded; ground chicken (I use Whole Foods organic ground dark chicken which has more fat content but less fatty than pork); dumpling skin wrappers; seasoning: soy sauce, salt, white pepper, sesame oil, cooking wine, minced ginger, water(Note: Adding water will make the filling juicy...believe me - this is a tip!); 1 egg as binder

Directions: In a heated pan, add some oil. When oil is warm, add in gyoza (bottom down) and do not turn the gyoza. Allow them to sizzle till bottom of the dumpling is slightly charred. While the pan is hot, add water till dumplings are partially submerged. Cover the pan and allow the steam to cook the dumpling skin and the filling inside the dumpling. When most of the water have evaporated away, use a flat metal spatula to remove the gyoza gently from the pan. Start the next batch.

Using a stainless-steel pan may make washing and cleaning more difficult after all the cooking. Gyoza can still turn out perfectly good in taste and looks. ^0^

Frankly, making wontons are so much easier - no need to do too much frying. In the coming weeks, I will be posting a video on wonton wrapping. Tune in soon!

Wontons, Dumplings
Wontons, Freezer- Friendly Food
Wonton Dumplings in Chicken Soup
Wontons, Dumplings in Singapore and Hong Kong

Tag: gyoza, dumpling

Wok-Fry Blue Crabs with Ginger and Green Onions - 姜葱炒蟹

2009-10-14T16:25:00.000-07:00

I never knew blue crabs could be cooked so easily at home. They seem so "intimidating" (crawling actively in a box) whenever I see them being sold in Ranch99 (one of my favorite Asian grocery stores in California). I bought some(TWO) blue crabs when I saw the sale tag on them one day - $3.99/lb! On sale does not necessarily mean not-fresh or any poorer quality stuff. At least, those little blue creatures were still alive and kicking when I lifted them (using kitchen tongs) from the box of blue crab heaps. As if I am saving them from overcrowding. OK, let me buy TWO. If I fail, an inexpensive mistake. Bleh. Don't call me a cheapskate.

While I read from some Internet sources that when dungeness crab season starts (usually from mid-November), the blue crab season ceases - I am sure I am not going to miss these blue crabs NOW, this time. And because blue crabs are small in size, they are so much easier to fry up in a wok. I don't have to resort to just one method of cooking crab - steaming, anymore. Yay! A simple wok fry of these crabs with green onions and ginger will do the magic. And it did.

Wok-Fry Blue Crab with Ginger and Green Onions (姜葱炒蟹)
Ingredients: Blue crab, cleaned and chopped to smaller pieces, then slightly marinated in cooking wine; ginger, thinly sliced; green onion, coarsely chopped, pinch of white pepper and salt; cooking wine

Directions: In a oiled and heated pan, add in ginger and green onions and fry till fragrant. Add in crab, fry and mix well. Cover the pan and allow some steam to cook the crabs for 5-6 minutes till the shells of the crabs turn slightly orange-red. Remove cover and fry briskly again. Add in pinch of white pepper and salt, mix well with the crabs. When the crabs are almost cooked, drizzle in more cooking wine from the sides of the wok and allow the crabs to sizzle while they are completely cooked. Serve immediately.

Contrary to saying that crabs have high cholesterol, one should also know that crabs are high in mineral content such as zinc and phosphorous and is a good source of protein. Zinc strengthens the muscles and the immune system. If you watch Dr. Oz, it says the #1 food source for zinc is shellfish! So, the next time you hear people against you eating crabs (high cholesterol...blah blah blah...), that is because they want the crabs for themselves! Haha!

Tag: crabs, blue crabs

Sour and Spicy Potato Stir-Fry - 酸辣土豆丝

2009-10-12T21:36:00.001-07:00

Sour and Spicy Potato Stir-Fry 酸辣土豆丝 (pronounced Suan La Tu Dou Si) is common in regions of China (particularly North, Northeast) where winter is harsh and cold, with less leafy green vegetables harvest. At this time, families turn to tuber or rhizome such as potato; and bell peppers to concoct vegetarian dishes. Well, I know potato is considered STARCH by many and never a vegetable. But in Chinese cuisine, potato can be found in small appetizers known as 小菜.

Sour and Spicy Potato Stir-Fry 酸辣土豆丝
Ingredients: potato, peeled and cut into thin strips; bunch of bunashimeiji mushroom, remove bottom half of stems; half red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips; 1/2 red chili, seeded and cut into thin strips; pinch of brown sugar; 1tsp vinegar; drizzle of sesame oil; some water if mixture too dry

Directions: To a oiled and heated pan, add ingredients and fry briskly for a few minutes till mixture softened slightly and cooked. Add a pinch of sugar and mix well. Before serving, add some vinegar, mix well; also add sesame oil for aroma and mix well.

Tag: potato, spicy and sour

Pumpkin Cake - Savory or Sweet

2009-10-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

The Chinese definitely prefers savory to sweet. While we associate "carrot cake" - the savory fried style with green onions and egg; the carrot cake in the West really...IS a cake made with shredded carrot, flour, sugar, egg, butter - oven baked.

And while we associate "pumpkin cake" as a savory (chewy, soft) quiche type of food, typically steamed with dried shrimps and shitake mushrooms (picture below);

the pumpkin cake in the West is actually a sweet cake loaf, popular in the Fall season here in the United States.

In Chinese cuisine, we use 糕 (pronounced Gao in Mandarin) in typically any "cake-type-textured" food. So often, we see the character 糕 in 蛋糕 (sweet cake) and 糕点 (pastries, fried snacks, cake-textured food)

More about pumpkin:
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds - Green Tea Flavor
Butternut Squash Soup
Baked Butternut Squash Fries

My family(not me) makes good savory pumpkin cake, IMO. I have yet to learn it from them. But I do know the ingredients used in savory steamed pumpkin cake are usually rice flour, pumpkin, dried shitake mushrooms, dried shrimps, lean meat, shallots, salt and pepper. This mixture is mixed and pre-fried in a pan/wok to release the aroma; then subsequently steamed in a heat-proof container for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Pumpkin has an auspicious name in Chinese: 金瓜 - directly translated to Golden Gourd. Thus, the Chinese usually like to use pumpkin in festive season e.g. Chinese New Year.

Tag: pumpkin, cake

Cabbage and Carrot Indian Curry

2009-10-05T15:26:00.001-07:00

Cabbage must be one of the most "cross-functional" vegetables. They appear more "international" in various cuisines - Western, Chinese, Indian, Malay etc., compared to a vegetable such as Bok Choy (there must be a reason why Bok Choy is typically classified under "Chinese Vegetable") which I would almost never see in Indian food or Malay food, unless you do a fusion of cuisine, just like how I attempted to use Bok Choy in Beef and Mushroom Pasta.

I vary cuisines in my cooking, quite often. While I frequently use cabbage in Chinese dishes such as Mixed Vegetables Stew- Chap Chye, Fried Rice and Chinese Stir Fry, I go for a change once in a while and maybe?... ...use a different cabbage variety like Red Cabbage in a Stir Fry or try a different cooking style by tapping on Indian spices and call the dish, an Indian dish? Cabbage is also popularly used in a Southeast Asian dish, Sayur Lodeh

This is an easy and tasty cabbage dish I enjoy. And especially in the cold seasons, the mild spices in this dish would particularly make me yearn for an extra bowl of piping warm steamed rice. Just rice topped with this Indian cabbage curry...can be pleasure.

Indian Cabbage Curry
Ingredients: 1 small head cabbage, shredded; 1 small carrot, shredded; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 shallots, thinly sliced; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1/4 tsp turmeric; 1/2 tbsp curry powder; pinch of red chili flakes; pinch of salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. In a heated pot with some oil, add shallots and garlic and fry till fragrant
2. Add carrots and cabbage, stir and mix well. Then add, ground cumin, turmeric, curry powder and mix thoroughly in the pot
3. Cover pot and allow mixture to simmer for about 20 minutes, till cabbage softens (and reduces in volume). Stir and mix occasionally for spices to be absorbed into the vegetables
4. Add chili flakes, then salt and black pepper to taste

To keep it light, you can have this dish as salad and why not, if there is this light meal event going on till 31st October 2009 ? Hop over and take up with your vegetarian recipes.

Tag: cabbage, curry

Chili Tuna and Corn Pasta

2009-09-30T22:58:00.000-07:00

I love simple recipes that taste good (who does not?). I almost felt embarrassed to post something which was basically "assembled". But then I reckon that simple ideas that give flavor to food would not turn most people away. So, this is my easy Chili Tuna and Corn Fusili for Presto Pasta Nights - this week is back to my favorite blog host, Ruth from Once upon a Feast.

Pasta is always a fall-back for worker bees, in my opinion. When I was working, I was even lazy and tired to fry Chinese green vegetables. What I often do is to blanch them before consumption. Too bland? Mix them as a salad, with a flavored gravy/sauce from another dish.

In this recipe, when the corn kernels and chili tuna are mixed with blanched vegetables and cooked pasta, you get the sweetness from corn, spice and savory from tuna to blend with the natural light flavors of vegetables. The vegetables and pasta absorbs the flavors every well and finally, a well-balanced dish in terms of taste, color and even nutrition.

Chili Tuna and Corn Fusili
Ingredients: Canned tuna; corn kernels, fresh or drained from a can; blanched vegetables, sliced to smaller pieces; cooked fusili (or any shell pasta)

Directions: Place cooked pasta, corn kernels, tuna and vegetables in a deep mixing bowl and mix gently and thoroughly

A little spice walks us through gradually when temperatures start to show signs of dropping for the next few months.

Tag: tuna, corn, pasta

Wontons (Dumplings) in Chicken Soup

2009-09-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

I have been yearning for soup more often than before. I just find it too comforting.

Wonton dumplings in MSG-laden soup or plain bland "natural broth" labeled as "water"? NO! When it is home-cooked, we can't be doing that.

Homemade wontons in homemade chicken soup, courtesy of S.

We do not need the most expensive food such as sharks fin and bird's nest to define the quality of life. Often, simple matters like a bowl of nutritious and warm chicken soup with homemade wontons that makes a person happy and satisfied when defining a meal. Savoring such comfort food in your own cozy corner, without the noise and clamor of a mad rush is just...LIFE.

Simple.

Also try this Gojiberry Chicken Soup to boost your immunity for the cold/flu season. This soup is just TOO GOOD.!

Tag: wonton, dumplings, chicken soup

A comprehensive online ShopWiki buying guide

2009-09-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

Talk about merchants and retailers paying premium to grocery stores and supermarkets in order to get their products on the shelves, especially at the most "eye-catching" and eye-level position to grab the easy attention of shoppers and consumers; many online shopping sites are subjected to similar tactics too. As a smart shopper on-site at grocery stores, I would often look at products at the bottom of the shelves since this is where I tend to get bargains. Likewise to online shopping, ShopWiki discovers stores on the internet by crawling the web and not being paid for product placement by online merchants and retailers. In such a way, the product offerings at ShopWiki tend to be unbiased and shoppers also get a comprehensive range of products to choose from.

ShopWiki also provides a good "how-to" guide when selecting each product. For example, before purchasing your kitchen pots and pans, you can seek out the type of pan (material, size, weight) for your cooking style and needs, then proceed to select the pan or pot of your choice. Their guide on How to Buy Refrigerators and How to Buy Washers and Dryers definitely serve as handy reminders for consumers like myself who tend to forget about the size, features and practical functions about the appliances while easily swayed by the design and brand, when selecting and purchasing kitchen appliances.

Butternut Squash Soup - "pumpkin" season, never too early for it

2009-09-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

While fresh figs are almost disappearing, pumpkins and squash are coloring the scene yellow, orange, and gold. Remember the baked butternut squash fries I made last time? I also kept some of the butternut squash to make a soup. This recipe is just good for coming Fall.

And if you do not have a food processor or blender to puree the butternut squash, do not worry. This is a trick you can use. Steam the butternut squash (skin already removed and flesh cut into cubes) for 10 to 15 minutes till soften. Then place the softened butternut squash into a deep bowl and mash the squash with a fork, till a slightly chunky puree forms.

Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients: Butter; 1/2 butternut squash, pureed; 1-2 cups whole milk; pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper; pinch of ground cumin

Directions: In a heated pan/pot, add butter. When butter melts slightly, add butternut squash puree and add milk (bit by bit, "eyeballing"), then stir till soup texture forms (Note: It depends on the texture you prefer. If you want more chunky and thick soup, add less milk). Add pinch of ground cumin, then pinch of salt and black pepper. Mix well. Garnish with baked butternut squash fries.

Enjoy.

Tag: soup, butternut squash

Figs(无花果) and Brie Cheese on Crackers

2009-09-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

Fig season will be over soon??!?!?! I'm learning to appreciate fresh figs more and more. They are high in dietary fiber, potassium and manganese. While dried figs are available throughout the year, California figs are available from June through September. In Chinese cuisine, dried figs (known as 无花果 ) are usually added in soups to add natural sweetness. I love the fresh and dried figs, almost equally.

One easy snack I make out of fresh figs - small dollops of creamy brie cheese and fresh figs on top of crackers. The textures and flavors of brie and the flesh of fresh figs are...A Perfect Match!

Also remember: when you buy dried figs, get those dried ones which are un-sulfured. My favorite organic stores such as Trader Joes and Whole Foods Markets have un-sulfured dried figs. Of course, get the fresh ones too. I usually get two punnets of fresh ones when they go on sale ($2.99/lb) at Whole Foods.

Tag: fig

How to cook instant noodles? WhAat? Do we really need a post for this?

2009-09-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

Contrary to believing that cooking instant noodles is (almost) idiot-proof, it is not.

Some see the water to a full boil, add in the noodles, and bring to a re-boil to cook it.
Some add the noodles before the waters comes to a full boil, then further cook it to a boil.
Some (who choose to use the seasoning pack) throw in the seasoning pack at the last of the cooking process.
Some choose NOT to use the seasoning pack.
Some blanch the noodles to rid the "oil" in the noodles (since the noodles might have been pre-fried in the manufacturing process) before adding it to boiling water to cook it again.
Some like to cook the noodles till soft.
Some prefer to cook it "just right' and leave a springy texture to the noodles (equivalent to al-dente)

I like to cook my instant noodles this way: Do without the seasoning pack and drop an egg to the noodles when the noodles are half-cooked. Lightly stir the egg into the noodles till both noodles and egg are just cooked. No soft mushy overcooked noodles for me, please!

WHAT IS YOUR WAY?

Tag: instant noodles

Bamboo Shoot Dumplings: 笋粿, Soon Kueh

2009-09-10T15:15:00.000-07:00

笋粿 (pronounced Shun Guo, in Mandarin), most often known as Soon Kueh (a Hokkien/ Teochew pronunciation) in Singapore/Malaysia, is a semi-circular-shaped steamed Chinese dumpling originated as a Teochew (Chaochou) savory snack. Literally translated, these are also called bamboo shoot dumplings due to the bamboo shoot fillings in the dumplings. The flour dough/skin wrapping the fillings is made of rice flour.

Though we loosely call them "bamboo shoot dumplings", the versions sold in food stalls nowadays have fillings made of turnip (jicama) instead of bamboo shoots. Bamboo shoot - eh...that shall be the weekend plant for Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted by Haalo from Cook(almost) Anything.

Bamboo shoots are low in fat and sodium, yet high in fiber, minerals and vitamins. In Chinese medicine, bamboo shoot is believed to lead to excretion and thus sometimes considered a means of detoxification (and even help you lose weight!). To this extent, some aspects of Chinese medicine even believes that if one is on medication, bamboo shoots must be avoided as the shoots will neutralize the effects of the drugs. In the US, bamboo shoots are usually canned and 99.9% of canned bamboo shoots has a foul-smell (ermmmm...most canned bamboo shoots smells terrible, to me). You can find fresh bamboo shoots in Asian supermarkets in parts of the US but beware - you must know how to cook fresh bamboo shoots as they are toxic when raw.

To make bamboo shoot (or turnip) dumplings, shredded bamboo shoots (or turnips) are usually fried with garlic, pork, dried shitake mushrooms, dried shrimps and then seasoned with salt and white pepper. These fillings are then wrapped in a semi-circular rice flour skin dough and further steamed to cook the dough and fillings.

In Singapore/Malaysia, we usually eat these dumplings with dark sweet sauce and chili condiments.

Tag: bamboo shoot, dumplings

Freezer-Friendly Food

2009-09-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

Do you freeze cooked food? If so, what kind of cooked food do you freeze? For me, cooked vegetables are definitely a no-no. However, I find that pasta sauce freezes really well and it helps worker-bees a great deal when they can cook batches of pasta sauce during the weekend, freeze the sauce, and re-heat the sauce during the weekdays after work.

What kind of food do you freeze? And how do you freeze them to ensure freshness is "locked"? Airtight containers...what else?

Tag: freezer friendly, pasta sauce

Chicken Macaroni

2009-09-01T23:13:00.001-07:00

Each time I return to Presto Pasta Nights, I can't wait to share my comfort food with our lovely host - Ruth from Once Upon a Feast.

Not that I have not cooked Chicken Macaroni before, but each time I unveil a simpler recipe, it makes me happy. This time I merely use chicken, celery and carrot, and the final dish is still full of flavor yet light on the tummy.

Chicken Macaroni
Ingredients: 1-2 chicken leg (interchange 1 chicken leg with chicken backbones), 4-5 stalks celery, thinly sliced; 1 small carrot, thinly sliced, cooked macaroni, salt and white pepper to taste, green onions to garnish

Directions:
1. Blanch chicken in hot water. Set aside chicken and discard water.
2. Boil water (sufficient to immerse chicken) in a pot. When boiling, add in chicken, celery and carrots boil for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat and allow it to simmer at low heat for about 1 hr till chicken is cooked. Add salt to taste.
3. Ladle chicken soup over the macaroni, add white pepper, garnish with green onions and serve immediately.

Tag: macaroni, chicken macaroni

Eggs - Ostrich, chicken, quail, big to small

2009-08-31T21:30:00.000-07:00

Almost USD30 for an egg ?!?!?
Much bigger than a HTC ?!?!??

Cook 2 hours to use as hard-boiled egg?!?!?!

I'm still happy with chicken eggs. Hey, where's the quail egg? ;p

Ostrich, chicken and quail eggs available in Whole Foods.

Egg recipes:
Sambal Chili Eggs
French Bean Omelette
Steamed Egg Custard
Egg Masala

Egg Cooking Tips and Tricks:
Egg Cooking Tips
Fuss-Free Half Boiled Eggs
Egg Traceability

Tag: egg, ostrich egg, grocery

Stir-Fry Broad Beans, Shanghainese-Style - 葱炒扁豆

2009-08-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

Broad beans (fava beans) never appeared to me as a dish on a dining table till my friend S, cooked this Shanghainese Wok Fried Broad Beans (葱炒扁豆) for me. The only time I have had broad beans is in snack-form, either in a packet on its own, or mixed with other nuts in Kacang (meaning Bean or Nut in Indonesian) Puteh.

Not surprisingly, the secret ingredient to Shanghai-Style Wok Fried Broad Beans (葱炒扁豆) is SUGAR (not a lot, just pinch of it!), like most Shanghainese dishes. The sugar in Shanghainese cuisine lifts the flavor of other ingredients and tend to make it more savory than you would have imagined.

Stir-Fry Broad Beans, Shanghainese-Style
Ingredients: About 2-3 cups cooked(frozen) broad beans, thawed; 1 tablespoon chopped green onions, pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar, 1-2 tablespoons water to simmer

Directions:
1. In a heated wok of cooking oil, add green onions and fry till fragrant, followed by broad beans and fry till broad beans turn slightly brown on the outside.
2. Add some water to simmer in covered wok for 2 to 3 minutes. When water dries off, add salt and sugar, mix well, dish up and serve immediately.

This is a super easy recipe using minimum ingredients yet with lots of flavor - a showcase of a different legume cuisine of broad beans in My Legume Love Affair 14. I have previously done many legume dishes, favoring Indian-style such as Spicy Pinto Beans, Spicy Chickpeas and Spicy Green Beans. At least, this is something different for the same event :)

Tag: vegetables, legume, Shanghai cuisine

Fried Fish Snacks

2009-08-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

Is this childhood snack of anyone? I don't remember eating this often, during my childhood. I definitely binge on keropok, krupuk more often than this fish snack when I was younger.

Super-crispy and a little of sweet, salty, spicy in this snack. Look at the ingredients...I wonder what fish is used to make this snack?

How about Fried Fish Skins and "Ear" Crackers? And what is your favorite childhood snack?

Tag: snacks, fish

Salmon Patties, easy peasy for a meaningful blog event

2009-08-13T16:26:00.000-07:00

LiveSTRONG With A Taste Of Yellow 2009 is here again. This is a meaningful event and I have taken part in the past.

These salmon patties have a taste of yellow from the use of egg. I did not use any flour for these patties. Egg, was simply the binder for salmon.

Healthy Salmon Patties
Ingredients: egg, canned salmon, freshly ground black pepper, dried basil

Directions:
1. Whisk the egg in a bowl
2. Use a fork and flake the salmon into tiny bits
3. Add the salmon to the egg, add pepper and basil, then mix well.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add the patties, batch by batch, into the heat pan. Pan fry till both sides of the patty are browned. Serve on bed of spinach.

Tag: salmon, snacks