Pan Fried Tofu With Spicy Sauce 두부부침양념장

Pan Fried Tofu With Spicy Sauce 두부부침양념장

Recipe source :  Maangchi Kim

The sauce is excellent! It complimented the bland tofu very well. The plus point is that it is so simple to prepare this dish yet it is surprisingly so tasty. I should have made more!
I am definitely cooking this again for simple every day meals.

Ingredients

1 piece soft tofu, cut into slices
 Oil for frying tofu

 Soft tofu

Sauce Ingredients

1 clove garlic, minced
1 stalk spring onion, chopped
1 tsp hot chilli flakes
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

Garnishing

Some chopped spring onion
Some sesame seeds, toasted

Method

1.  Slice soft tofu into smaller rectangles, about 1 cm thick. Use paper towels to absorb the moisture from the tofu pieces.
2.  Heat wok until hot and add cooking oil.
3.  Fry the tofu pieces on both sides until golden brown. Remove the tofu pieces onto a serving dish.
4.  Mix all the sauce ingredients together. Mix evenly.
5.  Pour the sauce ingredients over the fried tofu pieces.
6.  Sprinkle chopped spring onion and toasted sesame seeds on top.
7.  Serve with steaming hot rice. 

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  : Korea

Hosted by Sharon of Feats of Feast

Hong Kong-Style Chee Cheung Fun 港式猪肠粉

Hong Kong-Style Chee Cheung Fun 港式猪肠粉

Recipe source :  Adapted from Wantanmien
 
We always order chee cheong fun every time we have dim-sum. I love the silky smooth rice sheets, especially if the rice sheets are filled with shrimps, although I like having char siew as the filling as well.

I came across this recipe from You-tube and it appears to be quite easy to do at home. Mmmm, the result is delicious, although I need more practice to polish up my technique! It was easy to make the chee cheung fun but folding it up may need some expertise. It was steaming hot and very soft. I supposed I require a few more sessions of wrapping them up in order to achieve the desired "professionally wrapped look". 

But looks and presentation aside, it was very tasty! The sauce was equally delicious. I am already thinking of making the next batch. My brain is now set in motion trying to come out with new ideas for the fillings instead of just using shrimps. 

I remember the last time we went to Hong Kong we ate this at an establishment known as Hoi Keng. It had shrimp and char siew fillings and the taste had been etched on our minds ever since.

Ingredients for rice noodle rolls ( makes 6 rolls )

230ml cool water
70g rice flour
1 tbsp tang mien flour
1 tbsp corn flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp vegetable oil

Ingredients for filling 

150g shrimps, remove shells and veins
1 stalk spring onion, chopped

Shrimps and chopped spring onion

Instructions

1.  Mix the flour, water, salt and oil together. Mix well and rest for one hour before use.

2.  Brush a rectangular pan or a large metal plate with oil.

3.  Ladle some batter mixture into the pan to just coat the base. Add some shrimps and sprinkle some spring onion onto the batter.

4.  Place the pan into a steamer with boiling water and steam for between four to seven minutes until cooked. 
5.  Use a spatula to dislodge the edges before folding up the chee cheung fun.
6.  Place onto a serving dish and sprinkle sesame seed and spring onion to garnish. 

Ingredients for sauce

2 tsp sugar
4 tsp warm water
4 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil

Mix all ingredients together until sugar dissolves.

Garnishing (optional )

1 tsp spring onion, chopped
1 tsp toasted sesame seed

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest : Hong Kong + Macau - Jan & Feb 2014, hosted by Annie from Annielicious Food

 

Eggplant Side Dish (Gaji Namul) 가지나물

Eggplant Side Dish (Gaji Namul) 가지나물

Recipe source :  Maangchi

This steamed Korean eggplant dish is simple to prepare and very healthy. One just need to steam the eggplant, tear them into strips by hand,  then add in the seasonings and it's ready for serving.

How I wish the preparation and cooking of other tasty dishes be so effortless. Then life can truly be simple!

Ingredients

3 medium-sized eggplants
2 1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 stalk spring onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp roasted sesame seeds
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp hot pepper flakes

Spring onion and eggplants

Instructions

1.  Cut the eggplants into two or three sections. Then cut each piece into half lengthwise.

2.  Steam the eggplants for 15 minutes.
3.  Turn the heat off and move the steamed eggplant to a bowl. Set it aside and allow to cool.
4.  After the eggplants have cooled, drain the liquid from the bottom of the bowl.
5.  Tear each piece of eggplant lengthwise with your fingers, and put the strips into a large bowl.
6.  Add all the seasonings and the chopped spring onion to the bowl.
7.  Mix all the ingredients together and transfer the mixed eggplant dish onto a serving plate.

I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #37 - Korean : The Feast of Hansik (November 2013)

hosted by Grace of Life Can Be Simple 

Seeded Crackers 双麻饼

Seeded Crackers 双麻饼

Recipe source :  Adapted from Williams-Sonama's Essentials Of Baking

I love to eat crackers and they were always store-bought ones. I have never eaten homemade ones until today. This is the first time I am making crackers and also the first time I am participating in this Bake-Along event. The theme for Bake-Along #45 is Seeded Crackers. I made only half of the original amount as I was not certain of the outcome of my first attempt at making crackers.

I omitted a few ingredients and made a few adaptation to the original recipe. I used yoghurt instead of heavy cream. 

I am glad my first attempt turned out nicely. The crackers are very crispy.  Oh yes, they are very addictive! I made 30 pieces of seeded crackers today.  I am looking forward to baking the next batch of crackers with a different flavour.

Ingredients

1 cup of all purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp black sesame seeds
1/2 tsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp cold butter
1/4 cup yoghurt 

Instructions

1.  I mixed the dough by hand since I was making such a small portion.
2.  Then wrapped it up using cling film and rested it overnight in the refrigerator. 
3.  The next day when I took it out from the refrigerator, I allowed it to warm up a little, about 45 minutes before rolling out the dough and cutting it into pieces.
4.  Bake at 170 degree C for about 12 minutes.

 

I rolled out the dough in small batches then cut them into rectangular pieces

I am linking this post to Bake Along Event #45

 

 

Bake Along by Lena of Frozen Wings, 

Joyce of Kitchen Flavours and 

Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids

Chinese New Year Greetings Dessert 美点贺新年

Chinese New Year Greetings Dessert 美点贺新年

 

 Mei dim hor sun nin

Recipe source : Adapted from an old newspaper cutting ( The Star )


The article in the old "The Star" newspaper featured a few dishes for the Chinese New Year. This sweet dim sum dessert dish caught my eye and it has a happy sounding name in Chinese, "Mei Dim Hor Sun Nin" which means "beautiful dim sum greetings to usher in the new year". This is a wonderful dessert to wrap up the reunion dinner !

Ingredients

500g glutinous rice flour
460ml hot boiling water
a few drops of red colouring

 

Filling For The Red Glutinous Balls

80g red bean paste or tau sar in Cantonese

Divide  the red bean paste into 10 equal portions and roll them into 10 balls.

  Red bean paste. The Cantonese call this tau sar

Please refer to my post on how to make red bean paste

 

Coating For the Red Glutinous Balls

20g chopped peanuts, roasted     
20g sesame seeds, roasted              


Mix them together

 

Coat the red glutinous balls with the chopped peanut and sesame seed mixture

 

Coating For the White Dough

10g chopped roasted peanuts,         
10g white sesame seeds, roasted     
10g black sesame seeds, roasted   
25g sugar                                        


Mix all the ingredients together evenly.

 

Instructions

 

1.  Divide the glutinous rice flour into two portions. Add a few drops of red colouring to half the amount of boiling water. Add this coloured boiling water to one portion of the glutinous rice flour and mix until a soft dough is formed.
2.  Divide the red dough into 10 equal portions. Roll into round balls. Push a hole into the balls with your thumb and fill the holes with red bean paste. Place them on a greased metal plate.
3.  Steam  the red balls for 10 minutes and when cooked, roll the red balls with the chopped peanuts and sesame seeds mixture to coat the surfaces. Place them into the centre of a large plate.
4.  Next, add the other portion of boiling water to the remaining glutinous rice flour and mix and knead well to form a soft white dough.
5.  Divide the white dough into 8 equal portions and form 8 round patties. Place these patties on greased metal plate and steam for 10 minutes.
6.  When cooked coat  the white round patties with the chopped nuts and sesame seeds mixture. Place them around the red glutinous balls.
7.  Serve immediately. 

I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 

hosted by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

Cookies : Sesame Biscuits 芝麻饼

Cookies : Sesame Biscuits 芝麻饼

Recipe source :  Adapted from booklet distributed by B & P Butterfly Cornflour


Cookies! the more the merrier for the Chinese New Year! When friends and relatives gather together for the reunion or our very own Malaysian culture of "open houses", cookie jars got emptied out very fast, as do peanuts, crackers, soft drinks and beer. Chinese families are now frantically filling up their cookie jars in anticipation of the annual festivities to begin.  

Here's a recipe for sesame biscuits to share with you.

Ingredients

375g cornflour
3/4 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup castor sugar
200g ghee
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
3/4 cup sesame seeds
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten for glazing
sesame seeds for decoration ( about 10 to 15g )

Instructions

1.  Sieve together cornflour, plain flour and baking powder.
2.  Add castor sugar, sesame seeds and beaten eggs.
3.  Pour melted ghee over the flour mixture and mix to knead well.
4.  Roll out dough to 3 mm thickness and cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
5.  Place cookies onto greased baking tray.
6.  Brush top of cookies with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
7.  Bake in preheated oven at 190 degrees C for 15 minutes.

I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013

hosted by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover