Simple Boiled Octopus with Lemon Dipping Sauce | 簡易墨魚配惹味檸汁

Simple Boiled Octopus with Lemon Dipping Sauce | 簡易墨魚配惹味檸汁

INGREDIENTS:

15 Baby Octopus, cleaned

3 Mini Cucumber (to serve, optional)

DIPPING SAUCE:

4 cloves Garlic, chopped

1/4 cup Fish Sauce

1/3 Lemon of Juice, freshly squeezed

1.5 tablespoons Brown Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Red Chill Flakes

INSTRUCTION:

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil.  Add the octopus and blanch for about a minute, or until the octopus is just cooked but still tender.  Drain the octopus and run them under the cold running water to stop the cooking process.  Set them aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix the dipping sauce ingredients together until the brown sugar is dissolved.

3. Serve the octopus with mini cucumbers if desire.

Simmered Buttery Kabocha 黑糖味醂南瓜

Ingredients:

1 Kabocha

4 tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 tablespoon Mirin

2 tablespoons Butter

1/4 teaspoon Salt

Direction:

1. Cut the Kabocha in half and scoop out the seeds.

2. Cut off some of the thick skins. 

3. Cut the Kabocha into large cubes. 

4. In a medium pot, melt the butter over high heat.

5. Add Kabocha cubes and stir fry them until they are coated with butter.

6. Add brown sugar, marin and salt; stir well.

7. With the lid on, cook them over medium-low heat for about 13-15 minutes.  Gently stir them half way through to prevent them from burning.  Serve with steamed rice.  Store them in the fridge up to one week. 

Vegan Banana Cookies 純素香蕉曲奇

INGREDIENTS:

3 Ripe Bananas

1/2 Natural Peanut Butter

1/2 Cocoa Powder

DIRECTION:

[Eng Sub] 忌廉磨菇意大利肉腸湯 Creamy Mushroom Italian Sausage Soup

INGREDIENTS:

20 White Mushrooms

20 Brown Mushrooms

20 Shiitake Mushrooms, fresh

1 dozen Italian Sausages (I used honey garlic flavour)

1 cup Dry White Wine

1 cup Chicken Broth

2 cups Milk

3 cups Water

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTION:

慢煮蒟蒻 Slow Cooked Konnyaku in Soy

INGREDIENTS:
2 pcs Konnyaku (Konjac)
15 Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
3 tablespoons Sugar
3 tablespoons Chinese Cooking Rice Wine
1 cup Water

DIRECTION:

1. With a spoon, cut the konnyaku into bite size.  Cut the mushrooms into thick pieces.

2. Set a small pot of water to a boil.  Add the konnyaku bits and boil them for 5 minutes over high heat; drain.

3. In the same pot, add seasoning and konnyaku; mix well.  Let it cook over low heat until the sauce is thicken and it is ready.  It can be store in the fridge up to a week.

Healthy Shrimp Rice 營養蝦飯

INGREDIENTS:

12 Shrimps, shelled and deveined

2 Green onions, roughly chopped

1 cup Corn Kernels

2 Eggs

1/2 teaspoon White Pepper Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 tablespoon Sugar

1 tablespoon Garlic Powder

3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

2 tablespoons Mayonnaise

4 bowls Cooked Rice

DIRECTION:

Easy Homemade Peach Tea 自製蜜桃茶

INGREDIENTS:

4 Peaches

5 Earl Grey Tea Bags

3 Litre Water

2/3 cup Sugar

2 sprigs Mint

DIRECTION:

Easy Steamed Egg and Tofu 香滑豆腐蒸水蛋

INGREDIENTS:

5 Eggs

1/4 cup Water

Salt

Soy Sauce (to serve)

DIRECTION:

Preserved Mustard Green with Octopus 咸酸菜炒八爪魚

INGREDIENTS:

1 Octopus, cut into bite size

2 heads Preserved Mustard Green

1 tablespoon White Pepper Powder

1 tablespoon Cornstarch

5 tablespoons Sugar

2 inches Ginger, peeled and sliced

3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

DIRECTION:

Lime and Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken Wings 黑糖西檸雞翼

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs Chicken Wings

2 Lime, juiced

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon White Pepper Powder

3 tablespoons Chinese Cooking Wine

Season with Salt

DIRECTION:

Mapo Dofu (Tofu) 麻婆豆腐

INGREDIENTS:

2 blocks Tofu

1.5 lbs Ground Pork

3 heap tablespoons Soy Bean Paste

4 tablespoons Water

2/3 teaspoon Salt

2 tablespoons Sugar

1 teaspoon Corn Starch

4 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Green Onion (if prefer)

DIRECTION:

Weekday Sausage and Vegetable Soup 週日肉腸菜湯

INGREDIENTS:

1 bundle Swiss chard

3 Carrots

1/3 Celery

1 canned Chickpea

1 Onion

3-4 Sausage of your favourite

1.5 litre Chicken Broth

1.5 litre Water

1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTION:

Guinness Beef Stew 黑啤燉牛肉

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 kg Beef Brisket (or any cut of your favourite)

4 cups Potatoes, chunked

4 Carrot, chunked

2 Onions, chunked

1 head Garlic, minced

1/3 cup Flour

1.5 Beef Stock

2 cans Guinness

1/4 cup Tomato Paste

2-3 Bay Leaves

1/2 teaspoons Dried Thyme

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (for frying)

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTION:

Lemony Lentil Soup

It is a wonderfully filling and delicious soup that can warm your body up in a cold weather.  It is something that I would make a big pot and bring it to work everyday for lunch.  I know the list of ingredients looks so long, but do not let that intimidates you.  Most of the items are just spices.  I hope you will enjoy this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Green Lentils, rinsed

1 Yellow Onion, peeled and chunked

2 Carrots, cut into bite size

2 Potatoes or green bananas, cut into bite size

1 Zucchini, cut into bite size

3 Tomatoes, cut into chunked

7-8 Garlic Cloves, peeled and minced

2 cups Canned Diced Tomatoes

1 cup Cilantro, roughly chopped

4 Limes, juiced (can be substitute for lemon)

4 cups Vegetable Broth

2 cups Water

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (for frying)

1 teaspoon Ground Cumin

1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Power

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1-2 tablespoons Red Chili (optional)

Salt to taste

DIRECTION:

1. Heat up the oil over high heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Fry until they are fragrant; about 5 minutes.

2. Add lentils, zucchini, potato, tomato and carrot.  Stir fry for about 5-10 minutes.

3. Add diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, water and all the spices.  Bring it to a boil over high heat and then continuously cook for another 15 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat.  Add cilantro and lime juice.  Season the soup with salt to taste.

Oven Baked Crispy Chicken Thigh (using black bean pulp)

When making soy milk, there is always some side product - soy pulp.  This pulp not only has a high amount of protein fibre, it is also delicious.  You can use it to make meat balls, cookies, and also replace bread crumbs.

Two days ago I got lots of black bean pulp after making soy milk.  So I mixed the pulp with some seasoning and used it as bread crumbs.  The result is crispy and delicious.  If you want a change for the use of bread crumbs, try to think of this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

8 Chicken Thighs, skin-on

1 Egg, beaten

2-3 tablespoons Cornstarch

Vegetable Oil

MARINADE:

2 tablespoons Cumin, ground

2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

2 tablespoons Chinese Cooking Rice Wine

1/2 teaspoon White Pepper Powder

1/3 teaspoon Sugar

1/3 teaspoon Salt

BLACK BEAN PULP SEASONING:

1.5 cups Black Bean Pulp

1/3 teaspoon Salt

1/3 teaspoon Paprika

1/2 teaspoon Cumin, ground

1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

DIRECTION:

1. Rinse the chicken thighs; pat dry.  Combine the chicken with the marinade; mix well.  Leave it to marinate for 30 minutes.

2. In the mean time, add all the black bean pulp seasoning ingredients in a pan.  Slowly toast the ingredients over medium-low heat until the mixture is dry.  The pulp may initially stick to the pan; scape it with a spatula if needed.  Allow the pulp to cool.

3. Coat each chicken thigh with a thin layer of cornstarch.  Then coat it with the bean egg.  Last, coat it with the toasted bean pulp.  Gently lay the chicken on parchment paper on a roasting pan.

4. Roast the chicken in the pre-heat oven at 360F for 25 minutes, or until the chicken thighs cooked through.

Simple Saag Paneer

INGREDIENTS:

1 black Paneer, cubed

6 stalks Spinach, fresh

1 Yellow Onion, small, finely chopped

1 Tomato, finely chopped

2-inches long Ginger, peeled and finely chopped

7 Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 tablespoon Ground Cumin

1 tablespoon Ground Turmeric

1.5 tablespoons Garam Masala

1 teaspoon Chilli Flakes

1/3 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, plain

DIRECTION:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat.  Add spinach.  Cook the spinach until softened; about 5 minutes.  Drain well; finely chop the spinach.  Set it aside.

2. Heat up about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a non-stick pan.  Add cubed paneer and fry until they are golden brown over medium heat.  Transfer them to a plate; set aside.

3. Add another tablespoon of vegetable oil in the pan.  Add chopped garlic, ginger and onion.  Fry them over medium heat until fragrant.

4. Turn up the heat to high.  Add spinach, tomato, cumin, turmeric, masala, chili flakes and salt.  Continuously cook the mixture until the chopped tomato is soft and most of the liquid is gone.

5. Reduce the heat to medium again.  Stir in the yogurt and add the panner back to the spinach.  Cook until the panner heats through.  Quickly transfer the spinach mix to the serving plate.  Serve it with steamed rice.

Pork Ribs in Fresh Tomato Sauce 洋蔥蕃茄炒豬腓骨

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 Onion, peeled and sliced

10 pcs Pork Ribs, about 2-3 inches long

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

2 tablespoons Chinese Cooking Rice Wine

2 tablespoons Sugar

1 teaspoon Cornstarch

MARINADE:

3 tablespoons Soy Sauce

1/2 teaspoon White pepper Powder

2 tablespoons Chinese Cooking Rice Wine

1 teaspoon Sugar

1/3 teaspoon Salt

1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil

DIRECTION:

1. Rinse the ribs; pat dry.  Mix them with the marinade and leave them for 30 minutes.

2. In a large pan, heat up oil over high heat.  Add the ribs and stir fry until they are half cooked; about 10 minutes.

3. Drizzle over the cooking wine.  Then, add tomatoes and onion.  Continuously stir fry until the pork is cooked through and the tomatoes become soft; about 5 minutes.

4. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with a few spoons of the tomato sauce in the pot; stir well.  Slowly stir the cornstarch mixture into the pot.  When the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and transfer the pork onto the serving plate.  Serve it with steamed rice.

Tangy Okra with Dried Shrimp

The lime juice and dried shrimp bring out the exotic flavour of the okra.  If you want a change from simply blanched okra, try this recipe.  You can serve it right away, but it tastes better after letting the sauce steep into the okra for a couple of hours.

INGREDIENTS:

20 Okra, rinsed

1/2 cup Dried Shrimp

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1 Lime of juice

4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon Chinese Chilli Flakes

2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

DIRECTION:

1. Set a small pot of water to a boil over high heat.  Add okra; blanch them for 2 minutes; drain them.  Transfer them to a serving plate.

2. In a small pan, heat up the vegetable oil over high heat.  Add dried shrimp and allow it to fry for about 2 minutes.  Add minced garlic and chilli flakes; fry for another minute.  Remove the oil from the heat.  Add sugar, soy sauce and lime juice; stir well.  Spoon the shrimp mixture over the okra.

Pine Tip Mayonnaise Dip

They are called pine tips, but they actually grow from fir trees instead of pine.  Pine tip is one of the delicious wild edibles my son enjoys eating.  Every spring when the bright green pine firs start to emerge from their brown and papery skins, we are excited.  Before collecting pine tips, you should give it a taste test to see if you like the flavour.  While many people like that citrus and piney flavour, some others find it too strong or bitter.  And the taste of pine tips can be very different from tree to tree.  Try to look for the tips that are still half wrapped inside the brownish case.

This recipe is dead simple that I actually don't even think it is necessary to write an article.  However, it is a tasty recipe and everyone likes tasty food.  So, I believe there is a need to share this delicious gift from Mother Nature.

We eat this pine tip mayonnaise as a dip with vegetable sticks or French fries, but it is also tasty to serve as a spread on ham sandwich. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Mayonnaise (I used full fat)

12-15 Pine Tips

1 tablespoon Sugar

1/8 teaspoon Salt

DIRECTION:

1. Soak the pine tips in water to remove the papery case; drain well.  Finely chop the pine tips.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients together and mix thoroughly.  It can be serve as a dip or sandwich spread.

Black Bean, Lotus Root and Chicken Feet Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup Black Beans

20 Chicken Feet

1 Lotus Root

Salt

DIRECTION:

1. Soak the black beans for an hour prior to cooking; discard the soaking water.

2. Remove the tips of each chicken feet (it is optional).

3. Peel the lotus root and cut it into chunks. Rinse well.

4. In a soup pot, add all ingredients except salt.  Fill the pot with water that is enough to cover the ingredients.

5. Bring it to a boil over high heat.  Then, continue to boil over medium heat for another 1.5 hours.  Add more water in the middle of cooking when it is needed.  Season the soup with salt to taste.

Iceberg Wedge Salad

INGREDIENTS: (2 servings)

1/2 Iceberg

1 Tomato, deseeded and cut into small chunks

1/4 Red Onion, roughly chopped

4 pcs Bacons (I used maple flavoured bacon to add extra profile)

DRESSING:

2 tablespoons Mayonnaise, full fat

1/4 cup Milk

1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Garlic Clove, minced

DIRECTION:

1. Lay the bacon on a non-stick pan without overlapping them.  Fry them over low heat until they are crispy; turn the bacon over half way through.  Cut the crispy bacon into bite sized pieces.

2. In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients. Whisk until it is smooth.

3. Cut the iceberg lettuce into wedges.  Add onion and tomato on top.  Drizzle dressing over it and sprinkle the bacon on top of the lettuce before serving.

How to Wilt Swiss Chard | 快炒瑞士甜菜

Stir frying is the easiest and quickest way to prepare Swiss chard and the taste is never disappointing.

There are a few things to note to give the dish a freshly green look:

1. Add sufficient oil

2. Add Swiss chard in batches and don't over crowd it during cooking

3. Cook over high heat and remove it when it just starts to wilt

The nutmeg I added in the recipe is to subtly enhance the flavour and it should not be tasted in the dish.

In the demonstration, I didn't use the stems (I saved them for another dish).  If you are going to cook the whole Swiss chard, you may want to cook the stems for 1-2 minutes before adding the leaves since the stems take longer to cook through.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you enjoy this recipe.

How to Wilt Swiss Chard | 快炒瑞士甜菜

Ingredients:

1 bundle Swiss Chard

3-4 Garlic Cloves

1.5 tablespoons Olive Oil

A small pinch Freshly Ground Nutmeg

Black Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

材料：

1 束   瑞士甜菜

3-4 粒   蒜頭

1.5 湯匙   橄欖油

少許   荳蔻粉

少許   黑胡椒碎

少許   鹽

DIRECTION:

Strawberry Banana Almond Milkshake

My son often mentions he wants to cook with me, and he said he is ready for more challenging work other than just spooning and mixing.  So last week, I bought a dog knife for him so that he can start to cut fruits and vegetables.

The Dog Knife literally took its name from its look. The blade is designed for young children so it's sharp enough to cut vegetables and fruits but not sharp enough to cut their fingers easily.  It still needs full supervision to be used.

My son was so excited to be able to have his own knife.  After learning how to handle a knife, he decided to make a milkshake with the fresh fruits we have.  He was so excited that he made this milkshake two days in a row.  His proud smile says everything.

INGREDIEMTS: (3 servings)

2 Bananas, peeled

8 Strawberries, hulled

2.5 cups Almond Milk, unsweetened

2 teaspoons Sugar (optional)

DIRECTION:

1. Cut the strawberries in half.

2. Cut the bananas into chunks.

3. Add sugar if desired.

4. Pour in almond milk.

5. With a wand blender, process until the mixture is smooth.

Watercress, Green Carrot, and Red Carrot Bone Soup

Green carrot is a common root vegetable that can be found in Asian supermarkets.  It is green in colour (needless to say) and it isn't sweet like the orange carrot we eat often.  But in Hong Kong, people often use it to make pork bone soup, particularly to make it with orange carrots and watercress.

I love this soup and I was always excited when my mom made it.  The aroma of the almond seeds in it fills the air during cooking, and the steam from the pot rises and often fogs all the windows.  It is the soup we eat commonly in winter, and this soup reminds me the cozy winter time with my family.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Green Carrot, peeled and cut into big pieces

4 Carrots, peeled and cut into big pieces

2 bundles Watercress, rinsed

2 tablespoons Almond Seeds

2 tablespoons Dried Apricot Kernels

6 pieces Pork Bones, rinsed

3  Chinese Honey Dates

Salt to taste

DIRECTION:

1. In a soup pot, add all the ingredients except the salt.  Fill the pot with water until the ingredients are totally submerged.

2. Bring it to a boil over high heat.  Then reduce the heat to medium and put the lid on.  Continue to boil it for another 1.5 hours.  Season it with salt to taste.

Korean Braised Tofu with Chilli Soy Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

1 pack Firm Tofu

3 tablespoon Vegetable Oil

SAUCE:

 3 tablespoon Soy Sauce

2 tablespoons Water

2 tablespoons Sesame Oil

2 teaspoons Sugar

2 teaspoons Korean Red Chilli Flakes

1 tablespoon Sesame Seeds, toasted

1 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 stalks Green Onion, finely sliced

DIRECTION:

1. Tofu cut into equal size pieces.  Pat dry with paper towel.

2. Heat up vegetable oil in a non-stick pan.  Carefully add the tofu pieces.  Fry them over medium heat until they are golden; about 3-4 minutes.  Flip the tofu pieces to the other side and fry for another 3-4 minutes.  Transfer them to a serving plate.

3. In a small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients together.  Spoon it evenly over the tofu before serving.