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.

Stir fried Chrysanthemums Leave with Garlic

INGREDIENTS:

2 bundles Chrysanthemum Leaves

6 Garlic Cloves, peeled and smashed

1 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Rice Wine

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1/2 teaspoon Salt

DIRECTION:

1. In a large pan, heat up oil over high heat.  Add garlic cloves and fry until they are fragrant.

2. Add chrysanthemums; stir fry until the leaves start to wilt.  Add cooking wine and sugar.  Continue to cook for another minute.  Quickly transfer the chrysanthemums to the serving plate.

Korean Seasoned Oyster

INGREDIENTS:

1 dozen Fresh Oysters (I used Korean frozen oysters)

2 stalks Green onion, cut into 5 cm long

MARINADE:

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 tablespoon Korean Red Chilli Flakes

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

2 teaspoons Sesame Oil

2 teaspoons Sesame Oil, toasted

DIRECTION:

1. Thaw the frozen oysters in room temperature.  Carefully clean off the dirt and sand around the black edges; rinse and drain them well.  Place them in a mixing bowl.

2. In a small bowl, mix all marinade ingredients together.

3. Combine oysters, marinade, and green onion in the mixing bowl.  With a wooden spoon, gently mix the oysters until each of the oysters is coated with sauce.  Serve cold.

Korean Steamed Eggplant

INGREDIENTS:

2 Asian Eggplants

SAUCE:

2 stalks Green onion, finely slices

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

2 tablespoons Sesame Oil

2 teaspoons Sesame Seeds, toasted

1 teaspoon Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Korean Red Chilli Flakes

1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, freshly ground

DIRECTION:

1. Set up a steamer to high heat.  

2. Cut both ends off the eggplants.  Cut the eggplants lengthwise and then cut it into about 7 cm pieces. Place the eggplants in the steamer and steam for about 6-7 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, mix all sauce ingredients together.  When the eggplants are ready, spoon the sauce evenly over the eggplants to serve.

Lemony Chicken Soup ｜檸檬雞肉湯

My son said he wanted to be in the photo with this beautiful looking soup that's made for him. So sweet.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Chicken, whole, skin off

2 Carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

1 Onion, cut into chunks

1 Leeks, cut into big pieces, both white and green parts

8 cups Water

1/2 cup Brown Rice, rinsed

4 Eggs

1/2 Lemon of juice and zest, small

1 bunch Dill, fresh

1 tablespoon of Sugar (to balance the sour)

Salt to taste

small pinch of sugar (optional)

DIRECTION:

1. In a big pot, add water, chicken, carrot, onion, leek, two twigs of dill.  Bring it to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium; continue to boil for another hour without covering.

2. Remove all the ingredients from the pot; drain well.

3. Scoop out a cup of chicken soup from the pot and allow it to cool.

4. Meanwhile, add the brown rice to the pot.  Continue to cook over medium heat until the chicken stock reduces in half.

5. Shred the chicken; set aside.

6. In a small bowl, zest and squeeze the lemon; set aside.

7. Then whisk the eggs into the lemon juice.

8. Add a spoonful of egg mixture to the reserved chicken stock one at a time; mix well. The stock should be cool at this point; otherwise the egg will be cooked and the soup will not be milky looking.

9. Slowly add the reserved chicken pot back to the boiling chicken stock.

10. Add the shredded chicken and vegetables back to the pot and stir until heated through.  Season it with salt and sugar.  Remove the soup from the heat.  Add more dill before serving it if desired.

Oven Roasted Miso glazed Eggplant | 味噌焗矮瓜

INGREDIENTS:

1 Italian Eggplant

Marinade:

1 tablespoon White Miso Paste

1 tablespoon Sugar

1 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Rice Wine

4 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

DIRECTION:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

2. Cut off the stem of the eggplant.  Half the eggplant lengthwise and place it on baking tray.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the marinade together.  Brush a generous amount of marinade onto both sides of the eggplants.  Bake it for about 20 minutes until the eggplant is soft and golden.

Acorn Squash and Date with Quinoa in Milk

INGREDIENTS: (4 Servings)

1/3 Acorn Squash, peeled, deseeded, and cubed

2 cups Quinoa

1.5 cups Water

8 Dried Dates, pitted

1/3 cup Pumpkin Seeds

2 cup Milk (to serve)

Honey (to serve)

DIRECTION:

1. To cook the quinoa, rinse it under running water until the water runs clean and not foamy; drain well.  Set the quinoa in a pot with 1.5 cups of water.  Bring it to a boil over high heat.  Once it's boiling, turn the heat to the lowest, cover the lid, and continue to cook for another 15 minutes or until the quinoa becomes fluffy.  It is always better to have a taste test.  Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork and allow it to cool.

2. Meanwhile, boil another small pot of water.  Add cubed acorn squash.  Cook over high heat until tender; about 8-10 minutes.  Depends on the size of the cubes.

3. To serve, combine quinoa, squash, dates, pumpkin with milk.  Drizzle some honey for the additional sweetness if preferred.

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

INGREDIENTS:

2 Zucchinis

1/4 lemon of juice

2 tablespoons Grape Seed Oil

Pinch of Sea Salt

Pinch of Black Pepper (optional)

Pinch of Paprika (optional)

DIRECTION:

1. With a vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini into flat ribbons.  Place them into a mixing bowl.

2. Add grape seed oil, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper in the mixing bowl.  Gently toss everything together by hand.  Arrange the zucchini in a serving plate.  Sprinkle a pinch of paprika on top before serving, if preferred. 

Conch, Chestnut, and Pork Bone Soup (instant pot)｜粟子螺頭豬骨湯 (壓力煲)

INGREDIENTS:

8 Conches, dried

20 Chestnuts (I used frozen)

4 Pork Bones

3 Sweet Dates

5 Chinese Yam, dried

2 tablespoons Goji, dried

10 Longan, dried

Salt to taste

材料：

8 隻  乾螺頭

20 粒  粟子 (我這兒用上急凍)

4塊  豬骨

5 片  淮山

2 湯匙  杞子

10 粒  龍眼乾

鹽調味

DIRECTION:

1. Rinse dried conches under running water.

2. Rinse pork bones under running water to remove the small bone pieces.

3. Crack open dried longans and remove the sweet flesh; discard the shells.

4. Prepare the goji.

5. Prepare dried Chinese Yam and sweet dates.

6. Add all ingredients in the instant pot.  Close the seal.  Set up "high pressure" for 30 minutes.  When it is finished boiling, allow it to release the pressure naturally.

7. Enjoy when it is hot.

Pine Tip Vinegar | 嫩松葉尖浸醋

Spring is the time to pick the young green pine tips.  They are the sprouts of the new branches.  Try to take one and nibble.  You will find it tastes like citrus.

Our family likes to add the pine tips directly into salad green, or chop them up to mix it with mayonnaise.  But I use pine tip vinegar the most.  I use it for salad dressing, marinade, or even for adding to my Chinese noodles snack.

Just like any vinegar, this vinegar seems to last forever! Each year I make two large bottles and they still taste great until the end of the year when I use up the last drop of them.  Though, the longer the tips sit in the vinegar, the browner the vinegar will become.  So don't be alarmed.  I hope you enjoy this spring flavour.

INGREDIENTS:

Young Pine Tips, about 20-30 pcs

1-2 cups White Wine Vinegar

DIRECTION:

1. Rinse the fresh pine tips with cold water; drain well.

2. In a large mason jar, add the pine tips.  Pour vinegar until the pine tips are completely submerged.  Store it in the pantry for at least a month before using it.

Spicy Squid and Sardine Salad with Avocado

INGREDIENTS:

8 Baby Squids

1 canned Sardine in water, drained

2 Avocados, cut into chunks

2 Tomatoes, cut into chunks

4 stalk Celery, cut into bite size

1/2 small Yellow Onion, thinly sliced

2 Red Chili, seeded and finely chopped

1 Lemon of juice

2 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

DIRECTION:

1. To clean the squid, remove the tentacles from the body by pulling them from the opposite direction.  Discard the transparent soft bone and remove the teeth in the centre of the tentacles.  Cut the body part into large rings.

2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil.  Add about 2 tablespoons of salt.  Add the squid.  Blanch until the squid starts to be firm; drain immediately.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.  Season the mixtures with salt and pepper.  Gently toss until everything is well combined.  Serve immediately.

Green Bean Tofu Mix

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Green Beans, cut in half

1 block Firm Tofu, crumbled

1 tablespoon Mirin Syrup

1/2 teaspoon Curry Powder

Salt to season

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

DIRECTION:

1. Heat up vegetable oil over high heat.  Add tofu.  Stir fry until they are fairly dry; about 10 minutes.

2. Add green bean and curry powder; continue to stir fry for another 10 minutes.  Season with salt to taste.  Remove it from the heat.  Serve immediately.

Oven Cook Seafood Foil Parcel

The simpler, the best - it is totally applicable to making seafood.  I leave out the butter and herbs, and only allow the juice of the seafood, and a little white wine, to stew itself and build up the lovely sweetness.  The lemon juice at the end elevates the flavour of the mussels and broth.  Remember to prepare some bread to mop up this delicious liquid.  Click Here to check out how to open a crab.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Crab

1 dozen mussels

1 dozen Prawns

2 pcs Cod Fillets

1/2 Lemon of Juice

1/4 cup Dry White Wine

1 knob of ginger, about finger long, cut into arounds

Sea Salt

Vegetable Oil

DIRECTION:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F.

2. Line foil on a roasting pan.  Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil and lay the ginger pieces evenly on top.

3. Evenly place the seafood in the pan. Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle the white wine.  Cover the pan with another piece of foil.  Roll the edges to seal it to create a foil bag.  Roast it in the oven for 25 minutes.

4. Remove the top foil.  Drizzle the fresh lemon juice over the seafood.  Serve immediately.

Kale Potato Cannellini Chickpea Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch Kale, leaves and young stems

2 Potatoes, cut into chunks

1 canned Cannellini Bean, drained

1 canned Chickpea, drained

2 cups Chicken Broth

2 cups Water

1 head Garlic, peeled and smashed

1/2 White Onion, peeled and cut into chunks

Plain Greek Yogurt (for serving, optional)

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Salt to taste

DIRECTION:

1. Heat up vegetable oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic; fry until they are fragrant.

2. Add potatoes; continue to fry for another 5 minutes.  Add chicken broth and water.  Bring the liquid to a boil and then add the kale a handful at a time.  Cook until the kale is softened.  Add chickpea and cannelloni bean.

3. With a wand blender, puree the soup until smooth.  Season with salt to taste.  To serve, spoon out the soup in a serving bowl and add a dollop of yogurt.

Prawn Salad with Enoki and Tangerine

INGREDIENTS:

1 dozen Prawns, deveined

2 Tangerines, peeled and divided

1 pack of Enoki, divided into small bunches

4 stalks Celery, cut into bite size

2 cups Baby Spinach

1 handful Hemp Seeds

DRESSING:

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTION:

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil over high heat.  Add about 2 tablespoons of salt.  Add prawns and blanch until they turn orange and curl up.  Drain the prawns quickly and remove the shells.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together until well combined.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the salad ingredients together.  Add the dressing and gently toss to combine.  Serve immediately.

Warm Green Banana (not plantain) Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

6 Green Bananas (not Plantain)

5 Green Onion (green parts only), thinly sliced

DRESSING:

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, original

1 teaspoon White Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTION:

1. Cut off the ends of each banana and then slit the skins open lengthwise.

2. Pre-heat the steamer over high heat.  Put the bananas in.  Steam them for 15 minutes.

3. The skins of the cooked bananas should be able to remove easily.  Cut up the bananas into bite size.

4. Add dressing and green onion.  Gently mix until the bananas are well coated.  Serve both warm or cold. 

Oven Roasted Chestnut

INGREDIENTS:

Chestnuts

DIRECTION:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F.

2. With a small knife, carefully score an "X" on each chestnut.  It helps the steam in the chestnuts to escape during roasting and to peel them easier.

3. Place the scored chestnuts on a sheet pan, with scored side on top.  Roast them in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the their top parts are opened.