Wild edible - Stir-fried Wild Onion and Pork Belly

Every year, my family will go to forage wild onion in the early May. They grow among the river like grass, but with distinctive onion and garlicky scent. You can substitute the wild onion for leeks to make this dish.

The look of wild onion


Ingredients:
1 bundle off Wild Onion
250 gram Pork Belly
1 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Rice Wine
3 tablespoons Soy Sauce
1/4 taking Salt
1 tablespoon Sugar
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Direction:

1. Cut the pork belong into 1/2 cm slices. Cut the wild onion into sticks. 

2. Heat up vegetable oil over high heat. Add pork belly. Stir fry until it turns colour; about 2 minutes.

3. Drizzle cooking wine and soy sauce. Add sugar and salt. Stir fry untilThe pork belly is nearly cooked, about 3 minutes.

4. Add wild onion. Continue to fry until it is wilted. Turn off the heat and transfer it to a serving plate. 

Stuffed Tofu Puff with Minced Fish 魚肉釀豆腐

INGREDIENTS:

100 gram Minced Fish

15 Tofu Puff

SAUCE:

4 tablespoons Soy Sauce

2 tablespoons Sugar

1.5 teaspoons Cornstarch

1/3 cup Water

The look of minced fish. You can purchase it at Asian market.

The look of tofu puff.

DIRECTION:

1. Cut each tofu puff in half with scissor.

2. Using a finger, carefully make a hold in the middle of it.

3. Fill the hole with a portion of minced fish.

4. Repeat the process until you finish the minced fish and tofu puffs.

5. Add about 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Place the tofu puff in the pan with minced fish facing downward. Let them fry for about 5-7 minutes.

6. Flip the tofu puffs onto the other side. Fry for another 5 minutes. Transfer them onto a serving plate.

7. Mix the sauce ingredients. Add the mixture in the same pan. Cook over high heat until it thickens to your liking; stirring constantly. Pour it over the tofu puffs.

Chinese Stir fried Potato 快炒土豆絲

This stir fry potato should taste crunchy and acidic. It can be a side dish or appetizer. I found it taste better when it is cold.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Waxy Potatoes

1/3 teaspoon Salt

2 tablespoon Vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

DIRECTION:

1. Peel the potatoes. Cut them into thin sticks and submerge them in the cold water. Rinse off the starch and drain.

2. Heat up vegetable oil over high heat. Add potato sticks. Quickly stir fry for about 5 minutes.

3. Add salt, sugar and vinegar. Stir fry until the vinegar is evaporated. Transfer the potato to the serving plate.

This dish is also delicious when it is cold. 

Stir-fried Long Bean and Egg 豆角炒蛋

INGREDIENTS:

1 bundle Long Beans

6 Eggs

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Sugar

1 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Rice Wine

3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

DIRECTION:

1. Cut and discard both ends of the long beans; cut the beans into small rounds. Whisk the eggs

2. Heat up vegetable oil over high heat. Add long beans. Stir fry until they are slightly soften; about 2 minutes.

3. Drizzle cooking wine. Add sugar and salt; stir well.

4. Add the egg. Continuously stir fry until the egg is coagulated; about 1 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Stir-fried Chinese Bitter Melon and Ribs 涼瓜炒排骨

When I was a kid, I didn't like bitter melon a bit. I thought it is too bitter for my taste. As I grew older, I started to enjoy this slightly bitter after taste. And I learned that bitter melon is actually very healthy. Just like any dark green vegetables, it contains a lot of vitamins. Though, you still don't want it to be too bitter. One of the trick is boiling it for 10 minutes and add some sugar while stir-frying it. Hope you enjoy this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Bitter Melons

300 grams Spare Ribs, cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons Chinese Preserved Black Beans

1 Head Garlic

1/2 teaspoon Salt

2 tablespoons Chinese Cooking Rice Wine

1 tablespoon Sugar

1 teaspoon Cornstarch

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil, (more for stir-frying)

DIRECTION: 

1. Rinse the preserved black beans; peel garlic. Chop them until they are fine.

2. In a mixing bowl, add chopped garlic, chopped black beans, spare ribs, and salt; mix well. Leave it to marinate for about 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cut the bitter melons lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Cut the melon into about 1 cm slices.

4. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add bitter melons. Boil them until they are cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain well. Run the bitter melon under running water to stop the cooking process; drain again.

5. Heat up about 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over high heat. Add the ribs and stir fry until they are nearly cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.

6. Drizzle cooking wine; add sugar.

7. Add the cooked melon. Continuously stir-fry until the melons heat through.

8. Sprinkle over the cornstarch; stir until the sauce is thicken. Turn off the heat. Serve it with steamed rice.

Papaya Tofu Salmon Head Soup 木瓜三文魚頭豆腐湯

INGREDIENTS:

1 Salmon Head, cut into large pieces

1 Papaya, peeled and seeded

1 block Tofu, cut into large blocks

2 cups Chicken Stock

4 cups water

4 Ginger Slices

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

DIRECTION:

1. Heat up the oil over high heat. Add ginger; fry until it is fragrant.

2. Add salmon head. Fry for about 5 minutes without stirring it.

3. Add chicken stock and 4 cups of water.

4. Add papaya and tofu.

5. Put the lid on. Boil it over medium-high heat for about 25 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Chinese Preserved Meat and Taro Rice 臘味芋頭飯

INGREDIENTS:

1 Large Taro

2 Chinese Preserved Black Sausage

2 Chinese Preserved Red Sausage

1 Chinese Preserved Pork belly

4 Bowls Cooked Rice

4 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Sugar

1 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Rice Wine

DIRECTION:

1. Cut off and discard the taro skin. Dice the taro. Set aside.

2. Dice the preserved sausages and pork belly.

3. In a large wok, heat up the cooking oil over high heat. Add sausages, pork belly, and taro. Stir fry until it is fragrant.

3. Drizzle cooking wine. Add sugar and salt; stir well.

4. Add cooked rice. Gently stir until the rice is cooked with the sauce and it is well mixed with the meat. Turn off the heat.

Braised Beef Brisket and Daikon 蘿蔔炆牛腩

INGREDIENTS:

1 Beef Brisket

1 Daikon

10 Ginger Slices

4 Star Anises

4 tablespoons Chu Hou Paste

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon or 1 Cinnamon Stick 

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 tablespoon Sugar

3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (for frying)

材料：

1 份 牛腩

1 條 白蘿蔔

10 薑片

4 粒 八角

4 湯匙 柱侯醬

1 茶匙 肉桂粉 或 1 肉桂條

1/2 茶匙 鹽

1 湯匙 糖

3 湯匙 菜油

DIRECTION 做法:

1. Cut the beef brisket into chunks.

1. 把牛腩切大塊。

2. Peel the daikon, and cut it into chunks.

2. 蘿蔔刨皮；切滾筒塊。

3. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat.

3. 用大火燒熱一鍋水。

4. Add the brisket. Boil it for about 5 minutes. Drain the water.

4. 下牛腩，煮5分鐘；倒掉水份。

5. In a dry pot, heat up the oil over medium-high heat. Add star anise, ginger, cinnamon and CHU HOU PASTE. Fry until it is fragrant; about 30 seconds.

5. 用中大火燒熱菜油，下八角、薑、肉桂和柱候醬，炒至香氣四溢；若半分鐘。

The look of CHU HOU PASTE. You can find it Asian supermarket.
這是柱候醬，通常在中式市場找到。

6. Add beef brisket, fry until it turns colour.

6. 下牛腩，炒至變色。

7. Pour in water that enough to cover all the content. Put the lid on. Cook over medium heat for 40 minutes.

7. 倒入水；水要蓋過所有牛腩。蓋上鍋蓋；用中火煮40分鐘。

8. Add daikon. Continue to cook for another 30 minutes.

8. 下蘿蔔；再多煮30分鐘。

It is done. Serve it with steamed rice.

完成；配上白飯食用。

Chinese Chive Pancake 中式煎韭菜薄撐

INGREDIENTS:

1 small bundle Chinese Chives

2 cups Flour

1/4 cup Glutinous Flour

1/2 teaspoon Salt

3.5 cups Water

Vegetable Oil (for frying)

DIRECTION:

1. Cut the Chinese chives into small pieces; set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, glutinous flour and salt. Add water; stir until it becomes batter. The batter should not be too runny. Add Chinese chives; stir again.

3. Heat up about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil on a pan over medium-high heat. Add a laddle of batter; swirl the pan around to spread out the batter. Fry it until it is crispy, about 1.5 minutes. Flip the pancake over and fry for another 1.5 minutes. Then, it is done. Repeat the process until the batter is finished.

Lotus Roots, Red Date and Old Chicken Soup 蓮藕紅棗老雞湯

Every Sunday I will make a big pot of soup that enough to last for the whole week.  This lotus root chicken soup is the soup of the week.  The lotus roots are tasty although after couple hours of cooking.  As we don't like food waste, we usually eat everything in the soup.  To replenish the flavour for the lotus root and chicken, serve them with soy sauce.  That is how my mom always does it.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Old Chicken, skin off

1 Lotus Root, peeled and chunked

5 Chinese Red Dates, pitted

10 cups Water

Salt to taste

DIRECTION:

1. In a large soup pot, add all ingredients.  Pour in water that enough to cover all ingredients.  Bring it to a boil over high heat.  Then reduce the heat to medium and continuously boil for another 2 hours.  Add more water half way if needed.  Season with salt to taste.

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:

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:

Braised Beef Brisket with Daikon | 蘿蔔炆牛腩

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs Beef Brisket, rinsed, pat dried

1 Chinese Daikon, large, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks

1.5 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

10 gram Ginger, sliced

1 cup Shaoxing Cooking Wine

4 tablespoons Light Soy Sauce

4 Star Anise

1/2 teaspoon Clove Powder

2 tablespoons Sugar

5 cups Water

材料：

2 磅牛腩，沖水，抹乾手份

1 條 白蘿蔔，去皮，切成2吋塊

1.5 湯匙  菜油

10 克  薑，切片

1 杯  紹興酒

4 湯匙  豉油

4 粒  八角

1/2 茶匙  丁香粉

2 湯匙  糖

5 杯 水

METHODS:

1. Cut the beef into 1 inch chunks.  In a non-stick pan, heat up vegetable oil over high heat.  Add beef and lightly brown all sides.  Transfer the beef in the braising pot.

1. 牛腩切成1吋粒。菜油在易潔鍋內用大火加熱。下牛腩；煎至四面變色；上碟。

2. In the braising pot, also add the remaining ingredients except the daikon; stir well.  Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.  Cook for about 1.5 hours, stirring it occasionally to prevent from sticking and burning.  Skim off the grease every now and then.

2. 把牛腩粒倒入深鍋內，加入剩餘材料 (除卻蘿蔔)。用大火把牛腩粒燒熱，再轉小火。煮約1.5小時，期間不時翻動以防黏鍋。瀘去浮面脂肪。

3. When the liquid reduces to half, add the daikon, plus another 1.5 cups of water.  Continue to simmer it for another 40 minutes, or until the daikon becomes soft.  It is ready.

3. 當汁蒸發掉一半，加入蘿蔔和1.5杯水。繼續炆約40分鐘或至軟身。

The source on the bottom is excellent for noodle soup or on steamed rice.

剩下的牛腩可用作拌麵和白飯。

Soft Tofu with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce 素蠔油花菇配嫩豆腐

A simple yet delicious shiitake mushroom topping that can be paired with a block of silken tofu or steamed rice.

INGREDIENTS:

8 Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms, roughly chopped

1 block Soft Tofu

1.5 inch long Ginger, peeled and finely chopped

4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 Stalk Green Onion (optional), thinly cut

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

SEASONING:

2 Tablespoons Chinese Cooking Rice Wine

2 tablespoons Vegan Oyster Sauce

1 teaspoon Corn Starch

1/3 teaspoon White Pepper Powder

2 tablespoons Sugar

1/3 teaspoon Salt

材料：

8 隻  鮮冬菇，切粒

1 磚  嫩豆腐

1.5 吋長  薑，去皮，切幼粒

4 瓣  蒜頭，去皮，切幼粒

1 棵  蔥 (隨意)，切幼粒

2 湯匙  菜油

調味料：

2 湯匙  米酒

2 湯匙  素蠔油

1 茶匙  粟粉

1/3 茶匙  白胡椒粉

2 湯匙  糖

1/3 茶匙  鹽

DIRECTION 做法：

1. Heat up vegetable oil over medium heat.  Add ginger and garlic; fry until fragrant and the garlic turns slightly brown.

2. Add mushrooms; stir fry for about 5 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, mix the seasoning together. Stir it into the mushrooms; continuously stir fry until the liquid is nearly absorbed and the sauce has thickened.  Pour the mushroom over the tofu.  Sprinkle the green onion and serve immediately.

1. 菜油用中燒熱。下薑和蒜粒，煮至香氣四溢和蒜粒轉微黃色。

2. 下冬菇；炒若沒有分鐘。

3. 在一只小碗中加入所有調味料；拌勻然後倒入鍋中。繼續炒冬菇直至汁半收乾。關火；把冬菇放到豆腐上。

It is also very delicious to put on rice.

Tomato Beef Egg Drop Soup with Rice | 蕃茄牛肉蛋花湯飯

Almost every family has its own recipe for egg drop soup.  Although the basic ingredients are around tomatoes, beef, and egg, there are so many ways to play around with them to make the soup suit your taste buds and the weather.

The soup my mom made when I was little had very little red meat because red meat was a luxury throughout my childhood.  Mom then would add lots of tomatoes and eggs to enhance the flavour and nutrition.  The tangy flavour always brought up our appetite especially on some hot days.

Thankfully now that meat is no long a luxury for us we are able to add as much beef as we like.  This soup is a quick and healthy recipe that is great to make on a weekday.  Hope you will enjoy it.

INGREDIENTS: (4 servings)

3 Tomatoes, large, cut into wedges

150 gram Beef

4 Eggs, beaten

1 bunch Cilantro, leaves only, rinsed

1 stalk Scallion, cut into around

4 cups Water

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

4 bowls Cooked Steamed Rice, Link

Seasoning:

4 tablespoons Light Soy Sauce

1 tablespoon Sugar

1/3 teaspoon White Pepper, ground

1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

1/3 teaspoon Salt

材料：(4人份)

3 個。蕃茄，切瓣狀

150 克  牛肉

4 隻  雞蛋，打勻

1 束  莞茜，葉部份，洗淨

1 條  青蔥，切粒

4 杯  水

2 湯匙  菜油

4 碗  白飯，連結

調味料：

4 湯匙  豉油

1 湯匙  糖

1/3 茶匙  白胡椒粉

1 茶匙  麻油

1/3 茶匙  鹽

DIRECTION :

1. Slice the beef against the grain into 1/2 cm thick stripes.  Combine them with the seasoning; mix well.  Set it aside.

2. In a soup pot, add vegetable oil and heat it up over high heat.  Add tomato slices.  Fry them until they start to become soft; about 2 minutes.

3. Add beef and fry until it starts to turn colour.  Add water, cilantro, and scallion.  Continue to cook until the soup comes back to boil again.  Slowly add in the egg in a ribbon style.  Turn off the heat and serve it with cooked steamed rice.

做法：

1. 牛肉逆紋切成半厘米薄片。下調味料；拌勻。

2. 在湯鍋內下菜油，用大火燒熱。下蕃茄，炒至開始變軟；若2分鐘。

3. 下牛肉片，快炒至其開始變色。下水、莞茜和蔥。繼續煮至湯翻滾。將蛋慢慢倒入鍋內形成蛋花狀；離火。 配以白飯食用。