Pork Bone Soup with Chayote, Carrot and Corn 合掌瓜蘿蔔粟米豬骨湯

It's the season of the year, many people seem to either get a cold or a bad cough. A pot of vegetables and pork soup certainly helps relief the dryness of our throats and even skins.

The almond seeds and apricot seeds have great benefit to our body.  They can be easily found in Chinese stores.  These two seeds share a nearly identical apparence, though their flavours are different.  Keep in mind that apricot seeds contains trace of cyanid, we should be caution on the amount of the use.

INGREDIENTS:

8 Pork Bones, rinsed

3 Chayotes, cut into big pieces

2 Carrot, chunked

3 Corn, cut into segment

3 tablespoons Almond Seeds

2 tablespoons Apricot Seeds

2 Chinese Honey Dates

Salt to taste

DIRECTION:

1. In a soup pot, place the pork bone on the bottom.  Then add the rest of the ingredients on top.  Fill the pot with water until the water is enough to cover the ingredients.  Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Skim off the foam on top. 

2. Reduce the heat to medium heat and boil for another 1 hour.  Season the soup with salt to taste.

Egg n Tofu Pretend "Sushi" 純素蛋皮豆腐"壽司"

INGREDIENTS:

4 Eggs

1 block Tofu, medium soft

1 Carrot, finely diced

3 Scallion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons Japanese Mirin (or 1/3 teaspoon Sugar)

1 teaspoon Chinese Cooking Wine

1/3 teaspoon White Pepper Powder

1/3 teaspoon Salt

Vegetable Oil

DIRECTION:

1. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, carrot, scallion, mirin, cooking wine, white pepper, and salt.

2. Tofu pat dry and cut it in cubes.

3. Heat up some vegetable oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.  Add a spoonful of egg mixture in the pan.  Place a piece of tofu on top and gently press the tofu down with your finger.  Then, add another spoon of egg mixture on top. Allow the egg to fry until firm.

4. Flip the tofu over to fry the other side until it is golden brown.  Then transfer it to a plate.  Repeat this process until all the tofu and egg mixture is finished.  Serve when they are hot.

Naturally Fermented Purple Cabbage | 天然酵母醃酸椰菜

A couple weeks ago, I bought a purple cabbage to make a salad for a family event.  Although I already chose the smallest size of the purple cabbage, it was still as large as a basketball.  I tried my best to use the cabbage to make a salad with twenty servings, but there was no way for me to use the whole thing.  So I saved the rest for this recipe.

This recipe is almost identical to the the Fermented Cabbage I posted a long time ago.  You can skip the carrots in this recipe, but the taste will be different, because the carrots bring extra sweetness to the cabbage, which I found balances it very well.  This fermented cabbage can be served with grilled meat, on hot dogs, tacos, or even sushi.

I hope you will enjoy the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 head Purple Cabbage, small

4 Carrots, peeled and cut into large sticks

1/2 tablespoon All Purpose Flour

Water

Salt

材料：

1/2 頭  紫椰菜

4 條  甘筍，切粗條

1/2 湯匙  麵粉

水

鹽

METHODS 做法:

1. Cut the cabbage into thin strips.  Place the cabbage in a large bowl and add in 1 heap teaspoon of salt.   Rub until it is well combined; let it sit for 20 minutes.

2. While waiting for the cabbage, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.  Then, let it cool to lukewarm temperature.  Stir in the flour; set it aside.

1. 椰菜切幼條；放到大碗中。加入1大菜匙鹽；揉至混合。讓其靜置20分鐘。

2. 等待期間，把大鍋水燒滾。待放暖後，加入麵粉；拌勻。

3. Drain out the released juice from the cabbage.  Rinse the cabbage two times under running water to remove the excess salt; drain well.

4. In a large glass container, toss the carrots and cabbage together.  Pour in the flour water.  The flour will be the natural food source for the bacteria during the fermenting process.

3. 倒掉椰菜洗出來的水，再用清水洗椰菜兩次，沖走多餘鹽份。

4. 在一大只玻璃器皿內，混合甘筍和椰菜。注入麵粉水。麵粉水會在發酵期間用作酵母的天然食糧。

5. Place a dish upside down on top of the cabbage mixture.  Make sure the vegetables are totally submerged in the water.  Otherwise, it will result in mold.

6. Then, Cover the pot with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent air or other moisture to go in.

5. 用碟子蓋上椰菜面；麵粉水要完全浸過椰菜和甘筍，以防發霉。

6. 在玻璃器皿上再蓋上一層保鮮膜；以防水氣進入。

7. Let it sit in a corner without direct sunlight for 14 days, while waiting for the sour flavour to develop.

One thing to mind is that the liquid may smell unpleasant in the first couple days for some noses due to the sulphur contained in the cabbage.  It is kind of like rotten eggs if I have to say it; however, the smell should go away when it comes to the second week.  Check the pot (without opening the lid) to see if any mold developed.  If so, the batch is bad and should be discarded.  No messing with mold. 

7. 放到陽光不能直射的地方發酵14天。

頭一星期，椰菜的特殊氣味會明顯較大，似壞了的雞蛋。但進入第八天，氣味會大減。檢查 (不開封) 液體周邊是否有霉。如發現，便不能食用，要把椰菜倒掉。

Pickle Carrot | 醋醃紅蘿蔔

Pickle Carrot | 醋醃紅蘿蔔

Ingredients:

1 Carrot

1 tablespoon White Sesame, toasted

10 gram Ginger Juice

1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar

3/4 tablespoon Soy Sauce

1/2 tablespoon Fish Sauce

1/4 teaspoon Salt

材料：

1  紅蘿蔔

1 湯匙   白芝麻

10 克   薑汁

1 湯匙   米醋

3/4 湯匙   豉油

1/2 湯匙   魚露

1/4 茶匙   鹽

DIRECTION:

Conch, Lotus Root, and Pork Bone Soup | 螺頭年藕排骨湯

Last time when my parents came visit, they brought us a bag of dried conche from Hong Kong.  Compared to fresh conches, dried conches have a stronger umami flavour, and they are saltier and chewier.  People generally use them only to flavour soups.  Fresh conches are much tender and sweeter, so people like to add them to the soup along with the dried conches to boost the flavour.

In this recipe, I didn't use fresh conch.  However, I added pork bones and extra carrots to bring up the richness.

I try to keep up with making soup at least once a week for my family, and this soup is the best choice for this bitterly cold Sunday. 

INGREDIERNTS:

6 Conches, dried

1  Lotus Root, about 200 gram

4 Carrots

6 Pork Bone

4 Dates

2 tablespoons Apricot Kernels

7 cups Water

Salt to taste

材料：

6 隻  乾螺頭

1 節  年藕，約200克

4 條  甘筍

6 塊  豬骨

4 粒  蜜棗

2 湯匙  南北杏

7 杯  水

鹽  調味

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rinse the pork bones under running water to remove the small bone pieces; drain.

2. Peel off the skin of the lotus root and cut the root until bite size.

3. Rinse apricot kernels and conches.

4. In a pot, add all ingredients except salt.  Fill the pot with enough water to cover all ingredients; about 7 cups.  Add more water if needed.

5. Bring the water to a boil, and then continuously boil it over medium-high heat for 45 minutes.  Turn off the heat.  Season the soup with salt to taste.

步驟：

1. 洗淨豬骨。

2. 年藕去皮，切小件。

3. 南北杏和乾螺頭沖水。

4. 除卻鹽，將所有材料放進湯窩。 把水用大火燒滾後轉中大火，再繼續煲45分鐘。關火，下鹽調味。

Easy Glazed Carrot | 蜜甘筍

Ingredients:

2 Carrot, medium size

30 gram Sugar

20 gram Butter

1/3 cup Water (adjust it amount if needed)

1/8 teaspoon Salt

Ground Nutmeg, to taste (you will need only a hint of the flavour and not overpower the flavour of the carrots)

Roasted Almond, roughly chopped (optional)

材料：

2 條   甘筍

30 克   糖

20 克   牛油

1/3 杯   水 (調較合適份量)

1/8 茶匙   鹽

荳蔻   調味 (切忌用太多)

焗杏仁，切碎 (隨意)

DIRECTION:

Okra Salad in White Sesame Sauce | 麻香秋葵沙律

Okra Salad in White Sesame Sauce

麻香秋葵沙律

Ingredients:

1 Carrot

1 cup Okra

Dressing:

3 tablespoons White Sesame

2 teaspoons Vegetable Stock

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

1 teaspoon Soy Sauce

DIRECTION:

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup ｜壓力煲雞肉麵條湯

There is a flu around the house.  My husband was hugging boxes of Kleenex wherever he goes and my little boy was coughing here and there.  Luckily I stayed healthy so I was able to make something comforting for them to eat.  Hope their cold will go away along with the bitter cold weather after this weekend.

Making chicken noodle soup in an instant pot does not short change the flavours.  The broth is actually rich and fragrant, and the chicken is even moister.

I added light soy sauce in this recipe to season the soup instead of salt.  I found soy sauce enhances chicken flavour while eliminating the "blank salty taste".  It keeps a depth to the broth.

My husband ate three bowls of this soup in a row and showed me a face of comfort and appreciation. It is so worth it.

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

壓力煲雞肉麵條湯

INGREDIENTS:

1 Whole Chicken, giblets removed (so it fits inside an instant pot)

4 Carrots

4 stalks Celery

1 White Onion, small

4 Garlic Cloves, peeled

1 bunch Flat Leaf Parsley, leaves only

5 cups Water

1 cup Pasta of your choice

4 tablespoons Light Soy Sauce (optional)

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons (for frying)

DIRECTION:

1. Cut the celery, carrot, and onion into bite sizes.  Cut the garlic into rounds.

2. Roughly chop the parsley; set it aside.

3. In the instant pot, add the vegetable oil, carrots, onion, celery, and garlic cloves.  Press the "Sauté" button and stir fry the vegetables until they are fragrant and slightly soft; it's about 5 minutes.  Press the "Cancel" button to turn off the heat.

4. Add chicken and pour in water.  The water is not necessary cover the whole chicken.

5. Close the lid and turn the venting knob to seal.  Press the "Manual" button once, and then press the "Pressure" button to adjust the pressure to high and press the "+" or "-" button to set the time to 15 minutes.

6. When the cooking process is finished, allow the pressure to release naturally and the floating valve goes down.  Open the lid.

7. Remove the chicken from the pot.

8. Add pasta.

9. Add Soy Sauce if you are using.

10. Press the "Sauté" button and allow the soup to come to a boil and the pasta to cook through.

11. Meanwhile, shred the chicken and remove all the bones.

12. Add the shredded chicken back into the instant pot.

13. Turn off the heat.  Stir in the parsley before serving.  Add salt if desired. 

Baked Mashed Potato Nuggets (Korokke) | 香焗脆薯泥 (可樂餅)

Baked Mashed Potato Nuggets (Korokke)

香焗脆薯泥

Ingredients:

3 cups Diced Potato

2 cups Water

1/4 cup Diced Shallot

1/3 cup Diced Sweet Pea

1/3 cup Diced Carrot

1 teaspoon Salt

2 Eggs

3/4 cup Flour

1/2 cup Panko

1/2 cup Bread Crumb

1 Sheet Sushi Seaweed

Mayonnaise ( for serving)

DIRECTION:

Savoury Egg Pancake | 簡易蛋餅

Savoury Egg Pancake | 簡易蛋餅

Ingredients: (3-4 servings)

5 Shitake Mushrooms

1 Medium Carrot

1/4 cup Edamame

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (for frying)

1 tablespoon Soy Sauce

1/4 teaspoon Salt

Egg Mixture:

5 Eggs

1 tablespoon Sugar

材料：(3-4人份)

5 隻   新鮮冬菇

1 條   甘筍，中型

1/4 杯   毛豆

2 湯匙   菜油 (炒菜用)

1 湯匙   豉油

1/4 茶匙   鹽

蛋汁：

5 隻   雞蛋

1 湯匙   糖

DIRECTION:

Papaya Tofu and Fish Soup | 木瓜豆腐鱒魚湯

"A bowl of papaya tofu fish soup is a treat for such a cold and dry winter," my mom said whenever she made this soup.  It is so true to me as it always does help to warm up my body.

The exact amounts of the ingredients in the recipe are not critical here.  You can always add more or less of them to suit your taste, or even skip the tofu and add more papaya instead.  Keep in mind that you will want to look for a young papaya and not the ripe one, so that the soup can find a better balance between the delicate taste of the seafood and the natural sweetness in the tropical fruit.

Papay Tofu Fish Soup | 木瓜豆腐魚湯

Ingredients:

1 Rainbow Trout, scaled and gutted (but any type of fish will almost works here)  

1 Young Papaya

2 Carrots

450 gram Firm Tofu

7 cups Water

2 tablespoon Vegetable Oil

Salt to taste

材料：

1 條  鱒魚，去鱗和腮腸 (可用其也魚代替)

1 個   木瓜

2 條   紅蘿蔔

450 克   硬豆腐

7 杯   水

2 湯匙   菜油

少許   鹽

DIRECTION:

Apple Coleslaw＋Vegan Coleslaw Dressing | 蘋果沙律＋全素沙律醬

This dressing is made of silken tofu.  The smooth tofu forms a creamy texture while giving a mild soy flavour to the salad.  I would say this dressing tastes far better than the non-vegan mayo or coleslaw dressing in the market.

Apple Coleslaw＋Vegan Coleslaw Dressing

蘋果沙律＋全素沙律醬  

Ingredients for Salad: (yield 4 servings)

2.5 cups Apples (I used Fuji here)

1/2 cup Carrot

1/3 cup Dried Cranberries and Raisins

1/3 cup Peacan, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon Poppy Seeds

Tofu Dressing:

160 gram Silken Tofu

1/4 cup Canolia Oil

2 tablespoons Virgin Extract Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 tablespoons Agava Syrup

1/8 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

1/8 teaspoon Sea Salt

沙律材料： (約四人份)

2.5 杯 蘋果 (我這兒用上富士蘋果)

1/2 杯  蘿蔔

1/3 杯  紅越莓乾和提子乾

1/3 杯  美洲薄殼胡桃

1 茶匙   罌粟籽

豆腐醬汁：

160 克   滑豆腐

1/4 杯   芥花籽油

2 湯匙   初榨橄欖油

1 湯匙   鮮檸檬汁

1 茶匙   第戒芥未醬

1 湯匙   龍舌蘭蜜

1/8 茶匙   黑胡椒碎

1/8 茶匙   海鹽

DIRECTION:

1. In a medium bowl, add all the ingredients for the dressing except canolia oil and olive oil.

2. Process the mixture with a hand blender until smooth.

3. Combine the two oils.  Add it into the tofu mixture in a small stream while belnding it.

4. Process it until the mixture is emulsified and becomes thickened.  Set the dressing aside.

5. Peel and core the apples.  Cut them into bite size.

6. Peel the carrot.  Cut it into matchstick size.

7.  In a large serving bowl, combine appples, carrots, cranberries, peacans, and poppy seeds.

8. Add the tofu dressing.

9. Genty stir until well combined.  Refrigerate it for at least 2 hours before serve.