Pan fried Chicken in Alfredo Mushroom Sauce | 白汁磨菇雞排意粉

Pan fried Chicken in Alfredo Mushroom Sauce白汁磨菇雞排意粉

Ingredients:

4 Chicken Legs or breasts

4 tablespoons Light Soy Sauce

1/2 teaspoon White Pepper, ground

2 tablespoons Chinese Cooking Rice Wine

Spaghetti

Ingredients for Alfredo Sauce:

10 Mushrooms

1/3 cup Green Peas

2 Carrots

1 White Onion, small

1/4 cup Butter

2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour

2 cups Milk, Homogenized

1/2 cup Water

Salt to taste

DIRECTION:

1. 30 minutes prior to the cooking, combine chicken, soy sauce, white pepper, Chinese wine in a mixing bowl and mix well.  Allow it to marinate for about 20-30 minutes.

2. Dice the carrot, rinse the peas, and cut the onion into thick slices.

3. Cut the mushrooms into thick slices.

4. In a pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add carrot and onion.  Cook the vegetables until they becomes soft; about 5 minutes.

5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add flour. 

6. Vigorously stir until the flour is well mixed.

7. Stir in milk and water.

8. Add pea and mushrooms.  Turn the heat back to medium and continuously cook until the mixture heat through and the mushrooms become soft; stirring constantly.

9. Season with Salt.  Remove it from the it.

10. Heat up two tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat.  Add chicken, skin sides down.  Fry them for about 8 minutes and the skins turn slightly brown.

11. Turn the chicken on the other side.  Fry them for another 5 minutes.  Remove them from the heat.

12. At the meantime, cook the spaghetti according to the instruction on the package.  Drain well.

13. Pour the sauce onto the spaghetti and serve it with the chicken.

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

Stewed Milky Chicken with Date and Lotus Seed (Instant Pot Version)｜紅棗蓮子鮮奶燉雞 (壓力煲版)

It is the very nutritious soup that is very good for skin or post-natal nourishment. I made it every winter to boost up our energy. 

Stewed Milky Chicken with Date and Lotus Seed

紅棗蓮子鮮奶燉雞

INGREDIENTS:

2 pcs Chicken Legs, skinless

3 cups Milk, homogenized

1 cup Water

4 tablespoons Chinese Cooking Rice Wine

4 Red Dates

12 Lotus Seeds, cores removed

Salt to taste

DIRECTION:

Red Dates are on the left and lotus seeds are on the right.

1. Soak the dried lotus seeds in water until soften.  Remove the green core in the middle of each with a toothpaste, if there is any.

2. Remove and discard the pit in each red date.

3. In a heat-proof container.  Add chicken, dates, and lotus seeds.

4. Pour in milk.

5. Add water and rice wine.  Cover the container with a lid.

6. In an instant pot, add 3 cups of water and place a low rack on the bottom.  Carefully put the covered container on the rack.

7. Put the lid on the instant pot.  Put the venting knob to seal.  Press the "Manual" button once, and then press the "Pressure" button to adjust the pressure to high.  Press the "+" or "-" button to set the time to 10 minutes.  When the cooking process is done, allow the pressure release naturally.  Remove the container from the instant pot right away.

8. Season the soup with salt.  Serve immediately.

Homemade BBQ Sauce 自家製燒烤醬

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Tomato Sauce (large)

1/4 cup Tomato Paste

1/2 Apple Cider Vinegar

1/3 cup Honey

1/4 cup Molasses

3 tablespoons Worcestershire

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

DIRECTION:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Store it in an air tight container and place it in the fridge.

Roasted Beet Root and Blood Orange Salad | 紅菜頭血橙沙律

The other day I found some blood oranges at the supermarket. Without hesitation, I got a couple of them. They were sweet and beautiful. Adding them into a salad gave an exotic looking and certainly brought some colour to the ordinary green.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Blood Orange, medium

2 Beets, small

1/8 Red Onion

2 cups Baby Arugula

DRESSING:

2 tablespoon Whole Grain Dijon Mustard

4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 teaspoon White Vinegar

1 tablespoon Raw Honey

small pinch of Sea Salt

材料：

2 個  血橙，中型

2 個  紅菜頭，小型

1/8 個  紅洋蔥

2 杯  芝麻菜

汁料：

2 湯匙  全粒芥末籽醬

4 湯匙  初榨橄欖油

1 茶匙  白醋

1 湯匙  純蜜糖

少撮  海鹽

INSTRUCTIONS：

1. Pre-heat an oven to 450F.  Clean beets with a brush; pat dry.  Wrap the beets with foil and roast the in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until they are soften.

(Roasting time vary.  It depends on the size of the beets)

2. Remove the skins of the blood oranges; cut the oranges into rounds or semi-circles; set aside.

3. Thinly slice the onion.

4. Arrange the vegetable ingredients on a serving plate.

5. In a mixing bowl, mix the dressing together until well blended, and then spoon it evenly over the vegetables.  Serve immediately.

做法：

1. 預熱焗爐至450F。擦洗紅菜頭、抹乾，用剔紙包好。放進焗爐烤若20分鐘或至其變軟身。

(烤焗時間會因紅菜頭大小會有明顯出入)

2. 切去橙皮；將橙切成圓片狀或半圓形。

3. 洋蔥切幼絲。

4. 蔬菜排盤。

5. 在一只碗內，把汁料拌勻；用匙把其平均舀上蔬菜上。即成。

Homemade Soy Milk from scratch (without soy milk maker) 自製豆漿 (無需豆漿機)

It seems like everyone is staying at home because of pandemic. Other than plating seeds, cooking dinner, and doing homework with my son, I added making dessert and snacks to my to do list. I need to keep myself busy and occupied. Making homemade soy milk is one of the best activity. Actually, it is very easy to make. The soy milk tastes much more flavourful than the store bought.

The soy pulp is the side produce of this soy milk. I attached a link here to give some idea of how to use it in different recipes. I also use it as fertilizer for my plants. Nothing goes to waste. 

INGREDIENTS:

 6 cups Soy Beans (dried)

Water *(see the note in step 2)

Small pinch of Salt

Sugar to taste (optional)

INGREDIENTS:

1. Soak the beans in water over the night or at least 10 hours.  Drain the water and rinse the beans; drain again.

2. With the ratio of 1 part of beans to 3 parts of water, process the soaked beans until smooth puree.

3. I used a magic bullet, but a food processor is much more efficient.

4. Set a tea towel over a strainer, and then place a big pot underneath.  The setting should be like the picture above.

5. Then pour the soy puree over the towel batch by batch and allow the soy milk filter through the towel.

6. Gently twist to squeeze out the soy milk.  Save the soy pulp for other recipes.  The pulp is very healthy and absolutely delicious.  You can check this link to see how to utilize the soy pulp (okara).

7. Skim off the foam on the surface.  Heat up the soy milk over medium heat; stirring constantly.

8. When the 'green odour' of the soy milk is gone, and the soy milk is thoroughly heat up for at least 10 minutes.  The soy milk is ready.

9. Enjoy it with a little bit sugar or plain, or even make it into savoury dish with scallion and Chinese doughnut.

Tomato, Potato and Beef Bone Soup | 蕃茄薯仔牛骨湯

Tomato, Potato and Beef Bone Soup

蕃茄薯仔牛骨湯

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 pcs Beef Bones, rinsed

6 Tomatoes

4 Potatoes

2 inch Ginger, sliced

7 cups  Water

1 teaspoon Sugar (optional)

Salt to taste

材料：

3-4 件  牛骨，沖淨

6 個  蕃茄

4 個  薯仔

2 吋  薑，切片

7 杯  水

1 茶匙  糖

鹽  調味

DIRECTION 做法:

1. In a pot, add 7 cups of water, ginger, and beef bones.

1. 在一只湯鍋內，下7杯水、薑片、和牛骨。

2. Bring it to a boil.  Then, continue to boil for another 35 minutes over medium-high heat.

2. 水燒滾，然後用中大火繼續煮35分鐘。

3. Skim off the oil and foam on the surface every now and then.

3. 撇去浮起的油和泡。

4. Cut the tomatoes and potatoes into big chucks.

4. 薯仔蕃茄切大件。

5. Add potatoes and tomatoes into the bone broth.

5. 下薯仔蕃茄到牛骨湯。

6. Bring it back to a boil, and then continue to boil for another 20 minutes or until the potatoes soften.

6. 把湯再燒滾。繼續煮20分鐘或直至薯仔軟身。

7. Season it with salt to taste.

7. 下鹽調味。

Papaya Sweet Soup with Lotus Seed and White Fungus

It is one of the popular dessert in Hong Kong that people usually enjoy eating it through the year.  Since the white fungus is consider as 'natural collagen' due to the high amount of protein, women love to eat it regularly.  The rock sugar and lotus seeds can help nourishing dry skins or sore throat.  In summer, people like to chill this clear looking dessert before eating so that it can cool off the body from the heat.

I used the dried lotus seeds in this recipe, but it is always better if you are using fresh lotus seeds.  Remember to remove the green core that has a bitter taste.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Papaya, ripen

10-15 Lotus Seeds, core removed (I used dried lotus seeds here)

2 White Fungus

2 tablespoons Goji Berries

1/3 cup Rock Sugar (adjust it to your preference)

8 cups Water

DIRECTION:

1, Soak the white fungus in water until it is rehydrated; about 30 minutes.  Discard the yellow hard core.  Gently tear the fungus into large pieces; set aside.

2. Peel off the skin of papaya.  Cut it lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Cut the papaya into chunks; set them aside.

3. Bring the water to a boil.  Add lotus seeds and rock sugar.  Boil for another 15 minutes.

4. Add papaya, white fungus and goji berries.  Bring it to a boil again and then turn the heat to medium.  Continuously boil for another 20 minutes and it is done.  It is delicious to serve it both cold or hot.

Strawberry Poppy Waffle

The waffle machine is my new addition in the kitchen and I love it.  I like that it doesn't require so much attention like pancakes and no more flipping.  All I need to do is to add the batter in the centre, close the lid and allow it to cook until the light comes on to tell me it is ready.  Every Saturday I will make a large batch of waffles that is enough to last for the week.  This week, we added some freshly mashed strawberries and they were delicious!  My husband said he couldn't believe how strong of a strawberry flavour that little piece of waffle could contain.  To serve, we always use maple syrup, but feel free to use other substitute.

INGREDIENTS:

6 Strawberries, mashed

2 Eggs, beaten

1/3 cup Butter, melted

2 tablespoon Vanilla Extract

1/3 cup Milk

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup Pastry Flour

1 tablespoon Poppy Seeds

small pinch of salt

DIRECTION:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together butter, eggs, vanilla extract, milk, and mashed strawberries until they are incorporated.

2.  Add the rest of the ingredients; mix well.  The batter should be very thick and gluey.

3. Heat up the waffle machine to medium heat.  Add two big spoonfuls of batter in the centre, and cook according to the machine indication.  Serve with maple syrup.

Teriyaki Tofu ｜照燒豆腐

The tofu in this recipe can be from silken to extra firm.  It depends on your preference.

Ingredients:

1 box Firm Tofu

1/3 cup Corn Starch

4 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (for frying)

Ingredients for Teriyaki Sauce:

3 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce

4 tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 tablespoons Mirin

1 tablespoon Cooking Rice Wine

3 tablespoons Water

1/2 teaspoon Corn Starch

Direction:

1. Mix the sauce ingredients together; set it aside.

2. Cut the tofu into 1 cm slices.

3. Pat dry the water from the tofu with paper towel.

4. Coat each slice of tofu with some corn starch.

5. In a non-stick pan, add vegetable oil.  Heat it up over medium heat.  Carefully add the tofu slices and fry them until they are slightly golden and crispy outside; about 5 minutes.

6. Flip the tofu over and fry the other side for about 3-4 minutes, or until they are crispy.

7. Reduce the heat to low.  Add the teriyaki sauce and allow it to cook until it is slightly thickened.  Transfer the tofu and sauce to the serving plate immediately.

8.  Sprinkle some scallion on before serving if desired.