Crisp Tofu Stir-fry

Ingredients:
500g firm tofu,cut into small cubes
2 tbsp peanut oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup rice flour
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
1 tbsp ginger,chopped
1/2 capsicum,cut into thin strips
1 cup celery, cut into thin strips
1 cup bok choy, cut into thin strips
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp chili paste
1 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp finely grated orange rind

Method:
1. Place the tofu in a bowl with peanut oil.Add soy sauce and ginger,cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2.Drain the tofu, reserve the marinade and toss the pieces in the rice flour to coat heavily.
3.Heat the wok and add 1/4 cup of oil and fry the tofu until golden all over. Remove from the wok and drain on paper towel. Repeat with the remaining tofu and set aside.

4.Drain the oil and reheat the wok with 2 tbsp of oil and stir-fry the vegetables for 3-4 minutes or until softened along with sugar and chili paste.

5.Add the reserved tofu marinade along with sherry. Stir and bring it to a boil.
6.Return the tofu to the wok,add orange rind and toss to heat through and serve with chow-mein noodles.

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HINT: Don't over cook the vegetables and cook on medium heat.
NOTE: Can serve this as an appetizer too.

Bok choy and chicken fried noodles

Boy choy is a popular Chinese vegetable. You will usually notice this vegetable in almost every Chinese restaurant. It resembles celery and is a member of the cabbage family. It has thick, white stalks and dark green leaves that has a round shape. Its easy to cook just like cabbage and can be substitute in fried rice too.

Ingredients:

150g dried rice vermicelli
oil,for cooking
350g(12oz) chicken thigh fillets,cut into cubes
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 inch piece fresh ginger,chopped
2 cloves garlic,chopped
6 baby Bok choy
4 spring onions,thinly sliced on the diagonal
2-3 tsp chili paste
2 tsp palm or brown sugar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
salt if required

Method:

1.Place the vermicelli in a large bowl,soak the in cold water for 5 minutes or until soft. Cook them in boiling water for 5-7 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
2. Heat the wok with oil. Stir-fry the chicken cubes along with soy sauce.Remove from wok and set aside.
3. Reheat the wok, add 2tbsp oil and stir-fry the ginger and garlic for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the bok coy and cook over medium heat until soft.
4.Return the chicken to the wok, add chili paste,brown sugar,salt if required and worcestershire sauce. Toss to combine.
5.Add the drained noodles,spring onions and toss well using two wooden spoons and serve.

Chai tow kway with Daikon (stir fry with radish cake)

Chai tao kway is a common dish of Teochew cuisine(ethnic chinese cuisine) in southeast asian countries.And the daikon cake is usually made during Chinese New year. These cakes are made by steaming shredded radish and plain flour.Then it is cut into slices and pan-fried with sauces and few veggies before serving. In singapore,there are 2 versions,the white version(with out soy sauce) and black version(with soy sauce).
The traditionally cakes have dried mushroom and shrimp.I skipped these in mine and stir fried the shredded radish before steaming. I was little sceptical about using raw radish.

Ingredients:
1 cup radish - shredded and cooked
2 cups rice flour
4 tbsp tapioca flour/cornstarch
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp pepper
4 cups water
1/4 cup oil for frying the cake

For stir-fry:
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 - 1 tsp of fresh ground chilly or sambal olek
1/4 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
a handful of bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped spring onions
2 egg
2 tsp oil
coriander for garnish

Method:
For Radish Cake:
1.Add all the ingredients and stir until mixed.
2.Pour the combined mixture into a steamer lined with greased aluminium foil and steam at high heat for 20-30 minutes or until solidifies.Just like how we prepare idlies.
3.Once the cake is done,cool it and slice into square pieces.Then pan-fry until both the sides turn golden brown.The cake gets a crunchy layer on the outside when it is pan fried.

For stir-fry:
4.Add oil to a pan and fry garlic,sprouts,spring onions for 2-3 minutes.
5.Move the gravy to the corner of the pan and add eggs on the other corner.Once the egg is cooked,scramble it and mix it with rest of the ingredients.
6.Garnish with coriander leaves.Serve hot.


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HINT:The radish cake mixture will be in liquid consistency.
STORAGE TIME:This cake can be kept for a week in the fridge.The traditional one has dried mushrooms and shrimp.

Chicken with Black Beans

Preparation time:20 minutes+30 minutes for marinating
Cooking time:20 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
500g(1lb)Chicken,cut into thin strips
1 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp sherry
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
oil,for cooking
1 onion,thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic,finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger,finely chopped
1 red capsicum,thinly sliced
1 tbsp chill paste
1/4 cup black beans,rinsed well and grind it to paste
3 spring onions,diagonally sliced
salt to taste

Method:
1.Combine cornflour,with sherry,soy sauce,oyster sauce,salt and sugar with the chicken.Mix well and refrigerate covered for 30 minutes.
2.Drain the chicken and reserve the marinade.Stir-fry with oil in a wok for 5-7 minutes.Add more oil if necessary.Remove all the chicken from the wok once cooked.
3.Reheat the wok with oil and stir-fry ginger,garlic for 2 minutes then add onion,capsicum.Increase the heat and cook until the vegetables are just tender.
4.Add the reserved marinade,black beans,curry paste,spring onions,salt if needed and some water.Toss until the ingredients are well coated and the sauce is boiling.
5.Return the chicken and toss it again.Serve along with noodles or fried rice.

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NOTE:Best served with Chow Mien Noodles.

Chicken and Cashew Stir-fry

Preparation time:30 minutes
Total cooking time:20 minutes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
oil for cooking
750g(1 1/2lb) Chicken thigh fillets,cut into strips
2 egg whites,lightly beaten
1/2 cup (60g) corn-flour
2 onions,thinly sliced
1 red capsicum,thinly sliced
200g(6 1/2oz)broccoli,cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sherry
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup (50g) roasted cashews
4 spring onions,diagonally sliced

Method:
1.Heat the wok with 1 tbsp of the oil.Dip the chicken strips into the egg white and then into the corn-flour.Then stir-fry for 3-5 minutes,or until the chicken is golden brown and just cooked.Repeat with the remaining chicken and drain in on a paper towel.
2.Reheat again with 1 tbsp of the oil and stir-fry with rest of the vegetables over medium heat for 4-5 minutes,or until the vegetables have softened slightly.Increase the heat to high and add the soy sauce ,sherry and oyster sauce.Toss the vegetables well in the sauce and bring to the boil.
3.Return the chicken to the wok and toss over to make sure it is entirely cooked through.Season well with salt,sugar and freshly cracked pepper.Toss the cashews and spring onion through the chicken mixture and serve immediately.

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NOTE: If u want it spicy add some chilli sauce in the end.

TURKEY WITH LETTUCE CUPS

Ingredients:
8 oz extra firm tofu
1 tbsp chili paste
11/2 tsp toasted sesame sauce
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp sherry
2 tsp oil
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
4 chopped onion
1/2 pound turkey
1/2 diced water chestnut
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
3 sprigs of spring onion
1 large lettuce
Method:
1.In a bowl,whisk together chili sauce,sesame oil, hoisin sauce,vinegar,sherry.
2.Use paper towel and pat the tofu in order to remove as much water possible.Slice tofu into very small cubes.
3.Heat oil,add garlic,ginger,onions and cook until golden brown
4.Add turkey,tofu then mixed sauce.Cook for 5 minutes
5.Add water chestnut and stir to incorporate.Finally add chopped peanut and chopped spring onion
6.Fill each lettuce leaf with the filling

Quick Chicken Noodles

Ingredients:

1/2 kg boneless chicken chopped into cubes

1/2 cup Sliced spring onions

1 cup broccoli florets

2 carrots,cut into long strips

2 green capsicum,cut into long strips (yellow and red capsicum optional)

1 cup frozen peas

2 eggs

2 cups egg noodles

5 tbsp Oil

For the sauce

3 tsp Soy sauce

1 tsp Rice wine

2 tsp Vinegar

1 tsp Chili sauce

2 tsp Brown Sugar

1 tsp pepper

Salt to taste

Method

COOK THE NOODLE

1.Boil water (sufficient to cook the noodles)

2.Add salt and cook the noodles for 7 minutes.

3.Then drain the water and let it cool.

4.Add some oil in the hands and mix the noodles so that it does not stick.And keep aside.

COOK THE CHICKEN

1.Mix soy sauce,vinegar and salt with the chicken.

2.Add 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and fry the chicken.

3.Remove from the pan

BRING EVERYTHING TOGETHER

1.Add 2 tbsp of oil in the pan

2.Add eggs and make an egg scramble.

3.Then add all the ingredients for sauce and mix.

4.Once the sauce is mixed with the egg, add spring onions,broccoli, carrots, green pepper .

5.Then add the cooked chicken.

6.Finally the noodles and saute well.

7.Serve hot.

CHICKEN TERRIYAKI

Ingredients:
300 gms Chicken Breast
1/4 bunch broccoli
1 carrot
90 ml mirin
60ml soy sauce
60 ml sake
pinch of white pepper
pinch of salt
85 gms flour
1/4 cup oil

Recipe:

Prepare the vegetables:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1-tablespoon salt. Add broccoli and carrot.
2.Cook until slightly tender, not soft. Remove them from water and run under cold water until they are cooled.
3. Heat oil and in large sauce pan and add the vegetables.Cook for 3-4 minutes and keep it aside.

To Pan Fry:
1.Coat the chicken with flour,which helps it to keep it from burn.
2.Make the sauce by mixing soy sauce and mirin
3.Heat a sauce pan with oil and then add garlic
4.Pan fry the chicken for about 4-5 minutes.Flip on the other side and repeat the same.
5.once the chicken is cooked pour sake.
6.Add the mirin-soy mixture to reduce the sauce.Sprinkle salt and pepper.
7.Once its done cut the chicken and arrange it on a plate with the vegetables.