Traditional Egg Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

• Plain flour 150g
• Eggs 3 large
• Sugar 120 gs

Method:

• Beat sugar and eggs with electric beater on high about 15 mins. Fold the flour from sides to centre lightly but quickly till combine.
• Pour onto bamboo basket lined with glass paper. Make sure to fill up to the brim.
• Steam on high heat for 30 mins. Remember to get the boiling water ready beforehand.

Luffa (Prawn Pancake)

Ingredients:

• Luffa 2 medium size (skinned and sliced)
• Garlic 4 cloves(chopped)
• Prawns 100g medium size
• Sweet potatoes flour 100g
• Water 1 rice bowl
• Salt 1 tsp

Method:

• Peel prawns, season in salt and sugar for an hour. Rinse and pat dry.
• Cut luffa into thin slices.
• Mix flour, water and salt together. Leave aside for 1/2 hour. Divide into 2 portions.
• Heat the pan and add 3 tbls of oil fry 1/2 of garlic, add 1/2 luffa and 1/2 prawns. Stir fry 2 mins. Stir the batter and add in 1/2. Even out the ingredients and let it brown on one side before turning over to brown other side.
• Remove and serve with chopped chillis and garlic. Continue with other portions as above.

Popiah (Spring Roll)

Ingredients for Wrapper:

• 500g Plain flour (sieved)
• 500ml Water
• 1 tsp Salt

Method:

• Mix well ingredients into a dough. Leave at room temperature covered with cling paper.
• Mix well with a hand held mixer or by hand. Hold the dough in one hand and rub onto hotplate or heated frying pan oiled with a piece of cloth.
• Keep a low heat. Peel off when the wrapper skin leaves the sides. Keep freshly made wrapper covered with clean cloth.

Please refer to the 2 types of Popiah recipes below.

Hokkien Popiah

Ingredients:

• Bangkwang 1kg
• French bean 150g
• Cabbage 150g (cut all vegetables into thin strips)
• Carrot 150g
• Taukwa 2 big pcs (cut into strips)
• Dried prawns 50g (chopped coursely)
• Chinese sausages 2pcs (cut into thin slices)
• Eggs 3 hardboiled (cut up into small pieces)
• Beansprout 400g (cleaned and blanch with hot water)
• Sweet flour sauce Fatman brand
• Chillis paste and peanuts (same as Jiao An version)
• Garlic 12 cloves
• Chopped Parsley
• Chinese lettuce

Method:

• Heat the wok with 5 tbls oil and add taukwa to fry gently on all sides, add a little garlic, fry a few more mins.
• Remove and leave aside. Fry each ingredient separately with the garlic except the taugeh, sausages and eggs.
• Put all together and add a little water to boil gently, add salt and msg to taste. Use the wrapper to wrap all ingredients together.

Jiao An Popiah

Ingredients:

• Bean sprout 500g (soaked in water until ready for use)
• Taukwa 5 pcs (cut into strips)
• Small prawns 500g (cleaned and shelled)
• Belly pork 300g (boil and cut into strips
• Peanuts 1kg (dry fry, remove skin and blended)
• Sesame seeds 150g (dry fry till fragrance)
• Plum sauce 1 small bottle
• Garlic 12 cloves or more (chopped)
• Dry chillis 100 g boiled and seeded (blended together to make a paste)
• Fresh chillis/chillis padi 100g with salt and sugar

Method:

• Heat the wok add 4 tbls oil stir fry the beansprout, add salt and msg to taste. Dish out and leave aside.
• Next use 6 tbls oil pan fry the taukwa lightly, dish aside, add the garlic stirfry 2 mins add the prawns and belly pork.
• Add salt and msg to taste. Dish out. Use the wrapper to wrap by putting the rest of the ingredients together.

Hae Piah Ji (Deep Fried Prawn Fritters)

Ingredients:

• Batter - Plain flour 500 gms
• Bean sprouts (Tau Geh) palm size grasp (use 2/3 of 20cts)
• Bangkwang 1/2 of medium size (shredded)
• Onions 1 red medium size (shredded)
• Salt 2 tspsful
• Ajinomoto (optional)
• Water add enough to make a smooth batter
• Small white prawns 150 gms or more (wash and leave the shell on, pat dry)

Method:

• Add water slowly to make a thick batter. Slowly add in the rest of the ingredients except the prawns.
• Heat the oil till hot, put in the ladle to heat, remove and put a small amount on to the ladle, spread it out and put a few pieces of prawns on top, put it back into the hot oil to deep fry for a few mins before it comes loose.
• Fry till golden brown. Remove, cut up and serve with the special homemade chilli sauce.
• *May also deep fry Tau Kwa and squid. Cut up some cucumber to go with it as well.

Ingredients for Chilli Peanut Sauce:

• Assam paste 150 gms (take 1/2 of a small pack)
• Water 3 cups (mix with water to extract juice)
• Roasted peanuts 300 gms
• Sesame seeds 50 gms
• Chilli boh 50cts
• Garlic 4-5 cloves (pounded)
• Ginger 2-3 cm (pounded)
• Sugar (according to your own taste)
• Cornstarch 2 tsps mix with a little water

Method:

• Bring water and assam juice to a boil.
• Add in the rest of ingredients. Stir till all combine, add the cornstarch to thicken.

Braised Hokkien Noodle

Ingredients:

• Hokkien yellow noodle 500 gms
• Chinese Wongbok 5 big leaves
• Chinese mushroom 4 pcs
• Prawns 8 pcs
• Fish cake 1 pc
• Pork or chicken few slices (optional)
• Celery and spring onions 4 stalks each
• Garlic 4 cloves (chopped)
• Chicken broth 1 ½ bowl
• Cornstarch 1 tbls mixed with a little water
• Carrots few slices

Method:

• Wash and cut all the ingredients.
• Heat up 3 tbls of oil. Fry the garlic till fragrant.
• Add in the mushroom, wongbok and carrots.
• Put in the water or broth, bring to a boil then add the meat, prawns, fish cake, lastly add the noodle (rinsed in cold water).
• Add salt to taste and the cornstarch. Braise for 1 min.
• Dish and serve with the chopped spring onions.

Jiao-wan Steam Boat

All time favourite for the Chinese New Year. But be prepared to sweat it out in the kitchen for hours. Use the steamboat to have this dish so it really piping hot. Also to get the soup base boil a lot of chicken bones, and add in the chinese Wongbok (pek chai).

Please refer to step by step recipes for the various dishes featured below.

Ngo Hiang (Bak Gne)

Ingredients:

• Belly pork 600 gms
• Prawns 120 gms
• Dried Prawns 30 gms
• Spring Onions 15 gms
• Five Spice Power 1/2 tsp
• Egg 1/2
• Plain Flour 2 tbls
• Salt 2 tsp
• Bean Sheet 1pc

Method:

• Remove the skin on the pork, partially freeze the whole piece of meat for easy slicing. Cut into very thin strips.
• Mince the prawns and chop up the dried prawns. Put all into a big pot.
• Add the chopped spring onions, five spice, salt, egg, and plain flour. Combine well and set aside.
• Cut bean sheet into 8 equals in length. Wipe with wet towel to remove excess salt. Put a small handful of the mixture on the sheet and roll up. Continue till all done.
• Heat up enough oil to deep dry. Cut into bite sizes before deep frying. Fry till golden brown.
• *May deep dry whole roll. Cut and serve with plum sauce (mui cheo).

Mince Pork with Ginger Egg Roll

Ingredients:

• Mince pork 600 gms
• Eggs (4 big eggs)
• Ginger 50 gms (chopped finely)
• Salt 2 tspsful
• Water 2 tblsful
• Dried mushroom 10 pieces

Method:

• Beat up eggs gently with the water. Put through the strainer.
• Using non stick pan rub a little oil with paper towel. Medium heat pour enough egg mixture into the pan. Swirl around to make a thin omelette. Remove and continue for the rest.
• Mix the mince meat and the chopped ginger,salt with a little egg. Combine and lift up handfuls to hit back for about 5 mins.
• Wrap in the egg sheets, roll and then steam at medium heat for about 15 mins.
• Cool and cut into bite sizes for the steamboat. Also soaked the mushroom, clean and dry, cut into 1/2 and put a little meat mixture into it and steam as like the egg roll.

Hae Choh (Prawn Balls)

Ingredients:

• Prawns 2kg
• Pork Lard 100 gms
• Salt 4 Tsps

Method:

• Clean up prawns and peeled. Pat dry with paper towel or spread out to fan dry. Make sure the prawns is very dry to have good result. Mince in an electric mincers.
• Also mince the pork lard. May omit the lard for healthier reason but the taste and texture may not be as authentic like my grandma used to make.
• Put all into a big container, add salt. Combine and lift up handfuls of mixture, hit back into the mixture for number of times to creat springy texture.
• Heat up enough oil to deep fry. At medium heat, make prawns balls by holding a handful of mixture and squeeze out between the thumb and pointer. Scoop it out with a spoon soaked in water to prevent sticking. Deep fry and keep stirring with the back of the ladle to make it round.
• Remove when it is golden brown. Cool and use it steamboat, maggie mee, mee hoon soup etc. Happy cooking!

Chap Chye (Mix Vegetables)

Ingredients:

• Cabbage 300gms
• Dried mushroom 30gms
• Wood ears (Bok Gne) 20gms
• Dried lily flower (Kim Chiam) 25gms
• Bean Stick (Tau Kee) 30 gms
• Tang Hoon 40gms
• Salted yellow bean (Tau Cheo) 6 tbls mashed
• Garlic 10 cloves (chopped)
• Water 3 bowls
• Dark soya sauce 2 tblsful
• Belly pork 200 gms (*May omit belly pork for vegetarian)

Method:

• Wash and tear the cabbage into big pieces.
• Soak the mushroom, woodears, lily flower, bean stick and tang hoon separately.
• Drain the tanghoon and leave it aside. Clean and cut the mushroom into big pieces. Tie a knot on the lily flower. Cut bean stick into 8cm long.
• Wash and clean the woodears.
• Use 6-8 tbls of oil. Fry the garlic till brown.
• Add the taucheo to fry till fragrant.
• Next add the mushroom then the belly pork.
• Add the rest of the ingredients, stir well to combine then add the dark soya sauce.
• Add in the water. Stir and allow to simmer till tender with low fire. May add msg and salt to taste. Lastly add in the tanghoon.

Fried Taukwa and Preserved Radish, Celery and Sugar

Ingredients:

• 2 big pieces of taukwa
• 50 gms preserved radish (chai por)
• Garlic 3-4 cloves
• Sugar 2 big tablespoonfuls or more
• Celery leaves 30-40 gms
• 5-6 tablespoons of oil

Method:

• Cut taukwa into oblong strips.
• Radish cut into thick strips (wash out excess salt).
• Chop garlic and cut celery into inch long.
• Gently pan fry the taukwa on all sides with oil. Remove and set aside.
• Add in the radish and fry for a few minutes then add chopped garlic, fry until lightly brown.
• Add the fried taukwa, stir to combine. Add in sugar and stir gently add 2 tbls of water and the celery.
• Stir to combine then dish out to serve with porridge or white rice. Delicious!

Oh Ku Kueh

Ingredients:

• Glutinous rice flour - 300 gms (50 gms extra for dusting)
• Sugar 60 gms
• Hiah leaves 100gms (boil and pounded)
• Banana leaves 20 pcs cut into squares (wash and brush with oil)
• Boiling water 200~225mls

Filling A:

• Split green bean 250 gms (wash and soak for 3 hours). Drain and steam till soft.
• Old ginger 100 gms (pounded). Mash it all up and fry in low heat.
• Salt 2 tspsful heat with the ginger and salt.

Filling B:

• Bangkwang 500 gms (cut into strips). Use 3 tblsful of oil fry garlic till fragrant.
• Dried prawns 100 gms (chopped). Add dried prawns, fry then add the pepper 1 tpsful or more bangkwang. Add salt and pepper.
• Salt 2 tspsful or more.
• Garlic 6-8 cloves (chopped).

Method:

• Put flour into big container.
• Make a hole in the middle and add the boiling water. Stir gently till it thickens, add the pounded leaves and sugar.
• Knead till all combine. Use the extra flour for dusting.
• Take a small portion of dough, make a hole in the middle and spread out the edges . Put 2 tbls of fillings and wrap up.
• Press into mould, knock out and put on the leaf to steam for about 8 -10 mins.
• Brush with a little oil before steaming. For wooden mould dust with flour. For plastic mould brush with oil.