咖哩椰奶雞/Curry Coconut Chicken

This Curry Coconut Chicken is super delicious!  Although it takes about an hour and half to get ready you will be rewarded when you taste it.  Most of time you just let it simmer so its good for the busy multi-tasking mother.  This chicken has a tropical taste combining with the curry and coconut flavor.  I also used a little bit of Chili broad bean paste and satay sauce giving it a unique Szechuan flair.  I only used a little bit of cooking oil and cooked the chicken with the skin on so it produces natural oil and doesn't taste very heavy.  Make sure to use a nonstick wok or pan to cook because the chicken may stick during simmering.  If you ever host a party you can definitely use this Curry Coconut Chicken as a hot dish and serve it along with goes some rice or naan.  

Ingredients:
(Makes 2+ servings)

• 5 chicken legs 
• 1lb white potatoes
• 1 oz sliced ginger
• 1 oz garlic
• 3 green onion
• half white onion
• 1 oz fresh basil
• 1 tbsp crystal sugar
• 2 tbsp curry sauce
• 1 tsp satay sauce
• 1 tsp chili broad bean paste
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1 tbsp grape seed oil

Directions:

1. Peel the garlic and cut the green onion approximately 1.5 inch long.  Julienne the onion.  Peel and wash the potatoes.
2. In a nonstick medium saucepan or a wok, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat.  Add garlic, green onion, onion and ginger to fry.  After about a minute, add curry sauce, satay sauce and chili broad bean paste.  Mix everything evenly, and then add the chicken legs.  Keep stirring the chicken legs until they are not longer pink outside, add the coconut milk, crystal sugar and basil.  Cover and reduce the heat to lower-high and let it simmer for about 45 minutes, add potatoes.  Mix everything evenly and make sure the chicken or potatoes are not sticking to the bottom.  Cover and let it simmer for 30 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate.  Now enjoy!

魚香鮮貝/Scallop and Water Chestnut Stir-fried in Spicy Sauce

This is my new favourite seafood dish.  It's simple and easy to make.  I already posted this recipe a month and half ago when I just started blogging.  Now I am editing and reposting this recipe again because I just made it for dinner tonight and it was unbelievably delicious!  This time I added some water chestnuts adding a nice texture to the dish.  I also changed the cooking style so that the scallops taste even more fresh and juicy.  The baby spinach I used for decoration but we ended up finishing all of it along with the sauce.  The spinach tastes so delicious with the sauce, it's like another unique salad.  My husband said that I should use more spinach next time.  This dish takes about 20 minutes to make.

Ingredients:

•          2 tbsp olive oil
•          10 oz scallops
•          2 tbsp ground garlic
•         8 water chestnuts 
•          1 tbsp ground ginger
•          1 tbsp red chili pepper
•          Half cup green onion

For the cooking sauce:

•           1 tbsp chili sauce
•           1 tsp sugar
•           1 tsp cooking wine
•           1 tbsp vinegar
•           1 tbsp sesame oil
•           1 tbsp corn starch water

To marinate the scallops:

•           1 egg white
•           1 tbsp starch
•           ½ tbsp salt

Directions:

1. Marinate the scallops for 10 minutes before cooking.  Mix all the cooking sauce ingredients.  Make sure it’s evenly mixed.
2. Peel the skin off the water chestnuts, and then chop or grind them.
3. In a medium non-stick saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add marinated scallops to cook, make sure to cook both sides until they are almost ready - about 6 minutes.  Transfer scallops to a plate. 
4. Wash the pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add ground garlic, ginger, water chestnuts and half cup green onion to cook.  About half minute, add the scallops and cooking sauce.  Mix everything evenly. Keep stirring for about about 3 minutes.  Transfer the scallops to the serving plate, garnish with chopped green onion on top and then you are done!

鳳梨虾沙拉/Cantaloupe, Pineapple and Prawn Salad

If you like creamy rich food you will love this dish.  This Cantaloupe, Pineapple and Prawn Salad will make a perfect party dish because you can serve this cold or chilled and it can be kept at room temperature for a couple of hours.  It's also very easy to make.  For salad dressing, I used wasabi mayonnaise because wasabi tastes great with seafood and it adds a little kick that balances out nicely with the sweetness of the fruits.  

Ingredients:

• 1 lb prawns
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 oz pineapple
• 2 oz cantaloupe
• A few radish sprout
• 2 tbsp wasabi mayonnaise
• a quarter lemon

To marinate the prawn:

• 2 tbsp cornstarch 
• 1 egg white
• half tsp salt
• 1 tsp cooking wine
• half tsp white pepper powder

Directions:

1. Cut the prawns down the center of the back and take out the vein, and then marinate the prawns 10 minutes before cooking.  
2. Peel and cut the pineapple and cantaloupe into small chunks (as small as the prawns).  
3. In a nonstick medium saucepan or a wok, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat.  Add the marinated prawns to cook.  Stir and cook the prawn on both sides, until all the prawns are pink and ready - about 6 minutes.  Transfer prawns to a plate. 
4. In large mixing bowl, add the cooked prawns, pineapple, cantaloupe and wasabi mayonnaise.  Mix everything evenly and then transfer to a serving plate.  Garnish with radish sprouts and fresh squeezed lemon juice.  Now enjoy!

蓮藕章魚綠豆排骨湯/Lotus Root, Carrot, Octopus and Pork Rib Soup

This Lotus Root, Carrot, Octopus and Pork Rib Soup is a little bit similar to the Pork Rib and Lotus Root Soup but this soup combines other ingredients like carrot and dried octopus.  This soup tastes not only refreshing and delicious but also has the good flavor of seafood.  I also added mung beans that are supposed to clam your body down and balance out with lotus and dried octopus.  


According to traditional Chinese herbal medicine, lotus root and dried octopus are hot food.  They make your body stronger but also make your body hot so if you eat too much of it you are likely to get pimples.  There is cold food that clams your body down and helps with digestion and removing toxins from the body, but on the other hand, if you eat too much of this type of food you may feel less energy.  


In Chinese cooking it's important to balance out "hot" and "cold" ingredients so carrots and mung beans will balance out perfectly with lotus root and dried octopus.  Same as any other Chinese soup, this soup can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.  Just make sure to boil it for a few minutes before eating or every 24 hour period.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh chopped pork ribs
• 5 oz lotus roots
• 3 oz carrots
• 2 dried octopus
• 1 cup mung beans 
• 1 oz sliced ginger
• 2.5 liters water (about half of a large soup pot)
• 1½ tsp salt

Directions:

1. Wash and peel the skin for the lotus roots and carrots, and then slice them lengthwise to your preference. 
2. Soak the mung beans 15 minutes before cooking.  Wash, clean and soak the dried octopus 15 minutes before cooking.
3. In a large soup pot, add ribs, lotus roots, ginger, carrots, dried octopus, mung beans and water. Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, and then use a soup strainer to strain all the dark bubbles on top of the water.  Reduce the heat to the lowest and cook for 3 – 4 hours, add salt.   Now you are done!  This is very easy, right!

韭黃炒雞絲/Yellow Chive and Shredded Chicken Stir-fried

Yellow chives are very common Chinese vegetable.  They are garlic chives that have been grown under cover, without any exposure to direct sunlight.  This prevents the leaves from turning green, as the plant’s chlorophyll-absorbing molecules never kick into action.  Yellow chives have thick flat leaves, a yellow color, and a mild, “oniony” flavor.  They are in season in late winter and early spring.  When you cook yellow chives with meat, they absorb all the good flavor from the meat.  This dish is easy to make, it takes about 15 minutes.  Serve along with a bowl of rice, you will have a complete meal.

Ingredients:

• 5 oz shredded chicken
• 5 oz yellow chives
• 1 oz julienned green bell pepper
• 1 oz julienned red bell pepper
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• A quarter tsp salt
• 1 tsp chopped green onion

To marinate the chicken:

• 1 tsp chili broad bean paste 
• Half tsp chopped garlic
• Half tsp chopped green onion
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp cooking wine
• 1 tsp cornstarch 

Directions:

1. Marinate the chicken 10 minutes before cooking.  Cut the yellow chives approximately 1.5 inch long.
2. In a nonstick medium saucepan or a wok, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat.  Add the marinated chicken to cook, until the chicken is ready - about 7 minutes.  Transfer the chicken to a plate.  
3. Wash the pan, and then heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat.  Add chopped garlic to cook for about 1 – 2 minutes, until you can smell the garlic fragrances.  Be careful not to let it burn.  Add yellow chives, green and red bell pepper to cook.  Keep stirring for about 3 minutes.  Add salt, mix evenly with yellow chives and then add the cooked chicken to mix together.  Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with chopped green onion, you are done!

銀耳燉木瓜/Silver Ear Mushroom and Red Papaya Stew

I have been eating so much seafood and my skin has started getting some pimples recently.  So I thought I would make myself something to refresh my system and soothe my skin.  Silver Ear Mushroom and Papaya Stew is a Chinese classic dessert/stew.  You can eat it after the meal or just eat as snack.  Both Silver Ear Mushroom and papaya are well known beauty foods in China, so this stew is especially good for women.  I added some apricot kernels which you can find at any Chinatown or Chinese supermarket.  They are supposed to clam your body down and help with digestion and removing toxins from the body.  This stew can be served hot or cold, however I like it chilled.  I usually store it in the fridge until I am ready to drink it.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz dried Silver Ear Mushroom
• 1 medium sided red papaya
• 1 tbsp apricot kernels
• 1 tbsp crystal sugar
• 1 liter water

Directions:

1. Wash and soak the Silver Ear Mushroom 20 minutes before cooking.  Peel the papaya and take out the seeds.  Cut the papaya into small cubes.
2. In a medium nonstick pot, add the Silver Ear Mushroom, apricot kernels, crystal sugar and water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to the lowest, cook for one hour and half.  Add papaya cubes, and then cook for half an hour.  Now you are done, enjoy your Silver Ear Mushroom and Red Papaya Stew!