咖哩炒飯/Curry Squid Fried Rice

This Curry Squid Fried Rice is one of my favorites.  This dish combines a lot of different mushrooms, vegetables and seafood so it is very rich in fiber and packed with a lot of protein.  The curry gives it a very distinct Southeast Asian flavor.   This fried rice is simple to make and takes about 20 minutes.  Make sure not to cook the rice too soft or runny.

Ingredients:
(Makes 2+ servings)

• 2 bowls of rice (cooked)
• 2 eggs
• 5 oz squid
• 1 oz onion
• 1 oz carrots
• 1 oz squash
• 1 asparagus
• 1 oz white mushrooms
• 1 oz oyster mushrooms
• 1 oz enoki mushrooms
• 1 oz broccoli
• 1 small smoked sausage
• 1 tbsp chopped green onion
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• A quarter tsp white pepper powder
• 1½ tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Dice the carrots, onion, squash and sausages.  Slice asparagus and white mushrooms into small slices.  Shred the oyster mushrooms.
2. Pare and clean the squid, cut light crosses on it and slice it (You can also buy the pre-cut squid from any Chinese supermarket).
3. Bring half a medium pot of water to a boil.  Blanche carrots, squash, broccoli, asparagus and all mushrooms, and then use a large pasta scoop or a skimmer to take everything out.  Transfer to a plate.  Blanche the squid till it rolls up - only about half a minute.  Transfer to a plate.
4. Beat the eggs evenly in a bowl. 
5. In a nonstick medium saucepan or a wok, heat 1½ tbsp oil over medium-high heat.  Add egg and cook for about 1 minute.  Once the egg is ready, add onion, sausages, carrots, squash, asparagus and all mushrooms.  Stir everything for about 1 - 2 minutes, and then add the rice, squid, chopped green onion and curry powder.  Keep stirring everything for about 1 minute.  Add salt and white pepper powder.  Mix everything evenly.  Transfer to serving plate and garnish with broccoli.   You are done!  Enjoy!

冬瓜排骨燉蛤蜊/Winter Melon, Pork Rib and Clam Soup

This Winter Melon, Pork Rib and Clam Soup is super delicious!  It combines vegetable/fruit, meat and seafood.  The winter melon is so soft, tender and juicy after 2 hours of slow-cooking.  I had one big bowl of winter melon!  My husband's favorite are the clams.  They absorb all the good flavor from the winter melon and pork rib.  This soup is very easy to make, just like any other slow-cooked 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 clams
• 1 lb chopped pork ribs
• 1½ lb winter melon
• 1 oz sliced ginger
• 1 tsp cooking wine
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 liter water

Directions:

1. Cut the winter melon into small cubes.  Leave the skin on as this will keep the winter melon firm while slow-cooking.
2. In a large soup pot, add ribs, winter melon, ginger 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 2 hours then add clams and cooking wine.  Cook for half an hour, add salt.  Now you are done! 

鳳梨炒虾球/Pineapple and Prawn Stir-fried in Tomato Sauce

I recently have been cooking flowers and fruits a lot and I love how it compliments seafood and meat so nicely.  Since both my husband and my daughter love pineapple I started researching pineapple recipes.  I found that there are over 200 Chinese recipes that you can cook with pineapple.  I just made this Pineapple and Prawn Stir-fried in Tomato Sauce for dinner tonight and it was so delicious.  I changed some Chinese ingredients to western ingredients instead, and it was successful.  My husband is already asking me when I'm going to make it again.  This dish tastes a little bit sweet and sour because I used tomato sauce, and it goes very well with the prawn and pineapple.  I julienned the onion to enhance its flavour in the sauce to balance out the seafood.  My daughter loved eating the onion and pineapple.  She loves noodles and pastas and she called the julienned onion noodles.  She became so quiet after we put her on the high chair and she just kept eating and playing with the onions and sauce.  You can tell she was enjoying her "noodles".  

Ingredients:

• 1 lb prawns
• 5 oz pineapple
• half small onion
• half green bell pepper
• half red bell pepper
• 2 tbsp grape seed oil
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp chopped green onion
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• half tsp white pepper powder
• half tsp sugar
• half tsp salt
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch water

To marinate the prawn:

• 1 tbsp cornstarch water
• 1 tsp cooking wine
• half tsp white pepper powder
• half tsp chopped ginger
• half tsp sesame oil

Directions:

1. Julienne the onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper.  Peel and cut the pineapple into small chunks (as small as the prawn).
2. Cut the prawns down the center of the back and take out the vein.  Marinate the prawns 10 minutes before cooking.
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 5 minutes.  Transfer prawns to a plate. 
4. Wash the wok, and then heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat.  Add chopped ginger, julienned onion and all the bell peppers to cook.  After about 1 minute, add pineapple, cooked prawns, tomato sauce, white pepper powder, sugar, salt and white vinegar.  Keep stirring everything for about a minute, make sure everything is covered with tomato sauce.  Pour the cornstarch water and turn off the heat.  Mix everything evenly, and then transfer to a serving plate.  Lastly garnish with chopped green onion and you are done!

涼拌蒜味秋葵/Okra Salad in Garlic Dressing

The way to make this salad is very similar to the Chinese Chive Salad in Garlic Dressing.  Okra flowers are not only beautiful but they also taste delicious when you cook it.  When you buy Okra from a grocery store they are just flower buds.  Okra is not the best known vegetable in North America however it's a very popular vegetable in Southeast Asia.  It tastes crispy and fresh.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz Okra
• 1 tsp grape seed oil
• ½ tsp salt

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp chopped green onion
• 1 tsp chopped fresh red chili pepper
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• I tsp sesame oil
• ½ tsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt

Directions:

1. Bring half a medium pot of water to a boil.  Add oil and salt to the water - this will help to keep the Okra green.
2. Add the Okra into the boiling water for 2 minutes.  Transfer Okra to a serving plate, let cool.
3. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing and pour on top of the Okra.  Now enjoy your delicious Okra salad.

合掌瓜炒雞絲/Chayote and Shredded Chicken Stir-fried

Chayote is a good cooking fruit and a great source of amino acids and vitamin C and it can be eaten cooked or raw.  I like to cook chayote and chicken because the fragrances and good flavors of chicken are all absorbed by the Chayote but the texture remains fresh and crisp.  This dish is very easy to make with just a few simple ingredients but tastes very delicious.  Serve it along with a bowl of rice and you will have a complete meal.

Ingredients:

• 5 oz shredded chicken
• 1 medium Chayote
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• A quarter tsp salt
• 1 tbsp chopped green onion

To marinate the chicken:

• 1 tsp chili broad bean paste 
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp cooking wine
• 1 tbsp cornstarch water

Directions:

1. Marinate the chicken 10 minutes before cooking.  Peel the chayote and take out the middle part.  Julienne the Chayote.
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 fragrances of garlic.  Be careful not to let it burn.  Add Chayote to cook.  Keep stirring for about 1 - 2 minutes, make sure to cook lightly to retain the crisp flavor.  Be careful not to over cook them.  Add salt, mix evenly with Chayote and then add the cooked chicken to mix together.  Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with chopped green onion, you are done!

西洋菜排骨湯/Watercress and Pork Rib Soup

This Watercress and Pork Rib Soup is a good Spring soup.  This soup tastes fresh, clean and delicious.  A lot of Chinese restaurants serve this soup as "Soup of the day" because this soup is very nutritious, popular, easy to make and good for every one.  When you make this soup at home you will know for sure there is no MSG added.  Watercress contains significant amounts of iron, calcium and folic acid, in addition to vitamins A and C.  I read on Wikipedia that Watercress is believed to help defend against lung cancer and may also inhibit the growth of breast cancer. 

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches of watercress (About 10 oz)
• 1 lb fresh chopped pork ribs 
• ½ oz sliced ginger
• ½ oz apricot kernel (You can find it at any Chinatown or Chinese super market)
• 3 quarter tsp salt
• 2 liter water

Directions:

In a large soup pot, add ribs, ginger, apricot kernel 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 2 hours then add watercress.  Cook for half an hour, add salt.  Now you are done!