Napa Cabbage Chicken Blanket Dumplings

 

Ingredients:

For the filling

500 g. minced chicken (mixture of thigh and breast)

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce (add a bit more if your soy sauce is less dark)

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

1 large egg

1 tablespoon corn flour/corn starch

2 sprigs spring onion (washed and sliced)

For the blanket dumplings

8 pieces Napa cabbage leaves (leafy part only)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

3/4 cup water

For the finishing sauce

1 sprig spring onion (sliced)

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon PEKIN Spicy Secret Sauce or chili oil

Methods:

1. To blanch the Napa cabbage: Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add the leaves and blanch until softened.  Remove, drain well and set aside.
2. To make the filling:  In a large mixing bowl, combine the minced chicken, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, egg and corn flour/corn starch.  Mix until well combined.  Add the spring onion and mix again until evenly distributed.
3. To assemble the blanket dumplings: With a non-stick pan off the heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil.  Divide the chicken filling into 8 portions directly in the pan, leaving a little space between each one.  Place a blanched cabbage leaf over each portion like a blanket, then gently shape the cabbage around the top and sides.  There is no need to fold or seal it; the bottom of the chicken remains directly against the pan.
4. To pan-fry the blanket dumplings:  Place the pan over medium heat and cook for about 1 minute until the bottoms of the chicken begin to set.
5. To steam the blanket dumplings:  Carefully pour the water into the pan, cover with lid and cook for about 6 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through.
6. To crisp the bottoms:  Remove the lid and continue cooking for about 1 minute, until the excess water has evaporated and the bottoms are golden.
7. To serve:  Finish with the sliced spring onion, light soy sauce and the PEKIN spicy secret sauce or chili oil.
8. Serve immediately.

Assembled, Step 3

This recipe is adapted from 'cicili.tv' with slight adjustments to suit my cooking preference.

Peppery Ginger Chicken Soup

 

This is one classic and aromatic Chinese peppery and clear ginger chicken soup, which most grandmas/mums/aunts/sisters will cook and serve when someone feels unwell in the family.

Ingredients: (serves 2)

2 whole chicken legs (cleaned and removed excess fat; cut into 2 parts)

1 thumb sized ginger (peeled and sliced thick)

6 garlic cloves (peeled and lightly smashed)

3 bowls water (add slightly more if needed)

1 teaspoon white peppercorns (toasted and lightly crushed)

1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Salt (to taste)

Methods:

1. In a pot, boil water; blanch the chicken pieces for 1 minute, rinse and drain. This step keeps the soup clear.
2. In a clean pot, add chicken, ginger, garlic, peppercorns and water.  Bring to a boil, then lower to gentle simmer for 35-40 minutes. 
3. Remove scum, if any.  Add light soy sauce, sesame oil and salt.  Taste for correct seasoning.
4. Serve immediately.
5. Tip: For extra depth, add 5 dried red dates.

I adapted this nutritious recipe from 'Chinese and South East Asian Cooking.'

Asian Pickled Cucumber

With the strong heat, I have been buying more cucumbers for our consumption.  Cucumbers have a high water content which helps meet our daily fluid needs and stay cool.  Let me share this Asian Pickled Cucumber with all cucumbers lovers.  It's easy to prepare and doesn't take up much time in the kitchen.

Ingredients: (serves 2)

1 Japanese cucumber (large)

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce

1/2 tablespoon sugar (add more if you prefers slightly sweeter)

3 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped) - adjust to your liking

2 birds eye chili (cut into slices) - adjust to your liking

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 tablespoon salt (for marinating the cucumber)

Methods:

1. Wash and cucumbers.  Cut into half and remove the seeds.  Cut into strips and place in a bowl.
2. Mix the salt with the cucumbers and let them marinate for 1 hour.  Wash the salt off the cucumbers and squeeze out any excess water.  Place the cucumbers in a clean bowl.
3. Mix in sugar, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, chili and garlic.
4. The pickled cucumbers are ready to eat.  I prefer to let it chill in the fridge and stir to ensure even marination.

This recipe is adapted from 'cookingwithlei.com' with slight adjustment to suit my preference.

Coffee Bean Cookies

A recipe I have added to my 'To-Bake List' for not sure how long ago, maybe 2 years ago??  Yes, it's definitely years ago hehehe... ~ smile ~

This recipe is adapted online, not able to name the source as it's in Chinese, and thankful that the recipe and instructions have English added, or else I won't be able to bake it.

Ingredients:

150 g. Cake Flour (sifted)

15 g. cocoa powder (unsweetened)

9 g. coffee powder

45 g. caster sugar

75 g. unsalted butter (room temperature)

15 g. milk

1 1/2 g. baking powder (sifted)

Methods:

1. In a small pot, heat milk and coffee powder and stir until dissolved, then set aside to let it cool.
2. In a mixer bowl, add sugar and butter, beat until pale.  Then add flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder.  Mix until well combined.  Add coffee milk to form a dough.  I add additional few teaspoons of milk as the dough is quite dry.
3. Divide dough into 10 gram portions, shape into coffee beans, press a line in the center, using the back of a small knife.
4. Place the cookies on a lined baking sheet.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degree Celsius (top heat) and 140 degree Celsius (bottom heat) for 14 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the cookies on a wire rack to let it cool down.  Enjoy!

Ready for baking

Baking in progress

Asian Cucumber Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

1 cucumber (I use Japanese cucumber, can use the normal type)

1 small handful of black fungus (washed, soaked, remove hard core) - can add mushrooms, if desired

3 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)

Dashes chicken stock granules (to taste)

1/4 cup water (for cooking, add more if needed)

1 teaspoon corn flour mix with 1 tablespoon water  

Enough cooking oil

Methods:

1. Heat oil in a frying pan/wok over medium heat.  Add the egg and fry until it's cooked, then cut into small pieces with spatula and set it aside.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in the same pan/wok.  Saute garlic until slightly golden, then add the cucumber, egg and black fungus/mushroom and chicken stock granules, stirring until well combined.  Pour in 1/4 cup of water and cover the pan with a lid.  Cook until the cucumbers are cooked through.  Remove the lid.
3. Reduce the heat and add the cornstarch water mixture.  Stir until everything is well coated.
4. Switch off heat and dish onto a plate.
5. Serve immediately when still hot.

I adapted this recipe from 'Cooking With Lei' with slight adjustments to suit my cooking preference.

Fried and Simmered Eggs

This simple egg dish is packed with flavor.  It is first fried, then simmered in few simple sauce ingredients, and WOW!!  Let's enjoy this egg dish with freshly cooked hot fluffy rice - YUMMY!

Ingredients: (serves 2)

3 eggs 

1/2 onion (peeled and sliced)

1 tablespoon Kicap Manis ABC

2 tablespoons tomato ketchup

2 tablespoons chili sauce

2 bird's eye chilis (thickly sliced)

200 ml. water

Cooking oil

Methods:

1. In a heated wok, add enough cooking oil and fry the eggs according to your preference, and set aside.
2. In the same wok, add a bit more oil.  Add in sliced onion and saute till soft and fragrant.
3. Next, add in Kicap manis, tomato ketchup, chili sauce and water.  Simmer for 1 minute.
4. Return the fried eggs to the sauce.  Ladle the sauce over the eggs, flip the eggs over to ensure even cooking.
5. Add in chili and simmer for a quick minute.
6. Dish up and serve immediately!

This 'Simple Yet Yummylicious' recipe is adapted from 'Mama Pearl Asian Kitchen' by Pearl Ng, with slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.

Fried-Cooked Fish

This savory fish dish is cooked twice; first fried in oil, then cooked with ginger, chilis and preserved bean paste, which is widely known as taucu or tau cheong.  Most Chinese home cooks are specialized in this dish.  It is a 'Simple Yet Yummylicious' dish!  This time round, I did not add chili into it as my pantry is out of chili.  Will grab some when I go for my next grocery shopping.

I have cooked this dish before, so to get the full recipe click this link here.

Hope you all love this savory dish as much as my family 👍