Yam Cake

Ingredients:

300g yam root
3 tbsp non-glutinous flour
½ tsp 5-spice powder
1 tsp sugar
½ salt
2 tbsp oil

Filling for yam cake:

100g lean pork (cut into cubes)
1 green pepper (sliced)
4 pcs black mushroom (sliced)
1 pc carrot(cut into cubes)
100g small prawns
50g green peas
½ can button mushrooms (cut into half)
1 tsp corn flour - mix with half bowl water
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic (smashed)
3 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

Remove skin of yam roots and cut yam into round pieces about 1 cm thick. Steam yam for 20-39 mins or until soft. Mash the steamed yam with 5-spice powder, sugar, salt and oil.

Pour boiling water into non-glutinous flour, mix well, then mix together with mashed yam and knead for about 5 mins. Shape into ring and deep fry until light brown on both sides. Keep aside.

Heat wok with oil, add garlic and fry until fragrant, add filling and stir fry for a minute. Add salt, soy sauce, oyster sauce. Stir fry until cooked, poor in the corn-starch to thicken and stir fry for another half minute. Pour ingredients into the yam ring and serve. Garnish the outer side of the yam ring with deep-fried rice vermicelli.

Pasta with Tuna and Mayonnaise

Ingredients:
(serving for 2)

200 gm Fusilli (corkscrew pasta)
1 can Tuna Flakes
1 bowl Cherry tomatoes (sliced)
1 cup Yellow Peas
3 tbsp Mayonnaise
Olive oil
Dried basil
Black Pepper to taste

Method:

Cook fusilli according to the directions in the packet; drain and cool. Pour a tbsp of olive oil into the fusilli and mix well.

Cook the peas until tender (the peas can be soaked overnight to cut cooking time), drain and cool.

In a bowl, place the fusilli, yellow peas, cherry tomatoes and tuna flakes. Sprinkle some dried basil leaves and some pepper. Add the mayonnaise and mix well.

Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Winter Melon Soup

Ingredients:

1 big Chinese melon
8 dried Chinese mushrooms, soak and remove stems
1 small carrot, sliced
20 button mushrooms
10 waterchestnuts, peeled
1 piece dried squid
6 dried red dates
8 pieces canned bamboo shoots
250 gm chicken pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley and spring onions (for garnishing)
1½ litres water

Method:

Cut melon top and scoop out seeds and some of the flesh leaving a smooth melon bowl. Take care not to puncture the melon or scoop out too much of the fresh which will make the melon bowl very flimsy when cooked.

Fill the melon bowl with all the ingredients and place in a fitted steamer. Cover and steam for two hours.

Garnish and serve hot.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Ingredients:

½ cucumber
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp plum sauce
2 tbsp malt vinegar
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ large onion, sliced

Method:

Peel the cucumber, discarding the soft central side, then cut into slices 1 cm wide. Sprinkle it with salt and set aside for an hour. Squeeze the cucumber to remove as much moisture as you can, then set it aside for later use.

Place 150 ml of cold water in a saucepan with the plum sauce, vinegar, tomato sauce and sugar and bring the mixture to a simmer.

In a separate saucepan or wok, heat the oil and fry the sliced onions over a high heat until the edges begin to brown. Add the cucumber and stir rapidly for a minute or two.

Transfer the cucumber and onion to the simmering sauce and cook for a minute or two. The sauce can now be combined with other ingredients such as chicken, pork or seafood to make a superb sweet and sour dish.

Variations:

Omit the tomato sauce but add a skinned and quartered tomato. Omit the cucumber and substitute a small can of drained pineapple chunks.

Use two stalks of spring onions, cut into 2.5 cm lengths, in the sauce instead of the large onion. Or omit the cucumber and add a green or red pepper cut into 2 cm cubes.

Gong Xi Fa Cai

I would like to wish everyone "Happy Chinese New Year". May the Year of the Ox brings prosperity, good health, peace and happiness to everyone. Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Herbs

Nothing improves food so simply and dramatically as a leaf or two of fresh herbs. They offer every sort of flavour from grassy to peppery, aromatic to pungent.

Basil
Basil has a rich, peppery flavour and powerful aroma. Basil is particularly good with tomatoes and is frequently used in Italian dishes and other Mediterranean-style and Vietnamese recipes especially with vegetables.

Bay Leaf
Unlike most herbs, aromatic bay leaves are equally good fresh and dried. Bay forms part of the classic bouquet garni*, which is added to fish or meat stocks, soups and casseroles.

Chives
These bright-green stems have a fresh, oniony flavour and are delicious sprinkled on potato salad, baked potatoes and on vichyssoise soup. They provide a slightly hot contrast for bland creamy dishes.

Coriander
A powerful flavoured herb that looks like flat-leaf parsley. Coriander has special affinity with chillies, garlic, ginger and spring onions and often adds its heat to exotic food such as Thai dishes, stir-fries and salsas.

Dill
The delicate flavour of dill means it goes splendidly with fish, shellfish boiled potatoes and cream cheese. It is also good in sauces and dips make with mustard or sour cream, and it is traditionally used when curing salmon.

Rosemary
This has a very pronounced flavour and should be used sparingly. It is best kept for roast or baked lamb, chicken and potato dishes.

Parsley
There are tow types of parsley, curly and fat. Chinese curly parsley for dishes such as salmon fish cakes and parsley sauce, and for deep-frying to serve as a garnish with goujons of sole. Use the flat variety for Middle Eastern dishes, soups, salads and as a finish garnish.

Thyme
Thyme is easy to grow and can be dried or frozen without any loss of flavour. It is best with meat or poultry casseroles and with tomatoes, cheese and mustard.

*Bouquet garni consists of three sprigs of parsley, two of thyme and a bay leaf, often tied up with a celery stalk or a section of leek and added to casseroles and stocks.

Mango and Prawn Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup snow peas
1 large ripe mango
16 large cooked prawns, peeled, deveined and halved lengthwise
4 spring onions, thinly sliced diagonally
2 cups mesclun (salad greens)

For the dressing:

1 slice garlic, crushed
1 tsp chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp palm or light brown sugar
1 tsp chopped coriander root
¼ cup fresh coriander leaves
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp peanut oil
¼ cup lime juice

Method:

To make the dressing, put all the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together.

Trim the snow peas and steam for 5 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Refresh in a bowl of chilled water, then drain and pat dry.

Peel and slice the mango. Arrange the prawns and mango on four individual plates, Sprinkle the snow peas and spring onion and mesclun evenly on top.

Spoon the dressing over the salads and serve immediately.

Variation:

For a sweeter dressing, substitute orange juice for the lime juice and add peeled fresh orange segments to the salad.