Taiwanese-style Shredded Chicken and Tofu

Ingredients

1 skinless and boneless chicken thigh
1 tsp Chinese Shaoxing wine
1 pack soft tofu
1 tsp dried bonito flakes

Sauce

50 g rock sugar
4 tbsp water
2 tbsp soy sauce

Method

1. To make the sauce, mix the water with the rock sugar and cook until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add soy sauce and cook until the sauce thickens and reduces by half. Set aside.
3. Marinate chicken with the wine for 2 hours. Steam over moderate heat for 8 minutes or until done.
4. Shred chicken and set aside.
5. Steam the tofu until heated through. Drain and cut into thick slices.
6. Assemble chicken and tofu onto the serving platter. Pour sauce over and sprinkle bonito flakes on top before serving.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Chicken Delicacy

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Taro Pudding

Ingredients

550 g taro
350 ml thick coconut milk
100 ml Pandan water
100 ml water
90 g sugar
85 g rice flour
85 g tapioca flour
a pinch of salt
200 g grated white coconut
2-3 Pandan leaves
a drop of purple food colouring

Method

1. Steam grated coconut on pandan leaves with salt for 7-10 minutes. Leave it to cool.
2. Cut taro and steam for 15 to 20 minutes until soft.
3. Mash the taro until fine and mix well with all the ingredients (except grated coconut).
4. Pour into a mould and steam for 25 to 30 minutes. Leave to cool.
5. Remove taro puddings from the moulds and coat each one in grated coconut before serving.

Source: Delicious Nyonya Kueh and Dessert

Japanese Udon Miso Soup with Chicken

Ingredients

8 dried shiitake mushrooms
13 oz fresh udon noodles
4 cups good-quality chicken stock
1-1/4 1b chicken breast fillets, cut into S/8-inch thick strips
10 oz baby bok Choy, halved lengthways
2 oz white miso paste
2 teaspoons dashi granules
1 tablespoon wakame flakes or other seaweed
5 oz silken firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch) cubes
3 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal

Method

1. Soak the mushrooms in 1 cup boiling water for 20 minutes. Squeeze dry, reserving the soaking liquid. Discard the woody stalks and thinly slice the caps.
2. Bring 8 cups water to the boil in a large saucepan and cook the noodles for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain immediately and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
3. Pour the stock and 4 cups water into a wok and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer.
4. Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until almost cooked through.
5. Add the mushrooms and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the bok Choy and simmer for a further minute, or until beginning to wilt, then add the miso paste, dashi granules, wakame and reserved mushroom liquid. Stir to dissolve the dashi and miso paste. Do not allow to boil.
7. Gently stir in the tofu.
8. Distribute the noodle among the serving bowls, then ladle the hot soup over them. Sprinkle with the spring onion before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: The Essential Wok Cookbook

Vietnamese-style Roasted Duck

Ingredients

1 teaspoon minced garlic
2-3 shallots, finely chopped
2 teaspoons five-spice powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup red rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 quarter portions duck (2 breasts and 2 legs)
1 cup coconut milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper
watercress, to serve
coriander sprigs, to garnish

Method

1. In a bowl, mix garlic, shallots, five-spice powder, sugar, vinegar, fish and soy sauces.
2. Add duck pieces and leave to marinate for at least 2-3 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator, turning occasionally.
3. Preheat oven to 220ºC (425ºF).
4. Remove duck portions from marinade and place, skin-side up, on a rack in a baking tin and cook in the oven for 45 minutes, without turning or basting.
5. Remove duck and keep warm. Heat the marinade with the drippings in the baking tin, add the coconut milk, bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then pour sauce into a serving bowl.
6. Serve duck portions on a bed of watercress, garnished with coriander sprigs.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: Vietnamese Cooking

Thai-style Steamed Pork and Vegetable Curry

Ingredients

7 oz lean ground pork
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 dried Kaffir lime leaf, soaked for 10 minutes and finely sliced
2 tablespoons fish sauce
12 oz Chinese cabbage, spinach or leeks (any combination)
4 tablespoons thick coconut ‘cream’, skimmed from top of canned coconut milk before it’s shaken
2 tablespoons fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut milk, curry paste, lime leaf and fish sauce and mix well. Taste to see if a pinch of sugar or extra fish sauce is needed, as once you begin steaming you can’t stir in more flavours. The sauce should be sweet, spicy and a little salty.
2. Mix in pork to the sauce.
3. Line a baking dish that will fit inside a steamer with aluminium foil or banana leaves.
4. Place washed and drained vegetables in the bottom of the dish. Cover well with pork and sauce. Place coriander sprigs on top.
5. Place in steamer and steam for 20 minutes until pork is fully cooked.
6. Serve with coconut cream spooned over the top, and more coriander leaves, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Thai Cooking