Blackberry, Honey, Chinese 5-Spice Smoothie

Adapted from Pen and Fork. Serves 2.

Ingredients

1. Water, 237ml
2. Frozen blackberries, 150g
3. Frozen pineapple chunks, 150g
4. Honey, 1tbsp
5. Chinese 5-spice powder, 1tsp
6. Sichuan peppercorns, 1/2 tsp

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients (following the order they are listed in, starting with the water) in a blender. 
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour into cups and serve immediately

Iron Egg (铁蛋)

Adapted from Sumptuous Flavours.

Ingredients

1. Hardboiled eggs, 6
2. Soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp
3. Black tea, 700ml
4. 5-spice powder, 1 tbsp

Instructions

1. In a pot, add all ingredients and bring to a boil.
2. Lower to medium heat and simmer for 10min.
3. Remove pot from heat.
4. Remove eggs from pot, dry and peel. 
5. Return eggs to pot and bring to a boil and simmer again for 10min.
6. Repeat process 10 times until eggs are shrunken and dark brown.

Green Tea Egg

Inspired by Chinese tea eggs.

Ingredients

1. Eggs, 3
2. Green tea, 400ml
3. Soy sauce, 60ml

Instructions

1. Hard boil the eggs for 10min.
2. Allow eggs to cool, then crack the egg shells.
3. In a pot, add green tea, soy sauce and cracked eggs and simmer for 20min.
4. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. Transfer eggs and liquid to a container and steep in the refrigerator for at least 4h.
6. Heat up the eggs, peel and remove the egg shells, and serve warm.
7. Store refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Tea Egg (茶叶蛋)

Ingredients

1. Eggs, 3
2. Tea, 400ml
3. Soy sauce, 60ml

Instructions

1. Hard boil the eggs for 10min.
2. Allow eggs to cool, then crack the egg shells.
3. In a pot, add tea, soy sauce and cracked eggs and simmer for 20min.
4. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. Transfer eggs and liquid to a container and steep in the refrigerator for at least 4h.
6. Heat up the eggs, peel and remove the egg shells, and serve warm.
7. Store refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Fried Tang Yuan

Inspired by mitarashi dog.

Ingredients

1. Cooked tang yuan
2. Pancake mix, 100g
3. Milk, 70ml
4. Egg, 1
5. Oil, for frying

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix pancake mix, milk and egg.
2. Coat tang yuan in the batter.
3. In a pot, heat oil to 180C.
4. Fry tang yuan in oil until crisp and golden brown.

Three-Colour Eggs (三色蛋）

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

1. Chicken egg, 2
2. Salted duck egg, 1
3. Century egg, 1

Instructions

1. Separate the egg yolks and egg whites in the chicken eggs.
2. Beat the egg yolks and egg whites in separate bowls.
3. In a bowl filled with boiling water, immerse century egg for 5min.
4. Dice the salted duck egg and century egg into chunks.
5. In a heat-proof container, add the salted duck egg and century egg chunks.
6. Pour in the egg white and steam for 5min.
7. Pour in the top layer of egg yolk and steam for another 10min.
8. Remove and cool to room temperature.
9. Refrigerate the egg until solid, then remove from the container and cut into pieces.

Sesame Pumpkin Kueh

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

1. Pumpkin puree, 100g
2. Glutinuous rice flour, 40g
3. Plain flour, 40g
4. Icing sugar, 10g
5. White sesame seeds
6. Oil

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients except sesame seeds and mix well.
2. Divide into 6 portions and shape into flat round cakes.
3. Cover with sesame seeds.
4. In a pan, add oil and heat until hot.
5. Cook the cakes in the pan on both sides until golden brown.
6. Serve hot.

Pineapple Doubanjiang

Inspired by A Bite of China, adapted from here. Can be added to fish and steamed.

Ingredients

1. Pineapple, 1, chopped
2. Fermented soybeans, 150g
3. Sugar, 100g
4. Salt, 50g
5. Liquorice root, 2 slices

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except for the liquorice evenly.
2. Fill a large glass jar with the mixture. 
3. Add liquorice on top, then seal the jar.
4. Leave to ferment for 1-2 month.

Charcoal Dough Sticks (Charcoal You Tiao)

Adapted from Octaphilosophy by André Chiang. 

Ingredients

Vegetable Ash

1. Carrot, 1
2. Onion, 1

Dough

1. Plain/all-purpose flour, 300g
2. Vegetable ash, 7.5g
3. Caster sugar, 40g
4. Active dried yeast, 5g
5. Water, 175ml + 10ml
6. Baking soda, 1g
7. Salt, 5g
8. Oil, for frying

Instructions

Vegetable Ash

1. Grill carrot and onion until completely blackened.
2. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 100C for 8-10h until dehydrated.
3. Let cool and process to a fine powder by pounding with a mortar and pestle/using a food processor.

Dough

1. In a large bowl, mix flour, vegetable ash, sugar, yeast and 175ml of water. 
2. Shape the dough into a ball and place in the bowl. Cover with oiled clingfilm and set aside to prove for 30 min, until doubled in size.
3. In a separate small bowl, mix 10ml of water with baking soda and salt. 
4. Knead the mixture into the dough, then return the dough to the bowl, cover and prove for another 45min.
5. Flatten the dough, and cut into 40 strips.
6. Take two strips and twist them together.
7. Heat oil to 190C and deep-fry the strips until crisp.
8. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Deep-Fried Bean Curd, Prawn and Spinach Ball Coated with Bread Cubes

From Sensations, by Sam Leong.

Ingredients

1. Silken bean curd, 150g
2. Prawns, peeled, 80g
3. Spinach, blanched and chopped, 40g
4. Cheddar cheese, 4 20g-pieces
5. Oil, for deep-frying
6. White bread, crust removed and cubed, 100g
7. Salt, 1/4 tsp
8. Sugar, 1/2 tsp
9. Sesame oil, 1/2 tsp
10. Egg white, 1/2
11. Cornflour/cornstarch, 1/4 tsp
12. White pepper, 1/4 tsp

Instructions

1. Cut bean curd into small pieces.
2. Press through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.
3. Chop prawns up until a pasty mixture.
4. Combine all ingredients (except cheese, oil and bread).
5. Divide into 4 portions and roll each portion into a ball.
6. Press each piece of cheddar cheese into each ball, and roll the balls to enclose the cheese.
7. Heat oil for deep-frying.
8. Coat balls with bread cubes and deep-fry over medium heat for 3 min until crisp and golden brown.
9. Drain well and serve hot.

Sour Plum Dressing

Adapted from Sensations, by Sam Leong.

Ingredients

1. Egg white, 85g
2. Japanese vinegar, 3 tbsp
3. Sweet prune powder, 20g
4. Lemon juice, 3 tsp

Instructions

1. Beat egg white until smooth.
2. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.

Foie Gras Braised in Soy Sauce

From Sensations, by Sam Leong (Crispy Crabmeat Pastry with Foie Gras Braised in Soy Sauce).

Ingredients

1. Cinnamon sticks, 3
2. Tsaoko fruit, 2
3. Star anise, 5
4. Liquorice root, 2
5. Onion, peeled and sliced, 100g
6. Rock sugar, 100g
7. Water, 3l
8. Light soy sauce, 100ml
9. Chinese cooking wine (hua tiao jiu), 300ml
10. Foie gras, 300g 

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients (except water, light soy sauce, cooking wine and foie gras) in a small muslin bag and tie with kitchen string.
2. In a pot, bring water to a boil. 
3. Place muslin bag into the pot.
4. Add light soy sauce and Chinese cooking wine, then reduce to low heat and simmer, covered, for 30 min.
5. Remove pot from heat and add foie gras.
6. Cover the pot and leave to cool, before refrigerating overnight. 
7. Remove foie gras from the stock, and mash it. 
8. Place the foie gras mash on plastic wrap and roll up tightly into a sausage.
9. Place in freezer overnight.
10. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and remove the plastic wrap.
11. Slice into thick rounds and serve immediately.

Crabmeat Pie

Adapted from Sensations by Sam Leong (Crispy Crabmeat Pastry with Foie Gras Braised in Soy Sauce).

Ingredients

1. Plain/all-purpose flour, 125g
2. 1 egg yolk
3. 1 tsp vegetable shortening
4. Cooking oil, for deep-frying
5. Shallots, chopped, 1 tsp
6. Scallions, chopped, 1 tsp
7. Crabmeat, 85g
8. Leek, chopped, 45g
9. Hard-boiled egg, chopped, 1
10. Salt, 1/4 tsp
11. Sugar, 1/4 tsp 
12. White pepper, 1/4 tsp

Instructions

1. Combine flour, egg yolk and shortening into a dough. 
2. Roll out into a thin sheet, and cut out rounds.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of oil and fry the shallots until light golden.
4. Drain and combine with remaining ingredients for the filling. 
5. Divide filling into 4 portions.
6. Spoon 1 portion of filling onto the centre of a dough round and cover with another dough round. 
7. Press edges tgt to seal pastry. Repeat to make 4 pastries.
8. Heat the oil for deep-frying and deep-fry the pastries for 2 min, until crisp and golden brown. 
9. Drain pastries well and serve.

Chinese Coq au Vin

A fusion of Chinese Fujian red wine lees chicken and French coq au vin. Adapted from Bon Appetit, Food Network, Epicurious and Pig Pig's Corner.

Ingredients

1. 500g chicken
2. 1 tbsp sesame oil
3. 7 slices ginger
4. 8 shallots, chopped
5. 4 cloves garlic, chopped
6. 2 tbsp red wine lees
7. 118ml red rice wine
8. 200ml water
9. 10 large Chinese mushrooms
10. 3 carrots, chopped
11. 700ml red wine
12. 946ml chicken stock
13. 1 tbsp butter
14. 1 tbsp flour
15. Coriander

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 177C.
2. In a bowl, soak mushrooms in water to rehydrate them. Drain and reserve the mushrooms and water.
3. In a pan, heat up sesame oil and sauté ginger, shallots and garlic.
4. Mix in red wine lees and fry until fragrant.
5. Add in chicken and fry. 
6. Add in red glutinous wine and water (used to soak mushrooms).
7. Lower the heat and simmer for abt 5 min on each side, until the meat is browned.
8. Remove chicken and set aside.
9. Add mushrooms to the pan and sauté for abt 5 min until brown.
10. Remove mushrooms and set aside.
11. Add in carrots.
12. Add red wine and boil for abt 15 min, stirring occasionally, until reduced.
13. Return the chicken back to the pot.
14. Add chicken stock, and bring to a boil.
15. Cover pot, transfer to oven and braise for 1h until chicken is tender.
16. Remove pot from oven and place on stove.
17. Stir in butter and flour and simmer for 10min.
18. Serve and garnish with coriander.

Momofuku Steamed Buns

From Momofuku Cookbook. Makes 50 buns.

Ingredients

1. 1 tbsp + 1 tsp active dry yeast
2. 1.5 cups water, room temp
3. 4.25 cups bread flour
4. 6 tbsp sugar
5. 3 tbsp dry milk powder
6. 1 tbsp salt
7. 1/2 rounded tsp baking powder
8. 1/2 tsp baking soda
9. 1/3 cup rendered pork fat/vege shortening, room temp

Instructions

1. In a bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, combine yeast and water. Add flour, sugar, milk powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda and fat and mix on low speed for 8-10 min, until the dough becomes a neat, not too sticky ball.
2. Lightly oil a medium mixing bowl with the fat/shortening, and place the dough inside. Cover with a dry kitchen towel, place in dark warm place and let proof for about 1h 15 min until the dough rises about double its size.
3. Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a clean, lightly floured surface.
4. Using a bench scraper or knife, divide dough in half, then divide each half into 5 equal pieces.
5. Gently roll the pieces into logs, then cut each log into 5 pieces, making 50 pieces total.
6. Roll each piece into a ball. 
7. Place the balls onto trays and cover with a dry kitchen towel/plastic wrap, and allow them to proof for 30 min.
8. Cut out fifty squares of parchment paper.
9. After the dough has proven, flatten each ball with the palm of your hand, then use a rolling pin to roll out into an oval. 
10. Using a chopstick coated with fat, fold the oval over onto itself with the chopstick in the middle to form the bun.
11. Withdraw the chopstick, leaving the bun folded, and put each bun onto a square of parchment paper. 
12. Place the buns under the kitchen towel/plastic wrap again and let rest for 30-45 min.
13. Set up a steamer on the stove. 
14. Steam the buns in batches on the parchment squares for 10 min.
15. Remove the parchment and use the buns as necessary. You may serve them immediately, or cool completely and seal in plastic freezer bags to store in the freezer. 
16. The buns will keep in the freezer for a few months. Reheat frozen buns in a steamer for 2-3 min until soft and warm.

Caramelised Sweet Potatoes (Ba Si Di Gua)

Adapted from kwgls and Tangstein.

Ingredients

1. Sweet potatoes
2. Oil
3. 1/2 cup white sugar
4. 1/2 cup water

Instructions

1. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into chunks.
2. Steam the sweet potatoes on medium heat until a toothpick inserted through the center comes goes through easily. Ensure that the sweet potatoes do not become too mushy.
3. In a wok/pan, heat the oil over high heat. The oil is considered hot enough when a wooden chopstick in inserted into the oil and bubbles emit. 
4. Fry the sweet potatoes in the oil on medium heat until crisp and golden. Remove the sweet potatoes and place them on a kitchen towel to drain any excess oil.
5. In a saucepan, heat sugar and water over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is reduced to a syrup.
6. Add the sweet potatoes to the saucepan, and toss quickly to coat with the syrup. 
7. Remove and serve immediately.

Chinese Sausage Focaccia

Ingredients

1. 340g Chinese sausages
2. 8 garlic cloves
3. 150g grapeseed oil
4. 90g doubanjiang
5. 1 recipe Mother Dough, proofed

Instructions

1. With a sharp knife, cut each sausage link lengthwise in half, then slice each half into 12 half-moons. Cut garlic cloves into thin slicers on a bias (the thinner the better).
2. Combine oil, doubanjiang, sausage and garlic in a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 15 min. Strain the oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, saving for later. Set the sausage aside.
3. Punch down and flatten the dough on a smooth, dry surface. Stretch the dough out gently by hand until it is slightly longer and wider than a quarter sheet pan.
4. Visualize dividing the dough lengthwise into thirds. Spread half of the sausage and garlic down the center third of the dough. Fold the right third over, cover with remaining sausage-garlic filling, then fold the left third of dough over.
5. Gently lift the dough at both ends and transfer to the baking pan. Cover loosely with plastic and allow to rise at room temp until doubled in size, about 45 min.
6. Heat oven to 375F.
7. Once dough has doubled in size and filled the baking pan, use fingers to gently dimple the dop of the dough to make small indentations. Pour the oil around, not on top of, the dough.
8. Bake for 15 min, or until the focaccia is golden brown.
9. Let cool to room temp in pan before serving, 
10. Slice into 6 pieces and serve at room temp, or toast by flashing in a warm oven. The focaccia will keep, wrapped well in plastic, for up to 3 days.