To Cook
Rub the chicken with salt and smashed ginger to remove the strong smell, then clean the chicken inside out with water.
To cook the chicken, bring water to a boil and add chicken. And add 1 tsp salt and half a peeled onion for about 15 – 20 mins until it’s cooked through.
Cut the onion into thin slices and soak into cold water. Cut the cabbage in quarters, then cut off the core at the 45 degree angle to create a base, to keep the cabbage piece stable when we shred it into strips.
When the chicken is cooked through, take it out and let it cool completely before shredding the chicken into pieces.
To make the salad dressing, in a bowl, mix together 2 tbsp sugar with 3 tbsp fish sauce. Also squeeze in 1-2 tbsp lime juice. Give it a good stir and then add minced garlic and chili.
To assemble the salad, combine 1 cup shredded chicken with 3 tbsp dressings, some cracked pepper and lime leaves. Mix well and add 1 cup of shredded carrots, 1 cup of sliced onion and 2 cups of shredded cabbage. Add more dressing. Give it a good toss.
Add 1 cup of the chopped Vietnamese mint at the last step. Transfer it to a serving plate, top with some fried shallots, cracked pepper and some chillies.
Chicken
Simmered Chicken and Vegetables (Chikuzenni)
To Cook
Mix and marinate chicken with spices.
Cut carrots and lotus root and marinate in 2 cups water with ½ tsp vinegar for 10 mins.
Prepare taro and wash with cold water. Remove the stringy edge from the snow peas. Boil them for a few mins.
Pull the burdock root’s skin with the back of knife and slice finely. Then, make an incision in the center of the konnyaku and turn inside out.
In a pot, sauté chicken for 2 mins. Then, add carrot, taro, lotus root, shiitake, burdock root, and the combination of mixed spices for chikuzenni. Boil for 40 mins.
Garnish with snow peas and serve.
Boxing Chicken
To Prep
Rinse and clean drummettes. Pluck and remove any remaining feathers.
Using a sharp knife, carefully cut around the smaller end. Stand the fatter end on the chopping board and use the knife to push the skin and meat down (to the fatter end). The drummet will now look like a ‘boxing’ hand. Repeat with the rest.
In a bowl, add all ingredients for marinade and the drummettes. Mix to coat well and set aside to marinade for 2-3 hours.
To Cook
Heat oil in frying pan over high heat. To test if the oil is hot enough, dip the tips of a bamboo chopstick into the oil. Oil that is ready for frying will bubble around the chopstick tip.
In a separate bowl, mix all ingredients for coating. Coat each drummet, and carefully slide them into the frying pan. Cook until golden brown then drain on paper towel before serving.
Best served hot with chilli sauce on the side.
Rice Crackers with Minced Chicken Dip (Khaw Tang Na Tang)
To Cook
Heat oil and fry rice crackers a few pieces at a time over medium flame till crispy and golden in colour. Set aside and drain.
Pound together chilli, coriander root, garlic and peppercorns till fine.
Heat coconut milk in a pot but do not bring to a boil. Add pounded mixture, minced chicken and prawns. Stir to avoid lumps.
Add sugar and fish sauce. When cooked, add peanuts and shallots.
Garnish with parsley before serving.
Shortcut Chicken with Black Bean Sauce
To Cook
Heat up some oil in a wok and stir fry garlic until aromatic
Stir in chicken fillet until almost cooked.
Open up the black bean sauce and stir in together with the chicken until cooked.
Switch off fire on gas stove and stir in the 3cm long spring onions.
Garnish some spring onions on top and serve with hot rice.
General Tso’s Chicken
To Prep
In a bowl, add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, water, sugar and 1 tsp cornstarch and mix well. Set aside this sauce mixture for later.
Add your chicken to the 1 tbsp cornstarch and mix. Make sure the pieces of chicken are covered evenly with cornstarch.
To Cook
Heat up some oil in a pan on medium high heat. When the oil is hot enough, add the chicken to the pan and fry until golden brown and crispy.
Remove the chicken from the pan and add the chilli flakes, ginger, and garlic.
Stir fry until fragrant then add the chicken back to the pan and toss to mix.
Then add the sauce mixture to the pan and mix well. Make sure all the chicken is coated with the sauce.
Cook while stirring for about a minute, until the sauce has thickened.
Plate the dish and garnish with sesame seeds. Serve with cooked white rice.
Javanese Fried Noodles
To Cook
In a pot, cook egg noodles in boiling water for 5 mins, drain and cool under cold running water, set aside.
In a wok, heat 1 tbsp of oil over high heat and stir-fry chicken for 10 mins. Remove chicken from wok and set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the wok and add in eggs and scramble. Once cooked, remove from wok and set aside.
With remaining 1 tbsp of oil, stir-fry cabbage and celery leaves for 2 mins.
Add in the cooked noodles, scrambled eggs, stir-fried chicken, bean shoots, ABC Sweet Soy Sauce and light soy sauce, salt, pepper and mix well. Stir-fry for another 3 mins and transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with chilli and serve.
Chicken Karaage
To Prep
Use paper towels to pat dry the chicken and transfer to a bowl. Add in the sake, soy sauce, ginger juice, sesame oil and marinate for 1 hr or overnight.
To Cook
Transfer the chicken pieces out of the marinade on to a plate and coat them evenly with potato starch. Shake off the excess potato starch.
Heat up a wok/pot of cooking oil. To test that the cooking oil is hot enough, insert a pair of wooden chopsticks into the oil and when you see bubbles appear around the chopstick, it’s hot and ready. When the cooking oil is hot enough for frying, drop the chicken into the oil and quickly deep fry them until they float. Transfer them out onto a plate and wait for a couple of minutes.
Put the chicken back into the oil and deep-fry again until golden brown and crunchy. Dish out to a plate or bowl lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
Serve hot with a slice of lemon and mayonnaise.
Korean Chicken BBQ (Dak Bulgogi)
To Prep
In a mixing bowl, add all marinade ingredients and mix well until sugar is dissolved.
Add chicken slices to the bowl and coat evenly with marinade. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 mins or overnight in the refrigerator.
To Cook
Preheat a grill pan (or frying pan) over medium high heat. Then, using a pair of thongs or chopsticks, add chicken slices to the pan while reserving the marinade. Cook until slightly caramelised, about 2-3 mins on each side. Reduce heat slightly to avoid burning, and add the reserved marinade spoon by spoon as the pan gets dry.
Serve dak bulgogi on its own, or with leafy greens (iceberg lettuce, cos lettuce or mustard green) as a wrap, or with steamed rice.
Coriander Chicken Curry
To Cook
Blend all ingredients for coriander paste until fine.
Heat oil in a wok or pot. Add in the cumin seeds, cloves and cinnamon; and fry until fragrant.
Add in coriander paste and fry until fragrant.
Add in tomatoes, curry powder, turmeric powder and chilli powder. Stir well.
Add in chicken pieces, potatoes, coconut milk and water. Stir well.
Add salt to taste. Cook slightly covered, until potatoes are done.
Lastly, add in coriander leaves and garam masala powder. Cover slightly and cook for another 2 mins.
Tip: Feel free to adjust the number of red chillies according to taste!
Belacan Fried Chicken
To Prep
In a pestle and mortar, grind the belacan, white pepper, coriander powder, sugar and oil to form a paste. Transfer in to a large bowl and add the chicken wings.
Mix the paste thoroughly in to the chicken wings and leave to marinate for 1 hr or overnight.
To Cook
Heat up oil in a deep wok and deep fry the chicken wings for around 15 mins, until light brown, remove and set aside.
Turn the heat up and add the chicken wings to fry again for 5 mins.
Once the wings are golden brown, remove and drain.
To Serve
Transfer the chicken wings on to a plate and garnish with coriander leaves. Enjoy!
Chinese Broccoli with Minced Pork and Preserved Mustard
To Cook
Heat some oil in a fry pan, sauté the garlic until fragrant.
Add in the minced meat and stir fry until the minced meat changes colour and almost done.
Add in the preserved mustard and stir well for another 1-2 mins until the meat is cooked. Turn off the heat and set aside.
In a pot of boiling water, add a pinch of salt and drizzle some oil. Blanch the Chinese broccoli until cooked. Remove and drain well.
Arrange the Chinese broccoli on a serving plate and pour the meat mixture on top. Serve.