To Cook
Cut the onions in half lengthwise, from top to bottom. Cut each half into ¼ inch slices and cutting lengthwise.
Combine the onions, mirin, chicken, soy sauce, sake and dashi in a saucepan and place over high heat. When the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Mix the ingredients occasionally as they cook.
To prepare the oyakodon one serving at a time, break 2 eggs into a bowl, and lightly beat the eggs. You want part of the yolk and whites to be lightly mixed, while the other parts are still separated.
Transfer one fourth of the chicken mixture (about 1½ cups chicken, onions and broth) to a small skillet. Place the skillet over high heat. When the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat so the broth is simmering.
Pour three-fourths of the egg mixture over the chicken, onions, and broth, Do not mix. Cook for about 1 minute, and then add the remaining one-fourth egg over the ingredients in the skillet. Cover the skillet and cook for 30 seconds more. Turn off the heat, and let the oyakodon rest, covered, for 1 minute.
While the oyakodon is resting, scoop the cooked rice into a serving bowl. When the oyakodon is ready, uncover and slide the entire contents out of the skillet to rest over the rice. Tilt the skillet and use a spatula if necessary as the oyakodon should slide out easily. Garnish with nori, mitsuba and scallions. Add shichimi togarashi to accentuate the taste. Serve immediately and repeat this preparation for the remaining servings.
Chicken
Chicken Congee
To Cook
Place chicken drumsticks and a teaspoon of salt in six cups of boiling water and bring back to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on.
Remove chicken and set aside to cool down. Add cooked rice to the broth and boil until rice thickens into porridge, stirring the whole time.
Chop up the white section of the spring onion and thinly slice up the green part.
Saute the chopped onion and the white spring onion with oil until fragrant. Add julienned ginger and continue to saute until onion is caramelised. Turn off heat.
Remove meat from chicken drumsticks and coarsely chop up chicken. Return chicken pieces to rice congee. Add extra water to congee if it becomes too thick.
Taste test. Add remaining salt as necessary. Add pepper, stir through and remove from heat.
Serve congee garnished with caramelised onion, ginger and sliced onion.
Japanese Rice Balls (Onigiri)
To Cook
Cook rice in accordance to instructions.
Combine rice wine vinegar, sugar, salt and pour into rice with sesame seeds and mix well.
Cut the seaweed sheet into six strips. You may further cut the seaweed into any shape to decorate the onigiri.
Place 1/3 cup of rice over the centre of the cling wrap. Gather the ends of the cling wrap and squeeze to form a ball. To add filling, press an indent into the rice, add filling and mould the rice into a triangular shape or a ball.
Remove the cling wrap and cover the bottom of the onigiri with a seaweed strip.
Serve with Japanese soy sauce.
Indonesian Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng)
To Cook
Prepare the optional accompaniments – Javanese Fried Chicken, Beef Satay, Crispy Fried Shallots, Sambal Kecap, Krupuk and Mixed Vegetable Pickles.
Lightly grease a non-stick skillet with a little oil and fry the eggs sunny side up. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat the wok and add oil over medium heat and stir-fry the shallots, garlic, minced chilli and dried shrimp paste until fragrant for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the prawns and stir-fry until almost cooked and then add the cabbage and leftover cooked meat and continue to stir-fry until the cabbage is slightly wilted. Increase the heat to high, add the rice, salt and sweet Indonesian soy sauce and stir-fry until all the ingredients are mixed well and heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Transfer the fried rice to a serving platter, top with the fried eggs and arrange the accompaniments at the side, around the plate. Garnish with cucumber and tomato slices and serve with the accompaniments on the side.
Fried Rice Vermicelli (Fried Bee Hoon)
To Cook
Prepare rice vermicelli by soaking in warm water until they turn soft. Drain and set aside in a colander to rid of excess water.
In a small bowl, mix chicken slices with cornstarch and 1 tsp soy sauce then, set aside to marinate.
Heat 2 tbsp oil a frying pan or wok. In the meantime, whisk 2 eggs in a bowl and fry the omelette. Set aside to cool then, slice omelette into thin long strips. The omelette will be the finishing touch to the fried bee hoon.
Mix all the seasoning ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
In a frying pan or wok, heat 4 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Stir-fry garlic until aromatic, then add chicken slices and continue cooking until half done.
Add in rice vermicelli to the frying pan/wok, then followed by the seasonings. Using a pair of chopsticks or tongs, stir and mix the rice vermicelli continuously to blend well with the seasoning. Continue cooking for a few more minutes until the rice vermicelli is soft and no longer wet. Then, add in the bean sprouts and chopped spring onions and stir-fry for another couple of minutes.
Remove from heat and serve on a sharing platter or in individual plates. Top with sliced omelette, a sprinkling of chopped spring onions and fried shallots.
Chicken in Tomato Sauce
To Prep
Rince the chicken and drain well.
Slice crossways into thin 4cm lengths. Mix with the marinates for at least 10 mins.
Cut tomatoes into chunks and spoon out the seeds inside. Rinse and drain well.
To Cook
Heat the oil in a hot wok or saucepan. Add chicken and cook until brown. Set them aside.
Add some oil in the wok, saute minced garlic until aromatic.
Add tomatoes, sprinkle a dash of salt, and briefly stir fry.
Pour in water, add sugar and ketchup. Stir well. Cook until tomatoes are softened. Make sure the sugar dissolves completely.
Toss back the chicken and add the thickening. Cook to the consistency that you preferred.
Serve hot with rice.
Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings (Pok Pok Wings)
To Prep
Whisk the fish sauce, sugar and crushed garlic in a bowl. Add the wings and toss to coat.
Refrigerate for 3 hours, tossing the wings occasionally.
To Cook
Heat the 2 tbsp of oil in a small skillet. Add the minced garlic, cook over moderate heat for about 3 mins until golden. Drain on paper towels.
Heat 2 inches of oil to 350°C in a large pot. Pat the wings and dry on paper towels. Reserve the marinade.
Put the corn starch in a shallow bowl, add the wings and turn to coat.
Fry the wings in batches until golden and cooked through for about 10 mins. Drain on paper towels and transfer to a bowl.
Simmer the marinade over in a small saucepan over moderately high heat and add ½ cup of water until syrupy for 5 mins.
Strain over the wings and toss.
Top with coriander, mint and fried garlic. Serve immediately.
Ginger Chicken (Ga Ban Kho Gung)
To Prep
Combine chicken, ginger, garlic, shallot, salt, sugar, chicken stock, fish sauce, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix well and leave to marinate for at least 30 mins.
To Cook
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large saucepan or a wok and sprinkle 2 tbsp sugar over the base.
Melt the sugar under medium heat until it turns dark amber.
Quickly add the marinated chicken and stir-fry for about 5 mins on high heat until chicken is no longer pink.
Then, add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam and some of the floating fat.
Lower the heat to medium and cook for 30 mins, uncovered, until the sauce reduces by ⅓.
Serve with hot steamed rice.
Nabeyaki Udon
To Prep
Soak kombu in the water for 30 mins in a pot and turn on the heat to medium. Remove from heat when water begins to boil.
Add bonito flakes then return to heat. Allow the water to simmer for another 1 min.
Strain the stock into a clean bowl.
To Cook
Boil the spinach in the water and drain when done. Divide into 4 portions and set aside.
Add the mirin, soy sauce, and salt to the dashi stock. Portion a quarter of the dashi stock into 4 individual sized clay pots.
Add the chicken to the soup and simmer until it has cooked through.
Add in the udon noodles, and let it cook for a few mins as per packet instructions.
Place the kamaboko and a portion of boiled spinach on top and simmer in the soup for a few mins.
Drop in an egg into the broth. Then add a few slices of leek on top.
Remove the clay pot from the heat and serve hot.
Choo Chee Chicken Curry
To Cook
In a large fry pan, heat 2 tbsp oil and fry the chicken quickly until golden brown. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, add the curry paste and the remaining oil. Stir in medium heat until fragrant.
Add the coconut cream and kaffir lime leaves, then lower the heat when the sauce is well heated.
Add the fish sauce and palm sugar, stir well. Serve with cooked rice and garnish with capsicum and kaffir lime leaves.
Cantonese Stir Fry Chicken
To Cook
Heat oil in a wok on high heat, add chicken and stir-fry until cooked through for 3-4 mins.
Add vegetables and sauce to pan and stir-fry until sauce thickens for 1-2 mins.
Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions and serve with steamed jasmine rice.
Yumcha Steam Beancurd Rolls (Fu Pei Guen)
To Cook
In a large bowl, place all the ingredients for the filling and mix well.
On a flat surface, use a damp cloth to wipe a piece of bean curd skin to remove some excess salt and to soften the wrapper slightly.
Scoop and place about 3 tbsp of filling at the middle of the skin.
Roll the bean curd skin over the filling, then fold the sides to seal.
Roll tightly into a cylinder roughly 1.5″ wide and 4″ long. Brush a little egg white on the edge to secure the roll. This recipe should make about 10 rolls.
Shallow fry bean curd skin rolls in batches until golden. Remove and drain well.
To Prep the Sauce
Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan, then, saute garlic and ginger for a few seconds.
Add the chicken stock, white pepper and cooking wine. Bring to boil and thicken with a little corn flour solution.
Place ½ of the rolls in a shallow bowl, pour ½ of the sauce on top, then cover and steam over medium heat for 8 mins.