To Cook
Boil water in a pot and blanch the okra for about 3 mins. Drop them into a bowl of cold water to stop these from cooking further.
When these have cooled down a bit, slit the tip of the stalk, peel off the center and remove the seeds. This can take some practice as you want to create a pocket for the sambal to sit in, Try not to mutilate the okra too much.
Mix the dressing ingredients together and leave for 15 mins to dissolve the sugar.
To serve, stuff the okra with sambal.
Seafood
Vermicelli Salad (Kerabu Bee Hoon)
To Cook
Prepare vermicelli as per instructions on package. Ensure that vermicelli is not overcooked, then refresh in cold water, drain and set aside.
Steam the prawns with their shells on for 10 mins until cooked and then peel off the shells. This helps as the prawns will not shrink.
In a big bowl, mix the shallots with the dressing and add in the vermicelli. When evenly mixed, add in prawns, half of the toasted groundnuts and kerisik.
Garnish with the remaining toasted groundnuts, coconut and curled coriander sprigs.
Abalone Porridge (Jeonbok Naejang Jook)
To Prep
Rinse the medium grain (calrose) rice and soak thoroughly in 950ml water for about 2 hrs at room temperature.
Pry the abalone from its shell using a spoon. Take a 1.5cm incision on the end of the abalone closest to the adductor muscle and remove the abalones tooth. Cut open the intestine and remove the debris.
Clean the abalone by rubbing it with salt. Rinse the abalone and separate the intestine. Cut the intestine into small pieces and thinly slice the abalone meat.
To Cook
Heat a flat pan over a medium heat and season with sesame oil. Add the sliced abalone meat and intestine to the pan and saute. Then, add rice and saute for about 1 minute.
Add 1.9L to the flat pan and increase to high heat to make the porridge.
Once the porridge starts boiling, lower to medium heat. Let the porridge continue to cook until the rice grains become extremely soft making the jeonbok naejang jook.
Transfer the jeonbok naejang jook to a serving bowl and garnish with pine nut powder. Serve with salt and soy sauce on the side.
Note: When buying abalone, ensure that they are still alive in their shell, stored on ice or it is still in the water. Make sure your abalone does not have any fishy smell as that is a sign it is not fresh. Quickly refrigerate them in the coldest part of the fridge and store them in a bowl and cover it with a wet cloth. Use within 24 hours.
Stuffed Squid with Lemongrass Pork and Vermicelli
To Cook
Season squids in marinade for 30 mins. In a separate bowl, mix pork, lemongrass, water chestnuts, shiitake mushrooms and seasoning mix until well combined. Add softened bean vermicelli, mix well and the filling is ready.
Stuff the squids with filling. Seal the opening of both squids with toothpicks. Place the squids on a steam proof dish and steam over high heat for 15 mins. Remove.
Coat cooked squids with Lee Kum Kee Chicken Marinade. Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry both squids slightly. Dish out.
Cut the stuffed squids into sections. In a saucepan, cook the sauce mix until thickened. Drizzle over the squids and serve.
Fried Rice with XO Sauce
To Cook
Place diced pork into a bowl and add in marinade ingredients. Mix well.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Add pumpkin and fry until cooked. Drain. Add oil in the pan and fry eggs. Toss in rice and fry until well combined. Dish out and set aside.
Add 2 tbsp oil and stir fry pork until cooked. Then, add mushrooms, prawns, scallops, Chinese broccoli and pumpkin. Stir fry for 2 mins. Mix in sauce ingredients and heat through.
Pour over fried rice and serve.
Fried Chinese Thin Pancake
To Cook
Mix flour and glutinous rice flour in a bowl, and make a hole in the centre. Add water gradually and stir well. Pour the mixture through a sieve.
Add beaten egg and 1 tbsp of oil into the mixture and mix well. Set aside.
In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Sauté dried shrimps, preserved radish and spring onions. Drain off oil and add into the batter mixture. Mix in chicken bouillon powder and sugar until well combined.
Heat oil in pan and add a portion of mixture and spread it evenly. Pan fry over low heat for 2 mins each side until golden brown. Repeat for the remaining mixture. Serve with dipping sauce.
Pan Fried Shrimp Cakes
To Prep
Mince the shrimps, mix well with marinade until it becomes pasty. Divide the mixture into 5 portions and shape into patties. Pat each patty with corn starch.
To Cook
Heat up oil in a pan and pan fry the shrimp cake patties until golden brown, both sides.
Dish out and place on paper towels to drain off excess oil. Serve with dipping sauce.
Steamed Squid and Bean Vermicelli with Shrimp Sauce
To Cook
Place squid pieces, red chilli peppers, minced garlic and minced ginger into a bowl. Add in marinade ingredients and mix well. Set aside to marinate for 30 mins.
Place softened bean vermicelli on a plate. Then, put marinated squid pieces on top. Prepare a steamer over high heat and steam for 8 mins until cooked. Serve immediately.
Seafood Skewers
To Cook
Season the shrimps and salmon fillet cubes in the marinade for at least 1 hr.
Assemble the skewers by piercing through onions, assorted peppers, shrimps and salmon cubes.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan. Pan fry the skewers until the ingredients change colour.
Put the skewers onto a tray. Coat with Lee Kum Kee Salt Reduced Seasoned Soy Sauce. Bake the skewers in a 200°C preheated oven until golden brown.
Chilli Garlic Butter Prawns
To Cook
Sauté onions in oil until fragrant. Add prawns and sauté well.
Add sauce mix and simmer until prawns are cooked.
Remove from heat. Add spring onions and butter. Stir to melt the butter and thicken the sauce. Serve.
Seafood and Tofu Soup
To Cook
In a pot, add water, seasoning and tofu. Bring to a boil. Then, add seafood mix and allow to cook for 1 min.
Add the starch-water mixture to soup and stir till thickened. Turn heat to low and slowly stir in beaten egg into soup and mix well. Serve.
Seafood Fried Rice
To Prep
Place seafood mix into a bowl and pour in marinade. Mix well and set aside to marinate for 15 mins.
To Cook
Add oil to a heated pan, sauté onions till fragrant. Add seafood mix and stir fry for 2 mins. Then, add eggs and cook till halfway done. Toss in rice, green peas and carrots. Continue to stir fry until well combined.
Add seasoning, water and spring onions. Stir fry to mix well. Dish out and serve.