To Cook
Heat up some oil in a pan on medium high heat. When the oil is hot enough add the tofu slices into the pan and fry until golden brown on all sides. When done, lay them on some paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Using the same pan, add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic. Then add the tofu back to the pan, quickly followed by the beansprouts.
Add the soy sauce and spring onion and stir the ingredients around to mix.
Be careful not to overcook the beansprouts – you don’t want them to be too soft.
Transfer to a serving plate and serve with a bowl of white rice.
Vegetables
Chinese Omelette (Foo Yong Tan)
To Prep
In a bowl, crack the eggs and beat with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the oil, into the egg mixture, stir thoroughly and make sure all ingredients are combined well.
To Cook
Heat up 3 tbsp of oil in a wok or a pan over high heat. When the oil is fully heated, add the egg mixture into the pan, keeping the diameter of the omelette to about 12cm wide.
The omelette should be thicker in the centre, therefore use a pair of chopsticks to move and gather the beansprouts and other ingredients to the middle of the omelette. Let the omelette set, cooked until golden brown, for about 3 minutes before flipping it over. Fry the omelette until both sides are nicely puffed up.
Use the remaining egg mixture to make a total of 3 omelettes using the same steps. Serve immediately.
Eggs with Fermented Shrimp (Cincalok Omelette)
To Prep
Drain excess liquid from the 2 tbsp of cincalok. Then thinly sliced the red onion. Deseed the red chilli and thinly slice.
Crack 5 large eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk. Add in the drained cincalok and ¼ tsp pepper. Mix well.
To Cook
In a pan, heat oil and saute chilli and red onions until soft.
Then pour in egg mixture. When the base of the egg is set and firm, flip over to cook the other side.
Dish out when omelette is cooked on both sides. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with lime and sambal belachan.
Vietnamese Squid Salad
To Prep
Pound chillies and garlic together then add fish sauce, vinegar, lime juice and sugar. Mix well until sugar is dissolved.
Add tomatoes and onion and set aside for 1 hr.
Wash and clean the squid tubes, and cut into 1.5cm rings.
To Cook
Bring 6 cups of water and a pinch of salt to the boil. Add the squid and cook for 5 mins until soft and tender.
Toss with the prepared dressing and garnish with the hot mint leaves before serving.
Spicy Vegetable Soup (Gang Liang)
To Prep
Pound the white pepper, garlics, shallots and chillies in a mortar and pestle until smooth. Add the remaining paste ingredients and pound until smooth.
To Cook
Pour water into a pot and bring to boil. Add in the paste and simmer for a few mins.
Add in the vegetables, from the longest cooking time to the ones that cook fast. Cook until almost done.
Add in the prawns and cook until all ingredients are cooked through. Add the fish sauce to taste.
Remove from heat, add lemon basils and serve hot.
Steamed Minced Pork with Salted Fish
To Cook
Place minced pork in large bowl, and mix in ingredients for seasonings. Set aside.
Rinse the salted fish, then pan fry briefly for about 2-3 minutes in a small pan. Remove from heat and cut into small pieces.
Mix in the chopped shiitake mushrooms, chopped water chestnuts, half of the salted fish and 1 tsp of the grated ginger in the bowl of marinated minced pork. Mix thoroughly.
Transfer the minced pork mix on to a shallow plate and level the surface with a wet spoon without pressing the mixture down. Cover with cling wrap and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
Sprinkle the remaining salted fish and 1 tsp shredded ginger on top of the meat patty. Drizzle with fried garlic oil or fried onion oil.
In a wok or steamer, steam on high heat for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until well cooked through.
When done, garnish with chopped spring onions and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Crispy Pork with Thai Basil (Kra Pao Moo Grob)
To Cook
Score the skin of the pork belly and rub the fats with salt.
Grill until it is golden brown and crispy. Cut into 1cm slices.
Smash chillies and garlic with a mortar and pestle.
Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat.
Add chilli and garlic paste, stir-fry for a few seconds.
Stir in the pork, then add the fish sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock and sugar.
Stir fry for another minute, then add the beans. Keep stir frying until the pork is heated through.
Lastly, add in the Thai basil leaves, stir fry for about 20 secs, then take off the heat and serve piping hot with steamed rice.
Blanched Chinese Brocolli in Oyster Sauce (Blanched Kai Lan In Oyster Sauce)
To Cook
Split up kai lan by cutting the bottom stems, wash thoroughly and then drain.
Prepare a wok or a big pot and bring water to boil.
Blanch the kai lan quickly for around 30 secs – 1 min depending on how thick the stem is. Remove and drain.
Place the kai lan neatly on a plate and then drain excess water. Set aside.
In a wok, heat up oil on medium heat and saute the minced garlic until light brown and crispy. Turn heat off. Make sure not to overcook the fried garlic as it will be very bitter.
Drizzle the fried garlic and oil over the bed of kai lan, followed by topping with the oyster sauce.
Tofu and Seaweed Udon
To Cook
Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the tofu. Bring back to the boil. Immediately drain, then cut into small cubes.
In a small saucepan, combine the remaining Tofu ingredients, bring to the boil. Add the tofu cubes and simmer for 5 mins. Drain and discard the cooking liquid.
Cook the Udon noodles according to packet instructions. Put the spring onions in a small wire sieve. Dip them briefly into the boiling water. Refresh under cold running water and set aside. Drain the noodles, rinse and drain well.
Put the Noodle’s dashi broth and dark soy sauce into a saucepan. Add the light soy sauce, brown sugar and sake (or sherry). Bring to the boil. Season to taste with salt.
Arrange the noodles in serving bowls. Top with the tofu, spring onions and the nori sheets. Ladle in the hot broth and serve immediately.
Stir-Fried Vegetables with Cashews
To Cook
Heat up the wok with the oil and stir-fry onions for 1-2 mins.
Add in broccoli and cook for another 3 mins.
Add capsicum and cook for another 3 mins.
Pour the vegetarian stir-fry sauce onto the ingredients. Mix well and heat through.
Serve with jasmine rice and sprinkle with cashews and sesame oil.
Korean Steamed Eggplant (Gaji Namul)
To Cook
Cut the eggplants into 4 pieces, lengthwise. Then cut crosswise into about 5cm pieces.
In a pot with, bring some water to boil, then place a steaming tray or basket in the pot. Place the eggplant pieces in the steamer, and steam for about 3 minutes, until tender but still slightly firm.
Remove from heat, transfer to a separate bowl to cool.
Then add all remaining ingredients to the eggplant, and gently toss everything together.
Grilled Japanese Eggplant (Yaki Nasu)
To Cook
Spray grill with cooking oil. Cook eggplant in their skin over medium high heat for about 5 mins on each side until the inner flesh is soft and tender and the outer skin is charred.
Either place the eggplant (skin on) in cool water, or allow it to rest until room temperature. Once the eggplant cools, gently remove all of the charred skin. Remove the stem, and chop the eggplant into thirds or fourths, creating small bite size pieces.
Plate the Yaki Nasu and garnish with fresh grated ginger, bonito shavings and sliced green onions. Drizzle with soy sauce. (Dashi shoyu or ponzu are alternative seasonings).