Fermented sticky rice

Fermented sticky rice

One of my favorite Chinese dessert traditionally eaten around Chinese new year period is this fermented sticky rice.

After keeping the rice in a warm place for 3 days, the special rice wine yeast added will digest the starch in the rice into sweetness and other nutrients, with just a hint of alcohol. Normally we stopped the process here and consume it as a hot dessert with other ingredients like sticky rice dumpling or simply with goji berry. 

fermented sticky rice with goji berry

I am happy to find in an old fashion store in Sai Kung town (Hong Kong) this semi-brown sticky rice, with is grown by the relatives of the shop owner.

1. Soak sticky rice in water for at least 4 hours.

2. Add water to an inch on top of the rice, and steam to cook through, around 1 hour.

3. Cool down fast by placing the pot in cold water and turn the rice over a lot, bring it down to around 30 degree.

4. Grind a piece of rice wine yeast with a tbsp sugar, sprinkle on rice and mix well.

5. With lid on, place the pot in a well insulated oven with a cup of hot water, or traditionally wrap it in a fleece blanket and keep in a warm place for 2-3 days, it will be more sour and alcoholic if kept longer.

Fish baked in Shiaoxing wine

Fish baked in Shiaoxing wine

Just heard of this way of cooking fish in Chinese wine method and is happy to try it out. I used a piece of Ma Yau 馬友 fish that was frozen a week ago for the trial, which when defrosted, does not smell as good as fresh. This method indeed helps to give a fragrant, tender and juicy effect.

1. Season fish with salt, place in baking tin, add Shiaoxing wine to a 1/2 cm height, cut some ginger, carrots or spring onion for extra flavor. 

Fish baked in Shiaoxing wine

2. Bake at 200˚C for 12 minutes for a 1cm thick piece of fish.

Shanghainese style daikon pickle

Shanghainese style daikon pickle

Daikon grown during winter is most juicy and sweet, a good time to enjoy it in cooking and also convert into pickles.

This is a Shanghainese style that uses soy sauce in pickling, the result is a very crunchy, savory and mildly sweet pickle. 

This recipe asks for salting the cut up daikon for half an hour then squeeze out excess liquid in order for the daikon to be able to absorb flavors.

Since then I learned from a friend that this method will remove flavor and nutrients from the vegetable, better to use drying to shrink it. 

drying daikon in Chengdu

That reminded me that years ago while visiting Chengdu in winter, I had seen locals cutting up daikon into strips and hang them on bamboo racks to dry before pickling. That must be the traditional method using natural energy to do the job. The salting method is used in the city to achieve the same result.

cut up daikon drying in the sun

1. Cut daikon into the shape you like as pickles, dry on a rack in the sun during the day and fridge during the night, for about 2-3 days to slightly dry them.

slightly dried daikon

2. For 500gm slightly dried daikon, I season with:

2.5gm salt

10gm brown sugar

20gm soy sauce

a tbsp miso (optional)

a piece of chili (optional)

just mixed together daikon and seasonings

3. Mix daikon with seasoning, juice will start to ooze out, pack tightly in a jar and fridge, can start eating after 3 days.

Crispy kale with salted egg yolk

A popular snack at the moment is crispy fish skin coated with salted egg yolk, a mouth watering taste and texture combination. I used this flavoring idea on kale, instead of making my usual nutty crispy kale, with very good result. 

Crispy kale with salted egg yolk

1. Tear kale into bite size pieces, add a little salt and massage to soften. 

2. Boil salted eggs, remove yolks and crumble into sandy texture.

3. Melt equal quantity of butter and mix with salted egg yolks to form a thick paste, season with salt. 

Crispy kale with salted egg yolk

4. Mix kale with egg yolk paste, then lay the kale leaves flat on baking paper, bake at 100˚C until dry, around 45 minutes.

Chinese chives and mince pork bake

Chinese chives and mince pork bake

This week's organic vegetable box comes with Chinese chives, very dark green, I confess I have not eaten it for a long time, always find the odour quite strong, afterwards. 

I thought of mixing with a little fatty mince pork in order to counteract the strong flavor of chives and the oil can soften it more. The dish is baked instead of traditional steaming, which I find more convenient and the result less watery. The chives become very soft after baking, very easy to eat and no odour afterwards.

Chinese chives

1. Cut chives into small pieces, season with salt to soften.

2. Mince pork and season with salt, pepper, 5 spices powder, a little sugar and rose liqueur, stir well, add in one egg to bind all the ingredients, since I used a lot more veg than meat in this dish. 

Chinese chives and mince pork bake

3. Mix pork with chives, cover with baking paper and bake at 200˚C for 20 minutes.

Baked fish with preserved Chinese duck liver sausage

Baked fish with preserved Chinese duck liver sausage

I found that baking preserved duck liver sausage in paper in the oven is much simpler and better than steaming. First there is no condensed water to dilute the flavor, second to bake it on top of fish, the excess oil goes to enrich the fish. Eat the mild tasting fish first before the sausage.

1. Season fish with salt and pepper, place on baking paper on top of a few slices of ginger. 

Baked fish with preserved Chinese duck liver sausage

2. Cut sausage into thick slices, place on top of fish, wrap paper up. Bake at 200˚C until cooked, about 15 minutes for a 2cm thick fish, rest for another 2 minutes before serving.

Chewy souffle cake with black sesame filling

Chewy souffle cake with black sesame filling

This is another version of chewy souffle cake, this time with a sweet filling, like a modern fluffy and dry version of traditional black sesame dumpling.

Makes 10 cakes:

Sticky rice flour 80gm

Almond flour 30gm

Sugar 15gm

Coconut oil 40gm

Coconut milk 100gm

Egg white 4

Pinch of salt

Sugar 15gm

Black sesame paste

Honey

1. Mix rice, almond flour and sugar, rub in coconut oil, stir in coconut milk to form a thick paste.

2. Whisk egg white, add progressively the salt and sugar, whisk until soft peak. 

Add captionChewy souffle cake with black sesame filling

3. Mix gently egg white into flour mixture, put a spoonful into each of the the cup cake tin. Bake at 180˚C for 12 minutes.

Chewy souffle cake with black sesame filling

4. Add honey to black sesame paste to sweeten it. 

Chewy souffle cake with black sesame filling

5. Add a spoonfull of black sesame mixture in the middle of each cake, cover with the remaining flour and egg white mixture. Bake at 180˚C for 20 minutes. 

Chewy souffle cake with black sesame filling

Avocado with soy sauce

Avocado with soy sauce

I used to turn avocado into guacamole for use as dip. Just found out that it goes well with a few drops of good quality soy sauce, like the Yuan's brand. The fresh creamy taste of avocado is still there, highlighted by the rich flavor of soy sauce.

Mushroom burgers

Mushroom burgers

I roasted these brown mushrooms, cut into halves horizontally on the BBQ and find them really meaty and delicious, they are organically grown in Hong Kong.

Thought of using them to make mini veggie burgers, using avocado as the filling. 

Mushroom burgers

1. Cut mushrooms into halves, season with salt, pepper and brush oil on the surface. Bake at 200˚C until soft, around 25 minutes.

Mushroom burgers- avocado

2. Mix soft avocado with sesame and bell pepper (cut into small cubes), season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and chili.

3. Place avocado mixture in the middle of the mushrooms.

Ma Yau 馬友 fish baked in papillote

Ma Yau 馬友 fish baked in papillote

At the fish market, it is easy to see that this winter there is a good supply of wild Ma Yau fish, which will only be this fatty and delicious until March. It is one of the best local sea fish, with oily and fine flesh.

I tried steaming and pan fry, the first method generate a lot of liquid in the dish, always make me feel that the taste of the fish is washed out. The latter method of pan fry with lid on is good, fast with crispy skin, but need to watch it carefully in order not to overcook it.

So try this wrap up in paper method, easy, no worry, and very juicy meat without extra moisture.

 

Ma Yau 馬友 fish baked in papillote

1. Lightly salt the fish for at least half day to firm the flesh.

2. Spread olive oil on both sides of fish, place a piece of ginger on the paper then the fish on top, wrap up with a slit in the middle for steam to escape.

3. For a 1.5cm thick slice, bake at 200˚C for 10 minutes, rest in the warm oven for another 2 minutes.