Salted Baked Chicken Yim Guk Kai Recipe

Salt-baked Chicken (Yim Guk Kai) has its origins in the Hakka community.

Recipe
1 kg organic or free-range chicken, washed and patted dry

Marinade
1 tbsp ginger juice
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
½ tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp sugar

Stuffing
20g codonopsis root (dong sum)
10g angelica root (dong quai)
1 tbsp wolfberries (kei chi)
15g Solomon’s seal (yok chok)
2 pieces greaseproof paper measuring 60x30cm
1 tbsp potato flour, mixed into a gum paste with a little hot water
3.5 kg coarse rock salt

Combine the marinade ingredients; rub or coat chicken with the marinade. Wash the stuffing ingredients and place into the cavity of the bird.

Set the chicken on the two pieces of parchment paper for a double-layer wrap. Fold the paper, overlapping, around the chicken to form a parcel. Seal with the gum paste to form a water-tight parcel.

Place the rock salt into an old wok. Heat salt over medium flame, stirring continuously for five to eight minutes. Make a well in the middle of the hot salt, place the chicken parcel in, and cover completely with salt. Cook, covered with a lid, over low heat for 35 to 40 minutes. Turn chicken over once halfway through the cooking time, making sure no juices spill out. Remove and serve warm.

Source: The Star Newspaper

Singapore Chili Crab Recipe

Servings: 4-6

Prep Time: 40 minutes 

Cook Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 pounds live crab
2 tablespoons oil
6 shallots, minced
6 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
3 red bird's eye chilies, minced
3 1/2 cups (875 ml) chicken stock
4 tablespoons hot bean paste
1/4 cup (60 ml) bottled chili sauce
1/2 cup (125ml) canned tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white pepper (or black pepper)
2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 3 tablespoons water
2 eggs, lightly beaten

FOR THE CHILI GINGER SAUCE:
6 red finger-length chilies, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water


DIRECTIONS:
1. Place the live crabs in the freezer for 15 minutes to immobilize them. Cut in half, lengthwise with a cleaver or large chef's knife and remove the back and discard the spongy grey matter. Take off the claws and crack in several places with a cleaver. Cut each body half into two to three pieces, leaving the legs attached.

2. Make the Chili-Ginger Sauce by whisking all the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-low heat and add the shallots, garlic, ginger and chilies. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 3 minutes, then add the Chili-Ginger Sauce, chicken stock, hot bean paste, chili sauce, tomato sauce, sugar, rice wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the crab pieces and simmer, uncovered, turning several times, until the shells are bright red and the crabs are cooked, about 10 minutes.

4. Add the cornstarch/water mixture and stir until the sauce thickens, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs and stir until set, then transfer the chili crab to a serving dish and serve with crusty bread.

Source: here

Recipe Critic Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 4 hours
Total time: 4 hours 15 mins
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (About 4 pieces)
3 Tablespoons Cornstach
½ tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp canola oil
½ cup soy sauce
4 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
4 Tablespoons ketchup
2 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup cashews

Instructions

• Combine cornstarch and pepper in resealable food storage bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat with cornstarch mixture.
• Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker.
• Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sweet chili sauce sugar, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, and cashews in small bowl; pour over chicken. (I like my cashews to be softer so I add them during the cooking process, if you want more of a crunch, add them right before serving)
• Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours.

Notes
We loved the recipe as is and many people do as well but here are some different things you can try after some comments received.
-If it is too salty you can simply use low sodium soy sauce.
-If there isn't enough sauce, you can double the sauce or make it 1 and ½ times.

Source: here

Ham Sui Kok Recipes (Savory Chinese Dumpling Recipe)

(A)
2/3 cup wheat starch (tung mein fun)
2/3 cup boiling water
(stir boiling water into wheat starch slowly till combined, as shown as below picture)

(B)
2 cups glutinous rice flour
3/4 to 1 cup water
5 tbsp sugar

Method for dough:
(1) add ingredients (B) into (A) and then knead till a soft & smooth dough is formed.
(2) then divide into 18-20 portions dough balls.
(3) flatten each dough by using a flat knife or dough cutter (by pressing).
(4) place in fillings and then seal nicely.
(5) finally, deep fried them till golden brown.

Ingredients for Jicama fillings:
200-300gm jicama, shredded (one small size)
1 carrot, shredded
1 inch fresh ginger, cut into strips
salt & pepper
1 tspn vegetarian oyster sauce

Method Jicama filling:
(1) preheat frying pan with a little oil.
(2) fry ginger till brown and then add in jicama & carrot.
(3) off the heat after simmer for about 2 mins.
(4) stir in salt & pepper and the sauce, mix well.
(5) cool to room temperature before used.

Ingredients for Pork & Mushroom filling:

1 Cup of mince pork or chicken

3 pieces of shitake mushroom (soften and diced)

1 small carrot ( diced)

1 small onion (diced)

2 tsp of mince garlic

1spring onion (chopped)

1/2 cup of water

1 tsp cornstarch mix with 1 tbsp of water

1 tbsp of oyster sauce

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp white pepper

Salt to taste

Method for Pork filling:

Stir fry garlic, onion until fragrant and add in the minced meat and mushrooms, add the rest of the vegetables and simmer until meat are cooked, with about tbsp of liquid left. Add seasoning and put cornstarch in last to thicken up the sauce. 

Source: here & here

Rice Cooker Steamed Tofu & Asparagus Recipe

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes 

Ready In: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 small bunch asparagus, 1 1/2-inch lengths
1/2 (6 oz.) blk. fried tofu, cubed
1/2 small carrot, peeled, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TB oyster sauce *omit oyster sauce for vegetarian
1 TB Aloha shoyu
1 tsp. vegetable oi1
1 tsp. sesame seed oil
1 tsp. mirin
1 tsp. honey

Cooking Process:
In a mixing bowl; toss together all ingredients. Transfer onto heatproof plate. Place in rice cooker. Steam 15-20 minutes. Serves 4.

Source: here