Category Archives: Chinese

Dry Fry Green Beans with Salted Black Bean (ถั่วแขกผัดพริกแห้งใส่เต้าซี)

What you need:
  • 400 g Green beans, cut to 1.5 inch pieces
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
  • 5-10 Dried chillies, cut into small pieces
  • 2 Tbsp Salted black bean, soaked in hot water for 5 mins, then roughly chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine)
  • A pinch of sugar
  • 1 tsp Sesame oil
  • Oil
How to put this together:
  1. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a pan until hot. Add beans. Stir-fry until the beans are cooked. Try and get some charred marks on them.
  2. Transfer cooked beans to a plate
  3. Heat 1 Tbsp oil. Add garlic + dried chillies + salted black bean. Fry until fragrant.
  4. Add cooked beans. Mix well
  5. Season with soy sauce + shaoxing + sugar. Mix well.
  6. Taste & season.
  7. Drizzle with sesame oil. Mix well.
  8. Serve immediately
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Dry Fry Green Beans with Salted Black Bean

Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword Beans, Black Bean, Chicken
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  • 400 g Green beans cut to 1.5 inch pieces
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic minced
  • 5-10 Dried chillies cut into small pieces
  • 2 Tbsp Salted black bean soaked in hot water for 5 mins, then roughly chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Shaoxing Chinese cooking wine
  • A pinch of sugar
  • 1 tsp Sesame oil
  • Oil

Instructions

  • Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a pan until hot. Add beans. Stir-fry until the beans are cooked. Try and get some charred marks on them.
  • Transfer cooked beans to a plate
  • Heat 1 Tbsp oil. Add garlic + dried chillies + salted black bean. Fry until fragrant.
  • Add cooked beans. Mix well
  • Season with soy sauce + shaoxing + sugar. Mix well.
  • Taste & season.
  • Drizzle with sesame oil. Mix well.
  • Serve immediately

Spicy Garlicky Tofu Stir-fry (เต้าหู้ทอดพริกกระเทียม)

Serves: 2

What you need

  • 2 cups Crispy tofu cubes (see recipe here)
  • 1 Tbsp Oil
  • 1 Tbsp garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 Tbsp Spring onion, finely chopped
  • 2-5 Red chillis, de-seeded, and finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Sugar

How to put this together

  1. Heat oil in pan
  2. Add garlic + spring onion + red chillis. Fry until fragrant.
  3. Add soy sauce + sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves.
  4. Add crispy tofu cubes. Mix well.
  5. Taste & season
  6. Serve immediately
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Spicy Garlicky Tofu Stir-fry

Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword Chinese, Tofu
Prep Time 0 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Crispy tofu cubes see recipe here
  • 1 Tbsp Oil
  • 1 Tbsp garlic finely chopped
  • 3 Tbsp Spring onion finely chopped
  • 2-5 Red chillis de-seeded, and finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Sugar

Instructions

  • Heat oil in pan
  • Add garlic + spring onion + red chillis. Fry until fragrant.
  • Add soy sauce + sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves.
  • Add crispy tofu cubes. Mix well.
  • Taste & season
  • Serve immediately

Easy Chilli Oil

What you need

  • 5 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 Tbsp chilli flakes
  • 1 star anise
  • 1/2 inch cinnamon
  • 1 tsp sichuan peppercorn
  • 1/2 tsp salt

How to put this together

  1. On medium heat, pan roast star anise + cinnamon + sichuan peppercorn until fragrant
  2. Grind them into powder (I use magic bulet)
  3. Mix together chili flakes + salt + powdered spices
  4. On medium heat, heat oil in a pot until hot
  5. Turn off the heat, and leave to cool for 3 mins
  6. Pour hot oil over the mixture. Mix well.
  7. Store in a glass jar

 

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Easy Chilli Oil

Course None
Cuisine Chinese, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword Chilli Oil, Chinese, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time 0 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 5 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 Tbsp chilli flakes
  • 1 star anise
  • 1/2 inch cinnamon
  • 1 tsp sichuan peppercorn
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  • On medium heat, pan roast star anise + cinnamon + sichuan peppercorn until fragrant
  • Grind them into powder (I use magic bulet)
  • Mix together chili flakes + salt + powdered spices
  • On medium heat, heat oil in a pot until hot
  • Turn off the heat, and leave to cool for 3 mins
  • Pour hot oil over the mixture. Mix well.
  • Store in a glass jar

Beef Balls (ลูกชิ้นเนื้อ)

What you need:

  • 500 g lean beef mince (it’s very important the mince is as lean as possible, 0% fat would be perfect, otherwise do not buy anything with more than 5% fat content)
  • 1/4 cups ice-cold water
  • 1/4 cups crushed ice
  • 2 Tbsp corn flour
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt (or 1.5 tsp table salt)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp white pepper powder
  • 1 cup ice cubes

How to put this together:

You’ll notice the theme in making this is cold temperature. It’s important the process uses everything as cold as possible.

  1. One hour before you begin, put beef mince in the freezer. You want the mince to be firm and very cold, but NOT frozen (otherwise you’ll kill your food processor). This depends on your freezer, our current freezer is a bit temperamental so sometimes it takes 1.5 hours to bring it up to the right texture. If you have an amazing freezer (I envy you) you may only need to wait 30 mins.
  2. In a food processor or a stand mixer (I use the flat beater on my KitchenAid), process the mince for 5 minutes.
  3. In a bowl, mix together 1/4 cup water + corn flour + soy sauce + salt + baking powder + sugar + oil + pepper powder
  4. Slowly add this to the mince. Continue to process for another 5 minutes (I alternate between speed 2 and 4).
  5. Slowly add half (1/8 cups) crushed ice. Continue to process for another 5 minutes.
  6. Slowly add the remaining crushed ice. Continue to process for another 5 minutes. Note: total = 20 minutes.
  7. The mixture should become a smooth pale paste. The mince-y texture is gone.
  8. Put in a container and put in the freezer for 1 hour (refer to freezer notes in step 1)
  9. Boil hot water in the kettle, then pour it into a pot. Put the pot on the lowest flame. IMPORTANT: you want the water to keep hot, but NEVER BOILS. If your water has boiling bubbles it’s too hot!
  10. Have a small bowl of cold water and a metal spoon ready.
  11. Take the mixture out from the freezer.
  12. Dip your hand in cold water, then take a handful in your hand (I wear disposable gloves because it’s easier than washing my hands, but it’s optional).
  13. Squeeze the mixture in your hand (like you would a victory hand clinch “YES!!!” but slowly & more gracefully), and pushing a little bit out through the little opening of your index finger. I normally have to do a few re-shuffle before I get the right size “popping” through. I normally try to go for about 1.5 cm, but it doesn’t really matter!
  14. When you’re happy with the size, grab the spoon with the other hand, dip it in cold water, and scoop it off your fist, and drop it into the hot water pot.
  15. Repeat until the mixture is all used up.
  16. When you’ve dropped in the last ball, keep them in there for 15 mins
  17. In the meantime, prepare a large bowl of water with ice cubes
  18. Drain the meat balls and immediately dunk them into ice water
  19. Drain and pack in an air-tight container. They also freeze well so can be made in advance.

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Beef Balls

Course None
Cuisine Chinese, Thai
Keyword Beef, Beef Balls, Chinese, Thai
Prep Time 0 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6 portions

Ingredients

  • 500 g lean beef mince less than 5% fat content
  • 1/4 cups ice-cold water
  • 1/4 cups crushed ice
  • 2 Tbsp corn flour
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt or 1.5 tsp table salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp white pepper powder
  • 1 cup ice cubes

Instructions

  • One hour before you begin, put beef mince in the freezer. You want the mince to be firm and very cold, but NOT frozen
  • In a food processor or a stand mixer (I use the flat beater on my KitchenAid), process the mince for 5 minutes.
  • In a bowl, mix together 1/4 cup water + corn flour + soy sauce + salt + baking powder + sugar + oil + pepper powder
  • Slowly add this to the mince. Continue to process for another 5 minutes (I alternate between speed 2 and 4).
  • Slowly add half (1/8 cups) crushed ice. Continue to process for another 5 minutes.
  • Slowly add the remaining crushed ice. Continue to process for another 5 minutes. Note: total = 20 minutes.
  • The mixture should become a smooth pale paste. The mince-y texture is gone.
  • Put in a container and put in the freezer for 1 hour
  • Boil hot water in the kettle, then pour it into a pot. Put the pot on the lowest flame.
  • Have a small bowl of cold water and a metal spoon ready.
  • Take the mixture out from the freezer.
  • Dip your hand in cold water, then take a handful in your hand
  • Squeeze the mixture in your hand, pushing a little bit out through the little opening of your index finger.
  • When you’re happy with the size, grab the spoon with the other hand, dip it in cold water, and scoop it off your fist, and drop it into the hot water pot.
  • Repeat until the mixture is all used up.
  • When you’ve dropped in the last ball, keep them in there for 15 mins
  • In the meantime, prepare a large bowl of water with ice cubes
  • Drain the meat balls and immediately dunk them into ice water
  • Drain and pack in an air-tight container. They also freeze well so can be made in advance.

Braised Pork with Chinese Spices (หมูตุ๋น)

Serves: 6

What you need:

  • 1-1.2 kg pork (I use 500g thick-cut pork steak + 700g pork ribs)
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 4 star anise
  • 2 tsp black peppercorn
  • 2 tsp sechuan peppercorn
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • Few coriander roots (optional)
  • Salt
  • Light soy sauce
  • Oyster sauce
  • Sweet soy sauce

How to put this together:

  1. On medium heat, pan roast the dry spices: star anise + black peppercorn + sechuan peppercorn + coriander seeds
  2. Put pork + ribs + star anise + black peppercorn + sechuan peppercorn + coriader seeds + garlic + coriander roots + 2 tsp salt in a pressure cooker pot. Add 1.5 litre water. Bring to boil, and pressure cook for 20 mins. Or simmer slowly until tender (2-3 hrs)
  3. Remove pork & pork ribs from the soup
  4. Drain the soup through a sieve to remove spices bits
  5. Add 0.5 litre of water (or more if you simmered instead of using pressure cooker). You want enough soup for 6 bowls of noodle soup
  6. Season with light soy sauce (start with 3 Tbsp) + Oyster sauce (start with 2 Tbsp) + Sweet soy sauce (start with 1 Tbsp).
  7. Taste, and add more seasoning if required. You want the soup to be a combination of sweet & salty.
  8. Put pork back into the bits-free soup
  9. Simmer for another 5 minutes
  10. Eat with steamed rice (and chilli sauce) or make Thai braised pork noodle soup. Recipe is coming!

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Braised Pork with Chinese Spices

Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword Chinese, Pork, Soup
Prep Time 0 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1-1.2 kg pork I use 500g thick-cut pork steak + 700g pork ribs
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 4 star anise
  • 2 tsp black peppercorn
  • 2 tsp sechuan peppercorn
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • Few coriander roots optional
  • Salt
  • Light soy sauce
  • Oyster sauce
  • Sweet soy sauce

Instructions

  • On medium heat, pan roast the dry spices: star anise + black peppercorn + sechuan peppercorn + coriander seeds
  • Put pork + ribs + star anise + black peppercorn + sechuan peppercorn + coriader seeds + garlic + coriander roots + 2 tsp salt in a pressure cooker pot. Add 1.5 litre water. Bring to boil, and pressure cook for 20 mins. Or simmer slowly until tender (2-3 hrs)
  • Remove pork & pork ribs from the soup
  • Drain the soup through a sieve to remove spices bits
  • Add 0.5 litre of water (or more if you simmered instead of using pressure cooker). You want enough soup for 6 bowls of noodle soup
  • Season with light soy sauce (start with 3 Tbsp) + Oyster sauce (start with 2 Tbsp) + Sweet soy sauce (start with 1 Tbsp).
  • Taste, and add more seasoning if required. You want the soup to be a combination of sweet & salty.
  • Put pork back into the bits-free soup
  • Simmer for another 5 minutes
  • Eat with steamed rice (and chilli sauce) or make Thai braised pork noodle soup. Recipe is coming!

Mapo Tofu, Vegetarian version

Serves 2

What you need:

  • 300g Silken tofu, cut into 12 chunks
  • 6 Shiitake mushroom, stem removed, diced (I use fresh ones if available, otherwise soak dry ones overnight then squeeze out water before dicing)
  • 1 tsp Roasted peanut oil, or vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic, pounded
  • 1 Tbsp Ginger, pounded
  • 2 Tbsp Chilli Bean Sauce. I use Lee Kum Kee brand.
  • 1 cup Water (or 1 cup water mixed with 1 tsp Bouillon powder)
  • 1 Tbsp Shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine)
  • 2 Tbsp Soy sauce
  • 2 tsp Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Tapioca powder, mixed with 2 Tbsp water
  • 2 Tbsp Spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Sesame oil

How to put this together:

  1. Heat roasted peanut oil in a pan, add garlic + ginger + chilli bean sauce. Fry until fragrant.
  2. Add shiitake mushroom. Fry for a few minutes until mushroom is cooked.
  3. Add water. Bring to boil.
  4. Add Shaoxing + soy sauce + sugar. Taste & season.
  5. While continuously stirring the sauce, slowly add in tapioca powder water. You must be stirring constantly, otherwise the sauce will become lumpy
  6. Add in tofu chunks. Gently cover the tofu with the sauce. Be very gentle so you don’t break up the tofu too much.
  7. Serve with spring onions to garnish & drizzle with sesame oil

Serve with steamed Thai jasmine rice

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Mapo Tofu, Vegetarian version

Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese, Vegetarian
Keyword Chinese, Tofo, Vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  • 300 g Silken tofu cut into 12 chunks
  • 6 Shiitake mushroom remove stem & dice
  • 1 tsp Roasted peanut oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic pounded
  • 1 Tbsp Ginger pounded
  • 2 Tbsp Chilli Bean Sauce. I use Lee Kum Kee brand.
  • 1 cup Water or 1 cup water mixed with 1 tsp Bouillon powder
  • 1 Tbsp Shaoxing Chinese cooking wine
  • 2 Tbsp Soy sauce
  • 2 tsp Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Tapioca powder mixed with 2 Tbsp water
  • 2 Tbsp Spring onions finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Sesame oil

Instructions

  • Heat roasted peanut oil in a pan, add garlic + ginger + chilli bean sauce. Fry until fragrant.
  • Add shiitake mushroom. Fry for a few minutes until mushroom is cooked.
  • Add water. Bring to boil.
  • Add Shaoxing + soy sauce + sugar. Taste & season.
  • While continuously stirring the sauce, slowly add in tapioca powder water. You must be stirring constantly, otherwise the sauce will become lumpy
  • Add in tofu chunks. Gently cover the tofu with the sauce. Be very gentle so you don’t break up the tofu too much.
  • Serve with spring onions to garnish & drizzle with sesame oil

Chicken in Lettuce Cup (San Choi Bau)

This is a very healthy, tasty, and refreshing dish.

Serves 3-4 as main, or 5-6 as starter

What you need:

  • 1 head Lettuce, peel off each individual leaf, wash and let drip dry
  • 500 g Chicken mince (or pork mince)
  • 10 Shiitake mushroom. If dried mushroom is used then either soak in a bowl of water for a few hours, or simmer for 10 mins, then squeeze out water. Cut into small pieces.
  • 1 can Water chestnut (225 g net weight, 140 g drained weight). Cut into small pieces.
  • 4 cloves Garlic, pounded
  • 1 c Beansprouts
  • 4 Tbsp Spring onions, finely chopped
  • 4 Tbsp Coriander leaves, finely chopped
  • 3 Tbsp Oyster sauce
  • 3 Tbsp Soy sauce + 1 tsp for mushroom stir-fry
  • 2 Tbsp Shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine)
  • 1 tsp Sesame oil
  • White pepper powder
  • Oil

How to put this together:

  1. Heat 1/2 tsp oil, add shiitake mushroom + water chestnut. Add 1 tsp Soy sauce. Stir-fry for few minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Heat 1/2 tsp oil, add garlic. Fry until fragrant.
  3. Add chicken mince + oyster sauce + 3 Tbsp soy sauce + shaoxing + sesame oil. Stir-fry until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Add pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning
  4. Add the pre-fried shiitake mushroom & water chestnut. Mix well.
  5. Add beansprouts + spring onions + coriander leaves. Mix well. Take off heat.
  6. Sprinkle with white pepper powder.
  7. Serve immediately with lettuce leaves

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Chicken in Lettuce Cup (San Choi Bau)

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword Chicken, Chinese
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  • 1 head Lettuce peel off each individual leaf, wash and let drip dry
  • 500 g Chicken mince or pork mince
  • 10 Shiitake mushroom. If dried mushroom is used then either soak in a bowl of water for a few hours or simmer for 10 mins, then squeeze out water. Cut into small pieces.
  • 1 can Water chestnut 225 g net weight, 140 g drained weight. Cut into small pieces.
  • 4 cloves Garlic pounded
  • 1 cup Beansprouts
  • 4 Tbsp Spring onions finely chopped
  • 4 Tbsp Coriander leaves finely chopped
  • 3 Tbsp Oyster sauce
  • 3 Tbsp Soy sauce + 1 tsp for mushroom stir-fry
  • 2 Tbsp Shaoxing Chinese cooking wine
  • 1 tsp Sesame oil
  • White pepper powder
  • Oil

Instructions

  • Heat 1/2 tsp oil, add shiitake mushroom + water chestnut. Add 1 tsp Soy sauce. Stir-fry for few minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  • Heat 1/2 tsp oil, add garlic. Fry until fragrant.
  • Add chicken mince + oyster sauce + 3 Tbsp soy sauce + shaoxing + sesame oil. Stir-fry until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Add pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning
  • Add the pre-fried shiitake mushroom & water chestnut. Mix well.
  • Add beansprouts + spring onions + coriander leaves. Mix well. Take off heat.
  • Sprinkle with white pepper powder.
  • Serve immediately with lettuce leaves