Lettuce with Fried Shallot Oil and Oyster Sauce (油菜)

"Simply great vegetable dish"

This dish is very common and well known in Asia countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia. You may easily get the dish at our hawker centre, coffee shop (煮炒摊 - "Zhu Chao Tan") and even Chinese restaurant. Singapore normally uses Kailan for this dish, while Malaysia and Hong Kong use lettuce. I personally prefer the lettuce as it yields more crispy texture and the greeny taste is milder.

It is very simple dish to cook at home, in fact.

I used the same recipe for fried fish dish. Its taste is fantastic, even on vegetables. For those kids who do not take vegetables, this recipe makes it great to eat, both adult and child will sure like it!
Serve 4
Ingredients
1 small lettuce, leaves separated
A pot of water (for blanching purposes)

Sauce:
1 small shallot, thinly slices (best to remain in rings)
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Sprinkles of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce

Method
1) Boil a pot of water over high heat. When water boiled, blanch washed lettuce leaves till 80% cooked to retain its fresh green colour. Drain, and reserve for later.

2) Clean the wok. Add vegetable oil into wok, fry ginger strips over medium heat, until crisp and golden brown. Remove from wok, and set aside.

5) Using the same wok, add shallot. Fry shallot till lightly browned over medium heat. Then, turn fire to low heat.

6) When shallot turns brown, quickly add in light soy sauce. Add in sesame oil after the "sizzling effect" created by the mixture of hot oil and soy sauce. Heat off. Pour the sauce over lettuce. Add oyster sauce on top of the vegetables. Serve.

This vegetables dish counts 220kcal per portion.

Tips: Add some sugar in the boiling water for blanching, it helps to enhance its bright green colour.
* Change type of vegetables to Kailan or "Xiao Bai Cai", as desired.

"Fantastic 4" Chicken Soup in Coconut

"When true essence of chicken herbal tonic soup meets the fragrance of coconut"

I really cannot believe my own taste bud! It's the real tasty chicken herbal soup I have ever cooked!

Simple, easy, and quick making chicken soup yields the real fragrance and natural sweetness from the coconut flesh, unexpectedly!

I went to the market in the morning. Saw an old folk selling desiccated coconut, freshly shred and dry from whole old coconut, one by one, on the spot. The idea of cooking chicken herbal soup in the coconut flashed onto my mind!

I asked for a whole coconut, chopped it opened from the top to make a lid. Drain the coconut, I took it home without the coconut water. It costs S$1.50 each.

The herbs in this chicken soup are very common which you probably find them anywhere, at the neighbourhood Chinese herb shop or supermarkets. Only 4 types of herbal ingredients were used here, so I named it as "Fantastic 4" (winking smile)!

Not too many kinds of herb, so that you can taste the true fragrance of coconut immerges into the chicken soup here! Yummy..

Yes, it counts only 140kcal per portion. You did not drink the coconut juice, but just the essence and minerals extracted from it through simmering. Healthy choice!

Serves 1 - 2
Ingredients
1 coconut shell with its flesh intact, drained
2 - 3 stripes of Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae ( Dangshen - 党参)
6 - 8 slices of Solomon’s Seal Rhizome (Yu Zhu - 玉竹)
2 - 3 stripes of dried Dioscoreae Oppositae aka Chinese wild yam (Huai Shan - 淮山)
1 tablespoon of Lycium barbarum aka Wolfberry (Goji - 枸杞)
1 small chicken drumstick or 2 chunk of chicken breast meat (skinless)
1 bowl of water
Pinch of salt

Method
1) Put chicken meat into coconut shell (without the coconut water).

2) Top all Chinese herbs. Fill up water.

3) Heat double boiler or large pot which filled with water (if you do not have a double boiler) on stove over high fire. When boiled, put in the whole coconut which places on a regular bowl (since coconut shell cannot stand alone wihtout flat base, hold it on a regular ceramic or metal bowl to act as its stand, if you do not have any proper stand to secure it).

4) Reduce heat to medium-low fire, simmer for 2 - 3 hours. Sprinkle salt to taste. Serve hot.

I can't find any bigger coconut that day. This coconut I've gotten was rather small. So, the soup portion is good for only 1 serving, in fact. I have already tried my best to maximise the available space, by staking the ingredients nicely and orderly. Yet, 3 of us got to taste only a few spoonful of such delicious tonic soup (sobbing). The coconut is just not big enough! Ok, ok, get a very large boiler, boil 2 coconuts at the same time, and share among 3 person. It should be just nice for all, then (smile).

Tips: If you are not using a double boiler, steam it with large deep pot, just like how you steam fish, yields the same effect. Remember to place the steam rack in the pot, before placing the bowl (coconut on it).
* Remove chicken skin for healthier soup.
* If your pot or boiler is deep enough, try stacking 2 coconuts vertically (the lower coconut goes without the lid), for more servings.

Simple Baked Cheesy Scallops Recipe

"Luscious yet Simple-Making Valentine's Dish Most Ideal For Your Loved One Who Prefer A Stay-Home Celebration"

If you agree with me that going out for romantic dining during the yearly Valentine's Day, is a waste of money, try to create your own romantic menu at home then!

You will definately enjoy this simple-making, and yet, quality seafood dish which romance you and your loved one on this specially romantic occasion. Surprise sweetheart in this coming Valentine's Day celebration!

Very easy to get the ingredients and to prepare it with in 5 minutes and to get it serves in less than 30 minutes.

Serves 2
Ingredients
6 - 8 frozen half shell scallop
200 gram of shredded Mozzarella cheese (about 1 small cup)
100 gram of shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon of butter, melted
Sprinkles of ground black pepper

Method
1) Place frozen scallop with half shell intact on the baking tray.

2) Spread a little butter on each scallop. Then, top with 1 teaspoon of shredded Cheddar cheese, and shredded Mozzarella cheese covering full on top of each scallop.

3) Sprinkle ground black pepper.

4) Preheat oven for 5 minutes. Bake scallop at 170 degree celsius (°C) for 25 min, or until cheese melted with some browning around the edge of the shell. Serve.

Because I prefer simple taste for scallop dish, and to enjoy the real cheesy taste in the palate, I did not add any other toppings, such as chopped ham, onion or minced garlic.

If you prefer stronger taste, please add the abovementioned. For more fragrance, sprinkle some white wine before adding cheese and/or other toppings.

Each cheesy scallop in this recipe counts about 170 kcal.

Well, I think this is a must-try recipe for a romantic celebration with your Valentine, if you really wish to save your (or his) extra expenses on dining out, and to replace it with a hassle-free home-cooking meal here. This is a guaranteed success dish even if you are not a season cook, trust me (winking smile)!

Tips: Frozen scallop is easily found in various supermarkets. I got mine which comes in a packet from NTUC Extra. Try frozen food section. This packet of 8 costs about $12 - $15.

New Moon Abalone Yu Sheng ("鲍"生)

"While Yu Sheng, Raw Fish Lo Hei symbolises Increase in Abundance, 余升捞起, Abalone Lo Hei symbolises Guaranteed Success, 包你捞起! Instead of the Yu Sheng 余升，I called it, also, the Bao Sheng 包升 (Guaranteed Increase in Abundance) OR 包生 (Guaranteed Productivity), to whom it may concern (like me).. ha"

I LOVE Yu Sheng (鱼生 = 余升)! Yu Sheng dish is my favourite dish which only can be taken "meaningfully" once a year during the Lunar New Year. This "Chinese Salad" dish is my long waited dish throughout the year, indeed.

I love its pleasant sweet taste, crunchy texture which created not only from the crunchy crackers, but also the raw shredded carrot and raddish. This significant Chinese New Year dish to be taken as appetizer, usually before proper meal. I find it helps to open up my appetite, so that I could enjoy even more on the festive feast!

Each topping of ingredients says something about themselves. These are what you have to have in your Yu Sheng dish, and have to shout out loud during the ceremony of topping and tossing:

Fresh raw fish slices -
Says: 年年有馀- Nian nian you yu.
Shredded red carrot -
Says: 鸿运当头Hong yun dang tou.
Shredded green radish -
Says:青春常驻 Qing chun chang zhu.
Shredded white radish -
Says: 步步高升 Bu bu gao sheng.
Ground Pepper -
Says: 大吉大利 Da ji da li.
Cinnamon Powder -
Says: 招财进宝 Zhao cai jin bao.
Olive Oil -
Says: 多多油水 Duo duo you shui; 财源广进 Cai yuan guang jin.
Mashed peanut -
Says: 金银满屋 Jin yin man wu.
White sesame -
Says: 生意兴隆 Sheng yi xing long.
Pok Chui crackers -
Says: 翩地黄金Pian di huang jin.
Honey Plum Sauce -
Says: 甜甜蜜蜜 Tian tian mi mi
When all ready… Toss it WELL. Toss it HIGH -
Says: 捞起! Lo Hei! Which means "tossing to raise good luck and becoming success" in Cantonese.

P/S: Some also add pamelo pieces for more juicy taste, for adding auspicious value (大吉大利). Also, squeeze lime juice from 2 limes on the raw fish right before topping onto the dish, for the same or even more auspicious value!
And, since we used abalone, I say: 年年包有余 Nian nian bao you yu. :)

Bring home a pack of Abalone Yu Sheng gift pack from New Moon brand:
Raw fish slices, especially Salmon fish, are usually the 'main lead' of Yu Sheng. This year, we tried Abalone Yu Sheng (鲍鱼生). I tried two methods, i.e. uses the canned whole abalone (New Moon brand), shred and top on the raw shredded carrot and pear, during Chinese New Year Eve dinner with my family; and uses the ready-packed Abalone Yu Sheng which nicely packed in the gift pack from New Moon brand. It costs about $48 each pack. This nice golden gift pack consists of all the usual side ingredients for Yu Sheng and a small can of sliced abalone.
It is good to give to your parents, parents-in-law, relatives and friends as Lunar New Year gift when visiting them, too. Its golden colour box, about the size of art drawing block, looks very presentable and elegant. It is to be opened up from the front middle just like a treasure box, to me. This Yu Sheng pack is not only good-looking from the pack, its ingredients are good quality and delicious, too!

By the way, it comes with a free big serving plate for the tossing ceremony - "Lo Hei". It saves you the trouble for getting a big enough plate separately. You do not need to collect the free plate separately at the store's customer service counter using the purchase receipt as proof. It is already packed inside the gift pack nicely! So convenient... (laughing).

This is our CNY eve's Yu Sheng prepared by my mum, which used whole abalone, shredded later. This Yu Sheng dish was rather special as we used cashew nuts instead of Pok Chui crackers, and shredded pear instead of white raddish. Well, no special meaning, just to try it out (but I think it was because my mum has forgotten to get the radish and crackers, even though she did not tell us...laughing)! Anyway, taste not much different though. Still as delicious, and in fact, more juicy and sweeter due to the juicy pears.

The Yu Sheng dishes I had this year, were mainly home-made. I got the ready-packed side ingredients and crackers (extra pack of crackers @ S$1 per packet) from the supermarkets, which costs about $13 - $18 per pack. What I did was just to shred the carrot and radish, and get fresh raw Salmon slices. It is not a difficult task to shred the carrot and radish, but remember to drain them. We do not want the juice to be extracted later on to the Yu Sheng dish and make it too wet and watery while eating.

If you think it is still much to do to prepare the shreds at home, get those ready shredded carrot and radish packs which are also available at some supermarkets (about $3 per pack of all 3 colours).

Today's 15th day of Lunar New Year for Lo Hei ceremony. It's also the last day of Chinese New Year aka Chinese Valentine's Day (元宵节). Still manage to have one more Lo Hei this year. Home made it! Not too sure if we'll have it this evening (vegetarian day), but I've already had 7 "Lo Hei" this year, both during celebrations outside and home gatherings. Not only get to eat this delicious festive food, I hope these frequent tossings during the ceremony will bring me more good luck, and a fruitful year of 2009! :)