Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken thighs, excess fat trimmed, cut into bite-size
100 g starch noodles, soaked in cold water and then drained
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/4 Oyster sauce
1/4 cup rice syrup (or corn syrup or honey)
1 tbs dark brown sugar
2 tbs Vegetable oil
2 dried red peppers, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, peeled and minced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch thick chunks
1 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/8 inch thick
1 onion, sliced
2 green chili peppers, chopped
1 red chili peppers, chopped
1 cucumber, sliced
6 stalks green onions, cut into 2 inch long
1 cup white mushrooms, halved
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbs sesame oil
Sesame seeds

Method

1) For the sauce: Combine light soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice syrup (or corn syrup or honey), and dark brown sugar in a bowl. Set aside.

2) Heat up oil in a shallow skillet. Add dried red pepper to the heated oil and stir-fry for 10-15 secs before taking them out.

3) Add the chicken and stir with a wooden spoon for a few times. Cook with the lid open for about 3-5 mins. Turn the chicken over, give it a quick stir, and cook with the lid open for another 3-5 mins.

4) Add minced garlic and ginger and stir it for a minute. Add potato chunks, sauce, and 2½-3 cups of water. Cook for 10 mins over high heat with the lid closed.

5) Open the lid and add carrot and onion and continue cooking for another 10 mins. Keep the lid open.

6) Add starch noodles, sliced red pepper, green chili peppers, white mushrooms, green onions and cucumber. Keep stirring for 7-10 mins over high heat until the braising liquid has thickened and the noodles look translucent.

7) Turn off the heat and add ground pepper and sesame oil. Mix it together. Garnish with some chopped green onions and sesame seeds and serve.

Makes 1 9-inch pie

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
113 g unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Filling:

1 pound Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 inch chunks
2 tbs granulated white sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Glaze:

Milk or Cream
Granulated white sugar

Method

1) Preheat oven to 350 dF (177 dC) and place rack in center of oven. Butter a 9 inch (23 cm) pie plate.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and blend into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate small bowl whisk together egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Add wet mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until the dough comes together (do not over mix).

3) Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently 4-5 times and then divide it in half. Roll or pat one half of dough into a 9 inch (23 cm) circle and transfer to pie plate and pat onto the bottom and up the sides of pie plate.

4) In a separate bowl toss together cut apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nuts. Spread apples evenly over bottom of dough in the pie plate.

5) Roll the remaining dough into a 9 inch (23 cm) circle, on a lightly floured surface, and gently place the dough over the apples. With your fingers seal the edges of the top and bottom crusts. Brush the top of the dough with a little milk and sprinkle with white sugar. Cut a slit in the center of the dough to allow the steam to escape.

6) Bake for about 35 - 45 mins or until pastry is nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Serve.

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

2 cup leftover and overnight rice
4 cloves garlic, minced
240 g fresh pineapple, cut into small pieces
240 g shrimp, shelled and deveined, cut into small pieces
4 tbs cashew nuts (optional)
2 tsp shrimp paste
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tbs pineapple juice
1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce (for coloring)
4 tablespoons oil
Cilantro leaves for garnishing

Method

1) Heat up wok and add cooking oil. Stir-fry garlic and shrimp paste until aromatic. Add shrimp and stir-fry until half-cooked. Add rice, pineapple pieces, pineapple juice, and do a few quick stirs. Add fish sauce and dark soy sauce to blend well with rice. Stir-fry for another minute or so, dish out and serve.

Ingredients

6 hard boiled eggs, peeled
1/2 tsp paprika/chilli flakes
2 tbs mayonnaise
1/2 tsp honey dijon mustard

Method

Cut eggs in half, lengthwise. Remove the egg yolks and mash them together in a small mixing bowl. Mix in the paprika, mayonnaise, and honey dijon mustard. Spoon mixture into the egg whites. Cool and serve.

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup water, divided
1/8 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tbs tomato paste/ketchup
1 tsp mirin
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste
1/2 tbs canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut in half
1 square of deep fried tofu, cut into smaller pieces

Method

1) Whisk 1/4 cup water, soy sauce, tomato paste, mirin, sugar and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

2) Heat up oil in pan over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger and green beans. Cook for ~5 mins. Add the soy sauce mixture and tofu and cook until the beans are crisp-tender. Serve.

Make 6 servings

Ingredients

3 cup glutinous rice, rinsed and soaked overnight
300g boneless, skinless chicken thigh, sliced
4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 Chinese sausage, thinly sliced

1 tbsp cooking oil
2 bulbs shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

Seasoning:

1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbs light soy sauce
1 tbs oyster sauce
1/2 tbs sesame oil
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
Pinch of five-spice powder
1 cup water

Marinade:

1 cm ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp shaoxing wine
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs corn starch

Method

1) Marinate chicken and shiitake mushroom with the marinade for at least 30 mins.

2) Heat oil in pan. Add garlic and shallot and saute until fragrant. Stir in glutinous rice and all the ingredients for the seasoning (except water). Stir until rice is coated with the seasoning evenly.

3) Add in water and cook until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat.

4) In each steaming bowl, place slices of Chinese sausage follow by pieces chicken and mushroom. Next, fill in glutinous rice until three quarter full.

5) Steam in preheated steamer for 30 mins or until the rice is cooked. Run a spatula or knife around the bowl then invert lor mai kai onto a plate and serve.

Makes 6 ten-inch crepes

Ingredients

Rice Batter:

2 cups rice flour
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup water
3/4 cup canned coconut milk
3 stalks scallion, thinly sliced on extreme angle, about 1/4 inch thick

Fillings:

1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined, sliced in halves lengthwise
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup yellow onions, sliced to ~1/8 inch thick
3/4 cup mushrooms, sliced to ~1/8 inch think
2 cups bean sprouts

Sauce:

1/8 cup sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 tbs lime juice
1/8 cup fish sauce
1 clove garlic, minced finely

Method

1) Whisk together rice flour, turmeric powder and salt in a large bowl. Add water and coconut milk. Whisk until mixture is smooth. Strain through sieve to remove any lumps. Set batter to rest for 30 mins.

2) Heat up a 10-inch non-stick pan over high heat. Add 1 tbs oil and then add one portion of shrimps, onions, scallions, and mushrooms. Stir fry until shrimps are half done. Add another 1 tbs of oil into pan and pour 1/2 cup of batter into pan. Swirl pan to coat bottom evenly. Add bean sprouts over half the crepe.

3) Cook until edges begin to brown. Loosen crepe from bottom of pan. When bottom turns light brown and crispy, fold crepe to encase bean sprouts.

4) For the nuoc cham sauce: Add fish sauce, water, sugar and lime juice into a small bowl and mix well until sugar is completely dissolved. Add garlic and stir.

5) To eat: Places pieces of cooked banh xeo inside a lettuce leaf and dip it in nuoc cham sauce.

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, sliced thinly
2 tbs dried shrimps, soaked in warm water, drained and pounded
Sambal chilli paste (add to taste)
Bunch of yam/sweet potato leaves
Dashes of fish sauce

Method

1) Heat up oil in skillet. Add garlic and shallot. Stir fry until fragrant. Add dried shrimps and chilli paste. Fry for ~1 min. Add yam leaves and continue to stir fry. Add dashes of fish sauce and water (if too dry). Serve.

Ingredients

Pandan leaves
6 pieces skinless, boneless chicken thigh, cut into huge chunks
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp oyster sauce
1/8 tsp sesame oil
3 dashes white pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp fish sauce
3 inches fresh ginger, grated and squeezed for juice

Method

1) Mix the chicken pieces with all the seasonings above. Add the ginger juice and marinate for 1 hour.

2) Put a piece of the chicken towards the end of the pandan leave and roll it up tightly. Secure with a tooth pick.

3) Deep fry until the golden brown. Serve.

Ingredients

1/2 pound fish paste
1 stalk scallions, chopped finely
1/4 tsp sesame oil
3 dashes white pepper
3 eggs
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp Japanese mirin
5-6 sheets of roasted nori/seaweed

Method

1) Mix fish paste with scallions, sesame oil, and white pepper. Blend well and set aside. Beat the eggs and add salt and mirin. Heat up some oil in a non-stick pan. Add the egg mixture and make about 5-6 thin omelets. Set aside and let cool.

2) Transfer one omelet onto a dry and clean chopping board. Lay a piece of roasted nori/seaweed on top of the omelet. Trim off the edges of the seaweed sheet according to the shape of the omelet. Spread a thin layer of fish paste evenly on top. Then roll the omelet up firmly. Repeat for the remaining omelets.

3) Transfer fish rolls onto a plate and steam in hot boiling water for 8-10 mins or until the fish paste fillings turn opaque. Cut the fish rolls into small pieces. Serve.