Char Siew (Roasted Pork)

I make this almost every Monday because I promised to cook this dish whenever Shanice has phonic class. She doesn't want to attend the extra classes that we parents signed up for her, so we kinda push and entice her to go on. Char Siew is one of the favourite "meat" dish she like. I think she's born a vegetarian... From very young age, she'll ask for celery, cucumber, sweet pea and all kinds of fruits. It always take her ages to chew on meat except Char Siew...

I didn't roasted this in oven but using a short cut method. You can try this way if you don't have a oven but a small toaster...

First, choose your preferred parts. I prefer shoulder butt which has more fat and the meat is more tender when it is done but my hubby prefer lean so I did both. Just wash the pork and marinate it with salt. Then use about 3 - 4 table spoon of "Lee Kum Kee" Char Siew Sauce, some cooking wine, garlic, shallot and ginger. Stew it with slow fire until the meat is tender and the sauce is reduced and thick enough to coat the meat. It'd take about 45min, I think. Then use toaster or oven (high heat) to bake for about 15min. You'll have a juicy and tender Char Siew..

I always cook extra and chill it, cox my girls like Char Siew with Marcoroni too.

Glutinous Rice

Yam Rice

Lo Mai Gai

A must-order item from your "Yam Char" menu. Usually it comes in mini "Lo Mai Gai" which they call "Chen Chu Gai". But the best one comes in the "adult" form - much bigger and very economical. Crystal Jade used to sell this during weekend but they took it off their menu about a year ago. They have also changed the "Chen Chu Gai" recipe with some dried scallop and less chicken ... so it is time to make my own...

It took me a few months to find the lotus leave in Singapore. Been to a few big wet markets (Bukit Timah, Jurong West, Bukit Badok) and all don't sell it. Pasir Panjang wholesale market mostly sell in kg (how to store and finish...). The only place to buy is Outram Park wet market @ Smith street.

Used 1KG glutinous rice to make 8pc (Big one). Bigger ones for my hubby who always complain "why so little". Some smaller ones for myself and my helper. I use chicken drumlet. Just dice it, fry with dry shrimps, dry mushroom and salted egg yolk. Season with black sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and corn starch to thicken.

Wrap steamed glutinous rice (for 30 mins, water every 10 min) in a boiled lotus leave plus filling. Steam for 20 min. The fragrance from the lotus leave will fill the house. I froze them in the freezer. It is always ready whenever I need a quick "Yam Char" fix.

Steamed Meat Bau

Different types of Chinese bau dian (steam bun) are always those items that I really want to master and do well. So for years I've been searching and trying and yet still fail to find the right formula... To achieve a soft and bouncy bun dough is not that simple. I'm also kinda lazy and always try those recipes that require only one proving. "Old dough" method is always the professional way of doing it, but preparing it 2 days in advance is really "lay chei". Not sure where I could keep the bubbly and foamy batter. Should my hubby see it he would never try my bau.... so forget this method.


About 1 - 2 years ago after so many attempts, I decided to quit and just buy them from Crystal Jade (especially Char Siew Bau) or supermarket to satisfy my craving. Cox I never get it right especially the "Char Siew Bau". I did the filling well but failed to make a delicious bun (well, that's equally important as the filling).


This time round, as I had some filling left over from dumpling making, so I wanted to give it another try with the recipe from this book titled Chinese Dim Sum (in Picture by Wan Lee).


I got a fright when I see the final product... very very bad. Those Bau that I previously attempted to make at least still looked like a BAU, only not so soft as I compare to those bought from supermarkets. But... but this time round... they look like a cross breed of "Siu loong Bau" and "Steamed Bun".


OK, I must admit that I've failed badly once again. To make me feel less bitter, I should blame partly the cook book that I took reference from. Unlike other cook books which always calls for the use of yeast and I wonder why this author never use yeast but only baking powder. Aiya, the author claims that she's a professional "Dim Sum" Si Fu and has worked in many famous restaurants. So who am I to question??? I just followed ... so it turned out to be...





After tasting it, I found the texture rather like "San Jian Bau" (Fried meat bun). Ha! Ha! I was right. It turned out to be much better when I pan fried them. The skin is chewy and crispy only that u need to erase your memory that it is supposed to be a soft steamed BAU. It feels just right as the juice oozes through when u bite on it. My effort is not totally in vain after all!!!

Dumplings

I usually make dumplings in bulk and keep them in the freezer and they are always ready for a quick lunch or supper. It is healthy because I used Jiu Chai, pork (belly), egg yolk, prawn (diced and minced) and dry mushroom as the filling. Just marinate everything with salt, sugar, sesame oil, corn starch. Lastly add an egg yolk and mixed them well. Remember to keep the egg white as "glue" to close up the dumpling skin. Although the wrapping part may take some time, I guarantee it is worth all the hard work. Simply boil or pan fry them like Gao Tia. My girls can eat a few at one time with white noodle.





Let me know if anyone interested in the recipe. I don't have the exact measurement at this moment. I'll keep records the next time I make it.

My Favorite "Carrot Cake" (Radish Cake / Law Pak Ko)

Carrot Cake (Radish Cake)


Pan Fry Carrot Cake


Yam Cake


Pumpkin Cake



The radish in the supermarket looked good. So I decided to buy some and made my favorite "Law Pak Ko". I have not made it since end Jan '08.

I missed this famous CNY speciality since I moved to Singapore and all these years I could only eat it when I went back to visit my parents. Or when my friends' mum cook it then I get to eat. The change happened sometime in 2004 when I was pregnant and I had craving for some quality Law Pak Ko and only discovered that not many Law Pak Ko out there in the market met my expectation. I only like the one made by my mum and those in Crystal Jade. I called my mum and asked for recipe and started doing it since.

My hubby will rave to it whenever he sees it and eats it whether hot or cold, he doesn't have the patience to pan fry it. I also tried to vary the version to pumpkin and yam cakes.

Because I make this very often, hence I've invested on a food processor to ease the chopping and shredding process. This helps me cut down lots of preparation time. Don't be afraid if you don't have one. You just need to exercise your arm and do some shredding of radish. Watch out for your fingers when u do it.

Well, gauging the water quantity is the most difficult part during my trials. Radish's quality varies a lot. Some are very juicy while some are rather dry. The end result doesn't turn out quite the same each time. Then I studied some cook book and learnt that one must use measuring cup to limit water portion from 3 - 5 cups. Based on your own liking, you could put more water if you prefer it to be soft and eat steamed. It is very difficult to slice and pan fry it if it is too soft. If you understand what I'm talking about, you must have tried making it before. Let me know if you are interested to know the recipe. Presently, I make it based on estimation ("agaration").. Ha ha, need to crack my head to pen down the exact ingredient and process.

My cooking

Fry Bee Hoon (Rice Noodle)


Chicken Wing stew in dark soya sauce


Slice Pork and Bacon pasta with Tomato sauce



I like to cook. Well, not the kind with 3 dishes and 1 soup. My domestic helper prepares these most of the time. I usually cook on weekends and mostly with 1 dish kind of food. For example, porridge, fry rice, beef stew, fried Udon and some HK local snacks.

Last Fri I fried Bee Hoon and made Chicken Wings for dinner. This kind of food takes less than half an hour to cook, so it is really simple.

I like pasta too, whether it is with tomato sauce or cream sauce. It is costly to eat from restaurants. To me it is expensive if the dish costs more than S$8. Also they don't really give u good quality. So usually I cook from home and hardly order these dishes outside. I'll only try when I have buffet dinner/lunch when they have a chef there who specially cooks for you. I cook the sauce from scratch and I seldom use canned sauce or ready made bottle sauce. You can twist and turn the ingredients to your own liking. Good to match Seafood, sliced pork or mushroom and bacon. These could give you perfect match sometimes.

Bread Making Failure (1st attempt)

This is my 2nd blog. My last one failed as I didn't really keep it up cox I don't like the name - chan-mari-chan. So here I'm with a better name rather than chan-mari-chan. Start with a new series of cooking journal mainly for myself to keep track of what I've baked so far. This was inspired by Florence (thanks to you). http://wlteef.blogspot.com/ found out her blog before Chinese new year. I'm looking forward to see her new baking creation whenever I'm online since then.

I started baking and cooking since 2005 (though I like to cook since young, it was with many year cultivation fm my mum). However, I became seriously interested in it only when I was having my confinement at beginning 2006. I watched many Jamie Oliver cooking TV series then and realised cooking could be fun too. Also with my newly renovated kitchen (fully equipped with a full size confection oven) ... I started, even with my hectic working and family commitment. I still find that my kitchen is a place to "relax". I mean you may find it weird, but stepping into the kitchen really helps me not think of anything else but just focus to cook or bake some good food.

So as a start, I want to share my failure, which happens all the time, so don't give up. Florence has shared a golden bread by using 65°C TangZhong. The end results look fine but the skin was thick and turn hard after it cool down. I like the soft texture inside the bun though and I've turned some plain bun into "pork floss bun" (my girls have less expectation and love it anyway) which is a very famous creation from Breadtalk (not sure if I've violated any piracy).

I took some photos... and remember don't give up. I'll try again tomorrow!