Pickles…. ACAR

Preparation Time: 2 Days

You may consume it for up to 1 month

Ingredients

Vegetables:

4 Kg cucumber

8 tbsp salt

2 Kg cauliflower

2 Kg cabbage (China)

8 tsp salt

2 Kg carrot

4–5 tbsp oil

½ – 1 Kg roasted coarsely pounded peanuts or 150 g pounded peanut candy (kong t’ng)

1 packet sesame seeds (Seng Siong – 1.40)

Vinegar mixture for scalding the vegetables:

6 bottles vinegar (21 oz)

Ground spices (combined): (Rempah)

1 Kg shallots

½ Kg cloves garlic

20 cm piece fresh turmeric root

150 g dried chillies (depending on how spicy you want it) or (1 packet)

2 Kg sugar

Method

A) Pour 3 – 4 bottles of vinegar to boil with 2 Kg sugar. Leave to cool.

B) Saute the dried shrimp and remove from the wok.

C) Heat some oil in a wok and sauté the ground shallot and tumeric. Add in garlic and finally add in chilli.

D) When the rempah is done, mix in the dried blended shrimp. Leave to cool.

E) Add the rempah into the vinegar only when both are cool.

F) Quarter the cucumber lengthwise without peeling them. Remove its core and cut into 3–4cm long strips. Rub with salt and mix well, then leave aside for 1–2 hours. Use a muslin cloth to wrap the marinated cucumber slices, squeeze out excess liquid and sun for one whole day. Cut cauliflower into florets and sun for a few hours. Cut cabbage into squares of 2–3cm and rub lightly with salt then sun for 1–2 hours. Shred carrots into fine long strips and sun for a whole day.

G) Bring vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil. Scald the long beans rapidly. Remove and drain. As for the sun-dried vegetables blanch them separately. For cucumber and cabbage, 1–2 mins; for carrots and cauliflower, 6–7 mins. Drain the vegetables well in a colander and sun again.

Corned beef with cabbage

Preparation Time: 20 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Servings for 2

Ingredients

Half a cabbage

1 slice of ginger

1 onion

1 green chilli

3 limes

1 can of corned beef

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

Method

1. Cut onions, ginger, cabbage, green chilli

2. Soak cabbage in water to clean them

3. Mix the onions, ginger, green chilli with lime juice

4. Heat wok with 3 Tbsp of cooking oil and stir fry the onions, ginger and green chilli for 5 mins

5. Add cabbage and stir fry for 10 mins

6. Add corned beef, add sugar, salt and a dash of pepper and stir fry for another 5 mins

7. Best serve with rice

Salad made easy….

Concoct your own….Salad

Preparation Time: 20 mins

Servings for 2

Ingredients

3 stalks of celery

1 carrot

2 onions

8 lychee

8 small potatoes

2 Tbsp Thousand Island Dressings

Method

1. Cut carrot, celery in strips about 2 – 3 cm

2. Boil potatoes and peel of skin. Meshed the potatoes and add 1 tsp of unsalted butter

3. Cut onions into rings

4. Mix celery, carrot, onions and lychee in a salad bowl

5. Add dressing and toss the vegetables

6. Make meshed potatoes in a ball before serving

7. If you are heavy on carbohydrates, eat with rice

Simply Vegetables

Preparation Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 10 mins

Servings for 2 – 3 persons

Ingredients

4 Shitake Mushrooms (sliced)

1 Carrot (sliced)

100g Peas

2 cloves of chopped garlic

1 tsp light soy sauce

A dash of pepper

1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce

1 tsp corn flour

3 tsp water

¼ cup of water

Method

1. Heat wok with 2 Tbsp oil and add carrot with garlic stir fry for about 2 mins

2. Add mushroom, peas and stir fry for about 2 mins

3. Add light soy sauce and stir fry for about 2 mins

3. Add water and oyster sauce and fry for about 3 mins

4. Mixed corn flour with water and add in vegetables, fry for another min

5. Add pepper before serving

Broccoli with XO sauce

Preparation Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time 15 mins

Servings for 2 to 4 persons

Ingredients

1 Broccoli

1 clove minced garlic

2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp shallot oil

2 tsp XO sauce

Method

1. Cut and soak broccoli in 1 tsp salt and water for 10 mins

2. Blenched broccoli with boiling water and salt for 5 mins

3. Heat wok with shallot oil, add minced garlic and fry till lightly brown

4. Add broccoli and XO sauce and stir fry for 5 mins

5. Best serve with rice….

Tips and Tricks….

How to peel a tomato?

1. Cut the two (2) ends like a plus (+) or a X

2. Boil the water and put the tomato in it. Do not add too many because you do not want to overcook them

3. Prepare a bowl with ice cold water. You can add ice in the bowl of water

4. Once you see the ends peel off, remove the tomato and put in the cold water for 10 to 25 secs

5. Remove the tomato and peel off from the ends

How to bake perfect crispy skin and fluffy potato?

1. Brush the skin of the potato with butter or oil and sprinkle some salt over it

2. Heat the oven at 190 degree and put the potato in the oven for 1 to 2 hours depending on the size

3. Cut the potato into half and use the fork to loosen the potato

4. Add butter, sour cream and bacon bits

Green peas with pork

Preparation Time: 30 mins

Cooking Time: 15 mins

Serving for 2 – 4 persons

Ingredients

1 can of green peas

300 g pork

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

pepper to taste

2 cloves of garlic

2 Tbsp cornstarch

Method:

1. Cut the pork in small slices. Marinate with salt, sugar and sesame oil.

2. Open the can of green peas, wash and drain dry it

3. Smashed the garlic and remove the skin

4. Heat the wok, add oil and fry the garlic till lightly brown

5. Add marinated pork and stir fry for at least 10 mins

6. Add the green peas and stir fry for another 5 mins

7. Add water and cover the wok to simmer for another 5 mins

8. Add cornstarch to thicken the mixture

9. Add pepper to taste before serving

Salted Vegetable with pork

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Serving for 3 – 4 persons

Ingredient

2 tsp sugar

200g salted vegetable

200g lean pork

1 shitake mushroom

Method

1. Wash the salted vegetable and cut them in thin strips about 4 cm long

2. Wash the lean pork with salt and cut them in strips

3. Soak the mushroom and cut them in strips

4. Heat the wok, add cooking oil and put the mushroom to stir fry for about 2 mins

5. Add the lean pork and stir fry for another 5 mins

6. Finally add the vegetable, sugar, 3 tbsp of water and stir fry for another 8 mins

You may use chicken to substitute the pork.

Creamy yummy Vegetables (Vegetarian Friendly)

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Serving for 8 – 10

Ingredients

200g canned button mushroom

200g canned straw mushroom

200g canned oyster mushroom

1 packet of inoki mushroom (optional)

1 bowl of milk

1 egg

1 Brocolli

1 Cauliflower

Soup Base: (Mix well)

1½ bowl water

1 tsp salt

1 Knorr vegetable cube (chicken cube if non vegetarian)

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

dash of pepper

Thickening: (Mix well)

2 Tbsp cornflour

2 Tbsp water

Method:

1. Heat wok and add 1 Tbsp oil to stir fry carrot and broccoli steam. Set aside.

2. Blench cauliflower and broccoli for ½ hour. Set aside.

3. Heat wok and add 2 Tbsp oil to stir fry mushrooms. Add soup base and cover with lid for another 15 mins.

4. Add carrot and broccoli steam. Cook for another 5 mins.

5. Add milk and bring to boil.

6. Add thickening and bring to boil.

7. Finally, add beaten egg and stir fry till cook for another 2 mins.

Cabbage wraps in soup

Cooking Time: 45 mins

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Serving for 3 – 4

Ingredients

1 medium cabbage (from China because they are sweeter)

300g minced pork

200g medium size prawns

5 – 8 water chestnuts

1 medium size carrot

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp light soy sauce

1 pinch of salt

1 clove finely chopped garlic

300g pork ribs

dash of pepper

2 tsp corn flour

5 shallot

Preparation of cabbage wraps

1. Wash, peel off cabbage leaves, cut and remove the stem. Soak the cabbage in hot water to soften it

2. Peel the water chestnuts, carrot and chopped them finely

3. Peel off the shell of the prawns and chopped in small cubes. Add a pinch of salt to marinate it for 5 mins

4. Add soy sauce, prawns, chopped chestnuts, corn flour and carrot in meat to marinate for 15 mins. Add sesame oil and marinate for another 5 mins

5. Take out cabbage leaves, add pork mixture and wrap it about 2 X 1 inches

5. Heat your steamer or wok to cook the cabbage wraps for about 15 mins. Brush to coat the cabbage wraps with the garlic oil

Preparation of Soup

1. Heat wok and add minced garlic, shallot to 5 – 6 Tbps cooking oil. Cook till lightly brown then remove to cool the oil and garlic

2. Blenched the pork ribs for 30 sec in boiling water and remove

3. Add 4 bowls of water till boil and add the ribs to cook for 30 mins at high heat then lower heat to simmer for another 10 – 15 mins

4. Put cooked cabbage wraps in a bowl and add soup with a dash of pepper with fried garlic and shallot before serving