{ Birthday Meal: Rice Vermicelli in Double-Boiled Chicken Soup with Abalone Slices and Egg } 鲍鱼鸡汤面线

It was my husband's birthday and usually during on birthdays, we get to eat Rice Vermicelli or Mee Sua as it symbolised longevity. Egg is a must too. I have a very typical traditional Chinese husband (old fashion :P)

For the soup, I had a blanched chicken in 1.2 litre of water steaming for almost 4 hours. This was only possible for me since I'm using a steam oven. Great thing too as I was really busy on that day itself too. You can using a double boiler to do it to. I don't own one so I usually, I would simmer over low heat if I'm not using my oven but that requires monitoring.

What to you have on your birthdays? My mother used to cook this for me on my birthday too. I'm looking forward to the day someone's cook this for me on my birthday again. I'm old fashion too. :)

Caramelised Onions 焦糖洋蔥

This is one of my favourites. I can eat this with anything. It is very easy to make but take a lot of patience cos cooking it may takes up to an hour with the amount of onions before cooking reduced to less than half at the end of cooking.

Ingredients:

• 6 Red Onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Sugar or Maple syrup
• a pinch of salt
• Water, broth or wine (optional)

How to do it:

1. Heat pan with oil.
2. Add in all the onion and stir-fry till onions are well coated with oil.
3. Continue cooking till onion has softened.
4. Add in salt and sugar or maple if using and stir well.
5. Spread out the onion and let it cook on medium low heat.
6. Stir once a while (abt every few minute) only to prevent it from sticking and burning. If you keep stirring, it will not brown and caramelised.
7. If the onions are sticking, add a little water to deglaze it. You can use wine or broth instead if you like.
8. Continue cooking till onions turned darker and darker and to a texture to your desire.
9. Dish and serve, here with sausages.

Shredded Chicken Porridge 鸡丝粥

My girl has not been eating very well lately. So I decided to cook porridge today and everybody eat that too! She finished 1 bowl of scallop porridge and asked for more! My boy on the other hand, can't even finish 1 bowl! Sigh! I just can't please everyone, can I?

Ingredients:

• Uncook Rice
• Chicken broth
• 2 chicken breast meat, deboned
• 1 handful Dried Scallop
• 3 pieces Dried Abalone Slices
• Salt to taste
• Scallop
• Pacific Clams, sliced half
• Sesame seed oil (optional)

How to do it:

1. Blanch the chicken.
2. Cook the chicken, dried abalone slices and dried scallop in the chicken broth.
3. Remove the chicken when it's cooked.
4. Tear the chicken into shreds or chopped into smaller pieces.
5. Now cook your rice in the broth with the abalone slices and dried scallop till it become porridge.
6. Add your chicken, scallop and/or pacific clams during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
7. Add salt for tasting.
8. Serve.

Note:

• Dried abalone slice and dried scallop add extra flavours - it will be sweeter. You can choose not to add.
• If you are using scallop, you can add a few slice of ginger to kill the fishiness.
• Initially when cooking the rice, use medium fire. Do not stir the content.
• When the rice breaks, turn to medium-low fire to simmer to continue cooking. Stir only occasionally to prevent the porridge from sticking to the base. Consistent stirring will mash the grains

Honey Pork Ribs 蜜汁排骨

I have always like to eat Ribs prepared in all different ways. However, some of the ingredients required for some recipes are so difficult to get here. I have this recipe for Ribs that’s so easy to prepare, even for someone new to cooking.

Ingredients:

• 500g Ribs
• 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoon white vinegar
• 4 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 5 tablespoon water

How to do it:

1. Blanch the ribs in hot water.
2. In a new pot, add ribs and all the seasonings.
3. Cook on medium fire till it boils.
4. Turn to small fire and let it simmer till the sauce thickens.
5. Take care not to burn it.
6. Serve hot.

Note:

• You can add a bit more water if you find it to sweet or salty after the sauce thickens.
• It's better to eat it while hot as the ribs will hardens (due to the sugar) when it turn cold.
• If you have a problem washing your pot after cooking, add water and boil it. The sauce sticking to the pot will 'melt'. Pour away the water and clean immediately.