Herbal Drunken Prawns

Recipe for  Herbal Drunken Prawns

Ingredients:

• 2 pieces 玉竹 (Solomon's Seal Rhizome), cut into smaller pieces
• 5 pieces 川芎 (Szechwan Lovage Rhizome)
• 4-5 pieces 当归 (Angelica Sinensis)
• 1 small handful 枸杞子 (Wolfberries)
• 2 slices Ginger
• 10 medium prawns, antenna, feelers and legs (etc) trimmed

Marinade for Prawns:

• 1 tablespoon Sake or Chinese Cooking Wine
• a pinch of salt

Seasonings:

• 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
• 2-3 tablespoon Sake or Chinese Cooking Wine
• 1/2 teaspoon Chicken Granules
• 1/2 teaspoon Fish Sauce
• Salt to taste

How to do it:

1. Soak all Chinese herbs except Wolfberries with 100ml hot water for about 3 hours or till they are fully hydrated and set aside.
2. Slit the back of the prawns.
3. Clean and dab dry.
4. Marinate prawns with sake and salt for 20 mins.
5. In a pot, add 400 -500ml water (depending how much soup you would like to have).
6. Add in the hydrated herbs, ginger and wolf berries and bring to a boil for a minute.
7. Add in the seasonings except for salt.
8. Add prawns into the soup and like it cook for about a minute or till all prawns are just done.
9. Add salt to taste.
10. Drizzle sesame oil and serve immediately.

Note:
If you want a stronger wine taste, you can add the cooking wine just before you season with salt.

as seen in https://instagram.com/p/7ILRywgdDL

Steamed Seafood Tofu Balls

This is a easy dish and is quick to prepare and tasty too.

If you have more time, use dry shitake mushroom (dehydrated) instead of fresh shitake for added fragrance.  Seafood is added for texture and extra crunch. 

This is a dish well received by both the adults and kids.

Ingredients:

• 1 tube Egg Tofu
• 200g Fish Paste
• 8 Medium Prawns, shelled and deveined
• 3 Fresh Shitake Mushroom, stem removed and diced
• 1-2 small floret Broccoli, diced
• 50ml water, if using Happy Call Pan

Seasonings:

• 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
• 1 teaspoon Light Soy Sauce
• a dash White Pepper Powder

Sauce:

• 50 ml Water
• a pinch Chicken Seasoning Powder
• Corn Flour Mixture as thickener

How to do it:

1. Smash prawn with flat part of cleaver or chopper and set aside.
2. Squeeze egg tofu out of the tube.
3. Mix tofu, fish paste, prawns and the diced vegetables together with the seasonings.
4. Oil a muffin tray.
5. Scoop about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoon of tofu mixture into the tray. Top with a wolf berry if you like.
6. Add the water to the happy call pan and set the tofu mixture to steam for 5 to 7 minutes.
7. Remove the tofu balls with a spoon and set aside.
8. Carefully pour out the juice in the muffin tray into a pan.
9. Add in water and seasoning with chicken seasoning powder and bring to a simmer.
10. Thicken with corn flour mixture.
11. Spoon sauce over the tofu balls.
12. Drizzle sesame oil if you like.
13. Serve immediately.

Note:

• You can replace prawns with squid if you like.
• Experiment using other vegetables instead of broccoli.
• If you do not have a Happy Call Pan, you can steam using the regular way. Remember to lift the muffin tray up so the steaming water will not boil and get into the muffin tray.

Fried Prawn Fritters

Guess what I had for afternoon tea today?

My childhood favourite street snack, Fried Prawn Fritters. Today I remembered to get the Chinese Chive and Bean Sprout but I'm going to leave out the bean sprouts next time as it caused oil splatters!! Urgh!!

Oh! The kids had those with the prawn shells removed.

{ Lunch : Pot Stickers }

Last night I fell asleep on the sofa. Woke up at 6.30am this morning. I didn't know what came over me but I just had this thought of making dumplings. I'm not craving for it. I just want to make it. Strange but I went to the wet market to get the ingredients anyway and it was raining!

I made the kids their breakfast and started making the dumplings. THEN I thought to myself, why not have pot stickers as lunch instead of dinner? So pot stickers it is for lunch. :P

It's a strange day for me.

Prawn Noodles in Soup (with Prime Ribs) 虾面汤

This is one of our favourite local noodles. I personally loves the rich prawn soup stock. I don't eat it as often as prawn is high in cholesterol especially since the heads are used to make the stock. However, I'll still eat it once a while.

To make the stock for this, you will need lots of prawn heads and shells. I will always keep the heads and shells when I buy prawns for my cooking.  Rinse and dab dry prawns first before peeling them. If you rinse the heads and shells later, you risk the roe, which will give the stock flavours, being rinsed away. Plus, you will have a hard time dabbing them dry.

Freeze the prawn heads and shells you collected and when you have enough, you can use them together to make stock as there's no way you will be able to get so much prawn heads and shells at one go.

I'm sharing here an update recipe of Prawn Noodles in Soup. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• approximately 500g Prawn Heads and Shells
• 400g Prime Pork Ribs, blanched
• 2.5 litre Hot Water
• 4 clove Garlic, crush and chopped coarsely
• 12 medium to large Prawns
• a bunch of Kang Kong aka Water Spinach
• some sliced fishcake
• some Bean Sprout (I didn't add as my kids didn't like it)
• 600g Yellow (Round) Noodles

Seasonings:

• 2 tablespoon Fish Sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon Rock Sugar or Brown Sugar
• a few drops of Dark Soy Sauce for colour
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional Condiments:

• Fried Crunchy Pork Lard
• Shallot with Oil
• Chilli Powder

How to do it:

1. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in pot.
2. Saute garlic till fragrant.
3. Add in the prawn heads and shells.
4. Stir fry till the heads and shells turn red and you can smell the flavours.
5. If you have a potato masher, use it to press on the heads to help release more flavours. Use are wooden spatula if you don't have a masher.
6. Add in the hot water.
7. Blanch the prawns and set aside.
8. Return the heads and shells to the stock if you want to serve the prawns peeled.
9. Add in the pork ribs. (check out how the ribs will be like here.)
10. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking for 2 - 3 hours.
11. Strain and return rib to the stock.
12. Add in the seasonings and the soup stock is ready.
13. To serve, blanch noodles and vegetables and set in a bowl.
14. Place prawns on top and pour soup stock over.
15. Garnish with condiments and serve.

Note:

• Soup stock serves about 4 to 5 portions.
• If you do not intend to eat the prime ribs, use normal pork ribs meant for making soup. You can use chicken carcass instead too.
• If no prime ribs are used, you may want to add some lean pork. Blanch them first and then cook it together with the prawns. Remove when it's just cooked and sliced for later use.

Fried Prawn Fitters 炸虾饼

I used to eat this when I was a kid with the rest of the Ngoh Hiang 五香罐肠. I don't know if it's me (becoming stingy :P), because I find that it's getting so expensive nowadays that it will always be the first thing I avoid ordering.

I can vaguely remember the vegetables that was added in the batter being bean sprout and something green. :P I'm guessing Chinese Chive. Please let me know if you know the correct ingredients.

This was a last minute dish, hence I could only get spring onions to replace both the bean sprout and Chinese Chive that I recommended using.

Baby prawns is not a must and I doubt it can be easily found. I so happened to see it selling in the wet market and I knew I have to get some to make this. You can always use small prawns.

Hope this brings back your childhood memories. :)

Ingredients:

• 350g Baby Prawns, antenna and legs (etc) cut
• 1 stalk Chinese Chive, diced
• a handful of Bean Sprout, heads and tails removed
• Oil for deep frying

Batter:

• 160ml Water
• 120g Self Raising Flour
• 20g Corn Flour
• 20g Rice Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Chicken Stock Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt

How to do it:

1. Add a teaspoon of salt to the prawns and rub and coat well.
2. Rinse, drained and dab dry.
3. Put aside.
4. Meanwhile, heat oil in pot.
5. Mix batter well and add in chive and bean sprout.
6. Dip ladle in oil then scoop about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoon batter to the ladle.
7. Place 3 baby prawns on the batter. 
8. Add a little batter on top if you have problems sticking the prawns.
9. Sink the ladle in the oil. Use another ladle or spoon to push the batter out if necessary.
10. Fry till lightly golden brown then flip over to fry the other side.
11. Once the fritter has turned lightly golden brown, remove and drain on paper towel.
12. Repeat till all batter has finished.
13. Serve hot with your favourite sauce.

Note:

• Add the water to make batter gradually, if you find the batter too thick, add a bit more water.
• If you are not able to get baby prawns, which the shells are thinner, hence we are able to fried till crispy, use regular small prawns but peel them.
• You can cut the prawns into 2 of you find it still too big.
• Mix it with the batter to be fried.
• Do not place it on the batter like what I did with the baby prawns as it does not have the shells to prevent it from drying out from frying.

Seafood Tofu 海鲜豆腐

This is one of my earliest creation when I just started learning to cook in 2007. Then, I had a super fussy boy who rejected most food and a little girl who hates meat.

Having to cook 2-3 times a day for them was a torture. But this dish turned "my cooking life for kids" around. :P Finally something both of them liked. Basically, it's was the fish paste that did the trick.  I added grated or chopped vegetables in it, my son ate it happily. I added minced chicken in it, my daughter too gladly accepted it. Hurray!

Even till this day, fish paste is still one of the most used ingredients in my cooking. I'm lucky I found "fresh" fish paste selling in the wet market which doesn't have the fishy smell as some sold in the supermarket. I used to make my own fish paste before I found it and it was a lot of work.

I'm sharing this recipe again, specially to parents out there with kids who have eating problems like mine. Hope you can find that one ingredient/food that your kids like and work around it. Endure for a few more years. That difficult phase will pass. がんばってね!

Ingredients:

• 150g Fish Paste
• 1 tube Egg Tofu
• 5 Prawns, shelled, cleaned and diced
• 1 stalk Coriander or some leafy veggie of your choice, chopped finely
• a dash of Pepper (optional)

How to do it:

1. Cut the tip of egg tofu and squeeze tofu out to a bowl.
2. Add in fish paste, chopped veggie and diced prawns and mix well.
3. Take a deep dish, oil all sides well for easy removable.
4. Spread fish tofu paste.
5. Cover with foil.
6. Steam for 15 minutes or till cooked.
7. Removed and cut into pieces.
8. Pan fried the steamed fish tofu with a little till slightly brown on all sides.
9. Serve.

Note:

• If you want a smooth mixture blend the fish paste and tofu together.
• If you want it with a crispy outer skin, dust it with corn flour before pan frying the fish tofu.

Stir Fry Silky Scrambled Egg with Prawns 滑蛋虾球

I used to have scrambled eggs with tomatoes when I was younger. It was cooked by my aunt and usually the egg was fried till it's brown and fragrant.

I preferred it more fluffy and moist. Here, I added prawns to it to make more tasty.

Ingredients:

• 2 Egg
• 8 - 10 small Prawn, shelled and de-veined
• 1 small Tomato
• 1 teaspoon Cooking Oil
• 1 stalk Spring Onion, diced

Marinade:

• 1/2 teaspoon Cooking Wine
• a dash of Pepper
• a pinch of Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Cornflour

Seasoning:

• 2 tablespoon Chicken Stock
• 1/2 tablespoon Cornflour
• a pinch of Salt

How to do it:

1. Marinate prawns with the marinade and set aside in the fridge till ready to be used.
2. Gently slice an 'x' on the surface (skin) of the tomato.
3. Place in a pot of boiling water to cook till the skin curl out.
4. Drain and place the tomato in cold water.
5. Peel off the tomato skin and dice.
6. Mix diced tomato with cooking oil and set aside.
7. Heat pan with a tablespoon oil.
8. Pan fry prawns till about 80% cooked.
9. Dish and set aside.
10. Beat eggs with salt.
11. Add in prawns, tomatoes, spring onions and chicken stock premixed with cornflour.
12. Give it a gently mix to blend all ingredients together.
13. Heat a pan with 2 tablespoon cooking oil.
14. Pour egg mixture into the pan.
15. Reduce heat and cook till egg begins to solidify.
16. Dish out when the egg is about 90%.
17. The remaining heat will continue to cook the egg without browning it giving it the silky texture.

Hokkien Prawn Noodles 福建虾面

This is not to be confused with any other Hokkien Mee. It is THE Singapore Hokkien Prawn Noodle.  It's my son's favourite hawker food. Even my daughter likes it too.

Those we have in hawker center are always cooked in pork lard which make it very fragrant and tasty. I'm not a fan hence I'm not adding it. If you like that, fry about 2 tablespoon of pork lard and use the oil for the cooking. Add the fry pork lard for extra crunch.

Ingredients (for 1 serving):

• 100g Thick Rice Vermicelli 粗米粉
• 80g Yellow Noodle
• 1 Squid, head, innards and 'skin' removed
• 4-5 Prawn
• 1 thin strip about 30g Pork Belly
• a handful Bean Spout (I had the head and tail removed)
• Some Chinese Chive 韭菜
• 1 Egg
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Fish Sauce
• 250ml Chicken Stock

How to do it:

1. Blanch squid (tube), prawn and pork belly in stock till almost cooked.
2. Remove and cut squid into rings, shell the prawns and cut pork belly into smaller pieces.
3. Set them aside.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and stir-fry garlic till fragrant.
5. Push the garlic aside in the wok.
6. Crack egg and scramble it.
7. Add in both the rice and yellow noodles.
8. Add in 1 tablespoon fish sauce.
9. Stir-fry in middle high heat for a few minutes.
10. Add stock to the noodles.
11. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes.
12. Add the blanched prawns, squid rings and pork belly.
13. Add in bean sprout and Chinese chive.
14. Continue stir-frying till sauce has reduced and thickened.
15. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce or according to taste.
16. Stir fry well.
17. Dish and serve with Sambal Chilli and Calamansi.

Porridge with (Prawn and Pork) Meatballs 虾与肉圆粥

My daughter wasn't well in school yesterday and returned home earlier.

I changed the dinner menu and made some meatballs to go with porridge instead. The meatballs were springy and the kids like it so much, they kept asking for more.

I told them I will make meatball soup for them today.

Ingredients:

• 100g Minced Pork
• 130g Prawns Meat
• 1 Egg White
• 1/2 tablespoon Cooking Wine
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Corn Flour
• 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
• a pinch of salt
• a dash of pepper

How to do it:

1. Smash prawn and mince with knife till fine.
2. Mix minced prawn with minced pork.
3. Add in the rest of the ingredients.
4. Mix well with hands till mixture is sticky and paste-like.
5. Scoop some paste and drop into porridge or soup.
6. Cook till the float up to the surface.
7. Cook for another minute and they are done.

Note:

• Adjust the proportion of the meat on your preference.
• I prefer to just smash and mince the prawn so it's not too paste like. Then you will still be able to bite into bits of the prawns. Use a blender instead if you like.

Fried Noodle Wrapped Prawns 脆炸面卷虾

I have shared this recipe a few years ago. I seldom make this as we prefer prawns steamed, grilled, and especially cooked with salted eggs.

I happened to have half a pack of instant noodle so I thought it would be nice for a change since we have not had this for a while; with an updated recipe. ;)

If you do not like to eat or suck on the prawn heads or you intent to keep it for stock making, you can leave it out. The results will look like what I have done previously. You can have a look HERE.

Ingredients:

• 8 medium Prawns, shelled leaving head and tail intact
• 1/2 pack Instant Noodles
• 1 teaspoon Chinese Cooking Wine
• 1/2 teaspoon Chicken Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder or 1 clove Garlic, grated
• a dash of Pepper
• a pinch of Salt
• Corn flour for dusting
• Egg, beaten
• Oil of frying

How to do it:

1. Cook the instant noodle is salted water.
2. Drain and set aside.
3. Remove the intestinal tract using a toothpick or slit the prawn on the back and belly to remove.
4. Marinate with cooking wine, chicken powder, pepper and salt for 5 minutes.
5. Dust prawns with corn flour.
6. Dip in beaten egg.
7. Pick up some cooked instant noodles and coil around the prawns.
8. Have enough oil to in a pot to cover the prawns.
9. When oil is hot, fry till noodle turned golden brown and prawn turned red.
10. Drain on paper towel.
11. Serve with your preferred sauce.

Note:

• You can skip steps 5 and 6 if you like. However, the prawns will be a bit drier.
• You can use fresh noodle (like those wanton noodles) to replace instant noodles.
• My dipping sauce consist of a mixture of apple cider, sugar, worcestershire sauce and sesame oil.

Kanimi Surimi with Koebi Omelette 帝王蟹肉棒与小虾子干煎蛋

I bought a packet of Kanimi Surimi (imitation snow crab leg) to add for making Fried Rice and Steamed Egg Custard. The kids love this particular type (note: expensive type =_=|||)

All the pieces were stuck together frozen. I have to thaw the whole packet and finish it within days because I do not want to refreeze it. I also have half a pack of Japanese Koebi close to expiry. :P

My auntie used to make egg omelette with similar type of Koebi. She bought it from the grocer selling dried food stuff. It adds texture to the omelette and also fragrance too.

Ingredients:

• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 4 - 5 Kanimi Surimi (Imitation Snow Crab Leg) 帝王蟹肉棒, cut into pieces
• 10g Kobei (Dried Baby Shrimps) 小虾子干
• 1 tablespoon chopped Coriander (optional)
• a pinch of Salt
• 1/2 tablespoon Cooking Oil

How to do it:

1. Heat oil and add in the koebi.
2. Stir fry quickly for a few seconds.
3. Add in the the surimi and continue to stir-fry for half a minute.  
4. Add in beaten egg seasoned with salt.
5. Sprinkle on coriander if using.
6. Stir quickly to mix well with ingredients.
7. Spread out and let the omelette fry on both side till done.
8. Dish and serve.

Seafood Treasure Pot 海鲜一品锅

This not to be confused with Pen Cai 盆菜 (Literal meaning "basin-vegetable") which has a lot more ingredients.

I'm experimenting with Chinese New Year and thought this would be a nice dish for the occassion.  Although there are some preparation work to be done, it's still relatively simple and easy to prepare this.

So, do you think this is good enough to serve on Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner?

Ingredients:

• 100g Broccoli, cut into florets
• 6 Fresh Shitake Mushroom, clean with damp cloth and stems removed
• 100g Fish Maw 鱼鳔, soak to soften
• 80g Bamboo Pith aka Bamboo Mushroom 竹笙, soak to soften
• 6 Large Prawns, shelled and deveined
• 4 Dried Large Scallops, soak for at least 30mins; retain water
• 4 Dried Oyster,, soak for 30 mins
• 10g Moss 发菜, soak to soften, drained and set aside
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• Cornflour Mixture as Thickener
• a dash of Sesame Oil

Seasonings:

• 1 tablespoon Abalone Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine
• 600ml Water, including water used to soak Dried Scallops
• 1/3 teaspoon Sugar or to taste
• Salt to taste
• a few drops Dark Soy Sauce for colour

How to do it:

1. Clean prawn and add 1 teaspoon sugar.
2. Marinade and coat prawns well with sugar.
3. Refrigerate for 20 mins. Cover the prawns so it will not dry up.
4. Drain fish maw and bamboo pith from water.
5. Blanch for 1 min, drain and set aside.
6. Add fish maw, bamboo pith, dried scallop, dried oyster and mushroom into a pot.
7. Add seasonings except sugar, dark soy sauce and sesame oil.
8. Bring to as boil then reduce heat to a simmer for 30 mins.
9. Meanwhile, blanch Broccoli for 5 mins or till tender.
10. Drain and set aside.
11. Blanch prawn for 30 seconds or just cooked.
12. Drain and set aside.
13. Add the remaining seasonings to the simmering pot.
14. Add in dried moss, blanched broccoli and prawns.
15. Simmer for a min.
16. Gradually stir-in cornflour mixture to your desired consistency.
17. Serve immediately.

Note:

• You can replace prawns with fresh scallops if you like.
• When choosing fresh shitake mushrooms, look for those that dry and firm on touch.
• Add a bit more (hot) water if you find the sauce drying up during simmering.

Oven Grilled Ebi Mentaiyaki 明太子焗大虾

I bought a bought of Ebiko for Steamed Egg Custard and since I do not wish to keep them, I decided to finished them by making this dish. This is adapted from my recipe, Hotate Mentaiyaki.

Instead of using Hotate (Scallop), I used prawns instead. In the Hotate Mentaiyaki recipe, Tobiko was used instead of Ebiko. Either one works.

I'm re-posting the recipe here for easy reference.

Ingredients:

• 4 large Prawn
• 1 slice Cheese, cut into 4 strips
• 3-4 tablespoon Ebiko or Tobiko
• 4-5 tablespoon Japanese Mayonnaise
• Additional Mayonnaise for toppings (optional)

How to do it:

1. Prepare prawns by cut the back of the shells with scissor.
2. Slit and half the prawns taking care not to cut thru the bottom of the shells.
3. Wash, clean and remove the intestinal tact at this moment.
4. Gently but firmly press open the shells to each side so it's flat. 
5. Pat dry and set aside.
6. Mix mayonnaise with ebiko together.
7. Place prawns in baking dish.
8. Top each prawn with a piece of cheese each.
9. Cover and spread with Mayonnaise mixture.
10. Grill in preheated oven at 220C for 5 minutes.
11. Remove and top with more mayonnaise if you like and grill for another 5 minutes or till mayonnaise mixture starts to bubble.
12. Removeand serve immediately.

Note:

• The amount of mayonnaise used depends on the size of prawns.
• Do not add seasoning as the mayo, cheese and ebiko already give the seasoning it needs.
• The amount of time needed to for baking depends on the size of the prawn . Shorter time for smaller prawns. It should be done when you see the mayo toppings bubbling gently.

Prawn Croquette 虾子可乐饼

This was one of the dishes I made for my kids' lunch boxes today.

You can make this in advance and fry it when you are ready. You can even add mixed vegetables (corn, peas and chopped carrots). I didn't cos I was trying to get the kids to eat potato. I didn't want to push my luck by adding too much things in it.

I added some cheese instead, obviously not enough of it and the wrong type this time. I would suggest using Cheddar and Mozzarella. Parmesan Cheese is nice too. I usually use those but I was clearing whatever I have in the fridge, so this is it. :P

Ingredients:

• 3 medium Potatoes, cooked and mashed
• 6 Medium Prawn, shelled and deveined
• Cheese of your choice
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• All purpose flour for dusting
• 1 Egg, beaten
• Breadcrumbs
• Oil for frying

How to do it:

1. Blanch prawns till almost cooked.
2. Dab dry and set aside.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste to mashed potatoes.
4. Add mix vegetables if you like.
5. Oil your palms, so the mashed potato won't stick on your palms.
6. Scoop about a tablespoon of mashed potato onto your palm.
7. Add some cheese and place a prawn on it.
8. Add more cheese and cover with half to a tablespoon of mashed potato.
9. Shape and cover the prawn well.
10. Dust with flour shaking excess.
11. Dip into beaten egg.
12. Coat with breadcrumbs.
13. Deep fry till golden brown.
14. Drain and serve immediately.

Note:

• If you are using cheese singles, cut each piece into 4 strips and wrap each prawn with 1 to 2 strips of cheese, depending on the size of the prawn.
• To make it more cheesy, you can mix Mozzarella or Parmesan Cheese together with mashed potato.
• As all ingredients are cooked, you don't have to deep fry it for too long. Just enough to get it into a light golden brown shade.

Stuffed Tofu Puff 酥炸豆腐包

This is one of the sides we like. It's juicy on the inside and crunchy on the outside.

The tofu puff helps to trap the oil during deep-frying so the inside is not oily and at the same time, the outside is crunchy.

I usually deep fry it twice so the outside is more crunchy. I will fry it before hand and when it's time to serve, I will deep fry it for just a little while again to make it more crunchy on the outside.

Ingredients:

• 10 small Tofu Puff
• 100g minced pork
• 100g fish paste
• 200g prawn, smashed
• a dash of Pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

How to do it:

1. Cut on a side of the tofu puff and gentle separate the inside.
2. Carefully turn the tofu puff inside out and set aside.
3. Mix all the ingredients together.
4. Stuff the inverted tofu puff with the mixed meat.
5. 'Tear' out some of the dried tofu on the tofu puff to cover the opening so the meat will not be exposed.
6. Deep fry till golden brown.
7. Drain on paper towel.
8. Serve.

Note:

• If you want the outer tofu puff to be more crispy, deep fry it again. This time deep fry it it in a shorter time to dry it.
• I didn't minced the prawn into paste-like as I like to still bite into it. It makes the filling has more bite to it.
• You can add in chopped waterchestnut in the filling for crunch.

Prawns with Regular Egg Yolk 鲜虾炒鸡蛋黄

You probably knows about Prawns with Salted Egg Yolk. But what you see here is done using regular egg yolk instead.

My daughter loves eating hard-boiled egg but there are times that she doesn't want the egg yolks. I'll use the egg yolks to make this. It's not as good as salted egg yolk but it's still rather tasty.

It's a good alternative, especially if you don't eat the salted egg white after using the salted egg yolk. Try this if you have left-over egg yolks next time.

Ingredients:

• 10 Large Prawns, shelled and devein
• 2 Regular Cooked Egg Yolk, smashed or chopped into bits
• 1 stem Curry Leaves
• 1 tablespoon Butter
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Sugar

Marinade:

• 1 teaspoon Oyster Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Sesame Seed Oil
• 3 tablespoon Corn Flour
• a dash of pepper

How to do it:

1. Marinate the prawns for 10 minutes.
2. Shallow fry the prawn till 80% cooked. 
3. Drain well and set aside.
4. Melt butter and add in curry leaves and fried till fragrant.
5. Add in egg yolks to stir fry quickly till fragrant.
6. Add in the prawns and toss well.
7. Add salt and sugar.
8. Stir till well combined and prawns completed cooked
9. Dish and serve immediately.

Pot Stickers 锅贴

I have been craving for Pot Stickers for a while and decided to make some myself. I could find the usual dumpling skin I used to make Pot Stickers. I bought normal round wanton skin instead.

My son likes it so much he requested I made it again; 3 days in a row! My husband wants soup so I cooked the dumplings with Chicken Broth and Pot Stickers become Dumpling Soup.

Ingredients:

• 250g Minced Pork or Chicken
• 300g Prawns, shelled, devein and diced
• 3 Waterchestnut, skinned and diced
• 50g Chive, chopped
• Wanton Skin or Gyoza Skin

Seasonings:

• 1/2 tablespoon Fish Sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine
• 1 teaspoon Light Soy Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Sesame Seed Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Ginger Juice (grate ginger and squeeze for juice)
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder or 2 clove Garlic, grated till paste like
• 1/2 teaspoon Chicken Powder (optional)
• a dash of Pepper

Dipping Sauce:

• 2 tablespoon Black Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Light Soy Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Sesame Seed Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Ginger Juice

How to do it:

1. Mix all ingredients, except Wanton Skin, with seasonings well.
2. Preferably to set aside for half an hour before you start making the dumplings.
3. Prepare dumpling as shown in the instruction video at the end of this post.
4. Heat pan with a teaspoon of oil.
5. Place pot stickers in pan and close.
6. Pan fry 2 side for 30 seconds each. You can skip this step if you like.
7. (On the 3rd side) Add 3-4 tablespoon chicken stock or water, cover pan to let cook for 5 minutes or till stock is dry.
8. Dish and serve with dipping sauce.

For Dumpling in Soup:

1. Have 2 pots ready, 1 filled with water and 1 teaspoon salt and the other with Chicken Stock.
2. Bring the pot with water to a boil and the pot with chicken stock to a simmer.
3. Place dumpling in the pot of water and cook for a minute.
4. Remove and place the dumplings into the pot with Chicken Stock.
5. Bring the pot of dumplings to a boil.
6. Add salt to salt.
7. Pour into a bowl, drizzle with sesame seed oil and serve with spring onion.

Note:

• If you are using a regular flying pan, you will just need to have a cover and cook a minute or 2 longer.
• Traditional Pot Sticker are fried only on one side, I like it slightly brown on the other 2 sides, hence I did Step 6. You can skip that if you like.

All ready to be cooked.