Kai Lan with Tofu and Chilli Sauce

Having a chinese grocery at bayswater is just tops! I got my fill of oriental goods and went to work.

1 bunch Kai Lan
Tofu (Firm)
Mushrooms
Pork Belly cut into cubes
Shrimp paste
Fish Sauce
Soy Sauce
Chilli Sauce
Shaoshing wine
Black Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Fry the pork belly until half cooked.
2. Add the shaoshing wine and reduce until almost dry.
3. Add the tofu and fry until covered in the cooking liquid.
3. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, chilli sauce. Stir gently until tofu is coated with the sauce.
4. Add the black vinegar.
5. Add the kai lan and 2 tbsps water.
6. After the kai lan is cooked, add the mushrooms. Stir until mushrooms and kai lan is coated in the sauce.

Serve with steamed rice.

Making the most of summer

I've appreciated the sun much more after I moved to the UK. Sunlight here is very sparse, most days it's dull and cloudy. There's light, but there's just no sunlight. I've noticed how much grumpier I get when there is no sun. This summer, we've been blessed with a lot of it (ok maybe blessed is not a good word considering all the reports about how the world is going to end because of global warming). Hmm...so anyhooo...

Cindy's been inviting us over for barbeques whenever it's nice and sunny. I looove her place, it's always so tidy. I always have this vision of her coming to my house and running her finger along the tops of desks sighing with disappointment (tsk tsk...dust...) It's a good thing then that I don't have space for a barbeque. Hehehehehehe.

Lamb, Chicken, Pork (what?...we were hungry!)

The grill was smurf size, so it was a long wait for the food. Definitely worth it.





And after all that, dessert!

I'm back!

I haven't been gone really... Work has taken over the better part of the last year. I'll leave it at that. So now...I've found the motivation to start blogging again. My fingers are stuck at the keyboard. I'm thinking of what to say about my great comeback. I can't think of any...so without further ado...

Okra with chillies, marinated pork mince and shrimp

250g okra (lady fingers)
Shrimp
Pork marinade
Korean chilli sauce
My mother in law's chilli sauce
Japanese chilli oil
Black vinegar
Chinese rice wine
Soy Sauce

For the pork marinade:

Pork mince
Diced carrots
Chinese rice wine
Salt
Pepper
1 Egg
Soy Sauce

I miss cooking

I haven't had time to cook...eat...sleep and do anything else apart from work. Haaaaaaaaaaay.

I've perfected my tempura batter!

I was happy with tonight's dinner. As is customary in our house when my husband is off from work we get to have dinner together. One of the few times these past few weeks actually. So I made tempura, beef and mushrooms and for dessert, strawberry crumble.

I have been trying out different tempura batter recipes eversince I got started in the greenhouse and tonight I think I've got it. My tempura turned out white, crispy and light. Hooray!!! It was so simple. No sparkling water, ice cubes, yeast, beer or whatnot. Just an egg, some flour and water.

Tempura Batter

1 egg (chilled)

1 cup flour

1 cup ice water

Mix the egg and water. Add the flour and mix until the flour is just incorporated. No need to take out the lumps. Keep the batter chilled.

A meal fit for...Part 3

This was my favorite part of the meal. My mother in law's famous Stewed pork belly with ginger and soysauce. It reminds me of my grandmother's stewed pork.

Cut the pork belly into large cubes.

Fry in oil until brown. Add the peeled ginger.

Add the soysauce and cover with water.

Simmer until the water evaporates and the pork is cooked.

Eat with steamed rice. Yum...

We also had soup made from the broth left from the steamed chicken.

Wash then soak the dried chinese mushrooms in water for at least 2 hours. My mom leaves it overnight.

Soak the dried fungus (it sounds yucky but tastes great as with all chinese food) for 2 hours.

Add the mushrooms and fungus in the broth and simmer until cooked.

A meal fit for...Part 2

The steamed chicken we had for lunch is my hubby's favorite. Hmmm...actually everything on the menu was his favorite, but this one is his best favorite (yes I know, there isn't a best favorite...)

To make the steamed chicken you simply boil it until it is cooked. (You can steam it, but it takes longer, and you lose the chicken broth that you can make into soup!) Let cool and chop.

For the sauce:

Chop the spring onions and ginger and pour hot oil to cook it.