Cooking Abalone - festive delicacy

According to Chinese beliefs, abalone symbolises assured abundance. Though canned and vacuum packed abalone are easily available from speciality grocery stores, uncooked chilled abalone tastes superb. If you have a few hours to spare, you are better off cooking abalone dish from scratch than to use precooked processed abalone which contain preservatives and not as yummy.

Preparation : wash away dirt on fresh abalone under running tap. Do not soak as it will dilute the taste of the shellfish.

In an airtight heavy steel pot, cook abalone whole in cool or lukewarm superior chicken stock, preferably homecooked or restaurant grade commercial packed ones. Ensure that the stock adequately covers the the abalone. Never cook abalone in boiling water as it will shrink and toughen the texture. Add dried scallops which have been washed and soaked for at least 2 hours (do not discard the water but add to the rest of the ingredients).

Add a stalk of shallot (white part only), garlic clove (with skin intact) and 2 slices of ginger.

Maintain an even temperature of soft boiling for the entire 3 hour cooking process. Alternatively, double boiling would take more 4 to 6 hours.

When ready, discard the spring onion, garlic and ginger. The soup can be presented as another course, separate from the main abalone dish.

To prepare the gravy, dissolve tapioca or corn starch in solution of water, oyster sauce, pepper and cooking wine (optional).

You may line the base of the serving plate with cut iceberg lettuce. Soft, slightly chewy, and extraordinary flavours!

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Canadian Buckwheat Pancake

This is no ordinary pancake. It is more nutritious and tastier because of the addition of buckwheat flour. I learnt about the existence of many exotic dishes pancake from different ethnic and expatriate communities who attended the school. It can be adjusted to suit many breakfast, dessert and savoury recipes. Though this Canadian family has returned to to their homeland, the recipe remains in our hearts, always.

Gradually add to 1 litre of milk and 1 egg : 1/4 cups each of plain and self raising flour; baking powder, 1/4 cup buckwheat flour; a pinch of salt and sugar. Whisk and ensure that the ingredients are mixed well. Leave it to rest for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat up the frying pan. Can be prepared a few hours ahead, covered and left in the fridge.

Ladle mixture gently onto a heated frying pan. Cook till both sides are golden brown.

Tip : Adding a table spoon of buttermilk in the batter and a little oil on the frying pan will enhance the crispiness of the pancake if that's your preference.

Serve with whipped cream or butter or ice cream, maple syrup or agave nectar, strawberries, peach slices or blueberries.

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Chinese New Year raw fish salad - yusheng

How to avoid paying more than $20 per person to savour the Chinese New Year raw fish salad (yusheng) speciality? DIY is the way to go and you'll be surprised how easy it is to prepare this festive dish and impress your family and friends. Best of all, you may ajdust the ingredients according to personal tastes and preferences.

After years of sampling different restaurant yusheng in Southeast Asia and Australia, I've come up with this recipe that has received raved reviews. Tried and tested - much better than what restaurants serve, if I may dare say. The serving portion is for 6 persons.

Finely junlienned vegetables :

Carrot, white radish, green mango, yam bean, cucumber, spring onion.
Fresh ginger - peeled and sliced thinly
Japanese green seaweed strands (soaked and drained)

Fresh Fruits :

Dice 1/2 pomelo or 1 large grapefruit into segments
Mango slices

Dried preserved fruit :

kamquat, orange peel, dried or pickled mango, candied ginger, pickled ginger, candied melon, licorice flavoured or assorted plums -- slice these dried ingredients thinly.

Dressing :

Put each of the condiments and sauces in small serving dishes

Wet : sesame oil, garlic oil, plum sauce, lime juice (2 small green lime)

Dry : lightly toasted sesame seed, white pepper, brown sugar, salt, tiny crispy crackers, roast ground peanut powder, kaffir lime leaf (cut into razor thin slices). You may like to put the dry ingredients into red packets (hongbao / ang pow) to enhance the festive mood.

Raw fish :

Thinly slice sashimi grade boneless fish. Any of these could be used : salmon, tuna, trout, yellow tail, or wolf herring.

Arrange fish slices in a fan shape or at the centre of a large platter.

Processed jellyfish - washed and seasoned or you could purchase ready-to- eat packs from the Asian grocery store. (optional)

Tuck In!

When ready to serve, mix all the ingredients and dressing.
Toss with chopsticks and exclaim "lo hei" -- symbol of prosperity and progress.

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Tamarind Mustard with Roast Meat Stew (Gai Choy)

Turn your leftovers from festive gatherings and entertainment into delicious stew without any fuss.

All you need are :
3 pieces dried tamarind peel (assam pei)
2 cloves of garlic (leave whole and unpeeled)
2 dried red chilli
1 tsp of tamarind paste (or soak thumb size tamarind in water & strain)
1 TBS of soy sauce
1 TBS fish sauce
2 tsp of brown sugar
1 tsp of nonya chilli paste (optional)
Mustard green - Gai Choy (washed, drain and cut into half length)

Using frozen or chilled leftovers : It is best to use a combination of roast duck and bones, BBQ pork ribs and roast layered pork. Defrost in the fridge before cooking. Those who yearn for this dish need not wait till the end of festivities but could cook using freshly roasted meat.

1. Dry fry dried chilli, garlic and tamarind till hot and fragrant. Remove from heat.

2. In a deep and heavy well conducted pot, fry meat with a little vegetable oil till sizzling hot. Add all the sauces and stir well.

3. Add mustard green (gai choi) and fry briefly. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with steamed rice.

* The taste is similar but richer than salty and sour preserved vegetables.

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Vietnamese pancake - Ban Xeo

A healthy pancake (sometimes referred to as a pizza) eaten with lots of vegeetables.

This recipe was modified from my reference notes when I studied at a commercial cooking training institute in Thailand some years ago.

The secret lies in making the perfect crispy batter quickly and encasing the vegetables in it.

Mix rice flour, mung bean flour, self raising flour, tumeric powder, salt, egg and coconut cream. It should be a thick and soft consistency.

The filling are : pickled carrot, bean sprouts, steamed mung beans, chopped shallot shoots, sugar and thinly sliced steamed pork, steamed shrimp, ground and pepper. Fry separately in another pan and keep warm. Scoop and distribute evenly at the centre of the batter when it is about to be set before it becomes crispy and brown.

Salad : Lettuce, mint, coriander, basil and kaffir lime leaves added at the side.

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