Buddha Jumps Over The Wall

An interesting name, isn’t it? It is a Chinese soup, a famous Cantonese cuisine. Unlike the western nutrition standard, Chinese believe that soups cooked under small fire for long hours are the best for our bodies. So my brother bought this for our birthday dinner.In fact, my two brothers and I were all born in the 4th week of June. Therefore we usually have joint birthday dinner. This year, it was my brother’s treat. The restaurant had a very special dinner trio - lobster with noodle, steam fish and one whole deep fried chicken - Only HK$318 ($298 on weekdays). We were all happy to enjoy our favourite foods at a good price. The lobster balls were really al dente. My brother ordered the Buddha soup which was very delicious. A very important Cantonese culinary culture is not only to drink the soup, but eat the ingredients as well. As we believe those are the essences of nutrition.
The soup had many ingredients and had an original meaning of fortune, longevity and wealth. People usually serve this for their important guests. Since it is so delicious, it tastes good and smells so great that the Buddha next door would want to jump over the wall and join the dinner. Hence the name.

Of course there are classes in almost anything in life. If you buy a car, there are Rolls Royce, Mercedes and Toyoto. Likewise, when you order the Buddha soup, the money you pay will determine the ingredients in it, or vice versa. The one we had cost HK$188. I believe it is a Toyoto. I didn’t find expensive items such as abalone, shark fin or scallops. Instead, I found sea cucumber, fish maw, ham, pork tendon, mushroom, chicken feet, chicken thigh and pork. Some recipes suggest adding wine, but I didn’t realize it. Even so, we are all happy with the very yummy and delicious Buddha soup. Unfortunately there wasn’t a Buddha eating next door, or we may witnessed “Buddha Jumps Over The Wall”!

One Whole Deep Fried Chicken - very crispy. We all love it!

Lobster with Noodle and Truffle Sauce - The Lobster Balls are really al dente! Yummy yummy!

Restaurant: Cuisine Royale
Address: 7/F Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Telephone: 852 2804 1300

Hong Kong Food Blog - Buddha Jumps Over The Wall

How to cook Ayam Masak Lemak Cili Padi

Ayam Masak Lemak Cili Padi or Chicken in Coconut Cream with Birds Eye Chili in English, is a spicy rich yellow coconut gravy that is cooked with chilli padi. While this recipe uses chicken, it can be substituted with prawns, flower crabs or fishead. Depending on your tastebuds, you can add more or less chillies if you wish. Recipe for 4 pax. Other similar recipe - Ayam Kurma (Korma Chicken), Opor Ayam (Braised Chicken with white Sauce) .

Ingredients for Ayam Masak Lemak Cili Padi:

• 1 chicken, cut into 8 pcs, washed and drained
• 1 litre coconut milk
• 3 tomatoes, cut into 4
• 1 stalk lemongrass, lightly bruised
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, lightly bruised
• 1 turmeric leaf, torn to 2
• Salt to meet the taste
• Vegetable oil
• ½ cup water

Rempah to blend:

• 10 red bird's eyes chillies
• 10 green bird's eyes chillies
• 3 large red onions
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 inch old ginger, peeled
• 1 inch of fresh turmeric, peeled
• 5 candlenuts

Chicken marinate:

• 1 tbsp turmeric powder, 1 tbsp grated ginger, salt to taste

Method:

1. Marinate chicken pieces with ginger, turmeric powder and salt for at least 30 minutes. Fry chicken until ¾ cooked and put aside.

2. Finely blend rempah ingredients into paste.

3. Using the same oil in pot, pour in the ground ingredients, torn tumeric leaf, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and fry till oil appear, fragrant (Medium heat - Do not burn).

4. Add the fried chicken, coconute milk and water. At this stage, keep it to a simmer for the rempah to adsorb to chicken and until the gravy thickens.

5. Add tomatoes and salt to taste.

6. Once chicken is cooked, serve with steamed white rice.

Korean Kimchi Fried Rice (Bokumbap)

Kimchi is amazing to cook with since it is extremely low calorie and packed with flavor. Kimchi Bokumbap is cheap and easy to make in a short period of time. Korean Kimchi Fried Rice (Bokumbap) can consist of various choices in meat and chopped kimchi (or leftover Kimchi), which is then sautéed together along with other vegetables such as onions, garlic and green onions. This recipe serves 3. Other similar recipe - Nasi Goreng Pattaya, Kimchi Making Clip.

Ingredients for Korean Kimchi Fried Rice (Bokumbap):

1 cup kimchi, drained and chop into small pieces
½ red onion, chopped
1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup minced beef or chicken
2 roots spring onion, chopped
3 cups cooked rice
Salt and pepper to meet taste
1 Fried sunny egg for each serving

Preparation for Korean Kimchi Fried Rice:

1. Saute kimchi and onion in a lightly greased large pan over medium heat for a few minutes.

2. When vegetables begin to look transparent, add ½ Tbsp of butter, garlic, and soy sauce and saute for another 2-3 minutes.

3. Add meat and continue to saute until meat is cooked.

4. Cook a little more and turn off the heat.

5. Add rice and rest of butter, spring onions and mix all ingredients well.

6. Add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Put Bokumbap on a dish and place a fried sunny egg side up on top. Enjoy this dish with Sambal Belacan!

Tasty Korean Dumpling (Mandoo or Mandu)

Mandoo or Mandu are traditionally consist of minced meat and vegetables wrapped in a thin piece of dough. This Korean dumpling recipe is easy to make and can be prepared in advance in large quantities and freeze them for future use. Mandoo can be boiled, steamed, deep fried, pan-fried or added to soup. Mandoo are usually served with a dipping sauce made of soy sauce and vinegar. Related Recipe - How to make Soon Kueh.

Ingredients for Korean Dumpling (Mandoo):

• 500g minced meat - beef or chicken
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 cup finely chopped cabbage (about 1/2 of a small cabbage head), parboiled
• 1/2 cup tofu (1 cake), chopped
• 4 oz mung bean or sweet potato noodles, soaked and then chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pkt round Japanese gyoza or Chinese wonton wrappers

Preparation for Korean Dumpling (Mandoo):

1. In a large bowl, gently combine meat, onion, cabbage, tofu, and noodles.

2. In another separate bowl (seasoning mixture), combine garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, salt, and pepper.

3. Pour seasoning mixture over meat and vegetables and mix with hands to mix evenly.

4. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of dumpling wrapper.

5. Dip your finger in water and wet the outside edge of the top half of the wrapper.

6. Fold the wrapper up to close and then crimp the edges.

7. Repeat steps until the filling is used up.

10. You'll want to try to steam, boil, fry, or saute the dumplings as you wish. Serve tasty dumpling at your family birthdays or holiday gatherings.

Korean Dumpling Making Clip

Korean Fried Tofu (Beginner in Korean cooking)

This Korean Fried Tofu recipe is a perfect dish for a beginner in Korean cooking.

Fried Tofu is a wonderful side dish and there are many styles and dishes of serving it in terms of Singapore cooking.

The Korean Fried Tofu recipe above uses simple ingredients and quite easy to make. Easy instructions. Other similar tofu recipe - How to make Tahu Goreng.

Bakwan Jagung (Deep Fried Corn Fritters)

Bakwan Jagung Recipe. Easy recipe, simple side dish and tastes really good. Bakwan Jagung or Deep Fried Corn Fritters, are normally being sold from carts on street corners in Indonesia. Bakwan Jagung can be eaten on its own or dip it with chili sauce. Enjoy Bakwan Jagung as a snack!

Ingredients for Bakwan Jagung:

200 gram canned sweet corn
1 stalk chopped spring onion
1 stalk chopped celery
100 gram wheat flour
1 small chopped onion
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 tsp white pepper
1 egg
Water
Salt and sugar to taste
Oil for deep frying

How to make it:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and make a dough ( good mixing : not too thick and not to liquid/fluid ).

2. Heat the oil in deep wok and and fry 1 tablespoon of mixture untill golden brown.

3. Serve with chili sauce and chopped corriander leaves on the top.

Tomato Egg Flower Soup

Tomato egg flower soup is a kind of simply made soup inside house, which is made of tomato and egg...

Materials: tomato, egg, onion (little bit as ingredient)
Ingredients: salt, cooking oil

Process:

1. Cut the tomato into pieces.

2. Place the pot on the fire, pour some water into the pot, then put the tomato pieces into the pot, start boiling them.

3. When the water boils pour some cooking oil into the water, add some salt, and other taste powder like white pepper etc., according to your own taste.

Keep the water boiling, break an egg into a bowl, whisk the egg and pour it into the water, now turn off the fire, stir the soup, then it's ready for you to eat.

Enjoy your food!

How to make Korean Kimchi

A recipe clip showing you how to make Kimchi. Kimchi can be eaten on its own. It is also a condiment or side dish and amongst other things, it's usually served with Bulgogi, a Korean marinated beef dish. Another example dish that people love is the Kimchi Fried Rice.

Many Koreans include Kimchi in their meals almost everyday.

There are many variations of Kimchi and ingredients used depending on the regions.

Visit the full Kimchi recipe here.

How to make McDonald's Style Chicken Nuggets

McDonald's Style Chicken Nuggets Recipe. Try your own homemade chicken nuggets recipe! This recipe was shared by a chef and a friend of mine last week, which i have tried it myself. If you are curious on how McDonald's Chicken Nuggets are prepared, try follw these interesting steps below.

Ingredients for Chicken Nuggets:

• Vegetable oil (in fryer)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup tempura mix (or 1/3 cup flour for a total of 1 cup if tempura mix is unavailable)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Msg
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 chicken breast filets, each cut into 6-7 bite sized pieces. (Dry the chicken  bite sized pieces by patting with kitchen towel).

Method:

1. Beat the egg and then combine it with 1 cup water in a small, shallow bowl. Stir.

2. Combine the flour, salt, Msg, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder in a one gallon size zip lock bag.

3. Pound each of the breast filets with a mallet until about 1/4-inch thick. Trim each breast filet into bite sized pieces.

4. Coat each piece with the flour mixture by shaking in the zip lock bag.

5. Remove and dredge each nugget in the egg mixture, coating well. Then return each nugget to the flour/seasoning mixture. Shake to coat. Put nuggets, bag and all, in the freezer for at least an hour. Cover and refrigerate remaining egg mixture.

6. After freezing, repeat the "coating" process.

7. Preheat oven and large cookie sheet to 375°

8. Deep fry the chicken nuggets at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until light brown and crispy. (cook only about 9 at a time.)

9. Drain on paper towels 3-5 minutes.

10. Place deep-fried nuggets on preheated cookie sheet in oven and bake another 5-7 minutes.

11. Serve with your favorite McDonald's dipping sauce.

Photo Source

Green onion pancake

Green onion pancake is a kind of pancake made of green onion and white flour.

Materials: flour 300g, hot boiled water 180ML, green onion (usually available in vegetable market, however, if you don't find it, onion could be an alternative option)

Ingredients: salt, cooking oil

Process:

1. Put the flour into a basin, slowly pour the hot water into the flour, meanwhile stir the flour using some tool (for not scalding the hand) till the flour becomes soft like cotton

2. Wait for a bit while till the dough isn't too hot for the hand, knead the flour repeatedly until it becomes a soft dough, put it into some vessel, cover it and wait for 30 minutes          


3. While waiting for the dough to mix by itself, cut the green onion into minced size

4. Separate the dough into small round dough, which could be the size like fist

5. Roll the round dough into big thin flat sheet through a rolling poll, drop little bit oil onto the sheet, use a brush or finger to brush the oil onto the whole sheet, and scatter some salt onto the sheet as well

6. Scatter the minced green onion onto the oil, quantity is according to yourself, if lots of onion is added, it might would break the dough but might would make the pancake taste better

7. Roll the sheet into long roll, expand little bit to the two edges

8. Turn the roll into a round as shown in the pic, wait for 10 minutes for the flour and onion to mix with each other

9. Press the round green onion dough and roll it into sheet again through a rolling pole

10. Put a pan on fire, pour little bit oil inside, put the pancake sheet into the pan, cover it and heat with small fire

11. Check the pancake after one minute, if the surface becomes yellow then turn it upside down to heat the other side, till it becomes yellow as well, and there would be smell coming out, the pancake is now ready for eat

Note: Dough made with hot water would make the pancake soft, and if you like to eat tough and chewy one, you could use cool water to make the dough.
          If you want more taste of the green onion, you could fry it first in oil then scatter it onto the dough, and you can even put some white pepper etc.
     It's better to cover the pan while frying, the steam inside would make the pancake even softer.

Enjoy your food!

Sticky Rice Dumplings at Tuen Ng Festival

Dragon Boat Festival – the 5th day of May in the Chinese calendar, falls on the 6th day of June in 2011. It is an important festival in Chinese tradition. In Hong Kong, the two most important traditions are the eating of Rice Dumplings and Dragon Boat Races.

Unlike other festival foods, rice dumplings are available in restaurants throughout the year. Of course, most people would love to eat them around Tuen Ng Festival. Some people made them at home, some choose to eat at restaurants. I am someone in between. I bought them as take-away and eat at home. Here were the default dumplings that I ate at home yesterday, which was the day of the Dragon Boat Festival. I like to eat with soy sauce, my sister in law likes to go with sugar. It all depend on your personal taste. But both sugar and soy sauce are both served if you eat at a restaurant.

Default Dumplings (咸肉糉)

If you were a food lover, you may want to know that there are three major categories of sticky rice dumplings to be eaten at Tuen Ng Festival, which is also known as the Dragon Boat Festival. The default dumplings (咸肉糉) were generally made of sticky rice, boiled green bean with stuffing of stewed pork and typically a salty egg yolk. The grand dumplings (裏蒸糉) are usually larger in size and have more stuffing like mushrooms, chicken and many others. The sweet dumplings are named alkaline water dumplings (碱水糉) in Chinese, usually with some lotus seed paste as stuffing. They are generally longer and slimmer in shape.

Grand Dumplings (裏蒸糉)

Sweet Dumplings (碱水糉) (right hand side, yellow in color) Click here to find out how rice dumplings are madeClick here to find out about Dragon Boat Race in Hong Kong

Origin of the Dragon Boat Festival

It is a festival in memory of the patriot poet Qu Yuan who committed death exhortation to the emperor by drowning himself in 277 BC. The origin of rice dumplings were meant to be thrown into the water so fishes eat the dumplings and won’t eat the body of Qu Yuan. Likewise, the dragon boats were there to create noises to scare away the fishes.

Hong Kong Food Blog - Sticky Rice Dumplings at Dragon Boat Festival

Shanghainese Drunk Chicken

Drunk Chicken is a signature Shangainese dish. In fact it is one of my must-haves when I visit any Shaghainese restaurant.

Haven’t eaten at Xiao Nan Guo for some time. My office moved to Causeway Bay, so I started to go to their restaurant at the Times Square again. Wow, looking at the menu, I noticed great inflation. If you notice something new or being upgraded, there are high chances that you have to pay more. No wonder I had new table clothes, new cutleries, new menu and of course new prices. My bill ended up to be HK$150 per person, which was 50% higher than a year ago.

Enough complaints. Let’s take a look at my favourite drunk chicken. The gojiberries were believed to be good for the eyes and work exceptionally well with wine. So we always find it served together with drunk chicken. The soup was really delicious though it made me drunk for a few moments.

Drunk Chicken HK$68 (US$8.7) 醉雞
Dan Dan Noodle is my other favourite dish. Shanghainese dan dan noodle differs from those from Chengdu in SiChuan, but equally delicious.

Shanghai Dan Dan Noodle 担担面

The pan fried juicy bun did have a lot of juice inside. We had to take extra care in order not to waste any juice. The way they do it was to cook some meat and had them frozen. The meat then became jelly like and was inserted into the bun. When the buns were pan fried, the meat jelly melt and became a juicy stuffing. (Notice the new embriodered table cloth?)

Pan Fried Juicy Buns 生煎包

Lunch date: May 28, 2011
Occasion: Casual lunch
Number of People: Two
Cost: HK$284 (US$36.4), inclusive of 10% service charge
Restaurant name: Shanghai Xiao Nan Guo
Restaurant address: 12/F Time Square, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Restaurant telephone: 852-2874-8899

Hong Kong Food Blog - Shanghainese Drunk Chicken

How to make Ayam Percik (Pasar Malam Chicken)

Ayam Percik is a popular local delicacy among Malay Singaporeans, which is available at Pasar Malam stalls (night market) and Geylang Serai Bazaars during the month of Ramadan. Ayam Percik (percik means - basting/drizzle/sprinkle) is juicy,  aromatic and so flavourful. This recipe is originaly a Malaysian recipe from Kelantan, makes a great Hari Raya Aidilfitri cuisine. Traditionally, each marinated chicken parts are clipped with a pair of custom-made bamboo tongs, which prevents the chicken meat from shrinking during the grilling process.

Ingredients for Ayam Percik:

• 1.5kg Fresh chicken, cut into 6 pieces, cleaned and drained
• 5 Tbsp Vegetable oil
• 2 tsp Tamarind Pulp
• 4 Lemon Grass, bruised
• 1 Cup Water
• 1 Cup Thick Coconut Milk
• 1½ Tbsp Sugar
• Salt to meet taste

Chicken Marinade:

• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder

Rempah to blend:

• 4 Candlenuts,  (buah keras)
• 6 Cloves Garlic
• 10 Dried Chillies, soaked in Hot Water
• 3 Red Chillies, seeds removed if you like
• 2 cm, ¾ inch Ginger
• 6 Shallots
• 1 inch galangal

How to make Ayam Percik:

1. Mix well until the chicken is coated with the marinade and set aside for at least 1 hour or preferable overnight.
2. In a blender, blend rempah ingredients and ground finely.
3. Over medium heat, fry the spice paste, tamarind and lemon grass stirring continuously to prevent sauce from burning until aromatic.
4. Add water and cook for another 3 minutes.
5. Pour in Coconut Milk, sugar and salt and simmer over a medium fire for 5 minutes.
6. Grill the chicken over a low charcoal fire or under a grill (griddle pan or charcoal grill), basting frequently and  repeat this process of coating the chicken with gravy, until the chicken is cooked.
7. Serve Ayam Percik while hot with steamed rice.

Don't forget to print this recipe