Chrysanthemum Tea

This tea is served hot but here it can be served as a refreshing iced drink on a hot and sunny day. [ Chrysanthemum help strengthen lungs, relieve headaches and improve eyesights.]

Preparation: 5 mins Cooking time: 12 mins

Ingredients (serves 4)
° 40-50g dried chrysanthemum
° 75-80g sugar or rock sugar
° 1 litre water

Method
1. Add sugar to water and bring to a boil. Add chrysanthemum and simmer for 1 minute.
2. Remove the chrysanthemum with a slotted spoon and discard. Serve hot.

Tip
1. Chill and serve with crushed ice, if desired.

Dried Wonton Mee

Dried Wonton Mee

Dried Mee Bok (Flat Noodle)

Plain wonton noodle are tossed with oil and soy sauce for an economical meal. Quick to prepare and is ready in a moment.

Preparation: 10 mins Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 1)
° 1 piece wonton mee
° 750ml water
° ½ -1 tablespoon olive oil
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
° salt and light soy sauce to taste
° fresh coriander leaves or spring onion, chopped

Method
1. Loosen and rub the noodle lightly with your hand to remove any excess flour coating.
2. Place the noodle in a pot or wok of boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes. Drain the noodle thoroughly and place in a serving bowl. Alternatively, cook the noodle following the packet instructions.
3. Add oil, salt, light soy sauce, coriander leaves or spring onion to the noodles. Toss well to mix and serve immediately.

Tip
1. Only olive oil can be consumed as it is. To make ginger oil or garlic oil, heat the ginger slice or chopped garlic in vegetable oil until light brown.
2. Blanched vegetables can be added, if desired.

Pickled Green Chilli

It can be kept in the cool place for up to a week or store in the refrigerator.

Ingredients
° 100g (6-8) fresh green chilli, seeded and sliced
° 60ml white rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
° 120ml water, boiled
° 2 teaspoons sugar
° ½ teaspoon salt

Method
1. Combine all ingredients in a glass container, mix well and leave to stand for 24 hours prior to serving.

Tip
1. Alternatively, bring 180ml vinegar with salt and sugar to a boil. Add in the chili, simmer for 10 seconds and transfer to a glass container. Leave to stand for 2-3 hours prior to serving.
2. If the result is too vinegary, stir in a spoonful of sugar.

Chendol Agar-Agar

Preparation: 5 mins Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients
° 10g agar-agar powder
° 200-250g palm sugar(gula melaka)
° 200-300g chendol, washed and drained
° 500ml coconut milk
° 4 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot
° 1 litre water

Method
1. Dissolve agar-agar powder in 1 litre of water. Add palm sugar, pandan leaves and bring to boil over low heat.
2. Remove from heat, mix coconut milk and chendol to agar-agar solution, pour into a big mould. 3. Leave to cool before refrigerating until chilled.

Chinese New Year Cuisine – Steamed Tofu and Glutinous Rice Ball

Preparation: 30 mins Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (makes 10-12 pieces)° 50g glutinous rice
° 1 firm tofu/beancurd (225g), washed, pat dry with kitchen paper and mashed
° 2-3 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked and chopped
° 1 vegetarian ham slice, chopped
° ½ carrot, chopped
° 2 tablespoons self-raising flour (optional)
° 1 tablespoon corn starch
° 1 teaspoon sesame oil
° sugar, salt and pepper, to taste

Method
1. Wash and soak glutinous rice for 4-6 hours. Drain well and set aside.
2. Combine the mashed tofu, vegetarian ham, carrot, mushrooms, salt, pepper, sugar, sesame oil, flours and mixed well.
3. Using your hand, shape the mixture into 10-12 balls. Coat them evenly with the glutinous rice.
4. Steam for 15-20 minutes. Leave the glutinous rice balls to rest, covered, for 10 minutes then serves.

Chinese New Year Cuisine – Lohan Zhai

Lohan Zhai’s Rice Vermicelli

This is a simplified version of Buddha’s Vegetarian Feast. Lohan Zhai is especially cooked during the eve or the first day of Chinese New Year.

Preparation: 10 mins Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 1 pack/50g bean vermicelli, deep-fried
° 2 pieces dried sweet beancurd wafers, deep-fried and cut into pieces
° 1 piece dried beancurd stick,, cut into strips and deep-fried
° 3-4 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked and sliced
° 6-8 small black fungus, soaked and cut into pieces
° 6 dried lily buds (optional), trimmed, soaked and knotted
° 100-150g Chinese cabbage (Wong Bak/Bok Choy), cut into broad strips
° ½ carrot, shredded
° 1 thin slice ginger
° 1½ - 2 pieces red fermented bean curds (2cm x 2cm cube), mashed finely
° 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
° 150-200ml water
° a small handful fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger and fry till golden brown.
2. Add the red fermented bean curb and stir-fry briskly until aromatic.
3. Add the mushrooms, black fungus, dried lily buds, carrot, cabbage, bean curds and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Add water, bring to a boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add in bean vermicelli and simmer until the sauce is slightly dry.
5. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Tip
1. Stir in a bit more red fermented bean curd before dishing up, if it is not tasty.
2. Toss in rice vermicelli, increase the quantity of red fermented bean curds and water to make a Lohan Zhai’s rice vermicelli dish.
3. Deep fried items can be prepared 1 or 2 days in advance.

Chinese New Year Cuisine – Stir-Fried Chinese Arrowhead

Chinese Arrowhead - The starchy corms are peeled, sliced and cooked in stews or fried. They are sometimes planted in vessels for the green arrowhead-shaped leaves.

Preparation: 5 mins Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 10-12 Chinese arrowheads or arrowroots, peeled and thinly sliced
° 1 thin slice ginger
° 2 pieces red fermented bean curds (2cm x 2cm cube), mashed finely
° 1 teaspoon chinese five-spice powder (optional)
° 1 tablespoon olive oil
° 100ml water

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger and fry till fragrant.
2. Add the red fermented bean curb and stir-fry briskly until aromatic.
3. Add the Chinese arrowheads, chinese five-spice powder and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Add water and simmer until the sauce is slightly dry.
4. Dish up and serve hot.

Tip
1. Chinese Arrowhead can be deep-fried prior to stir fry if desired.
2. Deep-fried Chinese arrowhead can be eaten on its own.

*Picture of Arrowhead : http://www.science.edu.sg/ssc/vegetables/alismataceae.jsp