Vegetarian Siew Mai ...

I just like the combination of a piece of coriander leave and just one wolfberry for garnish. Simple yet it makes a big different to the food. I saw this in a beautiful food photo of shark’s fin dish and therefore try it out on instant vegetarian siew mai which I bought from Friendly Vegetarian Food Suppliers – 25pcs for S$5.

You just have to steam them and place on a small white porcelain plate use for sauce or arrange in a row on a oblong plate, Next, just place coriander leave and reconstituted wolfberry on it (kid can help out with this).  That’s!  

Frozen Vegetable Dumping

Served in Sauces Plate with Mushroom Broth and garnish with coriander and wolfberries ...  

Served in a Chinese Tea Cup with Mushroom Broth, mini dried mushroom, wolfberries and coriander ...

Various presentation ... 

Frozen Vegetable Dumping 450g @ S$2.50

Yes! This is instant vegetarian food and with simple food presentation, it can look beautiful and use that for buffet or party food for a no-cook.

I got this from Friendly Vegetarian Food Supplier – 1 pack (450g) for S$2.50 (Product of Taiwan by Chimei). 

Mock Shark’s Fin with Shark Fin Melon

Ready-to-cook Mock Shark's Fin 250g @ S$8.50

Another green Shark’s Fin dish which everyone can indulge in without hurting the environment. Mock Shark’ Fin soup is not that difficult to find in any vegetarian restaurant that serves Chinese cuisine.

For a change, I decide to test out a slightly different way to present the Mock Shark’s Fin dish. Instead of cutting the melon in shreds, I cut them into a cube (just happened that I got ½ of shark fin melon @ S$1 today in the wet market, rare find). It is quite fun actually, if this is the dish for Chinese New Years, be extra careful with the “number” of ingredients used and ingredients that carry special symbolism in the Chinese culture. There are many different way to arrange the ingredients, like the Black Moss can be placed on the top, garnish with coriander leaves and a wolfberry. Or put a simple Japanese lucky knot made using carrot and daikon strands as garnish. 

Without a supreme broth, as usual I make use of granulated mushroom bouillon and mushroom. For a good classic shark’ fin dish, good tasty supreme broth can’t be compromised.

Preparation:      20 mins, Cooking time:    10 mins

           

Ingredients (serves 4)

°         200g Shark’s Fin Melon, cubed

°         few brown shimeji mushroom, based trimmed

°         some black moss hair seaweed (Fatt Choy)

Mock Sharks’ Fin

°         50g mock shark’s fin

°         1 teaspoon light soy sauce

°         ½ teaspoon granulated mushroom bouillon

°         pepper to taste

Broth

°         75ml vegetable/kelp stock

°         ¼ teaspoon granulated mushroom bouillon

°         1 teaspoon light soy sauce

°         ¼ teaspoon sugar

Method

1.       Combine all the mock Shark’s Fin ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

2.       Arrange the shark fin melon, brown shimeji mushroom, black moss hair seaweed, mock shark’s fin, and wolfberries on each individual serving plate.

3.       Mix all the ingredients for the broth well and ladle on each serving plate. Steam for 10 minutes or until the ingredient become tender and serve immediately. 

Terrific Cabbage Roll Pickles

Coldplay – Life in Technicolor II (click to listen, have fun and enjoy!), it starts with upbeat music - a Indian Stringed Instrument – Santoor! Beautiful way of introducing a classical instrument, otherwise I would not even know that there is such beauty sound in the world. If only Vegetarian Cuisine just like Santoor in this song. Again, why not? Vegetarian Cuisine can be trendy …

So, I tried out with pickles and play with it! The food presentation of this dish can be improved. In the photo, I didn’t cut it into bite size, if not it can be stacked up and sprinkle with shicimi togarashi to make it looks classy. Place them in a glass bottle (recycle your home sauce bottle), décor the bottle in a simple way, if desired – you can give away them as - Homemade Nappa Pickles. An appetizer for a party (just add a garnish with skewer, if desired) or a side dish or as refreshment between spicy dishes …     

Preparation:      10 mins, plus 1-2 hours standing time

Ingredients (serves 8)

°         4 (200g)  Chinese cabbage/Nappa/Wok Bak leaves, halved lengthwise and blanched

°         2 tablespoons cider vinegar

°         1 tablespoon sugar or to taste

°         ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste

°         3-4 slices red chilli, chopped 

Garnish

°         Some  roasted sesame seed (optional)

Method

1.       Combine the napa, chilli vinegar, sugar and salt in a bowl and mix well.  Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

2.       Tightly roll the leaves and cut into bite-size if desired. Sprinkle some sesame seeds, chopped chilli/chilli flakes and serve.

Jade-Green Abacus Beads

In my kitchen, there is some left over silken tofu, some glutinous rice flour and near expiry green tea powder. Therefore, I tried this combination and go with the sugar syrup used for the Traditional Glutinous Rice Ball. If making the syrup is a little bit troublesome, maybe just add them into a soymilk or almond milk. Serve them in a skewer and maybe coat them with a thick sweet or salty sauce or coat them with some grounded peanut powder.

Adding tofu make it much more nutritious and will become a good snack for the young as well as the adult, as tofu is one of the good alternative sources of meat protein. Next, maybe I will make Dango with some fruits (Avocado etc) in it, serve on a skewer and go with palm sugar syrup – new permutation!

Preparation: 15 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 5-8)
Dough
 100g glutinous rice flour
 100g silken tofu
 1 teaspoon green tea powder
 750ml water, for cooking the glutinous rice balls

Syrup
 750ml water
 4 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot
 2 slicesginger (optional)
 10 seedless red dates
 sugar to taste
 ½ -1 teaspoon basil seeds (optional), soaked and drained

Method
1. To make syrup, add the water, pandan leaves, ginger, red dates to a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside.
2. To make dough, combine the flour, tofu and green tea powder in a mixing bowl. Mix well, knead into dough. Add some water if the dough is too dry or some flour if it is too watery.
3. Divide the dough into 40 small pieces and roll each into a ball. Shape them into abacus beads by using the thumb and finger to make a slight indentation in the centre of each ball if desired.
4. Bring 750ml of water to boil. Add in glutinous rice balls and return to a boil. Remove water the glutinous rice balls with a slotted spoon as soon as they float to the surface. Transfer to the sugar syrup.
5. To serve, ladle the glutinous rice balls and syrup into individual serving bowls. Serve hot.

Rooty Veggie Yusheng

Time Flies! It is long past Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) and I just had “Yusheng” ! Isn’t “Yuseng” mix ONLY available during Chinese New Year period? At the moment, Yes!

And I just really can’t understand why it can’t be served all year round just like Rice Dumpling for Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu Festival in Mandarin). Salad lover will like this I guess and it is definitely good to share such lovely stuff with other Vegetarians/Vegans around the World.

I don’t know, maybe, having it as a daily affair, it loses its “special occasion kind of feeling”. Just like we lost the great enthusiasm toward Chinese New Year when we don’t have to wait till Chinese New Year to feast and don nice clothing …

Back to this Yusheng - How did I have this “Yusheng” Mix? In fact, I bought it in February early this year, as one of the surprise special gifts to someone who came over to Singapore from Italy in March. We were supposed to meet, but we were at the same meeting place and at the same time, but missed the chance of meeting each other.

Therefore, this pack of Yusheng Mix (expiry: end of 2009) was still with me until few days back when I finally decided to do another different type of Yusheng (not the Traditional Yusheng or Fruit Yusheng) but using ONLY root vegetables (Beet Root, Yam Bean and Lotus Root). It was appetizing …

Beet Root strained the other ingredients, what can be done here is to cut the root beet into shreds and leave it in the refrigerator to “dehydrate” it a little, so that it is not so "watery".

As for the Lotus root, slice them thinly (the hole pattern looks so beautiful) and put them in water with a few drops of vinegar added, if desired. You can also deep-fry it to make Lotus Root Chips that can be eaten on it own or use it for garnishing or add to a bowl of piping hot Ramen cooked with scrumptious Herbal/Vegetable stock …

Let your creative juices flow, look around the kitchen, mix and match the ingredients, and having unique and delectable dishes is so simple, easy and full of surprises …

The Universe of Vegetarian Cuisine is so vast and yet undiscovered …

Yusheng (Fruit, Mushroom and Vegetable version “Yusheng”)

In Singapore, Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year is the time for “Yusheng” dish, which is created by our local chefs of Singapore in 1963. In the past, it is served on the 7th day of Chinese New Year which is also known as “ren ri” (every man’s birthday). But now, you can have it anytime from the 1st day to 15th day of Chinese New Year!

You can even buy the “Yuseng” mix (which is only available during Chinese New Year period) and get some shredded carrot, white radish, green radish and raw fish (Vegetarian raw fish) to have this dish at home. You toss and say auspicious phrase related to the ingredients like “da ji da li” , “tian tian mi mi”, “yi ben wan li”, … and “cai yuan guang jin”. Remember to toss this salad high, the higher you toss, the greater your fortunes will be.

I bought a pack of “Yusheng” mix (consist of lime/plum sauce, sliced yam, sesame seeds, peanut, pok choy, pickled papaya, vegetarian jelly fish, red & green ginger etc) and added carrot shreds, green mango shreds, white radish shreds, enoki mushroom.

I added enoki mushroom, as it saves me the time spend on preparing more vegetable shreds! I have omitted the vegetarian raw fish (as the mix come with it) and replace green radish with green mushroom shreds for this Fruit, Mushroom and Vegetable version “Yusheng”.

You can add whatever fruit (green papaya, strawberry, green apple …) you like to give this traditional Yusheng dish a new twist.

If you crave for this dish after Chinese New Year, you can also whipped up a simplified version “Yusheng” !

“Nian Gao” 年糕 roll with Grated Coconut

Celebrating Chinese New Year (aka Lunar New Year), “Nian Gao” 年糕 is a must-have traditional treat for each household, it represents the meaning of “going higher every year” implying progress in whatever one does (career, business, studies or status) in a new year.

“Nian Gao” is a type of steamed glutinous rice cake. The one in the photo is the traditional type steamed in a banana leave case rather than plastic wrapper. When it is just freshly made, it is very soft and you don’t have to put them in the refrigerator. Then, it gets harden and you can then cut it into slices and deep-fried with slice of sweet potatoes.

Last year, I have a special Samosa in Malaysia - Ipoh. Guess what, the filling of the samosa is not curry potatoes, is Nian Gao plus sweet potatoes. It is so creative, the Nian Gao and sweet potatoes were cut into little triangle and wrap with spring roll wrapper prior to deep-fried. When I picked up the Samosa and ate it, it took me a while before I can decipher what was in it.

Besides, deep-frying it, you can steam it again until very soft and roll in a plate of fresh grated coconut until it is evenly coated. Just like what I have in the photo.

As time goes by, lesser and lesser people like to eat traditional Nian Gao. Sometimes, people just buy them for praying or just for its symbolic meaning.

Some Vegetarian Restaurants come up with different Nian Gao for the modern generation. There are Yam or Radish or Water Chestnut added to the Nian Gao or Nian Gao made in the shape of fish for auspicious connotation, that come in beautiful gift box where it look so presentable as gift.

Nian Gao is only available during Chinese New Year, if you haven’t got any yet, hurry! quickly grab some before it is gone or you will have to wait till next Chinese New Year.

Mock Abalone (Braised Bailing Mushroom)

For Lunar New Year, Abalone is a delicacy and a ‘must have’ dish for most of the Chinese family Reunion Dinner (on the Eve of Lunar New Year). Being a vegetarian, does not mean that you need to miss out on the taste of this dish! Of course, NOT! There are vegetarian abalones where we can get easily at most of the Vegetarian Shops in Singapore, which is made using cudlan, starch, wheat straw fiber, condiment and seaweed.

However, using fresh ingredient like Bai Ling Mushroom, which have the same texture and look of a real abalone, we can also easily whip up a simple mock abalone. I purchased one fresh Bai Ling Mushroom at the price of S$2.50 and came up with the below recipe.


Preparation: 8 mins, Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 1 (225g±) whole fresh Bai Ling mushroom
° 1 slice ginger
° 2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce, or to taste
° 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
° ¾ teaspoon sugar
° ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
° 250ml water or vegetable stock
° 1 teaspoon corn flour, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
° few broccoli florets (for garnish), blanched

Method
1. Combine the ginger, vegetarian oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, water or vegetable stock in a claypot. Mix well and add in bai ling mushroom. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes. Flip over the bai ling mushroom after 10 minutes to ensure the upper side is cooked.
2. Lastly, pour in the corn flour solution and off the heat when the gravy thickened.
3. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with broccoli florets and serves hot.

Stir-Fried Chinese Arrowhead with Small Black Fungus

Lately, arrowhead is quite easily available at the market as it is the season which it is harvested. This year it comes very early, usually, we can only get them 1 month before Chinese New Year. When the lady who mans the noodle stall at the wet market saw my arrowheads, she suggested that I stir-fry it with pork and red fermented bean curd. When she came to know that I am a vegetarian, she suggested that I stir-fry these starchy corms with small black fungus.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 300g Chinese arrowhead or arrowroot, peeled and thinly sliced
° 1 small handful some black fungus, soaked and trimmed
° 1 thin slice ginger
° 1 piece red fermented bean curd (2cm x 2cm cube), mashed finely
° 1-2 tablespoons red fermented bean curd sauce, or to taste
° 1 tablespoon olive oil
° 125ml 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 arrowhead, black fungus and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Add water, red fermented bean curd sauce and simmer until the sauce is slightly dry.
4. Dish up, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Traditional Glutinous Rice Balls

22 December is associated with the winter solstice and glutinous rice ball. A day before the winter solstice, you will be able to spot some white and red (in fact, it looked like pink) dough in the wet market. That is used for making glutinous rice ball which is then cooked and served in sugar syrup (white or brown sugar). It can be served in soup – for a salty version. For a filled glutinous rice ball, mix some sesame or peanut powders with sugar and oil/water for the filling.

Here is the basic recipe for making the dough, it is real simple and fast. Get the little ones involved in the process, they will love it and make different colours and sizes (BIG and small) of glutinous rice balls. For fun, I added basil seeds in the sugar syrup which is never present in the traditional version.

Preparation: 15 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
Dough
° 100g glutinous rice flour
° 90-100ml water
° red food colouring

Syrup
° 500ml water
° 4 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot
° 1 slice ginger (optional)
° sugar to taste

° ½ -1 teaspoon basil seeds (optional), soaked and drained

° 750ml water, for cooking the glutinous rice balls

Method
1. To make syrup, add the water, pandan leaves, ginger and sugar to a pot. Bring to boil over medium heat and set aside.
2. To make dough, combine the flour and water in a mixing bowl. Mix well, knead into dough and divide into 2 equal portions. Add some red food colouring to one portion and knead well. Add some water if the dough is too dry or some flour if it is too watery. Divide the dough into smaller portions and shape it into a ball using your hand.
3. Bring 750ml of water to boil. Add in glutinous rice balls and return to boil. Remove water the glutinous rice balls with a slotted spoon as soon as they float to the surface. Transfer to the sugar syrup.
4. To serve, ladle the glutinous rice balls and syrup into individual serving bowls. Serve hot.

Chinese Potatoes Chips

Chinese Arrowhead is known as Chinese potatoes or Chi Gu. This can be served as a snack or side dish during Chinese New Year. Usually, we can only purchase Chinese arrowheads during the Chinese New Year period. Surprisingly, I found that one of the stalls in the wet market is selling them now. Bought some and decided to make chips, and it tasted lovely, although too much deep-fried food is no good. But once in a while, a little of it should be fine and homemade chips without any salt are still better. I should have sliced it even thinner and it will absorb less oil and more crispy.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 6 Chinese arrowheads, peeled, thinly sliced and pat dry
° oil, for deep-frying

Method
1. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or wok. Place the Chinese arrowhead in and then fry until golden brown. Drain well on kitchen paper and set aside.
2. Serve immediately.

Simplified Vegetarian Peking Duck

This is a ‘No-Cook’ recipe. All the ingredients are easily available at the supermarket. Using spring roll wrapper to replace pancake wrapper, golden roasted vegetarian duck to replace peking duck, plum sauce to replace hoisin sauce. Place the spring roll wrapper in the streamer (turn off the heat) for 1-2 minutes to soften it, if desired. You might even add some fruits or salad sprouts, if desired. Remember to serve immediately or cover up with cling wrap to prevent it from drying up.

Preparation: 20 mins

Ingredients (makes 12)
° 12 pieces spring roll wrappers
° 12 slices golden roasted vegetarian duck
° 50g cucumber, cut into batons
° 50g carrot, peeled, shredded and soaked in water
° 1 stalk spring onion (optional), shredded
° 3-4 tablespoons plum sauce
° 2 chinese lettuces leaves (optional), for garnish

Method
1. Place 1 piece of spring roll wrapper on a chopping board or plate. Spread some plum sauce in the centre and around.
2. Fold in one of the corner to the centre. Arrange the golden roasted vegetarian duck, cucumber, carrot and spring onion on it. Fold in the opposite end corner and roll up. Alternatively, just wrap and roll as you desired.
3. Arrange on a serving plate and garnish with lettuce. Serve immediately.

Avocado and Vegetarian Noodle Prawn

The avocado and vegetarian noodle prawns on the bamboo skewers can be prepared for a picnic or as a cold dish. Serve with the special prepared plum sauce for dipping.

Preparation: 10 mins

Ingredients (makes 6)
° ½ (75g) ripe avocado, diced
° 6 vegetarian noodle prawns, deep-fried or pan-fried
° 6-12 slices carrot
° 6 bamboo skewers

Sauce
° 3 tablespoons plum sauce, or to taste
° 3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
° 6 tablespoons warm water
° 6 tablespoons (6 limes) freshly squeezed kalamansi lime juice, or to taste
° ¼ fresh red chilli, finely chopped
° ¼ teaspoon roasted sesame seeds (optional)

Method
1. To make the sauce: Dissolve the sugar with water in a bowl. Add in the plum sauce, chilli and lime juice. Mix well and sprinkle some sesame seeds. Set aside.
2. Arrange a slice of carrot, vegetarian noodle prawn and avocado dice on a bamboo skewer. Repeat for the rest.
3. Serve with the sauce.

Crispy Mushrooms with Basil

This is a deep fried dish, if you are watching your weight, it is best to avoid this or share among your family members or you need to exercise more and no more deep-fried food for the rest of the week.

Honestly, the deep-fried enoki mushroom is real FANTASTIC. With some crispy basil leaves, this made a real presentable dish if you have any guests around for dinner. By the way, enoki mushroom is said to be able to wards off cancer and have a surprisingly high vegetable protein of 5 per cent. Basil on the other hand is said to help relieve fever, purge wind, cleanse blood and strengthen the stomach. So eat more of these, but not the deep-fried one!

Oh, the oil for deep-frying will get milky due to the corn flour used so strain with a paper coffee bag place in a bowl.

Preparation: 8 mins, Cooking time: 12 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 100g enoki mushroom, base discarded and separated
° 6-8 fresh shiitake mushrooms
° small handful (25g) basil leaves
° 2 red chilli padi, sliced
° oil, for deep-frying
° 3-4 tablespoons corn flour
° 1/3 teaspoon Chinese five-spices powder, or to taste
° 1/3 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Method
1. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok, add in the basil leaves, chilli and fry until crispy. Drain well on kitchen paper and set aside.

2. Combine corn flour, five-spice powder and salt in a plate and mix well. Coat the entire mushrooms with the flour.
3. Heat oil in a wok. Place the mushrooms in and then fry until golden brown. Drain well on kitchen paper.
4. Arrange the basil and mushrooms on a serving plate and serve immediately.

Vegetarian Chinese Dumpling (Jiao Zi)

This vegetarian version of Chinese dumpling consists of vegetarian ham or vegetarian meat and chopped vegetables like Chinese cabbage, carrot, mushroom and water chestnut. It can be boiled or steamed or cooked in steamboat. A popular dish during Chinese New Year.

Preparation: 25 mins, Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (makes 30 pieces)
° 1 pack (200g) dumpling wrapper
° 100g vegetarian ham or vegetarian meat, coarsely chopped
° 100g Chinese cabbage, coarsely chopped
° 50g carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
° 6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, coarsely chopped
° 4 water chestnuts (optional), peeled and coarsely chopped
° 1 clove garlic or 1 slice ginger, finely chopped
° 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Sauce
° 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
° 1 teaspoon sugar
° 2 teaspoons cornstarch
° 6 tablespoons water
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil
° pepper, to taste

Method
To prepare filling
1. Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok. Add the garlic or ginger and fry till golden brown. Add in all the vegetables and stir-fry until tender. Stir in the sauce mixture and fry until dry.
3. Transfer to a dish and let it cool.

To wrap dumpling
1. Lay a dumpling wrapper in front of you. Place some of filling in the middle and wet the edge with some water (or water and flour mixture). Fold up. Work from right to left, press and shape the dumpling. Press and seal the dumpling’s opening with your thumb.

To boil dumpling
1. Bring 750ml of water to a boil in a pot or wok. Add the dumplings and return to the boil. Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon when they float to the surface.
2. Transfer to individual serving bowls and garnish with one or two Chinese lettuce leaves. Ladle the hot soup into the bowl and sprinkle with some fresh spring onion.

Hakka Yam Abacus Beads

The Hakka Yam Abacus Beads used to be a festive dish in Singapore among the Hakkas. The main ingredients are taro or yam and tapioca flour, mixing together to form a dough and make into little abacus beads to signify wealth.

Preparation: 20 mins, Cooking time: 25 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)° 200g taro (yam), peeled and cut into chunks
° 100-120g tapioca flour
° 750ml water
° 50g Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked and diced
° 25g black fungus, soaked and shredded
° 50g carrot, peeled and diced
° 1 thin slice ginger, chopped
° ½ teaspoon salt
° ½ teaspoon sugar
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil
° 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
° salt and pepper, to taste
° a small handful fresh coriander leaves (optional), for garnish

Method1. Arrange the yam in a heatproof serving plate and steam for 10-15 minutes or until soft.
2. Mash the yam in a container with a fork. Add the tapioca flour, salt, sugar and mix well to form dough. Knead until the dough is non-sticky. Divide the dough into 40 small pieces and roll each into a ball. Shape them into abacus beads by using the thumb and finger to make a slight indentation in the centre of each ball.
3. Bring 750ml of water to a boil in a pot or wok. Add the yam balls and return to the boil. Remove the yam balls with a slotted spoon when they float to the surface. Transfer to a bowl of cold water or coat with 2 tablespoons of oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger and fry till golden brown.
5. Add the carrot, mushrooms, black fungus and stir-fry briskly until aromatic. Season with salt, pepper, sesame oil and light soy sauce.
6. Add the yam balls and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with coriander leaves.

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