Hokkien Mee with Tomato and Chilli Sauce

Anyone can whip this up easily without any problem at all. Basically, just blanching hokkien mee in boiling water for a minute, mixed with sauce and oil. It is simple yet delicious and goes well with a bowl of simple hot soup, which can be tofu and seaweed soup or any soup that you like.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g hokkien mee, blanched
° 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
° 1 tablespoon chilli sauce
° 1 tablespoon olive oil
° a small handful fresh spring onion or fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

Method
1. Mix hokkien mee with tomato sauce, chilli sauce, olive oil and spring onion or coriander leaves. Toss evenly. To serve, divide hokkien mee between serving bowls and serves hot.

Angel Hair with Mushroom and Nori

This is an East meets West dish, mixing shredded nori with pasta. It is simple and quite straight forward to cook. You can use commercial shredded nori for convenience.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g angel hair pasta
° 100-125g cardoncello mushroom/king oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced
° 1 nori sheet, toasted and finely shredded
° 1 tablespoon white/black sesame seeds
° 2½ tablespoons olive oil
° 1 tablespoon water, boiled
° salt and pepper, to taste

Method
1. Mix cardoncello mushroom with pinch of salt and dash of olive oil. Baked in toaster oven or oven for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender. Set aside.
2. Cook angel hair pasta according to packet instructions. Toss pasta evenly with salt, water and olive oil. Divide between individual serving plates or bowls.
3. To serve, top with baked cardoncello mushroom, nori shreds and sprinkle some sesame seeds.

Angel Hair with Creamy Mushroom (Soy Milk Sauce)

If you find that pasta al funghi is a bit too rich and want something that is lighter, you may find this recipe just nice and healthy. This recipe calls for no dairy products and make it suitable for vegan.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 100g angel hair pasta
° 150g cardoncello mushroom/king oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced
° 3 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
° 1 thin slices of ginger or 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
° 1 tablespoon dairy free margarine
° 1 tablespoon cooking rice wine (optional)
° 250ml unsweetened soy milk
° 1 tablespoon cornflour, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
° salt and pepper, to taste

Method
1. Cook angel hair pasta according to packet instructions and set aside.
2. Heat the margarine in a wok or frying pan over low or medium heat. Stir fry the ginger or garlic until for less than 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle 1 tablespoon cooking rice wine and stir fry for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the soy milk and bring to a boil. Thicken the sauce with cornflour mixture. Add the angel hair or pasta, season with salt, pepper and toss evenly.
4. Transfer to individual serving dish and serve immediately.

Stir-Fried Bitter Gourd with Salted Black Bean and Chilli

Bitter gourd has a strong bitter taste, to moderate this to some extent is by salting and then washing the cut slices before cooking. Besides using salt black bean, soy bean paste with chilli can be used for stir-frying this dish.

Preparation: 5 mins plus 10 mins standing time, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 250g bitter gourd, seeded and thinly sliced
° 1 slice ginger or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
° ¾ tablespoon olive oil
° 1 tablespoon salted black beans
° 1 tablespoon cooking rice wine
° ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
° 1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely shredded
° 2 teaspoons salt

Method
1. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt to the bitter gourd, mix well and leave for 10 minutes for the liquid to drain. Rinse and gently squeeze out as much moisture as you can.
2. Heat the oil in a wok. Add the ginger or garlic and fry till golden brown.
3. Add the salted black bean and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Add the bitter gourd and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of cooking rice wine, sugar and fry for a moment.
4. Finally add the chilli and transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Simple Stir-Fried Okra (Lady’s Finger)

Anyone can cook this dish, it required no cooking experience at all and would not go wrong. If you like crunchy okra, just remember not to stir-fry for too long. Have a bite, to decide for yourself.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 8-10 okra/lady’s fingers, trimmed and diagonally sliced
° 1 slice ginger or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
° ¾ tablespoon vegetable oil
° salt, to taste

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger or garlic and fry till golden brown.
2. Add the okra and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Stir in ½ tablespoon of cooking rice wine or water if it is too dry. Season to taste with salt.
3. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Spicy Tom Yum Fried Rice

If you like spicy food and rice, this recipe is the combination of both. It is no fuss to cook.

Preparation: 3 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g rice, cooked
° 100g-150g frozen mixed vegetables
° 5 straw mushrooms (optional), halved
° 1 stalk lemongrass, peel off outer layers leaving tender whitish centre, cut out 5cm, bruised

° 2-4 kaffir lime leaves
° 1 tablespoon olive oil
° 1 thin slice ginger, finely chopped
° 1½ tablespoon vegetarian tom yum paste
° ½ fresh red chilli (optional) , finely shredded
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, or to taste
° a small handful fresh coriander leaves (optional), for garnish

Method
1. Heat the oil in a wok. Add the ginger and lemongrass fry till fragrant. Stir in the tom yum paste and fry for less than ½ minute.
2. Add the lime leaves, cooked rice, mixed vegetables and season with light soy sauce.
3. Sprinkle some water if it is too dry. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until rice is heated through and well coated.
4. Mix in the chilli, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tip
1. Rice for frying must be cooked at least 2 hours in advance or the night before.

Carrot and White Radish Soup

This is a simple and delicious clear soup using dried kelps and red dates that add lots of flavor to the soup.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 40 mins

Ingredients (serves 4)
° 250g-300g white radish, peeled and cut into small chunks
° 1 ear corn, cut into 4 pieces
° 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1cm thickness
° 10-12 dried kelps in knot
° 4 red dates (optional)
° 1.25 litres water
° 2-3 slices ginger
° salt, to taste
° pepper, to taste
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
° a small handful fresh coriander leaves (optional), for garnish

Method
1. Place all the ingredients and water in a pot. Bring soup to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt, pepper and light soy sauce.
2. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls, garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Tip
1. Vegetarian mock meat and chinese wolfberries can be added, if desired.
2. Add some shredded nori (seaweed) before serving, if desired.

Green Bean and Holland Barley Soup

Another easy home-made sweet soup which very nutritious. If you prefer just green bean soup without the barely, just omit the barley. [Green bean in addition to being good for sore throat, it can quench thirst. Barley is good for soothing sore throats, long term consumption helps to promote healthy digestion and good skin.]

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 45 mins

Ingredients (serves 4)
° 150g green bean
° 50g Holland barley or pearl barley
° 4 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot
° 1.6 litres water
° rock sugar or sugar , to taste

Method
1. Rinse the green bean and Holland barley. Place all the ingredients and water in a pot or claypot. Soak for one hour or more.
2. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes or until the green beans are tender. Add in the sugar and bring to a boil.
3. Ladle the dessert into individual serving bowls and serve.

Curry Fried Rice

If you love curry, this is another curry dish, curry fried rice. It is easy, simple and anyone can just whip up without any problem. I prefer not to use overnight leftover rice for my fried rice dish, as I always feel that is not that healthy. I would rather cook the rice early in the morning or many hours before hands.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 8 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g rice, cooked
° ¾ tablespoon vegetable curry powder
° ½ teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
° 4 sprigs curry leaves
° 100g frozen mixed vegetable
° 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
° salt, to taste

Method
1. Mix the curry powder and chilli powder with a tad of water to form curry paste.
2. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan, fry the curry leaves for half a minute. Stir in the curry paste and fry until fragrant over medium heat.
3. Stir in the cooked rice, mixed vegetables and season with salt. If it is too dry, sprinkle some water on it. Fry about 2-3 minutes or until rice is heated through. Serve hot.

Tip
1. Rice for frying must be cooked at least 2 hours in advance or the night before.
2. Oil for frying the curry paste should be heated to the right temperature and maintained at a steady heat until the curry spices have release their flavour, without burning.

Dried Wonton Noodle (Penang-Style)

Dried Wonton Noodle (Penang-Style)

Dried "Mee Bok" Flat Noodle (Penang-Style)

Dried wonton noodle tossed with a simple homemade sauce. Top with some blanched vegetables and crispy fried wonton or Wonton in Soup and serve with a small bowl of wonton soup and pickled green chilli.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 8 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 2 pieces (150g) fresh wonton mee
° 1.25 litres water
° 1 tablespoon olive oil
° 1 teaspoon vegetarian oyster sauce
° 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
° 100g Chinese flowering mustard (chai sim), cut into 5cm length

Method
1. Place the Chinese flowering mustard in a pot or wok of boiling water and blanched for 1 minute. Set aside.
2. Loosen and rub the noodle lightly with your hand to remove any excess flour coating.
3. Place the noodle (one at a time) in the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes. Drain the noodle thoroughly and place in a serving bowl. Add oil, salt, vegetarian oyster sauce, dark and light soy sauce. Toss well to mix.
4. Transfer to individual serving dish, top with Chinese flowering mustard, crispy fried wontons.

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. Alternatively, cook the noodle following the packet instructions. Discard the water for cooking noodle if it turned “cloudy and starchy”, it will affect the texture of the cooked noodles.

Vegan Oatmeal “Butter Prawn” Pasta

Oatmeal Butter Prawn is a popular dish in the restaurants in Singapore. And Pasta is a popular dish in the West. By matching and mixing them together, an “East Meet West” Dish is derived. Just cook the pasta, toss it with salt and olive oil. Add the Oatmeal “Butter Prawn” on top of it ( refer to the recipe Vegan Oatmeal Butter Prawn).

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (serves 3)
° 150g pasta or angel hair
° 2 thin slices of ginger or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
° 2 tablespoons olive oil
° 50ml water
° salt and pepper, to taste

° 6 Vegan Oatmeal Butter Prawns

Method
1. Cook pasta or angel hair according to packet instructions and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan. Stir fry the ginger or garlic until fragrant. Add the cooked pasta. Season with water, salt, pepper and toss evenly.
3. Transfer to individual serving dish and top with the vegetarian pawns. Serve immediately.

Vegetarian Soon Kueh Filling

This vegetarian version of Chinese Soon Kueh consists of simple ingredients such as yam bean, carrot and water chestnut, without any shrimp. The vegetable julienne cannot be too thick or thick, as it will affect the chewing process. To make soon kueh skin or wrapper, use soon kueh premixed flour (Soon Kuay Flour – SunFlower Band) from the supermarket and follow according to the packet instruction.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (fillings for 12 pcs or 24 mini pcs)
° 250g yam bean, peeled and shredded
° 50g carrot, peeled and shredded
° 4 water chestnuts, peeled and coarsely chopped
° 1 clove garlic or 1 slice ginger, finely chopped
° 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
° 80ml-120ml water
° ½ tablespoon sugar
° ½ teaspoon salt
° 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
° pepper, to taste

Method
To prepare filling
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the garlic or ginger and fry till fragrant. Add in all the vegetables and stir-fry briskly. Add the water, salt, sugar, light soy sauce and pepper. Stir fry over high heat for 1 minute, stirring occasionally and simmer until the vegetables is tender.
2. Transfer to a dish and let it cool.

To wrap Soon Kueh
1. Place a piece of flatten soon kueh thin sheet in front of you. Place some of filling in the middle and fold up to form a semi-circle. Pinch to seal. Arrange on a well-greased streaming.

To steam Soon Kueh
1. Steam for 15 minutes or until the soon kueh is translucent. Remove from the streamer and dizzle with garlic oil or olive oil. Cool slightly before serving with chilli sauce.

Vegan Oatmeal “Butter Prawn”

Vegan Oatmeal “Butter Prawn”

Vegetarian Prawn (Vegetarian Chai Har) made of mushroom, carrot, beancurd puff, chinese swede & seasoning

Oatmeal Butter Prawn is a popular dish in the restaurants in Singapore. By replacing butter with non-dairy margarine, prawn with mock prawn (made of beancurd skin, carrot and radish strips and mushroom), omitting the milk powder and egg, the vegan version is derived. If you find that deep-frying the mock prawns is not ultra-healthy, just brush some oil and bake it instead.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 6 (150g) vegetarian prawns
° 1 tablespoon non-dairy margarine
° 4-6 sprigs curry leaves, stalk removed
° 2-3 fresh chilli padi or 1 fresh red chilli, seeded and sliced
° 3 tablespoons instant oatmeal
° ½ teaspoon salt
° ½ tablespoon sugar
° pepper (optional), to taste
° oil, for deep-frying

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Place the vegetarian prawns into the hot oil and fry until lightly golden brown. Remove the vegetarian prawns with a slotted spoon. Drain well on kitchen paper and set aside. Alternatively, bush some oil on the vegetarian prawns and bake for a healthy choice.
2. Mix the oatmeal, salt, sugar and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Heat the margarine in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Stir fry the curry leaves and chilli for 1 minute. Add in the oatmeal and stir fry until all the ingredients are crispy and aromatic.
4. Add in the vegetarian pawns and stir fry briskly. Dish up and serve hot.

Sweet Potatoes Soup

New Variant - with fresh lily bulbs and ginko nut added to Sweet Potatoes Soup

This is an easy home-made sweet soup. Besides, steaming sweet potatoes as a healthy snack, it can be used to boil to make a simple and delicious dessert. It is very nutritious, rich in dietary fiber as well as good source of vitamin A, C and B6.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (serves 3)
° 150g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
° 4 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot
° 6 red dates (optional)
° 1 litre water
° 1 slice ginger
° 35g rock sugar or sugar, to taste

Method
1. Place all the ingredients except sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Add in the sugar and bring to a boil again.
2. Ladle the dessert into individual serving bowls and serve.

Creamy Corn and Potato Chowder Soup

A quick cream corn soup with potato and cardoncello mushroom added.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 75g potato, peeled and cut into small dices
° 25g cardoncello mushroom/king oyster mushroom, cut into small dices
° 250ml water
° 1 pack (380g) cream style sweet corn
° 1 teaspoon tapioca flour or corn starch, mix with 1 tablespoon water
° salt and pepper, to taste

Method
1. Place all the potato and mushroom and water in a pot. Bring soup to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.
2. Stir in the sweet corn, corn flour mixture and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and light soy sauce.
3. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls and serve.

Creamy Cabbage with Mushroom and Soy Milk

A quick and easy to cook cabbage dish with creamy sauce, using soy milk instead of milk, which is suitable for Vegan.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 200-250g chinese cabbage (wong bak/bok choy), cut into broad strips
° ½ carrot, shredded
° 8-10 can mushrooms, thinly sliced
° 1 thin slice ginger
° 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
° 200ml unsweetened soy milk
° salt, to taste
° ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
° a pinch sugar (optional)

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger and fry till golden brown.
2. Add the cabbage, mushrooms and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Stir in the soy milk, season to taste with salt, black pepper and sugar. Simmer until the sauce is slightly dry or the vegetables are tender.
3. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Tip
1. If the sauce is too much watery, mix ½ teaspoon of corn starch with 1 tablespoon of water and stir in.
2. Vegetarian ham can be added, if desired.

Stir-Fried Tofu with Oyster Mushroom

Another quick and simple delicious tofu dish, yet it contains simple ingredients and is easy to get. Fresh shiitake mushroom or cardoncello mushroom or shimeiji mushroom can be used or added to this dish, if desired.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 1 pack silken tofu (300g), cut into cubes
° 150g oyster mushroom/abalone mushroom, sliced
° 1 fresh red chilli, seeded and sliced
° 1 thin slice ginger, finely chopped
° 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
° a stalk spring onion or fresh coriander leaves, cut diagonally

Sauce
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
° 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce
° 1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
° 1½ teaspoons corn starch
° 6 tablespoons water
° pepper, to taste

Method
1. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger and fry till golden brown. Add the mushroom stir-fry for less than a minute. Add in the tofu and stir-fry briskly. Stir in the sauce mixture, spring onion or coriander leaves, chilli and simmer until the sauce is thickened.
3. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with rice.

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.

Vegetarian Fish Curry

Vegetarian Fish Curry is simple vegetable curry with vegetarian fish added which can be optional. It is spicy and taste a bit sour and either served as a side dish or with rice as a light lunch.

Preparation: 15 mins, Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 2-3 (100-150g) vegetarian fish slices, pan-fried
° 100g egg plant, sliced
° 2 tomatoes, quartered
° 4 lady’s finger/okra, trimmed and cut into section
° 1 fresh red chilli, seeded and cut into section
° 1 fresh green chilli, seeded and cut into section
° 4 small beancurd puffs (optional)
° 1 stalk lemon grass, peel off outer layers leaving tender whitish centre, cut out 5cm
° 1-2 sprigs curry leaves
° 1-1½ tablespoon curry powder (fish blend)
° 1-½ teaspoon chilli powder
° 2 tablespoons oil
° 50ml coconut milk
° 250ml water
° ¾ teaspoon assam paste, knead with 1 tablespoon water and strained
° salt and sugar, to taste
° 1 shallot (optional)
° 1 clove garlic (optional)
° ½ teaspoon vegetarian belacan (optional)
° 2 candlenuts

Method
1. Grind shallot, garlic, vegetarian belacan, candlenuts into fine spice paste and set aside.
2. Mix the curry powder and chilli powder with a tad of water to form curry paste and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a pot or wok, fry the spice paste until fragrant. Add in the curry paste and fry over medium heat until fragrant.
4. Add in the water, lemon grass, curry leaves and egg plant. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the eggplants are slightly tender. Add in tomatoes, chilli, beancurd puff, lady’s finger and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and assam juice. Season with salt, sugar and bring to a boil.
5. Lastly, add in the vegetarian fish slices and serve immediately with rice.

Stir-Fried Watercress with Vegetarian Oyster Sauce

This is a quick and easy to cook watercress stir-fried dish using inexpensive ingredients. Watercress is a super food that contains significant amounts of iron, calcium, folic acid, vitamins A and C.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g watercress
° 1 slice ginger
° ¾ tablespoon vegetable oil
° 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger and fry till golden brown.
2. Add the watercress and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Season to taste with vegetarian oyster sauce.
3. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Stir-Fried Tofu with Tomatoes Sauce

This is a simple and inexpensive dish. The cooking style is simple, quick, and easy to whip up within few minutes.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 1 tomatoes, cut into diced
° 1 pack silken tofu (300g), cut into cubes
° 1 slice ginger, finely chopped
° 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
° a small handful fresh coriander leaves or spring onion, for garnish

Sauce
° 2 tablespoons tomatoes sauce
° 1 teaspoon vegetarian oyster sauce
° 1 teaspoon sugar
° ½ teaspoon cornstarch
° 4 tablespoons water
° 1 teaspoon cooking rice wine (optional)
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

Method
1. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the ginger and fry until golden brown.
3. Add the tomatoes and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the tofu and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Stir in the sauce, continue to cook. Stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
4. Garnish with coriander leaves or spring onion, transfer to a serving dish, and serve immediately.

Coconut Glutinous Rice Ball with Palm Sugar

This is a simple and easy kueh’s recipe, for the sweet tooth. You can choose to shape it like ball, flatten or make into a triangle shape.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (makes 8 balls)
° 200g glutinous rice
° 200ml water
° ½ teaspoon salt
° 2 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot
° 250g fresh grated coconut

Sauce
° 100-125g gula malaka (palm sugar), chopped
° 50ml water

Method
1. Wash the glutinous rice and place in a bowl with enough water to cover. Leave to soak for 3 hours or more. Drain thoroughly.
2. Place the glutinous rice, water, salt and pandan leaves into an electric rice cooker, mix well and turn it on.
3. When done, use your hand to shape the rice into 8 balls. Coat them evenly with the fresh grated coconut. Set aside.
4. Combine chopped gula melaka with water in a small pot and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Strain into a serving jug and set aside.
5. Serve glutinous rice ball with gula melaka sauce.

Mock Lard Crisps

By deep-frying the fresh shiitake mushroom cubes coated with tapioca flour, it tastes almost like the real lard crisp and can be added to any dishes or noodles.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients
° 250g fresh shiitake mushrooms, washed, pat dry and cut into small cubes
° 80g-100g tapioca flour
° salt and pepper, to taste
° oil, for deep-frying

Method
1. Place the mushrooms in a bowl. Add the tapioca flour, salt, pepper and mixed well.
2. Heat oil in a wok over high heat or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil brown in few seconds. Place the mushrooms into the hot oil and fry in batches until lightly golden brown.
3. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon. Drain well on kitchen paper and set aside.

Crispy Shiitake Mushroom

Deep-fried fresh shiitake mushrooms coated with tapioca flour can be a tasty snack by itself.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients
° 250g fresh shiitake mushrooms, washed, pat dry and sliced
° 80g-100g tapioca flour
° salt and pepper, to taste
° oil, for deep-frying

Method
1. Place the mushrooms in a bowl. Add the tapioca flour, salt, pepper and mixed well.
2. Heat oil in a wok over high heat or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil brown in few seconds. Place the mushrooms into the hot oil and fry in batches until lightly golden brown.
3. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon. Drain well on kitchen paper and set aside.

Stir-Fried Mock Eel

This mock eel recipe makes use of the dangly strips of shiitake mushrooms which is deep-fried and then stir-fry in a sweet–sour ginger sauce. This dish can be served as an appetizer.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 250g fresh shiitake mushroom, washed, pat dry and sliced or cut into dangly strips
° 80g-100g tapioca flour
° salt and pepper, to taste
° oil, for deep-frying
° 1 slice ginger, finely chopped
° 1-1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
° 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Sauce
° 100ml water
° 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
° 2 tablespoons black or brown sugar
° ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
° 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Method
1. Place the mushrooms in a bowl. Add the tapioca flour, salt, pepper and mixed well.
2. Heat oil in a wok over high heat or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil brown in few seconds. Place the mushrooms into the hot oil and fry in batches until lightly golden brown.
3. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon. Drain well on kitchen paper and set aside
4. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger and fry till golden brown.
5. Add the deep fried mushrooms and stir in the sauce mixture. Stirring occasionally until the sauce is slightly dry.
6. Sprinkle sesame seeds, transfer to a serving dish and serve.