Red Rubies Dessert

Ingredients (serves 4)
° 10-15 water chestnuts, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
° 4 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot
° 2 litres water
° 100g sugar
° 250ml coconut milk, chilled
° 1 teaspoon red food colouring
° 4-5 tablespoons tapioca flour

Method
1. To make syrup, add 1 litre of water, sugar and pandan leaves to a pot, bring to boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and cool before refrigerating until chilled.
2. Add red food colouring to water chestnuts and mixed evenly.
3. Put tapioca flour into a container and add dyed water chestnuts. Cover the container with a lid and shake until water chestnuts are evenly coated with flour. Shake off any excess flour.
4. Bring 1 litre of water to boil. Add in dyed water chestnuts and return to boil.
5. Remove water chestnuts with a slotted spoon as soon as they float to the surface. Rinse water chestnuts with tap and transfer to a bowl of ice water.
6. To serve, spoon water chestnuts (red rubies) into each individual glass with 250ml of syrup with 60ml of chilled coconut milk. Add ice if desired.

Tip
1. Cooked red rubies can be soaked in a sugar solution to make it taste sweet, if desired.
2. Coconut milk, salt can be added to syrup, return to boil and remove from heat to cool.

Glutinous Rice Ball with Water Chestnut Dessert

Preparation: 15 mins, Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 4)
° 1 pack of glutinous rice ball (TangYuan), 10-15 pieces
° 10-15 water chestnuts, peeled and cut into cubes
° 4 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot
° 8 seedless red dates (optional)
° 1 thin slice of ginger
° 120g of sugar or rock sugar, or to taste

Method
1. Add water chestnuts, ginger, red dates, pandan leaves and water to a pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Discard pandan leaves.
2. Cook the glutinous rice ball following the packet instructions, drain and transfer to the water chestnut drink.

3. Serve hot.

Spaghetti with Tomatoes Sauce

Spaghetti with Tomatoes Sauce with carrot, onion, mushroom and vegetarian ham

Spaghetti with Tomatoes Sauce is a simple pasta dish, so delicious and healthy. The great amount of fresh tomatoes used is to reduce the ketchup sauce used and to increase the intake of fiber for a healthy diet.

Preparation: 10 mins Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (serves 3)
° 12 tomatoes
° 2 fresh shiitake mushrooms, coarsely chopped
° 1 slice vegetarian bacon or ham (optional), coarsely chopped

° 2 vegetarian monkey head mushroom(optional), coarsely chopped

° 150-200ml water
° 1 tablespoon olive oil
° 2 tablespoons ketchup or tomatoes sauce
° 1 teaspoon cornflour (optional)
° 300g cooked spaghetti
° salt and light soy sauce to taste

Method
1. Cut a cross in the top of each tomato. Place the tomatoes in a pot or wok of boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes. Drain well, peel and mash tomatoes with a fork to make purees.
2. Heat work with olive oil, add the bacon/ham, mushrooms and stir-fry till cooked. Stir in the tomatoes purees and water, stirring occasionally and cooked till it boils. Season with sugar, pepper, salt, ketchup. Mix cornflour with a bit of water and add to thicken the sauce if required.
3. Pour the sauce over the spaghetti and serve immediately.

Tip
1. Carrot, onion can be added, if desired.

Steamed Vegetarian Salted Fish

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
- 4-6 thin slices ginger, finely shredded
- 3 pieces vegetarian salted fish
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- salt to taste

Method
1. Put all ingredients in a plate and steam for 8-10 minutes.

Simple Peppermint Soup

This is a very simple soup! It is real light and refreshing. My mom used to boil this quick soup with beaten egg. For this vegan version, egg is been omitted. Add one or two stalks of fresh corianders (with root) to boil the soup, if desired.

Ingredients (serves 2)
- 1-2 slices ginger
- 1 small bundle (50g) mint leaves
- 500ml water
- salt to taste

Method
1. Add the ginger to water and bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes and add in mint leaves.
2. Turn off when it starts boiling and season with salt.
3. Serve hot.

Steamed Tofu with Ginger and Spring Onion

This quick and easy steamed tofu is a delicious dish. Using chilled tofu, instead of steaming it to makes a special starter, if desired.

Preparation: 10 mins Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 1 pack silken tofu, cut into quarters
° ¼ fresh red chilli, seeded and finely shredded
° 2 thin slices ginger, finely grated or chopped
° 1 spring onion or coriander leaves, for garnish
° 2 teaspoons lightly toasted sesame seeds (optional)
° ½ teaspoon olive oil
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

Method
1. Place the tofu in a heat proof serving plate and steam for 5 minutes.
2. Garnish steamed tofu with ginger, spring onion, chilli and sprinkle some sesame seeds.
3. Drizzle with oils, light soy sauce and serve immediately.

Tip
1. Heat the oils in a wok, add ginger and stir-fry briskly until aromatic for drizzling, if desired.

‘Ma Po’ Tofu

This is the recipe for the vegetarian version of the famous Szechuan dish - “Ma Po” Tofu.

Preparation: 10 mins Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 1 pack silken tofu, cut into cubes
° 2-3 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked and diced
° ¼ fresh chilli (optional), seeded and chopped
° 1 clove garlic or 1 thin slice ginger, chopped
° 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
° a small handful fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

Sauce
° ¼ tablespoon soy bean paste with chilli
° ½ tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce
° ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
° ½ teaspoon corn starch
° ¼ teaspoon sugar, or to taste
° 1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine (optional)
° 3-4 tablespoons water

Method
1. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok. Add the garlic or ginger and fry till golden brown. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry briskly.
3. Add the tofu, sauce mixture and stir until the sauce is slightly dry.
4. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tip
1. Steam the tofu prior to stir-fry for a smoother texture, if desired.

Quick Watercress Soup

This is a quick and simple soup which can be make in minutes, using watercress which is low in fat and yet a powerful source of nutrients.

Preparation: 10 mins Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 4-6)
° 200g watercress
° 5-6 dried kelps in knot or 1 ear corn, cut into 4-6 pieces

° 1 carrot, peeled and diced
° 1 slice ginger
° 4-6 seedless red dates (optional)
° 1.5 litres water
° salt, to taste
° pepper, to taste

Method
1. Place the kelps/corn, carrot, ginger, red dates and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Add in watercress and turn off the heat when it boils. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls and serve immediately.

Stir-Fried Water Convolvulus with Chilli Soy Bean Paste

Stir-Fried Water Convolvulus with Chilli Soy Bean Paste

Stir-Fried Water Convolvulus with Red Fermented Bean Curd

This is a simple and stir-fried dish using inexpensive ingredients. Water convolvulus is also known water spinach or kangkong, which can be stir-fried either plain with garlic or ginger or spice paste.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 200g water convolvulus
° 1 slice ginger
° ¾ tablespoon vegetable oil
° ¾-1 tablespoon soy bean paste with chilli
° 1 fresh red chilli (optional), finely sliced

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger and fry till golden brown.
2. Add the soy bean paste with chilli and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Add the water convolvulus and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
3. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with red chilli and serve immediately.

Tip
1. 1 cube of Red Fermented Bean Curd or Preserved Chilli Bean Curd or 1 tablespoon of Vegetarian Sambal Chilli Paste can be used instead of Soy Bean Paste with Chilli.

Ginger Fried Rice

This is a quick and simple recipe. Ginger and sesame oil give this aromatic rice dish its lovely flavour. Vegetarian ham, shiitake mushroom can be added, if desired.

Preparation: 5 mins Cooking time: 8 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g rice, cooked
° 3-4 thin slices ginger, finely shredded
° 2-3 tablespoons sesame oil
° salt, to taste
° a small handful of fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

Method
1. Heat sesame oil in a wok over medium heat and fry ginger until lightly brown.
2. Stir in the cooked rice and season with salt. Stir-fry for 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. The amount of ginger can be increased, if desired.
3 Garnish with lightly toasted sesame seeds or finely shredded nori.

4. How to toast n roast sesame seeds and How to toaste nori sheet

Vegetarian Chicken Rice

This is my very first version of vegetarian chicken rice. For this recipe, it uses star anise and cinnamon. The other version that I had is the Hainanese-style.

For the chilli sauce, I have two versions, one with garlic and shallot and the other without without. Serve with deep-fried vegetarian drumsticks or steamed king oyster mushroom (vegetarian version of steamed chicken) .

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g rice, washed and drained
° 25g ginger, finely chopped
° 3 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot
° 1 tablespoon sesame oil
° 1 teaspoon cartino oil (optional)
° 1 clove
° 1 star anise
° ½ cinnamon stick
° ½ teaspoon salt
° 400ml water

Method
1. Combine all the ingredients into an electric rice cooker, mix well and turn it on.
2. When done leave the cooked rice to rest, covered, for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve hot with deep-fried vegetarian drumsticks, cucumber slices and chicken rice chilli.

Tip
1. Coratino oil gives the rice a light yellow colour.
2. Clove, star anise, cinnamon stick can be omitted, if desired.

Fried Wanton with Tofu Fillings

Deep-FriendWantons of different shapes - candy shape, triangle and big square.

Deep-Fried Wanton in 'candy shape' with vegetarian salad cream or vegan mayonnaise.

This is a simple to made excellent party snack using tofu. Serve these crispy wontons with chilli sauce.

Preparation: 15 mins Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (makes 40 pieces)
° 2 packs (40pcs) wonton wrapper
° 1 (225g) firm tofu (beancurd), washed, pat dry with kitchen paper and mashed
° 1-2 shiitake mushrooms, chopped
° ½ carrot (optional), blanched and chopped
° 2 spring onions or coriander leaves, chopped
° ½ fresh chilli (optional), chopped
° 1-1.5 tablespoons self-raising flour
° 1 tablespoon corn starch
° 1 teaspoon sesame oil
° sugar, to taste
° salt, to taste
° pepper, to taste
° oil, for deep-frying

Method
1. Combine the mashed tofu, mushrooms, carrot, spring onion/coriander leaves, chilli, flour, corn starch, sesame oil, sugar, salt, pepper and mix well. This is the wonton filling.
2. Lay a wonton wrapper in front of you. Place a bit of filling in the middle. Fold up the wonton diagonally, making sure the end meet. Press down firmly on the ends to seal.
3. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or wok and fry in batches until golden brown.
4. Remove the wonton with a slotted spoon. Drain well on kitchen paper and serve as soon as possible to ensure they remain crispy.

Tip
1. Put wontons in oven or microwave for 1-2 minutes if they lose their crispiness.
2. 1 small mashed potato can be added, and self-raising flour can be removed.
3. Mashed potatoes can be used instead of firm tofu.

Traditional Grass Jelly Drink

Traditional Grass Jelly Drink - Grass Jelly with Gula Melaka and Grass Jelly with Soy Milk

This is a simple and easy to prepare beverage. Grass jelly are sold at the wet market or super market.

Preparation: 2 mins, Cooking time: 8 mins

Ingredients (serves 6)

° 1 block grass jelly

° 1.25 litre water

° 6 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot

° sugar to taste

Method

1. Cut grass jelly into small little cubes. Set aside.

2. Place the water, pandan leaves and sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil and set aside to cool.

3. Mix the grass jelly and sugar syrup well. Chilled or serve with ice.

Other favours, try this.
1. Add chopped grass jelly to soya bean milk.
2. Add chopped grass jelly to instant lemon barley drink.
3. Add chopped grass jelly to nata de coco.
4. Add chopped grass jelly to cocount sugar syrup.

Steamed Tapioca with sweetened Coconut Cream

Preparation: 35 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
° 400g tapioca, peeled
° 500ml coconut milk
° 4 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot
° 100g sugar

Method
1. Cut tapioca into 8cm lengths and quarter them lengthwise.
2. Steam tapioca for about 20 minutes or untill cooked. Remove and set aside.
3. Pour coconut milk, sugar and pandan leaves into a pot and bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes over low heat.
4. Pour coconut milk over the warm tapioca. Serve hot.

Tip
1. If sweet potatoes is used, reduce sugar to 80g.
2. Either steam, bake or barbecue tapioca wrapped in aluminum foil.

Agar-Agar (with coconut milk)

This is a simple, quick and easy agar-agar recipe.

Preparation: 10 mins

Ingredients
° 1 pack (12g) agar-agar powder
° 1.25 litre water
° 4-6 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot
° 250g sugar
° 250ml coconut milk
° food colouring (optional)

Method
1. Dissolve agar-agar powder in 1.25 litre water, add pandan leaves, sugar and bring to the boil over low heat.
2. Mix 250ml agar-agar mixture to 250ml coconut milk, let it cool in a big mould.
3. Pour in the rest of agar-agar when the coconut layer starts to firm up. Leave it to cool and refrigerate.

Tip
1. For plain agar-agar, use 1.5-1.6 litre of water, follow step1 ,then pour into a big mould, leave to cool and refrigerate.
2. To simplify, follow step 1, mix with agar-agar mixture, pour into a mould, leave to cool and refrigerate.

Vegetarian ('Fake') Bacon Sandwich

This is a super easy to make sandwich.

Preparation: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 1)
° 2 slices of bread
° margarine (optional), for spread
° 3-6 slices vegetarian bacon

Method
1. Fry or grill 3 to 6 slices of bacon per sandwich and arrange between 2 slices of margarine bread.
2. Slice the sandwich diagonally and use sandwich toothpicks to hold the sandwich halves together.

Lemon Ice Tea

Preparation: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 250ml water, hot
° 250ml water, cold
° 1 tea bag
° 10ml fresh lemon juice or lemonade concentrate
° 60g sugar, or to taste

Method
1. Pour boiling water over the tea bag and let it steep for 3-5 minutes. Remove the tea bag, add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Mix with cold water and lemon juice.
2. Pour over iced filled glasses or refrigerate. Add lemon slices if desired or place them in the serving glasses as a garnish.

Vegetarian ("Fake") Ham Sandwich

This is an easy but makes a satisfying light lunch and they are very easy to prepare, too.

Preparation: 8-10 mins

Ingredients (serves 1)
° 2 slices of bread
° margarine (optional), for spread
° 1-2 slices vegetarian ham
° few lettuce leaves
° 2 thick slices tomatoes (optional)
° cheese (optional)

Method
1. Evenly spread margarine on one slice of bread.
2. Place the tomato slices, slightly overlapping and place a few large lettuce leaves over the tomato slices. Now place the ham slice over the lettuce leaves.
3. Spread margarine on the second slice of bread and complete the sandwich.
4. Slice the sandwich diagonally and use sandwich toothpicks to hold the sandwich halves together.

Tip
1. Toast the sandwich in the toaster over for a minute or two to melt the cheese, if desired.
2. Use toasted bread, it tasted better.

Traditional Pineapple Drink

Preparation: 5 mins Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 6)
° 1 pineapple, peeled and cut into 2cm cube
° 1.5 litres water
° sugar, to taste

Method
1. Place the pineapple and water in a pot. Bring to the boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
2. Now add sugar and simmer until it dissolved. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
3. Chilled and serve with ice.

Bandung (Rose Syrup Milk Drink)

Preparation: 5 mins

Ingredients (makes 1 cup)
° 60ml rose syrup
° 60ml water, cold
° 120ml unsweetened soy milk

Method
1. Combine all the ingredients in a cup and mix well. Pour over iced filled glasses or refrigerate.

Tip
1. To make more, just mix 1 part of rose syrup, 1 part of water and 2 parts of unsweetened soy milk.

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