Recipes: Viewing Chinese Food Articles

1. Add the pork to a pot of water and fill to cover by 5cm. Bring to the boil. Allow to boil for 1 min then remove and drain. Rinse impurities off the pork pieces in fresh tap water and set aside.

2. Add sugar and water to a clean wok or medium sized pot. Heat on med-high heat to create the caramel. Let it bubble away until a rich, dark caramel forms (not burnt). Swirl the pan as you do this to distribute the heat in the pan.

3. Add in 1T oil and swirl through. Add ginger and onion and saute until the onion has softened.

4. Add prepared pork pieces and cook for about 5 mins.

5. Add Shaoxing wine, soy sauces and fish sauce. Stir to mix and heat through.

6. Add coconut water. Stir through then bring to the boil.

7. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for one hour.

8. After one hour, remove the lid, add in the eggs and turn the heat up to medium. Allow the braising liquid to evaporate and thicken into a sauce. Gently rotate your eggs from time to time to allow it to absorb and take on a darker hue. Turn of the heat when the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if required.

Prepare the Black Sesame Filling

1. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for 5-8 mins on medium-low heat, stirring continuously until fragrant. Cool completely before adding to a food processor. Blitz to grind seeds to a paste. Add sugar and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse to combine. Place filling in a bowl, cover and chill for 30 mins to harden.
2. Once the filling is chilled, you will be able to portion it into little 5g balls. If the balls are too soft, return them the fridge for another 10-20 mins to set before continuing. 

Prepare the Peanut Filling

3. Toast the peanuts in a dry pan for 3-5 mins on medium-low heat, stirring continuously until fragrant. Allow to cool completely. I like to pound my peanuts using a mortar and pestle until they resemble rough sand. Add sugar and mix through. Add butter and mix through. Place filling in a bowl, cover and chill for 30 mins to harden.
4. Once the filling is chilled, you will be able to portion it into little 5g balls. If the balls are too soft, return them the fridge for another 10-20 mins to set before continuing. 

Prepare the Dough

5. Add glutinous rice flour and potato starch in a bowl. Slowly add in the water, stirring as you go until a smooth ball is formed. You may not need all the water.
6. Break off 12-13g balls from your dough. Make rice balls one at a time, flattening the dough ball into a disc, placing a ball of filling in the middle then enclosing the dough over the filling. Roll the ball in your hands until it’s round and smooth. Set aside while you make the rest of the balls.

You can freeze the balls at this stage (do not allow them to touch) and cook them at a later stage.

Prepare the Sugar Syrup

7. Add sugar, water and ginger slices to a large bowl. Bring to the boil, stirring to melt the sugar. Once the syrup starts to boil, reduce the heat to low until it is ready to receive the rice balls.

Cook the Tang Yuan

8. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Cook your tang yuan in batches by slowly adding into the boiling water. Carefully nudge them so that they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot and to each other. After one minute, remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them directly into the simmering sugar syrup. Cook for a further minute or until they rise to the top.

Serve tang yuan warm in a bowl partly filled with the sugar syrup.

Serves 30-50

Make the Dumplings

1. Add dumpling filling into a bowl and mix until well incorporated. Fill dumplings using store bought wrappers, sealing them with a bit of water. You can make these ahead and freeze in one layer (do not allow them to touch each other). Cook them directly from frozen (do not thaw).
2. To cook, bring a large pot of water to the boil. When it’s at a raging boil, add dumplings and cook in batches, for 5-6mins each batch, or until the dumplings are cooked through.
3. Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon/spider and place directly into the prepared sauce. Toss to coat then garnish with sliced spring onion and toasted sesame seeds.

Make the Chilli Oil Sauce

4. In a large shallow bowl, add garlic, sugar, Chinese five spice, chicken powder and Szechuan peppercorns in the centre.
5. Heat oil to smoking point then pour over the garlic mix to release the flavours. Give everything a stir then add the rest of the ingredients and mix through. Set aside.

Makes 11

1. Line a 20cm x 26cm tray with baking paper with greaseproof paper.

2. Roughly chop half of the peanuts.

3. In a medium sized pot, add honey and heat until boiling. Simmer gently on low heat for a few minutes (less if you want a chewy bar). Be careful not to burn the honey.

4. Add peanuts and sesame seeds. Mix through.

5. Remove from the heat and pour into prepared tray. Smooth into an even, flat slab. Lightly sprinkle salt on top and gently press into the surface.

6. Leave to cool on the benchtop for about 30mins then chill in the fridge for another 30mins.

7. To serve, lift the slab out of the baking tray and place on a chopping board. Carefully cut the slab in half, lengthways. Slice fingers/bar out of the two pieces. You should get 11 fingers from each piece.

1. Heat sesame oil in a hot wok. Add in ginger and garlic and allow to inguse for about a minute or so. Be careful to not burn these aromats.

2. Add in chicken pieces in one layer and sear all sides (high heat).

3. Add in cooking wine and all the soy sauces. Turn to mix through then cover. Turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Remove the lid and give everything a stir. Simmer uncovered for another 15-20 minutes and give everything a stir once in a while. We like a dark braise on our chicken pieces and thicker, rich sauce, so we let ours braise for as long as possible, before the sauce gets too salty. 

5. Add in Thai basil (we use all the tender stems as well, so no need to pick off the leaves) and stry through until wilted. Served with a sprig of fresh basil (optional)  

6. Serve over a bowl of steamed rice. 

1. Prepare your cucumber by cutting the ends off each one. Smash cucumbers with the side of a large knife/cleaver. Cut up smashed cucumber into chunks and place into a large bowl. Add salt and sugar and toss to coat. Set aside for 20mins.

2. Meanwhile, place chopped garlic into a medium sized heatproof bowl. Heat sesame oil in a dry pan until smoking. Carefully pour smoking oil onto the garlic. The hot oil will release the aroma in the garlic and help take away its raw edge/taste. Add in soy sauce, rice vinegar, Chinkiang vinegar and chilli oil to taste. Stir to mix.

3. Drain your cucumbers after 20min, leaving behind all the excess liquid. Place cucumbers in the bowl with the dressing and mix to evenly coat. Place salad in a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander.

Prepare the Dough and Oil

1. Add yeast, sugar and 250mL water to bowl and mix to combine. Leave for 10 mins until bubbles form.

2. Meanwhile, add the flour to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix on the lowest speed for 10 minutes. Form dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover and set aside for 2 hours.

3. Meanwhile, make the oil filling. Add the spring onions, Chinese five spice and salt into a heat proof bowl. Heat oil in a small pot/pan until smoking then pour into the bowl. Carefully mix to distribute flavours and set aside to cool completely.

4. After 2 hours, turn your dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll it out to approx. 2cm thickness. Dissolve baking powder and 2 tsp water in a small bowl then pour into the centre of the dough. Fold in the sides and knead through for about 2 mins or until smooth.

Shape the Dough

5. Roll dough into a large 20cm x 30cm rectangle. Brush on the seasoned oil mix (you may not need all of it. Gently mark the dough to divide it into three long strips. Fold the end pieces of the dough into the centre along the marked lines. You should end up with 3 layers of dough, stacked/folded on top of each other. Cut into 12 slices.  

6. Take one strip. Using a chopstick, press down along the length/centre of the strip. Stretch the strip to double in length. Drape the strip of dough over the chopstick. Pinch the enda closed with one hand while twisting the dough with the chopstick in the other. Place the twisted dough over the punched ends to cover. Lightly press down with your chopstick and slide it out. Repeat to shape the remaining buns

Cook the Buns

7. Heat 1-2T oil into a large 12” cast iron/non-stick skillet. Place in rolls. When the rolls start to brown, add in 200mL water. Cover with a lid and allow buns to steam on med heat until all the water has almost evaporated. Uncover and allow the water to fully evaporate and the buns to take on more colour for another minute or so.

Serve warm.

Prepare the beef

1. Add beef, baking soda and water into a bowl. Using a gloved hand, massage the beef until all the liquid has been absorbed, then set aside for 1 hour* if using rump. If using chuck** set aside for 2 hours

2. After an hour, rinse the beef under running water until the water runs clear. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Add beef into a new bowl, together with the rest of the ingredients. Leave to marinate overnight in the fridge.

Prepare the sauce

3. Add all ingredients into a bowl. Mix then set aside.

Time for the Stir Fry

4. Heat a wok or large skillet until very hot. Add 1T oil then half of the beef. Separate the beef and cook in one layer. When both sides are seared, remove and set aside. Continue to cook the second batch and set aside.

6. Reduce the heat to med-high. Add oil then onions and red capsicum. Stir fry quickly then add Shaoxing wine. Add in the prepared sauce and bring it to a simmer.

7. Return the beef to the wok then add snow peas. Stir then bring back to a simmer. Taste for seasoning then add cornflour slurry (mix cornflour and water together in a small bowl), stirring as you go. Serve up once your sauce has thickened.

1. Heat oil in a medium pot. Add tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes.

2. Add in 2/3 of the spring onions and saute to release aroma, about 1 minute.

3. Add stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a bowl and set aside.

5. Make cornflour slurry by adding cornflour and water in a small bowl and mixing. Pour slurry into the soup and stir to thicken. If you like your soup thicker, you can add in more cornflour slurry to adjust to your liking.

6. Remove pot from the heat. Pour whisked eggs into the soup at a height, gently stirring the soup to create egg ribbons in the soup. This will only take a few seconds.

7. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

8. Garnish with remaining spring onion and serve hot.

1. Bring the stock to the boil in a medium-large pot.
2. In a small bowl, add all the 'Seasonings' ingredients together and mix to dissolve the sugar and salt.
3. Rinse the dehydrated ingredients and squeeze out any excess water. Now slice them into thin strips. We cut the ends off the lily flowers and slice them vertically down the centre.
4. Crack the egg into a small bowl and lightly whisk. Set aside.
5. When the stock comes to the boil, add in char siu and rehydrated small prawns.
6. Let the stock return to the boil.
7. Add the seasoning sauce mix. Stir to combine.
8. Add the lily flowers, shitake mushrooms, black fungus mushrooms and bamboo shoots.
9. Bring the soup back to the boil.
10. Add five spice tofu, firm tofu and vinegar. Stir and bring back to the boil.
11. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
12. Mix the cornflour slurry in a small bowl. When the soup is boiling, swirl your ladle around inside the pot and slowly drizzle in the slurry.
13. Bring the soup back to the boil. Once again, swirl your ladle around inside the pot and slowly drizzle in the beaten egg.
14. Turn off the heat. Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish.

Serves 12

1. Rinse then soak the beans in cold tap water overnight.

Prepare the Sago

2. Add water to a large, deep pot and bring to the boil. Add in sago and give it a stir. Immediately reduce the heat to low when it comes to the boil. Cover with a lid and gently simmer for 15mins (stirring every 5mins). Turn off the heat and keep the lid on. Let sit for 25mins.

3. Drain cooked sago through a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly with cold tap water to remove the excess starch. Place cooked sago in a large bowl filled with iced water and set aside.

For the Soup

4.Rinse the beans then add to a large pot. Add sugar, tangerine peel and fresh water, then bring to the boil.

5. Reduce heat and gently simmer for 90mins or until beans are cooked to your liking. Remove the tangerine peel.

6. I like to give this mix a light blitz so that the soup has a mix of whole cooked beans and mashed beans. Blitz or don’t blitz. Blitz as much or as little as you desire.

7. Add in the orange zest, stir and heat through.

8. Drain prepared sago and add into the soup. Stir to mix through then taste for sweetness. Adjust as needed. Serve hot or warm.

1. Place all dry crepe ingredients into a med sized bowl. Whisk. Add in water and whisk to form a batter. A few lumps are ok. Add in oil and whisk to just combine.

2. Heat a non-stick pan and spoon in a ladle of batter, or just enough to coat the pan with a thin layer of batter. Keep the heat on low.

3. When the batter just turns opaque, crack an egg onto the crepe. Using a spoon, spread the egg to cover the crepe.

4. Sprinkle on spring onions and sesame seeds.

5. Flip the crepe over. Dollop on <1T hoisin sauce and <1T sambal oelek. Smear to cover the crepe with this sauce mix.

6. Place 2 slices of ham of choice down the centre of the crepe, leaving a gap in the middle to allow for a fold.

7. Place a crispy wonton wrapper on each piece of ham.

8. Fold one edge of the crepe in to cover. Fold the opposite parallel edge of the crepe in to cover. Now fold the crepe in half, along the gap you created between your ham/wonton wrappers.

9. Remove the crepe from the pan and slice in half. Enjoy 

Serves 4-6 as part of a shared meal

1. Whisk eggs in a jug. Add water, fish sauce and chicken bouillon and whisk just enough to combine. Pass the mixture through a sieve into your steaming bowl for a silky smooth result. Use a spoon to remove any air bubbles on the surface of your egg mix.

2. Cover bowl with cling wrap and place inside steamer filled with water. Place the lid on the steamer and bring the water to the boil. Immediately drop the heat to low once the water starts to boil and let steam for 12-15mins. Times will vary depending on the size of your bowl. Deep bowls with thick walls will take longer. The centre should have a slight wobble and will further set upon cooling.

3. Carefully remove the bowl from the steamer. Discard the cling film and top with soy sauce, sesame oil and sliced spring onions. Enjoy immediately.

Serves: 2-3

Scramble the Eggs:

1. Whisk eggs in a bowl and set aside.

2. Heat a large non-stick skillet or wok on low heat. Add in a knob of butter.

3. Once the butter has almost melted, pour in the whisked egg. Scramble the eggs by allowing them to slightly set against the surface of the pan before using a spoon or spatula to gently pull the eggs from the edges of the pan back into the centre. Tilt your pan to allow the runny part of the eggs to make contact with the pan and set. Be gently to create long soft ribbons/chunks of egg. Switch off the heat before all the egg has set. (The eggs will continue to cook) Do not overcook your eggs. You want them to be soft. 

4. Carefully transfer your eggs to a plate.

Assembling the rest: 

1. Wipe your pan clean with a kitchen paper towel. Add oil and heat your pan to high.

2. Add garlic and white parts of the spring onions. Saute until fragrant.

3. Add diced tomatoes and break down in the pan to create a thick sauce.

4 Add in sugar and soy sauce.

5. Add in chunks of tomato and stir to mix.

6. Taste for seasoning.

7. Add in the rest of the spring onions and take your pan off the heat.

8. Add the scrambled eggs into your tomato mix. Roughly fold through, taking care not to break up the egg too much in the stir fry.

Enjoy! 

Serves 4-6 (as part of a shared meal)

For the taro:

1. Cut the taro into 1cm slices then steam for 20mins or until cooked.

2. Place cooked taro into a large bowl and add seasonings. Roughly mash to mix the seasonings evenly through the taro.

3. Add wheat starch to a small, heatproof bowl. Add boiling water and mix with a spoon to make a rough paste. Add this paste to the taro and mix to combine.

4. Add 1/2T canola oil to the taro and quickly mix with gloved hands to reach a smooth, shiny ball.

5. Lightly grease a large piece of cling film with oil and place taro onto the centre. Press down and shape into an oval disc (27cmx14cm). Wrap and place in the freezer for a couple of hours or so to firm up.

6. Heat oil in a large wok and deep fry taro disc (remove cling wrap first) until golden. Place on a wire rack to quickly drain.

7. While still hot, cut taro disc into serving pieces on a chopping board and serve with dipping sauce.

For the sauce:

1. Add all sauce ingredients into a small pot and heat to dissolve the sugar. Simmer until the sauce has thickened to your liking.
 

1. Heat up oil in a pan and when hot fry the mantou for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown 

2. Dip with condensed milk and enjoy!  

Makes approx 22 balls

1. Thaw out your spring roll wrappers and carefully separate into individual sheets. Using scissors, cut strips out of the sheets and separate into loose strips.

2. Blitz all the filling ingredients in a powerful food processor. You can have your balls chunky or blitz the mix longer for a sticky paste to get smooth and bouncy balls. Chill this filling mix for 30mins.

3. Take out your chilled filling and form into balls. This mix will yield about 22 balls.

4. Roll each ball into the strips of spring roll pastry to completely wrap each ball in pastry. Gently press in the pastry so that it sticks to the balls and trim off any long strands with scissors.

5. Heat up your oil to 180C and deep fry until golden. Drain on kitchen paper then serve hot with sweet chilli dipping sauce and/or yuzu mayo.

1. Start by adding all filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. Chill for 30mins.
2. Make each dumpling by adding 1T of filling to the centre of a wrapper and form your dumpling. Repeat until all the filling is used up. Make sure your dumplings are placed on a clean, dry surface and that they are not touching each other.
3. Prepare your slurry for the lace skirt by mixing the water, flours and vinegar in a bowl/jug.
4. To make one batch of dumplings, heat 1T of oil in your skillet. Add in 8-10 dumplings, making sure the dumpling bottom is sitting in the oil on the pan. When the bottoms start to brown, add in the slurry and cover with the lid. Allow the slurry to bubble in the pan. The steam created will cook your dumplings.
5. Once the water has largely evaporated, uncover your pan and allow any remaining steam to escape to leave behind a dry, crispy, lace skirt at the bottom of the pan.
6. Turn off the heat. Cover your dumplings with a large plate and invert your pot stickers in one action from the skillet to the plate.

Enjoy immediately. 

1. Preheat oven to 180C.

2. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add in the sugar. When the sugar is dissolved, add in vanilla extract (optional) and whisk to incorporate. Sift in flour and whisk in.

3. Add in melted butter and whisk to form a smooth batter.

4.Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper/silicone mat.
 

5.Dollop on a tablespoon of batter and smooth out to form a thin disc (about 8cm in diameter). Make another disc on the tray, leaving a gap between the two discs.

6. Bake for about 6mins or until the edges are golden.

7. Working quickly, place your paper message in the middle of a disc. Use a spatula to fold the disc in half and to remove the cookie from the tray.

8. Shape the cookie by bending it over the rim of a glass. Place the shaped cookie in a cupcake tin to cool. The tin will help it keep its shape.

9. Continue to make the rest of the cookies.

10. Let the cookies cool completely before serving. We actually like to put all the formed cookies back on a tray for a short stint in the oven (about 4-5mins) to give them more golden glow and further crispness. Again, let them cool completely before serving.

Makes approx. 90 dumplings

1. Mix all the well ingredients together in a large mixing bowl
2. Fill the wrapper with about a teaspoon of the filling
3. Use your fingers to place some water around the wrapper and fold it in half and close it into a dome shape
4. Add some water to the two corners and bring them together
5. Boil the dumplings in 3 batches for 7-8 minutes (you can have a couple pots going at once to speed things up.
6. Dip into a vinegar, soy sauce & chilli oil sauce