Yong Tau Foo (Hong Kah North Sg50 Masterchef Cooking Competition) by Rontree Chan

Yong Tau Foo (5 different types for 4 servings) 

 Ingredients 

1 piece Boneless Chicken Thigh ( remove skin and fat) ( C)
200g Minced Pork (D,E,F)
8 pieces Tiger Prawn ( remove shell and devein) (B)
1 pack Unicurd tofu puff (E)
1 pack Unicurd Tau Kwa (F)
1 pack Fish paste (B,C,F)
20 pieces Sweet Thai Basil Leaves ( finely chopped) (C )
1 Egg White ( divide to 3 portions for B, C and F)
100g Soy Bean (A)
100g Ikan Bilis (A)
1 piece Lady's Finger (Blanched and cut to 2cm length) (E)
1 piece Bitter Gourd (D)
3 pieces Shitake Mushroom ( diced) (D,E,F)
5 pieces Water Chestnut (diced) (D,E,F)
some Spring Onion for garnish ( finely chopped)
Seasonings
light soy sauce
Sugar
Salt
Hua Diao Chinese Wine
Sesame Oil
Chicken Powder
Corn Starch
white pepper powder

(A) Yong Tau Foo Soup 
 Lightly fried the ikan bilis, cooled and pound to small pieces put in a filter bag.
Boil 8 bowls of water with soy beans and ikan bilis for 1-2 hrs.
Add some salt and pepper to taste.
The soup will get sweeter After cooking (B),( C) and (F) in it.

(B) Prawn Ball ( place the prawn in cold running water for 1-2 hr)
Minced 1/2 of the prawns finely and dice 1/2 of the remianing prawns.
add 1 TBsp of Fish paste, pinch of salt, sugar and pepper,some egg white
and 1 Tsp of corn flour.
Mix well till gluey. Use palm to scoop paste and throw back to mxing bowl a few
times to increase its springy texture. Use a spoon and shape to ball.
Blanch in soup for around 2-3 mins( depending on its size).
Dish out place in a bowl of warm soup, set aside.

(C) Basil Chicken Ball
Cut chicken thigh to dice size. Repeatedly chop on it to give it a rough minced
texture. ( not too fine like minced chicken meat)
Add Finely chopped basil leaves, 1 tsp salt, 2.5tsp sugar, some egg white, 2 TBsp
fish paste, 1 tsp Hua Diao Wine, 1/2 tsp chicken powder and 1 tsp corn flour
Mix well till gluey. Use palm to scoop paste and throw back to mxing bowl a few
times. Use 2 spoons to shape it to quenelle (dumpling shape).
Blanch in soup for around 5 mins.
Dish out place in a bowl of warm soup, set aside.

(D) Bitter Gourd with Minced Pork 

(E) Tau Pok (Tofu Puff) with Minced Pork 

(F) Tau Kwa with Minced Pork 

 Minced Pork Paste
~ 200g minced pork, add in diced mushroom, water chestnut, 2 Tsp sugar,
1 Tsp salt, Hua diao wine, sesame oil, 1/2 tsp chicken powder and corn flour
Mix Well and stir in one circular motion till achieving gluey texture.
~ Split to 3 portions for D, E and F
(D) Cut Bitter Gourd to 5cm length, then cut into 2 or 3 parts of 2.5 cm width.
Use a spoon to scrap the white internal part. Rub with salt and leave for 20 mins.
Wash bitter gourd with water and pat dry with kitchen towel.
Rub a little corn flour on it surface then top with seasoned minced pork.
Dap the both sides of the minced pork( the joining edges between bitter gourd
and minced pork) with a little corn flour.
Sent for deep fry for around 3mins. Dish out set aside.
(E) Cut a hole on the tau pok( Tofu puff) , gently reverse it inside out.
Fill it 3/4 with minced pork paste. Use finger to dig a hole in it then place the
cooked lady's finger vertically on it. Fill with more minced pork.
Try to close up the opening and use 2 palms to shape into ball.
Sent for deep fry for around 5mins. Cut into half to serve.

(F) Add the remaining egg white into minced pork paste and mix well.
Add a little for corn flour if it is too wet. Set aside.
Use 1 piece of Tau kwa. Cut into quarterly to 4 pieces and section cut to 1cm
Thick. Dap dry with kitchen towel and sear it till golden brown with little oil
in a non stick pan. Dish out and cool it. Cut and use a spoon to dig a square hole
on its surface. Top with minced pork paste. Blanch in soup for around 3 mins.
Dish out set aside.

To Serve, put all yong tau foo [B] [C] [D] [E] and [F] in a bowl with spring onion
in it. Pour in hot soup [A] through a strainer and serve immediately.

Thai Beef Soup Rice Vermicelli by Ronnie Chan

Thai Beef Soup Rice Vermicelli

Recipe

Lotus Seeds White Fungus with Dried Red Date and Longan Dessert by Vanessa Tay

Lotus Seeds White Fungus with Dried Red Date and Longan Dessert

红枣龙眼雪莲子白木耳 甜汤

Ingredient

10g Snow Lotus Seeds

10g White Fungus 

6 - 8 Dried Red Date

30 Dried Longan

Rock Sugar

2 Liter Water

Pandan Leave

Method

Soaked Snow Lotus Seeds for an hour

The snow lotus seeds will expand in water, about 1-2 times its original size, and become almost translucent

Remove and rinse under a running tap to remove dirt particles

Soak white fungus in a large bowl filled with water for about 15 minutes or until soft. The white fungus will expand in water, about 1-2 times its original size, and become almost translucent. Remove and rinse under a running tap to remove dirt particles. Using your hands or scissors, cut off the discolored parts and hard stem. Next, tear white fungus into small florets. Rinse thoroughly and drain the water.

In a large pot, bring water to boil.  Add in pandan leave, dried red date and soaked white fungus. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer slowly for 30 mins.

Add Snow Lotus Seeds, continue to simmer for another hour

Lastly add in dried longan, increase the flame, let it boil for 5mins. Lastly add in rock sugar to taste 

Attached a link for your understanding what is Snow Lotus Seeds

http://wapbaike.baidu.com/view/4179418.htm?sublemmaid=4179418&adapt=1&

Here the pic of how snow lotus seeds look like and information where I bought.

I bought it from a Chinese Medical Store ~ Bee's Brand Bird's Nest & Health Products located at Ghim Moh "I cannot remember the address" HDB block facing Fresh Market

Savoury Pancake Served with Creamy Mushroom by Ronnie Chan

Savoury Pancake Served with Creamy Mushroom

Creamy Mushroom 

Ingredient

2 nos Portobello Mushroom (Sliced abt 3-4mm thick) 

6 nos Brown button mushroom (Sliced abt 6-10mm thick) 

Half White Onion ( Sliced into strips) 

1 Tbsp Salted butter 

100ml Cooking cream or whipping cream 

Some Olive oil 

Some Freshly ground salt and black pepper 

1/2 pack or 1 handful of baby spinach (Optional) 

Method 

1. Heat the frying pan with butter in medium heat. 

2. Add in Onion and cook till soften. 

3. Add in 2 types of mushroom, drizzle some olive oil and add in salt 

and pepper. Cook till mushrooms have soften. 

4. add in Cream and continue saute for 1-2mins. 

5. Check the taste and add in more salt/pepper if require. 

6. Pour in the baby spinach and continue stir till the spinach is soft. 

7. Done. This can be served with Sourdough bread, rice and spaghetti. 

Note: This can be blended to mushroom soup without adding 

the spinach. All u need is to add some chicken stock and milk 

with the mixture (step 5) in the blender to blend it together.

Savoury spring onion and shallot pancake 

Ingredient

100g Cake flour 

1 Tbsp Baking powder 

1 Tbsp Corn flour 

1 Tsp Salt 

1 whole Egg (beaten) 

100ml Cold Milk 

1 Tbsp Melted salted butter 

4 Tbsp Chopped spring onion 

3 cloves Shallot sliced and lightly pan fried 

Method 

1. Sieve all flour, baking powder and corn flour. 

2. Add in beaten egg, milk, butter and salt. Whisk well to all combined. 

3. Add in 3 Tbsp of chopped spring onion and combine well. 

4. Heat up a non-stick pan in low heat. 

5. Pour in a little oil, using a kitchen towel to wipe off excess oil. 

6. lay some cooked shallot and left over spring onion in the 

centre of the pan. 

7. Scoop a ladle of pancake mixture over the shallots and spring onions. 

8. When the pan cake started to has bubble holes appeared on it's 

surface, check the underside of the pancake whether it has achieved to 

your prefered browning colour. Flip and cook the other side for another 

1-2 mins. Adjust the heat when necessary.

Note: add a little more flour if batter too wet. Or add a little 

more milk if batter too dry. 

Alternately, u can use Instant pancake mix. Just add Salt, Spring 

Onion and shallots.

Thai Style Steam Fish Soup by Roxana

https://roxanang.wordpress.com/2014/06/15/thai-style-steam-fish-soup

Vegetarian Ban Mian by Alicia Gan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vegetarian Ban Mian by Alicia Gan

 

Serving 3 - 4 persons

For the soup/broth:

200g Soya Bean

(soaked for 2 hrs)
1 medium carrot
1 big tomato
1 Sweet Corn
4-5 pcs vegetarian roasted chicken
1 thumb size Dai Tao Choy (salted turnip)
Baby spinach (to cook with the noodles).

Method:

1. Add all ingredients except baby spinach into boiling water & cook for 30 mins.

 

2. Then turn to low heat & simmer for at least 3 hrs.

For the Flat noodle:

2 1/2 cup Plain Flour
1 cup Tapioca Starch (keep some for dusting if sticky)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp oil
1 egg
100ml water

Method:
1. Mix the flour & salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center, break the egg into the well, pour in the oil & water, and stir with a spoon until the dough begins to come together. Knead until fully combined.

2. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or cling wrap. Let the dough rest for an hour before use.

3. After 1 hr, divide the dough into smaller portions for easier rolling.

4. Roll out each portion of dough on a lightly floured surface to about 0.1cm thick. Bring a large pot of broth to boil when you almost done with rolling.

5. Lightly floured each side of the dough. Cut the dough into flat noodle pieces by using a cutter or a knife. This can avoid mess from tearing the dough.

6. Lightly dust flat noodles with flour to prevent sticking. Put cut flat noodles in a big bowl.

7. Turn heat to low. Add flat noodles & stir occasionally while you add the flat noodles to avoid sticking. Once you have drop all flat noodles into the soup, turn heat to high and let them cook until they float on top.

8. Add veggie and continue to simmer for about 30 seconds to a minute.

9. Garnish with fried ginger, seasoned mushroom and vegetarian crispy sliced. Serve with bird's eye chilies in soy sauce.

Side ingredients:
1) Some ginger, finely chop & fried. Set aside.

2) Some shiitake mushroom, sliced. Stir-fry and add in 1 tsp of vegetarian mushroom sauce & soya sauce. A dash of pepper & some water. Done.

Salmon Miso Soup by Sharron Wee

Salmon Miso Soup ( recipe loosely adapted from Noobcook.com)

Note - Do not boil miso soup as the high heat may cause fermentation and indigestion, so all you need to do is to dissolve the miso paste in hot stock and then stir it into the soup pot - quick and easy!

Ingredients

• 1 litre water
• 1/2 tbsp dashi powder ( I use the Dashi satchet avail in NTUC supermarkets)
• 1 tbsp miso paste to taste
• 150 grams daikon (white radish) sliced very thinly
• 1 large portion of  salmon fillet  cleaned; rubbed with some salt for 5 minutes before rinsing off
• 100 grams enoki or shimeji mushrooms/ ends trimmed
• 50 grams tofu cubed
• 2 tbsp dried wakame (Japanese seaweed)
• 1 tbsp chopped spring onions (scallions)
• 1 tbsp sake optional

Directions

1. In a pot, bring water and dashi to boil. Transfer 1 -2 ladles of hot stock to a small bowl and stir to dissolve miso paste completely.
2. Reduce heat, add daikon. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes until softened.
3. Add salmon and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the fish is cooked.
4. Add mushrooms, tofu and wakame. Simmer for a short few minutes.
5. Return the miso mixture prepared in step 1 back to the pot, while the soup is still hot. Stir evenly. Add sake and let the alcohol evaporate after a few seconds. Garnish with chopped spring onions.

Noob Cook Tips:

1. Different brands of miso have varying saltiness, so adjust to taste accordingly.

Homemade Cream of Portobello Mushroom Soup by Feralyn Leong

Homemade Cream of Portobello Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

• 35-40g butter (can reduce to 25g if you are healthy conscious)• 1 medium white onion, chopped finely
• 1.5 Tbsp minced fresh garlic  
• 650 - 750ml Swanson chicken stock 
• 660g Portobello mushrooms, sliced 
• 100ml double cream/thickened cream* 
• salt and black pepper to taste
• dash of Italian herbs 

Method:

1. Melt butter in large and deep saucepan. And the onions and garlic, and cook over gentle flame until the onions have just started to caramelised (soft, translucent, shrunken), about 4 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms and fry till fragrant.
3. Stir in the chicken stock and bring to the boil. 
4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for a few minutes, until the mushrooms are tender. 
5. Remove a ladle of the mushrooms, set aside as toppings.
6. Process the remaining soup in a food processor or blender until smooth or chunky (up to own preference). I used pulse mode.
7. Return the soup to the saucepan and stir in the thickened cream or fresh milk substitution*, season with salt and pepper, dash of Italian herbs.
8. Simmer to boil and turn off fire. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sliced mushrooms. Serve with toast.

*Note: To substitute thickened cream: Mix 2 tbsp corn flour and 1 tbsp plain flour together then stir in 1 cup fresh milk. Whisk till well combined.

 

* adapted slightly from http://www.noobcook.com/cream-of-portobello-mushroom-soup/2/ 

Potato Soup by Lily Chua

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Potato Soup – serves 2 large soup cups

Peel 2 large russet potatoes n cut into even slices not too thick.

Slice one onion. 

Cut some brown mushrooms. 

Boil about 2 cups of water. 

Fry n chop some back bacon. 

Cut up spring onions. 

Brown butter 40gm slightly n add in the onions. Fry till a bit soft. 

Add on the mushroom n potato slices n fry till a bit translucent. 

Throw in a tablespoon of flour n stir fry.

 Add in 2 cups of boiling water n sprinkle some salt n dried parsley n black pepper.

Boil about 5 minutes add in 1/2 cup milk n boil about 20 minutes. 

Use your wooden spoon to break the potatoes a bit. 

Add in some grated cheese n stir. 

Serve with chopped bacon n spring onions.

You can add additional ingredients like carrots and celery and peas etc.

Mushroom Soup by Felicia Heng

Mushroom soup

Ingredients:

-  2 oz butter

-  1 onion, chopped

-  225g mushrooms, sliced ( can use all button and/or brown; I use a mixture of whatever available even oyster and fresh shitake)

-  25g plain flour

-  425ml hot chicken stock

-  150ml milk

-  salt and pepper to taste

-  1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped fine (extra to garnish)

-  4 tbs single cream

Method:

1)       Melt the butter in a large pot and sautee the onions over a low heat for about 5 minutes till softened.

2)      Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes or till soft also.

3)      Sprinkle in the flour and cook for about 1 minute stirring constantly. 

4)      Remove the pot from the heat and gradually stir in the hot chicken stock.  Return to the heat and bring to a boil stirring all the time.  Simmer over a low fire a short while, about 10 minutes.

5)      Stir in the milk.

6)      Cool slightly and then pour soup into a blender or food processor and blend till desired fineness.  Return to the saucepan, heat through briefly and season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley and cream.  Do not allow the soup to boil.  Serve.

Cream of Mushroom Soup by Evon Goh

 

 

Cream of Mushroom Soup

 

Ingredients :

5 cups sliced white button mushrooms

1.5 cups chicken broth

0.5 cup chopped onions

1/4 tsp dried thyme

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

0.5 cup milk

0.5 cup cooking cream

1 tbsp sherry

Method :

1. In a large pot, cook mushroom in the chicken broth with the onion & thyme till tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

 

2. Puree the mixture, set aside.

3. In a separate saucepan ,melt the butter, then whisk in the flour until smooth. Add in into the mushroom puree, together with the salt, pepper, milk & cream. Bring the soup to the boil, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Season to taste & add sherry.

Notes :

1. You may use 1 cup milk instead of 0.5 cup milk & 0.5 cup cream if you do not have cream on hand. Using cream gives the soup a creamier texture.

 

2. I used a hand held blender to blend the soup directly in the pot. You may use the conventional blender to do so but make sure the soup is slightly cool before transferring to the blender.

3. If you like a smooth texture, you may blend it totally. However, I like a chunkier soup, so I only blended half & left mushroom chunks in the soup.

4. Adding sherry gives the soup a nice kick but you may omit it if you prefer.

Mung Bean Sweet Soup / Tau Suan by Kenneth Goh

 

 

Mung Bean Sweet Soup/ Tau Suan

 

The dessert were prepared using splitted mung beans.  

 

The preparation is simple. Just put the mung beans in the rice cooker and used the porridge or soup function to cook until soft.

Thereafter, add in sugar to taste and starch to thicken the dessert.

 

It should be noted that it is the simplified method by using rice cooker and traditionally, the beans are soaked for 3-4 hours, steamed until soft and make the starchy solution.

 

As a rule of thumb, you can follow this simplified ratio and adjusted accordingly to suit your taste.

 

Mung bean （绿豆瓣）: water = 100g : 1 liter of water

Thickening starch solution:

Starch : water = 40 g : 100 ml

 

Choice of starch:

Ideally, the starch should be water chestnut starch （马蹄粉）. However, you can also use sweet potato starch (番薯粉），potato starch （土豆粉/马铃薯粉) and wheat starch (澄粉/汀粉)。 Other starch like corn flour (玉米粉）and tapioca flour (薯粉）can also be used but it may turned watery if you can't consume on time.

 

Coloring of tau suan

The coloring can be darkened if you caramelized the sugar used for sweetening.

 

Texture of tau suan

Some rice cooker porridge function can be rather strong. After 15 minutes of cooking, you may want to have a look at the tau suan and see how is the textures. As long as you get your desired texture, quickly add in the starch and sugar and off the heats

 

For more detail pictorial illustration and recipes, you can follow this link https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.534137383324013.1073741877.499250656812686&type=1

Mushroom Cappuccino with Truffle Foam Recipe by Judi Leishman

 

Mushroom Cappuccino with Truffle Foam Recipe

 

 

Ingredients :

250 – 350g fresh mixed wild mushrooms or mushrooms of your choice

1 medium-sized onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

¼ cup white wine, optional

800ml chicken stock (more if you prefer a lighter soup)

1 cup fresh cream

2 Tbsp Truffle Oil

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

salt & pepper, to taste

Clean and slice mushrooms 

Heat up a saucepan with 1 Tbsp Olive Oil and add in onion, fry until slightly turning brown/caramalised, then add in the chopped garlic

Add in the mushrooms, sweat for about 5 minutes then pour in the white wine, simmer on low heat until slightly reduced

Pour in the chicken stock and simmer over low heat, covered, for 10 minutes

Remove from stove top, set aside to cool a little then blitz with a hand-held blender or a food processor until smooth (& frothy if not using the Truffle Foam

Return blended soup to saucepan and pour in ½ cup fresh cream, stir over low heat and bring to very gentle boil and turn off heat, stir in 1 Tbsp of Truffle oil

Beat the balance ½ cup cream together with balance of the Truffle oil until thick and small peaks is formed

Serve up the blended soup in a soup mug, top with the whipped truffles cream and as it melts atop the hot soup, it’s like a layer of ‘cappucino foam’ making the mug of soup looks like a cuppa Cappucino!

 

 

 

Sup Tulang/ Bonesteak Soup by Ipin Hailey

Recipe for Sup Tulang/ Bonesteak

Ingredients

3-4 kg lamb shanks
6 green chillies
6 large red onions
20 shallots
10 garlic cloves
2 inches ginger
1 can tomato puree
4 tbsp blended dried red chillies
Salt and sugar to taste
Bonesteak spice from the mama shop.
1 packet of sweet potato flour
Cooking oil
 2 tbsp Planta margarine / Ghee


Method

 1)Boil lamb shanks in water about 1- 1 and 1/2 hour. Add 2 table spoon of salt.
2) Blend onions, garlic and ginger, set aside. Blend dried red chillies, green chilliesseperately set aside.
3)After lamb shanks are cooked, take it out of the pot and do not throw the water that is used to boil.
4) Heat sufficient cooking oil, add planta/ghee. Fry the blended onions, garlic and ginger until its fragrant. Add the blended dried chillies, green chillies. Add tomato puree.
5) Stir well until gravy turns bright red. Add salt and sugar to taste.
6) Add the bonesteak gravy, sweet potato flour and water used to boil the lamb.
7) Taste the gravy, add the lamb shanks. Let it cook about 2-3 hours. The longer the better.

Pong Tauhu by Felicia Koh

Pong Tauhu

Ingredients
• 500g minced pork
• 5 to 6 whitefish sticks or vegetarian prawns, cut into small pieces
• 1can bamboo shoots, blanched and shredded
• 2 large pieces tauhu, mashed finely
• 1 egg
• 10 cloves garlic, chopped finely
• 3 tsp pounded taucheo
• 500 to 1 litre no sodium chicken stock
• Ikan bilis stock powder (I use a low sodium, organic one)
• 1 litre water
• 2 tsp salt
• Pepper & sugar to taste

Method
1. Fry half the chopped garlic in oil till brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
2. In a big bowl, add minced pork, fishsticks, fried garlic, 1 egg, 3-5 tbs bamboo shoots, mashed tauhu, 1 tsp each of: cornflour, salt, pepper, sugar and dark soya sauce, mix well with your hands.
3. Heat a little oil in a large pot. Fry remaining garlic till fragrant and golden brown. Add taucheo and fry for about 2 mins till fragrant.
4. Add in remaining bamboo shoots and fry for another 3 to 5 mins till fragrant.
5. Pour in stock and remaining litre of water mixed with stock powder and bring to a boil.
6. With your fingers form the meatballs into a neat 50 cent coin size. Drop meatball into hot soup.
7. Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste. (I often find it unnecessary.)
8. after the meatballs go into the pot, they should be boiled on medium high heat till they float and then to simmer for another 7 to 10 minutes more.