A SMOOTH SAILING AHEAD FOR EVERYONE

21/2/2016
SUNDAY

Happy birthday "girl" with baby Audrey, Kit and Hyejung.

My dearest sisters.....


more happy faces with my brother and wife....


this is a classic... why ? because its baked by my sister who hardly venture into the kitchen except to make her salads :D

So while over in Melbourne, they were celebrating my sister's birthday,  I cooked an advance Chap Goh Mei dinner for her husband and family. 

One of the must-buy vegetable for the Chinese New Year have to be Leeks for its symbolic sound/meaning in Chinese "smooth-going".

The filling - minced pork, diced yellow taufu and leeks of course.

Baozi ready for pan-fry 

 

This time, I used slightly more oil for the pan and a medium-low heat  to get even brown bottoms (though still 2-3 of them were stuck in the pan).  Serve with the dipping sauce of black vinegar, sugar and soya sauce and lots of ginger!

I saw someone (sorry, I just cannot recall which blog) posted this dish. So I copied the method of making this steamed vegetarian dish.  The green outer leaves of the long Chinese cabbage are blanched in boiling water till soft and an ice bath. I used the remaining cabbage in the Fish Maw Soup.

The mushrooms, dried oysters, dried scallops and taufu have been lightly braised beforehand.  Then they  layered into the "cabbage bowl" . 

I topped more with gluten balls (mein gan) and vegetarian fu-chok. Pour the sauce over. 

Cover and steam 

This turned out beautifully.....only I should have steamed it longer so that the cabbage leaves are softer as it was a bit messy to eat the long and chewy cabbage... maybe cut them before serving?

The rest of the dishes: Waxed duck Rice; sweet and sour pork, stir-fry green veg and Fish Maw Soup.

My version of the Fish Maw soup: (could not find any photo of it!!!!)

Prepare the soup base using pork bones and pork meat.  Boil/simmer for at least 4 hours. 

Soak the fish maw till just soft (depend on the fish maw, we don't want them too soft or they will break up easily)

Stuffed the soften fish maw with fish/minced meat paste and steamed for 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Remove the bones and meat from soup.  

Add a piece of chicken breast to boil till just cooked.(or you can steamed the chicken breast).  Remove and shred into thinly when cooled.

Add the sliced cabbage, carrots, can of button mushroom and enoki mushroom to soup.

season to taste.

To Serve:  Cut stuffed fish maw into slices.  Place into bowl with shredded chicken. Ladled the soup over and garnish with chopped spring onions and coriander.  Enjoy !