CHINESE COOKING: This is a family favourite in a "1-dish-meal" way that is delicious & satisfying.

RICE AND PORK CHOP BAKE:

 

 

 

1 lb. pork chops, bones off, cut into large pieces       

2 eggs, beaten

4-5 cups cooked rice                                                      

veggie mix:

    2 tomatoes, cut into large dice

    10 whole small button mushrooms                         

    1 cooked carrot, cut into ½-inch dice

    1 onion, finely chopped                                         

    1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

    1 clove garlic                                                                      

    4 tbsp. cooked peas

 

sauce:

    4 tbsp. tomato ketchup                                           

    1 ½ cups chicken stock or water

    4 tbsp. butter                                                                       

    2 tbsp. all purpose flour

seasoning for pork chops:

    ½ tsp. each salt & garlic powder

    1 tsp. sugar                                                 

    ½ tsp. Maggi seasoning sauce or dark soy sauce

    1 tsp. each brandy & Worcestershire sauce

sauce-seasoning:

    1 tsp. each salt & brandy

    ½ tsp Maggi sauce or dark soy sauce                                  

    2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

    freshly ground black pepper                                   

    1 tbsp. sugar

cooking oil

 

           

Pound pork chops several times to tenderize. Add seasoning and marinade for 30 minutes. 

 

In a large saucepan, heat enough oil for deep frying to 370 degrees; or until bubbles rise quickly when tested with a dry chopstick dipped into it. Reduce heat slightly. Dreg pork pieces with a thin coating of flour and deep-fry in the hot oil until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towers. Cool, strain and save oil for other uses.

 

Heat 1 tbsp. oil until hot, add beaten eggs and scramble for 30 seconds. Quickly add in the rice, toss together and cook until rice is hot. Transfer rice to an oven-proof casserole. Arrange pork pieces on top of rice. Keep warm.

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Wash and dry saucepan and heat 1 tbsp. oil over high heat until hot. Cook onion, celery and mushrooms for 5 minutes or until softened. Add carrots and peas, tomato ketchup and the flour. Cook together over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually add chicken stock or water and whisk until sauce is smooth and free of lumps. Add in sauce-seasoning ingredients. Simmer sauce for 5 minutes. Pour sauce over pork and rice.

 

Bake 5-10 minutes in the hot oven until golden brown.  Serve at once.

CHINESE COOKING: A little extra work goes a long way towards producing this pretty-spectacular fried rice. Enjoy!

RICE WITH RED AND WHITE SAUCES 鴛鴦飯:

 

 

 

 

4-5 cups firm cooked rice                                           

2 eggs, beaten

4 oz. chicken meat, cut into strips

½ cup thinly-sliced onion

seasoning for chicken:

    ¼ tsp. each salt and sugar                           

    ½ tsp each tapioca starch & rice wine         

tomato sauce for chicken:       

    4 tbsp. tomato ketchup                               

    ½ tsp. salt + 1 ½ tsp. sugar                                                  

    1 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with ½ cup water

5 oz. cooked crab meat

white sauce with crab meat:

    ½ tsp. each salt and sugar                           

    2 oz. evaporated milk

    3 tsp tapioca starch mixed with ½ -3/4 cup water

cooking oil

 

 

 

Add seasoning ingredients to chicken and marinade 20-30 minutes.  

 

To make fried rice:  In wok or large non-stick saucepan, heat 1 tbsp. oil over high heat until hot. Add in eggs. Scramble quickly until eggs are set; then add in rice. Stir-fry together until rice is hot. Add salt to taste. Transfer cooked rice to a large round glass serving dish with rim.

 

To make “red sauce”:  Add 1 tbsp. oil to pan and cook onion for 2-3 minutes until just softened. Add chicken and cook 1-2 minutes, or until just barely cooked. Mix sauce ingredients together and add in. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until sauce is thickened, adding a little more water if sauce is too thick. Pour chicken and sauce onto one side of the platter of rice.

 

To make "white sauce:  Clean wok and heat 1 tbsp. oil to very hot. Add in crab meat, salt, sugar and evaporated milk. Cook until mixture comes to a boil. Add starch solution to thicken sauce and cook until sauce is thickened, adding a little more water if necessary. Pour crab meat and white sauce onto the remaining side of the rice. Serve immediately.

CHINESE COOKING: Glutinous or sticky rice is considered a treat in most Chinese families. Please give this recipe a try.

FLAVOURED GLUTINOUS RICE糯米飯:

 

 

 

2 cups glutinous or sticky rice + 1 cup short grain rice

3 tbsp. dried shrimp                                                    

6-8 large dried black mushroom                                 

3-4 Chinese sausages                                                  

4 ½ cups cold water

seasoning:                                           

    ¾ tsp salt                                                     

    1 tsp. sugar

    dash of light soy sauce                               

    1 tsp. dry sherry or rice wine

    2-3 tbsp. dark soy sauce                                         

 chopped green onion +  2 tbsp. dark soy & 1 tsp. cooked oil

 

 

 

 

Soak mushrooms in hot water for at a few hours to soften. Soak dried shrimp until re-hydrated. Slice and dice mushroom caps into small pieces and roughly chop dried shrimp. Cut each sausage into 2 pieces and put them in a microwavable container. Sprinkle a bit of cold water over sausages and cook, covered with a microwavable lid, in the microwave, at high setting for 50 seconds. Remove and cool. Quarter each piece of sausage; then cut into small dice. Transfer sausage, mushrooms and shrimp into a large mixing bowl and add seasoning. Toss well to mix. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a non-stick saucepan over high heat until hot. Add sausage mixture and cook for 1 minute. Remove and set aside.

 

Wash and rinse rice mixture through 5-6 changes of water, drain well. Cook rice in 4 ½ cups cold water, either in a rice cooker or in a non-stick saucepan over the stove. If cooking rice on the stove, cover pot and bring water to a boil over high heat. When water starts to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until most of the water has been absorbed by the rice. At this point, add in sausage mixture; and stir it well into rice, making sure the meat mixture is evenly distributed among the rice. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and continue cooking rice for 10-15 minutes more before serving.

 

Add chopped green onion to soy sauce mixture, and serve this with rice if desired

RICE: This is an attractive way to serve fried rice to family and friends. You will be well rewarded with praises for going into the trouble in making it.

FRIED RICE IN PINEAPPLE SHELL:

 

 

 

4 cups of cooked rice                                                 

½ cup chicken breast meat, diced

4 oz. shrimp, shell removed and diced                       

1/3 cup cooked taro or yam, diced--available in Chinese market

2 slices canned pineapple                                           

1 tbsp. each diced green pepper & red pepper                                    

seasoning:

    1 tsp. light soy sauce

    1/2 tsp each salt & sugar

    dash of white pepper

2 tbsp. cooking oil                                                      

2 eggs, beaten

1 large fresh pineapple

sauce:

   ¼ tsp. salt                                                     

   1 ½ tbsp. fish sauce

    ¼ cup coconut milk                                    

    1 ½ tsp. green curry paste

 

 

 

Place pineapple on its side and cut off the top 1/3 portion. With a sharp paring knife, cut and scoop out the flesh and reserving it for another recipe. Rinse and dry shell thoroughly and make a scalloped edge of the cut side, optional. Add seasoning to the chicken and shrimp mixture. Let it marinate for 20-30 minutes.

 

In wok or large non-stick saucepan, heat 1 tbsp. oil over high heat until very hot. Add chicken and shrimp and stir-fry until just cooked. Remove and keep warm. Add peppers to pan and stir-fry for 1-2 minute. Remove.

 

Add 1 tbsp. oil to wok and heat it until hot over high heat. Add eggs and scramble it quickly. Add in rice and stir-fry it together with the egg to coat. Add in dash of salt and light soy sauce. Cook until rice mixture is piping hot.

 

Add in peppers, shrimp and chicken mixture, pineapple and taro. Stir together for 1 minute to heat through. Mix sauce ingredients together and add into rice mixture. Cook for a minute or so to blend all ingredients together.

 

Transfer rice to the prepared pineapple shell to serve. 

VEGETABLES: Hope this recipe will become one of your favourites in cooking wild rice.

WILD RICE CASSEROLE:

 

 

 

2/3 cup wild rice                                                         

¼ cup butter

2 cups consommé                                           

¼ cup diced onion

½ cup each diced celery & sliced mushrooms

2 tbsp. toasted slivered almonds                                 

salt and pepper

 

 

 

Wash rice and drain through several changes of water. In a large saucepan over high heat, bring consommé to a boil. Add rice. Cover pot, reduce heat and simmer rice until tender.

 

Melt butter in another pan over medium heat, sauté onion, celery and mushrooms until soft.

 

Drain rice and add into vegetables. Toss well together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with almonds to serve.

VEGETABLES: This vegetarian chilli recipe has been a family favourite for a long time. Hope you like it too.

VEGETARIAN CHILI WITH OPTIONAL HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE:

 

 

 

veggie mix:

    3 medium carrots, cut into large dice                                  

    4 large zucchini, cut in large dice

    3 cloves garlic, crushed                                          

    3-4 jalapeno peppers, sliced thick

    1 ½ cups cooked yam, cut into large dice               

    1 x 28-oz canned chopped tomatoes     

    1 each large onion and red bell pepper, diced

    1 cup button mushrooms, halved or quartered   

2 x 19-oz. canned red kidney beans   

5 hot Italian sausages, optional

seasoning:                   

    2 tsp. tomato paste                                                  

    1 -1 ½ tsp chilli pepper powder                              

    1 tsp. coriander

    1 tsp. salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

2 tbsp. cooking oil                                                      

1 tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp. water    

 

 

 

In a large heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook onion for 2-3 minutes. If using sausages, remove casing and break sausages up into large chunks and add into pan together with garlic. Cook until sausage is no longer pink.

 

Add carrots and zucchini. Cook for 5 minutes; then add in rest of vegetables, except yam, and cook together for 2 to 3 minutes. Add in seasoning ingredients and bring mixture to a gentle simmer. Drain kidney beans, reserving the liquid from 1 can, and add into veggie mixture together with yam, sausage meat if using, and the reserved liquid. Bring to the boil again, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes more. Adjust seasoning. Thicken sauce with cornstarch solution if necessary.  

VEGETABLES: Making a vegetable terrine or pate at home involves a bit of work and a few steps in the preparation. But the end result is more than satisfying.

VEGETABLE TERRINE:

 

 

 

veggie mix:

    2 bags fresh spinach, 10oz. each

    3 leeks, white part only, chopped                           

    1 large onion, finely chopped

    1 lb. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

    2 stalk celery of equal size and shape

    4 garlic cloves, minced

                               

seasoning:

    juice of 1 lemon

    salt and pepper to taste                                           

    pinch nutmeg

    1 tsp tomato paste

    1 tbsp. each chopped fresh parsley & basil leaves, chopped

5 eggs                                                                         

2 tbsp. butter

½ pint whipping cream                                               

                                            

¼ cup cognac                                                              

                                               

 

 

To prepare the vegetables:  Wash spinach well, removing coarse and discoloured leaves. Cook spinach, with the water clinging to it, in a large pan until the leaves are wilted.  Drain and squeeze as much liquid out of the leaves as possible. Chop coarsely, place in a bowl and sprinkle with half the lemon juice, salt, pepper and nutmeg. When cooled, stir in 2 lightly beaten eggs. Set aside.

 

Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a heavy pan over medium heat to cook leeks and onion for 2 to 3 minutes. Add cream and reduce the liquid for about 5 minutes, until vegetables absorb the cream and form a thin paste.

 

Melt remaining butter in another heavy pan and add garlic. Cook over low heat 1 to 2 minutes; then add in chopped tomatoes and the cognac. Cook over medium heat, undisturbed, until all the liquid has evaporated. Add tomato paste and stir it in well; then transfer mixture to a bowl. Add in the leek and onion mixture together with the  remaining 3 eggs, lightly-beaten. Then mix in the chopped parsley and basil.

 

Butter a 1-quart terrine or mould and line the base with well-greased foil. Cover bottom with half the spinach and pour in 2/3 of the tomato-leek mixture. Cut celery stalks to length of terrine. Stuff one stalk with a little of the spinach mixture; then place the other stalk, rounded side up, on top of it. Centre the joined stalks lengthwise and push gently into the terrine until completely submerged.

 

Pour in the rest of the tomato-leek mixture; then top it with remaining spinach.  Leave some space at the top of the mould to allow for expansion.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cover the mould with foil and place it in a large roasting pan. Pour in enough boiling water to come to halfway up the sides of the terrine mould. Bake 2 hours, filling pan with more boiling water when necessary and do not allow pan to go dry.  At the end of cooking time, check that spinach mixture is set and firm; returning pan to oven to cook longer if it is still runny.

 

When done, cool completely. Chill thoroughly and turn out onto a serving platter. Slice into thick slices to serve.

VEGETABLES: This is a very simple recipe and can be prepared ahead of time, to provide a wholesome and delicious accompaniment to roasted meat and poultry.

VEGETABLE CASSEROLE:

 

 

 

 

the veggie mix:

    2 medium carrots, thinly sliced                               

    1 zucchini, thinly sliced                              

    2 tomatoes, skin removed and quartered                            

    2 large onions, sliced

    ½ lb. green beans, cut in ½-inch pieces                   

    1 celery stalk, sliced

    ½ small cauliflower, separated into florets              

    ½ each of sweet green & red peppers, seeded and cut into large strips

    ½ cup fresh or frozen green peas

    2 medium parsnips, thinly sliced                            

sauce:

    1 cup beef broth

    1/3 cup white wine                                                 

    ¼ cup olive oil

    3 garlic cloves, finely chopped                               

    1 tsp. each salt & paprika                                                                      

    ¼ tsp. tarragon

    pinch of black pepper                                                         

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a large oven-proof casserole.

 

Prepare vegetables and transfer to the prepared pan. Combine sauce ingredients together in a saucepan and bring mixture to a boil. 

 

Pour sauce mixture over vegetables. Cover casserole with foil and bake 1-1 1/2 hours or until tender.  Stir occasionally during baking. Adjust seasoning if necessary before serving.

VEGETABLES: This is a better and more delicious way to serve cabbage than just simply boiling it.

STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS:

 

 

1 heads (2 lb size) cabbage

1 1/2 to 2 lb. lean ground chuck

1 1/2 cups chopped onion                                    

seasoning:

    1 tsp. salt + 1/2 tsp. celery salt                                                          

    ½ cup ketchup

    1 eggs

    1/4 cup crushed unsalted crackers

                                                                                

sauce:

                                                      

    1 x 12oz. bottle chilli sauce                                    

    6 oz) grape jelly

 

 

 

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Cut out and discard hard centre core from the cabbage and submerge the whole head in the boiling water. Let it stand for 5 minutes, or until the leaves are softened and flexible and can be removed easily from the head. Drain cabbage leaves and count the number of leaves that are there.

 

Combine ground beef with seasoning ingredients in a bowl. Mix with hands until mixture is well combined. Scoop out about ¼ cup of meat mixture and form each into a roll, 3-inch long and 1-inch wide. Use the rest of beef mixture to make into the same number of rolls as the cabbage leaves; then place each roll on a leave. Fold top of leaf over meat, then fold the sides in and roll up. Repeat process with the rest of the rolls. Arrange rolls, seam-side down, on a greased 12 x 2 ¼ -inch roasting pan; then spread chopped onion evenly on top of cabbage rolls.

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  In a saucepan, combine chilli sauce, grape jelly with ¼ cup water and cook gently over medium heat, stirring to melt jelly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour sauce over cabbage rolls. Cover baking pan with foil and bake cabbage rolls for 1 hour. At the end of cooking time, remove foil, brush rolls with sauce from pan. Continue to bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes longer, or until sauce is thick and syrupy and cabbage rolls are glazed.

VEGETABLES: This is my version of the Greek cuisine. Hope you'll like it.

SPINAKOPITA:

8 sheets filo pastry

½ cup butter                                                                

½ lb. zucchini, thinly sliced

1 lb. spinach shredded                                                  

4 shallot thinly sliced

4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled                                          

4 tsp. olive oil

½ tsp. dried oregano                                                    

2 eggs, beaten

salt and pepper                                                

Add 2 tbsp. olive oil and oregano to the feta cheese and mix well together. Heat remaining olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat until hot and cook zucchini for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add in spinach and shallot and toss well together. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt butter and use 1 tbsp. of it to grease an 11 x 8 baking tin. Line the base and sides of baking tin with 4 sheets of filo pastry, brushing each sheet with melted butter before layering.  Transfer vegetable mixture to cover bottom of pastry base. Cover this with another 4 sheets of filo, each sheet having been brushed with butter before layering.

Trim pastry sheets and tuck ends down inside the baking tin to prevent filling escaping. With a sharp knife, score top two layers of pastry into squares or diamond shapes.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden and crisp.  Cut into shapes. Serve hot or cold.