Ginseng Chicken Soup

I happened to be reading this recipe on Ginseng Chicken Soup. And I was wondering how on earth can I get fresh ginseng... Then, I saw it in the supermarket near my place. I was so happy upon finding this treasure. It was quite cheap, 3 for 25 HKD only. So, I immediately bought it and asked how long I can keep it. The auntie told me I can keep it for as long as I like, as long as they are stored in the refrigerator.

It also happened that my brother-in-law, Tim, was coming to visit us for the weekend. Hence, I made the soup for both him and Vin.

Oyakodon

After the try with Katsudon, I had to try making Oyakodon :p I found out that Oyako means a parent and child in Japanese, as it is made of chicken and egg!

The Katsudon turned out to be a bit disappointing as I think we need to buy more expensive pork cutlets to bring out the tenderness of the meat. Iberico pork is very expensive... Maybe I should splurge on it one day!

For the Oyakodon, I followed this recipe. It turned out great and really authentic and it is so simple to make.

Katsudon

The other day, Ah 蘇 was on TV, showing us how to make pork cutlets. I was so inspired to give it a try. Hence, I decided to make Japanese pork cutlet rice - Katsudon.

To make this pork cutlet, first, we need to buy boneless 猪栁. Make small cuts in the fats around the rim. Then, use the back of knife to hit on one side, and then use the flat of the knife to hit on both sides. Marinate the pork with salt on one side and with pepper on both sides.

Lightly floured the pork - do not dip the whole piece into the flour, just take some flour and lightly coat it. Dip it in egg mixture and then bread crumbs. Deep fry the pork and ensure that the meat is fully cooked. Then cut the pork into strips when slightly cooled.

After that, to make the katsudon, I followed the instructions from here. I made 2 versions.

This is the first version, when I followed the instructions for katsudon and put the pork cutlet to cook with the sauce.

This is the second version, where I just put the sauce on top of the pork cutlet. Of course, the more authentic one would be the first version but I think you can taste the crispiness of the pork cutlet in the second version.

Mee Hoon Kway

Really missed Mee Hoon Kway! I happened to see this recipe and decided to give it a try myself. I tried the recipe for the dough but it appears a bit too wet, no matter how I knead... It could be because I used extra large eggs, so I added more flour.

It was also quite difficult for me to find good ikan bilis. Searched through a few supermarkets for them, before chancing upon them at the supermarket near my place. Instead of using the microwave to "fry" the ikan bilis, I used my wok to fry them.

I used minced pork and threw them bit by bit into the soup, instead of sliced meat.

The dough turned out to be quite thick and tough... :( However, I had some leftovers and when I made them hot the next day, the dough pieces have turned soft and nice! So, I think I will keep them overnight for my next try. I also wanted to try ban mian instead, as my hubby prefers it. I saw some instant ban mian in the supermarket. Will post the pics when we try it :)

Char Siew

Char Siew is one of the first few things that I learned how to cook, and able to cook it well :) The important point is to add a lot of sugar, and not be afraid to “burn” the char siew. Before I owned an oven, I actually used aluminium foil to line my wok and to “bake” the char siew in it.

Ingredients

Pork (Pork shoulder or pork collar with a bit of fat)

Marinate

Sesame oil

Sugar

Corn flour

Soy sauce

Minced garlic

Oyster Sauce

Chinese Wine

Glaze

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

1 tablespoon of honey

1 tablespoon of black soya sauce

1 tsp stock or water

Steps:

1. Marinade the pork with marinate for at least 3 hours, preferable overnight.

2. Turn the pork after a few hours to evenly marinade it.

3. Set the oven temperature to 220 degrees and bake with the foil for 15 mins.

4. Open the foil and bake till the top layer is almost cooked and then turn the meat to the other side.

5. When the meat is almost cooked, spread the glaze on both sides and continue baking until it is almost charred, but not burnt. Keep on turning the meat, glaze and bake for 10 mins.

As I didn't put in any red colourings, the char siew appears more black...

Made some cabbage soup to go with the char siew rice :) Ingredients include pork ribs, cabbage and carrots.