Hubby and the gal totally enjoyed it! Actually I have bought a few packets of the Szechuan Preserved vegetables to try. I told my mother we can’t buy them in big brown jars anymore. We used to get them like that in the olden days. Nowadays they are all prepacked and sealed. I can’t read much Chinese. I have trouble picking which to buy. So I bought one of each of the lot. I tasted them all before using and only 1 packet went into the bin.

All these packets were were all right except for the seaweed one. Terrible especially when I am used to the Japanese wakame salad. This was the only packet I binned.

TIP1 – I have never done this stage before and my mother said ‘why are you not hygiene conscious?’ She said must do this stage to ‘clean’ them. Yup, that is my mother. She don’t mince her words! She then insisted I must fry shallots and garlic in oil. I should keep frying until I can smell them. Only then should I add in the drained preserved vegetables.

TIP2 – You must give the preserved vegetables a good toss. Adding the sugar is also essential. This gives the preserved vegetables a much nicer extra crunch!

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Today I dismembered a cornfed chicken and used half of it to stir fry blackbeans. The hubby and daughter are big fans of blackbeans. I, myself can either take it or leave it. However we all love leeks and carrots. As such this dish was born. Just a simple stir fry but very satisfying to see them both enjoying it.

As I amble towards the twilight years of my life, I noticed a slight change of style in my cooking. I find myself using less sauces be it dark or light soy sauce, oyster and all manners of prepared bottled or jarred paste or sauces. I noticed this as I do not need to replace my cupboard staples often. I am also not sure why myself. I am an avid follower of cooking reels and the amount of oil, sauces, sugars etc they used really puts me off. I don’t use much ready made paste because it is just as easy for me to make a batch and freeze myself. Then I know there’s no E numbers in what I eat, the bad stuffs you know.

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Just recently I noticed this recipe is missing from my ‘new’ blog. As I am making it today I decided to take some photos and blog it. I really have to invest in a camera stand. My hands are getting more and more shakier by the years and sadly I can see a difference in my photos. However my motto is still – Growing old is not a privilege given to everyone, so we should and must embrace it.

This is what I usually make for my daughter at her ‘that time of the month’. We, Chinese believe in the power of pork liver to replenish blood lose and this soup was made for me and taught to me when I was quite young, Primary 5, I believed. I have been making this soup on and off ever since.

If you do a Google on liver benefits you would be met with incredible lists of benefits for both male and females. Of course like all things we must not over indulge. I love livers myself and am very partial to the British calf liver and bacon dish. (Another recipe missing from this blog, I would rectify soon) I would say I have livers once a month, including pâté of all sorts with red wine as an appetizer sometimes or end of meal or sometime even a meal itself if not too hungry.

This is from Google –

Pork liver is packed with nutrients that can offer several health benefits, especially for men. Here are some key advantages:

1. Rich in Protein: Pork liver is a great source of protein, which is essential for muscle growth and repair. It contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein
2. High in Vitamins: It is particularly rich in B vitamins, including B12, which is crucial for energy production and brain health. It also contains high levels of vitamin A, which supports vision and immune function
3. Mineral Boost: Pork liver provides a good amount of iron, which is important for preventing anemia and maintaining healthy blood cells. It also contains zinc and selenium, which are vital for immune function and antioxidant protection
4. Supports Detoxification: The combination of selenium, B vitamins, and vitamin A in pork liver can enhance the liver’s detoxification abilities, helping to cleanse the body of toxins
5. Heart Health: The nutrients in pork liver, such as vitamin B12 and folate, can help reduce homocysteine levels, which is beneficial for heart health

While pork liver is highly nutritious, it’s important to consume it in moderation due to its high vitamin A content, which can be toxic in large amounts. So have a go at this old recipe for your sons and daughters. p/s husbands too!

TIP – If you have read till here, you deserves a TIP. After bringing your broth to the boil with the meatballs, turn the heat off THEN add in your prepared livers. Nothing is worse than over cooked hard livers.

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Crispy Spicy Beef.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Ingredients

• 2 kg Beef flank

Marinate the sliced beef

• 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• Scant dash Salt & Pepper
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil

Frying

• 2 tbsp Cornstarch
• 2 bowls Oil

Sauce

• 1 tbsp Sesame oil
• 2 tbsp Grated ginger
• 1 tbsp Minced garlic
• 1 nos Lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Sriracha Chilli sauce

Toppings

• 1 tbsp Sesame seeds
• Herbs like coriander, parsley or spring onions (optional)

Thickening (optional)

• 1 tsp Corn flour
• 1 tbsp Water

Instructions

• Marinate the sliced beef flanks for at least 10 minutes. The Bicarbonate of Soda is a MUST. This tenderises the beef. Remember to sut the beef across the grains.
• Before frying add in the cornflour and coat nicely before frying. Refer to pic. Fry drained and set aside on medium to high heat.
• To make the sauce, a touch of sesame oil to fry the garlic and ginger first, then add all the liquid ingredients adding a touch of water to rinse out the bowl.
• After simmering for about 5 minutes on low heat, sieve the sauce to remove the ginger and the garlic.
• Taste your sauce, it would be stronger because the lettuce to wraps and because the beef is unseasoned. If you want a thicker sauce like me as I am not eating mine with rice, just lettuce wraps add a bit of cornflour and water slurry.
• Then add in the lemon peel and turn heat off.

Notes

TIP – Do not sauce your beef until time to serve. Even so just drizzle the sauce all over. Do NOT mix in wok, In so doing your beef will stay crispy for many hours  

TIP – When adjusting your sauce if not sour enough for you add some Apple cider vinegar (if you have) 

TIP – I would add some freshly chopped red chillies but I have run out. (trying to clear my fridge/freezer before big shop in Chinatown next week) 

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Sweetcorn kennels, special meat balls and liver soup

Equipment

• Pot

Ingredients

Special meat balls – mince and mix all ingredients

• 500 gm Minced pork
• 1 Dried cuttlefish
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce

Other ingredients

• 1 tbsp Garlic, ginger and shallots oil
• 3 litre Anchovies/Chicken stock
• 1 bowl Sweetcorn kennels
• 1 bowl Prawns
• 200 g Pork liver
• Season with salt and freshly ground Sarawak pepper
• Spring onions

Instructions

• First thing to do is to make the stock.
• Fry ginger, shallots and garlic with a bit of oils if you do not have ready oils before you add in the prepared stock. (You can just use water if you have none)
• When the stock comes to a boil, add in your minced meat by rolling them into balls.
• The meat balls will rise to the top when they are cooked. Add into your pot the fresh sweetcorn kennels.
• Cover and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes till the stock taste sweetly of sweetcorn.
• Just before turning the heat off add in your washed, sliced and readied liver.
• Turned off the heat straight away. Season to taste.
• Add in a generous amount of spring onions just before serving.

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Yong Liew (Yong Tau Foo)

Ingredients

• 500 g Mackerels or white fish or the frozen one in my pic
• Freshly ground white pepper
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 bowl Cold water

Notes

TIP – Use a clean chopping board
TIP – If you are using a chopping board make sure to line your floor with paper and board on top as the fish paste will fly everywhere.
TIP – You can use a food processor but make sure not to overflow it as they get stuck in the middle inside the blade.
TIP – Use enough water to reach the consistency and softness you want. Fresh fish may needs more water.
TIP – Use cold salt water to wet your hands when you are throwing the paste.

The Paste Mix. You can just use the fish paste on it’s own by adding, salt, white pepper, cornstarch and cold tap water. As far as I could remember this was how my grandmother used to do hers. 

I have make fish paste mix with salted fish, fish paste with dried shrimps and chicken with prawns. I love all of them. Remember if you use salted fish and dried shrimps it is better to fry them first for that amazing umami taste. Wash and soak dried shrimps and pound them slightly before frying.

Please remember you can add in sesame oil, chicken powder and soy sauce even. Adding mince pork makes for firmer paste. Use the mixture of fish and prawns for bean-curd wraps and bak choy. They are better with softer paste. 

The vegetables you can use to stuff with your paste. You can use not only the usual toufo fresh or fried, bean-curd skin, chillies, long beans, bitter-gourds, mushrooms, Chinese fried dough you tiaw, aubergines, flipped inside out toufo pop, baby pak choy …….let your imagination run wild.  

Misc pics. 

The final presentations.

Enjoy trying.

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Steamed Minced Pork with Tung Choy (冬菜蒸猪肉)

Ingredients

• 500 g mince pork
• 100 g tung choy
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp rice wine
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• freshly ground pepper
• ½ cup water
• spring onions
• crispy onions/garlic

Instructions

• Start by washing your tung choy. Rinse it in water about 5 to 6 times until water runs clear.
• Mince your pork and add in the cleaned tung choy. Mince into your pork.
• Add in the cornstarch, sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine, pepper and mince well. Place into a large heatproof dish for steaming or a stainless steel dish. Tip in the water, and place into your ready steamer. Let it sit there for half and hour or so for all the marinate to seep in.
• Turn on the heat and steam for 15 minutes or so.

Notes

Serve sprinkled with sliced spring onions and crispy onions too if wish. Eat with pain white rice and even my Mat Salleh love this dish!

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Salt & Pepper chicken gizzards 鹽和胡椒雞胗

Ingredients

• 500 g chicken gizzards

The Cleaning

• 3 tbsp salt
• ½ cup tamarind juice
• 3 tbsp bicarbonate soda

The Marinate

• 1 tbsp Marsala curry powder
• 1 tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 chicken Oxo cube

The Frying

• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 litre oil for frying

The Assembly

• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• ½ tsp 5 spice powder
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 bunch of fresh coriander
• 1 fresh red chilli minced
• lime

Instructions

Washing the chicken gizzards

• This is a very important part. Wash them and peel off any yellow skin bits and fats. Then drown them with salt and let them soak. After 15 minutes wash off the salt and rinse clean. Next pour the thick tamarind juice all over, rub and set aside another 10 to 15 minutes. Lastly wash with the bicarbonate soda. Drained and your chicken gizzards is ready to be boiled.
• Place the cleaned chicken gizzards into a pot and top with water. Bring to boil and turn the heat off. Drain.

Marinade the chicken gizzards

• Place the chicken gizzards into a bag and add in all the marinates – Marsala curry powder, turmeric powder and chicken Oxo cube. Leave them marinating in the bag in the fridge until you are ready to fry them.

Frying the chicken gizzards

• Put the oil to heat. As the oil is heating place the cornflour inside the marinated chicken gizzards bag and give it a good shake to coat. Fry the chicken gizzards till crispy. Remove and set aside until you have done all of them.

To Assemble.

• In a clean pan on low heat toast the combined spices – salt, pepper, 5 spice, sugar and chilli flakes. When you smell the fragrance spices add in the crispy gizzards. Give everything a good toss and add in the fresh red chillies and coriander. Serve with lime wedges.

Notes

With a cold beer this is a good snack.

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