Three-Cup Squid (三杯小卷)

THREE-CUP SQUID (三杯小卷)

INGREDIENTS:

12 oz cleaned squid, cut into pieces
6 slices peeled ginger
6 cloves garlic (skin peeled)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or Chinese rice wine
1 1/2 tablespoon dark sweet soy sauce (Kecap Manis)
A big bunch of Thai basil leaves
1 teaspoon corn starch + 1 teaspoon water
1 red chili, deseeded and sliced

METHOD:

Clean the squid thoroughly, cut into pieces, rinse with cold water. Heat up a pot of water and bring it to boil. Blanch the squid for about 20 seconds. Drain and set aside.

Heat up a claypot on high heat and add the sesame oil. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry until aromatic. Add in squid and do a few quick stirs. Add soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine. Stir the squid to coat well with the sauce. Add basil leaves, stir, dish out and serve immediately.

Pan-fried Prawns Recipe (干烧虾)

RECIPE: PAN-FRIED PRAWNS (FRESH WATER PRAWNS)/干烧虾

INGREDIENTS:

6 fresh water prawns (or jumbo prawns or big prawns)
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine or shaoxing wine
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon chopped scallions
1 teaspoon cooking oil

Method:

Heat up a wok with cooking oil. Drop in the chopped garlic and lightly saute till light brown. Add in the fresh water prawns, soy sauce, wine, sugar and do a few quick stir. Use the wok turner to press each prawn down (pan-frying) for both sides of the prawn. Add in the chopped scallions and serve hot.

Cook’s Note:

The wok will get really dry and the prawns might appear burned but it’s fine as it will add that “charred” flavor to the prawns.

Yam Rice

YAM RICE RECIPE (芋头饭)

INGREDIENTS:

12 oz. yam/taro (cut into small pieces)
3-1/2 cup rice (MEASURED USING THE SMALLER RICE CUP THAT COMES WITH THE ELECTRIC RICE COOKER)
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
2 shallots (finely chopped)
2 1/2 tablespoons dried shrimp (soaked in warm water, drained and roughly chopped)
10 oz. ground pork or chicken meat (minced)
2 cups water (using a REGULAR MEASUREMENT CUP to measure the water)
5 dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked in warm water, drained and cut into thin slices)
4 tablespoons cooking oil
Fried shallot crisps (for garnishing)
1 scallion (cut into small rounds, for garnishing)

SEASONINGS:

2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 dashes white pepper powder
1 teaspoon sesame oil

METHOD:

Measure the rice using the small rice cooker cup (comes with electric rice cooker). Transfer the rice into your rice cooker and wash and rinse it with water like you are cooking regular steamed rice. Drain the water dry and set aside.

Heat up a wok and add cooking oil. Stir-fry the shallots and garlic until aromatic. Add pork (or chicken), mushrooms and dried shrimp and stir-fry until the meat changes color. Use the spatula to break the ground pork or chicken so they form into small lumps. Add water into the wok and follow by the yam pieces. Add all seasonings and bring it to boil. Add rice into the wok and do a few quick stirs. Transfer everything into the rice cooker and cook it like you are cooking steamed rice.

When the rice is cooked, use the rice scoop to stir the yam rice and loosen it up. Serve immediately with some fried shallot crisps and chopped scallions.

VIETNAMESE BBQ SHRIMP VERMICELLI RECIPE (BUN TOM HEO NUONG)

VIETNAMESE BBQ SHRIMP VERMICELLI RECIPE (BUN TOM HEO NUONG) 

Serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz rice sticks
12 medium-sized shrimp, shelled (but leave tail intact) and deveined
3 lettuce leaves, thinly cut
1/2 small cucumber, cut into thin strips
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 small carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips
Some cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
Some mint leaves, coarsely chopped
Some perilla leaves, coarsely chopped (optional)
Some Thai basil leaves, coarsely chopped (optional)
3 tablespoons roasted peanuts, coarsely ground

BBQ SHRIMP MARINADE:

1 teaspoon fish sauce
3 heavy dashes black pepper powder
A pinch of turmeric powder

METHOD:

Cook the rice sticks according to the package instructions. Rinse with cold water thoroughly after cooking, drain in a colander and set aside.

Marinate the shrimp with all the ingredients in the BBQ Shrimp Marinade for 30 minutes. Prepare and cut all the vegetables and herbs.

Fire up your BBQ pit and grill the shrimp until they are properly cooked. Divide the rice sticks, vegetables and herbs into 3 portions and transfer them into 3 bowls. (The rice sticks should sit on top of the vegetables and herbs). Transfer 4 shrimps into each serving, sprinkle some ground peanuts, and pour some nuoc cham (fish sauce) into the noodles. Serve immediately.

NUOC CHAM (FISH SAUCE OR VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE) RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon sugar (if you like it sweeter)
3 tablespoon lime juice

METHOD:

Add fish sauce, water, sugar and lime juice in a small bowl and mix well. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved.

COOK’S NOTES:

1. To jazz up the taste, add some garlic chili sauce and mix well with the fish sauce (nuoc cham) before serving.
2. For the nuoc cham recipe, different brand of fish sauce tastes differently, so adjust the sugar, warm water level to your liking. If it’s too salty or strong for your taste, add more water and sugar.
3. For fish sauce, I recommend 3  Crabs brand Fish Sauce.