Eggplant with minced pork ~ 茄子炒肉碎

There are many ways to prepare eggplant and to me, the most fuss free method is to just cut it up, steam and then serve with some garlic oil and a dash of pepper. But today, I want to share with you a more 'complicated' method whereby I pan seared them, mixed in some Korean bean paste, bits of pork and added in some dried chillies to make the dish slightly spicy. This dish pairs well with rice or plain white porridge.

Recipe for Eggplant with minced pork ~ 茄子炒肉碎

Ingredients

2 eggplants, 450 gm, cut into bite size
2 stalks of spring onions, cut into 2 inch lengths
150 gm minced pork
6 dried chillies, soaked to soften and cut
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine
3 Tbsp oil

Sauce (Combine altogether)

1.1/2 Tbsp bean paste
1 Tbsp light soya sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp sugar

Method

Heat up some oil in a wok, sear the eggplants till brown on all sides.
Dish out and set aside.
With the remaining oil in the wok, add in the garlic, minced pork, dried chillies, stir-fry. Mix in the sauce, stir-fry.
Toss in the eggplants, spring onions, mix well. Fine tune to taste.
Drizzle on the wine, dish out and serve hot with rice.

Bunga Telang ~ Blue-pea Flower Snow Skin Mooncakes ~ 2013

For a change, I tried using a premix to make these Snow skin mooncakes and for colour opted to go natural and use the Bunga Telang or Blue-pea flower. Indeed the purple colour from the flowers was very distinct on its own but once mixed with the flour, I was rather disappointed. It turned out to be blue instead of purple. Well, the consolation is that the colour is natural. Taste wise, I would still prefer to make the Snow skin from scratch rather than use a premix. Recipe for Bunga Telang ~ Blue-pea Flower Snow Skin Mooncakes Ingredients 250 gm of QQ Snow mooncake premix (1 packet is 500 gm) 14 gm shortening Bunga Telang/Blue pea flower 220 ml water Pandan and Lotus mooncake paste 25 gm melon seeds, lightly toasted to be mixed into the paste Method ( as per instructions on the packet ) Wash the Bunga Telang and boil with 220 ml water, once boiled, discard the flowers and ...

Braised pork tendons with pork belly ~ 红烧猪筋

Pork tendons are a great source of protein which is essential for muscle repair, tissue regeneration and overall bodily functions. High in collagen and glucosamine and chondroitin they help to support joint and skin health and muscle maintenance. Low in fat, rich in carbohydrates and trace elements, they have nutritional characteristics of high calcium, high protein and no cholesterol. Tasteless by nature like sea cucumber, and being tough they need to be slow cooked like braising and simmering to make them tender and release their collagen like in stews to create a rich flavour. Braised pork tendons with pork belly ~ 红烧猪筋 Ingredients 240 gm rehydraed pork tendons (from 150 gm dried tendons) 450 gm pork belly 10 shitake mushrooms rehydrated 4 bulbs of garlic 10 slices of young ginger 5 bay leaves 4 star anise 2 cinnamon sticks 1 to 2 pcs of rock sugar (according to taste) 2 to 3 Tbsp Shaoxing wine 2 Tbsp oyster sauce 1 Tbsp light soy sauce 1/2 Tbsp d...

Yoghurt Fruitcake

T is the festive season again and the all-time favourite for X'mas is undoubtedly the ubiquitous fruit cake. This Yoghurt Fruitcake caught my eye when I was browsing through a Food and Travel magazine. As I've never baked a fruit cake with yoghurt before, I was very eager to try.

Read on for the Recipe

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