Yam Rice (芋头饭)

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.

Crab Noodles

Crab Noodles Recipe (Fried Mung Bean Noodles with Crab)
Ingredients:

8 oz. mung bean noodles (mung bean threads or cellophane noodles)
4 oz. mung bean sprouts (roots removed if you like)
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
3 oz. picked crab meat
3 stalks scallions (cut into 2-inch lengths)
2 garlic (finely chopped)
1/2 onion (thinly sliced)
4 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
3 dashes white pepper powder
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak the mung bean noodles in warm water for 20 minutes or so until they become soft. Drain with a colander and set aside.

Heat up a wok with 3 tablespoons of cooking oil. When the oil is very hot, add in garlic and onions and stir fry until aromatic. Add the crab meat and stir well. (If you use frozen crab meat, add 1 teaspoon of fish sauce to season the crab meat because frozen crab meat tends to be less flavorful. Skip this step if you use fresh crab meat.)

Add the mung bean noodles into the wok and follow by oyster sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and white pepper powder. Stir continuously to blend well. Add mung bean sprouts and do a few quick stirs. Push the noodles to the side of the wok and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into the wok. Add the beaten eggs and let is cook for about 10 seconds before you push the mung bean noodles to cover the top of the eggs. Let it cook for another few seconds before you flip the noodles over. Gently break the eggs into pieces and blend well with the noodles. Add chopped scallions into the noodles, stir a few times, dish out and serve immediately.

Cook’s Note:

Cellophane noodles have the tendency to clump together if not fried well. Make sure you stir vigorously when cooking. If need to, add a little water to help with the stir-frying process.

Fried Rice Vermicelli/Rice Sticks/Rice Noodles Recipe (炒米粉)

Recipe: Fried Rice Vermicelli/Rice Sticks/Rice Noodles with Chicken (炒米粉)

Ingredients:

1/2 pack rice sticks (8 oz)
2-3 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 big handful of fresh bean sprouts
3 stalks scallions (cut into 2-inch length)
1 boneless & skinless chicken breast (cut into small pieces)
1/2 teaspoon corn starch (to marinate the chicken)
4 tablespoons oil

Seasonings:

4 tablespoons soy sauce (Kimlan Light Soy Sauce)
1 tablespoon ABC sweet soy sauce
4 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon sugar
3 dashes of white pepper powder

Method:

Soak the rice sticks in warm water for 30 minutes or until they turn soft. Set aside in a colander to drain the excess water. Rinse the bean sprouts with water and set aside to drain excess water. Lightly coat the chicken meat with the corn starch (to tenderize the chicken).

Mix all the seasonings and water together and set aside. Heat up a wok and add in the cooking oil. Add in the chopped garlic and stir-fry until aromatic or turn light brown. Add in the chicken meat and stir fry until the chicken is half done.

Add in the rice sticks and then follow by the seasonings. Stir the rice sticks continuously to blend well with the seasonings. Continue to stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until noodles turn soft or no longer wet, then add in the bean sprouts and chopped scallions. Stir-fry for another minute or until the bean sprouts are cooked.

Dish out and serve hot.

Cook’s Notes:

You can substitute chicken with pork, beef, shrimp, or other seafood. You can also do a combination of them.
Once you master the techniques of stir-frying noodles, you can start experimenting with other noodles. Eventually, you will discover what makes that perfect fried noodles dish for you. :)

Singapore Fried Rice Noodles Recipe (星洲炒米粉)

Recipe: Sing Chow Mai Fun (Singapore Fried Rice Noodles/星洲炒米粉)
Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, Nov 2005, pages 64-65

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
8 dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms
12 ounces of fine dry rice vermicelli (Wai Wai brand recommended)
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced thin
1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
8 green onions, root end trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound char siu (Chinese barbecued pork), cut into matchsticks
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons oyster sauce

For sauce:

3 tablespoons Madras (hot) curry powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 cup chicken broth
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons hot chili paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Method:

1) If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them in hot water for half an hour. Drain, then cut off the stems. Slice the mushrooms thinly.
2) Put the rice vermicelli in a large bowl and soak in enough hot water to cover, until the noodles are soft (about 8 to 10 minutes). Drain noodles and set aside.
3) Start by heating up 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the curry powder, the ginger, and the minced garlic, and saute until fragrant. Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, sugar, and chili paste. Stir to combine and then cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
4) Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large wok over high heat. Add in the remaining garlic and ginger, and stir-fry until the garlic starts to become golden. Add in the celery, onion, pepper, sprouts, green onions, and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften. Set the vegetables aside in a bowl.
5) Heat the last 2 tablespoons of oil in the wok over high heat. Add in the shrimp and stir-fry until they start to turn pink on both sides. Add the char siu and toss to combine.
6) Add in the noodles and the vegetables. Pour on the sauce and also add the oyster sauce. Mix the ingredients thoroughly to coat all the noodles and incorporate all the vegetables.
7) Serve hot.

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients:

3 leg quarters cut into large pieces, washed and pat dry
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
4 tablespoons Kecap Manis (or C’bean Chinese Sauce), divided
1 heaping tablespoon green seasoning
2 teaspoons five-spice powder, divided
1 teaspoon grated garlic
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger, divided
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups long grain white rice
3 cups water
Canola oil
1 tablespoon fine chopped fresh ginger
3 clove garlic, smashed
Minced hot pepper to taste
½ cup diced carrots
½ cup green peas (fresh or defrosted)
½ cup diced bell peppers (red, green & yellow)
½ teaspoon MSG
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 eggs, beaten and lightly fried, and cut up
½ cup thinly sliced green onions (white & green parts)

Method:

Prep Ahead:

1. Add chicken, soy sauce, 2-tablespoons, Kecap Manis or Chinese sauce, green seasoning, 1-teaspoon 5-spice powder, grated garlic and ½ tablespoon grated garlic and salt and pepper to taste to a bowl and mix together. Set aside to marinate
2. Wash the rice about 3 – 5 times until water runs clear
3. Add rice, water, 1-tablespoon oil and salt to taste to pot. Stir, cover pot, set on high heat and bring to a boil. As soon as the pot comes to a boil, reduce heat to summer and let cook for 25 minutes. At the end of that time, remove the pot from the heat and leave untouched for 10 minutes then remove cover, fluff rice and spread it out on a large baking sheet to cool completely

Assembly:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil to large karahi/wok or deep frying pan
2. Remove chicken from marinade and sauté in pan. Let both side brown. Pour marinade and enough water to cook chicken, cover and cook until chicken is cooked through and there is just a little thick sauce remaining. Remove the pan from the stove and transfer the chicken and sauce to a bowl and set aside
3. Wipe the pan clean and add another 2 tablespoons oil and place on high heat
4. Add chopped ginger, smashed garlic and minced hot pepper and sauté for 30 seconds
5. Add carrots and cook for 30 – 45 seconds
6. Add peas, peppers and rice to pan and stir to mix; let cook for 2 – 3 minutes or until the rice is heated through
7. Sprinkle 5-spice powder, MSG, grated ginger, salt and pepper to taste and toss to mix thoroughly
8. Drizzle in sesame oil along with remainder 2-tablespoons Kecap Manis/Chinese Sauce and toss; cook for another minute
9. Add cooked chicken and drippings along with eggs to rice and toss to mix. Cook for another minute and serve garnished with green onions.

Chinese Fried Rice

Chinese Fried Rice Recipe

Ingredients:

4 cups overnight rice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/8 tablespoon salt
1/4 tablespoon sweet soy sauce (ABC Kecap Manis)
3 dashes white pepper powder
1 skinless and boneless chicken breast (cut into small cubes)
1 Chinese lap cheong/sausage (diced into small pieces)
1/2 cup baby shrimp
1/2 cup green peas
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
2 eggs (light beaten)
1 small piece of salted fish (diced into small pieces)

Method:

Heat up a wok with two tablespoons of oil. Add salted fish and fry until aromatic, set aside. Using the same oil, saute the garlic until aromatic. Add in chicken, baby shrimp, Chinese sausage and peas and stir fry until they are half cooked. Season with salt and continue to stir-fry until they are 80% cooked. Add in the overnight rice and stir well with the ingredients. Add in soy sauce, fish sauce, sweet soy sauce, white pepper powder and continue to fry the rice for a couple of minutes.

Make a “well” in the middle of the wok and pour the beaten eggs in the well. Wait for 30 seconds and then cover the “egg well” with rice. Leave it for 30 seconds and continue to stir-fry the fried rice so the eggs form small pieces and mix well with the fried rice. Add in the fried salted fish and do some quick stirs, dish out and serve the Chinese fried rice hot.

Fried Rice Recipe

Fried Rice Recipe

Ingredients:

12 oz. overnight rice
4 oz. chicken breast (cut into cubes)
4 oz. shrimp (cleaned and deveined)
2 oz. long beans (tips removed and chopped into very short pieces)
2 oz. carrots (cut into tiny cubes)
2 eggs (beaten)
2-inch ginger (peeled and cut into thin long strips)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoon cooking oil
3 dashes white pepper powder
Salt to taste (optional)

Method:

Heat up a wok with two tablespoons of oil. Add ginger strips and fry until aromatic, follow by chicken, shrimp, long beans and carrots. Stir fry until they are half cooked. Add in the overnight rice and stir well with the ingredients. Add soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper powder and continue to stir the fried rice for a couple of minutes.

Make a “well” in the middle of the fried rice and pour the beaten eggs in the well. Wait for 30 seconds and then cover the “egg well” with the fried rice. Leave it for 30 seconds and continue to stir-fry so the eggs form small pieces and mix well with the fried rice. Add in the fried salted fish and do some quick stirs, dish out and serve hot.