DRIED FIGS, YOKE CHOK CHICKEN SOUP

This is an easy and simple herbal soup which is soothing for the body.  A rather quick cook soup than that with various herbs which requires long simmering time to bring out the flavours.  This one requires the soup to be boiled for 5 minutes, then simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes.

It is a clear soup that is sweet and fulfilling and not oily with the skin removed.  Lovely soup to go with rice.

What is Yoke Chok? - This is a yellowish root that usually comes in silvers.  It is said that Buddhist priests use it for its anaphrodisiac properties.  Also reputedly good for treatment of pancreas, lungs and throat ailments.

Recipe adapted from my selected cookbook for this month's Cookbook Countdown Event#6 - Home Cooking June 2001 issue [with modifications]

Ingredients

1/2 a chicken or 2 piece chicken whole legs - skinned and cut bite size pieces

5 pieces dried figs

10 strips of yoke chok

3-4 red dates

1 litre water

1/2 tsp salt to taste

1. Blanch chicken in boiling water for several seconds.  Drained and rinsed.
2. Bring water, dates and herbs to boil in a soup pot or claypot for 5-10 minutes before adding the chicken.
3. Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked and tender.  Serve hot.
4. You may simmer the soup for longer time to get a more concentrated soup as a result of evaporation. 

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Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

CHRYSANTHEMUM AND YONG SUM SOE TEA

This is one of the simplest and fastest herbal drink that we can prepare.   It is a soothing brew that can be drunk hot or chilled and is believed to be cooling for the body.  When preparing herbal soups or drinks, it usually takes a longer time but the best way to brew chrysanthemum is to steep it.  Rapid boiling will dissipate its flavour and result in a slightly bitter drink.

Note - Yong Sum Soe [aka hairs of Ginseng roots] - This is a grade of Ginseng that us used as in tonics or sweet soups and tea.  It is said to be 'cooling' for the body when taken in moderation.  Ginseng is also believed to give energy and strength and to permit healing qualities to work after a bout of illness.

Recipe adapted from my selected cookbook for this month Cookbook Countdown Event#6 - Home Cooking June 2001 issue

Ingredients

30 gm dried chrysanthemum petals

10 gm yong sam soe [available from Chinese medical shops]

80 gm rock sugar

1.5 litres water

1. Boil rock sugar with water in a large pot until sugar dissolves.
2. Steep chrysanthemum and yong sam soe in boiled sugar water, covered for 10-15 minutes or until flavour is infused.
3. Allow to cool before drinking.

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Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

TASTY STEAMED CHICKEN

This is one steamed chicken recipe which I found while clearing my file.  During my younger days [when I don't have a kitchen of my own], I used to collect easy recipes that I  came across, having in mind that I will prepare them when I have a kitchen all to myself.

I love trying new dishes but my mom and mother in-law are quite 'conservative' about trying new recipes or even new methods of food preparation.  They still prefer their old ways while I love to cut short and make things easy, after all, these days, we can't afford to waste much time as there are ample things in life to do. 

Anyway, back to this dish, it is easy and simple.  Just mix ingredients with the seasoning, arrange them in a steaming bowl or plate and then steam to cook.  One aromatic, nutritious and tasty dish waiting to be savour....The ingredients absorbed the tasty flavours of the seasoning when steamed.

Ingredients

2 chicken whole legs - skin removed and cut bite size pieces

Marinade for Chicken

1 tsp each light soy sauce and oyster sauce

1/2 tsp sesame seed oil and cornflour

dash of msg [optional]

Marinade for dried ingredients

1 tsp each light soy sauce and oyster sauce

1/2 tsp sesame seed oil and cornflour
dash of msg and sugar to taste
4 dried mushrooms - soaked, halved or quartered
some cloud ear fungus - soaked 
30 dried lily buds - soaked and knotted, hard tip removed
1 tbsp shredded ginger

1. Marinate chicken pieces and dried ingredients with marinades for 10 minutes.
2. Put marinated dried ingredients onto a steaming bowl or plate, arrange marinated chicken pieces on top.
3. Steam over high heat for 25-30 minutes.
4. Remove and garnish with some chopped spring onions.  Serve immediately.
   
   

OIL AND WATER FREE BRAISED CHICKEN

Does the name of this dish attracts your attention?  I saw this recipe on local TV [Hua Hee Makan-makan] featuring Chinese Sarawakian family dishes. This dish aka 'Cham Po Chicken' is cooked without oil and water.  Surprisingly, it turned out to be well cooked and tasty.  It tastes slightly sweet instead of savoury.

Probably, it is the marinating that makes it tasty and cooking it in a non-stick wok prevents the chicken getting burnt eventhough no water is added.  The moisture of the chicken is drawn when  covering the wok, thus helping to cook the chicken.

Ingredients

1/2 free range chicken - cut bite size pieces

1 yellow onion - peeled and quartered

some spring onions - cut 1 inch length

Marinade

1 tbsp each chopped garlic and ginger

some chopped spring onions

1 tbsp each light soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1/2 tbsp cornflour

1. Marinate chicken for at least 2-3 hours in the fridge. 
2. Heat up a non stick wok, add in marinated chicken, stir fry constantly for 5-10 minutes.  Low heat, cover lid and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring in between cooking.
3. Remove cover, add in onions, fry until chicken and onions are cooked through. 
4. Lastly, add in some spring onions.
5. Dish up to serve.

THERMAL COOKER - CHICKEN, WHITE FUNGUS AND GOJI SOUP

I have cooked a similar soup like this [here] using a soup pot.  This time, I tried preparing this soup with my Thermal Cooker after watching the recipe in a TV show.  It is a family style soup from a Sarawakian family.  The ingredients are simple with only 3 ingredients [white fungus, chicken and goji].

Instead of meaty chicken, I used free range chicken.  The soup is clear, tasty and not oily.  The white fungus is soft.  Nice slurpy soup that is so easy to prepare.   

I transfer the soup into a claypot and reheat before serving.

Ingredients

1/2 free range chicken - cut bite size pieces [with or without skin]

10 gm white fungus - soaked to fluff up - break into florets

1-2 tbsp wolfberries [goji] - rinsed and drained

salt and chicken stock granules to taste

1.2 litres water [adjust accordingly]

1. Blanch chicken pieces in boiling water to remove any scums.  Rinsed.
2. Pour water into the inner pot of thermal cooker, bring to boil with white fungus.  Add in chicken and goji when water boils.
3. Bring to boil for a further 10 minutes.  Add in seasoning to tastes.  Off heat, cover lid and transfer pot to outer pot. Close lid and leave soup to cook for 1 to 2 hours.
4. Remove inner pot from cooker, reheat soup before serving [if you prefer hot boiling soup] otherwise, serve immediately.
   
   
   
   

KAN SUI CHUNG WITH TAU SAR

It's time for rice dumpling making.  This year due to time constraint, I made only this alkaline rice dumplings with red bean paste filling.  Not as time consuming as I can prepare the filling earlier.

The dumplings turned out alright with chewy [QQ] texture and the red bean paste is not too sweet.  

Recipe adapted from my selected cookbook for this month's Cookbook Countdown Event#6 - Home Cooking June 2001 issue [with modifications]

Ingredients For Red Bean Paste Filling

300 gm red beans - washed and soaked overnight
200 gm brown sugar
3 tsp corn oil
700 ml water

1. To Make the Red Bean Paste - put soaked red beans and water in a large potand bring to boil,  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 hour or until the beans are soft.
2. Put cooked beans and brown sugar in a processor and blend to a smooth paste.
3. Heat up a non stick wok with oil, stir in bean paste and cook for 3-4 minutes until sugar is dissolves and paste is dry.
4. Cool and store in the refrigerator until needed.

Ingredients For Rice Dumplings

600 gm glutinous rice - washed and soaked for at least 4 -5 hours or overnight.

1 tbsp alkaline water

1/4 tsp borax or bicarbonate of soda

60 pieces bamboo leaves - rinsed and boiled in water for 5 minutes to soften.  Wipe dry

some strings to tie dumplings

1. Drain soaked rice in colander.  Transfer to a big bowl and mix rice with alkaline water.  Leave to rest for 15 minutes [not longer than 2 hours].
2. Pile 2 bamboo leaves togehter and fold it into a cone, spoon 1 tablespoon rice following by a small ball of red bean paste and finishing off with rice again [1 tbsp].
3. Wrap the dumpling into a cone shape and secure with string.  Finish wrapping the rice dumplings.
4. Place the dumplings in a large pot of water, add in bicarbonate of soda and bring to a boil.
5. Continue to boil dumpling over medium heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours [making sure that the dumplings are fully submerged in water].
6. When cooked, leave the dumplings to cool completely for at least 1-2 hours to make the rice stickier and more fragrant.

I am sharing this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray