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.
   
   
   
   

THERMAL COOKER - PEARS, WHITE FUNGUS SWEET DESSERT

Another lovely sweet dessert which I prepared using my Thermal Cooker.  Again, it is so easy that I just leave it to cook without having to watch over the stove after boiling the ingredients for a specific time.  Cooking it this way, the water does not vapourised yet the ingredients especially the white fungus are soft and smooth.  

I boiled the ingredients for a longer time as there are the sweet and bitter almonds in this dessert.  Love the nuts which is crunchy and the pears tender.  The sweetness is just nice.

 It can be served warm or chilled as a refreshing and tasty dessert after a spicy meal.  My niece ate this and gives a Thumbs Up.  

Ingredients

2 Chinese pears - skinned and cut wedges or big cubes
2 florets white fungus - soaked and break into smaller florets
10 red dates
20 gm lum  hung [sweet almonds]
20 gm pak hung [bitter almonds]
1-2 tbsp wolfberries [kei chee]
2-3 blades screwpine [pandan] leaves

2 litres water

140 gm rock sugar

1. Place white fungus and almonds in the inner pot with water, bring to boil for 20 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients, boil for a further 20 minutes.
2. Cover with lid and transfer to outer pot. Leave to cook for a further 1 hour or so. 
3. Serve immediately or bring to boil again before serving, or chilled in the fridge.
4. Ladle into individual bowls to serve.
   
   
   
   

Note - the sweet and bitter almonds are available from Chinese Medical shop

THERMAL COOKER - GINGKO NUT AND WATERCHESTNUT DESSERT

This is a lovely sweet dessert which I prepared using my Thermal Cooker.  It is so easy that I leave it to cook without having to watch over the stove.  Cooking it this way, the water does not vapourised yet the ingredients especially the white fungus are soft and smooth.  The gingko nuts are not bitter and the water chestnuts stay crunchy and tasty.

I don't mind preparing it again.  It can be served warm or chilled.

Recipe adapted from my selected cookbook for Cookbook Countdown Event #5 -Yum Yum Magazine No. 48 [modified]

The recipe below uses normal pot to prepare.

If using Thermal Cooker

• place white fungus in inner pot with water, bring to boil for 10-15 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients, boil for a further 15 minutes.
• Cover with lid and transfer to outer pot. Leave to cook for a further 1 hour or so. 
• Serve immediately or bring to boil again before serving, or chilled in the fridge.

Ingredients
20 gingko nuts or more 

6-8 waterchestnuts - peeled and cubed

10 red dates

2 florets white fungus - soaked and break into smaller florets

quail eggs - boiled and shelled[I omit]

2-3 blades screwpine [pandan] leaves

1.5 litres water

70 gm rock sugar

1. Put all ingredients [except eggs] into a big pot.  Bring to boil over high heat for 10-15 minutes.
2. Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour.  Lastly add in the eggs [if using].
3. Ladle into individual bowls to serve.

This post is linked to Cookbook Countdown #5 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

THERMAL COOKER - SPARE RIBS WITH RED WINE RESIDUUM

This dish is a stew pork ribs recipe but instead of stewing in claypot, I cooked the ribs using my Thermal Cooker.  I have to choose thermal cooking as I didn't have much time to be at the stove.  This dish was prepared during the time when my MIL was in hospital.

I had marinated the pork ribs the night before and made the wrapping and cooking the next morning before leaving for the hospital.  When I'm back in the evening, the ribs are cooked and tender.  As I like the dish hot, I reheat the parcel just before serving.

This pork ribs are very tasty with the meat juices and nicely coloured by the red wine residuum.  It isn't oily at all.  Glad that my family can get enjoy this yummy meat dish during busy times with the use of thermal cooker.
Recipe adapted from this month's selected cookbook for Cookbook Countdown Event #5 -Yum Yum Magazine No. 48 [modified]

Ingredients

[serves 3-4]

500 gm meaty spare ribs - whole [make a few slits]

1 tbsp shredded ginger

3 tbsp red wine residuum [ang chow]

Seasoning

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar, sesame seed oil

3 tbsp shaoxing wine

1. Mix all the ingredients and marinate the ribs for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
2. Wrap the ribs with aluminum foil.  Seal well.
3. Pour 300 ml water into the inner pot of thermal cooker.   Put in the parcel, bring to boil for 20 minutes, off heat, cover the lid and transfer pot to the outer pot.  Close the lid and leave to cook for at least 2 hours.
4. Remove, garnish with spring onions and serve immediately [you may reheat the inner pot until the water dries up if there is still some water remaining in the inner pot or if you like to serve this dish hot].
5. If not using Thermal Cooker, you can heat up a clean wok, pour in 400 ml water and bring to boil.  Put in the parcel, cover with lid and cook for 30 minutes or until the water is dried.  Continue to cook for a further 3 minutes before removing.
6. Garnish and serve.
   
   
   

This post is linked to Cookbook Countdown #5 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

THERMAL COOKER - BUDDHA’S GOURD SWEET POTATO PORK RIB SOUP

These days, I love to cook soups using my Thermal Cooker especially those soups that require a longer simmering time like pork ribs and chicken. With the thermal cooker, I need not have to simmer soup or watch over the stove all the time. I find that the soups are clear and the meat are just tender. This soup is high in fibre, the natural sweetness comes from the Buddha’s gourd and sweet potatoes. The seasoning ingredients are salt, wine and pepper.

Moreover, the pork ribs are just tender together with the other ingredients.
 A good homey comfort soup suitable for all ages. 
Ingredients
1 small Buddha’s Gourd – washed and cut chunky pieces 
1 small sweet potato – peeled and cut chunky pieces 
300 gm meaty pork ribs – blanched and rinsed
4 dried mushrooms – soaked, keep whole or halved
1 tbsp wolfberries [kei chee] 
1 litre water or stock
Seasoning
1 tbsp wine
salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring water or stock to boil in inner pot of thermal cooker [you can cook this soup with normal pot, the usual way], add in pork ribs.
2. Bring to boil for about 20-25 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients and let in boil for another 5-10 minutes. Cover pot and transfer to outer pot of Thermal Cooker.
3. Close the lid and leave the soup to continue cooking in it. Soup should be ready within 1-2 hours.
4. Before serving, bring soup to boil, taste to adjust seasoning.
5. Serve hot in soup bowl.
   
    
   
   

EZCR#51 - THERMAL COOKER - GINGKO, CARROTS AND PORK RIBS SOUP

Again another easy soup prepared on one of my busy days using the Thermal Cooker.  Always good to have a good soup especially during this hot, humid weather.

This soup is a healthy soup with a combination of ingredients that are beneficial to ones health.  Gingko nuts [Bai Guo] are known for its anti aging properties and sharpen memory.  This herbal cuisine is good for all, especially weak children and the elderly. Long-term consumption helps nourish yin, maintain youth, fight aging, expand capillaries, improve metabolism, prompt ruddy and healthy look, provide extra energy, and grant longer and healthier lives.

We have this soup with glass noodles instead of rice for a light meal.  The soup is clear and and the ingredients are tender, lightly seasoned with a traditional flavour.

Ingredients

[serves 3]

300 gm meaty pork ribs

1 white carrot - peeled and cut wedges [keep the leaves]

1 red carrot - peeled and cut wedges

100 gm gingko nuts - shelled and skin removed

1 tbsp wolfberries [kei chee] - rinsed

several slices of ginger

3 big bowls of water

Seasoning

1 tbsp wine

salt and chicken stock granules to taste

dash of pepper

1. Bring water to boil and blanch pork ribs to remove scum.  Rinse well to remove any impurities.  Set aside.
2. Bring water to boil in inner pot of Thermal Cooker, add in all the ingredients.  Let it boil for 15-20 minutes.
3. Transfer pot to outer pot, cover the lid and leave to cook for 2 hours or until ribs are tender.
4. Serve hot with rice or blanched glass noodles.