July 27, 2013

Pork and Prawn Gyoza

Pork and Prawn Gyoza

How many gyoza fans do we have here? Me! I’m definitely one. It is one of those items that I frequently order at ramen shops to accompany my ramen. There are typically two ways of cooking gyoza – pan fried then steamed or fully fried. I prefer the pan fried then steamed version as I feel the steaming process keeps the filling juicy. I also like my gyoza made with more filling. Sadly, most store bought ones don’t quite make the cut – most ramen places that I frequent scrimp on the gyoza filling. SO…. I decided to make my own! Packed with more filling (oh so yummy), pan fried, then steamed.Continue Reading

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June 14, 2013

Daring Cooks June Meatball challenge: Meatballs two ways

sweet sour meatballs

The June Daring Cooks’ challenge sure kept us rolling – meatballs, that is! Shelley from C Mom Cook and Ruth from The Crafts of Mommyhood challenged us to try meatballs from around the world and to create our own meatball meal celebrating a culture or cuisine of our own choice.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Food for Tots, Meats and Seafood Tagged With: , , , , , 7 Comments
January 21, 2013

Braised Pork Belly

tau yew bak Alas, after multiple attempts to post the recipe, this post is finally successful. It must be some bug in the recipe widget that does not like pork belly! Anyhow, this is one of my comfort foods – salty, fragrant, garlicky, fatty goodness. I cut down the fatty portion by not eating the layers of fat, and only eating the meat. My husband chastised me on this every so often. He declares that the fatty portion of the braised pork belly is the best portion! I’m sure many readers will agree.

Whether or not you eat the fatty part of the pork belly, this recipe is sure to please. My toddler loves the egg and tau kwa that goes into this! The pork belly is soft and tender, as a result of the braising process. Absolutely delicious. If you wish to reduce the calorie intake of this dish, replace the pork belly with pork shoulder. For non-pork eating friends, you can replace the pork belly with chicken too!

As I am typing, this dish is cooking in the kitchen. My mom’s version though, not mine. My mom adds chilli to this dish to add some heat and more star anise and cloves than I like. She sometimes uses the packet ingredients for Tau Yew Bak too. I’m partial to my version though. Try it and let me know!

Tau Yew Bak

Print recipe
Tau Yew Bak
Serves 6-8
Prep time 30 minutes
Cook time 1 hour, 15 minutes
Total time 1 hour, 45 minutes
Meal type Lunch, Main Dish
Misc Serve Hot
Region Chinese

Ingredients

  • 600g Pork Belly (Sliced)
  • 8 Dried Chinese mushrooms (Soaked and stalks removed)
  • 5 cloves Garlic (Lightly pounded)
  • 1 piece Tau Kwa (firm tofu) (Cut into large cubes)
  • 10 small tofu puffs (Tau Pok)
  • 6 hard boiled eggs (Peeled)
  • 3 tablespoons dark soya sauce
  • 3 tablespoons light soya sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 star anise
  • 6 cloves
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 800ml water

Directions

Step 1
Season pork belly with 1 tbsp of dark soya and light soya sauce. Leave meat to marinate for 30 minutes.
Step 2
In a large claypot or casserole, lightly brown pork belly. (No oil is needed)
Step 3
Add garlic and mushrooms and stir to combine. Cook for 3 minutes.
Step 4
Add tau kwa, remaining dark and light soya sauces, sugar and pepper. Mix well and allow to cook for another 5 minutes.
Step 5
Add in star anise, cloves, cinnamon and water and bring to a boil.
Step 6
Allow to boil for 5 minutes then add tau pok and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 7
Add hard boiled eggs and simmer for another 40 minutes or until meat is tender.
Step 8
Serve hot with rice.
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May 5, 2010

Pork wrapped asparagus with sesame seeds

My mom-in-law gave us two thick stalks of asparagus today. I decided to make use of some of the left over ingredients that we had to make something rather unique.

What’s that you ask? Well, it’s asparagus wrapped with thinly sliced pork and coated with sesame seeds. These are baked for just 5-10 minutes and they’re really very good. One bite into the asparagus and you taste a varety of flavours. The fragrance of the roasted sesame seeds blended with the pork and the juiciness of the asparagus. Yums. I will definitely do this again, maybe with white sesame seeds.

Ingredients:
12 stalks of asparagus (regular sized ones)
12 thin pieces of pork (substitute with proscuitto if you like)
1 cup of flour
1 cup of white/black sesame seeds
1 egg, beaten

Method:

  1. Wash and dry asparagus and remove skin of bottom half if necessary. If asparagus is too long, halve them.
  2. Coat asparagus with flour.
  3. Dip it in egg and coat evenly with sesame seeds.
  4. Place it on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes at 180°C.
  6. Serve with mayonnaise or wasabi mayonnaise.
Filed Under: Baking and Cooking, Vegetables and Fruit Tagged With: , , Leave a Comment