Sweet Corn and Black Bean Salad

This is the salad that I have been eating all summer long. Well, ever since I discovered it at my Sister-In-Law's house back in June.

My Sister-In-Law always serves at least two amazing salads at her dinner parties. The list of salads on her menu rotate as she experiments with different recipes. This leads me to constantly asking her for recipes and helping myself to countless servings shamelessly as a dinner guest. My worst offense has been with this particular salad, where I was responsible for eating most if not all of it. If I recall correctly, other people wanted a second serving as well. Well, first come first served.

Since I couldn't get enough of this salad at my Sister-In-Law's, I had to make it for myself many times to satiate those pesky cravings.

This salad taste best when you use fresh, in season corn and tomatoes. Serve this salad as a side or a main entree, as it's guaranteed to please even the fussiest eaters. I hope your guests will be a little more considerate than I was at sharing.

Ingredients
2 corn off the cob (check out how to cook corn in 3 minutes) or 12 oz (360 ml) can of peaches and cream corn, rinsed and drained
3 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced into small pieces
12 oz (360 ml) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup finely minced red onion
1/8 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped into bite sized pieces

Dressing
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp ground cumin*
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions
1. Combine corn kernels, tomatoes, black beans, red onion and cilantro in a bowl.

2. Mix the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl. Pour the dressing into the vegetables and mix. Allow the salad to marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour in the refrigerator for best flavor. Stir in the avocado right before serving.

*For those with peanut and/or tree nut allergies, Clubhouse/McCormick sells spices free of peanuts and tree nuts. This may change without notice, please check with company for up to date information and always read all labels carefully before consuming.

Source: Lola via Frugal Allergy Mom

Braised Tofu Stir Fry (Vegetarian)

My late grandmother was a huge fan of braising: tofu, pork, fish, chicken, you name it. In Mandarin, the words "hong shao" translates literally into "red braised", which generally refers to food cooked slowly and simmered for a long time.

When I saw this recipe, it reminded me of another dish my grandmother would make frequently. I made a few changes to the recipe to reflect how my grandmother made it. I pan-fried the tofu until it was golden brown and used different vegetables than requested for in the recipe. I would highly recommend pan frying the tofu until it is golden brown; otherwise, the tofu will fall apart when you stir fry it. If you are using a non-stick pan, it will also take longer to pan-fry the tofu than in a wok. As for the vegetables, you can use any vegetables you have on hand such as thinly sliced carrots, snow peas, sugar peas, celery or sui choy.

This recipe was definitely a winner in my books. The little man preferred the Chinese Braised Stuffed Tofu as it is more flavorful, easier to spear with chopsticks (he's learning quickly!) and tastes the least like tofu (which I suspect is the reason why he was not a fan of this dish). Next time, I will try using deep fried tofu instead of medium firm tofu and switch up the vegetables to see if it will help change my little man's mind (bell peppers are not his favorite).

Ingredients
1 package medium firm tofu (2 blocks)
5 shitake mushrooms, fresh or dry
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Sauce
1-1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Cornstarch Slurry
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water

Directions
1. If using dried shitake mushrooms, soak it in a bowl of hot water. Cover the bowl with a plate and soak for at least 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, wash the shitake mushrooms thoroughly under running water. Slice the shitake mushrooms into thin slices.

2. Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch thick slices.

3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat or a wok over high heat. Pour in the vegetable oil.

4. Add the tofu in a single layer. Sear each side until it is golden brown.

5. In a bowl, mix the vegetable stock, oyster sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, shaoxing wine, sugar and salt.

6. Pour in the stock mixture, add in the garlic and sliced shitake mushrooms.

7. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes.

8. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and the water. Set aside.

9. Remove the lid and add in the vegetables and cornstarch slurry. Gently stir the tofu, making sure not to break the tofu.

10. Simmer until the sauce has thickened. Serve hot over steamed rice.

Source: Slightly adapted from Woks of Life

Chinese Braised Stuffed Tofu

Braised stuffed tofu is one of my late grandmother's signature dishes. It is a homey and comforting dish that my grandmother would simmer on her stove while she cooks other dishes for dinner.

My late grandmother would patiently stuff each deep fried tofu puff with a seasoned ground pork mixture. She would then braise the stuffed tofu in a soy sauce mixture along with Chinese sui choy (cabbage).

Served piping hot, I would carefully bite into the stuffed tofu and savor the flavorful pork and tofu puffs. Once I had my fill of the stuffed tofu, I would ladle the sauce and sui choy into my bowl of rice and I would happily scarf it down, proclaiming to my grandmother how much I love this dish.

When I remade this dish recently (without my late grandmother's recipe), I looked up a sauce that shared similar taste profile as the one my late grandmother lovingly made for me again and again. I think I stumbled across a winning combination that has won over my little man's heart. He happily ate 3 stuffed tofu, no small feat for a toddler his size! I am excited to make this dish again as it reminds me of my late grandmother and the happiness it brings my little man.

Ingredients
Meat Mixture
1/2 pound lean ground pork
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 bunch cilantro leaves, finely chopped (optional)
1-1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp freshly minced ginger
1 egg

Sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

1 package of deep fried tofu puffs (regular size)
5 leaves of Chinese cabbage (sui choy or napa), sliced into bite sized pieces
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp ginger, finely minced

Directions
1. Mix pork, cornstarch, cilantro, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger and egg in a bowl. Using your hands, mix the meat mixture until it is thoroughly combined.

This recipe has been doubled. I used the other half for Winter Melon Soup.

2. With a sharp pairing knife, cut an 'X' in each deep fried tofu puff. Using a small teaspoon, stuff each tofu puff with the meat mixture. Set aside.

3. Over medium heat, pour in vegetable oil in a large saute pan on. Add garlic and ginger and stir fry until fragrant.

4. Stir in Chinese cabbage and saute for a minute or two.

5. Mix the oyster sauce, sesame oil, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, shaoxing wine, sugar and salt in a bowl. Pour this mixture into the saute pan. Bring this to a boil.

6. After the sauce boils, push the chinese cabbage to the side and add in the tofu puffs (stuffed side up). Ladle some of the sauce over the tofu puffs, cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes.

7. Lift the lid and flip the tofu puffs so the stuffed side is simmering in the sauce. Cover lid and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Source: Frugal Allergy Mom, The Woks of Life and Allrecipes

Chinese Long Life Noodles (E-Fu Noodles)

Growing up, my mom and grandmother would prepare long life noodles (also called E-Fu noodles or Yee Mein) for my birthday each year. It is a Chinese tradition to eat noodles on your birthday to wish for longevity. These noodles are sometimes called "Birthday Noodles".

As if eating with chopsticks was not challenging enough, you must not break the noodles when you are serving or eating the noodles. Severing the noodles will mean you are "cutting your life short". (Psst, don't be too worried if you break the noodles.)

Long life noodles are also served on Chinese New Year and at wedding banquets. It is always one of the most popular dishes served. So act fast, otherwise you will miss out on some very delicious noodles.

Ingredients
1 package (226 g/8 oz) deep fried noodles (yee mein/E-Fu noodles)
10 medium dried shitake mushrooms
250 ml reserved shitake mushroom soaking water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp chicken bouillon (optional)
4 tbsp oyster sauce
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
200 g bean sprouts

Directions
1. Place shitake mushrooms in a large bowl and add enough boiling hot water to cover. Soak the dried shitake mushrooms for an hour. Cover the bowl with a plate.

2. After an hour has passed, reserve the soaking water and wash the shitake mushrooms thoroughly under running water. Squeeze dry. Cut off the stems (optional for a nicer presentation).

3. Line a fine mesh sieve with a coffee filter. Place the sieve over a bowl and pour the mushroom soaking water into the sieve. Reserve liquid and discard coffee filter.

4. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain.

5. In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and saute the mushrooms over low heat for 8 minutes until cooked; flipping occasionally.

6. Mix reserved mushroom soaking water, chicken bouillon, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar in a bowl. Pour in the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil.

7. Next add in the noodles and carefully stir until the noodles are coated with the sauce. Add in the bean sprouts.

8. Simmer until most of the sauce has evaporated. Serve immediately.

Source: Slightly adapted from Cuisine Paradise

Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

While shopping at my local Chinese supermarket a couple weeks back, I saw Chinese eggplants on sale. These eggplants were vibrant purple, plump and had a smooth skin without any blemishes. In all my years of grocery shopping, it is rare you come across fresh eggplants like these on sale, so I had to pick up a few to bring home.

I wanted to try to recreate the eggplant dish that I always order at Chinese restaurants: with ample amount of garlic, soft and tender eggplants that maintain their vibrant purple hue. The best stir-fried eggplant I have had is from the food stalls in Yaohan Centre in Richmond, but it has been well over a year since I have eaten there.

I searched online and came across a recipe that looked good. I made two changes to the original recipe: omitting the chili peppers as it would be too spicy for the little man, and omitting the black vinegar. This recipe tastes delicious but the eggplants lost its color during the cooking process and turned a dark brownish purple, despite my attempt to blanch them quickly in hot water.

Afterwards, I did a little research and found out the reason why my eggplants turned brown. One thread on Chowhund said that to prevent the skin of the eggplant from oxidizing (turning brown), you need to either weigh the eggplants down with a plate when blanching or deep fry the eggplants in 3 inches of hot oil. Next time I see eggplants on sale again, I will have to try this tip out!

If you decide to make this recipe, please let me know if you try the Chowhund tip above and how (and if) it worked for you.

Ingredients
4 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
3 large Chinese or Japanese eggplants, cut into 2 inch long strips
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp ginger, finely minced
2 stalks green onion, chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar

Directions
1. In a pot of boiling water, blanch the eggplants for 15 seconds. (To maintain the eggplant's purple color, the tip from Chowhund said to weigh the eggplants down with a plate or deep fry the eggplants in 3 inches of hot oil). Drain the eggplants and immerse them in cold water to stop the cooking process.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a wok or cast iron pan over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering and the pan is hot, add the eggplants in a single layer and cook for a minute.

3. Flip the eggplant to cook the other side for another minute or two. Remove from the pan.

4. Pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan. Stir fry the garlic, ginger and green onion until fragrant.

5. Mix the eggplants, garlic, ginger and green onion together. Add in soy sauce, sugar and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Source: Slightly adapted from Steamy Kitchen

Vegetarian Jai (Buddha's Delight)

It was 2013 and I was preparing to make my first Chinese New Year dinner for my husband and I. My husband mentioned that growing up, my Mother-In-Law always made Jai (or Buddha's Feast or Buddha's Delight), as part of the Chinese New Year dinner.

Jai (Buddha's Delight)

Jai is a vegetarian dish typically eaten on the first day of Chinese New Year to usher in good luck. Each ingredient represents a wish made for the new year. Though the ingredients vary from recipe to recipe, the most important ingredient in Jai is black moss (which sounds like fat choy = wealth in Cantonese).

After my grandmother passed away in October 2007, one of my regrets was not writing down any of her recipes. I did not want the same thing to happen to the rest of our family recipes so my husband and I started a Google Drive account to document all the family recipes.

Since Jai played an important role in my husband's Chinese New Year celebrations, I wanted to make it a part of our Chinese New Year dinners to carry on tradition.

Given I have never tasted this dish, who better else to ask than Mother-In-Law?

As I expected, my Mother-In-Law subscribed to the Chinese way of cooking. She does not use standardized measurements and cooked by sight and taste. My Mother-In-Law described how she makes Jai and what ingredients she used. With the help of a website she sent me as a starting point, I made my first Jai.

Let me tell you, my first attempt at Jai tasted awful.

It tasted awful solely because I did not wash out my rehydrated dried vegetables thoroughly, which resulted in gritty tasting Jai.

Sediment from the shitake mushrooms: not what you want in your Jai.

When I explained the issue to my Mother-In-Law, she chuckled and kindly explained that I needed to wash each rehydrated vegetable at least 5 to 10 times, sometimes even more. That was why my Jai tasted gritty as the dirt from the rehydrated vegetables was in my dish.

Needless to say, I have learned from my mistake and now wash all my rehydrated dried vegetables very thoroughly. Having made Jai three years in a row, my husband and I are both very excited to eat Jai as part of our Chinese New Year celebrations.

Chinese New Year celebration

Ingredients
1 cup, dried wood ear
1 cup, dried lily buds
1 cup, dried black moss (fat choy)
2 cups, dried Shitake mushrooms
2 sticks of dried bean curd sticks
1 lotus root (about 6 inches in length)
1/2 package, tofu puffs, cut diagonally
5 leaves of sui choy, washed and cut into large bite sized pieces
2 bunches of dried vermicelli noodles
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 inch of ginger, finely minced
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
3 red bean curd squares and 1/4 cup bean curd liquid
2 cups reserved shitake mushroom liquid, strained (see note below)
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar

Red bean curd

Directions
Preparation
1. Set out 4 large bowls and place wood ear, lily buds, black moss and and shitake mushrooms into each bowl. Fill each bowl with boiling hot water and cover each bowl with a plate. Soak for at least 2 hours.

Top left clockwise: wood ear, lily buds, black moss, shitake mushrooms

Note: Failure to wash the ingredients thoroughly will result in a gritty tasting Jai.
2. After two hours, take out the rehydrated shitake mushrooms and save the soaking liquid. Wash the shitake mushroom thoroughly, at least 5 times under running water. Make sure to scrub under the gills of the mushroom to wash away any dirt. Squeeze dry. Cut the larger mushrooms in half and set aside.

3. Drain the water from the black moss. Rinse the bowl and fill with fresh water. Wash and massage the black moss. Repeat at least 10 times as the black moss is the dirtiest of all the dried vegetables and the hardest to clean. Squeeze dry and set aside.

4. Wash and scrub the wood ear thoroughly with your fingers under running water at least 5 times. Squeeze dry. Cut off the stem end (tough part) of each wood ear and discard. Cut the rest of the wood ear into large bite sized pieces. Set aside.

Cut off the tough part of the wood ear.

5. Wash the lily buds thoroughly under running water at least 5 times. Squeeze dry and set aside.

6. In a large container, soak the dried bean curd sticks in cold water. Use a plate to weigh the bean curds down and fully immerse them under water for at least 30 minutes or until soft. Cut into large bite sized pieces and set aside.

Rehydrate in cold water until soft.

7. Wash and peel the lotus root. Cut into 1/8 inch thick slices. Rinse under running water and drain. Set aside.

8. Soak the vermicelli noodles in cold water for 15 minutes. Drain.

Top: Lotus root, lily buds, black moss, shitake mushrooms. Middle: wood ear, tofu puffs, sui choy. Bottom: vermicelli, bean curd sticks, red bean curd (in jar).

 
Cooking
9. In a large pot over medium high heat, add vegetable oil, garlic and ginger. Saute until fragrant.

10. Add shitake mushrooms and stir fry for 2 minutes.

11. Then add in lily buds and stir fry for 2 minutes.

12. Next, add in wood ear and stir fry for 2 minutes.

13. Stir in the lotus root and stir fry for 2 minutes.

14. Mash the red bean curd squares in a bowl and mix with the bean curd liquid until it forms a thick paste. Add the red bean curd paste to the pot and stir until it is mixed through.

15. Take the reserved mushroom liquid and pour it through a sieve lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth. (If you don't have either, a clean kitchen paper towel, like Bounce or Sponge Towel will work as well).

16. Pour the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and strained mushroom liquid into the pot and stir.

17. Stir in the black moss.

18. Add in the tofu puffs, sui choy and stir until it is well mixed. Cover and bring the mixture to a simmer.

19. Gently stir in the bean curd sticks. Be careful not to break the bean curd sticks when stirring. Bring the Jai to a simmer.

20. Once the Jai reaches a simmer, stir in the vermicelli noodles and turn off the heat. Mix the noodles and cover with a lid.

21. Keep the pot on the stove to cook the vermicelli noodles until al dente. Serve hot with rice.

Any leftovers can be frozen for up to one month. Sadly, we never have leftovers.

Source: Frugal Allergy Mom

Chinese Braised Fish (Hong Shao Yu)

Lately, I have been craving Chinese food. One dish that I have been meaning to make for a long time is a dish called Hong Shao Yu (the literal translation is "Red Braised Fish"). This is another one of my grandmother's famous dishes.

This Chinese braised fish recipe tastes similar to the Filipino dish adobo, which I also adore. The fish is first pan-fried and then simmered in a mildly sweet and savory sauce, which tastes amazing over a bowl of steamed (white) rice.

My only recommendation is to use a thicker white fish fillet (1/2 inch or thicker) as my thin sole fillets fell apart when I tried to pan fry it.

This recipe comes close to my grandmother's version but it does not quite taste the same. Even though my search goes on, I have to admit that this recipe is a keeper and definitely satiated my craving for Chinese food.

Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb fish fillet (preferably 1/2 inch or thicker)
1 stalk of green onion, chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, sliced into coins
1 cup water
1/4 cup Chinese cooking wine (or rice wine)
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 stalk of green onion, chopped (for garnish)

Cornstarch Slurry
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water

Directions
1. Add oil to a pan over medium-high heat.

2. Pat both sides the fish fillet dry with a paper towel.

3. Add the fish to the pan and cook each side until is it golden (about 1 to 2 minutes). Transfer the fish to a plate.

4. To the same pan, add green onions and ginger. Stir fry until fragrant.

5. Add in water, cooking wine, soy sauce and brown sugar. Mix and bring to a boil.

6. Once the sauce reaches a boil, return fish to the pan.

7. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until it is cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes.

8. Transfer fish to a serving platter.

9. Mix the cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water in a small measuring cup. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the pan.

10. Increase heat to medium-high to reduce the sauce until it is thickened, about 4 to 6 minutes.

11. Pour sauce over the fish and garnish with green onions. Serve immediately as part of a multi-course meal.

Source: Adapted from Saveur