Episode 1: Steamed eggs and pan-fried egg omelette
For steamed eggs, you need:
2 Large Eggs
Equal amount of Water (~60-80ml depending on size of egg)
Spring onions
Sesame oil
Soy Sauce
1. prepare a steamer.
2. Whip egg with water, pour into a shallow bowl (cover with a plate or plastic wrap for smoother surface appearance of egg when cooked)
3. steam for 10-12 mins, the consistency should be like soft tofu.
4. season to taste with soy sauce and/or sesame oil.
5. garnish with scallions/spring onions, finely chopped.
For the pan-fried shrimp omelette, you need:
2 Eggs
5 Large Shrimps (or more)
1-2 stalks of Spring Onions
Salt
Sesame Oil
Soy Sauce
1. Thaw shrimp, diced into approximated 1/3 " cubes.
(note: try to keep the dice of an even size, so shrimp cooks evenly and consistency of texture can be achieved)
2. With flame on high, preheat wok or skillet or frying pan with oil.
3. Whip the eggs, add a pinch of salt, or more if you want a really savory omelette.
4. Finely dice spring onions, add to eggs.
5. When wok is hot, add diced shrimp, stir to ensure even heating. Remove immediately and add to egg mixture when shrimp turns pink and loses distinctive translucent appearance . Shrimp should be still succulent.
(Do not worry that it will be undercooked, the heat from cooking the omelette will complete the cooking process, and better still the moisture from the shrimp will infuse into the egg instead of evaporating; further, this minimizes chances of overcooking the shrimp, ensuring an omelette that has an interesting texture in the mouth).
6. With flame still on high, add more oil to the pan. Make sure amount of oil is enough to encircle omelette when you add the egg mixture. Have faith in yourself, trial and error works.
7. When oil is hot, add in egg mixture. The color should change immediately, which the part in contact with the oil turning opaque. Move the pan and rotate it so that the uncooked egg proteins (translucent looking) is spread to the edge of the omelette, coming into contact with the excess oil, it should turn opaque on contact as well.
8. Return pan to flame. Wait till the bottom turns golden brown, then flip the omelette. (judge either by gently lifting the omelette on the side, or when you smell the egg caramelizing--an earthy roasted flavor)
9. When the other side has turn golden brown too, plate and add soy sauce and sesame oil. Serve hot.
Episode 2: Making fancy ice cream in a dining hall
Watch the episode only as an example; really there are no fixed rules. Be observant, be creative, and have fun at your own dining halls.
Episode 3: Broth-cooked napa cabbage and water spinach
Chicken broth
napa cabbage
oyster sauce
dried scallops
garlic
shiitake mushroom
Pre-cooking:
soak dried scallops over night in cold water (just enough to cover it; not too much water or you're losing all the flavor). Squeeze scallops to remove excess water before use for dish.
Soak dried shiitake mushroom, for an hour or two in cold water (or 20 mins in hot water, or one-and-a-half minute in cold water put into the microwave).
1. preheat wok on high, remove leaves from cabbage, rough rinse (you can choose to cut the cabbage into smaller pieces, depending on how you would want to present them).
2. add garlic to the wok, when it is turns golden, add cabbage pieces, give them a rough stir. (I added the leaves all in the same direction, and stirred them without disturbing that arrangement; purpose is for ease of removal and beauty in presentation afterwards.)
3. pour in chicken broth, add rehydrated scallops and shiitake mushrooms.
4. when broth is boiling, cover, and let simmer (turn flame from high to low or medium low), from anywhere between 10-30 minutes, depending on how soft you want your cabbage.
5. serve with some broth in a deep enough dish, finish with oyster sauce laced lightly on the surface of the vegetable. The dried scallops and mushrooms are meant to be eaten.
(note: if you want to make it a standalone dish, add a piece of chicken thigh, or strips of chicken breast thinly-sliced on top of the cabbage just before you cover it to steam. The meat depending on type and size takes anywhere between 10 to 25 minutes to cook.)
For water spinach with fermented soy bean sauce
Morning glory (water spinach)
chinese fermented soybeans (In my sauce, I used those that come in little cubes in a glass bottle. In Cantonese, say to the storekeeper: FOO--YU'I [drag out that "e" sound]; in Mandarin, FOO-RUUH)
garlic
1. Soak the vegetables for about 10 minutes in water (the vegetables, if from Asia, are bound to contain pesticides. I like to play it safe.)
2. Cut into 3-4 inch segments, keeping the stem and leaves separate because the stems require about 1 minute longer to cook.
3. In a preheated wok, add garlic, when golden, add stem and stir a little.
4. In a bowl, add 2 cubes (or to taste when you're used to it) of ferment soybean. Add water and mix to create a watery sauce.
5. When the stems are cooked (look for it turning into a luminous green), add the leaves, give it a quick stir (10-15 seconds), then add in the bean sauce. Cover and let steam for under 1 minute.
6. Serve. (salt only in absolutely necessary, the fermented bean is itself salty)
Episode 4: Making spinach egg drop soup in a dining hall
One egg
Some tomato
Spinach
Onion and mushroom (optional, only to add a little flavor)
Salt
- Put as much spinach as you can in the bowl, add hot water and sliced tomatoes (about 3-4 thumbed-sized pieces for a small bowl). Add mushroom 2 heads, and onion, 3 or 4 slivers if you have them.
- Microwave covered on high for about 2 minutes. (Tip is to sandwich your bowl with 2 plates, so you can take the hot soup out from the microwave easily.)
- During this time, whip your egg.
- Uncover the bowl after 2 minutes, add whipped egg to bowl of soup, cover, and microwave for another 30 seconds.
- Salt to taste. Pepper optional.
Episode 5: Honeydew Melon Dessert Soup
Honeydew Melon, diced (important to let it ripen before use, otherwise the soup will be tasteless)
Coconut milk
Chinese Rock Sugar (sometimes called "Rock candy")
Tapioca
-->No set quantity, all to taste.
1. Bring pot of water to boil, and prepare another pot/kettle of boiling water.
2. Add honey dew melon to pot, let it boil for 5 minutes, then put on simmer.
3. In a separate bowl, soak tapioca in hot water (from kettle) for 30 minutes.
4. The tapioca should be translucent on the outside, though the core might still be white, it is fine. Sieve, or at least remove majority of the water.
5. Bring the pot back to a boil, add the tapioca. Let it boil for 3 -5 minutes.
6. Turn heat to low, add coconut milk, mix well, and serve. (to avoid clumps, trick is to mix the coconut milk well before adding to the pot).
7. Serve immediately hot, or cold after a night of refrigeration. Serve as dessert or as breakfast.
Episode 6: Microwave simulated stir fry vegetable
Vegetables from the salad bar. Mainly romaine/iceberg lettuce. Some onion and mushrooms if you have them. Be creative.
oil
salt
Lee Kum Kee fermented black bean paste, optional (if you add this, go easy on the salt, or no salt at all)
1. Take 2 plates and a soup bowl, add vegetables to the soup bowl.
2. Coat well with oil and add some water if necessary. Add salt to taste.
3. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. The trick to avoid scalding yourself is to use the plates to sandwich the soup bowl, thus providing a cool surface to move your setup in and out of the microwave.
4. Stir and serve.
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