Congee with lotus seed

 

Lotus seed is very popular in Asian. It’s a nice choice to make tea, soup and congee. It can keep beauty and young. It’s also thought to strengthen memory. It benefits the heart, tone the spleen and kidneys, prevent insomnia, and calm the nerves. The old people like it very much because they always have problems sleeping.

This recipe is so simple that you can make at home for your parents, easily and fast.

Ingredients: serves 4 people

-          50 g fresh rice

-          200 g fresh shrimp

-          100 g dried lotus seed

-          ½ teaspoon salt

-          1 teaspoon sugar

-          ½ teaspoon ground pepper

-          1 ginger ( 20 -30 g)

-          2 stalks of coriander

-          2 stalks of scallion

Method:

1.     Clean and rinse shirmps under cold running water. Peel and devein the shrimps. ( cut the head off).

2.      Wash and drain lotus seed.

3.     Wash and peel ginger. Put ginger on a chopping board, cut it into julienne-style matchsticks. Put into a small bowl for serving.

4.      Wash and drain coriander, scallion. Mince them and put into a small bowl for serving.

5.      Wash the rice : Add the rice into a mixing bowl. Pour nearly double amount of water to rice. Use your hand gently make circles around. Don’t rub the rice grains together so hard. Drain the water off.

6.      Put rice into a pot, or a rice cooker. Pour the water in the rice. The ratio of rice and water is 1: 4. Start the power to cook.

7.      When the rice comes to a rolling boil, add lotus seeds. Continue to cook. Occasionally open the lid and stir the contents slowly to prevent sticking and burning.

8.      As the rice is cooked very soft and the soup turns milky, just place shrimp in the pot.

9.      Season with sugar and salt.

Serving:

-          Spoon the congee into individual serving bowls.

-          Sprinkle with ginger, pepper, coriander and scallion.

-          Serve hot with soy sauce or fish sauce.

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Japanese-style grilled beef ribs with soy sauce.

Ingredients: serves 5 people

-          600 g beef ribs

-          200 ml Japanese soy sauce

-          50 g granulated sugar

-          1 apple

-          1 pear

-          1 onion

-          3 garlic cloves

-          3 tablespoon sesame seed

Method:

1.      Wash and rinse beef ribs. After well drained, cut beef ribs into 5 smaller pieces (2-3 inch in length).

2.      Roast sesame seed in a small frying pan.

3.      In another pan, cook Japanese soy sauce with sugar . Stir to combine well. When it’s done, turn off the heat. Stir and let the sauce cool naturally.

4.      Mince apple, pear, onion, and garlic. Put them into the pan of soy sauce. Simmer with low heat for about 8- 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. When it’s nearly done, add seasome seed. Turn off the heat and stir quickly. Wait for the sauce cool naturally. Divide to half.

5.      Put beef ribs into a mixing bowl. Pour  half of sauce over meat to marinate. Toss to combine well. Keep in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

6.      Remove beef pieces from the marinate and grill over a medium heat. Keep basting the beef with marinade.

Serving:

-          Transfer the beef pieces to plate garnished with some vegetables ( some slices of cucumber and tomato, green lettuce…).

-          Eating with the remaining half the soy sauce as dip.

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