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.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

Grilled beef paste on Sugarcane sticks

Ingredients: serves 6 people.

-          400 g beef brisket

-          50 g pork fat

-          2 stalks lemongrass, finely chopped

-          3 red shallots, minced

-          2 garlic cloves, minced

-          1 hot red chili, minced

-          1 tbsp granulated sugar

-          ½ tsp salt

-          ½ tsp ground pepper

-          ½ tsp paprika

-          2 tbsp corn flour

-          12 sticks of sugarcane ( 2 inches in length)

-          1 tbsp cooking oil ( olive oil is the best)

-          Some green lettuces

Method:

1.      Wash and rinse beef brisket and pork fat under cool running water. Drain in a colander.

2.      Cut the beef brisket into 2- inch chunks. Dice the pork fat into ½- inch cubes.

3.      Put beef and pork fat into the grinder. Grind them to a smooth paste.

4.      Add lemongrass, shallot, garlic, chili, sugar, salt, pepper, paprika …And mix well.

5.      Then add corn flour

6.      Dampen your hand, take a small portion of beef paste  and roll it on top of the sugarcane stick in a lollipop shape. Repeat with the rest of paste.

7.      Barbecue the beef sticks on charcoal fire. Brush the sticks with cooking oil.

8.      Grill them until turn golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper ( paper towels).

Serving:

-          Place the lettuce on serving platter. Put the beef sticks around.

-          Eating hot with tomato sauce or/ and hot chili sauce.

Read more »

Grilled pork ribs with lemongrass

Ingredients: serves 5 people

-          500 g pork ribs.

-          3 tbsp lemongrass, finely chopped.

-          2 tsp hot chili, minced.

-          1 tbsp garlic, minced.

-          2 tsp hot chili sauce.

-          1 tbsp fish sauce.

-          1 tbsp sugar.

-          2 tbsp olive oil.

-          1 tbsp Cognac

Method:

1.      Wash and rinse pork ribs. Drain and cut into 4-inch strips. Place them into a large mixing bowl.

2.      Make the marinade: combine the rest of ingredients into a small bowl. Toss to mix well.

3.      Pour the marinade to the mixing bowl. Combine the ribs and the marinade together. Toss several times. Marinate in the base layer of refrigerator for 1 hours.

4.      Prepare a fire in charcoal grill, letting coal burn until covered with white ash. Grill the ribs on an oiled rack about 4 inches or so from the coals. Grill for 7-10  minutes per side, or until they turn golden brown. Baste the ribs with the marinade during the last 5 minutes of grilling.

5.      Remove from the heat.

Serving:

-          Transfer the ribs on a serving platter.

-          Eating with vinegar pickled carrots and soy sauce dip.

Read more »

Barbecued cod fish with garlic

Ingredients: serves 5 people.

-          500g (fresh or frozen) codfish fillet.

-          2 tsps garlic, minced.

-          1 tsp red shallot, minced.

-          1 tsp hot chili oil

-          1 tsp broth mix.

-          ½ tsp salt.

-          ½ ground black pepper

-          1 tsp granulated sugar.

-          2 tbsp olive oil.

Method:

1.      Codfish fillet, well washed and drained, cut into 5 uniform steaks and put into a large bowl.

2.      Marinate the steaks with the remaining ingredients. Toss to combine well. Set aside for 30 minutes.

3.      Barbecue the steaks on charcoal fire. Brush the steaks with a little of the marinade. Turn the steaks once only.

Serving:

-          Transfer the steaks on a serving platter.

-          Eating with vinegar and oil salad dressing.

Read more »

Steamed green crab with ginger

 

Ingredients: serves 5 people

-          2 kg fresh green crabs, well washed and drained.

-          50g ginger, peeled, sliced into thin matchsticks.

-          50 ml white wine.

Method:

1.      Put crabs on a large plate.

2.      Pour the wine around the crabs.

3.      Sprinkle ginger on the top of the crabs.

4.      Place the plate into a steamer pot and cook for 10 minutes.

5.      Remove from heat.

Serving:

-          Transfer the crabs in a serving platter.

-          Eating with salt  pepper and lime dipping sauce.

-          Serve immediately.

 

Read more »

Sweet snails stuffed with minced pork

Ingredients: serves 5 people

-          500 g sweet snails in shell.

-          100 g lean pork, minced.

-          20 g lemongrass, finely chopped.

-          2 stalks lemongrass , cut in 2- inch lengths

-          50 g red shallot, minced.

-          20 g garlic, minced.

-          1 tsp ground white pepper.

-          ½ tsp salt.

-          1 tsp granulated sugar.

Preparation:

Soak the sweet snails in the sink of water with some salt for 30 mintutes. Rinse under tap water and drain in a colander.

Cooking:

1.      Steam the snails in a pot of water for 5 minutes. Remove the meat, mince. Then combine with the minced pork in a bowl.

2.      In a small frying pan, stir-fry the minced red shallot for about 3 minutes, until translucent and fragrant. Add them into the bowl of meat.

3.      Then add the chopped lemongrass, minced garlic, salt, sugar into the bowl. Mix well.

4.      Add a piece of lemongrass into each shell, then stuff it with the mixture.

5.      Steam the stuffed snails for 15 minutes.

Serving:

-          Transfer snails to a serving platter. Serve hot.

-          Eating with mint leaves and sweet sour fish sauce.

Read more »