Crispy Fried Pumpkin with Salted Egg Yolk

For the salted egg yolks:
1 cup sea salt
4 cups water
2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns (optional)
1 star anise (optional)
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
12 eggs

Method:

1. Add the salt and water to a small saucepan and add the star anise and peppercorns, if using. Bring to a boil and stir until the salt dissolves. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Once cool, stir in the Shaoxing.
2. Rinse and dry the eggs, then place them carefully in a jar with a lid. 
3. Pour the cool solution over the eggs, making sure it covers them completely. In order to prevent the eggs from floating, you'll want to weigh them down. Linda at Malaysian Chinese Kitchen suggests using a ziptop bag filled halfway with water. You'll squish this baggie between the jar opening and the lid so that the eggs stay submerged.
4. Seal the jar, then put it in a room temperature spot for 4 to 5 weeks. After 4 weeks, crack open an egg and let the whites (which will be cloudy) fall away. If the yolk is bright yellow-orange and firm to the touch, your eggs yolks are ready to use. You can rinse and dry the eggs and keep them in the fridge for 1 month.

For the fried pumpkin:
250 grams sugar pumpkin, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons neutral oil, plus more for frying
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Thai bird's eye chile, minced
2 sprigs curry leaves (about 10)
5 salted egg yolks (from above), mashed with a fork

Method:

1. Toss the sliced pumpkin with the sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the beaten egg and stir so that the pumpkin slices are coated. 
2. Pour the cornstarch into a shallow bowl or onto a plate. Working with a couple of pieces of pumpkin at a time, transfer them to the plate and evenly coat in a thin layer of cornstarch. Repeat until all of the pumpkin is coated. 
3. Heat an inch or two of cooking oil in a frying pan with high sides. Working in batches so that you don't crowd the pan, fry the cornstarch-coated pumpkin until crisp and golden brown. Set on paper towels to drain. 
4. When you've finished making the pumpkin, start the salted egg yolk sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat, then add the garlic, chile, and curry leaves and stir until fragrant, a few minutes. Add the mashed salted egg yolks and the 3 remaining tablespoons of cooking oil. When the egg yolks start to sizzle and foam, reduce the heat to low, add the fried pumpkin, and stir to coat evenly. Remove from the heat and serve warm.

Fried Tofu with Salted Egg

PREPARATION TIME: 15 Minutes

COOK TIME: 20 Minutes

Ingredients

1 pack of soft tofu

2-3 salted eggs.
3 Tbsp corn starch flour
1 Tbsp custard powder
Salt, pepper, cooking oil
Small spring onion

Method:

1. Cut tofu into small square pieces
2. Clean spring onion and slice into small short pieces
3. Boil salted eggs, peel away its outer layer and take the egg yolks
4. Grind egg yolks thoroughly
5. Mix corn starch flour and custard powder together. Roll tofu pieces with this mixture and then fry them until they become crispy and golden brown.
6. Pick up fried tofu pieces into a plate
7. Pour some cooking oil into the pan, put ground egg yolks in and stir regularly, then season with salt.
8. Put fried tofu in and stir so that egg yolks can stick to each tofu piece. Pick up tofu pieces into a plate
9. Put sliced spring onion into the pan, stir until it smells. Put onion on tofu, sprinkle with pepper. Serve.

Guacamole

Ingredients 

8 ripe medium avocados
1-2 limes (juiced)
1 jalapeno (roasted & diced)
½ medium red onion (diced)
2-3 medium cloves of garlic (minced or crushed)
2 roma tomatoes (diced)
2 small or 1 large bunch cilantro (chopped)
salt & pepper to taste

Preparations

1. Cut Avocados in half and remove seed. With a small knife, cut squares in flesh of avocado, making sure to not cut through skins. With a soup spoon, remove squares into a mixing bowl by scraping with edge of spoon between skin and avocado flesh.
2. Squeeze lime juice over avocado squares.
3. Roasting jalapeno is an optional step but adds a wonderful smoky taste and mellows the heat a bit. To roast, place jalapeño over open flame using tongs and turning once skin begins to darken and pop, roasting all sides. Dice and add to avocado.
4. Cut and dice remaining ingredients, add to avocado. Stir to incorporate veggies well.
5. Serve with chips or along side any Mexican meal.

Carb-stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Mayonnaise
3 Tbsp Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 can (6-1/2 oz.) crabmeat or 1 cup frozen crabmeat, thawed
18 medium mushrooms, stems removed

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In small bowl, blend Mayonnaise, bread crumbs, cheese and garlic; fold in crabmeat. Evenly spoon mixture into mushroom caps.
3. On baking sheet, arrange mushroom caps. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through and lightly browned.

Bacon Parmesan Hasselback Potatoes

Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:
4 large yukon gold potatoes
4 tablespoons salted butter
5 slices bacon, chopped in 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Clean potatoes and pat dry.
2. Cut vertical slices in the potato, 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. Make the slices deep but don’t cut all the way through the potato.
3. Slice the butter in thin pieces and then cut in half. Place butter slices in alternating slits of the potato. Season with Kosher salt and pepper to taste.
4. Put potatoes on a sheet pan or in a casserole dish and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, basting with the melted butter every 15 minutes. Potatoes are done when the skin is crispy and the flesh is easily pierced with a fork.
5. While potatoes are baking, in a medium skillet cook bacon on medium high until golden brown and most of the fat is rendered. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain.
6. Top potatoes with cheese (you can nestle some of the cheese into the slits) and cover so the cheese melts (or place back in the warm oven for a few minutes). Top the potatoes with the bacon and serve warm.

Butter Boiled Corn on the Cob

Fill your pot with water and add a stick of salted butter and 1 cup of milk. Bring to a rapid boil. Put ears of corn in turn heat to low simmer for 5-8 minutes. It will be the best corn on the cob you have ever had!

Egg Foo Yong

Ingredients:

3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 oz bean sprouts
2 oz ground chicken
4 medium-sized shrimp, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 scallion, cut into small rings
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine, optional
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Pinch of sugar
3 dashes white pepper
3 tablespoons oil

Method:

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl, beat with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients into the egg mixture, stir to combine well. Make sure the oyster sauce is fully dissolved in the egg mixture.
2. Heat up a wok or a pan on high heat. Add the oil. When the oil is fully heated, ladle the egg mixture into the pan. Make sure that you keep the diameter of the omelet to about 4-5 inches wide. Use a pair of chopsticks to transfer the beansprouts and other ingredients to the middle of the omelet. The omelet should be thicker in the center. Let the omelet set, for about 3 minutes before flipping it over. Fry the omelet until both sides are golden brown and nicely puffed up. Repeat the same and use the remaining egg mixture to make a total of 3 omelets.

Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato
6 cloves of garlic, skin on

50 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 small packet 80g wild rice
1 large pomegranate
75g thick Greek yoghurt
1tbsp organic tahini
juice & zest of 1 lemon
¼ clove garlic, crushed
flaked salt
cracked white pepper
pinch of sumac
¼ bunch dill
¼ bunch mint leaves

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees. Wash and dry the sweet potato, cut into thick chunks and pop into a roasting tray along with the garlic. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt, pepper and sumac. Place into the oven and roast for 40 minutes turning once or twice to ensure they cook evenly and turn a nice golden brown.
2. Meanwhile place the wild rice in a small pot and cover generously with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a moderate heat. Simmer and cook until the grains are tender approximately 40 minutes. Drain, cool and set aside.
3. Place yoghurt into a small bowl and mix in the tahini, lemon zest and juice and a pinch of pepper, sumac and salt. Cut the pomegranate in half, place the cut side into your palm over a medium sized bowl. Using a wooden spoon tap the top of the pomegranate with enough force to loosen and remove the seeds.
4. Spoon a little of the tahini sauce into a wide salad bowl and place the warm sweet potatoes on top. Sprinkle with the rice & herbs, add the pomegranate seeds and a good pinch of sumac. Add a drizzle of olive oil just before serving.

Pai tee cups

Ingredient:

180gm rice flour

50gm flour

50gm corn flour

350ml water

1 telur

salt to taste

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Dip mould in flour mix & deep fry.

Pickled Red Cabbage

Ingredients:

500g red cabbage, finely shredded
140g coarse sea salt
500ml cider vinegar
200ml red wine
400g granulated sugar
2 tsp black peppercorns
6 bay leaves
2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds

Method:

1. Place the shredded cabbage in a colander over the sink and sprinkle with salt. Leave for 2-3 hours, then drain and wash away the salt. Pat dry with a clean tea towel.
2. Put the vinegar, wine, sugar, peppercorns and bay leaves into a big, wide saucepan and simmer until the liquid has reduced by about half. Set aside for 10 mins to infuse.
3. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug or bowl, and discard the peppercorns and bay leaves. Put the cabbage and mustard seeds into a big bowl, and then pour the strained liquid over. Transfer the cabbage and pickling liquid into sterilised jars and seal. Will last for a month in the fridge.

Miang Kham

Ingredients:

Daun kaduk

Filling
3/4 cup roasted grated coconut (this is often available in the baking section of most supermarkets)
2 small limes, unpeeled (try to get limes with thin skin), cut into small cubes
6 tablespoons shallots, peeled and cut into small cubes
6 tablespoons roasted peanuts
6 tablespoons small dried shrimps
4-5 fresh chili padi, cut into small slivers
4 oz fresh ginger, peeled and cut into small cubes

Sauce
1 tablespoon belacan, roasted until fragrant
2 oz fresh galangal, cut into slivers and roasted until fragrant (see note below)
1/4 cup grated coconut, roasted in a low-heat oven until lightly brown
4 oz small dried shrimps
2 oz shallots, peeled and coarsely cut
1.5 teaspoons fresh ginger, sliced
8 oz palm sugar (broken into small chunks)
2 tablespoons table sugar
salt for seasoning

Method:

1. In a mortar and pestle, pound together the shallots and galangal until fine. 
2. Add roasted shrimp paste, ginger, coconut and dried shrimp, and continue pounding until smooth. 
3. Remove the mixture and place in a pot with 1.5 cups water. 
4. Bring to a boil over medium heat, add palm sugar and table sugar, then reduce heat and simmer, wait until reduced to 1 cup or a bit less. Taste, and adjust by adding a bit of salt. 
5. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl.

Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

10 white or brown mushrooms
1/2 cup white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup orange cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
dried thyme (about 2 tsp)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Wash your mushrooms and take out the stems so they are hollow.
3. Grate cheese into bowl and mix the 2 cheeses.
4. Place mushrooms onto a baking tray.
5. Fill mushrooms with cheese.
6. Top with salt, pepper and dried thyme.
7. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and mushrooms are browning around edges.

Potato Skin Nests

Ingredients:

3 cups freshly shredded russet potatoes or frozen shredded hash browns or 20 oz pkg refrigerated shredded hash browns
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 beaten egg whites
Seasonings:
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4-1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
Toppings:
1 1/2 cups colby-jack cheese [or your favorite]
16 oz sour cream
8-10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
chopped parsley or chives for garnishing

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with butter flavored cooking spray. Set aside.
2. If using fresh potatoes: Shred the unpeeled potatoes into a medium size mixing bowl using a box grater or food processor. Blot gently with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture, but, don't rinse. [tip: The starch will help the nests hold together.] 
3. If using frozen shredded hash browns: Thaw completely before adding to the mixing bowl. 
4. If using refrigerated hash browns: To truly simplify, a 20 ounce package of refrigerated hash browns found in the Dairy section of the grocery store, will also work beautifully for these potato nests. 
5. Mix the shredded potatoes, beaten egg whites, shredded Parmesan cheese and seasonings together.
6. Scoop approximately 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into each muffin cup. Depending on how you divide the shredded potatoes, you may be able to yield more than 12, so, have another pan handy just in case. Using your hands, or a small glass, press the potato mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of each cup. Spritz each nest with butter flavored cooking spray or, you can drizzle them with a couple of tablespoons of melted butter, if you like. [tip: I prefer the cooking spray, so the nests won't become too wet, and will hold together]
7. Place the potato nests into the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes until golden. Remove the pan from the oven and gently run a knife or an off set spatula around each nest to loosen the edges. Don't attempt to remove them immediately, allow them to rest in the pan for around 2 minutes. If you want your cheese to melt completely sprinkle the nests with the shredded cheese during the last 2 minutes of baking. Otherwise, sprinkle the shredded cheese into the warm nests on the counter.
8. To assemble, top with a tablespoon of grated colby-jack cheese. 
9. Using a large star tip attached to a piping bag, pipe sour cream into the center of each nest. [or a teaspoon, of course ☺] Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top, and garnish with finely chopped parsley or chives. Serve warm. 

Yield: 12-14 medium or 24 minis

Cook's note:
If you'd like to make these bite-size, use mini-muffin pans. They make the perfect bite sized version. Bake at 450°F for around 15-16 minutes until golden.

Optional serving ideas:
Serve as a side dish with steaks, chicken or pork.
Fill with eggs and crumbled bacon or sausage topped with a drizzle of hollandaise for breakfast.
Fill with pulled pork barbecue and cheddar cheese.
Fill with taco meat and top with your favorite South of the Border toppings.

http://www.melissassouthernstylekitchen.com/2011/07/nested-potato-skins.html

Hush Puppies

Ingredients:
1½ Cups Cornmeal
1 Cup Flour
½ tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper
Pinch Cayenne Pepper
2 Eggs
1½ Cups Buttermilk
½ Bunch Thinly Sliced Spring Onions, white and green parts
Vegetable Oil, for frying

Method:

1. Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. Add the eggs and buttermilk and mix until batter is smooth and no lumps remain.
2. Stir in the green onion until well combined. Let batter rest for 5 minutes.
3. While batter is resting, heat the oil. Drop batter into oil, using about 2 tablespoons for each hush puppy. Fry, turning with a slotted spoon until dark golden brown, 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Keep warm on a wire rack in a pre-heated 100°C oven until ready to serve.

Makes about 20 hush puppies.

Oven Fries

Ingredients:
2 Large Russet Potatoes
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Herbs de Provence

Method:

1. Pre-heat a large baking sheet in a 200°C oven.
2. Cut the potatoes into large fry sized pieces, leaving the skin on.
3. Toss with a generous amount of olive oil, salt & pepper, and herbs de Provence.
4. Arrange fries on the pre-heated baking sheet and bake until just tender turning half way through, about 30 minutes total.
5. Turn on broiler and roast fries until golden brown and crisp, turning often.