Steamed Tofu with Minced Meat is a simple and light side dish that packs in a lot of flavor with a few basic ingredients. A favorite with my children, they love just simply having this dish alone with rice. Steam cooking this dish allows the marinated meat to retain its tender texture and flavors. Tofu is also a great source of protein that is naturally gluten free and low calorie.

Steamed Tofu with Minced Meat
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, adapted from The MeatMen SG

Recipe
Dish Ingredients
1 18oz packet Silken or Soft Tofu
1/4 lb Shrimps (shelled, deveined and minced)
1/4 lb Ground Pork
2 Water Chestnuts (chopped) (I used canned water chestnuts)
2 tbsp Chopped Spring Onions
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tsp Chinese Cooking Wine (I used Hua Tiao)
1/2 tsp White Pepper Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
8 Wolfberries (rehydrated)
1 sprig Spring Onions (for garnishing)

Sauce Ingredients
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tsp Chinese Cooking Wine (I used Hua Tiao)
1 tbsp Water
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tsp Sesame Oil

Cooking Method
1. Cut tofu into 8 small rectangular cuboids and set aside.
2. In a bowl, mix the minced shrimps, ground pork, chopped water chestnuts, spring onions, light soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, white pepper powder and salt together. Mix well.
3. Place some minced meat mixture on top of the tofu pieces in a dish.
4. Place a rehydrated wolfberry on top of each piece.
5. Prepare the sauce by mixing the light soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, water, oyster sauce and sesame oil together. Drizzle onto the tofu.
6. Steam cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.
7. Garnish with chopped spring onions.

Makes 8 pieces

Glutinous Rice Dumplings, or known as "Bak Zhang" in Singapore. It is a Hokkien term that translate to meat dumplings. It is a traditional Chinese food that is made of glutinous rice stuffed with fillings, usually meat or beans. It is wrapped in bamboo leaves then steamed cooked or boiled.
It is traditionally eaten on the Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu Festival) which is on the fifth day of the fifth month on the lunar calendar. Although Glutinous Rice Dumplings may have originally been a seasonal food, it is now available year round in Singapore and in most major cities that has a significant Chinese community.

Glutinous Rice Dumplings
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, adapted from sethliu.com

Recipe
Ingredients
1 packet 14 oz Bamboo Leaves (soaked in water overnight, drained and wiped dry)
Salt
Water
Cooking Twine Rope

Rice Filling Ingredients
2 cups Glutinous Rice (soaked in water overnight and drained)
3 oz Shallots (thinly sliced)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Shallot Oil
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp Salt
Dash of Pepper

Meat Filling Ingredients
1 lb Pork Belly (cut into small cubes)
5 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms (soaked in water 1 hour, drained and thinly sliced)
1/2 cup Dried Shrimps (soaked in water 1 hour and drained)
​3 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
5 Salted Egg Yolks (halved) (optional)
1 tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp White Pepper Powder (more if you prefer it peppery)
1 1/2 tsp Chinese 5-Spice Powder
1 tsp Light Soy Sauce
2 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Sesame Oil

Cooking Method
1. Marinate pork belly with sugar, white pepper powder, Chinese 5-spice powder, light and dark soy sauce overnight.
2. Heat olive oil and shallot oil in wok over medium/high heat. Add in shallots and stir dry until it is fragrant and golden brown. Remove from wok and set aside.
3. With remaining oil in wok, add in garlic and stir fry until it is fragrant. Add in dried shrimps and continue stir frying until it is fragrant and golden brown.
4. Add in marinated pork belly and mushrooms and stir fry until the meat is cooked through. Remove from wok and set aside.
5. Add glutinous rice into wok and stir fry for a few minutes. Add in fried shallots and season with sesame oil, light & dark soy sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well, remove from heat and set aside.
6. To wrap the dumplings (you may refer to the video below), pick 2 bamboo leaves, place one on top of the other with the smooth part of the leave facing you. Fold it upwards into a cone.
7. Fill the leaf cone with 1 tbsp of glutinous rice mixture, creating a small crater in the middle of the rice for the meat filling.
8. Add in a spoonful of the meat mixture and salted egg yolk, if using.
9. Fill in the rest of the cone leaf with the glutinous rice mixture. Pat in down lightly.
10. Fold the sides of the cone cup in and bring the back leaves over, covering the opening. Flip it over and fold up the remaining leaves. Secure the dumpling with the cooking twine rope. It is helping to leave a long string of rope to assist in holding and placing the dumpling into the pot.
11. Bring a pot of water and some salt to a boil. Insert the dumplings and boil for 1 1/2 hours until it is cooked.
12. Once cooled, you may refrigerate the dumplings for a few days. Steam cook it for 7 to 10 minutes to warm it up before consuming.

Makes 10 Medium Sized Dumplings

Braised Pork Belly Taco (Kong Bak Taco), my fusion version of the very well loved and flavorful Braised Pork Bun (Kong Bak Pau). A traditional Hokkien dish, the pork is braised in soy sauce and spices and served sandwiched in steamed rice flour buns, resembling a burger. With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, I thought I'd share some versatile Singaporean dishes that can be eaten as a taco!

Braised Pork Belly Taco (Kong Bak Taco)
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, inspired by  The Meat Men

Recipe
Ingredients
3 lb Pork Belly (Cut into 1" thick slices)
6 oz Shallots (thinly sliced)
18 cloves of Garlic (slightly smashed)
9 tbsp Cooking Oil
12 slices Dried Galangal
12 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
3 Cinnamon Sticks
6 Star Anise
10 Cloves
3 tbsp Chinese 5-Spice Powder
1 1/2 tbsp Cumin Powder
1 1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 White Pepper Powder
3 tsp Sesame Oil
3 oz Rock Sugar
5 cups Water
Tortilla 
Cilantro

Cooking Method
1. In a large pot, heat up the cooking oil. Add in sliced shallots and smashed garlic. Stir fry until they are soft and fragrant.
2. Add in pork belly slices and stir fry until they are browned on both sides.
3. Add in dark soy sauce, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, Chinese 5-spice powder, cumin powder, salt and white pepper powder. Mix well,
4. Add in water, sesame oil, rock sugar and dried galangal. Mix well.
5. Bring it to a boil then lower heat and simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours.
5. Serve with tortilla and cilantro leaves.

Makes 20 to 25 tacos

Steamed Pork Patty Rice is one of my favorite recipes that is so simple to prepare with just a few ingredients. Marinated ground pork that is shaped into patties are placed on top of cooked rice in a bowl and then steamed cooked. The amazing flavors from the steamed pork patty is then infused into the rice beneath it.
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I made it for dinner one week night and my kids absolutely loved it! While the pork patties were being steamed cooked with the rice, the aroma that filled the kitchen was simply amazing. 

Steamed Pork Patty Rice
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
2 lbs Ground Pork
1 1/2 oz Ginger
10 cloves Garlic
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Chinese Cooking Wine (I used Shao Xing Cooking Wine, which is easily available at the Asian supermarkets)
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
1/4 cup Salted Fish (finely diced)
2 cups Cooked Plain Rice
1/4 tsp White Pepper Powder
Spring Onions

Cooking Method
1. In a food processor, mince ginger and garlic. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground pork, minced ginger & garlic, light soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, sesame oil and a white pepper powder. Mix well.
3. Divide the marinated ground meat into 4 entrée portions or 8 small side portions. Shape each portion into a round and flat patty.
4. Spoon rice into bowls and place the patties on top of the rice.
5. Sprinkle salted fish on top and steam cook for 20 min or until the pork patties are cooked through.
6. Garnish with spring onions and serve immediately.

Makes 4 entrée portions or 8 small side portions

Lemongrass Pork Lettuce Cup is a deconstructed version of the Vietnamese Pork and Rice Noodle Salad combined with Asian Lettuce Wraps where he features pork patties instead of minced meat. It was extremely easy to make and the kids loved them. I switched a couple of ingredients out with what I had available - namely scallions with cilantro and the vermicelli noodles with Japanese shirataki noodles instead.
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With the upcoming Super Bowl that will be held in Houston this year, This quick and easy party bite would be perfect for your Super Bowl party!
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Lemongrass Pork Lettuce Cup
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, adapted from ""Simply Ming In Your Kitchen" by Chef Ming Tsai

Recipe
Ingredients
1 8oz packet Japanese Shirataki Noodles
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp Fish Sauce
Cilantro (roughly chopped) or Scallions / Spring Onions (thinly sliced)
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp Minced Ginger
2 tbsp Minced Lemongrass (white portion only)
​1 Jalapeno Pepper (minced) (may omit for non-spicy version)
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper
1 lb Ground Pork
1 head Iceberg Lettuce or Butter Lettuce

Cooking Method
1. Remove Japanese shirataki noodles from packet, drain and rinse with cool water. Place it in a pot and add water. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 2 to 3 min. Drain and allow to cool. Place noodles in a bowl, add lime juice, fish sauce, some chopped cilantro and toss. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan or wok. Stir fry ginger, lemongrass, cilantro or scallions and jalapeño for about 2 min until the vegetable are soft. Transfer to a bowl to cool and wipe down the pan or wok.
3. Add minced pork into the bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. With wet hands, divide and form 8 oval patties that is about 1/2 inch thick.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the pan or wok and shallow fry patties until browned, about 3 to 4 min on each side.
5. Prepare 8 lettuce cups, top each with noodle salad and patty. Garnish with cilantro or scallions before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Ngoh Hiang (Chinese 5-Spice Meat Rolls), literally translated as Five Spice, is a unique Hokkien and Teochew (one of the many Chinese dialects) dish in Singapore. It is essentially made of various meats and vegetables, rolled inside beancurd skin and then fried. A humble dish with simple ingredients that is extremely flavorful and delicious.
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My godmother would make this dish every year during Chinese New Year. We'd always have it as a side dish with our family hotpot dinner. About 6 years ago, she visited me in Houston and taught me how to make them. Since then, making Ngoh Hiang has also been my annual Chinese New Year tradition. 

Ngoh Hiang (Chinese 5-Spice Meat Rolls)
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
1 lb Minced Pork
1 lb Shrimps (shelled, deveined & minced)
15 pieces Peeled Whole Water Chestnut or a 8 oz can (roughly minced)
1 Carrot (approx. 8 oz) (roughly minced)
2 Small Yams or Taro (approx. 6 oz) (roughly minced)
1 Onion (roughly minced)
5 cloves Garlic (roughly minced)
9 pieces Hup Seng Soda Cream Biscuits (crushed finely) or 3/4 cup Breadcrumbs
4 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tsp White Pepper Powder
1 tsp Chinese 5-Spice Powder
1 egg
Beancurd Skin (for wrapping)

Cooking Method
1. Place all ingredients, except for the beancurd skin, in a large bowl and mix well.
2. Prepare beancurd skin by cutting them into rectangle sheets (approx. 5 x 7 inch)
3. Place about 6 to 8 tbsp full of meat mixture on the beancurd skin and roll it up, resembling a sausage.
4. Fry (either shallow fry or deep fry works) the meat rolls in oil until golden brown.
5. Cut into bite size portions and serve warm.
6. If making in advance, steam cook meat rolls for 10 min and refrigerate them for up to 5 days.
7. Remove from refrigerator and fry meat rolls in oil until golden brown before serving. 

Bak Kwa (Chinese Pork Jerky), a Chinese sweet and salty dried meat product that is similar to jerky, is immensely popular in Singapore and Malaysia where it is usually consumed during Chinese New Year. In the weeks leading up to Chinese New Year, you'll often see a line of customers outside Bak Kwa shops, waiting to purchase this Hokkien delicacy. Prices of Bak Kwa before and during Chinese New Year often see a rise as well.
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This is my second year making Bak Kwa at home, as I have not been able to find any here in Houston. My kids love it and so does my jerky loving friends. The recipe that I used is very simple, although a little time consuming. But what's better that kicking back with a glass of wine or a pint of beer as you grill some smoky flavored Bak Kwa with your family in your backyard!

Chinese Char Siu Pork (Pot Roast Style), an extremely simple and easy to make recipe. Char Siu, which literally means "fork roast", is a popular way to flavor and prepare barbecue pork in Chinese cuisine. Traditionally, long strips of marinated pork is skewered and cooked in an oven or over a fire.
In Singapore, slices of Char Siu is often served with rice, drizzled with a sweet gravy. It is also served as one of the toppings for Wonton Noodles. Or it is chopped up and made into meat filling for dim sum buns.
In this recipe, the pork is cooked pot roast style, slowly over low heat to ensure the meat is tender and flavorful. The recipe is simple and may be used with pork ribs or even pork belly.

Chinese Char Siu Pork (Pot Roast Style)
by Miss Crumbs-A-Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
2 1/2 lbs Pork Tenderloin
6 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
2 tsp Oyster Sauce
4 tbsp Sugar
4 tsp Light Soy Sauce
4 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Shao Xing Cooking Wine
2 tbsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Sesame Oil
15 drops Red Food Coloring

Cooking Method
1. Marinate pork tenderloins with all ingredients overnight.
2. Heat non-stick wok or pot (with a thick base) on high heat.
3. Once hot, lower heat to medium or medium/low. Place marinated pork tenderloins in wok/pot and let it cook, covered. Set remaining marinate aside.
4. Turn meat occasionally, once every 7 to 10 min, basting it with marinate.
5. Cook for about 30 min or until internal meat temperature of 165 to 170 degrees.
6. Transfer the remaining marinate into a small sauce pot and cook till gravy bubbles and thickens.
7. Slice pork and serve with gravy and rice, if desired.

Wonton Noodles are usually served dry with a saucy seasoning, almost aglio olio-like (which is our favorite way of having it) or they can be served in a hot broth. Smooth & thin egg noodles is used and must be cooked just right - al dente style.
It is a simple dish but does require a bit of preparation. You almost need to have a little production line and once you have that going, you'd be able to churn out bowls of Wonton Noodles really quickly and easily.

Wonton Noodles
by Miss Crumbs-A-Lot

Recipe
Ingredients (Per Serving)
Wonton Noodles (thin)
1 tsp Nonya Sambal Chilli Sauce
1/2 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp Light Soy Sauce
1/8 tsp Sesame Oil
1 1/2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
Choy Sum (Chinese Flowering Cabbage) or Kai Lan (Chinese Kale)
Fried Fish Cake
3 to 5 pieces of Homemade Wontons
Wonton Broth Mix
Water

Cooking Method
1. Prepare wonton broth according to instructions in a pot and set aside.
2. Prepare 2 pots of water & bring it to boil and 1 pot of cold water on the side.
3. Cut fried fish cake into thin slices and set aside.
4. Rinse & cut choy sum or kai lan into 3 inch long strips, blanch them in the 1st pot of hot water and set aside.
5. Cook homemade wontons in the 2nd pot of boiling water.
6. Prepare noodle seasoning by mixing the nonya sambal chill sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil and tomato ketchup in a bowl and set aside.
7. Cook wonton noodles in a deep sieve in the 1st pot of hot boiling water for 1 to 2 min, using a pair of chopsticks or a fork to loosen the noodles.
8. Strain the noodles quickly and dunk it in to the pot of cook water for 3 to 5 sec.
9. Strain the noodles quickly again and dunk it back in to the pot of hot boiling water for about 30 sec.
10. Strain the noodles one last time and place it into the bowl of seasoning.
11. Top with cooked homemade wontons, choy sum or kai lan and fried fish cakes.
12. Served immediately with a side of wonton broth.
13. Toss the noodles in the seasoning and enjoy!

Homemade Wontons, how do you like them? Crispy and crunchy or pipping hot in a savory broth?
​A few weeks ago, I posted a recipe for "Chinese Dumplings" and you might wonder, what is the difference between a dumpling and a wonton? Wouldn't you consider wontons a form of dumpling? And there are so many variations of dumplings in Chinese cuisine too.

There are many definitions out there but in my opinion, wontons are a form of dumplings. Dumplings are basically balls of dough made from flour and they may or may not have any filling in them. They may be sweet or savory. Meat filled savory dumplings usually have wrappers that are thicker and have a doughy texture. They are usually eaten with a dipping sauce although there are variations of it being served in broths. Wontons, on the other hand, have a much thinner wrap, a silken texture, and they are usually served in a broth. Wontons can also be deep fried till golden brown and crispy, served as am appetizer or side dish.
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Just like "Chinese Dumplings", making homemade wontons is so much better than buying the frozen ones from the store. There are no preservatives added, and you can make a large batch and freeze them. I tend to be very generous with the filling and always end up with pretty large wontons.
We often have the wontons as part of a one dish meal, like a bowl of noodles. One of Kian's favorite Singapore hawker dish is Wonton Noodles, which is a frequent weeknight one dish meal for is. I'll share the recipe for Wonton Noodles in my next post!

Homemade Wontons
by Miss Crumbs-A-Lot

Recipe
Filling
1 lb Minced Pork
1 lb Shrimp (shelled, deveined and minced)
1 tbsp Shao Xing Cooking Wine
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1/2 tbsp Sesame Oil
4 cloves Garlic
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp White Pepper Powder

Wrapper
50-55 Wonton Wrappers (3x3 inch squares, extra thin)
1 egg (beaten)

Cooking Method
1. Prepare the filling by mixing all the ingredients together.
2. Place about 1 tbsp of filling in the middle of the wrapper.
3. Fold the wrapper into half to form a triangle and seal the edges using the beaten egg as a sealant.
4. Place the wontons on a tray, ensuring that they do no touch one another, and place them in the freezer.
5. Once they are frozen, you can store them in Ziplock bags or containers.
6. To cook them, you may deep fry them in oil at 350 degree for 3 - 4 min or until golden brown. Or boil them for 15 min (if fresh) or 20 min (if frozen) and serve on its own in wonton broth or chicken broth.

Makes 50-55 pieces