Fried Prawn with Ginger Sauce Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Home-cooked Fried Prawn with Ginger Sauce (姜茸虾碌)

What a gingery indulgence! For those who adore pungent, spicy, sweet gingery aroma, you'll find this dish intriguing. As counterpoint to plumpy, opulent sweetness of prawns trapped inside the shell, the outer coating which is concocted from juicy ginger puree and biting bird's eye chillies, is hot enough to make you experience more than a tingling tug at your taste sensation!

Here's some trick to perfect this shrimp treat! Oil must be hot enough during deep-frying to ensure prawns are thoroughly cooked to preserve its juiciness and crispiness. Then under deft fire control, coat the fried prawns with ginger puree and bird's eye chillies mixture briskly and dish up in no time, to prevent them from over-cooked.

Here's the how-to recipe for you to cook fried prawn with ginger sauce (姜茸虾碌) at home.

Ingredients :
500g medium sized prawns
5 cups oil for deep-frying
150g young ginger, skin removed, mix with 50ml water and blend into puree
1 tbsp chopped bird's eye chillies
3 tbsp chopped spring onions (scallions)

Seasoning :
1 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp Shao xing wine

Method :

1. Deep-fry prawns until golden brown. Dish up and drain on kitchen paper towels to discard excess oil.

2. Leave 1 tbsp oil in wok, saute ginger puree and bird's eye chillies until fragrant. Add in seasoning, prawns and stir-fry at high heat until well-mixed. Stir in chopped spring onions (scallions) and stir briskly, dish up and serve with steamed rice.

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Stir-fried Chicken and Beancurd with Crispy Ginger Shreds Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Home-cooked Stir-fried Chicken and Beancurd with Crispy Ginger Shreds

With shreds of crispy gingery goodness spread on top of the dish, this reminiscent of postpartum meal I had two years ago. Resting beneath this mound of deep-fried ginger shreds is heap of tender chicken morsels mingled with deep-fried firm beancurd cubes. With crackly-crunchy deep-fried basil leaves and some sliced red chillies interspersed within, the dish is redolent of heady fragrance of basil and the right amount of piquancy in the sauce which is rounded up together with sweet and salty notes. Homey, dainty and absolutely scrumptious!

This easy to prepare dish is also served as a confinement meal. You can adapt it the way you fancy. Just add an extra amount of ginger for its wind-dispelling goodness, then you are good to go. Here's the how-to recipe for you to cook stir-fried chicken and beancurd with crispy ginger shreds at home.

Ingredients :
200g deboned chicken thighs, cubed

2 pieces firm beancurds / tofu (known as taukua in Hokkien dialect), cubed

140g ginger, shredded

2 sprigs basil leaves, stems discarded

2 red chillies, sliced diagonally

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp sesame oil

A pinch of salt

Oil for deep-frying

Chicken Marinade :

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chicken stock granules (optional)

1/2 tsp pepper

1 egg white

3 tbsp corn flour, for dusting

Seasoning (Sauce) :

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp fish sauce

3/4 tsp sugar (or to taste)

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp chicken stock granules (optional)

1 tsp minced bird's eye chillies

100 ml water

Thickening agent :

1 tsp potato flour mixed with 2 tbsp water

Method :

1. Marinate chicken with marinade for 15 minutes. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the beancurd and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a deep skillet and deep-fry beancurd until golden. Dish up and drain on several pieces of absorbent kitchen paper towels. With the remaining oil, deep-fry half portion of ginger shreds until golden crispy. Then put in basil leaves and deep-fry for 10-20 seconds. Remove and drain off the excess oil using a fine steel sieve.

3. Reheat the oil and fry the chicken until lightly golden brown. Drain excess oil using an absorbent kitchen paper towels.

4. Then heat up 2 tbsp of oil and 1/2 tsp of sesame oil in a clean skillet. Add the remaining half of the ginger shreds and saute under low heat. Add in chillies, sauce mixture, pre-fried chicken and beancurd. Bring to a quick boil and then simmer for 1-2 minutes. Thicken with potato flour mixture. Dish up and garnish with pre-fried crispy basil leaves and ginger shreds.

Home-cooked Stir-fried Chicken and Beancurd with Crispy Ginger Shreds

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Chinese Herbal Black Chicken Soup Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Chinese Herbal Black Chicken Soup (药材乌鸡清补汤)

My devotion for Chinese herbal soup will not simply end with papaya soup with American ginseng and black chicken and double-boiled ginseng roots and chicken soup, instead it marks a beginning of yet another soup chapter. I have been away for a while back to my hometown and obliged with copious amount of Chinese herbs by my mother. Being a discerning mom, she never fails to remind us to replenish our bodies with soul-soothing and nourishing Chinese herbal soup every now and then. Now only you know that my tiredless advocacy for Chinese tonic soup is actually attributable to my mom's inheritance. I have to admit, I’ve been jumping on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) bandwagon with much enthusiasm. For those young generation preferring in green and safe medicine for treatment of chronic conditions, tendency to use herbs in home cooking is becoming more and more prominent. Chinese herbs as a curative food can be complemented by western medicine which is best known solution for acute conditions. This herbal black chicken soup is also widely consumed during confinement at Chinese homes for healing purposes and well-being boosting.

My mom always raves about the goodness of black chicken to me. Sweet in taste, neutral in nature (not being warming or cooling), black chicken tonifies and nourishes the Yin of kidney and liver and bring down fevers that are associated with Yin deficiency (养阴退热、补益肝肾). When I did my rare Sunday morning wet market browsing with my mom few days ago, she unhesitatingly grabbed me a whole black chicken to bring back to Penang. With this, I have no excuse of not boiling herbal chicken soup due to not able to snap up one in Penang Lip Sin wet market.

This tonic soup is comforting, nourishing and to top it all, nothing beats the warmth and affection embraced by a great mother!

For this Chinese herbal black chicken soup (药材乌鸡清补汤), you'll need :

Ingredients :
1 whole black chicken 乌鸡

Chinese Herbs (quantity as illustrated in photos below) :

Chinese Herbs Ingredients for Chinese Herbal Black Chicken Soup

Chinese herbs with their medicinal uses as listed below. Images start from upper left, clockwise :

qi zi (Chinese wolfberries or goji berries) 枸杞子
Channels (meridians) entered : liver, lung, kidney

Effects : Nourishes and tonifies the liver and kidney, helps eyesight, improves blurred vision, alleviates sore back, strengthens the leg and stomach,  improves circulation, boosts immune function, promotes longevity.

功效 : 养肝，补肾，滋阴，明目，益气等。

yu zhu (Pharmaceutical name : Polygonatum odoratum) 玉竹

Channels (meridians) entered : lung, stomach

Effects : Nourishes Yin, promotes the production of body fluids and relieves dryness syndrome.

功效 : 养阴，润燥，除烦，止渴。治热病阴伤，咳嗽烦渴，虚劳发热，消谷易饥，小便频数。

bei qi (Pharmaceutical name : Astragalus propinquus) 北芪

Channels (meridians) entered : lung, spleen

Effects :  Treatment of Qi deficiency, spleen deficiency and Yang deficiency, weakness and fatigue, numbness of limb, morbidity after stroke, sweating, treatment of diabetes, promotes pus discharge and tissue regeneration, promotes diuresis to reduce edema. 

功效 : 补益肺气，用於气虚，脾虚，阳虚，体弱疲倦，肢体麻木，中风后遗症，自汗，糖尿病。排脓，生肌。利尿消肿。

dang gui (Pharmaceutical name : Angelica sinensis) 当归

Channels (meridians) entered :  heart, liver, spleen

Effects : Tonic for blood and for regulating the menses, lubricates bowels to correct constipation, reduces swelling, expels pus, relieves pain.

功效 : 补血活血，调经止痛，润肠通便，是中药妇科良药。

red dates (Chinese dates or red jujube) 红枣

Channels (meridians) entered : stomach, spleen

Effects : Treats weakness, shortness of breath, lassitude, lack of appetite, loose stools due to spleen deficient

功效 :  强筋壮骨，补血行气，滋颐润颜。

dang shen (Pharmaceutical name : Codonopsitis Pilosulae) 党参

Channels (meridians) entered : lung, spleen

Effects : Corrects blood deficiency, invigorates Qi (lack of appetite, fatigue, thirst, diarrhea, vomiting, polapse of uterus, stomach, rectum due to spleen deficient), improves digestive system.

功效 : 补中益气，养血补肺。

huai shan (Pharmaceutical name : Dioscoreae Oppositae) 淮山

Channels (meridians) entered : spleen, lung, kidney

Effects : Invigorates Qi, nourishes Yin, controls spermatorrhea and reduces urination.

功效 :  补脾养胃，生津益肺，补肾涩精。

1000ml water

Seasoning :

Salt to taste

Chinese Herbs Inventory for Gladys Kock Home Cooking

Chinese Herbs Ingredients for Chinese Herbal Black Chicken Soup

Method :

1. Cut whole black chicken into 4 big chunks, trim any excess skin and fat. Rinse black chicken and all Chinese herbs thoroughly and drain, set aside.

2. Parboil or scald the black chicken into boiling water and skim away any excess or visible fats. Black chicken is then removed and set aside.

3. In a clean stockpot or deep claypot, pour in 1000ml water and let it boils. When the water is rolling boil, put the black chicken and all the Chinese herbs into the pot. Turn to low heat and simmer for 1 to 2 hours. Alternatively, slow cooker (crockpot) or double-boiler can be used.

Simmer Chinese Herbal Black Chicken Soup in a Claypot

4. Add a pinch of salt to taste 5 minutes before serving the herbal soup.

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Stewed Turmeric Chicken Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Stewed turmeric chicken (黄姜鸡 in Chinese or ayam kunyit in Malay) is a dish that transcends two cultures in Malaysia - Chinese and Malay. The Malays usually serve turmeric dishes (such as turmeric rice, turmeric chicken etcetera) during the month of Ramadhan, Aidfiltri, Aidiladha, during feasts, wedding receptions and also in daily home-cooked meals. Consider turmeric to be one of natural most potent anti-inflammatories and antioxidants, the Chinese believe turmeric intake after woman's childbirth can help to expel winds and invariably turmeric is widely used in Chinese post-natal confinement recipes favoured for its healing properties. The list goes on for health benefits of turmeric.

Before I digress further into a health charade, this chicken recipe relies heavily on fresh turmeric root to exude a slightly bitter, with a hint of mustard and horseradish flavors and imbue the dish with its strong golden yellow color. Young ginger and lemongrass also blended together with fresh turmeric to impart an aromatic flavor but to me, lemongrass flavor is too mild to overpower fresh turmeric. The most vivid experience while preparing this turmeric dish is, this powerful yellow dye will leave its trail in whatever things it's in touch with, my cooking utensils, chopper board, plates and even my own hands did not get spare from its natural golden yellow dye. Gosh, it takes days to get rid of and I have to hide away my yellowish hands from appearing public! My advice, avoid touching your clothing when working with turmeric and use glove if possible. Some say cleansing milk will get rid of the stain it left behind but I've yet to verify the effectiveness. You might want to try when you're dealing with it.

If you're cracking your head thinking to add some out-of-the-ordinary flair to your thawed out chicken, try the below home-cooked stewed turmeric chicken recipe! 黄姜鸡食谱

Ingredients :
1 whole chicken, about 1.5kg
50g fresh tumeric (黄姜)
100g young ginger (嫩姜)
4 stalks lemongrass (香茅)
1 tbsp oil
250ml water

Seasoning :
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp shaoxing wine (绍兴酒)

Method :

1. Clean the whole chicken and cut into half.

2. Put fresh tumeric, young ginger and lemongrass into a food processor and blend until very fine.

3. In a heavy non-stick skillet, heat up 1 tbsp oil, saute all the blended ingredients (in method 2 above) until fragrant. Add in water, seasoning and bring to boil.

4. Add in chicken, cover with lid and cook at low heat for 30 minutes or until the chicken is done. Remove the chicken from the skillet and leave it to cool down before cutting into pieces.

5. For the remaining gravy in skillet, reheat the gravy with 1 tbsp shaoxing wine added in and then bring to boil. Pour over chicken and serve.

Turmeric tips :

(i) Fresh turmeric can be found in Asian wet markets, or in some Asian specialty stores in the US. You can use ground dried turmeric as a substitute but be reminded that you're not able to reproduce the same flavors as exuded by the fresh turmeric.
(ii) Turmeric is highly susceptible to light, hence it's usually stored in an airtight container in a dark cool place. It will lose its potency approximately after six months and even sooner if it's exposed to light or heat.
(iii) Turmeric is extremely pungent and gets stronger when cooked. Hence use it sparingly when experimenting.

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Salted Chicken in Glutinous Rice Wine Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

A low fat recipe with kampung chicken, tinged with the sweetness of Glutinous Rice Wine and the fiery, pungent flavour of fresh ginger. This ginger-enriched dish also consumed during confinement to expel winds afterbirth.

Rice Wine (mijiu, 米酒) is a clear and sweet chinese rice wine (like Japanese sake) made from glutinous fermented rice, drunk as a beverage or used in cooking exclusively in East and Southeast Asian countries. It is categorized as a form of chinese "yellow liquor"(huangjiu or 黄酒).

My hubby bought me a bottle of glutinous rice wine when I was in confinement 2 years ago and it was left unattended in my kitchen cabinet after the confinement. I decided to use it for my cooking when I'm trying to keep up with what's in the kitchen weeks ago. I bumped into this recipe and was happily give this a whirl, wondering on the medley of flavors that would be produced from!

Salted chicken that is imbued with the sweetness from Glutinous Rice Wine is juicy, tender on throats, sweet (but not overly sweet), zingy and full of bright and vibrant flavor! Shredded ginger round out the flavors, giving the kampung chicken a good kick!

黄酒咸醉鸡食谱

Ingredients : 材料

1 kampung chicken, cut into half and cleaned 1只甘榜鸡，开半，洗净

1/2 tsp sesame oil 1/2小匙麻油

2 tsp salt 2小匙盐

1/2 tbsp oil 1/2大匙油

2 tbsp shredded ginger 2大匙姜丝

300ml glutinous rice wine 300ml糯米酒/黄酒

Seasoning : 调味料

1/2 tsp salt 1/2小匙盐

1/2 tsp sugar 1/2小匙糖

Method : 做法

1. Stir-fry sesame oil and salt in a wok at low heat until fragrant. Dish up and rub all over the chicken. Put into fridge and marinate for 6 hours.

先将麻油和盐放入瓁里用小火炒香，然后涂抹在鸡肉上，放入雪柜腌6小时。

2. Steam the marinated chicken at high heat for 25 minutes or until cooked. Remove and cut into serving pieces.

将腌好的鸡以大火蒸25分钟或至熟，取出斩块上碟。

3. Heat up oil and saute shreded ginger until fragrant. Add in glutinous rice wine, seasoning and bring to boil. Pour over chicken and serve.

烧热油爆香姜丝，加入糯米酒和调味料煮滚，淋在鸡上即可享用。

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Papaya Soup with American Ginseng & Black Chicken Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Traditional low fat and healthy herbal soup recipe which offers excellent medicinal virtues, is brothed with papaya, black chicken and american ginseng, also a great confinement recipe for breatfeeding mums.

I like to broth traditional Chinese-styled soups especially whenever I feel the body is in need of some replenishment in one area or another.

Papaya Soup with American ginseng and black chicken is said to nourish kidneys, replenish blood, enhance digestion system and strengthen bones and tendons. This traditional low fat and healthy herbal soup is also a great confinement recipe for breastfeeding mums. The selected papaya should not be too ripe (1/3 ripen, with the criteria of papaya's skin slightly greenish-yellow in color).

As for black chicken, beyond being evil-smelling or bitter-tasting, the soup however, is tinged with sweetness from sweet dates and papaya. Black chicken enriched in protein, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, B1, B2, C, E, and it helps to replenish blood and Qi (boosting), liver and kidneys, expel body heat and regulate menstrual ailments. Traditional Chinese medicine has held that chicken soup made with black chicken meat is a curative food where it is usually used to make broth and braising.

Concocted from American ginseng, sweet almonds and sweet dates, the soup incorporates all the herbal essence in promoting general health. American ginseng is root of a plant similar to Korean ginseng, but it has the Yin properties which helps to clean excessive Yang in the body, whereas sweet almonds (sweet apricot kernels) target the lungs and sweet dates target the stomach and spleen.

After imbibing a bowl of this soup, overall balancing out the yin and yang within seems to be compromised.

(Philosophy of Yin and Yang in the sphere of food : Yang foods are believed to increase the body's heat (raise the metabolism), while Yin foods are believed to decrease the body's heat (lower the metabolism). The ideal belief is to consume both types of food to keep the body in balance).

A healthy chinese tonic soup recipe laid out as below.

Ingredients : 材料

1 whole black chicken (rinsed, chopped)

1 papaya (peeled, diced)

40g sweet almonds (南杏)

20g American ginseng(sliced)(花旗參)

2 sweet dates (蜜枣)

5 bowls water

Seasoning : 调味料

Salt adequate

Method : 做法

1. Scald the black chicken into boiling water. Drain up for use.

将黑鸡沸过水，捞起沥干备用。

2. Bring the water to boil into a boiling pot. Put in all ingredients and bring to boil. Simmer for 2 hours with mild flame.

煲滚清水，倒入全部材料煮沸，再以中火熬约两小时。

3. Season with salt. Stir well and ready to serve.

下盐调味搅匀后即可上桌。

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Herbal Chicken in Aluminium Parcel Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

An easy to prepare tender herbal chicken (preferably kampung chicken) wrapped in aluminium parcel which is delicately infused with chinese herbs, this is also the best mantra for simple confinement recipe.

I adore traditional chinese herbs dishes especially whenever I am hard pressed for time, besides its undeniably excellent medicinal virtues, it's also easy to prepare with minimum of fuss. Most of the traditional chinese herbs are all thrown in a pot which is bring to broth, simmer, stew or braise, which require minimum attention.

Using Aluminium foil to wrap and cook in boiling water is one of the greatest cooking techniques ever invented. Besides preserving its moist, keeping the chicken meat succulent and tender, it also preventing the chinese herbs mixture from flowing out. It's full of flavour and packs a wallop of heat. The chicken is delicately infused with aromatic herbs, making this a scrumptious meal on its own. Just by giving me this and a plate of piping hot rice and I am set.

Here's some indication of the chinese herbs used. Although it is a bit hard to come across chinese herbs in some non Asian areas, it is definitely worth the search, considering its therapeutic and curative properties.

Dang Gui (Chinese Angelica Root) 当归, has been used to promote menstrual flow, as an abortifacient, antiseptic, expectorant, diuretic, and as a cure for the plague. It tastes sweet, bitter, acrid.

qi zi (Chinese wolfberries fruit) 枸杞子, resemble tiny red currants are said to nourish and tonify the liver, lung, kidney and improve vision. The berries are usually fresh and sometimes used when it is dried. Goji Berry is mostly used to treat kidney, liver, eye, and skin problems, diabetes, tuberculosis, anxiety, and insomnia. It also helps to lower the blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They are known to improve the state of health, strengthen the immune system and increasing the longevity and vitality of the human kind.

If you are looking for a quick and nutritious traditional chinese herbs recipe, then look no further because this easy chicken recipe has your answers. This simple yet nutritious recipe is bound to please and it's definitely a quick 'fix' for looming hunger pangs. Serves 5.

前阵子到中药行买了些药材给临产的妹妹，妈妈就可以煲些药材给她产后补身子。当然，自己也买了些储存起来，平时也可煲些药材汤喝。

而焗当归马来鸡就不必费力再跑中药行一趟咯，药材随手拈来就有！

这是另外一道用锡箔纸烹饪的菜肴，不费时，也不费力！ :-) 由于锡箔纸封住了鸡汁流失的机会，所以鸡肉尝起来特别鲜甜，滑嫩，入味。

当归的功效具有补血，行血，润肠，保肝，调经，加强发育作用。杞子，补肝，肺，肾，改善视网。每月一次煲当归药材，对女性滋补养身，调理身子其实不错！

银式焗当归马来鸡食谱

Ingredients : 材料
1 kampung chicken, cut into pieces 1只马来鸡，斩块
8 slices dang gui 8片当归
1 tbsp qi zi 1大匙杞子
1 tbsp shredded ginger 1大匙姜丝

Seasoning : 调味料
2 tbsp salt 2小匙盐
1 tbsp oyster sauce 1大匙蚝油
2 tbsp shaoxing cooking wine 2大匙紹兴酒
1/2 tbsp sugar 1/2大匙糖
1 sheet of Aluminium foil 1张锡箔纸
300ml water 300ml水

Method : 做法

1. Mix all ingredients with seasoning. Wrap with Aluminium foil and seal tightly.
将全部材料和调味料搅匀，用锡箔纸包好。

2. 300ml water bring to boil in a clean wok. Place the chicken parcel into the wok, cover with lid and steam for 20-25 minutes medium low heat until the water is dry and the chicken parcel puffs up. Ready to serve.It goes well with piping hot rice.
将300ml水倒入干净的瓁煮滚，放入锡箔纸包，加盖，以中小火煮20-25分钟，至水烧干及锡箔纸包鼓起，即可取出享用。

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