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Apart from research in economics, I am passionate in cooking. Major in Asian Cuisines: Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Southeast Asian. I want to try making dishes from all over world. I am a two-time winner in McKenzie Potluck Cooking Contest. I am sharing my award-winning recipes here.
Fish Flavoured Eggplant (鱼香茄子)
2022 McKenzie Potluck Cooking Contest Main Dish Winner
Ingredients: Four Chinese Eggplants, 6 Cloves of Minced Garlic, Minced Ginger 1tbsp, Chopped green onion Water 2 tbsp, Rice Vinegar 30g, Sugar 45g, Shaoxin Cooking Wine 15g, Soy Sauce 25g, White Pepper 0.5 tbsp, Corn Starch 0.5 tbsp, Pixian Bean Paste 35g, Sichuan Pickled Red Pepper 15g, Cooking oil.
Directions:
Chop eggplants into strips and sock it in salt water mixed with slight vinegar for 15 mins. (Prevent Oxidation)
Making fish flavoured sauce. Mix water, rice vinegar, sugar, Shaoxin cooking wine, soy sauce, white pepper, corn starch, and half of the minced garlic. (This sauce also goes well with pork and eggs)
Rinse eggplants well and wok fry them in 200 degree celsius oil, until eggplants turn golden and soft. (You can replace this step with cooking eggplants in boiling water until soft. Though it is more healthy, but it loses some flavor)
Rinse the wok, heat up wok until see wok hay. Add 1 tbsp of oil. Pan fry Pixian bean paste, Sichuan pickled red pepper, garlic, ginger and green onion until flavor comes out. Add the sauce in step 2, boil until sauce turns a little sticky. Add Fried eggplants and mix them well with the sauce. Dish up and enjoy!
Japanese Fried Chicken (唐揚げ)
2019 McKenzie Potluck Cooking Contest Main Dish Winner
Ingredients: Skin-On-Bone-Off Chicken Thigh 2lbs, Sake 6 tbsp, Soy Sauce 2 tbsp, Mirin 2 tbsp, Ginger Paste 1 tbsp, Garlic Paste 3 tbsp, Cake Flour 3 tbsp, Potato Starch 3 tbsp.
Directions:
Cut the chicken thigh into large cubes (Not too small, otherwise not juicy). Marinate in room temperature with sake, soy sauce, mirin, ginger paste, garlic paste for 1h.
Prepare a wok of oil that is enough to immerse the chicken thigh. Heat to 160 degrees celsius. Mix cake flour with potato starch. Cover the marinated chicken with the mix. (Not too thick) Fry the cubbed chicken thigh. Don't put too much at one time, otherwise they will stick together. Fry until chicken turn golden. Take them out and let them rest.
Heat up the oil till 180 degrees celsius. Fry the chicken again for about 1 min or till the crispy crust forms. It will be good to serve with uncooked cabbage and lemon. Dish up and enjoy!