Braised Tofu with Roast Pork (Hong Kong Cuisine)

Chinese roast pork (Shao Rou 燒肉) is quite different in taste from the western one, although both have crackling skin on with tender meat under. In Hong Kong, there are many siu mei shops (燒味店) to sell a variety of roast meats, including the roast pork, suckling pig and roast ducks. Whenever we buy roast pork from them, I’d like to reserve some to cook this dish, Braised Tofu with Roast Pork that is one of our family’s favourite. Although the pork skin would be no longer crispy but the taste of it remains as yummy as it comes out fresh from oven. It goes really well with tofu and Chinese mushrooms. The dish is wonderful on a bed of Jasmine rice.

Winter Melon Soup Recipe

Winter melon (white gourd 冬瓜) is commonly used in Chinese home cooking. Even though the taste of winter melon itself is not sweet at all but a bit dull, many Chinese families like to use it. If winter melon is cooked with Chinese mushrooms and some meat, it absorbs all the flavours and tastes wonderful. Here’s a quick winter melon soup, very suitable in summers.  Many of my readers might have known that I am living down under. This photo was taken when I cooked the soup here in summer.

Ingredients:

• 1kg white gourd
• 8 Chinese dried mushrooms
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 slices ginger
• 100g lean pork, shredded
• 1 cup unsalted chicken stock
• boiling water to preference
• salt, to taste

Seasoning:

• 1 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
  
• 1/2 tsp cooking oil

Method:

1. Rinse mushrooms. Soak them in some water until softened. Drain and dry well, cut into dices. Reserve the soaking water. Peel winter melon and cut into cubes. Marinate pork with seasoning for 10 to 15 minutes. Prepare some boiling water.
2. Heat oil in a frypan. Sauté ginger until aromatic. Add mushrooms and stir fry for a while. Toss in diced winter melon. Add chicken stock and the soaking water, with some more boiling water to your preference. Bring to a boil. Add marinated pork and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt. Turn off heat. Stir in beaten egg. Enjoy!

Steak & Red Wine Casserole

Sometimes it’s quite cool in the night down under here because it’s still in winter. While I baked this dish, Steak & Red Wine Casserole, the whole kitchen was warm up. What a comfort food that ties our family together we enjoyed. While enjoying this yummy dish, we're chatting over trivial and interesting things we have come across in the day. Our family especially likes the steak casserole going with mashed potatoes!

Palmiers Recipe

Our family loves this classic French dessert, Palmier very much. Every time I bake this dessert, they would be gone very quickly. My daughter is a big fan of pastry and loves every dessert that made of it.

Due to its simplicity, this Palmier goes really well with other desserts. Just imagine how wonderful it would be when you chat with your family or an old friend after dinner over a cup of coffee or tea, tasting some crisp palmier cookies.