Pandan Chiffon Cake

Looking for that iconic, bakery-style Asian chiffon cake with an ultra-airy, pillowy crumb? This classic pandan chiffon cake recipe yields an incredibly soft, cottony-soft crumb infused with the tropical fragrance of fresh pandan leaves and rich coconut milk. It is a timeless family favourite dessert that delivers light-as-air texture every single time, making it ideal for afternoon teas or weekend family gatherings.

I originally shared this Asian chiffon cake after watching a Masterchef Australia pressure test episode featuring Dan Hong's famous pandan cake. Sharing delicious food with loved ones is one of life's simplest graces, and baking a fresh, homemade chiffon cake brings warmth and joy to any table.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Cottony-soft texture: Whisked egg whites create a tender, airy structure that stays moist for days.
• Authentic tropical flavor: Freshly squeezed pandan juice combined with coconut milk offers a delightful natural aroma.
• Straightforward home baking: Simple techniques make achieving a bakery-quality tube cake completely stress-free.

Key Tips for Success

• Use grease-free utensils: Ensure your mixing bowl and beaters are completely dry and oil-free before whipping egg whites to stiff peaks.
• Fold delicate batter gently: Fold the meringue in three batches using a light hand to preserve incorporated air.
• Invert to cool: Immediately invert the ungreased tube pan right out of the oven to prevent the cake structure from collapsing.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: Why did my chiffon cake shrink or fall out of the pan?
• A: Never grease your chiffon tube pan! The batter requires an ungreased surface to climb and cling to as it expands.

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Steamed Chicken with Wood Ears and Dried Lily Buds

This classic Cantonese steamed chicken with wood ears and dried lily buds brings back fond memories of childhood comfort food. Delicate cloud ears and sweet lily buds soak up all the rich, savory juices, turning everyday ingredients into an exceptionally nourishing meal.

Cooking at home is a wonderful way to express care for your family while enjoying wholesome, high-quality living. By balancing savory seasonings with aromatic ginger and dried dates, this dish offers a quick, elegant, and deeply satisfying dinner with minimal prep.

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Bubur Cha Cha (摩摩喳喳)

Bubur Cha Cha is a classic Malaysian sweet potato coconut dessert filled with chewy tapioca pearls, tender yam, and fragrant pandan infusion. This colorful comfort food brings warmth to your table and offers a beautiful, nourishing sweet treat to share with loved ones after a satisfying home-cooked meal.

Making this authentic Nyonya dessert at home is a wonderful way to embrace quality living with simple, wholesome ingredients. With its rich coconut soup and medley of soft root vegetables, it satisfies sweet cravings while nourishing both body and mind with wholesome, balanced comfort.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Colorful and Inviting: Combining golden sweet potato, purple sweet potato, and yam creates a visually stunning bowl.
• Versatile Serving Temperature: Enjoy this dessert soothingly hot on cool days or refreshingly chilled during warmer seasons.
• Delightful Texture Contrast: Soft root vegetables paired with tender black-eyed beans and springy sago pearls deliver a memorable mouthfeel.

Key Tips for Success

• Steam Root Vegetables: Steam your sweet potatoes and yam instead of boiling to keep the vibrant purple color from bleeding into your coconut soup.
• Soak Chopped Potatoes: Place cut sweet potato cubes in a bowl of cold water immediately after dicing to prevent oxidation and discoloration.
• Residual Heat Cooking: Allow the tapioca pearls to sit covered off the heat after boiling so they cook through to translucent perfection without turning mushy.

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Bubur Cha Cha Recipe

(Printable recipe)
By Christine’s Recipes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Chinese, Asian
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 60 mins
Yield: 3 to 4 serves

Ingredients:

• 150 gm yam (taro), peeled and diced
• 150 gm golden sweet potato
• 150 gm purple sweet potato
• 50 gm black-eyed beans (black-eyed peas)
• 50 gm tapioca pearls (sago pearls)
• 1 liter boiling water, plus more to cook beans and tapioca pearls
• 120 gm rock sugar or coconut sugar, finely chopped, or to tast
• 1½ cup coconut cream, or to taste
• 3 pandan leaves

Method :

• Rinse the black-eyed beans and drain well. Soak in boiling water with cover for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and put into a large pot of boiling water. The water should cover the beans up to at least 2 inches. Bring it to boil. Reduce heat to simmer over medium-slow heat until softened, but not mushy, about 20 to 30 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
• Soak tapioca pearls for 10 minutes. Drain and transfer into a pot of boiling water. Cover and cook over medium heat until it boils again. Immediately remove from heat. Don’t remove the pot lid. Let the residual heat inside to cook for further 10 minutes. Drain through a fine sieve. Rinse with running cold water. Drain well. The tapioca pearls should be translucent and retain their shapes. If some of them still have a white spot in the middle, they are not cooked through completely. It’s fine because you need to cook them with coconut milk later.
• Steam diced yam, golden and purple sweet potato in a wok over high heat, until softened, about 20 minutes. Test with a sharp knife or toothpick. They should be very easy to prick through.
• Use a large deep pot. Add 1 liter of boiling water with the rock sugar. Bring it to boil. Add pandan leaves. Reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Pour in coconut cream. Once it boils again, drain up and discard the pandan leaves. Add the sweet potatoes, black-eyed beans, tapioca pearls. The rock sugar should be dissolved completely. Taste and add more sugar if needed. Served hot. Or let it cool down and chill in fridge if you like it served cold.

Notes:

• The consistency of every brand of coconut cream is very different. You can adjust the amount to your liking.
• Choose different colours of sweet potato to make this dish more colourful and attractive. The diced sweet potatoes will turn black if they are not cooked immediately. Soak them in water to avoid from turning black in colour.
• You can put the diced sweet potato in water to cook until softened instead of steaming. But beware that the purple sweet potato will turn your sweet coconut soup into purple. That’s why I used steaming.

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Smoky BBQ Pork Ribs (Instant Pot with Slow-Cooked Effect + Video)

Craving tender, fall-off-the-bone Smoky BBQ Pork Ribs but short on time? You don’t need to spend hours stoking a smoker or patiently watching an oven to achieve rich, slow-cooked bbq spare ribs. By using a smart pressure cooker technique finished with a quick flash in the oven, you get maximum flavor with minimal effort—making this fast pressure cooker dinner a complete game changer for weeknights and weekend gatherings alike.

Cooking with modern efficiency frees up valuable time for life's moments while keeping your kitchen cool and serene. By pairing a high-pressure braise with a brief high-heat broil, the meat locks in moisture while absorbing a deep, caramelised smoky bbq glaze. It is a wonderful way to serve up nourishing, restaurant-quality comfort food that invites family and friends to gather round with grateful hearts.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Fast & Foolproof: Cuts down cooking hours to under 45 minutes using the pressure cooker.
• Authentic Slow-Cooked Texture: Pressure cooking softens the meat to perfection before crisping under the broiler.
• Rich, Caramelised Glaze: Reducing the cooking liquid creates an insanely delicious sauce that clings to every bite.
• Stress-Free Prep: Streamlined cooking steps give you back time to spend with loved ones.

Key Tips for Success

• Peel the Membrane: Removing the paper-thin membrane from the bone side allows the rub and sauce to penetrate evenly and keeps the ribs tender.
• Deglaze for Extra Flavor: After browning the meat on the Sauté setting, use a splash of Shaoxing wine to lift up those golden caramelized bits at the bottom.
• Reduce the Sauce: Always simmer the remaining pot juices on Sauté mode to thicken it into a glossy, concentrated barbecue glaze before brushing.

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Smoky BBQ Pork Ribs Recipe

(Printable recipe) By Christine Ho
Course: Pork, Bakery
Cuisine: Western
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Yield: 3 to 4 serves

Instant Pot available at Amazon: 

• If you're interested in getting an Instant Pot, here's the info for you. I got it from Amazon (UK) as the model for sale in UK, with 220 volts, suitable for using in Australia.
• If you’re living in US or any countries with 110~120 volts electrical system, the model listed on Amazon (US) is the one to go for.

Ingredients:

• 680 gm pork spare ribs
• ½ tsp salt
• white pepper, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 3 Tbsp Shaoxing wine
• ½ cup smoky BBQ sauce
• ½ cup water
• 1 Tbsp honey

Method:

1. Remove the membrane on the back of the spare ribs. You can use a sharp knife to slice the corner first. That makes so much easier to get started to pull the membrane up with your fingers. Check the video on this post and you'll see it's not that difficult. By removing the membrane, the pork meat will absorb the flavours easily and become tender quickly. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Prepare your Instant Pot. Press “Sauté” and heat oil until the word of “Hot” displays. Brown both sides in batches as the pot is not big enough. Put back all the pork ribs.
3. Add garlic. Sprinkle Shaoxing wine. Add smoky BBQ sauce, water and honey.
4. Close the lid with steam release handle pointed to “Sealing”. Select “Meat”, high pressure cooking for 25 minutes. Natural release for 10 minutes. Press “Cancel”. Quick release. Remove the lid. The pork ribs are already tender at this stage. Carefully transfer the pork ribs onto a baking pan lined with wire rack.
5. To prepare the sauce: Select “Sauté” and cook the sauce without a lid until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Brush the pork ribs with the thickened sauce. Grill in preheated oven at 180C / 350F until lightly brown. It's done. Drizzle more sauce on the ribs when served. It's very delicious!

Notes:

• Heat your Instant Pot hot enough, then add oil to coat the bottom evenly. When you see “Hot” code displays, pan-fry the pork ribs. They shouldn't stick to the pot. You'll find some brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. No worries. The brown bits are very delicious. You can deglaze the brown bits with the Shaoxing wine and easily get up all of them.
• You can quickly reduce and thicken the sauce by using “sauté” function in a few minutes. The flavours of the sauce will be intensified.
• After high-pressure cooking, the pork ribs are tender enough. By doing one more step, broiling them in an oven with sauce on rib surface, it helps more flavours penetrate into the meat and give them a BBQ feel and look.

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Imitation Shark Fin Soup

Recreate classic Hong Kong street food at home with this simple, fast, and satisfying Imitation Shark Fin Soup. Also known as wun zai ci (碗仔翅), this rich and hearty Chinese soup delivers restaurant-quality comfort without relying on expensive or un-environmental real shark fin. By combining tender shredded chicken, pork, earth-rich black mushrooms, and translucent cellophane noodles, you can recreate that iconic street-hawker flavor completely hassle-free!

Cooking at home allows us to appreciate life's simple blessings—sharing a warm bowl of soup with loved ones brings pure joy and simple nourishment to any table. This easy quick soup recipe balances rich chicken broth, savory dark soy sauce, and delicate textures to satisfy your cravings while keeping your meal light, wholesome, and nutritious.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Quick & Hassle-Free: Takes only 10 minutes of prep time and 25 minutes of cooking for a flawless finish.
• Eco-Friendly & Budget-Smart: Uses silky cellophane noodles (glass noodles) to achieve the signature silky texture without real shark fin.
• Authentic Street Food Taste: Recreates the nostalgic Hong Kong night market flavor with accessible everyday ingredients.

Key Tips for Success

• Use Water Chestnut Flour for Thickening: Water chestnut flour gives the soup its iconic glossy transparency and velvety sheen, though cornstarch can also be used as a simple backup.
• Thinly Shred the Ingredients: Ensure the chicken, pork, and mushrooms are sliced into uniform, thin strips so every spoonful offers a balanced bite.
• Add Eggs Last: Drizzle the beaten egg gently after stirring in the thickener to create delicate, beautiful egg ribbons throughout the soup.

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Imitation Shark Fin Soup Recipe

(Printable recipe) By Christine's Recipes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Yield: 3 to 4 serves

Ingredients:

• 50 gm skinless chicken breast
• 50 gm lean pork, shredded
• 20 gm Chinese black mushroom, soaked at least 4 hours until soften
• 10 gm dried black fungus, soaked until soften
• 50 gm cellophane noodles, soaked until soften
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cups unsalted chicken broth
• 2 cups water

Seasoning:

• 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
• a dash of sesame oil
• white pepper, to taste
• salt, to taste

Thickening:

• 2 Tbsp water chestnut flour
• 4 Tbsp water

Method:

1. Soak black mushrooms, dried black fungus and cellophane noodles separately until soften and drain well. Remove the hard stems of black mushrooms (you can save the stems to cook other Chinese soups if you like), cut into small strips. Trim the dried black fungus. Section cellophane noodles. Set aside.
2. Shred chicken breast and pork into thin strips.
3. Bring chicken broth and water to the boil. Add chicken, pork, black mushroom, dried black fungus and cook for a while until all ingredients are cooked through and softened. Add cellophane noodles and seasoning. Add salt to taste. When it boils again, stir in thickening and beaten egg, mix well. Remove from heat. Use a small bowl to serve!

Notes:

• The water chestnut flour is the best for cooking this soup because it creates a clear, crystal soup. You still can use other starch though.
• Yes, if salted chicken broth is used, decrease or omit the salt then.

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Cake Wrapped in Paper (Hong Kong Cupcakes)

Cakes baked in paper are very popular in Hong Kong. You can easily get them from many bakery shops there. Armed with this recipe, you can bake some for yourself or your family at home.

If you have a chance to travel to Hong Kong, I recommend you to have a go for it. You won’t be disappointed except you buy the not-the-good ones. I guess you can’t find them anywhere else except in Hong Kong.

I used to go to an old café with my father to have afternoon tea when I was a little kid. The café was very cozy and would sell freshly baked cakes and breads around 3 to 4pm.

Although the café was not big, their cakes baked in paper (纸包蛋糕) was very popular that attracted many customers. A long queue would line up in front of the entrance of the café.

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Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry (Video)

Ever tried adding some crunchy cashews in your stir-fried dishes? I grew up with this traditional stir-fried dish, cashew chicken stir-fry. It’s good for a daily meal or even family gatherings. 

Cashews will add an interesting texture and make a contrast of the tender chicken meat. You can use any vegetables for the stir-fry instead of using celery. It’s very easy to make and flexible for you to add any vegetables you like.

In traditional Chinese cooking, cashews are often deep-fried in oil in order to make them crunchy. If you have an oven, simply bake them in an oven. Or pan-fry them in a pan without any oil. The result will be equally crunchy, and you can consume less oil.

As for chicken meat, I like using chicken thigh as the texture is good for stir-frying and the price is cheaper. You can use chicken breast if you want. It won't make any difference in taste.

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