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Jump To Recipe Jump To Video During my covid19 isolation period, friends were sending fresh fruits and vegetables to me. Bless them for their kindness! I have lots of apples and before they go bad, I decided to make some apple pie. And not some typical apple pie. A deconstructed one to be exact. You can use a mixture of apples; Honeycrisp, Gala, Granny Smith, Fuji, McIntosh, etc. I am just using whatever I have on hand. For the apple fillings, I grated apples, diced peeled and unpeeled apples for different layers of texture contrast. I also added a thin layer of apple crisp on the side. So, you will get chewy, crispy, crunchy and silky smooth apples. As for the crémeux, it is just an extra chefy touch. You can totally omit this and bake the apples covered with puff pastry on a shallow bowl, and it would be an excellent apple pie. I cheated my way thru' with store-bought frozen puff pastry. It makes things a lot easier than making a pie shell from scratch. Right? Ingredients: (Serve 3) Apple Crisp: Apple Thinly Sliced, 1 Crémeux: Gelatin Sheet, 1 Heavy Whipping Cream, 225g Pure Vanilla Paste, 1/2 TSP Egg Yolks, 58g High Quality 35% White Chocolate Preferably Valrhona or Callebaut, 75g Apple Fillings: Apples Peeled Cored, 375g (Weigh After Peeled & Cored) Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest, 20g Sea Salt, Pinch Apples Cored, 250g (Weigh After Peeled & Cored) Calvados or Any Apple Liqueur, 2 TBSP Muscovado Sugar, 50g Cornstarch, 6g Cinnamon Powder Preferably Hexa's , 1/2 TSP Ginger Powder, 1/2 TSP Puff Pastry: Frozen Store-Bought Puff Pastry, 1 Sheet Icing Sugar, For Dusting Edible Gold Dust, For Dusting (Optional) Equipment: Oven Sauce Pot Skillet Sphere Mold Cookie Cutter (I'm using snowflake) Directions: Make the Apple Crisp Preheat oven to 100°C (210°F). Lay thinly sliced apples on a parchment-lined baking tray. Discard seeds. Cover with another sheet of parchment and add light weight to prevent shrinking. Bake for 1½–2 hours, checking at the 1-hour mark. Apple slices should be caramelized and crisp when cooled. Remove and set aside. Prepare the Crémeux Bloom gelatin in cold water. In a saucepan, heat cream and vanilla over medium heat. Once bubbles form at the edges, remove from heat. Temper the yolks: whisk in ⅓ of the cream mixture, then another ⅓. Return yolk mixture to pot and cook until slightly thickened (do not overheat). Pour into white chocolate. Add bloomed gelatin. Whisk until smooth. Transfer to silicone sphere molds and freeze 2–3 hours until set. Make the Apple Filling Grate 375g peeled apples into a bowl of lemon juice and zest. Sauté grated apples in a skillet over medium heat with a pinch of salt until dry. Dice 250g of peeled and unpeeled apples (soaked in lemon water to prevent oxidation). Add diced apples to the skillet and sauté to combine. Deglaze with Calvados (careful—it may flambé). Cook until fork-tender and remove from heat. Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and ginger in a small bowl. Stir into the apple mixture off heat to prevent clumping. Add ¼ cup water and return to heat. Cook until syrupy. Set aside. Bake the Puff Pastry Preheat oven as per pastry packaging. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters (e.g., snowflakes). Transfer to a parchment-lined tray and bake until golden and puffed. Remove and dust with icing sugar. Assemble the Dessert Unmold frozen crémeux onto individual serving plates. Spoon warm apple filling around the crémeux. Dust crémeux with edible gold dust. Add apple crisps and puff pastry on the sides. Serve immediately. The beautiful caramelization of apple crisp... Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow... A wonderful combination of texture and flavor... In every mouthful... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video After making my deconstructed apple pie, I still have some leftover apples. I decided to make a Russian apple cake. Sorry to disappoint anyone, but this is a much better cake compared to Italian or French apple cakes. I love the 2 different layers of texture contrast after baked. The top is fluffy and crispy while the bottom is dense and moist with pieces of apples. You have to bake this cake to find out for yourself. This is a very simple cake which uses only a few ingredients, which I love. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication; my kinda cake actually. If you have known me, you should know that I dislike sugary spongy cakes with lots of unnecessary creams. I am always looking for texture and flavors. And not an explosion of sugar and cream on my palate. I hope you will give this lovely Russian apple cake a try. Ingredients: (Make one 8" cake) Apples Cored, 250g (Weigh After Peeled & Cored) Eggs, 113g Demerara Sugar, 150g Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 113g Baking Powder, 1/2 TSP Sea Salt, Pinch Apple Vodka or Any Apple Liqueur, 2 TBSP Equipment: Oven 8" Spring Form Cake Pan Hand / Stand Mixer Directions: *I like the contrast of peeled and unpeeled apples, so I diced a combination of both. To slow down oxidation, I soaked the apples in a bowl of water with lemon juice and zest.* Set aside the diced apples in the fridge. Preheat oven to 175 degree celsius or 350 fahrenheit. Grease and line cake pan with parchment paper, at the bottom and sides. Wrap the cake pan with foil at the bottom to prevent any leakage. In a bowl, add eggs. Using a hand or stand mixer, whisk the eggs until tripled in volume. Add in sugar, 1/2 portion at a time, whisking until the sugar has completely dissolved. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. Add in the flour mixture, 1/3 portion at a time, folding until fully incorporated. It should thicken like a brownie batter. Add in apple vodka and fold to combine well. Drain the apples and add to the cake pan. Pour the cake batter over the apples. Shake to level out the cake batter. Wack into the oven and bake for 40 to 45 mins or until the top is browned and pass the skewer test. Set aside to cool down slightly. Unmold and dust with icing sugar. Slice and serve immediately. I prefer having them warm with a cup of tea. Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video As of 2019, I have posted this Xmas fruit cake recipe every year. I have to admit, sometimes, I was trying to be over-creative and forgetting that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. My feet are on the ground now. This is my basic version of the Xmas fruit; without fermenting the dried fruits for weeks. And certainly without adding chocolate. The question is does the cake tastes any lesser without the fermentation. The honest answer is, it doesn't make any difference. Yes, guilty as charged. Anyway, to make my life easier, I am using a dried fruits mix from Foodsterr . You can of cos use a combination of your favorite dried fruits, or purchase them separately. You are after all the Drake of your Xmas fruit cake. Let it flambé... The most important steps are to mix each ingredient properly before adding another. The oven will do the magic. Well, of cos with a bit of effort, patience and love, this would be a lovely fruit cake for Xmas. Here I wish all you lovely people a Merry Xmas! Ingredients: (Make one 8 inch round cake or one 4.5 inch X 8.5 inch loaf) Fruits: Dried Fruits Mix Preferably Foodsterr , 163g or A Combination of Raisins, Sultanas, Green Raisins, Currants, Dried Apricots, Candied Orange Peels, Candied Lemon Peels, Dried Cranberries or Blueberries. Dates Pitted Thinly Sliced, 75g Glazed Cherries Halved, 50g Crystalized Ginger Cubes Quartered Preferably Foodsterr , 50g Cointreau / Grand Marnier / Dark Rum, 90g Spices: Cinnamon Stick Preferably HexaFood , 1 Cloves, 4 Allspice Berries, 8 Nutmeg Freshly Grated, Pinch Cake: Unsalted Butter, 138g Dark Muscovado Sugar, 60g Demerara Sugar, 60g Eggs, 3 Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 138g Blanched Almond Flour, 38g Sea Salt, Pinch Fresh Lemon Zest, 1/2 Lemon Fresh Lemon Juice, 1/2 Lemon Walnuts / Pecans / Cashews Corasely Chopped, 20g Pistachios / Hazelnuts / Macadamia Corasely Chopped, 20g Cointreau / Grand Marnier / Dark Rum, 30g + More For Feeding & Flambé Equipment: Oven 8" Round Cake Pan / 4.5" X 8.5" Loaf Pan Hand / Stand Mixer Spice Grinder Cast Iron Skillet Blow Torch Directions: Soak the Fruits In a large bowl, combine dried fruit mix, dates, cherries, ginger, and Cointreau. Cover with cling film and let sit at room temperature for 24–48 hours. Prepare the Spice Mix Toast cinnamon, cloves, and allspice berries in a skillet over medium heat until aromatic. Blitz into powder using a spice grinder. Grate in nutmeg and mix well. Set aside. Make the Cake Batter Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Lightly grease loaf or cake pan with butter and line with parchment paper (bottom and sides). Wrap the pan with a ring of aluminum foil (reflective side out) tied with thread to prevent uneven rising. In a large bowl, cream butter until mayo-like in consistency. Add sugar in two additions, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Add ground spices and salt. Fold to combine. Fold in flour in three parts, followed by almond flour. Mix in lemon zest and juice. Fold in nuts and soaked fruit mixture until everything is fully incorporated. Transfer batter into the prepared pan and level the top. Bake the Cake Bake for 2 to 2½ hours, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Begin checking after the 1½ hour mark. Remove from oven and cool completely in the pan. Flambé and Store Unmold cooled cake onto a shallow bowl. Heat Cointreau in a saucepan and carefully light with a blow torch. Pour the flambéed liqueur over the cake. Use caution. Once the flames subside, let the cake cool again completely. Wrap in parchment, then a layer of foil. Store in a cool, dry place. Optional:  Feed with 1 TBSP of liqueur weekly. Best aged at least 2 weeks before serving. To Serve Slice and enjoy on its own or with coffee or tea. Moist, dense, fruity and Xmasy... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video I have been wanting to do this dish for such a long time. When it popped into my head to do it, I will always procrastinate and find excuses not to. I have no real reason why. Maybe I was intimidated by the history behind this pudding and that I might screw it up (like I used to). Speaking of history, this recipe dated back to the UK during the Victorian era. It is originally called plum pudding. Plum refers to raisins, sultanas or currants back in those days and pudding is a UK term for cake. I know it is confusing. Chips are Fries, Scones - Biscuits, Pudding is Cake and Custard is pudding. Haha! Anyway, I do not wanna bore you with more history lessons, you can google about it if you are interested. Another traditional ingredient which I wanted to point out is beef suet is used to make this pudding. I cannot get my hands on any in Singapore. I experimented with butter, ghee and duck fat and I recommended a combination of butter and duck fat. If you are okay with pork lard or vegetable shortening, by all means, use it. And perhaps, I am using a combination of butter and duck, that's why it didn't turn out as dark brownish as it is supposed to. What do you think? Lastly, a Xmas Pudding isn't xmasy without some flambé. Here I wish you lovely people a Merry Xmas! Ingredients: (Serve 8) Unsalted Butter, 85g Duck Fat, 85g *Or 170g beef suet. Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 85g Sea Salt, Pinch Dark Muscovado Sugar, 70g Demerara Sugar, 70g Ground Cinnamon Preferably HexaFood , Pinch Ground Cloves, Pinch Ground Allspice, Pinch Ginger Powder, 1 TSP Breadcrumbs, 170g Dried Fruits Mix Preferably Foodsterr , 170g or A Combination of Raisins, Sultanas, Candied Orange Peels and Candied Lemon Peels. Currants Preferably Foodsterr , 170g Apple, 1 Fresh Lemon Juice, 1/2 Lemon Fresh Lemon Zest, 1/2 Lemon Eggs Lightly Beaten, 3 Grand Marnier / Brandy / Dark Rum, 140g + More For Famblé Herbes De Provence, 2 TSP (Optional) Equipment: Pudding Bowl / Any Large or 2 Small Ceramic Bowls (Heat Proof) Large Heavy Pot Blow Torch Sauce Pot Directions: Prepare the Wet Mixture In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter and duck fat. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. If using suet instead of duck fat, skip this step and add suet directly to the dry mix. Assemble the Dry Ingredients In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Stir in cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and ginger powder. Add breadcrumbs and mix well. Add suet now if using. Stir in dried fruits, currants, and grated apple (peeled or unpeeled). Add lemon juice and zest. Combine Wet and Dry Mix beaten eggs and Grand Marnier into the melted butter mixture. If using suet, just combine Grand Marnier with beaten eggs. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Fold until everything is fully incorporated. Prepare for Steaming Grease a pudding bowl and line the bottom with parchment paper. Pour the batter in and smooth the top. Cover with another piece of parchment. Wrap tightly with 2 layers of cling film. Chill in the fridge overnight. Steam the Pudding The next day, wrap the bowl with foil and tie kitchen twine around the bowl for easy lifting. Place in a large heavy pot and fill halfway with hot water. Cover and steam over medium heat for at least 4 hours, or until the pudding is deep brown. Check water level every 15–20 minutes and top up as needed. Optional: Add Herbes de Provence or other dried herbs to the water in the final 15 minutes for extra aroma. Unmold and Flambé Remove the bowl from the pot and unwrap carefully. Run a knife around the edge to loosen. Place a serving plate on top and confidently flip the pudding out. In a saucepan, warm ¼ cup Grand Marnier. Light with a blowtorch and pour over the pudding to flambé. Take extreme care during this step. To Serve Once the flames subside, slice and serve the pudding warm. Let it flambé... Merry Xmas! Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video I might just retire someday and set up an eatery selling open-faced toasts. This will be 100% be on my menu. Yes, it is that good and once you start making this, you will never order any garlic toast from other eateries again. I have ruined your life. Lol! There is no excuse not to make this cos it is super easy and simple. All you need are garlic + oil and the oven will work its magic for you. After 3 hrs of confit, you will get soft spreadable garlicky garlic. You heard me, 3 hrs. Be sure to use a high smoking point oil; olive oil will not cut it. To add some chefy touches, I infused the oil and garlic confit with some sriracha powder and nori flakes. I then served these on some crispy buttered toast spread with some vegemite with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano. Mama Mia! Ingredients: (Serve 2) Garlic Peeled, 2 Bulbs Grapeseed / Peanut / Sunflower / Canola Oil, For Confit Sriracha Powder, Pinch Nori Flakes, Pinch Buttered Toast, For Serving Vegemite, For Spreading Parmigiano Freshly Grated, For Garnishing Maple Syrup Preferably Grade 'A', For Drizzling Equipment: Heavy Pot Oven Directions: Preheat oven to 93 degrees celsius or 200 fahrenheit. In a sauce pot, add garlic. Add just enuff oil to submerge the garlic. Wack into the oven and confit for 3 hrs. The garlic should have crispy browned crusts. Infuse with sriracha powder and nori flakes. Set aside to cool down slightly. I usually serve this garlic on some buttered toast spread with some vegmite. The garlic confit is spreadable like softened butter. Garnish with some sriracha powder, nori flakes and parmigiano. Lastly, drizzle some maple syrup over the top. Once the garlic confit cools down completely, store in a sterilized jar, along with all the oil, and keep chilled in the fridge for up to 7 days. Garlicky umami bomb... It can be kept in a sterilized jar chilled in the fridge for up to 7 days... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video Do you agree with me? Very much like truffle oil, kale is overused and overrated. Period. Anyway, I prepared this citrusy vibrant peppery salad as a side dish last Xmas. Initially, I assumed nobody will look at this salad, but I was wrong. This salad is a hit! My guests were asking for a second serving! Fortunately, I managed to gingerly prepare another bowl. Guess I have underestimated this bowl of salad. I was shopping at my grocery store, and somehow I was inspired by the idea of orange and arugula. The idea just grew and grew while I was prepping. Kinda like an impromptu? When making a salad, always keep these 3 things in mind: texture, citrus and oil. The texture is more about leafy and crunch. If you can add extra crispiness, the better. As for citrus, lemon is awesome for keeping the whole salad fresh and vibrant. You can try different citrus too. Do not be afraid to explore. Lastly, the oil. I wonder why anyone would add thousand island dressing or tons of mayo into their salad. Oil is good enuff to make everything comes together. There are lots of high quality oil in the market. Explore and experiment and you will be amazed. In closing, always remember to season your salad. Ingredients: (Serve 4) Carrots, 2 Orange Segment, 3 Oranges Arugula, 125g Fresh Lemon Juice, 1/2 Lemon Fresh Lemon Zest, 1/2 Lemon Pecans / Walnuts Coarsely Chopped, A Handful Himalayan Pink Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Sriracha Powder, Pinch Nori Flakes, Pinch Black Seeds, Pinch Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 TBSP Sacha Inchi Oil, 2 TBSP Equipment: Vegetable Peeler Directions: I am using 2 different types of vegetable peelers for 2 different types of carrots. You can grate, peel or shred carrots as desired. Toss everything in a large bowl until well combined. *Do not waste the orange peels from segmenting the oranges. Squeeze all the juices into the salad.* Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge until ready to serve, It tastes better the next day. Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This is another dish that I served during the Xmas dinner. I am a huge fan of mushroom soup. As much as I remember, I used to survive on Campbell's mushroom soup during my school years. That and some instant ramen. I had experimented, researched and tested my fair share of mushroom soups. Eventually, I had settled for Heston Blumenthal's version. I love how he adds potatoes to enhance the creaminess of the soup and also the stacking aroma from the addition of leeks. I used a varieties of mushrooms instead of just one. There are so many to choose from, the wild expensive to the underrated cheaper ones. In the end, I used what I can get my hands on, shiitake and Swiss brown button mushrooms. I love how Heston blitz some dried mushrooms into a powder and added them into the soup. It kicks this soup up a notch. Of cos, I added my own je ne sais quoi with some sauteed mushrooms and sacha inchi oil. Yes! Step aside truffle oil! Ingredients: Inspired by Heston Blumenthal (Serve 4) Vegetable Stock, 750ml Yukon Gold Potatoes Wedged, 1 High Quality Olive Oil, 2 TBSP Yellow Onion Finely Sliced, 1 Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Demerara Sugar, Pinch Leeks White and Light Green Parts Only Coarsely Sliced, 2 Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves Shiitake Mushrooms Finely Sliced, 200g Swiss Brown Button Mushrooms, 200g Unsalted Butter, 80g Vermouth / White Wine, 25ml Heavy Cream, 40ml Whole Milk, 20ml Mushroom Powder, Pinch Garnishes: Dried Mushrooms, 5 Unsalted Butter 1 TBSP Nori Flakes, Pinch + More For Garnish Sriracha Powder / Chili Flakes, Pinch Sacha Inchi Oil / Extra Virgin Olive Oil, For Drizzling Croutons Homemade , For Serving Equipment: Sauce Pot Heavy Sauce Pot Blender Cast Iron Skillet / Pan Directions: Please visit my " Croutons " page for the recipe. Make the Soup Base In a saucepan over medium heat, bring vegetable stock and potatoes to a boil. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender. Set aside. In another heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and season with salt, pepper, and sugar. Sauté until translucent. Add leeks and garlic. Sauté until aromatic. Add mushrooms and cook until slightly caramelized. Stir in butter until melted. Deglaze with vermouth, scraping up brown bits. Add the cooked potatoes and their stock. Stir to combine. Simmer gently, then reduce heat to low. Add cream and milk. Stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer soup to a blender (in batches if needed) and blitz until smooth. Return blended soup to the pot over medium-low heat. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and mushroom powder. Stir well. Prepare the Garnishes Soak dried mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes. Reserve the soaking liquid. Thinly slice the mushrooms. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Sauté the sliced mushrooms with salt and pepper until lightly caramelized. Deglaze with the reserved mushroom liquid. Add nori flakes and sriracha powder. Stir to combine. Continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated. Set aside. To Serve Ladle hot soup into bowls. Top with sautéed mushroom slices. Drizzle sacha inchi oil over each serving. Sprinkle with nori flakes. Serve with croutons on the side. Mushroomlicious umami bomb... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video What's Xmas without all the goody desserts? I posted this dish before on my Instagram when I was still working at a pizzeria. I was trying to use whatever I have in the kitchen to create a simple tiramisu; the whole panna cotta thingy just popped into my head, one of those light bulb moments. The crew loved it so much and that was how this dish is born. I thought of serving this creation for dinner last Xmas and also taking the opportunity to really do it properly and better this time. I am so glad that I did. Ain't that a beauty? In my opinion, there is still room for improvement and it is far from perfect. I will re-visit this recipe in the future to perfect it for sure. In the meantime, let's enjoy this adorable dessert with or without the festive vibes. Ingredients: (Make 4 panna cotta) Panna Cotta: Gelatin Sheets, 3 Heavy Whipping Cream, 400g Whole Milk, 75g Caster Sugar, 100g Espresso / Strong Coffee Freshly Brewed, 50g Sweet Dessert Wine Vin Santo, 50g (Optional) For Serving: Espresso Freshly Brewed, 20g Cognac / Grand Marnier, 20g High Quality Unsweetened Cocoa Powder Preferably Valrhona or Callebaut, For Dusting Edible Gold Dust, For Dusting Savoiardi, 4 Raw Cacao Nibs, For Garnishing Equipment: Sauce Pot Ramekins, 4 Blow Torch Directions: Prepare the Panna Cotta Lightly spray water into ramekins to prevent sticking. Bloom gelatin sheets in a bowl of water until softened. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine cream, milk, and sugar. Whisk gently until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to simmer. Immediately remove from heat— do not let it boil . Stir in espresso, optional vin santo, and bloomed gelatin. Whisk until gelatin is fully dissolved. Pour mixture into prepared ramekins. Use a blow torch to pop surface air bubbles. Chill in the fridge until fully set, preferably overnight. Make the Soaking Liquid In a shallow bowl, mix espresso and dessert wine. Chill in the fridge until ready to use. Unmold and Serve Dip ramekins into a hot water bath for 30–45 seconds. Once panna cotta begins to loosen and wobble, remove promptly. Do not overheat or panna cotta will melt. Carefully invert onto serving plates. Final Touches Dust with cocoa powder and edible gold dust. Lightly dip savoiardi into the espresso mixture—just a few turns. Lean the soaked biscuits beside the panna cotta. Sprinkle with cacao nibs. Serve immediately while chilled. Silky smooth and jiggly goodness... Every bite is nostalgic... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This is a very popular treat during the lunar new year festive season, especially in Singapore. People will queue for hours upon hours just to get their hands on some really pricey Bak Kwa. It has become my household tradition to make this every year. I am not bragging, but just like fine wine, my humble recipe has aged well with a little help from my friend: @beerswithdave . Check out his profile and give him a follow while you are at it. Loving how rustic it looks... Dave shared some ideas on how to enhance the flavors. Those ideas inspired me to push the boundaries to the best bak kwa I'd made thus far. The process is long, but it is worth it. I am also proud to say that I do not use any food coloring or highly processed super-refined sugar like most eateries do. I used maltose syrup to get that sticky consistency. If you are having a hard time getting your hands on maltose syrup, you can replace it with maple syrup. Trust me, maple syrup adds another layer of flavors. Look at the glossy shine... You can also replace Chinese Rose Wine with Hua Tiao, Shao Xing, Sherry Wine or even Rose Cordial. You might wanna try your luck at a local Chinese grocery store or simply order online via Amazon. Instead of spending huge dollars and hours standing in line to buy these for the Chinese New Year, why not make them at home? Here I wish you lovely people a very Happy Lunar New Year! Ingredients: (Serve 4) Brine: Water, 1 Liter Sea Salt, 50g Liquid Smoke Preferably Stubb's Hickory , 10g 6 Chicken Thigh Skinless Boneless, About 700g Marinade: Fish Sauce, 1.5 TBSP Dark Soy Sauce, 3/4 TBSP Light Soy Sauce, 3/4 TBSP Chinese Rose Wine, 1.5 TBSP Or Rose Water, 1 TSP (Halal) Sesame Oil, 1.5 TBSP Maltose Syrup / Honey / Maple Syrup, 1.5 TBSP + More For Brushing Liquid Smoke Preferably Stubb's Hickory , 1.5 TBSP + More For Brushing Chinese 5 Spice Powder Homemade , 1 TSP Demerara Sugar, 75g Dark Muscovado Sugar, 75g Cinnamon Powder, 1/2 TSP Coriander Powder, 1/2 TSP White Pepper, 1/2 TSP Sriracha Powder / Smoked Paprika, 1/2 TSP Adjust To Preference Chili Flakes, 1/2 TSP Adjust To Preference (Optional) Mushroom Powder, 1/2 TSP Equipment: Oven Food Processor / Meat Grinder Smoking Gun + Hickory Wood Chips (Optional) Directions: Please visit my " How To Make Chinese 5 Spice " page for the recipe. Prepare the Brine In a large bowl, stir water, salt, and liquid smoke until salt dissolves. Submerge chicken thighs fully in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 24–48 hours. Prepare the Marinade In another large bowl, mix all marinade ingredients until well combined. Tip: Steam maltose for 5 mins to liquify before using. Coarsely dice chicken thighs. Grind using a meat grinder or blitz in a food processor until coarsely ground— do not over-blend into a paste . Fold ground chicken into the marinade until fully coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight. Form the Jerky Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F). Place 2 heaped TBSP of the chicken mixture between 2 parchment sheets. Roll into a thin layer, about ⅛ inch thick. Shape doesn’t matter—just keep it even. Remove the top parchment sheet (save for reuse). Transfer the bottom parchment and chicken onto a baking tray. Bake for 8 minutes. Make the Glaze Mix 4 TBSP maltose and 2 TBSP liquid smoke (2:1 ratio). Keep warm over a double boiler to liquify. Or use maple syrup if preferred. Glaze and Roast After 8 mins, remove jerky from oven and brush with glaze. Bake another 8 minutes. Set oven to roast mode. Flip jerky, glaze again, and roast for 3 minutes. Flip once more, glaze again, and roast for another 3 minutes or until edges are lightly charred. Let cool before serving. To Finish Repeat with remaining chicken mixture. Optional:  Smoke with hickory using a smoking gun for 5 minutes before serving. Happy Lunar New Year! Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video I personally find that Chinese soup is very complex and not to my liking. It is either too many herbs or too bitter and sometimes I can't take the smell of chicken or pork soup. Maybe it is just me. But somehow, I began to appreciate this soup more every time I cook it. I discard the dogma of preparing this soup with a meat base and used mushrooms for my base. This is my Chinese version of mushroom soup, you can call it that way. This soup is also 100% vegetarian. You can make this vegan by omitting the egg. Another reason why I appreciate this soup so much as it is spicy, sour, savory (even tho there's no meat) and hearty at the same time. This will definitely keep me warm in those cold weather and season. I hope it will keep you cozy this festive season as well. Ingredients: (Serve 8) Mushrooms: Water, 1 TSP Cornstarch, 2 TSP ShaoXing / Hua Tiao / Sherry Wine, 2 TSP Soy Sauce Preferably Kikkoman, 2 TSP Granulated Sugar, Pinch Shiitake Mushrooms Finely Sliced, 200g Sesame Oil, 2 TSP Base: Fresh Coriander Finely Chopped, A Handful Black Vinegar, 1.5 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar, 2 TSP White Pepper, Pinch Chili Oil , 2 TBSP (Adjust to Preference) Sesame Oil, 2 TSP Soup: Chinese Dried Black Fungus, A Handful Chinese Dried Mushrooms, 4 Good Quality Olive Oil, 2 TBSP Ginger Finely Minced, 1 Inch Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves Sea Salt, Pinch White Pepper, Pinch Bamboo Shoots Fresh or Preserved, A Handful Miso Paste, 1 TBSP Chili Oil , 1 TBSP (Adjust to Preference) Dark Soy Sauce, 1 TSP Light Soy Sauce, 2 TSP Slurry, 40g Cornstarch + 50ml Water Eggs, 2 Pressed Tofu Sliced Into Strips, 300g Mushroom Powder, Pinch Dried Coriander, For Garnishing Sesame Oil or Black Vinegar, For Drizzling Equipment: Sauce Pot Large Heavy Pot Directions: Please visit my " How To Make Chili Oil " page for the recipe. Marinate the Mushrooms In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir in ShaoXing wine, soy sauce, and sugar. In a large bowl, toss mushrooms with the slurry until well coated. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Prepare the Base In a large serving bowl, mix all base ingredients together. Set aside. Hydrate the Dried Ingredients Soak dried fungus and mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes. Slice rehydrated ingredients coarsely. Pour the soaking liquid into a pot and top up with water to 1.2 liters. Bring to a boil. Cook the Soup In a heavy pot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add marinated mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly caramelized. Stir in rehydrated fungus, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. Add the boiling liquid to deglaze. Stir well. In a bowl, combine miso, chili oil, dark soy sauce, and light soy sauce. Add miso mixture to the soup and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Add cornstarch slurry and stir until thickened (2–3 minutes). Stir in eggs for 20 seconds. Increase heat to medium, add tofu, and simmer 1–2 minutes more. Taste and adjust with mushroom powder, salt, and pepper. To Serve Add some of the base mixture to each serving bowl. Ladle soup over the top. Optional: Drizzle extra black vinegar to taste. Garnish with dried coriander and sesame oil. Serve immediately. An umami bomb... Recipe Video: