Pineapple Fried Rice (凤梨炒饭)

I've always loved this dish. The few years when I stayed in the little town in Indiana where Asian cuisines were scarce, I used to improvise and make pineapple fried rice. Lacking the taste of following rules, I disliked following recipe either. So the fried rice came out different every single time (my poor housemates!).

Years later I came to appreciate having a recipe.
Found this pineapple fried rice recipe in a Curry cookbook and decided to add it to my collection.

Apple Chicken Salad (苹果鸡丁沙律)

A nutritious and low-carb diet - slimming down doesn't have to be tasteless!

Radish Glutinous Dumplings (萝卜粄)

My grandma used to make the best radish dumplings!
The sweetness of radish combined with the taste of sea (dried shrimp).
Even better, dip it in chili sauce!
I'll definitely have to try this out to see how close I can mimic the taste from my childhood.

I wish I had written down all the recipe of her popular dishes....

Spare Ribs with Preserved Vegetable (梅菜排骨)

Recipe

Ingredients:
1. spare ribs - 1lb
2. preserved vegetable (梅菜) - 300g
3. chicken stock granule - 2 pieces
4. soy sauce - to taste
5. oyster sauce - to taste
6. garlic - 1-2 cloves
7. tapioca flour - a little
8. water - 3 bowls

Method:
1) Wash the preserved vegetable thoroughly.

2) Stir fry chopped garlic until fragrant. Add in spare ribs. Add in chicken stock granule, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Stir fry spare ribs until fragrant (even a little burned on the outside). Remove from pan/wok.

3) Stir fry chopped garlic until fragrant. Add in preserved vegetable and stir fry. Remove from pan/wok.

4) Boil 3 bowls of water and add in spare ribs and preserved vegetable. Cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

5) When spare ribs are soft and sauce are slightly thicken, dissolve tapioca flour with a little water. Add in dissolved tapioca flour to thicken the sauce. Ready to serve.

Marmite Shrimp Recipe

This is an easy-to-make yet flavorful Hakka* dish.
Savory, sweet and crispy - a dish that both grandparents and grand kids share the liking for!

* see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakka_people to learn about the Hakka people

Mouth-Watering Spinash Salad with Sesame Sauce (凉拌菠菜)

Perfect appetizer especially during summertime.

Recipe

Ingredients:
1. spinach - 1 bunch

Dressing:
1. garlic - 1 clove
2. sesame sauce - 3 tbsp
3. sugar - 2 tsp
4. white vinegar - 1 tbsp
5. warm water - 2 tbsp

Method:
1) Thoroughly clean the spinach. Cook in boiled water for about 30 seconds (do not overcook). Remove from water, and soak in cold water until cool. Remove and drain. Cut into 2-inch sections. Set in plate to be served with dressing later.

2) Dice the garlic. Add in sesame sauce, warm water, sugar, and vinegar. Stir until even. Pour over spinach. Ready to serve.

Chives Cakes 韭菜餅

This mouth-watering tit-bit is a good choice for party tit-bits.
Easy to make and always gets wiped out.

Of course I might be a little biased as chives and beansprouts are my personal favorites. ;)