Som Tum Thai: Green Papaya Salad | 泰式青木瓜沙律

附中文食譜

Thai food lovers will most certainly be no stranger to som tum (ส้มตำ) - or green papaya salad - the salad that is at once impossibly fiery and refreshingly crunchy; intensely savory and insanely tangy - in short, it is a kaleidoscope of explosive sensation on a plate.  

Som tum originates in Isaan, the northeastern region of Thailand bordering Laos (some may argue that the dish originally came from Laos), though it is now widely consumed across the country with a multitude of variations which may include salted crab, fermented fish paste, or green mango in place of papaya. What most of us come to recognize as the typical som tum is actually called "som tum thai" (ส้มตำไทย) - a classic version that is perhaps most palatable internationally as it does not contain any of the more pungent ingredients.

The core ingredients of a som tum are shredded green papaya, tomatoes, green long beans, dried shrimp, and peanuts, pounded together with chilies, fresh garlic, palm sugar, fish sauce, and juicy limes, all of which combine to create a perfect balance of salty, sweet, spicy, and sour. Som tum is almost always prepared with a large clay or wooden mortar and pestle - a must have in any Thai kitchen really - which allows for easy pounding, crushing, and melding of ingredients and flavors. After all, the word tum in som tum is derived from the verb "to pound" (and "sour" for "som"). I have attempted making som tum before by simply tossing the ingredients without a mortar and pestle and, trust me, the salad was just that - a bland, soul-less, "deconstructed" salad. 

Now, what if you haven't got space for an unwieldy mortar and pestle at home? Well, join the club. I may not have one, but instead make use of the resources at home and retrieved a large glass mixing bowl, paired it with my wooden cocktail muddler bought from the Japanese dollar store, and together they just worked wonders.

When it comes to prepping the green papaya, I have at one point or another observed chefs and street cart vendors in Bangkok shredding the green papayas by vigorously slashing and paring away the surface of the fruit, a traditional method that yields an intentionally coarse and uneven shred for extra crunch. My knife skills may be questionable, and I am in no hurry of slashing a finger or two, so I resort to my trustee grater and alternate between the medium and large-sized holes for that effortlessly rustic, crunchy result. 

For the most authentic result, it is ideal to sweeten the dish with Thai palm sugar, available at most southeast Asian grocery shops; if unavailable, substitute with soft light brown sugar for a "same same but different" caramelized taste. With sourness being a dominant flavor in som tum - as the name suggests - the use of fresh lime is essential for a citrusy tang to balance off the sweetness of palm sugar and saltiness of fish sauce and dried shrimp. It is also not uncommon to use a bit of tamarind water in addition to lime juice for a more complex note of sweetness and tartness, so give that a try!
 

On a different note, around this time of year, people all across Thailand would normally be gearing up for the Thai New Year celebrations. Under the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, however, numerous Songkran events are cancelled, families are urged to stay in, the young are asked to avoid visiting their elderly family members in order to protect the most vulnerable, and international travel continues to be severely restricted. What is usually the most festive national holiday, doused with globally renowned ritual water splashing that draws tens of thousands of visitors each year, may present an oddly quiet scene this year. As with the rest of the planet, I hope that this global crisis will soon come to an end, and that life can resume its track as soon as possible for all.

With that said, sawadee pee mai krub!

Ingredients
Half a green papaya (about 2-3 cups shredded)
Half a small carrot
6 string beans or 2 long beans
1-2 small tomatoes or 6 cherry tomatoes
1-3 red bird’s eye chilies 
2 garlic cloves

1 1/2 tablespoons Thai palm sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

Juice of 1-2 Thai limes

2 tablespoons peanuts

1 tablespoon dried shrimp (optional)
 

Directions

1. In a small, dry frying pan, toast the peanuts over medium heat until fragrant and golden brown. Remove and set aside.

2. Peel and shred green papaya and carrot with a julienne peeler or a regular cheese grater with medium to large sized holes. Trim ends and cut long beans into 2-inch segments. Slice tomatoes into wedges, or halve the cherry tomatoes if using.

3. Cut each garlic clove into three pieces. Coarsely smash garlic and whole chilies in a mortar and pestle. Add the palm sugar, beans and tomatoes. Lightly pound to bruise the beans and break up the tomatoes, and ensure that the palm sugar is fully dissolved. Squeeze in the lime juice and fish sauce and pound to combine.

4. Add the green papaya, carrot, dried shrimp (if using), and toasted peanuts. Lightly pound and toss to combine. Check seasoning. The taste should be sweet and salty in perfect balance, with a sharp, sour and spicy tang. Plate up and enjoy fresh!

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【 泰式青木瓜沙律 】

Sawadee Pee Mai Krub！適逢泰國迎接新年，同大家分享地道前菜簡易食譜！青木瓜沙律 (ส้มตำ) 味道酸辣鮮甜又醒胃，往往叫人食得津津有味。就是使用街市常見用來煲湯的那種青木瓜，十元八塊就可以泡製爽脆新鮮的 Som Tum - 在家都能輕易造出正宗泰國風味！

材料：
青木瓜                 半個
甘筍                     半枝
長豆角                 2 條
小蕃茄                 1 個（或車厘茄 6 粒）
指天椒                 1 - 3 隻
蒜頭                     2 瓣
棕櫚糖                 1 1/2 湯匙
魚露                     1 1/2 湯匙
泰國青檸            1 - 2 個
花生                     2 湯匙
蝦米                     隨意
 
1. 花生用乾鍋烘香，備用。
2. 青木瓜和甘筍去皮刨絲，長角豆切段，番茄切件（車厘茄切半）。
3. 把蒜頭和指天椒摏碎。
4. 加長角豆、番茄和棕櫚糖輕輕摏碎至糖完全溶解。
5. 倒入魚露和新鮮青檸汁，拌勻來混合各種材料。
6. 加入青木瓜、甘筍絲、蝦米和花生，一邊繼續輕輕摏碎、一邊拌勻，令各樣材料更為入味。試味並再作適當調味，即成！

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Kor Moo Yang: Thai Grilled Pork Neck | 泰式燒豬頸肉

附中文食譜

My memories of Bangkok often conjure up images of lively, cacophonous markets; of thoroughfares routinely jammed with brightly colored cabs; of fearless motorbike taxis zipping dexterously through the traffic; and of course, images of the myriad street food the city is known for. Char-grilled pork skewers, Isaan sausages, fried chicken, soup noodles of all sorts, banana and egg roti are surely no strange sight to street food aficionados and starving food seekers in Bangkok.

Happy street food crawl in Happy Land Market, Bangkok

Turn this humble and inexpensive cut of pork into a delectable household favorite!

Fringing Happyland Center, a bustling food market frequented by only locals in the Bangkapi district, there is a street lined with fruit vendors, Thai bubble tea makers, a sweets and desserts stall, and countless other street food vendors that spill onto adjacent alleys. In one corner, a faded and slightly worn green metal open pit oven stands, spewing smoke into the already hot and muggy streets. Inside the oven are slabs of marinated pork neck, pork jowl, and juicy chicken legs grilling and glistening over hot charcoal, the meats occasionally turned and flipped and altogether replaced once cooked and ready for sale. There I always stand, about a meter away from the side, taking the sight and smells in, drooling while sweat profusely drips from my temples down my chin. I have been to this market more times than my fingers can count, in search for the most genuine street foods served to locals and priced for locals, but still this green oven captivates me every single time. 

Kor Moo Yang (คอหมูย่าง), or grilled pork neck, is to no surprise a Thai favorite found everywhere from food centers to streets and restaurants. In Hong Kong, this dish is served in just about every Thai restaurant, making up one of the few standard starters that every Hong Konger knows when going out for Thai food.

Pork neck is probably one of my favorite cuts of meat, layered with just the right balance of lean meat, fat, and muscle, giving a crunchy chew that is oh so flavorful even with the simplest marinade. Besides, pork neck is also much more forgiving than the leaner cuts so the chances of overcooking is rare.

Of all the street foods out there in Bangkok, Kor Moo Yang is one that is easy to replicate at home, even without a charcoal grill. Simply prepare the marinade and marinate the pork overnight, then pop the slabs into a hot oven and you will soon be swooning over the heavenly aroma of a Thai barbecue. The addition of palm sugar in the marinade not only adds depth and sweetness, but also increases the caramelization on the surface of the meat (I'll be first to dive shamelessly for the charred, crispy bits). As with most marinades, the following is just a guideline. Feel free to toss in some finely chopped kaffir lime leaf or shallots for variation in flavor! For those of us lucky enough to have a barbecue on a patio, this recipe is also perfect for a quick grill.  Try this marinade on chicken wings and pork chop!

Thinly slice pork neck at a 45° angle across the grain for best results

I swear this grilled pork neck is going to taste better than any you have tried in a restaurant. While the meat is already flavorful enough to enjoy on its own, the dish is not complete without a Nam Jim dipping sauce! Kor Moo Yang can go with just about any variation of Nam Jim. Click below for my recipe.

Nam Jim: Thai Dipping Sauce

What you'll need...
500 g pork neck
2-3 stalks lemongrass, white parts only, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cilantro roots or 4 cilantro stems, chopped
2 teaspoons palm sugar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Nam Jim

Directions...
1. Trim excess fat off the pork neck.

2. In a mortar and pestle or food processor, pound lemongrass, garlic, and cilantro roots or stems into a paste. Add palm sugar and pound until dissolved. Add oyster sauce and fish sauce and stir to combine. Pour marinade over the pork neck and coat well, refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight for best results.

3. Remove pork neck from the refrigerator about 20 minutes prior to cooking. Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Line a baking tray with baking paper and grill pork neck for 15 minutes. Flip and continue grilling for 10 minutes or until slightly charred on the outside. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the pork neck.

4. Allow pork neck to rest for 5 minutes. To serve, slice the pork neck thinly across the grain, angling the knife at 45 degrees if the pork neck is particularly thin. Serve warm with Nam Jim. Enjoy!

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【 泰式燒豬頸肉 】

老老實實，有邊次去泰國餐廳唔點燒豬頸肉先？ 爽口彈牙、香口又惹味，只需預先醃好和焗爐一部，在家都能夠造出曼谷街頭、炭香四溢的正宗泰式燒豬頸肉！再配上自家製泰式酸辣蘸汁，風味絕佳。 這好可能是您食過最好吃的燒豬頸。

材料：
豬頸肉                      500 克
香茅                           2-3 根
蒜頭                           2 瓣
芫荽根部                  2 根（或以適量芫荽莖代替）
棕櫚糖                      2 茶匙
蠔油                           1 湯匙
魚露                           1 湯匙
泰式秘制酸辣蘸汁 

做法：
1. 把豬頸肉洗淨，將過多的脂肪除去備用。
2. 把香茅白色部份切成小圓圈後剁碎。將蒜瓣和芫荽根或莖剁碎。
3. 用研缽和研棒或攪拌機把香茅、蒜末、芫荽磨成蓉。
4. 加入椰糖，繼續磨至完全溶化。加入蠔油和魚露，拌勻。
5. 豬頸肉加入醃料，放進雪櫃醃 2 小時或過夜則最為理想。
6. 烤肉前先將醃好的豬頸肉拿出來解冷約 20 分鐘。預熱焗爐至 200C/400F。
7. 豬頸肉放在鋪了烘培紙的烤盤上，焗 15 分鐘後把肉翻轉，視乎豬頸肉厚度，再烤約 10 分鐘至肉邊微焦即可取出。
8. 待豬頸肉稍涼，以 45 度角逆紋切成薄片，以蘸汁伴吃，味道絕佳！

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Summer Gazpacho | 夏日西班牙番茄凍湯

As the height of summer draws upon us, nothing quite beats a midday iced lemonade or a cooling cup of gazpacho. Forget about hours slaving away in a steamy kitchen stirring soup over a hot stove - keep things simple and fresh with gazpacho! Gazpacho is a quintessential Andalusian summer soup bursting with ripe-from-the-garden flavors. Chilled and raw, this soup is truly a breeze to make, requiring only to be made hours in advance for flavors to mingle and develop - making gazpacho an ideal starter for brunch, summer entertaining, weeknight dinners, or even picnics. A refreshing gazpacho effectively opens up the appetite; it is also the most effortless way to get fresh vegetables into your diet!

An idyllic summer picnic at the beach with Jayla; cooling off with chilled gazpacho and jámon ibérico for a touch of Spain! [Gold Coast Beach, Hong Kong, Jun 2019]

Not unlike the other world revered Spanish classic - paella -, gazpacho generates heated debates over what constitutes the most authentic recipe. Nevertheless, I believe we would all agree that the gazpacho as we all know it would typically involve tomatoes, cukes, some type of pepper, good olive oil, bread, and seasoning. Regional variations in taste and produce as well as culinary creativity have brought other interpretations of gazpacho into mainstream, with melon-based, green, or even white-hued gazpacho being some of the most recognized.

In my book, there is no one way to do a smashing gazpacho. There are infinite ways to tailor this hot-weather soup to your liking. Some like it chunky, others velvety smooth. You may prefer it spicy; and some prefer to go without bread. There are, however, ways where gazpacho can go really wrong. At its worst, I've made gazpacho that tasted like watered down salsa, or worst yet - a gazpacho that tasted more of bell peppers than anything (eww). You also want to make sure your gazpacho does not leave you with an invincible garlic-onion breath unless Dracula's in town.

Personally, I prefer to leave out the bread as I find it diluting the amazing flavors. Furthermore, the addition of olive oil to the vegetables produces a creamy emulsion and gives enough of a body to the soup, hence it could do without the extra boost. Besides, leaving out the bread keeps the gazpacho gluten-free and suitable for most special diets!

While peeling cucumbers help yield a more vibrant gazpacho, keeping the peel on maximizes nutrients

The recipe I share here is but one way that I love my gazpacho. I once swapped bell peppers out for a mildly hot, long red pepper - and could not turn back since. I tend to eyeball my ingredients, tasting and adjusting along the way, so use the measurements loosely as a reference and always start with smaller quantities of garlic and onion and add more as desired.

No cooking required: blitz everything with a blender or immersion blender

Pair this gazpacho with waffles for a complete and easy weekend brunch!
Sweet Potato and Bacon Waffles (click for recipe)

What you'll need... (for two)
3 - 4 medium tomatoes
1 long red pepper*
1 Persian or baby cucumber
1 clove garlic
1/4 of an onion
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

*Note: substitute with red bell pepper for a non-spicy version
To serve: sliced or diced cucumber and tomato | chives | croutons  

Directions...
1. Core and cut tomatoes into large chunks. Peel and de-seed cucumber. De-seed pepper and remove pith.

Tip: gloves are recommended to protect your fingers when de-seeding hot peppers - the heat will sting!

2. For a smooth consistency, add tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, olive oil, salt and pepper, and part of the garlic and onion to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more garlic and onion as needed. For a coarser texture, reserve some of the ingredients and pulse briefly and mix in with the soup.

Tip: for best result, blitz the olive oil together with other ingredients rather than whisking it in afterwards

3. Chill the soup for at least two hours or overnight. To serve, divide soup into small bowls and garnish with cucumber and tomato, chives, a crack of sea salt and black pepper, and enjoy with croutons if desired. ¡Buen provecho!

Do you have your own favorite gazpacho recipe? 
Share with me or leave a comment! #alvinspenthousekitchen 
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【 夏日西班牙番茄凍湯 】

炎炎夏日 最適合整碗清新醒胃嘅 Gazpacho! 毋需開火烹調，不入廚房嘅朋友仔都能輕易炮製。冷湯的做法變化多端，以下是我的 指定食譜 — 醒神健康之餘帶點辛辣，保證另你喝不停口！不妨整定用便攜壺帶去沙灘野餐啊～！

材料：

蕃茄                           3 - 4 個

紅尖椒*                      1 隻

青瓜仔                       1 隻

蒜瓣                           1 瓣

洋蔥                           1/4 個

初榨橄欖油               1 1/2 湯匙

雪莉醋或紅酒醋       2 茶匙

海鹽、黑胡椒           適量

* 喜歡不辛辣的朋友，可改用紅燈籠椒

裝飾：蕃茄、青瓜薄片| 蔥花 | 麵包脆粒

做法：

1. 蕃茄切件。青瓜去皮、去籽、切段。紅椒去籽、切片。

2. 將上述材料放入攪拌機內或用手持攪拌捧打至幼滑再作適當調味。如想增加口感，不妨預留一些蔬菜粒。

3. 放入雪櫃冷凍 2 小時或過夜，風味更佳。隨喜好加上裝飾，即成！

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Trick or Treat, Heat or Sweet: Halloween Stuffed Pumpkin Duo | 萬聖「南」式生死戀

附中文食譜

Fall is finally here! My favorite season of the year brings cooler evenings, an end to ravaging typhoons, yellowing leaves, spiced apple cider, and loads and loads of pumpkins. Around the world this autumn staple pops up in menus from pastas, baked goods, your morning coffee and, soon, to all things Halloween. I realize all these years I haven't done much for Halloween, but that is all going to change!

My first ever hand-carved mini Jack-O'-Lanterns! Feed them a candle and watch as they come alive!

Several weeks ago KitchenAid Hong Kong got in touch with me regarding an exciting opportunity to collaborate in an upcoming campaign #CapturingTaste. They are to partner up with SONY and host a series of food photography and styling workshops, featuring creations by a talented team of local chefs handpicked by KitchenAid. Before I knew it, I've reached for an imaginary paper bag in case of hyperventilation upon receiving this extraordinary invitation. The event is slated to debut on October 30; and my assigned theme is Halloween - perfectly in time for the spooky celebration!

Flanked by a star-studded lineup of half a dozen accomplished chefs, entrepreneurs and cooking school founders, I couldn't help but feel intimidated. We were each assigned a theme and tasked to design and prepare one dish at the KitchenAid live kitchen to be the centerpiece of a professional photo shoot. Imagination is one's own limit, granted that healthful eating and sustainability is taken into account and that artificial food coloring is avoided at all cost. Sounds right up my alley!

In the weeks following, as fireworks began to set off in my brain, I delineated several routes I could take to bring Halloween to life. Do I want to go gory, gross, and scary? Nah. Spooky but cute? Maybe. Color themed with a touch of fall and fusion? Yes! Having seen crates upon crates of colorful, adorable (some adorably deformed and resembling a witch's wart-covered nose) pumpkins and squash in markets in Europe and the U.S., already I was certain that these would play a pivotal role in the presentation of my dish. All I needed was to inject creativity and a splash of orange and black.

While orange colors are rather easy to come by in the plant kingdom, black may not be as prevalent. Drawing inspirations from international cuisines and ingredients, I scoured my mind for all things naturally black in nature. Squid ink, charcoal powder, olives... and bam! Thai black glutinous rice came up in a conversation with a friend. My eyes lit up, sending sparkles throughout my brain. That is it. I am going to create a Halloween mini stuffed pumpkin duo drawing influences from Thai and other cuisines.

Black sticky rice and pumpkin are both traditional dessert ingredients ubiquitous across Thailand. I decided to steam rather than simmer the glutinous rice for a firmer and less runny consistency, and drizzle in a salty sweet coconut sauce exactly like what you'll find on sticky rice with mango desserts everywhere in Thailand. A knot of pandan leaf and just a tad of Thai palm sugar is added to the rice before steaming to infuse a hint of sweetness and that unmistakable, comforting fragrant note. Feel free to substitute the more delicate Thai palm sugar with gula melaka - the smokier, toffee-edged version of palm sugar, or brown sugar if neither is available.

Watch my mini "tutorial" on carving your own mini Jack-O'-Lanterns!
https://www.facebook.com/alvinspenthousekitchen/videos/165064507771986/

To counter the sweet treat, I made hummus - yes, I know, a little out of the blue it seems - but this is not your ordinary hummus, but a velvety smooth orange-hued pumpkin hummus with a Thai twist and unanticipated heat. A Thai red curry pumpkin hummus that you just can't stop dipping into. You can use canned pure pumpkin here, but why not make from scratch when it's so easy? Just chop, steam, and peel and in it goes into the processor. Makes a wonderful Halloween party snack, and both recipes are entirely gluten-free and vegan-friendly too! Now this is what I call a Halloween trick or treat!

Directions...

Mini pumpkins and squashes

1. Cut about a quarter to a third of the pumpkins to make a lid. Scoop out all the seeds and pulp and save for other use.

Black Sticky Rice Pudding with Pumpkin
3/4 cup Thai black glutinous rice
1/4 cup white glutinous rice
1 pandan leaf
2 teaspoons Thai palm sugar, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Boiling water

Diced Pumpkin:
120 g butternut squash

Coconut Sauce:
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/2 tablespoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Black Sticky Rice Pudding:
1. Combine the rice, wash and soak in water for at least 3 hours up to overnight. Drain and rinse, and place into a heatproof dish. Tie the pandan leaf into a knot and nestle into the glutinous rice. Scatter chopped palm sugar on top of the rice.

2. Add some boiling water to the dish, leaving a top layer or rice exposed. Steam for 25 minutes or until the rice is cooked but still retains a chewy and slightly crunchy texture.

3. Discard pandan leaf and stir in salt and three-quarters of the coconut sauce. Set aside and allow the rice to absorb the coconut sauce. If making ahead of time, do not mix in the coconut sauce until ready to eat. Scoop into prepared mini pumpkins, drizzle some more coconut sauce, and scatter diced pumpkin over the rice.

Diced Pumpkin:
Dice pumpkin into small cubes. Steam for 4 minutes, remove and plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Coconut Sauce:
Warm coconut cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in sugar and salt until dissolved.

Thai Red Curry Pumpkin Hummus
1 can (425 g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
420 g butternut squash
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 1/2 tablespoon Thai red curry paste (adjust to taste)
1/4 cup coconut milk

Garnish (optional):
Paprika | Bird's eye chili, chopped | Cilantro, chopped

1. Rinse, scrape out all the seeds and pulp, and cut butternut squash into large chunks. Steam for 8-10 minutes until softened and easily pierced with a fork. Remove skin once cooled enough to handle.

2. Place chickpeas, cooked pumpkin, garlic, grated ginger, tahini, curry paste, and coconut milk in a food processor, blend, and check taste and consistency. Add more coconut milk if necessary to loosen. To increase heat, blend in half a bird's eye chili. Puree until smooth. Scoop into prepared mini pumpkins, and top with garnish.

【 萬聖「南」式生死戀 】

『椰汁黑糯米配南瓜粒』

材料：

泰國黑糯米           3/4 杯

泰國白糯米           1/4 杯

斑蘭葉                    1 片

泰國棕櫚糖            2 茶匙

幼鹽                         1/4 茶匙

滾水                         適量

南瓜粒：    

南瓜                         120 克

椰汁：

椰漿                         115 毫升

砂糖                         1/2 湯匙

幼鹽                         1/4 茶匙

做法：

1. 黑糯米和白糯米洗淨，用清水浸三小時或過夜。 

2. 南瓜切小粒， 隔水蒸四分鐘後撈起浸冰水。撈起備用。

3. 斑蘭葉打個小結，連同隔了水的糯米放在蒸盆內。棕櫚糖撒在面。注入滾水（隔水蒸 25-30 分鐘。

4. 椰漿用慢火煮開，加入鹽和糖，拌勻備用。

5. 糯米蒸好後把斑蘭葉拔出。拌入幼鹽和部分椰汁，靜置數分鐘，讓糯米吸收掉椰汁。

6. 食用前再淋上剩餘椰汁和撒上南瓜粒，即成！

『泰式咖哩南瓜鷹嘴豆泥醬』

罐裝鷹嘴豆              425 克

南瓜                           420 克

蒜頭                            3 瓣

薑蓉                            1 茶匙

純芝麻醬                   2 湯匙

泰國紅咖哩               1 1/2 湯匙

椰汁                            60 毫升

裝飾用：紅椒粉 | 指天椒（切粒）| 芫荽（切粒）

1. 南瓜去籽洗淨後切段，隔水蒸 8-10 分鐘至軟身。待涼後去皮。

2. 將所有材料放入攪拌器，高速攪打一分鐘後試味。如喜歡較辛辣的可加入半條指天椒。將混合物攪打至呈細緻泥狀。撒上裝飾，即成！

Savory Chilled Tofu with Century Egg | 涼拌尖椒皮蛋豆腐

Some call it century egg, others call it the thousand-year-old egg, or millennium egg. In Hong Kong, it is simply known as pei-daan. However you call it, this most certainly isn't the ordinary egg you'd poach, scramble, or fry with.

Enveloped inside a translucent, soy-sauce colored, gelatinous egg "white" is a soft, gooey, greenish-black yolk - the ghastly color of gloom, one may say. The bouncy jelly-like exterior may not taste much of anything, but the dark center has the texture and sharpness of very ripe Camembert - creamy, pungent, with a heady, palpable whiff of ammonia. (Think your cat's urine. You get the picture.) Century eggs come covered in clay and rice hulls which, coupled with its somewhat misnomer of a name, does for a second appear like some dinosaur fossil excavated from an archeological expedition.

It is no wonder the century egg has proudly made appearance on TV shows like Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Foods and Fear Factor, the daredevil game show where contestants were once pitted against each other devouring and gagging on whole eggs alone.

So what is a century egg anyway? Long story short, the century egg is a preserved egg, most often a duck egg, sometimes chicken, or even quail, cured in a mixture of ash, quicklime, clay, salt, and rice hulls for a period time between several weeks to months. It happens to be an age-old Chinese delicacy that is oh-so-yummy when smartly paired with something else, not unlike Roquefort complemented with a glass of Sauternes.

In Hong Kong, the century egg is most often seen in the ubiquitous breakfast congee (rice porridge) cooked with lean pork, or encased in pastry with sweet bean paste and a touch of ginger. In restaurants, it is frequently served as an amuse-bouche alongside paper-thin slices of pickled young ginger, or as a side dish smothered in a savory blend of chili, garlic, and herbs. The trick is to enjoy the century egg in small bits along with other flavors and textures, lest you'd probably gag on eating the whole thing plain.

Century eggs take on strong flavors well and pairs exceptionally well with tofu for a contrast in textures. Here we have a typical household recipe that many families keep with minor variations. One thing absolutely in common is that there are no skills involved whatsoever and the entire dish practically comes together in under 15 minutes. It celebrates a melange of flavors and textures - from the silkiness of chilled tofu, the juxtaposition of chewiness and creaminess of century egg (and its odor), the heat of peppers, and the sweet and savoriness of the sauce. Some would also top the dish with dried pork floss. Opt for either sugar or honey for the sweet element - I prefer honey for its floral hint and consistency. The resulting dish makes for a simple, classic side dish, ideal for the sweltering heat of summer!

What you'll need...
2 century eggs
1 block (400 g) silken tofu
2 Chinese long green peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bird's-eye chili, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon oyster sauce*
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cooking oil
Spring onion, chopped
Cilantro, chopped

Note: For a vegetarian option, substitute with vegetarian "oyster" mushroom sauce.

Directions...
1. Peel century eggs and rinse with water. Cut into half-inch dice. (Have a glass of warm water ready while dicing the eggs - dip the knife in and wipe off with paper towel each time after slicing to avoid a gunky mess.)

2. De-seed long green peppers, remove pith and finely chop. In a nonstick pan, heat oil on medium heat. Sauté diced green peppers for 1-2 minutes. Add minced garlic and chili, cook until fragrant then lower heat. Stir in oyster sauce, soy sauce and honey. Season to taste, then set aside and allow to cool slightly.

3. Drain tofu, slice and arrange on a platter. Layer diced century egg on top and drizzle sauce mixture over. Sprinkle with spring onion and cilantro. Enjoy!

Tips 
- Press tofu with paper towel to extract excessive water content. If time allows, return tofu to the fridge for an hour before assembling.
- If pressed for time, skip the cooking process and mix the chopped peppers and garlic with the sauce ingredients and pour over tofu and century egg. Watch out for garlic breath though!

【 涼拌尖椒皮蛋豆腐 】

材料
皮蛋                           2 隻
盒裝蒸煮滑豆腐     1 盒
青尖椒                       2 條
蒜頭                           2 瓣
指天椒                      1 隻
蠔油                           1 湯匙
生抽                           2 茶匙
蜜糖                           1 湯匙
油                               適量
蔥                               適量
芫荽                           適量

做法
1. 皮蛋去殼洗淨，切小丁。建議準備一杯溫水，當刀沾到蛋黃時可沾水再用廚房紙抹乾淨，切皮蛋時會分外整齊。
2. 蒜瓣剁碎。尖椒和辣椒分別去囊去籽再切細粒備用。蔥和芫荽切粒。
3. 開中慢火，易潔鍋入面下少許油，油熱後先放尖椒碎兜炒約 1 – 2 分鐘至出味，然後加入蒜末和辣椒碎略為炒勻。
4. 調到慢火，倒入蠔油、生抽和蜜糖拌勻再作適當調味即可關火。稍微放涼備用。
5. 滑豆腐擠出多餘水份後切片。鋪上皮蛋粒、淋上煮好的醬汁、再撒上蔥花和芫荽即成！喜歡的話，更可加肉鬆！

小貼士
1. 滑豆腐擠乾水份後 , 放入大碗內蓋上保鮮紙放入冰箱冷藏1小時，效果更佳。
2. 如不想開爐火，可以免卻炒尖椒、辣椒及蒜頭的步驟，直接跟醬汁拌勻再淋在豆腐和皮蛋上。個人認為用炒的方法比較香及好吃，且能避免生蒜所引起的「口氣」。

[Follow me on Instagram @alvinckl and @alvin.penthousekitchen and check out my Facebook Fan Page!]

Arancini al Pesto | 意式羅勒醬芝士炸飯糰

When German cookware brand Fissler offered me the one-in-a-million chance to star in a two-minute video showcasing their products and my own recipe, I had some sort of idea what challenge I am getting myself into. Design one Italian vegetarian recipe that makes use of two or more of the following products: a pressure cooker, a hand blender, and a frying pan. Sounds simple, eh?

I was thrilled for the vegetarian theme, a challenge I find timely as I increasingly lean towards a plant-based diet. But what is one to do with a pressure cooker, a hand blender, and a frying pan with a meatless recipe? Surely, plain old risottos have been tried and done, pasta has no place in this challenge, and I was certain an everyday Italian tomato sauce wasn't going to make the cut. With no oven available at the site of filming, I have also ruled out the aubergine.

Baffled and tickled, I imagined myself on the set of Guy's Grocery Games, faced with the challenge of creating a winning dish using all the provided equipment with an open pantry. My mind searched for delicacies I have tasted across Italy over the years. It was then when a light bulb flickered in my head. Ah, the arancini, or "little oranges" - the spherical Sicilian cousin of the Roman suppli, a popular street food consisting of a deep fried ball of rice and typically a filling of meat and tomato sauce, peas, and melted mozzarella.

Who doesn't like the sound of delicious, crunchy, balls of flavorsome rice coated in breadcrumbs and a hidden surprise of melted mozzarella that pulls with each bite? With the arancini little known in Hong Kong, I knew the audience would be in for a trip. I henceforth set off my journey of hunting for ingredients overseas, testing and adapting, and frying away at home in the weeks leading to the video shoot.

Breaking away from tradition, the filling for arancini is only confined by imagination. That's when I thought I am going to make Arancini al Pesto (what's not to love with fresh homemade pesto?) - cook risotto in the pressure cooker (check), make breadcrumbs and pesto with the hand blender (check), and finally fry the balls in the pan (check!!)! The ensuing journey isn't without any hiccups though as I slowly get myself acquainted with the pressure cooker. The result, however, is a foolproof recipe specially developed for the Fissler pressure cooker, a truly magical kitchen companion that cuts cooking time drastically and delivers amazing results.

This recipe, of course, can be adapted to most kitchens without a pressure cooker. Increase the amount of stock and add to the rice a little at a time and continuously stir, until all the stock has been used up and the rice is cooked, yet still al dente.

Notes:
•  If possible, make the risotto ahead of time and let it cool completely or even refrigerated overnight as the rice tends to stick better. For this reason, leftover risotto is often used for making arancini.
• Pesto can be made with various kinds of nuts or seeds, with pine nuts being the most recognized ingredient in pesto alla Genovese. Opt for sunflower seeds for a more economical alternative without sacrificing any flavor or texture!
•  If serving arancini immediately, lower slightly the heat of the frying oil and increase the frying time for the rice balls to ensure that the mozzarella melts inside. Otherwise, remove the balls once golden brown and warm or reheat in the oven when ready to serve.

What you'll need...
For the Risotto:
1 cup (200 g) Arborio rice           
1 small brown onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup (120 ml) white wine
1 1/2 (350 ml) cup vegetable or chicken stock, warmed
1/3 cup (30 g) grated Parmesan cheese
A heaping tablespoon frozen peas
1 tablespoon (15 g) butter
Black pepper, to taste

For the Pesto:
1 bunch basil (2 cups packed)
2-3 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Arancini (makes 8):
1 recipe for risotto, as above
1 1/2 tablespoons pesto, recipe as above
1/2 x 125g ball of mozzarella cheese (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
All-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
Breadcrumbs, homemade* or store-bought
Vegetable oil, for frying

*Note: For homemade breadcrumbs, tear stale bread into chunks and blitz into medium-fine breadcrumbs, then spread on a sheet pan and toast in oven at 180C/350F until golden brown.

Cooking the Risotto

1. Melt butter on medium heat on the base of the pressure cooker. Add onion and saute until softened, about one minute, then stir in garlic and saute briefly. Add rice and cook, stirring, until rice is evenly coated in butter and toasted but not browned, about 3 minutes. Rice grains should start to appear translucent around the edges.

2. Add wine and cook, stirring, until the raw alcohol smell has cooked off and wine has almost fully evaporated. Pour in stock, then, on medium-high heat, fasten the pressure cooker lid and set the cooking display with traffic light function on level II. Reduce heat to low and set timer for 8 minutes once the green ring becomes visible.

3. When time is up, set the cooker aside to cool. Release the remaining steam and lift the lid carefully away for yourself. Stir in grated Parmesan and frozen peas, and season with black pepper. Set risotto aside to cool completely or refrigerate overnight.

Making the Pesto

1. Blend basil, sunflower seeds, garlic, olive oil, and half of the lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Taste and add more add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper as desired.

Making the Arancini

1. Stir 1 1/2 tablespoon of pesto into the cooled risotto and mix well, adding more if necessary.

2. Place and flatten a scoop of rice in your palm, place a cube of mozzarella in the center, then enclose with another scoop of rice and roll and shape into a ball. In the following order, roll the shaped arancini in flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs.

3. Heat oil in a deep pan or saucepan over high heat. To test the oil is ready, drop a few breadcrumbs - if they sizzle and float, it is ready. Carefully lower the arancini in batches and fry until golden and crispy. Transfer to kitchen paper to drain and serve. Buon appetito!

《意式羅勒醬芝士炸飯糰》 

平時 Risotto 就見得多、食得多喇，

食剩又唔知點算好？

今日就試下將 Risotto 化身為脆卜卜、

既可口又充滿驚喜既【意式羅勒醬芝士炸飯糰】啦！

今次為這個傳統西西里島道地街頭小食

注入新元素 —— 簡易自家製羅勒醬；

飯糰裡面更藏有莫薩里拉芝士，

大大啖咬開時芝士更會拉出來添！

意大利飯
意大利米             200 克
洋蔥                      1 小個（切粒）
蒜頭                      2瓣（切粒）
白酒                      120 毫升
蔬菜高湯             350 毫升
巴馬臣芝士碎    30 克
青豆                      15 克
牛油                      15 克
黑胡椒                  適量

1. 熱鍋下牛油，放入洋蔥，用中火炒約 1 分半鐘至軟身，加入蒜蓉炒香，再放入米並炒勻至米粒稍顯透明。
2. 加入白酒，炒勻至白酒完全被吸收。加入高湯，待微滾後蓋上高速鍋蓋，調校至 2 速，用中火煲至見綠環轉慢火，計時 8 分鐘後熄火。
3. 待指示燈降至原位，開蓋。放入芝士碎和青豆，拌勻並作適當調味。放涼或隔夜備用。

羅勒醬
新鮮羅勒葉          約 50 克
蒜頭                       2 辦
葵花籽                  約 2 湯匙（可用松子仁、腰果、杏仁等）
初榨橄欖油          2 - 3 湯匙
新鮮檸檬汁          約 2 茶匙
鹽，黑胡椒          適量

1. 所有材料放入隨機附送的粉碎器中，用一字頭高速攪拌約 30 秒即成。

意式羅勒醬芝士炸飯糰
意大利飯              以上食譜
羅勒醬                  適量
莫薩里拉芝士    半個（切 1/2" x 1/2" 粒）
麵粉                      適量
雞蛋                      1 隻
麵包糠                  適量
米糠油                  油炸用

1. 將適量羅勒醬拌入已經放涼或隔夜的意大利飯內。
2. 用手拿出一小份意大利飯，包入芝士，搓成球狀。
3. 依次序將飯糰沾上麵粉、蛋液、和麵包糠。
4. 用熱油炸至金黃色即成！

[Follow me on Instagram @alvinckl and @alvin.penthousekitchen and check out my Facebook Fan Page!]