Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Granny Shu's Heirloom Recipes II - 30 August 2014

I'll be teaching a new demo class - Part II of the Granny Shu series - at Shermay's Cooking School on 30 August 2014 (Saturday). For all inquiries, please call the school at +65 6479 8442 or 6479 8414, or email info@shermay.com 

"Scotch Egg"
An old school classic given a Nonya makeover thanks to its punchily flavoured jacket of Sambal Babi-inspired sausage meat. Plus, divine the secrets to a scotch egg with a tender white and an unctuous yolk!

Pork Belly Buns/Gua Bao
From Momofuku and Baohaus in New York to Bao Bar and Flesh & Buns in London, this super delicious Asian snack of Hokkien origins has become the hip sandwich sensation as of late. Of course, it's nothing new to us in Singapore (where we know it as Kong Bak Bao) and Taiwan (where it's known as Gua Bao)...What's not to love about juicy braised pork belly stuffed into a soft and fluffy homemade steamed bun and topped with fixings like pickled mustard greens, sugared peanuts and herbs?

Scallion Pancakes (Cong You Bing)
Flaky and fragrant, made traditionally with lard but here given a luxurious twist with duck fat.

XO Sauce
OK, so this is not technically a snack per se, but it's such an awesome condiment (which works with all the rest of the lineup), Joycelyn just had to sneak it into the menu! It's a recipe she has been working on and evolving for some years now, and this current incarnation is one she has been particularly pleased with. Packed with luxurious Asian dried seafood ingredients like scallops, shrimp and prawn roe, this superstar sauce gives a powerful boost to anything you choose to anoint it with.

BONUS SECTION: Extra Recipes (For you to try at home; not demo-ed)

Nuoc Cham
Vietnamese-style dipping sauce.

Umami Ketchup
Homemade tomato ketchup given a savoury Asian twist.

Carrot, Daikon & Cucumber Pickle
A very useful quick pickle that’s great in any sandwich with an Asian inflection.


Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Granny Shu's Heirloom Recipes I - 17 August 2014

I'll be teaching a new demo class at Shermay's Cooking School on 17 August 2014 (Sunday). For all inquiries, please call the school at +65 6479 8442 or 6479 8414, or email info@shermay.com 

My grandmother was and is my biggest inspiration in the kitchen. In this menu (as well as Menu II on 30 August 2014), I've revisited a selection of her treasured recipes and given them a modern spin. Versatile and scrumptious, they can work served at tea time, as appetizers when you entertain, or as small plates in your next dinner party menu.  

Hae Bee Hiam Butter Shortbread
Very short and buttery with a fabulous melt-in-the-mouth texture, this savoury shortbread boasts the unmistakable umami oomph of homemade hae bee hiam. Be warned – it’s impossible to stop at one…

Chicken Curry Puffs
Crafted the Karipap Pusing (aka Spiral Curry Puffs) manner with handmade Chinese-style flaky pastry (Su Bing Pi). The chicken filling – made exclusively with thigh meat, the most tender part of the chicken – is redolent of exotic spices and enriched with coconut cream.

Retro Chic Prawn Toasts
Natty, not naff, this luxurious rendition - made with market fresh prawns and minced pork belly, and spiked with a special seasoning blend and water chestnuts – is light years away from the Chinese takeaway staple.

Chilli Bak Kwa made with Kurobuta pork
Piquant, nuanced thanks to a secret cocktail of seasonings, and exceedingly moreish, this extravagant take on bak kwa uses premium kurobuta pork belly painstakingly ground at home for the ideal texture – succulent yet slightly springy.

BONUS SECTION: Extra Recipes (For you to try at home; not demo-ed)

Hae Bee Hiam
A decadent recipe for this Southeast Asian classic.

Hae Bee Hiam Rolls
When filled with homemade hae bee hiam, this everyday snack is elevated to new heights.

Epok epok Sardine
Tart yet sweet, piscine yet rich, this yummy variation on curry puffs is much beloved for good reason.

Su Bing Pi Tipsheet
Learn how to manipulate Chinese-style flaky pastry to create a variety of beautiful effects.