Five Spice
Five spice contains a mixture of different spices including szechuan pepper, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, salt and white pepper. There are variations and historically used for medicinal purposes, evoking fire, water, wood, earth and metal as the healing elements. Nowadays, the seasoning is commonly used to flavour meats and sauces in chinese cooking.
Read MoreTaiwan Pork Chop Bento Box
- 2 pork chops
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon five spice
- 4 tablespoons cornflour
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine (mi chiu)
- A dash of sesame oil
1. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, five spice, sesame oil and stir well. Add the pork chops to marinate, ensuring most is covered.
2. In a heated pan, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil.
3. In a bowl with the cornflour, take a pork chop and coat completely with the cornflour, transferring straight to the hot pan. Repeat for other chop.
4. Fry the chop for 5-10 minutes on each side, ensuring it is thoroughly cooked.
5. Serve immediately with rice, tea eggs and vegetables.
Sweet Rice Cake (Mo chi)
Cooking time:30 mins
Ingredients:
500 gram rice flour
500 ml coconut milk
200 gm sugar
Desiccated coconut
100 gram red bean paste
100 gram smooth peanut butter
20 gram sugar
2. Slowly add the coconut milk and mix until it forms a mixture.
3. In a ban-marie, slowly cook the mixture until it turns clear (approx 30 mins). Set aside to cool.
4. In a bowl, mix peanut butter and 20 gram sugar together and a dash of hot water to loosen the mixture.
5. Using a well floured hand, grab a small ball of the cooled dough mixture and roll smoothly.
6. Flatten and take a spoon of either red bean paste or peanut butter paste and put in the middle of the dough.
7. Slowly wrap the dough around the mixture and pinch to enclose well. Roll to smooth.
8. Dip the ball around either rice flour or desiccated coconut.
9. Put aside to set.
Stir Fried Vermicelli (Tsa bi hoon)
Stir Fried Vermicelli (Tsa bi hoon) is a loved favourite in my household, real easy to knock up and real tasty. It is as common, if not more common than fried rice across Taiwan and has a lighter texture, leaving you feeling satisfied and not guilty!
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Serves 2
Ingredients:
200 gram chicken breast
2 carrots
2 eggs
3 cloves garlic
300 gram vermicelli
2 sprigs spring onion
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine (mi chiu)
2 teaspoons raw sugar
Basil for decoration (optional)
1. In a bowl of boiling water, add the vermicelli to soften. Ensure it is covered entirely and leave for 10 minutes.
2. Shred the carrots, garlic and thinly slice the chicken. Slice the spring onion into long strips.
3. In a heated pan, roughly scramble the eggs. Remove from heat.
4. In a heated wok, add a dash of cooking oil and the chicken and brown for 5 minutes.
5. Add the spring onion, carrots and garlic and stir for a few minutes.
6. Drain the vermicelli and add to the wok.
7. Add the soy sauce, rice wine and sugar and stir until well combined.
8. Add more soy sauce/sugar to taste.
9. Add the eggs and combine well.
10. Serve immediately with the basil for decoration.
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