In my recipe for Nonya Dumpling (http://werynice.com/home/?p=369), a key ingredient is coriander seed grounded into powder.  Here is picture of how the seed looks like, and it is rather inexpensive.  I got a bag of 500g at S$2.50 from Waterloo Street Market.

You can just grind them raw.  I prefer to rinse them in water and scope up those that float (anything sink is either sand or dirt), and discard any twigs.  Then sun dry them under hot sun, followed by toasting them on a hot frying pan till you can smell the fragrant of the spice.  Then grind them into powder and keep in air tight container. This is also a key ingredient to seasoning Satay meat.

Making scramble eggs needs a little of practice and might fail initially.  Perfecting it, you and your family will enjoy great breakfast or brunch for the years to come!  Serving suggestion: with hash brown, bake beans, sausages, or some ciabatta cubes, or what ever you like, like sauté mushrooms, bacon, etc.

Ingredients (serve 2)

1. 4 eggs
2. 1/2 table spoon Butter (or cut a slice of about 1/2 cm from a butter block)
3. 50-60 ml Full cream Milk  (1/4 cup)
4. 1/3 teaspoon salt (adjust depending on your liking)

Method

1. Crack the eggs in a bowl and whisk.  Add in milk and salt and continue to whisk till well mixed.
2. Heat up frying pan and add in butter to melt.
3. Pour in the egg and start stirring with a spatula by scraping the bottom of the pan where the egg started to cook and fold them to top so that the uncooked eggs can flow down to come into contact with the pan.
4. The art that need to be perfected here depends on your intensity of heat.  At an appropriate time where the egg is almost cooked, still slightly wet with uncooked egg, remove the frying pan from heat or turn off, and continue to fold till cook.  What we should get is the egg just cooked with a very light moisture.  To know that it is overcooked, the eggs will be hard, and some water may emerged as the cooked egg will expel the water from the milk.
5. Serve with other items for your breakfast platter.

If you are tired of having starchy thick soup, try this. Thicken the soup with mashed potatoes. Remove skin of a potato and steam till cook and soft. Mashed it and set aside. When cooking the soup, add in the mashed potato in and just thicken with 2 teaspoon of corn starch (pre mixed with water first) to smoothen the consistency.

Picture show how it looks like with mushroom soup and broccoli.  Serving suggestions with garlic bread (minced some garlic and mixed with butter, spread on bread and toast).

Ingredients (serves 4)

1. 1 large potato
2. 1 Yellow onion
3. 1 table spoon Butter (or cut a slice of about 1 cm from a butter block)
4. 8-10 pcs white or brown fresh mushroom – up to discretion Can replace with other ingredient like chicken, broccoli
5. Full cream Milk 250ml (1 cup)
6. Water 250ml (1 cup)
7. 2 teaspoon corn flour

Method

1. Peel potato and steam over high heat till cook and soft. You can test by piercing it easily with a skewer or fork. Mashed the potato till smooth and set aside
2. Peel onion and diced. Dice the mushroom, or any ingredient.
3. Heat up a pot, add in butter and onions, sauté till fragrant.
4. Add in mushroom or other ingredient and sauté
5. Add in water and bring to boil, lower heat to simmer for 5-10 mins
6. Add in mashed potatoes and milk and bring to very slight boil
7. Stir in corn flour mixture and stir with slight boil and remove from heat.

This is a simple version with basic ingredient, you may choose to add more ingredients like chestnuts, dried oysters, or anything you can imagine that goes well with glutinous rice.

Ingredients

1. 250g glutinous rice (糯米)
2. 2 pcs of chicken leg, de-boned  
3. 8 pcs of dried shitake mushroom (冬菇，花菇)
4. 2 tablespoon light soya sauce
5. 4 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce (mushroom sauce)
6. 1 tablespoon sesame oil
7. 1 teaspoon sugar
8. 1/2 teaspoon corn flour
9. 3-4 cm section of ginger
10. 3-4 garlic
11. 4 tablespoon cooking oil
12. 1 cup water (250ml)

Method

1. Rinse the dried mushrooms to get rid of dirt, and then soak in water for 3 hrs or more (you can do this the day before and keep them in the fridge).
2. Rinse the rice a few times with water. In a pot, soak the rice in plain water for 2-3 hours.
3. Scrape off skin of ginger and chop finely. Remove skin of garlic and chop finely. Wash chicken, drain dry, cut into chucks of about 3 cms.
4. Remove the mushroom from the water, and lighly squeeze out some water from the mushroom.  Keep the water.
5. Cut away the mushroom stem (you may keep them to boil soup or to make stock for another dish).  Cut the mushrooms into quarters or chunks of your liking.
6. Season the mushroom with 1/2 tablespoon light soya sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, ½ teaspoon sugar and ½ tablespoon sesame oil. Set aside.
7. Season the chicken similarly with 1/2 tablespoon light soya sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, ½ teaspoon sugar, ½ tablespoon sesame oil, and ½ teaspoon corn flour. Set aside
8. Drain the rice from the water.
9. In a frying pan, add in 4 tablespoon cooking oil, and fry ginger and garlic till fragrant.  Add in the rice, 1 table spoon light soya, 2 tablespoon oyster sauce. Turn off the fire, and stir till the seasoning and the oil is well mixed into the rice.
10. You need the containers to steam the rice, you can either use one big bowl for everything, or multiple small bowls.  Put the chicken and the mushroom into the bowl (and any other ingredients). Top up with rice to cover the chicken and mushroom.   Even out the rice on top.  Pour in 1 cup water (and you can use the water that was used to soak the mushroom, it adds extra flavors).
11. Steam the whole bowl over high heat for 45 mins to 1 hour (cooking time may depend on the size of the bowl, the heat intensity of your steaming pot).  To determine if cooked, use a chop stick or spoon, dig into the middle of the rice to check if the rice is fully cooked. 
12. Serve warm.

Bamboo Leaf

You can get these dried bamboo leaves for dumpling in markets or provision shops or even supermarket during the month of May or June where 端午节 is around the corner  (falls on the 5th day of the 5th month on the lunar calendar).
Prepare a big pot and filled with water. Bring the water to boil and put in the dried leaves into the pot and continue to boil for 15 mins. Let it cool down and wash the leaves both side by wiping it with a clean cloth in water and then rinse with water. The leaves are ready for wrapping the dumplings.

nonya dumpling

Making dumpling is never simple, but I will try to explain as clearly and as simple as it could so that anyone could try and successfully make their own dumpling at home.

Ingredients (1 kg portion make about 15 dumpling +-) suggest to make more to justify for the effort as there are many preparation steps.

1. 1 kg glutinous rice (糯米)
2. 1kg Lean pork (瘦肉)or pork collar (五花肉)
3. 100g Coriander seed （芫荽子) in Singapore you can get it cheaply at Albert Center market at Waterloo Street
4. 25 Shallots
5. 100g dry shrimp
6. 150g Sugared Winter Mellon (糖冬瓜）
7. 150g Chestnut （栗子）
8. 5 tablespoon Sugar
9. 1 cup Cooking oil
10. 100g Dry mushroom
11. 1/2 teaspoon white pepper optional
12. 1 teaspoon five spice powder optional
13. 5 table spoon Light soya sauce
14. Salt

It might be too much work to be done all in a single day.  Those steps that can be done days ahead are indicated.

Method part 1 (prepare coriander seed) – can be done days before

1. Rinse away dirt, stalks etc in coriander seed. Sun dry it. (May take more than 1 day). You may skip this as this is more for hygiene purpose.
2. Heat up a wok or frying pan and in low heat, toss the seed without burning them. The purpose is to toast the seed to bring out the fragrant. You should be able to smell the nice fragrant when it is ready. This may take 15-30 mins.
3. Cool it and using a electric grinder, grind it to a fine powder. (You may use mortar and pestle to grind).
4. Keep in air tight container. Set aside for part 6.

Method part 2 (prepare chestnut) – can be done 1 or 2 days before

1. In a pot, bring water to boil and put in dried chestnut. Off heat and soak overnight or 4-5 hours. Next day, using paring knife or any small knife remove the red skin in between the grooves.
2. In a pot with water just enough to cover the chestnut, add in 10 table spoon sugar. Bring to boil and simmer low heat with little water till almost dry, watch out not to burnt it.
3. The chestnut should be soft.
4. Put aside for part 5. If to be kept overnight, put into fridge.

Method part 3 (prepare shallot oil) – can be done the day before, and be done before part 4 onwards.

1. Peel and slice shallots. In a pan or wok, heated with 1 cup cooking oil, fry the shallots till golden. Separate the shallots and oil and standby both. Let’s call this shallot oil.

Method part 4a (prepare rice) – done the night before

1. The night before, rinse the rice.
2. Soak with water and 1/2 table spoon salt. Soak overnight. Was told that this will prevent bloated feeling after eating (涨肚子).

Method part 4b (prepare rice)

1. Drain off water in the rice the next morning by using a bamboo sieve or stainless steel wire sieve.
2. When water is drained off, put into a big bowl or container, add in 1 teaspoon salt and 10 tablespoon shallot oil and mixed throughly and set aside for part 7.

Method part 5 (cutting of ingredients for filling)

1. Cut the pork into huge chucks. In a pot with boiling water, boil the pork for 3-5 mins to abt medium to medium well. This makes dicing easier.
2. Dice the pork into small cubes of 1/2 cm , standby.
3. Rinsed dried shrimp, and soak in little water for 3 hours. Drained shrimp and chop the shrimp into small bits. 2-3 mm bits. Standby.
4. Rinsed dried mushroom, and soak in little water for 3 hours. Drained and cut the mushroom into small bits. 5 mm bits. Standby.
5. Dice the sugared winter mellon into small bits 2-3 mm.
6. Dice the cooked chestnut into small bits 2-3 mm.

Method part 6 (cooking the filling)

1. Heat up wok. Without oil, put in the diced dry shrimps and stir until nice fragrant of the shrimp can be smelled. Add in half cup shallot oil and continue frying.
2. Add in diced pork, and fry till pork is cooked.
3. Add in diced mushroom, chestnut, sugared winter melon and fried shallots. Sprinkle in pepper, 5 spice powder, coriander powder, light soya sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt.
4. Keep stirring until all ingredient are well mixed, cooked, and dry (there should not be any wetness) and nice fragrant can be smelled.
5. Set aside for part 7.

Method part 7 (wrapping and boiling)

1. Wrapping instruction can be found in another post (http://werynice.com/home/?p=309). Each dumpling should have abt 1-2 tablespoon filling.
2. In a big pot, fill with water and 1 teaspoon salt, a bunch of pandan leaves. Bring to boil.
3. Put in the dumpling and make sure they are fully submerged. Boil the dumping for 3 hours, and checking constantly if the water level has reduced and top up with boiling water.

salted pork dumpling

Ingredients (1 kg portion make about 15 dumpling +-) suggest to make more to justify for the effort as there are many preparation steps.

1. 1 kg glutinous rice (糯米)
2. 1 kg pork belly (三层肉)
3. 25 garlic
4. 25 Shallots
5. 100g dry shrimp
6. 150g Chestnut （栗子）
7. 1 cup Cooking oil
8. 100g Dry mushroom
9. 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
10. 3 teaspoon five spice powder （五香粉）
11. 1 tablespoon dark soya sauce

It might be too much work to be done all in a single day.  Those steps that can be done days ahead are indicated.

Method part 1 (prepare chestnut) – can be done 1 or 2 days before

1. In a pot, bring water to boil and put in dried chestnut. Off heat and soak overnight or 4-5 hours. Next day, using paring knife or any small knife remove the red skin in between the grooves.
2. In a pot with water just enough to cover the chestnut, add in 10 table spoon sugar. Bring to boil and simmer low heat with little water till almost dry, watch out not to burnt it.
3. The chestnut should be soft.
4. Put aside, and if to be kept overnight, put into fridge. Set aside for part 6.

Method part 2 (prepare shallot oil) – can be done the day before, and be done before part 3 onwards.

1. Peel and slice shallots. In a pan or wok, heated with 1 cup cooking oil, fry the shallots till golden. Separate the shallots and oil and standby both. Let’s call this shallot oil.

Method part 3a (prepare rice)

1. The night before, rinse the rice.
2. Soak with water and 1/2 table spoon salt. Soak overnight. Was told that this will prevent bloated feeling after eating (涨肚子).

Method part 3b (prepare rice)

1. Drain off water in the rice the next morning by using a bamboo sieve or stainless steel wire sieve.
2. Heat up wok, and add in rice and 1/2 cup shallot oil and dark soya sauce and stir fry for 5 mins.
3. Set aside for part 6.

Method part 4 (cutting of ingredients for filling)

1. Cut the pork into huge chucks. In a pot with boiling water, boil the pork for 3-5 mins to abt medium to medium well. This makes cutting easier.
2. Cut the pork into thick slice of 1.5 cm or 1/2 inch thick. Standby.
3. Rinsed dried shrimp, and soak in little water for 3 hours. Drained shrimp. Standby.
4. Rinsed dried mushroom, and soak in little water for 3 hours. Drained and cut away the stem (can keep the stem for boiling soup instead of discarding) and cut the mushroom into half or quarters if they are big else keep them as whole. Standby.

Method part 5 (frying the filling)

1. Peel the garlic and minced.
2. Heat up wok. Without oil, put in the dry shrimps and stir until nice fragrant of the shrimp can be smelled. Add in 2 tablespoon shallots oil and continue frying. Set aside for part 6.
3. Heat up wok, add in 6 tablespoon shallot oil and half of minced garlic. Add in sliced pork, sprinkle in pepper, 5 spice powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir fry till pork is cooked. Set aside for part 6.
4. Heat up wok, add in 4 tablespoon shallot oil and half of remaining minced garlic. Add in mushroom, and stir fry 3 mins. Set aside for part 6.

Method part 6 (wrapping and boiling)

1. Wrapping instruction can be found in another post (http://werynice.com/home/?p=309). Each dumpling should have 2 pieces mushroom, 2 teaspoon scoop of dried shrimp, 2 chestnut, 1-2 slice pork. Optionally you may also prepare small pieces of salted egg yolks, or even dried oyster (pre soaked) to be inserted as fillings. Another option is to pre soak some split green beans (yellow colour, those used to make tau suan) and add 1 teaspoon into the dumpling too.
2. In a big pot, fill with water and 1 teaspoon salt, a bunch of pandan leaves. Bring to boil.
3. Put in the dumpling and make sure they are fully submerged. Boil the dumping for 3 hours, and checking constantly if the water level has reduced and top up with boiling water.

1. First trim away excess fats that cling on the stomach.
2. Flip inside out, exposing the inside, and use paper kitchen towel to wipe away all slime.
3. Put the stomach in a bowl, and a few tablespoon light soya sauce and rub over, leave it for 1 hour.
4. Rinse away the soya sauce and rub with 1 tablespoon salt. Rinse away. Pour boiling water, onto the stomach to blanch it for a minute. Take out and scrape off fibrous tissues near the opening. Rub with salt again and rinse.  This is done for the inside.
5. Flip it again to expose the outside. Rinse the outside, and it is done!

Wrapping the rice dumpling is probably the most difficult step in making your own rice dumpling.  We will try to teach you using some steps with the help of a sequence of photos taken of my mom’s hands doing it this year.

First to set up a cone using the bamboo leaves. Starting with 2 leaves, overlap them such that you get a longer overall length (around 40 cm or more) and possibly a wider overall width (around 10 cm) by overlapping 1 higher than the other (you can see that in Figure 1 and 2) , with the softer tip pointing inside so that the harder stem is at the ends (Figure 1).  Make sure that there are no holes or breakages after overlapping them (that is why 2 leaves are needed as you will not likely find a perfect leaf and overlapping cover each other’s defects). Then form a cone by first folding it upwards to form a V shape (Figure 2 to 3), and at the same time fold a small portion (1 cm) of the edge further from you to the side, while moving the edges further from you of the left and right side to meet in the center (figure 4), and eventually overlapping each other in the middle to form a cone (Figure 5). You will get a cone “cup” (Figure 6) where the tip at the bottom has no opening as you have make a small 1 cm fold in figure 4.

Next step is easy, filling up the cone with ingredients.  First 1 spoon of rice, followed by fillings, and then top up with another scoop of rice (each scoop is about 1 Chinese table spoon. (Figure 8-12)

Next, this step is the challenging one, folding it to make a triangular shape dumpling.  Remember a dumpling has 4 pointed corners, and each flat face is a shape of a triangle.  The 1^st corner is already form by now, which is the tip of the cone you are holding.  Hold the cone on your left hand. Observe Figure 12 and 13, holding the cone like holding a cup with the long flap away from you or slightly towards the right.  With your right hand, push and fold down the flap (Figure 13).  Then using your thumb and index finger of the right hand (or include the middle finger as well), form pincer to push down the 2 sides (Figure 14).  This action will form the 2^nd and 3^rd corners. The last corner will form where the long flap is now on.  With your right hand pincer with your thumb and index finger grip on the dumpling, and that is the “waist” of the dumpling (the place where you will tie the string).

Hold it secure at the waist with your right hand (not too tight but not allowing it drop), and release your left hand (figure 15 and 16) to change your grip of the left hand on the dumpling by turning the dumpling on your right hand to have the flap pointing upwards, and then grip the “waist” with your left hand, again using a pincer form with your thumb and index finger plus middle finger.  Now the original tip of the corner you started off with is now pointing upwards and resting on the groove between your left hand thumb and index finger (figure 17-18).  Then with your left hand gripping the waist, release your right hand and pinch the top flap (figure 19) and fold it down (figure 20) and that forms the 4^th (last) corner of the dumpling.  As your left thumb will be below the leaf, re-position it out and re-grip the waist (figure 21 22).  Up to this point, you are done and now ready to tie it up in the next step.

With your left hand still gripping the dumpling, use your right hand to get a string and loop it round twice the waist of the dumpling that you are holding without letting go the left hand (figure 23). Pull the string down to tighten it (like tightening the belt), and note that the circumference of the waist will narrow slightly. This is important so that the string will not slip off during cooking.  Keeping the string taut, make a knot (figure 24), and then another to make a dead knot or live knot (figure 25).

Ingredients

1. 300 grams streaky bacon (15 pieces)
2. 30 mini sausages
3. Green, red, yellow capsicums
4. 10 BBQ bamboo sticks

Method

1. Wash the capsicums, cut open and remove the seeds, and cut into chucks.
2. Wash and soak the bamboo sticks for 5 mins in water, to get rid some saw dust, woody smell, and also dampness to prevent burning over BBQ fire.
3. Cut the streaky bacon into half so that they are shorter for each sausage.
4. Roll each mini sausage with a half piece of bacon.
5. Skewer the capsicums and rolled bacon sausage alternating between them.
6. BBQ till slightly brown, or grill in 175 degC oven for 15 mins.