BOUNTIFUL HARVEST

After you have a chance to glance through our bountiful harvest in our vegetable garden, here are a few of our homemade dishes using homegrown produce, including some simple recipes to share with you.

STUFFED  BITTER MELONS

• 3-4 bitter melons           Washed and cut into wedges
• 1 onion                          Peeled and chopped finely
• 1/2 cup green onion       Washed and chopped finely
• 1 pound minced meat     Choice of pork, beef, chicken or veal
• 1/2 cup light olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp.cornstarch

• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. soya sauce
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch (or tapioca starch)

Wash, cut & core melons.

Add all seasonings to meat & mix well.

Stuff the melon pieces with seasoned meat firmly.

Over medium heat, add oil & pan fry pieces 
on both sides, add water.
Cover with lid & simmer over low heat
till cooked, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Mix 1 tbsp.cornstarch with 1/2 cup
water and pour over the cooked melons
to make a smooth, thick sauce.

Substitutions --If you are not fond of bitter melons, you can easily substitute them with other vegetables such as green or red or yellow peppers,  green or yellow zucchinis, eggplants, etc.... Likewise, if you are not fond of meat, you can also substitute the meat with your favourite vegetarian filling such as tofu.

Substitute  with other vegetables

Stuffed peppers and zucchinis

Cooked stuffed peppers and zucchinis

STEAMED RADISH CAKE  -- LAW BO GAU In Mandarin, a very popular dish for Dim Sum luncheon in Chinese restaurants.

STEAMED RADISH CAKE

• 3 pounds white daigon radish             Washed, peeled & shredded                                                   
• 1 pound minced meat                         Choice of pork, beef, chicken or veal
• 10-20 Chinese mushrooms                 Soaked, washed and  finely chopped
• 50 grams dried shrimps (optional)       Soaked, washed and  finely chopped
• 1 pkg. rice flour (450gram)
• 2 cups water
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp. light olive oil
• 2 cloved garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tbsp. soya sauce
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch (or tapioca starch)     Season meat with above 4 ingrdients, mix well

Heat oil in frying pan, add chopped garlic & onion, cook till slightly brown. Add seasoned minced meat, mushrooms & dried shrimps for 15-20 minutes till cooked through.

Add one package of rice flour (450grams) and 2 cups of water and mix well. Add salt & pepper and sesame oil.

Pour into three 8-inch round pans, lined with waxed paper.

Place bamboo steamer over a full pot of boiling water and steam for an hour.

Very efficient way to steam 3 cakessimultaneously.

Another easy way of steaming is using the wok.

VEGETABLES STIR-FRY -- This common Asian dish is almost a staple in our household. It is healthy and delicious and easy to make.

VEGETABLES STIR-FRY WITH MEAT

       To marinate the meat:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into finger-length strips
• 1 tbsp. soya sauce
• 1 tbsp. corn starch (or tapioca)
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely crushed
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced diagonally
• 2 medium onions, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 cup small broccoli florets
• 1 cup small cauliflower florets
• 1 pepper (green, red or yellow), thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. corn starch (or tapioca)

Wash and cut up vegetables, onions and garlic as shown.

Marinate cut-up chicken stripes with the marinade.

In large wide skillet or wok heat oil over medium  heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute till slightly brown. Add chicken; stir-fry until no longer pink inside, about 4-5 minutes.

Remove from pan and set aside.

To the skillet or wok add carrots, onions, broccoli and cauliflowers. Add 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 cup water. Stir-fry until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Return chicken to pan; mix corn starch with 1/2 cup water; add to pan and stir-fry  until vegetables and meat are coated , 3-5 minutes.

Substitutions and variations -- Instead of chicken, we often use beef or pork or shrimps. For vegetarians the meat can be omitted easily or replaced with tofu. We use most any kind of vegetables that we happen to have on hand. Different vegetables require different  cooking times so be sure to adjust accordingly. 

ZUCCHINI BREAD -- Everytime we turn on the oven to make a roast or a casserole dish for dinner, we would make some zucchini bread or muffins for the next day's breakfast.  Pumpkin makes a very good substitution for this easy recipe. When we grow our own zucchinis and pumpkins in our garden, we always make sure we let some of these squashes grow till full maturity before we harvest them. We use a food processor to shred them, skin and all. Then we conveniently freeze them in 2-cup portions for use all year round.

ZUCCHINI BREAD OR MUFFINS

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup extra light olive oil
• 2 cups shredded zucchini, unpeeled
• 2 tsp. vanilla

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3 tsp. cinammon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 cup raisins

Beat eggs,  add sugar, oil, vanilla and shredded zucchini in a large bowl.  Mix flour with dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Measure raisins and nuts (walnuts or almonds or pecans) and set aside.

Add  dry flour mixture to wet zucchini mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until just blended. Add raisins & nuts.

Pour mixture into greased and floured baking pans.

Bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes if small pans are used. For bundt pan, bake 1 hour.

This recipe is also perfect for a dozen of large muffins, 30 min. at 350 F.