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Library Diversity Committee 2022 - International Festival

Food recipes in different ethnicities

China

Jian Bing 煎饼

Jian Bing, or Chinese crepes, are some of the most popular foods sold at street stalls in China. They are built with a crepe, an egg, Bao Cui (deep-fried crackers), chopped scallions and coriander, and spicy or sweet sauces.

Directions

Step 1: Fry the crispy crackers

  1. Stick two pieces of ready-made wonton wrappers with a little water
  2. Deep fry until lightly golden (you don’t need much oil if using a small saucepan).

Step 2: Cook the crepes

  1. Combine all-purpose flour, wholemeal flour (or flour made of other grains) and water into a thin batter.
  2. Pour the batter into a frying pan to form a crepe.
  3. Crack an egg on top of the crepe then spread. Add sesame seeds & scallions.
  4. Flip over when the crepe firms up. Brush sauces of your choice. Add coriander & lettuce leaves. Then top with two crispy crackers.
  5. Fold the crepe around the crackers and it's done.

Baozi 包子

These Chinese steamed bao buns are a popular street dish and a staple of everyday cooking in the home. They are made of a sweet bun and often consist of pork filling.

The recipe for Bao bun dough requires five ingredients: all-purpose flour; dried yeast; sugar; cooking oil, and lukewarm water.

  • The flour & liquid (water + oil) ratio is 2:1 by weight. It may vary a little depending on the type and the brand of your flour.
  • The water & oil ratio is 10:1 by weight. It’s better to choose the cooking oil which doesn’t have a strong taste (eg. rapeseeds, sunflower, canola, vegetable, etc.).
  • For every 500g of flour, you will need 2 teaspoons of dried yeast. Add the same amount of sugar or a little less (but not more).

Red Oil Wonton 

These delicious wontons are topped by a red oil dressing to add flavor and spice to a lighter dinner.

Ingredients

  • 30 wonton wrappers
  • 1 cup minced pork
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon minced green onion
  • 1 small size egg
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Red oil dressing

  • 3-6 tablespoons Szechuan style chili oil , depends how spicy you want
  • 2 tablespoons black vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoon cooking wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves , smashed
  • 1/2 tablespoon minced green onion
  • Minced coriander
  • 1 cup water from cooking wonton

Instructions

You'd better to prepare the chili oil in the previous day according to this instruction.

  • Making red oil wonton
  • In a large bowl, mix minced pork with ginger, oyster sauce, egg, spring onion and salt. Keep stirring the mixture in one direction until well combined and sticky.
  • Refrigerate for around 15 minutes for a better flavor.
  • Assemble wonton one by one.
  • In a bowl, mix all the seasonings together.
  • Cook wonton in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes until the wrappers become transparent completely. You can add some green vegetable like lettuce, bok choy leaves in last minute. Transfer out to serving bowl and then scoop some water to cover most of the wontons (not too much as it may dilute the red oil dressing).
  • Pour the red oil dressing on top; garnish extra minced spring onion and coriander. Mix well before enjoying.

Taiwan

Dan Bing 蛋餅

Dan Bing is a Taiwanese egg crepe, with a homemade wrapper, vegan egg mixture, and topped with kimlan or hoisin sauce.

Step 1: Prepare the wrapper

To make the wrapper, I’m using the same spring roll recipe from Run Bing. The recipe is simple and doesn’t require any kitchen gadget other than a pan and silicone brush.

Step 2: Prepare the vegan egg mixture

The egg mixture is as simple as mixing the Just Eggs or any vegan egg liquid along with chopped scallions. I seasoned it with some salt and pepper. To make a thinner liquid, you can add a tablespoon of plant milk to 4 tablespoons of the egg mixture.

Step 3: How to put everything together

The spring roll wrapper needs to be pan-fried with some oil to create that golden layer. So, heat a 10″ non-stick skillet with some oil. Then, pan-fry each side of the wrapper for about 30 seconds to a minute. Then, remove the wrapper, and add a little more oil to the same pan. Pour in a thin layer of the egg mixture and cook until it starts to set, about 30 seconds.

Lay the cooked wrapper. Using the back of the spatula, press to seal the wrapper onto the egg mixture. After 30 seconds, flip the crepe over and cook the other side until the egg is fully cooked through.  With the help of a pair of chopsticks and tong, roll the Dan Bing into a log.  Remove and cut into your desired size. Serve with some thinned down hoisin sauce (sweet) or Kimlan paste (salty) and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Japan

Onigiri おにぎり

Japanese rice balls are an easy traveling snack, as they are compressed and often wrapped in nori - a thin layer of seaweed.

I like to have all of my ingredients laid out in front of me. Well organized mise en place just makes the whole process run smoothly.

Ingredients:

  • water
  • soy sauce
  • cooked Japanese rice
  • seaweed sheet
  • your choice of filing

Directions:

  1. Take a full sized sheet of nori (seaweed) and cut it lengthwise into thirds.
  2. Next, wet your hands in water (I leave a bowl of water on the side with my ingredients). This important step will keep the rice from sticking to your hands – and allow you to mold your onigiri easily.
  3. Then place between ⅓ and ½ cup of cooked Japanese rice in your wet palm – and create a small indentation in the middle with your thumb.
  4. Add about ½ tablespoon of your filling to the indentation and then enclose with the rice.
  5. Now, form the rice between your two palms into a triangular shape. Try not to press too hard (but hard enough that your rice holds a shape). 

Hanami Dango 花見団子 

Easy to make & requires just 3-ingredients to make this popular Japanese dessert.  A famous and cute Japanese dessert of tri-colored rice balls, served on a stick.

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. The first step is to make the dough by combining the tofu, flour and sugar in a large bowl. Use your hands to squeeze the mixture together, almost in a kneading motion until everything is well incorporated. Then divide the dough into 3 equal portions.
  2. Add the matcha powder into one portion of dough and mix until the colour is uniform. Add the strawberry powder or pink food colouring into another portion of dough and mix until the colour is uniform.
  3. Divide the dough into 5-6 equal sized pieces. For 5 pieces, each piece should weigh 14-15 grams. If 6 pieces, 11-12 grams each.
  4. Roll each piece into a ball using your palms.
  5. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the dango balls in. Let them cook until they start floating to the top. Then use a strainer ladle to scoop them out.
  6. Place the dango into a bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking. 
  7. Once cooled, place the dango balls in a bamboo skewer in this order: green, white pink. Repeat for the remaining balls.

Vietnam

Phó'

Number of Servings: 9

Ingredients

  • beef stock | 4lbs, 2 qts
  • beef chuck, in one piece | 1 lb
  • onion, sliced 1/4-inch think | 6.5 oz, 1 large
  • carrot, peeled, sliced | 3 oz, 1 each
  • ginger, peeled, cut in half | 1 oz, 2-inch piece
  • stick cinnamon | 2-inch stick
  • star anise | 2 each
  • peppercorns, whole | 1 teaspoon
  • fish sauce | 2 oz, 1/4 cup or to taste

Condiments

  • rice stick noodles | 8 oz
  • beef, steak, tender, sliced paper thin | 10 oz
  • bean sprouts, blanched for 5 seconds, rinsed in cold water | 1 cup
  • scallions, thinly sliced, green | 2 oz, 2 each
  • chilies, hot sliced thinly
  • cilantro minced | 1/4 cup
  • lime wedges
  • fish sauce

Directions

  1. Place stock, beef chuck, onion, carrot, ginger, cinnamon stick, star anise, and peppercorns in large pot. Simmer for 2 or 3 hours, until meat is tender.
  2. Meanwhile, soak rice noodles in water for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Prepare condiments, placing bean sprouts scallions, chilies, cilantro, and lime wedges on platter or separate bowls for table.
  4. Strain stock, add water to make 3 lbs, 8 oz. (7 cups), remove beef chuck, cut into thin slices
  5. Drain rice stick noodles, add to boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, until tender
  6. Drain in colander, rinse with cold water, place noodles in bowl of cold water until needed.
  7. Heat soup, add fish sauce, taste to correct seasonings. Bring to boil.
  8. Heat noodles by dipping briefly in boiling water.
  9. Place come noodles, raw beef, and cooked beef in bowl, cover with boiling soup.
  10. Serve immediately, let each dinner add condiments, as desired.

Citation: Heyman, Patricia A. International Cooking : a Culinary Journey, 303-304. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003.

North India

Amritsari Kulcha

Flatbread stuffed with potato and paneer | Serving: 3 to 4 | Cook time: 40 min.

Ingredients

  • For the dough
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 3 tbsp ghee
    • 1/4 cup yogurt
    • 1/4 milk
    • Salt
  • For the filling
    • 1 cup mashed potatoes
    • 1 green chile, finely chopped
    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp red chile powder
    • 1 tsp chaat masala
    • 1/2 medium-size onion, finely chopped
    • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves finely chopped
    • 1/4 cup finely chopped paneer
    • Salt to taste
    • Butter for serving

Directions

  1. Making the dough: In a medium-size bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ghee, yogurt, and milk. Season to taste with salt. Mix together and knead into a medium-soft dough. Set aside for 1 hour.
  2. Making the filling: In another medium-size bowl, stir together the mashed potatoes, green chile, cumin, red chile powder, chaat masala, onion, cilantro, and paneer. Season to taste with salt.
  3. Divide the dough into small roundels. Roll each into a 4-in. disk. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each and join all the edges to seal the filling inside.
  4. Roll it back into a round, the size of your palm, and pat it with your fingertips.
  5. Heat a griddle over medium-high heat.
  6. Working in batches, cook the stuffed disks on both sides until golden brown. Serve hot, with lots of butter.

Citation: Ved, Sonal, Abhilasha Dewan, and Floyd Cardoz. Tiffin : 500 Authentic Recipes Celebrating India’s Regional Cuisine, 113. First U.S. edition. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2018.

Malaysia

Kai Si Hor Fun

This is a great, traditional Malaysian noodle recipe. Serves: 8-9 people

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken carcasses (fat trimmed and rinsed in hot water)
  • 4 large pork bones (fat trimmed and rinsed in hot water)
  • 25 prawns (deshelled and deveined, keep discarded heads aside)
  • 8 chicken drumsticks
  • 2kg fresh rice noodles
  • 2 bunches garlic chives
  • 1-2 tbsp white pepper
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 4 tbsp salt
  • Deep fried shallots, to garnish

For Dipping Sauce

  • 5 fresh red chillies (sliced)
  • soy sauce

Directions

To Cook

  1. Heat up 4 L of water in a large pot and bring to a boil over a high heat before adding the prawns and cooking for 2 mins. Remove the prawns from the pot and set aside.
  2. In the same pot, add in the carcasses, pork bones, drumsticks and the white peppercorns. Return to a boil before reducing to a simmer and cooking for 2 hrs.
  3. While the broth simmers, remove the heads from the prawns and cook the prawn heads in a pan with vegetable oil over a medium-high heat.
  4. Continue to cook until the shell has become crispy and the oil has taken the colour of the prawn before removing from the heat and filtering the oil to use. Set aside.
  5. When the drumsticks have become tender, remove them from the pot and remove the meat from the bone and set aside.
  6. In a pot of water, blanch the chives until the begin to wilt before settings aside. Add the noodles in to the pot to cook as per the instruction before also removing from the pot and setting aside.
  7. Add the salt in to the broth and mix until dissolved. Add more if necessary before removing from the heat to plate.

To Serve

  1. In a serving bowl, add the noodles, chives, chicken drumstick meat and prawns and ladle the soup stock over it.
  2. Finish by garnishing with fried shallots, sliced coriander and drizzle with the prawn oil.
  3. Serve with a small bowl of the dipping sauce by combining the dipping sauce ingredients together and mixing.

Singapore

Snowskin Mooncakes

These traditional Singaporean cakes are served cold - hence the “snow” in the name - with sweet filling.

Ingredients

Matcha Mung Bean Filling

  • 100 grams (3.5 oz) mung bean – skinned
  • 45 – 50 grams (3 tbsp) caster sugar
  • 45 grams (3 tbsp) coconut oil or peanut oil
  • 1 tsp matcha paste or 1 – 2 tsp matcha powder

Mooncake Skin

  • 100 grams (1 cup minus 2 tbsp) cooked glutinous rice flour
  • 80 grams (3/4 cup) icing sugar
  • 30 grams (2 tbsp) shortening
  • 80 – 150 ml (1/3  – ½ cup) milk or water – cold
  • Food coloring, flavor extracts… as desired

Directions

The Filling

  1. Rinse the mung beans, then soak them in hot water for about 2 hours until the beans have softened. Transfer the beans to a saucepan and bring to a boil, discard any foams. Then lower the heat and simmer until the beans are very soft. Add in more water if it evaporates too quickly. Stir every now and then to prevent the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  2. In another pot, dissolve 50 grams sugar in 60 – 70 ml water and then bring to a boil. Lower the heat, simmer for another 2 – 3 minutes until the water reduces by a third or a half. Let cool. This is our sugar syrup.
  3. Blend or mash the beans until we have a very smooth runny paste. Add some more water into the blender to make blending easier if necessary.
  4. Pass the mung beans through a fine sieve into a non-stick pan. Add in sugar syrup and coconut or peanut oil. Stir to mix well. At medium heat, cook and stir continuously. The water will start to evaporate once the mixture starts boiling, which helps to thicken up the filling.
  5. When the filling has been cooked for 20 – 25 minutes and has considerably thickened, add in matcha paste or matcha powder that has been dissolved in hot water. Continue stirring until the filling becomes very thick, and then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Continue stirring until you get a very smooth, soft, thick paste. Let cool.
  6. When the filling is still warm, divide it into 20-gram balls. Cover or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap.

The Mooncake Skin

  1. Sift flour and sugar, mix to blend.
  2. Add in shortening. Quickly mix by hand until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
  3. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, pour the cold liquid (milk, water or juice) into the well. Using a spoon, mix until incorporated. Then, wearing gloves, knead the dough until it becomes soft and smooth. Cover the dough tightly and let rest for 10 – 15 minutes. Notes:

    1. Notes: Start with 100 – 120ml water/milk. Add more flour if the dough gets too wet, or more liquid if the dough is too dry. Filling that is a little wet and soft is better than filling that is too dry. It is recommended to use gloves while handling the dough as it is quite sticky.

  4. Divide the dough into 30-gram portions. Dust the working surface and your hands with some cooked glutinous rice flour.
  5. Flatten the dough ball into flat round shape, the edges should be a bit thinner than the centre. Put the filing in the middle of the flattened dough and wrap tightly. Roll the cake ball over some dusted flour then press it into the mould. Then remove the cake from the mould, we will have a mooncake with pretty patterns on its surface.
  6. Continue with the remaining dough and filling. After shaping, store the cakes in an airtight container and refrigerate for about 2 hours for the cakes to chill and the fillings to become firmer and chewier.

Thailand

Thai Basil Chicken

This dish is a short, sweet, savory, and spicy dinner option which can be served with jasmine rice.

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil in the wok over high heat and add the chopped onion.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
  3. Toss the chicken in cornstarch and add to the wok.
  4. Once the chicken is almost cooked through, add the chopped chile, curry paste, sherry, fish sauce, and brown sugar.
  5. Whisk in the chicken stock and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened.
  6. Stir in the basil and serve.