Jack is Hungry!

One of the food I missed the most while studying abroad was this dish made by my grandma. As a kid, we would pick out all the sausages and left the adults with a plate of leeks. Leek is one of those vegetables that I learnt to eat as I grow up. Just like eggplants and bittergourds. So I decided to recreate the “must-have” dish during chinese new year. The smell was so nostalgic; it brings back memories.

Ingredients

3 stalk Leek stem, sliced
4 Chinese Sausage, sliced
1 clove Garlic, minced
Salt
Oil

Heat up the wok and add oil. Stir fry the chinese sausages until they are soft. Take them out, set them aside. Add your minced garlic to the remaining oil. When the garlic turns golden (DON’T BURN IT!), add the leeks and stir fry them until they are soft. Then add the sausages and a pinch of salt. Serve!

Food served during Chinese New Year’s eve feast has rich symbolic meaning. The dishes definitely include fish and chicken, since their Chinese names are homonyms for “abundance” and “good luck”. Leek got the meaning of “increasing wealth”, so dishes made with leek are eaten to symbolize good wealth for the coming year.

Besides representing the increasing wealth, leek also got a meaning of “justice and pure”. In Chinese we called it Yi Qing Er Bai. Back in the days, the leek was hung on the door of the wrongly accused in order to gain the attention of the magistrate.

Popularity: 22% [?]

Glutinous rice is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. Many Asian desserts use this rice as a base and often, the rice is mildly sweetened during the cooking process, in which case it may be served as “sweet rice”. The rice can also be used to make sushi, savory rice balls, pressed rice cakes, and mochi. Some consumers eat glutinous rice just like regular rice while others prefer to eat it in smaller portions.

Black glutinous rice is unevenly colored and look like wild rice when dry. With its rich, nutty flavor, the black rice holds a distinct difference to white glutinous rice. According to Chinese legend, this wholegrain rice with high amounts of iron was reserved exclusively for the emperor and particularly good for blood circulation!

Ingredients

2 cups Black glutinous rice
6-8 cups Water
2 Screwpine (Pandan) leaves
3 heaped tablespoon sugar or Gula Melaka to taste
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Coconut milk (satan)

This rice pudding is made from black glutinous rice sweetened with brown palm sugar. A surrey of creamy coconut milk is swirled over the rice pudding before it is served.

1. Soak glutinous rice for 2-3 hours or overnight if time permits.
2. Wash the rice and add it into the pot of water with pandan leaves. Cook over medium heat and constantly stirring to avoid burn at bottom.
3.  Add sugar and salt when the rice is soft and mushy.
4. Serve warm with spoonful of coconut milk on top!

Popularity: 15% [?]