Vietnamese Meatloaf (Mắm Chưng)

Ingredients

• 300g pork mince
• 2 cups ground snake-head fish paste
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp chicken powder
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 4 eggs
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 5 fresh red chillies, finely chopped
• 2 cucumbers, sliced

Method
- In a big mixing bowl, add pork mince, fish paste, eggs (save 2 egg yolks for the top layer), chillies, onion, shallots, sugar, chicken powder and ground pepper. Mix well.
- Transfer the mixture into a mold or bowl and cook it in a hot steamer for 25-30 minutes under cover.
- Use a skewer to pock a hole into the mixture all the way down, if it comes out clean and dry, the mixture is almost ready. Then use a flat spoon and smear the beaten yolks on top of the mixture and cook without a lid for 10 minutes or until the yolks is well done.
- Serve hot with fresh cucumbers and steamed rice.

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Vietnamese Panna Cotta (Chè Khúc Bạch)

Ingredients

• 9g gelatin powder
• 4 tbsp cold water
• 200 ml whipping cream
• 200 ml fresh milk
• 1/4 tsp pandan extract 
• 60g sugar
• 50g almond slices
• 1 can of lychee in syrup 

Method
- In a small bowl, add cold water and sprinkle the gelatin powder over the surface. Let stand for 5-10 minutes. This process is called blooming gelatin.
- Place the bowl of bloomed gelatin in a tray of hot water and stir well until completely dissolved.
- Add the gelatin liquid to the milk and whipping cream mixture in a gelatin mold, stir well. Add the pandan extract and lightly stir in a circular motion to create marble effect. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or until set.
- Run a paring knife along the edges and transfer it to a plate by placing the plate upside down on top and flip them over. Use a wave knife to cut it into bite sized cubes.
- Dry toast the sliced almond in a pan until golden brown. Shake the pan instead of stirring to avoid breaking the almond slices.
- To assemble the dessert, add a few panna cotta cubes and lychee in syrup into a bowl, sprinkle some toasted sliced almond on top. Serve it cold with ice.

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Caramelized Pork Spare Ribs

Ingredients

• 450g pork spare ribs, chopped along the bones
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced shallot
• 1 tsp chicken powder
• 1-1/3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup coconut water 

Method
- Soak the ribs in slightly salted water for 15 minutes to reduce bad smell. Rinse and drain.
- Marinate the ribs with minced garlic, minced shallot, 1 tbsp fish sauce, salt, black pepper, chicken powder for 15 minutes.
- Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp sugar. Gently swirl the pan and wait until the sugar melts and turns into caramel color liquid. Then add 1 tsp fish sauce, let it sizzle for few seconds and add the ribs, stir-fry until no longer pink.
- Add coconut water and bring to a boil. Cover the lid and cook on medium low heat for 15 minutes. This step makes the ribs tender and flavorful.
- Then open the lid and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes or until the sauce evaporates and thickens.
- Serve hot with steamed rice, fresh cucumber and tomatoes.

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Mutton Rogan Josh

Ingredients

• 700g mutton, cut into 1 inch pieces 
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick, halved 
• 6 cloves
• 4 black cardamoms 
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder (it's not spicy much, mainly used for coloring)
• 1/2 tsp fennel powder 
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder 
• 1 tbsp meat masala (optional)
• Chicken stock
• 1/2 cup whisked yogurt 
• 4 tbs oil (mustard oil is recommended)
• Salt to taste 

Method
- Heat oil in a casserole, add cinnamon stick, cloves, black cardamoms, bay leaves, onion and cook until the onion is golden brown, stir occasionally to avoid getting burnt.
- Add in ginger & garlic paste, stir well. In a few minutes, the raw smell of ginger goes off, add mutton, meat masala and mix. Braise the mutton for 3-4 minutes or until it gets colored evenly.
- Then add the stock enough to cover the mutton, season with a good pinch of salt and cook under cover for 30 minutes or until the mutton is soft.
- Mix the chilli powder with 1/2 cup of water then add into the rogan josh along with fennel powder and ginger powder. Mix thoroughly then add in whisked yogurt and stir well.
- Cook the rogan josh for further 10-15 minutes or until the gravy a bit thickens.
- Serve hot with steamed rice or paratha.

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Punjabi Okra Masala

Ingredients

• 250g okra, trim the ends and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 big tomatoes, finely chopped 
• 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp chopped fresh chili
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 3/4 tsp red chili powder
• 3/4 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp amchur powder (dried mango powder)
• 1/4 tsp kasuri methi (opt)
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• A handful of fresh curry leaves
• A pinch of garam masala
• Cooking oil
• Salt to taste

Method
- Heat oil in a frying pan or a wok, add the okra and saute on medium low flame for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
- In the same pan, add some oil over medium heat. Once hot, add cumin seeds and curry leaves, allow them to splutter. Then add chopped onion and chili, sauce for 4 minutes.
- Add ginger & garlic paste, saute until the raw smell goes off, then add chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, amchur powder and kasuri methi, mix well.
- Add chopped tomatoes and saute on medium low heat until soft. Add the okra and mix well, cook it under cover for 10 minutes, stir occasionally. Once cooked, season well with salt and garam masala, mix well and turn off the heat.
- Serve hot with steamed rice or indian bread (Chapati).

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Malai Kofta Curry

Ingredients

* Paneer Kofta

• 1-1/2 cup grated Paneer/Cottage Cheese
• 1 potato, boiled, peeled & mashed
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp finely chopped green chilli
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tbsp cashew nuts
• 2 tbsp corn flour

* Kofta Curry

• 2 big onions, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
•  1 tbsp sugar
• 1 green chilli
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp whipped cream 

Method
* For Kofta
- In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix it really well.
- Make small golf size balls and stuff some raisins in it.
- Deep fry them until golden brown.

* For Curry
- Soak cashew nuts in warm water for 2 hours.
- Heat oil in a frying pan, add sliced onion and cook until browned up. Then add to a blender to make onion puree.
- Mix cashew nuts, green chilli and chopped tomatoes and run into a blender.
- Heat oil in a casserole, and onion puree and cook for 2 minutes, add ginger & garlic paste and cook until the raw smell of ginger goes off. Then add tomato puree, mix well.
- Add turmeric powder, garam masala, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder in to the casserole and cook for 7 minutes over medium heat.
- Add in water, stir, season with salt, sugar and cook for further 5 minutes.
- Then add whipped cream and cook for 4 minutes.
- Serve hot with paneer kofta.

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Chicken Lollypop

Ingredients

• 10 chicken lollypops (made of chicken wings)
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 
• 1 tsp crushed black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp soy sauce 
• 1 tbsp chopped ginger
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp red chilli paste
• 1/2 cup refined flour
• 1/2 cup corn flour 
• 1 cup chopped coriander 
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep-frying

Method
- Combine chicken lollypops, ginger-garlic paste, salt, 1/2 tsp crushed black peppercorns and soy sauce in a bowl and mix well. Marinate the chicken for 15 minutes.
- Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Combine ginger, garlic, red chilli paste, refined flour, corn flour, salt, remaining crushed peppercorns and chopped coriander  in another bowl and mix well. Add little water and mix well till a thick battle is formed.
- Deep marinated lollypops in the batter and deep-fry them in hot oil till golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
- Serve hot.

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