My favourite hotplate tofu is from a zi char stall at Blk 279 Bukit Batok East Ave 3. The signboard reads “Mei Chin Seafood” (maybe from eons ago) but the packaging and receipt all read “大食家”。The dish is just a little spicy, with onions, shallots, a bit of chilli bean paste, tofu, prawns, minced meat, vegetables and beaten egg served in a hot plate.

I was having such a craving on Tuesday that I just had to cook it.. and I did, with Prima Taste’s Sweet and Spicy Seafood Sauce, which is recommended for cooking hotplate tofu:

*For crispier tofu with more bite, you can coat it with a light dusting of corn flour and let it fry in the Happy Call before adding it back to the dish. I skipped that step. I also added more ingredients because this was a one-dish meal for us that night.

Ok technically for hotplate tofu, you’re supposed to dish up the ingredients in step 4 first and set it aside. Then in a clean pan, pour in the beaten egg and let it set just a bit. Return the sauce and arrange the ingredients back into the pan when the egg is still a bit a tad runny. This way, you will have an barely-set omelette at the bottom with ingredients and gravy on top. I chose to combine the egg into the gravy for an egg-y gravy over rice. It’s your choice!

Thank you Prima Taste, for sending me your Authentic Asia Cooking Sauces!

The post Happy Call “Hotplate” Tofu with Prima Taste appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

My brother’s helper, Lyn (who has put on 10kg since she started working for us), recognised the aroma floating through the air instantly when she entered my home. “Adobo!” she exclaimed excitedly as she dropped her keys on the table and dashed right into the kitchen. Ok, I am exaggerating a bit here. How to “dash” to the kitchen from the door when we’re living in a 4-room HDB flat? The distance 就那几步罢了。Haha.

She said in their household, they normally cut the chicken into smaller pieces but there are also some families who cook with whole chicken thighs. I quite regret that I didn’t have the chance to offer her a piece of this chicken.. they were not yet ready. But what if she 嫌弃 my “not authentic” adobo chicken? Authentic or not, we were quite pleased with these.. the flavour was very “heavy” with the use of vinegar and amount of soy sauce. It isn’t a taste we’re quite used to but it definitely tasted delicious!

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The original recipe called for broiling.. I didn’t have a broiler oven and didn’t think to use my airfryer and I really should have! Going by how chicken works wonders with the airfryer, I can imagine how delicious it would be! I will try making this with a bit of added sugar next time to balance out the taste. I do see alot of other recipes with added sugar and I even came across one with Sprite. If you cook adobo often, let me know your favourite way to prepare it! With or without sugar?

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There is an interesting story behind Mapo Tofu , literally translated as “Pock Mark Lady’s Tofu”. The Mapo Tofu we have here in Singapore is usually very spicy, with Szechuan chili oil used so liberally you would have thought they were free. We’re not fans of chili oil, so when eating out, we always order “Hotplate Tofu” instead– deep fried egg tofu, vegetables and cracked egg covered with non-spicy brown sauce, served on a sizzling hotplate.

So when I came across this Mapo Tofu which didn’t look too intimidating, heat-wise, I decided to have a go at it. The ingredients are basic and low cost, and the dish looks incredibly delicious over rice. My family loved it.

Makes 3-4 servings
(Adapted from Just One Cookbook with slight changes)

What I used:

1 block tofu, cut into cubes like in the picture (I used Unicurd brand “Chinese Tofu“)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
150g minced pork (you can use chicken)
2 sprigs of spring onions, cut thinly with scissors
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the sauce (combine everything together):

2 tablespoon chili bean paste
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon sugar
Half teaspoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water (about 65ml)

1. Heat up the oil and fry ginger and garlic til fragrant. Add the minced meat and quickly break it up with your spatula or wooden spoon.
2. When the meat is no longer pink, add in the sauce. Stir to combine.
3. Add the tofu and briefly mix. Don’t break up the tofu or touch it too much. Heat through for 1-2 minutes til you see small bubbles in the pan.
4. Turn off the heat and sprinkle spring onions before serving.

How much I spent:

$0.75 for tofu
$1.50 for minced meat
Everything else from my pantry!

Total cost per serving: $0.57

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This dish can be served straight over rice in a large bowl, along with a simple clear soup. It is so easy to make, I’m sure I’ll see it more often during dinner, especially on days when I’m not too creative or just plain lazy!

The post Mapo Tofu with mild spicy bean paste appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

What is the one thing that you never fail to order at a Hong Kong cafe? For me, on cheat days, it is always Pork Chop Baked Rice. Think melted gooey cheese on top of pork chops in a creamy tomato sauce with fried rice underneath.. it is carb heaven right there! This dish is relatively easy to make, but the tomato sauce can sometimes be runny or not tasty enough. I experimented with quite a few versions before settling on this one. My must-have ingredient? Tomato puree (I use Ayam Brand) and Worcestershire sauce.

Some recipes only call for ketchup, but I find that combining tomato puree with ketchup, along with some Worcestershire results in a creamy (but not overly so) and tangy sauce that goes so well with the fried rice. I can’t quite put a finger to Worcestershire sauce. Growing up, I was never familiar with it because what Ah-mm mostly used in her kitchen were oyster sauce, light soy sauce and chinese cooking wine. It was only when I started cooking on my own that I was introduced to it, in western-type roasts, grills and marinades. It is now a staple in my kitchen as it enhances the taste of many gravies and meats. I love it.

For tomato puree, I used to always buy Hunt’s, but recently I decided to try out this one by Ayam Brand. The small size is just perfect for cooking one dish which means no wastage, and at $1, it fits right into my budget. I like its consistency- reasonably thick but not overpowering, and how it isn’t quite as sour as Hunt’s. I might get the larger can next time as I think I saw a “Healthier Choice” logo (lower sodium) on that- not sure if the lower sodium version is available for the smaller can.

For the pork chops, I used frozen shoulder butt chops (a little more fat than pork loin chops) from Giant. $4.20 on promotion for 5-6 slices. For a 3 person- serving, 2-3 slices are sufficient. And of course, I cooked it in my trusty airfryer for low fat cooking.

Makes 3 servings

What I used:

1 and a half cups rice grains, cooked the day before and refrigerated
3 slices pork shoulder butt,  marinated in 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and some pepper for at least an hour
Half yellow onion, chopped into small wedges
2 tomatoes, chopped into small wedges
3 eggs, beaten
Shredded Mozzarella/ cheddar cheese (I bought mine at cold storage for $2.99 a packet and used half)
2 frankfurters, sliced into cute circles (there is no other way to describe it)
A handful of frozen vegetables
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Cornflour for dusting pork chops
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the gravy (Combine all and set aside):

8 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons tomato puree
125ml water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. From the bowl of beaten eggs, remove 2 tablespoons to coat pork shoulder chops. Dust in cornflour and airfry for 12 minutes at 180 degrees or pan fry til done. When cooled, cut into half-inch strips with a pair of scissors and set aside.
3. Now to fry the rice. Heat up half the oil and pour in the eggs. Scramble til almost cooked then add in the rice, frankfurters and light soy sauce. Mix everything together and set aside.
4. In the same pan, heat up the remaining oil. Add the onions and fry for a minute til slightly translucent. Add the tomatoes, frozen vegetables and sauce, and cook til the tomatoes are soft, about 3 minutes. Allow the sauce to simmer for a bit til it thickens slightly.
5. Now to assemble! In a clear baking/ pyrex dish, layer with all the rice, followed by cut pork chops, tomato gravy and finally top with shredded cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or til cheese melts.

How much I spent:

$2.10 for pork shoulder chops
$1 for tomato puree
$0.30 for frankfurters
$0.60 for tomatoes and onion
$0.75 for eggs
$1.50 for cheese
Everything else from my pantry!

Total cost per serving: $2.09

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This recipe is quite lengthy but it is because we have to cook all the components (rice, pork chops, sauce) separately. You don’t have to use separate pans! Just cook systematically. If you don’t have an airfryer, fry the pork chops first, then lightly clean off excess oil, then cook the fried rice. Cook the gravy last. This way, washing up will be less tedious and you can spend all your energy tucking in to your yummy creation! If you decide to cook this over the weekend, let me know if you enjoyed it!

The post HK Pork Chop Baked Rice 焗豬扒飯 appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

After doing a taste test of these noodles this afternoon, my only regret is that I can’t eat an entire bowl of this myself! I know, I know, I am constantly on a diet and have not had an entire bowl of carbs to myself for the longest time. But this time really cannot ok? In case I forget, I have a wedding coming up next month. Yes, mine.

I love cooking with yi mein, or ee-fu noodles, or yi mian because there’s really a whole lot of variety that you can have with them. Make crispy “Sang-Mein” by ladling boiling hot gravy over them, along with ingredients like carrots, mushrooms, chicken or pork, shrimps, squid, veggies and a beaten egg. Make claypot noodles by simmering them for a short while in a prepared sauce the above ingredients but with whole cracked egg. Or, like in this recipe, braise them for a longer time along with beansprouts, chives, mushrooms, shrimp and chicken pieces, until all the sauce is about soaked up. No matter which method you choose, they’re a definite crowd pleaser BECAUSE EE-FU NOODLES ARE ESSENTIALLY DEEP FRIED CARBS.

How do they get their crispy texture otherwise and how in the world can deep fried ANYTHING not taste good?!

So today, just pretend noodles are good for you (they’re made of wheat okayyy?!) and cook this delicious dish already.

Makes 1-2 servings (1 cake of noodle = 2 rice-bowl portions)

What I used:

1 round cake crispy ee-mein
A handful of shrimps
1 chicken fillet, sliced
2 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked til plumped up and sliced (I soak overnight, then reserve soaking water)
A handful of beansprouts, more if want!
2 stalks chives, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
Cornstarch solution (1 flat teaspoon corn starch mixed in 2 tablespoons tap water)

Seasoning sauce (mix together)
1.5 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon  dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon mushroom powder seasoning (my Mom introduced this to me last week and I love it)
1 teaspoon chinese wine (hua diao jiu)
Dash of white pepper
Half cup water
Half cup reserved mushroom soaking water

1. Heat up the olive oil in a pan. When oil is hot, saute garlic for 30 seconds then add mushrooms, chicken and shrimps. When the chicken is no longer pink and the shrimps are about pink (identity crisis, these two), add the beansprouts and chives and stir fry on high heat for another minute.
2. Add the seasoning sauce. Bring to boil and add the noodle cake. Lower the flame to medium.
3. Ladle the sauce on top of the noodle as much as you can, add the cornstarch solution, then cover with lid for 3-4 minutes. Check to see that the braising sauce is almost all absorbed by the noodles, switch off the flame, garnish with some more chives and serve.

How much I spent:

$0.27 for noodles
$1 for shrimps and chicken
$0.10 for bean sprouts
$0.20 for chives
Everything else from my pantry!

Total cost per serving: $1.57 or $0.79 if you’re a small eater

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I really wanted to describe these noodles as “creamy”, thanks to the braising gravy and corn starch, and because they’re almost really that! The savoury oyster sauce, wine, and seasonings just melted into these noodles. Don’t worry about them being too heavy, they’re honestly not as we did not overdo the corn starch. Instead of chicken or shrimp, you can go all vegetarian and use straw or button mushrooms and carrots instead, or substitute chicken for pork if that’s more your thing. A delicious and versatile dish for the new week?

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