2 dishes 1 soup for a sat evening (两菜一汤的温馨晚餐）

Decided to cook a nice dinner for K and me.. initially planned 3 dishes and 1 soup, but the 3rd dish, cheese baked giant tiger prawns, couldnt be done cos NTUC doesnt sell it today! :(

Anyway this is what we have for today

1) 十全大补鸡汤 （Herbal chicken soup)
2）红椒鸡精洋葱鸡柳 ( Red pepper chili,onion with chicken fillet in chicken essence)
3）蘑菇枸杞波菜 (Spinach with button mushrooms and wolfberries)

十全大补鸡汤 （Herbal chicken soup)

you just need the following:

1) convenient herbal pack from supermkt or chinese medicinal hall. ( 十全汤包）
2) 2 chicken drumsticks

Remove all the excess fats from the chicken drumsticks. Clean it throughly.

Pre boil it to get rid of impurities, blood and excess oil.

Transfer chicken drumsticks to soup pot of boiling water and add in all ingredients except wolfberries. ( i added in some red dates as well)

Boil the soup for 1 hour under low heat on the stove. Add some salt and a bit of light soya sauce, to your preferred taste. ( i like it original so i added very little salt and K commented its a bit on the bitter side, but i reckon the soup is more 补like that, too much salt will kill the natural properties of herbal soup and so try not to add too much salt. ) ( salt gives u water retention!)

After 1 hour on low heat ( fire big enough for it to simmer) you can transfer to the thermal cooker if you have 1.. if not,then its best to leave it to boil for 2-3 hours.

Add in the wolfberries to the hot soup 10 mins before you serve the soup.

End product:

2) 红椒鸡精洋葱鸡柳 ( Red pepper chili,onion with chicken fillet in chicken essence)

What you need:

1) Red/Green/Yellow pepper chilli/capsicum ( you can add all for a beautiful colour, as only 2 of us eating, i only use the red one)

2) Chicken fillet ( cut into cubes/ small pieces)
3)  Onion and garlic
4) Chicken essence
5) Button mushrooms  (optional)
6) Water

Marinate the chicken fillet in a bit of sugar, salt, corn starch and sesame oil and leave it in the fridge until you ready to start cooking. I put in for 2 hours..


First, Fry the garlic and onion until fragrant ( i love this part most.. cos i love that smell!)

Next, add in the red pepper chilli, mushrooms and the chicken cubes..

Add about 5 tbsp of water and let it simmer.

When the chicken is 3/4 cooked, you can slowly stir in the chicken essence.

Let is simmer till chicken is throughly cooked, serve. ( the onions really taste heavenly!!!! K love this!!)



3）蘑菇枸杞波菜 (Spinach with button mushrooms and wolfberries)

What you need:

1) Spinach 中国波菜  (i recommend the one with red roots)
2) Button mushroom from can
3) Wolfberries  枸杞子

Personally i like the one with red roots cos i cooked it once and i think the taste is just different.  K love this too.

Chop off the roots and wash the spinach thoughly and rinse at least 2 -3 times as i notice this type comes with more soil and sand althou it taste better.

 I did not take photos for the other steps as K went to take shower and i told him i can manage.. haha.. but i notice i cant cook and take photo at same time.. but cooking veg is very easy.

1) fry garlic till fragrant
2) pour in spinach and add oyster sauce
3) add water enough for veg to simmer

Let the spinach cook in the frying pan/wok, and make sure enough water to simmer it..

When the spinach is cooked, remove from the pan (drained from the water for simmering) and lay them on a big serving plate.. best if there is a bit of depth for the gravy..

There should be remaining water left in the pan, that is a mixture of oyster sauce, garlic pieces, we will make a gravy with this...

Mix corn starch with a bit of water. Pour and mix into the pan on low heat.

Add in wolf berries, mushrooms and let it simmer until the gravy starts to thicken. ( you may stir in an egg if you want a 蛋花。。）When gravy starts to thicken, off the fire and pour the gravy on top of the spinach.

End product:

I am glad all these is a success today!! ^^

Hope you enjoy what we have for you. Happy cooking!!