A taste of home

WHY RUN AROUND TOWN SHOPPING for the family reunion dinner when a quick run to Cold Storage gets you everything you need? With simple recipes from chef/food consultant David Yip, putting together an elegant dinner of steamboat and other auspicious dishes is as easy as saying gong xi fa cai.

Start with Cold Storage's Prosperity Yusheng, before digging into a homemade steamboat filled with luxury ingredients such as shabu shabu pork collar and pork belly from chestnut-fed white pork; fresh grouper or Ling fish sliced fillet slices; and luxurious slipper lobster meat. Top it up with Jing Li Hwa fish balls with different fillings made from shrimp, roe and cuttlefish. For the steamboat stock, simmer canned chicken stock with fresh vegetables for extra sweetness, suggests chef Yip. To amp things up, he provides recipes for three different tangy dips.

Instead of braised abalone, try it cold in a refreshing salad with a piquant dressing. New Moon or On Kee brand abalones are perfect for this dish. You can also check out New Moon's superior fi sh maw soup and Pacifi c clams, or On Kee's abalone and scallop XO sauce.

For an auspicious touch, prawns add laughter and joy in our recipe for deep fried prawn wontons. Braised mushroom and fish maw, in turn, symbolise prosperity and abundance. To quench your thirst, try these Cold Storage exclusives - Dragon Water, a seltzer from Hong Kong that comes in flavours like Black Raspberry and Lemongrass Lime; or something fun like the crisp and nostalgic Jinro is Back soju.

End off with festive oranges from a Yong Chun Lukan gift box. All you need now is the company of your family for a delicious start to the Year of the Ox. All ingredients in these recipes are available at Cold Storage supermarkets. To order, go to coldstorage.com.sg

REUNION STEAMBOAT

INGREDIENTS

For cooking:

Chestnut-fed white pork shabu shabu (pork collar and pork belly) Fish fillet slices - red grouper and NZ ling fish Slipper lobster meat Jing Li Hwa fi sh balls with fi llings (shrimp/roe/cuttlefish)

STOCK

8 cans chicken stock 1 radish 1 carrot 2 tomatoes 2cm ginger, bashed

GARLIC DIP

300 ml light soy sauce 2 tsp sugar 100 ml water 5 cloves garlic, minced 2 shallots, minced 1 tbsp peanut oil

SPICY DIP

8 shallots, peeled and sliced thinly 3 chilli padi, chopped coarsely 2 green chilli, deseeded and chopped coarsely 1 cm fresh ginger, bashed and minced 3 tbsp lime juice 1 ½ tsp sugar 5 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp fi sh sauce

SPICY & SOUR DIP

160g red chilli, chopped coarsely 6 chilli padi, minced 5 cm ginger, grated 7 garlic cloves, minced 100 ml water 3 tbsp calamansi juice 1 tbsp kaffir lime juice 3 tbsp chilli sauce 2 tbsp tomato sauce 2 tbsp sugar ¾ tsp salt 1 torch ginger, minced

METHOD

For soup:

Boil vegetables in stock for 30 mins and continue simmering at the dining table while cooking the fresh ingredients.

For garlic dip:

Simmer light soy sauce, sugar and water until sugar is dissolved. Let it cool. Add minced garlic, shallot and peanut oil. Mix well.

For spicy dip:

Combine all ingredients. Mix well.

For spicy-sour dip:

Mix all ingredients except torch ginger. Bring it to boil and turn off heat. Sprinkle torch ginger and let it cool.

TO SERVE

Arrange meat and seafood items on platter with other steamboat ingredients as desired. Cook in the prepared stock and dip into the different sauces.

BRAISED FISH MAW WITH MUSHROOM & LILY BUD

INGREDIENTS

40g fish maw, blanched in hot water, squeezed dry 15g dried lily bud, soaked and drained 40g dried shiitake mushroom, soaked and drained 2 tbsp oil 1 tsp sesame oil 1 garlic clove, minced 150g roast pork, cut into chunks

SEASONING 1 tbsp oyster sauce 3 tbsp abalone sauce 400 ml chicken stock ¼ tsp dark soy sauce ½ tsp sugar

METHOD

Sauté lily bud and mushroom in a dry wok (medium heat) for 2 minutes. Add oil, sesame oil, garlic and roast pork. Fry for another 2 - 3 minutes. Add seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add fish maw. Simmer until the liquid has reduced signifi cantly. Season with salt and sugar if necessary.

ABALONE IN HOT & SOUR DRESSING

INGREDIENTS

1 can abalone (New Moon or On Kee brand) 1 green mango, peeled and shredded ½ green apple , julienned 2 red chilli, deseeded and julienned 1 onion, peeled and julienned

HOT & SOUR DRESSING (MIX WELL)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 6 shallots, peeled and julienned 2 chIlli padi , deseeded and minced 2 red chilli, deseeded and chopped 2 tbsp fi sh sauce 5 tbsp plum sauce 2 tbsp chilli sauce 1 tbsp sugar 3 tbsp calamansi juice 1 stalk fresh coriander, coarsely chopped ½ tbsp white sesame seed , toasted

METHOD

Mix green mango, apple, red chilli and onion. Spread evenly on a serving plate. Slice abalone thinly. Arrange on top of the julienned vegetables. Pour dressing over abalone. Toss well before serving.

FRIED PRAWN WONTON

INGREDIENTS

12 medium sized prawns, shelled and chopped coarsely 4 water chestnuts, peeled, bashed and chopped coarsely 12 pieces wonton skin 3 cups oil

MARINADE

½ tsp sugar Dash of salt Dash of white pepper Dash of sesame oil ½ tbsp egg white ¼ tsp cornstarch

METHOD

Mix prawn, water chestnut and marinade thoroughly. Chill for 30 minutes. Place ½ tbsp of prawn mixture in the center of the wonton skin. Fold and wrap in the shape of a wonton. Heat oil to 180°C. Deep-fry wonton until it turns light golden brown. Remove from oil and drain thoroughly. Serve hot.