Chinese leek flower can be considered a delicacy in chinese cuisine. It belongs to the same family as onions and is highly nutritious and sweetly flavoured. Usually, the “flower” is eaten before it blooms.

A secret to good tasting leek flower is to remove the “skin” very carefully from the stem. This layer of “skin” is as thin as cling-film and takes some practice to remove them.

Try not to use a knife as you will remove the outer-layer of the stem instead. Once you have removed the transparent looking “skin”, you are on the right track.

I usually cook the leek flower with beancurd (firm type), prawns and carrots. You can also throw in roasted pork for added flavour.

This is my recipe for Chinese Leek Flower with Beancurd, Carrots and Prawns.

Ingredients

• 200 grammes chinese leek flower (cut into an inch lengthwise, remove skin)
• 100 grammes carrots (cut into strips)
• 2 pieces of beancurd (hard type. Cut into strips and fry them till brown)
• 100 grammes of medium-sized prawns (keep tail intact and devein)
• 2 bulbs garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 50 ml warm water

Seasoning

• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• Dash of white pepper

Method

Heat oil and fry garlic for 15 seconds or so. Add leek flower, carrots, prawns and pre-fried beancurd. Stir-fry till prawns are cooked.

Add seasoning and warm water and close lid. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Add a little bit more water if the dish dries up.

If you want to add roast pork, chop the roast pork (amount up to you) and add it into the dish before seasoning. You might want to reduce the oyster sauce because roast pork can be a bit salty.

Serve hot with rice.

Tofu is also known as beancurd and comes in many varieties. It can be sold uncooked or even deep-fried. I always have a fondness for tofu and this is one of the simplest recipes for tofu which I would like to share with you.

Ingredients

• Soft white tofu (approximately 5 inches long, 3 inches wide and 3 inches height) or alternatively, 1 tube japanese tofu
• 4 shallots (sliced thinly)
• 50 gms of dried prawns (pre-soaked 10 minutes before cooking and minced)
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• Water to boil

Sauce

• 1 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce

Garnish

• Chopped spring onions (amount up to you)
• Chopped red chillis (optional)

Method

Toast minced dried prawns on a frying pan at medium heat (no need to put oil) till brown and fragrant. Remove and place aside.

Fry shallots with cooking oil till golden brown, remove from oil and allow to dry. Keep oil aside.

Boil sufficient water in a pot and gently place tofu into the boiling water (ensuring that tofu is covered by the water). Boil the tofu for 1 minute. Remove tofu gently and place on plate. Drain excess water.

Drizzle oyster sauce and approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil over the tofu. Sprinkle fried dried prawns and fried shallots over the tofu together with chopped spring onions / red chilli.

Serve with rice.