焗豬扒飯！

Sometimes I think that my interest in cooking is partly due to the limited choice of restaurants in Brisbane when you eat out. Instead of trying to find a nice restaurant that serve decent food (that is reasonably priced), it is far easier to learn to cook yummy food. (Not to mention how much healthier it is for you!) This dish is really something I would never make when I'm at home in Hong Kong. I mean why would you go through the trouble of all those chopping and stirring and baking and washing up when you can get the same dish (probably a better version of it), along with a drink, at 大家樂 across the road at $40?
This rice dish is probably the most classic Hong Kong fast food dish. I have yet to come across a person from Hong Kong who has not had it before. It's got fried rice, it's got pork chop, it's got tomato sauce, and it's cheesey and so so so yummy. The pork chops are juicy and flavoursome. The rice has absorbed all the flavours from the cheesy tomato sauce, the eggs and all the vegetables. On its own it is such a satisfying meal, and a little antidote to homesickness.

Baked fried rice with pork chop adopted from Christine's Recipe

2 bowls cooked brown rice
1/2 onion, diced
2 capsicums, diced
3 small tomatoes, diced
150g frozen mixed peas, corn and carrots
3 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
2 eggs, beaten well
2 pork chops
all-purpose flour
salt & pepper, to taste
soy sauce, to taste
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup of cheese (I used a combination of shredded Parmesan and ricotta)

1) Sandwich each pork chop between two layers of plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin or a meat hammer to flatten the pork chop to half its original thickness. Remove any visible fat. Marinate them in sugar, pepper, sesame oil, soy sauce and cornstarch overnight (or at least 30 minutes)
2) Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees C.
3) Heat oil in a pan on a medium-high heat. Place the pork chops in the beaten eggs, then cover both sides with flour. Cook the pork chops in the pan until both sides are golden brown and about 90% cooked through. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
4) In the same pan, heat oil on a medium heat. Cook the chopped onion until transparent. Add the garlic and stir for about one minute. Stir in the capsicum and frozen vegetables. Cook until they are warmed through and soft. Remove from the pan and set aside.
5) In the same pan, heat oil on a medium heat and pour in the eggs. When the eggs are starting to set, mix in the cooked rice and break up the rice if there are any clumps. Continue to stir until the eggs are well combined with the rice. Then add in the tomatoes and 2/3 of the cooked vegetables. Mix well and season with pepper and soy sauce. Pour the rice mixture in the baking dish. Top with pork chops.
6) In the pan, heat up the tomato paste and 1/2 cup of water on a high heat. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil then reduce to medium heat. Slowly add in small amount of flour (about 1/2 tsp each time) into the mixture until it thickens to the desirable consistency. Mix in the remaining vegetables and season with sugar and pepper. Pour the sauce over the rice and the pork chops. Sprinkle cheese on the top. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the pork chops are cooked through. Serve immediately.

機動飯盒之陳氏炒飯

After a 47-hour week, I feel exhausted. I need sleep. I need food. I need time. I need a break. I need to relax. Having no internet at home, it almost adds to the stress. Fingers crossed I hope all will be fixed by the end of this week. (and there REALLY needs to be a patron saint for the internet)

Fried rice is a dish that you can find on the menu of any Chinese take away shop. But we're talking about home cooked fried rice here, not its greasy, heavy and fattening cousin. It is a great way to use up any leftover veggies / meat in the fridge. From the flavoursome XO醬 or juicy pineapple, to the humble grated ginger, almost anything that you have on hand can be used to make this easy healthy dish.

My favourite version of this recipe calls for 叉燒, a lot of eggs, heaps of extra frozen corn and chopped tomatoes. But do experiment with ingredients that you like. Chop all the ingredients into similarly-sized small pieces for even cooking. It gives better presentation at the end too. Things like prawns, salmon or sausages can take the place of 叉燒. Make sure you don't add the tomatoes until the heat is turned off at the very end or they will release too much moisture, making the rice soggy. Any leftovers are fine to be reheated later in a microwave oven.

1.5 cups cooked rice, preferably cooked the day before
2 eggs
1 onion
A couple of mushrooms
3/4 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 can of mixed beans
1 capsicum
2 tomatoes

1) Chop all vegetables into small cubes.
2) Beat 2 eggs together. Heat oil on a wok / a large frying pan. Shallow-fry the eggs on both sides and cut into slices / pieces. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3) In the same pan, add chopped onion and saute until soft. Add in the mushrooms and stir until cooked. Mixed in canned beans, frozen vegetables, capsicum and rice and stir to mix all ingredients. Add about 1 tbsp soy sauce and stir. Turn off the heat after all the ingredients are hot and cooked through. Add in the eggs and tomatoes and mix evenly. Season with freshly grated pepper for seasoning if desired. Enjoy!