Zaru Soba 日式蕎麥涼麵

Let’s slurp the simplicity of chilled soba noodles with just a handful of ingredients and minimal cooking time. It’s a light and refreshing delight that’s simply delicious!

Curious about the term “Zaru (ざる)”? It’s a nod to the traditional bamboo tray or strainer used to serve these chilled noodles. This handy tool allows excess water to drain away, ensuring your noodles stay cool and perfectly textured. (While I may not have a bamboo soba strainer, I’ve found an easy-cleaning alternative that helps me recreate this perfect cold soba dish.) And stay tuned for more refreshing cold noodle content! ✨

INGREDIENTS
- 1-2 bundles of soba noodles
- Seaweed flakes for garnish
- Ice cubes to serve (optional)

TO MAKE DIPPING SAUCE
-3 tbsp soy sauce
-2 tbsp mirin
-1 tbsp sake (or cooking wine)
-12 tbsp cold water

OTHER INGREDIENTS FOR DIPPING SAUCE
- Grated ginger
- Spring onion
- Sesame seeds

METHOD
1. Cook soba noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes (according to packaging instructions). Once cooked, drain and rinse under running cold water to get rid of the excess starch.

2. Transfer the rinsed soba noodles to a large bowl of iced water and let them chill for a few minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. Prepare the dipping sauce by combining soy sauce, mirin, sake, and cold water.

4. Serve soba noodles with dipping sauce on the side. Add ginger, spring onion, and sesame seeds to the sauce. Dip soba noodles into the sauce and enjoy!

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Hainanese Chicken Rice 海南雞飯

Originating from the Hainan province in China, Hainanese Chicken Rice features tender, juicy poached chicken and fragrant rice cooked in a flavourful chicken stock. While it's a staple in Hainan, it's also widely enjoyed across Southeast Asia, with each region adding its own unique twist to the recipe.

I'm excited to share my homemade version with you here. While it may seem complex, it's actually quite straightforward to make at home. The key lies in careful preparation. Once you have all your ingredients ready, the cooking process comes together seamlessly! I couldn't resist devouring all three chicken thighs in one sitting - the flavours were just that good! 😋

 

INGREDIENTS

- 3 chicken thighs (about 580g)

- 3g lemongrass

- A few pieces of Lime leaves (or pandan leaves if you have)

- 5 slices of ginger

- A pinch of sea salt

- 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine

- 2 tsp dashi powder

- 3 tbsp chopped spring onion

- 1 tbsp Turmeric powder

- 1 tsp Galangal paste

- 1200ml water

- Sliced cucumbers (optional)

 

METHOD

 

1. Fill a large pot with water and add spring onions, lemongrass, lime leaves, ginger slices, salt, galangal paste, dashi powder, turmeric powder, and Shaoxing wine. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

 

2. Once boiling, gently submerge the chicken thighs into the water, lifting them in and out a few times. Once the water starts bubbling, cover with a lid and simmer on the lowest heat for 8-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit covered for 30 minutes.

 

3. After 30 minutes, transfer the cooked chicken thighs to an ice bath for 10 minutes to halt the cooking process and give the skin its desired texture. Reserve the poaching liquid (chicken stock) for later use.

 

To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the thickest part of the drumstick; if the juices run clear, it's cooked through.

 

4. Remove the chicken from the ice bath and drain well. Use a sharp knife to debone the chicken thighs.

 

5. In a rice cooker, combine jasmine rice with the reserved chicken stock (maintaining a ratio of 1 part rice to 1.25 parts liquid) and cook according to the rice cooker's instructions.

 

6. While the rice is cooking, prepare the dipping sauces.

 

7. Once the rice is ready, serve the sliced chicken alongside the cooked rice, accompanied by cucumbers (optional) and prepared dipping sauces. Enjoy your Hainan Chicken!

 

GINGER & SPRING ONION SAUCE

- 2 tbsp finely chopped ginger

- 3 tbsp finely chopped spring onion

- Salt for seasoning

- 5 tbsp hot oil

 

Combine the finely chopped ginger and spring onion in a heatproof dish. Heat the oil in a small pan until hot. Pour the hot oil over the ginger and spring onion mixture, season salt and stir well to combine.

 

CILLI SAUCE

- 1 tbsp finely chopped chilli

- 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

- 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

- 1 tbsp chicken stock with oil layer (from poaching chicken)

 

Combine the above ingredients and mix thoroughly.

 

SWEET SOY SAUCE

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

- 1 tbsp chicken stock (from poaching chicken)

- 1 tsp sugar

 

Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat, add dark soy sauce, chicken stock, and sugar. Stir until combined.

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