jessiefoodinthekitchen

Stuffed tofu (Yong Tau Foo / 酿豆腐 ) has always been one of my favorite home-cooked dishes, but what makes this recipe truly special is the seasoning. M y late mum always reached for one ingredient she trusted above all else – YEO'S Salted Fermented Soybean Paste , which retains the whole soybean grai ns. No matter what she was cooking, whether it was stuffed tofu, vegetables, or simple home-style braised dishes, this humble soybean paste was her secret ingredient. It added a deep savory flavor that instantly made every meal taste like home. I still remember telling her that supermarkets now sell ready-made soybean paste in jars, so she no longer needed to mash the fermented whole soybean grains with a mortar and pestle. But she would simply smile and continue using her old favorite . To her, nothing could replace the familiar taste she had been cooking with for years. Some traditions are simply too precious to change. Today, whenever I make stuffed tofu, I follow her way. The ...

There is always a jar of pickled mixed ginger sitting quietly in my refrigerator. I made it a while ago and often use it whenever I need a quick flavor booster for my cooking. Besides serving it as a condiment, the sweet and tangy pickled ginger works wonderfully in braised dishes, especially with chicken.   This mixed pickled ginger is made with rice vinegar and cane sugar. It has a sweet and sour, crunchy flavor, making it an appetizer, and a staple dish in many households. The addition of shallots, red bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, turnips, white gourds, papayas, and young ginger further enhances its flavor. If you enjoy sweet and sour dishes, this is a really good choice . Instead of using a whole chicken as I did in the past, this time I chose chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are one of my favorite cuts because they stay juicy and tender even after simmering. They also absorb flavors exceptionally well, making them perfect for this simple home-style braised dish. The co...