If you’ve never had this in a cha chaan teng (Hong Kong style café), you’ve been missing out your whole life. I first had this in a Hong Kong style café many years ago and I was blown away. It was SO CRISPY, and full of flavours and spices.

This is not your average fried chicken. It’s first marinated in a variety of spices and seasonings, then deep fried until golden brown. It ends up being super juicy and has the perfect crunch. Fried to perfection, literally.

Well, I did mention in the recipe that you should marinate it for at least 4 hours, but I highly recommend marinating it overnight for more flavour. I always like marinating my meats overnight in the fridge because I would rather the meats have more flavour, than lacking flavour.

After frying, I like topping it off with some pepper salt, to enhance the flavours even more. It just blends in with the chicken SO WELL, so I highly recommend you trying it too. You can get pepper salt from any Chinese grocery store.

If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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Perfect Fried Chicken Leg (HK Style)

The perfect crispy fried chicken leg, with the ultimate crunch – Hong Kong café style.

Course Main Course, Snack

Cuisine Cantonese

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Author Dearnomdiary

Ingredients

Marinade

• 2 large chicken legs
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 2 tbsp Chinese five spice
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 1 large egg

Frying + Assembling

• Neutral oil (for frying)
• Pepper salt

Instructions

• Marinate the chicken legs in the marinade ingredients in a large bowl for at least 4 hours, or overnight in the fridge for more flavour.
• Remove the chicken legs to room temperature for 20 minutes before frying.
• In a large pot/wok, add in the oil. Heat it up until it reaches a temperature of 311°F/155°C.
• Fry the chicken legs for 3 minutes on each side (skin side down first), flip and fry until both sides are golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Remove and set aside.
• Sprinkle on pepper salt as much as you desire. Enjoy!

The first thought that I had when I saw this finished product, I was like, “is this Chinese Burger King?” Well, that’s because it does kind of look like it right? However, no, they don’t sell this in Chinese Burger King, but I do serve it in my kitchen.

The idea of using a pineapple bun instead of using the original Portuguese buns all came from when I went to this cha chaan teng in Macau, and they served their pork chop buns in a pineapple bun.

It was my first time trying this variation and I was blown away. The saltiness from the perfectly pan fried pork chops blended so well with the slightly sweet pineapple buns. After that, I couldn’t go back – I would choose having pork chops in a pineapple bun over the regular Portuguese buns.

I made my own pineapple buns (just because I’m little miss extra and like making stuff from scratch), but of course, you can always use store bought pineapple buns too.

Caramelized onions are a staple topping for this bun. Some places in Macau use raw onions, while some don’t add onions at all. I find that caramelized onions makes the bun have more flavour, and it also makes it look more presentable.

For the pork chops, I suggest getting boneless pork chops or pork loin.

Remember to marinate the pork chops for at least 4 hours, or overnight for more flavour. Now I know it may be hard to find Chinese rose wine and you may be wondering if you could skip it. I know, I get it, not everywhere has it. However, I promise you, if you are able to get your hands on it, USE IT. It makes the marinade and the pork chops so fragrant and elevates the taste. You can also use it for many other Chinese dishes. I get my Chinese rose wine from any Chinese grocery store.

If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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Macau Style Pork Chop Pineapple Bun

Juicy pan fried pork chops with caramelized onions, served in a bakery classic – the pineapple bun (slightly sweet with a crispy crust).

Course Main Course, Snack

Cuisine Cantonese, Fusion

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Author Dearnomdiary

Ingredients

Marinade

• 4 boneless pork chops or pork loin
• 2 egg whites
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• ½ tbsp rice wine
• ½ tbsp Chinese rose wine
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Caramelized Onions

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion (sliced thinly)
• ¼ cup water
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Assembling

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for cooking)
• 4 marinated pork chops (from above)
• 2 pineapple buns (halved)
• Kewpie mayo
• Kale
• 2 slices American cheese
• Pepper salt powder

Instructions

Marinade

• Tenderize the pork chops by pounding them to a thickness of 1/4-1/2 inch.
• Mix the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl and add in the pork chops. Mix, and marinate for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, or overnight for more flavour.

Caramelized Onions

• In a large skillet/frying pan over medium-high heat with heated oil, add in the onions and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add in water to get rid of the brown bits stuck on the bottom.
• Once the water has mostly evaporated, add in the rest of the ingredients and keep on stirring every few minutes, until the onions are golden brown and caramelized. Set aside.

Assembling

• Take the pork chops out of the fridge to room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat with heated oil, pan fry the pork chops (2 minutes on each side, or until it’s golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 150°F). Keep pressing the pork chops down to prevent it from curling up when cooking.
• Sprinkle on pepper salt powder on each pork chop.
• Spread Kewpie mayo on each half of the pineapple bun.
• Assemble the bun in this order: bottom bun, kale, 1 pork chop, American cheese, caramelized onions, 1 pork chop, and cover with the top half of the bun. Repeat for the rest. Serve and enjoy!

This recipe was developed all because I tried this dish before in Macau. It’s a super simple dish, yet it’s packed with flavour and wok hay (a Cantonese phrase used to describe an aroma in a dish where authentic stir frying is done in a wok, resulting in a smoky flavour).

The taste is just like the regular beef hor fun/stir fried beef with flat rice noodles (乾炒牛河), but if you use macaroni instead, it’s so much easier to stir fry as it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the wok/pan that much compared to flat rice noodles. It still produces that WOK HAY and you will have less of a greasy feeling, as flat rice noodles are actually made and smothered in a lot of oil.

If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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Stir Fried Beef Macaroni

Stir fried tender beef macaroni in a fragrant and savoury sauce, with a smoky flavour that's full of WOK HAY.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Cantonese

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Author Dearnomdiary

Ingredients

Marinade

• 230 g beef (flank/skirt steak)
• ½ tsp fresh ginger (minced)
• ⅛ tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• ½ tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• ½ tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp neutral oil

Stir Frying

• 2 servings macaroni
• ½ onion (sliced)
• 2 scallions (chopped into 1 inch pieces)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp chicken powder
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

Instructions

Marinade

• Mix the beef with all the marinade ingredients and keep mixing with your hands until the beef has absorbed all the liquids (this will take a few minutes).
• Marinate for 15 minutes.

Stir Frying

• Cook macaroni according to package instructions.
• In a heated wok with oil over medium-high heat, add in the beef and stir fry until 70% cooked. Remove and set aside.
• In a clean wok with oil over medium-high heat, stir fry the onion and scallions until slightly golden.
• Add in cooked macaroni, the seasoning ingredients, and the cooked beef.
• Mix well. Serve and enjoy!

If I want something comforting, warm, yet also on the healthier side, this would be my go to meal. Sometimes, I don’t have much of an appetite in the mornings, but whenever I order this in a Hong Kong style café, it just brings back my appetite and comforts me like a warm hug. I would say this is my type of comfort food (aside from congee when I’m feeling sick).

My only complaint for when I order this in restaurants is that sometimes the broth is not rich enough, and it can be bland at times. This is why I love making it at home, because I can use real tomatoes and make the broth really rich and tasty.

How to make the best tomato broth:

1. Stir fry the garlic and onion until fragrant to bloom the aromatics.
2. Add in tomato paste and stir fry to bring out the flavours. This step is CRUCIAL because it makes the broth super fragrant. I find that if you don’t stir fry the tomato paste, the broth doesn’t turn out that tasty and it will be lacking that flavour.
3. Add in fresh sliced tomatoes and keep on stir frying until the tomatoes are mushy and the liquids are released by pressing down on it. This is another crucial step because this makes the broth even more rich.
4. Season, bring to a boil, and simmer for around 15 minutes in order to make the broth rich and tasty.

You can also make the broth ahead of time, and store it in the refrigerator. I like doing this method because I can make a whole batch of the broth, and bring it to a boil whenever I’m craving for some soup dishes. I also love using this broth for hotpot too – easy and healthy tomato hot pot broth made at home!

How to make the best tender beef:

You may be wondering, why is baking soda needed to marinate beef? Yes, that may sound weird, but a lot of traditional Hong Kong style cafés actually use this method to marinate their beef, and it turns out to be the most tender and juiciest beef ever!

Baking soda actually helps to tenderize the meat, but you have to remember to dissolve the baking soda in water first (my recipe below actually gives you the full detailed recipe with the baking soda and water amounts). We then mix the baking soda water with other ingredients for the marinade, and marinate the beef for about 15 minutes (don’t marinate the beef for too long, or else it will end up way too salty, as beef absorbs marinades faster than chicken and pork).

This dish is also customizable, and you can add any toppings you like. I like having this with the basics: stir fried beef, and some soft and creamy scrambled eggs.

If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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Beef and Tomato Macaroni Soup

Tender beef with macaroni in a super rich tomato soup base (made with REAL tomatoes).

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine Cantonese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Author Dearnomdiary

Ingredients

Beef

• 300 g beef (flank/skirt steak)
• 1 tsp chicken powder
• ½ tsp light soy sauce
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cornstarch
• ¼ cup water

Tomato Stock

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• ½ medium onion (diced)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 4 large tomatoes (sliced)
• 5 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 1 litre chicken stock

Assembling

• 2 servings of macaroni
• Tomato stock (from above)
• 2 scrambled eggs
• Beef (from above)

Instructions

Beef

• Mix all the dry ingredients together. Then mix in the water.
• Add in the beef and marinate for 15 minutes.

Tomato Stock

• In a large saucepan, heat up 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.
• Stir fry the garlic and onion until fragrant.
• Add in tomato paste and stir fry to bring out the flavours (this step is crucial).
• Add in the tomatoes and keep on stir frying until the tomatoes are mushy and the liquids are released by pressing down on it.
• Add ketchup, sugar, salt, white pepper and mix. 
• Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then simmer over low heat and cook for 15 minutes.

Assembling

• Stir fry beef, and then make scrambled eggs.
• Add macaroni in bowl, pour in tomato broth.
• Top with beef, eggs. Season eggs with salt & pepper. Enjoy!

This is one my favourite things to order at a classic cha chaan teng (Hong Kong style café). Stir fried instant noodles paired with crispy chicken – it’s just too good to be true.

Tips for making crispy juicy chicken:

1. Do you know why the fried chicken you always get tastes so good and crispy? It’s because of the chicken skin. We are not on a diet today so go get that boneless chicken thigh with the SKIN ON.
2. Dust both sides of the chicken with a little cornstarch right before placing it in the skillet. Don’t put too much, or else it will go the wrong way.
3. Add in the chicken (skin side down) in the skillet and don’t move it for 3 minutes – this locks in all the juices to make it juicy.

This ginger scallion sauce (or oil) is special because it uses the oil from cooking the chicken, hence, chicken oil (like literally). It makes it super flavourful, savoury, and will smell/taste SO GOOD.

The ginger scallion sauce/oil is super versatile. This recipe yields around 1 cup, and you can store the remaining contents in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Serve it with meats, rice, anything.

If you don’t want to use instant noodles, you can also serve this with rice or with any other carbs you like. However, I HIGHLY recommend stir fried instant noodles for this…

If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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Scallion Oil Crispy Chicken Noodles

Perfectly crispy pan-fried chicken with stir fried instant noodles, mixed with a flavour packing ginger scallion oil that's super versatile.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Cantonese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Author Dearnomdiary

Ingredients

Marinade

• 2 large boneless chicken thighs WITH SKIN
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• ½ tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp cornstarch , plus more for coating

Ginger Scallion Sauce

• 5 scallions (finely chopped)
• 25 g fresh ginger
• Oil from frying chicken
• ¼ tsp salt

Noodles

• 2 packs instant noodles
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

Marinade

• Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients for 2 hours in the fridge.

Ginger Scallion Sauce

• Peel and grate the ginger. Mix it with the chopped scallions in a large bowl. Set aside.

Assembling

• Heat up 1 tbsp cooking oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
• Dust the chicken in a little more cornstarch (don’t add too much).
• Add in the chicken (skin side down) and don’t move it for 3 minutes – this locks in all the juices to make it juicy.
• Then flip, and cook the other side for a few minutes until cooked through. SAVE THE OIL IN THE SKILLET.
• Pour the hot oil (from cooking the chicken) into the ginger scallion bowl. Add in the salt and mix well.
• Cook the instant noodles in boiling water for 1 minute, drain and rinse in cold running water. Drain.
• Add the noodles to a skillet, along with the rest of the ingredients. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes with chopsticks or tongs.
• Add noodles to a bowl, along with the chicken. Top with lots of ginger scallion sauce. Mix and enjoy!

Hong Kong style curry beef brisket is different from other southeast Asian curries because this type of beef brisket is double braised, meaning, it’s first braised in aromatics and fermented soybean paste, chu hou sauce, and then it’s braised again in spices, curry, and coconut milk.

It has a strong curry flavour, but it’s not as spicy as general curries, in order to suit the tastes of Cantonese people.

The secret to tender brisket? Rock sugar, low temperature, and PATIENCE. Or… you can also use instant pot you impatient being.

I use the double braising method in order to get the most tender beef brisket.

I first braise it in aromatics, chu hou sauce 柱侯醬 (fermented soybean paste), and rock sugar. The rock sugar is crucial because it tenderizes the brisket. I’ve tried making curry beef brisket without rock sugar and the brisket just comes out not as tender. Rock sugar is also less sweet than regular sugar, which makes it an ideal sweetener for many Chinese dishes.

For the second braise, I braise it in curry powder, spices, more aromatics, and I also stir in coconut milk. This gives the curry more depth and flavour, which tastes just like the ones served in cha chaan tengs (Hong Kong style cafés).

And you definitely need to serve this with a lot of rice. Curry sauce + rice = match made in heaven.

You can also make this a day ahead and store it in the fridge overnight – this will give it a deeper flavour!

If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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Super Tender Curry Beef Brisket

A classic hearty curry stew that's super flavourful and full of aromatic spices, with super tender beef brisket.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Cantonese

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Author Dearnomdiary

Ingredients

• 2.2lb (1kg) beef brisket (or boneless short ribs/beef finger meat/chuck roast) (cut into large 1.5 inch cubes)
• 3 large fresh ginger slices 
• 1 stalk green onion

1st Braise

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 5 pieces fresh ginger
• 1 stalk green onion (chopped into 1 inch pieces)
• 1 tbsp chu hou sauce 柱侯醬
• Blanched beef brisket (from above)
• Splash of Shaoxing wine
• 45 g rock sugar
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 star anise
• Hot water (just enough to cover the beef)

Curry Paste

• 1-2 tbsp curry paste (adjust according to spice preference)
• 1 tbsp shacha sauce 沙茶醬
• 1 tbsp ground tumeric

2nd Braise

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 shallot (sliced)
• Curry paste (from above)
• Braised beef brisket (from above)
• Splash of Shaoxing wine
• Broth (from 1st braise)
• 2 potatoes (cut into big pieces)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 star anise
• ½ cinnamon stick

Seasoning

• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 200 ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp evaporated milk

Instructions

Blanch the beef

• Blanch the beef to get rid of any impurities. Add beef brisket to a pot of cold water with ginger and green onion and bring to a boil.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes (depending on the size of your beef brisket, you may need to cook for longer) until the beef is cooked. Drain and rinse under cold running water.

1st Braise

• Heat up the oil in a wok or dutch oven. (If instant pot, turn on the sauté setting).
• Stir fry the ginger until the edges start turning golden brown, then add the green onion and chu hou sauce and stir fry it over low heat, until it is fragrant and bubbles up.
• Add in the blanched beef brisket and wine and stir fry for 1 minute.
• Add rock sugar, bay leaves, star anise, and hot water (just enough to cover the beef). Bring to a boil. Cover and let it simmer for 1 hour. (if instant pot, 45 min on meat stew setting)
• After 1 hour, scoop out the beef brisket from the broth, discard ginger and green onion, and save the broth for later.

Curry Paste

• Mix everything together in a bowl. Set aside.

2nd Braise

• Heat up the oil in a clean wok or dutch oven. (If instant pot, turn on the sauté setting).
• Stir fry onion until fragrant, then add garlic, shallot, and mixed curry paste and stir fry to bring out the spices.
• Add the braised beef brisket and mix.
• Add splash of wine, mix, and then add in the broth and mix again.
• Add in the potatoes, bay leaves, star anise, and cinnamon stick.
• Bring to a boil, cover, and let it simmer for 45 minutes. (If instant pot, 45 min on meat stew setting).
• After 45 minutes, season by adding salt, soy sauce, coconut milk, and evaporated milk. Gently mix (to not accidentally break up the potatoes).
• Plate, and serve with rice. Enjoy!

When I go to a Hong Kong style café, my go-to order is satay beef noodle soup. Hong Kong people usually order this for breakfast or lunch (you can even have this for dinner if you like). In Hong Kong style cafés, you are also given the choice to change the instant noodle base to rice vermicelli. Personally, I like having this with instant noodles (probably because instant noodles holds a spot in my heart). There is something about this dish that gives you such a satisfying feeling, yet makes you crave for more.

It’s so hard to find a place that does decent satay beef noodle soup here in Canada. I find that either the beef doesn’t have enough satay flavour, or it’s way too salty. Not to worry, now I will share how we can all make it at home – just like an authentic Hong Kong style café.

The satay beef is actually fairly easy to make.

1. We first marinate the beef for 30 minutes. You may be confused as to why we need baking soda to marinate the beef. This is crucial because baking soda is actually a great tenderizer to soften the fibres and ensures that the beef remains juicy and tender. Water is also another crucial ingredient because think about it this way: the beef needs to drink some water too in order to stay moist and tender after cooking. This is called “velveting beef”.
2. We need to stir fry the sauce to bloom the aromatics and spices, or it won’t be fragrant. Stir fry the paste and add more or less water depending on how thick/runny you want the consistency to be.

You can also swap the beef for chicken or any other protein you like. This also goes for the noodles as well.

If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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Satay Beef Noodle Soup

A bowl of hot instant noodles with tender beef cooked in a satay sauce – a salty sweet nutty flavour.

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine Cantonese

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Author Dearnomdiary

Ingredients

Beef

• 350 g flank beef steak (thinly sliced)
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Satay Sauce

• 2 shallots (minced)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 tbsp satay paste
• 2 tbsp sha cha sauce
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• Water (add more or less depending on how thick/runny you want the consistency to be)

Noodles

• 2 packs instant noodles

Instructions

Beef

• Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the beef with the marinade until all the water has been absorbed (to make the beef juicy and tender). Marinate for 30 minutes.

Satay Sauce

• Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl except for the shallots, garlic and water. Set aside.

Assembling

• In a heated wok/pan with oil over medium-high heat, stir fry the marinated beef until medium rare. Set aside on a plate.
• Then use the same wok/pan to cook the satay sauce. Stir fry the shallots and garlic until fragrant. Add in mixed satay sauce and stir fry it together with the aromatics. Add in water (add more or less depending on how thick/runny you want the consistency to be) and bring to a boil.
• Add back in the cooked beef and give it a good mix.
• Serve the satay beef on top of some cooked instant noodles (make sure to reserve some soup). Mix everything together to have a satay broth. Enjoy!

This type of gigantic mango mochi actually originated from Cheung Chau, an island southwest of Hong Kong Island. They sell these gigantic mango mochis, which attracts everybody to go to Cheung Chau just to try them. It’s freshly made, and you can pack a box of them back home.

I was trying to recreate the Cheung Chau style mochi – mango mochi that’s the size of your whole hand. It consists of simple ingredients that I’m sure you’ll have in your pantry, or you can easily get it from the grocery store. Did I mention it’s also vegan friendly and gluten free?

Be sure to get the Nam Dok Mai mangoes or Carabao mangoes, because I find these to be tastier and sweeter than regular mangoes. The mango mochi from Cheung Chau also uses this type of juicy mango!

Do I have to steam the mochi?

I find that steaming the mochi produces the best texture and chewiness. You can however, microwave it by microwaving the mochi in 1 minute intervals and stirring between each interval. I usually choose to steam it because I find that microwaving it makes the mochi dry and hard to seal together.

If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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Giant Mango Mochi

A whole sweet and juicy mango inside a thin chewy layer of mochi. Also vegan friendly and gluten free!

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Cantonese, Japanese

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 mochi

Author Dearnomdiary

Ingredients

Mochi

• 90 g glutinous rice powder
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 150 ml coconut milk
• 90 ml water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Assembling

• Vegetable oil, for brushing
• ¼ cup glutinous rice powder
• 2 large Nam Dok Mai mangoes or Carabao mangoes

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the glutinous rice powder, cornstarch, and icing sugar. Then add in the rest of the wet ingredients and whisk until no lumps remain.
• Brush a little vegetable oil on the bottom of the baking tray (I’m using a 9×9 inch tray).
• Sieve the mixture and cover with foil.
• Cover and steam over high heat for 8-10 minutes (it should feel firm and lightly springy to the touch, and not stick to your hand). Let cool for a bit (I usually wait until it’s warm enough to handle so that the mochi is still slightly sticky). Then, divide into 4 even squares.

  Alternatively, you can microwave it for 1 minute in 3 intervals, stirring after each time.
• Meanwhile, stir fry 1/4 cup of glutinous rice powder in a pan over low heat until it’s heated. Set aside to cool.
• Slice and scoop out the mangoes.
• Sprinkle some toasted glutinous rice powder onto your work surface (I like doing it on a large piece of plastic wrap to prevent the mochi from sticking).
• Place a piece of mochi onto the powder, followed by half of a whole mango. Fold the corners together and pinch to seal shut. Dust with extra toasted powder. Slice in half (or eat as a whole) and enjoy!

What is Hong Kong style milk tea?

Hong Kong style milk tea was actually inspired by the British afternoon tea, but instead of using traditional milk and sugar, Hong Kong people modified it to fit more of the Hong Kong palate. It’s made from Ceylon black tea, and passed many times through a fine sieve or stocking, which some people thought it looked like a pantyhose. It is then mixed with evaporated milk and condensed milk, and then sweetened by additional sugar depending on preference.

This ice cream is super creamy, and has intense Hong Kong milk tea flavours. I like my milk tea very strong (tea is more important to me over sugar), that’s why I steeped a lot of Ceylon tea for this recipe in order for the flavours to come through in the ice cream. Ice cream that lacks flavour is definitely a no no for me. I highly recommend refrigerating the milk tea mixture overnight, to intensify the flavours. I tried making it all in the same day, but the flavour is just not as strong compared to if I had let it steep in the fridge overnight.

To make it vegan:

Substitute the heavy whipping cream or coconut cream or canned coconut milk that has been refrigerated overnight. Whisk or beat with an electric hand held mixer and it’ll turn into just like whipping cream. For the condensed milk, substitute it with sugar or maple syrup, but taste as you go because maple syrup can be very sweet!

How to cook the perfect boba:

I’ve worked in a bubble tea shop before so let me tell you the secret to cooking the perfect boba.

First, you have to remember the ratio: 10 cups of water to every 1 cup of boba.

Once the tapioca pearls float to the top, you want to cook it for 30 minutes, while stirring every 5 minutes to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Then turn off the heat, cover, and let it sit for 30 minutes. If there are still white spots in the centre of the pearls, that means it’s still not fully cooked yet. If they are cooked, mix with brown sugar water for that bubble tea shop style boba.

Yes, cooking boba is a long process, but that’s what you have to go through in order to get that perfect bubble tea shop style boba!

There should be no white spots in the pearls, or else that would mean they still need some more cooking time.

Combine the creamy milk tea mixture and bouncy brown sugar boba together, and freeze! The flavours from the HK milk tea is just pure nostalgia.

If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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Hong Kong Milk Tea Boba Ice Cream

Smooth, creamy, infused with black tea for a strong and bold flavour, and mixed with bouncy brown sugar boba for the ultimate treat.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cantonese, Fusion, Western

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 3 cups

Author Dearnomdiary

Ingredients

HK Milk Tea Ice Cream

• 30g (¼ cup) Ceylon tea (loose leaf black tea)
• 375ml (1½ cups) heavy whipping cream (sub for coconut cream or refrigerated canned coconut milk for vegan)
• 150g (½ cup) condensed milk (sub for sugar or maple syrup for vegan)
• ¼ tsp salt

Boba

• ¼ cup tapioca pearls
• 3 cups water
• 50g (¼ cup) brown sugar + water

Instructions

HK Milk Tea Ice Cream

• Combine the Ceylon tea and heavy whipping cream in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and cover for 30 minutes to let it steep. Let cool, and refrigerate (I like to refrigerate it overnight to intensify the flavours even further – highly recommended).
• Strain out the tea leaves through a fine sieve and press out every last drop of the liquid (to extract the most intense flavours)!

Boba

• The ratio for making boba is 10 cups of water to every 1 cup of boba.
• In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add in the tapioca pearls.
• Once the tapioca pearls float to the top, turn the heat down to medium, and cook it for 30 minutes, while stirring every 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat after 30 minutes and cover with a lid for another 30 minutes. The tapioca pearls should then be fully cooked. If there is still a white spot in the centre, that means it’s still not fully cooked – repeat step 3 and 4 until there are no white spots.
• Drain and rinse the pearls under cold running water (this will give it that chewy and bouncy texture).
• In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar and a little water together and bring to a simmer until the sugar melts, to make brown sugar water. Turn off the heat and add in the cooked pearls and mix everything together. You can let it sit for a few minutes to let the pearls soak up everything. Your pearls are now ready to use.

Assembling

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the HK milk tea ice cream mixture until medium-stiff peaks.
• Add in the condensed milk and salt and whisk until incorporated.
• Fold in the boba until combined.
• Pour the mixture into a loaf pan or airtight container and freeze for 4-6 hours, or overnight.
• When ready to serve: let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping. Enjoy!

Prawn toast – a classic takeout and dim sum item (but unfortunately not many dim sum restaurants serve this nowadays). It’s a fusion dish that originated from Hong Kong that was influenced by both Chinese and Western cuisine.

For the shrimp paste, I like keeping a few chunks in there for a better texture. The shrimp paste is springy and chewy (remember to hit that shrimp paste against the bowl to achieve the perfect texture!) and there’s a nutty aroma from the sesame seeds. It’s then deep fried for the ultimate crispy exterior, yet also having a soft interior from the shrimp. It’s one of my favourite snacks, and it’s incredibly easy to make at home – it tastes just like the takeout version, but BETTER.

Keep a close eye when frying, because it becomes golden brown really quickly! You don’t want to over cook this.

You can also make this in the air fryer, or a convection oven.

For the sauce, it’s just 2 ingredients – Japanese mayo + sambal or sriracha. Dip the toast into the sauce and enjoy!

If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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Prawn Toast

A super flavourful shrimp paste that’s springy and chewy, covered with sesame seeds, then spread onto bread, and deep fried for the ultimate crunch.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Cantonese, Fusion

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8 triangular prawn toasts

Author Dearnomdiary

Ingredients

Shrimp Paste

• 250 g fresh prawns
• 1 egg white
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• Few cracks of black pepper
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 2 stalks scallion (finely chopped)

Toast

• 2 pieces of bread
• White sesame seeds

Sauce

• 2 tbsp Japanese mayo
• 2 tsp sambal or sriracha

Instructions

Shrimp Paste

• Mince the fresh prawns into a paste. I like having some chunks in there for a better texture.
• In a large bowl, add in the shrimp paste, and the rest of the ingredients. Mix until everything is well combined. Hit the mixture against the bowl for a few times for the perfect springy chewy texture.

Assembling

• Divide the shrimp paste mixture on the bread.
• Place each piece of bread (shrimp paste side facing down) onto a dish filled with sesame seeds, ensuring the sesame seeds stick to the shrimp paste. 
• Traditional deep fry method: Fry in neutral oil that’s been heated up to 325°F (162°C) for about 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

  For air fryer method: spray the outer sides of the bread with oil and air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 6-9 minutes.

  For oven method: bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10-14 minutes.
• Mix the sauce ingredients together.
• Slice and enjoy it with the sauce!