Sui Gaw (水餃)

Dried sole is a crucial ingredient in sui gaw. It's grilled or roasted till dry and crisp, then pounded so that it's not too small (you wouldn't be able to taste it) nor too big (would be gritty). Added to the filling, dried sole gives sui gaw a unique toasty flavour. And if the stock is simmered with a few chunks of the dried fish, that's even better.

Buah Paya Masak Titek (Peppery Papaya Soup)

Buah paya masak titek is a Nyonya soup. It has a spicy kick from white peppercorns. And it's sweetened with the umaminess of papayas, prawns, salted fish and dried prawns.

My recipe is inspired by The Best of Singapore Cooking and Cooking for the President.

The recipe from The Best of Singapore Cooking is too salty. It uses too much salted fish bones and dried prawns, in addition to salt and a chicken stock cube.

Kiam Chye Ark (Salted Mustard Greens and Duck Soup)

When I was looking at recipes for itek teem, I was surprised at the number of ingredients used for the Nyonya soup.

Various Peranakan adaptations of kiam chye ark had pig's trotters, assam skin, brandy, nutmeg, and even sea cucumber.

These were on top of the kiam chye (pickled mustard greens), ark (duck), pickled plums, and tomatoes found in every recipe, Nyonya or Chinese.

It all seemed a bit over-the-top to me, adding so much stuff.

Herbal Mutton Soup

My mother cooked just about everyday, and not once did she cook mutton, lamb or goat anything – not once. Hence, my knowledge of cooking anything that goes 'Meh-eh-heh!' or 'Baa-aaa!' is pretty paltry. I learn on the job which is, if you ask me, a fun way of learning.

Pear Sweet Soup (银耳雪梨糖水)

Cantonese sweet soups (糖水) are usually served as a dessert, but they're not like desserts in any other culture.

Everyone regards desserts as an evil temptation that they should avoid as much as possible, except the Cantonese. To them, desserts aren't indulgent or sinful but a necessary health tonic for the body.

Black Silkie Chicken Soup

After totally discrediting my mother's stir fried liver in a previous post, I thought I should salvage her reputation by featuring something else from her repertoire. Something that has curative powers instead of making someone sick or dead.

The immediate dish that came to mind was a soup made with black chicken, aka Silkie chicken or 乌鸡.