Prawn Balls
Ingredients
Serves 12 to 15 prawn balls
¾ lb (340 g) peeled, deveined prawns
1 tbsp (15 ml) finely minced ginger
2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) cornstarch
2 tsp (10 ml) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine
1 egg white
¼ tsp (1 ml) toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth, about 1 minute. This can be done up to 1 day ahead and transferred to an airtight container. When ready to serve, portion out 2 tbsp (30 ml) sized balls and transfer to a serving plate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Drink Pairings
Pork Meatballs
Ingredients
Serves 12 to 15 meatballs
¾ lb (340 g) ground pork
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely minced ginger
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 green onion, trimmed and finely minced
1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) sugar
1 egg yolk
2 pinches ground white pepper
2 tsp (10 ml) cornstarch
½ tsp (2.5 ml) sesame oil
1 tsp (5 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth, about 1 minute. This can be done up to 2 days ahead and transferred to an airtight container. When ready to serve, portion out 2 tbsp (30 ml) sized meatballs and transfer to a serving plate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Drink Pairings
Mushroom, Spinach & Tofu Dumplings
Ingredients
Serves 20 dumplings
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 green onion, trimmed and finely minced
2 cups (500 ml) roughly chopped stemmed shiitake mushrooms
½ tsp (2.5 ml) kosher salt
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine
1 cup (250 ml) frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed to remove as much water as possible
1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
2 tsp (10 ml) cornstarch
½ cup (125 ml) crumbled medium-firm tofu
1 package square dumpling wrappers, thawed if frozen
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add oil; once it shimmers, add garlic and green onion and sauté for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms, salt, sugar and cooking wine and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or until mushrooms are fully cooked and lightly browned.
- Transfer mushroom mixture to a blender or food processor and add spinach, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch. Pulse until mushrooms and spinach are roughly blended. Add tofu and pulse until completely incorporated. Transfer mixture to a bowl and fill another small bowl with water.
- To assemble, place 1 tbsp (15 ml) filling in the middle of a wrapper. Dip your finger in water and run it over 2 adjacent edges of the wrapper. Fold wrapper in half diagonally to form a triangle, then bring the 2 bottom points of the triangle together and pinch to seal.
- Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Serve right away for hot pot, or freeze in a single layer, then transfer to an airtight bag or container and store in freezer until ready to serve. Freeze any remaining wrappers for later use.
Drink Pairings
Pork Wontons
Ingredients
Serves 20 wontons
½ lb (250 g) ground pork
1 tbsp (15 ml) finely minced ginger
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 green onion, trimmed and finely minced
2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce
2 tsp (10 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine
1 tsp (5 ml) oyster sauce
½ tsp (2.5 ml) sesame oil
2 tsp (10 ml) sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) cornstarch
1 package square wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except wrappers and mix well for 5 minutes. Mixture should be thoroughly mixed and sticky. Set out wonton wrappers and fill a small bowl with water.
- To assemble, place 1 tbsp (15 ml) filling in the middle of a wrapper. Dip your finger in water and run it over 2 adjacent edges of the wrapper. Fold wrapper in half diagonally to form a triangle, then pleat the top of the wonton wrapper by folding it over itself and pinching gently.
- Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Serve right away for hot pot, or freeze in a single layer, then transfer to an airtight bag or container and store in freezer until ready to serve. Freeze any remaining wrappers for later use.
Drink Pairings
Mild Broth
Ingredients
Serves 6 cups of broth
1 garlic clove, crushed
2-in (5 cm) piece ginger, thinly sliced
2 green onions, trimmed and each cut into 3 pieces
1 small tomato, quartered
4 dried shitake mushrooms
4 dried jujubes (Chinese red dates) (optional)
6 cups (1.5 L) vegetable or chicken stock
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and discard garlic, ginger and green onion. If making ahead, let cool to room temperature and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days. If serving right away, transfer to hot pot and follow serving instructions for main recipe.
Drink Pairings
Mala Broth
Ingredients
Serves 7 cups of broth
½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
2-in (5 cm) piece ginger, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4 green onions, trimmed and each cut into 3 pieces
1 tbsp (15 ml) white peppercorns
¼ cup (60 ml) Szechuan peppercorns
¼ cup (60 ml) dried whole chilis, or to taste
2 tbsp (30 ml) ground chili powder, or to taste
2 star anise
½ tsp (2.5 ml) fennel seed
1 small stick cassia bark or cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 cup (250 ml) fermented chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
½ cup (125 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine
3 tbsp (45 ml) sugar
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
6 cups (1.5 L) chicken stock
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Once hot, add ginger, garlic and green onion and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add white and Szechuan peppercorns, dried chilis, chili powder, star anise, fennel seed, cassia, bay leaves and chili bean paste. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove and discard ginger, green onions, cassia and bay leaves. If making ahead, let cool to room temperature and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days. If serving right away, transfer to hot pot and follow serving instructions for main recipe.
Drink Pairings
Banana Daiquiri
Ingredients
Serves 1
2 oz (60 ml) El Dorado 12-Year-Old Finest Demerara Rum
¾ oz (22 ml) Bols Banana Liqueur
¾ oz (22 ml) lime juice
¼ oz (7 ml) Demerara Syrup*
banana slice, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker** filled with cubed ice, combine all ingredients. Shake vigorously to chill and combine, then fine strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a banana slice.
- *1:1 ratio of demerara sugar dissolved in boiling water. Allow to cool before using. **Combine ingredients with ice in a blender to make a slushie version.
Featuring
Jungle Bird
Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Old Sam Demerara Rum
¾ oz (22 ml) Campari
1½ oz (45 ml) fresh pineapple juice
½ oz (15 ml) lime juice
½ oz (15 ml) Demerara Syrup*
pineapple wedge and fronds, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker filled with cubed ice, combine all ingredients. Shake vigorously to chill and combine, then strain over new ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and fronds.
- To make demerara syrup, it is a 1:1 ratio of demerara sugar dissolved in boiling water. Allow to cool before using.
Featuring
Falernum Syrup
Ingredients
Serves 2 1/4 Cups
1½ cups (375 ml) water
40 whole cloves
zest from 2 limes
1 oz (30 g) chopped ginger
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
1½ cups (375 ml) sugar
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except sugar to a blender and pulse to chop. Transfer to a saucepan and heat to around 140 F (60 C). Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, then bottle and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Use in a Stormy Swizzle (recipe on bcliquorstores.com) or any other cocktail that calls for Falernum Syrup.
Featuring
Stormy Swizzle
Ingredients
Serves 1
2 oz (60 ml) Goslings Black Seal Rum
1 oz (30 ml) fresh pineapple juice
1 oz (30 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
1 oz (30 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
¾ oz (22 ml) Falernum Syrup*
¼ oz (7 ml) grenadine
2 dashes Angostura bitters
mint and orange slice, for garnish
Instructions
- In a Collins glass, combine all ingredients, then fill with crushed ice. Using a Caribbean wooden swizzle stick or handheld milk frother, “swizzle” drink until frothing. Garnish with mint and an orange slice.