Sweet Hong Kong

Fun Food in HK

Squid legs! They're skewered on a stick, and you just point at them. The cook will grab the stick and drop it into a vat of boiling broth that has fish balls floating on the surface. Then she'll stick the "kabob" in a flimsy paper bag and give it to you. I didn't like the curry sauce that normally goes on it, so I just get the squid plain. The squid only cooks for a few minutes, so it follows Chef Gregg's policy of "three minutes or thirty minutes" for cooking calamari. The squid are tender, chewy, and bland. But such a familiar street food favorite.  

Most of the street hawkers have been removed from the streets, so now they set up like little walk-up take-out stations. This shop served hot dogs, fish balls, other meat balls, squid legs, siu mai on a stick, and waffles -- both Belgian and round egg waffles. I haven't gotten them yet. They're next. 

Went to Riquiqui dessert bar in Central, near Wellington Street. You sort of have to know where to find it, because it's mostly a reservation-only place. The girls who opened it are from California, and one of the girls is a social work intern at Mother's Choice. We enjoyed a three-course dessert, including a banana parfait, a cheese course for Josh and a sticky toffee pudding for Kimberly, and a petit four course. Tea or coffee also accompanied it. At 400 HKD it's a pricey splurge, but the desserts are delicious, fresh, and creative. 

Eggplant Tempura at a Japanese cafe, Misocool, a small, pleasant chain. 

Below is the ginger pork, also from Misocool.

Kimberly went street food hunting while Josh was working on his mental health presentation for MC. This is how most of the tables are set up. Just plop down at one of the outdoor tables, and pick up the menu. Fortunately, this menu had been translated, for the most part. 

Don't eat anything that drops on the table. 

Below: The outdoor kitchen's back of house is also the front of house area. That's their ONE freezer/refrigerator. The shelves had been removed so you could stuff it full with frozen meatballs and dumplings. 

This "kitchen" is right across from my table. The gloves-only contact rule doesn't apply here. Some restaurants have much more strict standards, and one place had their staff wearing surgical smocks. Impressive. The soup was boiling hot, so I figured I'd be okay. So far so good ... 

Gluten-Free Hazelnut Cake - Laura Hunter

I must confess the first time I heard someone refer to their Gluten-Free diet I immediately lumped it in with all of the other crazy diets people seemed to try, like the blood group diet or the maple syrup diet.  It wasn't until I talked to someone with Celiac disease that I began to understand that not only was this not a fad diet, or at least should never be treated as such, it was in response to a very painful and frustrating condition that can lead to life-threatening complications.  So while neither my husband nor I have to adhere to a Gluten-Free diet I do have some friends and a family member with the disease so it has made me more aware about what I am cooking.

It was actually my husband that came across this recipe looking through Allrecipes.com and he asked me to give it a try. I am glad he did because not only will this recipe be a perfect addition for someone with a Gluten-Free diet but it is also wonderful for someone like myself that is not a fan of sweet cakes.  It is dense and nutty without being too heavy and dry.  Next time I make it I will be sure to add a layer of fresh strawberries which I think think would make a delicious addition to the nutty flavor. If you enjoyed this recipe please check out my blog, Small Wallet, Big Appetite, where I share recipes as well as money saving tips so you can enjoy the food you love without breaking your budget.

Gluten-Free Hazelnut Cake

12 oz. hazelnuts, ground very fine

2 tsp. baking powder

8 eggs

1/2 c. white sugar

1 pint of heavy whipping cream

1 Tbsp powdered sugar

Grind hazelnuts until very fine, to ensure that it is the right consistency sift into your bowl to make sure that any larger pieces don't get into the final mixture. Add baking powder and set aside

Divide 6 of your 8 eggs separating out the yoke and whites and allow the white to warm to room temperature before handling them. In a large bowl, whip the egg yolks plus the 2 whole eggs with the sugar until pale yellow in color. Beat in the ground hazelnut mixture.

In a separate clean bowl, whip the room temperature egg whites with a whisk until stiff. This is easier to do with an electric hand mixer.  As mine broke and I would prefer to wait to purchase a new one after my big move in two months I had to tough it out by hand. Then gently fold in 1/3 of the the egg whites at a time into the hazelnut mixture until no streaks remain. If you are struggling getting the egg whites just right take a look at this video for guidance.

Pour into a greased and floured 9 inch cake pan. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 75 minutes, or until top of cake springs back when lightly tapped.

Cool on wire rack. When cake is cool, slice horizontally into 2 layers.

To make the whipped cream icing, whip the cream and the powdered sugar until stiff. If you have never done this before be aware that it takes a long time to do and can be a bit tiring.  But the result is well worth the effort.

Spread generously between layers and on top of the cake. Like I said earlier this would be fantastic with layers of fresh strawberries or really any other fruit of your choice.







Small Wallet, Big Appetite

Gluten-free Salmon with Roasted Potatoes and Caprese Salad

This recipe is a tried and true favorite. I first starting cooking this two summers ago, when Josh and I committed to following a gluten-free diet and when we moved to Seattle.

Fresh salmon is naturally sweet and creamy, and it doesn't need to be drowned out with super sauces and zippy spices. Salmon is also Joshua's favorite fish, so I try to buy it locally and cook it when we can afford it and when it's in season. The American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish, like salmon, for the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids which help reduce your risk of heart arrhythmia, decrease your triglycerides, and slow the buildup of plaque.

Since Joshua is on a gluten-free diet, I choose side dishes that are naturally gluten free, like red potatoes. Since the dish itself is rich, I wanted the vegetables to be simple and delicious on their own. You can choose a different side dish for your special dinner. This dish serves 2, so it's perfect for the upcoming Valentine's Day dinner.

1 pound salmon filet, cleaned of bones, rinsed, and patted dry
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons clover honey
1 tablespoon, divided Kosher Salt
1 tablespoon Black Pepper, freshly ground
6 small red potatoes, scrubbed
1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium beefsteak tomato
4 fresh basil leaves
2 ounces mozzarella, sliced thinly

1. Clean the salmon filet thoroughly. Rub your fingers along the fish and check for fine bones. Even though the fish has been prepared, check to make sure the side bones are removed. Use clean tweezers and remove the bones you find. Rinse the filet and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper (approx 1/2 teaspoon each).

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small nonstick saucepan, pour the balsamic vinegar. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, but be careful not to let it boil or splatter all over. The balsamic vinegar with start to evaporate and thicken just slightly.

3. Meanwhile, slice the potatoes into large chunks. Place in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with the Kosher salt, smoked paprika, and ground pepper. Pour potatoes into a stoneware baking sheet or sheet pan. Place the pan in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. At the halfway point, stir the potatoes, and turn them, so the other sides can also get browned.

4. While the potatoes are roasting, preheat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. When the pan is extremely hot, pour in 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil. Carefully slide the seasoned salmon into the pan - skin side up, being careful not to splash hot oil on yourself. Cover immediately with a splatter guard. Let fry for 3-5 minutes without touching it. You are creating a crispy crust for the salmon.

5. While the salmon is searing, add the honey to the balsamic vinegar and stir. Return to the heat and let simmer for about 3 more minutes.

6. Once the salmon has seared on the top side, carefully flip the salmon over and place the splatter guard back on top. Sear this side for another 5 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through to 135-145 degrees.

7. Slice the beefsteak tomato. Then lay out on a serving plate and sprinkle lightly with salt. Top with the slices of cheese. Stack the basil leaves on each other and then roll up. Slice the basil leaves into the thin threads. Sprinkle overtop the tomato and cheese slices. Refrigerate until ready to use.

8. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Remove the salmon from the pan and place on a separate plate to cool briefly.

9. Divide salmon and potatoes onto plates. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over the salmon, and pour any leftovers into a small dipping bowl for diners to add more as desired. Serve with caprese salad on the side.

Resource: American Heart Association

Guest Blogger Laura Hunter-Small Wallet, Big Appetite

Since Josh and I are starting out work at Mother's Choice, we'll be a bit busy and won't get to blog as much. My dear friend, Laura Hunter, who also lived in Hong Kong and worked at Mother's Choice, has graciously agreed to share some of her writing with us.

Laura and I met when we were probably 7 or 8 years old--or maybe even younger. We were neighbors on Lantau Island, and her parents and my parents worked together for YWAM. When we were 14, we did a King's Kids performing arts mission trip together.  She has given me plenty of grace and love in our years as friends, and I hope that you enjoy reading her work as much as I do.

You can read her own blog, Small Wallet, Big Appetite and check out her book, Trading Pain for Pain. She is an accomplished photographer, published author and am excellent food writer.  I hope you enjoy her writing.

~Kimberly

Food treasures in HK

We found a coffee shop in HK that roasts its own coffee! It's near the Stanley St. Market and is called Holly Brown. Their lattes are rich, frothy, and dark. The hot chocolate (right) was dark and thick, too. It was very rich and better than most hot chocolates I've had. 

 When I was a kid, and we would come to HK from Lantau Island, we'd get gagged out by the smell of rancid oil. It was a dish that my mom called "stinky tofu." We found it at the Causeway Bay Flower Market. I bought one. It tastes just like it smells - fermented, rotten, stinky tofu. There is a bit of hoisin sauce on it, but there wasn't enough hoisin to cover it. I ate about half of it and then had to toss the rest. There went $1.50.

This dish, on the other hand, was a total winner. It's a tong sui (tong sway), or sweet soup. The soups are made of a variety of ingredients. This one has glutinous rice balls filled with black sesame seed paste. The balls are slightly sweet, mostly bland chewy balls. The broth was gingery and robust. 

Josh and I made a go at street food yesterday. The Temple Street Market has lots of restaurants, and the Temple Street Spice Crab one isn't my favorite by a stretch. It took forever to get our order in (partly because they were busy but mostly I think they were ignoring us). They almost forgot our second item -- I went to cancel it as it was coming out. Lame.  We'll definitely try a different place next time.

On the other hand, we found another place that serves sweet soup. We ordered a coffee to go, and it came wrapped in a plastic bag. 

Ocean Terminal on Kowloon side is having a chocolate special. I am a chocoholic...