Thunder soup - Star

CULINARY QUERIES with AMY BEH

MY grand-aunt used to cook this Hakka dish called Lui Cha or Thunder Soup for me when I was a little girl. Now that I am overseas, I would like to learn how to cook it for my family. – Loo Yen Peng

Try this recipe for thunder.

The array of accompaniments that goes into Lui Cha.


Lui Cha

* 4 pieces firm bean curd (tau kon), diced
* 100g dried shrimps, soaked, rinsed and chopped
* 200g sweet potato leaves, finely shredded
* 200g long beans, diced
* 200g onion, diced
* 200g dried radish (choy po), soaked for 20–25 minutes, minced
* 150g sweet bean curd (thim fu chok), shredded
* 200g leek
* 2–3 tbsp oil
* 2–3 tbsp sesame oil

(For the soup)

* 250g polygonum leaves
* 80g mint leaves
* 1 tbsp green tea leaves
* 250ml superior soup stock

(Seasoning)

* ½ tsp chicken stock granules
* ½ tsp salt

Deep-fry bean curd in hot oil until fragrant. Drain well.

Heat oil and sesame oil in a clean wok and fry shrimps until fragrant and crispy. Dish out and set aside. Add a little more oil and sesame oil to the wok and stir-fry the rest of the ingredients separately. Toss and fry until fragrant. Dish out and put into separate bowls.

To prepare the soup: Blend polygonum leaves, mint leaves and tea leaves in a food processor, adding a little boiled water gradually. Pour in superior stock to mix and blend for a minute. Pour out the blended ingredients into a non-stick saucepan. Bring to a low simmering boil for a while.

To serve: Put a ladleful of hot cooked rice into a serving bowl. Top with a little of each of the prepared ingredients. Pour over 2 tablespoons of soup. Serve immediately.

MY son loves pasta carbonara. Can you share with me a recipe for this dish? – Mrs Ariana Leong

Here’s one for your boy.

Pasta Carbonara spaghetti with bacon slices and parmesan cheese.

Pasta Carbonara

* 300g spaghetti
* 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 3 cloves garlic, crushed
* 5 rashers bacon, chopped
* 300ml fresh milk
* 2 eggs
* ½ cup grated Parmesan

(Garnish)

* 3 stalks spring onion, chopped
* 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Cook spaghetti in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Heat olive oil in a non-stick saucepan and sauté garlic and bacon until golden and fragrant.

Beat eggs and milk until well combined. Drain the pasta and put back into the saucepan. Add milk and egg mixture and toss well. Transfer garlic and bacon mixture to the spaghetti. Add Parmesan and mix in garnishes. Season with salt and pepper. Dish out and serve immediately.

MY children have taken to having barbecue parties at home and they love to roast potatoes over the pit. What are the ways to do it well? – Magdelene Teoh

Here’s how you can have your potatoes done BBQ-style.

Baked potatoes, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

BBQ Potatoes

* 4-5 large potatoes
* 2-2½ tbsp olive oil
* Some mayonnaise, cheese, sour cream, butter or tuna as a filling
* A large piece of tin foil

Wash the potatoes well and prick with a sharp knife, then brush with olive oil. Wrap the potatoes in foil. Put the packet on the barbecue pit for about 1–1½ hours. Turn occasionally then unwrap the packet and make a cross-cut through the potatoes.

Serve as an accompaniment to your barbecue meat or seafood. Spoon sour cream, mayonnaise, cheese, tuna or butter on the top of the potatoes.