Top Foods We Ate In Hong Kong...

 

From the unapologetic speed and chaos of cha chaan tengs to the quiet magic of street-side bites, every dish carried its own kind of nostalgia. Comforting bowls of congee, silky rice noodles, crispy oil-slicked skin roasted goose, "seen teem" seafood sweet crabs, warm and crispy egg waffles and desserts that balance sweetness with just the right touch of restraint- just a short list round up of our best 🇭🇰😋🥢

What stayed with me most wasn’t just the flavours that are inexplicably HK, but the feeling. The rhythm of the city, the efficiency, the simplicity done exceptionally well. It’s the kind of food that doesn’t try too hard, yet lingers long after the last bite. 

So sit back and feast your eyes on our Triple Dragon Squad Operation Top HK foods compilation 🐲🐲🐲:

Top Mention Worthy- nothing says Hong Kong quite like a breakfast inspired by famous must-go cha chaan teng- Australia Dairy Company on Jordan in Yau Ma Tei. 

Daily peak morning queues are real!

It’s the kind of place where efficiency is everything, service is… minimal, and yet somehow, the food speaks louder than anything else. Silky scrambled eggs folded gently served over soft crustless white bread 🍳🍞, a humble bowl of macaroni soup topped with delicate slivers of ham 🥣, golden French toast with crisp edges and a centre melty square of butter 🍞 and that iconic milk tea, smooth, creamy, with just the right tannic finish ☕. So simple, but so magical 💫

Cramped booth seating for 3- faces a wall which screams just eat and go!

This past week, one school morning, I brought a little piece of that breakfast nostalgia for my boys… and watching them dig into those soft eggs and warm bowls of macaroni reminded me why these dishes endure. They’re simple, comforting, and quietly perfect. And that’s what makes it timeless.

 

And still, one of their favourite HK meal experience isn't listed here. It's not Chinese but it stayed. Recreated it homestyle last night with double thumbs up!! Stay tuned for next post 💥

Stinky Tofu 臭豆腐 (Chau Dau Fu)... Homestyle 😋

Stinky (smelly) tofu 臭豆腐!!! Once you've amassed tofu-eating frivolity, for the true tofu connoisseur you must go for the king 👑

White cubes age for days in a fermented brine made up of simply dried or pastes of shrimps or fish, garlic and cooking wine, or fermented milk and an addition of vegetables. Traditionally, the whole brine mixture is left to fester for up to six months in an open earthenware. Then the tofu cubes are rinsed, and left to dry before they are ready to be deep-fried into delightful putrid notorious stink bombs.  The strong odour is mainly in the cooking, and it subsides quite a lot once the tofu comes out of the oil. This is an infamous Taiwanese or Hong Kong street food I would wait in line any day for, even hours at our crazy crowded Asian night markets than to ever attempt brining let alone cooking it at home... until now.

Soo.... I have been reading up on a bunch of Hong Kong cookbooks inspired from my recent Asia travel. A Chinese vegan recipe on chau dau fu caught my attention fast, as the only fermenting agent is fermented beancurd fu yu itself (which I already have in my fridge) and eliminate the strong fishy smell that compounds during fermenting and frying. And my family will never go for it. My husband actually ordered a portable induction burner to arrive during the aging process. He said firmly "you are frying that outside" with a wrinkled nose.

Well, as you will read on there was nothing to get all rattled up about.  In fact, my twins, hesitant at first gave me the approval nod when they tried it, one bite after another. I will absolutely be making these again!

So, a bit of recent backstory. This is the real Taiwanese deal at Mei Nung Beef Noodle House in Markham. Several weeks ago, my kids were appalled by the aroma assault as we headed in (with their first hit at Mel Lastman Square's Asian Night Market passing by last summer which swore them off ever trying), and now they were walking into and immersing in it. They thought we were there for beef noodle soup but the main event (for me) was the fried stinky tofu. Their unrelenting chuckles and gags had me apologizing to the waitress, but they agreed it was less smelly when the generous dish arrived at our table. The smelly waft in the air from the back kitchen frying is what does many of us in. The twins each took a small bite and shook their heads no, my youngest left the restaurant to get some "clean" air leaving my husband and I too much to share, but we finished them. 

The Taiwanese version has a crunchy fermented coating (airy inside) and has a sweet savoury oyster sauce to dip alongside pickled cabbage as a refreshing cold accompaniment. HK version is fried the same way but sauteed in the sauce to completely coat. Next time, I'll add a bit of dried shrimps to "enhance the flavour" 😄!

Fried Stinky Tofu at Mei Nung Beef Noodle House

This sans seafood recipe is such a great compromise to the authentic full-on flavoured fermented fried tofu. Not smelly frying, just smelled like frying if you get what I mean :) It can be vegan without the sauce or opting for a vegan oyster or just soy sauce. I prefer drizzling the sauce over top to keep some parts crispy.

Stinky Tofu Chau Dau Fu (Vegan)

Makes 12 pieces 

400g firm tofu, drained

6 prepared fermented beancurd (fu yu), mashed with a fork

3 Tbsp. fermented beancurd liquid

2 Tbsp. Chinese cooking wine (such as Shaoxing)

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

4 cloves garlic, minced 

1/2 tsp. salt

Cold water to cover

2 to 3 cups of neutral oil, for frying

Note: look for fu yu brined in a jar in the Chinese sauce grocery aisle

Sauce:

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 tsp. grated or minced fresh ginger

1 Tbsp. oyster sauce (vegan option available)

1 green onion, finely chopped

1 tsp. cornstarch mixed in 3 Tbsp. water

Slice the tofu into 12 equal pieces, about 1/3" thick. Let drain for 1/2 hour to remove excess liquid.

120 year old heritage fu yu brand Liu Ma Kee

Take a 1L clean jar, add the fermented beancurd paste and liquid, cooking wine, rice vinegar, garlic and salt. Give it a shake. Now gently place the tofu slices, one by one into the jar to fit. 

Add water enough to cover with one-inch head space in jar and seal with lid. Turn the jar bottom up and then top several times to mix well. Store in back of fridge for one week (do not be tempted to open).

One week later, remove jar from fridge (the water has turned cloudy and murky) and gently open lid. "The pleasant aroma is slightly funky, definitely garlicky with a wine undertone. Otherwise, nothing strong whatsoever. Reminds me of whiffing a jar of fu yu."

Watch my jar reveal after a week of fermentation

Gently remove the tofu slices onto a strainer to let dry for 2 to 3 hours. Place onto paper towel-lined plate to dry further. Discard jar liquid. Meanwhile, prepare your pot for deep-frying.

Heat a small pot over medium-high with 2 to 3 cups oil (cook in small batches to save on oil usage). Oil is ready when a wooden skewer inserted emits rapid bubbles shooting up around it. Gently place tofu in the oil, and cook 6 to 7 minutes until golden brown crispy. Remove onto clean paper towel-lined plate to absorb oil. Repeat with remaining tofu. Remove frying oil from heat and let cool completely.

Prepare sauce in a small pan. Ladle 1 Tbsp. frying oil in pan over medium heat; add garlic and ginger and cook for one minute. Add oyster sauce, mix with wooden spoon then stir in cornstarch slurry and mix well until thickened.

Arrange fried tofu onto a plate and slowly pour sauce over top. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.

Crispy on the outside and soft fluffy on the inside

FULL RECIPE:

Stinky Tofu Chau Dau Fu (Vegan)

Makes 12 pieces 

400g firm tofu, drained

6 prepared fermented beancurd (fu yu), mashed with a fork

3 Tbsp. fermented beancurd liquid

2 Tbsp. Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing)

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

4 cloves garlic, minced 

1/2 tsp. salt

Cold water to cover

2 to 3 cups of neutral oil, for frying

Note: look for fu yu brined in a jar in the Chinese sauce grocery aisle

Sauce:

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 tsp. grated or minced fresh ginger

1 Tbsp. oyster sauce (vegan option available)

1 green onion, finely chopped

1 tsp. cornstarch mixed in 3 Tbsp. water

Slice the tofu into 12 equal pieces, about 1/3" thick. Let drain for 1/2 hour to remove excess liquid.

Take a 1L clean jar, add the fermented beancurd paste and liquid, cooking wine, rice vinegar, garlic and salt. Give it a shake. Now gently place the tofu slices, one by one into the jar to fit. 

Add water enough to cover with one-inch head space in jar and seal with lid. Turn the jar bottom up and then top several times to mix well. Store in back of fridge for one week (do not be tempted to open).

One week later, remove jar from fridge and gently open lid. TGently remove the tofu slices onto a strainer to let dry for 2 to 3 hours. Place onto paper towel-lined plate to dry further. Meanwhile, prepare your pot for deep-frying.

Heat a small pot over medium-high with 2 to 3 cups oil (cook in small batches to save on oil usage). Oil is ready when a wooden skewer inserted emits rapid bubbles shooting up around it. Gently place tofu in the oil, and cook 6 to 7 minutes until golden brown crispy. Remove onto clean paper towel-lined plate to absorb oil. Repeat with remaining tofu. Remove frying oil from heat and let cool completely.

Prepare sauce in a small pan. Ladle 1 Tbsp. frying oil in pan over medium heat; add garlic and ginger and cook for one minute. Add oyster sauce, mix with wooden spoon then stir in cornstarch slurry and mix well until thickened.

Arrange fried tofu onto a plate and slowly pour sauce over top. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.

Stay tuned for my next post on how to make HK Cha Chaan Teng Cafe's popular satay beef noodle bowl!

 

Pan-Fried Chinese Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Goh)...

Freshly back from Hong Kong, and with the delectable dim sum experience still heavily on my mind and tastebuds, I had a craving for Chinese brunch favourite savoury turnip cake 煎蘿蔔糕 lo bak goh. My cousin Pessy who treated us in HK tells me this is her go-to potluck dish and she's mastered it after making it many times and to rave reviews 😍. Also cause I had just purchased a few large turnips to make chicken and pork broth (adds sweetness) and the leftover piece was just the perfect amount to try my hands on this classic. I've made it with my mom several times in the past but somehow it just seemed a lot of effort. With her bringing me some often I was deterred to make it, but not this time :). Crispy brown on the outside, tender savoury on the inside... so hard to resist 😋 not to try cooking it myself!

Turnip cake is seen as a good luck food and enjoyed during Lunar New Year because its name symbolizes luck and prosperity. The word for cake "goh" 糕 is a homonym of the words tall, rising, growth and achieving a higher level. There are several steps to making this cake so it's ideal to prepare it a day or two in advance as you need it to cool completely after steaming (overnight is best) for clean slicing and best eaten pan-fried until crispy.

Pan-Fried Chinese Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Goh) (adapted from Cook With Lau)

Makes 10 to 12 pieces 

2 lbs Chinese turnip, peeled and grated through a large hole grater (do not drain excess liquid)
250 g regular rice flour
1-1/2 cups water

2 Tbsp. neutral cooking oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced
30 g (2 Tbsp) dried shrimp, rinsed, soaked for 15 mins, drained and minced (reserve liquid)

6 dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed, soaked for 4 hours, drained and minced
1 piece Chinese sausage, minced
1-1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 pieces green onions, thinly sliced

Note: Choose heavy, fat and firm daikon or turnip that have more water content and are sweeter.

Whisk rice flour (measure 250g on a scale for accuracy) and water in a bowl until smooth; set aside.

Heat a large skillet/pan on high for a few minutes with 1 Tbsp oil. Cook the garlic and dried shrimp for about 30 seconds. Add the shiitakes; cook for 30 seconds. Cook the Chinese sausage (save some for garnish) for about 30 seconds. Add the turnip and its juice, stir the wok, cover the wok, and cook it for 6-7 minutes. 

Add salt, chicken bouillon, white pepper and sesame oil. Mix the flavours around the wok, cover, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. 

Meanwhile, prepare the cake pan by cutting out a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom with, spreading oil around the inner rim of the cake pan (with your finger or a brush) Note: any type of cake pan (square, non-removable base, etc) works as long as it fits in your steamer.

I used my non-stick 9" springform cake pan 

When the mixture starts boiling, slowly add the rice flour mixture. Note: look for the water released from the turnip. Do not pour it all in at once and continuously stir the mixture to ensure you don’t produce lumps for two minutes until thickened. Note: add a few tablespoons water if the mixture is too gluey (reserve the dried shrimp water for this), but not too much unless you want a much softer result. I prefer mine tender but firm. 

Transfer the mixture into the cake pan, flatten out the surface, and spread remaining 1 Tbsp. oil around the surface with a spoon for a shiny and appetizing finish.

Fill steamer to the water limit and bring it to a boil on high heat. Transfer the cake pan to the steamer and cover it. Cook for 20 mins. on high heat, then reduce to medium heat and cook for 20 mins. more.

It is done when a wooden skewer inserted in the centre pulls out clean without gluey debris stuck to it.

While the cake pan is still in the steamer, sprinkle the leftover Chinese sausage onto the pan and cover it for 30 seconds.

Carefully remove the cake pan from the steamer; garnish with green onion.

Let the cake cool to room temperature, and then let it cool in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours.Remove the turnip cake from the pan. Slice the cake however you'd like. If you're pan frying, then little sections are perfect. I cut mine into 10 heartier pieces.

Pan frying is highly recommended. It brings out a nice, crispy and crunchy bit contrast to the tender interior. Heat up a pan with oil on high heat for a few minutes, and then pan fry them for about 4-7 minutes per side until they’re golden brown.

I love serving Koon Yick chilli sauce on all dim sum

FULL RECIPE:

Pan-Fried Chinese Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Goh) (adapted from Cook With Lau)

Makes 10 to 12 pieces 

2 lbs Chinese turnip, peeled and grated through a large hole grater (do not drain excess liquid)
250 g regular rice flour
1-1/2 cups water

2 Tbsp. neutral cooking oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced
30 g (2 Tbsp) dried shrimp, rinsed, soaked for 15 mins, drained and minced (reserve liquid)

6 dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed, soaked for 4 hours, drained and minced
1 piece Chinese sausage, minced
1-1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 pieces green onions, thinly sliced

Note: Choose heavy, fat and firm daikon or turnip that have more water content and are sweeter.

Whisk rice flour (measure 250g on a scale for accuracy) and water in a bowl until smooth; set aside.

Heat a large skillet/pan on high for a few minutes with 1 Tbsp oil. Cook the garlic and dried shrimp for about 30 seconds. Add the shiitakes; cook for 30 seconds. Cook the Chinese sausage (save some for garnish) for about 30 seconds. Addd the turnip and its juice, stir the wok, cover the wok, and cook it for 6-7 minutes. 

Add salt, chicken bouillon, white pepper and sesame oil. Mix the flavours around the wok, cover, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Note: look for the water released from the turnip.

Meanwhile, prepare the cake pan by cutting out a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom with, spreading oil around the inner rim of the cake pan (with your finger or a brush) Note: any type of cake pan (square, non-removable base, etc) works as long as it fits in your steamer.

When the mixture starts boiling, slowly add the rice flour mixture. Do not pour it all in at once and continuously stir the mixture to ensure you don’t produce lumps for two minutes until thickened. Note: add a few tablespoons water if the mixture is too gluey (reserve the dried shrimp water for this), but not too much unless you want a softer result. I prefer mine tender but firm. 

Transfer the mixture into the cake pan, flatten out the surface, and spread remaining 1 Tbsp. oil around the surface with a spoon for a shiny and appetizing finish.

Fill steamer to the water limit and bring it to a boil on high heat. Transfer the cake pan to the steamer and cover it. Cook for 20 mins. on high heat, then reduce to medium heat and cook for 20 mins. more.

It is done when a wooden skewer inserted in the centre pulls out clean without gluey debris stuck to it.

While the cake pan is still in the steamer, sprinkle the leftover Chinese sausage onto the pan and cover it for 30 seconds.

Carefully remove the cake pan from the steamer; garnish with green onion.

Let the cake cool to room temperature, and then let it cool in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours.Remove the turnip cake from the pan. Slice the cake however you'd like. If you're pan frying, then little sections are perfect. I cut mine into 10 heartier pieces.

Pan frying is highly recommended. It brings out a nice, crispy and crunchy contrast to the tender interior.

Heat up a pan with oil on high heat for a few minutes, and then pan fry them for about 4-7 minutes per side until they’re golden brown.

Can't wait to make and bring some for mom. I think she will approve 😊. If you also like taro cake (popular during Harvest Moon Festival) prepared in a similar fashion, check the link under image.

Pan-Fried Taro Cake

Stay tuned for more restaurant-quality but comfort eats made at home, inspired from my trip to Thailand 🇹🇭 and Hong Kong 🇭🇰 to honour Asian Heritage Month.