In a Chinese home, there are dishes that we cook very often, but don't normally include on the menu if we're planning a dinner party. You'll see why when you see the recipes. The ingredients are so simple and fuss-free that you won't be impressing anyone with your culinary skills. But for a delicious home-cooked meal (especially if you're really busy and don't have much time for cooking), they're absolutely perfect.

My mother comes from a Hakka/Cantonese family, so these dishes are basically our family's adaptations of dishes from Hakka/Cantonese cuisine.

Recipes featured below are:

Steamed Pork with Salted Egg

Salted Brandy Chicken

Pork Ribs with Potato and Tomato Soup

Steamed Pork with Salted Egg

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 300 gm minced pork (90% lean)
• 1 egg
• 1 salted duck egg

Method

• First, take the minced pork and put into a shallow heat-proof dish. (Note that the minced pork should not be completely lean. A certain amount of fat gives this dish a softer, smoother texture.)
• Break the egg and salted duck egg into the dish, and using your fingers (or a fork), mix the eggs into the pork. Break the salted egg yolk into small chunks.
• Steam for 15-20 minutes (or put into the steaming tray of your rice cooker, and cook together with your rice).
• Serve hot, with rice and stir-fried vegetable.

Salted Brandy Chicken

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 pieces boiled chicken (drumstick or chicken breast)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp (or more) brandy

Method

• Boil chicken the previous day. Once cooked, take out and put in a heat-proof dish, and rub lightly with salt. Cover and leave in fridge overnight.
• The next day, take out the dish, and steam for 15-20 minutes (or put into the steaming tray of your rice cooker, and cook together with your rice).
• When ready, pour the brandy over the chicken.
• Serve hot, with rice and stir-fried vegetable.

Pork Ribs with Potato and Tomato Soup

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 300-400 gms pork ribs, chopped into chunks
• 2 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
• 3 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 tsp crushed peppercorns (optional)
• salt to taste

Method

• Put pork ribs, potatoes and tomatoes into a pot.
• Cover with water.
• Boil for 20-30 minutes, until pork ribs is cooked.
• Add salt to taste.
• Lastly, add crushed peppercorns.

This soup is delicious served with fried fish and rice.