Happy New Year, and Sung Choi Bow

Oh hey. Um, it's been a while?

I'm suffering from blogger's guilt. My excuse is that I've barely been home to cook. Over Christmas and New Year's, I made dinner at home a grand total of once! But all good things come to an end and I'm slowly starting to cook again. Next week I have some grand baking plans...

This weekend was also the latest of several 'high teas' that some of my friends periodically host - each of us makes a plate or two of little dainties, we gather at one person's house, and eat until we can eat no more! Here's some highlights:


High tea spread (still incomplete at this stage!)


Pandan pancakes with coconut filling


Salmon and horseradish bites


Tia Maria tiramisu


And of course a selection of tea!

My own contribution was relatively humble but, I think, well received - a variation on the old sung choi bow (literally lettuce buns) which I love eating in Chinese restaurants. This recipe is not quite traditional - at least, I think my mum would have something to say about it - but it was pretty tasty!


Sung Choi Bow

400g chicken mince
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ginger, chopped
Oil for frying
1 tablespoon cooking rice wine (e.g. shaoxing)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Splash of sesame oil
2 fresh shitake mushrooms, chopped (I used dried mushrooms, and a few more than 2!)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 small carrot, peeled and julienned
1 small Lebanese cucumber, julienned
1 spring onion, sliced on the diagonal
2 handfuls bean sprouts
Handful or two of coriander
Zest of one lime
Squeeze of lime juice
6-10 iceberg lettuce cups
Hoisin sauce to serve (optional)


Wash and separate the lettuce cups, trimming to size if necessary. Cover and refrigerate until needed. You need to keep the lettuce really crisp.

Heat a little oil (peanut, rice bran or sunflower) in a wok or large saucepan. Quickly stir fry the garlic and ginger for a minute or so, being careful not to overcook the garlic.

Add the chicken breasts and stir, then add the mushrooms, adding a little more oil if it gets too dry, and continue to cook for a couple of minutes until coloured.

Add the rice wine, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil.

Tip the chicken mixture into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the chicken, then the carrot, cucumber, spring onions, bean sprouts, coriander and lime zest. Squeeze a lime over the top, taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Divide the filling between the lettuce leaves and serve, garnishing with a little lime zest and coriander leaves. I like mine with a little bit of Hoisin sauce too, for a little more sweetness and flavour.

Adapted from The Cook and the Chef


Sung Choi Bow filling (lettuce leaf cups not pictured)