Har Cheong Gai ( Shrimp Paste Chicken)

I search and search for ideas for chicken dishes one day and chance upon this recipe, Har Cheong Gai (Shrimp Paste Chicken).  Many of us grow up with this chicken dish.  My childhood favourite whenever we go for zhi char dinner with family.  I am sure it will not taste exactly the same if I make it at home.  However, with a party coming up, I am determine to make it.  Clever people will tell me Never Ever experiment new recipe for a party but I guess I may not be so clever hahahahhaa  Verdict.... children are asking for more after they tried it.  So this is the second time I am making this dish.

Har Cheong Gai

1 kg Chicken Mid Wings

3 Tbsp Shrimp paste

2 tsp sugar

2 Tbsp sesame oil

3 Tbsp Chinese Wine

1 tsp white pepper

80g plain flour

80g potato starch

1 egg

100ml water

1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1. Mix chicken with Shrimp paste, sugar, sesame oil, wine and pepper. Make sure chicken are well coated. 

2. In another big bowl, mix plain flour, potato starch, egg, water, bicarb and baking powder.  Beat batter till smooth. Add the batter into the chicken mixture. Marinate for 8 hrs or up to 2 days.

3.  Heat oil to 180 degree celsius and gently adding in a few wings.  Use chopsticks to separate the wings after about half a minute so they do not stick together.  After about 1 minute, the oil temperature should have dropped to 160 degree celsius if not lower the heat.  Fry for about 4 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Ready to serve!!! (Serve with lime or sweet chilli sauce if you like)


Note:  The recipe called for MSG so it will taste like real deal.  I will not use MSG at home so I opt this ingredient out.

Cheesy Broccoli Potato Patties

I was at supermarket one day, thinking about what to cook for the night. That is the kind of day when my brain freeze. Then I spotted broccoli!! Seriously??? Broccoli?? Kids will rather not eat dinner then. Somehow I still decided to buy it having no idea what and how am I going to do with it. Hahaha.... came home that afternoon, looking at the green monster, thinking real hard. Finally I got an idea. Broccoli Potato Patties!!!. I remember seeing recipes for broccoli patties but was too lazy to look through the internet so I decided to create my own patties. My impromptu mix and match and tada...... this is it. With the help of potatoes and cheese,  my new dish was served hot and crispy and non of them complain!!! They love the dish!!!

Broccoli and Potato Patties

1 1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 big potato, boiled smashed
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
1/4 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten



1. Boil broccoli in boiling water for abt 1 min. Drained and chopped finely.

2. Add chopped broccoli, cheese, salt and pepper into mashed potato. Mix well.

3. Scope a spoonful of the broccoli mixture and make make a ball then flatten it. This is when you try to give a tight but not too hard press to the patty to make shape. 

4. In a pan, heat oil for deep frying.

5. Coat each patty with potato starch then shake off excess flour.  Next dip patty into beaten egg and the coat with bread crumb. Do the same for the rest of the patties.

6. Fry patties in medium heat for about 3 mins each side or till golden brown.

7. Drain excess oil and serve hot.


Note: Ingredients are all cooked, patties just need to be fried til crispy on the outside so do not fry for too long. I also serve it with Japanese mayo.