Stir Fried Yam Bean (Bangkuang/沙葛)

The Chinese turnip (沙葛) or yam bean or bangkuang or sengkuang or jicama (didn't know it has so many names) always act as a standby or reserve in my vegetable list as it can be stored for a relatively long period without refrigeration.


This root vegetable has a thick, fibrous light brown skin while its white flesh is crisp and moist, slightly sweet and can be eaten raw as a fruit or in salad as in rojak or used as an ingredient in popiah or stir fried.

Stir Fried Yam Bean (Bangkuang/沙葛)


350 gm yam bean
100 gm carrot
1 tsp dried shrimps, washed
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 shallots, sliced
1/2 tsp shredded ginger
2 sprig spring onions, chopped
2 tbsp oil
Salt, water

1. Peel and shred the yam bean and carrot.
2. Heat oil in the wok.
3. Fry the ginger, shallots, garlic and dried shrimps till fragrant.
4. Add the carrot and yam bean and stir fry for a minute with some salt.
5. Add enough water to cover the yam bean and simmer till soften.
6. Garnish with spring onions and dish out.
7. Serve hot with rice.

Steamed Okra

The okra is very nutritional as it is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium but has a host of vitamins and minerals such as A, Thiamin, B6, C, folic acid, riboflavin, calcium, zinc. It's also an excellent laxative as it is high in dietary fiber. It is one of my favorite vegetables, cooked whatever way.


Today there are only three of us at home for dinner and since my daughter is now on a rice-less and lesser meat diet, I decided to cook more vegetables to satisfy her whims. Rumaging through the fridge, I discovered the packet of okra or ladies fingers bought two weeks ago well preserved in my ever reliable aluminium-coated Tesco bag. They are still so fresh!


To make life simple and easy, I just steam the okra to retain their flavor. Do not cut the okra so as not to release the sticky substance. Eat whole. They are very crunchy and delicious!

Steamed Okra


300 gm okra
onion oil, pepper, soy sauce

1. Clean the okra and place on serving plate.
2. Steam over boiling water in wok for 5 minutes.
3. Remove and sprinkle onion oil, pepper and soy sauce.
4. Serve hot.

Water Cress Soup

I read somewhere that the watercress is an historic British plant and has been cultivated in the spring waters in southern England long time ago, no wonder it's called sai yeong choy (西洋菜) in Cantonese! The plant has creeping, hollow, fleshy, square stems of about 40cm with many branches of lush-green, oblong-ovate leaves.



Watercress is a good source of vitamins A, C, B1, B6, K and E, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese and zinc. Its many therapeutic uses include coughs, head colds, bronchial ailments and toning the body system.

Being an aquatic vegetable, the watercress sometimes tend to have leeches clinging onto the stems. I normally soak it in water with a pinch of salt before washing. My mother taught me to always dip the watercress in boiling water first before simmering, otherwise, the soup will be bitter no matter what other ingredients you add in.

Water Cress Soup


400 gm watercress, washed and plucked to 3 inch length
150 gm pork ribs
4 pieces honey dates
6 pieces red dates
1 thumb size dried orange peel
1/2 tsp salt
3 liter water

1. Put watercress into pressure cooker pot of boiling water first.
2. Next, place remaining ingredients into the pressure cooker.
3. Cover and boil over high heat till you can see the second red indicator ring.
4. Switch to very low heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Serve hot with rice.

Stir Fried Ngah Gu 芽菇

The arrowhead bulbs or ngah gu 芽菇 are found abundantly during the Chinese New year festive season. Usually, they are sliced and fried into chips and eaten as a snack. They are crunchy, tasty and very addictive.


The ngah gu can also be stir fried with either meat or Chinese sausage. It's pretty crunchy and taste a bit like potato, no wonder, sometimes it's known as duck potato. It's a swamp tuber vegetable like the lotus root and water chestnut.


Stir fried ngah gu


500 gm arrowhead bulbs, (ngah gu)
200g lean pork, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 shallots, sliced
1/2 tsp shredded ginger
2 sprig spring onions, chopped
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp oyster sauce
Salt, water

1. Peel and slice the ngah gu.
2. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in the wok.
3. Fry the ginger and shallots till golden brown.
4. Add in the chopped garlic and saute till fragrant.
5. Fry the pork with some salt.
6. Add the ngah gu and stir fry with some salt and oyster sauce.
7. Add enough water to just cover the ngah ku and simmer for a while, stirring occasionally.
8. When the ngah gu lightly softens, mix in the spring onions and dish out.
9. Serve hot with rice.

Stir-fried Tau kan

Tau kan (Wet Bean curd Blocks) is a very versatile bean curd base. It's used mainly as a vegetarian dish and can be found at any stalls that sell tofu.

My husband loves this and never fail to purchase a packet whenever he goes to the market. This happens so often that sometimes I end up with two to three packets in the freezer!


Stir-fried Tau kan


1 piece Japanese cucumber, sliced angular
1 packet tau kan
1 tsp carrot, shredded
1 tsp ginger, shredded
2 shallots, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp oil
salt, pepper, sugar, water

1. Heat oil in the wok and toss fry the tau kan lightly.
2. Drain and dish out.
3. Saute the ginger, shallots and garlic till fragrant.
4. Add the carrot and cucumber and stir fry with some salt, sesame oil and oyster sauce for a while with some water.
5. Cover for a half a minute.
6. Mix back the tau kan.
7. Sprinkle in some pepper and sugar for taste.
8. Serve hot with rice.