Home cooking

Home cooking a hobby and a habit

Neighbourhood First, an HKFYG programme for young volunteers, kicked off its uKitchen scheme to encourage young people to show they care for others by cooking for them. 21 HKFYG Youth SPOTs have uKitchen facilities and young people who sign up learn how to cook from professional chefs and go on to share the delicious dishes they have cooked at gatherings.

What is uKitchen?

it promotes home cooking enhances kitchen skills uses cooking as a way to take youth into the community

Who’s it for?

beginner cooks neighbourhood communities the vulnerable and needy

Young cooks say

“Ever since I was a little boy, I’ve been interested in cooking but I didn’t have the chance to learn from a professional until I joined HKFYG’s uKitchen. That was two years ago when I became a volunteer team member of NeighbourHood First.”

“People have been staying at home so much longer during the pandemic and so they have had far more chance to do family cooking. I feel much more confident to join in after learning some cooking skills at uKitchen.”

“For me, cooking has become both a hobby and a habit, but it is also a way for me show the community I care.”

Four vegan favourites

These simple vegan recipes takes an hour or less and includes something for everyone.

Starters Stir-fried Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

Main ingredients

Chinese long eggplant, sliced in half lengthwise and chopped Fresh ginger, chopped Garlic, peeled and minced Peanut oil Spring onions, finely chopped diagonally Chinese dried red chilis, chopped

Sauce ingredients

Soy sauce or to taste Vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce Water Honey Shaoxing wine or other rice wine Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar Cornstarch Pure sesame oil 2–3

1 tablespoon 4 cloves 1 tablespoon 4 2–3

1 ½ tablespoon 2 tablespoons ¼ cup 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon 1½ tablespoons 1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon

Steps

1. Make the sauce by whisking all the ingredients together in a bowl then leave aside 2. Chop the eggplant then stir-fry with a little oil for a few minutes over medium heat, until tender and then transfer to a bowl 3. Cook the garlic, ginger, and chilli for a minute in the same pan then return the eggplant to the pan 4. Add sauce and scallions then stir-fry quickly with a little sesame oil 5. Check seasoning and serve with steamed or fried rice

Variation: Add jade melon cut into the same size pieces as the eggplant at the same time as the ginger and garlic.

Takes just 15 minutes to make! Beefy mushrooms and broccoli

Main ingredients

Dried shiitake mushrooms Broccoli florets Red bell pepper, sliced Garlic minced or finely chopped Onion, sliced Vegetable broth or water from soaking mushrooms

Sauce ingredients

Soy sauce or to taste Vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce Water Honey Shaoxing wine or other rice wine Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar Cornstarch Pure sesame oil 10 2 cups (250g) 1 small 4 cloves ½ medium size ¼ cup

1½ tablespoons 2 tablespoons ¼ cup 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon 1½ tablespoons 1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon

Steps

1. Soak mushrooms in hot water for 12-15 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid from each, slice into 1/4-inch-thick strips and save the soaking water 2. Mix all the sauce ingredients together except cornstarch and set aside 3. Heat canola oil in a non-stick pan and sauté onions and garlic until tender 4. Add mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes 5. Add broccoli florets and bell pepper 6. Pour mushroom soaking liquid into pan 7. Sauté for a few more minutes 8. Stir the sauce ingredients well and then add cornstarch mixed with a little water 9. Pour this sauce over the vegetables, stir well and simmer until the sauce has thickened 10. Season to taste

Molten Chocolate Cake (serves two)

Chocolate, preferably semi-sweet Unsalted butter Egg and egg yolk Sugar [to taste] Vanilla extract Low-gluten or gluten-free flour 45g 4 tablespoons 1 each

1 or 2 tablespoons ¼ teaspoon 2 tablespoons

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Steps

1. Heat oven to 220C (200C for fan oven) and preheat 2 ramekins on a baking tray 2. Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave in 30 second pulses, stirring after each pulse until it is smooth 3. Mix the sugar and egg into the flour 4. Beat the egg yolk until thick ribbons form, about 3 minutes 5. Add sugar to taste 6. Fold the flour into this mixture 7. Add mixture to chocolate and unsalted butter 8. Divide between the ramekins and bake 10 minutes or until the cakes have puffed up and look well done. If you underbake, the centre of the cake will pour out of its top when you invert it 9. Let stand for one minute then invert onto plates 10. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, Cointreau or Amaretto