Chef Kar Delight

Seasonal Salads Around The World

1.1.4 Asia China Taiwan Korea 2025/02/10

In Search Of World's Hidden Tastes
1.1.4 Around Asia, Explore Seasonal Salads

More than 2 thousand years ago, Confucius admonished people: " not to eat food that is not in season". Therefore, one should choose food to eat according to the seasons. Chinese traditional food culture said: "In Spring, eat buds; in Summer, eat melons; in Autumn, eat fruits; in Winter, eat roots". Food is seasonal whereas salad is also seasonal. I shall present my creative seasonal salads in numerous episodes. Each episode has different seasonal salads as the leading stars. Every salad comes from all over the world, across the 7 continents, pairing with my secret recipes of salad dressing. Super delicious! Because weather geography, cultural customs, lifestyle in various parts of the world are unlike, ingredients of salad are very different. Except the first salad is borderless and my creation, the rest of the salads are relying on regions. First we depart for Asia to explore salads of different countries sharing with everyone.

▲ Seasonal Salad 1：

Carambola Salad

Carambola Salad is my creative salad. The combinations are breakthroughs. The main ingredients include carambolas, black plums, Bosc pears, Carabao mangos, carrots and walnuts, paired with Pomegranate Salad Dressing. Fragrant and super delicious!

Carambolas (Star Fruits) are very juicy. Their juice is refreshing and delicious; and can quench thirst and relieve heat. Moreover, they have an unique flavor.

Black plums are sweet and sour. They have heat-clearing properties and promote the secretion of saliva. They have high dietary fiber content and contain various antioxidants. They can delay aging.

Bosc pears are sweet , delicate, crisp, juicy and fragrant. Their meat is delicate; has less fiber and mellow fruity aroma. They have average sweet and sour taste; and long lasting fragrance.

Main Ingredients:

Carambolas, Black plums, Bosc pears, Carabao Mangos, Carrots, Walnuts

Pomegranate Salad Dressing:

Pomegranate molasses, Olive oil, Red onion chopped, Garlic minced, Sumac, Mirin

▲ Seasonal Salad 2：

Laquat Chinese Salad

Laquat tastes luscious, soft and juicy; has sweet and sour flavor.

Yali's meat is crispy, juicy and sweet.

Water chestnuts are sweet and juicy, crisp and delicious.

Preserved duck eggs have fresh, smooth and refreshing taste.

The scents of all the above ingredients are unique.

There are 2 secret recipes of pickled ginger. One uses ginger and beets soaked in apple cider for 3 days. The colour of ginger will turn deep red and has the taste of apple and beets. The other one uses ginger soaked in red wine vinegar for 3 days. The colour of ginger will turn bright red and has the taste of grape.

Laquat Salad paired with Laquat Salad Dressing are very yummy.

Main Ingredients:

Laquat, Yali (Chinese White Pear), Water chestnuts, Beets, Chinese yam (Nagaimo), Lettuce leaves, Lead-free preserved duck eggs

Pickled ginger 1: Ginger, Beets, Apple cider, sugar

Pickled ginger 2: Ginger, Red wine vinegar, sugar

Laquat Salad Dressing:

Laquat minced, Pickled ginger 1&2 vinegar, minced garlic, minced ginger, green onion slices, sugar, salt, sesame oil

▲ Seasonal Salad 3：

Guava Taiwanese Salad

The main ingredients of Guava Salad are 3 seasonal fruits such as guava, pineapple and sweetsop, paired with Taiwan Cooking Wine and Guava Salad Dressing. Very yummy!

Guava is crispy and juicy; high fiber, low calorie and rich in vitamin C.

The fruit of pineapple has a unique flavor and aroma; and high nutritional value.

The flesh of sweetsop is snow-white and has a dense taste; soft and gelatinous; sweet and slightly sour.

Main Ingredients:

Guava, Pineapples, Sweetsop (Sugar apple or custard apple) , Taiwanese cabbage, Purple yam （boiled）

Guava Salad Dressing:

Guava minced, Pineapple juice, Basil, minced ginger, minced garlic, Brown sugar, Taiwan Cooking Wine (TTL Rice Cooking Wine 紅標米酒)

▲ Seasonal Salad 4：

Korean Pear Salad

Korean pears grow in high latitude environment and cold climate. The sweetness of fruits is locked in. A Korean pear features smooth and delicate skin. The peel is light brown. Containing a lot of water and high sugar content makes people want to eat again after eating it.

A Korean melon has thin peel, small seeds and plenty of water. It is not as sweet as other honeydew melons. Its taste is between honeydew melon and cucumber. It is a summer fruit, widely consumed and used to marinade Kimchi （장아찌）.

Hallabong is slightly sour; has a lot of citric acid and malic acid can increase Metabolism of heat, quickly eliminate physical fatigue.

Paired with Kimchi to render sweet, sour and spicy. Very appetizing.

Main Ingredients:

Korean pears, Korean melon, Hallabong (Korean orange, Tangerine ), Carrots, Spinach, Potatoes (boiled), Kimchi

Korean Pear Salad Dressing:

Korean pear minced, Hallabong juice, honey, sugar (or Korean Honey Citron Tea ), Sesame oil

Next, Seasonal Salad Around the World 2025

1.2.4 Asia Japan Laos Thailand

Publisher： Chef Kar Delight

Year of the Snake Delights 2025

2.2 Good Luck Ahead

Wednesday 1/29/2025

Lunar New Year Menu

2.2a Good Luck Ahead

鴻運當頭

Red Roasted Duck

紅烤全鴨

2.2b Promotion Step By Step

步步高升

Dried Seafood Daikon Cake

海味蘿蔔糕

2.2c Clear and Logical

頭頭是道

Roasted Duck Taro Cake

烤鴨芋頭糕

2.2d Surplus Year After Year

年年有餘

Salmon Kabocha Cake

三文魚南瓜糕

2.2a Good Luck Ahead

Red Roasted Duck

Red Roasted Duck generally means barbeque method of grilling whole ducks. It can be found in places where many Chinese habited. In Europe, roasted duck is also a gourmet. Before roasting, the skin of a duck is brushed with maltose syrup. It is dried in the air and then roasted. The result is crispy skin in red. Red Roasted Duck implies "Good luck ahead".

Ingredients

Frozen duck, marinade, duck broth, water

Brining: Thawed duck, salt, water

Duck broth: duck giblets (livers, hearts, gizzards, necks), onions, bay leaves, salt and pepper, water

Marinade:

. 5 spices powder

. Anise crush and finely chopped

. Tangerine peel 陳皮 soaked, finely chopped

. Brown sugar

. Salt

. Onion minced

. Ginger minced

. Garlic minced

. Red fermented bean curd and sauce 南乳, 南乳汁

. Hoisin sauce 海鮮醬

. Oyster sauce 蠔油

. Shaoxing wine/Hua Diao 紹興酒/花雕

. Maple syrup/honey

. Corn oil/Vegetable oil

Method

1. When duck is thawed, rinse it with running cold tap water. Brush with salt. Brine it inside out for 1 day.

2. Rinse the brined duck with running cold tap water to remove the salt. Drain and dry.

3. Put the marinade in a big bowl, stir and mix well. Leave it to rest for 1 hour. Use a brush to cover the whole duck with marinade. Put the duck in the fridge for 1 day.

4. Cover the wings and legs with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Pour some duck broth into the bake pan half filled. Place a steam rack on the pan. Put the duck on the rack with chest pointing up. Put in the oven at 350°F. When the chest turns red, turn the duck upside down, that is chest is facing down and back is pointing up. Turn the body around regularly. If the skin becomes too dry, brush it with marinade. When the whole body turns red evenly, it is done.

3 Styles Of Steam Rice Cakes

4 different types of flour/starch are used: rice flour 粘米粉, tapioca Starch/potato starch 生粉, corn starch 粟米粉, wheat flour 澄麵粉. Tapioca or potato Starch makes the cake adhesive, stretchy, and smooth while corn starch and wheat flour make it smooth. This combination make the cake in good shape; moderate softness and hardness; smooth taste.

Rice Cake Batter (1 cake):
. Rice flour 175g
. Tapioca Starch/potato starch 25g

. Corn starch 25g
. Wheat flour 25g
. Chicken powder 25g

. Salt 10g
. Sugar 30g
. Black pepper 2g
. Sesame oil

. Water 312g

Prepare Rice Cake Batter:

Sieve rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch and wheat flour, chicken powder, salt, sugar, and black pepper.

Add 312g cold water, mix well without granule. Sieve again.

2.2b Promotion Step By Step

Dried Seafood Daikon Cake

Ingredients

Rice Cake Batter

Daikon radish 450g

Dried scallops 2g
Dried shrimp 25g

Dried clams 25g

Dried anchovies 25g

Dried mushrooms 15g

Onions minced

Ginger minced

Water 312g

Soya Sauce

Dried Seafood condiments:

Cooking oil 4 tablespoon

Onions 1 tablespoon

Ginger 1 tablespoon

Oyster sauce ½ teaspoon

Salt ½ teaspoon

Sugar ½ teaspoon

Sesame oil ½ teaspoon

Soya Sauce ½ teaspoon

Shaoxing wine 紹興酒/花雕 ½ teaspoon

Garnish:

Green onions, cilantro

Secret Treatment

In order to remove bitterness, Daikon radish strips have to be blanched and strained out water.

In order to prevent precipitation, firstly cook half of the rice cake batter, then add the other half uncooked batter to mix well. Finally add daikon strips and other ingredients to steam cook.

Preparation
Soak scallops in water until soft. Tear apart strands. Reserve the soaked water.

Soak dried shrimps in water until soft. Chopped roughly. Reserve the soaked water.

Soak dried clams and dried anchovies in water until soft. Reserve the soaked water.

Soak dried mushrooms in cold water until soft. Remove stems and cut into cubes. Reserve the soaked water.

Remove skin of daikon, cut into strips. Blanch and strain out water.
Remove skin of onions , cut into cubes.
Remove skin of ginger, mince.

Prepare Mushrooms

Turn on high fire of stove, heat up a frying pan or wok.

Pour 2 tablespoons of oil.

Stir fry onion and ginger.

Stir fry mushrooms.

Pour mushrooms soaked water. Braise mushrooms to soft.

Add oyster sauce, salt, sugar and sesame oil.

Done. Pick up and put aside.

Prepare Dried Seafood

Turn on high fire of stove, heat up a frying pan or wok.

Pour 2 tablespoons of oil.

Stir fry onion and ginger.

Stir fry scallops, shrimps, clams and anchovies.

Pour seafood soaked water. Evaporate and reduce the soaked water.

Add braised mushrooms, stir well.

Add soya sauce and Shaoxing wine.

Done. Pick up and put aside.

Method

1. Turn on high fire of stove, boil the remaining 312g water.

2. Add ¼ of daikon strips. Cook well.

3. Change to low heat.

4. Mix cooked batter with uncooked batter to prevent precipitation.

Add 1 cup of uncooked Rice Cake Batter, cook to well done, turn fire off.

5. Add this cooked batter to remaining uncooked batter and mix well.

6. Add the remaining daikon strips, mix well.

7. Finally, add cooked seafood and mushrooms, mix well.

8. Add the mixed batter to steam pan. Flatten the surface with a spatula.

9. Use high fire to steam for 60 minutes.

10. Turn fire off. Leave it to cool down.

2.2c Clear And Logical

Roasted Duck Taro Cake

Ingredients

Rice Cake Batter

Taro 450g

Roasted duck meat 200g

Onions minced

Ginger minced

Water 312g

Soya Sauce

Roasted Duck condiments:

Cooking oil 4 tablespoon

Onions 1 tablespoon

Ginger 1 tablespoon

Oyster sauce ½ teaspoon

Salt ½ teaspoon

Sugar ½ teaspoon

Sesame oil ½ teaspoon

Soya Sauce ½ teaspoon

Shaoxing wine 紹興酒/花雕 ½ teaspoon

Garnish:

Green onions, cilantro

Preparation
Remove skin of Taro, cut into strips.

Remove skin of onions , cut into cubes.
Remove skin of ginger, mince.

Prepare Roasted Duck

Turn on high fire of stove, heat up a frying pan or wok.

Pour 2 tablespoons of oil.

Add onion and ginger, stir well.

Add roasted duck meat, stir well.

Add soya sauce and Shaoxing wine.

Done. Pick up and put aside.

Method

1. Turn on high fire of stove, boil the remaining 312g water.

2. Add ¼ of Taro strips. Cook well.

3. Change to low heat.

4. Mix cooked batter with uncooked batter to prevent precipitation.

Add 1 cup of uncooked Rice Cake Batter, cook to well done, turn fire off.

5. Add this cooked batter to remaining uncooked batter and mix well.

6. Add the remaining taro strips, mix well.

7. Finally, add stir fried duck meat, mix well.

8. Add the mixed batter to steam pan. Flatten the surface with a spatula.

9. Use high fire to steam for 60 minutes.

10. Turn fire off. Leave it to cool down.

2.2d Surplus Year After Year

Salmon Kabocha Cake

Ingredients

Rice Cake Batter

Kabocha 450g

Salmon meat 200g

Dried anchovies 25g

Onions minced

Ginger minced

Water 312g

Soya Sauce

Salmon fish and dried anchovies condiments:

Cooking oil 4 tablespoon

Onions 1 tablespoon

Ginger 1 tablespoon

Salt ½ teaspoon

Sugar ½ teaspoon

Sesame oil ½ teaspoon

Soya Sauce ½ teaspoon

Shaoxing wine 紹興酒/花雕 ½ teaspoon

Garnish:

Green onions, cilantro

Preparation
Remove skin of Kabocha, cut into strips.

Remove skin of onions , cut into cubes.
Remove skin of ginger, mince.

Soak dried anchovies in water until soft. Reserve the soaked water.

Prepare Pan Fry Salmon

Turn on high fire of stove, heat up a frying pan or wok.

Pour 2 tablespoons of oil.

Add onion and ginger, stir well.

Add salmon meat, pan fry until cooked.

Add soya sauce and Shaoxing wine.

Done. Pick up and put aside. Shred the fish meat.

Prepare Stir Fried Anchovies

Turn on high fire of stove, heat up a frying pan or wok.

Pour 2 tablespoons of oil.

Add onion and ginger, stir well.

Stir fry anchovies.

Add anchovies soaked water. Reduce the water.

Add soya sauce and Shaoxing wine.

Done. Pick up and put aside.

Method

1. Turn on high fire of stove, boil the remaining 312g water.

2. Add ¼ of Kabocha strips. Cook well.

3. Change to low heat.

4. Mix cooked batter with uncooked batter to prevent precipitation.

Add 1 cup of uncooked Rice Cake Batter, cook to well done, turn fire off.

5. Add this cooked batter to remaining uncooked batter and mix well.

6. Add the remaining Kabocha strips, mix well.

7. Finally, add pan fried salmon meat and stir fried anchovies , mix well.

8. Add the mixed batter to steam pan. Flatten the surface with a spatula.

9. Use high fire to steam for 60 minutes.

10. Turn fire off. Leave it to cool down.

3 Styles Of Steamed Cake Donuts

Method of Preparing Assorted Steam Cake Donuts:

Pour the batter for Dried Seafood Daikon Cake Donut, Roasted Duck Taro Cake Donut or Salmon Kabocha Cake Donut into a donut mold pan and place it in a steaming pot under high fire for about one hour. Put a Candy Abalone on top of a Daikon Cake Donut. Sprinkle some abalone sauce on top and enjoy.

Sauce: Secret recipe of abalone sauce, corn starch + water

《Best way of preparing Candy Abalone Steam Cake Donuts》:

1. Pour some abalone sauce and corn starch water into a wok on low fire, stir it constantly. Set it aside.

2. Pour little oil on a wok and place Steam Cake Donut on it with face up. Sprinkle some water onto the Donut. Place a Candy Abalone on the top of donut. Cover the wok with a lid, under medium fire for 5-10 minutes until the bottom of donut is golden brown and crispy. Pour some abalone sauce, and enjoy. The top of a donut should be smooth and tender while the bottom should be crispy.