Many of us have already received the first half of the government’s consumption vouchers worth $5,000. Have you got a plan for how to spend it yet? This issue of Channel 823 will share some interesting ideas for how our readers can use their consumption vouchers to buy luxurious fresh food from Link’s markets to cook a big feast at home, along with some extraordinary dinner recipes.

Link’s fresh markets are known for their diversity in range of vendors and groceries of good quality. This time, we take the trip to Spot Mart in Tseung Kwan O. Here, not only can you get all the ingredients you need for a fantastic three-dish and one-soup meal, you can also conveniently pay for everything with your consumption vouchers.

Homecooked Surf & Turf meal – Your Guide to Quality Food Ingredients and the Recipe

1. Hot Wok Beef Steak

Ingredients (Serving 4):

• One slab of Angus beef (about 250 grams)
• 1/4 onion (sliced)
• 1/2 teaspoon of grounded black pepper
• Sliced green onion (sliced), to taste
• Sliced red bell pepper, to taste

Hot Wok beef is a common dish available in many Chinese restaurants and Hong Kong-style cafes. With the consumption vouchers, we decided to upgrade the recipe by replacing regular beef fillet with Angus beef. Even though they are of different cuts from a cow, Angus beef are well-marbled, juicy and known for their delicate texture. The key to making this dish is to control the heat - avoid overcooking the beef.

Directions:

1. Slice the beef and marinate. Let it sit for half an hour.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil. Fry the beef until browned. Take out.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in the wok to saute the onion and black pepper. Add the beef and sauce (mix water, sugar, salt, light and dark soy sauce), and fry the beef until sealed. Serve on plate and sprinkle the onions and bell pepper on top.

2. Baked Lobsters in Cheese Sauce with Noodles

Ingredients (Serving 4 to 6)

• One “Giant Grouper” lobster (about 1/2 to one catty)
• 1/2 onion
• 1 glove of garlic
• 2 E-fu noodles
• Chicken broth (500 ml)
• 4 slices of cheese
• Butter, to taste

At Spot Mart, we came across wild-caught lobsters from the South China Sea – “Giant Grouper” lobsters. The vendor was full of praise of these local catches: tasty, tender, and with a chewier texture than the Australian lobsters favored by most Hong Kong people. Fresh E-fu noodles can be bought from shops that specialise in tofu or noodles. For noodles, brightness and shininess usually means freshness. Make sure you get the ones that come in round and full shape and avoid those that appear oily and sticky.

Directions:

1. Chill the lobster in ice water or in the fridge. Cut the lobster in half by inserting a sharp knife into the head section with the blade pointing forward. Then press down firmly to split the head in half. Re-insert the knife into the head, with blade pointing towards the tail, then split the rest of the lobster in half.
2. Blanch noodles to remove the oil, and then take out.
3. Put noodles in chicken broth and leave them to simmer.
4. Apply salt and starch on lobster to seal in the juice.
5. Pan-fry each side of the lobster for 1 minute. Add chicken broth on the lobster and bake for 1 minute. Then add cheese to the lobster and bake for another 4 to 5 minutes
6. Place cooked lobster on top of the noodles. Add cheese sauce.

3. Fried Crab with Typhoon Shelter Style

Ingredients (Serving 4)

• 1 mud crab
• Garlic (900 grams)
• 2 Chili peppers
• Green onion (10 grams)
• Ginger (20 grams)
• Chinese fermented black beans (20 grams)
• Salt (1 teaspoon)
• Sugar (1 teaspoon)
• Light soy sauce (1 teaspoon)

This famous dish originated from the “dinner-on-a-boat” typhoon shelter restaurants in Hong Kong. The key to making this dish is to use male mud crab. The best ones are those that have all their legs and claws, according to seafood vendors.

Directions:

1. Peel and slice the ginger.
2. Cut chili peppers into small pieces.
3. Chop the black beans and mince the garlic.
4. Clean and cut the crab.
5. Heat a wok of oil in low heat.
6. Deep-fry the minced garlic until it turns golden-brown.
7. Add ginger slices, black beans, and chili peppers. Deep-fry for 1 minute and then take out.
8. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in high heat. Saute the green onion, and then add the crab and stir-fry.
9. Add the deep-fried garlic and chili peppers. Then add sugar, salt and light soy sauce for seasoning.

4. Soup with Chinese silk chicken, giant conch and greenlip abalone

Ingredients (Serving 4 to 6):

• 1 frozen greenlip abalone
• 1 frozen conch (whelk head)
• 4 dried conch heads
• 1 Chinese silk chicken
• Jinhua ham with bone, to taste
• 4 dried scallops
• 10 or more red dates (enucleated)
• 4 date palms
• 10 or more dried longan pulps
• 8 – 10 slices of Chinese yam
• Wolfberries (1 – 2 tablespoons)
• Lean meat (to taste)
• 1 – 2 slices of ginger
• 6 rice bowls of water

This soup is rich in nutrients and perfect for the current warm weather. The dried seafood vendor at Spot Mart told us that when it comes to picking greenlit abalone, size and thickness matters. Other than the salty dried conch heads, it is important to add the frozen yellow conch head for its sweetness. Combining the three and we have an exceptionally flavorful and savory soup.

Directions:

1. Dip conch heads in water until soft. Rinse the abalone.
2. Blanch and rinse Jinhua ham, the chicken and lean meat.
3. Rinse all other ingredients.
4. Put all ingredients other than the wolfberries into the water. Stew for 4 hours. (put wolfberries in with 1/2 hour left)

Reference prices on the ingredients for the three-dish and one soup menu

Total cost using consumption voucher: $2,510

Such a sumptuous feast not only includes many high quality and rare ingredients, it also satisfies the entire family’s taste buds while allowing everyone to enjoy the good food without worrying about their health. Most importantly, the whole meal only cost about half the amount of the consumption voucher! Why not head over to your nearest Link fresh market now to hunt for these treasures and treat the family to a lavish yet cost-effective meal!