It's time to try Chinese recipes

JAKARTA (JP): For those who don't have time to prepare elaborate meals for the weekend, try these easy and practical Chinese recipes.

You will only need 15 minutes of your precious time to prepare these two delicious meals.

All you have to do is to prepare the basic ingredients for cooking both the chicken and the soup and just add some vegetables to the soup.

Chicken with mushroom * 8 chicken pieces * 2 tablespoons of Chinese rice wine * 150 g ear-shaped black fungus, thinly sliced * 150 g hioko mushroom, thinly sliced * 3 cloves garlic, finely minced * 2 cloves shallots, finely chopped * 1 cm ginger, crushed * 1/2 tsp five spice powder * 250 cc water * 1 tbsp sesame seed oil * 2 tbsp cooking oil * a dash of salt * 2 tbsp lobster sauce * 1 leek stalk, sliced

(Makes 8 servings)

1. Season the chicken pieces with rice wine. Meanwhile, preheat the cooking oil over medium heat. Stir fry garlic, shallots and ginger until fragrant. 2. Add in chicken pieces, five spice powder, sesame seed oil, salt, lobster sauce and water. Cook until the water evaporates, add in black fungus, hioko and leek. Mix well and cook for eight minutes. Serve warm.

Clear vegetable soup * 1.5 l chicken broth, obtained from chicken bones * 250 g carrot, thinly sliced * 250 g cauliflower, separated * 150 g hioko mushroom, thinly sliced * 150 g ear-shaped black fungus, thinly sliced * 150 g white cabbage, sliced * 3 cloves garlic, finely minced * 2 shallots, finely minced * 1 cm ginger, crushed * 2 tbsp cooking oil * 1 stalk leek, finely sliced * 3 tbsp lobster sauce * salt, pepper * 1 tsp sesame seed oil * a dash of five spice powder

(Makes 8 servings)

1. Boil the chicken broth over medium heat. After that heat the cooking oil and fry garlic, shallots and ginger, until brown and fragrant, pour it over the broth. 2. Put in carrot, cook for five minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Serve warm. (Maria Endah Hulupi)