Fathers’ Day Recipes

Like many other 20-somethings, my cooking skills don’t go beyond the occasional aglio olio. My dad, on the other hand, is a bit of a foodie. As a freelance emcee, he’s hosted cooking shows and knows — within a second of you asking — where the best Laksa or Chicken Rice is in Singapore.

That’s why this Fathers’ Day, instead of the usual pleasantries and restaurant meals, I decided to spend some time with him in the kitchen. And not just hunting for snacks together, but actually whipping up a dish, something we’ve never done together before.

Oh, something else you should know about my dad is that he’s a K-drama guy. So when I asked him what he wanted to make, it didn’t take long for him to land on jajangmyeon, a noodle dish with a thick, Korean black bean paste sauce. (He says he was inspired by Wok of Love, a K-drama about a jajangmyeon cooking competition. Go figure.)

Getting the ingredients was quite easy as we live rather close to a Korean Mart, which is where we got the noodles and black bean paste from. We weren’t sure if one packet of black bean sauce (250g) was enough, so we got two (Spoiler: one was more than enough).

At the store, there was also the option to choose frozen or dry noodles. For this attempt, my dad chose frozen noodles. While it was frozen, it required no defrosting and retained a chewy and fresh texture. Thumbs up from us!

Blanching the pork belly in hot water before cutting will remove the blood and make it easier to cut

But what surprised me even more were the things I learnt about him, like how his favourite dish to cook is Hokkien Mee, how he has some really good knife skills, and how he is so patient and kind with his words, even to a daughter who can’t cook.

This Fathers’ Day, I chose to spend some quality time with my dad in the kitchen, and we had a great meal and an even better bonding time. He picked the jajangmyeon recipe, which was pretty simple (and yummy!), but if your dad isn’t a K-drama fanatic like mine, here are 5 other recipes in this month’s specials:

1. One Pot Beef Stew

This Chinese beef stew takes reference from Cantonese cooking and pairs vibrant flavours of daikon and carrots with rich earthy beefy goodness. And yes, it’s one pot only, so you won’t have to ask your mum or siblings for help to clean up.

Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/chinese-beef-stew

Skill Level: Easy

2. Hamburg Steak

If western food is preferred, this air-fryer hamburg steak recipe will satisfy your dad’s cravings. As a bonus, it easily looks restaurant-quality too!

P.S. The instructions for a delicious Hamburg sauce is included in this recipe as well.

Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/hamburg-steak

Skill Level: Easy

3. Kari Kapitam

For a spicy kick this Fathers’ Day, this dish will not disappoint. This dry curry gravy brings about that delectable harmony of traditional Chinese and Malay flavours all into one hearty dish. Tip: if your dad’s watching his weight, swap out the cream for greek yoghurt.

Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/kari-kapitan/

Skill Level: Easy

4. Nyonya Chap Chye (Peranakan Mixed Vegetables)

This Nyonya Chap Chye (loosely translated: mixed vegetables) is a classic from the Peranakan cuisine. With fresh vegetables tossed, crispy beancurd strips and broth-soaked tang hoon (glass noodles), it is nothing short of a flavour explosion!

Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/nyonya-chap-chye/

Skill Level: Easy

5. Sio Bak

A guilty indulgence, this Sio Bak recipe is the ultimate bonding tool. The process is slightly tedious, taking over 2 hours to do, but that’s how you get really delicious Sio Bak to share. If you or your dad is feeling daunted, think thick chunks of delicious pork belly to savour on Fathers’ Day. There’s no better gift!

Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/frommetoyou-sio-bak/

Skill Level: Easy

Things to Do on Fathers’ Day

Needless to say, cooking is a great bonding activity. Whether it’s with your dad, mum, or any other loved one, there’s so much to learn, enjoy and celebrate just by spending some unhurried time together. For my dad and me, I can safely say this is one for the books. Indeed, it’s a jajangmyeon I’ll never forget.

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Some other easy recipes you might like:

• One Pot Xing Zhou Mi Fen
• Trio Steamed Eggs With Minced Meat
• Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings

P.S. We’ve got recipes for all your Singaporean and Asian favourites on our Youtube channel. Subscribe and share with your friends!

P.P.S. Can’t find a recipe you like? Drop us a comment or ping us on our socials.

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