Food as comfort doesn't need to be hearty all the time. But, it must be appealing. It should bring a smile to the weary diner, and perhaps whet an appetite dulled by the cares of the world.

Over the years, I've collected a file of recipes under this category, all with Asian influences. This is a collection of whimsical snacks and tidbits, little culinary tricks that I have used to tempt broken-hearted friends, or depressed colleagues needing a little mental and physical pick-me-up.

Plum Blossom Sausages

5 hotdogs or chicken sausages

Fish, prawn or meat paste

Place sausages neatly on a piece of aluminum foil. Shape fish paste into a thin roll same length as sausages. Roll up aluminum foil so sausages wrap around the fish paste. Roll up foil and twist ends tight. Steam over high fire for 10 minutes.

Rest 10 minutes before unwrapping. When the roll is cool, unwrap and cut crosswise. You will get a pink five-petaled flower with a white heart. Serve steamed, or you can lightly fry the flowers. Drop a few black sesame seeds in the center of each bloom. Garnish with fried parsley or basil leaves.

This is a beautiful flower-shaped snack. I don't remember where I learned it from, but the original recipe has raw dough in the middle. I think using fish paste is easier, and definitely tastier. If fish paste is not available, try using finely minced chicken or beef mixed with a beaten egg and cornflour.

The tough part is rolling it up properly so that the sausages wrap around the paste, but practice makes perfect is the first and only rule in the kitchen.

Dried Whitebait and Peanuts

1 kg dried whitebait

1 kg peanuts, with skin

Salt and sugar

Crushed black seaweed

Chili flakes

Do a whole batch. This is a multipurpose snack and garnish. Pluck and clean dried fish, removing head and innards. Place fish fillets on a large baking sheet. Bake at 180 C for 15 minutes to crisp. Cool and store in airtight container.

Pick through peanuts, removing bad nuts and grit. Spread peanuts on a tray, bake at 160 C for 10 minutes first, then stir and bake additional 10 minutes. When nuts are crisp, remove from oven. They will crisp even more when cooled. Keep in airtight containers.

To serve: Mix one cup each fish and nuts in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle over one teaspoon each sugar and salt. Sprinkle crushed crispy seaweed and chili flakes. Toss to mix well. The mix can be added to noodles or fried rice.

Dried whitebait is popular throughout Asia to make soup stock, snacks and as a condiment. We always had a bottle stashed away in a cool dark place. It was our pantry essential.

Century Egg With Ginger Pickles

2 century eggs, cut into quarters

Pickled young ginger

Sesame oil

Place egg quarters around a small saucer. Pile on young ginger in the center. Drizzle sesame oil around eggs.

Odd though it may sound, these black pickled eggs can be very comforting. Paired with the sweet, sour and slightly spicy pickled ginger, they wake up the taste buds very effectively.

Century egg salad

2 century eggs

1 tablespoon black vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Bunch of cilantro

1 tablespoon shredded pickled ginger

2 tablespoon cucumber julienne

1 tablespoon shredded carrots

Salt, chili flakes

Cut century eggs into quarters. Mix together cilantro leaves, cucumber and carrot. Combine vinegar, honey, sesame oil. Shake to get emulsion. Drizzle over salad. Pile salad in center of plate. Surround with eggs. Top with shredded pickled ginger, and scatter pinches of salt and chili flakes over everything. This is a variation of century eggs I first tasted when we bought our country home in Yunnan more than a decade ago. The locals love strong flavors and the combination of cilantro and century eggs was amazing, and the crunchy crisp carrots and cucumbers added to tactile stimulation on the mouth. Pop sleepy eyes wide awake.

Hangover eggs with chili and spring onions

2 eggs

Shredded spring onions

Shredded chili

Thick sweet dark soya sauce

Heat generous amount of oil or butter in pan. Break eggs into a little bowl and slide into hot fat. Allow edges of white to sizzle and crisp. Cook yolks to desired firmness. Drain. Place on saucer and pile on freshly shredded spring onions and chili. Dribble thick sweet soya sauce over.

When I still used to toss back vast amounts of whiskey after putting the newspaper to bed, this was a favorite cure for the hangovers. The hot fat coats and calms the pickled stomach lining, and egg is instant protein. It is also a very colorful dish and visually appealing. Paired with a glass of tomato juice spiked with hot sauce, it is perfect hangover food.

It worked for my brother as well, who had to routinely get drunk with his Chinese clients at one time.

Garlic Chicken Wings

24 chicken wings, cut into sections

300 g garlic, finely minced

Salt and peppergrass mix

Rice flour for dredging

Marinate chicken wing sections in minced garlic and a tablespoon each of salt, and black pepper. Place in large ziplock bag overnight. Place 500 g rice flour (not glutinous) in a large plastic bag.

Prepare oil for deep frying. Dredge chicken wings by popping into the bag of rice flour. Shake well to coat. Place wings in a sieve and shake to remove excess flour. Deep fry eight minutes. Drain. To reheat, use air fryer and heat five minutes. Serve.

Pungent garlic makes these chicken wings irresistible and they are the ultimate beer food. A little like Buffalo wings in Western bars.

paulined@chinadaily.com.cn