Talk doesn't cook rice - Chinese Proverb
Chicken in Lettuce Leaves - a nice appetizer
1 Tbl. vegetable oil
1/2 lb. ground chicken
1 can water chestnuts, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 scallions, thinly sliced including green part
Boston lettuce leaves
Plum sauce
Cashews, chopped
Fresh cilantro, chopped
In a preheated wok or deep sided pan, heat oil and add chicken cooking for about 2 minutes. Add water chestnuts, garlic, bell pepper and scallions cooking for about 2 minutes. Add nuts stirring. Stir in plum sauce to coat. To serve; place some of the chicken mixture on lettuce leaf, add sprinkle of cilantro and fold leaf into a roll.
Shrimp Dumplings - One of my favorites - these take a bit of time to make, but are worth the wait
Dough
3/4 cup wheat starch (find in Asian stores)
2 Tbl. tapioca starch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbl. boiling water
2 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
Filling
8 oz. raw shrimp, cleaned and chopped
3 Tbl. bamboo shoots, finely chopped
2 tsp. scallions, finely chopped
3/4 tsp. dry sherry
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tsp. cornstarch
vegetable oil - place on work surface when handling dough
For dough; in a bowl, combine wheat starch, tapioca starch and salt. Slowly stir in 1/2 cup boiling water. Add the oil and begin using your hands to shape into a dough. Add the remaining 2 Tbl. of boiling water if dough is too dry. Don't overwork dough, but continue shaping for 2 minutes until dough is smooth and shiny. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
For filling; place shrimp in a bowl and add all other ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Making dumplings; Coat a paper towel with vegetable oil and use it to oil your cutting board or work surface and the broad side of a cleaver. Keep the dough covered to prevent drying out. Break off 1 tsp. of the dough, roll into a ball and flatten by pressing it into palm of your hand. Lay the dough on work surface and press down on it with oiled side of cleaver to form a 3-inch circle. Add heaping teaspoon of filling and place in the middle of wrapper, spreading it out evenly but not touching the edges. Carefully lift the upper edge of the wrapper and fold it over the filling. Using your thumb and forefinger to form pleats in the dough and pinch the edges closed. Place on a plate and cover with damp cloth and continue making dumplings. Prepare a steamer for steaming. Steam dumplings in batches by placing on a lightly oiled plate until wrapper is translucent and shrimp appear slightly pinkish (about 15 minutes). Serve with hot chili oil or sauce of your choice.
Ground Pork and Cilantro Soup
6 cups chicken stock (good quality - I like Kitchen Basics)
2 cups ground pork
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
salt and white pepper
1 Tbl. ginger root, finely minced
2 scallions, finely chopped including green part
5 Tbl. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Marinade
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. rice wine
1 tsp. soy sauce
Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and add ground pork marinating for about 30 minutes. Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the pork, stirring to break up and simmer for about 15 minutes. Slowly add the egg whites stirring rapidly so they form into fine shreds (chopsticks work well for this.) Season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve; place ginger, scallion and cilantro in the base of 4 serving bowls and pour soup on top. How simple and easy is that?
Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one - Ancient Chinese Proverb
Steamed Fish
salt
2-inch piece of ginger root, thinly julienned
1 tsp. rice wine
1 scallion, slivered on diagonal
1 Tbl. vegetable oil
1 Tbl. soy sauce
Clean fish and dry with paper towels. Score the fish on both sides with deep diagonal cuts. Press salt into the skin. Let rest for 20 minutes.
Place fish on a plate and top with ginger, rice wine and half of the scallion. Steam in a steamer for about 10 minutes. Heat the oil in a pan to smoking point and pour over the remaining scallion. Pour this over fish with remaining soy sauce. Serve with rice and spicy green beans.
Scallops with Black Bean Sauce
4 Tbl. vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. ginger root, minced
2 Tbl. fermented black beans, rinsed and lightly mashed
1 1/2 lbs. scallops
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. rice wine
2 tsp. sugar
5 Thai chilies, finely chopped (less if you don't like chilies)
4 tsp. chicken stock
2 scallions, finely chopped including green part
In a preheated wok or deep pan, heat the oil. Add garlic and stir, then add ginger and cook for about 1 minute stirring. Mix in the black beans, then scallops stirring for about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, rice wine, sugar and chili. Lower heat and simmer about 3 minutes, adding stock if needed. Add scallion, stir and serve. - My mouth is watering, this is so good.
Fresh Clams in Black Bean Sauce
4 lbs. small clams
2 Tbl. vegetable oil
2 Tbl. fresh ginger, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 Tbl. fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped
4 tsp. rice wine
3 scallions, finely chopped including green part
salt to taste
Wash clams well. In preheated wok or deep pan, heat oil and stir fry ginger and garlic about 1 minute. Add black beans and cook about 1 minute. Over high heat, add clams and rice wine, stir fry about 3 minutes, mixing well. Cover and cook until shells open. Discard any shells that don't open. Add scallions and salt. Serve.
If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people. - Chinese Proverb
Sweet and Sour Chicken
1 1/2 lbs. chicken, boneless and skinless, cubed
vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbl. ginger root, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1 large carrot, thinly sliced on diagonal
2 scallions, finely chopped including green part
2 tsp. sesame oil
Marinade
3 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. rice wine
salt and white pepper, to taste
1 tsp. sesame oil
Sauce
9 Tbl. rice vinegar
4 Tbl. sugar
3 tsp. soy sauce
7 Tbl. ketchup
Note: for sauce taste and adjust vinegar and ketchup to your taste.
Place marinade ingredients into a bowl and whisk, add chicken, stirring to incorporate. Marinate for about 1 hour. For sauce, heat vinegar in a saucepan, add sugar, soy and ketchup. Dissolve in the sugar and set aside.
In preheated wok or deep pan, heat some vegetable oil and stir fry chicken until it turns golden brown. Remove and set aside. Clean wok, add a little oil and stir in ginger and garlic. Add the other vegetables and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken and cook 1 minute. Add sauce and sesame oil, then stir in scallion. Serve with steamed rice.
Beef with Broccoli
1 lb. tenderloin steak, cut into thin strips
8 oz. broccoli florets
1 medium red bell pepper, julienned
2 Tbl. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ginger root, minced
1 small white onion, julienned
salt
2 tsp. soy sauce
Marinade
1 Tbl. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. rice wine
1 tsp. honey
Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl, add beef and mix. Cover and let stand for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Blanch the broccoli in a pan of boiling water for about 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
In preheated wok or deep pan, heat 1 Tbl. oil and stir fry the garlic, ginger, red bell pepper and onion for 1 minute. Add broccoli and stir fry for 1 minute. Remove from wok and set aside.
In clean preheated wok or deep pan, heat remaining oil and stir fry beef until it turns color. Add broccoli mixture, season with a little salt and soy sauce, cooking meat through. Serve over rice if desired.
Spicy Pork - one of my favorites
1 lb. pork loin, thinly sliced
2 Tbl. vegetable oil
2 tsp. chili bean sauce
2 Tbl. fermented black beans, rinsed and lightly mashed
1 large green bell pepper, julienned
1 large red bell pepper, julienned
2 tsp. sweet red bean paste
2 tsp. honey
3 tsp. dark soy sauce
1 tsp. white pepper
3 scallions, thinly sliced on diagonal (garnish)
cooked white rice
In a preheated work or deep pan, heat oil and stir fry the pork slices (in batches) until they turn color. Remove pork, set aside and continue cooking pork slices. Once all pork is cooked remove and set aside. Into wok, stir in chili bean sauce, then black beans and red bean paste, add bell peppers and remaining ingredients including the pork. Continue cooking for a few minutes until pork is completely cooked through. Serve with rice and sprinkle on scallions.
Peking Duck Served with Chinese Thin Pancakes
1 (4 1/2 lb.) duck - Note: you can roast a whole chicken if desired, but make sure skin is very crisp.
Pancakes (recipe below)
1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and julienned
10 scallions, thinly sliced on long diagonal including green part (you are looking for a shredded scallion)
Hoisin Sauce and Plum Sauce
Roast the duck in a 400 degree oven until skin is very crispy and duck is cooked through. When cooked through, let rest for about 10 minutes and thinly slice. On a pancake smear on some Hoisin or Plum sauce, add some duck or chicken slices, cucumber and scallion. Roll up and enjoy.
Pancakes
3 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups boiling water
2 Tbl. cold water
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl and slowly stir in boiling water to make a thick dough. Add cold water and sesame oil then knead dough for 4 minutes until it's soft and smooth. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. Dust work surface with flour then divide dough into 2 pieces and knead until smooth. Roll each portion into a log and divide into 15 balls. Roll each ball to a 6-inch thin circle. Heat a dry skillet, then turn down heat. Place the pancakes in skillet and cook until little brown spots begin to appear. Flip and cook and additional 10 seconds.
Singapore Noodles
12 oz. thin rice vermicelli
3 Tbl. vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 1/2 lbs. medium shrimp, cleaned and chopped in half
6 oz. barbecued pork, julienned (I just go to my favorite Chinese restaurant and order prepared barbecued pork, come home and julienne it. Once in a while I'll make my own)
1 white onion, julienned
1 Tbl. mild curry powder
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chicken stock
1 Tbl. soy sauce
2 cups bean sprouts
thinly sliced scallions including green part (garnish)
fresh cilantro, chopped (garnish)
Cook vermicelli according to package directions, drain and set aside. In preheated wok or deep pan, add 2 Tbl. oil, add garlic and stir fry for about 1 minute. Add shrimp and stir fry for 1 minute, add barbecued pork, stir 1 minute. Remove all and set aside. In clean wok, heat remaining oil and add onion, stir fry 1 minute then add curry powder. Add bell pepper, sugar, salt and stock, stir fry 2 minutes. Pour in soy sauce followed by cooked vermicelli, tossing well. Add bean sprouts, shrimp and barbecued pork mixture, stirring until warmed through. Place on serving platter and garnish with scallions and cilantro.
Chinese Fried Eggplant
4 eggplants, halved lengthwise and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
Vegetable oil
1 Tbl. chili bean sauce
3 tsp. fresh ginger root, finely minced
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 Tbl. chicken stock
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. soy sauce
4 scallions, finely chopped including green part
In preheated work or deep pan, add oil and cook eggplant for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Clean wok and add 2 Tbl. oil. Add chili bean sauce and stir fry, then add ginger and garlic and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add stock, sugar and soy sauce. Toss in fried eggplant and simmer a couple of minutes. Stir in scallion and serve. Note: You can also add ground pork to this dish. Add before the chili bean sauce and cook until browned.
Potatoes With Cilantro - love
4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
vegetable oil
1 cup ground pork
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 scallions, finely chopped including green part
salt and white pepper, to taste
pinch of sugar
3 Tbl. cooking water from potatoes
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Boil potatoes in large pot of water for about 20 minutes or until cooked through. Drain reserving some of the potato water. In a wok or deep pan, add oil and cook potatoes until golden brown. Set aside.
Clean wok and add 1 Tbl. oil and stir fry pork, bell pepper and scallion for 1 minute. Season with salt, pepper and sugar and stir for for 1 minute. Stir in potato chunks and add 3 Tbl. reserved potato water. Cook for 3 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in cilantro and add to platter.
Chinese Cabbage and Cucumber Salad
16 oz. Chinese cabbage, finely shredded
1 tsp. salt
1 large English cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely julienned
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 Tbl. white rice vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Sprinkle cabbage with salt and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain if necessary. Mix cabbage with cucumber. Whisk together in a bowl, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, vinegar and sugar and toss with vegetables.
Dessert - I personally am not a fan of Chinese desserts, but I am going to add almond cookies. I would serve poached pears in honey, rice pudding with dried fruit, fresh fruit, or sorbet for dessert options.
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 oz. slivered almonds
8 oz. butter or shortening
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp. almond extract
50 whole almonds to decorate cookies
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together, set aside. In a food processor add almond slivers and pulse to grind well. Add flour mixture and pulse until nuts and well mixed with flour.
Place flour/nut mixture in to a large bowl, add butter and work flour until crumbly. Add sugar, egg and almond extract and mix well until dough is soft and pliable but still firm enough to be handled.
Divide dough into 1-inch balls and place 2-inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Lightly flatten them into circles with back of spoon. Press a whole almond into center of each cookie. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and bake for about 15-18 minutes or just until beginning to brown. Remove to cooling rack.
Bon Appetit - or Sihk Faahn
"Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen." - Hebrews 11:1
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