DIOSCOREA OPPOSITA: WAAI SAAN SOUP -- 淮山红枣糖水

淮山红枣糖水 SWEET WAAI SAAN ROOT AND RED DATE SOUP
[Waai saan hong jou tong sui]

淮山5兩 (five taels of Waaisaan).
红枣1兩 (one tael of red dates).
白糖适量 (a suitable amount of sugar).

淮山去皮，切片 (peel and chop the Waaisaan).
红枣洗净，切片 (rinse and chop the dates).
淮山同红枣放入水中 (dump both into water).
煮到淮山變軟 (cook until the Waaisaan softens).
加數量糖 (add a suitable quantity of sugar).

係噉 (that is all).

["Waai saan hong jou tong sui: Waai saan ng leung. Hong jou yat leung. Paak tong sik leung. Waai saan heui pei, chit pin. Hong jou sai jeng, chit pin. Waai saan tong hong jou fong yap sui jung. Jiu dou waai saan pin yuen. Gaa sou leung tong. Hai gam."]

Simple, tasty, and healthful.
Good for yin energy (陰氣 yam hei), kidneys, spleen, and the liver.


Dioscorea opposita - the Korean yam. 淮山葯 waai saan yeuk.


Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/12/korean-yam.html.

SARUNDENG BAWANG -- COCONUT GARNISH WITH ONION

SARUNDENG BAWANG
Crispy coconut and onion garnish

One cup grated coconut.
One finely slivered shallot.
Two TBS. lime juice
One TBS. amber fish sauce.
One Tsp. sugar.
A few drops Louisiana hotsauce.
Pinches ground coriander and turmeric.

Mix it all together well. Let stand an hour or two. Spread thinly on an oiled baking tray, and toast it for two hours at slightly below 300 degrees Fahrenheit. If necessary, decant it to a skillet and toast it golden brown afterwards by hand. Keeps for a few weeks.
Use it to add textural excitement on top of curries.


Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/feeling-pleasantly-antique.html.

RUDJAK -- SOUR HOT SALAD

RUDJAK
Sour and hot salad.

Two TBS. each: lime juice, tamarind liquid, amber fish sauce, smooth peanut butter.
One TBS. each: brown sugar, Louisiana hot sauce, sambal ulek.
Hot water as needed for diluting, and a few drops of oil for smoothness.

Whisk together till smooth.
Serve as a dip, or use as dressing, for raw and blanched vegetables and sour fruits, with shrimp chips, fried tofu squares (tauhu pong), and slices of hard-boiled egg.


originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/feeling-pleasantly-antique.html.

PATJOKAN LIMO -- LEMON PICKLE RELISH

PATJOKAN LIMO
Lemon pickle-relish

One cup white vinegar.
Half cup water.
Quarter cup sugar.
Two TBS. salt.
Half Tsp. turmeric.
Pinch paprika (for colour).
Three large lemons.
Three small green chilies.

Blanch lemons and chilies. Remove seeds, and chop.
Mix everything in a large jar.
Age a week, shake regularly.
Use a little for a startling condimental addition.


Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/feeling-pleasantly-antique.html.

BABUI MAKETJAP -- SOY SAUCE PORK

BABUI MAKETJAP
Soy-sauce pork

One pound pork loin, chunked.
One or two stalks scallion, cut into small lengths.
A thumb-length ginger, coarse slivered.
One Tsp. sambal ulek
One or two star anise.
Quarter cup soy sauce.
Two TBS. sugar.
Half cup water.
Jigger sherry.

Salt and pepper the pork lightly. Stirfry the scallion and ginger in oil till fragrant, add the meat and sauté to colour. Add everything else and simmer for half and hour or so. The sauce should be velvety, but not treacly.


Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/feeling-pleasantly-antique.html.

EBERE -- MEAT AND BAMBOO SHOOT COCONUT STEW

EBERE
Meat and bamboo shoots in rich sauce

Pound and a half of chunked goat.
Cup and a half of julienned bamboo shoots.
One carrot, also julienned.
A small onion, minced.
Some minced garlic and chili.
One or two TBS. sambal ulek.
One Tsp. ground coriander.
Half Tsp. each turmeric, dry ginger, ground cumin.
Cup and a half coconut milk.
Cup of stock or water.
Dash soy sauce.
Squeeze of lime juice.

Frazzle the onion garlic and ginger with a little of the coconut milk until the oil comes out and the mixture gilds. Add the powdered spices, sambal, and goat, plus a splash more coconut milk. When the oil comes out again, add the remaining coconut milk and the water. Simmer for an hour. Then add the bamboo shoot, carrot, soy sauce, and the squeeze of lime juice, cook half an hour more.


Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/feeling-pleasantly-antique.html.

MANOK KUNIT -- YELLOW CURRY CHICKEN

MANOK KUNIT
Yellow curry chicken

Half a chicken, in four pieces.
One onion, minced.
One or two cloves garlic, minced.
A little ginger, ditto.
Three kemiri (candlenuts); lightly toasted, ground smooth.
One TBS. sambal ulek.
One Tsp. tamarind paste.
One Tsp. each: ground coriander, turmeric, dry ginger.
Half Tsp. each: sugar, shrimp paste.
Generous pinch ground cumin.
A stalk of lemon grass.
One cup coconut milk.
Dash of amber fish sauce.

Gild the onion, garlic, and ginger. Add the kemiri, sambal, shrimp paste, and spices, stirfry till fragrant. Then add the chicken, lemon grass, and coconut milk. Cook till the chicken is tender and the oil starts coming out, about forty minutes. Add the sugar and fish sauce, and cook a few minutes more.


Originally here; http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/feeling-pleasantly-antique.html.

SOHAN HALWA -- INDIAN SWEETMEAT

SOHAN HALWA


One and a half cup all-purpose flour.
Half a cup of cornstarch (makki di nishasto).
Five cups cane sugar.
Five cups butter or ghee.
One and a half cup sliced almonds.
Ten cups water.
Pinch saffron, finely ground.
Green cardamom seeds, ditto.

Put one cup of butter, the all-purpose flour, and the cornstarch, into a pan and mix over low heat till uniform. Add the water and bring to a boil. Add sugar, and stir while cooking to dissolve. Cook very briefly longer. Let it cool slightly, then pour it through muslin or a fine mesh sieve into another pan. Stir in the ground saffron, cover with a teacloth, and let it sit overnight in a cool place.
The next day, reheat it till it starts darkening. Add the finely ground cardamom, mix well, blend in the remaining butter, and cook it till sufficiently stiff. Let it cool slightly, then spread it out on a greased surface or non-stick baking tray, strew the almonds over and press them into the surface.
Once it is cold, cut it into rectangles.

Note: if using ghee, and cooked beyond the fudge consistency to a brickle state, it will keep for a while in a tin.


Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-long-rest-in-durganda-nagar.html.

KABAB MASALA -- SPICE MIX FOR PAKISTANI BARBECUE

KABAB MASALA

Roast or toast the ingredients as appropriate ere grinding. [Many seeds develop more fragrance if you do this.]
All measures are given for ground spices.
Volume, not weight.

Ten parts coriander.
Six parts cumin.
Six parts cayenne.
Six parts black pepper.
Three parts dry ginger.
Three parts cinnamon.
Three parts mace.
Two parts turmeric.
Two parts fennel.
One part clove.
One part green cardamom.

This can be rubbed on a fine fat murgee for roasting, but the best use is to mix it with minced lamb or goat. Do not get the berogha type of meat, there must be some fat in it! Two tablespoons of masala per pound of flesh.
Form it around skewers and grill it over charcoal.
Serve with vinegared onions.


Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-long-rest-in-durganda-nagar.html.

BUCKET CHICKEN -- 桶子油雞

桶子油雞
BUCKET CHICKEN

老公雞: 1隻 (one old cock, around three pounds).
薑: 2或3片 (two or three thick slices of ginger).
葱: 2或3條 (two or three scallion).
八角: 5或6粒 (five or six whole star anise).
陳皮: 半個 (half a dried tangerine peel).
糖: 5両 (about one cup cane sugar, slightly less).
豉油: 3盃 (three cups soy sauce).
黄酒: 1盃 (one cup sherry or rice wine).
水: 3盃 (three cups water).

Blanch chicken, rinse and drain.
Put a bamboo rack in the bottom of a soup pot (to keep the bird from sticking), add all flavourings and liquids, and bring to a boil. Put the chicken in the pot, simmer roughly half an hour, turning as appropriate and pouring the hot broth into the cavity. Remove the bird from the pot and brush with oil to make it shiny.
Let it cool a bit.

Chop into large pieces and arrange on a platter.
Splash some of the cooking liquid over to serve.




Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/something-other-than-gobbling-thing.html.

GUINNESS BRAISED DUCK -- 建力士燒鴨

建力士燒鴨
GUINNESS BRAISED DUCK

鴨子: 1隻，重约3或4斤 (one duck, roughly 4½ to 5 Lbs).
葱: 8條 (eight scallion).
薑: 數片 (a few slices of ginger).
糖: 2湯匙 (two TBS sugar).
鹽: 1茶匙 (one Tsp. salt).
水: 適量 (a suitable amount of water).
生粉: ½湯匙，同水1湯匙 (half a TBS cornstarch, mixed with a little water).
建力士啤酒 (司陶特啤酒): 1樽 [2盃] (one bottle Guinness Stout = 2 cups).

Wash and trim the duck. Cook in boiling water for five minutes. Remove and drain. Chop it into large pieces. Sautée scallion and ginger, add duck pieces and a splash of stout.
Stir to coat and fragrantize.
Decant to a stew pot, add everything except the sugar and cornstarch.
Simmer for an hour or so.
Stir in sugar and cornstarch, and once it thickens, serve.

You could also use Chimay Red or Grande Réserve, instead of the Guinness, and omit the sugar. You might then call it 希邁燒鴨。


Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/something-other-than-gobbling-thing.html.

LADDOO -- INDIAN SWEETMEAT

LADDOO


Three cups semolina flour (rava).
Three cups cane sugar.
One cup ghee.
One cup heavy whipping cream.
Half a cup ground almonds.
One TBS ground green cardamom seeds.

Put the semolina and ghee into a pan, and gently roast till sweet and toasty smelling. Add the sugar and almonds, stir over heat for a few minutes till everything is nicely blended, then add the cream and cardamom. Cook, stirring, till the goo is shiny and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Roll into fifty or so round balls, then set on a plate to air and harden.


Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-long-rest-in-durganda-nagar.html.

CHICKEN PUMPKIN TARO COCONUT SOUP -- 椰汁香芋南瓜雞

椰汁香芋南瓜雞
Chicken, pumpkin, and taro with coconut milk.

材料 Ingredients:

雞: 半隻, 斬/切五,六塊 (half a chicken, cut into five or six chunks)。
芋頭: 3両 (four ounces taro, peeled and chunked)。
南瓜: 3両 (four ounces pumpkin, peeled and chunked)。
冬菇: 5隻, 切片 (five black mushrooms, sliced)。
芹菜: 2條, 切段 (two stalks celery, coarsely cut)。
葱頭: 1顆, 切成 (one onion, chopped)。
葱: 1粒, 切成 (one scallion, chopped)。
椰汁: 8湯匙 (six TBS coconut milk)。
上湯: 少許 (small quantity superior stock)。
生粉: 少許 (small quantity cornstarch)。


製法 / 做法 Jai faat / Joh faat:

Rinse the chicken, rub it with a little cornstarch and set is aside. Gild the taro and pumpkin separately in oil, set aside.

Quick fry the onion till fragrance rises, add the celery and stirfry, add the mushroom and chicken pieces and turn to coat and incorporate. Splash liberally with the superior stock, add the taro, then add the coconut milk and the pumpkin. Let it simmer for about five to ten minutes, and strew the chopped scallion over ere serving.



Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/cantonese-food-dutch-uncle-and.html.

PORK SHREDS AND SNOW FUNGUS SOUP -- 肉茸銀耳羹

肉茸銀耳羹
Pork shreds and snow fungus soup

材料 Ingredients:

瘦豬肉: 3両 (four ounces lean pork)。
乾雪耳: 1両 (one and a third ounce dried snow fungus)。
雞蛋白: 1隻, 拂勻 (one egg white, whisked)。
薑: 1片 (one slice ginger)。
上湯: 4盃 (four cups stock: 1斤10兩)。
生粉: 3湯匙 (three TBS cornstarch)。
水: 4湯匙 (four TBS water)。
糖: ¼茶匙 (quarter Tsp. sugar)。
鹽: ⅛茶匙 (eighth Tsp. salt)。
胡椒粉: 少許 (a pinch of white pepper)。
麻油: 點點 (a dash of sesame oil)。


製法 / 做法 Jai faat / Joh faat:

Wash pork, dry, mince. Mix with half a TBS of the cornflour and a generous splash of the stock, let it stand. Soak snow fungus for an hour or so, then boil it for five minutes, take it out and rinse it under cold. Chop it semi-coarse.
Mix the rest of the cornstarch with the four tablespoons water.

Put the remaining stock in a pot with the snow fungus, ginger, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil, simmer for several minutes before adding the pork, then when it boils up again stir in the cornstarch mixed with water to velvetize it. While stirring, drizzle in the egg white. Add the pepper and sesame oil, and decant to a suitable tureen.



Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/cantonese-food-dutch-uncle-and.html.

WALNUT SOUP 核桃湯 HAT TOU TONG

核桃湯
Hat-tou tong: Walnut soup

桃仁: 5兩 (five tael shelled walnuts)。
砂糖: 5兩 (five tael cane sugar)。
粟米粉: 2湯匙 (two TBS cornstarch)。
清水: 4盃 (four cups water: 1斤10兩)。

Blanch the walnuts briefly to loosen the skins adhering to the flesh. Spread out to dry.

Fry walnuts lightly in hot oil till pale golden, remove and drain.
Mix cornstarch smooth with some of the water.
Put the walnuts and the remaining water in a blender and whir till smooth entirely, then pour through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a saucepan. Cook for several minutes before adding the sugar.
Stir to dissolve the sugar, and cook a little longer. Blend in the cornstarch to thicken the soup and make it velvety. Let cool slightly before serving.


補腦，補腎也。
[Good for the brain and kidneys.]


Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/sweet-times-two-cantonese-soup.html.

GULE KAMBING -- LAMB CURRY

GULE KAMBING
Curry lamb

One and a half pounds lamb, cut into chunks.
One onion, chopped.
Thumb-length ginger, minced.
Two or three cloves garlic, ditto.
Half TBS. ground coriander.
Half Tsp. each: paprika, turmeric, dry ginger.
Quarter Tsp. each: cayenne, ground pepper, mace.
A stalk of lemon grass.
A stick of cinnamon.
A bay leaf.
Three cups coconut milk.
One and a half cups water.
Quarter cup broken cashews.
Squeeze of lime juice.
Jigger of Louisiana hot sauce.

Grind powdered spices with the cashews to a paste, add the onion, garlic, and ginger, and mix - mash - grind till smooth.
Fry the spice paste till the oil separates, add the meat and stir to coat. Braise a bit, and keep stirring, to prevent burning at the bottom of the pan. Loosen the crusty bits as needed.
Add the remaining flavourings and about a third of the liquids (except the lime juice and hot sauce), cook into the oil comes out, then add the rest. Simmer for about half and hour to forty five minutes.
Stir occasionally to prevent scorching.
Squeeze the lime and jigger the hot sauce over before serving.


Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/feeling-pleasantly-antique.html.

SWEET POTATO AND PEARL BARLEY SOUP 番薯薏米湯 FAAN SHYU YI MAI TONG

番薯薏米湯
Faan-shyu yi-mai tong: Sweet potato and pearl barley soup

番薯: 4兩 (four tael sweet potato, cubed)。
片糖: 4兩 (four tael jaggery or gur)。
洋薏米: 1兩 (one tael pearl barley)。
薑: 1 片 (one thick slice ginger)。
清水: 4盃 (four cups water: 1斤10兩)。

Bring water, sugar, and ginger to a boil. Add the cubed sweet potato, cook for fifteen minutes. Add the pearl barley, cook five minutes more.
Let cool slightly before serving.


補脾，補肺，有驅寒之功效。
[Good for the spleen and lungs, beneficial in cold weather.]


One tael (兩 leung) is one-and-a-third ounce, though nowadays metrified as fifty grammes. There are ten mace (錢 chien) in a tael, sixteen tael in a catty (斤 gan).
Two tablespoons of cornstarch are equivalent to one-and-a-half tael, ergo there are four teaspoons in one tael of cornstarch.

[From notations elsewhere: One cup sugar is 192 grammes, one tablespoon is 12 grammes, one teaspoon is four grammes. And one 兩 or 两 (leung) equals 37¾ grammes ~ 1.3 oz. So four tael sugar is the same as 4.3 oz., or approximately 150 grammes, 12½ tablespoons. Eh, ¾ cup.
Five tael would be exactly 190 grammes, or nearly sixteen tablespoons of sugar.]


Originally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/sweet-times-two-cantonese-soup.html.

MANOK MAPUOG -- CHICKEN IN COCONUT MILK

MANOK MAPUOG
Coconut milk white chicken

One chicken cut into 6 or 8 pieces.
One onion, minced.
Six kemiri (candlenuts), lightly toasted.
Six cloves garlic, slivered.
A slice or two ginger.
One TBS. ground coriander.
Half Tsp. each: ground cumin, white pepper.
Small piece of cinnamon.
Two stalks lemon grass; bruised, folded, tied.
Whole green chilies.
Three cups coconut milk.
Three cups clear stock.
Pinches of salt and sugar.

Fry onion limp-translucent, add the garlic, ginger, and powdered spices. Gild very lightly. Now add everything except the chicken and whole chilies and simmer for an hour.
After this add the chicken and cook on low heat for about forty five minutes, then add the whole chilies and leave on the flame fifteen minutes more.

Remove the chicken to a dish, take out the whole chilies and piece of cinnamon, and reduce the liquid to a velvety consistency. Pour it over the chicken, and garnish with a few fresh basil leaves.


Orignally here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/11/feeling-pleasantly-antique.html.

FIVE EASY CANTONESE DISHES

These are the absolute quintessence of home-cooking.

Steamed meat patty 蒸猪肉餅 jing chu yiuk beng
Steamed chicken chunks 蒸滑雞 jing gwat kai
Stir-fried mustard green 炒油菜 chaau yau choi
Stir-fried baby bokchoy 炒白菜 chaau pak choi
Steamed omelette 蒸水蛋 jing seui daan

Two or three of these, with rice, and a bowl of either 老火湯 (lou fo tong: old-fire soup), or 西洋菜湯 (sai yeung choi tong: watercress soup), you've got yourself a splendid meal.

[Soup; 湯 tong: most Cantonese home-style soups start with a mixed broth made of pork bones and fresh chicken, with veggies or herbs thrown in for flavor, colour, and nutritive or tonifying benefit. Long simmering (老火) is often key. They are served by themselves or alongside meals to aid digestion and provide liquid, as often beverages are not on the table.]


蒸猪肉餅
Take enough ground pork for two people (about one third to half a pound), mix it with a little sesame oil, teaspoon of rice wine or sherry, and a touch of soy, let it stand for a while, then flatten it out onto a plate with ginger slivers strewn over, and steam it till done. Which will be between ten and twenty minutes, depending on the thickness. Often either some sliced dry fish (咸魚 haahm yü), or a salty egg (鹹蛋 haahm daan), or other fragrant savoury additions, are arranged on top, to by their aroma and depth add appeal. But really, you could just add a teaspoon of shrimp-paste to the meat before steaming, and it would be delicious!


蒸滑雞
Rub a teaspoon or two of corn starch into a half pound of chunked chicken before letting it sit for while to absorb the minor touches of sherry and soy sauce. A little shredded ginger is optional.
It should be steamed for about fifteen minutes, then garnished with minced scallion.
The cornstarch makes it slick (滑) and velvety.


炒油菜
Stirfried mustard green has a delightful bitterness and crunch; blanch it before tossing it in the hot wok. A dash of oyster sauce and a splash of stock to reduce is quite optional.


炒白菜
Stirfried baby bokchoy does not need any blanching, as it will be sweet and toothsome with only a little time in the pan.


蒸水蛋 
Two eggs. Four tablespoons water, or somewhat more. Dash of sesame oil, drop of soy, pinch of ground white pepper. And whatever chopped or rehydrated ingredients you think would be suitable, but don't overdo it, the essence is simplicity. Beat the eggs, water, and whatever else. Pour into a broad bowl, steam for about ten minutes till set.
Some minced chive or cilantro looks lovely on top.


Add few thick slivers of lahp cheung (臘腸), preserved pork belly (臘肉), ham (火腿), or black mushroom, to one or other dish, for a little extra excitement.


Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/10/cantonese-home-cooking.html.

KHARI BISCUIT

KHARI BISCUIT
[Please note: ALL ingredients should be very cold. Chill them beforehand.]

One cup plain flour (maida).
One cup atta (chapatti, durum, or wheat) flour.
Four TBS corn starch.
One cup ghee.
Teaspoon salt.
Half Tsp. baking powder.
Four TBS buttermilk.
Ice-cold water as needed.

Mix the dry ingredients, then knead briefly to a soft dough with the buttermilk and ghee, using cold water if necessary. Chill this for an hour. Dust with extra flour, then pound it flat and roll it out. Fold it over in three layers with a little flour in between. Roll it out and fold again. Cut into several three by five inch rectangles. Now fold these double twice, lengthwise, and pinch each strip in the centre.
Chill once more for at least an hour.
Then bake at four hundred Fahrenheit for ten minutes. Lower the temperature to 300 for another fifteen minutes to let it bake crisp evenly all the way through.

[Accha to, banaspati margarine bhi hogi.]

Note that whether or not you sprinkle kalonji, sesame, cracked pepper, or cumin seed over before baking, brushing with ghee is not a bad idea in any case. Use a cold roller to impress the seeds on the surface.

An acceptable shortcut is to simply buy pre-prepped puff pastry and treat it similarly.


Originally published here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/06/tony-eats-laddoo.html.

RAVENOUS BEAST SCRAMBLE

RAVENOUS BEAST SCRAMBLE

Two eggs, clotsed.
A large fistful of chunked ham.
Two tablespoons of capers, drained.
Two tablespoons of grated cheese.
Half an avocado, chunks.
One scallion, minced.
One tablespoon Crystal hot-sauce.
One tablespoon of lime juice.

Pour a liberal splash of olive oil into the skillet, sauté the scallion briefly and then add the ham chunks. Once they start to brown, add the capers, then the avocado. Agitate, add the beaten eggs, and swirl around. Sprinkle the cheese over and stir to incorporate as it melts. Liberally dash on the hot sauce and add a generous squeeze of lime juice. Serve on toast points while surfing the internet.



Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/06/go-ahead-add-kitchen-sink.html.

KETOPRAK

Like a lot of Indonesian salads, this is more of a meal than an excursion into healthful living. Vegans do not live in Indonesia.
At least not with any confidence.

Street vendors sell this, with extra sauce and sambal on the side.
Have some grilled meat with it to balance the digestive benefits.


SALAD INGREDIENTS:

Two Eggs, beaten with a tablespoon of water.
One onion, sliced thinly.
Chopped celery leaves from the end of the head.
One container of tofu; pressed, drained, cubed.
A handful of rice-stick noodles (the narrow kind).
Two cups of beansprouts, icky parts removed.
One cucumber, peeled, pipped, and chopped.
Optional: cold boiled string beans.

PEANUT SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

One cup peanut butter.
Four TBS brown sugar.
Three TBS lime juice.
Three TBS soy sauce.
One TBS sambal ulek.
One clove of garlic, smashed and minced.
Dash of amber fish sauce.
A few drops of Chinese sesame oil.


FOR THE SALAD:

Make a thin omelette of the eggs. Roll it loosely and let it cool. Slice it across into strips.
With plenty of oil fry the onion crispy-crisp. Heat, and lots of oil. No half measures.
Drain on a paper towel.
Fry the tofu golden brown, drain.
Boil the rice-stick noodles till soft, drain under running water.
Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water, immediately rinse under cold.

FOR THE SAUCE:

Whisk all ingredients together with enough water to make it soupy, and cook while stirring till it has achieved the consistency you like. Let it cool slightly before use, lest you burn yourself on the retained heat.

FOR THE COMBINATION OF THE TWO:

Arrange the salad ingredients on a plate. Drizzle the sauce generously over.
Serve with sliced compressed rice (lontong), or if that is not an option, thick slices of boiled potato, as is often done in Holland.

We often add shrimp chips (krupuk) to this, by the way.
Also lovely with deep-fried dry shrimp added.


NOTE REGARDING LONTONG:

Compressed rice is made by compressing slightly overcooked white rice in a form, or packing it into a sleeve made of bamboo leaves (to be discarded after use), and steaming it.
If using a form of some sort, line the form with cheese cloth, and press the rice in firmly, then tie it up well. Only a little more steaming is needed, use your own judgment.
The objective is a dense cake of rice, which you will chill overnight before cutting into large cubes.

Lontong is often also served with satay or sayor lodeh.


Sanak mantep (selamat makan).

MUI CHOI KAU YUK 梅菜扣肉 PORK BRAISED WITH SALTED VEGETABLE

MUI CHOI KAU YUK 梅菜扣肉
Fatty pork with salt cabbage.

One pound pork belly meat.
Quarter to half cup mui choi (梅菜), or slightly more.
Three cloves garlic, slivered.
Several slices of ginger, slivered.
Two TBS soy sauce, plus a little extra.
One TBS rice wine or sherry.
Half TBS sugar.
Small pinch five spice powder.

Coarsely chop the mui choi, then rinse it in a sieve to remove sand. Dump it in a bowl of cold water and let it soak for an hour. Drain, then rinse, drain and rinse again. This removes the salt used to preserve it. Set it aside.

Wash the hunk of pork belly, pat it dry with a paper towel. Use a fork to pierce the skin, then rub it with a little extra soy sauce and the pinch of five spice powder, and set it aside for half an hour.

In skillet or wok sear the chunk of pork belly on the skin side till crispy-brown, then colour it all over in the hot grease that will have rendered. Remove pork from pan.
Drain most of the grease (which can be saved or discarded, as you choose), and parch the mui choi, adding the slivered ginger and garlic half-way through. The purpose is to concentrate flavours slightly, not to fully cook the vegetable matter at this stage.

Put the pork belly in a heavy enameled sauce pan OR a clay pot, distribute the mui choi around it, and add the two tablespoons of soy sauce, the sugar, and the sherry. Put it on heat, and when it reaches boiling temperature, cover it, slip a heat absorber underneath, lower the heat to barely alive, and let it gently cook for three or four hours till the pork is quite tender. Check it occasionally to avoid scorching, and to spoon some of the liquid over the meat. Add water if necessary.

When it is done, remove from heat, and cut the pork belly chunk into finger thick chopstickable slices -- this can be done while leaving it in the pot -- dump some chopped cilantro on top, and serve.



Originally from here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/01/double-happiness-mui-choi-kau-yuk-and.html.

SUEN CHOI PAAK YUK 酸菜白肉 SOUR CABBAGE AND WHITE COOKED PORK

SUEN CHOI PAAK YUK 酸菜白肉
Sour cabbage and white-cooked pork.

One package of North-East style sour cabbage (東北酸菜).
Scant pound of fatty pork.
One or two enoki clumps, trimmed and sliced.
A small handful of dried tofu sticks.
Two TBS rice wine or sherry.
A few thick slices of ginger, slivered.
One or two garlic cloves, slivered.
Two chopped scallion.
Half TBS chili paste.
A pinch of five spice powder.
Drops of sesame oil.
Drops of tabasco.
Cilantro.

Rinse and drain the sour cabbage, chop it coarsely. Scrub the lump of pork, brown it on the skin side to form a nice dark crust, then dump it in a pot of boiling lightly salted water along with some of the scallion and ginger, and simmer it for two hours. Take it out and let it cool.

Soak the tofu sticks till soft, drain, and cut into long chunks.

Heat a little oil in wok or skillet, gild the ginger and garlic to aromatize. Add the scallion, soon followed by the chili paste, then the rice wine or sherry to sizzle. Dump this into a roomy clay pot or enameled stew-pan, with the five spice powder. Add the tofu sticks, cut enoki, and the cabbage, with water to cover and a splash of the pork simmering liquid.
Cook for about ten minutes.

Slice the now cooled and fully cooked pork into thickish slices, add to the pot, with more liquid; the soupiness of the dish will be part of the pleasure. Cook another five or ten minutes.

Dash in a little sesame oil and tabasco, cilantro on top, and serve.


Originally from here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/01/double-happiness-mui-choi-kau-yuk-and.html.

HOT AND SOUR SOUP 酸辣湯

Originally published here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/chinese-recipes-eight-easy-dishes.html




酸辣湯 SUUN LAAT TONG
Hot and sour soup

Two cups chicken stock.
Two cups water.
¼ - ½ cup meat - chopped chicken or pork.
¼ - ½ cup bamboo shoots; rinsed and drained, shredded.
¼ - ½ cup tofu, small chunk cut.
¼ - ½ cup cucumber; peeled, seeded, chopped.
3 - 4 black mushrooms; soaked, drained, stemmed, sliced thin.
2 TBS wood ear (木耳 'muk yi'), soaked and drained.
Quarter cup sherry.
1 TBS soy sauce.
1 TBS vinegar.
1 TBS equal mixture cornstarch and water.
1 Tsp. hot toban sauce (辣豆瓣酱 'laat touban jeung').
¼ - 1 Tsp. ground white pepper.
Pinches five spice powder, sugar.
Two or three drops Tabasco.
A little slivered ginger.
One egg, beaten.
Finely chopped scallion.
Sesame oil.

Bring liquids to a boil. Add meat, mushrooms, shoots, tofu, and wood ears. Reboil. Add everything else except the beaten egg, cornstarch water and scallion. Bring back to a boil, and while stirring soup, mix in the cornstarch water and drizzle in the beaten egg.
Add a few drops sesame oil, apportion into bowls, and strew the chopped scallion over.


NOTE:
Some ingredient quantities are very flexible, depending on how filling you want this to be, and how hot. The heat should be primarily dependent on the white pepper, not on the toban sauce (which can be left out) or the Tabasco (which can also be left out).
The amount of vinegar can be increased. The addition of chopped cucumber is NOT traditional.

DRESSED BITTER MELON 鹹苦瓜

Originally published here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/chinese-recipes-eight-easy-dishes.html




鹹苦瓜 HAAM FU GWA
Dressed bitter melon.

2 TBS dry shrimp (海米 'hoi may').
2 TBS sherry.
2 TBS soy sauce.
2 TBS lime juice or vinegar.
2 TBS sugar.
2 TBS oil.
A little finely minced garlic, ginger, and green chili.

Two or three bitter melons (苦瓜 'fu gwa').

Mix everything except the bitter melon and the oil, and let stand for 2 or 3 hours. Heat the oil in a pan and sizzle the steeped shrimp and their liquid. After a few seconds, decant. It is now a dressing that can be used for blanched vegetables.

Cut the bitter melons in half, remove the pith and seeds. Slice across into thick slivers. Blanch in some boiling salted water, drain, and toss with the dressing. Let stand half an hour, retoss before serving.

STIR-FRIED FLOWERING MUSTARD 炒菜心

Originally published here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/chinese-recipes-eight-easy-dishes.html



炒菜心 CHAU CHOI SAM
Stirfried flowering mustard.

One bunch choisum (菜心), root end trimmed, rinsed.
Half a cup finely chopped meat.
Two TBS sherry.
Two TBS stock.
Two Tsp equal parts cornstarch and water mixed.
A small amount of minced garlic and ginger.
Pinch salt.
Pinch sugar.

Heat wok with a little oil. Stirfry the vegetable for one minute with the pinch salt. Add a splash of liquid to steam-flash the vegetable, stir two minutes more, and remove from heat. Arrange on a plate as if it were asparagus.

Stirfry the meat with the salt, garlic, and ginger till fragrant and no longer raw, about a minute or so. Sizzle with the sherry, add the stock and starch water, cook till it becomes glossy, and pour over the choisum, leaving ends bare.

DOUBLE MUSHROOM CASSEROLE 油燜雙菇

Originally published here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/chinese-recipes-eight-easy-dishes.html



油燜雙菇 YAU MUN SEUNG GU
Double mushroom casserole.

12 black mushrooms.
12 fresh champignons.
One small can bamboo shoot shreds, rinsed.
One cup stock.
3 TBS oil.
2 TBS. soy sauce.
1 TBS. equal parts cornstarch and water mixed.
2 Tsp. sugar
Sesame oil for drizzling.

Soak the black mushrooms for an hour in a little water with a pinch of sugar.
Meanwhile simmer the cleaned champignons in the stock on low heat.
Drain the black mushrooms (trim the stems) and the champignons, reserving liquids.
Heat the oil in a pan, add both sets of mushrooms and the bamboo shoots. Stirfry briefly, add the liquids and sugar. Cook on high till toasty hot, about three minutes. And the cornstarch water to thicken and velvetize, drizzle a little sesame oil over to finish.

BRAISED CHICKEN WINGS 紅燒雞翅

Originally published here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/chinese-recipes-eight-easy-dishes.html



紅燒雞翅 HONG-SIU KAI CHI
Braised chicken wings.

A dozen chicken wings.
A dozen black mushrooms.
One cup stock.
Quarter cup soy sauce.
Quarter cup sherry.
Two TBS sugar.
Two scallions, coarse cut.
A little minced ginger.

Trim the tips off the wings, and cut them in two at the joints. Soak the mushrooms for thirty or forty minutes in a little water with a pinch of sugar. Drain, reserve liquid.

Lightly stirfry ginger and scallion, then add the wings, sugar, and half of the soy sauce. Once the wings have darkened, add everything else, and simmer for half an hour.

CLAMS IN PEANUT SAUCE 沙爹酱蛤

Originally published here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/chinese-recipes-eight-easy-dishes.html



沙爹酱蛤 SA-TE JEUNG GAP
Clams in saté (peanut) sauce.

One pound of clams, scrubbed and rinsed.
One scallion, coarse cut.
One garlic glove, chopped.
Quarter cup stock.
Two TBS sherry.
Two TBS. oil.
One TBS. smooth peanut butter.
Dash of Tabasco.
1 Tsp. Sugar.
1 Tsp. cornstarch.

Mix the stock, sherry, peanut butter, Tabasco, sugar, and cornstarch till smooth.
Put clams, scallion, oil, and a jigger of water into a saucepan. Cook on moderate heat with the lid on till the clams open, agitating occasionally. When the shell are open, add everything else. While stirring, bring to a boil. Simmer shortly, remove unopened shells, and serve.

TWICE COOKED PORK 回鍋肉

Originally published here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/chinese-recipes-eight-easy-dishes.html



回鍋肉 WUI-WOK YIUK
Twice-cooked pork.

Half a pound of pork.
One green bell pepper, chunked.
One Jalapeño, seeded and rinsed in hot water.
2 or 3 cloves garlic.
2 or 3 slices of ginger.
2 or 3 scallions, coarse cut.
Quarter cup stock.
2 TBS. sherry.
1 TBS. toban sauce (豆瓣酱 'touban jeung').

Simmer the pork whole with ginger and scallion, in lightly salted water to cover for half an hour.
Drain, slice thin.

Crisp the pork and bell pepper in a hot pan with some oil. Add the garlic and Jalapeño, toss briefly, and sizzle with the sherry. Add the stock and toban sauce, and turn over high heat to coat the meat. Remove to a serving plate.

STIR FRIED PORK SHREDS 炒肉絲

Originally published here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/chinese-recipes-eight-easy-dishes.html



炒肉絲 CHAU YIUK SEE
Stir-fried meat (pork) shreds.

One pound lean meat, matchstick cut across grain.
One bell pepper, cut similarly.
Two TBS. wood ear (木耳 'muk yi').
A little chopped garlic and ginger.
Tabasco and sesame oil.

Marinade:
Half TBS. soy sauce.
Half TBS. sherry.
1 Tsp. cornstarch
1 Tsp. oil.
Generous pinch of sugar.

Sauce:
Half TBS. soy sauce.
Half TBS. sherry.
1 Tsp. sugar.

Soak the wood ear for 30 or 40 minutes and drain.
Marinate meat while the wood ear is soaking, then stirfry briefly in a hot pan to change the colour and remove from to plate.
Gild the wood ear, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger. Before the garlic turns evil, sizzle in the sauce ingredients. Add the meat, toss to mix and mingle, add a dash of Tabasco and a drizzle of sesame oil, and plate

STEWED RABBIT WITH BLACK MUSHROOMS

This recipe was first posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/eating-right-for-new-year.html



STEWED RABBIT

One plump rabbit, cut into eight or twelve pieces.
Eight or twelve Chinese black mushrooms.
Plenty ginger and a little garlic.
Two cups stock.
Half cup sherry or rice wine.
Two TBS soy sauce.
One TBS sugar.
Pinch of five spice powder.
Dash of vinegar.
Dash of hot sauce.
Flour, black pepper, sesame oil, scallions or cilantro.


Soak the black mushrooms, remove the stems. Reserve the soaking water.
Roll the rabbit pieces in peppered flour, shake off excess, and fry in the skillet till lightly browned. Set aside.
Wipe the skillet, and gild the ginger and garlic. Add the black mushrooms, sauté briefly, add the rabbit pieces, stock, sherry, soy sauce, five spice powder, and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Simmer for an hour and half. The liquids should have reduced to a nice semi-glaze at this point. Adjust the taste with the dashes of vinegar and hot sauce, add a teaspoon of sesame oil, and cook a few minutes longer to incorporate the flavours.
Garnish with chopped scallion or cilantro.


Some people recommend Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay with rabbit, however I think a Petite Syrah or a Pinot Noir is better. But it's your choice.

Warm peasant bread is perfect for sopping up the juices.


NOTE: It is best to purchase rabbit from a reliable butcher, or raise it for the table yourself. Wild rabbit needs to be vinegar-brined before it is suitable for the pot, and is usually best roasted.
Little City on Stockton at Vallejo has very nice rabbits.

LITTLE CITY MARKET
1400 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94133.
415-986-2601.

POACHED PEARS

Originally posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/04/its-dreamy.html



POACHED PEARS

Four firm pears.
Four cups water.
Two cups sugar.
Two TBS lemon juice.

Heat water, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan till the sugar dissolves.
Meanwhile peel the pears and quarter them – do not remove the cores yet.
Immerse the pear segments in the liquid, and simmer on very low for about fifteen minutes, making sure that the pears are covered by liquid at all times.
You may add an additional squeeze of lemon juice to prevent discolouration.

Turn off the heat, let the pan and its contents cool.
Remove pears from liquid, and with a coffee spoon remove the cores. It’s much easier now that they are cooked.

Bring the liquid back to a boil, and thicken it slightly. Place the pears in a deep dish and cover them with the syrup. When cool enough, you can flatten a sheet of plastic wrap over them and place them in the refrigerator.
Keeps for several days.


You will note that this recipe is exceedingly simple. It can be modified, and you may want to ‘personalize’ it by doing so.
What I do is add a splash of strong coffee in the cooking liquid, which gives it depth and character. I also use more sugar than I have specified above, because I like syrup. For a very bright flavour you can add a thick curl of orange zest, as well as two or three green cardamom pods. If you throw in a handful of raisins when reboiling the syrup they will plump up nicely.

To serve, heat up two segments per person or more in some of the syrup.
Slide into a dessert bowl and top with a big luscious scoop of vanilla ice cream.

STEAMED CHICKEN 蒸滑雞

First posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/jing-gwat-kai-steamed-chicken.html.




蒸滑雞
JING GWAT KAI - SLICK STEAMED CHICKEN
Variant that includes dried oysters, which are optional, and may be unavailable in parts of the world far removed from civilization.

Both the dried oysters and the mushrooms are entirely optional; it is usually made without these.


One pound of chicken, chunked large for chopstick grabbing.
Half a dozen big dried mushrooms (冬菇 dong gu).
Half a dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
One clove garlic, smashed and minced.
One and a half TBS sherry.
One TBS soy sauce (豉油 si yau).
One TBS ginger juice.
1½ Tsp. cornstarch.

Shredded ginger, dark sesame oil (芝麻油 ji ma yau), minced scallion, sugar.


Soak the dried mushrooms and dried oysters for about forty five minutes in warmish water with a pinch of sugar. Rinse and drain. Add a drizzle of plain cooking oil and turn to coat. This maintains their integrity during the steaming that will follow.

Marinate chicken chunks with the soy sauce and sherry, plus the ginger juice, a generous pinch of sugar, and the cornstarch. Same length of time as the soaking of the dried ingredients. You might want to rub the cornstarch into the surface of the chicken chunks.

Combine the chicken, oysters, mushrooms and garlic in a broad shallow bowl, with a little of the marinade and a dash of the dry-ingredient soaking liquid. Place in the steamer, and steam for between twelve and fifteen minutes over fiercely boiling water. Remove carefully (hot!).
Drizzle a little sesame oil over for fragrance, strew the scallion and shredded ginger on top.

Serve with rice and a vegetable, and a saucer of chili paste on the side.

STEAMED MEAT PATTY 咸魚肉餅 HAAHM YU YIUK BENG

First posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/11/steamed-meat-patty-haahm-yu-yiuk-beng.html.



咸魚肉餅 - HAAHM YU YIUK BENG
[Salt-fish steamed pork patty, also called 咸魚蒸肉餅 haahm yu jing yiuk beng. Jing (蒸) means 'steamed'.]

One pound fatty ground pork.
One TBS cornstarch.
Half TBS soy sauce.
Half TBS sherry.
Half TBS oil (optional - how fatty is your pork?).
A little garlic and ginger, minced fine.
Pinch of sugar.

Salt fish, between 2 and 3 oz, rinsed and soaked, patted dry and cut into a few pieces.

Mix everything except the salt fish together and let it stand thirty minutes. Then spread it into an oiled shallow bowl or plate, arrange the salt fish on top. Steam until done. If you have spread it thinly and you have a big steamer, it will only take ten minutes or so. If, on the other hand, you've made a thick layer it may take half an hour.

Sprinkle shredded fresh ginger and scallion on top ere serving.



Please note that the salt fish is optional - if you are very white you might not like it. But the whiffy salty fishy fermenty sabor autentico it adds is VERY important to the experience.
Besides making it utterly delicious.

You could also substitute some other ingredients in moderation - szechuan pressed vegetable, dried scallop, shrimp paste, whatever.  I usually replace some of the ground pork with Italian sausage. Just squeeze it out of its skin and mix it in.

BLOED WORST - BLOOD SAUSAGE FROM BRABANT

A recipe for a very traditional "delicacy" which, inexplicably, is severely circumscribed by modern European regulations issuing from Brussels.

Originally posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2010/12/fond-memories.html.



BLOED WORST

Two cups stock from cooking meat.
Two cups fresh hog blood.
Eight slices of stale bread.
Half a pound heart.
Half a pound bacon or fatback.

1½ TBS salt.
2 Tsp. ground coriander.
1 Tsp. mace.
1 Tsp. ground pepper.
½ Tsp. ground cloves.
½ Tsp. ground nutmeg.
½ Tsp. ground cinnamon.
½ Tsp. dry ginger.

Large sausage casing.

Bring stock to boil. Add the bread and meats, all finely ground. Add the spices.
After a brief boil, let it cool down and mix in the blood.
Fill the casing, not too firmly, and coil the sausage in a large pan of water with a plate on the bottom. The plate will assist in distributing the heat evenly, as will the heat-absorbing pad which you will also use.
Simmer below boiling till the sausage has stiffened, at which point the blood has congealed - this will take slightly over an hour.
Hang to dry in a cold wind for two days.


Be especially careful not to have the heat under the pan too high, as the sausage might rupture.
You don't want that.
By the same token, do not allow women into the kitchen while simmering, as the sausage might rupture.
You don't want that.


Thick slices of blood sausage may be pan-fried on both sides, and put on bread with a sprinkling of sugar or a dab of hot sauce. Or even some nice sliced apple.

WONTON NOODLE SOUP 雲吞湯麵

Wrote about wontons over a year ago.
See this post:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/01/wonton-wonton-soup-wonton-soup-with.html.



WONTON FILLING
Enough for fifty dumplings

One cup chopped shrimp.
One cup ground pork.
Quarter cup chopped water chestnuts (馬蹄 matai).
One TBS minced parsley (洋香芹 yeung heung kan) .
One TBS minced cilantro (芫茜 yuen sai).
One stalk scallion (葱 tsung), minced.
Half TBS sherry or rice wine.
Half TBS oyster sauce (豪油 hoyau).
One Tsp. soy sauce (酱油 cheung yau, 豉油 si yau).
One Tsp. sesame oil (麻油 ma yau).
Half Tsp. cornstarch (玉米淀粉 yiuk mai din fan).
Half Tsp. sugar (白糖 pak tong).

Regarding cup measurements for the shrimp and pork: these are more or less eight ounces or 226 grammes.
Parsley is NOT traditional, but I like the taste, and it's good for the digestion.
Substitutions can be made, for instance the proportion of shrimp increased drastically and the quantity of pork decreased correspondingly.
Instead of water chestnut, chopped rehydrated cloud ear (雲耳 wun yi) could be used, as they too have a wonderful textural effect.

Mix everything, but do not overwork it, as doing so makes the meat tough. The shrimp fragments should be larger than the pork or water chestnut particles, everything else smaller - reason being that you want the 'crunch' of the shrimp, and the lesser ingredients need to be evenly distributed throughout.

Put a dab of filling into each wonton skin, brush the exposed edges with egg wash, and first press two diagonal corners against each other, then bring up the other two corners up to form tails, pressing out the air in the pouch.
The result should look like a purse or hobo's pack.
Place each finished dumpling on a floured plate or tray. It is VERY important that the surface be floured. Otherwise you will rip the wontons when you try to pick them up.


Sufficient for fifty wonton. To freeze, dust with flour, and wrap in a plastic film which has also been dusted. Six or seven dunplings per packet, so that one packet can be removed as needed. You can also arrange them in a sealed container with wax paper between the layers.


NOTE: Rather than making your own wrappers, it is best to buy them premade, so I shall not discuss how to make the skins, other than to say that if you've made kreplach from scratch, you could use the same recipe for the wrapper.
FYI: As a matter of interest, the amount of pork given above is the equivalent of two fresh Italian sausages.


SOUP FOR WONTON

Two pounds chicken on the bone.
One pound pork on the bone.
Half cup pieces dried flounder (左口魚 jorhau yu, 大地魚 daidei yu).
Two TBS dried shrimp.
Four quarts (16 cups, approx 5 litres) water.
Quarter cup sherry or rice wine.
Three or four slices ginger.
Half Tsp. white peppercorns.Roast or fry the dried flounder pieces nicely brown, but do not burn them.
Blanch the chicken and pork briefly in boiling water, drain and rinse well.
Place everything except the dried shrimp in a cauldron and simmer on low for three hours, skimming a few times in the first half hour.
Add the dried shrimp in the last half hour.
Strain very well.


Blanching the meat and bones first prevents overmuch scum, and yields a much cleaner broth.
The dried flounder is the essential Cantonese touch - it will NOT make the broth taste like stinky dried fish, but instead unify the flavours and add a nutty seafood saveur of its own.
Think of it as bouillon base.


Well then. You have your wonton, you've got the broth. What else will you need?


OTHER STUFF

Egg-noodles. These have to be thin and fresh, for the best texture and taste. Fresh egg noodles need about a minute of blanching, whereas dried noodles take between three to five minutes, depending on thickness.
Dried noodles will also have a whiff of lye water.

Vegetables. It is very 'Chinatown' to add a few coarsely ripped baby bokchoi (小白菜 siu paktsoi) to the bowl of soup, though it isn't traditional. For that matter, neither is adding noodles, and most non-Cantonese are appalled at that innovation, so go right ahead.
The sweet crisp freshness of the tiny greens are a marvelous chiddush.

Meats. Some people like to add some thinly sliced charsiu pork (叉燒) on top of the soup. This is not necessary at all, but no great heresy either. If you choose to do so, use the fattier kind.
Chunks of roast duck are also delicious.

Garnishes. Garlic chives are traditional in Hong Kong, but regular chives and chopped scallion works too. Cilantro is optional.

Dipping sauce. I am a barbarian, I like hot and salty. What works for me is equal parts soy sauce, oyster sauce, chilipaste, and dark vinegar, with a little sugar and finely minced ginger mixed in. If it's too stiff, add some Louisiana hot sauce. You do not really need a dip for the wontons, but it is always fun to play with your food.



ASSEMBLING WONTON NOODLE SOUP

It's supposed to be merely a snack and require only a small bowl, but after going through all the trouble of getting everything ready you aren't going to cook any other dishes.
So go ahead, use the big bowls.

Keep the broth on the back burner, below boiling temperature.

Heat up a large pot of water. When it boils, dump in the wonton. They're done when they all float. Scoop them out and apportion them in the bowls. Gently pour a sufficient quantity of hot broth over them. Put a porcelain soup spoon in each bowl, anchored by the wonton.

Blanch the noodles in the boiling water till toothsome. Immediately rinse them in cold water to stop them cooking any further. Place a skein on top of the wontons in the bowls, top off with a little more broth.

Add whatever else you feel necessary at this point, but it's fine already.

Garnish with chives, or scallion, and cilantro.



AFTER WORD

Why so specific an order to the soup assembly? Why not cook the noodles and wontons IN the broth?

There are two very good reasons. The first one is that the wonton and the noodles have different cooking times. The second reason is that you do not want the starches that adhere to either the noodles or the wontons to muddy-up your fine broth.

Additionally, it just looks better if the wontons and the noodles form distinct areas in your bowl. That's why the dark green of scallions are a better garnish than the garlic chives commonly used - they're more dramatic, more visually appealing.
For the same reason, three thin slices of charsiu fanned out on top are also pleasing.

PORK VINDALOO

Recipe originally posted here:
 http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/01/vindaloo.html.


PORK VINDALOO

2 Lbs. pork, cut into large cubes.
2 Large onions.
Minced garlic and ginger as you think fit.
1 TBS. ground cumin.
1 TBS. cayenne.
1 Tsp. ground coriander.
1 Tsp. ground black pepper.
1 Tsp. sugar.
1 Tsp. salt.
½ Tsp. cinnamon powder.
½ Tsp. turmeric.
Generous pinch of sugar.
One cup vinegar.
Hefty squeeze of lime or lemon juice.
Fresh cilantro.
Ghee, or any reasonable alternative.
A few whole red chilies, either fresh or dried.
Six green cardamom pods.
Three or four whole cloves.

Mix the vinegar and ground spices with the garlic, ginger, salt, and sugar. Massage this into the pork, and set it in the refrigerator for several hours.
Then chop the onions fine, and fry them in plenty of ghee or oil till golden, mooshing with a spatula as you go.
Cast the marinating pork into a sieve with a vessel underneath to catch the juices.
When most of the liquid has drained, add the meat to the pan and sear it well, turning with the spatula to ensure that the spices are also cooked. Then add the retained juices, and water to sparingly cover (approximately one cup), as well as the whole chilies, cardamom, and cloves, and simmer for about an hour on low, by which time the pork should be tender and the oil slightly separating.

Add the squeeze of lime juice and plenty chopped cilantro just before serving, and put the boiled rice and the condiments on the table at the same time.



If you wish, you can go kinda berserk with the garlic, and I wouldn't worry too much about the quantity of grease. It usually takes me one to two sticks of butter and a dash of olive oil to get this right. Besides, I add sambal ulek (red chili paste from a jar, either Indonesian or Dutch) to the pan when adding the meat, because it gives it a deeper, browner flavour.

A tablespoon or two of good sharp mustard added to the marinade is highly recommended, but in no way authentic.

JERUSALEM KUGEL

This was originally posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/11/rabbi-boyarski-and-strange-mental.html



JERUSALEM KUGEL

Half a pound fine or medium noodles.
Half a cup sugar.
Quarter cup oil.
One teaspoon ground pepper.
Quarter teaspoon salt.
Three eggs, slightly beaten.

Preheat your oven at 350 degrees.
Cook the noodles till tender in a large pot of salted water. Drain and cool.
Heat the oil and carefully add the half of the sugar. When the sugar turns colour (caramelizes), remove from heat and stir to keep it from burning, then promptly add the noodles, remaining sugar, salt, and pepper, and mix together. When it is cold enough, mix in the eggs. Gloop it all into a greased pyrex dish, and place it in the oven for an hour or so, till gilded and crisped on top.

The amount of pepper can be increased. Raisins can be added but are not orthodox.
Note that perfect caramel is a beautiful ruddy hue, whereas anything noticeably darker verges on burnt.
 Let it sit for while before serving.

APPLE SAUCE NOODLE KUGEL

This was originally posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/11/rabbi-boyarski-and-strange-mental.html



APPLE SAUCE NOODLE KUGEL

Half a pound fine or medium noodles.
Half a cup sugar.
Two cups (1 pint) sour cream.
Two cups (16 fl.oz) applesauce.
Quarter cup raisins.
Pinches cinnamon, dry ginger, ground cardamom, salt.
4 eggs, slightly beaten.
Butter.

Cook the noodles till tender in a large pot of salted water. Drain and cool.
Mix all ingredients together. Gloop it all into a greased pyrex dish. Dot with butter.
place it in the oven for an hour or so.
Three hundred and fifty degrees.

PEPPER CRUSTED LAMB CHOPS

A small meal to share with a carnivore.
Alluded to in this post:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2012/08/unspeakable-love-lamb-chops.html.


PEPPER CRUSTED LAMB CHOPS
[With sautéed asparagus]

For each lamb chop, crack one teaspoon or more peppercorns coarsely. Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of ground coriander. Rub each chop with olive oil, and dip - dab - sprinkle the cracked pepper over the chops.

Heat up the skillet with a little oil till starting to smoke.
Brown the chops boldly on one side, on high.
Flip over, and after a a few seconds turn the heat down slightly, cook a little longer than the first side.
Remove to a platter and let them rest a bit.


There will be little bits of darkened pepper and other crud left in the pan, which you should probably just pour it out and wipe, rather than deglazing.


While the chops are resting, blanch a trimmed bunch of asparagus in boiling salt water with a splash vinegar to preserve colour for two minutes, then rinse under cold in a sieve or colander after they've cooked for two minutes, to stop the cooking. Sauté on high with some slivered ginger, flame with a generous splash of sherry. When the bubbling subsides, add a little freshly chopped parsley or cilantro to the pan, swirl, and decant to a plate.

A lemon-caper sauce (lemon juice, capers, butter), or a mustard glaze with broth added after sizzling the mustard - these go well with both the meat and the vegetable. Minced fresh herbs or paprika may be added to either.

Serve with a simple cucumber salad (sprinkle salt, dash of fresh ground pepper, squeeze of lemon juice, drizzle olive oil, and a pinch of sugar), and either boiled rice or warm crusty French bread.

STEAMED FATTY PORK - 蒸五花腩 (TSING NG FAA YUK

Probably the easiest Cantonese home-cooked preparation, but it does require other dishes alongside to ameliorate the sheer delicious greasiness.
Note that the cut called five flower brisket (五花腩 ng-faa naam) is the lovely streaky-in-alternating-layers cut that the Cantonese aunties are eyeing hungrily at the butcher shop just off of Stockton Street.
The Chinese Hospital is nearby.
Maybe not a coincidence.


STEAMED FIVE FLOWER PORK 蒸五花腩

One pound five flower pork, cut into large chunks.
One TBS. shrimp paste (鹹蝦醬 haahm ha jeung).
One TBS. tomato ketchup (optional).
One large thumblength ginger, coarsely slivered.
Pinches salt, sugar, five spice powder.


Rub the shrimp paste and ketchup over the meat. Place in a roomy shallow bowl, sprinkly the pinches over, and strew the ginger on top.
Steam for slightly over an hour and a half.

A dash of rice wine or cooking sherry may be added before placing this in the steamer.
In any case, the juices rendered by the cooking process are perhaps the most delightful thing about this dish.

MUI CHOI KAU YUK (梅菜扣肉) - STEAMED SALT VEGETABLE MEAT

Pig belly bacon with Chinese sauerkraut.
Originally posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2012/07/mui-choi-kau-yuk-steamed-salt-vegetable.html.

Also called kau yoke, kou yiuk, or various other phonetic renderings of the Chinese characters. Very popular in Hawaii and on the West Coast.



梅菜扣肉 MUI CHOI KAU YUK

1¼ to 1¾ Lbs. ng-fa naam (五花腩 five flower pork brisket).
Three scallion, two inch lengths.
Three slices of ginger.
Three cloves garlic, smashed.
A large handful of mui choi (梅菜 plum vegetable).
One whole star-anise (baat gok 八角).
A pinch of five spice powder ((五香粉 ng-heung fun).

4-5 TBS. soy sauce.
2 TBS. sherry.
1 TBS. sugar.

Note that mui choi comes in semi-dry vacuum sealed packs as well as canned in brine. So the quantity necessary is best estimated at one quarter to one third of the meat after soaking and rinsing. Or more, depending on your own preference.
The brine version is easier for guesswork, but not necessarily recommended.
Either can be used.

Soak the mui choi for an hour or so in plenty of water, then rinse very thoroughly, drain, and squeeze out excess liquid. This removes sand, grit, and salt.
Chop it small.

Scrub the skin side of the meat with salt to clean it, then simmer it whole for ten minutes in water with the ginger and scallion to pre-cook and 'melt' some of the fat. Remove, drain, dry. Reserve a little of the liquid for the sauce.
Use an ice-pick or a sharp fork to prick holes in the skin, rub a little soy sauce over that side only, and let it sit for a while.

Heat oil in a skillet and carefully slide the meat in, skin-side down. Beware of the oil erupting - it is best to have a spatter-guard or a lid handy. Fry the meat till the skin-side is nicely darkened, almost mahogany.
Remove, drain, and let cool.

When the meat is cold enough to handle, slice it inch-thick across, each piece having all layers including the skin.
Arrange it in a broad bowl, skin-side up. Whisk the soy sauce, sherry, and sugar together and pour HALF of this over the meat, along with the star anise and pinch of five spice powder. Put the bowl in the steamer, and steam for an hour.

Now gild the garlic in a modicum of oil, add the chopped mui choi to parch. Pour in the other half of the soy sauce - sherry - sugar mixture, plus any liquid saved from the blanching at the beginning, and bring to a boil.
Pour this over the meat, making sure that most of the mui choi goes around the meat rather than on top.
Steam for another thirty minutes, or somewhat longer.

A little chopped scallion and shredded ginger to finish, and it can be served.

CANTONESE ROAST GOOSE

Recipe originally published here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2012/12/cantonese-roast-goose.html


燒鵝 SIU NGOH - ROAST GOOSE

Trim -- wash -- dry -- roast.
Chop, and eat.
Simple.

Purchase your fresh goose a few days in advance of dinner.  When you've got him home, trim off the excess flaps of fat at the neck and reserve, and tip the wings, as the extreme ends of these are virtually useless and will char in the oven.
Save all this for broth and extracting the delicious fat.

Remove the neck and pack of giblets from the cavity.
These can be used as you see fit (goose stock).
Place the goose in a deep pan with a rack.

Now heat a cauldron with water, soy sauce, and sugar or honey.
Proportions: for every cup of water, one to two TBS each soy sauce and sugar or honey. In HK cooks would use Maltose, but that is a bit hard to find over here.
Add whole star anise and a jigger of black vinegar if you feel like it.
Bring to a roiling boil.

Ladle this over the bird, making sure to pour it over the skin entire.
Decant the liquid from the deep pan back into the cauldron, and bring it back to boil. Repeat the procedure. This tightens the skin, which will help it become crisp. The soy sauce adds a little flavour, the sugar or honey will let it brown evenly and deeply, when one or two days hence it is being roasted.

[When doing this to fowl, I usually add a few thick slices of ginger. You may also add a handful of fresh-roasted coffee beans - the ghostly remaining hint on the bird will add a haunting and mysterious fragrance, without dominating the taste.]

There is no set number of washings with the hot liquid, but do it at least once.
You will see the skin tightening up, and three times is probably best.

When this has been done, shove the largest size funnel you have into the rear of the bird, then set it upright so that no part of the skin need touch anything, and place it in your refrigerator for a day or two to dry.
If you do not have an extra large kitchen funnel, make do -- an empty whiskey or brandy bottle will also work, as long as the outer surface of the bird is clear.

On the day when you wish to eat the beast, take it out of the refrigerator and heat the oven up to four hundred and twenty five degrees Fahrenheit (220 grades of Celsius, more or less).
Bung the bird in the oven, and roast for about an hour and three quarters.
Which is about twelve minutes per pound.

You will use a rack, of course, and rotate the bird a couple of times. For the first hour of roasting, it might be best to cover with aluminium foil to prevent excessive darkening.
If, at the end of cooking, there are parts which still look pale, it is perfectly all right to "retouch" those areas with the kitchen torch.
Assuming that you have such a thing.

Remove the bird from the oven, and let it stand for about thirty minutes.
To serve, either waste a lot of time carving it, for an American - British - European presentation, or place it on the block and chop it Chinese style, which is much more efficient, and a hell of a lot easier.
Remember, chopstickable pieces!

STEAMED WATER EGG - JING SUI DAN 蒸水蛋

A simple egg dish which is very satisfying.
Originally here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/06/chinese-steamed-eggs.html.



蒸水蛋
TSING SUI DAN
["Steamed Water Egg"]

Three eggs.
Half or three quarters cup water.
Quarter cup chopped green onions or less.
Quarter cup whatever comes to hand: minced charsiu, chopped shrimp, sliced mushrooms, etc.
Pinch ground white pepper.

Additional:
A few drops sesame oil.
A few drops soy sauce.
Minced cilantro

Briskly stir the eggs with the water, add the green onions and the charsiu, shrimp, etcetera.
Plus the pinch of pepper.
Pour into an oiled pyrex pie plate (or something of similar shape), and place in a steamer over furiously boiling water.
Steam for about ten minutes. Once gelled it is done.
Garnish and serve.


Notes:
Use more water for a softer custard (up to a full cup).
When the eggs are done, there will be a little water on top of the custard - this will facilitate distributing the sesame oil and soy sauce evenly. Just gently swirl without tipping.

Often pei dan (皮蛋, 松花蛋 black preserved egg) is cut up and added, sometimes something from the salt-fish category is thrown in. 
A little chopped ham or char-siu is also a good idea.

CHINESE POACHED FISH (蒸魚 JING YÜ)

Originally described here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2012/02/poached-fish-steamed-fish.html.




蒸魚
POACHED FISH CHINESE STYLE

Purchase a live fish of between one and two pounds, and bring it home.
Smack it over the head with a heavy object, gut it, clean it, scrape it, and rinse.
If it is particularly thick, slash it on both sides.

Bring a large cauldron half-filled with water to a roiling boil.
Slip the fish in, and when it boils again, lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for two minutes.
Turn off the heat and let it sit for between seven and ten minutes (depending on how large your fish is), at which point it will be done just right.
Remove to a platter and strew very finely slivered ginger over.

Heat up a little oil in a fry-pan, and sauté a little coarse-chopped garlic. Add a splash sherry or rice wine, a drizzle soy sauce, followed by a hefty pinch of sugar. Boil briefly together, then pour over the fish.
Add some cilantro and shredded green onion.
Serve.



As an alternative, you can steam the fish.

After gutting, cleaning, scraping, and rinsing, rub it with a little oil (sesame and plain oil mixed) and place it on a plate. Whether you add sliced ginger, cut scallion, or even slivers of green chilipepper around it, is up to you - these will aromatize the fish, but as you plan to discard the steaming juices anyway, they are not really germane.
Bring a large steamer to a boil, set the plate therein, and steam for about seven to ten minutes, according to the size of the fish.
Undercooking is best, as once you remove it from the steamer the heat remaining in the flesh will continue to affect it.
When you take the fish out, slide it onto a clean plate.

Garnish with shredded ginger and scallion, and pour a little sweet soy sauce (ketjap manis) over.

Fish either steamed or poached, with some stirfried kailan or yuenchoy, a few pieces of boiled potato avec persil, and plain white rice, is a feast.
As with everything, a dab of chilipaste on the side is nice, but not necessary.

CHETTINAD GOAT CURRY

Recipe originally published here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-delicious-whale.html



CHETTINAD GOAT

Two pounds goat.
Four onions.
One thumblength ginger.
Four or five garlic cloves.
One TBS. ground coriander.
One TBS. cayenne.
Half Tsp. turmeric.
Half Tsp. mustard seeds (black).
Half Tsp. cumin seeds (jeerakam).
Half Tsp. fennel seeds (perinjeerakam).
Half Tsp. cinnamon powder.
Half Tsp. salt.
Four or five green cardamom pods, three or four whole cloves, a dozen whole peppercorns, and a bay leaf or two.
Two TBS. tamarind juice. Half a dozen Roma tomatoes, or two beefsteak tomatoes.
Four or five fresh green chilies, finely minced.


Cut the meat into chunks, dry-roast the spices as appropriate. Grind two of the onions with the ginger, garlic, and all spices plus the salt, EXCEPT the bay leaves, cardamon pods, and mustard seeds, to a paste. Stir the tamarind water into this, and rub it all over the meat. Let this sit in the refrigerator for an hour or so to absorb flavours and tenderize.
Chop the tomatoes.

In a roomy pan or chetty fry the mustard seeds briefly in ghee or oil, add the remaining onion, cardamom pods, and the minced green chili, and sauté till nicely golden. Add the chopped tomatoes, cook till soft.
Then add the meat and its marinating paste, and cook till the moisture has dissipated and the oil separated. This, by the way, is the key to developing a good flavour, hence the need for a roomy pan or chetty - you do not want to crowd the chunks of meat.

Add water to cover, plus bay leaves, and simmer on low for about an hour. You may substitute coconut milk for some of the water. Stir it occasionally, and when the meat seems tender enough, remove from the heat. You may fish out the cardamom pods and bay leaves it this point.

Garnish liberally with cilantro, and serve with chapatis or steamed rice, as well as fresh chilies and lime wedges on the side.

RED-STEWED SEA CUCUMBER - HONG SIU HOI SAM

An unusual edible outside of the Chinese world, yet very well worth it.

Originally written about here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/10/sea-cucumber-soaking-and-braising.html.



紅燒海參
Red-Stewed (Braised) Sea Cucumber

Ingredients:
One or two softened sea cucumbers sliced into large chunks across.
3 spring onions, chopped large.
3 slices ginger.
Quarter cup Sherry.
1½ cups chicken stock.
6 dried black mushrooms, soaked till soft, stemmed and cut in half.
One TBS oyster sauce.
One TBS soy sauce.
One Tsp. sugar.
1 TBS cornstarch dissolved in one TBS cold water.
Drizzle of black vinegar.
Drizzle of sesame oil.


Put some oil in the wok and sauté the ginger and spring onions. Seethe with the sherry, and add the chicken stock and sea cucumbers. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and a careful drizzle of black vinegar, the turn the heat low and simmer for about ten minutes.
Stir in the corn starch water and add a jigger more sherry. Add the sesame oil for fragrance, and when the liquid turns velvety, decant onto a serving dish.


This recipe can be modified by including meats or vegetables, and the sauce improved by judicious additions. The horizon is endless.
But as the main appeal is the savouriness of the sauce as absorbed by the main ingredient, it is wise not to go crazy.
Keep it simple.

The merest pinch of five spice powder might not be misplaced.
Some freshly ground white pepper can also be added.
Cilantro as a garnish is a nice touch.


海參
Hoi Sam

Sea cucumber (or trepang) is a Holothurid, lacks a formal brain or central nervous system, and is rather primitive. They are nutritious, and considered tonifying for middle-aged and elderly folks, especially good for people with arthritis and high blood pressure. Their main appeal is that besides a pleasant gelatinous texture, they absorb flavourings and sauces nicely.

When harvested, sea cucumber is usually gutted and cleaned, horny parts trimmed, then simmered briefly in salted water before being rolled in ashes and dried till shrunk and hard. It should keep nearly forever in that state.


To prepare dried sea cucumber for the pot needs a bit of pre-prep.

Place dried sea cucumber in a pot of water and soak for twelve hours. Change water, and simmer for two an hour or two with some slices of dried ginger, let it cool. Remove and rinse. Clean the outside with the vegetable brush, and remove any hard parts or placques of calcined tissue near the outer surface. Then place it in freshly simmering water with a pinch of sugar and a few slices of ginger. Let it cool, and place the container in the refrigerator. The next day dump out the water and refill with cold water.
Repeat as needed, which for smaller sea cucumbers may be three days soaking total. Larger sea cucumbers may require up to four or five days of soaking with daily changes of water.
When it has softened and doubled in size, which will usually be the third day, remove and rinse.
Open it up and make sure that no sand or grit remains in the cavity.

PEANUT SAUCE - BUMBU KACANG - SOS KATJANG

Used by Indonesians and Dutch people in a variety of ways.
First posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2012/07/do-you-really-want-fries-with-that.html.


PEANUT SAUCE - VERSION ONE

One cup peanut butter.
Four TBS brown sugar.
Three TBS lemon or lime juice.
Two TBS soy sauce.
Half TBS chilipaste.
Two or three cloves garlic, minced.
Dash fish sauce.
A few drops of Chinese sesame oil.

Whisk all ingredients together with enough water to make it soupy (about two cups), and cook while stirring till it has achieved the consistency you like.
Let it cool a little before use, as it retains heat much better than you think.


PEANUT SAUCE - VERSION TWO

One small onion, minced.
Three cups coconut milk.
Two cups water.
One cup peanut butter.
Four TBS olive oil.
Two TBS each: sugar, fish sauce, lime juice.
Half TBS each: shrimp paste, chili paste, soy sauce.
Two Tsp ground coriander.
One Tsp each: paprika, turmeric, dry ginger.
Three to five cloves garlic, minced.
Small piece fresh ginger, minced.
Dash or jigger of Tabasco.

Gently fry the onion brown, then put in the shrimp paste, garlic, ginger, chilipaste, and dry spices. When good and fragrant, add the coconut milk and fish sauce, and cook till the oil comes out. Mix in the peanut butter, and while stirring, pour in the water. Cook for a few minutes more, and adjust pourability with water. Because you are using low heat, the whole process can take the better part of an hour.


Either version keeps for quite a while in the freezer - double or triple the quantities, cook till thick and let it cool down completely, then roll it as a sausage in plastic wrap, so that you can cut off the quantity you wish to use later.

You can use it in Pinda Brafoe (chicken and peanut soup served with tongtong fu bana), over crisped vegetables, on top of cooked string beans or asparagus, alongside grilled meat, as a dip, or even as a component of noodle dishes.

CHEUNG FAN - RICE SHEET NOODLE

Chinese steamed rice sheet noodles.
This was originally posted shortly after Thanksgiving in 2011.

Link:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/11/left-over-turkey-cheung-fan-rice-flour.html.



CHEUNG FAN BATTER

One cup plain rice flour.
Quarter cup tapioca flour.
Two TBS cornstarch.
Two TBS oil.
Half a teaspoon salt.
Cold water.

Sift dry ingredients together. Slowly stir water into it, add the oil, and keep adding more water while stirring till you have a batter that looks like heavy cream - approximately 1¾ to 2¼ cups water in all.
Let it stand an hour, re-stir. It is now ready for use.

Grease a pie pan, ladle in enough batter to thinly cover the bottom, and place in the steamer. After about a minute to a minute and a half, add the filling along one side. Steam for another four to six minutes, depending on how thick your layers are. Remove the pie pan from the steamer, and prepare a second pan while the first one cools.
As soon as you have added a filling to the second cheung fan, separate the first one from its pan with a flexible spatula, rolling as you go. Proceed in this manner till all the batter is used up. There should be about eight or nine cheung fan stacked on the plate when you're done. Drizzle a little sesame oil over for fragrance, slash into segments to show the filling, and garnish with minced scallion.


CHEUNG FAN FILLING

The traditional fillings are thin slivers of of beef (remember to rinse a bit, or soak in a little rice wine briefly to remove that charnel-house fragrance that adheres to the meat), or very fresh shrimp, peeled and veined, or even minced fresh cilantro, which will lend a soft fruity-herby-floral tone to the noodly sheets.
Chopped char-siu or rehumidified dry shrimp also can.

But you could experiment. I often use dried mushroom and codfish silk jerky re-humidified and chopped, with an equal amount of lap cheung (臘腸), and a bit of finely minced of ginger.
The filling should be slightly savoury, slightly sweet, nicely fresh tasting, and not too much. Only a tablespoon or two per noodle sheet.



NOTE: The amount of tapioca flour can be reduced, replaced with a quantity of glutinous rice flour, or it may even be increased slightly. It depends on the mouthfeel that you wish to achieve. An all rice flour batter yields a noodle that isn't very interesting and lacks the tacky toothsomeness that you like. The oil which is added to the batter sweats out slightly during steaming, thus making it easier to lift the cheung fan off the cooking surface.

The same batter can be used for Teochew-style char kwee teow ('fried cake noodle': 炒粿條). Just steam the sheets without any fillings, peel them off the surface, and cut them into broad strips. After cooling they may be used for stir-fried rice noodles with clams, shrimp, and oysters, and bean sprouts. Use pork fat to fry it for that authentic Teochew flavour. Add minced scallion (or chives) and a thin omelette cut into strips, plus some sweet soy sauce and chili paste, and serve it hot from the pan.

TURKEY NOODLE SOUP

Chinese style rice stick noodles in turkey broth.
This was originally posted shortly after Thanksgiving in 2011.

Link:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/11/left-over-turkey-cheung-fan-rice-flour.html.



火雞粉湯
RICE FLOUR NOODLES IN SOUP

Dump the turkey carcass bits and bones into a cauldron with a stalk of celery and an onion to simmer for several hours.
For a nice clear soup, strain it well. There is no orthodox way to do so.
I use the regular strainer, leaving the solids in the pot, then carefully repeat the process with a tea strainer - the same process also works for bacon grease, by the way.

Rice flour noodles, whether the thin rice stick (mai fun 米粉), or the thick kind (ho fun 河粉) which are called 'river noodles', need very little preparation. All that is really required is a rinse, and brief period in boiling water, and draining, after which they can be dumped in a bowl. Then you inundate them with hot broth.


What you then add should be simple, flavourfull, and clean tasting.


On the day after Thanksgiving, naturally you would use chunks and thick ripped shreds of bird, with cilantro (yuen sai 芫茜) and chopped scallion (ching tsong 青葱).
Lots of cilantro - it's good for the stomach.
Some very finely minced ginger also, as well as one or two grinds of white pepper.


Rice noodles comfort the digestion, by the way.
Which you probably need the day after a turkey feast.

TURKEY CONGEE - FOH GAI JUK 火雞粥

What you can do with left-over bird.
This was originally posted shortly after Thanksgiving in 2011.

Link:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/11/left-over-turkey-cheung-fan-rice-flour.html.



火雞粥
TURKEY JOOK

Rice porridge, or jook (粥), also called congee, requires forethought - merely jumbling broth, rice, meat scraps, and whatever into a pot and praying for a tasty outcome doesn't work - doing so may make excellent cat food, but not stuff that a human should eat.
Prepare the stock separately, strain, and simmer down to concentrate the flavour.

Then measure out the rice: between a twelfth of the volume of the liquid, to as much as one eighth. Less rice in proportion will yield a thinner soup, more will give you a thicker porridge.
Rinse the rice thoroughly, put it in a heavy pot on high with water to cover, and cook till the grains have swollen and look like roiling clouds (and this explains why you needed to concentrate the stock - you're using plain water to precook the rice, some of the liquid will be taken up).
Drain off the excess water, then place a heat diffuser between the bottom of the po and the flame, add the turkey stock, and turn it low.
Stir regularly to keep the porridge from burning.
You must it cook till the grains have partially fallen apart and the jook is smooth, which will take a few hours.

[A totally unorthodox shortcut is to turn off the heat immediately after the rice has swollen and become soft. Let it cool to a temperature for comfortable handling, then whirr it in the blender till reasonably smooth. After which proceed as usual.
It will require far less stirring and simmering, and the chance of burning the bottom of the pot is enormously lessened.]


Add large boneless scraps of turkey, plus a few pieces of chopped carrot, about half an hour before the end.

To serve, bowl it up, and put some chunks of bird with the nicely roasted skin on top, plus a little chopped scallion for colour.
Add a few drops of Chinese sesame oil (ma-yau 麻油) for fragrance, and perhaps a dash of soy sauce.



NOTE: There are many yummy additions to plain jook that you will find in Chinatown - pork slivers and preserved egg (pei dan sau yiuk juk 皮蛋瘦肉粥), pork and dried oysters (ho-si sau yiuk juk 蠔豉瘦肉粥), or fresh sliced raw fish that poaches perfectly in the heat of the porridge (yi-pien juk 魚片粥), blanched chicken curls porridge (雞球粥), slivered pig liver (chu gon juk 猪肝粥), even cooked beef bits.
For a paradoxically luxurious quick lunch, try abalone and chicken jook (bao yu kwat kai juk 鮑魚滑雞粥), jook with roast duck (fo ngaap juk 火鴨粥), or fresh shrimp jook (sang gwan ha kau juk 生滾蝦球粥).

All of these are perfect cold weather or late night soup.

Further note: 生滾 (sang gwan), meaning ' fresh boiled', indicates that the shrimp, fish, or pork is cooked in the heat of the porridge.