LION HEADS IN SOUP 滬式上湯獅子頭 WU SIK SEUNG TONG SI JI TAU

A typical Shanghainese meatball, but done more-or-less as they would do it in Hong Kong.

滬式上湯獅子頭
WU SIK SEUNG TONG SI JI TAU
[Shanghai style lion heads in soup]


For the balls:

One pound ground pork.
Three rashers bacon, chopped.
Five or six matai (water chestnuts), chopped.
Two TBS soy sauce.
Two TBS sugar.
One TBS sherry.
Half TBS sesame oil.
One green onion, chopped.
One thumb of ginger, minced.
Two to three cloves garlic, minced.
Two eggs, beaten.
Four TBS cornstarch.
Pinch of five spice powder.
Pinch of freshly ground pepper.

For the broth:

1 pound bokchoi, bases trimmed.
One or two slices of ginger.
One and a half cups of superior stock or broth.

Note: you can substitute quatre epices for the five spice, or a little ground nutmeg.

To prepare the lion heads, mix the pork, bacon, ginger, garlic, matai (馬蹄), and green onion. Work it over with a chef's knife or cleaver till it is considerably finer in texture than it was. Use the blade to scoop it into a bowl, and add the remaining ball-ingredients. Mix well. It should be sticky but on the firm side, not gloopy. If necessary add a little more cornstarch.
Form into four large balls.

Heat a layer of oil in a deep pan or wok. Place the meatballs herein, and colour all over; whether you roll them around or turn them is up to you. Do not cook through, merely brown the outside and firm them up.

Remove them to a casserole. Heat up the stock or broth and pour over the meatballs; it need not cover them. Simmer for about ten minutes or so before adding the bokchoi to cook alongside. When the stems have become tender and the leaves are wilted, the dish is done.

I like to cook large chunks of cucumber (peeled and seeded) with the meatballs and cabbage; I am a barbarian.


Serve each ball with some of the soup and vegetables.



First posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/08/lion-heads-in-soup.html.

XO SAUCE (XO醬) 'EKS O' JEUNG

This sauce is named after a term for cognac, but is NOT made with cognac. The name indicates that it is special. Which it is, being the most umami overload cooking ingredient in the Hong Kong repertoire.


食譜: XO醬
Recipe for XO Sauce

12 TBS dried scallops.
8 TBS dried shrimp.
8 TBS chilipaste (sambal ulek).
4 TBS oyster sauce.
2 TBS sugar.
2 TBS soy sauce.
1 TBS shrimp paste.
½ TBS salt.
One small onion.
One bulb of garlic (a dozen cloves, more or less).
An amount of ginger equivalent to the garlic, or more.
Half a cup cooking oil.
One TBS sesame oil.


Soak shrimp and scallops for a few hours in water, till softened. Drain, reserving liquid, and chop to a somewhat granular state, not too fine.
Mince the garlic, ginger, and onion.

In a capacious pan fry the onion till golden. Add the garlic, ginger, shrimp paste, and chilipaste. When the shrimp paste is cooked (a minute or so) and the garlic and ginger have begun to colour, add the chopped scallop and shrimp. Stir-fry till the oil comes out and the mixture is aromatic. Add everything else including the reserved liquids, and again cook till the oil comes out, thus concentrating the flavour from the soaking liquid in the mixture. Cook a little longer on low to darken, which caramelizes it slightly.
Let it cool completely, and distribute it over containers. There should be a layer of oil on top.

Place one container in the refrigerator, and the others in the deepfreeze.
If all the water has been cooked out, it will keep for several weeks in the fridge.
Use either sparingly or liberally.


Most recipes for XO Sauce will include Chinwa ham or Chinese sausage, some substitute preserved pork-belly or even bacon. Those are contra-indicated, as moisture is the great enemy of a substance such as this.



Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/07/xo-sauce-what-and-wherefore.html.

FISH FRAGRANCE EGGPLANT 魚香茄子 YÜ HEUNG KE JI

魚香茄子 YÜ HEUNG KE JI


Two Chinese eggplants, cut into thick strips.
Two garlic cloves, minced.
Equivalent amount of ginger, ditto.
One scallion, also minced.
One fresh hot pepper, likewise.
Two TBS sherry or rice wine.
One TBS 豆瓣酱 ('dau-baan jeung': hot bean paste).
One TBS soy sauce.
One TBS fragrant black vinegar*.
A dab of chili-garlic sauce.
A pinch of sugar.
Cooking oil.
A few drops of dark sesame oil (芝麻油 'ji maa yau') or chili-oil (辣椒油 'laat chiu yau').

[Fragrant black vinegar: 鎮江香醋 ('jan-gong heung-cho': a flavourful dark rice vinegar produced in Jiangsu (江蘇 'gong sou') province, south-central China.
FYI: Great for dipping dumplings.]


Heat oil in the pan to almost the smoking point, toss in the eggplant pieces and cook on high briefly, flipping and overturning them as you go.
Clear some space in the pan, add a little more oil, and dump the garlic, ginger, scallion, and chili in this space. Stirfry till the fragrance rises and the garlic is golden. Mix everything and continue, stirring and tossing as you go. Add everything else, stir to mix well, and decant it all to a serving plate.



Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/06/fish-fragrance-eggplant-imagine-what_20.html.

HOKKIEN OYSTER OMELETTE 蠔煎 O-CHIAN

A dish available in Penang, KL, Singapore, and, not surprisingly, Taiwan.

蠔煎 O-CHIAN
[蠔仔煎蛋 HOU-CHAI JIN-DAAN]


A dozen large fresh oysters, shucked.
Two TBS rice flour.
One TBS cornflour.
Half a cup (eight TBS) water.
Three cloves garlic, minced.
Three eggs, beaten.
One TBS sherry or rice wine.
One TBS soy sauce (regular or ketjap manis).
Generous pinch of ground white pepper.
Some minced chives and cilantro.
Oil.

Rinse the oysters in cold water, making sure to remove all shell fragments, and pat dry. Beat the eggs with the white pepper sprinkled in.
Mix cornflour and rice flour, pour in the water slowly while stirring to make a fairly thin batter. Gild the garlic in your skillet add the rice wine to seethe, and remove to a small plate. Add more oil to the pan, and when it's hot, pour in the thin batter and cook briefly till half set before adding the beaten eggs. When the omelette is semi-firmed but still deliquescious, add the oysters and garlic, drizzle the soy sauce over, and loosen the omelette with a spatula. Cook a few seconds longer, then garnish liberally with the minced chives and cilantro, and decant to a plate.


Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/06/hokkien-oyster-omelette.html.

STIR-FRIED PORK AND BITTER MELON 炒肥肉凉瓜

炒肥肉凉瓜 
CHAU FEI YIUK LEUNG GWAA


Sliced bitter melon, salted briefly, squeezed, rinsed, and drained.
Fatty meat, sliced and sprinkled with cornflour and sherry.
Garlic. Ginger. Fresh green chili.
Touch of shrimp paste.
Squeeze lime.
Oil.

Add items to the pan in the stages you are familiar with, when the bitter melon is nearly cooked, flame with a generous splash of sherry and decant to a serving plate. Squeeze the lime over.
Serve with steamed rice, and a dish of chilipaste.



Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/04/eating-like-its-some-other-era.html.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.