General Tso's Chicken

Why would a blog dedicated to "Traditional Chinese Recipes" feature General Tao's Chicken, a dish virtually unknown in China?   For one thing, one of the minimal definitions of tradition is "an artistic or literary method or style established by an artist, writer, or movement, and subsequently followed by others." General Tso's certainly qualifies on that basis, since this dish is served everywhere in the world by Chinese chefs in Chinese restaurants--everywhere, in fact, except China, and with some surprising degree of consistency.  Further, if we think of the mainland as the "go to" authority, consider that General Tso's Chicken was invented in China, by a Chinese chef, and while it faded from view in Mainland China, it made its way from there to Taipei, to the United States, and evolved, as most traditions do, to become the famous dish we know today.   (I'd venture to say this may all be a moot point anyway, since the ever-wealthier China absorbs so many cultural trends of the West, so the worldwide popularity of General Tso's Chicken will someday make it as much a traditional dish in China as it is here.) 

The history of this dish has been thoroughly described by at least two authors.  Fuchsia Dunlop gives an excellent account, and a recipe for the unsweetened Hunanese version, originated by chef Peng Chang-kuei, in her excellent book, Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook.  Similarly, Jennifer 8. Lee describes with delicious humor her search for the original General Tso's Chicken in The Fortune Cookie Chronicles.

The attraction of this dish is doubtless in its simplicity of flavor and texture-- the chicken is chewy/crisp on the outside, moist on the inside, all drenched in a dark, spicy, sweet and tangy sauce.  The secret to a chewy/crisp exterior is double frying, utilized by Chinese chefs in a number of dishes where crispness of an otherwise moist item is desired.

1 1/4 lb boneless chicken thigh

1 heap Tablespoon minced garlic 

1 Tablespoon minced ginger

2 Green onions

4 - 6 chilis, cut into 3/4" lengths (Optional)

Chicken Marinade:

1 tsp dark soy

1 Tab light soy

1 Tab Shao Xing wine or dry sherry

1 Tab cornstarch

 1 egg white

Batter: 

In a bowl, appx 2/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp baking soda. (The baking soda assists with the Maillard browning reaction which cornstarch is otherwise resistant to)

Sauce:

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 Tab sugar

1 heap tsp brown sugar

1 TAB rice vinegar

2 TAB light soy

1 tsp dark soy

1 Tab rice wine

Cornstarch slurry (see thickening sauces in Technique)

Sesame oil, slivered red pepper or carrot for garnish

The following can be done ahead of time: wash and trim out tendon and large fat deposits from chicken thigh pieces and cut into chunks approximately 2" square or so.   Dry the cut meat;  in a bowl, mix very thoroughly with the marinade to evenly coat. In another med large bowl, combine cornstarch and soda and set aside.

Preheat deep fryer to 375º to prepare for the first frying.

Dredge marinated chicken pieces in the cornstarch/soda mixture and shake off extra coating, setting aside these aside until all the chicken is battered.  Lower pieces carefully into the 375º oil.  Fry approximately 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove to a platter with paper towels or drain rack, separate, and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, mince garlic and ginger.  Mince the white portion of the green onion, and chop the green portion separately into 1/8" rings.   Prepare the sauce, set aside in a bowl, and prepare cornstarch slurry.  

When the fried chicken pieces are completely cool to the touch, you are ready for the 2nd frying, but first you'll make the sauce. As the deep fry oil heats to 375º,  heat a wok on med/high, swirl in 2 Tab of peanut oil, and when the oil is hot, add the minced ginger, garlic and onion and stir fry a few seconds.  Add the chilies, if using, and then splash in the tablespoon of wine.  Add the sauce mixture, and as soon as it begins to boil, slowly add cornstarch slurry while stirring ingredients until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency.  If using an electric stove, take the wok off the heat until the burner cools to low before returning; the sauce should remain in the wok on a very low heat while the chicken is fried a second time.

With the deep fry oil at 375º carefully lower the chicken into the oil and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes.  Remove with skimmer or bamboo strainer, gently shake off excess oil, and place directly into sauce.  This may require two or three dips into the oil.  Now toss the chicken in the hot sauce, remove to a serving platter and garnish with sesame oil, green onion shreds, or other garnish.

Beef Chow Fun

Gōn cháau ngàuh hó (Cantonese) 干炒牛河 (Mandarin: Gān Chǎo Níu Hé)

Beef Chow Fun has appeared on Chinese menus here and on the mainland almost as long as there has been restaurants.  In spite of this, searching for consistent chow fun recipes is a daunting task.  On the internet, there are as many versions as there are sites, the best being Andrea Nguyen's.  Published cookbook literature by Chinese authors are nearly as varied.  The recipe presented here is the one you'll encounter most often in Hong Kong (a city that rules the roost for Southern Chinese cuisine), and at Dim Sum restaurants, either as "special" item on one of the roving carts, or a menu item traditionally ordered along with the small snacks of dim sum.

Dry rice noodle can be used with acceptable results, but it is highly recommended that you buy fresh rice noodles (Cantonese: ho fun; Mandarin: he fen)these should be available if you live in an area that has a sizable Asian community and grocery stores serving that community. But fresh rice noodles are literally a delicacy: make sure you can purchase them unrefrigerated, or fresh from a noodle maker.  Otherwise, the cold ho fun will often be so stiff and compact, you will not be able to separate the noodles.  Moreover, it's a good idea to use the noodles as soon as they are purchased.  I bought a few pounds of ho fun from a producer on Friday, and by Sunday they were beginning to break down.

Other than the challenges of the noodle, Beef Chow Fun is easy to make, and works well in a vegetarian version, omitting the beef.

1 lb Fresh rice noodles (ho fun, at least 1/2" wide

7 oz Beef Tri Tip, sliced 1/8" thick across the grain, appx 2" x 2 1/2"

1/2 Lb.  bean sprouts

2 tsp fermented black beans, minced

2 lg cloves garlic, minced

1" x 1" pc ginger, minced

3 - 4 green onion, cut into 2" sections, white portion split lengthwise

3/4  small or 1/2 med yellow onion

4 Tab peanut or cooking oil

Meat Marinade: 

1  Tab soy

2  Tab rice wine

1 round tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

2 tsp cornstarch

Sauce:

2 Tab Soy light

2 tsp dark soy

1 Tab Rice wine

1/2 rounded tsp salt (or to taste)

1 round tsp sugar

Sesame oil and a spring or two of cilantro for garnish

Marinate the meat for at least a few hours; overnight is even better.  Carefully separate the strands of ho fun and set them aside lightly covered with film or damp towel.

On high heat, with 2 Tablespoon of oil, add garlic, ginger, and both kinds of onion; toss a couple of times, then press onion to the wok to facilitate browning.  After half a minute or so, turn the onions and garlic/ginger over and press gently again.  As soon as you observe browning on the onion, move the mixture to the side of the wok.

Add a tablespoon more oil, allow to heat, then add the beef slices.  Separate the slices with a pair of chopsticks or with the wok shovel and press this gently to the bottom.  When the meat is browned, stir fry everything for a few seconds, until the meat is barely cooked.  Immediately remove to a platter. 

Wash wok, reheat on medium high, and swirl in the remaining tablespoon of cooking oil.  When the oil just begins to smoke,  add the rice noodles in a layer and gently press them to the wok.  In about a minute, when they begin to brown, flip the noodles over and repeat the procedure.  Add bean sprouts, gently stir fry for a few seconds, then add all other ingredients, including the sauce, and gently but quickly stir fry and mix the ingredients to combine and heat through.  

Pile on a serving platter and garnish with a little sesame oil, cilantro and slivers of red pepper

Hong Shao Rou

Hong Shao Rou Red Braised Pork

Little known outside the Asian Community, Hong Shao Rou, (红烧肉) literally, red braised pork, is succulent morsels of pork belly simmered in an aromatic, rich soy-based broth until tender.  I first experienced this dish in Macao, where the softened, anise-infused pork was nothing short of a revelation.  Hong Shao Rou belongs to a class of very traditional Asian dishes known as red cooking, which employs a range of ingredients, including beef, chicken, vegetables and dou fu (See Fuscia Dunlop's excellent red cooked recipes in her Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook).

Recently, the dish has gained some cache on the Mainland because it is known to be one of the late Chairman Mao's favorite dishes, and according to an article in the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald, he considered it "brainfood."  (see Malcom Moore's article), 

Since the unctuous pork belly has weaseled its way into the Western fine dining scene, Red Cooked Pork should find an enthusiastic audience in the U.S.; however, one will rarely see Hong Shao Rou offered at stateside Chinese restaurants.  This is a bit baffling, since it is very easy to make, and irresistibly tasty. 

2 lbs pork belly, lean and fat, skin on, cut into sections approx 4" x 4"

3 round Tab sugar

3 cups chicken stock, low sodium

2 - 2" x 1/4" pc cinnamon

2 star anise

2 cloves garlic, smashed

3 1" x 2" slices of ginger, skin on.

1/3 cup soy

1/4 cup Shao Xing wine or dry sherry

1 TAB dark soy

In enough water to just cover the pork, poach belly in simmering water (“cuan” 汆) for 4 minutes or so, then remove.  When the pork has cooled enough to handle, cut into cubes appx. 1 1/2" x 2" and in two batches, brown in a hot wok or cast iron skillet with 3 or 4 Tab peanut oil or lard.  Be careful, this entails lots of spattering…Remove and set aside.  In the same pan, on med heat, add the sugar and stir until melted and beginning to caramelize.  Add back in the pork belly pieces, and toss until coated and further browned with caramelized sugar.

Transfer the pork and residual oil/sugar mixture to a 3 -4 quart sand pot or sauce pan; add the chicken stock to cover pork pieces, cinnamon, star anise, garlic, ginger, light soy, wine, and dark soy.  Bring to a gentle boil, and simmer for approximately 1 hour, until pork lean layers are tender but still moist.   As soon as meat is done, remove meat and boil to reduce sauce.  When liquid has reduced to desired consistency, turn off heat.  Return pork belly to the pot and mix to coat; serve in sandpot or plate with garnish of cilantro and carrot or red pepper slivers

Hong Shao Shi Zi Tou (Red Braised Lion's Head)

Hong Shao Shi Zi Tou (Red Braised Lion's Head)

It is not often you'll find this very traditional dish in stateside Chinese restaurants, yet in China north and south, Shi Zi Tou (Lion's Head) is very common.  The poetic name of this dish results from its appearance: large meatballs in a bed of cooked cabbage suggests, with a little imagination, a lion's head surrounded by his mane.  Variaions exist, especially in southern China, where Shi Zi Tou may have a lighter broth or sauce,  and possibly cellophane noodles (fen si), in addition to the cabbage. The present recipe is a Shanghai version, utilizing the famous "red cooked" (hong shao) method of poaching in soy and stock; if you prefer a lighter, "Southern" variation, you can simply omit the two soy sauces and substitute 4 tablespoons more chicken broth.  This recipe also calls for water chestnuts, and it is highly recommended that you buy the fresh ones rather than canned, available at most Chinese groceries, even though it takes a few minutes to peel them.  Once you experience the sweet, tender fresh water chestnuts, you'll never go back.

• 1 1/2 lbs                 Ground Pork
• 4                              TABWater
• 8                              Water Chestnuts, large mince
• 3                              Scallions, minced
• 3 tsp                       Ginger, minced
• 2 tsp                       Sesame oil
• 1 TAB                     Sherry
• 1/2 tsp                    Salt
• 2 - 3 TAB               Cornstarch for dredging pork balls
• 3 or 4 TAB             Peanut oil
• 2 TAB                     Dark Soy
• 2 TAB                     Light Soy
• 20 oz                      Napa Cabbage, root end trimmed, leaves separated
• 2 tsp                       Brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cup               Chicken stock (homemade is far superior, see Technique)

Make a potato flour slurry (equal parts water and starch, appx 2/3 tsp each; you can also use cornstarch, though it will not result in as gelatinous a sauce) 

Combine pork and water.  Mix meat in one direction, and keep mixing until it is somewhat fluffy and cohered, a few minutes; add  large mince chestnuts, minced scallion, minced ginger, sesame oil, sherry and salt; mix well and form into 5 large meat balls approx 6 oz each, 2 1/2"  to 3" diameter. 

Dust meatballs in cornstarch and remove excess--set aside. 

Heat wok with 3 TAB peanut oil over medium heat;  when wok oil is just barely smoking, add meat balls one at a time and fry, rolling and turning very gently, until slightly firm and browned.  Remove.  

Clean wok, heat to medium, add 6 Tablespoons of water, put in cabbage leaves, cover and steam 5 minutes or so until leaves are flexible.  Remove and allow to cool enough to handle.  

Line sand pot (sha guo) or small casserole with 2/3 of the cabbage; gently add the five meatballs, then pour in chicken stock, sugar, and soy sauces.  Lay remaining cabbage over meat, cover and braise balls for 1 1/2  hours on top of stove.  

When done and cool enough to handle, carefully remove Lion's heads to a plate.  On the service platter, arrange braised cabbage in a circular pattern; arrange meatballs in the center.  Reduce braising liquid to desired flavor intensity and add stream of slurry until liquid is thickened, coats spoon thickly, but still runs.  Pour over Lions head, garnish with slivered green onion or slivered carrot.

Hui Guo Rou Twice cooked pork

Hui Guo Rou Twice Cooked Pork

Hui Guo Rou (literally, "return to the pot pork") is a classic Sichuanese dish. So much so that it appears often on Chinese restaurant menus in the west; however, as always, the sea change takes its toll on the traditional recipe. Stateside, you might find bell peppers, carrots, green cabbage and sugar as main ingredients, with the meat almost as an afterthought. The treatment in this post reflects our experience of the dish in Chengdu, Sichuan, as well as referencing Fuchsia Dunlop's version in her superb book, Land of Plenty.

Gathering together the ingredients may take a bit of effort: the traditional hui guo rou uses several ingredients that will only be found in Asian groceries, including green garlic (saun miao), Sichuan chili bean paste (dou ban jiang) and sweet bean paste (tian main jiang) . Dunlop points out that one can substitute hoisin sauce for the sweet bean paste, but its distinctive sweetnesss and flavor is a bit overpowering.

12 oz pork belly, skin on

3 green garlic (suan miao) or leeks (sliced diagonally) 2 1/2 - 3 oz.)
1" x 1/2 " pc ginger, sliced thin
1 TAB rice wine or sherry (Shao Xing Chiu)
2 tsp Sichuan chili bean paste (duo ban jian)
1 TAB Sweet bean paste (tian mian jiang)
1 round tsp sugar

2 tsp fermented black beans (dou chi)

1 tsp dark soy
1 Tab peanut or other vegetable oil 


Bring 2/3 quarts of water (you can throw in a couple of chopped scallions and 3 or 4 slices of ginger if the stock will be used later) to a gentle boil; add meat and, depending on the thickness of the belly, simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and allow to cool in the refrigerator at least a couple of hours--if possible overnight. When completely cool, cut the belly piece into sections so that when it is sliced thin across the striations of fat and meat, the pieces will be approximately 1" x 2" x 1/8".

If you are using leeks, remove dryer outer sheaths, slice as indicated and stir fry the leak slivers to soften them. 

Make ready all the ingredients on the list. When the oil is smoking hot, stir fry pork slices until nicely brown on the edges. Don't overcook. Remember, you're frying what is basically bacon, so if you cook the pork until it is well browned, it will be crisp and somewhat tough. If you fry it only slightly, it will turn out soft, gelatinous and obviously fatty. When lightly browned, splash with wine, move the meat up the sides of the wok and add ginger slices, sliced green garlic or softened leeks, and chili bean paste. Stir fry for 30 seconds, add sweet bean paste for 30 seconds, and then toss in sugar and dark soy.  Toss the mixture in the wok for a minute or so, plate the hui guo rou and garnish with sesame oil.

Xia Ren Chao Mian (Shrimp Fried Noodles)

Xia Ren Chao Mian (Shrimp Fried Noodles)

Anyone traveling to China, and Asia in general, will notice that noodles are everywhere, at all hours, in every variety.  It is an understatement to call it a staple--it is more like a way of life, especially among the working classes. Nevertheless, perhaps no Chinese dish has suffered more in its passage from the mainland to the West than chao mian (Chow mein).  In China, particularly the north, chao mian is a mainstay dish akin to fried rice (chao fan) in its simplicity and adaptation to the ingredients on hand; with this freedom in mind, one would have thought “Chow Mein,” as it is seen in Chinese-American restaurants, would bear at least a passing resemblance to those versions on the mainland.  In a very few cases, this is true, but most Americans have experienced “Chow Mein” as a sodden, glutinous mass of starchy sauce, overcooked bean sprouts and any number of ingredients standing in for fresh noodles.  In parts of the Eastern and Southern United States,  chao mian will be served without any noodles whatsoever!  In these places, one must order “Lo Mein” to receive noodles.

Chinese chao mian may differ widely from household to household, restaurant to restaurant, and north to south.  If there is a tradition to chao mian, it may be limited to the following: fresh wheat noodles or egg noodles, fried, with some vegetables and flavoring ingredients; its sauce will serve to season the dish, subservient to the noodles, not to overwhelm or bind it together.   With this in mind, one has a great deal of leeway; almost any kind of meat or vegetable can be used, as well as the type of noodle and technique for its frying.  In Southern China and elsewhere, it is more customary to see a thin egg noodle, fried crisp on one or more sides, (Cantonese: Leung Mein Wong) with the meat, vegetables and sauce applied to the top after it’s plated.  In other parts of China, the noodles are fried in the wok along with the other ingredients, and may or may not be crisped, but only heated through and saturated with flavor.  It should also be noticed that while countless traditional recipes exist with the above characteristics, the term chao may not appear in the name, in recipes or menus, though it certainly falls within the category of fried noodles.

One can—and has—written books on the subject of Chinese noodles. [See Florence Lin's Complete Book of Chinese Noodles, Dumplings and Breads.] Making noodles at home, however, is an activity reserved for die-hard food enthusiasts, ones that don't mind the near destruction of their kitchens.  No matter how much care is taken, flour inevitably winds up on the floor, ceiling, clothing, hair and walls.  In China, cooks seem to know better: folks rarely make their own fresh noodles, they are cheap and available on nearly every block.  Here, the faint of heart can buy fresh wheat noodles at any Asian grocery. The version below is based on chao mian I’ve enjoyed in several Sichuan street restaurants.  Keep in mind, you may want to vary the meat, or omit it for a vegetarian version; chilies, dried mushroom, red or green peppers, doufu, can all be utilized if desired, without changing the essential tradition of Chao mian.  It is recommended however, that the garlic, ginger, yellow onion and sprouts be retained, since their flavor and texture is a key to the character of this dish.

Homemade Fresh Noodles

• 3-1/2 cups flour (approx.)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp oil

The amount of flour used in this recipe will depend on the type of flour, its age, and humidity.  Adjust as necessary.  Combine the flour, water, salt and oil and knead until the dough roughly coheres in a ball.  The dough should be dry and somewhat stiff.  Begin running the dough through the machine on the largest setting, folding it each time, until it is smooth and begins to feel slightly sticky.  Dust the dough repeatedly with flour as you do this, until it will not absorb any more.  The idea is to make a very strong dough with a high proportion of flour to water.  Wrap and allow the dough to rest for several hours—this will relax the gluten and distribute the moisture.  You can now repeat the process of rolling and adding more flour, until you have a very strong,  elastic dough.   Now divide the dough into 3 or 4 equal parts and run it through the machine, trimming the width if necessary, dusting with flour when needed, and decreasing the dimension, until the sheets are approximately 1/16” thick and at least 15” long, depending on the type of noodle desired.  Run the sheet through the narrow cutter attachment, producing a strand approximately 1/16” by 1/16” in diameter, and 15” to 20” long.  Dust with cornstarch. The dimensions of a chao mian noodle can vary: it can be flat, like an Italian fettuccine, or somewhat larger, resembling a Japanese udon; the Chinese, however, consider a long noodle best, as it traditionally symbolizes long life, and is a customary—we should say, mandatory—dish served at Birthday celebrations.

The noodles should be refrigerated, dried, or frozen, however homemade noodles do not hold up as well as commercially made, so it is best to use them as soon as possible.

Xia ren chao mian:

15 oz fresh noodle

7-8 oz shelled de-veined shrimp or prawn

2-3 garlic cloves, very finely minced

1” x1/2” pc ginger, peeled and finely minced

1/2 yellow onion, cut into small wedges

8 oz beansprouts

3 green onions

4 oz green cabbage or bai cai

Sauce: 

1 Tab ground bean sauce

3 Tab soy

1 rounded tsp sugar

1 tsp sweet vinegar

Garnish:

A few shreds sweet red pepper

A few shreds green tops of green onion

Sesame oil

Boil fresh noodles for two minutes, checking them every quarter minute for desired doneness.  They should be slightly undercooked, since they will undergo a second cooking in the wok.  Remove the noodles when they are done, drain, and spread on a countertop to cool and dry.  As soon as the surface of the noodles have dulled, drizzle a small amount of peanut oil on them to prevent sticking.

Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients:  wash and trim shrimp, if necessary, and drain thoroughly.  Cut yellow onion into wedges along its axis, and separate them.  Cut green onions into 2” sections; cut white portion into quarters lengthwise, then shred 2 or so tablespoons of the green portion to use as a garnish.  Shred a few pieces of sweet red pepper for garnish. Cut the cabbage into 1/4” shreds.  Combine the sauce ingredients.

Dredge the shrimp or prawn in cornstarch and thoroughly shake off excess.  On high, heat wok til it begins to smoke and add 2-3 Tab of peanut oil; add dusted shrimp and stir fry quickly just until they loose their transluscence.  Remove and set aside.  Add another tablespoon or two of oil and when wok is very hot, toss in yellow and green onion but do not stir—you want to achieve some caramelization on the onion pieces (if you have a professional wok burner, this will not be necessary); when wok is hot again, add ginger and garlic, toss, then cabbage and sprouts and stir fry for 1 or 2 minutes until sprouts barely begin to wilt.  Add the noodles and begin tossing with the other ingredients.  The noodles will tend to roll up and turn over without suspending the other ingredients; it is necessary to gently pull the noodles apart as you stir fry, to combine it all.  Using large chopsticks rather than the shovel, is sometimes helpful.  After 2 minutes or so, add sauce ingredients and continue mixing, trying to pull the noodles apart as you go, until the noodles and ingredients are thoroughly heated through.  When you plate the dish, roll the mass onto the platter and heap any remaining onions or flavoring ingredients onto the top of the noodles.  Arrange the shrimp on top as well, before garnishing with shredded onion, red pepper and sesame oil.

Ma Yi Shang Shu (Ants Climbing a Tree)

Ants Climbing a Tree (Ma Yi Shang Shu)

This Sichuan dish has an imaginative name, and its unique appearance, texture and delicious flavors justify the poetry:  it derives from the finely minced pork, which when combined with the noodles properly, suggests ants clinging to the branches of a tree--well, you may have to use your imagination for this one!  Ma Yi Shang Shu has survived the ages, however, by the pleasing use of wok simmered, translucent, mung bean noodles, commonly found in soups, known in Chinese as fen si.  In the west, it has been called bean thread, cellophane, and vermicelli noodles, and is produced from the same legume as the venerable bean sprout.  Its texture is smooth and slippery, and constitutes a very unique experience among the countless noodles dishes of China.

6 - 7 oz dry bean thread noodle (fen si).
5-6 oz lean pork, minced carefully 1/8” pcs.
2 green onions, white portion fine mince, greens shredded for garnish
2 med cloves garlic, finely minced
1 heaping Tab ginger, finely minced
1 tsp chili paste

Meat marinade:

1 tsp dark soy sauce
4 tsp shao xing wine or dry sherry
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch

Sauce:

1 1/2 to 2 CUPS homemade or low sodium chicken stock
2 Tab shao xing wine or dry sherry
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt

Soak the beanthread noodles in hot water for an hour or so, until pliable, then drain.  Cut the noodles in half or thirds with scissors, cover and set aside.

Preparing the pork is important; the appearance of the dish is enhanced by mincing the meat in fairly uniform “ant-like” pieces.  Putting the pork in the freezer until it is very firm but not frozen helps; slice the meat across the grain, 1/8” thick, then cut the slices into 1/8” diameter matchsticks; align the pieces and cut them into 1/8” dice; marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes in the marinade ingredients.

Heat the wok to med high, add peanut oil, and stir fry the minced pork, using chopsticks to thoroughly separate the meat pieces as they cook.  Fry the pork until it is completely done and begins to darken.  Push the pork up the sides of the wok and add more oil if necessary so that a couple of tablespoons is available for the rest of the frying (To enhance the “ant” appearance, 2 or 3 tablespoons of meat can be taken out at this point to use as a garnish).  Add ginger, the white part of the minced onion, and garlic; stir fry for 30 seconds or so, then add chili paste and stir fry until well blended.  Add the sauce ingredients, then the drained bean thread noodles and mix thoroughly.  At first it may seem that you've used too much sauce, but it will be absorbed in time. Simmer the noodles for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and adding small amounts of water if the noodles appear to be drying out.  When the mung bean noodles are soft and velvety,  turn the noodles over, making sure the minced ingredients are picked up from the bottom of the wok, and slide the mass onto a platter.  Garnish with a little sesame oil, a few green onion  shreds, and the reserved cooked pork.

Fan Qie Chao Dan (Stir Fried Eggs with Tomatoes)

Stir fried eggs are a staple all over China.  This is hardly surprising, given that chickens and stir frying have been ubiquitous on the mainland for centuries.  Fan qie chao dan (literally, tomato fried egg) is very different from the famous Chinese-American egg dish, “Egg Fu Yung.”  (The name “Egg Fu Yung” is derived from the Chinese fu rong, or Cantonese fu yuhng, meaning cotton rose hibiscus, and refers poetically to the similarity of this flower to fluffy, whipped egg white used in Mainland fu rong dishes.)  The moisture of the tomatoes lend this dish a creamy, rich softness, and the addition of white pepper and sesame oil will further distinguish it from Western scrambled egg preparations.

5 large eggs
2 scallions, slivered diagonally
2 small tomatoes, approx 6 oz., roughly chopped
Ground white pepper to taste
Coarse salt to taste
Sesame oil garnish
Cilantro, slivered carrot or slivered red pepper for garnish

Place the whole eggs in a bowl and set aside until they attain room temperature.
In a medium hot wok, heat two or three tablespoons of peanut oil until it begins to smoke; add green scallions and stir fry briefly until edges just begin to brown.  Raise heat to high, and slide in the eggs; as soon as a skin forms on the bottom, add tomatoes and begin breaking up the yolks and tossing the mixture until the eggs are barely set.  Remove wok from heat and add dashes of salt and white pepper to taste.  Plate the eggs and drizzle sesame oil over the top.  Garnish and serve.

Lu sun Niu Rou Si (Asparagus with Beef Slivers)

While asparagus is a very recently introduced and not yet a common vegetable on the tables of China, the country is the world’s largest producer of the white variety, and I have no doubt that with the increasing affluence of the Chinese, such delicious western produce as asparagus will be sampled and eventually incorporated into the cuisine.  Its taste, color (especially the green) and particular crisp texture is precisely the sort of qualities that will endear it to their national palate.  The preparation, however, is very traditional, and utilizes a reduction sauce.  This method is common in China but is almost never employed in the Chinese American restaurants, whose cooks can’t seem to keep starch thickeners away from their stir fries.  In this dish, one can very simply substitute pork, chicken, or even lamb, with similar results.

8 oz lean beef (tri-tip, or top round works well)10 oz green asparagus,  fibrous ends trimmed
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 scallions, slivered diagonally, green and white portions separated
Meat marinade:
1 Tab black soy
1 Tab light soy
1 Tab rice wine
1 heap Tab cornstarch
Sauce:
2 Tab stock
1 Tab rice wine
1 Tab light soy sauce
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
Slice beef across the grain, then sliver into matchsticks approximately 1-1/2 to 2 inches long.  Mix with marinade, and allow to stand for 30 minutes or longer.
Slice asparagus at an extreme diagonal, very thin, approximately1/8” thick or less (If it is sliced too thick, other ingredients will overcook by the time the asparagus is done).
Heat wok to smoking hot and swirl in 3 Tab of peanut oil.  When very hot, add beef slivers and break apart; toss, allowing meat to rest occasionally so that it will brown nicely.  After only 1 or 2 minutes, remove beef to a plate.  Add more oil if necessary, and when wok is hot add garlic, white portion of onion, then asparagus.  Stir fry 1 or 2 minutes, until edges of the vegetable begin to brown.  Stir sauce ingredients and add to wok; toss on high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated and clings to the ingredients.  Plate and garnish with sesame oil and slivered carrot.

Chen Pi Niu Rou (Tangerine Flavored Beef)

You’ll find this dish on many stateside restaurant menus, especially those purporting to be Sichuan, Hunan, and even “northern” inspired.  This version tries to be rigorously traditional, with hardly any ingredients besides tangerine peel and beef, such brevity of ingredients being typical of mainland Chinese cuisine.


While you will see this recipe translated into English as both “Tangerine Flavored beef” and “Orange Flavored Beef,” the Chinese tradition sees less of a  distinction between the two.   Tangerine, a type of small orange, is an English word deriving from Tangiers, the port from which these fruits were first shipped to Europe.  On the other hand, orange citrus was known to China from earliest times and their remnants found in Han tombs.  Today, anyone visiting Western China will notice small curls of orange peel drying on strings and in window sills in nearly every household.  Even though small oranges have been savored in the Mainland for centuries, only a handful of cooked dishes feature them, Chen Pi Niu Rou being the best known.  It is delicious on several levels, especially the balance of sweet opposed to the bitterness of the peel, the eating of which may be an acquired taste for Westerners.


If you have not air-dried orange or tangerine peel yourself in preparation for this dish, you can purchase the ingredient at a Chinese grocery, although it is not recommended.  (To dry your own, just as most Chinese do, peel fresh tangerines or small, thin-skinned organges and dry the skins for several days in a drafty area or in an oven for about 1-1/2 hours at 110 degrees).


12 oz beef tri tip, sliced 1/8” x 2 “ by 1” or so
Dried tangerine peel from 2  small tangerines (appx. 20 pcs, 1/2” x 1” or so)


Marinade for beef slices:
2 thick slices of ginger, crushed with the flat side of cleaver
1 Tab light soy sauce
1 Tab Shaoxing wine or sherry
2 tsp cornstarch


Stir fry ingredients:
6 scallions, cut diagonally into sections, approx 1” long
        separate white and green portions
6 lg dried chilis, sliced diagonal into 3/4 – 1” sections
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 - 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn, roasted and ground
1 Tab rice wine


Sauce:
2 Tab soy
4 Tab stock
2 Tab tangerine soaking water
1-1/2 Tab sugar


Soak dried orange peel in enough hot water to cover and allow to soften for an hour or more.
Add crushed ginger to the other marinade ingredients and allow to infuse while the beef is sliced as described.  Mix beef slices with marinade, discarding ginger.
Heat wok until smoking, add 3 or 4 Tab of oil,  and add beef slices.  Brown the meat for 3 minutes or so, then remove.  Add a little more oil, if necessary, and when oil begins to smoke, add white portion of the scallion,  stir fry a little, then add chilis, tangerine peel, garlic and Sichuan peppercorn.  When chilis are browned, deglaze with wine.  On high heat add back the beef slices and green onion; add the sauce mixture after mixing it thoroughly, and toss everything until liquid is reduced enough to glaze the meat.  Toss, plate and garnish with cilantro or slivered scallion.

Tang Cu Qiezi (Sweet and Sour Eggplant)

This is a variation on Sichuan Classic. In Chengdu, at a restaurant we dubbed "Pretty in Pink" because of its gaudy vinyl wall panels, we repaired to a small, open-front restaurant with 6 or 7 tables, one server and one cook.  I ordered Yu Xiang Qiezi,  but when it arrived it was obvious from its color that the cook had deep fried the eggplant, and omitted the chili paste and Chingkiang vinegar.  In spite of the fact that it was a bit different than the traditional,  we liked it very much--in fact, we rarely went back to traditional version.   Begging the chef's pardon, I’ll call this Tang Cu Qiezi, sweet and sour eggplant, in honor of its divergence from the more traditional methods of Sichuan.

2 - 3 Asian eggplants
2 small egg whites, beaten
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp salt

2 – 3 Tab peanut oil
Heap Tab garlic
1 Tab minced ginger
1 round tab minced scallion
1or 2  dried chilies, chopped in 4 - 5 pieces

Sauce:

2 tsp rice vinegar
2 rounded tsp sugar
1/2 cup stock
1 Tab soy sauce
1 – 2 Tab wine

Cornstarch slurry

Sesame oil and cilantro for garnish


Prepare all other ingredients, and begin pre-heating the deep frying oil to 350 degrees.


Cut eggplants crosswise into 2 1/2 " to 3" segments, then each segment cut into eighths, lengthwise.  In a large bowl or plastic bag, combine cornstarch with salt.  When deep frying oil has nearly attained 350 degrees you can begin the sauce before frying the eggplant: turn up the wok and on moderate heat, stir fry the ginger for a few seconds, then add the chilis, garlic and scallion;  Toss for 30 seconds or so, until the edges of the garlic and scallion just begin to brown, and splash in the wine.  Add the sugar, stock, vinegar and soy sauce.  When the liquid begins to boil, drizzle in the cornstarch slurry until the sauce begins to thicken, and take off the heat.  The sauce should thick enough to coat a spoon, but not so thick that it will not flow easily when you tilt the wok.


Quickly toss the eggplant pieces in a bowl with the beaten egg whites.  Now toss them vigorously in bowl or plastic bag, then, with a colander or sieve, shake off excess starch.  Lower the eggplant into the fryer and fry for three minutes, stirring occasionally, until the outside is nicely browned and the center is soft but still moist.  Drain the eggplant for 15 seconds or so, then plate, arranging the pieces neatly.


If the sauce seems too thick when you are ready to pour it over the eggplant, thin with a teaspoon or two of stock.  Pour the sauce over the eggplant, then garnish with sesame oil and cilantro.

Chao Shanghai Cai (Stir fried Shanghai Bok Choi with garlic)

There is some confusion about what to call various greens in the Chinese repertoire. Bok choi, means white vegetable in Cantonese, and generally refers to the larger white cabbages (pekinensis cultivar group) which in the West are recognized as napa cabbage; in Beijing, the mandarin equivalent is bai cai, and when in season, you’ll see enormous piles of these big cabbages on neighborhood streets, awaiting distribution to homes and restaurants for preserving, boiling and stir frying (The Beijing authorities nearly eliminated this "unsightly" practice during the 2008 Olympics).  However, the popular name for the vegetable in this dish is Shanghai Bok Choi which is not even remotely large or entirely white.   In fact, Chinese cooks enjoy the very small leaves of this cabbage, the smaller the better.  Again, the preparation is extremely simple, featuring the superb texture and flavor of this delicious, healthy vegetable.

1 lb Shanghai bok choi, or Shanghai Choi, trimmed
3 med garlic cloves, minced
1/3 tsp kosher salt (or, if you prefer, 1 Tab light soy sauce)
2 – 3 Tab peanut oil
Sesame oil

Wash and thoroughly dry the cabbage.  Trim the base from each cabbage head so that all of the leaves separate.

Prepare other ingredients.

Heat wok to medium, add peanut oil and when it is hot, toss in garlic.  Stir fry quickly for 5 or 10 seconds, add Shanghai bok choi, stir fry for one minute or so and add salt (or soy if you prefer).  Cover, turn heat down to low medium, and allow cabbage to steam in its own juices for 2 minutes or so, or until the leaves are limp and the stalks begin to shrink and soften.  Adjust saltiness if necessary.  Plate the Shanghai choi on a platter and garnish with sesame oil.

Hao You Niu Rou (Oyster Sauce Beef)

Beef has been a part of Chinese cooking since the 12th Century BC, but the popular sauce made from oysters is relatively new, arriving in the late 19th century.  Many Westerners unaccustomed to the cuisine approach this concoction skeptically, but are won over by its velvety texture, its mild, sweet and savory flavor.  It is found in almost every restaurant in the United States, used variously as a flavoring in Chinese-American dishes, and is an important garnish to simple vegetable dishes such as gai lan (Chinese brocoli--see recipe for jie lan elsewhere on this site).  As always, many variations of this popular Cantonese dish exist, even in China, but they mostly entail differences of vegetable ingredients such as mushrooms, green peppers, carrot, bamboo shoots, snow peas, snap peas, asparagus, gai lan, bocoli, etc.  I prefer the snow peas for their sweetness and delightfully crunchy texture; otherwise, this is a beef dish, with only the textural and visual accent of a few peas, onions, and mushrooms accompanying the meat.

11 –12 oz beef (tri-tip, strip steak, sirloin)
3 green onions, white portion and green cut into 1-1/2” sections
4 - 5 thin slices of ginger
4 chinese dried mushrooms3 oz snow peas, stem trimmed, and wiped dry

Marinade:
1 Tab soy sauce
1 Tab rice wine (Editor’s note: or dry sherry)1 tsp sugar
2 tsp cornstarch

Sauce:
1 Tab rice wine
1 Tab soy sauce
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tab chicken or beef stock
1-1/2 to 2 Tab Oyster Sauce (Editor’s note: Lee Kum Kee premium is best)
Sesame oil and Slivered carrot or red pepper for garnish

Slice the meat across the grain, 1/8” thick, into small strips, approximately 3/4” by 2” or so.  Combine the meat with the marinade ingredients and set aside for at least a half hour.
Submerge the mushrooms in hot tap water for at least 30 minutes to hydrate them, then squeeze the water out with a towel.  Cut the stem out and slice the mushroom into two or three pieces; mix the pieces with a splash of soy and rice wine to enhance the flavor.   Finely shred a small piece of carrot or red pepper for garnish.
Heat 4 Tab of oil in wok until smoking; stir fry beef for one or two minutes, allowing it to rest occasionally on the sides of the wok, until it begins to brown, remove with bamboo strainer or slotted spoon and set aside.  Reheat wok to high, and as soon as it begins to smoke, add green onion and ginger slices and quickly stir fry until onion just begins to brown on the edges, then toss in mushrooms and snow peas, frying for 30 seconds or so.  Splash in wine, then soy sauce, vinegar, stock and oyster sauce.  Toss the mixture until it is boiling vigorously, then, as it begins to reduce, add back the sliced meat.  Toss, and when sauce has reduced enough to coat the ingredients without too much puddling in the bottom of the wok, pour onto a small platter and garnish with sesame oil and slivered vegetable.

Jiao Yan Xia (Salt and Pepper Shrimp)

Salt and Pepper Shrimp (Jiao Yan Xia)


Salt and pepper preparations are ubiquitous in stateside restaurants, both Chinese and Vietnamese, offering chicken, squid, shrimp and pork, especially ribs.  Simply put, before frying, the meat is dredged in a mixture of salt and ground white or black pepper, giving it a dry, intense, sparkly sort of taste.  However, it is not as common in China, unless one considers the very common Sichuanese penchant for using a salt and Sichuan peppercorn mixture as a dip, especially with steamed chicken.


Here, in traditionally oriented restaurants, Salt and Pepper shrimp is usually prepared shell on, sometimes with head included; however, I prefer the textural subtleties of a more “western-friendly” version of the dish, and peel the shrimps.


Two quarts frying oil (peanut oil is excellent)
8 oz. Deveined, peeled shrimp. (30-40 count per pound works well)
1/2 med. Yellow onion, sectioned into crescents
4 small green onion, sectioned 2” long.  Reserved greenest portion for garnish.
1 egg white.
4 Tab cornstarch (1/3 cup)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tab peanut oil for stir frying
Salt and pepper for onions.


Fresh chili or Jalepeno, sliced diagonally (optional)
In a bowl, combine cornstarch pepper and salt well.  Combine green and yellow onion in a bowl and season with a few dashes of salt and pepper to taste.
In a deep fryer or large pot Heat frying oil to 375°.  Dry shrimp with paper towels. Whip egg white lightly and add shrimp, mixing well.  When oil is to temperature, pick shrimp out of the egg white, shake off excess egg, and place in cornstarch mixture.  Toss and roll the shrimp to coat evenly; shake off excess starch in colander or by hand and carefully place in oil; use bamboo chopsticks to separate and turn shrimp.  Cook just until shrimp curl and firm up; quickly remove and drain.  Heat wok to hot and add 2 tablespoons peanut oil,  put in seasoned onions (and chili if using).  Stirfry until edges of onion begin to brown. Add back shrimp; fry for 30 seconds or so and remove all with basket strainer.  Drain on paper towels, and quickly remove to platter.  Garnish with reserved greens and served immediately.