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.

Chi You Chao Mian (Soy Sauce Chow Mein)

Chi You Chao Mian (Soy Sauce Chow Mein)

One of the lesser known items enjoyed at Chinese dim sum restaurants is a chewy, savory noodle dish known in English as Soy Sauce Chow Mein.  This is not usually seen on the ordinary steam carts circling the dim sum restaurant; instead, you'll find it on a cold cart featuring other specials, such as salt-and-pepper squid, roast duck, steamed greens with oyster sauce, etc.  Its unique texture and flavor requires a thin steamed wheat noodle, often labeled  won ton noodle,  beansprouts, green and white onion, and soy sauce, all stir fried to perfection.  The Hong Kong style "won ton" noodles can be purchased fresh at most Asian groceries; however, it is essential to use the steamed version, which isn't always labeled as such, but you can also buy the raw noodle, and steam it yourself in a bamboo steamer: spread the noodles out in a steamer tray 1" to 2" thick, and steam for approx 7 minutes.   As soon as they are cool enough to handle, separate and fluff the noodles and set aside.

8 oz  thin steamed Chow Mein Noodles,  aka: "won ton noodles" (i.e. Wan Hua Foods brand) 

3/4 med yellow onion

2 or 3 green onion

7 oz beansprouts

3 Tab Soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt

2 rounded tsp sugar

Dash of vinegar

Dash of dry white sherry, or XiaoShing wine...

Sesame oil

Submerge steamed noodles in hot (150 degree) water for 2 minutes.  Drain well.

Cut yellow onion into tapered slivers, about 1/2 " wide.  Cut green onion into 1-1/2" sections; slice the white portions in half and break apart.  Mix soy with sugar and dash of vinegar and set aside.

Heat 3 Tablespoons of peanut oil in a wok, until just beginning to smoke, and add yellow and white portion if green onion.  Gently flatten the onions to the wok with the shovel, allowing to brown for 20 seconds or so; add beansprouts, green onion pieces, and a dash of wine, then stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, till the sprouts just begin to soften.  Add steamed noodles and soy sauce/sugar mixture; it's a good idea to chop into the mass of noodles with the spatula 2 or 3 times to shorten them, then toss until sauce is thoroughly incorporated and the noodles are hot.  Serve on oval platter 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.

Dan Dan Mian (Dan Dan Noodles)

Dan Dan Mian (Dan Dan Noodles)

The name of this dish derives from the verb dan, to carry on a pole, referring to the time, until recently, when Sichuanese street vendors carried the makings for snack noodles on bamboo poles and called out their offerings,"dan dan mian!". Among devotees of this dish there is much discussion with regards to the addition or omission of sesame paste. It's worth noting the difference, since sesame paste is intensely flavorful and the two versions would seem to be at odds within the tradition of dan dan mian. The fact is, both are common in Sichuan, though the exported version of Dan Dan Mian seems to always contain the sesame paste. Common elements to look for are pork, chili oil, scallion and ya cai, (preserved vegetable), and sichuan peppercorn (Hua Jiao)--the latter being included in countless traditional Sichuan preparations. In my time in Chengdu, the capitol of Sichuan province, I enjoyed this snack many times in the small restaurants that one found in the side streets of that city.

12 oz fresh wheat noodles

4 oz pork, minced

3/4 tsp Sichuan peppercorn, lightly roasted and ground

1 med clove garlic, minced

1-1/2 Tab Sichuan pickled vegetable ya cai (editor: Tianjin preserved vegetable works well)1 Tab soy sauce

1 Tab rice wine

Sauce/topping:

2 tsp dark soy sauce

1 Tab Soy sauce

1 Tab chicken stock

1 tsp ChingKiang black vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar

2 Tab chili oil

1/4 tsp of salt

2 scallions, green portion only, sliced thin--reserve a few for garnish

Cook the fresh noodles for 2 minutes or so, and check for desired doneness. Remove, drain until the noodles begin to stick together, then toss with a small amount of oil; portion out to 2 or 3 bowls.

Combine the sauce ingredients.

Heat the wok on medium heat until it just begins to smoke and add 3 or 4 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, add minced pork and stir fry, taking care to break up the meat; quickly add the garlic, peppercorn and preserved vegetable and toss. Splash in a tablespoon each of soy sauce and rice wine, toss, and remove.

Portion out the sauce/topping equally over each bowl of noodles; garnish with sesame oil and a few slices of green scallion

To make the sesame paste version: use the recipe above, omitting the Chingkiang vinegar and dark soy sauce. Also, to the sauce/topping ingredients, add 1 round Tablespoon of sesame paste and another tablespoon of chicken stock, and mix very thoroughly to dissolve the sesame paste.

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.

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.

Gan Bian Si Ji Dou (Dry fried four season bean)

Gan Bian Si Ji Dou  (Dry fried four season bean)


Gan Bian Si Ji Dou is a classic vegetable dish, thought to be from Sichuan, which one will encounter on Chinese menus all over the world.  In the past, the bean most traditionally used in this Sichuan dish is chang dou orchang jiang dou, known in English as yard-long beans.  The reference in the name “si ji dou”, (lit: four season bean) is likely due to the beans’ heartiness, and farmers’ ability to grow it in almost any season. In any event, over time, the common green bean or string bean has occasionally been used in China, and invariably in the West.  The two are very similar, though the long bean requires slightly longer cooking time, and is less likely to be stringy or tough.  Traditional variations on this famous preparation add ground pork, omit the dried shrimp, vary the seasoning ingredients; but all include the double-cooked beans, the preserved vegetable and minced onions while maintaining the crisp texture and sweet fresh flavor of the beans.

• 20 oz. Yard-long beans or string beans
• 2-3 cloves garlic, very finely minced
• 1/2” x 1” pc ginger, very finely minced
• 1 green onion, very finely minced
• 1 Heaping Tab of dried shrimp
• 2 Tab pickled mustard cabbage or Tianjin pickled vegetable
• 1 Tab soy
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 1-1/2 tsp sugar
• 2-1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

• sesame oil to garnish

• 2-3 Quarts of Frying oil in large pot.

Wash, trim and cut beans to 2-3” lengths; make sure they are thoroughly dry. In a large pot, slowly heat deep fry oil to 350º (editor’s note: see “deep frying” in the Techniques section.) The beans can also be shallow fried or stir fried, though the cooking time may have to be increased.  In the meantime, prepare the other ingredients.  (Note that the garlic, ginger, green onion and shrimp should be finely minced, allowing the flavoring ingredients to cling to the beans when the dish is plated).  In a bowl, pour 1 cup of very hot water over the dried shrimp and cover.  Set aside for 30 minutes.  Wash and drain the preserved vegetable, then press out any remaining moisture, chop roughly and set aside.  Drain shrimp and mince finely.
When oil has reached 350º add the beans in two or three portions to keep foaming to a minimum, and deep fry until skin begins to blister and beans have slightly softened—about a minute or two, depending on the freshness of the beans.  It is crucial that they not be overcooked, as the loss of their texture ruins the dish.  To be certain, after frying for about a minute, retrieve a bean section, quickly submerge in cold water and taste for doneness.  The bean should be crisp; keep in mind the beans will continue to cook after they are taken out of the oil.  When the beans are done, drain thorougly and set aside.  This step can be done ahead, but it is best to continue and complete the dish as soon as possible.
Heat the wok and add 2-3 Tab of peanut oil; on med high, but before wok begins to smoke, add ginger, garlic and onions.  Toss once or twice and add dried shrimp and preserved vegetable.  Immediately add beans, toss, then add vinegar, soy, sugar and salt.  Be sure to check for saltiness: Gan bian si ji dou is a savoury dish, with just a hint of sweetness.  Plate the beans, making sure you scrape the wok of the flavoring ingredients and scatter them on top of the dish.  Garnish with a small amount of sesame oil.

Chao Dou Ya  (Stir Fried Bean Sprouts)


Chao Dou Ya is not only an example of how elegantly simple Chinese vegetable dishes can be, but also how healthy.  No less a health guru than Dr. Weil gives us a recipe for Stir fried bean sprouts, which you can reference at: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/RCP00222 It is surprisingly similar to this...


Nowhere is the Chinese penchant for freshness and texture better demonstrated than in Chao Dou Ya.  Many people in the west, seldom experiencing sprouted mung beans as anything other than glutinous filler in Chinese American versions of “Chow Mein,” will hardly recognize the vegetable when prepared in this minimal way.  Bean sprouts have an astonishingly sweet, succulent and distinctive flavor.  In the method below, the addition of yellow onion contributes a highly complimentary flavor to the sprouts.


Preparation:

• 16 oz Bean sprouts (fresh mung bean sprouts)
• 2 Tab shredded mild or sweet red pepper
• 1 Green onion, white and green portions shredded separately
• 1/4 medium yellow onion, slivered into quarter inch wedges
• Salt to taste (Approximately 2 –3 pinches of kosher salt is excellent)
• Peanut oil
• Sesame oil

Stir fried beansprouts should only be prepared using sprouts which are fresh, crisp and white-fleshed.  Wash them if necessary in very cold water, and drain thoroughly.  In the meantime, prepare the ingredients as described and pre-heat the wok on low to medium heat.  An important flavoring for this dish comes from the slight browning of the yellow onion and sprout; therefore, while it is necessary to use a very hot wok, one must fry the ingredients quickly to maintain their essential flavors and textures.  Turn the heat under the wok to high; when it is smoking hot, swirl two or three tablespoons of peanut oil into the pan and when it begins to smoke, throw in yellow onion wedges and white portion of green onion.  Press the onions gently against the surface of the wok and let them cook for a few seconds until you can observe browning around the edges.  Toss once and repeat, but do not exceed a total frying time of more than one minute or so; making sure wok is very hot, add peppers and sprouts and toss, then gently press the sprouts against the sides of the pan to obtain the proper browning and cooking.  Repeat this several times; salt to taste as you go.  When the sprouts are still crisp, have lost their raw taste yet slightly wilted, they are done.  Plate and garnish with shredded green onion tops and a small drizzle of sesame oil.

Yu Xiang Qiezi (Fish Fragrance Eggplant)

Yu Xiang Qiezi  (Fish Fragrance Eggplant)


I've often thought that in Chinese tradition, vegetables are executed with elegant simplicity, allowing the natural flavors and textures of the main ingredients to carry the day.  Here is one exeption,  the classic Yu Xiang Qiezi, translated literally to mean, “fish fragrance eggplant.”  Yu Xiang preparations are common in traditional Chinese cooking, especially Yu Xiang Zhu Rou Si, “Fish frangrance pork shreds,”  which we've posted earlier.  This dense, savory, and highly flavored dish features chili paste, sugar and Chinkiang (zhe jiang) vinegar.  Yu Xiang Qiezi is an important vegetarian dish, as eggplant somewhat mimics the hearty tactile qualities of some meats, particularly dark chicken and shredded pork.  It absorbs sauce prodigiously, thus extra liquid will be employed to ensure a moist, flavorful presentation.   The present version of this western province dish is the most traditional, but while in Sichuan in 1998 I had a delicious version of Yu Xiang Qiezi using small, crisp, batter fried wedges of eggplant, lightly tossed in an intense sweet and sour sauce.  (See Tang Cu Qiezi) This unbattered rendition retains more of the natural succulence of the vegetable.

• 2-3 Quarts of Frying oil in large pot.
• 2 - 3 medium asian eggplants
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 green onion, minced
• 1” x 1” pc of ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 rounded tsp chili paste
• 2 Tab rice wine (or dry sherry)

Sauce:

• 1 Tab of sugar
• 1 Tab soy sauce
• 2 tsp Chinkiang (zhe jiang) vinegar
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or lightly salted broth

Thickener and garnish:

• Cornstarch slurry
• Sesame oil
• 1-2 Heaping Tab Red sweet pepper or red chili pepper, shredded

Slowly heat the deep frying oil in large pot.   A deep fry thermometer is very useful.  Also, it is advisable to have a kitchen fire extinguisher nearby, or an open box of bicarbonate of soda in the event the oil boils over and catches fire (editor’s note: by this bit of advice we once again see that Wang is instructing students, not professionals and expects this dish to be made in the home.  Also, see “deep frying” in the Techniques section.)  In the meantime, prepare ingredients in this way: slice eggplants lengthwise into four long wedges, then cut eat wedge lengthwise to create 8 long wedges.  Cut each of these in four equal pieces.  Some recipes may suggest peeling or partially peeling the eggplant.  Though these variants are traditional, I prefer to leave the skin intact, since the texture, color and flavor is excellent.  Mince garlic, ginger and onion and set aside.  Shred sweet red or chili pepper and set aside. Combine sauce ingredients and set aside.  Prepare cornstarch slurry if you do not have any on hand, and set aside.
On medium, increase heat under deep fry oil until it is 350º - 375º F.  If you do not have a thermometer, drop a shred of green onion or sweet pepper into the oil; if it sizzles vigorously, the oil is probably ready.  Lower 1/3 of the eggplant wedges into the oil at a time, to prevent a boil over; you should turn the heat up as soon as the eggplant is in the oil, as their addition has lowered the temperature.
In approximately 3 minutes, the eggplant is done; remove to drain and set aside.
Heat 2 or 3 Tablespoons of peanut oil in your wok until it just begins to smoke, then toss in green onion, garlic, ginger, and chili paste.  Stir fry briefly until these ingredients barely turn color;  splash in wine, toss, then add stirred sauce ingredients.  When this begins to boil, add eggplant and stir gently.  As soon as the sauce boils again, simmer 30 seconds or less, and add cornstarch slurry until sauce thickens.  Plate the dish, garnish with a drizzle of sesame oil and a few shreds of red pepper.
You might also want to try this variation: in Sichuan restaurants, some chefs will lightly bread the eggplant slices with egg white and cornstarch, deep fry the pieces, then plate the qiezi, over which is drizzled the finished sauce.