Boiled Dumplings (Jiao Zi)

Vegetarian Chow Mein

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 pound dried or fresh egg noodles
2 ounces celery
2 ounces canned bamboo shoots
2 tablespoons peanut oil for stir-frying
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small onion, finely sliced
1/2 pound small button mushrooms, whole
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
3 tablespoons vegetable stock
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 pound bean sprouts

Garnish:

Fresh coriander sprigs

Directions:

1.       If you are using fresh noodles, blanch them first in a large pot of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. If you are using the dried noodles, cook in boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the noodles, then put them into cold water until required.

2.       String the celery and slice diagonally. Shred the bamboo shoots.

3.       Heat a wok or large frying-pan and add the oil. When moderately hot, add the garlic and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add the onion, mushrooms, celery, and bamboo shoots and stir-fry for about 5 minutes.

4.       Drain the noodles thoroughly and put into the wok. Continue to stir-fry for 1 minute then add the rest of the ingredients except the bean sprouts. Continue to stir-fry for another 2 minutes and then add the bean sprouts. Give the mixture a good stir and turn it onto a serving platter.

5.      Garnish with fresh coriander sprigs.

Nutritional Breakdown per serving:

335 calories (kcal); 10 g Total Fat (15 percent calories from fat); 12 g Protein; 51 g Carbohydrate; 54 mg Cholesterol; 901 mg Sodium; 4g Fiber
(Based on a medium sized onion; also, the database does not have a category for dark soy sauce. Just to give an idea of how much it helps to cut back on oil in cooking, using 3 tablespoons instead of 2 increases the calorie count to 364 calories per serving).

Twice-Cooked Pork

1 lb (450g) fresh boneless pork or fresh, uncured ham
2 tbsp soybean paste
3 oz (80g) scallions or garlic shoots
1 tbsp sweet bean sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil 1/4 cup meat stock

Directions:

1. Wash the pork, drop it into boiling water to cover, and parboil for 8 minutes. Remove, drain, and cut into slices about 2 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide 1/4 inch thick (7 cm by 4 cm by 16mm) . Set aside

2. Cut the scallions on the slant into 1 inch (3 cm) pieces. Set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a work to very hot 356°F (180°C), or until smoke rises on the surface. Add the pork slices, soybean paste, sweet bean sauce, scallions or shoots, and stock. Stir-fry for 5 minutes, or until the scallions are tender and the soybean paste loses its raw taste. Remove and serve.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Ingredients:

1 kg Pork Belly ( 1 inch cubes)
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp Brandy (optional)
1 Egg (beaten)
1 tbsp Cornflour
600 ml Vegetable oil
1 spring Onion (cut in to 1inch)
100 g Canned bamboo shoot
1 Green pepper (diced)

Sauce :

3 tbsp wine vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp Tomato puree or sauce
2 tbsp Orange juice
1 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tbsp Sesame oil
1 tbsp Cornflour

Directions:

1. Mix the pork cubes with salt & Brandy & leave to marinade for 15 minutes.

2. Blend the beaten egg, cornflour & add the pork cubes and turn until each cube is well coated.

3. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl.

4. Heat the oil in a wok to 180 degree C or 350 degree F or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Add the pork cubes and deep fry for 3 minutes, then remove and drain on paper towels. Heat the oil again until smoking, return the pork with the bamboo shoots & fry for 2 minutes or until they are golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.

5. Now heat a pan and add the sauce mix and heat till slightly thick.

6. Mix the sauce with the meat & vegetable just before serving.

Stewed Chicken Drumsticks

Ingredients:

5 oz (150oz) chicken drumstick meat
1 tsp. rice wine
3 tbsp scallion oil
5 tsp. soy sauce
7 oz (200ml ) high stock
7 tsp. cornstarch (corn flour)
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp. MSG (optional)

Directions:

1. Make the scallion oil by cooking 2 tbsp chopped scallions in 3 tbsp oil until the scallions becomes fragrant. Discard the scallions and set the oil aside.

2. Cut the drumstick meat into 1 1/2 inch chunks.

3. Pour the stock into a wok and stir in the salt , MSG (optional), rice wine, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil and add the chicken pieces, skin side down. Simmer over medium heat, until the sauce has reduced by about 2/3, and the meat becomes tender.

4. Stir the cornstarch-water mixture and add to the wok. Cook, stirring, until thickened. Pour the scallion oil over all, and serve.

Sparerib Soup

Directions:

1. Wash the spareribs and chop into 1 inch by 2 inch (3cm X 5 cm) pieces.

2. Heat the oil in a work over high heat until the oil surface ripples. Add the spareribs and stir-fry for 10 minutes, or until the ribs turn a lighter color and give off most of their juices. Place in a heavy casserole with the salt and ginger. Add 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) of water, cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 hours over high heat, replenishing the water if necessary. Add the MSG and scallions. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove and serve.

Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes

3 tomatoes
1/2 tsp. scallion, shredded
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, shredded
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. MSG (optional)

Directions:

1. Drop the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove, drain, and peel. Cut in half, squeeze out the seeds, and chop coarsely.

2. Beat the eggs with the 1/4 tsp. salt.

3. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a wok over high heat until the oil surface ripples . Pour in the eggs and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove    from the wok and place in a dish. Add the other 2 tbsp of oil to the wok and reheat until very hot. Add the scallions and ginger and stir-fry for a few seconds. Then add the tomato, the remaining salt, sugar and MSG (optional) . Stir-fry about 30 seconds, then return the scrambled eggs to the wok . Stir to blend, remove, and serve.

Salt and Pepper Spareribs

3/4 lb. (350g) spareribs
4 cups (1 litre) vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 tbsp rice wine
5 tsp. spiced pepper-salt
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch (corn flour)
1/4 tsp. MSG (optional)

Directions:

1. Wash the spareribs and chop into pieces, 2 inches long and 3/4 inch wide (5 cm by 2cm ). Mix the rice wine, soy sauce, MSG (optional), cornstarch, and 2 tsp. water into a paste. Add the spareribs and stir to coat well.

2. Heat the oil the work over high heat to 350oF (180oc), or until a piece of scallion or ginger sizzles and moves around quickly when tossed into the oil. Add the spareribs and deep-fry for 1 minute. Remove, drain, and set aside. Reheat the oil to 400oF (205oc), or until a piece of scallion or ginger browns quickly and a haze appears above the oil. Add the spareribs and deep-fry until they are browned and rise to the surface. Remove, drain well, and place in a serving dish. Place two piles of pepper-salt on the edges of the dish as a dip, serve.

Quick-Fried Hot Diced Chicken

7 oz (200g) chicken breasts and thighs
5 water chestnuts
2 tbsp cornstarch (corn flour), dissolved in 2 tbsp water
1 hot red chili (chilli) pepper
1/8 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/2 cup (100ml) vegetable oil
1/8 tsp. salt, or to taste
1 tsp. ginger slices
2 tsp. rice wine
2 tsp. scallions, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic slices
1 cup high stock
1/8 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/8 tsp. MSG (optional)

Directions:

1. Skin, bone, and dice the chicken. Blend 1 tbsp of the cornstarch-water mixture with the salt and 1 tsp. of the rice wine. Add the chicken and stir to coat well. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, mix the soy sauce, the remaining 1 tsp. rice wine, the stock, the other 1 tbsp of cornstarch, MSG and the sesame oil into a sauce. Set aside. Peel and dice the water chestnuts. Seed the chili pepper and chop finely. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat to 225oF (110oC), or until small bubbles appear around the edge of a piece of scallion or ginger tossed into the oil. Add the chicken and chili pepper and stir-fry until the chicken turns red .
4. Add the ginger, water chestnuts, scallions and garlic, and fry until fragrant. Stir in the sauce and sprinkle with the vinegar. Stir-fry about 30 seconds. Remove , and serve.