CHINESE COOKING: The bean thread noodles absorb the flavour of beef as well as the spiciness of the sate sauce, yummy!

BEEF & BEAN THREAD NODDLES WITH SATE SAUCE沙爹牛內粉絲煲:

 

 

 

8 to 12 oz beef--flank steak or beef tenderloin

1/2 each red and green peppers

2 slices canned pineapple, cut into cubes

1/2 onion, cut into small square pieces

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 pieces of sliced fresh ginger

1 bundle of bean thread noodles 粉絲

seasoning for beef

    1/2 tsp. sugar

    1 tbsp. light soy sauce

    2 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with 1/4 cup water

    freshly ground black pepper

sauce:

    1/2 tsp. salt and sugar

    1 tsp. sesame seed oil

    2 tbsp. sate sauce, store-bought 沙爹 sauce

    1 1/2 to 2 cups water

 

 

 

 

 

Slice beef, across the grain, into thin slices. Add in seasoning and marinate for 1 hour. Soak bean thread noodles in warm water to soften; then drain and reserve.

 

Heat up 1 tbsp. cooking oil in wok or large non-stick saucepan over high heat. Add in ginger and cook until fragrant; then add in beef slices. Stir fry until no longer pink and just barely cooked. Remove from pan. Heat up pan again; then add in all the sauce ingredients except water, stirring well. Add in beef, tossing quickly to coat meat with sauce; then remove pan from heat. Use tongs to remove meat and reserve sauce.

 

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a non-stick clay pot over high heat until hot. Add in garlic, then the peppers and onion. Cook until slightly softened; then add in pineapples. Toss together for 1 minute, then remove and set aside. Add in reserved sate sauce, as well as the water; stirring to cook for half a minute. When sauce comes to a boil, add in bean thread noodles. Cover pan and simmer at medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes to cook bean thread noodles; stirring from time to time. When noodles become transparent and sauce is thickened; increase heat to high and add in vegetables and beef slices. Cook together for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Serve right away.

CHINESE COOKING: Hope you'll enjoy this simple but popular soup noodle recipe.

SOUP NOODLES WITH BEEF紅燒牛肉麵:

 

 

 

 

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. shank of beef

 

1 pkg of fresh Shanghai-style noodles

 

2 onions, coarsely chopped

 

2 carrots, cut into large chunks

 

3-4 slices ginger

 

3-4 cloves garlic, crushed

 

1-2 tbsp. chopped green onions

 

sauce for beef

 

    2-3 tsp paprika

    1/4 tsp. hot red chilli powder

    1/2 to 1 tsp. 5-spice powder

    2-3 tsp. tomato puree/paste

    salt, sugar & pepper to taste

    boiling water

 

1/4 cup flour to coat beef

 

prepared hot soup

 

 

 

To make beef stew:    Cut beef shank into 3/4 to 1-inch slices across the length of the shank piece. Coat slices with a dusting of flour, shaking off excuse and reserving flour.

 

Use a large non-stick saucepan or seasoned wok to brown meat in 1 tbsp hot oil, in batches, over medium high heat. When meat is browned on one side, add salt & pepper to taste; then turn over to brown the other side. Remove browned meat to a oven-proof casserole and continue browning the rest.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add 1 tbsp. oil to pan and heat until hot over high heat. Add in ginger and garlic, cooked until fragrant; then add in onion and carrots. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes; then reduce heat to medium-low and add in the reserved 3-4 tbsp. flour. Cook flour for a few minutes; then add in paprika, chilli powder, 5-spice powder and tomato puree. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour in enough boiling water to mix into sauce, stirring and cooking over high heat to bring to a boil and thicken sauce. Cook sauce, adding in salt and sugar and tasting to adjust seasoning, for 10 minutes. Pour sauce over the meat in casserole. Transfer casserole to oven. Cook for 1 1/2 hours. At the end of cooking time, take casserole out and test for meat doneness. Beef should be barely tender but not too soft or mushy. Turn off heat; return casserole to oven and let it sit for 1 hour or so to finish cooking.

 

Cook noodles, in a large pot of slightly salted boiling water, until preferred doneness. Drain but do not rinse. Arrange servings of noodles in serving bowls and ladle in hot soup.  Add preferred amount of beef and sauce into each serving and sprinkle with chopped green onion to serve.

 

 

 

 

CHINESE COOKING: This is a nice snack that is traditionally served at Chinese New Year's family gatherings. Hope you'll give it a try.

TARO BALLS芋蝦:

 

 

 

2 lb. taro, peeled and grated

2/3 tsp. salt

seasoning ingredients:

   1/2 tsp. sugar

   2 tbsp. good rice wine

   dash of white pepper

oil for deep frying

 

 

 

Add salt into grated taro and marinate for 15 minutes until softened. Add in seasoning ingredients.

 

Heat enough oil for deep-frying in wok or large non-stick saucepan until hot and tested ready. Use a 1/4 cup-size measuring cup to scoop up taro, then gently release content into hot oil. Make "balls" with rest of grated taro. Deep fry, flipping taro balls over once to cook evenly, until golden brown & crispy. Scoop up balls with a large strainer and drain on paper towels. Serve right away.

CHINESE COOKING: If you like the texture of yam and taro, you will be delighted with these yummy treats.

SHRIMP & TARO BALLS 香芋蝦球:

 

 

 

 

1 lb. taro, available at Chinese supermarket

4 oz. small shrimp

glutinous rice flour to dust

seasoning for shrimp:

    1/4 tsp. salt, sugar, white pepper

    1/2 egg white

seasoning for taro:

    1 tsp. each salt & sugar

    1/2 tsp. 5-spice powder

    dash of sesame seed oil & white pepper

    2 tbsp. cooking oil

oil for deep frying

 

 

 

Rinse and shell shrimp; then mince in food processor. Season with seasoning ingredients.

 

Peel taro, wash & dry well. Cook taro either by steaming or cooking in a pot of boiling water until tender. Mash with a potato masher; then add in seasoning ingredients. Use a pair of chopsticks to mix, stirring in one direction only, until well mixed.

 

 

Scoop out 2 tbsp. taro and work it into a rough circle. Add in 1 tsp. shrimp paste. Shape the whole thing into a ball. Dip each ball into glutinous rice flour to coat lightly, shaking off excess flour.

 

Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

CHINESE COOKING: Lotus root is readily available in Chinese supermarket. Stuffed pancakes can be served as a "dim sum" variety or as a main dish to go with rice.

POTATO OR LOTUS ROOT PANCAKES WITH SHRIMP STUFFING:

 

 

 

1 to 11/2 lbs. small shrimp

48 potato or lotus roots slices, trimmed to same size

6 water chestnuts, finely chopped

4 tbsp. minced pork

4 tbsp. chopped green onion

seasoning:

    1 tsp. each salt & sugar

    1 tbsp. tapioca starch

    dash of white pepper & sesame seed oil

 

 

 

Rinse and shell shrimp; then wrap with double thickness of paper towels. Refrigerate for a few hours below using. Mince shrimp in food processor; then transfer to a large bowl.  Add in seasoning ingredients as well as the pork and water chestnut. Use a pair of chopsticks to mix together, in one direction only, until well mixed.

 

Put 1-2 tbsp. shrimp paste on top of 1 potato or lotus root slice; then top it with another piece.

 

Heat enough oil for deep-frying until very hot and tested ready. Lower pancakes into oil gently. Deep fry until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

CHINESE COOKING: This recipe makes use of that famous Chinese black vinegar that had been made in the city of Zhenjiang since the 1800s.

STEWED PORK RIBS IN VINEGAR 鎮江骨

 

 

 

 

1 to 1/2 lb. side ribs, cut into roughly 2-inch pieces

seasoning:

    1 tsp. salt

    1/2 tbsp. each dark soy sauce & good rice wine

sauce:

    4 to 5 tbsp. good quality dark Chinese vinegar 鎮江醋

  2 1/2 tbsp. sugar or 1 piece brick sugar--to taste

    1 tbsp. tomato ketchup

    1/2 cup + water

    1-2 tsp. dark soy sauce

    salt to taste

2-3 pieces fresh finely-sliced ginger

1 stalk green onions, cut into long pieces

 

 

 

Marinate ribs with seasoning ingredients for 30 minutes. Heat 1-2 tbsp. oil in an skillet over high heat until high; then add in ribs. Cook and brown ribs in batches until well-browned.

 

Add 1 tbsp. oil to a large clay pot and heat it over medium-high heat until hot. Add in ginger and cook until fragrant. Mix sauce ingredients together then pour into pot. Bring to a boil;  taste and adjust seasoning. Add in ribs, tossing gently, adding a bit more water and vinegar and water to taste if necessary to make sure ribs are covered with sauce .

 

Bring to the boil again; then reduce heat to medium low to stew ribs for 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Add in green onions and a little starch solution to thicken sauce. Cook for 1 minute or so; then serve in the pot right away.

CHINESE COOKING: This recipe is a nice way to cook a whole fish. Hope you would give it a try at home.

FISH FILET 骨香魚柳:

 

 

1 whole sole, rinsed & rescaled carefully

1 pumpkin

veggie mix:

    3 asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch sections

    5-6 mushroom caps, quartered

    1 green onion, cut into sections

    1/2 red pepper, cut into pieces

    1/2 cup canned or packaged ginkgo nuts

    1 large clove garlic, mashed

    2 pieces ginger, diced

seasoning:

   1/2 tsp. each salt, sugar and tapioca starch

   dash of white pepper

   1 tsp. cooking wine

oil for deep frying

1 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with 3 tbsp. cold water

 

 

 

Use a sharp knife to filet the fish, saving the bone in 1 piece and cutting the flesh into bite-sized pieces.

 

Cut pumpkin cross-wise into 1-inch thick rings. Remove pulp and seeds from 1 ring while reserving the rest for another recipe. Cook the pumpkin ring in boiling water for  5-6  minutes to soften. When cool enough to handle, scoop and trim ring, leaving a 3/4- inch of flesh as border. Sit pumpkin ring on the serving platter and reserve.

 

Add seasoning ingredients into fish pieces and marinate for 20 minutes. Blanch asparagus  in boiling water until just cooked but still green and crunchy. In a wok or non-stick saucepan, stir-fry red pepper and mushrooms with ginger & garlic until softened, then add in asparagus and ginkgo nuts. Cook together for 1-2 minutes, then add in green onions. Add salt to taste; then remove from pan and keep warm.

 

Clean and dry wok; then heat enough oil for deep frying until very hot. Lower the reserved fish skeleton, without head, into it. Deep fry for a few minutes until golden brown; then remove right away. While hot, place fish skeleton into a large ladle, with the tail end sticking out. Use a spatula to bend and manipulate the skeleton into a curved shape. Arrange skeleton to sit across the pumpkin ring, with the tail-end sticking upwards like a sail.

 

Pour off all but 1 tbsp. hot oil from wok/pan, reserving it for other uses. Heat remaining oil until hot, then stir fry fish pieces until just cooked. Return vegetables, tossing well with the fish. Add in starch solution, tossing and stirring well until it comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat right away and transfer mixture to sit on top of the fish skeleton. Serve immediately.   

 

  

 

 

CHINESE COOKING: Your family would be delighted with this recipe of shrimp balls. Please try it.

DEEP-FRIED SHRIMP BALLS炸蝦圓:

 

 

 

400 gm. pkg shrimp                                                        

2 oz. ground pork

1/2 to 1 pkg store-bought wonton wrappers

seasoning:

    1 egg whites                                                

    1 tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry

    3/4 to 1  tsp. salt                                                   

    ½ to 1 tsp. sugar

    ½ tsp. white pepper                                     

    dash of sesame oil

    1- 11/2 tbsp. tapioca starch

sweet & sour sauce:

 

    2 pieces of Chinese "brick" 片糖 sugar

    4 pieces of "haw" flakes 山渣片, available at Chinese herb store or supermarket

    2 tbsp. tomato ketchup

    1/2 cup of a combination of white vinegar & pineapple juice from canned pineapple

    1/2 tsp salt

    1-2 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with a bit of cold water

cooking oil for deep-frying

 

 

Rinse, shell and de-vein shrimp. Wrap with double thickness of paper towels and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

 

Make sauce by melting brick sugar & haw flakes in the vinegar & fruit juice solution over low heat. When mixture comes to the boil, taste and adjust sweet and sourness, adding a bit more sugar or water for taste. Add in starch solution and cook for a couple of minutes until sauce is thickened to desired consistency. Strain sauce & keep warm.

 

Mince shrimp by chopping with a large cleaver or in a food processor fitted with steel blade. Transfer shrimp paste to a large bowl. Add in ground pork and seasoning ingredients. Use a pair of chop sticks to mix ingredients together, stirring in one direction only. Use your hand to scoop up shrimp mixture; then throw it back down into the bowl. Repeat this scooping and throwing process about 10 times. The purpose is to make shrimp paste more elastic to have more “bite” on eating. Form shrimp paste into small balls. Separate wonton wrappers and cut each into thin short strips. Transfer to baking sheet; keeping strips separated. Wrap baking tray with plastic wrap.  

 

In wok or large saucepan, heat enough oil for deep-frying over high heat until very hot. Form shrimp paste into small balls and attach as many strips of wonton wrappers to each ball as desired. Drop shrimp balls carefully into hot oil. Deep-fry over medium-high heat until shrimp balls float to the surface and are golden brown in colour.  Drain on paper towers and serve right away.

CHINESE COOKING: You should be proud of serving this dish at home. It is generally not available any more in overseas Chinese restaurants these days. So please try it and enjoy.

SPARE RIBS WITH SWEET & SOUR SAUCE生炒排:

 

 

 

 

1 lb. meaty Chinese style spare ribs, cut between bones into serving-sized pieces

1/2  each green & red peppers, cut into rough cubes

2 slices canned or fresh pineapple, cut into pieces

1 green onion, optional, cut into lengths

1 clove garlic, crushed

seasoning for ribs:

    1/2 -1 tsp. each salt, sugar, tapioca starch & light soy sauce

    1/2 tsp. dark soy sauce

batter:

    1/4 cup tapioca starch

    3/4 cup flour

    1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

    1/2 tsp. salt

    1 tsp. sugar

    1 egg

    2 tbsp. cooking oil

    cold water

 

sauce:

    2 pieces of Chinese "brick" 片糖 sugar

    4 pieces of "haw" flakes 山渣片****

    2 tbsp. tomato ketchup

    1/2 cup of a combination of white vinegar & pineapple juice from canned pineapple

    1/2 tsp salt

    1/2 to 1 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with a bit of cold water

cooking oil for deep frying

 

 

****Haw flakes, made from the fruits of the Chinese hawthorn, are believed to have medicinal benefits. They are available in Chinese supermarkets & herbal medicine supply shops in dried form, or in candy form****

 

 

 

 

 

Add seasoning ingredients into spare ribs in a large bowl, mixing well to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes.  

 

Prepare batter by mixing flour, starch, baking powder, and seasoning with the egg and oil, using a wire-whisk to mix well. Add in cold water gradually, beating well to get rid of lumps with each addition. Add only enough water to make a batter that has the consistency of thick cream. Allow batter to rest for 30 minutes before use and stir again to mix before using.

 

Fill large saucepan or deep-fryer with enough oil for deep frying and heat it over high heat to 375 degrees or hot enough to sizzle rapidly and vigorously when a dry wooden chopstick is inserted to test readiness.  Transfer spareribs into batter, turning to coat each piece evenly. Carefully lower rib pieces into hot oil, 1 piece at a time, and cook in batches in order not to crowd the pot. Cook for 4 minutes or a little longer until pieces are no longer pink, golden coloured and crispy. Do not overcook. Remove cooked pieces with tongs or a strainer to drain on paper towels.

 

Heat 1 tbsp. oil over high heat until hot in another non-stick saucepan or wok. Cook garlic and peppers for a couple of minutes; then add in pineapple pieces and the green onions if using; tossing together for 1 minute or so.  Set aside and keep warm.

 

Rinse pan and add in sauce ingredients. Cook and melt brick sugar, haw flakes and salt in the vinegar & fruit juice solution over medium-low heat until totally dissolved. Taste and adjust sweet & sourness to taste, adding a little more vinegar if not acidic enough, or granulated sugar and/or a little water if too sour for taste.  Remove haw flakes if the dried forms are used. Thicken sauce with starch solution to slightly thick but not jelly-like consistency. Add in pepper mixture and the sparerib pieces. Toss and mix quickly to coat meat with sauce; then transfer to serving platter and serve right away.  

CHINESE COOKING: This is a nice way to cook either whole chicken or just the thigh & leg pieces. Hope you'll give the recipe a try.

LEMON GRASS CHICKEN 香茅雞扒:

 

 

 

 

6 chicken thighs & legs pieces, skin on but trimmed of excess fat

2-3 stalks lemon grass

marinade:

    2 tbsp. fish sauce

    2 tsp. sugar

    2 tbsp. coarsely chopped garlic

    2 tbsp. water

    1 strip lemon rind, finely chopped

    1 tbsp. each rice wine and finely minced ginger

sauce:

    1/2 tsp. minced garlic

    1 tbsp. reserved finely chopped lemon grass

    2 tbsp. fish sauce

    2-3 tsp. sugar

    1/2 cup water

2 tbsp. tapioca starch mixed with 2 tbsp. water

 

 

 

Wash chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Use a sharp paring knife to debone chicken piece; then season with 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. salt.

 

Use a meat mallet to flat out lemon grass. Discard the outer green part, and chop the inner white part coarsely. Transfer lemon grass, lemon peel and garlic to food processor with steel glade attached. Process until finely chopped.  Reserve 1 tbsp. of lemon grass mixture; then transfer the rest to a bowl. Add in fish sauce, sugar, wine and water. Pour marinade into deboned chicken piece; turning pieces over couple of times to coat well with marinade. Leave chicken in fridge overnight to develop favour.

 

In the morning, remove chicken pieces, brushing off as much of the lemon grass clinging to the meat as possible; then refrigerate until ready to cook.

 

To make sauce:  Heat 1 tsp. oil in a saucepan over high heat until hot to cook garlic and lemon grass for a minute or 2 until fragrant. Add in fish sauce, sugar and water and bring  mixture to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a bit more sugar if desired. Add in starch solution, mixing and stirring well. Continue cooking until sauce is thickened. Strain sauce into a container and keep warm.

 

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large non-stick skillet over high heat until hot. Pan fry chicken pieces, in batches if necessary, for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until well-browned and just cooked.

 

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and arrange decoratively on serving platter. Spoon some  hot sauce on chicken to serve.