THE EVERYTHING® CHINESE COOKBOOK Read online

  ½ teaspoon sugar

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  ¾ cup water

  ½ batch Shrimp Paste (page 216)

  ¼ cup cornstarch

  4–6 cups oil for deep-frying

  Wash the mushrooms, dry thoroughly, and remove the stems.

  Sift the baking powder into the flour. Stir in the sugar, salt, and vegetable oil. Add the water slowly, adding more or less as necessary to make a smooth batter.

  Add oil to a preheated wok and heat to 350°F. While oil is heating, spread up to ½ teaspoon of the Shrimp Paste on the inside of the mushroom. Lightly dust the outside of the cap with cornstarch. Use your fingers to coat the outside with the batter.

  When oil is hot, deep-fry the mushrooms, adding a few at a time. Deep-fry until the batter turns a golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

  How to Use Chopsticks

  It may look tricky, but chopsticks are really quite easy to use. Hold the chopsticks slightly above the middle, making sure that the ends don't cross. Position them so that the top chopstick is between your thumb and index finger, and the lower chopstick between your middle and fourth fingers. To pick up food, use your thumb and index finger to raise and lower the upper chopstick. Think of it as a type of lever, and you've got the idea. One final tip: Stick to wood or bamboo chopsticks if possible, as food can slide off chopsticks made of plastic.

  Potstickers with Rice Wine

  1½ cups ground pork

  3 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

  3 teaspoons soy sauce

  1½ teaspoons sesame oil

  1½ tablespoons chopped onion

  1 package round wonton (gyoza) wrappers

  ½ cup water for boiling potstickers

  Oil for frying as needed

  Combine the ground pork, rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chopped onion.

  To make the potstickers: Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Wet the edges of the wrapper, fold over the filling, and seal, crimping the edges. Continue with the remainder of the potstickers. Cover the completed potstickers with a damp towel to prevent drying.

  Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a preheated wok or skillet (1 tablespoon if using a nonstick pan). When oil is hot, add a few of the potstickers, smooth side down. Do not stir-fry, but let cook for about 1 minute.

  Add ½ cup of water. Do not turn the potstickers over. Cook, covered, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Uncover, and cook until the liquid has evaporated.

  Loosen the potstickers with a spatula and serve with the burnt side facing up. Serve with Potsticker Dipping Sauce (page 28).

  Potsticker Origins

  Potstickers are dumplings that are pan-fried on the bottom and steamed on top. According to legend, they were invented by a imperial court chef who panicked after realizing he'd accidentally burnt a batch of dumplings. With no time to make more, he served them anyway, and the rest is history. When cooking potstickers, it's important to add enough steaming water. While a crispy brown bottom is desirable, potstickers aren't supposed to stick too firmly to the bottom of the pot!

  Yields 30–35 potstickers

  For a different flavor, try steaming the pot-sticker dumplings in chicken broth instead of water.

  Serves 4

  Don't like cabbage? You can also wrap the sticky rice in aluminum foil or waxed paper before steaming.

  Sticky Rice in Cabbage Leaves

  1 cup short grain (sticky) rice

  4 large cabbage leaves

  4 dried mushrooms

  4 Chinese sausages

  2 tablespoons oyster sauce

  2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

  2 tablespoons chicken broth or stock

  2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

  1 garlic clove, finely chopped

  2 slices ginger, finely chopped

  2 green onions, finely chopped

  Cover the sticky rice in warm water and let soak for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Drain well. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the sticky rice and 2 cups of water to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked. Remove from the element and let cool for 15 minutes. Fluff up the rice before removing from the pot. Split the rice into 4 equal portions and set aside.

  Blanch the cabbage leaves in boiling water. Drain thoroughly. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften. Drain, giving them a gentle squeeze to remove any excess water. Cut into thin slices.

  Chop the Chinese sausages into small pieces. Combine the oyster sauce, rice wine, and chicken broth.

  Add the oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the sausage. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, then add the mushrooms. Stir in the green onion. Make a well in the middle of the wok and add the sauce, bringing to a boil. Mix everything together, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.

  Split the filling into 4 equal portions. Take a cabbage leaf and add a quarter of the rice and the filling, layering it so that there is rice at the top and bottom, with the meat and vegetable filling in the middle. Roll up the cabbage leaf as in cabbage rolls. Repeat with the remaining 3 cabbage leaves.

  Steam the cabbage wraps, covered, on a heatproof plate in a bamboo steamer for 15 minutes, or until they are done.

  Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaves

  1 cup short grain (sticky) rice

  4 lotus leaves

  4 dried mushrooms

  2 Chinese sausages

  ½ cup chicken meat

  2 tablespoons oyster sauce

  2 tablespoons rice wine

  2 tablespoons chicken broth or stock

  2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

  1 garlic clove, finely chopped

  2 slices ginger, finely chopped

  2 green onions, finely chopped

  Cover the sticky rice in warm water and let soak for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Drain well. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the sticky rice and 2 cups of water to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked. Let cool for 15 minutes. Fluff up the rice before removing from the pot. Split the rice into 4 equal portions.

  Blanch the lotus leaves in boiling water and drain. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften. Drain, giving them a gentle squeeze to remove any excess water. Cut into thin slices.

  Chop the sausages into small pieces. Thinly slice the chicken. Combine the oyster sauce, rice wine, and chicken broth and set aside.

  Add the oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the chicken, and then the sausage. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, then add the mushrooms. Stir in the green onion. Make a well in the middle of the wok and add the sauce, bringing to a boil. Mix everything together, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.

  Take a lotus leaf and add a quarter of the rice and the filling, layering it so that there is rice at the top and bottom, with the meat and vegetable filling in the middle. Form a square parcel with the lotus leaf and tie it up with twine. Repeat with the remaining lotus leaves.

  Steam the lotus leaf wraps, covered, on a heatproof plate in a bamboo steamer for 15 minutes, or until they are done.

  Serves 4

  Steaming imparts the delicate flavor of lotus leaves to the sticky rice in this popular dim sum dish.

  Yields 30–35 potstickers

  Out of round wonton wrappers? Cut square wonton wrappers into a circular shape.

  Spicy Potstickers

  ¼ pound (4 ounces) fresh shrimp

  ½ cup canned bamboo shoots, shredded

  3 medium dried mushrooms

  1 cup ground pork

  1½ green onions, thinly sliced

  2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  2 teaspoons soy sauce

  1 teaspoon sugar

  1 teaspoon sesame oil

  1 package ro
und wonton (gyoza) wrappers

  ½ cup water for boiling potstickers

  Oil for frying as needed

  Wash and devein the shrimp, and chop finely. Shred the bamboo shoots. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften. Drain, remove the stems, and slice finely.

  Combine the ground pork, shrimp, bamboo shoots, green onions, dried mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil.

  To make the potstickers: Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Wet the edges, fold the wrapper over the filling and seal, crimping the edges. Continue with the remainder of the wontons. Cover the completed wontons with a damp towel to prevent drying.

  Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet (1 tablespoon if using a nonstick pan). When oil is hot, add a few of the potstickers, smooth side down. Do not stir-fry, but let cook for about 1 minute. Add ½ cup of water. Do not turn the dumplings over.

  Cook, covered, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Uncover, and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Loosen the potstickers with a spatula and serve with the burnt side facing up. Serve with Potsticker Dipping Sauce (page 28).

  Traditional Gow Gees

  ¼ pound (4 ounces) shrimp

  3 medium dried mushrooms

  1 cup ground pork

  1 napa cabbage leaf, shredded

  1½ green onions, thinly sliced

  ¼ teaspoon minced ginger

  2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

  2 teaspoons soy sauce

  1 teaspoon sugar

  1 teaspoon sesame oil

  1 package round wonton (gyoza) wrappers

  4–6 cups oil for deep-frying

  Wash, devein, and finely chop the shrimp. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften. Drain, remove the stems, and slice finely.

  Combine the ground pork, shrimp, cabbage, green onions, dried mushrooms, ginger, rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil.

  Add oil to a preheated wok and heat to 375°F. Wrap the gow gees while waiting for the oil to heat. Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Wet the edges of the wrapper, fold over the filling and seal, crimping the edges. Continue with the remainder of the wontons. Cover the completed wontons with a damp towel to prevent drying.

  4. Carefully slide gow gees into the wok, a few at a time. Deep-fry until they turn golden (about 2 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

  Avoid Drying Out the Wrappers

  It's important to cover filled wontons with a damp towel while preparing the rest, as they have a tendency to dry out quickly. For extra protection, also cover wrappers that haven't been used yet.

  Yields 30–35 gow gees

  Serve with soy sauce or a dipping sauce such as Sweet-and Sour Worcestershire Sauce (page 21).

  Serves 4

  The trick to making this popular restaurant dish is to use thoroughly dried bok choy, and to stop deep-frying the moment it turns crispy.

  Crisp Chinese “Seaweed”

  ¼ pound bok choy

  ¼ cup unblanched almonds

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon brown sugar

  2 cups oil for deep-frying

  Wash the bok choy and drain well. While the bok choy is drying, crush the unblanched almonds in a food processor and set aside.

  Separate the bok choy leaves from the stalks. Roll the leaves up like a cigar or sausage, and cut into thin shreds. Discard the stalks or save for another dish.

  Heat wok and add oil. When the oil is heated to between 300°F and 320°F, add the bok choy shreds. Fry them very briefly, until they turn crispy but do not brown. (This will take only a few seconds.) Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

  Toss the salt and brown sugar over the “seaweed” and add the crushed almonds.

  Chinese “Seaweed”

  People are often surprised to discover that this elegant dish is made from everyday Chinese greens! Crisp Chinese “Seaweed” takes its name from the crisp texture and bright green color of the bok choy, which resembles dried seaweed after deep-frying. Serve as an appetizer, or as a colorful side dish with fish.

  Deep-fried Mushrooms

  20 fresh mushrooms

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  ¾ cup flour

  ½ teaspoon sugar

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  ¾ cup water

  ¼ cup cornstarch

  4 cups oil for deep-frying

  Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth and cut off the stems.

  To make the batter: In a medium bowl, sift the baking powder into the flour. Add the sugar, salt, and vegetable oil, stirring. Add the water, and stir into a smooth batter. Add a bit more water if the batter is too dry, or flour if it is too wet. Use a wooden spoon to test the batter — it should drop slowly, and be able to coat the back of the spoon.

  Lightly dust the mushrooms with cornstarch and coat with the batter, using your fingers.

  Add the oil to a preheated wok and heat to 350°F. When the oil is ready, add about 5 mushrooms at a time, and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Cool and serve.

  Flavorful Mushrooms

  If you normally enjoy mushrooms raw in a salad, try adding a little heat. A little known fact is that many varieties of mushrooms contain over 90 percent water. Deep-frying causes the water to evaporate and seals in the mushroom's natural juices.

  Yields 20 mushrooms

  For best results, don't begin heating the oil for deep-frying until you've applied the batter. This gives the batter time to dry on the mushrooms.

  Yields 12 pancakes

  Serve the pancakes alone or with a soy-based sauce such as Soy Vinegar Dressing (page 25).

  Mini Spring Onion Pancakes

  1 cup flour

  2½ teaspoons salt, divided

  ½ cup boiling water

  2 teaspoons sesame oil

  4 green onions, thinly sliced

  4–6 tablespoons oil for frying

  Place the flour in a medium bowl. Sift ½ teaspoon salt into the flour. Stir in a small amount of the boiling water. Add more water and begin forming into a dough. Add the rest of the water and mix in. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

  Knead the dough until it is smooth. Cut the dough in half.

  Roll one-half of the dough out until it is no more ¼ inch thick. Spread 1 teaspoon of sesame oil over the dough. Sprinkle with half the green onion slices.

  Roll the dough up like a jelly roll and cut into 6 pieces. Take a piece of cut dough, use your fingers to lengthen it a bit, and then form it into an Lshape. Push down on the top of the Lwith the palm of your hand to form a circle. The pancake should be about 2–3 inches in diameter. Continue with the remainder of the dough.

  Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. Add half the pancakes and fry until brown on both sides. Sprinkle with the remainder of the salt while cooking. Add more oil as needed.

  Gow Gees with Ground Turkey

  1½ cups ground turkey

  1½ tablespoons oyster sauce

  ¾ teaspoon sugar

  2 teaspoons soy sauce

  1 teaspoon sesame oil

  1½ green onions, minced

  1 tablespoon minced ginger

  1 package round wonton (gyoza) wrappers

  4–6 cups oil for deep-frying

  Combine the ground turkey, oyster sauce, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions, and ginger.

  Add oil to a preheated wok and heat to 375°F. Wrap the gow gees while waiting for the oil to heat. Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Wet the edges of the wrapper, fold over the filling, and seal, crimping the edges. Continue with the remainder of the wontons. Cover the completed wontons with a damp towel to prevent drying.

  Carefully slide gow gees into the wok, a few at a time. Deep-fry until they turn golden (about 2 mi
nutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

  Dim Sum Isn't Always Dim Sum

  Australians refer to dumplings cooked in the Chinese style as “dim sim.” Meanwhile, at Chinese-American restaurants you can order a pu pu platter filled with juicy spareribs, fried wontons, and other Chinese finger foods. In Hawaii, pu pu platters also feature local ingredients such as taro and pineapple.

  Yields 30–35 gow gees

  These dumplings taste delicious served with Hot Mustard Dip (page 18), Soy Ginger Dressing (page 25), or chili paste.

  Yields 15–18 dumplings

  Adding oil before steaming helps prevent the Siu Mai from sticking to the heatproof plate.

  Siu Mai (Cook and Sell) Dumplings

  ¼ pound (4 ounces) fresh shrimp

  3 medium dried mushrooms

  1 cup ground pork

  1½ green onions, thinly sliced

  ½ cup canned bamboo shoots, shredded

  2 teaspoons oyster sauce

  2 teaspoons soy sauce

  1 teaspoon sugar

  1 teaspoon sesame oil

  1 package Siu Mai or wonton wrappers

  Oil for coating heatproof plate

  Wash and devein the shrimp, and chop finely. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften. Drain, remove the stems, and slice finely.

  Combine the ground pork, shrimp, green onions, dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil.

  To wrap the Siu Mai: Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Do notfold the wrapper over the filling. Gather up the edges of the wrapper and gently pleat the sides so that it forms a basket shape, with the top open.

  Lightly coat a heatproof plate with oil. Place the dumplings on the plate. Place the plate on a bamboo steamer in a wok set up for steaming. Steam the dumplings for 5–10 minutes or until they are cooked.