Scallion pancakes

 [thin] 

103g all purpose flour

50g starter 

42g warm water 

12g oil

3g salt

25g scallions

[fluffy]

168g all purpose flour

50g starter

86g water, 100F

10g oil

3g salt

25g scallions 

梅菜扣肉 (Mei Cai Kou Rou / Pork Belly with Preserved Mustard Greens)

Ingredients

6 ounces dried preserved mustard greens (about 3 cups after they're soaked and thoroughly washed) OR approx. 250-300 g preserved greens in a bag 

1 ½ pounds pork belly

Water

2 slices ginger

2 star anise

1 spring onion 

1 shallot, minced

1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn 

2 tablespoons oil

2 TBS dark soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons rock sugar (or granulated sugar)

1 teaspoon ginger (minced)

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons shaoxing wine

Instructions 

1. Rinse and soak the mustard greens. (If dry, soak for min. 2 hours.) 

2. Put the pork belly in a pot, and cover with cold water. Add the ginger slices, green onion, and star anise. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 35 minutes. 

3. Take the pork out and poke small holes in the skin. Place skin-side down in a bowl with 2 TBS dark soy sauce and let rest for 15 min. 

4. Put 1-2 TBS oil in a pan. Fry the pork belly skin down—and lid on—for 6-8 minutes, then brown the other sides as well. Turn the heat off, pour the rest of the dark soy onto the pork and let cool in the pan. 

5. Chop the preserved vegetables. Heat oil in a wok; add ginger, shallot, Sichuan peppercorn, and star anise. Add the preserved vegetables and fry until dry. Remove and put aside in a bowl. 

6. Heat oil in the wok and add sugar; cook until it melts and turns a caramel color. Add dark soy, light soy, Shaoxing wine, and five spice power; then add the preserved vegetables. Stir fry until simmering and well mixed. 

7. Slice the pork belly into 0.8cm thick slices and arrange in the steaming bowl. Spoon the preserved vegetable mixture over the pork. Place in steamer and steam for 75 min. 

Biang Biang Noodles

 

[noodles]

300 g all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

150g water add slowly, mix with chopstick 

knead 5 min

cover + rest 10 min

knead 10 min till smooth like playdough

cover + rest 10 min

cut into 8 pieces

roll each piece into sausage

oil them up and place on oily plate

cover with cling film and rest for 1-2 hours

[sauce]

tahini

soy

numbing oil (chilli flakes, ground Sichuan pepper, minced garlic, scallions, hot oil) 

sambal

sesame seeds

chekiang vinegar 

[toppings]

spring onions

sesame

cucumber

[noodles, cont'd]

roll each sausage out into rectangle

make indentation with chopstick down middle

bring pot of water to boil

oil working surface

stretch each rectangle out 

then bang on surface 

tear from middle down line

boil 1 min or until floating 

transfer to bowl with a little oil to prevent sticking

mix with sauce and toppings 

[poem]

Apex (丶) rising up to the sky,

Over Two bends (冖) by Yellow River's side.

Character "Eight"'s (八) opening wide,

"Speech" (言) enters inside.

You twist, I twist too, (幺 'tiny')

you grow, I grow (長) with you,

Inside, a horse (馬) king will rule.

"Heart" (心) down below,

"Moon" (月) by the side,

Leave a hook (刂 'knife') for

Matang (Mahua, Fried Dough Twist) to hang low,

On our carriage, to Xianyang we'll ride (radical: 辶 'walk').

Char Siu / Barbecue Pork

INGREDIENTS:

梅頭 (mui tau)

Char Siu sauce

Chu Hou sauce

Rose wine

Five spices powder

Malt syrup

TIP:                 Rinse the pork. Soak it in water for about 4 hours, while changing the water once every hour. This can get rid of that raw pork smell.

Marinade:

1.   Char siu sauce

2.   Chu Hou sauce = can replace with Hoisin sauce

3.   Rose wine

4.   Five spices powder

5.   Water

Ratio should be Char Siu sauce (2) : Chu Hou sauce (1) : Rose wine (2)

Mix the sauces together with the wine, add enough water so that the marinade covers the meat. Generously sprinkle the Five Spices powder and mix into the marinade. Rub the mixture into the meat and let it sit for at least four hours. It is better to marinate over night. Just put it in the fridge until you cook it for dinner the next day!

STEPS:

1.   Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius and line the baking tray with tin foil.

2.   Prepare another bowl or marinade MINUS the water. Mix well.

3.   Dump the old marinade juice and place the pork on the baking tray. Spread the new bowl of marinade over the meat evenly.

4.   Lay a sheet of tin foil over the meat so that the meat doesn’t dry up from the oven heat. Bake for 20 minutes.

5.   While baking, prepare for the malt syrup. The syrup is SUPER hard from its original container. Get a big metal spoon, dig into the syrup and get a big big scoop. Melt it in a bowl seated in another bowl of hot water. Keep the syrup melted.

(TIP: Use a metal mixing bowl and place it in a small frying pan with water. Keep the stove on low to keep the water boiling hot while melting the syrup in the bowl. It is a lot faster and easier this way.) USE HONEY AS AN ALTERNATIVE IF YOU CAN’T FIND MALT SYRUP.

6.   Flip the pork and bake for another 15 mins.

7.   Evenly spread the melted malt syrup onto the pork and bake for another 2 mins.

8.   Flip the pork again and add more syrup. Bake again for 2 more minutes.

9.   Take the char siu our from the oven but wait for a few minutes before cutting it. If you cut it too soon, the air will instantly draws the moist out from inside the meat,

   

Taro Cake

Ingredients:

- taro root, cubed = approx. 900 g (after peel is removed)
**N.B. the taro root has to be fairly dry. If you purchase one that's super fresh, be sure to leave it out to sun-dry (even on a windowsill indoors) for a couple of days.
- rice flour = 600g
- 2 cups hot water
- 4-5.5 cups cold water
- 1/4 cup dried shrimps (soaked and chopped)
- 1/4 cup Chinese sausage (finely chopped) = approx. 2 links
- 1/8 cup Chinese preserved meat (looks like pork belly), finely chopped (if unavailable then replace with more Chinese sausage)
- 8 pcs dried Chinese mushrooms (soaked, finely chopped)
- 3-4 sprigs coriander, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup spring onion, finely chopped
- 2 TBS white sesame, toasted
- oil
- five spice powder
- white pepper
- chicken powder
- 8 pcs Chinese preserved olive, finely chopped (optional)
- sliced preserved (pink) ginger, finely chopped (optional)

Method:

1. Combine 600g rice flour with 1 TBS salt, 1.5 tsp sugar, 1 tsp five spice powder, 1 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp chicken powder, and mix well. Add 2 cups hot water and mix. Then add 4 to 5.5. cups of cold water, depending on how "smooth" or firm you want the end product to be. (I used 4 cups; next time I may try 5.) Mix well until all lumps disappear into the void.

2. Fry the dried shrimp in a wok with oil and a bit of Chinese cooking wine until lightly brownded.

3. Add mushrooms, fry.

4. Add Chinese sausage (and meat if you have it), together with a mixture of 1.5 TBS light soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, some sesame oil, and cooking wine.

5. Add the taro cubes and stir around a bit. Add enough water to just cover the taro, and cover the wok. Cook for 10 min until the taro is soft.

6. Add the coriander and half the spring onions and stir. There should be very little water left in the wok at this point. Remove and add the mixture to the batter, stirring well.

7. Clean the wok and add enough water to reach the steaming stand, and boil the water. (Or use whichever steaming device you are using.) Grease the cake pan(s) / line with baking paper if you wish (for spring forms). Ladle batter into the cake pan(s). When the water is steaming, place the pan(s) onto the steaming stand in the wok / steamer and cover. Steam for about 1 hour to 1.5 hours depending on how large your pan(s) are.

(I used two smaller pans, and steamed for 45min - 1 hr. If using one large pan (8cm deep and 27 cm diameter), try steaming for 1.5 hrs.)

8. Cakes are done if a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

9. Sprinkle the tops with toasted sesame and the rest of the spring onions and steam for an additional 5 min.

10. Remove from heat. Sprinkle the top with more five spice powder and the chopped olives and preserved ginger (if using).

11. To serve: either serve it freshly steamed or slice up and pan fry. Serve with oyster sauce and/or hot sauce of your liking (typically Chilli Bean Sauce a.k.a. do ban tjan).

Et voilà!

Congee in the Pressure Cooker

Easier than I ever imagined:
1 cup of rice : 7 cups of water!
Time to completion = approximately 25 minutes.
—
VARIATION: Salted Pork and Thousand Year Old Egg
http://www.tastehongkong.com/recipes/how-to-cook-congee-with-salted-pork-and-century-egg-a-classic-hong-kong-rice-porridge/
VARIATION: Caramelized Pork and Crispy Shallots
http://www.blueapron.com/recipes/congee-caramelized-pork-with-crispy-shallots-and-black-garlic

Sticky Rice / Lo Mai Fan 糯米飯

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz sticky rice: soaked with enough water to just cover the rice, for 5 hours
2 pcs Chinese dark sausage: cubed into bite sizes
2 pcs Chinese light sausage: cubed into bite sizes
8 pcs dried mushrooms: soaked overnight, then cubed into bite sizes
1/2 cups dried shrimp: soaked for 3 hours, chopped finely
2 pieces garlic: chopped finely
2 pcs shallot: chopped finely
2 pcs ginger: chopped finely
Chinese black olives: chopped into bite sizes
10 oz taro root: cubed into bite size

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Heat the wok with oil (1 TBS) and stir fry the dry shrimps. Add 1 tsp light soya sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, and mix well. Sprinkle with cooking wine and set aside.

2) Fry the mushrooms, add a bit of water, and cook until tender. Add 1/2 tsp light soya sauce, 1/3 tsp sugar, and mix well.

3) Fry sausage, mix 1.5 tsp light soya sauce, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp wine. Set aside.

4) Fry garlic, shallots and ginger until smell comes out. Place taro in the wok, add 1/2 cup water and 1 tsp chicken powder. Sprinkle with wine, cook until taro is 70% cooked.

5) Check the rice to see if all the water is absorbed. Then add just a bit of water to the rice and mix all the ingredients into it. Steam for 20 minutes until the rice turns transparent.

6) Stir fry chopped Chinese olive, adding 1/2 TBS sugar and 1 tsp wine. Mix well.

7) Add the Chinese olives and chopped green onions on top of the rice mixture. Serve hot.

Daikon Mania!

Ways to use the wonderful(ly large) and delicious radish, Daikon.

NOODLES
1. Grate and add to cold udon with lots of green onions, grated ginger, and soya sauce to taste.
[alternative: + wakame, cilantro, lemon juice]

2. Karasumi and Daikon Pasta

2-3 servings

8 ounces dried pasta such as spagetti or linguine
3 tablespoons olive oil
leaves of 1 small daikon radish chopped
1/3 cup grated daikon radish with extra juice strained out
1 sac of Karasumi or Bottarga grated on a Microplane (reserve a little to top the pasta with)

Boil the pasta in well salted water for slightly less than the package recommends (my pasta said 11 minutes, I cooked it for 10).

After draining the pasta, put the hot pot back on the stove and add the olive oil. Add the daikon leaves and quickly saute. Add the pasta, then stir fry to coat with oil. Add the grated daikon and Karasumi and toss to distribute evenly, then plate immediately. Top with the reserved grated karasumi and serve immediately.

3. Houtou: Prepare miso soup like normal and add to it diced kabocha (or pumpkin or acorn squash), potato, carrot, leeks, abura-age, and daikon. Serve with udon.

SALAD
4. Cut into thin strips about 3 cm in length, mix with diced tomatoes, and add lemon juice, salt and pepper, and a bit of olive oil.

STEW
5. Rice Stew with Daikon (Daikon Zosui)
Serves 5

2 ½ cups cooked short-grain rice*
¾ cup shiitake mushrooms*
1 ½ cups daikon (about a four-inch-long chunk), sliced as directed*
¼ cup carrots, sliced as directed*
½ cup Wakame, soaked five minutes in cold water to cover, then chopped into one-inch long pieces (discard soaking water)
5 cups fish stock (if unavailable, use chicken or vegetable stock)*
1 teaspoon salt*
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce*

Peel the daikon and carrot, and slice into two-inch-long by one-half-inch wide ribbons that are no more than one-eighth-inch thick. Thinly slice the shiitake mushrooms also. Heat the stock in a soup pan with the daikon and carrot, and cook until the vegetables have softened, around 10 minutes. Add the cooked rice, mushrooms and wakame, and bring to the boil again, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt and soy sauce. Eat hot. Partners well with Daikon Pickles. (Note: Be careful not to cook the rice too long; otherwise, it will end up the unappetizing consistency of glue.)

SIDE DISH
6. Quick Daikon Pickles

1 ½ cups daikon, sliced into match-like strips*
½ cup hothouse cucumber, seeds removed, sliced into match-like strips
½ teaspoon freshly minced lemon peel*
Piece of kombu, around 4 inches long and 1 inch wide*
1 teaspoon salt*
Soy sauce, to taste*

Put the daikon and cucumber into a plastic bag. Break the kombu into one-to-two-inch slivers, and add to the plastic bag. Sprinkle with salt and lemon peel. Close plastic bag. Work salt into vegetables by squeezing them in the plastic bag. Lay the bag flat and place two 16-ounce cans on top of the closed bag, spreading the weight over the vegetables inside. Let stand two hours. Remove vegetables from bag. Gently squeeze out water. Sprinkle with a little soy sauce. Enjoy with rice.

7. Daikon Fritters: Shred roots on grater. Mix with beaten egg, flour, salt and pepper. Drop and flatten out a dollop into hot oil and turn once while browning both sides.
+ dipping sauce: 1/2 cup soya sauce with juice of 1/2 a lemon, plus some lemon zest and chopped scallions.

8. Shred medium coarse across the diameter (about 1/8" thick), cook in dashi (japanese-style broth, available as granules) until tender (about 20 minutes). Add aka (red) miso to taste, as for any other miso soup. Garnish with chopped scallion if desired.

9. Cut daikon in 1" thick disks, peel, and simmer in dashi until tender. Make a sauce with miso and a little water and sugar, simmer until blended, serve over daikon (with rice, of course).

10. Japanese Guacamole:
* ¾ cup shredded daikon (Japanese radish)
* ½ tsp salt
* 2 California avocados, about 1 pound
* ⅓ cups finely sliced green onion
* ¼ cup fresh salmon caviar
* 2 tbsp rice vinegar (plain)
* 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
* ½ tbsp wasabi paste

1. Toss daikon with salt; drain in a colander for half an hour.
2. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible; reserve.
3. Coarsely mash (do not purée) avocados.
4. Fold in remaining ingredients and reserved daikon.
5. Guacamole is best made as close to serving as possible. For short-term storage, seal in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the guacamole.

SPECIAL OCCASIONS
11. "Loh Bak Goh": Steamed Daikon Cake

Cake base

* 1½ lbs daikon
* ½ lbs rice flour
* 1 can chicken broth
* ¼ tbsp msg
* 4 tbsp sugar
* 1 tbsp white pepper

Filling

* 1 cup of Chinese sausage
* ½ cup of Chinese dried shrimp
* 1 cup of Chinese mushroom
* 2 scallion
* 2 tbsp soy sauce
* 1 tbsp sugar
* 1 tbsp cooking wine
* 1 tbsp sesame seed (optional)

Directions

1. First remove the daikon skin and slice into thin pieces.
2. Place the sliced daikon, the chicken broth and the "cake base" seasonings into a pot.
3. Cook until the diakon is soft (about 40 minutes).
4. If the daikon tastes bitter, you'll need to add more sugar.
5. Also, if the daikon releases too much water, you may have to drain some water out.
6. While the daikon is cooking, dice the "filling" ingredients.
7. Stir fry the "filling" ingredients and seasonings until cooked (note: save ½ the scallion for later use).
8. Place the fillings aside.
9. When the daikon is soft, slowly stir in the rice flour.
10. Mix well. You'll feel the cake base thicken.
11. After the daikon and rice flour are mixed, stir in the "fillings" (note: save some of the filling for the topping).
12. When everything is mixed, grease the steaming pan with corn oil, so the daikon cake won't stick to the pan.
13. Pour the daikon cake mix into the pan, and place the rest of the scallion and fillings on top.
14. Steam the daikon cake under high heat for about 40 minutes.
15. To check the cake is well cooked, poke a chopstick into the center of the cake, if the cake does not stick to the chopstick, the cake is cooked.
16. Allow the daikon cake to cool.
17. You can pan fry the sliced cake before serving.

Soya Sauce Chicken

Ingredients:

* 3 to 3 1/2 pound chicken
* Sauce:
* 1 cup light soy sauce
* 1 cup dark soy sauce
* 1/2 cup Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
* 1/2 cup brown sugar or 1/3 cup Chinese rock sugar
* 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
* 3 whole star anise
* 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorn, roasted (see recipe directions for link to roasting peppercorn)
* 1 thick slice fresh ginger, smashed
* 1 cinnamon stick
* 4 cups water

** Mom's variant: add fresh rosemary!

Preparation:
1. Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a pot large enough to hold the chicken (I use an 8-quart pot) combine the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, sugar, fennel seeds, star anise, roasted Szechuan peppercorn, ginger, cinnamon stick and the water. Bring to a boil.
3. Add the chicken, breast side down. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook the chicken for 45 minutes, turning over once or twice and making sure it cooks for an even amount of time on both sides. Baste the chicken for a minute or more each time you turn it over.
4. After 45 minutes, turn off the heat and the let chicken sit, covered, until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit (about 77 degrees Celsius).
5. Remove the chicken from the pot, cool and cut into bite-sized pieces. Serves 6 – 8 (or 1/2 chicken will serve 4).

Chicken Mushroom Fried Rice

Ingredients:


1/4 cup long grain white Rice (Chawal)
2 tblsp Vegetable oil (Vanaspati)
1 small chopped finely Onion (Pyaj)
2 chopped finely Garlic Cloves (Lasun)
2 seeded and cut into slivers Red chili (Lal Mirchi)
225 gms chopped finely Chicken breast meat
85 gms chopped or cut into matchstick strips Bamboo Shoots
8 dried, soaked for 30 minutes, drained and chopped Chinese Black Mushrooms (Goochi)
2 tblsp dried Shrimps
1 tblsp Fish Sauce
25 Thai Holy Basil Leaves (Tulsi)
Thai Holy Basil Sprig to garnish
As required Salt (Namak)

How to make chicken mushroom rice top:

* Cook rice.
* Heat oil in a wok.
* Combine onion and garlic.
* Cook till golden.
* Stir occasionally.
* Combine chilies and chicken.
* Fry stirring for 2 minutes.
* Stir in bamboo shoots, mushrooms, dried shrimps, fish sauce and salt.
* Stir continously 2 minutes.
* Combine in the rice and basil.
* Stir well.
* Garnish with basil sprig.
* Serve hot.

Four Seasons Beans

INGREDIENTS:
* 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.

INSTRUCTIONS:
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 2 minutes. It is crucial that the beans 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 thoroughly 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.

Stir Fried Rice Cakes 炒年糕

Ingredients: (All are my rough estimation)

-half pack of dried nian gao - soak overnight
-a few tbsp of dried shrimps - soaked and chopped fine
-200g lean pork or belly - slice, marinade with some pepper, cooking wine and light soy sauce
-2 leaves of Chinese cabbage - sliced
-a few Chinese mushrooms - soaked and sliced

Variation on Basic sauce:
- dark soy sauce
-1 tbsp oyster sauce
-1/2tsp chicken seasoning powder
-a few tablespoons of water
- sesame oil
- salt and sugar and white pepper

+ Chinese dark vinegar as dipping sauce on the side

Method:

Stir fry dried shrimps till fragrant, add in mince pork, stir and break up the pork into smaller pieces and fully cooked. Add in mushroom, nian gao, stir for a while. Add the vegetables and continue to stir fry. Add basic sauce, stir till well combined, simmer a while (covered) till nian gao is soft.

Lion’s Head Casserole 獅子頭

3 lb./ 1 head napa cabbage
1 lb. chopped pork
1 1/2 Teaspoon of salt
1/2 Tablespoon of sesame oil
1/2 Teaspoon of rice wine
1/4 Teaspoon of black pepper
1/4 cup water chestnuts
1 Teaspoon of chopped green onion
1 Teaspoon of chopped ginger root
1 Tablespoon of cornstarch
1 1/2 Tablespoon of soy sauce
1/2 Tablespoon of water

Rinse cabbage lightly and remove 4 outer leaves; tear rest of cabbage into small squares; drain. Heat pan and 6 tablespoon of oil; stir fry cabbage sections until soft and add 2 cups of water; cook for 5 minutes over medium heat; remove and place in the bottom of a heatproof casserole.

Chop pork finely and mix with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of rice wine, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of chopped green onion, 1 teaspoon of chopped ginger root, 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1/4 cup water chestnuts.

Lightly throw mixture against inside of mixing bowl to combine ingredients; separate into 4 portions and shape into balls. Coat each ball with pre-mixed 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1/2 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of water.

Heat pan and 6 tablespoon of oil; fry pork balls on all sides until golden brown; remove and place on cabbage in casserole; cover pork balls with 4 outer cabbage leaves and add1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce; cover and simmer 1 hour over low heat; serve.

Tip: Try experimenting with bread to include in the meatball mixture. It adds a nice texture!

Red-Cooked Pork Roast 紅燒肉

1 fresh pork butt or leg, about 7-8 lbs.
6-8 dried Chinese black mushrooms, pre-soaked in 1 c. cold water for at least 30 mins.
4 chunks fresh ginger (each at least thumb-size), peeled.
6 green onions, roughly chopped (including white portion)
2 c. cooking soy sauce (not “light soy sauce”)
1 c. cooking wine or sherry
1 c. rock sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
8 star anise
1-2 c. vegetable or meat broth (or as needed)
vegetable oil

Fill large Dutch oven or pot (big enough to fit pork) with water until about half full, and put on stove over medium heat.

Rinse pork under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels.

When water in pot comes to a boil, add pork. Cook until juices seep out and liquid is foamy, or about 15-20 mins.

Remove pot from stove. Take pork out and immerse it in another large pot or bowl of icy cold water. Let pork remain in water for about 5 minutes.

Transfer pork to a large strainer; let drain well, for 30 mins. Meanwhile, remove the soaking mushrooms from their water; set the mushroom water aside. Discard the boiled water from the large cooking pot, and rinse the pot.

Heat about 1T oil in the pot over low heat; add ginger and green onions and toss until browned. Remove ginger and onions to a small bowl.

Add 1-2 T oil to pot, and increase heat to medium. When oil is hot, add pork and turn so it browns on all sides.

Add ginger and onions back into the pot; add soy sauce and wine. Let come to a boil, and turn pork. Add rock sugar, salt, pepper, anise and mushrooms, and let come to a boil.

Add the reserved mushroom water and enough broth so that pork is at least half submerged in liquid. Reduce heat to low, and cover pot.

Simmer pork over low heat for 4-6 hours until very tender; when done, any outside fat layers on the pork should look glazed. About every hour, turn pork so that all sides soak up the red-sauce, and add more broth as needed.

Let pork cool slightly, for about 15 minutes, covered. Transfer to large serving bowl.
Serve with hot rice.

Tea Eggs 茶葉蛋

12 eggs, preferably at room temperature
1/4 c. dark soy sauce
4 star-anise
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. chicken or vegetable broth
3 black-tea teabags

Put eggs in a pot and add enough water to cover. Put on stove over moderate heat, and let eggs boil for 10 minutes. Transfer eggs to a large bowl of cold water; let cool for at least 30 minutes.

Remove eggs from water. Gently crack eggs on kitchen counter or cutting board, making sure that the shells remain on the eggs. Do not peel. Set aside.

Put all remaining ingredients in large pot and add water (at least 4 c. water, or enough to cover the eggs). Put on stove and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and then add cracked eggs to pot. Let cook for at least 1 hour, or until egg shells and eggs take on the tea-broth’s brown tint.

Remove eggs from pot and serve, warm or chilled. (Eggs are usually served unpeeled; diners peel them themselves).

Save tea-broth in a container in refrigerator. To re-heat leftover (unpeeled) eggs, put tea-broth and eggs in pot and heat over medium temperature.

If you want to experiment with color and taste, substitute an oolong teabag for one of the black ones.

Duck Noodle Soup

Title: Duck Noodle Soup
Yield: 1

Ingredients

2 tb oyster sauce
1 ts liquid honey or palm sugar
2 tb chopped garlic
1 bowl roasted salted peanuts
2 sl ginger
2 tb fresh coriander leaves
4 shallots
1 200 gram thai rice noodles
1 whole duck
1 oz cepes or shiitake mushrooms
4 chinese cabbage leaves
3 pt chicken stock; made with
-coriander
1 ; stalk and ginger
1 whole chilli; finely sliced

Instructions

In one pan squeeze the cepes. Strain to remove grit and then pour the
juice back over the cepes. Cook for 15 minutes. Peel ginger and add to
the chicken stock along with a teaspoon of honey. Leave to simmer for
half an hour, then fish out the ginger, garlic and coriander stalks.

Shred the duck. In another pan put water to boil in preparation for the
noodles. Add oyster sauce and remaining honey and chopped garlic to
stock. Crush half the peanuts and shred the cabbage leaves. Add to the
stock along with the duck and the cooked mushrooms. Heat through.

Cook the noodles in the boiling water with no salt added. Drain and stir
lightly so as to prevent sticking. Put in bowl and cover with soup.
Sprinkle on top peanuts, chopped coriander coriander leaves, chilli,
shallots and juice.

*** ALTERNATIVELY ***


Ingredients

* Pinch of crushed dried chillies
* 1/4 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
* 1/2 tsp sugar
* 2 large duck breasts, skin removed
* 2 litres fresh chicken stock, hot
* 5cm piece fresh ginger, cut into thin strips
* 2 tsp sunflower oil
* 200g dried wholewheat noodles (we like Blue Dragon)
* 1 medium-hot red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
* Bunch of spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced on the diagonal
* 200g beansprouts
* 4 heads pak choi, roughly chopped
* Handful fresh coriander sprigs
* Dark soy sauce, to serve

1. Lightly grind the crushed chillies in a pestle and mortar, then mix in a shallow dish with the five-spice powder, sugar, some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put the duck breasts skinned-side down on the spices. Cover with a plate and weigh down with a few cans. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring the stock and ginger to the boil in a pan. Season with a little salt and keep hot. Bring another pan of lightly salted water to the boil ready for the noodles.

3. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the duck breasts, spice-side down, lower the heat slightly and cook for 3 minutes each side for medium-rare. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in the boiling water according to the packet instructions. Drain and divide between 4 warm bowls. Sprinkle with the chilli and half the spring onions. Add the beansprouts and pak choi to the chicken stock and cook for 1 minute. Ladle over the noodles.

5. Thinly slice the duck on the diagonal and place on top of the noodle soup. Scatter with the remaining spring onions and coriander sprigs and serve with the dark soy sauce on the side.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Foolproof recipe. Requires a huge pot! Dipping sauce is the same as for "White Cut Chicken."

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 whole (3- to 4-pound) chicken, trimmed of excess fat

Several cloves smashed garlic, plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Several slices fresh ginger, plus 1 tablespoon minced ginger

1/2 cup peanut oil, or neutral oil, like corn or canola

3 shallots, roughly chopped, or a small onion

2 cups long-grain rice

1/2 cup minced scallions

2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced

2 tomatoes, sliced

Chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons sesame oil.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add chicken to pot along with smashed garlic and sliced ginger. Bird should be completely submerged, but only just. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let bird remain in water for 45 minutes to an hour, covered, or until it is cooked through.

2. Remove chicken from pot, reserve stock, and let bird cool to room temperature. Put half the peanut oil in a skillet over medium heat; you may add trimmed chicken fat to this also. When oil is hot, add remaining garlic, along with shallots; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until glossy. Add 4 cups reserved chicken stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover; cook for about 20 minutes, until rice has absorbed all liquid. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

3. Make a dipping sauce of remaining oil, ginger, half the scallions and a large pinch of salt.

4. Shred or chop chicken, discarding skin. Put rice on a large platter and mound chicken on top of it; decorate platter with cucumbers, tomatoes, remaining scallions and cilantro. Sprinkle sesame oil over all and serve with dipping sauce.

Yield: 4 to 8 servings.

Steamed Tofu with Eggplant

I now present you with another recipe sent to me by Ben Shum, though I believe the credit lies elsewhere; I cite this verbatim because the wording is perfect as it stands.

"slice tofu (medium or soft) in cellphone size pieces
slice eggplant on top or between tofu pieces
put in a bowl and steam till soft (maybe 10-15 minutes)
i think you can just cover the bowl and medium heat (probably need clay bowl)

fry scallions, sliced ginger pieces in oil
pour over tofu & eggplant
splash with soy sauce (or soy sauce for steamed fish)"

Steamed Crabs

Ingredients:

live crabs
wok + steamer stand
ginger
seasoned vinegar (Chekiang or sushi variety)

Instructions:






1. Keep the live crabs lively in a bucket or sink full of cold water. This is to let them excrete before being cooked. (My mom's alternative method: stick a wooden chopstick up their butts and leave them hanging out in the sink until cooking time).












































2. Bring water to a boil in the wok. Put the steamer stand and a large dish (Pyrex, for instance) in it. Place the crabs in the dish and cover. Steam for 25 minutes, until the crabs are completely red.





3. Thinly cut strips of ginger, and put into a dipping bowl with the vinegar. This is the sauce for the meat and crab brains (a.k.a. crab cholesterol, as Winston once corrected me) that are found in the shell.

**N.B.: Never cook dead crabs! They must be kept alive until you steam them.

Chinese Winter Melon Soup

From Terra Brockman's farming notes

6 to 8 cups of 1 1/2-inch cubed Winter Melon pieces (about ½ large melon, peeled and seeds scooped out)
4 Chinese dried mushroom, softened in warm water and sliced
4 slices of fresh ginger
1/2 pound of ground pork (if desired, season with light soy sauce, Shao Hsing cooking wine, sesame oil, garlic powder, white pepper, salt and sugar. Mix well and let it marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.)
3-4 Tbsp canola oil
5-6 cups of water

Seasonings, to taste:
Light soy sauce
Salt
Sugar, about 1 tsp.
White pepper


1. Add the canola oil to a sauce pan. When hot, add in sliced ginger, stir for a while then add in sliced mushrooms. Stir for a minute, add winter melons and water. Let the water comes to a boil.

2. When it is boiling, scoop the ground pork with a small cookie or ice-cream scoop and drop into the soup. Add in the seasonings, and turn the heat to low. Simmer until the pork balls are cooked, about 20 minutes.