Archive for the ‘: CHINESE’ Category
Spring Rolls aka Lumpia
These sound delicious and I just picked up several packages of spring roll sheets last week. These are Spring Rolls or Lumpia that have a very thin pastry, not Egg Rolls which have a thicker pastry. And these are outstanding! Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely minced
- 400 grams ground pork
- 8 fresh Shiitake mushrooms, stem removed, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups vermicelli noodles, an 80 gram package is perfect
- 1 1/2 cups carrot, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups cabbage, shredded, packed
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce, and as needed
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
For the Spring Rolls
- 20 spring roll wrappers, thawed
- cooking oil, for frying
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
Instructions
For the Filling
- In a pot of boiling water, add the vermicelli cook for 2-4 minutes or until soft, drain, lightly chop, you want about 1 1/2 cups, an 80 gram packet is fine. It is ok if they are a bit underdone as the rolls get fried later. Set aside.
- A lot of the prep time is the shredding and chopping. Use a box shredder for the cabbage and carrots, Chop the mushrooms on a board. I doubled the recipe that is why there is so much.
- Fresh ground pork (I used pork loin for this which is lean, the mushrooms add the juiciness). I also had some shrimp we added, the shrimp were cleaned, deveined, and chopped. The shrimp is NOT cooked with the pork, add the shrimp at the very end if using.
- Heat the olive oil in a large non stick pan (big pot if doubling the recipe), when hot, add the garlic and saute for a minute until fragrant then add the pork and break up the pork as it cooks until it just turns white, as it will get cooked again.
- To the pork, add the carrot, cabbage, and mushrooms and saute for several minutes until the veggies are good and wilted. Now mix in the cornstarch, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Saute for about a minute or until the liquid is steamed off. You want the filling sticky, not watery. Taste and season with oyster sauce as needed.
- Add the cooked noodles and remove the pan or pot from the heat.
- Mix in the noodles and cool the filling, a hot filling means your spring rolls may burst (no one likes a sloppy spring roll). So just let the pan or pot cool, or spread the filling on a baking sheet and let cool, or even place in the fridge for 5 minutes.
To Assemble the Spring Rolls
- First thing is to make the 'glue' so in a small bowl or cup, mix together the cornstarch and water, set this aside but keep it handy, this is used to seal the rolls.
- Open the package of spring roll sheets. Carefully pull off one sheet and place smooth side down on a clean counter with one corner of the sheet facing you. Very important, place a damp towel on the unused sheets, if the sheets dry out they are hard to pull apart and will tear.
- Place a tablespoon or so of filling near the corner closest to you.
- Fold the bottom (the corner closest to you) up over the filling.
- Tightly roll, the filling will spread some, that is fine. When the roll is in the widest part of the pastry (left and right corners will be on the sides of the roll) fold each side towards the center. The roll should be about 5 inches long, and should look like an envelope.
- Continue to roll, and when there is just a pointy section at the end away from you, use your finger and apply some of the cornstarch slurry you made just a few minutes ago to the edges of the pointy section (just like sealing an envelope), continue to roll and seal the edge, and just pat that seam down with your fingers. There, you just made a spring roll.
- Repeat until you have either used all the filling or all the pastry sheets. 13 more to go.
- To fry these, heat about 1 inch of oil in a pot. When hot, add 4-5 spring rolls at a time and fry, turn often, until golden brown, These cook fast so keep an eye on them. Remove to paper towels to drain and fry the remaining rolls. Perfect color.
- Let cool for a few minutes then serve hot as is or serve with a dipping sauce of your choice. My Sweet & Sour Sauce is listed as a shortcut in the Recipe Notes section.
Notes
Figure about 50 Baht for the pork. I will wing about 3 servings from this (I like spring rolls), for 3 servings this is about 50 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce.
Variants: 1. Bake instead of fry, place on a rack on a baking sheet, spray with oil all sides, bake in a 200 C (400 F) oven until golden brown. 2. For the filling, use cooked and chopped bacon, cooked hash browns, and Cheddar mixed in. 3. Place 3 or 4 raisins in each spring roll if using the original ingredients listed.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Pork Liver Soup
This is based on a Chinese recipe I found and I will tailor this when I make it to make it a heartier soup. I added the noodles and spinach. I will update the ingredient amounts when I make this.
Ingredients
- 300 grams pork liver, cleaned, sliced thin, (11 oz)
- 250 grams frozen spinach, thawed, chopped, (8 oz)
- 100 grams Chinese egg noodles, (3½ oz)
- 20 grams fresh ginger, peeled, shredded, (¾ oz)
- 4 cups water
For the Marinade
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1½ tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
- ¾ teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Mix together the Marinade ingredients, place the sliced liver in a shallow bowl, pour the marinade in and mix together with the liver, let marinate for 20 minutes.
- While the liver is marinating, prep the spinach. Squeeze any water from the spinach. If in leaf form, frozen in balls, chop those. Set aside.
- Also while the liver is marinating, heat a small pot of water, when boiling, add the noodles and cook until tender, about 5-10 minutes, drain, and set aside the noodles.
- When the liver is marinated, now heat the 4 cups of water in a medium pot, when boiling, add the ginger and remove the liver from the marinade and add to the pot. Boil for 30 seconds then cover and remove the pot from the heat and let set for 15 minutes.
- At the 15 minute mark, place the pot back on a burner and set to high heat, add the noodles and spinach, just before boiling, remove from heat and cover for 2 more minutes to heat the noodles and spinach through.
- Serve.
Notes
Figure about 40 Baht for the liver. For 2 servings, this is about 60 cents per serving.
Chicken & Mushroom Stir Fry
This is Chinese in origin as they are the masters of stir frying. This sounds good, and uses my favorite mushroom, the Straw mushrooms. For those in the States, you can use a can of Straw mushrooms, canned whole and cut in half, for those in Asia, go with fresh and halved. On my to cook list.
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast, boneless, skinless
- 1 can Straw mushrooms, or 2 cups fresh
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon corn flour
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 inch piece of ginger, julienned
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- pinch salt
- cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- Begin by slicing the chicken into thin strips, then mix in the 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and the corn flour. Let this sit for 5 to 10 minutes while you prepare the mushrooms.
- Prepare the mushroom, Straw mushrooms are unique in shape, cut them in half lengthwise only or they will just fall apart.
- Heat a wok or non stick wok-pan (what I will use) with the cooking oil. Add the chicken and stir fry and sear the chicken until no longer pink, do not over cook, as it will get cooked more later on. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Same pan, add the onion and ginger. Stir fry until fragrant then add the mushrooms and stir fry for 1 minute. Return the chicken to the pan, season with the black pepper, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, and the oyster sauce. Cook on high heat and stir fry.
- Stir in the water and stir until well mixed. Let the water reduce to thicken it.
- Season with salt to taste, serve with rice.
Notes
Low cost.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Egg Flower Soup with Oyster Mushrooms
Most of you will know this as egg drop soup, the Chinese name is 蛋(dàn) 花(huā) 汤(tāng), literally means 'egg flower soup'. There is your language lesson for the day. This is a basic soup that can be made with water or broth. The stirring speed determines the size of the 'egg flowers'. When I was in the Navy, egg drop soup meant a near clear broth with egg you could hardly see. This recipe is from a Chinese friend, so I will go with this as very accurate. This recipe calls for Oyster mushrooms, do not confuse them with King Oyster mushrooms, lot of difference.
Ingredients
- 150 grams Oyster mushrooms, root end trimmed, seperated
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- pinch salt
- 3 slices ginger
- 1 egg, whisked, not beaten
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 4-6 cups chicken broth, or water
Instructions
- In a pot or wok, heat the oil, then cook the mushrooms for about 30 seconds or until soft and wilted, then pour in the stock and add the ginger slices, bring to a boil for about 5 to 8 minutes.
- At a near boil, stir the soup slow for larger 'flowers' or faster for smaller 'flowers', when the egg is in and formed, remove from heat and add the sesame oil and a pinch of salt and stir.
- Serve as a side dish by spooning the soup into 2 bowls, top with chopped spring onion.
Notes
Low cost.
Variant: 1. This recipe screams of white pepper powder, just a pinch. 2. Swap out the Oyster mushrooms with Straw mushrooms sliced in half lengthwise.
This recipe for Egg Flower Soup with Oyster Mushroom is from China Sichuan Food.
Lion's Head (Chinese Meatballs)
Also known as Four-Joy Meatballs, these are popular during holidays in China. These are typically larger meatballs that are deep fried, and this is a braised version, but these can be steamed or added in soups.
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground pork
- 4 water chestnuts, peeled, finely diced, optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon spring onion, minced, white part only
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons corn starch, or potato starch
- lettuce leaves, for serving
- cooking oil, for deep frying
For the Braising Sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup water water, or pork or chicken broth
- 2 pieces whole star anise
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the salt, eggs, corn starch, ginger, and spring onion. Add the pork and using a large sturdy spoon, stir the pork in one direction until it absorbs the liquids and is sticky. This takes several minutes of stirring. Then add the water chestnut if using and mix that in as well.
- Pour about 4 cups of cooking oil into a medium sized deep pot and heat it to just before smoking then reduce heat to medium.
- While the oil is heating, form the meatballs, about 8 meatballs is the goal to achieve, form each ball about 2 or so inches in diameter. Squeeze together for a firm meatball.
- When the oil is hot, carefully using a slotted spoon, lower one meatball into the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the meatballs are just starting to get browned, remove and set aside, continue cooking all remaining meatballs.
- Prepare another pot and add the Braising ingredients then add the meatballs and heat on a simmer for 20 minutes, if the liquid does cover the meatballs, use a spoon and scoop and pour the liquid from time to time over the meatballs.
- Lay some lettuce leaves in two serving bowls and divide the meatballs between the bowls, serve.
Notes
The pork is about 35 Baht/500 grams, for 2 servings, this is about 50 cents per serving.
Variant: You can fry the meatballs instead of deep frying but you will need to increase the cooking time.
This recipe for Lion's Head (Chinese Meatballs) is from China Sichuan Food.
Easy Chinese Meatballs
These sound really good. On my to cook list.
Ingredients
- 2 cups ground pork
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- water or chicken stock, for boiling
For Seasoning the Pork
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice powder
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- salt, as needed
For the Dipping Sauce
- 1 tablespoon spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
- 2 Bird's Eye Chilis, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons stock, from the cooking pot
- salt, as needed
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl and the ground pork and mix with 1 tablespoon of water. With a large spoon, stir in one direction only until the water is well absorbed. Add the spring onion, ginger, corn starch, soy sauce, five spice powder, sesame oil, and salt as desired. Stir in the same direction for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is sticky and paste like. Let rest for 5 minutes, then stir again for 2 minutes.
- Shape into meatballs about 1 to 1 1/2 inch diameter, pat together well to make them firm. This will make 12 to 14 meatballs.
- Once all the meatballs are formed, heat a large pot, half full with water or chicken stock, to boiling. Gently lower the meatballs in using a slotted spoon and bring the water back to a boil then quickly reduce to a simmer, gently move the meatballs around. When the meatballs are cooked through, takes just a few minutes (you might have to sacrifice one and cut one in half to check), remove them from the pot to two serving bowls.
- While the meatballs are simmering, combine all the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl and 2 tablespoons of water from the pot.
- Serve the meatballs with the dipping sauce for a light lunch, or with rice and a vegetable for a nice dinner.
Notes
Low cost.
Variant: Replace the 2 tablespoons of corn starch with 1 beaten egg for firmer meatballs.
This recipe for Easy Chinese Meatballs is from China Sichuan Food.
Chinese Sweet & Sour Meatballs
These sound excellent! This is a Chinese dish, serve on rice or with noodles.
Ingredients
- 2 cups ground pork
- cooking oil, for frying
- 3 teaspoons corn starch
For Pork Marinade
- pinch salt
- 1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
For the Ginger Water
- 3 tablespoons warm water
- 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced or grated
- 1 spring onion, minced
For the Sweet & Sour Sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the ground pork with a small pinch of salt, soy sauce and sesame oil set aside and let marinate.
- In another small bowl, add the Marinade ingredients and set aside to soak.
- In yet another bowl, mix together the Sweet & Sour ingredients and set that aside.
- Place the ground in a mixing bowl, add the ginger, garlic, and spring onion water in three batches. Use a large spoon and stir the pork in on direction only, stir to incorporate the water before adding the next batch of water. (You use the water with the garlic, clove, and spring onion in or, or strain and just use the water.)
- Once all the water is mixed in well into the meat, sprinkle the 3 teaspoons of corn starch onto the pork and mix that in, also in the same direction as you did with the water, stir for 2-3 minutes until the meat is sticky and paste like.
- Shape the pork mixture into balls about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pat them well to just get them firm and dense. This should make about 13-14 meatballs.
- When all the meatballs are formed, heat about 1/4 cup of cooking oil in a wok or skillet, when the oil is hot, gently place the meatballs in the oil, cook, turning occasionally until golden brown, be gentle and not not break them. When the meatballs are cooked, remove to a plate and pour out the oil.
- Using the same pan or wok, pour in the sweet & sour sauce and heat until boiling, return the meatballs to the pan and continue cooking until the sauce is thickened and even coats all the meatballs. Remove the meatballs and serve with rice or noodles, garnish with chopped spring onion if desired.
Notes
Low cost.
Variant: For a firmer meatball, replace the water with a beaten egg and add the ginger, garlic, and spring onion to that.
This recipe for Chinese Sweet & Sour Meatballs is from China Sichuan Food.
Steamed Enoki Mushrooms
Sounds perfect, Enoki mushrooms are tasty and maintain their crunch very well and this is a quick dish to prepare. In the US, these may be known as Golden mushrooms. On my to cook list.
Ingredients
- 150 grams Eboki mushrooms, roots trimmed, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 spring onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- pinch salt
- 1 Bird's Eye Chili, seed and chopped, optional
Instructions
- lay the mushrooms on a plate that will fit in the steamer you are using.
- Heat the cooking oil in a small pan over medium heat, add the garlic and cook until aromatic, Remove from heat then stir in the sugar, soy sauce, pinch of salt and mix well. Pour this over the mushrooms.
- If using the chopped Thai chili (Bird's Eye Chili) sprinkle that on the mushrooms as well.
- Steam the plate for 6-7 minutes, drizzle the sesame oil over the top, sprinkle the chopped spring onion on top, serve.
Notes
Low cost.
This recipe for Steamed Enoki Mushrooms is from China Sichuan Food.
Chinese Stir-Fried Tomatoes and Eggs II
This is probably the most popular dish in China. Another great sounding and inexpensive meal, and this recipe is coming from a friend in China so it is authentic.
Ingredients
- 2-3 eggs
- 2 medium tomatoes
- pinch salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup cooking oil
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 spring onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the eggs and a pinch of salt and pepper then whisk until fine bubbles appear on the surface and the egg mixture is looking a bit lighter colored.
- Remove the cores from the tomatoes and cut them into wedges.
- Heat the cooking oil in a work or half wok pan, when the oil is hot but not smoking, stir in the eggs and wait a few seconds until the eggs are starting to firm up then turn off the heat, leave pan on the burner and use a spatula to break up the eggs.
- Remove eggs to a plate leaving the hot oil in the pan, add the tomato wedges and cook until they are juicy, press down on the tomatoes to get some of the juice out of them. When juicy, add the eggs back to the pan and quickly stir fry into the tomatoes to combine well.
- Serve.
Notes
Low cost.
This recipe for Chinese Tomato and Egg Stir Fry is from China Sichuan Food.
Chinese Tea Eggs (Marbled Eggs)
Tea eggs are a popular Chinese street snack. I have heard of these, never had one until today, 24 Oct 2017, and they are good! Wonderful flavor. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Notes section.
Ingredients
- 5-6 hard boiled eggs, or 15 to 20 hard boiled quail eggs, Shortcuts
- 1 tablespoon loose tea leaves, or 2 tea bags
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rock sugar
- 3 pieces whole star anise
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, or black peppercorns
- 3 slices fresh ginger
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the unpeeled hard boiled eggs in a pot and cover with about 1-2 inches of water, then remove the eggs and set aside. This step is just to get the right water level in the pot.
- Main ingredients measured out. Star anise and cinnamon, black peppercorns, and the tea.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, except the salt and eggs, to the water and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
- While waiting on the water to boil, use the back of a spoon and tap all over each egg, this makes the cracks needed for the marble effect.
- When the water is turned down to a simmer, place the eggs into the water with a slotted spoon. Simmer for 1 hour, then add the salt and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and leave the eggs in the liquid for 1-2 hours. At this point they are ready, and for a stronger flavor, refrigerate in the liquid overnight.
- Serve as a snack or with a noodle or porridge dish.
