Saturday, January 24, 2004
BEAN CURD SEAWEED WRAPS (TAIWAN)
16dried black mushrooms
1/4pound fresh bean curd sheet
1sheet Japanese seaweed (nori)
8cans baby corn, drained
1/4pound Chinese ham, julienned
2green onions, julienned
Cooking oil for deep-frying
Sauce
1/2cup prepared teriyaki sauce
2tablespoons chicken broth
Getting ready
Soak mushrooms in warm water to cover until softened, about 20 minutes; drain. Discard stems and slice caps.
Cut bean curd sheet into 16 pieces, each about 3-inches by 2-inches. Cut seaweed into 16 pieces, each 1-inch wide and 5-inches long. Cut baby corn in half lengthwise.
Make each wrap: Place a piece of bean curd sheet on a work surface. Place a piece of baby corn, several slices of mushrooms, green onions, and ham over corn.
Roll up into a cylinder and wrap with a seaweed strip; moisten ends with water and press to seal.
Cooking
In a wok, heat oil for deep frying to 375 degrees. Add bean curd wraps and deep-fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Combine sauce ingredients in a saucepan; stir and cook over medium heat until heated through.
Arrange bean curd seaweed wraps on a serving platter and serve with sauce on the side.
Makes 4 servings.
COOKIE CUTTER FISH (HONG KONG)
1/2pound skinless salmon fillet
8fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
8slices Chinese eggplant, 1/2-inch thick
2tablespoons cooking oil
1/2teaspoon salt
1/2teaspoon white pepper
Sauce
2tablespoons black bean sauce
1teaspoon sesame oil
1teaspoon rice vinegar
8slices taro root or sweet potato, 1/2-inch thick
Cooking oil for deep-frying
Plum sauce for dipping
Getting ready
With a 11/2-inch cookie cutter, cut eight rounds from salmon fillet, mushrooms, and taro slices.
Place salmon, mushrooms, and eggplant in a bowl. Drizzle oil over all then sprinkle with salt and pepper; turn to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl; mix well and set aside.
Cooking
In a wok, heat oil for deep-frying to 375 & deg;F. Add taro slices and deep-fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Place a grill or wide frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Arrange salmon, mushrooms, and eggplant slices on grill; cook, turning once, until salmon is opaque and mushrooms and eggplant is tender, about 2 minutes on each side.
To form stacks: Layer slices of taro, eggplant, salmon, and mushroom. Arrange stacks, taro side down, on a serving platter with black bean sauce and plum sauce on the side for dipping.
Makes 4 servings.
PRECIOUS PEARLY RICE BALLS (TAIWAN)
3/4cup black glutinous rice
3/4cup white glutinous rice
Filling
3/4pound ground pork
3/4pound raw shrimp, shelled, deveined and coarsely chopped
1egg, lightly beaten
2tablespoons chopped water chestnuts
1tablespoon chopped Chinese chives
1tablespoon soy sauce
2teaspoons minced ginger
2teaspoons corn starch
1/2teaspoon salt
1/4teaspoon white pepper
Getting Ready
In separate bowls, soak both kinds of glutinous rice in water to cover for 2-3 hours; Drain and remove to two separate plates.
Prepare wok for steaming. Spread black glutinous rice evenly on the plate and steam until tender, about 20 minutes.
To make rice balls: Combine filling ingredients in a bowl; mix well. With wet hands, roll mixture into balls, using 1 heaping tablespoon for each. Roll half the balls in black glutinous rice to coat completely. Roll the remaining balls in white glutinous rice to coat. Arrange balls, without crowding, on a heatproof plate.
Cooking
Prepare wok for steaming. Cover and steam balls over high heat until pork is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.
STAR-STUDDED TOAST (HONG KONG)
12- to 14-day-old slices sandwich bread
Shrimp Paste
1/2pound medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
2walnut-size shallots, coarsely chopped
1clove garlic, minced
1egg white, lightly beaten
1teaspoon jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1teaspoon minced lemongrass
1teaspoon fish sauce
1/2teaspoon lime juice
1tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2teaspoon grated lime peel
2tablespoons sesame seeds
Cooking oil for deep-frying
Gettingr ready
With a star-shaped cookie cutter about 21/2 inches across, cut a star from each bread slice; save trimmings for other uses.
Combine shrimp paste ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl; stir in cilantro and lime peel.
Spread shrimp paste about a 1/4-inch thick on one side of each bread star. Sprinkle sesame seeds and press gently onto shrimp mixture.
Cooking
In a wok, heat oil for deep-frying to 350 & deg;F. Deep-fry stars, a few at a time and shrimp side down for 1 minute; until golden brown. Turn over and fry 30 seconds longer. Drain on paper towels.
Recipes from "Yan Can Cook Inc."