Add 1½ tablespoons oil to the wok or frying pan. Add the cashews and stir-fry on medium heat very briefly. Remove and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the wok. Add the cooked turkey and the oyster sauce. Add the vegetables and mix through.
Make a well in the middle of the pan and add the cornstarch-and-water mixture, stirring to thicken. Mix with the other ingredients. Stir in the cashews. Serve over the chow mein noodles.
Serves 4
A great way to make use of leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Serve with Egg Drop Soup (page 57) for a nourishing fall meal.
Serves 4–6
For a different flavor, replace the oyster sauce in the chicken broth mixture with 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce.
Beefy Fried Rice Noodles
½ pound beef flank or sirloin steak
1½ teaspoons oyster sauce
teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
4–5 ounces medium-width rice
stick noodles
1 red bell pepper
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup chicken stock or broth
4–5 cups oil for frying
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
Cut the beef across the grain into thin strips about 2 inches long. Add the oyster sauce, salt, and baking soda. Marinate the beef for 30 minutes.
Soak the rice noodles in hot water for 20 minutes or until they are softened. Wash the pepper, remove the seeds, and cut into thin strips about 2 inches long.
Combine the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and chicken stock. Set aside.
Heat 4 cups of oil in the wok to 375°F. Lightly dust the marinated beef with the cornstarch. Deep-fry the beef in the hot oil for a few minutes, until it turns light brown. Drain on paper towels.
Remove all but 3 tablespoons oil from the wok or heat 3 tablespoons oil in a second wok or heavy skillet. When oil is hot, add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the red pepper and stir-fry until it is tender and has a bright color (stir-fry in 2 batches, if necessary). Add the bean sprouts. Push the vegetables up to the side, add the sauce, and bring to a boil.
Turn down the heat slightly and add the noodles. Stir-fry briefly and add the beef. If necessary, add a bit of water. Mix everything through and serve hot.
Cold Szechwan Sesame Noodles
8 ounces egg noodles
Spicy Szechwan Peanut Sauce (page 23)
1 cucumber
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Prepare the egg noodles according to the instructions on the package.
Peel the cucumber, toss with salt, and leave for 15 minutes. Toast the sesame seeds.
Allow the noodles to cool. When cold, toss with the Spicy Szechwan Peanut Sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over the cucumber slices.
Serves 4
Italian pasta can be substituted for Chinese egg noodles in this recipe. For added flair, garnish with cilantro leaves.
Deep-fried Vermicelli
4 ounces vermicelli noodles
4 cups oil for deep-frying
Heat oil in preheated wok or heavy saucepan to 375°F. If the noodles come with string wrappings, cut them off. Do not soak the noodles.
Drop one 2-ounce package of noodles into the wok. It should puff up immediately. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the other package. Cut the noodles into serving portions or serve as is.
Serves 6–8
Top these noodles with dishes that have a lot of sauce, such as Mongolian Beef with Vegetables (page 109).
Serves 2–4
For a different taste and texture, try substituting chicken for the pork and experimenting with rice noodles of different thickness.
Singapore Fried Rice Noodles
4 ounces rice vermicelli
½ red bell pepper
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon grated ginger
½ cup chicken stock or broth
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
4–5 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
2 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
4 ounces barbequed pork, cut into very thin slices
teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Soak the rice noodles in hot water for 20 minutes or until softened. Drain thoroughly. Wash the red pepper and remove the seeds.
Combine the curry powder, turmeric, and ginger. Set aside. Combine the chicken broth, soy sauce, and sugar. Set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the shrimp and stir-fry briefly until they turn pink. Remove and set aside.
Add 2–3 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot, add the curry powder mixture and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the red pepper and bean sprouts. Add the noodles and stir-fry for a few minutes, adding water if necessary.
Add the sauce in the middle of the wok. Bring to a boil. Add the barbequed pork and mix through. Add the stir-fried shrimp. Sprinkle with the freshly ground pepper and serve hot.
Dan Dan Noodles
8 ounces fresh egg noodles
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon sesame oil, divided
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon Hot Chili Oil (page 23)
1½ tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
3 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
Serves 4
A mild, sweetened rice vinegar works very well in this recipe. If you want to add a vegetable, try 1 cup blanched bean sprouts.
Bring a pot of water to boil, and cook the noodles al dente. Drain thoroughly and toss with 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Cool.
Combine the peanut butter, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and Hot Chili Oil. Process in a blender or food processor.
Mix the sauce in with the noodles. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds over. Garnish with the green onion.
How to Toast Sesame Seeds
Spread the sesame seeds out on a pan and cook at low heat, shaking the pan occasionally. Toast the sesame seeds until they turn a light brown. Remove from the pan, cool, and use as called for in recipes. When cooking the seeds, be sure not to overcook and let them burn.
Serves 4
To cook noodles al dente, boil until they are tender, but still firm and not mushy.
Beef Lo Mein
1 pound flank steak
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
1½ teaspoons sugar, divided
½ teaspoon baking soda
6 dried mushrooms
8 ounces fresh egg noodles
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
6 cabbage leaves, shredded
Cut the steak into thin slices, about 2 inches in length. Add the oyster sauce, ½ teaspoon sugar, and baking soda. Marinate the steak for 30 minutes.
Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften.
In a large pot of water, boil the noodles until the flour is removed but they are still firm. Drain thoroughly.
Cut the mushrooms into thin slices. Combine the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, rice wine, and water, and set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the steak. Stir-fry until it changes color and is nearly cooked through. Remove and drain on pa
per towels.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the wok. When oil is hot, add the cabbage leaves. Stir-fry until they are bright green and tender. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt if desired. Add the mushrooms. Stir-fry briefly. Add the sauce in the middle of the wok, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat slightly and add the beef. Add the noodles. Mix everything through and serve hot.
Chow Mein or Lo Mein?
People are often surprised to learn that the difference between these popular dishes has more to do with cooking styles than specific ingredients. Chow Mein are fried noodles cooked separately from the meat and vegetables. Lo Mein dishes feature boiled noodles that are combined with the other ingredients during the final stages of cooking.
Chicken Lo Mein
1 cup cooked chicken
8 ounces fresh egg noodles
½ cup mushrooms, fresh or dried
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
½ cup water
2–3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
4 cabbage leaves, shredded
¼ teaspoon salt, optional
½ cup mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
Serves 4
Leftover Tea Smoked Chicken (page 175) works very well in this recipe, imparting a lovely smoky flavor.
Cut the cooked chicken into thin slices. In a large pot of water, boil the noodles until the flour is removed and they are tender. Drain thoroughly.
If using dried mushrooms, soak in hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften. Slice mushrooms.
Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and water, and set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the cabbage leaves. Stir-fry until they turn bright green and are tender. Season with salt, if desired. Add 1 tablespoon oil, if necessary.
Add the mushrooms. Stir-fry briefly, then add the bean sprouts. Add the sauce in the middle of the wok. Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat slightly and add the chicken. Add the noodles. Mix everything through and serve hot.
Serves 2–4
Frying the shrimp briefly in 1 cup of hot oil gives it a soft, velvety texture.
Savory Shanghai Noodles
½ pound (8 ounces) fresh cooked shrimp, tails and vein removed
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 bunch spinach
¾ cup chicken broth
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 slices ginger, finely chopped
½ pound fresh Shanghai noodles
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1¼ cups oil for frying
Rinse the shrimp in warm water and pat dry. Marinate the shrimp in the sugar and cornstarch for 15 minutes.
Wash the spinach and drain thoroughly. Mix together the chicken broth, water, oyster sauce, and rice wine, and set aside.
Add 1 cup oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the shrimp and fry briefly for 1 minute (if using raw shrimp, fry longer until the shrimp turn pink and firm up around the edges). Remove the shrimp from the wok with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. Add the spinach and fry until it changes color. Add seasonings such as salt or soy sauce, if desired. Remove from the wok and set aside.
Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the noodles. Stir-fry and toss with the sesame oil. Make a well in the middle of the wok and add the sauce. Bring to a boil. Add the spinach and the shrimp back into the wok. Mix everything through and serve hot.
Noodle Lore
The Chinese have been enjoying noodles since ancient times. Symbolizing a long life in Chinese culture, noodles occupy an important place in festive celebrations such as Chinese New Year. And birthday celebrations wouldn't be complete without a heaping bowl of longevity noodles.
Oyster Sauce Pork with Cellophane Noodles
1 pound pork
1 green onion, cut in thirds
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
2 stalks celery
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
½ cup chicken broth
1 2-ounce package cellophane noodles
4 cups oil for frying
Cut the pork into cubes. Marinate the pork in 1 tablespoon soy sauce and green onion for 30 minutes.
Blanch the celery by plunging briefly into boiling water. Drain well. Cut into thin slices along the diagonal.
Combine the oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and chicken broth. Set aside.
Add 4 cups oil to a preheated wok and heat to at least 350°F. While oil is heating, remove the string wrappings from the cellophane noodles. When oil is hot add the noodles. Deep-fry briefly until it puffs up and forms a “nest.” Remove and drain on paper towels. Leave as is or cut into individual servings.
Drain all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. Add the pork and stir-fry until it changes color and is almost cooked through. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Add the celery and stir-fry until it turns shiny and is tender. Add the sauce to the middle of the wok and bring to a boil. Add the pork. Mix everything through. Serve over the noodles.
Cellophane Noodles
Made from mung bean starch, cellophane noodles are also called bean thread or glass noodles. After soaking they became very absorbent, picking up the flavors of the foods they are cooked with. Deep-frying without soaking first causes them to puff up immediately. Use cellophane noodles in dishes with lots of flavorful sauce.
Serves 2–4
Because it resembles a bird's nest, a packet of deep-fried cellophane noodles is sometimes used to replace authentic bird's nest in mock bird's nest soup.
6
Beef Dishes
Basic Beef Stir-fry
Mongolian Beef with Vegetables
Mongolian Beef with Rice Noodles
Beef with Peppers
Beef with Tomatoes
Beef with Broccoli
Beef with Snow Peas
Beef and Bean Sprouts in Black Bean Sauce
Dry Fried Beef
Beef Satay
Beef Curry
Basic Red-Cooked Beef
Spicy Red-Cooked Beef
Beef with Red Onions
Mu Shu Beef
Peppery Beef
Stir-fried Orange Beef
Spicy Steamed Beef
Beef with String Beans
Spicy Orange Beef
Ginger Beef
Dry Ginger Beef
Oriental Meatballs
Beef Toast
Beef and Lotus Root with Oyster Sauce
Serves 2–4
This is a good basic recipe for marinating and stir-frying beef that you can adapt according to your tastes and the ingredients you have on hand.
Basic Beef Stir-fry
½ pound beef
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
½ teaspoon sugar
Cut the beef across the grain into thin strips. Add the soy sauce, cornstarch, and baking soda to the meat, in that order. Use your hands to mix in the cornstarch and baking soda. Marinate the meat for 30 minutes, add the vegetable oil, and marinate for another 30 minutes.
Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the beef, laying it flat on the wok. Let the meat cook for a minute, turn over and brown on the other side, and
then begin stir-frying. When it is nearly cooked through, add the rice wine and sugar. When the meat is cooked, remove from the wok and drain on paper towels.
Searing Meat
While stir-frying is normally a hands-on process, when cooking meat it's best to give the spatula a brief rest. Lay the meat out flat in the wok and brown for about thirty seconds before stir-frying.
Mongolian Beef with Vegetables
1 pound sirloin or flank steak
1 egg white
Pinch of salt
1½ teaspoons sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1½ tablespoons oil
2 green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon chili sauce
1 can baby corn, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 cup oil for frying beef
Slice the beef across the grain into thin strips. Add the egg white, salt, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and cornstarch to the beef, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the beef for thirty minutes. Add 1½ tablespoons oil and marinate for another thirty minutes.
While beef is marinating, cut the green onions into thirds on the diagonal.
Add 1 cup oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, carefully slide the beef into the wok, a few pieces at a time. Fry the beef until it changes color. Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
THE EVERYTHING® CHINESE COOKBOOK Page 10