Combine the reserved mushroom liquid, chicken broth, oyster sauce, and rice wine. Set aside.
Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the carrots. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the mushrooms and stir-fry.
Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Give the cornstarch-and-water mixture a stir and add to the sauce, stirring quickly to thicken.
Add the tofu cubes. Mix everything together, turn down the heat, and simmer for 5–6 minutes. Serve hot.
Pressed Tofu
With most of the moisture removed, pressed tofu is one of the few types of bean curd that doesn't require draining or soaking before cooking. Its firm texture means it holds its shape, making it an excellent choice for braising and grilling. For a different flavor, try boiling pressed tofu in your favorite tea with sugar.
Serves 2–4
This recipe can easily be doubled to serve as a main dish for 4 people.
Serves 8
For variety, try adding fresh shrimp marinated in rice wine to the pork stuffing mixture.
Pork Filled Tofu Triangles
½ pound firm tofu
¼ pound ground pork
teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
½ teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
1 green onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
Drain the tofu. Place the ground pork in a medium bowl. Add the salt, pepper, and rice wine. Marinate the pork for 15 minutes.
Holding the cleaver parallel to the cutting board, cut the tofu in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 2 triangles, then cut each triangle into 2 more triangles. You should now have 8 triangles.
Cut a slit lengthwise along one of the edges of each tofu triangle. Stuff a heaping ¼ teaspoon of the ground pork into the slit.
Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the tofu. If you have leftover ground pork, add it also. Brown the tofu for about 3–4 minutes, turning it over at least once and making sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the wok.
Add the chicken broth, water, and oyster sauce to the middle of the wok. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, cover, and simmer for 5–6 minutes. Stir in the green onion. Serve hot.
Tofu Pudding
pound (1 cups) soft tofu
8 Chinese dates
1 large banana, sliced
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon powdered ginger
Drain the tofu. Soak the Chinese dates in water for 30 minutes or until softened. Cut in half, removing the pit.
Process half of the block of tofu in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add the other half and process. Add the banana, honey, dates, and powdered ginger. Process until smooth.
Pour into small bowls and chill for 1 hour.
Serves 4
Out of Chinese dates? Try substituting pitted prunes. This pudding makes a great evening snack, as Chinese dates are rumored to help cure insomnia.
Tea Eggs
6 hard-boiled eggs, cooled
½ cup brewed black tea
1 dried tangerine peel
1 cinnamon stick
3½ cups water
Tap each egg very gently with the back of a spoon, until tiny lines form. Try not to actually crack the eggs.
Add eggs, black tea, tangerine peel, and cinnamon stick to 3½ cups water and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Turn off the heat, and let the eggs sit in the liquid for a few more hours before serving.
To serve, remove the shell and cut into quarters.
Cracked Egg
Don't worry if you crack the egg — the effect of the marbled lines crisscrossing the cooked egg should still be visible.
Serves 6
This snack puts a new spin on plain hard-boiled eggs. Watch for the “fault” lines traveling down the cooked egg.
Serves 4
This is a great dish for a weekend brunch or days when you want to make something special.
Egg Foo Yung with Shrimp
½ cup mung bean sprouts
4 snow peas
¼ red bell pepper
2–4 tablespoons oil
1 oyster mushroom cap, thinly sliced
1–2 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
6 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
1 green onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 ounces cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
Blanch the bean sprouts and snow peas by plunging them briefly into boiling water and quickly removing. Drain well.
Remove the seeds from the red pepper and cut into thin slices about 1 inch long. Chop the snow peas.
Add ½ tablespoon oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, sauté the oyster mushroom slices briefly, just until they collapse. (You can sauté the button mushrooms as well or leave them raw.) Remove from the wok and set aside.
Lightly beat the eggs. Stir in the salt, pepper, oyster sauce, and sugar. Mix in the vegetables and the cooked shrimp.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add a quarter of the egg mixture. Cook until the bottom is cooked, then turn over and cook the other side. Continue with the remainder of the egg mixture, adding more oil if necessary, making 4 omelets. Enjoy as is, or serve with Egg Foo Yung Hoisin Sauce (page 204).
Egg Foo Yung Without the Sauce
Although they taste fine on their own, egg foo yung dishes are normally meant to be accompanied by a savory sauce. If not serving a sauce, consider adding small amounts of powerful seasonings such as chili paste or hoisin sauce to the egg mixture.
Veggie Egg Foo Yung
½ red bell pepper
1 cup mung bean sprouts
6 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
½ teaspoon sugar
4 mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 cube fermented bean curd, mashed
2–4 tablespoons oil
Remove the seeds from the red pepper and cut into chunks. Blanch the bean sprouts by plunging them briefly into boiling water, and drain.
Lightly beat the eggs. Stir in the salt, pepper, rice wine, and sugar. Add the vegetables and mashed bean curd. Mix well.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add a quarter of the egg mixture. Cook until the bottom is cooked, then turn the omelet over and cook the other side. Continue with the remainder of the mixture, making 4 omelets. Serve with an egg foo yung sauce or soy sauce.
Raw or Cooked?
Lightly cooking vegetables by blanching or sautéing prior to combining with the egg mixture helps coax out their natural flavors. However, if you prefer a crisper texture and higher nutrient content, feel free to skip this step. Another option is to top the egg foo yung with an assortment of raw veggies such as bean sprouts and red and green bell peppers.
Serves 4
In this Chinese version of an omelet, the fillings are mixed with the egg prior to cooking, not added in the pan.
Serves 6
Barbecued or roast pork works well in this recipe. Be sure to remove any bones before adding the pork to the egg mixture.
Egg Foo Yung with Pork
¼ red bell pepper
cup mung bean sprouts
1 stalk celery
1 cup cooked pork, cut into small pieces
4–6 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
½ teaspoon salt, divided
6 eggs
teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
4 button mushroom caps, thinly sliced
Remove the seeds from the
red pepper and cut into thin slices about 1 inch long. Blanch the bean sprouts by plunging briefly into boiling water. Blanch the celery by plunging into the boiling water and boiling for 2–3 minutes. Drain the blanched vegetables thoroughly. Cut the celery into thin slices on the diagonal.
Add 2 teaspoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the celery and stir-fry on medium high heat. Add ¼ teaspoon salt. Remove the cooked celery from the wok.
Lightly beat the eggs. Stir in the pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt, and the rice wine. Add the pork and vegetables, mixing well.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add one-sixth of the egg mixture. Cook until the bottom is cooked, then turn over and cook the other side. Continue with the remainder of the egg mixture, making 6 omelets. Add more oil while cooking as necessary. Serve with an egg foo yung sauce or soy sauce.
Egg Food Yung with Chinese Sausage
¼ red bell pepper
½ cup bean sprouts
3 Chinese sausages, cut into small pieces
4–6 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
1 cabbage leaf, shredded
½ teaspoon salt, divided
6 eggs
teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
4 button mushroom caps, thinly sliced
Remove the seeds from the red pepper and cut into thin slices about 1 inch long. Blanch the bean sprouts by plunging briefly into boiling water. Drain thoroughly.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the cabbage and stir-fry on medium-high heat. Add ¼ teaspoon salt. Remove from the wok.
Lightly beat the eggs. Stir in the pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt, and the rice wine. Add the sausage and vegetables, mixing well.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add ⅙ of the egg mixture. Cook until the bottom is cooked, then turn over and cook the other side. Continue with the remainder of the egg mixture, making 6 omelets. Add more oil while cooking as necessary. Serve with an egg foo yung sauce or soy sauce.
Serves 6
This Chinese version of eggs and sausages uses Chinese sausage, which is leaner and contains less fat than many pork sausages.
Yields cup
This savory combination of oyster and hoisin sauce makes a nice accompaniment to Egg Foo Yung with Shrimp (page 200).
Egg Foo Yung Hoisin Sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water
Bring the oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice wine, and water to a boil. Add the cornstarch-and-water mixture and stir vigorously to thicken. Serve with egg foo yung.
Yields ½ cup
This robust sauce goes well with omelet dishes containing meat, such as Egg Foo Yung with Pork (page 202).
Egg Foo Yung Sauce with Beef Broth
½ cup beef broth
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 4 tablespoons water
Bring the beef broth, sugar, and sesame oil to a boil.
Add the cornstarch-and-water mixture, stirring vigorously. Serve with egg foo yung.
Egg Foo Yung Chicken Sauce
½ cup chicken broth or stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Serve with egg foo yung.
Yields ½ cup
For a thicker sauce, add 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water. Pour the sauce over the egg foo yung or serve separately.
Basic Scrambled Eggs
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup chicken broth or stock
½ teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
Up to teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
1½ green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 tablespoons oil for frying
Take the beaten eggs and stir in the chicken broth, rice wine, salt, pepper, and green onions.
Add the oil to a preheated wok or heavy skillet and turn the heat on high. When oil is hot, add the egg mixture. Scramble gently until the eggs are almost cooked but still moist. Remove from the heat and let sit for a minute before serving.
Serves 3–4
Long cooking chopsticks are perfect for lightly beating the eggs and scrambling them during cooking.
Serves 4
For extra flavor, feel free to add 2 tablespoons of chopped red onion to this dish.
Scrambled Eggs with Sausage
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup beef broth
Salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon sugar
1 green onion, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
2 Chinese sausages, cut into small pieces
Take the beaten eggs and stir in the beef broth, salt, pepper, sugar, and green onion.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the sausages. Stir-fry until they are cooked and drain on paper towels.
Add 1 tablespoon oil and turn the heat on high. When oil is hot, add the egg mixture. Scramble gently for about 30 seconds, then add the sausages. Continue scrambling until the eggs are almost cooked but still moist. Remove from the heat and let sit for a minute before serving.
Red Eggs and Ginger
The Chinese celebrate a baby's one-month birthday by holding a Red Egg and Ginger Party. Like any birthday party, guests bring gifts for the baby. Meanwhile, the proud parents hand out dyed red eggs. In Chinese culture, red symbolizes happiness, while eggs are a symbol of fertility.
Scrambled Eggs with Shrimp
4 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup chicken broth or stock
Up to teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
½ teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 green onion, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 tablespoons oil for frying
Wash the shrimp and pat dry. Take beaten eggs and stir in the chicken broth, salt, pepper, rice wine, oyster sauce, and green onion.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp. Stir-fry briefly, until they turn pink. Remove and drain.
Add 1 tablespoon oil and turn the heat on high. When oil is hot, add the egg mixture. Scramble gently for about 1 minute, then add the shrimp. Continue scrambling until the eggs are almost cooked but still moist. Remove from the heat and let sit for a minute before serving.
Thousand-Year-Old Eggs
Of course, they're not really 1,000 years old. A better name for the dark, strongly flavored eggs found in Asian markets is preserved eggs. Duck eggs are preserved in a mixture of pine ash, clay or mud, and salt for about 100 days. Refrigerated, thousand-year-old eggs will last for months, but they do need to be rinsed thoroughly before eating.
Serves 4
If you wish, marinate the shrimp in rice wine or dry sherry and a bit of cornstarch before stir-frying.
10
Fish and Other Seafood
Shrimply Delicious Pork Balls
Butter Prawns
Spicy Fish Fry
Stir-fried Fish Fillets
Honey Walnut Shrimp
Kung Pao Shrimp
Shrimp Paste
Traditional Shrimp Toast
Quick and Easy Shrimp Toast
Crispy Fried Shrimp Toast
Butterfly Prawns
Fried Prawn Crackers
Sweet-and-Sour Shrimp
Lobster Cantonese
> Pepper-Salt Shrimp or Prawns
Deep-fried Fish
Hot and Sour Prawns
Sweet-and-Sour Fish
Prawns with Mangetout (Snow Peas)
Spicy Shrimp with Hot Shanghai Noodles
Sweet-and-Sour Fish with Lychees
Shrimp with Lobster Sauce
Quick and Easy Salt and Pepper Squid
Yields 12–14 balls
This dish can be prepared up to the deep-frying stage and frozen until ready to use. Thaw before deep-frying.
Shrimply Delicious Pork Balls
3½ ounces fresh shrimp, shells on
¾ pound ground pork
¾ teaspoon grated ginger
2 teaspoons finely minced green onion
2 teaspoons finely chopped water chestnut
1¼ teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
1 egg
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4–6 cups oil for deep-frying
Remove the shells from the shrimp and devein. Mince the shrimp into a fine paste.
Add the ground pork to the shrimp. Mix in the ginger, green onion, water chestnut, rice wine, salt, pepper, egg, and cornstarch.
Heat oil in a preheated wok to at least 350°F. While oil is heating, shape the shrimp and pork mixture into round balls approximately the size of golf balls.
THE EVERYTHING® CHINESE COOKBOOK Page 19