1 tablespoon oil for stir-frying
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Wash the spinach leaves. Blanch the spinach in boiling water briefly, just until the leaves begin to wilt. Drain well.
Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the spinach. Add the sugar and salt and stir-fry briefly, for less than a minute. Serve hot.
Stir-fried Bok Choy
1 bok choy
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ tablespoons water
Separate each stalk and leaves. Cut the stalks diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Cut the leaves crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
Add the oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the bok choy stalks. Stir-fry for about 1 minute and then add the leaves. Add salt, sprinkle the water over, and cover and cook on medium heat, until the bok choy is tender but still firm and not mushy.
Better Bok Choy
For best results, always separate bok choy stalks from the leaves prior to stir-frying, as the thick stalks take longer to cook.
Serves 2–4
Serve on the side, or use to enliven a basic meat dish such as Basic Chicken Stir-fry (page 152).
Stir-fried Bean Sprouts
1 tablespoon oil for stir-frying
1 cup mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon red rice vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Add the oil to a frying pan or preheated wok. When the oil is hot, add the bean sprouts and stir-fry rapidly for less than a minute.
Add the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir-fry for another few seconds and serve hot.
Spruced Up Sprouts
Silver sprouts are bean sprouts that have been trimmed at the ends, or “topped and tailed.” It gives the sprouts a nicer appearance, but unless you're entertaining it isn't really worth the extra effort.
Serves 4
Tart red rice vinegar contrasts nicely with sweet mung bean sprouts in this quick and easy stir-fry.
Serves 4
Both bok choy and napa cabbage can be found in the produce section of most supermarkets.
Sweet-and-Sour Chinese Greens
½ pound bok choy
½ pound napa cabbage
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
¼ teaspoon salt
2¼ teaspoons sugar, divided
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons black rice vinegar
Separate the bok choy stalks and leaves. Cut the stalk diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Cut the leaves crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Cut the cabbage leaves by piling the leaves on top of each other and cutting lengthwise and then crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the bok choy stalks. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the bok choy leaves and the cabbage. Stir-fry for another minute. Add the salt, ¼ teaspoon sugar, and the water. Cover and cook for 2–3 minutes on medium heat, until the vegetables are tender but still firm.
Remove the cover and add the black rice vinegar and 2 teaspoons sugar. Mix thoroughly with the bok choy and cabbage.
Substituting Vinegar
To replace the rice vinegar in this recipe with white distilled vinegar, use 3 tablespoons of distilled vinegar to 2 teaspoons of brown sugar. Increase the amount of brown sugar if the vinegar flavor is a little too overpowering.
Steamed Broccoli
1 pound broccoli
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion, the green part only
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
Wash the broccoli and drain. Break off the flowerets and cut in half. Cut the spears on the diagonal into thin slices. Steam the broccoli until tender.
Mix together the other ingredients and pour over the broccoli.
Serves 4
Looking for an alternative to beef and broccoli with oyster sauce? Try this side dish with a beef stir-fry. Experiment with substituting seasonal vegetables.
Mangetout and Bean Sprouts
1 cup mangetout (snow peas)
1 cup mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1½ tablespoons oil for stir-frying
¾teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
String the snow peas. Blanch both the vegetables by plunging them briefly into boiling water and quickly removing. Drain well.
Add the oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, begin stir-frying the snow peas. Stir-fry for a minute and add the bean sprouts. Add the sugar and rice wine. Stir-fry until the snow peas turn a bright green and are hot.
Serves 4
Blanching vegetables prior to stir-frying helps them retain their vivid colors and reduces the cooking time.
Serves 2
This dish is commonly called “Fried Two Winters,” because the Cantonese word for mushrooms and bamboo shoots are similar to the word for winter.
Mushrooms and Bamboo Shoots
8 dried mushrooms
½ cup reserved mushroom soaking liquid
1 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 4 tablespoons water
Soak the mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes to soften or reconstitute. Reserve the soaking liquid. Give the reconstituted mushrooms a gentle squeeze to remove excess water and thinly slice.
Cut the bamboo shoots in half, so they are approximately 1 inch in length. Mix together the dark soy sauce and sugar and set aside.
Add the oil to a preheated wok or heavy skillet. When oil is hot, add the bamboo shoots. Stir-fry for a minute and add the mushrooms.
Add the dark soy sauce and sugar, and the reserved mushroom liquid. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer the vegetables for 10 minutes.
Give the cornstarch-and-water mixture a quick stir. Turn the heat up and push the vegetables up to the side of the wok. Add the corn-starch/ water in the middle, stirring quickly to thicken. Mix through and serve hot.
Don't Discard the Soaking Liquid
The soaking liquid from reconstituted (softened) ingredients like dried mushrooms and wood fungus makes a flavorful substitute for water in recipes. Before using, strain the water to remove any gritty particles. Vegetarians can use the reconstituted liquid in place of chicken broth.
Mushrooms and Cabbage
4 dried mushrooms
1 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, drained, rinsed and drained
2 cabbage leaves
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
3 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
6 fresh mushrooms, sliced
½ cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 tablespoons water
Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes to reconstitute. Reserve the soaking liquid. Give the reconstituted mushrooms a gentle squeeze to remove excess water and thinly slice.
Cut the bamboo shoots in half, so they are approximately 1 inch in length. Blanch the cabbage leaves by plunging briefly into boiling water. Drain thoroughly and shred.
Mix together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar. Set aside.
Add the oil to a preheated wok or heavy skillet. When oil is hot, add the bamboo shoots and stir-fry. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry. Add the cabbage leaves.
Add the soy sauce and sugar mixture, and the reserved mushroom liquid. Add the water. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer the vegetables for 10 minutes.
Mix cornstarch and water. Turn the heat up and push the vegetables up to the side of the wok. Give the cornstarch/water mixture a quick stir and add in the middle,
stirring quickly to thicken. Mix through and serve hot.
Serves 2
The combination of fresh and dried mushrooms gives this dish a more elegant appearance. Feel free to use either napa or other types of cabbage.
Serves 4
Roasted garlic lends a sweet flavor. Ideally, the garlic should be removed from the oven and begin cooling just before you start stir-frying.
Stir-fried Spinach with Roasted Garlic
3 garlic cloves
¼ cup chicken stock
18 fresh spinach leaves
1 tablespoon oil for stir-frying
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
Begin preparing the garlic 1 hour ahead of time. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel the garlic and drizzle with the chicken stock. Bake 1 hour or until the cloves are golden. Cool. Press down on cloves to release the garlic (it should come out easily).
Wash the spinach and trim the ends. Make sure the spinach is well drained.
Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the spinach leaves. Stir-fry for about a minute, then add the soy sauce and sugar. Continue stir-frying until the spinach turns a bright green. Serve with the garlic.
Too Much Garlic
Garlic's pungent aroma nicely complements the strong flavor of spinach, but it can overpower more delicate vegetables such as mushrooms. When in doubt, use ginger instead.
Stir-fried Baby Bok Choy
4 bunches baby bok choy
(1 bunch per person)
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Rinse the baby bok choy and drain well.
Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add garlic and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the baby bok choy, and stir-fry briefly.
Add the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Cook for about another minute. Drizzle the sesame oil over and serve.
Serves 4
For best results, wash bok choy and mung bean sprouts earlier in the day so that they have plenty of time to drain before stir-frying.
Pickled Carrots
1½ cups (12 ounces) baby carrots
cup rice vinegar
cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups water
Wash the baby carrots. Place them in a glass jar. In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining 4 ingredients to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Pour the liquid over the carrots, seal the jar, and refrigerate for at least 2 days.
Yields 1½ cups
Pickled vegetables are very popular in Cantonese cuisine; look for them on the menu the next time you dine at a Cantonese restaurant.
Serves 4
Broccoli and savory oyster sauce make a perfect combination. Serve with stir-fried chicken and rice.
Broccoli with Oyster Sauce
1 pound broccoli
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
3 teaspoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 teaspoons water
Break off the broccoli flowerets and cut in half. Cut the spears on the diagonal into thin slices.
Add oil to a skillet or a preheated wok. When oil is hot, add the broccoli, adding the spears first and then the flowerets.
Add the oyster sauce, sugar, and ¼ cup water. Cover and cook about 3 minutes, or until the broccoli turns a brilliant green.
Mix the cornstarch and water. Uncover the wok, make a well in the middle, and add the cornstarch/water mixture, stirring quickly to thicken. Mix through.
Colorless Vegetables
Covering and cooking firm green vegetables in a bit of water will help make them more tender. Do not lift the wok lid to check on covered green vegetables more than once during cooking. If you do, the vegetable will turn yellow.
Braised Ridged Gourd with Mushrooms
1 ridged gourd (also called angled luffa)
3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
1 clove garlic, minced
5 mushrooms, sliced
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 teaspoons water
Peel the gourd, leaving a few strips of green if desired to add a bit of color. Cut diagonally into thin slices.
Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the garlic clove. When the garlic is aromatic, add the ridged gourd, and stir-fry for about a minute. Add the mushrooms and the salt.
Add the chicken broth and stir-fry for another minute. Add the rice wine, soy sauce, and brown sugar.
Mix the cornstarch and water and add to the middle of the wok, stirring quickly to thicken. Mix through.
Too Much Cornstarch
If the mixture of cornstarch and water in a recipe produces a soggier sauce than you would like, try reducing the amount of cornstarch while keeping the ratio of cornstarch to water constant. For example, instead of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 4 tablespoons of water, use ½ tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water.
Serves 4
Like tofu, this gourd acts like a sponge, soaking up the flavors of the food it is cooked with.
Serves 4
Chinese broccoli or gai lan has an attractive appearance and an earthy flavor — plus, it's rich in vitamins A and C.
Braised Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) in Oyster Sauce
½ pound Chinese broccoli (gai lan)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
2 slices ginger
1 teaspoon tapioca starch
4 teaspoons water
Blanch the gai lan by plunging briefly into boiling water, until the stalks turn a bright green. Drain thoroughly. Separate the stalks and leaves. Cut the leaves across, and cut the stalks thinly on the diagonal.
Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and water. Set aside.
Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the ginger slices. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the gai lan stalks. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the leaves. Stir-fry until the leaves turn a bright green. Add the oyster sauce mixture. Turn down the heat and cook, covered, for 4–5 minutes.
Mix the tapioca starch and water and add to the middle of the wok, stirring to thicken. Mix with the gai lan and serve hot.
Revamping Recipes
Want to adjust a recipe to suit your family's tastes? The easiest method is simply to double a recipe (it helps to have a second wok or frying pan ready to handle the extra volume). Often, the proportion of meat to vegetables in a Chinese recipe can be a little low for Western tastes. To add more meat, simply increase the amount of marinade, and stir-fry or deep-fry the meat in batches. Be prepared to increase the amount of sauce as well. Again, a second wok or frying pan may be needed when the meat is brought together with the vegetables and sauce in the final stages of cooking.
Stir-fried Young Bamboo Shoots
4 pieces (1 cup) peeled young bamboo shoots
1 green onion
1½ tablespoons oil for stir-frying
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Blanch the bamboo shoots in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly and chop into 1-inch pieces. Cut the green onion on the diagonal into 1-inch slices.
Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the bamboo shoots. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, then add the soy sauce, rice wine, and rice vinegar. Stir in the green oni
on. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Chill.
Vegetable Nomenclature
Don't let the use of common Cantonese names prevent you from sampling the colorful profusion of vegetables found in Asian markets. Anything with “choi” or “choy” in the name is a type of cabbage, while “gwa” or “gua” refers to a melon. If you're still confused, just ask; the clerks will be happy to help!
Serves 4
Blanching fresh young bamboo shoots lessens their acidic flavor. Serve with a sweet dish such as Sweet-and-Sour Spareribs (page 136).
Serves 4
Sweet red pepper contrasts nicely with the gourd. Serve with chicken for a balanced meal.
Ridged Gourd with Red Pepper
1 ridged gourd
1 red bell pepper
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
1 slice ginger
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Peel the gourd, leaving a few strips of green if desired to add a bit of color. Cut diagonally into thin slices. Cut the pepper in half, remove the seeds, and cut into thin strips.
Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the ginger slice and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the ridged gourd, and stir-fry for about a minute. Add the red pepper and stir-fry until it is bright red.
Add the chicken broth and bring back to a boil. Add the rice wine, soy sauce, and sugar. Serve hot.
Southern Stir-fry
Because it resembles okra in taste and texture, ridged gourd is sometimes called Chinese okra. Ridged gourd makes an interesting substitute for okra in dishes of the American south, while okra can replace ridged gourd (also known as silk squash) in stir-fries.
THE EVERYTHING® CHINESE COOKBOOK Page 22