2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 green onions, trimmed and cut crosswise into thirds
5 slices fresh ginger
2 pounds chicken thighs or legs, or both
½ cup dark soy sauce
½ cup dry sherry or Shaoxing rice wine
1/3 cup Chinese-style rock sugar (see page 16) or brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 star anise or 1 teaspoon five-spice powder (optional; see page 14)
SERVES 4
NOTE You can make a tasty version with brown sugar, but rock sugar from a Chinese market is an extraordinary plus to the flavor of this dish. It keeps indefinitely, so stocking up at an Asian store or ordering a box or two via mail (see page 186) is worth a little time if you love this dish. You also need dark soy sauce, which can be bought and kept indefinitely, for color as well as flavor. If you don’t have dark soy sauce, you can make a good version with 1/3 cup soy sauce and 3 tablespoons molasses in its place.
Heat a large, deep skillet or a wok over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and heat until a bit of green onion sizzles at once when tossed into the oil. Add the ginger slices and green onion and cook, tossing occasionally, until they release their fragrance and the green onion wilts, about 3 minutes.
Scoop out and transfer the ginger and green onion to a large saucepan. Add several chicken pieces to the skillet without crowding the pan. Let them cook undisturbed until golden brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn to cook the other side, and then transfer to the pot, placing them on top of the green onion and ginger. Brown the remaining chicken pieces, then transfer with the cooking oil left in the skillet to the saucepan.
Add the dark soy sauce, sherry, rock sugar, salt, and star anise, if using, to the saucepan, and stir gently to mix them a little. Bring to a gentle, lively boil over medium-high heat, and then adjust the heat to maintain a gentle boil. The sauce should be moving visibly, but not bubbling noisily.
Stir to dissolve the rock sugar and salt, and continue cooking, uncovered, stirring once or twice, for 1 hour, until the chicken is tender, cooked through, and tinged a gorgeous brown all over. Remove from the heat and set aside, so that the chicken can cool completely in the braising liquid. You can serve it after a 10-minute rest, transferring the chicken to a serving plate and providing a small bowl of the braising sauce on the side to enjoy on the chicken or over rice. Serve hot, warm, or cold, with the chicken whole or sliced.
To serve later, let the chicken and sauce cool completely, and then cover and refrigerate the chicken in the braising liquid for up to 3 days. Reheat very gently in the braising liquid, heating it through without further cooking.
EVERYDAY EGG FOO YONG
Chinese restaurants in the West often feature egg foo yong as a plump, golden-brown pancake, studded with shrimp, barbecued pork, and bean sprouts, and served with a satiny brown sauce. This is my weeknight version, a vegetarian recipe to which you could add about ¾ cup chopped cooked shrimp, ham, crabmeat for a more substantial dish. I use smaller amounts of oil than the classic dish calls for and cook it in varying shapes. I use a wok or small skillet to cook three small omelet cakes, which I place overlapping each other on a small platter, or fold in half and fan out as three plump omelets. If I’m in a hurry, I use a large skillet to make one big flat omelet. We love this with hot sauce or salsa, but I’ve included a brown sauce recipe for a classic finishing touch.
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
¾ cup shredded carrots
¾ cup shredded napa cabbage
¼ cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
3 eggs, beaten well 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt Brown Sauce (optional; page 176)
SERVES 4
Heat a wok or a medium skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the garlic and toss until fragrant.
Add the carrots and toss until they are shiny and beginning to soften, about 15 seconds. Add the napa cabbage and green onion and toss well.
Add the cilantro, soy sauce, and sugar, and cook, tossing often, until the cabbage and carrots are just tender, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and spread it out into a single layer to help it cool quickly.
Meanwhile, combine the eggs, sesame oil, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir with a fork to combine everything well. When the carrot mixture is no longer steaming, add it to the eggs and stir quickly to prevent the eggs from sticking and mix everything well. (If using the Brown Sauce, make it now and keep warm until serving time.)
To cook the omelets, use either a wok or a small, deep skillet, so that you can make plump pancakes. (You could also cook as one big flat pancake then fold over for serving.) Heat the wok or skillet over high heat. Add about one-third of the remaining oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add about one-third of the egg-vegetable mixture and tilt the pan to spread it out a little. Fold down the edges gently as they set, and keep swiriling to encourage uncooked egg to contact the pan. Shake the pan to loosen the omelet.
When the omelet is mostly set, flip it over to cook the other side. Cook until the omelet is set in the center, and then transfer to a serving plate. Repeat to make two more omelets, and serve hot or warm with Brown Sauce on the side, if using.
TAIWAN-STYLE OMELET with crunchy pickled radish
We order this simple, tasty omelet first thing whenever we can find it in Chinese restaurants. It may not be on the menu, but if someone in the kitchen hails from Taiwan and loves country cooking, you may be able to enjoy it that very night. It’s easy to make, the only small challenge being to lay in a supply of sah poh, or pickled white radish, a sweet-and-salty preserved vegetable enjoyed throughout Asia. Serve this along with Meatball Soup with Spinach (page 37) and rice, or as a vegetarian main course with Everyday Green Beans (page 119) and rice or noodles.
½ cup finely chopped Chinese-style pickled radish (sah poh)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 eggs
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ cup chopped green onion
SERVES 4 TO 6
NOTE This omelet is often made with lots of oil, which causes it to puffup and turn a handsome golden brown. Look for the pickled white radish, known in Taiwanese as sah poh, in cellophane packages in Asian markets or via mail order (see page 186). Transfer it to a jar to store at room temperature after opening it.
Put the chopped pickled radish in a medium bowl and add warm water to cover it. Let stand 10 minutes, and then drain well.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and toss well until it releases its fragrance, about 15 seconds.
Add the drained pickled radish, and cook, tossing often, until the radish is heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool a little.
In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, sesame oil, salt, and sugar. Use a fork or a whisk to mix everything together evenly and well. Stir in the green onion and the pickled radish mixture, including any liquid. Place by the stove, along with a slotted spoon or spatula for straining the egg.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When a bit of egg blossoms at once, add about two-thirds of the egg mixture, pouring slowly and using the slotted spoon or spatula to keep most of the pickled radish mixture in the bowl while allowing egg to flow into the hot pan.
Let the egg bloom and begin to cook in the hot oil. As soon as the outer edges are puffy and set, lift them up in places to allow most of the eggs to run out into contact with the hot pan. Shake the pan and lift the edges of the eggs to ensure that the omelet is browning nicely but not sticking or burning.
Add the remaining egg to the pa
n, pouring it on top of the omelet. Carefully flip the omelet over, cooking the other side for about 1 minute more. When the second side is set and nicely browned, transfer to a serving plate and serve hot or warm.
beef
BEEF WITH BROCCOLI
PEPPER STEAK
MONGOLIAN BEEF
ORANGE BEEF
SESAME BEEF
SPICY BEEF IN LETTUCE CUPS
BEEF IN OYSTER SAUCE
Within the Chinese culinary tradition, beef is something of a newcomer, given that the raising of cattle was traditionally limited to working animals such as oxen and water buffalo. Recipes for beef abound within the Chinese restaurant repertoire, and you will be pleased with how well you can make them at home.
My favorite cuts for stir-fry cooking include sirloin tip, tri-tip, and flank steak. You can use any tender beef cut, slicing it against the grain into thin slices about 2 inches by 1 inch. I’ve used less expensive cuts which are chopped into chunks for stew or kebabs, with very tasty results as well. You may see meat cut into strips for stir-fry or fajitas, and these will work, although they tend to be rather thick and might benefit from a little further slicing if you find them a bit tough.
To get thin slices at home, place the meat in the freezer for 30 minutes or so, until it is partially frozen and can be thinly sliced easily. Or defrost frozen meat, keeping track of your timing so that you get to slice it when it is about three-quarters of the way thawed, giving you the same texture which takes to slicing well.
These dishes make constant use of the seasonings and ingredients that anchor your Chinese-recipe pantry, from soy sauce and Asian sesame oil to oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, and sherry or Shaoxing rice wine. If you can keep these basic seasonings handy on your counter, or perhaps in a caddy you can easily set out at cooking time, you’ll be ready to cook these recipes anytime.
Start with Beef in Oyster Sauce (page 81), Mongolian Beef (page 73), or Sesame Beef (page 76), none of which calls for much chopping. For a one-dish supper over rice or noodles, enjoy Beef with Broccoli (page 69) or Pepper Steak (page 70).
Orange Beef (page 74) lets you put unusual flavors on the table easily, and Spicy Beef in Lettuce Cups (page 79) help you fire up your menu in a delicious way. All are hearty and so tasty that you will want to enjoy them often.
BEEF WITH BROCCOLI
A delicious classic combination found in Chinese restaurants around the world, this dish makes a fantastic one-bowl supper over rice. With its luscious sauce, it works nicely, too, tossed with hot pasta. In Asia the green of choice would be gai lan, also known as Chinese broccoli, a delicious, sturdy member of the cabbage-broccoli family, in which flowers are minor and stem and leaves are the stars. To make the broccoli florets, cut the broccoli in half lengthwise unless they are very small.
¼ cup chicken stock or water
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon dark soy sauce or molasses (optional)
½ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
½ pound thinly sliced beef
3 cups broccoli florets
SERVES 4
In a medium bowl, combine the chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, if using, and sugar, and stir to make a smooth sauce. In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch.
Heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the garlic and ginger and toss until they release their fragrance.
Add the beef, spreading it out into a single layer. Cook undisturbed until the edges change color, about 30 seconds. Toss well, and then add the broccoli florets. Cook 1 minute, tossing once, until they are shiny and bright green.
Add the chicken stock mixture, pouring it in around the sides of the pan. Cook, tossing often, until the broccoli is tender and the beef is done, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the cornstarch mixture to the center of the pan. Toss to combine everything well, and as soon as the sauce thickens, transfer to a serving plate. Serve hot or warm.
PEPPER STEAK
A Chinese American restaurant standard, this combination of sweet bell peppers and tender beef is justifiably famous. Usually prepared with green bell peppers, it looks beautiful with a mix of red, yellow, orange, and green peppers and tastes great either way. I add freshly ground pepper to my basic version and toss in a teaspoon of chopped hot chile peppers, fresh or dried, if we’re hungry for a little heat. You can use any tender beef sliced thinly, but I especially love rib eye or tri-tip for this dish.
1 tablespoon dry sherry or Shaoxing rice wine
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
½ pound thinly sliced beef
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon chicken broth or water
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce or molasses (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
2 cups thinly sliced green bell pepper strips (or red, yellow, or mixed colors)
SERVES 4
Combine the sherry, water, and cornstarch in a medium bowl, and stir well to dissolve the cornstarch. Add the beef and stir to season it evenly with the sauce. Set aside for 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, chicken broth, dark soy sauce, if using, salt, sugar, and pepper, and stir to mix well. Place a medium bowl by the stove to hold the bell peppers after their initial cooking.
Heat a wok or large, deep skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, and swirl to coat the pan. Add the garlic and ginger and toss well.
Scatter in the bell peppers and toss again. Spread them out into a single layer and cook undisturbed for 15 seconds. Then, cook, tossing often, until they are shiny and just beginning to wilt, about 30 seconds more. Scoop them out into the bowl and set aside.
Let the pan heat up again briefly, and then add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, swirling to coat the pan again.
Add the beef and its marinade, spreading the beef out into a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 30 seconds, and then toss well. Cook, tossing often, until most of the meat is no longer pink, about 1 minute.
Return the bell pepper and any juices in the bowl back to the pan, and toss well.
Add the soy sauce mixture, pouring it in around the edges of the pan. Cook, tossing often, until the peppers are tender but not limp and the beef is cooked through, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot or warm.
MONGOLIAN BEEF
This hearty stir-fry delivers the wintry flavors of China’s northern and western provinces, where hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and other intensely flavored seasonings abound. You’ll need about a cup of chopped green onions, making them more like a vegetable than an accent. This recipe works wonderfully with lamb and provides enough sauce to be tossed with pasta. For a little heat, stir in Toasted Szechuan Peppercorns (page 176) along with the green onions.
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¾ pound thinly sliced beef
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry or Shaoxing rice wine
½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
10 green onions
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil
SERVES 4
In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce and cornstarch and stir well, until you have a smooth, caramel-brown sauce. Add the thinly sliced beef and toss to coat evenly. Set aside for 10 minutes.
&nbs
p; In a small bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, sherry, soy sauce, sugar, and salt, and stir to mix well and dissolve the sugar and salt.
Trim the green onions and halve them crosswise, separating green portions from white ones. Quarter white portions lengthwise, and then chop them crosswise into 1-inch lengths. Chop the green tops crosswise into 1-inch lengths. If the green tops are thick and sturdy, halve them lengthwise before cutting them crosswise.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and toss well. Add the beef and its marinade, spreading the beef out into a single layer and letting it cook for 30 seconds undisturbed. Toss well, and then add the green onions. Cook, tossing often, until the beef has changed color and the green onions are shiny, fragrant, and beginning to wilt.
Add the hoisin sauce mixture, pouring it in around the sides of the pan. Toss well, then add the sesame oil. Toss once more and transfer to a serving platter. Serve hot or warm.
ORANGE BEEF
Traditionally made with dried strips of orange or tangerine peel that are soaked in warm water, and then cut into thin strips, Orange Beef merits lots of rice or noodles with which to enjoy its luscious sauce. Look for dried orange or tangerine peel in small cellophane packets in Asian markets and through mail-order sources (see page 182). I’ve made this dish with both fresh and dried peel, and both give delicious results.
¾ pound thinly sliced beef
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons thinly shredded fresh orange or tangerine peel, zest, or dried orange peel (see Note)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Quick & Easy Chinese Page 5