The Everything Chinese Cookbook (30 page)

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

1. Rinse the shrimp in warm water and pat dry. Marinate the shrimp in the sugar and cornstarch for 15 minutes.
   
2. Wash the spinach and drain thoroughly. Mix together the chicken broth, water, oyster sauce, and rice wine, and set aside.
   
3. 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.
   
4. 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.
   
5. 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.

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

1. Cut the pork into cubes. Marinate the pork in 1 tablespoon soy sauce and green onion for 30 minutes.
   
2. Blanch the celery by plunging briefly into boiling water. Drain well. Cut into thin slices along the diagonal.
   
3. Combine the oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and chicken broth. Set aside.
   
4. 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.
   
5. 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.
   
6. 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.

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

1. 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.
   
2. 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.

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

1. 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.
   
2. While beef is marinating, cut the green onions into thirds on the diagonal.
   
3. 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.
   
4. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil. When oil is hot, add the garlic and chili sauce. Stir-fry briefly until the garlic is aromatic. Add the baby corn.
   
5. Add the beef back into the wok. Add the rice wine, hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar. Mix the cornstarch and water, and add to the middle of the wok, stirring vigorously to thicken. Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly. Stir in the green onion. Drizzle with ½ teaspoon sesame oil and serve hot.