The Everything Chinese Cookbook (40 page)

The cuisine of eastern China features red-cooked dishes — stews that have been slowly cooked in soy sauce and seasonings. And northern China is famous for noodle-based dishes and festive specialties such as Mu Shu Pork and Peking Duck with pancakes. The influence of the Mongol warriors can be seen in dishes such as Mongolian Beef.

1 pound pork tenderloin chops, boneless

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

½ teaspoon sugar

1½ teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons black bean sauce

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup water

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

¼ teaspoon chili paste

1. Cut the pork into thin strips. Add the oyster sauce, sugar, and cornstarch, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the pork for 30 minutes.
   
2. Combine the black bean sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, salt, water, and sesame oil, and set aside.
   
3. Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the chili paste and stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the pork. Stir-fry until it changes color and is nearly cooked through.
   
4. Push the pork up to the side of the wok and add the sauce in the middle. Bring to a boil. Mix the sauce with the pork. Cover and simmer for a few minutes until the pork is cooked through.
   

Szechwan and Cantonese Cooking

Fiery Szechwan cuisine is famous for its “mouthburners” — dishes such as Kung Pao Chicken and Mapo Tofu made with hot chilies and Toasted Szechwan Peppercorns. Reputed to represent the best of Chinese cooking, Cantonese cuisine features fresh ingredients that are subtly seasoned and not overcooked. Cantonese cooks pride themselves on allowing the natural flavors of the ingredients to come through in dishes such as Sweet-and-Sour Pork and Lobster Cantonese.

½ pound boneless pork chops

3 green onions, divided

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2½ teaspoons sugar, divided

2 teaspoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon baking soda

4 dried mushrooms

½ cup reserved mushroom liquid

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

2 eggs

¼ teaspoon salt

3–5 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

1 slice ginger

1 cup canned bamboo shoots, rinsed

1 cup canned water chestnuts, rinsed

1. Trim any fat from the pork and cut into thin strips. Add 1 chopped green onion, soy sauce, ½ teaspoon sugar, cornstarch, and baking soda. Marinate the pork for 30 minutes.
   
2. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften. Reserve the soaking liquid. Give the mushrooms a gentle squeeze to remove any excess water and thinly slice. Cut the remaining 2 green onions into 1-inch pieces.
   
3. Combine the reserved mushroom liquid, dark soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sugar, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil, and set aside.
   
4. Lightly beat the eggs and stir in ¼ teaspoon salt. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, turn down the heat and add the eggs. Scramble quickly and remove from the wok. Wipe the wok clean if necessary.
   
5. Add 2 more tablespoons oil. When oil is hot, add the pork strips and stir-fry until they turn white and are nearly cooked through. Remove from the wok and set aside. Add more oil if needed. Add the ginger and green onion and stir-fry briefly. Add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts. Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Add the pork and the scrambled egg. Mix everything through and serve hot.
   

½ pound boneless pork chops

3 green onions, divided

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon baking soda

4 dried mushrooms

15 dried lily buds

4 tablespoons wood fungus

10 fresh water chestnuts

½ cup reserved mushroom liquid

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

2 eggs

¼ teaspoon salt

3–5 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

1 slice ginger

½ cup canned bamboo shoots, rinsed

Mandarin Pancakes (page 268)

½ cup hoisin sauce

1. Trim any fat from the pork and cut into thin strips. Add 1 chopped green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, and baking soda. Marinate the pork for 30 minutes.
   
2. Soak the dried mushrooms, dried lily buds, and wood fungus in hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften. Reserve the mushroom soaking liquid. Give the mushrooms a gentle squeeze to remove any excess water and thinly slice. Cut the remaining 2 green onions into 1-inch pieces. Peel the fresh water chestnuts and cut in half.
   
3. Combine the reserved mushroom liquid, dark soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil and set aside.
   
4. Lightly beat the eggs and stir in ¼ teaspoon salt. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, scramble the eggs. Remove from the wok and set aside.
   
5. Add 2 more tablespoons oil. When oil is hot, add the pork strips and stir-fry until they turn white and are nearly cooked through. Add the ginger and green onions and stir-fry briefly. Add the mushrooms, lily buds, wood fungus, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts. Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Add the pork and the scrambled egg. Mix everything through.
   
6. To serve, brush a pancake with the hoisin sauce, add a generous helping of Mu Shu Pork, and roll up the pancake.
   

½ pound pork tenderloin

2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

2 tablespoons chicken broth or stock

1 teaspoon sugar

4–6 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

6 fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal

2 stalks bok choy including leaves, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, drained

1. Cut the pork into thin slices. Marinate the pork with the rice wine, soy sauce, and baking soda for 30 minutes.
   
2. Combine the oyster sauce, chicken broth, and sugar. Set aside.
   
3. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the pork. Stir-fry until it changes color and is nearly cooked through. Remove from the wok.
   
4. Add 1–2 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot, add the mushrooms and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the celery and the bok choy stalks, then the bamboo shoots, stir-frying each for about 1 minute in the middle of the wok before adding the next vegetable. (If the wok is too crowded, stir-fry each vegetable separately.) Add more oil as necessary, pushing the vegetables up to the side of the wok until the oil is heated. Add the bok choy leaves and the green onion.
   
5. Add the sauce to the middle of the wok and bring to a boil. Add the pork. Mix everything through and serve hot.