The Everything Chinese Cookbook (60 page)

1 teaspoon fermented black beans

1 clove garlic, minced

¾ cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, divided

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

¼ pound ground pork

3 slices ginger, minced

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 4 tablespoons water

2 lobster tails, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 teaspoon sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1. Soak the beans in warm water and rinse. Mash, chop finely, and mix with the garlic clove.
   
2. Combine the chicken broth, 1 tablespoon rice wine, and soy sauce. Set aside.
   
3. Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the garlic and black bean mixture. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the pork and stir-fry for several minutes, until cooked through.
   
4. Push the ingredients up to the side of the wok. Add the ginger and green onion in the middle. Stir-fry briefly. Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Give the cornstarch-and-water mixture a quick stir and add, stirring quickly to thicken.
   
5. Add the lobster, the sugar, and 1 tablespoon rice wine. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, then stream in the egg. Mix together and serve.
   

Preparing Fermented Black Beans

Soak the beans until they are softened. Mash the beans by flattening them under the blade of a knife or cleaver, and then mince or chop as called for in the recipe.

1 pound fresh shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined

2 egg whites

¼ cup cornstarch

2 tablespoons Szechwan Salt and Pepper Mix (page 20)

1–2 cups oil for deep-frying

1. Wash and pat dry the shrimp or prawns with paper towels.
   
2. Heat oil in a preheated wok to 375°F. While oil is heating, mix the egg whites with cornstarch to form a smooth batter.
   
3. Lightly coat the shrimp with the Szechwan Salt and Pepper Mix. Dip into the batter. Place a few shrimp at a time into the wok. Deep-fry until they turn golden brown (about 3 minutes). Remove and drain on paper towels.
   

½ pound fish fillets

1 egg white

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 cups oil for deep-frying

1. Wash fish and pat dry. Cut into bite-sized squares. Add the egg white, soy sauce, and cornstarch, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the fish for 30 minutes.
   
2. Heat oil in a preheated wok to 375°F. When oil is hot, add the fish. Fry until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
   

2 cups fresh tiger prawns

½ teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cornstarch

½ cup water

2 tablespoons black rice vinegar

½–1 teaspoon Hot Chili Oil (page 23)

1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water

2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

1. Shell and devein the prawns. Rinse in warm water and pat dry with paper towels. Marinate the prawns in the rice wine, salt, and cornstarch for 15 minutes.
   
2. In a small saucepan, bring the water, black rice vinegar, Hot Chili Oil, and Worcestershire sauce to a boil. Add the cornstarch-and-water mixture, stirring quickly to thicken. Turn the heat to low and keep warm.
   
3. Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the prawns and stir-fry briefly, until they turn pink. Push up to the side and add the sauce in the middle of the wok. Mix the prawns with the sauce. Serve hot.
   

Yin and Yang Harmony

The philosophy of yin and yang permeates every aspect of Chinese culture, including the kitchens of its cooks. Yin and yang represent all the forces in the universe. Things that are feminine, cold, dark, or submissive are said to be yin in nature, while masculinity, heat, light, and dominance are yang forces. Chinese physicians frequently treat illness as an imbalance between yin and yang in the body. For example, since heartburn is thought to come from consuming too many spicy yang foods, a physician might prescribe a soup featuring yin ingredients like walnuts as a tonic.

1 pound fish fillets

2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

2 tablespoons soy sauce

½ cup rice vinegar

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup water

3 tablespoons tomato paste

3–4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

2 slices ginger, minced

1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal

cup canned bamboo shoots, shredded