Category Archives: Appetizers and Salads

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Toasted sesame seed
1/4 cup canola oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup ginger dipping sauce, recipe to follow

Directions:

In a bowl, sift flour. Slowly add water in a steady stream while mixing with a wooden spoon. Keep adding water until a ball is formed. With the same procedure, one can use a food processor with a metal blade. Let ball of dough relax for about 30 minutes and cover with damp cloth.

On a floured surface, roll out dough into a thin rectangle. Brush on oil mixture, cover with scallion and season with salt. pepper and sesame seeds. Carefully roll dough like a sponge cake. Cut into 4 pieces. Take one piece and twist 3 times. Make a spiral out of this and roll again and flatten to achieve a 5 to 6 inch pancake. In a hot non-stick pan, coat with canola oil and pan sear both sides until golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Ginger Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup thin soy sauce
1/4 cup Chinese chinkiang vinegar
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
Combine all ingredients.

Modification of Ming Tasi Recipe

1/2 recipe Hunan Roasted Peppers
1/2 lb green beans (long or Blue Lake)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
7 oz cylinder goat cheese

Dressing
1 1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbs corn oil
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper (10 turns of the mill)

Special Equiptment
Unwaxed dental floss or fine sting

Preparation:
Make the Hunan Roasted Pepper ahead of time.
Make the dressing by mixing together the vinegar, salt, and mustard. Stir until the salt is dissolved, then add the garlic, corn oil,olive oil and black pepper. Continue to mix until the dressing has thickened slightly.

Cut stem ends from green beans. Steam or microwave until they have softened, but still have some crunch (steam: 3-4 min, microwave: 2-3 min). Place the beans in ice cold water for about a minute until they cool. Drain in colander and set aside.

Heat a small skillet on low. Place sesame seeds in the skillet and heat for about 5 minutes until they brown. Empty the seeds on a flat plate.

Using the string or dental floss, cut the goat cheese into 4 or 6 disks. Dip the rounds in the sesame seeds, coating on both sides.
Select a flat serving dish. Arrange the beans to form a border. Scatter the roasted peppers on top of the beans. Place the sesame-coated cheese rounds in an overlapping pattern in the center of the serving dish. Spoon the dressing over the beans and peppers. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 4 to 5

From Nouvelle Chinese Cooking by Karen Lee

Ingredients
15 chicken wings
1 tablespoon honey or syrup
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons warm water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 scallion, finely minced
1 slice fresh ginger, minced

Directions:
Marinate chicken wings for 15 minutes in a mixture of honey, hoisin sauce, water, salt, pepper, garlic, scallion, and ginger.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken wings on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, brushing occasionally with marinade.
Turn oven to broil and broil chicken wings five more minutes. Turn wings every two minutes to avoid burning.
To serve: Transfer chicken wings to a serving platter and serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 6

Shrimp:
2 lb raw shrimp, (8 to 12 per lb) shell on, de-veined and wiped dry

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tbs peanut butter, chunky or smooth
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp grated ginger
1/4 tsp Thai hot sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tsp tapioca or corn starch, plus 2 tsp water

Marinade:
10 cloves garlic minced
3 Tbs Peanut oil
Juice of one Lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Prepare shrimp.
Marinate shrimp 1/2 hour to 1 hour in marinade. Soak small wooden skewers in water for 1/2 hour so they do not burn on grill. Skewer each shrimp lengthwise.

Prepare Sauce
In a small saucepan combine all ingredients except tapioca starch and water. Bring to a boil, whisking to smooth out the peanut butter. Whisk in the dissolved tapioca starch; boil 1 min until thickened. Keep warm.

Prepare grill by heating to med high heat. Cook shrimp on each side until barely done. Serve with Peanut Sauce.

2/3 lb boned chicken breast, cut into matchstick pieces
2 heads iceburg lettuce
corn oil for deep frying
2 oz rice sticks
1 tbs tapioca mixed with 2 tbs cold water

Marinade:
1 tbs dry sherry
1 tbs heavy soy sauce
2 tsp oyster sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tbs finely minced ginger

Vegetables:
6 dried black mushrooms, soaked in hot water until soft (30 minutes). Save water, as it will be used in the sauce
1 cup finely diced red sweet pepper
1 cup finely diced fresh water chestnut or jicama
4 green onions, cut in 1/4-inch widths
1 cup finely diced Japanese redish (daikon)
1 cup finely diced snow peas (about 1/4 lb)

Sauce:
2 tbs dry sherry
1 tbs heavy soy sauce
1 tbs oyster sauce
2 tsp hoisin sauce
2 tbs mushroom soaking water
1 tbs sesame oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp chili paste with garlic

Preparation:
Mix chicken with marinade. Let rest 30 or more minutes. When mushroom soften, cut off stems and discard. Finely chop. Combine with remaining vegetable ingredients. Combine sauce ingredients. Cut choke from lettuce. Separate leaves. Cut very large leaves in half.

Last Minute cooking:
Heat oil in wok. Deep-fry the rice sticks a few at a time. Drain on paper towels. Form an even layer on serving platter. Oil from wok can be strained and saved. Clean wok.

Heat wok to hot. Add 1 tbs peanut oil. Stir fry meat. When done, add all the vegetables. When vegetables brighten, add sauce. Thicken with tapioca mixture. Tip out onto rice sticks. Serve at once. Fill lettuce cups with mixture and eat with fingers.

Makes 8 appetizer servings

You can either make your own using the recipe below, or purchase Wiechuan brand frozen dumplings.

Filling:
1 12-ounce bunch spinach, stemmed
6 water chestnuts or 5-ounces jicama
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 lb ground chicken, turkey or veal
2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
1 tbs light soy sauce
1/2 tsp Chinese chile sauce/paste
1 egg, beaten

1 egg white
2 tbs peanut oil
30 round wonton skins

Sauce:
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 tbs dry sherry
2 tsp oyster sauce
1 tbs curry powder
1/2 tsp sugar

Garnish: minced cilantro minced green onion

Drop spinach into rapidly boiling water. Blanch 10 seconds. Dump into colander, rinse under cold water. Press out all water with your hands. Mince finely. Peel water chestnuts or jicama. Mince water chestnut or jicama finely. Combine and mix all filling ingredients thoroughly. Combine sauce ingredients and set aside. Place 1 tbs filling in the center of won ton. Moisten edges with egg white. Fold skin over filling. Press edges together, with a crimping pattern. Place on non-stick cookie sheet. Refrigerate or freeze.

Heat oil in a 12 inch pan. Add dumplings. When dumplings are brown on bottom, add water, cover and steam until dumpling begin to turn translucent. Add sauce, cover and continue cooking 2 minutes. Remove cover. Continue cooking, gently stirring dumplings, until sauce glazes dumplings. Place on platter. Sprinkle with cilantro and green onions. Serve.

Note: Pre-made dumplings from Chinese market work very well in this dish. The sauce is very flavorful.

Filling:
1/2 lb ground turkey or chicken
1/2 lb cleaned shrimp or crab meat, chop shrimp or flake crab meat
6 water chestnuts or 1/3 lb jicama, finely minced
6 dried chinese mushrooms, soaked, destemmed and minced
1 tbs light soy sauce
1 egg
1/4 tsp hot chili sauce
1 tbs sesame oil
1/4 tsp sugar
pinch salt
3 thin slices fresh ginger, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 tbs finely minced green onion

40 round won ton skins
egg white mixed with 1 tbs water

Sauce:
2 tbs minced fresh cilantro
2 tbs finely minced green onion
2 tbs light soy sauce
1 tbs dry sherry
1 tbs sesame oil
2 tsp hoisin sauce
3/4 tsp hot chili sauce
1 tbs balsamic or red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp sugar

Garnish:
2 tbs minced green onion
2 tbs minced cilantro

Combine all ingredients for filling and mix well.

Note: If you want to test the flavor of the filling, saute a teaspoon of the filling in a little oil or microwave. When cooked, taste and adjust the flavors as needed.

Place about 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling in the center of a won ton. Lightly moisten edges with egg mixture. Fold dumpling skin in half over the filling and press edges together. Place dumpling on wax paper dusted with tapioca or corn starch. Dumplings can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours prior to cooking. Dumplings may also be frozen on a cookie sheet. When completely frozen, pack in a container and keep for up to 6 months.

Combine sauce ingredients.

Bring 5 quarts of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Thaw dumplings if frozen. Add dumplings, and cook on highest heat until dumplings float to surface (about 7 to 9 minutes). All dumplings should be floating. Then dump carefully into a colander to drain. Mix with sauce. Garnish with green onion and cilantro.

These dumplings can also be served with Spicy Mango Sauce instead of the sauce above.

Makes 30 dumplings

Modification of Hugh Carpenter Recipe

You can either make your own using the recipe below, or purchase Wiechuan or Shirakiku brand frozen dumplings.

Pot Stickers:
1 bunch watercress
4 dried black mushrooms
½ lb raw shrimp, shelled, de-veined and very finely minced.
½ lb ground chicken, turkey or veal
6 water chestnuts, finely minced
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tbs light soy sauce
2 tsp dry sherry
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
pinch of sugar
½ tsp salt

1 egg white
3 tbs peanut oil
30 round won ton skins

Sauce:
½ cup chicken stock
1 tbs oyster sauce
½ tsp chili paste with Garlic (hot, be careful)
2 tbs dry sherry
2 tsp finely minced orange or tangerine skin
¼ tsp sugar
1 tsp hoisin sauce

Garnish:
toasted sesame seeds
minced cilantro
minced green onion

Drop watercress into rapidly boiling water. Blanch 10 seconds. Dump into colander, rinse under cold water. Press out all water with your hands and mince finely. Soak black mushrooms in warm water for 1/2 hour. When mushroom soften, discard stems and mince finely. Combine and mix all filling ingredients thoroughly.

Combine sauce and set aside.

Place 1 tbs filling in the center of won ton. Moisten edges with egg white. Fold skin over filling. Press edges together, with a crimping pattern. Place on wax paper dusted with corn starch. Refrigerate or freeze (up to six months) until ready to use.

Heat oil in a 12 inch pan. Add dumplings. When dumplings are brown on bottom, add water, cover and steam until dumpling begin to turn translucent. Add sauce, cover and continue cooking 2 minutes. Remove cover and continue cooking, gently stirring dumplings, until sauce glazes dumplings. Place on platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, cilantro, and green onions. Serve.