Minneville - Asian home-cooking 2011

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Healthful Asian Home-cooking

by Minneville

http://minneville.blogspot.com/



Contents

Pan-fried carp with green and red peppers 1

Sweet and sour summer treat (purslane) 4

Goji coconut oatmeal cookies 5

A sweet eggplant delight 7

Pork riblets steamed with shiitake mushrooms and woodears 9

Green bean amandine 12

Okra and Japanese pickled plum pasta 14

Mango cashew chicken 17

Melt-in-your-mouth mango pudding 20

Steamed fish with tofu 23

My uncle's fish pond 26

Whole wheat steamed bread (mantou) 27

Chicken and shiitake mushroom congee 30

A perfect bowl of rice 32

Chayote and pork bone soup 35

Baked stuffed chicken wings with vegetables 37

Quick and easy almond cookies 40

3 steps to bean sprouts magic 42

Bean sprouts and pork stir-fry 43

Simple celery and chicken stir-fry 45

A homcook's confession on Chinese New Year 47

Tofu and pickled mustard greens stir-fry 49


http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/10/pan-fried-carp-with-green-and-red.html



Pan-fried carp with green and red peppers

Asian carp are on the radar everywhere. They have flown beyond the river system of the Mississippi River to appear now on restaurant menu, food advocacy group Food and Water's new Smart Seafood Guide, as a 20-million-pounds-per-year business operation with Asia, and most recently, in a potential hunger relief initiative.

When carp are viewed more as invasive species than food, I feel bad for these poor herbivore. Carp are a cheap yet nutritious fish—high in Omega-3s, low in mercury—that can anchor a family meal in no time; they are as economical yet versatile as chicken. Visit any freshwater fish section of markets in Hong Kong and you'll find yourself submerged in aisles after aisles of stalls selling literally the same things: grass carp and bighead carp.

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/01/bean-sprouts-magic.html

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/22/140708998/illinois-solution-to-hunger-asian-carp

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/22/140708998/illinois-solution-to-hunger-asian-carp


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/12/us/12cnccarp.html



http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/fish/seafood/guide/


http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/04/28/wis-bistro-serving-up-carp-du-jour/



http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/10/pan-fried-carp-with-green-and-red.html



You may now wonder, with such popularity, how do carp taste like and how to cook them? So now, I'm chipping in my Asian gastronomic perspective on carp.

For taste, it is anything but bland. Steaming and soup bring the best out of carp, which have such rich and tasty oil. The belly is much savored in steaming; its flaky and succulent flesh glistens with aromatics like ginger. Add pickled mustard greens—it becomes a signature Hong Kong dish with influence from Hakka cuisine, of which the primary locale is Meixian, where my uncle owns a small carp farming business. High in protein, the carp lends a milky color to a soup, which, with herbs, is easily transformed into a creamy and hearty mixture that, in my opinion, is the best broth to accompany rice noodles! (More to come in my next post)

One might frown at the muddy taste common to carp. That's when fermented black beans or fermented black olives come into work. Or like my recipe below, I pan-fried the carp and sprinkled onto it a bit of rice wine before cooking it with a sauce made with fermented black beans, green and red peppers. A savory balance of all tastes sweet, delicate, and pungent.

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-uncles-fish-pond.html




http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/04/steamed-fish-with-tofu.html






Pan-fried carp with red and green peppers

recipe adapted from a column of Wai Ling, a celebrity Hong Kong chef, as appeared on Eat and Travel Weekly in July issue

½ pound carp, cleaned and filleted½ small green pepper, or less, chopped to about 2 tablespoons dices½ small red pepper, or less, chopped to about 2 tablespoons dices1 tablespoon fermented black beans (or sauce)2 cloves garlic2 tablespoon oils1 teaspoon sugar1 tablespoon soy sauce2 tablespoons rice winepinch of cornstarch

Dice the green and red peppers. Mince fermented black beans and garlic and mix. Coat the carp fillets with cornstarch. In a pan, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Brown the fillets. Sprinkle one tablespoon rice wine. Set aside. Heat one tablespoon oil. Stir in fermented black bean and garlic mixture, diced peppers, and browned fillets. Add water, soy sauce, sugar and cook for about two minutes. In a tiny bowl, mix one teaspoon cornstarch with two teaspoons water. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the pan to make a glaze. Sprinkle one tablespoon rice wine. Serve.

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Sweet and sour summer treat

Petite oval-shaped leaves, distinctively sweet and sour, succulent, high in Omega-3s—these are just a few unique characters that make purslane an adorable treat as a vegetable. Little did I know that, purslane, with such a beautiful name and a charming mix of green leaves and purple stalk, was considered an irritating weed when I first nibbled it this past summer in a mountain-top village in Meixian, southern China, where my parents grew up. Known interestingly in Chinese as 馬齒莧, or horse-teeth amaranth, purslane was everywhere in my dad's farms, thriving even in the smallest stone cracks. It was not until back home in Hong Kong, where a group of young and first-time farmers emerged against government's plan to tear up precious farmlands for railroad projects, I was introduced again to purslane, this time, as edible weed. Tackling purslane was a hassle to these new farmers, who, with tips from experienced farmers, eventually acquired the most effective way to live peacefully with purslane: eat them. Thus, a heartwarming dinner after a hard day's work sometimes comprises a modest fish soup cooked with purslane. With no-nonsense stir-frying—just add oil and garlic—this edible weed can turn beautifully into a healthful treat.

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http://web.extension.illinois.edu/cfiv/homeowners/030726.html

http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/08/what-is-purslane-succulent-weed-salads-green-vegetable.html

http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/09/sweet-and-sour-summer-treat.html



Goji coconut oatmeal cookies

Goji, not to be confused with gaijin, is the next word you want to add to your food lexicon. Transliterated from 枸杞, pronounced gouji in Mandarin, this new-agey sounding food, also known as wolfberry, is not new at all, as shown below in the beautiful German illustration from 1885. I grew up consuming them (or more precisely, being coerced by my loving family into eating them) in tonic soups with chicken or tea to boost immune system, and most of all, as a remedy to improve eyesight, a widely held belief in Chinese medicine. To some health food enthusiasts, goji berry is recognized as a superfruit, or superfood, containing many nutrients, including 18 amino acids, 6 essential vitamins and you name it.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gai-Jin_(novel)


http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/09/goji-coconut-walnut-cookies.html



That's why when it appeared to me that goji berries can be put in cookies, I was stunned. When did this bittersweet, tiny, bright-orange seedy fruit, which I came to associate with Chinese medicine in the past, become hip?

To entertain the idea of putting goji berries into cookies, on a whim, I added coconut flakes to complement the otherwise dry tinginess. Believe it or not, the result is awesome! Now we've got two ends of the world: the vibrant and sunshine-laden coconut juxtaposing the low-key yet superfood-y goji berry.

These goji coconut oatmeal cookies are your regular oatmeal raisin cookies with a charming twist!

Goji coconut walnut cookies recipe modified from appetiteforchina and a cookie recipe printed on baker's choice flour package

Time: 30 minutesYield: about 36 cookies

1 ½ cups flour1 tsp baking soda2 cups rolled oats ½ cup coconut flakes½ cup walnuts, grounded1 ½ cups packed brown sugar1 cup unsalted butter, softened1 tsp vanilla extract1 egg½ cup goji berries, rinsed (better soaked in water for a few minutes before use)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk the dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, oats, coconut flakes, grounded walnuts—in a bowl. In a separate large bowl, mix butter and brown sugar until blended. Beat in egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour mixture and goji berries until just combined. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough and space them 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 9 – 11 minutes until golden brown. Cool cookies completely and SERVE :) Maybe of interest to you: Quick and easy almond cookies My other recipe that includes goji berries: Mango cashew chicken

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/04/mango-cashew-chicken.html

http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/02/quick-and-easy-almond-cookies.html

http://appetiteforchina.com/recipes/goji-oatmeal-almond-cookies/

https://www.gojigourmet.com/



A sweet eggplant delight

This blog has been quiet for a while. If you already followed me onTwitter, you'd probably know that I spent the past summer in Hong Kong and southern China exploring my family's original home-cooking. Lots of pictures, videos, and tales. Stay tuned also for my Hakka and Fujianese adventures.

For the time being, I'm relishing the remnants of summer with these Asian eggplants I bought from a farmers' market last week, when the heat still urged you to just jump into the lakes. Eggplants, with their eerily purple skins, once put me off as a kid. Now I come to enjoy their versatility to blend well with richly flavored sauces in dishes like this one, fish-fragrant eggplant.

Yet somehow, eggplants drink up too much oil before you can make them happily soft. So I tend to steam or simmer them. This quick eggplant side dish, cooked in soy sauce, sugar, and mirin and served cold, is my recent favorite to accompany a congee. The toasted sesame and fresh yet pungent scallions provide just enough accent to open up your palate for the tender and sweet eggplants.

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/03/chicken-and-shiitake-mushrooms-congee.html

http://appetiteforchina.com/recipes/spicy-sichuan-eggplant-fish-fragrant-eggplant/




http://twitter.com/#!/asian_homecook


http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/09/sweet-eggplant-delight.html



Eggplants with toasted sesame and scallions

Time: 15 minutes (allow time for chilling)Yield: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon sesame, toasted3 slender Asian eggplants, medium-sized1 tablespoon oil3 tablespoon soy sauce1 tablespoon sugar½ tablespoon mirin3 tablespoon water2 scallions, chopped

Cut eggplants crosswise into ½-inch slices. Toast sesame in a pan over medium heat, about 20 seconds. Set aside. Add 1 tablespoon oil into the pan over medium heat. Toss in eggplants and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Mix soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and water in a bowl. Pour them into the pan and cover. Simmer for about 8 minutes over low heat. Toss in chopped scallions and toasted onions. Let sit until room temperature. Serve now, or refrigerate until fully chilled. Good for a few days in the fridge!

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Pork riblets steamed with shiitake and wood ear

This dish evokes a deep sense of nature in a mix of crunchy, tender, and juicy bites. Shiitake mushrooms and pork riblets, a cut of beautiful nibble size derived from spare ribs, are one perfect couple. When steamed together, shiitake mushrooms permeates the succulent meat with an earthy and woodsy flavor, pulled nicely together by the crunch of wood ear, a nutritious edible fungus grown on tree. A dish after a foraging trip, maybe?

On a recent roadtrip with friends, starved, we talked about survival cooking (as if to cure hunger!). It didn't ring a bell with me until back home when I steamed a fish. All it took was eight minutes. Isn't the essence of steaming about fuel efficiency, particularly in the old days of shortages?

Efficiency. It's a word home cooks love and live by.

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/04/steamed-fish-with-tofu.html






http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/04/pork-riblets-steamed-with-shiitake-and.html



Believe it or not, I used microwave to steam this dish. Before you frown upon it, tell me, what else can deliver such hearty dish in under seven minutes? Talk about efficiency and high-achiever.

There are tricks, though. Microwave works in emitting radio energy to generate heat within the food itself, vibrating water molecules first before others to raise the temperature, which oftentimes results in dehydration due to evaporation. The key to retain moisture, apart from covering the dish, is by adding tiny bit of it. Over the years, I developed two procedures: first, I coat the pork riblets with corn starch (in fact, I do this with stir-frying pork too); then I pour the shiitake soaking liquid (about two tablespoons) into the dish before I cover it and zap.

Microwave oven deserves a nod in steaming. Not only does it sound fuss-free without a set-up, it provides a win-win situation: freeing up stovetop in my tiny kitchen for more cooking, such as soup and vegetable stir-fry, equally important in a traditional multi-course dinner chez moi.

Pork riblets steamed with shiitake and wood earThis recipe calls for the microwave as the steaming tool. For a traditional over the water steaming set-up, steam it for at least 15 minutes before checking for doneness. In this case, don't pour shiitake soaking liquid into the dish.

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/p/how-tos.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/dining/02curious.html

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hpgivfJtgMI/TbcSOUhyH2I/AAAAAAAAGaU/vwLjd1voVSo/s1600/pork9.jpg



Time: 25 minutesYield: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:

4 strips of riblets, about 1 pound, cut into pieces with most fat trimmed off4 shiitake mushrooms4 wood ears (or more if you wish, freeze soaked unused wood ears for future use)1 1-inch piece ginger, sliced

Marinades:

2 teaspoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon cooking rice wine 2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped finelya pinch of white pepper1 drop of sesame oil1 tablepsoon cornstarch ¼ teaspoon salt

Soak shiitake mushrooms in water and cover to just a bit above surface. Microwave uncovered for two minutes. (Caution, it's hot!) Keep them in soaking liquid and set aside for five minutes. Same procedures with wood ears. You may notice by this point wood ears have doubled or even tripled in size!

In a mixing bowl, marinate pork riblets. Make sure they are well coated with cornstarch. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Slice soaked shiitake mushrooms and wood ears into strips and toss them into the mixing bowl. Set the shiitake soaking liquid aside for use later.

Transfer the marinated mixture on a plate lined with a bed of sliced gingers. (For steaming in microwave, the dish must be covered. You should pick a plate with matching size of the cover “plate” or lid.) Pour in the soaking liquid along the edge of the dish, about two tablespoons. Shake the dish a bit to ensure even distribution of liquid.

Cover and microwave for about five minutes on high. Check for doneness by poking into the meat with a fork. (Be careful, the dish is hot and the steam can hurt! Use gloves.) If the fork comes out nicely without blood, it's done. Otherwise, give it two more minutes. You may serve it right from the steamed dish or transfer it to a serving plate. Bon appétit!

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Green bean amandine

I always believe in the idea that cuisines across cultures are more similar than they are different. That's why I like to approach dishes by looking for universal features, instead of differences.

This dish came to me when I was shopping for new ideas on familiar ingredients, in this case, green beans. When seasoned and cut differently, same ol' same ol' can really turn into something so intrigued and refreshing as your first date.

Amandine, which can be taken for granted so easily as the name of a beautiful girl, is a French cooking preparation. Ingredients are cooked in rich and luscious butter, mischievous seasonings, and of course, with nutty toasted almonds, called amande in French. In this green bean amandine, I tasted new pleasures that push away my past associations of green beans with blandness or overcooked mushiness. A mistress is born. Next time I should french cut green beans to make them just a bit sexier. These beans look too fat by French standard.

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http://allrecipes.tv/videos/rouxbe_how-to-french-cut-green-beans.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amandine_(culinary_term)




http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/04/green-bean-amandine.html



My renewed love of green beans even prompts me to experiment with the perception of the dish in the above picture: placing a pair of chopsticks to juxtapose the seemingly non-Asian flavor.

Now it certainly looks more Asian than French.

Green bean amandine Recipes adapted from The Well-Seasonsed CookI didn't have almond oil, as called for in the original recipe, so I doubled the amount of butter needed. Time: 20 minutes Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:½ pound green beans¼ cup slivered almonds1 tablespoon buttera pinch of salta pinch of white pepperjuice of ¼ lemon

Bring water to a boil. Meanwhile, wash and trim off the end of green beans.

When water is in rolling boil, toss in trimmed green beans and boil, about 3 minutes. Remove blanched green beans into a pot of cold water. This will retain the crunch and color of the beans.

Toast almonds in a large pan over medium-high heat. Do not fully brown them. Turn off the heat and mix in butter, salt, and white pepper. Stir until fully browned. (I forgot to turn off heat and created some “burnt” almonds!)

Turn heat back on, toss in green beans, and stir until blended. Squeeze lemon juice over the beans. Remove from heat and serve.

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http://thewellseasonedcook.blogspot.com/2007/06/haricot-verts-ultimate-almondine.html



Okra and Japanese pickled plum pasta

This dish came about when my Japanese artist/dancer friend and I were having our after-lunch ice-cream treats on a sluggish spring day in uptown Minneapolis. She told me how fuss-free and minimal the preparation of okra was. I was tempted right away. I've enjoyed okra in curries but little did I know about cooking this elegant, oblong-shaped fuzzy vegetable that carries such a divine nickname, lady's finger.

I went to her apartment the next week to find the secret. Stepping in, I was immediately attracted to the décor of the apartment, which carried a chic displayed by a well-traveled, sensible, and artistic woman. I had high expectation of the dish my friend was about to make.

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/04/okra-and-pickled-plum-pasta.html



After a bit of washing, cutting, pitting, cooking, and mixing, the dish was done in no time. When I took a first bite, my heart literally stopped. It was so mind-blowingly good! The okra pasta was punctuated by a very distinct ingredient that seeped right into my body. It's called umeboshi, a kind of Japanese pickled ume plums infused with some salty, sour, and sweet flavors, all tightened up by alcohol in the pickling process. I even love my friend's idea to delicately top the dish with shiso leaves. This minty garnish gives the dish a refined touch with its mystic purple!

This sweet and sour okra and umeboshi pasta is so easy to make that I can't wait to share it here. It's even perfect for dining solo.

Recipe modified from Cookpad and thoughfully translated by my Japanese friend Miwa

Time: 20 minutesYield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

160g (about 6 oz) pasta10 pickled plums, pitted, diced8 okras, sliced to ½-inch thick3 tablespoons mentsuyu (Japanese noodle sauce)2 tablespoons soy sauce

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http://cookpad.com/recipe/1380766











2 cloves garlic, minced2 sprigs shiso leaves (also known as perilla), roughly chopped

BOIL water and cook pasta.

CUT pickled plums into small pieces. Put in a bowl and mix well with mentsuyu, soy sauce, and minced garlic.

WASH and dry okras. Trim off the conical cap at the end of the stalk but beware not to cut into the seed. It might turn slimey! Three minutes before pasta is done, put okras in the same pot.

TRANSFER cooked pasta into a separate bowl. Cut cooked okras into ½-inch thick pieces. Stir in pickled plums and okras. Mix well. Top with shiso leaves as garnish. You may also substitute shiso leaves with roasted seaweed (nori).

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Mango cashew chicken

When fellow Minnesotan blogger Cold Climate Wine Enthusiast asked me for a suggestion of a cashew stir-fry, it just dawned on me that, even though I've eaten cashew nuts in dishes such as Kung Pao Chicken, and seen homecooks raving about cashew nuts' versatility in vegan dishes, I have never used them in my own cooking. What an oversight!

To take this challenge, I set off to find cashew nuts. My instinct told me to grab them during my routine grocery shopping at Shuang Hur, my favorite Asian grocery store in St. Paul, Minnesota. To my surprise, I couldn't find it. I headed to my second favorite, Sun Foods. They did carry it but it looked as if the forlorn tiny packets of cashew nuts had been sitting there for years behind their "big" brother, peanuts. I ended up getting them way fresher from regular stores. My advice: don't be framed by the word "Asian."

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http://www.yelp.com/biz/sun-foods-st-paul

http://www.citypages.com/bestof/2007/award/best-asian-grocery-70022/



http://tastesofhome.blogspot.com/2010/11/kung-pao-chicken-recipe.html





http://coldclimatewine.blogspot.com/


http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/04/mango-cashew-chicken.html



Now, with my dear cashew nuts ready, I began to ponder what to go with them besides chicken, and voila! I saw that lovely part red part green mango sitting anxiously on the kitchen counter!

Incorporating fruit into savory dishes is not an uncommon practice. Consider orange chicken, Thai pineapple fried-rice, cranberry glazed pork roast, and you name it. Even the popular Chinese dish sweet and sour pork owes its name to the special tanginess and sweetness of hawthorn fruits.

Adding mango's distinctly refreshing note to counter the nutty flavor of cashew and caramelized chicken is certainly plausible. The opposing textures—crunchy, chewy, and fleshy—even send you a pleasing sensation when you nibble. To go all out with the fruity idea, I tossed in some goji berries. Not only do they add color to the mostly yellow dish, they contribute to the dimension of sweetness with a hint of bitterness. And yes, this is absolutely optional.

Mango cashew chickenMy suggestion is not to use mangoes that are too ripe but not entirely green, which would be too tart. I'd say about more than half red. I bought one mostly green mango and waited until it turned more red, about three days. Be sure the flesh is firm. Also, add them in the final stage of stir-frying—you don't want a soggy dish! I bought raw cashew nuts and roasted them on my own. But you can definitely get roasted ones from stores easily. The secret to succulent chicken is cornstarch, which provides a coating to the chicken and keep the moisture within. It also gives the dish a tantalizing gloss!

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http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o1glzAusBk4/TacUnm0emjI/AAAAAAAAGZc/QBT7EkBYBMY/s1600/cashew1.JPG



Time: 20 minutes Yield: 2-3 servings Ingredients:

1 tablespoon goji berries (optional), soaked briefly2 chicken breasts, or about 1 pound scant, diced 1 mango, makes about 1 cup chopped mango dices1 tablespoon of cooking oil2 stalks of scallions, chopped ½ cup cashew nuts, roasted (and I prefer unsalted)1 tablespoon of oyster sauce

Marinade for chicken:1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon cooking rice wine a pinch of sugar1 clove garlic, minced½ teaspoon white pepper1 drop of sesame oil½ tablepsoon cornstarch ½ teaspoon salt Glaze (optional):½ teaspoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon water

1.SOAK the goji berries in water. Wash in changes of water before tossing into the pan.2.DICE and MARINATE the chicken. The meat is easier to cut half-frozen.3.DICE the mangoes into 1-inch cubes.4.HEAT 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat.5.BROWN chicken pieces until 80% done, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan.6.ADD scallions to the remaining oil and stir-fry until aroma is released, about 30 seconds.7.STIR in chicken and stir-fry for 1 minute.8.STIR in cashew nuts. Mix 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce in ½ tablespoon of water and pour into the pan. Add a pinch of salt. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.9.STIR in mango dices and goji berries and stir-fry for another 30 seconds.

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10.COVER to steam until chicken is done, approximately 1 minute. (While waiting, you can prepare the glaze, which is optional. A glaze thickens the sauce and rounds up the flavor. POUR the glaze into the stir-fry and quickly stir to thicken. Cover again.)11.REMOVE from heat and let sit for 30 seconds. Serve with rice!

More ideas for reference: Cashew Chicken (by Rasa Malaysia)Mango Chicken Stir-Fry with Snap peas (by Ming Tsai)Honey-mango and chicken sauteed with toasted cashew nuts (Food Network)

Melt-in-your-mouth mango pudding

J'aime la mangue. I love mango. This is a French phrase I picked up from last week's conversation club.

I can't help singing about mangoes these days when they start to show up again in grocery stores. Since childhood, I have been spoiled with an abundance of mango, particularly a variety grown in a

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/04/melt-in-your-mouth-mango-pudding.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ask-aida/honeyed-mango-and-chicken-saute-with-toasted-cashews-recipe/index.html

http://www.ming.com/foodandwine/recipes/season-1/mango-chicken-stir-fry-with-snap-peas.htm

http://rasamalaysia.com/chinese-food-recipe-cashew-chicken/

http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/03/perfect-bowl-of-rice.html



region called Luzon in the Philippines. Its flesh is meltingly tender and juicy; the aroma seductively sweet. It is just supreme.

In Hong Kong, it is almost a religion for mango lovers to patron this herbal-tea-shop-turned-dessert-house place called Hui Lau Shan. Their mango dessert varieties are insane, from mango pudding, mango tapioca in coconut milk, mango mochi, mango ice-cream, to everything you can dream of, such as mango pudding over bird's nest, so I heard.

Started in the 60s, Hui Lau Shan used to be a herbal tea shop exclusively, where busy pedestrians would get quick fix for drinks bittersweet and detoxifying, a practice that has grown out of fashion over the years. In the 90s, Hui Lau Shan refashioned itself as a dessert house, a setting identified more with the young and the hip, and launched the everlasting mango tapioca medley. Literally, mangoes saved the brand.

There is no Hui Lau Shan in Minnesota but I'm glad that I can always turn to this melt-in-your-mouth delicious mango pudding when I'm craving for mango desserts.

Mango is just everywhere in Manila! Only US$0.5 for about 10 pieces!

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http://www.hkhls.com/

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QaNBJzPa7pc/TaH6y3tDvnI/AAAAAAAAGZE/ZH3RBfXTgTc/s1600/IMG_1091.JPG



Melt-in-your-mouth Mango PuddingRecipe modified from Cooking Light (January/February 2009)Choose ripe kidney-shaped yellow mangoes for this recipe instead of their green/red counterparts, of which tartness comes before sweetness.

Time: 20 minutes cooking + 2 hours chillingYield: 4-6 servings Ingredients:

Mango puree:2 mangoes, peeled, chopped ¼ cup water

Pudding:1/8 packet of agar agar (Agar agar is a type of vegetarian gelatin. A packet is about 1.5 oz)2 ½ cups water¼ cup evaporated milk ¼ cup sugar(plus mango puree)

Garnish:1 mango, diced

1. SOAK agar agar in water briefly.2. In a medium pot, BRING to a boil 2 ½ cups water.3. Meanwhile, CHOP 2 mangoes into small pieces.4. COMBINE chopped mangoes and ¼ cup water in a blender; process until smooth. Press

puree through a fine sieve over a bowl.5. STIR in soaked agar agar into the boiling water. Keep stirring until completely dissolved,

about 5 minutes. The mixture gradually changes from watery to slightly syrupy.6. POUR in mango puree, ¼ cup sugar, and ¼ cup evaporated milk into the agar agar mixture.

Keep stirring until well blended, about 3 minutes.7. REMOVE from heat. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve to small custard cups or a baking

dish.8. After mixture is cooled down to room temperature, put it in the fridge and chill for two

hours.9. DICE the remaining mango and top the pudding with diced mango before serving. You may

serve it with condensed milk or evaporated milk as dressing.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agar

http://www.cookinglight.com/



Steamed fish with tofu

I don't remember what the first dish I cooked was. It had to be something either awfully bland or purely wrong. But I do remember the first dish that bestowed on me a triumphant moment as a home cook. It was this minimally prepared yet incredibly flavorful and delicious fish.

As a child, sharing a whole steamed fish with my family was merely fun: chopsticks digging into the intricate grids of bones hard and soft to pick out the succulent and flaky meat. Now as a home cook, I see it as a versatile dish that anchors a family meal and invites the joy of spontaneity. Not only does it allow variations of garnish and seasonings—from ginger and scallions, pickled mustard greens , to shredded pork—a plate of steamed whole fish on the table easily elevates the dinner to a celebratory spirit, a no-fail treat for unannounced guests. And it's a must during the Chinese New Year .

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/02/homecooks-confession-on-chinese-new.html



http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/02/tofu-and-pickled-mustard-greens-stir.html





http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/04/steamed-fish-with-tofu.html



Despite the minimal preparation, I had numerous failed attempts. Then came one occasion when I thought I had overcooked the fish with flesh split open, I got the best-tasting fish ever steamed under my baton!

It was a moment of truth: I had, until then, neglected the nuance of timing and heat in cooking. It was like a coming-of-age revelation. From then on, I have developed a pass-down-to-my-kids-worthy rule of thumb: for a regular 1 to 1.5 pound fish, about 8 minutes on high. No salt.So do you remember your moment? What was the first dish you ever cooked?

STEAMED FISH WITH TOFU

In this recipe, you'll find a truly home-style dish. First and foremost, steaming a whole fish means you are saving the skin, head, tail, and bones. Nothing is wasted. That's a virtue home cooking embraces! Then, nutritionally speaking, Chinese traditional belief has it that tofu and fish are made for each other, complementing the absorption of nutrients of both. But seldom do you see "cheap" tofu finding their way into the exquisitely priced steamed fish on a restaurant menu.

Time: 20 minutes, includes 8 minutes of steaming Yield: 2-4 servings

Ingredients:

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http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TUJcTIThNDU/TZkMA7L-f6I/AAAAAAAAGY0/c5UY-Jb-wxk/s1600/steamed+fish+10.JPG



1 to 1 ½ pound tilapia, fresh, cleaned (scaled and gutted), head and tail intact½ block of tofu (optional), sliced to squares with uniform thickness of about ½-inch (remaining ½ block of tofu should be kept in water and stored in fridge) 2 stalks scallions, chopped or cut diagonally into thin strips2 sprigs cilantro, roughly chopped1 2-inch piece ginger, julienned3 tablespoons oil

1. BRING to a rolling boil 2-3” of water in a wok/steamer with a rack sitting inside. Water level should sit below the rack surface. (see how to's page for illustration)

2. Meanwhile, SLICE ginger into thin slices and set half of them on the plate. Julienne remaining ginger.

3. RINSE fish and pat dry (to avoid fishy taste). CUT three diagonal slits on each side of the fish (see above picture). Set the fish on the bed of sliced ginger on the plate. SPRINKLE julienned ginger strips on top.

4. CUT tofu into uniform squares about ½” thick. Line them along the edge of the plate.5. PLACE the plate on the steaming rack. COVER the wok/steamer with a lid. STEAM for 8

minutes on high heat.6. Meanwhile, CHOP up the cilantro and scallions (or cut diagonally into thin strips) and rinse

them. Microwave them for 10 seconds.7. When the fish is done, which means eyes popped out or fork comes out nicely when poked

into the flesh, REMOVE the fish from the wok. Also remove the liquid from the plate.8. Now comes to my favorite part. On a separate skillet, HEAT 3 tablespoons of oil until

cooked. SPRINKLE the cilantro and scallions on the fish and drizzle the sizzling hot oil onto the fish. (Love that sound!) Pour soy sauce over and it's ready to serve, definitely fork-friendly!

For further reading on the topic, also check out steamed fish 101 from Steamy Kitchen.

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http://steamykitchen.com/132-chinese-steamed-fish.html





My uncle's fish pond

It is an absoloutely idyllic picture: my uncle's fish pond surrounded by bamboo fences and banana trees, longan(literally, dragon's eye) tree, rice paddies, and rustic Hakka-style houses.

Yet, the peace does not last; those absent in the picture give a troubling scene: chimneys expelling smoke, sights of power plants, deserted historic buildings, unattended ponds owing to railroad constructions, etc. This village in Meixian, near the northern end of Guangdong province, is my parents' hometown, my summer retreat when I was little, and where I had my wedding banquet.

Despite the chaos, my grandfather, who was born in the village and still lives there, maintains a happy life; he merely accepts the change with a sense of resignation. At least, he is proud of this well-maintained fish pond, now managed by my uncle. My uncle is a grumpy but optismistic fellow. Once, his pond was attacked by some unknown organisms that killed all his carps. He told of the story lightly, as if telling me, kid, it's no big deal. I asked him what kind of feed he used. He proundly said, without hesitation, for fish consumed by our family, he fed them with nothing more than grass; for his money-making fish, mostly sold to Hangzhou, he fed them with half grass and half commercial feed. Self-mockingly, he said, "You know, they don't grow big enough without feed." What a savvy businessman!

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2009/08/longan-tree.html






Whole wheat steamed bread (mantou)

Bread-making is my latest culinary addiction. The fun comes from seeing the action of the yeast and feeling it with kneading. What's more, the yeast makes your kitchen smells like a real bakery.

My recent adventure is making mantou, a kind of yeast bread popular in northern China, where bread and noodles, instead of rice, form the basis of a meal. Similar to regular bread, mantou is made with such basic elements as yeasts, flour, and sugar. It is not baked though, but steamed, a much more common practice in Chinese home kitchens. The result is an equally fluffy bread, yet with a soft and silky "crust."

Below is a recipe adapted from Almost Bourdain's simple and no-fuss approach. To add more flavors, coconut milk can be used to replace part of the water. As if mantou alone is too plain, it is sometimes deep-fried and served with condensed milk as dipping. And here, I give it a healthier twist with whole wheat flour. Condensed milk remains my favorite dipping.

Finally, I'll spare you the details on why this steamed bread is named mantou, literally barbarian's head. You can always check that out on the Wikipedia.

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http://almostbourdain.blogspot.com/2011/01/mantou-chinese-steamed-buns.html



http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/03/whole-wheat-steamed-bread-mantou.html



recipe adapted from Almost Bourdain

Time: 1 hourYield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

2 teaspoon yeast1 ¼ cup warm water3 ½ cup whole wheat flour1/8 cup granulated sugar1 teaspoon vegetable oil

STAGE 1: Preparing the dough

1. DISSOLVE 2 teaspoon yeast in ¼ cup warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes until bubbly.2. MIX all ingredients in a bowl.3. KNEAD the dough for about 10 minutes. (Hint: To yield a silky sheen after steaming, make

sure the dough is worked nicely to a silky surface. A knead machine certainly helps! If you understand Chinese, a great video here, starting at 1:15, shows a great way to knead and shape mantou.)

4. LET the dough rise for about 5 minutes.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLtMKl5A9dU&feature=player_embedded

http://almostbourdain.blogspot.com/2011/01/mantou-chinese-steamed-buns.html

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-WnkHZs7268c/TYjX-Q6CEuI/AAAAAAAAGYE/RGaXzDQZNZo/s1600/mantou+making.jpg



STAGE 2: Shaping the dough

1. LAY the risen dough on a slightly floured surface.2. ROLL out the dough to form a rectangle of dimension of 70cm x 15 cm, about 28 inches x 6

inches.3. FOLD the left third of the dough over the middle third, and then the right third over.4. ROLL out the dough again to form a rectangle of 45cm x 25cm, about 18 inches x 10 inches.5. BRUSH water all over the surface of the dough.6. ROLL up the dough TIGHTLY into a log shape. Make sure air is squeezed out.7. DIVIDE into quarters and for each quarter cut into three equal pieces. CUT parchment

paper into similar size, about 2 inches x 3 inches and put under each mantou roll.8. COVER and let rise for 20 minutes.

STAGE 3: Steaming

1. PLACE the mantou rolls on a rack in a steamer. (For me, my favorite steaming tool is a wok.) Add sufficient water into the steamer and cover.

2. TURN heat to medium and steam for 20 minutes.3. TURN OFF the heat. Do not open the lid right away. LET stand for 5 minutes.4. SERVE the freshly-steamed mantou right away. Mantou, unlike regular bread, must be

served warm. Freeze the leftovers. Re-steam them for 10 minutes when served next time.

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Chicken and shiitake mushrooms congee

Mark Bittman proclaimed congee one of the world's best savory breakfasts in a column on The New York Times.

Cooked with plenty of fluid, congee is rice broken down into a soft and creamy soup-like mixture that is also associated with the power of cleansing and cooling in traditional Chinese belief.

It's also a humble tradition of less is more. One can get four servings out of one cup of rice! Side dishes such as pickles and deep-fried crispy doughs often accompany congee to add substance to the meal, most often breakfast. But it doesn't stop there.

Rice takes in flavor very well. Flavored congee can be either lunch or dinner. Like risotto, one can create a variety of flavors from the ingredients you use, like chicken and shiitake mushrooms in this case. If you like a bit of sweetness, use vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, dates, etc.

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http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/recipe-of-the-day-jook/




Consistency varies from region to region. I prefer congee of a thicker texture, most often associated with Cantonese traditions. An adjective used to describe well-done Cantonese congee, called jook, is cotton-like (綿). Imagine the softness with a starchy white color, when rice is broken down to blend with cooking water.

Below is a recipe for cooking chicken congee pictured above. There are also a couple of great recipes like Tastes of Home, AppetiteforChina, andMark Bittman that can offer you a glimpse into the world of congee.

Time: 2 hour Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup short-grain rice, washed and drained, best to be soaked for an hour before cooking5 shiitake mushrooms, soaked briefly for 15 minutes1 pound chicken, any parts, best with bone, washed and blanched; here I bought a whole chicken and used everything except breast, thighs, and wings.6 cups water, for making chicken stock 2 cups water, or more for replenishing whenever necessary1 small piece of ginger, approximately 1 inch cube, poundedsalt to taste

1. BRING to a boil of 6 cups water in a medium to large pot.2. ADD ginger, pre-soaked shiitake mushrooms, and blanched chicken to the pot.3. BRING to a boil again. When it is boiling vigorously, lower the heat to low (or medium low),

cover, and simmer for 40 minutes.4. WASH 1 cup short-grain rice in about 3 changes of water and drain.5. POUR in the rice to the stock. At this point, you can remove the chicken bones and add

back in chicken meat later before serving. I was lazy ... so I just let them simmer further!6. ADD 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes, then cover, lower the heat

to low, but not very low like cooking rice, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. But the effort doesn't end here!

7. CHECK occasionally and stir to ensure rice is not sticking. Replenish with water when necessary. When done, remove from heat and salt to taste!

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http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/recipe-of-the-day-jook/

http://appetiteforchina.com/recipes/chicken-congee-goji-berries

http://tastesofhome.blogspot.com/2011/02/chicken-and-chinese-ham-congee-porridge.html



A perfect bowl of rice

I always keep five kinds of rice in my pantry: long-grain jasmine, short-grain, sticky, red, and brown. Not only do they cover a range of appetizing hues, they also produce a variety of rice dishes, from plain one that accompanies a meal, to flavored ones such as risotto, congee, and polo (Uyghur pilaf) that can be a meal of its own.

As a home cook, I'm gradually buying the concept of "efficient" calorie. Take a cup of rice for example. White rice has roughly same calories as its unmilled brother, brown rice. Yet, when it comes to nutrition, white rice pales; the extra nutrients brown rice offers are unbelivably rich: vitamins B1, B3, iron, magnesium, antioxidants, fiber, and even oils (from bran) that can lower your cholesterol!

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2010/10/harvest-rice-dish-with-recipe.html






http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Cargo_rice


http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/03/perfect-bowl-of-rice.html



Here comes a dilemma. As much as I like the idea of taking in more nutrients with the much sought-after brown rice, I still like the taste and aroma of polished white rice. So the solution? Mix them together. The result? A multi-textured, nutty, slightly chewy yet fluffy rice that provides not only pleasure but nourishment!

Rice cooking was my first step to learning to cook as a kid. Since then, I have always used a rice cooker. But returning from Xinjiang last year, I fell in love with using only pot and saucepan to cook rice, a simple yet rustic process that always takes me back to this beautiful Uyghur home.

With the bran attached, brown rice and red rice generally require more time and water to cook through. To synchronize the cooking with white rice, I use a two-step approach: 1) soften the brown and red rice (by microwaving in a bowl of water for 5 minutes (as in the recipe below) or by soaking in water for at least an hour; 2) mix them with white rice and cook for 20 minutes. If you have leftover rice, you can freeze them according to serving size. That can last for a while.

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2010/07/uyghur-home.html

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XzZdgyZOJ7E/TW3YffgmowI/AAAAAAAAGW0/1-pfbFTv66Q/s1600/rice+2.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Vi44LKsXvZk/TW6EZdbHq2I/AAAAAAAAGW4/eeFa439O3MA/s1600/rice+4.jpg



Time: 40 minutes Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

½ cup brown rice½ cup red rice, available at Asian groceries 1 cup water, for softening the brown rice and red rice prior to cooking with white rice

1 cup long-grain white rice2 cups water

1. PLACE ½ cup brown rice and ½ cup red rice in a bowl. WASH in about 3 changes of water and drain. ADD 1 cup of water to the bowl and microwave for 5 minutes.

2. WASH 1 cup long-grain white rice in a pot and drain. POUR the microwaved brown rice mixture into the pot. ADD 2 cups water to the rice (OR a short cut, add water until it reaches about halfway from the tip of your finger to your knuckle. That might not be very reliable but this is my lazy way of measuring!)

3. BRING to a boil over high heat, uncovered.4. COVER the pot with a tight-fitting lid when the rice is boiling vigorously. LOWER the heat to

very low. You may want to press the lid gently to avoid water spilling over the moment when you close the lid.

5. SIMMER on very low for 20 minutes. DO NOT PEEK. The rice would be done perfectly, without sticking to the pot. REMOVE the pot from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

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Chayote and pork bone soup

My home-cooked meal almost always comprises several dishes to be served simultaneously. The basic pairing is a green leafy vegetable dish plus a meat/fish/egg/tofu dish, with a soup to eat along with, not prior to, the other two. The meal can look greedy at first glance, but when served in right portion, it's a perfect harmony of tastes and nutrition. Soups, from quick fix like seaweed and tofu soup to slow simmer like this one, chayote and pork neck bones, mellow out the busy pace of eating in sips of rich and deep flavors.

The aroma of this soup lends itself to simmered pork bones. Chayote, a native of Mexico with the shape and texture of a pear, eventually melts to a velvety texture and refreshes the soup. I also added dried oyster to give a zing to the flavors. I have no idea how chayote ended up on Chinese table and be given such a divine name: Buddha's hand. Despite the unappetizing rugged skin and mild flavor, chayote is a surprise in nutrition, providing vitamins B and C, folate, zinc and promoting bowel regularity. Soup has high regard in Chinese culture for its medicinal quality, no wonder this chayote soup is recommended for pregnant women.

35




http://www.thechinesesouplady.com/




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chayote




http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-home-cooked-meal-is-multi-course-one.html



Time: 1 hour 20 minutes, includes 1 hour of simmerYield: 4 servings Ingredients:

4 cups water, for blanching the pork bones only1 pound or 5 pieces of pork neck bones, with fat trimmed off2 chayotes, peeled, pitted and cut into 1-inch cubes 12 small dried oysters, soaked for 5 minutes to remove dirt8 cups water1-inch cube fresh ginger, washed, peeled (optional) and pounded1 scallion, white part only, washed and cut to 2-inches long1 pinch salt

1. BOIL a large pot of 4 cups of water. Meanwhile, trim off the fat from pork neck bones and soak the dried oysters in water.

2. BLANCH the pork neck bones (with fat trimmed off) in boiling water, about 2 minutes. DRAIN under cold running water.

3. PEEL and quarter the chayote. SCOOP out the pits and cut into 1-inch cubes.4. ADD 8 cups of water, fresh ginger, and scallion (white part only) into a large pot and BRING

to a boil, about 5 minutes.5. ADD blanched pork neck bones, diced chayote cubes, and dried oysters (drained and

washed).6. KEEP on high heat until the soup boils again, about 3 minutes.7. SKIM off the scum that surfaces and reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for an

hour. Note: the soup should keep boiling slightly, if not, turn up the heat a little bit. You'll notice the soup's color will transformed from clear to milky.

8. ADD a pinch of salt to taste. Remove from heat and skim fat off soup before serving.

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Baked stuffed chicken wings with vegetables

Cooking is my indulgence. Deboning chicken wings just to make this dish possible is even more so. The idea came from a recipe in a cookbook written by the descendent of a famous Guangzhou gourmet and renowned Chinese cooking teacher/writer 江獻珠. In her recipe, chicken wings are first deboned and stuffed with shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and Chinese cured ham, and then lightly deep-fried with the stalks ofgai lan. When the succulent meat of chicken wings meet these classic and earthy Chinese flavors, the dish becomes so heavenly that she gives it a literary name, comparing it to a poised and noble lady: 蕙質蘭心.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kai-lan




http://www.yesasia.com/us/%E6%B1%9F%E7%8D%BB%E7%8F%A0/0-aid35645-0-bpt.47-zh_TW/list.html




http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/02/baked-stuffed-chicken-wings-with.html



As far as the stuffing goes, this dish offers true flexibility, from glutinous rice tostrong-tasting ham as described above. I opt for veggies with crunchy texture to complement the tender meat. Now the "heart" of the chicken wings is stuffed with healthy and hearty vegetables: broccoli stalks (just because I have leftovers), carrots, scallions and shiitake mushrooms, it certainly deserves a nickname: a wholesome heart. What's more, it's not deep-fried but lightly pan fried then baked for a crisp crust. I bet even kids who don't like to munch veggies will fancy this "wholesome heart." So don't be put off by the seemingly tiresome work, which is exactly what this dish is about: the exquisite work and the playful texture. If you read Chinese, here's a fantastic step-by-step guide on deboning chicken wings from a gourmet homecook in France. Once in a while, routine requires a twist and we, homecooks, better be adventurous.

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http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_53a7f4260100mgga.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinhua_ham

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinhua_ham


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wv7woEag2T0/TVtfad_AOQI/AAAAAAAAGV0/3lA-h-0FiaI/s1600/cross+section.JPG

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--jMnctuB0uE/TVsc0ip7G-I/AAAAAAAAGVs/3q1d4pjGWac/s1600/stuffed+chicken+wings.jpg



Recipe adapted from 江獻珠: 珠璣小館 (第二冊) and techniques adapted from titi 的懶人廚房

Time: 1 hour 40 minutes, includes 1 hour (or less, if you only do mid-joint wings (wingettes) or drumsticks) for deboning wings and 20 minutes for baking Yield: 5 chicken wings

Ingredients:

5 chicken wings, deboned; see instruction here2 tablespoon oil

Stuffing: 2 carrots, peeled and sliced to ¼-inch thick2 brocolli stalks, peeled and sliced to ¼-inch thick5 shiitake mushroom, sliced each into 4 strips (if dried ones are used, rehydrate until tender, see below for instruction)5 scallions (white part only; cut into 1-inch length)

Marinade: (inside and skin)1 tablespoon soy sauce1 teaspoon cooking winea pinch salt, sugar1 tablespoon cornstarch

Basting sauce:1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1. REHYDRATE dried shiitake mushrooms by covering them in water to just about surface and microwave for 3 minutes. (or just by immersing them in water to soak for approximately 1 hour.) Rinse under cold water. (You can reserve the flavorful mushroom soaking liquid for future cooking.)

2. Meanwhile, CHOP carrots and brocolli stalks into slices of ¼-inch by ¼-inch thick. When the shiitake mushrooms are tender enough, slice each into 4 strips.

3. BRING to boil 1 cup of water in a bowl and BLANCH the carrots, brocolli stalks, and shiitake mushrooms until al dente, about 2 minutes. DRAIN under cold water when done and set aside.

4. DEBONE chicken wings using method described here. Leave the deboned chicken wings inside out.

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5. PREHEAT oven to 375°F.6. In a medium bowl, MARINATE the deboned chicken wings (inside out) with soy sauce,

cooking wine, salt, and sugar, for about 5 minutes. COAT them evenly with ½ tablespoon cornstarch.

7. PUSH the deboned chicken wings inward so that the skin is outside. MARINATE the outside with remaining juice and coat with remaining cornstarch.

8. STUFF the chicken wings with scallions (white part only), carrots, brocolli stalks, and shiitake mushrooms. DO NOT overstuff. If there are leftover stuffing, stir-fry them and make a vegetarian dish!

9. HEAT 2 tablespoon oil in a medium pan.10. BROWN the chicken wings until both sides are golden, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to

let the stuffing slide out.11. TRANSFER to a roasting pan and brush a layer of oyster sauce onto the wings.12. BAKE under 375°F, about 20 minutes. Flip the wings upside down about halfway.

Quick and easy almond cookies

Frankly, I see this almond cookie as an American Chinese treat, oftentimes associated with dimly lit bakeries run by hard-working immigrants that fill the streets of many Chinatowns with fragrance of freshly baked goodies. Back home, I grew up with the kind that uses mung bean flour and something dangerously flavorful: lard. Literally, it's translated as almond biscuit, and to a surprising note, almond is only used for embellishment, not the core flavor. The central theme of

40




http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E6%9D%8F%E4%BB%81%E9%A5%BC




http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/02/quick-and-easy-almond-cookies.html



American Chinese food is its flexibility to adapt. So who would resist this American Chinese reincarnation made scrumptious by the nutty aroma of almond and the adorably crispy and chewy texture of cookie? In fact, this almond cookie resembles a popular Chinese treat that also features nuts: Walnut cookie. Well, it's my next venture.

Below is a quick and easy recipe adapted from this beautiful and inspiring blog, Use Real Butter. I have reduced the quantity by half and cut down on a little bit of butter. My favorite part of the recipe is the egg wash, giving the cookies a delicate gloss!

Recipe adapted from Use Real Butter

Time: Approximately 30 minutes, including 15 minutes of bakingYield: Makes about 24 cookies

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups flour½ tsp baking soda¼ tsp salt¼ cup almond flour (simply ground almonds)4 oz. butter (1 stick), softened ½ cup sugar½ egg (the other half egg for egg wash)½ oz water (or 1 tablespoon)½ tsp almond extract¼ cup slivered almonds (approximate counts, depending on the number of almonds to put on top)½ egg, beaten for egg wash

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. 2. WHISK the dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, salt, and ground almonds—in a bowl.3. In another bowl, BEAT butter, sugar until fluffy. ADD egg, water, and almond extract and

continue to beat until blended.4. BEAT in the flour mixture until just combined.5. FORM dough into 1-inch balls and space them 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking

sheet. 6. PRESS one or a few slivered almonds over each cookie and BRUSH the top of the cookie

with egg wash. 7. BAKE for 15 minutes.8. COOL cookies completely and SERVE :)

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http://userealbutter.com/2011/01/23/chinese-almond-cookies-recipe/

http://userealbutter.com/


http://messywitchen.com/recipe/cookie/chinese-new-year-cookies-walnut-biscuit-hup-toh-soh/







3 steps to bean sprouts magic

Bean sprouts have become the staple of many pan-Asian dishes in the U.S. Their iridescent sheen along with their soft yet crunchy texture have complicated and complemented the flavors and presentations of many dishes, in broths, stir-fries, and salads. But where do they come from? It turns out that our very own kitchen can be the answer. It's as simple as changing water! Just follow the 3-step how-to guide below:

1. Take 1/4 cup of mung beans and soak them in water under daylight for 8 hours.2. Remove the water and put the beans in a pot covered with a cloth or a lid that allows

ventilation. Put the pot in complete darkness. In the dark, they'll start to germinate! 3. Rinse and drain the bean sprouts every 8 hours—roughly speaking, before work, arriving

home from work, before you go to bed—until they grow to a good size, about four days.

1/4 cup of beans makes 2 cups of bean sprouts. They can be stored in the fridge for a few days. In a world where we depart too far away from food source, sprouting beans and observing their germination literally bring us back to the root a little closer.

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2010/09/variations-on-bowl-of-noodles.html



Bean sprouts and pork stir-fry

In my last entry, I shared a three-step approach to sprout mung beans. There is indeed not one but many reasons to make your own bean sprouts! First off, it's fresh and unexpectedly nutritious. All that relentless soaking, rinsing and draining at intervals contribute to the increase of nutrients in the beans, pushing the germinating plant to grow. It's exactly at this stage—midway between a seed and a full-grown plant—that vitamins are said to be the most abundant. Sprouts grown from mung beans are good source of vitamins B and C. The fiber also helps digestion. Growing your own also means that these nutrients are available to you all year round. All you need to do is get some mung beans, as cheap as approximately $1 to $1.5 for a 12oz packet. It definitely pays off.

Now I'm going to share with you my favorite bean sprouts dish. It's simple and quick, reserving the crunch of the sprouts while blending in the flavor with the meat!


Ingredients:

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/01/bean-sprouts-and-pork-stir-fry.html



2 cups bean sprouts (click to see how to grow your own)

½ pound pork, sliced to 1-inch strips

¼ teaspoon salt

a pinch of sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cooking rice wine

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 drop of sesame oil

½ tablepsoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon oil

1. MARINATE the pork with salt, sugar, garlic, cooking wine, soy sauce, sesame oil. Stir to coat the pork evenly with ½ tablepsoon cornstarch. Set aside for 10 minutes.2. RINSE the bean sprouts and drain.3. HEAT 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat.4. BROWN the pork until 80% done, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan.5. ADD bean sprouts to the remaining oil and stir-fry for 10 seconds.6. ADD back the pork and stir-fry for 30 seconds.7. COVER the pan to steam until pork is done, approximately 1 minute.

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Simple celery and chicken stir-fry

Two ingredients. Infinite flavors. This is what this simple stir-fry, where the aromatic celery meets the succulent and garlicky chicken, brings to the table. I don't think there's any faster way to double the dimensions of flavors while whipping up varying textures, shapes, and colors into one hot and sizzling dish. All you need to do is marinating the meat before it goes into the pan. For those of you who want to cut back on meat, the good thing about stir-frying is its flexibility to play around the proportion of vegetables and meat. Turning veggies as the spotlight and meat as sideline, stir-frying provides an irresistable starting point that makes less-meatatarian, a term coined by prominent food writer Mark Bittman, an easy breezy way of living! Not to be missed is celery's nutrition. An excellent source of fiber, vitamins K and C, celery is also believed to lower blood pressure, with the presence of a substance called phthalide that relaxes muscle wall of the arteries. Without further ado, here's the recipe:

Simplified from Saveur, a food magazine that features world cuisines.


Ingredients:

½ pound or 1 piece of chicken breast (or chicken thigh), sliced to 1-inch long ¼-inch thick strips

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http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Stir-Fried-Chicken-with-Celery-Jirou-Chao-Qincai

http://markbittman.com/

http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/01/simple-celery-and-chicken-stir-fry.html



½ teaspoon salt a pinch of sugar1 clove garlic, minced1 teaspoon cooking rice wine½ teaspoon white pepper1 teaspoon soy sauce1 drop of sesame oil½ tablepsoon cornstarch 4 stalks celery, thinly sliced diagonally to ¼-inch thick1 tablespoon oil

Glaze (optional):

½ tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon water

1. SLICE the chicken breast (or thigh) into 1-inch long ¼-inch thick strips. The meat is easier to cut half-frozen.

2. MARINATE the chicken with salt, sugar, garlic, cooking wine, white pepper, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Stir to coat the chicken evenly with ½ tablepsoon cornstarch. Set aside for 10 minutes.

3. PULL the celery stalks apart and trim the end. Pile up the stacks and thinly slice the stalks diagonally to ¼-inch thick.

4. HEAT 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat.5. BROWN the chicken until 80% done, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan.6. ADD celery to the remaining oil and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Add a pinch of

salt and cover to steam for 30 seconds.7. STIR in the chicken and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons of water.8. COVER the pan to steam until chicken is done, approximately 1 minute. (While waiting, you

can prepare the glaze, which is optional. A glaze thickens the sauce and rounds up the flavor. POUR the glaze into the stir-fry and quickly stir to thicken. Cover again.)

9. REMOVE from heat and let sit for 30 seconds.

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A homecook's confession on Chinese new year

Today is the first day of what I call the Chinese "lunatic" new year, a time to be ridiculously superstitious (as in no taking bath/showering, washing your hair, throwing away trash, or sweeping the floor, for fear you might sweep/wash/throw away the money god) and shamelessly greedy (as in greeting someone with Kung Hei Fat Choy in Cantonese or Gong Xi Fa Cai in Mandarin, meaning "wishing you lots of money," to receive red packets, i.e. real cash, in return). In Chinese, lunar calendar is called yin calendar, commonly referred to as farmer's calendar. Needless to say, it's also gastronomically lunatic; not only do we engage ourselves in countless big fat feasts, we also make sure the gods are well fed ... by burning incense. It's also a time when homecooks are creatively challenged, from the biggest meal of the year on new year's eve, also called family reunion meal, through to the 15th day, also known as Chinese Valentine's Day.

That said, I respect the new year as a time that brings promise and renewal. As a homecook, there are several rules I do like about:

1. Never leave your pantry empty. Self-explanatory enough. By the way, empty is hung in Cantonese, a homophone for "bad luck."

2. Have leftover, will prosper.3. The first meal in the new year should be vegan, sparing the lives of the animals.

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http://minneville.blogspot.com/2011/02/homecooks-confession-on-chinese-new.html



4. One rule of thumb, cook food that carries auspicious symbols, which includes but not limited to:

Black moss (also know as Fat Choy). Black moss is a kind of algae that looks like hair when dried. Fat Choy, which literally means "hair vegetable," sounds like fat choy (with different tones), meaning "get rich."Chinese celery. Called kan in Cantonese, a homophone for the word for hard-working, a virtue that promises rewards.Dried bean curd. Called fu juk in Cantonese, homophones for richness and plenty.Dried oysters. Called ho si in Cantonese, sounds like the words for good business. Fish. The word for fish is a homophone for surplus and hence prosperity.Kumquat. Literally, the Chinese word for it means gold and luck. Lettuce. Called san choy in Cantonese, it literally means yielding wealth. Lotus root. Called nin au in Cantonese, the sound rhymes with nin yau, which means abundance year after year. New Year cake. Called nin gou in Cantonese, a homophone for the word for high, meaning you'll achieve high year after year.Noodles. The long and unwinding threads symbolize longevity.Pig's feet. Literally, money's handy (at your own disposal). More for gambler! Shrimp or sea cucumber. In Cantonese, they sound like happiness.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_choy



Tofu and pickled mustard greens stir-fry

Ever wonder why food always evokes distant memory or triggers hidden sensory? The relational power of our brain just rocks. Take pickled mustard greens for example. Its bitter nature, salty (yet musty) brine, mellow sweetness after the bitter tang, and sour aftertaste always give me a sense of uplifting and colorful summer in the first bite. Then the next bite reminds me of the hustling farmers' markets in St. Paul, Minnesota, where Hmong farmers sell this wonderful bounty of theirs. A third bite takes me further to my grandma in Hong Kong, who would sing about the aromatic dried pickled mustard greens all day long. And yes, she's the one who lured me into this habit so that I can savor my fall pickling effort in this freezing winter.

Below is a recipe inspired by a common Chinese preparation of a dish: 炒三絲, literally stir-fried three threads, which more or less refer to shredded ingredients or ingredients of long strips. Why three? I believe it must be Chinese's affinity to their own version of harmony: a balance of heaven (or nature, God), earth, and mankind. My choice here is arbitrary, taking the crunch of bean sprouts to juxtapose the softness of tofu. And most unauthentic of all, I didn't include shredded pork, which often anchors the dish.

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Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of pickled mustard greens (readily available in Asian grocery stores)½ block of medium-firm tofu, about 7 oz (cover remaining tofu in water and put in fridge)1 cup of bean sprouts (click to see how to make your own)1 clove garlic, minced2 tablespoon oil

1. SQUEEZE water out of tofu by heating it in microwave for 3 minutes. Doing this will ensure a crisp and golden crust when stir-fried.

2. Meanwhile, CUT pickled mustard greens into long strips and SOAK in water to rid of some of the salt, about 5 minutes.

3. PAT dry the tofu and CUT it into long strips of approximately 1/4 inches thick and wide. PAT dry the tofu again.

4. HEAT 2 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat and SLIDE the tofu into the pan.5. BROWN the tofu until two sides are caramalized, about 6 minutes. Remove from pan.6. ADD garlic to the remaining oil and stir-fry until aromatic, about 30 seconds. ADD pickled

mustard greens and bean sprouts and stir-fry for 30 seconds.7. STIR in the tofu and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons of water.8. COVER the pan to steam, approximately 1 minute.

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Minneville - Asian home-cooking 2011

Documents

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