Recipes of the Month

CHICKEN WITH CHINESE VEGETABLES   (RECIPE #1)

Ingredients:

8-10 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 tsp. salt                                                                                            

1/2 egg white, slightly beaten

2 tsp. cornstarch paste

4 tbsp. vegetable oil

6-8 small dried skiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water

4 oz. canned sliced bamboo shoots

4 oz. snow peas

1 scallion, cut into short sections

few small pieces of fresh ginger

1 tsp. light brown sugar

1 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 tbsp. chinese rice wine or dry sherry

few drops of sesame oil

1.  Cut the chicken into thin slices, each about the size of an oblong postage stamp.  Place in a bowl and mix with a pinch of the salt, the egg white and the cornstarch paste.

2.  Heat the oil in a preheated wok, add the chicken and stir-fry over medium heat for about 30 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

3.  Add the vegetable and ginger to the wok and stir-fry over high heat for about 1 minute.  Add the remaining salt, sugar and chicken.  Blend, then add the soy sauce and rice wine or dry sherry.  Stir for another minute.  Sprinkle with the sesame oil and serve.

Serves 4

PORK DUMPLINGS   (RECIPE  #2)

THESE DUMPLINGS, WHEN SHALLOW-FRIED, MAKE A GOOD FIRST COURSE TO A MULTICOURSE MEAL. THEY CAN ALSOBE STEAMED AND SERVED AS A ANACK OR POACHED IN LARGE QUANTITIES FOR A COMPLETE MEAL.

INGREDIENTS

MAKES ABOUT 80-90

21/2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, PLUS EXTRA FOR DUSTING

2 CUPS WATER

SALT

FOR THE FILLING

1 LB. BOK CHOY LEAVES OR WHITE CABBAGE

1 LB. GROUND PORK

1 TABLESPOON FINELY CHOPPED SCALLIONS

1 TEASPOON FINELY CHOPPED FRESH GINGER

2 TEASPOONS SALT

I TEASPOON LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

2 TABLESPOONS LIGHT SOY SAUCE

1 TABLESPOON DRY SHERRY WINE

2 TEASPOONS SESAME OIL

FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE

2 TABLESPOONS RED CHILI OIL

1 TABLESPOON LIGHT SOY SAUCE

1 TEASPOON FINELY CHOPPED GARLIC

1 TABLESPOON CHOPPED SCALLIONS

1. SIFT THE FLOUR INTO A BOWL, THEN POUR IN THE WATER AND MIX TO A FIRM DOUGH.KNEAD UNTIL SMOOTH ON A LIGHTLY FLOURED SURFACE, THEN COVER WITH A DAMP CLOTH AND SET ASIDE FOR 25 MINUTES.

2. FOR THE FILLING, BLANCH THE BOK CHOY UNTIL SOFT. DRAIN AND CHOP FINELY. MIX THE BOK CHOY WITH THE PORK, SCALLIONS GINGER, SALT,SUGAR,SOY SAUCE,WINE AND SESAME OIL.

3. KNEAD AND ROLL THE DOUGH INTO A LONG SAUSAGE ABOUT 1 INCH IN DIAMETER. CUT THE SAUAGE INTO 80-90 SMALL PIECES AND FLATTEN EACH PIECE WITH BTHE PALM OF YOUR HAND.

4. USING A ROLLING PIN, ROLL OUT EACH PIECE INTO A THIN PANCAKE ABOUT 21/2 INCHES IN DIAMETER.

5. PLACE ABOUT 11/2 TABLESPOONS OF THE FILLING IN THE CENTER OF EACH PANCAKE AND FOLD INTO A HALF-MOON POUCH.

6. PINCH THE EDGES FIRMLY SO THAT THE DUMPLING IS TIGHTLY SEALED.

7. BRING 2/3 CUP SALTED WATER TO A BOIL IN A COOKING POT. ADD THE DUMPLINGS AND POACH FOR 2 MINUTES. REMOVE THE POT FROM THE HEAT AND LEAVE THE DUMPLINGS IN THE WATER FOR ANOTHER 15 MINUTES.

8. MAKE THE DIPPING SAUCE BY COMBINING ALL THE SAUCE INGREDIENTS IN A BOWL AND MIXING WELL.  SERVE IN A SMALL BOWL WITH THE DUMPLINGS.

BROCCOLI IN OYSTER SAUCE  (RECIPE # 3)

THE BROCCOLI FLORETS RETAIN THEIR VIVID SHADE OF GREEN AND CRUNCHY TEXTURE, AS WELL AS MUCH OF THEIR VITAMIN AND MINERAL CONTENT, WHEN GIVEN THIS WOK TREATMENT. VEGETARIANS MAY PREFER TO SUBSTITUTE LIGHT SOY SAUCE FOR THE OYSTER SAUCE.

INGREDIENTS

SERVE 4

1 LARGE BUNCH BROCCOLI

3-4 TABLESPOONS VEGETABLE OIL

1/2 TEASPOON SALT

1/2 TEASPOON LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

2-3 TABLESPOONS WATER

2 TABLESPOONS OYSTER SAUCE OR LIGHT SOY SAUCE

1. CUT THE BROCCOLI HEADS INTO SMALL FLORETS. REMOVE THE ROUGH SKIN FROM THE STALKS AND CUT THEM  INTO EVEN-SIZE CHUNKS.

2. HEAT THE OIL IN A PREHEATED WOK OR FRYING PAN  AND ADD THE SALT, THEN STIR-FRY THE BROCCOLI FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES. ADD THE WATER AND SUGAR, AND CONTINUING STIRRING FOR 1 MINUTE. ADD THE OYSTER SAUCE OR SOY SAUCE, BLEND WELL AND SERVE.

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