Books > The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen > Excerpts

From GOING TO MARKET WITH MAMA

Lotus Root Stir-Fry
Leen Gnul Siu Chow

In Buddhist culture, the lotus is a sacred symbol of purity. The root, which grows in mud, emerges clean and pure, unchanged by the mud. My Uncle Sam remembers eating raw, sliced lotus root at the August Moon Festival -- a time of year when lotus is plentiful in China. Its crisp texture is delightful whether raw or cooked.

This is one of my Auntie Anna's favorite dishes. She likes it because the combination of crisp lotus root, snow peas, cloud ears, and pickled vegetable is so pleasing. It is especially good if Chinese bacon is available. Fresh lotus root is sold in three connected sections -- the larger section is best for stir-fries, the two smaller sections are best for soups (Lotus Root Soup). Some produce markets precut the lotus root into sections and seal them in Cryovac. I prefer not to buy lotus root that has been wrapped, because it prevents me from checking to see if it has a clean, fresh smell.

Salted turnip is only available in Chinese supermarkets. There are many different kinds of salted turnip, which are not distinguished in English on the label. You'll have to ask for it by its Cantonese name, teem choy poe. Teem choy poe is available in 7-ounce packages; the slices are 3 to 5 inches long, 1/2 inch wide, and khaki colored.

1/4 cup cloud ears (wun yee)
1/4 cup lily buds (gum tzum)
7 pieces salted turnip (teem choy poe), about 2 ounces
1 large section lotus root, about 6 ounces
3 ounces Chinese Bacon, store-bought or homemade
1 1/2 teaspoons Shao Hsing rice cooking wine
1 teaspoon thin soy sauce
3/4 teaspoon sesame oil
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 thin slices ginger
8 ounces snow peas, strings removed

Place the cloud ears and lily buds in separate bowls. Pour about 1/2 cup cold water over each ingredient and soak for about 30 minutes to soften. When softened, drain and discard the water. Remove the hard spots from the cloud cars, and remove the hard end from the lily buds, tying each lily bud into a knot.

Meanwhile, soak the salted turnip in cold water to cover for 30 minutes. Drain. Cut each piece in half crosswise, then thinly cut length-wise into fine shreds and set aside.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the lotus root, removing the rootlike strands, and rinse under cold water. Cut the lotus root in half length-wise and rinse again to remove any mud lodged in the root. Slice the lotus root into 1/4-inch-thick half moons. Rinse again in case there is any mud, and set aside to drain well.

Remove the hard rind from the Chinese bacon, and the thick piece of fat attached to the rind, and discard, Cut the bacon crosswise into very thin slices.

In a small bowl combine 3 tablespoons cold water, rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the vegetable oil and ginger, and stir-fry 10 seconds. Add the Chinese bacon and stir-fry 45 seconds, Add the lotus root and stir-fry 1 minute. Add the snow peas, cloud ears, lily buds, and turnip, and stir-fry another minute. Swirl in the rice wine mixture and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes, or until the lotus root is tender but still crisp, and the snow peas are bright green. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6 as part of a multicourse meal.

Stir-Fried Egg and Chinese Chives
Gul Choy Chow Dan

There are three different kinds of Chinese chives; Chinese chives, yellow chives, and flowering garlic chives. This recipe uses Chinese chives (gul choy), which are green and look similar to Western chives, except that they are flat. They are said to san hoot, or remove old blood from your system.

1 large bunch Chinese chives, about 4 ounces
4 large egg whites, beaten
2 teaspoons thin soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Wash the Chinese chives in several changes of cold water and drain thoroughly in a colander until dry to the touch. Cut the chives into 1/2-inch pieces.

Place the chives in a medium bowl. Add the egg whites, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the vegetable oil and egg mixture, and stir-fry 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and cook another 1 to 2 minutes, or until eggs are set but not dry. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as part of a multicourse meal.

Stir-Fried Five Spice Tofu and Vegetables
Nmm Heung Dul Foo Chow Saw Choy

Stir-fries can be time consuming -- finely shredding vegetables, soaking special ingredients, and measuring all the seasonings. But, in a stir-fry such as this, all the work is worth it when you taste the results. The tremendous array of vegetables and seasonings creates a range of textures, tastes, fragrances, and colors.

Five spice tofu is found in the refrigerator case of most Asian grocery stores. It is much firmer than even extra firm tofu, because all the excess water has been pressed out. The tofu is chocolate-colored and is sold in 2-inch squares or 2-by-3 1/2-inch blocks that are 1/2 to 1 inch thick. The dark color is the result of cooking the tofu with five spice seasoning, which both flavors and colors the tofu. See Lotus Root Stir-Fry for information on teem choy poe, or salted turnip.

4 Chinese dried mushrooms
2 ounces salted turnip (teem choy poe)
3 pieces five spice tofu (nmm heung dul foo gawn), about 4 ounces
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
3 fresh water chestnuts
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 tablespoon thin soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Shao Hsing rice cooking wine
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 scallions, cut into 2-inch sections
Cilantro sprigs

In a medium bowl, soak the mushrooms in 1/4 cup cold water for 30 minutes, or until softened. Drain and squeeze dry (reserve the soaking liquid for use in soups). Cut off and discard the stems and thinly slice the caps. In a small bowl, soak the salted turnip in 1 cup cold water for 30 minutes, or until vegetable is only mildly salty. Rinse the salted turnip and pat dry. Cut it into fine shreds to make about 1/2 cup. Discard the water.

Cut the tofu, carrot, and celery into julienne strips. Peel the water chestnuts with a paring knife and then thinly slice. Cut the red and yellow peppers into thin slivers. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and the tofu, spreading it in the wok. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, reduce the temperature to medium, and cook undisturbed 1 to 2 minutes, letting the tofu begin to brown. Then, using a metal spatula, carefully turn the tofu and continue cooking undisturbed 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tofu is lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Increase the heat to high and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and the julienned carrot to the wok; stir-fry 1 minute. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, mushrooms, salted turnip, celery, water chestnuts, peppers, and scallions, and stir-fry 1 minute. Swirl in the reserved soy sauce mixture and tofu, and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp and tender. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6 as part of a multicourse meal.

Stir-Fried Chinese Broccoli
Chow Gai Lan

Chinese broccoli (gai lan) looks like a cross between basic supermarket broccoli and the Italian broccoli rabe. The vegetable tastes more like broccoli rabe with its big green leaves and its pungent bite. Stir-frying is the best way to cook Chinese broccoli, as it brings out the natural flavor, accented here with a touch of sugar, ginger, and rice wine. It will need to be washed and drained several hours before stir-frying, and it must be stir-fried in small amounts (about twelve ounces) to achieve the best wok hay (see "The Breath of a Wok"). It's better to cook two separate recipes than to try to fit too much in the wok.

Choose broccoli that has buds and no flowers. If there are flowers, the broccoli is too old. The stalks are never as thick as those of regular broccoli, but if they are thicker than 1/2 inch, they need to be halved lengthwise. The vegetable is better in the colder months, but is available year-round in Chinese produce markets.

10 stalks Chinese broccoli (gai lan), about 12 ounces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 slices ginger
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Shao Hsing rice cooking wine

Wash the broccoli in several changes of cold water and drain thoroughly in a colander until dry to the touch. Trim 1/4 inch from the bottom of each stalk, Stalks that are more than 1/2 inch in diameter should be peeled, then halved lengthwise. Cut the broccoli stalks and leaves into 2 1/2-inch-long pieces, keeping the stalk ends separate from the leaves and buds.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the oil and ginger, and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add only the broccoli stalks and stir-fry 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until the stalks are bright green. Add the leaves, and continue cooking for 1 minute until the leaves are just limp.

Sprinkle on the sugar, salt, and rice wine. Stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender but still bright green. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as part of a multicourse meal.

Stir-Fried Chinese Broccoli and Bacon
Lop Yok Chow Gai Lan

Chinese broccoli is especially good stir-fried with mellow-flavored Chinese Bacon, a touch of rice wine, sugar, and a hint of garlic. Chinese Bacon is available in Chinese meat markets (though you can make it yourself). To cut thin slices, use a sharp cleaver or a heavy-duty cook's knife, as it is hard and can be difficult to slice. (See Stir-Fried Chinese Broccoli, for information on broccoli.)

10 stalks Chinese broccoli (gal lan), about 12 ounces
3 ounces Chinese Bacon (lop yok), store-bought or homemade
1 teaspoon thin soy sauce
1 teaspoon Shao Hsing rice cooking wine
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

Wash the Chinese broccoli in several changes of cold water and drain thoroughly in a colander until dry to the touch. Trim 1/4 inch from the bottom of each stalk. Stalks that are more than 1/2 inch in diameter should be peeled with a paring knife, then halved length-wise. Cut the broccoli stalks and leaves into 2 1/2-inch-long pieces, keeping the stalk ends separate from the leaves and buds.

Remove and discard the hard rind and thick layer of fat attached to the rind from the Chinese bacon. Cut into very thin slices cross-wise. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar; set aside.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the vegetable oil and garlic, and stir-fry 15 seconds. Add the Chinese bacon and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add only the broccoli stalks and stir-fry 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until the stalks are bright green. Add the leaves and continue stir-frying 1 minute, or until the leaves are just limp. Swirl in the soy sauce mixture and continue stir-frying 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender but still bright green. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as part of a multicourse meal.

Braised Taro and Chinese Bacon
Lop Yok Mun Woo Tul

Taro root has the same starchy quality as a potato, but the flavor is more unusual, sort of like a cross between a potato and a chestnut. It is a cylindrical root, about 6 to 10 inches long and about 3 to 4 inches wide. The skin is dark brown, hairy, and dusty. It is an earthy and humble ingredient and, when cooked with wet bean curd and Chinese bacon, the flavor becomes dense and rich, It is food for the soul, especially in cold weather. For some people, the outside of the taro root can be irritating to the skin, so it's always a good idea to wear rubber gloves when handling it. See Nom Yu Spareribs for information on wet bean curd.

One 3/4-pound taro root
4 ounces Chinese Bacon (lop yok), store-bought or homemade
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cubes red wet bean curd (nom yu)
1 scallion, cut into 2-inch lengths
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Wearing rubber gloves, peel the taro root with a cook's knife. Cut taro root lengthwise into quarters, then cut crosswise into scant 1/2-inch-thick slices. Remove and discard the hard rind and thick layer of fat attached to the rind from the Chinese bacon. Cut crosswise into scant 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add oil and bacon, and stir-fry 15 seconds. Add bean curd and taro, and stir-fry 2 minutes, breaking up curd with a spoon. Add 1 cup boiling water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Stir in the scallion, reduce heat to medium-high, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, stir mixture again, cover, and cook until taro is just tender when pierced with a knife, about 5 minutes. Stir in sugar and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6 as part of a multicourse meal.

Stir-Fried Long Beans with Red Bell Peppers
Chow Dul Gock Hoong Ziu

For the Cantonese, Chinese long beans are the only vegetable a woman is permitted to eat the first month after childbirth. Vegetables in general are said to be too cooling (too yin), but long beans are neutral -- neither too yin nor too yang. Long beans are only available in Chinese produce stores and can be either dark green or pale green. The dark green beans are preferred by my family, as the texture is crisper. The beans are about 18 to 30 inches long and should be unblemished.

8 ounces Chinese long beans
1 large red bell pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Wash the beans in several changes of cold water and drain thoroughly in a colander until dry to the touch. Trim the ends and cut the beans into 2 1/2-inch sections. Wash the red pepper, then stem, seed, and cut into slivers.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the oil and beans, and stir-fry 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup boiling water. Cover and cook on high heat 3 minutes. Add the red pepper, re-cover, and cook on high heat 1 minute. Add salt and sugar, and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6 as part of a multicourse meal.

Long Bean Stir-Fry
Chow Dul Gock Soong

Mama and all her siblings attended boarding school in China. Returning home for the weekend, they would complain of the horrible food at school. So on Sunday nights each child would be sent back to school with two big jars of this stir-fry, meant to supplement their meals for a few days. Instead, Mama's two jars would be completely finished by the end of Sunday night! This stir-fry has a wonderful balance of sweet, piquant, and spicy flavors and textures. See Stir-Fried Long Beans with Red Bell Peppers for information on Chinese long beans (dul gock).

8 Chinese dried mushrooms
1 bunch Chinese long beans, about 12 ounces
2 ounces Sichuan preserved vegetable, about 1/4 cup
1/2 Chinese sausage (lop chong)
2 ounces pork butt
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons thin soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Shao Hsing rice cooking wine
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
3/4 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup cilantro sprigs

In a medium bowl, soak the mushrooms in 1/2 cup cold water for 30 minutes, or until softened. Drain and squeeze dry (reserve the soaking liquid for use in soups). Cut off and discard the stems and mince the caps.

Wash the long beans in several changes of cold water and drain thoroughly in a colander until dry to the touch. Cut into 1/4-inch-long pieces to make about 3 cups.

Rinse the preserved vegetable in cold water until the red chili-paste coating is removed and pat dry. Finely chop to make about 1/3 cup. Chop the Chinese sausage into 1/4-inch pieces. Dice the pork into 1/4-inch pieces and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; set aside.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, sausage, and pork, and stir-fry 1 minute. Transfer to a plate. Add the 1 tablespoon oil and mushrooms to the wok, and stir-fry 1 minute. Add the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon sugar, and stir-fry another minute. Remove the mushrooms from the wok and add to the sausage mixture. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and the green beans to the wok, and stir-fry 1 minute. Cover for 20 seconds. Uncover, add 2 tablespoons water, and stir-fry 10 seconds. Cover and cook 30 seconds. Return the sausage mixture and the preserved vegetable to the wok along with the scallions, cilantro sprigs, and soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6 as part of a multicourse meal.

Copyright © 1999 by Grace Young