Beef Chow Fun

Gōn cháau ngàuh hó (Cantonese) 干炒牛河 (Mandarin: Gān Chǎo Níu Hé)

Beef Chow Fun has appeared on Chinese menus here and on the mainland almost as long as there has been restaurants.  In spite of this, searching for consistent chow fun recipes is a daunting task.  On the internet, there are as many versions as there are sites, the best being Andrea Nguyen's.  Published cookbook literature by Chinese authors are nearly as varied.  The recipe presented here is the one you'll encounter most often in Hong Kong (a city that rules the roost for Southern Chinese cuisine), and at Dim Sum restaurants, either as "special" item on one of the roving carts, or a menu item traditionally ordered along with the small snacks of dim sum.

Dry rice noodle can be used with acceptable results, but it is highly recommended that you buy fresh rice noodles (Cantonese: ho fun; Mandarin: he fen)these should be available if you live in an area that has a sizable Asian community and grocery stores serving that community. But fresh rice noodles are literally a delicacy: make sure you can purchase them unrefrigerated, or fresh from a noodle maker.  Otherwise, the cold ho fun will often be so stiff and compact, you will not be able to separate the noodles.  Moreover, it's a good idea to use the noodles as soon as they are purchased.  I bought a few pounds of ho fun from a producer on Friday, and by Sunday they were beginning to break down.

Other than the challenges of the noodle, Beef Chow Fun is easy to make, and works well in a vegetarian version, omitting the beef.

1 lb Fresh rice noodles (ho fun, at least 1/2" wide

7 oz Beef Tri Tip, sliced 1/8" thick across the grain, appx 2" x 2 1/2"

1/2 Lb.  bean sprouts

2 tsp fermented black beans, minced

2 lg cloves garlic, minced

1" x 1" pc ginger, minced

3 - 4 green onion, cut into 2" sections, white portion split lengthwise

3/4  small or 1/2 med yellow onion

4 Tab peanut or cooking oil

Meat Marinade: 

1  Tab soy

2  Tab rice wine

1 round tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

2 tsp cornstarch

Sauce:

2 Tab Soy light

2 tsp dark soy

1 Tab Rice wine

1/2 rounded tsp salt (or to taste)

1 round tsp sugar

Sesame oil and a spring or two of cilantro for garnish

Marinate the meat for at least a few hours; overnight is even better.  Carefully separate the strands of ho fun and set them aside lightly covered with film or damp towel.

On high heat, with 2 Tablespoon of oil, add garlic, ginger, and both kinds of onion; toss a couple of times, then press onion to the wok to facilitate browning.  After half a minute or so, turn the onions and garlic/ginger over and press gently again.  As soon as you observe browning on the onion, move the mixture to the side of the wok.

Add a tablespoon more oil, allow to heat, then add the beef slices.  Separate the slices with a pair of chopsticks or with the wok shovel and press this gently to the bottom.  When the meat is browned, stir fry everything for a few seconds, until the meat is barely cooked.  Immediately remove to a platter. 

Wash wok, reheat on medium high, and swirl in the remaining tablespoon of cooking oil.  When the oil just begins to smoke,  add the rice noodles in a layer and gently press them to the wok.  In about a minute, when they begin to brown, flip the noodles over and repeat the procedure.  Add bean sprouts, gently stir fry for a few seconds, then add all other ingredients, including the sauce, and gently but quickly stir fry and mix the ingredients to combine and heat through.  

Pile on a serving platter and garnish with a little sesame oil, cilantro and slivers of red pepper

Hong Shao Rou

Hong Shao Rou Red Braised Pork

Little known outside the Asian Community, Hong Shao Rou, (红烧肉) literally, red braised pork, is succulent morsels of pork belly simmered in an aromatic, rich soy-based broth until tender.  I first experienced this dish in Macao, where the softened, anise-infused pork was nothing short of a revelation.  Hong Shao Rou belongs to a class of very traditional Asian dishes known as red cooking, which employs a range of ingredients, including beef, chicken, vegetables and dou fu (See Fuscia Dunlop's excellent red cooked recipes in her Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook).

Recently, the dish has gained some cache on the Mainland because it is known to be one of the late Chairman Mao's favorite dishes, and according to an article in the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald, he considered it "brainfood."  (see Malcom Moore's article), 

Since the unctuous pork belly has weaseled its way into the Western fine dining scene, Red Cooked Pork should find an enthusiastic audience in the U.S.; however, one will rarely see Hong Shao Rou offered at stateside Chinese restaurants.  This is a bit baffling, since it is very easy to make, and irresistibly tasty. 

2 lbs pork belly, lean and fat, skin on, cut into sections approx 4" x 4"

3 round Tab sugar

3 cups chicken stock, low sodium

2 - 2" x 1/4" pc cinnamon

2 star anise

2 cloves garlic, smashed

3 1" x 2" slices of ginger, skin on.

1/3 cup soy

1/4 cup Shao Xing wine or dry sherry

1 TAB dark soy

In enough water to just cover the pork, poach belly in simmering water (“cuan” 汆) for 4 minutes or so, then remove.  When the pork has cooled enough to handle, cut into cubes appx. 1 1/2" x 2" and in two batches, brown in a hot wok or cast iron skillet with 3 or 4 Tab peanut oil or lard.  Be careful, this entails lots of spattering…Remove and set aside.  In the same pan, on med heat, add the sugar and stir until melted and beginning to caramelize.  Add back in the pork belly pieces, and toss until coated and further browned with caramelized sugar.

Transfer the pork and residual oil/sugar mixture to a 3 -4 quart sand pot or sauce pan; add the chicken stock to cover pork pieces, cinnamon, star anise, garlic, ginger, light soy, wine, and dark soy.  Bring to a gentle boil, and simmer for approximately 1 hour, until pork lean layers are tender but still moist.   As soon as meat is done, remove meat and boil to reduce sauce.  When liquid has reduced to desired consistency, turn off heat.  Return pork belly to the pot and mix to coat; serve in sandpot or plate with garnish of cilantro and carrot or red pepper slivers

Suan La Tang

Suan La Tang (literally, "sour hot soup," but known in the West as Hot and Sour Soup)

A riot of flavor and texture, this is the soup your grandmother might make, if your grandmother was Chinese and lived in Northwestern China--the eastern equivalent to "vegetable soup."  And so, you will find a great deal of variation in the ingredients for this healthful dish.  Some published recipes will include such additions as duck blood and sea cucumber.  But, like General Tso's Chicken, which began in Asia as a very different animal, this dish has adapted to Western tastes, and has now evolved it's own traditional preparation in Western Chinese restaurants, especially those billing themselves as regional or Sichuan restaurants.

But even if one ignores the foregoing the sea cucumber and duck blood, Suan La Tang still has ingredients that are unfamiliar to most western cooks: "Cloud Ear Fungus" (云耳; yún'ěr,) and "Golden Needles." huang hua cai 黃花菜.  These inclusions have as much to do with texture as flavor, as you will see, but along with bamboo shoots and Chinese dried mushroom, they are essential to the character of Suan La Tang.

Finally, this recipe is not for the faint of heart.  Hot and Sour Soup is not technically difficult to make, but to be honest, it is time consuming.  Each of the eight main ingredients need at least two stages of prep; soaking, marinating, then carefully slicing and shredding.  But, as with most things in life, the difficulty pays off, and the results are far superior to anything you're likely to find in Western Chinese restuarants.

Prepare the following:

4 Chinese dried mushrooms-- soak in 180° hot water for 40 min; wring out moisture when cool, then julienne.

1/4 oz Cloud ears-- soak in 180° hot water for 40 min; wring out moisture when cool, then julienne.

3/4 oz golden needles, soak in 180° hot water for 40 min; wring out moisture when cool, then cut large pcs in half

1 - 2 oz bamboo shoots, blanched, drained and slivered

MARINATE the above in

1 TAB sweet black vinegar

1 TAB wine

1 TAB soy

2 scallions, diagonally sliced

1-2 tsp chopped dried chili or chili flake if desired

6 oz Pork, Partially frozen to stiffen then julienned; marinate in 1 TAB Light Soy, 1 Tab rice wine or sherry

8 oz firm fresh Doufu; Rinsed, matchstick

In a large sauce pan COMBINE stock:

3 cans low sodium chicken stock  (1 1/2 quarts--Homemade is best)

1 Heap TAB chx boullion paste or powder

12 oz water

In a bowl, COMBINE:

4 TAB rice vinegar

1 Heap tsp Sugar

1 TAB light Soy

1 TAB Black Soy

1/2 tsp coarse black pepper

1 tsp fine white pepper

In a bowl, COMBINE with whisk:

2 eggs + 2 tsp oil + pinch of salt

COMBINE:

4- 5 TAB potato starch with 4 TAB water for slurry

SET ASIDE:

1 cup cilantro leaves, no stems

GARNISH:

A few cilantro leaves

Sesame oil

Once the preparation of the ingredients is complete, assemble the soup in the following order:   Bring the stock to a simmer with the Chinese mushrooms, Cloud ears, golden needles, and bamboo shoots;  Lower heat to barely a simmer; Add julienned PORK;  Add DOU FU; When the stock begins to simmer again, add potato starch slurry slowly until it thickens per your preference; pour in beaten EGG in a thin stream and do not stir for a half minute or so to set egg; add CILANTRO, then VINEGAR mixture and stir only enough to distribute ingredients.  Remove to a serving bowl.  Garnish w/ Sesame oil, few pieces of cilantro and chili

"Babtism" by John Sinclair  2011 Pencil on paper, 15" x 19"

As we have recently returned from China and Vietnam, the long hiatus from contributing to this blog should soon be over.  For those who have visited this site over the past year hoping to find new recipes, I offer my humblest apologies!

Hong Shao Shi Zi Tou (Red Braised Lion's Head)

Hong Shao Shi Zi Tou (Red Braised Lion's Head)

It is not often you'll find this very traditional dish in stateside Chinese restaurants, yet in China north and south, Shi Zi Tou (Lion's Head) is very common.  The poetic name of this dish results from its appearance: large meatballs in a bed of cooked cabbage suggests, with a little imagination, a lion's head surrounded by his mane.  Variaions exist, especially in southern China, where Shi Zi Tou may have a lighter broth or sauce,  and possibly cellophane noodles (fen si), in addition to the cabbage. The present recipe is a Shanghai version, utilizing the famous "red cooked" (hong shao) method of poaching in soy and stock; if you prefer a lighter, "Southern" variation, you can simply omit the two soy sauces and substitute 4 tablespoons more chicken broth.  This recipe also calls for water chestnuts, and it is highly recommended that you buy the fresh ones rather than canned, available at most Chinese groceries, even though it takes a few minutes to peel them.  Once you experience the sweet, tender fresh water chestnuts, you'll never go back.

• 1 1/2 lbs                 Ground Pork
• 4                              TABWater
• 8                              Water Chestnuts, large mince
• 3                              Scallions, minced
• 3 tsp                       Ginger, minced
• 2 tsp                       Sesame oil
• 1 TAB                     Sherry
• 1/2 tsp                    Salt
• 2 - 3 TAB               Cornstarch for dredging pork balls
• 3 or 4 TAB             Peanut oil
• 2 TAB                     Dark Soy
• 2 TAB                     Light Soy
• 20 oz                      Napa Cabbage, root end trimmed, leaves separated
• 2 tsp                       Brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cup               Chicken stock (homemade is far superior, see Technique)

Make a potato flour slurry (equal parts water and starch, appx 2/3 tsp each; you can also use cornstarch, though it will not result in as gelatinous a sauce) 

Combine pork and water.  Mix meat in one direction, and keep mixing until it is somewhat fluffy and cohered, a few minutes; add  large mince chestnuts, minced scallion, minced ginger, sesame oil, sherry and salt; mix well and form into 5 large meat balls approx 6 oz each, 2 1/2"  to 3" diameter. 

Dust meatballs in cornstarch and remove excess--set aside. 

Heat wok with 3 TAB peanut oil over medium heat;  when wok oil is just barely smoking, add meat balls one at a time and fry, rolling and turning very gently, until slightly firm and browned.  Remove.  

Clean wok, heat to medium, add 6 Tablespoons of water, put in cabbage leaves, cover and steam 5 minutes or so until leaves are flexible.  Remove and allow to cool enough to handle.  

Line sand pot (sha guo) or small casserole with 2/3 of the cabbage; gently add the five meatballs, then pour in chicken stock, sugar, and soy sauces.  Lay remaining cabbage over meat, cover and braise balls for 1 1/2  hours on top of stove.  

When done and cool enough to handle, carefully remove Lion's heads to a plate.  On the service platter, arrange braised cabbage in a circular pattern; arrange meatballs in the center.  Reduce braising liquid to desired flavor intensity and add stream of slurry until liquid is thickened, coats spoon thickly, but still runs.  Pour over Lions head, garnish with slivered green onion or slivered carrot.

Siu Maaih Pork and Shrimp Dim Sum dumpling

Siu Maaih Pork and shrimp dumpling

There is no item that so epitomizes dim sum as this little morsel.  It will be served in every dim sum restaurant, no matter how humble the offerings.  Its name, Siu Maaih, which literally translated from Cantonese means "cook sell," might describe its humble beginnings as a street snack to go with tea, and therefore may have been dim sum's first dumpling.  Luckily for those of us who are willing to slave away in the kitchen making traditional Chinese delicacies, this one is relatively easy to produce.  One can make their own skins for siu maai, if one wants to destroy one's kitchen over the course of a very long day, but few cooks try it; the thin, factory made wrapper, available in every Chinese store, is inexpensive and foolproof.

2 small to medium shitake dried mushrooms

11 oz pork (picnic country rib boneless), minced (previously ground pork is acceptable)

6 oz shrimp, after shelling and deveining; 1/3 of this pureed or pounded, 2/3 should be chopped.

1 sm green onion, minced

1 Tab soy

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

dash white pepper

3 tablespoons water

1 pkg  "thin shao mai" wrapper (i.e., Seattle's Rose brand)

Reconstitute the dried mushroom by submerging in very hot water for 1 hour.  Press out water, cut out stems, mince and set aside.

Prepare all other ingredients and combine, including the minced mushroom.  Mix vigorously in one direction for 3 or 4 minutes to make a uniform, cohered filling. 

With wrapper on flat of your left palm, wet edge of skin.  Using a small spatula or wide knife, slather approx. 2 Tab filling on wrapper.  Begin to close the palm, wrinkling the edges of the wrapper.  Close gently, gathering the edges together for pleating.  Pinch the wide pleats to make them more uniform.  Pressing in a bit more filling flattens the pleats and firms up the dumpling.  Applying some pressure to the bottom flattens the Siu Maaih and rounds the top.  Add a garnish of green onion, carrot slivers or 3 peas and they are ready to steam.

The dumplings can be frozen; I suggest you freeze them, separated, on a parchment lined tray before putting in a freezer bag to prevent sticking.

Steam 7 minutes if dumplings are fresh, 12 minutes if frozen.

makes approx. 24 dumplings

Joak (Rice Porrige or Congee)

Joak, Jook, or Juk (cantonese) Zhou (Mandarin) Rice Porrige or Congee

This is akin to fried rice, in that in Asia it is a staple comfort food with endless variations in the details of the recipe and condiments.  There is not even agreement regarding the type of rice to use.  All over the Asian continent, hundreds of millions of people begin their day in homes and cafes with Joak , yet it's simplicity belies the fragrant, silky deliciousness of rice porridge.   Rice, water or stock and a dash of salt, simmered for an hour or two--the rest is an accent, and depends on what is available in the kitchen.  It is also a major offering at dim sum, though it is hidden inside a warmer, on a cart, alongside a stack of bowls and chopped green onion.

9 cups stock (see techniques section on homemade chicken stock) or water.

1 cup short grain rice (calrose rice, not glutinous rice; long grain rice can be used)

salt to taste

Rinse the rice two or three times and drain through a sieve.  Add the rice to a pot with the stock or water and bring to a boil, stirring often.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, adding stock or water as needed to adjust texture.  Add salt to taste.  Joak is generally the texture of a thick soup or batter, and the grains of rice are barely intact.

As for the garnishes and additions, here is a list of typical items, ordered from the most to the least common, although it is purely a matter of personal taste.  Feel free to use none or one or several…

Garnishes:

You tiao (Chinese fried cruller, shown in photo)

Green onion, sliced thin, diagonally

Fresh ginger, finely shredded

Pickled ginger, finely shredded

Pickled vegetable

Chinese black mushroom, reconstituted, stem removed, slivered

Cilantro

Additions:

Peanuts

Thousand year old egg, cut into eighths, lengthwise

Fish, filet, cut in pieces

Lop cheong (Chinese sausage) sliced thin, diagonally

Pork "dumplings"  This simple addition can be made as follows:

Mix 8 oz.  ground pork with a scallion, finely minced and 1 or 2 cloves garlic, finely minced.  About 4 minutes before serving, pluck a teaspoon or so of the pork mixture with the fingers and drop it in the simmering joak.  Repeat for as many dumplings as desired, then gently submerge the meat and allow to cook for 4 minutes, or until firm.