Shrimp Toast

Shrimp Toast (蝦多士 -- Hatosi)

1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 green onions, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

1 egg

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 cup minced water chestnuts

1-1/2 teaspoon minced ginger root

6 slices white bread, crust removed

2 cups oil

Place shrimp, green onion, egg, rice wine, cornstarch, salt and pepper in food processor or blender and whirl until smooth paste is formed. Remove to bowl and stir in water chestnuts and ginger root.

Spread 2 tablespoons shrimp mixture on each slice of bread. Freeze 15 minutes or until bread can be easily cut. Cut diagonally in quarters.

In medium skillet, heat oil and add a few pieces of bread shrimp side down. Fry over medium high heat. Turn and fry; remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.

Serve hot.

Chinese Barbecued Pork

Chinese Barbecued Pork (叉燒 -- Chāshāo)

1 pound whole pork belly, skin removed

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tablespoon hoisin sauce

1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder

2 tablespoons honey

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Marinate the pork belly: In a large bowl, mix together the rice wine, dark soy sauce, sugar, garlic, hoisin sauce, and five-spice powder. Rub the pork belly with the marinade mixture and marinate for 2 to 3 hours in the refrigerator.

Hold up the pork for a few seconds to allow excess marinade to drip off, then place the pork in a roasting pan. Brush the top with the honey. Roast the pork for about 45 minutes, flipping over the pork belly half-way through and brushing honey on the other side. The pork is done when the outsides begin to crisp and blacken and the center of the pork belly strip feels firm.

Remove the pork from oven and let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into thin slices. Arrange the slices on a plate and serve.

Mushroom Dumplings

Mushroom Dumplings (蘑菇餃子 -- Mógū jiǎozi)

3 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound mushrooms, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1-1/4 cup shredded cabbage

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 green onion, light and dark green part thinly sliced

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and garlic, and cook until all liquid has left the mushrooms, about 8-10 minutes. If there is still liquid left in the pan, carefully drain it out.

Add the carrot and cabbage and cook another 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, black pepper, and green onion.

To wrap: Place 1 teaspoon of filling (about 1 teaspoonin the center of a wrapper. Wet the top edge of the wrapper. Pleat the edges to crimp closed. Place finished dumpling on a baking tray. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over high heat. Add 8-10 dumplings (don’t overcrowd the pan) and brown on bottom side, about 4 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and reduce heat to medium. Cover pan and let pot stickers cook another 3 minutes. Remove lid from pan and if any water then continue cooking until water has evaporated.

Serve with soy sauce for dipping.

Shrimp Won-ton

Shrimp Won-ton (蝦仁餛飩 -- Xiārén húntún)

3/4 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

3 sprigs coriander, leaves only, minced

2 whole water chestnuts, peeled and finely chopped, optional

3 dashes ground white pepper

20 square Won-ton skins

1/2 beaten egg, for sealing won-tons

Ginger Vinegar Dipping Sauce:

2 teaspoons peeled, grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons dark vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped green onion

For dipping sauce: Combine ginger, soy sauce, vinegar and green onions. Reserve.

Coarsely chop the shrimp into pieces and combine well with salt, oil, ginger, sugar, rice wine, sesame oil, cornstarch, coriander, water chestnuts and pepper. Reserve.

To wrap: First lay a piece of the won-ton wrapper on your palm and add 1 teaspoon of the filling in the middle of the wrapper. Dip your index finger into the beaten egg and trace it on the outer edges of the won-ton wrapper. Pinch the edges of the won-ton wrapper and seal the won-ton tight. It should look like a small onion with a bit of the top left on.

Boil the won-tons in boiling water for a couple of minutes or until they float to the top.

Serve hot with ginger vinegar dipping sauce.

Chicken Shu Mai

Chicken Shu Mai (雞舒嘸嗌 -- Jī shū fǔ ài)

1/2 lb chicken thigh

8 medium shrimp

2 black fungus (chopped into thin threads)

1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

1/2 tablespoon finely chopped scallion (white part only)

1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
3 dashes white pepper

1/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

1/2 tablespoon corn starch
1/2 tablespoon egg white

Pinch of salt

1 package round Gyoza wrappers (Dynasty brand)

Garnish: finely chopped carrot and peas

Skin and debone chicken thighs; peel, devein and dice shrimp into small pieces.

Using a mini food processor, coarsely grind chicken. In a bowl combine the chicken with shrimp, black fungus, ginger, green onion, sesame oil, pepper, bouillon powder, corn starch and egg white. Cover the bowl and place in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Place about a tablespoon of filling on each wrapper, gather up the sides and leave the center open. Garnish the top with some chopped carrot and a pea.

Steam in a bamboo steamer for about 5 minutes.

Serve hot.

Steamed Dumplings

Steamed Dumplings (蒸餃 -- Zhēng jiǎo)

1/2 pound ground pork (ground chicken or turkey)

8-10 medium-sized shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into small pieces

1 green onion, finely chopped

3 dashes white pepper

1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or sherry, optional

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

1 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated

1 pack Gyoza wrappers (Dynasty brand)

Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce:

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar

Combine the ground pork, shrimp, chopped green onion, ginger, white pepper, wine, salt, soy sauce and sesame seed oil. Reserve.

To make dumplings: Place a small spoonful of the filling in the center of a wrapper. Dab a little water with your finger and circle around the edge of the skin, and then fold in-half and pleat the dumpling. Repeat until all the filling is used. Dumplings should appear like fat hall-moons with pleats.

Arrange the dumplings in a bamboo steamer (lined with parchment paper at the bottom) and steam for 8-10 minutes. Serve immediately with soy-vinegar dipping sauce.

Shrimp and Chive Dumplings

Shrimp and Chive Dumplings (蝦和韭菜餃子 -- Xiā hé jiǔcài jiǎozi)

12 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 ounce chives, snipped

1 teaspoon egg white

1/2 teaspoon tapioca starch

1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fish sauce

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

3 dashes white pepper powder

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon oil

20 square white Won-ton skins

Cooking oil for pan-frying

Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce:

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar

Clean and rinse the shrimp with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Mix the soy-vinegar dipping sauce and set aside.

Cut the shrimp into small pieces (about 3-4 pieces per shrimp). In a bowl mix well cut shrimp and chives. Add egg white, starch,, bouillon powder, salt fist sauce sesame oil, white pepper, sugar, oil and mix well. Marinate the filling for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Lay a won-ton skin on a flat surface. Dab your index finger with some water and trace it along the four outer edges of the won-ton skin. Add a teaspoon of the filling and fold the won-ton skin towards the middle. Dab some water to the won-ton skin to seal tight. The dumplings should look somewhat round. Repeat the same until the filling is used up.

Heat a pan on medium, add some oil and heat. Transfer all dumplings into the pan and cover. Pan-fry the dumplings on one side until golden brown and then turn over to pan-fry the other site. (Add more oil to the pan if required.) Repeat to make sure that both sites are equally done.

Place on serving platter and serve immediately with soy-vinegar dipping sauce.

Sichuan Red Oil Won-tons

Sichuan Red Oil Won-tons (四川紅色油餛飩 -- Sìchuān hóngsè yóu húntún)

20 square won-ton wrappers

1 small bowl water, to seal the won-tons

2-3 cups water, to boil won-tons

White sesame seeds, for garnishing

Filling:

8 ounces ground pork

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 dashes ground white pepper

Sauce:

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar

2 tablespoons Sichuan chili oil

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

Some cilantro leaves, chopped

In a bowl, combine ground pork, green onions, sesame oil, sugar, sar and white pepper. Reserve.

In another bowl, combine soy sauce black vinegar, chili oil, sesame oil and sugar. Reserve.

To wrap the won-tons, place about a teaspoon of the filling in the center of a won-ton wrapper. Dab your index finger into the small bowl of water, and then trace the outer edges of the won-ton wrapper to seal the won-tons.

Fold the won-ton up to form a triangle shape. Pinch the won-ton wrapper to seal tight and make sure there is no leakage. Using the thumb and index finger of both hands, pinch and fold both corners of the won-ton downwards. Then, lift the right corner over the left corner, pinch to seal tight.

Transfer the won-tons to a floured surface or a plate lined with parchment paper tp ensure that the won-tons don’t stick to the surface.

Bring the water to boil. Gently drop all the won-tons into the water and gently stir the won-tons with a ladle to prevent sticking. Boil the won-tons until they float to the top, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer the won-tons out immediately with a strainer or slotted spoon. Shake off the excess water and transfer the won-tons to bowl.

Add the desired amount of the Sauce to the won-tons and gently toss them to coat evenly. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with some sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Green Onion Pancake

Green Onion Pancake (蔥花餅 -- Cōnghuā bǐng)

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

1/2 cup water

4 green onions, green parts only, trimmed and cut into small rounds

2 tablespoons oil, for brushing

Additional all-purpose flour, for dusting and rolling

Oil, for frying

Sift the all-purpose flour into a big bowl and then add the salt and chicken bouillon powder into the flour. Combine well and set aside.

Heat the water to a boil. Slowly add the water to the flour and knead the dough until it becomes soft, no longer sticky and the surface becomes smooth and shiny, about 15 minutes. If the dough is too dry, add 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons of water to the dough. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Add the green onion into the dough and combine well.

On a flat and floured surface, divide the dough into 8 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a ball using your palm.

Working with one dough ball at a time, roll the dough to a thin disc using a rolling pin. Dust the rolling pin with some all-purpose flour as you go. Brush the surface of the pancake with the oil.

Roll the dough into a cylinder. Coil it up like a snail.

Dust the rolling pin with the flour and roll the dough until flat, measuring about 6 inches (15cm) in diameter. Set the dough aside on a baking sheet.

Repeat with rest of the dough until you have eight pancakes.

Add about 1/4-inch of oil into a stir-fry pan or skillet over moderately high heat. Place a piece of pancake onto the pan or skillet. Shallow fry each side of the pancake to a light golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip the pancake over and shallow fry the other side. Add more oil, repeat the same for the remaining pancakes and serve immediately.

Fried Won-tons

Fried Won-tons (油炸餛飩 -- Yóu zhá húntún)

1/2 pound ground pork (chicken or turkey)

1/4 pound shrimp, chopped into small pieces)

20 won-ton wrappers

3 water chestnuts (peeled and chopped into tiny pieces)

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 sprigs of cilantro, chopped

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon fish sauce

3 dashes white pepper powder

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Sweet Chili Sauce:

4 tablespoons Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce

Some cilantro leaves, chopped

1/2 tablespoon lime juice

In a bowl, mix the ground pork, shrimp, water chestnuts, chopped cilantro, and cornstarch. Add in half the beaten egg (save the other half for wrapping the won-tons). Mix the ingredients well and season with the fish sauce, salt, and the white pepper. Set aside.

To wrap: First lay a piece of the won-ton wrapper on your palm and add 1/2 tablespoon of the filling in the middle of the wrapper. Dip your index finger into the beaten egg and trace it on the outer edges of the won-ton wrapper. Pinch the edges of the won-ton wrapper and seal the won-ton tight. It should look like a small onion with a bit of the top left on.

Heat cooking oil to 350 degrees F in a wok and deep fry the won-tons until golden brown.

Serve hot with chili sauce or eat plain.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Lettuce Wraps (雞生菜裹 -- Jī shēngcài guǒ)

1 pound ground chicken breast

3 dried Shiitake mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely

2 fresh water chestnuts, chopped finely, optional

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 large head iceberg lettuce

Marinade:

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1/2 teaspoon kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) or dark soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon corn starch

1 green onion, finely chopped

3 dashes white pepper powder

1 fresh and cold iceberg lettuce head

Hoisin-Ponzu Dipping Sauce:

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon Japanese ponzu sauce

1/2 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce

1 tablespoon warm water

Sweet Chili Sauce:

4 tablespoons Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce

Some cilantro leaves, chopped

1/2 tablespoon lime juice

Soak Shiitake mushrooms in warm water until soft, remove stems and chop finely, reserve.

Carefully peel off the lettuce leaves from the iceberg lettuce head being careful not to break the leaves. Place on serving plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mix the ground chicken meat, chopped mushrooms and water chestnuts with all the Marinade ingredients. Reserve.

Combine the ingredients for each dipping sauce in serving bowls and set aside.

Heat a wok or pan over medium-high heat and add the cooking oil. Sauté the garlic until light brown and then add the chicken. Stir-fry the ground chicken and break up the lumps so they form into nice small pieces. Continue to stir-fry until the chicken is cooked. Place on a serving platter.

To serve place platters of lettuce leaves, chicken and dipping sauce bowls in center of table. For each wrap use one lettuce and place a large spoonful of chicken in the middle of a lettuce leaf. Wrap it up and dip into the hoisin-ponzu sauce or sweet chili sauce before eating. Alternatively, you can add the sauce on top of the chicken before eating.

Firecracker Shrimp

Firecracker Shrimp

20 medium sized shrimps

20 spring roll skins

1 stalk scallion (finely chopped)

1/2 red chili (finely chopped)

Marinade:

3 inches of ginger

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon lime juice

1/4 spoon of sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon of sesame seeds

1/4 teaspoon of corn starch

3 dashes of white pepper

1 egg white (lightly whisked for sealing purposes)

Shell and devein shrimp leaving tail on and pat dry with paper towels. Peel ginger and place in mortar, pound with pestle until well broken up. Place ginger mass in center of a piece of muslin cloth and squeeze until all the juice is extracted.

Combine salt, sugar lime juice, sesame oil, sesame seeds, corn starch and white pepper in a bowl. Add ginger juice, chopped green onion and red chili mixing well.

Add shrimp to mixture and marinate for 20 minutes.

Wrap each shrimp with a spring roll skin leaving each end uncovered, use egg white to seal end of roll.

Heat frying pan with oil to 350 degree f and deep fry the shrimp until light to golden brown.

Serve hot.

Chicken Adobo

If there is a national Filipino chicken dish this is it! Chicken or pork is marinated in soy sauce, stewed in water and vinegar and served with cooked rice. So yummy. Chicken Adobo is probably the favorite, but Pork adobo closely follows.

Chicken Adobo

3 to 4 pound whole chicken

4 bay leaves

8 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons white vinegar

5 cloves garlic, crushed

3 cups water

1/2 cup cooking oil

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 tablespoons whole peppercorns

Cut chicken into 8 pieces; 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 legs and 2 wing pieces. With a cleaver cut each breast (keel to ribs) into 3 or 4 serving pieces, each thigh in half, each wing piece into three pieces at the joint, discard actual wing piece. Remove meatless lower part of leg. Reserve pieces.

In a large bowl with cover, combine the soy sauce and garlic then add chicken, coating each piece . Cover bowl and marinade the chicken for at least 1 to 3 hours.

Remove chicken from marinate, draining well. Reserve marinate.

Place the cooking oil in a large pan and heat until oil reaches 350 degrees F. Add the marinated chicken pieces. Cook for 5 minutes, turning once. Pour off all but two tablespoons of the oil.

Add remaining marinade and add water. Bring to a boil.

Add the dried bay leaves and whole peppercorn. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is just tender.

Add vinegar. Stir and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in sugar and remove from heat.

Serve hot with boiled white rice.

Chicken Pochero (Chicken Pot)

Pochero is a Spanish dish of meat chunks stewed using local ingredients, such as, saba bananas (or plantains), potatoes or sweet potatoes, long beans, chickpeas, cabbage, and tomato sauce. This is the chicken version.

Chicken Pochero

1 3 to 4 pound whole chicken

3 pieces Spanish chorizo, sliced thinly

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons patis (fish-sauce)

2 tablespoon whole black pepper corns

1 small can tomato sauce

1 cup chick peas (garbanzos)

2 large ripe plaintain banana

1 medium sized potato

1 small cabbage, quartered

1/4-pound long green beans

1 bunch bok choy

1 cup water

2 tablespoons cooking oil

Cut chicken into serving pieces, remove and discard back. Cut plaintain into 1/2-inch rounds; cut potato into 1/2-inch cubes; remove root end from bok choy and cut remainder into four pieces.

Heat cooking oil in a large pot; fry the banana until color turns golden brown. Reserve.

Add the chorizo to the same pot and fry for about 3 to 5 minutes. Reserve.

Add garlic, onions and tomatoes to same pot and until soft.

Add chicken to onion and tomato mixture and cook for five minutes.

Add patis, pepper corns, tomato sauce and water. Stir to blend. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until beef is tender (about 30 to 40 minutes).

Add fried chorizo, fried banana, potato, garbanzos and simmer for 7 minutes.

Add cabbage and long green beans. Cook for 5 minutes.

Stir-in the bok choy. Cover the pot and turn off the heat letting residual heat cook the bok choy (about 5 minutes).

Transfer to a serving plate or bowl and serve with boiled white rice.

Beef Pochero (Beef Pot)

Pochero is a Spanish dish of stewed meat chunks using local ingredients, such as, saba bananas (or plantains), potatoes or sweet potatoes, long beans, chickpeas, cabbage, and tomato sauce. This is the beef version.

Beef Pochero (Beef Pot)

2 pounds stewing beef

3 pieces Spanish chorizo, sliced thinly

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons patis (fish-sauce)

2 tablespoon whole black pepper corns

1 small can tomato sauce

1 cup chick peas (garbanzos)

2 large ripe plantain banana

1 medium sized potato

1 small cabbage, quartered

1/4-pound long green beans

1 bunch bok choy

1 cup water

2 tablespoons cooking oil

Cut plantain into 1/2-inch rounds; cut potato into 1/2-inch cubes; remove root end from bok choy and cut remainder into four pieces.

Heat cooking oil in a large pot; fry the banana until color turns golden brown. Reserve.

Add the chorizo to the same pot and fry for about 3 to 5 minutes. Reserve.

Add garlic, onions and tomatoes to same pot and until soft.

Add beef tp onion and tomato mixture and cook for five minutes.

Add patis, pepper corns, tomato sauce and water. Stir to blend. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until beef is tender (about 30 to 40 minutes).

Add fried chorizo, fried banana, potato, garbanzos and simmer for 7 minutes.

Add cabbage and long green beans. Cook for 5 minutes.

Stir-in the bok choy. Cover the pot and turn off the heat letting residual heat cook the bok choy (about 5 minutes).

Transfer to a serving plate or bowl and serve with boiled white rice.

Pork Pochero (Pork Pot)

Pochero is a Spanish dish of meat chunks stewed with local ingredients, such as, saba bananas (or plantains), potatoes or sweet potatoes, long beans, chickpeas, cabbage, and tomato sauce. This is the pork version.

Pork Pochero (Pork Pot)

1 pound pork belly or pork tenderloin

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons patis (fish-sauce)

1 tablespoon whole pepper

1 small can tomato sauce

1 cup chick peas (garbanzos)

1 large ripe plantain banana

1 medium sized potato

1 small cabbage, quartered

1/4-pound long green beans

1 bunch bok choy

1 cup water

2 tablespoons cooking oil

Cut pork into 1-inch cubes; cut plaintain into 1/2-inch rounds; cut potato into 1/2-inch cubes; and remove root end from bok choy and cut remainder into four pieces.

Heat cooking oil in a large pot; sauté garlic, onions, and tomatoes.

Add pork and cook until the lightly browned.

Add patis, pepper corns, and tomato sauce and water. Stir to blend. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until pork is tender (about 30 to 40 minutes).

Add potato, plantain, and chick peas. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes.

Add cabbage and long green beans. Cook for 5 minutes.

Stir-in the bok choy. Cover the pot and turn off the heat letting residual heat cook the bok choy (about 5 minutes).

Transfer to a serving plate or bowl and serve with boiled white rice.