SHRIMP with zucchini and sweet red peppers
This stir-fry tastes like summer and brings vivid color to the table even on a cool fall day. It’s lovely with rice and a fruit salad, or pair it with couscous or with Everyday Noodles with Sesame Oil (page 143).
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons dry sherry or Shaoxing rice wine
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
½ cup chopped red bell pepper (½-inch chunks)
¾ pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
¾ cup chopped zucchini (½-inch chunks)
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
SERVES 4
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sherry, salt, and sugar, stirring well to dissolve the salt and sugar.
Heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the ginger and garlic and toss well. Scatter in the bell peppers and toss until shiny, fragrant, and beginning to wilt.
Add the shrimp and spread them out into a single layer. Cook undisturbed until the edges change color, about 30 seconds. Toss well and then add the zucchini. Cook, tossing often, until most of the shrimp are pink, about 1 minute.
Add the soy sauce mixture, pouring it in around the sides of the pan. Toss well and cook until the zucchini and peppers are tender and the shrimp are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the green onion and toss again. Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot or warm.
PAN-FRIED SNAPPER with aromatic soy sauce
Stir a little soy sauce and sesame oil with chopped garlic, ginger, and green onion and you’ve created a fragrant chorus of flavors that make a fantastic seasoning for pan-fried fish. Snapper, tilapia, flounder, or catfish fillets work well here; you could also pour the sauce over baked or grilled fish with delicious results.
1 pound red snapper, tilapia, or flounder fillets
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1½ teaspoons red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
About 1/3 cup vegetable oil
SERVES 4
Cut the fish crosswise into 2-inch pieces and set aside on a plate. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt and stir with a fork or a whisk to combine them well. Set out a serving plate with a small bowl and spoon on it, in which to present the sauce.
Dip the fish fillets into the seasoned flour and coat them well. Shake off any excess flour, return the fish to the plate, and place it by the stove.
In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar and mix everything well. Stir in the green onion, ginger, and garlic. Transfer the sauce to the serving bowl on the serving platter and set aside.
Just before serving time, cook the fish. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until a pinch of flour dropped in to the oil blooms at once. Carefully add about half the fish and let it cook on one side undisturbed until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the fish to cook on the other side for about 2 minutes more.
When the fish fillets are done, transfer them to the serving plate. Repeat with the remaining fish pieces. Spoon some sauce over each piece and serve at once.
HALIBUT STEAMED with fresh ginger
Cantonese cuisine focuses on fresh ingredients with a particular appreciation for seafood, and delicacy is a hallmark of many classic Chinese dishes. Banquets and family feasts often include a whole flounder, steamed and seasoned with fresh ginger, green onions, and an aromatic dollop of Asian sesame oil. I love this weeknight version, using halibut, snapper, cod, or any other meaty fillets. Use a standard Asian steamer if you have one, or improvise a steaming setup (see Note, page 110). My instructions here are lengthy because the process for steaming fish is unfamiliar to many cooks, but all the steps are simple and the resulting dish is delicious.
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry or Shaoxing rice wine
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
¾ pound halibut fillets, or another meaty fish such as cod or snapper
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shredded fresh ginger
3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
SERVES 4
NOTE Steaming is simple once you know how, but to have great results, set up your steaming equipment completely, with water and cooking plate in place, before you turn on the heat and put the fish in place for cooking. This way you won’t need to experiment or make adjustments while the steam is flowing. Long, V-shaped spring-loaded metal tongs are very useful in steaming, particularly for moving fish or a plate away from the steam. Oven mitts are another way to protect your hands. If you don’t have steaming equipment, you can improvise in numerous ways. Here are several ideas.
Create a wide, thin ring by removing both lids (and contents) from a small container, for example, such as a tuna can. Place it in the bottom of a large pot, such as a Dutch oven, which is wide enough to hold a medium plate easily. Add 3 inches of water to a large pot that is wide enough to hold a medium plate, such as a Dutch oven. Place the metal ring in the center of the pan and balance the cooking plate for the sh on the ring.
To use a wok, place it on the stove and add 3 inches of water. Place 2 sturdy chopsticks in the wok at right angles, forming an X over the water. Place the cooking plate on top of the chopsticks and make sure it is firmly balanced there before adding the fish. If you don’t have a lid for the wok, simply let it cook uncovered.
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sherry, and sesame oil, and stir well. Place it by the stove for preparing the sauce right after cooking. Put the vegetable oil in a small saucepan or small skillet and place it by the stove as well. Set a serving plate for the fish by the stove, along with a long-handled spatula or V-shaped metal tongs with which to transfer the fish from its cooking plate to its serving plate, where you will add the seasonings.
To use a standard steamer, fill the base of a steamer set or a wok with about 4 inches of water. Place the steamer basket over the water. Set out a plate that will fit inside the steamer basket, on which to place the fish.
Arrange the fish skin side down on the plate. (If you have more than one piece, leave a little space between them.) Sprinkle the salt lightly over the fish. Scatter the ginger over the fish. Put the plate in position inside the basket or on the rack, and bring the steaming water to a rolling boil over high heat.
When the steam is flowing well, adjust the heat to maintain an even steam flow, and cover the steamer basket with its lid. Cook the fish for 10 minutes, or until it is done to your liking at the thickest part of the fish. Turn off the heat and leave the fish in the steamer while you heat the oil.
Place the small pan or skillet of oil over medium-high heat. Let it heat up until it is hot but not smoking, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and keep it handy.
Carefully transfer the fish to a serving plate, leaving any liquid behind. Quickly pour the soy sauce mixture over the ginger-covered fish, and scatter the green onion on top of the ginger. Slowly pour the hot oil over the top of the fish, expecting a big sizzle and gingery aroma. Serve hot.
SALMON with ginger and onions
This recipe turns a skilletful of thickly sliced onions into a steamer of sorts for salmon fillets. When the fish is done, you simply season the onions and serve them along with the ginger-infused salmon. I like it with Asparagus with Ginger and Sesame Oil (page 123) and warm, crusty bread.
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry or Shaoxing rice wine
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 cups thickly sliced onions
¾ pound thick salmon fillets
¼ cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
SERVES 4
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sherry, salt, and sugar, and stir well to dissolve the salt and sugar.
Heat a medium skillet with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the ginger and toss well. Add the onions and cook, tossing often, until they are shiny, fragrant, and beginning to wilt, about 1 minute.
Lower the heat to medium, and place the salmon on top of the onions. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the salmon fillets and then cover the skillet. Cook undisturbed for about 10 minutes, until the salmon is done.
Transfer the salmon fillets to a serving plate and set aside. Increase the heat to high and toss the onions well. Add the green onion, toss once, then transfer to the serving plate and arrange the salmon fillets on top of the onions. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve hot.
SHRIMP EGG FOO YONG
This is my variation on egg foo yong, which is more of a scramble than a pancake-style dish. The Chinese-American restaurant version is small plump omelets cooked to a handsome, crispy brown and served with Brown Sauce (see page 176). Foo yong (beautiful flower) is a reference to the delicate texture and color of eggs scrambled in this way. Enjoy this with rice and other dishes, Chinese-style, or make it part of a luscious brunch or a special occasion breakfast with hash browns and toast.
4 eggs
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil
¼ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shredded carrots
½ cup shredded napa cabbage or bean sprouts
1/3 cup chopped green onion
SERVES 4
In a medium bowl, combine the eggs with the soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir with a fork to mix everything together well.
Chop the shrimp coarsely, cutting each one into 4 to 6 pieces. (I quarter the plump top portion, and cut the tail crosswise into 2 or 3 pieces.) Set a medium bowl by the stove to hold the shrimp after they are cooked, along with a serving plate for the finished dish.
Heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the salt and stir to mix it into the oil.
Add the carrots and toss to heat them in the oil. Let them cook for about 15 seconds, and then scatter in the shrimp. Toss well, and then cook undisturbed for 30 seconds.
Toss again, and then add the shredded cabbage. Cook, tossing often, until the shrimp are pink and firm and the cabbage has softened a little and brightened in color, about 1 minute. Transfer to the bowl and set aside.
Let the pan heat up again, and then add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil, swirling to coat the pan evenly. Add the eggs and let them cook undisturbed until they begin to set around the edges, about 15 seconds. Begin to scramble them gently, lifting up the cooked edges and pushing them in as you tilt the pan to let uncooked egg reach the hot surface.
When the eggs are partially cooked, add the shrimp mixture with its juices, and begin to scoop and turn gently to combine the shrimp with the eggs and help the eggs cook evenly. Cook, scrambling gently, until the eggs are almost done but still very moist, about 30 seconds.
Add the green onion, scoop and turn a few more times until the eggs are just done, and transfer to a serving plate. Serve hot or warm.
CLAMS with black bean sauce
Small, delicate clams such as the Manila variety are ideal for this dish. Rice goes wonderfully with any black bean–sauce dish, since you want to savor every bit of the sauce, but noodles would be a great pairing here as well. Plan to serve these hot as soon as they come out of the pan, and provide a bowl for the shells. Serve a bright-flavored cool accompaniment such as sliced tomatoes and cucumbers from your summer garden, or a simple green salad.
2½ pounds small clams in the shell (about 2½ dozen)
5 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fermented black beans
2 tablespoons dry sherry or Shaoxing rice wine
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
2 tablespooons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
SERVES 4
Using a stiff brush, scrub the clams well under running water. Discard any that stay open when tapped.
In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of the water with the black beans, sherry, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar, and stir well. In another small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons water with the cornstarch and sesame oil, and stir to mix well.
Heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the garlic and ginger, toss well, and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the clams and stir well.
Add the black bean mixture and toss well. Raise the heat to high and cook, tossing occasionally, until most of the clams have opened, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the cornstarch mixture around the sides of the pan, and toss well. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Toss once more and remove from the heat.
Add the cilantro and green onion and toss again. Discard any unopened clams. Scrape clams and sauce onto a large serving platter and serve hot or warm, providing a bowl for the shells.
vegetables & salads
EVERYDAY GREEN BEANS
BOK CHOY STIR-FRIED WITH GARLIC
NAPA CABBAGE STIR-FRIED WITH GINGER AND GREEN ONION
ASPARAGUS WITH GINGER AND SESAME OIL
CORN WITH TOMATOES AND EDAMAME BEANS
COOL AND TANGY CUCUMBER
BROCCOLI WITH GARLIC AND GINGER
Use this chapter to finally get around to eating vegetables, a lot of them, often, on an ongoing basis, just because they taste so good. Asian cooks love vegetables on their own terms, as interesting, unique, and potentially delicious ingredients worthy of a meaningful place at the table. They prepare vegetables with a minimum of fuss and effort, knowing when to act and when to leave things alone, when to combine several vegetables and when to focus on one ingredient.
Notice the dishes in this chapter, and how simple each one is. With the exception of Corn with Tomatoes and Edamame Beans (page 125), each is a starring role for one vegetable, and each has very few ingredients and a short cooking time.
You’ll need lots of garlic, ginger, and green onions (each a little at a time, of course) and a steady supply (in small amounts) of salt and Asian sesame oil. You’ll need a little time with knife and cutting board, to trim and chop most vegetables for these dishes. This chopping can be done in advance, leaving you ready to toss the ingredients together in a hot pan just before serving time.
You could also cook most of these dishes in advance, and then serve them warm or at room temperature. In fact many are even tasty cold, converting themselves into salad-type dishes for a picnic. They exist in Chinese cuisine to accompany rice, soup, and another dish or two or three depending on how many gather for a meal, as a salty, delicately crunchy, colorful, and fresh component of the menu. In addition, most of them can be tossed with hot noodles and perhaps a little olive oil, sesame oil, or butter if needed to create a flavorful noodle dish to accompany grilled fish, sautéed shrimp, a cool bowl of gazpacho, or creamy cucumber soup on a summery day.
Once you’ve don
e your knife work, you’re minutes away from simple and wonderful stir-fried dishes like Everyday Green Beans (page 119) and Asparagus with Ginger and Sesame Oil (page 123). Corn with Tomatoes and Edamame Beans (page 125) looks and tastes wonderful, and works beautifully whether you use fresh, frozen, or canned corn. Stir together Cool and Tangy Cucumbers (page 126) whenever you want a fast, fresh note on your menu.
Once you know how to cook Broccoli with Garlic and Ginger (page 127), Napa Cabbage Stir-Fried with Ginger and Green Onion (page 122), or Bok Choy Stir-Fried with Garlic (page 120), you will be thinking about how simple and tasty it would be to apply your vegetable stir-fry skills to an abundance of other vegetables. Stroll through the farmers’ market, or saunter by the salad bar, and see what comes to mind: bell peppers, watercress, spinach, broccoli rabe, fresh fava beans, sugar snap peas, savoy cabbage, or cauliflower can come out deliciously cooked in much the same way, quickly and easily.
EVERYDAY GREEN BEANS
Chinese cooks appreciate green beans for their straitlaced, sensible quality, cooking them with simplicity and speed. The result is a lovely pile of summery-green rods, firm to the bite and full of salty-sweet flavor. Make them often, and keep a batch cold in the fridge so that you can toss them into salads, fried rice, and pasta dishes right before they are done. They also make a dandy little snack and picnic component, along with tomato sandwiches (white bread, mayo, tomatoes, salt and pepper) and deviled eggs. On busy days, look for trimmed green beans in the produce section, bagged and ready to go.
1 pound fresh green beans
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water or chicken stock
SERVES 4
NOTE If you have a lid that fits on your skillet or down inside your wok but still above the beans, put it on after adding the water to boost the heat. Check often: you may need to add a little more water if they aren’t done on this schedule, and keep tossing till they are ready. Or turn them out, sauce and all, if they are done earlier. For tiny French-style haricots verts, shorten the cooking time.
Quick & Easy Chinese Page 8
