Add the eggs and then tilt the pan to help them cook. Lift the edges and turn the pan, to expose as much egg as possible to the hot pan. When the edges have set, scramble them into soft lumps.
Quickly add the rice and toss to mix it with the ham and eggs evenly and well. Cook, tossing often, until the rice is hot and tender, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the green onion and toss well. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve hot or warm.
FRIED RICE with shrimp and peas
Shrimp and peas give gorgeous color to this tasty version of fried rice. Take it to a potluck, or enjoy it as a one-dish supper. If you have leftover cooked shrimp, give them a quick toss in the hot pan before adding the rice, instead of allowing time for the shrimp to cook.
4 cups cooked long-grain rice, preferably chilled
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
¾ cup frozen tiny peas
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
SERVES 4 TO 6
Crumble up the rice so that it breaks up into individual grains for easy stir-frying.
Heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onion, garlic, and salt, and toss until shiny and fragrant.
Scatter in the shrimp, spreading them out into a single layer. Cook, undisturbed, until most of the shrimp have turned pink around the edges, about 1 minute. Add the peas and toss well.
Add the rice and toss well. Cook, tossing often, until the shrimp are cooked through and the rice is hot and tender, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Add the green onion and cilantro and toss to mix them in. Transfer to a serving plate, and serve hot or warm.
YANGCHOW FRIED RICE
This hearty version of fried rice is popular throughout China. Because it uses cooked meats, including shrimp, ham, and chicken, it comes together quickly and makes an appealing centerpiece dish. Bean sprouts are traditional, but if you can’t find crisp ones, you can substitute shredded carrots from the produce section, or napa cabbage or iceberg lettuce cut into long, thin strips.
4 cups cooked long-grain rice, preferably chilled
2 tablespoons chicken stock or water
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
8 cooked medium shrimp
½ cup chopped ham
½ cup chopped cooked chicken
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup frozen tiny peas
¾ cup bean sprouts
¼ cup chopped green onion
SERVES 4 TO 6
Crumble the rice, so that it breaks up into individual grains for easy stir-frying. In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, salt, and sugar, and stir to dissolve the salt and sugar.
Chop the cooked shrimp into small chunks, cutting each one crosswise into 4 pieces. Set aside with the ham and chicken.
Heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan.
Add the ham and chicken and toss well. Add the chopped shrimp and cook, tossing often, to heat everything through, about 1 minute.
Add the rice and toss well. Cook, tossing often, to heat and season the rice, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock mixture, pouring it in around the sides of the pan, and toss to mix it into the rice. Add the peas and toss well.
Cook, tossing often, until the rice is hot and tender and evenly seasoned, about 1 minute more. Add the bean sprouts and the green onion and toss well. Transfer to a serving platter, and serve hot or warm.
EIGHT-TREASURE FRIED RICE
In Chinese tradition, eight is a lucky number, and the “treasures” are the delicious ingredients enhancing this handsome and satisfying main-course dish. Cooking and chilling the rice a day in advance means you can easily crumble it into separate grains, the key to fluffy and flavorful fried rice. Doing your prep work (chopping ham, draining pineapple, making egg ribbons, etc.) in advance streamlines the cooking. Once the components are ready, all you need to do is toss the dish together shortly before serving time.
2 tablespoons dry sherry or Shaoxing rice wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
3½ ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms or small button mushrooms
4 cups cooked long-grain rice, chilled
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten well
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
½ pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ cup frozen edamame beans or frozen tiny peas
½ cup diced ham or kielbasa
½ cup well-drained canned crushed pineapple or diced fresh pineapple
½ cup dry-roasted, salted cashews
¼ cup thinly sliced green onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
SERVES 4 TO 6
In a small bowl, combine the sherry, soy sauce, salt, and sugar, and stir well to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove and discard the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and slice the caps into slender strips. (Slice whole button mushrooms thinly lengthwise.) Using your hands, gently crumble the rice into individual grains.
Heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the eggs and tilt the pan so that they spread out into a thin pancake, lifting the edges to spread it out. When set, turn and cook the other side briefly. Turn out onto a cutting board, roll into a cylinder, and slice it crosswise to make thin ribbons. Fluff and set aside.
Heat the pan again over high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and toss well. Add the shrimp and cook, tossing often, until they are firm, pink, and cooked though, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and edamame beans and toss until the mushrooms are shiny and softened, about 1 minute more.
Add the rice and toss to mix everything well. Add the sherry seasoning mixture, pouring it in around the edge of the pan. Then add the ham, pineapple, cashews, egg ribbons, and green onion. Cook, tossing often, until the rice is hot and tender and the shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes more.
Add the cilantro and sesame oil and toss well. Transfer to a serving platter and serve hot or warm.
noodles
EVERYDAY NOODLES WITH SESAME OIL
ROAST PORK LO MEIN
SOY SAUCE NOODLES WITH BEEF AND GREENS
SINGAPORE NOODLES
ALMOST-INSTANT NOODLES
CRISPY NOODLE PANCAKE
Though noodles are a mainstay of Chinese cuisine, they play a minor role in Chinese restaurants in the West. Noodle cafés abound throughout Asia, as do cooks preparing noodles in market stalls or in small boats. With a small charcoal stove and a rickety table or two, a good noodle cook can build a strong business on a corner across from the train station. Chinese noodle dishes tend to be simple and hearty, quickly made and quickly consumed, and a favorite option when dining alone.
You can make many Chinese noodle dishes at home with excellent results, and the many kinds of noodles now available in the West are a bonus to home cooks. Even supermarkets often carry dried rice noodles and bean thread noodles, as well as egg noodles and wheat noodles galore. Fresh noodles can be found in Asian markets, and all the dishes in this chapter can be made using pasta, from spaghetti and angel hair to linguine and fettucine, depending on the particular dish you want to make.
For anytime noodles to enjoy with your meal instead of rice, make Everyday Noodles with Sesame Oil (page 143) part of your repertoire. Lo Mein fans can get handy with Roast Pork Lo Mein (page 144), using it as a template for lo mein dishes, and tossing i
n cooked chicken, shrimp, or sausage, depending on what you like as well as what you have handy.
Soy Sauce Noodles with Beef and Greens (page 145) and Singapore Noodles (page 148) are two classic noodle stir-fries that you will find at many Chinese restaurants in the West. Both are standard in dim sum parlors, where people often order a platter of noodles to fill out a meal of tidbits and dumplings offered on carts. Both are delicious and doable, at their best if you prepare your ingredients ahead of time and cook them just before serving. (Though I have taken Singapore Noodles to potluck parties with excellent results.)
Completing this chapter are Almost-Instant Noodles (page 151), an extremely quick and simple stirred-up sauce for just-cooked noodles that can be a quick lunch, or the foundation for a toss up of cooked peas and ham. Last comes Crispy Noodle Pancake (page 152), a companion dish to any saucy stir-fried dish when you want a presentation piece. Try it with Moo Goo Gai Pan (page 50) or Mongolian Beef (page 73), and use a big spoon to cut chunks of noodles apart from the pancake as you serve yourself a portion.
The simplest Asian noodle dish of all is soup noodles, and for that you need no recipe. Ideally, get a big bowl (bigger than cereal size, smaller than serving size, and available in Asian markets), and put into it a good-sized clump of just-cooked pasta, such as egg noodles from an Asian market, or fresh linguine. Pour on a cup or so of wonderful chicken stock, homemade or canned but simmered with some ginger, garlic, and onion and seasoned with a dollop of sesame oil. Finish with a handful of baby spinach leaves or water-cress, a sprinkling of green onion and cilantro, and a few pieces of roast chicken, ham, or cooked shrimp. You can vary the noodles, the meat, the broth; in fact, everything is mix and match, and the resulting equation is almost always one-bowl, short-notice, praiseworthy comfort food.
EVERYDAY NOODLES with sesame oil
You can serve these noodles instead of rice with any stir-fried dish. They provide a whisper of toasted sesame flavor and can be made ahead of time and served at room temperature along with grilled salmon, shrimp, kebabs, or vegetables. For a heartier noodle dish, add thin strips of ham, shreds of roast chicken, or a bowlful of cooked shrimp and toss to mix them in well. If you need to keep it for more than an hour before serving, cover and refrigerate. Then allow the noodles to return to room temperature before serving, or warm them gently in the microwave or the oven.
8 ounces thin spaghetti, angel hair pasta, or Chinese-style egg noodles
½ cup thinly sliced green onion
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
½ teaspoon salt
SERVES 4
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat and add a generous pinch of salt. Add the noodles and stir to separate them as they begin to soften. Cook the noodles until just tender but still firm, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then. Quickly drain, rinse with cool water, and then drain again, shaking off excess water.
Transfer to a medium bowl and add the green onion, sesame oil, and salt. Toss to mix everything evenly and well. Serve warm or at room temperature.
ROAST PORK LO MEIN
Lo mein dishes are simple stir-fried concoctions of soft egg noodles, salty flavors, and tidbits of cooked meat such as Chinese-style roast pork or Char Shiu Pork (page 98). Use this as your basic lo mein guideline, adjusting it to your liking. You could use any kind of cooked meat or seafood, such as cooked shrimp, diced ham, or shreds of roast chicken. I love it with Cool and Tangy Cucumber (page 126) for a cool contrast to the luscious and hearty noodle dish.
9 ounces Chinese-style fresh egg noodles, linguine, or fettucine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry or Shaoxing rice wine
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
½ cup shredded carrots
1¼ cups diced Char Shiu Pork (page 98, or purchased), roast pork, or ham
2 cups bean sprouts or shredded napa cabbage
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
SERVES 2 TO 4
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat and add a generous pinch of salt. Add the noodles and stir to separate them.
Cook the noodles until just tender but still firm, 2 to 4 minutes, stirring now and then. (If you are using fresh pasta, cook until tender but still firm.) Quickly drain, rinse with cool water, and then drain again. You should have about 3¼ cups cooked noodles.
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sherry, sugar, and salt, and stir well to dissolve the sugar and salt. Set aside.
Heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the garlic, ginger, and carrot, and toss well. Add the pork and cook, tossing often, until the carrots have wilted and the pork is heated through, about 1 minute.
Add the bean sprouts and the noodles and toss well to mix all the ingredients together.
Add the soy sauce mixture, pouring it in around the sides of the pan. Cook, tossing often, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the green onion and toss well. Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot or warm.
SOY SAUCE NOODLES with beef and greens
Traditionally made with fresh, soft rice noodles, this dish provides a feast for your eyes with its rich, deep brown color accented by splashes of shiny and tender greens. Its natural sweetness calls for a contrasting note, so it’s often served with a simple chili-vinegar sauce in noodle shops throughout Asia.
½ pound wide dried rice noodles, preferably the width of fettucine or linguine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce or molasses
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
½ pound thinly sliced beef
5 cups loosely packed fresh spinach leaves, or 3 cups broccoli florets
¼ to ½ cup chicken stock or water
2 eggs, lightly beaten Chili-Vinegar Sauce (optional; page 171)
SERVES 2 TO 4
Soften the dried rice noodles by dropping them into a large saucepan of boiling water. Remove from the heat at once and let stand 5 minutes, until softened and flexible but not yet tender enough to eat. Stir occasionally to separate the noodles. Drain, rinse, and drain again. Transfer to a medium bowl and place by the stove.
In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and salt, mixing well to dissolve the salt. Place it by the stove, spoon and all, along with a serving platter, a pair of long-handled tongs or a spatula, and a slotted spoon for tossing the noodles. Have all the remaining ingredients ready and handy.
Heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Swirl to coat the surface, add the garlic, and toss for 30 seconds. Scatter in the beef and toss well as it begins to change color.
Add the spinach and cook, tossing often, until it is shiny, bright green, and tender and the beef is cooked, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the beef and spinach to the serving platter.
Reduce the heat to medium, scatter in the noodles, and toss well. Cook 2 minutes or so, tossing and pulling the noodles apart so that they cook evenly, and adding splashes of chicken stock as needed to keep them moist and prevent sticking. When the noodles have softened, curled up, and turned white, push them to the side of the pan.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the center of the pan. Pour in the eggs and swirl to spread them out into a thin sheet. When they are almost set, begin to scramble them, and then scoop and turn the noodles to mix them in.
Return the beef and spinach to the pan. Add the soy sauce mixture, pouring it in around the sides of the pan, and using the spoon to get every sticky drop. Toss everything well for about 1 minute more, until the noodles are a handsome brown. Transfer to the serving platter and serve hot or warm, with Chili-Vinegar Sauc
e on the side, if desired.
SINGAPORE NOODLES
Singapore noodles provide an intermezzo to the tiny dumplings and tasty buns offered from carts in dim sum restaurants and are often available at other Chinese restaurants for the asking, even if they’re not listed on the menu. This recipe makes a beautiful pile of tasty noodles, curry-golden and boasting plump pink shrimp and svelte green pepper strips to complete the colorful picture. You need only a few ingredients and a quick turn in a hot pan to cook it. If you like spicy heat, use a hot curry powder. You could also add a spoonful of chili-garlic sauce to the chicken-broth mixture, or provide hot sauce at the table when you serve the noodles.
One 6-ounce package dried thin rice noodles (see Note, page 150)
⅔ cup chicken stock or water
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces fresh shiitake or small button mushrooms
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
½ pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup chopped onion
1¼ cups thinly sliced green bell pepper
SERVES 2 TO 4
NOTE You may find the 6-ounce packages of dried rice noodles in the Asian section of your supermarket, as I do, along with bean thread noodles and other Asian noodle varieties. Alternatively, check Asian markets or mail-order sources (see page 182) and stock up, since these keep for a long time, just like spaghetti on your pantry shelf.
Soften the dried rice noodles by dropping them into a large saucepan of boiling water. Remove from the heat at once and let stand 5 minutes, until softened and flexible but not yet tender enough to eat. Stir occasionally to separate the noodles. Drain, rinse, and drain again. Transfer to a medium bowl and place by the stove.
In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, curry powder, soy sauce, and salt, and stir well to dissolve the curry powder and salt.
For shiitake mushrooms, trim away and discard their stems, and slice the caps into slender strips. (If using button mushrooms, slice them thinly lengthwise.) Set a medium bowl by the stove to hold the shrimp and vegetables during the cooking.
Quick & Easy Chinese Page 10
