HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Classic ‘hot & sour’ soup. Though you can certainly add chicken, pork or whatever you like, we’ve made this with only shiitakes & tofu…but you won’t miss the meat, trust me.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 8 ounces firm tofu, cubed into a medium dice
• 4 Shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 1-2 tablespoons chili paste
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS

1. In medium saucepan bring chicken broth to a boil
2. Add mushrooms, tofu & chili paste - let boil a couple minutes
3. Stir in soy, vinegar and pepper - mix well
4. In small bowl mix corn starch & water until smooth, and stir into the broth
5. Simmer 5 minutes until broth thickens, then turn off heat
6. While stirring broth in a circular direction (take your pic) pour in the egg from several inches above the pot in a very slow stream to create ribbons
7. Serve - Gung Hay Fat Choy!

 WATCH ME MAKE THIS

---

Leftover Celery & Chicken Stir Fry

Serves 2

A stir fry is one of the greatest ways to use up leftovers - so use this merely as a guide, and throw in anything you have.

Ingredients

• 6 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 3 raw chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1-2 cups shredded cabbage (any kind really)
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 inch fresh ginger, finely minced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• Fresh rice for serving

Directions

1. Heat wok till almost smoking then add oil and chicken - cook about 3 minutes or until just cooked through - set chicken aside
2. Heat wok again (don't clean it) add oil and the celery and cook for 1 minute, then add cabbage, onion & stir fry about 3 minutes or until softened
3. Push veggies to the side, add the ginger and garlic to the middle with a splash of oil and wait till it gets super fragrant - about a minute
4. Then add chicken back in with the vegetables, the sesame oil and soy sauce
5. Stir well to combine everything and serve on the rice

Black Bean Salmon

Serves 4 - 6

Only three ingredients, but it tastes like fifty. The black bean & garlic sauce is available in the Asian aisle at any supermarket. Look for the Lee Kum Kee brand.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup apricot preserves (which is pretty much the same as jam)

• 1/2 cup black bean & garlic sauce

• 1 whole salmon filet, 1.5 - 2 pounds

• 1/4 green onions, finely chopped

• Toasted sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat broiler to high

2. Mix apricot and black bean in a small bowl - stir well

3. Spread evenly over top of the salmon

4. Put in oven 4-6 below broiler coils - and cook approximately 7 minutes for every inch of thickness

5. Remove to a platter or serving plates and sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds

Five Minute Stir Fry Noodles

Serves 4

Keep the main ingredient a secret until your friends or family try these. On second thought, go ahead and tell them – it'll be funnier.

Ingredients

• 2 packages instant ramen type noodles - you know, the kind you cook with boiling water or in the microwave
• 3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• thinly sliced green onions

Directions

1. Cook noodles according to package directions, drain
2. Heat oil in large pan or wok over high heat
3. Add noodles and stir fry 30 seconds
4. Add teriyaki and mix well - remove to plate and sprinkle with green onions

Sesame Noodles

This is so good either alone or as an accompaniment. In fact, it's a perfect match for the Asian Scallops - see recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or white-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter - creamy is best
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 pound lo mein or linguine
• 1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed & strings discarded
• Chopped peanuts for garnish

Directions

1. Combine soy, vinegar, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, peanut butter, sesame oil, ginger, and chicken broth in a small saucepan
2. Simmer and stir until it is thick and smooth and let cool.
3. Cook snow peas in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about a 2 minutes.
4. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool; drain well.
5. Cook noodles in boiling salted water - do not overcook.
6. Drain and then rinse noodles under cold water.
7. Drain again well and transfer to a bowl.
8. Add the snow peas to the noodles and toss both in the sauce.
9. Serve at room temperature with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts.

Shrimp Foo Yung

Makes 4

Who doesn't like a good Egg Foo Yung? And this one with shrimp is...stupid good.

Ingredients

• 1 jar chicken gravy
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup green onions, finely chopped (plus a little extra to add as a garnish at the end)
• 3/4 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 1 cup cooked baby shrimp
• Vegetable oil

Directions

1. Pour the gravy into a pot, stir in the soy sauce and heat over low heat until bubbly and hot
2. Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat
3. Beat the eggs really well in a bowl
4. Add the green onions, bean sprouts and baby shrimp to the beaten eggs and stir well
5. Add a bit of oil onto the pan and pour the egg mixture onto the hot pan making 4 pancake sized rounds
6. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes and flip to cook the other side
7. Once both sides are cooked put a pancake onto a plate and spoon some gravy over it
8. Garnish with a little chopped green onion and enjoy

Chinese BBQ Ribs

Serves 4

So good...and a little different you'll love them. If you're a beer person (and who isn't with ribs?) pick up a some Chinese beer, Tsing Tao to go along with these.

Ingredients

• 2 racks pork back ribs, about 4 pounds
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup Hoisin Sauce
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons 5 spice powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Place ribs and vinegar in a large baking or casserole dish - cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 75-90 minutes or until very tender
3. Mix soy, honey, hoisin, garlic and 5 spice powder - set asideRemove from oven and carefully lift off foil - watch out for steam
4. Heat bbq to medium and place ribs meat side down without sauce - but you can baste the back with the sauce
5. Cook until they start to develop grill marks, and turn over - now baste the top
6. You could stop here after they grill a bit on this side, or you could baste them a bit more and then give them a couple more minutes meat side down
7. Give them one extra basting after they've been removed, and just before you serve them

Honey Walnut Shrimp

1 cup water

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup walnut halves, and pretty ones at that

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon canned sweetened condensed milk

1 pound peeled & deveined shrimp

Kosher salt & coarsely ground black pepper

2 large eggs, beaten

1 cup cornstarch

Neutral oil for frying

Diced green onions for garnish

• Bring water & sugar to a boil in a small pot, add walnuts and boil 2 minutes, then drain and put on parchment

• Combine mayo, honey & condensed milk - set aside

• Heat about an inch of oil in a medium pot to 350 degrees

• Dry shrimp dry well with paper towels, season with salt and pepper.

• Put eggs in one large bowl, and cornstarch in another

• In batches of 6-8, dip shrimp first into the eggs, then into the cornstarch, being sure to coat well

• Shake off excess, put into the oil and cook until just golden, 3 to 4 minutes and remove to a paper towel covered plate to drain

• When done, toss with mayo mixture and plate, topped with green onion