Colossal Cookbook/ColossalCookbook.cdr/sw/chef/recipes.20

Text File | 1984-01-06 | 23.8 KB | 666 lines

Typical Sichuan spicing in a simple vegetable and meat combination.

     CAULIFLOWER WITH BEEF "SICHUAN STYLE"

1/2 lb round steak, in 1/2" cubes
5 Nami black mushrooms
2 medium carrots
2 c cauliflower
3 green onions, minced
1/2 t fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t Szechuan peppercorns, crushed
3 T peanut oil for stir-frying
  MARINADE:
1/4 c thin soy sauce
1/4 c dry sherry
  SAUCE:
1 c chicken stock
1 t "Lan Chi" black bean paste with chili
2 splashes Chinkiang black vinegar
3 drops sesame oil
cornstarch paste
  Plus these amounts of liquids
  generated during preparation:
1/2 c reserved carrot stock
1/4 c marinade
1/4 c mushroom soaking liquid

Preparation:  Combine soy and sherry for marinade; marinate steak pieces for
1 hour; massage meat in marinade to aid tenderizing; drain, reserving
marinade.  Wash and soak mushrooms for 1 hour; drain, reserving soaking
liquid, thinly slice.  Wash, peel and roll-cut carrots.  (Roll-cut means
slicing on a slight bias in 1" lengths but turning the carrot a quarter turn
(90 degrees) between slices.

Wash cauliflower, trim off thick part of stems, and either break or cut
florets into pieces about the size of the carrot pieces.

Parboil carrots in boiling stock for about 3 minutes or until just beginning
to soften.  Reserve carrots and stock.

Stir-frying:  Heat peanut oil in hot wok.  When oil just begins to smoke,
add drained steak cubes; stir-fry briskly for 1 minute until meat begins to
lose pinkness.  Don't overcook meat or it will be tough.  Remove to holding
plate.

Swirl remaining oil into wok.  Add ginger, garlic and peppercorns; stir-fry
15 seconds.  Add cauliflower and mushrooms; stir-fry 1 minute.  Add
specified amounts of liquids generated during preparation:  reserved carrot
stock, marinade, and mushroom soaking liquid; bring to boil.  Cover wok;
reduce heat to medium, and simmer 3 minutes.

Remove lid; turn heat to high.  When sauce boils again, add carrots and
beef.  Mix together.  Splash vinegar down sides of wok.  Push ingredients
out of sauce, thicken with thin cornstarch paste.  Sauce should be a light
gravy.  Add seasame oil.  Toss in green onion.  Serve.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: main dish, spicy, stir-fry
----
Vegetables in cream sauce are typically Shanghai-style.

     STEWED CAULIFLOWER IN CREAM SAUCE

2 c cauliflower florets
1/2 c unpeeled canned straw mushrooms
3 green onions
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 t Tientsin cabbage
shrimp or crab meat (opt)
1 t salt
1 t sugar
2 T peanut oil
1/2 t peanut oil
cornstarch paste
  SAUCE:
2/3 c stock
1 t dry sherry
1/4 c milk

Preparation:  Wash cauliflower, and cut florets about twice the size of
straw mushrooms.  Dice green onions into 1/4" pieces.  Mix stock & sherry.

Cooking:  Heat first oil to medium hot.  Add garlic & stir for about 30
seconds.  Remove garlic before it begins to brown.  Turn heat high; add
cauliflower.  Stir-fry for about 1 minute.  Add onion, salt & sugar; stir-
fry 30 seconds.  Stir in Tientsin cabbage.  If desired, add shrimp or crab
meat.

Immediately add stock & sherry; bring sauce to boil, mixing with
cauliflower.  Cover & simmer 4 minutes.  Remove lid; thicken with
cornstarch.  Sauce should be very heavy, so that when milk is added, it will
thin slightly, but still have body.  Bring sauce back to boil; slowly add
milk while stirring.  Add remaining peanut oil for a final glaze.  Serve.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: vegetarian, stir-fry, poach
----
A perennial favorite.

     BARBECUED SPARERIBS

2 lbs spareribs
2 T dark soy sauce
2 T thin soy sauce
3 T orange honey
3 T "Koon Chun" Hoisin sauce (or
    Chee Hou or Chap Sam sauce)
1 clove garlic
1/2 t hot chili oil (omit with Chap Sam sauce)
1 green onion
1 T dry Marsala

Preparation:  Chop ribs into 2" sections.  Mix remaining ingredients and
marinate ribs in mixture for 4-6 hours, turning several times.  If you
marinate overnight, keep refrigerated, and allow to warm up before baking.

Baking:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Drain ribs, saving marinade.  Place
ribs on rack in roasting pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, basting
every 15 minutes.  Turn up heat to 375 and finish undisturbed for 15 minutes
- until slightly rusty.  Serve hot.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: main dish, roast
----
A delicious vegetable dish.

     SHRIMP SAUCE MIXED VEGETABLES & SHREDDED CHICKEN

2 c mung bean sprouts
8 Nami dried black mushrooms
1 large green bell pepper
1/2 stewed chicken breast
8 green onions
1 t fresh ginger root
2 T peanut oil
3/4 c rich chicken stock
1 T medium sherry
1/2 t sugar
1/2 t shrimp sauce
1 t thick cornstarch paste

Preparation:  Wash and soak mushrooms in warm water for 45 minutes; remove
stems; slice caps in thin strips.  Wash bell pepper; slice in half
lengthwise; slice in long, thin strips.  Remove chicken meat from bone; pick
meat apart into shreds.  Wash green onions; cut off roots and discard; shred
green tops and whites.  Peel and slice fresh ginger root into thin
matchsticks.  Rinse bean sprouts to remove any loose pieces.

Place bean sprouts and sliced pepper in colander in a larger bowl.  Pour
boiling water over vegetables to cover.  Steep for 2 minutes.  Remove
colander from hot water; flush vegetables with cold water.

Stir-frying:  Heat oil in wok until it just begins to smoke.  Stir-fry
mushrooms for 30 seconds.  Add chicken and ginger sticks; stir-fry another
30 seconds.  Push ingredients up side of wok.  Add stock, sherry and sugar;
bring to boil; then add shrimp sauce and cornstarch paste; stir liquids
until fairly thick.  Return vegetables, plus bean sprouts and peppers.
Stir-fry for another minute until everything is hot.  Add green onions.
Serve.  Gravy will tend to thin as sprouts give off liquid, so be sure it is
thick to start.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: menu 18, main dish, stir-fry
----
The flavoring of the pork with our version of Fujinese "wine lees paste"
gives it a distinctive and uniquely delicious flavor.

     BRAISED & DEEP FRIED PORK SLICES IN WINE SAUCE

1 t red rice vinegar
2 T medium sherry
3/4 c stock
cornstarch paste
1 1/2 lbs boned pork butt
3 T peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 egg yolks
1 t water
1 c fine plain bread crumbs
4 c oil for deep-frying
  PASTE:
2 T cooked rice
1/2 t sugar
1 t dry baker's yeast
2 T dark soy sauce
2 T warm water
1 t wet bean cheese (opt)

Prepare Paste:  Use mortar and pestle to pulverize cooked rice.  Combine
with sugar, yeast, soy and warm water.  Let stand in warm place for 30
minutes to activate yeast.  Authentic wine lees paste is not available in
the U.S. to our knowledge, this is the best substitute we have found.  You
can add wet bean cheese for a sharper flavor.

Braise Pork:  Slice pork butt across the grain into strips, 1" by 3" by 1/2"
thick.  Heat peanut oil in wok until it begins to smoke.  Add some of pork
to hot oil; stir-fry pieces until they lose their pinkness; repeat in
batches until all pork is browned.  Next, add garlic to wok; stir briefly.
Pour in wine lees paste, rice vinegar, sherry and stock; bring to slow boil;
add pork slices.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove pork, without sauce, to large platter.  Cool pork.  Cooling is
essential so that it will deep-fry properly.  Reserve sauce in small pan.
You can hold pork for several hours, if you wish to braise it in advance.

Deep-fry Pork:  Heat deep-frying oil in wok.  While oil is heating, beat egg
yolks with water; set out bread crumbs on platter.  Dip pork pieces in egg
mixture, then bread crumbs, to thoroughly cover.

When oil is at deep-frying temperature, 375 degrees, slip in a slice of pork
as a test:  pork should lightly brown in about 1 minute.  Place 6 pork
slices on Chinese strainer, and lower into oil, strainer and all.  Check in
2 minutes (browning should take slightly longer than test because strainer
cools the oil).  If you prefer to fry in larger batches, use more oil.
Remove fried pork to warm platter, uncovered.

Finish:  Reheat sauce, and pour over pork just before serving.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: menu 18, make ahead, main dish, deep-fry, braise
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This recipe was inspired by a memorable soup first tasted in Taipei.  It has
its origins in Fujian, only 125 miles from the Straits of Taiwan.

     ASPARAGUS AND SESAME CHICKEN SOUP

2 lb chicken
3 T sesame oil
6 slices ginger root
1/2 c medium sherry
1/2 t salt
2 c warm water
1 t sugar
1/2 c button mushrooms, canned
8 fresh asparagus spears

Preparation:  Rinse chicken, remove fat pockets, pat dry, and chop into
bite-size pieces.  NOTE:  if tempted to use breast meat without bones,
please don`t; bones add to body and flavor of soup.  Peel and slice ginger
root.  Wash and cut asparagus into 2" sections.

Braising:  Heat wok to medium hot.  Add sesame oil.  Start braising chicken
a few pieces at a time when oil begins to smell.  Sesame oil will burn at
lower temperature than other cooking oils, so avoid hot wok.  After browning
lightly, return chicken pieces to wok; add ginger slices, sherry and salt.
When sherry boils, add water and sugar.  Turn up heat, bring to boil, then
reduce heat to simmer, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add mushrooms and
asparagus, simmer for another 15 minutes.

Transfer to covered soup tureen (or put plate on top of soup bowl), place in
steamer on low, and hold until ready to serve.

You can make this soup in large sauce pan, if wok is needed for something
else.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: menu 18, soup, braise, boil
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This delicious thick soup is a meal in itself.

     CHICKEN AND LOTUS SEED SOUP

1 c chicken breast, julienne
12 dried lotus seeds
4 Nami black mushrooms
1/2 c celery, julienne
1 T Smithfield ham, julienne
2 sprigs Chinese parsley
5 c chicken stock
2 slices fresh ginger root
2 T dry sherry
1/2 t sugar
1 t salt
2 t lotus root powder

Preparation:  Blanch lotus seeds, remove reddish brown tip.  Wash and soak
mushrooms in warm water until soft, about 30 minutes; remove stems; slice in
thin matchsticks.  Before slicing celery, scrap off stringy back of stalk;
slice julienne lengthwise in 1" sections.  Slice chicken breast and
Smithfield ham (or other pungent pressed ham) in 1" strips.

Soup:  Heat stock in 3-quart pan or sandy pot.  Add ginger, sherry, sugar
and salt.  Bring to gentle boil, then add lotus seeds, chicken and
mushrooms.  Simmer soup for 30 minutes.  Add celery and ham.  Simmer for
another 15 minutes.  Mix lotus root powder with a little hot stock, then
stir into soup.  Transfer to heated serving bowl, or serve in sandy pot.
Garnish with Chinese parsley.

NOTE:  Lotus seeds require about 30 minutes in simmering water to soften.
Check them before adding ham and celery; simmer longer if necessary.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: soup, boil
----
A beggar wrapped a plucked chicken in lotus leaves from the pond to prevent
it from burning, then coated it with mud to disguise his prize.  Onto his
small fire it went.  When he unwrapped it 2 hours later, this aromatic dish
awaited him.

     BEGGAR'S CHICKEN

3 1/2 lb frying chicken
3 dried lotus leaves
4 lbs wet modeling clay
  STUFFING:
1/2 lb ground pork
2 T salted mustard green, minced
1 T peanut oil
1 t sugar
1 t fresh ginger root, minced
  MIXTURE FOR SKIN:
1/2 t salt
1 T medium sherry
1 t sesame oil
1 T dark soy sauce

Prepare Chicken:  Trim excess fat from chicken; remove wing tips.  Mix
mixture for skin; rub chicken inside & out with it.  Leave uncovered at room
temperature, while coating is absorbed and dried.  Repeat if necessary.

Stuffing:  In hot wok, heat peanut oil to smoking.  Stir-fry ground pork 2
minutes; add mustard green, ginger & sugar; stir-fry 1 more minute.  Remove
& cool.

Lotus Leaves:  Number of leaves depends on their size & that of chicken.
Reduce heat under boiling water to simmer, & steep leaves for 3-5 minutes,
until wet through & pliable (no longer or leaves may shred).  Now soak in
cold water for 10 minutes, or longer, until time to use them; open folded
leaves in cold water to wash them.

Wrap Chicken:  Preheat oven to 550 degrees.  Stuff chicken with pork
mixture. Cut hard center out of lotus leaves, then slit along fold about 3"
on each side of center, so cut away center can be overlapped.  Wrap chicken
in 3 layers of lotus leaves.  Tie securely with piece of cotton or fiber
string (don't use nylon; it might melt).  Spread soft, wet modeling clay
about 1/2" thick on sheet of newspaper.  Bring clay pack around chicken &
seal.  Remove newspaper.  (Use foil if clay unavailable.)

Roasting:  Place clay-covered chicken on rack in shallow roasting pan in
preheated oven.  Bake for 1 hour; reduce heat to 350 degrees & bake for
another 1 1/2 hours.

Serve:  Present fired clay chicken to table.  Crack clay with suitable
object, allowing some of steam to escape before you proceed.  Remove clay;
carefully cut open lotus leaves with scissors.  Chicken will be very soft &
tender; break apart to get at stuffing.  Serve guests, or invite them to
pick with chopsticks.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: menu 19, main dish, roast
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A classic.

     CLEAR FISH SOUP

1/2 lb white fish fillets, fresh or frozen
4 c superior chicken broth (clear)
1 T medium sherry
8 slices winter bamboo shoots
1 bunch fresh spinach
1 t salt
1 T cooked peanut oil

Preparation:  Heat chicken broth.  Cut fish fillets into 1" by 2" pieces.
Cut off root ends of spinach & thoroughly wash. Slice bamboo shoots into
paper-thin strips; add to stock as it is heating.

Using  wire strainer, blanch fish pieces in boiling water for 15 seconds,
reserve.  Add salt to water.  Blanch spinach for 10 seconds, drain &
reserve.

When stock reaches rapid simmer (don't let it boil), add fish, spinach &
sherry. Cook for 3 minutes. Heat peanut oil in ladle over flame.  Mix oil
into soup, transfer to serving bowl, & serve.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: menu 19, soup, boil
----
For this simple and tasty dish, use fresh lotus root if available.  You can
substitute canned lotus root, though it is less crisp and sweet.

     SWEET AND PUNGENT LOTUS ROOT WITH PORK

1 lb lotus root
1/2 lb pork butt
2 slices fresh ginger root
1 T peanut oil
2 T sugar
3 T water
1 T thin soy sauce
2 T white vinegar
cornstarch paste

Place pork & ginger in boiling water: simmer for 30 minutes.  Immediately
transfer pork to bowl of iced water to cool for another 30 minutes.  Slice
pork with the grain in 2" strips.  Wash & peel fresh lotus root.  Slice
crosswise into 1/4" pieces.  Blanch for 10 minutes in same water used for
pork; drain in cold water.  Arrange lotus root in circle of overlapping
slices on round serving plate; mound pork in center. Cover & reserve.

In wok or saucepan, heat oil to medium hot.  Add sugar, water, soy sauce &
vinegar.  Stir until sugar is dissolved, then add cornstarch paste to make
light sauce.  Cook briefly.  Pour sauce over lotus root & pork.  Allow to
marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving.  Serve slightly warm.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: menu 19, main dish, make ahead, boil
----
In this recipe, you can substitute almost any selection of bland vegetables
that provide contrasting texture and color.

     FOUR KINDS OF STEAMED VEGETABLES

8 stalks canned baby corn
1 can peeled straw mushrooms
2 medium size fresh tomatoes
8 small stalks of bok choy or choy sum
1/2 t salt
1 c chicken stock
1 t peanut oil
1/4 t sugar
cornstarch paste
2 T chicken oil (rendered fat)

Preparation:  Have water in steamer boiling.  Dip tomatoes to loosen skins;
remove skins; slice in half.  Wash and trim bok choy stalks.  Use slender
end of stalk only (use leaves and thick stalk in other dish).  Drain baby
corn and straw mushrooms.

Steaming:  First steam baby corn and straw mushrooms for 5 minutes.  Place
tomatoes and bok choy on separate plate; sprinkle with salt; steam for 3
minutes; drain.  Arrange vegetables on warm round serving platter in flower
pattern.

Sauce:  To render chicken fat, place pieces in small saucepan with a few
drops of oil to prevent sticking.  Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes or so,
until chicken oil separates from solids.  Drain oil, reserve.
Alternatively, make aromatic oil by steeping several peeled garlic cloves in
hot cooking oil (after removing it from heat).  In small saucepan, heat
chicken stock, peanut oil and sugar.  When it starts to boil, dribble in
enough cornstarch paste to give a light body.  Keep warm until ready to use.
When vegetables are being steamed, reheat sauce with chicken oil.  Pour
sauce over vegetables.  Serve.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: menu 19, steam
----
Clay pot cookery.

     STUFFED BEAN CURD WITH PEAS AND MUSHROOMS

4 sq. fresh hard beancurd
1/2 lb ground pork, unseasoned
4 dried Nami black mushrooms
1/2 c fresh shelled peas
2 t thin soy sauce
1 T dry sherry
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, minced
1/4 t fresh ginger juice
1/4 t sesame oil
cornstarch
3 c frying oil
4 c chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
cornstarch paste

Wash and soak mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes.  Combine ground pork,
soy sauce, sherry, garlic, onion, ginger juice and sesame oil.  Cover and
set aside.

Slowly heat deep-frying oil in wok; oil is hot enough when vigorous bubbles
come up around a bamboo chopstick stood vertically in oil.  Deep-fry
beancurd squares until brown; drain.

Cut beancurd squares in half diagonally.  Use paring knife and spoon to make
hollow pocket in beancurd.  Fill pocket with a tablespoon or so of meat
mixture; dredge meat face with cornstarch.  Deep-fry each piece until face
is brown and crusty; drain.

Combine chicken broth, stuffed deep-fried beancurd, whole mushrooms and peas
in clay pot.  Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Uncover, return to boil, and thicken soup slightly with cornstarch paste.
Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: soup, main dish, deep-fry
----
Among our favorite clay pot dishes is something only a Cantonese chef would
dare to have created.

     BRAISED PORK AND FRESH OYSTERS IN CLAY POT

1/2 lb boneless pork butt, cut in 1 1/2" cubes
8 medium fresh Pacific oysters (OR
1 10 oz. jar)
4 green onions
1 1/2 c warm water
1 T brown bean sauce
1 t dark soy sauce
1 t fresh ginger, minced
1 piece dried orange peel
2 T medium sherry
cornstarch paste
1/2 c peanut oil
Chinese or Italian parsley for garnish
  MARINADE:
1/4 c medium sherry
2 t thin soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t 5-spice powder
1 t lemon juice

Marinating:  Combine marinade ingredients in bowl large enough to hold pork,
mixing well.  Add pork, cover, and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

Braising:  Drain pork, taking care to remove pieces of garlic.  Heat oil in
wok until it begins to smoke.  Fry pork cubes, a few at a time, until brown
and crusty.  Do this quickly to sear meat without cooking it through.  Drain
in Chinese strainer or on paper towel.  Strain and reserve cooking oil.

Clay Pot:  In cool clay pot, combine water, bean sauce, dark soy, minced
ginger, dried orange peel, and sherry.  Bring to boil, then add braised pork
cubes.  Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, wash
and trim green onions, cut into 2" sections.  Drain oysters.  When pork has
simmered 30 minutes, add onions and oysters.  You can stop the dish before
adding oysters and onion.  Cover and cook at medium heat for 15 minutes
more.  Turn up to boil, dribble in cornstarch paste to make light gravy.
Serve with garnish of parsley.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: menu 20, main dish, make ahead, braise
----

     SOUR SOUP WITH RICE NOODLES

5 c chicken stock, strained and fairly clear
1/8 lb boneless pork butt
4 black mushrooms
1/3 c dried bamboo shoot tips, soaked and shredded
1 green onion
1/2 c rice stick noodles, soaked
1 t thin soy sauce
1 pinch sugar
2 t white vinegar
1/2 t sesame oil

Preparation:  Wash and soak mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes; shred.
Wash and soak dried bamboo shoots in warm water for 1 hour; shred in 1"
pieces.  Slice pork butt into 1" matchsticks.  Wash and trim green onion,
shred on the bias into 1" pieces.  Soak rice stick noodle in warm water
until soft.

Cooking Soup:  In sauce pan, heat broth.  When it reaches gentle boil, add
pork, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, soy sauce and sugar; simmer 10 minutes.  Add
soaked rice stick noodles; simmer for another 10 minutes.  A minute before
removing from heat, add vinegar and sesame oil; stir.  Remove to serving
bowl; garnish with shredded green onions.  Serve.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: menu 20, soup, boil
----
The blissful marriage of chicken and ham.

     STEAMED CHICKEN & HAM WITH BROCCOLI SPEARS

3 1/2 lb whole chicken
2 green onions, chopped
2 slices fresh ginger
2 T sherry
1 t salt
1/2 lb picnic ham, uncooked
1 T peanut oil
1/2 lb fresh broccoli
1 t fish sauce
  GLAZING SAUCE:
3/4 c stock
2 T rock sugar, crushed
cornstarch paste
1 T cooked oil

Marinating:  Combine chopped onions, ginger slices, sherry and salt.  Place
chicken on platter, rub inside and out with onion mixture, and place onion
and ginger inside chicken.  Allow chicken to marinate for 1 hour.  Rub ham
with same marinade, reserve.

Steaming:  Steam chicken, breast-side up, for 25-30 minutes.  At the same
time, steam ham for 20 minutes.  Chicken should still be firm but very moist
when removed from steamer.  Drain chicken and allow to cool until juices
congeal.  Chop Chinese-style into bite-size pieces.  Start by cleaving
chicken in half lengthwise through the breast.  Remove legs, thighs, and
wings; chop in pieces.  Turn carcass, skin down; cleave in half parallel to
breast; turn and chop in pieces.  Carefully remove and discard bones.

Slice ham in bite-size pieces to match chicken pieces.  Organize in
alternating strips on serving platter, in shape of a chicken if possible.
Leave space around perimeter for vegetable.

Blanching and Stir-frying Vegetable:  Wash and remove tough skin of
broccoli.  Slice into spears with flowerette at tip of each spear.  Blanch
spears in salted water for 20 seconds.  Heat peanut oil in wok until it
begins to smoke; stir-fry broccoli until bright but still crisp.  Sprinkle
with fish sauce, toss briefly, then remove to serving platter with meat.

Glazing Sauce:  Heat stock and crushed rock sugar in sauce pan; stir while
bringing to boil.  Dribble in cornstarch paste to make a light sauce.  Stir
in cooked oil.  Pour over meat.  Serve.

Serves 4

KEY WORDS: menu 20, main dish, steam
----
In China, it might be more common to cook a whole garoupa or carp for this
dish, but we enjoy the rich flavor and color of fresh Pacific salmon.

     SALMON STEAK WITH CLOUD EARS AND NOODLES

2 salmon steaks, 1 1/2" thick
8 cloud ear black fungus
2 c soaked bean thread noodles
1 sq. pressed beancurd
2 sprigs Chinese parsley (or slivered green onion)
2 T peanut oil
2 slices fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, sliced
3 c chicken stock
1 T sherry
1/4 t salt
1 pinch white pepper
4 drops sesame oil
1 t red (sweetened) vinegar

Soak cloud ears and bean starch noodles separately in warm water for 30
minutes, or until soft.  Wash and dice pressed beancurd into 1/4" cubes.

Heat peanut oil in medium hot wok; add ginger and garlic; remove when oil
becomes fragrant.  Take care not to burn garlic; if you do, start over.
Lightly saute one steak at a time in aromatic oil until surface is firm.

In clay pot, combine chicken stock, cloud ears, sherry, salt and pepper.
Bring to boil; add bean thread noodles; return to boil.  Now, reduce liquid
to gentle simmer; add salmon steaks carefully so they remain whole; add
diced bean curd.  Cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes, until steaks are cooked.

Uncover, swirl in red vinegar and sesame oil.  Garnish with parsley.

Serves 2

KEY WORDS: main dish, stir-fry
----