Cantonese Spring Rolls
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE PORK AND MARINADE:
4 ounces finely shredded pork loin
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
Pinch of white pepper
TO ASSEMBLE THE FILLING:
1 tablespoons oil
1 clove garlic (minced)
5 dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked until softened and thinly sliced)
1 medium carrot (julienned, about 1 cup)
1/2 cup bamboo shoots (drained & julienned; canned)
1/2 small napa cabbage (julienned, about 3 cups)
1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
salt to taste
white pepper (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch (dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water)
FOR WRAPPING:
spring roll wrappers
(8" squares; this recipe makes about 20 spring rolls)
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch (dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water for sealing the spring rolls)
Canola oil (or peanut or vegetable oil, for frying)
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE:
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon hot water
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix the pork with the marinade ingredients and set aside for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Cut all of the vegetables to approximately the same size.
Brown the pork over high heat in 2 tablespoons of oil, and add the garlic, mushrooms and carrots. Stir fry for 30 seconds, and add the bamboo shoots, Napa cabbage, and Shaoxing wine. Continue stir-frying for a minute. Adjust the heat to simmer the mixture, as the Napa cabbage will release a lot of moisture.
Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, and sugar.
Continue simmering the filling for another 3 minutes--until the Napa cabbage is completely wilted--and stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken. Simmer until there is no standing liquid at all.
Transfer the filling to a large shallow bowl, and let cool. Place into the refrigerator to cool further—at least one hour. It’s easier to wrap when the filling is cool.
Place the wrapper on a flat surface so that a corner is facing toward you. Use about two spoonfuls of the mixture per spring roll, and spoon it about 2 inches from the corner that is closest to you. Roll it over once, and, like you’re making a burrito, fold over both sides. Continue rolling it into a cigar shape. With your fingers, brush a bit of the cornstarch water onto the corner of the wrapper that is farthest from you to seal it.
Place each roll on a tray. This recipe makes about 10-12 spring rolls. You can also freeze these spring rolls on the tray overnight, and transfer them to a zip-lock bag when they are completely frozen for future use.
To fry the spring rolls, fill a small pot (which requires less oil) with oil until it’s 2 to 3 inches deep. Heat the oil slowly over medium heat until it reaches 325 degrees. Gently add the spring rolls one at a time, frying in small batches. Carefully roll them in the oil so they cook evenly until golden brown and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels.
Prepare the dipping sauce by adding all ingredients to a small saucepan. Mix and heat until just simmering and pour into a small bowl. Serve the spring rolls hot with the dipping sauce!
Long Life Noodles
serves 8
Ingredients
1 pound fresh Asian-style wheat noodles
1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine) or dry sherry
1 1/2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
6 ounces boneless pork tenderloin cut into 2 x 1/4–inch julienne strips
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
3 cups chopped Napa (Chinese) cabbage
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/4 cups (1-inch) slices green onions
Directions
Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting fat and salt. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. Set aside. Combine wine, hoisin sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add pork; stir to coat. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
Combine dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, low-sodium soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk; set mixture aside.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add cabbage to pan; stir-fry 2 minutes. Transfer cabbage to a bowl.
Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan. Add garlic; stir-fry 10 seconds or until fragrant. Add pork mixture; stir-fry for 3 minutes or until done. Add pork mixture to bowl with cabbage.
Wipe pan clean with paper towels; return to heat. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add reserved noodles; stir-fry 1 minute. Add onions and soy sauce mixture to pan; stir-fry 1 minute. Add pork mixture; stir to combine. Cook 1 minute or until hot.
Bok Choy with Shiitake Mushrooms
serves 6
Ingredients
2 pounds baby bok choy
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 small dry red Chinese hot peppers
1 pound shiitake mushrooms (about 4 dozen), stems removed
Salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
6 scallions, sliced diagonally, for garnish
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Directions
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cut off and discard stem ends of bok choy. Separate leaves, rinse and drain. Drop leaves into boiling water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until barely cooked. Immediately remove, rinse with cool water, drain and pat dry. Arrange leaves in one layer on an ovenproof earthenware platter, then set aside.
Put a large wok or cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add oil and heat until nearly smoking, then add hot peppers and shiitake caps, stirring to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Reduce heat slightly and add garlic, ginger, sugar, sesame oil and tamari. Stir-fry for 1 minute more.
Spoon shiitake and pan juices over reserved cooked bok choy. Serve at room temperature, or if you prefer, reheat covered with foil for 10 to 15 minutes in a hot oven. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds, if using.
Tangerine Beef
Recipe adapted from Hank Shaw
Ingredients
Marinade
2 egg whites
¼ cup Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons peanut or other cooking oil
½ cup corn or potato starch
Sauce
¼ cup beef stock
3 tablespoons tangerine soaking water (See below)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, dry sherry or dry white wine
2 tablespoons rice or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 to 3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons corn or potato starch
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
Stir Fry
1 pound beef sirloin, sliced into bite-sized pieces 1/8 inch thick
Dried peel of 1 or 2 thin-skinned tangerines (Mandarins are best)
1 1/2 cups peanut or other cooking oil
2 to 6 dried hot chiles, chopped (tsien tsin, Thai or arbol or cayenne)
4 garlic cloves, minced
A 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
6 green onions, sliced into 1-inch pieces, green and white parts separated
2 teaspoons crushed Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
Instructions
Put the sliced beef pieces in a large bowl. Add the egg whites and use your hands to massage the meat with the egg whites, making sure each piece is coated. Now add the wine and oil and do the same thing. Finally, add the cornstarch and mix to coat. It’ll be a mess, but that’s OK. Put the meat in the refrigerator for 30 minutes while you do the rest of the prep.
Place the tangerine peels in a bowl and pour hot water over them. Cover the bowl. In another bowl, mix all the ingredients for the sauce together (except for the tangerine water, which you’ll add in a bit), and do your chopping of the chiles, garlic and green onions. Slice the tangerine peel into thin slivers and set aside. The peels will still be a little hard, but that’s OK. When you’ve sliced the tangerine peels, add the 3 tablespoons of the soaking water to the sauce.
When you are ready to start, heat the oil in a wok or heavy, deep pan to about 350°F. Set a baking sheet or similar container nearby and get a Chinese strainer or slotted spoon, and either a chopstick or butter knife ready. Put about 1/2 of the prepared beef in the hot oil and immediately use the chopstick to separate all the pieces, which will want to stick together. Fry over high heat until the beef turns golden brown and crispy, about 6 minutes. Remove with the strainer and set in the baking sheet to drain. Repeat the process with the other half of the beef.
Drain off all but about 3 tablespoons of the oil (you can reuse it). Add the chiles to the hot oil and stir fry until they turn fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ginger and white parts of the green onions, and stir fry 1 minute. Add the garlic and tangerine slivers and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the beef back to the wok and toss everything to combine.
Stir the sauce vigorously (the corn starch will have settled on the bottom of the bowl). Pour it into the wok and toss to combine. Allow this to boil and thicken for 1 minute, then add the green parts of the green onions. Toss to combine. Add the Sichuan peppercorn if using. Serve at once with steamed rice.
Coconut Rice Pudding with Mango
Serves 4-6/Recipe ℅ Success Rice
Ingredients
2 bags Success® Jasmine Rice
1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
2 mangoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint (optional)
Instructions
Prepare rice according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat coconut milk, sugar and salt together in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Stir cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. Add to the coconut milk mixture and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Boil for 1 minute, or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
Stir in cooked rice. Transfer to serving bowls and top with mango slices. Garnish with mint, if using.
