Cooking Chinese Style

CHAPTER 1: ALMOND CHICKEN

1 lb skinned chicken breast.

1/3 Slivered almonds

5 slices fresh ginger root

3 green onions, chopped to about 1" lengths

1 green pepper, chopped as above

1/2 cup diced bamboo shoots

1 cup vegetable oil

~~Marinade~~

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp white pepper

1 tsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 egg white

~~Seasoning sauce~~

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp dry sherry

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp cornstarch

Cut chicken into 1" cubes. Combine marinade ingredients, add chicken and mix well. Let stand 1/2 hour.

Heat oil in wok, add chicken and stir-fry until browned. Remove chicken and drain well. Stir-fry ginger, onion, pepper and bamboo shoots for about 1 minute until vegtables are crisp-tender. Combine ingrediants for seasoning sauce in a small bowl, mix well and add to wok. bring to boil. Add chicken to boiling sauce. Stir-fry chicken until coated with sauce. Add almonds, mix well and serve hot. Serves 4

CHAPTER 2: ALMOND COOKIES

1 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp almond extract

2-1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup blanched almond halves

1 egg beaten

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl with electric mixer, cream together the shortening and sugar, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Add the almond extract.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. With a wooden spoon, gradually stir the flour mixture into the shortening. The dough should be fairly firm. Divide the dough in half and roll each into a log, about 1-1/2 inch in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for 4 hours. Cut the dough crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Top each cookie with an almond half.

Brush cookies lightly with beaten egg. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until light golden brown.

CHAPTER 3: ASPARAGUS AND SESAME CHICKEN SOUP

2 lbs Chicken

2 c Warm water

3 tbsp Sesame oil

1 tsp Sugar

6 Slices ginger root

1/2 c Button mushrooms, canned

1/2 c Medium sherry

8 Fresh asparagus spears

1/2 tsp Salt

Wash 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.

CHAPTER 4: ASSORTED VEGETABLES IN A CLEAR SAUCE

2 med Turnips

2 sm Carrots

2 tbsp Peanut oil

4 Green onions

2 c Chicken stock

3 Fresh asparagus spears

1 tsp Salt

1/2 c Button mushrooms

1 pinch Sugar

1/2 c Peeled straw mushrooms

8 Baby Sweet corn

1 tbsp Chicken fat

8 Water chestnuts

1/2 c Crab Meat or shelled Shrimp (opt)

1/2 tsp Fresh ginger root

1 tb Tientsin preserved

Cornstarch Paste

Peel turnips & carrots. Use melon scoop to cut turnips into large balls. Slice carrots 1/2" thick; then with paring knife, cut 4 evenly spaced notches into rim of each slice (don't cut into center core). Carrots should look like little flowers. Parboil turnip & carrots in stock until barely tender. Remove from stock & plunge pieces into cold water; drain.

Cut onions, asparagus & baby corn into 1 1/2" pieces. Mince together fresh ginger root & Tientsin preserved Vegetable. In a small pan or beaker on med heat, render pieces of chicken fat. Stir-frying: Add peanut oil to Hot wok. When it begins to smoke, briskly fry crab Meat or shrimp for 1 minute. Add asparagus, baby corn, mushrooms & water chestnuts, stir-frying until they are Hot. Add ginger mixture, then onions. Stir-fry another 30 seconds. Add 1/2 stock, salt & Sugar; bring to boil. Add turnips & carrots.

Cover & reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Uncover, push ingredients out of liquid, & dribble in cornstarch paste to thicken slightly. Stir liquid to prevent lumping while it thickens to a thick Soup. Recombine, then mix in chicken oil. Place on serving platter.

CHAPTER 5: AUTHENTIC FRIED RICE

2 oz Chinese barbecued Pork

1/4 lb Fresh or frozen peas (if peas are fresh, chill first)

1 tsp Salt

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp Oil, preferably peanut

2 Eggs; lightly beaten

2 c Long-Grain Rice, steamed

4 oz Fresh Bean sprouts

Heat wok or a dry skillet, when pan starts smoking, spread peanut oil into pan. Add rice, pork and peas and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Pour in soy sauce, stir-fry for another minute. Pour the lightly beaten eggs over the mixture, continue to cook until eggs are done, about 1-2 minutes.