Nov.

11, 2002, 1:57PM

Savoring Shanghai
Exploring Yao Ming's home cooking
By DAI HUYNH
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle
Yao Ming, the Houston Rockets' towering new center, hails from Shanghai, a bustling
seaport dating to the Ming Dynasty. The city is situated at the basin of the longest river in
China, the Yangtze.
With more than 13 million residents, Shanghai
is a beehive of commercial activity. For
centuries, merchants and other visitors from
neighboring districts and provinces have
converged in China's largest city. In addition to
impacting Shanghai's commerce, they also have
enriched its menus.
"It's very typical to find six or eight different
cooking styles on one menu (in Shanghai)," says
chef-owner Robin Luo of China View on the
Katy Freeway.
Craig H. Hartley / Special to the Chronicle
One of chef Robin Luo's specialties, braised prawns
Shanghai style, seved at China View on the Katy
Freeway.

No wonder Yao found it tough to name a

favorite Shanghai dish.

"Oh, there's lots of different Shanghai dishes," he says.

If the basketball star misses the food offerings of home, he has mom Fang Feng Di.
"She's cooking for him a lot. She's a good cook," says Yao's interpreter, Colin Pine.
China is famous for rare and costly delicacies such as Dragon Well tea, bird's nest soup
and braised abalone. A superstar back home, Yao can choose to eat whatever he wants, no
matter how dear the ingredients. But this basketball pro's rocket fuel is anything but
expensive and exotic.
"Homey food," he says with a wide smile and sans interpreter. "Soups. Chicken soup,
duck soup, all kinds of soups."
Typical is the pork and bean curd soup with Chinese ham (similar to smoked Smithfield
ham), ginger and Shaoxing rice wine.

THE SHANGHAI PANTRY

Bamboo shoots: Golden cone-shaped
bamboo shoots are available canned,
packed in water. After opening, store in a
container of fresh water in the refrigerator.

Shaoxing wine is one part of the holy trinity of

Shanghai cooking. "(The Chinese) use it in
everything," China View's Luo says.
Sugar and soy sauce -- the yin and the yang -complete the trio. Sweetness and saltiness
characterize many Shanghai dishes. The most
famous are the red-cooked dishes that are simmered
with soy sauce and sugar, Houston cookbook author
Dorothy Huang says.
Some dishes are a subtle blend of foods imported by
foreign merchants. Whipping cream, ketchup and
pine nuts are commonly incorporated into favorites
such as baby bok choy with cream sauce and braised
chicken with pine nuts.
Vegetables and fruits grow abundantly near
Shanghai, providing green soybeans, mustard
seedlings, winter bamboo shoots, bok choy, fava
beans, eggplants and oranges.
Oranges were cultivated in China about 3,000 years
ago. Cooks often add oranges to dishes to create
another layer of flavor, restaurateur Sanne Wang
says.

Bok choy: A variety of Chinese cabbage

with smooth white stalks and large green
leaves. Sold fresh in the produce section.
Chile paste and sauce: Different regions
in China make various fiery pastes and
sauces. Most contain peppers, garlic, ginger
and soybean or sesame oil.
Hoisin sauce: Dark and thick pastelike
sauce that colors meats and stir-fries a
reddish-brown. Add to recipes for hints of
sweetness and smokiness.
Water chestnut: An edible tuber with
white flesh and crunchy texture. Sold fresh
or canned, either whole, sliced or diced.
Dried shrimp: Small, shelled dried shrimp
with a pungent and salty flavor. Sold by
weight in Asian markets. Store in a tightly
sealed jar.
Oyster sauce: Thick brown sauce with a
rich, sweet, salty flavor. Made from oysters,
soy sauce and brine. Store at room
temperature.
Peanut oil: Clear oil pressed from
peanuts, it is prized by Chinese cooks for its
high smoke point.
Sesame oil: Strong nutty-flavored oil
made from roasted sesame seeds. Store at
room temperature.

At Shanghai River restaurant on Westheimer, Wang

makes an orange-peel chicken and a sweet-and-sour
sauce from the peel and juice.

Shaoxing rice wine: There are many

kinds of rice wines in China. This is the most
prized. Shaoxing rice wine is from the city
of Shao Hsing in eastern China. Similar to
dry sherry and sake, which can be
substituted in a pinch.

Surrounded by rivers and the sea, Shanghai is the

"land of fish and rice," Luo says. Catches include
shad, carp, eel, prawn and hairy crab.

Sweet rice: Not sweet at all, this variety

of short-grain rice becomes glutinous when
cooked.

Seven-foot-five Yao confesses, however, that he's

not a big seafood fan.
"Not all seafood, just some," he says.
One specialty he is fond of is prawns braised with
soy sauce, sugar and Shaoxing wine.
Even with his mom in the kitchen, Yao won't have
much free time to savor his favorite foods.

Soy sauce: An essential ingredient in the

Chinese kitchen and readily available, soy
sauce can be light, regular or dark in color.
Zhenjiang vinegar: A dark brown vinegar
reminiscent of Italian balsamic vinegar.
Made with polished glutinous rice, it is used
to enliven many Shanghai dishes.
Asian markets Ingredients are sold in
Chinese and Vietnamese markets, including
Diho Market (9280 Bellaire Blvd., 713-9881881); Hong Kong Food Market (11205
Bellaire Blvd., 281-575-7886); and Hong
Kong Food Market 3 (13400 Veterans
Memorial Drive, 281-537-5280).

"The Rockets are playing on the road a lot," interpreter Pine says. "So right now, he's
eating mostly fast food."

Lion's Head Meatballs

Traditionally served on New Year's Day, these meatballs have nothing to do with the
animal, China View chef-owner Robin Luo says. The name comes from the meatballs'
enormous size and the Napa cabbage, or the "mane."
MEATBALLS:
1 tablespoon dried shrimp
1 pound lean pork
2 tablespoons minced water chestnuts
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon chopped green onions, green part only
Dash white pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
SAUCE:
1 to 2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus additional for drizzling
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon chopped green onion, white part only
4 whole star anise
2 cups chicken stock
8 large Napa cabbage leaves
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Shaoxing rice wine
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Salt to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
5 tablespoons water
Steamed rice
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Soak dried shrimp 15 to 20 minutes; drain well. Chop
shrimp finely. In a large bowl, mix shrimp with pork, water chestnuts, eggs, sugar, salt,
soy sauce, green onions, pepper, rice wine, garlic, ginger and cornstarch. Stir until well
blended and smooth. Form meat mixture into tennis-ball-size meatballs and place on
baking sheet. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until cooked through.

To make sauce, heat sesame oil in a wok over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, green
onions and star anise. Stir-fry 15 seconds before adding chicken stock and cabbage.
Simmer 1 to 2 minutes or until leaves wilt. Add soy sauce, rice wine and sugar; season
with salt to taste. Bring to a boil and add meatballs. Reduce heat and simmer 8 to 10
minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, combine cornstarch with water, blending well. Stir into sauce to thicken;
finish with a drizzle of sesame oil. To serve, arrange cabbage leaves on bottom of plate.
Place meatballs on top; serve immediately with steamed rice. Makes 4 servings.

Shanghai Prawns
1tablespoon peanut oil
1 1/2teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped green onions, white part only
1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 pound prawns or large shrimp, peeled or unpeeled
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Zhenjiang vinegar
6 tablespoons chicken stock
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Steamed rice
Heat peanut oil in wok over high heat. Add garlic, green onions and ginger; stir-fry
briefly, about five seconds. Add prawns, stirring constantly until they turn pink. Continue
to stir while adding ketchup, rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, chicken stock and
oyster sauce. Season with salt to taste. Reduce to medium heat; simmer until sauce
reduces to a glaze. Drizzle with sesame oil, toss lightly and transfer to serving plate.
Serve immediately with steamed rice. Makes 4 servings.

Baby Bok Choy in Cream Sauce

1 1/2 pound baby bok choy, washed and cut in half
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon chopped scallions, white part only
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Salt and ground white pepper to taste
1 teaspoon oyster sauce

2 tablespoons whipping cream or half-and-half

1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
1 teaspoon Zhenjiang vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
5 tablespoons water
Steamed rice
Blanch bok choy in boiling water for 10 seconds; drain well.
Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic, ginger and scallions; saut 5
seconds. Add bok choy; cook until tender.
Stir in chicken stock, sugar, salt, pepper, oyster sauce, whipping cream, rice wine and
vinegar; cook 1 minute.
In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with water, blending well. Stir into sauce to thicken.
Remove from stove; serve immediately with steamed rice. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken With Cucumber and Pine Nuts

1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite-size cubes
2 eggs, beaten
10 tablespoons cornstarch (divided), plus 1 1/2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 to 5 tablespoons pine nuts
4 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon red bell pepper, diced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped into bite-size cubes
5 tablespoons water
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Salt and ground white pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
1 teaspoon Zhenjiang vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Steamed rice
Place chicken in large bowl; mix with eggs and 5 tablespoons cornstarch. Allow to stand
15 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil in wok over medium heat. Stir in pine nuts; cook until light golden.
Transfer pine nuts to paper-lined plate to drain.

Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in wok over high heat, add chicken; stir-fry until golden but
still undercooked. Transfer chicken to paper-lined plate to drain.
Add remaining peanut oil to wok and bring to temperature over high heat. Stir in garlic
and green onions; saut 5-8 seconds. Add bell pepper and cucumber; stir-fry 15 seconds.
Return chicken to wok; reduce heat to medium; simmer 30 seconds. In a small bowl,
combine remaining cornstarch with water; set aside.
Add chicken stock, sugar, soy sauce, salt, pepper, rice wine and vinegar; cook until
chicken is done. Add cornstarch mixture to thicken sauce. Add pine nuts; drizzle with
sesame oil; toss lightly and serve immediately with steamed rice. Makes 4 servings.

Yu Shiang Eggplant
One of Yao Ming's favorite vegetables is eggplant. Here's a traditional recipe from
restaurateur Sanne Wang.
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 (3-ounce) Chinese eggplants, stalks removed and cut into cubes
1/2 tablespoon ginger, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon hot chile sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chicken or beef stock
1/2 tablespoon Zhenjiang vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon green onion, chopped
Steamed rice
Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat; add eggplant; reduce heat to
medium-low. Stir-fry until eggplant is soft, about 3 minutes. Press eggplant against side
of pan to remove excess oil. Transfer eggplant to a bowl; set aside. Add ginger, garlic and
chile sauce to pan; saut over high heat for a few seconds. Add soy sauce, sugar, salt and
stock; bring to a boil. Return eggplant to pan; cook about 1 minute or until sauce
evaporates. Add vinegar and sesame oil; toss well. Gently mix in green onions. Serve
immediately with steamed rice. Makes 4 servings.

Shanghai Home-Style Soup

This meal-in-a-bowl soup is from restaurateur Sanne Wang.
8 ounces Chinese ham
12 (4-inch by-4-inch) bean curd sheets
8 ounces lean pork (see note)

1 can winter bamboo shoots

1 teaspoon salt
4 peeled ginger slices
2 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
1 teaspoon white pepper
Soak ham in hot water 30 minutes; rise with cold water and cut into cubes.
Fold bean curd sheets in half, then fold again. Tie bean curd strips into knots (to resemble
miniature bow ties).
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Put pork in a heat-proof hand-held strainer and dip into
boiling water 20 seconds; drain and set aside.
In a soup pot, bring 8 cups water to a boil. Add ham, pork, bamboo shoots, bean curd,
salt, ginger, scallions, sugar and rice wine; reduce heat to low and cook for 45 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasonings. Pour soup into individual bowls; lightly sprinkle white
pepper on top; serve hot. Makes 4 servings.
Note: Duck or chicken, cut into bite-size pieces, may be substituted for pork. Follow
same cooking procedures as for pork.
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