Chicken Satay

One of my favorite starters which I love to have before a Chinese meal or during a summer BBQ.  This  marinade has a nutty flavor to it and when you dip it in some good satay sauce it's a match made in heaven.  I usually use a premix for the marinade which you can often pick up at any Asian supermarket.  The kind I get is the Lobo brand.  It comes with two packets inside.  Packet A usually gets added to water or coconut milk to make the marinade.  You can use packet B to make the satay sauce, but I usually like the pre-made stuff in a jar....I know I totally go against my principles of trying to make things from scratch but this is my way of getting a great Chinese treat without having to go to a restaurant to get it.

Ingredients:

1 lb (500 g) chicken (boneless, skinless breast or thigh meat)
1 packet of Satay premix (use packet A)
¼ cup or 60 ml coconut milk or water (look on the instructions)

Method:

Cut up chicken into bite sized chunks (about 1").

Mix Packet A with coconut milk and add chicken. Marinate for at least 1 hour.

Thread the chicken onto skewers.

Grill or cook under a hot broiler in the oven until done (a few minutes on each side).

Serve with warm satay sauce to dip in.

Preparing for Chinese New Year Meal

"Gong xi fa cai"- Happy New Year - Chinese New Year that is....gotta love the snow dragon my family made this weekend to celebrate the Year of the Dragon!!!

My family was blessed to live next door to a lovely family from Singapore while we lived in England.  They introduced us to some of the most amazing traditions and amazing Asian food recipes. Because of them we learned a lot about Chinese New Year and we have adopted a tradition of celebrating along with them but half way around the world.  We don't get to shoot off loads of fireworks for two weeks straight in the middle of the winter but we do take part in a big Chinese food meal that I make myself.

Here are a few of my most favorite Chinese recipes that you can make yourself to celebrate Chinese New Year which starts Monday, January 23, 2012:

Starters:

Crab Rangoons 

Crispy Duck with Pancakes 

Chinese Pancakes (Homemade) 

Peking Duck 

Spring Rolls 
Chicken Satay Skewers with Satay Sauce (I buy the marinade and follow the instructions!)

Main dishes:
Asian BBQ Ribs
Black Pepper Beef 
Braised Roast Pork 
Chili Beef 
Pineapple Chicken 
Red Roast Pork in Soy Sauce

Sesame Chicken 

Simple Pork Stir Fry 

Sweet and Sour Chicken/Pork

Sides:
Chow Mein Noodles
Pineapple Rice 
Special Fried Rice 

Dessert:
Fresh fruit (tangerines)

***Note:  You can really find most of the ingredients you need at your larger grocery stores if they have a somewhat decent Asian food section.  If you can't find things there, I would recommend finding a good Asian supermarket to stock up your pantry with things like soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisen sauce, spring roll wrappers (the ones that are in the freezer section), premixed sauces, Chinese 5 spice, and some other things you might fancy!!!

Chili Beef

At one of our favorite Chinese take away places they had a dish called Crispy Chili Beef that we absolutely loved. Now that we don't live near that take away place, I have been determined to find a recipe to make it at home. This Chinese dish is really good and has a nice heat to it from the chili pepper. Instead of dicing up fresh chili peppers, I was able to buy fresh crushed red chilies which one tablespoon of it would equal one chopped chili.

Ingredients:

1/4 lb (150g) beef (frying steak), thinly sliced strips (0.5-1 cm wide)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp cornflour (corn starch)
vegetable oil, for deep frying
1 carrot, finely shredded
1 spring onion, shredded
1/2 garlic clove, chopped
1 red chilli, shredded
3/4 tsp sugar (10g)
2 Tbsp white rice vinegar
2 Tbsp sweet chili Sauce
Splash light soy sauce

Method:

Prep your vegetables - shredding and chopping as directed.

Mix together sauce ingredients.

Slice meat thinly.

Combine the eggs, salt and corn flour then coat the beef strips.

Heat oil to 350 F/180C then deep-fry the beef strips, taking care to add them to the wok one by one. Don't stir for approx. 10 seconds, then stir to ensure the pieces don't stick together.

Cook for approximately 6-7 minutes until brown and crispy. Remove them and drain.

Using some of the oil from your frying, stir fry the spring onion, garlic, chilli and carrot.

Add the sugar, vinegar, sweet chili sauce and soy and mix together.

Finally, add the beef and toss together.
Serve.

Simple Pork Stir Fry

There are so many ways to make stir-fry because you really use about any type of vegetables that you want and meat with a little sesame oil and soy sauce. This is a little dish that I put together for dinner the other night. I ate it without rice as I used it as a meal for Phase 1 on the South Beach diet, but it would taste equally as good on a rice bed of brown or white rice.

Ingredients:

1/4 red pepper sliced

1/2 cup sliced cabbage

1/2 cup fresh green beans, cut in 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup fresh asparagus, cut in 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup fresh snow peas

1 clove garlic, minced

2 pork chop loins, cut in thin slices

1 Tbsp light soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp hoisin sauce (opt)

Method:

Marinade pork with soy sauce for 30 minutes. Heat oil in wok until hot. Add pork and soy sauce and cook until done. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add all the vegetables and stir fry for a 3-4 minutes. Add optional hoisin sauce and stir for additional 30 seconds.

Crab Rangoons

It is amazing how each country adapts another countries cuisine. In England you can't find anything like a crab rangoon which are an almost staple at any American Chinese restaurant, so I found a way to make them here. They were so yummy and great dipped in Thai Chili sauces.

Ingredients:

300 g Philadelphia cream cheese

3 spring onions, finely chopped

4 seafood/crab sticks, finely chopped

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

40 Wonton wrappers

Method:

Mix together cream cheese, crab meat, onion, Worcestershire sauce until creamy.

Lay out wonton wrapper with corners pointing towards you. Use finger to dip in water to wet the edges on the top two edges.

Fold down the wrapper and seal the edges. Deep fry the wontons hot oil until puffed up and golden in color.

PIneapple Rice

Ingredients:

1 pineapple
100g chicken breast, diced
100g prawns, shelled
2 pieces of Chinese sausages, diced (optional)
10 shallots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups cold cooked rice
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp yellow ginger powder (I substitute with white pepper as I couldn't find it. But, yellow ginger powder would gives color and more fragrance)
some pepper
some coriander leaves for garnishing
some pork/chicken floss
a little salt to taste

Method:

Cut the pineapple into halves, scoop out the fruit. Dice enough of the pineapple to fill a cup. Reserve the shell of the pineapple for later use.

Brown the shallots with oil. Remove and set aside for later use. Fry prawns and Chinese sausage (if using) and set aside. Brown the minced garlic and add in chicken. Fry until the chicken is cooked. Add in rice, fish sauce, pepper, pineapple, Chinese sausage and prawns and yellow ginger powder. Stir well. Add a little salt to taste.

Heat the pineapple shell in the oven at medium heat for about 10 mins. Scoop the rice into the pineapple shell. Sprinkle some fried shallots and floss and coriander leaves on top before serving.

Peking Duck

A dish very similar to Crispy Aromatic Duck but with some key differences. Peking duck is roasted so the meat is very moist and often sliced, where as crispy duck is boiled then deep fried for a very crispy skin and meat. Both are excellent when served with Chinese pancakes, duck sauce, sliced spring onions and cucumber all rolled up together.

Ingredients:

1 whole duck

Glaze:
5 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
4 Tbsp Chinese 5-Spice
2 Tbsp light brown sugar

Peking Duck Sauce:
2 Tbsp sesame oil
6 Tbsp hoisin sauce
6 Tbsp water
6 Tbsp caster sugar
2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
Boil together.
1 Tbsp corn flour + 1 Tbsp water for thickening

Method:

Prick duck with fork all over. Pour hot boiling water over the top of the duck in a wok to cover the duck. Pour water off in the sink. Transfer the duck onto a roasting rack. Pat the duck dry with paper towel until dry.

Coat the outside of the duck with the glaze and rub a few tablespoons on the inside as well. Bake at 350 F /180 C for 1 hour turning over half way through. Let sit for 15 minutes. Cut meat into long thin strips. Serve with pancakes, Peking Duck Sauce, sliced cucumber and spring onions.

Chow Mein Noodles

Ingredients:

1 packet of Chinese yellow noodles

100g pork, cut into thin slices
5 shrimp, shelled and de-veined

3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)

1/2 cup shredded cabbage

1/4 cup shredded carrot

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon Chinese dark soy sauce

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons cooking oil

2 stalks scallions (cut into 2-inch length)

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat up the wok with the cooking oil. Add in the chopped garlic and stir-fry until light brown or aromatic.

Add the pork and shrimp and stir fry until they are half done. Add the shredded cabbage and carrot into the wok and do a few quick stirs. Add the noodles (try to loosen it before put it in) , the seasoning mixture and the water.

Continue to stir until the noodles are well blended with the seasonings and completely cooked through. Add the chopped scallions, do a few final stirs, dish out and and serve hot.

Spring Rolls

These are my absolute favorite Chinese finger foods and how I got introduced to Thai Sweet Chili sauce. I never ate an egg roll while living in the States, but I assume that these are quite similar. You can fill them with loads of different things but this is the recipe that my dear friend Min taught to me and they are a hit every time I make them. What's really nice is you can make up one big batch and then freeze the extras.

Ingredients:

40 spring roll wrappers
2 Tbsp plain flour mixed to a paste with water
sunflower oil, for deep-frying

Filling:
6 dried Chinese mushrooms
1-2 medium carrots, shredded
1 cup sweet corn
1 cup frozen peas
4 spring onions, finely chopped
1 can water chestnuts, finely chopped
1 can bamboo shoots, sliced and cut in half
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tsp rice wine
2-3 shakes of sesame oil
2 tsp light soy sauce
dash of white pepper
2 Tbsp oyster sauce

You can find spring roll pastry in almost any Asian supermarket. I like these ones because when deep fried they end up light and crispy. You can also use wonton wrappers to make much smaller spring rolls.

This is what the dried Chinese mushrooms look like.

With all of the ingredients involved in this recipe it is best to get everything chopped and shredded as directed and ready to go before you even heat up the oil in the wok.

Method:

Soak mushrooms for 30 minutes in warm water. Squeeze out water and cut off and discard woody stem. Mince the caps of the mushrooms

Heat 1-2 Tbsp of oil in a wok. Stir-fry onion, carrot, and mushroom for a few minutes.

Add in water chestnuts, peas, and corn and stir for a couple minutes.

Then increase heat and add rice wine, bamboo shoots, sesame oil, soy sauce, pepper, and oyster sauce.

Add green onion and toss for 1 minute.

Spread on platter to cool quickly.

Separate spring roll wrappers. Place a wrapper on the work surface with one corner nearest you. Spoon some of the filling near the center of the wrapper - I usually use about 1 1/2 tablespoons of mix in each wrapper for big ones and a generous teaspoon in the small wonton wrappers.

Fold the nearest corner over the filling.

Turn the sides to the middle and roll up.

Smear a little of the flour paste on the corner and fold on to itself.

Repeat this procedure with the remaining wrappers and filling.

Deep fry the spring rolls in batches until they are crisp and golden. Drain and serve at once with dipping sauce.

Pineapple Chicken

Another great recipe from my friend Min, my Chinese "Master Chef." Tonight I thought it would be kind of fun to actually serve the finished product in the shell of a pineapple. It's the kind of thing that Min would do during one of her infamous grand buffets. This dish tastes absolutely amazing and is kind of like a sweet and sour chicken but the pineapple takes center stage in this meal. I did think it was kind of interesting to use both canned and fresh pineapple, but they both serve taste and texture purposes.

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast (450 g)

4 rings of canned pineapple, diced

150g fresh pineapple, sliced (about 1/4 of a medium sized pineapple)

1 green or red bell pepper, sliced

1 tomato, cut into wedges

corn starch/corn flour for coating chicken

oil for deep-frying chicken

Marinade:

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 egg

1 tsp curry powder

1 Tbsp corn starch/corn flour

Sauce:

1 Tbsp chili sauce

1 Tbsp ketchup

1 Tbsp soy sauce

3 Tbsp canned pineapple juice

1 tsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Method:

Combine chicken with marinade and season for 30 minutes. Then coat chicken with corn starch/corn flour and deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Dish out and drain.

Leave 1 Tbsp oil in wok and add pineapple, bell pepper, and tomato. Stir well.

Pour in sauce and cook until thick.

Add in fried chicken, stir well and serve over rice.

Black-Pepper Beef

Another great Chinese dish that I cheat on a bit by using a ready made black pepper sauce, but my "Chinese cooking" teacher said it's best this way. I have added in the onion and peppers to make it more like the dish we eat in our favorite Chinese restaurant. The black pepper beef sauce can be found in most Asian supermarkets.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs (675g g) sirloin steak, sliced thinly

1/2 onion finely chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced (opt)

1/2 green bell pepper, sliced (opt)

3/4 cup Lee Kum Kee* Black Pepper Sauce (3 Tbsp/170g meat)

3/4 cup water

Method:

Add 2-3 Tbsp oil into hot wok. Fry meat for 5 minutes or until all browned. Add onions and fry for additional 2-3 minutes. Next add peppers and fry for 1 more minute. Add black pepper sauce and water and heat through. Serve immediately with rice.

***Note: This is the brand of sauce that we like to use, but a warning that it can be a little spicy.

Red Roast Pork in Soy Sauce

I found this recipe in a cookbook my sister bought me ages ago and only realized that it was a British published book after I moved to England. This marinade gives the pork a great Asian zing and very tender. Don't be afraid of how the outside looks as you cook it because the dark soy sauce gives it a very dark reddish color that makes it look like it's burnt but its not (unless you really over cook it and you do burn it!!!).

Ingredients:

1 lb /450g lean pork fillets

6 Tbsp dark soy sauce

2 Tbsp dry sherry

1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp finley chopped fresh ginger root

1 large red bell pepper

1 large yellow bell pepper

1 large orange bell pepper

4 Tbsp superfine sugar

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

thinly sliced green onion, to garnish

Method:

Trim away excess fat and the silver skin from the pork and place in shallow dish.

Mix together the soy sauce, sherry, five-spiced powder, garlic, and ginger. Spoon the mixture over the pork, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Drain the pork, reserve the marinade. Place the pork on a roasting rack over a roasting pant. Cook in a preheated oven of 375 F/190 C, occasionally bating with the marinade, for 1 hour or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, halve and seed the bell peppers. Cut each bell pepper half in three equal portions. Arrange them on a cookie sheet and bak alongside the pork for the last 30 minutes of cooking time.

Place the superfine sugar and vinegar in the pan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes until syrupy.

When the pork is cooked, remove it from the oven and brush with the sugar syrup. Let stand for about 5 minutes, then slice, and arrange on a warm serving plate.

Serve garnish with green onion.

Asian BBQ Ribs

This great recipe comes from my friend Min who used to marinade ribs for our garden barbecues. These ribs are great cooked on the open fire, but since it's not quite barbecue season anymore I found another way to enjoy this amazing treat using my slow cooker. Theses ribs are so tender and the meat about falls off the bones and have a great Asian tangy taste.

Ingredients:

3 lbs of pork ribs

1/4 cup oyster sauce

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

4 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp rice wine

1/2 cup ketchup

Mix together everything except the ketchup in a bowl. Put ribs in slow cooker and pour sauce over the top.

Slow cook ribs on high for 4-5 hours. Remove ribs and place in 9x13" baking pan. Pour sauce and juice in wok; add ketchup and cook until thick. Pour over ribs and bake at 350 F/ 180 C for another 20-25 minutes.