'Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress' Szechuan Recipes & Photos

This Szechuan-Style Menu features Spicy Deep Fried Dumplings, a noodle dish with pork and an array of fresh vegetables, a spicy beef stir-fry, a tangy Orange Chicken and a refreshing Shaved Ice dessert with Fresh Seasonal Fruits.

Szechuan Dumplings

Filling:

1/2 pound ground pork
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon ginger root, finely shredded
1 teaspoon chili oil

Dipping Sauce:
2 tablespoons chili oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar

36 round wonton wrappers

Combine all filling ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir thoroughly to blend. Place about a teaspoon of the filling mixture in the center of each wonton wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water and press the edges together, pinching pleats along the seam to seal.

Dumplings may be steamed, pan fried or deep fried. To steam, place in a bamboo steamer basket over about 1? of boiling water in a deep kettle. Steam for about 10 minutes, until tender. To deep fry, heat about 2? of oil in a wok or frying pan. Fry dumplings until golden brown, turning once. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. To pan fry, heat about 3 tablespoons in a frying pan and fry dumplings until golden brown on the bottom. Pour about ¼ cup of water into the pan, cover with a tight fitting lid and steam until dumplings are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Serve with dipping sauce.

Szechuan Noodles

6 cups Chinese egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
6 dried black Chinese mushrooms, soaked until tender and thinly sliced
½ pound beef steak, cut into thin strips
1 can baby corn, drained and rinsed
1 can water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
1 cup carrots
1 small green pepper, thinly sliced
2 green onions, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

4 tablespoons vegetable oil for stir-frying

Marinade:

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Sauce:

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon chile paste
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Combine the ground pork or beef with the rice wine and cornstarch, stir to mix and allow to marinate for 20 minutes. Mix all sauce ingredients together and set aside.

Heat oil in a wok, add the ground pork and stir-fry until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Add garlic, water chestnuts, baby corn and cabbage to the pan and stir-fry until tender. Add sauce and stir-fry until sauce thickens slightly. Return stir-fried pork to the pan and stir fry for about 2 minutes longer. Add noodles to the wok and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Szechuan Beef

1 pound beef, cut into thin strips
6 mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
1 tablespoon ginger root, finely shredded
2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Sauce:

¼ cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in a tablespoon of water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok, brown the pork strips, remove from pan and set aside. Add chili peppers, ginger and garlic, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and carrots to the pan and stir-fry until tender, about 2 minutes. Add sauce mixture, scallions and reserved pork and continue to stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes longer, until sauce is thickened and vegetables are tender. Serve with steamed rice. Serves 4.

Szechuan Orange Chicken

1 pound boneless chicken breast, cut into 1? cubes

Marinade:

2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water
1 tablespoon rice wine

Sauce:

2 teaspoons ginger root, finely shredded
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 green onion, finely sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
1 tablespoon rice wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons vegetable oil for stir-frying

Combine marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl, add the chicken and stir to mix. Marinate for one hour. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl, stir to blend and set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. Add marinated chicken and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Add sauce and stir-fry for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until sauce is thickened. Serve chicken with steamed rice. Serves 4.

Szechuan Green Beans

1 pound green beans, trimmed
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon ginger root, finely shredded
2 scallions, finely sliced
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Heat sesame oil in a wok. Add garlic and ginger and green beans and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Add chili flakes soy sauce and rice vinegar and simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes, until beans are tender. Serve immediately.

Szechuan Eggplant

1 eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1? pieces
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ginger root, finely shredded
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying

Heat vegetable oil in a wok and stir-fry eggplant until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove eggplant from the wok and set aside. Add garlic and ginger to the wok and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar and soup stock and bring to a boil. Add eggplant and simmer until liquid is absorbed. Add vinegar, sesame oil and scallions and simmer for about 2 minutes longer. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Shaved Ice with Fresh Seasonal Fruits

24 ounces (2 cans) of good quality fruit soda (cherry, orange, grapefruit, etc.)
Fresh seasonal fruits (peaches, pears, berries, melon, etc.)

Pour the soda into a large shallow dish and set in the freezer. Stir the soda with a fork every half hour to separate the crystals and keep the liquid from freezing solid. Once the soda is completely frozen it should resemble shaved ice.

Slice the fresh fruits into wedges or bite-sized pieces. Arrange on attractive serving plates. Scoop the shaved ice into dessert dishes and serve immediately with fresh fruit.