'Raise the Red Lantern' Provincial Chinese Recipes and Photos

Appetizers: Petit Crepes with Mandarin Mu Shu Pork & Tiny Spring Rolls
Soup: Velvety Hot & Sour Egg Flower Soup
Salad: Sesame Chicken Salad with Mandarin Oranges and Crispy Noodles
Main Courses: Szechuan Kung Pao Shrimp, Mandarin Orange Chicken, Hunan Beef
Dessert: Lychee Fruit with Almond Cookies and Plum Wine or Tea

Petite Crepes with Mu Shu Pork

Pancakes:

1 cup all purpose flour
1 egg lightly beaten
1/2 to 3/4 cup cup water
Non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil
Parchment paper or waxed paper, cut into 4" squares

Mix the egg and flour together, stirring to blend. Add water a little at a time, stirring until the batter is thin and runny.

The making of pancakes for Mu Shu Pork is an intuitive process in which the batter must be adjusted until it is just the right consistency, not too thick, not too thin; the pan must be just the right temperature and coated with just the right amount of oil, the puddle of batter must be just the right size, and from there, it's all in the wrist.

As soon as the batter hits the pan, begin rotating the wrist in a swirling motion to distribute the batter in a thin, perfect 4" circle. In a matter of only a few seconds, once the batter is set, gently agitate the pan with a circular motion to dislodge the pancake from the surface. Keeping the pan over the flame at a height of about 6 to 8 inches, continue to agitate the pan until the pancake is ever so slightly browned on one side. And in one swift motion, pull the pan toward you, which will cause inertia to send the pancake flipping into the air and catch it with the pan, uncooked side down. Or you can just flip it with a spatula. But the mid-air method is much more impressive.

Once the pancake is done on both sides but still soft and pliable, slide it from the pan onto a circle of parchment paper. When flattened out, those little pleated cupcake liners are the perfect size to place between pancakes to keep them from sticking together. Repeat the process until all the batter is used up, about 18 to 20 small pancakes, stacking each one on the plate with a paper liner in between. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature until serving time, or overnight in the refrigerator. If refrigerated, allow pancakes to come to room temperature before serving.

Filling:

1 pound pork loin filet, julienned
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon ginger root, finely grated
2 scallions thinly sliced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3/4 cup mushrooms (Chinese, shitake, etc.), thinly sliced
2 cups finely shredded napa cabbage
1/4 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Hoisin sauce

Combine pork, garlic, ginger soy sauce, rice wine and hoisin in a bowl, mix thoroughly and marinate for two hours, or overnight.

Heat sesame oil in a wok and stir-fry marinated pork until lightly browned. Add mushrooms, cabbage, bamboo shoots and any remaining marinade and continue stir-frying until vegetables are tender and liquid is evaporated, being careful not to overcook. Transfer Mu Shu filling to a serving dish.

To assemble, spread about a teaspoon of hoisin sauce on a pancake, and place about two tablespoons of filling across the center. Gently roll the pancake around the filling. Mu Shu pork may be served already assembled, or it may be served do-it-yourself style, allowing each guest to make their own.

Tiny Spring Rolls

Filling:

1 cup napa cabbage, finely shredded
4 mushrooms, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely sliced
1 carrot, finely grated
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 boneless chicken breast, poached and shredded

36 wonton wrappers
2 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying

Condiments

Sweet & Sour Sauce
Hoisin Sauce
Chinese Hot Mustard

Heat sesame oil in a wok and saute all filling ingredients until tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Place a wonton wrapper with points in a diamond shape on a dry surface such as a cutting board or plate. Place about 2 teaspoons of filling across the center of the wonton wrapper. Fold the lower point upwards snugly around the filling. Fold in the left and right points and roll toward the upper point. Moisten the upper point with a drop of water and press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers.

Heat vegetable oil in a wok or frying pan to 365 degrees. Gently drop filled egg rolls one at a time into the oil without overcrowding the pan. Fry until golden brown, turning once. Remove from oil and drain on layers of paper towels. Serve immediately with condiments for dipping.

Velvety Hot and Sour Egg Flower Soup

6 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon Chinese chili garlic paste
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup mushrooms (Chinese, shiitake, etc.), thinly sliced
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 scallion, finely chopped for garnish
1 mushroom, sliced for garnish

5 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water

2 egg, lightly beaten

Bring stock to a simmer. Add soy sauce, chili paste, vinegar, sesame oil and mushrooms. Simmer 10 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture, stirring to blend. Simmer until slightly thickened. Just before serving, drizzle beaten eggs in a thin circular stream over the surface of the soup and allow to simmer for about a minute to allow the eggs to set. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and garnish with sliced mushrooms and scallions.

Mandarin Chicken Salad

Salad Components:

1 package spring salad greens (or one head of leafy lettuce)
1 small can of mandarin oranges, drained
1 small can bamboo shoots, drained
1 small can water chestnuts, drained
1 carrot, finely grated
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 tomato, cut into thin wedges
1 cup crispy chow mein noodles
Deep fried chicken (see instructions below)

Mandarin Chicken:

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 egg white
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup Biscuit mix
1/3 cup water
2 cups Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Combine egg white, cornstarch, and soy sauce in a large bowl; mix well. Add chicken and mix thoroughly. Combine biscuit mix and water, stir to form a smooth batter. Add to chicken mixture, stirring thoroughly to coat. Heat oil in a wok or skillet to 365 degrees. Carefully drop chicken pieces into the oil one at a time without overcrowding the pan. Fry until golden brown on both sides, turning once. Remove from oil and drain on layers of paper towels. Set aside to cool.

Dressing

1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1 teaspoon ginger root, finely grated
1 clove garlic, finely minced

Mix all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously and allow to stand for 1 hour to marry flavors.

To assemble salad, place lettuce, oranges, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, mandarin oranges and carrot in a large bowl. Gently toss with enough dressing to coat. Arrange on salad plates, sprinkle with chow mein noodles, top with chicken pieces and garnish with wedges of tomato and sliced cucumber.

Kung Pao Shrimp

1 pound large shrimp, cleaned and deveined, shells intact
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup unsalted cashews or peanuts
1 tsp Chinese chili garlic sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 cup water (more or less as needed)
Steamed Rice

Kung Pao Sauce:

2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tbsp. rice wine
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ginger, finely grated

Combine all sauce ingredients in bowl and set aside. Wash, trim and chop all fresh ingredients and set aside. Heat 3 tablespoons of sesame oil in a wok. Add shrimp and stir-fry until just pink but not completely done and set them aside on a plate.

Add all the chopped vegetables and nuts to the wok and stir-fry until just tender. Add the Kung Pao sauce and toss with vegetables to coat. When sauce begins to thicken, add water a little at a time until the sauce reaches a velvety consistency, being careful not to overcook the vegetables. To finish, turn off the heat under the wok, add the prawns and toss with the vegetables and sauce just enough to coat and integrate them into the stir fry. Serve with steamed rice.

Spicy Hunan Beef

1 pound beef flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain
2 cups broccoli florets

Marinade:

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Sauce:

3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Chinese chili garlic paste
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup water (more or less as needed)

Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add beef, stir to coat and marinate for 1 hour. Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl. Place broccoli in a large saucepan with 1 inch of boiling water and blanch for about two minutes, until just tender but still crisp.

Heat vegetble oil in a wok and stir-fry beef until browned and tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add broccoli to wok and lightly stir-fry until tender. Add sauce to wok and simmer until thickened, tossing with beef and broccoli to coat. If sauce is too thick, add water a little at a time, mixing gently until consistency is glossy and velvety. Remove from heat and serve with steamed rice.

Mandarin Orange Chicken

Orange Sauce

1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Deep-fried Chicken

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 egg white
2 tablespoons cornstarchv 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup biscuit mixv 1/3 cup water

2 cups Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Sesame seeds for garnish
Steamed rice

Combine egg white, cornstarch, and soy sauce in a large bowl and mix well. Add chicken and mix thoroughly. Allow to marinate for one hour. Combine biscuit mix and water, stir to form a smooth batter. Add to chicken mixture, stirring thoroughly to coat. Heat oil in a wok or skillet to 365 degrees. Carefully drop chicken pieces into the oil one at a time without overcrowding the pan. Fry until golden brown on both sides, turning once. Remove from oil and drain on layers of paper towels. Add chicken pieces to orange sauce, stirring gently to coat. Transfer chicken pieces to a serving dish, allowing any excess sauce to drip back into the pan. Sprinkle chicken with sesame seeds and serve with steamed rice.

Chinese Almond Cookies

2 ¼ cups flour
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 cup butter, softened at room temperature
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon almond extract
Whole blanched almonds, halved for garnish

Sift dry ingredients together into bowl. Add butter and mix with a fork or pastry tool until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg and almond extract. Continue stirring until mixture forms a ball. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a sheet ¼? thick. Cut into 2" circles and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Place a half almond in the center of each cookie and bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack and serve with fresh lychee fruit or warm plum wine.