Stir Fried Shrimp with Cashew Nuts (Cantonese)
1/2 pound raw shrimp, shelled
3 ounces raw cashews
3 cups peanut or vegetable oil
6 slices fresh ginger root
1/4 cup pre-cooked bamboo shoots, diced
6 (1-inch) sections scallions
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sauce No. 1
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon rice wine
1/2 egg white
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Sauce No. 2
1/2 teaspoon rice wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Rinse and devein shrimp; drain and mix with Sauce No. 1; let sit 20 minutes.
Boil 3 cups water; add cashews and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook 8 minutes over medium heat and remove; drain cashews. Heat oil until medium hot; deep-fry cashews about 8 minutes over low heat; remove and drain on paper towel.
Reheat oil until medium hot. Deep fry shrimp for 30 seconds. Remove and drain. Remove all but 1 tablespoon oil from pan. Reheat and stir fry scallion and ginger until fragrant; add shrimp, bamboo shoots and Sauce No. 2. Toss ingredients lightly to mix together. Add cashews and stir. Remove to serving plate.
NOTE: Green peas may be substituted for cashews.
Stir Fried Eggs with Mushrooms
3 dried black Chinese mushrooms
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 cup sliced scallions (with tops)
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger root
1/2 cup sliced oyster mushrooms
6 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons sake (rice wine)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Sesame oil
Cover black mushrooms with warm water; let stand 20 minutes. Drain and rinse. Remove and discard stems from mushrooms. Cut mushrooms into thin strips; reserve. Heat peanut oil in 10-inch skillet or wok until hot. Cook onions and gingerroot until tender; stir in reserved black mushrooms and oyster mushrooms. Mix eggs, wine and soy sauce; pour into skillet. As mixture begins to set at bottom and sides, gently lift cooked portions with spatula so that thin, uncooked portion can flow to bottom. Avoid constant stirring. Cook until eggs are thickened throughout but still moist, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame oil; serve immediately.
Yields 4 servings.
Sesame Peanut Candy (China)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
4 teaspoons water
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1 1/2 cups roasted, unsalted, skinless peanuts
Combine sugar, vinegar and water in medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring just until sugar dissolves. Cook without stirring until mixture boils. Boil mixture without stirring until it is golden and reaches 295 degrees F to 300 degrees F or hard crack stage on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.
While sugar mixture is boiling, grease an 11 x 7-inch baking pan. sprinkle half of the sesame seeds and all of the peanuts evenly into pan. Pour sugar mixture over nuts in pan. Smooth surface with the back of a greased wooden spoon. Sprinkle with remaining sesame seeds. Cool slightly. While candy is still warm, cut into 2 x 1-inch pieces. Cool completely. Remove from pan.
Makes 2 1/2 to dozen pieces.
Seafood Combination (China)
8 ounces fresh or thawed frozen sea scallops
8 ounces fresh or thawed frozen shrimp
8 ounces fresh or thawed frozen fish fillets
8 scallions
3 stalks celery
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts
1 (8 ounce) can bamboo shoots
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces cleaned, ready-to-cook squid, if desired
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons dry sherry
Rinse scallop with water, drain and cut into quarters. Remove shells and back veins from shrimp. Remove skin, if any, from fillets. Cut fillets into 1 1/2-inch square pieces. Cut onion and celery into thin diagonal lice. Drain water chestnuts and cut into halves. Drain bamboo shoots and cut into thin slices.
Heat 2 tablespoon of the oil in wok over high heat. Stir fry onions, celery, water chestnuts and bamboo hoots in the oil until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Remove from wok. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in wok. Add scallops, shrimp, fish pieces and squid. Stir fry until all fish is cooked and opaque, about 3 minutes.
Blend water, cornstarch, bouillon, soy sauce and sherry. Pour mixture over fish mixture in wok. Cook and stir until liquid boils. Return vegetables to wok. Cook and stir 2 minutes.
Serve with Fried Noodles.
Scallops with Vegetables (China)
1 ounce dried mushrooms
Boiling water
1 pound fresh or thawed frozen sea scallops
2 medium yellow onions
3 stalks celery
8 ounces fresh green beans
6 scallions
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons grated pared fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup water
2 1/2 tablespoons dry sherry
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon granules
1 (15 ounce) can baby corn ears, drained
Place mushrooms in bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 30 minutes; drain. Squeeze out excess water. Cut into thin slices. Rinse scallops and drain. Trim, if necessary, and cut into quarters. Peel onions, cut into wedges and separate layers. Cut celery into 1/2-inch diagonal slices. Wash and trim green beans. Cut beans into 1/-inch diagonal slices. Cut scallions into thin diagonal slices.
Heat oil in wok over high heat. Add onions, celery, beans, ginger and garlic to oil; stir fry 3 minutes. Measure cornstarch into small bowl. Blend in a few tablespoons of the water and mix until smooth. Stir in the remaining water, the sherry, soy sauce and bouillon. Add to vegetable mixture. Cook and stir until mixture boils. Add scallops, mushrooms, scallions and corn. Cook and stir until scallops are tender, about 4 minutes.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Scallion Curls
6 to 8 fresh scallions
Cold water
10 to 12 ice cubes
Trim bulbs from onions at point where stems begin to turn green. Trim remaining stems to a length of about 4 inches, cutting off tops if necessary. Reserve bulbs and remaining tops for another use. Using sharp scissors, cut each section of the green stems lengthwise into very thin strips down tot he beginning of the stem. Cut about 6 to 8 strips in each stem section. Fill a medium-size bowl about half full of cold water. Place scallions in water. Add ice cubes. Refrigerate until onions curl, about 1 hour.
Drain onion curls, then use as garnish.
Satay Beef (China)
1 pound beef tenderloin
5 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon satay sauce
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Scallions, if desired
Remove and discard fat from meat. Cut meat across the grain into thin slices. Flatten each slice slightly by pressing with fingers. Combine 3 tablespoons of the water, the cornstarch, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the soy sauce and the sesame oil in medium bowl. Mix in meat. Let stand 20 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil in wok over high heat. Add half of the meat to wok, spreading out slices so they do not overlap. Cook slices on each side just until light brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove meat from wok. Repeat with remaining meat, then remove it from wok. Add onion and garlic to wok. Stir fry until onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons water, 2 teaspoon soy sauce, the sherry, satay sauce, curry powder and sugar. Add mixture to onions. Cook and stir until liquid boils. Mix in meat. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions, if desired.
Rice-a-Roni Egg Fu Yung
1 (6 1/4 ounce) package Golden Grain Fried Rice-A-Roni
6 eggs
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
1 (16 ounce) can bean sprouts, drained
1/4 cup sliced scallion
Sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cups water
Prepare Fried Rice-A-Roni according to package directions; cool.
Beat eggs with the 1 tablespoon soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir in cooked Rice-A-Roni, bean sprouts and scallion. Drop mixture by 1/2 cupsful onto greased griddle. Brown on each side.
For the sauce, combine with cornstarch the 2 tablespoons soy sauce and water; cook until thick. Serve over Egg Fu Yung.
Serves 4.