World Recipes

Chinese Crullers

1 loaf frozen bread dough
Oil for deep frying

Thaw the bread dough overnight in the refrigerator. About 1 hour before using, remove it from the refrigerator and tear the dough into about 20 pieces. Roll each piece between your hands to form long rope shapes. Let them stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Heat oil for deep-frying. When oil is ready, take each strip of dough and pull, twisting both ends before dropping into the oil. Deep-fry until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.

This is not in the original recipe, but you can dust them with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon if desired.

Crab Stir Fry

1 (8 ounce) package crab chunks
1 (10 ounce) package frozen Oriental vegetables
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Cooked rice
Soy sauce

Combine crab, vegetables, garlic and ginger in medium heated wok, using a small amount of cooking oil in wok. Cook until vegetables are heated through.

Serve over cooked rice. Season with soy sauce.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Chicken Cubes with Cherries, Pineapple and Lichees (Bo Lo Lichees Gai Kew)

Yield: 1 serving

1 chicken breast
1 teaspoon sherry
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon anise pepper
1 tablespoon chopped scallion
1 egg white
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups vegetable oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup lichee juice
1 cup lichee meat
1/2 cup maraschino cherries
1/2 cup pineapple chunks

Bone chicken and cut into cubes; mix sherry, light soy sauce, anise pepper and chopped scallion together, pour over chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.

Beat egg white and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch together. Pour over chicken breast mixture.

Heat oil to 325 degrees F. Deep fry chicken. Drain on paper towels.

Mix sugar, catsup, vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and lichee juice in saucepan; stir until thickened. Add lichee meat, cherries and pineapple. Stir until hot, then serve over chicken.

Candied Banana Fritters (Asian)

5 bananas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
7 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cold water
1 to 2 teaspoons sesame seeds or black sesame seeds

Batter
1 egg
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons cold water (or enough water to make a thin batter)

6 cup oil for deep-frying (or less if desired)

Mix together the sugar and water. Set aside.

Beat the egg in a bowl. Add the cornstarch, flour, and water, and blend well.

Cut a banana on the diagonal into 5 pieces. Sprinkle some added flour onto it and coat the pieces in the flour batter using your fingers. Repeat for each banana.

Heat wok and add oil for deep-frying. When oil is hot, drop the bananas into the hot oil and add a few pieces at a time, turning them once, until they are golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Heat frying pan and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Quickly re-stir the sugar and water mixture, and add to the frying pan. Stir the mixture on low heat until the sugar dissolves and turns into a syrup. Turn off the heat and add the bananas. Mix carefully and serve immediately. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the bananas just before serving.

Chinese Cabbage Soup

Yield: 4 servings

1/2 ounce dried shrimp
1/2 ounce cellophane noodles (fen szu)
1 (2 pound) Chinese cabbage
1/2 pound lean pork loin or shoulder
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 thin slice ginger
3 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sherry

Wash dried shrimp; drain. Soak in hot water.

Soak cellophane noodles separately in hot water for 15 minutes.

Separate leaves of cabbage; wash and drain. Stack leaves together and slit into halves lengthwise, then cut into 2-inch long sections.

Slice pork thinly across the grain.

Heat lard or oil in saucepan. Add pork slices and stir fry until whitish in color. Add dried shrimp with their soaking water, drained cellophane noodles, soy sauce, ginger, boiling water and salt. Bring to boil again. Add cabbage and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Just before serving add sherry and bring to a boil again.

Crispy Fish with Sauce

4 large Chinese dried black mushrooms
1 tablespoon peeled, minced FRESH ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/3 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/3 cup thinly sliced bamboo shoots
1/3 cup snow peas, cut in half lengthwise
1 tablespoon rice wine
2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup oyster sauce
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Shake of white pepper
Firm fish filets

Soak the dried mushrooms in water to cover, and set aside.

Mince ginger and garlic and put into a small dish. Cut carrots, bamboo shoots, and snow peas and combine in a small bowl.

Combine rice wine, chicken broth, oyster sauce, salt, sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar in a small bowl.

Combine cornstarch with water in a small dish.

Remove dried mushrooms from bowl and squeeze out excess liquid. They should be fully hydrated, if not, let them soak longer. Trim and discard stems. Cut into 1/2-inch wide strips and place in dish with carrots.

Heat wok over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add vegetable oil and heat 30 seconds.

Move the wok around so the oil coats the sides.

Add ginger mixture and stir 15 seconds.

Add vegetables and stir quickly. Add chicken broth mixture and simmer briefly then add cornstarch. Bring to a boil.

Add sesame oil, a little white pepper (black can be substituted) and pour over hot fried fish.

Cut fish filets into serving sizes. Soak in salt water for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse. Pat dry.

Dip in beaten egg and coat well with cornstarch.

Fry in hot oil to cover until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain briefly and transfer to serving platter. Ladle sauce over fish.

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Crispy Orange Beef

1 (1 pound) flank steak, partially frozen
1/4 to 1/2 cup cornstarch, approximately
2 to 3 cups PEANUT oil
6 to 8 pieces dry orange peel, about 1/2-inch square
1 dozen dry hot pepper pods, about two inches long, or to taste
1/4 small onion, cut in 1/2-inch squares
1/4 cup water chestnut slices
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced green onion
1 tablespoon rice wine
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil

The flank steak should be frozen, but still pliable for easier slicing. Cut it into 3 lengthwise pieces, then cut across the horizontal to make small pieces, about 1/2 x 2-inches. Coat the meat completely with cornstarch and set aside.

Cut up dry orange peel into small pieces and combine in a small dish with hot pepper.

Cut onion and combine in another small dish with water chestnuts.

Mince garlic and green onion.

Combine rice wine, sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth, and oyster sauce in a small bowl.

Set a metal strainer over a large receptacle (not plastic) in kitchen sink.

Heat wok for two minutes over highest heat. Add oil and heat until it is very hot.

Add beef and stir to break it up. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until beef takes on a yellowish cast and the outside is crispy.

Transfer to metal strainer in sink and pour oil and beef into it.

Place empty wok back on high heat and add garlic and green onion. Add hot pepper and orange peel. Stir briefly. Add onion and water chestnuts and stir 30 seconds. Add sauce and stir well to coat. Let mixture boil until it thickens slightly.

Add hot beef and then sesame oil. Stir once or twice and place on a warm plate.

Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 8 as part of a larger meal.

Serve with steamed rice.

Chinese Tea Eggs

6 hard-boiled eggs
3 cups water
2 large tea bags
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

Gently roll the hard-boiled eggs on a counter so that the shell cracks into a crackled pattern. Place the water, the tea bags and the soy sauce in a saucepan and bring to boil. Add the crackled hard-boiled eggs, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour.

Remove from the heat and leave eggs in the seasoned water until ready to peel and eat.

For Sweet Tea Eggs, substitute 3 tablespoons of sugar for the soy sauce, and follow the directions above.