A new Chinese resturant opened in the are recently and I realized I haven't had or cooked any Chinese food in a long time. So, I started looking for recipes to fix this weekend and I came up with a few. Since I'm trying to shed a couple of pounds I looked for light recipes to help in that quest. I've included soup, salad, side, and main dishes as well as deserts. Here we go.
Summer Noodle Salad
6 oz Egg Noodles
1 tsp Sesame Oil
2 tbs Peanut butter, Crunchy
2 tbs Soy Sauce, Light
1 pinch Chile Powder
1 lb Tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 bunch Green Onions, finely chopped
4 oz Bean sprouts
1 lg Carrot grated
8 each Dates, pitted, finely chopped
1 Cook noodles in boiling water 4-5 minutes or until tender but firm to the bite. Drain well and rinse in cold water. Leave in cold water until required.
2 Mix together oil, peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar and chile powder. Drain noodles well, place in a large bowl and mix in peanut sauce. Arrange tomato slices on a serving plate
3 Using chopsticks or 2 forks, toss the green onions, bean sprouts, grated carrot and dates into noodles and mix well. Pile on top of the sliced tomato and serve.
------------
Chinese Vegetable Stock
1 stalk lemon grass
2 slices fresh ginger
1 cl garlic
2 ea green onions
2 large carrot, sliced
2 stalks celery
4 oz Bean sprouts
1 large pinch salt
1 large pinch ground white pepper
9 cups Cold Water
1 Break lemon grass to release it's flavor and place in a large saucepan with 9 cups of cold water and all remaining ingredients
2 Bring to a boil, skimming away surface scum using a large, flat ladle. Reduced heat cover and simmer 45 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
3 Line a strainer with clean cheese cloth and place over a large bowel. Ladle stock through strainer and discard vegetables. Cover and store in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Yield: 7 cups
--------------------
Three Mushroom Soup
4 ea Dried Chinese Mushrooms, soak in hot water 20 minutes
1 oz oyster mushrooms
2 oz button mushrooms
4 1/2 cups Chinese vegetable stock
1/2 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
1 cl garlic, finely chopped
2 tbs dry sherry
2 tbs dark soy sauce
4 oz fresh tofu, drained and diced
2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 4 tsp water
2 tbs shredded basil leaves
1 Drain soaked mushrooms and squeeze out excess water. Discard stems and slice caps. Slice oyster mushrooms and cut button mushrooms in half.
2 Pour stock into sauce pan and add ginger, garlic, sherry and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and carefully stir in mushrooms and tofu. Simmer 5 minutes then add cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring another 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in basil and serve.
Servings: 4
------------
Sesame Garlic Vegetables
8 oz broccoli
1 lg green bell peppers
2 sm zucchinis
8 oz asparagus
2 cl garlic, thinly sliced
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tb sesame seeds
1 Slice broccoli into small flowerets. Slice zucchini inot 1 inch pieces and halve. Cut bell pepper into 8. Trim away rough ends from asparagus and slice into 2 inch pieces. Place vegetables in a colander and rinse well
2 Bring a wok or large sauce pan of water to a boil. Arrange vegetables on a layer of parchment paper in steamer and place over water. Sprinkle with garlic and sesame oil. Cover and steam for 10 minutes.
3 Remove vegetables from steamer and place on warmed serving plates. sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with soy sauce for dipping.
Servings: 4
-------------
Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage
1 lb bok choy
1/2 head mapa cabbages
1 tb peanut oil
2 cl garlic, finely chopped
1 tb soy sauce, light
1 tsp five-spice powder
1 tsp chile sauce
Salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 ea fresh red chile, sliced for garnish
1 Discard damaged outer leaves from bok choy and cabbage. Break bok choy leaves from stem, rinse well and dry on paper towels. Discard coarse stem at base of leaves then shred finely.
2 Bring a large saucepan of water to boil and coo the bok choy for a few seconds until just wilted. Drain well and rinse in cold water. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Remove core from napa cabbage and shred finely.
3 Heat oil in a nonstick or well seasoned wok and stir fry bok choy and garlic 2 minutes. Add the napa cabbage and all remaining ingredients excpe the garnish and stir fry 2 minutes. Garnish with sliced red chile and serve immediately.
Servings: 4
---------------
Bean and Mushroom Noodles
6 oz black-eyed peas
6 oz vermichelli rice noodles
1 tb sunflouer oil
2 cl garlic, finely chopped
2 ea shallots, finely chopped
2 tsp fermented black beans
1 oz dried chinese mushrooms, soaked in hot water 20 minutes, drained and caps sliced
4 oz button mushrooms, sliced
4 oz oyster mushrooms, sliced
3 tbs light soy sauce
Salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
1 place pease in a sauce pan, add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 45 minutes or until just softened. Drain and rinse in cold water. Bring a lare saucepan of water to a boil. Tunr off head and add noodles. Loosen with chopstics or 2 forks and leave to soak 3 miutes, drain well and rinse in cold water.
2 Heat oil in a nonstick or well seasoned wok and stir fry garlic, shallots, black beans and mushrooms 2 or 3 minutes. Add black-eyed peas and stir fry 1 minute. Add soy sauce, salt, pepper and noodles, mix well and simmer 2 or 3 minutes to warm thorough. Stir in chives, transfer to serving plates and serve with a salad.
Servings: 4
----------
Steamed Dim Sum
4 oz tofu, drained and mashed
2 ea Green onions, finely chopped
1 ea stalk celery, finely chopped
1 tb fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp light soy sauce
Salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 ea Wonton skins (wrappers)
Cilantro leaves to garnish
1 Put ingredients exc4ept wonton skins and garnish into a bowl and mix together until well combined. spoon a portion into each wonton skin.
2 Dampen wonton skins with water and bring up sides of each wonton, pressing them around filling and leaving tops open. Flatten the bottoms
3 Bring a wok or large saucepan of water to a boil. Place wontons on a sheet of parchment paper in a steamer and place over water. Cover and steam 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve on a bed of rice with chile sauce as a dip.
-------------
Szechuan Pancakes
Pancakes
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp sesame oil
2/3 cups boiling water
strips of fresh green and red chile and celery leaves to garnish
Filling
2 tbs cornstarch
1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
1 large pinch salt
8 oz tofu, drained and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 tbs sunflower oil
2 cl garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbs light soy sauce
6 oz vegetable chow-chow, shredded
1 Sift flour into a bowl and using chopsticks or a fork mix in 2/3 cup boiling water to form a firm dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Divide dough into 8 and roll out each portion to forma 6 inch diameter pancake. Heat a nonstick skillet. Lightly brush pancakes on each side with oil and cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels layer between sheets of parchment paper and keep warm.
2 Place cornstarch, peppercorns and salt on a plate and toss tofu in the mixture until well coated. heat oil in a nonstick or well seasoned wok and stir fry tofu and garlic 2 or 3 minutes or until browned. Add soy sauce and vegetable chow-chow and stir-fry 3 minutes Place a little tofu mixture on each pancake and fold pancake around the filling. Garnish and serve
Servings: 4
---------------
Tofu and Peppers
8 oz fresh tofu, drained and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 tbs dark soy sauce
1 tbs sweet sherry
1 inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
Salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbs sunflower oil
1 ea fresh red chilie, seeded and finely chopped
2 cl garlic thinly sliced
1 ea red bell pepper
1 ea yellow bell peppers
1 ea green bell pepper
3 tbs chopped fresh basil
1 Place tofu on a plate on a shallow dish. mix together soy sauce, sherry, ginger, salt, and pepper. Spoon over tofu cover and chill for 30 min
2 Heat oil in a nonstick or well-seasoned wok and stir-fry tofu mixture, chile and garlic 2 minutes. Add bell peppers and stir fry 4 minutes. Stir in basil and serve immediately with noodles
Servings: 4
-----------------
Caramel Sesame Bananas
4 ea Bananas
1 ea Lemon Juiced
4 oz sugar
2 tbs sesame seeds
Mint sprigs and lemon slices to decorate
1 Peel bananas and cut into 2 inch pieces. Place in a bowl, add lemon juice and stir to coat
2 Place sugar and /4 cup water in a sauce pan and heat gently stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook 5 or 6 minutes or until the mixture caramelizes and turns golden brown. Drain bananas well and arrange on parchment paper
3 Drizzle caramel over the bananas, working quickly as the caramel will set within a few seconds. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Allow to cool 5 minutes then carefully peel away from paper, decorate and serve.
Servings: 4
----------------
Fruit-Filled white crepes
3 ea Eggwhites, slightly beaten
1/4 cups cornstarch
1 tsp sunflower oil
mint sprigs to decorate
FILLING
4 slices fresh pineapple, chopped
2 ea kiwi fruit, peeled and quartered
1/2 lg Mango, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/2 lg Papaya, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tbs dry sherry
1 tbs brown sugar
1 whole cinnamon stick, broken
2 ea star anise
1 Place all filling ingredients in a nonstick or well seasoned wok and mix gently. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer very gently for 10 minutes. Remove and discard cinnamon stick and star anise. Set aside. Meanwhile make the crepes. Put egg whites and cornstarch in a bowl and stir in 8 teaspoons water, mixing well to form a smooth paste.
2 brush a nonstick or well seasoned crepe pan with a little oil and heat. pour in a quarter of the mixture, tilting pan to cover the bottom. Cook 1 minute on one side only, until set. Drain on paper towels, payer with parchment paper and keep warm while making the remaining 3 crepes. lay crepes cooked-side up, fill with the fruit and fold crepes over the filling. Decorate and Serve.
Servings: 4
-------------
Let me know if you have any suggestions to improve these recipes or send me your favorite Chinese recipe.
Thank you for checking in and have a great day.
Posted by gold_prospector
at 9:54 AM EST
