Chinese Wok Cooking

Chinese

Won Ton

1 package won ton wrappers

½ TBS oil

½ lb. ground pork or chicken

½ lb chopped shrimp

3 big spring onions, chopped

1 egg

2 TBS soy sauce

2 TBS cornstarch

¼ tsp white pepper

½ tsp sesame oil

1 tsp ginger root, rated

½ cup bean sprouts

1-5 mushrooms, chopped

2 leaves of Chinese cabbage

Heat oil in wok.  Add pork or chicken and shrimp and stir-fry until lightly browned.  Combine all the remaining ingredients with the meat mixture.  Put 1 tsp of filling in won ton wrapper and fold into bundles. 

Chinese Chicken Salad

1 lb chicken breast, boned and skinned

2 TBS soy sauce

2 TBS sugar

2 TBS water

½ tsp ginger, grated

1 small head lettuce, shredded

2 oz rice sticks (like noodles)

5 spring onions

1 package chopped or sliced almonds

Sauce:

2 TBS sugar

1 tsp MSG

¼ cup salad oil

2 TBS toasted sesame seeds

1 tsp salt

½ tsp vinegar

3 TBS soy sauce

1 tsp grated ginger

Slice chicken into very thin slices.  Heat oil in wok.  Cook chicken until slightly brown.  Add soy sauce, sugar, water and ginger.  Simmer for 1 min.  Shred lettuce.  Deep fry rice sticks.  Slice spring onions finely.  Combine sauce ingredients, set aside.  Toss salad ingredients just before serving.  Serves 6 to 8 people

Beef with Oyster Sauce

1 lb. beef flank steak or other tender beef

Marinade:

1 TBS oyster sauce

1 TBS soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 TBS cornstarch

2 TBS vegetable oil

Seasoning sauce:

2 TBS oyster sauce

3 TBS water

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

1 TBS soy sauce

½ tsp cornstarch

1 tsp sesame oil

3 TBS chicken broth, if desired for added flavor

5 broccoli stems, cut into 2 inch x ¼ inch pieces

3 celery stalks, sliced into small pieces

¾ lb snow peas

4 TBS vegetable oil

1 ½ tsp water

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

5 slices fresh ginger root

Use a cleaver to slice beef across grain and at an angle into thin strips.  Cut strips 2 inches long.  Combine marinade ingredients in a medium bowl.   Add beef strips; mix well.  Let stand 20 minutes.  Combine ingredients for seasoning sauce in a small bowl.  Mix well and set aside.  Heat 2 TBS oil in a wok over medium heat 1 min.  Stir fry broccoli stems and celery about 2 min.  Add snow peas, stir-fry 1 min. more.  Add water, salt and sugar.  Stir-fry 10 seconds.  Cover and steam 1 min...  Remove from wok and arrange on a platter.  Heat remaining 2 TBS of oil in wok over high heat 1 min.  Stir fry ginger root 10 sec.  Add marinated beef and stir fry until very lightly browned.  Remove beef set aside.  Add seasoning sauce to wok.  Stir fry until sauce thickens slightly.  Add cooked beef to wok mixing well with sauce.  Pour over green beg.  Makes 4 servings. 

Gong-Bao Ji-Ping

1 ½ lb chicken breast, boned and skinned

5-10 dried red peppers

3 -5 TBS fresh ginger, grated

1 bunch spring onions (green onions)

4 -5 cauliflower flowerets, cut in small pieces

1-2 broccoli stems only, cut in small pieces

1 can sliced water chestnuts

1 green pepper, cut in small pieces

½ lb mushrooms, sliced

1 cup bean sprouts

¾ cup cashews or almonds

4-5 TBS oil

Marinade:

 6 tsp cornstarch

6 tsp water

3 TBS soy sauce

3 TBS vinegar

5-6 tsp sugar

2 tsp sesame oil

Cut boned chicken into 1 inch pieces

Mix marinade with chicken

Marinade 1-5 hours or longer

Grate or chop ginger

Cut spring onions into ¾ inch lengths

Mix seasonings, set aside

Heat oil

Add peppers cooking over medium temperature until charred.  Remove

Stir fry chicken

Add ginger and spring onions.  Stir well and remove from wok.

Add 2 TBS oil, stir-fry cauliflower and broccoli 2 min.

Add green pepper and stir fry 2 min.  Add water chestnuts mushrooms and bean sprouts.  Stir fry 2 more min.

Add chicken mixture.  Stir well

Add nuts and seasoning.

Serve when sauce thickens

Basic Stir fried Beef

1 lb boneless beef

Marinade:

1 TBS soy sauce

1 TBS cornstarch

½ tsp salt

2 tsp water

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp grated ginger root

Oil for frying

4 cups cut vegetables

2 TBS water depends on type of vegetable

Sauce:

1TBS cornstarch

1 TBS soy sauce

½ cup water

Cut meat in strips 2 inch wide.  Holding blade at 45 angle slice each strip across grain in ¼ inch thick pieces.  Season with marinade and let stand 15 min.  Heat wok.  Pour in 2 TBS oil.  Swirl it around in wok and heat.  Add beef, stir over high heat until brown on outside only.  Approximately 2 min.  Remove from pan.  Heat 2 more TBS oil in wok.  Add vegetables and stir fry approximately 2 min.  Sprinkle with salt.  (Cover and cook 2 min with added water if using firm vegetables.  Cook only until crispy tender.  Return meat to wok.  Stir sauce to recombine.  Pour into wok and cook until thickened.  Approximate 30 seconds. 

Basic Stir fried Vegetables

 1 clove garlic peeled and minced

2 TBS oil

½ tsp salt

1 tsp ginger root, grated

1 lb cut vegetables

½ tsp sugar water optional

Sauce

1 TBS cornstarch mixed with

2 tsp soy sauce

½ cup chicken stock or water

Heat wok.  Add oil and heat.  Add salt, ginger, and vegetable.  Stir around wok for 1 min. to coat with oil. Adjust heat to stop scorch. Add sugar.  If cooking soft vegetables, stop now and serve or add sauce and cook until sauce thickens.  If cooking firm vegetables, add 1-2 TBS water.  Cover and cook for 2 more min.  Serve or add sauce. 

Broccoli or Cauliflower

Cut into flowerets.  Split heavy stems; cut 1 inch long stir-fry 1 min.  Add 2 TBS water.  Cover for 3 min.  Good with mushrooms.

Green Beans

Cut in 1 inch lengths.  Stir fry 1 min.  Add 2 TBS water.  Cover 3 min.

Cabbage

Cut in ½ inch slices.  Stir fry 1 min. add 2 TBS water.  Cover and cook 2 min.

Celery

Dice in chunks or diagonal slices.  Stir fry 2 min.

Peas (Snow peas)

Leave whole. Stir fry 1 min.  Add 1 TBS water toss for 1 to 2 min.

Try adding 1 to 2 tsp oyster sauce and toss awhile in place of a sauce.  Or try tossing with 1 TBS soy sauce and sprinkle sesame seeds. 

Almond or Cashew Chicken

6 TBS oil

1/3 cup blanched almonds halves

1 lb chicken, boned and skinned

Marinade:

¼ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 tsp cornstarch

1 TBS soy sauce

1 egg white

5 slices fresh ginger root

3 green onions, chopped in 1 inch lengths

1 green pepper, chopped in 1 inch pieces

½ cup diced whole bamboo shoots

Seasoning sauce

1 TBS rice vinegar or white vinegar

2 TBS soy sauce

1 TBS water

½ tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp cornstarch

Heat 2TBS oil in wok over high heat 1 min.  Add nuts and stir 2 to 3 min. until golden brown.  Remove from hot oil and drain well on paper towels.  Let stand 5 min. before using.  Dice chicken into 1 inch cubes.  Combine marinade ingredients in medium bowl.  Add diced chicken, mix well. Let stand 30 min. heat 2 TBS oil in a wok over high heat 30 sec. add chicken to oil stir fry 1 min until very lightly browned.  Remove chicken with a slotted spoon, drain well and set aside.  Heat 2 more TBS oil in wok.  Stir fry ginger slices 30 second. Remove and discard.  Add green onion, green pepper and bamboo shoots to oil.  Stir fry 1 or 2 min until vegetables are crisp tender.  Combine ingredients for seasoning sauce in a small bowl; mix well and add to wok.  Bring to boil.  Add chicken to boiling sauce.  Stir fry until chicken is coated with sauce.  Add almonds mix well and serve hot.  Makes 4 servings. 

 Cashew Chicken

2 Cups chicken boned and skinned, cut in bite size pieces.

1 TBS soy sauce

1 TBS water

1 TBS cornstarch

½ tsp salt

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp grated ginger root

¾ cup cashews

½ cup sliced bamboo shoots

8 fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 stale celery, cut diagonally, 1/8 inch think

15 snow peas

Salt

Oil

¾ cup water mixed with 1 TBS soy sauce, 1 TBS cornstarch and ½ tsp. sugar.

Marinate chicken 15 minutes in soy sauce, cornstarch, water, salt, garlic and ginger.  Heat 1 TBS oil in wok over medium heat.  Sauté nuts until lightly browned.  Remove from wok.  Heat 2 TBS oil over high heat.  Add bamboo shoots, mushroom and celery.  Stir fry 2 min. until crispy tender.  Remove.  Heat 1 TBS of oil over high heat.  Sprinkle with salt, add peas, and stir fry 1 min.  Remove. Heat 2 TBS oil over high heat.  Add marinated chicken and stir fry 4 min. or until meat is white.  Return vegetables and nuts to pan. Recombine cornstarch water mixture and add.  Cook until thickened.  Serves 4 to 6.  

Sweet and Sour Chicken

1 chicken fryer, or 6 chicken breasts

1 or 2 eggs

Cornstarch

½ green pepper, cut into big chunks

1 large onion but into big chunks, separated

1 20 oz can pineapple chunks

Marinade:

1 TBS water

1 TBS soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp grated ginger

½ tsp MSG

1 tsp salt

Sauce:

2 tsp soy sauce

2 TBS cornstarch

8 TBS sugar

6 TBS vinegar

4 TBS catsup

Juice from canned pineapple plus water to equal about 1 cup liquid

Dash of MSG

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and marinate for 2 hours or more in the marinade mixture.  Stir occasionally.  Break the egg or two into the chicken marinating bowl.  Stir.  Add enough cornstarch cautiously to make a sticky batter.  About ½ cup will be right, but this depends upon the size of the eggs and you may need more.  Too much will cement the pieces and you’; find you cannot even begin to stir.  Heat oil in wok.  You can fry this with only about ½ inch of oil or less, or deep fry in more oil.  Brown nicely and drain.  When all are fried, put all the pieces back in the oil briefly and then remove.  Put chicken on a platter.  Clean wok.  Stir fry in 1 TBS oil for 2 minutes the green pepper and onion.  Remove from wok.  Mix sauce ingredients in wok, cook until thickened.  Add onion, pepper, and pineapple combination to sauce.  Heat thoroughly.  Pour sauce over chicken.

Variations:

Use 2 lbs. pork cut in ¾ inch cubes.  One large can lichee nuts may be used in place of the pineapple.  Celery and tomatoes can be substituted for onion and green peppers. 

Stir Fried Chicken in Pita

2 whole large chicken breasts, boned and skinned

¼ cup soy sauce

1 TBS cornstarch

2 TBS water

1 tsp sugar

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp crushed red pepper

1 small head green cabbage about 1 pound

4 medium green onions

2 medium carrots

 Salad oil

¼ tsp salt

4 six inch pitas

8 small lettuce leaves

With knife held in slanting position, almost parallel to the cutting surface slice across width of each half into 1/8 inch thick slices.  Cut each slice crosswise into matchsticks thin strips.  In medium bowl, combine chicken and next 6 ingredients set aside. 

Discard tough green outer leaves from cabbage; with sharp knife, remove core; thinly slice cabbage to make about 5 cups.  Cut each green onion crosswise in 3 inch long pieces.  Cut carrots in match stick thin strips

In wok over medium high heat, in 2 TBS hot oil, cook cabbage, green onions, carrots, and salt, stirring quickly and frequently until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes, with slotted spoon, remove to medium bowl.

Heat 2 more TBS oil in wok, cook chicken mixture, stirring quickly and frequently until chicken is tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Return vegetables to skillet; heat through.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350.  Cut each pita crosswise in half; place pita halves on large cookie sheet.  Warm pitas in oven, about 3 minutes.

To serve, place a lettuce leaf in each pita half; then fill with chicken mixture.  Makes 4 servings. 

Kung Po Chicken

2 whole chicken breast

1 egg white

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp soy sauce

Dash white pepper

1 large green pepper cut in 1 inch chunks

1 medium yellow onion cut in 1 inch chunks

1 TBS starch

1 TBS cold water

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp sesame oil

1 clove garlic crushed

1 tsp finely chopped ginger

2 TBS Hoisin sauce

1 tsp dried red peppers in 1 TBS soy

½ cup chicken broth

½ Cup dry roasted peanuts.

Remove bones and skin from chicken and cut into 34 inch pieces

Mix egg white, 1 tsp starch, soy ½ tsp salt and white pepper in glass or plastic bowl stir in chicken.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes

Mix 1 Tbs starch water, sugar, sesame oil in small bowl

Heat wok.  Add 2 TBS oil and fry onions, garlic and ginger until onion is light brown, about 1 minute.

Add chicken and stir fry until chicken is white. Add hoisin sauce, red pepper mixture and cook and stir fry for 1 minute.  Stir in chicken broth and heat to boiling.  Stir in cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened

Add green pepper and cook for 30 sec.  Add peanuts and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Stir Fried Vegetable Medley

2 medium carrots

2 celery stalks

1 medium onion

1 medium bunch of broccoli

½ pound large mushrooms

¼ cup oil

¼ cup water

1 ¼ tsp salt

½ tsp. sugar

Cut each carrot crosswise in half.  Then lengthwise into matchstick -thin strips.  Cut each celery stalk crosswise into 3 pieces then lengthwise into matchstick -thin strips.  Thinly slice onion.  Cut broccoli in 2 inch by ½ inch pieces.  Cut mushrooms in quarters or cut in half if small.

In wok, over high heat, heat oil.  Then cook carrots, celery, onion, and broccoli, stirring quickly and frequently, about 3 to 4 min.  Add mushrooms, water, salt, and sugar; cover and cook 5 to 6 minutes longer until vegetables are tender crisp, stirring occasionally.  Makes 8 servings. 

YIELD: 4-6 SERVINGS

FRIED RICE

Learn how to make fried rice with this classic fried rice recipe. It tastes even better than the restaurant version!

PREP TIME: 5 MINS

COOK TIME: 10 MINS

TOTAL TIME: 15 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

·        3 Tbsp. butter, divided

·        2 eggs, whisked

·        2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

·        1 small white onion, diced

·        1/2 cup frozen peas

·        3 cloves garlic, minced

·        salt and pepper

·        4 cups cooked and chilled rice (I prefer short-grain white rice)

·        3 green onions, thinly sliced

·        3-4 Tbsp. soy sauce, or more to taste

·        2 tsp. oyster sauce (optional)

·        1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

DIRECTIONS:

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until melted. Add egg, and cook until scrambled, stirring occasionally. Remove egg, and transfer to a separate plate.

Add an additional 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and heat until melted. Add carrots, onion, peas and garlic, and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onion and carrots are soft. Increase heat to high, add in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter, and stir until melted. Immediately add the rice, green onions, soy sauce and oyster sauce (if using), and stir until combined. Continue stirring for an additional 3 minutes to fry the rice. Then add in the eggs and stir to combine. Add the sesame oil, stir to combine, and remove from heat.

Serve warm.

Ok, let’s cut right to it.  Here are the important things I have learned over the years (and yesterday!) about making excellent fried rice.

1) Use cold rice: The key to great fried rice is using cold (or even leftover) cooked rice.  There’s something about the cold rice hitting a hot pan that makes all the difference.  So even if you make a batch of rice just for this recipe, spread it out on a baking sheet or some large surface and pop it in the fridge (or freezer) for about 10-15 minutes beforehand so that it is not warm.  You don’t want it to be frozen, you want chilled.  (I also prefer short-grain rice, but that’s a preference — I like mine a little chewy!)

2) Use butter: Yes, butter.  I have made many a batch of fried rice using various oils, and I’m now convinced there’s a reason why Japanese steak houses use that big old’ slab of butter when they’re making fried rice.  It just tastes better, and makes everything brown up perfectly.  (Although don’t be scared — we only use 3 tablespoons for a very large batch of rice!)

3) Use veggies: This is one of my big pet peeves with lame take-out fried rice — not enough veggies!  In addition to adding some nice spots of color, veggies go a long way in adding some flavor and freshness to fried rice.  Our local Chinese restaurant always added both white and green onions, too, which I included in this recipe.

4)  Use sesame oil and oyster sauce: Ok, if you’re really squeamish about seafood, you can leave out the oyster sauce and your fried rice will still be great.  But this ingredient makes such a difference in good fried rice, and a little goes a long way.  Sesame oil, on the other hand, is 100% non-negotiable.  It is my favorite smelling ingredient in my kitchen, and tastes even better.  There as well, a little goes a long way.  (And it is meant as a finishing oil, not a cooking oil, so remove the pan from the heat once you’ve added it.)

5) Take time to actually FRY the rice: A.k.a. — take time to let it actually cook for a while and brown a bit in the pan.  So many fried rice recipes have you just stir in the rice and (voila!) you’re done.  But I’ve found that actually sautéing the rice for a little while with the veggies helps to get that classic “fried” flavor and pulls all of the ingredients together.

http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/fried-rice-recipe/