Egg Manchurian

Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast China. This region is the traditional homeland of the Xianbei, Khitan, and Jurchen peoples, who built several states historically. The region is also the home of the Manchus, after whom Manchuria is named.

Egg Manchurian

Ingredients

• 6 eggs, hard boiled
• 3 large sized onions, thickly sliced
• 5 to 6 green chillies, slit lengthwise
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1/4 tbsp sugar
• salt to taste
• oil

Method

• Slice the eggs into halves lengthwise.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
• Add onions and cook over low heat till the onions are tender. keep stirring occasionally.
• Mix the cornflour in a little water till smooth.
• Add cornflour, soya sauce, vinegar, sugar and salt to the onions.
• Stir well.
• Add eggs and green chillies. bring it to a boil and remove from heat.

Read more »

Jiang Mu Ya / Ginger Duck

Anhui cuisine is known for its use of wild herbs, from both land and sea, and simple methods of preparation. Braising and stewing are common techniques. Frying and stir-frying are used much less frequently in Anhui cuisine than in other Chinese culinary traditions. Anhui cuisine consists of three styles: Yangtze River region, Huai River region, and southern Anhui region. 

Jiang Mu Ya – Ginger Duck 

Jiang Mu Ya / Ginger Duck

Ingredients

• 1/2 Duck app. 1.5Kg without neck and feet, clean and cut into small pieces
• 500g Young Ginger - sliced
• 2 tbsp Preserved Soy Bean Paste - mashed
• 1 tbsp Preserved Black Bean paste - mashed
• 2 tbsp Minced Garlic
• 1 tbsp Minced Shallots
• 3 tbsp Cooking Oil
• 1,500ml Water
• 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 2 1/2 tbsp Sugar
• Salt to taste

Method

• Soak sliced ginger in hot water till the water is cold or one hour to reduce the spicy. Wash, drain and set aside.
• Heat up oil in wok and fry minced garlic and shallots till fragrant but not golden brown. Add in preserved soy bean and black bean paste to stir fry till fragrant.
• Put in duck pieces and sliced ginger to stir fry over high heat for 2 - 3 minutes, add in Dark Soy Sauce to stir fry for another 1 minute.
• Add in sugar to stir fry for one minute, reduce heat and simmer covered for app. 3 minutes but open cover in between and stir constantly to prevent sticking.
• Pour in app. 1,500ml water (water level must cover all the ingredients in wok). Simmer covered over high heat for 15 minutes, open cover and stir in between.
• Turn to low heat to simmer covered for 40 - 45 minutes till the duck pieces are tender and gravy is reduced and thick. Open cover and stir constantly in between. Add in Light Soy Sauce and salt to taste and simmer covered for another 5 minutes. Done.

Read more »

Wonton

Wonton (also spelled wantan, wanton, or wuntun in transcription from Cantonese; Mandarin: húntún) is a type of dumpling commonly found in a number of Chinese cuisines.

Wontons are made by spreading a wrapper flat in the palm of one's hand, placing a small amount of filling in the center, and sealing the wonton into the desired shape by compressing the wrapper's edges together with the fingers. Adhesion may be improved by moistening the wrapper's inner edges, typically by dipping a fingertip into water and running it across the dry dough to dissolve the extra flour. As part of the sealing process, air is pressed out of the interior to avoid rupturing the wonton from internal pressure when cooked.

Beijing, Sichuan, Hubei, Jiangnan, Jiangxi, Guangdong (Cantonese), Fujian, etc have their onwn way to prepare Wonton.

Wonton

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup Water
• 2 cups Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 large Egg

Method

• Beat the egg in a bowl and mix in the water.
• In a separate larger bowl, combine the salt and flour. Create a hole in the middle of the mixture and pour in the water and egg. Mix all ingredients well.
• Knead the dough on a floured surface until elastic. Then, create two separate balls with the dough.
• Cover these dough balls with a damp cloth for at least 10 minutes.
• Slice each ball into four pieces. Roll these pieces into 10 squares. Cut the squares into 3 1/2x3 1/2 inch squares.
• Wonton Wrappers are ready to be use.

Read more »

Buddha's Delight / Luóhàn zhai

Buddha's delight, often transliterated as Luóhàn zhai, lo han jai, or lo hon jai, is a vegetarian dish well known in Chinese and Buddhist cuisine. It is sometimes also called Luóhàn cài.

The dish is traditionally enjoyed by Buddhist monks who are vegetarians, but it has also grown in popularity throughout the world as a common dish available as a vegetarian option in Chinese restaurants. The dish consists of various vegetables and other vegetarian ingredients (sometimes with the addition of seafood or eggs), which are cooked in soy sauce-based liquid with other seasonings until tender. The specific ingredients used vary greatly both inside and outside Asia.

As suggested by its name, it is a dish traditionally enjoyed by Buddhists who are vegetarians, but it has also grown in popularity throughout the world as a common dish available in Chinese restaurants (though often not including all of the ingredients) as a vegetarian option. It is traditionally served in Chinese households on the first day of the Chinese New Year, stemming from the old Buddhist practice that one should maintain a vegetarian diet in the first five days of the new year, as a form of self-purification. Some of the rarer ingredients, such as fat choy and arrowhead, are generally only eaten at this time of year.

Buddha's Delight

Ingredients

• 4 dried Shiitake or Chinese black mushrooms
• 1/2 cup dried lily buds
• 4 dried bean curd sticks
• 8 ounces bamboo shoots
• 6 fresh water chestnuts
• 2 large carrots
• 1 cup shredded Napa cabbage
• 4 ounces snow peas
• 1/4 cup canned gingko nuts
• 1 knuckle of ginger, crushed
• Sauce:
• 4 tablespoons reserved mushroom soaking liquid or vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• Vegetable or peanut oil for stir-frying, as needed
• Salt, Accent or MSG to taste

Method

• In separate bowls, soak the mushrooms, dried lily buds, and dried bean curd sticks in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes to soften. Squeeze out any excess liquid. Reserve the mushroom soaking liquid, straining it if necessary to remove any grit. Remove the stems and cut the mushroom tops in half if desired.
• Slice the bamboo shoots. Peel and finely chop the water chestnuts. Peel the carrots, cut in half, and cut lengthwise into thin strips. Shred the Napa cabbage. String the snow peas and cut in half. Drain the gingko nuts. Crush the ginger.
• Combine the reserved mushroom soaking liquid or vegetarian stock with the Chinese rice wine or sherry, dark soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil. Set aside.
• Heat the wok over medium-high to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the heated wok.
• When the oil is hot, add the carrots. Stir-fry for 1 minute, and add the dried mushrooms and lily buds. Stir-fry for 1 minute, and add the water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, snow peas and ginger. Stir in the shredded cabbage and gingko nuts. Add the bean curd sticks.
• Add the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, turn down the heat and let the vegetables simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt or other seasonings as desired. Serve hot.

Read more »

Egg drop soup

History

Egg drop soup (traditional: pinyin: dàn hua tang; literally "egg flower soup") is a Chinese soup of wispy beaten eggs in boiled chicken broth. Condiments such as black pepper or white pepper, and finely chopped scallions and tofu are also commonly added. The soup is finished by adding a thin stream of beaten eggs to the boiling broth in the final moments of cooking, creating thin, silken strands or flakes of cooked egg that float in the soup. Egg drop soup using different recipes is also known as a simple-to-prepare soup in different European countries and Japan.

Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 cups of chicken stock*
• 1 tablespoon of corn starch
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce*
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper
• 3/4 cup of straw, enoki, or sliced shitaki mushrooms

*If cooking gluten-free, use gluten-free stock and gluten-free soy sauce.
Method

• Reserve 1/2 cup of the stock and mix with the cornstarch until dissolved.
   
• Place the chicken stock, ginger, soy sauce, green onions, mushrooms and white pepper in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch and stock mixture and stir. Reduce heat to a simmer.
   
• Slowly pour in the beaten eggs while stirring the soup. The egg will spread out into ribbons. Turn off the heat and garnish with a few more chopped green onions. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Breakdown

Each serving contains: Calories 81, 2 g Carbohydrates, 8 g Protein, 4 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 106 mg Cholesterol, trace Fibre, 866 mg Sodium

Egg Drop Soup Variations

These would be added after the seasonings. After adding, let the soup cook for a few more minutes and then add the beaten egg.

**1/2 cup frozen peas.
**If you are preparing the soup for someone who is ill, try adding a slice of fresh, grated ginger. 

Among its many benefits, ginger is believed to be helpful in treating colds and flue.
 
Egg Drop Soup is frequently thickened with cornstarch in restaurants. To add a cornstarch thickener, mix 2 - 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/2 cup water. Just before adding the beaten egg, stir in the cornstarch/water mixture, remove the soup from the heat, and then add the beaten egg.

Read more »