Category: Chinese
Lions Head Meatballs (Made Here… in Chinatown NY)

Lions Head Meatballs (Made Here… in Chinatown NY)

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A slew of small mom-and-pop stores and restaurants in NYC Chinatown were hit especially hard during the pandemic.  In response, Send Chinatown Love, a volunteer community organization, was created to help these struggling businesses.  Donations to Send Chinatown Love were used to buy meals from local restaurants and then distributed to the elderly and vulnerable community members. Win-win.  Their volunteers also taught businesses how to modernize and broaden their reach.  Even as the pandemic has receded, Send Chinatown Love has continued to help and grow and has expanded to other Asian communities in New York.

A friendly greeting and words of affirmation in the recipient’s native language on a decorated postcard accompany every delivered meal.  This is the care and compassion of the organizers and volunteers of Send Chinatown Love.  Who wouldn’t want to be a part of this?  So while we were in New York, I made postcards and delivered them to a cute little bakery, Partybus Bakeshop with yummy breads & treats in Chinatown.  I hope my postcards helped brighten someone’s day.

Labor of Love

Send Chinatown Love’s latest foray is a self-published, GORGEOUS cookbook, titled Made Here.  Proceeds from the book go back to the community fund.  This wonderful compendium is filled with recipes, stories, and photos of local businesses.  The chapter on Taiwan Bear House in Chinatown included their Lion’s Head Meatballs (狮子头) recipe.  A homey dish made from ground pork and poached in a flavorful, light broth with cabbage (lion’s mane).  It is a quintessential Taiwanese dish.

Flashback to 17

Well…the last time I had Lion’s Head Meatballs I was 17 years old and sitting at a table in an army barrack in Taiwan. Across from me, a grinning Taiwanese soldier urged me to EAT.  Yo, it was sus, but I tried it and it was delicious. That was the summer between my freshman and sophomore year at Berkeley.  I was in a student exchange program in Taiwan.  My mom and dad sent me alongside other Chinese American kids sent by their parents, to discover their Chinese roots.  We learned a bit of Mandarin and Taiwanese culture, and a lot about having a good time.  We vastly outnumbered the teachers and chaperones so it was easy to sneak out to roam the streets and night markets in Taipei.

I was one of the youngest on the trip. This meant, bars and nightclubs were off-limits (I am not messing around in a foreign country, nope).  But shopping, wandering the streets, and absorbing everyday life in Taipei was fair game.  My fondest memories were of the food, especially at the night markets.  I stuffed myself silly with Guo Tieh (Potstickers), Xiao Loong Bao (Shanghai Dumplings), and omelets filled with briny oysters. We gawked at the old men tossing live shrimp into a bowl, splashing them with whiskey which caused them to jump on the plate.  The plate they handed you to enjoy.  Was I brave enough to try them?  I’ve blocked that memory.

This was my first exposure to street food and markets and to this day whenever we travel we are sure to hit the local street markets. ❤️

The meatballs resemble the lion’s head and the cabbage its mane.  Use your imagination.  Use pork with a bit of fat, I recommend 80%-20% pork to fat.

This recipe is very simple so embellishing is easy and welcome.  I like adding chopped water chestnuts for crunch and diced scallions for color and flavor.  The trick to tender meatballs is to stir the mixture vigorously, in one direction until the meat feels sticky.  Preferably, use a pair of chopsticks to stir.  The logic?  Don’t know, my mom told me to do this and it works.

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Lion's Head Meatballs (狮子头)

A classic Taiwanese Dish, Lion's Head Meatballs are savory, comforting and delisious, Adapted from the cookbook, Made Here, from Send Chinatown Love
Course dinner, homestyle, main dish, Meat, Soup
Cuisine Asian, Chinese, Taiwanese
Keyword Beef and Vegetable Soup, Lion's Head Meatballs, Made Here, Taiwanese
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour

Ingredients

Meatballs:

  • 1 lb. ground pork 80-20 percent pork-fat
  • 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Shaoxing wine or sherry
  • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce good quality, preferably a Taiwanese soy sauce, light if not, use Kikkoman Organic + 1 tsp sugar)
  • 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger peeled and finely grated or minced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt or 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp. ground white pepper
  • 1 scallions trimmed and finely chopped, optional
  • 4 ounces water chesnuts chopped, optional

FOR THE BROTH:

  • 1 small head Napa Cabbage or regular cabbage end cut off and roughly chopped (you could use a small head of regular cabbage, cored and chopped)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 1- in. piece of ginger sliced into planks
  • 3 sheets of kombu dried kelp each sheet should be approximately 3x3 inches/piece
  • 1 dried shiitake mushroom
  • 1 tsp salt

Garnish:

  • 2 stalks scallions
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • Steamed jasmine rice for serving

Instructions

Broth:

  • Wipe kelp with a dry cloth or paper towel to remove white powder (salt residual). Set aside.
  • Fill a large pot with 10 cups of water. Add ginger, shiitake mushroom, kelp, and 1 tsp salt. set over medium-high heat. As soon as it begins to boil, turn down heat so stock is just simmering. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, do not let it boil as the kelp will get bitter. Once done simmering, strain stock to remove kelp, ginger, and mushroom. Return stock to pot and keep warm while making meatballs.

Meatballs:

  • In a large bowl, combine ground pork, seasonings, garlic, ginger, and scallions plus water chestnuts if using. Mix thoroughly.
  • Using a pair of chopsticks or a long spoon, stir mixture vigorously in one direction only, until the mixture looks sticky or tacky. Scoop up the meat and slap it back into the bowl a couple times. This process helps to tenderize the meat.
  • Form the meat into 4-6 balls, roughly the size of tennis balls. (ok, I like them a bit smaller so make 6-8). Traditionally they are HUGE.
  • Gently drop meatballs into simmering stock and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the meatballs float and are tender.

To Serve:

  • Just before poaching the meatballs, bring stock to boil and drop in napa cabbage. Boil cabbage for 2 -3 minutes or until just tender. Remove from broth and set aside.
  • Before serving taste broth for seasoning. If needed, add a bit of finishing soy sauce or soup soy to add saltiness and depth of flavor.
  • Place cabbage in bowl followed by a meatball. Fill bowl with additional broth. Garnish with scallions and cilantro. If you are like my kids you will put a scoop of rice in your bowl then ladle in the soup.

Notes

This dish can also be made as a braised dish.  But I am a soup fan.
 
Tomato Egg Fried Rice & the Fishy Bits

Tomato Egg Fried Rice & the Fishy Bits

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A couple of weeks ago I was reading a post from the Woks of Life, a lovely blog on Asian cooking. Their post was on a classic Chinese dish, Salted Fish Fried Rice.  Salted Fish is a Cantonese ingredient made from white fish like croaker, salted and air-dried.  This process concentrates the flavor of the fish, it’s salty, fish-forward, and well, kinda funky in a good way.  Their twist was to substitute anchovies for the salted fish (hom yu, 鹹魚).  My first thought was “Yum, I gotta try this, I think I have anchovies in my pantry”.

They also have a cookbook out and it’s gorgeous.  If you need (who doesn’t)  a cookbook that covers Chinese cuisine for the novice to seasoned cook, Woks of Life fits the bill. You can order it from Books, Inc. or in the Bay Area, from Omnivore Books which has signed copies.

Dad and Gung Gung 1940s

Tales of My Grandfather

As I read their post, memories of my grandfather bubbled to the surface.  He lived in an SRO (single room only) in the heart of Chinatown above Sun Tai Sam Yuen Restaurant.  It was convenient and comfortable for him.  A line cook at Original Joe’s and at the Fairmont’s Tonga Room he walked to work from Chinatown.  His neighbors, Cantonese men of similar age, had migrated to Gum San (San Francisco) looking for work.

…

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Easy as 123 Spareribs

Easy as 123 Spareribs

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As I was driving home the other day I called the Hubster and asked “What’s for dinner?”.  The retired guy replied, “I thought you were making dinner”.  Excuse me? Moi?  The person driving home after a full day at WORK?

Fine, I’ll make dinner but you are on cleanup…

A pack of spareribs, cut crosswise into thirds (thanks Asian market), a knob of ginger and bunch of scallions in the fridge-time to make Irene Kuo’s 12345 Spare Ribs from Food52.  The rest of the ingredients are in my pantry, soy sauce, vinegar, rice wine and sugar, that’s all I need. Oh, and my trusty Instant Pot.

I added the step of browning the ribs with ginger and scallions just to give it a flavor boost. Feel free to skip this step and start by putting the ribs and braising liquid in the instant pot without frying. Add a couple of minutes to the cooking time.

Set time for 15 minutes and let your IP do it’s thing. Meanwhile make some rice and veggies, any greens will do nicely.  Give it a couple of minutes before releasing the pressure on your IP. Remove ribs. switch to sauté and reduce sauce until it thickens to a syrupy consistency.  Add the ribs back in and stir to heat and coat them with sauce.

Scoop rice into a bowl, top with the ribs and greens, and garnish with green onions.  Enjoy!

Epilogue

Me? I headed to the couch, turned on the telly, and relaxed while the hubs did the dishes!

The ingredients for these ribs can be found in most Asian markets.  Use Shaoxing Wine (Chinese Sherry) or dry sherry.  Dark soy sauce has added molasses, don’t substitute regular soy sauce which is actually saltier than dark soy.  Favorite brands include Koon Chun or Lee Kum Kee.

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Sweet & Sticky Chinese Ribs

Adaptation of Irene Kuo's 1-2-3-4-5 Spare Ribs. Sweet, savory braised ribs, delicious with a bowl of rice. Using a pressure cooker will keep ribs moist and shorten the cooking time.
Course Drinks, Main Course, Meat
Cuisine Asian, Asian-American, Chinese
Keyword Instant Pot, spareribs
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 Pressure Cooker I use an Instant Pot

Ingredients

Fry It Up

  • 1 1/2 pounds pork spareribs ask the butcher to cut the slab of ribs crosswise into 3 pieces. You can cut them into individual ribs at home
  • 1 stalk scallion, cut into 3 inch lengths optional
  • 2 slices fresh ginger, smashed optional

Braising Liquid

  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry preferably Shao Xing Wine
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 5 tablespoons water

Garnish

  • 1-2 stalks green onions, sliced diagonally in 1/8-1/4" pieces

Instructions

Instant Pot Directions

  • Set Instant Pot on saute'. Once heated add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Toss in ginger and scallions and saute' briefly (30 sec) then add spareribs. Fry until the ribs lose their pinkness.
  • Add braising liquid ingredients. When the liquid comes to a boil, stir well to coat the ribs, turn off saute function, and place lid on Instant Pot.
  • Set IP on high pressure (use Meat setting) and adjust time to 15 minutes. When it is done, wait a couple of minutes before CAREFULLY releasing pressure to your Instant Pot.
  • Remove ribs from pot. Set Instant Pot to saute' and reduce remaining liquid to a thick syrupy sauce. Turn it off and add ribs back into pot, stir to coat the ribs. Spoon ribs onto a serving plate.
  • Garnish with scallions. Serve immediately with rice.

Stovetop Directions

  • Put the ribs in a skillet or saucepan and set it over high heat; add the rest of the ingredients and stir to mingle. When the liquid comes to a boil, adjust heat to maintain a very gentle simmering, and cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Stir and turn the spareribs from time to time.
  • Uncover and turn heat high to bring the sauce to a sizzling boil; stir rapidly until the sauce is all but evaporated. Garnish with scallions. Serve hot with rice.

Notes

Using a pressure cooker not only shortens the cooking time but ensures tender and moist ribs.
BBQ Pork Hand Pies (叉燒酥) Char Siu Soul

BBQ Pork Hand Pies (叉燒酥) Char Siu Soul

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My best description/translation of a favorite Chinese pastry, 叉燒酥 (Char Siu Sou) is Chinese bbq pork hand pie.  Flaky, tender pastry surrounding a sweet-salty filling of bbq pork, and onions. Char Siu Sou can be found in tea houses serving dim sum and in Chinese bakeries.

Surprisingly, there is quite a selection of pastries made with the Chinese version of puff pastry.  More often than not, they are savory.  Traditional Chinese pastry is made with two doughs, wet dough and a short dough, laminated together.  Folks used lard back in the day which made for a very flaky and flavorful crust.

E-pie-phany

One of my favorite recipes from King Arthur Baking is their Blueberry Hand Pies.  The dough made with sour cream is easy to work with and makes a tender, super flaky, buttery shell.  When I make hand pies this is my go-to pastry recipe. I’ve used fresh peaches, strawberries, and preserves for the blueberry filling.  “Hands” down, a winner.

Char Siu Soul-  I Did It My Way

Instead of the traditional Chinese pastry dough, I decided to make the hand pie dough recipe.  It’s fewer steps and WORKED like a charm, flaky, buttery goodness, callin’ it Char Siu Soul.  Visions of the possibilities like curry beef, Bulgogi, or Vietnamese Caramelized  Ground Pork as fillings danced in my head.  Yum.

Good Things Come in Pastry Packages

The dough comes together easily.  If you are a novice, check out King Arthur Baking’s Martin and Arlo video on making hand pies.  The keys to success are cold butter, working quickly, not overmixing, and letting it rest. The crust can be made by hand, by pinching the butter with the flour mixture.  You’ll end up with butter flakes coated with flour, a key to creating the flaky layers.

If using your hands to mix the butter and flour, cut the butter into slices instead of cubes. Much easier to pinch. If using a pastry blender cubes are fine.
Add sour cream and stir until mixture is shaggy. Don’t overmix! Pour onto a counter or flat surface to press the dough into a rectangle.  Roll out to form an 8×10 rectangle.
Fold the dough in thirds, like an envelope.  Helps to use a pastry or bench scraper to gather, fold and square off the dough.

Fold the dough a couple of times and then CHILL the dough until set or firm. If you are making the dough early, take it out of the fridge and allow it to soften just enough to make it easy to roll out.

Make any shape you want. Rectangles, squares or triangles work well, no leftover scraps of dough. Cutting out circles will leave scraps of dough that can be re-rolled (more work).  Place approximately 1 heaping teaspoon of filling, egg wash the edge, fold one side over and crimp the edges.

Cha Cha Char Siu

Trust me, you don’t have to make your own char siu or bbq pork.  Plenty of Chinese delis make delicious bbq pork.  But it’s not hard to make, I have 2 versions to make your own, oven-roasted or braised BBQ Pork.  Make a batch, you’ll have plenty for Char Siu Soul and for Pork Buns, Fried Rice, sammies, scrambled or steamed eggs.  It freezes well, so make a big batch.

The filling is easy to make.  Make sure it is cool before filling the pastry. Dice the char siu small, don’t mince.  You don’t want a mushy filling. You can use either yellow or white onions or shallots for the filling.

Use a handy dandy fork to crimp the sides. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

I’m Okay, It’s Okay (A Nod to the K-Drama)

Need these delightful pastries in a hurry or on short notice?  Feel free to start with frozen, pre-made puff pastry or pie crust (won’t be quite as flaky) for the pastry.  Finally, buy Char Siu, Chinese delis make fantastic bbq pork, a huge time saver.  It’s okay!

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Char Siu Soul (BBQ Pork Pastry)

Classic dim sum or tea house dish, bbq pork filling encased in a tender, buttery, flaky pastry.
Course Biscuits and scones, dim sum
Cuisine Asian, Asian-American
Keyword Bbq Pork Pastry, Char Siu Sou
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chilling time for dough (min) 30 minutes

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour (8-1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter 16 tablespoons
  • 1/2 cup cold sour cream

Char Siu Filling:

  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
  • ½ teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
  • ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons peanut or vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup finely chopped yellow onion or shallots
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
  • 4 ounces char siu Chinese BBQ pork finely diced (homemade or store-bought)

Instructions

To make the pastry: 

  • Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the butter, working it in to make a coarse/crumbly mixture. Leave most of the butter in large, pea-sized pieces.
  • Add the sour cream, and stir until the mixture starts to come together in chunks. Turn it out onto a floured work surface, and bring it together with a few quick kneads.
  • Pat the dough into a rough log, and roll it into an 8" x 10" rectangle. Dust both sides of the dough with flour, and starting with a shorter end, fold it in three like a business letter.
  • Flip the dough over, give it a 90° turn on your work surface, and roll it again into an 8" x 10" rectangle. Fold it in three again.
  • Wrap the dough, and chill for at least 30 minutes before using.

Char Siu Filling:

  • In a small bowl, stir together the water, sugar, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil, and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until translucent. Stir the flavoring sauce into the onion and heat for 30 seconds or until bubbly.
  • Give the cornstarch mixture a final stir and add to the skillet. Cook for 30 seconds longer, or until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the char siu and remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature.

To Assemble and Bake:

  • To assemble and bake: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the prepared dough into approximately 14-inch square.
  • Using a ruler, trim off the uneven edges to make a 12-inch square, then cut the dough in thirds crosswise and quarters lengthwise to make 12 (3-by-4-inch) rectangles.
  • Place 1 tablespoon* of the char siu filling across the center of each square leaving about ½-inch border on either side for sealing. Overlap the dough over the filling (like enclosing a photo in a letter). Press down to seal in the filling on all sides. If the dough isn't sticking together easily you may dab the inside edges of the pastry with water before folding it closed.
  • Flip the pastry over so the seal is on the bottom, and use the tines of a fork to seal the short edges. Place on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough and filling, spacing pastries 1-inch apart on the baking sheet.
  • Brush the pastries with egg wash, then sprinkle them with sesame seeds. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool briefly on a wire rack. These are best served warm, but are good at room temperature.
  • Reheat in a toaster oven at 350 for approximately 5 minutes.

Notes

The pictured pastries are approximately 2 x 3 inches.  Use a generous teaspoon of filling for this size.
Scrambled Eggs and Beef over Rice (The Slippery Slope of Waat Dan Fan)

Scrambled Eggs and Beef over Rice (The Slippery Slope of Waat Dan Fan)

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Waat Dan Fan (滑蛋飯) is one of my absolute all-time favorite down-home Cantonese dishes.  The literal translation is Slippery Egg Rice.  This version includes beef so it’s called Waat Dan Gnow Yuk Fan (滑蛋牛肉飯).  Although it comes together quickly, it can be a little tricky to get the texture of the eggs right.  Don’t let that put you off though, it is well worth it.  It may take a couple of tries, as it did with me, but the return is HUGE.  You will be rewarded with a homey, satisfying, tasty dish of stir-fried beef nestled in a pool of silky, scrambled-swirled eggs flavored with scallions and ginger.  Soooooo good!  真好吃!

Don’t Slip Up on the Mise on Place

  • Everyone thinks stir-frying is quick and easy, although the cooking portion is quick, it’s the prep that takes time. Everything has to be ready for the stir-frying to look effortless.  This dish is no egg-ception.
  • Slice and marinate your beef and put it in a bowl to the side.  Note, the oil in the marinade goes in last AFTER the beef has sat for 15-20 minutes and absorbed the marinade.
  • Crack your eggs into a bowl and whisk them with a pinch of salt.  Set it near the beef and close to the stove.
  • Slice your green onions and set them aside.
  • Have your 1/2 cup of stock to which you have added the sugar and salt along with the slurry of cornstarch and water ready.
  • Place the prepped ingredients next to the stove.

You’ll thank me

This is a classic Cantonese dish, the epitome of soul food.  I love serving it in a bowl with a spoon. Looking for a vegetarian rift? Try Tomato & Egg Rice.  Enjoy!

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5 from 1 vote

Hong Kong Style Slippery Eggs and Beef on Rice

Classic Cantonese dish that comes together in minutes, Slippery Egg and Stir Fried Beef Over Rice
Course homestyle, Main Course, soul food
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Cantonese cooking, egg, plate rice, Slippery beef
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces Flank steak, flat iron or sirloin, thinly sliced
  • 2 large eggs can use extra large or jumbo
  • 1/2 cup water or chicken stock (low sodium)
  • 2 tbsp sliced green onions
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • peanut oil
  • 1 tsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp water MIx in a small bowl and set aside

Mainade for Beef

  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1-2 slices fresh ginger, julienned
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • dash of white pepper
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp water

Serve over hot rice or rice noodles

  • 2-3 cups of steamed white rice

Instructions

  • Slice the beef to 0.2 mm thick, add the marinade ingredients except for the oil, marinade for 20 minutes. As the beef sits it will absorb alot of the water. Add oil after the beef has sat. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, beat eggs with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add beef, stir-fry until it is no longer pink. Remove the beef and set aside. If beef has a lot of liquid, pour it into a strainer placed over a bowl to drain.
  • Pour the broth or water into the pan used to stir-fry the beef, add salt and sugar, and bring it to a boil.
  • Add the cornstarch water mix, and bring to a boil again. The mixture will thicken to a thin sauce consistency. Lower the heat to medium-low.
  • Pour the eggs into the sauce in a stream moving around the pan. Let it set a bit and then stir gently to allow eggs to continue to cook and set a bit more. It will still be very loose and the stock slurry will still be visible.
  • Add the beef and sliced scallions and cook for 30 seconds to one minute, stirring gently to blend the sauce and eggs. The mixture will be saucy.
  • Spoon cooked hot rice into shallow bowls large enough to hold 1-2 cups of rice. Pour the beef and egg mixture over the rice. Garnish with additional sliced scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Golden Fried Rice-Sinfully Delicious (黄金炒饭)

Golden Fried Rice-Sinfully Delicious (黄金炒饭)

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I LOVE fried rice. Posted on 3Jamigos are my favorites,  my Dad’s Fried Rice and Kimchi Fried Rice.  Until now, I was very content with these two recipes until…..I came across a video from Lucas Sin, chef/owner of Junzi’s Kitchen in New York/New Haven for Golden Fried Rice.  Golden Fried Rice? Say what?

The key to this dish and why it is called Golden Fried Rice is uncooked egg yolks are mixed into the rice BEFORE cooking.  The egg yolk surrounds each grain of rice, like a protective rain slicker. When the rice is cooked the grains stay separate, and take on this wonderful satiny loose texture and light golden hue.  It’s nuanced but mind-blowing, and that’s coming from a fried rice freak.

Young Guns Breaking the Mold

I follow more than a couple of Asian-American chefs, cookbook authors, and bloggers on the scene now. I’m so impressed with not just their cooking but their ability to utilize social media and non-traditional avenues to highlight Asian cuisine.  They have found ways to navigate and adapt to the pandemic.  I’ve posted about many of these kids and their work.

The new guard includes Lucas Sin, Deuki Hong, Eric Kim, Brandon Jiu, Cynthia Chen McTiernan, Joy Cho… The old guard, who paved the way, include Roy Choi, David Chang, Eddie Huang, and Joanne Chang.  They are not just making great food but highlighting social and environmental issues that impact all of us. 

It has been a difficult time compounded by the anti-Asian sentiment in this country, it’s good to see Asian Americans use their platforms to support the community and bring to light many of the issues that folks of color, not just Asian American faces.  I’m proud to be Asian-American. #veryasian

Going for the Gold-en

I don’t even need to do a rundown of the recipe if you watch this video! But I will.

Mise En Place is the name of the game.

Get all your ingredients prepped before you get near your stove.  This holds true for any stir-fried dish.  Make sure you have all your ingredients cut, and prepped, and your seasonings on hand.  Stir-frying is that point of time where Scotty takes us into warp speed.  So you better be ready to go.

Rules of the Game

After Mise En Place.  Use a large, flat-bottomed pan to stir-fry.  Face it, most of us don’t have stoves that generate enough BTUs to do real wok cooking,  a flat-bottom maximizes the surface area in contact with your flame.

The very basic dish is rice, egg, and the flavor trinity of ginger, onions, and garlic. Oh, and of course, salt and peppa.

Add-itionally

Most people aren’t purists, at least not all of the time. Let’s talk adds.  Anything goes with fried rice, any veggie, any protein, any condiment..it’s all good, which tells you just how perfect fried rice is.  I am no exception, my favorite additions to fried rice are Lop Cheung (Chinese sausage), bbq pork, and shiitake mushrooms.  All adds should be at least partially cooked before adding to the rice.  Because you will add your options right before you plate the dish. Your fried rice is just about done and boom, hit it with diced veggies and protein, give it a minute or so of frying to heat everything through, and you’re done.  That is unless you are adding sauce (catsup (my fav), hot sauce, XO Sauce, Buffalo Wing Sauce per Lucas) which you would add NOW.

Fried Rice is Soul Food, make a bowl, and enjoy.

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5 from 1 vote

Golden Fried Rice

Fried rice taken to a new level with the addition of egg yolks to the rice before it is cooked.
Course One dish meals, Rice
Cuisine Asian, Asian-American
Keyword eggs, Golden Fried Rice, Lucas Sin
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chilled cooked short-grain white rice can use long grain, preferably day-old rice
  • 4 large eggs yolks and whites separated
  • 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil divided, plus more for drizzling

Asian Trinity Plus

  • ½ small yellow or white onion finely chopped
  • 1 inch piece ginger peeled, finely chopped almost minced
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 4 scallions white and pale green parts separated, finely chopped, dark green parts thinly sliced,

Flavor Adds

  • 1 tsp Kosher salt to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar to taste
  • 1/8 tsp tumeric if you want to enhance the golden color of the rice, this is the trick
  • white pepper to taste

The Options: Sky's the Limit

  • 1 cup Bbq pork, shiitake mushrooms, Chinese sausage, shrimp, peas, any diced vegetables-squash. Last night's roast chicken, diced. Any of these should be diced and at least partially cooked. This is your chance to clean out the fridge! Add right before the rice is done and stir fry any adds for a minute to heat and combine distribute evenly in the rice. To preserve the texture of the rice, your additions should not be too wet, which is also why you should use pre-partially cooked items..

Instructions

  • Separate egg yolks from whites, placing yolks in a medium bowl and whites in a small bowl. Add rice to bowl with yolks and mix to break up any clumps and coat each grain with yolks (take your time with this as any clumps will cook together); set aside.
  • Stir 2 Tbsp oil into egg whites and season lightly with salt. Heat a dry large nonstick skillet over high. Add egg white mixture and cook, pushing around constantly with chopsticks or a heatproof rubber spatula, until gently set, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out skillet if needed.
  • Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in skillet over medium-high. Add ginger, stirring, until very fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add yellow onion, season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until onion is translucent, about 1 minute (remove from heat if onion starts to go past golden brown). Add reserved rice mixture, sprinkle with sugar, and season with salt. Toss to combine, then cook, undisturbed, until rice is beginning to warm and crisp underneath, about 1 minute.
  • Push some of the rice to the side to clear a few inches in skillet. Drizzle a bit of oil into the clearing. Add scallion white and pale green parts and garlic and cook, stirring, until just softened and fragrant, about 45 seconds. Toss into rice mixture and cook, tossing occasionally, until warmed through and rice is crisp and chewy, about 3 minutes. Return cooked egg whites to pan and cook, tossing and breaking up with spatula until distributed.
  • Now is when you would add extras...veggies, protein, and then condiments. Stir fry additional minute to combine and heat through.
  • Special Shout Out to my favorite: catsup or ketchup, add it now. Start with at least 2-3 tablespoons and then add to taste. Fry to heat and incorporate catsup throughout the rice.
  • Divide among plates and top with scallion greens.

Notes

Note in the video, Lucas mentions a 2:1 ratio of salt to sugar.  I started with even amounts or a smidge more salt, taste, and season to your preference.
This fried rice does not use soy sauce at all.  Most likely due to the color impact of adding soy sauce.  I grew up with fried rice that was coffee with a bit of milk color. My Dad used soy sauce in his rice, a trick he probably picked up from Chinatown chefs.  A simple variation of fried rice starts with butter or rendered chicken fat with dark and light soy to color and flavor the rice...so, so yummy.
Old School Almond Cookies

Old School Almond Cookies

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Growing up in Chinatown the standard plate of cookies found on our table was not Chocolate Chip Cookies, but Almond Cookies.  Found in every Chinese Bakery, these were my favorite cookie, well except for the almond in the center, which I ate around, kids, what do you do.

Phoenix Bakery

Last Roadtrip

One of my favorite Almond Cookies comes from Phoenix Bakery in Los Angeles Chinatown.  It’s been there a long time, three generations of the Chan family (hopefully there is a fourth generation) cranking out cookies and cakes.  Theirs is the quintessential Almond Cookie, crumbly not crisp, nutty, dense but not tough, and distinctly almond-flavored. Growing up, every family trip to Los Angeles included the prerequisite stop at Phoenix Bakery for those pink boxes filled with almond cookies and sweet, sticky butterfly cookies. Right before COVID hit, I drove down to LA for my favorite auntie’s birthday and of course, I stopped at Phoenix Bakery.

An Homage

Every Christmas my brother-in-law’s mother baked boxes and boxes (pink cake boxes of course) of cookies.  We were one of the lucky recipients.  My favorite, her almond cookie. With that first bite, I was transported back to the Chinatown of my childhood.

As a testament to how much I like Almond Cookies, I have multiple almond cookies on 3Jamigos.  The first time I wrote about Mrs. F’s Almond Cookies, I actually included the Almond Cookie recipe from B’s Patisserie in San Francisco.  It’s a luscious almond cookie, buttery, crispy, filled with almond flavor, delicious in its own right, but texturally different from the classic Chinatown Almond Cookie.

Finally, Mrs. F’s Almond Cookies

Why didn’t I make Mrs. F’s cookies from the get-go? Embarrassingly, I had misplaced her recipe.  After an all-out hunt, I finally found it (or did I ask my brother-in-law?).  Well, bottom line, I have it now my little duckies.

After the first batch, I tinkered with the recipe just a little.  The cookies texturally were spot on.   Here is the secret, the texture comes from using lard or shortening.  Yep, no butter in these bad boys.  Hmmm…butter-flavored shortening?  Why not.  This was my inaugural use of butter-flavored Crisco in place of regular shortening.  Judging by the response to these cookies, it worked!  If you have an aversion to butter-flavored shortening, use regular shortening.  If and when I try lard I will report back.  I have no problems using lard, it’s more of an access issue.  I prefer leaf lard which is less processed than the stuff in supermarkets.

Shortening is easy to work with and inherently a little softer than butter. I keep my shortening in the fridge. Beat the dough until light and fluffy 2-3 minutes before adding dry ingredients.

Let’s Go Nutty

The other tweak MORE almond flavor.  I upped the amount of almond extract cause in my book, you can never have too much almond flavor. JK, but I did think the cookies benefitted from a smidge more.

Year of the Tiger

Don’t think cookie season is over!  Chinese New Year is right around the corner and these would be purr-fect in an assortment of goodies to ring in the Year of the Tiger!

Part of the Holiday Cookie Parade
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Almond Cookies -like the ones in Chinatown!

This recipe was generously shared with me by my brother-in-law's family. Made with lard or shortening, these are the quintessential Chinese Almond Cookies found in Chinatown bakeries and restaurants. Crumbly, almond-forward, delicious
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Chinatown Almond Cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 5 cups sifted flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups Shortening, either reg or butter-flavored 40T (35 T will do)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 1.5 tsp almond extract Use up to 2 tsp
  • 1/4 tsp potassium carbonate liquid or 1/4 t baking soda

Finishing Touches

  • 1 egg beaten for egg wash
  • almond halves or sesame seeds garnish

Instructions

  • Combine flour, baking soda and salt, set aside.
  • Cream shortening and sugar till fluffy. Add egg and blend thoroughly. Add almond extract and k+Co3 and blend well.
  • Gradually add flour and stir until well combined. Form round balls (size of small walnut, I use a 1 tablespoon+ ice cream scoop to portion out the dough. At this point, if the dough seems a little soft, chill in fridge for 30-60 minutes.
  • Using a flat bottom glass, dip in a little bit of flour and press dough flat on a cookie sheet to about 1/2 inch thickness. Leave about 1.5 inches between cookies. Brush each cookie with egg wash. Place almond or sesame seeds centered on top.
  • Bake 350 degrees 15 minutes or until slightly golden in color.

Notes

The recipe is easily halved.  A large beaten egg is approximately 3.25 tablespoons, use half for the dough and half for the egg wash.  You have some play with the amount of egg in the dough. I have used a whole large egg in a half recipe and it turns out fine, the cookie is just a bit more fragile. I'd use a small egg in a half recipe.
I like the butter-flavored Crisco in the cookie. Gives a bit more flavor without sacrificing the texture of the cookie.
 
 
Steamed Black Bean Spareribs-Microwave Magic

Steamed Black Bean Spareribs-Microwave Magic

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I am the happy owner of Anyday Cookware, a set of bowls designed for the microwave.  A podcast junkie, I am hooked on “All Things Chang”.  That is Dave Chang, chef, restauranteur, face, and creator of the Momofuku Empire.  He has waxed poetically about microwave cooking and I figure if it is good enough for him…why not?

What I really wanted to do was adapt well-loved dishes to the microwave.  Lucky me, dishes that I normally steam,  microwave beautifully.  Bonus, not only is the cooking time shortened, but the process is simplified.  No messing with steamer racks, or a large wok or pan to steam in.  You cook in the same bowl you use to prep the dish. How cool is that?  If you hate washing dishes like me, this is a HUGE.

I started with Steamed Eggs with Chinese Sausage and Mushrooms and was rewarded with a silky smooth custard in minutes.  A parade of down-home Chinese steamed dishes followed, Steamed Pork Patty, Steamed Chicken, Lop Cheung, and Mushrooms, and now, Steamed Black Bean Spareribs.

I adapted a recipe from the site Made with Lau.  Inspired to archive his chef father’s cooking, Randy Lau created Made with Lau featuring videos of his chef-father cooking classic Chinese dishes, in particular Cantonese dishes.

The Lowedown on Lau

His are the dishes of my childhood. The videos are easy to follow and more importantly, the recipes work.  His father speaks in Cantonese, so I get to brush up on my Chinese skills, while learning how to make a great dish, win-win!  My family is from the same region in China and listening to him feels like being home with my grandparents, aunties, and uncles.  Randy does a yeoman’s job translating his Dad’s cooking wisdom and his recipes into English.

The Wrap

After each cooking session, the family gathers around the table to enjoy the fruits of Daddy Lau’s labor.  They give the background and history of the dish and additional cooking tips.  It is the perfect way to round out each segment.  Made with Lau is a gem and I hope you check out their site.

The Dish

Black Bean Spareribs is a family favorite which until now, we only have when we are out for Dim Sum.  The spareribs are steamed with chilis, fermented black beans, which have lots of umami, and seasonings.   As soon as Made with Lau posted the video recipe I jumped at the chance to try it.  My biggest deviation was cooking it in the microwave instead of steaming.  Worked like a charm.

Use pork spareribs cut into bite-size pieces or you can cheat and use boneless pieces of pork.  Both are equally tasty.  Chinese markets carry ribs cut into 1-inch segments so if you are close to an Asian market go for it…don’t cut them yourself.  It’s a lot of trouble and invariably you will have shards of bone in the cut ribs-no fun. For boneless, use pork belly or pork butt for this dish.  It shouldn’t be too lean, the fat contributes both flavor and tenderness to the dish.

Fermented black beans can be found in Chinese grocery stores.  Salted and fermented black soybeans are pungent and full of umami.  A little goes a long way but it does keep well in the fridge.  There is a black bean sauce in a jar that might be a suitable sub, you would need to adjust for salt and some of the seasonings.  I haven’t tried it yet.

This is Cantonese soul food.  Serve with steaming bowls of rice and a green veggie dish like stir-fried pea sprouts.

 

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Steamed Black Bean Spareribs-Microwaved

Cantonese dish generally served at teahouse for Dim Sum. Microwaved instead of steamed! Fast, easy and delicious.
Course dim sum, Main Course, Muffins
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Black beans spareribs, Cantonese cooking, dim sum, steamed pork with black beans
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb spare ribs (baby back ribs) cut into 1-1.5 inch pieces or sub 1 lb. pork belly or pork butt cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch for rinsing ribs

Bowl 1

  • 0.50 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp water or low sodium chicken stock Add if using microwave to cook

Bowl 2

  • 1 tsp dried mandarin orange peel optional, small thumbnail sized piece
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tsp ginger minced

Bowl-3

  • 1 tbsp fermented dried black beans rinsed and dried, smooshed
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch for pork
  • 0.50 tsp vegetable oil

Garnish

  • red chili pepper, deseeded and deveined a few slices, optional
  • 2 green onions sliced

Instructions

  • Place our fermented black beans in a bowl, and rinse them under running water for 15-20 seconds. Gently massage the beans as you do this. Drain the water, and set the bowl aside to let the beans rehydrate for a couple of minutes then smoosh them with the back of a spoon. Set aside
    Soak orange peel in warm water, set aside for 10-15 min. Once soft, dice.
  • Slice red chili pepper and green onions. Set aside
  • Rinse and dry ribs and place in bowl. Add cornstarch to the ribs, and massage the ribs around to evenly mix the cornstarch around the surface of each rib.
  • Rinse the ribs in running water for 1 to 2 minutes, massaging the ribs as you go. Pour out all of the water, and press and squeeze the ribs against a colander to get rid of excess water.
  • Wrap the ribs in a thick paper towel, pressing and patting to absorb moisture.
  • Place ribs in a large microwavable bowl. Make marinade.
  • Combine salt, sugar, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine in a small bowl. Mince garlic, ginger, orange peel, and add to a second bowl.
  • Add soy mixture and ginger-garlic mixture to bowl of ribs. Mix and massage the bowl of ribs well. Approximately 45-60 seconds to blend.
  • Add black beans to the bowl of ribs, mix well.
  • Add sesame oil and cornstarch. Mix the ribs to evenly coat each rib with cornstarch. Spread out evenly in bowl. Sprinkle chilis on top and drizzle with remaining 1/2 tbsp of oil. Cover with lid, open the vent on lid if it has one, or leave lid slightly ajar on bowl.
  • Microwave on full strength for 5 minutes. Remove, careful it's hot and stir mixture. If it seems dry or the sauce is too thick add 1-2 tablespoons of water or stock. Scatter green onions on top. Place lid back on and microwave for anouther4-5 minutes.
  • Remove from microwave and allow to stand for 30-60 seconds. Serve with lots of rice.

Notes

Heat wok on stove, placing a steamer rack in the center of the wok. Add enough boiled water so that it just barely covers the entire steamer rack.  Transfer the ribs into the plate you'll be steaming with, being careful not to let any ribs be covered by one another. Add the chili pepper slices, and pour vegetable oil on the ribs.
Cover the wok, set the stove to its highest heat setting, and steam the spare ribs for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, turn the heat off, uncover the wok, garnish with the green onions and serve.
Cheung Fun, The Rice Stuff (Chinese Rice Noodles)

Cheung Fun, The Rice Stuff (Chinese Rice Noodles)

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One of our favorite lunch outings is going for Dim Sum or Yum Cha.  Dim Sum refers to the dazzling array of bite-size dumplings and morsels while Yum Cha means to drink tea.  Yum Cha is a uniquely Chinese experience.  In the good old days (pre-COVID), after being seated (after an interminable wait), a procession of carts appear and snake their way around the tables.  Each cart holds steamer baskets of dumplings, plates of fried dumplings and egg tarts, chicken feet, black bean spareribs, noodles, and greens.

Let the games begin.

Start by waving your hand to get their attention and then point to the dishes you want.  A running tab is kept, stamped for each dish placed on the table.  Which, if you have hearty eaters, can run as much as going out for sushi!

Hyatt Regency Hong Kong

In the sweepstakes of little dishes that end up on our table when we go for Dim Sum, Cheung Fun or Rice Noodle Roll is an automatic ticket punch.  The noodles have a soft, silky, smooth, texture and are neutral in flavor.  This lends itself well to a variety of fillings like shrimp, bbq pork, or minced beef, and sauces. Filled noodle rolls are topped with a sweet, salty soy sauce while rice rolls without fillings are topped with sesame or Hoisin-based sauce (my favorite).  These are known as Chee Cheung Fun (猪肠粉). (Funny story, the literal translation is Pig Intestine Noodle owing to their resemblance to said pork anatomy).

How the pros make it! Joe’s Steam Rice Roll in NY City  Swear, I am eating here one day.

Never in a zillion years would I have thought of making Cheung Fun at home UNTIL I came across a recipe to make the noodles in the microwave.  I was sold.

Game ON

The first hurdle is the ingredients.  The rice noodle batter is a combination of:

  • Rice flour-plain rice flour NOT glutinous or sweet rice flour! Bob’s Red Mill at Whole Foods or Asian stores will have rice flour
  • Tapioca starch– also known as tapioca flour (I know, confusing!), derived from the starchy pulp of the cassava root. Used as a thickening agent like cornstarch.
  • Potato starch– is made from just the starch grains of potato and is NOT the same as potato flour which is cooked whole potatoes, that are dried and ground into flour. Potato starch is used as a thickener like cornstarch.  It is used in gluten-free flour blends to provide texture and structure (straight from Bob’s Red Mill site, lol). Bob’s Red Mill sells potato starch as does most Asian markets.
  • No wheat products…gluten-free, ta-da!

This is How We Roll

Having Some “FUN”

Combine the flour and starches in a mixing bowl, add liquid, stir…dunzo.  How easy is that?

The batter has a thin consistency and the starch and water will separate as it sits.  Stir or whisk the batter well before pouring it into the cooking dish.  I used two microwavable dishes to make the noods.  A rectangular 9×6 glass pyrex dish and the shallow round Cook Anyday Microwave-ware bowl. The rectangular dish is the perfect shape to make rolls but doesn’t have a vented lid.  You can use the plastic lid but keep it ajar when cooking to allow moisture to escape.

Lightly oil the bottom and 1/4 inch up the sides of your dish to prevent sticking.  Brush the dish as needed, you may need to each time you make a roll.  Pour about 1/3 cup of batter into the 9×6 dish ( a little less for the round bowl) to create a thin layer on the bottom.  The round bowl needed only a generous 1/4 cup to cover the bottom of the bowl.

Microwave Magic

Place vented lid on top and microwave at full strength for 2 min and 10 seconds.  My microwave is small and rated at 700 watts, you will need to find your microwave wattage and adjust accordingly either reducing the power or shortening the cooking time on a more powerful microwave.  If your microwave has a turntable, use it.  I found the noodles cooked more evenly when using the turntable.  The noodle is done when it looks translucent and has some bubbles.  Cracks in the cooked noodle are caused by either overcooking or using too much batter.  Remove from the microwave and place in a cold water bath to cool.  It will only need a couple of minutes but makes it much easier to roll.

Using a spatula or dough scraper, start on one edge and lift and roll the sheet to make a roll.  For filled rolls, scatter filling on one side of noodle, lift noodle, and roll to cover the filling.  The noodle is pretty forgiving so just push, roll.  Don’t worry, the rolling hides a lot of imperfections. A bench scraper is the perfect size for the rectangular Pyrex dish, score another point for the Pyrex pan.

The Bling, Fillings and Toppings

Rice noodles are neutral in flavor so it is the perfect foil for lots of different fillings and sauces.  Favorite fillings include barbecue pork, shrimp, or a medley of fried egg, Chinese pickles, green onions, cilantro, and bbq pork. Use your imagination, leftover roast duck, roast pork, or go vegetarian, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, corn, the possibilities are unlimited.  I have added SPAM in a pinch!  Top rolls with a sweet soy sauce, don’t skip it, you could add some chili oil, that’s copasetic.  For a little crunch, I top the rolls with fried shallots or onions, totally optional.

Ji Cheung Fun is my favorite rice noodle roll.  Roll the noodle into a cylinder since Ji Cheung Fun does not have a filling.  Top with sauces, Peanut Sauce, and Hoisin Sauce, a play on sweet and salty flavors.  Sprinkle peanuts or sesame seeds on top to add a nice crunch.  I also hit it with Chili Crunch Oil…BAM, straight to Yumsville.

Comfort Finale

I rolled my last noodles intending to make a plate of Ji Cheung Fun but I really wasn’t in the mood for it.  Instead, I had soup noodles on the brain, so I cut each roll into 1/2 inch wide noodles, placed them in a bowl, and turned my attention to the soup.  Luckily, I had heirloom tomatoes from the market, a little bit of beef, and a couple of eggs in the fridge.  A warm bowl of Tomato Egg Drop Soup with Rice Noodles was ready in minutes and hit the spot.

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5 from 2 votes

Cheng Fun

A favorite dim sum dish, steamed rice noodles filled with bbq pork, shrimp or minced beef, served with sweet soy sauce. Made easy in the microwave!
Course Appetizer, dim sum, Side Dish
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Cantonese cooking, Cheung fun, dim sum, ji cheung fun, microwave, rice noodles
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes

Ingredients

Batter

  • 1 cup rice flour 140g
  • 1/2 cup potato starch 90g
  • 1/2 cup tapioca starch/flour 70g
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil plus more for brushing
  • 2 cups room temperature water 470ml
  • 2 cups just boiled water 470ml

Adds-ins

  • 3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Toppings

  • red pepper flakes
  • toasted sesame seeds
  • chili oil

Sweetened Cheung Fun Soy Sauce

  • 2-2.5 Tbsp light soy sauce adjust to taste
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1½ tsp sugar
  • ¼ tsp chicken powder
  • ¼ tsp sesame oil

Hoisin Sauce

  • 0.5 T regular soy sauce or dark soy reduce agave to 1/2 t if using dark soy
  • 1.5 T Hoisin Sauce
  • 0.5 T Sesame oil
  • 1-2 T water
  • 1 t Agave syrup or sugar

Peanut Sauce

  • 1 tbsp peanut butter 1 generous tablespoon
  • 2 T water
  • 1/2 t agave or sugar
  • 1/2 t sesame oil or chili sesame oil

Cheong Fun Sauce Simplified (variation of Sweetened Cheung Fun Soy Sauce)

  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil.

Instructions

Batter

  • Whisk together all the flours, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 cups of room temperature water to the batter and stir to combine. Some of the flour will clump up. Don’t worry–keep stirring and the flour will loosen eventually.
  • Gradually add the boiled water to the batter. Pour the water in a steady stream with one hand and stir the batter with the other hand. Place a towel underneath the bowl to steady it while you pour and stir.
  • Set the batter aside. The flour will settle to the bottom in just a few minutes. Make sure to stir the batter before each time you are ready to pour a sheet of cheung fun.

MIcrowave directions:

  • 1 9x6 or 8x8 glass pyrex dish
  • Rectangular Pyrex ~9x6 glass container, 8x8 glass container or Large shallow Cook Anyday Bowl
  • Brush bottom and 1/4 inch up sides of glass container or pan with vegetable oil.  Stir batter and pour approximately 1/3 cup of batter into Pyrex pan.  Loosely cover with lid.  Place in microwave and set time for 2 minutes and 10 seconds, full power.  (For reference microwave I have is ~700 watts, the low end of power for a microwave)
  • Set up a pan with cold water large enough to fit Pyrex container you are using to microwave.
  • When cooking is complete, remove from microwave and immediately place in pan of cold water.  Allow pan to sit for a couple of minutes to cool.  The rice noodle sheet should look transparent with a couple of bubbles.  If there are opaque spots where it still looks white, microwave for additional 15-20 seconds.
  • Remove container from water bath.  Using a bench scraper, run it around the edge of the noodle to loosen.  Starting from the edge (short or long) nearest to you, use a bench scraper or spatula, lift and roll the rice noodle away from you. Keep lifting and rolling. Divide the rice noodle roll in to the length desired. For Ji Cheung Fun the pieces are approximately 2 to 2.5 inches in length.
  • For filled Cheung Fun: Pour batter into dish, scatter a line of filling at about 1/3 line of batter in the pan , from the edge you will begin to roll. See video.

Fillings

  • Go crazy, rice noodles are very neutral and will compliment almost anything you pair with it.
  • Have approximately 1/2 pound of filling for this recipe. But if you come up short, make non-filled noods, cut them up for nice big bowl soup.

Shrimp

  • Use medium sized shrimp, peel and deveined. Toss the cleaned shrimp with 2 tablespoons water, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/8 teaspoon baking soda. After the shrimp have been coated, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. After 2 hours, rinse the shrimp under a gentle stream of cold running water for 5 minutes to wash away the sugar and baking soda and pat thoroughly dry with a paper towel. This step is sort of optional. The texture is greatly improved but your prep time is increased. But, if you want snappy shrimp-just do it. This is from Woks of Life, boss site.
  • Marinate the shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil, a pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper. Cover and return to the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
  • Pre-cook your shrimp so they will be ready when you make your noods. Lay the shrimp out in a single layer in a microwaveble dish, the shallow Anyday Bowl works, cover and microwave on full power for 4 - 5 minutes until the shrimp are opague, pink and cooked through. AS always, adjust time for your microwave. These numbers are for my 700 watt Spacesaver, adjust accordingly.

Other stuff

  • BBQ Pork- Dice or julienne. You can mix in green onions if you like.
  • Dried Shrimp, found in Asian grocery stores, soak to soften before using.
  • Shiitake mushrooms Use dried or fresh. Rehydrate dried and dice. Fresh shiitakes should be seasoned sitr fried.
  • Egg-Straight from wathching the Joe's Rice Roll Video. Scramble an egg and use with the batter. Add 1 -2 tablespoons of egg after pouring batter into pan. Nice effect and great with bbq pork and green onions!