Noodle Stir Fry with Shrimp Recipe

recipe from Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen

6 ounces dried noodles (I used thin spaghetti noodles)
7 ounces raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, divided (or 3/4 tsp table salt)
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/4 cup snow peas, thinly sliced on diagonal
1/4 cup matchstick cut carrots
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. Bring a stockpot of water to boil. Add 1 tsp of salt to water and cook the noodles, according to package directions. Drain. While pasta is cooking, place shrimp in a small bowl and add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the cornstarch. Mix well and let sit for 8 minutes. Rinse the shrimp well, washing off the salt and cornstarch. Pat very dry with paper towels. This step helps clean and make the shrimp more succulent.

2. In a wok or large saute pan, heat cooking oil on high until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates upon contact. Add the shrimp and fry until halfway cooked through, about 1 minute each side (you’ll add the shrimp back in at later step) Dish out the shrimp to a plate, keeping as much oil in wok as possible (you should have about 1 teaspoon of oil left and you may add an just a bit of oil into the pan if needed.)

3. In the same pan, turn heat down to medium and add the garlic. Fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds then add the snow peas and carrots. Fry for 1 minute, until the carrots and snow peas are just slightly cooked but still retain a nice crunch. Add the soy sauce and rice wine. Turn heat to high and when bubbling, add the drained  noodles and the partially cooked shrimp. Toss well to combine. Let cook for 2 minutes, until shrimp is cooked all the way through.

4. Toss with sesame oil and sesame seeds.

Yields 2 auspicious servings

Tangerine Pie

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Makes 5 1/2 dozen, about 12 servings

Pastry Dough:
2 cups (300 grams, 10 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (50 grams, 1 3/4 ounces) custard powder
1 tablespoon dried milk powder
3/4 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon (180 grams, 6 3/8 ounces) unsalted butter
2/3 cup (70 grams, 2 1/2 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3 egg yolks, beaten
66 whole cloves, optional

Pineapple Filling:
2 small pineapples, trimmed, peeled, cored, and finely diced
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (180 grams, 2/3 ounce) palm sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. To make the pineapple filling: Put all of the ingredients into a medium saucepan and set over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has melted and the liquid evaporated, 45 minutes. When the mixture is completely dry, transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and as long as overnight.

2. To make the dough: Sift the flour, custard powder, and milk together and set aside. Put butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until the sugar has dissolved, 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add the flour mixture, and mix until incorporated. Add the egg and mix just until the dough comes together. Form the mixture into a ball, press it into a 1-inch thick disc, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, at least 2 hours or as long as overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 350˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the chilled dough and form it into 1-inch balls. Using your fingertips, press a ball into a 3-inch round disc, 1/8-inch thick. Alternatively, roll the whole disc of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness and cut out 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. In either case, put 1 tablespoon of the pineapple filling in the center of the dough circle, fold it in half, and pinch the edges together to seal. Press and gently roll the half moon shape into a ball. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Put the filled balls on a baking sheet, 1-inch apart, and chill until firm, 15 minutes. Brush the balls with the egg yolks and stick a clove in the center of each. Bake until golden, 12 minutes, cool completely, and serve.

Chef’s Tip:  Don’t eat the clove. It is only a decorative touch and tasting it will definitely ruin this dessert for you.

Chinese Pork Ribs with Daikon and Dried Oysters Recipe (白萝卜蚝干焖排骨)

recipe from Rasa Malaysia

1/2 pound pork ribs
1 daikon/turnip (medium-sized)
6-8 dried oysters (rinsed and soaked in water for 15 minutes)
1 tablespoon wolfberries/goji berries
1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
1/2 tablespoon oil
6 cloves shallots (peeled)

Heat up a wok or claypot (preferred) and add in the oil. Sauté the shallots until slightly aromatic, then add in the dried oysters and daikon. Do a few quick stirs, follow by the pork ribs, rice wine, soy sauce, and water. Lower the heat to between medium and low, and then cover it up with a lid. Braise for about 20-30 minutes or until the water reduces and thickens. Add salt and sugar to taste and serve hot immediately.

Cook’s Notes:

1. If you don’t like pork ribs, you can use chicken drumsticks. Just cut the chicken drumsticks into pieces, with bones in.
2. You can use Japanese sake if you don’t have Chinese rice wine.

Good Luck Lo Mein

By Martin Yan, Yan Can Cook

Serves 4

8 ounces fresh Chinese egg noodles
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup shredded carrots
2 celery stalks, julienned
2 cups bean sprouts
1/2 cup snow peas, cut in half diagonally
1/2 cup julienned bamboo shoots
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons oyster-flavored sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil

In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions; drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Place a stir-fry pan over high heat until hot. Add oil, swirling to coat sides. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add carrots, celery, bean sprouts, snow peas, bamboo shoots, and green onions; stir-fry until vegetables wilt slightly, about 2 minutes. Add noodles, oyster-flavored sauce, and sesame oil. Toss to mix noodles with vegetables and cook until all vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes. Serve.

Chef’s Quote: What’s the one dish that’s a must at Chinese birthday, anniversary, wedding, and New Year’s celebration? –Noodles! The long length of noodles symbolizes a long, luck-filled life. Although fresh Chinese noodles have the best texture for a stir-fried dish, spaghetti or angel hair pasta can be used as a substitute. Gung Hay Fat Choy-Happy Chinese New Year!

Credit: Yan Can Cook

Chinese Tea Eggs Recipe

recipe by Jaden Hair Steamy Kitchen

6 eggs
3/4 cup soy sauce
2 whole star anise
2 tablespoons black tea (or you can use 2 tea bags)
1 stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorn (optional)
2 strips dried tangerine or mandarin orange peel (optional)

1. Gently place the eggs in a medium pot and fill with water to cover the eggs by 1-inch. Bring the pot to a boil, lower the heat and let simmer for 3 minutes. Remove the eggs (leaving the water in the pot) and let cool under running cool water.

2. Use the back of the teaspoon to gently tap the eggshell to crack the shell all over. Make sure your cracks are deep enough to allow for liquid to penetrate, but gentle enough to keep the shell intact. The more you tap, the more intricate the design.

3. To the same pot with the boiling water, return the eggs and add in the remaining ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately turn the heat to low. Simmer for 40 minutes, cover with lid and let eggs steep for a few hours to overnight. The longer you steep, the more flavorful and deeply marbled the tea eggs will be. In the photo above, the egg steeped for 5 hours, though my mom prefers overnight.

Serves 4-6

Pan-fried Meat Dumplings

By  Twin Marquis

Serves 4

Wrapper
4 ounces Wrapper

Twin Marquis Shanghai Dumpling Filling
7 ounces lean pork
2 ounces dried mushrooms
4 water chestnuts
½ ounce dried shrimp
2 ounces ( approx.) cloves

Seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of white pepper

1. Mince pork. Peel chestnuts and red cloves, chop them into fine pieces. Soak dried mushroom and dried shrimp until soften, chop them into fine pieces. Add seasoning into filling, mix well and marinade.

2. Put suitable amount of filling on wrapper. Put water on the edges, fold the opposite sides to make half circle. Heat pan and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Put dumpling on the pan and pan-fry until color change to golden brown. Add water and put cover on until they all cooked. Serve.