Tag Archives: Chinese cooking

THE BEAUTY OF VELVETING

Posted in Seafood by

Oriental-style stir fries are often part of our rotation meals for dinner. Usually chicken or shrimp as the main protein. Shrimp cooks super fast, I usually brine it and incorporate it into the wok, and that does prevent it from getting tough and dry. But if you want the most perfect and succulent texture, look no further: go for the traditional Chinese method of velveting. It can be done in oil or water, I always opt for the latter. Once you have velveted shrimp, it can sit at room temperature for an hour without problems. Just use it in any recipe and be ready to fall in love…

SHRIMP STIR-FRY WITH BROCCOLI AND CASHEWS
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

for velveting the shrimp:
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sherry
1 large egg white, whisked briefly
1 + 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 medium head of broccoli florets
1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
2 stalks celery, cut in 1/4 inch slices
Cashews, lightly toasted
peanut oil, about 3 tablespoons
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
salt and black pepper to taste

finishing sauce:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder

Place the shrimp in a bowl. Sprinkle the salt and sherry, gently mix. Add the egg white, cornstarch and olive oil, stir well but gently. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Bring a pot with water to a gentle boil, add a smidgen of olive oil and then place the shrimp straight from the fridge in the water. Stir gently so they do not stick to each other. Simmer for a couple of minutes and immediately drain in a colander. Rinse very briefly with cold water to stop the cooking, and reserve until time to finish the recipe. You can do this step one hour in advance.

Mix all ingredients for the finishing sauce and reserve. Place the broccoli and a sprinkle of water in a microwave safe bowl, season gently with salt. Microwave for 2 minutes, drain, and reserve.

Heat the peanut oil in a wok, when smoking hot add the celery and yellow bell pepper. Season lightly with salt and pepper. When very fragrant and the veggies are soft, add the broccoli and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the velveted shrimp, cook gently for another minute or so. Whisk the prepared finishing sauce and pour into the wok, bring to a boil. Cook until thickened and well combined with the ingredients. Sprinkle toasted cashews on top and serve, adjusting seasoning if so desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: If you love stir-fries, I urge you to incorporate the velveting step to make your recipe even more special. Phil tasted it and immediately said “You nailed this one!” Indeed, you cannot beat the texture of these babies. You can use any recipe you like, and also do the exact same process (minus the cornstarch) to velvet chicken. I never use oil because I refuse to have to deal with a large amount of leftover oil, particularly if used for seafood. But your kitchen, your rules. I don’t think the oil method will produce a better outcome anyway. We enjoyed it with some brown rice and ate like Royals of The Ming Dynasty! Or so it seemed to us…


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WHITE CHICKEN, A CANTONESE CLASSIC

Posted in Poultry by

I’ve been intrigued by this recipe for a long time. It is supposed to produce a very tender, perfectly cooked chicken, although the skin component will suffer. You will not get a crispy brown skin. In fact, most people used to the regular roast chicken will prefer to discard the skin and focus exclusively on the meat. One very reputable source – Saveur magazine – gave instructions that shocked me. They claimed that simmering the whole chicken for 10 to 12 minutes would be enough. Not in my universe. I adapted that recipe using other sources and share with you my version. To be fully honest with you, I loved the breast meat, but for my personal taste, the legs could have been more tender. I removed the meat and used it later in a Mexican style concoction. With additional cooking and a few extra spices, it was much better.


CANTONESE-STYLE WHITE CHICKEN
(adapted from several sources)

3½- to 4-pound chicken, giblets discarded
6 quarts of water
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
5 whole cloves
2 star anise pods
1 piece of ginger (about 2 inches long), smashed lightly
1/2 cup sherry

for the sauce:
1/4 cup of the poaching liquid
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil
finely grated fresh ginger to taste
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

cilantro leaves to serve with (optional)

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Mix all the ingredients (water, spices and sherry) in a large pot that will be able to hold the whole chicken, covered in water. Bring to a boil. When the water boils, gently lower the whole chicken and make sure it is fully covered. If needed, add a plate on top to keep it submerged. Cook the chicken at gentle simmer, breast side up for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat, leave the chicken inside without touching it for another 30 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it sit while you prepare the sauce, whisking all ingredients together. Carve the chicken, discarding the skin. Serve over rice or cabbage, sprinkled with cilantro leaves, if so desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The breast meat turned out perfect, exactly how I hoped it to be. Moist, tender, the sauce to drizzle over it is a must. Otherwise, I think it could be a bit too bland. The chicken skin was highly appreciated by our four-legged friends, so it was not wasted. In fact, they are lobbying to have this recipe in our regular rotation. Two paws enthusiastically up. When you add it all up, it is a six-paw-up recipe!

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CHINESE-STYLE ORANGE CHICKEN GOES LIGHT

Posted in Poultry by

We all know how tasty the classic Chinese-American concoction can be, but we also know that it is a true “caloric-bomb”. The chicken pieces are usually breaded, fried, and coated with a super sweet sticky sauce. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but I normally refrain from ordering it when I go out for Chinese food. Not too long ago I saw this version on Averie Cooks, and made it for us.

CHINESE-STYLE ORANGE CHICKEN
(slightly modified from Averie Cooks)

1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large oranges, juiced; plus more orange juice if necessary
1/3 cup tamari sauce (or light soy sauce)
1/4 cup honey
fresh cilantro to taste
additional salt to taste (optional)

To a large bowl or ziptop plastic bag, add the chicken, cornstarch, and toss or shake the bag to coat the chicken evenly; set aside. You may not need all the cornstarch. Try to go for a very light coating.

In a large skillet, add the oils, orange juice, soy sauce, honey, and the chicken pieces. Turn the heat to medium, and cook until chicken is done and cooked through; flip chicken and stir constantly. If the sauce is tightening or thickening up too much before the chicken has cooked through, add additional orange juice to thin it and keep stirring. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The original recipe called for double amount of cornstarch and the sauce became way too thick and almost unpleasant to our taste. I suggest you go for the minimum amount that will still coat the pieces of chicken very very lightly. The sauce will still thicken upon refrigeration, so leftovers will have to be gently warmed with some water or orange juice to bring it to a saucy consistency. The interesting bit of this recipe is that you don’t need to sautee the chicken pieces first, so essentially zero mess on the stove, and pretty nice texture on the meat, I was pleasantly surprised. Give it a try, and you might love it too!

The chicken tasted light and fresh, but it was still quite substantial as a main dish. We had it with white rice and pan-steamed broccoli, a recipe I cook probably once a week ever since I first blogged about it (check it out here). This is a simpler version, I just add olive oil and lemon juice after cooking.

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SHRIMP AND CUCUMBER STIR-FRY

Posted in Seafood by

If you have only enjoyed cucumber in salads and cold preparations, don’t twist your nose and click away from this post. Give the poor cucumber a chance to shine in a slightly different way. This version was inspired by a recipe from Irene Kuo in “The Key to Chinese Cooking”, published in 1977. It is a huge compilation of recipes, but there are no photos. Back in those days, cookbooks for the most part had very few if any pictures. If that does not bother you, I highly recommend you buy it (click here for ordering info).

SHRIMP AND CUCUMBER STIR-FRY
(inspired by The Key to Chinese Cooking)

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 quarts water + 1/4 cup salt + 1/4 cup sugar, fully dissolved
1 large or 2 small cucumbers
shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons peanut or other vegetable oil
drizzle of sesame oil
fresh cilantro

Brine the shrimp by covering it with the salt-sugar water for 30 minutes. Drain, rinse briefly, set on paper towels to dry.

Cut the ends of the cucumber, peel it leaving some peel to form a stripped pattern. Slice in half lengthwise, remove seeds, and slice each half in pieces, not too thin, around 1/4 inch thick. Reserve.

Make the sauce combining soy, sherry, salt, and sugar. Reserve.

Heat the oil in a wok or large non-stick frying pan. Add the mushrooms, season lightly with salt, sauce for a couple of minutes, then add the cucumbers and saute everything together for a couple of minutes more. Transfer to a bowl. If needed, add a little more oil to the pan, when very hot add the brined shrimp, cook until they turn pink. Add the prepared sauce, coat well the pieces of shrimp with it, add the reserved mushroom-cucumber mixture. The shrimp should be fully cooked by now, pour the 1/4 cup water in, then the dissolved cornstarch, and cook on high heat until the sauce thickens. Add a drizzle of sesame oil, the fresh cilantro, and serve over white rice.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: We will definitely be adding cucumber to stir-fries with other proteins, like chicken and beef. It adds a refreshing note, and the texture is perfect. I see chicken, cucumber and mint in our future. If you need a quick and flavorful option for a weeknight dinner, try this stir-fry and you won’t be disappointed!

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KAREN’S QUICK SHRIMP FRIED RICE

Posted in Seafood by

I jumped on this recipe right after I read the blog post in Karen’s site, because I knew we would love it. I modified it just a tiny bit, to adjust to our digestive issues – omitting garlic and onions. Visit her site for the regular version if you like. Fried rice with all kinds of different flavors is a dish I adore but very rarely order in restaurants because it is so heavy. And at the same time so easy to over indulge because one helping is never enough. I find myself going back for another little morsel of egg, another bite of shrimp, or chicken, and of course the rice just tags along… Plus the restaurant versions are normally loaded with too much oil and cornstarch-thickened sauce. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but for the most part a couple of hours later I am not feeling too perky… This version has all the goodies, but is considerably lighter. Using the shortcuts recommended by Karen turns it into one of the easiest dinners to prepare. Make it, and you can thank her later…

QUICK SHRIMP FRIED RICE
(slightly modified from Karen’s Kitchen Stories)

10 ounces jumbo shrimp, cut into thirds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons neutral oil such as peanut, divided
3 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
12 oz microwavable-ready to serve rice
1 package (12 ounces) frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Toss the shrimp in the salt, pepper, and cornstarch and let marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. When it is hot enough for a bead of water to evaporate instantly, add one tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat. Add the shrimp and spread it out into a single layer. Let fry, untouched, for 30 seconds. Stir-fry the shrimp for an additional minute, until almost cooked through. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon to a plate.

Reheat the pan and add another tablespoon of the oil. Add the eggs and swirl the pan to spread the eggs out to a thin layer. When they are almost cooked through, remove them to the same plate as the shrimp. Cut them into approximately 1 inch pieces.

Add the last tablespoon of oil. Add the ginger, cook for a few seconds, then add the rice and stir to incorporate the ginger. Spread and press the rice over the surface of the wok and let it cook, untouched, for about one minute. Toss the rice, respread it, and let it cook for an additional minute, untouched.

Add the soy sauce and toss with the rice. Add the peas and carrots, the cooked eggs, the almost-cooked shrimp, the rice vinegar, and the sesame oil. Stir fry all of the ingredients together to heat through and completely cook the shrimp. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Above you see the rice I used, which was surprisingly tasty. I don’t normally buy this type of product but Karen’s post made me open my horizons. If you are in a hurry, this is the perfect shortcut ingredient. Same goes for the frozen peas and carrots. Leftovers were great next day too. I am a bit picky about seafood leftovers, but the shrimp held up ok. Not sure I would enjoy leftovers with salmon or another type of fish, but maybe your tastebuds are more user-friendly than mine.

I love this type of meal that is one bowl with everything: carbs, veggies, animal protein. Of course, you can make a vegetarian version using mushrooms or seared tofu, the basic mixture will shine no matter what…

Karen, I don’t know how many recipes I’ve made from your blog, including breads, sweets, savory stuff, but this one is another big winner!
THANK YOU!

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