The Everything Chinese Cookbook (67 page)

½ cup water chestnuts

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 bunch bok choy

½ pound snow peas

4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ tablespoons water

½ teaspoon minced ginger

½ teaspoon minced garlic

½ red onion, chopped

1 cup fresh mushrooms

1 teaspoon sugar

1 carrot, thinly sliced on the diagonal

½ cup mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1. Clean the mushrooms with a damp towel and slice. If using fresh water chestnuts, wash and peel. If using canned, rinse in warm water and slice.
   
2. Cut the green and red bell peppers in half, remove the seeds, and cut into thin strips. For the bok choy, separate each stalk and leaves. Cut the stalk diagonally and cut the leaves across. Wash and string the snow peas.
   
3. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or frying pan. When oil is ready, add the bok choy stalks. Cook for about 1 minute, then add the leaves. Add the salt, and sprinkle with water. Cover and cook on medium heat until the bok choy is tender but still firm. Remove and set aside.
   
4. Wipe out the wok with a paper towel and add 2 tablespoons of oil. When oil is ready, add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the red onion and stir-fry. Remove from the wok and set aside. Add the green and red peppers and the snow peas. Stir-fry for about a minute, then add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon of sugar and continue stir-frying. Remove from the wok and set aside. Add the water chestnuts and carrot. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the bean sprouts.
   
5. Mix cornstarch and water, then stir in the oyster sauce. Add the removed vegetables back into the wok and mix. Make a well in the center and gradually add the cornstarch/oyster sauce mixture, stirring to thicken. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat, and serve hot.
   

1 pound potatoes

3 tablespoons chicken broth

1½ tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1½ teaspoons sugar

1½ teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

1 slice ginger

¼ teaspoon salt

1. Wash the potatoes, peel, and julienne. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and boil the potatoes until they are cooked but still a bit firm (about 15 minutes). Drain well.
   
2. Add the chicken broth, rice wine, and sugar to the cornstarch-and-water mixture, stirring. Set aside.
   
3. Add oil to a preheated wok or a frying pan. When oil is hot, add the slice of ginger and stir-fry until it is aromatic. Add the potatoes, stir-frying in batches if necessary. Add the salt. Continue stir-frying until the potatoes are tender, about 4–5 minutes. Taste and add more salt if desired.
   
4. Stir the broth mixture. Make a well in the middle of the wok by pushing the potatoes up to the side. Add the broth mixture in the middle, stirring vigorously to thicken. Mix with the potatoes.
   

4 ounces snow peas

1½ tablespoons oil for stir-frying

1 can baby corn, rinsed and drained

6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1. Wash and string the snow peas.
   
2. Add oil to a preheated wok or frying pan. Add the baby corn and stir-fry briefly, then add the snow peas. Stir-fry until the snow peas turn a bright green. Push them up to the side and stir-fry the mushrooms. Add the dark soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Mix through.
   

Lucky Recipes

The Chinese love to create vegetable and dessert recipes with 3, 5, or 8 main ingredients, as these are considered to be lucky numbers. The number 8 is particularly auspicious, symbolizing sudden prosperity and good fortune. The next time you're dining at a Chinese restaurant, look for recipes with these numbers in their name.

4 green bell peppers

2 tablespoons chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

4 tablespoons water

¼ teaspoon chili paste Stir-fried Potatoes (page 249)

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
   
2. Wash the green peppers. Cut off the tops and save. Remove the seeds. In a medium bowl, mix together the chicken broth, soy sauce, sugar, water, and chili paste. Add the stir-fried potatoes and toss.
   
3. Stuff each pepper with the potato mixture and drizzle a bit of the sauce over the top. If any sauce is remaining, add that into each pepper. Place the stuffed peppers in a 9″ × 9″ baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until peppers are tender.
   

1 eggplant

3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

2 tablespoons red rice vinegar

½ teaspoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

½ teaspoon chili paste

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

1. Wash the eggplant, cut off the ends, and slice diagonally into 1-inch pieces.
   
2. Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the eggplant slices, stir-frying in batches if necessary. Stir-fry for about 2–3 minutes.
   
3. Add the red rice vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and chili paste, and mix through. Drizzle the sesame oil over and give a final stir.
   

4 stalks celery

2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons rice vinegar