The Everything Chinese Cookbook (73 page)

1 package egg roll wrappers

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

2 tablespoons honey

½ cup water

Oil for deep-frying

1. Cut each wrapper vertically into 4 equal pieces. Cut a ¾-inch slit in the middle of each piece.
   
2. Lay one piece on top of the other and make a knot like a bow tie: Fold the top and thread the 2 pieces through the slit. Turn over, fold the bottom and thread through the other way. Spread out the folded ends slightly to make sure the entire surface is deep-fried.
   
3. Heat 1½ inches of oil in a heavy skillet. Deep-fry a few of the bowties at a time until they are golden brown, turning over once. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
   
4. When all the bowties are deep-fried, bring the brown sugar, white sugar, honey, and water to boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly over low heat. Dip each of the bowties into the boiling syrup, drain, and set aside to harden. Serve cold.
   

1 package egg roll wrappers

¼ cup powdered sugar

Oil for deep-frying

1. Cut each wrapper vertically into 4 equal pieces. Cut a ¾-inch slit in the middle of each piece.
   
2. Lay one piece on top of the other and make a knot like a bow tie: Fold the top and thread the 2 pieces through the slit. Turn over, fold the bottom and thread through the other way. Spread out the folded ends slightly to make sure the entire surface is deep-fried.
   
3. Heat 1½ inches of oil in a heavy skillet. Deep-fry a few of the bow-ties at a time until they are golden brown, turning over once. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
   
4. Cool the bowties and dust lightly with powdered sugar. Serve cold. Store in an airtight container.
   

½ cup honey

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

1 cup unsalted cashews

1. Combine the honey, sugar, orange juice, and Grand Marnier in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the cashews. Place in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil.
   
2. Boil for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour onto a baking sheet. Separate the nuts with a slotted spoon. Leave for at least 2 hours to allow the cashews to soak up the sugar and dry. Store in a sealed container.
   

1¼ teaspoons salt

¼ cup hot water

¼ teaspoon five-spice powder

2 cups unblanched peanuts

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
   
2. Add the salt to the hot water, stirring to dissolve. Repeat with the five-spice powder.
   
3. In a medium-sized bowl, add the flavored water to the peanuts, stirring well to mix.
   
4. Spread the peanuts out on a roasting pan. Pour any leftover liquid over the peanuts. Roast at 300°F for about 45 minutes or until the peanuts are a rich golden brown. Stir every 15 minutes to make sure they cook evenly. Cool and store in a sealed container.
   

Five-Flavor Taste Sensation

Five-spice powder contains all five flavors — sweet, sour, salty, pungent, and bitter. Its unique taste is achieved through blending popular baking spices cinnamon, fennel, and cloves with the more exotic star anise and Szechwan peppercorns.

2 pounds winter melon

7 tablespoons flour

½ cup flaked coconut

4 cups oil for deep-frying

1. Peel and remove the seeds from the winter melon. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Lightly dust the melon with the flour.
   
2. In a preheated wok or skillet, heat 4 cups of oil to 250°F. Slide the winter melon into the wok, a few pieces at a time. Deep-fry until light brown, being sure to keep the oil temperature around 250°F.
   
3. Remove from the wok. Dust with the coconut and serve immediately.
   

Winter Melon — Not Just for Soup

What can you say about a vegetable that looks like a green pumpkin, has a sweet flavor similar to watermelon, but is actually a type of squash? Winter melon is famous for making a banquet soup, but you can enjoy it anytime. Stir-fried, winter melon adds flavor to stews, curries, and even sandwiches. As this recipe shows, it can also be deep-fried.