[Recipes]: expat cuisine in China - recipes by White Bear

WhiteBear

Yesterday I made version of "Fish in sweet, sour and spicy sauce"

this time I used long strips of fish, and a little more fluid "frying cover" (eggs with cornstarch)

what happened?

when frying a fish I decided to pour over it all "frying cover" that was left
and it created very interresting shape, like "Chinese dragon".

so this version a called "Chinese Dragon Fish"

just look how it looks like :)

WhiteBear

Char Siu fried noodles



Yesterday, at dinner I “discovered” quite nice, and very easy dish, but sadly Idecided to make a recipe only when almost everything was ready, so – this time no “step by step pictures”.

Preparation:10 minutes
Cooking: 5 minutes
Skill: simple

Ingredients:
- rice noodles (any)
- garlic
- green onions
- Char Siu sauce (readymade, bought in shop)
- some oil
- light soy sauce
- chicken broth (in this case was instant, but off course with “real one” would be better)
extra ingredients (for decorating and adding additional taste)
- marinated garlic
- red pepper (not so spicy)

Cooking:
- grind garlic (fine)
- chop green onion (about 1 cm, diagonally)
- soak noodles in hot water (5 minutes, until soft but raw inside), then rinse with cold water
- heat the pan or wok
- when hot – add a little of oil (I use usually peanut oil), and minced garlic, fry for about 30 seconds on medium heat, then remove garlic (leaving the oil)
- put noodles into oiled pan, and fry for about 30 seconds, stiring
- add garlic, and about 2 mm (depth on the pan) of chicken broth
- stir well, cover, and stew over a medium heat until broth will be absorbed bynoodles (about 2 minutes)
- put part of the noodles on the serving plate
- to the part left on the pan add some Char Siu sauce and few dashes of light soy sauce, and fry on high heat for about 30 seconds (stirring), then add to the first part on serving plate

Serve hot.

greatlady

WhiteBear Post time: 2012-9-2 17:52
(hot) Fish on theBed.

Our fishwill just get hot, waiting for us on the warm bed...

Bear, the fish looks so yummy.

btw, I guess the papers are overcooked.

good cook.

WhiteBear

greatlady Post time: 2012-9-23 12:32
Bear, the fish looks so yummy.

btw, I guess the papers are overcooked.

Yes, now I try to do it quicker :) but still it was not "fluffy"

WhiteBear

Weekly trick with meat, or how to make Your life easier :)

I love cooking, but because of my working hours - there is not a chance to buy fresh food everyday.
Also going home at late afternoon I don't want to wait too long for a meal (I don't like to go to ther restaurants so often).

First weeks in China I "designed" a trick, that both saves my time, and makes meats well prepared.

I go to the wet market once a week for big shopping.
With vegetables there is not a problem - in fridge they last long time.
Meat however can't wait that long unprepared. So the key is - to prepare it at once, and store prepared.
More precisely - half prepared.

Below - few examples of myh favourite meats:


Fish

Freshness of fish is most important of all meats – if You don’t want to risk unpleasant taste or even health problems.
At water-market fish is sold alive, or vendor can kill it and prepare (up tothe cutting in the pieces).
When I don’t buy swimming fish – I choose this which have heart still beating,if there is no heart – eyes should be clear (murky eyes – fish may not be fresh).

I usually first cut fish in thick slices


cut-out parts bones-free from slices


or first – before making a slices – You can lead sharp knife by the bones line

this cutting is useful when fish have thick bones, that easily “guides” the knife, and when we have idea how to use a lot of meat that are left on the bones, even if we cut carefully (I use it as a soup base)

remove bones from pieces when it is possible (pillars are good idea)


cut into “final size” pieces





and remember to use fish meat as soon as possible


Pork

When buying meat – always try to find both where buy many locals, and select meat with nice red color, and no unpleasant smell.
Usually it is not a problem when You buy at morning “session” in water-market.
But avoid buying in the evening, when there is no natural light to judge color, and from vendors standing alone on the street with no customers aroud.

Easiest (to operate) pork meat are pieces cut from the back, in the lower parts of spine –meat is almost fatless
(if somebody knows correct english name - please tell me)




first – I remove white part (sinews?) by cutting it off with sharp knife or chopper (cut-off parts can be used as a soup base)




then I cut it first into slices (You can do pork chops right out of them)


then into smaller pieces
- large strips


- cubes


Thin (flat) pieces (on the left side of picture below) – used for very shorttime cooking (hot pot or ultra-quick frying) should be cut from larger pieces of meat – always across the meat fibers, while long and thin pieces –diagonally


Fat pork – You can buy in long thick slices, containing “all layers”, from skin to the fine meat.


The best way to deal with it is just to cut into square-shaped bars


...or into bigger chops - good for long time stewing


Knuckle pork – it is a part of meat from the leg, and You can buy it without bones (as shown on picture).


This kind of meat is best for long cooked stews, so I cut it in big cubes.

Preservation and seasoning of raw meat

Any kind of “fresh” meat can be easily preserved (and spiced!) in many ways…

Easiest is to use garlic and spicy peppers, chopped, and mixed with pieces of meat.





But You can also use soy sauce (dark and light) or alcohol (in example – shown brandy)…
or any combinations of all listed products.









raw meat - preserved in shown ways - can be held in the fridge for few days (not frozen), or be deep-frozen with spices (then it can last a month with no problem, but structure of meat changes)



Chicken

If You are not happy owner of oven that fits poultry inside – You can buy it baked.



Chinese vendor can ask You if to chop it – but remember, that it would be chopped with bones.
I prefer boneless meat, so I just remove it from the bones using fingers, and then cut into pieces.







Shrimps

You can buy in China half-prepared (usually frozen) shrimps that are cooked (red) or uncooked (natural color).
But more fun is to make it by Yourself.

First – You should buy ALIVE shrimps (if not trying to escape – there is no fun to go after them).
If You buy “fresh” but not alive – they are not fresh.



Then – prepare their first (and last) hot bath of boiling salted water with some vegetables (for example – garlic, ginger, and spicy peppers).





Shrimps ends their lives in hot water, when changes color for white and red.
This is not cruel - death is instant (in seconds) if water is boiling hot.



Then You should remove head part and shells (just using Your fingers), all legs should go with the shell.





You may like to let the tail untouched – especially if You want to fry them (then while eating –tail becomes a handle).



Pre-prepared shrimps are ready to be processed into other dishes, or frozen.

______________________


...to be continued :)

WhiteBear

Piggy in the woods

(Pork with mushrooms)
recipe dedicated for my friend from UK J

I’m not a big enthusiast of fat pork, but sometimes… why not?

So thisstory is about poor little porky, that strayed in the woods.
Big Bad Bear caught a porky, and decided to eat with anything he have around.

Unfortunately there was only wild garlic, spring onions and – as always in theforest – some kind of mushrooms.

Bear decided howewer, that it will be enough.

Preparation:15 minutes
Cooking: 20-30 minutes
Skill: easy

Ingredients:


- pork meat (remember – this bought with the skin)
- little flat black mushrooms (dried)
- little, long, white mushrooms (fresh)
- garlic
- green onions
- noodles as “filling” (not important)
- dark soy sauce

Preparation:
- wash black mushrooms, then soak it in boiling water (takes about 10 minutes if You use small and thin mushrooms, for bigger ones – it can be 15-20 minutes of “hot bath”), You can use soy sauce in bath – to add extra flavour




- soak noodles in hot water for 5 minutes, then rinse with cold water, and letit to drain from excess water


- chop garlic (fine)


- chop green onions (no matter what, can be even 3-5 cm long,

but even)


- wash white mushrooms in cold water, then let it drain a little
- You can separate white mushrooms (as I did) or leave it with “groups”), because I wanted to mix it with noodles – I made it separate


- cut the pork meat in even bars (long cubes) ... or use previously prepared




- fry it until golden outside, and fat is semi-transparent (at list 10-15minutes) - I used pork meat preserved in garlic, so You see some garlic on this pictures too. If You want to absolutelly avoid any trace of bitter taste - remofe garlic from meat before frying (can rinse with the water and dry on paper). I don't care about it - so I left it.




- add white mushrooms, and fry stirring, to let them absorb taste from pork (1minute)


- add black mushrooms, and fry for 1-2 minutes


- and garlic, fry stirring for 1-2 minutes (let garlic to add its taste to other ingredients)


- add noodles and some of green onions, mix it all together, add some soy sauce, and let it simmer for few minutes until noodles are cooked. If there will be not enough moisture – add a little of boiled water (don’t use cold at this stage!)


Serve hot

lionstar

hey great "expat-chef" ; could you tell us a bit about your cameras?