Cook Real Chinese Food

Men’s Health

September 2008

Three recipes and tips to help you cook authentic Asian cuisine

Reclaim This: Stir-fried Noodles

Ask Hinnerk von Bargen, an associate professor at the Culinary Institute of America, what's wrong with most Chinese noodle dishes on this side of the Pacific and his answer is rather terse: "You can't tell what you're eating under the dismal commercial sauce." Von Bargen uses light sauces, thick noodles, and large, chopstick-friendly vegetables.

What You'll Need

1 lb egg noodles
½ lb peeled shrimp, deveined and cut in half lengthwise
½ Tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 ½ Tbsp light soy sauce
2 Tbsp peanut oil or other vegetable oil
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
½ lb broccoli, cut into small florets
1 Tbsp dark (mushroom) soy sauce

How to Make It
1. Cook the noodles in boiling water until tender, and drain and rinse with cold water. Meanwhile, combine the shrimp, cornstarch, sugar, and pepper, and ½ tablespoon of the light soy sauce.

2. Heat oil in a wok. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the shrimp and stir-fry it until it's half cooked. Remove the shrimp from the wok, add the broccoli, and stir-fry for another minute. Add rest of the soy sauces and ½ cup of water, and continue to cook until broccoli is tender.

3. Return the shrimp to the wok and add the cooked noodles. Cook until heated through and coated with the sauce.

Makes 4 servings

Reclaim This: Pork Dumplings

"Most restaurant dumplings contain only fattier pork," says Grace Young, author of The Breath of a Wok. "That makes for a much heavier, less satisfying product." This recipe includes scallops for a shot of lean protein and a slight hit of sweetness.

What You'll Need

8 dried shiitake mushrooms
8 oz scallops
10 oz ground pork
1 tsp each cornstarch, sesame oil, coarse salt
½ tsp each sugar, ground pepper
24 round wonton wraps
¼ cup minced carrot
4 large flat lettuce leaves or cheesecloth

How to Make It
1. Soak mushrooms in ½ cup cold water for 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry, reserving soaking liquid. Cut off and discard the stems and mince the caps. Divide scallops in half, putting the thickest on a plate; cover and refrigerate. Mince the remaining thinner scallops.

2. In a bowl, combine the pork, mushrooms, minced scallops, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, sugar, pepper, and 1 ½ tablespoon of the mushroom liquid.

3. Touch the tip of your left index finger to the tip of your thumb to form a small hole. Put one wrapper over the hole and 1 tablespoon pork filling in the center of the wrapper. Gently squeeze it closed. Pleat the excess wrapper. Fill all wrappers.

4. Cut the reserved scallops horizontally into 24 thin rounds. Put a slice on each dumpling, with a pinch of carrot in the center.

5. Line a 12-inch bamboo steamer with the lettuce leaves or cheesecloth to prevent sticking. Put half the dumplings on the leaves or cloth, ½ inch apart. Cover the steamer with its lid. Add water to a flat-bottomed wok to a depth of ¾ inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Put the steamer in the wok, and steam on high heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Repeat with remaining dumplings.

Makes 24 dumplings

Reclaim This: Sweet and Sour Pork

"Red food coloring is added to Americanized sweet and sour pork, and the sauce is cloyingly sweet and thickened with too much cornstarch," says Grace Young, author of The Breath of a Wok. Her lighter sauce enhances the flavors of the pork and vegetables, but never overpowers them.

What You'll Need

1 lb pork butt or shoulder, with fat trimmed off
2 Tbsp soy sauce
4 tsp rice wine or dry sherry
1 tsp sesame oil
¼ tsp each coarse salt and ground pepper
½ tsp plus 2 Tbsp sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup plus 1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks in juice
⅓ cup each ketchup and white vinegar
1 cup plus 1 Tbsp peanut oil or other vegetable oil
4 slices fresh ginger
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares

How to Make It
1. Cut the pork into 1-inch cubes. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine or dry sherry, sesame oil, salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Mix, add the pork, and marinate 10 minutes.

2. In another bowl, combine the flour and ½ cup cornstarch. Drain the pork, reserving the marinade. Lightly dredge the pork pieces in the flour-cornstarch mixture and set them aside on a plate.

3. Drain the pineapple chunks, reserving ½ cup of the juice. In a bowl, stir together the juice, ketchup, vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and the reserved marinade.

4. Heat 1 cup of oil in a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok until it's hot but not smoking. Add half the pork, spreading the pieces around in the oil. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until they begin to brown, and then turn them. After 3 to 4 minutes, when they're brown on all sides, transfer them to a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat with rest of the pork.

5. Wash and dry the wok, and return it to high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the ginger, and stir-fry 10 seconds. Add the green pepper and stir-fry 1 minute. Add the reserved pineapple chunks and swirl the sweet and sour sauce into the wok. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until it's just thickened, about 1 minute. Add the pork and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

East Meets West: How to infuse Chinese spice into everyday Western grub

1. Chinese five spice A combo of star anise, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, and fennel. Use it Combine 1 cup of almonds and ½ teaspoon of five-spice powder and spread it on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes, stirring once. Sprinkle on stir-fried vegetables.

2. Hoisin sauce A sweet and spicy dipping sauce, made from soybeans, garlic, vinegar, chili peppers, and salt. Use it Brush on ribs, pork, salmon, and chicken. Dilute with water if desired.

3. Rice wine A salty alcohol-based cooking wine. Use it Top your salad with a vinaigrette of 2 tablespoons peanut oil, 2 tablespoons rice wine, 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce, 1 teaspoon minced ginger, and a pinch of chili flakes.

4. Peanut oil Ideal for deep-frying and stir-frying. Use it Heat peanut oil in a wok. Cut a sweet potato into long thin strips, about ¼-inch thick. Place the strips in oil and fry 5 minutes. Dry and sprinkle with rosemary and cayenne pepper.

5. Ginger Revered as a digestive aid. Use it Add diced fresh ginger to marinades, soups, or vinaigrettes.