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 Introduction
First published In 1990 by
The Appletree Press Ltd. 7 James Street South.
While Chinese cuisine is universally popular, it has the undeserved
Belfast BT2 81)1_
Copyright 0 1990 The Appletree Press, Ltd. Illustrations 0 reputation of being intimidating. Those 'mystifying sauces' are
1990 Susan Dray used under Exclusive License to easily available in stores. As for methods and utensils, this book will
The Appletree Press, Ltd. de-mystify them. The Ying Yang philosophy that permeates
Printed in Hong Kong. All rights reserved.
. Chinese life is evident in its cuisine, giving a balance of opposite
No part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form elements — dark and light, soft and crunchy, sweet and sour. The
or by means, electronic or mechanical, result should be a feeling of wellbeing after a meal. No two Chinese
photocopying, recording or any information chefs ever cook the same dish the same way, each creates his own
and retrieval system, without permission in
flavours. Whether attempting an imperial Peking Duck or humble
writing from the publisher
peasant stew, approach it with a sense of adventure and boldness.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data It's a matter of trial, and a few errors, before you know the perfect
Tan, Terry harmony between ginger and sesame oil, plum sauce and vinegar,
A Little Chinese Cookbook
soy sauce and garlic, noodles and beansprouts and the endless
I. Food, Chinese dishes. Recipes
I. Title permutations therein. A Chinese meal for four consists of two or
641.5951 three dishes served with rice. All dishes will serve two or more if
ISBN: 0-86281-253-4 the meal includes other dishes, unless otherwise indicated. A meal
for four can easily be stretched by serving more rice.
First published in the United States in 1990
by Chronicle Books, 275 Fifth Street, A note on measures
San Francisco, CA 94 I 03 Imperial, metric and American measures have been used in this
ISBN 0-87701-798-8 book. Use one set of measures only as they are not necessarily
exact equivalents. The cup referred to is the standard American
987654321 measure, and spoon measures are level, not heaped. All recipes will
serve four people.
 Savoury Tossed Chicken Noodles
Bread is not truly a part of Chinese cuisine and breakfast is really
pot luck. Mostly a simplified version of lunch or dinner, it draws
from a wide range of single-portion rice and noodle-based dishes. 4
oz/ 100 g noodles is ample for one.

4 oz/ 100 g dry egg noodles

3 tbsp vegetable oil
6 oz/ 150 g/3/4 cup chicken breast
I stalk celery
I oz/25 g/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
8 fl oz/250 mI/1 cup water
chicken stock cube
2 stalks spring onions, chopped
Cook noodles to packet instructions. Drain and loosen strands.
Slice chicken into thin strips. Slice celery on the diagonal 3/4 in/1 cm
wide. Heat oil in wok or frying pan until smoking and add chicken,
stirring vigorously until meat turns opaque. Add celery, soy sauce,
pepper, water and stock cube. When th i s boils, add noodles and
stir well, raking strands with a fork. Cook for 2 minutes and serve
garnished with chopped spring onions. Typically, left-over chicken
will be used.

4
 Braised Rice \oodles
With Shrimps and Squid
Chinese noodles are made from wheat, rice or mung bean flour.
Sold dry, or occasionally fresh in specialist stores, they need only be
boiled or soaked till soft. Wheat noodles expand roughly to twice
their bulk but rice and mung bean noodles do not.
8 oz/200 g rice noodles
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp oyster sauce
10 fl oz/ 300 ml water
4 oz/ 100 g/ '1/2 cup beansprouts
3 oz/75 g raw shrimps
3 oz/75 g cleaned squid
/2 tsp pepper
fresh coriander or spring onions, chopped
Cook noodles to packet instructions adding 2 tbsp oil when boiling
to prevent sticking. Drain. Clean and devein shrimps. Cut squid into
12 in/ I cm rings or I in/ 2 1/2 cm square if large. Fry garlic in hot oil till
light brown. Add oyster sauce and water and bring to the boil. Add
shrimps and squid and cook for I minute. Add all other ingredients
and stir well for about 2 minutes. Serve garnished with fresh
coriander or chopped spring onions.

7
 Ydngzhou jewel Rice
Have you eaten rice?' is the traditional Chinese greeting, explaining
its importance to the Chinese. Yangzhou (sometimes spelt Yang
Chow) is the Eastern city in the Yang Tze region from which fried
rice originated. It is a colourful mix of rice, ham, peas, carrots and
egg, hence the iewel reference.
10 oz/250 g/ 1 cup long grain rice (enough water to cover
in/21/2 cm above rice level)
4 tbsp oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 oz/150 g cooked ham, cut into 3/4 in/ 1 cm cubes
2 tbsp cooked green peas
2 carrots, cubed and blanched
1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled
spring onion stalks, chopped
Wash rice, add water and cook covered, over a medium heat for
I 0- 12 minutes, until all water is absorbed. Switch off heat. Stir to
loosen and allow to get completely cold. Heat oil and cook eggs
until set. Add all other ingredients. Stir well to break up stock cube.
Garnish with chopped spring onions.

8
 Shrimp Dumpling Soup
From ancient times, Chinese people were fond of eating at tea
houses. From these came a range of snacks now a permanent
feature in most Chinese restaurants. A Dim Sum (literally 'to touch
the heart') meal can be two or 200 dishes!
20 won ton pastry skins, each 21/2 in/6 cms square
12 oz/300 g/minced pork
6 oz/ 150 g raw minced prawns
2 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp pepper
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 oz/50 g translucent vermicelli, soaked till soft
30 fl oz/750 ml water
I chicken stock cube
fresh coriander or spring onions, chopped
Mix pork, prawns, cornflour, sesame oil, pepper and soy sauce.
Place 2 tsp on each won ton skin, gather up and twist to seal with a
little water. Bring water and stock cube to boil. Drop in dumplings
and vermicelli, cook for 3 minutes. Adiust seasoning. Garnish with
fresh coriander or chopped spring onions.
 Chicken Pancdke Kolls
This is a nother Dim Sum item with more variations than leaves on a
tree! Mi nced pork and cabbage is the classic filling but you can ring
the cha t iges with chicken and beansprouts or any shredded leafy
vegetab le.
6 spring roll skins 10 in/ 125 cms square
2 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
12 oz/300 gl3/4 cup chicken breast, minced
12 oz/300 g/2 cups beansprouts
2 tbsp light soy sauce
I tsp pepper
oil for deep-frying
3 tbsp sesame oil
cucumber, sliced
Heat oil and fry garlic until light brown. Add all other ingredients
and stir-fry for 3 minutes until chicken is cooked. Allow to cool. If
needed, defrost spring roll skins, keeping them covered with a
damp tea towel to prevent cracking while working. Place 2 tbsp of
mixture near the edge of skin. Roll over once, fold in sides and roll
again to make a firm sausage. Seal edges with a little water and
allow to sit for a few minutes. Add sesame oil to deep-fry oil for
nutty fragrance. Deep-fry rolls until golden brown and serve with a
chili sauce dip and sliced cucumbers.

12
 Sesdme Todst
Though a migrant snack in its use of bread, this is an hors d'oeuvre
with lots of savoury crunch. Use a pastry cutter to make rounds of
bread.
1 sandwich loaf with crust trimmed
12 oz/300 g/1/4 cup minced pork
6 oz/ 150 g raw minced prawns
3 eggs. lightly beaten
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
8 oz/200 g/ 'A cup sesame seeds
oil for deep-frying
Mix pork, prawns and 2 tbsp of beaten egg with soy sauce and
pepper. Cut bread into rounds about 1 1/2 in /4 cm in diameter. With
a pastry brush, lightly coat each round with egg and spread mixture
about 1/4 in/ V2 cm thick, patting down firmly. You should get
between 20 and 24 pieces. Brush with more egg and coat with
sesame seeds. Fry a few at a time until golden brown, turning once.
Drain on absorbent paper.

15
 Plum Sauce Chicken
Chinese chefs are master at making inexpensive ingredients look
and taste wonderful. With a little work, humble chicken wings
become imperial offerings. All it needs is patience, ingenuity and a
sharp knife.
12 chicken wings, tips removed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
10 cream crackers, finely crushed
oil for deep frying
4 tbsp plum sauce
2 tbsp hoi sin sauce
cucumber rounds
pineapple rings
Cut away thin end of wing joint. Scrape down along the two bones
until meat forms a thick ball at the other end. Shape firmly into little
lollipops. Remove thin bone leaving thick one as a handle. Roll first
in beaten egg and then in crushed crackers. Leave to settle for a few
minutes before deep-frying until golden brown. Keep crisp in a
warm oven. Serve on rounds of cucumber and pineapple rings with
dips of plum and hoi sin sauce.

16
 Pot Stickers
Legend has it that a forgetful chef burnt a batch of dumplings. His
quick-witted son deflected the Emperor's wrath by saying his
father had invented a special dish called 'pot stickers' with burnt
bottoms. To further mask the fault, he served them with sharp
vinegar and ginger sauce.
12 oz/350 g/3 cups plain flour, sifted
7 fl oz/250 ml/ 1 cup warm water
Filling
5 oz/ 100 g/1 cup shredded cabbage
10 oz/200 g/ 1 cup minced pork
1 oz/25 g/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 oz/ l00 g/5 tbsp oil for frying
Mix flour with the water and knead for 10 minutes until dough
comes away from bowl. Rest dough. Blanch cabbage in boiling
water for 2 minutes, drain and mix with other ingredients. Divide
dough into 3 parts. Roll each into 10 in / 25 cms length. Cut into 10
rings and roll each out into 3 in/7 cms round. Place 2 tsp of filling in
each and shape into half moons, pinching each firmly to seal. Heat
oil in a frying pan and lightly brown as many as you can at one time.
Add 611 oz/ 180 m11 3/4 cup water, cover and cook until the pan is
dry and the bottom of each pot sticker is brown. To make the dip,
mix 4 tbsp malt vinegar with 2 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp finely
shredded ginger.

19
 Chinese Steamed Bun
This basic Chinese dough mix can also be wrapped around a
multitude of fillings for delicious sweet or savoury dumplings. A
north China staple (no rice is grown in this region) symbolising
plenty, traditionally it is served steamed with savoury meat
dishes.
lb/500 g/4 cups plain flour, sifted
oz/20 g/2 tbsp dried yeast
2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp lukewarm water
9 fl oz/300 mil 1 cup warm milk
Mix yeast. sugar and warm water. Leave in warm place till frothy.
Pour this and warm milk into flour. Stir until firm dough is formed.
Knead on a floured board for 15 minutes and leave in warm place
until dough doubles. Knead for 5 minutes and roll into sausage
shape about I in/21/2 cms in diameter. Cut into 24 rounds and roll
out each to 4 in/ 10 cms diameter. Fold over and lightly brush with
oil. Rest for 20 minutes. Place on a wet cloth on a perforated
steamer rack (bamboo is best) and steam for 20 minutes. Allow 1
in/21/2 cm space between buns. Serve hot or cold.

20
 Pork Dumplings
So revered is the dumpling in Chinese cuisine that there is a festival
honouring it. They are given as offerings to Taoist deities and after
prayers, villagers feast on them.
Dumpling dough (see page 20)
Filling
lb/500 g pork fillet
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp hoi sin sauce
Cut pork into strips about I in/2 cms thick. Steep in marinade
ingredients for 30 minutes. Roast on a rack for 40 minutes in
pre-heated oven at gas mark 6, 400°F 200°C. Cool and cut into
1 /2 in! I cm cubed dice. Knead proven dough for 5 minutes and roll
into sausage shape about 1 1/2 in/3 1/2 cms diameter. Cut into 24
rounds. Flatten each till 4 in /10 cm diameter. Place I tbsp filling on
each, draw up sides and twist at top to seal firmly. Steam as for
plain dumplings for 20 minutes. Serve hot or cold. Vary the filling
with chicken or beef.

23
 Crab and Sweetcorn Soup
Chinese soups are generally served with a meal so diners may take
sips to refresh the palate between mouthfuls. There are herbal
soups like those with ginseng reputed to do the libido no end of
good! This one is less exciting but very satisfying, especially on a
cold winter's evening.
12 fl oz/370 g/ 11/2 cups creamed sweetcorn
8 oz/250 g/ 1/2 cup crab meat
12 fl oz/375 ml water
3 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
2 eggs
fresh coriander, chopped
croutons
Beat eggs lightly and combine all ingredients in a soup pot. Bring to
the boil and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve with croutons and
chopped fresh coriander. To vary, use diced chicken or shrimps.
More egg will give you a thicker, heartier soup.

24
 Egg Drop Mushroom Soup
Smoky-flavoured Chinese dried mushrooms are quite different
from field mushrooms. They symbolise prosperity, especially those
with fissures on the caps. These 'blossom' mushrooms can be
expensive during festive seasons so use field mushrooms instead.
11/2 pt/750 ml/3 cups water
I vegetable stock cube
6 Chinese mushrooms, soaked in hot water till soft
I tbsp shredded ginger
4 tbsp Chinese wine (Hsiao Hsing or Hwa Chiu)
3 tbsp seasme oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp brandy
Bring stock cube and water to the boil. Snip off mushroom stalks
and cut each top into strips. Add to stock together with ginger,
wine and sesame oil. As the soup boils pour in beaten egg, gently
swirling as you do. Just before serving add brandy.

27
 Shrimp Fu Yong
To dine off Fu Yong is to augur a smooth path to prosperity, so say
the Chinese. It is also good eating. The classic ingredients are egg
and carrot with shrimps or crab.
5 eggs, lightly beaten
I large carrot, grated
8 oz/250 g/ 1/2 cup raw shrimps or crab meat
3 tbsp oil
I tbsp light soy sauce
2 stalks spring onions, chopped
I tbsp sesame seeds
lettuce leaves

Clean and devein shrimps. Heat oil and fry carrot for I minute. Push
aside and pour in beaten egg. Stir gently for 2 minutes as you would
for scrambled eggs then add shrimps and soy sauce. Continue
stirring until shrimps turn pink and Fu Yong is almost dry. Serve
with chopped spring onions and sesame seeds sprinkled on top.
The Chinese say that to eat sesame seeds is to have numerous
progeny, a farmer's blessing of many hands to till the soil'. For an
amusing starter, the Fu Yong can be wrapped in fresh lettuce
leaves.

28
 Spicy Sichuan Spare Ribs
There's nothing spare about Chinese ribs, if you can get your
butcher to reserve some with plenty of meat on them. Get him to
chop them up as you would need a heavy cleaver and some strength
to hew through the bone. To make ribs succulent and tender, the
trick is to parboil them in their marinade before deep frying.
2 lbs/ I kg spare ribs, cut into 2 in/5 cms pieces
3 tbsp hoi sin sauce
2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
4 tbsp sherry or Chinese wine
1/2 tsp five spice powder
I pt/500 ml/2 cups water
oil for deep frying
Marinate ribs in all ingredients except water for I hour or
overnight. Add water and bring to the boil. Cook for 20 minutes
until liquid is reduced. Drain and cool. Heat oil until smoking and fry
ribs for 2 minutes. Reduce marinade until thick and serve as a side
dip. For less oily ribs you can also barbecue after boiling.

31
 Drunken Chicken
This is believed to be a favourite of the Tang Dynasty Empress Yang
Kwei Fei renowned for her beauty and her fondness for a tipple.
Traditionally cooked in a clay pot, a Chinese chicken, served whole
with its head, represents the Phoenix and rebirth. You wouldn't
want to go to your other life headless!
I chicken, about 3 lb/ 1.5 kg
6 tbsp oil
'A pt/I50 m1/ 1/3 cup Chinese wine or sherry
3 pc/ 1.7 Itr/7 cups water
4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp shredded ginger
4 tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Mix 2 tbsp each of soy sauce and wine and rub over chicken. Turn
chicken in heated oil until light brown. Transfer to a deep pot with
all other ingredients and simmer for I '/-2 hours. Turn several times
and add a little water or wine if necessary. Serve hot or cold with
steamed buns. Most Chinese supermarkets sell clay pots. The clay
imparts a smoky flavour to the dish and the pot, served straight
from the stove, gives an authentic and rustic touch.

32
 Soy Braised Chicken
You will see this Cantonese speciality hanging in most Chinese
restaurants. Done well, it will have a mahogany sheen. Served with
a sharp chili dip and plain rice it's positively ambrosial. It's
practically a national lunch-time meal.
I chicken, about 3 lb/ 1.5 kg
4 tbsp oil
2 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp dark soy sauce
I large knob ginger root, bruised
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp chopped onion
Heat oil and caramelise sugar until it is a dark brown but not
burned. Add soy sauce and quickly turn chicken in it until well
coated. Add water, ginger, salt and onion and simmer for I hour,
turning several times. Cool and cut into pieces. Reduce sauce and
serve with chicken. To make a quick chili dip, grind 4 fresh red
chilies with 3 cloves of garlic and mix with 4 tbsp malt vinegar and I
tsp salt.

35
 Chicken and Cdshew\uts
in Yellow Bean Sau ce
The epitome of culinary balance in Chinese cuisine, this dish has a
perfect blend of texture, shape, colour and flavour. It is easy to
cook in either a wok or a frying pan.
3 tbsp oil
8 oz/250 g chicken breast, cubed
2 tbsp yellow bean sauce
red pepper, diced in 1/2 in11 cm squares
1 stalk celery, diced as above
20 cashew nuts
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp sesame oil
5 tbsp water
Heat oil and fry chicken for I minute till half cooked. Add yellow
bean sauce and stir to blend. Add all other ingredients except
water and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add water, stir, and when mixture
thickens remove from wok and serve hot.

36
 Peking Duck
Aficionados wax lyrical about this splendid dish, even down to the
merit of adding ducks' beaks! In Peking, some restaurants are
devoted entirely to this dish and some books specify the type of
oven and firewood to roast this princely dish. You will still dine with
imperial grandeur, using a good Aylesbury duckling and
store-bought Mandarin pancakes!
good sized duckling
2 tbsp honey diluted with a little water
Accompaniments
Mandarin pancakes (store-bought)
5 tbsp hoi sin sauce
4 stalks spring onions, cut into fine strips 2 in/5 cms long
I cucumber, skinned, cored and cut into similar size
Hang duck overnight in a warm place, or on your clothesline in
direct sunlight for 3-4 hours until skin is absolutely dry. The secret
is to remove as much moisture as possible. A good blast all over
with a hair-dryer does the job also. Pre-heat oven for 30 minutes at
mark 6, 400°F, 200°C. Rub melted honey all over duck and roast on
a rack for 40 minutes. Turn heat to medium and roast for a further
30 minutes. Remove duck, leave for 15 minutes. Allowing 4 or 5
pancakes for each person, steam a few at a time for 10 minutes and
keep warm. Slice duck skin with a little meat into 2 in/5 cm squares.
Paint each pancake with a little hoi sin sauce and place a few shreds
of spring onions and cucumber in centre. Add a piece or two of
duck skin and roll up. Most Chinese supermarkets sell pancakes, or
tortillas will make a thicker substitute. Traditionally, the meat from
the duck carcase will reappear as stir-fried duck with vegetables,
and the bones will be boiled with another vegetable for soup.

39
 Sweet and Sour Pork
'Fire and water, vinegar, pickle, salt and plums. Fire boils water and
the cook orchestrates the harmony equalising flavours. Then the
master eats and his mind is made equable', said a disciple of
Confucius, circa 600 BC. It says everything about this famous
Chinese export.
lb/500 g pork fillet in I in/2 cm cubes
2 eggs, lightly beaten
cornflour
oil for deep frying
1/2 onion, sliced

2 tomatoes, quartered
I small can pineapple chunks, reserve juice
Sauce
3 tbsp plum sauce
3 tbsp tomato sauce
5 tbsp pineapple juice
I tsp malt vinegar
Roll pork in egg, remove with a slotted spoon and coat with
cornflour. Shake off excess and leave to settle. Deep fry till golden
brown and set aside. Heat 3 tbsp oil and fry onions for I minute.
Add sauce ingredients, pineapple and tomatoes and add pork when
sizzling. Sauce should just coat pork. Add a little water fora thinner
consistency. Serve with rice.

40
 Braised Pork Belly
Any aversion to fat pork will change when you've tasted this sinfully
rich dish. It's simply not the same made with lean pork. Plain
steamed buns (see recipe on page 20) make a perfect foil for every
juicy drop.
2 lb/ 1 kg belly pork, cut into 3 or 4 pieces lengthwise
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
I tsp five-spice powder
5 tbsp Chinese wine
3 tbsp oil
I tsp sugar
2 pt// kr water
fresh coriander
Marinate pork for an hour in garlic, soy sauce, five-spice powder
and wine. Drain and seal well in hot oil. Add water and sugar and
simmer for 1 1/2 hours until pork is tender. Drain and slice. Reduce
liquid and pour over sliced pork or serve in a gravy boat with
steamed buns and fresh coriander.

43
 Mongolian Lamb Stew
This is an ancient stew that was called Tung Po mutton by the 1 I Eh
century Chinese Muslim poet, painter and epicure of the same
name. Sometimes goat meat is used, but Iamb will do just as
well.
lb/500 g stewing Iamb, trimmed of fat
6 oz/ ISO g potatoes, each cut in four
4 oz/ 100 g carrot, cut into 1/2 in/ 1 cm chunks
2 tbsp/30 ml soy sauce
I tsp/20 g ground ginger
I tsp/ 15 g five-spice powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
6 tbsp/ 100 ml oil
5 tbsp rice wine
Cut lamb into I in/ 2 1/2 cm pieces. Pat dry and seal well in hot oil.
Remove Iamb from pan, and fry potatoes and carrots for 5 minutes.
Remove and set aside. Put Iamb and seasoning ingredients in a deep
pot and add water to I in/ 2 1/2 cm above ingredients. Bring to the
boil and simmer for 2 hours. Add potatoes, carrots, and rice wine 5
minutes before end of cooking time.

44
 Steamed Sea Bass
This is possibly the most magnificent and easily prepared fish dish.
If you cannot get sea bass, use fresh snapper, grouper or halibut.
2 lb/ I kg sea bass, cleaned and gutted but with head left on
2 tbsp shredded ginger
3 Chinese mushrooms, soaked and cut into strips
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 tbsp/50 ml sherry
2 tbsp oil
spring onions, chopped
Score fish diagonally several times almost to the bone. Place on a
plate deep enough to contain steamed juices. Press ginger and
mushroom strips into crevices. Dribble over soy sauce, oil, pepper
and sherry. Cook for 10 minutes in a steamer with a porous lid
(bamboo or perforated metal). Sprinkle with chopped spring
onions. Any left-over liquid makes a lovely stock base.

47
 Stir-fried Prawns
and Mange Tout
The southern Chinese say that to eat prawns is to augur well for a
happy life'. The word for prawns in the Cantonese dialect is 'ha' as
in laughter. Since other Chinese words for prawns do not translate
similarly, the belief doesn't apply outside this province.
4 tbsp oil
12 large fresh prawns, peeled
1 tsp sugar
4 oz/ 125 g mange tout, topped and tailed
I clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
fresh coriander
Marinate prawns in sugar for an hour. Heat oil and fry crushed garlic
till light brown. Add prawns and mange tout and fry rapidly over
high heat for I minute. Add seasoning and stir for another minute.
Serve immediately, garnished with sprigs of fresh coriander.

48
 Steamed Cabbage Rolls
When cabbage is mentioned in Chinese cooking it can mean the
Savoy type or the Winter variety, known in this country as Chinese
leaf. This recipe refers to the latter, now widely available and with a
sweeter taste.
8 cabbage leaves
8 oz/250 g minced pork
6 oz/ 150 g minced raw prawns
tsp salt
I tsp cornflour
1/2 tsp pepper
I egg, lightly beaten
shallots or garlic, fried
Boil a pot of water and blanch leaves of equal size until soft but not
mushy. Drain and set aside. Mix pork, prawns and seasoning with
egg. Taste for seasoning. Place 2 tbsp of mixture on each leaf and
roll up firmly. Steam rolls on a plate for 10 minutes. Serve hot with
their own juices garnished with fried shallots or garlic.

51
 The 18 Lohdn
The name of this dish, revered by Buddist vegetarians, refers to the
1 $ disciples of the Lord Buddha whose Sanskrit name is Lohan.
Here are the original 18 ingredients but anything up to six gives a
satisfying result unless you're a purist: Chinese leaf, dry
mushrooms, straw mushrooms, hairy mushrooms, cloud ears,
white fungus, mange tout, sweet tofu wafers, brown tofu, red
dates, gingko nuts, lotus seeds, translucent vermicelli, hair
vegetable, lily buds, preserved bean cured, hoi sin sauce, garlic.
6 mange tout, topped and railed
2 Chinese cabbage leave, slice into l in/2 ems pieces
6 French beans, topped and tailed
6 Chinese mushrooms, soaked till soft and stalks cut off
12 button mushrooms
20 lily buds (golden needles), soaked till soft and hard tips cut
off. Tie each into a knot
1 cube preserved red bean curd, mashed
2 tbsp hoi sin sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
tsp pepper
4 tbsp oil
pt/250 ml cup water
Heat oil and blend with preserved bean curd. Add hoisin sauce and
stir for I minute. Drain and dry vegetables and add to all other
ingredients except water and stir. Add water and cook over high
heat, stirring constantly until thick. This dish tastes even better the
next day.

52
 Almond Lychee Surprise
It's a fallacy to think Chinese do not have a sweet tooth, though
desserts are not usually served after a meal rather as in-between
snacks. In fact, sugar is revered and the icon of the kitchen diety is
always smeared with sugar water so that he will give good reports
in Heaven about the household!
2 sachets unflavoured gelatin (2 tbsp each)
I pt/500 mI/2 cups water
5 tbsp sugar
8 fl oz/250 ml/ I cup milk
1 tbsp almond essence
1 large can lychees
Stir gelatine in half the water and sugar until dissolved. Boil the
remaining water and pour into gelatin mixture. Stir until mixture is
clear. Blend milk with almond essence and add to mixture. Pour
into jelly mould and refrigerate when cool. To serve, either arrange
lychees around whole jelly or cut up and serve in individual dishes.
Any tinned fruit can be used.

55
 Golden Bites
Butter is rarely, if ever, used in Chinese desserts and I suspect this
pudding came to China by way of Far East migrants who enjoyed
imported New Zealand butter.
Pastry
2 oz/50 g/ 1/4 cup butter
2 oz/50 g/ 1/4 cup lard
L egg
6 tbsp sugar
8 oz/250 g/2 cups sifted flour
Filling
4 large eggs, half the white discarded
3/4 pt/400 ml/I I/2 cups milk

l0 oz/300 g/ 1 cup sugar

Cream butter with lard and add egg and sugar. Beat well and add
flour. Stir till dough is firm. Knead for 10 minutes and set aside. Beat
eggs until blended but not frothy. Add sugar and milk and stir over a
bowl of warm water. Leave for 15 minutes. Separate dough into 20
balls and press each into a shallow ramekin to form a tart shell
making sure thickness is even. Fill each with egg mixture and bake in
pre-heated oven at gas mark 4, 300°F, I 50°C for 40 minutes. Cool
and unmould.

56
 Goreng Pisdng
This is an exotic way to treat bananas and its practically a national
snack among migrant populations in Southeast Asia who serve it
with scoops of coconut or mango ice cream.
8 bananas, peeled
3 oz/70 g/ 1/2 cup self-raising flour
3 oz/70 g/' cup rice flour
I tbsp cornflour
1/2 pt/250 n31/ I cup water
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp fine brown sugar
oil for deep frying
Slice each banana lengthways into two. Sift flours and add to water.
Stir until consistency of cream. Add salt. Heat oil and when
smoking, dip each piece of banana in batter, shake off excess and
lower into hot oil. Fry until golden brown and roll in brown sugar.
Serve with ice cream.

59
 index
Almond Lychee Surprise 55 Peking Duck 39
Plum Sauce Chicken 16
Braised Pork Belly 43
Pork Dumplings 23
Braised Rice Noodles with
Pot Stickers 19
Shrimps and Squid 7
Savoury Tossed Chicken
Chicken and Cashew Nuts in
Noodles 4
Yellow Bean Sauce 36
Sesame Toast 15
Chicken Pancake Rolls 12
Shrimp Dumpling Soup 11
Chinese Steamed Bun 20
Shrimp Fu Yong 28
Crab and Sweetcorn Soup 24
Soy Braised Chicken 35
Drunken Chicken 32 Spicy Sichuan Spare Ribs 31
Egg Drop Mushroom Soup 27 Steamed Cabbage Rolls 51
Eighteen Lohan 52 Steamed Sea Bass 47
Stir-Fried Prawns and Mange
Golden Bites 56 Tout 48
Goreng Pisang 59 Sweet and Sour Pork 40
Mongolian Lamb Stew 44 Yangzhou Jewel Rice 8

60