Steamed Fish 清蒸魚 (qing-1 zheng-1 yu-2) A really simple dish that requires only the most basic arsenal of Chinese ingredients.

 Now, don’t get frightened & trust me.  OK?  In China, they prefer to eat their fish whole & all together; head, tail, skin & all.  In the US, we do not commonly go this route, so if you’re feeling adventurous come along with me.

This Chinese Steamed Red Snapper Fish recipe will make great use of that steam oven I know you just went out & bought.  I’ll tell you what, for those who prefer your fish more anonymous than this, go ahead & buy yourself a naked red snapper, I won’t tell anyone.  Anyhoo, this red snapper recipe makes a very flavorful, juicy fish that’s perfect to eat alone or drop into some soup.  Enjoy!

 

• 1 medium sized red snapper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon salad oil
• 3 or 4 slices ginger
• 2 stalks spring onion
• Few sprigs coriander leaves

What’s Next:

Rinse and drain fish. Score the skin widthways at 2 cm intervals on both sides.

Place the fish on a large plate. Sprinkle with salt inside and out, and let rest for 10 minutes

Cut the spring onions into 2 or 3 sections. Then slice them lengthways into thin strips (purely decorative – the green parts will curl).

Place the fish in a steamer. Lay the ginger slices.

Steam the fish on a medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Mix soy sauce and vinegar.

Place the fish on a serving plate.

Pour sauce over fish.

Toss out any water from the wok. Add the oil to wok, bring to a boil. Pour sizzling oil over fish. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve.

I love this freaky little cookbook. Last night I made Hongshao Doufu (picture in link) and it was really tasty. The author is very clear that his recipes can all be shared, so I will post it below. (I added broccoli at the end, and left out the scallions.)

Hongshao Doufu: Red Cooked Bean Curd Family Style

Author’s note: There are very few people I know who would not sacrifice their lives (or at least pay 6 bucks) for a plate of family-style tofu.

1 lb extra-firm bean curd
9 whole scallions
1/3 cup peanut oil
1 1/2 TBSP coarsely chopped garlic
2 TBSP rice wine
2 TBSP hoisin sauce
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 tsp turbinado sugar
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 TBSP sesame oil

Pat the bean curd dry with paper towels. Cut the bean curd into 1″ by 3″ triangles and lay the pieces on a towel to drain. Cut the scallions at a diagonal into 3″ long pieces and set aside.

Heat a wok or large skillet on high heat. Heat the peanut oil. Add the bean curd pieces and fry until both sides are golden brown. Make sure it’s extra crispy or Robyn will send it back if you try to serve it to her. Remove the bean curd and place on paper towels to drain. Drain the oil and set the wok aside. Wipe and dry the wok and return 2 TBSP of the oil to the wok. Heat the oil and add the scallions and garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the rice wine, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar and stock and bring it to a boil. Add the fried bean curd pieces. Cook over high heat for 10 minutes or until the bean curd absorbs most of the sauce. Add in the sesame oil and give a final stir. Serve immediately.

 

source:  http://vampira93.livejournal.com/155502.html

Mapo Tofu Recipe (麻婆豆腐)

Is Mapo Tofu/麻婆豆腐 so hard to make at home? Does the long list of ingredients appear intimidating to a novice home cook? I asked myself. The answer is–unfortunately–yes. Making a plate of Mapo Tofu that oozes the signature mala/麻辣 (numbing spiciness) flavor without losing its originality is not easy…

 

I learned my Mapo Tofu recipe from a Sichuan friend, the birthplace of this famed Chinese dish. My friend’s mother attended the Sichuan Culinary Institute at Chengdu, so this Mapo Tofu recipe is as authentic as it can be. The Mapo Tofu recipe is not for the faint-hearted, it’s lip-smackingly spicy and downright incendiary !

 

Ingredients:

1 block silken tofu (19 oz box)
1/4 lb ground pork
3 tablespoons Sichuan spicy bean paste (辣豆瓣酱)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3 tablespoons chili oil
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns (roasted and ground to powder)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon fermented black beans (rinsed and pounded)
2 stalks of leeks or scallions (chopped into 1 or 2-inch length)
2 gloves garlic (chopped)
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste

Method:

Cut the tofu into small pieces, drain the water from the tofu and set aside. Heat up a wok and pour in the cooking oil and chili oil. Add the chopped garlic, ground pork, spicy bean paste and stir-fry until the pork is half-done. Then add in chili powder, soy sauce, fermented black beans and stir-fry until aromatic. Add in the tofu and water; stir gently to blend the tofu (don’t break them) well with the sauce. Lower the heat and simmer for about 3-5 mins or until the sauce thickens. Add in the roasted Sichuan peppercorn powder and chopped scallions. Gently stir and blend well. Dish out and serve hot.

Cook’s notes:

1. To tone down the numbing spiciness of this dish, use less roasted sichuan peppercorn powder, chili powder, and chili oil. Adjust them to fit your palate.
2. Mo Po Tofu (麻婆豆腐) literally means “Pock-Marked Old Lady Tofu” (I know!).
3. The Ma Po Tofu served at Chinese restaurants in the US has been adapted to appeal to local taste–the level of numbing spiciness is largely toned down.

Tofu is an easy to digest, somewhat bland food with a texture similar to cheese. It is made from soybean curd and is often substituted for meats, cheeses and certain dairy products because of its healthful properties. Tofu is also a popular food choice among people who don’t eat animal products. It is used in many different diets, including vegan and vegetarian eating plans. Tofu is also a staple in many low fat, low cholesterol diets, and is regarded as a healthy part of high protein low-carb lifestyles.

Tofu offers many valuable nutritional benefits including high concentrations of B-vitamins, easily digestible proteins, isoflavones, and unlike most soymilk products, calcium. B-vitamins and isoflavones are said to be helpful in diminishing menstrual and menopausal symptoms, including discomfort and irritability. They may also protect against certain types of cancer. Calcium helps prevent osteoporosis and other bone diseases and helps make teeth strong.

There are three different kinds of tofu: silken, soft and firm. Silken tofu is perfect for blending with other foods because of its creamy consistency. It is frequently used to replace higher fat options such as cream cheese and it works great for a healthier version of cheesecake. Soft tofu has a texture more like al dente pasta. It is an excellent choice for dishes such as lasagna where pasta is replaced to create a lower carbohydrate option. Firm tofu is thicker and not as soft as the other varieties and can be diced up as an alternative to meats in dishes like salads, soups and casseroles.

Many healthy, delicious recipes use tofu as an alternative, because tofu takes on the flavors of other foods with which it is combined. It is quite bland and has very little distinctive flavor of its own. This fact makes tofu the preferred choice in food substitutes as compared to other low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-sodium, and even low-carb options. These other options generally have distinctive tastes or aftertastes that change the flavor of the dishes in which they are used.

If you’d like to give tofu a try, you can find it in most popular supermarkets. It must be refrigerated and is usually located near other meat substitute products, or in or near the produce section. Once you bring tofu home, be sure to refrigerate it or freeze it immediately. It is generally safe to keep it for about one week in the refrigerator and at least one month in the freezer.

Bean curd is another name for tofu, a product made from soybeans, and sometimes other legumes as well. To make bean curd, a cook curdles soy milk and presses the resulting soybean curds into molds to firm up. The result is a block of white, neutrally flavored material which can be used in a wide assortment of dishes.

There are numerous different styles of bean curd, as well as an assortment of ways in which the substance can be used. Bean curd has been made in China for thousands of years, and has spread throughout the world as a reasonably cheap, easy to make source of protein which is also very easy to manipulate in the kitchen.

There are two basic types of bean curd. The first is silken, also called` Japanese style tofu. This type of bean curd tends to fall apart as it is is worked with, making it a great choice for dishes in which fragments of bean curd are desired. It is also used in vegan baked goods. Chinese style tofu is firm, and will hold its shape as it is worked with and cooked. In some places, Chinese style tofu is called bean curd, while Japanese style is called tofu. This can be confusing, but a close inspection of the package can usually sort the issue out.

 

Once bean curd has been formed, it can be sent out to market as is, or it can undergo further treatment. It may be seasoned and pressed into blocks to form very dense, flavorful tofu. It can also be smoked, frozen, or fermented. Fermented bean curd is often mixed with spices and vegetables and used as a condiment. It can be added to dishes while they are cooking for flavor, or served on the side.

Plain bean curd is available in many markets. It can be fried, steamed, sauteed, baked, or grilled. Vegetarians often use it as a meat substitute, since bean curd is rich in protein. It also absorbs flavor very readily, and is a compliment to many dishes. Make sure to use fresh bean curd quickly, as it can go bad.

In Chinese markets, it is possible to find bean curd skin or yuba, a byproduct of the bean curd manufacturing process. As the soy milk is fermented, a thin skin forms on top. This skin can be dried in sheets or sticks and used for an assortment of things. Shredded bean curd skin is used in many Chinese dishes for texture and flavor. Whole bean curd skin can be used to wrap foods for steaming and frying as well.

Some people don’t really understand how important eating healthy food is to us. Let’s look at some statement:
1. Over a billion people worldwide are now overweight and 300 million are clinically obese. People who are overweight have a higher risk of developing serious health problems in later life, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, type 2 diabetes, bowel cancer, and high blood pressure. Most people put on excess weight because their lifestyles include an unhealthy diet and a lack of physical activity.

2. According to Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, post-menopausal women may reduce their risk of developing cancer by 35% if they eat a healthy diet and lead a healthy lifestyle. This result was based on 29,564 post-menopausal women, aged 55-69 for a research period of 13 years.

3. People who ate three or more servings of fruit per day have 36% lower risk of developing the sight loss than people who ate less than one and a half servings per day. (According to Archives of Ophthalmology)

4. Eat low fat food regularly can reduce the chance of developing heart disease and certain cancers.

5. Calorie reduction can increase life expectancy by up to 30 percent

6.Vitamins can cut cancer death rates by 37%

7. Foods that contain the mineral selenium and plant-based chemical sulforaphane in combination may have a 13 times greater ability to protect against cancer than when the food compounds are used separately.

This list can go on and on. But I think you’ve got the point:

Eat healthy and balanced food daily can protect us from developing major health problems like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke and high blood pressure.

FROM:http://www.chinesefooddiy.com/cookbooks.htm?hop=amhita

Ancient Chinese philosophy has a very important influence in Chinese food culture. Let’s first look at a very interesting picture:

This is the traditional symbol for the forces of yin and yang, sometimes described as two fish swimming head to tail. The left half is yin and the right half is yang. Taken literally, yin and yang mean the dark side and sunny side of a hill. 

People commonly think of yin and yang as opposing forces. However, it is really more appropriate to view them as complementary pairs. The Chinese believe problems arise not when the two forces are battling, but when there is an imbalance between them. Floods, divorce, or even a fire in the kitchen - all can be attributed to disharmony in the forces of yin and yang.

How does the concept of yin and yang relate to food? 

A basic adherence to this philosophy can be found in ANY Chinese dish, from stir-fried beef with broccoli to sweet and sour pork. There is always a balance in color, flavors, and textures. 

However, belief in the importance of following the principles of yin and yang in the diet extends further. 

Certain foods have yin properties, while others have yang properties - Cooling or warm, fat or non-fat, high-calorie or low- calorie, and etc. 

Almost no foodstuff is purely yin or yang - it’s more that one characteristic tends to dominate. It also reinforces that it is not so much the individual ingredients, as the the balance and contrast between ingredients in each dish, that is important. Interestingly, cooking methods also have more of a yin or yang property, as the list below demonstrates.

 

Cooking Methods:

 

Yin Qualities	Yang Qualities
Boiling	Deep-frying
Poaching	Roasting
Steaming	Stir-frying

 

Types of Foods: 

Yin Foods Yang Foods Bean Sprouts Bamboo Cabbage Beef Carrots Chicken Crab Eggs Cucumber Ginger Duck Glutinous Rice Tofu Mushrooms Watercress Sesame Oil Water Wine

 

Chinese food emphasizes on consuming a diet that contains a healthy balance between yin and yang. You’ll find most Chinese dishes are made of a mixture of ingredients and each meal is made up of a combination of dishes. 

That’s why:

• You always get a cup of steamed rice for every entree
   

• There is usually vegetable mixed with meat entree
   

• A fried dish usually comes with a steamed dish or soup

I know you have already realized that Chinese food is healthy and balanced food that is good for your health. 

Actually according to a survey held by the food industry,

• 72.4% people think that Chinese food is healthy
   

• 89.3% people like Chinese food
   

• 67.8% people would like to cook Chinese food if they know how

Before you start looking for vitamin pills or supplements, start eating a health and balanced diet from today.

FROM:http://www.chinesefooddiy.com/cookbooks.htm?hop=amhita

China is a country where the preparation and appreciation of food has been developed to the highest level. Chinese culture considers cooking an art. All other philosophies consider the preparation of food a craft.The art of Chinese cooking has been developed and refined over many centuries. Emperor Fu taught people to fish, hunt, grow crops and cook twenty centuries before Christ. However cooking could not be considered an art until the great classical age of China, the Chou Dynasty 1122-249 B.C.

The two dominant philosophies of the Chinese culture are Confucianism and Taoism. Each influenced the course of Chinese history and the development of the culinary arts. Confucianism concerned itself with the art of cooking and placed great emphasis on the enjoyment of life. To the Chinese, food and friends are inseparable. A gathering without food is considered incomplete and improper.

Confucius loved and respected the art of cooking. He established culinary standards and proper table etiquette. Most of these are still considered to be the standards of today. The tradition of cutting foods into bite size pieces during preparation and not at the table is unique to the Chinese culture. The use of knives at a Chinese dinner is considered “poor taste.”

Confucius taught that good cooking depends on the blending of various ingredients and condiments rather than the taste of the individual elements. He believed that in order to become a good cook one must first be a good matchmaker. The flavors of the ingredients must be blended with harmony. Without this harmony there is no taste. He also stressed the use of color and texture in the presentation of the dish. Most certainly Confucianism helped elevate cooking from a menial task to the status of an art, “the art of Chinese cooking.”

Taoism was responsible for the development of the hygienic aspects of foods and cooking. The principle objects of this philosophy were the nourishment of the body and the search for longevity. In contrast to Confucianists who were interested in the taste, texture and appearance, Taoists were concerned with the life-giving attributes of various foods.

Over the centuries the Chinese have explored the world of plants, roots, herbs, fungus and seeds to find life-giving elements. They discovered the nutritional value of vegetables could be destroyed by improper cooking and that many items had medicinal value. For example, ginger, a favorite condiment, is also used to soothe an upset stomach and as a cold remedy.

Unlike the majority of eastern cuisines most Chinese dishes are low-calorie and low-fat. Food is cooked using poly-unsaturated oils, and milk, cream, butter and cheese are not a. part of the daily diet. Animal fats are kept to a minimum due to the small portions of meats used. Please note however that some dishes served in Chinese restaurants may be considerably higher in calories and fats than those in this cookbook that you prepare at home.

The Chinese following the philosophy of Taoism may have found the answers in 500 B.C. to today’s diet and health problems. The Chinese cooking style certainly affords you the opportunity to cook healthy.

Hi,I think you have been craving for that delicious zhajiangmian,and below is the recipe for zhajiangmian ,especially for sauce. There are lots of recipes of sauce,but below is the most popular one.

Zha Jiang Mian (炸酱面), a northen chinese dish, is a bowl of flat white noodles with a warm, thick and sweet minced meat sauce over it. I like it with oodles of cucumber shreds for the nice crunchy feel. For the extra punch, mix the minced meat sauce with some chilli paste or chilli flakes.

I used Chng Kee’s Peking Duck Dipping Sauce (甜面酱).

1. Cook noodles in a pot of water. Drain and leave them aside.
2. Remove core and seeds from the cucumber. Cut into thin strips.
3. Heat wok, add the oil.
4. Add garlic/shallots and stir fry until slightly brown.
5. Add the minced pork and stir fry till the pork is cooked.
6. Add Peking Duck Sauce, light and dark soya sauce.
7. Add water and simmer if you prefer more sauce.
8. Serve this meat sauce over noodles.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp garlic/shallots, chopped
• ½ cucumber, shredded
• 200g minced pork
• 2 tbsp of Peking Duck Dipping Sauce (甜面酱)
• ½ tbsp oil
• 1 tsp light soya sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soya sauce
• 190g flat white noodles (shanghai noodles)
• 30ml water (optional)

source:   www.didally.com

Hunan Smoked Pork and Fresh Bamboo Shoots