Oriental Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:
1/2 head shredded cabbage
1/2 cup slivered almonds *
2 tblsp sesame seed *
1 chicken breast (cooked cubed)
1 pkg top ramen chicken noodles (crumbled)
chopped onion

* Toast almonds and seeds 5 to 10 min at 350ºF

Dressing:
2 tblsp rice vinegar
1/2 cup salad oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp msg (aji-no-moto)
1 pkg seasoning from top ramen
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp sugar.

Mix dressing and blend well.  Add to salad ingredients and mix together at least 1/2 hour before serving.

Beef Roll Soup with Mustard Green

Ingredients:

10 thin pieces beef steak
300 gr mustard green (choy sun)
2 slices ginger
1,25 litres water
salt to taste

200 gr golden needle mushrooms
3 tbsp shredded carrot

Marinade:
1 tsp soy sauce
3/4 tsp cornfluor
pinch of pepper

Method:

Mix beef steak with marinade and marinate foo 30 minutes.

Rinse mustard green and section.  Rinse mushrooms and drain.

Divide mushrooms and carrot into 10 equal portions.  Roll each portion in each piece of beef steak.  Fasten with toothpick and steam over high heat for 10 minutes.  Drain beef rolls and reserve liquid.

Heat 2 tbsp oil and stir-fry ginger until fragant.  Add water and bring to a boil.  Add in mustard green and cook for 1 minute.  Add in beef rolls and reserved liquid.  Bring to a boil again, add in salt, dish up and serve.

Bean Curd and Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

1 tomato
1 square bean curd
2 stalks Chinese mustard cabbage (Choy sun)
1,25 litres stock
1 tbsp chopped spring onions
1 tsp salt
dash of sesame oil

Method:

Cut tomato into wedges.  Cut bean curd into 6 pieces.  Rinse cabbage and section.

Bring stock to a boil.  Add in tomato and bean curd and bring to a boil again.

Add in salt and cabbage.  Cook until cabbage is soft.  Dish up, sprinkle with sesame oil and chopped spring onions, and serve.

Bamboo Pith and Wood Ear Soup

Ingredients:

50 gr presoftened bamboo pith (chuk sum)
50 gr presoftened wood ears (black fungus)
5 mushrooms
200 gr mustard green (choy sum)
1,5 litres chicken stock
1 tbsp oil
salt, sugar and pepper to taste

Method:

Soak mushrooms untilñ soft, remove stems and shred.
Blanch bamboo pith, wood ears and mushrooms in boiling water for 2 minutes.  Remove and drain.
Heat 1 tbsp oil.  Add chicken stock, bamboo pith, wood ears, mushroom and mustard green.  Bring to a boil.  Add salt, sugar and pepper.  Dish up and serve.

Juicy Chilli Chicken and Cashew Nuts (serves 2)

The traditional technique for this dish involves three or four stages.  It's adapted so that the chicken is cooked in no time.  Serve with rice or egg noodle.

1 tsp potato fluor or cornfluor

4 boneless and skinless chicken thights, cut into 2 cm chunks

1/2 tsp chinese five-spice-powder

2 tbsp groundnut oil

1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns (optional)

1 tsp chilli bean paste or same quenatity deseeded finely chopped red chilli

1 dried red chilli, deseeded and ground in a pestle and portar or a generous pinch of crushed dried chilli flakes a dash os Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry

100 gr roasted salted cashew nuts

2 spring onions, sliced at an angle

1 tsp light soy sauce

1/2 lime

In a bowl, combine the potato fluor or cornfluor with a tablespoonful of cold water and mix well.  Add the chicken pieces, turn to coat, then season with the five-spice powder.

Heat a wok over a high heat and add the groundnut oil.  When it starts to smoke, add the Szechuan peppercorns, if using, and both types of chilli and stir-fry for 30 seconds.  Add the chicken mixture and leave to settle for 30 seconds, then add the rice wine or dry sherry.  Toss well and cook for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is virtually cooked through.

Add the cashew nuts and cook for another minute.  Add the spring onions, toss well and cook for another minute.  Season to taste with soy sauce and squeeze over a little lime juice.

Steamed Fillet of fish with Ginger and Spring Onion

Because this dish is so simple, the freshest and best-quality fish must be used.  As such a small amount of stock is required, you can save time by using a ready-made fresh stock, heated with the garlic and ginger from the stock.

450 gr (1 tb) cod loin, monkfish or any firm white fish fillet

120 ml (4 fl oz) Chinese chicken stock

3 tbsp chinese wine

7-5 cm (3 in) piece fresh root ginger, peeled and cut into julienne

1 1/2 Chinese white cabagge leaves, cut into quarters

3/4 tsp caster sugar

3 tbsp light soy sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 bunch spring onions, cut into julienne

2 tbsp peanut or groundnut oil

1/2 x 20 gr pack fresh coriander, leaves only

ground white pepper

You will also need:  a 23 cm (9 in) Chinese steamer.  If your steamer basket is smaller than this, cook in batches.

Place the fish in a shallow heatproof bowl that will fit inside your steamer basket.  Pour the chicken stock and chinese wine over fish, then sprinkle with half the ginger julienne.  Place the bowl inside the steamer over boiling water and steam, covered, for 5-6 minutes.  Then slip the cabbage into the steamer, cover and steam for 2-3 minutes, until cabbage has warmed through and the fish is cooked.  The fish is ready when it is white and no longer translucent.

Remove the cabbage from the steamer and put it into a serving dish.  Using a fish slice, carefully remove the fish from the steamer and place it on top of the cabbage.  Pour any stock that is left in the bowl over the fish, then sprinkle with the caster sugar and drizzle over the soy sauce and sesame oil.  Garnish with the remainig ginger julienne and half of the spring onions.

In a small pan, heat the peanut or groundnut oil until it reaches smoking point.  Slowly and carefully drizzle the hot oil over the fish and garnish with the remaining spring onions, coriander and a small pinch of white pepper.  Serve immediately.

Glazed Duck Breasts with Sesame Noodles (serves 2)

2 duck breasts fillets
1 tsp Chinese five spice
2 tbsp clear honey
2 tbsp hoi sin sauce
125 gr (4 1/2 oz) medium egg noodles
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seeds toasted (optional)
3 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

Make 5 slashes in the skin of each duck breast, rub all over with the Chinese five spice and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF).  Mix together the honey and hoi sin sauce.  Heat a frying pan over a high flame and add the duck breasts skin-side down.  Cook for a couple of minutes until the skin begins to crisp, then brown the other side.  Transfer to a small roasting tin and drizzle over the honey-and-hoi sin mixture.  Cook in the top half of the oven for about 20 minutes, basting every 5 minutes with the mixture.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the pack instructions, drain, toss in the sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds, if using, and divide between 2 plates.  Slice the duck breasts and arrange on top of the moodles.  Scatter over the spring onions and coriander and serve.

Green Curry of prawns and Auberguines (serves 4)

For the spice paste
4 green bird eye chilies
2 heaped tbsp chopped lemon grass (2 large stems)
6 fresh lime leaves (you can use freeze-dried if fresh are unavailable)
roots or stalks from 4 fresh coriander sprigs, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
50 gr (2 oz) fresh ginger, peeled and cut into shreds
3 heaped tbsp fresh coriander leaves

For the curry
3 tbsp groundnut or other flavourless oil
2 large shallots, peeled and finely siced
2 small aubergines, sliced into 4 lenghtways
12 cherry tomatos, halved
250 ml (9 fl oz) coconut milk
1 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
295 gr (10 1/2 oz) large peeled cooked prawn

To serve
10 gr (1/2 oz) fresh basil leaves
handful fresh coriander leaves
2 large lime leaves
10 gr (1/2 oz) fresh mint leaves

First make the spice paste:  Discard the stems and seeds from the chillies, then chop the flesh and tip it into either the jug of a blender or a food processor, then add the lemon grass.  Roll the lime leaves tightly, slice them into fine shreds and add along with the coriander roots or stalks, garlic and ginger.  Add the coriander leaves, then blitz to a paste with enough water to make the mixture go round (2-3 tbsp).  Continue to mix until you have a coarse paste, pushing it down with a spatula every now and again to make sure it is well mixed.

Warm 2 tbsp of the oil in a shallow pan, then add the shallots and cook them over a moderate-to-high heat until they are golden and soft.  Add the aubergines, letting them soften and colour - expect them to take about 5-7 minutes.  Scoop the shallots and aubergines out into a dish then add a further tablespoon of oil to the pan.

When the oil is warm, add the green spice paste.  Let it fry briesfly - the water will evaporate - and the add the cherry tomatoes to the pan.  Continue cooking for a few minutes then return the shallots and aubergine and pour in the coconut milk.  Season with the nam pla, adding more if you wish.  Slip the prawns into the sauce and leave to cook for a minute or two - no longer - until they are warmed through.

Chop the basil and coriander leaves roughly.  Roll and finely shred the lime leaves, then spoon the curry onto some steamed white rice and divide the herbs between them, scattering the mint leaves on top.

Poached Chicken with Braised Lettuce and Peas (serves 2)

This is a great low-fat way to cook chicken.

425 ml (15 fl oz) chicken stock
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 small lettuces or baby cabbages, halved, trimmed, washed and drained
110 gr (4 oz) peas
6 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring the stock to the boil in a medium-sized pan,  Season, add the chicken breasts, cover the pan and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Add lettuces or baby cabbages, peas and spring onions and continue to cook for a further 4 minutes.  Add the chopped tarragon.  Remove the chicken from the pan, slice and arrange in warmed diches.  Spoon over the vegetables and the stock, and serve immediately.

Hot and Sour Beef Noodles (serves 2)

2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 red chili, sliced
330 gr (11 1/2 oz) beef fillet or sirloin steak, sliced into 5 mm (1/4 in) pieces
1 pack (125 gr) fine asparagus, trimmed and halved
1 (200 gr) pak choi, leaves separated
1 (220 gr) tin water chestnuts, drained and halved
1 tbsp tamarind paste

Heat the oil in a wok, add the chili and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the beef and cook over a high heat for 1 minute.  Remove from the pan and set aside while you cook the vegetables.  Stir-fry the asparagus, pak choi and water chestnuts in the wok for 2 minutes or until tender.  Return the beef to the wok with the tamarind paste and cook for a further minute.  Serve with egg noodles and shredded spring onions, if you like.

Cerdo en salsa Agridulce

Ingredientes:

400 gr de carne de credo sin grasa
1/4 cucharadita de sal
1/2 cucharadita de pimienta de Scechuan
2 cucharadas de vino de arroz o de jerez seco
1 lata (120ml) de bambú
1 cucharada de aceite

Para la salsa:

1 cucharada de aceite
1 diente de ajo
1 tallo de cebolla verde cortada en tiras
1 pimiento verde grande, cortado en juliana
1 chile cortado en juliana
1 cucharada de salsa de soja
2 cucharadas de azúcar morena
2-3 cucharadas de vinagre de arroz
1 cucharada de pasta de tomate
1/2 taza de caldo o agua

Preparación:

Cortar el cerdo en trozos pequeños, colocarlos en un tazón.  Añadir sal, pimienta, vino de arroz o jerez seco y deje marinar durante 15-20 minutos.
Cortar el bambú en trozos pequeños.
En una sartén caliente el aceite, agregue la carne y dore ligeramente, cubra con la tapa y deje que cocine, añada la salsa en la que se marinó la carne, que continúe la cocción hasta que este tierna.

Para hacer la salsa agridulce, caliente el aceite en un wok o sartén honda, agregar el ajo, la cebolla verde, pimiento verde y el chile rojo.
Cocinar 1-2 minutos, luego agregar la salsa de soja, azúcar, agua con vinagre de arroz, pasta de tomate.  Que de un hervor, agregar el cerdo y el bambú.  Cocine a fuego lento unos minutos mas, revolviento todo.
Servir con arroz blanco.

NOTA: puede sustituir el bambu por zanahoria cortada en juliana y la añade junto con el resto de las verduras para que cocine.
Si no tiene vinagre de arroz lo puede sustituir por otro vinagre pero utilice menos cantidad.

Pate Oriental

190 gramos de queso crema
2 cucharadas de salsa de soja
2 cucharadas de ajonjoli tostado
sal y pimienta al gusto

Mezclar los ingredientes hasta que resulten perfectamente integrados.  Disponer la mezcla soble una fuente y servir acompañado de galletas o tostadas.

BBQ Pork, Duck and Beansprout Salad (serves 4)

Ingredients

3 med pork fillets (or one large)
50 gr sachet "roast red seasoning mix"
1/4 cup of car sui sauce
1/2 roast duck sliced uo
1/4 cup fried onions
Dressing: 1/4 cups hoisin sauce, honey, soy
1/2 cup of chinese cabagge (wombok)
1 cup beansprouts
1/2 vietnamese mint or basil
1 cup coriander
1/2 cup green (spring) onions
1 cup roast cashews
1 long red chili pepper thinly sliced

Marinade pork and season.  Roast in oven 12-15 minutes.  Transfer to rack and brush with char sui sauce.  Take skin and bone of duck slices. slice pork and combine ingredients for salad, add some dressing and toss.  Put into bowls, sprinkle fried onion over each serve and drizzle with more dressing.  Serve