At Home with Chinese Cuisine (26 page)
Read At Home with Chinese Cuisine Online
Authors: T P Hong
This homey dish is very popular in China and in the West. It is mistakenly thought to be a soup dish because of its presentation with both solids and liquid in it. It is actually a hui dish with the blend of tastes of pungency and acidity. The acidity comes from the rice vinegar, and the pungency comes from the generous quantity of freshly milled white pepper.
White pepper is a common spice in Chinese kitchens, and it has a distinctive peppery aroma. We can smell its presence because of a chemical compound called rotundone. White pepper produces more peppery aroma than black peppers because it contains more of this chemical compound. The aroma of freshly milled white pepper beats the powdered version sold in a jar in its freshness and its intensity.
Smell the white peppercorns before you put them in the pepper mill. If you detect any off-smell of manure, damp mushroom compost, or burned rubber, return them to the seller. White pepper is the seed inside the ripe peppercorn. To get to the seed, producers often follow a traditional method of fermenting peppercorns in stagnant water to cause the outer flesh to rot. This stagnant water fermentation process can potentially cause the dried white pepper to carry the off-smell that could ruin a dish.
According to the Chinese cooking technique, when vinegar is added in the marinade or sauce, or at the very beginning of the cooking process, it is described as cooking with invisible vinegar for its acidity. Adding vinegar during the cooking over a high heat is described as vinegar with an attitude, and it is for removing any unpleasant odour in the main ingredients without leaving behind much acidic taste. More vinegar can be added at the very end of the cooking process along the rim of the wok for its aroma. With this soup, I leave the vinegar in the soup bowl for its aroma and acidity; it is described as vinegar with visibility. Because it is visible in every sense of the word, you need to choose vinegar with the matching quality and variety for maximum impact.
Traditionally, comparatively more thickening agent is used to give the liquid in this dish a more substantial mouth feel. The consistency can be adjusted according to the individual’s preference. This dish is also a base for a more elaborate dish for formal dining to include ingredients such as cooked sea cucumber, bird’s nest, shark’s fin, tendon from pig trotters, and seaweed.
100 g pork tenderloin 1 tub silken bean curd 4 dried black wood ears 3 dried shiitake mushrooms 50 g fresh bamboo shoots | To reconstitute the dried black wood ears and dried shiitake mushrooms, please see “Dried black wood ears” and “Dried shiitake mushrooms” in the Readers’ Guide to Recipes. Shred them finely. Shred the pork tenderloin finely. To marinade the meat, please see “Marinade (how to)” in the Readers’ Guide to Recipes. Bring the meat out of the fridge to return to room temperature before cooking. |
1 T naturally fermented or light soy sauce 10 turns or more of freshly milled white pepper 2 T cornflour mixed with 30 ml water 1 large-sized egg, beaten 2-3 T ZhenJiang rice vinegar 2–3 stalks of fresh coriander with leaves 1 litre chicken stock or water 1–2 t sesame seed oil For the marinade: 1 t rice wine salt and pepper 1/4 medium-sized egg white 2 t cornflour | Shred the bamboo shoots along the fibre finely. Cut the bean curd to the size of the tip of chopstick 3 cm long. Boil enough water that will more than immerse the bean curd pieces in the pan and lightly salt the water. Turn the heat down to the lowest and put the bean curd pieces in the pan. Allow the water to come to a gentle simmer. Switch off the heat and leave the bean curd in the pan. Drain the bean curd when you are ready to use it. Put the water in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring it to a gentle boil and slide the meat in. Use a pair of chopsticks to separate the slivers. Bring them out when they turn pale. Bring the water to a boil again and put the mushrooms and bamboo shoots in. Bring them out when the water comes back to a boil. Put 1 litre of the chicken stock or water in the saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil over a medium heat. Add the soy sauce and salt to season and colour the liquid. When the liquid comes to a boil, slide the bean curd into the saucepan gently, followed by the meat, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. When the liquid comes to a gentle boil, pour the cornflour and water mixture into the saucepan in a circular motion; count to three before stirring. When it comes to a gentle boil, check the texture of the liquid and add more of the cornflour and water mixture if desired. Bring the liquid back to a gentle boil and pour the beaten eggs from as high as you can manage into the liquid in a circular motion; count to three before stirring gently. Switch off the heat when the liquid returns to a simmer. Drizzle the sesame seed oil and sprinkle 10 turns or more of the freshly milled white pepper on top. Warm a deep serving dish. Place 2 T of the rice vinegar and coarsely chopped fresh coriander in it. Pour the mixture into the bowl to serve immediately. Leave aged ZhenJiang rice vinegar and pepper mill on the dining table for people to help themselves. |
Stir-fried Fish with Pine Nuts
松仁魚米
This is a delicate fish dish from JiangSu Province. Dishes that bear this name can be found all over China with variations in the choice of fish and vegetables. Fish with firm flesh is preferred because the skinned fillets have to be diced into small morsels close to the size of the pine nut.
I prefer deep-sea fish with firm flesh for this dish. Deep-sea garoupa is my first choice because its flesh has a firm and springy texture, especially the tail section. Fish that live deep in the ocean have less dark meat under the skin, whereas those swimming near the surface of the water have more. Remove it if you do not want it to affect the presentation of the dish.
With very simple seasoning, this dish is all about the quality of the fish. The fillet of the deep-sea fish should be firm to touch and should smell fresh. With freshwater fish, it is advisable to check its freshness and ask the fishmonger to fillet it on the spot. Check the eyes: they should be moist and bright. Check the gills and make sure they are red and bright with no traces of slime. The body should be firm to the touch.
Pine nuts are the other main ingredient of this dish. They are edible seeds of pine trees. In China, the main production area is in the provinces of HeiLongJiang, JiLin
, and LiaoNing in the north-eastern region. The production centre in each of the three provinces has been given geographical indication protection by the Chinese government.
In China, pine nuts have long been favoured for their delicate flavour, medicinal properties, and nourishing qualities. Their price reflects their status among the nuts used for culinary purposes. They are versatile in that they are used in both savoury and sweet dishes; they go with pork, fish, and vegetable dishes. They also appear in pastry and biscuits, and as fillings for sweet dessert.
Following the end-of-summer and early autumn harvests, the new season nuts can be found in grocery stores in large cities in China. Because of their high oil content, they go rancid quickly. By the following February or March, only ready-packed ones can be found, and they can be of dubious quality. Pine nuts are in ivory colour when fresh. They have passed their shelf life when they turn slightly yellow with an oily appearance. Do not rely on the expiry date or the “best before” date printed on the packaging – visual inspection is necessary.
350-400 g white fish fillet, meaty with firm texture 40 g pine nuts 1/4 each of red and green bell peppers 2 spring onion whites, finely chopped 1 small fresh shiitake mushroom, stalk removed (optional) 45 ml cooking oil For the marinade: 2 T rice wine 1 T ginger juice 1/3 medium-sized egg white salt and pepper 1 T cornflour | To prepare the ginger juice: Mash or purée the ginger using a garlic press, mortar and pestle, fine grater, or mincer. Put the mashed or puréed ginger in a sieve and press the liquid through using the back of a spoon. Skin the fish fillet and remove the bones. Dice the fillet to the size close to that of the pine nut (no bigger than 0.5 cm cubes). Leave the diced flesh in a bowl. To marinate the fish, please see “Marinade (how to)” in the Readers’ Guide to Recipes. Roast the pine nuts in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Toss often because they burn easily. When they pick up a golden colour in places, set aside to cool down completely. Dice the bell peppers and the shiitake mushroom (if used) close to the size of the pine nuts. Bring the bowl of fish out of the fridge to return to room temperature. Mix in 10 ml of the cooking oil to coat the fish. To season the wok before cooking, please see “Wok” in the Readers’ Guide to Recipes. Put the wok back to the heat source and adjust it to a high heat. Add 20 ml of the cooking oil into the wok and add the fish immediately; count to 5 before stirring. Stir from time to time until the fish is separated and turns white or opaque. Mix in the spring onion whites, bell peppers, and mushroom (if used) and stir for about 40 seconds. Switch off the heat, add the pine nuts, and plate on a warm dish. |
Ginkgo Nuts, Prawns Stir-fried with Ginkgo Nuts
白果,白果蝦仁
Ginkgo
Nuts
Ginkgo trees are native to China. The oldest one has been identified to be nearly three thousand years old. They have been closely associated with Buddhism. The trees can often be found in Buddhist temples around China. Monks have played an important part in preserving the old species from the harm of wars over the centuries. And it was the monks who spread the seeds to Japan and Korea.
Folklore has it that the Buddhist monks who came back from their pilgrimage to India spoke of the holy bodhi tree. It was under the bodhi tree that the Buddha received the Divine Enlightenment. When the monks in China were faced with the decision whether to introduce this tree to China as a symbol of the religion, they decided on the native Ginkgo tree instead for its elegance, adaptability, longevity, and its cultural association.
Ginkgo nuts (the seeds from the female Ginkgo trees) have a thin silvery white shell with a cream-coloured soft-textured flesh. The seeds with shell are called YinXing in Chinese. BaiGuo is the Chinese name for the skinned flesh. Raw seeds with shell have the smell of rancid butter. Their flesh does not have strong flavour but tastes a bit bitter. Because of their minor toxicity, it is advised to have a maximum of 12-15 cooked Gingko nuts per person at one time.
There have been continuous studies around the world on the medicinal effects of the leaves and nuts of the ginkgo tree. TCM has been using the nut as an astringent and for the treatment of lung diseases, such as asthmatic breathing, bronchitis. And the effectiveness of the Ginkgo leaf for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, cerebrovascular disease, and dementia has caught the attention of the multinational pharmaceutical companies in recent years.
The largest concentration of ginkgo trees grown in their natural habitat in China can be found in the TienMou Mountain Nature Reserve in ZheJiang Province. This might explain why the nuts appear in the local cuisine so often. As a classic dish of ZheJiang Province, local river prawns used to be the top choice for this dish. Wild ones are difficult to get hold of these days, whereas different species of live freshwater prawns are available all year round, especially in the south. This dish is also a classic ShanDong dish using locally produced ginkgo nuts and the prawns from the coastline.
The Chinese prefer to buy live prawns with shell, and they do the shelling themselves. With the purchase, seafood vendors will put them in a bag with water for customers to carry home. Once home, rinse them well, drain, and freeze them. The flesh tends to cling on to the shell when they are very fresh, and freezing makes the job of shelling easier.
The so-called fresh prawns displayed on a bed of ice in supermarkets could be frozen ones thawed for sale. Before making the purchase, check the colour. Quality ones tend to have green blue or dark grey colours, and some special varieties are in white or pink. It is important to sniff them for any unpleasant odour. Stay away from prawns that have off-putting smell, especially of ammonia. Hold one in your hand; fresh prawns should be firm to touch.
250 g fresh prawns, shelled 20–30 ginkgo nuts 2 t ShauXing wine 1 spring onion, separate green from white, and finely chopped 5 g ginger, finely chopped 1/2 fresh red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped (optional) salt and pepper 2 t sesame seed oil (optional) 110 ml cooking oil For the marinade: salt and pepper 2 t cornflour | To prepare shelled prawns for cooking, please see “Shelled prawns” in the Readers’ Guide to Recipes. To marinade the prawns, please see “Marinade (how to)” in the Readers’ Guide to Recipes. To prepare the ginkgo nuts: Follow the instructions on the label if they are from the tin or are vacuum-packed. If you can get hold of fresh ones in their shells, shell the nuts using a nutcracker, but be gentle with them because their shell is fairly thin. Put the shelled nuts in a bowl and pour boiling water over them to soak. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave them to cool down. When the water is tepid, the red-brown skin can be peeled off easily. Put the skinned nuts in a bowl with sufficient water to cover them; steam on high heat for 20 minutes or so to cook them thoroughly. Drain and set aside. For the vacuum-packed ginkgo nuts, blanch them in simmering water for 1 minute or so. They are then ready to be used for stir-frying. Bring the prawns out of the fridge to return to room temperature before cooking. To season the wok before cooking, please see “Wok” in the Readers’ Guide to Recipes. Put the wok back to the heat source and adjust it to a medium-low heat. Add 100 ml of the cooking oil and heat the oil to reach 100°C. Add the prawns and the nuts and count to 5 before stirring. Stir from time to time until the prawns turn pink. Drain the prawns and the nuts in a colander with a bowl underneath. Heat the wok over a medium heat. Add 15 ml of the cooking oil and allow the oil to heat up. Stir in the ginger first, followed by the spring onion white and red chilli (if used). When the aroma of the spring onion is released (in less than 5 seconds), put the prawns and nuts in and stir for about 5 seconds. Drizzle the wine along the rim of the wok and stir. Season to taste; drizzle the sesame seed oil (if used). Sprinkle the spring onion green at the last minute and stir or toss to mix. Plate on a warm dish to serve. |