Chinese Food Culture

A fellow Malaysian at Ohio Wagyu sent me some of his farm-raised wagyu beef. He flew the beef overnight to me, and when I received them, they were still ice cold and frozen. My favorite of all was the flank steak, which I used to make the ponzu and miso butter steak, and the leftover, I made them into Chinese ginger and scallion beef.

Ginger and scallion stir-fry is one of the very first Chinese recipes I learned when I first started cooking (you can read how I learn Chinese cooking and my journey to be a great cook in my cookbook introduction chapter). The combination of fresh ginger, scallion, a protein of your choice, with a light oyster-based sauce and a dose of wok hei (breath of wok) is always so inviting and delicious. The thought of a hot-off-the-wok ginger and scallion stir-fry always get me ravenously hungry.

Please find my simple and easy ginger and scallion beef Recipe after the jump. Enjoy!

(Click Page 2 for the Ginger and Scallion Beef Recipe)

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It has been more than three years since I posted my Beef Rendang recipe. I am pleasantly surprised that to this day I still get the occasional inquiry and request with regards to protein substitution, alternative cooking methods, or the usage of a different spice mix to make the paste. Especially after September of last year, when Rendang topped the readers’ choice list of CNN���s “World’s 50 Most Delicious Foods“. I am guessing that should be a plausible factor as to why Rendang suddenly scrambled on to a lot of people’s “to-cook” list.

South-East Asian curries are unique with their own distinctive tastes and names. Rendang, Panang, Kari Ayam, Massaman, just to name a few. All in all they share different takes and preferences on blended spices and other fragrant aromatics. For those of you who have yet to be acquainted with the exotic delicacy that is Rendang, it is in a nutshell, a mildly spicy, rich and flavorful, semi-dry curry that is popular throughout the South-East Asian region, especially in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. And it is one of the main dishes that is served during Malay weddings and festivities.

This delicacy is especially dear to my heart because it brings back fond memories of how my mom used to break out her cache of spices tucked neatly away in an airtight Tupperware container marked “Rendang” and carefully measure each and every spice with her traditional mini brass metal kitchen scales that resemble an upright stickman dangling a wok on each hand.

As I’ve pointed out back in my Beef Rendang post, no two Rendang can turn out the exact same way. Mainly due to the varying amount of spices used and the ever crucial reduction process to allow the absorption of the spices into the meat yet not over-drying it. This time around, I am going to make Rendang using lamb, with a slight variation of the spices, and braising it in a crock pot/slow cooker. This was actually quite a leap for me as my preferred method have always been to stew it on the stovetop. But lo and behold, it turned out to be every bit as scrumptious as depicted.

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I am so thrilled that I am featured on The Kitchn, a site for people who like to get their hands dirty while they cook. Since Lunar New Year is around the corner, I thought I’d share one of my favorite recipes from my cookbook.

A traditional Chinese New Year meal is incomplete without dumplings and a dish of nourishing and soothing Chinese soup, hence I’ve combined the best of both worlds into this pork dumpling soup. This dish is a Cantonese delicacy and the dumplings are called Siu Kow in Cantonese, or literally �€œwater dumplings.”

This Recipe is also one of the 80+ recipes featured in my cookbook Easy Chinese Recipes: Family Favorites From Dim Sum to Kung Pao (Tuttle, September 2011).

This pork dumpling soup is a perfect dish for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration, which falls on January 23rd. The dumplings are filled with the perfect ratio of ground pork, shrimp, water chestnuts, and wood ear mushroom so every bite is savory, luscious, and crunchy.

When shopping for the wrapper, try to find Siu Kow (Water Dumplings) wrappers in your local Asian store. They are usually square in shape and are pale yellow in color. The texture of the wrapper is thinner and more pliable compared to regular wonton wrappers. If you can’t find them, wonton wrappers would work just fine.

Have a wonderful Golden Dragon year for those celebrating Lunar New Year!

Head over to The Kitchn now to see the complete feature.

(Click Page 2 for the Pork Dumpling Soup Recipe)

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Peanut cookies are one of my favorite Chinese New Year cookies. I grew up helping my aunt making hundreds of them. Shaping them into round balls, slightly flattened them with the cap of toothpaste to form the circle pattern on top of the cookies before brushing the top with an egg wash. Peanut cookies are crumbly and absolutely addictive. Once I start eating, I just can’t stop. Check out this peanut cookies recipe by my contributor Siew Loon. Don’t forget to scroll down and check out other festive baking recipes for Lunar New Year.

Happy 2012 to all the readers! Time flies and with just a wink of an eye, 2011 has ended. Lunar New Year is just 3 weeks away and I am sure all of us are looking forward to eat lots of good food, gatherings with the loved ones and “ang pow” (red packets). I have managed to squeeze in some time during the long holidays to bake some of my favorite cookies, including peanut cookies. It is kind of addictive and once you pop one into your mouth you will definitely come back for more.

Peanut cookie is a traditional Chinese New Year cookies. I remember my mom making them every year during for Lunar New Year. It is mainly made of peanuts and blended with oil and flour. Peanut cookies are obviously not a very healthy snack but they are too good. As it is for the Lunar New Year celebration, just indulge and enjoy them with a cup of Chinese tea.

More Lunar New Year Baking recipes:

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(Click Page 2 for the Peanut Cookies Recipe)

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The holidays season might be over but for those celebrating Lunar New Year, the festive season has just begun. (The year of Dragon falls on January 23, 2012.) Walk down the aisles of Asian grocery stores, especially Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese here in the United States, you’ll see lots of Lunar New Year goodies out on display. This year, I�™m going to share a series of delicious Chinese New Year recipes so you’ll be able to prepare a full course Chinese menu with my recipes!

Chicken is a must-eat during Chinese New Year. Whole chicken is especially auspicious and it’s prepared for prayers to the ancestors in traditional Chinese homes. While regular boiled or steamed chicken is a common dish to serve, I��m partial to roast chicken, especially Cantonese BBQ style. My roast chicken is the kind you would get at Chinatown. There are certain techniques and secret ingredients involved to get to the desired taste and texture. I marinated the chicken overnight, and then air dry it for a few hours before roasting. I also created a special concoction for the skin to ensure crispiness. The best part of the roast chicken is the juice seeping out during the roasting process; drizzle the juice on steamed rice while you sink your teeth into the moist and tender pieces of chicken. This Chinese-style roast chicken is simply delicious and imparts the signature “烧腊” (Cantonese BBQ) aroma and flavors. You definitely have to check out my secret Chinese roast chicken Recipe.

Lunar New Year celebration lasts for 15 days, so below are more chicken recipes to whet your appetite. Also, don’t forget that I have 80+ Chinese recipes in my cookbook “Easy Chinese Recipes.” Pick up a copy today and celebrate Dragon year with scrumptious and authentic Chinese food. You can also refer to this Chinese recipes index on Rasa Malaysia.

(Click Page 2 for the Chinese-style Roast Chicken Recipe)

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