Valentine's Day food... Chinese style
FEELING wanton this Valentine’s Day? Or rather won ton? OK, you can see where this is going … but you can’t blame me when Valentine’s Day and the Chinese New Year fall on the same day.
Ever in search of ways to be original and romantic, I turned to Jenny Cui, chef at the Green Tea restaurant in West Didsbury, for help cooking my other half a romantic Chinese dinner.
“Food on Valentine’s Day should be easy and quick to make,” explains Jenny, 28, who opened the Burton Road eaterie two years ago.
“That way, you don’t get stressed out and you have more time to go and put make-up on before dinner.”
This is my kind of cooking! We start with pork and prawn dumplings.
“Chinese people always eat dumplings at New Year,” says Jenny.
“These are quick to make and they can cook while you do other dishes.”
A mixture of ready-cooked prawns, pork, onion, ginger and seasoning are spooned into wonton wrappers, little squares of pastry which can be bought at Chinese supermarkets.
Using the handle of a spoon, you fold the pastry around the filling into a fetching flower shape.
The mixture should make 10 dumplings, which then take 10 minutes to cook in a steamer, and for a vegetarian version use tofu and mushrooms instead.
Once they’re cooking, we start on the next dish – bang bang chicken salad.
I quickly learn how the dish got its name: “This is a Szechuan street vendors’ dish and traditionally the meat was beaten with a rolling pin after it was cooked to make it more tender,” Jenny explains, hitting the meat in a paper bag with a wooden spoon.
This is the ultimate throw together dish – once you have prepared the sauce – a delicious satay style mixture of sesame paste, sesame and chilli oils, sugar, pepper and soy – it’s simply a case of drizzling it over the shredded chicken on a bed of lettuce.
Next, it’s time for the first of the main courses, and Jenny fires up the wok. In goes pre-cooked steak, onion, pepper, ginger, garlic and soy sauce to be stir-fried. Erm, and that’s it – after a few minutes it’s ready to serve.
I’m paying close attention to the next dish, which I am sure will be a winner with my seafood-loving other half.
King prawns, Chinese greens and mushrooms are again stir-fried in oyster and soy sauce and once again it’s ready to serve in minutes.
The smoky sauce is the perfect complement for the crispy greens and done-to-perfection mushrooms and prawns. I realise that as long as you do the preparation beforehand, these dishes would take little time to make once you’ve invited your loved one over.
Jenny also gives me a recipe for dessert, a lychee, lime and raspberry jelly that you can make and then keep in the fridge until needed.
So before you can say ‘easy, tiger!’ I’ve created a Chinese new year feast to impress on Valentine’s Day, without even working up a sweat. Satays-faction guaranteed!
Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day traditions:
- February 14, 2010, is the start of the year of the tiger in the Chinese calendar.
- People born in this year are said to be dominant, powerful risk takers because the tiger is seen as the king of the 11 other animals on the calendar.
- People born under previous tiger years include Chuck Berry, Jodie Foster and Richard Branson.
- The Chinese equivalent of Valentine’s Day takes place on July 7. Legend has it that a couple separated by the gods were only able to meet on this day every year, when all the birds in the sky made a bridge over a river of stars for them to meet on.
- Chinese people mark the day by writing their own love notes to slip inside fortune cookies.
Now, try your hand at one of the recipes…
Siu Mai dim sum dumplings
You will need (for the fillings):
- 125g minced pork and 125g prawns roughly chopped or 125g firm tofu, very well drained
- 4 large fresh shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped,
- 1 green pepper, finely chopped.
- 2 spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbs soy sauce
- 1 tbs shaoxing wine or any cooking wine
- 1 tbs sesame oil
- Pinch of salt
- Ground pepper
- 2 tbs cornstarch or potato starch
- 10 wonton wrappers
- Vegetable oil to grease
- Some chilli oil and soy sauce
Method
Combine the fillings, seasonings and cornstarch, and mix well until it forms a paste.
Take one wonton wrapper and place two teaspoons of the filling in the centre.
Then gather up the sides of the wonton wrapper and mould around the filling into a ball shape, leave the centre exposed.
Oil the bottom of steamer and line with greaseproof paper. Place the dumplings in the steamer and steam for 10 minutes until cooked.
Meanwhile, combine chilli and soy sauce in a bowl. Serve with dumplings.
Romantic Chinese dinner for two
Starter: Homemade Dim sum to share; Spicy bang bang chicken salad
Main course: King Prawn with Chinese mushroom and Pak choy in oyster sauce; Sliced beef with fresh chilli and coriander; Steam rice
Dessert: Lychee, lime and raspberry Jelly
Pork and Prawn Dumplings
Called “Siu mai”, these are open wrapped steamed pork and prawn dumpling that can be found in all dim sum restaurants. Siu mai can be served as a starter with some chilli or soy sauce of your choice and are great for sharing. You can also make a vegetarian version, with mushroom and tofu filling.
Recipe:
Pork and Prawn filling
This makes about 8 to 10 siu mai, depending on how much fillings you pack into each wrapper.
Ingredients:
- 10 wonton wrappers (can be bought readymade from Chinese supermarkets).
- Vegetable oil to grease
- Some chilli oil and soy sauce
For the filling:
- 125 g minced pork
- 125 g / raw Prawn, shelled, deveined and roughly chopped
- 2 spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. grated ginger
- 1 Tbs. soy sauce
- 1 Tbs. shaoxing wine or any cooking wine
- 1 Tbs. sesame oil
- Pinch of salt
- Ground pepper
- 2 Tbs. cornstarch or potato starch
Combine the pork, ginger, seasonings and cornstarch, and mix well until it forms a paste. Add the spring onions and shrimp and the rest ingredient then mix very well. So it is ready for use.
Take one wonton wrapper and place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the centre. Then gather up the sides of the wonton wrapper and mould around the filling into a ball shape, leave the centre exposed.
Oil the bottom of steamer and lined with greaseproof paper. Place the dumplings in the steamer. Steam the dumplings for 10 minutes until cooked.
Meanwhile, combine the chilli and soy sauce in a bowl. Serve with dumplings
Little tips, for V Day to decorate the dumplings, can top each dumpling with a heart shaped vegetable, e.g. carrot slice.
Vegetarian tofu filling
This makes about 8 to 10 vegetarian siu mai, depending on how much you pack into each wrapper.
- 125 g firm tofu, very well drained
- 4 large fresh shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
- One green pepper, finely chopped
- 2 spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. grated ginger
- 1 Tbs. soy sauce
- 1 Tbs. shaoxing wine or any cooking wine
- 1 Tbs. sesame oil
- Pinch of salt
- Ground pepper
- 2 Tbs. cornstarch or potato starch
Mash the tofu until it’s quite smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. If it seems too wet, add a little more cornstarch or potato starch. Use to fill wonton wrapper. Sui mai made with this filling will be softer than the King prawn Sui mai.
Take one wonton wrapper and place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the centre. Then gather up the sides of the wonton wrapper and mould around the filling into a ball shape, leave the centre exposed.
Oil the bottom of steamer and lined with greaseproof paper. Place the dumplings in the steamer. Steam the dumplings for 8 minutes until cooked
Meanwhile, combine the chilli and soy sauce in a bowl. Serve with dumplings
Little tips, for V Day to decorate the dumplings, can top each dumpling with a heart shaped vegetable, e.g. carrot slice.
Spicy Bang-bang chicken salad
Bang-bang chicken is a street vendor's dish from the Szechuan region of China. The name comes from the pounding of the chicken, which is both tenderized and shredded with a heavy wooden stick called a bang.
Like much street cuisine, it is speedy and simple. In the original version, the chicken is simply simmered and then pounded into shreds. While it cooks, the characteristic nutty flavoured sauce is made by softening sesame paste with a little of the cooking broth and then blending in Chinese sesame oil, soy, rice vinegar, chilli oil, and a touch of sugar.
Savoury sesame paste is strong, beautifully aromatic and much used in Szechuan cooking.
(Serves 2)
Ingredients
- 255g chicken (Breasts or thighs)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame paste
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp chili oil
- 2 tsp Szechuan peppercorn oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp ground Szechuan peppercorn
- Lettuce leaves / Mixed salad
- 1 spring onion, cut into thin strips
Place the chicken in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, until cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Or just oven cook until tender, once cool, beat the skin side lightly with a rolling pin to loosen the fibres. Now remove the skin and shred the chicken meat with your fingers.
Make the sauce by combining the soy sauce, sesame paste, sesame oil, chilli oil, sugar, and ground Szechuan peppercorn. Arrange the lettuce leaves. Put mixed salad on a serving platter. Then the shredded chicken and Sprinkle the crushed peanuts and sesame over the top and. Pour the sauce over the top and serve.
Stir-fry Pepper Steak with green pepper and red chillies
This is a popular home-style Chinese dish which is both simple and healthy.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. flank steak or sirloin steak
- 2 cups shredded Italian green peppers (about 2 medium peppers)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon thinly shredded ginger
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce or regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or cooking sherry
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for marinate
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil for stir-frying
Slice the beef thinly then cut into thin shreds. Place the beef in a bowl and set aside.
Add soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch and one tablespoon of vegetable oil into the beef and marinate it for about 5-10 minutes. All these can be prepared ahead of time.
Remove seeds from the green pepper and some hot red chiilies slice thinly and set aside and if you like spicy, add into some dry chilli silence or dry chilli flakes. Mince the garlic and shred the ginger, then set them aside.
The remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over high heat until beginning to smoke.
Drop the beef into the hot oil and stir-fry for about 5 minutes until the meat is just turning color. Scoop the meat out and put in a bowl and set aside. Be sure to leave about one tablespoon of oil in the wok.
Put the garlic and ginger into the wok and stir-fry for about a minute. Put the green pepper and chillies in the wok and continue to stir-fry for another 5 minutes until the pepper begins to look translucent.
Put the par-cooked meat back into the wok and mix well with the pepper. Although soy sauce already provides saltiness, you may adjust the seasoning to your taste with salt if you wish at this point. Continue to stir-fry for another 3 minutes and it is ready to be plated and served.
King Prawn with pak choy and Chinese mushroom in Oyster sauce
Marinated shrimp are combined with Chinese greens (pak choy) and mushrooms in this simple stir fry that shows off the natural flavour of the fish and vegetables. This makes a complete meal for two when served with rice.
Ingredients:
- 8 Large raw tiger prawns
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1/2 pound Chinese greens (pak choy)
- 6 fresh mushrooms, Chinese mushrooms or Shiitake mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil for stir-frying, or as needed
- 2 thin slices ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water
1. Place the shrimp in a bowl and add the rice wine or sherry, 1/2 teaspoon salt and cornstarch, stirring in one direction (this is to make sure the marinade spreads evenly.)
2. Chop the pak choy stalks diagonally and the leaves across into 1 inch pieces. Cut the mushrooms into thin slices.
3. Preheat the wok and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until aromatic, and then add the prawns. Stir-fry until they turn pink. Remove the cooked shrimp from the pan.
4. Add a bit more oil if needed so that there is about 1- 1/2 tablespoons oil in the wok. Add the pak choy, mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir-fry for 1 minute (Note: add a small amount of water or rice wine if the vegetables are a bit dry). Add the chicken broth, cover and cook for 2 more minutes.
5. Add the shrimp back into the pan. Add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce and pepper. Give the cornstarch/water mixture a quick restir and add in the middle, stirring to thicken. Cook and stirring for another minute and serve hot.
Lychee, lime and raspberry Jelly
Fills 4 small wine glass
Ingredients:
- Raspberry Jelly (135g)
- 200ml lychee juice
- Juice of 1 Lime
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 4 lychee, fresh or tinned
- 16 raspberries
Chill four small wine glasses in the fridge
Put jelly cube in a jug, add boiling water up to 285ml, stir until dissolved.
Put lychee juice, lime juice and caster sugar into a jug, heat gently to dissolve the sugar, then let it cool slightly. Pour the fruit juice mixture into jelly mixture and mix well.
Place 1 lychee, 4 raspberries in each wine glasses, pour the mixture in each glass, and then place the glasses in the fridge for 2 hours to chill before serving.
Published: Tue, 09 February, 2010
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