Beef Noodle Soup (牛肉麵)

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1-2 pounds bone-in beef shank
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 scallion stalks chopped into large pieces
4 slices of ginger
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground bean sauce (dou ban jiang)
1 tsp spicy soybean paste
1 tsp sha cha barbeque sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 dried star anise
6 cups water
noodles
Optional:
spinach or other leafy greens
pickled mustard greens (suan cai)
cilantro
scallions

Directions:

Cut beef shank into 2 inch cubes, trimming excess fat.  If desired, blanch beef and bone in boiling water for 1 minute and remove.  In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat oil and stir fry scallions, ginger and garlic until fragrant.  Add beef, brown sugar, ground bean sauce, spicy soybean paste, sha cha bbq sauce and soy sauce and cook until meat is browned.  Add water, star anise, and bone, bringing soup to boil.  Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 1.5 to 3 hours until meat is tender (check after 1 hour).  Remove bone, star anise, scallions, ginger, and garlic pieces before serving.

Serve soup over noodles with leafy greens and chopped condiments (suan cai, cilantro, scallions), as desired.

Chinese Celery with Dried Tofu (芹菜炒豆乾)

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 stalk of celery (use Chinese celery, if available)

2 pieces of dried bean curd flavored with five spice, ~6-8 oz.

1 tsp ginger

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp salt

1 tsp white pepper powder

1 tsp rice wine

1 small chili pepper (optional)

4 tsp vegetable oil

Directions:

Clean celery stalks and slice into 2" by 1/2" pieces.  Set aside. Rinse and pat dry bean curd; slice into 1/4" pieces.  Mince 1 tsp of fresh ginger.  Finely chop 1 small chili pepper, if desired.   

In a wok or large pan, heat 2 tsp of vegetable oil on medium heat.  Add ginger and stir fry until fragrant.  Add bean curd and soy sauce.  Cook until bean curd is evenly coated with soy sauce and lightly browned.  Remove from heat and place bean curd on a plate.

Add the remaining 2 tsp of vegetable oil back in the wok or pan.  Add celery, salt, pepper, and rice wine.  Stir fry until celery is cook through but still crispy.  Add small chili pepper, if desired.  Return bean curd back into the wok or pan and mix together with the celery.

Dried Bean Curd Flavored with Five Spice

Egg Crepe (蛋餅)

Makes 1 egg crepe

Ingredients:

1 large egg

1 6-8" flour tortilla (pre-packaged)

2 tbsp scallions, chopped

1 small pinch of salt

1 small pinch of black pepper

3 tsp vegetable oil

Directions:

In a small bowl, scramble egg with scallions, salt, and pepper.  Set aside.  Heat a small pan with oil.  Pour egg mixture and place tortilla on top of the egg mixture.  Cook on medium heat for 3 minutes.  Flip tortilla so egg mixture is facing up.  Cook for another 2 minutes and then carefully roll the tortilla.  Slice into 4-5 pieces before serving.

No Crust Tofu Quiche (Eggless)

Makes one 9" quiche

Ingredients:

1 carton 14-16 oz firm tofu, drained

1/2 lb ground pork (optional)

1 bunch (~2 oz) bean thread noodles (vermicelli), dried

2 tbsp black fungus, dried & chopped

2 tbsp pickled mustard tuber (zha cai), chopped

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp white pepper powder

1 tsp vegetable oil

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Drain tofu and place in a large mixing bowl.  Add ground pork, if desired.  In a separate bowl, soak black fungus in water until soft. Remove from water and finely chop.  Rinse bean thread noodles and cut into 1 inch pieces.  Rinse pickled mustard tuber and finely chop.  Add black fungus, bean thread noodles, and mustard tuber into mixing bowl with the tofu.  Add sesame oil, salt, sugar, and white pepper.  Mix all ingredients until evenly distributed.

Grease a 9" pie pan or small baking dish with vegetable oil.  Pour in tofu mixture and spread.  Bake for 30 minutes covered and another 30 minutes uncovered.

Serve plain or with sauces as desired.

Pickled Mustard Tuber (Zha Cai)

Vegetable Spring Rolls (春卷)

Makes 25 Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

1 package of spring roll wrappers - 25 sheets (i.e., TYJ Spring Roll Pastry)

6 cups cabbage, shredded

1/2 cup carrots, shredded

1/2 cup sliced black fungus, dried

1 bunch (~2 oz) bean thread noodles (vermicelli), dried

3 tbsp vegetarian stir-fry sauce - Lee Kum Kee brand

1/2 tbsp white pepper powder

2 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp flour
2 tsp cold water

50 peeled & deveined shrimp (optional)
Sweet chili sauce for dipping (optional)

Directions:

Soak black fungus in water until soft. If necessary, thinly slice. Rinse bean thread noodles and cut into 1 inch pieces. In a large mixing bowl, place a small-sized bowl inside upside down to drain/separate excess juices. Mix together cabbage, carrots, black fungus, bean thread noodles, stir-fry sauce, and white pepper in the large bowl. Set aside and let mixture stand for 15 minutes before wrapping.

To wrap spring rolls: Follow the instructions on the package, adding approximately 3 tablespoons of vegetable mixture to each wrapper. Add 2 pieces of shrimp to each roll, if desired. In a small bowl, mix flour and water to create a watery paste. Use paste to seal each wrapper. See step-by-step guide/pictures below.  

In a small 8" pan, heat vegetable oil to 300-350 degrees (until oil sizzles). Carefully place spring rolls in oil. Cook until lightly brown, turning occasionally. Remove and drain excess oil on a rack or paper towels. Repeat process until all spring rolls are cooked. Serve with sweet chili sauce, if desired. 

Step-by-step wrapping guide/pictures:

TYJ Spring Roll Pastry

Special products:

Dried Black Fungus

Dried Bean Thread Noodles (Vermicelli)

Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce

Sweet Chili Sauce - Mae Ploy Brand

Tea Eggs (茶葉蛋)

Makes 12 Tea Eggs

Ingredients:

1 dozen large eggs

10 cups of cold water + 8 cups cold water, separated (18 cups total)

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp cooking rice wine

1 tbsp sugar

5 dried star anise - whole stars

5 single-serve decaffeinated black tea bags (i.e., Lipton)

1/2 tsp five spice powder

1/2 tsp white pepper powder

Directions:

In a large pot, boil eggs in 10 cups of water until fully cooked.  Drain and rinse with cold water until cool.  Gently crack egg shells against counter-top or tap with back of a spoon (do not remove shells).

Return eggs to pot and add salt, soy sauce, wine, sugar, star anise, tea bags, five spice powder, and white pepper with the remaining 8 cups of water.  Cook on high heat until mixture boils.  Turn heat down to medium and cook for 30 minutes.  Turn heat off and let eggs soak for 2-3 hours.  Warm again for 20 minutes before serving.

Store eggs un-peeled until ready to eat.  Eggs can be eaten hot or cold.

Lipton Tea Bags

Star Anise

Hsinchu Gong Meatballs (新竹摃丸)

Gong Meatballs in Bok Choy Vegetable Broth

Makes 80-100 Meatballs

Ingredients:

3 lbs ground pork
2 tbsp ginger-infused cooking rice wine*
4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp white pepper powder
1/2 tsp MSG (optional); if excluded, substitute with 1 tsp of sugar
1 packet of Dr. Oetker baking powder

* Slice 4 pieces of ginger and soak in rice wine for 30 minutes.  Discard ginger.

Directions:

Add all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Mix with a stand mixer (e.g., KitchenAid)  for 8 minutes, or with a hand-held mixer for 12-15 minutes.

Fill 2 large pots - Pot A & Pot B - with water and warm over medium heat. When water is warm (not boiling) shape ping-pong ball-sized meatballs and add to the water of Pot A one at a time. When meatballs float to the top, strain and move all meatballs to Pot B, which should be at a rapid boil. Continue to boil until fully cooked.

Eat plain, with sauces, or add to soup, noodle, or rice dishes. Meatballs can be frozen and stored for several months.

Dr. Oetker Baking Powder

Stewed Minced Pork (魯肉 or 肉燥)

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground pork shoulder

6 tbsp vegetable oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 tbsp crispy fried red onion

12 tbsp dark soy sauce

12 tbsp cooking rice wine

3 tbsp cane sugar

1/2 tsp white pepper powder

1/2 tsp five spice powder

2 cups cold water

6 eggs* (optional)

*Hard boil eggs, peel and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Refrigerate overnight for best results.

Directions: 

In a large pan or wok, heat oil and stir fry garlic until fragrant. Add ground pork and fried onions. Cook until pork is no longer pink.

In a separate pot, mix together soy sauce, wine, sugar, white pepper, and five spice powder. Mix in cooked pork mixture. On high heat, add water and let boil. If desired, add in boiled eggs. Turn heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve over warm rice or noodles. Top with pickled vegetables, if desired.