Chinese Cooking

Serves 3 – 4

Ingredients:
1 pound beef (flank or top sirloin steak), thinly sliced
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
2 bok choy stalks, leaves separated, leaves and stalks cut diagonally
1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped
1 piece ginger, sliced
2 green onions, sliced diagonally (optional)

Marinade
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Sauce
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sherry
juice from the stir-fried meat

Oil for stir-frying

Directions
Cut beef across the grain. Add the marinade ingredients in the order given and marinate beef for 15 minutes.

While beef is marinating, prepare the vegetables and sauce.

Heat wok and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the beef. Stir-fry until it is nearly cooked. Remove from the wok and drain on paper towels.

Clean out the wok, saving 2 tablespoons juice to add to the sauce, or more if desired.
Add 2 – 3 tablespoons oil to the wok. When the oil is hot, add the ginger and garlic. Stir-fry briefly and add the onions. Stir-fry until onions are tender, then add the bok choy stalks. Stir-fry a bit longer, then add the mushrooms and finally the bok choy leaves.

Push the vegetables up to the side and add the sauce in the middle, turning up the heat. Mix the sauce in with vegetables. Return the beef to the wok. Mix well and stir in the green onions if using. Serve hot with rice.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
3/4 pound flank steak, thinly sliced

Marinade
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoons oil

1 clove garlic, chopped
3/4 pound string beans, parboiled

Sauce
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon sherry
1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed in 2 tablespoons water

Oil for stir-frying

Directions:
Cut the beef across the grain into thin slices. Add the marinade ingredients and marinate for about 15 minutes.

While the beef is marinating, prepare the other ingredients. Chop the clove garlic and trim and parboil the string beans (plunge the string beans into boiling water and boil briefly, then rinse in cold water and drain). Mix together the sauce ingredients and the cornstarch/water mixture.

Heat wok and add oil. When oil is ready, add the chopped garlic and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the beef and stir-fry until it changes color. Remove and set aside.

Clean out the wok with a paper towel, reheat and add oil. When oil is ready, add the string beans. Stir-fry briefly and add seasoning if desired. Add the beef. Add the sauce. Give the cornstarch/water mixture a quick re-stir and add, stirring to thicken. Serve hot.

Ingredients:
3/4 pound beef
1 celery stalk
1 green onion
1/2 carrot
1 tablespoon fermented black beans
1 tablespoon chili paste
2 garlic cloves
2 ginger slices
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Marinade:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon wine
1 teaspoon cornstarch
dash of pepper

Sauce:
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions:
Cut beef across the grain into thin, bite-sized pieces. Mix marinade ingredients. Marinate beef for twenty minutes.

While marinating beef, prepare vegetables and sauce. Mix sauce ingredients and set aside. Slice celery and carrots into thin slices. Peel and mince garlic cloves and ginger. Wash black beans and let sit for a few minutes to soften. Mince.

Heat wok and add 1 teaspoon of oil. When oil is ready, stir-fry celery, carrot, and green onion until tender and crisp. Remove vegetables from the wok and set aside.

Reheat the wok and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Stir-fry the ginger, garlic, and black beans until fragrant. Add the chili paste and the marinated beef. Stir-fry until there is no redness in the beef. Give the sauce mixture a quick stir and add to the beef. When the sauce is boiling add the cooked vegetables. Mix well. Remove from wok, sprinkle with sesame oil and serve.

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients:
1 pound beef (flank or top sirloin steak), cut julienne

2 red onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 piece ginger, sliced
2 green onions, sliced diagonally

Marinade
1 egg white
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon cooking wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
A few drops of sesame oil

Sauce
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sherry

1/4 cup water (if desired)

Oil for cooking

Directions
Cut beef across the grain. Add the marinade ingredients, and marinade beef for about 15 minutes.

While beef is marinating, prepare vegetables and sauce.

Heat wok and add 2 tablespoons oil, allowing it to drizzle down the sides. When oil is ready, add ginger and garlic. Stir-fry briefly and add onions. Stir-fry until onions are tender but not overcooked. Remove and set aside.

Add oil to wok. Add the beef, stir-frying until it changes color. If desired, add water at this point to make a gravy. Return the vegetables to the wok and mix well. Add the green onion. Serve hot with rice.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
1 pound beef sirloin, sliced in thin strips
2 tablespoons Mango Chutney (such as Major Grey’s)
1 tablespoon Chinese plum sauce
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon oil

Directions:

Combine 2 tablespoons orange juice with sugar, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Mix with meat and let stand 15 minutes.

Mix remaining orange juice with chutney and plum sauce. Chop half the mango and add to the sauce.

Heat oil in a wok. Add beef and stir-fry until browned. Add mango-plum sauce and stir-fry until glazed and heated through.

Place beef mixture in the center of a serving plate, surround with remaining mango slices.

Yield: 6 to 8 as part of a meal

4 tablespoon peanut oil
3 pounds stewing beef, cut into 3/4 cubes

Sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
4 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon finely minced or crushed garlic
1 whole star anise
1 teaspoon roasted and crushed Szechwan peppercorns
4 cups water

1/2 pound dried chestnuts, soaked overnight and drained

Directions: Heat a wok or large frying pan and add oil. Brown the meat and place in a stove-top casserole. Mix all ingredients for the sauce and add to the pot, along with the browned meat. Add the drained chestnuts and cover. Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, or until all is very tender.

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients

1 lb. tenderloin steak, partially frozen
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon oil
2 onions, cut into quarters
1 1/2 cups broccoli
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 beef stock cube
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water, extra
rice, cooked

Directions:

Trim meat and cut into thin slices.

Mix meat with ginger, soy sauce, garlic, and sugar. Let stand 30 minutes.
Heat oil and fry meat until brown. Add onions and broccoli and saute 2 minutes.
Add mushrooms, green pepper, water, crumbled stock cube and cornstarch, mixed with extra water to make a thin paste.

Stir until sauce boils and thickens, simmer 2 minutes. Serve with rice.

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients:
3/4 lb (375 g) lean beef, sliced thinly into bite-sized pieces

Marinade for Beef:
1 egg
1/3 tsp (1.5 mL) salt
1 Tbsp (15 mL) cooking wine
1 Tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch
2 Tbsp water

1 1/2 Tbsp (20 mL) oil
1 1/2 lb (750 g) broccoli, flowerets removed, slice on the diagonal into thin slices
1 cup (250 mL) cooking oil
2 1/2 Tbsp (30 mL) oyster sauce
2 Tbsp (25 mL) light soy sauce
3/4 Tbsp (10 mL) dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp (15 mL) sugar
a few drops of sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup (125 mL) chicken broth
2 Tbsp cornstarch (if desired)

Directions
Slice beef and mix together marinade ingredients. Add marinade to beef and marinate for thirty minutes. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil to beef, mix in thoroughly, and marinate beef for another thirty minutes. While beef is marinating, prepare the vegetables.

Heat wok and add 1 cup of oil. When oil is ready, add beef and stir-fry until it is nearly cooked. Remove beef and set aside on a plate. Drain the wok and wipe clean with a paper towel.
Add 1/2 cup water to wok. Bring the water to a boil and add the broccoli. Cover and cook until broccoli is cooked through. Drain the wok.

Heat wok and add oil (about 2 tablespoons). Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add vegetables and beef and mix together. Make a well in the middle of the wok and add the sauce ingredients. Add cornstarch, stirring to thicken. Mix sauce together with other ingredients. Serve hot.

*Add carrots and onion if desired. Boil in the wok with the broccoli (you’ll need to add more water).

Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients:
2 pounds stewing beef (the authors recommend chuck roast or short ribs)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large onions
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce (or 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste)
6 medium potatoes, cut to the size of small stones
2 large carrots, cut to the size of bottle corks
5 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt

Thickener:
4 tablespoons flour
pinch of sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup water

Directions:
Finely mince the garlic and half of one of the onions. Heat the cooking oil in a large pot. Add the garlic and onions and brown. Add the beef and salt and sauté until beef is thoroughly browned. Add tomato sauce and enough water to cover the beef. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer covered, until meat is tender – a half an hour longer (longer for short ribs).

Meanwhile, cut the remaining onions into wedges (six to an onion). Add the potatoes to the pot and again bring to a boil. Replace the lid and simmer another half hour. Add carrots and cook 15 minutes; add the onions; simmer another 15 minutes.

Mix the thickener ingredients in a small bowl. Make sure to get all the lumps out. Bring the stew back up to a boil. Add thickener, stirring constantly until well combined. Simmer another 10 minutes. Serve on plates over steaming hot white rice. ”
42,Beef Teriyaki ,”1 pound beef, cut in 1″” cubes
1 15-ounce can juice-pack pineapple chunks
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Directions: Combine all ingredients, including liquid from pineapple, and marinate, covered and refrigerated, 3 hours. Thread beef and pineapple alternately on skewers. Discard leftover marinade. Broil about 8 minutes, turning once, until beef is cooked.

Serves 6 – 8
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds beef, sliced thinly, then cut in 1″” wide strips
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic

Directions:
Arrange meat in a shallow glass pan. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over meat. Marinate, covered and refrigerated, overnight. Drain.

Thread each strip of meat lengthwise on a soaked* bamboo skewer, weaving it in and out. Broil or grill briefly, until browned on both sides.

*The author recommends soaking the bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes before using, to prevent them from burning.