Wontons-Helen Horton

1/2 lb ground beef

1 c finely chopped Chinese cabbage

2 T soy sauce

1 t grated ginger root

1/2 t minced garlic

Dash salt

Dash Pepper

11/2 t sugar

40 wonton wrapper

Combine all ingredients.  Put 1/2 teaspoon in center of wrapper.  Brush edge of wrapper with water and fold over to seal.  Deer fry until wrapper is golden. 

Sauce

1/2 c sugar

4 t cornstarch

1/3 c white vinegar

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 T ketchup

1/2 c water

In a small sauce pan, combine sugar and cornstarch.  Then add the other ingredients.  Bring to a boil and should slightly thicken.  Can add a drop of red food coloring to create the bright red sauce.  Serve as dipping sauce with wontons.

Almond Tofu Fruit Salad-Helen Horton

4 pkg unflavored gelatin

1 c cold water

¾ c sugar

2 c boiling water

2/3 c cold water

2 cups milk

2 t almond extract

Combine gelatin and 1 c cold water in small bowl until gelatin dissolves.  In another bowl combine sugar and boiling water until sugar dissolves.  Add gelatin in to sugar water and combine.  Add last 3 ingredients and mix.  Pour into square container so that it is about ¾ inch deep.  Chill for several hours in the fridge until firm,

 1 lg can pineapple chucks or tidbits with juice

2-3 cans mandarin oranges with juice

5-6 maraschino cherries without juice

2 c cold water with 1/3 c sugar combined to dissolve

1 t almond extract

Cut almond tofu jelly in ¾ inch cubes and put in center or large bowl or punch bowl.  A clear bowl is pretty.  Pour oranges around the jelly to form a border.  Pour pineapple over jelly which will push the jelly out.  It should like a target of color with yellow in the center, white, and then orange.   Add cold sugar water and almond extract and gently mix.  Serves 10-12.

Chao Mien (Real Chow Mein)-Helen Horton

½ lb sliced pork or chicken

1 ½ T soy sauce

1 t cornstarch

 Combine and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes

 3 c cooked homemade noodles (or use cooked fettuccini)

 Heat 3 T oil in wok on high heat.  Add noodles to wok spreading into a ‘pancake’ of noodles.  Cook for 5 minutes until golden brown.  Do not stir.  With 2 spatulas, flip the noodles and cook 5 more minutes to brown other side.  Remove noodles to a large round platter.  With kitchen scissors, cut into serving size bunches but leave in a large flat circle of noodles.  Makes it easier to serve.

 1 t chopped ginger

1 t chopped garlic

1 c cabbage, hand break into 1 inch pieces

¼ c sliced thinly sliced white onion

¼ c coarsely grated carrots

¼ c bamboo shoots

¼ c snow peas cut in half, or fresh green beans sliced on angle

1 c bean sprouts

2-3 T mushroom pieces (prefer dried shitake reconstituted)

½ t salt

½ t sugar

1 t soy sauce

Heat 1 T oil on high heat in wok and stir fry meat until light brown.  Put back in bowl.  Heat 1 T oil on high heat in wok and stir fry ginger and garlic for just a few seconds so garlic doesn’t burn.  Add vegetables one at a time from hardest to softest stir frying each addition.  Add seasonings.  Put the meat back and stir to combine. 

¾ c chicken broth mixed with 1 T cornstarch

Bring meat and veggies up on the sides of the wok to create well at bottom of pan.  Add glaze slowly and stir until it thickens.  Pull the meat and veggies down from sides and combine.  Pour all over the noodles and serve immediately.

Beef with Oyster Sauce-Helen Horton

1 lb beef, eye round or top round, sliced paper thin, cut in 1-inch pieces

1 T soy sauce

¼ t sugar

2 t cornstarch

¼ c water mixed with ½ t baking soda

 Place beef and marinade ingredients in a bowl and stir to soak up liquid. Let set for 30 minutes.

 2 slices ginger, smashed

2 T oyster sauce, divided

1/3 c chick broth mixed with ½ T cornstarch

5-6 c lettuce or spinach, hand broken in 2 ½ inch pieces

½ t salt

 Heat 1 T oil in wok on high heat.  Add beef and stir fry for 2 minutes or so until beef is light brown.  Put back in bowl.  Scrap pan to remove meat tracings on pan.  Add 1 T oil and heat to high.  Stir fry lettuce with salt and 1 T oyster sauce.  Won’t take long.  Put on serving platter.  Heat 1 T oil in wok and fry ginger until it smells, then add back the meat.  Stir in oyster sauce.  Move meat up on sides of the wok so you have a well in the bottom of the wok. Slowly add glaze and cook in the center until it thickens then bring the meat down and combine.  Place the meat over the lettuce and serve with hot cooked sticky rice.

 Tips

-freeze meat for a few minutes to aid in slicing thin

-the water and baking soda mixture is what tenderizes the meat so it will be very delicate in the stir fry-a Chinese restaurant tip

-don’t worry about raw meat juice in the bowl because this will go back into the w

Stir Fried Rice-Helen Horton

4-5 c cold cooked sticky rice (cook extra the day before and chill over night)

½ c diced ham or cooked pork

3-4 T frozen peas

1/3 c diced white onion or scallions (whatever you have)

3-4 beaten eggs, beat well until frothy with 1/8 t salt

Salt and Pepper to taste

Soy Sauce

Heat wok with 1 T oil on high heat.  Pour in the eggs and turn over carefully a few times until almost cooked.  Put on plate and chop/slice with stir fry paddle.  Add 1 T oil in same wok and fry ham, peas, and onion until meat is warmed through, peas are heated and onion is softened.  Won’t take too long.  Remove to plate with eggs. 

Add 2 or 3 T of oil to same wok and add rice turning and breaking up rice clumps as it will stick together when it chills.  Once it is heated through add plate of eggs, meat and vegetables and mix together.  Add salt and pepper to taste and a little soy sauce. 

You can also add any other leftover veggies if you like.  I like to finely grate a little carrot and stir fry with the vegetables.  Whatever veggies your family likes will work. 

Although this is a sort of leftover quick fix dish, this is one of Russell’s favorites.

Soy Sauce Spareribs-Helen Horton

3 ½ -4 lbs spareribs, have the meat counter person cut a slab of ribs into 3 pieces against the bones then cut them into 2 bone sections so they are short small pieces

1 T oil

1 clove garlic

2 slices ginger

6 T soy sauce

2/3 cup boiling water

1 ½ T sugar

1 Chinese star anise or ¼ t. anise seed, don’t use powder

½ t peppercorns

 Heat oil in a large wok on high heat.  Add ginger and fry for a few seconds, then add garlic and put spareribs in and fry each piece on both sides until they are browned. 

Add soy sauce and turn to coat meat. Turn heat to medium-high, cover and cook for 6 minutes turning meat over once half way through.

Add boiling water (must use boiling water so you don’t draw out meat juices-I get some water boiling while the meat is cooking).  Also add sugar, anise and peppercorns.  Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for about 15 minutes turning meat every few minutes.  The juices should thicken.

Reduce to low heat and salt to taste.  Cover and cook for 3 more minutes.  Put meat on platter and pour sauce over all or put in bowl. Sauce is delicious on rice.  Serve with hot sticky rice.  Serves 4-5.

This is a Chinese recipe that our family has had for special and everyday meals many times over the years.  It is a favorite of Brig and Russell who have ordered it many times for their birthday dinner.

Can’t Be Beat Spring Rolls-Jen Medeiros

2 T oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 c. carrots, julienne

1 c. cabbage, thinly sliced

1 c. canned crab

½ t. salt

1 4oz. can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

1 egg, beaten for egg wash

Preheat oven to 375. Add oil in small skillet and sauté garlic and carrots over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add cabbage, crab meat and salt. Stir occasionally for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Unroll crescent rolls into 2” rectangles. Place ¼ of crab mixture in center of each rectangle. Pinch the long edges and seal to form a roll. Place seam side down on ungreased baking sheet. Brush with egg and bake for 12-17 minutes, or until golden brown. Cut each roll into 4 slices and serve warm. Serves 6-8

Sweet Sour Fillet Fish – Helen Horton

Fish:

1 lb founder fillets or other white fish cut into pieces 1 ½” wide and ½” thick

Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 20 minutes.  Dry with paper towel then coat with batter.

 

Batter:

½ c flour

½ c cornstarch

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 T melted shortening

2/3 water

Combine dry ingredients then add shortening and most of water.  Add more water as needed.  Beat the batter with a loose fist for about 3 minutes until it becomes smooth and shiny and thinly coats fish. 

 

Vegetables:

¼ cup thinly sliced onion

½ tsp chopped ginger

½ tsp chopped garlic

¼ cup shredded carrots

¼ cup thinly sliced green peppers

1/8 tsp salt

Prepare all vegetables cutting the 3 vegetables the same size for even cooking. 

 

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup white vinegar

½ tsp salt

1 T soy sauce

2 T ketchup

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan stirring until it boils.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

 

Once all the above ingredients are prepared, add 1” of oil in a fryer on medium heat until about 350-375 degrees.  Add battered fish piece by piece into the oil and fry for 1-2 minutes until light brown and crispy on both sides.  Don’t put to many pieces into oil at a time to maintain heat.  Drain on a rack on a cookie sheet rather than paper towels to keep it crispy and put in low heat oven to keep warm.

 

Heat 2 T oil in a wok on high heat.  Add onions and stir fry for a few seconds and add ginger and garlic and stir briefly.  Add carrots and stir fry briefly.  Add green peppers and stir fry briefly.  Vegetables should be crisp tender.  Salt.  Add the sweet and sour sauce and stir. 

 

Put the fish on a platter and pour vegetables over the fish.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4.

I learned to make this recipe in my Chinese cooking class in Okinawa taught bu Ying-Ling Lui.  I made it for Roger and Teresa when they were engaged.