JiaoZi (Chinese Dumplings)

Skins:

Separate dough into 2 portions. Form into long sausages, about 1 inch diameter. Cut sections every 1cm. Form sections into balls and use rolling pin to form into round, flat skins about 3 inches diameter. If they are too thick, the jiaozi will be very doughy. Modify sizes of balls as appropriate.

(The other way to make skins is to buy "JiaoZi Pi" in the local Chinese store!)

Meat:

Let sit while you prepare the vegetables and other additional ingredients. All need to be finely minced. Use a food processor if you have one. If you don't, I hope you have a LOT of patience. If the bits are too large, the jiaozi will fall apart.

Test scent. It should be very aromatic. If not, add a little more brandy, or sesame oil, or onion. Test consistency. Fry a teaspoon or so of the mix. It should stick together very easily. If it falls apart, it could be because (a) the mix is too dry in which case add more veggies and/or oil, or (b) because its too moist in which case add a little more meat. (Since its easier to add more veggies, that's why I suggested adding the veggies slowly!) Test flavour. (Eat the fried bit). Your entire tongue should get a little bit of life. If necessary, add a few spices to supplement -- savoury gets central tongue, white pepper the back, black pepper the front, paprika the sides.

Fiddle until you're happy.

To roll:
Take about 1 tablespoon filling and place into centre of skin. Bring one half up to meet the other half. Seal thoroughly. This usually means creating "pleats" in one half and gluing them to the other (use a tiny bit of water if you need to), If they're not well sealed, they fall apart when cooking.

To cook:
Bring large pot of water to boil. Add enough jiaozi to cover the base of the pot about 1.5 times (about 25 in a 12" diameter pot, about 50 in a good size wok). Cover.

When it comes to a boil, add 1 cup cold water. Cover. Repeat. When it comes to a boil for the third time, they are ready to serve.

Note: if you stop it before the third boil, the meat will not be cooked through. Also, if you don't add cold water each time, the jiaozi will fill up with air and explode.

Alternate cooking method:
After you've boiled them, you can fry them. This is a wonderful way to serve the leftovers, and a very common Chinese breakfast!

To serve:
Typically eaten with a sauce constructed of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. (ratio about 1/4 cup SS: 1/4 cup Vinegar: 1 teaspoon sugar). Also good with plain malt vinegar. To ensure that the sugar has dissolved completely, heat briefly. For more flavour, add a little sesame oil, hot oil, maggi (available in most chinese stores), and/or chilli pepper as you wish.

To store:
JiaoZi keep very well in the freezer. To freeze, place on trays so they are not touching (if they touch, they will stick together). Freeze overnight. The next day, place into plastic bags & seal. Will keep indefinitely.

Sweet red bean paste can be bought in the store, and used straight from the can for filling, but this is how to make it from scratch.

Roast the cumin and grind it.

Dissolve the tamarind concentrate in 1 cup of hot water, and let it simmer to thicken gradually. Dissolve the jaggery (or sugar) until the sauce becomes tart and slightly sweet. (You may add some salt and ground red paprika, if you want to). The sauce should be of a consistency slightly thinner than maple syrup. Pour into a serving container (like a creamer).

Mix the puffed rice and sev/bhel mix in a large bowl. On your plate, serve the rice-bhel mixture, add the potatoes, then the onions, chillies, dust the cumin powder over it. Then pour the sauce and top off with the coriander garnish. (Add salt/pepper to taste).

Soak the onion in some ice water to make it open up. Use your fingers to gently open the "petals". Drain the onion.

Place the flower in a bowl and add some Cajun seasoning to taste. Mix well. Dip the onion in the flour to coat, or shake onion & flour gently in a plastic bag.

Mix the milk and egg, and add Cajun seasoning if you'd like. Dip the onion in it to coat, and then back into the flour.

Heat the oil to at least 350 degrees. Place the onion in the oil, root side down. Try to spin it as you go. Cook the onion until it's nice and brown and soft. Remove it from the oil and drain.

To make the dipping sauce, mix sour cream, mayonnaise, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper and chili powder to taste. If desired, place the sauce in the center of the onion blossom.

Unfortunately, the "petals" don't pull off, they have to be cut off. Perhaps before you serve it you should place the blossom on the serving plate and run a knife around the center to cut off the petals.

Ingredients:

DOUGH

FILLING

Preheat oven to 425oF. Generously oil a baking sheet. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and then use a rolling pin to roll those into 5-inch circles. Put 1 1/2 Tbsp filling on each circle, fold over like a turnover. Brush inside edges of circle with water and fold edges together to make a hem. Crimp edges with fork. Put the samosas on the baking sheet and brush with oil. Bake 15 minutes at 425.

DIPPING SAUCE

In the same pan, saute the chopped onions in what's left of the chicken juices and spices, adding a bit of butter and olive oil. Cook and stir until they're a soft caramelized brown. When done, mix into the prepared chicken.

Next dip almonds in hot water and slip skins. Chop into consistent small pieces. In the same skillet, brown the almonds in honey and butter, stirring constantly. Place in a small bowl and set aside.

Beat the eggs well, mix in the cilantro. Still in the same skillet, scramble the eggs with a bit of butter until they're just done. Place in a bowl.

Place a smooth dish towel on your counter and dampen another dish towel. Unfold the filo on the towel. Place the damp towel over the filo to keep it pliable. Arrange all the ingredient bowls around a good-sized breadboard. Working with two filo sheets at a time, place the rectangle with the 16 inch long side towards you. Carefully brush the top with melted butter, then cut vertically into 8 - 2 inch wide strips. Place a small amount of the chicken and onion mixture at a 45 degree angle at the base of each strip. Add an equal amount of the eggs and cilantro, cover with the almonds. Roll flag fashion in triangles up the strip. It will take 4 folds to completely encase the filling. Seal the seams with melted butter.

Repeat the process with two sheets of filo at a time. If you take a break, the ingredients keep well in the refrigerator, but don't try and refold the filo. Place the b'stila on a coated or buttered cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 350oF. Paint each one with a little more melted butter, and bake for approx. 20 minutes, or until the filo turns golden brown. Check the bottoms and don't allow them to burn. Cool on a rack, dust evenly with powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve. Dust again with a smaller amount of cinnamon.

Pre-heat popover pan with 1 teaspoon cooking oil in each cup for 10 minutes. When hot, fill each cup 3/4 full. Bake for 15 minutes at 400oF. Reduce heat to 350{ for an additional 30 minutes. Be sure popovers are cooked inside to prevent collapsing.

Mix together the flour, besan, salt, pepper, and the rest of the spices. Mix the flours and seeds into the vegetables, sprinkle on a couple of tablespoons of water and mix together with your hands until it just holds together.

Fry tablespoons of this mixture in about 3/4 inch of very hot vegetable oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain and serve hot.

Wash mushrooms and remove stems. Chop stems and reserve. Drain caps. In frying pan, heat oil and cook chopped stems approximately 1 minute. Add all remaining ingredients except bread crumbs and cook until tender. Stir in bread crumbs, mixing well. Stuff caps and bake at 400 degrees about 20-25 minutes.

Stuffed Mushrooms II

Wash and stem mushrooms. Chop stems and reserve. Peel caps if desired. Melt butter and fry onion and chopped stems about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except bread crumbs and mix well. Stuff caps and top with bread crumbs. Bake at 425 degrees approximately 15 minutes.

Mix Bisquick and water until soft dough forms, beat vigorously 20 strokes. Press dough into bottom of greased 13"x9" pan with floured hands. Brown sausage; drain. Mix sausage, onion and mayonnaise; set aside. Remove mushrooms stems and chop finely. Add to sausage mixture. Fill caps with mixture. Place mushrooms in rows on dough and cover with cheese and paprika. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees . Remove foil and bake additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes and cut into pieces.

Combine remaining oil and garlic in a heavy skillet over heat and cook for about 1/2 minute. Stir in cumin. Add eggplant, bell pepper, parsley and ginger.

Reduce heat to low and cook until heated through, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature and serve with pita bread.

Heat a wok on high 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Reduce heat to medium and add cilantro, roots. Stir. Add pork, cook stirring 2 minutes. Add shrimp, fry 1 minute. Add bean sprouts, mushrooms, noodles, green onions and crab meat; cook stirring until well mixed and sprouts are slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add pepper, fish sauce, and fructose. Mix well and turn into a bowl. May be prepared in advance.

Place each wonton wrapper on work surface so that it is a diamond shape. Place a heaping tablespoonful of filling in the centre of the wrapper and mold the filling into a cylindrical shape with your fingers. Pick up the point of the wrapper closest to you and fold it over the filling so that the wrapper just covers the filling. Brush a little water on the corner furthest from you (acts like glue). With the thumb and forefinger of each hand, fold the ends of the wrapper in toward the centre, then roll the whole thing away from you to make a tidy cylindrical roll. At this point, they may be refrigerated up to 24 hours. Never deep fry and then reheat.

Heat about 2 cups oil in a heavy pot or deep fryer set at 400oF. Cook a few at a time until wrappers are a deep golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Guacamole

Hummus 2

Whisk tomato paste and vinegar to blend in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in oil, then salt. Mix in bell peppers and jalapeno. Can be prepared 2 days in advance. Chill

Mix all ingredients (except bread) and let stand in refrigerator for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Scoop out the center of the bread to form a bowl. Serve with sauce in the bread bowl, vegetables (mushrooms, carrots, celery...) and the scooped part of the bread (cut into 1 inch cubes).

Mix together and refrigerate. Will keep 3-4 days.

While the peppers cool, chop the rest of the vegetables, discarding the tomato seeds (they make the salsa gritty & watery). Mix the chopped vegetables, tomato sauce, vinegar, cilantro, and garlic powder in a big bowl.

With your fingernails or a small sharp knife, remove the skin from the roasted pepper strips. Chop the pepper strips and add them to the salsa.

In the bowl with the chile, add fish sauce, lime juice, carrot, garlic, and sugar. Stir in 1 1/2 cup of warm water until sugar is dissolved. Serve at room temp or store in frig. for up to 3 days.

Black Bean, Corn, and Squash Salad

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Chill overnight.

Slice carrots and cook in salted water until barely crunchy. Mix in bowl with other vegetables. Heat remaining ingredients to boiling, then pour over vegetables. Marinate overnight, then drain and serve.

Take 1/2 of the grapefruit and squeeze the juice into the bowl and mix it thoroughly with the grapefruit pulp and set the sauce aside.

In a large salad bowl, combine the cabbages, add the sauce, and massage the sauce into the cabbage for about 2-5 minutes. Add the remaining grapefruit on top and divide up the portions.

In a large frying pan or wok, fry garlic for a few moments in olive oil. Add onion and fry until softened. Add peppers and fry until soft but not mushy. Turn off heat. Add tomatoes and apples.

Season to taste with salt, pepper, mint, thyme, parsley and vinegar.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until golden, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, cumin, allspice and cayenne. Reduce heat to medium and cook until onions and tomatoes are slightly softened but mixture is not thick, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and currants; stir 1 minute. Transfer to bowl.

Turn out eggplant onto paper towel and gently squeeze dry. Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in clean heavy large skillet over high heat. Add eggplant and cook until tender and golden, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add tomato mix, cilantro and mint. Stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and cool.

Arrange tomato and Mozzarella alternately on platter. Sprinkle with basil. Combine remaining ingredients and shake well. Pour over salad.

The way I did it: Exchange bean-sprouts for alfalfa sprouts. Slice raw chicken into strips. Fry anise seed (rather than anise pepper), spring onion, & ginger in oil. Add chicken. Add liquids. Dump onto salad. Sprinkle seeds.

In a large bowl, combine the mixed greens, chicken, bean sprouts, yellow pepper and cucumber.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, chiles, nutmeg, lemon grass, ginger, mint and basil.

Add the dressing to the salad and toss well. Gently fold in the crisp won ton strips. Turn out onto a serving platter and sprinkle with the peanuts.

Notes: Recipe works with turkey, roast pork, or veal
Serving Ideas: Serve salad on French bread and with sprouts and scallions
Suggested Wine: Beer and white dry Chardonnay works well.

Soak the bean thread noodles in warm water until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Drain immediately and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Heat the chicken broth in a skillet, add the bean threads, and cook, stirring, until they are translucent, about 1-2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the marinated squid and chicken to the noodles in the pan and stir them into the noodles.

Line a platter with half the Bibb lettuce leaves. Tear the remaining leaves and mix them with the romaine lettuce. Layer the torn lettuce, red onion, bean sprouts, and cucumber over the Bibb lettuce. Heap the noodle mixture in the center of the vegetables and sprinkle dressing all over. Alternate wedges of tomato and lime around the edge of the mound and garnish the platter with the mint or basil.

Add more oil to the pan. Saute the scallops until just cooked through. Mix in the vegetables. Douse with lemon juice. Remove from heat. Add the herbs and tomatoes.

Serve over lettuce that has been dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.

Ten minutes before serving, combine shrimp with lemon grass mixture and allow to stand. To serve, combine with remaining ingredients and toss well. Mound on a plate and garnish with mint and cilantro and green onion tops.

In a large saucepan combine the bay leaf, the peppercorns, the cloves, the coriander seeds, and the salt with enough water to cover the shrimp by 1 inch, bring the mixture to a boil, and boil it for 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, cook them over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until they are just cooked through, and drain the shrimp mixture well. In a bowl whisk together the remaining 4 tablespoons vinegar and salt and pepper to taste, add the remaining 6 tablespoons oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. Stir in the shrimp mixture and let it marinate, covered and chilled, for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Reserve 10 shrimp for garnish, cut the remaining shrimp into 1/2 inch pieces, and strain the dressing through a sieve into a small bowl, discarding the spices. In a bowl stir together the cut shrimp, the wild rice mixture, the bell peppers, the minced parsley, and 1/3 cup of the dressing, divide the salad among 10 plates, and garnish each serving with one of the reserved shrimp and a parsley sprig.

Honey-Lime Dressing

Combine and serve cold over salad.

Combine all ingredients. Let stand in refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving.

Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing #2

Ginger Salad Dressing #3

Ginger Salad Dressing #4

Try adding 1/2 teaspoon sugar and a pinch of oregano.

Fonds Blanc (White Stock)

In a saucepan of boiling water cook the reserved asparagus tips for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they are tender, and transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking. Drain the asparagus tips and reserve them.

In a heatproof bowl whisk together the eggs and 1/4 cup of the lemon juice, add 1 cup of the lukewarm soup in a stream, whisking, and whisk the egg mixture into the remaining soup. Cook the soup over moderately low heat, whisking and being careful not to let it boil, until it is thickened slightly and registers 160oF on a candy thermometer and whisk in the minced dill, the additional lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. The soup may be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. To reheat the soup, cook it over low heat, stirring, until it is hot, being careful not to let it boil. Serve the soup either hot or chilled, garnished with the reserved asparagus tips and the dill sprigs.

Saute onions and garlic in oil in large soup pot. When onions have softened, add tomatoes and cook until onions are golden and tomatoes soft. Stir in the spices and mix well to coat vegetables. Pour in the stock while whisking vigorously. Coarsely blend the soup then return to the pot. Bring to boil, the simmer 20-30 minutes. While the soup is simmering, prepare the dumplings. Cream butter with egg yolks until smooth. Place the couscous in bowl and pour boiling water over it; cover and allow to steam for 5 minutes. Add couscous, flour, salt, dill and milk to butter mixture and blend well. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and then fold them into the couscous mixture. Drop dumpling mixture into soup by rounded teaspoonsful and simmer 15 minutes. Serve soup garnished with parsley and cheese.

To prevent okra from becoming slimy/stringy, saute the okra in oil until all of the stringy texture is removed and the vegetable is lightly browned. Drain okra in paper towels.

When the roux is prepared, reduce the heat and add onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic; saute approximately five minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add chicken broth, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until all of the liquid is incorporated into the roux. Add chicken pieces, okra and seasonings. Return to medium high heat, bring to a low boil and simmer for thirty minutes. Add green onions and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow to cook an additional five minutes. Serve over cooked rice.

In a 4-quart heavy soup pot, melt the margarine over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and the bell peppers. Turn heat to high and stir in the file, tabasco, garlic, and seasoning mix. Cook 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the tomato sauce; continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring constantly. (During this time the mixture will begin sticking to the pan bottom. As it does so, continually scrape pan bottom well with a spoon. The scrapings not only add to the gumbo's flavor, but also decrease the file's ability to thicken.) Add the stock and bring gumbo to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp, crabmeat, and oysters; cover and turn off the heat. Leave the pot covered just until the seafood is poached, about 6 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately over a mound of cooked rice.