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PRESSURE COOKING CHINESE RECIPES How To Cook Delicious Chinese Food Fast (Includes photographs of food recipes and preparation steps)
By Judy Henson Published 2015 By Rank Books www.rankbooks.com Copyright © Rank Books ISBN: 978‐981‐09‐6426‐9 All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author or the publisher. To preview more inside pages go to: www.rankbooks.com/judyhenson/judy.html
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Introduction The first thought that came to my mind when my husband told me to that he wanted to give me a pressure cooker was that it may be dangerous as I have never used one before. We have heard horror stories of how pressure cookers exploded when left unattended or causing burns and scalding incidents. The technology has changed now. These cookers now come with safety locks and pressure release valves that prevent the pressure cooker from being opened at high pressure or it can release steam once the pressure inside is excessive. Hence, proper pressure is maintained at all times with such safety features. However, while the product is safe, it does not mean that the user is safe. You still need to take precautions. When my pressure cooker arrives, the first thing I did was to spend one hour reading the pressure cooker manual. I wanted to know how to lock it and unlock it, how to release pressure after cooking and most importantly, where are the areas where steam will be coming out so I can keep my hands and face off the steaming vents to prevent accidental burns. I wanted to know how to reduce the heat on the stove and how to control the pressure etc. You may think I am a timid housewife and over‐reacted but please be cautious when using a new cooking equipment.
3 If you have never used a pressure cooker before, you need to know that there are two different types of pressure cookers. The stove top pressure cooker that sits on a gas burner or an induction top and or the electric pressure cooker that can be placed anywhere as long there is an electrical outlet. Your cooking style or level of comfort will dictate whether you will want an electrical or a stove top pressure cooker.
About The Recipes In This Book The 30 recipes contained in this book are cooked using the stove top pressure cooker using an induction cooker top. However, these recipes are also applicable for electric pressure cookers. Each recipe comes with step‐by‐step pictures (except for 4 recipes) showing the cooking process so you have a good idea how to do it. I have covered a range of recipes for meat, fish, vegetables, noodles, rice and soups.
4 These recipes are my own tested recipes using authentic Chinese sauce, spices and ingredients. You may have to visit you nearest Asian supermarket or grocery shops to get some of these sauces such as light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sesame oil needed to cook these Chinese dishes. A list of sauce used for the recipes is found at the end of the book.
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The cooking techniques used in these recipes are simple and easy‐to‐follow. Some dishes are so simple such that you just add all the ingredients into the pot, add a bowl of water, close the lid and cook under pressure and it is good to eat in 10 minutes. Some may require a little extra effort of browning or deep‐frying the meat before cooking in the pressure cooker. Quick deep‐frying of meat coated with sweet potato flour or all‐purpose flour can help to seal the flavour of the marinated meat. This may involve using another pan or pot so it is more troublesome. But the taste is enhanced. Pork ribs, and even beef slices, can be deep‐fried for one minute before cooking in the pressure cooker. Some recipes involve only steaming without using any oil at all so it is ideal for making the perfect healthy dish. The pressure cooker is indeed a versatile cooking equipment. You can use the pot to sauté, quick‐fry like a low‐frying pan, browning, braising, stewing and steaming.
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How Does Pressure Cooker Reduce Cooking Time For Chinese Recipes? To get a rich and flavourful bowl of Chinese soup requires at least an hour of simmering on low heat on the stove. With the pressure cooker, you can now enjoy restaurant quality soup at half the time. A bowl of rich ginseng herbal chicken soup can be made in 30 minutes with the pressure cooker. Hence, the pressure cooker cuts down on cooking time by at least 50 percent for most dishes. I used to hate cooking bean soups as it takes too long. Now I can have a bowl of sweet green bean soup done in 15 minutes without even pre‐ soaking the beans. To cook Chinese braised dark soy sauce duck (whole duck) which normally takes an hour to cook can now be cooked in just 30 minutes. Steaming a fish that previously took 20 minutes to steam is now done in 5 minutes. Another example is braised pork ribs which usually takes 20 mins on a pan, is done in just 10 minutes using the pressure cooker. So, you save lots of time cooking plus, the pressure cooker seals the flavours of the meat, making the food delicious.
How to get the best Flavours From Your Pressure Cooker? Many new users tend to add to much water into the pot and drown the meat and vegetables till the food become tasteless. Another common mistake is over‐cooking, vegetables become mushy and soft like puree and meat becomes stiff due to over‐cooking. When using a pressure
7 cooker, controlling the right amount of liquid in the pot and the cooking time are the two success factors for producing delicious food. Here are more cooking tips to improve your food taste.
Garlic, onions and ginger must sauté for 30 seconds to one minute until fragrant before adding vegetables and meat. Use little oil about 1 tablespoon of oil is enough. Don’t add too much water, if you are not cooking soup or a whole big chunk of meat like a whole chicken, half a cup of water is enough. If you are cooking a whole chicken or there are more ingredients in the pot or for longer period of cooking time like an hour or more, it is logical that more water is needed. For steaming vegetables which take a minute, half a cup of water is enough. For braising fish or meat, one cup of water is enough. You may replace water with chicken stock, beef stock or even fish stock when cooking to make the food tastier. DON’T use thickeners before cooking. Flour, starch (potato or corn flour) should be added after pressure cooking has completed. If not the cooking liquid inside the pot will thicken making it hard to boil or risk scorching the bottom of the pot. Remember, only add the thickener and simmer it into your dish when pressure cooking is finished. If you end up with too much cooking liquid after cooking under pressure, simply reduce the liquid by bringing it to
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a boil uncovered and reduce until the desired consistency. For consistent results, cut foods into pieces of uniform size to promote even cooking. Take note that if you put frozen meat than meat that are thawed, you need a longer cooking time. Also, larger pieces of meat will take considerably longer to cook than say smaller cubed pieces. Marinate the meat with light soy sauce, cooking wine and sesame oil before cooking will help to make it more tasty.
In this section, I outline the main cooking techniques and cooking tips. Steaming: There are 2 ways to use the steaming method.
For vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower which cooks fast, add half a cup of water to one cup of water into the vegetables and pressure cook for just 1 minute. Turn off the heat and fast release the pressure to prevent over‐cooking. The effect is the same as blanching the vegetables in a pot of boiling water. Use the pressure cooker pot as a steamer to steam fish or whole chicken using a steaming rack.
Saute: This is often used before cooking under pressure begins. This involves, adding a table spoon of oil into the pressure cooker pot and stir‐fry quickly at high heat. Most
9 recipes require you to saute onions, ginger, garlic, dried chilli and mushrooms before cooking to release the fragrance of the ingredients. Braising: This involves stir‐frying and then adding water or chicken stock to let the meat simmer. Minimum one cup of liquid ‐ water, juice or stock is needed for braising. Braising is fast and excellent using a pressure cooker because the meat is juicer and more tender than using other equipment. Stewing: This is similar to braising but more liquid is added when cooking and the cooking process requires a longer simmering time than braising.
Safety Tips When using pressure cookers, basic safety precautions should always be followed: • Read all instructions in the manual carefully before use. • Do not use the Pressure Cooker for anything other than intended use. • Do not use Pressure Cooker to pressure fry oil. • Know where the safety mechanism and pressure release valves are located. Ensure that these parts are not damaged and they are properly cleaned with no obstruction before use.
10 • Never open the Pressure Cooker until it has been cooled and all internal pressure has been released. Read your manual on how to safely release pressure. Never touch the steel surface of the pot, always use the handles when moving the pot from one place to another. • Never use the Pressure Cooker without liquid, as this could result in damaging the cooker by overheating. Most pressure cookers abide by this water level rule. Minimum liquid: 0.25 litres or 1 cup of water Maximum fill volume (food): 2/3 of the Pressure Cooker Maximum fill for liquid: half full • For foods which foam or rise (e.g. rice, legumes, broths, or dried vegetable), do not fill the cooker more than half full. Over‐filling risks clogging the vent pipe and developing excess pressure.
The time for the pot to build up pressure is not part of the cooking time. The cooking time for each recipe starts after it has reached the pressure level.
Basic Operation of a Pressure Cooker 1. Add the ingredients and meat into the pot. 2. Add a bowl of water and use high heat to bring the food to a boil. 3. Stir evenly to prevent food from sticking in the pot. 4. Cover the pot with the lid and lock the lid in place.
11 5. While at high heat wait for the pressure to build up inside the pot. This is indicated by the pressure indicator button popping up AND a steady, but not forceful, amount of steam starts to exit the valve at the top of the pot. The steam coming out will be steady and you’ll hear a hissing sound. As soon as this happens, reduce the heat to medium‐low and cook for the indicated cooking time according to your recipe. 6. Watch the indicator button, if it falls below later, you can turn up the heat again. Read the manual on how to adjust the heat. 7. Once a while, check on the cooker to make sure the heat does not go up too high causing the hissing sound and steam escaping for the vent. If this happens, reduce the heat. 8. When the cooking time is reached, you can use fast release or the slow release method. Fast release Over Running Water Method: Bring the pressure cooker pot to a sink. Turn on the tap and let running water over the pot to cool down. Beware that steam will escape from the vent and do not put your hand anywhere near and face away from the pot to prevent escaping steam from scalding. The pressure indicator valve will start to drop and now you can unlock and open the pot. Natural Release Method: To natural release of pressure, simply turn off the heat under the pressure cooker and allow the pressure cooker to cool sit
12 until the pressure naturally drops. This typically takes around 10 to 15 minutes. Fast Release or Quick Release On The Stove Method: Most pressure cooker has a quick pressure release mechanism on the pot. For the one I am using, it requires me to unlock it midway and allow the steam to be released. Steam will be released rapidly and this must be done with caution. This method takes about 2 minutes. Look away from the pot, turn the steam valve away from you and do not put your face or hand over it as liquid may spill out as well as the steam. Check your instruction manual on the fast release on the stove method.
Cooking Your First Dish To familiarise with your pressure cooker, I suggest you start with a simple pork ribs soup or chicken soup before going into other recipes. Notice where the steam is emitted, and how to increase or decrease pressure in the cooker by controlling the heat level of your stove (Induction or gas stove) when the pressure gets excessive. Learn how to lock and unlock the pressure cooker as well.
Using a Gas Stove or Induction Stove I feel the induction stove is safer as it has a built‐in timer. You can set the timing once the pressure is attained and leave it to cook for 10 , 15 or even 30 minutes without much worry. The gas stove to me is unsafe as there is a risk that you may burn your kitchen if left unattended. If you use a gas stove, carry a timing device with you so it can alert you and beep
13 you when it is time to turn off the cooker. Keep your ears open and be alert when you hear hissing sound from the kitchen as it means too much pressure has built up in the cooker and you need to turn the heat down.
Above shows the pressure cooker set used for writing this book.
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Recipe Listing 1.Braised Chinese Five‐Spice Duck 2.Spicy Braised Beef With Black Bean Sauce and Dried Noodles 3. Chinese Cabbage Rolls Stuffed With Minced Pork and Prawns 4. Fried Lanzhou La Mian (Noodles) 5. Chinese Fragrant Rice With Chinese Sausages and Mushroom 6. Sweet Sour Chicken 7. Chinese Pork Ribs With Red Pepper and Bitter Gourd 8. Emperor Herbal Chicken 9. Three Cups Chicken 10. Chinese Dark Soy Sauce Stew Pork 11. Sweet Soy Sauce Chicken 12. Steamed Chinese Wrapped Chicken 13. Steamed White Glutinous Rice With Chicken Meat 14. Braised Fish 15. Sweet Sour Fish 16. Mackerel With Dried Red Chilli 17. Stir‐fried Broccoli and Cauliflower with Carrot 18. Egg Tofu Scallops 19. Steamed Tofu With Minced Pork 20. Chinese Cabbage with Fried Bean curd and Mushrooms 21. Stuffed Minced Pork With Bitter gourd 22. Stir‐fried Shitake Mushrooms With Potatoes 23. Pork Ribs With Winter Melon Soup 24. Pork Ribs With Sweet Corn, Carrot and Potatoes Soup 25. Lean Pork With Radish and Red Carrot Soup
15 26. Pork Ribs With Old Cucumber Soup 27. Red Beans With Barley Sweet Soup 28. Chilled White Fungus With Longan Fruit 29. Sweet Black Glutinous Rice Soup 30. Sweet Potato Pancakes
Some Cooking Terms Used: Serving Size: The recipes are designed for a serving size of 2 to 4 persons. 1 tsp = One teaspoon 1 tbsp = One tablespoon I Cup of water = 200 ml of water High Heat (referring to the induction cooker) = 180 degree Celsius temperature of the Induction Cooker Stove Some pressure cooker has 2 heat levels control. Level 1 is for cooking vegetables, fish and poultry. Level 2 is for cooking more robust food and meat like whole duck or huge chunks of meat. Level 1 (referring to the pressure cooker) : Low Heat Level Level 2 (referring to the pressure cooker): High Heat Level If you are using an electric pressure cooker, just use high heat if there that is the only level you can have. Refer to end of book for list of sauce needed for these recipes : Main Chinese Sauces and Key Spices Required
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1. Braised Chinese Five‐Spice Duck Pressure Cooking Timing: 25 Minutes Ingredients Whole duck 5 stalks of Chinese mushrooms 1 Chinese sausage cut into I cm wide each 1 tbsp oyster sauce 1 tbsp light soy sauce 4 tbsp dark soy sauce 2 x 2 cm of cinnamon stick 4 star anise 1 tablespoon cooking oil 5 garlic clove 3 garlic clove chopped 1 tbsp. of cooking wine 2 inch of ginger sliced 1 tbsp of brown sugar 1 cup of chicken stock 1 cup of water Marinate: 1 tsp sesame oil 1tbsp of cooking wine 3 tsp of five‐spice powder 2 tsp light soy sauce
17 Instructions: 1) Marinate the duck meat with five‐spice powder, sesame oil, light soy sauce and cooking wine 2) Massage the exterior of the duck with the mixture 3) Add 1 table spoon of cooking oil into the pot and use high heat for cooking 4) Add the chopped garlic, Chinese sausages, sliced ginger, mushrooms, cinnamon stick, star anise, into the pan and stir‐fry the garlic until fragrant for about 30 secs 5) Put the duck meat into the pot 6) Add chicken stock and water into the pot 7) Add dark soy sauce and brown sugar into the pot and mix well 8) Add cooking wine into the pot 9) Cover the pot with the lid and lock it 10) Maintain at high heat and wait for the pressure to build up to level 2. 11) Set the cooking time to 25 minutes when pressure level is reached 12) Reduce the heat to low about 100 degrees and maintain the pressure at level 2 and adjust as needed to keep the pressure constant 13) After 25 min, natural release pressure 14) Unlock and open the lid once the pressure indicator shows it is safe to do so 15) Remove the meat and serve 16) Optional: You may turn on the heat on the cooker to high and bring to a boil and let the liquid lessens