What Librarians Eat! Issue 10: October 2013

What Librarians Eat! I S S U E

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O C T O B E R

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Some History about Chinese Food

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Welcome

Chinese Dumplings - Potstickers - Pan-fried Pork Dumplings

This month’s issue is inspired by Luke’s trip to china so expect a lot of Chinese food recipes.

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Crispy Peking duck in pancakes

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Firecracker Shrimp Recipe

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Fried Rice

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Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe

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Cashew Chicken

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Chow Mein (Chinese Noodles)

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Ask Us Something!

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Chinese cuisine includes styles originating from the diverse regions of China, plus styles of Chinese people in other parts of the world. The history of Chinese cuisine in China stretches back for thousands of years and has changed from period to period and in each region according to the climate, imperial fashions, and local preferences.

Over time, techniques and ingredients from the cuisines of other cultures were integrated into the cuisine of the Chinese people due to imperial expansion and from the trade with nearby regions in pre-modern times as well as from Europe and the New World in the modern period.

Styles and tastes also varied by class, region, and ethnic background. This led to an unparalleled range of ingredients, techniques, dishes and eating styles in what could be called Chinese food, leading the Chinese to pride themselves on eating a wide variety of foods while remaining true to the spirit and traditions of Chinese food culture.

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Some History about Chinese Food Much like in France, Chinese society greatly valued gastronomy and developed an extensive study of the subject based on its traditional medical beliefs. The first act of many emperors was to appoint a head chef to his court, and competition between cooks could be fierce.

Chinese culture initially centred around the North China Plain.

The first domesticated crops seem to have been the foxtail and broomcorn varieties of millet, while rice was cultivated by the Yue people further south. By 2000 BC, wheat had arrived from western Asia. However, these grains were typically served as warm noodle soups instead of baked into bread as in Europe. Nobles hunted various wild game and consumed mutton, pork, and beef as these animals were domesticated. Grain was stored against famine and flood and meat was preserved with salt, vinegar, curing, and fermenting. The flavor of the meat was enhanced by cooking it in the fat of a different animal.

By the time of Confucius in the late Zhou, gastronomy was becoming a high art. He was recorded discussing one such picky eater: "For him, the rice could never be white enough. When it was not cooked right, he would not eat. When it was out of season, he would not eat. When the meat was not cut properly, he would not eat. When the food was not prepared with the right sauce, he would not eat.

Following the establishment of Shi Huangdi's Chinese empire, Han culture was expanded south into the lands of the rice-cultivating Yue. By the time of the Han Dynasty, the different climes and cuisines of China's peoples were linked by major canals and begun developing greater complexity. The philosophy behind it was rooted in the I Ching and Chinese traditional medicine: food was judged for color, aroma, taste, and texture and a good meal was expected to balance the Four Natures ('hot', warm, cool, and 'cold') and the Five Tastes (pungent, sweet, sour, bitter, and salty). The predominance of chopsticks and spoons as eating utensils also necessitated that most food be prepared in bite-sized pieces or (as with fish) be so tender that it could be easily picked apart. This need for variety and small portions subsequently developed into the varieties of dim sum.

By the Later Han (2nd century), writers frequently complained of lazy aristocrats who did nothing but sit around all day eating smoked meats and roasts.

The great migration of Chinese people south during the invasions preceding and during the Song dynasty increased the relative importance of southern Chinese staples such as rice and congee. The Yuan and Qing dynasties introduced Mongolian and Manchurian cuisine, warm northern dishes which popularized hot pot cooking. They also introduced greater Muslim communities into China, who practiced a porkless cuisine now preserved by Uyghur street vendors and restaurants throughout the country.

As part of the last leg of the Columbian Exchange, Spanish and Portuguese traders began introducing American foods to China through the port cities of Canton and Macao. Mexican chili peppers became essential ingredients in Sichuan cuisine and calorically-dense potatoes and corn became staple foods across the northern plains.

Under the Qing, Chinese gastronomy focused upon a primary object of extracting the maximum flavor of each ingredient. The People's Republic of China, amid numerous false starts, has largely industrialized food production. A side-effect of this process was the introduction of American poultry-rearing techniques, which has greatly increased the relative consumption of eggs and chicken in various Chinese cuisines

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Chinese Dumplings - Potstickers Pan-fried Pork Dumplings Potstickers are one of the most popular types of Chinese dumplings. This recipe includes a dipping sauce and instructions on making the dough.

Ingredients (Yields about 48 potstickers.)

Dumpling Dough* 2 cups all purpose flour 1 cup boiling water Filling: 8 ounces celery cabbage (Napa cabbage) 3 tsp salt, divided 1 pound lean ground pork 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions, with tops 1 TB white wine 1 tsp cornstarch 1 tsp sesame oil Dash white pepper Dipping Sauce: 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 2 - 4 tablespoons vegetable oil Cut the cabbage across into thin strips. Mix with 2 teaspoons salt and set aside for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess moisture.

In a large bowl, mix the celery cabbage, pork, green onions, wine, cornstarch, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and the white pepper.

In a bowl, mix the flour and 1 cup boiling water until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly flour surface about 5 minutes, or until smooth.

Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a roll, 12 inches long, and cut each roll into 1/2-inch slices.

Roll 1 slice of dough into a 3-inch circle and place 1 tablespoon pork mixture in the center of the circle. Lift up the edges of the circle and pinch 5 pleats up to create a pouch to encase the mixture. Pinch the top together. Repeat with the remaining slices of dough and filling.

Heat a wok or nonstick skillet until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, tilting the wok to coat the sides. If using a nonstick skillet, add 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil. Place 12 dumplings in a single layer in the wok and fry 2 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown.

Add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook 6 to 7 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining dumplings.

To make a dipping sauce, in a small bowl, mix the soy sauce with 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Serve with the dumplings.

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Crispy Peking duck in pancakes by Jamie Oliver ―Peking duck is something that has always been very close to the Oliver family. There are hundreds of ways of cooking duck in Asian cultures – steamed, roasted, pumped up with bicycle pumps to remove the meat from the skin – but we're at home and so we can't do with all this mucking about. My way is simple and it works... ― - J. Oliver

Ingredients

1.2 kg duck salt five-spice fresh ginger 10-12 destoned plums 5 tablespoons sugar 2 pinches five-spice 2 tablespoons soy sauce ½ teaspoon chilli powder grated orange zest ½ cucumber 1 bunch spring onions 2 packs pre-made pancakes

Preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/gas 3.

Rub a nice 1.2kg duck with loads of salt, inside and out.

Dust the bird all over with five-spice and, if you've got any, grate some fresh ginger and rub it round the cavity, leaving the ginger inside to flavour. Place the duck in a roasting tray and put it in the oven. All you need to do is check on it every so often and spoon away the excess fat that has rendered out of the duck.

This will make the skin go wonderfully crispy. Generally, after a couple of hours it will be perfect – the leg meat will pull off the bone and the skin will be wonderfully crisp. You don't always need to, but I sometimes turn the heat up to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6 for a short while until it's really crispy.

While this beautiful bird is cooking, you can make your plum sauce. Chuck 10 or 12 destoned plums into a pan with 5 tablespoons of sugar, a couple of pinches of five-spice, a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce, half a teaspoon of chilli powder and a splash of water.

Bring to the boil, then simmer until you get a nice shiny pulp. You can remove the plum skins if you want to, but I usually leave them in. Sometimes I add a little grated orange zest, as this goes well with duck. Put the sauce to one side to cool before serving it, and taste to check the seasoning.

As for the spring onions and cucumber, that's straightforward. Use half a cucumber and a bunch of spring onions and finely slice them. I strongly advise buying a couple of packs of pre-made pancakes which you can place in a steamer or microwave and slowly steam until nice and hot. The bamboo steamers are only a few quid from Chinese supermarkets, so it's worth getting hold of some and they're great to serve at the table.

Once the duck has cooled a little bit, use two forks to shred all the meat off the carcass. You can putt all the meat with its crispy skin on to a serving plate. Take a pancake, place some duck, a bit of spring onion, a little cucumber and a dollop of plum sauce on to it, then roll it up – lovely.

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Firecracker Shrimp Recipe Flirting with the world with their perky tails while wrapped tightly with golden outfits, these fried shrimps are seductress to the taste buds and make everyone wanting and crazing for more after the first bite, aka love at first bite.

Ingredients:

20 shrimps (shelled and deveined but leave the tail on) 20 spring roll skins 1 stalk of scallion (finely chopped) 1/2 red chili (finely chopped) Marinate:

3 inches of ginger (peeled, pounded with mortar and pestle, and squeezed for the juice) 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon lime juice 1/4 spoon of sesame oil 1/4 teaspoon of sesame seeds 1/4 teaspoon of corn starch 3 dashes of white pepper powder 1 egg white (lightly whisked for sealing purposes)

Pat dry the shrimps with paper towel and marinate with the above ingredients and the ginger juice.

Add in the finely chopped scallion and red chilli. Marinate for 20 minutes.

Wrap each shrimp with a spring roll skin.

Heat up a frying pan with oil and deep fry the shrimp until light brown. Serve hot.

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Fried Rice Fried rice is hugely popular and home-cooks are constantly looking for fried rice recipes. Fried rice is always the most popular item in Chinese restaurants. Fried rice is a versatile dish and one can add any ingredient to it, plus it’s a great way to use up overnight rice and make it into an appetizing, cheap, and flavorful meal.

Ingredients: 12 oz. overnight rice 4 oz. chicken breast (cut into cubes) 4 oz. shrimp (cleaned and deveined) 2 oz. long beans (tips removed and chopped into very short pieces) 2 oz. carrots (cut into tiny cubes) 2 eggs (beaten) 2-inch ginger (peeled and cut into thin long strips) 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/4 teaspoon oyster sauce 2 tablespoon cooking oil 3 dashes white pepper powder Salt to taste (optional)

Heat up a wok with two tablespoons of oil.

Add ginger strips and fry until aromatic, follow by chicken, shrimp, long beans and carrots.

Stir fry until they are half cooked.

Add in the overnight rice and stir well with the ingredients.

Add soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper powder and continue to stir the fried rice for a couple of minutes.

Make a “well” in the middle of the fried rice and pour the beaten eggs in the well. Wait for 30 seconds and then cover the “egg well” with the fried rice.

Leave it for 30 seconds and continue to stir-fry so the eggs form small pieces and mix well with the fried rice.

Add in the fried salted fish and do some quick stirs, dish out and serve hot.

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Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe Ingredients

1/2 lb. pork tenderloin (cut into bite size pieces) 1/2 green bell pepper (about 2 oz. and cut into pieces)

Sweet and Sour Pork, the ubiquitous and arguably the most well-known Chinese recipe in the world, is a classic Cantonese dish. Sweet and sour pork is very pleasing to the palate because of the flavoursome sweet and sour sauce–the sweetness from sugar plus the tangy ketchup and sharp rice vinegar–with the crispy fried pork pieces.

1/2 red bell pepper (about 2 oz. and cut into pieces) 2 stalks scallions (only the white part, cut into 2 inch length) 1 piece fresh/canned pineapple ring (cut into small pieces) 1 clove garlic (finely chopped) Oil for frying Marinate:

1 teaspoon soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon corn flour 1/2 teaspoon rice wine Frying Batter:

1/2 cup water 2 oz. all-purpose flour 1 oz. corn starch 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 egg 1 teaspoon cooking oil 1 small pinch of salt Sweet and Sour Sauce:

1 1/2 tablespoons tomato ketchup 1 teaspoon plum sauce 1/8 teaspoon Chinese rice vinegar (transparent in color) 1/2 teaspoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce 1 teaspoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon corn starch 1 teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons water

Cut the pork tenderloin into pieces and marinate with the ingredients for 15-20 minutes.

Mix the sweet and sour sauce ingredients well and set aside.

Strain the dry ingredients of the frying batter and then add in the egg, water, and cooking oil to form a thick batter.

When the pork is well-marinated, transfer the pork pieces into the batter and make sure they are well coated.

In a deep skillet, add in the cooking oil enough for deep-frying. Once the oil is hot, deep fry the pork pieces until they turn golden brown. Dish out and drain on paper towels.

Heat up a wok and add in some cooking oil. Add in the chopped garlic and stir fry until light brown, then follow by the bell peppers and pineapple pieces.

Stir fry until you smell the peppery aroma from the peppers and then add in the sweet and sour sauce. As soon as the sauce thickens, transfer the pork into the wok and stir well with the sauce.

Add in the chopped scallions, do a few quick stirs, dish out and serve hot with steamed white rice.

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Cashew Chicken The key to a great Chinese stir-fried chicken dish is simple: smooth and tender chicken meat lightly coated with a sauce, stir-fried over HIGH heat using a wok. To make the chicken tender, I am going to share with you a secret–one that is used by many restaurants and Chinese chefs—BAKING SODA. Baking soda serves two purposes: 1. to rid the chicken of any potential smell 2. to tenderize the meat.

Ingredients

1 boneless & skinless chicken breast, about 10 oz. (cut into small cubes) 1/2 cup unsalted cashew nuts 1 small green bell pepper, about 4 oz. (cut into small square pieces) 5 slices ginger 1/4 onion (cut into small square pieces) Marinade: 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon corn starch 1/2 teaspoon rice wine Sauce: 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce 3/4 teaspoon soy sauce 3 tablespoons water 3 dashes white pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon rice wine 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil Salt to taste

Marinate the chicken meat with the baking soda for 15-20 minutes and then rinse the chicken thoroughly. (Please make sure that the chicken is properly rinsed clean of the baking soda.)

Pat the chicken meat dry with paper towels and then marinate with the rice wine and corn starch, for 15 minutes.

Mix the sauce together and set aside.

Heat up a wok with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and stir-fry the chicken meat until the color turns white or half-cooked.

Dish out and set aside.

Add another 1 tablespoon of cooking oil into the wok and add in the ginger slices, bell peppers and onions.

Stir-fry until you smell the peppery aroma from the green peppers and add the chicken meat back in.

Add in the sauce and stir continuously until the chicken meat is cooked and well coated with the sauce. Add salt to taste, if you like.

Add in the cashew nuts and do a few quick stirs. Dish out and serve the Cashew Chicken hot with steamed white rice.

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Chow Mein (Chinese Noodles) Chinese invented the noodles and changed the way we eat, that’s not an overstatement.

Chinese noodles are versatile and there are so many ways to prepare them–stir-fry, pan-fry, boil, blanch, soup, gravy, or dry. I could never get bored of noodles. It’s one of the easiest foods to prepare at home, and the end results are always satisfying.

Ingredients

8 oz. steamed chow mein (Chinese noodles) 2 oz. pork (cut into thin slices) 5 shrimp (shelled and deveined) 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped) 1/2 cup shredded cabbage 1/4 cup shredded carrot 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon Chinese dark soy sauce 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons cooking oil 2 stalks scallions (cut into 2-inch length) Salt to taste

Soak the steamed chow mein in cold water for about 5 minutes. Rinse a few times until the water turns clear and the chow mein is soft. Drain the excess water and set aside. (Don’t over soak the chow mein or the noodles will get limpy and soggy.)

In a small mixing bowl, mix all the seasoning ingredients. Set aside.

Heat up the wok with the cooking oil. Add in the chopped garlic and stir-fry until light brown or aromatic.

Add the pork and shrimp and stir fry until they are half done.

Add the shredded cabbage and carrot into the wok and do a few quick stirs.

Add the noodles , the seasoning mixture and the water. Continue to stir until the noodles are well blended with the seasonings and completely cooked through.

Add the chopped scallions, do a few final stirs, dish out and serve hot.

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Staff

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members

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encouraged participate event baking

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something

themselves or buy pre -baked

goods

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donate them to the library staff who will be in charge of the event so that it can be sold to the public on the 10th November.

All proceeding will be donated to Puttinu Cares. Staff members who will be participating can either bring the baked goods on Friday 8th November or Saturday 9th November and leave them at the library. Also those who would like to be present on Sunday just let Ryan know so that the event can be planned accordingly.

“Ask Us Something!”

How about Chinese Dessert and Sweet Recipes ?

Almond Tea

It’s great sipping the almond tea while munching away the crispy and flaky puff pastry, with a magazine or newspaper in hand.

Ingredients

5 tablespoons sweetened almond powder 1 teaspoon honey 10 ginkgo nuts (canned) 1 cup water 1 puff pastry sheet (thawed and cut into two 4.5 in. x 4.5 in. squares) Preheat oven to 400°Fahrenheit.

Bring one cup of water to boil and add in the almond powder, ginkgo nuts, and honey. Stir well and set aside.

Transfer equal portions of the boiled almond tea into two regular soufflé dishes. Top the soufflé dishes with the puff pastry squares. Stretch the puff pastry square to cover the dish opening tight.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the puff pastry turns golden brown. Serve hot.

Snow Skin Mooncake Ingredients Mooncake Skin

130g Cooked Glutinous Rice Flour (Gao Fen) Sifted 160g powdered sugar 130 ml boiled carrot, dragonfruit juice or screwpine leaves juice 2 Tbsp fresh milk 1 Tbsp shortening (I use Crisco)

Filling: Add melon seeds to mooncake paste.

Filling

1 kg Mooncake paste (Red Bean, Lotus, Green tea)

Roll it tightly into a ball of 120g each.

80g melon seeds (lightly toasted)

To make Mooncakes

Squeeze the juice and heat till boiling point. Cool the juice in fridge for about Lightly dust hands with cooked glutinous rice flour. Flatten the dough. Place 4-6 hours. the filling into the center of the dough.

Sieve together the icing sugar and cooked glutinous flour.

Wrapped it up tightly and seal the Add in the shortening. Combine until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. edges.

Add in the juice and milk. Mix to a soft and smooth dough. Let it rest for 10 Put in a floured mooncake mould. Tap minutes. and remove it.

Divide the dough in 60g and roll into a ball. Wrap each ball with cling wrap Chill for at least 6 hours before servuntil ready to use. ing..