Published by Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
Copyright © 2003 Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher.
ISBN: 978-1-4629-1539-2 (ebook)
Printed in Singapore 1307CP
15 14 13
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
Distributors
Asia Pacific: Berkeley Books Pte Ltd,
61 Tai Seng Avenue, #02-12
Singapore 534167
Tel (65) 6280 1330; Fax (65) 6280 6290
[email protected] www.periplus.com
Indonesia: PT Java Books Indonesia,
Kawasan Industri Pulogadung
Jl. Rawa Gelam IV No. 9
Jakarta 13930, Indonesia
Tel: 62 (21) 4682 1088; Fax: 62 (21) 461 020.
[email protected] www.periplus.com
Photography: Chester Ong
Styling: Chester Ong and Cecilia Au-Yang
Recipe tester: Angie Ng
Design: Periplus Design Team
Contents
Turnip Pudding
Sweet Corn and Tofu Chowder
Chicken and Ginseng Soup
Steamed Rice with Twin Sausages
Fried Rice with Minced Beef and Lettuce
Fried Rice Yang Chow
Noodle Soup with Minced Ham
Fried Noodles with Shredded Chicken
Chinese Cold Noodles
E-Fu Noodles with Mushrooms
Fried Noodles with Bean Sprouts and Spring Onions
Steamed Fish with Soy Sauce
Spicy Mackerel Cutlets
Fish Fillet with Ginger and Spring Onions
Deep-fried Fish Fritters
Poached Prawns with Chilli Soy Dip
Prawn and Egg Patties
Sautéed Chicken in Black Bean Sauce
Steamed Chicken with Sausages
Shredded Chicken with Oyster Sauce
Steamed Minced Beef
Shredded Beef with Bean Sprouts
Pork Slices with Shrimp Paste
Stewed Trotters with Lotus Root
Braised Ribs in Soy Sauce
Vegetarian Ma Po Tofu
Chinese Cabbage with Minced Garlic
Assorted Vegetables in Oyster Sauce
Braised Beancurd with Mushrooms
Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables
Diced Tofu with Vegetables
Water Chestnut Pudding
Sweet Red Bean Soup
Basic Hongkong Ingredients
Bean sprouts are sprouted green mung peas eaten blanched in some salads and soups, or quickly stir-fried as a vegetable. Always wash and trim bean sprouts before using, and pinch off the straggly tails just before use if desired.
Chillies come in many shapes and sizes. The relatively mild large red (ripe) or green (unripe) chillies are commonly used, with tiny bird’s-eye chillies providing much more heat. Chilli oil is also used in some dishes and can be purchased from Chinese supermarkets.
Coriander leaves or cilantro are the leaves of the coriander plant and are often referred to as Chinese parsley. They have a strong flavour and aroma and are typically used as a garnish.
Dried black fungus, also known as wood ear fungus, tree ears or cloud ears, is dull black when dried but becomes shiny black after soaking. Readily available from Chinese stores.
Dried prawns are a popular seasoning in many Cantonese dishes. Choose dried shrimps that are pink in colour and soak in water to soften before use.
Lap cheong, or Chinese sausages, are perfumed with rose-flavoured wine. They are never eaten alone, but cooked with rice or other food.
Oyster sauce is a Cantonese speciality, regular oyster sauce is a very flavoursome soy-based sauce with oyster extract. Vegetarians should look for the vegetarian version which is sometimes sold as ‘mushroom oyster sauce’.
Red dates are also known as Chinese jujube, or hong zao in Mandarin, and are about the size of a round olive. Although Chinese red dates are sour when raw, they are sweet when matured and dried. Red dates are often eaten during Chinese New Year.
Rice is a staple food in Asia. Long-grain jasmine rice is used in the recipes in this book, and is widely available from all supermarkets. Do not use glutinous or basmati rice.
Rice wine is fermented from freshly steamed rice and has a relatively low alcoholic content. Widely used in Asian cooking, it is readily available in bottles. Japanese sake or dry sherry can be used as a substitute.
Sesame oil is extracted from sesame seeds that have been well toasted, producing a dark, dense, highly aromatic oil that can be used for cooking, marinades, sauces and soups, or as a table condiment. Its nutty, smoky flavour has become a hallmark of Chinese cuisine.
Sesame paste is made from ground, roasted sesame seeds and comes in glass jars covered with oil. It is quite hard and needs to be mixed with a little