Pan Asian Cuisine

[b-man]

THAI STYLE PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SPICY PEANUT SAUCE

Ingredients:
2 pork tenderloins (approx. 3/4 lb. each)

Marinade:

1/4 C. soy sauce
1/4 C. orange juice
3 T. sherry
2 T. rice wine vinegar (apple cider vinegar will do)
2 T. sugar
3 T. peanut butter
2 tsp. garlic (crushed or chopped)
1 tsp. ginger (fresh grated is best, peel brown skin and slice thin)
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper (careful! a little goes a long way)

Sauce:

1/2 C. chicken stock (broth)
2 tsp. cornstarch (mix with 3 T. cold water)

Put all marinade ingredients together in a large sealable container.
Whisk together until peanut butter is only slightly lumpy. Place
tenderloins on top and seal. Turn container over to coat all sides
of tenderloin. This can be stored in your fridge for up to 2 days
before cooking.

When ready to cook - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lift tenderloins out
of marinade and place on a baking tray (cookie sheet with sides).
Reserve marinade. Allow for at least 1" between tenderloins. Cook
for 15 to 20 minutes. They are done when a meat thermometer
(inserted into the thickest part) reaches a temperature of 165°F.
Cover with foil until ready to slice.

Place reserved marinade into medium saucepan and bring to a
boil. While boiling, skim all foam that comes to top. After marinade
has boiled for 5 minutes, reduce heat and add other sauce
ingredients. The sauce will thicken with the addition of cornstarch
mixture so add it last, slowly, and stirring constantly. Bring to a boil
once more, stirring constantly. (When looking for a desired
consistency on the thickness of the sauce, we want to coat the
plate not glob it on.)

Strain the sauce through a mesh strainer to catch all chunky stuff
like garlic and ginger. Keep finished sauce warm until ready to
serve.

Slice meat on angle about 3/4 inch thick; you’ll end up with
medallions of tenderloin.

B-man

[b-man]

JAPANESE GINGER DRESSING

Often in Japanese restaurants this dressing is served over finely
shredded cabbage along with the lettuce and other salad
ingredients. It is delicious.

Ingredients:

1/2 oz. ginger root
1/4 medium onion, cut into quarters
3/4 C. vegetable oil
1/4 C. vinegar
1/2 C. soy sauce
1 tsp. tomato paste
1/8 lemon, juiced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 C. water

Soak ginger root in cold water for a few minutes before removing
outer skin. Remove skin and cut in chunks. Combine all ingredients
in food processor with steel blade and blend until smooth.
Refrigerate.

B-man

[b-man]

THAI SHRIMP PASTA

Ingredients:

2 oz. pepper mix
2 oz. scallions
2 oz. carrots
2 oz. bok choy
12 leaves Cilantro
2 oz. cashews
3 oz. ladle spicy Garlic Ginger Sauce
Angel hair pasta
Sprinkle of black sesame seeds
1 T. scallions

Heat sauté pan on the stove. Sauté a portion of marinated shrimp
for 2-3 minutes until cooked, shrimp will turn a light pink color. Do
not add extra oil while sautéing shrimp, as shrimp have enough oil
in the marinade. Add the pepper mix, scallions, carrots, bok choy,
cilantro and cashews. Sauté for 30 seconds.

Add spicy garlic ginger sauce and at the same time heat the
noodles in the microwave for 45 seconds. Add the noodles to the
shrimp, veggies and sauce. Toss well to mix all ingredients with
the pasta and to heat through. Place into large pasta bowl and top
with black sesame seeds and scallions.

B-man

[b-man]

THAI NOODLE SALAD

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

Salad:

8 C. cooked thin spaghetti [or thin Asian noodles if desired]
2 C. shredded carrots (comes in prepared packages in the produce dept.)
1 cucumber, peeled and halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced thinly
1/3 C. chopped scallions
1 red or green bell pepper, cut into fine julienne strips

Dressing:

6 T. regular or reduced fat smooth peanut butter
4 T. lite soy sauce
3 cloves garlic
2 T. maple syrup
1 1/2 grated fresh ginger root
3 T. sake or sherry (if you don’t want to use alcohol, add more broth)
3 tsp. Asian sesame oil
3 T. lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. chile powder [to taste]
1/3 C. regular or lower sodium chicken broth

For garnish:

1/4 C. coarsely chopped peanuts
2 scallions, sliced thinly

Toss together all the salad ingredients in a large serving bowl.

Place all the dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender
and blend until smooth and lightly thickened.

Add the dressing to the noodle mixture and toss. Store in
refrigerator, and remember to sprinkle the top with scallions and
coarsely chopped peanuts if desired.

Add hot pepper flakes to taste if you would like. The original recipe
didn’t call for it, but most of my tasters sprinkled some over the top
and loved it.

B-man

[b-man]

THAI TENDERLOINS

Yield: 4­6 servings

Ingredients:

2 pork tenderloins
1 tsp. (5 ml) hot pepper sauce
1/4 C. (50 lm) orange juice
Grated rind of 1 orange
1/4 C. (50 lm) chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. (45 lm) brown sugar
2 T. (25 lm) each: soy sauce, peanut butter
2 tsp. (10 lm) grated ginger root
1/2 C. (125 lm) chicken broth

Place pork tenderloins in a plastic bag set in a bowl. Combine
remaining ingredients except chicken broth. Spoon over pork;
close bag. Marinate 4 to 24 hours in refrigerator.

Remove pork from bag, reserving marinade. Place tenderloins on
foil lined baking dish or cookie sheet. Roast at 375°F (190°C) for
30 to 35 minutes. Meanwhile, combine reserved marinade with
chicken broth. Boil 3 to 4 minutes. Slice tenderloins; spoon sauce
over before serving.

B-man

[b-man]

THAI SAUCE

Makes 1 1/2 cups for dip or 2 cups as dressing

Ingredients:

3/8 C. chunky peanut butter
1/4 C. salad oil (for dip) or 1/2 C. + 2 T. salad oil (for dressing)
1/2 C. soy sauce
1/2 C. sugar
8 tsp. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 C. green onion, chopped
Dash coriander
2 T. cilantro, chopped

Blend peanut butter and salad oil in blender using the 1/4 cup oil
if making a dip, or the 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil if making a
dressing. Add remaining ingredients and whirl until well blended.
Refrigerate.

To serve: Serve with vegetables such as baby carrots, cut-up
jicama and broccoli florets.

B-man

[b-man]

THAI SWEET AND SOUR PORK

Ingredients:

2 T. vegetable oil
12 oz. pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 large ripe plum tomatoes, quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 English cucumber, julienned crosswise
1 C. diced fresh pineapple
2 T. fish sauce
1 T. granulated sugar
2 whole scallions, finely sliced
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Lime quarters for garnish
Minced hot chiles for garnish.

Heat oil in large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Sauté
onions until they soften and color. Add pork and brown quickly.
Stir in garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add red pepper and sauté
until it begins to soften. Add tomatoes, cucumber and pineapple
and cook a minute or two.

Lower heat and add fish sauce, sugar, scallions and black pepper. Stir well. If mixture seems too thick, add a little water. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Serve with lime quarters and chiles.

Yields 2 servings.

B-man

[b-man]

PAD THAI

Ingredients:

12 jumbo shrimp
3 oz. dry rice noodle (3 - 5 mm)
2 oz. fresh bean sprouts
1 oz. chopped (1") green onion
Fish sauce to taste
3 oz. oyster sauce
3 vinegar
2 T. sugar
2 T. preserved turnip
2 T. crushed peanuts
1 T. paprika
2 large eggs
1 tsp. red chili (if you like it HOT)
1/2 lemon

Presoak the noodles for at least 30 minutes in room temperature
water. They should be soft yet firm. Heat and season the wok.
Add the shrimp and grill for 90 seconds. Add the eggs. When the
eggs are not quite finished, add the noodles, sugar, peanuts,
turnips and paprika.

Stir fry for approximately 45 seconds or until all ingredients are
mixed together and the noodles are wilted. Add the fish sauce,
oyster sauce and vinegar. Follow with the bean sprouts, green
onions and red chili. Stir fry quickly ensuring everything in mixed
together. If you like wet noodle dishes, deglaze with 5 ounces
water stock. If you like firmer dry noodles, deglaze with only
2 ounces water stock.

Place on serving plate and garnish with more bean sprouts and
a lemon wedge.

B-man

[b-man]

CHICKEN COCONUT SOUP (Kai Tom Kha)

This soup is so wonderful: rich, satisfying, creamy and hot. It
must be the National soup of Thailand!

(Yield: 3 Servings)

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless chicken breast (sliced into thin 1 1/2 -inch strips)
3 T. Tom Kha Paste
1 can (13.5 Fl.) coconut milk
1 can (15 oz) straw mushroom, drained
1 stalk lemon glass (cut into 2 inches long)
1 stalk galangal (sliced thinly into 1-inch stripes)
2 tsp. fish sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
3 tsp. lime juice
1 C. water
2 sprigs cilantro
6 red hot chile peppers, cut in half lengthwise [adjust amount to taste]

Trim the base of the mushroom stalks, rinse in cold water, dry
them with towel paper, then cut in half lengthwise.

Boil 1 can of coconut milk with 1 cup of water. Add Tom Kha
Paste, lemon glass, galangal; stir well. Reduce heat to
medium-low; add chicken and cook for 3 minutes.

Add straw mushroom and cook for 30 seconds. Turn the
heat off. Season with fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice.
Garnish with red hot chile peppers and some cilantro leaves.

Serve immediately.

B-man

[b-man]

THAI COCONUT LIME DIPPERS

Ingredients:

Dippers:

1 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin
Nonstick cooking spray
1 T. water
1 T. rice vinegar
1 T. low-sodium soy sauce
1 T. honey
2 C. sugar snap peas, trimmed

Fondue:

1 tsp. sesame oil
1 T. minced, peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16-oz.) can chicken broth
1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 C. water
1 C. coconut milk
1 tsp. grated lime zest
1/4 C. fresh lime juice
1 1/2 T. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
3 C. hot cooked rice

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

To prepare the dippers, trim the fat from the pork. Spray a rack
that will fit in shallow roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the pork on the rack. Line the bottom of roasting pan with
foil; place rack in the pan; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the water, vinegar, soy sauce and
honey; brush the mixture over the pork. Insert a meat
thermometer into the thickest part of pork. Bake for 30 minutes
or until the thermometer registers 160ºF. Remove from oven,
let stand 5 minutes, then cut the pork into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, cook the sugar snap peas in boiling water for
1 minute or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.

To prepare the fondue, heat the sesame oil in a medium
saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and
sauté 30 seconds. Stir in the chicken broth, bring to a boil and
cook for 2 minutes. Remove mixture from heat.

Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a
knife. Combine the flour and water, stirring well with a whisk. Add
the flour mixture, coconut milk, lime zest, lime juice, brown sugar,
salt and crushed red pepper to the ginger mixture; cook over
medium heat 8 minutes or until slightly thick and bubbly, stirring
frequently. Pour into a fondue pot. Keep warm over low flame. Dip
pork and peas into fondue.

Spoon the rice into the fondue pot after the dippers are eaten.
Heat 1 minute and ladle into soup bowls. Yields 6 servings.

note: This fondue is really a two-course meal. After you’ve
dipped all the pork and snap peas, add rice to the pot. It will soak
up the flavor of the seasoned pork and create a delicious, soupy
side dish.

B-man

[b-man]

THAI SHRIMP SALAD

Ingredients:

3 C. water
1 lb. fresh or frozen shrimp in shell
2 T. sliced green onion
1 T. finely chopped lemon grass
3/4 tsp. chopped, seeded red chile pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. fish sauce
1 tsp. oil
Lettuce

In saucepan bring water to boil. Add shrimp and simmer for
2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Drain. Shell and devein.

In bowl combine green onion, lemon grass, chile pepper, garlic,
lemon juice and fish sauce. Add oil. Mix well. Add shrimp. Toss to
coat well. Cover and chill.

Toss again before serving. Serve on lettuce-lined plate.

Makes 3 or 4 servings.

B-man

[b-man]

THAI PORK WITH CELLOPHANE NOODLES

Ingredients:

3/4 C. cellophane noodles
5 T. stock
2 T. fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped
1 T. mirin (sweet rice vinegar)
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 clove garlic
1 thin slice ginger root
3/4 lb. lean pork, sliced paper thin
1 C. shredded spinach
1/4 C. chopped water chestnuts
1/4 C. slivered sweet red pepper

In a medium mixing bowl, cover the noodles with hot water and let
them soak for 20 minutes. Drain. Cut into 1-inch pieces with
scissors.

Combine 2 tablespoons of the stock with the beans, mirin and
cornstarch.

In a wok or large nonstick frying pan, cook the garlic and ginger
in the remaining stock for 1 minute over medium-high heat. Discard
the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry the pork and noodles for 3 minutes or
until pork is cooked through. Add the spinach, water chestnuts,
peppers and bean mixture. Toss to heat through. Serve
immediately.

Serves 4.

B-man

[b-man]

ASIAN HONEY-TEA GRILLED SHRIMP

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
Salt
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 C. brewed double-strength orange spice tea, cooled
1/4 C. honey
1/4 C. rice vinegar
1/4 C. soy sauce
1 T. peeled, finely chopped fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

In a plastic bag, combine tea, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger
and pepper, to make marinade. Remove 1/2 cup marinade; set
aside for dipping sauce.

Add shrimp to marinade remaining in plastic bag, turning to coat.
Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes or up
to 12 hours.

Remove shrimp from marinade; discard marinade. Thread shrimp
onto 8 skewers, dividing evenly. Grill over medium hot coals 4 to
6 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and are just firm to the touch,
turning once. Season with salt, to taste.

Meanwhile, prepare dipping sauce by placing reserved 1/2 cup
marinade in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high
heat. Boil 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly reduced. Stir in green
onions.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 202 cal., 35 g pro., 7 g carbo., 3 g fat; 259 mg chol.,
511 mg sodium

B-man

[b-man]

THAI BEEF RIBBONS

Ingredients:

1 lb. beef flank steak
1/3 C. teriyaki sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 T. finely chopped ginger root
1 T. vegetable oil
1 tsp. sesame seed, toasted

Soak thirty 6-inch bamboo skewers. Combine teriyaki sauce,
ginger root, oil, garlic and red pepper.

Cut steak across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices; place slices in
plastic bag. Pour marinade over steak, turning to coat. Tie bag
securely and marinate 15 minutes.

Pour off marinade. Thread each slice onto a bamboo skewer.
Place ribbons on rack in broiler pan so surface of meat is 3 to
4 inches from heat. Broil 2 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with
sesame seed.

Makes 15 appetizer servings of 2 ribbons each.

Contains 64 calories per 2 ribbons.

B-man

[b-man]

BLACK THAI PORK

Ingredients:

4 boneless pork chops, cut into stir-fry strips
1 C. salsa or picante sauce
1/2 C. peanut butter
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. molasses
1 T. water
1 T. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 T. vegetable oil
1 T. sesame seed, toasted if desired
2 T. thinly sliced scallions
3 C. hot cooked cellophane noodles or rice

For sauce, in a medium saucepan combine salsa, peanut butter,
soy sauce, vinegar, molasses and water. Bring to boiling, stirring
often. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a plastic or paper bag combine chili powder, ginger,
garlic salt and pepper. Add pork strips; shake until pork is coated
with spice mixture.

In a large skillet heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat; cook
and stir pork strips for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Spoon
the sauce on to individual plates. Arrange the pork strips on top of
sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seed, then top with green onions.
Serve with noodles or rice.

B-man

[b-man]

THAI FRIED NOODLES

Ingredients:

1 lb. Thai rice noodles
10 medium size shrimp, shelled and cleaned
2 eggs
1 C. bean sprouts
1 T. coarsely ground peanuts
1 T. sugar
1 T. fish sauce
1 T. vinegar
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 C. vegetable oil

If dry noodles are used, soak them in warm water for 15 minutes,
then drain.

In a frying pan put all the oil, brown the garlic until light brown,
add the shrimp and cook until well done.

Add sugar, fish sauce, vinegar and stir together. Add eggs, break
in the yolk, then add noodles and fry until noodles turn orange.

Add the bean sprouts to the mixture and fry until bean sprouts are
cooked (about 1 to 2 minutes).

B-man

[b-man]

THAI EGG ROLLS

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken breast, deboned
1 small head cabbage
6 carrots
Egg roll wrappers
2 cloves garlic, minced
Soy sauce
Wesson oil
Salt and pepper
1 beaten egg

Dice the chicken breast. Shred cabbage and carrots.

Heat oil in large skillet, add minced garlic and few tablespoons
soy sauce plus salt and pepper. Stir-fry chicken approximately
10 minutes or until brown.

Remove chicken to paper towels to drain.

Stir-fry cabbage and carrots for a few minutes in same pan.
Remove vegetables to paper towels to drain.

Combine chicken with vegetables in egg roll wrappers. Use a
beaten egg to stick edges together. Deep fry in hot oil until
golden brown.

B-man

[b-man]

FRIED LUMPIA (FIlipino)

This is good with either pork or shrimp. Be sure to set aside enough time to prepare the rolls.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground pork or chopped shrimp
1/4 C. chopped water chestnuts
1/2 C. finely chopped onions
1/4 C. minced fresh mushrooms
2 egg yolks
3 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic salt, or to taste
Pepper, to taste
Vegetable oil
Fresh spring roll wrappers
Sweet and Sour Sauce with Apricots

Mix all of the filling ingredients in large bowl. To test the filling, fry a spoonful in a pan with a little oil, and taste to determine if seasonings need adjustment.

To roll, place wrapper in front of you with the corners turned so it forms a diamond rather than a square. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling on the quarter of the wrapper nearest you and roll the point away from you and around the filling, folding in the sides and pinching them together as the filling rolls past them. As you complete the roll seal the edges with water. Repeat until all the wrappers and filling has been used up. Deep fry in oil until golden brown.

Serve hot with Sweet and Sour Sauce. Makes 50 rolls.

LUMPIA (Philippine Egg Rolls)

Wrappers (Doilies)

3 C. flour
5 C. water, less 2 T.
Salt, to taste

Filling

3/4 lb. ground pork or beef
5 oz. raw shrimp, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1 (4 oz.) can bamboo shoots, drained and finely chopped
1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 (16 oz.) can bean sprouts, drained
1/2 C. raisins, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil

Lumpia Sauce

2 C. pineapple juice
1 C. catsup
1/2 tsp. vinegar
1 T. brown sugar
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1/2-inch cube ginger, crushed
1/4 tsp. salt
1 T. cornstarch

To make wrappers, combine flour, water and salt to taste and mix thoroughly with a wire whisk to remove lumps. Batter should be about the consistency of crepe batter. Add a little water if it is too thick. If the batter thickens as it sits, you may have to add more water.

Heat a 6-inch crepe pan and wipe out with lightly oiled wax paper. Pour on batter quickly to cover the bottom. Pour off excess. Allow to cook over low heat until the edges begin to curl and pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove and place on clean, dry surface. Repeat, oiling pan each time. Do not stack wrappers on top of each other until each has cooled.

Before filling, cut off excess batter to make a perfect circle.

To make filling, cook pork or beef in a large skillet until pinkness is gone. Drain off grease. Add shrimp, onions, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, celery, garlic and carrot; cook until carrot is almost tender. Stir in remaining ingredients except the egg white and oil. Mix well. Cook until bean sprouts are limp.

Pour mixture into strainer and cool, allowing as much liquid as possible to drain off before filling rolls. Use about 1 heaping teaspoon for each wrapper. Place filling near one side. Roll wrapper over filling a couple of times; fold in sides and roll up tightly. Seal flap with a little egg white.

Deep fry in vegetable oil heated to about 375°F until rolls are golden.

Drain thoroughly on paper towels and serve with sauce.

B-man

[echarest]

ASIAN POT STICKERS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup julienned carrots
1/2 cup shredded Napa cabbage
1 cup crawfish tails
2 teaspoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon chopped peanuts
Salt and pepper
24 wonton wrappers
1 cup Ginger Soy Butter Sauce
Long chives

In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the carrots,
cabbage and crawfish. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté the mixture for 2 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil, cilantro leaves, and peanuts. Season with salt and pepper. Bring a pot of salt water to a boil. Spoon a tablespoon of the filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. With water, slightly wet the edges of each wonton. Bring one corner of the wrapper to the other, forming a triangle, seal the edges tightly. Poach 1/2 of the wontons in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the wontons start to float. Remove from the water and drain. Bring the pot of water back to a boil and poach the remaining wontons. In a sauté pan, heat the 1 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, carefully add 1/2 of the wontons, one at a time, and pan-fry the wontons for 1 minute and remove from the pan. Add the remaining oil and continue to pan-fry the remaining wontons. To assemble, spoon 1/4 cup of the sauce in the
center of each plate. Arrange 6 wontons in the center of the sauce. Garnish with long chives.
Yield: 4 appetizer servings

[echarest]

BEEF CHOW MEIN
This authentic Cantonese version of chow mein features fresh egg noodles, which are fried into a cake that softens slightly when topped with a meat and vegetable sauce. Be careful not to mistake wonton noodles for Chinese egg noodles — although they look similar, wonton noodles don’t have the same rich texture.

8 oz fresh thin Chinese egg noodles* (also called Hong Kong noodles; not wonton noodles)
1 (1/2-lb) piece flank steak
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (preferably Shaoxing) or medium-dry Sherry
2 tablespoons oyster sauce*
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
3 scallions, cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
5 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps quartered (2 1/2 cups)
6 oz choy sum, cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces (2 1/2 cups) or 1-inch-wide broccoli florets
Special equipment: a well-seasoned 14-inch wok (preferably flat-bottomed)

Bring 8 cups unsalted water to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart pot, then add noodles, stirring to separate, and cook 15 seconds. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until noodles are cool, then shake colander briskly to drain excess water.

Cut steak with the grain into 1 1/2- to 2-inch-wide strips. Cut each strip across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices and put in a medium bowl. Using your hands, toss beef with sugar, sesame oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Let beef marinate at room temperature while preparing remaining ingredients.

Stir together remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1/4 teaspoon white pepper in a small bowl until smooth, then stir in chicken broth.

Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within 1 to 2 seconds of contact, then add 1/2 cup peanut oil and heat until just smoking. Carefully add noodles all at once, flattening top to form a 9-inch cake. Cook until underside is golden, 4 to 5 minutes, rotating noodle cake with a metal spatula to brown evenly and lifting edges occasionally to check color. Carefully flip noodle cake over with spatula and tongs, then cook, rotating cake, until other side is golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer noodle cake to a large paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Discard any oil remaining in wok and wipe out wok with paper towels.

Transfer drained noodle cake to a platter and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.

Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Pour 1 tablespoon peanut oil down side of wok, then swirl oil, tilting wok to coat sides. Add beef, spreading pieces in 1 layer on bottom and sides as quickly as possible. Cook, undisturbed, letting beef begin to brown, 1 minute, then stir-fry until meat is just browned on all sides but still pink in center, about 1 minute. Transfer meat and any juices to a plate.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok over high heat. When oil just begins to smoke, add ginger and garlic and stir-fry 5 seconds, then add scallions and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and stir-fry until softened, about 3 minutes. Add choy sum and stir-fry until leaves are bright green and just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes (if using broccoli, cook until almost crisp-tender). Stir broth mixture, then pour into wok and stir-fry until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add beef and stir to coat. Return mixture just to a boil, then pour over noodle cake.

*Available at Uwajimaya (800-889-1928).

Makes 4 main-course servings.
Gourmet
September 2005
Inspired by “Chop Suey Chow Mein,” Louis Prima, 1953