Pan Asian Cuisine

RECIPE FORUM International Recipes
81

CHOP SUEY
Chinese viceroy Li Hung Chang, visiting San Francisco’s Palace Hotel in the 1890s, requested vegetables with a bit of meat “job suey,” or “in fine pieces,” and chef Joseph Herder obliged.
Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 pound pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick strips

2 celery ribs diagonally cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
6 oz snow peas diagonally cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 lb bok choy, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (leaves and ribs separately)
1/4 lb mushrooms cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 onion, halved lengthwise and into 1/4-inch-thick strips
1 green bell pepper cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips, then halved crosswise
1/4 lb mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1 (5-oz) can sliced water chestnuts
1 (5-oz) can sliced bamboo shoots

1/4 cup chicken broth

Vegetable oil
Water
Salt and pepper to taste

Stir together garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch in a bowl. Stir in pork and marinate 15 minutes.

Keep cut vegetables separate. Heat a wok over high heat until a bead of water dropped onto cooking surface evaporates immediately. Drizzle 1 teaspoon vegetable oil around side of wok, then stir-fry celery, seasoning with salt, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer celery to a large bowl. Reheat wok and stir-fry each remaining vegetable separately in same manner (but allow only 1 minute for bean sprouts), adding 1 teaspoon oil to wok before each batch and seasoning with salt. When stir-frying bok choy, begin with ribs, then add leaves and 1 tablespoon water after 1 minute. Transfer each vegetable as cooked to bowl with celery.

Stir together chicken broth, 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch.

Reheat wok over high heat until a bead of water evaporates immediately. Drizzle 1 tablespoon vegetable oil around side of wok, then stir-fry pork until just cooked through, about 2 minutes.

Return all vegetables to wok and toss. Make a well in center, then stir broth mixture and add to well. Bring sauce to a boil, undisturbed, then stir to combine with pork and vegetables. Serve immediately, with cooked rice.

Makes 6 servings.
Gourmet
March 2002

82

Crab Rangoon Pot Stickers with Hot Mustard Sauce Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 36 minutes
Yield: 4 dozen
User Rating: No Rating

4 ounces bacon, chopped
1/4 cup minced yellow onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
6 ounces crawfish tails
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces goat cheese, softened
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 ounces Monterey Jack, grated
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
1 package egg roll wrappers
Water
Vegetable oil
Essence, for dusting, recipe follows
Hot Mustard Sauce, recipe follows

In a small skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned and crispy. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until soft, about 1 minute. Add the crawfish, stir, and remove from the heat.
In a bowl, combine the cooked onion mixture, cream cheese, goat cheese soy sauce, hot sauce, green onions, and cilantro, and blend together. Add the Monterey Jack and mix well. Fold in the crabmeat, being careful not to break up the lumps. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.

Working 1 at a time, place the egg roll wrappers on a work surface. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture into the center of the wonton and wet the edges. Fold over the sides to form a triangle and press to seal the edges. Set on a baking sheet and cover with a lightly damp cloth to prevent from drying out while assembling the remaining ingredients.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the crab rangoons and brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Once the rangoons are well browned, add a little water and cover. Cook an additional 2 minutes.

Arrange the crab rangoons on a platter. Serve hot with the dipping sauce.

Emeril’s ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup

Hot Mustard Sauce:
1/4 cup Chinese mustard powder
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon grated ginger
3/4 cup peanut oil
Whisk together mustard, vinegar, water, sesame oil, lime juice, honey, and ginger. While whisking, drizzle in the peanut oil.

83

Crispy Scallion Potato Pancakes
MAKE-AHEAD
TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN
SERVES: 8 TO 10
Tyler lives on the border between New York City’s Chinatown and the Lower East Side, a historically Jewish neighborhood. His potato pancakes—salty and crunchy on the outside, warm and silky on the inside—are a Chinese-Jewish hybrid: part scallion pancake, part latke.
ingredients
4 1/2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and shredded on the large holes of a box grater
1 bunch of scallions, both white and green parts, very finely chopped
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup vegetable oil

directions
Squeeze the shredded potatoes dry. In a large bowl, using 2 forks, mix the shredded potatoes with the scallions, egg white, salt and pepper.
Set two 10-inch nonstick skillets over high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of oil to each skillet. Add the potato mixture to the skillets and press into firm cakes. Set a heatproof plate or glass pie plate over each cake just to cover it. Weight down each plate with a large, heavy can and reduce the heat to moderate. Cook for 5 minutes. Uncover carefully and slide the cakes onto plates. Add 3 tablespoons of the remaining oil to each skillet. Carefully invert the potato cakes and return them to the skillets. Press the cakes firmly and cook until they are browned and crisp on the bottom, about 12 minutes longer. Slide the potato cakes onto a work surface. Cut into wedges and serve.
MAKE AHEAD The potato cakes can be cooked up to 4 hours ahead. Just before serving, cut them into wedges and cook in a nonstick skillet over moderate heat for about 4 minutes per side.

84

DRUNKEN NOODLES
There isn’t a drop of alcohol in this dish — the name refers to how much you’ll want to drink to combat the heat. We suggest a nice cold beer or sparkling wine.

2 14-ounce packages 1/4-inch-wide flat rice noodles*
1/4 cup vegetable oil
12 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh Thai chiles*
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc nam)*
1/4 cup black soy sauce*
1/4 cup Golden Mountain sauce* or light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
4 large plum tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges
4 Anaheim chiles or Italian frying peppers, or 2 green bell peppers (about 12 ounces total), cut into strips
1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves* or regular basil leaves

Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring frequently. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and Thai chiles; sauté 30 seconds. Add chicken and next 4 ingredients and sauté until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add noodles, tomatoes, and Anaheim chiles; toss to coat. Transfer to large platter, sprinkle with basil leaves, and serve.

*Available in the Asian foods section or produce section of some supermarkets, and at Southeast Asian and some Asian markets.

Makes 6 servings.
Bon Appétit
September 2005
Sripraphai, Queens, New York

85

Hot and Sour Soup

3 dried wood ears or 4 dried mushrooms
20 dried lily buds, optional
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half
1 Tablespoon dry cooking sherry
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup sliced bamboo shoots (1/2 of an 8-ounce can), drained and cut into matchstick pieces
4 ounces bean curd, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3 Tablespoons water
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 green onions, cut into 1 1/2-inch slivers

  1. Place wood ears and lily buds in separate bowls; cover with hot water. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Pinch out hard knobs from center of wood ears and discard. Cut wood ears into thin strips. (If using mushrooms, cut off and discard stems; cut caps into thin slices.) Cut off and discard hard tips from lily buds.

  2. Cut chicken crosswise into thin slices; sprinkle with sherry. Let stand 15 minutes.

  3. Bring chicken broth to a boil in 3-quart saucepan. Add wood ears, lily buds, chicken and bamboo shoots. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes. Add bean curd, vinegar, soy sauce and white pepper; cook 3 minutes more.

  4. Blend cornstarch and water in a small cup; stir into soup. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened. Turn off heat. Stirring constantly, slowly pour egg into soup. Stir in sesame oil and onions.

Makes 6 servings.

86

Kyoto Steak House Fried Rice

64 oz. medium grain milled rice (measuring cup)
12 oz. peas and carrots
1 oz. salt
1 oz. vegetable oil
1 T. ground white pepper
12 oz. chopped sweet yellow onion
2 eggs
butter or margarine

Wash rice until clear water comes up, then mix salt, vegetable oil and white pepper together and then start cooking with rice cooker.

When rice is done, put in the chopped onion, peas and carrots. Now precook is done.

Start on the grill, cook the fried rice. Pour eggs on grill and cook. Chop into small pieces.

Add butter or margarine, soy sauce, then serve.

87

Mu Shu Veggie Wrap

Serve: One wrap per child; 2 per adult

Yield 8 wraps

4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tsp vegetable oil
1 cup pre-sliced sweet red pepper (1 medium)
1 cup pre-shredded carrots
1 cup packaged sliced mushrooms
4 cups packaged broccoli slaw
¼ c (for filling) plus 8 tsp (for wraps) hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp vegetable or beef broth
Eight 7-inch flour tortillas

  1. Scramble eggs in 1 tsp oil over medium-high heat until just cooked. Remove eggs from skillet and keep warm.
  2. Add remaining 2 tsp oil to skillet and cook pepper, carrots, mushrooms and broccoli slaw until crisp tender, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.
  3. Add the ¼ c hoisin sauce and broth to skillet, mix and heat for 1 minute.
  4. Meanwhile, microwave tortillas on high for 15 seconds until soft.
  5. Spread 1 tsp remaining hoisin sauce on each tortilla. Divide eggs and vegetable mixture among tortillas and roll up.

Per 1 wrap: 271 calories; 8 g fat

88

WONTON SOUP

Wonton Filling:
1/2 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon thin soy sauce
2 teaspoons shao hsing wine
Freshly grated black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Square wonton wrappers
Egg wash
Broth:
1 pound pork neck bones, chopped into large pieces
2 pounds fowl, chopped into large pieces
1 Smithfield ham bone
1 Chinese dried fish (if available)
4 pieces of ducks feet
6 dried chicken wings
1 1/2 pounds combined coarsely chopped: celery, carrots, onions, scallions
Few drops yellow food coloring
1 teaspoon Msg (optional)
2 cups bok choy leaves cut in 1/2inch julienne
1/2 cup Chinese roast pork, slivered

To Make The Wontons:

In a bowl combine all the filling ingredients.

Open the wonton wrappers and keep them under a dampened cloth.

Place a wrapper on a surface with a corner pointing toward you. Brush the egg wash along the four edges of the wrapper. Place a second wrapper on top and press the edges together to seal. Put 2 teaspoons of filling on the center of the wrapper. Pick up the corner closest to you and fold the wrapper over the filling, making a triangle with the long side at the bottom, closest to you. Press down on the edges to seal in the filling while at the same time pushing out any air. Put egg wash on the top of the left tip and the bottom of the right tip. Keeping the wonton flat on the surface, bend the tips toward you and cross them, putting the right tip on top of the left tip. Squeeze together to seal. Repeat with remaining filling.

Reserve prepared wontons on a tray covered with a cloth.

You can keep formed wontons in your refrigerator for up to 3 hours, or, to keep them longer, freeze them on the tray and, when frozen, knock tray on edge of table to loosen them and put them into plastic bag, seal it and return them to the freezer. They will keep for up to 1 month.

To Make The Broth:

Heat 1 gallon or water to a boil in a stockpot.

Add pork neck bones, fowl, ham bone, dried fish, ducks feet, chicken wings, celery, carrots, onions and scallions.

Bring to a boil and simmer 1 1/2 hours, then drain.

To drained stock add yellow food coloring, msg, wontons, bok choy, and slivers of pork. Simmer for 10 minutes and serve.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

89

Beef Sukiyaki Noodles
FAST
HEALTHY
TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN
SERVES: 4
In ancient Japan, farmers often used a plow (suki) for grilling (yaki) meat. Thus, sukiyaki was born. In her riff on that dish, Shimbo sears thinly sliced beef in a wok until it’s tender, then mixes it with onions, mushrooms, tofu, watercress and fettuccine.
ingredients
1/2 pound dried fettuccine
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sake
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 pound beef sirloin, thinly sliced across the grain and cut into 2-inch lengths
Salt
1 medium sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
8 large shiitake mushrooms, caps only, quartered
3 scallions, cut into matchsticks
1 bunch of watercress, thick stems discarded
1/2 pound (about 1/2 block) firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes

directions
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the fettuccine until al dente, about 12 minutes. Drain and rinse under hot water. Transfer the noodles to 4 bowls and keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce with the sake, water and sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Season the beef with salt, add to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until half-cooked, 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, 5 minutes. Add the shiitake caps and cook until softened, 5 minutes longer. Add the scallions and watercress and cook, stirring gently, until the watercress is just wilted, 1 minute. Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the skillet, along with the tofu. Add half of the soy-sake sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer just until the meat is cooked through, 1 minute. Spoon the sukiyaki over the noodles and drizzle with the remaining soy-sake sauce. Serve.
WINE Medium-bodied red: 2003 Vasse Felix Adams Road Shiraz.

90

BENIHANA FRIED RICE
1/2 teaspoon chopped onion
1/3 teaspoon chopped carrots
1/3 teaspoon green onions
4 ounces steamed rice
3 pinches of salt
7 teaspoons cream butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon oil
1 ounce cooked chicken
1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds
3 pinches of pepper
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Scramble eggs and chop after cooking. Saute chopped onion, green onion and
carrots until done and mix with chopped scrambled egg and chicken. Break off
chunks of steamed rice and mix with vegetable, egg and chicken mixture. Add
sesame seeds and salt and pepper. Stir in cream butter and soy sauce into the
mixture.
Yield: 1 serving

91

BENIHANA GINGER SAUCE
5 ounces sliced onion, rinsed in running water for 15 minutes
2 ounces ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
1 lemon, peeled and chopped, juice squeezed
2 cups soy sauce
1 cup vinegar
Combine all ingredients into a blender and mix well. May be stored in
refrigerator for up to one week.

92

JAPANESE COLD NOODLES
Somen
Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

In a six-part series in 1975, correspondent Elizabeth Andoh taught us about the reverent seasonality of Japanese cuisine. It was with this summer recipe that many of us learned that noodles as well as rice are eaten in Japan. The concept of icy-cold noodles took only one taste to grasp: Andoh’s recipe for somen is one of the lightest and most refreshing pasta preparations we’ve ever had.

For dipping sauce
2 cups unseasoned dashi (Japanese soup stock)
5 tablespoons usukuchi shoyu (Japanese light soy sauce)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
1 1/2 tablespoons shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)

For somen
3 bundles somen (thin white wheat noodles), paper wrapping discarded

Accompaniments: finely grated peeled fresh ginger; minced scallion; shredded fresh shiso leaves; sesame seeds

Make dipping sauce:
Heat all dipping sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Cool sauce, then chill, covered, until cold, about 1 hour.

Cook somen:
Bring 2 1/2 quarts water to a rolling boil in a 4-quart saucepan over moderately high heat. Add noodles and 1 cup more water. When water returns to a boil, add 1 cup cold water and bring back to a boil. Simmer noodles until just tender and slightly translucent, about 2 minutes. Test noodles for doneness by dipping 1 strand in cold water and sampling. If noodles are not tender, add 1 cup more water and return water to a boil. Drain noodles in a colander and rinse well under cold water.

To serve somen:
Divide noodles among 6 bowls filled with ice and cold water. Divide dipping sauce among 6 small bowls and serve with accompaniments for flavoring it, then dip each mouthful of noodles in sauce.

Makes 6 servings.
Gourmet
July 1975; reprinted September 2001

93

WASABI OIL

1/2 cup wasabi powder
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon sugar
Water
1/2 cup canola oil

In a stainless steel bowl, whisk wasabi, mirin and sugar. Add water until a loose puree is achieved. Whisk in oil. For extra spicy, use less oil.

94

Spicy Udon and Clam Soup
FAST
HEALTHY
TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN
SERVES: 4
This dish is based on the classic Korean noodle soup kal gooksu (or “knife noodles,” so named because the handmade dough is cut with a knife). In the traditional version, any spicy seasoning would be served on the side, but Lee opts to mix hers right into the bracing soup, adding spinach for extra flavor.
ingredients
1/2 pound dried udon
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1 1/4 teaspoons Asian chili-garlic sauce, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon pure ancho chile powder
Pinch of sugar
Salt
2 cups clam broth
2 cups water
24 littleneck clams, scrubbed
4 ounces baby spinach (4 cups)
2 scallions, thickly sliced

directions
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the udon until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain, shaking out the excess water.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the garlic, sesame oil, 1 1/4 teaspoons chili sauce, chile powder, sugar and a pinch of salt. Add the clam broth and water and bring to a boil. Add the clams and cook until opened, about 5 minutes; transfer the clams to a bowl.
Add the spinach, scallions and udon to the broth and cook until the spinach is wilted, 1 minute. Ladle the udon soup into 4 bowls and top with the clams. Pass extra chili sauce at the table.
WINE Light white with a mineral edge: 2004 Sigalas Santorini.

95

Vegetable Noodle Tangle

TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN
SERVES: 4
There are many traditional Korean ingredients here: sesame oil, chopped scallions, toasted sesame seeds. somen, a thin Japanese wheat noodle, is commonly used in Korean cooking too. It is perfect for slurping up along with the zucchini, cucumbers and carrots. If you want an extra dose of authentic flavor, add some spicy Korean chili paste before serving.
ingredients
1 pound dried somen
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 small zucchini, thinly sliced crosswise
Salt
3 carrots, coarsely shredded
3 scallions, coarsely chopped
2 Kirby cucumbers, seeded and coarsely shredded
Toasted sesame seeds, for serving

directions
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the somen until al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under lukewarm water. Shake well and transfer the somen to 4 soup bowls.
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce with the sesame oil and sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the zucchini, season with salt and cook over high heat until softened and just beginning to brown, 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the carrots and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the zucchini. Add the scallions and toss. Mound the vegetables on the noodles and drizzle the soy mixture on top. Garnish with the cucumbers and sesame seeds and serve.
WINE Delicate, floral white: 2004 Cecchi Litorale Vermentino.

96

Cellophane Noodle and Vegetable Salad

TOTAL TIME: 45 MIN
6 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS
The Good News This refreshing, crunchy salad combines a slew of nutrient-rich ingredients, including carrots (for vitamin B6 and beta-carotene) and mung bean sprouts (for iron, folate and potassium).
ingredients
Four 1.75-ounce packages dried cellophane noodles
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
6 ounces jicama, peeled and julienned
2 medium carrots, julienned
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 medium cucumber—peeled, seeded and cut into 1/3-inch dice
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 cup mung bean sprouts
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup chopped roasted salted peanuts

directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, put the cellophane noodles in a large bowl and cover with warm water. Let the noodles stand until pliable, about 20 minutes; drain. Using scissors, cut the noodles into 6-inch lengths.
In a small skillet, toast the sesame seeds over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate. In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce with the honey and sesame oil.
Add the cellophane noodles to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes; drain. Return the noodles to the pot, fill it with cold water, then drain again. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl. Add the jicama, carrots, scallions, cucumber, jalapeño and bean sprouts and toss again. Add the soy sauce dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a platter. Sprinkle the salad with the peanuts and toasted sesame seeds and serve.
NOTES One Serving 328 cal, 14 gm total fat, 1.9 gm saturated fat, 47 gm carb, 5 gm fiber.

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Recipe by Shaun Danyel Hergatt
From The Asian Spa Experience
This recipe originally appeared in September, 2005.

97

Quick-Braised Eggplant with Coconut Milk and Scallions

TOTAL TIME: 25 MIN
SERVES: 6
Phan created this quick wok-braised dish by chance when he ran out of cooking space on his restaurant grill. Adding unsweetened coconut milk (a staple in southern Vietnam) to the eggplant after it’s stir-fried keeps the texture silky.
ingredients
1/4 cup canola oil
1 medium onion, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/4 pounds Asian or Italian eggplants (about 4), cut into 3-by-1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup Chinese cooking wine, sake or water
1/2 cup Vietnamese Stir-fry Sauce
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk, stirred just before using
2 teaspoons Asian chili paste
4 large scallions, white and tender green parts only, cut into 3/4-inch lengths

directions
Heat the canola oil in a large skillet or a wok until small puffs of smoke begin to appear. Add the onion and garlic and stir-fry over high heat until the onion is just crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Add the eggplant and stir-fry until browned in spots and just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the Chinese cooking wine and cook until nearly evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the Vietnamese Stir-fry Sauce, water, coconut milk and chili paste. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is very tender and the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes longer. Add the scallions and cook for 30 seconds. Serve the eggplant hot.
MAKE AHEAD The eggplant can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently before serving.

SERVE WITH Steamed jasmine rice.

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Recipe by Charles Phan
From Vietnam à la Cart
This recipe originally appeared in September, 2005.

98

Vietnamese Stir-fry Sauce

TOTAL TIME: 10 MIN
MAKES ABOUT 1 3/4 CUPS
Phan uses this unbelievably simple, three-ingredient sauce in almost every stir-fry. Its key ingredient is a fish sauce that lends a faintly nutty, richly pungent and quintessentially Vietnamese character to the dish.
ingredients
1 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar

directions
In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the fish sauce and sugar; stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool.
MAKE AHEAD The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

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Recipe by Charles Phan
From Vietnam à la Cart
This recipe originally appeared in September, 2005.

99

Stir-fried Baby Bok Choy with Shiitake Mushrooms

TOTAL TIME: 15 MIN
SERVES: 6
Charles Phan prefers tender baby bok choy but if you can only find mature heads, separate the leaves from the stems, cut the stems into 1 1/2-inch pieces and stir-fry them separately so the leaves don’t overcook.
ingredients
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds baby bok choy, leaves separated from the stems
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine
3/4 cup Vietnamese Stir-fry Sauce

directions
In a large skillet or a wok, heat the oil until small puffs of smoke begin to appear. Add the garlic and stir-fry over high heat for 10 seconds. Add the shiitake and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the bok choy and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add the Vietnamese Stir-fry Sauce and cook until the bok choy is tender but still bright green and the sauce is slightly reduced, about 4 minutes longer. Serve hot.
SERVE WITH Steamed jasmine rice.

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Recipe by Charles Phan
From Vietnam à la Cart
This recipe originally appeared in September, 2005.

100

Some years ago, former Moosewood cooks Ashley Miller and Bob Love introduced this popular dish to the rest of us. They had discovered it in Chinese cooking classes with Stella Fessler, one of our Ithaca mentors. We’ve been grateful for it ever since.Today, similar spicy noodle salads seem to be on the menus of most Asian restaurants and every slightly trendy café, but it is still a favorite with us and we think you’ll be glad to learn how easy it si to make at home. Serves 4 to 6½ pound whole-wheat spaghetti, soba (buckwheat) noodles, or linguini¼ cup peanut butter (or a mixture of peanut butter and tahini)¼ cup warm water3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce2 tablespoons wine vinegar (preferably rice wine vinegar)1 tablespoon dark sesame oil1 teaspoon hot chili oil2 cups fresh mung bean sprouts1 cucumber, peeled, cut lengthwise, seeded, and cut into crescent sliceschopped scallionstoasted sesame seeds Cook the pasta al dente in salted water. Drain it and rinse with cold water. Mix the peanut butter, warm water, soy sauce, vinegar, and oils. Toss the noodles with the bean sprouts, cucumbers, and sauce. Top with chopped scallions and/or toasted sesame seeds, if desired. This dish is most flavorful served at room temperature. Spicy Szechuan Noodles are attractive served on crisp leaves of romaine. We usually serve it with steamed or blanched carrots and broccoli marinated in a ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and vinegar dressing.Reprinted from New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant, Copyright © 1987 by Moosewood, Inc. Ten Speed Press, publisher.