Recipes

[Poodlepet2]

Sabitini, I stand corrected: I read so many "velveting" recipes, I mixed up ingredients. The recipe I found on Dr. Ram doesn't even use any vinegar or rice wine.

Poodlepet2

[sabatini]

I mentioned Barbara Tropp upthread. She really was amazing, and has often be referred to as 'the Julia Child of Chinese cooking'.

If you ever have a chance to check one of her books out from the library, you'll have a fascinating read.

Her book 'The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking' is a treasure.

The China Moon Cookbook came later.

As a young mom, at night I'd just sit & read & be carried away w/ her tales and techniques that were all new to me.

Her books are extremely detailed, and in her later years, she even admitted that she didn't take the time to cook w/ such precision, so don't let it scare you off. It's her info and techniques that are invaluable and super informative, w/ little descriptions you'll commit to memory.

Like, when is the oil a perfect temperature to stir fry?

When a single scallion ring tossed into the wok "sizzles merrily".

Barbara Tropp's recipes aren't 'Americanized', so some flavors might be unfamiliar.

Here are a few.

BTW, her ''Everyday Chinese Rice" is a go-to recipe.

Preparation Notes for Everyday Chinese Rice

Chinese Rice  **

HOISIN EXPLOSION | Bewitching Kitchen

Stir-Fried Spicy Chicken With Orange Zest and Crispy Cashews

[sabatini]

---

@ChazzyLady wrote:

Hi back at ya @sabatini!

........

Now, all I want for Christmas is a well seasoned carbon steel wok and a wok burner to give everything "wok hey!"

Thanks so much again.

---

@ChazzyLady, I hear you!!

I no longer have my well seasoned carbon steel wok. (SOB), because

I moved into a new place where electric stoves are all there is.

What is a wok burner??? If it's something that's used seperately, I might have a fighting chance at a decent stir fry. A flat bottomed wok just doesn't seem...normal? LOL.

[Toppers]

Thanks for sharing your recipes and tips, everyone!

We especially like Chinese chicken made this way. It tastes so good, and now we know why! 

[Ruthie-Roo]

---

@sabatini wrote:

I mentioned Barbara Tropp upthread. She really was amazing, and has often be referred to as 'the Julia Child of Chinese cooking'.

If you ever have a chance to check one of her books out from the library, you'll have a fascinating read.

Her book 'The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking' is a treasure.

The China Moon Cookbook came later.

As a young mom, at night I'd just sit & read & be carried away w/ her tales and techniques that were all new to me.

Her books are extremely detailed, and in her later years, she even admitted that she didn't take the time to cook w/ such precision, so don't let it scare you off. It's her info and techniques that are invaluable and super informative, w/ little descriptions you'll commit to memory.

Like, when is the oil a perfect temperature to stir fry?

When a single scallion ring tossed into the wok "sizzles merrily".

Barbara Tropp's recipes aren't 'Americanized', so some flavors might be unfamiliar.

Here are a few.

BTW, her ''Everyday Chinese Rice" is a go-to recipe.

Preparation Notes for Everyday Chinese Rice

Chinese Rice  **

HOISIN EXPLOSION | Bewitching Kitchen

Stir-Fried Spicy Chicken With Orange Zest and Crispy Cashews

---

@sabatini  Thanks for mentioning the Barbara Tropp book!  I looooove Chinese food, Americanized or not.  I love trying to make dishes at home, as best as I can.  I went to my library's web site and requested that book, so, thanks!  I'm sure I'll enjoy it.  :-)

By the way, I love this thread.  Thanks, everyone, for your input.  While I have heard of velveting meats before cooking, I have never tried it.  I plan to soon.  First heard of this process in a Martin Yan cookbook, but never understood why it was done.  Maybe I just didn't read carefully enough.  Very possible.

[catlover]

I ordered the book China Moon from ebay..............it was $3.97

Thank you to the poster that made us aware about this wonderful author.

[ChazzyLady]

---

@sabatini wrote:

---

@ChazzyLady wrote:

Hi back at ya @sabatini!

........

Now, all I want for Christmas is a well seasoned carbon steel wok and a wok burner to give everything "wok hey!"

Thanks so much again.

---

@ChazzyLady, I hear you!!

I no longer have my well seasoned carbon steel wok. (SOB), because

I moved into a new place where electric stoves are all there is.

What is a wok burner??? If it's something that's used seperately, I might have a fighting chance at a decent stir fry. A flat bottomed wok just doesn't seem...normal? LOL.

---

Hello @sabatini.  A wok burner is a separate piece of cooking equipment which will accommodate the rounded bottom of a traditional wok AND has the higher BTUs to duplicate the heat output of a restaurant stove top.  Part of the reason the food tastes so fabulous at Chinese as well as other types of restaurants and why it's so hard to do at home is that their cook tops/burners can put out the extremely high temperatures that not only cook the food quickly but allow them to get that wonderful searing affect on each dish.  Wok burners are only meant to be used outside on a patio or in a back yard.

Here's a very good description on eHow: http://www.ehow.com/info_12164058_wok-burner.html

Sigh, since I'll be hopefully moving soon into an apartment, it's not in the cards for me. But, I do have my eye on THIS:  http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/the-wok-mon-converts-your-home-burner-into-a-wok-range-solution.h...

It's a device that you can use at home to accommodate a round bottomed wok and give your burners an intensified heat output, but you must have a gas stove for this.  I'm definitely looking for a place with a gas stove, not really crazy about other types of stove tops.  The only other cook top I definitely want to get is an induction burner, or five,  LOL!

[Poodlepet2]

Hello everybody! Before I start after dinner clean-up, I just have to tell you the Dr. Ram recipe works!!!!  It was fabulous and easy-I love chicken breasts again! You know what I am wondering if this would work on oven fried chicken or air fried chicken.....this chicken was truly restaurant quality!

Poodlepet2

[mima]

Would this method work for beef?

[ChazzyLady]

---

@mima wrote:

Would this method work for beef?

---

Yes @mima it will.  You should check out @catlover's topic right here in recipes called "Velveting the Chicken Really Works." Also see tips up thread in this topic especially tips from @sabatini which specifically addresses using beef.