Monday, April 30, 2012

CHINESE COOKING.............EAT OUT!

Okay, I have been so busy in our yard, cleaning it up and planting that I have neglected my blog....sorry.  But my yard is beautiful........lots of flowers blooming......even have a tomato and one green pepper!  Was hungry for Chinese food.......so searched freezer and pantry to see if I had the ingredients necessary.  Looks as tho the only thing I was missing was egg roll wrappers.  Now, remember we live in the country........I can't just run to the store.......so decided to make my own.......which I have done before........but believe me........just buy them and keep them on hand!  I decided on egg rolls and sauces, fried rice and stir fry beef.  Usually this is an easy dinner BUT after making the wrappers and all the sauces, chopping all the vegys........I was 3 hours in preparation!!

First cook your rice.......2 cups water to 1 cup rice.......20 min.......perfect!  For fried rice....you want the rice cooked and cooled......so just set this aside.

After making the wrappers......which I won't go into......just buy them.......I made the filling:
Chop very fine about 1 cup cabbage
Rinse about 1 cup bean sprouts
chop finely 6 green onions
Chop in small pieces about 1 stalk celery
1 cup shredded carrots (fine)
Handful of shrimp........canned, fresh or frozen........cut into small pieces
Mix all of this and set aside.
In a small bowl mix: 1 Tblsp soy sauce, 1 Tblsp oyster sauce, shot of sherry OR white wine OR
                                   rice vinegar
In your wok on HOT......put about 1 Tblsp peanut oil........add the filling......stir and fry quickly.....then add the sauce over the top.......stir and fry more.......remove to a bowl and cool.
When cool.........put a little in the corner (the pointy end) of the wrapper.....roll up, seal with beaten egg and place on a cookie sheet that you have dusted with corn starch and then cover with a towel til ready to fry.
Fried Rice: Put 1 Tblsp peanut oil in your hot wok....Take your cold cooked rice and dump into the wok and stir to break it up........Add a bunch of soy sauce (til looks brown all over) chopped onion (green onions if you have them) chopped ham or shrimp and 1 beaten egg.  Stir and fry quickly..........remove to a bowl........pat it down tight and cover with foil til ready to serve.
Dipping Sauces for the egg rolls:  Make your own hot mustard from dry mustard.........and a sweet and sour sauce;  In a pan on the stove dump about 1/4 cup ketsup, about 1/3 cup sugar,
shot of soy sauce,  about 1/3 cup water and bring to a boil........then add 1/4 vinegar........bring to a boil and then mix up 1/4 cup water with 1 1/2 Tblsp corn starch then add this to the ketsup mixture...........I have used this recipe for sweet n sour for 40 years........easy and the best!
I deep fat fry by egg rolls in a skillet, not the wok........heat up abour 1 1/2 " of oil in skillet, fry each one remove to a paper towel. 
Now for the stir fry beef..........I used a piece of sirloin, cut into thin strips across the grain.......I Chopped in semi large pieces red onion, green pepper and a stalk of celery.  Make your sauce to have it ready.......1 Tblsp soy sauce, 1 Tblsp oyster sauce, shot of rice wine vinegar, and about 1 1/2 Tblsp of corn starch all mixed up........Okay, now in HOT wok with a smidgen of peanut oil quickly fry your beef and remove to side........now dump in all vegys, fry til doneness you would like.....dump beef back in and then dump on the sauce and quickly stir fry.......Dump all out into a bowl and sprinkle all with toasted sesame seeds.
Okay............now you can see why I said........just go out to eat Chinese food!  If you live where you have a good restaurant........go for it!! 


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