Niki's Lacy Tempura

Moo, Niki and I worked hard to create a tempura recipe that would enable us to create a light and lacy tempura. We experimented with many ingredients, temperatures and combinations. This is one of our better creations. Great with shrimp and vegetables.

1 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined and flattened
2 eggs
1 cup very cold water
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
10 ice cubes
4 T very cold water
Olive oil

Tempura Dipping Sauce #1
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sherry
Sprinkle a little minced ginger on each individual bowl of dipping sauce

Dipping Sauce #2 (not traditional but very good)
1 T dry mustard
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 T water

Once you have cleaned and prepared the shrimp, store them in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook. To make the batter, beat eggs with very cold water. Sift together flour, cornstarch and salt. Beat this mix into the liquid (this is not a lumpy batter). Because you want the batter to be very cold when you drip shrimp and/or vegetables into the hot oil, add 10 ice cubes to the batter and set the batter bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice.

Pour enough olive oil into a sauce pan to deep fry shrimp. Heat oil to 375 degrees. And it will be important for you to maintain a steady heat.

With your left hand dip into the lace batter and shake it into the hot oil. With right hand, dip a cold shrimp into the main batter and roll it onto the lace. Cook until golden

For lace, place 1 cup of batter into a smaller bowl. Stir in 4 T of very cold water.

Moo's Shredded Beef with Hot Sauce

1 lb. flank steak
6-8 fresh water chestnuts
2 T tree ears fungi
2 tsp. fresh ginger, chopped
1 tsp. garlic clove, chopped
6 T olive oil

Marinade
2 T dark soy sauce
1 T sherry
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 T cornstarch

Seasoning Sauce
2 T dark soy sauce
1 T sherry
1 T sugar
1 T wine vinegar
2 T hot bean sauce
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 T sesame oil
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 T scallions, shredded

In a bowl, mix marinade ingredients: soy sauce, sherry, sugar and cornstarch. Cut flank steak against the grain in 2" long thin strips and marinate for about 20 minutes. Set aside. Soak tree ears in hot water for about 20 minutes. Then cut into small pieces. Peel water chestnuts and slice. Mix all seasoning sauce ingredients: soy sauce, sherry, sugar, vinegar, hot bean sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, pepper and scallions.

Heat 4 T olive oil in wok. Stir fry shredded beef for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside. Heat another 2 T oil in the same wok. Stir fry chopped ginger and garlic then add tree ears and water chestnuts. Stir a few times, mix in the beef, stirring constantly. Finally pour in the seasoning sauce (give it a stir before pour because the cornstarch will settle to the bottom). Mix well and serve hot.

Moo's Cream of Ginger-Lemongrass Soup

I love this soup. It is light and flavorful. It's also got a little zip to it. Thank the chili bean paste for giving this soup that little something extra. Moo loved lemongrass and she liked to mix delicate flavors with a little spice. Dare it say it...chili bean paste was her "Bam!"

2 T olive oil
1 T fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 T lemongrass, finely chopped
2 T shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup yellow onions, finely chopped
2 cups fresh corn
4 cups chicken stock (for vegan/vegetarian version use vegetable broth)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup half and half (vegan replace with a soy creamer)
2 tsp. chili bean paste
Coriander leaves for garnish

Heat olive oil in pot, add ginger, lemongrass, shallots and onions. Cook on low heat for 2 minutes. Add corn and cook for another minute. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, add salt and pepper, then sugar and half and half. Remove pot from heat and cool to room temperature. When ready to serve, stir to blend ingredients and return pot to heat. Ladle into soup bowls add a dot of chili bean paste to top and swirl it with a knife to create a pleasing pattern. Garnish with coriander.

Moo's Winter Melon and Chicken Soup

This is a very light, savory Chinese soup. Moo made this often during the winter (after all it's made with winter melon). If you don't know, a winter melon looks a little like a watermelon from the outside. The flesh is a light green and cannot be eaten raw. I like to call this Chinese penicillin. It's light like chicken noodle with the winter melon providing an interesting texture. This is a palate pleaser.

6 cups chicken stock
1 lb. winter melon, cut into bite-size chunks
6 fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 medium size knob of fresh ginger, minced
1 chicken breast, raw
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp. sherry
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. soy sauce, low sodium is best
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. olive oil

Cut flesh away from rind of winter melon. Cut flesh into chunks. Remove stems from mushrooms and slice caps. Bone raw chicken breast and cut into bite-size pieces. Mix chicken, garlic, sherry, sugar and 1/2 tsp. of the soy sauce. Let stand for 15 minutes. Mix salt, 1 1/2 tsp. of soy sauce, olive oil. Set aside. Heat stock to boiling, add melon, mushrooms and ginger and simmer for 20 minutes. Add chicken marinade mixture. Stir well. Add salt/soy/oil mixture. Cook until the chicken is tender.

Moo's Thai Green Chicken Curry

Here's a simple Thai curry you'll love.

1 stock butter
8 T flour
1/4 cup green curry paste
3 1/2 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 T soy sauce (low sodium)
2 tsp. coconut extract
1/2 bunch coriander, chopped
8 kefir lime leaves
Chopped chicken
Fresh mint, chopped
Fresh basil, chopped

Boil chicken. While chicken is cooling, you can create the curry: In large sauce pan, melt butter add flour to create roux. Slowly add green curry paste, milk, broth and bring to boil. Add soy sauce, coconut extract, lime leave and continue to cook for about 5 minutes. Stir regularly. Pick chicken off cooled carcass. Shred chicken to bite-size pieces and add to curry. Bring to boil and cook for about 3 minutes more. Garnish with fresh mint and basil. You can serve with additional condiments such as shredded coconut, chopped nuts, chutney, and lime pickle.

Moo's Oyako Donburi

After years of Chinese cooking lessons, Moo started experimenting with Japanese. She had a lot of fun and shared several of her dishes with me. Here's a palate pleaser of a side dish.

8 large scallions, slivered
A knob of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thin
6 peapods, strings removed, sliced
1 T olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 T mirin
4 T soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 pkgs udon noodles
4 eggs

Mix chicken broth, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. Prepare scallions, ginger, and peapods. Stir fry in olive oil. Add sauce to vegetables. Mix thoroughly. Cut noodles into bite-size pieces an add to the vegetable mixture. Stir fry for a couple of minutes. In a separate bowl lightly beat eggs. Add to the mixture and turn until scrambled. Serve with a meat, seafood or chicken dish.

Moo's Steamed Asian Dumpling Filling

This is an excellent all-around filling for dumplings. You can use it to make pot stickers, Siu Mai or 4-color dumplings. Your dumplings will be real palate pleasers.

1 lb. ground pork
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 T sugar
1 T soy sauce, I prefer low sodium
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. teriyaki sauce
1/2 tsp. sherry
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped and packed tight
8 water chestnuts
4 fresh shitake mushrooms
1 scallion, minced
1 T fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup cornstarch

Dumpling skins

To the pork, add broth, sugar, soy sauce, salt, teriyaki sauce, sherry and sesame oil. In food processor, fine chop all vegetables. Fold vegetables into pork mixture. Finally add cornstarch. Fill dumpling skins and either freeze until you need them or steam and serve.

By the way, here's a simple but good dipping sauce: 3 T low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tsp. rice vinegar, and 1 tsp. sesame oil

Cracked Crab with Curry and Ginger Sauce

King Crab legs or Dungeness Crab, pick meat from shells
2 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 slices fresh ginger
2 scallions, finely chopped
1/4 green pepper, finely chopped
2 heaping tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
3 T sherry
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 T cornstarch
2 T water

Place wok over high heat, add oil. When oil is very hot, add garlic, ginger, scallion, green pepper. Stir fry for 30 seconds. Add crab meat and stir fry for 1 minute. Combine curry powder, salt, sugar and sherry. Pour the curry mixture over crab. Stir fry for 30 seconds more. Add chicken broth. Cook 5 minutes or less. Combine cornstarch and water in small dish. Stir into stir fry dish to help thicken slightly. Stir until smooth and thickened. Serve immediately.

Moo's Coconut Shrimp

You're going to love these shrimp. They are a palate pleaser you have got to make. Like a lot of health-conscious people, I don't eat much fried food these days. That's not to say the taste isn't a real palate pleaser. And there is the rare occasion and the right food can tempt. Moo used to make this one a lot...back in days when we all ate more fried food. You might come up with a way to take this taste and prepare it without the frying. In any case, I don't deep fry any more, I saute in the skillet with a little olive oil.

24 jumbo shrimp, clean and flattened
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 bag flaked coconut, slightly toasted
2 eggs
4 T coconut cream

Marinade
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Dipping Sauce
To taste combine orange marmalade, hot Chinese mustard and Curaco.

Clean and flatten shrimp then marinate overnight. Line cookie sheet with wax paper and combine flour, salt and dry mustard on the wax paper. Spread toasted coconut on another cookie sheet. In a bowl, combine eggs and coconut cream. Heat a deep fryer, skillet or wok with olive oil. Dredge shrimp in flour. Then egg mixture. Then coconut. Deep fry (375 to 400 degrees) to a golden color. Serve with dipping sauce. Note: if you do 30 shrimp or more, double the flour and marinade mixtures.

Moo's Lychee Kumaki

Well, this is different sort of appetizer that will have your guests wondering where it's been all these years.

1 can lychee fruit, drain and reserve syrup
1/2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped
15 bacon slices, cut in half
Soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar

Drain lychee fruit thoroughly, reserve the syrup. Fill the cavity of each lychee with some of the chopped peanuts. Wrap a piece of bacon around the fruit, be sure to cover the opening with the peanuts inside. Secure with toothpick. Make a mixture of equal parts lychee syrup and soy sauce (about 1/4 cup of each should do it). Dip prepared lychee in liquid then roll in brown sugar. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place lychees on cookie sheet and into oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until the bacon is crisp. Watch carefully. Serve with plum brandy sauce.

Moo's Zesty Stir-Fry Chicken

Moo sent this recipe to me while I was in college. Said this would be a palate pleaser at my next dinner party. It was...and it still is.

4 whole medium chicken breasts
1/4 cup soy sauce (I prefer low sodium)
2 T. sherry
4 T. orange marmalade
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 small orange
2 cups fresh peapods
1/2 cup olive oil
salt to taste
1/2 - 3/4 cup almonds, sliced
1 bunch scallions, sliced into 1" pieces

Remove skin and bone from chicken breasts. Cut each into medium-size chunks. Create marinade of: soy sauce, sherry, marmalade, cornstarch, ginger, and red pepper; 30 minutes before cooking, marinate chicken bits. Peel orange and separate wedges. Cut each wedge in half and set aside. Clean peapods (remove tips and string). Blanch in boiling water for about 1 minute (until bright green). Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Wrap in foil and set aside in refrigerator.

Heat olive oil in wok. Cook almonds until lightly browned. Remove almonds from oil and drain on paper towel. In same oil, cook scallions, stirring until dark brown (to infuse flavor into oil). Remove onions from oil and discard. Now add marinated chicken until chicken has turned white. Add peapods, almonds and orange slices. Salt to taste. Turn a few times and serve.

Moo's Stuffed Peapods

Here's another of Moo's favorite, holiday appetizers. They're easy to make, but to make a large batch will take you some time. Be patient, put on some music or a favorite movie while you work. The results of this palate pleaser are worth the time.

3/4 pound snow peapods
2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, cut in bits for easier blending
1/2 cup chives, chopped
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Salt and white pepper to taste

Blend in batches, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt and white pepper. This is really a personal taste thing and how spicy you want the peapods. Blend all the mixture until it is smooth. Put it in the refrigerator to chill. Now prepare the peapods by breaking off the ends and removing the strings. Wash then toss into boiling salted water for about 1 minute (until bright green). Drain peapods and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Pat dry. Slit open each peapod to within 1/4 inch of each end. Once all peapods are prepared, get ready to fill. Apply a decorative tip to your pastry bag, fill bag with cream cheese mixture. Pipe cheese filling into each peapod and arrange on serving plate. Chill, loosely covered, for at least an hour.

3/4 of a pound of peapods should yield about 50 appetizers.

Moo's Japanese Chicken Wings

If you don't like wings...move along! Okay, I'm assuming about 98.9 percent of you are still with me. These are great. I think they are my all time favorite wings. An appetizer palate pleaser. Warning: Make plenty.

2 Plastic bags (you need clean bags--like garbage bags--with no scent or deoderizer imbued and no holes)
Start with about a dozen wings (about 2 1/3 lbs)
1 medium clove garlic
1 piece of fresh ginger (about 1”x1”), peeled
½ c. Japanese rice wine (sake)
½ c. soy sauce
¼ c. firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ t. dried hot red pepper flakes

Remove the tips from the wings and discard. Separate the remaining two joints. Place two plastic bags inside one another and place the wings inside. Place the bags (and their contents) in a large bowl.

To make the marinade, run garlic and ginger through a food processor. Chop about 10 seconds--until very fine. Scrape down the work bowl then add the remaining ingredients and process 5 seconds.

Pour the marinade over the bagged wings and toss to coat thoroughly. Seal each bag tightly with a twist tie. Let wings marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight, turning the chicken occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a shallow broiler pan or baking dish with heavy foil. Remove the wings from the bags and arrange them in a single layer in the pan. Reserve the marinade. Bake the wings uncovered until golden brown and crusty, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn and baste them every 15 minutes.

Moo's Chicken Ginger Coriander Soup

8 cups chicken stock
6 slices fresh ginger
5 stalks fresh lemon grass
1 bunch coriander
Fresh, raw dark meat of chicken (legs and thighs)
Fresh spinach, chopped
Japanese Udon noodles or Chinese noodles
Fresh mushrooms
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Suggested garnishes: scallions, chopped tofu, chopped hard-boiled eggs, coriander leaves, lime slices, fresh bean sprouts

To chicken stock, add ginger, lemon grass and coriander. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes in order for flavors to merge. Remove ginger, lemon grass and coriander. Add chicken (still on bones) to the flavored broth. Once cooked, remove chicken. Cool enough to debone and chop into bite-size pieces. Now prepare soup: To flavored broth, add chopped chicken, fresh spinach, noodles and mushrooms. Simmer until noodles and vegetables are tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Prepare separate bowls for garnishes. Serve soup and invite diners to garnish soup to their taste.

Moo's Hot Black Bean Dipping Sauce

Moo sent this recipe with the following note: This is excellent. And it keeps in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

1 pint olive oil
1/2 cup dried red chili flakes
2/3 cup fermented black beans
2/3 cup Tientsin preserved Chinese vegetables
1/4 cup Mainland preserved cabbage
1 T fresh garlic, minced
1 T fresh ginger, minced
1/2 cup scallions, minced
1 T sherry
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup cilantro, minced

Heat olive oil in your wok. One at a time and in the order listed, add all the ingredients except the cilantro. Mix thoroughly between ingredients. Take care not to let ingredients boil over. Once you are satisfied that ingredients are well infused, remove from head. Add cilantro. Cool and store in refrigerator.

Moo's Lemon Soy Dipping Sauce

Another of Moo's palate pleaser dipping sauces. This one is perfect for Japanese dumplings like gyoza and for tempura.

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 T Mirin
3 T water
2 T rice vinegar
1 T bonito flakes

Combine all ingredients in sauce pan, cover and steep for 2-3 hours. Strain and serve.

Coriander Dipping Sauce

Moo loved to create her own special dipping sauces for her many original Asian dishes. She felt this one was a real palate pleaser.

In a small bowl, combine the following ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce (I prefer low salt)
2 T scallion tops, minced
1 1/2 T rice wine
1 1/2 T Chinese black vinegar
1 1/2 T sugar
1 T fresh coriander leaves, minced
2 t. sesame oil
2 t. fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
2 t. fresh garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 t. hot chili oil

Stir ingredients until sugar is fully dissolved.

Moo's Asian Crab Balls

This crab appetizer goes fast, so make enough. Also you'll probably find other good uses for this dipping sauce. This is a palate pleasing crab dish.

1 pound crab meat, mince
1 egg
2 T scallions, chopped
1/2 t. salt
1 t. sherry
1 t. fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 t. sesame oil
1 T cornstarch

Olive oil

Dipping Sauce
1 t. hot soy bean paste
1 T catsup
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T sugar
1 T soy sauce
1/2 T garlic, crushed
1 T fresh ginger, very finely chopped

Mix crab meat with all other ingredients. Form into bite-size balls. Deep fry or pan fry until slightly brown. Serve with dipping sauce.

Moo's Szechwan Lobster

It's lobster with a Szechwan flavor...of course it's delicious. This is Moo's version and she declared it a palate pleaser. I love boiled lobster right from the pot, but I have to say this is a very good dish. And easy to make.

1 two-pound live lobster
1 t. soy sauce
1 1/2 t. white vinegar
12 drops chili oil
1/2 t. minced garlic
1/4 t. salt
3 t. sherry
12 water chestnuts, cut in 1/2" pieces
3 T cloud ear fungi, soaked about 30 minutes to soften
20 peapods
1/4 cup scallions, minced
1/4 cup Olive Oil for stir frying

Select a pot large enough for boiling the lobster. Add water and salt water enough to simulate sea water. Bring to a boil, add lobster and cook for just 10 minutes. The lobster will not be completely cooked but enough so that removing meat from shell is easy. Allow lobster to cool enough that you can handle it. Remove all meat from the shell and cut into 1 1/2" pieces.

Wash and pull strings from peapods. In pot of boiling water, blanch peapods for just 15 seconds--until bright green. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix sauce ingredients together: soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, garlic, salt and sherry. Heat oil in wok on high. Add lobster and water chestnuts. Stir fry about 3 minutes. Add cloud ears and scallions for about 30 seconds. Add sauce and cook another 15 seconds. Finally add peapods and cook another 15 seconds. If you like a thicker sauce, you can prepare a teaspoon of cornstarch with a little water and add to the dish. This will thicken dish slightly.

Moo's Chicken Wing Appetizer

When Moo first gave me this recipe, she wrote: This is as good as the old standby. The use of chicken broth makes this one very moist.

18 (or about 3 pounds) chicken wings
Olive oil
3 scallions, cut into 3" pieces
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sherry
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup catsup
3 whole star anise
2 T sugar
1/4 t. ground ginger
1 large head iceberg lettuce, shredded

Cut wing tips off at the joint and discard. Cut the remaining two joints apart. Heat oil in skillet and saute wings until golden brown. Remove wings and pour off the excess oil. Combine soy sauce, sherry, chicken broth, catsup, scallions, star anise, sugar and ginger in skillet. Add wings and simmer 25 minutes or until tender, basting occasionally. Then cover and cook 10 minutes longer. Serve wings on bed of shredded lettuce.