Traditional Dishes of Hong Kong

by: Kitty Choi

Hong Kong China: Hai Bin Book Company 2004, Hardbound
ISBN: 988-202-134-4

Reviewed by: Jacqueline M. Newman
Summer Volume: 2006 Issue: 13(2) page(s): 26

This cooking teacher, radio hostess, and founder of Kitty’s Cookery & Catering, has authored many cookbooks; the one reviewed one above, among them. Reading many, this one included, is an education. Specific to this particular one is what Hong Kong was like fifty-odd years ago. It details housing, living, markets, and shopping.

Chapters in this bi-lingual book are titled by the cooking techniques of: Frying, Deep-frying & Stir-frying ; Steaming, and Simmering & Stewing. Provided are fifty-two well-written and easy to follow recipes, each with a full-page color photograph of its completed dish and a cooking tip or two. Most are for main courses, all are simple to follow, easy to make, and good-tasting. We especially liked the Stir Fried Beef with Young Ginger, the Deep Fried Duck with Lemons, and the Steamed Chicken. They topped our list, will they top yours?

Bean Curd Dong Jiang Stuffed with Fish Paste
Ingredients:
1/4 pound fish fillets
3 Tablespoons solid fat (pork fat or another solid or soft fat)
1 Tablespoon dried shrimp, soaked for half hour
1 Tablespoon finely chopped deep-fried fish
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon thin soy sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
dash ground white pepper
4 squares fried bean curd
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup fish or chicken stock
1/2 pound Chinese cabbage, baby bokcai or another green
Preparation:
1. Mince fish, fat, and dried shrimp. Add deep fried fish, sugar, salt, soy and oyster sauces, half the starch, sesame oil, and ground pepper.
2. Cut bean curd in half, on the diagonal, dust lightly with the rest of the cornstarch and then stuff in the fish mixture.
3. Heat oil and saute the bean curd pieces, fish side down, until golden brown, then remove and drain on paper towels.
4. Pour stock into a heat-proof clay or ceramic pot and slowly bring to the boil. Add Chinese cabbage and the stuffed bean cud pieces, and return to the boil, reduce heat and as soon as the green is soft, about one or two minutes at most, serve in the clay pot. Makes eight pieces of stuffed bean curd.

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