Quick and Easy Stir-fry Dishes

by: Flora B. Lumang

Hong Kong China: Hai Bin Book Company 2005, Hardbound
ISBN: 988-202-274-X

Reviewed by: Jacqueline M. Newman
Summer Volume: 2006 Issue: 13(2) page(s): 27

This Fillipino author living in Hong Kong for more than twenty years, now works as a cooking teacher and trains people from other countries about the intricacies of the Chinese cuisine. The book has thirty-four recipes, in Chinese and English, all appreciated and popular fare. The book is subtitle d: Advanced Cookery Class for Filipino Helper; all employers will be delighted if prepared for them.

Fifteen items, each on half a page and tri-lingual, come before the recipes. They are descriptions of speciality items such as grass carp lip, razor clams, beef tripe, chicken cartilage, duck tongue, ostrich meat, okra, huai shan, dried chrysanthemum, and dried jasmine Explanations on how to prepare oysters and shrimp, bone chicken wings and pigeon, and general cutting techniques follow. So does how to control degrees of heating, and general cooking advice.

Unsure of general cooking techniques? This book can help. Ever wonder what is or where to buy rose tea? A recipe explains. Read this book and learn how to prepare Stuffed Green Chillies with Dace Paste; Stir-fried Artificial Shark’s Fin with Eggs; Abalone with Fresh Huai Shan; Shrimps with Gingkoes, Honey Peas, and Osmanthus; Ostrich Meat with Peppers and Cashews; and Fried Pork Chops with Rose Tea. And there is more. Every recipe has a color photograph on its facing page with a preparation hint or two below it. They and the carefully detailed method make this a valuable book for both novice and expert.

Fried Pork Chops with Rose Tea
Ingredients:
10 small dried roses
4 pork chops
4 scallions, cut into one-quarter-inch pieces
2 Tablespoons thin soy sauce
1/2 Tablespoon Chinese rice wine
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
3 shallots, sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon thin soy sauce
Preparation:
1. Boil one cup water and pour it into a bowl, then add roses and stir. Set aside for fifteen minutes, then cover and allow to cool.
2. Mix pork, scallions, two tablespoons thin soy sauce, half cup of the rose tea water, and the Chinese rice wine, cover and refrigerate for two hours, remove, drain, and coat the pork with the cornstarch. Reserve any unused cornstarch.
3. Heat wok, add the oil, and fry the chops on both sides up to two minutes per side, depending upon thickness, until done or not quite cooked through. Then add the shallots and fry another half minute until fragrant. Mix remaining cornstarch, three tablespoons of rose tea water, the sugar and the rest of the soy sauce. Cook for half minute or until sauce thickens somewhat, then serve.

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