Crossing the Bridge Noodles

Soups and Congees

Crossing the Bridge Noodles
Crossing the Bridge Noodles Ingredients:
1 three pound chicken (they say a fat hen)
1/4 duck or twelve ounces of duck meat
3 pork bones
1/4 pound pork filet, sliced thin
1/4 firm fish such as catfish, snake-head or other, about 1/4 pound, cut in thin pieces
1 sheet bean curd, about three ounces, cut into noodle-like threads
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 Tablespoon lard
1 teaspoon chili oil
3 Tablespoons sliced leek, white part only
1 scallion, minced
1/2 pound rice noodles
few sprigs fresh coriander, for garnish

Preparation:
1. Put chicken, duck, and pork bones, and the sliced pork in a large pot with the snakehead fish, and cover them with boiling water. Boil the contents for ten minutes, then turn heat off and allow to cool. When cool, remove meat frm bones, and slice the various meats not already sliced. Discard all bones, and reserve all liquid, fat included.
2. Bring reserved liquid plus enough water to make eight cups of liquid, to the boil, then add all meat and fish and all other ingredients except the garnish and simmer until very, very hot, but not boiling water.
3. In another pot of water, boil the rice noodles for two minutes, drain and add to the soup/stew. Stir well, add garnish, and serve. Fish in mango sauce Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons coarsely minced celery 1/2 small carrot, peeled 1/2 green apple, peeled and cored and sliced into thin strips 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 1 pound boneless and skinless fish fillets, sole recommended 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 whole egg, beaten 1/2 to 1 cup sesame seeds
2 mangoes, diced and without skin when removing from the pit 1/2 can lemon soda
2 Tablespoons lemon marmalade or bottled Chinese lemon sauce 1 to 2 slices fresh or canned pineapple 1 cup vegetable oil
Preparation:
1. Remove strings from celery and cut into long strips. Cut carrot into same-size long strips. Blanch both for one minute in boiling water, and drain.
2. Mix apple pieces with lemon juice.
3. Cut fish into eight pieces and dip one side into the egg cornstarch mixture, then place carrot and celery strips crosswise on each of them. Drain apple pieces reserving liquid, and put these strips on the vegetables, then roll the fish tightly. Roll into the remaining cornstarch egg mixture and then into the sesame seeds, and allow to rest for ten minutes.
4. Set aside one quarter of the diced mango and put the rest of the diced mango into a blender. Add remaining lemon juice, lemon soda, marmalade, and pineapple and blend until just liquified.
5. Deep fry the fish rolls until a light golden color, do not over-fry them. Drain and set out in a circle on a serving plate. Top with reserved diced mango, and pour half of the sauce over the fish, the rest in the center where no fish is, then serve. Dongan duck Ingredients:
1 five pound whole duck, quartered
2 Tablespoons corn or other vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppers, lightly smashed with side of a cleaver
2 dried chili peppers, seeds removed , then minced 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine 1 teaspoon Chinese black vinegar ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup each, sweet red and green peppers, cut in one-inch diamonds
2 scallions, minced 1 Tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 Tablespoon cold water 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Preparation:
1. In a large heavy pot, place duck quarters. Cover with cold water, and bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer half hour. Remove duck, reserving the liquid, and let cool somewhat, then remove meat from the bones.
2. Return bones to the liquid and boil until liquid is reduced to half cup. Reserve it after discarding the bones.
3. Heat wok, add the oil, then stir-fry the ginger, Sichuan and chili peppers for half minute. Then add wine, vinegar, salt, and the duck meat, and stir-fry two minutes before adding the reserved liquid from cooking the duck and then the bones. Add the red and green peppers and the cornstarch mixture and continue to stir-fry until the sauce thickens, then serve.

Flavor and Fortune is a magazine of: