Hot and Sour Soup
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Cooking time: 30 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for menu instructions |
This is a simple dinner that expands easily. If doing a traditional Chinese dinner party you might want to add Sweet and Sour Pork or White Cut Chicken and Ham in Green Paradise - both do ahead and easy. A traditional Chinese dinner has one 'dish' for each person: 6 people; six different dishes. Fortunately the rice counts as one! One 'bunch' of green onions will work for both dishes. Both the rice and the shrimp are stir-fried at the last minute.
Hot and Sour Soup Time: 10 minutes
I don't know what it is about this simple soup that makes it so delicious. Everyone who tastes it loves it. I usually sliver a slice of ham or smoked turkey 'sandwich meat' for garnish, but a bit of leftover chicken or pork would work as well.
3 cups chicken stock
2 eggs
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
1 tbs cornstarch
2 mushrooms
a bit of ham or smoked turkey, 1 tbs per serving as garnish, slivered optional
Clean mushrooms and cut each into thin slivers. Heat 2 1/2 cups chicken stock to boiling. Crack eggs into medium bowl and whisk lightly. Dissolve cornstarch into remaining 1/2 cup of chicken stock. Stir into boiling stock, until thickened. Add soy sauce and vinegar. Pour in eggs, stir once or twice only. Ladle into 2 bowls. Sprinkle slivered mushrooms (and ham) on top and serve immediately.
Red Sauced Shrimp Time: 10 minutes Unless you have to clean the shrimp
This is one of those dishes that can be as hot or not as you like. The ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes add the heat but you could also add other hot sauce to taste.
14 oz shrimp, cleaned (400gr)
1 tbs minced ginger, about 4 slices the size and thickness of an American quarter or 1 euro coin
3 cloves garlic
4 - 6 green onions (scallions) or 1/2 regular onion, chopped
2 tbs sherry
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs ketchup
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs sesame or walnut oil
1 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs chicken stock
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, I leave them out as it makes it too hot for me)
Peel, slice and mince ginger. Mince garlic. Clean the green onions: slice off the root, remove 1 layer of skin. Slice into 1/2" (1.25cm) long pieces. Dissolve cornstarch in chicken stock. Have everything else measured and ready. Heat oils in large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When very hot add ginger, garlic and onions (and red pepper flakes if using). Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add shrimp and stir-fry for 1 - 2 minutes longer, until shrimp turn opaque and start to curl. Add sherry, ketchup and soy sauce. Stir to combine. Stir cornstarch mixture to recombine, then add it to the shrimp, stirring constantly. Sauce will quickly thicken and coat shrimp. Remove and serve immediately.
Fried Rice with Brussels Sprouts Time: 30 minutes or whatever your package says
You may think it a strange combination, but I have Brussels Sprouts. They are small, easy to use and I don't have Chinese Cabbage. The flavor is similar and the result was delicious. The rice, sprouts and green onions can be cooked ahead, then heated and combined at the last minute.
1/2 cup Basmati rice
1 cup chicken stock
1 - 2 green onions or 2 tbs regular onion, chopped
8 - 12 Brussels sprouts, depending on size (I used 8 about 1" (2.5cm) in diameter)
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs sherry
1 tbs sesame seeds
Cook rice in stock until done. Remove from heat and uncover. Trim Brussels sprouts, removing any damaged or discolored leaves and slicing off the root end. Set sprout on root end and cut into 3 or 4 slices. Clean the green onions: slice off the root, remove 1 layer of skin. Slice into 1/4" (.75cm) long pieces. Heat oils in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sprouts and sauté until crisp tender, turning once. They should start to brown. Add onions and sauté 5 minutes longer. Turn the heat up to medium high and add rice, soy sauce and sherry. Stir well to combine. Stir-fry for 3 - 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, stir once or twice and serve.
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Cooking Schedule: 30 minutes |
Add cornstarch to stock, thicken |
Cooking for Two? Or more?
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