China.org.cn: Hi! My name is Emily and I am in the 8th grade and I am doing a project on Confucianism. Your website was quite helpful, but I was wondering if you could help me even more and mail or e-mail me some SIMPLE Chinese recipes. I would be very grateful if you would be able to, but I am understanding if you are not. Thank you.
Emily Giles
Dear Emily:
Here are two simple Chinese recipes from the magazine, China Today, published here in Beijing. We note from your e-mail address that you live in the United States, so we've converted the magazine's metric measurements to American ones. Anyway, these measurements are just a guide, and we hope you will use the ingredients according to your taste. Also, the recipes call for a wok, but you can just as easily use a frying pan. Bon Appetite ? and stay tuned to our website! We hope to offer more recipes as a regular feature.
Best wishes,
The editors
(china.org.cn December 18, 2001)
1. Braised Eggplant
Five or six good-sized eggplants
About one-half cup of cooking oil
About 1 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce
About 3 teaspoons sugar
About 1 teaspoon rice wine
A pinch of salt
About a three-teaspoon mixture of cornstarch and water
A pinch of MSG
About 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
Cut the eggplant into sections about 1 inch wide and 2 inches long.
Heat the oil in a wok until it is hot. Deep-fry the eggplant until the skin turns a lighter color. Remove and drain.
Keep about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of oil in the wok, add the rice wine, soy sauce, salt and sugar and bring to the boil. Put in the eggplant and simmer for three minutes. Turn up the heat to thicken the liquid, add the MSG, the mixture of cornstarch and water, and sprinkle with the sesame oil. Remove to a plate and serve.
Features: Slightly brown in color
Taste: Succulent and delicious.
2. Green Peppers with Asparagus
A nice bunch of asparagus
A good-sized green pepper
A pinch of salt
1 pinch of MSG
About 1 Tablespoon cooking sherry
About 1/2 cup salad oil
About 5 Tablespoons clear stock
About 1 1/2 Tablespoons mixture of cornstarch and water
Cut off the tips of the asparagus and discard the stalks, clean, and cut the asparagus tips into sections about 1 inch long. Wash the green pepper, remove seeds, and shred.
Heat salad oil in a wok until hot, add asparagus sections and shredded green pepper, stir-fry for a while, remove and drain.
Leave about 1 1/2 Tablespoons oil in the wok, add salt, cooking sherry, MSG, clear stock, and bring to a boil. Add the asparagus sections and shredded green pepper, continue stir-frying till hot, add the mixture of cornstarch and water, stir, and remove to a plate.
Features: green and succulent.
Taste: crisp and savory.
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