Chinese | Saveur

Chinese Cilantro and Peanut Salad

Carolyn Phillips — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:28:27 +0000

Belle Morizio. Belle Morizio

This refreshing peanut salad from Xinjiang, an autonomous region in northwest China, is adapted from Carolyn Phillips’ cookbook All Under Heaven. Known as huāshēngmĭ bàn xiāngcài, it pairs well with both grilled meats and fish. Use both the stems and leaves of the most delicate cilantro you can find.

Featured in “Eating on the Western Edge of China” by Fiona Reilly.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 5 minutes

1 tsp. soy sauce
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
½ cup roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, salt, and sugar. Slowly whisk in the sesame oil, then add the red bell pepper, peanuts, sesame seeds, and cilantro and toss to coat. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

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Char Siu Chicken

Chris Shepherd — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:11 +0000

Photo: Belle Morizio • Food Styling: Victoria Granof • Prop Styling: Dayna Seman. Photo: Belle Morizio • Food Styling: Victoria Granof • Prop Styling: Dayna Seman

Char siu (meaning “fork roasted”) is a typical cooking style in Cantonese cuisine, in particular for the method behind the beloved steamed pork buns on so many dim sum menus. In Houston chef Chris Shepherd’s succulent long-marinated chicken-based rendition, beet powder lends a naturally bright red color as well as a little sweetness.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 2 days 4 hours

¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup honey
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp. homemade or store-bought beet powder
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
½ tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
One 4-lb. whole chicken, halved lengthwise, backbone discarded
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, beet powder, vinegar, hoisin sauce, and five-spice powder. Add the chicken and toss to thoroughly coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 days.
Heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, rub with the oil, and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Place the chicken skin-side down and grill, turning once, until charred and cooked through, about 30–35 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and set aside to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before carving into serving-sized pieces. Serve warm.

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Stir-Fried Pork with Leeks

Pan Suefen — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:21:27 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Pearl Jones. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Pearl Jones

This recipe for cong bao rou si, or stir-fried pork with leeks, is adapted from Taiwanese home cook, stir-fry expert, and former restaurant owner Pan Suefen. It calls for a “reverse” stir-fry technique, in which the vegetables are cooked before the meat. It tends to be forgiving for a novice stir-fryer, since vegetables release water as they cook and won’t stick the way that meat will if the wok isn’t quite hot enough.

This pork and leek stir-fry also illustrates the importance of the knife in stir-fry cooking. Leeks are sliced on the diagonal to increase the surface area exposed to the wok; that way, they wilt and release their fragrance faster. The pork is sliced thinly so that it will brown quickly before it loses its moisture. The trick to precisely uniform pieces is chilling the meat in the freezer for 20 minutes—just long enough to firm it up—which makes consistent slicing a breeze. Spoon the finished stir-fry over steamed rice, and dinner is served.

Featured in “A Stir-Fry Education” by Lillian Chou.

Order the SAVEUR Selects Nitri-Black Carbon Steel Wok here.

Yield: 2–4

Time: 25 minutes

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tsp. Chinese dark soy sauce
½ tsp. cornstarch
¼ tsp. sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
10 oz. boneless pork butt, frozen for 20 minutes and cut into 2-in.-by-⅛-in. strips
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 leek, white and pale green parts only, cut on the bias into ¼-in.pieces

Instructions

In a medium bowl, stir together the sesame oil, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, and half the garlic. Add the pork, toss well, and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
Place a large wok or stainless-steel skillet over high heat. When it begins to smoke, add 1 tablespoon of the oil around the edge of the wok and swirl to coat the bottom and sides. Add the leek and cook, stirring and tossing continuously, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the leek to a plate and set aside.
Return the wok to high heat and add the vegetable oil around the edge of the wok, swirling to coat the bottom and sides. Add the marinated pork and remaining garlic, and cook, stirring and tossing continuously, until the pork is browned, about 2 minutes.
Return the leek to the wok and stir-fry until just tender, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

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Kung Pao Chicken

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:40:37 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Pearl Jones. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Pearl Jones

The Sichuan dish gong bao ji ding—often better known by its Americanized name kung pao chicken—is a dainty assemblage of small, plump chicken morsels, peanuts, and scallions, with just enough chiles to give it a kick. This recipe is adapted from China Club, a private club in Beijing that serves a thrilling menu of classic Chinese dishes: spicy Sichuan, delicate Cantonese, and rich Shanghainese, with refined versions of Beijing specialties as well.

Featured in “The Revolution is a Dinner Party” by David Sheff.

Order the SAVEUR Selects Nitri-Black Carbon Steel 14-Inch Wok here.

Yield: 4

Time: 40 minutes

4 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. chicken stock
4 tsp. Chinkiang (black) vinegar (or substitute balsamic vinegar)
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tsp. Chinese dark soy sauce
3 Tbsp. vegetable or peanut oil
12 small dried red chiles, stemmed, halved crosswise, and seeded
5 scallions, white part only, thickly sliced crosswise
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
One ½-in. piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
½ cup shelled, skinless raw peanuts

Instructions

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and the cornstarch. Add the chicken, toss well, and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate medium bowl, stir together the Shaoxing wine, stock, sugar, sesame oil, vinegar, dark soy sauce, and the remaining soy sauce.
To a large wok or nonstick skillet over high heat, add the vegetable oil. When it’s just beginning to smoke, add the chiles, half the scallions, the garlic, ginger, and the marinated chicken, and stir-fry until the chicken is golden, 3–5 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture and continue stir-frying until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes more.
Stir in the peanuts, garnish with the remaining scallions, and serve immediately.

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Jirou Chao Qincai (Stir-Fried Chicken and Celery)

Deng Haiyan — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:03 +0000

Photo: Julia Gartland • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Marinating meat before cooking is an essential step in most stir-fries. In this jirou chao qincai recipe from Beijing home cook Deng Haiyan, a mix of egg white and cornstarch coats the chicken, and a quick blanching in a little oil in the wok preserves its succulence—a technique called velveting. The bright, crunchy celery contrasts beautifully with the silky texture and delicate flavor of the chicken.

Featured in “A Stir-Fry Education” by Lillian Chou.

Order the SAVEUR Selects Nitri-Black Carbon Steel 14-Inch Wok here.

Yield: 2

Time: 20 minutes

2 tsp. cornstarch
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, frozen for 20 minutes, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into ⅛-in. thick strips
1 egg white
Pinch kosher salt
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
One 1½-in. piece ginger, thinly sliced
1 leek, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
5 celery stalks, cut on the bias into ¼-in. pieces
1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. light soy sauce

Instructions

In a medium bowl, toss together the cornstarch, chicken, egg white, and salt. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
Heat a large wok over high heat until it starts to smoke. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to coat the bottom and sides of the wok. Add the chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until opaque, 1–2 minutes. Transfer the chicken along with any juices to a bowl and set aside.
Return the wok to the stove, add the remaining oil, and swirl as above. Add the ginger and leek and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the celery and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Add the reserved chicken and juices back to the wok, along with the soy sauce, and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, 1–2 minutes more.

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Our Best Lunar New Year Recipes for an Auspicious Feast

Megan Zhang — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:41:21 +0000

Photo: Linda Pugliese • Food Styling: Mariana Velasquez • Prop Styling: Elvis Maynard. Photo: Linda Pugliese • Food Styling: Mariana Velasquez • Prop Styling: Elvis Maynard

Around the world, the celebratory dishes atop Lunar New Year feast tables are as symbolic as they are sumptuous. Long noodles signify longevity, chewy rice balls stuffed with sugary paste represent sweetness, and whole fish foreshadows abundance in the year ahead. Though often called Chinese New Year for its connection to the Chinese lunisolar calendar, Lunar New Year is a lively, joy-filled celebration across much of Asia, including Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. This year, ring in the Year of the Dragon with a spread of global dishes—from crackly chả giò and chewy tteokguk, to fluffy fa gao and flaky pineapple tarts—to usher in prosperity and good fortune in the year ahead.

Chả Giò (Fried Spring Rolls)

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Kat Craddock Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Kat Craddock

At just about any festive occasion in Vietnam, you can bet fried spring rolls will make an appearance on the feast table. Known regionally as chả giò or nem rán, the snack is best dipped into nước chấm, the sweet-sour Vietnamese condiment. Get the recipe >

Yu Sheng (Prosperity Toss Salad)

Kimberly Park Kimberly Park

Break out those chopsticks for a generous platter of yu sheng, or yee sang, aka prosperity toss salad. Make the recipe chef Alex Au-Yeung serves at Phat Eatery in Katy, Texas, then gather friends and family around the table to mix the Malaysian and Singaporean staple together. The higher it’s tossed, the more blessings the new year will bring. (See Au-Yeung make the dish here.) Get the recipe >

Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

Jinju Kang Jinju Kang

Cook thin oval-shaped tteok, or rice cakes, in a savory anchovy broth to make what Junghyun Park and Jungyoon Choi call “one of the most significant dishes in Korean tradition.” Eaten on the first day of the new year as a tribute to ancestors, the soothing soup showcases tteok at their toothsome best. Get the recipe >

Fried Sesame Balls with Sweet Red Bean Filling

Photo: Linda Pugliese • Food Styling: Mariana Velasquez • Prop Styling: Elvis Maynard Photo: Linda Pugliese • Food Styling: Mariana Velasquez • Prop Styling: Elvis Maynard

Crispy sweet rice balls filled with red bean paste and rolled in sesame seeds are a mainstay at Chinese bakeries and dim-sum restaurants, but they’re particularly auspicious as a Lunar New Year treat—round foods symbolize not only the moon, but also family togetherness. Cookbook author Kristina Cho’s recipe delivers a satisfying bite that’s crisp and crackly on the outside, and tender and chewy on the inside. Get the recipe >

Chao Niangao (Stir-Fried Rice Cakes)

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

In many cultures, rice cakes are symbolic of a prosperous new year, so all shapes and sizes show up at holiday gatherings. This enticing stir-fried version—a spin on a Shanghai classic—amps up the flavor with a dollop of doubanjiang, the Chinese fermented soybean paste. Get the recipe >

Lumpia (Fried Spring Rolls)

Photo: Linda Pugliese • Food Styling: Mariana Velasquez Photo: Linda Pugliese • Food Styling: Mariana Velasquez

Crispy fried wrappers envelop a delectable pork filling in these Filipino spring rolls, a party favorite in the Philippines and among the diaspora. Chef Dale Talde serves his version with sawsawan, a vinegar-and-soy-sauce mixture laced with raw garlic and fiery chiles. Get the recipe >

Yuanxiao (Sweet Rice Balls with Nut and Sesame Seed Filling)

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Chewy dough encases a rich, earthy paste made from nuts and sesame seeds in this Chinese snack symbolizing family reunion. Families boil them to celebrate Yuanxiao Jie, also known as the Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the lunar month and marks the end of the two-week new-year festivities. Make this version from Buwei Yang Chao’s 1945 cookbook to enjoy while admiring the full moon. Get the recipe >

Fa Gao (Steamed Cupcakes)

Photo: Linda Pugliese • Food Styling: Mariana Velasquez • Prop Styling: Elvis Maynard Photo: Linda Pugliese • Food Styling: Mariana Velasquez • Prop Styling: Elvis Maynard

Sometimes called prosperity cake, fa gao is a beloved Chinese Lunar New Year treat that’s extra pretty to boot. When steamed, the tops of the cakes blossom into a flower-like pattern. In this recipe from Kristina Cho, the cookbook author lets us in on her grandmother’s clever shortcut: Bisquick, which ensures perfectly split tops and a satisfyingly soft, fluffy texture. Get the recipe >

Pork and Chive Dumplings

Heami Lee Heami Lee

Wrap, pleat, and boil a pot of dumplings—a symbol of wealth and prosperousness in China because of their resemblance to gold ingots—to invite good fortune in the year ahead. Pork and chives make a classic savory pairing, so fold a little extra to freeze and enjoy in the new year whenever a craving strikes. Get the recipe >

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

Photo: Jenny Huang • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang Photo: Jenny Huang • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang

Invite good health and longevity with steaming bowls of red-braised beef noodle soup enriched with soy sauce, ginger, and scallions. This recipe from a Taipei noodle shop calls for simmering the protein for a few hours, yielding fall-apart-tender meat. Get the recipe >

Fish Sauce-Pickled Radishes

Photo: Linda Pugliese • Food Styling: Jason Schreiber • Prop Styling: Elvis Maynard Photo: Linda Pugliese • Food Styling: Jason Schreiber • Prop Styling: Elvis Maynard

For special occasions like the new year, Vietnamese families often pickle radishes in nước chấm rather than the usual brine. The flavorful liquid imparts a depth of flavor that cuts through the richness of opulent celebratory dishes. Get the recipe >

Pineapple Tarts

Yi Jun Loh Yi Jun Loh

Food blogger Yi Jun Loh’s pineapple tart recipe transforms the tropical fruit into a spiced, marmalade-esque filling, then encases the jammy mixture in rich, buttery pastry. The two-bite delights—popular in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia when the Lunar New Year rolls around—are perfect for hosting, gifting, and snacking. Get the recipe >

Thit Kho (Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly with Eggs)

Allie Wist Allie Wist

This hearty dish of caramelized, melt-in-your-mouth pork belly gets its irresistible savoriness from fish sauce and Coco Rico, a mild, coconut-flavored soda from Puerto Rico that’s common in Vietnamese cooking. Get the recipe >

Whole Steamed Fish with Tangerine Peel and Fennel

Katherine Whittaker Katherine Whittaker

Bright citrus and peppery fennel enliven flaky steamed fish in this elegant banquet-table centerpiece. Follow Chinese tradition and save some leftovers for the following day as a symbol of bringing surplus into the new year. Get the recipe >

Japchae (Stir-Fried Glass Noodles)

Penny De Los Santos Penny De Los Santos

Toss slippery sweet potato noodles with soy sauce, crunchy veg, and tender, juicy beef to make this crowd-pleasing Korean party dish. At any celebration of Seollal (as Lunar New Year is called in Korea), a heaping bowl is bound to be on the table. Get the recipe >

Chinese Lion’s Head Meatballs

Peter Som Peter Som

Named for their impressive size, these juicy Chinese meatballs make a show-stopping addition to any festive feast. The trick to achieving their signature tender, bouncy texture? Stirring the pork mixture for at least five minutes, to thoroughly distribute fat and flavor. Get the recipe >

Spicy Beef Potstickers

Heami Lee Heami Lee

Enhance ground beef with chili oil for a spicy take on a Lunar New Year classic. These pan-fried dumplings are a beaut: a flour-vinegar slurry added near the end of the frying process creates a beautifully crispy “skirt” that holds the potstickers together. Get the recipe >

Whole Grilled Fish with Vietnamese Peanut Pesto

Matt Taylor-Gross Matt Taylor-Gross

For a whole-fish presentation with rich, nutty flavor and smoky flair, try this grilled, Vietnamese-inspired version from Houston chef Chris Shepherd. The peanut pesto smearing the fish hits all the flavor notes: umami from the fish sauce, caramelly sweetness from the brown sugar, and brightness from the lime juice. Get the recipe >

Tian Tian Chao Mian (Chinese Everyday Fried Noodles)

Photo: Belle Morizio • Food Styling: Victoria Granof • Prop Styling: Dayna Seman Photo: Belle Morizio • Food Styling: Victoria Granof • Prop Styling: Dayna Seman

This stir-fried recipe calls for layering ingredients like dark soy sauce and sugar to concoct a concentrated, salty-sweet sauce that clings beautifully to noodles. Fresh mix-ins like cucumber and carrot add cheery color and satisfying crunch. Get the recipe >

Hong Shao Rou (Chinese Red-Braised Pork Belly with Eggs)

Yuki Sugiura Yuki Sugiura

Red-braised pork belly is homestyle Chinese comfort food, with two types of soy sauce and a touch of sugar giving the beloved dish its signature glossiness and deep red-brown hue. In this version from cookbook author Fuchsia Dunlop, boiled eggs make the ideal vehicle for soaking up the savory sauce. Get the recipe >

Beef Rendang

Maura McEvoy Maura McEvoy

A stick-to-your-ribs Indonesian staple, this succulent number calls for slowly simmering beef in a rich coconutty sauce seasoned with aromatic lemongrass and makrut lime leaves. Serve it alongside steamed white rice to absorb the velvety gravy. Get the recipe >

Bò Kho (Vietnamese-Style Beef Stew with Lemongrass, Ginger, and Garlic)

Photo: Linda Pugliese • Food Styling: Jason Schreiber • Prop Styling: Elvis Maynard Photo: Linda Pugliese • Food Styling: Jason Schreiber • Prop Styling: Elvis Maynard

Tender short ribs and collagen-rich oxtail form the bedrock of this beefy, herbaceous Vietnamese stew. Fistfuls of cilantro and Thai basil enhance the dish with grassy aroma and brightness, while red onions and scallions add a peppery punch. Get the recipe >

Galbi Jjim (Braised Short Ribs)

Photo: Paola + Murray • Food Styling: Simon Andrews • Prop Styling: Sophie Strangio Photo: Paola + Murray • Food Styling: Simon Andrews • Prop Styling: Sophie Strangio

Sohui Kim, chef of Brooklyn restaurant Gage & Tollner, weaves a thread of French technique into her Korean galbi jjim recipe: she incorporates both red wine and soy sauce into the braise for extra depth of flavor and East-meets-West oomph. Get the recipe >

Braised Winter Squash with Fermented Black Beans

Reprinted with permission from The Vegan Chinese Kitchen by Hannah Che copyright © 2022. Photographs by Hannah Che. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Reprinted with permission from The Vegan Chinese Kitchen by Hannah Che copyright © 2022. Photographs by Hannah Che. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

Any feast full of rich fare needs some lighter options in the lineup for balance—like this flavorful, winter-friendly option from cookbook author Hannah Che. Her recipe utilizes the Chinese smother-braising technique—similar to red-braising—to soften squash to a luxuriously buttery texture. Get the recipe >

Stir-Fried Choy Sum with Garlic Sauce

Farideh Sadeghin Farideh Sadeghin

It takes just five minutes to turn choy sum (or any other leafy green, like baby bok choy) into a garlicky, show-stealing side. Slightly bitter vegetables beautifully counterbalance any heartier dishes that might be on your banquet table. Get the recipe >

Nian Gao (Chinese Sticky Rice Cake)

Matt Taylor-Gross Matt Taylor-Gross

Steamed sweet rice dough flavored with brown sugar and almond extract makes a luck-filled Chinese Lunar New Year treat (nian gao is a homophone for “higher every year”). A sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds and an optional smattering of red dates elevates the treat to show-stopper territory. Get the recipe >

Sliced Pork Belly with Garlic Sauce

Excerpted from MADE IN TAIWAN: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation. Copyright @ 2023 by Clarissa Wei. Photography Copyright © 2023 by Yen Wei and Ryan Chen. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, and imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved. Excerpted from MADE IN TAIWAN: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation. Copyright @ 2023 by Clarissa Wei. Photography Copyright © 2023 by Yen Wei and Ryan Chen. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, and imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

Dress tender poached pork belly with garlic, chili oil, and Taiwanese soy paste for a delicately salty-sweet dish straight from the island’s vibrant beer halls. Get the recipe >

Chinese Salt-Baked Chicken with Congee and Pickled Mustard Greens

Jason Lang Jason Lang

A whole chicken represents prosperity, so make this oven-baked Hainan-style version that calls for coating a bird generously in salt—resulting in even cooking and extra-moist meat. Get the recipe >

Lo Bak Go (Pan-Fried Turnip Cake)

Todd Coleman Todd Coleman

Rice flour and grated daikon studded with lap cheong sausages are a perennially popular dim-sum order, and they make a welcome addition to any holiday feast. Serve the crisp-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside snack with spicy hoisin sauce for a fiery kick. Get the recipe >

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Yuanxiao (Sweet Rice Balls with Nut and Sesame Seed Filling)

Buwei Yang Chao — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:16:03 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Chewy sweet rice (also called glutinous rice) dough encasing nutty pastes made from seeds, nuts, and beans are a Lunar New Year must-have in China. Not only does the round shape represent family togetherness and reunion, but the sugary fillings symbolize sweetness in the year ahead. They’re especially popular on Yuanxiao Jie, also known as the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the new lunar year and marks the end of the two-week celebratory period. Almonds, walnuts, and toasted sesame seeds comprise the rich filling in this yuanxiao recipe adapted from Buwei Yang Chao’s 1945 volume, How to Cook and Eat in Chinese.

Yield: 4

Time: 45 minutes

¼ cup white sesame seeds
¼ cup almonds
¼ cup walnuts
½ cup sugar
1 Tbsp. shortening
1 lb. sweet rice flour, divided

Instructions

In a small skillet set over low heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirring frequently, until lightly golden brown, 3–5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a mortar and pestle or food processor, grind the sesame seeds, almonds, and walnuts to the texture of fine sand. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the sugar, shortening, and 2 tablespoons of water; stir well to form a paste.
In a large rimmed tray, spread enough of the flour to form an approximately ¼-inch layer. Using your palms, roll the sesame seed mixture into small balls (¼ –½ inch in diameter), space them out on the tray, and shake the tray until all the balls are evenly coated in flour. Transfer the balls to a second large rimmed tray and sprinkle with water until the balls are moist. Add more flour to the first tray until the layer is again ¼-inch deep, and transfer the balls back to the first tray. Repeat until all the flour is coating the balls. (This could take as many as 10 rounds. As the dumplings get larger, you may want to divide them onto 2 additional trays so they have enough room to roll around.)
Cook the dumplings: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Gently drop in the dumplings and cook, stirring frequently to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until most of them float to the surface, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of cold water, bring to a boil again, and cook until the dumplings look slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the dumplings to serving bowls, then use a ladle to pour 1–2 cups of cooking water into each bowl. Serve warm.

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Smashed Cucumber Salad with Yuba

Jing Gao — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Photo: Yudi Ela Echevarria • Food Styling: Caroline Hwang • Prop Styling: Rebecca Bartoshesky

The simple smashed cucumber salad is a perennially popular appetizer in Chinese restaurants, but Jing Gao, founder of chili crisp brand Fly By Jing, likes to add layers to zhuzh it up. One of her favorite ways to incorporate textural contrast is to toss in slippery, chewy pieces of yuba, or tofu skin. Look for the ingredient in dried sheets at your local Asian supermarket, or online. If you can find fresh tofu skin, that also works well (just skip step one).

Adapted with permission from The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp: Spicy Recipes and Stories from Fly By Jing’s Kitchen by Jing Gao, copyright © 2023. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Featured in “A New Kind of Asian Grocer Has Arrived,” by Megan Zhang.

Yield: 4

5 oz. (¾ cup) dried or fresh yuba (tofu skin) sheets, cut into 1-in. pieces
3 small cucumbers
½ tsp. kosher salt
1¼ tsp. sugar, divided
1 Tbsp. Sichuan chili crisp
1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Chinese black vinegar
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (1 Tbsp.)
Sesame seeds and finely chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

Instructions

If using dried yuba, fill a medium pot about halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add the yuba and cook over high heat until they soften and turn pale, 4–5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Cut the cucumbers crosswise into approximately 3-inch lengths, then halve each piece lengthwise. Using the flat side of a cleaver, smash the cucumbers to crack the skin. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and discard. Cut the cucumbers into bite-size pieces (about 1 inch). Transfer to a large bowl, add the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the sugar, and toss well. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. (This will extract some water from the cucumbers.)
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the chili crisp, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and the remaining sugar.
Drain the cucumbers of any extracted water. Add the tofu skin and the chili-crisp mixture and toss well to mix. Transfer to a platter, garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro, and serve.

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Strange-Flavor Mixed Nuts

Jing Gao — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Photo: Yudi Ela Echevarria • Food Styling: Caroline Hwang • Prop Styling: Rebecca Bartoshesky

A famous Sichuan snack that Jing Gao, founder of chili crisp brand Fly By Jing, grew up eating is guaiwei (literally, “strange flavor”) fava beans. The crispy, crunchy beans—fried and coated in a sugary, spicy, salty, and tingly coating—are usually served alongside afternoon tea, or as a bar snack. Since fava beans can be harder to find as readily in the United States, Gao often substitutes them with an assortment of mixed nuts. (For a different flavor profile that’s just as enticing, you can also substitute the chile-and-Sichuan-peppercorn mixture with about a tablespoon of mala spice mix.)

Featured in “A New Kind of Asian Grocer Has Arrived,” by Megan Zhang.

Yield: 4

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

1½ tsp. Sichuan red chile powder
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground roasted Sichuan peppercorn
¾ cup sugar
1½ cups assorted nuts, such as cashews, peanuts, almonds, and pecans

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together the chile powder, salt, and Sichuan peppercorn.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To a large wok or skillet set over high heat, add the sugar and ⅓ cup of water. Using a spatula, stir continuously until the mixture begins to thicken and bubble and reads 250°F on a candy thermometer, 8–12 minutes. Working very quickly, remove the wok from the heat and add the nuts and salt mixture; toss well to coat. Spread the nuts into a flat layer on the baking sheet and separate them into small bite-size clusters, then set aside to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.

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Lazi Chicken Wings

Jing Gao — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Photo: Yudi Ela Echevarria • Food Styling: Caroline Hwang • Prop Styling: Rebecca Bartoshesky. Photo: Yudi Ela Echevarria • Food Styling: Caroline Hwang • Prop Styling: Rebecca Bartoshesky

If you’ve ever been to a Sichuan restaurant, you’ve probably had lazi chicken, an iconic dish in the regional cuisine. Chunks of golden fried chicken are tossed in a fiery wok and served amidst a sea of scorching red chiles and Sichuan peppercorns. Sichuan chefs usually opt for bone-in chicken, but Jing Gao, founder of chili crisp brand Fly By Jing, likes to serve hers as wings, which are a bit easier to find in a pile of peppers. A gratuitous amount of chilies and Sichuan peppercorns accompany this dish, but worry not, they’re not meant to be eaten—they’re only there to impart depth of flavor and heat. Sichuan chefs often fry their own peanuts for lazi chicken, but Gao uses the brand Huang Fei Hong’s spicy nuts as a shortcut.

Featured in “A New Kind of Asian Grocer Has Arrived,” by Megan Zhang.

Yield: 4

Time: 13 hours

Ingredients

For the mala spice mix (makes about ½ cup):

⅓ cup dried erjingtiao chiles, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. cumin seeds
1½ tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. whole cloves
2 black cardamom pods
2 star anise
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. kosher salt

For the chicken wings:

2 lb. chicken wings
1 tsp. kosher salt
4 cups plus 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, such as peanut
½ cup dried erjingtiao chiles, cut into 1-in. pieces
1 Tbsp. whole Sichuan peppercorns
3 scallions, green parts removed, thinly sliced
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

Instructions

Make the mala spice mix: In a medium wok or skillet set over medium-low heat, toast the chiles, cumin, fennel, cloves, cardamom, and star anise until fragrant, 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool to room temperature.
When the mixture is cool, add the sugar and salt. Using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle, grind the mixture into a fine powder. (Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)
Make the chicken wings: To a large bowl, add the chicken wings and salt and rub to evenly coat. Into a large wok or pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, add 4 cups of the oil and turn the heat to medium-high. When the temperature reads 250°F, add the wings to the wok and fry, working in batches, until cooked through and lightly golden, 10–15 minutes per batch. Transfer the wings to a large paper towel-lined platter, arranging them in a flat layer. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 hours, up to 24 hours. Reserve the oil in the wok.
When ready to re-fry, set the same wok over high heat, with the reserved oil in it. When the temperature reads 400°F, return the wings to the wok and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer the wings to a cooling rack and dust the mala spice mix evenly over them. (Discard the oil.)
Use a paper towel to wipe the wok clean, then heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Add the chiles, Sichuan peppercorn, and scallions and stir-fry, tossing continuously, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Return the wings to the wok, lightly dust with more mala spice mix to taste, and toss gently to coat. Transfer to a large platter, garnish with cilantro, and serve.

The post Lazi Chicken Wings appeared first on Saveur.

Chao Niangao (Stir-Fried Rice Cakes)

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:20:58 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Rice cakes may be a year-round staple across Asia, but they’re especially popular when Lunar New Year rolls around. In many cultures, rice cakes are symbolic of an auspicious new year, so all shapes and sizes show up on holiday feast tables. This chao niangao recipe, which translates as stir-fried rice cakes, is a Shanghai-style dish—though this version amps up the savoriness with the addition of doubanjiang, a Chinese fermented soybean paste.

This recipe first appeared in our Jan/Feb 2014 SAVEUR 100 print issue.

Order the SAVEUR Selects Nitri-Black Carbon Steel 14-Inch Wok here.

Yield: 2

Time: 15 minutes

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
One 2-in. piece ginger, finely chopped
3 oz. oval-shaped packaged rice cakes (not dried)
1 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots
½ head Napa cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
¼ cup light soy sauce
1 Tbsp. doubanjiang (fermented soybean paste)
1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
4 cups spinach
1 cup bean sprouts
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

Instructions

To a large wok set over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil. When the oil begins to smoke, add the garlic and ginger; cook, stirring continuously, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice cakes, bamboo, and cabbage and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the cabbage is wilted, 4–5 minutes. Stir in the light soy sauce, doubanjiang, dark soy sauce, and sugar, and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thickened, 2–3 minutes. Stir in the spinach, bean sprouts, and sesame oil and continue stir-frying until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to serving bowls and serve warm.

The post Chao Niangao (Stir-Fried Rice Cakes) appeared first on Saveur.