An Improvised Evening Well Received

" Isn't it a great joy when friends visited from afar?" - Confucius

This past Monday a couple of friends from New York paid us a spontaneous visit. We already spent the weekend in Seattle cooking, eating, and carousing with other friends. Although it was fun I felt a bit "partied out" and was looking forward to come back to the quiet woods. I was glad when Jeffrey and Brigitta agreed to drive back with us. I was hoping they might appreciate a change of scene from the cities. I improvised a Chinese dinner which Jeffrey later emailed me after they returned to New York for the recipes. Nothing pleases a cook more than being appreciated, so here they are.

This dinner is what I and maybe most Chinese would consider a "typical" dinner for a middle-class (the rich families will have maybe two meat dishes more elaborately prepared) family of 4: San Cai Yi Tang, three meat and vegetable dishes and a soup. If there are 5 people, then it is Si Cai Yi Tang: four dishes and one soup. This ratio is followed almost unconsciously and taken for granted at Chinese homes and restaurants. At restaurants these "set menus" (vs. ala carte) are called "He Cai". Chinese eat soup at the end of the meal; using the same bowl for rice.  I skipped the soup from this meal as I was short on time and ingredients.

Steamed Cod with Fermented Black beans, Ginger and Scallions

Ingredients:

A fillet a cod, cut to size so the pieces fit on the plate for steaming
2 Tablespoon each of thinly sliced (julienned) ginger and scallion
1 Tablespoon of rice wine
1-2 Tablespoon of fermented black beans (If you can't get these, miso works well too but it tastes completely different.) Some black beans are saltier than the other, soak them in water if they are too salty)
2 Tablespoon of oil
salt

Instructions:

1. Rinse and pat dry cod. Sprinkle and gently rub in the rice wine and salt, set aside.
2. Cut ginger and scallion into thin slices. Chop fermented black beans.
3. Bring 1/2 pot of water to boil. I used a bamboo basket that fit over a big pot for steaming , but you can adopt any Western-style steaming method.
4. Distribute ginger, scallions and black beans evenly on top of the fish.
5. Steam with medium high heat for 8 minutes. It is very important not to overcook the fish. Check the thickest part, if it has turned white, it is done.
6. During the last minute before the fish is done, heat up the oil in a small pan until hot.
7. Pour hot oil over the fish. I served the fish directly in the basket.

Steamed Cod with black beans, ginger & scallions

Stewed Tofu with Snow Peas, Carrots and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 box of firm tofu, slice into 1/4" thick pieces
A handful of Snow peas, stringed
1-2 carrots, cut into 1/2" chunks
Mushrooms, I used Enoki mushrooms because I had it in the fridge but any mushrooms will do, slice or cube
2 Tablespoons of oil
1 Tablespoon of rice wine
2 Tablespoon of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 cup of water
a pinch of salt
(Note: You can substitute 2 Tablespoons of Japanese Mirin for the rice wine and sugar.)

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan until hot, gently place the tofu pieces into the wok. Shake the wok or pan a couple of times during frying to prevent sticking. When the tofu slices are brown on both sides, move them to a small pot. Add soy sauce, salt, rice wine, sugar, water, mushrooms, carrots and simmer for about 10 minutes. If using Enoki mushrooms, add last with the snow peas as it takes no time to cook.
2. Add snow peas and Enoki mushrooms if using. Cook 30 seconds or until snow peas are crisp-tender.

Stir-fried Boy Choy

Ingredients:

A bunch of Boy Choy ( I used regular boy choy, baby coy choy, Chinese broccoli, You Choy, regular broccoli will all work.), chopped
1 Tablespoon of oil
1-2 Tablespoon of water
A dash of rice wine (optional, it is believed the rice wine keeps the green color vibrant.)
A dash of salt

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil until very hot, put the greens in the wok, add salt and rice wine, stir, add a little water and cook about two minutes more or until the white part of the vegetable is translucent.

A typical Chinese dinner for 4 (minus soup)

Stir-fried Boy Choy

After dinner we all stretched out on the sofa, full and happy like fat cats. But after some pleasant and lazy conversations  I could tell Jeffrey was starting to get a bit restless. When he jokingly said he'd eat dog treats I knew I had to come up with a desert. Chinese rarely eat deserts after meals; a little fruit sometimes. I was so thrilled to see I had one apple left in the fruit bowl. I knew just the right desert to make. Again it was something quick and easy using whatever was available - my favorite kind of cooking. It gives me great pride and joy to improvise and make our guests happy. 

Apple Oven Pan Cake 

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoon butter

1/4 brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 apple, peeled and sliced

3 eggs

1/4 salt

1/2 cup each flour and milk

1 Tablespoon each fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat over to 425 degrees. Melt butter in a cast-iron pan or ovenproof pan over hight heat. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, stir to combine and add apple. Cook about 3 minutes or until apple just starting to soften.

2. Use a blender, food processor or a whisk and a bowl, blend eggs, salt, flour and milk until smooth. Pour egg mixture into the pan and bake until puffed and brown, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and powdered sugar.

I told our guests this quick desert would taste so much better using our own fresh apples and eggs. I hope they will come visit again when they can harvest flowers, fruits, vegetables, fresh eggs themselves. I think that would be a very nice experience.