On Christmas morning my family likes to go out for dim sum (点心; snacks), Chinese small plates. Frequently we go to Tai-pan in Palo Alto. In addition to the many and varied flavors, Tia-pan’s presentation is always impeccable—no chopped vegetables sloshed on a plate. Of the many excellent dishes we had, one was the one we always order is Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce.
Karl’s Chinese Broccoli with Mushroom Sauce
Filed under Green Vegetables, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
In this cast the Southern is Southern US. This recipe is from last Sunday’s dinner and I am just now getting around to posting it. I am doing a California Fusion Char Siu Flavored Pork Loin and I wanted a non-traditional vegetable dish to go with it. I decided to adapt a Cook’s Illustrated recipe to my purposes.
Karl’s “Southern” Chinese Green Beans
Filed under California Fusion, Chinese-American, Green Vegetables, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Dàn dàn miàn (担担面; “peddler’s noodles”) are boiled noodles with a spicy sesame/peanut sauce poured over them. The story goes that lunch peddler’s would carry a dàn dàn—a shoulder pole with a bucket on either end—with the cooked noodles in one bucket and the spicy sauce in the other. When you bought your lunch you were expected to provide your own bowl and the seller would put in some noodles and splash some of the sauce over them.
Karl’s Dàn Dàn Miàn
Sichuan Peddler’s Noodles
Filed under Main Dishes, Pasta, Pork
I decided to make barbecued chicken with a Sichuan glaze this Sunday. This is something a Chinese cook from “the Mainland” would never do. This, however, is a California Fusion recipe, taking something from one cuisine and mashing it together with the techniques of another. I am also serving dàn dàn miàn and pickled cabbage.
Karl’s Barbecued Sichuan Chicken
Filed under Barbeque, California Fusion, Chicken, Main Dishes, Poultry
I needed a vegetable dish to go with my Dàn dàn noodles and Sichuan chicken. The Chinese are not much into uncooked vegetable side dishes, unless they are pickled in some way. This is the closest that Chinese cuisine comes to a “salad.”
Karl’s Sichuan Pickled Cabbage
with Red Peppers
Filed under California Fusion, Pickles, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
I am making a Sichuan Dinner tonight. So two days ago I started making my chili oil. Sichuan chili oil can be much more than just dried chilies cooked in oil.
Karl’s Sichuan Chili Oil
Filed under Chinese, Sauces and Spices, Vegan, Vegetarian
Eilene is at a party on a Saturday night and that means that Jan and I can have an ingredient that she doesn’t like, mushrooms. Chicken and mushrooms, a Chinese restaurant standard, came to mind. To go with this main dish, I chose Chinese broccoli as the vegetable, but what was to be my starch? The standard Chinese accompaniment to these dishes would be steamed white rice. However, Jan loves pan fried noodles, so that is where I went. Form a mundane Saturday night meal this had turned into restaurant quality fare.
Karl’s Chinese Chicken with Oyster Mushrooms
Char siu is a common ingredient in many Chinese dishes. There is nothing quite like a fresh char siu baozi for a quick comfort meal. However, in Mainland China most home cooks do not make their own, because most apartments lack the oven necessary to cook it properly—at least in the cities 25 years ago (personal experience).
Karl’s Char Siu
Chinese Barbecued Pork
Filed under Barbeque, Main Dishes, Pork, Sauces and Spices
Adapted from an Appetite for China recipe
Chinese long bean is one of the vegetables that we were introduced to in our time in Chengdu (25 years ago). They are about two feet long and are thinner, tougher and have a rougher skin than Western green beans. Although most American Chinese restaurants use Western green beans in their dishes—because of availability and American tastes—this is the green bean called for in traditional recipes. Today, you can find them in most Chinese specialty stores.
Chinese Long Bean
and Bluelake Green Bean
Filed under Side Dishes, Stir-fry, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
The kid’s love mushrooms and, since son-in-law, Chris, is still avoiding noodles. I need to add a dish for Sunday’s dinner that will fill him up. Man does not live on meat alone, but he is trying with his keto diet.
Karl’s Stir-fried Mushrooms and Shrimp
with Sichuan Garlic Sauce
Filed under Seafood, Shrimp, Side Dishes, Stir-fry
karllueck
Miriam
Jabberwocky Stew 