ONE THING PRESIDENT BUSH did not accomplish with his silly diatribe against broccoli last year was to slow the march of vegetables toward the center of the American dinner plate.
Without becoming converts to vegetarianism, many of us are discovering the health and gustatory benefits of a diet rich in vegetables. In doing so, American cooks have had to look to other cultures for help, and no wonder, when the country`s major culinary inheritance from the English was soggy, overcooked vegetables with names such as ”bubble and squeak.”
Currently, much of the increased visibility of vegetables is due to our infatuation with the food of Italy and other Mediterranean cultures. But an earlier influence that`s due for renewed attention is Oriental cooking, especially Chinese.
The Chinese realized long ago what is only beginning to sink in here:
that variety is the key to a healthy and appealing diet and that no food grouping offers more varied resources to the cook than the vegetable kingdom. Even solo vegetables stand out because of the way they are prepared.
In ”The Key to Chinese Cooking,” Irene Kuo explains: ”The Chinese cook vegetables primarily by the stir-frying method, and the results are spectacular. The brief searing in hot oil followed by a vigorous steam-cooking with a small amount of liquid gives fresh vegetables a plump crispness and vivid coloring that are really extraordinary.”
This is done as follows: Cut a pound of a vegetable such as broccoli, zucchini, asparagus or string beans into good-sized pieces. Heat a skillet or wok, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, then the vegetable. Using a spatula or paddle, stir and toss the vegetable over high heat for 2 minutes. Add a teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and a tablespoon of water and continue stirring for another 2 minutes. If the vegetable is not yet crisp-tender, add another tablespoon of water and cover the pan for 1 minute.
But the true genius of the cuisine is revealed through the myriad of vegetable combinations with seemingly endless variations in texture, color and taste.
To illustrate this, chef Mao-Sheng Lou of the T`ang Dynasty, at 100 E. Walton St., provides several recipes from the extensive vegetable repertory available at this restaurant and others in the group headed by Austin Koo. These are Szechwan House, 600 N. Michigan Ave.; Austin Koo`s Mandarin, 318 W. Adams St.; House of Hunan, 1233 E. Golf Rd., Schaumburg; and Szechuan, 3452 E. Vollmer Rd., Olympia Fields.
Many of the vegetables used in Chinese recipes are available at supermarkets, but the novice cook should visit a specialty store to obtain a supply of frequently used Chinese condiments. One store to try outside Chinatown is the Oriental Food Market, 2801 W. Howard St. (312-274-2826). Consult the owner, Chu-Yen Luke. While not essential, a wok is an
exceptionally versatile cooking implement. Its use needn`t be confined to Chinese recipes.
YU HSIANG BROCCOLI
Four servings
1/4 ounce small dried black Chinese wood-ear mushrooms+, soaked in water for
at least 2 hours and drained
1 head (about 1 pound) broccoli
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 ounces shredded uncooked pork (optional)
1/3 medium-size red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch diamond-shaped pieces
4 (about 3 ounces) water chesnuts, diced
1 medium green onion, chopped
For the sauce:
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Chinese chili sauce+
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar+
1 tablespoon fermented black beans+
1 teaspoon oyster sauce+
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce+
2 teaspoons rice wine+ or sherry
2 dashes white pepper
3 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
+Available at Oriental markets and some specialty food stores
1. Prepare sauce: In a bowl combine the ginger, garlic, chili sauce, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, fermented beans, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice wine, pepper, chicken broth and the cornstarch slurry. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
2. Cut the stems from the broccoli spears. Either peel and cut them into 3-by-1-by- 1/2-inch pieces or reserve for another use. Cut broccoli florettes into spears, cutting the larger florettes in half.
3. Fill a large saucepan half-full of water and bring to a boil. Drop the broccoli spears into the water and simmer for 3 minutes. Drain and reserve.
(Recipe may be done in advance to this point.)
4. Heat a wok or large skillet. Add the vegetable oil, then the optional pork. Stir-fry the pork for about 1 minute. (There will be smoke. Ignore it.) Add the red-pepper diamonds, diced water chestnuts and chopped green onion. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli spears, the wood-ear mushrooms and the sauce mixture.
5. Stir to mix the ingredients thoroughly and cook only until the broccoli is heated through but still crisp, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl or platter and serve at once.
SNOW PEA PODS WITH MUSHROOMS, WATER CHESTNUTS AND CARROTS
Four servings
10 ounces fresh snow pea pods
3 medium (about 2 ounces) fresh white mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 medium (about 3 ounces) water chestnuts, thinly sliced
1 medium (about 2 ounces) carrot, thinly sliced on a diagonal
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon white wine
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water
1. Wash pea pods and cut off both ends. Pull the strings from the sides.
2. Fill a large saucepan half-full of water and bring to a boil. Add the pea pods, mushrooms, water chestnuts and carrots all at once. Boil for 2 minutes. Drain. (Recipe may be done ahead to this point.)
3. Heat a wok or large skillet. Add chicken broth, salt, sugar, vegetable oil and wine. Immediately add the vegetables, then the pepper. Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the cornstarch slurry and stir until sauce boils and thickens slightly. Serve at once.
MA POW BEAN CURD
Four servings
2 (12-ounce) blocks of tofu (soy bean curd)+
1/2 ounce dried black mushrooms,+ soaked in water for at least 2 hours
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon Szechuan hot-bean sauce+
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 3 tablespoons water
2 medium green onions, sliced crosswise into thin discs
1 teaspoon hot-chili oil, or less to taste (optional)+
+Available at Chinese groceries and some specialty stores
1. Dice the bean curd into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Mince the mushrooms.
2. Heat a wok or large skillet. Add the vegetable oil and the ginger and garlic. (There will be smoke. Ignore it.) Stir for about 5 seconds, add the minced mushrooms and stir another 5 seconds. Add chicken broth, hot-bean sauce, soy sauce and the bean-curd cubes.
3. Allow the liquid to come to a boil, then lower the heat. Cook for 5 minutes. The bean curd is fragile, so do not stir it. Instead lift and gently tip the wok from time to time to prevent curd cubes from sticking to the bottom.
4. When the bean curd is cooked, add the cornstarch slurry and stir gently to distribute it evenly. Bring the sauce to a boil, then slide the contents of the wok onto a platter with a lip or into a heat-proof bowl.
5. Sprinkle the scallions and optional chili oil over the surface and serve at once.
