4 dried Chinese mushrooms
1/2 pound fresh Chinese noodles
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon bean sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup reserved mushroom soaking liquid
1 teaspoon chili paste
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 red bell pepper -- in 1/2 inch cubes
8 ounces whole bamboo shoots -- cubed
2 cups bean sprouts
1 whole green onion -- thinly sliced

Soak the Chinese mushrooms in 1 1/4 cups of hot water for 30 minutes. While they are soaking, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and cook the noodles for 3 minutes. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon of peanut oil; set aside.

Remove the mushrooms; strain and reserve 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid for the sauce. Trim and discard the mushroom stems; coarsely chop the caps and set aside. Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and stir well to dissolve the sugar; set aside. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of cold water; set aside.

Place the wok over medium-high heat. When it begins to smoke, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of peanut oil, then the mushrooms, red pepper, bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts. Stir-fry 2 minutes. Stir the sauce and add it to the wok, and continue to stir-fry until the mixture begins to boil, about 30 seconds. Mix the dissolved cornstarch and add it to the wok.
Continue to stir until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Add the noodles and toss until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the sliced scallion. Serve immediately.

Chinese BBQ Pork

Chinese BBQ Pork, also known as Cha Siu is very easy to prepare and tastes wonderful.

3 pounds pork tenderloin -- whole
3/4 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup brown bean sauce
3/8 cup Chinese cooking wine
3/8 cup garlic -- finely chopped
3/8 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)

1. Mix stock, soy sauce, brown bean sauce, cooking wine, chopped garlic, and food coloring. Pour over pork.
2. Marinate 3 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Preheat oven to 500F.
4. Place pork on rack over drip pan in oven, reduce heat to 350F, and roast for 1 hour.

General Tso's Chicken

This is a bit labor intensive; but absolutely fabulous and definitely WORTH it.

6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
6 whole red chiles -- crushed
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
3/8 cup orange rind -- minced
3 tablespoons ginger -- minced
1 cup peanuts -- fried and chopped
***Batter***
3 eggs
3/4 cup beer
3/8 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/8 teaspoon pepper
***Seasoning Sauce***
1 1/8 cups sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
7/8 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch

1. Skin and bone the chicken. Cut into 1-1/2" x 2" strips.
2. Mix batter. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat.
3. Cover and chill for 1/2 hour.
4. Mix seasoning sauce. Coat each piece of chicken well with
cornstarch.
5. Arrange chicken on well-floured wax paper.
6. Heat 2-3" of oil in a pan until very hot. Fry chicken for 30 seconds.
Drain well on a cookie sheet covered with paper towels.
7. Reheat oil over high heat until very hot. Refry chicken until crispy and golden brown.
8. Drain again and keep hot in oven.
9. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok over medium heat; fry orange rind until
golden brown. Add chili and ginger, stir-frying 20 seconds.
10. Mix in seasoning sauce and heat to boil, stirring constantly until foam subsides and the sauce
thickens slightly and turns to glaze (about 2 minutes or more).
11. Add fried chicken, tossing to coat well. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top.

Chinese New Year Menu

This Menu is designed to serve 20 people with all of the items below being prepared. You'll need to increase amounts per dish if you wish to prepare less items.

The timing & last minute prep notes show when to start the actual cooking/final heating if you wish to serve at the times I've indicated below. This can of course be adjusted to suit your specific serving time.
These notes assume that all cutting, slicing, dicing has been completed and that ALL sauces have been measured out and made ahead of time. This is essential if you wish to get all of this done on time.

Appetizers: Serve at 5:15p.m.

Hot Sour Soup - prepare early in the day, re-heat at 4:30 and keep warm in crockpot
Spring Rolls (30 pieces) - make ahead/deep fry and freeze - place in oven to bake at 350 when 1st guest arrives
Shrimp Toast (40 pieces) - Make filling 1 day ahead; spread onto toast a few hours ahead; fry 8 minutes per 20 - start when 1st guest arrive
Har Gau(40 pieces) - Make ahead/freeze - steam from frozen 10 minutes per 20 - start when 1st guests arrive
Shiu Mai (40 pieces)- Make ahead/freeze - steam from frozen 10 minutes per 20 - start when 1st guests arrive

Main Course: Serve at 5:45

BBQ Pork - marinate over night - roast in oven 1 hour starting at 4:30
Green Fried Rice - prepare in wok - start at 5:00 place in oven at 5:10
Mussels with Chiles - prepare in wok - start at 5:10 place in oven at 5:20
General Tso's Chicken - second frying in Wok at 5:20 - hold in oven until serving
Sweet & Sour Vegetables - prepare in Wok #2 at 5:30 - serve immediately
Spicy Mandarin Noodles - prepare in Wok #3 at 5:30 - serve immediately

Sweet & Sour Vegetables

This recipe does not turn out Neon Pink like most sweet and sour dishes you get for Chinese take out, but it is very tasty.
For a spicier dish, add regular chile sauce instead of sweet chile sauce.

4 whole red peppers -- julienned
5 3/8 cups snow peas -- cut into 1" pieces
5 1/4 cups zucchini -- sliced
4 1/3 cups waterchestnut -- drained
4 3/4 cups mushroom -- quartered
2 3/4 cups baby corn -- drained
12 spring onion -- sliced
3 cloves garlic
***Sweet & Sour Sauce***
6 tablespoons wine vinegar
6 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons tomato paste
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons sherry
1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
6 teaspoons cornflour

Prepare the vegetables; set aside.

Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl, blending well together.

Heat the oil in a wok until hot. Add the spring onion and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Add the prepared vegetables, the firmer ones first, and stir fry for 2 minutes. Then add the softer ones and stir fry for another 2 minutes.

Add the sweet and sour mixture to the wok. Bring to the boil quickly, tossing until the vegetables are thoroughly coated and the sauce has thickened. Serve hot.