a smoky flavor to dishes. Sweet black soy sauce is a thick, fragrant sauce used in marinades and sauces
Pork and Prawn Dumplings with
Chili Oil and Sichuan Pepper
250 g (8 oz) minced pork
250 g (8 oz) fresh prawns, peeled and finely chopped
4 spring onions, finely chopped
1 egg
2 tablespoons cornflour
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced or grated ginger
24 fresh or frozen round wonton wrappers
2 red finger-length chilies, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves,
Sauce
3 teaspoons red chili oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn powder
1 Combine the Sauce ingredients in a small bowl, mix well and set aside.
2 To make the dumplings, combine the pork, chopped prawns, spring onions, egg, cornflour, soy sauce and ginger in a medium bowl and mix well.
3 Arrange several wrappers on a dry work surface and place a tablespoon of mixture onto the center of each wrapper. Using a pastry brush, lightly dab some water around half of the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half and press the edges to seal. If not cooking immediately, lightly dust the dumplings and leave on a rack to dry without touching each other.
4 Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Slip the dumplings into the boiling water, and let them boil until they all float to the surface, which means they are cooked. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and drain.
5 Place the hot dumplings in a serving dish, pour the sauce and stir gently to coat. Alternatively, serve the sauce separately as a dip. Garnish with the sliced chili and coriander leaves and serve immediately.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 5 mins
Place a tablespoon of filling onto the center of each wrapper.
Lightly dab some water around half the edge, fold the wrapper in half and press the edges to seal.
Fish Soup with Sesame and Fennel
This recipe provides a variety of therapeutic benefits, including eliminating phlegm from the body, strengthening spleen and stomach functions, and counteracting symptoms of colds and flu. Any type of white-fleshed fish may be used in this soup.
500 g (1 lb) fresh white-fleshed fish, such as sea bass or swordfish
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, dry roasted, then finely ground in a blender or food processor
2 tablespoons oil
1½ liters (6 cups) boiling water or fish stock (made from fish bouillon cubes)
1 baby fennel bulb, halved, cored and finely sliced, leaves reserved to garnish
Seasoning
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons fennel powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 Rinse the fish and pat dry with paper towels, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
2 Place the ground sesame seeds in a shallow bowl, then toss the fish pieces in the sesame powder until evenly coated. Cover the bowl and allow the fish to rest in the sesame powder for about 2 hours.
3 Combine the Seasoning ingredients and set aside.
4 Heat the oil in a wok or large pot until hot and stir-fry the fish for 2 minutes, then immediately add the boiling water or fish stock. Return to the boil, then add the Seasoning and stir to mix.
5 Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve garnished with fennel slices and leaves if desired.
You may also prepare this soup with fresh prawns that have been shelled and deveined. This is a good way to prepare fish or prawns for people with digestive problems; the fennel and sesame aid digestion, and the water provides plenty of fluid to carry it through the digestive tract.
Fennel bulbs are stumpy plants with thick stems. They have round bases that resemble large onions and have an aniseed taste. They are sold fresh in supermarkets. If fennel bulbs are not available, substitute parsley.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 mins
Marinating time: 2 hours
Cooking time: 10 mins
Clear Pork Soup with Daikon
Pork is a very popular meat in Sichuan and this is a favorite way to use pork to prepare soup. The preferred cut for this soup is what the Chinese call wu hua rou—literally "five flowered flesh"—which refers to the belly meat, or bacon cut, with its flowery pattern of fat and flesh. Leaner cuts may also be used. This is also a good example of how the famous Sichuan peppercorn can wake up an otherwise sleepy soup with its pungent flavor.
1 liter (4 cups) water, or chicken or vegetable stock (made from chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes)
4 slices ginger
2 spring onions, each cut into 3 sections
10 Sichuan peppercorns
1 daikon radish (about
250 g/8 oz), halved lengthwise, and sliced
300 g (10 oz) pork belly or bacon pork, or other tender cut, washed and cut into very thin slices
Sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2
