Hot and Sour Soup

• 2 1/2 quarts chicken stock
• 1 block (16 oz.) of tofu, cut into 1 1/2 inch long strips
• 5 shitake mushrooms, cut into thin slices
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups bamboo shoot strips
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
• 3 eggs. beaten
• 1/2 tsp. sesame oil

Combine first seven ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Drizzle the cornstarch mixture into the soup, stirring to thicken.

Fried Rice

• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon MSG (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon groung white pepper
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 cups cooked rice
• 4 scallions, chopped, including green ends
• 2 cups diced cooked pork, ham, chicken, shrimp, or any meat
• 1 slice ginger, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Put first four ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir slightly; the eggs should not be well beaten. Heat wok or pan hot and dry. Add the oil. Brown the garlic and ginger slightly, then add the rice. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring to break up lumps and coat with oil. Add the rest of the ingredients except the egg mixture. Fry and stir constantly until thoroughly mixed. Add the egg mixture while stirring the rice so it will cover as much of the ingredients in the pan as possible. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve while hot.

Barbecued Spareribs

• 2 banks of spareribs, uncut, about 2 pounds each
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup sweet bean sauce (hoi sin deung) or hoi sin sauce
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sherry

Trim off excess fat from the thick edges of spareribs. Place ribs in a shallow pan or platter. Mix remaining ingredients for a marinade and spread over both sides of the spareribs. Let stand for at least two hours. Place one oven rack at the top of the oven and one at the bottom. Preheat to 375F. Hook each bank of spareribs with 3 or 4 S-hooks across its width, on the thick edges, and suspend under top rack. Place a large pan with 1/2" water on bottom rack. This pan will catch the drippings and keep the meat from drying out. Cook spareribs for about 45 minutes.

Hunan Beef

• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 small dried red chilies
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons water

Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 3/4 pound flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

1. Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add beef and stir to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl.
3. Place broccoli in a large pot with 1 inch of boiling water. Boil until tender-crisp, 2 to 3 minutes; drain.
4. Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add oil, swirling to coat sides. Add garlic and chilies and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add beef and stir-fry until no longer pink, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
5. Add broccoli and sauce to wok; bring to a boil. Add cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens.

General Tsao's Chicken

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1+1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1+1/2 tsp minced ginger root
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup cooking wine
• 1+1/2 cup hot chicken broth
• 1 tsp monosodium glutamate (optional)

Meat:

• 3 lbs deboned dark chicken meat, cut into large chunks
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 cup cornstarch
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying
• 2 cups sliced green onions
• 16 small dried hot peppers

Mix 1/2 cup cornstarch with water. Add garlic, ginger, sugar, 1/2 cup soy sauce, vinegar, wine, chicken broth and MSG (if desired). Stir until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate until needed. In separate bowl, mix chicken, 1/4 cup soy sauce and white pepper. Stir in egg. Add 1 cup cornstarch and mix until chicken pieces are coated evenly. Add cup of vegetable oil to help separate chicken pieces. Divide chicken into small quantities and deep-fry at 350 degrees until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Place a small amount of oil in wok and heat until wok is hot. Add onions and peppers and stir-fry briefly. Stir sauce and add to wok. Place chicken in sauce and cook until sauce thickens.

Moo Goo Gai Pan

• 4 chicken breast halves, skinned, boned and sliced salt and pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups water
• 1 tb cornstarch
• 5 tb corn oil
• 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 4 lb. bok choy or Chinese white cabbage, chopped
• 2 tb sugar
• 4 tb soy sauce
• 6 scallions, chopped

1. In a bowl, toss chicken with the salt and pepper, garlic and cornstarch mixture. Set aside.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of corn oil in a wok and stir in mushrooms, bok choy/cabbage and sugar for 2 minutes. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from wok.
3. Heat remaining corn oil in wok. Stir-fry chicken for 2 minutes over high heat. Add soy sauce and mix well. Cover and cook for about 6 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
4. Mix in the cooked vegetables and scallions. Stir fry together for about 1 minute. Serve hot with rice.