Wok With Me

SPICY CLAMS IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Yield: 6 servings


48 Littleneck or small
-cherrystone clams
Seasonings:
2 tb Fermented black
-beans *
2 tb Minced green onions **
1 1/2 tb Minced garlic
1 tb Minced fresh ginger
1/2 ts Dried red pepper flakes

SAUCE
1/2 c Chicken broth, or water
1 tb Reduced sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tb Rice wine or sake
1 ts Granulated sugar
1/4 ts Pepper

THICKENER
1 ts Cornstarch
1 tb Water
1 tb Vegetable oil
2 tb Minced green onions

* rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped (found at
Oriental markets) ** white part only

To prepare Clams: Lightly scrub outside of clams with
brush and place in bowl with water to cover for 1
hour. Drain thoroughly.

To prepare Seasonings: Combine black beans, green
onions, garlic, ginger and dried pepper flakes in
small bowl and set aside.

To prepare Sauce: Combine broth, soy sauce, rice wine,
sugar and pepper in bowl and set aside.

To prepare Thickener: Combine cornstarch and water in
small bowl or cup and set aside.

Place Seasonings, Sauce and Thickener near stove.

Heat wok or skillet with lid over high heat. Add oil
and heat until hot. Add Seasonings and stir-fry about
10 seconds until fragrant. Add Sauce and heat until
boiling. Add clams. Cover and cook, shaking pan
occasionally, until they just open, 3 to 4 -minutes.
Discard unopened clams. Using slotted spoon, transfer
clams to serving bowl. Slowly add Thickener to sauce,
stirring to prevent any lumps. Carefully pour sauce
over clams. Sprinkle top with minced green onions and
serve.

HONEY-WALNUT PRAWNS
Yield: 4 servings

1/2 cups Walnuts (or honey glazed)
5 cups Water
1 cups Sugar
2 cups Oil
1 lb.medium shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1/2 cup Cornstarch
1/2 cup Egg whites
2 tb Honey
3 tb Mayonnaise
1 tb Fresh lemon juice
1/2 tb Condensed milk
1/2 c Oil
Rinse walnuts, then boil in 5 cups water, continually
changing water until clear. When clear, boil with
sugar until sugar dissolves. Heat 2 cups oil until
almost smoking, then deep-fry walnuts until they're
shiny and brown, no longer golden. Remove walnuts to
cookie sheet, let cool. Mix cornstarch and egg whites
together to form a thick, sticky texture and mix well
with prawns. Set aside. Mix honey, mayonnaise, lemon
juice and condensed milk in a medium bowl until smooth.

Heat oil until boiling, then deep fry prawns until
golden brown.

Drain, then fold in honey-mayonnaise mixture. mix
well, sprinkle with walnuts, and arrange on platter.

Serves 4 to 6.

Crystal Shrimp
1/4 lb. medium-size raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and diced
6 dried black mushrooms
2 tablespoons vegetable oil-1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 small carrot, diced-1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 small zucchini, diced
1/2 cup diced water chestnuts- 2 green scallions (including tops), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce-1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
8 iceberg lettuce leaves
Marinade
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 teaspoon cornstarch ,1/4 teaspoon salt
Combine marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add shrimp an coat. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Soak mushrooms in warm water to cover for 30 minutes; drain. and discard stems and dice caps.
Cooking
Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add oil.Add ginger and cook 5 seconds,remove.Add shrimp and stir-fry 1 1/2 minutes till thy turn pink.Remove shrimp from wok. Add mushrooms, carrot, and broth and cook for 1 minute. Add zucchini, water chestnuts, and green onions and cook for 1- 1/2.minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender. Return shrimp to wok and add soy sauce and pepper. Add cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, untils boils and thickens. Stir in peanuts. Transfer to a serving platter. To eat spread a little hoisin sauce on a lettuce leaf, spoon in some shrimp mixture, wrap lettuce around filling, and eat out of hand.

Sizzling Rice Shrimp
If the rice is too oily after frying, it will fly off the platter when you add the shrimp mixture.

2/3 Ib. fresh shrimp
Marinade :
(1/4 teaspoon salt -1 teaspoon dry sherry -2 teaspoons cornstarch- 1 egg white)
6 tablespoons vegetable oil- 1 medium tomato-1 (4-oz.) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 tablespoon frozen peas- 1/4 cup diced pineapple- 1/4 teaspoon salt -1/3 cup water 2/3 cup Sweet & Sour Sauce, see below
2 tablespoons chicken broth- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 cups oil for deep-frying
16 (2-inch) squares Crisp Rice,see Rice and Noodles

Shell and devein shrimp.Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. Combine marinade ingredients in a medium bowl.Add shrimp; mix well. Let stand about 30 minutes. Heat 6 tablespoons in a wok over high heat 30 seconds. Stir-fry shrimp 1 minute until pink. Remove shrimp from wok with slotted spoon, draining over wok; set aside. Remove oil from wok except 2 tablespoons. Dice tomato into l-inch cubes. Heat oil remaining in wok over medium heat 1 minute. Add water chestnuts and peas. Stir-fry 1 minute. Add tomato cubes and salt. Stir-fry 1 minute longer. Add sweet and sauce, water and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Add pineapple, cooked shrimp and sesame oil. Stir-fry to mix and pour into a large bowl; cover and keep warm. Heat 3 cups oil in a heavy wok to 400°F .Test oil for deep-frying rice by dropping piece of crisp rice. The oil is hot enough if the rice puffs in 3 seconds. Carefully lower rice squares into hot oil with a slotted metal spoon. Deep-fry over high heat until rice puffs out and turns golden. Quickly remove rice with slotted spoon, draining well over wok. Place drained rice on a platter and carefully pour shrimp mixture over rice. The will pop and sizzle. Makes 4 servings. .
Sweet & Sour Sauce
If the sauce is not sweet or sour enough, add more sugar or a little vinegaJ

1 (18-oz.) bottle ketchup (1-1/2 cups)- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon- 2 slices fresh ginger root-1 lemon
Mix ketchup, brown sugar, granulated sugar,cinnamon and ginger root in a small saucepan. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice saucepan; mix well. Bring to a boil over low heat. Cook 45 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Set sauce aside to cool. Remove and discard ginger root. Sauce may be refrigerated in a covered container about 6 months. Makes 3 cups.

Chinese Crab Cakes
Makes 12 cakes

7 ounces thawed frozen cooked crabmeat or imitation crabmeat, drained and flaked
1-1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (about 3 slices)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
sweet and sour sauce (optional)
Combine crabmeat, bread crumbs, onions, garlic and ginger in medium bowl; mix well. Add egg whites and teriyaki sauce; mix well. Shape into patties about 1/2 inch thick and 2 inches in diameter.*
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add about half of crab cakes to skillet. Cook 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove to warm serving plate; keep warm. Repeat with remaining 1 teaspoon oil and crab cakes. Serve with sweet and sour sauce, if desired.
*Crab cakes may be made ahead to this point; cover and refrigerate




KUN PAO SHRIMP B1

Yield: 6 servings

12 Jumbo shrimp
1 qt oil, approx.
6 Dry red peppers
1 ts Finely chopped garlic
2 tb Chopped green onions
2 tb Soy sauce
1 1/2 tb Vinegar
2 tb (level) sugar
1 ts Sesame oil

BATTER
1 c Flour
1/2 c Cornstarch
1 Egg
1/2 ts Baking powder

Peel and devein shrimp and dry thoroughly. Butterfly
shrimp: split from back but do not cut through. Dip
shrimp in batter. Deep fry shrimp in 2 in. of oil
about 3 minutes. Preheat wok on high heat add 1
tbs. oil and heat. Add peppers, garlic, onions,
soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Stir. Add fried shrimp.
Baste with sauce. Pour on sesame oil. Serve at once.



BATTER: Mix dry ingredients. Gradually add water
until mixture is consistency of pancake batter.