Chin Tsai Pan Kan Szu Recipes

CRISPY SHEET-PAN NOODLES WITH GLAZED TOFU

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees and place one rack on the top and one on the bottom. Fill a kettle or medium pot with water (about 8 cups) and bring to a boil. Place the noodles in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain. Set aside the bowl to use in Step 5.
• Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, garlic and sesame seeds.
• Place the noodles on a sheet pan. Add the sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of neutral oil, soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Toss to combine, then spread the noodles out evenly.
• Dip each tofu slice into the marinade, coating both sides, then add them to the sheet pan, pushing the noodles aside so that the tofu touches the pan and doesn't just sit on top of the noodles. Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reserve excess marinade.
• Place the baby bok choy into the reserved bowl, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon of neutral oil and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and toss to coat.
• Remove the sheet pan from the oven (the noodles should be crisp on the bottom and around the edges) and add the bok choy to the pan. Return the sheet pan to the top rack of the oven and bake for 4 to 7 minutes until the greens are vibrant with crispy edges, and the top of the noodles are crispy. Drizzle with the remaining marinade, top with cilantro leaves and serve.

PAN SEARED MAHI-MAHI WITH PRESERVED LEMON-TOMATO CHUTNEY THAI BASIL-SHIITAKE ORZO

Steps:

• On a dinner plate, mix together the flour, tumeric and cumin. Season the fillets with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour mixture. In a large saute pan on high heat, coat lightly with oil and pan sear the fillets until brown on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes a side. Let fish rest 5 minutes to carry over before serving. In a medium, non-reactive saucepan on medium heat, coat lightly with oil and saute the onions and ginger until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the preserved lemons, tomatoes and juice. Season and check for flavor. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until tomatoes are melted. Pull off stove and keep at room temperature. Check again for seasoning. Add the parsley right before serving.
• In a large saute pan, coat with olive oil and saute the garlic and shallots until soft, about 2 minutes. Season and add shiitakes. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes until soft and deglaze with wine. Reduce by 50 percent then add orzo to heat thoroughly. Right before serving, stir in basil oil.
• PLATING: Place a small mound of orzo in the middle of the white dinner plate. Top with fillet of Mahi and top the fish with the chutney. Drizzle some basil oil and garnish with parsley.

PAN FRIED GARLIC, CHIVE AND SHRIMP BUNS

Steps:

• Mix warm water with sugar to dissolve. Add yeast and let stand for 10 minutes. Mixture should get foamy or the yeast is dead. Mix in lard. In a food processor, add flour and yeast mixture. While blade is spinning, pour in water until a ball forms. If dough is too sticky, add more flour. If dough appears dry and doesn't form a ball, add more water. As soon as a ball forms, take dough out and knead by hand on a floured surface. For 10 minutes roll dough into one long log about 2 inches thick. Cut into 2-inch pieces.
• In a large bowl, mix the ginger, shrimp, garlic chives, eggs and sesame oil. Season well with salt and pepper. Make thick circles of the dough and place stuffing in the middle. Encircle stuffing with the dough and seal with a little twist. Let rest in a warm place for 30 minutes. In a hot saute pan coated well with oil, place shrimp buns flat side down and cook until the bottom is browned. Have pan cover ready and add 1 cup of chicken stock, cover immediately. Be careful, the liquid will splatter! The stock will steam the buns. Check them in 5 minutes as more stock may be needed. The trick here is that once the buns are firm and fully cooked the stock will evaporate and the bottoms will crisp-up again.

KAN KAN

Steps:

• Fill up a deep pot with 2 gallons of water and 1 tablespoon salt. Place the pork chops in the water and let sit for about 1 hour. (For best results brine overnight in the refrigerator).
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the pork chops from the brine and place in a large sheet pan. Mix the sofrito, olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, ground pepper and remaining 2 tablespoons salt in a bowl. Coat the pork chops with the mixture, then rub the annatto powder on the skin. Roast the pork chops for 15 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F, then fry chops until the skin becomes crispy like chicharron, about 5 minutes.

KUNG PAO CHICKEN

Steps:

• Begin by mixing the sauce ingredients together: Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, sherry, sriracha, cornstarch slurry, rice wine vinegar and garlic in a bowl.
• Heat the peanut oil over high heat in a large skillet. Drop in the chiles and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to release the heat. Add the chicken and fry until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet. Add the celery and red pepper and cook for 1 minute, then return the chicken to the skillet. Pour in the sauce mixture and cook until the sauce has thickened, a couple of minutes. Add the peanuts and toss together.
• Serve over noodles and garnish with sliced green onions.

CHINESE EGGPLANT IN GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• Add 3/4 cup of water and the cornstarch to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, hoisin, vinegar, Chinese five spice, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine and set aside.
• To prepare the eggplant, slice the ends off of an eggplant. Slice into thirds horizontally, so you have 3 cylinders. Slice each cylinder lengthwise into quarters, so you have sticks. Repeat with remaining eggplants.
• Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add half of the eggplant, season with salt and pepper, and cook until charred and softened, about 7 - 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with remaining half.
• Deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons of water, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the skillet. Pour into the bowl with the eggplant.
• Lower the heat to medium and add about a teaspoon of oil to the skillet. Add the garlic and scallions and sauté for 30 - 60 seconds.
• Give the sauce mixture a good whisk and pour into the skillet. Let simmer until thickened, about 1 - 2 minutes.
• Add the eggplant and chili oil to the skillet. Season with salt. Stir to combine and let cook for 5 - 7 minutes so the eggplant can absorb all the flavors.
• Garnish with sliced scallions.

CH'IN TS'AI PAN KAN SZU

Steps:

• The two squares of bean curd is 3 X 3 X 1/3 inch.
• Scrape off outer layer of celery rib. Break ribs in half and destring. Wash, drain and dry. Cut croswise into small slices. There should be about 4 cups when you are done. Place in salad bowl.
• Slice bean curd laterally, making layers 1/16 inch thick. Cut into fine julienne strips. There should be 2 cups. Combine with celery.
• Combine the dressing ingredients. Mix until sugar and salt are completely dissolved in soy sauce. Pour over the tofu and mix just before serving.
• Serves 4 with other dishes.
• You may add the Szechuan to the dish to add tang. This is Szechuan Cha Ts'ai
• Reduce salt if needed.
• The recipe for the Seasoned Press Bean Curd is Wu Hsiang Tou Fu Kan.
• Phil's note: Freeze the tofu it will make it easier to work with. The tofu called for here is Cotton tofu.