Dynasty Chow Funn Noodles

SERVES 4

Ingredients

* 1/2 lb chicken breast, cut into very small pieces (think 1/2 of a crouton)
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
* 4 teaspoons cornstarch (I use potato starch)

* 1 (20 ounce) package dynasty chow funn noodles
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 3 green onions with tops, chopped
* 3 cups green cabbage, shredded
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
* 2 carrots, julienned (or steamed baby carrots, diced to your preference)
* 1/2 lb mung bean sprouts (optional)
* 1/3 cup water (or chicken broth)
* 2-3 stalks celery, cut at an angle, into slices (optional)

Directions

1. Coat chicken with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and garlic; let stand for 20 minutes.

2. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, potato starch and 1/3 cup water (or chicken broth) - set aside.

3. Cook noodles as package directs. Set aside.

4. Heat wok or large frying pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil to coat wok.

5. Add chicken and stir fry for 2 minutes, or until lightly browned.

6. Add green onions, carrots, cabbage, etc. Stir fry for 1 minute.

7. NOTE: Alternative to cabbage is nappa, which can be found at any Asian supermarket and some regular grocery stores.

8. Add potato starch mixture and noodles. NOTE: be sure to stir before pouring inches.

9. Cook and stir 1 minute or until sauce thickens and is hot enough to serve.

10. Remove from heat. Mix in sesame oil. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Ming Tsai's Three-Vinegar Syrup

SERVES 8 , 1/2 cup

Ingredients

* 2 cups balsamic vinegar
* 2 cups rice wine vinegar
* 1/2 cup chinese black vinegar or an additional 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar plus 1 piece star anise

Directions

1. In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the vinegars (and star anise, if using) and bring to a simmer over low heat. Continue to simmer until the mixture is reduced by about 80 percent and thickly syrupy, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (If using the star anise, remove it after the first 30 minutes of cooking.) To test for proper consistency, drizzle a little of the syrup on a chilled plate. It should keep its shape when the plate is tilted. Use or store in refrigerator; will keep for 4 weeks.

Beijing-Style Pork & Shrimp Jiaozi (Chinese Dumplings)

SERVES 8 , 100 dumplings

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 lbs ground pork
* 1/2 lb minced raw shrimp
* 5-7 garlic cloves, minced
* 3 green onions, chopped finely
* 1/2 head cabbage, chopped and salted
* 3 inches peeled ginger, grated
* 2 tablespoons salt
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1 egg
* 3 tablespoons sesame oil
* 2 teaspoons five-spice powder
* 1 tablespoon red pepper powder

Dumpling Wrappers

* 100 dumpling wrappers (1 package of shui jiao-style ones or 1 1/2 cups flour, pinch of salt and pinch of water to make by hand)
* 1 pinch salt
* 1 pinch water

Directions

1. Clean the cabbage, chop it, and put it in a large non-reactive pot with salt Set it aside and let it sweat out water for 45 min or so (you can prepare this ahead).

2. If you're using a meat grinder, feed the shrimp, pork, garlic, onions, and ginger through the meat grinder, getting everything to be a smooth, yet chunky mixture. If you're using a food processor, you're going to half way freeze the meat, and chop each ingredient on it's own, and then mix them in a pasta bowl. Traditionally, all these ingredients are minced and chopped using a large cutting board and a cleaver. However you do it, it's up to you.

3. Put the meat and veggie mixture into a a large bowl. Add the salt, soy sauce, egg and sugar to the mixture.

4. In a heavy skillet, heat up the oil. Add the spice powders and toast the spices. Pour this mixture hot over the meat mixture in the bowl, and stir inches.

5. Drain the cabbage, rinse it and drain again. Mix it in to the meat mixture.

6. (Optional step) Make the dumpling wrappers: mix together 1/2 cup flour and 1 tablespoon salt and then slowly add just enough water to result in a springy dough. Knead it a lot to make the gluten stringy and strong. Roll the dough out into a long rope, cut the rope apart into ping pong ball sized pieces. Flatten the pieces out into small flat discs, and flour a table or cutting board, and roll them out using a beer bottle or small rolling pin. As you make them, hand them to the person wrapping the dumplings. Or just buy the pre-made wrappers.

7. Wrap the dumplings in the dumpling skins, pinching together the sides and tucking in the ends.

8. Cook the dumplings: boil a pot of water. Drop the dumplings in, they are ready when the float to the top of the pot. Don't boil too many at once, or they'll stick together. Scoop them out with a strainer, so you can use the water for the next batch.

9. Serve with soy sauce, dipping sauce, raw garlic (for true Northern Chinese style eating!), chili sauce, or cut up green onions.

Mushroom Tofu Jiaozi (Chinese Dumplings)

SERVES 6 , 75 dumplings

Ingredients

* 1 lb firm tofu
* 2 cups dried shiitake mushrooms
* 2 cups mung bean sprouts
* 3 green onions, chopped finely
* 1 ball bean thread noodles (fensi)
* 2 inches minced ginger
* 6 garlic cloves, chopped
* 2 tablespoons sesame oil
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* 100 dumpling wrappers (shui jiao pi)

Directions

1. Boil water and revive the mushrooms by putting them in a capped container with the hot water. When they're revived, cut them into small strips.

2. Soften the bean thread noodles with some hot water.

3. Use the remaining hot water to blanch the mung bean sprouts.

4. Cut up the tofu into small (7mm square) cubes.

5. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, except for the wrappers. Optionally add a beaten egg to make it stick together better.

6. Make the dumplings: put a small quantity of this mixture in dumpling wrappers, and then pinch the sides together, sometimes a little cold water will help them stay stick together.

7. Boil a pot of water and throw small batches of the dumplings into the water. They're ready when they float. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon or strainer and then make another batch. Excess dumplings can be frozen.

Tricolor Pepper Steak

SERVES 4

Ingredients

* 4 teaspoons canola oil
* 1 1/2 lbs top round beef or london broil beef or flank steaks, thinly sliced
* 5 large assorted bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, green)
* 1 large onion, sliced into half moons
* 4 garlic cloves
* 1 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
* 1/4 cup dry red wine
* 5 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
* 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
* 3 cups cooked rice

Directions

1. Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.

3. Transfer meat with its juice to a plate (keep warm.).

4. Heat the remaining 2 tsp of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat.

5. Add the peppers (cut into strips) and onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.

6. Add the garlic and continue cooking until the peppers are softened and the onions are trasnlucent, about 5 minutes more.

7. Return the beef and juices to the skillet and add the broth, wine, soy sauce and pepper; bring to a boil.

8. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

9. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and cook until the mixture thuickens, about 2 minutes.

10. Serve over rice.

Hui-Style Lamb Jiaozi (Chinese Dumplings)

SERVES 8 , 100 dumplings

Ingredients

* 1 lb ground lamb or ground goat meat
* 1/4 lb minced lamb fat or goat fat
* 4 green onions, chopped finely
* 10 garlic cloves, chopped finely
* 4 green chilies, chopped finely (jalapeno's are best)
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 2 tablespoons salt
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* 100 dumpling wrappers

Directions

1. Grind the meat and the fat. In a large bowl, combine them with the other ingredients and mix.

2. Make the dumplings: take a small chunk of the meat mixture and put it in a dumpling wrapper. Pinch the dumpling together on the sides, and use a little water to make it stick.

3. Boil a big pot of water and throw the dumplings into it. Boil them in small batches until they float. Scoop out with a slotted spoon or strainer.

4. Serve in a bowl with a little of the cooking water over them covered with chopped chilis and cilantro, or on a plate. Serve with soy sauce, vinegar, raw garlic, chopped ginger, chili sauce.

Steamed Pearl Balls

SERVES 14

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain rice
* 1/2 lb ground chicken or turkey
* 1/2 cup finely chopped mushroom
* 1/2 cup minced green onion
* 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons cornstarch
* 1 teaspoon minced peeled gingerroot
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
* steamed green cabbage leaf

Directions

1. Place 1/2 cup rice in a bowl; cover with water to 1 inch above rice, and let stand 1 hour. Drain rice well; place rice in a shallow dish, and set aside.

2. Combine chicken and next 7 ingredients (chicken through oil) in a large bowl; stir well. Drop chicken mixture by rounded tablespoons into rice, rolling to form rice-coated balls.

3. Line a bamboo steamer with steamed cabbage leaves. Place balls 1/2 inch apart in steamer; cover with steamer lid. Add water to a large skillet to a depth of 1 inch; bring to a boil. Place steamer in skillet, and steam balls 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove balls from steamer.