Cantonese Comfort Food: Cha Siu, Fried Tofu and Mushrooms, and Bok Choy

This meal started off as a craving for some home cooking as many of us are in the midsts of recovering from exams and sicknesses.  It's ridiculous how easy it is to get sick in college, whether it be from being around sick people when you try to take care of them, or just not eating that healthily like we used to at home.  The meals at home were always balanced enough to keep us healthy and what not and after this meal, it made me appreciate all the more how our parents took care of us at home. The cha siu, tofu, and bok choy were all things that I grew up eating for dinner and after having so much westernized food all the time in college, I guess I was bound to start craving for familiar foods that I grew up with.   So me, my room mate, and a great friend, all of us from AACF, decided to pull together a home-cooked meal reminiscent of home.  The night before the lunch, the three of us went grocery shopping to find all the ingredients and I can't help but feel so blessed to have a 99 ranch so close to school that making chinese food is possible; what a blessing it is to be able to live in Irvine.  The next morning, we all started to prepare/cook and another friend came over to share the meal.  It truly was a great time of bonding and catching up, what better way to do it over comfort food.  Please enjoy all three recipes.  Cook.Eat.Love.Smile. 

03.03.12: Cantonese Comfort Food Meal

Cantonese Comfort Food: Cha Siu, Fried Tofu and Mushroom, and Bok Choy

03.03.12: Cha Siu

Cha Siu

6 tbsp of Cha Siu paste marinade (Lee Kum Kee)

3 tbsp of canola oil

approx 3 lbs of pork shoulder

2 tbsp honey

2 tsp water

Prep-work:

1.     Take the pork shoulder or pork butt and cut it into evenly thick slices around an inch and a quarter thick.   

2.     Take a gallon Ziploc bag and place the marinade and canola oil into the bag (it will be very sticky) so place it in there carefully

3.     Place the pork shoulder slices into the bag and coat the meat very well.  Massaging the marinade into the pork is encouraged. 

4.     Place in the refrigerator over night. 

Procedure

1.     Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. 

2.     Preheat the oven to 375 F.

3.     Place the pieces of pork on the rack, not letting any of them touch or get too near each other. 

4.     Save the marinade for basting later on. 

5.     Place the meat back into the oven and bake for 30 minutes

6.     After 30 minutes, flip the meat over with tongs and baste the other side of the meat very generously. 

7.     Put the meat back into the oven and bake for another 30 minutes

8.     When the meat looks slightly charred on the outside and has a bright red coating, take the meat out to rest for at least 10 min. 

9.     Meanwhile, take the honey and water and mix in a small bowl

10. Brush the mixture over the meat to give it a glossy finish. 

11. Once cooled and rested, slice the meat and serve as a main dish or appetizer. 

03.03.12: Fried Tofu and Mushrooms

Fried Tofu and Mushroom  **these are approx values, because I need to make sure with my friend what we did exactly, but nonetheless it is very close. 

1 pack of fresh shitake mushrooms (1 lbs or so)

1 pack of fried tofu

3 stalks of green onion

3 large cloves of garlic

2 slices of ginger

2 tbsp of oyster sauce

1 tbsp of soy sauce

4 tsp of cornstarch

approx 4 tsp of water

1 tsp of honey

1 tsp of brown sugar

Prep-work:

1.     Take all the mushrooms and clean them with a wet paper towel (do not run them under water because they will become gummy)

2.     Take the green onion stalks and cut them into 1.5 inch strips

3.     Take the ginger root and cut two slices of ginger. 

4.     Take the cloves the garlic and mince them finely

5.     Take the oyster sauce, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar and mix in a small bowl

6.     Take the cornstarch and water and make it into a slurry (to thicken the sauce)

Procedure:

1.     Heat a nonstick pan to medium to medium high heat and coat the bottom with oil

2.     Drop the two slices of ginger and let the ginger cook for about a minute

3.     Place the green onion strips, mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushroom changes colors

4.     Add a little bit of water (2 tbsp or so) to help the mushrooms cook through without burning

5.     Add the tofu and allow it to warm through while stirring

6.     Add the oyster sauce mixture and cornstarch slurry

7.     Cook until the sauce thickens

8.     Serve hot and in bowl that retains heat

03.03.12: Steamed Bok Choy

Steamed Bok Choy

1 pack of Bok Choy

2 slices of ginger

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp of sesame oil. 

approx 3 tbsp of water.

Prep-work:

1.     Clean the Bok Choy with running water

2.     Take a ginger root and cut two slices

3.     Mince two cloves of garlic

Procedure:

1.     Heat a pan to medium and coat the bottom with a little oil

2.     Place the ginger in the oil to cook for a minute

3.     Add the garlic and cook until fragrant

4.     Add the Bok Choy with water and cap the pan so the veggies can steam

5.     When wilted and shrunk add the sesame oil and toss lightly

6.     Serve the bok choy on a plate that can hold water.