Oriental Snow Peas With Shrimp
Oriental Snow Peas with Shrimp
3 Tbspvegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 pound medium size raw shrimp, shelled & de-veined
1 1/2 cups snow or sugar peas or 1 package frozen
Chinese pea pods, thawed & drained
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained & thinly sliced
3 scallions (including tops), thinly sliced
Prepare Cooking Sauce & set aside
Place a wok over high heat; when wok is hot, add oil
When oil is hot, add garlic & shrimp & stir fry for about 1 minute
Add pea pods & stir fry for about 3 min (30 seconds if using frozen pea pods)
Add water chestnuts & onions; stir to mix
Stir Cooking Sauce & add; stir until sauce boils & thickens & shrimp turn pink
Serves 4
Cooking Sauce
1 tps cornstarch
1/4 tps ground ginger
2 Tbspsoy sauce 2 Tbspdry sherry
1/2 cup regular chicken broth
Stir together cornstarch & ginger
Stir in soy sauce, sherry & chicken broth
Chinese Sticky Cake
Chinese Sticky Cake
1 tablespoon flour
2 eggs, with whites & yolks separated
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups glutinous rice flour
1/3 cup milk
1 cup dried fruits (your choice), pitted if necessary & diced
1 piece crystallized ginger, diced
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Grease a 4 x 8-inch loaf pan & set aside
Beat the egg whites until stiff
Cream together the butter & sugar
Add the egg yolks & mix thoroughly
Add 1/3 (a little less than 1/2 cup) of the glutinous rice flour & mix
Add about half of the milk
Continue adding the rice flour & the milk alternately until the entire amount is mixed in
Stir in the dried fruits & then add the beaten egg whites, folding them into the cake batter
Pour the cake batter into the loaf pan & steam, for about one hour
If you do not have a wok steamer, this can be done as follows: Place the pan in a larger pan, & fill the larger pan with water to about halfway up the sides of the loaf pan
Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, & cover the larger pan
It helps to have a domed lid so the condensation does not fall on the cake
Allow to cool & cut into thin slices
Makes 8 servings
Sicilian Cheese And Chocolate Cake
Sicilian Cheese and Chocolate Cake (Cassata alla Siciliana)
Sponge Cake
1 (16 oz) container dry ricotta cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped mixed candied fruit
Chocolate Mocha Frosting
Prepare Sponge Cake
Beat ricotta cheese, sugar, milk, liqueur and salt in small mixer bowl until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes
Stir in chocolate chips and candied fruit
Cut cake into 4 (10 1/2 x 3 3/4 inch) rectangles
Alternate layers of cake and ricotta filling, beginning and ending with cake
Frost with Chocolate Mocha Frosting
Yields 12 to 14 servings
Sponge Cake
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Confectioners’ sugar
Preheat oven to 375 deg F
Line 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 jellyroll pan with aluminum foil or wax paper; grease generously
Beat eggs in small mixer bowl on high speed until thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes
Pour eggs into large mixer bowl
Beat in granulated sugar gradually
Beat in water and vanilla extract on low speed
Add flour, baking powder and salt gradually, beating just until batter is smooth
Pour into pan
Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes
Immediately loosen cake from edges of pan; invert on towel sprinkled generously with confectioners’ sugar
Carefully remove foil or wax paper
Trim off stiff edges if necessary
Cool on wire rack at least 30 minutes
Chocolate Mocha Frosting
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 (1 oz) squares unsweetened
chocolate, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons instant coffee
3 tablespoons hot water
Beat confectioners’ sugar, butter and chocolate in small mixer bowl on low speed
Dissolve instant coffee in water
Add coffee gradually; beat until smooth and creamy
If necessary, stir in additional water, a few drops at a time