Asian Chao Locations Recipes

SHANGHAI NOODLES (CU CHAO MIAN)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, season pork with salt and pepper.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce - water, soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce (if using), wine, sugar, pepper, corn starch and Sriracha. Set aside.
• Heat cooking oil in a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork, and crumble while breaking up large lumps.
• Add garlic and ginger and continue cooking until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• Mix in cabbage and stir-fry until tender.
• Add in noodles, breaking up strands if necessary and pour sauce on top. Toss to combine, coating with sauce. Adjust seasonings as needed and add Sriracha or red pepper chili flakes, for some heat, if desired.
• Remove from heat and garnish with sesame seeds.

SUPER-SIMPLE OVERNIGHT PORRIDGE

Steps:

• In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the rice, chicken stock, and water. Cover and let sit overnight at cool room temperature (around or below 60°F) or in the refrigerator.
• The next morning, add the ginger and the white parts of the green onions to the pot. Partially cover (a small gap is perfect to minimize evaporation and avoid a boil over) and bring to vigorous simmer over high heat. Lower the heat and gently simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed. When done, most of the liquid will have been absorbed (you'll see little separation between the rice and liquid). Discard the ginger and green onions. Stir the pot, cover tightly, turn off the heat, and let rest for 10 minutes to finish thickening. The desired thickness of the porridge can vary according to taste; it can be rustic and thick, or elegant and thin, or somewhere in between. If needed, add a splash of water to thin or cook a little longer to thicken. Taste and season with the salt.
• When ready to serve, reheat the porridge to a simmer, then ladle into individual bowls. Garnish with sliced green onions and pepper.
• Embellishments:
• Lean, light-tasting cháo responds well to fatty, salty, spicy, herbal enhancements. In addition to (or instead of) garnishing your porridge with green onion and pepper, consider the following, and feel free to mix and match.
• Toppings:
• Crisp chopped bacon, a fried or soft-boiled egg, and maybe chopped kimchi for punch.
• Lemongrass Tempeh Crumbles or Crispy Caramelized Pork Crumbles.
• Chopped Sriracha Tofu, fried onions or shallots, and coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, mint, or basil.
• Add-ins:
• Crack a raw egg into the bowl before ladling in the hot soup. Top with crumbled rice crackers and perhaps ribbons of Korean toasted seaweed snacks (one pack of gim is enough for a batch). Stir well before eating.
• Drop 8 ounces of raw peeled shrimp into the soup as it heats. When the shrimp are pink and cooked through, ladle out the soup. Add slivered ginger and maybe some gim.
• Stir in raw or seared mushroom. Add a handful of shredded cooked chicken or some shrimp, or both.

SICHUANESE WONTONS IN CHILLI OIL SAUCE (HONG YOU CHAO SHOU)

Steps:

• Crush the ginger with the flat of a cleaver or a rolling pin and put it in a cup with just enough cold water to cover. Place the pork, egg, Shaoxing wine and sesame oil in a bowl with 1 1/2 tsp of the ginger water and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Mix in the stock, 1 tbsp at a time. Finally, add the spring onion greens.
• Fill a small bowl with cold water. Take a wonton wrapper and lay it flat in one hand. Use a table knife or a small spatula to press about 1 tsp of the pork mixture into the center of the wrapper. Dip a finger into the cold water, run it around the edges of the wrapper and fold it diagonally in half. Press the edges tightly together and lay on a flour-dusted tray or large plate.
• Bring a large pan of water to a boil over a high heat. While you are waiting for the water to boil, prepare three or four serving bowls. In each bowl, place 1 tbsp sweet aromatic soy sauce (or 1 tbsp tamari soy sauce and 1/2 tsp sugar), 1 1/2 tbsp chilli oil with sediment and 1/2-1 heaped tsp of crushed garlic to taste.
• When the water has come to a boil, drop in the wontons. Stir gently to make sure they do not stick together. When the water returns to a rolling boil, pour in a small cup of cold water to calm it down. Repeat this one more time. When the water has come to a boil for the third time, the wontons should be cooked through (cut one open to make sure). Remove the wontons with a slotted spoon, drain well, and divide between the prepared serving bowls. Scatter each bowl with some of the spring onion greens. Serve immediately, stirring everything together before digging in.