Fine China

The Age

Tuesday August 26, 2008

Elizabeth Chong, Guest Chef

It was hot and humid for the Olympians in Beijing but you can create authentic steamy scenes in your own kitchen.

STEAMING is a technique that, like stir-frying, is used by Chinese all over the world. But, unlike stir-frying - with its flamboyant action, sizzle and excitement - steaming is subdued. Ingredients are gently caressed by an enveloping, even heat. Strangely, steamed food has not been widely embraced by Western chefs other than for special dishes and puddings. Without justification, it has been relegated to the category of provincial home-style cooking. In fact, steamed food is prepared using an ancient method, it is healthy, captures the most wonderful flavours and juices from ingredients, and is as Chinese as it gets.

When steaming food, I like to use a wok as it can accommodate a largish plate without blocking the play of steam. A lightweight, domed wok lid is essential as it captures the large volume of enveloping steam and considerably reduces cooking time - a clean and efficient combination that puts joy into cooking.

Among my favourite steamed dishes is my mother Jenny Lee's savoury custard. I have the fondest memories of steamed dishes made with much love and a minimum of fuss. Our family kitchen became a laboratory that inspired all the senses as I watched her every move. I am proud to have passed her gift to my own four children and know they will pass the knowledge on to theirs.

It is customary to place all dishes at the centre of the table and serve with rice. Served together, these meals will feed more than four.

Elizabeth Chong is leading a food tour of China from September 20 to October 3. Phone 9819 3666.Aromatic silken tofu

INGREDIENTS

6 medium shiitake mushrooms, dried or fresh

700g packet tofu, silken Japanese variety

2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely shredded

300ml chicken stock

2 tbsp shaohsing rice wine

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

3 red chillies, finely sliced

4 spring onions, mainly white parts, finely shredded

3 tbsp peanut oil

pinch of white pepper

handful of coriander leaves used whole

METHOD

- If using dried mushrooms, soak in hot water for 45 minutes (no need to soak fresh ones). Rinse and drain, then squeeze dry. Remove and discard stems and julienne the caps.

- Carefully invert tofu from packet onto a plate and cut into 6 pieces or squares. Transfer each piece to a small dish for steaming.

- Arrange some ginger evenly on top of the tofu. Place some sliced shiitakes on top and around the base of the tofu. Pour over a little chicken stock and then a little rice wine.

- Insert a steaming rack (a round cake rack or similar will do) and add boiling water to just below the base of the rack. Place each small dish onto the stand (a bamboo steaming basket works too).

- Cover with wok lid and gently steam over low-to-moderate heat for about 6 minutes.

- Carefully remove dishes and pour over a little of the soy sauce and the sesame oil and sprinkle some chilli and spring onion.

- Add peanut oil to a small pot and heat until smoking.

- Carefully drizzle the smoking oil over each serve to seal in the flavours.

- Serve individually, with a pinch of pepper and coriander.

Jenny Lee's savoury egg custard

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp dried shrimp

4 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

boiled water, cooled

60g minced pork

2 tbsp spring onion

sesame oil

oyster sauce

METHOD

- Soak the dried shrimp for 30 minutes, then finely chop. Beat eggs lightly, add salt. Using half an egg shell as a measure, fill it with the water. Add this to the beaten eggs and repeat three times. This will lighten the egg mixture to the desired texture.

- Add the pork, shrimp and spring onions to the egg mixture, combining well. Now pour the contents into a heatproof dish.

- Insert a steaming rack in your wok (a round cake rack or similar will do). Add boiling water to just below the base of the rack and place the heatproof dish on the rack. When water returns to the boil, cover the wok with its lid, reduce heat, and steam the egg mixture gently for

15-20 minutes.

- Remove the dish from the wok and complete the recipe by sprinkling several drops of sesame oil and about 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce over the custard.

Steamed fish fillets in black bean sauce

INGREDIENTS

For the garnish

1 stalk spring onion, shredded

1 tbsp red capsicum, shredded

For the black bean sauce

1 tbsp black beans

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh ginger, slivered

1/2 tsp salt

? tsp white pepper

1 tbsp shaohsing rice wine

1 tbsp peanut oil

For the fish

2 thick fresh fillets of salmon (or ocean trout, rockling or sea perch)

salt and pepper

2 tbsp peanut oil

METHOD

- For the garnish: soak the the spring onion and capsicum in iced water until ready to use.

- For the sauce: place the black beans in a mixing bowl, rinse in a small quantity of water, then drain. Using the back of a spoon, lightly squash the beans (avoid mashing them into a paste).

- Combine all the ingredients with the beans, mixing thoroughly and set aside.

- For the fish: place the fillets on a plate, sprinkle with salt and pepper and spoon the sauce over each fillet, spreading evenly.

Insert a steaming rack in your wok (a round cake rack or similar will do). Add boiling water to just below the base of the rack. Place the plate on the rack, cover with wok lid and steam gently for 8-10 minutes.

- Transfer the fillets to a serving plate.

- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pot until it smokes, then carefully pour the hot oil over the fillets

- Garnish and serve.

© 2008 The Age

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