1956 Chinese Cookbook

 By Bruce Shawkey

Some recipes from The Art of Chinese Cooking, by the Benedictine Sisters of Peking:

CHOW MEIN

Slice into fine strips, keeping each separate: 2 C. onions (slice lengthwise), 3 C. celery, 1 can bamboo shoots, drained, and 1 lb. pork, beef, shrimp, or chicken. In 1 T. oil fry meat until done. Take from heat. In another pan, slightly saute the onions in 1 T. oil and add them to the meat. Saute the bamboo shoots and 3/4 C. mushrooms, canned or fresh, in 1 T. oil and add to the meat. Slightly saute the celery in 1 T. oil and add to the meat. Finally add 1 can bean sprouts (1 lb.), drained or 3 C. fresh bean sprouts, sauteed, 1 T. fresh ginger, chopped, and a mixture of 1 t. sugar, 3 T. corn-starch, 5 T. soy sauce, and 3/4 C. soup stock. Heat thoroughly, stirring slowly. Serve hot with boiled noodles, fried noodles, or rice. Serves 8 to 10. 

Note: Vegetables should be "crunchy."

LION'S HEAD

Mix thoroughly 1 lb. uncooked lean pork, ground, 8 dried mushrooms, chopped fine, 12 water chest-nuts, chopped fine, 1 C. onions, chopped, 1 T. fresh ginger, chopped, 1 egg, beaten, 1 t. sherry, 4 T. soy sauce, 1/2 t. salt, 2 t. sugar, 2 t. cornstarch, and 1 T. oil. Shape into three large balls or several small ones. Fry balls until brown; drain. Arrange 1 head cabbage or 1 head Chinese cabbage, sliced, in a kettle and place the meat balls on it. Add 1 1/2 C. hot water. Simmer one half hour. Serves 6 to 8. 

Note: To reduce odor of cooking cabbage, place several slices of bread on top of the meat balls. (Interesting tidbit!) 

PORK DUMPLINGS 

Dumplings; Mix 4 C. sifted flour with enough warm water to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth and let stand 1/2 hour before rolling out. Form into long rolls, 1 inch thick ; cut into 1/2 inch pieces ; flatten and roll out very thin and round. If they are made in advance, sprinkle them with cornstarch and stack in refrigerator or in deep freeze. 

Filling: Mix the following ingredients in the order given: 1/2 lb. uncooked pork, ground, 1/2 head cabbage, chopped fine and water pressed out, 1/2 C. onion, chopped fine, 1 T. ginger, chopped, 2 T. sesame oil or peanut oil, 3 T. soy sauce, and 1/2 t. salt. Fill each dumpling with 1 t. of the uncooked filling; fold over and pinch the edges together. Drop the Chiao Tzu in boiling water. Let come to a rapid boil and add 1/2 C. cold water ; boil again and add another 1/2 C. cold water. Boil again and repeat a third time, adding another 1/2 C. cold water. After the third boiling, serve the Chico Tzu with soy sauce and a little vinegar, or in any other way desired. Be sure to boil the Chioo Tzu three times in order to cook the pork thoroughly. After the Chiao Tzu are cooked in this manner they may be fried or served in other ways. Makes about 80 dumplings. 

(I call these pot stickers. I think the frying eliminates the need for boiling three times.)

WAN TONS

Use the same type of dough as those for dumplings, but be careful to pinch the edges together tightly. Fill with Spring Roll filling or with Wan Ton filling as follows: 1/2 lb. uncooked pork, ground (fry until done), 2 T. soy sauce, 1 /2 T. sesame oil or any vegetable oil, 1/4 t. salt, 4 T. onion, minced, and 1/2 t. fresh ginger, chopped. Use 1/2 t. of the filling for each wan ton. Fold as shown below, sealing edges with a mixture of 1 T. cornstarch and 1/2 C. cold water. Fry in deep oil until golden brown. Serve as hors d'oeuvres or as main dinner dish. They may also be cooked in 6 C. soup stock until thoroughly done (about 20 minutes.) Serve hot as soup.