Smashed Cucumber Salad-Pai Huang Gua

 Pai Huang Gua

2 long cucumbers

4 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped

1 medium fresh hot chili, thinly sliced

2 small dried red chilies (or use more fresh stuff)

4 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

1 bay leaf (I forgot this part and it was still good)

1 small cinnamon bark

1 tablespoon soy sauce

3 tablespoons dark vinegar (malt vinegar)

1 teaspoon sugar, I skip this too

A small piece of Chinese leek, you can use a green onion

Coriander, optional for those who don’t like it

Using the side of a clever or chef’s knife, smash the cucumber until they have cracked into several long pieces. Cut into bite sized pieces.

Add the hot chili pepper and garlic to the cucumber. Mix in the soy sauce, vinegar, and optional sugar.

Heat oil in a frying pan and add ginger, leek, dried chili, cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon bark, and Sichuan pepper. Fry on low heat until the leek releases its fragrance and the chili turns bright red. Take off the heat and (OPTIONAL) remove the spices.

Add the oil to the cucumbers and mix well.

Corn Fritters

Corn Fritters

From somewhere on the internet, again with adaptions from me

3 cups corn kernels, just cut them off the cob

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 large eggs, beaten (I use 3 small ones)

¾ cup cream (milk would work too)

1 chopped onion

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper- I usually use a creole spice or chili spice

½ cup cheese grated

Some oil for the pan

Mix all together in a bowl till it is just combined. Heat up a skillet on medium high heat (or lower if too hot) with some oil. Spoon fritter mixture into pan and cook like you do pancakes.

Mushroom Burgers

Adapted from the internet by me. I like to put these on a sweet potato biscuit.

3 cups sliced mushrooms-I prefer brown mushrooms, they seem to have more flavor

1 onion

3 cloves garlic

your choice of spices

3 tablespoons oats

1/3 cup of bread crumbs

1 large egg, beaten (I use 2 because the eggs here in China are small)

½ cup grated parmesan or cheddar cheese

oil or butter for sautéing the mushrooms, garlic, and onions

Sauté the sliced mushrooms, I like the flavor if they are browned with butter (don’t crowd the mushrooms!). Set them aside and sauté the garlic and onion until they are softened. Put the mushrooms, spices and onions in the food processor and process them.

Put the mixture in a bowl, add the egg(s), oats, bread crumbs and cheese. Mix it all up and them make your patties.

Some people fry their patties, I prefer to bake them in my convection oven.

Bake at 400 F (200 C), for about 10 minutes.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

From The Dooky Chase Cookbook, by Leah Chase

 

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup cooked sweet mashed potatoes

¼ cup sugar

1 egg (beaten, in China I use two as they are very small)

2 tablespoons baking powder

3 cups self-rising flour

½ cup shortening

1 cup milk

Melt the butter and add to the potatoes. If the potatoes are still hot, you don’t need to melt the butter. Add sugar and egg(s) and beat mixture until creamy.

 

Mix the baking powder with the flour and salt. Add shortening and mix well into the flour. Add the sweet potatoes and milk and work all ingredients together well (it will be soft). Put mixture onto a well-floured board and roll dough to about a half inch (1.5 cm) thickness and cur out with biscuit cutter (or glass). Place on baking sheet.

Bake in 400 degree F (200 C) until biscuits are brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.