Soy Rice Fire, inspirations from classic Chinese recipes and techniques - Part 20

This dish is adapted from the famous Cantonese dish glutinous rice with chicken in lotus leaves, or lo mai gai. Fava beans are added for their wonderful flavor, and banana leaves are used instead of lotus leaves.

Dumplings, dim sum, and snacks• Poultry and eggs• Rice, noodles, and grains• [Steaming]

Glutinous rice with chicken (糯米鸡)

Chinese "velveting" technique makes the beef tender and moist in this delightful stir-fry with green peppers.

Meat• [Stir-frying]

Stir-fried beef with green peppers (青椒牛柳)

If you like empanadas, calzones, or any type of savory pies, chances are you’ll be charmed by Chinese garlic chive turnovers. With alluring golden shell and luscious filling, these tasty parcels have a lot in common—warming, comforting, versatile, and perfect as a snack, appetizer, or one-dish meal.

Dumplings, dim sum, and snacks• [Pan-frying]

Garlic chive turnovers (韭菜盒子)

Pea shoots are the immature tips of young pea plants, which include leaves, tendrils, and stems—all deliciously tender and crisp with a fresh pea flavor. Here, they are mixed with garlic and fermented tofu and steamed briefly atop shiitake mushroom caps.

Vegetables• [Steaming]

Steamed pea shoots with shiitake mushrooms

In this iconic Shanghainese dish, the scallions are used not as an aromatic but a key ingredient. Red-cooking creates a rich and aromatic sauce and a red, glossy look for the dish.

Fish and shelfish• [Simmering]

Shanghai-style red-cooked fish with scallions (葱烤鲫鱼)

Many people consider twice-cooked pork the number one dish of Sichuan cuisine. I wholeheartedly agree—it’s a remarkable dish on so many levels.

Meat• [Steaming]• [Stir-frying]

Sichuan twice-cooked pork (四川回锅肉)

Soybeans in different shapes and forms (green soybeans, firm tofu, tofu skin, and soybean paste) come together to create a very exciting vegetarian dish.

Soybeans and tofu• [Steaming]

Tofu rolls with soybean sauce

Although ramps are rarely used in Chinese cooking, they work wonderfully with garlic chives (韭菜), pressed tofu, and Chinese sausages (lap cheong) in this stir-fry that tastes at once Chinese and American.

Meat• Soybeans and tofu• Vegetables• [Stir-frying]

Stir-fried ramps with Chinese sausage and pressed tofu