Soy Rice Fire, inspirations from classic Chinese recipes and techniques - Part 9

These quail egg stuffed mushrooms, topped with douch, garlic, and scallions, are guaranteed crowd-pleasers.

Poultry and eggs• [Roasting]

Quail egg stuffed mushrooms with douchi and garlic

Braising vegetables with soy sauce, sugar, and Shaoxing wine is frequently used in the cooking of Ningbo (宁波). Cooking radishes this way tames their peppery taste and turns their texture from crunchy into tender and juicy.

Vegetables• [Simmering]

Soy-braised radishes, Ningbo style

The natural affinity among mung bean, rice, and chicken, steamed together and imbued with the scent of lotus leaf, creates a dish so harmonious and comforting.

Poultry and eggs• Rice, noodles, and grains• [Steaming]

Steamed mung beans with rice and chicken in lotus leaf

Daylilies have been used in Chinese cooking for centuries. In the refreshing salad, the subtle flavor of daylilites works harmoniously with the cucumber and carrots.

Cold dishes and salads• Vegetables• [Boiling/Poaching]

Daylily salad with cucumber and carrot

In this dish, freshly ground Sichuan pepper creates a flavored oil that is tossed with poached and cooled shrimp. The oil accentuates the alluring characters of this unique spice, giving vigor and excitement to the shrimp.

Cold dishes and salads• Fish and shelfish• [Boiling/Poaching]

Sichuan pepper shrimp

In China, medicinal and culinary usages of mugwort, called Ai Cao (艾草) in Mandarin, date back for thousands of years. Its floral aroma, reminiscent of chrysanthemums, makes this soup unique and refreshing.

Soups and stews• Vegetables• [Simmering]

Mugwort soup with fingerling potatoes and beech mushrooms

Eating spring pancakes (春饼) is a time-honored tradition in northern China, to celebrate the arrival of spring and pray for a good harvest. A bite of the pancake symbolizes a bite of spring (咬春).

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

Spring pancakes with asparagus, eggs, and Chinese sausage

Braising tofu sticks with pork belly is a signature dish from Jiangxi Province of China, where the first tofu sticks were made over 1,000 years ago.

Meat• Soybeans and tofu• [Simmering]

Braised pork belly with tofu sticks