This Saturday is Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival because it is the start of spring. It will be celebrated by one-fifth of the world’s population, which includes China, Taiwan, Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, South and North Korea, Malaysia, Singapore as well as Hawaii.
This year, according to the Chinese zodiac cycle, is the Year of the Rooster, which is a “powerful one, with no middle of the road when it comes to moving forward. This year, impressions count. You’ll want to look your best and be clear on your intentions concerning love, money and business. Stick to practical and well-proven paths to ensure success, rather than risky ventures.”
In the Rooster Year, all the Chinese animals can reap great rewards by tapping into Rooster traits. Loyalty, commitment, hard work, family values and top-notch appearances are just some of the characteristic that will be rewarded this year. This is according to the Astrology Club predictions.
Jiaozi, Chinese dumplings, are one of the lucky foods eaten (the pouch resembles pouches of money) and if you are looking for great recipes, Lee Anne Wong’s “Dumplings All Day Wong,” a cookbook of Asian Delights from a Top Chef, is a must cookbook. Here is one of Wong’s favorites:
Dan dan pork wontons
Makes: 40 wontons
Filling:
12 ounces ground pork
1/2 cup minced green onions, white and green parts
1/2 cup minced preserved Szechuan vegetables*
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground Szechuan peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dan dan sauce:
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup minced preserved Szechuan vegetables
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground Szechuan peppercorns
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/4 cup Chinkiang black vinegar
1/4 cup Shaoxing rice wine
1/2 cup sesame tahini paste, stirred**
1 cup chicken stock
Salt to taste
40 won ton skins
Szechuan chile oil
Minced green onions for garnish (optional)
Cilantro leaves for garnish (optional)
Sesame seeds and/or peanuts for garnish (optional)
To make the filling:
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until well-blended. Refrigerate the filling at least an hour.
To make the dan dan sauce:
In a small saucepan. Heat the sesame oil and sweat the ginger and garlic over medium heat until fragrant, about two minutes. Add the minced preserved vegetables, red pepper flakes and Szechuan peppercorns. Saute the mixture for another two minutes. Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, black vinegar, wine, tahini paste and chicken stock, whisking until well-blended. Simmer five minutes, then remove from the heat. Season with salt to taste.
Form each wonton using one tablespoon of filling per wonton and folding in the style of your choice. Keep wontons covered on a lightly floured tray. Wrap and refrigerate or freeze.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the wontons to the pot in three or four batches, adding only 10 to 12 wontons to the pot at one time.
When the water comes to a boil again, add 1/2 cup of cold water. When the water boils again (the wontons should be floating), strain out the wontons. Return the water to a boil and repeat with the remaining wontons.
Serve the wontons hot, covered in dan dan sauce and garnished with chile oil, green onions, cilantro and sesame seeds.
*Preserved Szechuan vegetables are the salted stem of the mustard plant.
The stem is rubbed in hot chili paste before the fermentation process beings, yielding a spicy, salty, sour flavor to the finished pickle.
It is usually sold in cans or jars at Asian grocery stores.
** Wong says it is best to stir the tahini paste before using. “The sesame solids will separate from the natural oil; this is normal. I find a sturdy wooden chopstick or metal fork works best for stirring and re-blending the thick and sludge-like solids with the natural oil.
Get to the bottom of the container and stir.
The ideal consistency will resemble a runny peanut butter.”
Foodie bites
Hawaii Community College’s Culinary Program’s Cafeteria as well as the Bamboo Hale are open Tuesday through Friday. Call 934-2591 for reservations.
The 2017 Bamboo Hale menu schedule is as follows:
• Jan. 24-27: Americas menu (Peru special)
• Jan. 30-Feb. 3: Americas menu (Mexico special)
• Feb 7-10: Americas menu (U.S. New Orleans special)
• Feb. 14-17: Asian (India special)
• Feb. 22-24: Asian (Thailand special)
• Feb. 28-March 3: Asian (Japan special)
• March 7-10: Asian (Chinese special)
• March 14-17: European (Spain special)
• March 21-24: European (France special)
• March 27-31: Spring break
• April 4-7: European (Italian special)
• April 9-13: Hilo Classic Food Show (Students prepping; Bamboo Hale, Cafeteria closed)
• April 17-19: European (German special)
• April 25-28: European (Hawaii special)
The Americas menu includes:
• Choice of: Hearts of palm salad, seafood “cauca” pork chalupa salad
• Choice of one: New England-style seafood chowder, black beans soup
• Choice of one: Cumin and lime pork tenderloin, $16.75; duck, shrimp, house-made andouille gumbo, $18.30; Mexican-inspired cornish hen “two ways”; $16.75
• Desserts, $4: Banana coconut flan, peanut butter mousse cake
• Beverages, $1: Coffee, hot tea, iced tea
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808
@gmail.com.
