Quick Vegetable Pickles

So now it’s finally summer in Ann Arbor – 90s and HUMID. Perfect weather for cold pickles on the side of any meal. Here is an adaptation of a recipe from my son’s godmother – I’ve changed a few ingredients to make it more Chinese. You can use just about any pickling vegetables you like, and it’s a great way to use up those green tomatoes.

You will need to plan ahead for this, though – the pickles need to rest overnight at room temperature, then be refrigerated until completely chilled, so plan on 24 hours before they are ready to eat.  This will make approximately 2.5 lbs of pickles – they will keep up to 2 weeks in the fridge (if you don’t eat them before that!)

vegetables:

You will need approximately 2.5 lbs of vegetables. Some of our favorites:

• tomatoes (any color, including green), cut into 8ths
• celery, cut into 1/2 x 1/2 x 2″ sticks
• carrots, cut into 1/2 x 1/2 x 2″ sticks
• bell peppers (any color), cut into 1″ dice
• green beans, ends removed, blanched and shocked
• jalapenos, cut into rounds

brine ingredients:

• 1 qt water (4 c)
• 1/2 c vinegar, rice wine or apple cider varieties are best
• 5 black peppercorns
• 10 coriander seeds
• 1.5 T sea salt
• 3 T sugar, raw cane is preferable
• 12 cloves garlic, peeled and gently crushed
• 1 bunch cilantro, including stems, coarsely chopped

method:

1. Bring the water and vinegar to a boil, then add the peppercorns, coriander seeds, salt, and sugar, and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.
2. Place all the vegetables in a heat resistant glass bowl or container.
3. Tuck the garlic cloves and cilantro into the vegetables.
4. Pour the boiling brine over the vegetables, making sure that you have enough to submerge them entirely.
5. Cover lightly and rest at room temperature overnight.
6. Refrigerate until chilled, and serve as a cold side dish.

do ahead:

These pickles will last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, and their flavor will only improve with time.

Snowpeas in Vinaigrette

dressing

This is another recipe that I’ve created – not strictly Chinese, but the flavors in the vinaigrette make it almost so. You can serve this with Chinese food or as a quick vegetable dish for any meal – it’s particularly good with grilled salmon. Fresh snow peas are plentiful this time of year in Southern California, but you can also use frozen ones, although they will be a bill less pleasing in texture. Sugar snap peas would work just as well but require a bit longer cooking time.

ingredients

• 12 oz snow peas
• 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp fresh ginger root, minced
• 1/4 tsp sugar, brown or raw cane is best
• 2 T sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp salt, more or less to taste

method:

1. Snap off both ends of the snowpeas, allowing the strings to pull away with the end (the strings are very tough and not pleasant to eat).
2. You can leave the peapods whole, cut them in half.
3. Steam (or blanch) the peapods just until crisp-tender and bright green (if you get to olive green, it’s a bit too well-done), then then shock in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and set the color, draining well when cold.
4. While the peas cool, combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
5. 10-20 m before serving, combine the vegetable with the dressing, adjust the seasoning, and serve.

do ahead:
Peapods and dressing can be prepared up to 1 day in advance. Do not combine until 10-20 m before serving, or the vegetable will turn an unattractive olive color.

Chinese Coleslaw

This is a recipe I created for a party that we held for a group of my daughter’s friends – we let them decide on the menu, and as they were fairly evenly split between a traditional barbecue and a Chinese meal that we decided to combine the two themes. You can use the conventional round cabbage for this or you can branch out and try napa or bok choy. For the latter two types, I would salt the cabbage for the shorter amount of time (20 m) and squeeze even more gently than you would with the conventional variety.

ingredients:

• 1 small head of cabbage, about 1 lb
• 1 tsp salt

dressing:

• 2 T sugar, preferably light brown or raw cane
• 2 T vinegar, apple cider or rice wine varieties are best
• 1 T sesame oil

method:

1. Shred the cabbage finely (a mandolin comes in handy here), then toss w/ the salt and set aside for 20-30 m.
2. Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside.
3. Rinse the cabbage in cold water, then gently squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
4. Combine the cabbage with the dressing, adjust seasoning, and serve.

Sweet & Sour Cucumbers

Just about any kind of cucumber will work for this recipe – I prefer the small Persian or Japanese ones, since they don’t have such large seeds and their skin is thin. English cucumbers are great, but who needs all that plastic packaging? If you use a conventional cucumber, you can scoop out the seeds with a spoon or melon baller before cutting.

ingredients:

• 2 small or 1 large cucumber
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp fresh ginger root, minced
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 T vinegar – rice wine or apple cider varieties are best here
• 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 T sugar – brown or raw cane is best
• 1 pinch freshly ground white or Sichuan peppercorn as garnish – optional

method:

1. Wash the cucumbers and pat dry. If you are using a thick-skinned variety, you may wish to peel them.
2. Cut off the ends of the cucumbers, then cut each into sticks approximately 1/2″ x 1/2″ x 2″ long – usually cutting small cucumbers into 2″ sections, then cutting lengthwise into quarters is just about right.
3. Sprinkle the cucumbers with the salt and allow to drain in a sieve for 20-30 m.
4. In the meantime, combine the remaining ingredients except for the pepper in a bowl and set aside.
5. Pat the cucumbers dry, then add the remaining ingredients, mixing gently to coat the cucumbers thoroughly with the sauce.
6. Arrange in a bowl or on a plate, sprinkle with pepper if desired, and serve.

do ahead:

The salted cucmbers can sit for up to 6 h in the refrigerator, and the dressing can be made up to a day ahead. Bring to room temperature before combining and serving. You may need a little less soy sauce as the cucumbers will be saltier to begin with.

Steamed Zucchini

Like beets, zucchini is another vegetable I’ve never seen in China or in a Chinese restaurant. But occasionally I come across a recipe for it (as in Jack Santa Maria’s Chinese Vegetarian Cookery). I’ve used zucchini in a pinch (when I’d planned to make an eggplant dish and realized I didn’t have eggplant!) and found it to be a great substitute for both eggplant and cucumbers – it’s spongy in nature, like eggplant, so it will readily absorb any flavors you add to the dish. Beware though – this means it will also readily absorb a lot of oil.

The following dish can be served hot or cold.

ingredients:

• 1 lb zucchini, cut into 1/2″ x 1/2″ x 2″ strips

dressing:

• 1 tsp ginger root, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 T light soy sauce
• 1 T sesame oil
• 1/2 T rice wine vinegar or black vinegar

garnish:

• 1 ea scallion, sliced thinly on the diagonal
• 1 T chopped cilantro

method:

1. Arrange the zucchini on a heatproof plate, then steam until just tender. Drain off any accumulated liquid. If you will be serving the dish cold, allow zucchini to come to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
2. Combine the dressing ingredients. Just before serving, pour dressing over the zucchini and mix gently to combine.
3. Garnish with scallion and cilantro.

do ahead:

To serve this dish cold, you can steam the zucchini up to several hours in advance. Pour off any accumulated liquid and add the sauce just before serving. The dressing can be made several hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Pickled Beets

Beets…. Not the first vegetable that comes to mind when you think about Chinese food? I’ve never seen beets (called tang luobo, “sugar turnip”) served in a Chinese restaurant or in a Chinese home, but their sweetness is a great foil to the pickling process and five spice powder, so I thought I’d try it. And I thought they were great!

Five spice powder’s claim to fame is that it includes all 5 flavors found in Chinese cooking: sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. You can make your own by combining equal parts whole Sichuan (or other) peppercorn, cinnamon sticks, cloves, fennel seed, and star anise. After toasting the spices lightly, grind in a mortar or with a coffee or spice grinder. If you’re in a hurry or don’t want to mess with that, five-spice is also available pre-mixed in Asian markets and in some conventional groceries – try the Asian section first, then the baking/spice aisle.

ingredients:

• 3-4 small beets, tops reserved for some other dish
• 1 T sea salt dissolved in 2 T water
• 1 tsp brown or raw cane sugar
• 2-3 T rice wine vinegar
• 1 pinch of five-spice powder

method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (or use any temperature between 300 & 400 if your oven is on for another purpose).
2. Wash the beets well, then pat dry and cut off the root end. Wrap loosely in foil, place in a baking pan, and roast until a sharp knife enters easily to the center, approximately 1-1.5 h if the oven is at 350. Be careful not to pierce the bottom of the foil, or the beet sugar will burn onto your pan if you need to continue to bake.
3. Let the beets cool, then slip off the skins and refrigerate until cool.
4. Cut into thin slices, then into strips, or use a mandolin to julienne the beets.
5. Toss the beets with the salted water and allow to rest at room temperature for 30-60 m.
6. Rinse in cool water and drain well, then add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
7. Adjust the seasoning – you may need to add a bit of salt – and chill until serving time.

do ahead:

You can do steps 1-2 any time up to 1 week in advance – plan to roast the beets when you have something else to bake or roast, and you’ll save yourself time and do a nice thing for Mother Earth!

The completed dish will last up to a week in the refrigerator.

Marinated Mushrooms

This is a quick do-ahead recipe that makes a great cold side dish.

ingredients:

• 1/2 lb fresh white mushrooms, stems trimmed and caps gently wiped clean with a dry kitchen towel or soft mushroom brush
• 2 T light soy sauce
• 1 tsp Shaoxing cooking wine or dry sherry
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/8 tsp chopped salted chilies, or to taste (optional)
• 1 T cilantro, chopped

method:

1. Place the mushrooms in a sieve. Bring 3 c of water to a boil, then pour it over the mushrooms, drain them well, then pat dry.
2. Combine soy sauce, cooking wine, salt, and sesame oil, and chilies (if you’r adding) and toss gently with the mushrooms.
3. Refrigerate for up to an hour, mixing gently once or twice.
4. Just before serving, gently mix in the chopped cilantro.

Chilled Beancurd with Soy Sauce

This is the simplest of cold dishes and a great source of protein for a vegetarian meal. Tofu is one food our daughter has loved since she was just starting on solid foods – she hated pureed food and demanded something with a bit of texture, so she probably ate tofu just about every day as a toddler. Unlike avocadoes, which she now won’t touch, tofu has never gone out of style for her!

For this recipe, I highly recommend buying the firm silken variety of beancurd – Mori-nu is a widely available brand that can be found in most conventional grocery stores, most often near the Asian produce or “fake meat” section.

ingredients:

• 1 pkg firm silken beancurd
• 2 T light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 pinch freshly ground white pepper
• 1 tsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 scallion, minced

method:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
2. Cut the beancurd into slices, 1/4″ to 1/2″ thick, then let it sit in salted water (1 T salt to 2 c water) while the water in the pot comes to a boil.
3. Reduce the boiling water to a simmer, the gently lower the tofu into the simmering water using a sieve or a slotted spoon.
4. After 1/2 m, remove to a plate to cool, then refrigerate 20 m.
5. Arrange the slices carefully on a serving plate and drizzle with the soy sauce and sesame oil, sprinkle with pepper, cilantro and scallion.

variations:

• Tofu is already cooked, and the blanching and cooling step is meant only to improve texture and flavor – if you’re in a big hurry, that step can be omitted.
• Substitute oyster sauce for the soy sauce if you prefer a slightly sweet, thicker sauce.
• The soy sauce/sesame oil can be served on the side as a dip rather than being poured over the dish.

Five Spice Peanuts

These peanuts make a wonderful accompaniment for cocktail hour and a great snack any time! I’ve tweaked a recipe for pecans to use more common Chinese ingredients, peanuts and five spice powder. But I’ve left in the butter – not very Chinese, but it really helps glue the spices to the nuts, and everything’s better with butter (or so they told us in culinary school)!

Five spice powder’s claim to fame is that it includes all 5 flavors found in Chinese cooking: sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. You can make your own by combining equal parts whole Sichuan (or other) peppercorn, cinnamon sticks, cloves, fennel seed, and star anise. After toasting the spices lightly, grind in a mortar or with a coffee or spice grinder. If you’re in a hurry or don’t want to mess with that, five-spice is also available pre-mixed in Asian markets and in some conventional groceries – try the Asian section first, then the baking/spice aisle.

This recipe will make a big bowlful, enough to serve 12 as an hors d’oeuvre.

ingredients:

• 1 T unsalted butter
• 1/4 c light brown sugar
• 1 tsp five spice powder
• 1.5 tsp sea salt, or to taste
• 3 c raw, skinless peanuts

method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, then add the sugar, five spice powder, and salt. Stir gently over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, but do not allow the mixture to caramelize.
3. Pour the spice mixture over the nuts, mix thoroughly, then spread in a single layer on a sheet pan.
4. Bake until crisp and golden, approximately 5-10 m, but check on them frequently because sugar can easily burn.
5. Remove from the oven, cool slightly until you are able to separate the nuts with your hands. If you let them cool completely on the pan, you may have to pry them off with a spatula.
6. Store in a tightly covered container away from light – these will last approximately 1 week in the pantry (if you don’t eat them all before that!)

Bean Sprout Salad

This refreshing cold dish is often made with shredded poached chicken breast, but in deference to the start of Lent, here is a vegetarian version. You can find bean sprouts in Asian markets and, more and more often, in the Asian vegetable section of conventional stores. Be sure to pick sprouts that look clean and crisp – they shouldn’t be waterlogged or droopy.

ingredients:

• 1 medium carrot, peeled, cut into matchsticks
• 1 medium stalk celery, cut into matchsticks
• 1/2 lb bean sprouts, root ends pinched off
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted, a mix of black and white is prettiest

dressing:

• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• freshly ground white or black pepper to taste

method:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
2. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
3. When the water boils, blanch and shock the vegetables – you should do them each separately so that each one is blanched just until crisp tender – do not overcook! Remove from the ice water and allow to drain for 15 m.
4. Combine the vegetables with the dressing, mixing gently with your hands.
5. Place in a serving bowl, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve.

variation:

You can add 1 poached, shredded chicken breast in step 4 – increase the dressing ingredients to taste.

do ahead:

The vegetables (and optionally, chicken) can be cooked and refrigerated for up to 1 day ahead. Bring to room temperature before combining with dressing.