Cooking

Tangerine Beef

The celebration of the Lunar New Year has become a worldwide occasion. Interesting traditions are practised and sumptuous meals are served during the Chinese New Year that even non-Chinese have taken part in this delightful celebration.

The occasion is celebrated in late January to early February (depending on the year). It is also called the Spring Festival because it marks the end of the winter and the beginning of the spring in the Chinese calendar. Chinese New Year starts on a New Moon and ends with the lantern festival on the full moon 15 days later.

In 2013, Chinese New Year is celebrated on February 10. In the Chinese calendar, it is the year 4710, and the Year of the Snake.  To usher the new Lunar year, it has been a tradition to serve lucky foods. Here’s  a recipe you might like to try and serve to your family from Mary Kate and Nate Tate in their book, Feeding the Dragon (www.feedingthedragon.com)

Ingredients:

5 (about 1-inch-square) pieces dried tangerine peel
1 orange
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 pound beef flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain into 2-inch-long strips
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
1 dried red chile, seeded and chopped
3 green onions, green and white parts kept separate, chopped into 1/2-inch segments
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon chili bean sauce
1 teaspoon sugar

Steps:

Soak the tangerine peel in warm water for 1 hour to rehydrate, then drain. Peel the orange and use a spoon to scrape away as much of the white pith as possible. Reserve the fruit for another use. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Blanch the orange peel in the water for 6 minutes to get rid of any bitterness, and then slice into slivers. Dissolve the cornstarch in a large bowl with the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of the rice wine, and ginger. Add the beef and toss so that all the strips are coated, then marinate, covered, in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok over high heat. Tip the contents of the beef bowl into the wok and stir-fry for about 1 minute, or until the beef is browned but still slightly pink inside. Take care not to overcook the beef or it will get tough. Remove the beef and any liquid from the wok.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the wok and when it is hot, add the Sichuan peppercorns, chile, the white parts of the green onions, the tangerine peel, and orange peel, and stir-fry for 45 seconds. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of rice wine, the hoisin sauce, chili bean sauce, and sugar and stir for a few seconds. Toss in the beef and the green parts of the green onions and stir until the onions start to wilt. Serve hot.

Blueberries and Cream Graham Bars

I was wondering what to do with two boxes of graham crackers which the kids don’t like to eat that I remembered that my grandma was able to make delicious desserts from frozen graham crackers. She used to put slices of mango but that fruit is not in season so I searched for a yummy recipe and found one from The Hungry Giant which uses blueberries.

This is worth trying out especially if you are tired of buying cakes or baking cookies for the kids. It’s easy to prepare and doesn’t need baking.  The kids love it as they love anything frozen.

 Here’s what you need:

• 20 pieces graham crackers (1 pack usually has 20 pieces)
• 3 cups all-purpose cream
• 1/2 cup condensed milk
• 1 21-ounce can blueberry pie filling

How to make:

In a bowl, mix together the cream and condensed milk. Add the blueberry pie filling and mix well. Set aside.

In an 8 by 11.5 by 2 inch pan, assemble the first layer of graham crackers at the bottom. Add the cream, enough to create a half an inch tall layer on the top the graham crackers. Top with another layer of graham crackers. Repeat the process until you reach the top.

Place it in the freezer (make sure your pan is freezer safe) for a few hours or until the cream has solidified. You can also opt to just chill it in the refrigerator instead. Slice into bars when serving and enjoy!