Restaurant Review NY: Xi'an's Famous Foods

For the entire time I have lived in NY, I have never been to Flushing, Queens until this weekend. My boyfriend and Andy and I went to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year last Saturday in Flushing. 4 train transfers and 1 hour later, we were on Main Street and browsing the Hong Kong supermarket which felt like...well, Hong Kong! We saw tanks full of different kinds of live eel, entire aisles just for Asian teas, tons of dried things and plenty of bakeries with delicious Chinese sweets. I have a big weak spot for coconut buns, steamed buns, red bean buns and I even had a Kaya bun which I haven't had since 2007! Our stomachs were growling and we were trying to maneuver the streets that were crowded with parade go-ers. Finally we came to a hole in the wall at 41-28 Main Street. Down a flight of stairs, neon lights illuminated a set of 6 small little eateries, each one with small tables low to the ground and couple of stools. Michael Jackson's "Heal the World" was playing in a CD shop that somehow was bundled with all this food shops. We settled at Xi'an, an eatery with walls that were covered with laminated 8.5 x 11 pictures of their foods. You could order 3 different types of dishes: noodles, soup or a sandwich, each one had a number of variations of what could be in it. The three of us shared two large plates of noodles and one spicy lamb "burger." The woman behind the counter made the noodles right in front of us from scratch! Everything was cooking in one pot. The picture above is our spicy pork noodle dish. It was delicious, flavorful, the noodles were a perfect texture, the meal was authentic and couldn't have been better.

After lunch we were sort of on an eating kick, what's new, and had to try a bunch of different street foods. One small space beneath the subway was making scallion pancakes fresh on a griddle! Andy bought one to share and they were very good! I will definitely be going back to Flushing to try more Chinese food!

Shrimp and Bamboo Shoot Dumplings

When writing this post, I searched for a while to find that motivational poster about standing out in the crowd and the image is of red tulips with one yellow one. Well this little green dumpling in the second row is standing out in the crowd, but it is just the same as all the other dumplings on the inside! I'm going nuts, I know. Shrimp and bamboo shoot dumplings are a fond memory of Tong Kian Dim Sum in San Francisco. I love the chunks of shrimp in the dumpling wrapper. We made these with Chinese New Year in mind and as part of the extreme dumpling wrapping extravaganza. These were joined by vegetarian dumplings and of course, pork and chive. Essentially I used the same recipe as pork and chive, but I swaped the pork for shrimp and threw in some bamboo shoots. I think water chestnuts would have also been a good addition as would Chinese cabbage. In the picture above you can see that the first row of dumplings has some fancy little fold at the corner and the others do not...first row is Andy's row. Okay, let's get started with this recipe and I promise no dumplings for a while.

Ingredients:
Dumpling wrappers
0.85 lb fresh shrimp, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root

2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 1/2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cut bamboo shoots, chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fake egg

Directions:
1. Combine the shrimp, green onions and bamboo shoots in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil and fake egg. Pour the sauce over the shrimp mixture and mix well to incorporate.
2. Place one heaping tablespoon in the center of the dumpling wrappers and lightly moisten the edges of the wrapper to seal close. Place the dumplings on a lightly floured surface until you are ready to cook them. I recommend working on lightly floured wax paper.
3. Heat water in a wok over high heat, bringing the water to boil, place the steamer rack over the water. Steam the dumplings for about 15-20 minutes.

Steamed Vegetarian Dumplings

I had a little dumpling wrapping and eating extravaganza which satisfied our dumpling appetites for a month. I had made three different kinds of dumpling fillings and put three eager wrappers to work. We had too many dumplings to count in pork and chive, shrimp and bamboo shoot and vegetarian. Andy, who has wrapped dumplings since he was a kid, had some fancy little folds that made his dumplings look like they are from a restaurant! Here is a picture of dumpling wrapping in action:

                         

I really liked the taste of the vegetable dumpling wrappers which get their green color from spinach. The tofu mixture for the vegetarian dumplings did not adhere as well as the pork and shrimp mixtures, but it still tasted great! Unfortunately we ran out of wrappers before we finished the mixtures, I thought those little packets of dumpling wrappers from Twin Marquis seemed infinite. We used tofu and mushrooms for this mixture because that is all I had, but I think these would taste great with the additions of Chinese cabbage and carrots.

Vegetarian Dumplings

Ingredients:

Vegetable dumpling wrappers

1 lb tofu, crumbled

1 lb Shitake mushrooms, rinsed and diced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 1/2 tablespoons fake egg

Directions:

1. In a bowl combine the crumbled tofu and diced shitake mushrooms.

2. In a separate small bowl or glass, mix the ginger root, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil and fake egg. Pour mixture over tofu and mushroom and combine to incorporate.

3. Wrap one tablespoon of mixture into each wrapper and gently pinch sides together to seal (see method in pork and chive recipe post)

4. Heat water in a wok and place steamer on top, cover and let heat until wok is boiling hot. Place the dumplings in a circle, place cover on wok and steam for 10-15 minutes.

This is what the inside of a vegetarian dumpling looks like!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

With Chinese New Year just around the corner (February 14th), I've been on a Chinese food cooking kick! In fact, I've been making a lot of Chinese dishes and my boyfriend has requested that I take a little hiatus, he is stir fried and dumpling-ed out I guess. As a kid, my first experiences in Chinatown in San Francisco involved two things: dumplings and sweet and sour chicken. After about 5 years of only ordering sweet and sour chicken, I ventured into other realms, but I certainly consider sweet and sour chicken a staple comfort food. I served it over brown basmati rice however this is one of those dishes that definitely tastes better with white rice if you have it. Unfortunately this picture doesn't show all the ingredients as clearly but there are some exciting things in here - like pineapple! I wasn't able to find baby corn which I always associate with sweet and sour chicken so this recipe doesn't have it but if you can find it, use it! If you are looking to make this vegetarian, you can swap the chicken for tofu or more vegetables.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken, cut into bite size pieces

1 cup sliced pineapple

1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced

2 whole carrots, sliced

1/2 onion

1 handful bean sprouts

4 green onions, sliced

2 tablespoons fish sauce (veg: soy sauce)

6 tablespoons oyster sauce (veg: mushroom sauce)

4 tablespoons tomato ketchup

4 teaspoons sugar

4 tablespoons minced garlic

Oil

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a wok and add the garlic and fry until it is golden and fragrant.

2. Add the chicken and stir continuously until it is cooked through.

3. Add the fish sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup and sugar and stir constantly.

4. Add the pineapple, tomatoes, carrots, onion and bean sprouts to the wok. Stir until all these fresh vegetables are tender and cooked. Add the green onion and serve with rice.

Pork and Chive Dumplings

Over the weekend my boyfriend and I made a trip to Chinatown to explore the groceries and markets and get some inspiration for a Chinese feast. We are both HUGE fans of dumplings and our favorite dumpling place is Vanessa's in the Lower East Side. We will try dumplings anywhere though. For our first effort making dumplings we went for the classic pork and chive combination. We were both surprised with how delicious these dumplings were! Honestly, they are the same as, if not better, than Vanessa's dumplings! Wrapping and steaming the dumplings is half the fun, we set up a little assembly line to make about 40 dumplings. We decided to steam them on our brand new wok which came with a special rack especially for steaming. We're looking forward to making many more dumplings and trying out different combinations, especially because you can only buy dumpling wrappers in packages of 200. We went to an awesome  grocery on Mott street below Grand. This place had every type of meat, fresh or frozen, and sushi grade fish. We purchased regular dumpling wrappers and vegetable dumpling wrappers and ground pork, chives, ginger and some fun dipping sauces. The grocery also had a section with cooked foods to order a la carte and it was an entire block long with one entrance on Mott and on entrace on Elizabeth. Below is a picture taken from inside the grocery.

And here are our wonderful little dumpling wrappers!

Pork and Chive Dumplings

(Makes about 40 dumplings)

Ingredients:

Dumpling wrappers

2/3 lb ground pork

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 1/2 tablespoons fake egg

2 cups finely shredded Chinese cabbage

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the pork, ginger, garlic, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, fake egg and Chinese cabbage. Mix well with your hands to evenly incorporate all the ingredients.

                             

2. Place one heaping tablespoon in the center of the dumpling wrappers and lightly moisten the edges of the wrapper to seal close. Place the dumplings on a lightly floured surface until you are ready to cook them. I recommend working on lightly floured wax paper.

                          

3. Heat water in a wok over high heat, bringing the water to boil, place the steamer rack over the water. Steam the dumplings for about 15-20 minutes.
                        
Enjoy them with dumpling dipping sauce or make your own by combining Sriracha and soy sauce with some hot peppers!

                         

Chinese Eggplant Vegetable Stir Fry

This dish is delicious and healthy and very filling! This was one of the dishes where I just wanted to use up all my vegetables and I took a little home sauce inventory which is what inspired the use of Chinese sauces, I have many. I love eggplant and its meaty taste when stir fried in Chinese dishes. I recommend not adding any more vegetable types and possibly removing the carrots because the eggplant, squash and green beans all have similar texture and they absorb the sauces equally. Carrots are a bit trickier and they really just add texture to this dish but it would taste equally, if not more, fantastic without the carrots. I have a tendency to be overly generous with garlic; here it does not seem to matter and the more the merrier!  I used the leftovers the following day in a salad of red cabbage and corn and it tasted surprisingly great. This is a nice dish to eat alone or serve over brown rice. Also, I have to credit to my boyfriend, the Taste Tester, for taking this picture! And my roommate, Celadon! It was Celadon's idea to start taking photos on a little black table that is directly under a light in our living room and the Taste Tester has found a new found skill that he has in crouching down and making the camera and food work together! The candied ginger in the recipe was the Taste Tester's idea and it definitely adds a whole lot to the dish! It really adds a lovely surprise to every bite; ginger and garlic are an unexpected good match.

Chinese Eggplant Vegetable Stir Fry

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant

2 yellow squash

4 whole carrots

1 handful candied ginger

For marinade:

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

5 teaspoons Sezchuan sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:
1. In a small bowl mix together all the ingredients for the marinade with a fork, set aside.
2. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, cut all the vegetables into cubes, flash boil for 1-2 minutes then drain.
3. In a wok over medium high heat, stir fry the candied ginger with some olive oil for a few minutes until it is fragrant.
4. Add the vegetables to the wok and pour the marinade on top, using a wooden spatula mix the vegetables around so they are evenly coated with the marinade. Saute for a few minutes and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Szechuan Broccoli, Carrots and Tofu

My first encounter with Szechuan sauce was at my freshman dorm cafeteria. For dinner they had a stir fry station set up where you could put together your own bowl of fresh veggies and pick your sauce and the cook who fry it all up in a wok. I tried all the sauces but eventually would only request the Szechuan sauce; it carries the perfect amount of heat from chilies. This dish was a healthy accompaniment to the Kimchi pancakes I  made last week. I served this over brown rice which was a great starch to absorb the spiciness of the sauce. While you could just fry all the ingredients together, I prefer to prepare the tofu separately so that I can get it to my desired firmness and allow it more time to marinate in the Szechuan flavors.

Szechuan Broccoli, Carrots and Tofu

Ingredients:
Broccoli, cut into small florets
Carrots, sliced
Cabbage, sliced
Tofu, cut into small cubes
Szechuan sauce
Olive oil

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium high heat, put in the tofu cubes and a bit of Szechuan sauce. Stir fry up the tofu cubes until they are firm. Set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a wok over medium high heat and add in the broccoli and carrots and drizzle the Szechuan sauce over the vegetables. Using a wooden spatula, stir fry the vegetable until they have softened, then add the cabbage and tofu cubes with more Szechuan sauce. Enjoy with some brown rice!

Garlic Ginger Bok Choy with Cabbage and Baked Tofu

We have a lovely little nearby supermarket that specializes in Asian ingredients. From sashimi grade fish to rows of seaweed to Japanese mushrooms, this market has it all. I often go there for cooking inspiration. The oils and the different vegetables can spark an idea. I have never cooked with bok choy before but I figured I should start. The market had was selling bushels of baby bok choy which has pale green stems and dark green leaves. I learned that when buying bok choy, it's best to find stalks that are pure white and firm and with non wilted leaves. Bok choy is a Chinese cabbage and it literally means "white cabbage," so I cooked it as I would cabbage but I included much more ginger because I love the fragrant smells of fresh ginger root. Served over some brown rice, this meal was flavorful, nutritious and filling!

 

Garlic Ginger Bok Choy with Cabbage and Baked Tofu

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

3 heads of baby bok choy

5 cloves of garlic minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced

Olive oil

3/4 cup sliced red cabbage

7 ounces tofu cut into cubes

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking pan with olive oil and place tofu cubes on pan. Bake for 20 minutes until tofu firms.

2. Soak bok choy in a large bowl of cold water to loosen any dirt. Clean and drain to remove all excess water. Cut off the bottom inch of the stems. The white stems have a delicious succulent taste, but the very part can collect a lot of dirt and is much thicker so it cooks unevenly.

3. Heat olive oil over medium heat and saute the minced garlic and ginger until it is slightly browning and fragrant. Add in bok choy, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Saute the bok choy for a minute so that the stems become slightly translucent and the leaves soften, then add in the cabbage and tofu and mix around to blend the flavors. Cook for two more minutes.

4. Remove from heat and garnish with some peanut halves. Serve over brown rice and enjoy with a glass of white wine!