Sleepy Journeys to Chinatown

by Julie Gale

(February 5, 2004) I grew up on Long Island, an hour away from New York City, but that did not stop my irrepressible father from coming home late from work and announcing that we were going to Chinatown.

Never mind that the rest of us had already eaten dinner, never mind that it was already after 8 PM, never mind that we had school the next day; off we went to Chinatown. We knew that when dad came in the door and smacked his hand on the dinner table we would be making another pilgrimage to Mott Street. I even remember him schlepping us three times in one week.

The most embarrassing part of the trips to me was that my father was never content to order from the menu; no, he insisted on walking up and down through the restaurant asking diners (exclusively Chinese customers) what they were eating, even tasting from their dishes. As annoying as it was to have my evening disrupted so abruptly, I learned a tremendous amount about Chinese cuisine from these experiences.

To this day, my parents mark the end of all their vacations in Chinatown, bags in the trunk, weary from long hours on an airplane, sleepily slurping Hot and Sour Soup, munching Mu Shu or anything else that looks good at the next table.

I return to Chinatown with my own family often, although on weekends only.

MU SHU CHICKEN

½ cup dried lily buds*
¼ cup dried black cloud ear mushrooms*
½ lb. boneless chicken, freeze for 20 minutes
2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 Tbs. Chinese rice wine*
1 Tbs. Tamari (natural soy sauce)*
1 tsp. corn starch
1 tsp. sugar
4 Tbs. vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. salt
4 green scallions, shredded
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil*
1 dozen Mandarin pancakes*
Hoisin Sauce*

*Available in Asian markets

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Soak the lily buds in 1 cup of hot water in a small bowl for ½ an hour. In a second small bowl, soak the tree ears in 1 cup of hot water for ½ an hour. Rinse them and discard the soaking water. Cut off all hard pieces of the buds and the mushrooms and cut into ½ inch pieces.

Remove the chicken from the freezer and slice as thinly as possible, and then cut the slices into shreds. In a medium bowl, combine the wine, tamari, corn starch and sugar. Add the chicken and mix well.

While you prepare the filling, warm the pancakes either by wrapping them in paper

towels and microwaving for 1 minute or by placing them on top of a Chinese steamer for a few minutes.

Place a wok or a large skillet over high heat. Add 1 Tbs. of the oil in the bottom and swirl it around so that the entire cooking surface is covered. When the oil is very hot, lower the heat to medium and add the beaten eggs. Stir continuously until the eggs have set, remove them to a small bowl and separate them into small pieces.

Heat the wok again over medium-high heat, add another Tbs. of oil and then stir in the chicken, when it is no longer pink in color, add the cabbage and the lily buds and mushrooms. Stir fry until the cabbabe wilts. Add the scallions and salt, mix in the eggs and cook until heated through. Add the sesame oil and serve at once.

Place about 2 Tbs. of the filling into a warmed pancake along with 1 tsp. of the hoisin sauce and roll tightly pushing the sides in as you go.

Serves 4-6

Julie Gale will be preparing this recipe, along with Hot & Sour Soup and Caramel Spun Apples at her cooking school on Tuesday, February 24th from 12:30-2:30 PM. Call 834-5353

ETHNIC COOKING WITH JULIE GALE

WINTER SCHEDULE 2003-4

Classes will be held at 1 Lancia Lane, Larchmont, and include instruction, lunch or dinner and recipes to take home.

1. Thursday, January 8 – 7-9 PM VEGETARIAN FOODS OF INDIA:
Vegetable Pakoras, Lentil Dal, Homemade Cheese, Pappadums

2. Tuesday, January 20 – 9:30-11:30 AM JEWISH SPECIALTIES:
Chicken in the Pot w/Matzo Balls, Challah, Apple Strudel

3. Thursday, February 5- 9:30-11:30 AM FRENCH CUISINE:
Onion Soup Gratinee, Spinach Quiche, Crepes Suzette

4. Tuesday, February 24- 12:30-2:30 PM CHINESE DELICACIES:
Hot & Sour Soup, Mu Shu Chicken, Spun Apples

5. Tuesday, March 9- 7-9 PM VIENNESE DELIGHTS:
Mushroom Strudel, Chicken Paprikash, Salzberg Souffle

6. Thursday, March 18, 9:30-11:30 AM FOODS OF ITALY:
Osso Bucco, Spaghetti Bolognese, Zabaglione
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CLASSES LIMITED TO 7 STUDENTS, SO REGISTER NOW!
$65 per class or $180 for any 3
Name_________________________
Address____________________________________
Phone & Email____________________________________
Please check off all classes of interest:
1. Jan.8 __, 2. Jan.20 __, 3. Feb.5 __ 4. Feb. 24 __ 5.Mar.9__ 6. Mar. 18_
(Please enclose check payable to Julie Gale)
Return to : 1 Lancia Lane, Larchmont, NY 10538 (914) 834-5353

Email: PJAZTEGale@optonline.net

Julie Gale 834-5353 PJAZTEGale@optonline.net Julie Gale teaches ethnic cooking classes in her home and for the Continuing Education classes at Mamaroneck High School

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