Shrimp with Oyster Sauce &
Red-Cooked Beef

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Fran in Seattle for sending us this classic food funny:

Mr. Gable had a leak in the roof over his dining room, so he called a
repairman to take a look at it. "When did you first notice the leak?"
the repairman inquired. Mr. Gable scowled. "Last night, when it took me
two hours to finish my soup!"

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            TODAY'S RECIPES
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This classic Chinese dish can be made with just about any meat.
I like it with beef and pork, but shrimp is my favorite.

Shrimp with Oyster Sauce (Ching Chow Ho Yau Har Yan)

2 Tbs (30 ml) peanut or vegetable oil
1-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp (2 ml) grated fresh ginger
1/2 lb (225 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 lb (225 g) snow peas (mange-touts), trimmed
1/2 cup (125 ml) fish stock, chicken stock, or water
2 Tbs (30 ml) oyster sauce
1 Tbs (15 ml) cornstarch (cornflour) mixed with
2 Tbs (30 ml) Chinese rice wine, dry sherry, or water

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat and saute the
garlic and ginger for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and snow peas
and saute, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the stock and
oyster sauce and cook covered until the shrimp are opaque and
firm to the touch, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch mixture
and cook until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Serves 4 to 6.

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Dishes cooked in soy sauce are known as "red-cooked" in China.
The sauce that is formed in cooking this dish is known as a
"master" sauce and should be saved. Use it to cook chicken,
pork, or seafood, or add a little to fried rice or any stir-fried dish.

Red-Cooked Beef (See Yo Ngau Yook)

3 lbs (1.5 Kg) chuck, shoulder, round, blade, or rump roast of beef
3 cups (750 ml) water
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) soy sauce
1/4 cup (60 ml) Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
6 large slices fresh ginger
2-4 whole cloves of garlic, peeled
2 whole star anise*
2 Tbs (30 ml) sugar
1 Tbs (15 ml) toasted sesame oil

* Available in the spice section of finer supermarkets and in Asian
specialty shops

Place the beef roast in a pot just large enough to hold it and add the
remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat,
and simmer covered until the beef is very tender, about 3 hours. Turn
the beef two or three times so that every part of the meat is submerged
for at least part of the time. Uncover the pan and cook for an
additional 15 minutes, spooning the sauce over the beef several times.
Serve hot or cold, thinly sliced. Save the leftover master sauce and
freeze it for future use. Serves 6 to 8.
Received on Thu Jan 25 07:10:38 2007