Tag Archives: east and west cookery cards

Steamed Egg Custard with Vegetables (Chawan-mushi)

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Preparation time 20 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes
To serve 4

You will need

4 eggs
1 1/8 pints stock
salt
2 teaspoons mirin (See Card No. 20)
1 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon monosodium glutamate
3 oz. very thinly sliced chicken
4 dried shiitake (dried Japanese mushroom) or canned mushrooms
4 prawns
4 oz. white fish
1/2 teaspoon sake (Japanese rice wine) (see Card No. 20)
4 green beans

Beat the eggs well, add stock, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon mirin, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce and 1/4 teaspoon monosodium glutamate. Strain into a basin. Put chicken on to a plate, add 1 teaspoon mirin and 1 teaspoon soy sauce and leave for 5 minutes. Soak shiitake in water till soft, then drain, if mushrooms are used, slice thinly. Peel and devein the prawns and cut in half. Shred the fish and sprinkle with the sake and a little salt. Slice the green beans thinly in a slanting direction. Cook in boiling water and drain. Divide the chicken shiitake, prawns, fish and green beans equally between 4 fireproof dishes. Pour the egg mixture over, cover with greased paper and steam until custard has set (about 20 minutes).

Note This is a hot dish in which chicken, shiitake, green beans, fish, prawns, etc. are steamed together in an egg mixture. It can be made from canned crab meat only with the egg mixture. Also, instead of steaming each serving separately, it can all be put in a casserole together and baked in the oven as a baked custard.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968 English text © Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968

Lobster Soup With Cucumbers and Dried Mushrooms (Ise-ebi to kyuri no soup) Oyster Miso Soup (Kaki no miso shiru)

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Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
To serve: 4

You will need
1 medium-sized lobster
4 dried or fresh mushrooms
1/2 cucumber; salt
2 pints water
1 teaspoon sake (Japanese rice wine) or sherry (see Card No. 20)
1 teaspoon soy sauce; 1/4 teaspoon monosodium glutamate
4 pieces yuzu or lemon peel

Prepare lobster and cut into 8 pieces. Soak mushrooms in warm water and when soft remove stalks. If fresh mushrooms are used, remove stalks and make a cut across each mushroom. Rub cucumber well with salt and cut into 8 1/4-inch slices. Remove the centre, and make a cut in one place in four of the slices. Slip each cut slice into one of the uncut slices, so that they will look like two rings linked together. Boil the water, add salt and the pieces of lobster and cook for 20 minutes. Remove lobster and sprinkle with sake. Strain the stock, and return 1 1/4 pints to the pan. Cook the cucumber for a few minutes in the remaining stock, remove and cook the mushrooms in the same stock. Put the lobster, cucumber and mushroom into a soup tureen. Add soy sauce, monosodium glutamate and salt to taste to the 1 1/4 pints stock in the pan. Bring to boiling point and pour into the tureen. Lastly add yuzu peel.

Oyster miso soup
Kaki no miso shiru

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
To serve: 4

You will need

1/2 lb. oysters, weighed when removed from shells
5-inch piece of dashi kobu (if unavailable, add 1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate to water in which oysters are cooked)
1/2 lb. bean curd, cut in 3/4-inch lengths
3 1/2 tablespoons miso
4 asatsuki or chives, cut in 1/8-inch lengths

Wash oysters in salted water and drain. Put 1 1/4 pints water into a pan, add the washed dashi kobu if used. Heat to just below boiling point. Remove the dashi kobu. When water boils, add oysters, remove any scum and add bean curd. Bring to boiling point again. Mix the miso with the little of the hot liquid, then stir into the rest of the liquid. Bring to the boil, add asatsuki or chives and remove from the heat. Pour into bowls and serve hot.

©Shufunotomo Col, Ltd., Japan 1968
English text © Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968

Sweet Corn and Crab Soup (Kai yong shok mei tong)

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Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 3-4 minutes
To serve: 4

You will need
2 1/2 oz. cooked or canned crab meat
11-12 oz. can sweet corn
3/4 pint water or chicken stock
1 tablespoon sherry
1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutatmate
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 tablespoon water
salt

Shred crab meat, remove any soft bone and save 1 tablespoon meat for decoration. Put sweet corn into a pan with stock and bring to the boil. Add crab meat, sherry and monosodium glutamate. Separate yolks from whites of eggs. Stir egg yolks into the soup, add cornflour mixed smoothly with the water, stir until boiling. Fold in stiffly beaten egg white, cook for 1 minute. Add salt to taste. Pour into soup bowl, sprinkle reserved crab meat on top and serve hot.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968, English text © Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968

‘Five-perfumed’ Beef with Bean Sprouts (Ng heung ngow yuk ngar choy)

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Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 4 minutes
To serve: 4

You will need

5 oz. rump steak
1 small egg white
salt
little monosodium glutamate
2 tablespoons sherry
2 teaspoon cornflour
peanut oil
1 piece dried tangerine rind
7 oz. bean sprouts
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Shred the beef across the grain into match sticks. Add the egg white, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon monosodium glutamate, 1 tablespoon sherry, 1 teaspoon cornflour and 1 teaspoon peanut oil. Mix all well together and set aside. Soak tangerine rind until soft, then shred. Clean the bean sprouts. Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a pan, add the bean sprouts, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoonful salt and fry for 2 minutes. Remove to a plate. Heat another 2 tablespoons oil in the pan and add the shredded beef and tangerine and cook quickly until beef is cooked and becomes light brown. Add soy sauce, remaining sherry, 1/4 teaspoon monosodium glutamate, sugar and remaining cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon water. Mix all well. Stir in bean sprouts and serve hot.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968 English text © Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968

Choucroute garnie (Sauerkraut garnished with bacon and sausages)

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Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: about 4 minutes
To serve: 4-6

You will need
1 1/2 lb. fresh sauerkraut*
4 oz. smoked streaky bacon
1 1/2 oz. pork fat or butter
1 carrot, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
ground black pepper
4 crushed juniper berries (optional)
1/4 pin (U.S. 5/8 cup) dry white wine
3/4 pint (U.S. 1 7/8 cups) stock or water (or all stock)
1 lb. piece pickled belly pork
1 garlic sausage
4-6 frankfurters
plain boiled potatoes as required

*Sauerkraut is shredded white cabbage salted and fermented in wooden pickling tubs. It is available fresh from many delicatessen stores.

Put drained sauerkraut into a colander and steep in cold water for 20 minutes, changing the water 3 times. Drain and squeeze dry then unravel strands of cabbage as much as possible. Pre-heat oven to (300°F. or Gas Mark 2). Cut smoked bacon into strips 2-inches by 1/2-inch. Melt fat in a flameproof casserole and fry the bacon, carrot and onion lightly without browning. Stir in the sauerkraut and generous seasoning of black pepper. Add juniper berries (if used), wine and stock or water (or all stock). Bring to simmering point, cover tightly and transfer to centre of oven. Cook for 3 hours then bury the pork and garlic sausage in the sauerkraut and continue cooking another 1 -1 1/2 hours until meat is cooked and liquid absorbed. Add frankfurters 20 minutes before serving, and check seasoning. To serve spread the sauerkraut on a large hot dish. Arrange the thickly sliced pork and garlic sausage on top and surround with frankfurters and boiled potatoes.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968 English text © The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd. 1968

Lobster Balls (Loong har kow)

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Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
To serve: 4

You will need
10 oz. lobster meat
1 oz. pork dripping
1 teaspoon cornflour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon monosodium glutamate
1 teaspoon sherry
1 egg
3-4 slices bread
oil for frying

For garnish:
2-3 slices tomato
1 slice pineapple
1 glacé cherry
parsley

Mash the lobster with the dripping to a paste. Add cornflour, pepper, salt, monosodium glutamate and sherry and bind all together with the beaten egg. Shape into 12 balls. Cut the bread into very small squares, about 1/5 inch. Dip the lobster balls into the bread and deep fry for about 5 minutes. Drain and serve garnished with tomato, pineapple butterflies, glacé cherry and parsley.
Note Lobster balls are very good as an hors d’oeuvre or at cocktail parties.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968
English text ©Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968

Chou Farci (Stuffed Cabbage)

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Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
To serve: 4

You will need
2 lb. cabbage with firm heart
salt
12 oz. pork sausage meat
4 oz. chicken or lamb’s liver, finely chopped
1 large onion, sliced
2 large carrots, sliced
1 bay leaf
4 tablespoons white wine
1/2 pin (U.S. 1 1/4 cups) stock
3 rashers smoked streaky bacon

Discard loose outer leaves and wash cabbage. Blanc in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Drain upside down in a colander. When cool enough to handle cut out hard stalk and open out the leaves. Mix sausage meat and liver together and insert a little between each cabbage leaf. Reform cabbage and tie with tape. Put the onion, carrots, bay leaf, wine and stock into a deep casserole and place the cabbage, stalk end down, on top. Lay bacon rashers over cabbage and cover pan closely. Cook in a pre-heated slow oven (290° F. or Gas Mark 1), for 3 hours or longer, basting now and then. Serve the cabbage surrounded with carrots.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968 English text © The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd. 1968

Paper-Wrapped and Deep Fat Fried Prawns (Jee Bow Har)

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Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
To serve: 4

You will need
1 tomato
parsley
4 prawns
pinch white pepper
pinch salt
1 teaspoon sherry
pinch monosodium glutamate
little peanut oil or lard
8 thin slices ginger
9 slices spring onion
8 snow peas
8 6-inch squares of greaseproof or waxed paper

Make tomato basket and put the parsley in it. Remove shells and the intestines of prawns. Cut each prawn in half, add pepper, salt, sherry and monosodium glutamate, mix well. Rub each piece of greaseproof paper with a little peanut oil or lard. Place one slice of prawn and one slice of ginger, one slice of spring onion and one snow pea on the paper. Fold opposite corners of the paper, then fold the edge as the picture shows.

Heat enough oil and deep fry, flap side down until light brown in colour. Place on the serving plate with the tomato basket in middle as the photograph shows.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968 English text © Shufunotomo Col, Ltd., Japan 1968

Peking Sour and Hot Soup (Sun Lard Tong)

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Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
To serve: 4

You will need
1 oz. black mushrooms
1 oz. canned bamboo shoots
1 oz. raw ham*
1 1/2 pints chicken stock or water
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon cornflour
3 tablespoons water
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate
salt
*Pork or chicken meat can also be used.

Soak the mushrooms for 30 minutes. Shred mushrooms, bamboo shoots and ham. Bring the chicken stock to the boil. Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots and ham, cook for 3 minutes. Add soy sauce, vinegar, cornflour (mixed with 3 tablespoons water), cook 2 minutes. Drop the beaten egg into it, and stir, add pepper, monosodium glutamate. Add salt to taste and serve immediately.

How to cook Chinese vegetables:
The Chinese cook most vegetables in a very hot, round-bottomed pot. In Western cooking the utensil would be a ‘Dutch oven’ or a deep frying pan. This should be ‘piping’ hot and well-greased when the food is placed in it. To retain the vitamins, texture and colour of the vegetables, they should be turned quickly and constantly, and no water should be used as the quick cooking brings out the natural juices and keeps their crispness and colour.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968 English text © Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968

Filets de sole Normande (Fillets of sole Normandy style)

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filets_de_sole

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
To serve: 4

You will need

Fish:
8 fillets sole
salt and pepper
2 level tablespoons chopped shallot or onion
2 sprigs parsley and 1/2 bay leaf
1/2 pint (U.S. 1 1/4 cups) dry white wine

Sauce:
1 1/2 oz. butter
1 1/2 oz. flour
2 egg yolks
1/4 pint (U.S. 5/8 cup) thick cream
few drops lemon juice

Garnish:
8 prawns (U.S. shrimps) or 4 crayfish, cooked
2 pints (U.S. 5 cups) mussels
2 truffles (optional)
8 button mushrooms
8 crescents of fried bread

One of the great classic dishes. Season the fillets, roll up, and arrange in buttered shallow ovenproof dish with the shallot or onion, herbs and wine. Cover with buttered greaseproof paper. Poach in a pre-heated moderate oven (375°F. or Gas Mark 5), until cooked about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile wash mussels thoroughly, discard any that fail to shut tightly when tapped, and scrap off beards. Put into a large pan, cover, and shake over sharp heat until shells open, about 5 minutes. Remove mussels from shells; strain and retain liquor from pan. Wipe mushrooms and cook à blanc as described below. Strain and reserve liquor. Now make the rich sauce Normande. Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in flour and cook gently, stirring, for 2 minutes. Strain cooking liquor from fish into a measure, add mussel and mushroom liquor to make up to 3/4 pint (U.S. 3 7/8 cups). Add to roux, whisking with wire whisk until sauce is smooth and boiling; simmer 5 minutes. Meanwhile beat egg yolks and cream together, gradually stir in about one-third of the sauce, then return all to rest of sauces and heat gently without boiling, stirring all the time. Check seasoning and add a few drops of lemon juice. Arrange drained fish in clean hot dish with mussels and mushrooms. Coat with the sauce and garnish with the prawns (U.S. shrimps) or crayfish, pieces of truffle (if used), and crescents of fried bread.

Note The original classic recipe includes 8 poached oysters as well as the mussels.

To cook mushrooms à blanc:
Leave mushrooms whole and unpeeled.
In a small saucepan bring 4 tablespoons water, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/2 oz. butter to boil. Add mushrooms. Cover and cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes, tossing the pan now and then.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968 English text © The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd. 1968