Huan's Chinese Cooking Class Meals

Tomato Egg Drop Soup 

1. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil and bring it down to a simmer.
2. Dice tomatoes and add them along with 2 teaspoons of salt into the water. Let simmer for 20 minutes to infuse the water with the tomato flavor.
3. Mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 5 tablespoons of cold water until there are no lumps. Add the cornstarch mixture to the soup base and stir until well-mixed.
4. Beat eggs and water until well mixed. Slowly, drizzle in the egg mixture while stirring the soup. Add sliced green onions, white pepper, and sesame oil to taste.

Sichuan Style Blistered Green Beans

1. Mix ground pork, white pepper, cooking wine, and soy sauce and set aside. (Skip the step if using mushrooms).
2. Wash, trim, and dry the green beans. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil into the frying pan set to medium-high. Add green beans and 1 teaspoon of salt to the pan. Try to have the green beans as a single layer if possible. Pan sear the green beans until the skin begins to wrinkle and the skin turns blistered. Keep an eye on the beans and stir as needed for 10 minutes or until the beans have some good color. Remove the beans from the pan and set them aside.
3. Add the remaining one tablespoon of oil to the pan and bring down the pan to medium. Add red and green peppercorns. Stir the peppercorns for the next 2-3 minutes to infuse the cooking oil. At this point, remove the peppercorns if you don’t wish to eat them whole in the dish. Traditionally, the peppercorns are left in for some surprise numbing sensations during the meal.
4. Add ginger, garlic, and red chilies. Leave the chilies whole for a mild aroma. Break the chilies open for a fiery kick.
5. If using mushrooms, finely dice the mushrooms. When the garlic has started to brown, add mushrooms and Chinese mustard greens. Stir until the mushrooms are fully cooked.
6. When the garlic has started to brown, add the ground pork mixture and Chinese mustard greens. Stir until the pork is fully cooked. Add back the green beans and one tablespoon of vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and a few drops of peppercorn oil. Mix well. 

Smashed Cucumber Salad

1. Smash cucumbers with a wooden spoon or rolling pin until semi-flat. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and then into half-inch bites. Toss to coat cucumber in 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Set aside for at least 20 minutes for the salt to draw out the water of the cucumber. You can use a bowl or a colander. Place cucumbers in the refrigerator for a more refreshing bite.
2. Use a garlic press or a mortar and pestle to finely mince garlic. Combine garlic, sugar, chili oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and peppercorn oil in a bowl. Strain cucumbers and press out as much water as possible.
3. Mix cucumber and sauce mixture. Garnish with some sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

Fish Fragrant Eggplant

1. Combine pork, white pepper, soy sauce, and Chinese cooking wine in a bowl and set aside. (Skip the step if using tofu).
2. Wash eggplants and cut the eggplant into 2-inch segments. Quarter the segments. Toss eggplant with white vinegar and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Steam for 10-15 minutes until tender.
3. In the meantime, prepare the sauce by combining sugar, soy sauce, chili broad bean paste, chopped pickled chilies, and Chinese vinegar.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in the wok set to medium-high. Add minced ginger and garlic. Stir fry until fragrant. Add pork. Stir fry until the pork is fully cooked. If using tofu, crumble tofu into small pieces and add to the wok. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add sauce mixture. Make the cornstarch slurry by combining the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water until there are no lumps. Add the steamed eggplant into the wok and toss to fully coat the eggplant in the sauce.  

Rice

1. Wash and rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Drain.
2. Soak the rice in just shy or 2 cups water for at least 15 minutes.
3. Cook using a rice cooker or on the stovetop with the lid on for 20 minutes or until the water has been fully absorbed. Fluff and serve.