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Warrior Nation

BY CATHY THOMAS

McClatchy Tribune

For some, the Summer Olympics in China inspire visions of athletes -- perhaps runners or gymnasts locked in fierce competition. But for me, mention China, and I get hungry.

The images that simmer in my brain were planted in the early 80's when I studied Chinese cooking with Lucy Lo in Hong Kong. Officially, Lo was a cooking teacher and cookbook author, but her banter included more than just culinary advice. She was part healer, part beauty consultant and part marriage counselor.

It was the first time I'd heard that a soup made from ginger, onion, tea leaves and lemon water could cure a cold. Or that eating freshwater fish on a regular basis could prevent gray hair. And that the ability to make a great Lion's Head Stew, could prevent someone from stealing your spouse.

Perhaps the later was designed to make a chatty student in the first row pay closer attention. Gently tossing a bundle of ground meat from one cupped hand to another, Lo told her that if she didn't listen to the intricacies of how to make light-textured meatballs, a woman paying closer attention might take away her husband.

Of course this made all the students laugh. We laughed a lot during her demonstrations. But there wasn't anything comical about her scrumptious Lion's Head Stew. The broth-based concoction bubbled with the tantalizing aromas of ginger, green onions and soy sauce. Tender but still bright-green bok choy swam next to those alluring meatballs. Made primarily of finely minced pork, the plump spheres were coated with cornstarch and fried before their addition to the fragrant broth.

Before we could taste, Lo told us to examine the contents of our bowls. Squinting, we tried to see what she saw -- a lion's head instead of a meatball, a lion's mane instead of the bok choy that curved to meet the bowl's rounded edge.

A romantic story about a long-ago military sentinel stationed outdoors on a snowy night in the Hunan Province led to the preparation of General Tso's Chicken. I can't remember the details, but I have never seen an account that matches Lo's tale about the origin of this ubiquitous dish.

But that doesn't distract from the delectability of the general's stir-fry, an irresistible combination of chunks of velveted chicken thighs, and chili-laced sweet-sour sauce. Velveting is a technique used in some stir-fries to keep chicken moist, flavorful, and tender. Small boneless-skinless chicken chunks are marinated in a mixture of egg white and cornstarch (often along with dry sherry, salt and soy sauce). Then the coated chicken is fried briefly in hot oil, drained on paper towels and added to stir-fries.

It's interesting to look back and remember how exotic many of the Asian ingredients seemed at the time. Lo brought out jars and bottles of new-to-us essentials -- ceramic pots of fermented bean curd, chili bean paste, and salted black beans, jars of pickled vegetables and mushroom soy sauce. Now my local supermarket stocks most of these items.

Lo's cooking series offered a wide variety of delectable Chinese dishes, everything from appetizers to main dishes to desserts. But it's her Lion's Head Stew and General Tso's Chicken that I make most frequently. Perhaps it's because they are easy to prepare, or maybe it's the stories.

In any event, those are the dishes that I'll be stirring up as I watch my television to see the athlete's perform in Beijing. Too bad that cooking and eating aren't Olympic events. I'd be suiting up.

Here are the recipes. Note that Lucy Lo is the heart and soul behind them, but I have tinkered with them over the years. Instead of using ground pork for the meatballs in the Lion's Head Stew, I use ground turkey. And I use a less-complicated version of General Tso's Chicken, an adapted version from Emeril Lagasse that aired in a special about America's Chinatowns on the Food TV Network.


Lion's Head stew

Yield: 4 servings

2 teaspoons minced
ginger

1/8 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon dry sherry

1 tablespoon egg white

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

10 ounces ground turkey

2 green onions, minced, white and light green portion only

Cornstarch for coating meatballs

Canola oil or vegetable oil for frying 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon water 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 12 ounces baby bok choy, halved lengthwise, thoroughly washed, drained well; see cook's notes 3 cups chicken broth

Optional for serving: cooked rice

Cook's notes: You can use mature bok choy if you prefer; cut it into bite-sized pieces before adding it. If you like a spicy soup, add a pinch of dried red chili flakes or a drop of hot sauce to broth. If desired, garnish with minced cilantro.

Procedure:

1. In medium-large bowl, combine first 8 ingredients, stir to combine. Add turkey and green onions. Gently mix with clean hands. Gently form into 1 1/4-inch balls (mixture will be loose); you will have about 8 meatballs.

2. In large, deep skillet, heat 3/8-inch oil on medium-high heat. Roll meatballs in cornstarch, lightly coating entire surface. Brown meatballs on all sides. They should be very well browned and a little crusty. Drain on paper towels.

3. In small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon water; set aside.

4. In wok or large deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil on high heat. Add 1 tablespoon minced ginger and bok choy; stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Cautiously add broth. Bring to simmer. Add meatballs and lower heat to medium; gently simmer about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in reserved cornstarch mixture and simmer until mixture thickens ever so slightly. If serving with rice, put a small scoop of cooked rice in the bottom of 4 bowls. Divide meatballs between the bowls and top with soup and vegetables.

Nutritional information (per serving without rice): Calories 420 (38 percent from fat), protein 35,2 g, carbohydrates 30.0g, fat 17.7 g (saturated 2.3 g), cholesterol 45 mg, sodium 998 mg, fiber 2.0 g


General Tso's chicken

Yield:4 to 6 servings

1 large egg white

3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided use

3 tablespoons dry sherry or Chinese cooking wine, divided use

3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided use

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup chicken broth, divided use

2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

Vegetable oil or canola oil for frying

12 dry red chili peppers, see cook's notes

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1/2 cup sliced green onion (including dark green stalks

For serving: about 4 to 5 cups cooked rice

Garnish: 1/2 cup lightly toasted cashews

Garnish: 2 green onions, sliced on diagonal into 1-inch pieces

Procedure:

1. In medium bowl, whisk egg white, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons wine and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.

2. Prepare sauce: In another bowl, whisk remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon chicken broth until smooth. Add remaining 3 tablespoons broth, 1 tablespoon sherry, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, vinegar and sugar; stir to combine. Set aside until ready to finish the dish.

3. In large work or large, deep skillet add enough oil to come up about 2 1/2 inches up side of pan. Heat oil to about 350 degrees. (Test the heat by placing a piece of chicken in the oil - it should float immediately). Remove chicken from marinade and carefully slide it into hot oil. Fry, turning until golden and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes (you may need to do this in two batches). Use long wooden chopsticks to separate pieces as they cook. Drain on paper towels.

4. Discard all but about 1 tablespoon of the oil in the wok (or if you prefer, use a clean wok or deep, large skillet). Heat oil on medium-high heat and add whole chilies; stir-fry until darkened. Add garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and 1/2 cup sliced green onions. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add chicken broth sauce from Step No. 2; bring to boil and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Place rice on serving platter. Top with chicken and pour hot sauce over chicken. Garnish with cashews and green onions.

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Photo/Alex von Kleydorff. Nanette Green offered a seminar on dealing with Holiday stress at the Wilton Library.