Deep Fried Okra

Since we don't have it in China, I never ate okra until I came to the US. And I like it, the texture is a little bit like a Chinese vegetable, loofah, which I can't find here. Yes, loofah, is the one they make sponges from.  When it's young and tender we make it into a soup with egg; it's a typical soup for summer.  The only thing I miss about China is the food.

Okra also known as lady's fingers but it's not the cookie. Okra is a really good health food due to its high fiber, vitamin C, Okra is also known for being high in antioxidants!

 This is a simple and delicious dish, forget about the calories just enjoy it! 

Deep Fried Okra

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites
• 1 pound okra, trimmed and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
• 1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 quart vegetable oil
• Sweet chill sauce, for serving (optional)

Method

1.       In a large shallow bowl, whisk together egg whites and 2 tablespoons cold water. Add okra, and toss to coat completely.

2.       Combine cornmeal, flour, cayenne, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon
ground pepper; divide between two shallow bowls. Lift half the okra
from egg mixture, letting excess drain off; add to cornmeal mixture in one
bowl, and toss to coat evenly. Repeat with remaining okra, adding it to
second bowl.

3.       In a deep 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat oil to 375 F  on a deep-fry
thermometer. Carefully place half the okra in oil. Gently stir pieces
(without disturbing coating). Cook until golden brown, 3 to 6 minutes;
adjust heat as needed to keep oil temperature between 300 F and
350 F. With a slotted spoon, transfer okra to a paper-towel-lined baking
sheet to drain.

4.       Return oil to 375 F; repeat with remaining okra. Season with salt, and serve with sweet chill sauce, if desired.

How to make Wonton

Northern Chinese people like dumplings, while southern Chinese like Wonton. In China wonton have a lot of different names and different ways to wrap them. In addition, there are small and large wonton in Shanghai: in small ones the filling is just ground pork or a fancy one is shrimp.  We eat them as breakfast. When I was a child in the market I remember old ladies would wrap these small wonton on site just using one hand (you don't see this much anymore).  I occasionally bought 50g to take home and cook for a fancy  breakfast. The filling for large wontons can vary, but it usually is ground pork with all kinds of vegetables. It’s good for a weekend lunch, especially on a cold day. 

Unlike northern people who make the dumpling dough by themselves, we just used store-bought wonton wrappers. We only needed to prepare the filling.  The way I describe is what my parents always did when I was a kid. This is how I learned to wrap them.  

 

                                prepared filling

                                 wonton wrapper

 

Using a finger, dip some water and wet the edge of wonton wrapper so you can seal it later.  Put some filling in the middle of the wonton wrapper, for homemade wonton you always put a lot of filling,not like the skinny store-bought ones.

   

Fold the bottom edge up to the top edge and seal it.  Then with two hands move the left and right corners to overlap together and seal those.

      

 

Make the shape like"Yuan bao" [an ancient Chinese ingot currency], or a nurse's hat,so they can stand up.  Every wonton when puffed up is so cute.

Vegetable and meat wonton 

yield: 50(serve 3-4 )

Ingredients:

for pork：

300g ground pork

2 stalk green onion  chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/2tspsugar

1/2 tsp ginger powder              

1/4 tsp white pepper  

1tsp cooking wine     

Stir ground pork and other ingredients only in one direction until it becomes sticky 

for vegetable：

150g cabbage or bok choy  

50g mushroom   chopped

Chop finely add 1tsp salt, let sit for a while then squeeze the liquid out of it. and add to the pork mixture and mushroom mix well. that's the fillings. 

wrap the wonton as described above 

for soup:

chicken or vegetable stock

1 egg（fried then sliced)

dash dried small shrimps

dash seaweed

dash sesame oil

dash white pepper

Boil the water then add the wonton cook to 3-5 mins or until the wonton float.  

add the cooked wonton to the hot soup stock and add other ingredients. serve immediately.