1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover's Life List (190 page)

The highly prized crustacean is native to the coastal estuaries of eastern Asia, from Korea in the north to the Chinese province of Fujian in the south, with the most sought-after (and pricey) specimens coming from Yangcheng Lake, just west of Shanghai. Also known as the Chinese mitten crab (
Eriocheir sinensis
), it is perhaps the most delicious of the 4,500 known species of crab—although Chesapeake Bay blue crab enthusiasts might well take exception (see
listing
).

In Chinese medicine, hairy crab is believed to have an intensely “cooling” (
yin
) effect on the body, so it must be paired with ample “warming” foods like ginger and cups of potent, amber-hued rice wine. It is generally served with little else, although the meat might appear atop custards at luxe banquets. Each year, a veritable frenzy erupts, especially in Shanghai, during the six-week crab season, from mid-September through October. Today, however, the crustacean is becoming available in China year-round, in part because this invasive species has made its way to North America and Europe, where it is viewed as a pest. The immigrant crabs are nowhere near as coveted as those succulent Yangcheng specimens, which can fetch upward of $100 per kilogram in tonier markets and restaurants.

Where:
In Shanghai
, Old Shanghai Moon Restaurant, tel 86/21-3218-9888,
jinjianghotels.com
; Jesse Restaurant, tel 86/21-6282-9260; Wang Bao He Restaurant, tel 86/21-6322-3673;
in Hong Kong
, Wu Kong Shanghai Restaurant, tel 86/852-2366-7244,
wukong.com.hk
;
in New York
, Oriental Garden, tel 212-619-0085,
orientalgardenny.com
.
Further information and recipes:
The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook
by Gloria Bley Miller (1984);
bamskitchen.com
(search hairy crabs).
Tip:
Although importing and serving the hairy crab is prohibited in the United States, a similar preparation can be applied to other hard-shell crabs.

The emblematic street food of Sichuan province and a favorite of night markets throughout China, red-hot dan dan noodles are named for the poles that street vendors in the city of Chengdu once used to cart their cooking pots and
equipment. One of many
xiao chi
(little eats) sold at outdoor food stalls,
dan dan mian
are bowls of fresh wheat noodles and minced preserved vegetables flavored with an incendiary blend of chile oil, Sichuan peppercorns, dark and light soy sauces, rice and black vinegars, and fragrant, dark sesame paste. It’s a challenging kind of heat, and one that can also be addictive—you don’t know if you can manage another bite, but it’s so achingly delicious you can’t stop. There are countless variations on the sauce, in Sichuan and beyond, and it is said that no two cooks make it exactly the same way. Some prefer less or no sesame paste (in Taiwan, chopped peanuts are added instead), while others incorporate ginger or garlic or both. For a protein boost, the noodles may be topped with bits of minced beef or ground pork. In all its many forms, what remains constant are those pleasantly chewy noodles and that fiery, red-hot sauce.

Where:
In Chengdu
, Long Chao Shou, tel 86/28-8666-6947;
in New York
, Wu Liang Ye, tel 212-398-2308,
wuliangyenyc.com
;
in Chicago
, Lao Sze Chuan, tel 312-326-5040,
tonygourmetgroup.com
;
in San Francisco
, Z & Y, tel 415-981-8988,
zandyrestaurant.com
.
Further information and recipes:
Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
by Fuchsia Dunlop (2003);
The Shun Lee Cookbook
by Michael Tong (2010);
bonappetit.com
(seach dan-dan noodles);
foodandwine.com
(search dan-dan noodles);
theguardian.com
(search how to make a bowl of noodles).

The tiny, tendril tips of snow pea plants (
Pisum sativum
var.
saccharatum
) are among the most coveted of Chinese vegetables, beloved for their crisp delicacy and subtle, watercress-like flavor. These shoots have a relatively short season, because as the weather grows warmer, they mature and turn tough. They also have a relatively short shelf life, and to be at their best they must be sprightly and fresh, never wilted or dull. These factors combine to make the pea shoots, known as
dau mui
in Cantonese, a rarified and expensive delight. In classic Chinese cooking,
dau mui
are either quickly stir-fried in a little oil, often with a light but enriching touch of fermented tofu and garlic, or added right before serving to soups and noodle dishes as a light, crunchy, irresistible garnish. They make a worthy addition to non-Chinese dishes as well, such as salads or atop a classic Italian sweet-pea or shellfish risotto.

Where:
In New York
, Congee Village at two locations,
congeevillagerestaurants.com
;
in Toronto
, Crown Princess Fine Dining, tel 416-923-8784,
crown-princess.ca
.
Mail order:
For seeds,
evergreenseeds.com
; Kitazawa Seed Co., tel 510-595-1188,
kitazawaseed.com
.
Further information and recipes:
Beyond Bok Choy
by Rosa Lo San Ross (1996);
The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen
by Grace Young (1999);
foodandwine.com
(search pea shoots and shiitakes with shrimp);
saveur.com
(search pea shoots bean curd).
Tip:
Store unwashed pea shoots in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for no more than a day, and wash them just before using so they don’t get soggy.

The wide world of dim sum ranges from an infinite variety of dumplings to spring rolls and noodle dishes.

The custom is known as
yum cha
: drinking tea while nibbling on dim sum, the steamy, juicy dumplings that translate to “heart’s delights.” Plumped with gingery-garlicky pork, beef, chicken, shrimp, crabmeat, and vegetables, they not only stir the heart but beguile the palate and satisfy the stomach as well. With a variety of fillings, doughs (made from wheat, rice, or tapioca flours), shapes, dipping sauces, and cooking methods (steaming, boiling, frying), dim sum dumplings are a diverse, exotically flavored, and easily shared lot. To boot, the most typical way in which they are served—from carts circulated around sprawling, casual dining rooms so diners can take their pick after a look-see—adds up to a freewheeling, entertaining kind of meal. In some of the higher-end dim sum restaurants, diners order from menus; their compensation for not being able to have a look-see is the reward of cooked-to-order dumplings that arrive hot and fresh.

Although they are the star attraction, dumplings are not all there is to a dim sum meal. Other standards include spring rolls; stuffed and fried crab claws; grated turnip cakes spiked with pork and pungent Chinese sausage, best when grilled tableside, right on the cart; tiny slivers of ducks’ tongues, sweet or spicy; chewy chicken or duck feet; pork-stuffed green peppers; braised tripe; various noodle dishes; stir-fried eggplant; and, to finish, the rice porridge congee (see
listing
). Among the long, long list of options, the following are must-try dim sum favorites within the Cantonese school—Canton being China’s most famous province for the dim sum ritual, followed by Sichuan:

Shiu Mai (steamed pork dumplings).
Looking like little fluted cups or open blossoms, these steamed dumplings (whose name translates to “cook and sell”) are made with either a thin wheat flour dough or wonton skins and are always filled with pork, and sometimes scallions and mushrooms. Along with
har gow
(following),
shiu mai
are the most ubiquitous of Cantonese dumplings, and their quality is a good indicator of a dim sum restaurant’s overall excellence.

Har Gow (shrimp dumplings).
The dough for these dumplings is made with both wheat and tapioca flours, resulting in a slightly sticky translucence. Formed into little pleated pouches with ruffled tops, they are plumped with chopped shrimp, perhaps some pork fat, scallions, sesame oil, and bamboo shoots or water chestnuts, before being sent to the steamer.

Guotie (pot stickers).
A Shanghai and Beijing favorite, these half-moon-shaped, pork-filled dumplings are fried on one side and steamed on the other for a crunchy-soft contrast in textures. Served with a tart, chile-spiked vinegar and soy dipping sauce, the garlicky treats are best eaten piping hot, still sizzling from the wok.

Gai See Guen (rice noodle rolls).
Given the satiny texture and delicacy of their dough, these shiny, slippery bundles of wide rice noodles enfolding shredded chicken, pork, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots are as difficult to eat as they are to prepare. Both efforts are worthwhile, however—for, doused with a sweetened soy-and-sesame sauce, the silky, mellow noodles and rich, meaty filling make a delicious match.

Siu Loon Bau or Xiaolongbau (Shanghai soup dumplings).
Great, pleated balls of wheat flour dough, pinched tightly at the top, hold hot—very hot—meat broth and a mix of spices, water chestnuts, pork, and sometimes crab and its coral (roe), for one of the most satisfying and filling offerings on the dim sum scene. The trick to popping them into your mouth without getting scorched is to first nip a small opening in the top and suck out just a bit of the soup. But the real skill lies in making them, which involves shaping the dumplings around a mixture of filling and diced gelled chicken and pork stock; once steamed, the stock melts into a hot soup. These dumplings also often appear outside of the dim sum feast, as an appetizer course arriving six or eight to a cabbage-leaf-lined steamer basket.

Guk Char Siu Bau (baked pork buns).
For a scrumptious three or four bites, famously soft, snowy-white, yeast-raised buns enclose chopped roast pork flavored with scallions, garlic, sugar, sesame oil, and dark, salty oyster sauce. A moister, chewier result can be found in steamed versions of the bun (
jing char siu bau
).

Where:
Throughout Asia, as well as in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Sydney, Australia
, Din Tai Fung,
dintaifungusa.com
;
in Hong Kong
, Luk Yu Tea House, tel 86/852-2523-5464;
in New York
, Dim Sum Go Go, tel 212-732-0797,
dimsumgogo.com
;
in Richmond, VA
, Peter Chang’s China Café, tel 804-364-1688,
peterchangrva.com
;
in San Francisco
, Yank Sing at multiple locations,
yanksing.com
.
Mail order:
For steamers and woks, Food Service Warehouse, tel 877-877-5655,
foodservicewarehouse.com
(search dim sum steamers; asian serving utensils; wok); Mrs. Lin’s Kitchen, tel 925-251-0158,
mrslinskitchen.com
(search 12′ bamboo steamer).
Further information and recipes:
Dim Sum: The Art of Chinese Tea Lunch
by Ellen Leong Blonder (2002);
Delicious Dim Sum
by Cooking Penguin (2013);
Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More
by Andrea Nguyen and Penny De Los Santos (2009);
epicurious.com
(search shrimp dumplings; pork pot stickers);
saveur.com
(search dim sum brunch at home);
seriouseats.com
(search dim sum inspired party).
Tip:
Busy weekend mornings are the best times for a dim sum feast, ensuring the greatest variety, the freshest dumplings, and the liveliest (and most crowded) dining room.

With its moist and silky texture and intense meatiness, rich pork belly glazed and cooked the Chinese way is an incomparably alluring dish. Combining garlic, ginger, rice wine, and a meltingly sweet patina of rock sugar, it represents the apotheosis of this now-gourmet poor man’s cut. A most seductive version is one of the specialties of Dr. Martha Liao, the Manhattan-based retired geneticist who prepares spectacular Chinese feasts for friends whenever and wherever her husband, Hao Jiang Tian, sings a role in an opera or concert. While her Peking duck (see
listing
) may be her most talked-about dish, the sleeper at her multicourse feasts is this delectable braised pork, served with stir-fried greens and steamed white rice or tender yeast-raised buns purchased from a Chinese bakery or restaurant. For those not lucky enough to be the guest at one of her incomparable dinners, she generously shares her recipe below.