Potato Salad in Chilly Oil（红油土豆丝）

It is a popular salad in China. The shredded potato is crispy and refreshing after the special treatment. Can be a good starter served with pâté on toast.


The following recipe is as a starter for two people.

Ingredients:

1. a medium size potato, peeled;
2. 2 tsp of white vinegar, 1 tsp of chilly oil, half tsp of salt and 2 tsp of sugar. These things can be adjusted according to your taste.


Method:

1. Shred the potato and then put them into a big bowl of cold water to wash off the starch.

2. Boil two bowls of water in a boiling pot or pan.

3. Add the shredded potato into the boiling water and then use a sieve to take them out after 10 seconds. Quickly move to cold running water to cool them down (or throw them into a big bowl of cold water).

4. After dripping down excessive water, add the vinegar, chilly oil, salt and sugar. Blend well.

Can serve on a piece of lettuce leave for better presentation.

Chicken with Pine Seeds in Green (翠玉松子鸡丁)

This is a starter for two.

Ingredients:

1. a piece of chicken breast, slice to small cubes (less than 1 cm³);
2. ¼ cup of roasted pine seeds (optional: roasted peanuts or cashew nuts);
3. half of a sweet pepper, chop to small pieces;
4. 1 tsp of light soy sauce, a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar;
5. half of a spring onion, chopped;
6. 2 pieces of lettuce leaves.

Method:

1. add 2 tbsp of veg oil in a stir-fry pan, and then warm it up;
2. add the chicken cubes in, stir fry;
3. add the soy sauce, salt and sugar, stir well;
4. when the chicken is well cooked, add in the sweet pepper and pine seeds, stir well;
5. serve on the lettuce leaves, sprinkle the chopped spring onion on top.

Tip: add a tsp of sesame oil can enhance the Chinese flavour.

油条 （Chinese Style Yorkshire Pudding）

It tastes like Yorkshire pudding. I therefore call it Chinese Yorkshire pudding.

Ingredients: 1 cup of self-raising flour, 1 cup of plain flour, a tsp of active east, ¾ cup of cold water, a pinch of salt.

Method:
1. Before go to bed, make a soft dough using all the ingredients. Cover it and leave it in a cool place over night.
2. Use the dough the following day.
3. Brush a layer of oil on the board and your hands, knead the dough for 2 minutes.
4. Make thumb-size strips with the dough.


5. Heat up the oil to medium to high temperature in a deep-fry pan.
6. Just before deep fry the strips, put one strip on another, hold the two ends and stretch to 2 times length, immediately put them into the pan. Deep fry till light golden brown.


Serve suggestions:
Dip with any sauce you like.
Use it just like Yorkshire pudding.