Crisp Sugared Walnuts

Crisp Sugared Walnuts

4 cups Water
2 cups Walnuts
6 tablespoons Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Peanut or corn oil

Traditionally, these crispy sweet walnuts are served as a "starter"
appetizer to a Chinese banquet dinner to tease the palate before the
first entree. They make wonderful snacks or a perfect cocktail food.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 325~F. Bring a pot of water to a full boil.

Add walnuts, remove from heat and set aside for 3 minutes. Drain
walnuts and pat dry. While nuts are hot, toss evenly with sugar and
salt to coat. Add oil and mix thoroughly. Spread nuts in 1 layer on a
foil-lined baking sheet. Allow the nuts to dry for an hour or until
their surface is thoroughly dry. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 8 to
10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and serve. Store in an
airtight container. They will keep for several weeks.

CRISPY WALNUTS

CRISPY WALNUTS

1 pound Walnuts, shelled, peeled -- &
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Honey
5 cups Oil

Wash walnuts thoroughly. Fill a wok with water about half way & put
walnuts in. Bring to boil & let them boil about 3 minutes. Drain & wash
them again. Pour 4 cups water into wok. Add salt, sugar & honey. Return
walnuts to wok & cook about 15 minutes or until liquid begins to
thicken. When thickened, pour contents into large bowl & let them soak
24 hrs. Remove walnuts from sugar water & drain in strainer. Heat oil
in wok to 350 F & add walnuts. Stir occasionally until walnuts turn
golden brown. Remove from wok & spread out to cool. When cold, store in
airtight container or jar to maintain crispness. Delicious served as an
appetizer with drinks.

CURRIED EGGPLANT STRUDEL

CURRIED EGGPLANT STRUDEL

1 large eggplant -- peeled/diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove -- minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground saffron
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup roasted peanuts -- chopped
1 pound frozen phyllo dough (24 sheets) -- defrosted
3/4 pound unsalted butter -- clarified
1 cup plain yogurt

Toss the eggplant with the salt and set aside for 30
minutes. Wrap in a towel and squeeze out any excess
moisture. Set aside.

In a skillet, saute the onion in the olive oil over medium
heat until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, curry
powder, cumin and chili powder, and cook 2 more minutes.
Add the reserved eggplant, tomatoes and sugar. Mix the
saffron into the vinegar and add to mixture. Simmer for 15
minutes, until the eggplant is soft. Add a bit of water if
the mixture should become too dry.

Add the peanuts and cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place a sheet of phyllo on a clean work surface and drizzle
lightly with clarified butter. Layer five more sheets,
drizzling a bit more butter atop each layer. Brush the top
layer with butter.

Place a quarter of the filling over the sheets, mounding
more of it along one of the longer sides. Roll the sheets
up jelly roll-style, starting at the edge with the mounded
filling. Place seam-side down on a greased sheet pan and
brush with more cla rified butter. Make three more strudels
using the rest of the phyllo and the remaining filling and
butter.

On sheet pans, bake in the preheated oven until golden
brown, about 25 to 30 minutes, moving the pans front to
back and top to bottom halfway through. Let rest for 10
minutes before serving.

Cut the strudel in 1-inch-thick slices and top with yogurt.

DIM SUM (STEAMED CHINESE APPETIZERS)

DIM SUM (STEAMED CHINESE APPETIZERS)

1 3/4 Ground meat (beef -- pork or
of two)
-----BASIC MIX-----
2 Eggs
3 tablespoons Soy sauce (light -- preferred)
3 tablespoons Sherry
1 teaspoon Grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon White pepper
2 tablespoons Sesame oil
3 Chopped little green -- onions
2 tablespoons Corn starch
4 tablespoons Chopped water chestnut
3 Clove garlic -- minced
-----EXTRA CONDIMENTS-----
1 1/2 teaspoons Red chili sauce with -- garlic
2 teaspoons Spicy brown bean sauce
3 teaspoons Hosin sauce
1 teaspoon Grated orange peel
-----WRAPPER-----
1 package Wonton skins

in a large bowl, mix meat well with remaining BASIC ingredients. mix
until smooth.

Separate mix into four equal parts. For each part, add one of the
EXTRA condiments -- mix well.

To stuff the dumplings, put about one overflowing teaspoon or pecan
sized ball into a wonton skin. Fold into shape. Possible shapes are
purse , fish , chocolate kiss, nurses cap, or whatever. Parts of the
wonton skin that are sticking out may get tough, so keep this to a
minimum. Use a different shape for each condiment so that you will know
what is what.

To cook, place on top of lettuce leaf on steam rack ( the leaf helps
prevent sticking). Be very careful not to let them touch each other or
else they will stick. Steam for 20 minutes. Eat hot. Can be frozen and
reheated in microwave.