Let's do a Fil-Chinois spread

MANILA, Philippines - Chinese New Year! This is a feast celebrated with lots of food on every table. It is the Year of the Dragon, heralding a time of longevity, riches, peace and wisdom. Can we ask for more?

The New Year table is elaborate, steeped in tradition and symbols, carried through the various types of food served, especially on the first day, Jan. 23 this year, of the 15-day celebration period.

Prominent dishes usually include fish (carp being the most ideal), and fowl – served whole and never cut – symbolizing prosperity, a tray of five meats that include pork, duck and chicken, or five vegetables (lettuce is supposed to bring growing wealth) and chow mien or noodles. Oranges and tangerines are the favored fruits, symbolizing gold and wealth.

We thought we’d do a Fil-Chinois menu for the occasion to show an affinity between our two cuisines:

Fried lumpia

Chinese noodles with spinach and kikiam

Chili crabs

Hopia

Tea

Chinese noodles with spinach and kikiam

Ingredients

1/4 kilo Chinese round noodles

2 pcs kikiam, sliced thin on the diagonal

1 bunch spinach leaves, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion, sliced

2 tsps hoisin sauce

4 drops sesame oil

2 tsps soy sauce

Ground pepper

Peanut oil

Procedure

Soak noodles in water for about 5 minutes to lessen saltiness. Rinse twice. Drain, set aside.

Soak spinach in salted water, drain and set aside.

Heat peanut oil and sauté garlic until brown, then add onion and soy sauce.

When onion turns transparent, add kikiam, mix well.

Add noodles, spinach, hoisin sauce, mix well then cover.

Let simmer over low fire. When nearly done, add sesame oil. If too dry, add 1/4 cup of chicken broth.

Serve at once.

Fried lumpia

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion, sliced

2 pcs bean curd (tokwa), cut into squares

1/4 kilo shrimps, peeled, save heads to make shrimp juice

3 medium-sized potatoes, sliced thin, lengthwise

30 gms Baguio beans, sliced thin on the diagonal

Half a head of cabbage, sliced into strips

1 bunch kinchay (coriander), chopped

20 pcs large lumpia wrappers

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

Add 2 tsps of water to shrimp heads and extract juice. Set aside.

Heat oil, brown bean curd, push to one side of the pan.

Sauté garlic and onion, mix with the bean curd.

Add shrimps and a pinch of salt and dash of pepper. Mix.

When shrimps have turned pink, add potatoes, adding a little oil.

Add more salt, cover and let cook, turning the potatoes once or twice.

When nearly done, add Bagiuo beans, mix well.

Finally, add the cabbage and kinchay. Let cook.

When done, transfer lumpia filling to a colander and let juice totally drip. Let cool.

Wrap, each one containing about a spoon and a half of the filling mixture.

Seal tip with water.

Fry to golden brown. Make sure oil is drained off each piece to keep it crunchy.

Serve with mixture of vinegar, crushed garlic, salt and pepper.

Chili Crabs

Ingredients

3 large freshwater crabs

4-6 red chilis (pasete)

1 pc thumbsize ginger, sliced thin

2 cloves garlic, crushed

100 ml vegetable oil

25 gms brown sugar

Salt and pepper

300 ml chicken stock

2 tsps vinegar

2 tsps light soy sauce

25 gms tomato sauce

1 egg

1 tsp oyster sauce

2–3 drops sesame oil

Optional 50 gms sotanghon

Procedure

Scrub the crabs with stiff brush and rinse well under cold running water.

Remove the claws and smash lightly.

Chop the back of the crabs into medium size pieces, taking care to discard the grey and pulpy matter.

Chop the chilis, ginger and garlic.

Heat the oil in a wok and cook the crabs for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Place them to the side of the wok and set aside most of the oil.

Add the chilis, ginger and garlic, sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Return the crabs to the heat, add sugar, salt and pepper. Pour in the stock.

Stir well, then bring to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer slowly until crabs are cooked, approximately 15 minutes.

Remove the cover, add vinegar, soy sauce and tomato sauce.

Add slightly beaten egg, mix well, let simmer until sauce thickens.

Sotanghon, which has been soaked, can be added shortly before serving.