Jews Love Chinese Food.

Let me set the scene: It was a dark and stormy Wednesday night in the Castro, winds were a howling and there was a something in the air. What was that my friend? It was the Top Chef Finale!


We invited our friends Josh and Erin over to witness the culmination of weeks of watching Kevin stomp the competition, sadly - as we all know now he died a very sad death by bacon chocolate. You're still Top Chef in my heart, Kevin!

So I thought I would do something for the occasion that was a challenge for myself.... and nothing scares me MORE than Chinese food. The experience of going to eat Chinese (American Chinese, I guess) - is mystical to me. Its the only place where I believe what happens in the kitchen stays in the kitchen and I dont need to know what transpired to give me my shumai. It could come from a unicorn or it could come directly from china, I wouldnt know the better. Anyhow, I chose my two favorite drunken take out menu items but put a spin on them: Crab Rangoons and BBQ Pork Buns!



Jalapeno Crab Rangoons
Ingredients
1 can of lump crabmeat
1 block of cream cheese
1/4 Cup chopped green onions
20 wonton rappers
1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeded
2 cups veggie oil
salt/pepper to taste
Dipping Sauce

Step One: Combine crab meat, jalapenos and chopped green onions in a bowl - then fold in the cream cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.


Step Two: Take the wonton wrapper and dollop a tablespoon of the filling in the center. wet a half moon on the lip of the wonton and fold it over, then press closed between your forefinger and thumb until completely sealed. Repeat 20 times.

Step Three: Bring oil to appropriate temperature (I just eye ball it) - and fry em up! I usually wait until one side is browned to flip. Make sure you put them on a paper towel to drain the oil. Serve hot with your choice of dipping sauce!







BBQ PORK BUNS

Ingredients
6 Boneless Pork Ribs, cut 1x1 inch.
Sauce:
2 Cups Soy Sauce
1 cup hoison sauce
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sriracha
Dough
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dry yeast
3 cups of water
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of canola oil
1 teaspoon of baking soda



Step One: Combine sauce ingredients + pork in a crockpot and cook on low for 12 hours or overnight, stirring once. Then refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Shred the pork and pour remaining sauce from crock pot over the shredded pork for taste. :)

Step Two: Prepare dough. Dissolve the yeast in a teaspoon of water until it starts foaming. After, combine with the flour, salt, water, oil, sugar and baking soda. Please make sure to add 1 cup of water and decide from there how much else you'll need from there, if the dough is sticky you've used too much, add more flour to balance.


Step Three: Set aside the dough, covered with a wet washcloth for an hour and a half until its doubled in size. Then roll out the dough thin and use a biscuit cutter to cut out circles. Then place a dollop of the pork in the center and bring the dough around the filling to create a bun that peaks in the middle. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients.

Step Four: In a wooden steamer, spray the bamboo with oil or put parchment paper on the bottom and arrange the buns inside. Bring water to boil in a pan and set the steamer, with the top on inside the pan and steam for 10 minutes. Voila! Serve hot.