Shanghai Chicken and Shrimp Stir Fry

Happy Chinese New Year! Chinese New Year is a celebration of the lunar new year, and this year is the Year of the Dragon, year 4710 of the Chinese calendar. Amy has had an affinity for all things Chinese since she was a little girl and had Chinese neighbors who shared with her their language, culture and various celebrations. So of course we had to celebrate this new Year of the Dragon with a proper meal.

In Chinese culture, certain foods are symbolic, and this is especially apparent at the New Year's dinner which is meant to feature foods that will bring health, wealth and prosperity in the coming year. We kept our own hopes for the new year in mind when we thought up the auspicious ingredients of this dish, which we are calling Shanghai Chicken and Shrimp Stir Fry.

First are the noodles themselves, which symbolize long life, as long as they are left uncut, which we did. Slurping them from the bowl is a must. Next is the chicken, symbolizing happiness, marriage and prosperity. The word for prawn in Cantonese is "ha" which of course is reminiscent of the sound of laughter and happiness. (We are using regular shrimp, but maybe it's the thought that counts?) The color red is an especially important part of the celebration, so we chopped up a couple of dried red chiles to add color and spicy heat (like the fire of the dragon!) to the dish. Finally, we garnished the dish with chopped peanuts, which symbolize long life, good health, and good fortune. For dessert, we ate a couple of clementines, which are a variety of mandarin orange, and are considered to be good luck to the Chinese.

So here's to hoping this Year of the Dragon is one filled with all good things, including more delicious dishes such as this one!

Shanghai Chicken and Shrimp Stir Fry

Ingredients:

12 ounces Chinese wide lo-mein noodles

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspooon sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

3 green onions, chopped

1 star anise

3 dried red chilies, chopped* (see cooks' notes)

1/2 pound boneless chicken breast, cut into thin strips

1/2 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cups snow peas, trimmed

2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

Notes: we had "dragon" on the brain and bravely put in three (chopped) dried red chilis, which made this dish pretty darn spicy. We suggest doing 1 1/2 to 2 unless you love love love the heat.

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Rinse under cold water, drain well and toss with sesame oil to coat evenly; set aside. Combine soy sauce, sugar and cornstarch slurry in a small bowl; set aside. In a wok or large saute pan, heat vegetable oil over high heat. Add ginger, garlic, green onions, star anise, and chilies, and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add chicken strips and stir-fry until mostly cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add shrimp and snow peas and continue to stir fry until shrimp turn pink and snow peas are cooked but still crunchy, about 2 minutes. Pour in soy sauce/slurry and stir for 30 seconds. Toss in noodles and stir until all ingredients are well combined and noodles are coated with sauce. Serve in large noodle bowls topped with chopped peanuts.

Ji Zhen (Golden Needle) Tea

We picked up two ounces of Ji Zhen Tea at Dobra Tea in Portland, Maine this summer. This tea is a Chinese black tea, and one of the oldest teas in the world. It is called Ji Zhen, or "Golden Needle," because its young tea leaves have a needle-like shape and a beautiful golden color.

The aroma of the leaves is sweet, with hints of earthiness. When brewed, the golden leaves produced a tea of reddish-brown color with a golden ring around the edge of the cup. This high-quality tea has a very mellow flavor with hints of honey, chocolate and pepper. The inherent sweetness of the tea made us not want to add anything to it, although many people enjoy it with milk.

It is recommended to brew the tea leaves up to three times, which means those few ounces will produce many cups. We look forward to every one; it is an exceptional cup of tea.

Hung Won, Colchester, CT

Amy's aunt works once a week at a small Chinese restaurant in Colchester, Connecticut called Hung Won. For years now, Aunt C has asked us to go eat there, not because she works there, but because she has proclaimed that it is "the best Chinese around." She raves. She boasts. She repeats. With her birthday around the corner, we decided, at long last, to go. Which is how we found ourselves, last Friday night, in the back seat of Cousin D's car, heading out to Colchester. About 30 minutes from our house, in the middle of what seemed like nowhere, there it stood: Hung Won Asian Grille on New London Road.



Steamed Veggie Dumplings

Scorpion Bowl for Two

We were greeted with wide smiles by our server Jason and the bartender Jen. After ordering drinks (we think Aunt C's first Scorpion Bowl is guaranteed not to be her last!), we settled in to peruse the vast menu of authentic Chinese classics, signature dishes and specials. Having some experience as a part-time worker there, Aunt C made many suggestions and our rumbling stomachs led us toward some usual Asian favorites (duck for Amy, of course).

Cashew Shrimp Combo

Crispy Shrimp with Honey-Glazed Walnuts

You know what? Each bite was better than the last, and we ooh'd and aah'd our way through this incredible Chinese feast. In fact, it turns out, this really is the best Chinese food that we can ever remember having. We especially loved the use of lotus flour, a gluten-free flour made from the roots of lotus water lilies; it offered a nuanced flavor and light, crispy coating to the fried duck and shrimp. Vegetables were crisp and done to a perfect tenderness. The fried rice had a wonderful smoky flavor that was nicely enhanced by the toasted macadamia nuts and the sweet pineapple chunks in it. And oh, the sauces! Such amazing flavors! Every dish tasted fresh and was obviously made with high quality ingredients, vast knowledge of Asian flavors, and, most of all, great care and love.  

Polynesian Duck

Clams in Black Bean Sauce

Owner and chef Po was a gracious, warm and charming hostess. She made us feel like family, and even brought over a couple of special things for us to taste. We chatted with her far longer that we should have, given that she had a party of 70 coming in for a late-night dinner, but she was so nice to talk to! We're very much looking forward to returning, especially in the summer, when Po's mother coaxes fresh herbs and vegetables from the garden behind the restaurant and uses them in daily specials. But we're sure to be back much sooner than that, and quite often too, because we're already craving another taste of this wonderful Chinese cookery.

Panang Curry Chicken

Macadamia Fried Rice

So, yes, Aunt C, you were right. We'll say it again: You. Were. Right. Hung Won truly is the best Chinese around. Thank you for introducing us. We'll never be satisfied with our usual delivery place again. The Chan family has spoiled us for life. And readers, trust us (whether Aunt C works there or not), this excellent restaurant is soooooo worth the drive. You'll be thanking us soon enough. See you in Colchester!