East meets West – Part 1

One of the greatest things living in America is the exposure to different varieties of food.  Even though we are primarily eating a Cantonese Chinese diet, I have learned to cook with ingredients found in American grocery stores, sometimes to cook the American way, but most of the time, to cook the Chinese way.  As the years go by, I have mix and match the cooking method, as well as the ingredients.

As a regular oven user, I was actually surprised many a times when my Chinese friends told me they don’t cook with the oven too much.  I found cooking with the oven most convenient and simple.  It also eases up my stove top space and allow me to steam or stir fry other dishes.  However, having an oven is really a very much Western or American thing.  Where I grew up, people usually just have stove tops or at the most a microwave.  I guess many of my friends are still sticking to the old ways.

I love experimenting cooking Chinese dishes in the oven.  Roast pork is my favorite dish to make.  If you want to have leaner meat, pork tenderloin is the way to go, or you can go to a Chinese butcher and ask for roast pork meat and they will show you what to buy.  The next thing you need is a jar of Lee Kum Kee Roast Pork sauce.  You should also purchase some aged soya sauce and some cooking wine.  Cut your pork pieces in long strips and marinate them with these 3 things to taste overnight, bake them in the oven for 45 minutes or so on 375F.  You can cover them if you want more sauce and moist meat.  Or you can uncover them at the last 15 minutes or so.  

Another of my favorite roast pork dish is the Orange Roast Pork (橙汁豬柳) which I made tonight.  A true East meets West dish.  

Sauces for marinate:  soya sauce, cooking wine, orange juice and orange marmalade
Other seasoning: garlic, ginger, rosemary and cilantro, all chopped to very fine

Marinate your port tenderloin at least overnight if not for two whole days, bake at 350F for at least an hour covered.  You can uncover it at the last 10-15 minutes or so.

Preview for tomorrow’s recipe: my very own Egg & Tomato stir fry, a Fun household signature dish and a true East meets West gem.  Till then – happy henna-ing!  (Missus Fun and the two juniors are all covering their heads with strong herbal green stuff at this moment – wondering what will the ultimate color be?)