Chinese dishes to excite the taste buds

In 1968, my wife and I lived in San Francisco. Mr. Takahashi, a Japanese businessman, owned a store in Ghirardelli Square. He had a love of fine Chinese food and invited us to dinner at the first Mandarin restaurant in San Francisco. Until then, we had only experienced Cantonese food.I still remember the spicy fragrant crab dish that woke up new and happy taste buds. I worked only a few blocks from China- town and soon discovered a new world of Chinese sauces, fresh vegetables, herbs and green tea.A few years later, I took several cooking classes and learned the intricacies of high heat wok cooking. Oriental dishes are now a part of our family's favorite meals.Because most of the cooking is done at high heat, and different ingredients are cooked for few short minutes, make sure to measure and assemble all ingredients before starting. And remember ... Eat well and thrive.Mongolian Beef with BroccoliServes 4 1 ½ pound broccoli, washed and cut into florets 1 pound flank steak, fat trimmed, wrap in aluminum foil and place in the freezer for about 20 minutes (makes slicing easy) 2 tablespoons dry white wine2 teaspoons Chinese rice vinegar2 tablespoons hoisin sauce1 tablespoon soy sauce, low sodium1 teaspoon chili black bean sauce, adjust for taste 2 egg whites, large1 teaspoon cornstarch4 teaspoons canola oil, divided2 bunches green onions, washed, stemmed, cut diagonally into one inch pieces, about 1 cup 2 to 4 dried chili peppers (whole pods), adjust to taste2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled, minced 4 garlic cloves, peeled, stemmed, minced, about 2 tablespoons 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, lightly dry roasted 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced In a bowl combine wine (if using), vinegar, hoisin, soy, and black bean sauce; stir well. In another large bowl combine egg white and cornstarch; beat lightly. Slice steak into 2-inch wide strips length wise; then cut into 1/4-inch slices across the grain; add the meat to egg mixture, mix to coat evenly. Let marinate for 15 minutes.Steam broccoli, covered, for 4 minutes. Remove broccoli and set aside. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a wok or frying pan over medium high heat, add onions and stir fry until tender, about 4 minutes. Push onions aside, lower heat to medium, add chilies, ginger, and garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute. Remove the mixture and set aside. Turn the heat to high. In the same pan, using 1 teaspoon of oil, stir fry beef in two batches; each batch for 2 minutes. Set aside.To the same pan, add sauce mixture and bring to bubble over high heat. Add meat, onions and broccoli, stir fry until heated through, about 1 minute. Plate, sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro. Dry Braised Pepper PrawnsServes 41 lb medium-size uncooked prawns, de-vein, rinse, and pat dry 1 egg white, large 1 teaspoon cornstarch4 teaspoons canola oil, divided 2 bunches green onions (about 12), washed, stemmed, cut diagonally into two inch pieces, about 1 cup 1 red bell pepper, medium, stemmed, seeded, cut into thin strips, about 1 cup2 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled, and minced 2 garlic cloves, peeled, stemmed, and minced ½ teaspoon Chinese Five Spice powder2 tablespoons ketchup 2 tablespoons dry white wine 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce 2 teaspoons soy sauce, low sodium½ teaspoon chili garlic sauce 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, lightly dry roasted2 tablespoons cilantro, minced In a bowl combine Five Spice powder; ketchup, wine (if using), sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce; stir well.In another large bowl combine egg white and cornstarch; beat lightly. Add prawns; toss to coat evenly. Set aside. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a wok or frying pan over medium high heat, add onions and bell peppers; stir fry until tender, about 4 minutes. Push onions aside, lower heat to medium, add ginger and garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute. Remove the mixture and set aside. Turn the heat to high. In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons oil, add prawns and stir fry until cooked through, about 2 minutes (they will turn dark pink). Add the sauce mixture, onion and bell pepper mixture, stir fry for 1 minute, until heated through. Plate, sprinkle sesame seeds and cilantro. *Various Chinese sauces and ingredients are available at Bel Air and WinCo. - Gopal Kapur, founder and president of the Center for Project Management consults, writes and educates in both the public and private sector as a noted authority on project management. He is also trained in various styles of cooking, and writes monthly for The Press-Tribune. He can be reached at gopalkapur@whentastematters.com