Date: Fri 14-Feb-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Illustration: C

Location: A10

Quick Words:

Chinese-Zodiac-New-Year-Ox

Full Text:

In The Chinese New Year, It Is Now Year Of The Ox

(with photo, recipes)

BY KAAREN VALENTA

In the distant past, time was an illusion and chaos reigned among the animals

of the earth. Every creature, from the cunning rat to the arrogant tiger,

proclaimed that he alone was the most virtuous and unique.

The Jade Emperor, Lord of Heaven, needed to restore order. He decided to hold

a great race, and the first 12 animals to cross the finish line would be

declared the First of the Earthly Creatures.

After the dust raised by 10,000 paws, claws and hooves settled, the winners

were the rat, the ox, the tiger, the hare, the dragon, the serpent, the horse,

the sheep, the money, the cock, the dog and the pig. (The cat was excluded

because the rat told him the wrong date. From that day forth, the rat was

destined to be chased by the cat.)

Each of the first 12 animals was rewarded with its own year in the Chinese

Zodiac. These years are characterized by the distinctive traits of the animals

and from these symbols, a person's fortune, character, strengths and

weaknesses, as well as the course of his or her personal and social life, may

be told.

Persons born in the Year of the Ox, for example, are reputed to be bright,

patient and inspiring to others. They are happy to be by themselves, yet they

make outstanding parents. Years of the Ox have included 1937, 1949, 1973 and

1985.

This weekend marks the middle of the two-week celebration of Chinese New Year,

4965, the latest Year of the Ox. The new year began at sunset on the day of

the second new moon after the winter solstice - this year, it was February 7.

The New Year's celebration is filled with family gatherings and feastings. The

holiday is a time of renewal and a time at which everyone traditionally wears

new clothes. Children receive little red envelopes containing money - for luck

and happiness - from relatives and family friends.

In New York's Chinatown, there is traditionally a dragon parade, featuring

dazzling strings of lights and exploding fireworks. This year fireworks

supposedly were banned in Chinatown, but Newtown resident James Lam, who owns

the Main Moon restaurants on Queen Street and in the Sand Hill Plaza, as well

as one in Brewster, N.Y., said at least one display went on as planned at the

request of the local police precinct.

Mr Lam and his wife, Kim, hold New Year's parties for their friends and their

restaurant staff each year. Last Saturday night Karen and Charles Yarish,

Steve and Cheryl Anderson and their daughter, Maren, Bob Zarnetske and his

wife, Cathy Dobbs, and other friends assembled for the traditional 12-course

meal. The banquet table was decorated with bowls of Chinese candies including

tiny red firecrackers - when the gold cord on each was pulled, out popped a

piece of chocolate wrapped in gold foil.

The meal began with ginseng soup, a restorative broth in which plump pieces of

chicken floated. Traditional Peking duck followed: thin crepes rolled with

succulent duck, hoisin sauce and scallions.

Next came sui mei : white shrimp dumplings and tiny yellow packets with a

seafood filling. Sui mei (pronounced shoe-MY), meaning "cook and sell," are

open-faced Cantonese dumplings made with thin, fragile wrappers. They are

usually steamed so as to retain their light texture. With them came perfectly

round, delicately flavored deep-fried fish balls.

Whole prawns, fried on long skewers, were followed by a whole bass, steamed in

a ginger sauce, and topped with a julienne of scallions. Kim Lam served the

bass, carefully removing the bones from each portion.

A sweet steamed dough made of rice, the Chinese equivalent of fried dough, was

served next, immediately preceding platters of large, tender sea scallops,

chunks of bamboo shoots, pea pods, tiny ears of corn and sliced water

chestnuts.

That this banquet had a seafood theme was indisputable when the next platters

from the kitchen arrived. Each was filled with whole lobsters which had been

hacked into pieces and cooked with ginger and scallions. Then platters of

deep-fried rice noodles topped with shrimp and vegetables were placed before

the seated diners.

When no one felt able to eat another bite, the staff brought out trays of

fresh fruit: glistening wedges of the largest oranges in the market and pieces

of pineapple. Everything was accompanied by cups of hot tea, Chinese beer and

bottles of wine, including the sweet Chinese plum wine.

No rice is served with the New Year's banquet because it is considered

everyday fare (not to mention too filling for a 12-course banquet).

Susanna Food, author and owner of Susanna Food Chinese Cuisine on Walnut

Street in Philadelphia, has published a new cookbook which bears the same name

as her restaurant and includes menus for four- and five-course banquets (about

as much as a home kitchen can handle). Susanna Food Chinese Cuisine (Chapters

Publishing Ltd, 1996, $25/hardcover) includes the following recipe which

readers might want to try:

Pork Dumplings With

Soy Ginger Sauce

1 lb pork butt, coarsely ground

1 cup finely chopped scallions

3 Tbs soy sauce

1 Tbs Oriental sesame oil

1 Tbs peeled, grated ginger root

« lb Oriental napa cabbage, finely chopped

1 lb pkg round dumpling wrappers, 3" in diameter.

In a large bowl, combine the pork, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger

root. Mix well so that flavors will penetrate the meat. Then add the cabbage

and mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. The filling will

not taste right if you try to combine all the ingredients at once.

Place one dumpling wrapper on a plate or board. Place one scant tablespoon of

pork mixture in the center. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with a little

water, then fold them over the filling to form a half-moon shape.

Pinch the center together first, then stand the dumpling up on its base and

pleat one of the sides of the half-moon twice, halfway between the outer edge

and the center. Pleat the other side in the same way and leave the dumpling

standing up.

Stand the finished dumplings on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Do not

allow the sides of the dumplings to touch each other or they will stick

together.

Repeat, using the remaining dumpling wrappers and filling. The dumplings can

be made in advance and frozen for up to three months (defrost frozen dumplings

before cooking or they will burn), or they may be cooked immediately.

To pan-fry dumplings: Pan-fried dumplings are known as "pot stickers" because

one side sticks to the bottom of the pot, becoming delightfully crisp. Heat

about 1 tablespoon of corn oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add as many

dumplings as can fit in a single layer. Pour « cup cold water over the

dumplings.

Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, without turning

or stirring, until the water has evaporated and the dumplings are golden and

crisp on the bottom. If the dumplings are not browned enough, keep cooking

until they are. Remove the dumplings to a heated platter and repeat with the

remaining dumplings. Serve hot, with Soy-Ginger Sauce on the side.

Soy-Ginger Sauce

¬ cup soy sauce

¬ cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbs water

1 Tbs peeled, julienned ginger root, soaked in water

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly and serve. This

sauce will keep for up to one week in the refrigerator, without the ginger

root. Add the ginger root when ready to serve.