Chinese recipes give stew and rice new twists

The Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii has many festivities lined up to pay tribute to the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit.

The Narcissus Festival Coronation Ball on Jan. 22 celebrates the crowning of the 62nd Narcissus queen and her court in an evening of pageantry, glamour, food, wine and dance.

Jan. 28 and 29 brings new-year celebrations on the streets of Chinatown and the Chinatown Cultural Plaza. Firecrackers and drums, cymbals and gongs will sound in the lunar year 4709.

For your own celebration, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii shares these traditional recipes from June Lam Tong, author of "Popo’s Kitchen." Kung hee fat choy!

CHINESE SQUASH STEW

» Beef mixture:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2-1/2 pounds stew meat
1 3-inch piece ginger, crushed
1/4 cup liquor (whiskey, sherry or Chinese wine)
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) beef broth
Water
8 whole star anise, rinsed
» Squash mixture:
1 white turnip, cut in chunks
4 to 5 pounds Chinese winter squash, cut in large chunks
3 stalks celery, in 2-inch lengths
» Cornstarch mixture:
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste
» Garnish:
Green onions, in 1-inch lengths
Cilantro

In a large pot, heat oil and brown meat. Stir in the remaining beef mixture ingredients, adding enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 90 minutes. Refrigerate meat and broth separately overnight.

Skim fat from broth. Combine meat, broth and squash mixture. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 30 minutes or until squash is cooked.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with water. Thicken stew with cornstarch mixture; season with salt. Garnish with green onions and cilantro. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on lean stew meat and not including salt to taste): 450 calories, 13 g total fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 105 mg cholesterol, 650 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 45 g protein

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on higher fat stew meat and not including salt to taste): 650 calories, 38 g total fat, 14 g saturated fat, 120 mg cholesterol, 650 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 40 g protein 

STEAMED STICKY RICE (LO MAI FUN)

» Sweet rice:
4 cups sweet rice (mochi rice)
4-1/4 cups water
1 piece hum nyee (salt fish), soaked and rinsed
2 packets saimin soup base
» Filling:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup dried baby shrimp, rinsed
1/2 cup finely diced roast pork or ham
1 cup finely diced cooked lup cheong
1 cup dried black mushrooms, soaked, rinsed, finely diced
1 cup finely chopped green onions
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon five spice

Rinse mochi rice; drain. Place sweet rice ingredients into rice cooker; cook rice. Remove hum nyee; debone, shred and return to rice.

To make filling: Heat oil in wok; stir-fry ingredients. Add sweet rice mixture; mix well. Continue to heat 15 minutes. Serves 10.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 430 calories, 9 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 600 mg sodium, 68 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 18 g protein

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For more Hawaiian Electric Co. recipes visit www.heco.com.