Real Chinese Food

When I was a child, “Chinese food” at my house consisted of some chunks of chicken and a can of limp vegetables poured over crunchy chow mein noodles — from a can. It was pretty dull, and it wasn’t really Chinese, but we all cleaned our plates.

Years later, I visited a Chinese restaurant that did not feature American-style Chinese food. I ordered a hot, sweet, crispy Sichuan fish dish. Chinese food seemed a whole lot more interesting after that.

These days, one can order regional Chinese food from menus in many American cities. However, I imagine the most authentic Chinese cooking here in Columbia is happening in home kitchens, as I learned when I was recently invited to sample Arthur Du’s cooking at Hsiao-Mei and Ray Wiedmeyer’s home. Du’s multicourse meal is the subject of this week’s food cover story. Watching Du and tasting his food inspired me to experiment more at home. Because I don’t have a fabulous Chinese chef like Du at my house, I turned to a new cookbook called “Feeding the Dragon, a culinary travelogue through China and Hong Kong with Recipes” by Mary Kate and Nate Tate. (Andrews McMeel, 2011, $24.99) The book is written and photographed by a sister-brother team who embarked on a 9,700-mile eating and cooking trek through China. The Tates share what they learned about the people and the diverse regional cooking in China and Hong Kong. They also provide a fun-to-read cultural and historical context for the 100 recipes they have adapted for the home cook.

The book includes a glossary of terms and some of the basics on how to make staples such as rice, dumpling wrappers, good stock and hand-torn noodles. I plan to try many of the recipes, but I was first drawn to lemongrass chicken wings from Yunnan. After making them — and eating a few too many — I determined these wings would fly off the serving plate at a holiday party.

LEMONGRASS CHICKEN WINGS

3 stalks lemongrass, tender sections only, minced (see note)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

2 pounds chicken wings (about 20) tips removed

20 leaves peeled from lemongrass stalks

Use a mortar and pestle to mash the minced lemongrass, garlic, ginger, salt and lemon zest into a coarse paste. Whisk the lemon juice, sesame oil, sugar, Asian fish sauce and lemongrass paste in a small bowl. Place the chicken wings in a large resealable plastic bag with the marinade and toss them well so they’re well- coated. Place the bag in the refrigerator and marinate for 3 to 4 hours. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Remove wings from refrigerator and wrap a lemongrass leaf around each wing a couple of times, tying the ends together in a knot.

Marcia’s note: This looks pretty on the plate, but my son called it “slightly impractical.” Place the wings on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve warm, as finger food.

Note: Lemongrass is available at Hong Kong Market, Kea International Market and Chong’s Oriental Market.

Makes: 20 wings

— From “Feeding the Dragon” by Mary Kate and Nate Tate.

Marcia Vanderlip is the Tribune’s food editor. Reach her at 815-1704 or [email protected].

Reach Marcia Vanderlip at 573-815-1704 or e-mail [email protected].