Seafood trio in a treasure chest

With fresh seafood like scallops, fish and shrimp, this dish might fall victim to marauding dinner guests unless you hide it until you’re ready to serve your treasures from the sea. If you like, add a bed of bean thread noodles underneath the Chinese okra to capture all the savoury juices.

2 tbsp. (30 ml) fish sauce

2 tsp. (10 ml) soy sauce

2 tsp. (10 ml) sesame oil

2 tsp. (10 ml) garlic, minced

1 tsp. (5 ml) Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

a pinch of ground white pepper

8 medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 sea scallops

4 oz. (125 g) firm white fish fillet, such as halibut or cod, cut into 4 equal pieces

1 tbsp. (15 ml) vegetable oil

1 lb. (500 g) Chinese okra or zucchini, cut into ¼-inch- (0.6-cm-) thick rounds

2 green onions, green parts only, thinly sliced

¼ red bell pepper, cut into long, thin strips

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Combine the fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, rice wine and white pepper in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp, scallops and fish, and stir to coat evenly. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Cut four 12-by-18-inch (30-by-46-cm) rectangles of parchment paper or heavy-duty foil. Lay them out on a work surface. Lightly brush the centre of each with some of the oil. Divide the okra slices among the pieces of parchment, arranging them in a single layer in the centre. Put 2 shrimps, 1 scallop and 1 piece of fish on top of each okra bed. Spoon some marinade over each.

Bring the long sides of each rectangle together over the seafood and roll them as one to hold together. Seal the ends of each packet with a series of small folds. Place the packets on a large baking sheet. You may need 2 baking sheets.

Bake the packets until the fish is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer each to a dinner plate. Using the tip of a small, sharp knife, cut a slit in the top of each, being careful of the steam. Open and garnish with green onions and bell pepper. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

Fortune noodle meatball soup

Soup is the ultimate comfort food and this one is great on a cold winter day. It has meatballs, noodles, and a hot and sour broth. Wood ears are black fungi that grow on trees. Other members in this family are cloud ears and snow ears. With so many ears, trees must be great listeners!

2 oz. (60 g) dried wood ear mushrooms

3 oz. (90 g) fresh Chinese wheat noodles or dried spaghetti

1 lb. (500 g) ground meat

1 tbsp. (15 ml) cornstarch

2 tsp. (10 ml) sesame oil

2½ tsp. (12.5 ml) salt

½ tsp. (2.5 ml) ground white pepper

4 c. (1 L) canned or homemade chicken broth

3 tbsp. (45 ml) Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. (30 ml) pickled mustard greens, diced

1 tsp. (5 ml) salt

pinch of ground white pepper

2 green onions, thinly sliced

3 sprigs cilantro, both leaves and stems, minced

1 tbsp. (15 ml) store-bought or homemade chili oil

In a bowl, soak the mushrooms in warm water to cover until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain. Thinly slice, discarding any hard parts, and set aside.

Bring a medium-sized pot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain, rinse with warm water, drain again. Place in a bowl and cover to keep warm.

For the meatballs, put the meat, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt and pepper in a food processor and process to a smooth paste. Scoop mixture out into a medium bowl. With wet hands, roll into walnut-sized balls (about a heaping tablespoon for each ball). Arrange, without crowding, on a lightly greased plate.

In a medium pot, combine the broth and vinegar, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the meatballs and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and pickled greens, and simmer for 2 minutes more. Add the cooked noodles and cook, stirring, until noodles are heated through. Season to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with green onions, cilantro and chili oil, and serve. Makes 6 servings.

Pressed rice cakes

Street food has always been a big part of Chinese food culture. Even with all the spanking new shopping malls and food courts, on the side streets of every Chinese city are food vendors of all varieties. These rice cakes are all over China and people take them on buses and trains.

2 c. (500 ml) raw glutinous rice

3 c. (750 ml) water

1 tsp. (5 ml) salt

1 tbsp. (15 ml) garlic, minced

1 tbsp. (15 ml) vegetable oil

½ c. (125 ml) pork sung (dried, shredded pork used as a topping and filling)

1 tbsp. (15 ml) pickled garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp. (15 ml) Sichuan preserved vegetables, finely chopped

4 fresh banana leaves (optional)

3 tbsp. (45 ml) toasted sesame seeds

In a 2-quart (2-L) pan, combine the rice, water, salt and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of the garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until all the liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the oil and remaining 2 teaspoons (10 ml) garlic in a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until the garlic is golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Combine the pork sung, pickled garlic, pickled cucumbers and three-quarters of the garlic-oil mixture in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Line a loaf pan with banana leaves (or plastic wrap) and brush with any leftover garlic oil. Sprinkle with half of the toasted sesame seeds. Spoon half of the rice into the lined pan and work with wet hands to press into an even layer. Sprinkle the pork sung mixture evenly over the rice and cover with the remaining rice. Sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds and cover with more oiled leaves (or plastic) and a second square pan. Weight the top pan down with a few cans.

Let stand for at least 20 minutes. Invert onto a cutting board, remove the leaves (or plastic) and slice into 1½-inch (3.8-cm) squares with a wet knife. Serve at room temperature as is or lightly pan-fry until crisp. Makes 6 cakes.