Naan

Yield:

• 6 servings

Time:

• Prep time 2 hours 30 minutes, cook time 10 minutes

Difficulty:

• Easy

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 tsp active yeast (if using fast acting, cut rise time in half)
• 1 tsp organic cane sugar
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3 Tbsp plain yogurt [either dairy or vegan]
• 2 Tbsp oil
• Fresh cilantro 
• Additional salt, oil, garlic, and herbs for garnishing as desired
  

Instructions

1. Combine warm water, yeast and sugar. Stir and set aside about 10 minutes.
2. In the meantime, add flour(s), salt, and baking powder to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Add yogurt and oil to yeast mixture, and stir to combine. Add to dry ingredients and use a fork to mix - the dough will be sticky.
4. Turn onto a floured surface and add just enough flour to gently knead for 5 turns and form into a loose ball. Place back in mixing bowl, cover and let rise for  and rub with a bit more oil and turn to coat. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place for 2-4 hours. 
5. Remove dough from bowl and turn onto a floured surface. Knead for 30 seconds  and divide into 6 pieces.  Form each piece into a loose ball, cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
6. In the meantime, begin heating a cast-iron pan and prepare any garnishes for topping (i.e. melted vegan butter or coconut oil, sea salt, minced garlic, or cilantro).
7. Once the dough has rested, roll each piece into a circle or oval, dusting with flour as needed.  Working one piece at a time, brush with water and place wet-side down on the hot pan.
8. Cook for 1 minute or until the edges of the dough look dry and it’s beginning to bubble. Flip the dough with a spatula and cook until the underside is dark brown. 
9. Repeat until all naan is cooked. Then brush with melted butter, margarine, or coconut oil, and sprinkle with herbs and sea salt (optional). Serve immediately.
10. Cover leftovers and store at room temperature for about 2 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.

Notes:

• I mixed all ingredients together without bothering to foam the yeast; it was fine. 
• For even cooking on bottom side, press down lightly with spatula after flipping.

Variations:

• Whole-grain: instead of all-purpose, substitute 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup bread flour
• For garlic naan, press in minced garlic immediately after brushing with water.
• Optional flavorings to add when making dough: ¼ tsp ground cumin or curry powder, ½ tsp fenugreek leaves, 2-3 cloves of garlic, grated. 

Source: The Minimalist Baker.

Hot and Sour Soup (酸辣汤)

Yield:

• 4 servings

Time:

• 30 minutes

Difficulty:

• Moderate

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/4 cup dried woodear mushrooms
• 1/4 cup dried lily flowers
   
• 1/2 lbs (230 g) pork loin or chicken breast, cut into thin strips [optional]
• 1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
   
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 2 green onions chopped, or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon white pepper powder (or 1/2 teaspoon for a less spicy dish)
• 6 cups water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock
• 1/2 block (8 oz / 227 g) firm tofu, cubed
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

1. Gently rinse dried shiitake mushrooms, dried wood ear mushrooms, and lily flowers with tap water. Soak each of them with 1.5 to 2 cups warm water in three big bowls. Rehydrate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until tender. 
2. Slice shiitake mushrooms into strips. Snip off the tough ends of lily flowers and discard. Remove tough ends of wood ear mushrooms, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
3. Combine pork or chicken (if using), Shaoxing wine, salt and cornstarch in a bowl. Mix well by hand. Marinate for 10 - 15 minutes.
4. Add Chinkiang vinegar and white pepper into a small bowl. Mix well until the white pepper is completely dissolved.
5. Add water or stock, ginger, and green onion into a pot and heat over medium-high heat. 
6. Add rehydrated mushrooms and lily flowers, with their soaking water, to the pot. Add tofu and bring to a simmer. 
7. Add soy sauce and turn to medium-low heat.
8. Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water in a bowl until cornstarch is fully dissolved. Slowly swirl the cornstarch slurry into the soup. Stir to thicken the soup.
9. Add the pork from step one into the soup, stirring several times to prevent the pork strips from sticking together. Add the salt. 
10. Slowly swirl in the beaten egg and stir well to create threads. .
11. Remove the pot from stove. Add the vinegar and pepper mixture and stir to mix well.
12. Garnish with cilantro and drizzle with sesame oil. Give it a final stir.
13. Serve hot.

Notes:

• To my taste, needs more vinegar.  Spiced chili oil is also a nice garnish.  
• Chinkiang vinegar is essential.  Do not try to substitute another vinegar.  Similarly, use white pepper, not Szechuan pepper.
• Add vinegar and pepper only after removing from heat – else the vinegar flavor diminishes and the pepper can become bitter..

Variations:

• Skip the meat if you want to create a vegetarian dish.
• Use chicken stock or vegetable stock instead of water if you are not using the dry ingredients (shiitake mushrooms, lily flowers, and wood ear mushrooms) in this recipe.
• Other nice additions include julienned bamboo shoots, napa cabbage cut into ribbons, and bok choy. 

Source: Omnivore's Cookbook.