Traditional Recipes: Making Stocks

Recipes from My Grandmother's Chinese Kitchen by Eileen Lo.

Chicken Stock (Gai Seung Tong)

1 gallon water

3 pounds chicken wings

2 whole chicken (8 pounds) including giblets, fat removed, each chicken cut into 4 pieces

2 gallons cold water

½ pound fresh ginger, cut into 3 pieces, lightly smashed

6 garlic cloves, peeled

2 bunches scallions, trimmed, cut into thirds

4 medium onions, peeled and quartered

¼ pound (1 cup) fresh coriander, cut into thirds

½ cup fried onions

¼ cup boxthorn* seeds, soaked 10 minutes 

3 to 4 tablespoons salt, to taste

In a large stockpot, bring 1 gallon water to a boil.  Add chicken, chicken wings and giblets, return to boil for 1 minute.  Turn off heat.  Pour off water and run cold water into the pot to rinse chicken. Drain.

Place chicken, chicken wings, and giblets back in pot.  Add 2 gallons of cold water and all remaining ingredients except salt.  Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to a simmer, leaving lid crack open.  Simmer for 4½ hours.  Stir stock from time to time, skimming off residue from the surface.

Stir in salt about 30 minutes before end of cooking time.  Turn off heat.  Allow to coo for 10 to 15 minutes.  Strain and pour into containers to store for later use.

Makes about 5 quarts.

Vegetable Stock (Jai Seung Tong)

5 quarts cold water

1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into thirds

2 bunches scallions, trimmed, cut into thirds

3 pounds onions, peeled and quartered

1 pound fresh mushrooms, cut into thirds

8 stalks celery, halved

¼ pound (1 cup) fresh coriander, cut into thirds

½ cup Chinese preserved dates (or preserved figs), soaked in hot water 30 minutes, washed

¼ cup boxthorn* seeds, soaked 10 minutes, washed (or 6 pitted sweet dates)

¼ pound fresh ginger, left in piece, lightly smashed

½ cup fried scallions

2 or 3 tablespoons salt, to taste

Bring water to a boil in a large pot.  Add all ingredients except salt.  Reduce heat to a simmer, leaving lid crack open.  Simmer for 4 hours.  Stir stock from time to time, skimming off residue from the surface if needed.

Stir in salt, return to a boil, reduce heat immediately, simmer for another 20 minutes. 

Turn off heat.  When stock is cooled, remove from heat, strain.  Discard solids.  Store in containers.

Makes 3½ to 4 quarts stock.  Recipe can be halved.

*Boxthorn = (Wolfberry, KiChi, Goji, Snowberry, "kỷ tử", "cẩu kỷ", "cẩu kỷ tử")

Scallion Oil (Chung Yau)

1½ cup peanut oil

1 pound (3 to 4 bunches) scallions, well dried, trimmed, each scallion cut into 2-inch pieces, white portions lightly smashed

Heat wok over high heat for 30 seconds.  Add oil and scallions, stir and mix well, make certain scallions are immersed in oil.  Bring to a boil.  Lower the heat, and simmer the oil and scallions for 20 minutes, stir occasionlly, until scallions brown.  Turn off heat, strain oil through a fine strainer into a bowl and cool to room temperature.  Pour into a glass jar, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Onion Oil (Yung Chung Yau)

1½ cup peanut oil

1 pound (4 cups) yellow onions, very thinly sliced.

Heat wok over high heat for 30 seconds.  Add peanut oil, then onions.  Stir, make certain onions are immersed in oil.  Cook for 7 minutes, stir and turn often to prevent burning.  Lower heat to medium and cook for 15 mintues more, or until onions turn light brown.  Turn off heat, strain oil through a fine strainer into a bow, using a spoon to press onions as they drain.  Cool to room temperature.  Pour into a glass jar, cover and refrigerate until needed.