Recipe of the Week

Bamboo with Celery

This tasty vegetable dish is served cold. Two bits of advice: first, take your celery from the inside of the bunch, which tends to be more tender than outer stalks; second, you will need Sichuan red peppercorns, which can be found at Asian specialty food shops. You cannot substitute Cayenne or red chili peppers. If I can be of any help, please e-mail me at jennifer@virtualchina.com.

Ingredients: (serves 2 or 3):
3 stalks of tender celery, in slices 3 ozs fresh or canned bamboo, in slices 4 cups of water 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp vegetable oil 2 tsp soy sauce	1/2 tsp vinegar 1/4 tsp sugar 1 pinch of Sichuan red peppercorns 1/4 tsp hot chili oil 1/4 tsp sesame oil 1/2 tsp diced garlic

Directions:

(1) Boil the water; add bamboo and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove bamboo from water and place in bowl. Keep the water boiling.
(2) Add celery to the boiling water. Cook for 2 minutes. Take out the celery and put in the same bowl with bamboo. Turn off heat.
(3) Mix the soy sauce, salt, vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, sesame oil, chili oil, Sichuan red peppercorns, and garlic in the bowl with the bamboo and celery.
(4) Put on a plate. You're finished!