Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team

Sometimes you're in the mood for a very specific meal, but nothing you can find on a restaurant menu comes close to matching what you want. So it is at the moment with me and Chinese food.

What I want is an authentic, South Seattle-style home-cooked dinner, like I used to get on Monday nights when I was growing up. I've never really found anything quite like it in a restaurant.

You have to make it yourself. My favorite reference for this is "Flavors Of China" by the Chinese Parents Service Organization, which contains favorite recipes from a large number of local families. Proceeds benefit the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team.

Here are my quickie versions of three excellent examples of the book's comfort food:

Chinese "Meatloaf"

1 pound fresh ground pork
1-2 Chinese sausages
4-5 canned water chestnuts
1 egg
soy sauce (optional)

Slice sausage lengthwise into 3-4 strips, then dice; the sausage is important, it has to be the dark red, 50% fat kind, or the dish doesn't work. Finely chop water chestnuts. Mix all ingredients together -- the only good way to do this is to squeeze it all together with your hands! Form into a cake in a shallow, oven-safe dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until juices runs clear (you can also steam it on the stovetop for 40 min.). Serve over rice (spoon the juice onto the rice).

Steamed Eggs

5 eggs
Sliced beef (optional)
Soy sauce (optional)

Beat eggs well. Then slowly mix in 1 to 1-1/2 cups of water. Pour into shallow oven safe-dish. Add sliced beef if desired. Steam on a rack in a covered skillet of boiling water for 40-45 minutes; watch water to make sure it doesn't boil off. Serve over rice. Note: My grandfather got the eggs to come out of the oven glassy-smooth on top; I am unable to replicate this feat, as you will be too.

Barbecued Pork

Boneless pork ribs (should have some fat; 'Boston' style works best)
Hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
garlic, finely chopped, to taste
hot mustard and sesame seeds (optional)

This is ridiculously easy, and they charge you a million bucks for it when ordering take out.
Do this the night before. Lay out a rib left to right. Hold a chef's knife in your right hand, pointed to 10 o'clock, and make diagonal cuts about a 1/2 inch deep into the rib every 1-1/2 to 2 inches. Flip the rib over horizontally and repeat the slicing. Each rib should have the cuts angled in opposite directions on opposite sides.
In a big bowl, mix sugar, soy sauce and garlic with enough hoisin to make a marinade for the ribs. Place ribs in marinade and cover with plastic. Leave overnight so it can work its magic.
The next day. Put an inch of water in a large baking pan and put a rack over it. Remove ribs from marinade, shake off excess sauce and place on rack, twisting each rib enough to open the cuts a little (this also creates little points that get crispy in the oven).
Bake at 400 degrees; as the ribs roast, the juices will drip into the water instead of burning and filling your kitchen with smoke. Turn, and brush on more hoisin every 15-20 minutes. Cooking time varies according to how thick the ribs are -- but you'll know when they're done. Keep an eye on it, and do your best to resist breaking off the crispy bits to 'test it.' Slice and serve with the mustard and sesame seeds.

These are just three examples from this thick volume! I'm not sure if the book is still being produced; I got mine at a garage sale. It has an orange cover with a plastic comb binding.