Ten Varieties Vegetarian Dish
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INGREDIENTS 20 dried tiger lily buds
1 tablespoon dried cloud ears
6 dried Chinese mushrooms, 1 to 1-½ inches in diameter
2 ounces cellophane noodles
½ pound Chinese cabbage (celery cabbage or bok choy)
¼ pound fresh snow peas
3 tablespoons peanut oil, or flavorless vegetable oil
½ cup canned bamboo shoots, sliced 1/8-inch thick and cut into 1-inch squares
6 fresh peeled water chestnuts or drained canned water chestnuts
20 canned gingko nuts
½ cup canned vegetable steak, cut into 1-inch squares
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon sesame-seed oilPREPARE AHEAD
In a small bowl, combine the tiger lily buds and cloud ears, and cover them with 2 cups warm water. Let them soak for 30 minutes. Drain and discard the water. Wash the lilies and cloud ears well under cold running water. The cut away and discard the hard ends of the tiger lilies and cut the lilies in two. Break the cloud ears into small pieces.
Cover the dried mushrooms with ½ cup of warm water in another bowl and let them soak for 30 minutes. Drain them and save the water. With a cleaver or sharp knife, cut away and discard the tough stems. Slice the mushroom caps in quarters.
Cover the cellophane noodles with 2 cups of warm water in another bowl and soak for 30 minutes. Drain. Cut the noodles into 4-inch lengths.
With a cleaver or sharp knife, trim off the wilted top leaves and the root ends of the cabbage and separate it into stalks. Wash the stalks under cold running water and cut them into strips 1-½ inches long and ½-inch wide.
Break off the tips of the fresh snow peas and discard. Remove stringy edges from the pea pods.
Have the above vegetables, and the oil, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, gingko nuts, vegetable steak, soy sauce, salt, water and sesame-seed oil within easy reach.
TO COOK
Set a 12-inch wok or 10-inch skillet over high heat for about 30 seconds. Pour in the 3 tablespoons of oil, swirl it about in the pan and heat for another 30 seconds, turning the heat down to moderate if the oil begins to smoke.
Add the cabbage and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Then add the tiger lilies, cloud ears, mushrooms, cellophane noodles, snow peas, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, gingko nuts and vegetable steak. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, and pour in the soy sauce, salt and water. Let the stock come to a boil, then cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the sesame-seed oil and mix thoroughly. Transfer the entire contents to a heated platter and serve at once.
Serves 4 to 6