Chef Alex Zhong and May Wong: Asia

We celebrated the Chinese New Year with one of our guest chefs. Chef Alex Zhong and manager May Wong from Asia on Susquehanna Street in Allentown joined our Sunrise 69 News crew on Friday February 12 to cook up some traditional Chinese dishes for the New Year.

Dumplings For the skin, we make our own but it's easiest to buy store made dumpling skins. They can be found in Chinese grocery stores.

Pork filling 1/2 lb lean ground pork (if you like healthier dumplings, use ground chicken) 1 cup napa cabbage finely chopped 1/4 tablespoon of salt 1/4 tablespoon cornstarch pinch of black pepper 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

Wet edge of dumpling skin put about 1 teaspoon of filling inside and then fold

To cook: Bring about 3 cups of water to boil in a steamer. Place dumplings in steamer (arrange so they are not too tight or they will stick and break open when you pull them apart) Steam for aprox. 12 minutes

Crispy Whole Flounder

Whole fresh flounder (About 2lbs) cleaned and scaled 1 cup cornstarch 2 green scallions 1 tablespoon fresh ginger About 2 quarts of soybean oil

For sauce 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil 1/4 tablespoon sugar

Cooking directions: Heat oil to about 325 degrees. (will take about 8-10minutes) While oil is heating, lightly coat entire fish in cornstarch. Julienne the green scallions (use the white parts only) and ginger. When oil is heated, put in entire fish and fry for about 5 minutes. As soon as fish is done, top with the sesame soy sauce and use scallions and ginger as an edible garnish on tip of fish

Sticky Rice Cakes

The sticky rice cakes can be bought at Oriental Grocery store 1 16oz package sticky rice cakes

Ingredients: 1/4 lb fresh squid 1/4 lb lean flank steak sliced 1/2 cup Chinese black mushrooms 8 oz snow pea pods 4 oz sliced carrots

Seasonings: 1 tablespoon soybean oil 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon sugar dash of white pepper 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

Put oil in slightly heated pan, put in all ingredients and stir fry for 3-5 minutes. Add sticky rice cakes (presoak them in boiling hot water to soften them) add all seasoning ingredients and stir fry until everything is nice and hot.