Restaurant Replica Recipe: Gourmet Dumpling House’s Beef with Longhorn Peppers

Longhorn Peppers

Readers, I must apologize for not posting much lately. Before my vacation, I found out that I needed to search for another apartment, so I spent the greater part of July seeing dozens of apartments, subsisting on Chinatown takeaway and frozen toaster waffles. Now that I know where I’ll be living in September, I’m back in the swing of actually cooking meals for myself, but I still find myself craving certain dishes that I fell in love with during my “no time to cook” period. One of those is Gourmet Dumpling House’s Beef with Longhorn Peppers! This is not their exact recipe, but I did my best to duplicate it. I found longhorn peppers at C-Mart in Chinatown, but if you cannot find these, you can substitute poblanos. Try this if you’re looking for something quick and easy!


Gourmet Dumpling House’s Beef with Longhorn Peppers

1 T. toasted sesame oil
1 lb. top round steak, sliced into thin strips
8 long horn peppers
1 T. garlic and ginger paste*
2 T. soy sauce
2 green onions, sliced
Cooked rice, to serve

Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Add the sesame oil, shake the pan to coat. Add the steak, peppers, and garlic and ginger paste. Stir-fry until the beef is cooked through. Finally, add the soy sauce and green onions, stir fry for about 30 seconds until well-blended. Serve over cooked rice.

* Garlic and ginger paste can be found in most Indian or Asian markets
Nutritional information: Serves four. 355 calories, 7.9 g fat, 42.4 g. carbohydrates, 28.5 g protein.

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Ingredient Spotlight - Bitter Melon

"Ugh, I HATE bitter melon!" my friend proclaimed, inspiring a sarcastic "Once again, with feeling!" from me.  "My mom makes bitter melon, I think she only cooks it when she's mad at me," he said.


Bitter melon

We were chatting about fruits and vegetables that are hard to find in the US, and my mention of bitter melon sparked an immediate, and quite heated, reaction.  That was the moment I knew I had to get my hands on a bitter melon and see for myself why it was my friend's most hated vegetable. 

Bitter melon is technically a fruit, although it is eaten as a vegetable.  Interestingly, it is also widely used as a medicinal plant.  Some cultures use bitter melon to treat ailments and diseases such as malaria, cancer, and some viruses.  Bitter melon does in fact contain compounds that are useful in medicine.  The fruit grows in tropical and sub-tropical climates and looks like a pale, ridged cucumber.  Some specialty stores and higher-end markets will sell bitter melon from time to time, but you're far more likely to find it if you live in a city with a good-sized Asian population.  I found mine in Boston's Chinatown. 

Once it was time to taste-test this new and exciting veggie, I realized that I had no clue how to prepare it - does the skin stay on?  Are there seeds, and if so, are they edible?  Those were questions for Google.  Turns out, the skin is edible, and while the seeds and the pith are technically edible, removing them takes away the overwhelming bitterness.  Just slice lengthwise and remove the seeds as you would from a cucumber (I, however, cut a cross-section so that you could see what the inside looked like).

The verdict?  I loved it!  It keeps the crunchy, watery texture of a cucumber when stir-fried, and I thought it tasted like a grassy cross between artichokes and chicory.  When I mentioned that to my bitter melon-hating friend, his reaction was, "Exactly.  I don't know why you would want to eat that."  I liked bitter melon for the same reason I love broccoli rabe, escarole, and radicchio - no, not because they're Italian - I like the taste of bitter vegetables.  Bitter melon is certainly not for everyone; it's one of those veggies you either love or you hate.  That being said, if you ever see a bitter melon, try it and decide for yourself! 


Bitter Melon Stir-Fry

boiling water
10 dried shiitake mushrooms
10 dried tree ear mushrooms*
2 T. coconut oil or vegetable oil
2 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. dried shrimp (optional)
1 bitter melon, sliced

For the stir-fry sauce:
1/4 c. low sodium soy sauce
2 T. rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 t. szechuan peppercorns
1 t. red chili flakes
1 t. grated ginger
1/4 t. white pepper
1 t. cornstarch
1 T. cold water

cooked rice, to serve
toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Dried mushrooms

First, prepare the dried mushrooms by placing them in a bowl and covering them with boiling water (approx. 1/2 cup).  Let them soak for about 10 minutes.  In the meantime, prepare the stir-fry sauce by combining all ingredients but the cornstarch and water in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, blend the cornstarch into the cold water, then add this to the sauce.

Now, drain the mushrooms and squeeze out any excess water.  Slice them into 1/4" strips and set aside. 

Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat.  Add the coconut or vegetable oil, and once it is melted, add the shallots, garlic, and dried shrimp, if using.  Stir-fry for a minute or so, then add the bitter melon and the sliced mushrooms.  Stir-fry for an additional 3-4 minutes. 

Finally, add the stir-fry sauce and continue to stir-fry until all the vegetables are coated and the sauce has thickened up a bit, approximately 2 minutes. 

Spoon into individual bowls of cooked rice and sprinkle with a generous pinch of toasted sesame seeds.

* These may also be labelled "cloud ear mushrooms" or simply "black fungus." 

Taste of the Tropics Stir Fry - A Vacation For Your Tastebuds

I like snow.  I think it's pretty, I think it makes the air smell fresh, and I love making snow angels and snow sculptures.  One of my favorite things to do is walk around the city during a gentle snowfall, and I smile like a doofy kid every time I see fluffy white flakes outside my window.  But after four major snowstorms in the past 30 days and another one on deck for Wednesday, even I am a little burned out on snow.  I've found myself longing for the beach, sunshine, and fresh summer vegetables.  Since I can't bring the feeling of the Cape's sand, the scent of sunscreen, the energy of Fenway Park, or the taste of a burger or hot dog fresh off the grill to this dismal January day, I decided to transport myself to a tropical paradise - well, I transported my tastebuds at least. 

There's not much that tastes more tropical than coconuts, rum, lime juice, and shrimp.  If you could use a sensory break from the winter doldrums, stop into your grocery store and buy what you'll need for this recipe before the milk/toilet paper/batteries crowd shows up, download some Jimmy Buffett or Bob Marley, and use your snow day to whip up this virtual vacation!

Taste of the Tropics Stir Fry

For the stir-fry sauce:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup spiced rum
1 T. red chile flakes
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1 t. Goya Adobo seasoning
generous grind black pepper
1 habanero pepper, quartered (optional)

1 T. coconut oil (can substitute butter or vegetable oil)
1 large shallot, minced
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled
1 jicama, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh coconut, cut into 1/4" strips

Cooked white rice, to serve

Make the stir fry sauce.  If using the habanero, let sit for approximately 30 minutes, then remove the habanero and discard. 

In a large wok or frying pan, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat until it melts.  Saute the shallot until it begins to soften.  Now, add the remaining ingredients.  Stir-fry until the shrimp just begin to curl and are firmed up - do not overcook.  Add the stir-fry sauce, toss several times until all the vegetables and shrimp are coated, then remove from heat and serve hot over cooked rice. 

Rock Out With Your Wok Out!

Lame title?  Possibly.  Great suggestion?  Definitely. 

So why stir-fry in a wok instead of a ginormous frying pan?  First, it's been done that way for centuries.  The wok's deep sides keep the food in the wok and off your stovetop.  Also, the large surface area allows you to move the ingredients about more freely than in a frying pan.  Last but not least, it's really fun. 

Stir-frying in one of the healthiest ways to cook foods - quick cooking retains nutrients and crunch while using only a small amount of oil, so stir-fried foods tend to be low in fat.  The key to a successful stir fry is to heat the wok thoroughly before adding the cooking oil - foods will not stick to the wok if you adhere to this principle. 

Last night, I made one of my favorite stir-fried recipes - Walnut Chicken, a recipe my mom has been making since 1992, and one of my all-time favorites.  She adapted this recipe from a magazine, and I remember eating this recipe during the Clinton campaign, so feel free to hum "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" while you cook.  It is generally served over rice, but since I had no rice, I served it over cooked millet instead.  Either way, it's fabulous. 

Walnut Chicken

for the stir-fry sauce:
2.5 T. low-sodium soy sauce
2 T. sherry or rice wine
1.5 T. water
2 t. cornstarch
1 t. sugar or agave syrup
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1-2 t. canola oil
1 green bell pepper, sliced into bite-sized chunks
1 red bell pepper, sliced into bite-sized chunks
small bunch green onions, sliced into thick rings
2 chicken breasts, sliced into bite-sized chunks

chopped toasted walnuts, to serve

First, make the stir fry sauce by combining all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mixing until the cornstarch is dissolved completely. 

Heat the wok thoroughly, and then add a teaspoon or two of cooking oil.  Add the red and green peppers and green onions; stir fry for no longer than two minutes. 

Remove peppers and green onions from wok, and set aside. 

Next, add another teaspoon of canola oil (if necessary) and stir-fry the chicken pieces.  Continue stir-frying the chicken for 4-5 minutes, until no pink remains and the chicken is slightly browned on the outside.

Once the chicken is browned, return the veggies to the wok, along with the stir-fry sauce.  Stir together for a minute or two, then remove from wok and place in a serving container (keeping it in the wok will cause the veggies to continue cooking, and you don't want to cook away all the crunch).



Spoon over cooked rice or millet, and sprinkle with a handful of chopped toasted walnuts.  Enjoy!