Free Chinese Recipes

Ingredients

• 3-4 frogs (about 675 g/1 1/2 lb) young bamboo shoots (like asparagus tips)
• 1/2 medium cucumber
• 100 g (1/4 lb) smoked ham
• 2 stalks spring onion
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 30 ml(2 tablespoons) vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 liter (2 pints) stock
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) dry sherry  

Serve 6

** Free Chinese Recipes **

Method:

1. After skinning the frogs and removing the heads and innards, chop each one into 6-8 pieces. Cut the bamboo shoots slantwise into medium-sized segments, the cucumber into triple matchstick thick strips, the ham into similar-sized, strips and, the spring onions into small sections.

2. Parboil the frog pieces in boiling water for 1 12 minutes, and drain; then boil the bamboo shoots for 2 minutes, and drain them.

3. Heat the oil at the bottom of a casserole. Add the frogs, salt (7 ml/1/2 tablespoon) and bamboo shoots. Stir and turn this over a medium heat for 2 minutes and push to the sides.

4. Put the cucumber strips in the middle of the casserole, spread them out and cover them with the frog pieces and bamboo shoots. Sprinkle the shredded ham over this.

5. Mix the stock with the sherry and chicken stock cube. Season to taste. Pour the soup into the casserole. Bring the contents to the boil, and simmer gently for the next 30 minutes.

6. Sprinkle with chopped spring onion and serve in the casserole. A soup to be consumed throughout the meal.