Chinese Vegetables Recipes - Stuffed Cucumber Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 good-sized cucumber

• 2 1/2 oz. pork (a little fat with it)

• 1 generous teaspoon canned water chestnuts

• 1 generous teaspoon canned bamboo shoots

• tiny pinch each salt, sugar and Ve-Tsin (M.S.G.)

• 1/2 teaspoon beaten egg

• 1 dessertspoon peanut oil

• 1 crushed clove garlic

• 4 tablespoons stock

• 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon corn-flour

• 1 dessertspoon cold water

• parsley or watercress or onion 'flower'

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Method:

1. Peel the cucumber. With a long thin pointed knife remove the seeds without cutting through the opposite end, leaving a fair-sized 'cave' in the cucumber.

2. Very finely chop the pork, chestnuts and bamboo shoots. Mix them together and work in a tiny pinch of salt, sugar and Ve- Tsin and the beaten egg. Knead and throw as when making bread dough.

3. Stuff the cucumber with this filling and place it in a steamer, cover tightly and steam hard for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat the oil. Fry the garlic in it until golden and then discard it. Add to the pan the stock, another pinch of salt, sugar and Ve-Tsin and the soy sauce. Bring to the boil. Stir in the corn-flour, blended with the water, and boil for 1 1/2- 2 minutes.

5. Remove the cucumber to a heated serving dish. Cut it through into slices and spoon the sauce over them. Garnish with parsley, watercress or onion 'flower'.