Holly with Chef Martin
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ZO: S12 40 MARTIN YAN DEMYSTIFIES Mention Chinese cooking instructor Martin Yan’s name anywhere in North America today and we immedi- ately think, “If Yan can cook, so can you!” But when I first CHINESE assisted Martin Yan more than 20 years ago, at the start of his career, the average North American wouldn’t have dreamed of attempting to cook FUSION Chinese food at home. Most people didn’t even know what a wok was, had never heard COOKING of hoisin sauce, and lacked the know-how to use either one. Back then, Martin was His efforts have paid off. Chinese- “wokking” up a storm style wok cooking has become one of throughout the United States busy North America’s weekday on a one-man mission to favorites for homemade fast food. familiarize North Americans And, as the demand for Asian ingre- with Asian cooking and culture. dients and cookware has grown, Whether stir-frying mouth- most supermarkets and department watering dishes on his stores have started carrying every- award-winning Yan Can Cook thing from plum sauce to electric TV show or waxing poetic rice cookers. about the health benefits A world leader in taking Asian of Asian vegetables during cuisine mainstream, Yan is now at one of his energetic personal the forefront of a surge in fusion appearances, Martin worked cooking—the “fusing” of Eastern hard to demystify Chinese techniques and ingredients with cuisine. those of unrelated international cuisines. Martin’s new PBS series, text and Martin Yan photography by slated for fall of 2002, explores the HOLLY RUDIN-BRASCHI culinary impact of Chinatowns food photography by throughout the world on interna- PETRINA TINSLAY tional cuisine and culture. As a food and prop styling by JODY VASSALLO preview, Martin invited me to redis- cover San Francisco’s Chinatown with him. In between stops at his favorite produce stand, fishmonger, bakery, live poultry store, deli- catessen, and restaurant, Martin explained how Chinese cuisine of the past is shaping future cooking trends. ZO: S12 41 THE GRILLED SHRIMP AND GINGERY SALSA IN THIS REFRESHING SALAD INSTANTLY ENLIVEN TIRED WINTER TASTE BUDS. ZO: S12 42 Who invented Chinese grown up in China, I never saw harmonizing the yin and yang, fusion cooking? asparagus or broccoli before I or contrasts, within a single Chinese fusion cooking is not came to America. Now when dish, cooks create a delicious new. It started hundreds of you go to any Chinese restau- balance between sweet and sour, years ago when Chinese cooks rant, you see both vegetables in crunchy and soft, cold and hot, began swapping ingredients and a lot of dishes. Early San fatty and dry. Third, Chinese cooking techniques with traders Franciscan Chinese food was “A GREAT food is fun and easy to cook be- who entered China via the silk called chop suey (“chop” means DISH cause it is not an exact art. Any- route. Later, as Chinese people “cut” and “suey” means “little one with a stove, frying pan, or began to immigrate around the pieces”) because everything was TAKES TIME wok can successfully improvise world, they adapted their cui- cut into bite-size pieces so peo- TO a Chinese-style dish by mixing sine to embrace the ingredients ple could conserve precious fuel seasonal ingredients with just a available in their new home- by fast stir-frying. Egg foo PREPARE. few basic Chinese condiments lands. It’s only recently that the yong, a Chinese omelet made EVERYTHING like soy sauce and sesame oil. media labeled this cross-cultural with bean sprouts and mush- culinary exchange “fusion” rooms, was also invented here. IN LIFE How would you suggest home cooking. That’s because more Most people living in China TAKES TIME chefs start fusion cooking at home? and more celebrity chefs are today have never heard of it. It’s easier than most people creating Western-style dishes TO think. Begin by mixing some that feature traditional Asian in- How do you see American BUILD.” familiar Chinese condiments gredients. But years before this Chinese cuisine evolving in the into your favorite non-Chinese media revelation, chefs the new millennium? —Martin Yan dishes. Try blending a little soy world over had used soy sauce, Americans have an amazing sauce into your ground meat to ginger, salted black beans, willingness, openness, and perk up your hamburgers or hoisin sauce, five-spice powder, regional Chinese and other meat loaf. Season your favorite and plum sauce in everything CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW LEFT: Asian cuisines, they want to eat vinaigrette dressing with a from Texas barbecue to French THE BOUNTY OF CHINATOWN— at restaurants that specialize in touch of sesame oil, or mix haute cuisine. FRESH CHINESE VEGETABLES; everything from Shanghai some hoisin sauce into your fa- MARTIN EXPLAINS HOW TO SELECT dumplings to Sichuan, Hunan, vorite barbecue sauce. Then, Why is San Francisco’s THE BEST PRODUCE; LOTUS ROOTS; Thai, and Vietnamese food. after you get some confidence, Chinatown so special THERE’S A CURE FOR WHAT AILS They also want to cook these don’t be afraid to experiment for Chinese fusion cuisine? YOU AT THE CHINESE HERBALIST. cuisines at home. Just look with unfamiliar condiments San Francisco is the oldest and around Chinatown—you see and vegetables. For example, most historic Chinatown in a lot of mainstream Ameri- opt for Chinese cabbage to North America; it was the port cans shopping here every day, make a lighter version of your of entry for the Chinese immi- not just tourists. favorite coleslaw. In fusion grants who came to build the cooking, you are only limited mines and railroads in the Why do you think Chinese by your imagination. 1800s. Like every other ethnic cuisine and Chinese fusion cook- group that has come to America, ing have become so popular? Which are the don’t-miss spots the Chinese brought their culi- in San Francisco’s Chinatown? nary traditions. But they were savvy to embrace new cuisine San Francisco’s Chinatown is limited to what they could and culture. Ten, 15 years ago one of the most dynamic, fla- bring: usually a wok, a couple most people didn’t know the vorful, and colorful in the world cooking utensils, and few, if any, difference between dim sum, because it is condensed into a Chinese ingredients. To make chop suey, and chow mein. couple of square blocks. I sug- traditional dishes, they impro- Now as Americans understand gest visiting a typical grocery vised with local foods. So, San and appreciate the subtleties of store, delicatessen, herb shop, Francisco is the first place in and bakery. I also recommend America where “Asian fusion” People the world over are eating at a dim sum restaurant cooking was served both at drawn to Chinese cuisine, like The Golden Dragon (816 home and at the first Chinese ingredients, and cooking tech- Washington Street, 415/398- restaurants in the United States. niques for several reasons. First, 3920), and visiting a hardware Chinatown is also home to some it’s healthy. Chinese cooking is store, like Ginn Wall Company of the first fast food shops and based on seasonal fresh ingredi- (1016 Grant Avenue, 415/982- delicatessens in San Francisco. ents grown locally, rather than 6307), that sells traditional cook- on processed, frozen food. Sec- ing equipment. What are some local foods ond, Chinese cuisine offers a To get a good overview of adapted by these first Chinese unique balance of contrasting Chinatown, take a Wok Wiz cooks in America? flavors, textures, and colors that tour (650/355-9657). To learn Tomatoes, chilies, broccoli, and follows an ancient philosophy more about Chinese cooking, asparagus are just a few. Having known as yin and yang. By visit Yancancook.com. 42 SELECT ZO: S12 43 The following recipes are from Martin IT’S THE UNUSUAL Yan’s Feast: The Best of Yan Can Cook. SAUCES—CHILI GARLIC, HOISIN, AND CHAR SIU— SHRIMP SALAD THAT MAKE MARTIN’S WITH TROPICAL FRUIT SALSA SPICY CHICKEN PIZZA SO DELICIOUS. PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes NOTES: Serve this as a delightful appetizer or double the recipe to make a filling main dish salad. MAKES: 4 servings Shrimp 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry 1 teaspoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil 1 ⁄4 teaspoon salt 1 ⁄4 teaspoon white pepper 3 ⁄4 pound medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined Dressing 3 tablespoons lime juice or rice vinegar 2 tablespoons plum sauce 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil 1 1 ⁄2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil 1 ⁄4 teaspoon white pepper Salsa 1 mango or papaya 1 ⁄4 cup golden raisins 1 ⁄4 cup diced red bell pepper 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger 3 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce 4 cups mixed salad greens 1. Prepare shrimp: In a medium bowl, whisk the rice wine, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Add shrimp and stir to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes. Place shrimp on a preheated oiled grill pan or an oiled electric tabletop grill set to 375°. Cook 1 until shrimp turn pink, 1 ⁄2 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove to a bowl and let protein; 13 g fat (2 g sat.); 34 g carbo (2 g fiber); 3 cups all-purpose flour cool. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. 315 mg sodium; 105 mg chol. 1 teaspoon salt 2. Prepare dressing: In a bowl, whisk lime 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 2 juice, plum sauce, peanut oil, honey, MARTIN’S CHINESE PIZZA ⁄3 cup tomato sauce 1 sesame oil, and white pepper; set aside.