Celebrate in Chinese harmony: Welcome the Year of the Horse with a simple, family-style Cantonese meal - Friends for Dinner - Recipe

Sunset, Feb, 2002 by Linda Lau Anusasananan

4. Place cake on rack and cover steamer (if cover doesn't fit over cake, tent steamer with a large piece of foil, sealing it around the edges so steam can't escape); reduce heat to medium and steam until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, add more boiling water to maintain level. Remove cover quickly and carefully so condensed steam doesn't drip onto cake. Remove cake from steamer.

5. Run a knife between cake and pan rim to loosen sides. Invert onto a rack, remove pan and parchment, and invert again onto another rack. Let cake cool at least 10 minutes. With a serrated knife, cut cake into diamonds or wedges. Serve warm or cool.

Per serving: 140 cal., 15% (21 cal.) from fat; 4 g protein; 2.3 g fat (0.7 g sat.); 25 g carbo (0.2 g fiber); 61 mg sodium; 94 mg chol.

RELATED ARTICLE: Yin-Yang New Year's Dinner

Hot-and-Sour Soup (*)

Rock Sugar Ginger Chicken (*)

Stir-fried Garlic Lettuce (*)

Steamed Rice

Steamed Solve with Black

Bean Sauce (*)

Steamed Sponge Cake (*)

with Candied Kumquats

Tea

(*)Recipe provided

Serve savory dishes family-style, all together, or divide into courses--soup; chicken, lettuce, and rice; then fish.

Ingredient tips

You can cook this entire menu with familiar ingredients from your supermarket, but the authentic Chinese touches are worth seeking out for their interesting tastes and textures. Look for them in Asian markets or order from Uwajimaya (800/889-1928 or www.uwajimaya.com).

* Black soy (law zul): Also called soy superior sauce or dark soy sauce. Aged longer than the more common soy sauce, it's darker, richer, and slightly sweeter. Usually contains a sweetener such as molasses.

* Dried cloud ears (wun yee): Also called tree ears, dried vegetable, and black fungus (pictured at right). These grayish black mushrooms look like small, delicate, paper-thin, crinkled leaves. (Larger, coarser fungus are called wood ears.) Rinse the cloud ears in cold water and then soak until soft. Pinch out the hard, knobby center. Dried cloud ears have little flavor but contribute both crunchy and silky textures to soups and stir-fries. Store airtight in a cool, dry place.

* Dried lily buds (gum tzum): Also called golden needles, lily flowers, tiger lily buds, and lily stems (pictured at lower right). The buds consist of flexible strands, honey-colored to dark brown; the lighter-colored ones are the freshest. Soak the buds in water until soft, then pinch off the knob at the stem end. For aesthetic reasons, the strands are often tied into knots. Dried lily buds contribute an earthy flavor and chewy texture. Store airtight in a cool, dry place.

* Rock sugar (bing tong): Also called rock candy. Rock sugar is crystallized sugar, clear to amber-colored, that comes in chunks. Use a hammer to break large chunks into smaller pieces. Besides sweetness, rock sugar adds a sheen to soups and braised dishes, Store airtight in a cool, dry place.

* Salted fermented black beans (dul see): Also called salted black beans, fermented black beans, preserved beans, or Chinese dried black beans. Fermented with salt and spices, these small black beans add a savory pungency to meat, seafood, and poultry. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.