---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

     Title: SAUTEED MIXED VEGETABLES IN TARO NEST
Categories: Chinese, Appetizers, Ceideburg 2
     Yield: 1 servings

-------------------TARO BASKET (OPTIONAL-------------------
    40 g  Taro
     1 tb Salt
     1 tb Cornstarch
          Cooking oil for deep-frying

--------------------SAUTEED VEGETABLES--------------------
    95 g  Thinly sliced lotus root
          -(one section)
    40 g  Sliced water chestnut
          -(approximately 1/3 cup)
    40 g  Soaked dried black Chinese
          -mushrooms (approximately 5
          -pieces)
    40 g  Soaked black fungi
          -(approximately 12 pieces)
    40 g  Snow peas (approximately 15
          -pieces)
    40 g  Celery
     1 tb Chinese celery (optional)
    40 g  Carrot (a few slices)

---------------------------SAUCE---------------------------
     4 tb Water
     1 tb Cornstarch
   1/2 ts Salt
   1/2 ts Sugar

--------------------------GARNISH--------------------------
     4    Soaked dried black Chinese
          -mushrooms
     3    Tomatoes
     6    Baby corn (approximately 80
          -g)
     6    Mustard green stems
          -(approximately 115 g)
    12    Soaked dried bamboo fungi
          -(approximately 150 g)

---------------------GARNISH SEASONING---------------------
     1 tb Oil
     2 ts Salt
     1 ts Sugar
     4 c  Stock (or water)

-------------------------SEASONING-------------------------
     8 tb Oil
     2 ts Salt
     1 ts Sugar
     4 c  Stock (or water)

 * (Equipment needed: two small metal strainers) **
 (Any combination of vegetables can be used, according
 to the season and the cook's preference)

 Here's another fussy one.  The taro basket is
 gorgeous, the garnishes meticulously laid out
 surrounding it.  Very nice, time consuming
 presentation.  No taro?  No problem.  Grate a potato
 and make a deep fried potato basket.  I won't tell...

 Chinese Cuisine Practical Class Platinum Award -
 Vegetable SAUTEED MIXED VEGETABLES IN TARO NEST (12
 servings)

 Chef: Lam Sing-lun (Hotel Furama Inter-Continental)
 "Fragrant Surroundings Pond" conveys images of rural
 peace and petite elegance, both enhanced further by
 the rhyming sounds of the Chinese characters. A
 traditional dish, sauteed mixed vegetables, is
 presented innovatively.

 1.  For taro nest , cut taro length ways into thin (3
 mm) slices. Cut two-thirds of slices into thins strips
 (for edge of basket).  Cut remaining one-third into
 strips 1.5 cms wide (for base of basket). Marinate
 with salt for 1 hour.  Then rinse under cold running
 water for 3 hours. Drain and mix with cornstarch.
 Form woven basket on inside of one mold. Lay second
 mold on top.  Deep-fry mould-framed taro over low
 flame. 2. Slice each mushroom into four.  Halve each
 fungus.  Remove snow pea strings. Cut celery
 diagonally.  Cut carrot into patterned pieces. 3. Mix
 sauce ingredients well. 4. For garnish (optional):
 Slice black mushrooms. Peel tomatoes, remove seeds and
 cut each into 4 slices.  Cut baby corns and mustard
 green stems in half.  Drain black fungi. To cook 1.
 Bring garnish seasoning ingredients to the boil, add
 mustard green stems and black mushrooms for 1 minute.
 Add remaining garnish ingredients and bring to the
 boil again for another minute.  Drain and trim. 2.
 Bring seasoning ingredients to the boil, add all
 "sauteed vegetables" ingredients except snow peas and
 cook for 1 minute.  Remove vegetables. 3. Blanch snow
 peas in boiling oil for 1 minute, and remove when
 crisp. Pour excess oil out of wok. 4. Add sauce and
 all "sauteed vegetables". Saute for 1 minute. To
 present 1. Place taro basket in middle of serving
 dish.  Arrange trimmed vegetable garnish strips around
 basket (see photograph). 2. Place sauteed vegetables
 in basket.

 From "Champion Recipes of the 1986 Hong Kong Food
 Festival".  Hong Kong Tourist Association, 1986.

 Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; October 27 1992.

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