Dragon Lady Kitchen

Dragon Lady Kitchen

Family Chinese recipes, cooked the way my mother taught me.

My mother learned to cook from her own family, relying on memory, instinct, and taste rather than written recipes. Like many home cooks, she never measured — she just knew.

When I started cooking these dishes myself, I realized how easy it would be for them to disappear. Dragon Lady Kitchen began as a way for me to write them down, test them, and make sure they could be cooked again — by me, and by anyone else who grew up with similar food.

These are not restaurant versions. They’re home cooking. Some dishes are simple, some take time, and many use techniques that aren’t always explained elsewhere. I cook them the way my family always did.

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GINGER SNAP COCKTAIL

To celebrate the Year of the Tiger, here’s a refreshing drink that my friend Theresa taught me how to make.  They’re so good, whenever she would tell me about the recipe, she’d always end her description with, “I could drink 20 of them!”  After Theresa kept saying this, I thought she might have a little drinking problem.  But when I served them last weekend at a little pre-Chinese New Year dinner party, we went through the fifth of vodka in about 30 seconds!  Everyone just loved them.  So much to my relief, I don’t think Theresa has a drinking problem.  It’s just a really good drink!  The zippy essence of ginger is a wonderful enhancement to Asian dishes.  Cheers and Happy New Year!

GINGER SNAP COCKTAIL
*NOTE:  you will need to steep the ginger in the vodka 2-3 days prior to serving

Approximately 12 servings
One-fifth bottle of quality vodka
Fresh ginger root (about 3” in length), peeled and sliced
Ice
Six 12-ounce bottles Ginger Beer (this is non-alcoholic; can be found at Trader Joe’s)
Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Thinly sliced, peeled slices of fresh ginger root for garnish


Add ginger slices to one fifth bottle of vodka; let steep for 2-3 days.  For one serving, fill a tall glass with ice cubes.  Add 1 part vodka to 2 parts ginger beer.  Garnish with mint leaves and slices of fresh ginger.

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