Trading Traditions : A California chef’s teaching venture results in recipe trade bwetween the Unite States and China./

Tall blondes wearing Size 10 running shoes are not a common sight in China. So when Rosemary Burkholder went there to teach American cuisine, she was quizzed about her looks and shoes as much as her cooking.

“Why are your shoes so big? Are they hot? Why are all the American tourists so good-looking?” These matters had to be settled before Burkholder, 30, could explain such exotic foods as steak, apple pie, chicken and dumplings, pan-fried trout, gumbo and potato salad.

Burkholder spent eight weeks in China under the auspices of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. She taught in three cities: Tianjin, where she worked in a shed-like kitchen at the Tianjin University of Commerce; Shenyang, where lessons took place in the kitchen of the Hotel Dong-Bei, and in Chengdu, where she taught at the Tibet Inn and toured the Sichuan Culinary Institute, which is sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce. Her students were food-service personnel anxious to learn American dishes to prepare for foreign visitors.

It was “an incredible adventure,” Burkholder said, notable on one hand for the generosity and kindness of her Chinese contacts and, on the other, for the primitive conditions in which she worked.

Normally, Burkholder is surrounded by luxury at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort in Indian Wells. There she is sous-chef and runs Jasmine, the resort’s fine dining room. In China, she had to operate without proper equipment, baking apple pie first in a metal ring, then in a porcelain rice bowl.

Sanitation was “horrendous,” she said. One kitchen was coated with fish scales, another boasted broken windows, dangling light bulbs, flies and grease. Vegetables were cooked without washing. The pot in which she planned to prepare a dessert, poached peaches with orange crepes and vanilla sauce, was smeared with remnants of the previous day’s veal stock. Bowls used for eating were washed in cold water without detergent and were allowed to stand, improperly drained, until the water became stagnant.

Obtaining ingredients was difficult too. The butter, cream, olive oil and lemon juice that Burkholder required were unavailable at one site. That taught her to check supplies in markets and shops before designing menus. Noting that local oil was too dark and strongly flavored for mayonnaise, Burkholder requested lighter oil. What she received was still unsatisfactory and, to her dismay, was heated almost to a boil.

Good Fish but Poor Meats

Fish was always available and good, but meats were poor in quality. When Burkholder asked for pork loin to make a fruit-stuffed roast, she got beef instead, thanks to an interpreter’s mistake. One plentiful ingredient that she did not employ was MSG, monosodium glutamate. The Chinese were accustomed to using this additive liberally and were surprised that her food tasted so good without it, she said.

Cinnamon was available in bark form only, and Burkholder watched amazed as students reduced it to powder with cleavers. They sniffed appreciatively as a cinnamon-scented apple pie emerged from the oven and devoured it in minutes--”with chopsticks, I might add.” The apples were so small that it took an hour and a half to peel them.

Burkholder usually gave an hour’s lecture, using a blackboard to clarify the lesson. Then she demonstrated the day’s recipes with students assisting. During the lecture, they took notes assiduously because there were no texts for reference. The English books that Burkholder saw in libraries were primarily useless castoffs.

How to eat with knife and fork was a popular topic, Burkholder said. She used chopsticks but attracted attention by holding them with her left hand. When she had trouble picking up slippery noodles, an onlooker suggested that she switch the sticks to the correct (right) hand.

Lost 15 Pounds During Stay

Eating was not Burkholder’s favorite pursuit. “The majority of the time, the food was not good,” she said. One exception was the culinary institute in Chengdu, where Burkholder banqueted at lunch and dinner for five days and never saw a dish repeated. “This was excellent, probably some of the finest Chinese food that I will ever eat in my life,” she said. Despite these feasts, she lost 15 pounds during her stay in China.

Burkholder brought home a wok pounded into shape by a street vendor in Tianjin. In The Times test kitchen, she used the wok to deep fry a whole fish, which she presented with sweet-sour sauce and a colorful garnish of vegetable strips. Burkholder learned this dish from a chef at the Dong-Bei Hotel. In exchange, she taught the Chinese to make pan-fried fish fillets garnished with tomato-chile salsa. The idea of combining a cold sauce with a hot dish was novel to them, she said.

Burkholder saw women selling dumplings stuffed with pork and shrimp and learned to make these at a demonstration in Sichuan. In turn, she taught chicken and dumplings as made in her native Pennsylvania. Other dishes from her culinary exchange are stir-fried beef, taught by a master chef in Shenyang, and American-style apple fritters with apricot sauce. It was hard to get ripe fruit in China even in season. In Tianjin, “they didn’t know what ripe peaches were,” she said.

Burkholder went equipped with three knives and an American regional cookbook. Starting on Page 1 are six recipes from her trip, three American and three Chinese, in honor of the Chinese New Year, which begins Monday.

PORK AND SHRIMP DUMPLINGS

1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, cleaned and minced

1/2 pound pork, minced

1/2 cup bok choy, cut in small dice

4 to 5 Oriental dried black mushrooms, soaked and cut in small dice

1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger root

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg white

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Won ton wrappers

Soy Dipping Sauce

Combine shrimp, pork, bok choy, mushrooms, ginger root, garlic, egg white, soy sauce, cornstarch and sesame oil. Mix lightly but well. Let stand 1 hour before using. With teaspoon, place portion of filling in center of won ton wrapper. Gather sides securely around filling, leaving top open. Place in single layer on steamer rack. Cover and steam vigorously over boiling water 5 to 6 minutes. Serve hot with Soy Dipping Sauce. Makes about 32.

Soy Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger root

1 1/2 teaspoons minced chives

Combine soy sauce, vinegar, oil, ginger root and chives.

SWEET AND SOUR FISH

1 (1 1/2-pound) whole fish catfish or red snapper, scaled and cleaned

2 green onions, minced

2 tablespoons minced ginger root

1 tablespoon dry Sherry

Salt

1 sweet red pepper

1 leek, white and green part

1 cup bamboo shoots

1 cup cornstarch

Cool water

Oil for deep frying

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fine strips ginger root

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Cilantro sprigs

Make 4 or 5 diagonal cuts to bone on each side of fish. Combine green onions, minced ginger root, Sherry and salt to taste. Rub this mixture over fish and into cuts. Cut red pepper, leek and bamboo shoots into fine thin strips. Place cornstarch in bowl and stir in enough cool water to make paste. Coat entire fish evenly with paste.

Heat oil in wok to 400 degrees. Hold fish by tail and lower it head first into oil. Fry 8 to 10 minutes or until bubbling subsides, turning to cook both sides evenly. Drain and keep warm. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons oil. Reheat oil. Add garlic, red pepper, leek, bamboo shoots and ginger root. Stir for few moments, then add Sweet and Sour Sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is slightly thickened.

Place fish on serving platter. Press down gently to soften body. Pour vegetable mixture over fish. Serve hot, garnished with bouquets of cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons dry white wine

Blend sugar and cornstarch in small bowl. Gradually stir in vinegar, then stock and wine until smooth.

CHICKEN WITH DILL DUMPLINGS

1 chicken, cut into serving pieces

Salt, pepper

4 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons flour

2 1/2 cups cold chicken stock

1 medium onion, cut into medium dice

2 stalks celery, diagonally sliced

Dill Dumplings

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large heavy skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned. Remove from skillet, place on baking tray and bake at 300 degrees 30 minutes, or until done. Meanwhile, add flour to oil remaining in skillet and stir until smooth. Whisk in chicken stock. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook gently 30 minutes. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in another skillet, add onion and celery and saute lightly. Place each serving of chicken in large individual bowl. Add some of vegetables and top with dumplings. Strain thickened stock over all. Makes 4 servings.

Dill Dumplings

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup fresh dill sprigs

1 1/2 quarts chicken stock

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add egg, milk and dill. Stir until blended. Dough should be stiff enough to drop from spoon. In large low-sided saucepan, bring chicken stock to simmer. Drop dumpling mixture by spoonfuls into stock. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until puffy and cooked in center.

PAN FRIED TROUT WITH TOMATO SALSA

1 trout per person

Salt, pepper

Cornmeal

Oil for frying

Tomato Salsa

Cut 2 fillets from each trout, discarding skin. Season with salt and pepper and coat with cornmeal. Heat oil 1/4 inch deep in skillet. Add fillets and fry until browned on bottom. Turn and brown other side. Drain. Process should take no more than 4 minutes. Arrange fish on serving platter. Arrange salsa on 1 end or serve on side.

Tomato Salsa

4 Italian tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely cut

1/2 small onion, minced

1 jalapeno chile, finely cut

2 tablespoons minced cilantro

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon oil

Salt, pepper

Combine tomatoes, onion, chile, cilantro, garlic, vinegar and oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature. Makes about 1 1/2 cups

CRISPY SHREDDED BEEF SICHUAN STYLE

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine or dry Sherry

2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar

2 teaspoons Chinese chili paste, or to taste

2 cups oil

1 pound steak, cut into thin strips

1 small sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips

1 (1-inch) piece ginger root, cut into thin strips

2 green onions, including green part, cut into thin strips

2 stalks celery, cut into 1 1/2x1/4-inch strips

Salt, optional

Combine soy sauce, rice wine, vinegar and chili paste in bowl and set aside. Heat oil in wok. Add beef, stir until separated and blanched and remove. Reheat oil until it begins to smoke. Add beef and cook until crispy. Remove and drain. Pour off oil, reserving 1 1/2 tablespoons in wok. Reheat wok. Add red pepper, ginger root, green onions and celery and stir-fry briefly. Return beef to pan, add soy sauce mixture and stir over high heat until mixture is blended with meat and mixture is almost dry. Add salt if wanted. Turn out onto serving platter. Makes 4 servings.

APPLE FRITTERS WITH APRICOT SAUCE

4 firm tart apples

Lemon juice

2 eggs, separated

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups flour

3/4 to 1 cup milk

Dash nutmeg

Cornstarch

Oil for deep frying

Apricot Sauce

Peel, core and slice each apple into 4 to 5 rings. Squeeze lemon juice over apples to keep from browning. In medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar and salt. Alternately add flour and 3/4 cup milk. Add additional 1/4 cup milk if batter seems thick. Stir in nutmeg. Beat egg whites to soft peaks and fold into batter.

Heat oil for deep frying to 400 degrees. Dip each apple ring in cornstarch, then into batter. Add to oil and fry 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown on each side. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Arrange on serving plate on top of pool of Apricot Sauce. Serve immediately. Makes about 6 servings.

Note: If desired, sprinkle fritters with powdered sugar.

Apricot Sauce

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 pound apricots, halved and pitted

Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Add apricot halves, cover and simmer gently until very soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Puree mixture in food processor or blender. Makes about 2 cups.

Times Food Styling by Minnie Bernardino and Donna Deane

Linens from Vitoria Table Linens; China from Bill Goldsmith Design

Platter from Ann Mallory