ONE FROM COLUMN A; TWO FROM COLUMN B

By Regina Cuoco, Food Editor

Not too long ago, Chinese restaurants on Crete were harder to find than steak tartar on a vegetarian menu. But, times they are a changing.

In the 2004 season there were two oriental food emporiums in Gouves, four in Hersonissos, two in Stalis, three in Malia and one in Agios Nicholas- at last count, anyway. And, of course, one in Kokkini Hani - one of the originals, which will start its 18 th season in April. And, good news - they are all scheduled to be back this year, plus, no doubt, a few more.

That's not counting many more in the "big" cities like Iraklion and Hania. In fact, Chinese restaurants are the fastest growing foreign eateries on the island. What's more, last season, while patronage at most tavernas and restaurants took a nose dive due to the low number of tourists, business at Chinese eateries was hotter than a Szechwan Chili Sauce.

That's a lot of chop suey. But it still doesn't mean that you can't get a decent mu sho pork or sesame chicken either.

To help you in your plight, THE CRETE GAZETTE conducted a quick survey of 30 expats comprising 11 nationalities, and here are the results, based on quality and price:

PAN-ASIA, the Kokkini landmark which opened in 1987, is still number one.

THE JASMINE in Stalis, going into its fifth season, is ranked a close second.

SUI YAUN, in its first year in Gouves, next to Mission Car Rental, is coming up fast.

All of the others are like weak tea by comparison.

Unfortunately, none of the top three is open all year. So, expats with a craving for moo goo gai pan in the winter still have to travel to "the city" to use their chopsticks - or make it themselves (see recipe below).

The popularity of Chinese food is growing fast all over the world, as well as on our little island. For example, in the United States there are now 36,000 Chinese restaurants - more than MacDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's combined! In a recent American survey, when pre-teen children were asked what their favorite type of food was, six out of 10 answered "Chinese" - while only two out of ten said "American."

Following is our recipe for a simple chicken chow mein which will satisfy your cravings until the real thing comes long. If you feel extremely confident in your cooking skills, we recommend you check out the www.chinese.about.com site for a comprehensive listing of truly authentic Chinese dishes. You can find just about everything you need for Chinese cooking at the Carrefour store in Heraklion.

CHICKEN CHOW MEIN

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Marinade: 1 tbls. oyster sauce; 1 tsp. soy sauce;

dash of salt and pepper; 1 tsp. corn flower

¼ cup corn or soy oil

1 sliced onion
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 cups cabbage, sliced
2 ribs of celery, thinly sliced
1 can bean sprouts, drained
2 tsp. sugar
2 cups chicken broth
2 ½ tsp. corn flour
¼ cup water
¼ cup soy sauce

sesame oil
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds

•  Cut chicken into thin strips and mix with marinade ingredients, adding corn flower last. Toss well and marinate for 20 minutes.

•  Heat 2 tbls. oil in wok or deep skillet until very hot. Add chicken and sliced onion and stir-fry until meat is cooked through. Remove from wok and set aside.

•  Heat remaining oil, then add cabbage, celery, bean sprouts, and sugar. Stir in chicken broth; cook about 10 minutes.

•  Mix corn flour, water and soy sauce; add to vegetable mixture. Stir-fry until mixture thickens.

•  Add cooked chicken and onions, and a few drops of sesame oil and heat through.

•  Serve over hot rice, topped with toasted sesame seeds.

Serves 4.

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