The next few recipes are from a big, fat cookbook that would be several volumes if they had not used the somewhat unappealing format in which the recipes are presented. The book is pretty no frills, with little background given for the dishes. Almost everything that I've tried from the book has been good, though. Here we get into some hard- core, no-fooling Chinese vegetarian recipes. The book has a lot of vegetarian stuff in it, as well as recipes tailored for diabetics and those with ulcer problems. It's actually pretty easy to use once you get used to the odd format.

A. 1 tablespoon peanut oil B. 4 large mushrooms C. 1 cup finely shredded bamboo shoots D. 2 teaspoons light soy sauce E. 1/2 teaspoon sugar F. 1/2 teaspoon salt G. 1 tablespoon mushroom water H. 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch I. 1 teaspoon sugar J. 2 teaspoons light soy sauce K. 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil L. 1/2 teaspoon salt M. 1 tablespoons mushroom water N. 4 pieces fresh bean curd skin O. 2 cups peanut oil

Preparation:

I. Wash B and soak in warm water for 15 minutes; drain and save water; shred B very fine.

Ii. Mix D, E, F, G.

Iii. Mix H, I, J, K, L, M.

Cooking: 1. Heat A, add B, stir-fry a few seconds, add C, mix well.

2. Add D-G, stir well and cook for 1 minute.

3. Dip pastry brush into H-M and brush 1 piece of N generously.

4. Spread 1/4 of A-G on top; place second piece of N over this; brush again with H-M and spread 1/4 A-G over this.

5. Repeat procedure until fourth layer is finished.

6. Fold into a 2-to 3-inch roll; place on a plate and steam over boiling water for 10 minutes; cool completely

7. Heat O to 375F; deep fry A-N until golden brown (1 to 2 minutes), cool. Slice and serve as hors d'oeuvres or serve with rice.

From "An Encyclopedia of Chinese Food and Cooking" by Wonona W. and Irving B. Chang, Helen W. and Austin H. Kutscher. Crown Publishers, Inc. New York. Mcmlxx