Chinese meal for 15 in less than two hours

One day last week I was observing the cooker make lunch, and decided I should document how she manages to start at about 10:15, and by 12:00 she has a beautiful Chinese dinner for 15 on the table. Every day she presents us with rice, soup, and four Chinese dishes -- usually some kind of pork, some kind of fish, some kind of greens, and something else like duck, beef, or eggs. Today, that something else was chicken curry, by special request from Christine.

The cooker works quickly and efficiently, and doesn't miss a beat. And here's my effort to follow her! It's a very detailed rundown of what happens, probably way too detailed for most of you. Sorry about that, but it's such an integral part of my months in China that I wanted to remember all the detail.

10:15	Put two pork bones that would make good broth and a few slices of ginger in pressure cooker with enough water to cover and put on stove on medium heat. Let cook for 20 minutes.
10:20	Wash and scale two fish that are about 15 inches long (carp?). That little tool is for scaling. Score the fish down the back and score across the fish in serving size pieces. Place on serving plates that can go in a steamer and salt generously in the scores.
10:25	Peel three large potatoes and a carrot and cube them using a Chinese knife, then wash and drain.
10:30	Cube two large boneless skinless chicken breasts using a Chinese knife. Note how she holds the knife!
10:35	Peel and cube a red onion, and add to the potatoes and carrots.
10:40	Wash four small heads of leaf lettuce thoroughly and drain in colander.
10:45	Peel and cube squash for soup and put in soup pot.
10:50	Put rice in rice cooker, with water up to your knuckle, and turn rice cooker on.
10:55	Start washing two pounds of string beans and clipping the ends.
	Sprinkle chicken powder on fish and top with sliced ginger, and a generous stream of soy sauce (special soy sauce for fish!). Top with one or two sliced red chilis.
	Open pressure cooker when safe and pour broth and bones into soup pot; simmer for half an hour. Clean pressure cooker and put away. No need to dry.
11:05	Heat wok, then add at least 1/3  cup oil. When oil is hot, add chicken pieces. After chicken cooks 2 minutes, add potatoes, onions, and carrots. Let cook  5 minutes, then add a cup of water and let simmer.
	French cut the string beans. See how she cuts them almost diagonally? Take time out to stir the chicken and the soup occasionally. Add water to almost cover the chicken and potatoes. Add a cup or so of water to the soup.
	Wash a slab of bacon.
11:25	Add a good T of salt to the soup and some chicken powder. Remove from heat and cover with a lid. As soon as you remove the soup from the burner, put fish in the steamer and cook on low for 10 to 12 minutes.
	Cube bacon slab with chopping knife.
11:30	After 20 minutes cooking, add entire pack of curry  spices to chicken. It will drink up any remaining water and you may need to add a bit more water. Mix well and then place on serving dishes and wash wok.  This is half hour before eating time; having everything piping hot is not important!
11:35	Chop 5 cloves of garlic Heat wok,  then add one fourth cup oil and heat, then add cubed bacon, then garlic and 1 t salt.
11:40	Turn off fish, but leave it in the steamer.   Cut 3 or 4 green onions in three, then slice lengthwise. When bacon is good and crispy, add green beans and a couple sliced red chilis.  Sweep up anything that's spilled on the floor!
11:45	Remove fish from steamer. After beans have cooked about 8 minutes, put on serving dish and wash wok.
	Add a good half cup of oil to wok and let it heat. Place sliced green onions on fish, then ladle a stream of the hot oil over the fish.
11:50	Chop 4 or 5 cloves of garlic Add to oil that is still in the wok, then add lettuce. Add chicken powder. Cook in 2 batches. Wash steamer and put away while the lettuce is cooking.
11:55	Wash chopping board and knife. Start putting serving plates on table. Place chopsticks for serving on each plate. Wash wok. Your kitchen should be completely clean!
12:00	Invite guests to serve themselves rice and soup first, then they can serve themselves from the other dishes, placing the food on top of their rice.