Chicken Chow Mein-The wrong way and the right way

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (preferably Shaoxing) or medium-dry Sherry

2 tablespoons oyster sauce*

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Beef-Chow-Mein-232606#ixzz1APzK7XJK

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (preferably Shaoxing) or medium-dry Sherry

2 tablespoons oyster sauce*

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Beef-Chow-Mein-232606#ixzz1APzK7XJK

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (preferably Shaoxing) or medium-dry Sherry

2 tablespoons oyster sauce*

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Beef-Chow-Mein-232606#ixzz1APzK7XJK

Back in college I thought I'd wow everyone with my Chinese cooking skills. Here I am in the dorm kitchen cooking up chow main and the second I combined the sesame oil, garlic and ginger the smell lured my friends and other hungry college students from their rooms.

Let me back up and brief you on cooking chow mein. Chow mein is one of those recipes that is really easy, but it's all about sequence and heat. Unfortunately that day in college my two biggest weaknesses kicked in: I like to skip steps in recipes and I like to merge steps together. My chow mein turned out to be a mess of oily and sticky noodles, vegetables and meat. My friends regrettably ate the noodles, and new friends that I almost acquired from the smell of the chow mein set their bowls aside telling me they were "too full" to finish.

I'm older, I'm wiser, I'm more patient and I've foiled this recipe enough times to only do it the right way now. Follow this recipe closely, I promise I'll make it an easy and painless.

Chicken Chow Mein
Marinade for chicken
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp sesame oil
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
3 tbs oyster sauce
2 tsp corn starch
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp ginger
1 chicken breast

4 tbs peanut oil (or olive oil)
4 tsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp ginger minced
1 can water chestnuts
5 asparagus sprigs
1/2 bell pepper
1 bok choi
1 celery stock
1/8 c chicken stock
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs oyster sauce
1/4 c cilantro
1 green onion
 one package of Asian noodles

Slice the chicken breast at a diagonal angle in thin strips. In a bowl, mix together the sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, oyster sauce, corn starch, garlic and ginger.

Put the sliced chicken in the bowl, put plastic wrap over the top of the bowl and let it marinade for about 20 minutes.

Chop up all of your vegetables.  Any vegetables can be used in chow mein so feel free to throw in whatever you have in your fridge, just remember when cooking some veggies take longer to cook than others. For example, broccoli takes longer to cook than asparagus.

In a wok or large frying pan, put it on high heat. Add the peanut and sesame oil, once it swirls around the wok easily you're ready to stir fry. Pour the entire bowl of chicken and marinade into the wok, you should get a good sizzle. Keep the wok on high heat, the chicken (if sliced thin enough) should cook in about 5-8 minutes). When finished, put the cooked chicken and sauce into a bowl and set it aside.

Get your wok hot again (get used to this, you'll need to do it one more time). Pour more peanut and sesame oil into the wok. Take a pinch of garlic and ginger and throw it into the wok, the smell by now should be amazing. Add the vegetables, cook for about a minute. Pour the chicken broth over the vegetables and cook for about 5 more minutes. Last, drain the water chestnuts and throw them over the stir fry. Put the cooked vegetables into the bowl with the chicken and set aside.

For the last time, heat up the wok, pour in the peanut and sesame oil. Toss the remaining garlic and ginger into the wok. Before adding the noodles read this: the trick to this next step is to keep the noodles moving, do this by holding the wok/pan slightly above the heat and shimmy the wok/pan back and forth (tossing the noodles around) or use a flat wooden spoon to continuously push the noodles around. On three add the noodles: one . . . two . . . three. Pour the remaining soy sauce and oyster sauce over the noodles.

To take the picture of these noodles I had to stop moving the wok, guess what . . . they stuck!

In a serving dish layer the noodles and spoon the stir fried chicken and vegetables on top of the noodles. Garnish with cilantro and green onions and enjoy your perfectly fried up noodles, crisp vegetables and teriyaki style chicken in a one wok meal.

Taco Tuesday: Chorizo Hash Tacos

 

The last 10 years of my life I have evolved in the food world. Growing up, I lived in a small town with zero diversity. Tacos consisted of El Paso taco shells with ground beef and cheddar cheese. Lasagna was the most foreign item on the menu at Italian restaurants and Thai food and sushi were non existent foods in my town.

I have come to learn that chorizo is like the American version of bacon. Similar to bacon, different types of chorizo cook different & taste different. For example, Mexican chorizo is uncooked in the casing and the filling is ground rather than chopped. On the other hand Spanish and Portuguese chorizo are smoked and can be served sliced.

This recipe uses a Mexican style chorizo but I'm sure you can pull it off with another type if that is all that you have available.

 

Recipe adapted from the LA Times

Ingredients

1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 pound Mexican chorizo, squeezed from casing and crumbled
1 medium potato chopped (or two small potatoes)
1 4 oz. can chopped roasted green chiles
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 c. cilantro
1/8 c. goat cheese

Squeeze the chorizo out of the casing onto a skillet on low heat. Add the chopped onions and garlic, cook for about 5 minutes until the onions and garlic have softened.

Add the chopped potatoes to the skillet and mix all the ingredients together.

Throw in the smoked paprika and oregano, put a lid on the skillet and cook for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.

Open the can of green chiles and drain the liquid out of the can. throw the chiles into the skillet. Cook for another 5 minutes.

To ensemble the tacos spoon about 1/4 cup of the chorizo hash into a tortilla and sprinkle green onions, cilantro and goat cheese over the hash.

Hot and Sour Soup

My daily wardrobe has consisted of jeans, wool socks, a thermal shirt, sweatshirt and a scarf draped around my head and neck. I keep cranking the heater to 75 degrees and someone keeps turning it down! If it weren't for my dog Lucy cuddling next to me on the couch, I would need blanket as well.

While visiting family over the holidays, my grandma shared with me a hot and sour soup recipe. She told me she used to make for me and my sister when we were little and written at the top of the recipe was: Hugh (my grandpa), Jacqueline and Michele (my sister) like.

I figured it would be a good time to bring this recipe back to life since it is so cold outside. The benefit to making your own hot and sour soup is you can very how chunky, hot or sour you want the soup. For example, I've added more veggies than you normally get at a Chinese restaurant.

Hot and Sour Soup

Ingredients
4 dried Chinese mushrooms
1/2 c. lean pork or shrimp (optional)
1/2 c. bamboo shoot
1/3 c. tofu
1 egg
1 scallion minced
1 tbs cornstarch
4 tbsp water
4 c. chicken broth
3 tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp soyu
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/4-1 tsp hot chili oil (depending on how hot you like it)

Soak the Chinese mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes. Squeeze liquid out of the mushrooms and remove the stems with a pairing knife. Cut mushroom caps into thin strips.
*Note: I like to buy black mushrooms for this soup. You can play around with a variety of mushrooms, all will yield a different flavor.

Cut pork across the grain into 1/4 inch slices then 1/8 inch wide strips. If using shrimp, chop the shrimp up into 1/4 inch pieces.

Cut tofu and bamboo shoots into similar sized strips.
*Note: Bamboo shoots should be available in any grocery store. I prefer to buy the canned bamboo shoots whole rather than the sliced bamboo shoots simply because I it tastes more fresh.

Break egg in a bowl & beat lightly.

Mix cornstarch and water until blended.

Bring broth to a boil and add pork (or shrimp) and mushrooms.

By the time the pot comes to a boil again, reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Add bamboo shoots & tofu and simmer for another 4-5 minutes.

Mix vinegar, soyu, hot chili oil, salt and pepper and stir into soup.

Stir in cornstarch mixture and cook stirring constantly until thickened.

Stir in the beaten egg and remove from heat when egg threads are almost firm.

Add sesame oil and scallions and serve immediately.

Taco Tuesday: Mexican Scampi Tacos

Shrimp scampi has always been one of those dishes that I wish I cooked it more often. This recipe is a lower calorie version of traditional shrimp scampi plus it tastes amazing on a warm corn tortilla.

Mexican Scampi Tacos

1 lb shrimp, thawed and de-shelled (about 10-12 shrimp)
2 tbs oil
1 tbs butter
2 tbs garlic minced
1/4 tsp red chili pepper flakes
1/4 cup tequila
6-8 corn tortillas
1 cup lettuce chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes diced
1/2 lime
1/4 cup queso fresco crumbled

Put the skillet on medium-low heat, pour the oil on the butter onto the skillet. Once the butter is melted and the oil swirls around the skillet easily add the garlic.

Warning: if your garlic starts to brown, the heat is too high and will result in a bitter tasting scampi. Cook the garlic for about 3 minutes until it looks soft and slightly golden and very aromatic. Top the garlic with red chili pepper flakes.

Throw the shrimp into the skillet, cook until the shrimp is almost completely pink and they are just about to curl up (about 3 minutes).

Now we get to add the tequila! If you have a gas stove, pour the tequila into the skillet. Tip the skillet so some of the tequila-shrimp  liquid pours into the flame (think a teaspoon of the liquid) and then put the skillet flat on the stove. You should see a blue flame over the entire skillet burning off the alcohol and giving your scampi major flavor.

It is so unfortunate that I could not capture the flame on the shrimp. This is the best you're going to get!

If you don't have a gas stove, just let the tequila simmer and the alcohol will cook off. To finish this, squeeze the juice of half a lime over the shrimp.

To assemble your tacos, take warm tortillas and layer the lettuce, 2-3 shrimp, a couple of diced tomatoes and a sprinkle of queso fresco.

Taco Tuesday: Cactus Tacos

Top 3 reasons I decided to make cactus tacos:

Reason #1: Homesick Texan posted a recipe over a month ago for a cactus casserole, I've been curious about cactus ever since.

Reason #2: I eyeballed a cactus plant down the street from the house, my husband refused to help me cut off some paddles. He said he considered it stealing.

Reason #3: My sister is in town so I finally found someone to drag down the street with me to forage cactus paddles. We did not get caught

 

And guess what, cactus is really good. In my opinion, cactus has the sticky texture of okra without the seeds and it tastes like bell pepper with a hint of lemon.

Ingredients
3 cactus paddles
1/3 cup onion chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
6 tortillas
1/2 cup of queso fresco
2 cups of chopped lettuce
1 cup of chopped tomatoes
1 lime
2 tbs oil

To prepare the cactus carefully cut off the pits where the needles come out. Slice into skinny 1 inch strips

 

Pour the oil onto the skillet and put it on medium heat. Once the oil swirls around the skillet easily, throw in 2/3rds of the chopped onions and saute until the onions are transparent.

Next add the oregano, chili powder and cumin. Once the spices are evenly distributed add the cactus.

Cook the cactus for about 15-20 minutes until the pieces are limp but still have a slightly vibrant green color.

 

Combine the chopped tomatoes, remaining onions and lime juice into the bowl.  To put together your taco, add the lettuce, cactus, tomato mixture and top it off with crumbled queso fresco.

The overall census was great. My sister and her boyfriend enjoyed the tacos, my husband ate the remaining cactus all by itself and I'm still going to make the cactus casserole recipe I found over a month ago!

Ahma's Shrimp Curry

After 4 months in Connecticut, my sister, her boyfriend and their dog are finally home! Since they had spent over 12 hours traveling and it was cold outside I decided to make my great-grandpa's shrimp curry.  This recipe has been with our family for 4 generations and whenever this recipe is made I eat so much that the button my jeans leaves an imprint on my tummy.

Ingredients
1/2 onion chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
2 potatoes peeled and diced
1 tbs garlic minced
1 tbs ginger minced
1 1/2 cup of chicken broth
1 cup or 1/2 lb of shrimp
3 tbs curry powder
2 tbs peanut oil
1/2 cup of evaporated milk

In a large pot, saute the onions and celery in a tablespoon of oil for about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes and then pour the chicken broth into the pot. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes.

Add oil to a medium pan on medium heat. Once the oil swirls easily around the pan, add the garlic and the ginger. Cook for about a minute until the garlic and ginger are fragrant and then add the curry powder. Stir around so the curry powder gets incorporated with the oil. Pour the curry mixture into the large pot with broth.

Cook the shrimp in the medium plan and cook thoroughly.

Pour the evaporated milk into the broth. If you prefer a thicker curry you can add a couple of tablespoons to thicken. Last, add the shrimp to the curry.  Serve over steamed white rice.