Archive for the ‘: CHINESE’ Category
Stir Fried Noodles
December 22, 2018 Lee
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Stir Fried Noodles

Recipe adapted from Just A Pinch Recipe Club, Amy Herald, and the original recipe is here, United States.
This recipe comes from a good friend in the US. Basic common ingredients, and quick and easy to prepare.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine Asian
Servings 6 servings as a side

Ingredients
  

  • 220 grams dry Chinese noodles, (8 oz)
  • 170 grams fresh mushrooms, sliced, button, straw, or Shiitake would be perfect, (6 oz)
  • 3 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions
 

  • Heat a pot of water to boiling, add the dry noodles and cook until tender. Drain and set noodles aside.
  • In a wok, wok pan (my preference), or a non stick pan, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the mushrooms and stir fry for 1-2 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.
  • Add the spring onion, reserve a little bit of the sliced green parts for garnish if desired. Stir fry for another 30 seconds.
  • Add the drained noodles, soy sauces, and sesame oil, stir fry to mix and heat the noodles through.
  • Serve, and garnish with spring onion if desired.

Notes

Low cost.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: CHINESE,MUSHROOMS,PASTA,SIDES
Hot & Sour Soup
December 21, 2018 Lee
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Hot & Sour Soup

Rasa Malaysia, Bee, United States.
This is a Chinese soup and comes from a friend who is Chinese Malay, and it comes touted as the best and easiest, and it certainly is! I made this on 5 Sep 2022, and the family absolutely loved this! Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons corn starch, for the slurry
  • 3 tablespoons cold water, for the slurry
  • 2 cups chicken broth, fresh or from powder, Shortcut
  • 1½ cups water
  • 250 grams soft tofu, cut into strips, (8 oz)
  • 250 grams fresh white button mushrooms, (8 oz)
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2½ tablespoons rice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, mainly for color
  • 3 dashes white pepper powder, or to taste
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • chili oil, for spiciness, optional, to taste
  • red pepper flakes, for spiciness, optional, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Prep the mushrooms by cutting off the stems and quarter the caps.
  • Next, we need to make the thickening slurry, mix the corn starch with the 3 tablespoons of cold water until well blended and no lumps. In another bowl, beat the egg. Set both of these aside.
  • Next, in a small bowl, add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and rice vinegar, stir to mix. Set this aside.
  • In a large sauce pan, add the broth and 1½ cups water, bring to a boil then add the mushrooms and tofu and let boil for 2 minutes. (I did not have tofu on hand and simply omitted that, still worked perfectly.)
  • Stir the soy sauce mixture into the soup, and season with a few dashes of white pepper or to taste. Give the slurry another stir then stir that into the soup, continue stirring until just slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat but leave on the same burner.
  • Now gently stir the soup in one direction, and pour the beaten egg into soup in a gently stir and count to 10. Then using the handle end of a spoon or fork, or a pair of chop sticks, stir the soup in the same direction for 3 complete circular motions, this makes the nice egg threads in the soup. Season to taste with chili oil or flakes if desired.
  • Now the soup is done, ladle into bowls and serve.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Chicken Broth.
Variant: 1. No tofu? No worries, substitute some cooked white beans or chickpeas, or add more mushrooms, or simply omit.
#1 Go-To Recipes,: CHINESE,MUSHROOMS,SIDES,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Steamed Egg Tofu & Pork
December 2, 2018 Lee
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Steamed Egg Tofu & Pork

Adapted from several internet recipes.
This is Chinese/Singaporean in origin, and sounds very good as I do like egg tofu in soups with pork so this should be perfect. The one ingredient, wolfberries, makes this very Chinese. This is a season as desired recipe, when I make this, I will try and nail down some accurate measurements. I look forward to making and tasting this.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese, Singaporean
Servings 2 servings

Equipment

  • Rice Cooker with Steamer Tray
  • Steamer Handles

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tube egg tofu
  • ground pork
  • soy sauce
  • white pepper
  • sesame oil
  • dried Goji berries, aka Wolfberries
  • water, as needed

Instructions
 

  • For the steamer, I use my rice cooker that has a steamer tray. A basic pot with a trivet also works. Steamer handles are recommended to lift plates in and out of the steamer tray or trivet.
  • Mix the ground pork with some soy sauce, white pepper, and sesame oil as desired. Set aside.
  • Place some goji berries in a bowl of water to soften, set aside.
  • Remove the egg tofu from the tube and slice about ½ to ¾ inch thick and place them in a heatproof plate that will fit in your steamer.
  • Use a small spoon, scoop up some of the ground pork and shape into a half moon shape, place it flat side down on a slice of tofu. Repeat for the remaining tofu slices.
  • Drain the water from the goji berries, place a berry on top of each mound of pork. Extra berries, just scatter those around the tofu.
  • Heat the steamer of your choice with 1 inch of water, either a pot with a steamer tray or trivet, or as I will use, a rice cooker with a steamer tray.
  • Mix together some water and a splash of soy sauce, pour this into the dish to be steamed, only about ½ as high as the tofu.
  • When the water is boiling in your steamer, lift the dish with steamer handles (preferred method) and place in the steamer and cover immediately.
  • Steam for 10 to 12 minutes, ensure the pork is cooked through. When the time is up, remove with the steamer handles, use a large spoon and scoop out the tofu to serving plates, 2-3 pieces per serving and serve with rice.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Variants: 1. Add fresh chopped coriander and or spring onion to the ground pork when mixing. 2. Replace the goji berries with half a shrimp. 3. Replace the ground pork with chopped shrimp/prawn.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: CHINESE,: SINGAPOREAN,PORK
Tomato Egg Drop Soup
November 21, 2018 Lee
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Tomato Egg Drop Soup

This recipe for Tomato Egg Drop Soup is from China Sichuan Food.
This is a Chinese soup and a light broth, unlike tomato soups in the west. This comes from a good friend in Sichuan, China, and so far, her recipes are perfect. There is as many ways to make an egg drop soup, this one uses no chicken stock. I look forward to making this and of course, tasting it.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 4 cups water, (1 quart)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely minced or grated
  • 1/8 teaspoon white pepper powder
  • 1 spring onion, sliced, white and green, for garnish
  • fresh coriander, chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Core and dice one tomato. The other tomato, core and slice. Add the eggs to a bowl and beat with a fork.
  • In a medium saucepan, heat the oil, when hot, add the diced tomato and cook until the oil turns red.
  • Add the 4 cups of water and the ginger to the pot and bring to a boil, then add the white pepper, soy sauce, and tomato slices.
  • While waiting for the soup to boil, mix together the corn starch and 3 tablespoons of water to make a thickening slurry. When the soup is boiling, stir in the slurry.
  • Drizzle in the beaten eggs, if you want smaller egg pieces, slowly stir while adding the eggs, for large egg pieces, called flowers, do not stir, just drizzle in, when the egg is set, then stir.
  • Once the soup is stirred after adding the eggs, remove from heat, stir in some of the spring onion and coriander.
  • Ladle into serving bowls and top each with remaining spring onion and coriander. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: CHINESE,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Tomato Noodles with Fried Egg (西红柿打卤面)
November 21, 2018 Lee
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Tomato Noodles with Fried Egg (西红柿打卤面)

This recipe for Tomato Noodles with Fried Egg is from China Sichuan Food.
This recipe comes from a friend in Sichuan, China, and sounds delicious. The noodles are not made from tomatoes, tomatoes, eggs and garlic are cooked together and mixed with noodles of your choice. On my to make and taste list.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 medium tomatoes, diced, juicy tomatoes are preferred
  • 3 eggs, whisked
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 2 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 200 grams dried noodles, your choice, (7 oz)
  • tomato ketchup, if needed in Step 2

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a wok or non stick pan on medium heat, when hot, add the white part of the spring onions and garlic, stir fry until fragrant, just a minute or two.
  • Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until mixture is mostly juice. If your tomatoes were not juicy enough, add a tablespoon of tomato ketchup and stir that in.
  • Increase the heat to medium high, drizzle in about 1/3 of the whisked eggs into the tomato sauce, wait about 10-20 seconds for the egg to firm up, give the sauce a quick stir and drizzle another 1/3 of the egg into the sauce, wait again, quick stir, then drizzle in the last 1/3 of egg, wait, quick stir. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Cook the noodles in a saucepan of boiling water until tender, time will depend on the noodles you are using.
  • Drain the noodles, then mix the sauce into the noodles.
  • Divide between two bowls and garnish with the sliced green part of the spring onion. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: CHINESE,EGGS - ALL,Eggs - Chicken,PASTA
Fried Milk I
November 21, 2018 Lee
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Fried Milk I

This recipe for Fried Milk is from China Sichuan Food.
Unless you are Cantonese, Chinese, you may have never heard of this. I never have until today. This comes from a good friend in Sichuan, China. This is a modernized recipe to include the breadcrumbs, the traditional way is fried without the breadcrumbs. On my to cook and taste list.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 20 pieces

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons corn starch
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 cup corn starch
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • cooking oil, low smoke point, for deep frying
  • flat wire strainer, for deep frying

Instructions
 

  • Get out a square baking dish (8x8 or 9x9) and set that aside. In a saucepan not on heat, add the milk, coconut milk, sugar, and 3 tablespoons of corn starch. Whisk to mix together with no lumps. Now place the saucepan on the lowest heat setting you have, and stir, stirring in one direction only, until thickened. If you have to, hold the saucepan above the heat and keep stirring, do not let the mixture boil, you will know when it has thickened. This takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
  • When thickened well, pour into the baking dish. Place the dish in the fridge to cool and harden, this takes 40-60 minutes.
  • When the milk has hardened, transfer to a sheet of parchment paper. Cut the square in half, and each half into strips. There, now you have solidified milk sticks, wasn't that easy?
  • Set out 3 shallow bowls, first bowl add the 1/4 cup corn starch, next bowl the eggs (and whisk them), then the last bowl the breadcrumbs.
  • Add about 1 1/2 inches of oil to a large high walled pan. Heat the oil to 150°-160° C (300°-320° F). While the oil is heating, coat each milk stick in this order, corn starch, then egg, then breadcrumbs.
  • To fry these, place 4-5 sticks on a flat wire strainer, then place the strainer in the oil, deep fry until golden brown and crispy, then lift out the strainer and dump the sticks onto paper towels to drain. Repeat until all the sticks are fried and drained.
  • Serve hot, enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: CHINESE,DESSERTS
Bean Sprouts with Meatballs
November 21, 2018 Lee
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Bean Sprouts with Meatballs

This recipe for Bean Sprouts with Meatballs is from China Sichuan Food.
This recipe comes from a good friend in China, this is an easy home-style tomato meatball and bean sprout soup. Popular in the Szechuan region. This soup sounds delicious and is on my cook and taste list.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs

  • 250 grams ground pork, (1/2 lb)
  • 2 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, sliced
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 egg, chicken or duck
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch

For the Soup Base

  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 large tomato
  • 150 grams bean sprouts, (5 oz)
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, finely minced, or smashed in a mortar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 quarts water

Instructions
 

For the Meatballs

  • Add the hot water to a small bowl, and place the ginger and spring onion in the water and let that steep. Wait for about 20 minutes or until the water has cooled. You will be using the water only, not the ginger or spring onion. When the water has cooled, drain and retain the water from the ginger and spring onion. Discard the spring onion and ginger.
  • In a mixing bowl, add the ground pork, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and egg. Add about 1/3 of the ginger water (just eyeball it, no need to measure this). Mix by hand until the well combined and the water fully incorporated into the mixture. Add another 1/3 cup of the ginger water and mix again.
  • Sprinkle in the corn starch and the remaining ginger water, mix until fully incorporated.

For the Soup Base

  • Prep the tomato but coring then cutting half from top to bottom. Dice half of the tomato, and cut the other half into wedges. Set the wedges aside.
  • Heat the oil in a large pot, when hot, add the diced tomato until soft, then add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds, then add the water and 1/3 of the bean sprouts. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let this cook for 25-30 minutes.
  • While the soup is simmering, using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out the meat mixture and form into meatballs. Set on a plate and set aside.
  • After the soup has simmered, add the remaining bean sprouts, drop in the meatballs. When the meatballs float, add the tomato wedges, taste and season with salt to taste. Simmer the soup for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Serve.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Use Enoki mushroom in place of or with the bean sprouts.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: CHINESE,MEATBALLS,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Taiwanese-Style Three Cup Chicken
November 16, 2018 Lee
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Taiwanese-Style Three Cup Chicken

Inspired by the recipe Taiwanese-Style Three Cup Chicken from Spice the Plate.
This is a Chinese (Taiwan) dish and the name comes from the use of 1 cup each of sesame oil, cooking wine, and soy sauce. This is a scaled down recipe but will adhere to the 1:1:1 ratio.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams chicken thighs, boneless, cut into 1 inch pieces, (1 lb)
  • 5-6 thin slices ginger
  • 1 head garlic, cloves peeled
  • 2 spring onions, cut into 1-2 inch pieces, white and green parts
  • 1 handful fresh basil leaves
  • 2-4 dried chilies, optional
  • 1/4 cup sesame oil, toasted sesame oil if you have it, for frying

For the Seasoning

  • 1/4 cup Mijiu cooking wine, or Shaoxing cooking wine
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cane sugar, or 2 tablespoons Chinese rock sugar

Instructions
 

  • Mix together the Seasoning ingredients in a bowl and set aside for now.
  • Heat the sesame oil in a non stick pan on medium low heat. When it is hot, add the ginger slices and cook until they are lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute or until the garlic is nice and fragrant.
  • Add the spring onion and chilies if using, and cook until the spring onion is wilted and fragrant.
  • Turn the heat to medium then add the chicken pieces and stir fry until the chicken is no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes. Don't over cook the chicken or it will be dry.
  • Give the Seasoning a stir then pour into the pan and turn the heat to high and stir to coat the chicken well. Bring to a boil then reduce to low heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the basil to the pan and when wilted, give that a stir into the mixture. Simmer for just a few minutes.
  • Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with a few drops of sesame oil.
  • Serve over rice and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: CHINESE,CHICKEN & TURKEY
Dumpling Wrappers
November 15, 2018 Lee
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Dumpling Wrappers

This recipe for Dumpling Wrappers is from China Sichuan Food.
This from a friend in Sichuan, China, and she makes this look easy. This is the traditional way to make these, resulting in each wrapper having a thicker center and a thinner edge. I have a link to her video making the wrappers as well as a filling recipe and the wrapping process, needless to say, she is a pro at this. So here is her recipe, and feel free to watch the video for further guidance. The use of a digital scale is very helpful and highly recommended when making this.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 60 wrappers

Ingredients
  

  • 420 grams all purpose flour, plus more for dusting, (3 cups)
  • 210-220 ml water, see Step 1, (pinch under 3/4 cup, to a pinch over 3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • For the water, if you are going to make water boiled dumplings, use cold water. If you are going to make steamed dumplings (pot stickers), use boiling water.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and salt and mix together, make a well in the center and stir the water in using a heavy spoon or a pair of mixing chop sticks. Use the minimum amount of water at first, mix until the dough forms into a ball.
  • Lightly flour your work surface and turn the ball of dough out onto that. Knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is almost smooth.
  • Oil a mixing bowl, place the ball in the bowl and move and turn the ball to coat the ball with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Turn the dough out onto your lightly floured work surface, knead the dough for 2-3 minutes to get a smooth dough. Place the dough back into the mixing bowl, cover and let rest for 1 hour.
  • Take the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface, flatten ball and using your thumbs poke a hole through the center, and shape the 'doughnut' into a large circle.
  • Cut the circle in half, so you have two equal length 'logs'.
  • Roll each log to make a uniform size log, 3 cm in diameter (about 1 1/8 inch diameter). Now this is where a digital scale would come in real handy, cut a piece of the log off, say 1/2 inch, weigh it, you are looking for about 10 grams (0.35 oz), adjust the size of the cut you made and go with that. Cut the log into the sizes you determined (no need to weigh each piece, just weigh the first and 'guestimate' the remaining pieces. Lightly dust the pieces to keep them from sticking together.
  • Lightly dust the work surface again. Now, take one piece of dough and press it into a round disc, (now this is where some skill comes into play), using a rolling pin in one hand (just the solid wood one) and the dough in the other hand, rotate the wrapper after a roll, the wrapper should now be round, about 3 1/4 to just under 4 inches in diameter. If you are new to this, make 3-4 to gen the hang of it. Cover the wrappers with towel as you continue.
  • Ideally, two people would be perfect for this, one to roll and on to fill the dumplings.
  • After making your dumplings of choice, if you have left over wrappers, lightly dust each side with flour, stack, and place in an airtight bag and place in the freezer. To use again, just thaw at room temp for about 30 minutes until they are soft and use again.

Notes

Low cost.
And highly recommended to see this in a video, and skill, here is her video for Dumpling Wrappers (this skill is most impressive!)
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,: CHINESE
Quick Chinese Noodle Soup
September 28, 2018 Lee
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Quick Chinese Noodle Soup

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Simple and easy soup, lots of possibilities with this to make your own signature soup or just to change it up each time you make it.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 3 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 110 grams dry Chinese egg noodles, (about 4 oz)
  • 4 leaves bok choi, sliced

Instructions
 

  • Heat the stock to a boil in a large saucepan.
  • When boiling, add the remaining ingredients.
  • Reduce heat and cook the noodles until just tender.
  • Serve.

Notes

Low cost.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: CHINESE,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI