Tag Archives: Peanut oil

Asian Style Chicken Wings in Oyster Sauce

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Asian Style Chicken Wings

Asian Style Chicken Wings

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This  is one of the dishes I could eat three times a week without getting tired of it anytime soon.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack. Feed me anytime with this stuff and I’ll be happy :-)
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Ingredient’s :

Chicken wings,
Bok choy,   cut into large pieces
Red peppers,   cut into triangles, keep stems and leaf’s seperate
Dry shiitake mushrooms,   soaked in warm water
Onions, large diced
Garlic,   paste
Ginger, grated
Peanut oil,
Chicken stock,
Sherry wine,
Oyster sauce,
Hoisin sauce,
Soy sauce,
Sesame oil,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,

Method :

Saute seasoned wings in peanut oil until almost cooked trough. Remove from heat to absorbent paper. Saute onions, peppers, bok choy stems, garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add sauces and sesame oil, wings, shiitake, scallions and bok choy leaves. Mix well, serve with fan.  (chinese steamed rice)

Recipe for  ”Fan“

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

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Pork Ribs & Rice Noodles Soup

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I was  tempted to call this dish  ”Kluay Teaw Moo Toon”, but then I remembered that Mirandi of the “High Heel Gourmet is coming by at ChefsOpinion sometimes and how fierce she is about authentic Thai  recipes. (I REALLY don’t want to get her mad :-)
All jokes aside, this dish is  definitely Thai inspired. Fragrant, light, bright, tasty. I hope that recipes like this will inspire my readers to understand the philosophy of cooking as I see it :
Take a look at good stuff, feel inspired by it, learn from it, do your own spin on it. Just make sure you call it “inspired by” or “in the style of”. But then again, if the shoe fit’s……
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Kluay Teaw Moo Toon (Variation Of A Thai Pork Spareribs Noodle Soup)

“Kluay Teaw Moo Toon”
( “Variation Of A Thai Pork Spareribs Noodle Soup” )

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Ingredients :

Pork ribs,   blanched  (for a clear stock)
Rice noodles,  soaked
Bok choy,   substitute with other green vegetable if you prefer, I used brocoli
Bean sprouts,   (I prefer the crunch and tasteof raw onion julienne)
Cinnamon stick,
Star anise,
Coriander,   crushed
Garlic paste,
Cilantro stems,   Thais normally use cilantro root but I can’t get it around here
Cilantro leaf’s,   coarsely chopped
Soy sauce,
Sugar,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Onion,   peeled, quartered
Ginger,   grated
Pork stock,  substitute with vegetable stock if you prefer
Peanut oil,

Method :

Saute ribs in peanut oil until lightly browned. Add garlic, ginger , star anis , coriander and onion and saute until fragrant. Add stock and cilantro stems (roots if you can get hold of them) and simmer until ribs are tender but not falling apart, about 2 to 3 hours. Remove ribs and set aside. Adjust seasoning. Strain stock. To serve, place noodles, ribs and vegetables in a serving bowl. Top with boiling hot stock. Sprinkle with cilantro and onion julienne. Serve with soy sauce, chili sauce and fried shallots.
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

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Stir Fried Vegetables, Egg and Walnuts

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Today  I read this article about healthy living. One of the main paths to a healthy life is supposedly to refrain from eating animal protein. But, as you all know, healthy or not, I just love animal protein once in a while. Chicken, pork, lamb,beef, seafood, duck, goose, I love it all.
But, tonight I had a strong craving for rice and vegetables. Since Bella is usually my only dinner guest, I mostly  get to decide on the menu all by myself. So today’s dinner came along that ” healthy path ” .
“Despite” being healthy, it was delicious and a joy to eat. But tomorrow – Steak :-)

Fan ( Chinese steamed rice ) recipe  HERE
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Stir Fried Vegetables, Egg & Fan

Stir Fried Vegetables, Egg & Walnut

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Ingredient’s :

Broccoli,   floretes, blanched
Bean sprouts,
Red radishes,  quartered,
Shiitake mushrooms,   sliced
Chili’s,  seeded, quartered
Onion,   julienned
Eggs,   hardboiled, Quartered
Walnuts,   candied
Ginger,   grated
Garlic,   paste
Scallions,   sliced
Cilantro,   chopped
Hoi sin sauce,
Soy sauce,
Sesame oil,
Peanut oil,   to saute
Chicken stock,
Corn starch slurry,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Chili oil,
Sesame seeds,   toasted
Fan,

Method :

Saute walnuts in sugar until sugar starts to brown, set aside. Saute onions until translucent, add ginger and garlic, saute until fragrant, Add broccoli, shiitake, radish, scallion and chili’s and saute until heated through. Add chicken stock, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, salt and pepper, bring to a simmer. Add slurry, simmer for a few seconds. Remove from heat, add bean sprouts. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Add eggs. To serve, top with walnuts, sprinkle with cilantro, drizzle with chili oil. Sprinkle fan with toasted sesame seeds.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

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Imperial Fried Rice

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Time to get excited about  fried rice :-)
No, not the cabbage and soy sauce laden one you get for two bucks at your corner chinese restaurant. No, I am talking about  my treasure chest of a fried rice which has a whole bunch of goodies in it. Each one (shrimp,chicken, lap cheong, ham, eggs, vegetables), fried on it’s own with rice would make a good fried rice, but here the combination of all of this stuff together makes it a truly memorable dish.
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Imperial Fried Rice

Imperial Fried Rice

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Ingredient’s :

Fan  (飯),   day old chinese steamed rice (Recipe Here)
Chicken,   cubed
Shrimp,   peeled, tail on
Ham,   diced
Lap cheong,   fresh, unsmoked
Scallion,   sliced
Bean sprouts,
Red/green bell peppers,   diced
Onions,   diced
Kernel corn,   blanched
Green peas,   blanched
Eggs,   whisked
Garlic,   paste
Ginger,   grated
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Sesame oil,
Peanut oil,   to stir fry

Method :

Season protein and vegetables with salt and cayenne pepper. Saute (stir fry) chicken in oil until medium, remove chicken. Saute shrimp, ham and sausage until shrimp are 3/4 cooked, remove. Saute vegetables, ginger and garlic until fragrant, add rice, fry until rice starts to puff a bit. Form a whole in the center, add more peanut oil, add the eggs. Styr fry until the eggs have set, return proteins to the rice and stir fry until rice starts to pop again. Add bean sprouts, season with sesame oil, salt and pepper. To serve, sprinkle with scallions and more bean sprouts.


Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Udon, Seafood & Bok Choy

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As far as I am concerned, all noodles could be udon noodles.
I just love them in any prep variation, be it with seafood, beef,
mushrooms, in a soup, sautéed, any which way will do it for me  :-)
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Click here to read all about UDON
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Ingredient’s :

Udon noodles,   fresh, from your Asian market
Mixed seafood,  any type you prefer
Baby bok choy,
Onion,   sliced
Cilantro,   coarsely chopped
Garlic,   paste
Ginger,   grated
Soy sauce,
Sherry,
Sriracha,
Oyster sauce,
Sesame oil,
Chili oil,
Lime juice,
Peanut oil, to saute

Method :

Saute seafood in very hot peanut oil, remove onto absorbent paper. Add onion, garlic and ginger and saute until translucent and fragrant. Add noodles, bok choy, soy sauce, oyster sayce, sriracha and a bit of sherry wine and saute until noodles are heated trough. Remove from heat, add seafood and sesame oil, mix well. To serve, drizzle with lime juice and chili oil, sprinkle with cilantro.

Note:
As you can see from the mis en place picture, I used inexpensive  (but nevertheless good) mixed seafood since this was only a go-between snack. For a more elegant and important meal, use large prawns, scallops, lobster, mussels, etc. However, the taste of the dish and the texture of the noodles should be satisfying either way.

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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Vietnamese Ginger / Caramel Chicken ( Ga Kho )

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I  remember when, many years ago, I got my first whiff of fermented  fish sauce. It was one of the most disgusting smells I had ever encountered in a kitchen and there was no way I would ever put something this vile into my food !
Forward a few years. Fish sauce  (and it’s cousin,  shrimp paste)  has become a permanent staple in my cup board. I use it for many of my favorite asian dishes, although I still don’t use it as a dipping sauce. In this dish, it is one of the three seasoning pillars . Fish sauce, caramel sauce and ginger play the major part, while garlic, salt and pepper play second fiddle. If you are not used to using fish sauce or shrimp paste, just don’t smell it before you cook it. Once you add it to your food and cook it for a while, it transforms itself into pure magic, giving the final product great flavor and debt.  ( Umami, if you must  :-)
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Ingredient’s :

Chicken,  thigh’s  slashed to the bone
Caramel sauce,  see below *
Pearl onion,  blanched
Chiles,  mixed colors, whole
Onions,  sliced
Cilandro,  coarsely chopped
Black pepper,  fresh ground
Chili flakes,
Fish sauce,
Rice vinegar,
Garlic,  paste
Ginger,  sliced
Kosher salt,
Peanut oil,  to saute

Method :

Season chicken with salt and black pepper and saute until golden brown on both sides. Remove onto absorbent paper. Saute  pearl onions and chilies. Remove to absorbent paper. Saute sliced onions, garlic and ginger until translucent. Add vinegar, caramel, and all seasoning. Add chicken and slowly simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce has reduced enough to cover the chicken. If the sauce becomes too thick before he chicken is cooked all the way, add a bit of water. If the sauce is too thin when the chicken is done, remove chicken and reduce until desired texture is achieved. At this point, strain the sauce if you like it smooth, otherwise, serve it more rustic with all the bits and pieces still in the sauce. Now, return the chicken, whole chiles and pearl onions. Simmer for another minute while basting the chicken to make sure it is well covered in sauce. To serve, add chicken to plate, cover with remaining sauce, top with chilis, onions, cilantro and lime wedges.
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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*  Saute sugar until lightly browned. Add water. If you have not done this before – BE VERY CAREFUL ! This splashes easily and burns right throuhg your skin if you are not careful. I suggest to put the pot into the sink and open the waterspout just a bit while keeping your head as far away as possible  :-) Stir until smooth and all sugar is desolved. You should now have a light brown liquid. If the sugar solidified, don’t worry. Just put it back on low heat, stir frequently and simmer until all solids are liquified.
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Congee With Smoked Pig’s Tails & Vegetables

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Rice Porridge.
First thing that comes to mind is probably baby food or hospital gruff. Most folk’s would never think of ordering it from a menu in a restaurant, much less wake up and crave it for breakfast, if they hadn’t tasted or at least seen it before.

Now, let’s try again :
Congee. Lúgaw. Chok. Xifan. Juk. Okayu.
OK, that’s better  :-)

Sounds more interesting and exotic? These are just a few names given to rice porridge around the world. If there is a country or region which traditionally eats rice, then there is some form of rice porridge eaten.

Congee can be enjoyed as breakfast, snack, lunch or dinner. Congee most often contains rice, but other grains can be used. Ideally it is made with strong, tasty stock that infuses great taste and debt into the dish. But from there on, let your fantasy run wild. Congee can be made with seafood, meat, vegetables or a combination thereof. Then there are the toppings. Pickled vegetables, fried shallots, sliced scallions, pulled mushroom stems, crisp fried garlic, dried shrimps, 100 year eggs, cilantro, etc, etc. If you like it, put it on.
Below is a version I made on sunday for breakfast. The texture is more like a filipino Lugaw, with the rice VERY soft but still keeping it’s shape. At first I was not so sure about the smoked pigstails. I was worried they might be too  overpowering. But not to worry. The taste was very rich with only a hint of smokiness. Another slightly unusual ingredient (served as condiment) was the freshly grated horseradish, although when you think of the japanese version Okayu, wasaby seems to be a fitting condiment. I prepare congee at home often, this version is definitely special and a great addition to my congee repertoire.
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All about   CONGEE
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Previous CONGEE posts :         1     2     3
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Ingredient’s :

Jasmin rice,
Smoked pig’s feet,
Corn on the cob,  cut into thick slices
Chinese unsmoked sausages,  thinly sliced
Bell peppers,  diced
Ginger,  grated
Garlic,  paste
Cilantro,  chopped
Scallions,  sliced
Salt,
Soy sauce,
Horseradish,  freshly grated
Sesame oil,
Chili oil,
Peanut oil,  to saute

Method :

Saute garlic and ginger in peanut oil until fragrant. Add water and pigstails. Simmer pigstails in unseasoned water for about an hour or until starting to become tender. Taste stock and if necessary season with salt and pepper. (Some smoked meats can be overly salted, so don’t season at first) Add rice and very slowly simmer for another hour or until the rice is close to the texture you desire. Now add the corn, diced peppers and sausages. Simmer for another fifteen minute. At this point, adjust texture and seasoning if necessary. If the congee is too thick for your liking, add some hot stock. If it is too thin, simmer longer or strain some of the liquid.
To serve, sprinkle with scallions and cilantro. Drizzle with chili oil.
Serve with horseradish and soy sauce.  Acompanied by Oolong tea.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Pork Medallion “Almondine”

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Yesterday’s  late lunch, pork medallion in almonds, creamed spinach, sauteed grapes.
I knew it was turkey for dinner at my friend’s house, so no turkey at home. I did make and take the sidings though, creamed spinach, mashed sweet potatoes, gravy and walnut-cranberry stuffing.
Anyway,  here is lunch. Enjoy   :-)

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Ingredients :

Pork medallion,
Almond‘s,  slivered
Bread crumbs,  fine
Egg,  whole, whisked
AP flour,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Peanut oil,  to saute

Spinach,  washed, stems removed, chopped
Onions,  diced
Garlic,  paste
Heavy cream,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Nutmeg,  grated
Butter,  to saute

Grapes,
Butter,  to saute

Season pork with salt and pepper. Dipp in flour,
egg and mixture of half breadcrumbs, half almonds.
Saute slowly to make sure almonds don’t get to dark
and bitter. However, oil must be hot enough to prevent
Breading to get soggy.

Saute onion and garlic until translucent, add cream
and reduce until thickened. Add spinach and seasoning,
cover with more cream and simmer until cream has reduced
again and texture is creamy.

When pork is done, remove onto absorbent paper.
Add a bit of butter and grapes to the pan, saute a few seconds
until grapes are warm. Spoon butter and grapes over pork.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

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Spicy Squid & Vegetables

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This  recipe work’s as well with other seafood, such as shrimp, mussels, lobster, cuttlefish, octopus, etc. Even chicken, beef, pork, or all vegetables for a vegetarian version, you name it. But here,  squid it is. The secret to a successful squid dish is to not overcook the squid.  Sauteing  a few seconds in a very hot pan, then removing them and adding back to the dish at the very end of the dishes cooking process, making sure they don’t simmer or boil anymore, will do the trick.
Enjoy  :-)
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Ingredient’s :

Squid,  cleaned, cut into squares
Potatoes,  peeled, cut into thick slices, cooked
Corn on the cob,  sliced, cooked
Cauliflower,  rosettes, blanched
Tomatoes,  diced
Onions,  diced
Garlic,  paste
Cilantro,  coarsely chopped
Kosher salt,
Hoisin sauce,
Scotch bonnet hot sauce,
Soy sauce,
Ketchup,
Peanut oil,  to saute,

Method :

Saute squid on high heat until opaque, 3-4 seconds, remove, reserve.
Saute garlic and onions until fragrant, add all other ingredients
and saute until heated through. Remove from heat, mix with squid.
To serve, sprinkle with fair amount of cilantro.

Bon Appetit !   Live is Good !
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Vegetables In Fermented Black Bean Sauce

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By  now my readers will have discovered that I am not exactly a vegetarian.
I love my meat and seafood and can’t imagine how one can miss this exciting
part of our culinary world.
However, once in a while, I have a sudden urge for rice and  vegetables.
The first thing that usually comes to my mind during such a rare moment is
soup or  fried rice  of some sort. What usually makes me especially look forward
to a vegetable dish is the inclusion of  fermented bean paste.
It gives the food such a special flavor that it is, in my opinion at least, the one
seasoning which can bring a vegetable dish to a whole other level of goodness  :-)

Here is what I have concocted for dinner today :
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Ingredients :

Asparagus,  blanched
Snow peas,  blanched
Mushroom, sliced thick
Grape tomatoes,  whole
Onion,  sliced
Scotch bonnet, thinly sliced -
(  Careful !!!  Extremely spicy ! Omit if you can’t stand the heat )
Mini Peppers,  thinly sliced
Scallion,  thinly sliced
Ginger,  grated
Garlic,  paste
Bean paste,
Oyster sauce,
Soy sauce,
Kosher Salt,
Vegetable stock,
Corn starch,  slurry
Peanut oil,

Method :

Saute onion, garlic and ginger until fragrant,
deglaze with stock, add seasoning, add slurry.
Simmer for one minute, add all vegetables and heat through.
To serve, sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallion.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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