Chili oil

Spicy Octopus And Rice Noodles In Peanut Sauce

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Yesterday, on my way home from work , I told myself that under no circumstance will I cook and clean up the kitchen, I was just too tired and a bit under the weather.
So, while driving along university drive and contemplating where to stop for a bite or some take out, evaluating the choices a I checked out the restaurants along the way, I crossed off one after the other, knowing that none of them would be able to satisfy my craving for real, good, tasty food for a decent price. Eventually, as I drove by my favorite Asian Market, I made a quick stop to buy some octopus sashimi. I was not sure at this point what I would prepare with it, but I usually have enough stuff at home to fix a couple of good meals. When I got home, rice noodles, peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic paste, grated ginger, chili oil, sesame oil, red chilies, green peppers and onions were the usual suspects. Together with the octopus they became a great and perfect dinner.
As usual, more often than not, if I want to eat exactly what I want, I have to prep it myself (and clean up the kitchen afterward 😦 ).
But as always, it was well worth the time and effort and I’ve saved a bunch of good dollars doing it 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Spicy Octopus And Rice Noodles In Peanut Sauce

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Preparation :
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mix soy sauce, water, peanut butter, sriracha, sesame oil, lime juice, chili oil, simmer for one minute, if too thick, add water, if too thin, add peanut butter

season octopus with kosher salt and chili oil, saute in VERY HOT pan with garlic oil for about 3 seconds, remove from pan, set aside

saute onion, green peppers and red chilies in garlic oil

add rice noodles which you had soaked in warm water for 10 minutes then drained, add a small amount of soy sauce and water, cook until liquid has evaporated

add rice noodles which were soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, then drained, add a small amount of soy sauce and water, cook until liquid has evaporated

put noodles to one side of the pan, add some more garlic oil, add whisked eggs, scramble, cook until eggs are dry

add peanut sauce, mix well

stir fry for another minute, check / adjust seasoning

plate noodles on serving dish, top with octopus, sprinkle with chives and sesame seeds

Spicy Octopus And Rice Noodles In Peanut Sauce

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Szechuan Hot & Sour Soup 酸辣汤

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Spicy lunch (I made it VERY spicy), washed down with lemon ice tea while
watching “The Great Gatsby”.
Perfect Saturday so far 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Saute shrimp, dried shrimp, squid, garlic paste and grated ginger in peanut oil for one minute. Add chicken stock, salt, chili sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer, add sliced water chestnuts, soaked and cooked wood ears and small amount of cornstarch slurry. Add whisked eggs, stir slowly in one direction only. As soon as eggs have set into long, thin strands, remove soup from fire. Check/adjust seasoning. Add cubed tofu. To serve, sprinkle with sliced scallions and fried onion julienne.
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Szechuan Hot & Sour Soup 酸辣汤

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Firebird

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Firebird with chili noodles? Chicken on fire? Spicy chicken stir fry? Hot chicken?
Pick one, but I think firebird is the best name for this dish. Drowsed in chili oil, served over chili/garlic noodles, this dish is neither subtle nor understated. It will require a certain immunity from burning heat. However, after a few mouthfuls, the burning sensation will make space for a enlightening flavor high and you will have to make yourself slow down eating because you can’t wait for the next bite 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Notes:
– Most folks would use skin less chicken breast for this dish. I personally prefer the legs, I feel it gives me a better texture. I remove the skin and cut it to the same size as the meat and cook it together making sure the skin renders and get’s crispy.

– The noodles will make a perfect snack if served by them self. In that case, you want to add a bit more soy sauce.
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Firebird

Chili / Garlic/ Sesame Noodles

: mix pieces of chicken, onion, water and corn starch

: season with salt, garlic paste and chili oil

: cut cabbage, red peppers and scallions

: mix water, oyster sauce and soy sauce for sauce

: soak rice noodles in boiling water

: mix chili oil, soy sauce, salt and garlic paste for noodles

: when noodles are soft, strain and rinse

: toss noodles with chili/soy/garlic mixture

: saute chicken in peanut oil

: add cabbage and peppers, reserve

: add sauce mixture to pan, simmer one minute

: return chicken and vegetables to pan, stir to coat with sauce

: plate noodles, sprinkle with black sesame seeds

: Chili / Garlic / Sesame Noodles

: top with firebird

: Firebird

: Firebird

: Firebird

: Firebird

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Breakfast Of Champions # 28 – ”Steak & Eggs”

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This morning I had my usual two bananas and a large pot of peppermint tea for breakfast.
One hour later I remembered a bone in rib eye in the fridge and although I tried to forget about it for the time being, I did not succeed. So at about 8.30 am I gave in to my craving for a proper breakfast and prepared this beauty :
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Breakfast Of Champions # 28 – ” Steak & Eggs”

saute potatoes, grill steak

Duck Fat Sauteed Potatoes

top with sliced ttomatoes

top with medium-rare steak

Top with soft-boiled eggs

Drizzle With Chili Oil, Sprinkle With Freshly Ground Black Pepper & Scallions

Drizzle Egg’s With Chili Oil, Sprinkle With Freshly Ground Black Pepper, Kosher Salt & Scallion’s

Top With Fresh Basil

Breakfast Of Champions # 28 – ” Steak & Eggs”

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Breakfast Of Champions # 26 – ” Shrimp & Bok Choy Congee “

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Here is how it’s supposed to be :

You have a big, substantial breakfast, go to your job and work hart, have a quick, light, healthy lunch, keep on working until it is time to go home, have a light, healthy dinner with a small glass of red wine, go to bed early, sleep at least 8 hours, get up and do it all over again 🙂

Here is what’s really happening :

You have a quick, sugary, unhealthy breakfast, go to your job and work hart, have a quick, unhealthy lunch, keep on working until it is time to go home, have a heavy, calorie and fat-laden dinner, with a bottle or two of red wine, go to bed late, don’t sleep enough, get up and do it all over again 😦
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So, today, after a long and deep sleep, I tried to start the right way, with a healthy, tasty, substantial breakfast.
I will keep you posted how it will develop from here for the rest of the day…………
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Ingredients :

Cooked Fan, (steamed chines rice)
Seafood stock, substitute with chicken stock or canned clam juice
Shrimp, peeled and deveined
Bok choy, blanched
Garlic, paste
Garlic, slivered, fried
Onions, finely julienned, fried
Ginger, grated,
Bean sprouts,
Scallions, coarsely sliced
Peanut oil,
Chili oil,
Sesame oil,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,

Method :

Simmer rice with in stock, salt and pepper until a porridge like texture is achieved. In the meantime, fry onions and garlic separately until golden. Remove to absorbent paper. Reserve. Saute Shrimp, garlic paste and grated ginger until fragrant and shrimp about halfway cooked. When congee has reached the desired texture, add the shrimp, bock choy and scallions, simmer until heated through, about one minute. Adjust seasoning if necessary. To plate, drizzle with sesame oil and chili oil, sprinkle with fried onions, fried garlic, bean sprouts and scallions.

More Congee Recipes Here

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 & Walnut

: Stir Fried Vegetables, Egg & Fan

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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 !

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, stir fried, 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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” Stirfried Chicken, Asparagus & Cashew Nuts “

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After a couple of heavy hitter meals during the past few day’s,
I decided to go a bit lighter today with this old asian standby,
chicken with cashew nuts. Light, tasty and delicious. I did not
add any starch, but it pairs equally well with noodles or rice.
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Ingredients :

Chicken leg, deboned & diced
Asparagus, blanched
Cashews,
Onions, coarsely sliced
Garlic, paste
Ginger, grated
Soy sauce, to taste
Oyster sauce, to taste
Chili sauce, to taste
Chili oil, to taste
Sesame oil, to taste
Peanut oil, to stir fry

Method :

Stir fry chicken until golden, remove to absorbent paper, reserve.
Sautee onion, garlic and ginger until fragrant, add asparagus,and seasoning.
Simmer for one minute, add chicken and any accumulated juices, mix well.
To serve, pour over noodles or serve with Chinese steamed rice (fan)

吃个饱 ! Life is Good !
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” Teriayki Salmon & Garlic Noodles With Straw Mushrooms In Oyster Sauce “

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Garlic noodles with anything ! What’s not to like ?
For yesterday’s dinner, I added teriyaki glazed salmon, which
made for a great, healthy (the salmon :-), good looking dinner .
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Ingredient‘s

Salmon :
Salmon filet, trimmed, skinless
Teriyaki sauce, to taste
Salt, to taste
Cayenne, to taste
Peanut oil, for sauteeing

Noodles :
Rice noodles, cooked, drained
Straw mushrooms, canned, drained
Ginger, grated
Garlic, paste
Onions, julienned
Chilies, sliced
Scallions, sliced
Sesame oil,   to taste
Soy sauce,   to taste
Chili oil, to taste
Oyster sauce,   to taste
Sriracha,   to taste
Peanut oil, for sauteeing

Method :
Salmon :

Season salmon with salt and pepper and sautee on skin side until golden.
Brush bottom side with teriyaki sauce, turn and brush skin side.
Put into 375 degree oven and cook for two minutes.
Brush again with teriaki sauce and return to oven.
Repeat until salmon has reached your preferred temperature and a shiny
glaze has formed.

Noodles :

Sautee onions, garlic and mushrooms until garlic starts to turn color .
Add all other ingredient’s and continue to sautee (stir fry) until all
ingredient’s are well incorporated.
To serve, top noodles with salmon and juices which might have formed
while the salmon was resting. Garnish with lemon or lime and cilantro.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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” Dandanmian ” Chinese Noodles, Ground Pork & Vegetables

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” Dandanmian ” or ” Dan Dan Mian ” or “Dandan Noodles “.

There are many variations of this most simple dish, which originated as
street peddlers dish. Basic ingredients are ground pork, noodles,
spicy sauce with or without peanut- or sesame – paste.
Here is the Dandan I prepared for dinner yesterday
( I too do many variations of this dish) :
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Ingredients :

Chinese egg noodles, cooked, drained, coated with sesame oil
Ground pork,
Carrots, julienned
Bell peppers, julienned
Silver onions, peeled, blanched
White cabbage, coarsely sliced
Garlic, paste
Ginger, grated
Cilantro, coarsely chopped
Oyster sauce,
Soy Sauce,
Chili oil,
Sesame oil,
Salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Chicken stock
Peanut oil

Method :

Saute pork in peanut oil until starting to brown.
Add garlic and ginger, saute until translucent.
Add chicken stock and all seasoning, simmer until
meat is soft. Add cabbage and peppers, simmer for
one minute. Add Noodles, mix well.
To serve, sprinkle with cilantro and drizzle with Chili oil.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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