chili paste

Red Curry/Coconut Ramen With Nappa Cabbage

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During the past view years, with thousands upon thousands of books, articles movies, documentaries and everybody and his/her dog writing about Ramen – the best, the most original, the most exotic, the cheapest, the most expensive, the most complicated, the simplest, the craziest, and what not else about Ramen, the latest craze we are to believe in and are bombarded with is always the final, definitive, all previous wisdom erasing, Fad.
Some, (most?) folks have forgotten what Ramen, or comfort food in general, is all about – when it feels just right what your mom in her kitchen, or the waiter in a five-star restaurant, or the street cook from his cart, sets in front of you and you happily enjoy every aspect of the dish to it´s fullest – the taste, the texture, the aromas, the ingredients, the colors, the surroundings, and last but not least, the company.
Ramen does not really need (deserve ???) all this silly nonsense and mystique which some folks want to make us believe is essential and exists in some mysterious stockpot in some obscure location, prepared by a “Master Artist”, who dedicated his/her life to one particular dish.
Dear God, pls spare me from any more of this pretentious BS !
Like any other thing in the Universe, sometimes there are exceptions to the rules, but……….. 🙂
Just like any other bowl of soup, or any other dish out there, there are awful ones, mediocre ones, average ones, good ones, superb ones and occasionally, a sublime one, which is usually the result of somebody who brings decent ingredients, at least a bit of knowledge, and A LOT OF LOVE to the stove. No mystery, no art, no alchemy.
Dear people, Ramen it is just a bowl of noodle soup !!!!! No matter how simple or complicated – it’s just a bowl of noodle soup !!!!!
And like ALL other food, it should taste great, should not cost an arm and a leg for something simple and basic, and most of all, it should leave you full, satisfied and happy 😉
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I know that I am not the only one who is tired of the loudmouths in our industry, most of whom have nothing else to offer than flash, glitter, and show, never mind the taste and satisfaction of truly wonderful food.
So then, this, like most of my posts, is about comfort food, good food, easy to prepare food, and, last but not least, affordable food. 🙂
I hope, in this spirit at least, ChefsOpinion serves you well 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Red Curry/Coconut Ramen With Nappa Cabbage

more goodness…….. 🙂

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Preparation :
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: strain 1 qt of strong stock of your choice (chicken/beef/veggies, bring to a simmer

: add 1/2 qt coconut milk

: add 2 tblsp chili paste

: let simmer for 2 minutes

: add 4 pck dried ramen noodles or the equivalent of fresh ramen, cook according to packaging, add 1 tsp garlic/ginger paste and some whole pickled chilies, add 6 ea med size napa cabbage leaves and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, remove from heat, check/adjust seasoning

: Red Curry/Coconut Ramen With Nappa Cabbage

: Red Curry/Coconut Ramen With Nappa Cabbage

: Red Curry/Coconut Ramen With Nappa Cabbage

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Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

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This dish is one of my “go to” dishes when contemplating endlessly without resolve in my mind what I will cook for the next meal.
Although I am a sucker for real curry, pasta sautéed in curry powder and “stuff” is something I can eat happily any time of the day, as often as twice a week.
Usually the basic ingredients are items I have always stocked in my fridge, freezer or cupboard:
Pasta, beef, shrimp or chicken, any type of vegetables, curry powder, a bit of kecap manis, chili paste, soy sauce or maggi seasoning, onion or scallion, eggs and herbs.
An added bonus to this dish is that it reheat’s wonderfully. (Some say it’s even better when re-heated) 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Pasta on ChefsOpinion
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Click here for more Curry on ChefsOpinion
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Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg (Sunshine On A Plate)

Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: whisk 4 ea whole eggs, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: cook and drain 1 lb pasta of your choice

: saute 5 oz of mushroom in 4 tblsp clarified butter

: add 1 lb headless, tail-less, peeled and butterflied shrimp, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: remove shrimp and mushroom from pan, reserve

: in the remaining butter, saute 1 lb of fresh vegetables of your choice, season with 1 tsp garlic paste, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, remove from pan, reserve

: add two more tblsp clarified butter, add 1 tsp garlic paste, 2 tblsp curry powder, 2 tblsp turmeric, 1 tblsp kecap manis, 1 dash of maggi seasoning, 1 tsp chili paste, kosher salt to taste, saute until fragrant

: add pasta, mix well, put pasta to one side of the pan, add the eggs, scramble until set

: mix the scrambled eggs with the pasta

: add the shrimp, mushrooms and vegetables, mix well, check/adjust the seasoning; serves 4

: (Sunshine On A Plate) Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

: Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

: Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

: Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

: Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

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No Name Soup

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This delicious soup follows the popular “whatever I find in the larder” principle. 🙂
Today, I found beef bones, mushrooms, canton noodles, eggs, cabbage, chinese sausage and fried shallots, which, together with a bit of time for the broth, is all you need to prepare this tasty delight.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Soup on ChefsOpinion
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No Name Soup

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Preparation :
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: simmer 5 lbs beef bones SLOWLY in 3 qt water, season with 1 tblsp garlic paste, 1 tblsp chili paste, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp grated ginger and kosher salt to taste for two hours or until reduced to 1 quart

: strain broth through cheese cloth or coffee filter (optional); check/adjust seasoning

: meanwhile, cook 8 0z egg noodles, drain, rinse

: toss egg noodles with 1 tblsp toasted sesame oil

: stir fry 6 oz sliced chinese sausages and 4 oz fresh shiitake mushroom in 1 tblsp peanut oil until sausage starts to brown at the edges

: add 8 oz cubed white cabbage and 1/2 bunch chopped cilantro

: add 1 qt beef broth, simmer 1 minute

: divide the noodles between 4 soup plates or bowls

: top the noodles with 1/4 of the soup, garnish with fried shallots, chopped cilantro and 2/2 boiled eggs ; recipe serves 4

: No Name Soup

: No Name Soup

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Stir Fried Squid, Udon Noodles And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce ( Yakiudon)

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There are few dishes more comforting and satisfying than a bowl of noodles with a rich sauce or in a tasty soup – either by itself or with other “stuff” thrown in, such as any kind of vegetables, mushrooms, eggs and any protein such as pork, chicken, duck or seafood. While for me, any noodle is a good noodle, udon noodles rank on top of my favorite list – the plumper the better.
Lately, I’ve been buying the vacuum packaged “fresh” udon noodles from my neighborhood Asian market, but I also have had good experiences with the frozen type more readily available around here. As for the sauce, I like to prep it as simple as possible – soy sauce, oyster sauce or hoi sin sauce, chili paste, honey or sugar, ginger and garlic, sesame oil, chicken-, vegetable- or pork-stock. For a bit of variation in the sauce, I sometimes add a bit of peanut butter or fermented bean sauce, but that’s it – simple comfort food quickly and easily prepared and always just hitting the right spot 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Udon on ChefsOpinion
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Click here for all about Udon Noodles
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Stir Fried Squid, Udon And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce (Yaki Udon)

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Preparation :
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: for the sauce, mix 1/2 cup oyster sauce, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 cup chicken stock or water, 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp grated ginger, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, i/2 tsp chili paste, i tsp sesame oil

: simmer udon in salted water until cooked but still chewy, drain

: Clean squid tubes, remove “sine” and if you prefer, black skin

: cut in half

: incise half-way through in a criss-cross manner

: cut into bite-size pieces

: season with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic

: stir fry squid with peanut oil in VERY hot pan for no more than 30 seconds, remove from pan, reserve

: add blanched bok choy, green peppers and red chilis to pan, stir fry 1 minute

: add sauce mix

: add udon and squid, check / adjust seasoning

: Stir Fried Squid, Udon And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce (Yaki Udon)

: Stir Fried Squid, Udon And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce (Yaki Udon)

: Stir Fried Squid, Udon And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce (Yaki Udon)

: Stir Fried Squid, Udon And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce (Yaki Udon)

: Stir Fried Squid, Udon And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce (Yaki Udon)

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Shrimp Lo Mein ( 撈麵 )

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Of all the Chinese, Asian and Chinese/Asian-inspired dishes I prepare at home, the fast and easy to prepare Lo Mein is the one I cook most often. I usually vary the main ingredients according to what’s in my fridge and/or cupboard, but the basis are always Chinese wheat noodles, seasoned with oyster sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, grated ginger, garlic paste and chili paste. Sometimes I augment the seasoning with hoi sin sauce. As for the other main ingredients, I use vegetables, pork, beef, seafood, poultry or mushrooms, sometimes just one of them, sometimes more than one and sometimes all of them together. In all the years I prepared this dish, I never had one I did not love and I never get tired of it, no matter how often it flies in through my kitchen window 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

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Preparation :
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: for 1 pound of dried pasta, mix 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tblsp chili paste, 2 tblsp oyster sauce, 4 tblsp soy sauce, 4 tblsp water or stock and 2 tblsp hoi sin sauce (optional)

: stir fry 1 tblsp garlic paste and 1 tsp grated ginger in 4 tblsp peanut oil until fragrant

: add baby bok choy, mild chilies, carrot julienne and onion julienne ,stir fry 1 more minute

: add shelled and deveined shrimp, stir fry another minute

: add chinese wheat noodles and sauce mix, stir fry until heated through

: check/adjust seasoning

: Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

: Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

: Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

: Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

: Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

: Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

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Stir Fried Boneless Beef Ribs And Asparagus In Hoi Sin Sauce

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I bought these beauties to put them on the grill, but I had steak often lately so I changed my mind and prepared this tasty dish instead. I am glad I did, because it just hit the spot and left me happy with the choice I made.
Just goes to show – the first idea is not always the best 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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More Ribs on ChefsOpinion
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How to cook Fan (Chinese Steamed Rice)
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Stir Fried Boneless Beef Ribs And Asparagus In Hoi Sin Sauce

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: blanche asparagus in salted water, shock in ice water, drain

: mix together 1/3 hoi sin sauce, 1/3 soy sauce, 1/3 water with 1 tblsp corn starch and 1 tsp chili paste

: boneless beef ribs

: cut the ribs into smaller pieces

: marinade with soy sauce, chili paste, garlic paste and corn starch

: stir fry in VERY hot peanut oil until the ouside is nicely browned but the inside is still med/rare

: remove meat from oil, set aside

: add blanched asparagus and raw peppers to the remaining oil, saute until heated through

: add the mixed sauce, bring to a simmer, after one minute, remove from heat

: add the beef, check / adjust seasoning

: sprinkle beef with lightly toasted sesame seeds, serve with steamed rice (Fan)

: Stir Fried Boneless Beef Ribs And Asparagus In Hoi Sin Sauce

: Stir Fried Boneless Beef Ribs And Asparagus In Hoi Sin Sauce

: Stir Fried Boneless Beef Ribs And Asparagus In Hoi Sin Sauce

: Stir Fried Boneless Beef Ribs And Asparagus In Hoi Sin Sauce

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Pied De Cochon

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ANYTHING sounds better in french ?! 🙂
I used to call my wife “Mon Petit Chou”, which sounds perfectly sweet and romantic in french. Translated, it’s “My Little Cabbage” :-(. Not as sweet and romantic, no doubt.
Same with my dinner today : “Pied De Cochon – which translates into “Pig’s Trotters”, one of my all time favorite second cuts.
Pigs trotters are very versatile, they are great fried, steamed, braised, and pickled.
The following dish was created today in my kitchen and, I must say, it was absolutely delicious (and pretty to look at, to boost).
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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More “Pig’s Goodies” on ChefsOpinion
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Wiki on Pigs Trotters
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More about Pigs Trotters
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