Pork

Pasta Pearls, Bok Choy, Mollejas And Chillies In Ginger/Tamarind Broth

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Before you make a long face at the Mollejas (Chicken Gizzards), pls know that you can easily replace them with any other part of the chicken, such as breast, wings, tighs, etc. If you are not in the mood for chicken, many other proteins will work just as well, such as beef, pork, shrimp, or any other seafood, or just add more veggies of your choice.
However, if you love mollejas as much as I do, this soup will surely find a special place in your heart 🙂
In my opinion, the mollejas fit perfectly with the other ingredients, but as usual, use what you prefer, what you can afford or whatever you have in your larder that seems to fit the dish.
If you look at the pictures and try to immagine the taste of it, you’ll know that the main attraction is the Ginger/Tamarind Broth, the pasta pearls and the bok choy, everything else is just icing on the cake 🙂

Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Pasta Pearls, Bok Choy, Mollejas And Chillies In Ginger/Tamarind Broth

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Preparation :
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: cook the bok choy in salted water with 1 tsp chili flakes – submerge the stems first for 1 – 2 minutes (depending on the size), then turn on its side to simmer the leaves as well

: simmer for 30 seconds more, drain and discard the water, place bok choy into ice water

: in 2 qt of chicken stock, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1/2 tsp grated ginger, 1/2 tblsp sugar and 5 to 10 scallions (depending on the size), seasoned lightly with kosher salt and chili flakes,simmer 2 lbs mollejas until tender but still with a slight bite, ca 2 hours (some mollejas are tougher than others), remove and discard the scallions, (there should be about 1 qt remaining, otherwise adjust by reducing or adding more stock), season soup with 1 tblsp toasted sesame oil and chili oil to taste

: remove the bok choy from the water, sqeeze out as much water as possible

: cut bok choy lengthwise into quarters

: add the boc choy to the soup, bring to a simmer, remove from heat at once, check/adjust seasoning

: bok choy……..

: bok choy and mollejas……

: add feshly cooked pasta pearls (Israeli couscous), add the broth and a few finely sliced chillies

: Pasta Pearls, Bok Choy, Mollejas And Chillies In Ginger/Tamarind Broth

: Pasta Pearls, Bok Choy, Mollejas And Chillies In Ginger/Tamarind Broth

: Pasta Pearls, Bok Choy, Mollejas And Chillies In Ginger/Tamarind Broth

: Pasta Pearls, Bok Choy, Mollejas And Chillies In Ginger/Tamarind Broth

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P.S.
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This dish is part of my upcoming meal plan # 2 –
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH TWO
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Click here for
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH ONE

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Hans’ Pork Goulash With Peppers & Pasta Pearls

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Goulash is my favorite meat stew, no matter which protein is used – beef, veal, pork, poultry or game. The texture, color, and flavor have great appeal to me.
While there are of course different ways of preparing goulash, as well as different recipes, the main mark of a good goulash is to use the same amount of onions as protein, a great amount of sweet paprika powder for color and texture (sometimes hot paprika is added), as well as a special season mix of 1/3 thyme, 1/3 caraway seeds, and 1/3 lemon peel (yellow part only), all finely chopped and added to the meat while sauteing, to impart a rich, un-mistaking goulash-flavor. Of course, salt and pepper is a must.
Naturally, as with most dishes that have been around that long, there are dozens of variations,- you can add (or not) garlic, rosemary, bell peppers, potatoes, marjoram, red wine, bell peppers (zigeuner goulash) and even sauerkraut (Szegediner goulash). Also very popular is goulashsuppe (goulash soup). The big difference between preparing goulash and a regular stew is that for goulash, the onions are sautéed first until broken down and lightly colored, THEN the meat is added, and sautéed until all liquid has evaporated.
Because of the collagen in the meat, as well as the large amount of onions and ground paprika, no flour is needed to thicken the sauce.
Best enjoyed with pasta, goulash can also be served with rice, bread dumplings or potato dumplings, mashed potatoes, croquette potatoes, roast potatoes or just plain rustic bread.
Myself, I enjoy any type and version of goulash, paired with any good side dish that’s available 🙂
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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Click here to read all about “Original Hungarian Goulash”,
as well as its History and Evolution through the Centuries.
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Click here for  Hungarian Beef Goulash on ChefsOpinion
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Click here for   Goulash Soup on ChefsOpinion
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Hans’ Pork Goulash With Peppers & Pasta Pearls

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Preparation :
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: remove bone and skin (optional, I like the skin in my pork goulash) from a whole, medium size pork butt

: cut the meat in cubes

: saute the meat and bone (optional), together with 1/3 cup goulash seasoning (1 tblsp lemon peel, 1 tblsp caraway seeds and 1 tblsp thyme, all finely chopped) in 1 tblsp olive oil until the meat is seared

: meanwhile, chop 2 ea med size onions,1 ea large, de-seeded red, green and yellow bell peppers

: add the veggies to the meat, saute until the onions are translucent

: add 1 cup tomato paste, 1 cup sweet paprika, 1 tblsp curry powder, 1 tblsp garlic paste, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, saute another minute, add 1 1/2 qt pork,- veggie- or,chicken stock

: bring to a simmer

: cover and slowly simmer until the meat is very tender but NOT falling apart

: meanwhile, cook 8 oz pearl pasta (Israeli couscous) until tender, drain, mix with 4 stalks finely sliced scallions, 2 tblsp melted butter and salt and pepper to taste

: saute banana peppers (optional) until lightly blistered, season with salt and pepper to taste

: saute 1 ea cup of mixed, diced bell peppers, season with salt and pepper to taste, add 2/3 into the goulash, simmer another 3 minutes, remove from heat, check/adjust seasoning

: to plate, top the goulash with the sauteed peppers (and banana peppers if chosen)

: Hans’ Pork Goulash With Peppers & Pasta Pearls

: Hans’ Pork Goulash With Peppers & Pasta Pearls

: Hans’ Pork Goulash With Peppers & Pasta Pearls

: Hans’ Pork Goulash With Peppers & Pasta Pearls

: Hans’ Pork Goulash With Peppers & Pasta Pearls

: Hans’ Pork Goulash With Peppers & Pasta Pearls

: Hans’ Pork Goulash With Peppers & Pasta Pearls

: Hans’ Pork Goulash With Peppers & Pasta Pearls

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Sautéed Hake, Shrimp & Potato

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Comfort Food ! 🙂
We usually associate this moniker with hearty, deft, heavy home-cooking, and rightfully so, because that’s what’s comes to mind most often – long-simmering meat stews, vegetable-studded chicken soup, pasta with rich sauces, hearty sausages, crusty bread, long basted poultry, slowly roasted mountains of beef, pork, lamb, game, etc, etc.
This featured dish is much different, but in its final stage, it represents comfort food just as well as the aforementioned dishes. Although its main ingredients consist of delicate fish filet and juicy shrimp, the generous use of butter and the comforting method of sauteeing all to a golden crisp will make this without a doubt a worthy contender of comfort food at it’s finest 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Sautéed Hake, Shrimp & Potato

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Preparation :
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: 4 ea 5 oz hake filets, 20 ea shrimp, (peeled, de-veined, tail-on), 1 lb small. cooked potatoes; season the filets with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and lemon juice to taste

: dredge the fish filets in a mixture of a/p flour and panko

: saute the fish as well as the potatoes in vegetable oil until the potatoes are golden and the fish is almost cooked through; discard the oil of both pans, put back on heat

: add 2 oz of whole butter to the potatoes, season with kosher salt to taste, saute until the butter starts to brown, remove the potatoes, reserve

: add 3 oz of whole butter to the fish, saute on both sides until the butter starts to brown, remove the fish, reserve

: add the shrimp to the pan with the butter from the shrimp, add the butter from the pan of the potatoes, saute until the shrimp are done, about 2 minutes

: place the fish on a serving platter, add the potatoes and top with the shrimp and butter

: Sautéed Hake, Shrimp & Potato

: Sautéed Hake, Shrimp & Potato

: Sautéed Hake, Shrimp & Potato

: Sautéed Hake, Shrimp & Potato

: Sautéed Hake, Shrimp & Potato

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Tacos De Pescado (Grilled Fish Tacos)

I just realized that lately, I prepare tacos at least ones a week, sometimes even more often.
Of course, this makes perfect sense, since they are very tasty, easy to prepare and the possible variations are endless. I have them for any meal of the day, breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack.
My favorite taco is……..always the one I presently prepare and eat, no matter if they are soft or crisp, contain lots of “stuff” or just a few basic ingredients. They can contain beef, pork, fish, crab, shrimp, chicken, duck, chorizo, egg, guacamole, refried beans, shredded lettuce, shredded cabbage, onions, chiles, cheese, salsa Mexicana, salsa verde, black beans and a myriad of other stuff. As long as it is tasty, anything (well, almost anything), goes. 🙂
For today’s tacos, I used fresh cod fillets I got this morning at the “International Market”, a lonely Haas Avocado which was sitting all but forgotten by herself on a shelf in the pantry, and leftover red cabbage slaw, to which I added a bit of kernel corn . The result was, dare I say, as with all my tacos, smashing 🙂

Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !

Click here for more Tacos on ChefsOpinion
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Tacos De Pescado (Grilled Fish Tacos)

Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures

: cabbage slaw with corn

: cut skinless cod fillets into 4 oz pieces, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, grill until cooked through but not dry

: grilled cod fillets

: warm flour tortillas until puffed

: tortillas, grilled cod, sour cream, sliced avocado, lime

: place tortilla on serving plate

: top tortilla with avocado and slaw

: top with cod, add 1 dollop of sour cream, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and squeeze fresh lime over all

: Tacos De Pescado (Grilled Fish Tacos)

: Tacos De Pescado (Grilled Fish Tacos)

: Tacos De Pescado (Grilled Fish Tacos)

: Tacos De Pescado (Grilled Fish Tacos)

SINGAPORE NOODLES (SINGAPORE MEI FUN) 新洲米粉, 星洲炒米, 星洲米粉)

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Having traveled the world long before I moved to Singapore to live and work there in the early 80’s, I remember how much I was looking forward to finally learn how to prepare “real” Singapore Noodles. By then I had enjoyed them in many Chinese restaurants all over the world and they had become a trustworthy (most of the time, anyway) shoe-in if nothing else appealed on the menu to my at that time still rather newfound love of Chinese food . Much to my surprise, there were no Singapore Noodles to be found anywhere 😦
It then did not take me long to find out that Singapore Noodles are NOT a Singaporean dish but have probably been invented years earlier in Hong Kong.
(As far as I know, the verdict of its true origin is still not entirely agreed upon) 🙂
While there are many different variations, the most common one I have encountered in my travels and here in the USA contain rice sticks, curry, scallions, soy, garlic, ginger, vegetables, shrimp and chicken or pork.
The following version is more or less the one I have cooked for many years, only making slight changes to the ingredients if something is not readily available or leftovers beg to be utilized, such as roast pork, squid, bok choy, celery, etc.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Asian Style Noodles on ChefsOpinion
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Singapore Noodles

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Preparation :
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: julienne of 1 medium onion, 1/2 small head white cabbage, 2 ea medium-hot chilies, 3 stalks scallion

: for the seasoning/sauce, mix 1 cup chicken stock, 3 tblsp soy sauce, 1 tblsp oyster sauce, 1 tblsp hoi sin sauce, 1 tblsp chili paste, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1/2 tsp grated ginger

: whisk 4 eggs, season with kosher salt to taste

: season 6 oz shrimp and 8 oz sliced chicken with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: add 1 tblsp corn starch to the shrimp and 2 tbls corn starch to the chicken, mix well

: stir fry chicken and shrimp in 1 tblsp peanut oil until 3/4 done

: remove chicken and shrimp from the pan, set aside (the carry-over heat will continue to cook them through)

: stir fry the onions in ame pan/wok until translucent

: add the cabbage, chillies and scallions, saute another minute

: remove veggies from pan, set aside

: in 1 tblsp peanut oil, stir fry 1 pck soaked rice sticks for two minutes soak according to your preference, I like to soak them for 10 minutes)

: move rice sticks to one side of the pan, add 1 tblsp peanut oil to the empty side of the pan

: scramble the eggs until set

: mix the eggs and rice sticks well, stir fry another two minutes, add 3 tblsp good quality curry powder, stir fry for another minute until well mixed

: return the veggies, shrimp and chicken to the pan, add the seasoning/sauce, stir fry until all is well mixed

: stir fry another minute, check/adjust the seasoning

: Singapore Noodles

: Singapore Noodles

: Singapore Noodles

: Singapore Noodles

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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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Sauteed Pork Medallions With Mushrooms And Pasta

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Link to : “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food”
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This is a dish straight out of my childhood, yet after all these years, it still has the same appeal to me which it had then (or maybe even more) .
Everything just falls into place – pasta, tomato sauce, parmigiano reggiano, sautéed mushrooms, peppers, onions, juicy pork medallions nicely seared and seasoned with lots of black pepper – my oh my, anytime 🙂
It’s dishes like this which keep me from needing a lot of “fru fru” on my plate.
Simple, honest, beautiful ingredients, proper execution and flavors to match, THAT is what food should be all about !
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Sauteed Pork Meaillions With Mushrooms And Pasta

Sautéed Pork Medallions With Mushrooms And Pasta

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Preparation :
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: trim pork tenderloin of all silver skin, cut, flatten into medallions, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

: saute in garlic oil until medium well (carry-over heat will do the rest and leave the medallions done but juicy), remove medallions, set aside

: in same pan, saute onions and mushrooms until starting to brown, add diced peppers, season with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and garlic paste

: lecker……

: meanwhile, cook pasta of your choice, drain, mix with garlic paste, salt and a spritz of maggi

: plate pasta in center of plate

: drizzle pasta with a bit of tomato sauce, sprinkle with grated parmigiano reggiano

: top with medallions

: top with sauteed mushrooms, sprinkle with chives

: Sautéed Pork Medallions With Mushrooms And Pasta

: Sautéed Pork Medallions With Mushrooms And Pasta

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Pork Shank’s & Lai Fen In Garlic/Ginger Broth

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Usually we use this cut of the animal to make Osso Buco (originally done with veal shanks), but I love me a hearty soup more than anything else, so I decided to prepare this dish with some pork shanks my friend Curtis dropped off last time he came to visit. Great, simple dinner, bursting with flavor and texture 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Pork Shank’s & Lai Fen In Garlic Ginger Broth

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Preparation :
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simmer pork shank’s in stock seasoned with star anis, cinnamon, garlic paste, black pepper, salt and grated ginger until tender but NOT falling apart

meanwhile, blanch green beans and cook lai fen pasta (rice flour bucatini)

add beans to soup

add diced peppers, onions and lap cheong (chinese sausage), check/adjust seasoning

add diced peppers, onions and lap cheong (chinese sausage), simmer two more minutes, check/adjust seasoning

add lai fen to serving bowl

to serve, top noodles with meat, vegetables and broth, sprinkle with chopped cilantro

Pork Shank’s & Lai Fen In Garlic Ginger Broth

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Peanut Glazed Pork Medaillons With Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce

Here is a recipe sure to tempt you if you like to have a tasty and exotic meal but do not have the time nor desire to prepare an elaborate, complicated meal, which is what happened to me today. I just finished my first week of work after two months of vacation, so my spirit and energy has been slightly drained this weekend. After cleaning the apartment, taking care of Bella, doing the shopping and a bunch of other chores, cooking an elaborate meal was not exactly at the forefront of my mind. Eating a good meal on the other hand ……..
So here is what I came up with. This was very delicious, yet simple and easy to prepare. You will be able to easily knock this out in about 15 minutes 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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For Peanut Sauce Recipe Click Here
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Peanut Glazed Pork Medaillons And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce

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Preparation :
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saute onions and garlic paste in peanut oil

saute onions, grated ginger and garlic paste in peanut oil

add blanched baby bok choy and mild chilis

add blanched baby bok choy and mild chilies

add oyster sauce, soy sauce, sriracha and sesame oil, simmer until bok choy is heated through, check / adjust seasoning

meanwhile, saute pork medaillons on both sides, when almost done, add peanut sauce and a few drops of water, remove from heat, mix well untill medaillons are completely covered with sauce

meanwhile, saute salt and pepper seasoned pork medaillons on both sides, when almost done, add peanut sauce and a few drops of water, remove from heat, mix well until medaillons are completely covered with sauce