Beef Chow Fun

Straight up--If I was an inmate on death row, my one and only last meal, would be chow fun. Sounds crazy, huh? Chow fun is, and will always be, my most favorite thing to eat on the planet! Beef chow fun, shrimp chow fun....I LOVE ALL THE CHOW FUN'S IN THE WORLD.


INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds of fresh rice noodles (may use dried noodles: follow the directions on the packaging)

8 ounces of sliced beef (I like to use tri-tip)

1 small bunch of sliced Chinese broccoli

3 scallions cut 1 1/2 inch in length

half of a white onion, sliced

4 cloves of chopped garlic

1 teaspoon of corn starch

garlic powder

fish sauce

oyster sauce


FOR THE SAUCE:

3 Tablespoons of double black soy sauce (or dark soy sauce)

2 Tablespoons of light soy sauce

2 Tablespoons of oyster sauce

2 Tablespoons of sugar

2 teaspoons of Mirin

1/4 cup of water

black pepper to taste



INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Start off by making your sauce: place all of your sauce ingredients into a small saucepan and bring it to a quick rolling boil. Stir just until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside for later use.

2. Separate your fresh rice noodles. If using dried noodles, follow the directions on the packaging. Set aside.

3. Marinade your beef with 3 Tablespoons of your reserved sauce. Add 1 teaspoon of corn starch. Mix well. Set aside.

4. Into a hot skillet or wok, add in a bit of water. Add in your sliced Chinese broccoli, pinch of salt, and black pepper. Stir, cover with lid, reduce heat to medium, and steam for 5 minutes. Remove lid, stir, and place into colander to remove any excess liquid. Set aside.

5. Into the same skillet on medium-high heat, add in a bit of oil. Add in your marinaded beef slices. Add garlic powder, fish sauce, and oyster sauce to taste. Cook just until no longer pink. Set aside.

6. Wipe down your skillet before using. On medium-high heat, add in 2 Tablespoons of oil and chopped garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add in all of your noodles, making sure to separate them in the process. Pour in the rest of your reserved sauce, sliced onions, and sliced scallions. Cook on high heat until the noodles are well coated. Remove from heat and serve immediately!

NOTES: *I've only used this sauce recipe with fresh rice noodles. If using cooked, dried noodles, I would recommend using only half of the sauce, at first, and then gradually adding more sauce to taste.

*Do not cut the sauce recipe in half. If you plan on using only 1 pound of noodles, then use only half of the chow fun sauce. Store the other half in an airtight container, and place it into the fridge for later use. :)

Pad Thai

Ingredients:
1 package of dry rice noodles(preferably size M)divided
1 pound of shrimp, cleaned and deveined(also marinated with 2 Tbsp of the FINISHED pad thai sauce)divided
6 cloves of chopped garlic, divided
2 Tbsp of ground chili paste mixed with 1/2 tsp of paprika(if you like it spicier, add more chili powder, or you can omit all the spicy flavors and sub with more paprika for color), divided
4 eggs, divided
bean sprouts
peanut oil
sesame oil
some warm water

For the pad thai sauce:
3/4 cup of palm sugar(or sugar)*
1/4 cup of tamarind concentrate plus 1 cup of warm water
1/2 tsp of salt
1 cup of warm water
1/2 cup of fish sauce
*Browse my blog on a quick post on how to melt palm sugar!

Garnishes:
dry roasted, ground peanuts
chives
chili powder or ground chili paste
fresh bean sprouts
lime wedges

*BE SURE TO HAVE ALL OF YOUR INGREDIENTS READY BEFORE STIR FRYING!

Soak your dry rice noodles in some warm water for about 30 minutes or until al dente. You want them to be slightly softened and pliable but not too soft. Just check on them often to make sure you don't overdo it. Drain them completely and drizzle in some sesame oil. Toss to coat. Set aside.

Combine all of your ingredients for your pad thai sauce in a pot and cook on an outside burner. If you can't simmer this outside, then you might want to rethink making this dish! The aroma from the fish sauce simmering away, is bad enough to make you want to climb into your car, drive half way across town, and slap yo mama. No lie. You want to keep the ingredients at a medium boil, with the lid slightly cracked to relieve some steam. Boil for about thirty minutes, or until you see most of the liquid start to bubble away and has become slightly thickened. Make sure you stir often to prevent burning. Once done, set aside to cool down. The sauce will thicken upon standing. Set aside.

Take some pad thai sauce and mix it in with your shrimp. Next, with a wok on medium high heat, add in 2 cloves of chopped garlic and stir fry for a few seconds. Add in your shrimp and cook until almost cooked through. Remove and set aside.

Using the same wok, add in two handfuls of the dried noodles. Add in a little bit of warm water plus a ladle of pad thai sauce. Cook until noodles are done to your liking(making sure to stir constantly to prevent sticking). Add half of the shrimp back in and make a well in the center of the wok. Crack two eggs into the middle and wait a minute before mixing. Stir to combine the eggs with the noodles and shrimp. Once done, turn off heat and mix in some bean sprouts. Remove immediately, and place on a serving platter. Garnish with chives, dry roasted peanuts, chili powder or paste, fresh bean sprouts, and lime. Repeat process to make second batch.

Notes:
Do not double recipe for pad thai sauce. You must make the sauce in separate batches if you want more sauce. Once cooked, you may store in airtight container and keep for future use. If you would like more "tang" then you can add more tamarind concentrate. I like to add a generous squeeze of lime at the end, so too much tamarind for me would be overkill. The sauce on it's own might taste strong, but once you stir fry it with the noodles it will be perfect! Remember, it should taste slightly sweet, slightly tangy, and slightly salty! I say, "divided" in the recipe because you must cook everything in batches. In the video below, I show you how to make one batch of pad thai.

Wonton Soup

Mmm, it's cold here in Washington and this wonton soup is EXACTLY what I needed to warm up today. It's light and filling at the same time, and you know what??? You won't feel like a complete COW after you've devoured and slurped each and every tiny drop of that delicious broth. Give this soup a try...you won't be sorry. :)

For the broth you will need:

(3) 32 oz boxes of low sodium chicken broth plus 2 more cups of water(3.5 quarts total)
2 T of sugar
1/2 tsp of freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp of salt
3 packets of wonton soup base mix( I use the brand dynasty)
1/8 tsp of white pepper(or more if you like spicy)
1 tsp of sesame oil

For the filling you will need:

1/2 pound of finely chopped shrimp(peeled and deveined)
1/4 of a pound(or 4 oz) of ground pork(give your pork a few quick chops on cutting board before mixing w/ shrimp)
3 T of finely chopped green bartlett pear(or water chestnut/celery if you wish)
1 green onion finely chopped
1 tsp of sugar
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of white pepper
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
some freshly grated ginger

You will also need:

chopped green onion for garnish
1 to 2 pkg's of wonton wrappers
1 egg lightly beaten

To make the broth:

Bring your chicken broth and water to a boil. Grate in your ginger. Add your salt and sugar. Add in your wonton soup mix. Stir to combine. Turn heat down(or off) and add in your white pepper and sesame oil last. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Don't make the broth too salty. You don't want it to overpower the taste of the wonton.

How to make the filling:

Place all of your ingredients into a mixing bowl and thoroughly mix it with clean hands. Once mixed, cover and let refrigerate for 1 hr to overnight.

How to assemble wontons:

Place 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of filling onto the middle of wonton wrapper. Using a pastry brush, lightly dab on some egg wash on all four sides of wonton wrapper. Fold over to create a triangle. Press the sides down gently and fold using technique shown in my video. Remember to have a damp cloth over filled wontons and wonton wrappers at all times to prevent drying out.
Place filled wontons in boiling water and cook for 5 minutes or until they all float to the surface. I recommend cooking ONE WONTON FIRST to taste for seasoning. Sometimes, I end up adding a touch more salt, sometimes more sugar. Once all cooked, using a slotted spoon, place in colander to drain excess water. Place wontons in pretty serving bowl, ladle on some warm broth, and garnish with chopped green onion.

Notes: You may freeze any leftover filling that you don't use. You may also cut the broth recipe in half.
Don't forget to watch my tutorial on how to make this easy and sinfully delicious wonton soup!!