Spaghetti stir fried with sliced beef, onion, green pepper, carrots.
In black pepper sauce (lots of black pepper, soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, white pepper)
Top with an egg.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Sliced Beef Stir Fried with Spaghetti in Black Pepper Sauce
A most common Cantonese fusion dish.
Spaghetti stir fried with sliced beef, onion, green pepper, carrots.
In black pepper sauce (lots of black pepper, soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, white pepper)
Top with an egg.
Spaghetti stir fried with sliced beef, onion, green pepper, carrots.
In black pepper sauce (lots of black pepper, soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, white pepper)
Top with an egg.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
A Fish & Steak Dinner for less than $15
Fish is my favorite meat, and steak is the favorite of my husband's.
But if we go out for a nice fish & steak dinner, it will be over $40.
Luckily, the ingredients are now that expensive.
A whole white bass for less than $4, a piece of ribeye steak for $5.
A couple zucchinis, A can of bake beans, plus all the seasonings.
Wala...
A closer look at the grilled whole white bass with Moroccan marinade.
Grilled with high heat for 7 minutes, it was the most moist fish that I have had in the U.S.
But if we go out for a nice fish & steak dinner, it will be over $40.
Luckily, the ingredients are now that expensive.
A whole white bass for less than $4, a piece of ribeye steak for $5.
A couple zucchinis, A can of bake beans, plus all the seasonings.
Wala...
A closer look at the grilled whole white bass with Moroccan marinade.
Grilled with high heat for 7 minutes, it was the most moist fish that I have had in the U.S.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Tandoori Chicken Breasts with Mango-Mint Chutney
Since the mint in our garden is spreading everywhere,
We always want to try any recipe with mint.
The chicken breasts marinate include yogurt, lemon, garlic, ginger, masala, salt, and paprika.
Before tasting them, I never believed that the marinate will really penetrate such thick piece of chicken breasts.
They are the most tasty chicken breasts and the mango-mint topping goes perfectly with the chicken. YUM!
We always want to try any recipe with mint.
The chicken breasts marinate include yogurt, lemon, garlic, ginger, masala, salt, and paprika.
Before tasting them, I never believed that the marinate will really penetrate such thick piece of chicken breasts.
They are the most tasty chicken breasts and the mango-mint topping goes perfectly with the chicken. YUM!
Shrimp Po'Boys with Cajun Remoulade
Got this recipe from Weber's grilling book.
It is amazing!!!
The shrimps are simply coated with EVOO and Cajun seasoning, and then grilled with high heat.
Even just the shrimps itself taste really nice, we are trying to think where else we can use these shrimps.
It is amazing!!!
The shrimps are simply coated with EVOO and Cajun seasoning, and then grilled with high heat.
Even just the shrimps itself taste really nice, we are trying to think where else we can use these shrimps.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Shrimp Pops
Haven't posted for quite a while--I was working really hard on my dissertation.
Here's a fun appetizer: Shrimp Pops.
Shrimp+ground pork, seasoned with basil and pepper.
Dipping sauce is basically a Thai sauce: coconut milk+peanut butter+soy sauce+lime
Here's a fun appetizer: Shrimp Pops.
Shrimp+ground pork, seasoned with basil and pepper.
Dipping sauce is basically a Thai sauce: coconut milk+peanut butter+soy sauce+lime
Saturday, May 30, 2009
It's grilling time!
It's finally summer.
For this summer, our plan is to try two grilling recipes every week.
Here are the two things we made like week:
1. Bratwurst sandwich with apple mustard sauce
The apple mustard sauce is super easy--just mix Dijon mustard with apple butter.
But it has great flavor and I'm sure it will work with for grilled pork chop too.
2. steak sandwich
New York strip steaks marinated in redwine+soy sauce+balsamic vinegar+brown sugar+garlic
It is topped with grilled onions that were marinated in the same red wine marinate.
The onions are definitely the best grilled onions I have ever had!!!
(other topping: watercress--it's suggested in the recipe, but the watercress is really bitter so we took it out after the first bite.
Sauce: horseradish cream sauce)
For this summer, our plan is to try two grilling recipes every week.
Here are the two things we made like week:
1. Bratwurst sandwich with apple mustard sauce
The apple mustard sauce is super easy--just mix Dijon mustard with apple butter.
But it has great flavor and I'm sure it will work with for grilled pork chop too.
2. steak sandwich
New York strip steaks marinated in redwine+soy sauce+balsamic vinegar+brown sugar+garlic
It is topped with grilled onions that were marinated in the same red wine marinate.
The onions are definitely the best grilled onions I have ever had!!!
(other topping: watercress--it's suggested in the recipe, but the watercress is really bitter so we took it out after the first bite.
Sauce: horseradish cream sauce)
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Cucumber Salad
In China, all appetizers are served cold.
And what is called salad in the U.S. is often an appetizer in a Chinese meal.
For example, this cucumber mung bean noodle salad.
(Dressing: soy sauce, wasabi, garlic, sesame oil)
And the main dish is chicken wing stew with potato, carrots, and shitaki mushroom.
And what is called salad in the U.S. is often an appetizer in a Chinese meal.
For example, this cucumber mung bean noodle salad.
(Dressing: soy sauce, wasabi, garlic, sesame oil)
And the main dish is chicken wing stew with potato, carrots, and shitaki mushroom.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Ants on the trees
Don't worry. This blog is still about food.
"Ants on the trees" is a traditional Chinese dish. But...
There are no ants or trees in the dish.
Ants=grounded pork/beef
trees=mung bean noodle
There two are stir-fried together and look like ants on the trees :p
"Ants on the trees" is a traditional Chinese dish. But...
There are no ants or trees in the dish.
Ants=grounded pork/beef
trees=mung bean noodle
There two are stir-fried together and look like ants on the trees :p
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Rotisserie Chicken Risotto
What's the most unpopular part in a whole rotisserie chicken?
If your answer is chicken breast, then it is the perfect recipe for you.
We like buying a whole rotisserie chicken from the store every once a while.
After having the tasty wings, thighs, and drumsticks, we always don't know what to do with the giant breasts without much flavor.
Today, I cut the two pieces of breast into cubes and made a yummy risotto.
Besides the chicken and chicken broth, there's onion, garlic, green peas, asparagus, and shitaki mushrooms in the risotto.
So again, a single dish with tons of flavor and nutrition.
If your answer is chicken breast, then it is the perfect recipe for you.
We like buying a whole rotisserie chicken from the store every once a while.
After having the tasty wings, thighs, and drumsticks, we always don't know what to do with the giant breasts without much flavor.
Today, I cut the two pieces of breast into cubes and made a yummy risotto.
Besides the chicken and chicken broth, there's onion, garlic, green peas, asparagus, and shitaki mushrooms in the risotto.
So again, a single dish with tons of flavor and nutrition.
Friday, May 8, 2009
My 30-minutes meal
With Chinese stir fry, it's always easy to make a few dishes within 30 minutes.
Main dish: porkchop in pineapple sweet and sour sauce (20 minutes, doesn't need to be tended most of the time) Secret ingrediant for sweet and sour sauce in Chinese cooking? You'll never believe it---ketchup :p
Sides: stir fry spinach with eggs (5 minutes, including cleaning);
stir fry tofu with double mushrooms (button and fresh shitaki mushrooms) in oyster sauce (5 minutes)
DONE!
About shitaki mushrooms: Most stores only sell dried shitaki mushroom, but the fresh ones actually have amazing favor and super smooth texture. Check out your local Asian grocery stores, they are often sold at a very reasonable price.
Main dish: porkchop in pineapple sweet and sour sauce (20 minutes, doesn't need to be tended most of the time) Secret ingrediant for sweet and sour sauce in Chinese cooking? You'll never believe it---ketchup :p
Sides: stir fry spinach with eggs (5 minutes, including cleaning);
stir fry tofu with double mushrooms (button and fresh shitaki mushrooms) in oyster sauce (5 minutes)
DONE!
About shitaki mushrooms: Most stores only sell dried shitaki mushroom, but the fresh ones actually have amazing favor and super smooth texture. Check out your local Asian grocery stores, they are often sold at a very reasonable price.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
What can be more fusion than cola+soysauce :)
Yes, it is Coca Cola, my secret ingredient for cooking chicken wings.
Compared with sugar, the flavor is more rich and complex. And when the cola is thicken, it tastes even better than caramelized sugar.
My signature cola chicken wings!
Sides: cucumber with egg, stir fry green peas with sweet corn with green onion (Chinese name of this dish--jade & gold, pretty fancy :p )
Compared with sugar, the flavor is more rich and complex. And when the cola is thicken, it tastes even better than caramelized sugar.
My signature cola chicken wings!
Sides: cucumber with egg, stir fry green peas with sweet corn with green onion (Chinese name of this dish--jade & gold, pretty fancy :p )
Friday, May 1, 2009
Rainy day dinner: sausage stew
It's been rainy since the weather has gotten a little bit warmer. A bowl of warm stew seems to be the perfect dinner.
This is a recipe from one of my Korean friends, but with bacon & sausage in it, my guess is that it is a Korean+American fusion dish.
Stew: sausage+bacon+tomato+onion+green pepper+spinach+garbanzo beans
(very soupy, very thick, very tasty, very healthy:-D )
Served with sour dough bread.
This is a recipe from one of my Korean friends, but with bacon & sausage in it, my guess is that it is a Korean+American fusion dish.
Stew: sausage+bacon+tomato+onion+green pepper+spinach+garbanzo beans
(very soupy, very thick, very tasty, very healthy:-D )
Served with sour dough bread.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Love ribs: Part II
After the long ribs, there are still plenty of rib tips left.
That's how I can make two ribs main dishes with only $10 :-D
Rib tips are always good when slow cooked, they become super tender, and the fat will be cooked away. Sometimes I will take out the rib tips from the pot and cook it in other flavor in a wok, while saving the slow cooked ribs soup for a yummy soup.
Today's rib tips meal:
main dish: sweet & sour rib tips (a super simple recipe for sweet & sour sauce, 1 cup of Chinese black vinegar + 1 cup of sugar + 1 cup of catchup. )
sides: stir fry green beans with thinly sliced pancake
soup: rib soup with dry toufu ties & mushroom
That's how I can make two ribs main dishes with only $10 :-D
Rib tips are always good when slow cooked, they become super tender, and the fat will be cooked away. Sometimes I will take out the rib tips from the pot and cook it in other flavor in a wok, while saving the slow cooked ribs soup for a yummy soup.
Today's rib tips meal:
main dish: sweet & sour rib tips (a super simple recipe for sweet & sour sauce, 1 cup of Chinese black vinegar + 1 cup of sugar + 1 cup of catchup. )
sides: stir fry green beans with thinly sliced pancake
soup: rib soup with dry toufu ties & mushroom
Love ribs: Part I
My favorite meat: ribs!!!
It's cheap (less than $10 for a whole rack of spare ribs), easy to cook (bake/slowcook/grill), can be made with all kinds of flavors.
I usually separate one rack of spare ribs into two parts: rib tips and the long ribs.
The long ribs are perfect for baking, covered with foil paper.
Here is the blackbean garlic sauce ribs
sides: home-made Chinese green onion multi-layered pancake, snowpeas+carrot stir-fry, broccoli+mushroom
It's cheap (less than $10 for a whole rack of spare ribs), easy to cook (bake/slowcook/grill), can be made with all kinds of flavors.
I usually separate one rack of spare ribs into two parts: rib tips and the long ribs.
The long ribs are perfect for baking, covered with foil paper.
Here is the blackbean garlic sauce ribs
sides: home-made Chinese green onion multi-layered pancake, snowpeas+carrot stir-fry, broccoli+mushroom
Monday, April 6, 2009
Pan seared chicken in soysauce and Chinese wine
I find the perfect way to pan sear chicken in thick pieces!
--Use medium high heat to brown both sides first,
--then cover the pan and turn to medium low to cook it thoroughly,
--lastly, uncover the pan and further brown both sides a little bit more.
The chicken is crispy outside and juicy inside, YUM!
Main dish: Pan seared chicken in soysauce and Chinese wine
Sides: Stir-fried asparagus with bacon, Tofu in oyster sauce.
--Use medium high heat to brown both sides first,
--then cover the pan and turn to medium low to cook it thoroughly,
--lastly, uncover the pan and further brown both sides a little bit more.
The chicken is crispy outside and juicy inside, YUM!
Main dish: Pan seared chicken in soysauce and Chinese wine
Sides: Stir-fried asparagus with bacon, Tofu in oyster sauce.
Miso Salmon
Miso salmon is my favorite dish in Grand Lux Cafe.
So I tried copying it last Thursday.
Miso salmon+soba noodle+asparagus
So I tried copying it last Thursday.
Miso salmon+soba noodle+asparagus
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
When Japanese, Indian, and American flavors are mixed together
Sounds crazy, but they actually make a great dinner.
Main dish: Teriyaki grilled pork chop
Sides: Stir-fried snow peas, carrots, and bacon; curry cauliflower
Only after I came to the U.S., I learned that peas, cauliflower, and broccoli can be eaten raw. And most people do!!! Don't get offended, but I still can't stand the bitterness in these raw vegetables. So I've been trying putting different flavors when stir-frying these vegetables. Bacon and curry flavors seem to work with almost any kind of non-leafy vegetables.
Main dish: Teriyaki grilled pork chop
Sides: Stir-fried snow peas, carrots, and bacon; curry cauliflower
Only after I came to the U.S., I learned that peas, cauliflower, and broccoli can be eaten raw. And most people do!!! Don't get offended, but I still can't stand the bitterness in these raw vegetables. So I've been trying putting different flavors when stir-frying these vegetables. Bacon and curry flavors seem to work with almost any kind of non-leafy vegetables.
a very veggie dinner
Had too much meat over the weekend, so our Monday dinner was mostly vegetables
Stir-fried tomato and eggs: colorful and nutritious; the most simple and common Chinese home-made dish, probably the first dish for all home cooks to learn.
pan stewed eggplant with pork: Eggplant soaks oil like a sponge yet takes a long time to cook, the best way to slow cook it with low heat.
stir fried small Chinese bokchoy with garlic
Stir-fried tomato and eggs: colorful and nutritious; the most simple and common Chinese home-made dish, probably the first dish for all home cooks to learn.
pan stewed eggplant with pork: Eggplant soaks oil like a sponge yet takes a long time to cook, the best way to slow cook it with low heat.
stir fried small Chinese bokchoy with garlic
a cheap substitute of a fancy dessert
Every time when we visited Hong Kong, I had to go to Hui Lau Shan for its mango dessert.
They got the best mango in the world as well as the most creative dessert idea.
Here's a picture of the real HLS stuff (diced mango on top of pureed mango and coconut on top of sweet black rice)
And of course I won't be able to find any good mango in the midwest, so I just made this substitute version with canned peach.
Score: look=100; taste=80 compared with the mango version
Also made a papaya version with coconut flavored tapioca, taste=95 :D
They got the best mango in the world as well as the most creative dessert idea.
Here's a picture of the real HLS stuff (diced mango on top of pureed mango and coconut on top of sweet black rice)
And of course I won't be able to find any good mango in the midwest, so I just made this substitute version with canned peach.
Score: look=100; taste=80 compared with the mango version
Also made a papaya version with coconut flavored tapioca, taste=95 :D
Sunday, March 29, 2009
A special treat--Chinese breakfast
It's the last day of spring break today, I gave myself a special treat breakfast :D
This whole thing will cost less than 25 cents in China, but it took me hours to cook the whole set.
- Hard boiled egg cooked in soy sauce marinade,
- Multi-layer pancake with pork and green onion,
- Home made multi-bean soy milk.
This whole thing will cost less than 25 cents in China, but it took me hours to cook the whole set.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
A very fusion dinner
Main dish: butterflied Cuban style pork chops
Sides: soba noodle, garlic stir-fried green beans
Both my husband and I are big fans of Bobby Flay.
We tried his butterflied Cuban style pork chops tonight.
I followed his recipe with two modifications:
1. replace Swiss cheese with Mozzarella (simply because we like mozzarella better);
2. replace ham with bacon, because we happen to have some bacon in the fridge.
The flavor of the pork chops is so rich with cumin, citrus taste, the cheese, and bacon.
I'll definitely make it again.
Chinese cuisine tip:
Cumin is widely used in many Chinese cuisines to season meat, especially in the northern part of China.
Cumin flavor grilled lamb is a most popular dish in XinJiang area, one of the biggest minority group in China.
Sides: soba noodle, garlic stir-fried green beans
Both my husband and I are big fans of Bobby Flay.
We tried his butterflied Cuban style pork chops tonight.
I followed his recipe with two modifications:
1. replace Swiss cheese with Mozzarella (simply because we like mozzarella better);
2. replace ham with bacon, because we happen to have some bacon in the fridge.
The flavor of the pork chops is so rich with cumin, citrus taste, the cheese, and bacon.
I'll definitely make it again.
Chinese cuisine tip:
Cumin is widely used in many Chinese cuisines to season meat, especially in the northern part of China.
Cumin flavor grilled lamb is a most popular dish in XinJiang area, one of the biggest minority group in China.
Dinners from the past week
Pineapples are on sale!
Here are two dinners with a taste of fresh pineapple.
Main dish: Pineapple sweet & sour crispy chicken
Sides: stir-fried carrot with green onion, broccoli with mushroom
Main dish: sweet & sour rib tips
Sides: pineapple, bacon, and raisin fried rice; broccoli
Chinese cuisine tip:
Pineapples are planted in the southern part of China, for example, the province of Guangdong (Canton), Guangxi, Hainan, etc.
Therefore, they are used in many Cantonese dishes to give a refreshing sweet and sour taste.
Here are two dinners with a taste of fresh pineapple.
Main dish: Pineapple sweet & sour crispy chicken
Sides: stir-fried carrot with green onion, broccoli with mushroom
Main dish: sweet & sour rib tips
Sides: pineapple, bacon, and raisin fried rice; broccoli
Chinese cuisine tip:
Pineapples are planted in the southern part of China, for example, the province of Guangdong (Canton), Guangxi, Hainan, etc.
Therefore, they are used in many Cantonese dishes to give a refreshing sweet and sour taste.
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