Ingredients:

200 to 250g deep fried noodles
200g boneless chicken breast, sliced into strips
100g shrimps, shelled and deveined
100g pork strips, sliced thinly
100g green beans
1 pc small carrot, peeled, cut into thin strips
1 pc small red capsicum, seeded, cut into thin strips
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and diced
2 tbsps cooking oil
3 tbsps dark soy sauce
½ tsp ground pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 cup chicken or pork stock
2 tbsps cornstarch, diluted in 2 tbsps cold water

Directions:

1. Heat cooking oil in a wok or deep non-stick frying pan. Fry the pork strips until golden brown; add the chicken strips, minced garlic and onions.
2. When the onion softens, add the shrimps. Once they turn pink, add the chicken or pork stock as well as the diluted cornstarch and soy sauce. Keep to a boil and stir occasionally for 3 minutes;
2. Place noodles in a deep bowl and pour the boiling mixture onto the noodles when ready to serve. Toss to coat the noodles and add a dash of lemon juice.

Happy cooking!

Post from: Blisstree

Wiggly Wednesdays: Crispy Noodles

Ingredients:

1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
4-5 cooked boneless chicken breasts, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups dry chow mein noodles (or use as much as desired)
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin orange segments, well drained
1 1/2 tbsps toasted sesame seeds

Dressing:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1-2 tsps sesame oil
6 tbsps rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 pinch garlic powder

Directions:

1. For the dressing, whisk all ingredients vigorously until well combined and until no sugar granules remain; chill at least 1 hour or more.
2. In a large serving bowl, combine the lettuce with chopped chicken and green onions. Chill until ready to serve.
3. Just before serving, mix in the chow mein noodles, orange segments and sesame seeds.
4. Mix/whisk the dressing once again then add in about half; toss to combine (serve the remaining dressing on the side). Serve immediately.

Happy cooking!

Image credit: iStockphoto

Post from: Blisstree

Crunchy Asian Lettuce and Noodle Chicken Salad

The Japanese has yet again come up with a whole new, unique way of enjoying their food. The Ramen Burger, as described by the Asahi Shimbun is as amusingly different as the challenges they come up with in their game shows:

In place of the hamburger buns, the Furusato-tei restaurant uses boiled ramen noodles baked into small round cakes. Rather than a meat patty, the ramen “buns” sandwich other ingredients often found in a ramen dish, such as char siu roasted pork, menma, a condiment made from dried bamboo, and naruto sliced fish cake.

While the first bite of the baked noodles can be crunchy, you soon begin to feel like you are slurping up ramen noodles.

It was said to be a bestseller at the said restaurant. I bet it will be just that if it ever hits Japanese restaurants everywhere else!

Image credit: www.picapp.com

Post from: Blisstree

Ramen with an American Twist

Wiggly Wednesdays invite you to celebrate the Year of the Ox with Ants Climbing A Tree! Well, not literally. It is actually a noodle dish aptly named after the appearance of the minced meat pieces against the noodle strands. Read on as I share with you Stephen Jack’s delicious recipe:

Ingredients

200g (7 oz) mung bean noodles
200g (7 oz) lean minced pork
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
2 tablespoons chilli sauce
1 teaspoon corn flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 stalks scallions, sliced into small pieces
1/2 cup chicken stock
Garnish: cilantro or scallions

Method

1. Add soy sauce, rice wine, chilli sauce, and corn flour to a bowl. Mix in pork and marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Soak the noodles in hot water for 20 minutes, then drain.
3. Heat the wok, and add the oil. Cook the pork mixture over a high heat for 2 minutes. Add scallions and cook until pork is browned.
4. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for a further 2 or 3 minutes, stirring well.
5. Add noodles to wok. Stir until noodles and sauce are blended well together and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Garnish and serve.

Happy cooking!

Post from: Blisstree

Unique New Year noodles

This entry is intended to be my first for Wiggly Wednesdays. Oh well, better late than never. I chanced upon this healthy concoction through the NY Times website. Can’t wait to try it out soon:

You can use Southeast Asian rice sticks or Chinese cellophane noodles (made from bean starch) for this Thai salad. It makes a satisfying lunch, or serve it as a starter or side dish (it will serve up to 6 as a side).

For the dressing:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce or 1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons finely minced ginger (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or a pinch of cayenne
2 tablespoons Chinese sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil

For the salad:

3 ounces dried rice noodles (rice sticks) or cellophane noodles
1/2 small Napa cabbage or 1 romaine heart
3 scallions, cleaned and thinly sliced on the diagonal (optional)
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 medium carrot, grated or cut in fine julienne
Lettuce leaves for the bowl or platter

1. Mix together the dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings. Place the rice or cellophane noodles in a bowl and cover with warm water. Soak for 20 minutes, and drain.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles. Cook about 1 minute, or until tender. Drain well and coarsely chop using scissors. Toss with all but 2 tablespoons of the dressing.
3. If using Napa cabbage, cut the halved cabbage in half again, cut out the core, then slice crosswise into thin strips. If using romaine, cut in half, then slice crosswise into thin strips. Toss with the noodles, along with the scallions, cilantro, and carrot.
4. Line a platter or bowl with lettuce leaves and pile on the salad. Spoon on the remaining dressing, and serve.

Happy cooking!

Post from: Blisstree

Rice Noodle Salad recipe

Ingredients:

300g dried rice vermicelli
600g raw prawns
2 tbsps oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
350g pork loin, cut into strips
1 large onion, cut into thin wedges
1 tbsp mild curry powder
155g green beans, cut into small diagonal pieces
1 large carrot, cut into fine matchsticks
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp soy sauce
200g bean sprouts, scraggly ends removed

Procedure:

1. Soak the vermicelli in boiling water for 5 minutes or until soft; drain well.
2. Peel and devein the prawns; chop the prawn meat.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok and, when hot, add the prawn meat, garlic and pork. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until just cooked; remove from the wok.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and heat another tbsp oil; add the onion and curry powder and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beans, carrot, sugar and salt, sprinkle with a little water and stir-fry fro 2 minutes.
5. Add the vermicelli and soy sauce to the wok; toss with 2 wooden spoons. Add the bean sprouts and pork mixture, season with salt, pepper and sugar to taste, and then toss well.

This healthy, well-balanced dish is similar to the Philippines’ pancit bihon except for two added ingredients, curry powder and bean sprouts.

Happy cooking!

Post from: Blisstree

My “bring-a-plate” this Christmas

Instead of eating it with rice, I used it to complete the ingredients for this delectable noodle recipe I tried:

Ingredients:

10 large raw prawns
200g Chinese barbecued pork
500g Shanghai noodles
1/4 cup peanut oil
2 tsps finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp black bean sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp white vinegar
1/4 cup chicken stock
123g fresh bean sprouts
3 spring onions, finely sliced
fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

Procedure:

1. Peel and devein the prawns. Cut the pork evenly into thin slices.
2. Cook the noodles in a large pan of rapidly boiling water until just tender. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a wok or heavy-based frying pan, swirling gently to coat the base and sides. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until pale gold. Add the prawns and pork, and stir for 3 minutes, or until the prawns are pink. Add the noodles to the wok with the black bean sauce, soy sauce, vinegar and stock. Stir-fry over high heat until the mixture has heated through and the sauce has been absorbed.
4. Add the bean sprouts and spring onions and cook for 1 minute. Place in a serving dish and garnish with coriander.

Happy cooking!

Post from: Blisstree

Noodles with Prawns and Pork recipe

Here’s another Thai recipe my sister shared me. I tried it myself and I must say, it didn’t disappoint. I didn’t expect something so flavorful could be so easy to cook!

Ingredients:

1/2 chicken breast (cut into thin slices)
3 tbsp oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg, beaten
1/2 packet Thai noodles, soaked and drained
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 spring onions, sliced 1 inch long
250g fresh beansprouts
2 tbsp roasted peanuts, chopped
fresh coriander
4 tbsp water

Procedure:

In a wok or frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add the beaten egg, cooking for less than a minute, then remove from the pan.

Add 2 tbsp oil and garlic and cook until brown. Add chicken, stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes then add tomato sauce, chili powder, oyster sauce, sugar, fish sauce, water, noodles and stir well.

Next, add the spring onions, peanuts and cooked egg. Stir to mix well. Finally, add the beansprouts. Once cooked, garnish with fresh coriander and serve.

Happy cooking!

Post from: Blisstree

Pad Thai recipe

In keeping up with the summer-inspired recipes I have recently posted, here’s another one I discovered from the Ladies’ Home Journal:

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
* 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce (nuoc nam or nam pla)
* 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
* 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 3 ounces vermicelli bean thread (cellophane) noodles
* 1/2 pound peeled cooked medium shrimp, halved horizontally
* 1/2 peeled mango, flesh cut into julienne strips
* 1/2 seedless cucumber, seeded and cut into julienne strips
* 34 cup fresh mint leaves
* 3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
* 1 small bunch fresh chives, snipped into 4-inch lengths
* 36 triangular or round rice-paper wrappers

Directions

1. Combine vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, and pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking, until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature for dipping sauce.

2. Bring to medium saucepan of water to a boil; add salt. Add noodles and cook, stirring, 40 seconds. Immediately drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Drain well and transfer to a bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons dipping sauce and snip into pieces about 4 inches long.

3. To assemble rolls, place noodles, shrimp, mango, cucumber, mint, cilantro, and chives in separate bowls. Working with 2 wrappers at a time, soak in a bowl of very warm water (gently moving so they don’t stick) just until softened, about 30 seconds. Carefully remove each wrapper from water, allowing excess water to drip off, and arrange flat (with widest side nearest you, if a triangular shape) on a clean dry work surface. Leaving a 1/2-inch border on edge closest to you, mound a small amount of noodles, a couple of pieces of mango and cucumber and some mint and cilantro. Fold over border and begin rolling away from you until filling is enclosed, fold in side edges and continue rolling until 2 inches from end of wrapper, then top middle of roll with halved shrimp, pink side up, and 2 chives. Continue to roll wrapper until enclosed completely. Transfer roll to damp paper towels and keep covered with more damp paper towels to prevent rice pepper from drying out. Repeat process with remaining wrappers and filling. Arrange rolls on a platter and serve with dipping sauce on the side. Makes 36 rolls.

Happy cooking!

Post from: Blisstree

Summer Spring Rolls recipe

Instant noodles come in all sorts and sizes.  Here we have yaki soba but it is ridiculously big.  As the speedometer style image on the front shows this guy is big.  Three times bigger than the standard size and just as good.  I’m ashamed to say that it beat me.  There was just too much for me to eat.  But it was still worth it.

Post from: Blisstree

The big instant yaki soba