Stir-fried Shanghai Noodles

Every time I go to my favorite Shanghai restaurant, I never fail to order their stir-fried golden yellow noodles. Each bite reminds me so much of stir-fried Hokkien / Cantonese noodles aka Hokkien Char Mee / Cantonese Tai Lok Meen, one of the more popular stir-fried noodle dishes in Malaysia. Bear in mind, this is not the regular soft and soggy lo mein yellow noodles or wonton egg noodles. Traditionally, stir-fried Hokkien noodles is cooked with specially prepared fresh thick yellow egg noodles and a combination of meats, seafood, vegetables, and a special ingredient, crispy pork cubes :) You can really taste the breath of wok as you slurp away the plump and springy fat yellow egg noodles drenched in rich thick black soy sauce and a mixture of one tiny bite of the crispylicious pork bits is enough to blow your tastebuds away. Stir-fried Shanghai noodles also employ a very similar type of noodles. However it is cooked with shredded pork, lard and napa cabbage with a less saucier version.

Lately, fond food memories have been invading my mind with crazy as the days draw closer to my vacation, especially noodly ones. But I've been putting off making this one particular noodle dish because "the" right type noodles couldn't be found at my local Asian grocery store. Taking matters into my own hands, I bugged the manager on numerous occasions until he finally gave in haha :)

Okay, people. Here's what to look for at the market, and here's what it looks like. Save it, print it, bring it to your Asian market, do whatever you need to do and you shall be on your way to enjoying some pretty darn delicious golden Shanghai noodles or some good ol' Malaysian stir-fried Hokkien noodles :) As for now, I'll stick to a very quick and easy recipe, stir-fried Shanghai noodles with mushroom and chinese mustard greens in thick soy sauce :) Soon, I'll be reunited with the real deal .. stir-fried Hokkien noodles with squid, cabbage, shrimp, pork and crispy pork fats ...................... to be continued after 2 months :)

Stir-fried Shanghai Noodles Recipe

Ingredients :
1/2 pack thick yellow noodles, fresh ( 7 oz )
1 tsp chopped garlic
4 oz shredded green onions
5 oz sliced button mushrooms
5 oz cut chinese mustard greens ( aka Small Gai Choy )
1 egg
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp thick soy sauce
1-2 tsp tsp sweet soy sauce (ABC brand, bottle)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cooking oil
white pepper to taste

Notes : Sugar and molasses are already added in the thick soy sauce and the sweet soy sauce. Hence, no sugar is needed for this recipe.

Method :
1) In a pot of boiling water, cook the yellow noodles until the required texture is achieved. I like it springier, so I cook the yellow noodles for just about 5-8 minutes. Remove, rinse in cold water, drain and set aside to cool.
2) Add sesame oil and cooking oil to the cooked noodles. Mix well and set aside.
3) Heat the wok until it's smoking hot and turn the heat down to low. Quickly stir-fry the green onions and garlic until fragrant.
4) Stir in an egg, mix the cut mustard greens, sliced button mushrooms, turn the heat back high, and continue stir-fry for 1 minute.
5) Add the noodles, splash in the fish sauce, sweet soy sauce, thick soy sauce, white pepper to taste, and continue to stir-fry for an additional 2-3 minute or until evenly mixed.

Spaghetti Stir-fry With The Works ..

As much as I love Asian flair in rice and noodles, I occasionally enjoy preparing just a simple pasta meal at home. No chopping, no dicing, and no leftover herbs. This is my kind of comfort meal ! That, besides a simple custom request to Olive Garden got rejected when I ordered my Alfredo Pasta with Portobello Mushroom with a light wine sauce :P

On a meatball spaghetti night, I love using jarred spaghetti sauce, especially the four cheese kind. Whereas on lighter days, I cannot do without canned tomatoes with all my favorite herbs - Del Monte Organic Tomatoes With Basil, Oregano And Garlic. I usually don't use canned tomotoes in stir-fries. With that, I am determined to put my taste buds to the test. This pasta recipe is an easy, breezy one, makes your summer days less hectic, I promise !

Look .. I found these huge luscious looking beauties - Heirloom Grilla-bella mushrooms.

I love chunks of these loaded up in my spaghetti pasta dish. If you have never had them, you must ! As much as I love all Asian mushrooms, I enjoy grilla-bellas Portobello mushrooms in the summer - light earthy flavors. Portobello mushrooms are great on the grill, or stir-fried, and you can just toss them into your favorite burger or a salad afterwards.

As suggested by Ruth Daniel's Presto Pasta Night, any pasta recipe will do. Go crazy with your noodle dish - hot, cold, spicy, creamy, saucy, and more ..as for tonight, I will be featuring Spaghetti Noodles Stir-fried with Portobello Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Basil, Garlic and Beef Steak. Yes, it was delicious, and I hope you give my spaghetti noodles, with the works more than one go, bon apetit ! :)

Spaghetti Noodles Stir-fry With Portobello Mushrooms Recipe

Ingredients :
1 lb cooked spaghetti noodles ( I used Barilla )
14 oz Portobello mushrooms ( sliced )
2/3 can cubed tomatoes with oregano, basil and garlic
10 oz top sirloin beef
olive oil
onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
white wine ( chardonnay )
grated Romano and Parmesan cheese ( optional )

Method :
1) Marinate the beef with onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside for 5 minutes.
2) Heat the wok or skillet to a smoky point, pan-fry OR grill the beef on high heat until both sides are browned and cook until two thirds done.
3) Slice the steak to about 3/4 of an inch thick, and set aside.
4) Heat the wok, toss in a generous amount of olive oil, pan-fry the sliced portobello mushrooms until fragrant, toss in the cooked spaghetti noodles. ( at room temperature or slightly chilled, so that it doesn't stick to the pan )
5) Continue stir-frying the spaghetti noodles for 1 minute, add the canned tomatoes, salt, pepper to taste, sliced beef steak, splash the white wine in, give it a quick toss and stir, cover, and simmer for another 2 minutes.
6) Dish up, and sprinkle grated romano and parmesan cheese, and ready to serve.

Tiger Lily Buds And Edamame Stir-fry

You have seen and eaten these in Hot and Sour Soups, and perhaps a couple of Moo Shu dishes. Traditionally, these exotic lily buds are woodsy tiger lilies, and they are actually unopened yellow day lily flowers. Because of its bright golden color when it is raw, lily buds are known as "Gum Jum" in Cantonese, which translates to "Golden Needle". At the Asian grocery market, look in the dry foods section where they are packed in plastic baggies and appear slightly pale yellow in color. Dried lily buds are mainly used in authentic chinese stir-fries, soups and hot pots aka fondues. In the chinese tradition, tiger lily flowers also represent "wealth", and you will see loads of it added to Chinese New Year vegetarian dishes such as Buddha's Feast. They are also great when paired up with any recipe that calls for shitake mushroom or wood ear mushroom, such as my Clay Pot Chicken recipe.

It's a pleasure munching these long, slender, needly flowers. Crunchy in texture when cooked, these tiger lilies lend a light earthy flavor as opposed to the heavier flavored chinese mushroom and portabello mushroom. I don't think I have seen any fresh golden petals like I used to when I was back home. I remember picking them out from my bowl of glass noodles when I was a kid, and crunching each lily flower bud before slurping my noodles.

I couldn't think of anything more light and pleasant to go along with my lily flower stir fry recipe than edamame beans. I love edamame bean pods steamed, eaten cold or hot, but I tend to get lazy with the peeling part, not to mention the messiness of the juice squirting all over. That's why I bought some frozen prepacked ones that is conveniently available all year round at the Asian grocery frozen section. Edamame beans have a cross taste between a regular green pea and a chinese broad bean, slightly crunchy, and easier on the bean taste. I think this would fit well in my second submission to the Weekend Herb Blogging at Kalyn's Kitchen :)

Here it is. A quick, no brainer recipe - lily buds stir fry with edamame soy beans and shrimp. This, I have to say, is yet another great addition to my spring and summer stir fry or salad medleys that I enjoy !

Tiger Lily Buds And Edamame Stir-fry Recipe

Ingredients :
1/2 cup dried lily buds ( soaked in water, washed and rinsed )
1 cup frozen edamame beans ( de-shelled )
4 peeled shrimp
1 tbsp oyster sauce
white pepper
sesame oil
mirin wine

Method :

1) Pan fry the shrimp until slightly browned. Add the edamame beans and lily buds, stir-fry, toss and turn for 1 minute.

2) Dash in sesame oil, white pepper, oyster sauce, and a splash of mirin wine. Continue stir-frying for about 3 minutes.

Instant Noodle 101

Since I ventured a little into instant noodles on my last post, I thought I might as well deliver the whole enchilada while my "noodle" is still in "oo-dle" gear. In my last post, I gave Mr. Yi from China his props for the concept of the instant noodle. But it was a Japanese company called Nissin that kicked it up a notch and gave birth to the colorful plastic-wrapped rectangular 4" by 6" bricks of dried "instant ramen" noodles that we are more familiar with today. Today, instant noodles aren't just about quick-fix meals for rat-racers or low-budget meals for starving students anymore. They are balanced with meat and vegetables and served as proper meals not only at home, but also at many Oriental restaurants, especially in Hong Kong-style cafes.

My favorite brand of instant noodles is "Maggi". I've tried many different brands that get all mushy after cooking but Maggi noodles retain that chewy, springy texture that is the first thing I look for. Not to mention their soup seasonings come in all the flavors I enjoy. From Asam Laksa to Curry and Tom Yum, or even Mee Goreng for dry noodle lovers. I believe Maggi is also the most popular brand of instant noodles in Malaysia and Singapore. Growing up, I can remember many a good time spent shooting the breeze with my buddies over "roti canai" and Maggi noodles at my favorite "mamak" stall back home. It might be the company, but even instant noodles taste better when someone else is doing the cooking :)

Okay.. on to my instant noodling for the day. I'm going to go with Maggi Asam Laksa flavor. For those who are unfamiliar with "Asam Laksa", it is a popular Malaysian noodle dish served in a sour tamarind-based fish soup. I'm also going to "de-instant-ize" my noodles with an egg, some fresh cut green beans and some stir-fried fish fillet.

Maggi instant noodles - USD$0.29
Ingredients - USD$1.00
Taste - Priceless.. For everything else, there is Master Card ? :P

Instant Noodle Soup with Sambal Green Bean and Fish Stir-Fry Recipe

Ingredients :
1 pack Maggi Asam Laksa Instant Noodle ( OR your favorite instant Ramen )
8 oz fresh cut green beans
8 oz sole fish fillet sliced
2 tsp minced shallots
1 tbsp chili paste
1 tsp toasted shrimp paste powder ( belacan )
2 tsp dried shrimps ( soaked and minced )
a pinch of turmeric spice
2 tsp cooking oil
1 tsp tamarind paste
salt and sugar to taste
water for cooking noodles
1 boiled egg

Method :

1) Marinate fish fillet with turmeric spice, cooking oil, and roasted shrimp powder. Set aside.
1) Stir-fry minced shallots and dried shrimp until fragrant. Add fish fillet slices and pan-fry on both sides until slightly browned.
2) Add green beans and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add chili paste, tamarind paste, salt and sugar to taste, and splash in some water. Continue to stir-fry for 2 more minutes and set aside.
3) Cook instant noodles according to instructions on package. Add boiled egg, prepared green beans and fish to your noodle soup.

P/S : If you have a favorite brand of instant noodles that you really like, do share it with me as I'm always on the look-out for good instant noodles for those lazy cooking days.

Lotus Root Fries

Hmmm ... leftover lotus root from my last recipe. I'm feeling a little burned out from the regular stews and stir-fries so I thought I'd go the "East meets West" route this time around. What better way to accomplish this than a fusion with the all - time American favorite deep-fried snack - French Fries. I don't get why they call them french fries. But then again, I don't get why they call hamburgers hamburgers anyway. Well if you do, enlighten me.

Anyway, moving along from the confusion to the fusion, I've decided to whip up some lotus root fries with my leftover lotus root. Whether or not you are a fan of french fries, you really should give this fusion lotus root fries recipe a whirl. Not only does it have less calories, lotus root is rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber.

Another way in cooking lotus root (aka "Renkon" in Japanese) is raw in salads. A simple toss with mirin wine, sesame oil and soy sauce, and you got yourself a healthy, delicious lotus root salad, a delectable delight for the upcoming summer time.

Okay, on to the lotus root fries recipe. Using light cornstarch and no salt at all, lightly dust some strip cuts of lotus root and deep fry them to a perfect crisp. Simple, isn' it? You can also kick it up a notch like I did by quick stir-frying the lotus root fries using butter, evaporated milk, fresh cut red chili peppers, and my all-time favorite herb - kaffir lime leaves. There you have it ... buttery, zesty, mildly spicy lotus root fries !

Lotus Root Fries Recipe

Ingredients :
1 pc. lotus root ( cut into strips of 1/2 inch thick )
cornstarch

Method :
1) Lightly dust the lotus root strips with cornstarch.
2) Deep fry for about 3-5 minutes, OR until golden brown.

Spicy Buttered Lotus Root Stir Fry Recipe

Ingredients :
1 red chili pepper ( deseeded and sliced )
5 kaffir lime leaves
black pepper
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp evaporated milk
1/2 tsp honey
lotus root fries ( from above recipe )

Method :
1) Saute the kaffir lime leaves and red chili peppers until fragrant.
2) Add butter, honey, evaporated milk and let simmer.
3) Toss in the lotus root fries and a dash of black pepper.
3) A quick toss and turn to let everything mix. Then continue stir-fry for 30 seconds.

My Buddha's Feast, A Lotus Root Stir Fry

Traditionally, Buddha's Feast or Buddha's Delight is a vegetarian dish served on the very first day of Chinese New Year. The use of vegetables signify purity, therefore no meat or seafood is eaten on the first and fifteenth day of the New Year celebration and no animals are killed on those two days.

During Chinese New Year, using shitake mushroom symbolizes the welcoming of Spring and the calling of opportunities in life, whereas using water chestnuts signify unity. The one mushroom I enjoy the most is the Bunashumeiji mushrooms. It adds a really sweet, smoky, mushroomy flavor to the dish.

Since today isn't the first or the fifteenth day of the New Year, I have tweaked my Buddha's Delight recipe using Chinese waxed sausage and lotus root. In the Chinese New Year tradition, cooking with lotus roots also carries the meaning of bonding and strong family ties. You can also find lotus root candies in many boxed candied fruit trays sold at Asian markets. Lotus root may enhance the sweetness of soups but after all the boiling, it ends up a little soggy and tasteless. Stir frying, on the other hand, preserves the crunchy texture and the sweetness of the lotus root for a really satisfying end result.

Chinese sausages and other waxed meats like duck or bacon are also prevalent in many Chinese New Year festive foods. The rose wine flavor preserved in the chinese sausage is really brought out and adds a mildly intoxicating aroma to any stir fry or clay pot dish.

Lotus Root Stir Fry Recipe

Ingredients :
1 piece lotus root, sliced
2 links of chinese duck liver sausage, sliced ( OR regular chinese sausage )
1 bunch bunashimeiji mushroom
chinese shitake mushroom, shredded
3 water chestnuts, peeled and sliced
green onions, shredded
sesame oil
white pepper
shaoxing cooking wine
2 tbsp oyster sauce
sugar and salt to taste

Method :

1) Cook chinese sausage in microwave on high for 2 minutes, and then set aside.
2) Stir fry the the green onions and mushroom until fragrant. Toss in the sliced lotus root and water chesnuts. Continue stir frying for 2 minutes.
3) Dash in some sesame oil, white pepper, oyster sauce, and cooking wine. Stir fry for 1 minute and add the sliced chinese sausage, sugar and salt to taste. Mix well and continue stir frying for an additional 2 minutes OR until cooked.

Asian Spinach Stir Fry

I'm always on the lookout at the Asian grocery store for interesting vegetables. This time, some leafy greens shaped like lotus leaves labelled as "Mong Toi" caught my eye. A little googling revealed that "Mong Toi" is also a Vietnamese spinach , crossed between a chinese broccoli and a spinach, and it is also known as "Malabar Spinach" to the Indians. When over cooked, this Asian spinach might turns out a little slimy like the okra. You can sometimes see Mong Toi spinach served in Cantonese cuisine, known as "Saan Choy". This spinach has so many names in Chinese which translates to different meanings such as "emperor's vegetable" or "fallen hollyhock". The fact is, Malabar Spinach is not really a spinach, although its flavor resembles much to the regular spinach. It has an interesting slippery texture to the mouth, and its meaty leaves lends quite a bit of an iron-after-taste.

Nutritional facts : High in Vitamin A, C, iron and Calcium, and low in calories by volume and high in protein per calorie. This meaty leaves are rich source of soluble fiber, valued for removing mucus and toxins from the body.

More information and planting tips : Garden Pages

Cooking tips : Do not over cooked the spinach due to the high level of iron which could lead to a slightly unpleasant iron-after taste and leaves a slippery feel as well. So, what I did was to deep fry some chinese salted fish and use the oil to stir fry the mong toi spinach with a hint of fish sauce to tone down the iron taste.

Here I am, venturing into another episode of discovering a new taste and my submission to this Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Kalyn's Kitchen : Asian Spinach Stir-fry with Crispy Salted fish and Shrimps.

Tags : weekend herb blogging, food blogging events, quick and easy recipes, stir fry


Mong Toi Spinach Stir-Fry Recipe

Ingredients :
sliced salted fish ( You can buy these at any Asian grocery market, preferably "555" brand as they are made of pure red snapper fillets )
6-8 shrimps ( peeled and deveined )
1 bunch mong toi spinach
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
shaoxing wine ( OR other chinese cooking wine )
1 tsp sesame oil
water

Method :

1) Pan fry the pre-sliced salted fish to a crisp, and then set aside.
2) Saute the ginger and garlic, toss in shrimps, pan fry until slightly browned, add the spinach in, dash the fish sauce, oyster sauce and splash in some cooking wine, and mix well.
3) Stir fry for 2 minutes, add the pan fried salted fish, some water, mix well, and give it a quick 30 seconds stir fry.

Mud Crabs aka Egg Crabs

Wholely crab !!! Yes, I was quite "thankful" when I chanced upon a "tankful" of one of my favorite shellfish the other day - the "Mud Crab".

Though the name itself might be a put-off, I'm sure most seafood connoisseur will agree that the taste is a different story altogether.Don't mean to come off sounding sexist, but IMHO only the female mud crabs, also known as "egg crabs", are the ones that really make good eating. Haha.. go figure.

The mud crab is not as fleshy as the dungeness crab, so I always choose the heavy ones to get more flesh for my buck. Besides, the heavier they are, the fresher they are too.The mud crab is rarer than its cousins in the North American market, which is why it comes with a higher price tag here. Here in Los Angeles, it is around ten to fifteen dollars when its in season and can easily go above twenty dollars off-season.

So you can imagine my joy when I found a couple of "drop dead" gorgeous female mud crabs for only three dollars per pound at the market. Yes, I mean they had literally just "dropped dead" a couple of hours ago that's why they were so cheap. Lucky me:) Ooooo.. check out the orange eggs hidden under their shells, delicious aren't they ?

So tell me, what is your best crab recipe that I can use for these lovely ladies ?

First off, thank you kindly for all your equally tantalizing suggestions. I can't wait to try each and every one of them next time I have my crustacean guests over for dinner again :P

This time around, since they were DOA (dead on arrival), I'm just going to quickly whip something up with whatever I have sitting pretty in my fridge while they are still fresh. Finally, I can indulge in my own "roe" fantasy after drooling over these for days. Also, don't forget to hop over to Bee and Mae for more yummylicious crab recipes that's bound to rock your socks off !!

So, people, get your bib on, whip out your crab cracker, and let the crab fest begin! :)

Lemongrass And Pepper Crab Recipe

Ingredients :
2 medium sized egg crabs ( cleaned, claws removed and lightly cracked, torso cut in half )
1/2 stalk of fresh lemongrass ( cut )
2-3 dried bay leaves
2 shallots ( minced )
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tbsp fermented soy beans ( mashed )
3-4 dried chili pods ( optionally remove seeds for a milder taste )
cut green bell peppers
1 tbsp crushed black peppercorn
1 tbsp crushed white peppercorn
chinese rice wine ( OR other cooking wine )
salt and sugar to taste

Method :
1) Rub minced shallots, garlic, and ginger all over the crab torsos, and steam for 5 minutes. ( The claws need not included as they cooked easily. )
2) Saute lemongrass, bay leaves, soy beans, bell peppers, and chili pods in wok until fragrant.
3) Dump steamed crab parts and raw crab claws into wok. Dash in the crushed black and white peppercorn, and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
4) Splash in a generous amount of rice wine, and any crab "juice" leftover from the steaming. Add salt and sugar to taste.
5) Cover wok and let simmer for another 5 minutes.

Chayote Squash And Potato Indian Stir-Fry

Chinese stir-fry recipes make use of garlic, ginger, and brown sauce, whereas Indian stir-fry recipes rely heavily on herbs and spices to develop a deep aromatic flavor and add a jolt of heat. When I have a craving for Indian cooking, two spices that are no stranger to my wok instantly come to mind - cumin and coriander seeds. They are the essential ingredients in most curry recipes, but they also pack a punch to any cooking, not to mention that nutty and peppery flavor which I enjoy so much. Instead of my ethnic preference for kaffir lime leaves or curry leaves which are prevalent in most Malaysian spicy foods, I'm going to use fenugreek leaves for a change this time. This Indian herb can be found in any Indian grocery market labeled as Kasuri Methi. I add the herb at the last stage of cooking to lend a light herb-y note alongside the rich cumin and coriander flavor.

I like using potatoes when cooking Indian food because they absorb the aromatic flavors of the herbs and spices well. But they can be a little heavy on the starch sometimes so I'm going to balance the equation with a lighter vegetable - the Chayote squash. This pear-shaped squash has about the same texture as a potato, but it has a lighter cucumber-y taste. In Cantonese cuisine, the Chayote squash is known as Hup Jeong Gua, which literally translates to "closed palms squash" because of its appearance. There are not many chayote squash recipes in Chinese cooking. But just as any other squash, they taste great in any stir-fry, deep fry, or soup recipe.

If you have got leftover roast chicken, like I did from my Hainan Chicken Rice, and some tortilla wraps, you can even improvise this Chayote Squash Stir-Fry recipe into an Indian-style Burrito.

Ingredients :
1 Chayote squash ( cubed )
1 large Russet potato ( cubed )
1 tsp minced ginger
Red bell pepper strips
2 tsp curry powder ( used to marinate the cubed chayote squash and potatoes )
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fenugreek leaves
salt and sugar to taste
water

Method :
1) Saute minced ginger, cumin seeds and coriander seeds until fragrant.
2) Pan fry the marinated potatoes until browned, add the marinated chayote squash in, mix well and stir fry for 2 minutes.
3) Add in the fenugreek leaves, continue stir frying for another 30 seconds.
4) Dash some water in, cover and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes OR until all fully cooked.

Glass Noodles Stir Fry

The age-old debate on who invented the noodles was finally settled when they found a 4,000-year-old bowl of noodles in China a couple of years back. Today, owls of noodles can be found all over the world in a variety of shapes and sizes. The more popular ones are the Chinese yellow noodles and rice vermicelli, the Italian spaghetti and macaroni, and the Japanese udon and soba to name a few. Speaking of noodles, can anyone enlighten me on how the phrase "using your noodle" came about to mean "using your brain"? :P

One particular noodle I haven't had in a while is the "glass noodle", named for it's translucent appearance when cooked. It is also called "bean thread" because it is made from mung bean, not to be mistaken with the rice vermicelli, which is quite similar uncooked. I haven't tried this noodle in a while because there were rumors of lead-poisoning surrounding it a few years ago. I'm glad the whole mess is finally cleared up so I can finally get to enjoy it once again.

Two of the more popular dishes associated with glass noodles recipes are the Szechuan style "Ants Climbing A Tree" and the Thai style "Pad Woon Sen". Both are stir fried but glass noodles also go great in soups or salads. The dish I'm preparing today is a simple quick stir fry recipe similar to the "Pad Woon Sen" but I'm going to kick it up a notch by adding a little unsalted fermented soy beans, which I prefer to the salted black beans because of its rich bean-ier flavor.

Ingredients :
2 bundles glass noodles
1 lbs sole fish fillet sliced
minced garlic
shredded ginger
5 asparagus thinly sliced
red bell pepper strips
1 tbsp fermented soy beans ( unsalted )
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp shaoxing cooking wine
sesame oil
sugar to taste

Method :

1) Boil a pot of water, turn off the heat and soak the glass noodles for 3 minutes.
2) Rinse in cold, running tap water, and then set aside.
3) Marinade the fish fillets with some oyster sauce, fish sauce, and then set aside.
4) Saute 1/2 portion of both shredded ginger and minced garlic until fragrant, add in the pre-marinated the fish fillets and pan fry on both sides until browned, toss in the sliced asparagus, red bell pepper strips, continue stir fry for 1 minute, and then set aside.
5) Heat the wok or skillet to a smoky point, saute the fermented soy beans and the remaining shredded ginger and minced garlic until fragrant.
6) Quickly add the chilled glass noodles in and stir fry on high heat until the fermented soy beans flavors completely infused into the glass noodles.
7) Splash the soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil and sugar to taste and mix well.
8) Dish up and serve with the pan fried sole fish fillets.

Asian Mushrooms Stir Fry Beef

Unlike the cremini or porcini mushroom, this particular Asian mushroom is exotic. I found is only available between winter and spring. I was ecstatic upon rediscovering this navel-like mushroom over the weekend. I spoke to this elderly man who was just as enthusiastic picking out the good ones and learn a thing or two. He suggested choosing the rounder looking ones and to prepare them for cooking by cutting off the root and the tip. After that, to peel and smash them with the palm of your hand. What suits the Asian mushroom recipe, I asked. He told me that in most Cantonese cuisine, the best recipe for these exotic mushrooms is cooking them in a soup, a simple mushroom stir fry with spicy pork, OR a "teppanyaki" (iron grilled) mushroom beef.

I must admit it does not have the shitake mushroom aroma that I prefer. It tastes more like waterchesnut but not as crunchy, but is definitely a far cry from the spongy-textured King Oyster Mushrooms. And yes, it does add a mild mushroom flavor to your cooking if that's what you are looking for.

In the Cantonese dialect, these exotic Asian mushrooms are known as "Chi Goo", which literally translates to "belly-button mushroom" or "navel mushroom". I may be mistaken but I have searched high and low for it's english name to no avail. If you have any information on it, please let me know.

Anyway, I have decided to experiment these exotic Asian mushrooms in a Mongolian style stir fry with my favorite part of beef and a strong hint of black pepper.

Ingredients :
6 exotic mushrooms peeled and sliced
1 lb. of sliced beef flap meat ( I prefer using beef flap meat because it cooks faster and is tender and flavorful )
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp mushroom soy sauce ( OR soy sauce )
green onion strips
white pepper
black pepper
sesame oil
sherry cooking wine ( OR other cooking wine )
cornstarch solution

Method :
1) Season the meat with white pepper, black pepper, oyster sauce and sesame oil, then set aside.
2) Heat wok, saute the green onions and mushroom till fragrant, add the seasoned beef, stir fry briskly until beef is slightly browned.
3) Splash in some mushroom soy sauce and cooking wine and continue stir frying until the sauce starts to bubble.
4) Stir in the cornstarch solution to thicken the sauce. Cover wok and let simmer for 2 minutes.