Singapore Noodles

I absolutely love being a part of recipe swaps and clubs, because it introduces me to different blogs from all over the world. For the February installment of Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to the blog Wandering Spice, which is written by Yasmeen who lives in Australia! While reading through her blog, I had a few Middle Eastern recipes saved that I wanted to try. I let Joel look through the recipe index, just in case there was another recipe that he wanted me to try first before I went ahead with my choice. As soon as he saw this recipe for Singapore Noodles, he begged me to make them, since they are his favorite. I did have a little bit of trouble finding the Madras Curry Paste, but at the third grocery store, I found it in the Indian food aisle. As soon as I opened the jar, I knew that this meal was going to be delicious! This meal came together so quickly and the end result was so delicious! Joel said that it didn't taste exactly like the Singapore noodles the he has had in the past, but he liked this dish anyway. I didn't know any better, since I've never had this dish before, and I enjoyed this meal very much!

1 nest Fresh Egg Noodles or 3 nests Dry Egg Noodles (I used a package of "Chinese Noodles" I found at a specialty shop)
4 ounces Broccoli, cut into small florets
1 Red Bell Pepper, julienned
1 Carrot, julienned
3 ounces Fresh or Canned Baby Corn, quartered lengthwise
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
4-5 Fresh or Frozen Prawns per serving (we used 4 jumbo prawns total)
1 thumb-sized piece Ginger, grated
1 rounded tablespoon Madras Curry Paste
2 teaspoons Soy Sauce
2/3 cup Water
2 tablespoons Canola Oil

Prepare noodles according to package directions. In a large wok, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the broccoli, carrot, red pepper, and corn with the ginger and garlic until softened, but still a bit crisp. If the broccoli won't soften, add a drop or two of water and cook until it evaporates. Set the vegetables aside on a plate. Add the remaining oil to the wok and sauté the prawns until translucent. Set aside with the vegetables. Add the curry paste and soy sauce to the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Then, add the water and bring to a boil. Add the cooked noodles to the curry sauce and toss to coat, then return the vegetables and shrimp to the pan and sauté to heat through and combine flavors. Serve immediately with lime wedges as a garnish.

Chicken Sriracha Stir Fry

Though I took a break over the holidays, I finally started back up with the weekly recipe swaps, hosted by Sarah at Taste of Home Cooking.  This week, rather than having a theme, it was decided to do a "Secret Recipe Club" style swap. I was really excited when I found that out, because I have enjoyed being a member of the SRC over the past few months.  In fact, Sarah was assigned to my blog two months ago for SRC.  So, when I got her blog this week for our swap, I was very happy! I am a follower of her blog, and I feel as though she and I have similar cooking styles. I read through many of her recipes and had quite a few on a list of potential choices, but ultimately, it came down to this stir fry. Joel loves sriaracha, so as soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it. Let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint! It was perfectly spicy and so versatile, in that you can change up the vegetable combination and it would still be delicious! I highly recommend this dish and look forward to making this again!

For the Marinade:
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Dry Sherry
1 tablespoon Water
1 teaspoon Sriracha 
2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

For the Stir Fry
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
6 tablespoons Water
1 tablespoon Sriracha (I may have used a tad more…)
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons Oyster Sauce (I used fish sauce)
1 cup Green Beans, chopped
3 Carrots, peeled and sliced (I omitted)
1 cup Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 large Onion, chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced (I added)
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced (I added)
2 tablespoons Cooking Oil (I used canola)
2 tablespoons Ginger, grated
3 Garlic Cloves, chopped

Place the chicken cubes in a plastic food storage bag (or bowl that will be covered with plastic wrap). Add the marinade ingredients and toss to coat thoroughly. Let stand for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch, water, sriracha, soy sauce, and oyster sauce; set aside. In a wok, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add the vegetables and stir fry for 5 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Remove to a plate. Wipe out the wok with a wet paper towel. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok. When hot, add the ginger and garlic. After a few seconds, add the chicken mixture. Stir fry for 2-4 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked. Pour in the sauce and stir until thickened. Return the vegetables to the wok. Serve over rice (I served it along with coconut rice).

Drunken Noodles

Last week, I found myself craving Thai food, which is strange because it hasn't ever been one of my favorites!  When this Bon Apetit recipe showed up via Elly Says Opa, I added it to my weekly menu.  When we were starting to get things ready, I got myself kicked out of the kitchen when I sliced a pepper and my thumb right along with it!  Luckily, Joel finished everything up and we sat down to eat.  Elly said that the title of this spicy dish comes from how much water you need to drink to cool off after eating it.  Joel said that, having been to Thailand, the name comes from being a street food and eating it on the way home from the bars.  Perhaps he is right, but Elly is also certainly right...this dish is HOT!  Despite the heat, we really enjoyed this dish.  I swapped out the chicken for tofu, which was great.  My adaptation is below.

8-10 ounces Flat Rice Noodles
4 tablespoons Canola Oil, divided
6 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Bell Pepper, cut into strips
1 container Firm Tofu, squeezed dry and cubed
1 tablespoon Fish Sauce
2 tablespoons Black Soy Sauce*
2 tablespoons Golden Mountain Sauce or Light Soy Sauce*
1-1 1/2 tablespoons Sambal Oelek/Chili Paste (we used 1 tablespoon and it was hot!)
1/2 tablespoon Sugar
1 Plum Tomato, cut into 8 wedges
1/4 cup Thai Basil Leaves (we used regular)
1/4 cup Scallions, sliced

 *I did not look at the grocery store for these two ingredients, so I just used 4 tablespoons of regular soy sauce, and the dish still turned out fine.

Cook the noodles according to package directions.  We put them in a large bowl, poured boiling water over them (enough to cover), and let them sit for about 5-7 minutes, until they were tender.  In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.  Add the tofu cubes and allow them to cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 15 minutes total.  Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large, heavy pot (wok) over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.  Add the bell pepper and sauté for 1-2 minutes.  Add the tofu to the wok.  In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, soy sauce(s), and Sambal Oelek.  In a large serving bowl (or right in the wok), combine the tofu mixture, noodles, tomatoes, scallions, and basil.  Pour the sauce over the top and toss to coat.

Asian Chicken Pizza

We ate almost 10pm.  Sorry about the dark picture!

When putting together our menu this week, I came across this pizza recipe on Lauren's Kitchen, which after following many links to other bloggers who made it, originated from Pizza by James McNair.  I showed Joel the picture and he hesitated to agree with it, saying that it doesn't look bad but that he wasn't too sure about it.  We decided that we'd give it a try on Wednesday after sailing.  When Joel walked in the door (at 9:30ish--after it had been out of the oven for a half hour!) he immediately made a comment about how amazing the house smelled.  As soon as he took his first bite, he couldn't get another fast enough.  I'm really glad that we decided to try this pizza.  It is a recipe I can't wait to try again (and again, and again...)!

Pizza dough (we used homemade)
5 ounces Chicken
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons Honey
3/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar or Cider Vinegar
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
Olive Oil
Sesame Seeds (optional)
2 tablespoons Scallions, sliced

Cook the chicken (we grilled it), cut it into small pieces, and set aside.  In a bowl, combine the red pepper flakes, garlic, soy sauce, honey, and vinegar and stir well.  Pour the sauce mixture into a saucepan over medium heat and cook until it becomes thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes.  Add the chicken and toss to coat.  Spread the dough onto a pizza pan and brush the top with olive oil.  Evenly distribute the glazed chicken mixture over the top of the dough.  Top with cheese and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Bake the pizza at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Top the hot pizza with sliced scallions and serve.

Sesame Cashew Noodle Bowl

At our co-op, there is a section of ready-made, packaged foods that we like to grab when we need a quick lunch or dinner.  Last week, we happened to stop there to pick up a few things at lunch time.  I grabbed a caprese sandwich from the case and Joel grabbed a noodle bowl.  I'd had this noodle bowl before and it was very good.  We wrote down all the ingredients that were listed on the package and decided we would try to recreate it one night.  Last night, I met a girlfriend out for dinner, but Joel was home so he decided to give this noodle bowl a try.  I'd say he hit the nail right on the head with this one.  It was so delicious...yeah I snuck a taste before I left for dinner!

1 package (8 ounces) Udon Noodles
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/4 cup Unsalted Cashews
Handful of Cilantro, chopped
1 small Broccoli Crown, cut into florets
3-4 Scallions, sliced
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, diced

3 tablespoons Sesame Oil

4 tablespoons Soy Sauce

Fill a large pot with water, about 3/4 of the way full and bring to a boil.  Put the noodles in the water and bring it back to a boil.  When it reaches a boil, add 1 cup of cold water and bring back to a boil.  Continue to add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil for 10 minutes.  Strain the noodles and rinse with cold water.  Place the cooked noodles in a large bowl.  Add the garlic, cashews, cilantro, broccoli, scallions, and red pepper; mix well to combine.    Pour in the sesame oil and soy sauce.  Stir well to be sure that all ingredients have been coated with the "sauce".  Refrigerate until serving.

Sesame Soba Noodles

It has been a while since we've had some sort of Asian inspired noodle bowl for dinner.  When flipping through some of my saved recipes, I came across this one from Annie's Eats, which was also posted by several other bloggers.  This was planned for last week, but as per usual, things changed and it got pushed back to Sunday.  We loaded this up with slightly more veggies than the recipe actually called for, but it was delicious either way.

For the Dressing:

1/2 cup Soy Sauce

2 tablespoons Sesame Oil

2 tablespoons Canola Oil

2 tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

4 Green Onions, chopped

1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk well to blend.  

For the Salad:

1 pound Soba Noodles

1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and sliced thin

1 cup Red Cabbage, shredded

2 Carrots, peeled and shredded

1 1/2 cups Edamame, shelled and cooked

Toasted Sesame Seeds, for serving

Cook the soba noodles according to package directions.  Drain well and rinse with cold water.  Transfer the noodles to a large mixing bowl and add the vegetables.  Pour the dressing over the top and toss well so that everything is coated with the dressing.  Sprinkle the top with toasted sesame seeds and serve cold or at room temperature. 

Cashew Chicken

I think I may have just found my new favorite stir fry dinner on How Sweet It Is!  The ingredients in this dish are very simple, yet when they are combined, something amazing happens.  The salt from the soy sauce and sweet from the honey make for a perfect combination.  This meal was so quick to throw together with quite amazing results.  I look forward to adding this to our regular rotation of meals!

2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, chopped

2 tablespoons Cornstarch

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 cup Mushrooms, sliced

1/2 Red Pepper, sliced thin

3 Scallions, chopped

1/4 cup Shelled Edamame

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/2 cup Unsalted Cashews

3 tablespoons Honey

3 tablespoons Soy Sauce

Heat a skillet on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add the mushrooms and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the skillet.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the cornstarch on the chicken pieces and make sure each piece is somewhat coated.  Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet and add the chicken.  Brown on both sides until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.  Add garlic, red pepper, edamame, half of the scallions, and the cashews.  Stir for 30 seconds, then add the mushrooms back to the dish.  Turn the heat to medium low.  In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce and honey.  Pour into the skillet, coating the chicken and vegetables.  Serve over jasmine rice and top with the remaining sliced scallions.  

Chicken Pot Stickers

We tend to cook our fair share of Asian food in our house, though I've never tried my hand at pot stickers.  Way back in May, I bookmarked this recipe on Back to the Cutting Board, which actually came from the Weight Watchers Complete Cookbook, which I have.  Tonight, we finally made them for dinner.  After trying these little dumplings, I don't know what made me wait this long!  These were absolutely delicious!!!  I will say that it took a little bit of tedious work, and made a mess of my pan, but it is totally worth it!  These rival the pot stickers that Joel likes so much at the Thai restaurant around the corner from us, as well as the ones they make fresh at our grocery store!  I'd make these again and again!

1/2 pound Ground Chicken Breast
1/2 cup Napa Cabbage, finely shredded
1 Scallion, minced
2 teaspoons Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Cornstarch, dissolved in 2 teaspoons Water
1/4 teaspoon Mustard Powder
1/8 teaspoon Black Pepper
20 (3-inch square) Won Ton Wrappers (I used 6 inch egg roll wrappers, since I had them)
4 teaspoons Peanut Oil (I used walnut oil)
1 cup Chicken Broth (I used vegetable broth)
1 teaspoon Flour
1 teaspoon Sesame Seeds, optional

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, cabbage, scallions, soy sauce, dissolved cornstarch, mustard, and pepper.  Working with one won ton at a time, spoon 2 teaspoons of chicken mixture into the center of the wrapper.  Using your fingertips, moisten the edges of the won ton wrapper and fold it diagonally to form a triangle.  Seal the edges carefully, pressing out any air.  Repeat with remaining won tons and filling.  Since won ton wrappers tend to dry out quickly, keep them covered in plastic while you are working.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil until it is almost smoking.  Place the dumplings in a circle in the skillet.  Reduce the heat slightly and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden.  Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the broth to a boil.  Remove from heat and sprinkle in the flour, whisking until dissolved.  Pour the broth over the dumplings and cook, partially covered, until the liquid evaporates.  Uncover and cook until the bottoms are crisp.  Carefully loosen the dumplings with a spatula.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with dipping sauce on the side.

Dipping Sauce:
2 tablespoons Chili Sauce
1 tablespoon Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Teriyaki Sauce
1 teaspoon Rice Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger, peeled and minced
Pinch of Cayenne (I omitted)

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined.  

Tofu Hijiki Saute

We had a vacuum sealed package of Thai marinated tofu in the fridge and we wanted to make some kind of stir fry to use it up.  While flipping through the Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers cookbook, Joel came across this recipe.  The recipe calls for hijiki seaweed, but he wasn't able to find it at the store.  I'm sure we could have replaced it with some sort of green, but we just omitted it.

1 1/2 cups Short Grained Brown Rice
1/2 cup Dried Hijiki Seaweed
16 ounces Firm Tofu
3 cups Carrots, cut into matchsticks
2 Onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Dark Sesame Oil
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons Toasted Sesame Seeds

In a covered saucepan, bring the rice and 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 35-40 minutes.  While the rice cooks, make the saute.  Place the hijiki in a small bowl, add warm water to cover it by about an inch, and set aside for 15 minutes.  Slice the tofu into bite-sized pieces or strips.  Cut the onions into thin slices.  In a large skillet or wok, heat a tablespoon of the sesame oil.  Add the tofu and saute on medium heat, stirring frequently, for several minutes, until browned.  Remove the tofu and set aside.  Ad the remaining tablespoons of sesame oil to the pan and saute the onions and carrots until the onions are golden and the carrots are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.  Add the drained hijiki, the reserved tofu, and the soy sauce, and cook long enough to heat thoroughly.  Stir int he toasted sesame seeds.  Serve on the rice.

Chicken and Pineapple Over Cous Cous

My mom and I took a cooking class last week titled "Casual Weekend Cooking" and this recipe was one that was featured that evening.  I've posted recipes before that I have learned while taking cooking classes.  I love that they share the recipes as a general guide and even the chef varies from what is written.  I varied the recipe today as well.  I pre-chopped the veggies and poached the chicken breast in advance and popped them in the fridge so that I could just throw everything together quickly when it was time for dinner.  That ended up coming in handy, because after taking a 12 mile bike ride, I didn't feel like cooking much!

1 Chicken Breast, poached and cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 1/4 cups Chicken Broth (or Pineapple Juice) (I used vegetable broth)
1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger, grated
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 bunch Scallions, white part minced and green part sliced thin for garnish
1 Onion, chopped
1 Green Pepper, sliced
2 cups Pineapple, cubed
2 teaspoons Sesame Oil

In a small bowl, stir together broth, soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch, and mustard.  Put the vegetable oil into a wok and stir fry the ginger, garlic, and the white part of the scallions over moderately high heat for about 30 seconds.  Add the onion, green pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir-fry for about 2 minutes.  Add pineapple.  Stir the cornstarch mixture and add it to the wok.  Simmer the mixture, covered, for about 2 minutes.  Add the chicken and cook over moderate heat, stirring until heated through.  Stir in sesame oil.  Serve chicken mixture over cous cous and garnish with sliced scallion greens.