Pad Thai

 

Ingredients:

12 oz Rice Noodles

4 chicken breast or the equivalent in chicken tenders, cut into bite size pieces

1 can bean sprouts, drained

4 eggs

oil for wok, toasted sesame oil is preferred but any oil will work

2 c broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

2 c cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces

1 basket of mushrooms, sliced

 * you could also add other veggies, chop into bite size pieces (carrots, snow peas, bok choy)

    Garnish:

    4 green onions, sliced

    1 c peanuts, chopped 

    1 bunch of cilantro, stems removed and chopped

    1 large lime, cut into wedges

    additional soy sauce, siracha and/or oyster sauce or fish sauce

    Sauce Ingredients:

    1/2 c soy sauce

    2 Tbsp sriracha, more if you want it spicier

    1/4 c fresh lime juice

    1/4 c oil

    1/4 c packed brown sugar, more if you put too much sriracha in (ha!)

You could make this a vegetarian dish, a seafood dish, a chicken dish, a beef dish, or any sort of combination.  I like to do veggies, chicken and shrimp.

Start by prepping all of my ingredients, washing, chopping/slicing, and mixing up the sauce. 

Combine all of the sauce ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until brown sugar has dissolved. Keep the whisk handy as you will want to whisk again before adding it in, towards the very end of the recipe.

Prep lime wedges, cilantro and green onions, and peanuts.  Save these for garnishing your individual plate.

Add a small amount of oil to a wok.  Add mushrooms.  Stir fry the mushrooms for 2-3 minuets, then set aside in a bowl or plate.  

Add a bit more of oil and add in broccoli and cauliflower.  Stir fry until cauliflower get a little browned, about 3-5 minuets.  Then set aside with the mushrooms.

Prepare noodles as directed on package in a medium size pot. Once they have reached the desired tenderness, drain and rinse in cold water.

While noodles are cooking, add a small amount of oil to wok, adding chicken.  Stir fry the chicken, cut a piece in half to confirm the center is no longer pink.  Once there is no pink, add the chicken to the veggie mixture. 

Add a small amount of oil to the wok and scramble the eggs.

Once eggs are scrambled, add bean sprouts, chicken, veggies back into the wok and give a good toss to combine.  Add in noodles and sauce, tossing again to combine.  Once everything is added, let cook for about 5 minuets to heat everything together, tossing now and then to make sure things do not stick to the wok bottom.

Once everything has been heated, serve!

Don't forget to add your garnishes to your individual plate, adding more sauces if you want it more spicier or more salty!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

 

Ingredients:
1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 lb ground chicken

1 large carrot, peeled and shredded or finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ginger, grated

8 oz water chestnuts, diced and drained

4 scallions, whites and greens, chopped

1 large head of lettuce, leaves separated

In a small bowl, combine hoisin, soy sauce and 1/3 cup water.

Chopped, shred or mince the carrot, garlic, ginger, water chestnuts and scallions.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and chicken.  Break up the chicken as it cooks until browned, about 5-7 minuets.

Add in water chestnuts. 

Add in carrots and remaining tablespoon of oil.  Reduce heat to medium and cook for 2 minuets.

 Add in garlic, ginger and scallion whites.  Cook for an additional 2 minuets.  Stir in hoisin sauce.  Continue to cook until sauce thickens, about 2 additional minuets.

To serve, place some of the chicken mixture in a lettuce leaf and top with the scallion greens.

Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls

Ingredients:

for the sauce:

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 Tablespoons rice or apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

2 cloves garlic minced

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

additional:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or tenders, cut into bite size pieces

salt and pepper

1 Tbsp oil

rice

broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

Cook rice according to instructions on packaging.

Add broccoli to a pan with about an inch of water. Add lid and bring to boil to steam broccoli for about 5 minutes.

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and place in large non stick skillet with oil.

Cook until no longer pink, stirring often.

In a small bowl or a measuring cup, combine brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, vinegar and cornstarch. Whisk together until there are no cornstarch lumps. 

Add sauce to chicken and cook stirring constantly, until it thickens into shiny glaze.

Remove from heat and serve immediately with rice and steamed broccoli. I add chow mein noodles and a bit more soy sauce to my own plate.

Pork Egg Rolls

Ingredients:
3 lbs ground pork

Description

Vermicelli noodles (all packs within pink netting)
2 bunches of cilantro
6 green onions
Won Ton Instant Soup Mix 2pkts or 3.5 tsps
5 eggs, 1 separated
Oyster Sauce to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Egg Roll wraps 2 packs of 25 or 50 wrappers 

In a large bowl add ground pork, salt and pepper.  Meanwhile in a stock pot boil water for Vermicelli noodles.

Remove leaves of cilantro from stems and chop.  I use a pizza cutter to finely chop - super easy!  Also slice green onions.  Add to pork.

Add 4 whole eggs along with oyster sauce and won ton soup mix to meat mixture.

Mix white of the last egg in a small bowl.  Add the yolk to the meat mixture.

Once water has come to a boil add all packs of noodles to the boiling water, boiling for 2 - 3 minuets.  Remove from heat and drain.

Cool noodles with cold water and use a kitchen scissors to chop the noodles into short pieces.  Once chopped add to meat mixture.

Mix the meat and noodle mixture by hand until everything is well incorporated with each other.

Separate wraps - be careful to try to not rip the wraps.  Depending on how large you make your egg rolls you may have wraps leftover so put the ones that broke in a pile an use those if you need to at the end.

Add a portion of the meat mixture to the wrap.  Roll the bottom of the wrap over the mixture, then tuck left and right sides over.  Add egg wash to the top corner and roll.

Heat oil in large pan.  Add a few egg rolls to oil and fry until golden brown.

Drain egg rolls in a larger bowl with paper towel, standing them up on end.

Enjoy once they have cooled down a bit.  These freeze well, I pack about 4 or 6 in smaller Ziploc bag and then add a few of those smaller bags into a gallon size Ziploc.

Makes 50 egg rolls give or take depending on how much mixture you roll. 

These are often called Hmong Egg Rolls.