Names have been changed to protect the innocent...and my husband...and me...but not the dog. His name is Dexter.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Recipe Swap Wednesday-Chinese New Years

Since it's been a long, long time since I did the last recipe swap, today it's going to be a recipe extravaganza! Three recipes for the price of one!


Cold Sesame Noodles
For the Sesame Sauce:
3 tbsp. Asian sesame paste or peanut butter (I used peanut butter)
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. hot water
2 tsp. red wine vinegar or cider vinegar (I didn't have this so I skipped it)
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dark soy sauce (optional)
1 tsp. Asian sesame oil
1 tsp. Hot Chili Oil (which I burned) or another hot sauce ( I used a few drops of Tabasco...I'm fancy)
1/2 tsp. salt

For the noodles:
8 oz. Chinese egg noodles or thing spaghetti noodles
1/3 c. thinly sliced green onion
1/4 c. finely chopped Szechuan preserved vegetable (optional)
3 tbsp. chopped roasted, salted peanuts
1 c. cucumber slices-1/4 inch thick (didn't have this either)

To make the sauce: In a medium bowl large enough to toss the noodles with the sauce, combine the sesame paste, soy sauce, water, vinegar, sugar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil and salt. Stir to combine everything into a smooth, thick sauce.
To make the noodles: Follow package directions
When the noodles are tender but still firm, drain well and place them in the bowl over the sauce. Toss well to coat the strands evenly. Add a little more hot water if needed to soften the noodles and spread out the sauce.
Add the green onion, Szechuan vegetables, peanuts and cucumber and toss one last time to mix everything well. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

Ham And Egg Fried Rice
4 cups cooked rice, cold or at room temperature
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 c. chopped onion
4 ounces ham, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
3 well beaten eggs
3 tbsp. green onion (about 2 stalks)

Crumble the rice so that it breaks up into individual grains for easy stir-frying.
Heat wok or large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onion and cook, tossing often, for 15 seconds. Add the ham, salt and sugar and toss well.
Add the eggs and then tilt the pan to help them cook. Life the edges and turn the pan to expose as much egg as possible to the hot pan. When the edges have set, scramble them into soft lumps.
Quickly add the rice and toss to mix it with the ham and eggs evenly and well. Cook, tossing often, until the rice is hot and tender, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the green onion and toss well. Serve hot or warm.

Chicken With Cashews
2 tbsp. dry sherry or Shaozing rice wine (skipped this...I don't have a very well stocked kitchen, apparently)
2 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt (left this out....on purpose)
2 celery stalks
3/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. chopped garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 tsp. chopped fresh ginger
1 cup dry-roasted, salted cashews (I bought what was on sale)
3 tbsp. chopped green onion (about 2 stalks)

In a small bowl combine the sherry, water, soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar and salt and stir to dissolve the dry ingredients and mix everything into a smooth sauce.
Chop celery into 1/4 inch pieces. Chop the chicken into bite-sized chunks.
Heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the garlic and ginger and toss well until they are shiny and fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Scatter in the chicken, spreading it out into a single layer. Cook undisturbed until the edges change color, about 30 seconds, and then toss well. Cook, tossing often, until most of the chicken has changed color.
Add the celery and cook, tossing often, until the celery is bright green and the chicken is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the sherry mixture, pouring it around the sides of the pan and toss well. Add the cashews and green onion. Toss to mix them in evenly and season well. Serve hot or warm.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yum! I love Chinese food and am always looking for a new fried rice recipe.

Kristina P. said...

I'm not a huge fried rice fan, but everything else looks delicious!

Brad and Jenn said...

The Cashew Chicken looks awesome! I'll be putting that one on my grocery list for next week!

Alveybunch said...

Oooh! I am excited to try these out! Thanks!

jillytacy said...

I need to try the chicken and cashew recipe. It looks delicious!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...