KAREN’S QUICK SHRIMP FRIED RICE

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

I jumped on this recipe right after I read the blog post in Karen’s site, because I knew we would love it. I modified it just a tiny bit, to adjust to our digestive issues – omitting garlic and onions. Visit her site for the regular version if you like. Fried rice with all kinds of different flavors is a dish I adore but very rarely order in restaurants because it is so heavy. And at the same time so easy to over indulge because one helping is never enough. I find myself going back for another little morsel of egg, another bite of shrimp, or chicken, and of course the rice just tags along… Plus the restaurant versions are normally loaded with too much oil and cornstarch-thickened sauce. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but for the most part a couple of hours later I am not feeling too perky… This version has all the goodies, but is considerably lighter. Using the shortcuts recommended by Karen turns it into one of the easiest dinners to prepare. Make it, and you can thank her later…

QUICK SHRIMP FRIED RICE
(slightly modified from Karen’s Kitchen Stories)

10 ounces jumbo shrimp, cut into thirds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons neutral oil such as peanut, divided
3 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
12 oz microwavable-ready to serve rice
1 package (12 ounces) frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Toss the shrimp in the salt, pepper, and cornstarch and let marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. When it is hot enough for a bead of water to evaporate instantly, add one tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat. Add the shrimp and spread it out into a single layer. Let fry, untouched, for 30 seconds. Stir-fry the shrimp for an additional minute, until almost cooked through. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon to a plate.

Reheat the pan and add another tablespoon of the oil. Add the eggs and swirl the pan to spread the eggs out to a thin layer. When they are almost cooked through, remove them to the same plate as the shrimp. Cut them into approximately 1 inch pieces.

Add the last tablespoon of oil. Add the ginger, cook for a few seconds, then add the rice and stir to incorporate the ginger. Spread and press the rice over the surface of the wok and let it cook, untouched, for about one minute. Toss the rice, respread it, and let it cook for an additional minute, untouched.

Add the soy sauce and toss with the rice. Add the peas and carrots, the cooked eggs, the almost-cooked shrimp, the rice vinegar, and the sesame oil. Stir fry all of the ingredients together to heat through and completely cook the shrimp. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Above you see the rice I used, which was surprisingly tasty. I don’t normally buy this type of product but Karen’s post made me open my horizons. If you are in a hurry, this is the perfect shortcut ingredient. Same goes for the frozen peas and carrots. Leftovers were great next day too. I am a bit picky about seafood leftovers, but the shrimp held up ok. Not sure I would enjoy leftovers with salmon or another type of fish, but maybe your tastebuds are more user-friendly than mine.

I love this type of meal that is one bowl with everything: carbs, veggies, animal protein. Of course, you can make a vegetarian version using mushrooms or seared tofu, the basic mixture will shine no matter what…

Karen, I don’t know how many recipes I’ve made from your blog, including breads, sweets, savory stuff, but this one is another big winner!
THANK YOU!

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7Jul2022

STEAMED CHICKEN WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Posted in Poultry by sallybr

Sometimes a recipe intrigues me. I am not sure I will like it, or might have issues with the method of preparation, but something tells me I must give it a try. I saw this one at chinasichuanfood, placed an order for the fermented black beans (featured in my latest In My Kitchen post), took a deep breath and went to work. We simply loved it! Plus, it gave me a totally new use for the pressure cooker, exploring the steam setting. Do you need a pressure cooker to make it? No, you don’t. But it gave a delicious, velvet texture to the meat. We ate like kings. Or maybe I should say emperors.

STEAMED CHICKEN IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE
(adapted from chinasichuanfood)

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in small pieces
1 Tablespoon sherry wine (or Chinese cooking wine)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon hoisin sauce sauce
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
2 spring onions
5 slices of ginger
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons fermented black beans, finely minced
2 Tablespoons peanut oil
shiitake mushrooms, amount to taste, or a mixture of mushrooms
sesame oil and soy sauce to finish

Make a marinade with the sherry, soy sauce, hoisin, salt and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces, mix well, add the spring onions and ginger pieces. Place in the fridge for several hours.

Discard the spring onion and pieces of ginger. Add the cornstarch to the meat and gently mix. Place the mushrooms in the bottom of a steamer, then add the chicken on top. Spread the fermented black beans all over the chicken pieces. Heat the oil until it is starting to smoke. Pour immediately over the fermented beans, it will sizzle.

Steam the whole mixture of mushroom and meat for 15 minutes. If using a pressure cooker, add enough water (a little over 1 cup) in the pan to make sure it will have enough to steam for the required time.

Remove the meat from the steamer and serve, drizzling a bit of sesame oil and soy sauce.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I used 6 pieces of chicken and that was the maximum amount my steamer would hold. It was enough for our dinner and we had leftovers that I claimed for my lunch next day. The texture of the meat is perfect for my taste. I normally prefer to stir-fry breast meat, saving the thighs for the grill, but steaming is a real game-changer. Once again, not the type of recipe that will win beauty contests, but the flavor was fantastic. It will definitely go into our regular rotation. You can go into the original website and watch a nice video of the whole preparation.

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29Jan2022

TIGER SHRIMP IN CHILI SAUCE

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

Tiger Cookies, Tiger Shrimp. Both very appropriate for this time of the year, don’t you agree? This is a super simple and quick recipe, with intense flavors. Contrary to most Chinese-inspired stir-fries, this one does not take any thickening agent like cornstarch, so don’t expect that kind of a sauce with some texture and body. We loved it this way, it felt lighter and without any compromise in flavor, quite the contrary. It seems that without any cloying sauce, the spices spoke louder.

TIGER SHRIMP IN CHILI SAUCE
(adapted from The Woks of Life)

1 pound jumbo tiger shrimp (or another type of jumbo size shrimp, peeled and de-veined)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns, smashed
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ginger (minced)
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry Sherry)
1/3 cup water (you may not use it all)
cilantro leaves

Rinse the shrimp under running water and pat dry with a paper towel.

Make the sauce by mixing the tomato paste, ketchup, chili garlic sauce, salt, pepper and sesame oil in a medium bowl.

Heat the oil in your wok until smoking hot. Fry the shrimp on both sides for 30 seconds each side. Remove the shrimp from the wok and set aside on a plate. Lower the heat to medium-low, add the ginger and shallots. Sautee for a couple of minutes, add the sauce, Shaoxing wine, cook stirring for a minute. Add half the water, let everything simmer together for another minute, add the shrimp and cook gently in the sauce until just cooked through. If needed, add the rest of the water. Add the fresh cilantro and serve over white rice with a favorite side dish.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was a super vibrant dish, and it is hard to find a simpler and faster way to have dinner at the table. Cooking the rice to go along took a lot longer… We enjoyed it with broccoli, prepared in one of my favorite ways (check it out here) because it is also super quick and very tasty. This one goes into our rotation, for sure! I hope you’ll give it a try…

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25Oct2021

SHRIMP STIR-FRY, KUNG PAO-INSPIRED

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

This is not authentic Chinese cooking. It is my version of a stir-fry, inspired by a classic. By definition, Kung Pao is a stir-fry served with spicy sauce, and sprinkled with peanuts. So I guess I am reasonably safe with my concoction. The inclusion of sugar snap peas adds extra veggies that make the whole thing more satisfying to me. Tune the spices to your comfort level, but please make sure to include Szechuan peppercorns. You cannot get the same type of heat from any other pepper.

KUNG PAO-INSPIRED SHRIMP
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns, lightly crushed
1/3 cup roasted cashews
1 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 yellow bell pepper, cut in large slices
sugar snap peas, amount to taste, around 6 oz
salt to taste
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1 tablespoons sambal oelek
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water
drizzle of sesame oil

Heat a large saute pan over high heat for about 1 minute. When you see the first wisps of white smoke, swirl in one tablespoon of the vegetable oil, then add the peppercorns and sautee for a few seconds. Add the cashews, bell pepper and sugar snap peas. Season lightly with salt. Stir fry for a few minutes, remove from the pan, reserve.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, when very hot add the shrimp and stir fry until it starts to get cooked through. Return the vegetables and cashews to the pan, add the oyster sauce and sambal. Stir for a minute or so, pour in the cornstarch/water. Let everything come to a boil, cook until fragrant and luscious. Adjust seasoning. Serve over white rice if you like.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was a great simple dish to prepare after an intense day of work. After more than a decade without facing a classroom, I am teaching college students and let’s say the stress level goes up a bit. It is nice to have a meal that does not require too much time and too much effort. Stir-fry to the rescue!

Adjust the spice level to your liking, if you are feeling brave get some habaneros to the party… I always flirt with the habanero idea, but never go for it. I guess my Dad would be disappointed.

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16Feb2021

KUNG PAO CHICKEN

Posted in Poultry by sallybr

George likes his chicken spicy!

We like ours spicy too, but the beautiful thing about Kung Pao is that you can tame it to your favorite degree of heat by playing with the type of peppers you add, or reducing the amount of its most important ingredient: Szechuan peppercorns. Daredevils out there, pair Szechuan with Habaneros! Just make sure to have the firemen on speed dial…

KUNG PAO CHICKEN
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

to marinate the chicken:
3 boneless/skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cornstarch

for the sauce:
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon dry sherry
3 tsp hoisin sauce
1 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

for the stir-fry:
4 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 red bell pepper seeded and diced
1/2 yellow or orange bell pepper seeded and diced
1 Serrano pepper, seeded and finely minced (or another hot pepper of your choice)
1 tablespoon (or to taste) Sichuan peppercorns, coarsely ground
1/2 cup roasted/unsalted peanuts
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Combine all ingredients for the chicken in a shallow bowl; cover and marinate for 30 minutes.
Whisk sauce ingredients together and set aside. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons peanut oil, allow to heat up, then add marinated chicken. Stir-fry chicken for a few minutes, until edges are browned, which will happen reasonably quickly because of the baking soda. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add remaining cooking oil to the pan, stir in ginger, bell peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Pour the reserved sauce into the pan and bring it to a boil. Add the chicken pieces, and heat everything together for a couple more minutes. Add the peanuts, sesame oil, and serve over rice.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Szechuan peppers are quite special. They have a numbing effect, quite different from any other pepper and they are pretty much mandatory in a Kung Pao. I used a mortar and pestle to grind it, some recipes tell you to toast them lightly before grinding, but I used them fresh from the bag.

Marinating the chicken with the baking soda for 30 minutes is a quicker version of velveting, and worked pretty nicely, the meat developed that texture we all love in Chinese cooking. A little white rice, some green beans and all of a sudden we realized that Kung Pao is a nice antidote for the Polar Vortex.