Simple Noodle Recipes

Here are a few recipes to try from Zen Family Habits.


hokkien noodles with tofu, honey & soy
serves 4
Hokkien noodles are fresh wheat based noodles that are a lot like fresh fat spaghetti. They are usually in the chiller section of the supermarket, although I have seen some that are shelf stable in the Asian food section. If you can’t find hokkien noodles any other thick wheat based noodle would work well or even some spaghetti or bucatini.

If you’re not a fan of tofu, feel free to substitute in finely sliced chicken breast or even beef.
1lb (500g) fresh hokkien or singapore noodles
10oz (300g) firm tofu, chopped into large chunks
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
6 green onions, finely sliced
Place noodles in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand for 1 minute then massage to loosen into individual strands. Drain.
Heat some peanut or other vegetable oil in a large wok or frying pan. Add tofu and stir fry until golden brown. Mix together soy and honey in a small bowl then add to the wok. Stir and allow to cook until slightly reduced. Toss through noodles and green onion and serve hot.

rice noodles with chicken & lime
serves 4
This is based on the Thai dish ‘larb’ which is a fresh fragrant stir fry of ground chicken or pork. If you don’t want to invest in a bottle of fish sauce you could use 1/4 cup soy sauce instead. It will be slightly more salty and heavy but still lovely and fresh with the lime and herbs.
Dried rice noodles are an excellent option when you’re catering for people with wheat and gluten sensitivity. Rice noodles could be substituted in any of the recipes above. Just soften them first by soaking in a bowl of boiling water and off you go.

Another allergen note. Most soy sauces contain some wheat derivitaves and aren’t suitable for gluten free diets. The Japanese soy sauce known as Tamari does not contain wheat so look for this if you need to.
3/4lb (375g) rice sticks (dried rice noodles)
1 1/2lb (600g) ground chicken
1/3C fish sauce
1/4C lime juice + lime halves to serve
1 bunch coriander or fresh mint, leaves picked
Place noodles in a large heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and allow to soften.
Heat some peanut or vegetable oil in a large wok or frying pan. Cook chicken over high heat until well browned. Drain noodles and add to pan. Cook until noodles are heated through and softened. Add fish sauce and stir for a few seconds. Remove from the heat and toss through lime juice and herbs.

Chicken and Pork Adobo

1 k pork, adobo cut
1 whole chicken, adobo cut
1/2 c soy sauce
1 c vinegar
1 head garlic (crushed, whole or minced, as you wish)
10 whole peppercorns
1-2 Laurel leaf
Water to taste

Put all ingredients in a stock pot. Simmer, without stirring, in low fire for about 1 hour. Season to taste. Serve with atchara and steamed white rice.

Fish, Leeks And Green Onion

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large leek, sliced
4-5 large garlic cloves, sliced thinly
10 green onions, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
1 cup homemade fish stock (link) or bottled clam juice
4 orange roughy, sea bass, escolar (white tuna), haddock or halibut fillets. Any firm, white-fleshed fish will be great if it is fresh.
Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.

Add leek and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes.

Stir in green onions and stock.

Boil until the liquid is reduced to glaze, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Add to pan and cook until just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

Remove the fish to plates.

Add onion mixture to cooking pan and heat briefly, then Spoon this mixture over and enjoy.

Sprinkle with Italian parsley and serve.

Simple Vegetable Paella

Since my partner turned vegetarian, I am always looking for recipes that I can adapt for vegetarians and carnivores alike. I can prepare this and add some meat to the other half of the recipe.
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
Photo and recipe from New York Times

You don’t have to make this vegetable-rich dish in a paella pan, though if you do, you’ll get a nice layer of crusty rice on the bottom. Serve it as a main dish or as a side.

1 quart chicken stock, vegetable stock or garlic broth
Generous pinch (about 1/2 teaspoon) saffron threads
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 green pepper, cut into strips
2 cups medium-grain rice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded and grated on the large holes of a box grater; or peeled, seeded and chopped; or 1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes with juice
1/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut in 1-inch lengths
2 or 3 baby artichokes, trimmed and sliced (may also use frozen artichoke hearts, sliced)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen lima beans
1 cup shelled fresh or thawed frozen peas
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Crush the saffron threads between your fingertips, and place in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon warm water, and set aside.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy frying pan, an earthenware casserole (cazuela) set over a flame tamer, or a paella pan. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic, peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the peppers begin to soften, about three minutes. Add the tomato paste, paprika and rice. Cook, stirring, for one minute until the grains begin to crackle. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until they cook down slightly and smell fragrant, about five minutes. Stir in the saffron with its soaking water, scraping in every last bit with a rubber spatula. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Add the stock, green beans, artichokes and chickpeas or lima beans. Bring to a boil. Stir once, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer without stirring until the liquid has just about evaporated, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the peas. Continue to simmer until the rice is dry, another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.

Yield: Serves six to eight.

Advance preparation: This does not have to be piping hot, so it can be made an hour before you wish to serve. If you make it further ahead than that, you can reheat it in the pan.

Nutritional information per serving (six servings): 432 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 81 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 261 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 13 grams protein

Nutritional information per serving (eight servings): 324 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 61 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 196 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 10 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of "The Very Best of Recipes for Health."

Bean Curd Rolls

Another option for the bean curd sheets is this recipe:

4 oz pork, julienned
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp vegetable oil, something with a neutral taste
1/2 cup Chinese black mushrooms, rehydrated and cut into strips
1/2 cup Chinese tree ears, rehydrated and cut into strips
1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
8 oz bean curd sheets
small bowl of water
small bowl of cornstarch
3 tbsps vegetable oil (again, something neutral)
2 tbsps soy sauce
pinch of sugar

1. In a medium bowl, mix the pork, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch together.
2. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a sauté pan over high heat. When the oil is hot, sauté the pork until almost cooked. Add the mushrooms, tree ears, and bamboo shoots to the pork and stir fry for another minute. Remove from heat. If the bean curd sheets are not square or rectangular, trim them with scissors so they are relatively square or rectangular. Wet the sheets under water or take a wet cloth and wipe the sheets down until they soften and become pliable. Set one sheet of bean curd skin on a clean working surface with a corner pointing at you.
3. Place a few tablespoons of the pork and vegetable filling an inch or two from the corner nearest you on the bean curd sheet. Roll from the corner nearest you until the filling is enclosed in the sheet (don’t roll too tight!). Fold in the sides to form a neat roll. Continue rolling until the last corner remains. Dip your finger in the water and then in the cornstarch and wipe the edge of the last corner. Roll up the roll and set aside. Repeat until your filling or sheets are used up.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large shallow sauté pan over medium high heat. Place the bean curd skin rolls with their corner flaps face down in the pan and fry until slightly browned. Turn over and fry until slightly browned. Remove from heat and stack the rolls in a shallow bowl in a steamer. Pour a tablespoon of oil, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar over the rolls. Cover and steam for 5-10 minutes (or longer, depending on how soft you want the skins). Pour the catch juices over the top and serve hot.

Here's one more recipe:

Dried beancurd, also known as tofu skin, is a dried food product made from soybeans. When the soy milk is boiled in a pan, a “skin” is formed on the liquid surface. These skins are then collected and dried into yellowish sheets.

The dried form is soaked in water to hydrate it before using in soup, stir-fry, or as dumpling wrapper.

Chinese families have always cook tofu skin with lean pork, tomato and carrot as soup. The soup is an accompaniment of other main course for lunch.

One other ingredient used is Tianjin Preserved Vegetables, which comes in a round ceramic jar. This salty preserved cabbage is used for its strong and distinctive smell. Since the other ingredients are bland in taste, this particular item is quite crucial in giving the soup a nice boost in flavor.

ingredients

250 gr lean pork cutlet

100 gr dried beancurd

1 tablespoon Tianjin preserved vegetable (optional)

1/2 tomato

300 gr (1 pc) carrot

1/2 tablespoon salt

1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce

2 litres water

instructions

• Cut carrot and pork cutlet in bite sizes
• Soak dried beancurd in a pan of cold water till soft / pliable. Cut them lengthwise, 2″ in length.
• Fill a saucepan of 2 litres of water. Add in the meat. Boil the pan in high heat.
• After the water boils (this will take 5 minutes), add in half of tomato (whole), carrot, salt and light soy sauce.
• Turn down the heat to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes.
• Add in the soaked beancurd skin and preserved vegetable.
• Check on taste, if not salty, add some more salt.
• Serve warm with other dishes

note

Tianjin Preserved Vegetable can be omitted or substituted with two tablespoon of light soy sauce.

Green Beans and Tofu Skins With Rice Sticks

I still have dried bean curd sheets in the pantry and have been looking for recipes the past few weeks. The recipe below from Mark Bittman may fit the bill.

Note: I tried this recipe tonight. It tasted okay except for the tofu skin, which had a very strong taste that the partner didn't like. Might make this again, but with plain ol' tofu.

I first had this in a restaurant in Flushing, Queens, which I visited with Peter Meehan, who writes The Times’s $25 and Under column. It took some work to get my version close, but I think it’s pretty good.

Green Beans and Tofu Skins With Rice Sticks

Yield 4 servings

Time 30 minutes

Summary

If you can find fresh tofu skins, so much the better, but the dried ones will do just fine.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces dried rice stick noodles (fettuccine-thickness type), available in Asian markets
• 4 ounces dried tofu skins, or 6 ounces fresh, available in Asian markets
• 2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
• 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• Whole dried Thai chilies, to taste (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound green or wax beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, more to taste

Method

• 1. Put rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. If you are using dried tofu, put in a large bowl and cover with warm water. Soak skins until pliable, about 10 minutes, then drain well and cut into long, wide ribbons. (If using fresh, simply cut them.)
• 2. Put peanut oil and half the sesame oil in a deep skillet or wok and turn heat to medium-high. Add ginger and a couple of chilies if you like, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until ginger is soft, just a minute. Add beans and 1/4 cup water and cook, stirring frequently, until softened a bit but still crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
• 3. Add tofu skins and another spoonful or two of water. Cook, stirring frequently, until skins are heated through and beans are done, a couple of minutes. Drain noodles, toss them in, and continue to cook, until noodles are heated through and mixed well with remaining ingredients; add a little more water if necessary to keep mixture moist. Drizzle with soy sauce and remaining sesame oil, taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.

Source: The New York Times

Cajun Baked Tilapia

I recently discovered basa fish and used it instead of tilapia for this recipe.

1/2 lbs tilapia fillets

1/3 cup light mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder (or chili powder)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

8 Ritz crackers, crushed (I used panko)

1. Combine mayonnaise and seasonings in a bowl.
2. Spread mayonnaise mixture on fillets, sprinkle with Ritz cracker crumbs.
3. Place fillets in baking dish. Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes or until fillets flake when tested with a fork.

Makes 8 servings

Back to School recipes

Here's a good resource for the coming weeks.

Basa Fillet-Asian Fusion

http://www.facebook.com/notes/gourmandes-kitchen/basa-fillet-asian-fusion/130089860412873

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2006/12/ginger_miso_striped_bass_in_shiitake_mushroom_broth

Flavor Substitutions

A good resource from McCormick's.

If you run out of an ingredient at the last minute, don’t panic. We’ve got a few tricks up our sleeve. Using what is recommended in a recipe is best. But if you have to substitute, try the following.

SPICES HERBS GARLIC & ONION EXTRACTS BAKING

Other links:

• Food Equivalencies
• Measurement Guide
• Cook's Glossary

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Mediterranean Fish on a Bed of Rice and Leeks

Here's another recipe from Recipes from the Root Cellar that I want to try. The book is due at the library and I could not renew it as someone else wants it! So far, all the recipes I tried were good so I'm sure this one will be delicious, too.

The leeks provides a moist background for the delicately flavored fish, with bursts of flavor provided by the lemons, olives, and caperberries. Capers are the immature buds of the caper bush; caperberries are the fruit. They are oblong green fruits, about the size of a grape, and are milder in flavor than caper buds. If you can't find caperberries, substitute capers.

1 cup long-grain white rice

1-3/4 cups cold water

Salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2-3 large leeks, trimmed and sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 lbs white-fleshed fish fillets

Freshly ground black pepper

2 lemons

1/2 cup pitted Nicoise or other cured olives

1/2 cup caperberries, sliced, or 1 tablespoon capers

1/2 cup dry white wine

1. Combine the rice, water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce and boil gently, covered, until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, 12-15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 425F. Lightly oil a 9- by 13-inch baking dish or large casserole dish.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and saute until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute longer. Set aside.
4. Wash and pat dry the fish. Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Slice 1 lemon very thinly. Juice the other lemon.
5. Transfer the rice to the baking dish. Top with the leek mixture. Arrange the fish in a single layer on top. (If the fish pieces overlap, you may have to add a few minutes to the baking time.) Arrange the lemon slices on top of the fish. Sprinkle with the olives and caperberries. Pour in the lemon juice, wine, and remaining oil.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve hot.

Oven-Roasted Salmon and Vegetables with Lemon Aioli

I made a version of this recipe from Recipes from the Root Cellar using tilapia fillets.

Poseidon meets Persephone in this delightful combination, and the lemon aioli brings it all together harmoniously.

6 cups peeled and diced mixed root vegetables (beets, carrots, celery root, parsnips, rutabagas, salsify and/or turnips), white or sweet potatoes, and/or winter squashes
4 shallots, halved if large
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (1-inch thick) salmon steaks
1 lemon, cut into large wedges
Lemon Aioili (recipe below)
1 teaspoon dried dill

1. Preheat the oven to 450F. Lightly oil a half sheet pan (preferred) or large shallow roasting pan.
2. Mound the diced vegetables and shallots on prepared pan. Drizzle the oil over them, sprinkle with slat and pepper, and toss gently to coat. Spread in a single layer in the pan.
3. Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan occasionally for even cooking, until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender.
4. Push the vegetables to the side of the pan to make room for the salmon. Arrange the salmon in a single layer in the pan. Roast for 10-12 minutes or longer, until the salmon is just cooked through.
5. Arrange the fish, vegetables, and lemon wedges on serving plates. Top the fish with a dollop of aioli. Sprinkle the dill over the fish and vegetables. Pass additional aioli on the side.

Kitchen Note: Aioli is a homemade mayonnaise made bright with flavor by the addition of garlic. Homemade mayonnaise is made with raw eggs. If you wish to avoid the raw eggs, combine 1 cup mayonnaise with 6-8 finely minced garlic cloves, the finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, and 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Add salt and white pepper to taste and let sit for about 30 minutes to allow flavor to develop.

Fried Adobong Galunggong (Round Scad)

Here's another recipe from Adobo Corner.

1 k fresh galunggong, medium size
2 medium onions, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced for sautéing
1 thumb ginger, sliced thick
2 tbsp vegetable oil for sautéing
2 bay leaves
¼ c water
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 c vegetable oil for frying
2 medium tomatoes sliced round, to garnish
1 medium cucumber sliced round, to garnish
Marinade:
1 c vinegar
2 tsp salt
½ head native garlic, crushed
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Clean the fish well. Marinate galunggong in vinegar, salt, garlic and ground black pepper overnight. Then, in hot oil, sauté garlic, onions and ginger. Add fish and the marinade. Add water. Add oyster sauce. Bring to a boil without stirring. When mixture boils, lower heat and add bay leaves. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes or until the liquid has been reduced. Remove the fish. Fry the adobong galunggong in vegetable oil until crispy, but do not overcook. Remove from oil then drain. Serve hot the fried adobong galunggong on a platter garnished with tomatoes and cucumber. Serve adobo sauce on the side.

Portobello Mushrooms Spaghetti Bake

While trolling for recipes, I discovered this blog and found 2 recipes that I will try soon.

I will make Portobello Mushroom Spaghetti tonight and I want to try this soon. I love catsup.

Serves 2 – 3 people 

Ingredients:

500g spaghetti

375g portobello mushrooms, sliced

575g pasta sauce

30g butter

1 tsp dried oregano

shredded cheese (I’ve used a mixture of mozarella, parmesan and cheddar) 

Sugar, salt & pepper

For white sauce:

50g butter

1 tbsp plain flour

1 cup milk

Method:

1. Preheat the oven with the top heat setting on 200 degrees celsius/392 degrees fahrenheit.

2. Cook pasta according to pack instructions. Drained and drizzle some olive oil to avoid the spaghetti sticking together. Set aside.

3. Melt butter and dried oregano in a pot with a little drizzle of olive oil (to prevent the butter from getting burnt). Once the oregano becomes aromatic, add sliced mushrooms and try to get all the mushrooms coated with the butter.

4. Allow the mushrooms cook until their moisture starts to ooze out. Add pasta sauce and let it simmer on medium to low heat while you start making the white sauce. If you skip the white sauce, let the pasta sauce mixture simmer for 10 – 15 minutes. Then, add pepper, sugar and salt to taste.

5. White sauce making - On a pan, melt the butter with a little olive oil. When the butter is melted, add flour and make sure it is well combined with the butter. Add milk and simmer until the sauce is thicken to your preferred consistency. Set aside.

6.  Toss spaghetti into the pasta sauce and mix well.  Layer it out on a baking dish.

7. Top the spaghetti mixture with white sauce and sprinkle some shredded cheese on the very top.

8. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

IMPORTANT: Kim from The Ramdom Ramblings of a Working Mum has alerted me about the downside of using foil trays with tomato based food (read her comment below). So please don’t follow my bad practice. Obviously at the end of the day, health trumps dirty dishes. 

Kadyos

This is my father's favourite dish, which I want to try cooking if I find the ingredients locally.

Pancit

Ingredients

1-12 ounce package thin dry rice noodles
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 small head cabbage, thinly sliced
2 carrots, julienned
3/4 cup string beans, julienned
1/4 cup soy sauce
10 lemon wedges or calamansi for garnish
Directions

Place dry rice noodles in a large bowl. Cover with warm water. When noodles become soft drain the warm water, rinse and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until fragrant and opaque.
Add chicken, cabbage, carrots, string beans and soy sauce. When the vegetables are cooked to your liking (soft or still crunchy) add rice noodles and cook until heated through, stirring constantly.
Transfer mixture to a serving dish and garnish with lemons or calamansi.

Chicken Adobo with Kangkong

Each family probably has its own version of this dish. Here's another one.
1 k chicken, adobo-cut
¼ c chicken liver
1 head onions, chopped
1 head garlic, chopped
¼ c Silver Swan soy sauce
1 c Silver Swan vinegar
1 tbsp whole peppercorns
2 pieces laurel leaves
Hard-boiled egg
Optional: all purpose-cream

Rinse chicken thoroughly. In a casserole, place chicken with garlic, onions and pepper. Mix well. Add soy sauce and vinegar. Marinate overnight. Then, add chicken liver into the mixture and boil for 20 to 30 minutes. Turn off heat. Remove the chicken and liver from the liquid. In another pan in medium heat, add a little sauce from the adobo and mash the liver. Add the chicken and the remaining sauce into the mashed liver. Add laurel leaves. Boil for another 20 minutes. Let it simmer for a few more minutes. Add cream.

To serve: place blanched kangkong on a platter, pour the chicken adobo and garnish with hard-boiled egg. Serve warm.

And here's one that uses pork ribs.

One-Pot Meal recipes

Make more one-pot meals.

Chinese Braised Mushrooms & Tofu

Try this recipe soon.

Miso-Mirin-Marinated Salmon with Mushroom Tomato Pasta

Want it faster? Season salmon with salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice; and grill until done. Slice into chunks then toss with pasta.

Serves 2 Prep Time 15 minutes plus overnight marinating Cooking Time 30 minutes

For the Miso-Mirin Marinade
1 cup miso (fermented soybean paste)
1/2 cup mirin
3 tablespoons sake
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste

2 salmon fillets
250 grams linguine
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, chopped
8 pieces button mushrooms, sliced
fresh oregano and thyme, finely minced
2 cans crushed tomatoes
6 pieces each black and green olives, sliced
1 tablespoon capers
salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 Combine marinade ingredients until pastelike. Marinate fish overnight.

2 Cook pasta until al dente.

3 Make the sauce: Sauté garlic and onions in oil. Add mushroom and herbs. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add olives and capers, then season to taste.

4 Meanwhile, bring out marinated salmon and grill over high heat for 3 minutes per side.

5 Toss cooked pasta with the tomato sauce and top with grilled salmon.