#35
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I posted this in an old thread and for those of you who like Asian flavors, this was such a good dinner. And to top it all off, me who is not a Chardonnay fan (very often anyway), loved Tobin James '07 Radiance chardonnay with both of these dishes.

We ended up going Asian last night and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - both of these recipes are from Rhonda Fleming's Chinese Cooking newsletter.

Hot and Sour Soup

1 cake tofu (fresh -- if possible)
2 ounces pork tenderloin
Marinade:
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
Other:
1/2 cup bamboo shoots
2 tablespoons black fungus (Wood Ear) or Cloud Ear fungus
-- (or 3 - 4 Chinese dried black mushrooms or fresh mushrooms)
1 small handful dried lily buds
6 cups water (or 6 cups water and 1 cup Campbell's chicken broth)*
1 teaspoon salt -- or to taste
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons red rice vinegar -- white rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
1 egg -- beaten
1 green onion -- finely chopped
White pepper to taste (no more than 1 tablespoon)(I used 3/4 tsp.)
Hot chili oil -- to taste, optional (I used 1 tsp.)

Shred pork. Mix marinade ingredients and marinate pork for 20 minutes.

Cut tofu into small squares. Cut bamboo shoots into thin strips and then into fine slices. To reconstitute the fungus, soak in warm water for 20 minutes. Rinse, and cut into thin pieces. (If substituting Chinese dried mushrooms, soak to soften, then cut off the stems and cut into thin strips. If using fresh mushrooms, wipe clean with a damp cloth and slice.)

To reconstitute the dried lily buds, soak in hot water for 20 minutes or until softened. Cut off the hard ends.

Bring the water to a boil. When it is boiling, add the bamboo shoots, fungus or mushrooms, and the lily buds. Stir. Add the tofu. Bring back to a boil and add the marinated pork.

Stir in the salt, sugar, soy sauce and vinegar and sesame oil.

Test the broth and adjust the taste if desired. (If using chicken broth, you may want to add a bit more rice vinegar).

Mix the cornstarch and water. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the soup, stirring while it is being added. Let the broth come back to a boil. As soon as it is boiling, remove the broth from the stove.

Slowly drop in the beaten egg, stirring in one direction at the same time. Add the green onion and the white pepper to taste. Drizzle with chili oil if desired. Serve hot.

(Hot and Sour Soup can be prepared ahead of time and frozen. When making the soup, leave out the tofu. When ready to serve, thaw, add the tofu and bring to boiling. When the soup is boiling, add the egg.)

*Adjust the ratio of water to chicken stock as desired.


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Chicken Lo Mein Recipe

1 thin dried lo mein noodles -- (10 oz)
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 medium sweet onion
1 medium green bell pepper
1 medium red bell pepper
8 oz fresh snow peas
2 tsp cornstarch
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sherry
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp sesame oil


Fill a large pot with water, add the salt and bring it to boil. Then add the noodles and let them cook for about 5 minutes or until they are as the Italian’s say “al dente.” Drain them thoroughly in a colander, return them to the pot and mix them with 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil and set them aside.

While the noodles are boiling, prepare the vegetables. Peel and cut the onion into ½ inch cubes and set them aside.

Cut the bell peppers in half. Remove the stem, seeds and inner white meat. Then cut them into ½ inch to an inch squares and set them aside.

Rinse the snow peas in a colander under cold running water. Remove the stems if any, and let them dry.

In a small cup, mix the cornstarch with just a little water to dissolve and set it aside.

Remove all of the fat from the chicken and cut it into ½ inch to an inch pieces.

Heat a large non stick pot or wok on high and add just 1 tablespoon of the remaining peanut oil. Let the oil get hot, then add the chicken and stir fry for about 8 minutes or until brown. Then remove it from the pan and set it aside.

Without wiping the wok, add the remaining tablespoon of peanut oil. Let the oil get hot, and then add the onions, peppers, and snow peas and stir fry them for about 4 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan. Add the soy sauce, sherry, garlic salt and chicken broth. Bring everything to a boil and then add the cornstarch mixture and stir until thick.

Add the noodles and mix everything thoroughly. Remove the lo mein from the heat, then mix in the sesame oil and serve. Makes 3 servings. (Horsepuckie, this made enough for 6!! at least)

Notes: Lo mein is a wonderful warm dish that is a favorite among Chinese restaurant goers today. Lo mein simply means “tossed noodles,” which can be mixed with a variety of vegetables and meats. This delicious noodle dish can be made a thousand different ways depending on the size of the noodles, and the vegetables and meats that are mixed with them. Also, the sauce in this dish is very important. Usually made from a combination of chicken broth, beef broth, soy sauce, or oyster sauce, the sauce is what completes the lo mein dish.

Lo mein noodles are Chinese egg noodles which can be purchased either fresh or dried. They also come in a variety of sizes. The wide lo mein noodles are great for heavier dishes that are beef based. The thinner noodles are great for lighter dishes made with chicken, pork, or vegetables. The combinations of meats, vegetables and noodles are almost endless. Try this delicious chicken lo mein recipe below and then experiment by switching out some of the ingredients for ones that suite your own tastes. Let me know if you come up with an amazing combination in the Chinese food forum. Enjoy!

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Great dinner!!
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#36
  Asian Dinner Recipes cjs I posted this in an ...
These sound so good! I think I need to make the Lo Mein this weekend. I haven't had it in a gajillion years and how great it would be to make it myself. I think it even fits in hubby's diet. Thanks once again Jean! You never cease to amaze me.

Love the "horsepuckie" comment. was that part of the original recipe?
Theresa

Everything tastes better Alfresco!
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#37
  Re: Asian Dinner Recipes chef_Tab These sound so good!...
just my whining...
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#38
  Re: Asian Dinner Recipes cjs just my whining... [...
Thanks Jean. My kids LOVE LoMein. We will give this one a try soon!
Erin
Mom to three wonderful 7th graders!
The time is flying by.
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#39
  Re: Asian Dinner Recipes esgunn Thanks Jean. My ki...
While I'm not real sure about the tofu, I really like the sound of the lo mein and will probably make this up as soon as I get to the Asian market for the noodles. YS LOVES lo mein. Thanks Jean!
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
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#40
  Re: Asian Dinner Recipes cjs just my whining... [...
Quote:

just my whining...



Sure that's not whinnying?
If blueberry muffins have blueberries in them, what do vegan muffins have?
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#41
  Re: Asian Dinner Recipes labradors [blockquote]Quote:[h...
Jean, thanks for posting and now I'm craving lo mein (must remember to put snow peas on my list for next week!) I usually use whole wheat linguine instead of Chinese noodles, though (although I can get snow peas in the nearby grocery, the noodles require a much longer trip).

As a note, I make hot and sour soup with almost the same ingredients but I use shredded chicken breast (since we don't eat red meat). And, Daphne, the small squares of tofu "soak" in that delicious broth and taste wonderful. Give it a try!
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#42
  Re: Asian Dinner Recipes foodfiend Jean, thanks for pos...
Thanks for the plug Vikki, I may just have to try it. The flavors of the soup sound really good.

Hey, if the guys don't want to eat it, they can pick it out...right? That's IF I tell them what it is...LOL! NOT!
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
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#43
  Re: Asian Dinner Recipes Gourmet_Mom Thanks for the plug ...
Daphne, I'm not a tofu fan, but I know I eat a lot of it in Asian dishes at restaurants, so I usually trust the recipe (Asian) that calls for it.

I still stay away from vegetarians asking for it....unless someone has road tested the recipe.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#44
  Re: Asian Dinner Recipes cjs Daphne, I'm not a to...
The chicken lo mein is awesome. I am not sure if it is due to not serving anything else on the side and no appy, but I think it truly would feed 3 or 4. It is just so good hubby and I both ate a lot. Thankfully, there is enough left for my lunch tomorrow. If I don't eat it for a snack in a few hours!
Theresa

Everything tastes better Alfresco!
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