Pork Chow Mein

Get ready for the Chinese New Year with these great noodles - and the quick little black bean sauce makes this ridiculous.

Serves 2-4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons black bean garlic sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ½ pound boneless pork (tenderloin or country style ribs work great), thinly sliced 
• ½ tablespoon of neutral oil*
• *(unflavored oils such as canola, vegetable or peanut)
• ¼ pound sugar snap peas sliced diagonally
• ½ pound shitake mushrooms
• 4 oz chow mein noodles, cooked
• green onions, chopped to garnish

 DIRECTIONS

1. Combine black bean and soy sauce, set aside
2. Heat sautéed pan on medium-high, add oil and pork and cook cooked until pork is just done, about 4 minutes ­ - remove pork mixture to a bowl
3. In same pan, heat to high and add a little more oil
4. Add peas and stir fry until crisp tender, about 3 minutes then add to pork mixture
5. Return pan to heat again, add more oil and the shitakes, cook until softened, about 5 minutes
6. Turn heat up to high, add the pork mixture and then the add soy/black bean - stir until heated through
7. Add chow mein noodles, combine well, plate and garnish with green onions
8. Serve

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BEST CHINESE STIR FRY SAUCE

This is the 'little black dress' of stir fry sauces – good for chicken, beef, pork, veggies and seafood.

Makes about 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped fine

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1/4 cup chicken broth, vegetable broth or even water

• 1 tablespoon sriracha

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl or Tupperware and mix well

2. Stir fry about 2 cups any combination of diced vegetables and/or seafood, chicken or beef until protein is just cooked through

3. When just done, add 1/2 to 2/3 of sauce, mix and let thicken slightly – about a minute and serve

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

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STIR FRIED STEAK & SNOW PEAS

Not sure much is easier (and healthier) than this. 

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 lb New York steak – put in freezer 10 minutes, remove fat strip, finely slice across the grain
• 1 big handful snowpeas (remove the tough end)
• 2  1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon seasame oil
• 1'' cube fresh ginger, peeled, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, finely diced
• 1/2 orange, zest and juice
• 2 teaspoons seasame seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, mix the broth, corn starch, soy
2. Preheat wok on high, add 1 tablespoon oil and snowpeas, keep them moving, cook 1 minute, remove
3. In same hot wok, add 1 tablespoon oil and beef, break up clumps, keep it moving, cook 1 minute
4. Add snowpeas back in wok with beef
5. Add 1/2 tablespoon oil add garlic and ginger, cook 30 seconds, mix well
6. Add broth mixture, add orange zest and juice, stir on high heat, cook 1 minute – until sauce thinkens
7. Sprinkle over seasame seeds and eat!

WATCH ME MAKE THIS... 

GREEN ONION STIR FRY

I love green onions – make this, eat this, love this. I’ve got nothin’ else to say.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• Pack chow mein noodles
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup chopped green onions
•  3 tablespoons fresh ginger finely diced
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

DIRECTIONS

1. boil a large pan water, cook noodles 3 minutes
2. preheat wok to high
3. mix in small bowl, oyster sauce, soy and sesame oil
4. add to wok: oil, green onions and ginger cook 1 to 2 minutes
5. add sauce mix, coat noodles, keep moving, cook 1 minute

Beef and snow peas

Serves 4

This reminds me of home (Vancouver)... Chinese food, yep! And, this dish is so amazing and so quick to knock together, the cooking time is just a few minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 large Skirt Steak, leave the fat, cut bite sized pieces against the grain
• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 cup snow peas, whole
• 2 tablespoons Chill Paste (I used Garlic Sambal)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (I used House Wife Soy)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons corn starch (to thicken)
• 4 Ready-cooked rice packs

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl mix the chili paste, soy, honey, sesame oil and corn starch
2. Make sure everything is prepped and ready
3. Heat carbon steel wok or large skillet to smoking hot, add 2 tablespoons oil, cook beef for 2 minutes then remove
4. Using same pan, add 2 tablespoons oil, throw in onion and snow peas, cook for 2 minutes maximum (keep it moving)
5. Add sauce and cooked beef, coat everything well, cook for one more minute
6. Heat rice in microwave
7. Eat!

Citrus Soy Scallops

Serves 4

Too many people overcook scallops and it's time to stop. If you overcook yours, I'll have to come over and knock you in the head. You simply need lots of heat and little time.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• Juice of 2 limes
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 lb large sea scallops
• peanut oil

Directions

1. Place all ingredients except scallops in a glass or ceramic shallow bowl.
2. Mix well and add scallops.
3. Marinate 5 minutes each side at room temperature. If you marinate scallops too long, they'll get mushy.
4. Transfer scallops to a plate and reserve marinade.
5. Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large saute pan over high heat until hot and almost smoking.
6. Add scallops (cook in batches if necessary to keep from being too crowded) and saute quickly until seared brown and just cooked through - about 2 minutes a side.
7. Remove from pan.
8. Add marinade to pan and boil until reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 2 minutes.
9. Drizzle scallops with sauce.

Spicy Hoisin Tofu with Eggplant

Serves 4

Ok, I know what you're thinking..."Tofu Sam, really? No...really.

Ingredients

• One 14 ounce block firm Tofu
• 2 Asian Egg Plants, the long thin kind
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1/4 cup Hoisin
• 1 tablespoon Chili Paste
• 2 tablespoons green onion light green and white parts only, chopped

Directions

1. Remove Tofu from package, wrap in a double layer of paper towel and let dry about 15 minutes
2. Cut off ends of eggplant, slice lengthwise and cut into even 3/4 inch slices
3. Add peanut oil and eggplant to hot pan or wok and cook for 5 minutes, stir often
4. Remove eggplant from pan and set aside
5. Cut Tofu into even medium size cubes, about the same size as eggplant and put in hot pan or wok with a little oil and stir fry about 5 minutes
6. Add eggplant back to pan with tofu and add Hoisin and Chili paste, stir well until well mixed - but don't be too rough or you'll bust up the tofu
7. Garnish with green onion and serve

Tomato Egg Stir Fry

Serves 4

Eggs and tomatoes never tasted so good.

Ingredients

• 5 eggs, beaten
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• Olive oil, peanut oil, whatever oil
• 4 vine ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Green onions, chopped fine for garnish

Directions

1. Heat a wok or large non-stick pan well over medium heat
2. Add enough oil to coat the bottom and sides, and add eggs, and season with salt & pepper
3. Roll pan around to spread eggs into sort of a large pancake
4. Cook on both sides until done - but not too try and remove to a cutting board
5. When it cools slightly, roll it up like a cigar and cut into 1/2 inch ribbons
6. Put wok or pan back on the heat, add more oil and then tomatoes and sugar
7. Cook tomatoes until they start to break down a bit, then add back in the eggs
8. Stir everything until well combined and heated through - about 2 more minutes then serve
9. Top with green onions

Tofu & Edamame Fried Rice

Serves 4

I could eat this all day long...and if you’re not a tofu fan, this is the time to become one.

Ingredients

• 1 pack Extra Firm Tofu
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 2 green onions, white & light green parts, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 cup frozen edamame beans
• 2 cups pre-cooked cold rice - fresh rice will make it mushy and gross, and you don't want that do you?
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame chili oil

Directions

1. Slice tofu horizontally into 2 pieces (so you now have 2 square blocks)
2. Place tofu blocks side by side on a triple layer of paper towels, with a triple layer on top
3. Place something heavy like a pot or pan on top and leave about 10 minutes to drain, then cut tofu into 1 inch cubes
4. Heat wok on high until almost smoking and add 1 tablespoon oil then tofu
5. Cook until browned evenly all around - about 5 minutes and remove
6. Add a little more oil and the garlic, ginger, green onions, red pepper and edamame
7. Cook, stirring often about 5 minutes until everything has softened
8. Add the rice, breaking it up with your fingers as it goes in
9. Add soy and sesame chili oil - mix well
10. Add tofu back in and mix gently so you don't bust up the tofu
11. Serve

Scallops with Shiitake & Snow Peas

Serves 4

The title says it all so any more of a description would just make me sound like a pompous restaurant chef trying to showboat. Oh what the hell, let’s try it:

‘Hand caught local alabaster sea scallops served on a bed of forest shiitake mushrooms and Okinawan snow peas that have been delicately sautéed with fresh ginger, garlic and just a soupçon of aged tamari’

Damn I’m good.

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 big handfuls snow peas
• 10 shiitake mushroom, sliced (stems removed)
• fresh scallops
• 1 inch piece ginger, very finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Soy sauce or aged tamari
• 1 teaspoon chili sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon Sesame seeds
• 1 green onion, chopped
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. You need 2 large skillets or woks, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in each
2. Sauté the snow peas in one and mushrooms in the other, stir regularly
3. After they have cooked for 6-8 minutes, add the snow peas to the mushroom pan, add the ginger and the garlic and stir for 1 minute
4. Throw in the soy sauce, cook for 2 minutes
5. Sit the scallops on paper towel to remove moisture, then coat them in 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides
6. Heat the empty pan, until smoking hot, add the scallops cook for 2 minutes to sear on one side, then flip, brush on the chili sesame oil, cook for 2 minutes
7. Then serve the peas and mushroom and top with one scallop, and garnish with a sprinkle of green onion and sesame seeds

Ginger Beef Stir Fry

Serves 2

A stir fry is one of my favorite things – because with only a few ingredients they’re easy & they’re quick. And when you add a ton of fresh ginger – they’re also fricking delicious. But heed my warning – making this with powdered ginger is not an acceptable alternative.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1lb lean steak, finely sliced, across the grain
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili sauce
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 green onion, finely sliced
• 4 cups of cooked steam wgite rice

Directions

1. Heat a wok with the oil on medium heat add the celery and onions and cook for 5 minutes
2. Then add the ginger and garlic and cook for 5 more minutes, remove from the wok and put to one side
3. Don't wash the wok, put it back on high heat, throw in the beef - keep it moving and make sure they are not all stuck together, cook for 2 minutes or until the pink is just leaving the meat, then throw the veg back in the wok, right at the end of cooking
4. Stir in the soy and chili sauce, stir
5. Serve on top of steamed white rice and garnish with kosher salt, pepper and green onions.

Tequila Lime Shrimp and Scallops

Serves 4

This is totally delicious and totally gluten free, with thanks to chef Danna Korn.

Ingredients

• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, and deveined
• 1/2 pound scallops
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 cup tequila
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 large onion, cut into thin wedges
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
• 4 lime wedges (for garnish)

Directions

1. If your shrimp or scallops are frozen, thaw and rinse them. If the scallops are as large as an egg or larger, cut them in half and set them aside
2. In a large glass, ceramic, or stainless steel mixing bowl, stir together the lime juice, lemon juice, cilantro, 1 tablespoon oil, tequila, garlic, hot sauce, cumin, and oregano
3. Add the shrimp and scallops
4. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onion, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper in the remaining tablespoon of oil until they begin to get soft, about 4 minutes
5. Add the shrimp-scallop mixture to the skillet, and bring everything to a boil
6. Cook and stir the mixture for about 3 minutes, until some of the liquid has burned off and the scallops are cooked
7. Garnish with lime wedges
8. Serve alone, with rice, quinoa or whatever makes you happy