Category Archives: Stir Fry

Mapo Eggplant

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You can tell how much I’m enjoying eggplant right now.  A little chopping, and assembling ingredients gives you one of the best low effort/high flavour dinners, and likely to be in the rotation as long as the eggplant is growing out the back door!  If you love Mapo Tofu, you are going to really enjoy this – the eggplant gets so creamy and sucks up all the flavour in the sauce.

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I roasted some cauliflower tossed with white miso paste, chile sauce, and olive oil – great to have a bit of a crunchy contrast – next time I might also scatter a few roasted peanuts over as garnish.

PORK

  • 12 ounces ground pork
  • 3 tsp water
  • 2 tsp Shaoxing wine (or sake)
  • 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper

Mix all ingredients together and allow to marinate while you do the rest of the prep.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 long Japanese eggplant (can use round eggplant but peel if the skin is too tough)
  • vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup minced ginger
  • 2 tsp Szechaun pepper (finely ground)
  • 1/4 cup black bean sauce
  • 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp chile crunch (optional)
  • 2 tsp corn starch mixed with 1/4 cup water for slurry

GARNISH

sliced scallions and roasted sesame seeds

METHOD

Just before you start cooking, cut the eggplant lengthwise and then into smaller (triangle?) pieces.  If you do this too early, they will discolor.

Heat wok over med high heat, and when it is starting to smoke add the eggplant in a single layer (do in batches if you have to).  Allow to sit undisturbed until you get some color on the eggplant pieces and then stir them up, and allow to caramelize a bit on all sides.  

After you’ve cooked all the eggplant, add 2 tbsp oil to the wok and saute the ginger for a minute, just until it starts to soften, then add the garlic.  Fry just until fragrant, (watch carefully, burnt garlic is bitter!).

Add the pork mixture and stir fry until it has been cooked through and lightly caramelized in bits.

Stir in the pepper and the black bean sauce.  Cook for one minute until it is bubbling, and add the chicken stock, chiile crisp (if you are using it), sugar and sesame oil.

Add the eggplant to the mixture and stir well.  Once it is all combined and boiling again, stir in the cornstarch slurry and just allow it to thicken and get nice and glossy.

Serve over fluffy white rice, garnished with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

If you want to make this gluten free use sake or dry sherry in place of the Shaoxing wine, use gluten free chicken stock, and make sure your black bean sauce is gluten ffree (it is hard to find!).

Look how soft and creamy the eggplant is – addictive!
Cook pork crumbles until crispy in spots
Look at this happy wok, bubbling away – and smelling incredible.

JAPCHAE

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Set aside a bit of time to make this dish – today it took me 2 1/2 hours but it makes a lot, and keeps really well in the fridge for a couple of days. Just call it kitchen yoga and you are guaranteed to feel quite smug.

This Korean noodle dish is truly crave worthy. If anything, tastes even better the next day but don’t let that stop you from making and eating it for dinner the same day! It took a bit of effort to find potato starch noodles but it was worth the effort. They have a springy texture that is unlike any other noodle I’ve had.

  • 12 ounces (340g) of pork loin or steak – cut into very thin slivers
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 1/2 tbsp chinese cooking wine (shaoxing)
  • 1 /2 tsp oyster sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil

I’ve also learned a new technique through J.Kenji Lopez-Alt about velveting meat for stir frying, and trust me, it makes a huge difference!

First, give your meat a little bath – scrub it in running water and then squeeze to drain it really well.

Combine the meat with all the other ingredients in a bowl and massage it vigorously – I like my using my hands but feel free to use a spoon if you prefer. Set aside for 30 minutes, or in the fridge for 4 hours or so.

Blanch spinach or kale in boiling water, cool and chop a little.

Stir in:

  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt

10 ounces (280 gr) of sweet. potato starch noodles (Dangmyeon) – cooked acording to package

Sauce for noodles:

  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar

Once noodles are cooked, drained and rinsed, cut them into smaller pieces and stir with the sauce. Set aside.

  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced
  • 3 scallions, cut in 3 ” pieces
  • 1 pack of baby spinach or kale (as much as you like, really)
  • bean sprouts (as many as you like)

OPTIONAL:

  • raw carrot strands
  • slivered snap peas
  • pea shoots
  • cucumber, thinly sliced

Japchae sauce

  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 2 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
  • 1 TBSP sesame oil
  • 1 TBSP gojuchang (korean spice paste)

Stir well in a large bowl. Taste and adjust for seasoning. I usually use low sodium soy sauce but using Gluten Free soy sauce, now that Stella is Celiac, we are all learning to cook without any wheat in our products, so initially I found this a bit salty, I adjusted with a little rice vinegar and touch of oil. (Basically, the vinaigrette I had made and in the fridge)

UPDATE – see below for a sauce suitable for all gluten free folks – it was so good!

Time to stir fry the veg!

In a wok or large fry pan heat vegetable oil and stir fry onion and red pepper until soft and set aside. Then stir fry any other vegetable you choose to add.

I like to have a mix of raw and stir fried veg……

Heat wok again and add some vegetable oil – stir fry the meat, and add in the bean sprouts and kale or spinach, fry just until softened. Add back the red pepper, onion, garlic mix as well as the cooked noodles. Toss well to warm everything through and then add to the bowl with the sauce, mixing well

Once you have everything prepared, toss it all with the sauce. My usual tactic is to put all the veg in the bowl and then gradually add the sweet potato noodles, that way I don’t overload the bowl with too many noodles. Just ask Mike, I’m guilty of cooking more noodles than needed – always.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chives or green onions for a little color.

Sit back and enjoy! Pour yourself a glass of well deserved wine.

Todays version included sautéed mini bok choy. You could easily call this a clean out the fridge noodle dish, anything goes! This doesn’t have any meat in it at all, I felt like some Korean grilled chicken thighs – a bit of sweet, spicy and char makes it perfect. That is on the grill separately. If you leave it as is, you’ve got a great vegetarian dinner!

This was all the sautéed vegetables in tonights dish – each in the pan at separate times. I know, I’m fussy that way – go ahead and throw it all in at once if you like, and let me know if it makes any difference …. haha

Here are the raw veg – along with the cooked sweet potato noodles. – today was spiral carrots, bean sprouts, pea sprouts and slivered snap peas.

JAPCHAE SAUCE GLUTEN FREE VERSION

3 TBSP GF soy sauce

1 TBSP brown sugar

1/2 TBSP sesame oil

Whisk together until the sugar is dissolved. I added a bit of chili oil for a little kick, but honestly, this was fantastic, and we all loved it.

If you can find gojuchang free of malt barley, then you could just use the original sauce recipe.

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Grilled Shrimp and Cauliflower with Romesco Dipping Sauce

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Cauliflower & Shrimp with Romescu
The first thing you need to know is that this sauce is A M A Z I N G.  Put it on your sandwich, toss hot pasta with it, fresh veggie dip or meat skewer dip …. it wins every time.  Today’s appetizer included these grilled cauliflower florets, lightly marinated shrimp and green onions.

Ingredients for Romesco

1 1/2 CUPS SERVINGS

  • 1 large roasted red bell pepper from a jar
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
  • 1/4 cup tomato purée
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Pulse first 8 ingredients in a food processor until very finely chopped. With motor running, slowly add oil; process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Romesco can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

romescu

To use as a dipping sauce, heat through until easy to stir and warm.

 

Shrimp and Vegetables

  • 1 head of cauliflower – cut into florets
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 lb jumbo shrimp – tails and shells on
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1 bunch green onions

Lightly steam cauliflower until just tender crisp – be careful not too overcook it.

Season with salt.

In a large bowl, toss shrimp with vegetable oil and lime juice.  Allow to sit for 20-30 minutes.

Grill cauliflower, shrimp and green onions just until heated through (and shrimp is fully cooked) – try to get some pretty grill marks on there!

Arrange on a serving platter with the Romesco and dip merrily away.

 

 

General Tso’s Chicken

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I’ve been working on this recipe for ages, trying to get the correct balance of flavours and I think this is it – finally nailed it. Every brand of these ingredients will be slightly different. Taste the marinade BEFORE adding raw chicken and make sure it tastes great – adjust as needed. Follow that plan with the sauce also, make sure each component of this dish tastes great before putting it all together.

Slightly spicy, slightly sticky and slightly sweet - a winning combination in this quick stir fry.

Slightly spicy, slightly sticky and slightly sweet – a winning combination in this quick stir fry.

CHICKEN & MARINADE
2 #’s boneless skinless chicken thighs – cut into bite size pieces

6 tbsp sesame oil
2 1/2 tbsp raw sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 heaped tbsp Sambal Oelek (chile paste)
1 tbsp each minced garlic and ginger
1 tbsp corn starch

Combine marinade ingredients in bowl, stir in chicken and allow to sit in fridge for an hour.

SAUCE
2 tbsp yellow miso
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Sambal Oelek (chile paste)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp light brown sugar

Stir well, and set aside

STIR FRY
peanut oil
2 small hot chile peppers
1 clove garlic, peeled and lightly crushed – but left whole
1/2 medium white onion, cut into 1/2″ dice
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1 tbsp Shaoshing rice wine (or sherry wine for cooking)
1/2 each red and yellow sweet pepper, cut into 1/2″ dice
4 scallions, chopped into 1″ pieces

GARNISH
Toasted sesame seeds
thinly sliced green onions
thinly sliced hot red peppers

Heat wok over high heat until it starts to smoke, add enough peanut oil to lightly coat bottom – quickly toss in onions, garlic and chile peppers. Stir for 1 minute and add chicken. Toss and stir fry until chicken is slightly opaque, add peanuts and 1 tbsp rice wine. Add reserved sauce, peppers and cook until peppers are cooked through. Stir in large pieces of green onion.

Garnish with the sesame seeds, green onions and red peppers.

Serve with sesame jasmine rice, which is super simple! Just toss finely sliced chives into cooked rice along with toasted sesame seeds and a little sesame oil.