Pad Thai w. shrimp

Second try, got it right. Go me.

Ok, let's do this thing.

Soak your package of rice noodles in a large bowl of hot but not boiling water. After 10 minutes or so, check them now and then (nibble a piece) until it's "right". When they're ready to your liking, drain them and put them in a dry bowl to sit for later.

In a pot:

1/2 cup ketchup
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce (it smells like gym socks in the bottle but it's great in a sauce)
1 tbsp shrimp paste, from your local tiny asian grocery
1/4 cup (50 mL) lime juice
1 tsp chili flakes or hot sauce
2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup water

Put that on low heat to simmer, whisk it up until smooth, then prepare four small bowls, filled with...

chopped roasted peanuts, sliced green onions, shredded carrot, bean sprouts

Are the noodles ready yet? If so, get a wok smokin' hot on the stove, hit it with some oil, and toss a some shrimp in there. How much? A couple handfuls, make a decision already.

Once the shrimp are pink, toss in the carrots and bean sprouts, stir-fry that for a minute

Fire into the wok, your rice noodles, and then the sauce . Toss that all up, plate, dash some peanuts on there, a little more diced green onion, and a little cilantro if you have it. Go!

Coconut Thai Curry on Roasted Garam Masala Chicken

Amatriciana, sort of

A notable Italian / Roman dish that I twisted for my own dark purposes.  Meaning, I had some chicken breast to use up, and not so much the traditional pork cheek.  Also, made with no chiles...my mom is visiting and I didn't want a medical emergency on my hands.

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes   
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 pound linguine pasta, uncooked
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:

1.     Cook diced bacon in a large saucepan over medium high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of drippings from the pan.
2.     Add onions, and cook over medium heat about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds. Add canned tomatoes, undrained; simmer 10 minutes, breaking up tomatoes.
3.     Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of 4 quarts boiling salted water until al dente. Drain.
4.     Stir basil into the sauce, and then toss with cooked pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Pork Ribs (Bone Dust dry rub)

Ingredients:

        1/2 cup paprika
        1/4 cup chili powder
        3 tablespoons salt
        2 tablespoons ground coriander
        2 tablespoons garlic powder
        2 tablespoons white sugar
        2 tablespoons curry powder
        2 tablespoons dry hot mustard
        1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
        1 tablespoon ground basil
        1 tablespoon ground thyme
        1 tablespoon ground cumin
        1 tablespoon cayenne

Combine, store in a big jar, slather on pork whenever you want to bring the flavor hammer.

In this case, rub into pork ribs, then wrap them up in foil, and set on a large pan that will contain leaks (melted fat).  Set your oven to 250C.  Three hours in there should do it.  Remove from oven, remove the foil, return the ribs to the oven for 30 minutes or so while you fire up your grill.  Brush your favorite sweet sauce on them, and set them (carefully!) on the grill long enough to get a bit of a char.

Hot and Sour Soup

Various recipies, various failures, finally I made a hot and sour soup I'm happy with.

Ingredients:

1 cake tofu (fresh, if possible)
2 ounces pork tenderloin

Marinade:

1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Other:

1/2 cup bamboo shoots
1 handful of dried Asian mushrooms
6 cups water
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
2 teaspoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons red rice vinegar, white rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
1 egg, beaten
3 green onions, finely chopped

White pepper to taste
Hot chili oil, to taste


Hot and Sour Soup Directions:

Slice pork very thinly. 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 mushrooms, soak in warm water for 20 minutes. Pick them out of the water, give them a good squeeze to remove fluid, and then chop finely. Return to the "mushroom water" and set this aside for now.

Bring the water to a boil. When it is boiling, add the bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and pork. Stir. Bring back to a boil and add the tofu.
Stir in the salt, sugar, soy sauce and vinegar and sesame oil.
Test the broth and adjust the taste if desired, using white pepper and chili oil to suit your heat level.

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 serve hot.

Pumpkin Soup with Rice

Karen is ill today, so she clapped her hands sharply and ordered soup(s).

2 lbs. roasted pumpkin flesh
3 cups chicken stock
3 cups 1% milk
3 tsp sugar
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp ground pepper

1 cup cooked white rice
pinch of ground cinnamon, to serve


Simplicity itself, put first six ingrediants in a pot, heat until just starting to boil, and puree' that stuff with a stock blender. Put a scoop of rice and a sprinkle of cinnamon in each bowl. Serve!

Grilling stuff

Forgive me. I have a brand new grill and I'm still just having way too much fun. Recipes and new stuff soon.