Perhaps you’ve had chilled soup, but have you ever had soup on ice? Korean naengmyeon is just that – a brothy, noodle soup topped with spicy cucumber, Asian pear, daikon radish, hard-boiled egg, and ice. While the soup starts out mild in flavor, adding vinegar, mustard oil (or paste), and even a spoonful of kimchee takes the soup to a whole new flavor profile – the catch is this seasoning is usually done at the table, so everyone can control how their naengmyeon tastes. Do you want it spicy? Sour? Heavy on the pear? The choice is yours. Have you ever had Asian pear? I love Ava’s face, here! She wasn’t sure about the Asian pear, but ended up eating nearly an entire pear herself by the end of dinner. While you could substitute bosc pears or just leave them off, crisp Asian pears are incredibly floral as compared to standard pears… they remind me a lot of star fruit in that way. Tips: – I made my own seasoned broth, adding dried mushrooms and kelp powder, but if you’re in …
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Today is my late brother’s birthday – he would have been 34 and into who knows what kind of trouble. No joke. I like to think that, if he were here, he’d take a break from his ornery ways and we’d eat this sizzling Korean specialty together. As it cooked in front of us – at the table – we’d celebrate him with big bursts of goofy laughter. Bibimbap is perfect for celebrating superstars – like him. Like you. Sure, there are days when we don’t feel like superstars. When everything seems heavy and ordinary. But that’s when we can look around with fresh eyes – when we can find the sparkle on a mud puddle or see the sensual curves of a gnarly pumpkin. Or when we can make a beautiful meal out of plain, ol’ leftovers (the original purpose of bibimbap). Our endless capacity for optimism and creativity is what makes us superstars. All of us. We just need to tap into it. When was the last time someone told you that you’re a superstar? A bright …
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Serves 4 The people of the Congo forage for mushrooms deep within the forest. Mushrooms provide important nutrients and calories, especially when meat is scarce. This recipe is all about the lemon – with a flavor so intense that it brightens up any dish. Would be great with fish or wild rice. Ingredients: oil 8 oz button mushrooms, sliced 8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced 1 lemon, juiced salt & pepper Method: Heat up some oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high. Throw in the mushrooms. It’s not easy to chop a pound and a half of mushrooms. Unfortunately, Ava’s too young to use a knife or I would have put her to work. Mushroom #1 – button mushrooms Mushroom #2 – crimini mushrooms (a.k.a. baby bellas) Mushroom #3 – shiitake mushrooms Sautee until the mushrooms are soft. Lots of juices will accumulate in the pan. That’s ok, they form a light sauce around the mushrooms. It might be looking like mushrooms are the star of this dish …
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Serves 2-4 However you spell it, Moo Shu (mu sh00, mu shu, etc) Pork is great Chinese food. Simple and quick, you’ll make this recipe over and over again. Note: If you don’t have the Shaohsing rice wine, dry sherry may be substituted. Ingredients: 3/4 lb pork shoulder, sliced thinly across the grain For the marinade: 3 Tbsp Shaohsing rice wine 1/8 cup cornstarch 1 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp oyster sauce For the sauce: 1 Tbsp Shaohsing rice wine 2 Tbsp oyster sauce 3 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp sugar For the stir-fry 1 tsp minced ginger 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 green onions, thinly sliced (plus one more for garnish) 1 pint shittake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced thinly 1 pint sliced chinese cabbage 1 1/2 cups sliced wood ear mushrooms 1 cup bamboo shoot strips 3 eggs scrambled Method: In a medium bowl, combine pork, cornstarch, shaohsing wine, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Toss to combine and let marinate about thirty minutes. Meanwhile, scramble two eggs and set aside. Assemble sauce ingredients. …
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