Vegetables with Black Bean Sauce on Crispy Noodles

July 6th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Thick black bean sauce goes perfectly well with crispy noodles.

My body is happy with a lot of green vegetables today.

This recipe is suitable for vegans.

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— Vegetables with Black Bean Sauce on Crispy Noodles (serves 2) —

160g thin dried chinese noodles

1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

4 shiitake mushrooms

300g Oriental stir fry vegetables (such as baby corn, bok choy, spring onion, tenderstem broccoli,  mangetout, chilli etc.)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoons sesame oil

1 & 1/2 tablespoon black bean sauce

300ml vegetable stock soup

1 & 1/2 tablespoon cornflour (mixed with 3 tablespoons water)

Vegetable oil for deep-frying

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Cook the rice noodles (follow the package directions), drain and rinse under cold water, and drain well again. Set aside.

Heat the deep-frying oil to 360F. Devide the noodles into 2 portion and deep-fry a portion at a time until they became crispy. Place them on kichen paper to remove excess oil.

*****

— how to make vegetable with black bean sauce —

Cut the vegetables into bite-size pieces.

Heat the vegetable oil in a frying-pan over medium heat, add the vegetables, ginger and garlic, stir-fry about for 3 minutes.

Add the black bean sauce and in the frying-pan and stir-fry for 1 minute. Pour over the vegetable stock soup and bling to boil.

Add the corn flour (mixed with water) to thicken, then add the sesame oil.

*****

Serve fried noodles on plates and pour the sauce over.

Crab & Tomato Noodle Soup

May 18th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This is very simple but flavoursome soup noodle recipe.

Tomatoes and crab meat provide natural umami flavour into the soup.

Quick and easy to make, healthy and filling. It’s a great light supper dish.

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— Crab & Tomato Noodle Soup (Serves 2) —

200g dried rice noodles

2 tomatoes

1 canned crab meat

1 egg

600ml water

1&1/2 tablespoon fish sauce (nouc mam)

A pinch of black pepper

Some vegetable oil

Some coriander (for garnish)

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Cook the rice noodles (follow the package directions), drain and set aside.

Heat some oil in a flying-pan, fry the drained canned crab meat for 1 minutes, transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Add the egg and beat together.

Cut the tomatoes into small cubes. Heat some oil in a medium sauce pan, fry the tomatoes few minutes and add 600ml water, bring to the boil. Add the fish sauce and season with the black pepper.

Pour the egg mixture into the boiling broth, stirring slowly.

Place the cooked rice noodles in a bowl and pour over the broth. Garnish with some coriander.

Peanut Chicken Satay

May 15th, 2011 § 2 comments § permalink

I love street food.

Especially when I visit new countries and towns.

It’s one of the best way to see the real local culture. I love sitting on a wobbly plastic chair, feeling the new fresh air, choosing a dish which I’ve never seen before. It’s a nice little adventure.

This recipe is Indonesian satay style. I remember the smily and hard working people at food stalls in Indonesia when I eat it.

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— Peanut Chicken Satay (serves 4) —

5-6 chicken thighs, boned and skinned

Some coriander, chopped (for garnish)

*****

— for marinade —

4 tablespoons peanuts butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon coriander, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon lemongrass, finely chopped

1/2 tablespoon curry powder

1/2 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon fish sauce (Nam pla)

4 tablespoons coconuts milk

1/2 tablespoon ketchup

1/2 tablespoon soya sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

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Cut the chicken into bite size.

Mix all the marinade ingredient in a bowl, add the chicken and coat well all over. Cover and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Thread the chicken onto soaked bamboo skewers and grill for 4-5 minutes each side until cooked through.

Sprinkle with the chopped coriander.

Salad Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

April 11th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Light up Japan recipe –No.9

Spring has come and it’s a good idea to eat fresh Spring rolls and be refresh and enjoy Spring.

This is a great way to eat a lot of vegetables and herbs.

The creamy rich peanut dipping sauce is my favourite and I can eat too many spring rolls with it.

Suitable for vegans too.

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— Salad Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce (makes 6 rolls) —

6 medium size sheets dried rice paper

6 leaves lettuce

1 avocado

1 carrot

Handful of coriander leaves

Handful of mint leaves

*****

— For the peanut sauce —

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2/3 tablespoon miso paste

1/2 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons soya milk

1/2 vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 small chili, finely chopped

2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped (for garnish)

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— Peanut sauce —

Heat the oil in a saucepan and lightly cook the garlic and chili.

Add the peanut butter, miso paste, honey and soya milk and mix together thoroughly, cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts.

*****

— Salad Spring Rolls —

Tear the lettuce leaves into large pieces, cut the carrot into thin strips, cut the avocado into wedges.

Fill a large bowl with hot water, dip one wrapper into the hot water for 3 seconds to soften and flexible.

Lay the wrapper flat, place some coriander and mint leaves in a line about 1 inch from the edge of the wrapper, add some thin stripped carrot, avocado wedges, and lettuce leaves, then tightly roll the wrapper. Cut the rolls into quarters. Repeat with all the sheets.

Pan-fried Banana with Coconut Sauce

January 26th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This is a very easy & tasty exotic dessert. It takes less than 10 minutes to make.

The banana skin is not edible, but I like to keep this cute natural banana skin plate for serving.

A little bit of rum add an elegant flavour to this simple dessert.

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— Pan-fried Banana with Coconut Sauce —

2 bananas

150ml coconut milk

1 tablespoon rum

1 tablespoon butter

1 & 1/2 tablespoon sugar

Some almond flakes

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Cut the banana in half lengthwise.

Heat a frying-pan, melt the butter and fry the bananas (cut side down) over medium-high heat about 3 minutes until golden brown on cut side.

Sprinkle the rum over the banana, and then pour the coconut milk, sprinkle the sugar in the frying-pan.

Simmer the banana with the coconut sauce until the sauce has reduced by half.

Sprinkle almond flakes. Serve warm.

Prawn & Herb Noodle Salad

January 15th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

I love this Vietnamese style fresh noodle salad. This is like a delicious medicine.

I’ll never get board of this fresh, zesty taste, and it’s very healthy with a lot of herbs and vegetables. I can physically feel that my body is delighted when I’m eating it.

The main ingredients of this dressing is Vietnamese fish sauce called nuoc mam. Nouc mam is a fermented fish sauce and it has a pungent smell itself… But when you use nuoc mam for a cooking, it does really enhance flavour of the dish, lifting the taste of other ingredients.

All the ingredients are helping each other to be delicious on a plate.

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— Prawn & Herb Noodle Salad (serves 2 / main dish) —

200g dried thin rice noodles (Bún)

160g boiled prawns

80g iceberg lettuce

100g cucumber

1 tomato

A handful coriander leaves

A handful mint leaves

Some roasted peanuts, crashed

*****

– for the noodle salad dressing –

2 tablespoons nouc mam (vietnamese fish sauce), or usual fish sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 1/2 tablespoon honey

1 clove garlic, peeled and very finely chopped

A pinch of small chili, very finely chopped

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To prepare the noodle dressing, mix all ingredients of the dressing in a small bowl. Set aside.

Tear the iceberg lettuce into pieces, chop the cucumber and tomato into cubes, and set aside.

Cooke the thin rice noodles in a large pot of boiling water until cooked (follow the package directions). Drain and rinse well under cold water, and drain well again.

Transfer the cooked thin rice noodles into a large bowl. Add the boiled prawns, iceberg lettuce, cucumber, tomato, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Pour over the dressing, toss everything together in a bowl.

Dish up the noodle salad and sprinkle on the crushed peanuts.

Lemon Grass Chicken Lettuce Wraps

January 7th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

I like ‘wrap’ dishes. Tortillas, rice papers, crapes… any kind of wraps.

It’s easy to eat, fun to eat and looks cute, I think.

This is healthy low-calorie lettuce wraps, nice combination of cold crispy lettuce and warm tender chickens.

Lettuce hugs chickens.

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— Lemon Grass Chicken Lettuce Wraps (serves 2) —

300g chicken thigh, boned and skinned

Some lettuce leaves

Some coriander stalks

Some olive oil for frying

*****

— for the marinade —

1 stalk lemon grass, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 tablespoon fish sauce

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar

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Cut the chicken thigh into bite-sized pieces.

Mix all the ingredients of the marinade in a bowl, add the chicken pieces into the bowl and mix well then marinate 30 minutes.

Heat a frying-pan and add some olive oil. Stir-fry the marinaded chicken over medium heat until cooked.

Place the lettuce leaves on a plate, Scoop up a big spoonful of cooked chicken and place it in the middle of a lettuce leaf and garnish with some coriander stalks.

Chilled Mango Soya Milk Pudding

December 29th, 2010 § 0 comments § permalink

Mango has a beautiful cheerful colour and a scent.

I bought it and made this mango pudding to cheer me up.

Used soya beans milk for extra full of beans.

This pudding texture is silky rich, and it has simply wonderful mango flavour.

It also a non-daily dessert and suit vegetarian.

When I’ve finished a cup, I became cheerful like a mango.

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— Chilled Mango Soya Milk Pudding (5 cups)—

2 medium to large ripe mangoes

100ml soya milk

50ml soya single cream

50g sugar

3 gelatine leaves (or agar agar for a vegetarian)

Some soya single cream for drizzle on top

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Soak the gelatine leaves in a water until soft.

Peel and stone the mangoes and cut into small cubes. Place the mango in a blender and make a smooth mango purée.

Place the soya milk, 50ml of soya cream and sugar in a pan and slowly bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved, then remove from the heat.

Squeeze the water out of the gelatine leaves, add to the pan and stir until the gelatine has dissolved.

Add the mango purée into the pan and mix well.

Pour the mixture into small cups. Cool and then chill in the fridge for couple of hours until set.

Drizzle some soya single cream on top and serve.

Seasoned Wakame & Bean Sprouts

December 23rd, 2010 § 0 comments § permalink

Christmas is coming. It’s a time to keep eating.

I can kind of understand how the feeling of foie gras goose at this time of the year. But how can I resist a beautiful christmas pudding with brandy butter in front of me?

So, I made super healthy dish for my stomach tonight and prepare for the Christmas dinner.

This Korean origin “Sesame & Garlic” seasoning goes well with many kind of vegetables. I picked up Wake seaweed and bean sprouts today’s recipe. Because Wakeme is amazingly healthy ingredient. It’s very low-calorie, rich in vitamins & minerals (cleanse the blood) and has a high iodine content which is great for controlling metabolism. The effectiveness of this iodine is doubled when the seaweed is eaten with oil.

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— Seasoned Wakame & Bean Sprouts (Serves 2 : side dish) —

3 tablespoons dried wakame seaweed flakes

150g bean sprouts

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 clove garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 small chili, very finely chopped

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Soak the wakame flakes as it directed on the package. Drain rehydrated wakame flakes and set aside.

Add the bean sprouts for a large pan of slightly salted boiling water, cook 30 seconds. Drain the boiled bean sprouts in a colander, cool down and set aside.

Place the garlic, sesame seeds and sesame oil in a mortar, crush and pound them.

Place the wakame, the bean sprouts and the seasoning (in the mortar) in a bowl then add the salt and chili.

Mix everything well in a bowl and serve in a small plate.