Chinese Noodles

Char Kway Teow Serves 4 INGREDIENTS: • 1 cup mung bean sprouts • 1 yellow onion • 2 large carrots • 1 cup shredded Napa cabbage • 3 to 4 fresh chili peppers, or to taste • 2 cloves garlic • 1/4 pound barbequed pork • 2 Chinese sausages (lop cheong) • 6 ounces peeled and deveined fresh medium shrimp • 1 pound fresh rice noodles • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce • 1 tablespoon soy sauce • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce • 1 teaspoon brown sugar • 3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying • 3 eggs, lightly beaten • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves Direction: 1. Rinse and drain the mung bean sprouts. 2. Peel and chop the onion. 3. Peel the carrots and cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch pieces. 4. Shred the cabbage. 5. Cut the chili peppers in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and finely chop. 6. Peel and finely chop the garlic. 7. Cut the barbequed pork into thin pieces. 8. Cut the sausages on the diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces. 9. Steam the sausages for about 10 minutes. 10.Soak the shrimp in lightly salted warm water for 5 minutes. 11. Mix the oyster sauce, light and dark sauce and brown sugar in a small bowl. Set aside. 11. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over medium heat. 12.Add eggs and scramble. 13.Remove. 14. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over medium-high heat. 15.Add onions and carrots and stir-fry until the onion is softened. 16. Add the chiles and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. 17. Add the shrimp and stir-fry unti they turn pink. 18. Add the sausages and the barbequed pork. 19. Stir in the cabbage. 20. Remove and clean out the wok. 21. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the eggs and lightly scramble. Clean out the wok. 22. Heat 2 tablespoons oil. 23. Add the rice noodles and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. 24. Push up to the sides and add the sauce in the middle. 25. Heat to boiling, then mix in with the noodles. 26. Add the other ingredients back in the pan. 27. Stir in the mung bean sprouts. 28. Cook for 30 seconds then stir in the egg. 29. Continue cooking, adding a bit of water or chicken broth if the mixture gets too dry. 30. Season with the salt and pepper. 31. Serve hot, garnished with the cilantro. Pan-fried Noodles INGREDIENTS: • 1 pound fresh or dried egg noodles • 1 tablespoon sesame oil • 3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, or as needed Direction: 1. In a large saucepan, add enough water to cover the noodles and bring to a boil. 2. Add the noodles, stirring to separate. 3. Cook until the noodles are al dente - tender, but still firm. 4. Drain thoroughly. 5. Rinse with cold water, drain again, and toss with the sesame oil. 6. In a heavy frying pan or a wok, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high to high heat. 7. Add the noodles. 8. Quickly spread them out to the edges of the pan, and then let them cook, without stirring, until they are browned on the bottom (5 - 8 minutes). 9. Flip over and brown the other side. 10. Remove to a plate. 11. Keep warm while preparing other ingredients for the meal. Chicken Chow Mein INGREDIENTS: • 1 pound mung bean sprouts • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 7 to 8 ounces each • Marinade: • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce • 1 teaspoon soy sauce • Salt and pepper, to taste • 1 small piece (less than 1 teaspoon) cornstarch • Sauce: • 1/4 cup water or low-sodium chicken broth • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce • 1 tablespoon soy sauce • Salt and pepper, to taste • 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water • Other: • 1/2 pound dry wonton noodles • 2 medium ribs celery • 1 pound bok choy or broccoli • 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms • 1 red bell pepper • 1/2 red onion • 1 green onion (scallion, spring onion) • Vegetable oil for frying and stir-frying, as needed • 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds Direction: 1. Rinse the mung bean sprouts 1 or 2 hours before cooking (allowing it time to drain thoroughly). 2. Cut the chicken into thin strips. 3. Add the marinade ingredients, adding the cornstarch last. 4. Marinate the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes. The following 3 steps can be completed while the chicken is marinating: 5. To prepare the sauce, whisk the water or chicken broth with the oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt, pepper and cornstarch and water mixture and set aside. 6. Soften the noodles by placing them in boiling salted water. Plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process and drain thoroughly. 7. Wash all the vegetables as needed. Cut the celery and the bok choy into 1/2-inch pieces on the diagonal. If substituting broccoli for bok choy, peel the stalks until no more strings come out, and slice thinly on the diagonal. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth and slice. Cut the red bell pepper in half, remove the seeds and chut into chunks. Peel and chop the onion. Dice the green onion. 8. Heat a wok or frying pan over medium-high to high heat. 9. Add 2 tablespoons oil. 10. When the oil is hot, add the noodles. 11. Fry in batches until golden. 12. Remove the noodles from the pan. 13. Heat 2 tablespoons oil. 14. Add the onion and the meat. 15. Let the meat brown briefly, then stir-fry until the redness is gone and the meat is nearly cooked through. 16. Remove the cooked meat and onion from the pan. 17. Cook the rest of the vegetables separately, except for the green onion, seasoning each with a bit of salt while stir-frying if desired. 18. When cooking the bok choy or broccoli, add 1/4 cup of water and cover while cooking. 19. Remove each of the vegetables from the pan when finished stir-frying. Add more oil as needed. 20. Give the sauce a quick stir. 21. Add all the ingredients back into the wok, making a "well" in the middle if the wok for the sauce. 22. Add the sauce, stirring quickly to thicken. 23. Mix everything together. 24. Stir in the green onions. 25. Pour the cooked vegetable and sauce mixture on top of the noodles. 26. Garnish the chow mein with the toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot. From: http://chinesefood.about.com/library/blnoodles.htm Satay Bee Hoon Peanut Sauce: Ingredients: 30g dried chilies (soaked till softened) 50g garlic 20g lemon grass 20g galangal 1 tsp cumin seeds (roasted) 1 tbsp coriander seeds Sauce: 2 tbsp tamarind pulp 3 cups water 300g roasted peanuts (coarsely ground) 5 tbsp sugar salt to taste Condiments: 200g rice vermicelli 40g cuttlefish (cut into strips) 40g bean curd puffs (cut into pieces) 40g water spinach (kang kong - cut into 4cm lengths) 20g cockles (shelled) Directions 1. Peanut sauce: grind ingredients A together. Heat 5 tbsp oil in wok till hot. Stir-fry ground ingredients A till fragrant. 2. Mix tamarind pulp with water to make tamarind juice. Combine with ingredients A and remaining ingredients B and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer till sauce is thickened and oil floats to the surface. 3. Stir in a little curry powder and hot water so that the sauce is not too thick. Set aside. 4. Soak rice vermicelli in water till softened. Drain. Blanch rice vermicelli, cuttlefish, bean curd puffs and kang kong in boiling water. Remove and drain. 5. Transfer rice vermicelli to serving dish. Pour hot peanut sauce over rice vermicelli. Garnish with cuttlefish, bean curd puffs, water spinach and shelled cockles. Serve. Form: http://www.herbs-spices-recipes.com/side-dishes-recipes/satay-bee-hoon.php Laksa Ingredients: • 3 long fat stalks of lemon grass, mincing only their tender hearts and reserving the rest of the stalks for another use • 4 hot red chilies, discarding the stem and as many seeds as you wish to reduce the fire of the paste • 4 slices of galangal (substitute ginger if you can't find this fresh) • thumb-size lump of ginger • 1 teaspoon shrimp paste • 3 shallots, peeled and chopped • 3 large cloves garlic • 4 Tablespoons peanut oil • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric • 1 teaspoon sugar • 1/4 cup tamarind paste Directions: 1. Put the minced lemon grass hearts, chilies, galangal/ginger, shrimp paste, shallots, garlic, and oil in a blender and liquify it into a speckled mush. 2. Add the cilantro, turmeric, sugar, and tamarind paste and blend at the highest speed until it is a colorful but uniform paste. 3. Scoop into a glass jar (it will stain plastic) and refrigerate until you're ready to use. GETTING THE NOODLES AND CHICKEN READY: • 1/2 pound noodles (thick or thin rice, wheat, or beanthread noodles are fine--rice noodles are most traditional) • 4 cups cooked chicken 4. Cook the noodles according to package directions, rinse, and set aside. Cut the chicken in bitesize juicy cubes Gravy: • 2 Tablespoons peanut oil • prepared spice paste (it's about a cup) • 4 cups chicken stock • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped • 1/4 cup Asian basil (laksa leaf), chopped • 1/4 cup nam pla (or other fish sauce) • 1 can coconut milk (13.5 fl. ounces/400 ml.) 5. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat, then stir in the paste--and keep stirring until it is a little browned (don't burn!), about 3 minutes. 6. Pour in the chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, stir in herbs and fish sauce, and simmer for 5 minutes. 7. When ready to begin assembly, stir in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. GARNISHES • Asian basil • sambal or garlic-chili hot sauce • preserved carrots • julienne cucumber • crisp bean sprouts FROM: http://www.soupsong.com/rlaksa.html