Ding How

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE Chinese food.  In the past, it seems that whenever I’ve tried to make it at home, it just doesn’t come out as tasty as take-out.

Thanks to Bon Appetit, that is no longer the case.

This dish is perfect.  It will have your family and friends asking for seconds, so you might want to double the recipe.  (We fought over the leftovers.)

Beef, Mushroom & Snow Pea Stir-Fry

• 1lb. sirloin steak, sliced into thin strips
• 1TBS Asian sesame oil
• 1TBS minced (and peeled) fresh  ginger
•  2 large handfuls of mushrooms (I used Cremini, but the original recipe called for Shiitake — use what you like!)
• 1 large handful of fresh snow peas
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced, divided
• i cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped and divided
• 5TBS Hoisin sauce
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, roughly chopped
• 1TBS Sriracha
• 1/4TSP Chinese five-spice powder (You can find this at the grocery store, but I made my own)

Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over med/hi heat.  Add ginger and mushrooms; stir-fry for about 3 minutes.  Add beef to skillet and stir-fry for another minute.  Add snow peas, half of the onions, half of the cilantro and stir-fry for 1 minute.  Stir in hoisin, Srircha, garlic and five-spice powder. Saute  until peas are crisp tender, about 2 minutes. 

Serve over brown rice and top with freshly chopped cilantro and green onions.

Bon Appetit!

 

Pho-tastic

After frequenting Pho Truc in Clarkston, my better half has been experimenting with making his own Pho — and has succeded at making his own delicious concoction. 

Pho seasoning

Although, you need to pick up the Pho seasoning at the Oriental Market (we visit First Oriental Market on E. Ponce de Leon Ave.) this dish is extremely easy to make, consists of inexpensive ingredients, is packed with vitamins and feeds an army (or lasts us the two of us several days.)  We make this if we feel a cold coming on and it always helps kick it (also a great hangover cure :0)

Pho

• 10 cups water
• 4 chicken bullion
• 4 beef bullion
• 1 packet Pho seasoning (this can be found at the oriental market)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon powdered ginger
• ½ lb. stew meat, sliced extremely thin (chill 30 minutes in the freezer before slicing)
• 1 packet thin, or small rice noodles – also called rice sticks
• Fresh cilantro
• Soy bean sprouts
• 2 limes
• Sriracha to taste (Asian hot sauce)
• Plum sauce to taste (adds sweetness, can be found in the international isle at the grocery)

 Mix water, bullion, Pho seasoning, s&p and ginger in a pot on the stove, bring to boil and simmer for about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, soak the rice noodles in cold water, for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving. (As we eat this throughout the week, we keep the noodles soaking in water in a Tupperware in the fridge.)

 To serve: put cold noodles in a bowl, pour hot broth over noodles and add thin slices of meat.  (The hot broth will cook the meat.)  Add the rest of the toppings to taste – we like to pile on cilantro, sprouts, squeeze in lime and add lots Sriracha and plum sauce – it’s a lot of fun to experiment with the flavors!  Enjoy!

A bowl of Pho with all the phixins'