Everybody Loves Ramen

What else is there to say? It’s so true, right? EVERYBODY loves ramen (and don’t say you don’t, because I know you do)! Something about it always makes my mouth water, no matter how not hungry I am. Maybe it’s because it is so quick and easy to make. Maybe it is because it is just so darn yummy and satisfying. Maybe it’s because it is so versatile – you can add just about anything, and it will still taste good!

Ramen really is like the Asian version of American fast food. It is quick-to-make, delicious, and unhealthy (ramen is super high in sodium and contains MSG)! It’s available in practically all grocery stores, and since it is so inexpensive, many college students depend on it to survive! Ok maybe not, but you get the picture. Ramen is good.

Here’s a short lesson on ramen! Ramen (aka instant noodles) is actually a packaged product named after a real Japanese dish called ramen. In Japan, ramen is an actual noodle soup dish (made from real noodles, not instant ones), served in a savory meat broth and topped with slices of meat (like pork), seaweed, and other good stuff (just look at the picture on your instant noodles package). If you go to Tokyo, don’t be surprised to find ramen restaurants as well! But here in the United States, we refer to instant noodles as ramen, even though they are different.

How I like to make ramen:

The ingredients I use are: 1 egg, 1 package of instant noodle (spicy flavored), 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of chicken broth powder, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and a sprinkle of roasted sesame seeds.

Directions:

1. I first bring 2 cups of water to a boil on the stove.
   
2. Still on medium high heat, I add the noodles, chicken broth powder, soy sauce, and a sprinkle of the spicy chili powder (that came in the packaged ramen).
   
3. Once the noodles are cooked, I take them out and put them in a serving bowl – keeping the soup portion in the hot pan on the stovetop (in other words, don’t take out the soup!).
   
4. Next, I crack the egg into the hot soup broth (see where I’m going with this?) and cover it on medium low heat for 3-5 min until the yolk is a little firm.
   
5. Lastly I pour the soup and egg on top of the noodles in the bowl.
   
6. And then I dig in!
   
   

This is how I made the wondeful bowl of ramen pictured at the top of this post! Doesn't it look yummy?

Enjoy!

Shrimp Crackers - They Are Addicting!

These are probably one of my all-time favorite Asian snacks. No wait. Shrimp crackers are definitely one of my favorite snacks ever. Why? If you haven't experienced eating one already, then let me recap.

It's like biting into a light, crunchy, salty, shrimp tasting potato chip (but in the shape of a french fry)! Simple as that.

Sure, it may be unhealthy, but why then do we always gravitate towards chips and other junk foods? Because, they sure are mighty tasty!

They are also great snacks on-the-go as well! They really hold up their taste weeks after you first open the bag (I don't know if that's entirely a good thing though).

My friends have told me to stay away from these shrimp crackers. "MSG!" they all say, "Oh no! You are going to die!"

But how can someone stay away from something so...tasty?

So, I simply forget my friends' advice, stick my hand back into the bag, and sulk in the injustice of it all. I just think, Hey I could be eating worse. At least they are not french fries, right?

Chicken feet.

Yes, you heard me right. Chicken feet! “Is that even edible?” you ask? It most certainly is. Ok, before you go throw up or try to close this window in fright, let me tell you that people do eat chicken feet. And it’s really really good!

Chicken feet are usually used in Chinese cuisine. They are mainly comprised of skin and tendon – there’s very little actual chicken meat. Thus, when you’re eating it, I find it to have an almost gummy texture (in the most appetizing way of course). Plus, just a heads up, chicken feet also has a lot of small bones (each joint of the toe is a bone). So, you may find yourself picking out bones for a while (but that can be fun, right!). Yeah, the chicken feet dining experience is certainly nothing like the usual KFC night.

The only place I can find (and eat) chicken feet are at dim sum restaurants. If you don’t know what dim sum are, they are basically just “small bites” of Chinese dishes – kind of like the tapas found in Spanish cuisine. In these restaurants, they first fry the cleaned (and de-nailed) chicken feet before marinating and cooking them in a thick and sweet black bean sauce. Oh, I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!

They are sweet, savory, a little spicy, black beany, and just the perfect snack to chew on!

Still not convinced about eating chicken feet? Well, what if I told you that they are also good for you too! It’s true. Chicken feet have a high amount of collagen, which helps your skin stay firm and wrinkle free!

So, next time you happen to find yourself in a Chinese dim sum place, don’t forget to order the chicken feet! After you get over the fact that they are chicken feet, you may even come to love this stuff (I say may). Plus, you could be eating worse right? Just the other day, my friend almost found herself eating pig testicles.

7 Other Versions of Fried Rice

We are all familiar with fried rice. You know, that tasty stuff we find at all Asian buffets and Chinese take-out. Most of us (me included) usually just think, Fried rice is fried rice is fried rice. Right? Well, not so much. Fried rice isn’t always just white rice with egg, scallions, and some sort of chopped meat. There are different styles of fried rice all around the world. I bet even every household has their own recipe for fried rice. So what types of fried rice are there? Well, today I will be discussing just that! Here are seven (I’m sure there are a bunch more) “other” versions of fried rice.

1. Yang Chow Fried Rice
This is the most popular style of fried rice we eat here in the States. You can find this in almost all Chinese take-out joints and Asian buffets. We’re all familiar with this stuff – fried rice with egg, shrimp, and chopped barbeque pork.

2. American Fried Rice
Ok, this is more of a Thailand favorite than an American one. It includes hot dogs (that’s probably why they called it American), eggs, fried chicken, and…ketchup. Gotta love that ketchup!

3. Nasi Goreng
This is a Malaysian and Indonesian version of fried rice. The major difference is that it is cooked with sweet soy sauce. Often served as breakfast in Indonesia, this dish is popular in countries such as Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia.

4. Kimchi Fried Rice
That’s pretty much it. This Korean dish mixes fried rice with our favorite Asian pickled cabbage…kimchi!

5. Garlic Fried Rice
Filipino garlic fried rice is often served as a breakfast dish. Simply, it is fried rice with garlic. Mmmm, I’ve never tried this before, but garlic is sure to make everything taste great!

6. Cha Han
This is a Japanese style of fried rice. Sometimes katsuobushi (Japanese dried smoked tuna) is mixed in to add another layer of flavor.

7. Canton Fried Rice
This Canton version of fried rice is served with a special sauce or gravy poured on top.

So, there you have it! There are the 7 versions of fried rice (even though there are probably a billion more!). Just remember, recipes...and fried rice...aren't suppose to be done only one way. They are really just up to you and your taste buds!

Chinese eggs and tomato.

This is one of my all-time childhood favorites. I know, you're probably thinking, What is he talking about? How about the mac & cheese, chicken casserole, and homemade chocolate chip cookies? Well, when you grow up in a traditional Chinese household like I do, you usually don't see those foods on the dinner table. On my table, there's usually food like pig tongue, chicken feet, and definitely Chinese eggs and tomato.

When I was a kid, I use to beg my mom to make this for me every night. So what is Chinese eggs and tomato? Well, let me first tell you what it isn't. It is not American eggs and tomato - it's nothing like an omelet. And it isn't like Italian eggs with a tomato marinara. Chinese eggs and tomato is actually quite a simple dish. It's just scrambled eggs with simmered wedges of tomato. Sounds kind of boring right? But when I was a kid, it was just plain darn addicting.

It's sweet, savory, great over rice, light, and...and...yummy!

Chinese Eggs and Tomato

4-5 eggs
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
2 medium sized tomatoes
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

Break eggs into a bowl. Add salt and pepper and beat lightly. Set aside. Cut each tomato into 8 wedges. Heat a wok or skillet with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. When hot, pour in eggs and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook until slightly underdone. Remove the egg from the pan into a bowl and set aside. Add remaining oil into the pan and add tomatoes. Add another pinch of salt and pepper and stir with wooden spoon. Add soy sauce. Cook until the tomatoes soften and their juices form a slightly thick sauce. Mix scrambled eggs back into the pan, plate, and serve. Enjoy!

General Tso’s Chicken

This is another thing I ALWAYS eat when I go to an Asian buffet. And boy oh boy is it good! Juicy tender chicken in a thick, savory, sweet, and not so spicy sauce – it’s the quintessence of American Asian buffet food!

General Tso's Chicken

1½ cup cornstarch
¼ cup water
1½ tsp minced garlic
1½ tsp minced ginger root
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup soy sauce
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup cooking wine
1½ cup hot chicken broth
3 lbs deboned dark chicken meat, cut into large chunks
1 tsp white pepper
1 egg
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
2 cups sliced scallions
16 small dried hot peppers

Mix ½ cup cornstarch with water. Add garlic, ginger, sugar, ½ cup soy sauce, vinegar, wine, and chicken broth. Stir until sugar dissolves.

In a separate bowl, mix chicken, remaining soy sauce, and white pepper. Stir in egg. Add remaining cup cornstarch and mix until chicken pieces are coated evenly. Add 1 cup of vegetable oil to help separate chicken pieces. Divide chicken into small quantities and deep-fry at 350 degrees until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Place a small amount of oil in wok (or sauté pan) and heat until wok/pan is hot. Add scallions and peppers and stir-fry briefly. Stir the cornstarch, water, garlic, ginger mixture and add to wok/pan. Place chicken in the sauce and cook until sauce thickens. Serve this alongside a heaping bowl of hot fluffy rice and enjoy!

Lo mein.

We are all familiar with this stuff. You know, that greasy tray of noodles with skimpy flecks of who knows what kind of vegetables we find at all Asian buffets – right next to the fried rice. Yup, that’s the one. Though it may be greasy, oily, unhealthy, and not much to look at - it sure does taste good! Seriously, no matter how much I tell myself that lo mein is bad for me, I still end up getting a plate full of it anyways.

So what exactly is this stuff anyways? Lo mein is a Chinese dish of Chinese egg noodles, a mix a veggies (usually carrots, cabbage, and onions), and some form of meat (most times chicken, beef, or roast pork) – all stirred in a brown sauce (soy sauce, corn starch, sugar, and other stuff I just don’t know exactly). Then, when these ingredients – simple they may seem – are combined, you get one heck of an addicting dish.

It’s salty, savory, soy saucy, slurpable, tender, cheap, tummy filling, and just plain DELICIOUS! I can’t get enough of it.

Maybe it is oily mushy bleh. SO WHAT? It’s taste (and price) makes up for all it’s bad attributes. It’s a great on the go meal for a great price. However, if you are too worried about the calories – don’t worry – I am too. Usually I just eat lo mein in small platefuls as a guilty pleasure. Other times I just make it at home where I can control the fat content.

So, if you haven’t tried lo mein before…ARE YOU CRAZY? If you have, then try making it at home! Here’s a healthy lo mein recipe courtesy of EatingWell:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/lf_hl_eatingwell/recipe/0,,FOOD_30878_100796,00.html

Isn’t lo mein just great?

Braised tofu.

Ok, so this is yet another recipe my mom picked up from her Korean cooking class (hey what can I say – they’re good!). But let me tell you, this by far is my most favorite recipe out of all the ones she learned. It’s savory, salty sweet, oniony, garlicky, gingery, and not so spicy. It is topped with basically raw garlic, ginger, and scallion – but don’t worry. Their flavors marry so well together and with the braised tofu that somehow the garlic tastes less breath damaging, the ginger less biting, and the scallion less like…well…a scallion. Many times I even end up just eating the garlic ginger scallion topping by itself because it’s so lip-smacking tasty!

On the serving plate, it’s the perfect combo of juicy tofu, soy sauce, and sweet thinly sliced garlic, ginger, scallion, and red pepper. Not only is this my favorite Korean dish from the cooking class, it’s also the most appetizing. As they say, we eat with our eyes first. And as soon as you see this dish, your eyes will be stuffing themselves silly! Before I say any more that might possibly bore you out of trying this – here’s the recipe:

Braised Tofu

1 pack firm tofu
2 Tbsp starch
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
¼ oz peeled ginger
¼ oz peeled garlic
¼ oz scallion
¼ oz cleaned red pepper
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp cooking wine
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp rice wine

Cut tofu in half (not lengthwise) and then into ½ inch thick square slices. Pat tofu dry with paper towel. Sprinkle salt over one side. Coat all sides in starch and shake off the excess. Heat oil in a skillet and add tofu. Cook on both sides until golden brown. Turn off the stove. Julienne ginger, garlic, scallion, and red pepper. Mix soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, and rice wine – this is for the sauce. Sprinkle the julienne ginger, garlic, scallion, and red pepper evenly over the tofu in the pan and pour in the sauce. Cook the tofu in the skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. And enjoy!

Dumplings.

Dumplings are amazing. Need I say more? They are easy to make from scratch, available in almost every supermarket, the perfect on-the-go meal, fun to pop in your mouth, great for parties, and they come in all sorts of fillings. I like to think of them as the all in one meal - meat filling, bready wrapper, and specks of green (and that's enough veggie for me!).

Last night I ate at least 20 dumplings. And boy were they good! Meaty pork filling with chopped shrimp and vegetables all boiled in a thin dumpling wrapper. A full course meal all in itself and I ate 20 of them!

I don't know about you, but I don't usually like to eat a dumpling just by itself. I love dumplings, but they often turn out to be just so darn bland. That's why I love the dipping sauces. Yes, of course you can always just dip a dumpling in soy sauce, but a special sauce can make all the difference. Here's my personal favorite easy-to-make dumpling dipping sauce recipe:

Ginger Scallion Dipping Sauce

½ cup sugar
¼ cup sake (or any other cooking wine)
¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon thinly slice scallions
½ teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon minced ginger

Whisk all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Chill and serve with your favorite dumpling!

I believe dumplings are not only fun and easy to make/eat - they also bring people together. Why not make dumplings with your kids or have a dumpling making party with your friends? Then, you could also have a dumpling eating contest! Dumplings are definitely a fun way to bring those you love around the family table.

Click here for Ming Tsai's amazing recipe for shitake dumplings:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_10521,00.html

Make dumplings. Come together. Share stories. And have fun!

Scallion pancakes.

If there ever was such a thing as Asian tortillas, then scallion pancakes would be it. I love tortillas, especially as a burrito wrapper, however, tortillas eaten by itself tastes so bland and boring. To me, it's basically like a squished slice of bread.

Scallion pancakes are a whole different story. They, on the otherhand, are MEANT to be eaten alone. And who wouldn't want to eat it that way? Scallion pancakes are tender and flaky (weird, I know), pan fried till golden, rip-able, salty, mildly oniony, finger food. No knife or fork please!

But now I am getting ahead of myself. You are probably thinking, What is this crazy person talking about scallion pancakes? Do you put scallions in Bisquick mix? Don't fret. Scallion pancakes (as well as many other so called Asian "pancakes" apparently) are nothing like regular old breakfast pancakes. While the breakfast pancakes you are probably use to are fluffy and spongy, scallion pancakes are crusty and have many thin layers when you pull it apart.

I simply love scallion pancakes. My grandpa would make it all the time when I was a kid, and even now I still have fun ripping one apart and seeing the green flecks of scallion pieces spread throughout.

I really could talk about scallion pancakes FOREVER, but that would get boring. Why not try one for yourself and taste/smell/experience what I am talkin about.

Here's a link to Ming Tsai's recipe for scallion pancakes with a ginger dipping sauce:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_8,00.html

It's a perfect side dish (or main entree for me) that can be eaten anytime of the day!

Vietnamese roll.

I use to get mixed up about the "rolls." Whenever I heard the word spring roll, vegetable roll, or egg roll the same image would always come into my mind - that oily fried log you get in Asian take out boxes (I never really liked any of those rolls). So then, when my friend told me that he would bring in Vietnamese rolls to class one day, I thought, Ugh. Not another oily fried log!

Let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised. What my friend brought in the next day was no oily fried lump/log/whatever, it was a roll of tranclucent rice paper wrapper with a seafood and veggie filling. And it was delicious!

Thin chewy ricy wrapper filled with crunchy fresh bean sprouts, bright mint, straight from the sea baby shrimps, and strips of carrots. When I took my first bite into it - I nearly jumped back! It was so simple, yet so unexpected and flavorful. I was blown away.

My friend so happened to be Vietnamese (so I knew the roll I tasted in class was straight from the best). However, if you don't know someone who is Vietnamese that doesn't mean you have to miss out on the fun! Instead of ordering Asian take out that comes with oily "logs," try ordering a Vietnamese roll. You'll be glad you did - healthwise and tastewise!

Here's a great recipe Rachel Ray found for Vietnamese rolls - its called a "Vietnamese Burrito!":
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_23136,00.html

Peking Duck.

Need I say more? Crispy thin skin around juicy warm duck meat. It's to die for. On weekends, Mom likes to buy a steamy box of Peking duck from our neighborhood Asian Food Market. It is so good.

I've tried two different kinds of Peking duck dishes in my life. Peking duck - alone - with a dip of soy sauce (so simple and delicious!) and Peking duck with pancakes, scallions, and hoisin sauce spread (which is usually found in many Chinese Buffets).

I know. You are probably thinking, Pancakes with duck? Don't worry. Asian pancakes are not the same as regular old American pancakes. Asian pancakes are light fluffy and not wheaty at all. They are like little clouds of bread, and they are good!

Then, when this cloud is filled with succulent Peking duck, fresh crunchy scallions, and sweet savory hoisin sauce...you have a masterpiece! I first discovered this dish when I went to my area Asian buffet (Super Star East Buffet). The restaurant even had their own little station and chef for making Peking duck with pancakes. I even got to build my own little sandwhich!

Definitly, if you have time, go to an Asian buffet and try their Peking duck!

Here's a link to Ming Tsai's recipe for Peking duck and pancakes:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_4882,00.html

Have a delicious time! (I know you will!)

Chicken lettuce wraps.

They are D-E-LICIOUS! The first time I remember trying a chicken lettuce wrap was 2 years ago. It was in P.F. Chang's China Bistro. Despite the fact that the restaurant was run by NO ASIANS whatsoever, the food was pretty good. But the chinese chicken lettuce wraps - THE CHINESE CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS! They were just tops.

Warm salty, savory, sweet, peppery diced chicken mixed with red peppers, carrots, and scallions were wrapped in a crisp fresh leaf of lettuce. It was MAGICAL!

The fresh crunch of the lettuce, even though you may think, It's just lettuce, was a stark contrast to the glazed chicken filling. When I ate that chinese chicken lettuce wrap, I was glad I came to P.F. Chang's China Bistro instead of the neighborhood McDonald's.

I highly recommend all you people out there to try a CHINESE CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAP! If not try it, go make it!

Here's a link to Rachel Ray's recipe for chicken lettuce wraps (and it only takes 25 min!):
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_27790,00.html

Enjoy!

Rice.

I love rice. What more is there to say? Just imagine a big bowl of hot fluffy rice ready to go - ready to accompany a bite of sweet and sour pork or garliky bok choy. Mmhmmm. Boy oh boy doesn't that sound good?

I love rice. fried rice. sticky rice. rice in soup. buttered rice. sushi rice. rice balls. rice rice rice rice RICE! Maybe if I say it too many times, I'll get sick of it.

NO WAY!

Maybe it's because rice comes from my homeland. Maybe its because it's fun to eat it grain by grain. Maybe this or that. Either way, I still love rice.

I have to go now. And it is not because I am tired of saying rice - RICE! Mom's calling, and I have to go eat my dinner of, you know what I am going to say...rice!

GO RICE! Visit http://freerice.com/ to test your vocabulary skills as well as to help donate rice to those who need it!