Cod, Sugar Snap Peas, and Water Chestnut with a Hot and Sour Ginger Sauce (recipe by “Oishii”)
My notes: You’re probably familiar with sweet and sour sauce, but have you tried hot and sour sauce? This recipe is a long title for a delicious stir fry, inspired by a recent trip to Big Bowl restaurant with my friend David, who was visiting from Palm Springs. There was a time when perusing Big Bowl’s restaurant’s menu was a complete mystery, but thankfully I now find myself able to cook my way through much of it. I was delighted to find a recipe for their tasty sauce in their wonderful cookbook Big Bowl Noodles and Rice: Fresh Asian Cooking from the Renowned Restaurant, which I referenced for my new dish. My original intention was to use haddock, but the cod at Trader Joe’s was ridiculously cheap, only $3.99/pound, so I opted to use that instead. Try this recipe with shrimp and scallops too.
Cod prep note: If you use frozen seafood like me, I find that it is a good idea to weigh it after thawing. Inevitably you will lose a few ounces. For this recipe I start with a pound of frozen cod. Make sure to dry the fish with a clean kitchen towel before adding the sesame oil and cornstarch. This will reduce spattering of the oil and allow your fish to fry nicely, rather than steam.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons plus one teaspoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 13 ounces cod, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus more for before serving
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
- 5-6 dried chiles
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/4 cups (4.5 ounces) sugar snap peas, strung
- 1/2 cup scallions, sliced (white and green parts)
- kosher salt to taste
- garnish: chopped cilantro (optional)
- steamed Japanese rice (Kokuho Rose, Botan, or Nishiki brands)
Preparation
Make the sauce. In a small bowl whisk together the red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, light soy sauce, and sugar, and set aside.
Thoroughly dry the cod out with a kitchen flour sack towel and add to a medium sized bowl. Lightly toss the cod with the cornstarch and sesame oil, and set aside. Heat a large wok (or non-stick frying pan) over high heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon of peanut oil to coat pan. Lightly brown fish, sprinkle with some kosher salt, and remove from wok. Return to a medium sized bowl and set aside.
Wipe the wok clean. Heat the second tablespoon of peanut oil in wok over high heat. Add the dried chiles and fry until they darken. Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the garlic. Mix in the water chestnuts and sugar snap peas, and cook until the pea pods are nearly crisp tender. Gently fold in the cod. Add the sauce, bring to a rapid boil, and remove from heat. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste. Add scallions. Garnish with cilantro and extra sesame oil if desired. Serve with steamed rice.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Now it’s your turn. Have you ever tried hot and sour sauce? If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Please leave some feedback in the comments section below. -Michael
Shrimp Fried Rice (in my Monkey Bowl!)
October 11, 2011
Shrimp Fried Rice (recipe by “Oishii”)
My notes: I purchased the cutest rice bowl with monkeys on it at Scratch ‘n Sniff in Oak Park. And that was my inspiration for making shrimp fried rice today. I just wanted to show off my new monkey bowl!!
This is what it looks like inside:
OK, now back to our recipe! The prep notes below are long because I believe the technique for making fried rice can mean the difference between a good and a bad batch. It is not difficult to make though.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of uncooked Japanese rice (Kokuho Rose, Botan, or Nishiki brands)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 11 ounces medium-sized raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 large cloves garlic, chopped
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (Kikkoman brand), and more for serving
- 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3-4 scallions, chopped
- freshly ground pepper
- kosher salt
Preparation
Make “day old rice”: Measure out rice and water according to package directions and add to rice maker. Rinse several times with water until the water is no longer chalky. Add water back to rice maker to the measured level and let it set for at least 30 minutes or up to a day. Cook rice. When rice is finished, let it cool, and then put it in a freezer bag. Break up the rice in the bag so it doesn’t stick together. Put freezer bag in refrigerator or freezer to allow rice to dry out over night. This is crucial. Take rice out of refrigerator or freezer. Thaw if taking out of freezer. (I like to put it into the microwave oven for a few minutes until it is just soft enough to break apart.) Break up the rice inside the bag again.
Beat eggs in a small bowl and set aside.
In another small bowl mix shrimp with cornstarch, sesame oil, and garlic. Heat a very large non-stick fry pan or wok over high heat and coat with vegetable oil. Fry shrimp until is no longer pink. Toss in the rice and push contents of pan over to one side. Half of the pan will be empty.
Add beaten eggs to empty side of pan. Pretend you are making an omelet. Let eggs set on edges, push edges down a bit with flat rubber spatula, swirl runny eggs under edges. When omelet is almost set, gently fold rice mixture on top of it.
Quickly add oyster sauce and soy sauce. Toss in scallions and mixed veggies to rice and egg mixture and heat though. Season to taste with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and extra soy sauce.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Now it’s your turn. Have you ever had a cute bowl you just had to show off? Do you have any fried rice recipes to share? If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Please leave some feedback in the comments section below. -Michael
Shrimp in Lobster Sauce
June 16, 2011
I dedicate this post to my friend Mandy at The Complete Cookbook, who is also working hard to capture delicious food photos.
I sometimes wonder what it is like working for a food magazine as a chef who has the luxury to utilize food stylists and food photographers. Food bloggers are kind of the ultimate jugglers. Not only are we cooking for our blogs and the camera, but we are putting meals on the table for our families at the same time. And while many of us are accomplished home chefs, few are skilled photographers.
My adventures continued today as I tried out my new lighting equipment. I purchased one of those portable mini desktop studios similar to the one in the photo below.
The idea is that the light box distributes the light, and one light on each side mutually eliminates shadows and dark spots. Of course nothing is ever simple. When I started the photo shoot for my shrimp in lobster dish, the two lights were still not enough, so I shined an additional light from the top of the box. This created the uneven lighting that I was striving to eliminate. However, I think I may have achieved an incremental improvement (see below!). The journey goes on and I may stop by the camera shop for some more pointers from an expert.
Shrimp in Lobster Sauce (recipe adapted from Brooklyn, In Memory Most Green)
My notes: Contrary to the recipe title, there is no lobster in this dish! The name refers to the sauce in Cantonese-style lobster, but uses shrimp instead of lobster. This Chinese restaurant favorite is easy to make and healthy too. It would be delicious served with pork potstickers or asparagus salad with sesame seeds.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (divided)
- 2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1/4 pound ground pork
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced fine
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 3 scallions, sliced (divided)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinese rice cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon fermented black beans, chopped and soaked in a tablespoon of water
- 1 egg, beaten
Preparation
Stir together one tablespoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of water in a small dish. In a large bowl toss the shrimp with the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch and kosher salt.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan or wok over high heat and add peanut oil. Break up the ground pork into little pieces and brown it. Add the garlic, ginger, and 1/3 of the scallions, and stir fry. Add the chicken stock, soy sauce, rice cooking wine, and fermented black beans. Bring to a boil, and then lower to a simmer. Add the shrimp and heat through. Stir in the cornstarch and water mixture until it thickens. Pour in the beaten egg and keep stirring. Remove from heat and add remaining scallions.
Serve with steamed white rice.
Other Chinese favorites
Mongolian Beef
Kung Pao Chicken
Szechuan Beef and Green Beans
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Now it’s your turn. Are you a super star food photographer and food stylist? Or do you struggle like me? If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Please leave some feedback in the comments section below. -Michael
Like this:
Mongolian Beef
May 26, 2011
Mongolian Beef (recipe adapted from rasamalasia.com)
My notes: This marks my 100th blog posting on “Oishii!” Although I’ve slowed down writing over the past half year, the traffic to the blog has been steadily increasing, and I’m nearing another benchmark: 10,000 views. Thanks for all of the support so far!
This is my authentic version of this Chinese favorite. I’m thrilled to share this great recipe for mongolian beef which I have adapted from Rasa Malasia’s cooking blog. The recipe comes from a rare, limited edition cookbook called the “Essence of Shangri-La,” written by Chinese chefs at the Shangri-La Hotel. I am trying to obtain a copy of the original as it is referenced extensively by chefs. I made the beef a little less sweet by reducing the amount of dark sweet soy sauce by half, and adding back the same amount of regular soy sauce.
Speaking of sweet, there is a terrible “copy cat” recipe supposedly from P.F. Chang’s circulating on the internet (including epicurious.com) that calls for 3/4 cup of brown sugar in a recipe which has only a pound of flank steak. I would avoid it all costs.
Ingredients
marinade:
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing)
- 2 tablespoons water
sauce:
- 4 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce (e.g. Kikkoman)
- 2 tablespoons dark sweet soy sauce (e.g. Healthy Boy Thai Dark Sweet Soy Sauce or ABC Kecap Manis Sweet Soy Sauce)
- 1 teaspoon Chinese dark soy sauce (e.g. Wei Chuan)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Maggi seasoning
beef:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound rib-eye or flank steak, cut into thin 2-inch long pieces
- 3 tablespoons ginger, minced
- 3 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 6 scallions, sliced diagonally into 1/2″ pieces
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation
Make the marinade. In a medium bowl combine the corn starch, soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, and water. Add the steak and coat with the marinade. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Make the sauce. In a small bowl mix together the oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and Maggi seasoning.
Heat a wok or large non-stick frying pan over high heat until nearly smoking and add vegetable oil. Put beef in a single layer and leave undisturbed until it browns on one side. Add ginger and garlic to beef, mix well, and continue frying until beef is no longer pink. Add sauce and scallions and heat through. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with Japanese white rice.
Other Chinese favorites
Shrimp in Lobster Sauce
Kung Pao Chicken
Szechuan Beef and Green Beans
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Please leave some feedback in the comments section below. -Michael
Asparagus Salad with Sesame Seeds
April 9, 2011
Asparagus Salad with Sesame Seeds (recipe adapted from “Big Bowl Noodles and Rice–Fresh Asian Cooking from the Renowned Restaurant” by Bruce Cost with Chef Matt McMillin)
My notes: Spring has arrived. Here is a great salad that uses fresh asparagus, which is now in season. It goes well with seafood dishes. I like to serve it with garlic shrimp. It would be tasty with shrimp in lobster sauce too.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 12 ounces asparagus, cut into 2″ pieces
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Preparation
In a dry frying pan over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds until golden brown. Transfer to a small bowl and cool.
Boil asparagus in salt water for about 3 minutes, until crisp tender. Drain in a colander and run cold water over to stop cooking. Dry with a kitchen towel; flour sack towels work great.
Whisk together the rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, mustard, peanut oil, and sesame oil. Toss salad with dressing. Sprinkle sesame seeds over asparagus just before serving.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Your feedback in the comments section below is essential to the success of this blog. -Michael
Szechuan Beef and Green Beans
March 17, 2011
Szechuan Beef and Green Beans (recipe adapted from “Mcnuttle” on grouprecipes.com )
My notes: I’ve been researching szechuan beef recipes for awhile now, and I keep coming back to this one that I adapted from grouprecipes.com. I found some valuable references along the way too. If you are interested in Szechuan cooking check out Fuchsia Dunlop’s “Land of Plenty.” For a more general Chinese cookbook try “Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen” by Grace Young.
If you’ve never had szechuan peppercorns before, they are worth trying. (I buy mine from Penzey’s.) Some szechuan recipes that call for the peppercorns actually have “numbing” in the title, but I don’t think they are overbearing at all. They provide some heat and a pleasant tingling sensation to the tongue. To prepare the peppercorns for this recipe, fry them in a dry pan over medium-high heat until fragrant, then grind in a mortar and pestle.
Ingredients
marinade
- 2 1/2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, divided
- 5 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing), divided
- 1 1/2 tablespoon bean sauce (I use Healthy Boy brand soy bean paste)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha chili paste
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
other
- 1 1/2 pounds flank steak (or rib-eye), cut into thin 1″ slices
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
- 5 dried red Chinese chilies, broken in half
- 1 orange or green bell pepper, chopped into 1/2″dice
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 pound green beans, ends trimmed off
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon szechuan peppercorns (toasted and ground)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- sesame oil (to taste)
Preparation
Make the marinade. In a medium bowl combine 1 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce, 3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine, bean sauce, sriracha chili paste, and cornstarch. Mix in the flank steak and marinate for 30 minutes or more.
Heat a large wok (or non-stick frying pan) over high heat until almost smoking. Swirl in one tablespoon of the peanut oil, and add dried red chiles. When they are darkened, add the bell pepper. Cook until slightly softened. Remove from heat and set aside in a small bowl.
Heat another tablespoon of peanut oil in wok. Add the onions and brown. Remove from heat and set aside in a small bowl.
In a large mixing bowl toss green beans with one tablespoon of dark soy sauce. Add to wok and cook until softened. Remove from heat and return beans to the mixing bowl and set aside.
Divide the marinated beef among two small bowls. Heat 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil in wok. Add the first batch of meat into a single layer in the pan and leave it undisturbed until the bottom browns. Then continue stir frying until cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside in a bowl. Wipe the wok clean for the second batch. Heat final 1/2 tablespoon oil in wok. Spread out remaining beef into a single layer in the wok and leave it undisturbed until the bottom browns. Mix in the garlic, ginger, and szechuan peppercorns, and continue stir frying until cooked through. Stir the first batch of beef back into the pan.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce and 2 tablespoons rice wine. Return to the wok the bell peppers, chilies, onions, green beans, and beef. Add the chicken broth and heat until cooked through.
Drizzle with sesame oil to taste. Serve with steamed white rice.
Other Chinese favorites
Mongolian Beef
Shrimp in Lobster Sauce
Kung Pao Chicken
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Please leave some feedback in the comments section below. -Michael
Kung Pao Chicken
January 16, 2011
Kung Pao Chicken (recipe adapted from Tigers & Strawberries blog by Barbara Fisher)
My notes: Happy New Year! “Oishii!” has been on vacation as we prepare to move our household from Chicago to Oak Park, Illinois.
I’ve discovered that good recipes for standard Chinese takeout fare are rather hard to come by. However, I hit the jackpot with this well researched, authentic version of kung pao chicken by Barbara Fisher. It has quickly become a family favorite. Hint: This recipe easily doubles; many of the ingredients are called for in amounts of 1 1/2 teaspoons which doubles to 1 tablespoon. Fry in two separate batches.
Ingredients
sauce:
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 4 1/2 teaspoons black rice vinegar (Chinkiang brand)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chicken broth
marinade:
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine (Shao Hsing brand)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
other ingredients:
- 2 boneless, boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2″ cubes (about 1 pound)
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil
- 6 whole dried Chinese red peppers (or more to taste)
- 4 cloves of garlic (about 1 1/2 tablespoons), minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 3/4 jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 4 scallions, sliced
- 1/2 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
Preparation
Make the sauce. Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Make the marinade. Mix together the light soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, and cornstarch in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add the chicken and set aside.
Heat a wok or large non-stick frying pan over high heat until it is nearly smoking, and then add peanut oil. Add chiles and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add chicken into a single layer on the bottom of the pan, and allow it to brown undisturbed. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapenos, and continue cooking. Add carrots, and when chicken is nearly done, pour in the sauce. When the sauce thickens add scallions, stir, and remove from heat. Add peanuts just before serving. Don’t eat the dried Chinese red peppers.
Other Chinese favorites
Mongolian Beef
Shrimp in Lobster Sauce
Szechuan Beef and Green Beans
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Do you have any great recipes for Chinese takeout food? Leave a link. If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below. -Michael
Kung Pao Shrimp With Cashews
July 13, 2010
Kung Pao Shrimp With Cashews (recipe by foodandwine.com)
My notes: This made for a decent dinner, but it won’t put our Chinese takeout place out of business. Somehow the red wine vinegar in the sauce doesn’t ring true to me. It was worth trying, but I doubt I will make it again.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 small dried red chiles, 4 halved
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 small onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp
- 1 cup roasted cashews
- 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Preparation
In a bowl, mix the orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and cornstarch.
In a wok, heat the oil over high heat until smoking. Add the chiles and salt; stir-fry until browned, 45 seconds. Add the onion, ginger and garlic; stir-fry until fragrant, 15 seconds. Add the peppers and cook until crisp-tender, 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir the sauce, add to the wok and cook until thickened slightly, 30 seconds. Stir in the cashews and sesame oil; serve.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to review: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
