Weeknight Pork Chops

• thin-cut bone-in pork chops
• oyster sauce
• soy sauce
• garlic powder
• pepper
• agave syrup or brown sugar

Mix the sauce together in a small bowl.  The taste should be salty with just a hint of sweetness.

Add oil to a flat-bottomed pan and heat on medium.

Brush half of the the sauce on one side of the pork chops, then sprinkle pepper over the chops evenly.

Place the seasoned side down on the pan and allow to cook.  Once the chop is a light brown color, turn up the heat to create a sear.

Turn the chops over and brush on the remaining sauce.  Continue to cook until they are done.

 

Weeknight Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

• 1 pound flank steak
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch chunk fresh ginger, sliced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp oyster Sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Pepper to taste
• 1 large bunch broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbsp corn starch

Slice flank steak into think slices against the grain.  If time permits, place beef in a bowl and add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and pepper.

Once ready to prepare, heat oil in a large flat bottomed pan over medium heat.  Cook garlic and ginger until fragrant but not browned.

Increase heat to high and stir fry the beef until the beef is almost cooked through.  Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Add more oil to the pan, and stir fry the broccoli.  Add additional soy sauce and oyster sauce to taste.

Once tender (about 5 minutes, but depend on the size of the broccoli pieces), add the beef and any juices that have developed back into the pan.

Stir corn starch and about 2 tbsp water into a slurry in a small bowl, then add to the beef.  Allow the sauce to come to a boil and thicken.  Remove from heat and adjust taste adding additional soy sauce, oyster sauce and pepper to taste.

Ah Ma’s Fried Rice

Every family and cook has their own version of fried rice.  I loved my mom’s fried rice which has a different flavor profile than most fried rices I have had at restaurants.  She used to make it for lunch on the weekends, most commonly.  She would make some substitutions here and there, but her quintessential fried rice always had 1) broccoli  2)Chinese sausage  and pork 3) dried shiitake mushrooms  4) green onions.  If any of those are missing, it is not my mom’s version.  Almost always, pork was added and often times, my mom would also have dried shrimp in the mix, but I don’t consider these mandatory ingredients. My mom said that this is actually her mother’s version, which is why it is called ‘Ah Ma’s’ fried rice.

I’ve changed up the ingredient list a bit, but it still has the three ingredients that makes it taste like home to me.

• 2 cups cooked brown jasmine rice (day old rice preferred to freshly cooked)
• half small stalk broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 zucchini, chopped into small pieces*
• 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach, chiffonade*
• 6-8 medium dried shitake mushrooms, rehydrate and chopped into small pieces
• 2 small Chinese sausages, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• 3 oz fresh pork, sliced into small pieces
• handful cooked shrimp* or 1 tbsp small dried shrimp, rehydrated
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed in a mortar and pestle
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2-3 green onions, sliced
• soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste

*ingredients not included in my mom’s traditional version

1. In a large flat bottomed pan, add oil and saute sausage and pork on medium heat.  Cook until fat has rendered
2. Add garlic and veggies. If using, add dried shrimp too.  Season with say sauce to taste
3. Once veggies are cooked, remove from pan
4. Add more oil to the pan and scramble the eggs, adding salt to taste.  Remove from pan once cooked
5. Add more oil, turn up the heat, then add the rice and green onions, stirring constantly, adding soy sauce to taste
6. Once the rice and soy sauce is well combined, add the cooked shrimp and the rest of the cooked ingredients.  Stir to combine.  Add pepper (but not too much) to taste

Here’s another variation that is a little bit more heavy on the veggies and plant protein:

• 2 cups brown rice
• 3/4 cup quinoa
• garlic
• fresh shitake mushrooms
• baby broccoli, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 1 Chinese sausage
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 green onions
• handful of green peas

 

No-Cream Mushroom Soup

Little S loves mushrooms, so this was a hit!  We actually used it as a sauce for store bought mushroom ravioli.  Great Meatless Monday meal.

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 4 oz Japanese shemeji mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp flour
• 3 cups low sodium chicken stock

1. Add 2 tbsp butter to a medium pot and heat on medium
2. Once melted, add onions and cook until softened, about 7 minutes
3. Add remaining butter and oil.  Add garlic, thyme and mushrooms.  Cook until mushrooms are soft, stirring often.  Do not allow onions to burn.
4. Sprinkle flour and stir to cook
5. Add chicken broth and allow to simmer for 45 minutes.
6. Take soup off the heat.  Remove some of the mushrooms for garnish.  Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.