Beef & Tomato

This ingredient combination doesn’t seem to scream Asian entree….I don’t even know if his is remotely authentic to any region of China.  But I think I was introduced to this dish by my college roommate who was from Taiwan.  We weren’t that close, so I never tried his version, but I was pretty happy with the results of mine, inspired by the lone tomato sitting on my counter, left over from the weekend’s BBQ.

I decided to try roasting the tomatoes first to caramelize them.  This is not a traditional cooking method in Chinese cuisine.  Although they were good, I didn’t really get that caramelized flavor I was conjuring up in my head.  I wanted them to be concentrated and slightly charred.  The processed was hastened a bit since B came home earlier than expected.  Next time, I’ll try roasting them longer, then put them under the broiler.

I like flank steak for stir frying.  It’s tender and flavorful and does well when quick-cooked.  Ginger is a key ingredient which compliments beef so well.

BEEF & TOMATO

Ingredients

6 oz flank steak, cut into thin strips against the grain

2 large tomatoes, cut into thick wedges

1 onion thinly sliced

6 slices of fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic

Enough Soy sauce to marinate meat and to taste

2 TBSP Ketchup

splash of rice wine vinegar

2 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

1/3 c beef broth

oil for stir-frying

black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Roast tomatoes with a little bit of oil, cut side up in a 350 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours till the juices are reduced and tomatoes are slightly charred.  May want to try the broiler at the end to brown the tomatoes.

Take the sliced beef and coat with enough soy sauce and oil to coat. Add the corn starch.  Toss together and let sit.

Once the the tomatoes are done, heat a wok on medium high heat and add oil (about 1 tablespoon)

Once oil is heated, add ginger and stir fry until fragrant. Add minced garlic and allow to cook until fragrant.  Before the garlic burns, add the sliced onions.  Cook for a few minutes before adding a bit of salt.  Cook until softened, adding beef broth if the wok gets a little dry before the onions are done.

Add the tomatoes to the onions along with the ketchup, brown sugar.  Add soy sauce and pepper to taste.  Add a bit of beef broth to create a sauce.  Allow the sauce to simmer.  Then pour the sauce out of the wok.

In the same work, increase the heat to high and add the beef and stir fry until the beef is almost fully cooked.  Then re-introduce the sauce.  Bring to a simmer to allow the sauce to thicken.  Add vinegar.  Season with pepper and  soy sauce to taste.

Serve with white rice

Southeast Asia Travels part I: Penang

We have been back from South East Asia for almost 3 months now and it is so hard to sum up such a great experience in words-for me at least. My husband and I visited relatives, and it was especially special for my husband who left Vietnem at the young age of 3 when the country’s was quite uncertain. Reunions and homecomings are always very special, and I am so glad that we were able to do it.

Destination#1: Penang, Malaysia

I have been visiting my mom’s home town ever since I was a little kid. My mom lived in a shop house that is located in historic Georgetown, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site! It’s quite a trip for my mom to think that their everyday life as Chinese immigrants is now considered a significant part of Penang life and history. My mom’s childhood home on Beach St has been revitalized with shops and attractions to entice visitors who have discovered this little unassuming gem.

I have several relatives who still live in Penang and have seen it grow and change right before their eyes. The famous hawker stands have now relocated into food stalls situated in shopping malls, and high end shops are popping up to appeal to foreign visitors, primarily from Thailand and Hong Kong-a very different setting from what my mom grew up with.  Thankfully the essence of the food has remained intact during the urbanization.

Luckily, what hasn’t changed is Penang’s love for food! Visiting only Penang gave me a skewed view of Malaysian cuisine. I thought that what I was eating was available country-wide, but after a bit of research, I realized that Penang cuisine are specialties of the island. No wonder it’s so difficult to find the dishes I craved here in the States! Try finding Hokkien Mee and Cury Mee in San Diego!

Hawker selling Mee Goreng the traaditional way

Won Ton Mee

Laksa

Char Kway Teow

Hokkien Mee

I learned that Penang’s culture and cuisine are strongly influenced by Chinese immigrants like my grandparents. They arrived after the fisherman and portsmen occupied the areas closest to the waters. My cousin explained to me that that is why the Chinese communities are close to the water, but behind the fishing areas. Makes total sense! There is a strong British influence in Penang. Former British colonization is most apparent in the architecture rather than in the cuisine.

To round out this melting pot of cultures are Indians for mostly practice Hinduism and native Malays who are predominantly Muslim. Halal approved establishments are plentiful around the island.

It’s very interesting to me that in my mom’s day, it was possible to be financially successful without even learning Malay. My grandparents’ and mom’s generations are proof of that. My aunts and uncles went to schools where only Chinese was spoken. My mom never formally learned how to speak Malay. Businesses were run using English and often times, Chinese small business owners were able to survive with Chinese-only patrons. Times have changed now and Malay is now a mandatory language in schools, although Chinese schools still exist. My cousins work alongside many ethnicities, using English as a preferred language. As much as Penang has unified, there is still a very strong and proud heritage from every group that still lives on.

My mom’s family in Penang take food very seriously. If you are craving a certain food, my Aunt Amy will know where the best hawker is staking out. We go out to dinner, and right after we finish, we’re off to the outdoor market for supper! This visit was no different. Within 2 days, we devoured bowls of noodles and more noodles. My mom who had just come back from my aunt’s house in southern Thailand brought back the best mango with sticky rice in the region.

I never buy trinkets, and in fact, we rarely buy anything while we travel. Exploring the markets are for the sake of experiencing the local lifestyle rather than finding that perfect souvenir. The exception is food, of course! I love going to the local supermarkets to see the different produce and packaged foods. I’ve also tried to find cookbooks in English that highlight the local cuisine. I was lucky enough to find a Penang cookbook in an upscale shopping center on Guerny Drive:  Penang Heritage Food

I have yet to make a recipe from here, but even if I never cook anything from this book, I was worth getting it for my collection since Penang’s food is so dear to me. The photos, stories and history are wonderful. Now I will be able to share it with my friends at home.

Of course, I have inserted pictures to entice you to think about a visit to a little place called Penang where you can eat your way through traditional hawker stalls, delicious food courts and fine restaurants.  ENJOY!

chinese braised chicken thighs

I bought a whole value pack of boneless skinless chicken thighs to make 3 cup chicken a few days ago when my friend A came over after a workout at the gym.

I had about 8 thighs left and wanted a set it and forget it dinner tonight.  I looked in my pantry and fridge to see what I had that would work with the chicken-ginger, garlic, scallions, five spice, left over veggies….this could work.

INGREDIENTS

B/S chicken thighs (about 2.5 pounds)

6 cloves of garlic, smashed

7 thin slices of ginger

a few dried chilies to taste

1 1/2 tsp five spice powder

1 TBSP dark soy sauce

2 TBSP light soy sauce

1 TBSP brown sugar

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

3 hard boiled eggs

3 green onions cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

chopped napa cabbage and baby spinach (or any vegetable you have in the house)

white pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. If you have time, marinate chicken in some soy sauce and the five spice powder to 30-60 minutes
2. In a wide shallow pan with a lid, heat up some oil and cook ginger, chilies and garlic until fragrant and somewhat soft (3-5 minutes)
3. Add chicken in a single layer and brown both sides (3-4 minutes per side)
4. Add soy sauces, sugar and allow to  dark meat
5. Add chicken broth, eggs and pepper and allow to come to boil.  Need to make to to compensate for the vegetables to be added at the end of the cooking process.  Also, if you plan to  make noodle soup, would make the broth more salty and add hot water to the individual bowls of noodles-a tip my mom taught me.
6. Season at this point, adding more soy sauce, pepper or sugar to taste
7. Cover and allow to simmer until the chicken is cooked (about 15 min).  Rotate eggs during cooking for even color and to impart flavor
8. Add vegetables over the chicken to steam until done
9. Serve over rice or rice noodles

stir-fried chili shrimp

I took a turn to Chinese food today, and it seems like I’ll be going in this direction for a bit based on my mood today. I browsed through a Chinese cookbook I picked up on a trip to Singapore with my mom, aunt and uncle back in 2007, “Authentic Recipes from China” published by Tuttle.
I was intrigued by a shrimp dish after with sweet, tangy and spicy facets. The sauce consisted of ingredients I usually have on hand, and I had a bag of tail-on shrimp in the freezer that defrosted nicely and quickly under cold water. It was quick, easy, very flavorfuland husband approved!

A small amount of vegetable (snow peas, broccoli, bok choy) to serve as a bed for the shrimp

Shrimp Prep
3/4 lb shrimp
1 egg white
1 t cornstarch
1/4 c water
pinch sugar
pinch salt

Sauce
capful sake
1/2 t chili sauce
2 T ketchup
1/2 t sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 T chicken broth

Other ingredients
1 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
pepper to taste

1. Combine shrimp, egg white, water, cornstarch and pinches of salt and sugar in a bowl. Set aside
2. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl
3. Heat the wok on high and stir fry vegetable of choice till cooked to you preference. Transfer to a serving dish
4. Heat the wok on high and add shrimp. Cook till the shrimp start to turn pink
5. Add the ginger and garlic. Stir fry until fragrant
6. Add the sauce and continue to stir fry until shrimp is cooked
7. Add salt, pepper and adjust ingredients to taste
8. Pour shirmp over the vegetables
9. Serve immediately