Frugal Foodie Friday - Slow Cooker Moo Shu Pork

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is another simple dish that is as easy on the pocketbook as it is on the cook. This recipe was developed for the slow cooker and while it takes six hours to cook, it requires only 15 minutes to prepare. In all fairness, and to avoid the ire of my Asian friends and readers, this dish really should be called Moo Shu-ish Pork. It is similar to the genuine article, but some real shortcuts have been taken in its assembly. The most prominent of them being the substitution of flour tortillas for the Mandarin pancakes with which the dish is usually served. Does it make a difference? Sure, but when you are hurried, harried and hungry, a lot can be forgiven. This is a nice family meal that's perfect for those days when you are on the run and cannot tend to pots simmering on the stove. If money is really tight, you can, of course, shred the carrots and other slaw components yourself, but the packaged varieties add only pennies to the cost of this dish, so the savings will not be significant. The pork can also be served over rice if you wish to completely eliminate the pancakes. I hope you'll keep this dish in mind for some of your busier days. It will neither make nor break your reputation as a cook, but you'll win points for your budget acumen and ability to deliver a timely meal on a dime. Here is how this version of Moo Shu-ish pork is made.

Frugal Foodie Friday - Roast Pork Lo Mein

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These inexpensive noodles have quickly become a family favorite. I found the recipe in Diana Kuan's, Chinese Takeout Cookbook last winter and first made the noodles in February, working from a copy of the book I borrowed from the library here in town. My introduction to most cookbooks begins in the library stacks and, to be truthful, very few of them end up in my personal collection. This book was an exception and I have yet to find a dish in it that I don't like. While the original recipe appears below, I wanted to tell you about a few of the changes I make when I prepare these noodles for my own family. I view this recipe as a no-fuss pantry creation, so rather than use fresh mushrooms, I rehydrate shiitakes that I store in bulk for use in the dish. I cover a large handful of the mushrooms with boiling water and let them sit for an hour before proceeding with the recipe. I also thin slice and stir-fry 2 or 3 pork chops rather than use Chinese barbecue pork that's called for in the recipe. Chinese pork is not readily available here, so I've learned to use what I have on hand when we want these noodles for dinner. The Silver Fox and I can make a meal of them, but if all the chairs at the table were occupied, the noodles would be just one part of a multi-course meal. The noodles are delicious and I must admit that, despite their simplicity, they make my socks go up and down. While you may not share my enthusiasm for the noodles, I guarantee you'll like them. It really is hard to resist a dish that is fast easy and cheap and has near universal appeal. I hope you'll give these noodles a try. You will not regret it. Here is how they are made.

Roast Pork Lo Mein...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Diana Kuan and The Chinese Takeout Cookbook

Ingredients:
Noodles
12 ounces, thin dried Chinese egg noodles or thin spaghetti
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
Sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1-1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1-1/2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1-1/2 teaspoons honey
Pork and Aromatics
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced or grated fresh ginger
3 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
4 or 5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 pound Chinese barbecued pork, store-bought or homemade, cut into small, bite-sized pieces

Directions:
1) Cook noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain noodles, rinse under cold water, and drain again, shaking well to remove excess water. Return noodles to pot, toss with sesame oil until noodles are well coated, and set aside.
2) Prepare sauce: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine, and honey. Set aside.
3) Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add peanut oil and swirl to coat bottom. Add garlic, ginger, and scallions and stir-fry until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes.
4) Add noodles and pork. Pour in sauce mixture and toss with tongs or chopsticks until noodles and pork are heated through and well coated with sauce. Transfer to a platter and serve. Yield: 4 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts

Two Years Ago Today: Baked Mostaccioli

Three Years Ago Today: Lamb Chops Sizzled with Garlic

Sesame Noodles for a Crowd

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Hail, hail the gang's all here - what the heck do we eat now? Something fast and simple with a final caveat that it must be delicious and worthy of a family feast. It took me years to learn to cook for two once the children had left home. Now that we are vacationing together, the coin is flipped and I have to pull recipes from mothballs or scramble to find new ones that can be scaled to feed the hungry horde. I had some help from Ree Drummond this year. I'd been eyeing her recipe for sesame noodles and decided to serve them as a side on the night I was responsible for dinner. I doubled her already large recipe and served the noodles with an Asian salad and Korean barbecued chicken. It was a great meal, thanks in part to her very simple recipe for those noodles. When I make this dish I use Chinese egg noodles rather than spaghetti. I packed the noodles in my luggage on the off chance that they would not be available on Cape Cod. It was a wise call. If you are unfamiliar with these noodles and decide to try them, be aware that they are not cooked in the same way as Italian pasta and it is imperative that you follow the manufacturer's directions for cooking them. While the noodles need a bit of time to cool, they can be made in 15 effortless minutes and I think you will love them. They are perfect for buffets, barbecues and picnics and should there be any leftovers, they will keep well for several days. The only caution I want to share with you, is the importance of saucing the noodles while they are hot and able to absorb all the lovely flavors swimming in the sauce. If you have never used Chinese hot chili oil, proceed with caution and add it in increments rather than in one fell swoop. It is hot, hot, hot and while you can always add more, you can't back out heat once it has been added.I hope you will try the noodles this summer. Here is how they are made.

Sesame Noodles for a Crowd...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Ree Drummond

Ingredients:
2 (16-oz. each) packages thin Chinese egg noodles or Italian capellini, cooked and drained per manufacturer's directions
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon red hot chili oil or red pepper flakes
1/2 cup canola oil
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:
1) Combine soy sauce, sugar, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, canola oil and chili oil in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Adjust ingredients to taste.
2) Cook noodles per package directions, drain and add to sauce while still warm. Toss noodles with sauce to coat thoroughly. Sprinkle with scallions and toss again. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 16 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Bread

Two Years Ago Today: Milk Chocolate Bundt Cake

Three Years Ago Today: Watermelon Smoothie

Four Years Ago Today: Jewel-Toned Buttermilk Tarts

Gone Fishin' Series - Salt and Pepper Pork Chops

I was surprised when this recipe moved into the top ten, but the recipe apparently has cross-cultural appeal. It has slowly elbowed the competition out of the way and moved into the charmed circle. This is a classic Chinese dish and I hope you won't let the title put you off. The salty flavor comes from soy sauce and you can use a low-sodium variety if you are watching your salt intake. This is a quick and easy dish that I hope soon makes it to your table. I think your family will love these chops. There is nothing here not to like.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Like many small families we eat a lot of chicken and pork. They make it possible for us to have meals that can be eaten in one sitting without having to deal with leftovers. For years after the children were on their own, I'd use pork tenderloin because it was fast to make and always tender. We love pork chops, but cooking them properly and serving them before they become shoe leather isn't always easy. More often than not, they need to be brined to keep them moist and tender as they cook. While doing some reading in preparation for our, now completed, trip to China, I came across a recipe from Taiwan that used thin cut pork chops. I thought the recipe was worth a try and we've been delighted with the results ever since. If you like, a reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari can be used to marinate the chops. The chops should be no thicker than 3/8 of an inch. If yours are more than that, beat them to submission. While the marinade can be made in less than 5 minutes, the chops should laze in it for at least an hour before they're are cooked. Total cooking time is less than 5 minutes and, be forewarned, the chops will toughen if they are overcooked. I serve these right from the pan with scallion rice and a bean sprout salad. I know you're going to love these. Here's the recipe.

Salt and Pepper Pork Chops...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite with a lot of help from Wei-Chuan Cooking School Taiwan

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 pounds boneless thin-cut pork loin chops
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
1) Combine soy sauce, cornstarch, pepper, sugar and salt in bottom of 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan. Stir with a fork until all ingredients are combined and marinade is smooth. Add chops, turning to coat both sides. Cover dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate, turning occasionally, for 1 to 24 hours.
2) Heat oil in a large frying pan set over medium high heat. Add pork, working in batches if necessary. Cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to serving plate or serve from pan. Yield: 4 servings.

Slow-Cooker Five Spice Pork with Snap Peas

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From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The long, slow braises of China and Mexico are great candidates for slow-cookers. Tonight's recipe for Asian-style pork is an example of a dish that lends itself really well to this type of cooking. Pork prepared in this manner is a study in simplicity. The dish comes together in about 10 minutes and it makes a wonderful meal for those who enjoy the in-your-face flavor that five-spice powder imparts to a dish. Five spice powder is a blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and fennel seeds that together represent the five flavors - sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty - of Chinese cooking. The dish is impossible to spoil unless you overcook it. I suggest you cut the pork into 1-1/2 to 2 inch pieces and start to check it for doneness at the five hour mark. The beans, which are added to the dish just before it is served, are cooked until they are crisp-tender. They add some color and texture to a dish that would otherwise be one-note. I also slightly thicken this dish with a cornstarch slurry that is not called for in the original recipe. It is not necessary but it helps make a nice sauce for rice. Those of you who enjoy five-spice powder will enjoy this dish. Here is how this version of five-spice pork is made.

Slow-Cooker Five Spice Pork with Snap Peas...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Fine Cooking

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine) or dry sherry
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce, such as Sriracha
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat, and cut into 1-inch pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound sugar snap peas (fresh or frozen), trimmed

Directions:
1) In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the Shaoxing, soy sauce, brown sugar, chili sauce, garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, and 1/2 cup water.
2) Lightly season the pork with pepper. Add the pork to the slow cooker and stir to coat. Cook, covered, until fork-tender, 4 to 5 hours on high or 6 to 7 hours on low.
3) Add the sugar snap peas and cook until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Serve. Yield: 4 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Korean Barbecued Chicken

Two Years Ago Today: Strawberry Orange Smoothie

Three Years Ago Today: Lemon Anise Churros

Four Years Ago Today: Buttermilk Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Egg Foo Yung

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm not sure what triggered my reverie, but the other night, probably because I was not keen on cooking, I started to think about carry-out food. I moved rapidly through the list of possibles and let the Silver Fox name our poison. He wanted Chinese, so he called in our order and left to pick up supper. While nearly all carry-out spots in our town deliver, they will not brave our driveway. Our house is perched on an incline that's a few degrees shy of being a full blown cliff. The driveway is long and narrow and there is no turnaround at it's end. It has its good points. It makes for a great aerobic workout and our only unsolicited visitors are missionaries whose zeal has usually dissipated by the time they reach our door. Fortunately, my guy never seems to mind the pick-up and delivery routine, so I'm not chained to my kitchen sink or stove. As it happens, we both love Chinese junk food. When we were kids, it was the only type of carry out available and we didn't have it often. It became associated with special occasions and I suspect that's why, despite having spent huge amounts of time in  Asia, we have never lost our fondness for the most basic of Chinese-American dishes. They were among the first dishes I learned to make when I had a kitchen of my own and I still enjoy testing new recipes that might actually best the best of the old. I can tell you, unequivocally, that the recipe I'm featuring tonight is best of class. It is an adaptation of the egg foo yung that is served at Shun Lee West restaurant in New york City. These Chinese omelets require some chopping but they are not difficult to make. If you deep-fry them, they puff like golden omelets in the hot oil. I know that deep frying is frowned upon these days, so if you prefer, the omelets can be fried in a skillet with much less fat. I switch between the two methods. When I use the frying pan, I pour the omelet mixture into pancake rings to contain and shape them. When I deep fry them, I use a soup ladle to hold the mixture until it is set and can stand on its own. These are delicious and will forever govern how you judge egg foo yung. I really hope you'll try these. They'll have your socks going up and down. Here's how they are made.

Egg Foo Yung...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Shun Lee West Restaurant

Ingredients:
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup soy sauce, divided use
1/4 cup cornstarch, divided use
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon dry sherry or shaoxing wine
1 (1/2-inch piece) fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 pound ground pork
1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1-1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon canola oil + oil for deep frying
6 ounces raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and finely chopped
1/2 cup water chestnuts, drained, finely chopped and squeezed dry
1/3 cup bean sprouts
1/3 cup sliced scallions + extra for garnish
6 eggs,beaten

Directions:
1) Bring stock, half of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon wine, ginger, and garlic to a boil in a small pan set over high heat. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Strain sauce, discarding solids. Keep sauce warm.
2) Mix 2 tablespoons of reserved soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, remaining wine, pork, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a small non-stick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add pork mixture and cook, stirring, and breaking up meat, until it is no longer pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork to a bowl.Keep warm.
3) Pour canola oil into a 6-quart saucepan to a depth of 2-inches. Heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350 degrees F. Combine remaining soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil, plus reserved pork, shrimp, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, scallions, eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl. Using a ladle and working in batches, gently lower 1/2 cup amounts of egg mixture into oil. Cook, flipping once, until omelets are puffed and brown, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer omelets to paper towels to drain. Serve drizzled with reserved sauce.Garnish with scallions. Yield: 8 omelets.






One Year Ago Today: Pork Milanese with Creamy Lemon Caper Sauce














Two Years Ago Today: Molten Butterscotch Cakes














Three Years Ago Today: Pasta Primavera














Four Years Ago Today: Lemon Cloud - A Creamy Tofu Dessert

Three Cup Chicken

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is but one of many versions of a Taiwanese dish called Three Cup Chicken. It gets its name from the ratio of the three main ingredients used to make it. The chicken is always made with equal portions of soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil. I have several recipes for the dish in my files, but I rely on this one because it is so fast and easy to prepare. While it lacks the gorgeous color of the more classic braises, it delivers a wonderfully flavorful and unpretentious meal with a fragrance that draws people to the table. Cooking lore tells us the dish was first cooked for an official before his execution. It was made by a prison warden who had limited resources and he made the sauce for that dish using three wine cups, intended for worship, to measure the ingredients. Today, recipes use various measures of the basic three ingredients, but they must always be equal to each other for the dish to be called three-cup. I relied heavily on this dish when I was working and it would appear on my table once or twice a month. While it is best made with thigh meat, the breast can also be used if you cut back on the cooking time. I always serve this dish with steamed rice and just-wilted spinach. My family enjoys this dish and I think yours will too. Here is how Three Cup Chicken is made.

Three Cup Chicken...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ching-He Huang

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin coins
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup light soy
1/4 cup Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil (see Cook's Note)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 small handful Thai basil leaves, or Italian basil, plus extra for garnish

Directions:
1) Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. When it is hot add vegetable oil and cook until oil smokes. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry quickly for a few seconds. Quickly add chicken and let it sit in pan for 30 seconds before stir-frying until it browns, about 2 to 3 minutes.
2) Add soy sauce, rice wine and toasted sesame oil, Reduce heat to medium and cook for 6 minutes. Stir well and add brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is reduced to a thick, sticky consistency and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in basil leaves and allow them to wilt slightly. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 to 4 servings.

Cook's Note: It's important to use toasted sesame oil, which reduces as it cooks, and not pure sesame oil, which will continue to cook and not reduce or thicken. The final dish should be slightly sticky.

One Year Ago Today: Milk Chocolate and Caramel Mousse Pie

Two Years Ago Today: Maine Shrimp Chowder

Three Years Ago Today: Baked Portobello Parmesan - A Dieter's Delight

Crock-Pot Chinese Hacked Pork

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple crock-pot meal is suspiciously like the pulled pork Americans have come to love. The big difference is that Chinese ingredients are used to flavor it and the finished dish is served over noodles rather than in buns. It is a simple and inexpensive dish that is perfect to serve on a brisk fall evening when you need a meal that's near table ready when you walk through the door. While it must marinate overnight, the pork goes from the fridge to the crock-pot without any additional fussing and that makes it a perfect choice for a busy day meal. The recipe was developed for Family Circle magazine and the only change I've made to it is the addition of 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to brighten the heaviness of the soy and hoisin sauces. I think those of you who try the recipe will be pleased with the results. It is fast, easy and quite tasty. Here's how it is made.

Chinese Hacked Pork...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 pounds boneless center-cut pork roast
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
12 ounces wide lo mein noodles, cooked following package directions
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Steamed snow peas (optional)

Directions:
1) Whisk soy sauce, honey, hoisin, garlic, ginger, five-spice powder and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Place in a resealable plastic bag and add pork. Seal. Turn and shake to coat meat. Refrigerate overnight.
2) Coat slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place pork in bowl and pour marinade over top. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours.
3) Remove pork to a large baking dish and keep warm. Pour liquid from slow cooker into a saucepan. In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into broth. Bring liquid in saucepan to a boil and whisk in the broth mixture. Cook for 1 minute.
4) Shred pork into large pieces with two forks; stir in sauce. Spoon over noodles; garnish with scallions and serve with steamed snow peas, if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Pumpkin Pecan Squares with Cinnamon Chips

Two Years Ago Today: Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Three Years Ago Today: Patatas Bravas

Beef with Broccoli

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderfully simple stir-fry meal. While I make it throughout the year, this dish appears on my table more often in the fall because locally grown broccoli is so readily available. The dish has just two major ingredients, beef and broccoli, and it gets most of its flavor from the addition of oyster sauce. Oyster sauce is a thick, brown sauce with a sweet, salty, and earthy flavor and it is a major component of Asian cooking. True or not, the development of the sauce is credited to the owner of a small eatery that sold and cooked oysters. One day he smelled an especially strong aroma coming from the pot in which he cooked his oyster soup. He had lost track of time, and the soup, which was normally clear, had turned into a thick brown sauce. He liked its flavor well enough to begin selling it locally. It became very popular so this savvy businessman formed a company, called Lee Kum Kee, to mass produce it. While I can't vouch for the truth of the story, I can vouch for the flavor of this quick and simple Chinese-style stir-fry. I do hope you'll give this recipe, developed by Nancie McDermott, a try. All the ingredients needed to make this stir-fry can be found in any well-stocked grocery store and, if you don't overcook the broccoli, you're in for a quick and delicious meal. Here's how the dish is made.

Beef with Broccoli...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chicken stock or water
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce or molasses (optional)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
1/2 pound thinly sliced beef
3 cups broccoli florets

Directions:
1) Combine chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, if using, and sugar in a medium bowl. Stir to make a smooth sauce. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl.
2) Heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat pan. Add garlic and ginger and toss until they release their fragrance.
3) Add beef, spreading it out into a single layer. Cook undisturbed until edges change color, about 30 seconds. Toss well, and then add broccoli florets. Cook 1 minute, tossing once, until they are shiny and bright green.
4) Add chicken stock mixture, pouring it in around the sides of pan. Cook, tossing often, until the broccoli is tender and the beef is done, 2 to 3 minutes.
5) Add cornstarch mixture to center of the pan. Toss to combine everything well, and as soon as sauce thickens, transfer to a serving plate. Serve hot or warm. Yield: 4 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Pumpkin Ginger Bread

Two Years Ago Today: Cinnamon Candy Apples

Three Years Ago Today: Celery Soup

Five Spice Chicken Stir-Fry

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a great meal to serve at the end of a busy day. It comes together almost effortlessly and it is the kind of quick meal that the Silver Fox and I enjoy when we are home alone. When there are just two of us at the table, I reduce the quantity of ingredients used in this recipe by 2/3 and we still have a substantial meal to share. While I suspect no warnings are necessary, fussy young eaters seem to think hemlock is lurking in this stir-fry and no amount of cajoling will open those locked lips. Have you ever wondered where they learn to do that? I just finished a "one for you, one for me, and one for Felix" routine worthy of an award nomination, but it was to no avail. The lips are still locked and the eyes are beginning to glare with that unspoken "try and make me" challenge. Back on point, these are the occasions when it is great to be a grandmother. Grandmother's instinctively know that God created fried-rice and steamed dumplings for a reason. I call it strategic retreat. No child has ever starved on my watch, so dumplings, with vegetables so finely chopped they don't even know they're there, are the order of the evening. I'll add a bit of plum sauce because it makes everything taste better, don't you think? The broccoli battle, bested only by the Trojan wars, can be fought another day by some other person in another time and place. Tonight peace will reign. All things being equal, this is a nice family meal, despite the bad reviews coming from the peanut gallery. I hope you'll give it a try. Here's the recipe.

Five-Spice Chicken Stir-Fry...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1-1/2 pounds chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cups broccoli florets
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
3/4 cup onion slices
3/4 cup snow peas
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder (See Cook's Note below)
1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
3 cups hot cooked white rice

Directions:
1) Heat sesame oil in wok or large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add chicken and stir-fry for about 8 minutes,or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove chicken from wok.
2) Add broccoli, bell pepper, onion, snow peas, water chestnuts and garlic to wok and stir-fry for 5 to 8 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Sprinkle with five-spice powder. Cook and stir 1 minute longer.
3) Return chicken to wok. Add chicken broth and heat mixture to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water in small bowl and stir into broth mixture. Boil 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Serve over rice. Yield: 6 servings.

Cook's Note: Five-spice powder is a Chinese spice mix designed to capture the yin and yang of Chinese cooking. It includes all five flavors - sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. Here are the components to 5-spice powder: 2 teaspoons of Szechuan peppercorns, roasted and ground, 8 star anise, ground, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds. Five spice powder can be found in Asian markets and is available for purchase online.

One Year Ago Today: Spiced and Roasted Multi-Colored Organic Carrots

Two Years Ago Today: Mediterranean Radish Salad

Three Years Ago Today: Bacon Wrapped Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Black Beans and Bok Choy

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite... Mark Bittman is one of my food heroes.I love the clarity of his writing and the no-nonsense approach he takes to food. I miss his weekly column in the New York Times and he is one of the few food writers whose recipes I keep in a shoebox in my pantry. The box is probably overkill, but I don't really trusts computers, despite the fact I made my living with working with them. As a matter of fact, I have recurring nightmares in which agitated systems programmers converge on a computer room with manuals in hand and my personal computer lies in an intensive care unit trying to fight off a fatal virus which has made it through every firewall known to mankind. It's enough to send chills up and down my spine. So, I bookmark, backup and keep paper copies of certain things, among them Mr. Bittman's recipes. I've been working Chinese black beans and wanted to share his shrimp and black bean stir-fry with you.It is fast and easy and really, really tasty. Bok Choy is now available in supermarkets and the black beans can be found in any Asian grocery store. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. If you have all the ingredients ready to go before you start to cook, you'll find this really easy to do. My only caution is not to overcook the dish. The stems of the bok choy should retain some crunch and the shrimp should be pink but still tender. If you like a slightly thicker sauce for your stir-fry, you'll want to make a light slurry of cornstarch and water and add it just before serving the shrimp. Here's the recipe.

Stir-Fried Shrimp With Black Beans and Bok Choy...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Mark Bittman

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons fermented black beans, sold in Asian markets
2 tablespoons dry sherry or white wine
1-1/2 pounds uncooked shrimp, in the 20 to 30 per pound size range, peeled
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar, divided use
2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided use
1 clove garlic, sliced, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, divided use
1 pound bok choy or other cabbage, trimmed, washed and dried
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, divided use
1 tablespoon peeled and minced or grated fresh ginger
3/4 cup chicken stock or white wine
1/4 cup minced scallions

Directions:
1) Soak black beans in sherry, wine or water.
2) In large bowl, marinate shrimp in 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sliced garlic, salt and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
3) Separate bok choy leaves from stems; chop stems into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces, and roughly chop leaves.
4) Preheat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and raise heat to high. When it begins to smoke, add minced garlic and, immediately thereafter, shrimp and its marinade. Cook shrimp for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon it out of wok or skillet.
5) Put remaining peanut oil in wok or skillet and, when it smokes, add ginger, followed immediately by bok choy stems. Cook, stirring, until bok choy is lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes, then add leaves. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add 3/4 cup water, stock or white wine and let it bubble away for a minute.
6) Return shrimp to wok or skillet and stir; add black beans and their liquid, scallions, and remaining sugar and soy sauce. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Turn off heat, drizzle remaining sesame oil on top, and serve. Yield:3 to 4 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Spring Mushroom Soup with Aromatic Vegetables

Two Years Ago Today: Po Cha

Three Years Ago Today: Lemon and Almond Tart