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...

      

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Frugal Foodie Friday - Vegetable Lo Mein

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have a wonderful recipe to share with you today. Participation in the SNAP challenge left me with a lot of material to read. Tucked among the books was a treasure called, Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed our Children. The book was written by the Renegade Lunch Lady, Chef Ann Cooper who created the Vegetable Lo Mein that is the feature for this week's frugal Friday post. Make no doubt about it, this is a woman with a mission. Her goal is to replace the highly processed foods that are fed to children with more nourishing substitutes, one school lunch at a time. Her blog, which you can see, here, has some wonderful recipes that I hope you'll take a look at and try. I'll get you started with this fast, easy and very inexpensive noodle dish. It's as good for grown-ups as it is for kids, but before you can eat there's some learnin' to be done. Ready?

Rice and grain based foods are an integral part of Chinese diet and culture. The Mandarin word "fan" means both "rice" and "food" and in China you will often here the question, "Ni chi fan le ma?" The literal translation is, "Have you eaten rice(food) yet?" No matter where you go in China, a typical meal will have a grain based "fan" such as rice, noodles or buns, that is served with meat or vegetable dishes, called "cai". The cai is meant to add flavor and variety to the fan while not overpowering it. The meals of the poorest in China usually consist of simple grains that are eaten with salty pickles to add flavor. Even the simplest food in China can be quite good because the balance of fan and cai is maintained. Noodles are an important part of the Chinese diet.

That brings us to tonight's application of fan and cai. This is a foolproof dish as long as the vegetables and noodles are not overcooked. It is important to have all the elements for the lo mein set to go before you actually begin to cook. If you are watching pennies and using spaghetti instead of lo mein noodles, make sure to follow the directions on the box. They vary from brand to brand and you definitely don't want soggy noodles in this dish. Feel free to swap out vegetables to your personal taste but try to stick to the quantities suggested in the recipe. The sauce carries the dish. It is slightly sweet but not at all cloying. Strangely enough, I don't think the dish ages well. The garlic and ginger seem to grow stronger at the lo mein sits, so I cut the recipe in half when I make it for Bob and me. I do hope you'll try this recipe. Here is how the lo mein is made.

Vegetable Lo Mein...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of the Renegade Lunch Lady Chef Ann Cooper and her book Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children

Ingredients:
3/4 pound lo mein noodles or whole wheat spaghetti
Sesame oil (start with a small amount)
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
4 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1/3 cup sliced scallions (green onions)
1 cup julienne carrot (2 large)
1 cup thinly sliced celery (1-2 stalks)
1 cup thinly sliced red onion (1 medium)
3/4 cup fresh bean sprouts
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1) Cook lo mein noodles in boiling salted water until al dente. Cool. Toss lightly with sesame oil to prevent sticking.
2) Combine hoisin and soy sauces in a small bowl and mix well.
3) In a wok or a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon canola oil and quickly sauté ginger, garlic and scallions until they release aroma, then add carrots, celery and red onions and briefly sauté before adding bean sprouts, about 2 minutes.
4)In a separate medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil and sauté noodles. When they are hot and look pan-fried or lightly browned, add them to ingredients in wok.g in large pan. Add soy-hoisin mixture and stir to coat. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve. Yield: 4 servings.







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