Lau’s Hong Kong style Noodles

12 oz Hong Kong style pan fried noodles (egg noodles, raw / unsteamed)

4 oz chicken

6 oz shrimp (peeled, deveined)

8 oz bok choy

3 oz white mushroom, halved

1 oz carrot

2 slices of ginger

1 piece green onion (we're only using the white part), cut diagonally

2 tbsp corn oil

Chicken Marinade

0.25 tsp salt

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp water

Sauce

0.50 tsp salt

0.75 tsp sugar

1 tsp chicken bouillon

1.5 tbsp cornstarch (sauce)

1 tbsp water

12 oz water

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp oyster sauce

We’ll be using fresh, unsteamed Hong Kong Style Pan Fried noodles.

These are Chinese egg noodles, and there are many, many different types. For

simplicity’s sake, here are 3 of the most common Chinese egg noodles: Wonton Mein, Lo Mein, and Chow Mein.

We’ll want to use Chow Mein, also known as Hong Kong Style Pan Fried Noodles. Chow Mein is the ideal type of noodle for the traditional flavor and texture profile we’re going for. They’re thinner than Lo Mein and have less egg content than Wonton Mein.

We'll need to cook the noodles by steaming them, which is one of the main keys to nailing the perfect texture.

Here's what you do:

• Place your steamer rack in a wok on high heat. Pour enough water so that the top of the rack isn't submerged, and start boiling water.
• Take the rack out, separate, and lay out the noodles (12 oz) on top of the rack.
• Once boiling, set the steamer rack + noodles back in the wok and cover for 10 minutes. Leave the stove on high heat.
• If you're using a steamer rack without holes (i.e. steaming on a plate where the steam can't easily access the bottom, steam for 2-3 extra minutes.)
• Once the 10 minutes is up, quickly dump the noodles in the room temperature water for 15-30 seconds.
• Drain the noodles through a colander, and spend about 1-2 minutes fluffing and separating the noodles with chopsticks.
• Let it cool for 3-5 minutes.

We'll be washing and cutting our vegetables:

• bok choy (8 oz): cut into quarters for bigger pieces, halves for smaller pieces. We don't need to cut off the stem.
• white mushroom (3 oz): cut away the stem, and cut in half
• carrot (1 oz): cut into about thin slices.
• ginger (2 slice): cut into about thin slices, and cut into little triangles.
• green onion (1 piece): cut only the whites into about 1-inch pieces.

The amounts are very flexible! If you make more than you can fit on your eventual noodle pancake, then you can also eat it separately.

For the chicken (4 oz), we'll cut it into slices against the grain. Marinate it with cornstarch (1 tsp), water (1 tsp), and salt (0.25 tsp) and a egg white. (This step is known as velveting.) Stir the cornstarch slurry , egg white, and chicken for about 30 seconds until the chicken is evenly coated.

Assuming you bought peeled, deveined shrimp, you don't need to do anything extra to them. ( Else, devein the shrimp).

Step 3: Pan fry noodles

Next, we'll heat our wok on high heat for about 2-3 minutes. Then, we'll add corn oil (1 tbsp). Swirl it around the pan and let the oil heat up until it's shimmering, or forming ripples across the surface.

Add the noodles to the wok.

For the noodles, we want each side to become a crispy golden brown. We'll cook each side for about 7 minutes, occasionally turning the noodles but not stirring or breaking into the layers.

After flipping, we'll add more corn oil (1 tbsp) to the rim of the noodles, so that this new side also gets a nice crisp.

After the second side has turned golden & crispy, transfer the noodles onto a plate.

Turning helps ensure that the entire surface of the noodles gets evenly crispy.

Typically, restaurants use a ton of oil, even deep-frying the noodles. The cooking time is much quicker at restaurants with more oil and roaring stoves. 

At home, we can make a healthier version with less oil and longer cooking 

times, since we're not rushed to serve a ton of customers.

Step 4: Cook meats & aromatics

Add the chicken, and cook for about 1 minute before adding the other ingredients.

Scoot the chicken off to one side, and add the ginger and green onions. Let the ginger and green onions cook for about 45-60 seconds before adding the shrimp.

Add the shrimp, and cook for about a minute until it starts turning orange. For this step, the chicken and shrimp don't yet need to be fully cooked, because we'll still be cooking everything more later.

Transfer everything into a bowl to be mixed back later.

Step 5: Cook veggies

We don't need to add additional oil, since there's already some in the wok.

Place the bok choy, mushrooms, and carrots into the pan, along with boiling water (12 oz).

Cover the pan and let the vegetables cook for about 4 minutes. Drain.

Step 6: Add meats & create sauce

We'll add the shrimp, chicken, and aromatics back into the pan. Mix everything for a bit.

Then, we'll be adding salt (0.50 tsp), sugar (0.75 tsp), chicken bouillon (1 tsp), and oyster sauce (1 tbsp) to the pan. We'll also mix cornstarch (1.5 tbsp) and water (1 tbsp) in a bowl until it's an even slurry, and add it to the wok as a thickener.

Finally, add sesame oil (1 tsp).

Step 7: Plate

Transfer the vegetables, meats, and gravy onto the noodles! It's time to eat.

It's best to eat this as soon as possible since the sauce will inevitably make the noodles soggy over time.

Meyer Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350F.

½ cup butter

1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon poppy seeds 

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoon lemon extract

½ teaspoon vanilla 

⅔ cup butter-milk

3 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons of Ripe Meyer Lemon zest, graded.

Lastly, ½ teaspoon salt or to taste

Then add  2 eggs + a yolk *

Sweet butter for greasing muffins tins

Asterisks (*) before adding the eggs, taste the salt level is to taste.

Grease muffin cups with sweet butter while allowing batter to rest before cooking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups. 

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes for 1-3/4-inch cupcakes (16 to 18 minutes for 2-1/2-inch cupcakes) or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. 

Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups cooling on wire racks. 

Didiole’s Ivory Coast: spicy Jollof Rice With Beef (not a Nigeria version)

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 75 mins

Total: 90 mins

Servings:  6 servings

Ingredients:

3 medium fresh plum tomatoes, or Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, sliced

3 small red onions, 1 thinly sliced, 2 coarsely chopped, divided

1/4 Scotch bonnet pepper, optional

2 1/2 to 3 cups vegetable stock, chicken or beef stock, or water, divided

10 ounces (300 grams) stewing beef

2 teaspoons curry powder, preferably a Caribbean blend, divided

2 teaspoons dried thyme, divided

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground white pepper, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup neutral oil, divided

3 small to medium dried bay leaves

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided

2 cups converted long-grain rice, rinsed

1/2 medium red onion, sliced, for garnish

1 plum tomato, sliced, for garnish

How to cook?

In a blender, combine the tomatoes, red bell pepper, chopped onions, and Scotch bonnet (if using) with 1 1/2 cups of stock or water.

Blend until smooth, about 1 or 2 minutes. You should have roughly 4 to 5 cups of blended mix.

Transfer this mix to a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the mixture is reduced by half. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Prepare the beef by seasoning with 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.

Set a separate large pot over medium heat, then add half of the oil. Once warm, add the beef and pan-fry for about 5 minutes, turning so all the sides brown evenly. 

Remove the pieces of beef, and set aside.

In the same pot you cooked the beef in, add the remaining oil. Once hot, add the sliced onions, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and 1 teaspoon butter, stirring for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the reduced tomato-pepper mixture to the pot, then cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until reduced by half.

Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of stock or water to the cooked tomato sauce. Bring to boil for 1 to 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking—salt and curry powder should be the most forward taste elements. 

Add the rinsed rice and stir well so each grain is coated.

Add the beef and stir to combine. Cover with a double piece of foil or parchment paper. Place the lid on the pot—this will seal in the steam and lock in the flavor—then, reduce the heat to low and allow it to cook for 35 minutes.

Open the pot, stir the rice, and taste for seasoning. The rice should be cooked through and flavorful. If it isn’t, allow to cook for another 5 minutes or until it is ready.

You can stir in sliced onions, tomatoes, and the remaining teaspoon of butter for additional flavor elements, if desired. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Enjoy it! 😃 

Notes:

1. You can add anything you want. Suggestions include shrimp and lamp.

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