What to Eat For Dinner Tonight: Stir Fry On a Bed of Vermicelli

We have a super hectic work schedule - and by super hectic I mean we tend to finish work at 11pm, so when it comes to "what to eat" during the week, we want something fast and easy. And what's more easy to make than stirfry?

Here's what's in it: Bell Peppers, Garlic, Beans, Broccoli, Onions and Carrots. And of course, Vermicelli

The vegetables are fried in a little bit of olive oil, and then cooked in a little bit of beef broth, oyster sauce and soya sauce.

In a separate pot, cook the Vermicelli until it's edible, and then drain it in Cold Water. When the vegetables are done cooking, dump the Vermicelli into the vegetables so that it soaks up that delicious sauce.

Hot Pot in Montreal: Fondue Chinoise À Volonté

At the corner of St. Mathieu and Maisonneuve, there's a new Hot Pot restaurant owned by actual Chinese people. Although the food buffet is not terribly fresh, it was delicious nonetheless.

When you sit down, the waiter asks for your drink order, your soup base, and what kind of meat you would like.

They offer Tsing Tao and Heineken Beer (just like a true Chinese hot pot restaurant), and there's all-you-can-drink soy milk and iced tea.

You're offered only two meat choices - lamb or beef, but the food buffet has a large selection of seafood, tripe, beef balls, and everything else you might find a hot pot restaurant.

In terms of soup bases, there are only two choices: spicy and non spicy. The spicy is really really spicy. In retrospect, I should have gotten the non spicy one and added spices from their sauce bar to it.

If you're looking for a good Hot Pot place to go, this is one of the better places I've been to in Montréal. The closest Metro station to it is Guy Concordia.

Bon Appetit!

Food Porn: Back to My Roots - Shanghai Ketchup Shrimp

When I think of home, I always think of Shanghainese Ketchup Shrimp. It's one of my dad's best dishes, and it's so tasty that it makes me want to forever be daddy's little girl. It's also surprisingly simple to make! 

Get some shrimp, and Peel and Devein - if you don't know how to Peel or Devein, you can check out these instructions from Simply Recipes.

Here's what's in the sauce: 

• Ketchup
• Sugar 
• Soya Sauce
• Garlic
• Scallions (optional)

Ketchup : Soya Sauce : Sugar ratio = 2:1:1

Pan-fry the shrimp in the sauce and that's it. Seriously.

Happy Tuesday! Hope you guys had a nice long weekend! I sure did.

Papa Yeung and I

The Food Porn Edition: Dinner last night

 

Vegetables, Cajun Spices, Chili Flakes, White Wine, Chicken Broth, and a little bit of Cream to hold it all together. Vegetarian doesn't get much better than that.

Easy Dinner Ideas: Gamberoni Fra Diavolo

Lately, I've been trying to prepare more home-cooked meals, with whole ingredients, rather than wasting my food dollars by dining out (Pho remains an exception to this rule - it's just too damn delicious). I've been able to come up with some pretty fancy-looking dinners and lunches, without really breaking the bank or expanding my waistline too much - this recipe for Gamberoni Fra Diavolo is one of my more impressive attempts at culinary resourcefulness.

A little history lesson before we move onto the recipe: Fra Diavolo (or literally, "Brother Devil;" born Michele Pezza) was a Neapolitan bandit/brigand who contributed in the Bourbon defeat of the Neapolitan Republic in the 18th Century - fascinating (occasionally I like to Google such facts to appear knowledgeable in front of my dinner guests *cough* my mother & Korean relatives *cough*). Although rumor has it that he asked for this shrimp dish as his last meal before his death by hanging in 1806, there is no historical record indicating the veracity of this claim (Source: Various Search Results in Google - please don't quote this blog for your history paper - SHAME ON YOU!). Nonetheless, this Neapolitan staple is delicious, and pretty easy to prepare.

I put my little spin on this classic with ingredients I had on hand, and the taste test (my sister, Cheryl and myself) confirms it was indeed quite delicious. 


While various sources use different ingredients, this is what I used:

1 4-person portioned bag of rigatoni (you can use whatever pasta you have lying around)
1/2 jar capers
1 medium sweet onion, sliced
2 tablespoons of minced garlic (I love me some garlic)
2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved (eyeball it - if it looks like there isn't enough - add a bit more)
2 medium roasted peppers, julienned into strips about 5mm thick
Extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons dried crushed chili flakes, or 1-2 fresh jalapeno pepper(s), chopped fine (I leave the seeds in for a spicy kick)
About 1 dozen king prawns (add more or less as your wallet permits - large prawns are pretty ka-ching, but I was able to snag them at the Chinese market for much cheaper), deveined and cleaned but with the shells & head on if possible (if the heads gross you out, you can chop them off, but they add a lot of flavor)
1/2 jar standard marinara or tomato sauce
Fresh basil leaf shredded finely, to taste (you can also use Oregano)
Salt & pepper, to taste
A little white wine or chicken broth, or water
Juice & zest of half a lemon
Lemon wedges, to serve

To prepare the pasta:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Use plenty of salted water so it cooks properly, in a large pot.
2. When there are about 3-4 minutes left on the pasta timer, add a good glug of olive oil into a large saute pan or wok. Add the garlic and chili, and saute to release the oils. Keep this hot, but don't let the garlic burn, or it will taste horrible!
3. Once the garlic perfumes the oil, add the prawns to the pan, searing each side in the oil. Add the onion, saute quickly; add the white wine (or chicken broth/water) and close the lid to allow the steam to cook the shrimp and onions.
4. Once the prawns are pink, add cherry tomatoes and roasted bell pepper, lowering the heat just a little. Once these are hot, add the capers also. Saute quickly; add the marinara/tomato sauce. Stir together until hot.
5. Drain the pasta (by now it should be cooked) and add immediately to the sauce. Saute quickly to incorporate; salt & pepper to taste (if necessary). Add lemon zest, juice & shredded basil just before serving.
6. Spoon the pasta onto plates (display the shrimp on top - so it gets a big "wow" from your dinner guests - you can even make them brandish those cocktail swords if you want, if you're juvenile like me); garnish with a basil leaf and serve with a lemon wedge (don't forget a finger bowl for the saucy shrimp and another empty one for the shells). This is delicious with a glass of Pinot Grigio (or your preferred dry white wine). Enjoy immediately*!

*This is equally delicious as leftovers, even if you don't have any shrimp left - the sauce itself is quite yummy.

Tonight's Dinner? Vegetable Stir Fry!

I love a great stirfry. I love when rice is cooked in chicken broth, and the chicken broth just gets soaked up into the rice in a way that can only be described as exquisite. Despite the fact that it feels like it takes forever to chop up carrots, it's a very quick weeknight meal, and it's absolutely delicious. All you need is: rice, chicken broth (use to cook the rice instead of water), salt and pepper, a little bit of Oyster Sauce and vegetables of your choosing - I used carrots, broccoli, onions and cauliflower. 

Happy Eating!

Cheryl