Shitake Street Noodles with Chinese Broccoli
I'm not sure who has more varieties of noodles, Italians or Asians, but I am more than willing to find out and try them all. Being an Italian/American I could eat noodles or pasta everyday. While in Thailand years ago, I enjoyed every noodle dish that I saw on a menu. From Phad See Ew, a seared wide rice noodle dish with broccoli and sweet soy, Phad Thai of course, with tamarind, garlic, peanuts, eggs, chicken and shrimp, lime, and about 10 other ingredients, all making a symphony of a noodle dish, to Laksa, a hot broth vermicelli rice noodle dish with meat and all kinds of condiments to stir in. What I found with all of these dishes in Asia was they are so simple to cook. For that reason I have a section of my pantry cabinet dedicated to Asian condiments, spices, and noodles. Great basics to always wok up a quick Asian or Thai noodle dish are; fish sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, sesame oil, dried shitake or black mushrooms, palm or brown sugar,red pepper flakes, Panang Curry Paste, Yellow Curry Paste, and Masaman Curry Paste. Dried Bean thread noodles, rice vermicelli noodles, and linguini sized 'rice sticks' as it's called. In the fridge, Tamarind paste, the tart ingredient in Thai food that adds another level of flavor, garlic, ginger, cilantro. With those ingredients I just start with my protein, meat, tofu, seafood, add a couple vergetables, onions, and I can have healthy delicious noodle dishes coming off my stove anytime. Today I have fresh Shitakes and Chinese Broccoli from my fav Asian Market which is the actual name, in Lantana Florida. Everything in my pantry comes from Asian Market. This noodle dish today is Shitake Street Noodles. I start with garlic, ginger and sweet onions, wok sear them in sesame oil, then add the shitakes, some oyster sauce, red pepper flakes if you want some heat, toss in your bean thread noodles finish with chopped cilantro and you are done.
Shitake Street Noodles - for two portions
4 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
2 Cloves Garlic chopped
1 Tbsp. Ginger chopped
2/3 C. Sweet Onion - medium size dice
9 ea. Shitake Mushrooms (med - large) sliced into 6 slices each
3 Tbsp. Oyster Sauce
1/4 C. Peanuts - unsalted toasted
1/2 C. Fresh Cilantro - chopped in large pieces
4 Small Packs Bean Thread Noodles
Salt and Crushed Red Pepper
1) Fill a saucepot with 1 1/2 qts. water and bring to a slow boil.
2) Finely chop the garlic and ginger. Dice the onion into pieces about 3/4 inch squares. Slice the mushrooms. Set all side on a plate
3) In a hot pan or wok, add the sesame oil, then sweet onions, let them cook a couple of minutes to soften and get slightly caramelized.
4) Add ginger, garlic and mushrooms, toss quickly a few times and cook for one minute.
5) Add the oyster sauce, a couple of tablespoons of water, some salt and red pepper flakes. Turn down heat.
6) Add noodles to boiling water, they will take about 1 1/2 minutes to cook, drain, toss into mushrooms, adding the cilantro and peanuts to finish.
7) Grab you chop sticks and enjoy.
Chinese Broccoli w Orange
5 ea. Chinese Broccoli
1 ea. Mandarine Orange
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1) In a hot wok add oil, then Chinese Broccoli, toss to coat broccoli, add salt and pepper.
2) Add 1/4 Cup water and cover immediately, this will steam your broccoli perfectly.
3) The time you cook the Chinese Broccoli depends on how you like it. Just a few minutes it will keep it firm and crisp. If you like it softer just keep steaming it for another few minutes.
4) Zest the orange, add to broccoli and serve.
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