Take In: Egg Rolls

As I am nearing my 100th post, I have been thinking back on posts I have written, and recipes I have included. Chinese food, (fast Chinese) has always found its way into many memories for me and my husband. I know it isn't grandiose but its nostalgic, and sometimes that means more to us than the other. When we were dating, I moved away (he followed) and I was living in San Jose, CA. There was a Mr. Chau's very close to where we worked and we probably ate there close to once a week. Just after our first son was born, we ate at a restaurant here in town with his parents. We both distinctly remember it, for some reason. One of his favorite restaurants right now is a Chinese restaurant about a half hour away from us.
We have never really agreed on Panda Express. He likes it, me-not so much. But occasionally, if I feel like being really nice I will suggest it. Most of the time we eat Chinese at home, now. Spicy beef stir-fry, lettuce wraps, teriyaki chicken, kung poa chicken,  fried rice and egg rolls.
Here is a bit of nostalgia you can serve up when ever the mood strikes.


3 cups shredded cabbage (about 1/4 of a head)
1 cup mixed chopped vegetables
1 Tablespoon teriyaki sauce or soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

12 Egg roll wrappers

Combine vegetables and seasonings in a bowl. Lay egg roll wrapper in front of you like a diamond. Place a strip of the filling in the middle, running horizontal (about 1/3 of a cup) Fold left, then right side in toward the center. Fold the bottom up, use a bit of water and a pastry brush to seal and fold the top down, tightening as you go. Be careful not to tear the egg roll wrappers. Repeat with remaining wraps and filling. Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Cook wrappers in two batches, seam side down for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Little Things

I think its funny when I follow other food blogs and we write about the same things within weeks of each other. I wonder sometimes if its the way our minds work, or if the power of suggestion is so strong that the thought that had been lurking on the edge of my subconscious suddenly lurched to the front after reading the title, and I believe in my heart that I had been intending to write on that.
Well, now it has happened again. Not quite, but close. I had decided a while ago to write about fried rice, but keep putting it off. Other, more exciting things have been visiting our table and I have wanted to write about them instead. I was looking through my blog the other day and realized that I had promised that the recipe for fried rice would be coming soon, so I decided I should write on that. One or two days later another blogger wrote about fried rice. Not the same version as mine, but I still found it funny. Maybe all foodies are on some sort of lunar cycle or something (well...most female foodies are, anyway).
So, let me tell you about fried rice. We love it. I usually make veggie fried rice to accompany our Asian inspired meals, but I have also made it with shrimp, just for fun. I have made fried rice in a wok, and in a pan, and I don't see any difference. For a while, it turned out really great, than I hit a low time when it was just pretty nasty. I mean it tasted good, but the texture was really weird.

I kept switching it up, but nothing really seemed to work. Then I read something in a magazine (I know, happens a lot) and it just clicked. I had been scrambling my egg into the rice, instead of on the side and then combining them. Little thing, right, but it really made a huge difference.
And then, life was good again.
A little tip: When I make Asian food, which calls for small amounts of many different ingredients, I find prep dishes very useful. A great phrase to keep in mind is mise en place which is a French term that essentially means "everything in place". Chop, wash, prep, and measure out everything ahead of time and you will be all set.
Fried Rice
Serves 6

2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup mixed vegetables, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces or strips
1 cup shredded cabbage
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons Teriyaki marinade and sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups cooked white rice (I love Jasmine rice)
2 eggs
2 scallions (green onions) thinly sliced

Set a pan over medium high heat and add the sesame oil and vegetable oil. When oil is hot add vegetables and cabbage. Saute for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then garlic. Saute for one minute more, then add Teriyaki, salt, and pepper. Saute for about 2 minutes more, or until vegetables begin to soften. Add white rice and combine well. Push rice and veggie mixture to one side of the pan. Crack the eggs into the other side, and begin scrambling in the empty side of the pan. Once it is mostly cooked, combine with the rice and veggie mixture. Add scallions. Cook for 1 minute more.
Enjoy!

Take in-Lettuce Wraps

Ok, so I know this is another Asian food recipe, but I really need help in this area. Asian food always presents a far more difficult puzzle to me than does any other style of food that I have experimented with. When I taste something with those influences, I taste only the final result, none of the comprising flavors. When I came upon this recipe, in a food magazine, I wanted to try it. It is a recipe for PF Chang's chicken lettuce wraps. It's really good. Soon on the horizon, I will offer you Chili's Honey Chipotle Sauce (my husband's faaaavorite), but for now, more Chinese.
Back to the lettuce wraps. The first time I made the recipe, I followed the directions as closely as possible. You saute some cellophane noodles in peanut oil, to throw into the wraps, and I definitely would do it if I was making a meal for friends, but on a family night I would just skip the noodles. They are a little fickle, time consuming, and don't come apart very easily.
So, second time around, skipped the noodles. And the lettuce. I also skipped the 1-hour marinade and just drizzled a little teriyaki on and added cornstarch, salt and pepper about ten minutes before stir frying. I skipped the mushrooms (didn't have 'em) and the water chestnuts (I don't really like them) I put the whole thing on top of rice and used beef instead of chicken. It was still a hit. As a matter of fact, my husband, who absolutely does not eat leftovers, heated up the leftovers for himself the next day! Its a bit spicy, but I don't de-seed the jalapeno. My hubby likes spicy stuff. I also threw in a sliced summer squash and a sliced zucchini during the last two minutes of the stir fry and it was really good! I cut them into 1/2-inch thick half-moons.
I'm going to include the original directions for you, and you can make my changes if you want. Be sure the chicken or beef is pretty finely cut up, or it can be a bit tough with this high heat.
Sorry for the lack of photos, my camera had a four-year-old happen to it.
P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps

FOR THE CHICKEN
1 large egg white
1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced

FOR THE STIR-FRY SAUCE
2 tablespoons oyster sauce (I only found oyster flavored sauce)
1 tablespoon hoisen sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoons cornstarch

FOR THE NOODLES
2 bundles cellophane noodles (only called bean thread noodles at my grocery store)
Peanut oil, for frying

FOR THE STIR-FRY
4 tablespoons peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon peeled ginger (or minced ginger-found in the refrigerated produce section)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
4 scallions; 2 minced, 2 cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 pound shitake mushrooms, stemmed and diced (I used whatever mushrooms I could find-probably white button)
3/4 cup diced water chestnuts
small lettuce leaves, for serving (butter leaves are nice)
soy sauce, chili paste and/or hot mustard, for serving

1. Prepare the chicken: Whisk the egg white, cornstarch and rice wine vinegar in a bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. In the mean time, prepare all other ingredients. I would recommend reading ahead in the recipe and combining all the items that will be added at the same time. The stir-fry comes together very quickly.
2. Make the stir-fry sauce: Whisk 1/3 cup water, the oyster, hoisin and soy sauces, and the sesame oil in a bowl, then whisk in the cornstarch  until dissolved.
3. Fry the noodles: Pull the noodles apart into sections. Heat 3/4 inch peanut oil in a medium saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer registers 380 F. Working in batches, press the noodles into the oil with a spatula until they puff, 5 to 10 seconds. Drain on paper towels. (This is a bit of an acquired skill)
4. Make the stir-fry: Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil to the skillet; when almost smoking, stir in the garlic, ginger, jalapeno and minced scallions, then add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the sugar and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, water chestnuts and scallion pieces and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the stir-fry sauce and chicken and cook 1 minute.
5. Make a bed of noodles on a platter and top with the chicken mixture. Serve the noodles and stir-fry with lettuce leaves and soy sauce for dipping.

Take in-Kung Pao Chicken

Panda Express is one of my husband's favorite 'fast food' places. I am usually not in the mood for it so if I suggest it or take it to him as a surprise he is always ecstatic. We always order Orange Chicken and Kung Pao Chicken. We rarely stray.
A few months ago I noticed that the Orange Sauce from Panda Express was available to purchase at Costco. Heaven on earth. Around the same time I saw a recipe in one of Martha Stewart's magazines for a light version of Kung Pao Chicken. I vowed to make it.

Of course, time passed and it was in the back of my mind but I just didn't get around to making it.
Then, that fateful night. I was going to make teriyaki chicken (my version) when I decided to make Kung Pao chicken. I looked up the recipe on the Internet and found Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken. I was so excited! I quickly jotted the recipe down and got started.
You begin by marinading the chicken in an egg and cornstarch mixture, which ends up making a coating on the chicken that is very similar to what you would find on meat at a Chinese take out restaurant. Then you combine your spices, and stir fry the meat with the spices. It is really simple and absolutely delicious!
Let me know if you like it.

Kung Pao Chicken


1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup water
2-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use
12 whole dry chili peppers (smaller than 3 inches; if longer, cut in half)
1/3 cup diced green onion, white part only, in 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground garlic
2 teaspoons crushed red chili pepper
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1/2 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 ounces dry roasted peanuts
2 zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch slices and quartered

» Marinade:
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 egg
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil


Combine marinade ingredients. Add chicken; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Combine vinegar, soy sauce and water; set aside.
Heat wok on high heat 10 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat well. Remove chicken from marinade and add to wok. Stir-fry quickly, for about 60 seconds. Remove chicken and drain well.
Add the chili peppers to the pan and stir-fry until they darken. If the wok becomes too dry, add 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil.
Add green onions, ginger, garlic and crushed red chili pepper and zucchini to pan. Stir-fry for about 5 seconds. Return chicken to wok; stir soy sauce/vinegar mixture and add; stir until sauce boils, then add cornstarch mix to thicken.
Add sesame oil and peanuts.
Stir and fold until ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Serves 3.