Chicken Lettuce Wraps-- PF Chang's Famous Recipe Hacked...

Chinese New Year lands on February 8th-- right around the corner, and my food mind this week is on Chinese!

If you've ever had the the famous appetizer chicken lettuce wrap from American-based restaurant chain PF Chang's China Bistro, you'll understand why there's so many copycat recipes out there. And it's all about the sauce you spoon over!! My first time trying it a few years ago with friends during a trip to Myrtle Beach, we were all doubled-over wowed! (✪㉨✪) Returning, I had to try and replicate the recipe-- getting a pretty good idea from recipes searched on-line, and testing and tasting myself, here is what I came up with-- and it has been impressing every time I've made it since :). Don't be deterred by all the sauce ingredients-- trust me each one lends its special characteristic to the ultra-tastiness spooned over fun and healthy lettuce chicken parcel-- it's the bomb! 

PF Chang Chicken Lettuce Wraps Hacked
Makes 6 servings

2 Tbsp. oil
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, diced 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 cup shiitake mushrooms, if dried, hydrate in water to cover for two hours, drain and chop
1 cup water chestnuts, diced
1 green onion, chopped
iceberg lettuce, peeled into cups, and torn into hand-size pieces to make wrapping easy

Special Sauce:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. hot Chinese mustard or Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. water
red chili garlic sauce to taste (sambal oelek)

Stir Fry Sauce:
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. rice wine vinegar

Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl. Add all the ingredients except the mustard and chili sauce. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve (it just taste so-o good cool). Add your desired measurement of mustard and chili sauce when ready to use as a dipping sauce.

Mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl for the stir-fry sauce. Heat oil in wok/skillet over high heat. Sauté chicken for one minute, then add the garlic and mushrooms; cook for one minute more before adding the water chestnuts. Pour the stir fry sauce and sauté the mixture until cooked. Toss with green onions. Serve hot in a serving bowl along with lettuce "cups" and special sauce.

Chicken filling in a crisp lettuce wrap punctuated with tangy, sweet and savoury sauce with a kick of heat-- haven't met anyone old or young who's tried and didn't love it yet! :)

Serving the chicken mixture over the rice instead of encased in lettuce makes it easy for the young ones to eat. And the sauce-soaked rice is delicious too!

I introduced this recipe to my dear friend and fellow Ambassador Food Revolution Amman Mira Jarrar, and she's been teaching it to her Mira's Young Chefs cooking club in Jordan-- Everyone loves it! She's heard about the infamous wraps but have never tried them... this was a way to bring the deliciousness into her kitchen and into the bellies of her young chefs. 

Photo Credit: Mira Jarrar

On the same note, my friend and fellow Food Revolution Ambassador Muriel Strobos in Curacao celebrated Chinese New Year this week cooking with her kids in Muriel's Kitchen. They made the awesome chicken wraps along with spring rolls and my Marbled Tea Eggs. Thank you for reaching out and cooking up some of my recipes-- I felt I was there in spirit :). So happy to share and "cook" cross-borders with all the great ambassadors in our Food Revolution community-- the world just got that much smaller and tastier :)

Photo Credits: Muriel Strobos

Join me back this week with more delicious home-style Chinese Eats!

Meal Under $10: Easy Peasy Meatloaf...

Meals under a budget continues with everyone's Canadian favourite-- meatloaf! Different variations can be made, but I went with the classic using cheap and cheerful ground beef and staple ingredients/condiments for the mixture and saucy topping. Form it into a loaf to slice up or make them into individual serve mini meat loaves. Whatever you decide, I bet your family will be super delighted! Delicious weeknight comfort easy eats, a few tips that made it an extra winner with mine-- sauté the onions and garlic in a bit of butter, use seasoned breadcrumbs and let it rest before slicing.

Easy Peasy Meatloaf

Makes one 9 X 4 loaf or/ 12 mini loaves

1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef

1 Tbsp. butter

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped

salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup salsa

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup dried bread crumbs (use seasoned bread crumbs give more flavour)
2 Tbsp. prepared mustard
3/4 cup ketchup

Forgot to add the milk in the shot :)

Heat skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and sauté onions and garlic until aromatic and translucent about three minutes; season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. 

In a large bowl, combine the beef, salsa, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Add the cooked onions. Mix well with hands (using disposable plastic gloves makes it easy). Then add milk and egg; incorporate well with hands; lastly, add bread crumbs and mix well. Place into a foil-lined 9x5-inch loaf pan, or/ form into a loaf and place in a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish. If you can, allow it sit to in the fridge for one hour to let the flavours meld.

For Speedy Mini Meat Loaves: Shape beef mixture into 12 balls, and place into muffin cups.

Using disposable plastic gloves makes mixing easy and mess-free.

In a separate small bowl, combine the mustard and ketchup. Mix and pour/spread over the meatloaf. Bake in preheated oven at 350F (I like to use my toaster oven-- no need to waste that energy in a regular oven) for one hour. Remove.

For Speedy Mini Meat Loaves: Preheat oven to 400F. Spread sauce over each mini loaf. Bake in oven for 20 to 25 minutes until its no longer pink in the centres.

Line the loaf pan with aluminium foil for easier removal and clean-up.

Fits perfectly in my toaster oven!

Let the meat rest five minutes and drain off fat-- carefully pour out oil from the corner of the pan.  Carefully slice into slabs and serve it with your favourite sides.

Serving meatloaf with a helping of stir-fried green beans.

My kids couldn't get enough of the sweet and sour ketchup-mustard topping. You tell 'em boys!

Meatloaf served with quinoa tossed with EVOO, stir-fried green beans, tomato and a pickle. YUM!

Got leftovers? Try it in a sandwich the next day. Here is a slice on whole wheat pita with a handful of antioxidant rich spinach. What a way to change up the lunch routine :).

Meatloaf pita sandwich.

Meal Under $10: Sausage, Pepper and Potatoes Skillet...

With prices going up at the stores, it's nice to know you can still make a delicious and hearty meal for the family on a budget. Inspired by sausage links on sale for $2.99/lb., a bag of potatoes and ingredients in my fridge, here is a cheap and cheerful weeknight skillet that cooks up for under $10. Sausage, pepper and potatoes is quite a popular skillet dish, but with grape and plum tomatoes on my counter, they also went in giving the meal added flavour and dimension. To facilitate the cooking, I like to boil my potatoes first, before sautéing. And I've got a cool trick to share that makes peeling that much easier. In fact, I cooked up a few extra potatoes (not for the dish) just to experiment with the hack:).

Sausage, Pepper and Potatoes Skillet
Makes 4-6 servings

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 small white onion, chopped or thinly sliced 
3 to 4 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes (see how to prepare in directions)

salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. Italian sausages (mild), cooked and sliced (I cook mine in the toaster oven until done)
1 coloured bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup grape tomatoes 

2 plum tomatoes, diced

2 green onions, chopped

1 jalapeno, sliced (optional)

paprika

I hate peeling potatoes, because frankly you never just peel one, and the irregular shaped ones (because wonky veggies are beautiful), makes it unfriendly to completely get around tidily with the peeler. I came across this neat trick in a video on YouTube, and couldn't wait to give it a try. This simple trick shows you a speedy way to peel your potatoes by boiling them but first you have to nick them. 

Hold a potato in one hand, and score all around the diameter of its centre with a knife nicking it about 1/4" deep. Repeat until all done. Place into a pot of boiling water to cover and cook until 80% done (the reason for this is that you will be skillet-frying them and don't want the potatoes to be mushy). Drain; run cold water in pot. Pick up each potato and the centre seam should be opened. Gently tug at the skins on both ends and they should pull away easily. (The potatoes may be cool on the surface but they are still hot underneath). Slice the potatoes into less than 1/2"-inch slices; set aside.

I should have cooked the potatoes in the same skillet so there's one less pot to wash!

See short video on how to peel potatoes super quick. 

Add the olive oil to large skillet. Fry the potatoes along with the onions for about two minutes, allowing for each side to brown slightly before flipping. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the sliced sausage links. Sauté sausage with the potatoes for three minutes to brown slightly. Toss in the peppers and mix them in with the potatoes and sausage. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute. Add the tomatoes and cook another minute more. 

Garnish with green onions and sliced jalapenos, and sprinkle with paprika if desired. A true hearty meal-in-a-skillet, this could become your favourite weeknight dinner to whip up in a flash-- loaded with flavour, meat, potatoes and veggies. All it might need is a little something something on the side like a leafy green or fruit salad. Try pairing it with our family favourite-- Creamy Dill Apple Salad for crunch. YUM!

What are your favourite meals on a budget?

Happy National Pie Day....

Happy National Pie Day with savoury classic Quebec favourite tourtière (meat pie). Usually made with ground pork I made mine with ground beef-- hearty beefy flavour with hints of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg to warm up the minced meat and potatoes, and with tips for a flaky homemade crust who needs frozen Tenderflake? See my previous post for recipe.

Beef Tourtière (Meat Pie)

Beef Tourtière (Meat Pie)

Matcha Steeped in Tradition and Modernization...

To continue celebrating National Hot Tea Month, how could we not consider the celebrated tea used in the most disciplined ceremonial ritual of all teas-- matcha. No one can dispute the influence of cha do, the 'way of tea' or 'water in hot tea' on Japan's spiritual, artistic and cultural heritage. Born from Zen Buddhist meditative precepts, and popularized among the noble and warrior class, the point of the ritual in which a light meal and whipped powder (matcha) are served by a host to a few invited guests, is summed up by the notion "one lifetime, one meeting"-- ichigo (my nephew's middle name by the way :)). In other words, this is a unique moment to be treasured. 

If you've ever had the pleasure of experiencing a tea ceremony in Japan, especially in a Kyoto teahouse, complex etiquette and zen ideals makes for a well-orchestrated series of events over the course of the day; the ritual involves meeting fellow guests clad in kimonos, walking the grounds of the teahouse, performing ablutions (washing of the hands and face), entering a cell-like room, meeting your host, admiring the features of the room and utensils, observing the tea being prepared, bowing and consuming food-- a wagashi (sweet) to offset the bitterness of the thick green matcha tea to follow. Each part of the ritual is symbolic and ultimately it is your appreciation of the moment that counts. 

The influence of matcha-- bitter, smooth jade-green powder loaded with potent antioxidants has taken the world by storm. Originally, only reserved for Japanese tea ceremonies, today matcha has been popularized in casual everyday drinks spreading to North American cafés. Starbucks introduced "Green Tea Lattes" and other matcha-flavoured bevies such as iced drinks, milkshakes and smoothies after matcha became successful in their Japanese store locations. And we haven't even begun talking about matcha-infused desserts-- just walk into an Asian dessert house and bakery. Flavour trend?-- I think not. As more people are looking for ways to better their health, a simple dose of antioxidant powerhouse matcha will prove its staying power for a long time to come.

FUN FACT: Did you know matcha has 60 times more antioxidants than spinach?

A traditional Ryokan Inn in Kyoto 2004

From sencha to matcha, Japanese tea is delicious and healthy-- it has been proven to prevent disease, boost the immune system and soothes your mind-- no wonder it's a beverage that is increasingly enjoyed world-wide. Read on these pages about its revered health benefits and interesting green tea & sweet/snack pairings.

Bento Box Magazine Oct. 2015-- Japanese Tea pp.6-7 by Momo Yoshida

Japanese tea display and sampling at a Japanese cultural event in Toronto.

My lovely assortment of decorative tea containers brought back from my Japan travels. 
Each one contains a different type of green tea. 

Wide mouth bowl cups are traditionally used in tea ceremonies.

A traditional tea ceremony must be infused with wakeiseijaku-- harmony, respect, quiet and solitude. Traditional tea making is an art and making it properly requires skill, the right tools and years of practice. However, a tea ceremony can, in fact, be an informal affair among friends.

The tea ceremony (Cha do) performed at the Haru Matsuri (Spring) Festival in Toronto's Japanese Cultural Centre. 
To watch the step-by-step stages of traditional tea preparation, here is a zen ten-minute video.

The  master of the ceremony brings the equipment needed to prepare the tea and purifies it symbolically with the fukusa, a small square of silk. He serves the cakes that is eaten before drinking the tea to coat the palate in sugar and prepare it for bitterness and smoothness of the whisked tea. He then prepares the matcha, which has been blended into the hot water, and serves it. When drinking strong tea, which is only lightly mixed producing a very dense foamless emulsion, the cake (omogashi) is fresh and creamy. When drinking light tea, which is aerated and foamy, the cake (higashi) is dry and very sugary. The aim of the ceremony is to enter into communion with oneself and with the other persons present.

I was so excited to see my most beloved favourite Japanese sweet (wagashi) at Toronto's J-Town. Sakura mochi is pink, just like the sakura (cherry blossom flowers) and is made of sweet glutinous rice filled with a sweetened red bean paste and wrapped in a pickled sakura leaf. The sweetness counters the matcha tea's bitterness and potency and compliments making it a palate-pleasurable experience. Traditionally, this beloved dessert is enjoyed during Haru Matsuri (Japanese Girls' Day) to celebrate the beginning of spring, as well as to wish good luck and good health for all of the little girls in the family. 

Sakura Mochi

As for matcha in desserts, they are being popularized in many different categories such as cakes, cookies, macarons, flans, pies, puddings, ice cream, soufflés-- you name it! Sharing with you Matcha Red Bean Cheesecake Bars recipe contributed to my Asian Gourmet Magazine's spring 2008 article "Japanese Spring Brunch". Just as the caption says, matcha's flavour intensity is mellowed with the cream cheese,  and red beans add colour contrast and texture.

Asian Gourmet Magazine's spring 2008 article "Japanese Spring Brunch"

Last but not least, should I be surprised that someone came up with a technology to brew matcha from a machine? Check out Tea-Ceré which merges tradition and precision as a simple cup of matcha is really not that simple to prepare. Sharp's innovative machine designed with leading Japanese tea experts grinds any green tea in powder (turn any green tea to matcha), correctly boils removing traces of chlorine as well as perform the process of whisking to create a balance of broth and liquid. Consuming the entire leaf optimizes the health benefits as 70% of nutrients in tea are discarded when steeping tea leaves in boiled water. Interesting to know-- powdered tea for me from now on please! Read on for more details...

Bento Box Magazine Jan. 2016 pp.12-13

NOTE: This post is dedicated to my fAbuLous friend who has gone from drinking coffee everyday to devout daily cups of matcha-- all in the name of health! Although java will likely remain my go-to morning bevy, I am inspired by you to make the switch on occasion. However, Hojicha (roasted green tea) in the evening all the way ;) ! Kanpai!

Taiwanese "Popcorn" Chicken (Yan Su Ji)...

As a personal pledge this year to embark on discovering new cuisines and recreating favourites from home, I can't tell you how starstruck I've always been with Taiwanese cuisine. Salivating while viewing numerous Taiwan food romp shows over the years as the cute, quirky hungry wide-eyed host bounces from one specialized food stall to another devouring delectable edibles from many businesses operating for generations-- the story of humble beginnings to amassing infamous crowd-in-queue  frenzy always fascinate. Known for their sprawling swarming night food markets, you can find anything from grilled fish ball skewers, pork belly buns, braised offals, noodles, stinky tofu and all kinds of desserts (think bubble tapioca teas, shaved ice and mochi). Despite all the evolving food crazes, many traditional Taiwanese foods remain just as popular with the old and young alike. What is traditional Taiwanese cuisine? As with many cuisines, it is rooted in modest peasant country dishes. Inexpensive ingredients such as offal cuts and wild vegetables used in homey dishes can be a source of immense pride and adoration, making its way on celebration tables and banquets. With time, comfort dishes get refined, adapted and expanded in a wide variety of ways by fond cooks and become new beloved dishes.

Rifling through cookbooks, two dishes immediately sent me salivating, using chicken and fresh Thai basil-- "Popcorn" Chicken and Three Cup Chicken. Using condiments and starches already in my pantry, I couldn't wait to finally try my hands in recreating these beloved Taiwanese foods in my kitchen. As my love deepens, I look forward to enriching my appreciation of Taiwanese food and culture-- as I am discovering there's more than meets the eye in this distinct and universally-growing cuisine and bring more home-style created inspirations from this beautiful island to you.
  

This is probably the most recognized and delectable popular street food from Taiwan making head waves in the west. Meat is marinated with fragrant five-spice powder and deep-fried, with the tender morsels sprinkled liberally with salt and white pepper once out of the hot oil served along attractive tasty crispy wispy fried Thai basil leaves.

"Popcorn" Chicken (Yan Su Ji) (adapted from The Food of Taiwan by Cathy Erway)

Makes about 4 servings

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tsp. light soy sauce

1 tsp. Chinese cooking wine

1/4 tsp. five-spice powder

1/4 tsp. salt

 a couple of dashes ground white pepper

1/2 tsp. cornstarch

3 to 4 cups of canola or peanut oil for deep-frying

Breading:

1 large egg, beaten with 2 Tbsp. water

3/4 cup potato starch

1 bunch fresh Thai basil, leaves plucked

salt and ground white pepper to taste

Marinate the chicken in a medium bowl with all the ingredients up to oil. Refrigerate at least one hour or overnight (the flavours deepen the longer it melds).

Add the oil in a small saucepan (I like to cook mine in small batches, thus using and wasting less oil). Heat over medium-high heat until a wooden skewer inserted in the centre emits bubbles shooting up its sides. 

Just one egg for the breading will do. My recipe is modified as such.

Place egg and water mixture in one bowl and the potato starch in another. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg wash first, followed by the starch. Shake off excess. Drop the pieces one at a time into the oil; let fry turning them occasionally with tongs, until crispy and golden all over about two to three minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer on a rack over top a baking sheet/plate lined with paper towels (this will keep the bottom of chicken from getting soggy). 

Once the chicken are all fried, carefully drop in a small bunch of basil leaves and fry for a few seconds just until crisp and translucent otherwise it will brown and burn (BE CAREFUL, as some oil shot up once the leaves hit it-- so place some in gently and STAND BACK). Remove and transfer to rack or on paper towels. Sprinkle the chicken generously with sea/kosher salt and white pepper to taste, and serve with the fried basil leaves.

Jaw-dropping beautiful, deep-fried five-spice goodness fills the air teasing the salivation glands and each pop-in-the-mouth-- with crispy bite, salty and ever so tender! Darn gooood!

So flavourful on its own, popcorn chicken needs no dipping sauce! The basil are so-O good on its own too!

Three Cup Chicken is touted as a quintessential Taiwanese home-style dish. Its name comes from its three equal parts measurement of soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine. The signature savoury braise gets its rich flavours from the loaded garlic cloves, ginger and fresh basil. 

Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)

Try my pal Kate Chou's family recipe for Taiwanese Pearly Meatballs-- ground pork mixed with other ingredients and seasoning, coated with rice and steamed to pearly ball-perfection. 

Pearly meatballs steaming to fluffy rice balls

Hainan-Style Spicy Shrimp Rice Noodle Bowl...

My food radar immediately switches on when roaming my multicultural neighbourhood with restaurants frequently shutting its doors making way for new ones-- who's moving in this empty spot and what will they be serving never fails to peak the curiosity. And then I happily discovered a small eatery serving Hainan cuisine-- the only one in Toronto, and it's in my 'hood! :) Sprout Hainan Noodles, a newbie local noodle shop is a gem-of-a-find. With more restaurants and eateries focused nowadays on regional specialty foods, you know a small menu offering just noodles, they must be cooking up something authentically good. 

Hainan literally translates to "South of the Sea" and is the smallest and southernmost province-- an island of the People's Republic of China. When people think about Hainan, often chicken comes to mind. Their Hainan-style Chicken and Rice was made world famous by street hawkers in Singapore and Malaysia. This dish originated from Wenchang in north-east Hainan, and is made from a certain type of free range chicken with yellow oily-looking skin. The chicken is boiled, cut into pieces, then eaten by dipping them in a mixture of spices, including chopped ginger and salt. However, as Amy owner of Sprout explains, it is not their most characteristic dish. It is in fact, their rice noodles that are eaten ubiquitously by the local Hainan people-- as breakfast, snack, staple food and celebratory food at festivals. The Cantonese invite their guests with the saying "Come to have some soup with us." The Hainanese invite their guests with the saying of "Come to have some rice noodles."

Hainan rice noodle is like a thick vermicelli served with a dozen special condiments. The vermicelli is often eaten at room temperature, topped with things like fried peanuts, roasted sesame, bean sprouts, garlic, chopped green onion, shredded meat, sesame oil, Chinese sauerkraut (pickled mustard greens) or cilantro. Then a big ladle of clear conch soup or signature brown gravy (how unique) is poured over top. But what makes this dish distinct is their unique spicy attribute Amy says, if you can take the heat. A tiny dollop of chilli sauce made from Hainan yellow lantern chilli peppers also known as the Yellow Emperors Chilli, blended with garlic and spices, can send off five alarm bells in your taste buds. A searing heat that had my sinuses going and my mouth nursing a budding flame when I experienced it in Sprout's Garlic Explosion noodles smothered in thick brown gravy. If you visit Sprout, let Amy know I sent you :).

Coincidentally, Pearl River Bridge USA, approached me to brainstorm recipe development using this very chilli sauce in their jar condiment line up. There was no contest that delicious noodles came to mind and trying to recreate Sprout's flavours was both a happy personal and a work-related conquest-- I was determined to make my very own Hainan noodle bowl. As part of my "research", I tasted again Garlic Explosion (with slices of pork belly) and also tried the Funky Shrimp (see descriptions in menu below) to dissect their components. Loved the loads of garlic and slightly sweeter gravy in the first and the chilli marinated shrimps and savoury gravy in the next, and double thumbs up to the bits of pickled mustard greens in both! Combining my favourite elements from both stupendous noodle bowls, I came up with my own concoction with pan-fried shrimps marinated in the yellow lantern chilli sauce, loaded with garlic, pickled mustard, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, peanuts, and my own touch of green onions, cilantro and fried shallots. My gravy profile has both sweet but more savoury flavours made with soy and oyster sauces. 

Noodles served individually in bowls with a toppings spread laid out on the table, this makes for a fun, DIY customizable bowl to each of your family member's liking. And for my husband and I, a topping of the kickin' yellow chilli sauce. Voilà-- savoury, sweet, slightly sour and piquant flavours intermingled with an array of textures and sauciness makes for a party in the mouth that won't quit until you're finished. Even then, you may still have that lingering fire in the mouth to extinguish. Something I will surely make again and again-- as an everyday noodle dish and for my next big family gathering- a definite crowd-pleaser hit!

The menu at Sprout Hainan Noodles

Amy, owner of Sprout ladling her gorgeous shiny gravy

Love the shrimps in Sprout's Funky Shrimp noodles and crazy garlic dosage in the Garlic Explosion.

You can make a dish of just shrimps as an appetizer or part of a meal sans noodles. Follow my recipe* accordingly with tips on dividing it up to make half spicy and half non to appease to the family. I like using zipper back shell-on shrimps which allows the spicy chilli marinade to seep and the shells pan-fried to aromatic crispiness with shrimps that slip out for easy eating.

Hainan-Style Spicy Shrimp Snack Noodles
Makes 6 servings

1 lb. medium to large shrimps, shell-on and deveined

1 to 1-1/2 tsp. Pearl River Bridge Yellow Lantern Chilli Sauce (a little goes a long way)

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. potato starch

2 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic, minced, divided

400 g dried thick vermicelli noodles, cooked according to package instructions

3 cups bean sprouts, washed
1-1/2 cups bamboo shoot strips from a can, rinsed
1/2 cup potherb mustard (aka pickled mustard greens)
green onions, green part, thinly sliced

cilantro, leaves plucked, chopped
fried shallots

peanuts, roasted

Pearl River Bridge Yellow Lantern Chilli Sauce

optional: sesame oil

Gravy:
2 Tbsp. Pearl River Bridge Superior Light Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp. Pearl River Bridge Mushroom Flavoured Superior Dark Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
3 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of ground white pepper
1-1/2 cups water

2 Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water

Mix shrimps with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 cup water with your hand for one minute. A bubbly grey foam will appear. Run cold water into the bowl and rinse well until the foam disappears and the water is clear. Drain and place shrimps on paper towels and pat fry. In a bowl, toss shrimps with chilli sauce* and salt; let marinate for one hour. Just before cooking, toss shrimps with potato starch (this will make the shells crispy when pan-frying).  

Note*: Split the shrimps into two batches to make one non-spicy. Use half less chilli sauce in the batch that is spicy for marinating. Cook separately non-spicy first then the spicy batch.

Heat oil in wok or skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add shrimps, and let one side cook and crisp for two to three minutes before flipping over; cook another few minutes until almost done. Add 2 tsp. garlic and toss with shrimps for a minute and remove onto plate. 

Note*: if you are serving the shrimps as a dish itself, cook with as much garlic as you wish and garnish with onions and/or cilantro upon serving.

Crispy on the outside, succulent meat on the inside, with flavourful piquant notes outside and in!

If you are making the noodle bowl, while shrimps are marinating, prepare the ingredients. Blanch separately (in boiling water, quickly cook for one minute) bean sprouts and bamboo shoots (this rids beany and strong flavours); drain well. Cover potherb mustard with water and drain well right away (to get rid of excess salt); roast peanuts in 325F preheated toaster oven for 8-10 minutes, or pan-fry over the stove on medium for a few minutes until roasted.

To make the gravy, add all the gravy ingredients except cornstarch into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil; stir in cornstarch mixture until thicken. Lower heat to a gentle boil and add bamboo shoots to cook for one minute; turn off heat.

Divide the noodles in individual bowls. Lay all your ingredients in bowls on the table, and let everyone customize their own noodles to their liking! Be careful with topping the chilli sauce-- a little goes a long way, plus if you are having the marinated shrimps, these would be kicked up with spicy heat already.

An attractive colourful and textural array of toppings awaits the diner for customization.

The crunchy peanuts, sour pickled mustard and pungent garlic are my favourite elements! 

The hallmark of divine umami-punctuated gravy is made with oyster and two soy sauces!

 

A small dollop of chilli sauce on top for the heat-lovin' palate with its spicy intensity growing with each bite. 

A happy pappy camper!

A beautiful saucy mess of savoury, sweet, slightly sour and piquant slurpeliciousness!

Yellow Lantern Chilli Sauce is also very delicious marinated on pork belly and shoulder, and as a dip. 

Here it is served as a dip for my Pork Shoulder Roast with Chinese Spices.

NOTE: I am honoured to work with Pearl River Bridge @PRBUSA as a partner to develop recipes using their products. They have been a household brand growing up and they continue to be savoured with my own family as I thoroughly enjoy using their line of products in recipe experimentation and home-cooking. The information I share is completely my opinion, as are all my posts.