This lotus stir fry with black mushroom and peppers fit the bill as a pretty Chinese meal accompaniment, full of crunch, savoury sauce goodness with garlic and ginger aromatics. What a lovely symbolic dish to pay homage to the happy harvest and the full moon!
Stir-Fried Lotus Roots with Peppers and Mushroom Fungus (adapted by Woks of Life)
Makes 4 servings
340 g lotus root (about 2 medium)
10 wood ear mushrooms, rehydrated in water for two hours, drain and cut in half or quarters
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tsp. oyster sauce
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. sugar
A few dashes white pepper
2 Tbsp. oil
4 thin slices ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbsp. Chinese cooking wine
2 tsp. cornstarch (combined with 1 Tbsp. water)
Prep the lotus root by peeling them, trimming the ends, and thinly slicing.
Bring a large wok/skillet of water to a boil and blanch the lotus root, wood ears, and bell peppers for 45 seconds. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
Combine the chicken stock (or water and chicken seasoning), oyster sauce, salt, sugar, and white pepper in a small bowl to create the sauce mixture and set aside.
Add the oil to the wok over medium heat along with the ginger. Cook for 30 seconds to a minute, and then add the garlic and green onions. Cook for another 20 seconds and then add the blanched vegetables.
Stir-fry the vegetables for one minute. Then add the cooking wine around the perimeter of the wok, followed by the sauce mixture. Cook for 30 seconds, until the sauce is at a simmer, and then add the cornstarch and water mixture. Stir-fry for another 20-30 seconds until the sauce coats the vegetables, and serve.
The first time I cooked this dish was served alongside a Chinese meal of stir fry black bean sauce beef and bitter melon, broccoli and dried beancurd sheets, steamed chicken legs with green onion and ginger sauce and sauteed beans with fermented beancurd cubes. It was an attractive dish and a winner at dinner for my family!
Then came a mini Korean feast last weekend with a nod to Chuseok π₯’ππ #koreanthanksgiving
What was suppose to be a simple Korean meal with the family, turned into a multi-course dinner. Cooking one dish led to another with ingredients I bought and leftover bits of produce in my fridge. That is so me lol π I had half a lotus root to use up and I made a simple salad. Koreans also make them glazed with soy and sugar served sticky cold.
Vegetarian chap chae noodles
Beef bulgogi, prepared by @galleriasupermarket
Properly prepared sweet and sour pork or chicken is a popular Cantonese dish (not heavy breaded chicken balls take-out) with the addition of pineapples. Lightly breaded bite size chicken pieces in potato starch (gives the crispiness), and shallow-frying in oil is a healthier alternative to deep fried. Give this a try!
Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapples
Makes 4 to 6 servings
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into about 1-inch pieces
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Chinese cooking wine, divided
white ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. potato starch or corn starch
½ cup oil and 1 Tbsp. oil, divided
1 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 each green and red peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1-1/2 cups fresh or canned pineapple chunks (if desired)
Sweet and Sour Sauce: (makes 1 cup)
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup packed brown sugar or white sugar
1 to 2 tsp. soy sauce (to taste)
¼ cup water
1 Tbsp. cornstarch (to thicken sauce)
Season chicken with soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. wine and white pepper and marinate for 1/2 hour. Mix well flour and starch in shallow bowl. Dredge chicken until evenly coated.
Working in batches, shallow fry chicken in ½ cup oil in wok/skillet over medium-high heat allowing the sides to brown and cook through. Drain excess oil from chicken. Repeat. Place onto serving vessel.
Meanwhile, prepare sauce. Add ketchup, vinegar, sugar and soy sauce in a small pot. Bring to a simmering boil. Mix cornstarch with water, and pour slowly into sauce stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
Wok-fry onions and peppers in 1 Tbsp. oil for three minutes or until crisp-tender; add remaining 1 Tbsp. cooking wine after two minutes. Pour over the sauce and bring to a boil. Add pineapples (optional) and toss for 30 seconds more.
Carefully pour or ladle the delicious sauce and let it slowly smother the chicken underneath.
Full Recipe:
Stir-Fried Lotus Roots with Peppers and Mushroom Fungus (adapted by Woks of Life)
Makes 4 servings
340 g lotus root (about 2 medium)
10 wood ear mushrooms, rehydrated in water for two hours, drain and cut in half or quarters
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tsp. oyster sauce
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. sugar
A few dashes white pepper
2 Tbsp. oil
4 thin slices ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbsp. Chinese cooking wine
2 tsp. cornstarch (combined with 1 Tbsp. water)
Prep the lotus root by peeling them, trimming the ends, and thinly slicing.
Bring a large wok/skillet of water to a boil and blanch the lotus root, wood ears, and bell peppers for 45 seconds. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
Combine the chicken stock (or water and chicken seasoning), oyster sauce, salt, sugar, and white pepper in a small bowl to create the sauce mixture and set aside.
Add the oil to the wok over medium heat along with the ginger. Cook for 30 seconds to a minute, and then add the garlic and green onions. Cook for another 20 seconds and then add the blanched vegetables.
Stir-fry the vegetables for one minute. Then add the cooking wine around the perimeter of the wok, followed by the sauce mixture. Cook for 30 seconds, until the sauce is at a simmer, and then add the cornstarch and water mixture. Stir-fry for another 20-30 seconds until the sauce coats the vegetables, and serve.
 |
| Stir Fry Lotus Roots with Mushroom Fungus and Peppers |
The lotus is an aquatic plant highly regarded for its beautiful flowers, edible lotus seeds, lotus leaves for medicine, lotus root or rhizome in Asian cuisines and its association with Buddha. The roots harvested when young, is crisp and delicious with a fibrous body.
Cooking lotus roots is pretty versatile- sliced stir-fried, served as a cold salad, in soups, thick battered-fried or fried into crispy chips. Another way I really like them is wedging two slices with fish paste and steamed. Healthy Yum!
 |
| Harvested lotus roots |
Stir-Fried Lotus Roots with Peppers and Mushroom Fungus (adapted by Woks of Life)
Makes 4 servings
340 g lotus root (about 2 medium)
10 wood ear mushrooms, rehydrated in water for two hours, drain and cut in half or quarters
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tsp. oyster sauce
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. sugar
A few dashes white pepper
2 Tbsp. oil
4 thin slices ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbsp. Chinese cooking wine
2 tsp. cornstarch (combined with 1 Tbsp. water)
Prep the lotus root by peeling them, trimming the ends, and thinly slicing.
Bring a large wok/skillet of water to a boil and blanch the lotus root, wood ears, and bell peppers for 45 seconds. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
 |
| You can use a mandolin to make thin slicing a cinch! |
 |
| The ingredient spread over at my Asian Cooking Class with Seniors! |
Combine the chicken stock (or water and chicken seasoning), oyster sauce, salt, sugar, and white pepper in a small bowl to create the sauce mixture and set aside.
Add the oil to the wok over medium heat along with the ginger. Cook for 30 seconds to a minute, and then add the garlic and green onions. Cook for another 20 seconds and then add the blanched vegetables.
Stir-fry the vegetables for one minute. Then add the cooking wine around the perimeter of the wok, followed by the sauce mixture. Cook for 30 seconds, until the sauce is at a simmer, and then add the cornstarch and water mixture. Stir-fry for another 20-30 seconds until the sauce coats the vegetables, and serve.
The first time I cooked this dish was served alongside a Chinese meal of stir fry black bean sauce beef and bitter melon, broccoli and dried beancurd sheets, steamed chicken legs with green onion and ginger sauce and sauteed beans with fermented beancurd cubes. It was an attractive dish and a winner at dinner for my family!
Then came a mini Korean feast last weekend with a nod to Chuseok π₯’ππ #koreanthanksgiving
What was suppose to be a simple Korean meal with the family, turned into a multi-course dinner. Cooking one dish led to another with ingredients I bought and leftover bits of produce in my fridge. That is so me lol π I had half a lotus root to use up and I made a simple salad. Koreans also make them glazed with soy and sugar served sticky cold.
Vegetarian chap chae noodles
Beef bulgogi, prepared by @galleriasupermarket
Pan fried tofu with garlic green onion soy topping
Kimchi pancake with soy rice vinegar sesame oil dip
Lotus root salad with a tangy dressing *see recipe below
Spinach side with garlic soy sesame dressing
Korean panchan of kimchi, seasoned seaweed stem and seasoned peanuts & anchovies
And a couple of beers π» *not in the shot
For the lotus root salad, simply blanch the slices in boiling water for 45 minutes, drain, place on a plate and drizzle with a bit of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sprinkle with minced garlic, thinly sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds and red pepper powder. Serve warm or cold.
New term. New learners. But mainly the same devoted returning seniors crew over at St.Stephen's Community Centre in Chinatown. Some have been with me from Day One and not missed a single class π€.
I've evolved after three terms of Chinese cooking to an All Asian cooking program to introduce new flavours, ingredients and probably untapped cuisines to these learners. I'll be covering Japanese, Korean, Thai, Philippines, Vietnamese and throwing in a South Asian favourite butter chicken, because a lovely senior asked π.
.
Started with our only Chinese class this term with somethin' sweet- sweet and sour pineapple chicken and the lotus roots stir-fry (symbolizing opportunities and togetherness).
Looking forward to new cooking horizons and expanding my multicultural repertoire researching, testing and developing to give the very best of me, as a cooking instructor, as an educator, as a friend to my eager students! ππ.
Kimchi pancake with soy rice vinegar sesame oil dip
Lotus root salad with a tangy dressing *see recipe below
Spinach side with garlic soy sesame dressing
Korean panchan of kimchi, seasoned seaweed stem and seasoned peanuts & anchovies
And a couple of beers π» *not in the shot
For the lotus root salad, simply blanch the slices in boiling water for 45 minutes, drain, place on a plate and drizzle with a bit of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sprinkle with minced garlic, thinly sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds and red pepper powder. Serve warm or cold.
 |
| Crunchy and savoury good! |
New term. New learners. But mainly the same devoted returning seniors crew over at St.Stephen's Community Centre in Chinatown. Some have been with me from Day One and not missed a single class π€.
I've evolved after three terms of Chinese cooking to an All Asian cooking program to introduce new flavours, ingredients and probably untapped cuisines to these learners. I'll be covering Japanese, Korean, Thai, Philippines, Vietnamese and throwing in a South Asian favourite butter chicken, because a lovely senior asked π.
.
Started with our only Chinese class this term with somethin' sweet- sweet and sour pineapple chicken and the lotus roots stir-fry (symbolizing opportunities and togetherness).
Looking forward to new cooking horizons and expanding my multicultural repertoire researching, testing and developing to give the very best of me, as a cooking instructor, as an educator, as a friend to my eager students! ππ.
 |
| Pitching in and prepping together in our two hour cooking class! |
 |
| Stir Fry Lotus Roots with Mushroom Fungus and Peppers |
Properly prepared sweet and sour pork or chicken is a popular Cantonese dish (not heavy breaded chicken balls take-out) with the addition of pineapples. Lightly breaded bite size chicken pieces in potato starch (gives the crispiness), and shallow-frying in oil is a healthier alternative to deep fried. Give this a try!
Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapples
Makes 4 to 6 servings
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into about 1-inch pieces
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Chinese cooking wine, divided
white ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. potato starch or corn starch
½ cup oil and 1 Tbsp. oil, divided
1 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 each green and red peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1-1/2 cups fresh or canned pineapple chunks (if desired)
Sweet and Sour Sauce: (makes 1 cup)
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup packed brown sugar or white sugar
1 to 2 tsp. soy sauce (to taste)
¼ cup water
1 Tbsp. cornstarch (to thicken sauce)
Season chicken with soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. wine and white pepper and marinate for 1/2 hour. Mix well flour and starch in shallow bowl. Dredge chicken until evenly coated.
Working in batches, shallow fry chicken in ½ cup oil in wok/skillet over medium-high heat allowing the sides to brown and cook through. Drain excess oil from chicken. Repeat. Place onto serving vessel.
Meanwhile, prepare sauce. Add ketchup, vinegar, sugar and soy sauce in a small pot. Bring to a simmering boil. Mix cornstarch with water, and pour slowly into sauce stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
Wok-fry onions and peppers in 1 Tbsp. oil for three minutes or until crisp-tender; add remaining 1 Tbsp. cooking wine after two minutes. Pour over the sauce and bring to a boil. Add pineapples (optional) and toss for 30 seconds more.
Carefully pour or ladle the delicious sauce and let it slowly smother the chicken underneath.
 |
| Shallow-fried potato starch breaded chicken and sweet & sour sauce. |
Stir-Fried Lotus Roots with Peppers and Mushroom Fungus (adapted by Woks of Life)
Makes 4 servings
340 g lotus root (about 2 medium)
10 wood ear mushrooms, rehydrated in water for two hours, drain and cut in half or quarters
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tsp. oyster sauce
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. sugar
A few dashes white pepper
2 Tbsp. oil
4 thin slices ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbsp. Chinese cooking wine
2 tsp. cornstarch (combined with 1 Tbsp. water)
Prep the lotus root by peeling them, trimming the ends, and thinly slicing.
Bring a large wok/skillet of water to a boil and blanch the lotus root, wood ears, and bell peppers for 45 seconds. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
Combine the chicken stock (or water and chicken seasoning), oyster sauce, salt, sugar, and white pepper in a small bowl to create the sauce mixture and set aside.
Add the oil to the wok over medium heat along with the ginger. Cook for 30 seconds to a minute, and then add the garlic and green onions. Cook for another 20 seconds and then add the blanched vegetables.
Stir-fry the vegetables for one minute. Then add the cooking wine around the perimeter of the wok, followed by the sauce mixture. Cook for 30 seconds, until the sauce is at a simmer, and then add the cornstarch and water mixture. Stir-fry for another 20-30 seconds until the sauce coats the vegetables, and serve.
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