Category: Chinese

Shrimp Dumplings and Dipping Sauce

Shrimp Dumpling

Amazing Shrimp Dumplings

If you love Shrimp, you’re going to love these Shrimp Dumplings.  They’re a lot like Gyoza, or what most people call Pot Stickers, only better.  Just imagine biting into one of the largest seasoned Prawns you can think of.  Now picture it wrapped in a Steamed Wonton Wrapper and pan fried to perfection.  I don’t know about you but that’s my idea of great recipe.  The only thing missing is something to dip them in but don’t worry I’ve got you covered.  As a bonus, I’ve included a Potsticker/Shrimp Dumpling Sauce recipe down below, with a video tutorial to go along with it, so there’s no room for error.  After you try that you’ll never eat Pot Stickers or Shrimp Dumplings again without it!

Shrimp Dumplings Ingredients:

2 lbs Ground or Minced Shrimp
1 pkg Wanton Wraps (Nasoya)
1 chopped Green Onion
1 tbsp fresh Cilantro
2 tsp fresh chopped Ginger
1/4 cup chopped julienne Bell Pepper
1/4 cup chopped Carrot
2 chopped Garlic Cloves
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp White or Black Pepper (Which ever you have)

Potsticker and Shrimp Dumplings
Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

1 part Sugar
1 part Warm Water
1 part Soy Sauce
1/2 part Rice Wine Vinegar
1 chopped Garlic Clove
1/2 fresh chopped Cilantro
1/8 tsp Chili Flakes or Chili Oil

Follow the video tutorials and enjoy your Shrimp Dumplings and Dipping Sauce.

Dan Dan Noodle

Dan Dan NoodleHow do you like your Dan Dan Noodle?

The Dan Dan Noodle is originally a Scechwan recipe, which in my opinion translates, “Hot and Spicy”!  But the heat can literally be thrown out all together if you’re not really into that much of a kick.  This recipe is a perfect example of how I “dumb it down” for my girls.  Mostly because the flavor still exists, I just extract the spice so that their little mouths won’t set on fire.  But if you want it in there for your self, feel free to throw in some chili flakes or some chili oil to pep it up a bit and you’ll love it.  Aso, you need to decide if you want to use Ground Pork or Chicken.  In this recipe I’m using Pork but it can very easily be substituted and it won’t change the recipe at all what so ever.  In fact, I personally prefer Ground Chicken.

Now, that we’ve covered the basics, all you have to decide now is whether you want the Dan Dan Noodle on a plate or in a bowl as a soup.  Just like deciding if you want it spicy or not, it’s just a simple additive of chicken stock if you want it to be a soup.  Nothing to it, it’s that simple.  On a side note, you can add some peanuts to this dish as well because it gives it a little crunch.  I only mention it because you’re going to find that ingredient in other versions of this recipe if you’re doing some investigative research on the Dan Dan Noodle.  I think here in America, P.F. Chang’s is ultimately responsible for bringing this dish to light.  Other restaurants in the corporate chain like Typhoon’s and the like have added it to their menu as well because it’s a great gourmet Noodle dish.

Dan Dan Noodle Ingredients:

8 oz Noodle
8 oz ground Pork or Chicken
1 chopped Green Onion
2 tbsp chopped Red Bell Pepper
1/2 tsp minced Ginger
2 tbsp Black Bean Garlic Sauce
1 tsp Hoisin Sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup Chicken Stock
1/2 tsp Chili Flakes or Chili Oil (optional)
1 tsp Corn Starch (deluded with 2 tbsp water)

Garnish with Grated Cold Cucumber and Bean Sprouts
If you’re preparing a Dan Dan Noodle soup, just add 1 cup Chicken stock over the top.

 

Barbecue Pork Medallion

Barbecue Pork MedallionThis Barbecue Pork Medallion is Top Notch!

There’s a very good reason why Pork Medallions, or in this case, why my Barbecue Pork medallion is so tender.  It’s a Pork Tenderloin.  So unless you over cook or burn the meat, it’s virtually impossible to not have silver dollar sized slices that practically melt in your mouth.  The secret to my recipe is just a 24 hour marinade.  As far as the rest goes, there really isn’t much to it.  In fact you don’t even have to use any special dressing or any cure for the meat.  Just your favorite BBQ Sauce!

Honey Hickory SmokeNow let’s talk about taking it to the oven.  Again, there’s nothing to it, but the way I was first introduced to the Barbecue Pork Medallion, we were hanging 1 lbs portions with meat hooks that draped over skewers on the top rack shelf of a meat locker oven.  A pan on the bottom caught all the drippings.  It’s very common to cook ribs, thighs or poultry this way as well.  However, given that most of us don’t have restaurant size ovens in our kitchens, any pan or oven safe dish will do just fine.  After a 24 hour marinade in your favorite Barbecue sauce, 350 degrees in your oven, for an hour and a half, will get you right where you want to be when your slicing up your succulent Barbecue Pork Medallion.  And coming from a 5 dollar Tenderloin and possibly a 98 cent bottle of Honey and Hickory Smoke BBQ Sauce, like I use from Kraft, how can you go wrong.

This is the way P.F. Chang’s makes their Pork Medallion, only they use their barbecue sauce, however.  I have the recipe for that too.

CLICK HERE if you want P.F. Chang’s Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Barbecue Pork Medallion Ingredients:

1 Pork Tenderloin
1 cup Barbecue Sauce

Marinate Tenderloin in BBQ Sauce for 24 hours then bake at 350 degrees f for 1 1/2 hours.