PANCIT PALABOK

When one speaks with flowery words, beating around the bush rather than zeroing in on the point of conversation, one is said to speak with too much "palabok". This Filipino term is also the name of a dish with so many accoutrements: the pancit palabok. The dish, unlike the saying, is outright delicious at the first mouthful.

PRAWN WONTON AND BEEF NOODLE SOUP

Wanting to eat noodles is a basic and natural yearning for Asian people. The first mouthful makes the first and lasting impression. The soup, the noodles and the toppings all have to taste good. It is quite a tall order but is not that difficult to fill. Having said that, the best noodle soup in town still eludes me and I have to make mine at home. 

PANCIT BIHON

In keeping with the cycle of life, we again usher in a new year. We bask in renewed hope that this year is better than the one that just ended. Not that it was not a good one, but there is always room for betterment and it is good to raise the bar each year.

KUNG PAO CHICKEN ON GLASS NOODLES

I love Kung Pao chicken and the exciting buzz it gives when eating it. Kung pao chicken is a classic Szechuan dish of chicken and peanuts in a fiery hot sauce spiked with Szechuan peppercorns and dried chillies. It is that double hit of peppers that make this dish so exciting. The Szechuan peppercorns has a citrusy flavour and a numbing effect in the mouth. The dried chillies has a hint of smokiness and distinct chilli flavour and heat. Although good with rice, I thought adding glass noodles would be a great one dish meal. 

CHICKEN AND PRAWN PAD THAI

Pad Thai is the perfect epitome of Thai cooking. It is sweet, sour, salty and spicy. It is so delicious and has become ever popular and readily available in most places, even in the ready meals section of the supermarket. Now this is when things go wrong. If food becomes so popular, it becomes commercial and starts to veer away from the essential flavours that it is supposed to have. This is the reason why I'd rather cook pad Thai myself even if I know that I'll never be able to do it as well as the Thais do. At least I know that the end result will be to my liking.

CHINESE SPAGHETTI

I like having fun with food. I am certainly not a purist when it comes to cooking styles. I read a lot of recipes and watch a lot of cooking shows and what I learn shows on my food but not in the exact manner that I saw it. My recipes take on a few twists and turns as a result of inspiration, necessity or forgetfulness. I sometimes get a spark of inspiration from something or nothing and end up creating a recipe. Sometimes a new recipe is born from substituting an unavailable ingredient. Sometimes, I must confess, I cook something from memory but end up with a dish that's different because I simply forgot how to cook it.

PHO BO

To us Asians, there is no greater comfort food than a steaming bowl of noodle soup. Noodle shops abound providing instant satisfaction to those craving their regular fix. It is habit forming, which is good because, not only is it delicious, it is very nutritious, too.  

PANCIT CANTON

Food that have auspicious symbolisms are eaten to welcome the new year. Noodles signify long life so are one of the most popular dishes served.


Despite its name, pancit canton is a Filipino dish. This is one of those Filipino dishes that has place names attached although they do not originate nor have any connections to it. Pancit means noodles in Filipino. It stems from the word pian i sit meaning something that is cooked fast. This is one of the most popular noodle dishes and is usually served at celebrations.

The noodles used in pancit canton is chow mein. They are pre-cooked dried egg noodles. They cook really fast so care must be taken not to overcook them. There is nothing worse than soggy overcooked noodles. Chicken or pork and prawns are stir fried with vegetables to top the noodles.


A cloud of doom and gloom hovers over our heads as the big question of whether this year is going to be our last one on earth. On the other hand, it is the year of the dragon, a symbol of power and luck, in the Chinese lunar calendar. I still believe that this year, like any another, has its fair chance of being a good one. Let's just carry on and enjoy our lives the best way we can. Now, let's eat!

Ingredients:

2-8oz. packs of pancit canton
2 chicken thighs
light soy sauce
sesame oil
1 egg white
corn flour
about 20 prawns
6 fish balls, sliced
5 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked and cut into strips
1 carrot, cut into thin diagonal slices
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, cut into chunks
1/2 cup of red and green bell pepper strips
15 sugar snap peas, topped and tailed, halved
3 spring onions cut into 1" long pieces
1/4 c. oyster sauce
2 tbsps. sugar
3 c. chicken stock
cooking oil

Method:

Blanch the noodles with boiling water. Drain immediately. 


Debone the chicken thighs and slice thinly. Season with the 2 tsps. soy sauce and 1/2 tsp. sesame oil. Add the egg white and stir. Drain off excess liquid. Add the 2 tbps. corn flour and stir. Deep fry the chicken pieces until golden brown. Set aside.

Heat up a clean wok. Add 1/4 c. of cooking oil and stir fry the noodles. Add 1 tbsp of light soy sauce and 1 tsp. of sesame oil. Stir fry for about 4 minutes or until hot and fragrant. Set aside.

Heat up 2 tbsps. of oil in the same wok. Add the carrots and stir fry on high heat for about 3 minutes or until the edges tun a lighter colour. Carrots are sweeter and more tender when fried this way. Take the carrots off the pan and set aside. 

Add the garlic and onions to the same pan and stir fry for 2 minutes. Return the carrots to the pan and add the shitake mushrooms, fish balls, sugar snap peas and celery. Add the 1/4 c. of oyster sauce and 2 tbsps. soy sauce. Stir fry for 2 minutes before adding the prawns and cabbage. Stir fry for 2 minutes. 

Add the 3 c. broth and bring to a boil. Disperse 2 tbsps. of corn flour in 1/4 cup of water. Slowly add to the sauce while stirring. Add the chicken pieces, spring onions and 2 tsps. sesame oil. 

Remove half of the vegetables, chicken and prawns and set aside for topping. Add the noodles and cook just until the noodles are hot. Transfer to a serving dish. Top with the vegetables. Serve immediately.

All rights reserved ©Adora's Box Copyright 2011. 

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Mixed Noodle Stir Fry with Crispy Pork

Beef in Black Bean Sauce On Rice Vermicelli

Kung Pao Chicken on Glass Noodles

Thanks for dropping by. It would be nice if we could meet up on FACEBOOK or TWITTER. 

PRAWN AND CHICKEN LAKSA

Before I met my husband, my knowledge of Malaysian cuisine was at an absolute zero level. He introduced me to this wonderful cuisine that was so different and quite the opposite of Filipino cuisine. Tasting the strong spices for the first time was a bit of a shock to my unaccustomed palate. After getting used the heat and spices, I found that it was a very exciting and interesting cuisine and one that would leave you pining for it.

CHARGRILLED PORK ON RICE NOODLE SOUP

It has been unseasonably warm and sunny the past few days. Thank God for that. Of course, when the weather is like this, the first thing that comes to mind is firing up the barbie. Before you say not again, may I say that this is actually a comforting bowl of hot noodle soup. This is my take on the much loved Vietnamese noodle soup with flat rice noodles and aromatic chargrilled pork. 

LONG SOUP

Everyone's home! Is that a good thing? Yes, of course it is. The down side is that I have to cook lunch. Yes, cook lunch. Lunch has to be hot. That's how we eat in the far East where it is always hot. Why is that? We actually eat five times a day. Sometimes all of them are hot, cooked meals. We tend to eat lighter here in London and we actually don't snack.

BANG BANG CHICKEN ON GLASS NOODLES

Are you one of those who can't resist the pull of their noses towards the rotisserie chicken counter? Do you always succumb to the olfactory enticement of these chickens tauntingly revolving in the fiery spit while oozing out glistening juices and defeating all your efforts to resist? Do you unknowingly extend your arm and, without realizing, find that you are already holding a warm packet of glorious, fragrant roast chicken? 

MIXED MEAT STIR FRY ON FUJIAN NOODLES AND LONDON'S CHINA TOWN

It is supposed to be the summer season but the weather seems to ignore the fact. All we had was one or two weeks of sunshine in the spring. It is either raining or overcast. Luckily, a little bit of sunshine has been forecasted for the next few days. It is not hot, just nice, mild with a dose of sunshine. These days are just so precious and few that we really have to take advantage of them. Of course the first thing that comes to mind are the leisurely activities that we have been dreaming of doing all the winter months. We went out to China Town in the weekend and it was so nice to stroll around without a heavy coat and a cold nose.

GRILLED PRAWNS, PEA SHOOT AND NOODLE SALAD

I have a very special post today. I am doing my very first guest post and it's at Chef Dennis at More Than a Mountfull no less.

BUN CHA: VIETNAMESE GRILLED PORK PATTIES AND NOODLE SALAD

It was scorching hot the past few days and we were taking advantage of being able to cook on the barbecue. It can, however, be too hot to eat hot food. Here's a compromise: aromatic, zesty, spiced grilled pork patties on cold rice noodle salad. 

This is my take on the Vietnamese bun cha, the next most popular dish in Hanoi after pho. I used lean minced pork for the patties but added peanut butter to the mixture to give it an added richness and nutty taste. The seasonings include brown sugar which makes the patties develop a caramelized glaze when grilled.

PALABOK MEE

Pancit palabok is a very popular Filipino rice noodle dish which has a prawn gravy and a variety of toppings such as pork, prawns, chicharon (crispy pork rinds) and fried tofu among other things. Because of the myriad ingredients, people choose to eat this in restaurants or buy in shops specially devoted to selling only this noodle dish. It is so delicious and I just love it. 

MIXED NOODLE STIR FRY WITH CRISPY PORK (MIKI BIHON CON LECHON)

One of the perks of roasting a joint of meat is having some leftovers to rehash the day after. I never let any go to waste. Aside from the usual sandwiches and salads, I incorporate them in other dishes.

I like using leftover roast belly of pork in fried rice, stir fried with vegetables or like it better still, stir fried with noodles. 

I used a mixture of egg noodles and rice vermicelli for this dish. An assortment of other ingredients such as vegetables, fish balls and black fungus creates a balance of flavour that is essential in a noodle dish. 

A comforting yet at the same time exciting dish that can be served at any meal (yes, even breakfast).

Ingredients:

100 gms. of dry egg noodles
100 gms. of dry rice vermicelli
1 carrot, sliced in thin diagonal slices
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup of sliced leftover crispy roast pork meat (recipe here)
4 fried fish balls, sliced
1/2 c. of soaked black fungus/cloud ear slices
1/2 cup of spring onions cut into 1" lengths, white and green part separated

1 tbsp. oyster sauce

2 tbsps. light soy sauce

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. sesame oil
4 chinese leaves, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1" wide slices
1/2 c. good chicken or pork stock
cooking oil
crackling (crispy pork skin) from the roast for topping

Method:

Cook the egg noodles until al dente. Rinse with cold water and drain. 

Soak the rice vermicelli until nearly soft. Both noodles should be under done because they are still going to be fried twice. Mix the noodles together. 


Heat a wok on high heat. Add 1/4 c. of cooking oil. When it is very hot, add the noodles and the light soy sauce. Stir fry for 3 minutes on high heat. Transfer to a dish. 


Heat up a clean wok. When it is very hot, add 2 tbsps of oil, then the carrots and stir fry. 

When the edges start to change color, add the garlic, roast pork meat, fish ball slices, black fungus, the whites of the spring onions, the oyster sauce, soy sauce and the sugar. Stir fry for 1 minute. 

Add the noodles, chinese leaf, the green part of the spring onions, stock and the sesame oil. Stir this just until the chinese leaves start to soften. 

Transfer to a serving dish and top with the pork crackling.

All rights reserved ©Adora's Box Copyright 2011. 

Please support Adora's Box by making your Amazon.com and mymemories.com (use the code STMMMS55174) purchases from this site. Click on their respective banners to proceed to their websites. It will not cost you a single cent more but will help sustain this blog. Thank you.

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Fried Ho Fan with Pork and Prawns

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Thanks for dropping by. It would be nice if we could meet up on FACEBOOK or TWITTER. 

FRIED EGG NOODLES WITH PORK AND CHOI SUM

Noodles symbolizes long life. It is much loved by Orientals and is as much a staple food as rice. There is no chosen time to eat it, any time of day is fine. Yes, even breakfast. 

The debate still remains as to the origins of noodles: which came first, the noodle or the pasta? I think the issue should be put to rest as we can all happily eat both without wondering for a second where they stemmed from. 

Although it is an everday food, it is always served on special occasions such as birthdays and new year, to wish everyone partaking it a long life.

Ingredients:

200 gms. lean pork, sliced thinly
1 tsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. corn flour
cooking oil
500 gms. fresh egg noodles
2 cloves of garlic
1/2-1 whole red finger chilli, sliced (optional)
4 fried fish balls or 2" length of fish cake, sliced thinly
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp. light soy sauce
2 tbsps. oyster sauce
1 tbsp. dark soy sauce
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
200 gms. fresh choi sum, cut in 3" lengths
1/2 c. water


Method:


Season the pork slices with the light soy, sesame oil and corn flour. 

Heat the wok and drizzle 2 tbsps. of cooking oil. Stir fry the seasoned pork slices briefly, just until it changes colour. Transfer to a dish and set aside. 


Add 2 more tbsps. of oil to the same wok and stir fry the noodles for 2 minutes. Transfer to a dish and set aside. 


Clean and heat the wok. Stir fry the garlic and chilli in 1 tbsp. of oil for 1 minute. Add the pork and fish cake slices and stir. 

Add the beaten eggs and stir until cooked. 

Add the noodles, oyster sauce, soy sauces, brown sugar and pepper. Mix well then add the choi sum and water. It is done when the choi sum is cooked. Taste to check the seasonings. Serve.

All rights reserved ©Adora's Box Copyright 2011. 

Please support Adora's Box by making your Amazon.com and mymemories.com (use the code STMMMS55174) purchases from this site. Click on their respective banners to proceed to their websites. It will not cost you a single cent more but will help sustain this blog. Thank you.

You might also like

Chinese Spaghetti

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Fried Ho Fan with Pork and Prawns

Thanks for dropping by. It would be nice if we could meet up on FACEBOOK or TWITTER. 

WONTONS

Wontons remind me of visits to Sibu, Sarawak, my husband's hometown in Malaysia. We go to the local coffee shop to eat it for breakfast every morning. It is not unusual for people to eat out for breakfast and with the variety of food available each morning, why not. Despite the wide choice, I still go for a steaming bowl of wonton soup each time. 

BEEF IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE ON RICE VERMICELLI

Black beans are one of the flavours of Chinese cuisine that gives it its exotic taste that can't be compared to anything else. Black beans are not originally black and is not like ordinary black beans. They are soy beans that have been fermented until they attain that strange but delicious colour and flavour. It is very salty and strong tasting so a little goes along way. It is usually mixed with other strong flavoured ingredients such as garlic and chillies.