Archive for the ‘Chicken’ Category

I came all the way to Germany and you won’t hike a little hill?

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

(Hillary is guaranteed to roll her eyes when she sees the title of this post.)

On the Bridge

Day 2 in Frankfurt and its environs took us to Wurzberg, the start of the Romantic Road.  My cousin hadn’t been there yet, so it was something new for all of us.  My greatest amusement over the course of the day came from my fascination with the various toilet seat disinfectants in German restrooms, although the town was pretty great too.

We arrived in Wurzberg early in the afternoon and parked next to the Residence.  When I’m on vacation it turns out that I can, and often do, eat all the time so unsurprisingly, I was already hungry.  We decided to walk towards the Main River and stop at a place recommended in the guide book for lunch on our way down (the Ratskellar for anyone who might be curious).  The restaurant served traditional German fare, so I tried the sauerbraten with potato dumplings and red cabbage.  It was pretty tasty.  And as an added bonus, I was highly entertained by the automatic toilet seat cleaner in the women’s restroom.

Following lunch we walked down to Old Main Bridge and admired the sight of Fortress Marienberg up on the hill.  I was more than a little disappointed to learn that our visit to Wurzberg would not include a visit to the Fortress.  I tried to convince various members of my family to hike up to the Fortress with me, but they were all more interested in visiting the Residence and as my cousin pointed out, we really only had enough time to visit one historic site that day and Frommers rates the Residence more highly than the Fortress.  For some reason though, I’m always more interested in older, less adorned buildings/structures than in the highly ornamental, over-the-top constructions of later ages.  After taking way too many pictures on the bridge (and becoming completely smitten by the most adorable German girl ever) we turned around and headed back towards the Residence.

Family

Statue on Bridge

Angel

Cutest Girl

Cutest Girl 2

One of the many nice things about traveling with my cousin however is that while there may not be enough time for hiking up to random old fortifications there is always enough time for dessert.  We made our second food stop of the day at a little cafe where we each ordered a slice of cake and I enjoyed another German bathroom that provided a little dispenser of toilet seat sanitizer in each stall.  I told Hillary she had to check out the toilet seat sanitizer if she used the restroom, but she didn’t initially understand the illustration on the dispenser and as a result, got a shot of sanitizer in the eye… which because I’m an unfeeling older sister, only added to my general amusement that day.

We made a quick stop at the Wurzberg Cathedral following dessert and then visited the Residence before calling it a day and heading back to Frankfurt.  I have to confess that I was incredibly impressed by the Residence, so I’ll concede that my family members probably made the right call to forgo the Fortress in favor of the Residence.  I don’t have any pictures of the inside of the Residence because photography was not allowed, but it was incredibly beautiful.  I was also very interested in the fact that the building, and the city itself, sustained extensive damage during World War II so a great deal of restoration work has been done to restore it to its former state.  They had some photographs of the damage and then the restoration process and it was very impressive seeing the lengths  they’ve gone to to restore the building to its former glory.  Following our tour of the building Hillary and I couldn’t resist goofing off a bit in the gardens.  Based on the majority of photos we’ve been taking (most of which will not be posted to this blog, thank you very much), you’d think we hadn’t matured at all since our family trip to Europe in 1986.

Christ with Angels

Sisters

Staying Alive

Curried Cocunut Chicken with Rice

I wish I had a Germanesque recipe to leave you with tonight, but unfortunately, I was not quite (or even close) to that organized prior to this trip.  However, as we’ve been reminded again and again on this trip, Europe is an international land, home to people from all over the world.  For that reason I figure a recipe that plays with the flavors of Southeast Asia is a fair substitute.  I tried to make this a few weeks ago for a couple of friends but they declared that they didn’t like curry.  I was like, “Who doesn’t like curry?”  I mean, that seems like blatant discrimination against a pretty important spice blend.  But then, Hillary won’t touch Indian food and I’ve never been a fan of mushrooms (but I am at least trying to change), so to each his own…   Should you also not be a fan of curry, let me encourage you to give this recipe a try anyway (just dial down the curry to maybe 2 T).  Personally I think any recipe that uses coconut milk can do no wrong so I feel fairly confident that this recipe might just make you a believer.

2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
4 T. butter
1 lg. yellow onion, finely chopped
3 T. curry powder (you can use a little more or less to taste)
1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 14 oz. can of whole tomatoes
1 14. oz can coconut milk (unsweetened)
1/2 – 1 t. salt

Cooked Rice

Melt the butter in a large saute pan and add the onion.  Cook on medium heat until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.  Add the curry powder and continue cooking on medium-low heat for approx 10-15 minutes, stirring regularly, as the curry forms a paste.  Add the lemon juice and stir.  Add the tomatoes, breaking them down once they are in the pan (I usually kind of mash them with a spoon until they are chunky).  Add half of the juice from the tomato can and reserve the remainder.  Continue cooking the tomatoes and onions another 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat.  Add half of the can of coconut milk and stir.  You can continue adding coconut milk and/or tomato juice until you are happy with the consistency of the curry (I think I added about 3/4 of the can of coconut milk).  Simmer mixture for another 10 minutes, then add the chicken, add cook for another 5-10 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Curried Chicken

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These Are My Confessions…

Monday, January 19th, 2009

I am, understandably (or so I tell myself) picky about my Chinese food.

Having lived in Taiwan and China for a combined total of 2 years, I feel like I have a pretty good sense for authentic Chinese food. As most Americans are no doubt aware, Chinese food in America is, for the most part, a completely different animal than its long lost relative back in the Middle Kingdom (aka 中国, aka China).

The kitchen at Li Qun Roast Duck in Beijing.


One of my greatest complaints with American Chinese food is that it is, generally speaking, extremely greasy and therefore quite heavy. In China, I don’t feel like the stir-fried dishes I eat are drenched in oil. In fact, for the most part, what I love about authentic Chinese food is that I rarely feel weighed down after a meal.

Now, it is possible to find good, authentic Chinese restaurants here in the good ole U.S. of A. But it can be a little bit complicated. It helps to have a friend or two in the know. I’ve been introduced to most of my favorite Chinese restaurants by Chinese friends.

However, I do indeed have a confession to share with you today. My favorite Chinese restaurant here in the States is none other than P.F. Changs. Scandalous! I know. Its slightly embarrassing to admit this in a public forum. My Chinese food credibility is, like, out the window.

Ducks roasting at Li Qun Roast Duck in Beijing.


This is how I explain my infatuation with P.F. Changs: while their style of preparing Chinese dishes is generally not authentic, the flavors, in my opinion, are. As an added bonus, their food is not overwhelmingly greasy. So while the final dish may not look much like what I would order in China, the flavors inevitably take me back to meals I’ve had there.

One of my close friends in Virginia introduced me to one of my favorite dishes at PF Changs: Ground Chicken with Eggplant. Then, in a somewhat serendipitous turn of events, last year around Chinese New Year I stumbled on an Australian cooking magazine at Barnes and Noble which has quickly become a favored source for new Chinese cooking ideas. To my great excitement the magazine had a recipe for eggplant with minced pork in a spicy Szechuan sauce. I couldn’t help but have an “aha!” moment, thinking that this might be my opportunity to recreate the PF Changs’ dish at home. Unfortunately, as often happens, I never got around to trying the recipe.

Then 2 weeks ago, before life took an expected, but still decidedly sad turn (we can discuss that in a blog post to come), I had my friend Krista over for a belated birthday dinner and I finally made the eggplant dish. I should not have waited a year. It’s fantastic. Not quite the same as the one at PF Changs, but who cares when it tastes this good.


Eggplant with Minced Chicken in Szechuan Sauce
Adapted from delicious. (volume 5 issue 2)

2 t. corn starch
1 lb. ground chicken (if you can’t find ground chicken, substitute ground turkey)
2 lg. eggplants, peeled
Salt
1 1/2 T. peanut oil
1″ chunk ginger, grated
1 T. finely chopped green onion
1/2 T. chili paste (I used Sambal Oelek)

Sauce:
1 1/4 c. chicken stock
1 T. light soy sauce
2 T. sugar
1 1/2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. Chinese rice wine (shaohsing)
1 t. salt
Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Cut the eggplant into strips about 2″ long by 1/2″ thick. Place the eggplant in a colander and set the colander inside a bowl. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt, toss gently, and let sit for 1 hour. Pour off any water that has accumulated in the bowl.

Meanwhile, mix 1 t. corn starch in a bowl with 1/4 t. salt and 2 1/2 T. water. Mix in the chicken. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or pan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and onion and stir for 15 seconds or until starting to color. Add the chili paste and toss for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chicken and stir-fry until almost cooked, about a minute or two. Add the eggplant and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until beginning to soften. Add sauce, cover and cook on medium-high heat for 10 minutes, tossing 2-3 times, until the eggplant is cooked and almost all liquid has been absorbed.

Stir remaining 1 t. corn starch with 1 T. water. Stir into the eggplant mixture, and then allow to bubble for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Serve with rice.

Posted in Chicken, Eggplant, Recipe | 2 Comments »

A Lasting Influence

Monday, October 13th, 2008

I’ve moved a lot in the adult-portion of my life.

View of the Puli valley.

In the 14 1/2 years since I graduated from high school, I’ve lived in the following places:

  • Boston, Massachusetts
  • Valencia, California
  • Farmington, Maine
  • Taiwan: Puli, Caotun, Taichung
  • Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Shanghai, China
  • Washington, DC area: Vienna and Arlington, Virginia

The list itself really isn’t too long. But it becomes significantly longer if you add in the number of times I’ve moved between those place… Currently the count stands at 15 moves in those 14 1/2 years. Because of all those moves, I’ve come to know, quite well, the many different challenges inherent in settling into a new place.

Regardless of how many times I go through that process it never gets any easier. The only advantage I have found is that at least now I know better what to expect. It takes time to find your niche in a new place – to feel like you have found the people and the space where you fit. It is often hard and emotionally draining to work your way through that process with enough patience to avoid becoming depressed and frustrated on a regular basis.

With Pele, my missionary trainer and one of my all-time favorite people.

One of the lessons I’ve learned repeatedly, as I’ve weathered this process so many times over the years, is that people play an instrumental role in easing your way down the road. Never was this more true than on my mission. Any move is going to have its own unique difficulties, but few, in my experience, compare to the challenge of moving to a foreign country, with a foreign language and foreign customs. Add to that, a complete and total loss of independence and you are in for a sometimes difficult transitionary period.

With my fellow missionaries, on the roof of our apartment building, celebrating my birthday.

When I look back on my first few months in Taiwan, there are a few people who come to mind as playing a major role in helping me to adjust and acclimate to my new life there. Within that group, my thoughts always return with particular fondness to Huang Laoshi (Teacher Huang).

Pele and Huang Laoshi

During my first few months in Taiwan, Huang Laoshi’s home felt like a refuge to me. Huang Laoshi had an illness that made it difficult for her to leave her home. For that reason, she could no longer work or attend church meetings. My companion and I tried to visit her about once every week or two in order to make sure that she was doing OK and to provide some companionship. Two things made Huang Laoshi’s home such a haven for me: she spoke very good English, and she was a very nurturing individual. Also, she expressed her love, care and concern for others the same way I tend to – with food.

Huang Laoshi was an amazing cook and she loved having the missionaries over for dinner. She was the first person I met on my mission who invited me into her kitchen and taught me to make a dish or two. My notes on how to make soy milk came from her. She also taught me how to make passion fruit juice, sweet and sour pork, as well as my favorite Taiwanese dish: stir-fired chicken with soybeans and carrots. I’ve been making this dish since I returned from Taiwan. I love it. It is so simple, healthy and tasty. Every time I make it I remember visiting Huang Laoshi: making sweet and sour sauce, flipping pieces of fried pork out of the oil onto a waiting plate, sitting and talking in her cozy living room, slicing carrots, and maybe best of all, drinking tall, refreshing glasses of her homemake passion fruit juice. I haven’t seen her since I left Puli in December of 1998, but I still miss her.

With Huang Laoshi

Stir-Fried Chicken with Soy Beans and Carrots

1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 large carrots
3 c. frozen, shelled edamame
4 green onions

1.5 T. corn or potato starch
4 T. sesame oil
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 T. soy sauce

Cut the green onion into 1″ long sections. Then cut the sections into quarters so you have long slivers of green onion.

Cut the carrots into chunks about 1″ long. Cut these chunks in half. Then very thinly slice the chunks so that you are left with large, thin slices of carrots (see final photo below for a visual). Put the carrots into a Ziploc bag, sprinkle in a little bit of water, seal, and then microwave for 2 minutes.

Cut the chicken breast into small cubes. Mix with corn starch, sesame oil, salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Let sit for approximately 15 minutes.

Heat a splash of sesame oil in a wok or saute pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken and stir-fry until cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a bowl, and then return pan to heat. Add the edamame and carrots and stir-fry until cooked to your taste (for me this is about 5 minutes, but check the carrots to make sure they are cooked the way you like). Add the chicken back to the pan along with the green onions. Stir-fry briefly, approximately 1-2 minutes. Serve.

Posted in Chicken, Edamame, People, Puli, Recipe | No Comments »