How can I prepare left over Stir Fry for the fridge?

Question

I like making Stir Fry and I've tried several times to make two meal's worth so I can refrigerate half and take it to work, but so far every attempt has been sub-bar. It's veggie stir fry and I use a variety of sauces (most of which involve soy sauce) and a little vegetable oil.

The problem is mostly the sauce; I can't seem to drain it out, so it builds up at the bottom and gets nasty, or at the least it smells very strongly by the next day. I can't strain out the liquid from the bottom of my Wok very well and even after separating out the portion to be refrigerated I can't quite strain it; the sauce is there but just thick enough to not drain off.

Is there anything I can do to properly drain out the excess sauce or is there some method I can use to make sure the extra portion is edible, at least for a day? I know it's not going to be half as good, but it's completely inedible after a night in the fridge.

Asked by Ben Brocka

Answer

I make stir fry all the time and do the same thing as you. I would make extra, enough for 2 - 3 meals.

The thing I do to prevent the vegetables from getting too mushy in the refrigerator is by cooking the stirfry about 75%(I make sure if I am doing this that the meat is fully cooked first) and then take out the portion that I intend to refrigerate. This allows me to either finish cooking it in the microwave if I am taking it to work or reheat it up in the stove if I am staying home.

Also since I am taking the portions from the upper part of the stirfry, there is less sauce that the vegetables will be steeping in so that should solve your problem of too much sauce.

Another thing you should remember is that the types of vegetables you use makes a big difference. If you choose all vegetables that turns really soft when cooked(onion, squash, peppers) then reheated stirfry using those vegetables will be not as unpalatable. The trick is to use a variety of textured vegetables.

Also I dont want to state the obvious but if your problem is your sauce, have you ever tried using a different(lighter) sauce recipe?

Answered by Jay

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What is this Asian dish made with boiled vegetables?

Question

Does anyone know which is the dish where we have a pot/pan of boiling vegetables/meat in the center and people sit around it with their noodles and soup bowls and keep picking things from it and eating?

Asked by MozenRath

Answer

I think you mean a hot-pot stew (huǒ guō). There are many styles, Wikipedia has a fairly good article about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_pot

Answered by nico

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Is there a difference between the grocery store package of chow mein noodles and the package of lo mein noodles?

Question

I'm looking at making a recipe that calls for lo mein noodles. All I can find in the grocery store are chow mein noodles. Is there a difference between these two types of noodles? I am referring specifically to the packaged ingredient, not a dish.

Asked by justkt

Answer

It becomes quite confusing when talking about the difference between chow mein and lo mein mainly due to the error in translation.

In Chinese chow mein literally translate as "fried noodles." However when buying chow mein at a chinese restaurant, you get vegetables with a side of deep fried noodles. Somehow the title of a dish is referring the to side rather than the main dish which leads to much confusion.

When talking about chow mein at a grocery store, it also gets confusing because you can get two types of noodles. The first kind is a fried noodle that looks something like this:

This is definitely not what your recipe is referring to. The second type of chow mein you will find is very much similar to lo mein. It should be a raw noodles that is still semi-soft. It should look like this:

If the chow mein you have at your grocery store resembles the second type of noodle, then you may use that as a substitute. If it resembles the first type, don't. The first type is used as a topping sort of like chinese croutons.

Answered by Jay

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What is a more common substitute for Shaoxing cooking wine?

Question

I have never cooked with Shaoxing wine, so I'm not sure what would be its best substitute.

Answer

Pale Dry Sherry.

http://chinesefood.about.com/od/cookingfaqs/qt/rice_wine_sub.htm

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Chinese pork jerky, what makes them so tender, how do you make it?

Question

If you've ever had Chinese beef or pork jerky, you'll know why I'm asking this question. If you have a Chinatown in your city, I'm sure you'll be able to find a market that sells them in vacuum sealed plastic packages. If you're lucky enough to have an actual beef/pork jerky store that's even better! We have one in the Chinatown in New York City.

I want to know how to make the pork jerky. What makes them so tender and soft. I've never had any other kind of jerky that has this texture. Most jerky is very chewy. Maybe it's due the high fat content of the meat? Maybe they dont' dry it out as much.

Here are some images on Google. It's probably hard to tell from the photos but the jerky is a bit translucent. I wonder if it they grind up pork and fat together.

Answer

I just found the recipe for it. The name of it is Bak Kwa (Sweet BBQ Pork Jerky). Here's the wikipedia entry (boy it's easy to find things when you know the name!). The recipe actually grind up the pork. They use about 70% meat and 30% fat. But according to the wikipedia entry there is also an expensive version where they slice of a solid piece of meat.

Sugar and salt was originally used and then the meat was smoked (this sounds really close to BBQing, which generally cooks the meat with smoke...yummy tender ribs).

These days, people make them in the oven at low heat. In the recipe, they put the minced mixture between two sheets of parchment paper, which probably keeps it moist and tender!

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How to make Chicken Laksa taste more like To's restaurant?

Question

I've tried a couple of recipes to make Chicken Laksa but I cant get it to taste like this Malaysian restaurant (To's in North Sydney).

I've had the best luck with this recipe from Taste.

Is it just Red Chilli and Shallots I'm missing, or am I doing it wrong using laksa paste (Tean's Gourmet Malaysian Curry Laksa Paste)?

Answer

For a start, any Asian dish will be effected if the chicken stock is not good. Make quality chicken stock from whole chicken carcases, and take your time with it

In the case of Laksa, the key flavours are mostly in the Laksa paste (shrimp paste and lemon grass). If you don't have an equivalent of the one used at To's you will have an entirely different dish. A lot of effort can go into a Laksa paste (or for that matter curry pastes in general), in terms of exact ingredient ratios, roasting times etc, quality and freshness of ingredients etc

Laksa is often made with prawn stock, not chicken stock. Save the prawn heads and other fish bits, and boil them up for a very stinky prawn stock

Don't overdo the coconut milk/cream. Stick to one brand, and start with a lot less and see how it goes, if it is lacking, add more. Record what the magic amount for your favourite brand is

Getting quality and fresh ingredients for Asian dishes is often a major stumbling block for truly authentic tastes. Making your own decent Laksa paste is near impossible outside of Asia. Western grown lemon grass, tastes like, well grass!

When you're next at To's have a peek in the kitchen, ask if you have too. And check what they use for Laksa paste. If it's out of a branded jar you're in luck, if it's homemade, it's back to the grindstone, literally

The recipe linked, does not seem like a very good Laksa recipe to me. Also a good Laksa is topped with chilli oil. This is an import part. It consists of a lot of chilli and a little garlic cocked in a cup of oil. Float a couple of spoons of this on each bowl as you serve it

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What is the black, slightly sweet, flavour in some Asian food?

Question

It seems to be a popular ingredient in Asian (esp. Chinese?) food. I encountered them on pork spareribs, and some side dishes. Apparently it turns everything completely black when it is added.

I can rule out soy sauce (which is too salty and tastes entirely different) and I realise that this question is rather vague. What additional information could I provide?

---

Edit: I can rule out oyster sauce. I asked in a restaurant what the black stuff was, but either she didn't understand me or she didn't want to (all she told me was that it contained salt). Finally she said she made it herself. Anyway, I bought Hoisin sauce:

and I think it's as close as it gets (perhaps the restaurant uses a slightly different version of the one I bought, as mine is a bit saltier and a bit less sweet).

Answer

Hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, and black bean paste seem to be the most likely culprits. What is the texture of the sauce? If it's smooth, it's hoisin; but hoisin tends to be salty. If it's not smooth, it's black bean paste. Oyster sauce is a little oilier than the other two, and is used in almost every Asian sautee.

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What can you make with Dried Lemon Grass?

Question

A friend went to Cambodia for vacatation, and brought back many packets of dried lemon grass. Can someone tell me what its uses are, and mention some easy to prepare dishes that make use of dried lemon grass? I can prepare many types of Indian food, never really come across this.

Thanks for the help!

Answer

Personally I dont find dried lemon grass that flavorsome and much prefer fresh (usually you can get several big sticks for cheap in the chinese/asian supermarkets).

But I'd probably try thai based dishes - many of their noodle soups (e.g. Tom Yum, chicken noodle soup) will have slices of fresh lemon grass in. I'd try adding the dry stuff when you are making the stock and see how it works out.

You could also try stirfries and looking around there are several drinks prepared with it (e.g. Lemongrass vodka (at the bottom of the page) and cooling drinks here). Though I suspect again fresh would be better

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Is there an alternative wrap for spring rolls other than rice paper?

Question

I've been making spring rolls (the deep-fried variety) for some time now, and they are really good, but I've noticed some Asian restaurants use something else for wrapping them than the generic, translucent 'rice paper' I get at the store. Theirs are often smoother, yellowish and opaque, like in this photo from Wikipedia. A new book on Thai cuisine I got just recently also has them looking like that in the pohotos and it mentions some mysterious "spring roll wads" which I've yet to come across in any store in my country. Anyways, what is it exactly, can I make some of my own and if so, how?

EDIT: Also, does the preparation of the rolls differ any when using an alternative wrapper, or can I just deep-fry them just the same?

Answer

The non-rice paper rolls are probably made with wheat flour instead of rice flour, so they should be just as sturdy and stand up to deep frying as well or better than rice paper, which has always been fairly delicate and hard to work with in my limited experience.

Here is an image of flour egg roll wrappers in their uncooked state:

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Mysterious Disintegrating Udon noodles

Question

A few weeks ago, I had a very strange experience making udon noodles. Almost instantly after adding the dried noodles to boiling water, and giving a slight stir, they began to break apart. After a few minutes, there was not a single piece longer than one inch. They didn't taste much like udon either, as they were not in the least bit plump or firm.

This was a different brand than I've used before, and they were labeled "organic". We assumed they were just bad noodles (they tasted somewhat of soggy cardboard), and threw them out.

Last night, I was trying to make udon once again, from a different pack (of a different brand). The same thing happened: noodles broke up, and tasted bland and mushy. The only thing this brand had in common with the previous pack is that they are both labeled "organic", and they were both in a cabinet for several months. One brand was American, but the other label was mostly in Korean. Also, I think my wife bought both of these packages, whereas I've always bought them before.

So, my multipart question is:

1. Has anyone had this happen with any kind of noodle before? Any explanation?
2. Is there some difference in "organic" udon that makes it do this? Some additive that is omitted? I don't have another package in front of me right now to compare, but my two failed packages only contain wheat flour and salt. How could that be wrong?
3. Could the age of the noodles caused this? I've never seen old spaghetti noodles fall apart like this...
4. Should my wife be banned from buying udon noodles?

Answer

Organic merely tells you that the wheat that was grown, was grown in a more environmentally friendly way, ie. without the aid of pesticides. That on its own will have no effect on noodle stability.

They may be poor quality noodles, have gluten level issues, are they also wholewheat, do your regular udon have some form of strengthening additive like with ramen? Many noodles have kansui added, or whatever passes for that chemically (sodium carbonate) added to strengthen the dough. Of course it may not have been kneaded enough, too old, too dry.

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What’s a good alternative to rice wine vinegar?

Question

I find it difficult to source rice wine vinegar for recipes. I can usually find “rice vinegar“, “rice wine”, and “white wine vinegar”, but not specifically “rice wine vinegar”.

Can I use any of the above ingredients, or anything else, as an alternative?

Answer

First off, I suspect that 'rice wine vinegar' and 'rice vinegar' are the same thing. Secondly, rice wine vinegar comes in two basic kinds, there is a dark vinegar and a white (yellow) vinegar. The dark vinegar has more flavour than the white version. However, both are relatively low in flavour compared to other vinegar alternatives.

To replace a white rice wine vinegar I would suggest using another low flavour vinegar. One with a white colour. In the UK there is a kind of clear vinegar usually labeled as 'non-brewed condiment' which should make an adequate substitute though I'd suggest using a smaller than normal quantity as it is stronger than most other vinegars. Another alternative would be a clear malt vinegar which will be close though not absolutely the same. Again you may need to reduce the quantity to match the strength.

To replace the dark rice wine vinegar is more tricky. My first suggestion is to try a dark malt vinegar as a replacement.

If you want to try to source the real thing, you might not find it in some UK supermarkets. However, almost every large city in the UK has a China town which will contain a Chinese supermarket where you can stock up on any items you might need. Failing that, try asking at your local Chinese restaurant or take-a-way. They might be able to point you to a supplier. Lastly there are online suppliers in the UK if you google you should be able to find one.

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Stir fry sauce quantity

Question

I am trying to create written instructions for making stir fry for some rather inexperienced cooks to follow. One dilemma that I'm having is describing the amount of sauce to use. How would you quantify the best ratio of sauce to vegetables? For instance, how many cups of sauce to coat 10lbs of vegetables?

If we were going to keep the sauce to reuse at a later date, I would just make a big batch and then having the cooks use their judgement on how much to use. We can't really keep the sauce, however, and I'm not sure I necessarily trust the cooks' judgement either (sadly!)

Answer

The "best" ratio of sauce depends on:

1. The type of vegetables;
2. The type of sauce;
3. The quantity of solid food;
4. Time spent cooking;
5. Personal preference.

I've made some stir fries with no sauce at all (technically a stir-fry only needs oil) and some with extra sauce, particularly if they're intended to be eaten with bland white rice. I know you say you can't trust their judgment, but to some degree, you're really going to have to, because there are too many variables to pin it down to a golden ratio.

At the end of the day you're trying to get an even coat on the vegetables (or meat, or whatever) - the thickness of that is again dependent on personal preference. But even if you make that decision for them, the main ratio affecting the end result isn't based on the weight of the food, or even its volume - it's based on surface area, which is nigh on impossible to measure and guaranteed to be inconsistent between specific preparations.

Stir-fry sauce is extremely cheap to make. It's pennies per cup. If you make too much, you can always cook it down, so if you have to pick a number, it's better to err on the side of caution and make too much as opposed to too little. You can always supplement the real sauce with soy sauce, teriyaki, etc., but that's not the same as a proper stir-fry sauce thickened with tapioca and flavoured with sesame oil and so on.

So pick a number that seems a little high, and instruct the cooks to let it reduce if it seems watery. They'll be using high heat, so it won't take long to reduce, and the net effect is positive anyway (a stickier, more flavourful sauce).

Personally, I always find 1 generous cup of sauce to be more than enough for a standard-size (14") wok filled with meat and vegetables, assuming it's the kind of stir-fry that you want to be reasonably "saucy", and also assuming it is thickened properly; if you dump a full cup of pure soy sauce in there, you'll just end up with vegetable soup. I literally use a coffee mug and never measure any of the ingredients, and the difference between one preparation and the next isn't particularly noticeable.

So start with that as a guideline and test the recipe yourself, if you can. Unless you have extremely precise control over the quantity and quality of the raw ingredients in addition to a precise and well-tested sauce recipe, you won't be able to come up with a reliable ratio. It's not a question of trust, just practicality; Asian cooking is (at least in my experience) very loosey-goosey and doesn't lend itself well to precise recipes - or inexperienced cooks.

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What flavour can cut through salt?

Question

I'm putting together an asian sauce to throw over some steamed greens & have made it a bit too salty (it contains soy, fish & oyster sauce).

What can I add to cut back the saltiness?

Answer

The classic way to compensate for saltiness (especially in Asian cuisine) is to add something sweet (usually sugar), which tricks one's taste-buds into thinking that the food is both less salty and less sweet. (Ever wonder why a can of cola has 45+ mg of sodium? It's there partially to mask all the sweetness which gives you a sugar rush, and simultaneously make you thirstier!) I seem to recall reading a section on this phenomenon in On Food and Cooking, but my copy is back home. I'll try and post an excerpt later today. Update #2: I can't seem to find any mention of saltiness inhibitors in OFaC, however, there is a section on sweetness inhibitors (cf. page 663) so I must have been confusing it with that.

Update #1: I haven't gotten a chance to look at OFaC yet, however, I did find this study:

• An overview of binary taste–taste interactions by Keast and Breslin. Journal of Food Quality and Preference, 14 (2) 111–124. March, 2003. Elsevier.

It is a survey of research on both perceived and chemical reactions between different tastes.

When compounds eliciting tastes are mixed many outcomes are possible, including perceptual enhancement and suppression, unmasking of a taste not initially observed, or possibly chemical synthesis of a new taste.

The survey notes (see Sections 3.2 and 3.3):

At medium and high intensities/concentrations sweetness was generally suppressive of other basic tastes.

and also

Sweetness suppressed salty taste at moderate intensities.

It goes on to note that at even higher concentrations sweetness and other tastes are symmetrically suppressive (i.e., their tastes cancel each other out).

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Substitute for red bean paste?

Question

I recently bought a book of Asian recipes. The author seems to have a huge crush on red bean (azuki) paste, since about a half of the recipes call for it. Unfortunately, the availability of red beans seems to be on about the same level as dodo eggs. Is there something that can be used as a substitute to get a close approximate of the taste and texture?

Answer

Black bean paste is also incorporated into Asian cuisine, and has a similar flavor, although earthier. Add a little sugar, maybe a little ground cashew or peanuts for nuttiness. It won't be the same, but it should work well enough.

Since black beans are more common, this may work well enough for you.

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Types of Sauce for Stir-Fry

Question

I've recently started learning to cook stir fry, and I'm interested in what types of sauce are recommended. I typically cook a mixture of chicken or beef, spinach, broccoli, carrots and onions. Sometimes I put in some garlic.

I've tried Yoshida's Sauce, general teriyaki sauce and peanut thai sauce.

What types of sauces do you recommend? I'm looking for general flavors for a stir fry.

Thanks for your help.

Answer

If you're buying them from the store, any of the following are decent:

• Teriyaki sauce/marinade
• Chili garlic sauce
• Chili black bean sauce
• Hoisin sauce
• Satay (peanut) sauce

However, it's really a lot tastier (and cheaper!) if you make it yourself. I usually use some variation on the following:

• 3/4 cup water
• 1-2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2-3 tbsp light soy sauce or teriyaki
• 1-2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• (optional) 1-2 tsp chili oil
• 1 tbsp tapioca starch (test a bit of sauce; if it doesn't thicken right, add more)
• Minced or grated ginger, to taste
• Minced or grated garlic, to taste
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar, honey or maple syrup

The proportions are all pretty rough because I always eyeball it, and because ingredients vary (I can't always get the same brands or sometimes I'm missing one or two). I kind of eked out this formula after a few years of stir-frying, so I don't even really think about it anymore. It usually tastes great though, and I've even gotten several comments to the effect that it smells great (I think the sesame oil is what does it).

P.S. You can substitute corn starch for tapioca, but you'll have to use a little more of it, and the sauce doesn't tend to be quite as smooth or consistent. It'll work in a pinch, though, or if you can't find tapioca in your area.

P.P.S. When I make this, it usually makes a little more than a cup. What I tend to do is marinate and stir-fry the meat separately in a separate, simpler sauce (honey teriyaki works great), then half-stir-fry and half-steam the vegetables using half the sauce, so they get nice and tender. Then add the meat and the rest of the sauce and stir fry for about a minute or two longer. This gives you a nice balance of flavour infusion and extra sauce that you can use for rice.

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Make spring rolls in advance

Question

I'm making some spring rolls for a party on Friday. As I will not be able to make them the same day I was wondering what the best option would be. I will have the possibility of frying them directly at the place, but making them there would not probably be feasable.

What would you advice me to do?

1. make the rolls the night before, then freeze them and fry them the next day
2. make the rolls the night before, keep them in the fridge and fry them the next day
3. make and fry the rolls the night before. Reheat them (in the oven?) the next day (this sounds quite bad to me)

I think I will have some with pork, some with shrimp and some with veggies only.

Thanks

Answer

I think the best choice is number 2, get them all wrapped up and ready to go, cover them tightly and pop them in the fridge.

3 is possible but you risk them going soggy. They'll be fresher if you fry them on the day.

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Thai Chicken and Noodles Recipe Recreation

Question

I used to eat this delicious Thai Chicken and Noodles recipe from a restaurant that closed down over a decade ago. I'm looking for a closest approximation of a recipe that will still taste good. (I don't know if cooking.SE will tolerate this kind of question, since it's a bit off-topic, but here goes.)

The dish was composed of:

• Dark brown noodles, a bit thick
• Chicken that was reddish and deep-fried; it was very crispy
• Chopped vegetables; zucchini at the least.

The dish was pretty dry; it didn't have any curry, sauce, or any other ingredients, really.

How would I make a dish like this? Or, what's the closest to this dish that I can find a recipe for?

Answer

Check out these recipes for curry fried chicken. They look tasty. Just use chicken breast cut into strips instead of whole legs and wings and things.

This one, or this one.

They're the same recipe, but it makes me laugh that this site just copied Rachael Ray or vice verse :p. Probably the former, but still amusing. Anyway..

You should be able to find some whole grain rice noodles from most major grocers, least here in Cleveland, Ohio. They will be thick like your looking for. Start those boiling while you saute your veggies with some olive oil. Start off with some garlic in the pan for a minute once it's hot, then add some green beans, bell peppers, zucchini, snow peas and what-have-you and cook until they are as tender as you would like.

Mix in the noodles, with an extra tablespoon (15mL) of olive oil if you please, and give them a toss. Put the chicken on top almost like a garnish.

If you think it will be too dry, it's easy to make a sauce REALLY quick by just reserving some of the water you used to cook the noodles, like 1/4 to 1/3 Cup, or 50 to 100mL (it's a really rough number). Add the water to your noodles and veggies in small increments until you think it's "saucy" enough. Add in some Curry Paste or eat as is!

Try using Peanut Oil or Sesame Oil instead of Olive Oil!

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What are some appropriate accompaniments for satay?

Question

I have an excellent recipe for satay chicken, which I usually accompany with coconut rice. Last time, I also attempted a kind of Asian coleslaw of white cabbage, chilli, carrot and lime juice, but it didn't turn out all that well.

Can anyone suggest a suitable accompaniment, preferably something vegetable and fresh to counter the peanut butter in the sauce, for this? The only caveat is that I am cooking it soon for guests who don't like salad of any kind (lettuce, cucumber etc).

Answer

I have made Asian coleslaws multiple times, and they work very well. My main suggestion would be to heat the dressing before adding it to the slaw. Particularly if you're using scallions, the heated dressing wilts it just enough to cut some of the sharpness of the raw veggies. I'd probably make my own dressing from rice vinegar, neutral oil (such as canola) and a touch of sesame oil. Add in spices such as garlic, ginger, etc. You can also vary recipes such as this.

You could also try using unexpected ingredients. I make a salad from cubed jicama, apple, and ripe avocado, topped with lemon juice, olive oil, and a touch of chili powder or cayenne. You get the crisp sweetness and some creaminess from the avocado.

If they're not fans of cucumbers, how do they feel about pickles? Those could also be a nice addition to a coleslaw. Or you could try marinated mushrooms. Either of those would add a vinegary sharpness that would cut nicely through the creaminess of the rice and the satay.

This also brings to mind a preparation I've seen for vegetables in a prepared salad. Blanch your veggies and shock them in an ice bath. Then give them a vinegary dressing and lay them on the plate in attractive ways. This could include green beans, carrots, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, potatoes, etc. You could achieve similar effects by serving roasted vegetables. (Either from the grill or oven-roasted.) These are quite good cold or warm.

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