Bamboo Shoot and Chicken Stir-Fry in Ketchup and Soy Sauce Based Seasonings

If you can find super fresh bamboo shoot, that's great. However, if you are using the pre-boiled version or even cooked plus frozen version, just remember to squeeze out as much liquid as possible before stir-frying.

Bamboo shoot and chicken stir-fry in ketchup and soy sauce based seasonings - 

Ingredients?

• 2 bamboo shoots
• 200 grams chicken tenders
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 string scallion

Chicken marinade:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon rice cooking wine
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon grated garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar

How?

Remove the tendons from the chicken tenders. Slice the chicken to thicker and wider pieces. Just try your best there, it doesn't have to be master chef quality. Use the ingredients listed under the "chicken marinade" section to massage in and marinate the chicken for 10 to 15 minutes.

Peel the garlic. Scrape-off the skin for a chunk of ginger. Grate these two till you get about 1/4 teaspoon of grated garlic and 1/8 teaspoon of grated ginger. Mix both of that together with other ingredients listed under the "sauce" section. Set aside for later use.

Peel and trim the bamboo shoots if you're using the fresh kind. Slice into long and wider pieces, also about 1 to 1.5 mm in thickness. Sometimes you can get a nice triangular shaped bamboo shoot slices, but not much luck there for my bunch.

If using pre-boiled version, slice the bamboo shoot, try to squeeze out and pat dry any liquid remain.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a pan and switch to medium heat. Wait till warm then add in the chicken. Sear till both sides turn slightly golden brown. Scoop out first.

Still using the same pan, add more oil if it appears too dry. Use medium high heat this time and add in the bamboo shoot slices. Sear till some sides turn lightly browned.

Add back the chicken and give it a quick mix. Pour in pre-mixed sauce. Give it a few tosses till combined. Continue to cook till slightly reduced.

Plate the stir-fry ingredients. Chop or use a scissor to get some scallion bits as garnish on top.

If you're using fresh bamboo shoot then you'll get a much crunchier bite in the end. However, for pre-boiled version, if you really get the liquid out before cooking then you can still get a nice sear later on. That means you can also end with somewhat crunchy bite as a result.

Don't get disappointed if you were left with slightly soggy or soft bamboo shoot slices though. I think the sweet and savory seasonings can do a good job compensating any texture lost in the end. Overall it'll still be a flavorful dish, and goes really well with some steamed rice alongside. 

 

Extended reading:

• Bamboo shoot and pork stir-fry in spicy fermented bean paste seasoning 豆瓣竹筍炒松阪豬
• Summer vegetable curry

Cilantro and Beef Stir-Fry 香菜炒牛肉

Do you know that due to the genetic variation, certain population do not enjoy cilantro as most of the people do. It's like cilantro will actually taste similar to soap, which will make whichever dish using cilantro become weird and unpleasant. 

That I probably can't help at all. However, there's this one other herbal plant that can be used as a substitute for this recipe. I'm talking about dill, a very thin leafy plant that looks similar to the leafy part of a fennel. Taste-wise dill is quite aromatic and a bit grassy, making it a good candidate in this beef stir-fry recipe.

Cilantro and beef stir-fry 香菜炒牛肉 - 

Ingredients?

• 400 grams beef slices (tender part better)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves
• 1 red chili
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 bundle cilantro

Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice cooking wine
• 1/2 teaspoon potato starch
• 1/2 egg white
• 2 sprinkles white pepper powder

How?

Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Destem and chop the red chili, use two red chilies if you can handle the heat. Destem and roughly chop the cilantro.

Mix all the ingredients listed under the "marinade" section. As for the 1/2 egg white, I mean the egg white from one single egg, and use just half of that. Add in the beef and massage in the marinade. Let it rest for about 15 minutes.

Have a wok ready and drizzle a bit more oil than usual for stir-fry dishes. I used 3 tablespoons. Switch to medium heat, or high heat if you are sure that you can cook these ingredients in a speedy way with precise timing.

Add in chopped garlic and red chili. Cook till aromatic but not burning the garlic bits.

Add in the beef along with its marinade. However, the marinade should be fully absorbed by the meat by this time. Give the beef a quick stir-fry and cook till about 70% cooked-through.

Add in 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce and give the whole thing a quick mix. Toss in chopped cilantro. Give it a quick mix, it'll take less than 30 seconds here, plate and serve right away.

By the way, this recipe is more of a regular family style beef stir-fry, so we simply cook the beef along with other ingredients at the same time. However, if you have any similar dishes at the restaurant, they might use more oil and quickly stir-fry the beef first. Then they'll scoop out the beef, sear some aromatics, lastly add the beef back again.

I skipped that pre-cooking and re-adding process, especially I think that the final flavor is still pretty darn good. So why not save some troubles and make the housewife's life a little bit easier?

Extended reading:

• Pickled chilies and beef stir-fry 剁椒牛肉

A Brush of Vegetable Sweetness - Peas and Sweet Corn Kernels Stir-Fry

We have this sweet corn in Taiwan, maybe it's more accurate by the name supersweet corn. It's so sweet, at least in corn-spectrum, usually you'll find such corn variety being served at a high-end shabu shabu place here.

And this is the type of corn we will be using for the stir-fry recipe. That paired with peas, it's like a formula guaranteed to yield a refreshing stir-fry filled with vegetable's natural sweetness.

Peas and sweet corn kernels stir-fry - 

Ingredients? 

• 290 grams chicken breast
• 6 shiitake mushrooms
• 2 sweet corn on the cobs (about 1 3/4 cups corn kernels)
• 3/4 cup peas
• 1 tablespoon Japanese tsuyu
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 tablespoon rice wine
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 small chunk young ginger (about 1/2 teaspoon chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder

How?

Slice the chicken breast into medium small cubes. Marinate that with 1 tablespoon of Japanese tsuyu, 1 tablespoon of mirin, and 1 tablespoon of rice wine. Doesn't matter if you're using triple-condensed or double-condensed Japanese tsuyu, the difference in their salty level won't affect much in the end.

Destem and cube the shiitake mushrooms. Scrape and finely chop the ginger, we will need about 1/2 teaspoon chopped ginger in the end. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves. If using whole corn on the cobs, use a knife to slice from top to bottom to get the corn kernels, which we will need about 1 3/4 cups of corn kernels in the end.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in the pan and switch to medium heat. Add in ginger and garlics while the oil hasn't turn warm yet. Continue to cook till aromatic but not burning the garlic bits.

Add in chicken and its marinade. Stir-fry till almost cooked-through.

Add in corn kernels and shiitake mushrooms along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper powder. Stir-fry till evenly blended.

Add the the delicate peas last. The peas can be cooked in less than a minute then it's time to give the whole thing a quick taste. Adjust with any additional seasonings if needed then this dish is ready to go.

Have you noticed that I used Japanese tsuyu instead of Chinese soy sauce for this recipe? The reason is that the main ingredients we have are on the lighter side, so using soy sauce can be too over-powering taste-wise. 

That's when the Japanese tsuyu came to the picture. It can be quite salty still, but at least texture-wise in a lighter and gentler way. On top of that, Japanese tsuyu will not darken the dish as much as soy sauce. So by using Japanese tsuyu, we can better preserve the original color for the green peas and yellow corn kernels. 

Extended reading:

• Diced chicken with preserved Yibin suimiyacai 雞米芽菜

Burdock Root and Beef Stir-Fry in White Miso Sansho Seasonings

Some people prefer to soak the burdock root in water right after cutting or slicing. The main reason is to prevent the burdock root from browning, perhaps better preserve its earthy aroma too. 

However, since we are going to stir-fry the burdock root in miso and soy sauce based seasonings, the darker color doesn't really matter much. Flavor-wise, at least I can't really detect any loss of that burdock root's distinct earthy aroma. So it's totally up to you if you would like to go that extra mile to soak the burdock root in water.

Burdock root and beef stir-fry in white miso sansho seasonings - 

Ingredients?

• 1 long stick burdock root
• 280 grams beef slices
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 small chunk ginger
• 1 string scallion
• 1 tablespoon white sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sansho powder (山椒粉)

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons white miso
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice cooking wine
• 1 tablespoon mirin (味醂)

How?

Premix all the ingredients listed under the "sauce" section and set aside for later use.

Scrape and finely chop the ginger, we will need about 1 teaspoon of chopped ginger in the end. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves. Slice the scallion diagonally, this is only for the garnish in the end, so I only listed one "string" of scallion needed, not one "stalk" of scallion on the ingredient list.

It's up to you if you would like to peel the burdock root. Use a knife to shave the burdock root, the motion is similar to shaving the pencil in an old fashioned way, but of course with enlarged version of burdock root and knife. It's normal to get uneven thickness of burdock root shavings in the end, don't worry too much about it. We will need about one big bowl of prepped burdock root in the end.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of white sesame oil to a pan or wok, switch to medium heat. Once warmed up, add in beef slices and sear till about 70% doneness. Scoop out first.

Add more oil to the pan or wok if needed, otherwise add in the ginger and garlic. Sear till aromatic but not burning the garlic bits.

Transfer burdock root shavings over. Stir-fry for couple minutes.

Pour in premixed sauce, give it a few stirs to even out the seasonings. Cook for couple more minutes too.

Add back the beef and give it a few mixes. Continue to cook till the sauce has been reduced a bit. Taste and adjust if needed. Once all checked, sprinkle in about 1 teaspoon of sansho powder. Give it a few stirs. Taste again and see if you prefer an even stronger sansho aroma. In that case, simply sprinkle more sansho powder all over. 

Plate and garnish with the scallion we prepped earlier.

Burdock root is not only rich in fiber and potassium, but also with good amount of antioxidants and inulin. I would love to include such ingredient in my cooking more often. It's just that preparing burdock root can be quite a hassle for me.

I could have just cut and slice the burdock root with my knife, like making chunks or juliennes of it. But to me the best texture is by "shaving" the burdock root, kind of like sharpening a pencil, just with much bigger knife instead. And that shaving step can be very strenuous, which causing me to deter from cooking burdock root most of the time.

Well, I guess I can try to use a food processor do the slicing work. I haven't tried and not sure how well it'll work on burdock root. But even if food processor can handle the job, that means I have more cleaning to do in the end. I guess just treasure the times when burdock root does show up on my dinner table. Once in a blue moon I'll be interested enough to take on the challenge and work my arms for some nicely shaved burdock root. 

Other recipes using sansho powder:

• Braised tofu in vegetable stock and sansho powder
• Sansho pork onigiri

Japanese Burdock Root and Pork Stir-Fry, a Little Sweet and Savory Combo on the Plate

If a little extra labor work is not a problem for you, I would say 80% of the time try to shave the Japanese burdock root with a knife. And don't worry about uneven thickness. The goal is aiming for the uneven, flat, and wide cutting surface.

That way, you can get the most flavor out of burdock root, and on the other hand, the burdock root slices get to absorb most of seasonings in the dish. Just a bit of muscle work though. If that sounds too troublesome or tiring, simply cut the burdock root into thin sectioned strips instead.

Japanese burdock root and pork stir-fry - 

Ingredients?

• 2 feet/about 60 centimeter long burdock root
• 500 grams pork belly slices
• 1 big garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Some toasted white sesame seeds

Sauce mixture:

• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 tablespoon sake or Chinese rice wine
• 1 teaspoon sugar

How?

It's up to you if you would like to peel the burdock root or not. I usually do due to texture preference. 

So have a big bowl filled with icy cold water. While shaving down the burdock root or cutting through it, transfer the burdock root to the water. Just let it sit there while prepping other ingredients.

Use semi-fatty pork slices, this will help giving a smoother bite to the woody burdock root in the end. Slice the pork to smaller or shorter pieces if needed. Mix the pork slices with 1 tablespoon of corn starch all around. Peel and grate one big garlic clove.

Premix the sauce by combining 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of mirin, 1 tablespoon of sake or Chinese rice wine, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Try to stir a bit to help the sugar dissolve.

When ready to cook, drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and switch to medium heat. Add in grated garlic and let it warm up a little. Just a quick moment, otherwise the heat will burn the garlic soon after.

Drain out the water for the burdock root. Further pat dry with paper towel then add to the pan. Switch to medium high heat here since there's no more worries about burning the grated garlic. Stir-fry and cook for couple minutes.

Push burdock root to the side then add in the pork to empty area. Cook till separated and about set. You can also stir-fry a bit to break the pork from sticking to one another.

Pour in the premixed sauce and stir-fry with all the ingredients in the pan. Make sure everything has been coated with the seasonings. Continue to cook till the sauce has been reduced and even appear darker brown on some parts.

Plate and sprinkle some toasted white sesame seeds.

By the way, I got this premium double roasted white sesame seeds from Kuki 九鬼, a prestigious brand from Japan. The easiest way to describe its aroma difference is by comparing to the regular white sesame seeds that we often tasted.

Such as the white sesame seeds from a bun then. Frankly speaking, it basically tasted like nothing. But the double roasted white sesame seeds I've got here, was like 10 times the nutty aroma. More so like a milder version of peanut butter. Highly recommended to give it a try if you ever find one at the supermarket.

Other recipes using burdock root (gobo):

• Kinpira gobo きんぴらごぼう (burdock root cooked in Japanese seasonings)
• Chicken and gobo takikomi gohan (鶏ごぼうの炊き込みご飯)
• Not quite the regular miso soup, it's tonjiru time (豚汁)

Bamboo Shoot and Pork Stir-Fry in Spicy Fermented Bean Paste Seasoning 豆瓣竹筍炒松阪豬

Bamboo shoots are good for you! Not only it's rich in dietary fiber, but also packed with minerals such as copper and potassium. And of course bamboo shoots also come with various vitamins. 

While getting bamboo shoots fresh is your best choice, but note that its distinct sweet taste can disappear quickly after harvesting. So either get the bamboo shoots early in the morning, or simply use the already peeled and boiled sealed-tight version found in the fridge section at the grocery store.

The already-cooked kind can be pricy, but do know that the quality still holds. On top of that, you do get that crunch and sweetness from the packaged version. Usually there's no additives too in these products, just simply boiled bamboo shoots.

Bamboo shoot and pork stir-fry in spicy fermented bean paste seasoning 豆瓣竹筍炒松阪豬 - 

Ingredients?

• 450 grams matsusaka pork
• 500 grams prepared bamboo shoots
• 2 stalks garlic sprouts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 to 2 red chilies
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce paste
• 1 tablespoon aged Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon spicy fermented bean paste (ideally from Sichuan Pixian 郫縣)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons corn starch

How?

If using fresh bamboo shoots, peel away the fibrous layers and trim the end. Slice the bamboo shoots to large pieces while keeping about 1mm thickness.

Destem and section the garlic sprouts. Peel and slice the garlic cloves. Destem and slice diagonally for the red chilies.

Slice the matsusaka pork to large bite size pieces, also keeping the meat at about 1mm thickness. Transfer the pork to a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of aged Shaoxing wine, and 2 teaspoons of corn starch. Massage till the seasonings have been evenly blended with the pork. Let it marinate for 15 minutes.

Have a pan or a wok ready, drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil and switch to medium or medium high heat. Add in garlic sprouts, garlic slices, and red chilies. Stir-fry till aromatic but not burning the garlics.

Add in 1 tablespoon of spicy fermented bean paste and cook till aromatic. The fermented bean paste can further release its flavor once lightly seared with some heat. 

After that, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce paste and cook till blended. It'll be fairly quick here.

Transfer bamboo shoot slices over and give it a quick stir-fry.

Mix in the pork and marinade. Stir-fry till all blended with the sauce, and the consistency turned slightly thickened.

The usual spicy fermented bean paste works, but if you see the one from Sichuan Pixian, do not hesitate and use that instead. It might not be as spicy as the common kinds but the depth of savory and umami note are unbeatable.

On top of that, while it might not be as essential for other type of fermented bean paste, but it is very important to heat up the Sichuan Pixian fermented bean paste during early stage of cooking. It can make a big difference in the final dish, giving much more depth to the savory note.

Other recipes using fermented bean paste:

• Pork and Chinese chives glass noodles 豆瓣韭菜豬肉粉絲
• Braised beef shanks 滷牛腱
• Eggplant and minced pork spaghetti 魚香茄子義大利麵
• Cubed eggplant and ground pork stir-fry with spicy fermented bean paste 炒辣豆瓣醬茄子豬肉丁
• Eggplant and tomato stewed rice 雙茄豬肉燴飯

Beef and King Oyster Mushroom Stir-Fry With Miso Tomato Sauce

Have you ever tried Taiwan yellow cattle? If you get a chance to visit Taiwan, please go seek any restaurant that sell Taiwan yellow cattle. Let it be beef noodles or beef hot pot, you'll be amazed by its distinct beefy aroma that cannot be found nearly anywhere else. Not high-end Japanese wagyu nor USDA prime, only Taiwan's yellow cattle.

That being said, well, as much as I would like Taiwan yellow cattle for this recipe, it's not always an easy find even in Taiwan. Of course you can buy it from local butchers, but Taiwan yellow cattle is such a popular item and usually sold out fast. And I rarely see Taiwan yellow cattle being sold at a fancy supermarket.

Plus, Taiwan yellow cattle can be quite expensive sometime. Definitely costs more compared to USDA choice but still cheaper compared to wagyu. But we're making a stir-fry here, there is no need to bring out the wagyu beef. Just try to use any beef that is on the leaner side but won't turn tough and chewy after cooking.

Beef and king oyster mushroom stir-fry with miso tomato sauce - 

Ingredients?

• 400 grams tender beef
• 230 grams king oyster mushroom
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 onion
• Some olive oil
• Some salt
• Some black pepper

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons yellow miso (not the very dark color kind)
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

How?

Destem and slice the tomatoes into wedges. Peel and do the same for onion. Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Slice the king oyster mushroom to big bite size chunks.

Slice the beef to big chunks too, which will give you a fuller bite in the end. So make sure to choose tender beef that won't toughen up after cooking. Otherwise that fuller bite will become chewy bite instead. Season and rub the beef with some salt and black pepper.

Bring out a big pan or a wok, drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil and switch to medium high heat. Once warmed up, add in the beef and sear till some sides colored or even slightly browned. Scoop out first.

Still using the same pan or wok, wipe out excess oil if needed. Continue using medium high heat. This time add in onion and garlic. Sear till slightly browned but not burning the garlic bits.

Add in king oyster mushroom and tomato wedges. Cook till tomato turn slightly smushy or charred on sides.

Add the sauce mixture, which are 2 tablespoons of miso, 1 tablespoon of ketchup, and 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce. Depending on your preference, use 2 tablespoons of ketchup for a sweeter taste.  Mix and cook for one more minute.

Mix back the beef chunks. Stir-fry till evenly blended. Scoop to serving plate and crack some more black pepper on top.

It's a rare find to see beef dishes in my household, especially I'm more leaning towards white meat when planning homemade meals. Usually chicken, fish, and pork are the main protein on our dining table.

So once a long while, it's like a satisfaction boost for Mister, who gets to enjoy biting into that chunky beef. Well, I also tend to include beef in our meals after periods, so it's like a happy meal for Mister and some iron boost for the lady. 

Extended reading:

• Japanese fried tofu pouch and beef udon 日式豆皮牛肉烏龍麵
• Clear stewed beef soup with daikon and corn 無油煙版清燉牛肉湯

Ponzu Flavored Cucumber and Bean Sprouts Stir-Fry

You know with just a bit more money, you can buy the trimmed bean sprouts at the market? I'm sure I've seen it back in the states, and sometimes the vegetable vendors will pick out the tips and charge more when they have idle time tending the stand. 

Unfortunately, I have to do the labor work myself this time. Such a time consuming task, but in order to achieve a more clean-cut bite, this step cannot be skipped. At least one good thing from picking the bean sprouts myself, I can save the tip, not the root, to other dishes, so nothing goes to waste. 

Ponzu flavored cucumber and bean sprouts stir-fry - 

Ingredients?

• 3 loosely packed cups trimmed bean sprouts
• 1 loosely packed cup chopped scallion (try to use the white section first)
• 3 to 4 skinny cucumbers
• 400 grams tender and lean pork 
• 3 tablespoons ponzu sauce
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Some coarse black pepper 

How?

Use tender and lean part of pork. I got a special piece from the shank, otherwise matsusaka pork jowl can be a good substitute. Slice to big bite size pieces and about 1mm thickness.

Trim-off both ends of the bean sprouts. Peel and chop the garlic. Destem and chop the scallion. Aim for the white section of the scallion and we need about 1 loosely packed cup of it. If not enough, mixing some green section is totally fine.

Trim-off the ends of skinny cucumbers then cut into about 2-inch sections. Now here's the fun part, use the side of the knife and smash the cucumber so it'll break into smaller sticks. We want that irregular edge so the sauce can better stay on the cucumber.

Bring out a pan and drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Switch to medium heat. Add in chopped scallion and garlic. Also add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of coarse black pepper. Stir-fry till aromatic but not burn the garlic.

Transfer the pork over and cook till about 80% doneness.

Add in the cucumber and stir-fry for one minute. Then add in the bean sprouts, stir-fry for another minute.

Season with 3 tablespoons of ponzu, mix and give it a taste test. Adjust the seasonings if needed. I prefer leaving some sauce so I can scoop that and add to my rice to eat together with. Otherwise you can use high heat and reduce the sauce a bit.

Plate and sprinkle some more coarse black pepper all over.

This is a pretty big portion stir-fry recipe, so do halve all the ingredients used for a "regular" serving instead. 

So what did I do to the tips being picked out? Half of them went to a chopped veggies stir-fry dish, and the other half was used in a fried rice. Me and Mister's meals during that few days were fulled of bean sprouts.

Other bean sprouts recipes:

• Chinese braised noodles with vegetables and pork 青菜豬肉煨麵
• Worcestershire sauce stamina stir-fry with Chinese chives, bean sprouts, and pork belly
• Canned tuna cold dish with bean sprouts and shio kombu
• Bean sprouts cold dish with spicy fermented bean paste 涼拌豆芽