Japanese Style Taiwan Ramen 台湾ラーメン

Just like sweet and sour chicken in the states, such dish doesn't really exist in China. So even though this soup noodles is named "Taiwan" ramen, it can only be found in Japan, not in Taiwan.

I came across Taiwan ramen from a Japanese TV show. Memorizing most of the prepping steps, here's my take on Japanese style Taiwan ramen.

Japanese style Taiwan ramen 台湾ラーメン -

Ingredients (about 4 to 6 portions)?

• 4 to 6 portions yellow noodles
• 1.7 lbs coarse ground pork
• 12 garlic cloves
• 1 bundle of Chinese chives
• 1 pack bean sprouts
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup dried red chili flakes
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Some Sichuan peppercorn oil (optional)

How?

Remove tougher tips/roots from bean sprouts. Cut the chives into shorter sections, about 2 inches in length. Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Peel and finely chop the ginger.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the bean sprouts and chives separately, should only take about couple minutes each. Once ready, drain well and set aside.

Use a big pot, drizzle some oil and turn to medium high heat. Add in garlic, ginger, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Sear till aromatic but not burning the garlic pieces.

Transfer ground pork over and give it a quick stir, make sure the meat has been separated.

Add in chili flakes, mix till incorporated. Stir-fry till aromatic.

Pour in soy sauce and continue to cook till incorporated.

Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.

Meanwhile, prepare another pot of water to cook the noodles. Once done, drain and transfer the noodles to serving bowls.

Scoop some soup over and top with ground pork. Transfer some bean sprouts and chives on top. Drizzle some Sichuan peppercorn oil if desired. Serve immediately.

If serving up to 6 portions, use up to 8 cups of chicken stock and more soy sauce to ensure there's enough soup for everyone. 

The red oil floating around can be frightening, but just the looks, it won't hurt. The soup is not even as fiery as spicy hot pot. On a side note, sweat a little can somehow making this dish even more enjoyable. (Wink)


Other Asian noodles recipes:

• Stir-fried mushi noodles 木須炒麵
• Cold noodles with refreshing black sesame sauce 黑芝麻涼麵

Mushrooms with Tomato Cream Sauce

Some kind of thickening agent needs to be used to finish the tomato cream sauce in this recipe. Instead of a more western approach by making a roux first, which usually yields a denser touch, a simpler also gentler way of using corn starch plus water mixture came to the picture. 

Mushrooms with tomato cream sauce -

Ingredients?

• 4 kinds assorted mushrooms (if using Japanese mushrooms, about 6 packs)
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 small bundle flat leaf parsley or cilantro
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• Some corn starch and water mixture

How?

Clean the mushrooms first and pat dry if any water remains. Try to use mushrooms with similar shapes, otherwise tear the mushrooms into similar sizes before cooking.

Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves. Finely chop the parsley or cilantro. Drain the tomatoes.

Add the butter to the pan and turn to medium high heat. While the butter melts, add in some salt and pepper along with chopped garlic. Cook till aromatic and the butter fully melts away.

Transfer all mushrooms over and give it a quick stir, about 30 seconds. Add in drained tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to keep it simmering. Once the juice reduced a little, pour in heavy whipping cream along with nutmeg. Mix in chopped parsley or cilantro.

Lastly, add in some corn starch and water mixture, about 1:2 ratio. Gently stir the mushrooms at the same time to prevent lumps. Thicken the sauce till desired texture. If uncertain, just pour in the mixture a little at a time. Remember, you can always add more but it'll be hard to revert back.

Garnish with more chopped parsley or cilantro if desired.


Other creamy recipes:

• Chicken alfredo with spinach and button mushrooms
• Canned tuna + mayonnaise + sugar + chips!?