Stir it Up
Most every night I use just one pan to cook dinner for Cici and me. It is the stir fry wok pan that I bought to go with our induction stove top. It is smaller in circumference than a traditional wok, but about as deep. The bottom is smaller than the top, like a traditional wok, but the smaller part of the bottom is flat so it will sit comfortably on the stove top.
Ping often cooks lotus root, but she cooks it in a soup or as one of the ingredients in a dish that is cooked in liquid. I prefer to stir fry it in slices about the size of a medium potato chip, except about an eighth of an inch thick. I add just a little bit of water and cover the stir fry pan during most of the cooking, leaving the heat on high. It turns out that Cici loves this way of eating lotus root just as much as I do, so I made some for us last night.
But that was the second thing to be prepared in that versatile stir fry pan. First I cut up bite sized pieces of the choice beef rib that Costco sells, and stir fried them with pieces of several sliced garlic cloves. I didn't even bring them to medium rare before I poured the contents of the pan into a waiting platter. I wanted some of that flavor to end up on the lotus root when I cooked it. Then the lotus root went onto another waiting platter to make room for the next volunteer for the stir fry pan.
Ping introduced me to the top parts of the bok choy plant. Even smaller than baby bok choy, these one bite little green vegetables are delicious. I added a little water and covered the stir fry pan as I did with the lotus root. Then this delictable dish also went to a waiting platter.
Now the biggest difference between the way I have observed Chinese people cook and the way I cook came into play. They typically serve up one dish at a time when it is ready, or just let the earlier dishes get cold while waiting for the later dishes to cook. I like to serve it all hot.
So now a little oil went into the waiting stir fry pan and some green onions that I had cut into about three inch pieces went into the hot pan to stir fry. Within a couple of minutes they were beginning to soften, so I poured the platter of beef rib bites back into the stir fry pan to join the onions. I covered the pan for a minute or two, then stirred the contents well before pouring all of it back onto the waiting platter.
Then the lotus root went back into the stir fry pan to heat through quickly with the pan covered, then back onto its waiting platter. At this point I called Cici to come to dinner. The little bok choy tops went into the pan and almost as quickly went back onto their platter. Cici arrived just in time for a hot meal to be placed on the table.
I have learned to watch Cici's eating habits and her face to learn how she feels about food that she is eating. But sometimes I want to hear it. You better tell me that this is delicious, I told her. She smiled, her mouth full, nodding her head affirmatively. Very delicious, she said, adding more pieces of the food rapidly to her mouth and chewing with gusto. That was all I wanted to know. Thank you Cici.
Ping often cooks lotus root, but she cooks it in a soup or as one of the ingredients in a dish that is cooked in liquid. I prefer to stir fry it in slices about the size of a medium potato chip, except about an eighth of an inch thick. I add just a little bit of water and cover the stir fry pan during most of the cooking, leaving the heat on high. It turns out that Cici loves this way of eating lotus root just as much as I do, so I made some for us last night.
But that was the second thing to be prepared in that versatile stir fry pan. First I cut up bite sized pieces of the choice beef rib that Costco sells, and stir fried them with pieces of several sliced garlic cloves. I didn't even bring them to medium rare before I poured the contents of the pan into a waiting platter. I wanted some of that flavor to end up on the lotus root when I cooked it. Then the lotus root went onto another waiting platter to make room for the next volunteer for the stir fry pan.
Ping introduced me to the top parts of the bok choy plant. Even smaller than baby bok choy, these one bite little green vegetables are delicious. I added a little water and covered the stir fry pan as I did with the lotus root. Then this delictable dish also went to a waiting platter.
Now the biggest difference between the way I have observed Chinese people cook and the way I cook came into play. They typically serve up one dish at a time when it is ready, or just let the earlier dishes get cold while waiting for the later dishes to cook. I like to serve it all hot.
So now a little oil went into the waiting stir fry pan and some green onions that I had cut into about three inch pieces went into the hot pan to stir fry. Within a couple of minutes they were beginning to soften, so I poured the platter of beef rib bites back into the stir fry pan to join the onions. I covered the pan for a minute or two, then stirred the contents well before pouring all of it back onto the waiting platter.
Then the lotus root went back into the stir fry pan to heat through quickly with the pan covered, then back onto its waiting platter. At this point I called Cici to come to dinner. The little bok choy tops went into the pan and almost as quickly went back onto their platter. Cici arrived just in time for a hot meal to be placed on the table.
I have learned to watch Cici's eating habits and her face to learn how she feels about food that she is eating. But sometimes I want to hear it. You better tell me that this is delicious, I told her. She smiled, her mouth full, nodding her head affirmatively. Very delicious, she said, adding more pieces of the food rapidly to her mouth and chewing with gusto. That was all I wanted to know. Thank you Cici.
Now you made me hungry, that sounds so good
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There are always a few extra chairs for our table, Michael.
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Wow, sounds like our household. We found a nice smaller wok with a flat bottom at Ross Dress for Less, as well as a cleaver. Mingjun cooks everything with the one pan, and loves the gas stove.
We heard a horror story from one of my Chinese friends. His wife's cousin (they are both Chinese) married an American man who does not like Chinese food. He makes her only cook standard American fare. So as soon as he leaves, she cooks good Chinese food, and eats it before he gets back home. I don't know why someone that intolerant would marry into another culture.
Mingjun is definitely liking some of the food available here. We picked up some "Country Style Ribs" from Safeway for 99 cents a pound. Although she was disappointed with the very few bones in the "ribs" (she wanted to make soup), she is rapidly appreciating how many nice meals we can get from these low fat, low bone ribs (1/2 pound goes far when it is ground with a cleaver
Looks like another trip to Costco soon.
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You know Craig, I agree with your comment. I know a family like the one you described. The Chinese lady is a fantastic cook, yet her husband refuses to eat Chinese food. She has to cook a Western meal for him and a Chinese meal for her and her son each time she cooks. And they don't dare use a pair of chopsticks to take some food from a dish that contains food that he is also eating.
Heck, Cici and I are always giving each other food with our chopsticks. If I ask her to try a strange new Western food she is always willing to do that. If she or Ping ask me to try some Chinese food that is new to me I always give it a try. We understand that we won't always like the flavor of a new kind of food, but at least we are willing to try it before we condemn it.
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It always makes me sad to read about fools like those mentioned... My ex-step father, who is overall a great guy, didn't want anything other than meat and potatoes which bored the heck out of my mother! However there were no restraints in place on her cooking.
Otherwise - You're making me hungry!
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Like I tell everyone, Smitty, there is always room for another plate at our table.
I worked a long day yesterday despite the holiday. When I came home Cici was in the kitchen stirring up a batch of brownies. For a girl who had never tried ovens or brownies before she arrived here, she has become quite adept at making little treats like this. I insisted on cooking some fish while she had the oven hot, so we could eat fish and brown rice and romaine lettuce as a more balanced meal.
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Fess up Lee...we know who ate the brownies (and I am sure you added ice cream too!). I also know that Cici is on strict orders to watch your diet.
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Now Andrew, I ate half as much as Cici ate of the brownies, and we have no ice cream here, so I did pretty good. Your brownies are waiting. Swing on by.
Yes, Cici is supposed to watch what I eat and what I buy. She failed in the latter department today because she slept while I shopped. I was on my way to H-Mart to buy fresh Chinese vegetables and couldn't resist stopping at Marshall's. I am glad I did, because I found some perfect induction ready pots, including a great double boiler steamer, to add to our collection.
I was in trouble with Cici until I steamed some of the frozen pork and vegetable dumplings that I bought at H-Mart, using the new steamer. I also steamed two fresh ears of corn on the cob after removing the husks. This food was some kind of delicious, so she gave me a pass on the shopping.
Come home, beautiful Ping, your family is missing you!
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