Wonton Noodles (Wantan Mee)

Wonton noodles or sometimes it was called wanton mee or wantan mee is a Cantonese noodle dish which is popular in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Malaysia, Singapore and even in Thailand.

In Malaysia, a bowl of wanton noodles cost only RM$5.50 which is considered very cheap (and some food stalls serve it with wantons, fish balls and a big piece of tofu too).  So we don't really need to painstakingly cook this at home when you can just go to the food stalls to have this delicious noodles.

But when you are in another side of the world, ordering a bowl of wonton noodles could cost you more than $10.00; and the noodle might not suit to your palate or full of msg in it.

Today I'm sharing with you this flavourful Wonton Noodles which we have cooked it for ... oh I have lost count how many times we have cooked this .

WONTON NOODLES (WANTAN MEE)
(Serves 4)
Recipes adapted from To Food With Love

Ingredients:
400g fresh wonton noodles /egg noodles
1/2 bunch choy sum or more, washed and cut into 2 inch lengths
Vegetable oil

Toppings, to serve:
300g homemade char siew  or store bought, sliced thinly
16-20 wontons (use pre-made frozen wontons, or see below for Wonton recipe)*
Pickled green chillies, to serve
Sriracha chilli sauce, to serve 

A. Seasoning Sauce (per serving of noodles), mixed well:
1 tbsp thick dark caramel soy sauce
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp sugar

B. Mushroom Sauce:
5-6 Chinese dried shitaki mushrooms, stems removed
1 cup warm water
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed with the back of a knife
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp chicken stock powder
1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp mushroom flavoured soy (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water

C.  Garlic oil:
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped (alternatively you can use diced pork fat)
3 tbsp vegetable oil


Method:

To prepare Mushroom Sauce (B):
Soak mushrooms in 1 cup warm water until softened. Squeeze out excess water from mushrooms, set aside, and reserve the soaking liquid for later. Slice the mushrooms. 
Heat up 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil in a small saucepan. Fry the garlic and mushrooms for 1 minute. Then add the rest of the ingredients and reserved soaking liquid, except for the cornstarch solution. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add cornstarch solution and stir until the sauce boils and thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Turn off the heat, cover the saucepan and set aside.

Prepare Garlic or lard oil (C):
Heat the vegetable oil in a pan and fry the garlic or pork fat (whichever you prefer) over low-medium heat until it starts to turn lightly golden in colour and crisp. Transfer immediately to a heat proof bowl and set aside.

When ready to serve, follow the steps below:

1. Cook vegetables:
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and a pinch of salt and sugar. Blanch the choy sum stems first, followed by the leaves. Remove, drain and set aside.

2. Cook wontons:
Boil water in pot and cook the wontons in batches for about 1-2 minutes until cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. Drain and set aside. Alternatively, add them to some prepared chicken broth and garnish with spring onions.

3. Prepare noodles:
In a shallow serving bowl, place 1 serve of the seasoning sauce (A) and lard/garlic oil (C).

With the same boiling water used for blanching the vegetables, bring it to a rolling boil, and cook 1 bundle (100g) of noodles for about 30 seconds or until done to your liking. Use a large sieve to drain the noodles and run it under cold running tap water for 5 seconds, then dip the noodles in the boiling water again just to warm it up. Transfer the noodles into the serving bowl and toss them in the seasoning sauce. Add 6 tbsp of the mushroom sauce (B) and toss again. Add a dash of white pepper.


 Wonton Recipe* (you can make this few days ahead and freeze it)
1 packet square wonton wrappers (about 40 sheets)
150g pork mince
150g prawn meat (cut into small pieces)
1 tbsp egg white
1 tsp grated ginger
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pepper

Method:
Combine all ingredients for meat mince (except the wrappers) and mix well.  
Place a teaspoon of the mixture in the middle of each wonton wrapper, and then lightly moisten the edges of the wrapper with water. Seal the edges to form a triangle shape, then press the edges to thin out the dough. Bring the corners together and squeeze to form a "money bag". 
Repeat with the rest of the wrappers. Set aside on a plate until ready to cook.

Garlic oil

 

Mushroom sauce

Preparing the seasoning sauce mixture into per serving plates.

Usually I love my wonton noodles flooding in that fragrant mushroom sauce!

One word.... YUM! 😋

Japchae With Beef Bulgogi (Korean stir fried beef noodles with vegetables)

My family and I loves Korean dishes very much ~ can't blame us as we use to operate a Korean BBQ restaurant many many years ago.   During those days, even after we have stopped operating the business, our family still get together to have this Korean style BBQ together. 

On my last visit to Auckland, sometimes when we're lazy to cook, we will have take away.  Every Saturday, there is a "night market" available in a basement parking lot in one of the shopping mall.  Many varieties of food stalls to choose from ~ western, chinese, korean, japanese, indian, etc. etc.   On my first visit there, I just couldn't make up my mind what to have, everything seem to be so delicious; can't blame me as the weather is cold and you will get hungry all the time and when you see food around you, everything seem to be delicious too.   And finally I chose the Korean stall and select the Japchae Beef Bulgogi. 

And now back home, I have missed this dish so much and I just got to try this at home.

JAPCHAE WITH BEEF BULGOGI

BEEF BULGOGI
Recipe sourced from trifood.com 

Ingredients

200g thinly sliced beef (sirloin or rib eye)

2 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tsp finely chopped garlic

1/8 tsp salt

2 tbsp Mirin

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

Mix all ingredients except carrots. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Stir fry the beef until just well done and caramelized on the outside.

Dish up and set aside.

JAPCHAE (Korean Glass Noodles)

Recipe sourced from Steamy Kitchen with changes

(Below portion serves for 1-2 person)

Ingredients

50-70g dried Korean sweet potato noodles
½ tbsp cooking oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced onions (I used leeks)
1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 stalks green onions, cut into 1″ lengths
¼  cup mushrooms or wood ear, thinly sliced
80-100g spinach, washed well and drained (I didn’t add this)

Method

Fill a large pot with water and boil. When water is boiling, add the noodles and cook for 5-10 minutes. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again and toss with only 1 tsp of the sesame oil. Use kitchen shears to cut noodles into shorter pieces, about 8 inches in length. Set aside.

Add the cooking oil in a wok or large saute pan on high heat and swirl to coat. When the cooking oil is hot but not smoking, fry onions and carrots, until just softened, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, green onions and mushrooms, fry 30 seconds. Then add the spinach and noodles and ry 2-3 minutes until the noodles are cooked through.  Then add in the beef bulgogi and stir well till all are combined and absorsed in the sauce.

Turn off heat,  toss with sesame seeds and drizzle some sesame oil if preferred.

                                Korean Glass Noodles or Korean Sweet Potato Noodles

Fried Cubic Noodles (Char Kuih Kak)

In food blogging we always seem to find one recipe posted by a blogger and later on another fellow blogger will posted right after one another.  Isn't it great we can find recipes through food blogging and tagging from one blog to another?

Would you mind if I say cooking and baking can make a person addicted and it is being contagious too?  In one way or another I am being addicted and baking is contagious!  But I do feel good about it as I can learn to bake and cook good dishes and cakes for my family, don't you think so?  Of course, we will feel so satisfied if our cooking is appreciated and the plates being swept clean after your hard worked!

Well, let's talk about my post today, Fried Cubic Noodles (Char Kuih Kak).  Previously I have made something similar like this before; Stir Fried Radish Cake (Loh Pak Koh) with the shredded radish in which is much more tedious and 'hardwork' in preparing.  After I have tried this version, this is so much easier.  I love it and in fact this is my second time making and frying it!!

I am sure you have eaten this in the hawker stalls, right?  Well you can always make this at home.  So easy.... prepare to steam the 'kuih' at night and then fried it for breakfast next day!

Fried Cubic Noodles (Char Kuih Kak) 
Recipe source from Minty's Kitchen 

Serves for 2-3 person

Ingredients for Cubic Noodles

110g rice flour
2 tbsp tapioca flour (or cornflour)
1 tbsp wheat starch (tang mien flour)
1/2 cup cold water
1 1/4 cup boiling water
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt

In a mixing bowl combine rice flour, tapioca flour, wheat starch, salt and cold water together.  Stir in oil. 

Pour boiling water into the batter and stir until batter is smooth.

Pour into a 17cm (6") round or 19cm loaf pan and steam over boiling water for about 25 minutes or until cooked.  

Cool the rice cake thoroughly before cutting into cubes.  

Ingredients for frying cubic noodles:
3 tbsp chopped pickled radish (chai poh)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs
a few sprigs of chinese parsley
beansprouts (about 3  handfuls)
oil

Seasoning:  (to taste)
dark soy sauce
light soy sauce
sugar
salt & pepper

With about 2 tbsp of oil, pan fry the cubic noodles until golden brown.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Stir fry the pickled radish and garlic until aromatic. 

Return the cubic noodles to the wok.

Push the cubic noodles to the side of the wok then crack eggs into the centre and scramble until egg is just set.

Pour in seasoning.  Toss well to combine.

Finally add in beansprouts and chinese parsley.  Toss until well combined and heated through.

Serve while it is hot.  

        Yum!!

It is easy to make to steam "kuih"....

 ..... and the frying the cubic noodles, of course you can add in other ingredients like prawns too if you like.  Serve with your favourite chilli sauce or sambal ....

And I noticed Helena's  also has made this too!

 



 

Spaghetti with Sardine & Sesame Sauce

Just last week, Sonia of NasiLemakLover posted her Japanese Avocado & Crabstick Pasta, which I think it is such a brilliant idea to make for a quick lunch when she used the sesame seed dressing recipe which was origin from Nami of Just One Cookbook created for salad dressing.  

Isn't it great that we can use salad dressing for pasta as well too.  I am so thrilled for this!!

.....though my picture doesn't do much justice, but for sure the food is good enough already!

Spaghetti With Sardine & Sesame Sauce
Inspiration from Sonia of NasiLemakLover
and Sesame Dressing from Nami of JustOneCookbook

Sesame dressing ingredients
4 tbsp white sesame seeds
3 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
3 tbsp rice vinegar (I use Heinz vinegar)
1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
1½ tsp caster sugar or to taste
1 tsp mirin
A pinch of salt or to taste

150g spaghetti, cooked till al dente
1 small can of sardine in olive oil, mashed
one bunch of spinach, blanch and chopped fine

some cherry tomatoes

Method
Toast sesame seeds in a frying pan on low heat until golden brown and aroma.

Grind the sesame seeds in a spice grinder (don’t grind too fine, keep it a bit coarse gives better texture when eating)
Mix sesame dressing seasonings in a mixing bowl, add in grinded sesame seeds, mashed sardine and the chopped spinach; mix till combine.
Mix sesame dressing with cooked spaghetti 

Serve with cherry tomatoes.

The sesame seed dressing taste real good, and of course you can always substitute with other ingredients other than the sardine I put in to my spaghetti.

Thank you Sonia for this great idea for using the dressing in pasta and thank you Nami for this great delicious dressing!

  

 

Shrimp Pad Thai

My lunch today is Shrimp Pad Thai.  

Shrimp Pad Thai

Recipe source from Season With Spice with slight changes

Ingredients: 
Rice Noodles (Kueh Teow) for two servings
5 tbsp cooking oil
4 cloves garlic - chopped finely
1 extra firm tofu – cut into sliced into bite-sized cubes

5 - 10 medium-sized fresh shrimp
1 tsp chili powder
2 eggs
1 cup of bean sprouts
A handful of chive stalks – cut into 2-inch length pieces
White pepper to taste

Pad Thai seasoning sauce: 
3 tbsp tamarind pulps – mixed in 1/3 cup of warm water, then strained out the juice
2 tbsp palm sugar (or dark brown sugar)
2 tbsp fish sauce

Condiments and garnishes (serve according to your preference) 
Lime wedges
Crushed peanuts
Garlic chives
Fresh bean sprouts
Dried red chili flakes

Method: 
1. Soak the rice stick noodles in warm water for about 15 minutes, then drain. Set aside.

2. Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

3. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a wok or frying pan. Once oil is hot, add in the bean curd pieces and 

     stir-fry until they are crisp and lightly brown. Should take about 5 minutes. Set tofu aside.

4. In the same work or pan, add in garlic and stir-fry over medium heat for a minute or until

     fragrant. Add in the noodles. Pour the sauce and dried red chili flakes over the noodles. 

     Turn the fire back up and stir quickly to keep the noodles from sticking. Add a little bit of 

     water if the noodles are still hard. Add in the shrimp and the cooked tofu. Continue to 

     stir-fry over high heat for one or two minutes, adding more oil if necessary.

5. When the shrimp is almost cooked, push all the ingredients to one side of the wok. Then 

     add in two more tablespoons of oil on the other side and crack the two eggs onto the oil. 

     Let the eggs cook for about 15 seconds before thoroughly mixing them into the noodles.

6. Toss in the bean sprouts and garlic chives. Stir them into the noodles, and stir-fry for

     another 30 seconds. Turn fire off and add in white pepper. 

7. Dish out and serve with condiments and garnishes.

  You may add extra chili powder or chili flakes if you want the noodles to be a little more 

  spicy!