Our Virtual Meal

OK, so today we're all going to contribute to our first virtual meal....this one is an Asian themed,,,,,

I'm going to start with some appetizers - gyoza, the steamed/pan fried pork dumplings.  I'd insert my pics and/or recipe here IF I had access to them, but the best I can do is a description of the dipping sauce.  It took me a long time to figure this one out and it's so simple....

To 1/4 c. Soy sauce add 1/4 c. Water, 1 tsp. brown sugar and then some slices of fresh ginger root.  Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave and allow to sit and cool to room temperature.  Remove ginger slices when cool.

Serve with gyoza dumplings.

I could really go for one or six homemade egg rolls right now !

I am going to go through the refrigerator and decide which vegetables to include with a stir fry...I have some plum sauce, hoisin sauce, duck sauce and some teriyaki sauce. If I get out a piece of beef I will slice it thin and marinate in one or two of the sauces, some wine and a splash of fish sauce.

I will pick up the fortune cookies, the pineapple chunks, toothpicks, and tea!!!!

cookingirl wrote:I will pick up the fortune cookies, the pineapple chunks, toothpicks, and tea!!!!

hahaha.. good idea though.. and I like your icon

See, this virtual meal is shaping up to be a feast !

call me dumb..  I don't get this. Is this for todays meal?

if so I didn't make anything Asian.

No, Barb, this is a "virtual meal" (aka - pretend) that we are all mentally contributing to.  Please tell me you'll bring your beef and broccoli....a pic of it and the recipe or method explanation would be nice.

Then, when we all have our contributions laid out on a giant Internet table we will sit and eat and talk and laugh and watch Jimmy fall asleep in his chair....lol

Oh, and cookingirl....you better be planning to create and exchange those lame commercial fortunes for some really creative ones if you are not planning on baking a few dozen fortune cookies to bring!

cashew chicken.. how I made it. no clue lol

BABY CORN !!

I see BABY CORN ! Wow, that looks perfectly wonderful. glad you were able to put it together on such short notice...lol

 you are welcome. gosh it looks so good I may have to make it again tomorrow  

Short ribs, (Kahlbi) is done.

Thanks so much for making SO many, Norm. The short ribs are like potato chips....you just want one piece right after the next....and then another and another!

I'll make lettuce wraps. Ground chicken, green onions, mushrooms, water chestnuts and Kikkoman's stir fry sauce, along with a little rice wine, a little spice. Saute all together and put in a lettuce cup. I just made these the other day and they were YUMMY!! Whooda thunk I'd need photos for a virtual meal.

How interesting is this meal ???

The lettuce wraps are fabulous....and they sound easy enough to make! Sometimes I talk myself out of making something new because I think it's going to be a lot of steps. But the sauce for much of the seasoning makes it a pantry meal, easy for a weeknight.

The same goes for your chow mien, Imelda. Your meals are always so colorful and appetizing.

We often make lettuce wraps with rice, bulgogi and kim che. Sometimes we use laver instead of lettuce too.

I'm convinced just about anything is tasty wrapped in a crisp lettuce cup or leaf. I like to rinse my lettuce, wrap it in a clean flour sack towel and let it crisp up in the refrigerator for a few hours. I think the cold crispness is a nice contrast to a warm and spicy filling.

Great thread, beth!

Love the idea of using the crockpot for the chow mein, Imelda.  

If I could figure out how to make those stir fried green beans like they have on all the Chinese buffets, I would bring those.  Those are my favorite thing on the buffets.  I tried to make some the other night, but they just weren't the same.  If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears .  Maybe it's the preserved vegetables that I'm missing...IDK.

I'll bring my version of Orange Chicken:



For the chicken:

Chicken tenders (cut into bite size pieces)
Sherry
Soy Sauce

Cornstarch
Vegetable oil for frying


For the sauce:

1 T vegetable oil
1 T minced garlic
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 cup Kitchen Basics Chicken Stock
1 tsp soy sauce
red pepper flakes
2 tsp cornstarch


Steamed Broccoli

Sprinkle the chicken tender pieces with sherry and soy sauce.  Place them in the refrigerator for about an hour to marinate.  Drain the chicken tender pieces, dust with cornstarch, and deep fry in  batches until lightly golden brown.

Lightly saute the garlic in the 1 T of oil, add the marmalade, 1/2 cup of the chicken stock, the soy sauce, and the red pepper flakes to taste. Simmer until slightly thickened. Mix together the 2 tsp cornstarch and the remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock.  Add to the sauce mix and continue cooking for a few more minutes. The longer the sauce cooks, the thicker it gets.

Toss together the chicken pieces and sauce to coat.

OK, Ceee! Orange chicken is one of my favorites !

Re:the Chinese beans. I remember seeing a recipe in a recent issue of Southern Living...probably April or May. There was a recipe from a lady in Carmel, Indiana for the beans. I remember the recipe having soy and brown sugar and I think she blanched the beans before stir fry in a hot wok to blister the beans. I think there was some red pepper flakes as well. If I could fly down to the villa I'd look up the recipe for you. I can see the page in my head...just not the detail....lol

I did some reading around and watched some youtubes this morning but wasn't able to find anything from Southern Living. Some people say that the beans in the restaurants are deep fried  first. I don't really like that idea, but I'll try anything once  .