Friday, September 30, 2016

Mongolian Noodles

Hubby and I enjoy Mongolian bowls. This recipe is as close as I can get like the ones that we eat at a Mongolian place at the food court. I love all kinds of noodles, so this is comfort food for me.

Mongolian  Noodles

2 small packs of vermicelli noodles (sotanghon), soaked in cold water.
Assorted vegetables, cut thinly (I use whatever is left in the crisper - carrots, sayote, Baguio beans etc.)
Choice of meat (sukiyaki cut, chicken fillets, cut in thin strips, squid etc)
Cooking oil
Chopped peanuts (optional, but highly recommended)

Sauce:
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
3/4 cup soy sauce (Kikkoman or any Korean brand)
2/3 cup brown sugar (or adjust to taste)
1 1/4 cup chicken broth (more, if your noodles feel a bit dry)
4 cloves or garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, sliced
Red pepper flakes, optional

Procedure:

1. Mix all the sauce ingredients and set aside. Let marinate for at least 15-20 minutes to infuse the garlic taste in the sauce.
2. In a wok, saute the meat/s in a bit of cooking oil and some of the sauce.
3. Add the vegetables and saute until vegetables are half done. Add the remainder of the sauce and simmer quickly. (I pass the sauce through a strainer, to remove the bits of garlic and ginger)
4. Drain the noodles and add to the pan.
5. Cook the noodles and add chopped peanuts.
6. Serve immediately.

This is nowhere authentic to a real Mongolian bowl,  but this is how we like it.

I've been cooking a lot lately but have not taken any photos of my experiments. I make recipes that are quick easy and with ingredients easy found in supermarkets.

Chicken Teriyaki

This is a recipe that I made recently for Hubby. He liked this version the best. I'm saving this so that it doesn't get lost in my files.

Chicken Teriyaki
2 Chicken fillets (thighs, boneless, skin on)
Cooking oil
Sesame seeds

Sauce:
2 Tablespoons soy sauce (Kikkoman or any Korean brand)
2 Tablespoons mirin
2 Tablespoons Sake
1 Tablespoon white sugar
1/2 inch ginger (sliced or grated, if you like the ginger flavor to be stronger)

Procedure:
1. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
2. Using a non-stick pan, pan fry the fillets in cooking oil until slightly browned. Set aside.
3. In the same pan, place the sauce and let boil. Once boiling, add the chicken fillets and swirl around the pan until fully coated on both sides, be careful to keep the skin intact. Simmer for just a minute or two until the sauce thickens a bit. Do not leave for too long, the sauce will caramelize quicky and will leave a mess.
4. Take out of the pan, drizzle sauce ove the chicken and garnish with sesame seeds.

Hubby doesn't enjoy the flavor of spring onions, so I didn't add any but, you can add some on top for color, if you prefer.

I have no picture, but it sure was good. This is my go to recipe for teriyaki sauce from now on. It's easy, affordable and I always have the ingredients handy in my pantry.