Beef and Shredded Lettuce Fried Rice (生菜牛肉炒飯)

Hello! I know it's been a while since I've shared a recipe but I've just been super busy this holiday season! I'm currently sweating over my 2014 holiday project (check out what I did for the last three years!) Every year, I look forward to December to work on something special like this and I can't wait to share with you all the final product! So today I thought I'd share with you a quick recipe since everyone is spending most of their time prepping for the holidays, and would probably want to stir up dinner quickly! This dish is one of my favorites when it comes to Hong Kong style classics - the Beef and Shredded Lettuce Fried Rice (生菜牛肉炒飯).

Fried rice is one of my comfort foods. And I'm not taking about fried rice from your neighborhood Dragon Palace or Szechuan Garden. I wouldn't eat fried rice from those places even if it's free. It's not them. It's me. (well, it is kinda them a little.) I can't picture people visiting from Italy would want to eat at Olive Garden so forgive me if I'm picky about my fried rice!

I have a handful of favorite Hong Kong style fried rice - the Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice (鹹魚雞粒炒飯) is unique, the Yeung Chow Fried Rice (揚州炒飯) is one of the most basics. The Beef and Shredded Lettuce Fried Rice (生菜牛肉炒飯) which is usually made with ground beef but I went with thinly sliced flank steak instead for this recipe.

And I know what you're thinking - cooked lettuce? It's really not as bad as it sounds if you've only been eating raw lettuce all your life. Cooked lettuce with oyster sauce is quite common on the Cantonese dinner table, and one of my go-to veggie as a kid. The trick for cooking lettuce is not to cook it for too long - you want it to be still slightly crispy and definitely not mushy.

I folded in the shredded lettuce into the rice just a few minutes before I turned off the heat. And for the beef, I changed it up by using thinly cut flank steak instead of ground beef. Flank steak is an awesome cut of meat and it's great for marinating. For this recipe, you don't need a whole lot of beef so half of a pound is enough. And like any other fried rice, day-old rice is your best bet. Making fried rice with fresh made rice is sticky business and you don't want to go down that road of eating rice lumps.

So there you have it! An authentic Hong Kong style fried rice made with cooked lettuce which might just surprise ya!

Beef and Shredded Lettuce Fried Rice (生菜牛肉炒飯)

Prep time: 30 mins  Cook time: 15 mins  Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 2

You'll need:

  • 1/2 lb flank steak, cut into paper-thin slices
  • 5 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp rice wine
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cups cooked, day-old rice
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 head of lettuce, shredded or sliced into 1/4 inch thick
  • Optional:
  • [url href="http://www.huyfong.com/no_frames/garlic.htm" target="_blank"]Huy Fong chili garlic sauce[/url]

Approach:

  1. Remove day-old rice from the fridge and let it return to room temperature.
  2. Slice flank steak against the grain to paper-thin slices.
  3. Mix the beef with 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, minced garlic, brown sugar, white pepper powder, salt, and black pepper, and rice wine. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes.
  4. In a heated skillet or wok over high heat, add beef and cook for 5 minutes. Remove beef and set aside.
  5. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, add rice and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir and break apart the bigger lumps. Add the eggs and stir them into the rice. Keep egg pieces small by stirring occasionally. Drizzle more olive oil if needed. Add the beef back into the pan and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper, and 2 tbsp of soy sauce.
  6. Lastly, fold in the shredded lettuce and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  7. Serve hot with chili garlic sauce.

Meatballs with Sweet Plum Sauce (蘇梅牛肉丸)

Happy (almost) birthday, America! You're turning 238 this year! Hope you guys are looking forward to the July 4th with amazing cookouts, good company, spectacular fireworks, and let's not forget the most important of all - celebration of freedom and democracy. While America might not paint a perfect picture for everyone, we, as residents of this great nation, are truly fortunate to be living freely and enjoying the beauty of democracy.

Every year around the fourth of July, I get a little sad which has nothing to do with America's birthday. And nobody should be crying at a birthday party filled with food and entertainment (unless you're scared of clowns). But on the same week as America celebrates its independence, my birth place of Hong Kong is fighting for its own democracy on the other side of the world. This year, 510,000 Hong Kong citizens showed up on the annual July 1st march to demonstrate their desire for full democracy, and showed their support for a true election in 2017 that the Chinese central government had promised when the city was returned from the hands of Great Britain. Can you imagine if 510,000 people took the streets of New York City? Look, I love Hong Kong and it'd forever be my home where my roots are. I believe Hong Kong is a very special place like no others. It's just a little unbearable to see it being threatened increasingly by the Chinese central government whose a true bully on this playing field.

Well, until Hong Kong has reached full democracy, I will always have a little tear in my heart during Fourth of July. You may say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one.

My feet, however, are standing on the soil of The United States of America. Therefore, I need to focus on what's also important to me - celebrating America's birthday! (YAY!) In this case, I brought meatballs to the party, y'all! While these are cooked on the stovetop, I highly recommend that you throw them over the grill at your Fourth of July cookout!

I love these bamboo skewers from Crate & Barrel - they're the best skewers! I got them from a Crate & Barrel outlet store in Chicago a while ago so they might not carry them anymore :( Shame!

Did you know that oyster sauce is great for seasoning beef? When I was trying to think of ingredients for these meatballs, I wanted something that's very flavorful, something more than just soy sauce. Oyster sauce seemed to be a great fit so I went testing my theory.

Not gonna lie. My first batch was way salty. I had forgotten the richness of oyster sauce, and went a little too heavy-handed. After adjusting the amount of it, the meatballs were golden, and ready to party! Meat is always good when it's got some char on it and these meatballs did not disappoint being cooked on the cast iron pan and not the grill. The hints of garlic and ginger came through, and the sweetness of the plum sauce was perfecto to go along with the savory beef.

Serve these meatballs with sweet plum sauce over rice, with buns, or even as lettuce wraps!

Have a spectacular Fourth, everyone!

MEATBALLS WITH SWEET PLUM SAUCE (蘇梅牛肉丸)

Prep time: 2 hrs 10 mins  Cook time: 15 mins  Total time: 2 hrs 25 mins

Serves: about 24, 1" meatballs

You'll need:

  • 1 lb ground beef, 80% lean
  • 2 tbsp garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp ginger, minced
  • 2 tbsp scallion, finely chopped
  • ¾ tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Sauce:

  •  4 tbsp Chinese plum sauce
  • 2 tbsp warm water

Approach:

  1. Mix together ground beef, garlic, ginger, scallion, oyster sauce, and worcestershire sauce in a mixing bowl. Refrigerate, and let it marinate for 2 hours or up to overnight.
  2. Remove beef mixture from the fridge, and let it return to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
  3. While waiting, stir plum sauce together with water. Set aside.
  4. Mix panko breadcrumbs with the meat until well-combined.
  5. Heat a cast iron pan on medium-low, and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Give the pan a twirl to spread the oil on the pan.
  6. Roll one-inch meatballs, and place them on the cast iron pan. Sear them for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown all around. Cook in batches if needed, and add more oil when needed.
  7. When all the meatballs are seared, put them on the skewers. Continue to cook on the cast iron on low heat for an additional 10-12 minutes. Rotate occasionally, and check the center temperature as you go.
  8. Let them cool for 1 minute, then top with sweet plum sauce.
  9. Serve immediately over rice, on a bun, or as lettuce wraps!

Black Pepper Beef Sliders

Here we go with the Cantonese-inspired sliders series #2! What did you think of the sweet and sour chicken sliders I posted a couple days ago? If you're reading this, I take it that you're interested to find out this next one I have for you as part of the sliders series? In that case, I'm seriously thrilled that you're here! And if you just happened to stumble upon this post, I'm glad that you're here too!

Do you rememeber a while ago I shared with you a recipe for Hong Kong style black pepper sauce? Well, today we're putting that to use. Black pepper sauce is quite common on the menu at tea restaurants and western-style restautants in Hong Kong. It's a sauce that usually goes along with grilled chicken or steak/beef, often served on a bed of white rice or spaghetti. I obviously grew up loving the dish so how could I not put that to use when I'm crafting some Cantonese-inspired sliders!?

And no, neither there is spaghetti in these sliders nor the buns were made out of rice. I'm not that crazy (but maybe I should be)? You be the judge, and let me know in the comments below! Beside black pepper sauce, Hong Kongers are quite fond of beef brisket which is what I used for these sliders. Even on a hot summer day, locals enjoy their beef brisket noodle soup 牛腩麵 (sometimes with a side of wontons) while taking shelter from the scorching hot weather with blasting air-con indoors. Beef brisket is also commonly enjoyed with curry (Curry Beef Brisket 咖喱牛腩) or with choy sum (菜遠牛腩).

When I thought of making beef sliders, brisket just came to my mind like second nature since it's my favorite cut of beef. I think matching it with black pepper sauce and some homemade pickles was a wise choice, and the flavors came out just right!

So kick back, and enjoy a beer with these Black Pepper Beef Sliders!

Don't forget to check out Part 1 of the Cantonese-inspired sliders series:
 Sweet and Sour Chicken Sliders

Black Pepper Beef Sliders

Prep time: 5 hours 10 mins  Cook time: 30 mins  Total time: 5 hours 40 mins

Serves: 6

You'll need:

  • 6 Martin’s “sliced potato rolls”
  • 1 lb beef brisket
  • some homemade pickles
  • Marinate:
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp shaoxing (紹興) rice wine
  • 3 tbsp ketchup
  • 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar

Approach:

  1. Cut beef brisket into 2″ strips, then arrange them in a baking dish or toss them in a large ziplock bag.
  2. Combine marinate ingredients.
  3. Pour 2/3 of it into the baking dish or ziplock bag with the brisket, and give it a quick stir. Refrigerate for 5-6 hours, and give it another stir mid-way through.
  4. minutes before you’re ready to cook the brisket, remove it from the fridge, and let it sit and return to room temperature.
  5. Using a sauté pan on medium-high heat, cook the brisket for 10 minutes with all of its marinate. Then, cover with lid and simmer for another 20 minutes. Taste test the tenderness of the meat from time to time. In my experience, the longer you cook a brisket, the more tender it gets.
  6. Remove brisket from the pan, leaving the sauce. Let the meat rest for a few minutes on the cutting board before slicing.
  7. Pour the rest (1/3) of the marinate into the pan, let it simmer until the onion has soften and the sauce has thickened.
  8. Toast 6 buns in the toaster oven (butter lightly if you like).
  9. To assemble, take slices of brisket, top with sauce and then some pickles.
  10. Serve immediately (like now!)

Spaghetti Bolognese

Oi! Is spaghetti bolognese one of your favorite pasta dishes? It sure was my favorite growing up! "I mean, what's not to like?" (Yes, I'm quoting from Friends ;)) But seriously. Tomato sauce, good. Beef, good. Pasta, good! This particular spaghetti bolognese recipe is closer to what you'd be able to find at a cha chaan teng in Hong Kong. It's a pretty straightforward pasta dish that's quite simple to make.

3 small vine tomatoes, half of an onion, 5-6 cloves of garlic, half of a box of spaghetti. (A few other things: 1 small can of tomato paste, some worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper, and a little bit of flour.)

I've tried bolognese sauce with other kinds of pasta before but spaghetti is the perfect pair in my book. I love twirling the pasta and the sauce at once. It just feels more cohesive as a bite than eating bolognese sauce with small pieces of pasta.

If you got some grated parmesan (and a glass of wine), you're set! It's a perfect dinner to make during the week because it's super simple and doesn't take long.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti Bolognese

Serves: 3-4

You'll need:

  • 5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 small vine tomatoes, diced
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 6-oz can of tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tbsp all-purposed flour
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1/2 lb of spaghetti

Approach:

  1. Prep your ingredients by mincing the garlic, and dicing the onion and tomatoes. In a medium bowl, mix together tomato paste and 1/2 cup of water, set aside. In another small bowl, mix flour and 1tbsp of water, set aside. Boil a pot of water for the spaghetti.

  2. In medium heat, cook minced garlic with 1 tbsp of olive oil until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Then add diced onion, and cook until onion becomes transparent. Transfer mixture to a bowl and set aside.

  3. When hot water is ready, drop your spaghetti with some salt (I like to break the spaghetti in half). Let it cook until al dente, then drain.

  4. Brown the ground beef, and spoon out the excess fat so the sauce doesn’t get too greasy.

  5.  Return the onion mixture to the pan with the beef, and season with salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar.

  6. Add the diced tomatoes, and the water-downed tomato paste. Cook for another 5 minutes.

  7. Lastly, stir in the flour mixture which would act as a binder for the sauce. Toss in the spaghetti (after it’s drained) and give it a good stir using a pair of tongs.

  8. Plate, and sprinkle some grated parmesan if you have.

Oxtail Soup

This is a classic dish my mom used to make all the time. It's a very simple dish to prepare and cook. I just love the aroma of the soup that fills the air, and kindly reminds me of my mom's cooking.

There are many styles of Oxtail Soup – Korean, Hawaiian, Chinese, German, Polish, etc... And there're also oxtail stews that are usually richer and more flavorful. But what I love about this Oxtail Soup, that I have inherited from my mom, is that you can really appreciate the simple, natural taste of the wholesome ingredients. And since this is a brothy soup, I often like to add something that's more substantial to it to make it more of a full meal – potatoes or pasta (something like fusilli or rotini) would do just fine.

When you're cooking oxtail or any kind of stew meat in soups, the cook time is usually long because you want the collagens of the meat to break down slowly in very slow heat. If for some reason the oxtail meat did not turn out to be as tender as you thought, there might be a few explanations. And one would be that the meat was simply from an older ox/cow. And how can you tell if the meat is good when you're shopping at the grocery store? Well, that I'm afraid it's something that I haven't learned so I can't offer you a solution. From what I've read, searing the meats first before simmering might help to make it more tender. I gotta give that a try next time!

So beside the meat in this Oxtail Soup, the ingredients are really basic – cabbage, carrots, onion, and tomatoes.

Roughly chop up the cabbage.

Aren't these vine tomatoes gorgeous just to look at? :)

Use a BIG pot, something that holds at least a gallon.

Here's a little tip. Tomato paste is thick. If you drop a tablespoon of it into the pot, it's just gonna get lost in between all the vegetable. Instead, when adding the tomato paste, mix it up first in the ladle.

See how much easier this is?

Get ready to dig into a bowl of veggie goodness with some real tender beef!

Oxtail Soup

Makes: about 4 quarts Cook Time: 3 1/2 hour

You'll need:

  • 2 lbs of oxtail
  • 1 head of cabbage, chopped
  • 1 16oz-bag of baby carrots (or 3-4 regular carrots)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 vine tomatoes, quartered
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp salt

Approach:

  1. Heat 4 quarts of water in a big pot until boiled, add the oxtail. Reduce the heat to very low, and cook for 2 hours.
  2. While the oxtail is cooking, chop up all the vegetable.
  3. After 2 hours, add the bay leaves and all the veggies. Add the cabbage first (bottom), and tomatoes (top). Let it cook for 30 minutes.
  4. After 30 minutes, give everything a big stir. Then, add the tomato paste by mixing it in the ladle first.
  5. Add the dried basil, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
  6. Let it simmer for 1 more hour.

Notes:

I like to cook the pasta separately, and add them into the soup later. This way I can make sure it won't be overcooked.