It is the March break here in Québec and although the sun is shining brightly
it is not too warm!
We have been skiing, skating on the lake and gathering around the island in the evening
to prepare some food and drinks.
My memories of food preparation when I was younger never involved
a group of people.
When it did involve more than my mother in the kitchen, it was usually due to
my aunts arriving with prepared food that they would be adding to the meal.
They never actually cooked together.
I think they missed out on a wonderful experience
as food to me is all about the social aspect.
Whether it is one person making the drinks
and other people preparing the appetizers,
there is this great feeling of camaradie when it is all done together.
The other night we were fortunate enough to start our meal with a Japanese Chow Mein recipe
that was a real hit for the whole gang.
Lot's of chopping going on for this Japanese Chow Mein
The recipe progresses through the images in a clock wise fashion:
1large garlic clove
1 tsp. finely chopped ginger
1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled, sliced and julienned
2 stalks of celery (ours were small so we used 3)
1 half pound of mushrooms sliced up nice and thin
3 quarter pounds of chicken cut into small mouth-sized bites (we used thighs as we all prefer the dark meat...especially in a recipe like this)
Heat 1 tbsp. oil and sauté ginger and garlic on low to medium for a few minutes.
Turn up the heat and add the chicken to brown.
Stir fry the chicken until it is just cooked and then add your onions, celery, mushrooms and carrots.
Stir fry until the veggies start to soften. (not too much)
Stir in a tsp. of white sugar and a few hits of soya sauce.
Add in one package of deep-fried chow mein noodles or Japanese brown mein noodles (which is what we used).
Stir until the noodles reach the softness that you prefer. We liked it a little crunchy!
Recipes also call for bean sprouts, pickled ginger etc.
Turn up the heat and add the chicken to brown.
Stir fry the chicken until it is just cooked and then add your onions, celery, mushrooms and carrots.
Stir fry until the veggies start to soften. (not too much)
Stir in a tsp. of white sugar and a few hits of soya sauce.
Add in one package of deep-fried chow mein noodles or Japanese brown mein noodles (which is what we used).
Stir until the noodles reach the softness that you prefer. We liked it a little crunchy!
Recipes also call for bean sprouts, pickled ginger etc.
Oh, and I cannot forget the drinks that went along with our appetizer....
a favourite around here... Bloody Caesar
Heavy on the Worch....
Real good.
Do you like cooking with a lot of people or do you need your kitchen all to you?
a favourite around here... Bloody Caesar
Real good.
Do you like cooking with a lot of people or do you need your kitchen all to you?
sharing this over at:
The dish looks yummy. I could change the noodle to a rice noodle, so everyone could eat it.
ReplyDeletemmmm..........looks great! See what happens when we embrace multi cultural adversity - we get the best of all worlds
ReplyDeletethis comment is to be deciphered by those in the know LMHO
xoxoxo
Your recipe sounds really yummy, Donna. I'm not used to a large crowd in my small kitchen so it would bother me I think. Although the camaraderie would be fun. We'd just be bumping into each other and I don't have much counter space either. It's +2 here but the wind is making it feel colder. Loving the sunshine and blue skies though.
ReplyDeleteI am a solo cook...I move so fast that I would be afraid to knock someone over trying to do too many things at once.
ReplyDeleteI like both cooking alone to make a surprise and cooking with people and have as much fun while preparing as while eating! It looks like you had much fun!
ReplyDeleteMy kitchen is small so it's not easy to have several people working in it at once. My sis, one sister in law and I have managed to do it on many happy occasions and the food is all the better for the fun we had together when we made it. I always wish I was part of your party! Why is that?
ReplyDeleteOh how fun!! Your recipe looks so easy and good!!
ReplyDeleteI love chicken chow mein but never make it myself, so I think I should try your recipe because it looks delicious. I need to look out for those Japanese noodles though.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest friend loves to cook more than me, even though I do it as a job. She has often brought all the ingredients to my house and cooked gorgeous three course meals, and I just help her prep stuff, it's great !
Pinned it! This looks fun to make and eat, Donna!
ReplyDeleteSome people like me feel very inadequate and awkward when in another person's kitchen..... people who are comfortable with cooking have their way to do things and aren't always that kind or patient with those of us of lesser skills. it is as if we are being judged for our lack of prowess in the kitchen. Mind you I don't mind standing there and pouring the wine!!!!! If that counts as a role.
ReplyDelete