Chow Fun with Chinese Barbecued Pork and Snow Peas (Page 249)

RECIPE #936

• Date: Saturday, January 24, 2009 -- 7pm
• Location: Bloomington, IN
• Kitchen: My Apartment
• Dining Companion: Matty
• Recipe Rating: A-
  

This recipe called for the Char Siu recipe as one of its components. I had made the Char Siu weeks before and stashed it in the freezer, so I figured it was about time to dig it out and make this Chow Fun. I started by tossing some fresh rice noodles with a bit of peanut oil. Then I added more peanut oil to a very hot wok (thanks, Mike, for the wok -- I love it!) and stir-fried the noodles. I added snow peas and scallions and stir-fried a few more minutes. I then added the sliced pork along with chopped garlic and ginger, and stir-fried another minute. I added a mixture of chicken stock, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sake, and sugar, and brought it to a boil. I then added cornstarch mixed with water and cooked for another half a minute. I removed it from the heat, stirred in some bean sprouts, drizzled on some sesame oil, and served. This Chow Fun was quite tasty. As I mentioned in my post about it, the Char Siu was delicious, and indeed it added a lot to this recipe. The snow peas were perfectly cooked and added a great crunch to the dish. I haven't often cooked with fresh rice noodles (usually I use the dried ones), but these noodles had a great texture. They were cooked just the right amount, and became perfectly coated with the sauce. The sauce had a distinct flavor, which I wasn't sure I liked at first. But it grew on me as I ate, and I ended up enjoying the meal very much. Overall, my special gentleman and I were quite pleased with this dish.

Here is the recipe.

Happy Valentines Day! I was running errands this afternoon (post office, car repair shop, grocery store, pharmacy, butcher, another grocery store...) and I stopped at the pharmacy to fill some prescriptions. On the way out I walked by an area of the pharmacy that has those Kodak computers where you can print copies of photos, or make cards from photos, etc... There were 3 or 4 such machines in a row, and sitting at each of them was a college-age guy, trying to create something from a picture of him with a girl (presumably his girlfriend). Behind each guy was a pack of 1 to 3 other guys, who were helping/heckling/waiting their turn. Many of them held various other types of Valentine's Day paraphernalia: balloons, chocolates, stuffed animals. The whole thing made me smile. They were trying so hard, in that 19-year-old-male sort of way.

My Valentine's Day has contained no such things -- at my request! My special gentleman makes me feel very loved every day, so flowers and chocolate to show me he loves me seems a little silly. Instead, this year we are exchanging nice cards, and going out for a very special dinner. My favorite restaurant (which happens to also be the restaurant where we are having our wedding) has a special Valentine's Day menu tonight, so we are going to have a late dinner there. An excellent meal sounds like the perfect Valentine's Day present to me!