Sesame Garlic Ramen Noodles

Ditch the spice packet and make these easy and flavorful sesame garlic ramen noodles!

Prep Time5minutes mins

Cook Time5minutes mins

Total Time5minutes mins

Course: Stir Fry Recipes

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: sesame garlic ramen noodles

Servings: 3

 adapted from: build your bite.com

Ingredients

• 4 blocks ramen noodles 12 oz total, flavor packets discarded
• 6 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Broth (made from packets or us chicken broth)

for serving

• sliced green onions
• sesame seeds

Instructions

• Cook the ramen noodles according to package directions, and discard the seasoning packets
• In a large skillet, heat the sesame oil. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and soy sauce. 
• Toss the sauce with the cooked ramen noodles and serve immediately, adding broth as desired.
• Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds

Nutrition

Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g| Sodium: 631mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g

Thai Yellow Curry

 Source: https://maddysavenue.com

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 8 tbsp yellow curry paste
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 4 15-ounce cans of coconut milk (high quality, see notes)
• 2 or 4 cup chicken stock
• 8 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4” rounds
• 8 medium-size potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 yellow onion, sliced into wedges, then halved
• 4 chicken breasts, very thinly sliced
• 3 tsp fish sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 3 tsp sugar, plus more to taste
• cilantro, for garnish
• lime wedges, for garnish
• serve with jasmine rice

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the curry paste to the oil, and stir-fry until fragrant, about two minutes. Take care to scrape any bits that stick to the bottom of the pot with your spoon.
3. Spoon in the coconut solids from the top of the can first, and allow it to fry with the paste for a minute. Stir in the rest of the coconut milk (or coconut cream) and 1 cup of chicken stock. If you would like the curry to be thinner/soupier, then you can add 1 more cup of stock. Bring to a low boil, then turn the stove down to a simmer.
4. Stir in the potatoes. When the potatoes are about halfway cooked through, stir in the carrots and onions.
5. Once the carrots are almost fork-tender, add in the thinly sliced chicken and cook for two or three minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through and tender. Pay attention not to overcook the chicken, this process doesn’t take long.
6. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fish sauce, salt, and sugar, adjusting each to suit your tastes.
7. Serve the curry in bowls, over jasmine rice. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Notes

• The quality of coconut milk brands varies widely. When you’re shopping, look at the ingredients list to find the product with the highest coconut solids to water ratio, ideally with no extra additives. You may need to trial and error a few different brands to find the one you prefer. Low-quality coconut milk will result in a more “soupy” or “runny” curry.
• Traditional Thai curries should be on the soupier side, but not too thin either. If you prefer a thicker curry, substitute one or two cans of coconut milk for coconut cream. And again, the same rules apply. Look at the ingredients list. See if you can find cans of 100% coconut kernel extract, with no extra water, thickeners, or other additives listed on the label.
• If your curry still ends up “soupy” or “runny,” you can thicken it with a slurry of corn starch and water.
• Make sure to purchase this yellow curry pastefrom Amazon. While you might be able to find other yellow curry pastes at the grocery store, none of them are as authentic as this one, which comes straight from Thailand!
• If you don’t have virgin coconut oil, you can also use vegetable oil.
• You can make this recipe vegetarian/vegan by simply omitting the chicken and fish sauce. Use soy sauce or vegan fish sauce instead, to taste.
• We used a mandoline to cut all of the carrots equally and to give them the fun, ridged texture you’d see in a restaurant.

Sloppy Joes a la Yum-o

 Sloppy Joes

Recipe source: Americas Test Kitchen

1lb ground beef add to bowl

In a separate bowl mix

1T water

1/2 tsp baking soda

Add to beef then add

1/2 tsp salt, mix beef 

2T oil in pan, add 1/2 chopped onion and 1/8 tsp baking soda

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp paprika, stir until fragrant

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp salt

2 tsp brown sugar

1/4 cup tomato paste

Cook 3-4 min then add beef

Cook until no longer pink. Use a potato masher and mash the meat then add

1\3 c ketchup

1T Worcestershire 

1T red wine vinegar 

1/2 tsp cornstarch and 1 T water mix and stir into meat

Orange Chicken

 Panda Orange Chicken… But Better

Source: joshuaweissman.com

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken Dredge:

• 1.5# Chicken thighs

• 1 egg

• Salt

• Msg

• 1 cup (140g) corn starch

• 1/2 cup (75g) all purpose flour

Sauce:

• 3/4 cup (170g) sugar

• 3/4 cup (180ml) White vinegar

• 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp (90ml) double fermented Soy sauce (regular is fine too)

• 1/4 cup (60ml) water plus

• Zest and juice of 1 orange

• Splash saixing wine

• Splash chinkian vinegar

• 1 Tbsp (10g) Corn starch plus 1 tbsp water

• 4 cloves garlic, grated

• 2 inch knob ginger, grated

• 1-2 Red fresno chilies, finely minced

INSTRUCTIONS:

Sauce Method:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, white vinegar, soy sauce, water, and zest and juice of an orange. Whisk together and bring to a boil over high heat.

2. Reduce to medium heat once boiling and let simmer while optionally adding saixing wine and chinkian vinegar. Simmer for 8-10 minutes.

3. Separately mix together cornstarch and water then whisk into the hot sauce for an additional minute or thickened.

4. Immediately add grated garlic and ginger, and finely minced fresno chilies. Whisk and let steep.

Chicken Method:

1. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and lightly season with salt.

2. In a medium size bowl, whisk together cornstarch and all-purpose flour.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs with a splash of water.

4. Toss the chicken pieces into the flour mixture then egg mixture, and then back into the flour mixture. Place to the side and rinse and repeat.

5. Fill a heavy bottom pot with frying oil 2-3” high and heat to 375F.

6. Fry chicken in batches for 3-5 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

7. Toss chicken and the sauce in a bowl until fully coated.

8. Serve topped with green onions and sliced fresh fresno chili

Creamy Tuscan Chicken

 

• 2 large chicken breasts, sliced horizontally to make cutlets
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 5 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1/3 cup (80ml) chicken broth
• 5 ounces (150g) jarred sun-dried tomato in oil, drained of oil
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 cups steamed cauliflower, riced

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the creamy garlic Tuscan chicken: Steam cauliflower rice in the microwave in a large bowl, covered, with 1/2 cup of water. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken cutlets on both sides with salt and pepper, and sear in the hot pan, for 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Once chicken breasts are cooked, remove from the pan and set aside.

3. In the same pan, melt the butter in the remaining cooking juices. Add in the garlic and fry until fragrant (about one minute). Add onion and stir fry until translucent. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and fry for 1-2 minutes so they release their flavors. Finally, pour in the chicken broth, and allow the sauce to reduce down slightly. 

4. Reduce heat to low, add the heavy cream, and bring to a gentle simmer, while stirring occasionally. Season the cream sauce with salt and pepper to your taste.

5. Add in the baby spinach and allow to wilt in the sauce, and add in the parmesan cheese. Allow cream sauce to simmer for a further minute until cheese melts through.

6. Add the pan-seared chicken breasts back into the pan; sprinkle with the parsley, and spoon the sauce over each chicken cutlet. Divide cauliflower rice into meal prep containers and top with the creamy garlic Tuscan chicken. Reheat in the microwave when ready to eat. Enjoy!

Ham Fried Rice

YIELD: 6 SERVINGS(FROM MELSKITCHENCAFE.COM)

MY GO-TO FRIED RICE RECIPE {EASY HAM FRIED RICE}

PREP TIME 15 MINUTES

 

COOK TIME 15 MINUTES

 

TOTAL TIME 30 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

•  3 large eggs
•  1 teaspoon sesame oil
•  1 teaspoon olive oil
•  Salt and pepper
•  2 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
•  2 to 3 green onions, finely chopped
•  3 cups cooked, cold rice (see note)
•  1 to 2 cups diced leftover ham (or deli ham)
•  1/2 to 1 cup frozen peas
•  2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Whisk together the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat the sesame and olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and let the mixture cook until set on the bottom, just a few seconds. With a rubber spatula turn the eggs slowly until mostly cooked. Scoot them to the side of the skillet.
2. If the skillet is dry, add another sploosh of oil (sesame or olive oil) to the center of the skillet. Add the garlic and the white parts of the green onions to the skillet and cook for 20-30 seconds, until sizzling (but not burning!) and the mixture smells fragrant.
3. Add the cold rice on top of the onions and garlic (keep the eggs mostly over to the side still), breaking the rice into clumps. Cook until the rice is sizzling and the clumps start to separate into smaller pieces, 3-4 minutes. Incorporate the eggs back into the rice mixture.
4. Add the chopped ham and peas and stir to combine. Add the soy sauce stir until evenly incorporated. Cook the fried rice until all the ingredients are heated through, 4-5 minutes.
5. Serve immediately with additional soy sauce, if desired, and the green parts of the onion. (If not serving with additional soy sauce, season to taste with additional salt and pepper, as needed.)

NOTES

Cooking Rice: the key to really good fried rice is using cooked rice that is really cold. This keeps the fried rice from turning mushy. However, if you don't have precooked rice on hand, you can use hot rice that's just been cooked (as long as you are ok with a slightly different texture to the finished fried rice). When cooking the rice on the stove, use 1 1/2 cups water or broth for every cup of rice. In the Instant Pot, I use 1 cup rice to 1 1/4 cups liquid (4 minutes high pressure for white rice/22 minutes high pressure for brown rice).

Types of Rice: white or brown rice can be used. I usually use jasmine or basmati varieties.

Soy Sauce Substitute: a gluten-free alternative can easily be subbed. Liquid or coconut aminos or tamari would work great here. I've also subbed in or added oyster or hoisin sauce.

Other Substitutions: this recipe is easily customizable. It can be made meatless or any variety of cooked meat can be subbed in for the ham. Other vegetables can easily be added as well.

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