Seafood Curry Noodle Soup

This is a comforting noodle soup for a cold night packed with great flavors. This recipe will feed four hungry adults.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 package of chicken curry paste that requires two cups of liquids
1 pound medium shrimp peeled, shell reserved
2 cans of coconut milk
1 can of chicken stock
1 tablespoon dry tamarind soup base (optional)
1 package of 10 oz cooked fish balls
1 package of 10 oz fried tofu cut in halves or fourths depending on size
1/2 package of fresh wide rice noodles

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in large sauce pan. Add reserved shrimp shells to the oil and stir around until shells turn pink. Remove the shrimp shells and add package of chicken curry paste. Stir fry in oil for a few minutes until fragrant. Add coconut milk, chicken stock and tamarind to the pan and mix well. Bring the soup to a boil and the fish balls and tofu and simmer for 10 minutes uncovered.

While the soup is simmering, separated the noodles and place in a soup bowl. The noodles can be blanched for a few seconds in boiling water if desired before putting in the soup bowl. This is recommended for fresh noodles that have been refrigerated. Add the shrimps to the soup a few minutes before serving to allow the shrimps to cook but not over cook. Once the shrimp is cooked through, turn off the heat and ladle desired amount of soup over noodles.

I prefer tamarind in the soup, but it is optional and just as good without. Read Full Post

Marinated Mushrooms

Marinated mushrooms is one of my favorite sides to prepare and can be served cold or at room temperature. It is simple, quick and delicious.

Ingredients:
1 pound of small or medium sized button mushrooms
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 medium white onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped


Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel and cut off the stems. Stems can be saved for later use in a stock.


In a large non-stick skillet, add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil for a few seconds. Add the mushrooms and toss until evenly coated.


Bring the heat down to low and simmer the mushrooms for about 10 minutes, tossing once or twice. If the mushrooms are larger, they can be cook for a few minutes longer. Pour everything into a heat proof container and let it cool to room temperature before placing it in the fridge. Make sure you have a lid for your container. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow maximum flavor. Read Full Post

Zha Jiang Mian (Noodles with Soy Bean Sauce)

Zha Jian Mian is one of my favorite Chinese noodle dishes to eat and cook because of its simplicity and its versatility. This version is made with a fermented soy bean sauce topped with carrots, cucumbers and scrambled eggs. There are so many ways to prepare this dish, once you've tried it, you'll taste the possibilities.
This recipe will feed about 4 adults.

Ingredients:
1 pound of fresh thick Chinese noodles
1 Large Chinese Cucumber thinly sliced
1 Large Carrot thinly sliced or shredded
2 Large Eggs, beaten with some salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds of ground pork
1 tablespoon of ginger, minced
1 tablespoon of garlic, minced
2/3 cup of fermented soy bean sauce (if unsweetened, add sugar to desired taste)
1 tablespoon of chicken broth
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of sambal chili sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix the soy bean sauce, chicken brother, soy sauce, sambal, and sesame oil together and set aside. Be sure to taste and make adjustments if necessary.


Assemble the thinly sliced cucumber and carrot on a plate. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium high heat. Right when the oil starts to smoke, pour the beaten eggs into the skillet and let the egg mixture cook until the top is settled and you are able to flip it like a pancake. Take a large spatula, use two if necessary, and flip the egg pancake over and cook until the bottom is nice and golden. Remove the egg pancake to a cutting board, let it cool and slice thinly.


Return the skillet to the stove and heat the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil on medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger to the skillet for about 15-20 seconds and then add the ground pork. Break the pork apart with a spatula and season with salt and pepper. When the pork is cooked through and no longer pink, add the sauce to the skillet and mix well. Be sure to taste again and make any necessary adjustments. If you find the sauce a bit overpowering, it is fine because the flavors will tone down once mixed with the noodles and toppings.

The noodles can be served cold or hot. If served cold, be sure to mix in a little bit of vegetable oil to keep the noodles from sticking together. Read Full Post

Pho So 1, Van Nuys

Pho So 1 is conveniently located next to 99 Ranch Market in Van Nuys. On the days I decide to go grocery shopping on an empty stomach I might pop in for a quick bite. I can always count on the same wait staff to be there, and sometimes even run into them at the market. The restaurant is a decent size with mainly four person tables and rarely a long wait. If there is a line, be sure to sign your name on the clip board inside. The restaurant is very basic and mostly clean. This isn't the kind of place I would go on a date, but more of a quick stop for some belly filling food. The service is super fast if you order pho or egg rolls. We skipped the egg rolls this visit, but they are quite good.

Food

Usual plate of fixings for pho

I always add bean sprouts, basil, jalapeno and a squeeze of lime juice to my pho.

Dac Biet Xe Lua (No.1)
6.00

A friend always told me, when in doubt (or indecisive) always go with the number 1 choice on the menu at a pho restaurant and I did. I ordered a regular sized bowl which came with rare slices of steak, well-done brisket, flank, tendon, and tripe. I find that the quality of meat at Pho So 1 is not as good as other pho restaurants I've visited and their tendon is my least favorite. The tripe didn't taste very fresh this time, but the beef was tender and flavorful. The broth is ordinary, but the noodles are a highlight for me because they have the right amount of spring and do not break into pieces when I mix everything together. When I'm really hungry, a bowl of this hits the spot.

Pho Tom (No.23)
6.25

Shrimp, shrimp and more shrimp. The bowl does come with quite a few large shrimps with the tail on. The shrimp was ok, and the broth and noodles are exactly the same as the other bowl of pho we ordered. This is the first time we ordered pho with shrimp and definitely the last time. Something about the combination just doesn't work for me.

Overall, The service is good in the sense that they take your order right away and all your food arrives quickly, however do not expect a smile or any kind of small talk. The pho is satisfying, but do not expect to be screaming "OMG" when you eat it. I enjoy the egg rolls and regret not ordering them this time. If you're in the neighborhood and want a decent bowl of pho or delicious egg rolls, give Pho So 1 a try.

3 out of 5 Stars

Pho So 1
6450 Sepulveda Blvd
Van Nuys, CA 91411

Parking
The parking lot is huge and shared with 99 Ranch Market. During busy grocery shopping hours, the lot is very full.

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Jack n' Jill's, Santa Monica

My friend and I ended up at Jack n' Jills for a late breakfast/early lunch over the weekend after realizing the place we wanted to eat at was closed. The restaurant is fairly small, with a decent size dining area on the first floor and a smaller dining area upstairs. We put our name on the list and enjoyed a nice cup of complimentary unsweetened tea while we waited.


After they called our names, we placed our orders downstairs at the cash register and were seated upstairs. My friend ordered oatmeal with a side of egg whites, which she said was very good. I ordered the 1/2 sandwich and soup combo for $10.

JNJ Club & Tomato Basil Soup
10

The JNJ club came with smoked turkey breast, honey cured ham, havarti & Gouda cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato. I took out the extra slice of bread in between each sandwich, which made it much more enjoyable. The bread was toasted perfectly with a nice crunch in every bite. Definitely an enjoyable sandwich, but no wow factor. The tomato basil soup was very flavorful and the fresh basil helped to highlight the great flavor.

Overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant and the wait staff was very nice and attentive. The two things I tried were good, but nothing special and a little pricey. I won't be in a hurry to go back as there are plenty of other places to try in Santa Monica.

2.5 out of 5 Stars

Jack n' Jills
510 Santa Monica Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Parking
Plenty of metered parking, but they fill up quickly.



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