Wok Wednesdays: Chinese Trinidadian Stir-Fried Shrimp with Rum

My third time around on the #WokWednesdays merry-go-round is a generous and colorful dish which we paired with rice for a one-dish meal. Like our last recipe, this dish took some prep time, chopping and measuring out the ingredients; but with that done, the cooking-to-serving-platter time shrinks to under ten minutes, and the results were lucious and pleasing to eyes and palates. Lots of robust red sauce waits beneath the shrimp and peppers pictured here, making this an excellent dish to enjoy Thai-style; that is, over long-grain rice which is cooked to be fluffy and ideal for eating from plates with spoons, rather than from rice bowls with chopsticks. Not that rice bowls and chopsticks would be a problem; just use the serving spoon to scoop some of that divine sauce right onto the rice as you eat. 

I love how wok cooking changes the color of food from the outside in. This is when I know to toss and turn the shrimp, since their downside is getting done.

These shrimp are well on their way, and due for another toss.

I left the shells on, for the flavor boost and beautiful color. It’s messy eating, but I’m of the fried-chicken eating, watermelon-seed spitting crew of Southerners who consider messiness a harbinger of tasty fun food experiences. Not wrong to take them off; just don’t mind leaving them on for what I consider rewards for doing so. Shells provide lots of locations for sauce and tidbits to hunker down and be discovered by intrepid eaters….

A beautiful view, always, when I cook in a wok. The ginger and garlic which went in first thing gave lovely flavor notes to the dish, especially in the rust-colored sauce.

I love the stir-fry management techniques dreamed up by two of my fellow bloggers. Big Red Kitchen sets out her mise-en-place (chop/prep/measure-steps) in jars, and Mother Would Know notes steps on sticky notes to keep her on track. She calls them cheat sheets, but I could not put such a pejorative spin on her idea. I think it is resourceful cook-smarts and a worthy example to follow.  which my fellow bloggers, Big Red Kitchen and Mother Would know

For this color-and-flavor-packed recipe, click HERE: Big Red Kitchen

Here’s a round-up of some of my fellow Wok Wednesday bloggers

http://www.bigredkitchen.com/2012/06/wok-wednesdays-chinese-trinidadian-stir-fried-shrimp-with-rum-recipe/

http://motherwouldknow.com/journal/stir-fried-shrimp.htm

http://thedoubletroublekitchen.com/2012/06/13/ww-chinese-trinidadian-stir-fried-shrimp-with-rum/

http://whatthreefoods.wordpress.com/2012/06/13/chinese-trinidadian-stir-fried-shrimp-with-rum/

http://sarah.thepuddle.com/?p=104

http://myculinarymission.blogspot.com/2012/06/ww-chinese-trinidadian-stir-fried.htm

http://motherwouldknow.com/journal/stir-fried-shrimp.htm

http://www.debbiemoose.com/wordpress/

http://countrysidefoodrides.blogspot.com/p/wok-wednesdays.html#1206

The Wok Wednesdays post on this dish:

http://wokwednesdays.wordpress.com/2012/06/13/lyl-chinese-trinidadian-stir-fried-shrimp-with-rum/

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/WokWednesdays

Grace Young’s website:   http://www.graceyoung.com/

Pinterest Page generously created by Robin Sue of  Big Red Kitchen:     http://pinterest.com/bigredkitchen/wok-wednesdays/

Basic Background for Wok Wednesdays:  http://wokwednesdays.wordpress.com/about/

Order Grace Young’s inspiring book HERE , and consider cooking along with us next time!

Chinese Burmese Chili Chicken: A #WokWednesdays Feast

My second Wok Wednesdays endeavor produced a generous, satisfying dish: hearty, gorgeous, and perfect as a party dish or a one-dish family meal. In contrast to our first recipe, Stir-Fried Garlic Spinach, with its hallmarks of simplicity and focus, this dish, Chinese Burmese Chili Chicken plunged us into the world of contrasts and organization, with multiple ingredients and advance preparation on the menu.

I chopped up the chicken and tossed it with the cornstarch mixture, and set it in the fridge while I took care of business with the peppers, zucchini, ginger, and garlic, and measured out all the ingredients.

Then I put the rice on to cook and took a break for daily life (e-mail! dog-tending! homework-advising! laundry-folding! staring out the window…). Once rice was ready, the table was set, and the family was handy, and my was on the stove, it was showtime!

I love the process of stir-fry cooking, where everything is, well, in your face. I am watching and working, making things happen (swirling the oil, tossing the garlic and ginger, spreading the chicken pieces out over the hot pan, tumbling in the peppers) and also leaving things alone, to sizzle, sear, soften, and scent the kitchen with promising aromas. It’s fast and noisy and things change, from color of the raw chicken to texture of onions and peppers. In this dish, I loved how the chicken took on color once the spices were introduced, and the way the main ingredients stayed substantial while releasing that marvelously tasty rust-colored sauce. Big Red Kitchen has a smart, cool and pretty idea for stir-fry prep: organizing your mis en place in jars.

I took it easy on the chili heat, since the levels of appreciation for fiery food varies at my house, but this is a dish which could shine with the chili-dial turned up. I love the insight on how Chinese culinary traditions were interwoven with local Burmese and South Asian ingredients with this family kitchen.

For Grace Young’s recipe for Chinese Burmese Chili Chicken , visit this week’s host, “My Culinary Mission”, by clicking HERE.

 Here are posts on Chinese Burmese Chili Chicken from some of my fellow Wok Wednesday cooks:

http://www.greeneatsblog.com/2012/05/ww-chinese-burmese-chili-chicken/

http://thedoubletroublekitchen.com/2012/05/30/ww-chinese-burmese-chili-chicken/

http://www.bigredkitchen.com/2012/05/wok-wednesdays-chinese-burmese-chili-chicken/

http://myculinarymission.blogspot.com/2012/05/ww-chinese-burmese-chili-chicken.html

http://whatthreefoods.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/36/

http://motherwouldknow.com/journal/chinese-burmese-chili-chicken.html

http://countrysidefoodrides.blogspot.com/p/wok-wednesdays.html#120530

http://gcharlson.blogspot.com/2012/05/wok-wednesday-chinese-burmese-chili.html

http://www.debbiemoose.com/wordpress/?p=1533

http://livelaughloveandfire.blogspot.com/2012/06/ww-chinese-burmese-chili-chicken.html

 Check out Wok Wednesdays’ Facebook page by clicking HERE. Lots of great links on the subject, including The Kitchn ‘s recent feature on our hero, Grace Young . You can post your Wok Wednesdays recipe photos and comments there, even if you don’t have a blog. To join us, visit Wok Wednesdays, where Green Eats Blog -star Matt Lardie does the heavy lifting to make Wok Wednesdays work wonderfully well. Here’s Grace Young’s inspiring book, which you will love to have in your kitchen and by your reading chair. Order it  HERE!

Stir-Fried Chicken with Sweet and Hot Peppers

With school back in session here in North Carolina, and farmer’s markets making room for kale, pumpkins, and scuppernong grapes, the produce party we enjoy all summer long is winding down. We’re feasting on the last fantastic vine-ripened tomatoes, on tomato sandwiches, in salads with the last of the lettuce or in Bill Smith’s famous tomato and watermelon salad; some folks are canning them for winter meals, in the old-school newly-revived way. Sweet peppers (which around here come in pre-holiday reds and greens) abound, issuing an invitation to grab some eggplant and make ratatouille, or roast them in the oven to keep on hand for pizzas, sandwiches, and omelets. Here’s one more way to savor them: stir-fried in a deep skillet or wok with chunks of chicken and seasoned with fresh ginger, garlic, jalapenos, and soy sauce.

Nancie’s Stir-Fried Chicken with Sweet and Hot Peppers

This recipe comes from my cookbook, 300 Best Stir-Fry Recipes, published by Robert Rose, Inc., 2007.  We serve this over rice, couscous, or quinoa. You can also tuck it into a pita pocket or tortilla;  or toss it with noodles. If you don’t have sherry or Shaoxing rice wine handy, simple add an extra splash of chicken stock or water. You can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast.

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons dry sherry or Shaoxing rice wine

12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks

3 tablespoons chicken stock or water

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chopped or sliced fresh hot green peppers (jalapeno or serrano)

1 tablesppon chopped fresh ginger

1 1/4 cups thin strips of red, green, and yellow bell peppers

In a medium bowl, combine the cornstarch, water, and sherry, and stir well. Add chicken and mix gently to coat evenly with marinade. Set aside for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine chicken stock, soy sauce, salt, and sugar, and stir well.

Heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add garlic, jalapeno or serrano peppers, and fresh ginger, and toss well, until garlic and ginger are fragrant, about 15 seconds.

Add chicken mixture, quickly spreading into a single layer. Cook, undisturbed,  until edges turn white, about 1 minute. Toss well and cook for 1 minute more. Add bell pepper and toss well. Reduce heat to medium.

Stir chicken stock mixture well, and add it to the pan. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside, and peppers are tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a serving platter, and serve hot or warm.

Serves 4 with rice, grains, or noodles

Copyright Nancie McDermott, all rights reserved.