Stir-fry Chicken in DIY Black Bean Sauce

When you are reading this post, I go on a vacation in Hong Kong.  I will stay there in the coming two weeks and keep posting photos and updates about my visit.  

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serve: 2

Ingredients:

-      150g chicken fillets (sliced)   

-      60g green pepper (chopped)

-      60g red pepper (chopped)

-      100g onion (chopped)

-      ½ tbsp black bean (minced)

-      2 garlic clove (minced)

-      4g ginger (finely sliced)

-      1 tsp rice wine/white wine

-      ½ tsp soy sauce

-      ¼ tsp brown sugar

-      1 tbsp olive oil  

-      5 tbsp water

-      1 spring onion (finely chopped)

Seasoning:   

-      1 tsp light soy sauce

-      1 tsp rice wine/white wine

-      ¼ tsp corn flour

-      ¼ tsp sesame oil

-      ½ tsp sugar

Thickening sauce:

-      1 tsp corn flour

-      1½ tsp water

Method:

1.	Season the chicken with soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, corn flour and sesame oil for 10 minutes.
2.	Heat ½ tbsp oil in a non-stick pan over low-medium heat.  Add the chicken pieces and pan-fry both sides for 1-2 minutes till a bit golden brown.  Remove from heat and set aside.
3.	In the meantime, heat ½ tbsp oil in a non-stick wok over medium heat.  Add ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute.  Toss in garlic and soya bean and then stir-fry for another 1 minute.
4.	Add the onion, green pepper, red pepper, chicken and wine; then keep stir-frying for 1 minute.  Pour in water, season with soy sauce and sugar and cover for 2-3 minutes.
5.	In a small mixing bowl, mix the corn flour and water well in order to prepare the thickening sauce.  Stir in the thickening sauce and stir-fry for a further 1-2 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
6.	Garnish with spring onion and ready to serve with rice.

Stir-fried shiitake mushrooms with Tofu

My friend is one of the founders of a social enterprise called ‘Green Monday’ in Hong Kong.  The project has been run since 2012.  When I met him in Hong Kong in a restaurant a few years ago, he firstly introduced his concept to promote having a ‘green’ meal once a week in order to protect our environment.  The project is successful after running for a few years.  It is highly supported by the government and the catering industry. 

As I am getting old, I have started to think more about what I eat. I have begun having one ‘green’ meal once a week.  It is good to health and I feel happier after forming this habit.  I am used to having ‘green’ either at lunch or dinner every Monday because Monday is the first working day.  It is easy for me to plan my meals.  Hope you will be one of the fans of ‘Green Monday’.  I will post more recipes of making 'green' meals later.  Welcome all of you to make comments and share the photos of your dish.

Preparation time:

                            -         20 minutes (for using dried shiitake mushrooms) or

                            -         10 minutes (for using fresh shiitake mushrooms)

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serve: 2

Ingredients:

-         210g firm tofu (diced in cubes 2cmL x 2cmW x 1.5 cmH)

-         45g carrot (sliced)

-         50g fresh baby corn (sliced)

-         4 dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked and quartered)

-         90g button mushrooms (quartered)

-         ½ spring onions (finely chopped)

-         1 slice of ginger (sliced)                          

-         ¼ tsp table salt                             

-         1 tsp olive oil

-         ½ tsp sugar

-         1 tsp light soy sauce

-         1 tsp bean sauce

-        700g water

Thickening Sauce:

-         1½ tsp cold water

-         1 tsp corn flour

Method:

1.	Clean the dried shiitake mushrooms, trim and discard the stems. Add hot water and mushrooms in a bowl. Soak the mushrooms up for 20 minutes until they become soft.  Using dried shiitake mushrooms can give a more fragrant flavor.  Fresh shiitake mushrooms can be used instead of the dried shiitake mushrooms. For fresh shiitake mushrooms, just clean, trim and discard the stems; and quartered.
2.	Heat a non-stick wok over a medium heat and add oil. Add garlic and ginger, stir-fry about 30 seconds.  Then add the soaked shiitake mushrooms, salt, sugar and 150g water. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes.
3.	Toss the baby corn, carrot and add soy sauce in the wok and stir-fry for another 5 minutes.
4.	In the meantime, add button mushrooms, tofu, bean sauce and   50g water.  Stir-fry gently for a further 5 minutes.
5.	In a small mixing bowl, stir corn flour well with 1½ tsp cold water to prepare the thickening sauce.
6.	Add the spring onion and pour the sauce in the wok and stir-fry for 1 minute.
7.	Ready to serve with rice.