This week I took a detour from typical American dinners to some more Asian styled food. First up was Spicy Shrimp Yakisoba.
I love making Yakisoba. It's quick, easy, delicious...I just wish I could find skinny soba noodles, as the ones the commissary sells are the thicker variety of which I am not a fan.
Yakisoba is incredibly versatile. I can't think of much that couldn't go into it. Cooking it couldn't be easier.
Boil Soba noodles until they are almost done.
In a deep skillet or wok heat some oil and stir fry any meat being used. (I use shrimp or beef.)
Then add any hard vegetables being used, and cook those for a minute or so. (Onions and carrots went in this week.)
Next, add in soft vegetables and a beaten egg, if you would like one. (Mushrooms, egg, cabbage.)
Place the just undercooked noodles in the pan, add in a splash of water, and steam the noodles for a couple of minutes.
Finally, add your desired amount of Yakisoba sauce and enjoy.
(I've read that Worcestershire can be used in place of Yakisoba sauce. I'm not sure about this but can attest to the fact that they do smell similar.)
Whatever you do, if you are making spicy Yakisoba, don't add in more and more red pepper flakes just because you can't smell the spice. It's there, friends. Trust me, it's there.
Next up was a meal that sounds and looks somewhat Asian but is pretty Westernized. Beef and Broccoli. Yum.
(I understand the rice looks like CGI. I don't know how or when or who or why.)
This is another unbelievably simple recipe.
Make as much rice as you need or want.
Stir fry strips of beef in a few tablespoons of oil.
When the beef is brown add one can of tomato soup, one tablespoon of vinegar, and three tablespoons of soy sauce.
Mix together and bring to a boil.
Add fresh or frozen broccoli florets and cook until tender-crisp.
Serve over rice, and you're done!
Finally, I ventured into the world of Thai food this week. When I was at Yokota for training one of the girls suggested that Pineapple Fried Rice could be a tame Thai option for Chris, should I ever find a Thai restaurant to try here in Misawa. I googled the dish and found a recipe. This recipe, actually. I made it on Thursday, and while it is very pretty neither Chris nor I was a fan. It's not that it was bad, well, the raisins were, but that is because I hate raisins and am not sure why I put them in to begin with. It's just that the flavors didn't blend at all. If you didn't get a bite of pineapple, it was just Shrimp Fried Rice (nothing wrong with that!). If you did get a bite of pineapple, that is all you could taste. I might as well have served Shrimp Fried Rice with pineapple on the side. It would have had the same effect.
Luckily, we had a sandwich worth of meat leftover from French Dips, so Chris didn't go hungry on Friday at work. And me? Well, you know me on Fridays. It was Ramen night! I went back to my first ramen experience and ordered Cheese Ramen. It was, of course, very good, but I definitely now prefer the miso soup over the soy. As luck would have it, you can order either with the "specialty" Ramen (cheese, seafood, etc). I just have to remember to order miso next time!
The menu for the upcoming week will be up tomorrow.
