Chinese Cod in Soy and Green Onion

Summary: This is a popular Chinese fish dish that is a staple in homes and restaurants worldwide. Usually it is a whole fish, either steamed or fried, smothered in a delicious soy based sauce that goes perfectly with rice. However, since this is Grubbin' Solo, we use a filet of fish. I'm using the traditional cod here but use any fish you have. It might not be authentic but tastes good just the same.

Ingredients:

•  1 filet of fish, as usual size is up to your appetite. 
• Soy Sauce
• Chinese Cooking Rice Wine
• Brown Sugar (this will give it more depth than regular sugar but regular sugar will still work)
• Sesame Oil
• Ginger, thinly sliced into sticks
• Green Onion, thinly sliced into shreds
• Salt and Pepper
• Oil 
• Optional: Corn Starch

Step 1: I like my fish extra crispy so I lightly dust the fish in corn starch before pan frying. This is completely optional. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. You don't need too much salt as the sauce will provide plenty.

Step 2:  Heat up some oil in a pan. Add the fish and pan fry on both sides until golden brown, 4-5 mintues on each side, depending on the thickness. You can tell the fish is done when the middle is a bit hard and not mushy.

Step 3: Put the cooked fish aside on a serving plate. Now it's time to make the sauce. Heat up a drizzle of oil until very hot, until it just starts to smoke. This allows you to flash fry the green onion and ginger and bring out it's flavor into the sauce.

Step 4: Add in the green onion, ginger. Quickly add in about 3 tbsp of soy sauce and cooking wine. You don't really need to measure it exactly, I just usually pour one drizzle around the pan. If you're nervous, you can measure the soy and wine in advance in the same cup and pour in together. Stir the mixture together. This whole process takes only a minute or two.

Step 5: Pour the sauce mixture on top of your fish and serve with white rice.

Chinese Onion Crepe with Egg (Dan Bing)

Summary: This is a common breakfast found in Taiwan sold by street vendors. It's a humble fare that's served in plastic bags drizzled in thick soy or chili sauce. I always find the cheap, humble dishes to be tastier than expensive ones. The Chinese onion crepe or pancake is key here, which you can find at your local Chinese grocery store. You may see many varieties, try to go with the thinnest kind you can find for this dish.

 

Ingredients:

• Chinese Onion Crepe, thin style
• Eggs, 2 per crepe
• Salt and Pepper
• Optional:
• Green Onion
• Dipping Sauce:
• Sweet Chili Sauce
• Option:
• Thick Soy Paste with Chilis, Garlic

Step 1: I am making one here for a snack, but you can make as many as you want for a meal. Start by beating the eggs and adding in the green onion. Season the beaten egg with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Note that it is important when cooking eggs to use a non-stick pan, or else the eggs will just get stuck to the pan an it won't be pretty. Cook ONE side of each crepe until golden brown,  3-5 minutes. Leave the other side uncooked and set to the side. 

Step 3: Pour 2 eggs worth into the pan. Place the COOKED side down on top of the egg. The non-cooked side should be facing up.

If you have a big pan like me, and your egg spread out over the border of the crepe, you can use your spatula to tuck in the egg underneath the crepe.

Step 3: Once the egg is golden brown on the bottom, 2-3 minutes, flip the crepe to cook the uncooked side until golden brown.

Step 4: Roll (more like fold) into a crepe/burrito shape and cut into pieces. Serve with dip of your choosing and enjoy!

Mince Meat Sauce Noodles (Zha Jiang Mien)

Summary: This is a simple Chinese noodle dish that my mom used to make all the time. It's considered comfort food for many people. You can make this dish dry or with soup.

Ingredients:

• Noodles (I usually use egg noodles, but rice or flour noodles will work also)
• Ground Pork (use how much you feel like eating, I used 1/2 lb.)
• Chinese Bean Sauce (Black, Spicy, Meat varieties all work)
• Soy Sauce
• Garlic, minced
• Soy Sauce
• Chinese Cooking Rice Wine or Sherry
• Pepper
• Oil
• Garnish: 
• Cucumber, cut into thin sticks
• Green Onion, diced
• Optional: Chicken Stock (I used a bullion cube here)

Step 1: Cook the noodles until al dente, drain and put in a serving bowl when finished. Put a tiny bit of oil in a pot and saute garlic until fragrant.

Step 2: Add in the pork and stir until garlic is mixed through.

Step 3: Add in the bean sauce. Start out with a big spoonful, you can adjust later. Add in a spoonful of soy sauce and rice wine. Stir to incorporate together.

Step 4: Taste the meat sauce. Add more bean sauce to your desired tastes. Add in pepper to taste. If you are making it dry style, pour pork over noodles, add cucumber, green onion. I like to mix it well with the noodle before eating.

Step 5 for wet style: Heat up the chicken stock, add salt to taste if needed. Pour hot stock over the noodles, pile on the cooked pork, add the cucumber and garnish with green onion.