A mi fen (rice noodle) stir fry that would make chefs proud

This had originally started out as a post with some 20+ photographs, and as I type, they are still attached to this post. But, I've decided, they must go. I haven't the stamina to complete such a lengthy post, and I don't think you'd want to follow such a post all the way to its end.

Perhaps less than photographs will suffice.

2010-8-20

Mi Fen (Rice Noodle) Stir Fry

This is easily the best, hands down, mi fen stir fry I have ever made. This is something I would proudly create for others, chefs even. Seriously, it's that good. But, this is not one of those super quick or easy things to make. And, I apologize, I have no measurements to share for this recipe, not because I have secrets I desire to keep clandestine, but I functioned in a normal mode of operation for me (cooking by taste and smell, with no exact measurements in mind and none holding me back).

Four "things" were cooked separately, in preparation for this dish. This time around, I am listing the ingredients and directions unconventionally, with each component or thing separately cooked in preparation for the stir fry. Ready? The ingredients will be listed by number, with instructions following.


Component #1
1. 1/2 red onion.
2. a little bit of olive oil.

Peel and cut the onion thinly, then into thirds. In a large pan (I use the same pan to cook all the components, without washing the pan from cooking one component to another; this keeps the flavor of what was previously cooked), on low medium heat using just a bit of olive oil, cook the onion until it's transparent. Then set aside, leaving behind any remaining oil and juice residue from the onion.


Component #2
3. cabbage - which I got garden fresh from a friend.
4. chicken broth.
5. water.
6. garlic.
7. sea salt.
8. oyster sauce.

Add the garlic to the pan. Still on medium heat, once the garlic has been sizzling a bit, add the cabbage that has been rinsed and cut very finely. I added water and chicken broth to prevent the cabbage from getting too dry and sticking to the pan. Place the lid on the pan. Stir occasionally. I also added sea salt and oyster sauce. Cook until fairly tender (which was more than a few minutes for me). Once done, set aside. I kept a fair amount of the juice with the vegetable (instead of keeping all the juice/soup in the pan).


Component #3

9. 3 eggs.
10. 3 tomatoes - fresh from my dad's garden - diced.
11. chicken broth.
12. sea salt.
13. soy sauce.
14. olive oil.
15. garlic - diced.

Add a tad bit more olive oil into the pan, with some garlic cut into small pieces and the white parts of 2 green onions cut finely. Turn the stove on low medium heat. Once the garlic and green onions have been sizzling for a bit, add three beaten eggs (with a little bit of chicken broth added at the end of the egg beating phase) to the pan. When the eggs are nearly well cooked add in the diced tomatoes. Cover for a minute or two. Add soy sauce and sea salt; not too much is needed.



Before Component #3 is cooked. the rice noodles need to be soaked in hot water, like so:


Component #4
16. rice noodles - 1 package.
17. green onions - the white parts - cut finely.
18. green onions - the green parts - cut finely.
19. water.
20. chicken broth.

Mix the following ingredients in a bowl (for a sauce):
21. sesame oil.
22. aged rice vinegar.
23. soy sauce.
24. cane sugar.
25. sea salt.
26. barbecue sauce - b/w 1 tsp & 1 tbs - CAUTION: this is not what we normally think of as barbecue sauce. I didn't keep the original can, but this is what the stuff looks like:



In the same pan, which should be empty except for some residual oil, broth, and perhaps a few pieces of this and that. Place the rice noodles in the pan, and add a couple of cups (?) of a combination of water and chicken broth, along with the whites of the green onions. Place the lid on the pan and let simmer, stirring occasionally. After the noodles are firm, but tender enough to chew (eat), add the sauce mixture as well as the previous three components.

Stir well and serve.

Serve with chopsticks, which is what my 2 yr old and 3 yr old prefer trying, especially when they see me eating with chopsticks.


Or without (chopsticks).

***

Either way, it was huge hit with the husband and the children.

Each mouthful is full of complex, delightful flavors; I kid you not. I'll be making this in the future. No hesitation (except it takes me awhile to make this).

Mi Fen (rice noodle) Soup with Tomatoes, Eggs, and Onion

2010-5-25

Mi Fen Soup with Tomatoes, Eggs, and Onion

Today, this mi fen (rice noodle) soup was made with the girls in mind. Both of them are picky about different things for varying reasons. Anyways, this soup includes much less than I would normally include; still tasty, nevertheless.

And, this soup is good for those who have Celiac Disease, except for one ingredient: the soy sauce I used. But that problem is easily remedied; purchase gluten-free soy sauce. The brand I use carries gluten-free soy sauce, but it's much more expensive.

***

Short recipe is followed by a much longer, photo essay recipe and direction.

Ingredients:

• package of rice noodles
• 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 8 eggs - I used cage free, brown eggs
• 1/2 of a sweet onion, cut into thin slices, followed by thirds
• five cloves of garlic, diced
• green onions, 3, cut thinly
  
• olive oil, just a bit
  
• sea salt
• soy sauce
• chicken broth, nearly a quart
• water, 1 1/2 to 2 quarts

Directions:

• In a pan with a bit of olive oil on low to medium heat, caramelize the half onion.
• Once the onion is finished cooking, drop it into a pot (mine is a stock pot that holds at least a gallon), along with the washed and chopped green onions.
• Using the same pan as before, drop in the diced garlic and add a bit more olive oil. Once the garlic has been sizzling for several moments, add the beaten eggs with a bit of chicken broth added. When the eggs are almost done, add in the can of diced tomatoes. Let it simmer. Then add the egg and tomato stir fry to the pot.
• With the onion, green onions, tomato and egg stir fry in the pot, add nearly a quart of chicken broth and about double the amount of water to the pot. Bring to a boil.
• Once the soup in the pot is boiling, add the rice noodles (mi fen). Add some sea salt and soy sauce. Let simmer for about ten to fifteen minutes, and the soup is ready to serve.

***

Illustrated recipe and directions are as follows.

Ingredients:

Package of rice noodles. Made in TAIWAN, not China. There's a difference. In quality.


A large can of diced tomatoes. Were cluster tomatoes cheap or on sale, I'd be purchasing fresh ones.



Eggs. Cage free, and yes, that matters.



Sweet onion. I only used half. My girls sometimes complain about eating it. I'm not a restaurant, making upon orders placed, but I can lessen some of the not-as-preferred ingredients.


Garlic - 5 cloves. So the girls won't eat the garlic themselves, but they don't protest how it flavors the food.


Green onions. We need some additional color in this soup. Food presentation (as well as flavor) must be an artistic masterpiece.


Olive oil.



Sea salt.


Soy sauce.


Directions:

Half the sucker (onion). I'm saving the other half for some other occasion. Perhaps making guacamole in the near future.


Slice thinly.


Then thirds.


Peel the skin off the garlic. Then dice.


Wash the green onions and then cut thinly. Like so.


Green onions should look like this when done.


Here comes the cooking process:

Caramelize the onion. I used some olive oil. No sugar used. I added some beef broth I had left over from making chili the other night.


Once done, place into a large stock pot.


Then add the washed and cut green onions into the pot, too.


Next in the cooking process. Preparing the eggs for stir frying.

Place eight eggs in a bowl.


I beat them into submission using chopsticks, but you can use whatever you like - a whisk, a fork. Then I added chicken broth to the eggs to thin out the texture somewhat.

Mix, stir, or beat the chicken broth with the eggs.

To prepare the egg mixture for cook, put the garlic and a bit of olive oil in the frying pan, on low medium heat.


After the garlic has sizzled for a bit, add the egg mixture.


Once the eggs are nearly cooked, add in the can of diced tomatoes.


Mix well, and allow the stuff to sizzle and cook.


Then drop the mixture into the pot, along with the other stuff. I had used some water to clean out the remnants in the tomato can and dumped the contents into the pot.


Add a fair amount of chicken broth. I might have used 4/5 of a quart container of chicken broth. Again, I use free range. And yes, it matters.


Then I added loads of water, about double the amount of chicken broth I used. The rice noodles soak up a lot of water, so beware.


I put enough liquid into the pot to fill it near the top, leaving enough room for the rice noodles though.



There goes a full package of rice noodles, into the pot.


Once the rice noodles have had a chance to get tender, from absorbing the liquid, mix well.


After the mi fen has been cooking for a bit and is more tender, add the sea salt and soy sauce.


After the mi fen has had a chance to soak in the salt, soy sauce, and the flavors in the soup, it is ready to serve.

***

Be careful about not cooking the mi fen (rice noodles) too long. Once it has been cooked too long, the noodles break apart very easily and can get quite mushy. I probably cooked mine (the noodles) for no more than 20 minutes; more like 10-15 minutes.