Popcorn Shrimp With Sauteed Asparagus, Carrots, and Onions

Ingredients:

• Popcorn shrimp from your grocery store's frozen food section (I wanted to make a quick stir fry dish, therefore got little help from grocery store). 2 packs
• Asparagus 1 bunch--- cut at an angle
• Carrots 1-2 cups---julienne cut
• Onions 2 medium---julienne cut
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Chicken stock or broth 1/4 cup 

    

Instructions:

In couple tbsps of olive oil, cook the shrimps for 3-5 minutes on heat. You can also bake them in oven. 

Take the shrimps out in a plate. Add the vegetables to the pan. Lightly season with salt and black pepper. Saute them on medium heat for 5-10 minutes. You want to keep them crisp.

Add 1/4 cup of stock, saute for few more minutes. Add shrimps. Serve with rice or noodles/pasta. It tastes best when served right away. Enjoy!

Recipes for Orange Chicken and Black Rice!

Black and White Rice.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup black rice
1.5 cups white rice
Salt to taste
1-2 tsp butter
Chopped cilantro

Method.

In a pan/pot add black rice and water. When cooking rice, I stick to the 1:2 rice water ratio. I normally use the same cup to measure both rice and water. Add little salt for flavoring, around 1/2 tsp.  Let them come to a boil on medium heat, once they come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, cover with a lid and let them cook for a good 40-45 minutes. The texture is very different from white rice. If you feel that the rice are chewy or hard, add little bit more water and let them cook for another 10-15 minutes with the lid on.


In another pan, add white rice and water. Add little salt for seasoning. When the rice are done, add the cooked black rice, butter, and cilantro. Gently incorporate them in the white rice.


Orange Chicken:
Chicken breast cut into medium size cubes
1/2 cup flour
Salt
Black pepper
Red pepper
Turmeric powder (optional)
Baking soda
Ginger garlic paste
Brown sugar
Honey
Orange juice
Lemon juice
Orange zest almost 1 tsp
Carrots and any other vegetable you want to add.

Mix salt, black pepper, red pepper, turmeric powder, 1/8 tsp of baking soda in the flour. Add chicken cubes and thoroughly cote them with the flour mixture. in a deep pan, heat some oil, add the flour coated chicken pieces, and fry them till chicken looks slightly golden brownish. It is easier to fry the chicken in small batches. Once all the chicken is fried, add ginger garlic paste in the pan, saute for few mins, add carrots, saute for another few minutes, add salt and red chili to taste, orange zest, couple tbsp of honey, 1/2 cup brown sugar, almost 1/8th cup lemon juice, almost .5 to 1.5 cups of orange juice (it really depends if you want a runny sauce or a glaze. For a glaze stick with 1/2 cup orange juice, for a sauce, go for 1-1.5 cups of orange juice. Stir and let it cook on medium low heat for 10-15 mins. If you find the gravy thin, add some flour mixture you had made for chicken in the gravy, make sure sprinkle little bit of that mixture and stir continuously to avoid any lumps. Garnish with green onions.



Orange chicken using leftover chicken nuggets/strips

In a pan heat some oil, add ginger garlic paste and saute for few minutes. Add your choice of veggies, add salt, red pepper, and black pepper to taste. Add 1-2 tbsp of tomato puree, orange zest, couple tbsp of honey, 1/2 cup brown sugar, almost 1/8th cup lemon juice, almost .5 to 1.5 cups of orange juice (it really depends if you want a runny sauce or a glaze. For a glaze stick with 1/2 cup orange juice, for a sauce, go for 1-1.5 cups of orange juice. Stir and let it cook on medium heat for 10 mins. Add chicken to the sauce. If you are using chicken strips, cut it into bite size pieces. Let it cook for another 10 minutes or so. If you find the gravy thin, make a mixture of orange juice and corn starch, add it to the sauce. Make sure sprinkle little bit of that mixture and stir continuously to avoid any lumps. Garnish with green onions. 

PS. I take full advantage of what I have at hand. If I don't have a specific ingredient, I look for alternatives from my fridge and pantry to substitute. 


Bon Appetit!

Orange Chicken with Black and White Rice

Quite a few friends have asked for the recipe. It is my take on Orange Chicken, very different from the orange chicken available at Chinese take out in States. I will post the recipe at the end of the end.