tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21019175921902149992024-03-13T09:07:39.210-07:00Dragon Lady Kitchen blogMary Foster's culinary journey…from mom's wok to your tableMary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-19851349989204252652014-09-15T17:05:00.000-07:002014-09-15T19:46:49.765-07:00Hot Competition
My family is very
competitive. Over anything. Sports.
Games. Planking. Even at the dinner table. Over hot sauce. A typical point of contention at a Sunday
dinner at my parent’s house would be over who could handle the most hot sauce. For some reason, a tolerance for spiciness
has been equated with level of machoism.
Even my husband has been Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-23595052336907480212014-09-15T16:59:00.000-07:002014-09-15T17:01:03.923-07:00DRAGON LADY HOT SAUCE
Serrano
peppers are sold by the package at my local Chinese grocery for just
$1.99. About 2 cups of whole peppers
will reduce to about 1 1/3 cup when finely chopped.
Caution: Pepper
seeds will start popping everywhere, but refrain from touching them with your bare
fingers (or wear gloves). Tip: (assuming you’re right-handed): while holding the stem of the pepper steady Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-14584636957634596622013-01-25T17:37:00.000-08:002013-02-04T17:56:06.424-08:00Hot and sour, hold the fungus
This soup starts out just a little bit spicy. Pass around the white pepper so each person can turn up the heat with just a flick of a wrist.
When I was growing up, my mom would make us a huge
pot of hot and sour soup only on special occasions, like for a big dinner party. Yummm – I would get so excited because this
didn’t happen often. I think it’s
because each Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-46632298828148332222011-05-23T20:27:00.000-07:002011-05-24T14:34:29.606-07:00How to use your noodleWhat do “The Real Housewives of New York” and Top Ramen have in common? They’re both on my list of guilty pleasures --- neither is any good for you, but once you get a little taste, you just keep wanting more. I could probably eat a bowl of Top Ramen every single day, if it wasn’t for that wicked packet of magical msg flavoring that makes it taste “oh so good”, but is “oh so bad for Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-92163123515971782322011-05-23T20:20:00.000-07:002012-02-19T21:00:40.151-08:00Beef Soup NoodlesTwo pots are better than one: Cook up your soup and beef in one pot; then boil your noodles in another. Store any leftover beef soup separately from the cooked noodles. They’ll keep better that way, and will make a quick meal in seconds! Simply prepare a single portion in a bowl and zap in the microwave
Whole star anise plays a key role in slow-cooked Chinese dishes. TheMary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-75101405618480381032011-03-14T00:00:00.000-07:002011-03-14T00:00:35.465-07:00Meat and Potatoes, Chinese StyleSaucy curry chicken with big chunks of potatoes, over rice. So comforting on a rainy Seattle day. Even though the calendar says “goodbye winter”, the Seattle weather forecast for spring always says “lots of curry chicken days ahead”!
A Chinese recipe with potatoes? There aren’t many. But here’s one that fulfills my occasional need for some meat and potatoes comfort Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-2541156090863498932011-03-13T23:56:00.000-07:002011-03-14T00:02:32.202-07:00Curry Chicken with PotatoesThe Golden Ticket: “S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix”. As you can see, it’s not really a “mix”, but looks like chocolate squares. Each 8.4 ounce box has 8 pre-portioned squares with “break lines” that just need to be cut through. This recipe calls for half the box, which is the section you see here. Simply cut down the ridges on a cutting board with your kitchen knife.Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-55701069632673136482011-01-15T18:22:00.000-08:002011-01-15T18:24:37.155-08:00Dragon Lady Lo-Mein, The Sequel: Extra Secret Revealed!Dragon Lady Lo-Mein made with fresh noodles. The dried noodle recipe is good, but the fresh noodle version is great -- a little lighter, and more flavorful.
Happy new year! Thank you for all your nice comments and emails on the Dragon Lady Lo-Mein. So glad you like it! Now that you have the basic recipe down, I have one more secret to divulge. To make this dish Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-22618968688889261532011-01-15T18:18:00.000-08:002011-01-15T18:18:45.724-08:00Dragon Lady Lo-Mein with Fresh Chinese Noodles*NOTE: This recipe is slightly different from the original Lo-Mein recipe, which calls for 1 pound of dried Chinese noodles. Since the fresh noodles come in 2 pound packages, I adjusted the recipe accordingly. Also, since the fresh noodles are thinner, softer and therefore absorb more flavor, they don’t need as potent of a sauce mixture. Cooking instructions for the Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-76783288641121290342010-11-29T20:13:00.000-08:002010-11-29T20:28:18.227-08:00"T'is the Season for Lo-Mein Noodle Stories"Hands down, my mom’s most universally appealing signature dish is her lo-mein noodles. If there’s a big, extended-family potluck, by popular demand, mom always brings her noodles. For family holidays, even if we have a traditional Easter brunch with egg casseroles and cinnamon rolls, we must have a pan of mom’s noodles. And best of all, when my siblings or I host big parties Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-45138795534888162372010-11-29T20:10:00.000-08:002010-11-30T07:20:54.473-08:00Dragon Lady Lo-MeinDragon Lady Lo-Mein, aka the ultimate party noodles: double (or triple) the recipe, make ahead, then cover with aluminum foil and re-heat in the oven at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Also very buffet-friendly because it also tastes great at room temperature. Offer plenty of hot sauce on the side!
Serves 41 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs2 teaspoons corn Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-21598667487250926802010-10-27T20:26:00.000-07:002010-10-27T20:28:14.798-07:00Chinese Baby Back RibsGet ready to say “hands off” when you make this one! My oldest sister whipped up these ribs for my dad’s birthday celebration last weekend, and they barely made it to the dining table. While the glistening racks of baby backs were resting on the cutting board, my other “not-so-helpful” sister (what a surprise) snuck in and hacked off a rib to sample. After that, the flood gates Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-23406818631119941942010-09-29T20:32:00.000-07:002010-10-05T12:12:08.647-07:00Stir-Fry Tomato BeefMom's best friend, my "Aunt Suzanne" (she's not really my aunt, but in our Chinese world, every close family friend is called "Aunt-something" or "Uncle-something") taught her how to make this dish. And then my mom taught me. This recipe is a family favorite in both our Chinese households. Aunt Suzanne's son (who I guess is my "cousin", but not really), makes it at least once a Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-16749839753947370592010-07-13T22:43:00.000-07:002010-07-16T22:34:08.325-07:00RICE PAPER SPRING ROLLS WITH SHRIMP & CHILI SOY DIPPING SAUCE“Oh…hurry!” That’s what my friend Kristy said when I told her about the plans for my next posting: Rice Paper Spring Rolls with Shrimp. It’s another light, healthy favorite that makes for a unique finger food any time of year, but is really just the ultimate dish for summer!
In my Rice 101 posting, I told you all about my dad’s obsession with rice. Well the apple doesn’t fall Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-4606986098983485892010-06-03T12:58:00.000-07:002010-06-06T09:48:03.833-07:00MINI SPARERIBS BRAISED IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE (“Pai Goo”)Thanks for sticking around while the Dragon Lady has been on hiatus for the last three weeks. My “day job” as a producer took me to a project in London, followed by three days of fun in Los Angeles! So I’m sorry to have left you hungry, but I do have a delicious braised pork recipe for you to sink your teeth into. Literally.
However, the meat in this recipe becomes so Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-74528656708119806262010-05-03T07:56:00.000-07:002010-05-03T12:39:29.117-07:00COOLING OFF WITH CUCUMBERSCool as a cucumber. English Cucumbers are usually sold wrapped in plastic to reduce water loss. Therefore, they are not waxed so they generally don't need to be peeled.
The time: August, 1974. The place: Seattle, Washington. The temp: hot! When I think of the peak of summer back then, I picture two things: a 30” light turquoise Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-12538470878473202332010-05-03T07:53:00.000-07:002010-05-03T08:15:36.981-07:00COLD MARINATED CUCUMBERSServes 4-6
1 large English cucumber (approximately 1 pound)
4 tablespoons soy sauce2 tablespoons sesame oil2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Cut cucumber into ¼ inch slices. Place in a wide, shallow dish. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar; pour over cucumber slices. Toss to coat evenly. Refrigerate for 1 hour, tossing 2-3 times. Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-33793727671875388652010-04-19T21:16:00.000-07:002010-04-20T08:24:18.892-07:00SESAME NOODLESWhen spring comes around, I get really excited. Not just for the warmer weather, but also because my husband will step up to the barbecue several nights a week. All I have to do is throw together a salad and a simple side dish, and dinner is d-o-n-e!
This Sesame Noodle recipe is one of those super-easy, yummy dishes you will make over and over again. It's so easy, Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-70523049212357360182010-04-03T16:01:00.000-07:002010-04-06T19:55:44.037-07:00FRIED RICEI hate the “L” word: you know, leftovers. If I open my fridge and see remnants of last night’s dinner in little Tupperware containers, I cringe: “Been there, done that…why did I bother saving it?” However, fried rice is actually a yummy way to use up the excess main course from the previous night (can you tell I’m trying to avoid using the “L” word?). Barbecued pork,Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-57194904617056353952010-03-27T16:44:00.000-07:002014-09-09T10:25:45.687-07:00Rice 101
Rice cake: for an elegant presentation of your steamed white rice, wet the inside of a measuring cup with cold water, fill with steamed white rice, and invert onto a plate. For picture-perfect presentation, garnish with green onions or toasted sesame seeds.
In honor of my father, I continue my focus on his favorite four-letter word: r-i-c-e. A childhood memory Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-62011496702646049632010-03-10T21:00:00.000-08:002010-03-10T22:24:31.433-08:00Please pass the rice!If there’s such a thing as a “rice-eating gene”, it definitely runs in my family. Or perhaps it originated in my family. For as long as I can remember, my dad has always loved rice. He wholeheartedly believes that a meal is not complete without it. All our relatives and family friends are very aware of dad’s rice fixation. Even when my mom would occasionally stray Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-34401389834880190912010-03-10T20:47:00.000-08:002010-03-19T19:51:20.121-07:00Mapo Tofu (Spicy Tofu)Fresh blocks of tofu are easy to find these days. I buy Trader Joe’s Organic Tofu, which has a firmer texture and therefore holds up better during stir frying. However, if you use a regular (non-organic) block of tofu, it could be a bit softer and may not hold its shape as well. To help avoid this, after you cut your tofu into ½” cubes, add them to a pot of boiling water for 2 Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-83909648133044124952010-02-24T20:02:00.000-08:002010-02-25T17:28:08.173-08:00Priceless homemade wontons: worth bartering for!This past football season, my sister asked my brother how much he wanted to be paid for his Husky/LSU football tix. He didn’t want any money. Just a big batch of homemade wontons. That’s how good these are. If you don’t know how to make them, you can’t even buy them. You have to barter for them.
When I was a kid, as soon as my mom got out her big, turquoise-etched Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-2407857012057292092010-02-24T19:57:00.000-08:002010-02-25T17:28:59.004-08:00WONTONSThis recipe makes approximately 168 wontons, which equates to 3 meals for a family of 4, based on 14 wontons per person. (Note: my mom insists on serving an even number of wontons per person, never an odd number. Must be bad luck!) So you can have a batch for dinner, and save 2 batches in the freezer. But if you’re like my family, they won’t last long!
PREPARING Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2101917592190214999.post-42010758572222287362010-02-14T15:56:00.000-08:002010-02-14T23:27:22.921-08:00GINGER SNAP COCKTAILTo celebrate the Year of the Tiger, here’s a refreshing drink that my friend Theresa taught me how to make. They’re so good, whenever she would tell me about the recipe, she’d always end her description with, “I could drink 20 of them!” After Theresa kept saying this, I thought she might have a little drinking problem. But when I served them last weekend at a little pre-Chinese Mary Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04382919433507278262noreply@blogger.com0