Recipe: Basic Lomein Noodles and Glazed Carrots and Turnips (Chinese and African Fusion Dinner)

BASIC LOMEIN NOODLES
Servings: 2

1 lb lomein noodles
2 tbsp oil
2 slices fresh ginger root, shredded
green onion, sliced (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup (cooked) roast pork, sliced*
1 tbsp sherry**
1 cup Chinese cabbage, sliced
1/2 cup bamboo shoots, sliced
1/2 cup bean sprouts, blanched
1/2 cup celery, sliced
4 dried black mushrooms, soaked
1/2 cup chicken stock
6 snow peas, stemmed

Cook noodles: Prepare boiling water with a little salt. Add noodles and cook until barely done. You will want about a pound of noodles for the above recipe. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Separate noodles with a fork then toss them with a little sesame oil or peanut oil and set aside until they are ready to go into your stir-fry for the final heat.

While noodles are cooking, prepare vegetables.

Heat oil. Add ginger root and garlic; stir fry to brown lightly. Add pork and stir fry a few times. Then add in sherry to blend.

Add all vegetables except snow peas and stir fry 1 minute more. Add stock and heat quickly. Then cook covered 3 minutes over medium heat. Stir in snow peas.

Combine mixture with tossed noodles.

*Substitute cooked beef ham chicken duck crabmeat lobster or shrimp.

**I use Shaoxing wine instead of sherry which is more authentic. This recipe is simply a guideline for a dish that can be varied in a thousand ways!

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GLAZED CARROTS AND TURNIPS
Source: An African American Cookbook by Phoebe Bailey, 2002

3 Tbsp butter
1 lb white turnips
2 medium-sized carrots
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt, optional
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Melt butter in large skillet.

Peel turnips and carrots. Slice both into julienne strips. Add to butter. Stir until coated.

Pour in broth. Cover and cook over medium heat 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Increase heat to high. Cook uncovered 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and liquid is reduced and syrupy.

Sprinkle sugar over vegetables. Reduce heat to medium. Stir the vegetables gently to distribute the sugar. Cover and cook for another minute.

Remove from heat. Vegetables should be glazed and shiny. Garnish with parsley.