Friday, October 19, 2012

This Stir Fry is So Fly!

Last Summer I met this cool woman, Jade from Texas (by way of Seattle) and she hipped me to this great meal so without further ado I present:

Stir Fried Jade Ginger Kale in Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients: Kale, Black Bean paste, Ginger, carrots, Scallions, Basil, Red or light green peppers. adobo, Chilli Pepper Flakes

Optional: Mushrooms, Seitan, Cilantro

Do yourself a favor and get a wok! You will be flash frying these bad boys and require a high temperature.

Pre show: Make sure all your items are "mise en place!" Once everything is is ret to go it moves quickly ~ blink and you will miss stuff.

Wash your lettuce. I tend to add lemon juice while im cleaning it. I don't know why. It was suggested and I take suggestions. I am proud of my my new salad spinner! When done stick it in the fridge to crisp. I also use a plastic lettuce knife if you were wondering.

Kale: Fold them over leaves and use a sharp knife or scissors to cut out stems out. Separate them for later use

then take leaves and roll them up then slice them up in a chifonade stylee.

While you're in chifonade mode stack up some basil roll it up and chop that too.

I also minced up some cilantro and added that. it smelled yummy!

Chop your mushrooms (you can add some seitan but in my experience it doesn't preserve well despite being pre cooked. ~ Whats up with that?)

I julienne matchsticked my ginger. I tried with the carrots but they weren't big enough. Wahh!

squash and mince your garlic.

Chop your scallions/ green onions (is there a difference? its like the difference between yams and sweet potatoes!)


Now Cooking:
Pre heat your wok. Don't worry about that smoke, its how it do. add the oil and wait for it to heat up and coat the pan that hot chili oil will make you cough so be ready. throw in the garlic, ginger and onions and lighly golden and fragrant.


Add your stems. (they need more time to cook)

add black bean paste just a dab will do you so add a little at a time because you can always add more but you cant add less.

add the kale leaves and the basil and cilantro

add carrots

add peppers

add mushrooms or seitan (or both if you're feeling especially randy baby!)

add chili pepper flakes (you know, the kind you see at the pizzeria?)

Jade said will know when you are done and by golly, she was right! One website said you have to listen to the wok. the sound of the sizzle will help guide you. What is this "the Force?" but yeah, it was a little like that.

Once it was done. I have already prepared my quinoa and red beans (I was going to use black beans but that was far too OD considering the black bean sauce.)

Also my salad was ready and same with the sweet potatoes.

the result was deliciously different! I will definitely try this meal again! Yay!

Don't Know What Ska Is?

I just did a fun webisode with Alicia American where we speak about Ska Music. Note: I am no skaologist.  for that I defer to my homegirl Michelle at NYC Ska (http://www.nycska.com/)


Americast 88: Ska Lessons with Checkerphil