Gia-Ninh's Clear Cooked Napa w/ Sesame Oil

As I've said before, Gia-Ninh knows his stuff. Here's a delicious side to go with any asian-style meal you're working on:

• 1 medium sized head of napa cabbage, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp corn oil
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Heat wok until SCREAMING HOT - Gia-Ninh says, "when you can flick water at it and it skittles across the surface of the pan, you're ready". Add the corn oil & then 1 tbsp of the salt & swirl to coat.

Add napa to the pan & toss to coat the cabbage with the oil (you're not going to get everything coated right away so just toss it a few times). As the napa cooks down, add sugar to taste. Stir fry on super high heat, stirring vigorously as it cooks down. Once close to doneness, taste & adjust for salt, add sesame oil, take off the heat (always take off heat after sesame oil is added because it has such a low smoke point, to avoid scorching the oil).

Eat it while it's hot.

Chinese Egg Drop Soup

This is great for when you're fighing off brochitis like I am. Soup is always great for when you're sick but this also has two extra great things - ginger & garlic. Seriously good medicine.

• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp medium dry sherry
• one 2-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 cup dried fine egg noodles
• 2 large eggs, beaten lightly
• 1-2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1.5 tsp sesame oil

Bring stock, soy sauce, sherry, ginger & garlic to a boil in a 2 quart heavy saucepan.

Remove ginger & garlic with a slotted spoon & discard. Or, finely chop the garlic and leave it in. You could also mince the ginger and leave it in.

Stir in noodles & simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 4 minutes.

Stirring soup in a circular motion, add eggs in a slow, steady stream.

Simmer, undisturbed, until strands of egg are cooked, about 1 minute.

Remove from heat & stir in scallions (to taste) & sesame oil.

Season with salt.

Chicken & Bell Pepper Stir-fry

Made this up this morning based on what leftovers I had in the fridge. Turned out spectacular, probably because of the addition of Gia-Ninh's soy lime dipping sauce.

• 1 large chicken breast (or 2)


• about 1 sandwich bag full of red, yellow and organce bell peppers


• 2 onions, sliced in slivers ('frenched')


• Gia-ninh's soy lime dipping sauec - probably about 1/2 cup


• 1.5 tbsp cornstarch


• canola oil


• 3 cloves garlic, minced


• salt & pepper

Heat canola in a wok on high heat. Add onions. Once the onions are starting to turn translucent, add the garlic and chicken and saute until chicken is mostly cooked through.

Add peppers and soy lime sauce. Mix a bit of water or the soy lime sauce with the cornstarch and add to thicken.

Salt & pepper to taste. I served mine over basmati rice.