Sharing Plate – Your Cooking Coach |

I have known this recipe for many years, can’t remember where I heard it. Probably on some talk radio show. They were talking about fabulous appetizers for parties and this came up. Since then I have made it a few times and have tweaked it. The tamari and orange juice give it a lot of flavor, especially if you marinate it over night. I decided to use the marinade as a sauce and use treat it as a main dish instead of an appetizer. I had the chicken with the chow mein I made yesterday and it was a nice combination. I added hot sauce to my portion since I like things spicy!

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2 inch squares
• 4 ounces tamari
• 6 ounces concentrated thawed orange juice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 green onion, chopped

Marinate the chicken with tamari, orange juice and garlic over night or for at least 3 hours. Spread the chicken on a lined cookie sheet and drizzle with the olive oil, make sure to set the marinade aside. Broil the chicken in the oven for 15- 20 minutes turning once to make sure all sides are golden brown.
Mean while bring the marinade to a boil in a pan. Adjust seasonings and set aside. Once the chicken is done, drizzle the sauce and garnish with green onions.

This is definitely a kid friendly version of chow mein. I am always looking for something my daughter can take to school that has all the food groups. I took ingredients that she likes, namely, sausage and broccoli and of course noodles! Chicken sausage is healthier than the regular pork sausage and I sneaked in some shredded carrots as well. I used rice noodles because I like the texture, but you can use any kind including dried Chinese egg noodles. If you don’t have rice vinegar any other will do, even a sprinkle of lemon juice will do the trick. For an adult version, I would increase the amount of chili sauce and finish the noodles off with green onions and cilantro. I might serve this with stir-fried bok choy on the side. I think a nice fruity Riesling will go well with this meal. Finish it off with some store bought Green Tea ice cream and you have a feast! Enjoy!

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 chicken sausages, cut into ½ inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1 cup chicken stock mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• ½ pound rice noodles, cooked
• Salt

In a wok, heat the oil. Add the chicken sausage and stir-fry over high heat until it is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and stir-fry over moderate heat, 2 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for about a minute. Stir in carrots and the broccoli florets. Separately, mix the hoisin sauce, garlic chili sauce, orange juice and the rice vinegar into the chicken stock and cornstarch mixture. Add this mixture to the cooking vegetables and sausage. Stir-fry on high heat until the sauce is thickened and everything is mixed well. Now add the cooked noodles and adjust the seasoning.

• 1 pound jumbo cleaned shrimp
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 15-20 curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
• 1 medium yellow onion sliced
• 2 inch ginger sliced
• 2 garlic cloves sliced
• ½ cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro for garnish

In a big wok shaped pan heat the three tablespoons olive oil. Add the curry leaves, cook for 30 seconds. Add the fennel and sesame seeds, cook for another 30 seconds. Then add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook until the vegetables are soft and light brown. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the cleaned shrimp and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until opaque and pink (careful not to overcook). Add the coriander powder, cayenne pepper, garam masala and salt.
Take the shrimp off the heat and add the cilantro and serve.