Firecracker Shrimp!

Take your Shrimp (de-veined) and let it sit in your marinade for
ideally 20-30 minutes. I usually leave the shell on the end of the tail
(the last segment of the shell) for the purpose of holding it while eating;
almost like a handle or skewer-like)

Marinade:
1/2 sriracha & 1/2 hoisin sauce with the juice of an orange.
Start with 2 TBSP of the sriracha and hoisin sauce.
This appetizer is called firecracker because it is meant to be spicy,
if you wish to tone down the spiciness - simply add less sriracha sauce.


Wrap in in an egg roll wrapped that is cut in half diagonally
(to make 2 large triangles)  Have the tail end stick out of the wrapper
and roll while adding a little egg around the places where you want the
egg roll wrapper to adhere.  (The egg is your gluing agent)

Zestfully,  private party chef Yoon

Miso Soup

Miso soup is made from fermented soy bean paste which is a great source of beneficial bacteria. It is light, flavorful and a great base to use to cultivate by adding a range of ingredients to your liking.

A great base and easy way to make Miso soup is the following recipe:

for 2 people:

~ 2 cups of water

~ 2 TBSP of miso paste

~ 2 teaspoons of sesame oil

~ scallions cut to your liking (ringlets or shredded)

~ tofu cut to cubes

~ seaweed, soaked, chopped and to your liking (when soaked in water - will double in size)

Let it simmer and add tofu at the end.

Zestfully,  private party chef Yoon

Dan Dan Noodles

Dan Dan noodles is a Chinese noodle dish that traditionally consists
of a spicy chili oil, Sichuan peppers, minced pork and scallions served
over flour based noodles often made of egg.

As I refer to students during classes, once you learn a base or foundation
of a dish, you then can and should cultivate it to make it your own
by adding what you like to it. 
(mainly because you are the one who is going to eat it)

As many dishes migrate to the western hemisphere they adapt more often
than not to Americanized taste-buds and get modified with spice level,
more Americanized veggies or other ingredients.

Did you know the word 'Dan Dan' refers to a carrying pole that was used
by street vendors who would carry baskets over their shoulder hanging from
Dan Dans (poles) and sell them to local people as they passed by?
Now you do!  The literal translation is: "noodles carried on a pole"

We have a themed class titled "Let's Eat Philly"
where we make Philly style soft pretzels, Philly Cheese steak bites
& Chinatown Dan Dan Noodles. Below is a picture of Dan Dan noodles
made with rice noodles and spaghetti style noodles.

Recipe & Ingredients:

noodles:
your choice of rice, linguine, spaghetti, egg noodle, green noodle

protein:
~ traditionally ground pork (1/4 lb per person)
~but ground chicken is ok if you don't eat pork
* optional - also adding some pork belly or bacon is an added extra.
.....did someone say bacon!?!

veggies:
~ scallions chopped small or shredded with the 'herb shredder'
~ some type of green is always good whether it be the
    traditional mustard greens,   or other options: bok choy, yu choy,
    broccoli rabe stems, kale, spinach etc..

sauce:
1 TBSP of red pepper paste
1 TBSP of sesame paste (can be miso, or tahini, or soy bean paste)
2 garlic gloves minced or grated fine
1/4 cup of stock (your choice, chicken, veggie, beef)
2 TBSP of soy sauce
1 TBSP of sugar (or grate some apple or pear for natural sugar)
1 TBSP of sesame oil (any oil if you don't have sesame)

Directions: 
1. have your noodles already boiled
2. brown the protein (saute the meat)
3. add all the sauce ingredients except for the stock
4. toss in the veggies (if you are using)
5. toss in the noodles
6. add the stock little by little to help liquefy the sauce to your preference
7. add into your favorite noodle bowl and garnish with scallions
   (sesame seeds and or peanuts are sometimes a nice added bonus)



Zestfully,  private party chef Yoon