Attn: Philly-area residents!

Had an amazing dinner at Lai Lai in North Wales last night:

• Shredded pork and pickled cabbage soup (for 2)--great broth and crisp, not-at-all overcooked veggies that tasted like nature intended them to


• Steamed dumplings in a sweet and spicy ginger, plum and chili oil sauce


• The chef's special--sliced beef with tomatoes and ginger


• Melt-your-face pork short ribs (pictured above--and yes, all those red things ARE chili peppers)

We were warmly welcomed by the staff. The service was first class. Our host--a lovely attentive woman (one of the owners, perhaps?)--kindly offered us the authentic Chinese menu in lieu of the Americanized-Chinese/Korean menu. And when my husband ordered the short ribs, she asked him, "How spicy would you like it?" Even when he nodded and said, "Spicy! Kick it up a notch," she wisely instructed the chef to prepare it with "small heat NOT regular heat," and we both enjoyed some giggles and knowing glances when my husband's eyes began to tear and sweat formed on his brow. I tried it, too, and it was HOT, but not at the sacrifice of flavor.

All-around great meal, and I can't wait to go back!

Sautéed Lobster with Asian Flavors

The last time my husband and I were at Noodles of the World (http://www.theborgata.com/Main.cfm?Category_1=4000&Category_2=4200&Category_3=4260), we devoured the evening’s special, a whole lobster, cut up (and pre-cracked), and sautéed in a sweet and spicy Asian-inspired sauce. It was heavenly, lick-the-plate worthy. Though we can’t be certain of the recipe, some of the flavors were so obvious, we decided to try our best to recreate the dish at home. Ours was better. And here’s how we made it:

Ingredients
(2) 1-lb. live lobsters
1 cup organic chicken stock
1 small bunch of green onions/scallions, chopped (use both the whites and greens)
4 slices of bacon, chopped
¼ cup Japanese sake
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, diced
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon organic granulated sugar
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 handful of cilantro, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions
Par boil the whole lobsters in a stock pot filled with boiling water, for approximately four minutes. Remove from water and allow to cool to the touch.

In large bowl, whisk together the flour, chicken stock, sake, sugar, soy, sesame oil, ginger, chili paste, and a pinch of both salt and fresh-cracked black pepper.

Disassemble lobsters—throw away head/torso, but reserve any of the roe, if you’re into that. Pre-crack claws and cut lobster tails in half.

Preheat large, deep sauté pan until hot. Add vegetable oil and spin pan until bottom is coated. Cook chopped bacon until browned. Add garlic and chopped scallions and sauté over medium heat until scallions slightly soften. Be sure not to burn the garlic, for it will turn the dish bitter.

Add the chicken-stock mixture and lobster to the pan. Cover and cook over medium heat for approximately three minutes. Uncover and drizzle beaten egg over the dish. Cook for another two minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with handful of chopped cilantro, and serve.

Vietnamese Pho

There’s nothing better than a hot mug of soup on a bitterly cold day. Here in the mid-Atlantic, we’ve had our share of those lately. On one such day, I broke out my stock pot and made Vietnamese Pho. You can find plenty of recipes online for this classic one-bowl meal, but through trial and error over the years, I’ve come to rely on a few essential Asian ingredients and tend to alter it from there, depending on what add-ons I may have in the refrigerator at the time. With pho, it’s all about the broth. Start with a good stock, and you can’t go wrong.--GAP

Ingredients
1 lb. (approx) of your favorite meat (chicken, pork, beef)—for this recipe I chose beef spareribs from our local Asian market
2 cartons of organic chicken stock (about 7 cups worth)
½ package of ultra-thin Japanese noodles (can substitute healthier whole-wheat angel-hair pasta, but use only a third of the box)
½ cup soy sauce (low-sodium preferred)
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
4 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger
2 heaping tablespoons of red chili paste (more if you like it extra spicy)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves of garlic, diced
¼ cup of organic granulated sugar
1 large red onion, diced
3 julienned carrots
1 cucumber, sliced
1 large bunch of cilantro (de-stemmed)
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
3 limes

Preparation
Coat bottom of stock pot with vegetable oil, bring up to temperature over medium-high heat; add meat and cook until browned.

In large bowl, mix together approximately six cups of the chicken stock with the soy sauce, ginger, chili paste, sesame oil, garlic and sugar. Once meat is browned, pour this mixture over it and allow it to simmer on medium-low heat until meat is tender (nearly falling off the bone, if you’ve chosen bone-in cuts). Depending on thickness and cut, this could take as little as a half hour, or as long as two hours.

Skim off any fat that rises to the top, and add water or a little more chicken stock if it seems that it has reduced down too much. Bring back up to a slow boil and add the diced red onion and carrots, allowing them to cook until al dente (you want a little texture and crunch). This takes just a few minutes

Once the freshly added veggies have been cooked through a bit, drop in a handful of the Japanese noodles and boil on high for three minutes. Remove from heat.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the freshly chopped green scallions, cilantro, cucumber slices, and the juice from ¼ of a fresh lime. The cucumber will quell the spice a bit and adds nice texture.