Next month is chinese food month for me

[mandyky]

I love making fried rice, and I love bok choy. I usually add frozen peas, corn, and fresh grated carrots as well. I am not fond of water chesnuts. What other vegies are good?

I usually make plain or chicken, with eggs. Any other good meats?
Not sure I'll be able to afford shrimp.

I also love fried lo mein but haven't seen it in our store here. It reminds me of thin spaghetti, could I try that and not have it be a disaster? (LOL)

I used to work in a Chinese restaurant when I lived in AZ, and loved the food. I just can't remember how some of it was made. (I was a waitress not a cook).

[politicat]

1. Yes, angel hair or spaghetti works for lo mein.

If you have Albertson's groceries, you may be able to get shrimp in the quantity and size you need for fried rice for about $1 a bag. It's pre-cooked, salad sized shrimp that comes in a 6 oz bag (which is more than enough for a pan of fried rice or lo mein, where meat is part of an ensemble cast, not a star vehicle) for $1 a bag when they have 10 for $10 days. When I make a pan of fried rice with shrimp for me, (DH hates all things from the ocean) 3 c rice, 3 c. veggies and 6 oz shrimp is usually good for 2 lunches and 2 suppers. Ditto for lo mein.

Pork works really, really well for chinese, too, though in fact you can use just about any leftover meat or meat-substitute you have. I've made fried rice with leftover, marinated tofu chunks, with leftover fish, even deli ham chopped fine. My fried rice tends to be a bit like slumgullion - a little bit of everything (because that's how I was taught to make it.) The key is to cut whatever you're using really, really fine.

As far as lo mein goes, the trick is to have the pasta cooked and cold, add it a little at a time to the veggies and meats that you've already stir fried in a veg or peanut oil with just a touch of sesame oil. (If you have an asian market anywhere in the area, get a bottle of sesame oil. A little bottle will run about $2 and will last a long time. But don't buy it at the regular grocery; they'll skin you alive for it.) Add the pasta over high heat, stirring until a slight browning happens. THEN pour the cornstarch-soy sauce-water-spice mixture over the top, let it gel up, and serve.

Veggies in ours: diced or sliced green (red if we can get it inexpensively) pepper, diced or sliced onion, sliced mushrooms, green beans, broccoli florets (usually lo mein, not fried rice), diced broccoli stems (usually fried rice, not lo mein) cabbage shreds, spinach, peas, carrots. Really, pretty much anything that happens to be in the house, as long as I can get up to 3 cups.

On edit: looking at your profile and your location, there's a few asian groceries in lexington that my sister (who lived in your area for several years) says are both very good and very inexpensive. She highly recommends the Asia Grocery and Parisia (sp) International market as being doable on a budget and comprehensive for basics.

[mandyky]

4. Since I don't have a car, I rarely shop in Lexington

I have to cab it to and from the grocery, which is why I also shop at WalMart, in case I need something other than food.

[Stinky The Clown]

2. As was mentioned in another recent thread here, use jicama in place

of water chestnuts.

[eleny]

3. A broccoli tip

I use the bottoms of the broccoli. Cut off the bottom and stand it up. Cut off the tough skin all around and then slice the tender center into slivers that look sort of like matchsticks. I add it to Chinese dishes with the other veggies. It's one of the mystery veggies in Chinese dishes. You can add the tops if you like them in the particular dish or save it for another meal.

[wildeyed]

5. Fried rice is strictly a leftovers thing at my house.

If a make a meal with a large meat entree and steamed rice on the side, and their are sufficient leftovers, we have fried rice the next day. I actually plan to do it that way sometimes.

I chop fine some garlic, ginger, and the white parts of spring onions if I have them, then saute them for a few minutes with some vegetable oil. Then I add left over meat and veggies, then rice. Add some soy and maybe a little rice vinegar, call it dinner :)