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Cooking with a wok.

See? I proved it. I proved - although no newspaper sub-editor in the world would agree - that it is possible to write a pun-free headline containing the word 'wok'. Wok puns are so dreadfully ubiquitous that I estimate nine out of ten people reading the above headline would be looking subconsciously, if not consciously, for a second meaning. THERE IS NO SECOND MEANING.

Poached fish with wok-tossed greens and udon noodles.

I'm liking fragrant food at the moment. It must be the weather. This recipe was perfect for dinner on a cool, mid-to-late-autumn (oh my, is winter really only 28 days away?) evening.

Marinate some fish - I used fresh salmon this time - in the usual suspects: soy, ginger, garlic. I threw in some finely chopped lemongrass as well and a squirt of lime juice.

Chop a bunch of choy sum - sometimes referred to as Chinese flowering cabbage, brassica parachinensis, flowering pak choi or the one with light green leaves and the slender stems. Chop ten spring onions diagonally into one inch sections.

Place fish in a lidded pan and allow it to poach with its marinade. I had half a can of light coconut milk left over from something else, so I added this; but it's not essential. It sure made it tasty, however; mixing with the soy and ginger and lemongrass and lime to make a delicious sauce.

While the fish is poaching, toss the choy sum and the spring onions in a wok with a little peanut oil and a few drops of sesame oil. Throw in a dozen or so snow peas. Add a dash of boiling water, lid wok and allow to steam for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare some noodles. I used fresh udon ones which only needed heating in boiling water. I drained them and added them to the wok, folded them through with the wok ladle and added a dash of oyster sauce to the mix.

Transfer noodles and greens to serving plates. Add fish and pour over any remaining sauce.

Sauvignon blanc, please. Or jasmine tea.

Comments

  1. Wok are you doing defaming sub-editors like that? Jasmine tea for me tonight.

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  2. Amazing! I have udon noodles at home right now - I even have salmon! I was trying to figure out what to do with the noodles and now I know....it sounds really really good!

    Thank you!

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  3. You took a perfectly innocent headline and gave it a second meaning by pointing out it had no meaning at all. Now it has the sound of one hand clapping.

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  4. Ed, they're getting worse. I read a review of the Argo Inn somewhere - I think it was Bob Hart - and the headline was something like Give it Argo.

    Happy to help out, Carmen.

    I love that sound, Neil. It's nearly as good as the sound of two babies sleeping. And as rare.

    ReplyDelete

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