Daddy's Lil' Girl

I'm so thankful to have my dad back! He was out of the country for three years to pursue a vision that would compromise his comfort. He struggled a lot, but it's so evident he gained much more! He's always been an inspiration to me in all that he does~ 

I don't know why, but I always get so EMO around these deng observance days (father's & mother's day in particular). Maybe because he was gone for 3 years? Maybe because I have several close friends who have lost a parent........ Honestly, it was hard having him across the world, but I can't imagine what it'd be like to have him in another world.... I always remember my friends' parents on these days & it's also a helpful reminder to cherish the days I have with my own. As cliche as it is, live each day as if it's your last... BE GOOD TO THOSE WHO GAVE YOU LIFE! 

I can't flip the emo channel... =( and this song always comes to mind every father's day... never fails to hit a soft spot... 

Ok, enough of that... So, my dad's heart for China grew 100-fold... He will occasionally even speak to me in Mandarin.... ???.... It's actually kind of funny~ haha So in light of his new passion, I tried to recreate a few favorite dishes I tried while I visited last April. 

<3 My dad and his best friend from grade school celebrating together <3

Spicy Eggplant Stir-Fry

Indredients:

3 eggplants

a bundle of string beans

1 red bell pepper

ground pork

garlic cloves

2 shallots

thai chili peppers

olive oil (or peanut oil)

soysauce

garlic chili sauce

Slice bell peppers

Cut off ends & chop into ~3" portions

Slice eggplants (slightly thicker than bell peppers)

Cook diced shallots, sliced garlic, and ground pork until brown.

Add in string beans, eggplant, & bell peppers.
I mixed in garlic chili sauce, soy sauce, and oyster sauce to taste.
Add in thai chili peppers for that extra kick! woo sa!!

[...starting running out of time so I apologize in advance for the lack of detail shots!]

Spicy Fried Tofu

I totally cheated on this one!!

Ingredients:

Instant MaboTofu sauce

Medium Firm Tofu

ground pork

1 bundle of scallions

~1 tbsp minced garlic

garlic chili sauce

a squeeeeze of sriracha

cook ground pork until brown.
add in sauce & simmer.
Add in cubed pieces of tofu & add sauces to taste.

 hahah!! told you I cheated~ easy!

Chow Bing (one of my most favvvvvoooorrriite dishes while in Beijing!!):

Ingredients:

green onion (or shallot) pancakes

1 bundle of scallions

bean sprouts

shallots

garlic

ginger

carrots (optional... i only used carrots to garnish)

soy sauce

olive oil

I didn't have time to make shallot pancakes, so I bought the ready made green onion pancakes.
Just fry until brown and cut into small pieces.
I LOVE THESE PANCAKES!!!!! THE CONSISTENCY IS PERFECT!!!! Doughy & chewy, but flakey & crispy.

Fry ginger, garlic, bean sprouts, shallots, & scallions in olive oil.

Add in pancake slices & fold in.
Mix in soy sauce and extra olive oil to evenly coat.

Peking Duck

Totally cheated again! Didn't have time to roast my own duck~
Bought from Ranch 99: 1 whole duck & 1/2 lb of honey bbq pork (char siu)

Julienne cucumber (hot house is my fav), cantaloupes, & scallions. 

You can either wrap the above ingredients in a lil bun like this or even eggroll wrappers!
Both were good, but the buns are better fillers (obviously!).

The red-heads...
Just an image in case you need a reference when shopping for ingredients.
Everybody needs a lil spice in their life... Get jazzy~

HAHAHAH!!!
"Don't ja wish your gf was HAT like me!"

The brunettes...
I placed hoisin sauce on the side of the peking duck for dipping.

Hen Hao Chi!!! 

lol, learned this one from my brother & sis-in-law in Beijing! <3