Monday, May 16, 2011

"Asian" Noodle Bowl


Happy Monday guys!  How was everyone's weekend?  Ours wasn't too bad.

With food trucks popping up all over the west and east coast, it's kind of hard not to be aware of them.  But when you live in the Midwest, things are a little bit different.  Louisville is a Commonwealth so it's really hard to change certain regulations - one of them being the allowance of street vendors in most urban areas. 


However, they are actually becoming present here.  One in particular, L'il Cheezers Gourmet Grilled Cheese, has taken Louisville by storm.  We actually got to visit them Saturday night and were very impressed with what we got!  (I'll post pictures tomorrow!) 

But while waiting in line, I, of course, had to take pictures of the truck and such, and ended up including some random guy in one of them.  He came up to us and was like "Hey, sorry for ruining your picture."  And I was like, "no worries, just as long as you're okay with being on my blog".  And so one thing led to another, and as others heard that this girl (me) had a "food blog", I was then passing out my cards left and right.  It was my first experience just letting my blog be known to strangers.  It was exhilarating. 


What am I getting at here?  Well, when I first started my blog, I didn't want to talk about it with anything.  Not that I was "embarrassed" about it, but that it was just my personal outlet, I guess.  Public speaking has never been my forte, and I've been known to get real nervous talking it up in front of a crowd, but this weekend, it was different.  These people showed genuine interest, and hell, if I can get at least one of them to visit or be interested, I'd be happy. 

How about you guys?  Do you openly talk about your blogs?  Did you take a while to be comfortable about it?  Or am I just crazy?


Anyway, I was a little under the weather last week, and wanted something a little different from the normal chicken soup to cure me.  So I gathered what I had laying around and came up with this Asian Noodle Bowl.  It's quite flexibile, and you don't really need to use the ingredients that I've got listed (although it was a great combination!).  Just use what you have on hand and you're bound to discover something wonderful.  And honestly, I think it did help me feel better, too!

Ingredients:
Adapted from The Cilantropist's recipe
Serves 2


2 pork chops
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 oz. Asian egg noodles
1 cup pac choi (same as bok choy)
4 cups chicken stock
1 piece dried Kombu 
Sriracha, (optional)
Red pepper flakes, (optional)
bamboo shoots, drained (optional)

Preheat oven to 300F.


Season chops with salt and pepper.

In a large, oven-proof skillet, heat olive oil under medium high heat.  Brown pork chops on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.

Place skillet in oven and bake chops for about 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

In a large saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil and add kombu.  Simmer for about 15 minutes.  Add pac choi and blanch for about a minute or two, or until the leaves turn bright green.  Remove pac choi with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate, and set aside. 

Add egg noodles to stock and cook according to package directions until tender.  Mine were "quick" noodles, so it took maybe about 2-3 minutes.  Remove noodles with slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.

Ladle some stock into a soup bowl and add noodles, pac choi, and bamboo shoots.  Top with sliced pieces of pork chop.  Add red pepper flakes and sriracha, if desired.  Serve while still hot.


This was pretty simple and easy!  And like I said, you could practically use any protein, vegetables, noodle, stock combo you'd like.  This is just what I had on hand and it worked out perfectly!  It was super tasty and definitely helped clear my head of a little bit of illness!

Hope you guys have a great Monday and be back tomorrow!

34 comments:

  1. This looks healthy and simple. I like it!

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  2. I have never been shy about talking about my blog... but I'm just that way, crazy and loud and always talking, lol! ;) Your noodle bowl looks to die for!

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  3. I used to be more shy, but lately I've talked it up more. I think my redesign helped, so I'm prouder of the overall package than I used to be. :-) (The soup looks amazing, by the way!)

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  4. This looks delicious!

    I am exactly the same way. I feel like blogging is a personal outlet and only those closest to me know about it, but I'm starting to wonder if I should combine my two identities? Good to know that you feel great about it! And looking forward to your grilled cheese photos!

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  5. I am very shy when it comes to talk about my blog! I don't want anyone to say that I am overly proud about it. These noodles with pork look amazingly good!

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  6. You should talk about it! Especially with a yummy bowl like this!

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  7. Thats a very yummy bowl... Looks so inviting...

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  8. Your celebrity next to a food truck episode was great. I feel happy for you. I don't talk about my blog much. My hairdresser stared at me blankly and grunted when I told her about it. I guess some people are not familiar with the word blog. I like eating spicy noodle soup when I don't feel well. It sorts me out.

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  9. I am totally with you, I am still not taliking to strangers about my blog haha..and it is crazy feeling when somebody actually find out :D
    Your dish looks fantastic, and very delicious!
    Thanks for sharing!!!

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  10. Whoa! That looks insanely delicious ~ perfect n filling meal!
    US Masala

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  11. Love dishes like this, simple, flavorful and yummy! As far as blogs, go, we were a little shy at first but when we realized that people were so interested in what we were doing it became a lot easier, and now we talk about ti at every opportunity! Only just discovered your blog so we don;t know when it happened but congrats on moving from boyfriend to fiance!

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  12. Pho looks flavorful and delicious.

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  13. very tempting and delicious soup/..loved it.

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  14. I actually have kombu and use it for Japanese soup stock. You did a beautiful job with this dish.

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  15. I don't mind talking about my blog to those who are interested, others doesn't care about them. Your Asian bowl looks awesome tempting.

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  16. This bowl of soup is perfect for cold SF weather... Well besides my friends no one knows about my food blog. Well, my husband is trying to spread the word about my blog at work and elsewhere, but I like to keep it to myself for now...Especially my Japanese friends in Japan or here don't know about it! I'm too embarassed to say I'm blogging about Japanese food...because they are all good cook! Thanks for the yummy recipe Peggy!

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  17. Yum, wish I had a noodle bowl or grilled cheese right now! I have a pretty new blog, at first only my boyfriend knew, slowly I've been sharing with some friends and family.... I want hear more about your cards! What do they look like?

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  18. Every blogger will same talking about the blog. ^^*
    But some time I am sorry to them when I take photos in restaurant.

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  19. This looks delicious. I love eating things with chop sticks!

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  20. Simple...easy...and beautiful! This looks like a winning meal. And I loved to hear how you shared your blog with those strangers. I'm sure they are happy to have found you! I'm sorry I have been so absent these past few weeks. It has been so good to return to you and your lovely blog! Thank you for sharing with me tonight. I hope you have a wonderful day.

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  21. This looks great! Especially with the Sriracha on the top! Add some Hoison sauce on the top and i'll eat it everyday! Delicious!

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  22. I totally undestand where you are coming from. I still don't openly tell people about my blog and get a little uncomfortable talking about it. Most people who know me as F have no idea of my alter ego Nuts about Food. If it weren't for my mom and a couple of girlfriends who publicize, nobody would know probably. I just get really shy and self conscious about it and feel like a kid playing grown up. I wonder why that is? Maybe because, like you, this is my creative outlet and not a way to advertise or gain popularity. Anyhow, good job and hand those cards out!

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  23. The noodle soup looks delish! I only talk about my blog with my close family and friends. I'm not all comfortable in talking about my blog to strangers yet....i guess it takes time to build the confidence. But I think it's a great idea to hand out cards as an introduction...sparing the awkward verbal blog intro, lol.

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  24. For the first year of my blog, I didn't tell anyone about it...not even my roommate! But now it's such a HUGE part of my life and something I'm so incredibly passionate about that I tell anyone and everyone! That noodle soup looks absolutely delicious!

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  25. I still can not talk about the blog. Especially at work. It is such a demanding, stresful work that if I talk about my blog at work, people give me funny looks and make comments like "oh you must have a lot of time in your hands"... so I just talk about it if a friend brings it up but I am more comfortable actually talking to the strangers because I feel like I am not being judged.
    Wow... was I keeping that all inside? Sorry to fill up your comment section! :)
    That soup looks like it has some healing power! :)

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  26. Yum, noodle bowls are great because they packed everything into one convenient serving vessel :)

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  27. I love your use of exotic ingredients! It is certainly a beautiful presentation as well :)

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  28. This looks amazing! Love stuff like this so I am saving this recipe; exotic yet I know he will love it.
    I am very shy to talk about my blog; my family knows and sometimes word of mouth,but my followers are other bloggers like you. When it comes to food I open up and blogging have been so good for me; I am expanding my horizons and mmeting nice people like you Peggy. I am adding to my recipe collection.
    Rita

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  29. Don't feel bad...I have yet to see a food truck in good ol' Indiana!

    Your noodle bowl looks terrific!

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  30. You had me at "bok choy". Mmmm. I rarely talk about my personal blog. (It's not even on my business cards.) But, I love to tell people about Zomppa.
    We don't have a Grilled Cheese food truck in DC yet (although, we have a bazillion others). I wish we did! Cheese...yes, please!

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  31. I have been really behind on my commenting! Life has been crazy... I am back to see what I've been missing out! This bowl of noodles looks amazing! This is my kind of meal... Totally! Thanks for sharing :)

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  32. I can totally relate. I've been blogging for two years now, and I'm starting to spend more time promoting my blog. You have so much to share, I'm happy you are too. My husband made me business cards for my 50th birthday, and like you, I'm just starting to give them away. I think it's fun now, but at first I was a bit shy about it.

    Love the soup!

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  33. Ohh... sweet pictures! Thank you for the recipe. I love asian noodles. In fact I am a regular customer of Asian Noodle house. I love the Tokyo Ramen!

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