How you doin’? What is New Orleans all about? New Orleans is world-renowned for its distinct music, Creole and Cajun cuisines, unique dialect, and its annual celebrations and festivals—most notably Mardi Gras… this year starting with Fat Tuesday on March 4th.

The historic heart of the city is the French Quarter, known for its French and Spanish Creole architecture and vibrant nightlife along Bourbon Street. The city has been described as the most unique in the United States, owing in large part to its cross-cultural and multilingual heritage. New Orleans is a bustling port city on the Gulf where the mighty Mississippi river greets the commerce of the world.

Founded in 1718 by French colonists, New Orleans was once the territorial capital of French Louisiana before being sold to the United States by Napoleon in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. New Orleans in 1840 was the third-most populous city in the United States, and it was the largest city in the American South from the Antebellum era until after World War II.

So, what is it about New Orleans that makes it so special? It’s the excitement, the people and the great food. The food has a wonderful mix of harmonious cultures—Cajun, Creole, African, French, Native Americans (Chitimacha), British, Italian, Irish, Polish and American.

Gumbo is a spicy, thick stew made with chicken, sausage, seafood, and vegetables, including okra; it is traditionally served over rice. The origins of gumbo go back to the West Africans who were brought to the colony of French Louisiana. West Africans used okra to thicken stews made with meat and shrimp. As a matter of fact, the word for ‘okra’ in West Africa is ‘ki ngombo’ and in French, it’s ‘gombo’. Over time French, Native American, Caribbean, Creole, and Cajun influences created the different varieties of gumbo: thick and thin, with or without tomatoes, with seafood, chicken, or sausage, and with or without okra.

Thanks to kitchen technology—the Instant Pot—it doesn’t take long to make it. My Instant Pot Gumbo is a quintessential New Orleans dish that is hearty, satisfying, flavorful and perfect for a crowd. This all-time favorite can be made with a variety of meats and seafood. The one pictured was a light seafood gumbo made with sausage, shrimp, lobster and crawfish (more on crawfish in the ChefSecret below). It truly tastes amazing when served over rice.
 
Prep time:  10 to 15 minutes
Cook time:  20 to 25 minutes
Instant Pot cook time:  4 minutes (allow 10 minutes to get up to pressure and another 10 minutes to cook the shrimp)
 
Ingredients 
1/2 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning or Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup olive oil + 2 Tbsp extra for sautéing
1/2 pound Andouille sausage or smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup diced red onions
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup diced celery
2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth (for seafood gumbo, I used 3 cups broth, 1 cup clam juice and 1 cup Champagne)
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or, to your taste)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 bay leaves (small) or 1 large
2 cups frozen okra, sliced in thirds
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes or 2 cups freshly chopped tomatoes
1 pound uncooked whole crawfish (optional)
1/4 pound chopped lobster meat (optional)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions (green parts only) 
Chopped parsley to garnish
 
Directions

1. Rub the shrimp with Creole or Cajun seasoning and set aside.
2. Select SAUTE mode and when Instant Pot has heated, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the inner pot.
3. Add the andouille sausage and chicken, and cook until browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Press CANCEL and transfer the chicken and sausage to a plate using a slotted spoon and set aside.
5. To make the roux use a medium saucepan and add remaining 1/2 cup olive oil and all-purpose flour.
6. Cook the oil and flour until the mixture resembles dark peanut butter, stirring frequently, and being careful not to burn. This can take about 10 to 15 minutes. For my seafood gumbo I didn’t get the roux very dark as I wanted to taste the shellfish. Be patient… this is important. If you don’t have the time to cook it right “today” save it for another day.
7. Add the onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic to the roux. Stir until vegetables are slightly soft, about 5 minutes.
8. Using a wooden spatula, scrape the bottom of the inner pot to make sure there are no burnt bits stuck to the bottom. Deglaze with a couple of tablespoons of broth as needed.
9. Moving back to the Instant Pot, select SAUTE mode
10. Stir in the broth (can include clam juice and wine), white, black and cayenne peppers, thyme, salt, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, bay leaves, frozen okra and then transfer the roux mixture to the Instant Pot.
11. Stir in the reserved chicken and sausage.
12. Add tomatoes on top and gently push down with a spatula to submerge. Do not stir.
13. Close Instant Pot lid and set the PRESSURE mode on HIGH FOR 4 MINUTES.
14. After cooking, do a QUICK RELEASE of the pressure and open the Instant Pot.
15. Immediately stir in the shrimp and close the Instant Pot for another 10 minutes.  The shrimp will cook in the residual heat (if using precooked lobster or crawfish let the shrimp cook for 5 minutes then open the lid again and add the rest of the pre-cooked seafood).
16. Open the Instant Pot, stir and ladle the gumbo over Jasmine Rice or rice of your choice.
17. Garnish the gumbo with a sprinkle of parsley and green onions.

ChefSecret: Some recipes suggest cooking the roux in the Instant Pot, I don’t. My Instant Pot is prone to getting a HOT or BURN message. I recommend cooking the roux on the stovetop and adding it to the inner pot after the broth. The darker the roux, the more intense the flavor of the gumbo.  Be sure not to burn the roux, so keep stirring constantly especially as it gets darker.
One of the things I really love about gumbo is anything goes. For the pictured recipe I deleted the chicken and added lobster meat and crawfish as noted in the ingredient listing. The precooked crawfish were a mistake. I got all the flavor, but the meat was barely noticeable. Next time I’ll just get a half dozen or so crawfish and use them as a garnish on the top. You can also add fresh clams and crab meat for more seafood flavor.

Quip of the Day:  “Being trapped in a car with a talkative child is like having an insane parrot glued to your shoulder.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to [email protected].  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.
#Entrees #Dinner #NewOrleans #BigEasy #Gumbo #InstantPotGumbo #InstantPot #FatTuesday #MardiGras2025 #MardiGras #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                                            ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? Instant Pot Mongolian Beef is a delicious dish made with flank steak with a dark flavorful sauce. The beef is tender, and the sauce is thick and rich… perfect to serve over rice.
 
Legend has it that when the Mongol Empire was at its peak, almost 1,000 years ago, it was Genghis Khan and his army that gave us what we now know as Mongolian Beef.
 
At the end of a long hard day of battle, the Mongols would make a large fire and use their shields as grills, as the Mongols believed that food should never be cooked directly on fire. With a freshly slaughtered cow or yak, they would use their swords to turn the meat and even eat with. They had brought along garlic and onions on their battles to help season and flavor the meat, along with a special sweet sauce that only the Mongols knew how to make.
 
We know this is just a ‘legend’, but it’s a lot more fun than the actual truth behind Mongolian Beef (spoiler alert, it doesn’t come from Mongolia, neither does Mongolian BBQ). Regardless of the origin, it’s still one of the top selling dishes in Chinese restaurants.
 
Mongolian beef is a dish from Taiwan consisting of sliced beef, commonly paired with scallions or mixed vegetables and is not particularly spicy. As noted above, Mongolian Beef is often served over steamed rice or in the US, over crispy fried cellophane noodles. It is one of those staple dishes in American Chinese restaurants. Despite its name, the dish has nothing to do with Mongolian cuisine.
 
For some reason Mongolian beef is among the meat dishes developed in Taiwan where Mongolian barbecue restaurants first appeared… beef grilled over basins of charcoal or gas-fired grills. None of the ingredients or the preparation methods are drawn from traditional Mongolian cuisine but from basic Chinese-American cuisine. A variation—Mongolian lamb—substitutes the beef with lamb (same ingredients and prep and cooking times).
 
Prep time:  25 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients 
3 tablespoons corn starch
2 pounds flank steak, cut across the grain in 1-inch wide strips
2 tablespoons cooking oil, canola, peanut, other neutral oil
8 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon ginger, minced (or 3 teaspoons powdered)
3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine (mirin), or sherry or rice wine vinegar
3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, (or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper)
3/4 cup water, divided
5 green onions, chopped in 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
 
To thicken the sauce
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons cold water
 
Directions

1. Add the corn starch to a large plastic zip closure bag. Add the beef slices and shake to coat them in the corn starch. Set them aside in the bag.
2. Turn on the Instant Pot to SAUTÉ setting.
3. When the pot is hot, add the oil.
4. Add the beef in one layer and brown both sides. You will need to do this in two batches, so the meat isn't crowded. The meat will not be fully cooked at this point. Remove the browned meat to a plate and set aside.
5. While the beef is browning, using a large measuring cup add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and 1/4 cup of water. Mix well and set aside.
6. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of water to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot (deglaze).
7. Add the sauce and green onions to the pot and stir.
8. CANCEL the SAUTÉ SETTING and add the beef and any liquid on the plate back into the pot.
9. Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the sealing position.
10. Press the PRESSURE COOK button to HIGH PRESSURE for 10 MINUTES. The pot will take 5 to 7 minutes to come to pressure.
11. While the beef is cooking, mix the corn starch and water for thickening. Set aside.
12. When the cook cycle has finished, turn off the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 10 MINUTE NATURAL RELEASE.
13. Turn the steam release to the VENTING POSITION to release the remaining pressure.
14. When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid.
15. Add the brown sugar, stir well.
16. Turn on the SAUTÉ setting (normal heat).
17. Stir the beef and sauce. When it starts to simmer, pour in the corn starch slurry, if needed. Then TURN OFF the Instant Pot.
18. Serve immediately over some hot cooked rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

ChefSecret:  A lot of dishes in China had Mongolian in the name, but they were in no way related to Mongolian culture. So Mongolian beef is nothing more than a Taiwanese stir-fry!

Quip of the Day:  不怕慢，就怕站 (bù pà màn, jiù pà zhàn)
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected].  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Entrees #Dinner #MongolianBeef #Beef  #FlankSteak #InstantPotMongolianBeef #InstantPot #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  

                                                                 PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? Hawaiian Luau Chicken is sure to transport you to sunny skies, ocean waves and warm sands at Waikiki Beach. You can smell the intoxicating aroma of the luau made by simmering chicken thighs in an aromatic broth of soy sauce (or shoyu), ginger, garlic and brown sugar, it’s bright and bursting with umami flavor.
 
“Shoyu” is a Japanese-style soy sauce that’s made with a combination of soy and wheat. It has a sweet-and-salty flavor and is used in stir-fries, as a dipping sauce for tempeh, sushi, grilled meat, tofu, eggs and vegetables and as a marinade. Aloha brand is commonly used in Hawaii but Kikkoman is an easily accessible brand that works just as well.
 
Hawaiian Luau Chicken is best served with rice, of course, and sautéed bok choy, udon noodles, or stir-fried vegetables are all great accompaniments.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients 
1/2 cup shoyu soy sauce ( I prefer Kikkoman low sodium)
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
5 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
3 tablespoons peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
1-3/4 cups unsalted chicken stock, divided
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (roughly 1-1/2  to 2 pounds)
2-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Sliced fresh scallions (green onion tops)
 
Directions

1. In a medium Dutch oven or a large, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet, whisk together the shoyu, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and 1-1/2 cups of stock until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute.
2. Add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and bring to a boil, undisturbed, over medium-high heat.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer, turning the chicken halfway through, until it is tender and a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 165°F, about 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat.
5. Broil the chicken (optional):
6. Using tongs, remove the chicken pieces and place them on a large-rimmed sheet pan, skin-side up.
7. Preheat the oven to broil with a rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Broil the chicken until the skin is golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes.
8. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock until well combined.
9. Add the cornstarch mixture to the shoyu mixture in the Dutch oven and whisk to combine.
10. Boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1 minute.
11. Return the chicken, skin-side up, to the Dutch oven and spoon the thickened sauce over it.
12. Garnish with scallions, if desired, and serve.
13. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

ChefSecret:  If you want to get the true luau flavor, finish off the chicken thighs on an outdoor barbecue.

Quip of the Day:  This luau has me on island time—no rush, just relax.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Entrees #Dinner #HawaiianLuauChicken #Aloha #Shoyu #IslandDinner #WaikikiBeach #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
                                                                                ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? What’s the perfect crowd pleasing dish for your Super Bowl party? Chili, of course!
 
Firehouse Beef & Bean Chili is always at the top of my list when the weather cools. But even when the weather warms, I can always go for a big bowl of chili. My recipe lets the slow cooker do most of the work. Today most Instant Cookers have a slow-mode button, so you don’t have to go out and buy another piece of kitchen equipment.
 
The slower the chili cooks, the heartier the chili is, and you can serve it so many different ways. Leftovers are never a problem, you can smother an omelet, ladle it on hot dogs or burgers, spoon it over baked potatoes or just pile it high in a bowl with toppings of you choosing.
 
I highly recommend browning the beef in a skillet along with the onions and garlic before adding the meat to your slow cooker. The browning process amps up the savory flavors in the chili and gives the spices a chance to bloom, enhancing their flavor. If you don’t have time or don’t want to mess up a clean skillet, you don’t have to. The beef will cook fine in the slow cooker, and it will be completely safe to eat. You’ll miss out on the flavor from browning the beef, onions, garlic, and spices because caramelizing them a bit adds a huge amount of flavor to the chili, and you’ll be disappointed if you skip the step.
 
If you want to get dinner ready before you leave for work, then set the slow cooker to low and let it simmer for 8 hours, and it will be perfect. When you walk in the door the aroma will knock your socks off. Or you start the chili in the afternoon, cook it on high heat, and have it ready in 3 to 4 hours. If you go with this method, stir the chili occasionally so it cooks evenly.
 
When it comes to additions for your chili, you can go completely crazy with   options — fried onion strings, minced raw white onions, Fritos, avocado, pimento cheese… even bacon!
 
If you have the time, make some crispy corn strips to top your chili. I included the recipe below. Once you make them from scratch, you’ll be glad you did. If you’re pressed for time, store-bought corn tortilla chips work just fine! Personally, I like classic chili toppings, like cheese, sour cream, and chives.
 
If you have leftover chili, you’re in luck! Chili is super versatile, and you can use it in so many ways.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  7 to 8 hours
Yield:  6 to 8 servings
 
Ingredients 
For the chili
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds ground beef (90/10)
1 cup diced white onion
6 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons mild chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup Stout Beer (I prefer Guinness) or beef stock
1 (4.5-ounce) can green chiles
2 (15-ounce) cans drained and rinsed kidney beans
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup corn chips (I prefer Fritos for the nutty flavor)
 
For the crispy tortillas strips garnish
4 corn tortillas, sliced into strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
 
For garnish
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheese
4 tablespoons green onion tops or chopped chives
 
Directions

1. In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once it is hot, add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the beef as it cooks, until beef is brown… 7 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the onions, garlic and spices and continue to cook for a few minutes to combine the flavors.
3. At the very end of browning, add the beer or stock and use the liquid to scrape up any stuck brown bits from the skillet.
4. Transfer all the skillet ingredients to a slow cooker along with green chiles, beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and corn chips.
5. Cover the chili and cook on HIGH for four hours, stirring occasionally, or set to LOW for 8 hours.
6. Season the chili with salt and pepper to taste once it has cooked.
7. Serve it in big bowls garnished with cheese, sour cream, chives and tortilla strips.
8. Chili keeps and reheats beautifully. Personally, I think that chili is actually better on day two or three. It keeps well in the fridge for four to five days and you can freeze it without a worry.

To make the crispy corn strips without frying them

1. Preheat an oven to 375⁰ F.
2. Slice the tortillas into strips and spread them out on a sheet pan.
3. Drizzle the strips with oil and spices and use your hands to mix together.
4. Spread out in an even layer and bake the strips for 5 to 6 minutes. Then stir strips to make sure they are cooking evenly. The ones around the edges will cook faster. Bake for 4-5 minutes and then remove from oven and cool. Tortilla strips will continue to get crispy as they cool.

ChefSecret:  If you would like to substitute chunky steak, you can. Use round steak cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Brown the steak in a skillet seasoned with salt and pepper, just like the ground beef, and then proceed with the recipe as written.

Quip of the Day:  Why hasn’t someone figured out how to slow-cook grapes? Eight-hours later you’d have a bottle of wine.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs.
-------------------------------------------
To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.
 
#Entrees #Chili #FirehouseBeef-BeanChili #SuperBowlChili #SuperBowlRecipe #SlowCooker #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                                         ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? My executive chef, Spencer, used to tell me the magical thing about Pad Thai is the way it layers flavor with texture. It’s bright, hot, nutty, salty, sweet, and full of umami, a perfectly balanced complexity that belies the stir-fry ease of the dish.
 
It’s also the rare dish that everyone agrees on—I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t love Pad Thai. For all those reasons, it’s a meal maker’s dream—it’s fun to make it for other folks because you always get more than 100% appreciation back on your cooking effort.
 
According to food histories, Pad Thai is based on the Chinese culinary tradition of stir fries. Kway teow is Chinese for rice noodles and pad is fried in Thai, so the name roughly translates to ‘Thai-style stir-fried noodles.’ It was either invented or introduced to Thailand in the 1930s, a pivotal time in the country’s politics, when its leaders were trying to both westernize and build national unity (Refer to the King & I Movie). Street vendors were encouraged to make Pad Thai as an expression of Thai cuisine, but also to help the country through an economically difficult time—rice noodles, stir fried veggies and very little protein add up to a satisfying yet inexpensive meal.
 
The dish takes the bulk of its flavor from a sauce made with tamarind paste, fish sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar. If you don’t have tamarind paste, you can replicate its signature sour-sweet flavor with pomegranate molasses and lime juice—as I’ve done here. The result is a close approximation to tradition: a tangy, umami-riffic sauce that clings to the noodles and the dish’s many other ingredients.
 
For protein, I use chicken. The chicken is nice and chewy and brings some fat to the dish. The chicken gets tossed into a wonderful jumble with the aromatics, chewy noodles, veggies—bean sprouts, shallots, and green onions—and that beautiful sauce. Add the crunchy peanuts and bright cilantro leaves, and you’re all set.
 
Pad Thai is a fantastic dinner. It’s also impressive for weekend lunches and, given the egg, I’d even fry up a big batch for brunch. It pairs well with deep, dark, chewy, roasty beers, like porters or stouts, or a glass of Fume or Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling.
 
Ingredients 
For the Pad Thai sauce
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2-1/2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (see ChefSecret)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
 
For the Pad Thai
4 ounces dry Pad Thai white rice noodles
3 teaspoons peanut oil, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 chicken breast, sliced into ¼”-thick strips
6 ounces extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into ½ x ½ x 2” batons
2 shallots, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 large eggs
1 pinch salt
2 cups bean sprouts, plus more for garnish
4 green onions, thinly sliced on the bias
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped, for garnish
1/3 cup cilantro, leaves only, for garnish
6 lime wedges, for garnish
Chili oil, for serving
 
Directions 
To make the Pad Thai sauce

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, fish sauce, pomegranate molasses, lime juice, soy sauce, water and white pepper. Set aside.

To make the Pad Thai noodles

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the pad Thai noodles in a large heatproof bowl and pour the hot water over the noodles, making sure they are submerged. Let sit until al dente, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Stir to loosen the noodles, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
4.  Add the chicken and extra-firm tofu strips, sprinkle with 2 pinches of kosher salt, and cook, tossing occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through; 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Transfer the chicken and tofu to a plate.
6. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon peanut oil in the skillet. Add the shallots and cook until softened; about 3 minutes.
7. Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant; about 30 seconds.
8. Push the shallot mixture to the side and reduce the heat to medium-low.
9. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the eggs and a pinch of salt.
10. Pour the eggs into the empty side of the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until scrambled and mostly cooked through; 1 to 2 minutes. Push the eggs to the side.
11. Add the noodles, chicken, tofu, bean sprouts, green onions and Pad Thai sauce. Increase the heat to high, toss to combine, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
12. Transfer the finished Pad Thai to a large warm serving dish.
13. Garnish with additional bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, cilantro leaves and lime wedges.
14. Drizzle with chili oil, if desired.

ChefSecret:  If you can find tamarind paste, use 4 tablespoons of that instead of the pomegranate molasses and lime juice mixture. For added heat and a little color, feel free to add slivers of red chile.

Quip of the Day:  I never knew tofu could be this good! Honestly it never o-curd to me.
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Entrees #PadThai #OrientalBangkok #RiceNoodles #Tamarind #Dinner #Brunch #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                                      ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025