Back to My Roots....

My father is Chinese and my mother is from Ethiopian. It's a very unique mix and I wouldn't have it any other way. Food is a really big deal in our family. If you show up on a random day at our house, you would think it's Christmas or Thanksgiving when you see what's going on in the kitchen. So this menu is homage to my father.

First: Hot N Sour Soup
Main 1: Sauteed Water Spinach w/ Garlic
Main 2: Shrimp w/ Tomato-Ginger Sauce
Main 3: Mussels w/ Black Bean-Garlic Sauce

Shrimp w/ Tomato-Ginger Sauce
Difficulty: 5/10
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 10 min

• 2 lbs of large shrimp, ckeaned and peeled with tails on, 26-30 or larger
  
• 1 tblspn cornstarch
• 2 tbspn shaoxin cooking wine
• 2 tbspn dry white wine, Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio
  
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 3 tbspn minced ginger
• 1 tspn sugar
• 1 tspn seasame oil
• cilantro for garnish
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• EVOO

Note: This dish cooks very quickly. Keep the pan under high heat.

1. In a bowl, combine shrimp, cooking wine, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
2. Heat a saute pan under high heat and add EVOO. Add shrimp and saute for about 1 min.
3. Add minced ginger and cook until fragrant (1 min).
4. Add white wine and cook until evaporated.
   
5. Add ketchup and sugar. Toss and mix well.
   
6. Season w/ SnP and finish w/ seasame oil.
7. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Mussels w/ Black Bean-Garlic Sauce
Difficulty: 6/10
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 10 min

So many times, I see mussels cooked the same way. White wine, saffron, herbs, butter, yadda yadda....Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz....So here's a recipe with some bold, deep flavors that you're gonna love...

• 2 lbs New Zealand Mussels, cleaned with beards removed
• 3 tbspn white wine
• 1 tspn minced ginger
• 3 green onions, cut into 1" segments
• Black pepper
• EVOO
• 3 tbspn Black Bean-Garlic Sauce, recipe below

1. Rinse, clean, and drain the mussels and set them to the side.
2. Heat a large wok under high heat. Add the ginger and cook for 30 sec until fragrant.
3. Add the mussels to the wok. Toss and bring them up to temperature.
4. Add the white wine. Make sure the heat is left on high. You want the white wine to evaporate off quickly and steam the mussels. You don't want any liquid to gather at the bottom of the wok.
5. Add the black bean sauce and green onions. Toss for about 2 minutes to evenly coat the mussels and bring the sauce up to temperature.
6. Plate, garnish, and serve.

Master Sauce: Black Bean & Garlic Sauce
Difficulty: 4/10
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 20 min

• 1/3 cup of fermented black beans, rinsed, drained, and roughly chopped
• 1 cup EVOO
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped ginger
• 3 green onions, cut into 1'' segments
• half a red onion, chopped
• 1 tblspn sambal oelek chili sauce
• 10 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
• 4 tblspn Shaoxing cooking wine
• 1/2 tspn sugar
• kosher salt 
• black pepper

This is a universal sauce that can be used in many stir fry dishes. This recipe makes about 2 cups of sauce which you can keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

1. Heat a large saucepan over med-high heat. Add 1/4 cup of EVOO.
2. Once the oil is hot, add the black beans, ginger, garlic, scallions, and red onion. Cook this down  under med heat until the beans are soft and the aromatics become fragrant, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the chili sauce and wine. Cook down until reduced and most of the liquid has evaporated.
4. Season w/ SnP. Be careful not to overdo it with the salt since black beans are naturally salty.
5. After the mixture has come to room temp, transfer the mixture from the pan to a food processor. Puree the mixture while slowly adding the remaining EVOO. 
6. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.