FILIPINO FOOD NIGHT

Chicken with Bihon Noodles

ingredients: ginger, garlic, scallions, cooked chicken and patis (Phillipines fish sauce)

The other night I had a cooking lesson with a patio home client at her new patio home in the Villas at Dorsey. She is a widowed lady in her 70's who is originally from Massachusetts and married a Philllipino doctor and has lived in Louisville her adult live. I sold her the patio home and have her house listed to sell.

She is a spirited lady, who I have become good friends with. I ask her to teach me Phillipino cuisine and she obliged me the other night. I was the sous chef and her the director. I learned a lot and am anxious to create my own verison of this dish.

It is easy to make and quite tasty, I recommend you give it a try.

Chicken with Bihon Noodles

1 T diced ginger

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

5 scallions, diced, include stems

1/2 cup snow peas

1.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs (firm tofu would be a vegetarian substitute, use 2-3 cups vegetable stock instead of the broth from cooking the thighs)

5 cups of water

1/4 cup bitter melon, peeled and diced (optional)

1 T paprika

1 package of bihon (thin cellophane) noodles

2 T peanut oil

3 T patis (fish sauce)

Heat water in sauce pan and simmer chicken thighs for approximately 20 minutes, remove chicken and let cool, defat and reserve liquid. When chicken is cool, dice.

In a mixing bowl, placed noodles and top with very hot water and let soak for at least 10 minutes.

In large skillet, heat oil and saute the onion, garlic and ginger for couple of minutes, add chicken and continue cooking for approximately 4 minutes. Add scallions, snow peas and melon, season with paprika and continue cooking for 3 more minutes. Add patis and stir well.

Take scissors and cut the noodles into managable pieces. You can just hold the noodle and cut back into the bowl of water. Now with your hand grab the noodle and place in the skillet. Add the reserved broth and mix well. You want it wet, but not soupy. Adjust the seasoning. Place on serving platter and enjoy.

serves 4-6